Interesting to see the BBC's view of last night's by election. As usual the BBC doesn't lie but does down play or ignore facts it doesn't like.

"Labour held the seat with a reduced majority (correct)

Eleven candidates stood, with the 37% turnout higher than some had predicted (correct)"

Or they could have said "Labour just held onto the seat halving their majority in a record low turnout. All of this against the backdrop of one of the worst Tory governments in recent memory."

There was nothing to celebrate for Labour last night and they should be worried. They should have smashed the Tories but hey ho the BBC says tomato I say... and the Remainers say let's call the whole thing off.

Edited by Badger11 (05 Apr 2019 8.23am)

One more point

It's an interesting set of data. However, while it appears a majority want a second referendum, it's also true that a majority want a form of Brexit.....49 percent of them wishing for some form of Brexit.

Unsurprisingly the EU's behaviour has cooked their goose at this point.

Edited by Stirlingsays (05 Apr 2019 9.17am)

Attachment: BrexitBreakfast.JPG (65.43Kb)

'Who are you and how did you get in here? I'm a locksmith. And, I'm a locksmith.' (Leslie Nielsen)

Good point, well made.

Agree the term racist is massively overused to the point where it's not really effective anymore.

I would prefer a deal over no deal, but I want to leave. So if I was asked how positive would I consider a no deal outcome - I'd say not positive, which is true, but to me far preferable to staying.

I think a lot of us at the grass roots have accepted and understood this.

It's the activists and politicians and the frightened corporations who are behind the times however.

They still think that these words have power....and they do at their level. But this long time abuse of language has been recognised and as with cultural change the power of these concepts will gradually reduce as more people realise that a whole industry has been created to push their survival by unironically demonising people.

Edited by Stirlingsays (05 Apr 2019 9.49am)

'Who are you and how did you get in here? I'm a locksmith. And, I'm a locksmith.' (Leslie Nielsen)

Of course it can. If the EU refuse the extension that everyone seems to want then we are out by default

Well one answer is because MPs are being whipped - time for a free vote.

Perhaps you should lobby Jeremy to get his party's 185 of them sacked.

A stairway to Heaven and a Highway to Hell give some indication of expected traffic numbers

Interesting to see the spin being put on that by-election. A swing from Labour to the Conservatives? With UKIP doubling their %.

The last bit is not a surprise but the first?

However, I fear it is all irrelevant and the Brexit fix is becoming increasingly clear, at least to my paranoid mind.

One thing I never got until now was why May ever bought her WA back to the table. The backstop meant it was doomed to failure. There is no way the DUP and the ERG* could ever support it. A no-go from day 1. I get why the EU insisted on it, because it allows them to effectively stop us making outside trade deals to the extent where we never truly leave. And that is the crux of this. They have to protect their own inefficient industry, with us as a cash cow by way of us proles being stuck with high prices whilst the banking elites get to fill their pockets.

So May knows it will not pass.

But she has to try hence the farce of the last couple of months.

Leaving her with no other choice than reaching out to Labour. To Corbyn, who I genuninely believe is a true leaver, who had his hands tied by his own party over a second referendum which May reluctantly agrees to with an exaggerated sigh.

Meaning that when this eventually becomes reality, and Remain wins the day, the blame with be laid at his door. May will go, a supposed 'Leaver' will replace her and spout off a load of BS about how the country needs time to heal before we can revisit the issue of actually leaving once again.

And then the status quo is back.

There is a sort of Machiavellian wonder to it all.

Question is, what then? LOL. Hell of a question.

Oh and the '*' bit concerning the ERG. I suspect that they worked out much of this a few weeks ago, hence why many started switching support, reasoning that the best way to scupper May's plan was to actually support her WA. Not sure I agree but now it makes at least a little sense.

Naturally, all of the above might be the rantings of a mad man (and this Brexit s*** does have a way of churning the old grey matter up, I will concede) but ever since the details of Mays proposed WA became clear it never made the slightest bit of sense because it was never going to happen in a million years. Now though I am convinced that it was never intended to do so.

Edited by Matov (05 Apr 2019 11.11am)

"The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command." - 1984 - George Orwell.

Interesting response. First you dispute the figures then dismiss them anyway.