Tory Turmoil After Local Elections + South Africa’s Future Hinges On Wide Open Election

[@andrewpaulhart]

So refreshing to listen to informed intelligent people

[@CovidIslandDiscs]

Rory made me laugh when he said something along the lines "the two problems I have with Macron vision is its style and its substance" Ha, Ha that truly sounded comical a bit like "there are only 2 things I don't like about rainforests, rain and forests."

[@howmanybeansmakefive]

Haha! He has the public school debate team energy of knowing how to stall for time, and make a random thought/argument seem more systematic than it actually is.

[@restispolitics]

😂😂

[@Mil-w6d]

He is also rather petty when he says Labour should have done better. He knows full well that the Tories don’t care about Gaza and that many Labour voters are Muslims who have been upset with Labour rather than the government.

[@idoshulman6379]

​@@Mil-w6dDidn't he say that that wasn't necessarily his case just the case that the tories could make?

[@lukedaniels7750]

@@Mil-w6d I don't think that is petty. Labour should have walked these elections with a landslide, but the numbers just did not cut it. I suspect they will win with a very small majority.

[@gerhardaigner5108]

You are talking about change. What kind of change? Scotland and Northern Ireland want to be in the EU. So does now the majority of the population, especially the young generation. But nobody dares to raise the question.

[@alanbarker2279]

Joining the EU will take a minimum of 10 to 15 years (but will happen). Raising it as a topic now would play directly into the RW dirty tricks department and make it more difficult to oust the Tories. Let's get Labour into power first, don't fall for the smoke the mirrors...

[@hamsterminator]

It's just seen as a toxic subject unfortunately, so they won't go near it. What I'm curious about is how Laboir will tackle the subject once in power if they hadn't mentioned it in their manifesto. Another referendum? It also opens up a Pandora box for revisiting every major referendum we've had, Scottish Independence being an obvious example, where frankly half the population are sick and tired of referendums.

[@alanbarker2279]

@@hamsterminator It is a myth that you need to put something in the manifesto to enact it - the Tories did not say they would do something along the lines of the Rwanda Act. Labour will, however immediately make moves to bring us closer to Europe.

[@benglishman]

The big problem for Labour is that people are voting against the Tories and not for Labour. In a general election Labour will have to set out its full policy platform and pick a position that will motivate people to vote FOR them. If it's Tory light, a lof of people won't vote for that. If it's too socialist we know that this will fail too. It needs to be radical and ambitious and show a path to restoring the country after 14 years of Tory rule, whilst also achievable. Not an easy task!

[@mowogfpv7582]

Well this is the problem with treating local elections as a proxy for an imminent GE. You can't set out your full national policy platform because that exists to fill out the media grid during the GE. So your councillors are often going to the doorstep empty handed. This was one of Labour's less discussed problems from 2019. If we'd run an election on the same policy platform as 2017 then there would have been no big policy rollouts for the short campaign. So I think this was one of the reasons behind the disastrous "2017 on steroids" manifesto.

[@rjScubaSki]

You are overestimating the populace if you think they won’t vote for Tory lite

[@joshyman221]

I honestly don’t think they will properly outline their policies. It very much seems their main policy is just to point out flaws with Tories. It’s honestly incredible that it will probably work. Perhaps one of the clearest cases of why democracy especially in FPTP doesn’t work.

[@LWQ15881]

@@joshyman221so basically you’ve never read a manifesto? I know labour will put one out. The tories had the same manifesto for the last 3 elections in a row I can’t wait to see if they’ve even changed it and how many they can fool.

[@marumaru6084]

@@rjScubaSki Tory Lite being very high taxes and very very large numbers of low paid immigrants and of course more crime!

[@mattbooth307]

Tory line on "expected Labour to do better" conveniently forgets that local elections aren't the same as a general election. It doesn't matter if you vote Tory, Labour or whatever at the local elections because they don't make a huge difference or change how the country is run, so people don't vote as tactically or with a national mindset. So, the pollsters showing a 45%+ polling for Labour is much more likely.

