This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/live/2017/jun/02/general-election-webchat-post-your-questions-for-our-writers-now
The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Join us for a live general election webchat – post your questions now | Join us for a live general election webchat – post your questions now |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 1.16pm BST | |
| 13:16 | |
| That’s almost all we have time for in this space for now. Many thanks for joining us and adding your questions and comments. You can continue to discuss below, and we’re still collecting questions about the election via the callout referenced earlier. We hope to put these to other colleagues, including the team who put together the Election Daily podcast, who are looking forward to answering more of you. | |
| 1.10pm BST | |
| 13:10 | |
| 'This has to be the vaguest general election in the history of general elections' | |
| Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett | |
| I would like to see a discussion about Brexit negotiation and differences in approach between our parties. Differences in terms of contents or wishlist what is being desired and difference in approach - confrontational and threatening tactics or not. Also, what do parties feel they are gaining with their approach.Detailed discussion about Conservatives, since that has been their focus in this campaign and reason for elections: why do they think that their voters think it is a good idea to be secretive with goals and 'bloody difficult' in behaviors.Also, Article 50 triggering with forgetting Gibraltar and trying to threaten with security cooperation. | |
| I would like to see that too, but I think the fact of the matter is that nobody actually knows. The EU hold all the cards, so politicians are avoiding any kind of detail not because they really think it is harming their negotiating strategy and that it’s important to be secretive for that reason but because they know there’s a high likelihood that their “wishlist” is unlikely to come to pass, and they don’t want that thrown back in their faces. | |
| This has to be the vaguest general election in the history of general elections, and the negotiations begin just over a week after the result. It’s a dispiriting business. | |
| 1.07pm BST | |
| 13:07 | |
| Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett | |
| Smart work managing to get three questions in here, and neatly numbered too! Over to you, Rhiannon ... | |
| Respect for you entering the lions den below the line Rhiannon. I notice that your colleagues that have been resolutely anti-Corbyn for the past 18 months have not ventured out. | |
| I've got several questions | |
| 1. Do you think the Conservatives have actively sought to sabotage their own campaign. I get the feeling that they don't want to be in power and push through Brexit. | |
| 2. With regard to Corbyn's rather miraculous catch-up in the polls. Considering the polls have shown Corbyn to be massively unpopular (dispite racking up record support in the leadership contest and the Labour Party growing substantially) for the past couple of years do you think this massive catch-up is rather bogus? Are the polls being used to control political memes rather than reflect the voting intentions of the electorate? (tin hat turned to 9 and 3/4s :D)3. So what is it going to be a May win, NOM or Labour win. | |
| 1. No – see the answer I give above. Never underestimate the ability of politicians to fuck things up for themselves! | |
| 2. This is an interesting one. There’s been a lot of anecdotal stuff around about Corbyn being extremely unpopular on the doorstep, but people I know who have been canvassing in Bolton, the North-East and Cheshire say that, while they expected rabid anti-Corbyn sentiment, this hasn’t really been the case at all. This is all anecdotal, of course. | |
| I’m no expert in poll methodology but I think it’s unlikely that polling organisations would risk sabotaging their standing like that in order to swing a democratic election. I think the tide has been turning somewhat. Whether it’s enough is hard to say. Probably not, in my opinion. | |
| 3. May, but then I am an eternal pessimist and nothing in politics ever goes my way. | |
| 1.04pm BST | |
| 13:04 | |
| Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett | |
| This reader refers back to Rhiannon’s earlier response, and has a question about voter apathy. | |
| I am so used to things not going my way in politics that I refuse to get my hopes up (plus the polls aren’t looking great, though I can understand why people no longer pay much attention to those). | |
| Do you think voter apathy is part of the problem? (The 'My choice won't matter anyway' attitude)I get the feeling the Conservatives thrive on it. | |
| Absolutely! But then I would never not vote. | |
| I was talking to a friend who is 33 and has never voted yesterday. This time, he has registered, and is voting for Corbyn. This made me really happy, because he used to be in the “they are all the same, what’s the point?” category. The Tories definitely thrive on it, but I do hope this new Labour leadership has at least galvanised some people. | |
