This election has been fascinating so far, to my mind, because it has shown how popular socialist policies still can be with the electorate at large, and how they can resonate through to people even as the vast majority of the media is hostile.

Remember when everyone one was saying Corbyn was unelectable? They said the same about Sanders, but now both men, probably two of the most extreme leftist figures in their respective countries' politics, have both come perilously close to winning power. Arguably had their own parties been more supportive, they both would've walked it.

If i was the Tories I'd be really worried. Not necessarily about this election as they should still scrape home, but 5, 10, 15 years down the line...people from the younger generations will remember this period, how the Tories showed such hubris and malice towards them.

Codswallop and wishful thinking.

What is shows is how dumb a section of the population are to even consider voting for a man who has been at odds with everything his whole life including his own party.

He is an anti British communist in sheep's clothing.

Not what I saw from last night's interviews.

One candidate spent the time defending her policies and that she changes her mind when needs to.

The other spent the time trying, and failing, to explain why he supports terrorists and how he wouldn't defend Britain.

Make of it what you will.

Taken as a whole (in other words excepting Scotland) the UK is a sensible country..or nation of nations. It shows in comparisons between our economy and most of Europe....We aren't making slaves like Germany nor denying reality and self harming like France.

However, I think if Labour's membership had chosen a sensible leader....not that they were given much in the way of talented options....then I think May would have been in a real fight this election.

However that isn't the case. Instead the choice the country faces is between a 'wet' Tory and what comes across as the chairman of the socialist worker's party.

The result was set at that leadership result. Corbyn's politics never had a chance in hell of winning in England's heartlands....I like some of the policies but seriously dislike a lot...I consider myself a red Tory..I believe capitalism needs to work for everyone... but regardless I could never vote for this unpatriotic anti British option.

Essentially Labour's assured defeat is squarely the fault of its membership. They chose idealism over political reality and deserve criticism for it.

I have mixed feelings about what lies ahead but on one thing I'm certain. We need a strong negotiator in Brexit and David Davies is a million times better than the supplicants Labour have.

Edited by Stirlingsays (30 May 2017 6.44am)

[Link]

"What hasn’t changed is that few children from disadvantaged backgrounds attend grammar schools. Studies of the post-war grammar schools system found children from lower socio-economic backgrounds were less likely to go to grammar schools.

And that’s still the case now.

At the start of 2016 fewer than 3% of students in grammar schools were eligible for free school meals, compared to 14% for all school types (and 17% in grammar school areas)."

"But this isn’t just about differences in ability. “Amongst high achievers, those who are eligible for free school meals or who live in poorer neighbourhoods are significantly less likely to go to a grammar school,” according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS)."

"But it goes on to say “there is equally good evidence that those in selective areas who don’t pass the eleven plus do worse than they would have done in a comprehensive system”."

"“There is repeated evidence that any appearance of advantage for those attending selective schools is outweighed by the disadvantage for those who do not”, says Professor Stephen Gorard of Durham University. “More children lose out than gain, and the attainment gaps between highest and lowest and between richest and poorest are larger”.

Similarly, Luke Sibieta at the IFS says that grammars "seem to offer an opportunity to improve and stretch the brightest pupils, but seem likely to come at the cost of increasing inequality"."

I went to grammar school and it was great (for me) but evidence not anecdotes should be considered when making policies. I imagine it was difficult for May to fit any actual evidence on the back of her fag packet when devising her policies so just went with stories she likes.

So we've got fox hunting, dementia tax, business rates debacle, universal free school meals gone, grammar schools, real terms cuts to education, underfunding the NHS, cuts to policing, weak and wobbly leadership, no strategy on Brexit, cuts in tax for the rich. Any other good policies?

I do think Corbyn came over far more relaxed and confident than I've seen him in the past; May didn't do anything wrong, though she's clearly uncomfortable in debates.

The real loser last night was Paxman...Jesus what a CNUT!