After yesterday's Commons performance I have to tell you that I shall never vote Conservative while Boris Johnson remains in office, and never vote for any candidate currently taking the Conservative whip unless Johnson is forced out by the party by the end of this month.
I have voted Conservative in every GE since 1979 with one exception, and my principal interest in life is trail hunting. I am therefore fairly representative of a fairly large part of your core vote.
Ishmael xx
I'm sure it's fun riding on horses after a strange smell of fox urine, that dogs seem to like, laid down by people pretending to be foxes, but I rather doubt that people who enjoy this are "fairly representative of a fairly large part of Boris' core vote"
Sir G Cox's core vote. West Devon.
I’ve become a bit of a Devon fan lately. We’ve become friends with a couple of Devonians (is that what you’re called) and we keep getting bombarded with West Country luxury treats. I gobbled my way through almost 3 pack of some amazing Cornish biscuits in December, and yesterday we received 2 jars of Otter Vale chutney. Closest I’ve ever actually been is Wiltshire and Bath, but now I’m determined to get further west.
Though a lot needed to make up for the crime of Buckfast Tonic.
Indeed.
Haven’t bought Buckfast for three decades, but apparently Scottish retailers are no longer allowed to display the product. Strictly “under the counter“: you have to specifically ask a member of staff.
Disgusting stuff.
But those Cornish biscuits! OMG
Unfortunately we got a big bag of “Cornish Coffee” beans. I hadn’t realised climate change had got that bad.
I assume you are joking and know that the beans weren't grown in Cornwall. Tea, on the other hand, from the excellent Tregothnan estate, is actually grown in Cornwall.
Think about it, they try and VONC him, and he survives and then he's either charged or fined, he'll try and brazen it out, safe in the knowledge the party cannot oust him for 12 months.
Better to wait until he's charged/fined.
The threshold to remove him keeps moving up for arbitrary reasons. It now seems to be that he be found to have committed a criminal offence.
Yes I noticed that too. Whereas until a few days ago it was about misleading (lying to) the House. Which he obviously did.
The problem is that the Conservative Party has to find somebody to replace him who will not plunge it into a costly civil war whilst at the same time appearing plausible to the public at large. It needs to buy time to arrange this. This is the only explanation for its delay in removing the oaf.
He's a goner, but what comes next is far from clear. If it goes badly for them, the Party could soon be replacing the LibDems as the third largest Party in Westminster.
The LDs will never win more seats than the Tories.
Only party that might is RefUK if they overtook the Tories as the main party of the right as Labour overtook the Liberals as the main party of the centre left early last century.
The LDs are now split between centre right Orange Bookers and centre left social democrats
You are describing the party 10 years ago. 11 of the party’s 13 MPs weren’t even in Parliament when The Orange Book came out.
Davey is LD leader and was a Cabinet Minister in Cameron's government and even helped write the Orange Book.
Boris of course never served in Cameron's Cabinet unlike Ed Davey
Indeed. But how does that demonstrate your contention that the party is now split between Orange Bookers and social democrats?
Ed Davey is an Orange Booker, his opponent for LD leader in 2020 was Layla Moran, a social democrat
Okay, but again, how does that demonstrate your contention that the party is now split between Orange Bookers and Soical Democrats. That point just shows the affiliations of two leadership contenders.
As Orange Bookers are fiscal conservatives, social democrats are not. The LDs are divided between the 2 even if they are united on disliking Brexit and social liberalism
Thanks for the patronising evidence-free explanation. You specialise in lecturing me on institutions I am/ was a member of. I used to be a member of the Lib Dems, and remain with the Oxford Union. You have just repeated an assertion without providing any evidence.
Please provide evidence that the LD's are "split" between these two factions, something you have again failed to do.
Agree 100%. As a LD and in the Orange Book category I don't recognise the word 'split' whatsoever. In my decades in the party I can never recall it being discussed, there being any disputes, or anything along those lines. At the merger those in either camp worked very well together with generally very similar views on most things (those that didn't, didn't join) The overlaps are huge. If I had to give a distinction I would say that the Orange Bookers are more radical (liberal) and the Social Democrats more pragmatic in their ideas of achieving the same ends.
It's almost as if constructing a political party of any size requires it to be a coalition of somewhat like minded individuals, with broad areas of agreement, but also disagreement on other areas.
As opposed to a "pure" party of one man in his tank....
Mr. Dickson, Devon was one of two places I regularly went on holiday as a child. Have vague, but fond, memories of the seaside and pubs. Fewer castles than Wales but nicer weather.
Devon is one of the most beautiful corners of the UK, indeed of the world
A unique, fascinating, historic city: Plymouth (I know others differ but come at it afresh and it is astonishing)
Lush pastoral landscapes
Endless lovely villages, with attending churches and stately homes
Big enough not to have been ruined by over-population (ditto roads and rails, tho it probably needs more rails)
Two distinct coastlines, the mild, succulent south, the bracing wild north
Two impressive moorland wildernesses
Thick woods, gorgeous beaches, excellent seafood, delightful pubs, and areas -like northwest Devon, and the higher Tamar valley - that seem almost entirely empty in a way inconceivable in mild southern England.
And it has mostly escaped the huge influx that now plagues Cornwall
They need to fix two major things: rebuild ugly redbrick Exeter exactly as it was before the Germans flattened it. Do something about the tattier coastal resorts, Teignmouth, Dawlish, etc
We also have some very fine restaurants, using very fine local produce.
But Exeter is seeping out into the countryside at an alarming rate. Its transport network already grinds to a halt. Thousands more houses is going to cause political issues around the gridlock.
Takes a peek. Sees that we are all still talking about birthday cake. goes back to lurking for a few more days.
Meanwhile, apropos of nothing, the PM is in Kiev today for a meeting with President Zelensky. Ukraine is getting worried that US interests and media are unnecessarily talking up the chances of a Russian invasion this month. There’s a fine line to tread between being supportive of an ally, and antagonising the Russians which makes the conflict more likely to happen.
Putin needs permission and political coverage from Xi to invade Ukraine. That isn't going to be forthcoming while it will fuck up the Winter Olympics so no invasion until the 21st.
Covid is doing a pretty good job of that anyway. Maybe Xi will authorise the invasion to draw attention away from the games and the inevitable disastrous consequences of going ahead with them.
My big fear is that Xi makes a play for Taiwan at the same time - i.e. during the Olympics. The US, UK and allies will not be able to put substantial aid to both Ukraine and Taiwan, and China will have lots of hostages guests staying for the Olympics.
It's unlikely, but would be a good way for both to achieve their goals.
A Xi invasion of Taiwan could be coordinated with a Putin invasion of Ukraine.
