BREAKING. General Election called for 8th June.

[Lisa O`Brien]

Theresa May making a statement outside 10 Downing Street right now. 

[Jacqueline]

Crank up the Battle Bus! Is it petrol or diesel?

Edited April 18, 2017 by Jacqueline

[Ian Macmillan]

This plan will still depend on her winning a vote in the House before there can be an early Election:

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-39630209

 

So not yet a done deal.

 

Edit to add:  OK, please remember this is not a political discussion site and, if things get too bitter, this thread or others will be closed.

Edited April 18, 2017 by Ian Macmillan

[Lisa O`Brien]

7 minutes ago, Ian Macmillan said:

This plan will still depend on her winning a vote in the House before there can be an early Election:

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-39630209

 

So not yet a done deal.

Very interesting, Ian. Thanks for the link.

 

 

[bangorballetboy]

7 minutes ago, Ian Macmillan said:

This plan will still depend on her winning a vote in the House before there can be an early Election:

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-39630209

 

So not yet a done deal.

 

 

 

Except it won't, because if that vote is lost, there will be a motion of no confidence in the government, which will pass and that leads to a general election.

[Ian Macmillan]

Lee: It always helps to have a legal chap on hand at such times!

[Jan McNulty]

I'm bored by it already.

[Fonty]

Absolutely, Janet.  I am sick to death of politics.

 

I have already decided to vote for the Monster Raving Loony Party if they are fielding a candidate*

 

Note to Moderators:  A severe reprimand to be issued to the first person who supplies the name of the established candidate from one of the well known political parties in answer to my question. 

 

Edited to add, isn't that rather short notice for a General Election? 

 

 

 

Edited April 18, 2017 by Fonty

[MAB]

I imagine the election has been called because the PM couldn't resist the siren calls of the opinion polls.  Her party has a phenomenal lead, she plans to take advantage of it.

[Huddsballetmum]

Does she not realise this is a GCSE maths exam day!! Much more important things going on than an election I think.  High schools will not be volunteering to be polling stations. 

[taxi4ballet]

Well I wasn't expecting that to happen.

[Melody]

I suppose it's not that unexpected. I've been trying to explain to American friends how we happen to have a Prime Minister who wasn't elected by the people ("she was elected, she just wasn't elected PM in a countrywide election because we don't do things like Americans do..." *sigh sigh sigh*). But even though British people understand how things work, she's still a Remain backer leading a government that's negotiating Brexit, and she might be wanting to shore up her credentials as a viable leader for the times.

 

Also, as MAB pointed out, when the opposition parties are so weak, she'd be foolish not to take advantage.

 

But I thought these days we had fixed terms like they do over here. If you can just call an early election at a time advantageous to your party, how is that different from before?

Edited April 18, 2017 by Melody

[MAB]

When I listened to the news this morning, there was great concern over the president of Turkey gaining the powers of a dictator in a dodgy election and even greater concern about the US squaring up to N. Korea in what the tabloids claim could be a run-up to WWIII  .Since then it seems absolutely nothing has happened anywhere in the world apart from a proposed election.

 

Good day to bury bad news?  Oh, and has Kim Jung-Un declared war on America yet?

[Guest]

Vote Ballet!!! It will cure everything if well danced!

[Guest]

ALERT  ALERT! Latest casting from 10 Downing Street: Theresa

May has been cast as the Black Queen in the next revival of Checkmate! Further casting to follow!

[taxi4ballet]

I'm totally bored with the election already. Yet another good reason to avoid watching/reading the news

[Sim]

I am joining the ranks of the bored!  And we now have seven weeks of this to endure.... ?

[Lisa O`Brien]

The Fixed Term was a concession to the Liberal Democrats. It was one of the conditions they insisted on being introduced in law if they were to go into Government with the Conservatives. I think they are planning on abolishing it, so it will be like it was previously to the Coalition.

[Quintus]

even Putin can't be bothered to hack this one

[Fonty]

I think it is tragic that at a time when Britain is facing one of the most challenging periods that I can remember, the feeling amongst the public seems to be boredom.

 

Speaking personally, I am much more excited about the upcoming Ashton triple bill than I am about the outcome of the General Election.    