| 12.57pm BST | |
| 12:57 | |
| Gary Younge, who has been reporting from Harrow West as part of our Voices and Votes series, exploring six key constituencies across the country, is also below the line and has responded to this comment: | |
| The overwhelming topic of conversation in relation to this election amongst my fairly wide circle of friends, colleagues, family, etc, has been about the lack of ANY candidate for PM that we even want to hold our nose and vote for. Most of these people, myself included, would normally vote Labour, pretty much without question. We can't be that unrepresentative but I don't see this reflected in the comment and analysis. What impact do you think this might have on results? | |
| Here’s that response: | |
| It's impossible to know how representative you might be. But in my reporting most regular Labour voters who were put off by Corbyn were sufficiently enthused by the manifesto and simultaneously repelled by what they regard as May's stumbles to put those concerns aside and vote Labour. The central reservation that remains, and could well be Corbyn's biggest problem, is that trouble people have imagining him as the chief negotiator for the country in Brexit. Even many people who voted Remain think they would rather have her do that than him. | |
| 12.50pm BST | |
| 12:50 | |
| 'There are several PhDs to write on the politics of nuclear arms and the left' | |
| Here’s another answer from Anne Perkins, to the question asked here: | |
| With all the focus on 'affordability' from the opponents of the Labour manifesto, I'm surprised and a little disappointed that Corbyn has not pledged to cancelling hugely expensive white elephant projects such as HS3 and Hinckley Point, thereby saving billions. Cancelling Trident - another grotesque atavistic white elephant - might be too risky a pledge to make at the moment from a campaigning perspective, despite his beliefs, as the right wing media would go bonkers. | |
| Hi hothead, I agree there has not been nearly enough debate around these major infrastructure investments - or the future shape of the economy more widely. I can see that cancelling Hinckley Point C at this point would a) be immensely expensive economically and in terms of relations with China, and b) leave a gaping hole in future energy supplies for which no alternative plans currently exist. Still worth arguing about, though. You mention HS3, the northern powerhouse link - I have doubts about HS2 although any long journey is a reminder of how antiquated the road network is becoming, and how much more investment is needed in rail. Just not this rail. | |
| As for Trident.... there are several PhDs to write on the politics of nuclear arms and the left (probably have been dozens already). It's almost as divisive as it was in the 1980s: a willingness to accept the costs of the UK being a nuclear power still means recognising and appreciating our continuing importance as a (sort of) world power ; rejecting them can either be seen as act of self indulgent folly or a recognition that it is as you say a white elephant, a view shared by quite a lot of very senior military personnel. But it would, as you point out, be a moment for the right to smash through all previous records for moral outrage as well as causing what might again be an irreparable split in Labour | |
| 12.42pm BST | |
| 12:42 | |
| Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett | |
| Considering her words and actions in the last few weeks, can you explore the hypothesis that Theresa May - having realized the path to brexit is akin to the path to doom - is in fact trying very hard to lose the election? | |
| I don’t think this is the case, because I don’t think any politician would deliberately relinquish power. It just isn’t how they are built. | |
| If we are to assume for a moment that this was the line of thinking, and that May was deliberately sabotaging the Tories’ chances of winning the election, then to what end? | |
| I don’t think they secretly want to remain in the EU, that sounds like conspiracy theorising to me. So are you suggesting that you think they want Labour to take the baton, cock it up, and make the Tories a shoo-in for the next election? I think the much more simple answer is that they probably do realise, like you said, that Brexit is a doomed path, and that’s why she won’t be drawn on any real detail as to what the plan is, and so people are realising that there is very little behind her empty soundbites. | |
| On this one, I’m falling on the side of accidental incompetence, rather than craven Machiavellian plotting. | |
| 12.38pm BST | 12.38pm BST |
| 12:38 | 12:38 |
| A few of you have been thinking about what happens to various people after the election. | A few of you have been thinking about what happens to various people after the election. |
| Will Diane Abbott really be Home Secretary if Labour win? | Will Diane Abbott really be Home Secretary if Labour win? |
| Will Boris Johnson be involved in brexnegs if there is a Tory wn? | Will Boris Johnson be involved in brexnegs if there is a Tory wn? |
