UK politics thread – meet the new boss, same as the old boss

Tuxedo Prime

Well-known member
Citizen
And the results we were all waiting on, for the newly formed Richmond - North Allerton riding:
Screenshot_20240705-070148.png

I found it interesting that Count Binface got more votes than The Official Monster Raving Loony Party (there was a bit of a rift between them, long story involving rights to a 1980s straight to video movie). Sadly the Count couldn't unseat Sunak, but I suspect we've not heard the last of him.
 

Anonymous X

Well-known member
Citizen
IMG_5789.jpeg

The seat where I live. Went non-Tory for the first time ever since 1922. A few years ago I’d never have believed we would have any Labour MPs in this part of England.
 

Pocket

jumbled pile of person
Citizen
You know, I've been thinking more about how weird the US system is, both intentionally and accidentally. Over in the Supreme Court thread I pointed out that it's not uncommon for one or both candidates for the highest office in the land to be people the general public had never heard of until they started running less than a year before the election date. And how this automatically gives a huge advantage to any candidate who is actually a major public figure.

And it dawned on me that, all other factors being equal, this would be very different if we had a parliamentary system. The President and the Speaker of the House would be the same person, and in the event that the balance shifts, the most likely next President would be the former Minority Leader. Both of whom tend to be among the most newsed-about members of Congress. Everyone has heard of Newt Gingrich, Nancy Pelosi, and John Boehner. Imagine knowing two whole years in advance who the next head of state would be if and when the power balance shifts next election. And I mean all the time, not just when Trump is running.

But all other factors wouldn't be equal, clearly, because I don't know for example who Labour's top pick for PM is right now. In fact, no one has even been discussing it. Do you have any idea who it is? Are they in the habit of saying so, do they prefer to keep it a secret, is it unnecessary because everyone just assumes it'll be whoever the "minority leader" is, what's goin' on?
 

Anonymous X

Well-known member
Citizen
You know, I've been thinking more about how weird the US system is, both intentionally and accidentally. Over in the Supreme Court thread I pointed out that it's not uncommon for one or both candidates for the highest office in the land to be people the general public had never heard of until they started running less than a year before the election date. And how this automatically gives a huge advantage to any candidate who is actually a major public figure.

And it dawned on me that, all other factors being equal, this would be very different if we had a parliamentary system. The President and the Speaker of the House would be the same person, and in the event that the balance shifts, the most likely next President would be the former Minority Leader. Both of whom tend to be among the most newsed-about members of Congress. Everyone has heard of Newt Gingrich, Nancy Pelosi, and John Boehner. Imagine knowing two whole years in advance who the next head of state would be if and when the power balance shifts next election. And I mean all the time, not just when Trump is running.
Under a parliamentary republic or semi-presidential republic, the speaker and president would still be separate individuals. You’d just have a prime minister – or whatever you decided to call the position – as well.

(Come to think of it, isn’t the House Speaker in the US system a bit like the prime minister under the current French system? I’ll have to read up on that.)

But all other factors wouldn't be equal, clearly, because I don't know for example who Labour's top pick for PM is right now. In fact, no one has even been discussing it. Do you have any idea who it is? Are they in the habit of saying so, do they prefer to keep it a secret, is it unnecessary because everyone just assumes it'll be whoever the "minority leader" is, what's goin' on?
Labour party leader Sir Keir Starmer has been prime minister since Friday morning. The system works quite quickly here. The leader of the largest party in the House of Commons is always prime minister designate.
 

Tuxedo Prime

Well-known member
Citizen
Jonathan Pie's made a bit of name for himself on the Tube of You and elsewhere for his trenchant analysis of UK politics. The election rundown, though, has left him at a bit of a loss for words: though he still managed to express himself....
 


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