The Labour left do seem to have become entirely deflated recently. With the possible expection of the first months of the Blair government they seem the most subdued I've ever seen them.
Perhaps they've got noone left that isn't entirely discredited?
(I know little about Labour, but I always win money on their internal politics, whereas I do know a little about the Tories, and yet always lose money there)
It's partly a lack of well-known younger leaders, but Corbyn wasn't that well-known until he stood for leader. But although most leftists would naturally like to win on a left-wing platform (and after 2017 felt we'd almost made it), we've got sufficiently tired of losing to settle for just winning on a halfway reasonable platform. The membership is overwhelmingly up for giving Starmer the chance and a challenge would get very short shrift.
That's why the idea of a new party hasn't attracted anyone significant - splitting the vote doesn't help anyone. I think the strategic left-wingers like McDonnell see the best shot as helping elect Starmer and in due course arguing that centrist government isn't delivering, time for a more progressive approach. That's a 10-year strategy, during which time new left-wing leaders will (perhaps) emerge. Helpfully for Starmer, it means a fairly smooth ride for now.
Nonetheless, a solution needs to be found for Corbyn to stay on - there is far too much affection and loyalty to him on the left to live with putting up a hostile candidate. My personal preference is to simply let him seek reselection - he's a party member, he's willing to take the whip, so far as I can see the rules don't require that he promises that the future Chief Whip will offer it to him (it's not in his power to promise it, after all). If he's reelected and still isn't offered the whip, so be it.
It's an interesting case study in how things become popular on the internet, particularly when you compare it with other similarly minimalist word games, such as Guess My Word which doesn't have a way of sharing your performance in a graphically pleasing way without spoiling the game for others. It does have a cool word cloud you can look at of other people's guesses, but that very obviously acts as a spoiler.
Wordle is an interesting game, but more interesting is how it is a complete clone of Lingo TV show (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lingo_(American_game_show)) yet this seems to go unnoticed by the media. I guess that makes it a less interesting story.
I learned the other day that Countdown is a copy of a French show, which rocked me to my core.
The Crystal Maze, too.
What?!
Gods, what has become of us as a nation? I don't know who we even our anymore.
Well, maybe not a copy as such: they wanted to make a British version of Fort Boyard, but the fort was unavailable for filming because of refurbishment, and the replica they built at Elstree didn't work, so the creator came up with the Crystal Maze as an equivalent.
Melinda Messenger and Leslie Grantham came later.
Aren't these all Johny-come-latelies.
I remember a similar thing from about 10 years earlier set on a notional distant planet and involving an alien host that turned into a growling aspidistra.
WASHINGTON (AP) — AP sources: Liberal Justice Stephen Breyer will retire, giving Joe Biden the 1st Supreme Court pick of his presidency.
Not, surely, a huge surprise?
Unless Democrats had been very confident of advancing in the Senate in November (something I don't actually rule out as the map isn't bad for them, but which is unlikely) this was always on the cards given Breyer is 83 years old. It would have been a huge gamble to risk it and, no matter how dedicated he is, he'd surely like a bit of a retirement.
The narrow position in the Senate shouldn't be a problem. Manchin and Sinema are awkward on substantive legislation, but it'd be very surprising if they voted against confirmation of a justice nominated by Biden unless he/she has some extremely big flaw. And Collins and Murkowski are both highly possible confirmation votes in a close one.
Manchin in particular couldn't really veto on ideological grounds even if the choice was a bit more liberal than he'd like - his whole point with confirming Kavanaugh was that he DIDN'T agree with him on a political level (or "judicial philosophy" level if you want to put a gloss on it) but Trump had the constitutional right to nominate and the sexual assault allegations were unproven so ultimately he had no grounds not to wave it through (and he gave Gorsuch the nod on the same basis, albeit he was fundamentally a pretty uncontroversial pick - maybe the least provocative thing Trump did in his time in office). All Democrats, Manchin and Sinema included, voted against Coney Barrett as it directly contradicted the precedent set for Garland in 2016.
Sensible stuff - The Dems got into a mess with the Supreme court because Ginsburg didn't stand down while Obama was president. It doesn't immediately help their position but stops it getting worse:
Liberal Justices:
Breyer - current age 83 Sotomayor - 67 Kagan - 61
Conservative Justices:
Thomas - 73 Alito - 71 Roberts - 66 Kavanaugh - 56 Gorsuch - 54 Barrett - 49
After this it could be a decade before another Supreme court change - Dems have to hope a future Dem president can replace one of Thomas/Alito/Roberts
I see why you've divided the Supreme Court in that binary way but it isn't really quite like that.
Roberts is a fair bit closer to Kagan than to Thomas on the really big calls.
And Trump's choices got steadily more conservative but Gorsuch is a fairly moderate conservative. Kavanaugh's position is slighly clouded by the circumstances of his confirmation - the impression in the UK particularly was that he was Trumpier than Trump whereas in reality he's a fairly bog standard justice with a broadly but not inflexibly conservative outlook (he was clearly a rather unpleasant frat boy - and it's a little uncertain how unpleasant - in the 1980s but that doesn't mean he's Trumpian per se).
It's a bit early to say on Barrett's position but the most conservative conservatives are the oldest, in reality (& one of them is fairly widely believed to have enough health issues that he's unlikely to press on much beyond 2024 if that).
The narrative tends towards the Supreme Court conservative "majority" fundamentally screwing the Democrats for the foreseeable future. But it's more subtle than that - a thumb on the scales they'd rather wasn't there but is an annoyance more than anything.
Thomas is seen as the most "reliably" conservative followed by Alito. Of the three new appointees, Gorsuch is probably the one the conservatives are most impressed by. Kavanaugh in particular has disappointed a few (ps I'd disagree with your view he's an unpleasant frat boy - people I know who know him rate him as a fairly pleasant person and Blasey Ford's testimony had more holes in than a moth eaten sweater).
One thing I don't understand: If the Sue Gray report is delayed until Monday how on Earth do @10DowningStreet@BorisJohnson think they will prevent a leak? Every Civil Servant in No10 & CO has skin in the game. Every Sunday journalist will be ordered to get it
I expect any leaking of information that is subject to a criminal investigation could be quite serious for the leaker
You support governments that leak to the press daily like a sieve.
I do not support leaks to the press from any source
To qualify
Unless it is in the public interest
The problem is there are lots of thing you say you are against. The government continue to do them blatantly, the latest example being leaking the police investigation to guido yesterday but not informing the cabinet. And yet you still will end up voting for them.
What is in it for them to change?
I am not a conservative member and would refer you to my post yesterday when I said that I would abstain or vote Lib Dem
That is true. Epping's ConservativeFinder-General has confirmed on numerous occasions that Big_G is not a True Blue.
And he voted for Plaid let's not forget
When did that happen? Was he dazed? Had someone slipped a hallucinogenic substance into his ovaltine?
Plaid!
Multi seat election, not enough Tories but feels all votes should be used.
It was iirc three votes, 2 Tory candidates, and a civic duty to use all votes. Plus lots of PB trolling since.
The Cabinet Office redrafting, squaring issues with lawyers and police, and HR red tape are among the things being blamed
They are still going through the process of finalising one source told Mail on line , there are lots of things that need to be checked and re- checked
The government-friendly briefings all day from Sky have implied that the hold-ups aren't do with objections from Downing Street itself, or conflicts between Sue Gray and anyone in Downing Street, but are all procedural and neutral. The Mail is reporting something different quite different.
The mail says lawyers and police as per Sky
The one thing that is absolutely true is Sky is most definitely not government friendly
The Mail says Gray is in some sort of conflict with Downing Street aides' lawyers - look at their headline. Very different emphasis from Sky.
I have read the article not headlines
And it says Downing Street aides lawyers which is not the same as Boris's lawyers
Well yes, there'll be many other people worried. It looks very much as if we're not looking at the neutral procedural delays and clearance formalities Sky was reporting earlier, to me.
If I were acting for one of those being lined up for an early bath as part of "Save Big Dog" then I'd be behaving in a pretty damned awkward way just now. I'd very aggressively push back on any personal criticism of the client and clearly reserve position on all difficult matters. Aim being to improve terms of departure (as delay is inconvenient for Number 10) and limit damage to the client's future career.
In which case the delay might be quite long. Not only Johnson, but others around him angry that they may be forced to carry the blame for what should reasonably stop with him.
WASHINGTON (AP) — AP sources: Liberal Justice Stephen Breyer will retire, giving Joe Biden the 1st Supreme Court pick of his presidency.
At last. Biden gets a break.
A couple of thoughts (I'm assuming Breyer has been persuaded to step down):
1. Suggests the Democrats are less confident of holding the Senate, which is a fair enough assumption given the current polling;
2. Does this mean Kamala Harris is being lined up to step down as VP and is nominated to the SC? Biden has pretty much promised to appoint a Black Woman. Big problems are (1) if Harris steps down, it is 50-50 in the Senate with no tie-break and (2) a new VP has to be appointed by both Houses and Biden wouldn't have a majority if Harris steps down. Can Harris stay in the Senate and vote for a successor and then step down? That would get over the hurdles, as the new VP would vote for Harris to the SC. However, not sure whether that would happen - 25th seems to suggest you need a vacancy.
1 is obvious. It is extremely hard for the Dems to hold the Senate. I would expect them to drop one, possibly two seats. (They are lucky that 2016 wasn't a great year for them.)
