Campaign for the Labour Party.

[idunnosomename]

Celebrity Squares has let its standards down

[Dex Sawash]

Bottom right may not be hzj but they look pretty CaB

[Mr_Simnock]

Just to show, again, just how absolute pap and shite polls are check these predictions out just 1 day before the 2017 ellection -

Pollster                                       Date       Tories    Labour  LD   UKIP  Green     tory lead

Panelbase/	2017-06-07	44	36	7	5	2	8
Kantar/	2017-06-07	43	38	7	4	2	5
ICM/Guardian	2017-06-07	46	34	7	5	2	12
YouGov/Times	2017-06-07	42	35	10	5	2	7
ComRes/Independent	2017-06-07	44	34	9	5	2	10
Survation/	2017-06-07	41	40	8	2	2	1
BMG/Herald	2017-06-07	46	33	8	5	3	13
Ipsos-MORI/Evening Standard	2017-06-07	44	36	7	4	2	8

[holyzombiejesus]

6.5 days to save the world.

https://twitter.com/ronanburtenshaw/status/1202561534641233921

[pancreas]

https://twitter.com/lewis_goodall/status/1202590331134521344?s=20

Didn't someone say they worked in Altrincham?

[Schmo Diddley]

https://twitter.com/lewis_goodall/status/1202590331134521344?s=20

Didn't someone say they worked in Altrincham?

Yes I do, although we're not having a works do early next week. Also we're in a split office of about 12 people including tories and brexiteers - wouldn't fancy the fall out of a mass row live on telly before we go back to an awkward office....

[garbed_attic]

Every single CaB user is 1. Glasses, 2. Suspicious hairline, 3. Old but not old, 4. White man

Third row from bottom, second from right

QED

Third row from bottom, third from left

[Buelligan]

I thought it was the one that looks like a charming monkey, I have no idea why but my heart warmed to him.  I hope it's the charming monkey.

[holyzombiejesus]

No-one's got it right so far. I was mentioned in today's piece, one of (I think) only 2 pro-Corbyn comments so far but they subtly misquoted me so it diminishes what I said. Still, at least there's something good about him in the articles even if it does mention to cancel out most of the positives I mentioned..

Brexit and Corbyn: the issues that spell collapse in Labour heartlands

The graveyards of Labour's so-called heartlands will be restless places on election night.

As once-rigid political loyalties crack in the face of Brexit, the grandparents of many of the northern swing voters The Times spoke to in Manchester for its Election in One Room series will be turning in their graves.

In one of the largest focus groups attempted, The Times, with the opinion research company Public First, asked the views of 100 undecided voters from marginal constituencies in England and Wales which will decide the outcome on December 12. No matter how hard Labour tries to revive memories of the Thatcher years, people in the north and Midlands are not listening.

"The idea of 'Labour heartlands' is a bit of a London media thing. There's no sense that everyone where I live has the same view on life or votes in the same way," says Bernie, 36, an NHS employee from Pudsey.

Labour is coming unstuck in the north and Midlands. After a day listening to four groups of undecided voters from marginal seats there is no mistaking why. Summing up a near consensus view Chris, 38, from Shipley, says we need now to "just get rid of it".

"It", of course, is Brexit. Voters in areas that once counted on generous Labour majorities are aligning themselves to the party they think will most likely break the Brexit deadlock, with policies featuring only second.

"People want the person who will get them out of the EU," says Bethany, 31, a lawyer from Bolton who voted Remain. "They are not that interested in other things."

There was little inclination to rehash the pro and anti Brexit arguments. What difference will it make anyway, mused Maxine, a 55-year-old estate agent from Bury. "Does the EU empty my bins?"

The latest polling shows that since 2017, the drop in Labour's popularity in the north and Midlands has accelerated. According to YouGov, its vote has been hardest hit in the North West, where support has fallen by 25 percentage points to 30 per cent. This puts Labour behind the Tories in a region that until now it could take for granted.

The story is similar in the North East where Labour's share of the vote has fallen to 32 per cent. Similar collapses are recorded in parts of the Midlands.

For Remainers and Leavers alike Brexit clouds everything. But whereas former Labour Leave voters seem ready to switch sides, there is a sense of despair and confusion from those who voted Remain. "If Remain has already gone, there is nothing I can do about it. I honestly don't know who I am going to vote for," says Kelly, 43, a beautician from Bury.

