I have recently been attacked for my strong stance saying that Just Stop Oil should be considered to be placed on the terrorist watch list which I stand by fully

However prominent reform members known as Mr Susan has actually committed destruction of property with intent via messaging pigeon at the Independent HQ which is a criminal charge with the potential of 3-10 years imprisonment or a fine under the criminal damage act 1971.

I would fully support a criminal trial to determine this matter as Reform themselves have come out in favour of sentencing Just Stop Oil Members I now ask that they do the honourable thing and suspend Mr Susan from the party and allow justice to be had.

Otherwise reform really do not have a consistent party stance on this topic

I stand with the Independent in these difficult times and offer my full support to them even if we disagree over the matter at hand.

Sir,

In your latest opinion column, you state that I have committed assault. In fact I was the one that was possibly assaulted.

Not only this, but for some reason you have banned me from commenting on your website... For shame...

I shall be sending instructions to my solicitors to pursue legal actions against your lies and slander.

Additionally, this carrier pigeon is not potty-trained... Have fun cleaning up the mess.

Your affectionate reader,

Mr Susan

Reform UK candidate lambasts 'Just Stop Oil' protestors as a "terrorist menace" during by-election debate. Claims to have Assaulted Activists. Candidates call for Just Stop Oil to be designated as Terrorist Organisation.

model-kyosanto writes

While the by-election candidate debates have been lively, albeit lacking much substance, the recent occupation of Green Party headquarters by protestors has been condemned by Reform UK's candidate for the North East and Yorkshire seat, u/mrsusandothechoosin.

During the debate they described Just Stop Oil as a "terrorist menace that must be stopped". They also claimed to have purposefully assaulted activists by throwing a dairy product at them. Such language may seem harmless, but is inadvertently drawing attention away from the very real terrorist threats we are seeing in Britain.

This occupation of Green Party offices is undoubtedly silly and juvenile, but entirely expected from an activist group so heavily reliant on headline catching stunts that are for the most part, harmless, and express genuine concern for policy decisions being made. Perhaps it would be wise for us to remember the protests against the tuition fee hikes that led to the occupation of the Conservative Party headquarters almost 15 years ago.

Brandishing environmental activists with strong convictions as terrorists, allows for the spectre of extremist thought to flourish in this country. With growing far-right violence becoming an increasing concern, the Reform party is far more focused on trivial protests movements. The very real threat of mass-casualty attacks on innocent people remains a serious concern, more-so since the far right race riots we saw incited in this country.

Recent statements from another election candidate, u/AdSea260, also state that Just Stop Oil must be placed on the same level as Hezbollah and ISIS. Does Reform UK truly believe that Just Stop Oil is a threat to innocent people, or do they want to pander to their base by creating new threats so they may ignore the ideologically driven violence against civilians we are seeing already by existing groups?

Having an election candidate also claim to have proudly assaulted a protestor by throwing a projectile towards them is unbecoming of our democracy. I believe it would be expedient for Reform UK to dis-endorse and distance themselves from u/mrsusandothechoosin.

I call upon all politicians and candidates to support protest, and while recognising that occupation of buildings is unwise, direct action is one of the only ways for us to take notice of movements.

Surely we must all agree that the threat posed by Just Stop Oil is one on a scale so insignificant that we need not bother with Reform's demands for terrorist designation. We must focus on the real terrorists who have the real capacity to harm and maim innocent civilians, not just spray paint office buildings.

Reporter: "Ms. Prime Minister! A comment on JSO, please?"

I am very disappointed to hear that the group has decided that the occupation of the Green Party headquarters is something that it wanted to do. Not only because I think they are completely misallocating their attention: there are much more powerful groups that are, in the end, not on the side of greens and progressives worldwide in the fight against climate change, but also because I believe that the critiques made against the Green Party in this case are entirely unfair.

Labour, and the Green Party, have gone into negotiations with Alba in good faith and we have listened to the concerns and the fears of the Scottish people, particularly those living in the North East. The threats to the livelihoods of a hundred thousand scottish families are at risk, and the rapid, uncompensated closure sought by JSO and the bill in question is not only unfair towards the people of Aberdeenshire and beyond, it completely disregards their needs and interests.

Grangemouth refinery is at risk of closure, putting hundreds of jobs and the prosperity of a community at risk. Is it wrong that we, parties which represent the working class, have decided to take a step back and reconsider our approach to ensure that we do not destroy communities? Must I remind JSO of the effects from pit closures across the entirety of the United Kingdom, from which communities are still reeling? Must I remind them of the fates of industrial towns across the country, such as the most recent plight of Port Talbot?

This government set out with a few key goals, but two of the biggest ones were alleviating the cost of living crisis and implementing the most radical package of investments and rule changes to unleash the potential of renewable energy in our country. That is on top of our investments in sustainable transport and, as is currently being worked on, green industry. But they must be done justly and with key protections for our workers, and threatening punitive actions against a party that recognised their duty to the working class of this country, as extinction rebellion has done, is unfair, unjust and unacceptable.

I am deeply concerned to hear that earlier this evening, woke eco-zealots attacked the Green Party Headquarters and committed despicable acts of criminal damage.