I don't think 2 is true. Harris doesn't want to be a Supreme Court justice, she wants to be President of the United States. And when you have a doddery 78 year old in that position, her chance of making it (for however short a period of time) is pretty good.
Re Harris, think you might have misread what I said (or I didn't explain clearly). I'd agree Harris wants the big job * and wouldn't go to the SC voluntarily but she might be pushed in that direction.
* the caveat is that she may actually be frightened by the prospect and doesn't want it. Harris might be good at blagging things but she has never been a particularly self-confident person when it comes to the roles themselves. That's fine if you the California AG, a bit different if you are leader of the free world.
Those who are criticising Starmer for bad decisions as DPP are really missing the point. He has been in a job, outside of politics, where he had to make very significant decisions. He went beyond the performance of being a barrister, taking the leap to be a decision maker. And not in the form a Judge, but as a prosecutor, under continuous public scrutiny. I just find that really impressive.
What did all these other people in Parliament do? Opinion writing columnist, novelist, councillor, a few years in an investment bank, think tankers... I don't think anyone is in the same league as Starmer. Just compare him to Braverman and Raab - both failed at magic circle careers, with their careers dissolving in to mid rate jobs where they failed to make any real impact; and now they seem to be being used to provide a front to provide credibility for what they and everyone else knows is bad law.
Even people like Emily Thornberry, Bob Neill, and Geoffrey Cox don't come close to Starmer, he is in a league of his own because of his background. That isn't a criticism of the other people in Parliament, experience shows that all different kinds of people can be good decision makers, and I am not exactly a fan of the Labour Party. But I do think that Starmer is exceptional in this one regard.
This is not how modern politics works
It is far, far more dangerous for a party leader to have held a job under continuous public scrutiny. Because there is plenty to criticise.
As director of public prosecutions, Starmer refused to prosecute the police officers accused of killing Jean Charles de Menezes and Ian Tomlinson.
He did not cover himself in glory.
Did he?
The Jean Charles de Menezes stuff was before his time, as this article states it was in 2006, and he only became DPP in 2008.
I don't think "not being DPP at the time" and other "facts" are going to get in the way of these criticisms of Starmer.
As I have pointed out, SKS was asked to review the decision of his predecessor.
In light of an Open verdict by a Coroner. Given that verdict the likely decision was even more likely to be no prosecution than the original decision.
One thing I've noticed about all these attacks on SKS is that they seem to pick the popular but easily explained ones never an obscure one where the decision could have gone either way.
Hard to prosecute a he said / she said case when none of the victims are willing to stand up in court to give evidence.
I can see why the decision was made not to prosecute - but the police should have done way more to change the victims minds - letting them know they weren't going to be the only witness would have helped a lot I suspect.
Looks like Starmer acted well. He was not involved in the original decision. He subsequently ordered an inquiry into what happened. That inquiry identified errros made. Starmer accepted the findings and personally apologised for the CPS’s failings. This is all good leadership.
It's unfortunate but necessary. It's like keeping Pol Pot on to help with rebuilding of Cambodia. Erstwhile Labour voters saw this experiment fail spectacularly. The best bet now is to show that they are nowhere near the centre of the new Labour Party. If they want to do Starmer and co a bigger favour they'll start a new party and then the public will believe they've gone for good
I really do hate to focus on individuals but Pidcock does seem the sort of politician designed to repel potential voters.
Her statement is really overlong and goes:
Labour is not treating people well (read, not treating Corbyn well)
I am brave for dedicating time to Labour.
Starmer is hostile to socialists.
I worked hard but was out voted, which means it is unfair.
I have a job and family - fair enough
Winning over former Tories was the last straw for some reason.
The NEC has no ideas (despite me criticising what they are doing for ideology, meaning they must have ideas). They upset the entryists.
The government is awful, and I'm angry at the party leadership which looks able to defeat it for some reason.
The left must be honest about mistakes, but i wont now mention any.
My lord Jeremy has been mistreated.
Let's throw in a reference to comrades so I sound 14 years old.
I dont think politics is complicated, which explains why it's all goodies and baddies to me.
Only about 5 million times. Mr Brown has been Interrrvening for what seems like the entire period since the Jurassic.
It's basically Mr Brown's pet [edit] operation. And since his promises of more federalism than would fill a supertanker, it's not going to be very credible.
But thank you anyway for drawing it to our attention.
Brownhog day comes around earlier each year..
My instant gut reaction to the name 'Our Scottish Future' was to think 'Whose - Slab's?'
Eddie Barnes (ex Scotsman/Scons/UKG spad) Toni Sword ex SLAB head of digital Ross Newton whohe? Suzi Murning ex Slab organizer Henry Stannard strategy consultant plus GB
Not exactly a cross section of Scottish voters' opinion.
This provides a big opportunity for Scottish Labour. Finally, there will be a tasty slice of political real estate available in the centre of Scottish politics. Long out in the cold, this is a key moment for Labour. To paraphrase Eminem; will we capture it, or just let it slip? If you’re a betting man then you opt for the latter. However, with Anas Sarwar in charge, there is hope that he has the political brain and personal charisma to realise this. Needless to say, I have some completely unsolicited advice…'
Ah, only identifies himself as "An opinionated Scottish Labour member". What's his backstory I wonder?
I see he calls the SGs the Mini Nats. Not exactly accurate. Or calculated to win friends.
I did wonder for a moment if he was the Northumberland Independence Party founder chap but I'm getting muddled - that one has gone off to the Scons.
Foxjr2 is in today's figures, sounds rather rough. Double vaxxed, and seemed to dodge original Omicron.
Sorry to hear that. Hope he mends soon
Do you think he has BA2? Is his case being sequenced?
It’s unlikely. With just 426 identified BA2 cases in the U.K., it’s far more likely to be original. BTW where do you get your figures from? E.g. 2 x as transmissible? It’s entirely possible that Denmark was seeded more widely with BA2 hence there greater share of it, whereas it’s tiny in the U.K., at least so far as we know.
One thing I don't understand: If the Sue Gray report is delayed until Monday how on Earth do @10DowningStreet@BorisJohnson think they will prevent a leak? Every Civil Servant in No10 & CO has skin in the game. Every Sunday journalist will be ordered to get it
I expect any leaking of information that is subject to a criminal investigation could be quite serious for the leaker
You support governments that leak to the press daily like a sieve.
I do not support leaks to the press from any source
To qualify
Unless it is in the public interest
The problem is there are lots of thing you say you are against. The government continue to do them blatantly, the latest example being leaking the police investigation to guido yesterday but not informing the cabinet. And yet you still will end up voting for them.
What is in it for them to change?
I am not a conservative member and would refer you to my post yesterday when I said that I would abstain or vote Lib Dem
That is true. Epping's ConservativeFinder-General has confirmed on numerous occasions that Big_G is not a True Blue.
And he voted for Plaid let's not forget
When did that happen? Was he dazed? Had someone slipped a hallucinogenic substance into his ovaltine?
Plaid!
Multi seat election, not enough Tories but feels all votes should be used.
It was iirc three votes, 2 Tory candidates, and a civic duty to use all votes. Plus lots of PB trolling since.
Perhaps the Plaid vote was a penis.
Mae pidyn cystal â phleidlais o ran hyrwyddo achos rhyddid i Gymru
BBC position on the Jewish kids case is akin to Boris claiming well its contested if there was a party or not.....
You mean it's totally fine and they'll get away with it?
Only if you are a proven lair and have no morals. Is that what the BBC have become?
A proven lair? What sort of proof is needed here? Presumably bears are spotted hibernating in you. But what if the bear only briefly visits, would you count as a lair then? What other animals count? Foxes, I guess. But presumably not herbivores. Mice don’t have lairs.
Foxjr2 is in today's figures, sounds rather rough. Double vaxxed, and seemed to dodge original Omicron.
Sorry to hear that. Hope he mends soon
Do you think he has BA2? Is his case being sequenced?
He is feeling very rough, but OK. Isolating in his flat in Earls Court. It is worrying not being able to assess him myself, just on the phone. Stinking headache, runny nose, and tight chest. Currently on his sofa watching Netflix. He is a fit 20 year old.
His flatmate is also positive, but went back to his parents house before getting his result.
Foxjr2 had a PCR so a 10% chance of being positive. He probably caught it clubbing on Friday night.
One thing I don't understand: If the Sue Gray report is delayed until Monday how on Earth do @10DowningStreet@BorisJohnson think they will prevent a leak? Every Civil Servant in No10 & CO has skin in the game. Every Sunday journalist will be ordered to get it
I expect any leaking of information that is subject to a criminal investigation could be quite serious for the leaker
You support governments that leak to the press daily like a sieve.
I do not support leaks to the press from any source
To qualify
Unless it is in the public interest
The problem is there are lots of thing you say you are against. The government continue to do them blatantly, the latest example being leaking the police investigation to guido yesterday but not informing the cabinet. And yet you still will end up voting for them.
What is in it for them to change?
I am not a conservative member and would refer you to my post yesterday when I said that I would abstain or vote Lib Dem
That is true. Epping's ConservativeFinder-General has confirmed on numerous occasions that Big_G is not a True Blue.
And he voted for Plaid let's not forget
When did that happen? Was he dazed? Had someone slipped a hallucinogenic substance into his ovaltine?
Plaid!
Yes, and since then he's never been able to assert that Scotland shouldn't even have a referendum never mind independence with any more credibility than Mr Johnson saying "What me, I didn't see the cake, and I didn't eat any of it anyway".
