“…There is a Cassandra here: Brendan Donnelly, a former Conservative MEP who is standing for Rejoin EU. He sits outside a coffee shop in Chesham and tells me that Brexit will hit us like a thunderstorm soon enough…”
Yes, Brendan, we should ‘Rejoin EU’, and the best way to achieve this is to introduce primary statute that anyone with the surname ‘Donnelly’ and the christian name ‘Brendan’ should automatically be made an MEP so they can rightfully keep feeding at the trough that keeps on giving.
Last edited 2 years ago by Prashant Kotak
mike otter
2 years ago
What an amazing article! you sure as hell would not recognise Amersham if the name were removed, Heronswood or Virginia Water maybe. Amersham has a high percent of social housing and even old council stock compared to most of the home counties. It has many Traveller families, mostly settled after WW2 but still carrying on the feuds and alliances of yesteryear as well as new ones with the many incoming Urdu speakers and East Europeans. As with many London satellite towns the large houses and council’s tendency to prioritise flower pots over schools and housing give a veneer of wealth. The majority don’t get to share this or enjoy London wages and are stuck in local jobs from minimum wage to a little over living wage. Back to the Guardian, Tanya where this sort of fantasy is their reality.
Give the girl a break .She did council houses to death last week in Mousehole (or perhaps it was Penzance) Tanya would rather slag off her social equals than patronise the proles
Last edited 2 years ago by Alan Osband
Jon Redman
2 years ago
The voters of Amersham vote Conservative because Labour is profoundly evil and the Lib Dems profoundly irrelevant.
Potholes are the responsibility of the local council, not Westminster. I can’t think why a pothole would make anyone vote Lib Dem.
Last edited 2 years ago by Jon Redman
michael stanwick
2 years ago
The 1st few paragraphs speak to me of an undisguised but subtle condescension toward the inhabitants of Amersham old town with their ‘uniforms’ and their ‘hatred of HS2 with the the fervour of children because they usually have their way in everything’ and ‘is in denial about it being 2021’. Such identity politics writ large?
Last edited 2 years ago by michael stanwick
Jon Redman
2 years ago
Tanya contemplating Boris is experiencing what it felt like to be a Conservative contemplating Tony Blair in about 1996 or 1997. Why was it not as obvious to everyone as it was to Conservatives that this individual was thoroughly dishonest, mercenary, evil, morally incompetent and narcissistic to the bone? Why didn’t people get it? Why were they determined to overlook that he was a transparently crooked, venal, treacherous wrecker?
I still don’t know. Any sensible person today would agree that the Conservative ‘demon eyes’ Blair poster was a wholly fair and accurate characterisation. The thing is, it was also obvious at the time to some of us, but nobody wanted to hear it. They still voted for him, human slick of vomit that he was and is.
It’s the same today with Boris. The haters are adamant that he’s a liar, and they think that shrieking this should win every argument, and should have by rights propelled Khorbiyn to power. How baffling that it doesn’t work!
All I can think is that people perceive Johnson as a decent bloke genuinely doing his best for a country he is proud of; and that the people shrieking the hate are repellent ghastlies who are themselves the slicks of vomit, fit only to be ignored.
This might explain Johnson, but it doesn’t explain Blair.
Your Blair analysis is nonsense and the reason the poster backfired was because the electorate knew Blair was not a demon, but a decent man of moral standards who wanted to modernise Labour and to some extent, Britain. He certainly did not get everything right (and I never voted for his party) but he did much better than any of his successors so far.
this individual was thoroughly dishonest, mercenary, evil, morally incompetent and narcissistic to the bone? Why didn’t people get it? Why were they determined to overlook that he was a transparently crooked, venal, treacherous wrecker? It’s the same today with Boris.
Fixed it for you.
Last edited 2 years ago by Sam McLean
Dr Stephen Nightingale
2 years ago
Seems to be Labour with its shoot-itself-in-the-foot policy again, here. They should withdraw their candidate, and actively support the best ABC candidate (Anything But Conservative), to give the best chance of precipitating a change..
(I lived in Amersham once. It’s nice, but it’s not Yorkshire …. )
The trouble with the left is that each little smithereen of it believes itself to be “the best ABC candidate” and hates all the others. So, other than relying on a fundamental lack of appreciation of the importance of hate to the left, a great suggestion.
True its not Yorkshire or even Derbyshire but has hills and dales and some good local fishing and breweries. Plus they are currently #1 in the Home Counties cricket league, and their Rugby team gave us Josh Lewsey. When HS2 is finished the trains will be quieter than the local moped kids…Its so different to Slough, Guildford, Bromley or other near M25 satelites. I’m sure you agree its got to be Tory win by a country mile with reduced majority to show our contempt for BJ and his covid antics.
Last edited 2 years ago by mike otter
ralph bell
2 years ago
Potholes et al are an indication of whether government really gives a S***.
The disaster pf covid-19 has really left many of us deeply disappointed in front line politicians and Ministers.
Pot holes are a matter for your local council. Go report them on the potholes report forms online, then the council are financially liable for damage done thereafter. Seems to sharpen their minds
Plus the loosening of planning policy which is perceived to be very damaging.