The Green Party has been a testament to sensible green politics throughout their time in government so far, putting forward a number of good and pragmatic proposals to help us achieve net-zero whilst also recognising the need to have a just transition that protects jobs in the North Sea. Anyone who wants to be taken seriously on climate issues should be recognising the good work the Green Party have done in this area, not attacking them for being concerned about the livelihoods of 100,000 Scots.

Moreover, putting the politics to one side for a moment, the disgusting behaviour of Just Stop Oil today should give all of us some pause for reflection. Whatever your political goals or beliefs, the way to achieve your aims is categorically not to engage in criminality but to use your right to freedom of expression and protest peacefully. I am especially concerned about some of the threats we’ve seen today against the Green Party, with some Just Stop Oil signage threatening further action and Extinction Rebellion warning the Green Party that they may face “punitive action”. Let me be very clear, this government remains committed to our stance of protecting jobs in the North Sea, and certainly won’t back down because some thugs are making threats of criminal behaviour against us.

I’d also like to take the time to offer condemnation of the way that several political big-hitters have reacted to this. It is utterly shameful that instead of standing with the Green Party at this trying time, u/AdSea260 has taken the opportunity to soapbox about how the Greens “have always been a bunch of hypocrites”, and u/mrsusandothechoosin has chosen to laugh at the criminal behaviour we’ve seen today. I think that all public figures need to take this opportunity to consider how they can ensure their stance is made clear that criminal damage is never an appropriate means of campaigning and how they can stand with victims of such vile behaviour.

Thank you.

reporters question AdSea260 Whilst out on the Campaign trail in West Midlands

"What do you think of just stop oil occupying the green party HQ?"

AdSea responds "Firstly let me say it's not surprising, the green party have always been a bunch of hypocrites, secondly I would like the government to think about much stronger action taken against Just Stop Oil, the government responded to the far right riot's with a strong application of the force of law and they must do the same here for illegal trespassing on property.

Otherwise we will end up in a situation of two tier policing, just because some members of the government may agree with some of their philosophy, however we know through X that members of Just Stop Oil would be willing to take much stronger measures.

Therefore I am asking the government to register Just Stop Oil as a domestic terrorist organization, and to apply the full force of the law against this group.

We need a government that takes Law and Order seriously". and not just have it be a one way street.

In a striking demonstration, members of the climate activist group Just Stop Oil have staged an invasion of the Green Party headquarters. The protest comes in response to the party's recent opposition of B009 (Petroleum (Prohibition of New Licenses) Bill), a policy shift that has ignited controversy and criticism among environmental activists. Just Stop Oil is known for its direct action tactics aimed at halting new oil and gas projects, with a long history of press-provoking opposition and rather distracting protests. The group’s latest action targets the Green Party, a political entity traditionally associated with environmentalism and sustainability - their  has been met with fierce opposition from activists given the party's historic (and loud) stance against fossil fuel exploitation.

The BBC has learned that this morning, activists from Just Stop Oil breached the Green Party's headquarters in a coordinated protest. While much of it was normal, megaphones, marches, and protesting, defacing the party's headquarters with large amount of black spray-paint, numerous fake tombstones (possibly bought from a pop-up Halloween store), and signage imploring the party to stop their support for B009 or face further action, was not normal for the group. It took some 15 minutes for the group to finish inside, before they exited to a crowd of media and local resident onlookers curious about all the commotion.

A statement from Mr. Malcolm Fitzgerald, Just Stop Oil's deputy assistant press secretary, noted "It's clear to us, at least, that the Green Party needs to seriously rethink their support for new oil and gas licenses in the UK. They've opposed it for decades, why change now, except for political gain that is temporary at best?"

Several of Mr. Fitzgerald's associates then began to glue themselves to the headquarters doors with large amounts of industrial strength glue, to much aplomb from the assembled activists, before engaging in chanting and singing of anti-Green slogans and songs, a surprising turn for a group generally aligned with the party in environmentalism. Extinction Rebellion issued a short statement in support of Just Stop Oil's efforts:

Extinction Rebellion fully supports Just Stop Oil in their fight against the Green Party gone mad. If the Green Party does not withdraw their support of the bill, we will be forced to engage in punitive measures to show the country the Green Party's true colours - as nothing more than Alba patsies.

It has been alleged that the Green Party's opposition to any ban on oil and gas licensing from the UK is a political compromise in order to enter government, if anything, that only makes activists more upset, considering that the ban was part of their environmental policies within their manifesto during the last election. The government has since made statements to claim that this would be offset by new renewable energy investments "to double onshore wind, triple solar power and quadruple offshore wind by 2030".

Citizens,

This is to say I have resigned as leader from Reform UK and that the party board has commenced the process to quickly select a new leader.

This does not in any way interfere with our ongoing by-election campaign, currently in the very competent hands of our candidates and acting leader, Xvil.

I have outmost faith that any of the leadership candidates so far in the running will handle the party excellently. I am sorry that it could not be me.

