Ricochet is the best place on the internet to discuss the issues of the day, either through commenting on posts or writing your own for our active and dynamic community in a fully moderated environment. In addition, the Ricochet Audio Network offers over 50 original podcasts with new episodes released every day.
Conservatives Crush Labour in UK Landslide (w/ Updates)
Polls in the UK closed at 10 p.m. local time (5 p.m. ET). As results come in from the crucial vote, we’ll keep you posted here. If the exit polls are correct, this will be the worst Labour Party result since 1924.
6:37 p.m. (ET): Only three ridings have reported their votes, all of which have been strong Labour supporters. One of these, Blyth Valley, has switched to the Conservatives. This indicates a surprisingly strong CON showing elsewhere.
7:35 p.m. (ET): Votes coming in very slowly. So far, CON has two seats, LAB has five.
8:34 p.m. (ET): The Scottish National Party gets one on the board. The totals so far…
- CON – 8
- LAB – 11
- SNP – 1
The Tories have so far swung three constituencies from Labour to Conservative. One of those was Workington, a “quintessential safe Labour seat.” The SNP also took a seat from Labour.
9:02 p.m. (ET): Updated totals…
- CON – 20
- LAB – 22
- SNP – 3
Labour has lost five seats to CON and two seats to SNP.
9:30 p.m. (ET): Conservatives tie it up.
- CON – 90
- LAB – 78
- SNP – 16
- SF – 4
- LD – 3
- Other – 4
Labour down eight seats, Conservatives up six.
10:00 p.m. (ET): And Conservatives take the lead.
- CON – 45
- LAB – 45
- SNP – 6
- PC – 1
- Other – 3
Labour down 21 seats, Conservatives up 17.
Our projections now put Tories at slightly smaller majority, but still very solid indeed – 357 seats, Labour on 201
— Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) December 13, 2019
10:30 p.m. (ET):
- CON – 156
- LAB – 109
- SNP – 21
- LD – 6
- DUP – 5
- Other – 10
BREAKING: Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn is to resign and will not lead the party into a future general election. pic.twitter.com/oJbfBrmjKl
— Britain Elects (@britainelects) December 13, 2019
11:00 p.m. (ET): Conservatives need 326 seats to win, the BBC now projects they will take 365. Here’s where the vote stands now:
- CON – 214 (+32)
- LAB – 143 (-43)
- SNP – 34 (+11)
- LD – 7
- DUP – 5
- Other – 11
The Tories continue to take Labour strongholds, including some constituencies who haven’t voted Conservative for a century.
By our count Lab have now lost at least 15 seats which they have held in all general elections since 1945
— Rob Ford (@robfordmancs) December 13, 2019
11:30 p.m. (ET): Conservatives need 326 seats to win, the BBC now projects they will take 365. Here’s where the vote stands now:
- CON – 265 (+38)
- LAB – 180 (-50)
- SNP – 41 (+12)
- LD – 7 (-)
- DUP – 5 (-2)
- Other – 13
The Tories continue to take Labour strongholds, including some constituencies who haven’t voted Conservative for a century.
Sky News
UPDATED FORECAST:
CON Majority
Con seats 363-369 (midpoint 366).
LAB 193-199 (midpoint 196)
MAJORITY 76-88 (midpoint 82).*Labour would have worst result in seats since 1935.
*Con maj would be bigger than Blair in 2005 and Thatcher's in 1979— Sam Coates Sky (@SamCoatesSky) December 13, 2019
12:10 p.m. (ET): It is official! Conservatives needed 326 seats to control Parliament and they have them. BBC projects that they will win 365 total, but here’s where the vote stands now:
- CON – 331 (+43)
- LAB – 197 (-55)
- SNP – 45 (+12)
- LD – 8 (-)
- DUP – 8 (-2)
- Other – 14
Published in General
Remember I am a Canadian Tory, not a UK one.
What Cato Rand said.
When Tony Blair was running for leader of the Labour Party, one of his pitches was, “Nobody wants to go back to the old socialism.” In other words, Thatcher’s reforms were here to stay, and Labour’s best hope was to moderate them, not try to undo them.
It looks like Blair was and still is right. Labour chose a throwback socialist as their leader, and he got thumped.
That is my impression. Scotland wants to leave the UK to join the EU. Go figure …
I don’t think Scotland has the authority to hold a one, at least not a binding one. The last one was authorized by Parliament, and I don’t see what a Boris Johnson government would stand to gain by holding another one.
Good to know this. In Jo Swinson’s speech after the count in her district, she explained the emerging 2019 election results as a victory for nationalism–English and Scottish. If true, that would be a challenge to the union. So that recent poll is prima facie proof against Swinson’s view.
I think they called it “The Third Way”. I think There was even a book …
I hope they don’t. : )
Can’t wait to hear James and Toby tomorrow!
Same here, but I also want to hear the one they said they’d record recanting all their positions if Corbyn won. They should record it too for giggles and post them both!
I think you’re right although I’d actually like to see Parliament grant them another if there’s evidence that there’s real majority support in Scotland. I like subsidiarity and really don’t think Scotland should be kept in the UK against its will.
Of course, if they actually held a referendum, Scotland would have to grapple with whether they actually have a better offer than the UK. I’m not sure they do. Do Germany and France really want another transfer payment recipient in the EU, and another complicated border to navigate with England? Scotland is a wonderful country with a proud history, but choices have consequences, often economic ones.
I suspect they’re going to be too hung over to produce a podcast.
That’ll just make it better
I think Toby is still up. James is asleep.
So much winning!!
Tories have passed 300.
Not to mention that other EU countries have their own internal separatist movements. Spain for instance would never stand for a precedent that an independent Catalan Republic would face a quick and painless re-admission to the EU.
I hadn’t thought of that but good point. Spain is held together with rubber bands and extra-constitutional arrests, isn’t it? Are there other EU countries with such significant separatist issues?
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1205338255832555520?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet
(Edit: Sorry, I don’t know how to embed a tweet.)
And it’s done. Congratulations, Tories.
GAME OVER MAN! GAME OVER!!!
Best news I have heard in a while. Not only will Britian be extracted from the ongoing cluster farg that is the EU, but the far left Jew hater Corbyn has been repudiated.
I personally see this as a sign for Trump in 2020.
Looks like the anti-Semites lost. I wonder if that could happen in the U.S.
If Trump loses in 2020, hopefully he will have the good sense to go away, just as Jeremy Corbyn resigned after leading Labor to a loss.
What the hell else would he do?
I can imagine.
Unfortunately it sounds like Boris is now less dependent on the Brexit hard-liners, so there might be something closer to a fake Brexit.
They’re gonna keep flipping the cribbage die until they go bankrupt.
Final results: Outright majority for the Conservatives:
From BusinessInsider, 2019:
Compare to 2017:
President Trump has tweeted (will surely call shortly as well):