Snap General Election called

[Banquo]

Arlene 'lame duck' Foster telling Theresa May she is a lame duck is a little odd, even if true; Theresa off to see the queen at 12.30 to seek permission to form a government.

[Eugene Wrayburn]

There is no way that May will lead another election campaign. None. The only reason she isn't busy packing right now, and I understand the likes of BoJo are taking soundings, is that a leadership contest now would be a disaster. Brexit is happening and we can't piss about with a leadership contest now. Once we have a deal in place, I expect those knives being sharpened to be deployed.

It's also in a lot of people's interests to keep May in place. Many Tories don't want Boris but there aren't too many contenders at the moment. I'm not sure Corbyn would want her to go either. If he takes the long view, he is in a great position. He has gained additional seats and regained votes from ukip and other protest parties. He can now watch a weakened PM take the full rap for Brexit whilst chucking grenades in from the sidelines and hoping to capitalise if the Tories fall apart, which given the volatility of the conservative right wing, is quite likely, particularly if May has to compromise and get support of other parties.

Better for Corbyn to have come a close second last night and look to capitalise in a few years time, as I don't think this government will last 5 years.

This. It's probably dawned on all but the most ardent Brexiteers that the negotiations can't succeed as they'd wish. They'll keep May in place to take the rap then knife her. Hopefully the Tory Remainers have already got cross party agreement to insist on either a second referendum in a stay or remain basis or to simply kill off leave in the light of the shit deal.

[Digby]

Arlene 'lame duck' Foster telling Theresa May she is a lame duck is a little odd, even if true; Theresa off to see the queen at 12.30 to seek permission to form a government.

It is quite brazen how little she seems to think she should take responsibility for the renewable energy policy disaster

[Digby]

There is no way that May will lead another election campaign. None. The only reason she isn't busy packing right now, and I understand the likes of BoJo are taking soundings, is that a leadership contest now would be a disaster. Brexit is happening and we can't piss about with a leadership contest now. Once we have a deal in place, I expect those knives being sharpened to be deployed.

It's also in a lot of people's interests to keep May in place. Many Tories don't want Boris but there aren't too many contenders at the moment. I'm not sure Corbyn would want her to go either. If he takes the long view, he is in a great position. He has gained additional seats and regained votes from ukip and other protest parties. He can now watch a weakened PM take the full rap for Brexit whilst chucking grenades in from the sidelines and hoping to capitalise if the Tories fall apart, which given the volatility of the conservative right wing, is quite likely, particularly if May has to compromise and get support of other parties.

Better for Corbyn to have come a close second last night and look to capitalise in a few years time, as I don't think this government will last 5 years.

This. It's probably dawned on all but the most ardent Brexiteers that the negotiations can't succeed as they'd wish. They'll keep May in place to take the rap then knife her. Hopefully the Tory Remainers have already got cross party agreement to insist on either a second referendum in a stay or remain basis or to simply kill off leave in the light of the shit deal.

There is still Corbyn wanting to nationalise anything which moves, and to make his plans easier it'd be better for him to see the UK out of the EU

[Sandydragon]

There were some interesting articles in the press yesterday concerning a softer brexit. Im not convinced that May, with a big majority, would not have gone for some kind of compromise. However, thats all speculation now. Will the EU be a bit more bullish now, knowing that she is hugely weakened? Can she get a vote through parliament? I don't think she can.

But what if she can't? My understanding is that if we don't agree a deal, we are still leaving anyway. A second referendum in the UK doesn't mean much if there is no offer on the table to offer the electorate if the PM can't get something through parliament.

What a complete mess.

[Mikey Brown]

Gggggggg

[Mellsblue]

What a complete mess.

This is pretty much the crux of the matter.

For all intents and purposes we are back to where we started with regards to Brexit. A May government that is enthrall to its hardcore Brexiteers and Remainers with the added complication of appeasing the DUP.

Juncker must be wetting himself with laughter. His liquid lunch will be heavier than usual today.

[Mellsblue]

What is the request to the Queen required for? To continue seeking a deal with another party or to just ignore the lack of majority completely?

Asking her permission to form a govt. The DUP have obviously said they'll back her.

Let's hope the Queen is in a good mood as I want Paddy Power to pay for drowning my sorrows tonight.

[Mikey Brown]

What is the request to the Queen required for? To continue seeking a deal with another party or to just ignore the lack of majority completely?

Asking her permission to form a govt. The DUP have obviously said they'll back her.

Let's hope the Queen is in a good mood as I want Paddy Power to pay for drowning my sorrows tonight.

Yeah. Managed to completely misread that.

I just don't want to see her saggy fucking crow face any longer.

[Banquo]

There is no way that May will lead another election campaign. None. The only reason she isn't busy packing right now, and I understand the likes of BoJo are taking soundings, is that a leadership contest now would be a disaster. Brexit is happening and we can't piss about with a leadership contest now. Once we have a deal in place, I expect those knives being sharpened to be deployed.