The struggle for the democracy, dignity and sovereignty of this great nation and its people continues. May foreign eurocrats and homegrown cronies alike tremble before us and the overwhelming strength of the red-blooded British public.

To all here that is human and true: have a great autumn, I love you,

Psy

Candidate Interview with Yimir_

By Jente Dijkstra

The Times has organised ongoing coverage of how the political parties and candidates are responding to the vacancies in the House of Commons and the reflection the upcoming campaign will have on His Majesty's Government. As part of this coverage, we are interviewing parliamentary candidates from across the political divide, asking the questions that you want to know as the country looks towards the polls.

Jente Dijkstra: "Today I have with me the independent candidate for Redditch, Yimir_! Welcome Yimir!"

Yimir: "Thank you for having me!"

Jente: "To start out with, why don't you introduce yourself. Who you are, what you stand for, and why you are running to be MP for Redditch."

Yimir: "I'm Yimir, an independent standing in Redditch. I've been involved with Parliament since the 2024 elections, arguing for responsible legislation that actually helps people without throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

I stand for anyone who thinks our parties are utterly incapable of governing, and for the local people of Worcestershire. I was born and raised here, not far from Redditch itself, and I'm a firm believer that the only person who knows what is best for the area is us. I stand for greater localism, for our local traditions, and against the corruption and ineptitude of the big parties.

If you've seen me speak in Parliament you will know I'm a fierce defender of our monarchy, of our constitution, but absolutely dedicated to improving the lives of everyone in this country. From the farms of Feckenham to the deepest boroughs of Aberdeen or London itself. Our recent government has shown that it doesn't know what it's doing. We have come out of 14 years of awful Conservative government to find that this new coalition government is stumbling around in the dark with no plan to pull us out of this horrid mess."

Jente: "Now, you mention that you believe that His Majesty's Government is stumbling around. Do you believe this by-election is, in some ways, a referendum on the government?"

Yimir: "I'm not sure anyone in this country wants another referendum this soon!

But to be serious, no. But we've got a number of by-elections at once and I absolutely think that together they're a referendum on the government, but this one alone doesn't strike me as one. Redditch was held by the Lib Dems under t2boys, an MP who didn't show up for a single vote. It's a referendum on the utter incompetence of the Liberal Democrats for definite in the same way all the other by-elections are due to the incompetence of the other parties.

The government itself has done surprisingly well with keeping its members in line. Well, except from Plaid Cymru. It's just a shame that line is more of a squiggle. But if the government is rejected from all the seats I think we can say for sure that them and their plan for this country has been rejected."

Jente: "You mention the former MP, t2boys. In what ways do you think yourself as different from the former MP and his party? Or conversely, what policies do you think you share with the platform that got t2boys elected in the first place?"

Yimir: "t2boys came in with lofty ambitions: tackling Amazon; offering grants for upskilling; increased maternity pay; taxing companies dumping sewage in our rivers; building more homes, increasing GP numbers, and taxing water company profits.

All of those were campaign promises. How many of those did he end up arguing for in Parliament, or even voting for? Zero. Did he just want the prestige of being elected to Parliament? To pull the wool over all your eyes? I have no idea. But anyone who continues to support him of the Liberal Democrats now are falling for the same con.

In terms of policies, I agree with a number of them. Maternity pay and leave need to be increased, companies who dump sewage in rivers should absolutely be paying fines- or worse, and we need to increase both GP pay, and the amount of GPs we have. Local areas are suffering from a lack of good GPs, with astronomical waiting times and a lack of community based healthcare. If I'm elected I will fight to change that. All these big parties will learn that they can't just con people with lies and expect to get away with it."

Jente: "Speaking to that last point, you are an independent candidate for MP. Last election, there were zero independent candidates across the entire UK. And now, independent candidates are contesting almost every seat up for election. How do you think being an independent politician plays into your campaign? And how do you think being elected as the first independent MP in this Parliament would say to the voters?"

Yimir: "Being an independent absolutely plays into my campaign. None of the parties speak for me, and I don't speak for them. Their ideas are frankly bizarre, and I don't think they are the best for anyone, Redditch or beyond. I'm very happy to see that lots of people agree with me, with Indys standing in (almost) every seat now!

Being elected would be the honour of my life, and it would tell everyone across the UK that we are more than party lines and manifestos. We are local people with lives and problems outside Westminster. Our lives are the people and communities around us, and Westminster should be the one listening to our plans, not us to them!"

Jente: "Moving on from principles to policy, what would you say are your 3 most important policies in this campaign?"

Yimir: "My first and most important policy is local devolution, I believe that the more decisions made away from Westminister the better. I support devolution to and English Parliament, on par with Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, and greater power on an even more local scale to our County Councils.

Secondly, the state of rural public transport is abysmal. While London gets completely new underground lines to the tune of several billion pounds we can't even get a bus from Redditch to Stratford half the time because of delays or cancellations. More money, more competence, better pay. Those are what I will push the government to give our rural transport systems.