One of the great self-defeating statements of PB, certainly in the current political generation, which I will define in his terms out of courtesy.
The Labour left do seem to have become entirely deflated recently. With the possible expection of the first months of the Blair government they seem the most subdued I've ever seen them.
Perhaps they've got noone left that isn't entirely discredited?
(I know little about Labour, but I always win money on their internal politics, whereas I do know a little about the Tories, and yet always lose money there)
It's partly a lack of well-known younger leaders, but Corbyn wasn't that well-known until he stood for leader. But although most leftists would naturally like to win on a left-wing platform (and after 2017 felt we'd almost made it), we've got sufficiently tired of losing to settle for just winning on a halfway reasonable platform. The membership is overwhelmingly up for giving Starmer the chance and a challenge would get very short shrift.
That's why the idea of a new party hasn't attracted anyone significant - splitting the vote doesn't help anyone. I think the strategic left-wingers like McDonnell see the best shot as helping elect Starmer and in due course arguing that centrist government isn't delivering, time for a more progressive approach. That's a 10-year strategy, during which time new left-wing leaders will (perhaps) emerge. Helpfully for Starmer, it means a fairly smooth ride for now.
Nonetheless, a solution needs to be found for Corbyn to stay on - there is far too much affection and loyalty to him on the left to live with putting up a hostile candidate. My personal preference is to simply let him seek reselection - he's a party member, he's willing to take the whip, so far as I can see the rules don't require that he promises that the future Chief Whip will offer it to him (it's not in his power to promise it, after all). If he's reelected and still isn't offered the whip, so be it.
I continue to disbelieve that you're so left wing NP! (You weren't once)
If the left want to have influence then they should disengage with McDonnell. Corbyn should just retire.
The newish left-wingers were of course all the rage a few months ago. In the spotlight before their time perhaps. Long-Bailey being the obvious example. ( A progression from completely hopeless to much better)
Absolutely. Jesus's dad was a right hard bastard, ask the Egyptians.
There's one thing that has always interested but I am scared to google it because googling anything involving The Holocaust leads to 'interesting' sites.
So, why did Yahweh save the Jews from the bondage of Pharaoh but didn't intervene during The Holocaust?
Well, arguably He did. He sent the allied armies.
I'd imagine they lost quite a few under the reign of the Pharaoh too before they escaped across the Red Sea. Being in slavery for long periods doesn't tend to do much for population levels.
True, I mean he directly intervened with Pharoah, the plagues etc, but not directly with The Holocaust.
He got Hitler against all reason to declare war on the USA ensuring that the game was a bogey for AH. Of course 10s of millions of people including Jews died after that but no supreme being is perfect.
There seems to be a whole host of interesting religious scholarship on just this question. Not being Jewish, and not being fully abreast of the sensitivities, I don't feel adequately prepared to weigh in fully but I believe two of the (no doubt many) strands of thought are that the Holocaust was brought about by insufficient adherence to the Covenant between the Jewish People and God. Essentially, Jews had integrated themselves and abandoned their ways, and the Holocaust was God's punishment (I believe this might be a rather extreme ultra-orthodox interpretation). The other interpretation that stuck in my mind was that the destruction of the Temple had broken the Covenant entirely and so what happened to Jewish people no longer mattered to God.
Again, I really want to stress, I'm just a guy who thought about this question a while ago and read a Wikipedia article...
BBC position on the Jewish kids case is akin to Boris claiming well its contested if there was a party or not.....
You mean it's totally fine and they'll get away with it?
Only if you are a proven lair and have no morals. Is that what the BBC have become?
A proven lair? What sort of proof is needed here? Presumably bears are spotted hibernating in you. But what if the bear only briefly visits, would you count as a lair then? What other animals count? Foxes, I guess. But presumably not herbivores. Mice don’t have lairs.
Here in Sc otland, a lair is a grave (more correctly, the space you own or rent for yourself and your family members). So it works with the current spelling. Especially in Scotland.
Foxjr2 is in today's figures, sounds rather rough. Double vaxxed, and seemed to dodge original Omicron.
Sorry to hear that. Hope he mends soon
Do you think he has BA2? Is his case being sequenced?
It’s unlikely. With just 426 identified BA2 cases in the U.K., it’s far more likely to be original. BTW where do you get your figures from? E.g. 2 x as transmissible? It’s entirely possible that Denmark was seeded more widely with BA2 hence there greater share of it, whereas it’s tiny in the U.K., at least so far as we know.
Corbyn and his acolytes starting their own party may not be good news for Labour, or the country in general. Such a project wouldn't necessarily fail. Corbyn was very popular. It could be really bad news for Labour in certain constituencies. Obviously I am no fan of the Corbynite left, but Starmer can't just ignore them. He needs to win the left wing urban constituencies. They are a significant part of the Labour party electoral coalition.
Can’t provide a link, sadly, but Danny the Fink has a typically erudite piece in the Times today about Ministerial responsibility. Well worth a read if you can access it but the short version is that Boris is constitutionally responsible for the culture in No 10 and his political appointees as well as civil servants clearly acting in his name.
Anyone claiming Boris has been personally cleared by Gray, if he is, really should reflect on it.
The BBC should have updated an article about an alleged anti-Semitic incident in London in November, its complaints unit has ruled. The BBC should have recognised there was "genuine doubt" about its report an anti-Muslim slur was heard, it said.
However, the BBC's Editorial Complaints Unit (ECU) did not agree that the article amounted to victim-blaming....apologised "for not doing more to highlight that these details were contested".
Given how sensitive the BBC usually is to accusation of bias or on things being contested in sensitive matters, what possible reason could there have been for them to not equivocate a bit at least on the claim? They don't generally need this much heat to put in a simple qualifier.
Absolutely. Jesus's dad was a right hard bastard, ask the Egyptians.
There's one thing that has always interested but I am scared to google it because googling anything involving The Holocaust leads to 'interesting' sites.
So, why did Yahweh save the Jews from the bondage of Pharaoh but didn't intervene during The Holocaust?
Well, arguably He did. He sent the allied armies.
I'd imagine they lost quite a few under the reign of the Pharaoh too before they escaped across the Red Sea. Being in slavery for long periods doesn't tend to do much for population levels.
True, I mean he directly intervened with Pharoah, the plagues etc, but not directly with The Holocaust.
He got Hitler against all reason to declare war on the USA ensuring that the game was a bogey for AH. Of course 10s of millions of people including Jews died after that but no supreme being is perfect.
There seems to be a whole host of interesting religious scholarship on just this question. Not being Jewish, and not being fully abreast of the sensitivities, I don't feel adequately prepared to weigh in fully but I believe two of the (no doubt many) strands of thought are that the Holocaust was brought about by insufficient adherence to the Covenant between the Jewish People and God. Essentially, Jews had integrated themselves and abandoned their ways, and the Holocaust was God's punishment (I believe this might be a rather extreme ultra-orthodox interpretation). The other interpretation that stuck in my mind was that the destruction of the Temple had broken the Covenant entirely and so what happened to Jewish people no longer mattered to God.
Again, I really want to stress, I'm just a guy who thought about this question a while ago and read a Wikipedia article...
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holocaust_theology
The Book of Job covers these and other issues well. Basically it concludes that it is fine to be angry with God.
BBC position on the Jewish kids case is akin to Boris claiming well its contested if there was a party or not.....
You mean it's totally fine and they'll get away with it?
Only if you are a proven lair and have no morals. Is that what the BBC have become?
I dunno but it seems to be working for Johnson so far, maybe we should all try it.
Johnson cannot be accused of failing to provide leadership then, he is clearly providing influence and leadership to the country, it’s people and institutions. In the bigger picture Boris likes to point us to.
The BBC should have updated an article about an alleged anti-Semitic incident in London in November, its complaints unit has ruled. The BBC should have recognised there was "genuine doubt" about its report an anti-Muslim slur was heard, it said.
However, the BBC's Editorial Complaints Unit (ECU) did not agree that the article amounted to victim-blaming....apologised "for not doing more to highlight that these details were contested".
Given how sensitive the BBC usually is to accusation of bias or on things being contested in sensitive matters, what possible reason could there have been for them to not equivocate a bit at least on the claim? They don't generally need this much heat to put in a simple qualifier.
It’s their need to equivocate that got them into the mess in the first place.
Foxjr2 is in today's figures, sounds rather rough. Double vaxxed, and seemed to dodge original Omicron.
Sorry to hear that. Hope he mends soon
Do you think he has BA2? Is his case being sequenced?
It’s unlikely. With just 426 identified BA2 cases in the U.K., it’s far more likely to be original. BTW where do you get your figures from? E.g. 2 x as transmissible? It’s entirely possible that Denmark was seeded more widely with BA2 hence there greater share of it, whereas it’s tiny in the U.K., at least so far as we know.
I really doubt that it is tiny in the UK. And even if it is, it won’t be for long
See Berlin:
“BA.2 now 30% of all cases in Berlin. Barring the sudden emergence of a new hypertransmissible variant, it's only a matter of time before BA.2 is dominant everywhere.“
Can’t provide a link, sadly, but Danny the Fink has a typically erudite piece in the Times today about Ministerial responsibility. Well worth a read if you can access it but the short version is that Boris is constitutionally responsible for the culture in No 10 and his political appointees as well as civil servants clearly acting in his name.
Anyone claiming Boris has been personally cleared by Gray, if he is, really should reflect on it.