It makes sense for them as they know the West will not go to war to defend Ukraine or Taiwan, only a NATO nation, South Korea or Japan.
Yougov finds meanwhile a majority of Germans and a plurality of voters in most other NATO nations oppose going to war with Russia if it invades Ukraine. Only a plurality of Americans and Danes favour going to war with Russia over the Ukraine but even then only 38% of Danes and 35% of Russians back war. Britons are split
It is absolutely insane that 30% of Britons want a war with Russia if they invade Ukraine. Apart from the risk of nuclear escalation we simply don't have the forces to do so.
@HYFUD's point is a fair one though. Get the Beijing Olympics out of the way and then two coordinated attacks. There will be never be a better time for either - doddering US President, split EU etc. The only thing that would probably both stop both would be nuclear weapons and both leaders will be betting on (probably correctly) that the public does not want to go to that stage.
Going off on a tangent, but why the hell was Beijing given the winter Olympics in the first place. It is entirely a prestige event for them. They have no history in winter sports and have built a purpose built resort, presumably with significant environmental damage. I have looked at the ski runs. No half decent skier is ever going to go there as there are too few runs and many are disconnected and each mainly just run from the top of one mountain so there will be little pleasure in skiing there. You can't go out on a days skiing trip. It looks like its future will be as nursery slopes at one end of the spectrum and training Olympic skiers at the other end and that is it.
Mr. Dickson, Devon was one of two places I regularly went on holiday as a child. Have vague, but fond, memories of the seaside and pubs. Fewer castles than Wales but nicer weather.
Devon is one of the most beautiful corners of the UK, indeed of the world
A unique, fascinating, historic city: Plymouth (I know others differ but come at it afresh and it is astonishing)
Lush pastoral landscapes
Endless lovely villages, with attending churches and stately homes
Big enough not to have been ruined by over-population (ditto roads and rails, tho it probably needs more rails)
Two distinct coastlines, the mild, succulent south, the bracing wild north
Two impressive moorland wildernesses
Thick woods, gorgeous beaches, excellent seafood, delightful pubs, and areas -like northwest Devon, and the higher Tamar valley - that seem almost entirely empty in a way inconceivable in mild southern England.
And it has mostly escaped the huge influx that now plagues Cornwall
They need to fix two major things: rebuild ugly redbrick Exeter exactly as it was before the Germans flattened it. Do something about the tattier coastal resorts, Teignmouth, Dawlish, etc
Have you ever thought about taking up travel writing?
Not sure it's about black lives, instead pinging David Baddiel: Jews don't count.
What has the world come to?
Hmm, I think @Leon is right. Across the US there has been a downplaying of racism experienced by Asians, it happens over here as well to a lesser degree. Somehow being called a paki is no big deal because Asian people are financially successful in the UK. We're no longer considered part of the oppressed community here or in the US, only black people are and this leads to idiotic thinking shown by Whoopi Goldberg, that people who aren't "oppressed" can't experience racism.
BLM has always been a front for socialism and promoting the idea that the world is split into oppressors (white people and other "race traitors") and the oppressed (black people). It's a ridiculous movement that in 5 years no one will admit to supporting.
I don't think this disparaging of BLM is a universal sentiment among Asian people, certainly not in the UK. Some of the strongest supporters of BLM that I know are Asian, precisely because they recognise the importance of challenging racism.
Of course it's not universal but there is plenty of cross-racial hatred from all flavours - black, white, asian, jew, you name it.
Mr. Dickson, Devon was one of two places I regularly went on holiday as a child. Have vague, but fond, memories of the seaside and pubs. Fewer castles than Wales but nicer weather.
I heard it claimed, while being fed dinner in a restored fortified tower house, that County Galway has the highest density of castles in the world.
Not sure it's about black lives, instead pinging David Baddiel: Jews don't count.
What has the world come to?
Hmm, I think @Leon is right. Across the US there has been a downplaying of racism experienced by Asians, it happens over here as well to a lesser degree. Somehow being called a paki is no big deal because Asian people are financially successful in the UK. We're no longer considered part of the oppressed community here or in the US, only black people are and this leads to idiotic thinking shown by Whoopi Goldberg, that people who aren't "oppressed" can't experience racism.
BLM has always been a front for socialism and promoting the idea that the world is split into oppressors (white people and other "race traitors") and the oppressed (black people). It's a ridiculous movement that in 5 years no one will admit to supporting.
Hang on, Goldberg wasn't engaged in Holocaust denying, indeed in the interview she was saying that the banning of a graphic novel of the Holocaust for nudity rather than mass killing was absurd.
She was engaged in being very silly indeed - which not an unusual occupational hazard for actors. Drawing any larger political conclusion from it is almost as silly.
I have reluctantly reached the conclusion that Boris has to go, if only because this scandal is now just so fucking BORING
The difference between you and most people, save the obvious, is that you want politics to be entertaining. A privilege of the well off. Most of us just want government to do its various jobs wth the facless efficiency of a good waiter. If I want to be entertained I'll read a book, watch TV, or spend an evening scrolling through HYUFD's contributions on here over the years. We want government to be grimly efficient but anonymous, like decent plumbing, or your writing.
Can you name a recent British government that has done this? Been "grimly efficient but anonymous", that has had the "facless [sic] efficiency of a good waiter"?
I can't. They all seem to lurch from crisis to crisis, or, in retrospect, they were a disaster only we didn't realise it
I was about to say the first term of Blair's New Labour but then they brought in the insane, partisan Devolution Settlement which has strained the Union close to shattering, so fuck them
Before then? Maybe mid period Thatcher, from about 1985-1989? But of course many would utterly disagree
There really aren't many examples, at all
There's an argument that the Cameron/Clegg coalition was about as close as we've got to that happy state. The need to keep both sides happy (sort of) allowed Dave and Nick to sideline their own iconoclasts and trouble-makers and focus on governing.
Messed up the Justice system though. Surprisingly.
Yesterday was an embarrassment for any decent conservative and Boris is on borrowed time
I understand why conservative mps have deferred Boris removal, as they do not have a unity candidate and with Ukraine and the cost of living crisis immediate issues that need attention
I believe that Rishi is to reveal his support package for the energy crisis before the 7th February when the decision on April's tariff increase will be made and then I expect the release of the rest of Sue Gray's report
It is that moment that I anticipate the party will act on Boris, especially if he and Carrie receive FPN's over the alleged flat party, and start a succession election
It is clear that with so many publicly criticising Boris from within including the conservative party in Scotland he has run out of space to continue and I expect a new leader and cabinet by June
On the next leader, while I support Rishi I will have no problem accepting the mps and memberships decision and will rejoin the party
After yesterday's Commons performance I have to tell you that I shall never vote Conservative while Boris Johnson remains in office, and never vote for any candidate currently taking the Conservative whip unless Johnson is forced out by the party by the end of this month.