And lastly, less of a policy, but I will stand up for our forgotten rural traditions and the constitutional foundations of this country. Since the 2024 election all parties have shown their utter recalcitrance toward them both, trying to push through bizarre bills that make us into a carbon copy of America. Through America's sheer amount of cultural output people these days are forgetting what makes Britain unique. Our history, and our traditions. They seem to think that they can tear them out by the roots and still have a good system afterwards. It's utterly stupid and utterly incompetent. Exactly what we would come to expect from these parties."

Jente: "You speak of standing up for British traditions and constitutional frameworks. While you largely paint yourself as defending against encroachment rather than any type of policy, is there any aspect of British traditions or constitutional frameworks which you would seek to introduce to the House of Commons as legislation?"

Yimir: "What do you mean?"

Jente: "To mention something that has already been enacted, protected geographical status for food and drinks products of British heritage. Just as an example of putting forward protection for British traditions as legislation."

Yimir: "To be honest, many of our traditions have survived for hundreds if not thousands of years without needing statutory protection. I doubt in many cases statutory protection would really help. Neither would funding in many cases- although I don't suppose it would be unwelcome if we had more money to make them extra special each year. What we really need is greater attention on them, greater participation. Whether it's a May pole dance or wassailing. Little things like this are what make Britain great to live in, and give us a tangible connection to every person in the past who has done exactly what we have done for hundreds of years.

So, while I don't suppose legislation on traditions would be unwelcome, I do not believe they would be terribly useful or necessary either.""

Jente: "Finally, to finish it off, do you have any words to leave with our audience?"

Yimir: "I will keep it short and sweet.

Don't let these parties keep their stranglehold on politics. Think differently, dream that our country can be better than it is now. There is a long road ahead of us, but we get there by having voices that stand up for people outside the Westminster bubble. We get there by having independent voices to hold them to account.

Thank you for this opportunity, and I hope you all have a lovely evening."

Jente: "Thank you for your time."

MHOC has two kinds of press. Party press, which is press done by your usual r/mhoc politician persona, from the perspective of you as the politician, and with modifiers going to your party or grouping.

Press from Independent Press Organisations (IPO) is written from the perspective of a press journalist persona, which you will claim when joining or registering an IPO in this thread. IPO press will contribute to an IPOs readership counts and credibility ranking, which will be released periodically. IPO press will be graded based on their contribution to the game conversation, non-partisan/unbiased focus and analysis, and quality of writing and production. This is a chance for players to try their hand at political journalism and reporting without the weight of their canon careers.

Once Independent Press Organisations are formed and registered by DMing me, they will be added to this thread for members to join!

The current requirements for forming an IPO are that the membership be either:

• 1 member who is politically independent, and not a member of a current party
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If you would like to join an IPO, simply comment the name of the IPO here, along with your press journalist persona name. When you post an IPO press post, include the name of the IPO somewhere on the post or the title, and flair the post as one by an Independent Press Organisation.

Note on Reset On the 22nd of June 2024 the community voted to implement the reforms set out in the 2.0 Proposal document. As part of the reset, all IPOs available will be based on a list of Press Organisations for people to choose from, rather than full freedom to create them.

If you wish to claim an IPO that isn't included as part of the list then please send me a DM and I will make a judgement on its inclusion.

Members wishing to be journalists are required to register or join an IPO, with new Discord servers having been established already for members to join. The list of IPOs available to be registered or to join can be found below:

Existing IPOs (claimed), and their key contacts

• The Times - Youmaton
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• Telegraph - Blue-EG , phonexia2
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• Private Eye - Comrade-Lannister

Pre-approved unclaimed IPOs (meet the requirements, and they're yours):

• Daily Express
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• The Herald
• Morning Star

Good Evening,

As a result of attempts by the woke Labour government to cancel patriotic and conservative voices, we as a nation are facing a bumper byelection bonanza.

I am glad to say that I have been selected to defend the East of England seat formerly held by our illustrious leader, who has been arrested and taken to a Labour gulag under suspicion of counter revolutionary activites. My esteemed colleague u/mrsusandothechoosin will campaign for the countless people in the North East and Yorkshire suffering under Labour's open border policy.

We are also glad to endorse the Conservatives in both Rugby and Wales, and the independent candidate u/Yimir_ in Redditch, who we are confident share in our values.

AdSea260 the independent West Midlands candidate has tonight made the following statement "Whilst I may be standing against the Liberal Democrats in the West Midlands, I do believe that In the East of England u/Rickcall321 and in North East Yorkshire u/spman1234 will make the better candidates and I fully endorse them in their respective seats.

We need MPs who care about their constituents and I believe the other Liberal Democrats in those seats are the best chance of having an MP who will listen to them.

U/Adsea260 stands outside his home in the West Midlands and the Press with their microphones hover around him

Well ladies and gentlemen as promised I have a statement to give you regarding my decision if I am going to stand in the West Midlands by-election.

We have seen over the past couple of weeks very slow decisions from the current coalition, and also other opposition parties, very little legislation is going through parliament, with of course the exception of my recent motion on a retraining scheme for Coal Miners and my world class bill to legalize assisted dying.

This is in comparison to a couple of no shows by government ministers to their official duties in mind.

