The General Election 2017 - week two

As we head off into the second Week of full campaigning for the General Election on June 8th, everything has been rather flat. As regards the voting intent come June 8th, no matter which newspaper you read, or poll you scan, it appears everyone is saying the same thing. Jeremy Corbyn, although making a little headway, is not really making enough. Currently, 19 points behind Theresa May, if that were turned into actual votes, she would end up with a 142 seat majority, although some papers put it as much as 150 seats plus.

So what have the chaps been saying?

This week should see the manifestos begin to appear, which will lay out each party's wares to the public. No specific details as yet, from anyone. Just a lot of speculation.

Ms. May has been rather quiet, offering no insight as yet into what would, and will be, Tory policy. She is no doubt still reeling from the four minute's it took the 27 remaining members of the EU to agree they were not going to give the UK an easy ride over negotiations on the terms of Brexit. Obviously, none of them have heard of one of one of the guiding principles of Democracy; the ability to change your mind.So, getting into the game is easier than getting out. One can only hope that any waverers in the 27 remember that for their future.

Labour have pushed out the boat against rogue landlords who are abusing clients by renting them sub-standard accommodation, saying it will be one of the features of their manifesto. They are also considering giving the people a vote on what should be in the final Brexit Bill. Oh, and after saying that Labour could,'win at any time if it really wanted to' Tony Blair is strongly considering getting his hands dirty again - as if they were not already, by large amounts of innocent blood - and returning to political activity in order to influence the Brexit vote.

Tim Farron and the Lib-Dems have been squirreling about with not a lot to say for themselves. UKIP have said that they wish to jettison the TV license, as it is an outmoded form of stealth Tax, and get rid of VAT on fish and chips. Which of course should see support flooding in for them.

So what have the chaps been doing?

After a quick trip up north to Crathes in Kincardine in order to bolster Ruth Davidson's chances, a ten-minute speech in which her mantra of 'strong, stable government,' was rather overused before it was back to London to appear along with Tim Fallon - a nice man, who smiled a lot and said little - on the Andrew Marr show, and later with Robert Peston on ITV.

To say she was glacial on both occasions was rather an understatement, with her continuously falling to answer any probing questions and answering in the style of another ex-lady pm, who one can only hope she is not trying to emulate.

But of course, before anything else happens we have the local government elections on Thursday. Perhaps after that hurdle is out of the way, we may have a better understanding of voters intentions; then the real battles can begin.