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

[satriales]

Andrew Neil could have been a bit more varied with his questions. We already know both that Corbyn is an IRA terrorist that wants to bomb us, and that he's so anti-violence he wouldn't defend us if we were attacked.

[KK]

For those that missed it, video at the link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2017-40065876

Jeremy Corbyn has refused to give his personal support for the renewal of Trident nuclear weapons, despite it being in Labour's manifesto.

The Labour leader said Trident renewal would go ahead because MPs had voted for it and the Labour Party backed it.

But he repeatedly declined to say whether he agreed with it, in an interview with the BBC's Andrew Neil.

And he said nuclear weapons would be included in a defence review if Labour won power on 8 June.

"I voted against the renewal, everybody knows that, because I wanted to go in a different direction. That decision has been taken, I respect that decision," said Mr Corbyn.

He added: "It's there in the programme, it's there in the manifesto, it will be carried out... it's the position we are adopting as a party and we will take into government."

But he said that if Labour won power, there would be a defence review which would "look at the role of nuclear weapons".

"I want to achieve a nuclear free world through multi-lateral disarmament, through the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty," he told Andrew Neil.

And on foreign policy taking the partial blame for the terrorist attack...

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said it was "absolutely monstrous" that the Labour leader had attempted to "justify" or legitimise the actions of terrorists.

And Lib Dem Leader Tim Farron accused Mr Corbyn of using the "grotesque" attack in Manchester to "make a political point".

Andy Burnham, Labour mayor of Greater Manchester, also said he had a "different view" to Mr Corbyn on the issue.

"[There's] a tendency to blame governments for everything, and I don't think we should," he told Talk Radio. "Actions of governments can contribute, but let's remember 9/11 happened before interventions anywhere."

Full interview: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b08s49q7

[Meep]

Bojo is a massive hypocrite:

In other words, the Iraq war did note create the problem of murderous Islamic fundamentalists, though the war has unquestionably sharpened the resentments felt by such people in this country, and given them a new pretext. The Iraq war did not introduce the poison into our bloodstream but, yes, the war did help to potentiate that poison.

Interesting in that this is a statement from Johnston that I actually agree with and he himself apparently doesn't.

[Wrathy]

Takes a very skilled politician to take a fortnight of own goals by the government and decide the best way to capitalise on that is to score an own goal of your own. Breathtaking vision from the big JC.

[Hexx]

http://lordashcroftpolls.com/2017/05/as ... more-15279

Ashcroft predict 100 seat majority (yey fptp!) based on turnout at the mo

[Hexx]

twitter.com/HichamYezza/status/868182862415228929

[captain red dog]

Andrew Neil could have been a bit more varied with his questions. We already know both that Corbyn is an IRA terrorist that wants to bomb us, and that he's so anti-violence he wouldn't defend us if we were attacked.

You have that totally wrong. He is so anti violence that he believes the only solution is violence against his own people.

[satriales]

http://lordashcroftpolls.com/2017/05/ashcroft-model-update-estimated-vote-shares-seat-new-potential-majorities/#more-15279

Ashcroft predict 100 seat majority (yey fptp!) based on turnout at the mo

His model says the Conservatives have 100% chance of winning in my constituency. That's probably accurate but I wish it was 99%.

[Grumpy David]

Corbyn didn't do well on The Andrew Neil Interview. IRA and Trident were particularly stand outs but it felt like he didn't understand what a Bond was.

Andrew Neil must surely be a politician's least favourite interviewer, Paxman ain't got nothing on him. His knowledge of history and economic history is almost encyclopedic.

twitter.com/HichamYezza/status/868182862415228929

Haha, Channel 4 played a nice trick there!

[The Watching Artist]

2015 results:

Conservative Peter Bottomley 26,124 51.5%
UKIP Timothy Cross 9,269 18.3%
Labour Jim Deen 7,955 15.7%
Liberal Democrat Hazel Thorpe 4,477 8.8%
Green David Aherne 2,938 5.8%

I think your only option is to move to a different area.

I took your original advice in 2015 and voted Green. Who would have thought I'd be in league with Eighty.

You two and your "man made climate change" myths.

Hey down here we have the 2nd best pier in the country to worry about.

Yeah well we have the first so haha!

I'll let you have that seeing as you rarely get to experience 1st place.

In other news my Mums partner has been very anti Corbyn. We had to practically restrain him a couple of weeks ago at her birthday meal when he was mentioned. Despises him. Tonight he asked me if I was going to vote, obviously I am. I dreaded what he was going to say next expecting some tirade of abuse if I even considered voting for Corbyn....... "Vote Labour" he said. "I never thought I'd say it but vote Labour."

[Errkal]

Guy at work has always voted Tory and is voting labour for the first time ever. Odd stuff is going on I tells ya.

[Cuttooth]

Only The Telegraph, via May, has gone on the attack against Corbyn for his speech today, surprisingly.

[Nibble]

Corbyn didn't do well on The Andrew Neil Interview. IRA and Trident were particularly stand outs but it felt like he didn't understand what a Bond was.

Andrew Neil must surely be a politician's least favourite interviewer, Paxman ain't got nothing on him. His knowledge of history and economic history is almost encyclopedic.

twitter.com/HichamYezza/status/868182862415228929

Haha, Channel 4 played a nice trick there!

It’s not a trick, is it, knowledge, education?

[Qikz]

twitter.com/HichamYezza/status/868182862415228929

[Cuttooth]

The full eleven minutes is a pretty excellent interview.

[Hypes]

Some excellent journalism and questioning there

[Nibble]

Something of an aside, but the way this prick refers to "gays" at the 4:15 mark is pretty offensive.

[Squinty]

Some excellent journalism and questioning there

It pains me to admit this because it is Krishnan, but yes, that was excellent journalism.

[Drumstick]

Received a UKIP flier through the door moaning about immigration. Said candidate then boasts on the flip side that he is a qualified teacher of overseas students.

[<]:^D]