Lords watchdog launches inquiry into Michelle Mone over ‘VIP lane’ contract Investigation into Tory peer relates to PPE company awarded £203m in government contracts
The commissioner confirmed that the investigation would be for “alleged involvement in procuring contracts for PPE Medpro, leading to potential breaches” of three provisions of the Lords code, which cover the requirement that peers publicly register “all relevant interests”, and prohibit them from lobbying for a company or a person in which a peer “has a financial interest”.
The commissioner also stated that Mone would be investigated under the more general provisions of the code’s paragraph 9, which includes that peers “should always act on their personal honour”; must never accept “any financial inducement as an incentive or reward for exercising parliamentary influence”; and “must not seek to profit from membership of the house by accepting or agreeing to accept payment or other incentive or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services.”
Pretty sure Money will now be consigned to that ghastly Johnson type of Toryism with which the SCons have absolutely no connection.
Will be fascinating seeing the election material the Scottish Conservatives are shortly going to print up. They’ll use blue, but I bet the word “Conservative” is conspicuous by its absence, as will any reference to them being in power in London.
Will they continue with Ruth Davidson’s moderately successful ‘No Surrender’ strategy? Initial intelligence ( @Carnyx ) suggests not.
Certainly the List MSP leaflet I got the other day was a total contrast to the usual text of No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref even at parish council level (if we had parish councils up here) and with 'Conservative' in the smallest possible script compatible with Electoral Commission law and the wavelength of light.
It was all about roundabouts and only the fetching Sevco FC Blue colour scheme really drove it home it wasn't the local council's LD candidate.
Union? Us advocate union and subordination to that thing in No. 10? Oh no dear me, no siree.
Perhaps our other PBScots could report back on any other sightings?
The Union seems to have become a topic the principal Unionist party seems unwilling to advocate unless pressed. Klaxons should be sounding at BritNat central office.
I'd like to hear of other sightings before we draw conclusions - but there should be enough of us PBScots over a wide enough area with eg @RochdalePioneers@Farooq@Eabhal@malcolmg and @DavidL for instance to report back to confirm if there really is a change of approach. This is of interest well beyond individual affiliation.
There’s a lot more PBers in Scotland than just the ones you list. So we should have pretty good coverage. Mind you, the Tory ones will be unwilling to contribute.
Well done Britain, but what on Earth are Germany playing at here? “Staying neutral” starting to look very like supporting the Russians. European unity looking very much in danger this morning.
Why should Germany consider ex-member UK's actions as relevant to European unity? NATO unity, perhaps, but really we have no claim whatsoever to be promoting European unity.
It's nothing to do with what Germany thinks of Britain's actions. It is entirely to do with the likely disunity within the EU as its Eastern European states assess German insouciance over Russia's aggressive stance towards the Ukraine.
Not just within the EU countries, but with Europe in general. What’s the point of a major power like Germany, if they won’t stand up to Russian aggression?
Edit: too late, but please replace with 'Rangers FC (deceased)' as you like. I don't like having to pay more tax to make up for dodgy companies going bust.
Can a lawyer or someone else well versed in the use of weasel words explain what "implicitly" means in the context that is being deployed by No 10? Does it simply mean that Johnson must have believed it wasn't a party because otherwise he wouldn't have attended? Also, does the phrase "ignorance is no excuse in the eyes of the law" apply here?
It means that either he or Cummings is lying. The usage is intended to defend him from any accusations of criminal liability (mens rea). The correct legal term here, though, is blatant bollocks.
If anyone wishes to conclude there's even a shadow of doubt that it's Johnson not Cummings who's lying about the party on May 20th they first need to surgically remove all the bits in their brain that allow them to form reasoned judgments about something.
Yup.
Unless there is some truly weird evidence out there (I can't imagine what it would look like or be about) - Cummings is telling the truth.
Those last five words do sound weird, don't they?
They do a bit. But I guess his lies have been largely of the 'side of a bus' type. Hardball bad faith campaigning. With Johnson mendacity, large and small, political and personal, is the very essence of the man. He IS a lie. I think given just 2 words to sum him up you could do worse than this. A Lie.
Just as well the government is about to scrap Plan B and virtually all remaining Covid rules anyway then
The briefing is that they won't be dropping Plan B at all – indeed every paper has carried the news that masking will stay. Now that might change, but that's what's being briefed.
Lords watchdog launches inquiry into Michelle Mone over ‘VIP lane’ contract Investigation into Tory peer relates to PPE company awarded £203m in government contracts
The commissioner confirmed that the investigation would be for “alleged involvement in procuring contracts for PPE Medpro, leading to potential breaches” of three provisions of the Lords code, which cover the requirement that peers publicly register “all relevant interests”, and prohibit them from lobbying for a company or a person in which a peer “has a financial interest”.
The commissioner also stated that Mone would be investigated under the more general provisions of the code’s paragraph 9, which includes that peers “should always act on their personal honour”; must never accept “any financial inducement as an incentive or reward for exercising parliamentary influence”; and “must not seek to profit from membership of the house by accepting or agreeing to accept payment or other incentive or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services.”
Pretty sure Money will now be consigned to that ghastly Johnson type of Toryism with which the SCons have absolutely no connection.
Will be fascinating seeing the election material the Scottish Conservatives are shortly going to print up. They’ll use blue, but I bet the word “Conservative” is conspicuous by its absence, as will any reference to them being in power in London.
Will they continue with Ruth Davidson’s moderately successful ‘No Surrender’ strategy? Initial intelligence ( @Carnyx ) suggests not.
Certainly the List MSP leaflet I got the other day was a total contrast to the usual text of No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref even at parish council level (if we had parish councils up here) and with 'Conservative' in the smallest possible script compatible with Electoral Commission law and the wavelength of light.
It was all about roundabouts and only the fetching Sevco FC Blue colour scheme really drove it home it wasn't the local council's LD candidate.
Union? Us advocate union and subordination to that thing in No. 10? Oh no dear me, no siree.
Perhaps our other PBScots could report back on any other sightings?
The Union seems to have become a topic the principal Unionist party seems unwilling to advocate unless pressed. Klaxons should be sounding at BritNat central office.
I'd like to hear of other sightings before we draw conclusions - but there should be enough of us PBScots over a wide enough area with eg @RochdalePioneers@Farooq@Eabhal@malcolmg and @DavidL for instance to report back to confirm if there really is a change of approach. This is of interest well beyond individual affiliation.
I'm unlikely to help. In a tenement and seldom get any literature at all (even during the election last year).
What Ross does if Johnson doesn't go will be pivotal. The CSU idea. I just can't think of a good name - unionist is rubbish.
Interesting marketing ploy by Costa. Just received a mail saying that as I haven't used my Costa Rewards Card for 12 months they are about to remove my rewards (currently 1x free coffee).
I will now use Costa once more before the cut off date to get my free coffee and endeavour to use them as little as possible in the back to work new era we are about to enter.
Costa seem to have the worst coffee - and train and treat their staff the worst. Which is probably related.
I recall being dragged into a new branch of Costa by a boss - he had some vouchers - the coffee was undrinkable. When he asked the lady behind the counter when the machine had last been cleaned, she went - "cleaned????"
To be fair to my boss (he'd worked in a coffee shop at uni), he did show her how to run the cleaning cycle on the machine, other than getting shouty.
I always like Cafe Nero. But it will be a stretch going to meetings and being offered coffee or buying it at shops after living off Algerian Coffee Stores Water Processed Columbian Decaf beans delivered for the past two years.
And yes that is an overheard at Waitrose, first world problem, and pseuds corner comment I appreciate.
The thing that gets to me is the fashion for the darkest, harshest roast possible. Then putting sugar in it, to deal with the horrible taste....
As opposed to a strong, but naturally flavoursome coffee, that doesn't need to be sweetened to be drinkable.
Lords watchdog launches inquiry into Michelle Mone over ‘VIP lane’ contract Investigation into Tory peer relates to PPE company awarded £203m in government contracts
The commissioner confirmed that the investigation would be for “alleged involvement in procuring contracts for PPE Medpro, leading to potential breaches” of three provisions of the Lords code, which cover the requirement that peers publicly register “all relevant interests”, and prohibit them from lobbying for a company or a person in which a peer “has a financial interest”.
The commissioner also stated that Mone would be investigated under the more general provisions of the code’s paragraph 9, which includes that peers “should always act on their personal honour”; must never accept “any financial inducement as an incentive or reward for exercising parliamentary influence”; and “must not seek to profit from membership of the house by accepting or agreeing to accept payment or other incentive or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services.”
Pretty sure Money will now be consigned to that ghastly Johnson type of Toryism with which the SCons have absolutely no connection.
Will be fascinating seeing the election material the Scottish Conservatives are shortly going to print up. They’ll use blue, but I bet the word “Conservative” is conspicuous by its absence, as will any reference to them being in power in London.
Will they continue with Ruth Davidson’s moderately successful ‘No Surrender’ strategy? Initial intelligence ( @Carnyx ) suggests not.
Certainly the List MSP leaflet I got the other day was a total contrast to the usual text of No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref even at parish council level (if we had parish councils up here) and with 'Conservative' in the smallest possible script compatible with Electoral Commission law and the wavelength of light.
It was all about roundabouts and only the fetching Sevco FC Blue colour scheme really drove it home it wasn't the local council's LD candidate.
Union? Us advocate union and subordination to that thing in No. 10? Oh no dear me, no siree.
Perhaps our other PBScots could report back on any other sightings?
The Union seems to have become a topic the principal Unionist party seems unwilling to advocate unless pressed. Klaxons should be sounding at BritNat central office.
Why? The UK Tory government just will refuse indyref2 as ever.
Whether the SCons manage to finally win 1 Scottish council outright or not or keep largest party in 1 or 2 Scottish councils has very little relevance if any to the Union
If the Union is to survive then your lot need to start targeting floating voters and capturing their hearts and minds. You are very good at appealing to core Con voters HY, but you are appallingly poor at lifting your eyes and addressing the centre ground. The Unionists are currently in the process of losing Middle Scotland.
Lords watchdog launches inquiry into Michelle Mone over ‘VIP lane’ contract Investigation into Tory peer relates to PPE company awarded £203m in government contracts
The commissioner confirmed that the investigation would be for “alleged involvement in procuring contracts for PPE Medpro, leading to potential breaches” of three provisions of the Lords code, which cover the requirement that peers publicly register “all relevant interests”, and prohibit them from lobbying for a company or a person in which a peer “has a financial interest”.
The commissioner also stated that Mone would be investigated under the more general provisions of the code’s paragraph 9, which includes that peers “should always act on their personal honour”; must never accept “any financial inducement as an incentive or reward for exercising parliamentary influence”; and “must not seek to profit from membership of the house by accepting or agreeing to accept payment or other incentive or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services.”
Pretty sure Money will now be consigned to that ghastly Johnson type of Toryism with which the SCons have absolutely no connection.
Will be fascinating seeing the election material the Scottish Conservatives are shortly going to print up. They’ll use blue, but I bet the word “Conservative” is conspicuous by its absence, as will any reference to them being in power in London.
Will they continue with Ruth Davidson’s moderately successful ‘No Surrender’ strategy? Initial intelligence ( @Carnyx ) suggests not.
Certainly the List MSP leaflet I got the other day was a total contrast to the usual text of No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref even at parish council level (if we had parish councils up here) and with 'Conservative' in the smallest possible script compatible with Electoral Commission law and the wavelength of light.
It was all about roundabouts and only the fetching Sevco FC Blue colour scheme really drove it home it wasn't the local council's LD candidate.
Union? Us advocate union and subordination to that thing in No. 10? Oh no dear me, no siree.
Perhaps our other PBScots could report back on any other sightings?
The Union seems to have become a topic the principal Unionist party seems unwilling to advocate unless pressed. Klaxons should be sounding at BritNat central office.
I'd like to hear of other sightings before we draw conclusions - but there should be enough of us PBScots over a wide enough area with eg @RochdalePioneers@Farooq@Eabhal@malcolmg and @DavidL for instance to report back to confirm if there really is a change of approach. This is of interest well beyond individual affiliation.
There’s a lot more PBers in Scotland than just the ones you list. So we should have pretty good coverage. Mind you, the Tory ones will be unwilling to contribute.
I don't know. They are the ones who always think the Scottish Pmt should keep out of devolved matters, so it's always been odd that all their MSP bumf has for years been about a devolved matter which they think Holyrood should keep out of. Potholes and doubling the A9 are positively rational by comparison.
Just as well the government is about to scrap Plan B and virtually all remaining Covid rules anyway then
The briefing is that they won't be dropping Plan B at all – indeed every paper has carried the news that masking will stay. Now that might change, but that's what's being briefed.
If there is only 1 rule left, ie masks in shops and public transport, if a refuse decide not to comply who cares given most of us have been vaccinated and boosted. It just is a courtesy to help reduce the spread of cases.
You can even have a rave for 10, 000 people completely legally by February without even needing a vaxport, so who cares if people want to have a huge boozy party in their garden or rave in their basement, it will all be completely legal!
Interesting marketing ploy by Costa. Just received a mail saying that as I haven't used my Costa Rewards Card for 12 months they are about to remove my rewards (currently 1x free coffee).
I will now use Costa once more before the cut off date to get my free coffee and endeavour to use them as little as possible in the back to work new era we are about to enter.
Costa seem to have the worst coffee - and train and treat their staff the worst. Which is probably related.
I recall being dragged into a new branch of Costa by a boss - he had some vouchers - the coffee was undrinkable. When he asked the lady behind the counter when the machine had last been cleaned, she went - "cleaned????"
To be fair to my boss (he'd worked in a coffee shop at uni), he did show her how to run the cleaning cycle on the machine, other than getting shouty.
I always like Cafe Nero. But it will be a stretch going to meetings and being offered coffee or buying it at shops after living off Algerian Coffee Stores Water Processed Columbian Decaf beans delivered for the past two years.
And yes that is an overheard at Waitrose, first world problem, and pseuds corner comment I appreciate.
The thing that gets to me is the fashion for the darkest, harshest roast possible. Then putting sugar in it, to deal with the horrible taste....
As opposed to a strong, but naturally flavoursome coffee, that doesn't need to be sweetened to be drinkable.
It's not like it is hard to do, or even fancy.
Agree. The instinct might be to go for the highest roast in the belief that it is somehow superior whereas it can be too harsh as you say.
Lords watchdog launches inquiry into Michelle Mone over ‘VIP lane’ contract Investigation into Tory peer relates to PPE company awarded £203m in government contracts
The commissioner confirmed that the investigation would be for “alleged involvement in procuring contracts for PPE Medpro, leading to potential breaches” of three provisions of the Lords code, which cover the requirement that peers publicly register “all relevant interests”, and prohibit them from lobbying for a company or a person in which a peer “has a financial interest”.
The commissioner also stated that Mone would be investigated under the more general provisions of the code’s paragraph 9, which includes that peers “should always act on their personal honour”; must never accept “any financial inducement as an incentive or reward for exercising parliamentary influence”; and “must not seek to profit from membership of the house by accepting or agreeing to accept payment or other incentive or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services.”
Pretty sure Money will now be consigned to that ghastly Johnson type of Toryism with which the SCons have absolutely no connection.
Will be fascinating seeing the election material the Scottish Conservatives are shortly going to print up. They’ll use blue, but I bet the word “Conservative” is conspicuous by its absence, as will any reference to them being in power in London.
Will they continue with Ruth Davidson’s moderately successful ‘No Surrender’ strategy? Initial intelligence ( @Carnyx ) suggests not.
Certainly the List MSP leaflet I got the other day was a total contrast to the usual text of No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref even at parish council level (if we had parish councils up here) and with 'Conservative' in the smallest possible script compatible with Electoral Commission law and the wavelength of light.
It was all about roundabouts and only the fetching Sevco FC Blue colour scheme really drove it home it wasn't the local council's LD candidate.
Union? Us advocate union and subordination to that thing in No. 10? Oh no dear me, no siree.
Perhaps our other PBScots could report back on any other sightings?
The Union seems to have become a topic the principal Unionist party seems unwilling to advocate unless pressed. Klaxons should be sounding at BritNat central office.
Why? The UK Tory government just will refuse indyref2 as ever.
Whether the SCons manage to finally win 1 Scottish council outright or not or keep largest party in 1 or 2 Scottish councils has very little relevance if any to the Union
If the Union is to survive then your lot need to start targeting floating voters and capturing their hearts and minds. You are very good at appealing to core Con voters HY, but you are appallingly poor at lifting your eyes and addressing the centre ground. The Unionists are currently in the process of losing Middle Scotland.
Did someone above suggest this was "blowing over"?
It truly isn't. The Tory rebels efforts even have a project name. And whilst I remember that photo of John Redwood and his rebels, remember that the embarrassing collection of assorted lunatics wazzocks and incompetents is the *Prime Minister*'s team, not the usurper(s).
Cummings is the Poker player with 17 packs-worth of aces up his sleeve.
That was me. It’s blowing over because the mere fact it’s Cummings will unify the Tory Party behind his target. Much as I would like the FLSOJ to be defenestrated it ain’t gonna happen. In two weeks this will be essentially over.
I don't expect it will happen yet. The sense of disbelief amongst some of the MPs is almost comedic - "this can't be happening" is a strong instinct even as the obvious conclusion hones into view.
They may hate Cummings. But it isn't Dom who is outing all this - its the press. He may well be the source, but MPs can hardly ignore all the newspapers being full of pictures of a drunk BJ taking a crap on the Downing Street lawn during a "work meeting" just because they don't like Cummings.
Had all of this been Dom talking with no evidence then I would absolutely agree with you. But it isn't. They likely won't go for him until after the demolition in May, but it will happen. No politician can survive this onslaught.
He’ll still be in charge at the next election. People in this country have the attention span of a gnat
When is the optimum time to have a leader change? Maybe 8-12 months before the GE. Enough time to get your mug on TV regularly but not so much that you can't blame your predecessor for everything.
May this year feels way to early. Nobody normal gives a fuck about local elections. It's all fat old white blokes staring at potholes in free newspapers.
As I've continually said no Tory PM is going to want an election prior to the new boundaries which mean you don't want an election until October / November 2023.
While 8-12 months is probably ideal I don't think that's an option. Now if Boris goes in August (full postal vote after removing Boris in May) then you have 15-17 months which although not ideal is better than leaving it to May 2024 with the added risk of events then damaging you.
Now the downside of an October 2023 election is that you are going to have to have all seats lined up ready to go by September 2023 which may give a hint to other parties that the PM is going to go to the polls early. It also means that a lot of MPs won't have much of an incumbency advantage because a lot of the constituents won't have known them before.
Major waited the full 5 years until 1992 and was re elected
Not the full five years but four years and ten months.
#Pedantry
It's not pendantry - when you call an election is one of the most powerful tools in the PM's toolkit.
What's worth pointing out is that Major went to the polls 16 months after he become PM so the honeymoon period of a new PM is often longer than a year depending (of course) on events.
Just as well the government is about to scrap Plan B and virtually all remaining Covid rules anyway then
The briefing is that they won't be dropping Plan B at all – indeed every paper has carried the news that masking will stay. Now that might change, but that's what's being briefed.
If there is only 1 rule left, ie masks in shops and public transport, if a refuse decide not to comply who cares given most of us have been vaccinated and boosted. It just is a courtesy to help reduce the spread of cases.
You can even have a rave for 10, 000 people completely legally by February without even needing a vaxport, so who cares if people want to have a huge boozy party in their garden or rave in their basement, it will all be completely legal!
I know I'm fighting a losing battle here, but I have to try: As long as compulsory masks - which were part of Plan B - remain in place, Plan B has not been "scrapped".
Just as well the government is about to scrap Plan B and virtually all remaining Covid anyway then
Virtually all, but not the most visible one, so psychologically it will feel like not much has changed.
Politically not the best decision in my opinion, even if the science says otherwise.
Yes - so we can go to work, but we'll be hectored into wearing a facemask on the bus on the way there, and no doubt also while we move around the building. In some ways a move away from normality. It's not going to reap any feelgood benefits or electoral benefits whatsoever.
If you examine normal parlance between Joe Public in various countries, masking is the shorthand they use for how restricted their societies are. I remember in the early days, when my NZ friends were gloating, they always used to remind us that they didn't have to wear masks anywhere, whereas we did.
Lords watchdog launches inquiry into Michelle Mone over ‘VIP lane’ contract Investigation into Tory peer relates to PPE company awarded £203m in government contracts
The commissioner confirmed that the investigation would be for “alleged involvement in procuring contracts for PPE Medpro, leading to potential breaches” of three provisions of the Lords code, which cover the requirement that peers publicly register “all relevant interests”, and prohibit them from lobbying for a company or a person in which a peer “has a financial interest”.
