Lib Dems drop their manifesto, and Labour sponsor Love Island | Podcast #64

[@MrBigSeanno]

Problem is with referring to it as a "graduate tax", is that many of us, didn't actually graduate. 🤣

[@ryanwebster4802]

My people!

[@SarahTheNearlyInSP]

Same here!

[@jimr1603]

"attended university tax" is a bit of a mouthful :D

[@Kevvy0689]

How about 2 taxes? The graduate tax and then a failed graduate tax which is twice as much! Incentivise passing 😉😂

[@hephaestion12]

Hopefully you wont have to pay it tho? 😅 I did graduate not sure i am gonna earn enough to pay mine before the thing expires

[@calumbishop7082]

Here's an important thing to note: Ed Davey was part of the coalition government for the full 5 years of it, even though he was a relatively minor member of it he was in the coalition. It is fair to criticise him and other Lib Dems from the period for failing to stand up to Cameron more. It's also worth noting however, that Davey is one of the last Lib Dem MP's from that era, most of the Lib Dems standing now came in after the 2015 wipeout, it's not fair to blame those MP's for the failures of their predecessors.

[@oliverleonard7730]

Exactly it would be like blaming Starmer and Co. for Iraq when it comes to Labour or blaming Rishi Sunak for the poll tax.

[@tuesdayschild8994]

Also if the public have continued to vote for a Tory government and possibly Labour now forgiving all of their failures, why can't we see this for the Lib Dems

[@shaunjp2211]

Lib Dem manifesto was really good, Labour should take note .. But Doctors education should be payed for as long as they have to work in the NHS

[@DrDanWeaver]

I thought so too. Very thorough and action-based, be especially interesting if labour need them.

[@oliverleonard7730]

The Lib Dems are pitching themselves to become the official opposition and this what they'd take to the fight against Labour in parliament think of it that way.

[@markysgeeklab8783]

Perhaps NHS doctors, or any other healthcare worker, should get 1 year of tuition written off for every year in the NHS. Political studies degree - hospital porter for 4 years and it was worth it

[@ddandymann]

It was also entirely un-costed and made no mention of how they were going to fund any of their many, many expensive policies beyond a few minor taxes on the city that will barely increase tax revenue by 1%. The Lib Dems have the luxury of knowing that they're not going to be in government so can make promises that they know full well they wouldn't be able to deliver on.

[@robertphillips2467]

£9k fees is particularly reasonable if doing medicine? Sorry what? We have an enormous shortage of doctors in this country and anything that disincentivises entering the longer training path is unreal.

[@lukewilson8084]

Anything medical should be free under the premise that you provide the same amount of time in the nhs, as your course was at a minimum

[@Kevvy0689]

Also conveniently forgets that a medicine degree is a 5 year degree whereas most others are 3 years.

[@lukewilson8084]

@@Kevvy0689 5 years guaranteed wages from the NHS, I know its not even close to private, but I dont know if any private medical companies would be willing to provide free university for their Dr's

[@Kevvy0689]

@@lukewilson8084 mine was a response to OP in relation to the podcast. It's not the first time they've said this sort of thing about medicine or science degrees deserve costing more / should cost more than BA type degrees or other.

[@lukewilson8084]

@@Kevvy0689 my bad

[@RealDareel]

The LibDem manifesto on tax does about 2-3% of what is necessary to save our country from desperate poverty but I’m extremely happy with it. It would be a great first step. No one else is even talking about wealth distribution.

[@RewardThe]

Suggest you read the Green Party manifesto💚

[@txl420]

I'm pretty sure Reform UK is offering the largest redistribution of wealth

[@MarkWhiley]

The Greens offer a combination of changes to Capital Gains, introduction of LVT and a wealth tax on wealth over 10m - escaping some of the problems with implementations of wealth taxes in other countries, such as France. The costed manifesto will be released shortly.

[@RealDareel]

@@MarkWhiley actually I did forget about the greens hahaha Which is maybe the point no one that the meia will actually pay any attention to. The workers party say some good things too. But yeah of course I would rather greens than LibDems.