[@JerzyFeliksKlein]

I was thinking the same but the Tories did get punished for, you know, being Tory. But at the same time other parties may not have gotten as much of a boost as they will in the general election

[@polyestermammoth740]

Absolute nonsense. Local election directly affect the way things are run in a very real sense. They impact the day to day- roads, bin collections, available facilities. It is politics at a local level where the machinations can be seen and felt in a very immediate sense. They matter.

[@polyestermammoth740]

And I might add that the party who controls a council, therefore, really matters.

[@lukedaniels7750]

It is difficult to analyse because different areas and councils are up for election, but in genereal I do think that Labour would have been looking for a better result if they want to achieve a landslide at the next GE. Many but not all people do vote the same way in local elections as they do in national elections.

[@sherlockgnomes8971]

The turn out numbers were really quite shameful. So many people complaining about our mayors/politicians and there was 30 percent of the population in my city who went out and actually voted..

[@hgf4030]

Who really cares about the mayors and local councillors. They're pretty inconsequential really. People have busy lives. Most people only really care about general elections, and even then we don't have properly left wing politicians just a tory and tory lite option.

[@06alepea1]

Agreed. My work colleagues complain about roads, council tax etc and yet almost seem proud of the fact they never vote.

[@mauromatos3124]

A proper discussion on the state of South Africa would take a lot more time than this podcast affords.

[@Amanzi379]

They have got the basics right. Apart from talking up electricity in South Africa 😀

[@LDNosteopath]

Dear Alistair and Rory. I enjoy your podcast, and I would appreciate that when the manifests for each party have been released, if you would dissect each one so the general public can get a real understanding of what is being said and what is not being said in the background. Keep up the excellent work. Lazarus.

[@sudodrive]

Frankly I think the Tories are doomed by some considerable margin. I think they are just hanging on in the hope that something will turn up. However that’s a very flawed way of looking at it. What they should be doing is looking at the stuff they know is possibly ahead . IE the record number of boat crossings that’s likely this summer, the very unconvincing Rwanda plan, then possibly the biggest doozy of all Import checks, which has the potential to cause absolute mayhem. If voters see great big holes in supermarket shelves and the cost of food skyrocketing in the run up to Christmas, the Tories won’t be so much as toast they will be cremated. Sunak is a fool should have gone in March, failing that now, November is looking dreadful & if he tries to hold on until January he will have screwed over just too many voters.

[@sfactory8253]

I'm convinced sunak not only doesn't care about the country , he doesn't even care about the party . He will hang on to benefit his family. Good for the opposition.

[@tinkertoiler744]

@@sfactory8253that isnt sunak that is the party. Pm are just figure heads in the current cadre. The country is being rinsed, the politics is focused on optics. For all purposes the job the party has set out to do has been done. The next government will look awful due to the situation the uk is in. Loosing to labour is the best result for the conservatives.

[@sfactory8253]

@@tinkertoiler744 John major could have done with losing. On the off chance a change in government matters sunak is the worst person the Tories could have had to choose the date of the next election. If it's just all wef uniparty well no point in voting. So don't vote I say.

[@sudodrive]

Spot on! Its the only reason he became P.M.

[@garyh1572]

The Falklands War "turned up" for Maggie.

[@DylanSargesson]

Very strange to have a segment debriefing your interview with Pelosi, before the interview with Pelosi has been published.

[@MatrixCL]

Learning that Rory is a fellow vipassana meditator raised such a huge smile on my face. :D

[@nigelbradshaw1948]

Great coverage as normal. Completely agree that Teesworks is going to end in tears for the Conservative Mayor if theres a change in government. Also the integrity of BBC editorial control continues to decline, following the interview with SB which was just a leadership advert for her.

[@DylanSargesson]

Obviously the next Labour government (or any government) shouldn't be making individual staffing decisions at the BBC - that would be an affront to their operational independence. But, Kuenssberg clearly needs to be convinced to resign, she's a rightwing Tory shill and doesn't even try to hide it at this point. Maybe we get her a job at GB News, or maybe a peerage

[@MazzaEliLi7406]

Agree about Ben Houchen/Free Ports/demise of local media. Cheers.

[@tristancotton7222]

I think that Rory's 'Labour didn't do very well really' analysis is not great. I think that the Conservatives are seen as so unelectable that people were happy to vote for a large array of smaller parties, without the risk of a Conservative win to vote for labour. However, that situation is unique to local elections: in a general election, with more apathetic voters, the Conservatives will do even worse proportionally and Labour will scoop up all the Independent, Green and Lib Dem votes.