The commissioner also stated that Mone would be investigated under the more general provisions of the code’s paragraph 9, which includes that peers “should always act on their personal honour”; must never accept “any financial inducement as an incentive or reward for exercising parliamentary influence”; and “must not seek to profit from membership of the house by accepting or agreeing to accept payment or other incentive or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services.”
Pretty sure Money will now be consigned to that ghastly Johnson type of Toryism with which the SCons have absolutely no connection.
Will be fascinating seeing the election material the Scottish Conservatives are shortly going to print up. They’ll use blue, but I bet the word “Conservative” is conspicuous by its absence, as will any reference to them being in power in London.
Will they continue with Ruth Davidson’s moderately successful ‘No Surrender’ strategy? Initial intelligence ( @Carnyx ) suggests not.
Certainly the List MSP leaflet I got the other day was a total contrast to the usual text of No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref even at parish council level (if we had parish councils up here) and with 'Conservative' in the smallest possible script compatible with Electoral Commission law and the wavelength of light.
It was all about roundabouts and only the fetching Sevco FC Blue colour scheme really drove it home it wasn't the local council's LD candidate.
Union? Us advocate union and subordination to that thing in No. 10? Oh no dear me, no siree.
Perhaps our other PBScots could report back on any other sightings?
The Union seems to have become a topic the principal Unionist party seems unwilling to advocate unless pressed. Klaxons should be sounding at BritNat central office.
Why? The UK Tory government just will refuse indyref2 as ever.
Whether the SCons manage to finally win 1 Scottish council outright or not or keep largest party in 1 or 2 Scottish councils has very little relevance if any to the Union
If the Union is to survive then your lot need to start targeting floating voters and capturing their hearts and minds. You are very good at appealing to core Con voters HY, but you are appallingly poor at lifting your eyes and addressing the centre ground. The Unionists are currently in the process of losing Middle Scotland.
Nope. The Tories could stay in power with not a single Tory MP in Scotland UK wide and can preserve the Union too by refusing indyref2 for as long as they are in power.
It is not our problem. It might be Labour's problem if they get into power reliant on the SNP and have to give an indyref2 and look at devomax etc but it was Labour who created Holyrood anyway giving a platform for the SNP so it has always been their created problem.
We Tories do not need to win Middle Scotland, we Tories need to win Middle England to stay in power. Only Labour needs to appeal to Middle Scotland to get back into power with a clear majority or to preserve the Union in any indyref2 they grant if they don't
Lords watchdog launches inquiry into Michelle Mone over ‘VIP lane’ contract Investigation into Tory peer relates to PPE company awarded £203m in government contracts
The commissioner confirmed that the investigation would be for “alleged involvement in procuring contracts for PPE Medpro, leading to potential breaches” of three provisions of the Lords code, which cover the requirement that peers publicly register “all relevant interests”, and prohibit them from lobbying for a company or a person in which a peer “has a financial interest”.
The commissioner also stated that Mone would be investigated under the more general provisions of the code’s paragraph 9, which includes that peers “should always act on their personal honour”; must never accept “any financial inducement as an incentive or reward for exercising parliamentary influence”; and “must not seek to profit from membership of the house by accepting or agreeing to accept payment or other incentive or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services.”
Pretty sure Money will now be consigned to that ghastly Johnson type of Toryism with which the SCons have absolutely no connection.
Will be fascinating seeing the election material the Scottish Conservatives are shortly going to print up. They’ll use blue, but I bet the word “Conservative” is conspicuous by its absence, as will any reference to them being in power in London.
Will they continue with Ruth Davidson’s moderately successful ‘No Surrender’ strategy? Initial intelligence ( @Carnyx ) suggests not.
Certainly the List MSP leaflet I got the other day was a total contrast to the usual text of No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref even at parish council level (if we had parish councils up here) and with 'Conservative' in the smallest possible script compatible with Electoral Commission law and the wavelength of light.
It was all about roundabouts and only the fetching Sevco FC Blue colour scheme really drove it home it wasn't the local council's LD candidate.
Union? Us advocate union and subordination to that thing in No. 10? Oh no dear me, no siree.
Perhaps our other PBScots could report back on any other sightings?
The Union seems to have become a topic the principal Unionist party seems unwilling to advocate unless pressed. Klaxons should be sounding at BritNat central office.
I'd like to hear of other sightings before we draw conclusions - but there should be enough of us PBScots over a wide enough area with eg @RochdalePioneers@Farooq@Eabhal@malcolmg and @DavidL for instance to report back to confirm if there really is a change of approach. This is of interest well beyond individual affiliation.
There's a dearth of SCon literature in my bit even during non diddy elections. Perusing twitter is my usual method of seeing what fresh ideas the semi detached branch of Tory party comes up with, I'll keep my eyes open.
Just as well the government is about to scrap Plan B and virtually all remaining Covid anyway then
Virtually all, but not the most visible one, so psychologically it will feel like not much has changed.
Politically not the best decision in my opinion, even if the science says otherwise.
If a few people choose not to wear a mask on public transport or in shops hardly the end of the world as most of them and those around them will have been vaccinated with boosters anyway.
Otherwise you can hold a rave for a 1,000 people perfectly legally in your garden and from the end of the month attend a rave and booze up for a 1,000 people in a nightclub perfectly legally without even needing a vaxport by the end of the month
Right, but that has nothing to do with what I said.
It has everything to do with what you said, wearing a mask on public transport or in shops is still supported by the vast majority of voters.
Almost all other restrictions will be ended
Revealed preference is your friend here. If the mandate is dropped, masks will be dropped like a stone by the public, even though they will be at liberty to retain them.
Lords watchdog launches inquiry into Michelle Mone over ‘VIP lane’ contract Investigation into Tory peer relates to PPE company awarded £203m in government contracts
The commissioner confirmed that the investigation would be for “alleged involvement in procuring contracts for PPE Medpro, leading to potential breaches” of three provisions of the Lords code, which cover the requirement that peers publicly register “all relevant interests”, and prohibit them from lobbying for a company or a person in which a peer “has a financial interest”.
The commissioner also stated that Mone would be investigated under the more general provisions of the code’s paragraph 9, which includes that peers “should always act on their personal honour”; must never accept “any financial inducement as an incentive or reward for exercising parliamentary influence”; and “must not seek to profit from membership of the house by accepting or agreeing to accept payment or other incentive or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services.”
Pretty sure Money will now be consigned to that ghastly Johnson type of Toryism with which the SCons have absolutely no connection.
Will be fascinating seeing the election material the Scottish Conservatives are shortly going to print up. They’ll use blue, but I bet the word “Conservative” is conspicuous by its absence, as will any reference to them being in power in London.
Will they continue with Ruth Davidson’s moderately successful ‘No Surrender’ strategy? Initial intelligence ( @Carnyx ) suggests not.
Certainly the List MSP leaflet I got the other day was a total contrast to the usual text of No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref even at parish council level (if we had parish councils up here) and with 'Conservative' in the smallest possible script compatible with Electoral Commission law and the wavelength of light.
It was all about roundabouts and only the fetching Sevco FC Blue colour scheme really drove it home it wasn't the local council's LD candidate.
Union? Us advocate union and subordination to that thing in No. 10? Oh no dear me, no siree.
Perhaps our other PBScots could report back on any other sightings?
The Union seems to have become a topic the principal Unionist party seems unwilling to advocate unless pressed. Klaxons should be sounding at BritNat central office.
I'd like to hear of other sightings before we draw conclusions - but there should be enough of us PBScots over a wide enough area with eg @RochdalePioneers@Farooq@Eabhal@malcolmg and @DavidL for instance to report back to confirm if there really is a change of approach. This is of interest well beyond individual affiliation.
Very little political activity here. I had a glossy "newsletter" a few months ago from an independent councillor (he's a bit of a weird one, the newsletters are angry, badly-written screeds and full of adverts), but no party leaflets. I'll report back when I start to get council campaign leaflets.
Interesting marketing ploy by Costa. Just received a mail saying that as I haven't used my Costa Rewards Card for 12 months they are about to remove my rewards (currently 1x free coffee).
I will now use Costa once more before the cut off date to get my free coffee and endeavour to use them as little as possible in the back to work new era we are about to enter.
Costa is rank anyway. We've got so many great coffee places dotted across the square mile, why go to Costa, Nero, Pret or Starbucks?!
Lords watchdog launches inquiry into Michelle Mone over ‘VIP lane’ contract Investigation into Tory peer relates to PPE company awarded £203m in government contracts
The commissioner confirmed that the investigation would be for “alleged involvement in procuring contracts for PPE Medpro, leading to potential breaches” of three provisions of the Lords code, which cover the requirement that peers publicly register “all relevant interests”, and prohibit them from lobbying for a company or a person in which a peer “has a financial interest”.
The commissioner also stated that Mone would be investigated under the more general provisions of the code’s paragraph 9, which includes that peers “should always act on their personal honour”; must never accept “any financial inducement as an incentive or reward for exercising parliamentary influence”; and “must not seek to profit from membership of the house by accepting or agreeing to accept payment or other incentive or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services.”
Pretty sure Money will now be consigned to that ghastly Johnson type of Toryism with which the SCons have absolutely no connection.
Will be fascinating seeing the election material the Scottish Conservatives are shortly going to print up. They’ll use blue, but I bet the word “Conservative” is conspicuous by its absence, as will any reference to them being in power in London.
Will they continue with Ruth Davidson’s moderately successful ‘No Surrender’ strategy? Initial intelligence ( @Carnyx ) suggests not.
Certainly the List MSP leaflet I got the other day was a total contrast to the usual text of No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref even at parish council level (if we had parish councils up here) and with 'Conservative' in the smallest possible script compatible with Electoral Commission law and the wavelength of light.
It was all about roundabouts and only the fetching Sevco FC Blue colour scheme really drove it home it wasn't the local council's LD candidate.
Union? Us advocate union and subordination to that thing in No. 10? Oh no dear me, no siree.
Perhaps our other PBScots could report back on any other sightings?
The Union seems to have become a topic the principal Unionist party seems unwilling to advocate unless pressed. Klaxons should be sounding at BritNat central office.
I'd like to hear of other sightings before we draw conclusions - but there should be enough of us PBScots over a wide enough area with eg @RochdalePioneers@Farooq@Eabhal@malcolmg and @DavidL for instance to report back to confirm if there really is a change of approach. This is of interest well beyond individual affiliation.
There's a dearth of SCon literature in my bit even during non diddy elections. Perusing twitter is my usual method of seeing what fresh ideas the semi detached branch of Tory party comes up with, I'll keep my eyes open.
Just how detached is SCCHQ? Ross has gone out on a limb, are the staff in Edinburgh obliged to follow?
Lords watchdog launches inquiry into Michelle Mone over ‘VIP lane’ contract Investigation into Tory peer relates to PPE company awarded £203m in government contracts
The commissioner confirmed that the investigation would be for “alleged involvement in procuring contracts for PPE Medpro, leading to potential breaches” of three provisions of the Lords code, which cover the requirement that peers publicly register “all relevant interests”, and prohibit them from lobbying for a company or a person in which a peer “has a financial interest”.
The commissioner also stated that Mone would be investigated under the more general provisions of the code’s paragraph 9, which includes that peers “should always act on their personal honour”; must never accept “any financial inducement as an incentive or reward for exercising parliamentary influence”; and “must not seek to profit from membership of the house by accepting or agreeing to accept payment or other incentive or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services.”
Pretty sure Money will now be consigned to that ghastly Johnson type of Toryism with which the SCons have absolutely no connection.
Will be fascinating seeing the election material the Scottish Conservatives are shortly going to print up. They’ll use blue, but I bet the word “Conservative” is conspicuous by its absence, as will any reference to them being in power in London.
Will they continue with Ruth Davidson’s moderately successful ‘No Surrender’ strategy? Initial intelligence ( @Carnyx ) suggests not.
Certainly the List MSP leaflet I got the other day was a total contrast to the usual text of No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref even at parish council level (if we had parish councils up here) and with 'Conservative' in the smallest possible script compatible with Electoral Commission law and the wavelength of light.
It was all about roundabouts and only the fetching Sevco FC Blue colour scheme really drove it home it wasn't the local council's LD candidate.
Union? Us advocate union and subordination to that thing in No. 10? Oh no dear me, no siree.
Perhaps our other PBScots could report back on any other sightings?
The Union seems to have become a topic the principal Unionist party seems unwilling to advocate unless pressed. Klaxons should be sounding at BritNat central office.
Why? The UK Tory government just will refuse indyref2 as ever.
Whether the SCons manage to finally win 1 Scottish council outright or not or keep largest party in 1 or 2 Scottish councils has very little relevance if any to the Union
If the Union is to survive then your lot need to start targeting floating voters and capturing their hearts and minds. You are very good at appealing to core Con voters HY, but you are appallingly poor at lifting your eyes and addressing the centre ground. The Unionists are currently in the process of losing Middle Scotland.
Nope. The Tories could stay in power with not a single Tory MP in Scotland UK wide and can preserve the Union too by refusing indyref2 for as long as they are in power.
It is not our problem. It might be Labour's problem if they get into power reliant on the SNP and have to give an indyref2 and look at devomax etc but it was Labour who created Holyrood anyway giving a platform for the SNP so it has always been their created problem.
We Tories do not need to win Middle Scotland, we Tories need to win Middle England to stay in power. Only Labour needs to appeal to Middle Scotland to get back into power with a clear majority or to preserve the Union in any indyref2 they grant if they don't
We Tories
You do not speak for this conservative and many others with your Little Englander outlook
Did you stand for the anthem on GB news this morning
Lords watchdog launches inquiry into Michelle Mone over ‘VIP lane’ contract Investigation into Tory peer relates to PPE company awarded £203m in government contracts
The commissioner confirmed that the investigation would be for “alleged involvement in procuring contracts for PPE Medpro, leading to potential breaches” of three provisions of the Lords code, which cover the requirement that peers publicly register “all relevant interests”, and prohibit them from lobbying for a company or a person in which a peer “has a financial interest”.
The commissioner also stated that Mone would be investigated under the more general provisions of the code’s paragraph 9, which includes that peers “should always act on their personal honour”; must never accept “any financial inducement as an incentive or reward for exercising parliamentary influence”; and “must not seek to profit from membership of the house by accepting or agreeing to accept payment or other incentive or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services.”
Pretty sure Money will now be consigned to that ghastly Johnson type of Toryism with which the SCons have absolutely no connection.
Will be fascinating seeing the election material the Scottish Conservatives are shortly going to print up. They’ll use blue, but I bet the word “Conservative” is conspicuous by its absence, as will any reference to them being in power in London.
Will they continue with Ruth Davidson’s moderately successful ‘No Surrender’ strategy? Initial intelligence ( @Carnyx ) suggests not.
Certainly the List MSP leaflet I got the other day was a total contrast to the usual text of No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref even at parish council level (if we had parish councils up here) and with 'Conservative' in the smallest possible script compatible with Electoral Commission law and the wavelength of light.
It was all about roundabouts and only the fetching Sevco FC Blue colour scheme really drove it home it wasn't the local council's LD candidate.
Union? Us advocate union and subordination to that thing in No. 10? Oh no dear me, no siree.
Perhaps our other PBScots could report back on any other sightings?
The Union seems to have become a topic the principal Unionist party seems unwilling to advocate unless pressed. Klaxons should be sounding at BritNat central office.
Why? The UK Tory government just will refuse indyref2 as ever.
Whether the SCons manage to finally win 1 Scottish council outright or not or keep largest party in 1 or 2 Scottish councils has very little relevance if any to the Union
If the Union is to survive then your lot need to start targeting floating voters and capturing their hearts and minds. You are very good at appealing to core Con voters HY, but you are appallingly poor at lifting your eyes and addressing the centre ground. The Unionists are currently in the process of losing Middle Scotland.
Nope. The Tories could stay in power with not a single Tory MP in Scotland UK wide and can preserve the Union too by refusing indyref2 for as long as they are in power.
It is not our problem. It might be Labour's problem if they get into power reliant on the SNP and have to give an indyref2 and look at devomax etc but it was Labour who created Holyrood anyway giving a platform for the SNP so it has always been their created problem.
We Tories do not need to win Middle Scotland, we Tories need to win Middle England to stay in power. Only Labour needs to appeal to Middle Scotland to get back into power with a clear majority or to preserve the Union in any indyref2 they grant if they don't
Lords watchdog launches inquiry into Michelle Mone over ‘VIP lane’ contract Investigation into Tory peer relates to PPE company awarded £203m in government contracts
The commissioner confirmed that the investigation would be for “alleged involvement in procuring contracts for PPE Medpro, leading to potential breaches” of three provisions of the Lords code, which cover the requirement that peers publicly register “all relevant interests”, and prohibit them from lobbying for a company or a person in which a peer “has a financial interest”.
The commissioner also stated that Mone would be investigated under the more general provisions of the code’s paragraph 9, which includes that peers “should always act on their personal honour”; must never accept “any financial inducement as an incentive or reward for exercising parliamentary influence”; and “must not seek to profit from membership of the house by accepting or agreeing to accept payment or other incentive or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services.”
Pretty sure Money will now be consigned to that ghastly Johnson type of Toryism with which the SCons have absolutely no connection.
Will be fascinating seeing the election material the Scottish Conservatives are shortly going to print up. They’ll use blue, but I bet the word “Conservative” is conspicuous by its absence, as will any reference to them being in power in London.
Will they continue with Ruth Davidson’s moderately successful ‘No Surrender’ strategy? Initial intelligence ( @Carnyx ) suggests not.
Certainly the List MSP leaflet I got the other day was a total contrast to the usual text of No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref even at parish council level (if we had parish councils up here) and with 'Conservative' in the smallest possible script compatible with Electoral Commission law and the wavelength of light.
It was all about roundabouts and only the fetching Sevco FC Blue colour scheme really drove it home it wasn't the local council's LD candidate.
Union? Us advocate union and subordination to that thing in No. 10? Oh no dear me, no siree.
Perhaps our other PBScots could report back on any other sightings?
The Union seems to have become a topic the principal Unionist party seems unwilling to advocate unless pressed. Klaxons should be sounding at BritNat central office.
Why? The UK Tory government just will refuse indyref2 as ever.
Whether the SCons manage to finally win 1 Scottish council outright or not or keep largest party in 1 or 2 Scottish councils has very little relevance if any to the Union
If the Union is to survive then your lot need to start targeting floating voters and capturing their hearts and minds. You are very good at appealing to core Con voters HY, but you are appallingly poor at lifting your eyes and addressing the centre ground. The Unionists are currently in the process of losing Middle Scotland.
Nope. The Tories could stay in power with not a single Tory MP in Scotland UK wide and can preserve the Union too by refusing indyref2 for as long as they are in power.
It is not our problem. It might be Labour's problem if they get into power reliant on the SNP and have to give an indyref2 and look at devomax etc but it was Labour who created Holyrood anyway giving a platform for the SNP so it has always been their created problem.
We Tories do not need to win Middle Scotland, we Tories need to win Middle England to stay in power. Only Labour needs to appeal to Middle Scotland to get back into power with a clear majority or to preserve the Union in any indyref2 they grant if they don't
You keep avoiding my question about the '2014 a once in a generation vote' prattled off reflexively by your co-Unionists, and yourself in more complacent times. Are we to assume that it's now official Tory policy that the Union is to be held together by obstructive force?
Just as well the government is about to scrap Plan B and virtually all remaining Covid rules anyway then
The briefing is that they won't be dropping Plan B at all – indeed every paper has carried the news that masking will stay. Now that might change, but that's what's being briefed.
If there is only 1 rule left, ie masks in shops and public transport, if a refuse decide not to comply who cares given most of us have been vaccinated and boosted. It just is a courtesy to help reduce the spread of cases.
You can even have a rave for 10, 000 people completely legally by February without even needing a vaxport, so who cares if people want to have a huge boozy party in their garden or rave in their basement, it will all be completely legal!
What does that have to do with anything that I wrote?
You said Plan B is being scrapped. It's not being scrapped if masking remains – indeed masking was the most high-profile, visible element of Plan B.
10,000 raves are already legal, albeit with vaxports.
Onnyways, just case anyone is feeling too comfortably complacent, there’s a prog on R4 just now about a bloke who had cancer of the penis. Currently describing the sensation of having erections after surgery to remove tumours.
Thanks for that. I was listening to it as I was having my toast and marmelade and literally couldn't stomach it so had to switch it off before it got to the reveal but I was wondering what the issue was (I ducked out while they were still on holiday).
Also finished Succession S3 last night. O. M. F. G.
Absolutely excellent and thanks to those on here who encouraged me to persevere after an imo slow start.
Fuck off, honestly Brian Cox deserves every award going.
That scene with the three younger Roy kids bonding was beautiful but that ending, OMFG.
Not seen S3 yet no spoilers here please!!!
You need to binge watch it now, you won’t regret it.
