I used to be a regular over at Anthony’s blog in the first years, probably 2004-2007ish. I actually started my own blog shortly before both UK Polling Report and PB, and along with Freedom and Whisky and a few other Scottish political blogs, I used to spend all day on them. (2004 was my “year of cancer”, so I had a lot of time on my hands.)
The only one still going strong is PB. I wonder what the lifecycle of a blog is? Is PB an infant? A teenager? In the prime of life? A middle-aged tosser? Or SeanT?
If PB were SeanT it would have relaunched as flintknapping.com and devoted half its headers to discussing "hot teens" and most of the rest to a full on war on woke.
That's an exaggeration. At least 30% would be Covid catastrophising.
It’s hard to see how anyone sees Truss as a future PM. She’s clearly ambitious, but beyond that seems devoid of ideas, integrity, talent or a connection with the public.
Here comes Scrooge. What is so special about Christmas? For the kids yes but as one who was working most Xmas days it was very little dkfferent to a normal day, except for the empty roads in the morning!!!!!.
Here comes Scrooge. What is so special about Christmas? For the kids yes but as one who was working most Xmas days it was very little dkfferent to a normal day, except for the empty roads in the morning!!!!!.
It’s hard to see how anyone sees Truss as a future PM. She’s clearly ambitious, but beyond that seems devoid of ideas, integrity, talent or a connection with the public.
So she'd be basically like this one then, but with boobs not moobs?
It seems to be taken as a given by media coverage that Truss vs Rishi will be put to the members. Dunno about that.
One assumes Rishi has sufficient support among MPs to be in the top two and he’s the favourite for good reason. I expect what will happen is the Baker wing will force him into public condemnation of lockdowns and then back him. But I would still be surprised if he has enough support to rig the second place.
So who is the candidate who genuinely carries the support of the anti Rishis? Who are the anti Rishis? Those who think him too inexperienced? Truss doesn’t tick that box either. Red Wallers? Do they really prefer their chances with a Remainer ex Lib Dem? Personally I think she’s a screaming lay.
Red Wallers need a PM willing to spend money on them - which is some of the railway schemes (yes I know some people hate them) and more local improvements.
@Philip_Thompson did you know roads have £30bn being spent on them already? You seem to think it's a lot less than that. It's why I like the big rail schemes, they are obvious nationally in a way that nothing else is.
Worryingly I think this is Truss’s only way to become PM - so it will probably happen in April /May
Gideon Rachman @gideonrachman Prediction: in a few months time, Truss resigns as Foreign Sec, accusing Johnson of not being tough enough with the EU; repeating exactly what Johnson did to May & for same reason: to position for a leadership bid, knowing Tories will always chase rainbow of perfect hard Brexit
It will merely prove how much the Tories need the bogeyman of Europe as cover for their own shortcomings.... and we will have another blond non-entity as PM.
Liz Truss was of course a big supporter of Remain at the time of the referendum.
"Liz Truss @trussliz I am backing remain as I believe it is in Britain's economic interest and means we can focus on vital economic and social reform at home. 1:01 PM · Feb 20, 2016"
I don’t see why people think this is a point.
She backed remain for logical reasons. The voters decided they had other priorities so put more weight on other factors. She has knocked down and implemented the voters instructions to the best of her ability
As I posted yesterday, I wonder if that's why she's (mainly anyway) just rejuvenating already existing EU deals. Easier to get back in once we see sense and Rejoin.
She still has the baying loons in the background, and a membership across the country that still has sufficient numbers believing that a return to a 1957 is possible.
Any Tory with an ounce of sense would walk in the opposite direction from the Cabinet table and start building a really good reputation as a constituency MP, because when the election comes they better have their own patch all sorted out...
Here comes Scrooge. What is so special about Christmas? For the kids yes but as one who was working most Xmas days it was very little dkfferent to a normal day, except for the empty roads in the morning!!!!!.
Bah humbug!
Yes, the enjoyable thing about Christmas is getting the family together. It's one thing that I liked about Thanksgiving in the USA. It is like Christmas but without all the materialism.
This feels like the first proper day of the holiday. Normally I'd be approaching T6 but here I am sat in jogging bottoms watching the sunrise (such as it is).
Worryingly I think this is Truss’s only way to become PM - so it will probably happen in April /May
Gideon Rachman @gideonrachman Prediction: in a few months time, Truss resigns as Foreign Sec, accusing Johnson of not being tough enough with the EU; repeating exactly what Johnson did to May & for same reason: to position for a leadership bid, knowing Tories will always chase rainbow of perfect hard Brexit
It will merely prove how much the Tories need the bogeyman of Europe as cover for their own shortcomings.... and we will have another blond non-entity as PM.
Liz Truss was of course a big supporter of Remain at the time of the referendum.
"Liz Truss @trussliz I am backing remain as I believe it is in Britain's economic interest and means we can focus on vital economic and social reform at home. 1:01 PM · Feb 20, 2016"
I don’t see why people think this is a point.
She backed remain for logical reasons. The voters decided they had other priorities so put more weight on other factors. She has knocked down and implemented the voters instructions to the best of her ability
As I posted yesterday, I wonder if that's why she's (mainly anyway) just rejuvenating already existing EU deals. Easier to get back in once we see sense and Rejoin.
She still has the baying loons in the background, and a membership across the country that still has sufficient numbers believing that a return to a 1957 is possible.
Any Tory with an ounce of sense would walk in the opposite direction from the Cabinet table and start building a really good reputation as a constituency MP, because when the election comes they better have their own patch all sorted out...
Worryingly I think this is Truss’s only way to become PM - so it will probably happen in April /May
Gideon Rachman @gideonrachman Prediction: in a few months time, Truss resigns as Foreign Sec, accusing Johnson of not being tough enough with the EU; repeating exactly what Johnson did to May & for same reason: to position for a leadership bid, knowing Tories will always chase rainbow of perfect hard Brexit
It will merely prove how much the Tories need the bogeyman of Europe as cover for their own shortcomings.... and we will have another blond non-entity as PM.
Liz Truss was of course a big supporter of Remain at the time of the referendum.
"Liz Truss @trussliz I am backing remain as I believe it is in Britain's economic interest and means we can focus on vital economic and social reform at home. 1:01 PM · Feb 20, 2016"
I don’t see why people think this is a point.
She backed remain for logical reasons. The voters decided they had other priorities so put more weight on other factors. She has knocked down and implemented the voters instructions to the best of her ability
It's a point because Tory members thought it was relevant last time. And it is noticeable that (despite being a convert himself) HY is touting for Sunak rather than Truss, and has mentioned that one of Sunak's supposed positives is his support for Leave.
On a betting website, factors that matter to the potential electorate are relevant by definition.
It’s hard to see how anyone sees Truss as a future PM. She’s clearly ambitious, but beyond that seems devoid of ideas, integrity, talent or a connection with the public.
So she'd be basically like this one then, but with boobs not moobs?
Boris has a rare connection with the public, proven talent as a communicator and yes a lovely pair of moobs.
Truss has verystrong views on Cheese. She thinks she’s Thatcher. I suspect her legacy would be to make Boris look good.
Worryingly I think this is Truss’s only way to become PM - so it will probably happen in April /May
Gideon Rachman @gideonrachman Prediction: in a few months time, Truss resigns as Foreign Sec, accusing Johnson of not being tough enough with the EU; repeating exactly what Johnson did to May & for same reason: to position for a leadership bid, knowing Tories will always chase rainbow of perfect hard Brexit
It will merely prove how much the Tories need the bogeyman of Europe as cover for their own shortcomings.... and we will have another blond non-entity as PM.