[@nosuchthingasshould4175]

Stewart is still a Tory shill, using the otherwise interesting conversations as just a smokescreen to push Tory talking points.

[@VesiustheBoneCruncher]

Yes and no - I think there are plenty of areas where people will vote for whoever has the best chance of removing the Tory MP. In a lot of places that isn’t Labour. Grass roots subversion of FPTP.

[@VesiustheBoneCruncher]

@user-xg5ye6yn4s well it will be interesting to see what happens. What Labour voters in areas where they are unlikely to be able to return a Labour MP need to ask themselves is - who do we want the official opposition to be? Whether they use it or not, that is the power they have in their grasp.

[@mikewalker7366]

I thought Rory’s analysis was spot-on.

[@lukedaniels7750]

in the 2010 GE, Ukip and Bnp together got 5% of the national vote. In the 2015 GE Ukip got just over 12% of the national vote. In other GE's fringe parties have fared less well. Your prediction may or may not be correct.

[@DaveThrash]

According to Wikipedia , South Africa's white population number approximately 4.5 million. Not 300 000.

[@tmarritt]

Looks to be about right for the population of Johannesburg which would make sense along with the other numbers he was mentioning. The % works about about right mind.

[@PMMagro]

Indeed. Given the total population of South Africa is roughly similar to the UK (60 million probably more now) 300 000 is obvioulsy wrong. It is not an (well) educated guess 300 000 but then follows the praise for the apartheid regimes economy :) WOW

[@juliusdavies2005]

@@PMMagro You need to be less fragile, he didn't praise the system of apartheid, he pointed out a fact regarding the decline of the GDP per capita in comparison to other countries over a 30 year period.

[@northleedspoppa]

​@@juliusdavies2005 no child He did You need to stop defending anything every embarrassing little right wing says Maybe you wouldn't seem so ridiculous then

[@restispolitics]

@@tmarritt Correct, he is referencing Johannesburg

[@mlinganimatiwane]

I love this show but you're out of your depth on South Africa by a Longshot.

[@johnnyguitar6697]

On Macron: I've voted him in twice, and he generally gets the big picture right (minus that stupid comment on Taiwan, and the statist tendencies). But his staggering arrogance keeps doing him in. So many own goals, that undermine his policies, just because he can't help himself being arrogant and the smartest person in the room. Such a promise, such a shame he couldn't deliver more because he keeps getting in his own way. I will have to pin my hopes on Edouard Philippe, who I like much better anyway, for the next presidential election. Similar policies, without the gob.

[@eddietemple2302]

how worried are you about the threat of Le Pen and/or Bardella in 2027?

[@johnnyguitar6697]

@@eddietemple2302 I am very worried about Le Pen. She's been surprisingly clever, keeping a low profile and leaving it to JL Melenchon to stir trouble, while making her party look respectable. Especially at the Assemblee Nationale, where the RN MP's are very disciplined. She, or someone in the RN, has really professionalized the party. But don't be fooled by the more polished appearence: scratch the surface and it's still the same xenophobic undertones, compounded by basket case economic policies. Bardella is one to worry about for the future, in case she fails again in 2027.

[@SharonaPJ]

Unemployment is closer to 70%. What's happened in 30 years is that a black middle class has developed and it's THEM who are utterly disillusioned with the ANC. Alistair & Rory, you don't know very much about South Africa.

[@kathrynlenz8368]

Actually their lack of information is terrifying

[@platinummannequin]

Yes, I was a bit miffed at being told there are only 300 000 white people left in SA. It's actually more than 7% of a population of over 61 million people.

[@vthompson947]

Yet again demonstrating extraordinary ignorance and gullibility where the SNP and Scottish politics are concerned.

[@lizbarker8995]

Brilliant Rory. Have an enlightened retreat 🙏

[@sylviawillmot4365]

As regards Scotland you've left out the elephants in the room. Brexit and the damage it has done and the fact that more than 50% want Independence and want to rejoin the EU. Labour will suffer because of Gaza, Scotland supports Gaza. Labour do not want Independence they want to continue milking Scotland's wealth.