Yes just figuring out how to do it. Short subscription to Now TV probably the easiest route. Watched S1-2 on dvds we borrowed from friends. The best thing I've seen on TV for years, maybe ever.
Lords watchdog launches inquiry into Michelle Mone over ‘VIP lane’ contract Investigation into Tory peer relates to PPE company awarded £203m in government contracts
The commissioner confirmed that the investigation would be for “alleged involvement in procuring contracts for PPE Medpro, leading to potential breaches” of three provisions of the Lords code, which cover the requirement that peers publicly register “all relevant interests”, and prohibit them from lobbying for a company or a person in which a peer “has a financial interest”.
The commissioner also stated that Mone would be investigated under the more general provisions of the code’s paragraph 9, which includes that peers “should always act on their personal honour”; must never accept “any financial inducement as an incentive or reward for exercising parliamentary influence”; and “must not seek to profit from membership of the house by accepting or agreeing to accept payment or other incentive or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services.”
Pretty sure Money will now be consigned to that ghastly Johnson type of Toryism with which the SCons have absolutely no connection.
Will be fascinating seeing the election material the Scottish Conservatives are shortly going to print up. They’ll use blue, but I bet the word “Conservative” is conspicuous by its absence, as will any reference to them being in power in London.
Will they continue with Ruth Davidson’s moderately successful ‘No Surrender’ strategy? Initial intelligence ( @Carnyx ) suggests not.
Certainly the List MSP leaflet I got the other day was a total contrast to the usual text of No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref even at parish council level (if we had parish councils up here) and with 'Conservative' in the smallest possible script compatible with Electoral Commission law and the wavelength of light.
It was all about roundabouts and only the fetching Sevco FC Blue colour scheme really drove it home it wasn't the local council's LD candidate.
Union? Us advocate union and subordination to that thing in No. 10? Oh no dear me, no siree.
Perhaps our other PBScots could report back on any other sightings?
The Union seems to have become a topic the principal Unionist party seems unwilling to advocate unless pressed. Klaxons should be sounding at BritNat central office.
Why? The UK Tory government just will refuse indyref2 as ever.
Whether the SCons manage to finally win 1 Scottish council outright or not or keep largest party in 1 or 2 Scottish councils has very little relevance if any to the Union
If the Union is to survive then your lot need to start targeting floating voters and capturing their hearts and minds. You are very good at appealing to core Con voters HY, but you are appallingly poor at lifting your eyes and addressing the centre ground. The Unionists are currently in the process of losing Middle Scotland.
Nope. The Tories could stay in power with not a single Tory MP in Scotland UK wide and can preserve the Union too by refusing indyref2 for as long as they are in power.
It is not our problem. It might be Labour's problem if they get into power reliant on the SNP and have to give an indyref2 and look at devomax etc but it was Labour who created Holyrood anyway giving a platform for the SNP so it has always been their created problem.
We Tories do not need to win Middle Scotland, we Tories need to win Middle England to stay in power. Only Labour needs to appeal to Middle Scotland to get back into power with a clear majority or to preserve the Union in any indyref2 they grant if they don't
You keep avoiding my question about the '2014 a once in a generation vote' prattled off reflexively by your co-Unionists, and yourself in more complacent times. Are we to assume that it's now official Tory policy that the Union is to be held together by obstructive force?
Just as well the government is about to scrap Plan B and virtually all remaining Covid rules anyway then
The briefing is that they won't be dropping Plan B at all – indeed every paper has carried the news that masking will stay. Now that might change, but that's what's being briefed.
If there is only 1 rule left, ie masks in shops and public transport, if a refuse decide not to comply who cares given most of us have been vaccinated and boosted. It just is a courtesy to help reduce the spread of cases.
You can even have a rave for 10, 000 people completely legally by February without even needing a vaxport, so who cares if people want to have a huge boozy party in their garden or rave in their basement, it will all be completely legal!
I know I'm fighting a losing battle here, but I have to try: As long as compulsory masks - which were part of Plan B - remain in place, Plan B has not been "scrapped".
No, you are fighting a winning battle. It is HY who is claiming white is black.
Lords watchdog launches inquiry into Michelle Mone over ‘VIP lane’ contract Investigation into Tory peer relates to PPE company awarded £203m in government contracts
The commissioner confirmed that the investigation would be for “alleged involvement in procuring contracts for PPE Medpro, leading to potential breaches” of three provisions of the Lords code, which cover the requirement that peers publicly register “all relevant interests”, and prohibit them from lobbying for a company or a person in which a peer “has a financial interest”.
The commissioner also stated that Mone would be investigated under the more general provisions of the code’s paragraph 9, which includes that peers “should always act on their personal honour”; must never accept “any financial inducement as an incentive or reward for exercising parliamentary influence”; and “must not seek to profit from membership of the house by accepting or agreeing to accept payment or other incentive or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services.”
Pretty sure Money will now be consigned to that ghastly Johnson type of Toryism with which the SCons have absolutely no connection.
Will be fascinating seeing the election material the Scottish Conservatives are shortly going to print up. They’ll use blue, but I bet the word “Conservative” is conspicuous by its absence, as will any reference to them being in power in London.
Will they continue with Ruth Davidson’s moderately successful ‘No Surrender’ strategy? Initial intelligence ( @Carnyx ) suggests not.
Certainly the List MSP leaflet I got the other day was a total contrast to the usual text of No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref even at parish council level (if we had parish councils up here) and with 'Conservative' in the smallest possible script compatible with Electoral Commission law and the wavelength of light.
It was all about roundabouts and only the fetching Sevco FC Blue colour scheme really drove it home it wasn't the local council's LD candidate.
Union? Us advocate union and subordination to that thing in No. 10? Oh no dear me, no siree.
Perhaps our other PBScots could report back on any other sightings?
The Union seems to have become a topic the principal Unionist party seems unwilling to advocate unless pressed. Klaxons should be sounding at BritNat central office.
Why? The UK Tory government just will refuse indyref2 as ever.
Whether the SCons manage to finally win 1 Scottish council outright or not or keep largest party in 1 or 2 Scottish councils has very little relevance if any to the Union
If the Union is to survive then your lot need to start targeting floating voters and capturing their hearts and minds. You are very good at appealing to core Con voters HY, but you are appallingly poor at lifting your eyes and addressing the centre ground. The Unionists are currently in the process of losing Middle Scotland.
Nope. The Tories could stay in power with not a single Tory MP in Scotland UK wide and can preserve the Union too by refusing indyref2 for as long as they are in power.
It is not our problem. It might be Labour's problem if they get into power reliant on the SNP and have to give an indyref2 and look at devomax etc but it was Labour who created Holyrood anyway giving a platform for the SNP so it has always been their created problem.
We Tories do not need to win Middle Scotland, we Tories need to win Middle England to stay in power. Only Labour needs to appeal to Middle Scotland to get back into power with a clear majority or to preserve the Union in any indyref2 they grant if they don't
We Tories
You do not speak for this conservative and many others with your Little Englander outlook
Did you stand for the anthem on GB news this morning
I imagine he was fully erect as the stirring music started.
It's quite good that the British Rail double arrow continued in use on tickets and to denote stations all the way through the privatised era, and is now going to be the logo of GBR. 57 years and counting.
Onnyways, just case anyone is feeling too comfortably complacent, there’s a prog on R4 just now about a bloke who had cancer of the penis. Currently describing the sensation of having erections after surgery to remove tumours.
Thanks for that. I was listening to it as I was having my toast and marmelade and literally couldn't stomach it so had to switch it off before it got to the reveal but I was wondering what the issue was (I ducked out while they were still on holiday).
Also finished Succession S3 last night. O. M. F. G.
Absolutely excellent and thanks to those on here who encouraged me to persevere after an imo slow start.
Fuck off, honestly Brian Cox deserves every award going.
That scene with the three younger Roy kids bonding was beautiful but that ending, OMFG.
Not seen S3 yet no spoilers here please!!!
You need to binge watch it now, you won’t regret it.
Yes just figuring out how to do it. Short subscription to Now TV probably the easiest route. Watched S1-2 on dvds we borrowed from friends. The best thing I've seen on TV for years, maybe ever.
Lords watchdog launches inquiry into Michelle Mone over ‘VIP lane’ contract Investigation into Tory peer relates to PPE company awarded £203m in government contracts
The commissioner confirmed that the investigation would be for “alleged involvement in procuring contracts for PPE Medpro, leading to potential breaches” of three provisions of the Lords code, which cover the requirement that peers publicly register “all relevant interests”, and prohibit them from lobbying for a company or a person in which a peer “has a financial interest”.
The commissioner also stated that Mone would be investigated under the more general provisions of the code’s paragraph 9, which includes that peers “should always act on their personal honour”; must never accept “any financial inducement as an incentive or reward for exercising parliamentary influence”; and “must not seek to profit from membership of the house by accepting or agreeing to accept payment or other incentive or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services.”
Pretty sure Money will now be consigned to that ghastly Johnson type of Toryism with which the SCons have absolutely no connection.
Will be fascinating seeing the election material the Scottish Conservatives are shortly going to print up. They’ll use blue, but I bet the word “Conservative” is conspicuous by its absence, as will any reference to them being in power in London.
Will they continue with Ruth Davidson’s moderately successful ‘No Surrender’ strategy? Initial intelligence ( @Carnyx ) suggests not.
Certainly the List MSP leaflet I got the other day was a total contrast to the usual text of No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref even at parish council level (if we had parish councils up here) and with 'Conservative' in the smallest possible script compatible with Electoral Commission law and the wavelength of light.
It was all about roundabouts and only the fetching Sevco FC Blue colour scheme really drove it home it wasn't the local council's LD candidate.
Union? Us advocate union and subordination to that thing in No. 10? Oh no dear me, no siree.
Perhaps our other PBScots could report back on any other sightings?
The Union seems to have become a topic the principal Unionist party seems unwilling to advocate unless pressed. Klaxons should be sounding at BritNat central office.
I'd like to hear of other sightings before we draw conclusions - but there should be enough of us PBScots over a wide enough area with eg @RochdalePioneers@Farooq@Eabhal@malcolmg and @DavidL for instance to report back to confirm if there really is a change of approach. This is of interest well beyond individual affiliation.
There's a dearth of SCon literature in my bit even during non diddy elections. Perusing twitter is my usual method of seeing what fresh ideas the semi detached branch of Tory party comes up with, I'll keep my eyes open.
Just how detached is SCCHQ? Ross has gone out on a limb, are the staff in Edinburgh obliged to follow?
Dunno. I guess the staff at Northumberland St look to MSPs and Ross as their guide rather than the Westminster lot, but I don't know the official hierarchy.
Did someone above suggest this was "blowing over"?
It truly isn't. The Tory rebels efforts even have a project name. And whilst I remember that photo of John Redwood and his rebels, remember that the embarrassing collection of assorted lunatics wazzocks and incompetents is the *Prime Minister*'s team, not the usurper(s).
Cummings is the Poker player with 17 packs-worth of aces up his sleeve.
That was me. It’s blowing over because the mere fact it’s Cummings will unify the Tory Party behind his target. Much as I would like the FLSOJ to be defenestrated it ain’t gonna happen. In two weeks this will be essentially over.
I don't expect it will happen yet. The sense of disbelief amongst some of the MPs is almost comedic - "this can't be happening" is a strong instinct even as the obvious conclusion hones into view.
They may hate Cummings. But it isn't Dom who is outing all this - its the press. He may well be the source, but MPs can hardly ignore all the newspapers being full of pictures of a drunk BJ taking a crap on the Downing Street lawn during a "work meeting" just because they don't like Cummings.
Had all of this been Dom talking with no evidence then I would absolutely agree with you. But it isn't. They likely won't go for him until after the demolition in May, but it will happen. No politician can survive this onslaught.
He’ll still be in charge at the next election. People in this country have the attention span of a gnat
When is the optimum time to have a leader change? Maybe 8-12 months before the GE. Enough time to get your mug on TV regularly but not so much that you can't blame your predecessor for everything.
May this year feels way to early. Nobody normal gives a fuck about local elections. It's all fat old white blokes staring at potholes in free newspapers.
As I've continually said no Tory PM is going to want an election prior to the new boundaries which mean you don't want an election until October / November 2023.
While 8-12 months is probably ideal I don't think that's an option. Now if Boris goes in August (full postal vote after removing Boris in May) then you have 15-17 months which although not ideal is better than leaving it to May 2024 with the added risk of events then damaging you.
Now the downside of an October 2023 election is that you are going to have to have all seats lined up ready to go by September 2023 which may give a hint to other parties that the PM is going to go to the polls early. It also means that a lot of MPs won't have much of an incumbency advantage because a lot of the constituents won't have known them before.
Do we really think a new Tory leader will go to the polls early?
I think we're almost certainly looking at a May 2024 election now, unless the FTPA is repealed and they can extend it for another six months or so.
An early election worked for Johnson, because he could tell the voters it was necessary to Get Brexit Done. It didn't work for May in part because the reason for the election was transparently her personal political advantage.
It looks like we're in a hanging on to the bitter end situation.
Lords watchdog launches inquiry into Michelle Mone over ‘VIP lane’ contract Investigation into Tory peer relates to PPE company awarded £203m in government contracts
The commissioner confirmed that the investigation would be for “alleged involvement in procuring contracts for PPE Medpro, leading to potential breaches” of three provisions of the Lords code, which cover the requirement that peers publicly register “all relevant interests”, and prohibit them from lobbying for a company or a person in which a peer “has a financial interest”.
The commissioner also stated that Mone would be investigated under the more general provisions of the code’s paragraph 9, which includes that peers “should always act on their personal honour”; must never accept “any financial inducement as an incentive or reward for exercising parliamentary influence”; and “must not seek to profit from membership of the house by accepting or agreeing to accept payment or other incentive or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services.”
Pretty sure Money will now be consigned to that ghastly Johnson type of Toryism with which the SCons have absolutely no connection.
Will be fascinating seeing the election material the Scottish Conservatives are shortly going to print up. They’ll use blue, but I bet the word “Conservative” is conspicuous by its absence, as will any reference to them being in power in London.
Will they continue with Ruth Davidson’s moderately successful ‘No Surrender’ strategy? Initial intelligence ( @Carnyx ) suggests not.
Certainly the List MSP leaflet I got the other day was a total contrast to the usual text of No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref even at parish council level (if we had parish councils up here) and with 'Conservative' in the smallest possible script compatible with Electoral Commission law and the wavelength of light.
It was all about roundabouts and only the fetching Sevco FC Blue colour scheme really drove it home it wasn't the local council's LD candidate.
Union? Us advocate union and subordination to that thing in No. 10? Oh no dear me, no siree.
Perhaps our other PBScots could report back on any other sightings?
The Union seems to have become a topic the principal Unionist party seems unwilling to advocate unless pressed. Klaxons should be sounding at BritNat central office.
Why? The UK Tory government just will refuse indyref2 as ever.
Whether the SCons manage to finally win 1 Scottish council outright or not or keep largest party in 1 or 2 Scottish councils has very little relevance if any to the Union
If the Union is to survive then your lot need to start targeting floating voters and capturing their hearts and minds. You are very good at appealing to core Con voters HY, but you are appallingly poor at lifting your eyes and addressing the centre ground. The Unionists are currently in the process of losing Middle Scotland.
Nope. The Tories could stay in power with not a single Tory MP in Scotland UK wide and can preserve the Union too by refusing indyref2 for as long as they are in power.
It is not our problem. It might be Labour's problem if they get into power reliant on the SNP and have to give an indyref2 and look at devomax etc but it was Labour who created Holyrood anyway giving a platform for the SNP so it has always been their created problem.
We Tories do not need to win Middle Scotland, we Tories need to win Middle England to stay in power. Only Labour needs to appeal to Middle Scotland to get back into power with a clear majority or to preserve the Union in any indyref2 they grant if they don't
Sorry HYUFD but this is absolutely mental. It gives truth to the trope that a lot of Tories only care about being in power and not what being in power is for.
I’m a Conservative and a Unionist and I want Scotland to WANT to be part of the UK - you don’t attract Scottish sympathy yet alone votes by telling them that they don’t fucking matter because we’ve got enough votes in middle England…..
If the Tories want to be in charge of a successful UK then they need to be supported by the UK as a whole to get the best out of it otherwise what’s the point of the UK for Scots and what’s the point of Scotland being part of the UK for the rest of the UK if it is ignored and treated as second class when it has so much good to contribute.
“Sorry guys we really don’t give a shit about you as we’ve got a billion votes in Surrey so we will set the rules to suit them”….. genius!
It's quite good that the British Rail double arrow continued in use on tickets and to denote stations all the way through the privatised era, and is now going to be the logo of GBR. 57 years and counting.
Anything is better than the ridiculous franchising system that embarrassed this nation for so many years, as a bunch of chiselling, pettifogging all-brand-no-bollocks companies rinsed the taxpayer while blaming each other for their manifold failings.
One of the few good moves by this government, bringing back a unified national system.
Did someone above suggest this was "blowing over"?
It truly isn't. The Tory rebels efforts even have a project name. And whilst I remember that photo of John Redwood and his rebels, remember that the embarrassing collection of assorted lunatics wazzocks and incompetents is the *Prime Minister*'s team, not the usurper(s).
Cummings is the Poker player with 17 packs-worth of aces up his sleeve.
That was me. It’s blowing over because the mere fact it’s Cummings will unify the Tory Party behind his target. Much as I would like the FLSOJ to be defenestrated it ain’t gonna happen. In two weeks this will be essentially over.
I don't expect it will happen yet. The sense of disbelief amongst some of the MPs is almost comedic - "this can't be happening" is a strong instinct even as the obvious conclusion hones into view.
They may hate Cummings. But it isn't Dom who is outing all this - its the press. He may well be the source, but MPs can hardly ignore all the newspapers being full of pictures of a drunk BJ taking a crap on the Downing Street lawn during a "work meeting" just because they don't like Cummings.
Had all of this been Dom talking with no evidence then I would absolutely agree with you. But it isn't. They likely won't go for him until after the demolition in May, but it will happen. No politician can survive this onslaught.
He’ll still be in charge at the next election. People in this country have the attention span of a gnat
When is the optimum time to have a leader change? Maybe 8-12 months before the GE. Enough time to get your mug on TV regularly but not so much that you can't blame your predecessor for everything.
May this year feels way to early. Nobody normal gives a fuck about local elections. It's all fat old white blokes staring at potholes in free newspapers.
As I've continually said no Tory PM is going to want an election prior to the new boundaries which mean you don't want an election until October / November 2023.
While 8-12 months is probably ideal I don't think that's an option. Now if Boris goes in August (full postal vote after removing Boris in May) then you have 15-17 months which although not ideal is better than leaving it to May 2024 with the added risk of events then damaging you.
Now the downside of an October 2023 election is that you are going to have to have all seats lined up ready to go by September 2023 which may give a hint to other parties that the PM is going to go to the polls early. It also means that a lot of MPs won't have much of an incumbency advantage because a lot of the constituents won't have known them before.
Do we really think a new Tory leader will go to the polls early?
I think we're almost certainly looking at a May 2024 election now, unless the FTPA is repealed and they can extend it for another six months or so.
An early election worked for Johnson, because he could tell the voters it was necessary to Get Brexit Done. It didn't work for May in part because the reason for the election was transparently her personal political advantage.
It looks like we're in a hanging on to the bitter end situation.
The Conservatives won’t want an election before the boundary changes go through, as they’re two decades out of date and worth at least half a dozen seats.
(It would be really interesting to see some up-to-date demographic data, to see how much movement around there has actually been, as opposed to what newspapers and estate agents say has been happening).
Just as well the government is about to scrap Plan B and virtually all remaining Covid rules anyway then
The briefing is that they won't be dropping Plan B at all – indeed every paper has carried the news that masking will stay. Now that might change, but that's what's being briefed.
I don't think that's true - the briefing seems to be ending plan B with the exception of retaining masks in some areas (transport, possibly all shops etc). Now we can argue that that is explicitly NOT ending plan B as the mask element is both the most obvious part, and for many, the most irritating element, but that is the briefing.
Personally I think I would end masks now, but of course people are free to wear them for ever if they choose.
My other worry is my employer will probably keep them in use.
Onnyways, just case anyone is feeling too comfortably complacent, there’s a prog on R4 just now about a bloke who had cancer of the penis. Currently describing the sensation of having erections after surgery to remove tumours.
Thanks for that. I was listening to it as I was having my toast and marmelade and literally couldn't stomach it so had to switch it off before it got to the reveal but I was wondering what the issue was (I ducked out while they were still on holiday).
Also finished Succession S3 last night. O. M. F. G.
Absolutely excellent and thanks to those on here who encouraged me to persevere after an imo slow start.
Fuck off, honestly Brian Cox deserves every award going.
That scene with the three younger Roy kids bonding was beautiful but that ending, OMFG.
Not seen S3 yet no spoilers here please!!!
