Someone in the Guardian did a good analysis a couple of weeks ago of how the demographics worked against Labour in these formerly industrial "safe" seats -- the young all hived off to cities for work, leaving behind their cranky OAP parents who tend to vote THAT way and are fed up with politicians of every stripe, but want to send a 'message' of the cut-off-own-nose kind. Kind of a passive gerrymandering when the constituencies aren't appropriately (+ timely) redrawn to reflect that.
I could get with Boomerspace. It reminds me of that Innerspace film as well which for some reason resonated with me as a kid.
Regarding the Scotland thing, I'd understood that Scottish Labour was a poisoned well a good bit before Corbyn came to his late prominence, and did a fine job of getting itself torched in Scotland over the independence referendum and other things around that time. It seemed like he'd (or the entire leadership?) more or less abandoned any prospect of getting it back again now. I've not followed things at all closely up there though.
Yeah, Labour's been fading to irrelevance in Scotland for years now, especially after the referendum, when people realised the dichotomy of them siding with the Tories against independence and the SNP in Scotland, but promoting policies suspiciously similar to those of the SNP in England. Corbyn's always come across as not quite understanding why Labour have declined so much in Scotland, and while the SNP indicated they would be open to some kind of working arrangement, it was rebuffed by Labour and used as a negative thing by the Tories.
This is the unroll of a Twitter thread which I thought captured the problems the electorate had with Corbyn pretty well. It's couched in harsh terms - particularly the second tweet - but after that, it's rarely unfair. I think it also demonstrates why the current wine in a new bottle won't help.
It shouldn't be trashed, of course, but it probably needs to be tempered - I think the youth vote was attracted to an idealism that deterred the oldies.
Dude, them oldies gonna die.
Wish they'd fucking get on with it.
According to a politician friend, If electoral reform was a pledge in the manifesto of the winning party, then it wouldn't need a referendum.
Quote:
Letting a fan club manage a band is a stupid idea. They'll book Wembley for 4 nights for Steve Brookstein, cos they don't realise he's shit.
That's my favourite bit of the whole rant.
Totes. A cracking good line chucked in gratis.
What's your position on Scottish independence, Kenny? I'm conflicted.
In the run-up to the 2014 referendum, we got told that independence would lead to us being leaving the EU, the end of the NHS in Scotland, currency collapse, an economic downturn and so on and so forth. All of the arguments about why it was such a bad idea were then flipped for the Brexit referendum.
I'd rather England left the UK, but will happily take Scottish independence instead.
Joining the EU could be problematic, given the Catalan thing.
I don't think it would remain a problem if Scotland formally seceded.
Spain might veto Scotland joining, because otherwise it might lend encouragement and legitimacy to Catalan separatism. Or so goes the theory.
EDITED: 18 Dec 2019 14:17 by DSMITHHFX
Thing is, back in 2014 that was indeed a small risk if Scotland became independent. These days however, Scotland will be leaving the EU and independence does at least give a chance that it could re-join again.
Personally, I voted against independence in 2014 as I felt Scotland was stronger as part of a bigger group of countries. Ironically for this reason, I'd now vote in favour if there was another referendum. The UK will unfortunately wither and decline - especially with Boris and his chums sucking the country dry. I'd now rather Scotland got out, applied for EU membership again and left the rest of the UK to their fate.
And I say this quite sadly, what with having family and friends in England, plus being an Englishman myself...