He said the same on Newsnight yesterday and on the ex-Marr programme on Sunday
Foxjr2 is in today's figures, sounds rather rough. Double vaxxed, and seemed to dodge original Omicron.
Sorry to hear that. Hope he mends soon
Do you think he has BA2? Is his case being sequenced?
It’s unlikely. With just 426 identified BA2 cases in the U.K., it’s far more likely to be original. BTW where do you get your figures from? E.g. 2 x as transmissible? It’s entirely possible that Denmark was seeded more widely with BA2 hence there greater share of it, whereas it’s tiny in the U.K., at least so far as we know.
Sequencing is always a week or so behind.
True but first case was from December, so it’s not exactly exploding. I know it’s not as obvious as ba1 due to not having the gene drop out, but even so.
The BBC should have updated an article about an alleged anti-Semitic incident in London in November, its complaints unit has ruled. The BBC should have recognised there was "genuine doubt" about its report an anti-Muslim slur was heard, it said.
However, the BBC's Editorial Complaints Unit (ECU) did not agree that the article amounted to victim-blaming....apologised "for not doing more to highlight that these details were contested".
Given how sensitive the BBC usually is to accusation of bias or on things being contested in sensitive matters, what possible reason could there have been for them to not equivocate a bit at least on the claim? They don't generally need this much heat to put in a simple qualifier.
It’s their need to equivocate that got them into the mess in the first place.
Yeah, but equivocating on their equivocation would have prevented a deeper mess.
Corbyn and his acolytes starting their own party may not be good news for Labour, or the country in general. Such a project wouldn't necessarily fail. Corbyn was very popular. It could be really bad news for Labour in certain constituencies. Obviously I am no fan of the Corbynite left, but Starmer can't just ignore them. He needs to win the left wing urban constituencies. They are a significant part of the Labour party electoral coalition.
I cannot see it flying. It would be more a personality cult. It would end up the same as Change UK.
Perhaps we are all overthinking this. Gray reports, voncers vonc, Pig Dog's neck wrung like a chicken, the end.
I like your style.
And then IshmaelZ woke up.
Can we turn our attention to the landscape where the rebellion has failed, as looking like the likelier outcome now. Is there not a problem now, Boris surviving, what doesn’t kill him makes him stronger, a problem first for the rebels 😕
A couple of weeks ago it was Apologies Boris still trying to be loved. Now it’s no more being nice Boris, transformed into a different leader, one to be feared.
There’s clear signs this week, Boris PMQ Barb at Sunak today, the pro Truss minister resigning with dig at Treasury this week, the knives are now out for the defeated rebels. I don’t even think Cummings is safe from the fight back, a Trial of Dominic Cummings for pro-Russia treason wouldn’t shock me.
But to have Boris carrying on for months and chances of PM Sunak diminishing is a depressing prospect. Is it not? After the sunlit uplands we glimpsed.
Can’t provide a link, sadly, but Danny the Fink has a typically erudite piece in the Times today about Ministerial responsibility. Well worth a read if you can access it but the short version is that Boris is constitutionally responsible for the culture in No 10 and his political appointees as well as civil servants clearly acting in his name.
Anyone claiming Boris has been personally cleared by Gray, if he is, really should reflect on it.
He said the same on Newsnight yesterday and on the ex-Marr programme on Sunday
I have been far too busy recently, not keeping up. I read the article with my tea before I head back to work. But nothing wrong with making a good point several times, especially if you are getting paid for it.
Foxjr2 is in today's figures, sounds rather rough. Double vaxxed, and seemed to dodge original Omicron.
Sorry to hear that. Hope he mends soon
Do you think he has BA2? Is his case being sequenced?
It’s unlikely. With just 426 identified BA2 cases in the U.K., it’s far more likely to be original. BTW where do you get your figures from? E.g. 2 x as transmissible? It’s entirely possible that Denmark was seeded more widely with BA2 hence there greater share of it, whereas it’s tiny in the U.K., at least so far as we know.
I really doubt that it is tiny in the UK. And even if it is, it won’t be for long
See Berlin:
“BA.2 now 30% of all cases in Berlin. Barring the sudden emergence of a new hypertransmissible variant, it's only a matter of time before BA.2 is dominant everywhere.“
That was the last data point I saw. You may be right, but it’s also possible that different seeding accounts for this to some extent. There seems to be some chatter about BA2 re infecting ba1, but this is unlikely. We already have omicron reinfections all previous versions, but the crux is that most people are not getting that sick.
It's an interesting case study in how things become popular on the internet, particularly when you compare it with other similarly minimalist word games, such as Guess My Word which doesn't have a way of sharing your performance in a graphically pleasing way without spoiling the game for others. It does have a cool word cloud you can look at of other people's guesses, but that very obviously acts as a spoiler.
Wordle is an interesting game, but more interesting is how it is a complete clone of Lingo TV show (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lingo_(American_game_show)) yet this seems to go unnoticed by the media. I guess that makes it a less interesting story.
I learned the other day that Countdown is a copy of a French show, which rocked me to my core.
The Crystal Maze, too.
What?!
Gods, what has become of us as a nation? I don't know who we even our anymore.
Well, maybe not a copy as such: they wanted to make a British version of Fort Boyard, but the fort was unavailable for filming because of refurbishment, and the replica they built at Elstree didn't work, so the creator came up with the Crystal Maze as an equivalent.
Melinda Messenger and Leslie Grantham came later.
Aren't these all Johny-come-latelies.
I remember a similar thing from about 10 years earlier set on a notional distant planet and involving an alien host that turned into a growling aspidistra.
I remember the Adventure Game, it was great. Didn't they use to travel back to earth on a tube train or am I dreaming that?
The premise was a bit tortured. Shades of Dr Who and Tomorrow's World, too.
Plus Bucks Fizz Eurovision colours.
Well the premise was a bit tortured, but it was aimed at the under-12s. ISTR Keith Chegwin and Maggie Philbin featured often. The closing game gave me the absolute willies where the vortex used to capture the contestants and stop them getting the spaceship back to earth. Objectively I knew they weren't stuck on a distant planet. But still. I remember as an, ooh, 8-year old, wathcing it at often at my friend's house and then going home for tea, and having the absolute heebie-jeebies as I passed the old houses with the trees out the front - and absolutely running as fast as I could until I got safely back to the mundane 70s estate on which I lived.
From a not dissimilar stable: Now Get Out Of That.
Corbyn and his acolytes starting their own party may not be good news for Labour, or the country in general. Such a project wouldn't necessarily fail. Corbyn was very popular. It could be really bad news for Labour in certain constituencies. Obviously I am no fan of the Corbynite left, but Starmer can't just ignore them. He needs to win the left wing urban constituencies. They are a significant part of the Labour party electoral coalition.
I still think Corbyn is likely to retire unless the Labour Party tries to foolishly overreach and stitch up Islington North a la Blaenau Gwent in 2005 in which case he could stand as an independent and get 30%+ like Dave Nellist or Dick Taverne.
I don't see a left wing splinter party going anywhere unless Labour looks likely to lose the next election (which is still possible even against Johnson).
Foxjr2 is in today's figures, sounds rather rough. Double vaxxed, and seemed to dodge original Omicron.
Sorry to hear that. Hope he mends soon
Do you think he has BA2? Is his case being sequenced?
He is feeling very rough, but OK. Isolating in his flat in Earls Court. It is worrying not being able to assess him myself, just on the phone. Stinking headache, runny nose, and tight chest. Currently on his sofa watching Netflix. He is a fit 20 year old.
His flatmate is also positive, but went back to his parents house before getting his result.
Foxjr2 had a PCR so a 10% chance of being positive. He probably caught it clubbing on Friday night.
Sympathies. Sounds like he’s a fit young man and will recover, tho, so that’s good news
This virus is kinda relentless. Like a fire we never quite put out. As soon as you think it is extinguished, you spot a new lick of flame, and off it goes again, in an entirely different corner of the world
Foxjr2 is in today's figures, sounds rather rough. Double vaxxed, and seemed to dodge original Omicron.
Sorry to hear that. Hope he mends soon
Do you think he has BA2? Is his case being sequenced?
He is feeling very rough, but OK. Isolating in his flat in Earls Court. It is worrying not being able to assess him myself, just on the phone. Stinking headache, runny nose, and tight chest. Currently on his sofa watching Netflix. He is a fit 20 year old.
His flatmate is also positive, but went back to his parents house before getting his result.
Foxjr2 had a PCR so a 10% chance of being positive. He probably caught it clubbing on Friday night.
Corbyn and his acolytes starting their own party may not be good news for Labour, or the country in general. Such a project wouldn't necessarily fail. Corbyn was very popular. It could be really bad news for Labour in certain constituencies. Obviously I am no fan of the Corbynite left, but Starmer can't just ignore them. He needs to win the left wing urban constituencies. They are a significant part of the Labour party electoral coalition.
I think numbers wise, they probably wouldn't make a huge difference by themselves. However, where I would see the threat is if they teamed up with the Greens to create what would be a well-organised threat to Labour on the left and popularised / softened by the image of the Greens. That could be a problem for Labour.
My God, what if the anti-vaxxers….. are…….. RIGHT?
And the Earth really is flat?
I’m kinda joking. I think
But there is a credible theory that mass vaccination simply pushes the virus into evolutionary corners where it has to evade immunity. Hmm
Anyone who is not at least mildly concerned by the data coming out of first, Denmark, and now Israel, is simply not paying attention
I am not paying attention. And why not? What can I do about it? I have already done all I can by getting double-jabbed and boosted and staying away from big crowds....
