Thoughts on Jo Swinson?

[Ozyhibby]

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Im not even a LibDem member but that sounds like something that would never be levelled at a male politician.

I would definitely have levelled such an accusation at a male politician and frequently criticised Ed Milliband for the exact same thing. He did not have a voice I thought people could get behind and he often sounded like a whiny teenager.
These are not observations about the substance of the politician, just about the horse race and how people’s minds work.
There are plenty female politicians with great commanding oratory. Jo Swinson isn’t one of them.


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[Smartie]

I think the main reason Swinson gets it tight on here, and especially from "the SNP crowd" is because she is a Scot trying to curb her Scottishness to appeal to the English.

You expect a certain amount of duplicity from folk (Tories) like Michael Gove. There is a large part of Swinson's message that appeals to Scots - liberalism, centre-ground politics and the staunch attitude to remaining in the EU that many people would be happy to get on board with.

But when you take the rough edges off her accent with some elocution lessons and then you have a stuttering, faltering performance lacking in conviction every time she is asked probing questions about what is a hypocritical position on a Scottish independence referendum then I can understand why people might not take to her.

There is just something about her voice and her body language that doesn't appear genuine. Many Tories might be *******s but they are honest about what they believe in. The left of the Labour Party make no bones about the fact that they'd like to take from the rich. Swinson doesn't appear to have conviction when she's pressed on certain issues (not all - see the level of conviction re Brexit) when she knows an honest answer will piss people off.

[Moulin Yarns]

If Jo Swinson was to become prime minister, how much of Parliament business would she be excluded from. English vote for English law!!

[CloudSquall]

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I think the main reason Swinson gets it tight on here, and especially from "the SNP crowd" is because she is a Scot trying to curb her Scottishness to appeal to the English.

You expect a certain amount of duplicity from folk (Tories) like Michael Gove. There is a large part of Swinson's message that appeals to Scots - liberalism, centre-ground politics and the staunch attitude to remaining in the EU that many people would be happy to get on board with.

But when you take the rough edges off her accent with some elocution lessons and then you have a stuttering, faltering performance lacking in conviction every time she is asked probing questions about what is a hypocritical position on a Scottish independence referendum then I can understand why people might not take to her.

There is just something about her voice and her body language that doesn't appear genuine. Many Tories might be *******s but they are honest about what they believe in. The left of the Labour Party make no bones about the fact that they'd like to take from the rich. Swinson doesn't appear to have conviction when she's pressed on certain issues (not all - see the level of conviction re Brexit) when she knows an honest answer will piss people off.

Pretty much sums it up for me, along with her voting record while sitting alongside Cameron and the "careerist" vibe she gives off similiar to Chuka Umunna.

[heretoday]

The Lib Dems are appallng positionists. In bed with the Tories one minute, going for a second referendum the next and now wanting to forget Brexit and ignore the referendum result.

With friends like that..........

[southfieldhibby]

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Im not even a LibDem member but that sounds like something that would never be levelled at a male politician.

I'm a hibs fan (obviously) and a supporter of Independence, but I can't listen to Ian Blackford. His whiny constant droning does my head in.

[Cataplana]

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I'm a hibs fan (obviously) and a supporter of Independence, but I can't listen to Ian Blackford. His whiny constant droning does my head in.

Reminds me of the Scottish bloke on Monty Python who used to say, "ah won't interrupt this sketch for a pound.'

[Dashing Bob S]

Swinson is pretty crap

[Ozyhibby]

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I'm a hibs fan (obviously) and a supporter of Independence, but I can't listen to Ian Blackford. His whiny constant droning does my head in.

I agree. Hopefully after the election they have a shake up and replace Blackford. He annoys the life out of me.


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[Smartie]

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I agree. Hopefully after the election they have a shake up and replace Blackford. He annoys the life out of me.


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I like him, but he could do with learning when to stop.

He has a tendency to drone on after having successfully made his point.

Sometimes less is more.

[marinello59]

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I agree. Hopefully after the election they have a shake up and replace Blackford. He annoys the life out of me.


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I wasn’t a big fan at first but he had grown on me, I quite like him now.
Swinson seems to be having the opposite effect on people, the more they see of her the less they like her. She has certainly failed to maintain the momentum she had at the start of the campaign.