You need to binge watch it now, you won’t regret it.
Yes just figuring out how to do it. Short subscription to Now TV probably the easiest route. Watched S1-2 on dvds we borrowed from friends. The best thing I've seen on TV for years, maybe ever.
You can buy season 3 for £21.99 on iTunes.
Thanks. I'll look into that. I don't use iTunes currently and it will involve plugging a laptop into the 11yo TV I think.
Lords watchdog launches inquiry into Michelle Mone over ‘VIP lane’ contract Investigation into Tory peer relates to PPE company awarded £203m in government contracts
The commissioner confirmed that the investigation would be for “alleged involvement in procuring contracts for PPE Medpro, leading to potential breaches” of three provisions of the Lords code, which cover the requirement that peers publicly register “all relevant interests”, and prohibit them from lobbying for a company or a person in which a peer “has a financial interest”.
The commissioner also stated that Mone would be investigated under the more general provisions of the code’s paragraph 9, which includes that peers “should always act on their personal honour”; must never accept “any financial inducement as an incentive or reward for exercising parliamentary influence”; and “must not seek to profit from membership of the house by accepting or agreeing to accept payment or other incentive or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services.”
Pretty sure Money will now be consigned to that ghastly Johnson type of Toryism with which the SCons have absolutely no connection.
Will be fascinating seeing the election material the Scottish Conservatives are shortly going to print up. They’ll use blue, but I bet the word “Conservative” is conspicuous by its absence, as will any reference to them being in power in London.
Will they continue with Ruth Davidson’s moderately successful ‘No Surrender’ strategy? Initial intelligence ( @Carnyx ) suggests not.
Certainly the List MSP leaflet I got the other day was a total contrast to the usual text of No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref even at parish council level (if we had parish councils up here) and with 'Conservative' in the smallest possible script compatible with Electoral Commission law and the wavelength of light.
It was all about roundabouts and only the fetching Sevco FC Blue colour scheme really drove it home it wasn't the local council's LD candidate.
Union? Us advocate union and subordination to that thing in No. 10? Oh no dear me, no siree.
Perhaps our other PBScots could report back on any other sightings?
The Union seems to have become a topic the principal Unionist party seems unwilling to advocate unless pressed. Klaxons should be sounding at BritNat central office.
Why? The UK Tory government just will refuse indyref2 as ever.
Whether the SCons manage to finally win 1 Scottish council outright or not or keep largest party in 1 or 2 Scottish councils has very little relevance if any to the Union
If the Union is to survive then your lot need to start targeting floating voters and capturing their hearts and minds. You are very good at appealing to core Con voters HY, but you are appallingly poor at lifting your eyes and addressing the centre ground. The Unionists are currently in the process of losing Middle Scotland.
Nope. The Tories could stay in power with not a single Tory MP in Scotland UK wide and can preserve the Union too by refusing indyref2 for as long as they are in power.
It is not our problem. It might be Labour's problem if they get into power reliant on the SNP and have to give an indyref2 and look at devomax etc but it was Labour who created Holyrood anyway giving a platform for the SNP so it has always been their created problem.
We Tories do not need to win Middle Scotland, we Tories need to win Middle England to stay in power. Only Labour needs to appeal to Middle Scotland to get back into power with a clear majority or to preserve the Union in any indyref2 they grant if they don't
If you don't win the likes of suburban Glasgow or rural North East Scotland, that's another 6 seats in England you need to win. It's not obvious that sacrificing Tory Scotland will provide the opportunity to gain (or save) 6 seats in England.
Lords watchdog launches inquiry into Michelle Mone over ‘VIP lane’ contract Investigation into Tory peer relates to PPE company awarded £203m in government contracts
The commissioner confirmed that the investigation would be for “alleged involvement in procuring contracts for PPE Medpro, leading to potential breaches” of three provisions of the Lords code, which cover the requirement that peers publicly register “all relevant interests”, and prohibit them from lobbying for a company or a person in which a peer “has a financial interest”.
The commissioner also stated that Mone would be investigated under the more general provisions of the code’s paragraph 9, which includes that peers “should always act on their personal honour”; must never accept “any financial inducement as an incentive or reward for exercising parliamentary influence”; and “must not seek to profit from membership of the house by accepting or agreeing to accept payment or other incentive or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services.”
Pretty sure Money will now be consigned to that ghastly Johnson type of Toryism with which the SCons have absolutely no connection.
Will be fascinating seeing the election material the Scottish Conservatives are shortly going to print up. They’ll use blue, but I bet the word “Conservative” is conspicuous by its absence, as will any reference to them being in power in London.
Will they continue with Ruth Davidson’s moderately successful ‘No Surrender’ strategy? Initial intelligence ( @Carnyx ) suggests not.
Certainly the List MSP leaflet I got the other day was a total contrast to the usual text of No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref even at parish council level (if we had parish councils up here) and with 'Conservative' in the smallest possible script compatible with Electoral Commission law and the wavelength of light.
It was all about roundabouts and only the fetching Sevco FC Blue colour scheme really drove it home it wasn't the local council's LD candidate.
Union? Us advocate union and subordination to that thing in No. 10? Oh no dear me, no siree.
Perhaps our other PBScots could report back on any other sightings?
The Union seems to have become a topic the principal Unionist party seems unwilling to advocate unless pressed. Klaxons should be sounding at BritNat central office.
I'd like to hear of other sightings before we draw conclusions - but there should be enough of us PBScots over a wide enough area with eg @RochdalePioneers@Farooq@Eabhal@malcolmg and @DavidL for instance to report back to confirm if there really is a change of approach. This is of interest well beyond individual affiliation.
There's a dearth of SCon literature in my bit even during non diddy elections. Perusing twitter is my usual method of seeing what fresh ideas the semi detached branch of Tory party comes up with, I'll keep my eyes open.
Just how detached is SCCHQ? Ross has gone out on a limb, are the staff in Edinburgh obliged to follow?
Dunno. I guess the staff at Northumberland St look to MSPs and Ross as their guide rather than the Westminster lot, but I don't know the official hierarchy.
It's interesting that the MPs are much more mixed than the MSPs in their approach - obvs partly the payroll patronage of Mr J, or the hope of being on it, must be a factor.
It's quite good that the British Rail double arrow continued in use on tickets and to denote stations all the way through the privatised era, and is now going to be the logo of GBR. 57 years and counting.
It's one of the great logos. I was very cross to see Johnson's BR hat since it made me warm to him slightly. I have a t-shirt from the same range.
Just as well the government is about to scrap Plan B and virtually all remaining Covid rules anyway then
The briefing is that they won't be dropping Plan B at all – indeed every paper has carried the news that masking will stay. Now that might change, but that's what's being briefed.
If there is only 1 rule left, ie masks in shops and public transport, if a refuse decide not to comply who cares given most of us have been vaccinated and boosted. It just is a courtesy to help reduce the spread of cases.
You can even have a rave for 10, 000 people completely legally by February without even needing a vaxport, so who cares if people want to have a huge boozy party in their garden or rave in their basement, it will all be completely legal!
I know I'm fighting a losing battle here, but I have to try: As long as compulsory masks - which were part of Plan B - remain in place, Plan B has not been "scrapped".
Plan B was essentially 3 things. Vaxports, masks and advice to wfh. Advice is largely irrelevant from a legal and political point of view, companies will have done what is best for them. So if vaxports go, but masks stay, half of plan B is scrapped and half remains.
Just as well the government is about to scrap Plan B and virtually all remaining Covid anyway then
Virtually all, but not the most visible one, so psychologically it will feel like not much has changed.
Politically not the best decision in my opinion, even if the science says otherwise.
If a few people choose not to wear a mask on public transport or in shops hardly the end of the world as most of them and those around them will have been vaccinated with boosters anyway.
Otherwise you can hold a rave for a 1,000 people perfectly legally in your garden and from the end of the month attend a rave and booze up for a 1,000 people in a nightclub perfectly legally without even needing a vaxport by the end of the month
Right, but that has nothing to do with what I said.
It has everything to do with what you said, wearing a mask on public transport or in shops is still supported by the vast majority of voters.
Almost all other restrictions will be ended
Revealed preference is your friend here. If the mandate is dropped, masks will be dropped like a stone by the public, even though they will be at liberty to retain them.
Not completely true. Back before plan B Waitrose asked customers to keep wearing masks. I'd say it was around 50:50 most of the time. It may have been different in other parts of the country and other shops. If Waitrose hadn't said this, I still think some would carry on, but it would be less. So it kind of depends on what companies choose to do too.
Well done Britain, but what on Earth are Germany playing at here? “Staying neutral” starting to look very like supporting the Russians. European unity looking very much in danger this morning.
Why should Germany consider ex-member UK's actions as relevant to European unity? NATO unity, perhaps, but really we have no claim whatsoever to be promoting European unity.
It's nothing to do with what Germany thinks of Britain's actions. It is entirely to do with the likely disunity within the EU as its Eastern European states assess German insouciance over Russia's aggressive stance towards the Ukraine.
Not just within the EU countries, but with Europe in general. What’s the point of a major power like Germany, if they won’t stand up to Russian aggression?
Good to see the British C17s heading to Kiev.
I imagine that Germany has to tread very carefully with regard to a stand against Russia. They don't want to give Putin the chance to rally the Russian people to his side by invoking memories of the Great Patriotic War.
It's quite good that the British Rail double arrow continued in use on tickets and to denote stations all the way through the privatised era, and is now going to be the logo of GBR. 57 years and counting.
It's quite good that the British Rail double arrow continued in use on tickets and to denote stations all the way through the privatised era, and is now going to be the logo of GBR. 57 years and counting.
It's one of the great logos. I was very cross to see Johnson's BR hat since it made me warm to him slightly. I have a t-shirt from the same range.
Curious to think it was criticised when it came in - eg cos some felt it looked like a train crash. Now it's part of the street furniture, like the red pillar boxes.
It's quite good that the British Rail double arrow continued in use on tickets and to denote stations all the way through the privatised era, and is now going to be the logo of GBR. 57 years and counting.
Anything is better than the ridiculous franchising system that embarrassed this nation for so many years, as a bunch of chiselling, pettifogging all-brand-no-bollocks companies rinsed the taxpayer while blaming each other for their manifold failings.
One of the few good moves by this government, bringing back a unified national system.
Yet this 'ridiculous franchising system' saw railways that were more popular than ever, with passenger numbers having more than doubled in 25 years (pre-pandemic), and railways that were far safer than ever before. A railway system that was expanding, rather than decreasing as it did under BR.
Interesting marketing ploy by Costa. Just received a mail saying that as I haven't used my Costa Rewards Card for 12 months they are about to remove my rewards (currently 1x free coffee).
I will now use Costa once more before the cut off date to get my free coffee and endeavour to use them as little as possible in the back to work new era we are about to enter.
Costa is rank anyway. We've got so many great coffee places dotted across the square mile, why go to Costa, Nero, Pret or Starbucks?!
True. I like the Black Sheep in particular which I notice are springing up all over the place.
Just as well the government is about to scrap Plan B and virtually all remaining Covid rules anyway then
The briefing is that they won't be dropping Plan B at all – indeed every paper has carried the news that masking will stay. Now that might change, but that's what's being briefed.
I don't think that's true - the briefing seems to be ending plan B with the exception of retaining masks in some areas (transport, possibly all shops etc). Now we can argue that that is explicitly NOT ending plan B as the mask element is both the most obvious part, and for many, the most irritating element, but that is the briefing.
Personally I think I would end masks now, but of course people are free to wear them for ever if they choose.
My other worry is my employer will probably keep them in use.
Yes, but what I am saying is, one cannot claim to be ending Plan B when masking is retained – as you say that's the biggest element of Plan B, and is highly irritating for many millions of people, as well as conveying a sense of continued crisis.
Lords watchdog launches inquiry into Michelle Mone over ‘VIP lane’ contract Investigation into Tory peer relates to PPE company awarded £203m in government contracts
The commissioner confirmed that the investigation would be for “alleged involvement in procuring contracts for PPE Medpro, leading to potential breaches” of three provisions of the Lords code, which cover the requirement that peers publicly register “all relevant interests”, and prohibit them from lobbying for a company or a person in which a peer “has a financial interest”.
The commissioner also stated that Mone would be investigated under the more general provisions of the code’s paragraph 9, which includes that peers “should always act on their personal honour”; must never accept “any financial inducement as an incentive or reward for exercising parliamentary influence”; and “must not seek to profit from membership of the house by accepting or agreeing to accept payment or other incentive or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services.”
Pretty sure Money will now be consigned to that ghastly Johnson type of Toryism with which the SCons have absolutely no connection.
Will be fascinating seeing the election material the Scottish Conservatives are shortly going to print up. They’ll use blue, but I bet the word “Conservative” is conspicuous by its absence, as will any reference to them being in power in London.
Will they continue with Ruth Davidson’s moderately successful ‘No Surrender’ strategy? Initial intelligence ( @Carnyx ) suggests not.
Certainly the List MSP leaflet I got the other day was a total contrast to the usual text of No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref even at parish council level (if we had parish councils up here) and with 'Conservative' in the smallest possible script compatible with Electoral Commission law and the wavelength of light.
It was all about roundabouts and only the fetching Sevco FC Blue colour scheme really drove it home it wasn't the local council's LD candidate.
Union? Us advocate union and subordination to that thing in No. 10? Oh no dear me, no siree.
Perhaps our other PBScots could report back on any other sightings?
The Union seems to have become a topic the principal Unionist party seems unwilling to advocate unless pressed. Klaxons should be sounding at BritNat central office.
Why? The UK Tory government just will refuse indyref2 as ever.
Whether the SCons manage to finally win 1 Scottish council outright or not or keep largest party in 1 or 2 Scottish councils has very little relevance if any to the Union
If the Union is to survive then your lot need to start targeting floating voters and capturing their hearts and minds. You are very good at appealing to core Con voters HY, but you are appallingly poor at lifting your eyes and addressing the centre ground. The Unionists are currently in the process of losing Middle Scotland.
Nope. The Tories could stay in power with not a single Tory MP in Scotland UK wide and can preserve the Union too by refusing indyref2 for as long as they are in power.
It is not our problem. It might be Labour's problem if they get into power reliant on the SNP and have to give an indyref2 and look at devomax etc but it was Labour who created Holyrood anyway giving a platform for the SNP so it has always been their created problem.
We Tories do not need to win Middle Scotland, we Tories need to win Middle England to stay in power. Only Labour needs to appeal to Middle Scotland to get back into power with a clear majority or to preserve the Union in any indyref2 they grant if they don't
So, the Conservative Party has nothing whatsoever to do with the decline of Unionism in Scotland. That’s a pretty big claim.
It is easy to create a long list of absolutely bonkers things your party has done to create the problem.
Just as well the government is about to scrap Plan B and virtually all remaining Covid rules anyway then
The briefing is that they won't be dropping Plan B at all – indeed every paper has carried the news that masking will stay. Now that might change, but that's what's being briefed.
If there is only 1 rule left, ie masks in shops and public transport, if a refuse decide not to comply who cares given most of us have been vaccinated and boosted. It just is a courtesy to help reduce the spread of cases.
You can even have a rave for 10, 000 people completely legally by February without even needing a vaxport, so who cares if people want to have a huge boozy party in their garden or rave in their basement, it will all be completely legal!
I know I'm fighting a losing battle here, but I have to try: As long as compulsory masks - which were part of Plan B - remain in place, Plan B has not been "scrapped".
Plan B was essentially 3 things. Vaxports, masks and advice to wfh. Advice is largely irrelevant from a legal and political point of view, companies will have done what is best for them. So if vaxports go, but masks stay, half of plan B is scrapped and half remains.
Is that right? I thought masks under Plan B was mandatory. They are not keeping it as a mandatory requirement are they?
Lords watchdog launches inquiry into Michelle Mone over ‘VIP lane’ contract Investigation into Tory peer relates to PPE company awarded £203m in government contracts
The commissioner confirmed that the investigation would be for “alleged involvement in procuring contracts for PPE Medpro, leading to potential breaches” of three provisions of the Lords code, which cover the requirement that peers publicly register “all relevant interests”, and prohibit them from lobbying for a company or a person in which a peer “has a financial interest”.
The commissioner also stated that Mone would be investigated under the more general provisions of the code’s paragraph 9, which includes that peers “should always act on their personal honour”; must never accept “any financial inducement as an incentive or reward for exercising parliamentary influence”; and “must not seek to profit from membership of the house by accepting or agreeing to accept payment or other incentive or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services.”
Pretty sure Money will now be consigned to that ghastly Johnson type of Toryism with which the SCons have absolutely no connection.
Will be fascinating seeing the election material the Scottish Conservatives are shortly going to print up. They’ll use blue, but I bet the word “Conservative” is conspicuous by its absence, as will any reference to them being in power in London.
Will they continue with Ruth Davidson’s moderately successful ‘No Surrender’ strategy? Initial intelligence ( @Carnyx ) suggests not.
Certainly the List MSP leaflet I got the other day was a total contrast to the usual text of No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref even at parish council level (if we had parish councils up here) and with 'Conservative' in the smallest possible script compatible with Electoral Commission law and the wavelength of light.
It was all about roundabouts and only the fetching Sevco FC Blue colour scheme really drove it home it wasn't the local council's LD candidate.
Union? Us advocate union and subordination to that thing in No. 10? Oh no dear me, no siree.
Perhaps our other PBScots could report back on any other sightings?
The Union seems to have become a topic the principal Unionist party seems unwilling to advocate unless pressed. Klaxons should be sounding at BritNat central office.
Why? The UK Tory government just will refuse indyref2 as ever.
Whether the SCons manage to finally win 1 Scottish council outright or not or keep largest party in 1 or 2 Scottish councils has very little relevance if any to the Union
If the Union is to survive then your lot need to start targeting floating voters and capturing their hearts and minds. You are very good at appealing to core Con voters HY, but you are appallingly poor at lifting your eyes and addressing the centre ground. The Unionists are currently in the process of losing Middle Scotland.
Nope. The Tories could stay in power with not a single Tory MP in Scotland UK wide and can preserve the Union too by refusing indyref2 for as long as they are in power.
It is not our problem. It might be Labour's problem if they get into power reliant on the SNP and have to give an indyref2 and look at devomax etc but it was Labour who created Holyrood anyway giving a platform for the SNP so it has always been their created problem.
We Tories do not need to win Middle Scotland, we Tories need to win Middle England to stay in power. Only Labour needs to appeal to Middle Scotland to get back into power with a clear majority or to preserve the Union in any indyref2 they grant if they don't
If you don't win the likes of suburban Glasgow or rural North East Scotland, that's another 6 seats in England you need to win. It's not obvious that sacrificing Tory Scotland will provide the opportunity to gain (or save) 6 seats in England.
No, even if the Tories lost every seat in Scotland they could still lose 33 seats in England as well and still have a majority.
In any case the 6 seats the Tories still hold in Scotland are all rural and what would be safe Tory seats in England. The Tories did not win a single MP in what could be described as suburban middle Scotland even in 2019
Rishi is only 41, he has the luxury of time to become Conservative leader & PM - which he might need if the trigger isn't pulled on Boris.
I'm not sure this is right at all. This was William Hague's problem: right person, wrong timing.
The tories are almost certainly now doomed for 2024 and then they will be out of power for c. 15 years. It's cyclical. It's also historical. Boris Johnson has managed to do what Thatcher-Major did and Tony Blair did: make a party toxic for a generation. By the time they're back in with a shout Sunak will be 60 and forever associated with this toxic Government.
The reason that 2022-4 probably won't save them now lies far beyond Boris Johnson. The econonic and fiscal signals, allied with personal living, are almost catastrophic.
Unless he strikes now and I mean very, very, soon Rishi Sunak will never become Prime Minister.
Lords watchdog launches inquiry into Michelle Mone over ‘VIP lane’ contract Investigation into Tory peer relates to PPE company awarded £203m in government contracts
The commissioner confirmed that the investigation would be for “alleged involvement in procuring contracts for PPE Medpro, leading to potential breaches” of three provisions of the Lords code, which cover the requirement that peers publicly register “all relevant interests”, and prohibit them from lobbying for a company or a person in which a peer “has a financial interest”.
The commissioner also stated that Mone would be investigated under the more general provisions of the code’s paragraph 9, which includes that peers “should always act on their personal honour”; must never accept “any financial inducement as an incentive or reward for exercising parliamentary influence”; and “must not seek to profit from membership of the house by accepting or agreeing to accept payment or other incentive or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services.”
Pretty sure Money will now be consigned to that ghastly Johnson type of Toryism with which the SCons have absolutely no connection.
Will be fascinating seeing the election material the Scottish Conservatives are shortly going to print up. They’ll use blue, but I bet the word “Conservative” is conspicuous by its absence, as will any reference to them being in power in London.
