Why’s it on tv? Isn’t this an internal matter for the party and its members? People outside the uk are often surprised when they learn there’s not automatically a general election when the leader steps down/is pushed out.
Not one of them seemed vaguely electable and Rishi looked like a posh child who won a contest to pretend to be PM for a day. He’s absolutely tiny and extremely unconvincing.
Rather long summary
>Trust
>Candidates were first asked a series of questions about whether they should be trusted and how they can restore trust in voters following the controversies of Boris Johnson’s government.
>Most cited their own record in government and public life as evidence of their trustworthiness.
>Asked directly if Johnson is honest, Penny Mordaunt, Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss did not give a yes or no answer, but acknowledged mistakes had been made.
>In more concise answers, Kemi Badenoch said “sometimes”, while Tom Tugendhat said “no” – to a round of applause from the audience.
>Gender self-identification for trans people
>Mordaunt was quizzed on her stance on trans issues and insisted she had never been in favour of self-identification, where a person could legally change their gender without, for example, a medical diagnosis.
>She also sought to draw a distinction between biological and trans women, saying transwomen could change gender legally “but that does not mean they are identical to me”.
>Tax and economy
>Sunak portrayed himself as an economic realist who was willing to take the tough decisions that were needed. Truss said she would reverse increases in National Insurance and look to introduce low-tax zones across the country.
>Tugendhat said companies were more interested in investments than corporation tax cuts – a proposal mooted by other candidates.
>Mordaunt said she said she’d halve VAT on fuel at the pump and had a plan for limited, timely, targeted support.
>Energy
>Badenoch and Truss both said they would remove green levies and Truss also said more nuclear fuel was needed to counter costs.
>Tugendhat also said nuclear was the way forward, along with better investment in home insulation.
>Sunak agreed, saying the long-term solution was improving insulation in people’s homes and getting people the support to pay for that.
>Mordaunt said energy companies were not passing savings on to consumers and the standing charge on energy needed to be looked at.
>NHS
>Asked about how to deal with backlogs and health service funding issues, Sunak said he’d already delivered on improving funding for the NHS, despite the National Insurance hike coming at a great political cost to him personally.
>Badenoch said the backlog was “terrifying” and explained she’d been unable to get a dental appointment for seven months to look at a chipped tooth.
>Mordaunt said innovation was critical to reducing the backlog and argued there were many levers the government can do to lower waiting lists
>Truss said the government needed to work on improving rural services and expanding access to GPs to reduce the pressure on hospitals.
>Tugendhat said improving leadership in government and the health services was key to drive improvement in the NHS
>Green economy
>Truss said she was committed to the 2050 net zero target as did Sunak, who added that his daughters ask him what he’ll do to fight climate change.
>Mordaunt also said it was important to hit targets, but the government needed to be realistic about what it would take to get there.
>But Kemi Badenoch said while the UK needed to meet targets for climate change, this should be done in a sustainable way that didn’t damage the economy.
>Tugendhat called for a global energy resilience plan.
>Mordaunt was quizzed on her stance on trans issues and insisted she had never been in favour of self-identification, where a person could legally change their gender without, for example, a medical diagnosis.
Gotta love it when the leadership candidates for the prime minister on public television are jockeying about how utterly necessary 10-20 year waiting lists and fucking gender stereotype panels to get legal recognition are, to the point where saying they aren’t torpedos your bid, despite like half of Europe having removed them at this point with no issues.
Sunak did the best imo. To me he sounded like the only one who remotely knew what he was talking about, what he intends to do, what it will cause and why he is proposing to do it.
Liz Truss came across terribly, like she was incredibly out of her depth and didn’t have a single clue what anything she was proposing meant. Mordaunt straight lied said she wasn’t going to cut taxes when she had said she would.
Tugenhadt seemed to say as many popular things as he could without backing any of it up with evidence or information. Badenoch was a bit weird as well actually, her environmental comments, anti-woke comments and her trans rights comments but she won’t make the final two I don’t think. Dunno why she is trying to stoke a culture war over it.
I don’t get to vote as I am not a member but Sunak is the only one I’d consider voting for in a General Election.
