General Election

[campagnolo]

What changed her mind, I wonder? Swapping M and P around?

Today I drove from Split to Dubrovnik; through Bosnia. I marvelled at just how quickly the Russian, Japanese and Americans sailed through passport control, compared to us with EU passports.

 

[Felonious Crud]

Ye gods! A grown up changing their mind! Much better if the carried on believing they were wrong, yes?

C

SM is a broad church and home to folks of all backgrounds who have in common a love of Italian cars, buggering about, not doing a terribly good job of growing up and doing a pretty bloody good job of not taking themselves or each other too seriously, in a good way. And you know what, that's what makes it great.

Anyway, back to socioeconomic policy...

 

[campagnolo]

I asked a simple question. I got a load of "spunk this", "w4nkers that" back. Awesome insights from the forum. Feels more like Broadchurch than a broad church.

 

[Navcorr]

SM is a broad church and home to folks of all backgrounds who have in common a love of Italian cars, buggering about, not doing a terribly good job of growing up and doing a pretty bloody good job of not taking themselves or each other too seriously, in a good way. And you know what, that's what makes it great.

Anyway, back to socioeconomic policy...

Very nicely put Sir. Rather eloquent, if you don't mind me saying .... for an Essex man, if you don't mind me saying.

 

[Felonious Crud]

Very nicely put Sir. Rather eloquent, if you don't mind me saying .... for an Essex man, if you don't mind me saying.

Thanks, old chap. We're not all white-sock wearing Escort-driving chippy *****, innit. Some of us have got the schooling, innall. The thing to remember with Essex, is its huge diversity. We stretch from the East End (where my Dad did his growing up) to Constable Country out in the exotic east, we've got protected marshlands, gorgeous sandy beaches, piers and queers and toffs and tarts and farmers and dandies and Masers and Fezzas and quite an eclectic electorate.

Which, in a break from SM tradition, brings us full circle and back on topic. I love political debate.

Who's next? Vote Benny! Manifesto speech time, Foghorm!

 

[midlifecrisis]

Thanks, old chap. We're not all white-sock wearing Escort-driving chippy *****, innit. Some of us have got the schooling, innall. The thing to remember with Essex, is its huge diversity. We stretch from the East End (where my Dad did his growing up) to Constable Country our in the exotic east, we've got protected marshlands, gorgeous sandy beaches, piers and queers and toffs and tarts and farmers and dandies and Masers and Fezzas and quite an eclectic electorate.

Which, in a break from SM tradition, brings us full circle and back on topic. I love political debate.

Who's next? Vote Benny! Manifesto speech time, Foghorm!

There was a political broadcast from the Essex Tourist Board.

 

[Felonious Crud]

There was a political broadcast from the Essex Tourist Board.

Are you tempted, Martin? Cheeky weekend away? I know a great B&B on an island near here. Gets cut off at high tide and forget getting there in a Maser even at low tide. Great place to hide from politics for a few days. The SM retreat, for emotional recuperation. That and Le Mans.

 

[philw696]

I suppose the fact that all parties are stark staring mad at least evens the playing field a bit. Perhaps the topic of this thread should be "Which country would you move to if you could?". Phil W can't play.

Let the games commence!

Down in Dunedin in South Island at the moment the Edinburgh of New Zealand.
Finding it hard to leave but will be back.

 

[midlifecrisis]

Meanwhile, since we're all friends the political banter/ptaking is quite funny which ever way you look at it. Rather than spout on as to which party is more ineffectual than the other let's just enjoy life. Here's two examples, I'll post two more later for balance when I see them.

 

[Navcorr]

Thanks, old chap. We're not all white-sock wearing Escort-driving chippy *****, innit. Nowt wrong with that. Had many thrashes through Epping Forest over the years. Best mate is a Loughton fella. Or is that Luftown nowadays. Can't quite believe Brick Lane is considered trendy

We stretch from the East End (where my Dad did his growing up) ......

As did my Father. Dad's side of the family are from Bethnal Green & Walthamstow. A few stories there to tell with certain well known faces of the old East End.

But, from humble beginnings (Grandad used to cut the football pitches on Hackney Marshes) through sheer hard work and determination, made a real success of life. Kind of sums up the Essex spirit in a way.

Oh - I've a cousin called Tracy too.

 

[Felonious Crud]

Oh - I've a cousin called Tracy too.

You're virtually a local! My Dad was a Walthamstow lad as well, and Epping Forest is gorgeous. I've got a lot of family over that way, a stone's throw from Newton.

 

[Navcorr]

You're virtually a local!

We used to love the street market - the quality of everything. Apparently first time Mum went she couldn't believe it - she'd been used to buying grapes 1/4Lb at a time they were so expensive up here. It's a little different now though of course. The last place they had in Walthamstow was McEntee Ave.

 

[BennyD]

F*ck the EU and all those that sail in it. Even plastic pigs get from A to .....where we want to be. If you aren't British, you are a c*nt....and so are the Scotch; have another referendum and see how you get on. Leave hopefully, because I, as a tax payer, am sick of funding your slack 'lifestyles'.

 

[highlander]

F*ck the EU and all those that sail in it. Even plastic pigs get from A to .....where we want to be. If you aren't British, you are a c*nt....and so are the Scotch; have another referendum and see how you get on. Leave hopefully, because I, as a tax payer, am sick of funding your slack 'lifestyles'.

Really?

 

[Navcorr]

Well ...... at least I'm only half a **** then ..... actually ..... now you mention it .....

 

[D Walker]

Oh dear, how many desperados have you had Ben,
Mind you did sat you were in pub early and would no doubt post gibberish later!!
Or was that yesterday??

 

[Slowly]

The problem with any stereotypical label is that it is a useful and snappy handle for a far more complex concept - so "Essex Man" is not only not representative of the people of that county but also a construct of its time (though I remember when it emerged just as I started voting, shockingly that was nearly 30 years ago).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essex_man

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_England

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hooray_Henry

and the now outdated https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sloane_Ranger - many of the traditional Sloanes can no longer afford to live in that geographic area.

Occasionally a completely false anecdote can stick because it encapsulates a stereotype - the infamous Mandelson guacamole incident for example. http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/lord-mandelson-reveals-secrets-time-1417662

It seems that TM has called the election because 1) she doesn't have a big enough majority to push through her agenda without potential rebellions and defeat, 2) the state of the Labour and LD parties (SNP makes Scotland an electoral irrelevance) and 3) the potential collision of the next election, should the fixed term rule be adhered to and finalisation of the Brexit negotiations.

Living in a Conservative/LD marginal the key questions for me are 1) whether TM, if she gets a big majority, will use it for a hard Brexit or to keep the Ultra-Brexiteers on the Right of the Conservative party in check and obtain a softer Brexit. 2) Whether she has, for understandable electoral reasons, decided to pivot the party firmly towards groups C1 and C2 (50% of the electorate, where elections are won and lost) and has decided to abandon the numerically unimportant group A (4% of the electorate).

 

[Navcorr]

..... the infamous Mandelson guacamole incident for example.

I must admit this slipped by me at the time.
Having read the above the mind boggled as to what it could be.
Having now seen a clip I'm sure Mandy has had a lot worse splashed across his face.