Forum Topic

Pity Penny Mordaunt

Tonight's TV debate featuring representatives of all seven parties vying for government includes Conservative's Penny Mordaunt, Leader of the House of Commons.Not only will she face febrile criticisms of "14 years of Tory austerity" but will have to defend hapless Rishi's ill-judged decision to leave the Normandy commemorations early.She will need all the nerve and steely steadfastness required when carrying that enormous sword in front of a worldwide audience.Bet she regrets volunteering for the role tonight.

Denis Ian Fox ● 262d28 Comments

I don't generally discuss individuals but would say wish they would shape up a bit, all the manifestos etc., there is the bigger issue of war loomingpeople are being killed daily, I will be voting more on defence this time andwill ignore those who are ignoring it completely.

Janice Evans ● 255d

Keir the frightened deer whenever he’s asked a simple question. And people tend to forget that we had 14 years of the Tories getting away with murder because we’ve had a totally ineffective opposition for 14 years under Millibean, Corbean and Stammer. 14 years of Labour incompetence.

Steve Taylor ● 255d

I watched an interview with Keir Starmer and I think he's on the offensive,although with him it's hard to tell.

Keith Iddon ● 255d

Mordaunt  slaughtered Rayner last night and Farage slaughtered all of them.

Steve Taylor ● 255d

Now very doubtful that Mordaunt will retain her seat.

Steve Taylor ● 260d

“ Nigel Farage won Friday night’s seven-way BBC election debate, a snap poll has found.The survey of 1,031 voters, by More in Common, found the new Reform UK leader had come out on top in the debate, followed by Angela Rayner, Labour’s deputy. He received 25 per cent of the vote, with Ms Rayner on 19 per cent.The Green Party’s Carla Denyer was the third most popular, with 11 per cent, the SNP’s Stephen Flynn received 10 per cent and the Conservatives’ Penny Mordaunt took seven per cent.”

Steve Taylor ● 261d

Re. moderation.  I’ve seen some criticism of both Julie Etchingham and now Mishal in this thread and others.  Having done this a few times myself both on air and at various Chiswick venues, it really isn’t easy… especially when passions run high and arguments erupt.Moderators fall short on occasions, of course, but what is he/she supposed to do to if firm interventions aren’t cutting through?  Short of running up to panel members with a muzzle I’m not sure there’s an easy answer.  A claxon?  Maybe.  Cut the microphones?  Ok, but by whom and at what point?In most cases the argument dies down after a few seconds of people talking over each other, and some level of civility returns.  And if one panel member behaves persistently badly, then the audience is savvy enough to arrive at a conclusion…whatever the moderator does.

Julian Worricker ● 261d

I'm surprised your wife is allowed an opinion. I did like the 'Green lady' (she has a name - Carla Denyer) though and Daisy Cooper from the Liberal Democrats.

Anne England ● 261d

When a person is about to take advantage and has a little extra time to make points and attack, the opposing person tries to prevent it from happening by way of a counterattack. It's no surprise that this situation occurred, as the anchor lacked control and needed to sound off a very loud claxon instead of having a quiet little "it's time " moment. That is better Thinking about it, Farage was quite dignified in a way. Even the guardian thought he was the most confident speaker in attendance. But the audience gave off nothing in his favour. No surprise there being it is the BBC election debate. Applauding on nuclear weapons and on green issues got the biggest responses from the audience. Make of it what you will

Julian Pavey ● 261d

The audience was selected by Savanta, who regularly conduct polls for that well known left-leaning broadsheet The Daily Telegraph.

Andrew Jones ● 261d

Inarticulate senseless rambling!!

Steve Taylor ● 261d

When someone is going to get her extra time in, your going to counter act to stop that happening,so no surprise it happened as the ref  had no control and needed a whistle rather than 2 quite words in the background to shut the attack down, so the attack easily continues on and the ref has no more to give. VAR decides after its all over 

Julian Pavey ● 261d

"so maybe  the public are beginning to see the light as far as he is concerned."It wasn't really the public though, was it?  It was a carefully selected BBC audience with predetermined political views.

Steve Taylor ● 261d

“ pure misogyny!”.  Really Fish, you have become a stupid old man. Do you not know the meaning of catfight or fishwife?  Last time I checked, Richie and Stammer were still identifying as male so those terms couldn’t apply to them. Besides the fact that Richie was clearly overpowering Stammer because Stammer was just a quivering frightened deer in headlights and the host allowed Richie to do so. Possibly because she was waiting for Stammer to actually man up.  The catfight between the two women couldn’t compare because they have no class and probably don’t know any better. However, the host was totally out of order for allowing it to continue because nobody could hear what they were saying. That was a total wasted of valuable time. Penny was 100% right to bring up the £2000 figure again because it has been shown since to be more or less correct and the civil servant’s interpretation of the figure is wrong. It is true that the figure pertains only to ‘working people’ though and it’s a generalised average. It’s probably good for your health that you don’t watch any more debates though because you get too worked up when you can’t handle the truth. Swinney and Garbage both gave good and accurate performances although for some reason my wife thought the Green lady was the best!

