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Yet the Conservatives have still lost about 4-6% since even their 2024 general election low on the latest polls under Kemi relative to what they got under Rishi. Kemi has done some good policy work and shored up party finances but would Cleverly, who at the time of the 2024 leadership election polled best with voters as a whole of the Conservative leadership contenders and with 2024 Tories have lost as many 2024 Tories? I doubt it. Cleverly would also likely get more Labour and LD tactical votes for the Tories in Tory held seats to beat Reform.

Regardless who leads them though one thing the Tories will need to learn while they are out of the top 2 nationally is the importance of the barchart. Just as the LDs as a party not in the top 2 in the polls often won more seats than their national poll rating suggested locally and indeed sometimes nationally like in 2024 with the barchart in their leaflets eg only the LDs can beat the Conservatives (or occasionally Labour) here, Labour can't win here etc. So the Tories will need barcharts in their seats saying only the Conservatives can beat Reform here (and the same in a few posher now Labour held seats like Chelsea and Fulham and Kensington and Bayswater and Finchley and Golders Green and Welwyn Hatfield ie Reform can't win here, only the Conservatives can beat Labour in this seat)

Cleverly is a nice guy who doesn't offend anyone, but that's all he is.

I think the Conservatives should stick with Kemi.

For now, if the Conservatives are third or worse on NEV after the May local and devolved elections though Kemi is gone. Tory MPs would likely VONC and replace her with former Home and Foreign Secretary Cleverly by coronation. Cleverly would the Michael Howard to her IDS, the Sunak to her Truss

That's just an assertion, though.

There's no evidence for it, and nor is that path certain to follow.

@HYUFD is never wrong until he is !!!

But in the meantime he's a broken record...a broken record...a broken record...a broken record...a broken record...

Why are people still pushing the ridiculous conspiracy theories about Epstein “being murdered”, or whatever. I’m sick and tired of it. This is just the latest vapid bilge from the Telegraph


“The last prison guard to see Jeffrey Epstein alive made suspicious cash deposits in the 12 months before his death, US Department of Justice (DoJ) files reveal.

“Epstein was found unresponsive in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York on Aug 10, 2019. His death was ruled a suicide.

“Tova Noel, 37, one of two officers accused of falsifying prisoner record checks that night, made a final cash deposit of $5,000 (£3,729) into her bank account less than a fortnight earlier on July 30.

“A total of 12 ATM cash deposits, beginning in October 2018, were flagged by her bank to the FBI in a “suspicious activity report” in November 2019.

“Ms Noel and her colleague Michael Thomas were fired after being accused of falsifying records to claim they checked on Epstein during the night before his suicide on Aug 10 that year.

“CCTV footage revealed the pair did not check on Epstein for eight hours, despite his cell being just 15 feet from the guards’ desk.

Criminal charges against them were later dropped.”


Why can’t people just let it go? Jeffrey Epstein was a nasty criminal but in the end he was better and he realised he’d done bad things and stuff, and decided to off himself as a punishment to himself. Indeed he was so honourable at the end he killed himself when it wouldn’t be too upsetting because all the guards were asleep. Just accept it and stop talking about it.

Funny. Of all the conspiracy theories you buy into and THIS is the one that is a step too far?

Isn't the point that he does believe it but doesn't want to say?

Why are people still pushing the ridiculous conspiracy theories about Epstein “being murdered”, or whatever. I’m sick and tired of it. This is just the latest vapid bilge from the Telegraph


“The last prison guard to see Jeffrey Epstein alive made suspicious cash deposits in the 12 months before his death, US Department of Justice (DoJ) files reveal.

“Epstein was found unresponsive in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York on Aug 10, 2019. His death was ruled a suicide.

“Tova Noel, 37, one of two officers accused of falsifying prisoner record checks that night, made a final cash deposit of $5,000 (£3,729) into her bank account less than a fortnight earlier on July 30.

“A total of 12 ATM cash deposits, beginning in October 2018, were flagged by her bank to the FBI in a “suspicious activity report” in November 2019.

“Ms Noel and her colleague Michael Thomas were fired after being accused of falsifying records to claim they checked on Epstein during the night before his suicide on Aug 10 that year.

“CCTV footage revealed the pair did not check on Epstein for eight hours, despite his cell being just 15 feet from the guards’ desk.

Criminal charges against them were later dropped.”


Why can’t people just let it go? Jeffrey Epstein was a nasty criminal but in the end he was better and he realised he’d done bad things and stuff, and decided to off himself as a punishment to himself. Indeed he was so honourable at the end he killed himself when it wouldn’t be too upsetting because all the guards were asleep. Just accept it and stop talking about it.

Funny. Of all the conspiracy theories you buy into and THIS is the one that is a step too far?

Only if you think he means it and isn't being ironic.

Or was it Byronic?

Why are people still pushing the ridiculous conspiracy theories about Epstein “being murdered”, or whatever. I’m sick and tired of it. This is just the latest vapid bilge from the Telegraph


“The last prison guard to see Jeffrey Epstein alive made suspicious cash deposits in the 12 months before his death, US Department of Justice (DoJ) files reveal.

“Epstein was found unresponsive in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York on Aug 10, 2019. His death was ruled a suicide.

“Tova Noel, 37, one of two officers accused of falsifying prisoner record checks that night, made a final cash deposit of $5,000 (£3,729) into her bank account less than a fortnight earlier on July 30.

“A total of 12 ATM cash deposits, beginning in October 2018, were flagged by her bank to the FBI in a “suspicious activity report” in November 2019.

“Ms Noel and her colleague Michael Thomas were fired after being accused of falsifying records to claim they checked on Epstein during the night before his suicide on Aug 10 that year.