I have voted Conservative in every GE since 1979 with one exception, and my principal interest in life is trail hunting. I am therefore fairly representative of a fairly large part of your core vote.
Ishmael xx
I'm sure it's fun riding on horses after a strange smell of fox urine, that dogs seem to like, laid down by people pretending to be foxes, but I rather doubt that people who enjoy this are "fairly representative of a fairly large part of Boris' core vote"
Sir G Cox's core vote. West Devon.
I’ve become a bit of a Devon fan lately. We’ve become friends with a couple of Devonians (is that what you’re called) and we keep getting bombarded with West Country luxury treats. I gobbled my way through almost 3 pack of some amazing Cornish biscuits in December, and yesterday we received 2 jars of Otter Vale chutney. Closest I’ve ever actually been is Wiltshire and Bath, but now I’m determined to get further west.
Though a lot needed to make up for the crime of Buckfast Tonic.
Indeed.
Haven’t bought Buckfast for three decades, but apparently Scottish retailers are no longer allowed to display the product. Strictly “under the counter“: you have to specifically ask a member of staff.
Disgusting stuff.
But those Cornish biscuits! OMG
Unfortunately we got a big bag of “Cornish Coffee” beans. I hadn’t realised climate change had got that bad.
I assume you are joking and know that the beans weren't grown in Cornwall. Tea, on the other hand, from the excellent Tregothnan estate, is actually grown in Cornwall.
I do enjoy, in all parts of the UK, the spectacle of wooden tubs of olives at farmers markets/upmarket "local produce" shops. Including a deli/cafe in Auchterarder....
I have reluctantly reached the conclusion that Boris has to go, if only because this scandal is now just so fucking BORING
And you think Sunak is going to be exciting?
No. But he will surely stop Labour winning a majority, and could easily get a slender majority of his own. Plus he might have actual ideas as to what to do next, other than build a bridge to Greenland for the lolz
I know I've suggested on here that Boris might bounce back - he is uniquely bouncy for a British politician - but - from the far distant perspective of the Laccadive Sea, in the Indian Ocean, this seems increasingly impossible
Or Truss. Why not Truss. She might be fun
FGS not Ben Wallace
Even Boris will stop Labour winning a majority on current polls.
Only if that changes and polls suggest Starmer wins a Labour majority will Boris be replaced by Sunak I think to save the Tory furniture
2 years still for the stink of corruption to be recognised by those who still like Boris.
It's highly likely that it's all downhill from here.
Cost of living crisis Tax increases Levelling up being revealed to be empty promises (Red Wall seats) Levelling up resulting in the South having to spend money (old Southern seats)
All 4 of those are now going to occur in the next 3 months and the result is an inevitable and slow dripping away of Tory support.
And note 3 and 4 are true at the same time, Boris has created a party whose supporters have 2 contradictory demands.
I don't think it's impossible that, with sufficient chutzpah, and a veneer of credibility, these issues can be reconciled and managed successfully.
1. Specific policy may be seen to address the energy crisis, and the inflation rate might peak soon and begin to decline. 2. The tax increases can be sold now as a necessary post-Covid investment in the NHS to address the backlog, and they create the fiscal headroom for the pre-election income tax cut. 3. For all that we debate government spending the things that will do most to create a sense of levelling up is growth in the regional economies, jobs, housing and people having money to spend. The economy isn't doing that badly. None of the rail schemes would have been finished in time to make a difference to the economy for the next election anyway. 4. The pre-election income tax cut might be enough to reassure wealthier Tories that the government is on the right track, and current high levels of taxation are in part a temporary Covid aberration.
The situation is certainly bad for the Tories now, and the window for recovery is narrowing, but I don't think it's yet irretrievable.
The inflation rate is outwith the control of the Conservative Party. The real world is making its presence felt.
Mr. Dickson, Devon was one of two places I regularly went on holiday as a child. Have vague, but fond, memories of the seaside and pubs. Fewer castles than Wales but nicer weather.
Devon is one of the most beautiful corners of the UK, indeed of the world
A unique, fascinating, historic city: Plymouth (I know others differ but come at it afresh and it is astonishing)
Lush pastoral landscapes
Endless lovely villages, with attending churches and stately homes
Big enough not to have been ruined by over-population (ditto roads and rails, tho it probably needs more rails)
Two distinct coastlines, the mild, succulent south, the bracing wild north
Two impressive moorland wildernesses
Thick woods, gorgeous beaches, excellent seafood, delightful pubs, and areas -like northwest Devon, and the higher Tamar valley - that seem almost entirely empty in a way inconceivable in mild southern England.
And it has mostly escaped the huge influx that now plagues Cornwall
They need to fix two major things: rebuild ugly redbrick Exeter exactly as it was before the Germans flattened it. Do something about the tattier coastal resorts, Teignmouth, Dawlish, etc
Have you ever thought about taking up travel writing?
I have reluctantly reached the conclusion that Boris has to go, if only because this scandal is now just so fucking BORING
And you think Sunak is going to be exciting?
No. But he will surely stop Labour winning a majority, and could easily get a slender majority of his own. Plus he might have actual ideas as to what to do next, other than build a bridge to Greenland for the lolz
I know I've suggested on here that Boris might bounce back - he is uniquely bouncy for a British politician - but - from the far distant perspective of the Laccadive Sea, in the Indian Ocean, this seems increasingly impossible
Or Truss. Why not Truss. She might be fun
FGS not Ben Wallace
Even Boris will stop Labour winning a majority on current polls.
Only if that changes and polls suggest Starmer wins a Labour majority will Boris be replaced by Sunak I think to save the Tory furniture
2 years still for the stink of corruption to be recognised by those who still like Boris.
It's highly likely that it's all downhill from here.
Cost of living crisis Tax increases Levelling up being revealed to be empty promises (Red Wall seats) Levelling up resulting in the South having to spend money (old Southern seats)
All 4 of those are now going to occur in the next 3 months and the result is an inevitable and slow dripping away of Tory support.
And note 3 and 4 are true at the same time, Boris has created a party whose supporters have 2 contradictory demands.
I don't think it's impossible that, with sufficient chutzpah, and a veneer of credibility, these issues can be reconciled and managed successfully.