[weecounty hibby]

Her comments on pushing the nuclear button will have lost her votes. The quick, almost off hand manner in her reply was pretty astonishing. The interviewer let her of the hook as well by not following that question up

[marinello59]

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Her comments on pushing the nuclear button will have lost her votes. The quick, almost off hand manner in her reply was pretty astonishing. The interviewer let her of the hook as well by not following that question up

I think there is a majority in favour of the Nuclear deterrent down South. The nuclear issue is probably more of a problem for Corbyn down there because he has suggested he wouldn’t use it.

[weecounty hibby]

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I think there is a majority in favour of the Nuclear deterrent down South. The nuclear issue is probably more of a problem for Corbyn down there because he has suggested he wouldn’t use it.

I think it was the way she answered not necessarily what she said. Almost flippant. No further discussion. She then talked about how much she like the NZ PM who is very proud of being nuclear free. She then talked about climate issues after threatening to destroy the planet with nuclear weapons

[Mibbes Aye]

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Her comments on pushing the nuclear button will have lost her votes. The quick, almost off hand manner in her reply was pretty astonishing. The interviewer let her of the hook as well by not following that question up

I read it differently.

It reminded me of when Blair and Brown did a joint TV interview in the lead-up to the 2005 GE. Passions about Iraq were at their height, the tensions between the Blairites and Brownites were all over the press and ripping the party apart.

Brown was asked directly whether he supported Blair’s decision about Iraq. The question had barely left the interviewer’s mouth before Brown firmly said Yes. You could literally see the look of relief and a touch of surprise on Blair's face.

If Swinson said she wouldn’t commit to using nuclear weapons then it would be trolled against her massively. She would be portrayed by some as being weak and indecisive, and others as threatening our national security. The only answer she could give, in context, was a firm Yes, otherwise she gets slaughtered.

Britain has had nuclear weapons for several decades. If we weren’t committed to using them in some eventuality, then several Labour and Conservative PMs have to explain why we spent billions on having them. Most of them are dead now which excuses them the responsibility.

Obviously, we were tied into the Americans and having the weapons gave us a strategic lever, albeit one we were unlikely to ever deploy. I guess that is realpolitik

[weecounty hibby]

As I said, not necessarily what she said but the way she answered. I do understand what you are saying but to be honest I do not believe that the UK needs nuclear weapons. Who are we going to aim them at? Our enemies at the moment are terrorist groups based out of nowhere and anywhere. Russia, yeah that'll be right we might just about register with them in military terms. There are heaps of countries that don't feel the need for nuclear weapons, the UK has them to try to look like it is still a major player

[CloudSquall]

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Her comments on pushing the nuclear button will have lost her votes. The quick, almost off hand manner in her reply was pretty astonishing. The interviewer let her of the hook as well by not following that question up

Angus MacNeil made quite a good point on Twitter, how can the Greens make a pack with someone that hardly blinks about incinerating the planet?


I guess the confirmation could get some of the Tory remainers on board, but I'd imagine there would shirley be a net loss overall due to a loss on the left.


Personally I think the nukes are pointless given that most countries would prefer to use a team of hackers to launch a cyber attack rather than launch an actual nuke.

[Moulin Yarns]

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Swinson is pretty crap

Make your mind up, is she pretty or crap?

[RyeSloan]

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Make your mind up, is she pretty or crap?

Pretty crap, a polished turd maybe?

[Hibbyradge]

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Based on her past voting history and the language she is now using, being careful not to say outright she will not go into a coalition with the Tories but completely rules out working together with Jeremy Corbyn's Labour, I think it's pretty obvious she's got her money on Johnson and is hoping to be the king maker.

"She (Swinson) told the BBC's political editor Laura Kuenssberg her MPs would not actively support a Labour or Tory programme of government as she believes neither Jeremy Corbyn nor Boris Johnson are fit to be prime minister.

But she did not rule out allowing either of them to take office - by abstaining in a vote on their first Queen's Speech - if they agreed to hold another EU referendum."

[southfieldhibby]

Something in my gut tells me no danger was Swinson a regular smoker of weed at university. As a test, she should be made to roll a bifter on a windy day without the use of a clipper lighter. Only then will believe her.

[stokesmessiah]

Just catching up on the ITV debate interviews.....she comes across terribly.

[Hibbyradge]

I do think that a lot of people look for what they want to see from all the leaders.