Liz Truss was of course a big supporter of Remain at the time of the referendum.
"Liz Truss @trussliz I am backing remain as I believe it is in Britain's economic interest and means we can focus on vital economic and social reform at home. 1:01 PM · Feb 20, 2016"
I don’t see why people think this is a point.
She backed remain for logical reasons. The voters decided they had other priorities so put more weight on other factors. She has knocked down and implemented the voters instructions to the best of her ability
As I posted yesterday, I wonder if that's why she's (mainly anyway) just rejuvenating already existing EU deals. Easier to get back in once we see sense and Rejoin.
She still has the baying loons in the background, and a membership across the country that still has sufficient numbers believing that a return to a 1957 is possible.
Any Tory with an ounce of sense would walk in the opposite direction from the Cabinet table and start building a really good reputation as a constituency MP, because when the election comes they better have their own patch all sorted out...
People like to make fun of the late 1950s, but whenever I read a history book about that time it sounds like a rather exciting and forward-looking period, especially in the UK. Probably not so much in Ireland.
It’s hard to see how anyone sees Truss as a future PM. She’s clearly ambitious, but beyond that seems devoid of ideas, integrity, talent or a connection with the public.
So she'd be basically like this one then, but with boobs not moobs?
Down to the connection with the Tory selectorate, which might be enough.
Mildly surprised you didn't pick this up... ...Personally I think she’s a screaming lay... Too easy ?
It’s hard to see how anyone sees Truss as a future PM. She’s clearly ambitious, but beyond that seems devoid of ideas, integrity, talent or a connection with the public.
So she'd be basically like this one then, but with boobs not moobs?
To be fair Boris, in his prime, had a real connection with a segment of the public. That’s wearing off now.
Nothing beside remains round the decay of that colossal wreck. Boundless and bare the lone and level sands stretch far away.
It’s hard to see how anyone sees Truss as a future PM. She’s clearly ambitious, but beyond that seems devoid of ideas, integrity, talent or a connection with the public.
So she'd be basically like this one then, but with boobs not moobs?
Down to the connection with the Tory selectorate, which might be enough.
Mildly surprised you didn't pick this up... ...Personally I think she’s a screaming lay... Too easy ?
Well, you hear the rumours that she is both of those things. But OGH has tended to frown on such remarks in the past...
It’s hard to see how anyone sees Truss as a future PM. She’s clearly ambitious, but beyond that seems devoid of ideas, integrity, talent or a connection with the public.
It’s hard to see how anyone sees Truss as a future PM. She’s clearly ambitious, but beyond that seems devoid of ideas, integrity, talent or a connection with the public.
So she'd be basically like this one then, but with boobs not moobs?
Down to the connection with the Tory selectorate, which might be enough.
Mildly surprised you didn't pick this up... ...Personally I think she’s a screaming lay... Too easy ?
Well, you hear the rumours that she is both of those things. But OGH has tended to frown on such remarks in the past...
lol yes I only realised my unintended pun after I pressed Post.
Incidentally, jab update. Rather weary, but that may be because I didn't get as much sleep as I would have liked last night. A sore arm, which I had both times before. Otherwise, OK so far.
Worryingly I think this is Truss’s only way to become PM - so it will probably happen in April /May
Gideon Rachman @gideonrachman Prediction: in a few months time, Truss resigns as Foreign Sec, accusing Johnson of not being tough enough with the EU; repeating exactly what Johnson did to May & for same reason: to position for a leadership bid, knowing Tories will always chase rainbow of perfect hard Brexit
It will merely prove how much the Tories need the bogeyman of Europe as cover for their own shortcomings.... and we will have another blond non-entity as PM.
Liz Truss was of course a big supporter of Remain at the time of the referendum.
"Liz Truss @trussliz I am backing remain as I believe it is in Britain's economic interest and means we can focus on vital economic and social reform at home. 1:01 PM · Feb 20, 2016"
I don’t see why people think this is a point.
She backed remain for logical reasons. The voters decided they had other priorities so put more weight on other factors. She has knocked down and implemented the voters instructions to the best of her ability
It's a point because Tory members thought it was relevant last time. And it is noticeable that (despite being a convert himself) HY is touting for Sunak rather than Truss, and has mentioned that one of Sunak's supposed positives is his support for Leave.
On a betting website, factors that matter to the potential electorate are relevant by definition.
I wasn’t criticising @AndyJS - but lots of the people posting it on Twitter seem to see it as a negative. I view it as a positive. Membership of a supranational organisation should be a judgement of what’s in the best interest of the country not some immutable point of principle
It seems to be taken as a given by media coverage that Truss vs Rishi will be put to the members. Dunno about that.
One assumes Rishi has sufficient support among MPs to be in the top two and he’s the favourite for good reason. I expect what will happen is the Baker wing will force him into public condemnation of lockdowns and then back him. But I would still be surprised if he has enough support to rig the second place.
So who is the candidate who genuinely carries the support of the anti Rishis? Who are the anti Rishis? Those who think him too inexperienced? Truss doesn’t tick that box either. Red Wallers? Do they really prefer their chances with a Remainer ex Lib Dem? Personally I think she’s a screaming lay.
Red Wallers need a PM willing to spend money on them - which is some of the railway schemes (yes I know some people hate them) and more local improvements.
@Philip_Thompson did you know roads have £30bn being spent on them already? You seem to think it's a lot less than that. It's why I like the big rail schemes, they are obvious nationally in a way that nothing else is.
Roads £30bn and carry ~90% of all goods miles and ~90% of all passenger miles.
Rail hundreds of billions on schemes like HS2 and crossrail etc.
Yes I was aware of that, but what I said is that over a hundred billion on roads would do more than over a hundred billion on HS2.
It’s hard to see how anyone sees Truss as a future PM. She’s clearly ambitious, but beyond that seems devoid of ideas, integrity, talent or a connection with the public.
So she'd be basically like this one then, but with boobs not moobs?
Down to the connection with the Tory selectorate, which might be enough.
Mildly surprised you didn't pick this up... ...Personally I think she’s a screaming lay... Too easy ?
Well, you hear the rumours that she is both of those things. But OGH has tended to frown on such remarks in the past...
lol yes I only realised my unintended pun after I pressed Post.
An unintended pun is always the second best sort of pun.
It’s hard to see how anyone sees Truss as a future PM. She’s clearly ambitious, but beyond that seems devoid of ideas, integrity, talent or a connection with the public.
And we've just tried that.
How is Andy Street getting on in Birmingham? It would be good to have national leaders who have achieved something in real life before politics. Not always a guarantee of success I grant you.
Worryingly I think this is Truss’s only way to become PM - so it will probably happen in April /May
Gideon Rachman @gideonrachman Prediction: in a few months time, Truss resigns as Foreign Sec, accusing Johnson of not being tough enough with the EU; repeating exactly what Johnson did to May & for same reason: to position for a leadership bid, knowing Tories will always chase rainbow of perfect hard Brexit
It will merely prove how much the Tories need the bogeyman of Europe as cover for their own shortcomings.... and we will have another blond non-entity as PM.
Liz Truss was of course a big supporter of Remain at the time of the referendum.
"Liz Truss @trussliz I am backing remain as I believe it is in Britain's economic interest and means we can focus on vital economic and social reform at home. 1:01 PM · Feb 20, 2016"
I don’t see why people think this is a point.
