Perfect results from the by-elections last night

[Burney]

Unique circumstances according to the John McDonnell, a man whose lack of political nous make Corbyn look like a ****ing genius

Unique circumstances created almost entirely by Labour's own ineptitude.

[Luis Anaconda]

Unique circumstances created almost entirely by Labour's own ineptitude.

Although the Stoke one was interesting - a 70% vote for leave so they put up a hardline remainer who called Brexit a pile of ****. It's like they are trying to lose. I guess they were helped by a 35% turnout and the poor people of Stoke couldn't cope with writing an x twice in a year

[Mo Britain less Europe]

Far from perfect. Farage should have stood in Stoke. He would have won at a canter.

[Burney]

Far from perfect. Farage should have stood in Stoke. He would have won at a canter.

I think UKIP has served its purpose and will see its support dwindle in the years to come. The interesting question is where those votes will go. They won't go back to Labour without it changing course considerably, but a lot of them might go to the Tories if they play their cards right.

[Luis Anaconda]

I think UKIP has served its purpose and will see its support dwindle in the years to come. The interesting question is where those votes will go. They won't go back to Labour without it changing course considerably, but a lot of them might go to the Tories if they play their cards right.

Interesting piece by Danny Finkelstein on this in the Times saying there was a strong feeling within the Tory party that they had "maxed out" at the last election and won as many seats as they could possibly hope to win, but now the sky is the limit (sort of)

[Burney]

Interesting piece by Danny Finkelstein on this in the Times saying there was a strong feeling within the Tory party that they had "maxed out" at the last election and won as many seats as they could possibly hope to win, but now the sky is the limit (sort of)

That would be an understandable feeling, but they couldn't have reckoned on Labour deciding that the best way to cure its headache was to blow its brains out. That and Brexit have offered the Tories unprecedented opportunities to steal Labour's heartlands by being seen as 'the party of real, working people' (whatever that means) and as the only party determined and capable enough to enact Brexit.

[Luis Anaconda]

That would be an understandable feeling, but they couldn't have reckoned on Labour deciding that the best way to cure its headache was to blow its brains out. That and Brexit have offered the Tories unprecedented opportunities to steal Labour's heartlands by being seen as 'the party of real, working people' (whatever that means) and as the only party determined and capable enough to enact Brexit.

Why is there not more talk of May holding an early election - or is there? The only thing hampering her is a perceived lack of mandate as PM (yes, I know under our rules we don't elect PM etc). She could put herself in a much stronger position

[Mo Britain less Europe]

I think UKIP has served its purpose and will see its support dwindle in the years to come. The interesting question is where those votes will go. They won't go back to Labour without it changing course considerably, but a lot of them might go to the Tories if they play their cards right.

UKIP has to position itself as a worker's party on the right, a Fascist party avoiding the offending word. In that way Labour remains unelectable until/unless they ditch the loony left agenda. I fear UKIP's number may be up though. Farage is an interesting individual, Nuttall is more like a mountebank in a village fete. They have not attracted people of substance.

[Burney]

Although the Stoke one was interesting - a 70% vote for leave so they put up a hardline remainer who called Brexit a pile of ****. It's like they are trying to lose. I guess they were helped by a 35% turnout and the poor people of Stoke couldn't cope with writing an x twice in a year

He was literally the worst candidate I've ever seen ever - virtually an insult, in fact - and they still won.

[Monty92]

What I find incredible is hearing McDonnell this morning describe UKIP as a "stain on British politics" and in the next breath say that Labour have to listen more to ordinary people.

What level of cognitive dissonance is required to think there is no inherent contradiction between the two statements? Does he think the 4 million who voted for ukip in 2015 and the 17 million who voted for Brexit will just not realise he's essentially talking about them as the "stain"?