“CCTV footage revealed the pair did not check on Epstein for eight hours, despite his cell being just 15 feet from the guards’ desk.

Criminal charges against them were later dropped.”


Why can’t people just let it go? Jeffrey Epstein was a nasty criminal but in the end he was better and he realised he’d done bad things and stuff, and decided to off himself as a punishment to himself. Indeed he was so honourable at the end he killed himself when it wouldn’t be too upsetting because all the guards were asleep. Just accept it and stop talking about it.

Funny. Of all the conspiracy theories you buy into and THIS is the one that is a step too far?

He might just be trolling for readers ?

I doubt the Telegraph can shed much light on the business either way.

Why are people still pushing the ridiculous conspiracy theories about Epstein “being murdered”, or whatever. I’m sick and tired of it. This is just the latest vapid bilge from the Telegraph


“The last prison guard to see Jeffrey Epstein alive made suspicious cash deposits in the 12 months before his death, US Department of Justice (DoJ) files reveal.

“Epstein was found unresponsive in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York on Aug 10, 2019. His death was ruled a suicide.

“Tova Noel, 37, one of two officers accused of falsifying prisoner record checks that night, made a final cash deposit of $5,000 (£3,729) into her bank account less than a fortnight earlier on July 30.

“A total of 12 ATM cash deposits, beginning in October 2018, were flagged by her bank to the FBI in a “suspicious activity report” in November 2019.

“Ms Noel and her colleague Michael Thomas were fired after being accused of falsifying records to claim they checked on Epstein during the night before his suicide on Aug 10 that year.

“CCTV footage revealed the pair did not check on Epstein for eight hours, despite his cell being just 15 feet from the guards’ desk.

Criminal charges against them were later dropped.”


Why can’t people just let it go? Jeffrey Epstein was a nasty criminal but in the end he was better and he realised he’d done bad things and stuff, and decided to off himself as a punishment to himself. Indeed he was so honourable at the end he killed himself when it wouldn’t be too upsetting because all the guards were asleep. Just accept it and stop talking about it.

Two reasons why people won't let go. Firstly, stating a conspiracy theory is easier than refuting it and requires next to no effort. Secondly, unlike many conspiracy theories (flat earth, no moon landings etc) it is not impossible to think it might be true. And we don't have reasons for thinking this USA regime is deeply wedded to the idea of transparent truthfulness.

Yet the Conservatives have still lost about 4-6% since even their 2024 general election low on the latest polls under Kemi relative to what they got under Rishi. Kemi has done some good policy work and shored up party finances but would Cleverly, who at the time of the 2024 leadership election polled best with voters as a whole of the Conservative leadership contenders and with 2024 Tories have lost as many 2024 Tories? I doubt it. Cleverly would also likely get more Labour and LD tactical votes for the Tories in Tory held seats to beat Reform.

Regardless who leads them though one thing the Tories will need to learn while they are out of the top 2 nationally is the importance of the barchart. Just as the LDs as a party not in the top 2 in the polls often won more seats than their national poll rating suggested locally and indeed sometimes nationally like in 2024 with the barchart in their leaflets eg only the LDs can beat the Conservatives (or occasionally Labour) here, Labour can't win here etc. So the Tories will need barcharts in their seats saying only the Conservatives can beat Reform here (and the same in a few posher now Labour held seats like Chelsea and Fulham and Kensington and Bayswater and Finchley and Golders Green and Welwyn Hatfield ie Reform can't win here, only the Conservatives can beat Labour in this seat)

Cleverly is a nice guy who doesn't offend anyone, but that's all he is.

I think the Conservatives should stick with Kemi.

For now, if the Conservatives are third or worse on NEV after the May local and devolved elections though Kemi is gone. Tory MPs would likely VONC and replace her with former Home and Foreign Secretary Cleverly by coronation. Cleverly would the Michael Howard to her IDS, the Sunak to her Truss

That's just an assertion, though.

There's no evidence for it, and nor is that path certain to follow.

FPT

.

Surely this latest war is just more evidence we need to stop importing energy which surely means more renewables? How can anyone disagree.

There are some alternatives. We could have massive strategic reserves of gas and oil that the government can release in an emergency (see Japan). We could nationalise and massively subsidise O&G production to isolate the industry from global energy prices and boost domestic production. Coal in theory could work because it's easy to store, we'd just need to import lots of it and, again, nationalise it in preperation for a period like this.

These aren't cost-free options though.

The massive gas storage facility which Conservative governments decided wasn't worth the cost of subsidising would have probably been the most cost effective mitigation.

As a I understand it the North Sea would make an excellent gas storage facility, if we hadn't drilled it so extensively. That's why Rough is unusual for being a decent UK option, neglected until 2022 and the Ukraine invasion.

Richard_Tyndall is online however so he can put me straight.

The problem is not how much we have drilled. Indeed drilling/producing a field is a pre-requisite to reduce the existing volumes/pressures in the formation so you can then use it to store gas. And the cement we use to abandon wells is, by necessity, stronger than the surrounding formations. This is my job these days, abandoning hundreds of wells across the North Sea and Denmark. As long as it is done properly then it has no impact on the storage capabilities.

The problem with the gas storage is that continualy pumping gas into and out of the formation weakens it over time. Rough has no where near the capacity it had at the start of its storage life because of this. And suprisingly the number of fields suitable for such storage are vanishingly small. I am not aware currently of any other serious contenders for gas storage in the UK sector - although some of those being looked at for CCS might be suitable. Germany generally uses salt as the storage formation for its gas reserves which is much more stable but in the North Sea the Zechstein Salts are much deeper which causes a lot of additional problems as the pressures are higher and salt under pressure acts like a fluid and flows.

I am sure there are suitable targets but successive governments over the last 40 years have not really invested in looking for or apppraising them.