She backed remain for logical reasons. The voters decided they had other priorities so put more weight on other factors. She has knocked down and implemented the voters instructions to the best of her ability
As I posted yesterday, I wonder if that's why she's (mainly anyway) just rejuvenating already existing EU deals. Easier to get back in once we see sense and Rejoin.
She still has the baying loons in the background, and a membership across the country that still has sufficient numbers believing that a return to a 1957 is possible.
Any Tory with an ounce of sense would walk in the opposite direction from the Cabinet table and start building a really good reputation as a constituency MP, because when the election comes they better have their own patch all sorted out...
People like to make fun of the late 1950s, but whenever I read a history book about that time it sounds like a rather exciting and forward-looking period, especially in the UK. Probably not so much in Ireland.
Just don’t be gay, black or female in the fifties. The fifties in Britain look dismal. Thank goodness the injustice, bleakness and the example of the US inspired the revolution to come that we’ve benefitted from since.
It’s hard to see how anyone sees Truss as a future PM. She’s clearly ambitious, but beyond that seems devoid of ideas, integrity, talent or a connection with the public.
And we've just tried that.
How is Andy Street getting on in Birmingham? It would be good to have national leaders who have achieved something in real life before politics. Not always a guarantee of success I grant you.
Somebody who could achieve something in politics would be mildly helpful.
I used to be a regular over at Anthony’s blog in the first years, probably 2004-2007ish. I actually started my own blog shortly before both UK Polling Report and PB, and along with Freedom and Whisky and a few other Scottish political blogs, I used to spend all day on them. (2004 was my “year of cancer”, so I had a lot of time on my hands.)
The only one still going strong is PB. I wonder what the lifecycle of a blog is? Is PB an infant? A teenager? In the prime of life? A middle-aged tosser? Or SeanT?
If PB were SeanT it would have relaunched as flintknapping.com and devoted half its headers to discussing "hot teens" and most of the rest to a full on war on woke.
That's an exaggeration. At least 30% would be Covid catastrophising.
With a further 1% randomly mocking Covid catastrophising without a hint of irony.
It’s hard to see how anyone sees Truss as a future PM. She’s clearly ambitious, but beyond that seems devoid of ideas, integrity, talent or a connection with the public.
So she'd be basically like this one then, but with boobs not moobs?
To be fair Boris, in his prime, had a real connection with a segment of the public. That’s wearing off now.
Nothing beside remains round the decay of that colossal wreck. Boundless and bare the lone and level sands stretch far away.
I wonder about 'connection'? He's a notorious loner, after all, with few real friends and pretty few political allies. He was seen as entertaining, and a refreshing change from 'stuffy and boring' politicians, and even perhaps, at one time, as authentic. And, at the very last minute, he threw is hat in to support a campaign already important to a fair few people.
But I don't think any of that amounts to an emotional connection - he isn't, for example, able to deploy empathy for the plight of others in the way of Blair or Cameron. His public speaking - in between the jokes, is awkward, artificial, and largely devoid of message or content. No-one has ever described him as inspiring - which politicians with genuine connection ought to be.
Yesterday someone was asking why are all the photos arriving now. I think this answers the question incredibly well
JP Asher @jp_asher On May 15 last year, I was alone in a hospice room with my cancer-stricken wife, a young mother who, due to Covid restrictions, had had to have goodbye visits from our two small children one at a time. She died in the night a few hours after this photograph was taken.
There is now zero chance Boris is going to be prime minister at the next election. If there was much chance these stories would be being kept back and published in the run up to the next election.
And remember there are millions of these stories all of which say one rule for Boris and another for everyone else.
It’s hard to see how anyone sees Truss as a future PM. She’s clearly ambitious, but beyond that seems devoid of ideas, integrity, talent or a connection with the public.
And we've just tried that.
How is Andy Street getting on in Birmingham? It would be good to have national leaders who have achieved something in real life before politics. Not always a guarantee of success I grant you.
Somebody who could achieve something in politics would be mildly helpful.
It is depressing when you look at the paucity of leadership in the western world, which seems to have become worse every time you look up. Leon is right, we should just submit ourselves to government by AI and / or aliens.
Worryingly I think this is Truss’s only way to become PM - so it will probably happen in April /May
Gideon Rachman @gideonrachman Prediction: in a few months time, Truss resigns as Foreign Sec, accusing Johnson of not being tough enough with the EU; repeating exactly what Johnson did to May & for same reason: to position for a leadership bid, knowing Tories will always chase rainbow of perfect hard Brexit
It will merely prove how much the Tories need the bogeyman of Europe as cover for their own shortcomings.... and we will have another blond non-entity as PM.
Liz Truss was of course a big supporter of Remain at the time of the referendum.
"Liz Truss @trussliz I am backing remain as I believe it is in Britain's economic interest and means we can focus on vital economic and social reform at home. 1:01 PM · Feb 20, 2016"
I don’t see why people think this is a point.
She backed remain for logical reasons. The voters decided they had other priorities so put more weight on other factors. She has knocked down and implemented the voters instructions to the best of her ability
It's a point because Tory members thought it was relevant last time. And it is noticeable that (despite being a convert himself) HY is touting for Sunak rather than Truss, and has mentioned that one of Sunak's supposed positives is his support for Leave.
On a betting website, factors that matter to the potential electorate are relevant by definition.
I wasn’t criticising @AndyJS - but lots of the people posting it on Twitter seem to see it as a negative. I view it as a positive. Membership of a supranational organisation should be a judgement of what’s in the best interest of the country not some immutable point of principle
You must have been abroad for the past decade; welcome back to the UK.
It’s hard to see how anyone sees Truss as a future PM. She’s clearly ambitious, but beyond that seems devoid of ideas, integrity, talent or a connection with the public.
And we've just tried that.
How is Andy Street getting on in Birmingham? It would be good to have national leaders who have achieved something in real life before politics. Not always a guarantee of success I grant you.
Somebody who could achieve something in politics would be mildly helpful.
It is depressing when you look at the paucity of leadership in the western world, which seems to have become worse every time you look up. Leon is right, we should just submit ourselves to government by AI and / or aliens.
There's a Mr Icke who lives round these parts who thinks we already have.
It’s hard to see how anyone sees Truss as a future PM. She’s clearly ambitious, but beyond that seems devoid of ideas, integrity, talent or a connection with the public.
And we've just tried that.
How is Andy Street getting on in Birmingham? It would be good to have national leaders who have achieved something in real life before politics. Not always a guarantee of success I grant you.
Somebody who could achieve something in politics would be mildly helpful.
It is depressing when you look at the paucity of leadership in the western world, which seems to have become worse every time you look up. Leon is right, we should just submit ourselves to government by AI and / or aliens.
There's a Mr Icke who lives round these parts who thinks we already have.
No, aliens would be far saner than this. Only humans can fuck up on this scale.
It’s hard to see how anyone sees Truss as a future PM. She’s clearly ambitious, but beyond that seems devoid of ideas, integrity, talent or a connection with the public.
So she'd be basically like this one then, but with boobs not moobs?
To be fair Boris, in his prime, had a real connection with a segment of the public. That’s wearing off now.
Nothing beside remains round the decay of that colossal wreck. Boundless and bare the lone and level sands stretch far away.
I wonder about 'connection'? He's a notorious loner, after all, with few real friends and pretty few political allies. He was seen as entertaining, and a refreshing change from 'stuffy and boring' politicians, and even perhaps, at one time, as authentic. And, at the very last minute, he threw is hat in to support a campaign already important to a fair few people.