This, for example, is a very positive comment from someone who's opinion I have a lot of time for;

https://twitter.com/IanDunt/status/1...119943168?s=09

[One Day Soon]

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Angus MacNeil made quite a good point on Twitter, how can the Greens make a pack with someone that hardly blinks about incinerating the planet?


I guess the confirmation could get some of the Tory remainers on board, but I'd imagine there would shirley be a net loss overall due to a loss on the left.


Personally I think the nukes are pointless given that most countries would prefer to use a team of hackers to launch a cyber attack rather than launch an actual nuke.

You could just as well ask how the Greens can so consistently support a governing party in Scotland so committed to prolonging the extraction of fossil fuel from the North Sea. The answer is of course electoral expediency and rather shallow, tradeable 'principles'.

[One Day Soon]

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"She (Swinson) told the BBC's political editor Laura Kuenssberg her MPs would not actively support a Labour or Tory programme of government as she believes neither Jeremy Corbyn nor Boris Johnson are fit to be prime minister.

But she did not rule out allowing either of them to take office - by abstaining in a vote on their first Queen's Speech - if they agreed to hold another EU referendum."

The really surprising thing about Swinson is that in a contest between **** and ****ter, in which she should shine by comparison, she somehow manages against all odds not to do so. There's also that inevitable 'Lib/Dem holier than thou' aura which they can never quite shake.

In Scotland I think much of the Nat venom directed against her is because she has the temerity to be a UK party leader who is Scottish (which doesn't fit the narrative that Scotland has no influence), she has a national platform which gives her more profile than any of the opposition leaders in the Scottish Parliament and is therefore the closest thing to an actual opponent, she's female which is on Sturgeon's play space and she's young and a mother which should make her dangerously relateable.

[Cataplana]

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The really surprising thing about Swinson is that in a contest between **** and ****ter, in which she should shine by comparison, she somehow manages against all odds not to do so. There's also that inevitable 'Lib/Dem holier than thou' aura which they can never quite shake.

In Scotland I think much of the Nat venom directed against her is because she has the temerity to be a UK party leader who is Scottish (which doesn't fit the narrative that Scotland has no influence), she has a national platform which gives her more profile than any of the opposition leaders in the Scottish Parliament and is therefore the closest thing to an actual opponent, she's female which is on Sturgeon's play space and she's young and a mother which should make her dangerously relateable.

Can't speak for others, but my gripe is she is over promoted, making up for her lack of substance by theatrical gestures and hyperbolic statements.

She does have that trendy Sunday School teacher about her as well.

What is it with Lib Dems and toothy grins, by the way. Her and Willie Rennie have heads that seem to be far too small for their mouths.

[cabbageandribs1875]

meanwhile another Fib dem has asked the SNP candidate in kirkintilloch to stand aside so she can win

https://www.kirkintilloch-herald.co....5shea0pBejLEu0


An East Dunbartonshire Lib Dem councillor who is standing as a candidate in the general election has sent a “bizarre” letter urging her SNP rival to “stand aside”.

[Moulin Yarns]

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The really surprising thing about Swinson is that in a contest between **** and ****ter, in which she should shine by comparison, she somehow manages against all odds not to do so. There's also that inevitable 'Lib/Dem holier than thou' aura which they can never quite shake.

In Scotland I think much of the Nat venom directed against her is because she has the temerity to be a UK party leader who is Scottish (which doesn't fit the narrative that Scotland has no influence), she has a national platform which gives her more profile than any of the opposition leaders in the Scottish Parliament and is therefore the closest thing to an actual opponent, she's female which is on Sturgeon's play space and she's young and a mother which should make her dangerously relateable.

She has exactly the same influence at Westminster as any SNP MP. Next to none.

[Peevemor]

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Can't speak for others, but my gripe is she is over promoted, making up for her lack of substance by theatrical gestures and hyperbolic statements.

She does have that trendy Sunday School teacher about her as well.

What is it with Lib Dems and toothy grins, by the way. Her and Willie Rennie have heads that seem to be far too small for their mouths.

I prefer to keep physical attributes out of politics, but she looks like her head was designed by the same people as Wallace and Gromit.

[Cataplana]

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I prefer to keep physical attributes out of politics, but she looks like her head was designed by the same people as Wallace and Gromit.

You're right.