It's unfortunate but necessary. It's like keeping Pol Pot on to help with rebuilding of Cambodia. Erstwhile Labour voters saw this experiment fail spectacularly. The best bet now is to show that they are nowhere near the centre of the new Labour Party. If they want to do Starmer and co a bigger favour they'll start a new party and then the public will believe they've gone for good
I really do hate to focus on individuals but Pidcock does seem the sort of politician designed to repel potential voters.
Her statement is really overlong and goes:
Labour is not treating people well (read, not treating Corbyn well)
I am brave for dedicating time to Labour.
Starmer is hostile to socialists.
I worked hard but was out voted, which means it is unfair.
I have a job and family - fair enough
Winning over former Tories was the last straw for some reason.
The NEC has no ideas (despite me criticising what they are doing for ideology, meaning they must have ideas). They upset the entryists.
The government is awful, and I'm angry at the party leadership which looks able to defeat it for some reason.
The left must be honest about mistakes, but i wont now mention any.
My lord Jeremy has been mistreated.
Let's throw in a reference to comrades so I sound 14 years old.
I dont think politics is complicated, which explains why it's all goodies and baddies to me.
So it's all good news for Labour.
No Corbyn and now no Pidcock. Plus Osamor is discredited and Webbe is on at best borrowed time.
Something needs to happen to Burgon and Sultana and then Starmer will have resolved his left wing nutcases problem pretty much for good and all.
Corbyn and his acolytes starting their own party may not be good news for Labour, or the country in general. Such a project wouldn't necessarily fail. Corbyn was very popular. It could be really bad news for Labour in certain constituencies. Obviously I am no fan of the Corbynite left, but Starmer can't just ignore them. He needs to win the left wing urban constituencies. They are a significant part of the Labour party electoral coalition.
I cannot see it flying. It would be more a personality cult. It would end up the same as Change UK.
Corbyn could happily grab 10% of the vote. Insane. He shouldn't even be voting for himself.
O wad some Pow'r the giftie gie us To see oursels as ithers see us!
Not newsworthy though, so 🤷♂️.
I’d like to see Lammy campaign on this.
First of all, those in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones - we don’t know the extent labour have been exposed to Dirty Russian money anymore than we we know the extent the Conservatives have been. If it was taken by a previous Labour leadership would it shock you? Barry Gardiner seems in denial the extent he has been groomed - how many others are there, and predominately which party are they in? Sure Starmer can say not him or under his leadership, but it’s still electoral damage for him.
What’s Lammy’s own record for taking large donations for causes? Like to fight Brexit?
When Boris bellows “he pays the piper plays the tune” at PMQ, you and me will both shake heads and mutter shameless. But those who love Boris and have him 80 seat majority will lap it up.
It's unfortunate but necessary. It's like keeping Pol Pot on to help with rebuilding of Cambodia. Erstwhile Labour voters saw this experiment fail spectacularly. The best bet now is to show that they are nowhere near the centre of the new Labour Party. If they want to do Starmer and co a bigger favour they'll start a new party and then the public will believe they've gone for good
I really do hate to focus on individuals but Pidcock does seem the sort of politician designed to repel potential voters.
Her statement is really overlong and goes:
Labour is not treating people well (read, not treating Corbyn well)
I am brave for dedicating time to Labour.
Starmer is hostile to socialists.
I worked hard but was out voted, which means it is unfair.
I have a job and family - fair enough
Winning over former Tories was the last straw for some reason.
The NEC has no ideas (despite me criticising what they are doing for ideology, meaning they must have ideas). They upset the entryists.
The government is awful, and I'm angry at the party leadership which looks able to defeat it for some reason.
The left must be honest about mistakes, but i wont now mention any.
My lord Jeremy has been mistreated.
Let's throw in a reference to comrades so I sound 14 years old.
I dont think politics is complicated, which explains why it's all goodies and baddies to me.
I looked this up. It reminds me of the guy who organises my friday evening football sessions. Every few weeks someone gets on his nerves, and he announces his intention to stop organising them and sets out a long rambling list of reasons why in a very long whatsapp message; eventually he gets persuaded to carry on.
With Pidcock, the one thing that stood out to me was that she was unhappy that labour MPs cheered when Christian Wakeford crossed the floor. Apparently she felt that they shouldn't be welcoming him in to the party given his background. But she does think every life is precious.
It's unfortunate but necessary. It's like keeping Pol Pot on to help with rebuilding of Cambodia. Erstwhile Labour voters saw this experiment fail spectacularly. The best bet now is to show that they are nowhere near the centre of the new Labour Party. If they want to do Starmer and co a bigger favour they'll start a new party and then the public will believe they've gone for good
I really do hate to focus on individuals but Pidcock does seem the sort of politician designed to repel potential voters.
Her statement is really overlong and goes:
Labour is not treating people well (read, not treating Corbyn well)
I am brave for dedicating time to Labour.
Starmer is hostile to socialists.
I worked hard but was out voted, which means it is unfair.
I have a job and family - fair enough
Winning over former Tories was the last straw for some reason.
The NEC has no ideas (despite me criticising what they are doing for ideology, meaning they must have ideas). They upset the entryists.
The government is awful, and I'm angry at the party leadership which looks able to defeat it for some reason.
The left must be honest about mistakes, but i wont now mention any.
My lord Jeremy has been mistreated.
Let's throw in a reference to comrades so I sound 14 years old.
I dont think politics is complicated, which explains why it's all goodies and baddies to me.
So it's all good news for Labour.
No Corbyn and now no Pidcock. Plus Osamor is discredited and Webbe is on at best borrowed time.
Something needs to happen to Burgon and Sultana and then Starmer will have resolved his left wing nutcases problem pretty much for good and all.
It's unfortunate but necessary. It's like keeping Pol Pot on to help with rebuilding of Cambodia. Erstwhile Labour voters saw this experiment fail spectacularly. The best bet now is to show that they are nowhere near the centre of the new Labour Party. If they want to do Starmer and co a bigger favour they'll start a new party and then the public will believe they've gone for good
I really do hate to focus on individuals but Pidcock does seem the sort of politician designed to repel potential voters.
Her statement is really overlong and goes:
Labour is not treating people well (read, not treating Corbyn well)
I am brave for dedicating time to Labour.
Starmer is hostile to socialists.
I worked hard but was out voted, which means it is unfair.
I have a job and family - fair enough
Winning over former Tories was the last straw for some reason.
The NEC has no ideas (despite me criticising what they are doing for ideology, meaning they must have ideas). They upset the entryists.
The government is awful, and I'm angry at the party leadership which looks able to defeat it for some reason.
The left must be honest about mistakes, but i wont now mention any.
My lord Jeremy has been mistreated.
Let's throw in a reference to comrades so I sound 14 years old.
I dont think politics is complicated, which explains why it's all goodies and baddies to me.
So it's all good news for Labour.
No Corbyn and now no Pidcock. Plus Osamor is discredited and Webbe is on at best borrowed time.
Something needs to happen to Burgon and Sultana and then Starmer will have resolved his left wing nutcases problem pretty much for good and all.
Edit - bollocks, forgot Lloyd Russell Moyle.
What about Nadia Whittome?
Another one I'd forgotten.
The younger generation of socialists are in fairness an eminently forgettable bunch. Think, self-righteous, pompous and self-aggrandising.
Not that some of the older generation are much better, the likes of Lavery and Gardiner.
It's unfortunate but necessary. It's like keeping Pol Pot on to help with rebuilding of Cambodia. Erstwhile Labour voters saw this experiment fail spectacularly. The best bet now is to show that they are nowhere near the centre of the new Labour Party. If they want to do Starmer and co a bigger favour they'll start a new party and then the public will believe they've gone for good
I really do hate to focus on individuals but Pidcock does seem the sort of politician designed to repel potential voters.
Her statement is really overlong and goes:
Labour is not treating people well (read, not treating Corbyn well)
I am brave for dedicating time to Labour.
Starmer is hostile to socialists.
I worked hard but was out voted, which means it is unfair.
I have a job and family - fair enough
Winning over former Tories was the last straw for some reason.
The NEC has no ideas (despite me criticising what they are doing for ideology, meaning they must have ideas). They upset the entryists.
The government is awful, and I'm angry at the party leadership which looks able to defeat it for some reason.
The left must be honest about mistakes, but i wont now mention any.
My lord Jeremy has been mistreated.
Let's throw in a reference to comrades so I sound 14 years old.
I dont think politics is complicated, which explains why it's all goodies and baddies to me.
I'd like to see a prominent role for Jacob Rees Mogg in the next Tory GE campaign.
I would like to see a prominent role for Jacob Rees Mogg as a haunted Victorian bog brush in one of those street side public loos in Delhi which make hell look an inviting alternative prospect.
Foxjr2 is in today's figures, sounds rather rough. Double vaxxed, and seemed to dodge original Omicron.
Sorry to hear that. Hope he mends soon
Do you think he has BA2? Is his case being sequenced?
He is feeling very rough, but OK. Isolating in his flat in Earls Court. It is worrying not being able to assess him myself, just on the phone. Stinking headache, runny nose, and tight chest. Currently on his sofa watching Netflix. He is a fit 20 year old.
His flatmate is also positive, but went back to his parents house before getting his result.
Foxjr2 had a PCR so a 10% chance of being positive. He probably caught it clubbing on Friday night.
