I think the reason that this hasn’t been a bigger story is that it isn’t really a big story.
The average man on the street probably couldn’t give a shit. Those who voted Conservative probably couldn’t give a shit. Sorry to say it Pap, but only those who hate the Conservatives will actually be interested in this.
I think it’ll be of interest to anyone that didn’t vote Conservative (63.2% of those that voted), and of interest to a lot of floating voters that did.
I don’t think floating voters are going to be arsed that people are lavishing cash securing their important votes in marginals. I expect some will be thrilled. What they’ll be less impressed with is the apparent revelation that people are being paid to be pretend Tory activists. Both are examples of buying elections, but that last one is just going to seem sad and desperate to the layman, particularly set against the growing feeling that the Conservative leadership is hopelessly out of touch. It’s the political equivalent of getting caught paying for sex. People get the impression that parting with money is the only way you get what you want.
You’re also completely ignoring the context, then and now. The Conservatives celebrated their surprise majority in the 2015 election, a surprise because all the polls were calling another coalition. That doesn’t imply any sort of causality, but there’s no doubt that the reputations of those firms came into question at the time. I imagine they’ll be very interested in pursuing any electoral impropriety, if only for self-serving reasons.
Conservatives probably thought that majority was a good thing. In the midst of the run-up to the referendum, the Tories are more divided than they were back in the 1990s, with far less capacity to handle any splits. That majority is tiny, and is more than covered by the schism created by Europe, particularly given the sense that Cameron has betrayed his pro-Brexit fellow travellers.
It sounds criminal - but it is a bit like dragging Peter Sutcliffe back to court and charging him with having false number plates.
Is this going to bring the government down on its own? Probably not - the Beeb managed to keep it out of their reporting until after the local elections. There’s a lot coming on top though. The EU referendum was thought to be the thing that’d create unity from division.
I don’t see how that party heals itself after that or passes much legislation.
Sound like Business As Usual, pap. At same point in future they’ll make a token change at the top and pretend Everything Is Alright again, same as Labour will do with corbyns.
I am still baffled as to why we are in this situation at all. A decision which could potentialy have a devastating impact on the economy of the country shouldn’t be being made by people who aren’t in possession of all the facts. Its like having a referendum on the best way to do a heart valve replacement or to fix that clunking noise my car makes over 60. Yes I know it was the only way the PF could keep the right happy blah blah - but I really don’t think this should be in the public domain as a choice.
Ironically, because we’ve still got enough people clued up to demand a say on the matter. Either decision could have a devastating impact on the economy. It’s only right the public has a choice.
what worries me about LEAVE is that Cameron says STAY, so when he makes Pigs Ear of Exit plan, he can be like, it ain’t my fault. I told you it was Dumb Idea.
Wasn’t sure whether this article from yesterday’s Guardian should go in here, as all three main parties have embraced neo-liveral economics to a greater or lesser extent (though Labour and possibly the Lib-Dems have now moved away from it. Didn’t think it necessarily merited a place of its own though.
According to my logic, there’s a case to answer. Cherts would tell you that Folkestone Magistrates’ Court just really hate the Conservatives.
Still, it doesn’t look _good _when you’re looking to block the coppers from investigating something you might get nicked for. Actually sounds pretty fucking extraordinary to most people, and not in a good way.
The Tories on Wednesday failed to block an police investigation into possible electoral fraud at the general election .
Kent Police was given an 12-month extension to look into claims the Conservatives broke electoral laws by using national funds to get round the cap on local spending limits.
The Tories had tried to prevent the police from being granted more time at a hearing at Folkestone Magistrates’ Court.
The parliamentary office of Graham Brady contains one of the most closely guarded secrets in Westminster. It is here that the letters from Conservative MPs demanding a confidence vote in David Cameron are kept. Only Brady, who as chairman of the backbench 1922 committee administers the system, knows for certain how many there are. The epistolary assassins are guaranteed anonymity – unless they choose to make their intentions public.
Under Brady’s predecessor, Michael Spicer, the letters required annual renewal but they now remain on file unless withdrawn. Should the number reach 50 (15 per cent of Tory MPs), the 1922 chairman will consult with Cameron and determine the date of a confidence vote “as soon as possible in the circumstances prevailing”. If the Conservative leader wins a majority in the subsequent ballot he remains in office and is rewarded with a year’s immunity. If he loses, he is obliged to resign and barred from standing in the leadership election that follows.
Such is the reputation of parliament that it isn’t really news - and it certainly isn’t a surprise.
The shock would be if their media partners reported it or something was actually done.
Once we’d seen the detail of the expenses scandal and the relationship between cabinet ministers and private companies bidding for multi-million pound government contracts, you have to up your curruption game quite a bit to make headlines.
In 2016 I don’t think simple criminality is enough to impress anyone.
If Cameron gets any sort of victory he will have written his name in history as the greatest statesman ever.
People forget, but to get here he already faced Scotland in the quarter finals, and defeated them, and did it away from home as well.
The semi-final vs Europe has the advantage of being at home, but this is all of Europe remember, a fearsome opponent. If he gets through, even by the narrowest margin, or penalties, it will be a famous victory srs.
If we do get through, I expect it will be the Whole World in the final. Cameron will have momentum behind him though, so I wouldn’t rule it out. Sir David Cameron, it will be, if he wins. A national Hero.
According to my logic, there’s a case to answer. Cherts would tell you that Folkestone Magistrates’ Court just really hate the Conservatives.
Still, it doesn’t look _good _when you’re looking to block the coppers from investigating something you might get nicked for. Actually sounds pretty fucking extraordinary to most people, and not in a good way.
The Tories on Wednesday failed to block an police investigation into possible electoral fraud at the general election .
Kent Police was given an 12-month extension to look into claims the Conservatives broke electoral laws by using national funds to get round the cap on local spending limits.
The Tories had tried to prevent the police from being granted more time at a hearing at Folkestone Magistrates’ Court.
No, I wouldn’t say that as they have probably done something illegal. My point is that no-one apart from the rabid left actually gives a shit as they’re such minor offences.