I’d want to see a cast iron guarantee they won’t work with Labour first.
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It’s a lot deeper than the way it’s phrased in these articles though. We’re experiencing a mental health crisis, a social crisis, a cost of living crisis, NHS crisis and all of these things are contributing to declining quality of health in this country.
I absolutely completely agree that it needs to be brought down but you don’t address it by just cutting the welfare bill you address it by funding other services. You need to improve people’s access to work, health services, community initiatives and schemes etc etc
You also need to create better working opportunities for people and stop the rise of 0 hour contracts and unstable work environments.
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Britain cannot seriously be asking itself why there are so many people not fit for work after years of high profile reporting on the desperate state of the healthcare system.
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We’ve been experiencing that for a long time, but it’s never taken seriously enough imo. I know far too many people who will roll their eyes if you even mention mental health.
It’s an area of our healthcare system that is criminally underfunded, and we’re reaping the rewards of that lack of investment.
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Sensational work 
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Fireworks are shit.
Can’t wait for this week to be over.
The inhumane torture of Fawkes and religious conflict must be celebrated !
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jeez wheez tears of a man with hurt ego
As I’ve said, I think it is foolish to even start to predict the outcome of the next General Election atm, however assuming Labour faces a clear challenge from Reform, would you not want to see a ‘progressive coalition’ Government, led by Labour and supported by the Lib Dems, Greens, and SNP over a Reform-led Government?
A four party coalition sounds absolutely dreadful. I would it give it two years tops before collapsing.
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It would certainly be unlikely, but I wouldn’t rule out a change to the electoral system at some point during this Parliament, which would make coalition Government more likely. Plus, don’t forget that the sitting Prime Minister, constitutionally, has the right to try to form a government after an election.
Wait a minute. This sounds familiar from you. You said this about Starmer then he ruled it out as soon as he was about to win 
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The SNP will never join a UK coalition. Name is in the title
Yes, because of Party first and country second at that point…but longer term, it is the right thing to do for the country.
They absolutely would. Their price would be a second referendum on Scottish independence. I don’t think they would get it and therefore you may be right, but, there could be a confidence and supply arrangement.
The next election will be the most consequential election since 1945.
Everything is on the table.
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Do you really think that?
Yes, the “system” as we known could be toppled due the current polictical fragmentation.
On the left and right, we’re seeing viable alternatives to the main Parties gaining and retaining vote share.
So many issues like Brexit, FPTP, Scottish Independence and taxes/spending policy will come to a head at the next election because the current parliament doesn’t have the ability, mandate or political will to tackle them.
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No, in a word. And you know that because we’ve discussed it before.
But the way you’ve phrased it - “wouldn’t you want a coalition over Reform” - is very much the old Labour favourite of “you have to vote for us or it will be them” - an attitude that I think Labour still fails to grasp is very revealing of their contempt for the electorate.
I don’t want Reform and I don’t want Labour. They are both the enemy of families with disabled Children.
At the moment it looks very much like one of them will be the next government. But I’m not going to vote for either of them. Not even indirectly by voting for a party that would / might work with them.
here is the standard the invincibles over confidence.
The unionist partys in London would rather lose than work with the SNP.
But Sir Keir Starmer gave a definite “no” to a coalition with the SNP after a general election, over a “fundamental disagreement” with a party that would separate the UK, leading to a border between England and Scotland.
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@Calum is there even an appreciable difference for the SNP if Reform win in Westminster compared to when the Tories especially were in?
It seems to me resisting the Westminster government in Scotland is just what they do. Like, as long as Reform don’t win in Scotland itself, how much does it matter if they are the government in London?