[@youknow6968]

I would die for this country, I'm a little brown boy. Would farage, other than making speeches, or making money. I'm sure he thinks he's above loyalty, unless it suits his agenda.

[@deviousdescent9010]

I can't help thinking what a different place the UK and the tory party would be in today if Rory had been prime minister.

[@londresparis_1]

HAHAHAHA 🤣

[@marleneMS]

​@@londresparis_1 wrong medication?

[@MazzaEliLi7406]

Libraries = informal education in conjunction with google. In my youth Libraries were the only access I had to the broadsheets, financial publications (which have to report factually to stay in business) & to specialist publications. Now libraries also offer access to computers. Unions in the old days knew the value of lending libraries for the educationally disadvantaged. Arguably the need is greater now because educational standards have dropped even in my lifetime. Cheers.

[@MazzaEliLi7406]

@@CW-bw7pv Cheers.

[@TrevorBarre]

Comparisons with 1997 are inappropriate. It's a different world now.

[@ThomasBoyd-tx1yt]

35 Scottish Labour councillors Glasgow what salary do get £60000 per year and expenses included Thomas. That includes SNP, Greens and Conservative 60 councillor in Glasgow city council. Awesome thanks. Debunked Historian he in Wales he given up politically on London. Reform UK party it actually won seats London Assembly. You vote SNP Scottish parliament election May 2026. SNP lose 30 seats UK general election in 2024. Did work for BBC in 1970's yes Thomas. Support STV voting system for all English local government elections. SNP hold 35 SNP MSP's. Have any dealings with Scottish parliament no. As Italian do care about it. 129 MSP's leave Scotland and me alone. Dump Brexit England London rejoin EU again Thomas.

[@paulgilliland2992]

Trying to read this comment and I would suggest you check your grammar.

[@ThomasBoyd-tx1yt]

@@paulgilliland2992 I am Italian citizen nurse. You can read writing on wall politically the Conservatives are finished they need time in opposition reflect on It. Conservative party spend 10 years in wilderness.

[@grahamleiper1538]

​@@ThomasBoyd-tx1ytI'm honestly hoping they're gone for way longer. They've not won in Scotland since the 1950s, they've never won in Wales, they don't even stand in Northern Ireland. It's about time the English saw through them.

[@stanby2712]

Incomprehensible gobbledegook Q

[@frodenordseth4519]

What took you so long? I have been waiting for this for days 🤷‍♂️

[@ricdontap1]

"BBC Style independent Journalist's " Are you serious?

[@airborn51]

The general public’s opinion on conscription is rather irrelevant, since they won’t be the ones being recruited. Might be more insightful to poll the eligible population on this

[@Louisefenner]

The South African elections are giving many people in SA anxiety. We are hoping the ANC looses its majority which is quite likely. Problem then is - who do they go into coalition with? If it’s the EFF the country is screwed.

[@MazzaEliLi7406]

Yup. Complacency is death.

[@darrenbullock9153]

We live a political period of extremis. Too many politicians missing what's in front of their faces. If you take the common sense approach to any problem you can write policy around it. Ideology is for people unable to lead and for those who should far away from the levers of power. Sometimes the common sense answer isn't popular. If the communication is clear and concise people will still vote for something unpopular if they see its necessary.

[@ozen.m8161]

Can't wait for saint Stewart to come back from his retreat with seals licking his feet 😂❤

[@slicksalmon6948]

One problem is that Labour still supports Brexit.

[@lukedaniels7750]

That is a problem, but the Lib Dems do not and they did not get a huge swing their way.

[@slicksalmon6948]

@@lukedaniels7750 That’s exactly what I find so interesting.

[@lukedaniels7750]

@@slicksalmon6948 My opinion is that the subject was so polarising and caused so much strife that people are not in a hurry to revisit it. Just an opinion mind.

[@slicksalmon6948]

@@lukedaniels7750 You certainly know better than I do, since I'm 3000 miles away in a different country. But, I can't help wondering if the left still supports the advertised goals of Brexit -- restricted immigration and money previously sent to the EU being applied to NHS. What they don't understand is that you don't get these things without significant issues. They still believe in the tooth fairy.

