The 2017 UK General Election Thread - Voting open today from 7am - 10pm

[Grumpy David]

No chance in hell of winning!

Results from 2015.

Conservative
Theresa May
35,453 votes 65.8%

Labour
Charlie Smith
6,394 votes 11.9%

Liberal Democrat
Tony Hill
5,337 votes 9.9%

UKIP Herbie Crossman
4,539 votes 8.4%

Green
Emily Blyth
1,915 votes 3.6%

I can't see her being able to overturn a majority like that.

Didn't Maidenhead vote strongly remain though

Yes but the swing needed for anyone other than a Tory to win is huge. In an election where the Tories are already the runaway favourites. And the polling all suggests that Remain voting Tories are still staying very loyal to the Tories - I just can't see an upset happening.

And I think Gina Miller outside of GRcade and Twitter is probably not the most liked person anyway.

[Return_of_the_STAR]

It would be stupid of her to stand there, all she would do is take votes away from labour and lib dems.

[Lex-Man]

It would be stupid of her to stand there, all she would do is take votes away from labour and lib dems.

Unless she ran as a lib dem. Although I doubt she'd win. Maybe she could pull a few extra percent but that's about it.

[Return_of_the_STAR]

Labour plans four new bank holidays

A Labour government would seek to create four new UK-wide bank holidays, Jeremy Corbyn says.
The holidays would be on each nation's patron saint day - St David's Day on 1 March, St Patrick's Day on 17 March, St George's Day on 23 April and St Andrew's Day on 30 November.
Mr Corbyn believes the move will "celebrate the national cultures of our proud nations".
Labour says the UK has fewer bank holidays than other G20 countries.
Normally, England and Wales have eight bank holidays a year, Scotland nine, and Northern Ireland 10.
Labour says the average for G20 countries is 12.
Under the policy, the devolved administrations would have the final say on whether to approve the extra bank holidays.
Creating bank holidays is a devolved power in Scotland.
"The four nations that make up our great country have rarely been more divided due to the damaging and divisive policies of this Conservative government," Mr Corbyn will say in a speech on Sunday.
"But where Theresa May divides, Labour will unite our four nations.
"A Labour government will make St George's Day - England's national day and Shakespeare's birthday - a public holiday, along with St David's Day, St Andrew's Day and St Patrick's Day.
"These holidays will be a chance for workers to spend time with their families, in their communities and with their friends.
"But they will also be a chance to celebrate the national cultures of our proud nations."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39682388

[Shadow]

It would be stupid of her to stand there, all she would do is take votes away from labour and lib dems.

It would make sense for Labour and Libs to not run a candidate. On one they could field would put a dent in May anyway.

[DML]

No chance in hell of winning!

Results from 2015.

Conservative
Theresa May
35,453 votes 65.8%

Labour
Charlie Smith
6,394 votes 11.9%

Liberal Democrat
Tony Hill
5,337 votes 9.9%

UKIP Herbie Crossman
4,539 votes 8.4%

Green
Emily Blyth
1,915 votes 3.6%

I can't see her being able to overturn a majority like that.

Didn't Maidenhead vote strongly remain though

Yes but the swing needed for anyone other than a Tory to win is huge. In an election where the Tories are already the runaway favourites. And the polling all suggests that Remain voting Tories are still staying very loyal to the Tories - I just can't see an upset happening.

And I think Gina Miller outside of GRcade and Twitter is probably not the most liked person anyway.

I'd say shes very popular with 48% of people...

[BID0]

Labour could do this

Media turning against Tories
Corbyn announcing some good things like extra bank holidays, eradicating homelessness, protecting NHS
Teressa May has hardly been seen

[DML]

I can understand why to people who voted Leave, Gina Miller is some kind of devil-she-witch, but in reality a lot of people really like her.

[Denster]

Labour could do this

Media turning against Tories
Corbyn announcing some good things like extra bank holidays, eradicating homelessness, protecting NHS
Teressa May has hardly been seen

[Squinty]

I think there could be an upset with this election. Tory victory, but I don't think May is going to get what she wants (her majority).

[satriales]

I'm all for the extra bank holidays, but they should be more spread out through the year. We already have four days off in April/May, another three in March/April would be much more useful if they were in the Summer.

Also, I'd like to see better rules with employers not being able to force workers to work Bank Holidays. My Mum works at M&S and wasn't allowed a single Bank Holiday off last year. It messed up everyone's Boxing Day as usually the whole family go round there for (another) Xmas dinner.

[Denster]

I think there could be an upset with this election. Tory victory, but I don't think May is going to get what she wants (her majority).

I honestly think the only question will be how big the majority will be. Not whether there will be a majority or not. I think it'll be a bit less than some are predicting (100+) but I would expect us to have one northwards of 50.

[Grumpy David]

I'm all for the extra bank holidays, but they should be more spread out through the year. We already have four days off in April/May, another three in March/April would be much more useful if they were in the Summer.

Agreed, June 23rd seems like a great day for a summer bank holiday as would the first Friday and first Monday in August for a 4 day weekend. I'd choose those 3 bank holidays over the proposed 4 from Corbyn.

[Lex-Man]

May seems very confident. Removing the tax freeze promises and then refusing to debate anything will probably hurt her chances, but I still think she'll win.

[Errkal]

I don't think it is so clean cut. She is mostly likely to because of appathy, but she has strawberry floated off a lot of people and the hard line Brexit thing could impact.

[Rex Kramer]

The only thing an increase in bank holidays would do is lower the rest of your annual leave so you end up with the same no. of days off anyway.

[Return_of_the_STAR]

The only thing an increase in bank holidays would do is lower the rest of your annual leave so you end up with the same no. of days off anyway.

Yeah i would agree that the majority of companies would do this. As a full time employee you are entitled to a minimum 28 days paid leave. The majority of companies and public sector organisations will include your bank holidays in this. When we have a random extra one for the Jubilee for example the majority have given this as an extra day but still they don't have to.

https://www.gov.uk/holiday-entitlement-rights/entitlement

[Moggy]

I think there could be an upset with this election. Tory victory, but I don't think May is going to get what she wants (her majority).

I honestly think the only question will be how big the majority will be. Not whether there will be a majority or not. I think it'll be a bit less than some are predicting (100+) but I would expect us to have one northwards of 50.

A lot will depend on how Conservative Remain voters react to May's "Brexit means Brexit" stance. I've heard a few say they are switching to Lib Dem, but have trouble imagining that will be in great enough numbers to make too much of a difference.

There's also a chance that the polls will make Tory voters overconfident and result in a lower turnout amongst them.

But I don't think any of that is enough. I agree with Denny, the question isn't "will May win?" it's "how overwhelmingly will May win?".

[Grumpy David]

Even if it didn't increase the total amount of days off work, the nice thing about bank holidays is most employed people with some exceptions (NHS, police, fire services, retail) tend to be off work at the same time rather than everyone taking annual leave at different times of the year.

[Herdanos]

Denster, are you a party member?