| Here are some of Anne’s thoughts on this, and recent polling many of you are also discussing. | Here are some of Anne’s thoughts on this, and recent polling many of you are also discussing. |
| Interesting to read all the speculation about who would be in a Corbyn cabinet etc etc. Here is a bucket of icy water.While the headline polls are narrowing, apart from YouGov they all show a significant Tory lead. YouGov's methodology is novel, and if you have time look at this https://medium.com/@chrishanretty/labours-reliance-on-non-voters-9f88c516310a by the political scientist Chris Hanretty which is a chapter and verse examination of the data. | Interesting to read all the speculation about who would be in a Corbyn cabinet etc etc. Here is a bucket of icy water.While the headline polls are narrowing, apart from YouGov they all show a significant Tory lead. YouGov's methodology is novel, and if you have time look at this https://medium.com/@chrishanretty/labours-reliance-on-non-voters-9f88c516310a by the political scientist Chris Hanretty which is a chapter and verse examination of the data. |
| It is also worth considering that there is usually a correlation between personal approval ratings of party leaders and the eventual outcome. I can't find an up to date tracker, but this http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/party-leader-approval-ratings-and-election-outcomes/ makes the point.Again, the gap between May's approval rating and Corbyn's has shrunk (mainly because Corbyn wins friends when they get to know him, and less because May loses them) but it is still comfortably in May's favour. Anecdotally, people are hearing on the doorstep that whatever they think of the manifesto, voters don't have confidence in Corbyn as a leader. They do think May would be competent (I know, I know). May's continuing appeal could be because of the lack of cut through of the things that preoccupy people like us who follow politics closely. It could be - to pick up on another comment - that elections are not won or lost during the campaign, and May began so far ahead that she had plenty of slack to lose.All the same, it's an interesting thought experiment, composing Corbyn's first cabinet. Would McDonnell be allowed by the rest of the party to become chancellor? | It is also worth considering that there is usually a correlation between personal approval ratings of party leaders and the eventual outcome. I can't find an up to date tracker, but this http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/party-leader-approval-ratings-and-election-outcomes/ makes the point.Again, the gap between May's approval rating and Corbyn's has shrunk (mainly because Corbyn wins friends when they get to know him, and less because May loses them) but it is still comfortably in May's favour. Anecdotally, people are hearing on the doorstep that whatever they think of the manifesto, voters don't have confidence in Corbyn as a leader. They do think May would be competent (I know, I know). May's continuing appeal could be because of the lack of cut through of the things that preoccupy people like us who follow politics closely. It could be - to pick up on another comment - that elections are not won or lost during the campaign, and May began so far ahead that she had plenty of slack to lose.All the same, it's an interesting thought experiment, composing Corbyn's first cabinet. Would McDonnell be allowed by the rest of the party to become chancellor? |
| 12.31pm BST | 12.31pm BST |
| 12:31 | 12:31 |
| Here’s an interesting exchange in response to a rather long comment based on the premise the Tories are “deliberately trying to lose the election”. Is it just a conspiracy theory, as some others have suggested below the line? | Here’s an interesting exchange in response to a rather long comment based on the premise the Tories are “deliberately trying to lose the election”. Is it just a conspiracy theory, as some others have suggested below the line? |
| Occam's razor on this for me. They didn't expect to have to fight very hard to win this election, so weren't ready to fight very hard for it. And May's close-knit small team have not fought a national election before. | Occam's razor on this for me. They didn't expect to have to fight very hard to win this election, so weren't ready to fight very hard for it. And May's close-knit small team have not fought a national election before. |