[@zoranblackie5921]

@@txl420 Reform is offering the greatest cut in public services, enabling the rich to retain their asset income, no housebuilding, and dismantling of the NHS

[@AngryAnt0]

I spoke to the local Lib dem candidate(s) (we have a by election for a council position too) yesterday. Only party to ever actually visit my village and while I told them I was lending my vote for tactical voting, I still spoke to them for about 20 minutes. They were very warm, engaging and got their points across in a very friendly manner, it was pretty refreshing. They even held their hands up and said sorry about the student fees and said they had been screwed over as the minority party in government and it was totally their fault but they hope they've changed. Their stance on brexit was also very refreshing (especially as the gentleman standing for the council position said he see's first hand the exports that leave the country and anyone who thinks they are up, are lying through their teeth). Glad some parties are now actually talking about rejoining the EEA (I think the Greens have also mentioned this?). I know they effed up, they know they effed up, but personally I think it's now a long time to hold a grudge against them, especially when there are other parties who have done alot worse in the last 5 years to the country as a whole. I really would like to see the lib dems as the opposition, it might force labour back towards a centre left stance.

[@TheArsenal123456]

Unexpectedly, so far the Lib Dems have my vote 😬

[@Toodyslexicforyou]

Two thing Labour never do: A, reverse brexit B, supports lgbtq+ rights

[@bobdigi500]

Me too. I've only ever voted Labour but they won't mention brexit or be honest how they will fund their ideas. So I'm voting Lib Dem. I almost feel relieved I have a party to vote for!

[@andrewwalledge6101]

Me too - but on a tactical basis TBH

[@RossYates-ge6su]

These all seem like good reasons to vote green 💚

[@alexanderhemming6148]

i personally think that they are the best party to vote for, and every stance against them seems authoritarian and tribal buuuut, should there really be more than two parties? if they don't get elected and the person closest to their views doesn't get elected, then the vact they exist stands against their goals. and this isn't just in the election, this is that they arent involved in labour opr tory party decisions making them more centrist cus they want to be in the lib dems. they exist to make use less liberal, less moral from this, just as green exists to make use less environmental, plaid exists to make us less pro wales.

[@TheJase8566]

What is NOT reasonable is Open University charging £9k a year.

[@Deemo_codes]

The OU charges 3.6k a year, but takes 6 years.

[@TheJase8566]

@@Deemo_codes last time I was looking at doing it, it was basically the full whack. And charging effectively 7.2k per year for fuck all campus to maintain, that’s taking the piss

[@ddandymann]

It doesn't? And you just admitted as much in your follow up comment. Why lie?

[@TheJase8566]

@@ddandymann Last time I checked, many many years ago, the back of the ciggie pack calc I did had it coming to close enough to £9k to may as well be £9k. But since you insist, I'll have quick look now on what it will cost to do it in 3 years

[@TheJase8566]

@@ddandymann Now you might be a cash chucking Rishi but £22k and rising for someone working to survive is unattainable. You might have great credit, the bank of mum and dad, and £8+k/year free, but us out here on the perimeter don't

[@DW-indeed]

Lib dem manifesto spoke to me. Last time that happened was 2010, and we got the Tories. Not happy then, and apprehensive now.

[@zoranblackie5921]

A lot of water under the bridge since then... in 2010 the Tory leadership were EU friendly, socially liberal and perceived as a safe economic pair of hands, how times change...

[@IAmNeary]

Aye the only question I'd want an answer to before voting for them is - who would you form a coalition with if you had to choose? If they guaranteed they would not form a coalition with the Tories, and would chose to form a coalition with labour this time I would vote for them. The last coalition is raw though, I feel a lot of shit happened due to then jumping into bed with the Tories last time... Would Brexit have happened under a labour/lib dem coalition?

[@zoranblackie5921]

@@IAmNeary That was all DC's fault, fatally calling the bluff of the electorate - Lab/Lib would never have put up a Brexit referendum

[@bennoble7094]

@@IAmNeary They've said repeatedly that they wouldn't form a coalition with the conservatives.

[@oliverleonard7730]

The 2010 Tories and 2024 Tories are the difference between night and day - back then the Tories were still a reasonable party, now they're completely awful.