Stacey, 56, who works as a GP receptionist in Sheffield, is equally confused. "I voted Remain but I don't know where I am going next. I am totally mixed up about it all."

Neither woman alighted on Jo Swinson as a solution. One of the most interesting aspects of the groups was the almost total absence of discussion of either the Liberal Democrats or the Brexit Party.

Asked about the latter Kenny, 62, from Keighley, said: "Why vote for a party that does one thing when you have another that does the same and so much more? You can get 9-4 on the Brexit Party winning no seats," he added, an observation that more than perked up the room.

Kelly and Stacey might be less confused about how to cast their votes had they more faith in the Labour leader. Both women reflect another marked trend in what were once Labour strongholds; antipathy towards Jeremy Corbyn.

"The whole thing about having another referendum but not campaigning for either side puts me off Labour," says Laura, 32, from Warrington. "I want my leader to know where he stands on the most important issue of the day."

Stuart, 63, from Colne Valley, voted Conservative in 2017 and offers this piece of advice to Labour: "They need another Tony Blair. Jeremy Corbyn makes Harold Wilson look like a Tory."

During a discussion in which the Liberal Democrat leader barely featured, Sharif, an optimistic 45-year-old from Morley & Outwood who is half Egyptian (and reminds the group how lucky they are to have a functioning democracy) echoes Stuart. Labour, he says, needs a "new face". Bernie agrees: "With a different leader they'd get a win of 1997 proportions.*"

"Labour has become a middle class party," says Kenny. "The party doesn't speak to the working class any more.*"

For the handful planning to vote on policy rather than Brexit, Mr Corbyn fared a little better. Holyzombiejesus from Calder Valley, thought Mr Corbyn would make a good prime minister. "I think he cares about the poor and the vulnerable. He might be scruffy, he might not have said sorry about antisemitism, he might not wear a poppy, but at least under him people won't be killing themselves over benefits or freezing to death."

Fran, 33, from Pudsey, who works as an accountant at Leeds University, points out that in the public sector support for the Labour party remains strong. "There was a guy at work who had a Boris mug," she recounts. "He had it smashed up."

For her, policies come first. "I will vote Labour on the basis of the party, not the leader."

The question for Labour if it bombs in its heartlands next week is will Brexit prove to be the gateway drug for former Labour voters to switch to the Conservatives for ever? Or will loyal supporters feel guilty and slope back?

Ian, 54, a retired prison officer from Southport, articulates the guilt some feel for putting Brexit ahead of other issues such as the NHS, social care, the environment and the economy. He said: "I am alarmed by my own views because all I can think about at the moment is Brexit. But I am worried that Boris will get in and then have a licence to do what he wants. If it wasn't for Brexit then my prime concern would be the environment."

Instinctively pro-Labour Uday, a 62-year-old retired teacher from Bury North, voices similar doubts. "I wish we had got Brexit done before the election so that it wouldn't have interfered. There are other more important issues. The EU has been a distraction. I voted to remain but we have to come out now that we have decided. Otherwise you risk the rise of right-wing parties."

Reading that is so depressing. I knew that not everything I said would be mentioned but the 2 '*' comments were strongly countered by me and got approval from others in the room. For * I retorted "Like Gordon Brown or Ed Miliband?" and Bernie the cunt said 'yes' and everyone laughed at him. For * I said how I thought Labour's current policies were geared specifically towards working class areas like Stoke, I was asked how and why, and explained about the Green New Deal was targeting areas like this to offer decent jobs that could replace the ones lost and the ones that weren't worth having due to ZHC and in work poverty. I know I'm stating the obvious but it's really apparent how they've selected (or altered) quotes so they fit in with the story they wanted to write. You don't get a sense of how Corbyn was spoken about far more favourably than Johnson or the despair that people felt when they looked around tory Britain. Oh well. Shit happens.

[Pie Pie Eater]

Out for two canvassing sessions in EN&L yesterday, with a leaflet run in between. The weather was foul, but the chat was good. Not as many undecided voters as I expected but the 4 streets I was on were absolutely chock-full of Labour voters. We're going to win.

[colacentral]

For anyone out canvassing, I just saw this video on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/nowthisnews/status/1068837867995172865?s=19

Highly recommended.

Someone mentioned that some of Sanders' team had been over doing training sessions in 2017. Is that essentially what it was about?

[ZoyzaSorris]

I don't know about depressing, HZJ. You have helped prove these things are bollocks that can be twisted to support whatever narrative you want. So it's a good cue to ignore these kind of things which not coincidentally seem to always reinforce the media's favoured version of reality.

