What's 15% of three geography teachers, one hedgehog sanctuary fundraiser and a dog?

UKIP are finished, however they delivered Brexit, and all with only a single MP. History will judge them as the most successful political party of modern times.

Don't jinx it!

ftfy

You know, when people bang on about how racist and intolerant Brits are, and how half the population are just wannabe-fascists, I point to the performance of the only serious contender for "right wing populist" party in Britain and their almost total irrelevance in actual representative politics, and very quietly mutter "Austria", "Hungary" and "France" under my breath.

There's a reason we don't belong in the EU. We're just not right wing enough.

This is one of the biggest lies in modern day post-truth politics, that a vote for Brexit was a vote for the far-right. And that it's to be compared with the rise of populism in France, Germany, Austria etc.

Whilst there's undeniably an antisemitism problem, at least Jews aren't being told not to wear kippahs for fear of attack.

I'm none of the above but there was no way I could buy into Corbyn & Momentum's brand of socialism. Never in a million years.

It's a sad day when I can say with every grain of conviction that, much as I despise the Tories and will never vote for them, with equal measure, I'll never vote Corbyn. Hopefully these election results indicate that people are waking up to how toxic that branch of socialism really is.

I've seen the online bullying that Momentum get involved in, and face to face with them buggers, I'd happily knock ten shades of shite out of them. The older I get, the less tolerant I am of bullies.

Out of interest, who would be your ideal leader of the opposition?

So far, Labour under corbyn:
1. Lost General elections.
2. keeps getting involved in antisemitic incidents.
3. allowed Labour members to call the Home secretary "coconut".
4. lost local elections.

Why is he still leading Labour ?

I don't have 'a name', and there are elements of various people that stand out, but not all in a single future candidate. I just don't currently see a potential candidate who's the full package.

One of my oldest mates worked quite a bit with Rupa Huq (Ealing) and I often have this debate with him. He has immense respect for Rupa, but doesn't think she wants to be leader. I admire the sheer intellect of Keir Starmer, but too often, he gets a 'rabbit caught in the headlights' look about him, and I know some have serious reservations about him for leader because the Ian Tomlinson case decision hangs over him.

Chukka Umunna is one many of my friends would like to see lead, and I like Owen Jones' tenacity, but he lacks the bite that Jess Phillips has in spades. I can't abide Emily Thornberry and Diane Abbott, and have little time for Angela Raynor.

Basically, I'd like to see someone with the legal intellect of Starmer, the no nonsense foresight of Gordon Brown, the 'take no prisoners' attitude of Jess Phillips , mixed in with someone who has an everyman appeal that can bring together people and business instead of alienating one or the other. The next leader absolutely must be able to get business onboard or the economy will tank.

What would your top 3 candidates be?

Barry Gardiner (my old MP), Keir Starmer and Yvette Cooper

I think it's just that Facebook hasn't told the average voter how to vote this time. It's not like they'd muster up their own political opinions or have the capacity to remember what they were sold last time.

I understand the sentiment.

Sadly, for every good or even not quite so good leader, there are zillions of drones who only understand snippets of what their chosen leader says but think being with them gives them infinite superiority over everybody else.

It happens on the left, it happens on the right, it happens in the centre. It happens on the EF.

In Corbyn's case, yeah well, let's not get into that. But even decent and good leaders with a real relevant message will attract a following of idiots. So don't discount a political idea or philosophy because of the people who claim to be in agreement with it.

Because large swathes of Labour don't think there is anything wiong with what he did. If he were to step down they would happily elect another clown just like him. Therein lies the bigger problem.

What made you shift your loyalty ?

Because half a million Labour members think he's the second coming and like all true Marxists, he'll NEVER resign

I'm so weary of this crap. He is not a Marxist.... Trotskyist, Leninist, Maoist or any other sort of communist nutter. He's an old skool, old Labour, left-leaning social democrat who sticks to his guns and can't say no to a good rally.

He obviously does consider communists et al to be fellow travellers on certain causes, but unless I misread Labour's manifesto there was nothing about overthrowing the capitalist system and replacing it with a socialist utopia.

He's not stupid, he knows the British would NEVER vote in a Marxist leader.

You're right, they won't, which is why Corbyn will never win. But if for some strange reason they were to, you can guarantee that the true Marxist in John McDonnell would oust Corbyn and seize power immediately.

And if that Rally has communist flags and/or anti Israel or antisemitic placards - even better. He is blind to racism when it comes from the left.

There will always be fringe elements at any public march because nobody can police them for content. I marched against the Iraq war in 2003 along with army veterans in wheelchairs, school children, nurses, priests, rabbis, imams etc.. and there were hammer and sickle flags and placards for nuclear disarmament, Greenpeace and graphic images of dead babies.