Will they continue with Ruth Davidson’s moderately successful ‘No Surrender’ strategy? Initial intelligence ( @Carnyx ) suggests not.
Certainly the List MSP leaflet I got the other day was a total contrast to the usual text of No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref even at parish council level (if we had parish councils up here) and with 'Conservative' in the smallest possible script compatible with Electoral Commission law and the wavelength of light.
It was all about roundabouts and only the fetching Sevco FC Blue colour scheme really drove it home it wasn't the local council's LD candidate.
Union? Us advocate union and subordination to that thing in No. 10? Oh no dear me, no siree.
Perhaps our other PBScots could report back on any other sightings?
The Union seems to have become a topic the principal Unionist party seems unwilling to advocate unless pressed. Klaxons should be sounding at BritNat central office.
Why? The UK Tory government just will refuse indyref2 as ever.
Whether the SCons manage to finally win 1 Scottish council outright or not or keep largest party in 1 or 2 Scottish councils has very little relevance if any to the Union
If the Union is to survive then your lot need to start targeting floating voters and capturing their hearts and minds. You are very good at appealing to core Con voters HY, but you are appallingly poor at lifting your eyes and addressing the centre ground. The Unionists are currently in the process of losing Middle Scotland.
Nope. The Tories could stay in power with not a single Tory MP in Scotland UK wide and can preserve the Union too by refusing indyref2 for as long as they are in power.
It is not our problem. It might be Labour's problem if they get into power reliant on the SNP and have to give an indyref2 and look at devomax etc but it was Labour who created Holyrood anyway giving a platform for the SNP so it has always been their created problem.
We Tories do not need to win Middle Scotland, we Tories need to win Middle England to stay in power. Only Labour needs to appeal to Middle Scotland to get back into power with a clear majority or to preserve the Union in any indyref2 they grant if they don't
Sorry HYUFD but this is absolutely mental. It gives truth to the trope that a lot of Tories only care about being in power and not what being in power is for.
I’m a Conservative and a Unionist and I want Scotland to WANT to be part of the UK - you don’t attract Scottish sympathy yet alone votes by telling them that they don’t fucking matter because we’ve got enough votes in middle England…..
If the Tories want to be in charge of a successful UK then they need to be supported by the UK as a whole to get the best out of it otherwise what’s the point of the UK for Scots and what’s the point of Scotland being part of the UK for the rest of the UK if it is ignored and treated as second class when it has so much good to contribute.
“Sorry guys we really don’t give a shit about you as we’ve got a billion votes in Surrey so we will set the rules to suit them”….. genius!
Very well put and it needs saying
@HYUFD is a shocking example of a narrow Little Englander antagonising the Scots with every idiotic announcement he makes, and yet threatens them with overbearing arrogance and ignorance
I believe with the right attitude the Scots will vote to remain in the union and it is for those of us who value the union to make a case and if necessary in a referendum in due course
I am sure we can all agree that @HYUFD is quite unique and does not speak for 'we tories'
Just as well the government is about to scrap Plan B and virtually all remaining Covid anyway then
Virtually all, but not the most visible one, so psychologically it will feel like not much has changed.
Politically not the best decision in my opinion, even if the science says otherwise.
If a few people choose not to wear a mask on public transport or in shops hardly the end of the world as most of them and those around them will have been vaccinated with boosters anyway.
Otherwise you can hold a rave for a 1,000 people perfectly legally in your garden and from the end of the month attend a rave and booze up for a 1,000 people in a nightclub perfectly legally without even needing a vaxport by the end of the month
Right, but that has nothing to do with what I said.
It has everything to do with what you said, wearing a mask on public transport or in shops is still supported by the vast majority of voters.
Almost all other restrictions will be ended
Revealed preference is your friend here. If the mandate is dropped, masks will be dropped like a stone by the public, even though they will be at liberty to retain them.
Not completely true. Back before plan B Waitrose asked customers to keep wearing masks. I'd say it was around 50:50 most of the time. It may have been different in other parts of the country and other shops. If Waitrose hadn't said this, I still think some would carry on, but it would be less. So it kind of depends on what companies choose to do too.
I saw similar in a Waitrose I visited in the sticks – I was surprised. Here in north London masking fell to about 5-10% in shops, as I expect it to do again. The masking rule on buses is frequently ignored (although I adhere to it myself).
It's quite good that the British Rail double arrow continued in use on tickets and to denote stations all the way through the privatised era, and is now going to be the logo of GBR. 57 years and counting.
Anything is better than the ridiculous franchising system that embarrassed this nation for so many years, as a bunch of chiselling, pettifogging all-brand-no-bollocks companies rinsed the taxpayer while blaming each other for their manifold failings.
One of the few good moves by this government, bringing back a unified national system.
Yet this 'ridiculous franchising system' saw railways that were more popular than ever, with passenger numbers having more than doubled in 25 years (pre-pandemic), and railways that were far safer than ever before. A railway system that was expanding, rather than decreasing as it did under BR.
Almost all entirely due to changing economic and geographic trends (increase in job opportunties in dense urban areas, increased costs of car ownership etc.) than anything to do with privatisation.
Lords watchdog launches inquiry into Michelle Mone over ‘VIP lane’ contract Investigation into Tory peer relates to PPE company awarded £203m in government contracts
The commissioner confirmed that the investigation would be for “alleged involvement in procuring contracts for PPE Medpro, leading to potential breaches” of three provisions of the Lords code, which cover the requirement that peers publicly register “all relevant interests”, and prohibit them from lobbying for a company or a person in which a peer “has a financial interest”.
The commissioner also stated that Mone would be investigated under the more general provisions of the code’s paragraph 9, which includes that peers “should always act on their personal honour”; must never accept “any financial inducement as an incentive or reward for exercising parliamentary influence”; and “must not seek to profit from membership of the house by accepting or agreeing to accept payment or other incentive or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services.”
Pretty sure Money will now be consigned to that ghastly Johnson type of Toryism with which the SCons have absolutely no connection.
Will be fascinating seeing the election material the Scottish Conservatives are shortly going to print up. They’ll use blue, but I bet the word “Conservative” is conspicuous by its absence, as will any reference to them being in power in London.
Will they continue with Ruth Davidson’s moderately successful ‘No Surrender’ strategy? Initial intelligence ( @Carnyx ) suggests not.
Certainly the List MSP leaflet I got the other day was a total contrast to the usual text of No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref even at parish council level (if we had parish councils up here) and with 'Conservative' in the smallest possible script compatible with Electoral Commission law and the wavelength of light.
It was all about roundabouts and only the fetching Sevco FC Blue colour scheme really drove it home it wasn't the local council's LD candidate.
Union? Us advocate union and subordination to that thing in No. 10? Oh no dear me, no siree.
Perhaps our other PBScots could report back on any other sightings?
The Union seems to have become a topic the principal Unionist party seems unwilling to advocate unless pressed. Klaxons should be sounding at BritNat central office.
Why? The UK Tory government just will refuse indyref2 as ever.
Whether the SCons manage to finally win 1 Scottish council outright or not or keep largest party in 1 or 2 Scottish councils has very little relevance if any to the Union
If the Union is to survive then your lot need to start targeting floating voters and capturing their hearts and minds. You are very good at appealing to core Con voters HY, but you are appallingly poor at lifting your eyes and addressing the centre ground. The Unionists are currently in the process of losing Middle Scotland.
I don't think even that's true.
Fair point.
HY only appeals to the core of the core. Or is even that being too generous to him?
Onnyways, just case anyone is feeling too comfortably complacent, there’s a prog on R4 just now about a bloke who had cancer of the penis. Currently describing the sensation of having erections after surgery to remove tumours.
Thanks for that. I was listening to it as I was having my toast and marmelade and literally couldn't stomach it so had to switch it off before it got to the reveal but I was wondering what the issue was (I ducked out while they were still on holiday).
Also finished Succession S3 last night. O. M. F. G.
Absolutely excellent and thanks to those on here who encouraged me to persevere after an imo slow start.
Fuck off, honestly Brian Cox deserves every award going.
That scene with the three younger Roy kids bonding was beautiful but that ending, OMFG.
Not seen S3 yet no spoilers here please!!!
You need to binge watch it now, you won’t regret it.
Yes just figuring out how to do it. Short subscription to Now TV probably the easiest route. Watched S1-2 on dvds we borrowed from friends. The best thing I've seen on TV for years, maybe ever.
You can buy season 3 for £21.99 on iTunes.
Amazing if you stand back and think about it. Super cheap for 9hrs of entertainment (vs the cinema, say) but hugely expensive harking back to our discussion yesterday (apols) on TV pricing.
Just as well the government is about to scrap Plan B and virtually all remaining Covid rules anyway then
The briefing is that they won't be dropping Plan B at all – indeed every paper has carried the news that masking will stay. Now that might change, but that's what's being briefed.
If there is only 1 rule left, ie masks in shops and public transport, if a refuse decide not to comply who cares given most of us have been vaccinated and boosted. It just is a courtesy to help reduce the spread of cases.
You can even have a rave for 10, 000 people completely legally by February without even needing a vaxport, so who cares if people want to have a huge boozy party in their garden or rave in their basement, it will all be completely legal!
You were saying a week or two back that the Tories would bounce back (or wouldn't fall any further) because they were going to end Plan B and those supporting no more restrictions would rally to them. But those who support no more restrictions aren't going to be coming back to the Tories if they don't rescind the most obvious and universal Plan B measure - masks. Most people aren't that affected by whether they have to provide a vaccine passport to go to a rave of 10,000 people. But most people do have to use shops.
If your primary measure is 'is this a positive for the Conservative Party' the answer is no.
Of course, it could all be positioning so that actually delivering what was promised - the end of Plan B - seems like a wonderful new reality.
Rishi is only 41, he has the luxury of time to become Conservative leader & PM - which he might need if the trigger isn't pulled on Boris.
Yes, but a vacancy now means it's his so he ought to be doing everything he can to create that vacancy now. Otherwise, who knows? Eg in sports, when a young player just misses out on a Big One they always say, "he'll be gutted but he'll win this one day, too good not to", but then ...
Lords watchdog launches inquiry into Michelle Mone over ‘VIP lane’ contract Investigation into Tory peer relates to PPE company awarded £203m in government contracts
The commissioner confirmed that the investigation would be for “alleged involvement in procuring contracts for PPE Medpro, leading to potential breaches” of three provisions of the Lords code, which cover the requirement that peers publicly register “all relevant interests”, and prohibit them from lobbying for a company or a person in which a peer “has a financial interest”.
The commissioner also stated that Mone would be investigated under the more general provisions of the code’s paragraph 9, which includes that peers “should always act on their personal honour”; must never accept “any financial inducement as an incentive or reward for exercising parliamentary influence”; and “must not seek to profit from membership of the house by accepting or agreeing to accept payment or other incentive or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services.”
Pretty sure Money will now be consigned to that ghastly Johnson type of Toryism with which the SCons have absolutely no connection.
Will be fascinating seeing the election material the Scottish Conservatives are shortly going to print up. They’ll use blue, but I bet the word “Conservative” is conspicuous by its absence, as will any reference to them being in power in London.
Will they continue with Ruth Davidson’s moderately successful ‘No Surrender’ strategy? Initial intelligence ( @Carnyx ) suggests not.
Certainly the List MSP leaflet I got the other day was a total contrast to the usual text of No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref even at parish council level (if we had parish councils up here) and with 'Conservative' in the smallest possible script compatible with Electoral Commission law and the wavelength of light.
It was all about roundabouts and only the fetching Sevco FC Blue colour scheme really drove it home it wasn't the local council's LD candidate.
Union? Us advocate union and subordination to that thing in No. 10? Oh no dear me, no siree.
Perhaps our other PBScots could report back on any other sightings?
The Union seems to have become a topic the principal Unionist party seems unwilling to advocate unless pressed. Klaxons should be sounding at BritNat central office.
Why? The UK Tory government just will refuse indyref2 as ever.
Whether the SCons manage to finally win 1 Scottish council outright or not or keep largest party in 1 or 2 Scottish councils has very little relevance if any to the Union
If the Union is to survive then your lot need to start targeting floating voters and capturing their hearts and minds. You are very good at appealing to core Con voters HY, but you are appallingly poor at lifting your eyes and addressing the centre ground. The Unionists are currently in the process of losing Middle Scotland.
Nope. The Tories could stay in power with not a single Tory MP in Scotland UK wide and can preserve the Union too by refusing indyref2 for as long as they are in power.
It is not our problem. It might be Labour's problem if they get into power reliant on the SNP and have to give an indyref2 and look at devomax etc but it was Labour who created Holyrood anyway giving a platform for the SNP so it has always been their created problem.
We Tories do not need to win Middle Scotland, we Tories need to win Middle England to stay in power. Only Labour needs to appeal to Middle Scotland to get back into power with a clear majority or to preserve the Union in any indyref2 they grant if they don't
So, the Conservative Party has nothing whatsoever to do with the decline of Unionism in Scotland. That’s a pretty big claim.
It is easy to create a long list of absolutely bonkers things your party has done to create the problem.
Cameron arguably did by allowing indyref2014 which he only narrowly won (albeit in coalition with the LDs).
Blair certainly did by effectively ending the Union as was with devolution for every home nation bar England.
The Union as was was ended by Blair, had Major been re elected in 1997 the Union would still be very strong as one UK with no platform for the SNP at Holyrood
Lords watchdog launches inquiry into Michelle Mone over ‘VIP lane’ contract Investigation into Tory peer relates to PPE company awarded £203m in government contracts
The commissioner confirmed that the investigation would be for “alleged involvement in procuring contracts for PPE Medpro, leading to potential breaches” of three provisions of the Lords code, which cover the requirement that peers publicly register “all relevant interests”, and prohibit them from lobbying for a company or a person in which a peer “has a financial interest”.
The commissioner also stated that Mone would be investigated under the more general provisions of the code’s paragraph 9, which includes that peers “should always act on their personal honour”; must never accept “any financial inducement as an incentive or reward for exercising parliamentary influence”; and “must not seek to profit from membership of the house by accepting or agreeing to accept payment or other incentive or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services.”
Pretty sure Money will now be consigned to that ghastly Johnson type of Toryism with which the SCons have absolutely no connection.
Will be fascinating seeing the election material the Scottish Conservatives are shortly going to print up. They’ll use blue, but I bet the word “Conservative” is conspicuous by its absence, as will any reference to them being in power in London.
Will they continue with Ruth Davidson’s moderately successful ‘No Surrender’ strategy? Initial intelligence ( @Carnyx ) suggests not.
Certainly the List MSP leaflet I got the other day was a total contrast to the usual text of No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref even at parish council level (if we had parish councils up here) and with 'Conservative' in the smallest possible script compatible with Electoral Commission law and the wavelength of light.
It was all about roundabouts and only the fetching Sevco FC Blue colour scheme really drove it home it wasn't the local council's LD candidate.
Union? Us advocate union and subordination to that thing in No. 10? Oh no dear me, no siree.
Perhaps our other PBScots could report back on any other sightings?
The Union seems to have become a topic the principal Unionist party seems unwilling to advocate unless pressed. Klaxons should be sounding at BritNat central office.
Why? The UK Tory government just will refuse indyref2 as ever.
Whether the SCons manage to finally win 1 Scottish council outright or not or keep largest party in 1 or 2 Scottish councils has very little relevance if any to the Union
If the Union is to survive then your lot need to start targeting floating voters and capturing their hearts and minds. You are very good at appealing to core Con voters HY, but you are appallingly poor at lifting your eyes and addressing the centre ground. The Unionists are currently in the process of losing Middle Scotland.
Nope. The Tories could stay in power with not a single Tory MP in Scotland UK wide and can preserve the Union too by refusing indyref2 for as long as they are in power.
It is not our problem. It might be Labour's problem if they get into power reliant on the SNP and have to give an indyref2 and look at devomax etc but it was Labour who created Holyrood anyway giving a platform for the SNP so it has always been their created problem.
We Tories do not need to win Middle Scotland, we Tories need to win Middle England to stay in power. Only Labour needs to appeal to Middle Scotland to get back into power with a clear majority or to preserve the Union in any indyref2 they grant if they don't
Sorry HYUFD but this is absolutely mental. It gives truth to the trope that a lot of Tories only care about being in power and not what being in power is for.
I’m a Conservative and a Unionist and I want Scotland to WANT to be part of the UK - you don’t attract Scottish sympathy yet alone votes by telling them that they don’t fucking matter because we’ve got enough votes in middle England…..
If the Tories want to be in charge of a successful UK then they need to be supported by the UK as a whole to get the best out of it otherwise what’s the point of the UK for Scots and what’s the point of Scotland being part of the UK for the rest of the UK if it is ignored and treated as second class when it has so much good to contribute.
“Sorry guys we really don’t give a shit about you as we’ve got a billion votes in Surrey so we will set the rules to suit them”….. genius!
Very well put and it needs saying
@HYUFD is a shocking example of a narrow Little Englander antagonising the Scots with every idiotic announcement he makes, and yet threatens them with overbearing arrogance and ignorance
I believe with the right attitude the Scots will vote to remain in the union and it is for those of us who value the union to make a case and if necessary in a referendum in due course
I am sure we can all agree that @HYUFD is quite unique and does not speak for 'we tories'
That is probably true of PB Tories. Across the wider Tory membership HYUFD is unique mostly in his shameless and public honesty about the cynicism that drives many Tory policies. Many members think like him but don't voice it as brutally.
Lords watchdog launches inquiry into Michelle Mone over ‘VIP lane’ contract Investigation into Tory peer relates to PPE company awarded £203m in government contracts
The commissioner confirmed that the investigation would be for “alleged involvement in procuring contracts for PPE Medpro, leading to potential breaches” of three provisions of the Lords code, which cover the requirement that peers publicly register “all relevant interests”, and prohibit them from lobbying for a company or a person in which a peer “has a financial interest”.
The commissioner also stated that Mone would be investigated under the more general provisions of the code’s paragraph 9, which includes that peers “should always act on their personal honour”; must never accept “any financial inducement as an incentive or reward for exercising parliamentary influence”; and “must not seek to profit from membership of the house by accepting or agreeing to accept payment or other incentive or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services.”
Pretty sure Money will now be consigned to that ghastly Johnson type of Toryism with which the SCons have absolutely no connection.
Will be fascinating seeing the election material the Scottish Conservatives are shortly going to print up. They’ll use blue, but I bet the word “Conservative” is conspicuous by its absence, as will any reference to them being in power in London.
Will they continue with Ruth Davidson’s moderately successful ‘No Surrender’ strategy? Initial intelligence ( @Carnyx ) suggests not.
Certainly the List MSP leaflet I got the other day was a total contrast to the usual text of No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref even at parish council level (if we had parish councils up here) and with 'Conservative' in the smallest possible script compatible with Electoral Commission law and the wavelength of light.
It was all about roundabouts and only the fetching Sevco FC Blue colour scheme really drove it home it wasn't the local council's LD candidate.
Union? Us advocate union and subordination to that thing in No. 10? Oh no dear me, no siree.
Perhaps our other PBScots could report back on any other sightings?
The Union seems to have become a topic the principal Unionist party seems unwilling to advocate unless pressed. Klaxons should be sounding at BritNat central office.
Why? The UK Tory government just will refuse indyref2 as ever.
Whether the SCons manage to finally win 1 Scottish council outright or not or keep largest party in 1 or 2 Scottish councils has very little relevance if any to the Union
If the Union is to survive then your lot need to start targeting floating voters and capturing their hearts and minds. You are very good at appealing to core Con voters HY, but you are appallingly poor at lifting your eyes and addressing the centre ground. The Unionists are currently in the process of losing Middle Scotland.
Nope. The Tories could stay in power with not a single Tory MP in Scotland UK wide and can preserve the Union too by refusing indyref2 for as long as they are in power.
It is not our problem. It might be Labour's problem if they get into power reliant on the SNP and have to give an indyref2 and look at devomax etc but it was Labour who created Holyrood anyway giving a platform for the SNP so it has always been their created problem.
We Tories do not need to win Middle Scotland, we Tories need to win Middle England to stay in power. Only Labour needs to appeal to Middle Scotland to get back into power with a clear majority or to preserve the Union in any indyref2 they grant if they don't
Sorry HYUFD but this is absolutely mental. It gives truth to the trope that a lot of Tories only care about being in power and not what being in power is for.
I’m a Conservative and a Unionist and I want Scotland to WANT to be part of the UK - you don’t attract Scottish sympathy yet alone votes by telling them that they don’t fucking matter because we’ve got enough votes in middle England…..
If the Tories want to be in charge of a successful UK then they need to be supported by the UK as a whole to get the best out of it otherwise what’s the point of the UK for Scots and what’s the point of Scotland being part of the UK for the rest of the UK if it is ignored and treated as second class when it has so much good to contribute.