It is with all this in consideration that I have decided to stand in the West Midlands by-election as a true independent, outside the realm of party politics and to only work for the residents of the West Midlands we need more people to hold this Coalition to account and to remind the government of their duties to the electorate.

Thank you very much

U/AdSea260 walks back inside his house

*Dyn-Cymru records a speech outside the Houses of Parliament*

“In the recent days the date of the by-election has been announced by the Electoral Commission. Of the seats going to election one of them is the second Welsh seat in Westminster.

“In the recent weeks we have seen the nature of almost all the parties in Westminster, we have seen parties oppose every climate measure presented to parliament. We have seen fierce debates about coal miners and their legacy. We have seen a government that has delivered on many of its commitments. We have seen a fierce debate about the future of this country. Therefore, it can seem hard to be able to pick a choice at this upcoming by-election.

“Plaid Cymru has been part of the government and has helped deliver on key legislation that will make Wales better. This includes the fair funding to Wales and the retribution for HS2 funding, something that Plaid Cymru has campaigned hard for since the creation of the project itself. It is not because we oppose the construction of it, but because we oppose an England only project being portrayed as a project that will also benefit Wales when it doesn’t even come close.

“That has always been the goal of this party, do what is best for Wales and its people. Therefore, we ask the people of Wales to think about it as we approach this significant by-election. When I took the leadership role of this party, I said that it was really not my party, but the people of Wales’ party. That remains the case, that is why when I selected a candidate for this election I considered not who was the best candidate for me or the party, but for Wales. Who would be a loud voice for the people of Wales? Who would put people before party? Who would stand up for Wales despite the odds? When I had considered these factors I came to a very swift conclusion, for it would be u/ViktorHR. They have been by my side since becoming leader and has always kept me in check and balanced me out.

"They also are a champion for the people of Wales, assisting the running of this party and checking legislation before it is submitted in this party’s name. ViktorHR is just committed as I am to the core values of this party too, that is why I believe they are the best candidate for this by-election.

“The general election was about giving Wales a voice, ensuring that was not left behind by the Westminster establishment. Ensuring that on both sides of the M4 there were people who would put the people of Wales before anyone else. The goal of the by-election is simple: make our voice stronger, and by doing so, making Wales’ voice stronger. Therefore I urge the people of Wales to think about their voice and come together to make it stronger.

Diolch yn fawr.”

This is an official press release from the Independent Caucus, intended for immediate publication.

19 Aug 2024 - A new political caucus has been formed in Parliament, which is comprised entirely of independent members not affiliated with any of the major political parties. Known as the Independent Caucus, its goal is to strengthen the collective voice and influence of non-partisan MPs and parliamentarians.

The Independent Caucus was founded by a group of former party members who rejected what they saw as extremist or overly ideological agendas. While the members hold a range of political views across the centre-right spectrum, the caucus is open to independents of all persuasions.

In a statement, Co-Chief Secretary UnluckyKale5342 said, "For too long, independents have felt suppressed and without an effective means of holding the government accountable from outside the formal party structures. The Independent Caucus aims to change that by providing a united front among non-partisan MPs and parliamentarians. Whether centre-right, centrist or elsewhere on the spectrum, all independents are welcome to join us."

The formation of the Independent Caucus signals frustrations among some who feel the major parties have become too rigidly partisan at the expense of nuanced, independent thinking. Members will aim to advocate for their constituents' needs free from any strict party agenda or ideology.

The caucus also plans to function as an important check on the ruling government by scrutinising legislation and policy from a non-partisan perspective. Independents will be able to pool resources and magnify their collective voice on key issues.

The Independent Caucus invites any other non-affiliated MPs and parliamentarians interested in its mission of principled, independent representation to get involved.

https://preview.redd.it/6wffwg1x8rpd1.png?width=3508&format=png&auto=webp&s=7252791b29c88a9b5d785b75fc07e4ad78b0d534

Former West Midlands Conservative Candidate U/AdSea260 has visited Cheylesmore ward in Coventry to meet with local residents and to gather data on their views and opinions of the current Coalition government along with campaigners.

U/Adsea260 spoke to a resident who remembers him from the previous campaign saying "oh it's shame you didn't get in and that pesky Liberal Democrat did, I thought it was disgusting him copying your stop the debt rally, I watched it love on YouTube, you spoke very well".

Adsea260 said "It's clear here in the West Midlands voters feel very betrayed by their previously sitting MP, I will make this campaign solely a local one if I decide to stand, the debate has to be about what residents want and not an ego filled trip, residents want someone who will commit to them no matter the issue at hand, I will not be making a decision if I am standing just yet in the upcoming by-election but I will keep my ear to the ground and I will make an announcement in due course.

Good afternoon everyone, my name is UnluckyKale5342 and I am a proud member of the Labour Party. I am here today to urge you to vote Labour in the upcoming by-election.

Labour is committed to helping young people reach their full potential. We will get rid of burdensome student debt and bring back proper grants for education. We will support our next generation with high-quality apprenticeships and good jobs. Too many talented people feel they cannot pursue university - Labour will change that.