But I don't think any of that amounts to an emotional connection - he isn't, for example, able to deploy empathy for the plight of others in the way of Blair or Cameron. His public speaking - in between the jokes, is awkward, artificial, and largely devoid of message or content. No-one has ever described him as inspiring - which politicians with genuine connection ought to be.
Boris is the anti politics candidate. Our five star Beppe Grillio. His send up of the office appeals to those who want to see the establishment taken down a peg or too and shaken up. Others want to see the world burn and Boris was their man. As a populist Boris could appeal to all that and more.
This presents a huge problem for the Conservative party. None of potential candidates offer any of that. They are either dull or far too political.
... Membership of a supranational organisation should be a judgement of what’s in the best interest of the country not some immutable point of principle
You must have been abroad for the past decade; welcome back to the UK.
Worryingly I think this is Truss’s only way to become PM - so it will probably happen in April /May
Gideon Rachman @gideonrachman Prediction: in a few months time, Truss resigns as Foreign Sec, accusing Johnson of not being tough enough with the EU; repeating exactly what Johnson did to May & for same reason: to position for a leadership bid, knowing Tories will always chase rainbow of perfect hard Brexit
It will merely prove how much the Tories need the bogeyman of Europe as cover for their own shortcomings.... and we will have another blond non-entity as PM.
Liz Truss was of course a big supporter of Remain at the time of the referendum.
"Liz Truss @trussliz I am backing remain as I believe it is in Britain's economic interest and means we can focus on vital economic and social reform at home. 1:01 PM · Feb 20, 2016"
I don’t see why people think this is a point.
She backed remain for logical reasons. The voters decided they had other priorities so put more weight on other factors. She has knocked down and implemented the voters instructions to the best of her ability
Indeed. But the problem, as ever, is that the ‘instructions’ as they are, are an inchoate mess. How you perceive them depends on your own ideological views.
I know one guy, seriously, who voted Leave because he doesn’t like Peugeot cars. How do we respect his ‘instructions’?
It’s hard to see how anyone sees Truss as a future PM. She’s clearly ambitious, but beyond that seems devoid of ideas, integrity, talent or a connection with the public.
And we've just tried that.
How is Andy Street getting on in Birmingham? It would be good to have national leaders who have achieved something in real life before politics. Not always a guarantee of success I grant you.
Somebody who could achieve something in politics would be mildly helpful.
It is depressing when you look at the paucity of leadership in the western world, which seems to have become worse every time you look up. Leon is right, we should just submit ourselves to government by AI and / or aliens.
There's a Mr Icke who lives round these parts who thinks we already have.
It’s hard to see how anyone sees Truss as a future PM. She’s clearly ambitious, but beyond that seems devoid of ideas, integrity, talent or a connection with the public.
And we've just tried that.
How is Andy Street getting on in Birmingham? It would be good to have national leaders who have achieved something in real life before politics. Not always a guarantee of success I grant you.
Somebody who could achieve something in politics would be mildly helpful.
It is depressing when you look at the paucity of leadership in the western world, which seems to have become worse every time you look up. Leon is right, we should just submit ourselves to government by AI and / or aliens.
There's a Mr Icke who lives round these parts who thinks we already have.
All over Europe politicians are looking over their shoulders and thinking did I drink a glass or two of wine as I told the population to stay at home and control the virus? Journalists are asking did they break rules, guidance, regulations or laws, and does this photo do enough to damn them again? Can we put them on trial at the court of public opinion?
It’s hard to see how anyone sees Truss as a future PM. She’s clearly ambitious, but beyond that seems devoid of ideas, integrity, talent or a connection with the public.
So she'd be basically like this one then, but with boobs not moobs?
To be fair Boris, in his prime, had a real connection with a segment of the public. That’s wearing off now.
Nothing beside remains round the decay of that colossal wreck. Boundless and bare the lone and level sands stretch far away.
I wonder about 'connection'? He's a notorious loner, after all, with few real friends and pretty few political allies. He was seen as entertaining, and a refreshing change from 'stuffy and boring' politicians, and even perhaps, at one time, as authentic. And, at the very last minute, he threw is hat in to support a campaign already important to a fair few people.
But I don't think any of that amounts to an emotional connection - he isn't, for example, able to deploy empathy for the plight of others in the way of Blair or Cameron. His public speaking - in between the jokes, is awkward, artificial, and largely devoid of message or content. No-one has ever described him as inspiring - which politicians with genuine connection ought to be.
Boris is the anti politics candidate. Our five star Beppe Grillio. His send up of the office appeals to those who want to see the establishment taken down a peg or too and shaken up. Others want to see the world burn and Boris was their man. As a populist Boris could appeal to all that and more.
This presents a huge problem for the Conservative party. None of potential candidates offer any of that. They are either dull or far too political.
It's a long shot, but that's why I think Penny Mordaunt stands out a bit as an outsider. She could regain quite a few women for the Tories potentially, I think, just for a start. Just an entirely different manner, public presentation or persona from most of the rest of the field.
It’s hard to see how anyone sees Truss as a future PM. She’s clearly ambitious, but beyond that seems devoid of ideas, integrity, talent or a connection with the public.
And we've just tried that.
How is Andy Street getting on in Birmingham? It would be good to have national leaders who have achieved something in real life before politics. Not always a guarantee of success I grant you.
Wasn’t Andy Street in charge of the Tories’ North Shropshire campaign?
It’s hard to see how anyone sees Truss as a future PM. She’s clearly ambitious, but beyond that seems devoid of ideas, integrity, talent or a connection with the public.
And we've just tried that.
How is Andy Street getting on in Birmingham? It would be good to have national leaders who have achieved something in real life before politics. Not always a guarantee of success I grant you.
Wasn’t Andy Street in charge of the Tories’ North Shropshire campaign?
It’s hard to see how anyone sees Truss as a future PM. She’s clearly ambitious, but beyond that seems devoid of ideas, integrity, talent or a connection with the public.
And we've just tried that.
How is Andy Street getting on in Birmingham? It would be good to have national leaders who have achieved something in real life before politics. Not always a guarantee of success I grant you.
Wasn’t Andy Street in charge of the Tories’ North Shropshire campaign?
Whoever ran that campaign was on a hiding to nothing. Didn't help that they selected a candidate who knew nothing about the constituency and was caught saying so. But after than it must have been a relentless deluge of shite - people who would not vote for Peppa and his shipped-in shill.
"The Telegraph understands “dozens” of Tory MPs are prepared to send their letters of no confidence to Sir Graham Brady, chair of the 1922 committee, if a lockdown is announced."
"The Telegraph understands “dozens” of Tory MPs are prepared to send their letters of no confidence to Sir Graham Brady, chair of the 1922 committee, if a lockdown is announced."
Telegraph
There won’t be a lockdown. The predictions were pure epidemiological hysterical.
At some point, it would be nice to see the Conservative party reject its current move away from being a party that supports freedom, democracy and the rule of law. But I don't see any potential replacements for Johnson doing that, unfortunately.
It seems to be taken as a given by media coverage that Truss vs Rishi will be put to the members. Dunno about that.
One assumes Rishi has sufficient support among MPs to be in the top two and he’s the favourite for good reason. I expect what will happen is the Baker wing will force him into public condemnation of lockdowns and then back him. But I would still be surprised if he has enough support to rig the second place.