[Blue Jam]

HONK

[greencalx]

I think hzj is actually Maxine, 55, an estate agent from Bury, and doesn't want to admit that on here.

[colacentral]

I went out last night. Met a woman who had a sick husband, her top priority is the NHS, says she's 50/50 on who to vote for.

Also met a man who said he never votes because politicians are all in the pockets of bankers. I spent 20 minutes trying to convince him that for once he has an opportunity to vote for someone who isn't. I said someone has to win whether you vote or not, so who would you rather it be? He still insisted he wouldn't vote, but said he admired us being out and believing we could change something. Hopefully he'll think about it and change his mind. What a ridiculous attitude. Get off your arse and vote, takes ten minutes.

A bloke I was with got shouted at by a taxi driver at our meeting place. He said "the government has a plan to get rid of Corbyn if he gets in anyway." That's nice. He's probably right on that to be fair.

[ads82]

I'm off out for my first ever canvas session today, wish me luck!

[jobotic]

Good luck and well done!

I will be posting leaflets early next week. Weak

[Paul Calf]

I went out last night. Met a woman who had a sick husband, her top priority is the NHS, says she's 50/50 on who to vote for.

Also met a man who said he never votes because politicians are all in the pockets of bankers. I spent 20 minutes trying to convince him that for once he has an opportunity to vote for someone who isn't. I said someone has to win whether you vote or not, so who would you rather it be? He still insisted he wouldn't vote, but said he admired us being out and believing we could change something. Hopefully he'll think about it and change his mind. What a ridiculous attitude. Get off your arse and vote, takes ten minutes.

A bloke I was with got shouted at by a taxi driver at our meeting place. He said "the government has a plan to get rid of Corbyn if he gets in anyway." That's nice. He's probably right on that to be fair.

"Taxi driver thinks right-wing dictatorship is fine" shocker.

[Pink Gregory]

Sitting across from David Drew (Stroud) in Dursley.  Seems a good sort.  If not unlike Andre the Giant.

[Sony Walkman Prophecies]

Agree with the taxi driver. M15 would dispatch Corbyn within a couple of months if he ever got into power. Probably not a hit though, more likely a 'leaked' document proving once and for all he's a racist.

[Twit 2]

You'll be able to get your mental health sorted if Labour get in.

[Absorb the anus burn]

And your teeth.

[Twit 2]

How blunt are people being (not campaigning, where you have to be extra diplomatic, but in real life with colleagues and friends) when confronted with the usual bullshit? I'm telling everyone exactly what I think and why, politeness and nerves have to be suspended for now.

[PlanktonSideburns]

My wife's mum was in hale last week, spotted some tory types handing out leaflets - apparently walked to to them, took a leaflet, tore it up, handed it bsck

[Absorb the anus burn]

Be fucking blunt with Tories... Ask them what's been so fucking great about the last 9 years.

[Leo2112]

For anyone out canvassing, I just saw this video on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/nowthisnews/status/1068837867995172865?s=19

Highly recommended.

Good video that.  One of the useful tips from it - "The words that are going to convince people to change their mind are the words coming out of their own mouth."

[kittens]

Sitting across from David Drew (Stroud) in Dursley.  Seems a good sort.  If not unlike Andre the Giant.

what the heck, i was there too. which of the people were you. that's crazy

great day in dursley today. lots of labour lads. actually convinced a previous tory to go labour. we're gonna win this thing lads.

[Leo2112]

Get to your nearest marginal folks https://www.mycampaignmap.com/

[Pink Gregory]

what the heck, i was there too. which of the people were you. that's crazy

great day in dursley today. lots of labour lads. actually convinced a previous tory to go labour. we're gonna win this thing lads.

Feller with a green check coat sort of hanging around in the corridor.  I didn't actually go campaigning and didn't drive much so not much use really, but yannow, resources.

[greenman]

Sitting across from David Drew (Stroud) in Dursley.  Seems a good sort.  If not unlike Andre the Giant.

My hands have just about recovered from folding about 700 leaflets for him into 3 yesterday at the Stroud HQ, I wonder who the fuck does that for the Tories?

No Tory presence at all at the markets today, don't think I'v seen a single Tory poster in the entire town and Dale Vince(Ecotricity) seems to have backed Labour with a big poster on their HQ rather than the Greens.