Batley and Spen 2021 by election

[Tropical Wave]

@mods there was a thread that encompassed several elections including the Hartlepool by election, but there hasn't been one for the Batley by election, so hopefully this is allowed.

What are your thoughts on the Batley and Spen by election? I think with this seat there are a number of points to note/consider:

1. This is not a traditional "red wall" seat - it was Tory until 1992

2. The combined Conservative and Brexit party votes combined did not outnumber the Labour vote in 2019

3. There is a different voter profile to Hartlepool

4. George Galloway is standing apparently on an anti-Labour ticket

5. The Labour candidate is the sister of the murdered Jo Cox

6. Where will the Heavy Woollen Independent vote go? (I believe it is some kind of offshoot of UKIP?)

7. Will a delay in lock down hamper the Tory chances?



I would also make the observation that the word was that Starmer would be finished if he lost Hartlepool. In the event Labour loses do you think that really will be "it".

I can't find any opinion polls but as of 3 June the betting odds are for a Conservative victory.

 

[Smudges Dad]

Maybe ask the mods to change it to a thread about all Westminster by elections as there are a couple coming up and another possible fairly soon.

 

[Smudges Dad]

On the subject of the thread, I expect Labour to win but with a very slim majority. A lot depends on how pissed off the voters are with the imposition of a candidate who wasn’t even a Labour member a couple of months ago, by Starmer’s authoritarian leadership, hoping to capitalise on the Jo Cox link.

It looks as though it will attract the dregs of political life with George Galloway and Jayden Francen.

2021 Batley and Spen by-election - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Everything Goes]

On the subject of the thread, I expect Labour to win but with a very slim majority. A lot depends on how pissed off the voters are with the imposition of a candidate who wasn’t even a Labour member a couple of months ago, by Starmer’s authoritarian leadership, hoping to capitalise on the Jo Cox link.

It looks as though it will attract the dregs of political life with George Galloway and Jayden Francen.

2021 Batley and Spen by-election - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

We had the err pleasure of having Galloway and Fransen (who Sturgeon sorted out and got 46 votes) in the recent elections in Scotland. I feel your pain.

 

[Boo Radley75]

It looks as though it will attract the dregs of political life with George Galloway and Jayden Francen.

2021 Batley and Spen by-election - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I remember well the by election when Jo Cox was murdered and all the main parties, even UKIP, pulled out of standing, out of respect. Unfortunately the dregs of politics, who by and large shared the same views as the terrorist who murdered her, decided to use her death for some free publicity and stand in it. Truly disgraceful.

 

[sonny wokeman]

I remember well the by election when Jo Cox was murdered and all the main parties, even UKIP, pulled out of standing, out of respect. Unfortunately the dregs of politics, who by and large shared the same views as the terrorist who murdered her, decided to use her death for some free publicity and stand in it. Truly disgraceful.

I remember pro Remain parties using Jo Cox’s death to try and gain sympathy votes in the upcoming EU referendum out of respect for her woke political views. Thankfully the Eurosceptic GBP were not impressed by this emotional blackmail and voted accordingly.

 

[Boo Radley75]

I remember pro Remain parties using Jo Cox’s death to try and gain sympathy votes in the upcoming EU referendum out of respect for her woke political views. Thankfully the Eurosceptic GBP were not impressed by this emotional blackmail and voted accordingly.

Nice bit of whatabouttery to deflect away from terrorist murder.

 

[Metromedia 1433]

It had been tipped for July 22nd but will actually be held on July 1st.

 

[Nick74]

I remember pro Remain parties using Jo Cox’s death to try and gain sympathy votes in the upcoming EU referendum out of respect for her woke political views. Thankfully the Eurosceptic GBP were not impressed by this emotional blackmail and voted accordingly.

I see, you went there.

Nobody exploited Jo Cox's murder for political ends. What happened to Jo Cox occurred within the context of a divisive and highly charged referendum, in which certain leave advocates worked to define their opponents as traitors. This was precisely the word Cox's killer used as he took her life in public.

Clearly Cox's murderer was misguided and disturbed. Nonetheless, this should have acted as a wake-up call to everyone regarding the impact of the language we use and where it can ultimately lead. To claim people used this event to garner sympathy is, to be honest, insensitive at the very least.

 

[MrsArcanum]

I see, you went there.

Nobody exploited Jo Cox's murder for political ends. What happened to Jo Cox occurred within the context of a divisive and highly charged referendum, in which certain leave advocates worked to define their opponents as traitors. This was precisely the word Cox's killer used as he took her life in public.

Clearly Cox's murderer was misguided and disturbed. Nonetheless, this should have acted as a wake-up call to everyone regarding the impact of the language we use and where it can ultimately lead. To claim people used this event to garner sympathy is, to be honest, insensitive at the very least.

I seem to remember there was an agreement that a hold put on campaigning, but the Leave side chose not to honour this.

 

[Rapa Nui]

Deleted

 

[LakieLady]

@mods

4. George Galloway is standing apparently on an anti-Labour ticket

Generally speaking, George Galloway being against something is a point in its favour imo.