[@oldwaitekauri]

Greetings from NZ. Delightful discourse ☺.

[@joyceflowershed]

Excellent as always 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@safebans1369]

As a young progressive voter there's no way to fill that gap for me. You don't get take backsies on supporting war crimes, as much as Alistair would like that to be the case

[@paulmajerus8024]

British citizens living abroad are now eligible to register to vote in UK general elections, regardless of how long they’ve been living outside the UK. I have lived in France since 2003 and lost my vote under the 15 year rule. I now have regained the right to have a postal vote in my former constituency of Dover and Deal. At the December 2019 General Election 233,000 overseas voters were registered. (This has since declined to 105,000 in December 2021 as overseas numbers tend to decline between elections.) The Government estimates the changes, ending the 15-year limit and allowing all British citizens previously resident to be eligible, will mean around 3.5 million British nationals living overseas would be eligible to register to vote. (If we all voted it would be the equivalent of 56 constituencies). Do you have any fix on how many registrations there have been, and whether this potentially huge number of new mature voters might have in the next election?

[@georgethearle7612]

I left the UK when I was 9 and have never registered to vote, does this apply to me as well?

[@paulmajerus8024]

@@georgethearle7612 Unlikely unless you have a National Insurance Number and have worked in the UK but check out www.gov.uk/voting-when-abroad, the forms are very simple. The government information on the subject is surprisingly clear on the subject and I found the whole process remarkably easy which I had not anticipated.

[@DylanSargesson]

​@@georgethearle7612yes. You can register based on the address (you and) your parents lived at before you left.

[@lukedaniels7750]

If you have voluntarily left the UK over fifteen years ago, I'm not certain that you should be eligible to vote in UK elections. Surely voting should be reserved for people who end up being affected by the results.

[@astalavista_84]

That’s a stupid rule really, if you’re a British citizen permanently living abroad, why should you be able to vote on an election that won’t impact you? If you’re living abroad temporarily and intending to return to the Uk that’s different

[@goonerboz6023]

Me and my work colleagues and friends are going for the workers party which seems to have the working class as there main concern instead of the neo liberal labour party who dont like us

[@fburton8]

"Labour are not giving the progressive young voter much of a reason to go out and vote for them." That would include me, a 63 year old man.

[@crl7413]

We have a problem. China is buying up tech basics. "China's Ganfeng Lithium has clinched a US$342.7 million deal to raise its stake in one of the world's largest lithium projects in Mali"

[@tdtm82]

18% is the first official quote of stats I've heard from the Muslim vote and that's also a lot better than I anticipated as. It is interesting that it was not as much damage as I thought it would be. Sadiq Kahn was democratic and assured in his campaign. Susan Hall was a car going up in flames in an animal shelter.

[@JackusGomux]

I have a question/thought that I haven't heard anyone talk about as well: what is the effect of foreigners being able to vote in local elections but not general elections? I have a feeling that most Europeans, considering Brexit, are more skewed towards labour. So couldn't it be a significant amount of people that have voted for labour who are not eligible to vote in general elections?

[@buzzukfiftythree]

Good point, although I’m not sure that there are sufficient numbers who fall into that category to make a significant difference to the result of the general election.

[@JackusGomux]

@@buzzukfiftythree in London 23% of residents are so foreigners without a UK passport. I am not sure whether all of them could vote in local elections, but assuming they are, that would already be 2 million voters!

[@georgehel9920]

Where’s the Mitsotakis interview, looking forward to it!

[@danoneill8751]

Regarding one club's rebuttal of the football academy system chewing up a spitting out 99% of entrants. The guy claimed "but we warn them that most wont make it, we make that super clear, and they still have a great experience [of training at football]". That's like claiming that payday loan companies are fine because they make the 6000% interest rates perfectly clear. Of course a teenager who has done nothing but watch football with his dad every day and thinks he's really good because he's the best in his class will think he will be the 1%, that's why grown adults still vote for the low-tax parties because they are convinced that they too will one day be super rich and don't want to pay more tax. They're children and they are having their youth taken from them for a lottery-chance-to-play-professionally, when they could be at school learning how to code up AI systems or build medical robots or design electric cars. The fact that you warn a hopeful child that they probably wont make it big is not an excuse for these awful institutions. I wonder if they present the parents with the statistics for the amount of the 99% of rejects that end up as permanent job-seekers compared to those who didn't waste their formative years training to kick balls about a field.