Our National Health Service is struggling under immense pressure. Labour will provide the funding needed to relieve overworked GP services and ensure vital treatments remain locally accessible. No one in our community deserves to wait for hours on end for medical care. We must fully support our NHS to protect people's health.

In addition to education and healthcare, Labour will invest in jobs, training and new housing. We will revitalise our communities and open doors of opportunity once more. People here need renewed hope for the future.

Labour will introduce a fair social care system without forcing families to make difficult decisions around home ownership. We will protect programs that seniors in our area depend on to live with dignity.

Labour believes that every person should be treated with basic human compassion. We will reform assessments and ensure proper support for those who need help.

Voters face an important choice about the direction our regions. Labour will solve issues like housing shortages and relieve pressure on services. Our candidates will work tirelessly on your behalf.

On election day, I ask that you vote Labour. It is the only way to build a just future for all in Britain. Please support our mission for positive change. Thank you.

Why are there five by-elections? Why is it so hard, I ask, for Members of Parliament to just vote on things. I have kindly asked my Labour leadership to be in one of these. Hopefully I am. And if I'm not... well, just vote for Labour anyway.

But this is unacceptable behaviour anyway. That's 15% of all of the House's seats. 3 from the Tories, which have lost a third of their representation - which must be really rough, especially if the Government win the seats. That would be really rough. Another is the leader of Reform. Ridiculous. The leader of a party couldn't be arsed to go and vote, and they will now pay the price.

The Government has been doing amazing things, meanwhile the Opposition has been faultering. I won't go into detail, because the PM already did that, but think about it. What did Labour do. What did the Conservatives do. Compare and think.

It's good to be back home.

I am currently recording this podcast from the Phil, one of the best pubs in my home constituency of Liverpool Riverside: a beautiful art deco building with, in my view, some of the nicest pints in the whole of the city. I am keeping it rather simple tonight, starting with a classic dry stout and following it up with a Thatcher's or two. Remember: the iron lady's for drinking, not voting into government.

During this podcast, which I hope to be able to continue to do weekly from a different quality pub in liverpool each time, we will be discussing the developments in British politics, as well as the goals and achievements of this Labour government.

Let us start by discussing the elephant in room, or rather, the five elephants in the room: there are five by-elections scheduled for the immediate future following a string of resignations. Some fifteen percent of all our seats in the House of Common are currently unoccupied: a record that, as far as I am able to discover, hasn't been outdone since the passage of the Reform Act in 1832. To say we are in uncharted territory is an understatement.

This situation becomes rather more shocking when they go through the party affiliation of the five MPs who are no longer going to be members of the House of Commons. Three hail originally from the official opposition, that being Conservative Party, who have lost a third of all representation. One hails from the Liberal Democrats, having resigned one month ago over fallout from the formation of this government, and the other is the leader of the Reform party.

The leader of one of the country's largest parties was unable to do something as simple as show up to votes, and lost his seat for it. That is an extraordinary development, and quite the embarrassing one. If the Reform party wanted to bring about change, they clearly will need to get their own affairs in order first. The now-former member for Clacton is a fine man, and I wish him all the best, but this clearly is not the kind of showing that befits a party that would seek to govern this country following the next general election.

Indeed, the contrast today is quite great, and quite opposite to the expectations of the fearmongerers in the opposition. They derided this government as being dependent on various small parties and thus inherently unstable, and guessed that its small majority would make it hard for progress to be made: instead, the opposition has shown instability and inability to show up to votes in sufficient force.

Where the opposition has been struggling, this government has been hard at work delivering change for this country. In the past thirty days, we have passed legislation to significantly increase the national living wage from the 1st of January of next year, doing much to help reduce poverty in this country whilst boosting domestic consumption in an economy that much needed a boost in spending.

We have reformed the ways that transgender healthcare works in this country, ensuring that we save the lives of kids by giving them access to vital, life-saving medicine, and letting them live happier, richer lives without worrying that a puberty they consider torturous is being enforced on them.

We have passed vital amendments to the Representation of the People Bill 2024, ensuring that those who live permanently in this country have the right to vote at all levels, rather than this right being applied selectively for local and devolved offices in Scotland and Wales, whilst strengthening rules to ensure that the right to vote is not being unduly limited through the judicial process. Furthermore, by scrapping voter ID requirements, we no longer place unnecessary restrictions on the right of eligible voters to cast their ballots. Our democracy is at its more representative when the opinions of more people can be taken into account.

Our Home Secretary has ensured that the Rwanda Deal, a wasteful and cruel programme implemented by a desperate former minister within the same department, has been scrapped: one of our members has introduced vital legislation to finally end the insult that was declaring this country safe, in contravention of declarations by our legal system.

The same member, /u/model-finn, has written legislation to deliver on the promises of our candidates for the North East and Yorkshire constituency by extending the Tyne and Wear Metro into Leamside and to Durham. These extensions will transform the region and make people there less dependent on cars, whilst offering a quality service that regular working folks can start to build their lives around. I hope that this bill shall receive its first reading this week.