So who is the candidate who genuinely carries the support of the anti Rishis? Who are the anti Rishis? Those who think him too inexperienced? Truss doesn’t tick that box either. Red Wallers? Do they really prefer their chances with a Remainer ex Lib Dem? Personally I think she’s a screaming lay.
Red Wallers need a PM willing to spend money on them - which is some of the railway schemes (yes I know some people hate them) and more local improvements.
@Philip_Thompson did you know roads have £30bn being spent on them already? You seem to think it's a lot less than that. It's why I like the big rail schemes, they are obvious nationally in a way that nothing else is.
Roads £30bn and carry ~90% of all goods miles and ~90% of all passenger miles.
Rail hundreds of billions on schemes like HS2 and crossrail etc.
Yes I was aware of that, but what I said is that over a hundred billion on roads would do more than over a hundred billion on HS2.
To take Crossrail as an example: I'd love to know what £18 billion road improvements you'd do in London to get the same benefits to central and western/eastern London, without knocking down half of the centre. Because the problem is people want to get to the centre of the city. That's their destination. What's your solution to that using cars?
Pre-Covid, it was estimated that 200 million people would use Crossrail per year - whilst Covid will affect that, I'm expecting usage to continue increasing in the medium term.
Using crude finger-waving estimations: say 50% of those users are going into the centre of London. That's 100 million journeys. Say they are all returns: that means 50 million return journeys, or a million per week. Or ~150k a day. Average car occupancy is 1.6 in the UK. That means ~100,000 extra cars in the centre of London. Needing to get there. Needing to park. Needing to return. And I think I'm low-balling those figures.
That's why good public transport is vital for any large city. And that's why so many large cities invest massively in public transport.
It seems to be taken as a given by media coverage that Truss vs Rishi will be put to the members. Dunno about that.
One assumes Rishi has sufficient support among MPs to be in the top two and he’s the favourite for good reason. I expect what will happen is the Baker wing will force him into public condemnation of lockdowns and then back him. But I would still be surprised if he has enough support to rig the second place.
So who is the candidate who genuinely carries the support of the anti Rishis? Who are the anti Rishis? Those who think him too inexperienced? Truss doesn’t tick that box either. Red Wallers? Do they really prefer their chances with a Remainer ex Lib Dem? Personally I think she’s a screaming lay.
Red Wallers need a PM willing to spend money on them - which is some of the railway schemes (yes I know some people hate them) and more local improvements.
@Philip_Thompson did you know roads have £30bn being spent on them already? You seem to think it's a lot less than that. It's why I like the big rail schemes, they are obvious nationally in a way that nothing else is.
Roads £30bn and carry ~90% of all goods miles and ~90% of all passenger miles.
Rail hundreds of billions on schemes like HS2 and crossrail etc.
Yes I was aware of that, but what I said is that over a hundred billion on roads would do more than over a hundred billion on HS2.
To take Crossrail as an example: I'd love to know what £18 billion road improvements you'd do in London to get the same benefits to central and western/eastern London, without knocking down half of the centre. Because the problem is people want to get to the centre of the city. That's their destination. What's your solution to that using cars?
Pre-Covid, it was estimated that 200 million people would use Crossrail per year - whilst Covid will affect that, I'm expecting usage to continue increasing in the medium term.
Using crude finger-waving estimations: say 50% of those users are going into the centre of London. That's 100 million journeys. Say they are all returns: that means 50 million return journeys, or a million per week. Or ~150k a day. Average car occupancy is 1.6 in the UK. That means ~100,000 extra cars in the centre of London. Needing to get there. Needing to park. Needing to return. And I think I'm low-balling those figures.
That's why good public transport is vital for any large city. And that's why so many large cities invest massively in public transport.
"The Telegraph understands “dozens” of Tory MPs are prepared to send their letters of no confidence to Sir Graham Brady, chair of the 1922 committee, if a lockdown is announced."
Telegraph
There won’t be a lockdown. The predictions were pure epidemiological hysterical.
Thats my feeling too. Ironically, Johnson will be desparate to NOT cancel Christmas, but that will also probably give time for the evidence that we won't need lockdown.
It seems to be taken as a given by media coverage that Truss vs Rishi will be put to the members. Dunno about that.
One assumes Rishi has sufficient support among MPs to be in the top two and he’s the favourite for good reason. I expect what will happen is the Baker wing will force him into public condemnation of lockdowns and then back him. But I would still be surprised if he has enough support to rig the second place.
So who is the candidate who genuinely carries the support of the anti Rishis? Who are the anti Rishis? Those who think him too inexperienced? Truss doesn’t tick that box either. Red Wallers? Do they really prefer their chances with a Remainer ex Lib Dem? Personally I think she’s a screaming lay.
Red Wallers need a PM willing to spend money on them - which is some of the railway schemes (yes I know some people hate them) and more local improvements.
@Philip_Thompson did you know roads have £30bn being spent on them already? You seem to think it's a lot less than that. It's why I like the big rail schemes, they are obvious nationally in a way that nothing else is.
Roads £30bn and carry ~90% of all goods miles and ~90% of all passenger miles.
Rail hundreds of billions on schemes like HS2 and crossrail etc.
Yes I was aware of that, but what I said is that over a hundred billion on roads would do more than over a hundred billion on HS2.
To take Crossrail as an example: I'd love to know what £18 billion road improvements you'd do in London to get the same benefits to central and western/eastern London, without knocking down half of the centre. Because the problem is people want to get to the centre of the city. That's their destination. What's your solution to that using cars?
Pre-Covid, it was estimated that 200 million people would use Crossrail per year - whilst Covid will affect that, I'm expecting usage to continue increasing in the medium term.
Using crude finger-waving estimations: say 50% of those users are going into the centre of London. That's 100 million journeys. Say they are all returns: that means 50 million return journeys, or a million per week. Or ~150k a day. Average car occupancy is 1.6 in the UK. That means ~100,000 extra cars in the centre of London. Needing to get there. Needing to park. Needing to return. And I think I'm low-balling those figures.
That's why good public transport is vital for any large city. And that's why so many large cities invest massively in public transport.
I wouldn't concentrate the investment in London.
Next question please?
Ah, so avoidance.
You don't have an answer. And BTW, most large cities have exactly the same issue, which is why (shock! horror!) places like Manchester, Newcastle et al have public transport systems!
You also forget that vast numbers of people have no access to cars.
The last Brexiteer standing. Mad as a box of frogs. Anti establishment. Well connected. Done with the kids.
Could he do it?
Not popular.
I think Sunak, Hunt, Javid or Mordaunt.
None of those are exactly popular either. Gove has Impeccable Brexit credentials and perhaps able to draw on the dark arts of Cummings.
If he wants it, surely he’s a candidate.
I think he's too unpopular with the public, really. I just don't see the Tories going for that option. He also somehow looks like the "old guard", nowadays.
I used to be a regular over at Anthony’s blog in the first years, probably 2004-2007ish. I actually started my own blog shortly before both UK Polling Report and PB, and along with Freedom and Whisky and a few other Scottish political blogs, I used to spend all day on them. (2004 was my “year of cancer”, so I had a lot of time on my hands.)
The only one still going strong is PB. I wonder what the lifecycle of a blog is? Is PB an infant? A teenager? In the prime of life? A middle-aged tosser? Or SeanT?
If PB were SeanT it would have relaunched as flintknapping.com and devoted half its headers to discussing "hot teens" and most of the rest to a full on war on woke.
That's an exaggeration. At least 30% would be Covid catastrophising.