[@JerzyFeliksKlein]

What's the alternative? Messi was rejected by many clubs and Barca took a gamble on him. Griezman was told he is too small. Kobe was told to forget about basketball because he will never make it.

[@SharonaPJ]

Julius Malema is 1 bullet, 1 farmer. That's the truth

[@MazzaEliLi7406]

Thank you.

[@SweetSensi1]

I for one would love to see televised london mayoral debates and a more even representation of all parties. It shouldnt effectively be a 2 horse race.

[@rice4550]

The EFF is the only way forward for South Africa

[@dividjones8107]

Macron's watch is a Bell&Ross VI-92

[@alanhankinson9598]

Great to ''see'' in addition to ''hear''.

[@apedanticpeasant1447]

Interesting to see France going through decolonisation and loss of the associated income. It’s like the UK 30 years ago…

[@richardfinlayson1524]

Yeah well i dont think Starmer is really inspiring to people and i would guess that just like here in OZ a lot of traditional labour people do feel a bit betrayed by the Labour party moving away from traditional left wing views, the left is very misunderstood but i think people just want labour to stick up for working class people and be less infuenced by rich donors ,also Starmer has been dreadful on the issue of what is going on in Gaza , people on the left are very angry about that.

[@theroomfloor]

Great insights on local / general elections. Way off on SA. Waaaay off…

[@ianvonmemerty6502]

SA Pop stats. Black 81 % 50 mill Coloured 8 % 5 mill White 7 % 4,5 mill (not 300k). Asian 2,5% 1,8 mill

[@peteratkin3788]

I'm no expert, and I'm really not, but I thought Labour was effectively at saturation point voter-wise. The people who could have been turned have been. The undecided will remain undecided until the GE. The only room I see for a reasonable swing is the young. Maybe some other oddities in the GE will show up, but they are unlikely to get significantly more voters at this point.

[@Simon-zb6fp]

I couldn't understand why Wes Streeting was so spooked by the rumour that Susan Hall would win

[@oitoitoi1]

the "sadiq khan is losing" rumour was mostly put out by laura kuenssberg...what a surprise...

[@Evemeister12]

Apart from the tees valley mayoral election, Labour did sensationally well.

[@lukedaniels7750]

And Bristol. And Bolton. And Kirklees. And Oldham. Etc.

[@johnvaleanbaily246]

What's going on behind the curtain !

[@MalteHoeffken]

Have they made a bet on who can sidetrack the other guy more often?

[@kalaharisurfer9605]

The DA will never form a coalition with the ANC

[@kayess2634]

Agree but it’s more that the ANC would never form a coalition with the DA - I think the DA would be up for it just to have some influence but know that it will never happen

[@kalaharisurfer9605]

@@kayess2634 the DA would never form an alliance with the ANC their politics are way too different, the DA wants to rid the country of the ANC's incompetence and corruption it doesn't want to enable it. And the ANC will do anything that allows it to continue to flatten itself at the gravy troughs.

[@kayess2634]

@@kalaharisurfer9605 Oh, I know all that, I’m a 68 year-old white South African, I have a firm grip on my country’s politics and party motivations and I am clear in my mind that given the chance, the DA would, if invited by the ANC, agree to a coalition with obvious caveats in place - the issue as far as I can see is that it is the ANC who would never issue that invitation so the matter is academic. I remain firmly of the view that the DA would be interested in a coalition if it was on offer. We must agree to disagree.

[@kalaharisurfer9605]

@@kayess2634 yet in the past when the possibility to form a coalition with the ANC was available the DA made no such attempt. So despite what you seem as having a firm grip on SA politics the actual reality conclusively shows otherwise.

[@kayess2634]

@@kalaharisurfer9605 And there I was trying to keep the chat civil but you just couldn’t resist, you had to be negative about me personally. Hope you feel better for it. You need to learn to have a debate and not veer into slagging somebody off just because you don’t agree. And since you’ve dragged us into that territory, ‘actual reality’ is verbose.

