Best Of

Did they not think this through before starting this shit?

It happened pretty much the day the media started talking about a 13 year old girl accusing the US President of rape. I suspect the thinking was simply what can we do to change the headlines for the next month or two.

Few people will remember that story so if this war ends the media could treat it as a new story.

Which means that this war won’t end because the risk to Trump is too great

Other countries are available if they decide the costs are too high in keeping this one going.......

As the Telegraph reported in an article I linked to earlier Trump has launched attacks at 13 countries in the past 13 months (ie 1 a month).

You can't create as much peace as Trump without giving war a chance first.

Book your staycations now.

Airlines prepare to cancel flights to cope with jet fuel shortages

Carriers consider options such as scrapping routes in parts of the world with less stable reserves

Airlines are drawing up plans to cancel flights amid fears that jet fuel will dry up as the war in the Middle East drags on.

Carriers such as Air France-KLM said they were considering options that could include cancelling routes in some parts of the world with less stable fuel reserves.

While Europe currently has enough stocks to supply airlines in the next month or so, other countries are more dependent on Gulf flows and could see shortages sooner.

There is particular concern over long-haul destinations where carriers might not be able to obtain fuel for return flights if the Iran war escalates, potentially leaving aircraft stranded.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/03/20/airlines-cancel-flights-cope-jet-fuel-shortage/

*adopts whiny, pedantic tone*
Given that a 'staycation' means staying in the actual house where I live for my holiday, I don't need to 'book' it.
*whiny, pedantic tone off. For now*

For the financially well off if it is not overseas it is not a real holiday, making a UK vacation a staycation. Unless it was really fancy I suppose.

Not sure about that. A week in Spain is significantly cheaper than a week in the UK for equivalent standard hotels and food despite adding flight costs. A weekend comparable.

Our new Lord and saviour, Temüjin.

NOW - Netanyahu: "Jesus Christ has no advantage over Genghis Khan. Because if you are strong enough, ruthless enough, powerful enough, evil will overcome good."

https://x.com/disclosetv/status/2034713271517794575?s=61&t=LYVEHh2mqFy1oUJAdCfe-Q

Not sure if this is a real quote, but it does capture the Israeli mood; to put faith in the sword alone. The mistake is one well explained by Machiavelli (not himself a bleeding-heart pacifist): considering the difference between conquerors who gain the settled possession and loyalty of their acquisition, and those who never do so, he observed that those who, because of paranoia or other reasons, cannot restrain themselves from continuing violence and abuse towards their subjects, have to live forever with knife in hand; and in the end cannot sustain themselves. Those who offer their subjects the certainty of peace, and potential advancement, become secure in their loyalty even in the face of foreign temptation.

Yes. If you have to choose between fear and love, you choose fear, but you must take care not to make yourself hated. People must fear the consequences of attacking or betraying you, but they must not fear you will hurt them without cause.

Israel and the US are making themselves hated. Being desperate, the Iranians don’t care about being hated.

So at least 50% or more of voters want to keep the triple lock and subsidise energy bills during the Iran War. Most voters from all parties want to keep the triple lock, though less than half of Reform voters want to subsidise energy bills. They are divided on increasing defence spending and not yet ready to believe a UBI is possible but not majority opposed and Green voters back it as do half of Labour voters.

Most voters aren't that bothered about students though, more refusing to forgive student loans or bail out universities than not with Green voters again the main exception. Furlough is also not going to be believed as realistic either again

It doesn't matter what voters want, and this is where Starmer and Reeves are about to come up against reality

It does because voters elect their governments, as this poll proves the triple lock is untouchable, most voters from all parties want to retain it.

At most Labour could get away with means testing it that is it

Means testing the State Pension - that would go down way worse than killing the triple lock.

Throw one big increase on the state pension and few would notice the lock has gone, announce means testing (in any form on any part) and your political party will be gone at the next election

The Tories and LDs and now Reform could never means test it no as a large percentage of their voters are high earning pensioners.

Labour or the Greens could as if they get any votes from over 65s it is normally only from poor pensioners

This is not about politics but economics and the later will rule the day

You are not facing upto this crisis

Everything has changed

I fully agree. I don't like the fact that I'm going to be working almost till the point that I die, if I want to enjoy a good standard of living; nor that I'm going to be paying a load of income tax, each year for the rest of my life. It's not where I expected to be, when I began my working life, 37 years ago. But, we are where we are.

The triple lock is among the most worthless forms of government expenditure that exists. It is absolutely not a priority, right now.

I was told by a financial adviser years ago we'd probably work til we die, and I really took that to heart. I'm in a better position (financially at any rate) than a lot of people I know simply because I have fewer outgoings, but I expect to have no more than 5 years of retirement before death, if I am lucky.

"we'd probably work til we die,"

Nonsense.

After death, your brain will be kept in a jar. Working forever.....

Book your staycations now.

Airlines prepare to cancel flights to cope with jet fuel shortages

Carriers consider options such as scrapping routes in parts of the world with less stable reserves

Airlines are drawing up plans to cancel flights amid fears that jet fuel will dry up as the war in the Middle East drags on.

Carriers such as Air France-KLM said they were considering options that could include cancelling routes in some parts of the world with less stable fuel reserves.

While Europe currently has enough stocks to supply airlines in the next month or so, other countries are more dependent on Gulf flows and could see shortages sooner.

There is particular concern over long-haul destinations where carriers might not be able to obtain fuel for return flights if the Iran war escalates, potentially leaving aircraft stranded.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/03/20/airlines-cancel-flights-cope-jet-fuel-shortage/

*adopts whiny, pedantic tone*
Given that a 'staycation' means staying in the actual house where I live for my holiday, I don't need to 'book' it.
*whiny, pedantic tone off. For now*