Howard Gleave
2 years ago
Opportunity, doubtless. But voters nationally see unprincipled opportunism in a party whose candidate in Chesham and Amersham opposes HS2 and housebuilding, because that is a vote winner in that constituency,but with the party supporting HS2 in Parliament together with a more liberal immigration policy, immigration being the key driver of population growth which, in turn, is the key driver of housebuilding. Yes, the LibDems are great at winning tactical elections, or where the demographic favours them, namely constituencies with a strong middle class, liberal vote. But if they get into government, then pushmipullyu politics doesn’t make for coherent government.
“…There is a Cassandra here: Brendan Donnelly, a former Conservative MEP who is standing for Rejoin EU. He sits outside a coffee shop in Chesham and tells me that Brexit will hit us like a thunderstorm soon enough…”
Yes, Brendan, we should ‘Rejoin EU’, and the best way to achieve this is to introduce primary statute that anyone with the surname ‘Donnelly’ and the christian name ‘Brendan’ should automatically be made an MEP so they can rightfully keep feeding at the trough that keeps on giving.
What an amazing article! you sure as hell would not recognise Amersham if the name were removed, Heronswood or Virginia Water maybe. Amersham has a high percent of social housing and even old council stock compared to most of the home counties. It has many Traveller families, mostly settled after WW2 but still carrying on the feuds and alliances of yesteryear as well as new ones with the many incoming Urdu speakers and East Europeans. As with many London satellite towns the large houses and council’s tendency to prioritise flower pots over schools and housing give a veneer of wealth. The majority don’t get to share this or enjoy London wages and are stuck in local jobs from minimum wage to a little over living wage. Back to the Guardian, Tanya where this sort of fantasy is their reality.
Congratulations if you made it to the end. I gave up here:
‘They hate HS2 with the fervour of children because they usually have their way in everything’
Give the girl a break .She did council houses to death last week in Mousehole (or perhaps it was Penzance) Tanya would rather slag off her social equals than patronise the proles
The voters of Amersham vote Conservative because Labour is profoundly evil and the Lib Dems profoundly irrelevant.
Potholes are the responsibility of the local council, not Westminster. I can’t think why a pothole would make anyone vote Lib Dem.
The 1st few paragraphs speak to me of an undisguised but subtle condescension toward the inhabitants of Amersham old town with their ‘uniforms’ and their ‘hatred of HS2 with the the fervour of children because they usually have their way in everything’ and ‘is in denial about it being 2021’. Such identity politics writ large?
Tanya contemplating Boris is experiencing what it felt like to be a Conservative contemplating Tony Blair in about 1996 or 1997. Why was it not as obvious to everyone as it was to Conservatives that this individual was thoroughly dishonest, mercenary, evil, morally incompetent and narcissistic to the bone? Why didn’t people get it? Why were they determined to overlook that he was a transparently crooked, venal, treacherous wrecker?
I still don’t know. Any sensible person today would agree that the Conservative ‘demon eyes’ Blair poster was a wholly fair and accurate characterisation. The thing is, it was also obvious at the time to some of us, but nobody wanted to hear it. They still voted for him, human slick of vomit that he was and is.
It’s the same today with Boris. The haters are adamant that he’s a liar, and they think that shrieking this should win every argument, and should have by rights propelled Khorbiyn to power. How baffling that it doesn’t work!
All I can think is that people perceive Johnson as a decent bloke genuinely doing his best for a country he is proud of; and that the people shrieking the hate are repellent ghastlies who are themselves the slicks of vomit, fit only to be ignored.
This might explain Johnson, but it doesn’t explain Blair.
Your Blair analysis is nonsense and the reason the poster backfired was because the electorate knew Blair was not a demon, but a decent man of moral standards who wanted to modernise Labour and to some extent, Britain. He certainly did not get everything right (and I never voted for his party) but he did much better than any of his successors so far.
Fixed it for you.
Seems to be Labour with its shoot-itself-in-the-foot policy again, here. They should withdraw their candidate, and actively support the best ABC candidate (Anything But Conservative), to give the best chance of precipitating a change..
(I lived in Amersham once. It’s nice, but it’s not Yorkshire …. )
The trouble with the left is that each little smithereen of it believes itself to be “the best ABC candidate” and hates all the others. So, other than relying on a fundamental lack of appreciation of the importance of hate to the left, a great suggestion.
True its not Yorkshire or even Derbyshire but has hills and dales and some good local fishing and breweries. Plus they are currently #1 in the Home Counties cricket league, and their Rugby team gave us Josh Lewsey. When HS2 is finished the trains will be quieter than the local moped kids…Its so different to Slough, Guildford, Bromley or other near M25 satelites. I’m sure you agree its got to be Tory win by a country mile with reduced majority to show our contempt for BJ and his covid antics.
Potholes et al are an indication of whether government really gives a S***.
The disaster pf covid-19 has really left many of us deeply disappointed in front line politicians and Ministers.
Pot holes are a matter for your local council. Go report them on the potholes report forms online, then the council are financially liable for damage done thereafter. Seems to sharpen their minds
Amersham is easily explained. HS2. Simples
Plus the loosening of planning policy which is perceived to be very damaging.
Opportunity, doubtless. But voters nationally see unprincipled opportunism in a party whose candidate in Chesham and Amersham opposes HS2 and housebuilding, because that is a vote winner in that constituency,but with the party supporting HS2 in Parliament together with a more liberal immigration policy, immigration being the key driver of population growth which, in turn, is the key driver of housebuilding. Yes, the LibDems are great at winning tactical elections, or where the demographic favours them, namely constituencies with a strong middle class, liberal vote. But if they get into government, then pushmipullyu politics doesn’t make for coherent government.