1. Specific policy may be seen to address the energy crisis, and the inflation rate might peak soon and begin to decline. 2. The tax increases can be sold now as a necessary post-Covid investment in the NHS to address the backlog, and they create the fiscal headroom for the pre-election income tax cut. 3. For all that we debate government spending the things that will do most to create a sense of levelling up is growth in the regional economies, jobs, housing and people having money to spend. The economy isn't doing that badly. None of the rail schemes would have been finished in time to make a difference to the economy for the next election anyway. 4. The pre-election income tax cut might be enough to reassure wealthier Tories that the government is on the right track, and current high levels of taxation are in part a temporary Covid aberration.
The situation is certainly bad for the Tories now, and the window for recovery is narrowing, but I don't think it's yet irretrievable.
The problem you have there is it requires a veneer of credibility and for a lot of the population Boris can't offer that anymore.
Not sure it's about black lives, instead pinging David Baddiel: Jews don't count.
What has the world come to?
Hmm, I think @Leon is right. Across the US there has been a downplaying of racism experienced by Asians, it happens over here as well to a lesser degree. Somehow being called a paki is no big deal because Asian people are financially successful in the UK. We're no longer considered part of the oppressed community here or in the US, only black people are and this leads to idiotic thinking shown by Whoopi Goldberg, that people who aren't "oppressed" can't experience racism.
BLM has always been a front for socialism and promoting the idea that the world is split into oppressors (white people and other "race traitors") and the oppressed (black people). It's a ridiculous movement that in 5 years no one will admit to supporting.
Hang on, Goldberg wasn't engaged in Holocaust denying, indeed in the interview she was saying that the banning of a graphic novel of the Holocaust for nudity rather than mass killing was absurd.
She didn't deny the Holocaust - but she made the thoroughly stupid comment about it, that has been attributed to her.
Sure, but she was trying to emphasise the inhumanity of it.
Not sure it's about black lives, instead pinging David Baddiel: Jews don't count.
What has the world come to?
Hmm, I think @Leon is right. Across the US there has been a downplaying of racism experienced by Asians, it happens over here as well to a lesser degree. Somehow being called a paki is no big deal because Asian people are financially successful in the UK. We're no longer considered part of the oppressed community here or in the US, only black people are and this leads to idiotic thinking shown by Whoopi Goldberg, that people who aren't "oppressed" can't experience racism.
BLM has always been a front for socialism and promoting the idea that the world is split into oppressors (white people and other "race traitors") and the oppressed (black people). It's a ridiculous movement that in 5 years no one will admit to supporting.
Hang on, Goldberg wasn't engaged in Holocaust denying, indeed in the interview she was saying that the banning of a graphic novel of the Holocaust for nudity rather than mass killing was absurd.
Where did I say she denied the Holocaust? I said she was stupid in her thinking that it wasn't racism. The idea that race wasn't the overriding factor in the Holocaust is idiotic.
Well I agree.
Though perhaps there is a valid point that we shouldn't just accept the Nazis views on race, and should accept our common humanity.
Not sure it's about black lives, instead pinging David Baddiel: Jew's don't count.
What has the world come to?
No, it is about black lives. The obsession with BLM means that the concept of racism is now focussed almost entirely on black people, and white racism versus them, with the odd genuflection at Hispanics, or Native Americans, sometimes even Arabs or Asians. But 90% of the time, in the USA, it is ALL about black people
Which is how a clever person like Goldberg can end up saying something as offensively stupid as this
'Racism' is becoming increasingly insular. It is about 'my' group, and excludes other groups. Hence I'm black, and racism is only against blacks. I'm Jewish, and racism is only against Jews (*) I'm Asian, and racism is only against Asians.
It's sad that we'll losing the important message that should be. "Yes, I am minority (x). There is racism against us. But I also see racism against minorities (y), (z), etc." There is a heck of a lot of commonality in racism, whatever group it is targeted against, and these divisions make fighting racism much harder.
Racism against anyone: black, Asian, Middle Eastern, Jewish, Muslim, and yes, white, is often very similar. Combatting one part of it involves combatting all of it.
(*) Yes, I have seen this.
I agree with this I the context of Britain although there is a need for BLM in America and it does have clear policy aims such as more accountable policing and freeing non violent drug offenders.
I agree. AFAIAA the racism situation in the US is very different to the UK. For instance, the slavery and other issues against blacks are much more prominent in US history (and contemporary, sadly). But where we have issues with racism to (and from) different Asian groups, the US also had much racism against Hispanic groups. And both countries have a sickly rich vein of anti-Semitism.
Racism in the US is therefore a very different beast to the UK. That's not to say we're in a good position, it's just different, and the problems and solutions are going to be very different from a policy POV. But as individuals it's the same in both countries: don't discriminate on basis of race.
Not sure it's about black lives, instead pinging David Baddiel: Jews don't count.
What has the world come to?
Hmm, I think @Leon is right. Across the US there has been a downplaying of racism experienced by Asians, it happens over here as well to a lesser degree. Somehow being called a paki is no big deal because Asian people are financially successful in the UK. We're no longer considered part of the oppressed community here or in the US, only black people are and this leads to idiotic thinking shown by Whoopi Goldberg, that people who aren't "oppressed" can't experience racism.
BLM has always been a front for socialism and promoting the idea that the world is split into oppressors (white people and other "race traitors") and the oppressed (black people). It's a ridiculous movement that in 5 years no one will admit to supporting.
I don't think this disparaging of BLM is a universal sentiment among Asian people, certainly not in the UK. Some of the strongest supporters of BLM that I know are Asian, precisely because they recognise the importance of challenging racism.
Of course it's not universal but there is plenty of cross-racial hatred from all flavours - black, white, asian, jew, you name it.
Undoubtedly. I've heard it from every source and in every direction. Wankers come in all colours.
Mr. Dickson, Devon was one of two places I regularly went on holiday as a child. Have vague, but fond, memories of the seaside and pubs. Fewer castles than Wales but nicer weather.
Devon is one of the most beautiful corners of the UK, indeed of the world
A unique, fascinating, historic city: Plymouth (I know others differ but come at it afresh and it is astonishing)
Lush pastoral landscapes
Endless lovely villages, with attending churches and stately homes
Big enough not to have been ruined by over-population (ditto roads and rails, tho it probably needs more rails)
Two distinct coastlines, the mild, succulent south, the bracing wild north
Two impressive moorland wildernesses
Thick woods, gorgeous beaches, excellent seafood, delightful pubs, and areas -like northwest Devon, and the higher Tamar valley - that seem almost entirely empty in a way inconceivable in mild southern England.
And it has mostly escaped the huge influx that now plagues Cornwall
They need to fix two major things: rebuild ugly redbrick Exeter exactly as it was before the Germans flattened it. Do something about the tattier coastal resorts, Teignmouth, Dawlish, etc
Have you ever thought about taking up travel writing?
