Leaders debates ....

Corbyn has done tremendously well all week on TV. His minor radio blip on Woman's Hour was soon forgotten. No surprise really that when viewed in person, he was nothing like the grotesque caricature that the Tory media have attempted to paint. My biggest objection to him previously was that he was unelectable. Now he has narrowed that gap my view has changed. I still don't think he can win overall, but if he can force May towards a reduced majority or (in what is probably the best case scenario) a minority government, there is still a chance that we can salvage something constructive from the disastrous (but irreversible) Brexit decision. May's approach to our EU partners will sink us for sure. If it's a minority government, she will walk.

 

It was a right old bloody clusterfcuk of a format, just 7 people shouting at each other. Total turn off for the majority of viewers. I can't see it having changed anybodys mind about which way to vote. I really don't like this format and if we have to give equal prominence to parties who only field candidates in certain areas of the country then I would rather ditch them because they no longer work.

I think Corbyn did ok in this one. He suffered the same as everyone else did in that his message did not really come out through the chaos of the format.

I actually thought Amber Rudd did ok as well even though I expected her to do much worse as she is my least favourite tory and came across terribly in the brexit debate last year. She was on a hiding to nothing last night though with everyone else lined up to make as much capital as possible out of May's absence.

As for May not being there, I can seriously see why she didn't want to be and why she does not like them. The format does nothing to enhance anyones relutation and with 5 of the 7 being left of centre it will always be a gang up on the tory debate, especially when the tories are the incumbent govt. But it will have played badly with the public that she wasn't there and not turning up has only made her look weak. I know she doesn't like them but someone should have advised her more forcibly that she had to do it regardless.

 

The final point - if that audience was supposed to be representative of the electorate then the BBC are having a laugh. If last night's showing is anything to go by I am expecting the tories to finish 4th.

Apparently the tories have some supporters and are even, according to the polls, still in the lead and are due to win this election. And one year ago a majority of people voted to leave the EU.

But last night, every utterance by Corbyn, Farron, the Green and sometimes even the bloody Plaid woman was met with wild applause and whooping. Everything that Rudd said - silence. And everything that Nuttall said, utter disdain. You would never have guessed they got 4m votes last time.

Is it just that left wing voters are louder and think if they make more noise it proves they are right?

 

I agree with this 100%. In fact, I turned off after 20 minutes because it was just a shouting match and there was no new actual information. Why anyone would believe that the best person to run the country would be the one who can shout the loudest is beyond me. In practice, the only two people who have a chance of running the country are Corbyn and May. I do not know why the rest are there. All they do is contribute to the general fog of battle.

 

I didn't watch it, but Cambridge was heavily Remain in the referendum and it has the kind of higher educated people that are left-of-centre politically meant that any audience in Cambridge was going to be like that. Having the same format filmed in Maidenhead might have shown it the other way.

 

For some time, it seems the main aim of momentum is to act as a rent a crowd rabble that shouts and aims to give greater populism. Not saying its not true people support it, but momentum is certainly behind large parts of reinforcing a populism behind the labour doctrine.

Sad to see locally that LibDem posters in the wards around here are being vandalised and having vote labour sprayed over them. Not saying that's momentum behind it, but its a very wide area for the sae thing to be happening for it not have a semblance of organisation behind it.

 

I thought the crowd was selected by an independent polling organisation based on a cross section of voters. As my grandad used to say it's amazing that Thatcher gets elected when no bugger votes for her. Those voting conservative tend to be less vocal as they are not willing to publicly show they 'don't care' ( not my view).

I thought Caroline Lucas showed what a fantastic politician she is assured, funny and capable. I thought Tim Farron stole the show with his closing and painfully accurate comments. Corbyn did ok. The rabble atmosphere is not his best arena but he was quiet and thoughtful.

Respect to Amber Rudd showing up two days after her dad died though you have to question the moral turpitude of May and the rest putting it on her. The bit about being happy about flogging arms to terrorist supporting countries was a major gaffe but otherwise she was ok.


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The debate may be forgotten but the fact May didn't turn up won't be.

 

The only thing that will be remembered after this debate will be May not turning up.

I read the there's only a 3% lead in some poll's by the Tory's if that's true then we will get a hung parliament and the end of May and by the way she's acting she may well want that.

 

I watched it all last night although I very nearly switched off a few times. Firstly it was like a playground squabble most of the time and then we had the audience (as summed up by DSLRed). It couldn't have been less independent if they tried.

All in all I thought it was a shambles, a waste of time and I won't be watching another unless there is a complete overhaul of the format.

As for May I was very disappointed that she didn't show up - it doesn't reflect well on her and I think she was wrong not to do it but after watching I can understand why she chalked f**k on it. I thought Rudd did well in May's absence which is something else that May might live to regret.

 

Deciding factor will be turn out of 18-25's and previous non-voters. That could force a hung Parliament and is the reason some polls say 4% and others 12%. They basically disagree on how many will turn out.

If you're 18-25 or a previous non voter, go vote!

 

As I said it's because of turnout. Last GE the polls over estimated that turn out for New Labour and got it wrong. So they've dialled that back and now they're not sure if it's correct.

Labour has been pushing really hard for young people to vote but whether they turn up.....

 

Other risk is usual Tory voters abstaining because they don't like May and policies but can't bring themselves to vote for anyone else.

 

Beware the shy tory

 

Neither did Nicola Sturgeon but people seem to be overlooking that.

If May had have turned up, it would have been another 'oh, she's change her mind again'. Was on to a looser either way.

 

If that is how good they are at identifying voter intentions to select a representative cross section then we can safely assume the polls are wildly innaccurate.

 

https://twitter.com/jimmy_viz/status/870182484935397376

 

Because the Tory's have nothing to offer only austerity and doing away with winter fuel allowances etc that's why they never got any cheers in this debate. But it's a typical Tory get out to blame the crowd and saying it was not representative. What sort of Turkey votes for Christmas.

 

If she can't debate with 7 other people how's she going to be able to negotiate with 27 other countries?


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