Mastodawn

Ross Bright Dec 27, 2022

Via ONS, UK GDP is still 0.8% below pre-pandemic level, leaving the UK as the only G7 economy with output still below pre-COVID level. US GDP is 4.3% above its 2019 level, Eurozone 2.2% above.

The realities of #brexit as a global policy, particularly in 2022 given the geopolitical, economic and trading realities, has completely failed. It feels inevitable we will realign with the EU.

But how do we unwind this mess? And how quickly can this be done? Without further damaging the UK.

@jackLondon @rossbright indeed. Only once the tories are gone can we start to have a grown up conversation, but that has to begin with electoral reform so we can actually vote for what we want rather than against what we don't. I fear a labour landslide will result in complacency, again, from labour.

@jackLondon @rossbright it's not that PR is a panacea, it's that FPTP is a disaster. We are here because of FPTP allowed a relatively small number of people to take over the government and force us down a path that never really had majority support.

@jackLondon @rossbright I'm not underestimating it at all. That was literally the point I made. The unwritten construction is a red herring (although the failureof institutions and the acceptanceof corruption is a huge problem its not the cause). This disaster did not start with Johnson. He was just the face of the leave campaign. Its roots come from Cameron's fear of Ukip that thanks to FPTP was endangering the Conservatives ability to be elected. ..

@jackLondon @rossbright That lead to his offer of a referendum and then his failure both to clearly set the terms of the referendum and then to win it. It all stems from FPTP. I struggle to fear small far right parties when we have a far right party in government with a huge majority based on a minority of the vote.

@jackLondon @rossbright the fact that Labour won't do PR is precisely why we risk a one term Labour government. They will face an unprecedented economic climate and be largely powerless to improve it while outside the SM. That will alienate any pro EU voters and those suffering due to the economic conditions,allowing the tories to take advantage of the split vote.

@jackLondon @rossbright it's the Conservatives surging that will bevthe problem. Its pro EU voters deserting them for minor parties if the continue to tie themselves to the economic disaster of brexit.

@jackLondon @rossbright My concern will be a pro EU party forming and splitting the anti-tory vote, that an loosing votes to the libdems in 3 way marginals letting the tories in. With Labour continuing the disaster of Brexit they can't rely on people who understand economics continuing to support them.

@jackLondon @rossbright I think you underestimate the strength of pro EU feeling. That's only going to get stronger and Labour can't ignore it forever. Their current policy is to negotiate a better deal outside the SM but that is pure cakeism. It is kind of ok in opposition but once in power their failure to achieve this will be clear for all to see. A pro EU party does not have to win any seats, Ukip never did, they just need to threaten to spit the vote.

@jackLondon @rossbright that's Labour's problem. You can't fix the economy outside the single market. That the electorate were sold a lie doesn't change hard truths. Labour will really struggle to fix things with an economy that continues to flatline. At some point someone is going to have to be honest about that. If Labour won't someone else will

OurFlagUK #RejoinEU #FBPE Dec 28, 2022

Possibly the best we can hope for is the weakest of Labour wins.

A win in which the latter can only enter government by securing supply and confidence agreements with the SNP, Plaid Cymru, the Greens and the LibDems - and that those four refuse to sign up until Labour commits to #PR.

@jackLondon @chrisgerhard @rossbright

OurFlagUK #RejoinEU #FBPE Dec 28, 2022

The last time #LibDems were in a #coalition (and threw students under the bus) they enabled the #Conservatives to walk into power and, only after that, agreed to a nationwide referendum on #AV.

That wouldn't be the same as #Labour being in a sufficiently weak position for the #LibDems and #SNP to say: either you commit to introducing #PR now, win our collaboration and govern or you don't and fail to - and probably lose the next election too.

Let's see.

@jackLondon @chrisgerhard @rossbright

LibDemCampaigner🔶Dec 28, 2022

@OurFlagUK @jackLondon @chrisgerhard @rossbright #LIbDems got into government and helped apprenticeships and pensioners - what parties are supposed to do. And yes, Labour+LibDems would be better than Labour due to PR.

OurFlagUK #RejoinEU #FBPE Dec 28, 2022

Probably best not to start on this.

#LibDems co-presided over #Austerity, house price rises & a surge in Zero-Hour Contracts + Gig Economy. For a referendum on #AV??

The 2010-15 government is nothing to be proud of participating in.

Your party can redeem itself for the early 2010s by effectively winning hearts & minds with regard to #PR & #RejoinEU in the 2020s.

Please continue fighting for real communities & the real economy.

@LibDemCampaigner @jackLondon @chrisgerhard @rossbright

LibDemCampaigner🔶Dec 28, 2022

@OurFlagUK @jackLondon @chrisgerhard @rossbright Tories led a austerity. #LibDems helped on housing, pensions, apprenticeships and gay marriage. The practical alternative was another GE and historically that would have given Tories more power. #LIbDems stand tall above the Labour-Tory team that brought us Brexit.

OurFlagUK #RejoinEU #FBPE Dec 28, 2022

The practical alternative was the #LibDems not enabling #Austerity (which, by the way, helped set the stage for #Brexit) and not shafting university students. Your party is grievously stained for all the terrible things it enabled.

Now. Please. Sincerely. Stop talking about Westminster parties as if yours and others are more important than real communities and the real economy. Thanks. The cart goes behind the horse, not in front of it.

@LibDemCampaigner @jackLondon @chrisgerhard @rossbright

OurFlagUK #RejoinEU #FBPE Dec 28, 2022

It would be very encouraging to see the #LibDems and #Labour publicly sign up to a non-compete agreement with each other for the next #GE

Please give everyone some confidence that in any constituency where the two parties are not currently first and second, there will be united front against the #Conservatives.

Sincere thanks.

@LibDemCampaigner @jackLondon @chrisgerhard @rossbright

@jackLondon @OurFlagUK @rossbright @LibDemCampaigner and yet we still get places like Wimbledon where both Labour and the Libdems said the could win and so handed it to the Tories. I hope that the new leaderships of both parties are better, but it’s a hope not an expectation. TBF though I heard nothing from Labour in Raab’s constituency, but that might have been local sanity.

@jackLondon @OurFlagUK @rossbright @LibDemCampaigner

it's all just more reasons to end FPTP. People should not have to do this kind of calculation. They should be able to vote for who they want.

@jackLondon @OurFlagUK @rossbright @LibDemCampaigner The one sure way to make sure PR does not happen is for the supporters of the status quo to convince the supporters of PR it won't happen. It is possible Labour will decide to govern for the Country and not Labour, the membership want this, the unions are coming around. Without some form of PR lots of people are disenfranchised by safe seats. It drives a distrust in politics the allows the far right to flourish.