Our Secretary of State for Energy Security, meanwhile, has given an extensive statement on reforms to the planning systems for renewable energy in this country, specifically reversing devastating restrictions put into law by the former Conservative government. By scrapping the de facto ban on onshore wind, his changes will unleash the power that the UK is capable of producing and bring us closer to achieving fully renewable energy production by 2030, as set out in the statement.

That doesn't mean that there aren't more things in the works, however.

I have been talking with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and we hope to be able to introduce significant reforms to Universal Credit within the coming weeks. These changes will scrap the two child benefit cap and reduce the number of people seeing significant cuts in the change from legacy benefit systems to UC, especially as the ones being transferred now are the most vulnerable people in our country. We believe that this, together with our increase to the living wage, will lead to a significant reduction of poverty in this country and help tackle the cost of living crisis.

I can also announce that this government has been working across the aisle with various progressive parties, in and outside of parliament, to introduce a much-needed bill to bring our railways back into public ownership. The experiment that is privatisation has failed: train-operating companies are collapsing left and right, whilst prices have sky-rocketed alongside subsidies. Meanwhile, we are currently dealing with the worst reliability issues since the introduction of strict new safety standards in the mid 2000s. Our railways need a change, and our bill will be the first step in bringing that change about.

These changes are great, and they are important, but it is vital that we continue delivering for the people of this country. We have made great progress in the first month, but we need to deliver more in the coming weeks, especially as we enter the winter and people face increasing energy bills. I am confident that this government can deliver where past governments could not, and that we will, collectively, get through the next winter stronger and more confident than the last.

The times they are a-changing, and we will ensure the change is for the better.

National Press Polling: 10th of September

Below are the IPO readership and credibility figures since the start of polling. Going forward these polls will be more regular (current thought is either once every two weeks or month depending on the volume of content being produced).

Notes:

• We had some fantastic content from IPOs over the cycles. I enjoyed reading the variety of content in The Independent, and both the Telegraph and the Times ran some very interesting interviews and I hope that this poll spurs you to further activity
• The Times ran some high quality interviews, however, will need some more variety in content if they wish to grow in viewership.
• Daily Mail and Sun respectively will need to increase their output, and I hope that future events will inspire some activity.

#National Opinion Polling: 10th of September 2024

If the General Election were held today, who would you vote for?

Polls conducted [posts marked] between the 3rd of August and the 8th of September

Notes:

• This is the very first set of polls done post-calculator redesign to account for narratives and other proposals set out in the 2.0 reforms. I’ve explained how I’m implementing these reforms in this post so if you haven’t read it, please do so.

• It’s still early days, so things may still be a bit wonky. We appreciate your patience as we continue to work out the details of the new system.

• For a variety of reasons (inc. the delays and the less-than-stellar communication from Quad during) many aspects of the new system have gone underutilised, especially IPOs. As I’ll explain in more detail later, the general sense I’ve got from marking is that the approach people take is very similar to how you’d succeed in 1.0. This is, of course, understandable given the circumstances, but I am at pains to emphasise that polling has different priorities now, and quantity is not always the winner!

• What you do, and how you do is now far more important than just how many people are doing it. It is still possible to succeed through sheer quantity, but do not be surprised if you see smaller groups succeeding through consistent messaging and regular high quality submissions. On this note; press! It matters! Especially IPOs!!! They’re worth it I promise!!

• I very much appreciate the level of effort some people have gone in making their bills detailed, and they have been rewarded for it, but it does not make for a very good narrative. Post-reset, there’s a whole world of political issues to write bills (and press!!) on, those who do so will see the benefits.

• Government formation modifiers have been accounted for.

Feedback:

Now, onto the feedback…

Keeping in mind everything I said earlier and the circumstances we’re in, I think it would be difficult (and unfair) to give people feedback on something they weren’t really instructed to do. That being said, throughout marking I kept notes of things that particularly stuck out to me and I will aim to give each party generalised feedback on things I thought they did well.

Feedback will be focused towards more recent activity but, as always, if a party (or person) wants more individualised feedback they are welcome to DM me and I will do what I can to help.

Labour:

First thing to say is strong performance from Ina as PM so far; a regular presence in the Commons with high quality submissions all around. As a whole, the party started strong in the KS but the amount of you that are active regularly seems to have dropped off as time goes on. Quantity is less important than it was, but it’s still important. Exception to this is MQs where everyone really shows up. The submissions themselves are strong (even if I’d like to see more of a broader “message” being pushed) but ultimately would just be good to see more of you regularly active!

Conservatives:

Honestly, generally a similar story for you guys - the submissions are usually good when they’re there, just not enough of them and coming from a similar set of people each week. Blue did a good job mitigating the damage from the mass resignations with her responses in the press, and is an excellent example of how you can use the press/IPOs/etc to affect in-game outcomes, but this is not the only way to approach this. Blue leading from the front in the Commons as she did near the start of term would also be a good boost.

Liberal Democrats:

The “incident” at the start of term did hurt you guys quite a lot, but have more than made up for it since then. See a good amount of you in the Commons across a wide variety of business, points usually well-argued and the debates some of you start are appreciated. Not much to say beyond what I’m saying to everyone (keep themes in mind, use press more) but generally, keep it up. Ceasar’s consistent activity is also a big big help here.