[@AndrewMcColl]

I have a clear recollection of Diana dying AND earlier today a doctor told me I had taut skin. I'm not sure how I've managed this.

[@rob27dap26]

Charles Kennedy at the time suggested a confidence and demand agreement so that it would be clear what they stood for, Kennedy was correct and the Lib Dems would likely be a bigger force than they are today which has been about recovering their position from the coalition years

[@pastyman001]

The LibDems have the best manifesto, going a lot further than New Labour Starmer, with the most innovative means of generating revenue painlessly, excellent environmental policies and an industrial strategy similar to Labour's, plus the most human leader. A senior LIbDem campaigning in 5 target seats over a number of days said they could only identify 3 people who admitted they would vote Tory. Shy Tories or rare? New Statesman analysis seat by seat takes into account local factors such as Council seats and a degree of tactical voting. Their LibDem projection was in low 60's but quite possibly in the 70's. Momentum were uncertain as to whether to support Labour or go out into the cold for Corbyn. I will be voting Labour tactically in Banbury.

[@ddandymann]

What means of generating revenue are those? The few tax policies in the manifesto are targeted at the financial sector and are unlikely to raise so much as an additional 1% of tax revenue, which is nowhere near enough to fund their long list of spending policies. Even Labour's relatively limited spending plans require a 3% increase in tax revenue, potentially much more if the economy grows slower than forecasted. The difference is that because Labour is actually going to be in government they had to cost their spending plans.

[@davidand.mp4]

I love this podcast. It's like evesdropping on fraternal twins (both with adhd) and their younger brother as they try to discuss politics in a cafe neru

[@Adam-pt3cb]

I’m not sure why you think the Lib Dems would have been able to deliver their full manifesto as the junior partner in a coalition. It wasn’t the Lib Dems’ wish to introduce tuition fees but it was the trade off required as part of a Tory led government. Somehow over the years tuition fees have morphed into being a Lib Dem policy choice rather it being a Tory led policy that the Lib Dems chose not to block as part of a trade off. I understand the anger over the issue generally but it feels very odd the tories don’t get blamed for it when the Lib Dems do

[@tobypettit6417]

What you’re missing is that they literally campaigned on reducing the fees from 3k to £0. If you get a strong youth vote after campaigning on a youth issues, and don’t just fail to reduce their debt by 3k/y, but increase it by 6k/y, you really can’t be surprised when that generation doesn’t trust you. If they’d left it at 3k, your argument would hold some weight, that would have been failing to implement their policy. What they did was voting in favour of the exact opposite of the manifesto that got them into government.

[@sockwithaticket]

While no great lover of the Lib Dems I think the continual holding of student fees against them is a bit off. More than half the current MPs have only been in the party since 2019 or more recently (8 out of 15), of the rest only three are still standing from the coalition era and only 1 (Ed Davey) who was ever actually part of government. It's a different party with a different set of ideas and priorities. With sufficient MP churn and time, we have to be open to the possibility of parties changing their ideas to appeal to us. I'm highly unlikely to ever vote Tory, but I'm open to the possibility of them one day presenting a manifesto that does align with things I believe in.

[@nathanaelsmith3553]

They said before the election that they would, in the interests of democracy, coalesce with the party with the most seats, and then did that. So it was the electorate chose their partners. As the junior partner they had to make compromises. Also, they are the only English party not to endorse the illegal Iraq war.

[@rainbowevil]

@@nathanaelsmith3553 did the Greens endorse the Iraq war?? Or do you mean from parties who, at the time, had any MPs?

[@faves2064]

Those that studied under their regime are still paying and having their wages crushed by those fees. They're the difference between being able to afford to live and not these days.

[@leejagger10]

The Lib Dems also increased tax free income massively from where it was pre-election and Cameron even stated in the debates that it was a nice idea but impossible to bring in. I get that the feeling of betrayal when you hung your hat on a single issue, but it was 14 years ago and the current party is basically Trigger's broom.

[@faves2064]

Might be 14 years ago but those who studied at university are still paying those fees right now and having their wages crushed by them like another income tax.