“Sorry guys we really don’t give a shit about you as we’ve got a billion votes in Surrey so we will set the rules to suit them”….. genius!
Scotland has Holyrood now for most of its domestic policy, it no longer cares about Westminster for half its laws, so why should Westminster Tories care that much about what middle Scotland thinks given it does not even vote Tory anyway? In any case Surrey is no longer safe Tory, unlike say most of Essex or Lincolnshire.
Just as well the government is about to scrap Plan B and virtually all remaining Covid rules anyway then
The briefing is that they won't be dropping Plan B at all – indeed every paper has carried the news that masking will stay. Now that might change, but that's what's being briefed.
If there is only 1 rule left, ie masks in shops and public transport, if a refuse decide not to comply who cares given most of us have been vaccinated and boosted. It just is a courtesy to help reduce the spread of cases.
You can even have a rave for 10, 000 people completely legally by February without even needing a vaxport, so who cares if people want to have a huge boozy party in their garden or rave in their basement, it will all be completely legal!
I know I'm fighting a losing battle here, but I have to try: As long as compulsory masks - which were part of Plan B - remain in place, Plan B has not been "scrapped".
Plan B was essentially 3 things. Vaxports, masks and advice to wfh. Advice is largely irrelevant from a legal and political point of view, companies will have done what is best for them. So if vaxports go, but masks stay, half of plan B is scrapped and half remains.
It's quite good that the British Rail double arrow continued in use on tickets and to denote stations all the way through the privatised era, and is now going to be the logo of GBR. 57 years and counting.
Anything is better than the ridiculous franchising system that embarrassed this nation for so many years, as a bunch of chiselling, pettifogging all-brand-no-bollocks companies rinsed the taxpayer while blaming each other for their manifold failings.
One of the few good moves by this government, bringing back a unified national system.
Yet this 'ridiculous franchising system' saw railways that were more popular than ever, with passenger numbers having more than doubled in 25 years (pre-pandemic), and railways that were far safer than ever before. A railway system that was expanding, rather than decreasing as it did under BR.
You know full well that that was at a massive increase in taxpayer subsidy and ticket pricing. Read Christian Wolmar. In any case, I have work to do so don't have time to argue with you on this again.
The simple truth is that the public wants one arse to kick – that of the government – and most people will celebrate the end of franchising, which was a blame game with the long-suffering travelling public caught in the permanent crossfire.
Just as well the government is about to scrap Plan B and virtually all remaining Covid rules anyway then
The briefing is that they won't be dropping Plan B at all – indeed every paper has carried the news that masking will stay. Now that might change, but that's what's being briefed.
If there is only 1 rule left, ie masks in shops and public transport, if a refuse decide not to comply who cares given most of us have been vaccinated and boosted. It just is a courtesy to help reduce the spread of cases.
You can even have a rave for 10, 000 people completely legally by February without even needing a vaxport, so who cares if people want to have a huge boozy party in their garden or rave in their basement, it will all be completely legal!
I know I'm fighting a losing battle here, but I have to try: As long as compulsory masks - which were part of Plan B - remain in place, Plan B has not been "scrapped".
Plan B was essentially 3 things. Vaxports, masks and advice to wfh. Advice is largely irrelevant from a legal and political point of view, companies will have done what is best for them. So if vaxports go, but masks stay, half of plan B is scrapped and half remains.
Is that right? I thought masks under Plan B was mandatory. They are not keeping it as a mandatory requirement are they?
Just as well the government is about to scrap Plan B and virtually all remaining Covid rules anyway then
The briefing is that they won't be dropping Plan B at all – indeed every paper has carried the news that masking will stay. Now that might change, but that's what's being briefed.
If there is only 1 rule left, ie masks in shops and public transport, if a refuse decide not to comply who cares given most of us have been vaccinated and boosted. It just is a courtesy to help reduce the spread of cases.
You can even have a rave for 10, 000 people completely legally by February without even needing a vaxport, so who cares if people want to have a huge boozy party in their garden or rave in their basement, it will all be completely legal!
You were saying a week or two back that the Tories would bounce back (or wouldn't fall any further) because they were going to end Plan B and those supporting no more restrictions would rally to them. But those who support no more restrictions aren't going to be coming back to the Tories if they don't rescind the most obvious and universal Plan B measure - masks. Most people aren't that affected by whether they have to provide a vaccine passport to go to a rave of 10,000 people. But most people do have to use shops.
If your primary measure is 'is this a positive for the Conservative Party' the answer is no.
Of course, it could all be positioning so that actually delivering what was promised - the end of Plan B - seems like a wonderful new reality.
Even most Tory voters want to keep masks, they do not want another lockdown however
Lords watchdog launches inquiry into Michelle Mone over ‘VIP lane’ contract Investigation into Tory peer relates to PPE company awarded £203m in government contracts
The commissioner confirmed that the investigation would be for “alleged involvement in procuring contracts for PPE Medpro, leading to potential breaches” of three provisions of the Lords code, which cover the requirement that peers publicly register “all relevant interests”, and prohibit them from lobbying for a company or a person in which a peer “has a financial interest”.
The commissioner also stated that Mone would be investigated under the more general provisions of the code’s paragraph 9, which includes that peers “should always act on their personal honour”; must never accept “any financial inducement as an incentive or reward for exercising parliamentary influence”; and “must not seek to profit from membership of the house by accepting or agreeing to accept payment or other incentive or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services.”
Pretty sure Money will now be consigned to that ghastly Johnson type of Toryism with which the SCons have absolutely no connection.
Will be fascinating seeing the election material the Scottish Conservatives are shortly going to print up. They’ll use blue, but I bet the word “Conservative” is conspicuous by its absence, as will any reference to them being in power in London.
Will they continue with Ruth Davidson’s moderately successful ‘No Surrender’ strategy? Initial intelligence ( @Carnyx ) suggests not.
Certainly the List MSP leaflet I got the other day was a total contrast to the usual text of No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref even at parish council level (if we had parish councils up here) and with 'Conservative' in the smallest possible script compatible with Electoral Commission law and the wavelength of light.
It was all about roundabouts and only the fetching Sevco FC Blue colour scheme really drove it home it wasn't the local council's LD candidate.
Union? Us advocate union and subordination to that thing in No. 10? Oh no dear me, no siree.
Perhaps our other PBScots could report back on any other sightings?
The Union seems to have become a topic the principal Unionist party seems unwilling to advocate unless pressed. Klaxons should be sounding at BritNat central office.
Why? The UK Tory government just will refuse indyref2 as ever.
Whether the SCons manage to finally win 1 Scottish council outright or not or keep largest party in 1 or 2 Scottish councils has very little relevance if any to the Union
If the Union is to survive then your lot need to start targeting floating voters and capturing their hearts and minds. You are very good at appealing to core Con voters HY, but you are appallingly poor at lifting your eyes and addressing the centre ground. The Unionists are currently in the process of losing Middle Scotland.
Nope. The Tories could stay in power with not a single Tory MP in Scotland UK wide and can preserve the Union too by refusing indyref2 for as long as they are in power.
It is not our problem. It might be Labour's problem if they get into power reliant on the SNP and have to give an indyref2 and look at devomax etc but it was Labour who created Holyrood anyway giving a platform for the SNP so it has always been their created problem.
We Tories do not need to win Middle Scotland, we Tories need to win Middle England to stay in power. Only Labour needs to appeal to Middle Scotland to get back into power with a clear majority or to preserve the Union in any indyref2 they grant if they don't
Sorry HYUFD but this is absolutely mental. It gives truth to the trope that a lot of Tories only care about being in power and not what being in power is for.
I’m a Conservative and a Unionist and I want Scotland to WANT to be part of the UK - you don’t attract Scottish sympathy yet alone votes by telling them that they don’t fucking matter because we’ve got enough votes in middle England…..
If the Tories want to be in charge of a successful UK then they need to be supported by the UK as a whole to get the best out of it otherwise what’s the point of the UK for Scots and what’s the point of Scotland being part of the UK for the rest of the UK if it is ignored and treated as second class when it has so much good to contribute.
“Sorry guys we really don’t give a shit about you as we’ve got a billion votes in Surrey so we will set the rules to suit them”….. genius!
Very well put and it needs saying
@HYUFD is a shocking example of a narrow Little Englander antagonising the Scots with every idiotic announcement he makes, and yet threatens them with overbearing arrogance and ignorance
I believe with the right attitude the Scots will vote to remain in the union and it is for those of us who value the union to make a case and if necessary in a referendum in due course
I am sure we can all agree that @HYUFD is quite unique and does not speak for 'we tories'
Yes I do, it is UK Tory government policy to refuse an indyref2
Lords watchdog launches inquiry into Michelle Mone over ‘VIP lane’ contract Investigation into Tory peer relates to PPE company awarded £203m in government contracts
The commissioner confirmed that the investigation would be for “alleged involvement in procuring contracts for PPE Medpro, leading to potential breaches” of three provisions of the Lords code, which cover the requirement that peers publicly register “all relevant interests”, and prohibit them from lobbying for a company or a person in which a peer “has a financial interest”.
The commissioner also stated that Mone would be investigated under the more general provisions of the code’s paragraph 9, which includes that peers “should always act on their personal honour”; must never accept “any financial inducement as an incentive or reward for exercising parliamentary influence”; and “must not seek to profit from membership of the house by accepting or agreeing to accept payment or other incentive or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services.”
Pretty sure Money will now be consigned to that ghastly Johnson type of Toryism with which the SCons have absolutely no connection.
Will be fascinating seeing the election material the Scottish Conservatives are shortly going to print up. They’ll use blue, but I bet the word “Conservative” is conspicuous by its absence, as will any reference to them being in power in London.
Will they continue with Ruth Davidson’s moderately successful ‘No Surrender’ strategy? Initial intelligence ( @Carnyx ) suggests not.
Certainly the List MSP leaflet I got the other day was a total contrast to the usual text of No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref even at parish council level (if we had parish councils up here) and with 'Conservative' in the smallest possible script compatible with Electoral Commission law and the wavelength of light.
It was all about roundabouts and only the fetching Sevco FC Blue colour scheme really drove it home it wasn't the local council's LD candidate.
Union? Us advocate union and subordination to that thing in No. 10? Oh no dear me, no siree.
Perhaps our other PBScots could report back on any other sightings?
The Union seems to have become a topic the principal Unionist party seems unwilling to advocate unless pressed. Klaxons should be sounding at BritNat central office.
Why? The UK Tory government just will refuse indyref2 as ever.
Whether the SCons manage to finally win 1 Scottish council outright or not or keep largest party in 1 or 2 Scottish councils has very little relevance if any to the Union
If the Union is to survive then your lot need to start targeting floating voters and capturing their hearts and minds. You are very good at appealing to core Con voters HY, but you are appallingly poor at lifting your eyes and addressing the centre ground. The Unionists are currently in the process of losing Middle Scotland.
I don't think even that's true.
Fair point.
HY only appeals to the core of the core. Or is even that being too generous to him?
Yes.
He has a very poor appeal factor probably to less than a handful of conservatives, if that
Lords watchdog launches inquiry into Michelle Mone over ‘VIP lane’ contract Investigation into Tory peer relates to PPE company awarded £203m in government contracts
The commissioner confirmed that the investigation would be for “alleged involvement in procuring contracts for PPE Medpro, leading to potential breaches” of three provisions of the Lords code, which cover the requirement that peers publicly register “all relevant interests”, and prohibit them from lobbying for a company or a person in which a peer “has a financial interest”.
The commissioner also stated that Mone would be investigated under the more general provisions of the code’s paragraph 9, which includes that peers “should always act on their personal honour”; must never accept “any financial inducement as an incentive or reward for exercising parliamentary influence”; and “must not seek to profit from membership of the house by accepting or agreeing to accept payment or other incentive or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services.”
Pretty sure Money will now be consigned to that ghastly Johnson type of Toryism with which the SCons have absolutely no connection.
Will be fascinating seeing the election material the Scottish Conservatives are shortly going to print up. They’ll use blue, but I bet the word “Conservative” is conspicuous by its absence, as will any reference to them being in power in London.
Will they continue with Ruth Davidson’s moderately successful ‘No Surrender’ strategy? Initial intelligence ( @Carnyx ) suggests not.
Certainly the List MSP leaflet I got the other day was a total contrast to the usual text of No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref even at parish council level (if we had parish councils up here) and with 'Conservative' in the smallest possible script compatible with Electoral Commission law and the wavelength of light.
It was all about roundabouts and only the fetching Sevco FC Blue colour scheme really drove it home it wasn't the local council's LD candidate.
Union? Us advocate union and subordination to that thing in No. 10? Oh no dear me, no siree.
Perhaps our other PBScots could report back on any other sightings?
The Union seems to have become a topic the principal Unionist party seems unwilling to advocate unless pressed. Klaxons should be sounding at BritNat central office.
Why? The UK Tory government just will refuse indyref2 as ever.
Whether the SCons manage to finally win 1 Scottish council outright or not or keep largest party in 1 or 2 Scottish councils has very little relevance if any to the Union
If the Union is to survive then your lot need to start targeting floating voters and capturing their hearts and minds. You are very good at appealing to core Con voters HY, but you are appallingly poor at lifting your eyes and addressing the centre ground. The Unionists are currently in the process of losing Middle Scotland.
Nope. The Tories could stay in power with not a single Tory MP in Scotland UK wide and can preserve the Union too by refusing indyref2 for as long as they are in power.
It is not our problem. It might be Labour's problem if they get into power reliant on the SNP and have to give an indyref2 and look at devomax etc but it was Labour who created Holyrood anyway giving a platform for the SNP so it has always been their created problem.
We Tories do not need to win Middle Scotland, we Tories need to win Middle England to stay in power. Only Labour needs to appeal to Middle Scotland to get back into power with a clear majority or to preserve the Union in any indyref2 they grant if they don't
So, the Conservative Party has nothing whatsoever to do with the decline of Unionism in Scotland. That’s a pretty big claim.
It is easy to create a long list of absolutely bonkers things your party has done to create the problem.
Cameron arguably did by allowing indyref2014 which he only narrowly won (albeit in coalition with the LDs).
Blair certainly did by effectively ending the Union as was with devolution for every home nation bar England.
The Union as was was ended by Blair, had Major been re elected in 1997 the Union would still be very strong as one UK with no platform for the SNP at Holyrood
Actually, it's arguable that Mr Blair (somewhat against his wishes) saved the union, at least for the last couple of decades. You're forgetting that the sane Unionists had put huge effort into the 1990s Constitutional Convention whence the devolution process came. The devolution referendom was won by a large margin. If that work hads been trashed and the referendum refused then Slab and SLD would have been trashed as well, as they were in 2015. The only options would have been Tory or SNP, or Tommy Sheridan's lot in the more socialist parts of the cities. And the SNP's entire energies would have gone to Westminster.
Lords watchdog launches inquiry into Michelle Mone over ‘VIP lane’ contract Investigation into Tory peer relates to PPE company awarded £203m in government contracts
The commissioner confirmed that the investigation would be for “alleged involvement in procuring contracts for PPE Medpro, leading to potential breaches” of three provisions of the Lords code, which cover the requirement that peers publicly register “all relevant interests”, and prohibit them from lobbying for a company or a person in which a peer “has a financial interest”.
The commissioner also stated that Mone would be investigated under the more general provisions of the code’s paragraph 9, which includes that peers “should always act on their personal honour”; must never accept “any financial inducement as an incentive or reward for exercising parliamentary influence”; and “must not seek to profit from membership of the house by accepting or agreeing to accept payment or other incentive or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services.”
Pretty sure Money will now be consigned to that ghastly Johnson type of Toryism with which the SCons have absolutely no connection.
Will be fascinating seeing the election material the Scottish Conservatives are shortly going to print up. They’ll use blue, but I bet the word “Conservative” is conspicuous by its absence, as will any reference to them being in power in London.
Will they continue with Ruth Davidson’s moderately successful ‘No Surrender’ strategy? Initial intelligence ( @Carnyx ) suggests not.
Certainly the List MSP leaflet I got the other day was a total contrast to the usual text of No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref even at parish council level (if we had parish councils up here) and with 'Conservative' in the smallest possible script compatible with Electoral Commission law and the wavelength of light.
It was all about roundabouts and only the fetching Sevco FC Blue colour scheme really drove it home it wasn't the local council's LD candidate.
Union? Us advocate union and subordination to that thing in No. 10? Oh no dear me, no siree.
Perhaps our other PBScots could report back on any other sightings?
The Union seems to have become a topic the principal Unionist party seems unwilling to advocate unless pressed. Klaxons should be sounding at BritNat central office.
Why? The UK Tory government just will refuse indyref2 as ever.
Whether the SCons manage to finally win 1 Scottish council outright or not or keep largest party in 1 or 2 Scottish councils has very little relevance if any to the Union
If the Union is to survive then your lot need to start targeting floating voters and capturing their hearts and minds. You are very good at appealing to core Con voters HY, but you are appallingly poor at lifting your eyes and addressing the centre ground. The Unionists are currently in the process of losing Middle Scotland.
Nope. The Tories could stay in power with not a single Tory MP in Scotland UK wide and can preserve the Union too by refusing indyref2 for as long as they are in power.
It is not our problem. It might be Labour's problem if they get into power reliant on the SNP and have to give an indyref2 and look at devomax etc but it was Labour who created Holyrood anyway giving a platform for the SNP so it has always been their created problem.
We Tories do not need to win Middle Scotland, we Tories need to win Middle England to stay in power. Only Labour needs to appeal to Middle Scotland to get back into power with a clear majority or to preserve the Union in any indyref2 they grant if they don't
Sorry HYUFD but this is absolutely mental. It gives truth to the trope that a lot of Tories only care about being in power and not what being in power is for.
I’m a Conservative and a Unionist and I want Scotland to WANT to be part of the UK - you don’t attract Scottish sympathy yet alone votes by telling them that they don’t fucking matter because we’ve got enough votes in middle England…..
If the Tories want to be in charge of a successful UK then they need to be supported by the UK as a whole to get the best out of it otherwise what’s the point of the UK for Scots and what’s the point of Scotland being part of the UK for the rest of the UK if it is ignored and treated as second class when it has so much good to contribute.
“Sorry guys we really don’t give a shit about you as we’ve got a billion votes in Surrey so we will set the rules to suit them”….. genius!
Scotland has Holyrood now for most of its domestic policy, it no longer cares about Westminster for half its laws, so why should Westminster Tories care that much about what middle Scotland thinks given it does not even vote Tory anyway? In any case Surrey is no longer safe Tory, unlike say most of Essex or Lincolnshire.
The 2015 to 2019 five-year average was used to compare against deaths registered in 2020 and 2021 because it provides a comparison of the number of deaths expected per week in a usual (non-pandemic) year. The further we move away from the five years in question, the less robust the measure is because of changes in population numbers, age and structure.
Deaths registered in 2022 will be compared with the 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021 five-year average. As 2021 is also a pandemic year and does increase some of the expected deaths in a week, other comparisons are also used including week-by-week and 2021 only.
I'm not sure why they couldn't have used 2020 up to the end of March and then subbed in 2021 thereafter. As it is, their analysis suggests the number of deaths in Week 1 of 2022 was 1,036 below the five year average.
Just as well the government is about to scrap Plan B and virtually all remaining Covid rules anyway then
The briefing is that they won't be dropping Plan B at all – indeed every paper has carried the news that masking will stay. Now that might change, but that's what's being briefed.
If there is only 1 rule left, ie masks in shops and public transport, if a refuse decide not to comply who cares given most of us have been vaccinated and boosted. It just is a courtesy to help reduce the spread of cases.
You can even have a rave for 10, 000 people completely legally by February without even needing a vaxport, so who cares if people want to have a huge boozy party in their garden or rave in their basement, it will all be completely legal!
I know I'm fighting a losing battle here, but I have to try: As long as compulsory masks - which were part of Plan B - remain in place, Plan B has not been "scrapped".
Plan B was essentially 3 things. Vaxports, masks and advice to wfh. Advice is largely irrelevant from a legal and political point of view, companies will have done what is best for them. So if vaxports go, but masks stay, half of plan B is scrapped and half remains.
It's quite good that the British Rail double arrow continued in use on tickets and to denote stations all the way through the privatised era, and is now going to be the logo of GBR. 57 years and counting.
Anything is better than the ridiculous franchising system that embarrassed this nation for so many years, as a bunch of chiselling, pettifogging all-brand-no-bollocks companies rinsed the taxpayer while blaming each other for their manifold failings.
One of the few good moves by this government, bringing back a unified national system.
Yet this 'ridiculous franchising system' saw railways that were more popular than ever, with passenger numbers having more than doubled in 25 years (pre-pandemic), and railways that were far safer than ever before. A railway system that was expanding, rather than decreasing as it did under BR.
You know full well that that was at a massive increase in taxpayer subsidy and ticket pricing. Read Christian Wolmar. In any case, I have work to do so don't have time to argue with you on this again.
