Yorkshire Prime Minister!

According to Times Radio, the first prime minister to represent a Yorkshire constituency. Harold Wilson was born near Huddersfield, but represented Ormskirk/Huyton, near Liverpool.

He has a slicker image, and (to my mind) is possessed of more real intelligence than his two immediate predecessors. I don't however expect to be enthused by his right wing pro-brexit stance. I expect Labour's lead to fall back to around 10 per cent, but it will be difficult for Sunak to turn things around sufficiently to totally restore the Tories' fortunes.

For those of us on here of the horsey fraternity, his previous leanings suggest a supportive stance towards the horseracing industry. His constituency contains Catterick Racecourse and the Middleham training centres, and he is stated to be opposed to the idea of 'affordability checks' for racing punters.

 

Charles Wentworth-Watson was the first prime minister to represent a Yorkshire constituency - Malton - and the second (he died 96 days into his second term - the shortest term for a PM until last week).

He's more successful in life than Johnson - younger, richer, better at business, better looking even - apparently - but he is also the first Chancellor to be fined for breaking the law while in office, the furlough scheme was both open to fraud and missed out ~3 million people, and he is very brittle under questioning. I'm hoping for stability, but the forces in the Tory party will work to undermine him.

I'm expecting the appointment to attract 10-15% back to the Tories, but at the same time *lose* 5% racist dregs to reform/heritage/fascists are us. So Tories +8-10 until the budget - next week...

 

2nd Marquess of Rockingham. Local Boy, built Wentworth Woodhouse along with his Dad. Buried in York Minster.

 

All our fates are tied up with this bloke and we have to hope he is successful to some extent as we will suffer if he isnt. Personally, I think he is smart enough to preach to the country at large and not just a handful of tories, hence he might just deliver some of the leveling up agenda to try and keep the red wall seats.
He also has a chance to do three remarkable things, two he might do, one he probably won't
1. As a poacher turned gamekeeper, stop large companies off-shoring profits. In 2011 UKuncut reckoned we lost £120 billion per year in company taxes and that will have gone up. We are now free to introduce our own tax regime which we couldn't do whilst in the EU (eg a digital transaction tax for amazon, tax on UK turnover for companies that "export" profits to Luxembourg etc) - he probably won't do this
2. A trade deal with India would be a positive thing, not just now but for future generations. They appear genuinely excited someone of indian heritage is running the country and he could capitalise on that. He might just pull this off
3. Get rid of Jacob Rees Mogg. He's gone from being a mildly amusing imbecile to a dangerous one

 

I agree ESPECIALLY No. 3.

 

No chance, remember this?

 

I’ve worked with Suank a lot. He’s good. Bright, articulate and a decent human being. Of all the candidates who could have taken on the role he’s the one who Starmer and Labour will struggle with. The Labour Party are a vacuum at the moment, and have been for a good few years. What is it they stand for? I’ve genuinely little idea. Fingers need to be pulled out and a vision to enthuse the Country needs to be formed. If it’s a watered down version of ‘conservatism’ that won’t do it for me. I’d rather face the real thing and oppose that, than yet another Labour administration flailing about with a failed system.

The thing Starmer has in his favour is, no matter how good Sunak might turn out to be, he’s operating with one hand behind his back in terms of the issues facing him and the solutions open to a Tory PM and, he’s leading a party of extraordinary blandness and in some cases utter fruitcakes.

As a card carrying Guardian Reading, muesli eating, sandal wearing lefty, I wish Starmer luck. But rather like watching the Reds, I travel more in hope than expectation.

 

Sunak is a **** he openly boasted about taking funding from deprived areas and giving it to rich Tory constituencies.

 

Great spot, Scoff! I did wonder when they said that whether it was right but couldn't call Rockingham to mind. I should have done - I've read 'Black Diamonds'!

 

I do remember that and that he was playing to his then audience, all politicians tend to do it. The thing here though is that I feel Sunak regards himself as more than a short term PM. If he loses the next election the tories will get rid of him. The only way to win is to keep the red wall seats. That's a tall order but it is possible. Among all the headlines of parties and hissy fits, lost is the news that they rowed back on a lot of the leveling up agenda. Self preservation dictates that he needs to start looking after the north or he'll be out after 2 years

 

No mention of Brexit in his speech on the reasons for Britains current economic crisis, you can argue about the extent of the impact of Brexit but to ignore it in any economic plan is not credible, I can't see much of a Tory revival - all the UKIP/reform party racists who took over the Conservative Party grass roots will leave, all the "normal" Tory supporters who would be the main organisers locally might come back, might not. He has more credibility then the last 2 so that might get some votes back, but it will be offset by whatever the latest incarnation of the racists right is going to look like - especially if they put up candidates.

 

No and the BBC news hasn't mentioned it either, they need to watch the Financial Times video I linked on here the other day.

 

The ONLY way to recover the UK economy is to admit that Brexit was a massive blunder and start negotiations with the EU to rejoin the single market. But he's a Brexiteer so that's not going to happen, therefore if he hangs on for 2 years we will still be in the economic doldrums and he'll lose the election.

The truth is that we need a General Election now.

 

He's off to a flying start. Mogg has gone. Hurrah

 

Raab is back as Deputy PM and Justice Secretary - because he was *so* successful last time. Rumours about Braverman coming back - because breaking Home Office security protocols is only an issue if you apologise...

 

Well.we know how it'll go, is peasants will pay for the Tory parties mistakes, another good dose of austerity anyone!?

 

He’s still a ******* Tory.

He’s already played a massive part in the economy being in the state it is already.

 

Braverman back at Home Office , a despicable decision

 

All you need to know is on here. Same old same old.

Edit: in fact probably more right wing than May, Cameron and Johnson

https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/25428/rishi_sunak/richmond_(yorks)/votes

 

I spend a lot of time at County Hall in Northallerton which his constituency office is based and he's not even that popular there.

People may know but I'm a County Councillor and sit on the care and independence committee where we have seen the budgets cut in half and we are being asked to save even more this year.

That was before Truss crashed the economy and saddled us with even more debt and worry so I dread to think where we will be when our next meeting is scheduled.

I get a general overview of most things going on in North Yorkshire and there really isn't much good news or levelling up going on.

Sitting in the chamber looking round we have a lot of affluent areas represented and then more deprived areas that are constantly overlooked such as my ward where everything from the police station to sure start and age concern has shut or left the town due to funding cuts.

We really need a new government with new ideas and a fresh mandate to lead the country from the situation it is in and quickly, More of the same but in a nice suit really won't cut it.