[@leejagger10]

@@faves2064 I understand that. It was my era of university too. However, the "impossible" personal allowance increased take home pay by £700 in cold hard cash a year and whilst the student loan debt builds higher, the income you have to earn before repayments has massively increased and a great many people will never pay them off anyway so it could theoretically be £200,000 a year and it wouldn't matter if it never gets payed off. Would you accept someone never voting Labour again because of their previous raid on pensions? Or 2010 conservatives for going back on inheritance tax threshold increases? Or is that perhaps a puerile stance to take?

[@dreamcrusher112]

@@leejagger10 Still £150 a month lost for pretty normal incomes... £100 a month on the average.

[@matthewmcneany]

"Pacifism is objectively pro-fascist. This is elementary common sense. If you hamper the war effort of one side, you automatically help out that of the other. Nor is there any real way of remaining outside such a war as the present one. In practice, 'he that is not with me is against me'. " - Orwell, writing in 1942.

[@MRW707]

In defence of the Lib Dems... My memory is that they gambled on the AV+ referendum. This was the priority when entering into the coalition negotiations and prioritised over tuition fees. Obviously it didnt pay off but was the only real shot we had at electoral reform in my lifetime. Another point was that coalition government was significant to them as part of their argument for electeral reform (electrical reform decreases the chances of an outright majority). I should disclose that I rode the wave of Clegg mania all the way until he went to Facebook.

[@andrewwalledge6101]

Their AV+ referendum option was not an option. Most people I knew at the time thought it was absolutely terrible and not worth voting for. They let the Conservatives have too much say in it and got ****ed

[@zoranblackie5921]

Exactly this - forever punished over tuition frees they gave us the one chance to get an alternative voting system -

[@oliverleonard7730]

They still got Same Sex Marriage through when in coalition.

[@Mu77ley]

Botox doesn't make you look younger, it makes you look fucking weird...

[@faves2064]

Like Oli I won't forget what the Lib Dems did even though it didn't affect me. That they've never made a full, grovelling apology and haven't proposed anything to help is also appalling.

[@zoranblackie5921]

They were thoroughly punished by the electorate (though the Tories got off scot free), and nearly destroyed as a force... let's hope its the Tories turn...

[@AlisonBaskeyfield]

Nick Clegg did a grovelling apology, you can find it online.

[@bellebooth1741]

I hear you. But I wonder if we are holding other parties to the same moral standard…

[@TheJase8566]

LDs pro EU policy is a good move, it allows pro EU Tories a good excuse to vote for them

[@tuesdayschild8994]

Lets move on, Lib Dems have the best manifesto and I think it would be different if they are completely in power. Coalition is better way of governing also if we get the policies right.

[@satyasyasatyasya5746]

The Lib Dems, specifically Clegg were told by the Tories they didn't have to vote at all to up fees, but they/he CHOSE to, to look tough and powerful and like proper 'partners.'

[@musicmikemn]

Politcally disasterous but I respect it on a personal level.

[@peanutbutterbruv]

That shows surprising political generosity on Camerons' part and proof that Clegg was even less principled than we realised.

[@willisplaysgames]

Yes they were, though tbf, only 29 of the 57 voted for them, 28 of them either voted against or Abstained

[@sandyellis28]

On shortage occupation list, all education should be free to boost our numbers - doctors, dentists, nurses, care workers, maths teachers, plumbers etc. We need them so we should subside on agreement that they’ll work here for at least 5-10 years.

[@VesiustheBoneCruncher]

Oli implies he doesn’t like the Lib Dem manifesto because he thinks they won’t keep to it. I assume Oli applies that standard to **all** parties? Like the 48 unkept pledges from the 97 manifesto, or literally any other government from any party you like? Could it possibly be personal bias here? Just possibly?

[@munchuriancandidate]

This is good coverage - pointing out the Lib Dem’s enabling of immense harm to that generation.

[@Steglasaurus]

So true, Oli. I remember that feeling vividly. I wasn't as politically inclined myself but leading up to that GE and being able to vote for the first time of my life, it was promising. I've learnt in my 29 years now just how effective politics are at creating division and resentment in specific demographics, and that betrayral certainly did just that.