It's also in a lot of people's interests to keep May in place. Many Tories don't want Boris but there aren't too many contenders at the moment. I'm not sure Corbyn would want her to go either. If he takes the long view, he is in a great position. He has gained additional seats and regained votes from ukip and other protest parties. He can now watch a weakened PM take the full rap for Brexit whilst chucking grenades in from the sidelines and hoping to capitalise if the Tories fall apart, which given the volatility of the conservative right wing, is quite likely, particularly if May has to compromise and get support of other parties.

Better for Corbyn to have come a close second last night and look to capitalise in a few years time, as I don't think this government will last 5 years.

This. It's probably dawned on all but the most ardent Brexiteers that the negotiations can't succeed as they'd wish. They'll keep May in place to take the rap then knife her. Hopefully the Tory Remainers have already got cross party agreement to insist on either a second referendum in a stay or remain basis or to simply kill off leave in the light of the shit deal.

There is still Corbyn wanting to nationalise anything which moves, and to make his plans easier it'd be better for him to see the UK out of the EU

always his own position anyway

[Banquo]

What is the request to the Queen required for? To continue seeking a deal with another party or to just ignore the lack of majority completely?

Asking her permission to form a govt. The DUP have obviously said they'll back her.

Let's hope the Queen is in a good mood as I want Paddy Power to pay for drowning my sorrows tonight.

They haven't. But afik she can just form a minority govt.

If not...then we would have a right laugh watching Labour, SNP, Lib dems, PC, green and whoever trying to agree a queens speech

[Big D]

Lets pretend for a minute that the Conservatives can struggle on for a full term of 5 years, would a 73 year old Corbyn be electable as PM come 2022? He seems in reasonable health and I wish him not ill health but serving as a PM or even in front line politics from 73-78 is a big ask of anyone.

Not that the Conservative government will last that long.

[Banquo]

Lets pretend for a minute that the Conservatives can struggle on for a full term of 5 years, would a 73 year old Corbyn be electable as PM come 2022? He seems in reasonable health and I wish him not ill health but serving as a PM or even in front line politics from 73-78 is a big ask of anyone.

Not that the Conservative government will last that long.

said that in 2010 but tend to agree, not least because there is no credible leader in sight.

[Stones of granite]

I'm in shock. Until now, I hadn't lived in a constituency with a Tory MP since I left Hertfordshire in 1988.
(Ochil and South Perthshire)

[Sandydragon]

The look on Wee Eck's face when he lost his seat is the one cheerful moment of a very long night.

[Banquo]

I'm in shock. Until now, I hadn't lived in a constituency with a Tory MP since I left Hertfordshire in 1988.
(Ochil and South Perthshire)

whats the view on indyref2?

[Big D]

I'm in shock. Until now, I hadn't lived in a constituency with a Tory MP since I left Hertfordshire in 1988.
(Ochil and South Perthshire)

SNP lost a 10k majority next door to you too.

[SerjeantWildgoose]

Ah but the SNP bloke in NE Fife managed to scrape over the line by 2 votes - ye wouldn't want to be his missus picking his boxers up of the bathroom floor this morning.

[Sandydragon]

I'm in shock. Until now, I hadn't lived in a constituency with a Tory MP since I left Hertfordshire in 1988.
(Ochil and South Perthshire)

whats the view on indyref2?

Apparently some senior SNP bloke seemed to pour cold water on the idea, for the moment.

[fivepointer]

What a turn up! An utterly rivetting nights political ping pong.

While I am delighted that May & the Tories got a deserved bloody nose for their rank opportunism it does leave us with a PM fatally undermined, to be propped up by the DUP, about to embark on the most important negotiations undertaken by a Govt in my lifetime. If the Tory/DUP double act falls apart, or even fails to get off the ground, another election beckons as a Labour led coalition is really a non starter.

What an appalling mess we've gotten into.

[Banquo]

What a turn up! An utterly rivetting nights political ping pong.

While I am delighted that May & the Tories got a deserved bloody nose for their rank opportunism it does leave us with a PM fatally undermined, to be propped up by the DUP, about to embark on the most important negotiations undertaken by a Govt in my lifetime. If the Tory/DUP double act falls apart, or even fails to get off the ground, another election beckons as a Labour led coalition is really a non starter.

What an appalling mess we've gotten into.

yep; ironically, at least in part because the tory party was trying to stop tearing itself apart.....

[Which Tyler]

What a turn up! An utterly rivetting nights political ping pong.

While I am delighted that May & the Tories got a deserved bloody nose for their rank opportunism it does leave us with a PM fatally undermined, to be propped up by the DUP, about to embark on the most important negotiations undertaken by a Govt in my lifetime. If the Tory/DUP double act falls apart, or even fails to get off the ground, another election beckons as a Labour led coalition is really a non starter.

What an appalling mess we've gotten into.

yep; ironically, at least in part because the tory party was trying to stop tearing itself apart.....

Third time in 2 years

[BBD]

when the dust settles and the braying and back stabbing stops, maybe we will realise just how hard we have made things for ourselves with a hung parliament. Just shows how much of a divided nation the UK is.

[Mikey Brown]

Odds on the Queen telling her to do one?

[Zhivago]

Conservatives siding with the ulster loyalists then. How utterly hypocritical.