Reform UK:

Probably the party I’m most impressed with in general. There aren’t a lot of you (really, not a lot at all) but still I see you nearly everywhere in the sim keeping a consistent message (immigrants bad, luv ‘are queen, Sadiq Khan is a fascist) in not just the speeches made but the general interactions made with the sim. Salad’s amendment adding republicanism as a disqualifying offence for MPs (and subsequent actual defence of the idea in the comments) particularly sticks out to me here, alongside the ULEZ bill, but honestly it’s pretty evident throughout their interactions with the sim. Psy’s lack of activity and the small membership base will ultimately limit gains long term, but more of what you’re doing already is all I can say. And also - press!!

Greens:

Wish I had more to give feedback on, but beyond a few MQ interactions, a bill and an interview I just haven’t seen as much of you as I’ve liked. More activity in general please.

Regional parties (SNP, Alba, Plaid, etc):

Not much to give feedback on here unfortunately due to the smaller nature of the parties, but would like to point out it’s good to see them regularly pop up in the Commons - Zak and Av take up a large part of the marking sheet, and the Oaths bill was both thematically appropriate and generated an entertaining (and informative) debate.

Others (inc. independents):

The indies have been the unexpected star of the show, at least for me. Faelif’s petrol bill is exactly the sort of thing I want to see wrt using legislation to push issues, and Yimir_ is a consistently high quality contributor in the comments. Who knows, maybe it’ll pay off in a by-election?

That’s it for feedback this time around! Apologies again for the time this took, changes will be coming to ensure we can avoid something like this in the future.

Dyn-Cymru walks to the podium at a press conference with the words A Fairer Deal/Cytundeb Tecach

“Prynhawn da, thanks for coming today. I would like to start this conference by paying tribute to my true friend model-zeph. A brilliant leader, it has been an honour to serve with not just someone who I think I can call a friend, but one of the best MPs this country has ever seen, putting the people of Ynys Môn . He led this party to its biggest election win in Welsh history, and I will be forever proud of him for it. I wish him all the best.

“Today’s conference however is about the next step for Plaid Cymru and its leadership. Today I have formally been elected the leader of Plaid Cymru, and one of my first acts will be appointing ViktorHr as my deputy. Together we will work for what Wales needs most, ensuring Westminster does not forget us. I will continue to fight with the same vigour as before in the debates in Parliament. The core values of this party however will not change, we are the Party of Wales, and we will seek to find the best deal for Wales, a fairer deal for Wales.” Dyn points at the words behind him. “That fairer deal will be fueled by our manifesto commitments, such as our commitment to protect Welsh Universities and their students, continuing to push for the devolution of the crown estate to NRW, demanding fairer funding by the repayment of lost funding through HS2. Those are just some of what we promised to deliver and we will do it to the best of our abilities.”

“I hope to oversee the government’s commitment to devolve justice to our Senedd Cymru, finally bringing Wales to the standard of the rest of the UK nations, something many people think we aren’t worthy of. In several debates I have had the argument that Wales isn’t worthy of new powers due to size or lack of funding. But to that I say we are not, with new members of the Senedd we are only stronger! MPs have implied the Welsh Language is not worthy of joining English in our public institutions, I say it is, for it is an official language according to Welsh law! I have been told that by putting local communities first, I am not worthy of being in the commons and should become a counsellor, to that I say, I will not! I continue to fight for the planet we all live on, opposing the repeal of environmental protections by opposition members. As leader none of this will change, for I will put Wales and its people before anything else, because if the Party of Wales doesn’t, who will?

But it is not my party only, for it is your party, Wales’ party. This party gets its mandate not from the leaders but my favourite part of Wales, its people. For it is you that make this party what it is today. It was the Welsh people who made a Welsh parliament. It was the Welsh people who fought for a fairer deal. It is you, the Welsh people who inspire this party, give it its strength. It was you, the people of Wales, that gave this party one of the biggest mandates in its history. For that I can only make you one pledge, one I have made time and time again. That I, Dyn-Cymru, will put you, the people of Wales, before anything else, for you deserve nothing less.

Diolch o galon.”

As “Freedom” by Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar plays at a press conference in Cardiff, model-zeph would take to a makeshift podium.

model-zeph at the podium in Cardiff.

“Thank you all for gathering today. The last few months have been a tale of success for the cause of Welsh nationalism. We achieved Plaid Cymru’s highest vote share ever, highest percentage of Wales’ Parliamentary delegation, a place in Government and a rebirth of the Welsh nationalist movement. It has been an honour to preside over this.”He’d pause for a sip of water.

“However, due to personal reasons, I have come to the decision to resign as Leader of this glorious party, Plaid Cymru, and as a Member of Parliament for Ynys Môn effective on September 7th. I informed Plaid Cymru’s leadership of this earlier this afternoon and nominations have been sent across the party.”

As a single tear would fall, he’d be quick to swipe it off.

“I will continue to speak for and push the Welsh nationalist cause from the sidelines. I will continue to fight for the country I love!”

model-zeph would swiftly leave the stage before taking questions.