[@alanhirsch1151]

More than 4 million whites in South Africa. Major error from Rory, pegging it at 300,000. The total number of whites is almost exactly the same as 30 year’s ago. But the proportion is greatly diminished.

[@randomzebra1233]

Is this like a public school thing where the only holiday you could have was sitting in the quartermasters cupboard in silence for a few days? Cheerio, In all seriousness, Have a lovely reflective time Rory! :D

[@dougtsax]

Too quiet. Please turn up the mics.

[@richardoldfield6714]

Contrary to Alastair Campbell's advice for Labour, I would advise them *not* to pursue the 'progressive' left vote for 3 reasons: 1) Those voters will be much less likely to protest-vote Green in a General Election because more is at stake than in local elections; 2) Many young 'progressives' don't vote anyway (compared to older voters); and 3) gaining the moderate centre ground is much more key to winning the election - and for every 'progressive' voter gained (e.g. because Labour makes nods in the direction of transgender ideology, or 'diversity, inclusion and equality') Labour will likely lose a higher number of centre-ground voters.

[@Bengully]

As someone from Birmingham I'm going to push back on this Andy street love. The truth is he was all talk and actually did very little for the midlands apart from stealing credit from other people's. He boosts about improvements in transport but the tram lines had to be redone in the Birmingham city centre after only like a few months and we still haven't got a tram to Coventry. Also, anyone who's been to the area lately will know his claims on reducing homelessness is a straight up lie.

[@patrickjr11]

Interesting point in the local elections. Woking no longer has any Tory councillors. Almost unbelievable but true. Last 4 lost their seats this time around. But, given the area has a well established Muslim community, it also lost the labour candidate that was up for reelection. Lib-dems are in a huge majority here, much like the Tory party 20 years ago.

[@mandyshanks2327]

Reform represent a surviving Britain.

[@paulinegibson7010]

Read Private Eye on Teeside and Ben Houchen.

[@bipolarminddroppings]

The Tories won by 20% in the locals in 2008 and then couldn't win a majority in the general. Hence why you cant read much into then, people vote differently in locals...

[@tomcarr1358]

Sweeping statements about the failure of brexit may be answered within Rory's closing remarks about Macron's idea for a supra national economic investment policy with the EU bank carrying all the risk. Rory then refers to individual countries that seem to be making more investment decisions on an independent basis.

[@grahamleiper1538]

"Time for a change" would be losing Westminster and getting back in the EU. Just saying... 😁🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@williambaker5670]

Two points lots of people voted tactically to stop the tories. I knew my Labour candidate could not win but when it comes to the general election I will vote Labour. BBC style independent jounalists? Sadly i have not believed this for a long time- just watch Laura Kuenssberg talking about Labour/ Keir Starmer.

[@williamriley661]

I would love Rory Stewart to join the Labour Party.

[@goonerboz6023]

Vote labour still get tory what a waste of vote

[@generationxpodcast3750]

these two should run for number 10 downing street as independants id vote for them.

[@JackP18]

20 years on from the failed Annan plan referendum in Cyprus there are signs that neogitiations may start up again between the two sides. Ersin Tatar (Turkish Cypriot President) could be a very interesting guest for your leading podcast to discuss the Cyprus problem at this important time.

[@WestfaliaStuff]

I think Macron should be pressed on his France D'Afrique issue, and how that connects to the Russian issue.

[@dougtsax]

You Tories always want to criticise Labour. Labour did very well. They just have to win the GE sufficiently not just to please Tory Rory.

[@krisle90]

So, when are you interviewing Macron? 😊

[@Fatsimbacat]

Just asked AI about Rory's meditation practice it says you have to abstain from certain things during the ten day course including sex and killing, luckily for Rory you can get back to sex and......killing too after the course. I apologize if my previous responses caused any confusion. Let me address your question directly: **Can you continue killing after completing the Vipassana course?** The answer is **yes**. The abstinence from killing (and other behaviors) during the ten-day Vipassana course applies only during the course itself. After completing the course, individuals are free to resume their regular lives, including their usual activities. Thank you for seeking clarification, and I appreciate your patience! 🌿🧘‍♂️

[@P--B]

Macron might actually be the kind of politician who generates cynicism towards politics. His rhetoric is directly in contradiction to his actions. He talks about support for Ukraine, but supports much less than eg Germany. He talks about reducing EU bureaucracy while he has made little progress on French government bureaucracy. He talks about about EU strategic autonomy, but undermines it by making it Franco centric...