After yesterday's Commons performance I have to tell you that I shall never vote Conservative while Boris Johnson remains in office, and never vote for any candidate currently taking the Conservative whip unless Johnson is forced out by the party by the end of this month.
I have voted Conservative in every GE since 1979 with one exception, and my principal interest in life is trail hunting. I am therefore fairly representative of a fairly large part of your core vote.
Ishmael xx
I'm sure it's fun riding on horses after a strange smell of fox urine, that dogs seem to like, laid down by people pretending to be foxes, but I rather doubt that people who enjoy this are "fairly representative of a fairly large part of Boris' core vote"
Sir G Cox's core vote. West Devon.
I’ve become a bit of a Devon fan lately. We’ve become friends with a couple of Devonians (is that what you’re called) and we keep getting bombarded with West Country luxury treats. I gobbled my way through almost 3 pack of some amazing Cornish biscuits in December, and yesterday we received 2 jars of Otter Vale chutney. Closest I’ve ever actually been is Wiltshire and Bath, but now I’m determined to get further west.
Though a lot needed to make up for the crime of Buckfast Tonic.
Indeed.
Haven’t bought Buckfast for three decades, but apparently Scottish retailers are no longer allowed to display the product. Strictly “under the counter“: you have to specifically ask a member of staff.
Disgusting stuff.
But those Cornish biscuits! OMG
Unfortunately we got a big bag of “Cornish Coffee” beans. I hadn’t realised climate change had got that bad.
I assume you are joking and know that the beans weren't grown in Cornwall. Tea, on the other hand, from the excellent Tregothnan estate, is actually grown in Cornwall.
I do enjoy, in all parts of the UK, the spectacle of wooden tubs of olives at farmers markets/upmarket "local produce" shops. Including a deli/cafe in Auchterarder....
I lost all faith in one of my local farm shops when they started selling bananas. In essence some farm shops have moved into being deli's of the countryside, and are priced as such. On the other hand there are still genuine farm shops/stalls out there. Bought some veg from one in Braunton in Devon in 2020 - just some veg for sail in a barn. Lovely.
If not yesterday, what's the teeing off point? Is it in the next 2 weeks - as would allow for a typical process - or later, with either Boris handing over while that process completes or a coronation?
Not sure it's about black lives, instead pinging David Baddiel: Jews don't count.
What has the world come to?
Hmm, I think @Leon is right. Across the US there has been a downplaying of racism experienced by Asians, it happens over here as well to a lesser degree. Somehow being called a paki is no big deal because Asian people are financially successful in the UK. We're no longer considered part of the oppressed community here or in the US, only black people are and this leads to idiotic thinking shown by Whoopi Goldberg, that people who aren't "oppressed" can't experience racism.
BLM has always been a front for socialism and promoting the idea that the world is split into oppressors (white people and other "race traitors") and the oppressed (black people). It's a ridiculous movement that in 5 years no one will admit to supporting.
Hang on, Goldberg wasn't engaged in Holocaust denying, indeed in the interview she was saying that the banning of a graphic novel of the Holocaust for nudity rather than mass killing was absurd.
She didn't deny the Holocaust - but she made the thoroughly stupid comment about it, that has been attributed to her.
Sure, but she was trying to emphasise the inhumanity of it.
Not sure it's about black lives, instead pinging David Baddiel: Jews don't count.
What has the world come to?
Hmm, I think @Leon is right. Across the US there has been a downplaying of racism experienced by Asians, it happens over here as well to a lesser degree. Somehow being called a paki is no big deal because Asian people are financially successful in the UK. We're no longer considered part of the oppressed community here or in the US, only black people are and this leads to idiotic thinking shown by Whoopi Goldberg, that people who aren't "oppressed" can't experience racism.
BLM has always been a front for socialism and promoting the idea that the world is split into oppressors (white people and other "race traitors") and the oppressed (black people). It's a ridiculous movement that in 5 years no one will admit to supporting.
Hang on, Goldberg wasn't engaged in Holocaust denying, indeed in the interview she was saying that the banning of a graphic novel of the Holocaust for nudity rather than mass killing was absurd.
Where did I say she denied the Holocaust? I said she was stupid in her thinking that it wasn't racism. The idea that race wasn't the overriding factor in the Holocaust is idiotic.
Well I agree.
Though perhaps there is a valid point that we shouldn't just accept the Nazis views on race, and should accept our common humanity.
I agree. We shouldn't accept Derek Chauvin's views of race, and should accept our common humanity.
Takes a peek. Sees that we are all still talking about birthday cake. goes back to lurking for a few more days.
Meanwhile, apropos of nothing, the PM is in Kiev today for a meeting with President Zelensky. Ukraine is getting worried that US interests and media are unnecessarily talking up the chances of a Russian invasion this month. There’s a fine line to tread between being supportive of an ally, and antagonising the Russians which makes the conflict more likely to happen.
Putin needs permission and political coverage from Xi to invade Ukraine. That isn't going to be forthcoming while it will fuck up the Winter Olympics so no invasion until the 21st.
Covid is doing a pretty good job of that anyway. Maybe Xi will authorise the invasion to draw attention away from the games and the inevitable disastrous consequences of going ahead with them.
My big fear is that Xi makes a play for Taiwan at the same time - i.e. during the Olympics. The US, UK and allies will not be able to put substantial aid to both Ukraine and Taiwan, and China will have lots of hostages guests staying for the Olympics.
It's unlikely, but would be a good way for both to achieve their goals.
A Xi invasion of Taiwan could be coordinated with a Putin invasion of Ukraine.
It makes sense for them as they know the West will not go to war to defend Ukraine or Taiwan, only a NATO nation, South Korea or Japan.
Yougov finds meanwhile a majority of Germans and a plurality of voters in most other NATO nations oppose going to war with Russia if it invades Ukraine. Only a plurality of Americans and Danes favour going to war with Russia over the Ukraine but even then only 38% of Danes and 35% of Russians back war. Britons are split
It is absolutely insane that 30% of Britons want a war with Russia if they invade Ukraine. Apart from the risk of nuclear escalation we simply don't have the forces to do so.
What's your answer then? Let Putin's evil take over Ukraine, and cast a pall over Eastern Europe?
Of course, you can always go over there and do one of the 'non-violent' protests you've trained for. That'd be fun to see.
No, I think it is reasonable to oppose by non military means, for example the sanctions package that Truss was announcing yesterday. I am actually in line with government on this, at least so far.
Do you really want British troops there, fighting Russians face to face in the snow and mud?
No, I don't want it. Only a fool wants war. But neither am I willing to say 'never'.