| I agree that May's team probably thought that and rightly so (24 points lead is incredible, and even if the polls were 50% out it was still an extremely comfortable majority), and I'll accept that this small team around May is not experienced or competent enough. But, if that is the case, and not what I suggested, why risk an unnecessary election in the first place?But still, this simpler explanation you provided, that they simply messed it up, -that has of course occurred to me as well and have considered up to a point- seems to come remarkably short in my opinion; I believe that May (and her close team) probably didn't know what was going on behind the scenes and she was baited in (with those polls) to take the fall; Her and the small group of people were abandoned to fight this alone. After all the Tory party is a party hugely divided, despite appearances, and for those sidelined (that are probably the majority among them) my "conspiracy theory" of sorts would be a double whammy; | I agree that May's team probably thought that and rightly so (24 points lead is incredible, and even if the polls were 50% out it was still an extremely comfortable majority), and I'll accept that this small team around May is not experienced or competent enough. But, if that is the case, and not what I suggested, why risk an unnecessary election in the first place?But still, this simpler explanation you provided, that they simply messed it up, -that has of course occurred to me as well and have considered up to a point- seems to come remarkably short in my opinion; I believe that May (and her close team) probably didn't know what was going on behind the scenes and she was baited in (with those polls) to take the fall; Her and the small group of people were abandoned to fight this alone. After all the Tory party is a party hugely divided, despite appearances, and for those sidelined (that are probably the majority among them) my "conspiracy theory" of sorts would be a double whammy; |
| 12.24pm BST | 12.24pm BST |
| 12:24 | 12:24 |
| Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett | Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett |
| Is Corbyn dismissing the prospect of Labour making deals in the event of a hung parliament merely as an election tactic, or would he genuinely refuse help from the Lib Dems, SNP etc. even if was necessary to keep out the Tories? | Is Corbyn dismissing the prospect of Labour making deals in the event of a hung parliament merely as an election tactic, or would he genuinely refuse help from the Lib Dems, SNP etc. even if was necessary to keep out the Tories? |
| There’s a slim chance there could be another one in September, if the election is close and the Lib Dems and SNP refuse to support a Labour Queen’s speech (which I believe Tim Farron has already ruled out). If they’re unable to form a government then there is a small chance we’ll be in for another one. But I hope to God this doesn’t happen, because personally I really don’t think that I could take much more. | There’s a slim chance there could be another one in September, if the election is close and the Lib Dems and SNP refuse to support a Labour Queen’s speech (which I believe Tim Farron has already ruled out). If they’re unable to form a government then there is a small chance we’ll be in for another one. But I hope to God this doesn’t happen, because personally I really don’t think that I could take much more. |
| 12.14pm BST | 12.14pm BST |
| 12:14 | 12:14 |
| Will we be eating humble pie this time next week? | Will we be eating humble pie this time next week? |
| Anne Perkins has joined us below the line now – we’ll be posting some of her answers to your questions shortly, but firstly a few points in response to some of your comments so far | Anne Perkins has joined us below the line now – we’ll be posting some of her answers to your questions shortly, but firstly a few points in response to some of your comments so far |
| Morning all,Several of you have suggested that those of us who have been less than enthused by Jeremy Corbyn's leadership should be eating humble pie. So here's a pledge: if Labour has a majority - or is the largest party - on June 9th, I will be at the font of the queue for humbling. | Morning all,Several of you have suggested that those of us who have been less than enthused by Jeremy Corbyn's leadership should be eating humble pie. So here's a pledge: if Labour has a majority - or is the largest party - on June 9th, I will be at the font of the queue for humbling. |
| Corbyn is an effective campaigner. He actually seems to like people, and to be interested in them, which is a lovely change from many party leaders although actually quite common among most MPs who do go into the job to try to make people's lives better. Even Tories. | Corbyn is an effective campaigner. He actually seems to like people, and to be interested in them, which is a lovely change from many party leaders although actually quite common among most MPs who do go into the job to try to make people's lives better. Even Tories. |
| But I am still unconvinced by his capacities as a leader, his ability to make decisions under pressure that are based on weighing a whole series of likely outcomes and consequences, his capacity for sustained hard work and careful thought, and his interest in restoring the coalition without which the party cannot function. I acknowledge he could have had more help, but at the same time, even those who don't share his politics but tried to work with him gave up in despair. | But I am still unconvinced by his capacities as a leader, his ability to make decisions under pressure that are based on weighing a whole series of likely outcomes and consequences, his capacity for sustained hard work and careful thought, and his interest in restoring the coalition without which the party cannot function. I acknowledge he could have had more help, but at the same time, even those who don't share his politics but tried to work with him gave up in despair. |