Sympathies. Sounds like he’s a fit young man and will recover, tho, so that’s good news
This virus is kinda relentless. Like a fire we never quite put out. As soon as you think it is extinguished, you spot a new lick of flame, and off it goes again, in an entirely different corner of the world
Good god let it go out! We are all exhausted
Time for sleep in Sri Lanka. Goodnight PB
Covid will be with us forever. You need to stop catastrophising and start living. The Danes are removing all remaining restrictions, which should be instructive.
Updated number. By 17th January BA2 was 3.2% of sequenced omicron in the U.K, about 3000 cases.
Looking at Denmark it seems to have a doubling time of about four days. So it will - to use simplistic maths, I know it is more complex than this - now be 12% of cases? And will - as others have said - be the dominant form by mid-Feb
BTW I got the 100% more transmissible thing from Doctor Ding-Doom and John Campbell, who have both said the same. Given that they are on either ends of the alarmist-optimist spectrum it seems like it might be a reasonable ball park figure. I agree we just don’t know for sure yet
At the moment the data out of Israel is more troubling, to me, than Denmark. What is suddenly going on there? Huge surge in cases and hospitalisations. And ICUs (tho this is more contested). Israeli has done loads of jabs but its vax rates is not brilliant due to refusals, is it just a case of that plus Omicron? The speed of their surge is unnerving: it seems to have unnerved THEM
It's unfortunate but necessary. It's like keeping Pol Pot on to help with rebuilding of Cambodia. Erstwhile Labour voters saw this experiment fail spectacularly. The best bet now is to show that they are nowhere near the centre of the new Labour Party. If they want to do Starmer and co a bigger favour they'll start a new party and then the public will believe they've gone for good
I really do hate to focus on individuals but Pidcock does seem the sort of politician designed to repel potential voters.
Her statement is really overlong and goes:
Labour is not treating people well (read, not treating Corbyn well)
I am brave for dedicating time to Labour.
Starmer is hostile to socialists.
I worked hard but was out voted, which means it is unfair.
I have a job and family - fair enough
Winning over former Tories was the last straw for some reason.
The NEC has no ideas (despite me criticising what they are doing for ideology, meaning they must have ideas). They upset the entryists.
The government is awful, and I'm angry at the party leadership which looks able to defeat it for some reason.
The left must be honest about mistakes, but i wont now mention any.
My lord Jeremy has been mistreated.
Let's throw in a reference to comrades so I sound 14 years old.
I dont think politics is complicated, which explains why it's all goodies and baddies to me.
It's a shattering blow for Starmer.
I'm not sure how he recovers from this.
I think he will. There are very few documented cases to the contrary.
Foxjr2 is in today's figures, sounds rather rough. Double vaxxed, and seemed to dodge original Omicron.
Sorry to hear that. Hope he mends soon
Do you think he has BA2? Is his case being sequenced?
He is feeling very rough, but OK. Isolating in his flat in Earls Court. It is worrying not being able to assess him myself, just on the phone. Stinking headache, runny nose, and tight chest. Currently on his sofa watching Netflix. He is a fit 20 year old.
His flatmate is also positive, but went back to his parents house before getting his result.
Foxjr2 had a PCR so a 10% chance of being positive. He probably caught it clubbing on Friday night.
Sympathies. Sounds like he’s a fit young man and will recover, tho, so that’s good news
This virus is kinda relentless. Like a fire we never quite put out. As soon as you think it is extinguished, you spot a new lick of flame, and off it goes again, in an entirely different corner of the world
Good god let it go out! We are all exhausted
Time for sleep in Sri Lanka. Goodnight PB
Covid will be with us forever. You need to stop catastrophising and start living. The Danes are removing all remaining restrictions, which should be instructive.
Most of us understand that “Siri, give me some random hyperbole” is a one-off bit of fun, not a lifestyle.
Lloyd Russell-Moyle did him a good turn today. He needs at least a fair portion of the left onside, and will get nowhere electorally by purging them en masse. Almost every publicly staged conflict with the left last year was followed by a drop in the polls for him.
On Pidcock and collapse of Corbyn left within Labour:
Aaron Bastani @AaronBastani · 31m It’s astounding, I’ve never seen a political movement end up in such a terrible position from such a good one. Political volatility is one thing but it’s extraordinary.
Lloyd Russell-Moyle did him a good turn today. He needs some of the left onside, and will get nowhere electorally trying to purge them en masse.
I think the most infuriating thing about these series of parties, even leaving aside the one at the DfE which was one of a series of crimes they committed about this time, is that I find myself nodding approval of something Richard Burgon said.
That bastard Johnson is going to pay for that if ever he gets within grabbing distance...
On Pidcock and collapse of Corbyn left within Labour:
Aaron Bastani @AaronBastani · 31m It’s astounding, I’ve never seen a political movement end up in such a terrible position from such a good one. Political volatility is one thing but it’s extraordinary.
On Pidcock and collapse of Corbyn left within Labour:
Aaron Bastani @AaronBastani · 31m It’s astounding, I’ve never seen a political movement end up in such a terrible position from such a good one. Political volatility is one thing but it’s extraordinary.
History is of course not Dr Peters' strong point, or he would be forced to concede the Woodville faction buggered up still more spectacularly from a far stronger position during the protectorate of April-June 1483.
On Pidcock and collapse of Corbyn left within Labour:
Aaron Bastani @AaronBastani · 31m It’s astounding, I’ve never seen a political movement end up in such a terrible position from such a good one. Political volatility is one thing but it’s extraordinary.
Has he considered why it has happened? I'd argue it's because they weren't in a strong position, they had just come top in a factional battle but not brought the public along, but I'd be curious what he thinks happened.
Foxjr2 is in today's figures, sounds rather rough. Double vaxxed, and seemed to dodge original Omicron.
Sorry to hear that. Hope he mends soon
Do you think he has BA2? Is his case being sequenced?
He is feeling very rough, but OK. Isolating in his flat in Earls Court. It is worrying not being able to assess him myself, just on the phone. Stinking headache, runny nose, and tight chest. Currently on his sofa watching Netflix. He is a fit 20 year old.
His flatmate is also positive, but went back to his parents house before getting his result.
Foxjr2 had a PCR so a 10% chance of being positive. He probably caught it clubbing on Friday night.
Sympathies. Sounds like he’s a fit young man and will recover, tho, so that’s good news
This virus is kinda relentless. Like a fire we never quite put out. As soon as you think it is extinguished, you spot a new lick of flame, and off it goes again, in an entirely different corner of the world
Good god let it go out! We are all exhausted
Time for sleep in Sri Lanka. Goodnight PB
Covid will be with us forever. You need to stop catastrophising and start living. The Danes are removing all remaining restrictions, which should be instructive.
I’m lying in a 5 star hotel in Sri Lanka, sipping excellent Aussie Shiraz, as the warm tropical moonlight shines on the gentle waves of the Indian Ocean, right outside. Tomorrow I take the train, first class, down the fabled Ceylonese coast to Galle, the great and ancient Dutch-Portuguese fortress-city. I may permit myself a spicy fish curry with red rice and dal en route
I am very much living, and enjoying life. I am also the inquisitive type, and my inquisitions tell me that Covid has not quite gone away yet, which menaces my highly enjoyable life. Tsk
Updated number. By 17th January BA2 was 3.2% of sequenced omicron in the U.K, about 3000 cases.
Looking at Denmark it seems to have a doubling time of about four days. So it will - to use simplistic maths, I know it is more complex than this - now be 12% of cases? And will - as others have said - be the dominant form by mid-Feb
BTW I got the 100% more transmissible thing from Doctor Ding-Doom and John Campbell, who have both said the same. Given that they are on either ends of the alarmist-optimist spectrum it seems like it might be a reasonable ball park figure. I agree we just don’t know for sure yet
At the moment the data out of Israel is more troubling, to me, than Denmark. What is suddenly going on there? Huge surge in cases and hospitalisations. And ICUs (tho this is more contested). Israeli has done loads of jabs but its vax rates is not brilliant due to refusals, is it just a case of that plus Omicron? The speed of their surge is unnerving: it seems to have unnerved THEM
I suspect that just like here, omicron is causing a lot of cases, and sadly some will be in vulnerable people, who end up in hospital. The reality is Covid is still a dangerous disease, just vastly less so after vaccination. I’ve idly flicked through some threads. One view, which I agree with, is that BA2 is pretty much the same as original omicron. It’s probably a bit more transmissible, but the severity profilecwill be similar. All the arguments as to why omicron is not that worrying really do apply to BA2 as well.
Updated number. By 17th January BA2 was 3.2% of sequenced omicron in the U.K, about 3000 cases.
In what way is BA2 any worse than original Omicron? Is it worse?
Doesn’t seem likely to be worse in what it does to us, but may be a bit more transmissible again, so probably overtaking original omicron everywhere it gets to. One thing that isn’t really discussed is the demise of delta. As delta is more dangerous to patients, this is a good thing, and probably helps explain the fall in MV bed occupancy, all while there have been more patients in hospital.
Can’t provide a link, sadly, but Danny the Fink has a typically erudite piece in the Times today about Ministerial responsibility. Well worth a read if you can access it but the short version is that Boris is constitutionally responsible for the culture in No 10 and his political appointees as well as civil servants clearly acting in his name.
Anyone claiming Boris has been personally cleared by Gray, if he is, really should reflect on it.
I claim politics doesn’t work like that. Look at Trumps style and as you put it “culture” - he got in, look at the votes he got, very nearly stayed in.