The simple truth is that the public wants one arse to kick – that of the government – and most people will celebrate the end of franchising, which was a blame game with the long-suffering travelling public caught in the permanent crossfire.
Goodbye, and good bloody riddance.
The biggest issue the the whole franchise system has been this - the true costs of it are incredibly hard to disentangle. I used to car-share with a colleague, pretty regular, so I did a week, he did a week. We didn't charge each other, but in theory I could have charged him 25 quid a week and he the same, with the same net result. A lot of the rail business looked a bit like this - government putting money in that was then paid back, but the government could say how much they had 'subsidised' the rail network...
I have no issue with tax being used to provide public transport, but it should be clear what is being done. Its also true that BR was in a shocking state by the eighties, and massively needed an injection of cash for new motive power and rolling stock.
Rishi is only 41, he has the luxury of time to become Conservative leader & PM - which he might need if the trigger isn't pulled on Boris.
For how many of us, myself included, would Rishi (born May 1980) become the first PM younger than themselves?
He is younger than my three children
Younger than all but one of my parents’ children too.
The youngest PM to date is Cameron, born October 1966, so Rishi would be youngest by 14 years. That’s a lot of people, to whom he would be the first PM younger than them.
I think all of the other potential PM contenders are older than me.
Lords watchdog launches inquiry into Michelle Mone over ‘VIP lane’ contract Investigation into Tory peer relates to PPE company awarded £203m in government contracts
The commissioner confirmed that the investigation would be for “alleged involvement in procuring contracts for PPE Medpro, leading to potential breaches” of three provisions of the Lords code, which cover the requirement that peers publicly register “all relevant interests”, and prohibit them from lobbying for a company or a person in which a peer “has a financial interest”.
The commissioner also stated that Mone would be investigated under the more general provisions of the code’s paragraph 9, which includes that peers “should always act on their personal honour”; must never accept “any financial inducement as an incentive or reward for exercising parliamentary influence”; and “must not seek to profit from membership of the house by accepting or agreeing to accept payment or other incentive or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services.”
Pretty sure Money will now be consigned to that ghastly Johnson type of Toryism with which the SCons have absolutely no connection.
Will be fascinating seeing the election material the Scottish Conservatives are shortly going to print up. They’ll use blue, but I bet the word “Conservative” is conspicuous by its absence, as will any reference to them being in power in London.
Will they continue with Ruth Davidson’s moderately successful ‘No Surrender’ strategy? Initial intelligence ( @Carnyx ) suggests not.
Certainly the List MSP leaflet I got the other day was a total contrast to the usual text of No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref even at parish council level (if we had parish councils up here) and with 'Conservative' in the smallest possible script compatible with Electoral Commission law and the wavelength of light.
It was all about roundabouts and only the fetching Sevco FC Blue colour scheme really drove it home it wasn't the local council's LD candidate.
Union? Us advocate union and subordination to that thing in No. 10? Oh no dear me, no siree.
Perhaps our other PBScots could report back on any other sightings?
The Union seems to have become a topic the principal Unionist party seems unwilling to advocate unless pressed. Klaxons should be sounding at BritNat central office.
Why? The UK Tory government just will refuse indyref2 as ever.
Whether the SCons manage to finally win 1 Scottish council outright or not or keep largest party in 1 or 2 Scottish councils has very little relevance if any to the Union
If the Union is to survive then your lot need to start targeting floating voters and capturing their hearts and minds. You are very good at appealing to core Con voters HY, but you are appallingly poor at lifting your eyes and addressing the centre ground. The Unionists are currently in the process of losing Middle Scotland.
Nope. The Tories could stay in power with not a single Tory MP in Scotland UK wide and can preserve the Union too by refusing indyref2 for as long as they are in power.
It is not our problem. It might be Labour's problem if they get into power reliant on the SNP and have to give an indyref2 and look at devomax etc but it was Labour who created Holyrood anyway giving a platform for the SNP so it has always been their created problem.
We Tories do not need to win Middle Scotland, we Tories need to win Middle England to stay in power. Only Labour needs to appeal to Middle Scotland to get back into power with a clear majority or to preserve the Union in any indyref2 they grant if they don't
Sorry HYUFD but this is absolutely mental. It gives truth to the trope that a lot of Tories only care about being in power and not what being in power is for.
I’m a Conservative and a Unionist and I want Scotland to WANT to be part of the UK - you don’t attract Scottish sympathy yet alone votes by telling them that they don’t fucking matter because we’ve got enough votes in middle England…..
If the Tories want to be in charge of a successful UK then they need to be supported by the UK as a whole to get the best out of it otherwise what’s the point of the UK for Scots and what’s the point of Scotland being part of the UK for the rest of the UK if it is ignored and treated as second class when it has so much good to contribute.
“Sorry guys we really don’t give a shit about you as we’ve got a billion votes in Surrey so we will set the rules to suit them”….. genius!
Very well put and it needs saying
@HYUFD is a shocking example of a narrow Little Englander antagonising the Scots with every idiotic announcement he makes, and yet threatens them with overbearing arrogance and ignorance
I believe with the right attitude the Scots will vote to remain in the union and it is for those of us who value the union to make a case and if necessary in a referendum in due course
I am sure we can all agree that @HYUFD is quite unique and does not speak for 'we tories'
Yes I do, it is UK Tory government policy to refuse an indyref2
Well that's true in a narrow sense. But I assume that it's also true that most Tories want to maintain the union because they believe it a good thing for all constituent parts of it, and that there is a positive case to be made for it - rather than just saying 'well we have enough voters in England that we don't care whether Scotland wants the union or not'. I may be wrong. But it would be an odd strategy.
Lords watchdog launches inquiry into Michelle Mone over ‘VIP lane’ contract Investigation into Tory peer relates to PPE company awarded £203m in government contracts
The commissioner confirmed that the investigation would be for “alleged involvement in procuring contracts for PPE Medpro, leading to potential breaches” of three provisions of the Lords code, which cover the requirement that peers publicly register “all relevant interests”, and prohibit them from lobbying for a company or a person in which a peer “has a financial interest”.
The commissioner also stated that Mone would be investigated under the more general provisions of the code’s paragraph 9, which includes that peers “should always act on their personal honour”; must never accept “any financial inducement as an incentive or reward for exercising parliamentary influence”; and “must not seek to profit from membership of the house by accepting or agreeing to accept payment or other incentive or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services.”
Pretty sure Money will now be consigned to that ghastly Johnson type of Toryism with which the SCons have absolutely no connection.
Will be fascinating seeing the election material the Scottish Conservatives are shortly going to print up. They’ll use blue, but I bet the word “Conservative” is conspicuous by its absence, as will any reference to them being in power in London.
Will they continue with Ruth Davidson’s moderately successful ‘No Surrender’ strategy? Initial intelligence ( @Carnyx ) suggests not.
Certainly the List MSP leaflet I got the other day was a total contrast to the usual text of No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref even at parish council level (if we had parish councils up here) and with 'Conservative' in the smallest possible script compatible with Electoral Commission law and the wavelength of light.
It was all about roundabouts and only the fetching Sevco FC Blue colour scheme really drove it home it wasn't the local council's LD candidate.
Union? Us advocate union and subordination to that thing in No. 10? Oh no dear me, no siree.
Perhaps our other PBScots could report back on any other sightings?
The Union seems to have become a topic the principal Unionist party seems unwilling to advocate unless pressed. Klaxons should be sounding at BritNat central office.
Why? The UK Tory government just will refuse indyref2 as ever.
Whether the SCons manage to finally win 1 Scottish council outright or not or keep largest party in 1 or 2 Scottish councils has very little relevance if any to the Union
If the Union is to survive then your lot need to start targeting floating voters and capturing their hearts and minds. You are very good at appealing to core Con voters HY, but you are appallingly poor at lifting your eyes and addressing the centre ground. The Unionists are currently in the process of losing Middle Scotland.
Nope. The Tories could stay in power with not a single Tory MP in Scotland UK wide and can preserve the Union too by refusing indyref2 for as long as they are in power.
It is not our problem. It might be Labour's problem if they get into power reliant on the SNP and have to give an indyref2 and look at devomax etc but it was Labour who created Holyrood anyway giving a platform for the SNP so it has always been their created problem.
We Tories do not need to win Middle Scotland, we Tories need to win Middle England to stay in power. Only Labour needs to appeal to Middle Scotland to get back into power with a clear majority or to preserve the Union in any indyref2 they grant if they don't
Sorry HYUFD but this is absolutely mental. It gives truth to the trope that a lot of Tories only care about being in power and not what being in power is for.
I’m a Conservative and a Unionist and I want Scotland to WANT to be part of the UK - you don’t attract Scottish sympathy yet alone votes by telling them that they don’t fucking matter because we’ve got enough votes in middle England…..
If the Tories want to be in charge of a successful UK then they need to be supported by the UK as a whole to get the best out of it otherwise what’s the point of the UK for Scots and what’s the point of Scotland being part of the UK for the rest of the UK if it is ignored and treated as second class when it has so much good to contribute.
“Sorry guys we really don’t give a shit about you as we’ve got a billion votes in Surrey so we will set the rules to suit them”….. genius!
Scotland has Holyrood now for most of its domestic policy, it no longer cares about Westminster for half its laws, so why should Westminster Tories care that much about what middle Scotland thinks given it does not even vote Tory anyway? In any case Surrey is no longer safe Tory, unlike say most of Essex or Lincolnshire.
In that case, why not let Scotland go?
No, I still believe we are stronger as one UK.
However as I said before my preferred model for Scotland is Quebec. Give Scotland full devomax for virtually all domestic policy and most tax and just have Westminster for defence and foreign policy and major tax changes.
Either that or scrap the devolved parliaments and restore the Union as was, no in between as now. It is the in between that is unsustainable
Lords watchdog launches inquiry into Michelle Mone over ‘VIP lane’ contract Investigation into Tory peer relates to PPE company awarded £203m in government contracts
The commissioner confirmed that the investigation would be for “alleged involvement in procuring contracts for PPE Medpro, leading to potential breaches” of three provisions of the Lords code, which cover the requirement that peers publicly register “all relevant interests”, and prohibit them from lobbying for a company or a person in which a peer “has a financial interest”.
The commissioner also stated that Mone would be investigated under the more general provisions of the code’s paragraph 9, which includes that peers “should always act on their personal honour”; must never accept “any financial inducement as an incentive or reward for exercising parliamentary influence”; and “must not seek to profit from membership of the house by accepting or agreeing to accept payment or other incentive or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services.”
Pretty sure Money will now be consigned to that ghastly Johnson type of Toryism with which the SCons have absolutely no connection.
Will be fascinating seeing the election material the Scottish Conservatives are shortly going to print up. They’ll use blue, but I bet the word “Conservative” is conspicuous by its absence, as will any reference to them being in power in London.
Will they continue with Ruth Davidson’s moderately successful ‘No Surrender’ strategy? Initial intelligence ( @Carnyx ) suggests not.
Certainly the List MSP leaflet I got the other day was a total contrast to the usual text of No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref even at parish council level (if we had parish councils up here) and with 'Conservative' in the smallest possible script compatible with Electoral Commission law and the wavelength of light.
It was all about roundabouts and only the fetching Sevco FC Blue colour scheme really drove it home it wasn't the local council's LD candidate.
Union? Us advocate union and subordination to that thing in No. 10? Oh no dear me, no siree.
Perhaps our other PBScots could report back on any other sightings?
The Union seems to have become a topic the principal Unionist party seems unwilling to advocate unless pressed. Klaxons should be sounding at BritNat central office.
Why? The UK Tory government just will refuse indyref2 as ever.
Whether the SCons manage to finally win 1 Scottish council outright or not or keep largest party in 1 or 2 Scottish councils has very little relevance if any to the Union
If the Union is to survive then your lot need to start targeting floating voters and capturing their hearts and minds. You are very good at appealing to core Con voters HY, but you are appallingly poor at lifting your eyes and addressing the centre ground. The Unionists are currently in the process of losing Middle Scotland.
Nope. The Tories could stay in power with not a single Tory MP in Scotland UK wide and can preserve the Union too by refusing indyref2 for as long as they are in power.
It is not our problem. It might be Labour's problem if they get into power reliant on the SNP and have to give an indyref2 and look at devomax etc but it was Labour who created Holyrood anyway giving a platform for the SNP so it has always been their created problem.
We Tories do not need to win Middle Scotland, we Tories need to win Middle England to stay in power. Only Labour needs to appeal to Middle Scotland to get back into power with a clear majority or to preserve the Union in any indyref2 they grant if they don't
Sorry HYUFD but this is absolutely mental. It gives truth to the trope that a lot of Tories only care about being in power and not what being in power is for.
I’m a Conservative and a Unionist and I want Scotland to WANT to be part of the UK - you don’t attract Scottish sympathy yet alone votes by telling them that they don’t fucking matter because we’ve got enough votes in middle England…..
If the Tories want to be in charge of a successful UK then they need to be supported by the UK as a whole to get the best out of it otherwise what’s the point of the UK for Scots and what’s the point of Scotland being part of the UK for the rest of the UK if it is ignored and treated as second class when it has so much good to contribute.
“Sorry guys we really don’t give a shit about you as we’ve got a billion votes in Surrey so we will set the rules to suit them”….. genius!
Very well put and it needs saying
@HYUFD is a shocking example of a narrow Little Englander antagonising the Scots with every idiotic announcement he makes, and yet threatens them with overbearing arrogance and ignorance
I believe with the right attitude the Scots will vote to remain in the union and it is for those of us who value the union to make a case and if necessary in a referendum in due course
I am sure we can all agree that @HYUFD is quite unique and does not speak for 'we tories'
That is probably true of PB Tories. Across the wider Tory membership HYUFD is unique mostly in his shameless and public honesty about the cynicism that drives many Tory policies. Many members think like him but don't voice it as brutally.
There is a difference between conservative members and conservative voters
I have left the conservative party, but with another leader I would re-join and vote conservative by which time of course @HYUFD will be fully behind the new leader and claim he never really wanted Boris to continue
Lords watchdog launches inquiry into Michelle Mone over ‘VIP lane’ contract Investigation into Tory peer relates to PPE company awarded £203m in government contracts
The commissioner confirmed that the investigation would be for “alleged involvement in procuring contracts for PPE Medpro, leading to potential breaches” of three provisions of the Lords code, which cover the requirement that peers publicly register “all relevant interests”, and prohibit them from lobbying for a company or a person in which a peer “has a financial interest”.
The commissioner also stated that Mone would be investigated under the more general provisions of the code’s paragraph 9, which includes that peers “should always act on their personal honour”; must never accept “any financial inducement as an incentive or reward for exercising parliamentary influence”; and “must not seek to profit from membership of the house by accepting or agreeing to accept payment or other incentive or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services.”
Pretty sure Money will now be consigned to that ghastly Johnson type of Toryism with which the SCons have absolutely no connection.
Will be fascinating seeing the election material the Scottish Conservatives are shortly going to print up. They’ll use blue, but I bet the word “Conservative” is conspicuous by its absence, as will any reference to them being in power in London.
Will they continue with Ruth Davidson’s moderately successful ‘No Surrender’ strategy? Initial intelligence ( @Carnyx ) suggests not.
Certainly the List MSP leaflet I got the other day was a total contrast to the usual text of No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref even at parish council level (if we had parish councils up here) and with 'Conservative' in the smallest possible script compatible with Electoral Commission law and the wavelength of light.
It was all about roundabouts and only the fetching Sevco FC Blue colour scheme really drove it home it wasn't the local council's LD candidate.
Union? Us advocate union and subordination to that thing in No. 10? Oh no dear me, no siree.
Perhaps our other PBScots could report back on any other sightings?
The Union seems to have become a topic the principal Unionist party seems unwilling to advocate unless pressed. Klaxons should be sounding at BritNat central office.
Why? The UK Tory government just will refuse indyref2 as ever.
Whether the SCons manage to finally win 1 Scottish council outright or not or keep largest party in 1 or 2 Scottish councils has very little relevance if any to the Union
If the Union is to survive then your lot need to start targeting floating voters and capturing their hearts and minds. You are very good at appealing to core Con voters HY, but you are appallingly poor at lifting your eyes and addressing the centre ground. The Unionists are currently in the process of losing Middle Scotland.
Nope. The Tories could stay in power with not a single Tory MP in Scotland UK wide and can preserve the Union too by refusing indyref2 for as long as they are in power.
It is not our problem. It might be Labour's problem if they get into power reliant on the SNP and have to give an indyref2 and look at devomax etc but it was Labour who created Holyrood anyway giving a platform for the SNP so it has always been their created problem.
We Tories do not need to win Middle Scotland, we Tories need to win Middle England to stay in power. Only Labour needs to appeal to Middle Scotland to get back into power with a clear majority or to preserve the Union in any indyref2 they grant if they don't
Sorry HYUFD but this is absolutely mental. It gives truth to the trope that a lot of Tories only care about being in power and not what being in power is for.
I’m a Conservative and a Unionist and I want Scotland to WANT to be part of the UK - you don’t attract Scottish sympathy yet alone votes by telling them that they don’t fucking matter because we’ve got enough votes in middle England…..
If the Tories want to be in charge of a successful UK then they need to be supported by the UK as a whole to get the best out of it otherwise what’s the point of the UK for Scots and what’s the point of Scotland being part of the UK for the rest of the UK if it is ignored and treated as second class when it has so much good to contribute.
“Sorry guys we really don’t give a shit about you as we’ve got a billion votes in Surrey so we will set the rules to suit them”….. genius!
Scotland has Holyrood now for most of its domestic policy, it no longer cares about Westminster for half its laws, so why should Westminster Tories care that much about what middle Scotland thinks given it does not even vote Tory anyway? In any case Surrey is no longer safe Tory, unlike say most of Essex or Lincolnshire.
In that case, why not let Scotland go?
No, I still believe we are stronger as one UK.
However as I said before my preferred model for Scotland is Quebec. Give Scotland full devomax for virtually all domestic policy and most tax and just have Westminster for defence and foreign policy and major tax changes.
Either that or scrap the devolved parliaments and restore the Union as was, no in between
Just as well the government is about to scrap Plan B and virtually all remaining Covid rules anyway then
The briefing is that they won't be dropping Plan B at all – indeed every paper has carried the news that masking will stay. Now that might change, but that's what's being briefed.
If there is only 1 rule left, ie masks in shops and public transport, if a refuse decide not to comply who cares given most of us have been vaccinated and boosted. It just is a courtesy to help reduce the spread of cases.
You can even have a rave for 10, 000 people completely legally by February without even needing a vaxport, so who cares if people want to have a huge boozy party in their garden or rave in their basement, it will all be completely legal!
I know I'm fighting a losing battle here, but I have to try: As long as compulsory masks - which were part of Plan B - remain in place, Plan B has not been "scrapped".
Plan B was essentially 3 things. Vaxports, masks and advice to wfh. Advice is largely irrelevant from a legal and political point of view, companies will have done what is best for them. So if vaxports go, but masks stay, half of plan B is scrapped and half remains.
It's quite good that the British Rail double arrow continued in use on tickets and to denote stations all the way through the privatised era, and is now going to be the logo of GBR. 57 years and counting.
Anything is better than the ridiculous franchising system that embarrassed this nation for so many years, as a bunch of chiselling, pettifogging all-brand-no-bollocks companies rinsed the taxpayer while blaming each other for their manifold failings.
One of the few good moves by this government, bringing back a unified national system.
Yet this 'ridiculous franchising system' saw railways that were more popular than ever, with passenger numbers having more than doubled in 25 years (pre-pandemic), and railways that were far safer than ever before. A railway system that was expanding, rather than decreasing as it did under BR.
You know full well that that was at a massive increase in taxpayer subsidy and ticket pricing. Read Christian Wolmar. In any case, I have work to do so don't have time to argue with you on this again.
The simple truth is that the public wants one arse to kick – that of the government – and most people will celebrate the end of franchising, which was a blame game with the long-suffering travelling public caught in the permanent crossfire.
Goodbye, and good bloody riddance.
Christian Wolmar - prospective Labour candidate for London mayor - is somewhat biased on this topic.
You also need to say which subsidies you are talking about. If you remove enhancements, it's a somewhat different story. And the public voted with their feet: a >doubling of passenger numbers and massively increased safety.
Just as well the government is about to scrap Plan B and virtually all remaining Covid rules anyway then
The briefing is that they won't be dropping Plan B at all – indeed every paper has carried the news that masking will stay. Now that might change, but that's what's being briefed.
If there is only 1 rule left, ie masks in shops and public transport, if a refuse decide not to comply who cares given most of us have been vaccinated and boosted. It just is a courtesy to help reduce the spread of cases.
You can even have a rave for 10, 000 people completely legally by February without even needing a vaxport, so who cares if people want to have a huge boozy party in their garden or rave in their basement, it will all be completely legal!