However, the person threatening war is Putin, not us. He invades other countries. He jails or murders journalists. He poisons people in other countries. He enriches himself and his friends as his country descends down into the mire. (*)
We are facing an evil in the form of Putin's expansionism. Many times in the past we have seen people back down from evil, and evil expand. There comes a time to say 'no more'. The question is when that time is.
People like you - so keen to have pathetic little non-violent protests in a liberal country - should be the first to argue against real evils.
(*) I'm expecting certain parallels about this...
Well the poll says 30% want war with Russia if they invade Ukraine, which rather ignores that they already have done so twice in Crimea and the Donbas.
Considering our last few expeditionary wars were fiascos, perhaps tackling the worlds third strongest military may not be wise.
We should perhaps address our elites love of Russian oligarchs and their money laundromat in London if we oppose Putinism.
I oppose Putins fascism, but start with the simple stuff including the Russian influence on our establishment.
Ah, so you're willing to have your feeble protests about relatively minor matters in the UK, but are willing to see the Russian bear take over eastern Europe? Because you do not have an answer to the immediate problem, only platitudes.
It's a view, I suppose. Chamberlain in 1938 showed the issues with that - and whilst the parallels are imperfect, they are there.
I agree about tackling Russian influence in the UK - including in all political parties (cough)Portsmouth South(cough) - oh, but he was a Lib Dem, wasn't he? - but that'll do nothing about the evil Ukraine is directly facing.
'IT'S A VIEW I SUPPOSE' Surely the most hackneyed expression on PB. It needs to be banned!
I remain interested in what the PB Hawks are suggesting that we should do in a war with Russia, which forces they would deploy to Ukraine and how they would limit escalation.
Not sure it's about black lives, instead pinging David Baddiel: Jews don't count.
What has the world come to?
Hmm, I think @Leon is right. Across the US there has been a downplaying of racism experienced by Asians, it happens over here as well to a lesser degree. Somehow being called a paki is no big deal because Asian people are financially successful in the UK. We're no longer considered part of the oppressed community here or in the US, only black people are and this leads to idiotic thinking shown by Whoopi Goldberg, that people who aren't "oppressed" can't experience racism.
BLM has always been a front for socialism and promoting the idea that the world is split into oppressors (white people and other "race traitors") and the oppressed (black people). It's a ridiculous movement that in 5 years no one will admit to supporting.
Hang on, Goldberg wasn't engaged in Holocaust denying, indeed in the interview she was saying that the banning of a graphic novel of the Holocaust for nudity rather than mass killing was absurd.
She didn't deny the Holocaust - but she made the thoroughly stupid comment about it, that has been attributed to her.
Sure, but she was trying to emphasise the inhumanity of it.
Not sure it's about black lives, instead pinging David Baddiel: Jews don't count.
What has the world come to?
Hmm, I think @Leon is right. Across the US there has been a downplaying of racism experienced by Asians, it happens over here as well to a lesser degree. Somehow being called a paki is no big deal because Asian people are financially successful in the UK. We're no longer considered part of the oppressed community here or in the US, only black people are and this leads to idiotic thinking shown by Whoopi Goldberg, that people who aren't "oppressed" can't experience racism.
BLM has always been a front for socialism and promoting the idea that the world is split into oppressors (white people and other "race traitors") and the oppressed (black people). It's a ridiculous movement that in 5 years no one will admit to supporting.
Hang on, Goldberg wasn't engaged in Holocaust denying, indeed in the interview she was saying that the banning of a graphic novel of the Holocaust for nudity rather than mass killing was absurd.
Where did I say she denied the Holocaust? I said she was stupid in her thinking that it wasn't racism. The idea that race wasn't the overriding factor in the Holocaust is idiotic.
Well I agree.
Though perhaps there is a valid point that we shouldn't just accept the Nazis views on race, and should accept our common humanity.
It was utterly despicable and outrageous for Boris Johnson to stand in the House of Commons yesterday and slander Keir Starmer, with these comments about Jimmy Saville.
Mr. Dickson, Devon was one of two places I regularly went on holiday as a child. Have vague, but fond, memories of the seaside and pubs. Fewer castles than Wales but nicer weather.
Devon is one of the most beautiful corners of the UK, indeed of the world
A unique, fascinating, historic city: Plymouth (I know others differ but come at it afresh and it is astonishing)
Lush pastoral landscapes
Endless lovely villages, with attending churches and stately homes
Big enough not to have been ruined by over-population (ditto roads and rails, tho it probably needs more rails)
Two distinct coastlines, the mild, succulent south, the bracing wild north
Two impressive moorland wildernesses
Thick woods, gorgeous beaches, excellent seafood, delightful pubs, and areas -like northwest Devon, and the higher Tamar valley - that seem almost entirely empty in a way inconceivable in mild southern England.
And it has mostly escaped the huge influx that now plagues Cornwall
They need to fix two major things: rebuild ugly redbrick Exeter exactly as it was before the Germans flattened it. Do something about the tattier coastal resorts, Teignmouth, Dawlish, etc
Have you ever thought about taking up travel writing?
Best places to get pissed for 50 grand
The Antarctic peninsula
Though I didn't when I went there, was too engrossed in the magnificence of the scenery and wild life and immersed in the whole 2 week experience
Not sure it's about black lives, instead pinging David Baddiel: Jews don't count.
What has the world come to?
Hmm, I think @Leon is right. Across the US there has been a downplaying of racism experienced by Asians, it happens over here as well to a lesser degree. Somehow being called a paki is no big deal because Asian people are financially successful in the UK. We're no longer considered part of the oppressed community here or in the US, only black people are and this leads to idiotic thinking shown by Whoopi Goldberg, that people who aren't "oppressed" can't experience racism.
BLM has always been a front for socialism and promoting the idea that the world is split into oppressors (white people and other "race traitors") and the oppressed (black people). It's a ridiculous movement that in 5 years no one will admit to supporting.
Hang on, Goldberg wasn't engaged in Holocaust denying, indeed in the interview she was saying that the banning of a graphic novel of the Holocaust for nudity rather than mass killing was absurd.
She didn't deny the Holocaust - but she made the thoroughly stupid comment about it, that has been attributed to her.
Sure, but she was trying to emphasise the inhumanity of it.
Not sure it's about black lives, instead pinging David Baddiel: Jews don't count.
What has the world come to?
Hmm, I think @Leon is right. Across the US there has been a downplaying of racism experienced by Asians, it happens over here as well to a lesser degree. Somehow being called a paki is no big deal because Asian people are financially successful in the UK. We're no longer considered part of the oppressed community here or in the US, only black people are and this leads to idiotic thinking shown by Whoopi Goldberg, that people who aren't "oppressed" can't experience racism.