A brief critique of each candidate from a politically opposed and concerned citizen; in order of polled performance:
Tugendhat – Demagoguery has reached it’s final form everybody, and having learnt nothing from Johnsonian rhetoric has characteristically won the hearts of Britain’s most naive electorate. Did I mention he served in the Armed Forces!? Why should we decarbonise if China won’t do it with us 😏 (For the love of God don’t realise China emits half as much carbon as the US despite its enormous populace 😰)
Sunak – Appears to be genuinely trying to put forth the argument that he discovered the meaning of integrity in a Collins dictionary last week and realised he could not, in good conscience, continue in Government. Also, thanks NHS!!! This economy business is in a right mess, the last guy did an awful job… must be that Zahawi. TIme to invest in public services and cut taxes because THAT is the Conservative way (?) but, of course, everyone else’s economic policy makes no sense. Vote for me, the proven law breaker! #ReadyForRishi
Mordaunt – Remember that one time I stood up for Trans rights and actually seemed like a decent human being for a moment? In typical modern Conservative [populist] fashion, I’m now U-turning in spectacular fashion at the behest of my colleagues. Johnson was a stand-up bloke, but I’m just distant enough from him to claim I have integrity despite being one of the most egregious liars in the Leave.EU campaign. #PM4PM
Badenoch – I hate Trans people. I hate green policies. Who cares about the future, we won’t be here then anyway, let the children sort it out. Btw I’m *looks at sheet* the progressive *looks at sheet* new face you *looks at sheet* need at the height of Government.
Truss – Appeared to have turned up thinking she was interviewing for a postion as a DPD driver. Or perhaps a Thatcher cosplay convention? Made the infamous Maybot look human. Something something deliver, something something Putin Ukraine. Judge me on my track record of immense failures and cynical machinations in cabinet posts. Debt? Nonsense, we borrow more and let the children sort it out, haven’t you heard? Generational debt is the new Conservative way. Also fuck green energy 🖕
This is the cream of the crop ladies and gentleman, God help us all. Bring on 2024 where another campaign of lies and culture wars will ensue and dupe the masses to commit to another 5 years of perpetual harakiri at the hands of these charlatans.
I was genuinely shocked at how badly Truss came across as a functioning human.
Her monotone delivery was cringe worthy and either, whoever coached her to be more articulate and natural in her arm gestures wants sacking… Or the post Brexit Software update on Truss 2.0 has malware.
.. As for the policies and other candidates, we deserve a non of the above box to tick at elections.
None of them know wtf they are doing or talking about. Or of course, they could just be lying… Standing for PM and not knowing how money (fiat) is created is hilarious. Not knowing that the only way money is created is through debt, be it national or personal… and that it really is a revolving door, reliant on overt consumerism.
How refreshing it would be to one of them to say, “OK, this system is a mess – lets try to find a better more equitable way; we invite the best brains to make suggestions.”
Oh, sorry … that was covered at the WEF. Feeling the pain yet?
8 comments
Why’s it on tv? Isn’t this an internal matter for the party and its members? People outside the uk are often surprised when they learn there’s not automatically a general election when the leader steps down/is pushed out.
Not one of them seemed vaguely electable and Rishi looked like a posh child who won a contest to pretend to be PM for a day. He’s absolutely tiny and extremely unconvincing.
Rather long summary
>Trust
>Candidates were first asked a series of questions about whether they should be trusted and how they can restore trust in voters following the controversies of Boris Johnson’s government.
>Most cited their own record in government and public life as evidence of their trustworthiness.
>Asked directly if Johnson is honest, Penny Mordaunt, Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss did not give a yes or no answer, but acknowledged mistakes had been made.
>In more concise answers, Kemi Badenoch said “sometimes”, while Tom Tugendhat said “no” – to a round of applause from the audience.
>Gender self-identification for trans people
>Mordaunt was quizzed on her stance on trans issues and insisted she had never been in favour of self-identification, where a person could legally change their gender without, for example, a medical diagnosis.
>She also sought to draw a distinction between biological and trans women, saying transwomen could change gender legally “but that does not mean they are identical to me”.
>Tax and economy
>Sunak portrayed himself as an economic realist who was willing to take the tough decisions that were needed. Truss said she would reverse increases in National Insurance and look to introduce low-tax zones across the country.
>Tugendhat said companies were more interested in investments than corporation tax cuts – a proposal mooted by other candidates.
>Mordaunt said she said she’d halve VAT on fuel at the pump and had a plan for limited, timely, targeted support.
>Energy
>Badenoch and Truss both said they would remove green levies and Truss also said more nuclear fuel was needed to counter costs.
>Tugendhat also said nuclear was the way forward, along with better investment in home insulation.
>Sunak agreed, saying the long-term solution was improving insulation in people’s homes and getting people the support to pay for that.
>Mordaunt said energy companies were not passing savings on to consumers and the standing charge on energy needed to be looked at.
>NHS
>Asked about how to deal with backlogs and health service funding issues, Sunak said he’d already delivered on improving funding for the NHS, despite the National Insurance hike coming at a great political cost to him personally.
>Badenoch said the backlog was “terrifying” and explained she’d been unable to get a dental appointment for seven months to look at a chipped tooth.