[@BoredomIncarnate1]

I would vote for the Greens or Lib Dems given the chance, but the Tories have held my seat for over 100 years, and even a Labour tactical vote is unlikely to remove them.

[@markysgeeklab8783]

Reform might shift them

[@BoredomIncarnate1]

@markysgeeklab8783 doubtful, the area is 97.5% white, there's nobody for them to be racist towards.

[@tfender4957]

As someone about 3 years older than Ollie, who voted Lib Dem almost solely of the tuition fee stuff when I was 19 I completely agree with everything he says, I’d really struggle to trust anything they say

[@Luke-ru5vu]

“£9000 a year is reasonable for university” - you my dear are deluded. State should pay for it if they want an educated workforce.

[@hephaestion12]

Tuition fees are a progressive tax. What they should do instead of stopping the fees is to increase and improve the loans/living allowance in line with interest rates to support poorer students

[@JakesGuitarThing]

33:30 secure back doors to encryption don't exist. Either it's encrypted or it's going to be compromised. It's not a legal issue, it's a a technical one.

[@TheSkeletalBaron]

Oli behaves like such a child whenever the Lib Dems are discussed

[@dw-yl3ln]

They’re a very silly party, tbh. It’s hard to take them seriously when their leader is constantly falling off paddle boards, going down slides, baking cookies, etc.

[@MarkWhiley]

The Green Party has had a consistent policy to scrap tuition fees, though we will see if that has been costed for the manifesto for this coming parliament when the manifesto is released later this week. I was a Lib Dem back in those days, as a student myself, and also went on the student fees demonstration. I got burned. I think the thing to remember about them now is that Davey in 2019 was talking about a permanent budget surplus aka permanent austerity. He is fiscally conservative.

[@zoranblackie5921]

Vote Green in the cities (I will in Liverpool but makes no difference, but in Bristol, Oxford etc, vote Green!), but in suburbia its essentially a vote for the tories, so please vote Lib Dem tactically. Lib Dems are centrist in economic policy, but are recognising need for funded public services and aren't gonna break the bank

[@MarkWhiley]

​@@zoranblackie5921 Depends which suburbia, my nearest suburbia is Essex countryside and the Lib Dems are absolutely nowhere in a lot of it. Waveney Valley and North Herefordshire are Green targets. The key thing is PR. It will have long term effects on our democracy that will enable us to vote for who we want rather than the lesser evil. To get it we need Labour to get the largest number of seats, but not a whopping majority. That looks unlikely, but is maximised in this election or the next by getting Lib Dems/Greens/SNP/Plaid in 1st or 2nd places across the country, while also trying to kick out the Tories - Labour going for non-progressive voters will help with that.

[@zoranblackie5921]

@MarkWhiley Agreed, all for progressive alliances versus the politics of fear and division... looking at you Nige...

[@oliverleonard7730]

@@MarkWhiley The Greens will win Bristol Central and Brighton Pavilion anywhere else vote Lib Dem. You'll get Labour or Tory otherwise.

[@MarkWhiley]

@@oliverleonard7730 No. You should vote Green in likely safe seats, especially those 46 Labour ones where the Greens were expected to come 2nd according to YouGov's MRP poll - mostly in London. Because at the election after this, the government will lose votes (they always do) and it's better that they go to the Greens as a second placed party than the Tories. Greens will be voices against harmful anti-migration, anti-trans and racist narratives peddled by the right and Labour will likely remain silent.

[@jimr1603]

Plan 2 (3k fees), did a 4 year course, I've got a much lower repayment threshold than the 9k fees. I also won't end up paying it off. Effectively, my graduate tax is more than the 9k fees group. It also makes me fume when Flynn gloats about no tuition fees in Scotland - without Scottish MPs in Westminster voting on a non-Scottish matter Labour's tuition fees bill wouldn't have passed.

[@fluffyflufferer3998]

Ava constantly rocking a cold

[@propersensitive8776]

The London "Lifestyle" 😉

[@matthewgregory7898]

I'm not so sure that the state should pay for tuition fees, instead I think employers should bear the cost or at the least the majority of it. They're the principal beneficiary after all.