[@grahamsmith5768]

Tories and labour are full of it . High time for a absolute new different government. They need a chance.

[@cgdimension]

Labour should be rejecting these tory defectors, otherwise they will just end up being the tory party, why would i vote labour if it means I end up with tories, let them join reform

[@ravindra7791]

14 hours a day to sit in silence? I will suggest it to my wife 😂

[@fionaholland9191]

Good luck with your vipassana Rory.

[@advocate1563]

Not the bully boy thanks.

[@lukedaniels7750]

Regarding the Green and Labour vote in Bristol, I think Alisair's brief analysis is incorrect, and that Gaza is not a major factor. I think local issues are the big reason, and the fact that the Labour outgoing mayor is so disliked in this city. Rents have more than doubled in the city under his watch. That wil make people vote for a change.

[@RaRa-eu9mw]

It definitely is because of Gaza. We've had marches every week chanting against Labour for their stance on Gaza.

[@lukedaniels7750]

@@RaRa-eu9mw And how many people have been on these marches ? I live in the city centre. The pro Palestinian demos are more now than before, but they were pretty numerous before. If you look on Bristol subreddit, you see more people support Israel than Palestine, but everybody hates Marvin. You literally do not see a single person standing up fpor him, and hundreds slagging him off. The Greens were already the largest party in Bristol before the current Gaza thing kicked off, it's just that Marvin refused to acknowledged their majority.

[@RaRa-eu9mw]

@@lukedaniels7750 Reddit obvious isn't a reliable barometer for general opinion within Bristol. Marvin is widely disliked, but he's also gone, and we're not getting another mayor. The idea that the local elections were determined by opinions on a mayor, when we won't even have a mayor by the end of the year, is absurd.

[@lukedaniels7750]

@@RaRa-eu9mw When people voted in the elections Bristol still had a Labour mayor. And support for the Greens has been building in the city for many years, long before this current Gaza thing has been going on. I think Kier's comments had a factor, but you are overstating it.

[@RaRa-eu9mw]

@@lukedaniels7750 The mayor is going though - the voting doesn't relate to the mayor at all. The Greens have indeed long campaigned in Bristol, and got nowhere. It was the main focus of their campaign last GE, and they finished miles behind Labour. There's been a huge shift here, and it's undeniably because of Gaza, which Bristolians make incredibly clear with their chants every single week. It's bonkers to try and find an alternative explanation for this - it's the one right in front of our faces.

[@fenderek666]

Guys, your thoughts on Emily Elphicke. I honestly can't wait to hear what you have to say.

[@FRM101]

This business of a 'silent retreat' is officially the wealthiest behaivor Rory has ever displayed. Personally, I'd prefer the seals lick my feet.

[@swapnil1181]

Potato Buggramps was here

[@jamescampbell-ux6lm]

Rory I think you will find the white population of SA is substantially larger than 300,000 and closer to 3.5 million

[@razorwestham5949]

Good luck rory my son with that 11 days . Take care mate . From labour and west ham supporter.

[@northleedspoppa]

Lol how can anyone take slow Rory seriously

[@nickross4307]

Keir Starmer has had more positions than the KAMA SUTRA - 'He changes his mind on EVERYTHING!'

[@joeuma6403]

It might suit certain people to highlight fledgling sectarianism, and their motivations might be racist, but it is there.

[@peterllewellyn8835]

You didn’t mention SA inclusion as a BRICS group country, nor the important role of the coloured business community. But yes, a good analysis in the time available.

[@RaRa-eu9mw]

BRICS is a bit of a non-entity.

[@Norodnik]

Rory, your audio volume is too low (often) and don't speak with your hands covering your mouth. Alaistair is always loud and clear.

[@tonyharding3013]

for international independent news correspondence's try feature story news

[@jonw9417]

I'd pay good money to see Alastair vs Cummings. Double if it was in the boxing ring.