GE 2024

Turns out Giles Brandreth’s daughter, Aphra, is a candidate in Chester South. I assume I don’t need to specify the party.

Added to that his / his aide's apparent inability to organise an umbrella or even a, y'know, indoor announcement.

If only there was some sort of permanent media conference room facility somewhere at Downing Street that had relatively recently been refitted specifically for the purpose of exactly that sort of thing.

Aphra Brandreth sounds like some sort of mysterious dark jedi or a space station in Doctor Who

Umbrella I can just about see might have been awkward to hold.

The COVID briefing room like all rooms not used for a couple of years is full of stuff by now.

But can't think of any reason why you wouldn't wear a fucking coat.

Seemed to be a suggestion it’s a government briefing room, so not an appropriate place to do a speech as party leader. Downing Street not restricted in the same way, plus the black door in the background gives an authority. Providing it’s not pissing down, then you’d be mental not to just move it indoors.

At least he didn't try to Trump it out and claim it wasn't raining.
Does this mean that Sunak thinks right now his government is looking as good as it possibly can in the next 6 months? Best of luck with the next set of economic reports, people.

He’s probably thinking “fuck it, it can’t get any worse, I’ll start saying things Boris would say, he was popular.”

He was asked about it by Nick Robinson at the end of his awkward Today interview this morning. Robinson asked if nobody in his Comms team had thought not to send him out in the rain like that without a coat or umbrella, and whether he might have been better to do it inside.

Sunak gave some daft answer about it being very important to uphold British traditions (in this case PMs announcing general elections outside the door of 10 Downing Street) come rain or shine. It was a bizarre end to a mostly shit interview where his tactic to play for time by constantly talking over the interviewer, while parroting the same line over and over again about Starmer in spite of the actual question asked, was highly irritating even for him.

Not a good day for the little fella. I honestly don't know why he's bothering.

Tricky will be along to tell you why in a sec.

At this point I think he’s just taking a leave sooner rather later approach, he’s lined his family’s and mate’s pockets and the rumour is that there may have been a vote of no confidence coming from Tory rebels in the next week anyway.

He’ll be happy to fuck off, I reckon. 6 more weeks of waffling and he’s set for life. Bugger the country,

I get all the above, but still, wear a bloody rain coat.

I believe that rumour is related to the fact that most of the rest of the party doesn't want a GE this early, and as Sunak doesn't go ask for Royal Assent until next Thursday, if they can him before then he can't go and ask for assent, which means Parliament doesn't get dissolved, and the public promise of a GE on July 4th is kept as well as every other public promise they've ever made.

Don't underestimate the feelgood factor.
Height of summer, excitement building as England have just won their Euro 2024 R16 clash and are now preparing for the weekend's quarter-finals.

There's a knockout round of 16 in the European Championships? There were only 16 teams in Euro '96. Not sure what the point of qualifying groups is nowadays.

Does a feelgood factor make you vote Tory??

The theory is it makes you feel better about the country and more likely to vote for the incumbent.

I'm frequently wrong but I think people in general are mostly feeling positive about kicking the tories out and I don't think winning some football matches is going to change that.