[@GrowYourOwnLife]

Ava makes a great point. You should see all the botched budget lip filler jobs you see on your average UK council estate. It's like a generation has been stung by wasps!

[@Tastyweasels]

I do think students should have to pay for uni. This goes on this argument: things you HAVE to do (use roads, go to school, have healthcare. should be free at point of receipt. Things you CHOOSE to do, like go to uni. You should pay for. Also my student loan was about £20 pm when I first started paying it and was only £100 when I started earning £40k. I graduated in 2017.

[@tuesdayschild8994]

They should not pay 9k.......and why was it free previously. Education is a way to pull people out of poverty. Make it free or cost less.

[@amt439]

As someone who has spent time in Afghanistan there is nothing stronger than the Pashtunwali. Soldiers regularly partook in shura with local leaders in perfect safety.

[@DrSosig]

25k salary would be about £10 a month on SFE - I make roughly 35 and mine is £33 a month. It's not 80/90 as Ava suggested

[@NeutrinoAudio]

The alternative to trebling tuition fees was the Conservatives massively reducing the number of university places via the budget or the Lib Dems dissolving the coalition entirely - potentially causing major instability just a few years after a economic crash. The graduate tax model was annoyingly rejected by the Conservatives and the they were too hell bent on austerity measures to publicly fund tuition. What was the alternative? Labour should be held to the same standards as well if Starmer is abandoning a leadership pledge to abolish tuition.

[@StephenWhittaker-g5g]

If I remember Gordon Brown Offered 2 times to Clegg, firstly he was turned down because Clegg didnt like him, second GB offerd to stand down if Clegg would choose the labour party but instead chose his chum

[@ddandymann]

Is no one going to mention the fact that the manifesto is entirely un-costed? It proposes dozens of expensive policies yet only a few minor changes to the tax system that will barely increase revenue. If you were critical of Truss and her mini-budget you should also be critical of the Lib Dems manifesto as, if implemented, it would lead to the same outcome.

[@jimr1603]

Collective Responsibility in Government breaks the junior partner in a coalition in Westminster. Notably none of you gave "same-sex marriage" as a LD win. Since 2015 we've learned how much the Tories hated it, but went with the whip, to please the LDs.

[@zoranblackie5921]

Totally agree, i suspect that was the socially liberal nadir we won't see again in the current climate...

[@bradleynelson8754]

In 2010 there was essentially no good answer for Clegg. They were fucked either way. Lab/Lib govt (which wasn’t able to happen) Labour didn’t want it, but they would’ve also been propping up a govt the electorate just said they didn’t want No coalition, you have a minority and then another election leading to worse Tory austerity than there was already No good answer, you have to go a few months back, a couple better campaign decisions and they have 100 seats and a lot more,power in coalition with PR and tuition fees

[@jdm0101]

Note to Ed: Stanless steel does not stick to magnets!

[@lachlandunn2137]

Depends on the stainless. 304 will just stick to a magnet

[@TM1337FalconPunch]

I feel like a party could come out with a policy like "Free dogs for everyone!" and Oli's first reaction will be "yeah but it's not puppies is it. Also remember when they promised free cats and everyone got lumped with feral cougars."

[@bailey3209]

This is the first time I've ever felt old listening to this, I was only born in 87🤦

[@samuelmelton8353]

Okay boomer

[@bailey3209]

@@samuelmelton8353 cheers fella

[@AndyRossism]

1987 is soooo not a Boomer

[@samuelmelton8353]

@@AndyRossism Ok boomer

[@CurtalA]

​@@samuelmelton8353have you got a double digit IQ?

[@wizzyno1566]

As a 59 year old graduate, i was always for something like 2 or 3% extra income tax for ALL graduates, no matter when you graduated. Better we all pay a bit than the younger people pay a lot.

[@greg_thomson]

for how long

[@Bingo-x4s]

Oli talks about the Lib Dems like he’s a jilted ex lover. It’s been 15 years. Move on.

[@alduslummus6380]

Massive U turn from Ed on the Taliban there

[@oliverleonard7730]

It was a stupid thing for him to have said but that was 15 years ago.