Yeah, for a right wing nutter, Sean is a bit of a pansy. Remember that Man Cold he had the other week? The faux drama was almost pre-Raphaelite in its sickly sentimentality and bogus histrionics.
So the defence here is that they had all been working *very* hard and it wasn't a hospital ward or anything like that so, y'know, why not break out the cheese and wine?
It’s hard to see how anyone sees Truss as a future PM. She’s clearly ambitious, but beyond that seems devoid of ideas, integrity, talent or a connection with the public.
And we've just tried that.
How is Andy Street getting on in Birmingham? It would be good to have national leaders who have achieved something in real life before politics. Not always a guarantee of success I grant you.
Wasn’t Andy Street in charge of the Tories’ North Shropshire campaign?
Whoever ran that campaign was on a hiding to nothing. Didn't help that they selected a candidate who knew nothing about the constituency and was caught saying so. But after than it must have been a relentless deluge of shite - people who would not vote for Peppa and his shipped-in shill.
Poor candidate selection, as in Chesham and Amersham, really didn’t help. I think they’d have lost them anyway but nowhere near as badly
It’s hard to see how anyone sees Truss as a future PM. She’s clearly ambitious, but beyond that seems devoid of ideas, integrity, talent or a connection with the public.
And we've just tried that.
How is Andy Street getting on in Birmingham? It would be good to have national leaders who have achieved something in real life before politics. Not always a guarantee of success I grant you.
Wasn’t Andy Street in charge of the Tories’ North Shropshire campaign?
Definitely, Andy Street is the kind of Conservative leader we all need.
I think Stuart’s right. In 10 years time nobody will remember having voted for it. Not even Charles.
Boris is a corpse, too. He’ll be lucky to last into Spring.
What a frabjous day, though it’s a bit chilly here in Portugal after several days of balmy, t-shirt weather.
I don't see how brexit is dead. Its over. We are out. To make brexit dead surely implies rejoin?
Brexit as a political and ideological project is dead.
It’s now an administrative clear up job, with an inexorable pull back toward closer arrangements with the EU.
Which is fine. I think that's what the majority of people want - we don't really want to keep fighting with our friends over the water. We've always wanted trade and co-operation.
I don't get your point though. Its like saying WW2 was over in 1947. Of course it was.
I think Stuart’s right. In 10 years time nobody will remember having voted for it. Not even Charles.
Boris is a corpse, too. He’ll be lucky to last into Spring.
What a frabjous day, though it’s a bit chilly here in Portugal after several days of balmy, t-shirt weather.
I don't see how brexit is dead. Its over. We are out. To make brexit dead surely implies rejoin?
Brexit as a political and ideological project is dead.
It’s now an administrative clear up job, with an inexorable pull back toward closer arrangements with the EU.
Which is fine. I think that's what the majority of people want - we don't really want to keep fighting with our friends over the water. We've always wanted trade and co-operation.
I don't get your point though. Its like saying WW2 was over in 1947. Of course it was.
Technically World War Two has never ended, as Russia and Japan are at armistice and have never signed a peace treaty.
Boris defended Brexit, but from a position of pantomime and boosterism. If Gove does it, I think it will be seen more as calculating - even if it not in reality it's not necessarily more so.
Sunak and Mordaunt also have the advantage of looking and possibly being younger in style, which matters in today's 24-hour media driven cycle.
Starmer is cornering the "senior" market quite well, however.
Brexit as a political and ideological project is dead.
It’s now an administrative clear up job, with an inexorable pull back toward closer arrangements with the EU.
British business “not persuaded” By copycat U.K. version of EU “CE” safety mark @britishchambers survey finds. @William_Bain urges pragmatism... @beisgovuk says we’ve “taken back control” — latest for @FT
I think Stuart’s right. In 10 years time nobody will remember having voted for it. Not even Charles.
Boris is a corpse, too. He’ll be lucky to last into Spring.
What a frabjous day, though it’s a bit chilly here in Portugal after several days of balmy, t-shirt weather.
I don't see how brexit is dead. Its over. We are out. To make brexit dead surely implies rejoin?
Brexit as a political and ideological project is dead.
It’s now an administrative clear up job, with an inexorable pull back toward closer arrangements with the EU.
Which is fine. I think that's what the majority of people want - we don't really want to keep fighting with our friends over the water. We've always wanted trade and co-operation.
I don't get your point though. Its like saying WW2 was over in 1947. Of course it was.
Technically World War Two has never ended, as Russia and Japan are at armistice and have never signed a peace treaty.
So the defence here is that they had all been working *very* hard and it wasn't a hospital ward or anything like that so, y'know, why not break out the cheese and wine?
So the defence here is that they had all been working *very* hard and it wasn't a hospital ward or anything like that so, y'know, why not break out the cheese and wine?
This was lost before they ever boarded the plane, but I had hoped they would at least make 230.
This thread reminds me of dismal and desperate state politics and cricket was early-mid nineties. It was hard to believe that in just a few years we would have Labour utterly dominant and the greatest ashes series. 🤞
Thankfully, I've never had a normal job so I don't know how these things work but I assume normal office meetings do not traditionally conclude with getting slaughtered on wine.
Yesterday someone was asking why are all the photos arriving now. I think this answers the question incredibly well
JP Asher @jp_asher On May 15 last year, I was alone in a hospice room with my cancer-stricken wife, a young mother who, due to Covid restrictions, had had to have goodbye visits from our two small children one at a time. She died in the night a few hours after this photograph was taken.
There is now zero chance Boris is going to be prime minister at the next election. If there was much chance these stories would be being kept back and published in the run up to the next election.
And remember there are millions of these stories all of which say one rule for Boris and another for everyone else.
The thing about these stories is that they are all totally one dimensional - “I had an awful time therefore nobody else should, especially politicians”.
When my father died in November 2020 he had spent the previous three months in hospital whilst slowly on his way out. His last months outside of hospital were grim as he was very vulnerable and so shielding and so had no joy in his life (me being his son didn’t help….) and then his last months of life in hospital were such that visits were limited and the last times he spent with his family we were covered in masks and gloves etc so he couldn’t even feel our touch or see our smiles.
I wouldn’t want this situation for anyone but…..
To compare and criticise a bunch of people sitting outside their office, fairly well spaced, having a drink after work is nuts. Of course everyone in hospital couldn’t “mingle” and have a carousel of visitors as it would put them and other patients at risk. It’s ridiculous to say “I couldn’t do this at a very sad time so they shouldn’t have been doing that in a completely different circumstance”.
I get that the majority of people don’t gather for a drink after work in their office garden but I would imagine that if most could they would.
This morning I even heard one of the today presenters, Robinson no doubt, level the complaint that they were sitting there with smiles on their faces whilst people were suffering - ffs, is everyone supposed to be in sack-cloth and ashes and permanently miserable during Covid??
So people went through grim times. People would have gone through grim times at some point anyway and whilst made easier without covid restrictions they would still be grim times. I don’t want the world to stop and people stop living - in fact if anything covid is an argument for living as much as you can whilst you can.
The parties last Christmas were bloody stupid, Boris is a shit PM but to compare and contrast after work drinks in Downing Street garden with limits on loved ones in hospital is silly.
So the defence here is that they had all been working *very* hard and it wasn't a hospital ward or anything like that so, y'know, why not break out the cheese and wine?
It’s hard to see how anyone sees Truss as a future PM. She’s clearly ambitious, but beyond that seems devoid of ideas, integrity, talent or a connection with the public.