BLM has always been a front for socialism and promoting the idea that the world is split into oppressors (white people and other "race traitors") and the oppressed (black people). It's a ridiculous movement that in 5 years no one will admit to supporting.
Hang on, Goldberg wasn't engaged in Holocaust denying, indeed in the interview she was saying that the banning of a graphic novel of the Holocaust for nudity rather than mass killing was absurd.
Where did I say she denied the Holocaust? I said she was stupid in her thinking that it wasn't racism. The idea that race wasn't the overriding factor in the Holocaust is idiotic.
Well I agree.
Though perhaps there is a valid point that we shouldn't just accept the Nazis views on race, and should accept our common humanity.
But who's accepting the Nazi's views on race?
Sounds to me like Foxy thinks that Jews should not be considered as a racial group.
Haven't perused it myself yet, but it looks as though the 'best' rail route to meet the government's strategic objectives is the original HS2 route, but the proposed alternative is a cheaper, but good, compromise.
The Header clarifies things nicely. “The Rules” in pandemic parlance means the Law plus the Guidance. So whether the Met issues a blizzard of tickets or not, and whether Johnson gets one or not, he has without a shadow of a doubt lied to Parliament. Even the censored Report was enough to demonstrate that.
However, we have entered a new era where lying to Parliament is no longer a resigning or removal offence and lawmakers *can* be lawbreakers if they don’t understand the laws they’ve made or just consider them to be too tedious for words. It’s the Boris Johnson effect. Hard to view it as a positive but there we are.
Big picture, he survives this and now it’s down to the public. We have the polls and the May local elections for them to make their voice heard. Johnson will be replaced if Tory MPs know they face a thrashing at the general election if he isn’t. Until they reach this view I think he stays.
Or more accurately *unless* they reach this view – since they might never. In fact I make it close to a 50/50 chance that he survives to fight the election in 2024. Therefore I turn once more to my favourite market – Next PM – and the Starmer price. It should imo be around 5 but it’s almost 9.
Ooh! A rarity. A lesser-spotted betting post.
Hey!! I posted yesterday that I had just backed BoJo to leave Jan - Mar 22 because these things can happen quickly and things are febrile enough for the party to snap.
Wrongly, as it seems, as evidently they are about as snappy as a blancmange but I did put my view up there.
Not sure it's about black lives, instead pinging David Baddiel: Jews don't count.
What has the world come to?
Hmm, I think @Leon is right. Across the US there has been a downplaying of racism experienced by Asians, it happens over here as well to a lesser degree. Somehow being called a paki is no big deal because Asian people are financially successful in the UK. We're no longer considered part of the oppressed community here or in the US, only black people are and this leads to idiotic thinking shown by Whoopi Goldberg, that people who aren't "oppressed" can't experience racism.
BLM has always been a front for socialism and promoting the idea that the world is split into oppressors (white people and other "race traitors") and the oppressed (black people). It's a ridiculous movement that in 5 years no one will admit to supporting.
Hang on, Goldberg wasn't engaged in Holocaust denying, indeed in the interview she was saying that the banning of a graphic novel of the Holocaust for nudity rather than mass killing was absurd.
Where did I say she denied the Holocaust? I said she was stupid in her thinking that it wasn't racism. The idea that race wasn't the overriding factor in the Holocaust is idiotic.
I mean the whole "Master Race" thing is surely a clue.
Mr. Dickson, Devon was one of two places I regularly went on holiday as a child. Have vague, but fond, memories of the seaside and pubs. Fewer castles than Wales but nicer weather.
Devon is one of the most beautiful corners of the UK, indeed of the world
A unique, fascinating, historic city: Plymouth (I know others differ but come at it afresh and it is astonishing)
Lush pastoral landscapes
Endless lovely villages, with attending churches and stately homes
Big enough not to have been ruined by over-population (ditto roads and rails, tho it probably needs more rails)
Two distinct coastlines, the mild, succulent south, the bracing wild north
Two impressive moorland wildernesses
Thick woods, gorgeous beaches, excellent seafood, delightful pubs, and areas -like northwest Devon, and the higher Tamar valley - that seem almost entirely empty in a way inconceivable in mild southern England.
And it has mostly escaped the huge influx that now plagues Cornwall
They need to fix two major things: rebuild ugly redbrick Exeter exactly as it was before the Germans flattened it. Do something about the tattier coastal resorts, Teignmouth, Dawlish, etc
We also have some very fine restaurants, using very fine local produce.
But Exeter is seeping out into the countryside at an alarming rate. Its transport network already grinds to a halt. Thousands more houses is going to cause political issues around the gridlock.
The current loyalist Tory mantra is that we all need to 'move on' from Partygate and focus on much more important things. Namely, the cost of living crisis, Ukraine, levelling up, and the benefits of Brexit.
But I can't help feeling that these may not necessarily be fertile territory for a Tory recovery. In particular, the cost of living crisis (e.g. NI rise, energy prices, shop inflation) may not play too well for them. And I'm not convinced that Ukraine, levelling up, and the benefits of Brexit will necessarily play out to the Tories' advantage.
Not sure it's about black lives, instead pinging David Baddiel: Jews don't count.
What has the world come to?
Hmm, I think @Leon is right. Across the US there has been a downplaying of racism experienced by Asians, it happens over here as well to a lesser degree. Somehow being called a paki is no big deal because Asian people are financially successful in the UK. We're no longer considered part of the oppressed community here or in the US, only black people are and this leads to idiotic thinking shown by Whoopi Goldberg, that people who aren't "oppressed" can't experience racism.
BLM has always been a front for socialism and promoting the idea that the world is split into oppressors (white people and other "race traitors") and the oppressed (black people). It's a ridiculous movement that in 5 years no one will admit to supporting.
Hang on, Goldberg wasn't engaged in Holocaust denying, indeed in the interview she was saying that the banning of a graphic novel of the Holocaust for nudity rather than mass killing was absurd.
She didn't deny the Holocaust - but she made the thoroughly stupid comment about it, that has been attributed to her.
Sure, but she was trying to emphasise the inhumanity of it.
Not sure it's about black lives, instead pinging David Baddiel: Jews don't count.
What has the world come to?
Hmm, I think @Leon is right. Across the US there has been a downplaying of racism experienced by Asians, it happens over here as well to a lesser degree. Somehow being called a paki is no big deal because Asian people are financially successful in the UK. We're no longer considered part of the oppressed community here or in the US, only black people are and this leads to idiotic thinking shown by Whoopi Goldberg, that people who aren't "oppressed" can't experience racism.
BLM has always been a front for socialism and promoting the idea that the world is split into oppressors (white people and other "race traitors") and the oppressed (black people). It's a ridiculous movement that in 5 years no one will admit to supporting.