[@TheTrueWelshIdiot]

23 minutes into this Podcast and I seriously feel old now. Some of us remember Thatcher in office...

[@ricktcraig]

I recognise this is a me issue, and not a political one, but my OCD is buzzing like a broken fridge seeing Ed wear his watch on his right wrist.

[@pfunnell70]

Connect selling the loans to Gary's economics, it's about keeping people in servitude as charge payers rather than allowing them to become asset owners...

[@Dnky27]

If Ava is shocked that Kruger is the son of Prue Leith wait till she finds out that Kruger is the Kruger that they named Dunning-Kruger after. Although the fact that DK theory posits that people with limited competence badly overestimate their abilities is a dead giveaway.

[@henrybyrne7265]

20%+ tax on corporation tax is huge they have my vote too.

[@joehughes1709]

This episode feels like a homage to the lib dems current advertising style

[@Pobafett]

Holding Tuition Fees against them seems like small pennies in comparison to some of the things that the Tories have done recently. I don’t understand why it seems a popular brush to tar them with.

[@celadortraffic819]

I wish I hadn't discovered this podcast. It's so fucking watchable. I used to achieve things.

[@nomadicnoisecollective9126]

If PoliticsJOE becomes a space for regular discussion about Love Island then I'm out

[@PaintingWardollies]

The 2010 GE was the first time I voted. I was a first year student so definitely got dragged in by the tuition fee stuff. Havent voted Lib Dem since

[@SirWhig-esq.]

Phased Lords Reform with age limits

[@samuelmelton8353]

If it becomes democratic - then age limits shouldn't be a thing. If people want old politicians, that is up to them.

[@21pm]

Nick Clegg said they would have sided with whoever was the largest party. Still a stupid idea though.

[@mrD66M]

A LD+Green coalition in opposition would be great to see, and reform with less seats than Plaid Cymru

[@davidshaw577]

5p charge on plastic bags, those were the good old days ! What's the price retailers charge now...30p, 50p ? (min allowed is 10p...why are they profiting ?)

[@wandamaximoff8087]

the girls are back together 🎉🎉❤

[@Fanaticjames]

Starmer wearing a blue tie is him wearing his teams colours.

[@lachlandunn2137]

I come for the laughs. I stay for gaslighting Ed.

[@tomcharlwood1031]

Medics will pay on average £252,000 back from their loans.

[@scotteverett5932]

Christ, I remember the wall coming down

[@katejackson7432]

snap

[@grey28282]

Labour double green tax , gb energy - the great british bill , already a cold summer , gonna be freezing this winter

[@mssana2715]

wasn't Nick Cleggs education paid for by a tory... he wasn't just a little bit tory...

[@Esther-Pesta]

If they bring Thatcher back, I hope it’s like when they did the Tupac holographic show 🤭

[@Levenstone132]

Should I be listening? I remember Churchill's funeral!

[@cathybowden9751]

Yes, Broadcasting House did indeed do a bit on vox pops on Sunday. They did a vox pop on whether they are worth it - pretty meta!

[@GaryFuller]

The threshold for my first degree (pre-2012) was £15k so I'm not as angry about the £25k threshold for my second one (I got lucky because you can do a PT 2nd degree in STEM and get a tuition fees loan - who knew - the threshold should be set above the median income either way - or better yet we tax the well off and fund free education). Clegg was part of the Orange book wing of the party, which is hopefully on the wane. If Electoral Calculus is right, it's possible the Party could end up as the official opposition, and be to the left of Labour.

[@1705louloutte]

About feeling of betrayal, for me it was the labour in the war in irak

[@bookofdaveandsteve]

that was good but it was no pisscast

[@bobbler42]

Whoever has the sniffle, my sympathies. It makes it quite a hard listen, though.