And we've just tried that.
How is Andy Street getting on in Birmingham? It would be good to have national leaders who have achieved something in real life before politics. Not always a guarantee of success I grant you.
Somebody who could achieve something in politics would be mildly helpful.
It is depressing when you look at the paucity of leadership in the western world, which seems to have become worse every time you look up. Leon is right, we should just submit ourselves to government by AI and / or aliens.
There's a Mr Icke who lives round these parts who thinks we already have.
It’s quite amusing really. Because two years ago I’d have just had him down as mentally ill. And then the Americans confirmed there’s ultra tech whizzing about the skies and oceans that’s not theirs, and isn’t plausibly anyone else’s. And once you cross that rubicon, conspiracy theories like Icke’s become relatively plausible mind experiments, albeit ones without direct supporting evidence.
Despite covid, what a time to be alive. And if anyone is feeling down about a New Years Eve lockdown, Cobra Kai is making a return that day. So there’s something to look forward to.
So the defence here is that they had all been working *very* hard and it wasn't a hospital ward or anything like that so, y'know, why not break out the cheese and wine?
The Tory MPs need to vote on the two candidates to reach the membership.
If Truss gets to the membership, she wins.
Yet it’s not obvious to me she has any/many supporters in the PCP.
Who will the “anyone-but-Truss” candidate be?
That has been my point. It's all well banging on about Truss and Sunak for the leadership but the question is whether they have enough MP support to make it to the final round.
I'd be looking for a candidate who is both anti-lockdown and pro-Brexit, and whom the new MPs will feel will appeal in their seats.
It seems to be taken as a given by media coverage that Truss vs Rishi will be put to the members. Dunno about that.
One assumes Rishi has sufficient support among MPs to be in the top two and he’s the favourite for good reason. I expect what will happen is the Baker wing will force him into public condemnation of lockdowns and then back him. But I would still be surprised if he has enough support to rig the second place.
So who is the candidate who genuinely carries the support of the anti Rishis? Who are the anti Rishis? Those who think him too inexperienced? Truss doesn’t tick that box either. Red Wallers? Do they really prefer their chances with a Remainer ex Lib Dem? Personally I think she’s a screaming lay.
Red Wallers need a PM willing to spend money on them - which is some of the railway schemes (yes I know some people hate them) and more local improvements.
@Philip_Thompson did you know roads have £30bn being spent on them already? You seem to think it's a lot less than that. It's why I like the big rail schemes, they are obvious nationally in a way that nothing else is.
Roads £30bn and carry ~90% of all goods miles and ~90% of all passenger miles.
Rail hundreds of billions on schemes like HS2 and crossrail etc.
Yes I was aware of that, but what I said is that over a hundred billion on roads would do more than over a hundred billion on HS2.
To take Crossrail as an example: I'd love to know what £18 billion road improvements you'd do in London to get the same benefits to central and western/eastern London, without knocking down half of the centre. Because the problem is people want to get to the centre of the city. That's their destination. What's your solution to that using cars?
Pre-Covid, it was estimated that 200 million people would use Crossrail per year - whilst Covid will affect that, I'm expecting usage to continue increasing in the medium term.
Using crude finger-waving estimations: say 50% of those users are going into the centre of London. That's 100 million journeys. Say they are all returns: that means 50 million return journeys, or a million per week. Or ~150k a day. Average car occupancy is 1.6 in the UK. That means ~100,000 extra cars in the centre of London. Needing to get there. Needing to park. Needing to return. And I think I'm low-balling those figures.
That's why good public transport is vital for any large city. And that's why so many large cities invest massively in public transport.
I wouldn't concentrate the investment in London.
Next question please?
Ah, so avoidance.
You don't have an answer. And BTW, most large cities have exactly the same issue, which is why (shock! horror!) places like Manchester, Newcastle et al have public transport systems!
You also forget that vast numbers of people have no access to cars.
I do have an answer. Public transport is fine for a tiny minority of people. I have no qualms with that tiny minority getting their fair share of investment, so long as the rest of the country gets their fair share too.
Crossrail getting £18billion in investment for a tiny minority of people when the entire rest of the country combined get £30 billion - do you not see the problem with that?
£30 billion in roads that carry 90% of all transport and £18 billion in just one rail line that only a tiny proportion of people use relative to the roads means that we're not investing fairly.
You don't need a car to use a road. Cyclists and buses which are the two primary forms of non-car transportation in many parts of the country both use roads too in case you missed it.
The Tory MPs need to vote on the two candidates to reach the membership.
If Truss gets to the membership, she wins.
Yet it’s not obvious to me she has any/many supporters in the PCP.
Who will the “anyone-but-Truss” candidate be?
That has been my point. It's all well banging on about Truss and Sunak for the leadership but the question is whether they have enough MP support to make it to the final round.
I'd be looking for a candidate who is both anti-lockdown and pro-Brexit, and whom the new MPs will feel will appeal in their seats.
There isn't one. Baker would be closest but he'd never make the run off.
Given the refusnik status of so many PL footballers (25%?), would it make sense to close down football unless the entire team is on a vaccination course. That would significantly reduce public interactions,
Yesterday someone was asking why are all the photos arriving now. I think this answers the question incredibly well
JP Asher @jp_asher On May 15 last year, I was alone in a hospice room with my cancer-stricken wife, a young mother who, due to Covid restrictions, had had to have goodbye visits from our two small children one at a time. She died in the night a few hours after this photograph was taken.
There is now zero chance Boris is going to be prime minister at the next election. If there was much chance these stories would be being kept back and published in the run up to the next election.
And remember there are millions of these stories all of which say one rule for Boris and another for everyone else.
The thing about these stories is that they are all totally one dimensional - “I had an awful time therefore nobody else should, especially politicians”.
When my father died in November 2020 he had spent the previous three months in hospital whilst slowly on his way out. His last months outside of hospital were grim as he was very vulnerable and so shielding and so had no joy in his life (me being his son didn’t help….) and then his last months of life in hospital were such that visits were limited and the last times he spent with his family we were covered in masks and gloves etc so he couldn’t even feel our touch or see our smiles.
I wouldn’t want this situation for anyone but…..
To compare and criticise a bunch of people sitting outside their office, fairly well spaced, having a drink after work is nuts. Of course everyone in hospital couldn’t “mingle” and have a carousel of visitors as it would put them and other patients at risk. It’s ridiculous to say “I couldn’t do this at a very sad time so they shouldn’t have been doing that in a completely different circumstance”.
I get that the majority of people don’t gather for a drink after work in their office garden but I would imagine that if most could they would.
This morning I even heard one of the today presenters, Robinson no doubt, level the complaint that they were sitting there with smiles on their faces whilst people were suffering - ffs, is everyone supposed to be in sack-cloth and ashes and permanently miserable during Covid??
So people went through grim times. People would have gone through grim times at some point anyway and whilst made easier without covid restrictions they would still be grim times. I don’t want the world to stop and people stop living - in fact if anything covid is an argument for living as much as you can whilst you can.
The parties last Christmas were bloody stupid, Boris is a shit PM but to compare and contrast after work drinks in Downing Street garden with limits on loved ones in hospital is silly.
What about, for example, being able to attend a funeral at that time?
So the defence here is that they had all been working *very* hard and it wasn't a hospital ward or anything like that so, y'know, why not break out the cheese and wine?