Today we saw Trump Boris. If Boris emerges from this, it can be cathartic - like Alien bursting out a stomach in middle of Love Actually.
I am not 100% sure Boris loses his majority at the next general election. Anyone 100% convinced he will?
Even today, straight after this crisis in his character, in the mid term, Sky’s vox popping in bell weather seat is getting lots “still supporting Boris, he has got the big calls right in the bigger picture”.
Perhaps Starmer should stop looking and acting so smug and complacent.
Updated number. By 17th January BA2 was 3.2% of sequenced omicron in the U.K, about 3000 cases.
In what way is BA2 any worse than original Omicron? Is it worse?
We just don’t know yet. Also, what is “worse”. Is a more infectious but less virulent disease worse or better? There are so many variables. Is the population naive, vaxxed, boostered, full of prior infection?
BA2 seems to be more transmissible. It seems to be no more virulent than BA1 (possibly less virulent). It does, however, seem to affect kids worse, or at least put more in hospital. Again, we don’t know for sure
One big unknown is: Can it reinfect people who’ve had Omicron Classic? Can it evade vaccines better than BA1? Experts argue, no one knows, there is evidence for all sides
I’ve read quite a lot about it now, and that is my summation, FWIW
Can’t provide a link, sadly, but Danny the Fink has a typically erudite piece in the Times today about Ministerial responsibility. Well worth a read if you can access it but the short version is that Boris is constitutionally responsible for the culture in No 10 and his political appointees as well as civil servants clearly acting in his name.
Anyone claiming Boris has been personally cleared by Gray, if he is, really should reflect on it.
I claim politics doesn’t work like that. Look at Trumps style and as you put it “culture” - he got in, look at the votes he got, very nearly stayed in.
Today we saw Trump Boris. If Boris emerges from this, it can be cathartic - like Alien bursting out a stomach in middle of Love Actually.
I am not 100% sure Boris loses his majority at the next general election. Anyone 100% convinced he will?
Even today, straight after this crisis in his character, in the mid term, Sky’s vox popping in bell weather seat is getting lots “still supporting Boris, he has got the big calls right in the bigger picture”.
Perhaps Starmer should stop looking and acting so smug and complacent.
See, I kinda get that and I do agree with them that he has got at least many of the big calls right.
But we simply cannot have a PM whose word on anything, not just his love life but anything at all, cannot be trusted. If that happens we are in a Trumpian nightmare which the Americans have shown it is seriously hard to wake up from. In fairness, I would still rather have a PM who eats birthday cake or has a drink in the garden to one who gets his supporters to occupy the HoC whilst armed but its on the spectrum. These lies are corrossive.
On Pidcock and collapse of Corbyn left within Labour:
Aaron Bastani @AaronBastani · 31m It’s astounding, I’ve never seen a political movement end up in such a terrible position from such a good one. Political volatility is one thing but it’s extraordinary.
His earlier tweet sums up the problem. Pidcocks resignation is reflective of the left abandoning the power and influence they have, in the administrative structure of the labour party. They are just giving up and walking away.
It's unfortunate but necessary. It's like keeping Pol Pot on to help with rebuilding of Cambodia. Erstwhile Labour voters saw this experiment fail spectacularly. The best bet now is to show that they are nowhere near the centre of the new Labour Party. If they want to do Starmer and co a bigger favour they'll start a new party and then the public will believe they've gone for good
I really do hate to focus on individuals but Pidcock does seem the sort of politician designed to repel potential voters.
Her statement is really overlong and goes:
Labour is not treating people well (read, not treating Corbyn well)
I am brave for dedicating time to Labour.
Starmer is hostile to socialists.
I worked hard but was out voted, which means it is unfair.
I have a job and family - fair enough
Winning over former Tories was the last straw for some reason.
The NEC has no ideas (despite me criticising what they are doing for ideology, meaning they must have ideas). They upset the entryists.
The government is awful, and I'm angry at the party leadership which looks able to defeat it for some reason.
The left must be honest about mistakes, but i wont now mention any.
My lord Jeremy has been mistreated.
Let's throw in a reference to comrades so I sound 14 years old.
I dont think politics is complicated, which explains why it's all goodies and baddies to me.
It's a shattering blow for Starmer.
I'm not sure how he recovers from this.
Maybe a quick blast of Queen, Another one bites the dust and some dad dancing?
On Pidcock and collapse of Corbyn left within Labour:
Aaron Bastani @AaronBastani · 31m It’s astounding, I’ve never seen a political movement end up in such a terrible position from such a good one. Political volatility is one thing but it’s extraordinary.
Has he considered why it has happened? I'd argue it's because they weren't in a strong position, they had just come top in a factional battle but not brought the public along, but I'd be curious what he thinks happened.
He thinks they did carry the public along. As do many on the Labour left. And will not be budged from it by anything so sordid as evidence showing that, e.g. just 56% of Labour's 2017 voters actually liked their policies.
On Pidcock and collapse of Corbyn left within Labour:
Aaron Bastani @AaronBastani · 31m It’s astounding, I’ve never seen a political movement end up in such a terrible position from such a good one. Political volatility is one thing but it’s extraordinary.
His earlier tweet sums up the problem. Pidcocks resignation is reflective of the left abandoning the power and influence they have, in the administrative structure of the labour party. They are just giving up and walking away.
There are rumours that Corbyn is about to launch a new party ...
I continue to disbelieve that you're so left wing NP! (You weren't once)
If the left want to have influence then they should disengage with McDonnell. Corbyn should just retire.
The newish left-wingers were of course all the rage a few months ago. In the spotlight before their time perhaps. Long-Bailey being the obvious example. ( A progression from completely hopeless to much better)
I was always left-wing, but perhaps unusually willing to settle for half a loaf at a time. There was so much that needed doing - public services, minimum wage, overseas aid, social reforms like civil partnerships - and then more good things that materialised like the Northern Ireland Peace Agreement. Complaining that Tony wasn't *also* nationalising the railways or introducing a wealth tax seemed greedy, and I was quite happy simply promoting what we were doing. Clearly Iraq was a mistake (though in my opinion an honest one) and I got a bit fed up in the latter days when the agenda seemed to narrow to Tony's personal views on privatisation, and so I welcomed Jeremy as a fresh wind.
I think that's how it usually works - have a more centrist government doing a social democrat job for a while, and then perhaps people will gain an appetite for more. It's still worth doing even if they don't, compared with another decade of increasingly erratic Tory populism.
On Pidcock and collapse of Corbyn left within Labour:
Aaron Bastani @AaronBastani · 31m It’s astounding, I’ve never seen a political movement end up in such a terrible position from such a good one. Political volatility is one thing but it’s extraordinary.
His earlier tweet sums up the problem. Pidcocks resignation is reflective of the left abandoning the power and influence they have, in the administrative structure of the labour party. They are just giving up and walking away.
Sorry to hear that. Get better! Check that oximeter
I’m pretty sure I had Omicron in early December - or Covid anyway - very possibly a 2nd dose - and yes it was bad. I was delirious for maybe 3-4 days, sleeping - fitfully - for 20 hours at a time. My tests were neg but I had loss of sense of smell for 24 hours, in a way I have never experienced before. Most odd. Must have been Covid
Weirdly there would be spells of a few hours when I felt almost completely fine, and could get up, even drive, then it came back. I was drained for a week, had a lingering cough for 3 weeks, now I feel just fine (but fat). No Long Covid, thank the Lord
good luck. I agree this is with us now for the rest of our lives, very likely. A new nasty flu which will return time and again, but we will learn to live with it, as we do with flu
Denmark is home to the latest variant. They have excellent genomic sequencing. They probably don't have as much natural immunity as we do but they do have a high vaccination rate. It looks like, horror of all horrors, that they are going to learn to live with covid.
On Pidcock and collapse of Corbyn left within Labour:
Aaron Bastani @AaronBastani · 31m It’s astounding, I’ve never seen a political movement end up in such a terrible position from such a good one. Political volatility is one thing but it’s extraordinary.
His earlier tweet sums up the problem. Pidcocks resignation is reflective of the left abandoning the power and influence they have, in the administrative structure of the labour party. They are just giving up and walking away.
There are rumours that Corbyn is about to launch a new party ...
On Pidcock and collapse of Corbyn left within Labour:
Aaron Bastani @AaronBastani · 31m It’s astounding, I’ve never seen a political movement end up in such a terrible position from such a good one. Political volatility is one thing but it’s extraordinary.
On Pidcock and collapse of Corbyn left within Labour:
Aaron Bastani @AaronBastani · 31m It’s astounding, I’ve never seen a political movement end up in such a terrible position from such a good one. Political volatility is one thing but it’s extraordinary.
His earlier tweet sums up the problem. Pidcocks resignation is reflective of the left abandoning the power and influence they have, in the administrative structure of the labour party. They are just giving up and walking away.
There are rumours that Corbyn is about to launch a new party ...
Unlike some of his fiercest supporters he's stayed as Labour for 40 years, he'd quit that rather than either bow out and retire (whilst still being a Labour member) or go for the NickPalmer plan?
I can't see it. On the fringe of Labour seems where he's most comfortable.
Comments
Covid is over as a society threatening disease. Let's just get on with life and stop obsessing over every new piece of data.
Which party wouldn't want two and a half minutes of free airtime on a day like this. It could have been the making of them.
Notably he was negative on LFTs on 3 consecutive days, including on the day he had the positive PCR.