You were saying a week or two back that the Tories would bounce back (or wouldn't fall any further) because they were going to end Plan B and those supporting no more restrictions would rally to them. But those who support no more restrictions aren't going to be coming back to the Tories if they don't rescind the most obvious and universal Plan B measure - masks. Most people aren't that affected by whether they have to provide a vaccine passport to go to a rave of 10,000 people. But most people do have to use shops.
If your primary measure is 'is this a positive for the Conservative Party' the answer is no.
Of course, it could all be positioning so that actually delivering what was promised - the end of Plan B - seems like a wonderful new reality.
Even most Tory voters want to keep masks, they do not want another lockdown however
I don't believe that they do. Polling in favour of masks is totally out of whack with people's demonstrable preferences. As soon as you give people the opportunity not to wear a mask, they demask. People don't want to wear a mask. They believe they have to, because they keep being told to, and people by and large want to do the right thing. But - and I know you think in electoral terms (and this is a political betting site, so why not?) - there would be a huge feelgood benefit in demasking. It would show that we'd got past covid while our neighbours were still labouring away behind masks. There was a feelgood benefit last time we could demask, and very much a feel bad impact when they were re-introduced.
To paraphrase slightly: Boris didn't say in his manifesto that he was going to put his mistress in number 10 and breed like rabbits
Honestly, were I there though, I'd be tempted by UKIP, thinking one lone out of control MP can do less damage than one lone out-of-control PM, and that it would be a fair swap.
Politics has determined that, respect notwithstanding, Southend West ought to be an important milestone in getting Boris done. The fact it probably won't be should be a signal to all main parties that standing aside out of respect should not happen again. And I say that as someone who was initially supportive of the respect paid in this instance.
Lords watchdog launches inquiry into Michelle Mone over ‘VIP lane’ contract Investigation into Tory peer relates to PPE company awarded £203m in government contracts
The commissioner confirmed that the investigation would be for “alleged involvement in procuring contracts for PPE Medpro, leading to potential breaches” of three provisions of the Lords code, which cover the requirement that peers publicly register “all relevant interests”, and prohibit them from lobbying for a company or a person in which a peer “has a financial interest”.
The commissioner also stated that Mone would be investigated under the more general provisions of the code’s paragraph 9, which includes that peers “should always act on their personal honour”; must never accept “any financial inducement as an incentive or reward for exercising parliamentary influence”; and “must not seek to profit from membership of the house by accepting or agreeing to accept payment or other incentive or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services.”
Pretty sure Money will now be consigned to that ghastly Johnson type of Toryism with which the SCons have absolutely no connection.
Will be fascinating seeing the election material the Scottish Conservatives are shortly going to print up. They’ll use blue, but I bet the word “Conservative” is conspicuous by its absence, as will any reference to them being in power in London.
Will they continue with Ruth Davidson’s moderately successful ‘No Surrender’ strategy? Initial intelligence ( @Carnyx ) suggests not.
Certainly the List MSP leaflet I got the other day was a total contrast to the usual text of No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref No to Indyref even at parish council level (if we had parish councils up here) and with 'Conservative' in the smallest possible script compatible with Electoral Commission law and the wavelength of light.
It was all about roundabouts and only the fetching Sevco FC Blue colour scheme really drove it home it wasn't the local council's LD candidate.
Union? Us advocate union and subordination to that thing in No. 10? Oh no dear me, no siree.
Perhaps our other PBScots could report back on any other sightings?
The Union seems to have become a topic the principal Unionist party seems unwilling to advocate unless pressed. Klaxons should be sounding at BritNat central office.
Why? The UK Tory government just will refuse indyref2 as ever.
Whether the SCons manage to finally win 1 Scottish council outright or not or keep largest party in 1 or 2 Scottish councils has very little relevance if any to the Union
If the Union is to survive then your lot need to start targeting floating voters and capturing their hearts and minds. You are very good at appealing to core Con voters HY, but you are appallingly poor at lifting your eyes and addressing the centre ground. The Unionists are currently in the process of losing Middle Scotland.
Nope. The Tories could stay in power with not a single Tory MP in Scotland UK wide and can preserve the Union too by refusing indyref2 for as long as they are in power.
It is not our problem. It might be Labour's problem if they get into power reliant on the SNP and have to give an indyref2 and look at devomax etc but it was Labour who created Holyrood anyway giving a platform for the SNP so it has always been their created problem.
We Tories do not need to win Middle Scotland, we Tories need to win Middle England to stay in power. Only Labour needs to appeal to Middle Scotland to get back into power with a clear majority or to preserve the Union in any indyref2 they grant if they don't
Sorry HYUFD but this is absolutely mental. It gives truth to the trope that a lot of Tories only care about being in power and not what being in power is for.
I’m a Conservative and a Unionist and I want Scotland to WANT to be part of the UK - you don’t attract Scottish sympathy yet alone votes by telling them that they don’t fucking matter because we’ve got enough votes in middle England…..
If the Tories want to be in charge of a successful UK then they need to be supported by the UK as a whole to get the best out of it otherwise what’s the point of the UK for Scots and what’s the point of Scotland being part of the UK for the rest of the UK if it is ignored and treated as second class when it has so much good to contribute.
“Sorry guys we really don’t give a shit about you as we’ve got a billion votes in Surrey so we will set the rules to suit them”….. genius!
Scotland has Holyrood now for most of its domestic policy, it no longer cares about Westminster for half its laws, so why should Westminster Tories care that much about what middle Scotland thinks given it does not even vote Tory anyway? In any case Surrey is no longer safe Tory, unlike say most of Essex or Lincolnshire.
In that case, why not let Scotland go?
No, I still believe we are stronger as one UK.
However as I said before my preferred model for Scotland is Quebec. Give Scotland full devomax for virtually all domestic policy and most tax and just have Westminster for defence and foreign policy and major tax changes.
Either that or scrap the devolved parliaments and restore the Union as was, no in between
Not party policy, though, either of those.
If and when the party goes back into opposition my bet is one of them will be.
Either devomax for Holyrood with Westminster becoming an English parliament for English domestic policy (Labour would give Holyrood devomax anyway) and a UK parliament for foreign affairs and major tax or restore the Union as was
Scotland has Holyrood now for most of its domestic policy, it no longer cares about Westminster for half its laws, so why should Westminster Tories care that much about what middle Scotland thinks given it does not even vote Tory anyway? In any case Surrey is no longer safe Tory, unlike say most of Essex or Lincolnshire.
“Greetings General HYUFD - I wish to talk to you about Ukraine”
“Good morning President Putin - Ukraine? They have Kiev now for their domestic policy, they no longer care about Mother Russia for their laws so why should we care about them?”
“That’s not the point General HYUFD, we cannot be bothered to win over the people so we must send the tanks in.”
It's quite good that the British Rail double arrow continued in use on tickets and to denote stations all the way through the privatised era, and is now going to be the logo of GBR. 57 years and counting.
Anything is better than the ridiculous franchising system that embarrassed this nation for so many years, as a bunch of chiselling, pettifogging all-brand-no-bollocks companies rinsed the taxpayer while blaming each other for their manifold failings.
One of the few good moves by this government, bringing back a unified national system.
Yet this 'ridiculous franchising system' saw railways that were more popular than ever, with passenger numbers having more than doubled in 25 years (pre-pandemic), and railways that were far safer than ever before. A railway system that was expanding, rather than decreasing as it did under BR.
Almost all entirely due to changing economic and geographic trends (increase in job opportunties in dense urban areas, increased costs of car ownership etc.) than anything to do with privatisation.
There are many factors for the increase: I'd like to know where you get the 'almost all entirely', though.
As an example: there are far more train services run post-privatisation. Many lines that had one train per hour may now have two or three, and AIUI frequency of services has a major effect on passenger numbers. Likewise, reliability of services.
Just as well the government is about to scrap Plan B and virtually all remaining Covid rules anyway then
The briefing is that they won't be dropping Plan B at all – indeed every paper has carried the news that masking will stay. Now that might change, but that's what's being briefed.
If there is only 1 rule left, ie masks in shops and public transport, if a refuse decide not to comply who cares given most of us have been vaccinated and boosted. It just is a courtesy to help reduce the spread of cases.
You can even have a rave for 10, 000 people completely legally by February without even needing a vaxport, so who cares if people want to have a huge boozy party in their garden or rave in their basement, it will all be completely legal!
I know I'm fighting a losing battle here, but I have to try: As long as compulsory masks - which were part of Plan B - remain in place, Plan B has not been "scrapped".
Plan B was essentially 3 things. Vaxports, masks and advice to wfh. Advice is largely irrelevant from a legal and political point of view, companies will have done what is best for them. So if vaxports go, but masks stay, half of plan B is scrapped and half remains.
It's quite good that the British Rail double arrow continued in use on tickets and to denote stations all the way through the privatised era, and is now going to be the logo of GBR. 57 years and counting.
Anything is better than the ridiculous franchising system that embarrassed this nation for so many years, as a bunch of chiselling, pettifogging all-brand-no-bollocks companies rinsed the taxpayer while blaming each other for their manifold failings.
One of the few good moves by this government, bringing back a unified national system.
Yet this 'ridiculous franchising system' saw railways that were more popular than ever, with passenger numbers having more than doubled in 25 years (pre-pandemic), and railways that were far safer than ever before. A railway system that was expanding, rather than decreasing as it did under BR.
You know full well that that was at a massive increase in taxpayer subsidy and ticket pricing. Read Christian Wolmar. In any case, I have work to do so don't have time to argue with you on this again.
The simple truth is that the public wants one arse to kick – that of the government – and most people will celebrate the end of franchising, which was a blame game with the long-suffering travelling public caught in the permanent crossfire.
Goodbye, and good bloody riddance.
The biggest issue the the whole franchise system has been this - the true costs of it are incredibly hard to disentangle. I used to car-share with a colleague, pretty regular, so I did a week, he did a week. We didn't charge each other, but in theory I could have charged him 25 quid a week and he the same, with the same net result. A lot of the rail business looked a bit like this - government putting money in that was then paid back, but the government could say how much they had 'subsidised' the rail network...
I have no issue with tax being used to provide public transport, but it should be clear what is being done. Its also true that BR was in a shocking state by the eighties, and massively needed an injection of cash for new motive power and rolling stock.
Ticketing and timetabling also became very fragmented - no joke in the pre internet era. Mrs C and I were doing quite a bit of travelling , usually needing a change of train, when privatization came. The immediate and very noticeable effect was a marked increase in journey times, simply because the different companies no longer cooperated to try and maintain the connections in cases where the first train was slightly delayed.
Antisemitism is racism and I've been an antiracist all my life so the accusation is absurd.
It isn't though, is it? Raab is "implicitly" calling for Boris to resign.
I imagine most people in the cabinet would like him to except the hopeless cases such as Rees Mogg and Dorries who know they wont get a job under a new leader.
Comments
Good to see the British C17s heading to Kiev.
Edit: too late, but please replace with 'Rangers FC (deceased)' as you like. I don't like having to pay more tax to make up for dodgy companies going bust.
What Ross does if Johnson doesn't go will be pivotal. The CSU idea. I just can't think of a good name - unionist is rubbish.
As opposed to a strong, but naturally flavoursome coffee, that doesn't need to be sweetened to be drinkable.
It's not like it is hard to do, or even fancy.
The government should bin the mandate and offer free FFP3 masks to the vulnerable. That would be the logical move*.
(* yes, I know, I know!)
You can even have a rave for 10, 000 people completely legally by February without even needing a vaxport, so who cares if people want to have a huge boozy party in their garden or rave in their basement, it will all be completely legal!
What's worth pointing out is that Major went to the polls 16 months after he become PM so the honeymoon period of a new PM is often longer than a year depending (of course) on events.
It is not our problem. It might be Labour's problem if they get into power reliant on the SNP and have to give an indyref2 and look at devomax etc but it was Labour who created Holyrood anyway giving a platform for the SNP so it has always been their created problem.
We Tories do not need to win Middle Scotland, we Tories need to win Middle England to stay in power. Only Labour needs to appeal to Middle Scotland to get back into power with a clear majority or to preserve the Union in any indyref2 they grant if they don't
Network Rail, I think.
Unless its changed again.
I'll report back when I start to get council campaign leaflets.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_British_Railways
You do not speak for this conservative and many others with your Little Englander outlook
Did you stand for the anthem on GB news this morning
You said Plan B is being scrapped. It's not being scrapped if masking remains – indeed masking was the most high-profile, visible element of Plan B.
10,000 raves are already legal, albeit with vaxports.
"A PM who lied to Parliament would normally quit - Raab".
He hasn't quit, so he can't have lied, right? And Dover's just a seaside resort. Pass me that cocktail, I'll sort out Afghanistan later.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-60036435
I think we're almost certainly looking at a May 2024 election now, unless the FTPA is repealed and they can extend it for another six months or so.
An early election worked for Johnson, because he could tell the voters it was necessary to Get Brexit Done. It didn't work for May in part because the reason for the election was transparently her personal political advantage.
It looks like we're in a hanging on to the bitter end situation.
I’m a Conservative and a Unionist and I want Scotland to WANT to be part of the UK - you don’t attract Scottish sympathy yet alone votes by telling them that they don’t fucking matter because we’ve got enough votes in middle England…..
If the Tories want to be in charge of a successful UK then they need to be supported by the UK as a whole to get the best out of it otherwise what’s the point of the UK for Scots and what’s the point of Scotland being part of the UK for the rest of the UK if it is ignored and treated as second class when it has so much good to contribute.
“Sorry guys we really don’t give a shit about you as we’ve got a billion votes in Surrey so we will set the rules to suit them”….. genius!
https://twitter.com/e_casalicchio/status/1483389676085985280
https://twitter.com/PeterKellner1/status/1482269865595580416
One of the few good moves by this government, bringing back a unified national system.
(It would be really interesting to see some up-to-date demographic data, to see how much movement around there has actually been, as opposed to what newspapers and estate agents say has been happening).
Personally I think I would end masks now, but of course people are free to wear them for ever if they choose.
My other worry is my employer will probably keep them in use.
It may have been different in other parts of the country and other shops.
If Waitrose hadn't said this, I still think some would carry on, but it would be less. So it kind of depends on what companies choose to do too.
This is a great book for fans of British Rail and design.
It is easy to create a long list of absolutely bonkers things your party has done to create the problem.
In any case the 6 seats the Tories still hold in Scotland are all rural and what would be safe Tory seats in England. The Tories did not win a single MP in what could be described as suburban middle Scotland even in 2019
The tories are almost certainly now doomed for 2024 and then they will be out of power for c. 15 years. It's cyclical. It's also historical. Boris Johnson has managed to do what Thatcher-Major did and Tony Blair did: make a party toxic for a generation. By the time they're back in with a shout Sunak will be 60 and forever associated with this toxic Government.
The reason that 2022-4 probably won't save them now lies far beyond Boris Johnson. The econonic and fiscal signals, allied with personal living, are almost catastrophic.
Unless he strikes now and I mean very, very, soon Rishi Sunak will never become Prime Minister.
@HYUFD is a shocking example of a narrow Little Englander antagonising the Scots with every idiotic announcement he makes, and yet threatens them with overbearing arrogance and ignorance
I believe with the right attitude the Scots will vote to remain in the union and it is for those of us who value the union to make a case and if necessary in a referendum in due course
I am sure we can all agree that @HYUFD is quite unique and does not speak for 'we tories'
HY only appeals to the core of the core. Or is even that being too generous to him?
But those who support no more restrictions aren't going to be coming back to the Tories if they don't rescind the most obvious and universal Plan B measure - masks.
Most people aren't that affected by whether they have to provide a vaccine passport to go to a rave of 10,000 people. But most people do have to use shops.
If your primary measure is 'is this a positive for the Conservative Party' the answer is no.
Of course, it could all be positioning so that actually delivering what was promised - the end of Plan B - seems like a wonderful new reality.
Blair certainly did by effectively ending the Union as was with devolution for every home nation bar England.
The Union as was was ended by Blair, had Major been re elected in 1997 the Union would still be very strong as one UK with no platform for the SNP at Holyrood
The simple truth is that the public wants one arse to kick – that of the government – and most people will celebrate the end of franchising, which was a blame game with the long-suffering travelling public caught in the permanent crossfire.
Goodbye, and good bloody riddance.
According to the newspaper briefings, they are.
Antisemitism is racism and I've been an antiracist all my life so the accusation is absurd.
He has a very poor appeal factor probably to less than a handful of conservatives, if that
https://tinyurl.com/4w7ysvfe
From 4. Measuring the data:
https://tinyurl.com/52bat43b
The 2015 to 2019 five-year average was used to compare against deaths registered in 2020 and 2021 because it provides a comparison of the number of deaths expected per week in a usual (non-pandemic) year. The further we move away from the five years in question, the less robust the measure is because of changes in population numbers, age and structure.
Deaths registered in 2022 will be compared with the 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021 five-year average. As 2021 is also a pandemic year and does increase some of the expected deaths in a week, other comparisons are also used including week-by-week and 2021 only.
I'm not sure why they couldn't have used 2020 up to the end of March and then subbed in 2021 thereafter. As it is, their analysis suggests the number of deaths in Week 1 of 2022 was 1,036 below the five year average.
I used to car-share with a colleague, pretty regular, so I did a week, he did a week. We didn't charge each other, but in theory I could have charged him 25 quid a week and he the same, with the same net result. A lot of the rail business looked a bit like this - government putting money in that was then paid back, but the government could say how much they had 'subsidised' the rail network...
I have no issue with tax being used to provide public transport, but it should be clear what is being done. Its also true that BR was in a shocking state by the eighties, and massively needed an injection of cash for new motive power and rolling stock.
The youngest PM to date is Cameron, born October 1966, so Rishi would be youngest by 14 years. That’s a lot of people, to whom he would be the first PM younger than them.
I think all of the other potential PM contenders are older than me.
But I assume that it's also true that most Tories want to maintain the union because they believe it a good thing for all constituent parts of it, and that there is a positive case to be made for it - rather than just saying 'well we have enough voters in England that we don't care whether Scotland wants the union or not'.
I may be wrong.
But it would be an odd strategy.
However as I said before my preferred model for Scotland is Quebec. Give Scotland full devomax for virtually all domestic policy and most tax and just have Westminster for defence and foreign policy and major tax changes.
Either that or scrap the devolved parliaments and restore the Union as was, no in between as now. It is the in between that is unsustainable
I have left the conservative party, but with another leader I would re-join and vote conservative by which time of course @HYUFD will be fully behind the new leader and claim he never really wanted Boris to continue
You also need to say which subsidies you are talking about. If you remove enhancements, it's a somewhat different story. And the public voted with their feet: a >doubling of passenger numbers and massively increased safety.
And better on-train catering as well.
Polling in favour of masks is totally out of whack with people's demonstrable preferences. As soon as you give people the opportunity not to wear a mask, they demask.
People don't want to wear a mask. They believe they have to, because they keep being told to, and people by and large want to do the right thing.
But - and I know you think in electoral terms (and this is a political betting site, so why not?) - there would be a huge feelgood benefit in demasking. It would show that we'd got past covid while our neighbours were still labouring away behind masks. There was a feelgood benefit last time we could demask, and very much a feel bad impact when they were re-introduced.
https://www.southendwest.com/
To paraphrase slightly:
Boris didn't say in his manifesto that he was going to put his mistress in number 10 and breed like rabbits
Honestly, were I there though, I'd be tempted by UKIP, thinking one lone out of control MP can do less damage than one lone out-of-control PM, and that it would be a fair swap.
Politics has determined that, respect notwithstanding, Southend West ought to be an important milestone in getting Boris done. The fact it probably won't be should be a signal to all main parties that standing aside out of respect should not happen again. And I say that as someone who was initially supportive of the respect paid in this instance.
Either devomax for Holyrood with Westminster becoming an English parliament for English domestic policy (Labour would give Holyrood devomax anyway) and a UK parliament for foreign affairs and major tax or restore the Union as was
Scotland has Holyrood now for most of its domestic policy, it no longer cares about Westminster for half its laws, so why should Westminster Tories care that much about what middle Scotland thinks given it does not even vote Tory anyway? In any case Surrey is no longer safe Tory, unlike say most of Essex or Lincolnshire.
“Greetings General HYUFD - I wish to talk to you about Ukraine”
“Good morning President Putin - Ukraine? They have Kiev now for their domestic policy, they no longer care about Mother Russia for their laws so why should we care about them?”
“That’s not the point General HYUFD, we cannot be bothered to win over the people so we must send the tanks in.”
“That’s perfectly reasonable Mr President”.
As an example: there are far more train services run post-privatisation. Many lines that had one train per hour may now have two or three, and AIUI frequency of services has a major effect on passenger numbers. Likewise, reliability of services.