[mr angry manchester]

Ive got this horrible feeling that she will win too. Look at the electorate - the Tory membership, reactionary Mail reading, little England twats.

[bluebellnutter]

Iain Martin
‏@iainmartin1
A pro-Brexit Tory MP tells me that Leadsom's backers see the chance to "re-run the IDS leadership which was cruelly curtailed"... Well...

[youngian]

Some more black ops

[Andy McDandy]

Iain Martin
‏@iainmartin1
A pro-Brexit Tory MP tells me that Leadsom's backers see the chance to "re-run the IDS leadership which was cruelly curtailed"... Well...

Big Tories did it and ran away.

It's like Mark Steel on a BBC documentary about the French revolution, which basically went "Marie Antoinette was very pretty and everyone loved her, but outside agitators spread rumours about her and the peasants revolted...". And presumably woke the day after her execution going "What have we done?".

[mr angry manchester]

I always thought that IDS's leadership was curtailed because he was crap

[Andy McDandy]

Exactly. But tell the faithful that and they'll never believe you. Just like they'll never accept that Thatcher came to an end at the hands of her own party*.

*Well, on that score, it could be argued that the MPs shafted her and the CCPs didn't really have a say. But then we're onto arguments about the relative merits of OMOV and does/should the insight, experience and arguable self-interest of an MP count for more than the honest instinct of a grassroots member and TBH you can get all of that over on the Corbyn thread...

[mr angry manchester]

In addition to the story circulating about 20 Tory MPs threatening to quit if Leadsome is elected leader, there is now another one over talks between Tory remainers and Labour centrists

If this started to go anywhere it would presumably be an attempt to spread the middle ground across Labour right/sentre, the non headbanging Tory pro Europeans, the Lib Dems and, presumably, the SNP

This hypothetical centre party would leave a Corbyn-led Labour rump, and a Leadsome-led far right lunatic party, with maybe UKIP/BNP elements joining in. This would be bigger than the leftist Labour remnant

Ideas, thoughts?

[Andy McDandy]

International outlook, commitment to social justice, opportunity and improving economic conditions, allowing risk takers to flourish while support is provided for all?

I'd vote for it. Get called a traitor probably, but I'd vote for it.

[cycloon]

At this point in time I'd be open to such a party too, such is the mess we're in.

[mr angry manchester]

It would get my vote too

[bluebellnutter]

It likely wouldn't hold together for the long term, but it could work as a "war Government" type idea. Not too dissimilar to the 1930s national Government under Baldwin, where there were remnant Tory, Labour and Liberal parties but nothing much to speak of. Very much a "get shit sorted out now and stop fannying about" tone.

I'd also vote for it. The idea of not rocking the boat and "business as usual" is quite an appealing one at the moment.

[Andy McDandy]

Give the loons on either side time to calm the fuck down or kill each other off, then move back and start again sensibly.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

The BBC are reporting that Leadsom will withdraw today. Statement expected at noon.

[Catkins]

Leadsom has withdrawn.

No idea whether May is coronated or Gove goes back on the ballot.

Edit: beaten to it!

[Andy McDandy]

So what now? Another last minute candidate or we truly have an unelected PM. Not by the populace, not even by her own party.

I expect Littlejohn to bring this up twice-weekly for the next 3 years, 10 months.