That's why the idea of a new party hasn't attracted anyone significant - splitting the vote doesn't help anyone. I think the strategic left-wingers like McDonnell see the best shot as helping elect Starmer and in due course arguing that centrist government isn't delivering, time for a more progressive approach. That's a 10-year strategy, during which time new left-wing leaders will (perhaps) emerge. Helpfully for Starmer, it means a fairly smooth ride for now.
Nonetheless, a solution needs to be found for Corbyn to stay on - there is far too much affection and loyalty to him on the left to live with putting up a hostile candidate. My personal preference is to simply let him seek reselection - he's a party member, he's willing to take the whip, so far as I can see the rules don't require that he promises that the future Chief Whip will offer it to him (it's not in his power to promise it, after all). If he's reelected and still isn't offered the whip, so be it.
Plus Bucks Fizz Eurovision colours.
Sounds like a track by a second-rate singer-songwriter from the 1970s.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/index.html
Perhaps the Plaid vote was a penis.
Do you think he has BA2? Is his case being sequenced?
* the caveat is that she may actually be frightened by the prospect and doesn't want it. Harris might be good at blagging things but she has never been a particularly self-confident person when it comes to the roles themselves. That's fine if you the California AG, a bit different if you are leader of the free world.
Cites the deep-rooted influence of Russian money on the UK media, real estate and financial industries, and the “ruling Conservative Party”.
https://twitter.com/patrickwintour/status/1486245779182399488?s=21
Her statement is really overlong and goes:
I see he calls the SGs the Mini Nats. Not exactly accurate. Or calculated to win friends.
I did wonder for a moment if he was the Northumberland Independence Party founder chap but I'm getting muddled - that one has gone off to the Scons.
BTW where do you get your figures from? E.g. 2 x as transmissible? It’s entirely possible that Denmark was seeded more widely with BA2 hence there greater share of it, whereas it’s tiny in the U.K., at least so far as we know.
To see oursels as ithers see us!
His flatmate is also positive, but went back to his parents house before getting his result.
Foxjr2 had a PCR so a 10% chance of being positive. He probably caught it clubbing on Friday night.
One of the great self-defeating statements of PB, certainly in the current political generation, which I will define in his terms out of courtesy.
If the left want to have influence then they should disengage with McDonnell. Corbyn should just retire.
The newish left-wingers were of course all the rage a few months ago. In the spotlight before their time perhaps. Long-Bailey being the obvious example. ( A progression from completely hopeless to much better)
Again, I really want to stress, I'm just a guy who thought about this question a while ago and read a Wikipedia article...
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holocaust_theology
I’d like to see Lammy campaign on this.
Anyone claiming Boris has been personally cleared by Gray, if he is, really should reflect on it.
See Berlin:
“BA.2 now 30% of all cases in Berlin. Barring the sudden emergence of a new hypertransmissible variant, it's only a matter of time before BA.2 is dominant everywhere.“
https://twitter.com/longdeserttrain/status/1486104942054199305?s=21
Can we turn our attention to the landscape where the rebellion has failed, as looking like the likelier outcome now. Is there not a problem now, Boris surviving, what doesn’t kill him makes him stronger, a problem first for the rebels 😕
A couple of weeks ago it was Apologies Boris still trying to be loved. Now it’s no more being nice Boris, transformed into a different leader, one to be feared.
There’s clear signs this week, Boris PMQ Barb at Sunak today, the pro Truss minister resigning with dig at Treasury this week, the knives are now out for the defeated rebels.
I don’t even think Cummings is safe from the fight back, a Trial of Dominic Cummings for pro-Russia treason wouldn’t shock me.
But to have Boris carrying on for months and chances of PM Sunak diminishing is a depressing prospect. Is it not? After the sunlit uplands we glimpsed.
There seems to be some chatter about BA2 re infecting ba1, but this is unlikely. We already have omicron reinfections all previous versions, but the crux is that most people are not getting that sick.
The closing game gave me the absolute willies where the vortex used to capture the contestants and stop them getting the spaceship back to earth. Objectively I knew they weren't stuck on a distant planet. But still. I remember as an, ooh, 8-year old, wathcing it at often at my friend's house and then going home for tea, and having the absolute heebie-jeebies as I passed the old houses with the trees out the front - and absolutely running as fast as I could until I got safely back to the mundane 70s estate on which I lived.
From a not dissimilar stable: Now Get Out Of That.
I don't see a left wing splinter party going anywhere unless Labour looks likely to lose the next election (which is still possible even against Johnson).
This virus is kinda relentless. Like a fire we never quite put out. As soon as you think it is extinguished, you spot a new lick of flame, and off it goes again, in an entirely different corner of the world
Good god let it go out! We are all exhausted
Time for sleep in Sri Lanka. Goodnight PB
The suspense will be torture. Fifty Days of Gray.
Been there, done that. Best of!
No Corbyn and now no Pidcock. Plus Osamor is discredited and Webbe is on at best borrowed time.
Something needs to happen to Burgon and Sultana and then Starmer will have resolved his left wing nutcases problem pretty much for good and all.
Edit - bollocks, forgot Lloyd Russell Moyle.
What’s Lammy’s own record for taking large donations for causes? Like to fight Brexit?
When Boris bellows “he pays the piper plays the tune” at PMQ, you and me will both shake heads and mutter shameless. But those who love Boris and have him 80 seat majority will lap it up.
Are you still up for that line of attack?
With Pidcock, the one thing that stood out to me was that she was unhappy that labour MPs cheered when Christian Wakeford crossed the floor. Apparently she felt that they shouldn't be welcoming him in to the party given his background. But she does think every life is precious.
The younger generation of socialists are in fairness an eminently forgettable bunch. Think, self-righteous, pompous and self-aggrandising.
Not that some of the older generation are much better, the likes of Lavery and Gardiner.
I'm not sure how he recovers from this.
BTW I got the 100% more transmissible thing from Doctor Ding-Doom and John Campbell, who have both said the same. Given that they are on either ends of the alarmist-optimist spectrum it seems like it might be a reasonable ball park figure. I agree we just don’t know for sure yet
At the moment the data out of Israel is more troubling, to me, than Denmark. What is suddenly going on there? Huge surge in cases and hospitalisations. And ICUs (tho this is more contested). Israeli has done loads of jabs but its vax rates is not brilliant due to refusals, is it just a case of that plus Omicron? The speed of their surge is unnerving: it seems to have unnerved THEM
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_from_laughter
Aaron Bastani
@AaronBastani
·
31m
It’s astounding, I’ve never seen a political movement end up in such a terrible position from such a good one. Political volatility is one thing but it’s extraordinary.
https://twitter.com/AaronBastani/status/1486416959260528653
That bastard Johnson is going to pay for that if ever he gets within grabbing distance...
I am very much living, and enjoying life. I am also the inquisitive type, and my inquisitions tell me that Covid has not quite gone away yet, which menaces my highly enjoyable life. Tsk
I’ve idly flicked through some threads. One view, which I agree with, is that BA2 is pretty much the same as original omicron. It’s probably a bit more transmissible, but the severity profilecwill be similar. All the arguments as to why omicron is not that worrying really do apply to BA2 as well.
Today we saw Trump Boris. If Boris emerges from this, it can be cathartic - like Alien bursting out a stomach in middle of Love Actually.
I am not 100% sure Boris loses his majority at the next general election. Anyone 100% convinced he will?
Even today, straight after this crisis in his character, in the mid term, Sky’s vox popping in bell weather seat is getting lots “still supporting Boris, he has got the big calls right in the bigger picture”.
Perhaps Starmer should stop looking and acting so smug and complacent.
For Leon - and before the next gin please old bean
BA2 seems to be more transmissible. It seems to be no more virulent than BA1 (possibly less virulent). It does, however, seem to affect kids worse, or at least put more in hospital. Again, we don’t know for sure
One big unknown is: Can it reinfect people who’ve had Omicron Classic? Can it evade vaccines better than BA1? Experts argue, no one knows, there is evidence for all sides
I’ve read quite a lot about it now, and that is my summation, FWIW
But we simply cannot have a PM whose word on anything, not just his love life but anything at all, cannot be trusted. If that happens we are in a Trumpian nightmare which the Americans have shown it is seriously hard to wake up from. In fairness, I would still rather have a PM who eats birthday cake or has a drink in the garden to one who gets his supporters to occupy the HoC whilst armed but its on the spectrum. These lies are corrossive.
https://www.thelocal.dk/20220126/denmark-confirms-plan-to-lift-covid-19-restrictions-on-february-1st/
I think that's how it usually works - have a more centrist government doing a social democrat job for a while, and then perhaps people will gain an appetite for more. It's still worth doing even if they don't, compared with another decade of increasingly erratic Tory populism.
I’m pretty sure I had Omicron in early December - or Covid anyway - very possibly a 2nd dose - and yes it was bad. I was delirious for maybe 3-4 days, sleeping - fitfully - for 20 hours at a time. My tests were neg but I had loss of sense of smell for 24 hours, in a way I have never experienced before. Most odd. Must have been Covid
Weirdly there would be spells of a few hours when I felt almost completely fine, and could get up, even drive, then it came back. I was drained for a week, had a lingering cough for 3 weeks, now I feel just fine (but fat). No Long Covid, thank the Lord
good luck. I agree this is with us now for the rest of our lives, very likely. A new nasty flu which will return time and again, but we will learn to live with it, as we do with flu
I can't see it. On the fringe of Labour seems where he's most comfortable.