The truth is no one wants to admit they are on the extreme, whether left or right. They never have and this isn't new. You mentioned Ken Clarke as an example and he's from the Thatcher era. Socially liberal but economically on the right, because as Chancellor he couldn't be anything else in that government.
To be fair to Badenoch, oppositions aren't there to propose policies. Her problem is she's criticising policies she supported when in power.
Starmer is following right wing economic policies which he was elected to change. Very little else is being done, hence his terrible poll rating.
Farage has plenty of policies. Some real crowd pleasers too. Just straight out of cloud cuckoo land, and shifting rapidly under any scrutiny. Our problem is that this charlatan could be ellectable in 2029 because he dominates the media.
Nick, despite your criticism of Badenoch, isn't she at least positioning herself separate from Farage on the economy, trying to revive some form of Thatcherism, living within our means?
She's is recognizably traditionally right wing in that respect.
Actually, I will disagree with you on this one. If Badenoch was strongly Thatcherite on economics and made that her thing, I would be forced to give her the time of day, even with all of the constant gaffes. However, I think her worldview, at least as it presents in public, is intensely confused. What she used as her leadership manifesto, "Conservatism in Crisis", is a perfect example of this - on one page, she sings the praises of businesses and on the next, talks about how they are all greedy, in terms that are semi-Corbynista. This has been reflected in her time in opposition - far from jumping on Labour for overregulation or overspending, the Tories have tended to jump all over Starmer when he's tried to cut spending. I feel like Badenoch is like a lot of Tories these days - they love to evoke Thatcher in the abstract, but in real time, they often demonstrate a love of big state and big spending.
The truth is no one wants to admit they are on the extreme, whether left or right. They never have and this isn't new. You mentioned Ken Clarke as an example and he's from the Thatcher era. Socially liberal but economically on the right, because as Chancellor he couldn't be anything else in that government.
To be fair to Badenoch, oppositions aren't there to propose policies. Her problem is she's criticising policies she supported when in power.
Starmer is following right wing economic policies which he was elected to change. Very little else is being done, hence his terrible poll rating.
Farage has plenty of policies. Some real crowd pleasers too. Just straight out of cloud cuckoo land, and shifting rapidly under any scrutiny. Our problem is that this charlatan could be ellectable in 2029 because he dominates the media.
he is using the taco guys policy of hog the airwaves, no publicity is bad publicity
Fantastic vid nick. Nice to hear some sanity spoken online.
Bottom burps are great (rude comment)
Sounds like you’re in a reality-based curated non-reality, Nick.
Nick, despite your criticism of Badenoch, isn't she at least positioning herself separate from Farage on the economy, trying to revive some form of Thatcherism, living within our means?
She's is recognizably traditionally right wing in that respect.
Actually, I will disagree with you on this one. If Badenoch was strongly Thatcherite on economics and made that her thing, I would be forced to give her the time of day, even with all of the constant gaffes. However, I think her worldview, at least as it presents in public, is intensely confused. What she used as her leadership manifesto, "Conservatism in Crisis", is a perfect example of this - on one page, she sings the praises of businesses and on the next, talks about how they are all greedy, in terms that are semi-Corbynista. This has been reflected in her time in opposition - far from jumping on Labour for overregulation or overspending, the Tories have tended to jump all over Starmer when he's tried to cut spending. I feel like Badenoch is like a lot of Tories these days - they love to evoke Thatcher in the abstract, but in real time, they often demonstrate a love of big state and big spending.
I don't think there's any easy return to Thatcherism...the neo liberal dream (nightmare?) has died.
And her Milei chainsaw is a bit blunt as she's committed to keeping the pensions triple lock.
But I still think she'll draw clear blue water to Farage on spending.
Whether she's up to the task, the jury is very much still out.
But I do think it's her only chance in an age of atomization of the traditional left/right divide.