The Tories would be mad to call an election now

[northernladyuk]

Trouble with those fees is the numbers going to university make it impossible to return to the days where it would be free. It's been mentioned here - and all over the place - but why not make core (say STEM) degrees have free places? It would also increase competition for these places and therefore standards too. Double win.

Why does the UK need a load of engineers stacking shelves? Better to invest in creative / media graduates for the creative sector and whatever degrees feed the spiv financial services. The UK needs to play to its strengths.

[The_Equalizer]

Why does the UK need a load of engineers stacking shelves? Better to invest in creative / media graduates for the creative sector and whatever degrees feed the spiv financial services. The UK needs to play to its strengths.

I see what you did there. Very good.

[BlasterBates]

If they do they will have to trade in their minibus which they use to transport their ENTIRE number of UK MPs around for maybe a motorbike with side car , and the can then also hold their conference after the next election in a telephone box

A small party indeed, but enough to sideline the intransigent Hard Brexiteers in their own party, which is precisely why they're talking to them.

[northernladyuk]

I see what you did there. Very good.

Thank you.

[BlasterBates]

Philip Hammond formulating a new strategy

You can see where this is going.

[BlasterBates]

The final straw, May probably to be replaced

She's done it again.

Looks like a new leader such as Ruth Davidson or Philip Hammond will be taking over, which is why the Tory whips are all over the Lib Dems.

We know what that means

[TheCyclingProgrammer]

Now...next week, next month, doesn't matter. Any further election within at least the next 6 months would, IMO, see Labour pick up even more seats including most of the marginals they just missed out on - almost certainly not enough to get a majority but enough to get them close enough to form a working majority with other progressive parties in the house.

To be honest, if the current government does collapse and Labour try and form a government, they would have no choice but to call another election and hope they can get it through Parliament. The last election was a good result for them in context but they'd have even less hope of forming a working majority than the Tories.

[TheCyclingProgrammer]

That's why they're holding talks with the Lib-Dems.

Tories hold talks with the Lib-Dems about a possible coalition

I don't believe this will happen but if it did then the only way LD supporters would ever support this is if they secured a second referendum on the EU deal - even then I think they'd end up losing even more seats in the future. Can't see that happening myself.

[TheCyclingProgrammer]

The final straw, May probably to be replaced

She's done it again.

If I was a Tory supporter I'd be livid at just how inept May has shown herself to be in the past month. Own goal after own goal.

[Dark Black]

If I was a Tory supporter I'd be livid at just how inept May has shown herself to be in the past month. Own goal after own goal.

Frightening isn't it... You couldn't make it up... you really couldn't.

The Tories need to elect a (decent) new leader sooner rather than later and start trying to make things up to the electorate, otherwise I fear they'll be out in the cold for years.

No idea who that could be though....