Steve Taylor ● 261d

Absolutely right, Peter.  The discussion needs to be about fairness - how to tax, who to tax and who to protect from tax rises.  And of course how to direct investment resulting from essential tax rises to support growth as well as reducing the public squalor bequeathed by more than a decade of austerity.

Alastair Banton ● 261d

I have to say Penny's hairdo was most impressive.Very Thatcheresque. Perhaps Angela should ask for her hairdressers card and get herself a bee hive. The battle of the hairdos would surely settle things once and for all.

Adrian Irving ● 261d

I was slightly encouraged by the audience's reaction to Farage's comments.He was not getting the support I was expecting  so maybe  the public are beginning to see the light as far as he is concerned.Fool us once Farage, shame on you. Fool us twice shame on us.

Adrian Irving ● 261d

'Cat fight', 'fishwives' - pure misogyny! By contrast, you were all approving of Sunak's shouting down Starmer on Tuesday. But I agree with you in one respect: Mishal Husain was surprisingly ineffective in controlling them. She also allowed Mordaunt to repeat the Labour £2000 tax rise claim several times before drawing attention to the falsity of the suggestion it's a figure approved by the Treasury. It all goes to show these debates generate more heat than light. If there are any more, I won't be watching.

Robert Fish ● 261d

The feuding wasn't disgraceful Steve, it made for riveting TV. Nuclear armament and taxes are such vital topics that raised voices and consequent raised blood pressures was inevitable.I made it a high scoring draw between the two women.Others made their landmarks to good effect.I could have done with a half hour's extra time, with a knock out punch delivered by Nigel on Stephen Flynn a suitable denouement.

Denis Ian Fox ● 261d

What a cat fight between Raynor and Mordaunt and Mishal Husain was absolutely useless in controlling it. Those two women  ‘performed’ no better than common fishwives. Disgraceful!!

Steve Taylor ● 262d

Well done Penny. She unequivocally said what our PM did was wrong.No weasel words.

Adrian Irving ● 262d

To pay for all the things we need, of course taxes will have to go up and it’s silly for any Party to pretend otherwise. I see the Greens accept this fact of life and propose increasing capital gains tax and upper wealth levels.

Peter Evans ● 262d

DIF > "Bet she regrets volunteering for the role tonight."Surely it should be Oliver Dowden representing the Tories? He's Deputy PM. All the other parties are putting up leaders or deputy leaders. Odd.

John Whitworth ● 262d

Anyone who doesn't think our taxes would go up if we have a Labour government for the next five years has no grasp of history.

Richard Greenhough ● 262d

But they have not still denied it,starmer on the night did not deny it either. Just calls it lies which is not denying it as it could be 3k. Took 25 mins before he come up with something.Everyone and everyone in labour is using the word lie.Again that is not a big fat NO. Sounds like usual politics until your in charge and then boom.Be aware,be very awareLets just say he still is not clear on the issue

Julian Pavey ● 262d

On Question Time last night - it didn't matter how many times Fiona Bruce read out the letter from the Treasury regarding the figures that Sunak claimed proved Labour would cost people £2000 in extra taxes, Mark Harper just kept on repeating the lies over and over with people laughing at him. They have been told that they should not repeat this nonsense by a senior civil servant because it is incorrect - yet still they drivel on and on. Then on Politics Today this lunchtime, that awful Chris Philp repeated the lies yet again. If I were them I wouldn't be too bothered about Penny Mordaunt - it's Angela Rayner who is likely to go for the jugular. She takes no prisoners!

Vanessa Smith ● 262d

As I have already said;"Poor Penny Mordaunt.She's going to be on tonight in the TV debate and no doubt will be under fire on this one.If I was in her shoes I would just say what I think.Stupid boy.What's she got to loose by being honest?" If she does as I suggest, more diplomatically maybe, then I think her constituents will appreciate her candour which in turn may help to save her wobbly seat.

Adrian Irving ● 262d

Oh I don't know, if she does a creditable job then she will strengthen her case to succeed Sunak.So tonight's debate may also be a head to head for the next leader of the Conservatives - Penny Mordaunt or Nigel Farage.

Michael Robinson ● 262d