Vocal Voices

I believe they are about the last ones allowed to be published, but it could be the 6th.

As things stand they are running at between 3 points and 10 points for the Tories, say an average of roughly 7 points. At the top end the Tories could get about 330 seats, or a 20ish majority. At the bottom end we get a hung parliament. If they end up in the middle it could give us a Tory win with only a few seats majority or even a minority government.

May's failure to turn up for last night's debate appears to have swung many people against her. Today she has made a plea for votes, but the speech has not exactly set the world on fire.

I thought Theresa May started off quite well. She indicated that the Conservative Party would be looking after the interests of those people in work, on low incomes, and who are struggling - the just about managing. These are the people who need to be helped if she wants to see them come off benefits and get back into work. That she dispatched George Osborne to the back benches seemed a positive move, as his logic that by the time tax credits were reduced, the rise in the minimum wage plus the higher starting rate for tax, would balance everything out for those on low wages, just seemed a complete pie in the sky to me. I am not sure if Theresa May has actually performed a whole lot worse, or Jeremy Corbyn has performed a whole lot better. She seems to be perceived now as a hectoring headmistress whereas Jeremy Corbyn is everyone's kindly old uncle. She will get my vote this time because she stands the best chance of negotiating a good Brexit outcome. Regarding the triple whammy she has dealt the pensioners, I am not convinced that the Labour Party would not be prepared to do the same.

Meds wrote:She will get my vote this time because she stands the best chance of negotiating a good Brexit outcome.

"If you do not believe in Brexit you cannot fight for Brexit."

Who said that? Was it Gove or BoJo or Farage or Forsyth or Leadsom or Tebbit?

No, it was Theresa May. Yes, that Theresa May, the leading light of the Remain campaign now PM. Some Damascene conversion that is.

If May believes her own words she is patently not the person to be fighting for Brexit. She could hardly be any clearer.

I've gone off May, so I'm voting for Labour.

It's time we had a change, and I think Corbyn will make a good P.M.,
and will not stand for any nonsense during the Brexit negotiations

I am not even sure she was ever a true remainer. I think she played her cards close to her chest and kept out of the way until the rest had fallen by the wayside.

Sorry Meds, but they think differently, and so do they.

May is the arch flip-flopper who is only out for herself and part of her party. She is anything but strong and stable as far as Brexit, or politics in general, are concerned.

Aggers I respect your position. But you know that the Labour Manifesto states that they will remain in the Single Market. The EU has stated that remaining in the Single Market means Free movement of people and the ECJ being the senior court. Essentially the worst of the EU without the strongest benefits.

Yes there are benefits of being in the EU and I have admitted them many times. I just believe the costs of membership significantly outweigh the benefits.

What Labour has put in it's manifesto is far worse than not ever having had the Brexit referendum in the first place. Way worse than anything Cameron did.

I understand your dislike of May. She's not really my cup of tea for very different reasons but I do not see an option today if we are to get out of the EU with a clean deal.

Until the polls start to recognise the impact of a rampant EU SNP with 38% of Scots who do not want to be in the EU, I won't be believing them. Also there is the fact that UKIP voters will be going nowhere but Tory if they don't vote UKIP. I simply can't believe that half UKIP voters will go to Labour with their stated negotiating stance on the EU and with Corbyn's track record, so far, of saying what the party wants him to say and then following up with what he wants to do. It was clear from the outset that Corbyn's agenda was very different from the parliamentary Labour party and the only conciliation I have seen is that Corbyn has been following their line. Until, of course, he's trapped into either lying or refusing to answer. I note a lot of refusing to answer.

So we shall see the result on Thursday (nice to be able to say that in terms of less than one week).

WM I only use the Independent as a counterpoint to other news. They and the Guardian are currently about as reliable (on politics), as the Daily Mail in my opinion.

I am a UKIPer and will be voting Tory. I was sorry to read that Nigel Farage had stepped down from the leadership. He was head and shoulders above the others. Paul Nuttall has made a very bad start as leader and I don't think he will regain his credibility - if he had any in the first place. I dont think support for UKIP would have eroded so quickly, despite 'the job being done', if Nigel had remained in post as leader.

I hear what you are all saying, but I am still baffled as to how May is seen as our negotiating übermeister.

She was a leading Remainer. She made many speeches to remain groups laying out her stall for staying in rather than coming out. Now she is "strong and stable", while offering "no deal is better than a bad deal" but with no explanation for her volte-face.

Can you see why I do not trust her?

I also notice that the Tories have now reiterated that the reduction in immigration (to 100,000) is only an "aim" and that it is "hoped" to be achieved by 2022. Even as a Remainer that p1sses me off no end; if I was a Kipper I would be outraged and feel betrayed.