A High Risk Strategy

Isn't it absolutely fascinating to watch the car crash idea of holding a General Election in December unfold? The hand of career psychopath Dominic Cummings all over the strategy with the wheels spectacularly coming off the Tory launch on day one with Andrew Neil ruthlessly highlighting typical Tory character traits. This from the Spectator:-  

Watch: Nadhim Zahawi’s disastrous Andrew Neil interview

Oh dear. It’s safe to say the Conservative party’s election campaign has not got off to the best start. On the day of the official launch, the Tories have had a cabinet minister resign and a row over who is to blame for the Grenfell fire drag on. Now, they can add to that list: a minister unsure whether Jeremy Corbyn would have wealthy people shot or not.

Appearing on the Andrew Neil show on Wednesday night, the Business Minister struggled when the BBC interviewer brought up Boris Johnson’s comments comparing Jeremy Corbyn to Stalin on the grounds that he and his supporters hates wealth and aspiration so much that they ‘point their fingers at individuals with a relish and a vindictiveness not seen since Stalin persecuted the kulaks’.

When Neil suggested that this comparison didn’t hold up to scrutiny given that Stalin had people shot, Zahawi was unsure. Pressed on whether Corbyn really wants to have wealthy people shot, Zahawi replied:

‘I don’t know, you will have to ask him that question’

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Having been goading and demanding an election for weeks, it's fun watching the PM trying to row back saying it's not his fault that Christmas is being ruined. What a brilliant wheeze to try and win those working class Labour votes by promising to spend, spend, spend. It makes it rather difficult to repeat that old mantra about fiscal prudence and Labour being reckless with its spending plans! Oh, and good luck too with trying to cancel HS2 whilst trying to woo over the Labour North! 

What could possibly go wrong holding a General Election in December? This from the BBC:-

Nativity play school polling stations row deepens

Election officers have hit back angrily at calls from the education secretary for general election polling stations not to be placed in schools. Gavin Williamson wanted to avoid disruption to school nativity plays and Christmas concerts, which could clash with the 12 December election day. But election officers have written to the education secretary to express their "extreme disappointment". They say in many areas there are "no alternatives" to using schools.

This week Mr Williamson wrote to returning officers telling them that councils would be funded to find alternative venues for polling stations - and not to use schools as places to vote. He said he wanted to make sure that "long-planned and important events" in schools at Christmas, such as plays and carol concerts, would not have to be cancelled. But the announcement has prompted anger from the Association of Electoral Administrators, which is the professional body representing people who run elections.

In a stinging letter to Mr Williamson, they accuse him of a "complete lack of knowledge and understanding. We question why this letter was sent out so late, after most polling stations have already been booked," say the election officers, who warn that arranging a December election at short notice is already challenging enough.

They reject Mr Williamson's claim that "every community" will have alternative venues for voting, so that schools will not have to be used. "That is simply not the case. In many parts of the United Kingdom, including towns and cities but especially in rural areas, there are simply no alternatives to the venues designated as polling places," says the letter from the association.

Chief executive Peter Stanyon says the process of deciding where to locate polling stations has mostly taken place - and the data has been sent to printers for polling cards. He says schools are used as polling stations because they are well-known local venues and are likely to be accessible for people with disabilities - and often there are not any other practical options.

The move not to use schools for polling stations had been backed by head teachers' leader Geoff Barton. He said many schools would have Christmas events scheduled - and he questioned whether schools were really "suitable venues" for voting, particularly when elections had become more frequent.

--oo00oo--

Finally, here's a novel thought from yesterday:-

"And just a personal observation on our politics and the election. I wonder if Tory strategists paid any thought to the fact that calling an election in November would mean that the Tories, from activists to cabinet ministers and even the PM, would be campaigning wearing a red poppy on their lapels, which resembles very closely to my mind the red rosette of the Labour Party?"