[trog]

37 minutes ago, Fonty said:

Speaking personally, I am much more excited about the upcoming Ashton triple bill than I am about the outcome of the General Election.    

 

Me too (and given my views on Ashton ballets, this shows just how fed-up of the Westminster lot I am!)

[MAB]

12 hours ago, Darlex said:

ALERT  ALERT! Latest casting from 10 Downing Street: Theresa

May has been cast as the Black Queen in the next revival of Checkmate! Further casting to follow!

 

And with Jeremy Corbyn as the feeble Red King?

[taxi4ballet]

1 hour ago, MAB said:

 

And with Jeremy Corbyn as the feeble Red King?

And who are the pawns I wonder...?

[AnneMarriott]

21 hours ago, Melody said:

 

 

But I thought these days we had fixed terms like they do over here. If you can just call an early election at a time advantageous to your party, how is that different from before?

 

This was briefly touched on by Ian MacMillan and bangorballetboy above (sorry, can't seem to find handy numbers of posts to quote).  The Prime Minister can no longer simply call an election before the five year fixed term is up.  The proposal to hold an early election has to receive a two-thirds majority vote in favour. However if the required majority fails to materialise there would be a vote of no confidence in the Government.  Whether that vote is lost or won there would still be a general election - either because the Prime Minister would get his or her way or because the Government would no longer be able to continue in office.

 

Fascinating, isn't it? 

[Guest]

5 hours ago, MAB said:

 

And with Jeremy Corbyn as the feeble Red King?

Then there's a role for Diane Abbott.

 

Caroline Lucas as Love.

[MAB]

4 hours ago, taxi4ballet said:

And who are the pawns I wonder...?

 

Joe Public.

[taxi4ballet]

Well, since he has decided to step down, at least we can wave a cheery goodbye to George Osborne.

 

Now... who else can we get rid of?

[Colman]

49 minutes ago, MAB said:

 

Joe Public.

 

Hah. Joe Public aspires to be a pawn.

 

[Melody]

15 hours ago, AnneMarriott said:

 

This was briefly touched on by Ian MacMillan and bangorballetboy above (sorry, can't seem to find handy numbers of posts to quote).  The Prime Minister can no longer simply call an election before the five year fixed term is up.  The proposal to hold an early election has to receive a two-thirds majority vote in favour. However if the required majority fails to materialise there would be a vote of no confidence in the Government.  Whether that vote is lost or won there would still be a general election - either because the Prime Minister would get his or her way or because the Government would no longer be able to continue in office.

 

Fascinating, isn't it? 

Thanks for the explanation - so basically a more complicated and stressful way of getting to the same place as before. Sigh.

 

Just one thing, though - if the government didn't get the two-thirds majority to hold the early election but did win the subsequent vote of no confidence, why would the election have to go ahead? I mean, if there wasn't the two-thirds majority, wouldn't that just mean the government would have to continue in office until the end of the term or until they could get a two-thirds majority for an early election?

 

Because, honestly, if it's the case that an election has to be held regardless, then the whole thing is just a charade.

Edited April 20, 2017 by Melody

[Fonty]

44 minutes ago, Melody said:

Because, honestly, if it's the case that an election has to be held regardless, then the whole thing is just a charade.

 

That, in a nutshell, sums up my feeling about politics.

 

 Doesn't seem to matter who is in power, and how much they spout on about The Will of the People, Listening to the Electorate, Learning Lessons, Creating a Fairer Society, etc etc etc,  the whole thing is just a charade.

 

Fonty the Cynic 

[Lisa O`Brien]

You should read all the comments on the Facebook page belonging to the group, Leave.EU. Die hard lifelong Labour supporters; one whose father was a Miner. Going to vote Conservative for the first time in their lives. Many are saying they never thought they would see the day that they would vote for the Tories, but that they are going to this time. Wow.

[Colman]

Can we just not do this here? 

[John Mallinson]

3 minutes ago, Colman said:

Can we just not do this here? 

 

I agree. We are facing weeks of being assaulted from all sides with political argument, electioneering and over-excited reporting. I would be very happy if BalletcoForum could provide an escape from all that.