| What I have loved about this campaign, and it is mainly due to Corbyn although May has also set out to rethink Conservatism, is the sense that politics could be different. I think it would be enormously difficult, economically, to give effect to many of Corbyn's manifesto commitments. A lot of it felt backward looking (why tuition fees, gift to middle classes, and not more for early years, essential for least well off, for example, and why go on giving rich pensioners cash they don't need) but I am genuinely thrilled at the sense of potential that is beginning to open up politics. | What I have loved about this campaign, and it is mainly due to Corbyn although May has also set out to rethink Conservatism, is the sense that politics could be different. I think it would be enormously difficult, economically, to give effect to many of Corbyn's manifesto commitments. A lot of it felt backward looking (why tuition fees, gift to middle classes, and not more for early years, essential for least well off, for example, and why go on giving rich pensioners cash they don't need) but I am genuinely thrilled at the sense of potential that is beginning to open up politics. |
| 12.09pm BST | 12.09pm BST |
| 12:09 | 12:09 |
| May gone in June? | May gone in June? |
| It’s a catchy line at least – but do you think it will happen? With all the talk of polls this week our colleague James Walsh has been asking not who you want to win the election, but who you think will win, and how. Here’s his callout if you’d like to get involved: | It’s a catchy line at least – but do you think it will happen? With all the talk of polls this week our colleague James Walsh has been asking not who you want to win the election, but who you think will win, and how. Here’s his callout if you’d like to get involved: |
| 12.05pm BST | 12.05pm BST |
| 12:05 | 12:05 |
| Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett | Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett |
| Rhiannon, do the people at the Guardian treat you any differently now that you've declared your love for Jezza? | Rhiannon, do the people at the Guardian treat you any differently now that you've declared your love for Jezza? |
| Hi Boojay. Yes: I have to sit on my own in the canteen now. | Hi Boojay. Yes: I have to sit on my own in the canteen now. |
| Honestly though? Not really. The staff is made up of people with all kinds of different views and opinions. There are quite a few Corbyn enthusiasts amongst us, and quite a few people spoke up for him at the meeting we just had. Saying that, I am definitely on the more “lefty” end of the spectrum! | Honestly though? Not really. The staff is made up of people with all kinds of different views and opinions. There are quite a few Corbyn enthusiasts amongst us, and quite a few people spoke up for him at the meeting we just had. Saying that, I am definitely on the more “lefty” end of the spectrum! |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 12.05pm BST | at 12.05pm BST |
| 11.57am BST | 11.57am BST |
| 11:57 | 11:57 |
| Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett | Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett |
| Why are issues that affect disabled and sick people(who are a large part of the electorate) not being covered by the parties? | Why are issues that affect disabled and sick people(who are a large part of the electorate) not being covered by the parties? |
| I’ve seen Corbyn talk about it, and members of audiences have been raising it as well, but honestly? As someone with several disabled family members, I think it’s because what’s happening to disabled people is invisible to most of the electorate. | I’ve seen Corbyn talk about it, and members of audiences have been raising it as well, but honestly? As someone with several disabled family members, I think it’s because what’s happening to disabled people is invisible to most of the electorate. |
| The Guardian has been working tirelessly to expose what is happening to disabled people – I’m a particular fan of Frances Ryan’s columns – but you’re unlikely to read about it in many other newspapers, and those are what most of the people in the country are reading. I think a large majority of people don’t know how bad it is, and then also you have the people who really don’t care – such has been the demonisation of people who claim benefits. It breaks my heart. | The Guardian has been working tirelessly to expose what is happening to disabled people – I’m a particular fan of Frances Ryan’s columns – but you’re unlikely to read about it in many other newspapers, and those are what most of the people in the country are reading. I think a large majority of people don’t know how bad it is, and then also you have the people who really don’t care – such has been the demonisation of people who claim benefits. It breaks my heart. |