Comments
@Philip_Thompson did you know roads have £30bn being spent on them already? You seem to think it's a lot less than that. It's why I like the big rail schemes, they are obvious nationally in a way that nothing else is.
Any Tory with an ounce of sense would walk in the opposite direction from the Cabinet table and start building a really good reputation as a constituency MP, because when the election comes they better have their own patch all sorted out...
Yes, the enjoyable thing about Christmas is getting the family together. It's one thing that I liked about Thanksgiving in the USA. It is like Christmas but without all the materialism.
Always a nice feeling.
On a betting website, factors that matter to the potential electorate are relevant by definition.
Truss has verystrong views on Cheese. She thinks she’s Thatcher. I suspect her legacy would be to make Boris look good.
Mildly surprised you didn't pick this up...
...Personally I think she’s a screaming lay...
Too easy ?
Nothing beside remains round the decay of that colossal wreck. Boundless and bare the lone and level sands stretch far away.
Rail hundreds of billions on schemes like HS2 and crossrail etc.
Yes I was aware of that, but what I said is that over a hundred billion on roads would do more than over a hundred billion on HS2.
One of mine being the best, obviously
But I don't think any of that amounts to an emotional connection - he isn't, for example, able to deploy empathy for the plight of others in the way of Blair or Cameron. His public speaking - in between the jokes, is awkward, artificial, and largely devoid of message or content. No-one has ever described him as inspiring - which politicians with genuine connection ought to be.
JP Asher
@jp_asher
On May 15 last year, I was alone in a hospice room with my cancer-stricken wife, a young mother who, due to Covid restrictions, had had to have goodbye visits from our two small children one at a time. She died in the night a few hours after this photograph was taken.
There is now zero chance Boris is going to be prime minister at the next election. If there was much chance these stories would be being kept back and published in the run up to the next election.
And remember there are millions of these stories all of which say one rule for Boris and another for everyone else.
This presents a huge problem for the Conservative party. None of potential candidates offer any of that. They are either dull or far too political.
I know one guy, seriously, who voted Leave because he doesn’t like Peugeot cars. How do we respect his ‘instructions’?
Shame Commodore fell to pieces afterwards.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10327069/Ruin-Christmas-oust-Tory-MPs-warn-PM-Sajid-Javid-said-ruled-out.html
I mean, really dead.
I think Stuart’s right. In 10 years time nobody will remember having voted for it. Not even Charles.
Boris is a corpse, too. He’ll be lucky to last into Spring.
What a frabjous day, though it’s a bit chilly here in Portugal after several days of balmy, t-shirt weather.
Telegraph
https://www.betfair.com/exchange/plus/cricket/market/1.192252996
The predictions were pure epidemiological hysterical.
Pre-Covid, it was estimated that 200 million people would use Crossrail per year - whilst Covid will affect that, I'm expecting usage to continue increasing in the medium term.
Using crude finger-waving estimations: say 50% of those users are going into the centre of London. That's 100 million journeys. Say they are all returns: that means 50 million return journeys, or a million per week. Or ~150k a day. Average car occupancy is 1.6 in the UK. That means ~100,000 extra cars in the centre of London. Needing to get there. Needing to park. Needing to return. And I think I'm low-balling those figures.
That's why good public transport is vital for any large city. And that's why so many large cities invest massively in public transport.
The last Brexiteer standing. Mad as a box of frogs. Anti establishment. Well connected. Down with the kids.
Could he do it?
Next question please?
I think Sunak, Hunt, Javid or Mordaunt, and maybe in that order of likelihood, too.
Both are good, but PT indispensable in a country as urbanised and densely populated as Britain.
Poor PT provision also helps explain poor productivity in Britain’s northern cities due as the labour pool available to employers is restricted.
"This wasn't a social occasion, it was staff having a drink after meetings"
Deputy PM Dominic Raab defends a new photo showing the PM and colleagues having a gathering in the No 10 garden during lockdown.
https://bbc.in/32lXeiA"
https://twitter.com/BBCBreakfast/status/1472838884014841861
If he wants it, surely he’s a candidate.
If Truss gets to the membership, she wins.
Yet it’s not obvious to me she has any/many supporters in the PCP.
Who will the “anyone-but-Truss” candidate be?
Look to SA. The evidence is there.
You don't have an answer. And BTW, most large cities have exactly the same issue, which is why (shock! horror!) places like Manchester, Newcastle et al have public transport systems!
You also forget that vast numbers of people have no access to cars.
I'm not sure that is helping, Dom.
https://twitter.com/rafaelbehr/status/1472847239571771395
https://twitter.com/BBCBreakfast/status/1472838884014841861
It’s now an administrative clear up job, with an inexorable pull back toward closer arrangements with the EU.
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/london-cases-covid-omicron-increase-boris-johnson-nhs-b972875.html
I don't get your point though. Its like saying WW2 was over in 1947. Of course it was.
Sunak and Mordaunt also have the advantage of looking and possibly being younger in style, which matters in today's 24-hour media driven cycle.
Starmer is cornering the "senior" market quite well, however.
British business “not persuaded”
By copycat U.K. version of EU “CE” safety mark @britishchambers survey finds. @William_Bain urges pragmatism... @beisgovuk says we’ve “taken back control” — latest for @FT
https://on.ft.com/3e4E03s https://twitter.com/pmdfoster/status/1472848982514835460/photo/1
Like saying the Grand Prix from Sunday is over...
When my father died in November 2020 he had spent the previous three months in hospital whilst slowly on his way out. His last months outside of hospital were grim as he was very vulnerable and so shielding and so had no joy in his life (me being his son didn’t help….) and then his last months of life in hospital were such that visits were limited and the last times he spent with his family we were covered in masks and gloves etc so he couldn’t even feel our touch or see our smiles.
I wouldn’t want this situation for anyone but…..
To compare and criticise a bunch of people sitting outside their office, fairly well spaced, having a drink after work is nuts. Of course everyone in hospital couldn’t “mingle” and have a carousel of visitors as it would put them and other patients at risk. It’s ridiculous to say “I couldn’t do this at a very sad time so they shouldn’t have been doing that in a completely different circumstance”.
I get that the majority of people don’t gather for a drink after work in their office garden but I would imagine that if most could they would.
This morning I even heard one of the today presenters, Robinson no doubt, level the complaint that they were sitting there with smiles on their faces whilst people were suffering - ffs, is everyone supposed to be in sack-cloth and ashes and permanently miserable during Covid??
So people went through grim times. People would have gone through grim times at some point anyway and whilst made easier without covid restrictions they would still be grim times. I don’t want the world to stop and people stop living - in fact if anything covid is an argument for living as much as you can whilst you can.
The parties last Christmas were bloody stupid, Boris is a shit PM but to compare and contrast after work drinks in Downing Street garden with limits on loved ones in hospital is silly.
Despite covid, what a time to be alive. And if anyone is feeling down about a New Years Eve lockdown, Cobra Kai is making a return that day. So there’s something to look forward to.
I'd be looking for a candidate who is both anti-lockdown and pro-Brexit, and whom the new MPs will feel will appeal in their seats.
Crossrail getting £18billion in investment for a tiny minority of people when the entire rest of the country combined get £30 billion - do you not see the problem with that?
£30 billion in roads that carry 90% of all transport and £18 billion in just one rail line that only a tiny proportion of people use relative to the roads means that we're not investing fairly.
You don't need a car to use a road. Cyclists and buses which are the two primary forms of non-car transportation in many parts of the country both use roads too in case you missed it.
Stop them playing, and stop them being paid.