[@jackmathieson1903]

There were people born after 9/11 voting in 2019 😂

[@IndaloMan]

I recall watching the first Big Brother in the tap room of my local in Leeds. 9pm start drinking the new fangled Vodka Red Bull #goodolddays

[@howmanybeansmakefive]

The narrative of this election shouldn't be just about the forgone conclusion of Labour (or constant naval-gazing about Cons/Reform in the abstract), but a very real race for the Official Opposition, which is a massively overlooked but culturally/constitutionally/politically/media-narrative important position up for grabs. How much better could a Labour gov be if they were being kept genuinely accountable by Lib-Dems rather than Cons/Reform? (and where they will have the ideologically flexibility to bring up issues like brexit/wealth taxes at PMQs)

[@BrotherJing1]

Get over tuition fees, it was over a decade ago and there have been much more serious and much more damaging lies in the years since that don't seem to have any impact on peoples opinions.

[@alexandercatt7805]

Greens long term policy has been to abolish fees!

[@cdc6329-im]

The first serious world event I remember is David Cameron walking into Downing Street

[@TMFDJournalism]

Everyone brings up the tuition fees but never talk about their work helping to legalise same sex marriage in the country. If we can seemingly forgive Labour at this election for the Iraq war then I think we can forgive the Lib Dem for the tuition fees issue.

[@zoranblackie5921]

So true, the coalition invited me and Pride leaders from across the country to canapes at Downing Street to celebrate same-sex marriage. Can you imagine what this current shower would do... you'd have Kemi Badenoch screaming at trans folks for using the 'wrong' loo

[@tbrooke3016]

As a trans woman I volunteer as tribute if you need a testing candidate for the interview 🤣

[@Paul-Revere54]

Family guy - king Stewart meets Ted, Barney and Marshall from how I met your mother

[@williamwishart7965]

Would Ed interview Kony? Because he's been quiet since the 2012 school posters, I think someone needs to check on him

[@RandallSlick]

45 minutes for nothing and all thanks to that closing praise of the benighted and risible Italian sausage. Italian sausage IS NOT LIBDEM POLICY!

[@ballyhigh11]

For an über right on podcast, you are still depressingly Eng-er-lish when it comes to all things Irish. Ireland's 'benevolent neutrality' meant that it let all allied crew that crash landed in the Free State freely make their way across the border to Northern Ireland. They also put numbered markers on coastal landmarks for which they gave the co-ordinates to the allied forces ( a huge aid to North American allies' air navigation to Europe). And Irish codebreakers surreptitiously helped the Allies decipher Nazi coded transmissions. And most apt to recent events an Irish meteorologist gave crucial weather forecasts to the allies ahead of the D-Day landings. Ireland was neutral on paper only.

[@witte2702]

how depressing it must be to be an individual who's dystopic figurehead is Nick Clegg ....

[@brockit79]

Clegg is a Solihull boy - defo Tory at heart...

[@oliverleonard7730]

Clegg like Blair is thankfully ancient history.

[@elmonionugenio9735]

I wish you guys would talk about Nigel buring the TUV saying he will instead support the DUP

[@zoranblackie5921]

When you're too far right for Farage you need to take a look in the mirror (though I suspect TUV supporters don't have a reflection in a mirror...)

[@richardkail7976]

You guys just constantly forget about the Greens every time. The Greens have always been against tuition fees.

[@Rossy167]

I don’t see the sense is hyper-fixating on the mistakes of a long dead administration from over 10 years ago. We simply don’t do that with any other similar situations, it’s completely irrational. Daisy Cooper herself, who had nothing to do with any of this, said tuition fees was a mistake live during the election debates. I think the Lib Dems ending up the official opposition would be a really positive step for the country. To be frank, I also expect less emotional and more genuinely well reasoned opinions from people whose entire profession is having political opinions.

[@domhuckle]

Is it a deliberate choice not to really talk politics anymore? Is it like commentary on the paucity of the current contest? I think the drift into the wilderness has happened so slowly I haven't noticed

[@Adamjonesathome]

Another £3.50 on cafe Nero rather than saving for a house #nationalserviceforallunder40s

[@bobdigi500]

How many coffee Neros buy a house?

[@ILikedGooglePlus]

100,000 ​@@bobdigi500

[@Adamjonesathome]

@@ILikedGooglePlus that’s only 27 a day for 10 years and I bet you some of them ….. and then a cake …..

[@EamonCoyle]

I could imagine Ed losing his mind and turning into Machine Gun Preacher !!