The surprise attack certainly has labour MPs reeling.
According to them so far today, TM is controlled by a cabal of brextremeists and is trying to turn Westminster into an elective dictatorship (Stephen Kinnock), whilst simultaneously trying to give herself a mandate to overturn the brexit vote, because deep down she's a remainer. (John Mann)
Alan Johnson (Hull West, Labour, 22yrs in the job) has had enough already and announced he won't be standing, he's a smart cookie.
The Conservatives sent a release out earlier that Lynton Crosby has been retained to work on this election. Crosby is generally credited as the person that orchestrated the 2015 win and it has to be said that he thinks a great many moves ahead. All of this will have been factored in and the numbers run repeatedly.
At the most basic level, the opposition message is fractured. If you are an arch remainer- and while there isn't the "48% of the population" that some hammer on about, it's a fairly significant body of people- Labour has endorsed Brexit so are unlikely to appeal. Labour will be dusting off the '51 Days to save the NHS' posters as we speak but at a basic level, their senior team are electoral poison for large swathes of the electorate. Jeremy Corbyn believes that Labour lost the '83 Election due to poor pamphlets. Don't forget that.
Finally, as the referendum demonstrated, this is going to be a seriously nasty campaign. The problem for Labour in particular is that Corbyn has made saying bloody stupid things an art form and every single one of those things is going to be thrown at him. Even Tim Farron is going to have some fun with his earlier thoughts on homosexuality. The awkward issue is that Theresa May is conservative in both political alignment and nature. Sure, she might have a skeleton in the closet but I'm note sure it'll matter next the never ending clown circus that is the Labour party in 2017.
I just don't think the Lib Dems will win much, looking at the figures in London their best case scenario is winning an additional 7 seats.
It's a risky move by May, but a well calculated one. I haven't had a chance to look into swing constituencies nationwide, I don't she'll win by huge margins some are predicting. There may even be a small chance it all backfires.
The only victory I am looking for , will be the total eradication of Corbyn and his cronies .
I live in the Bristol South constituency , which is basically a massive council estate .. a total shoe in for Labour almost un-losable .. that is until now .. I shall be voting Lib Dem ( not proud to say so ) but Corbyn is a joke from planet nowhere .. who I can simply note vote for,or the candidate simply because of that fact .
MPs With Majorities Under 1000 - Guido Fawkes
A lot of Labour constituencies are vulnerable as well.
As much of the population ( 48% ) as the 51% represent the entire population .. a third did not even vote , just as they wont in this election .. Christ even 3 people have bothered to register the fact they will not be voting .. more than they can be arsed to do in a pool booth.
I live in one of those safe Labour seats .. not anymore , will they be.
I agree that voter apathy/fatigue is going to be a factor here but I'm tempted to say that this might have more of an impact on the leave contingent (who had more non regular voters in their mass than the remain contingent). As lots have people have already said, there's lots of unknowns in this one but a PM with a reputation for caution has decided to go for it which would suggest they think they can make it work.
Swapped from UKIP (last election) back to Conservative.
Cheers,
Nigel
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