I hope the voters see it that way too.

 

[tapzilla2k]

I remember pro Remain parties using Jo Cox’s death to try and gain sympathy votes in the upcoming EU referendum out of respect for her woke political views. Thankfully the Eurosceptic GBP were not impressed by this emotional blackmail and voted accordingly.

Nobody tried to gain sympathy. She was murdered by a far right racist terrorist thug. Jo Cox did more in her short life than most. Trying to weaponize her death as being a woke plot to gain sympathy for the referendum in 2016 is hitting the bottom of the barrel of whataboutery.

 

[jim1106]

Nobody tried to gain sympathy. She was murdered by a far right racist terrorist thug. Jo Cox did more in her short life than most. Trying to weaponize her death as being a woke plot to gain sympathy for the referendum in 2016 is hitting the bottom of the barrel of whataboutery.

A bit like labour picking her sister who only recently joined the party. Stop with this.
What happened to Jo Cox was as terrible as the various terrorist crimes in London, Manchester, Reading and other parts of the country.
If you can' t see the " popularism" aspect in this, well there we are.

 

[Crossbencher]

The opposition are supposed to win bi-elections so Labour should walk it.

 

[Boo Radley75]

A bit like labour picking her sister who only recently joined the party. Stop with this.
What happened to Jo Cox was as terrible as the various terrorist crimes in London, Manchester, Reading and other parts of the country.
If you can' t see the " popularism" aspect in this, well there we are.

No. An MP getting murdered by a terrorist was nothing like a relative of a terrorist murder victim standing for a democratic election. Stop with this.

 

[Crossbencher]

No. An MP getting murdered by a terrorist was nothing like a relative of a terrorist murder victim standing for a democratic election. Stop with this.

I agree. It's just a coincidence that they are related.

 

[spacelab]

Nobody tried to gain sympathy. She was murdered by a far right racist terrorist thug. Jo Cox did more in her short life than most. Trying to weaponize her death as being a woke plot to gain sympathy for the referendum in 2016 is hitting the bottom of the barrel of whataboutery.

I've taken to ignoring posts that throw in the WOKE phrase. its quite liberating. Like 'PC gone mad' before and 'virtue signalling' its buzz phrases that are thrown in to debates often without any actual relevance to the discussion. Things like solidarity, empathy are not things the sociopath understands.

 

[alan29]

I've taken to ignoring posts that throw in the WOKE phrase. its quite liberating. Like 'PC gone mad' before and 'virtue signalling' its buzz phrases that are thrown in to debates often without any actual relevance to the discussion. Things like solidarity, empathy are not things the sociopath understands.

Its a handy way that people with cave-man views identify themselves.

 

[King Mob]

The opposition are supposed to win bi-elections so Labour should walk it.

The voters might let them down.

 

[Tropical Wave]

I've taken to ignoring posts that throw in the WOKE phrase. its quite liberating. Like 'PC gone mad' before and 'virtue signalling' its buzz phrases that are thrown in to debates often without any actual relevance to the discussion. Things like solidarity, empathy are not things the sociopath understands.

I think "woke" has evolved into a term where people take the original aims of being a-woken to social injustice too far and in a way that is self-defeating.

I would submit that discounting any post that has a phrase within it that you don't like isn't very woke (in the original meaning of the term).

 

[jim1106]

No. An MP getting murdered by a terrorist was nothing like a relative of a terrorist murder victim standing for a democratic election. Stop with this.

No. An MP getting murdered by a terrorist was nothing like a relative of a terrorist murder victim standing for a democratic election. Stop with this.

Yes all terrorist murders are a tragedy. Labour picking a candidate who is the sister of the ex MP killed and has been a member of the party for a month is a blatant attempt to exploit that tragic event. It is blatant and anyone can see it. The candidate herself recently stated " I have never really seen myself as a political animal".

 

[richp007]

Yes all terrorist murders are a tragedy. Labour picking a candidate who is the sister of the ex MP killed and has been a member of the party for a month is a blatant attempt to exploit that tragic event. It is blatant and anyone can see it. The candidate herself recently stated " I have never really seen myself as a political animal".

Is that all she said Jim? Why don't you tell us what else she said? Or would that bring your argument tumbling down I wonder....

Here's an interview with her -

Kim Leadbeater on running for her sister Jo Cox’s seat: ‘I know this is what she would want me to be doing’

Five years after Jo Cox MP was murdered in her constituency, her sister is standing for Labour in a crucial byelection there. She explains why she’s ready to take on Cox’s political legacy

www.theguardian.com

Is there also a reason why you're not pulling up sonny on his original nonsense post that kicked this off?

Or is it that you agree with that nonsense?

 

[SpacekSissy]

Well I don't know about anyone else, but I read that some hunky young rugby champ was standing for the Greens....now I know it's possibly yet ANOTHER carefully chosen winning candidate but if I lived there, he'd get my vote. And more if he'd let me

 

[sonny wokeman]

Its a handy way that people with cave-man views identify themselves.

One man‘s caveman is another man’s patriot.