>Mordaunt said innovation was critical to reducing the backlog and argued there were many levers the government can do to lower waiting lists
>Truss said the government needed to work on improving rural services and expanding access to GPs to reduce the pressure on hospitals.
>Tugendhat said improving leadership in government and the health services was key to drive improvement in the NHS
>Green economy
>Truss said she was committed to the 2050 net zero target as did Sunak, who added that his daughters ask him what he’ll do to fight climate change.
>Mordaunt also said it was important to hit targets, but the government needed to be realistic about what it would take to get there.
>But Kemi Badenoch said while the UK needed to meet targets for climate change, this should be done in a sustainable way that didn’t damage the economy.
>Tugendhat called for a global energy resilience plan.
>Mordaunt was quizzed on her stance on trans issues and insisted she had never been in favour of self-identification, where a person could legally change their gender without, for example, a medical diagnosis.
Gotta love it when the leadership candidates for the prime minister on public television are jockeying about how utterly necessary 10-20 year waiting lists and fucking gender stereotype panels to get legal recognition are, to the point where saying they aren’t torpedos your bid, despite like half of Europe having removed them at this point with no issues.
Sunak did the best imo. To me he sounded like the only one who remotely knew what he was talking about, what he intends to do, what it will cause and why he is proposing to do it.
Liz Truss came across terribly, like she was incredibly out of her depth and didn’t have a single clue what anything she was proposing meant. Mordaunt straight lied said she wasn’t going to cut taxes when she had said she would.
Tugenhadt seemed to say as many popular things as he could without backing any of it up with evidence or information. Badenoch was a bit weird as well actually, her environmental comments, anti-woke comments and her trans rights comments but she won’t make the final two I don’t think. Dunno why she is trying to stoke a culture war over it.
I don’t get to vote as I am not a member but Sunak is the only one I’d consider voting for in a General Election.
A brief critique of each candidate from a politically opposed and concerned citizen; in order of polled performance:
Tugendhat – Demagoguery has reached it’s final form everybody, and having learnt nothing from Johnsonian rhetoric has characteristically won the hearts of Britain’s most naive electorate. Did I mention he served in the Armed Forces!? Why should we decarbonise if China won’t do it with us 😏 (For the love of God don’t realise China emits half as much carbon as the US despite its enormous populace 😰)
Sunak – Appears to be genuinely trying to put forth the argument that he discovered the meaning of integrity in a Collins dictionary last week and realised he could not, in good conscience, continue in Government. Also, thanks NHS!!! This economy business is in a right mess, the last guy did an awful job… must be that Zahawi. TIme to invest in public services and cut taxes because THAT is the Conservative way (?) but, of course, everyone else’s economic policy makes no sense. Vote for me, the proven law breaker! #ReadyForRishi
Mordaunt – Remember that one time I stood up for Trans rights and actually seemed like a decent human being for a moment? In typical modern Conservative [populist] fashion, I’m now U-turning in spectacular fashion at the behest of my colleagues. Johnson was a stand-up bloke, but I’m just distant enough from him to claim I have integrity despite being one of the most egregious liars in the Leave.EU campaign. #PM4PM
Badenoch – I hate Trans people. I hate green policies. Who cares about the future, we won’t be here then anyway, let the children sort it out. Btw I’m *looks at sheet* the progressive *looks at sheet* new face you *looks at sheet* need at the height of Government.
Truss – Appeared to have turned up thinking she was interviewing for a postion as a DPD driver. Or perhaps a Thatcher cosplay convention? Made the infamous Maybot look human. Something something deliver, something something Putin Ukraine. Judge me on my track record of immense failures and cynical machinations in cabinet posts. Debt? Nonsense, we borrow more and let the children sort it out, haven’t you heard? Generational debt is the new Conservative way. Also fuck green energy 🖕
This is the cream of the crop ladies and gentleman, God help us all. Bring on 2024 where another campaign of lies and culture wars will ensue and dupe the masses to commit to another 5 years of perpetual harakiri at the hands of these charlatans.
I was genuinely shocked at how badly Truss came across as a functioning human.
Her monotone delivery was cringe worthy and either, whoever coached her to be more articulate and natural in her arm gestures wants sacking… Or the post Brexit Software update on Truss 2.0 has malware.
.. As for the policies and other candidates, we deserve a non of the above box to tick at elections.
None of them know wtf they are doing or talking about. Or of course, they could just be lying… Standing for PM and not knowing how money (fiat) is created is hilarious. Not knowing that the only way money is created is through debt, be it national or personal… and that it really is a revolving door, reliant on overt consumerism.
How refreshing it would be to one of them to say, “OK, this system is a mess – lets try to find a better more equitable way; we invite the best brains to make suggestions.”
Oh, sorry … that was covered at the WEF. Feeling the pain yet?