Hang on, Goldberg wasn't engaged in Holocaust denying, indeed in the interview she was saying that the banning of a graphic novel of the Holocaust for nudity rather than mass killing was absurd.
Where did I say she denied the Holocaust? I said she was stupid in her thinking that it wasn't racism. The idea that race wasn't the overriding factor in the Holocaust is idiotic.
Well I agree.
Though perhaps there is a valid point that we shouldn't just accept the Nazis views on race, and should accept our common humanity.
But who's accepting the Nazi's views on race?
The idea of a world divided into races was not a Nazi invention of course, but it was fundamental to their world view.
It is a reasonable issue to contest how far we should accept that description of the world and its peoples.
Mr. Dickson, Devon was one of two places I regularly went on holiday as a child. Have vague, but fond, memories of the seaside and pubs. Fewer castles than Wales but nicer weather.
Devon is one of the most beautiful corners of the UK, indeed of the world
A unique, fascinating, historic city: Plymouth (I know others differ but come at it afresh and it is astonishing)
Lush pastoral landscapes
Endless lovely villages, with attending churches and stately homes
Big enough not to have been ruined by over-population (ditto roads and rails, tho it probably needs more rails)
Two distinct coastlines, the mild, succulent south, the bracing wild north
Two impressive moorland wildernesses
Thick woods, gorgeous beaches, excellent seafood, delightful pubs, and areas -like northwest Devon, and the higher Tamar valley - that seem almost entirely empty in a way inconceivable in mild southern England.
And it has mostly escaped the huge influx that now plagues Cornwall
They need to fix two major things: rebuild ugly redbrick Exeter exactly as it was before the Germans flattened it. Do something about the tattier coastal resorts, Teignmouth, Dawlish, etc
Have you ever thought about taking up travel writing?
Not sure it's about black lives, instead pinging David Baddiel: Jews don't count.
What has the world come to?
Hmm, I think @Leon is right. Across the US there has been a downplaying of racism experienced by Asians, it happens over here as well to a lesser degree. Somehow being called a paki is no big deal because Asian people are financially successful in the UK. We're no longer considered part of the oppressed community here or in the US, only black people are and this leads to idiotic thinking shown by Whoopi Goldberg, that people who aren't "oppressed" can't experience racism.
BLM has always been a front for socialism and promoting the idea that the world is split into oppressors (white people and other "race traitors") and the oppressed (black people). It's a ridiculous movement that in 5 years no one will admit to supporting.
Hang on, Goldberg wasn't engaged in Holocaust denying, indeed in the interview she was saying that the banning of a graphic novel of the Holocaust for nudity rather than mass killing was absurd.
She didn't deny the Holocaust - but she made the thoroughly stupid comment about it, that has been attributed to her.
Sure, but she was trying to emphasise the inhumanity of it.
Not sure it's about black lives, instead pinging David Baddiel: Jews don't count.
What has the world come to?
Hmm, I think @Leon is right. Across the US there has been a downplaying of racism experienced by Asians, it happens over here as well to a lesser degree. Somehow being called a paki is no big deal because Asian people are financially successful in the UK. We're no longer considered part of the oppressed community here or in the US, only black people are and this leads to idiotic thinking shown by Whoopi Goldberg, that people who aren't "oppressed" can't experience racism.
BLM has always been a front for socialism and promoting the idea that the world is split into oppressors (white people and other "race traitors") and the oppressed (black people). It's a ridiculous movement that in 5 years no one will admit to supporting.
Hang on, Goldberg wasn't engaged in Holocaust denying, indeed in the interview she was saying that the banning of a graphic novel of the Holocaust for nudity rather than mass killing was absurd.
Where did I say she denied the Holocaust? I said she was stupid in her thinking that it wasn't racism. The idea that race wasn't the overriding factor in the Holocaust is idiotic.
Well I agree.
Though perhaps there is a valid point that we shouldn't just accept the Nazis views on race, and should accept our common humanity.
But who's accepting the Nazi's views on race?
Sounds to me like Foxy thinks that Jews should not be considered as a racial group.
Not sure it's about black lives, instead pinging David Baddiel: Jews don't count.
What has the world come to?
Hmm, I think @Leon is right. Across the US there has been a downplaying of racism experienced by Asians, it happens over here as well to a lesser degree. Somehow being called a paki is no big deal because Asian people are financially successful in the UK. We're no longer considered part of the oppressed community here or in the US, only black people are and this leads to idiotic thinking shown by Whoopi Goldberg, that people who aren't "oppressed" can't experience racism.
BLM has always been a front for socialism and promoting the idea that the world is split into oppressors (white people and other "race traitors") and the oppressed (black people). It's a ridiculous movement that in 5 years no one will admit to supporting.
Hang on, Goldberg wasn't engaged in Holocaust denying, indeed in the interview she was saying that the banning of a graphic novel of the Holocaust for nudity rather than mass killing was absurd.
She didn't deny the Holocaust - but she made the thoroughly stupid comment about it, that has been attributed to her.
Sure, but she was trying to emphasise the inhumanity of it.
Not sure it's about black lives, instead pinging David Baddiel: Jews don't count.
What has the world come to?
Hmm, I think @Leon is right. Across the US there has been a downplaying of racism experienced by Asians, it happens over here as well to a lesser degree. Somehow being called a paki is no big deal because Asian people are financially successful in the UK. We're no longer considered part of the oppressed community here or in the US, only black people are and this leads to idiotic thinking shown by Whoopi Goldberg, that people who aren't "oppressed" can't experience racism.
BLM has always been a front for socialism and promoting the idea that the world is split into oppressors (white people and other "race traitors") and the oppressed (black people). It's a ridiculous movement that in 5 years no one will admit to supporting.
Hang on, Goldberg wasn't engaged in Holocaust denying, indeed in the interview she was saying that the banning of a graphic novel of the Holocaust for nudity rather than mass killing was absurd.
Where did I say she denied the Holocaust? I said she was stupid in her thinking that it wasn't racism. The idea that race wasn't the overriding factor in the Holocaust is idiotic.
Well I agree.
Though perhaps there is a valid point that we shouldn't just accept the Nazis views on race, and should accept our common humanity.
But who's accepting the Nazi's views on race?
The idea of a world divided into races was not a Nazi invention of course, but it was fundamental to their world view.
It is a reasonable issue to contest how far we should accept that description of the world and its peoples.
Absolutely but on their own terms the holocaust was a racial endeavour.
Joanna Cherry QC MP celebrating the anniversary of her sacking from SNP front bench. This trans stuff is truly bonkers.
"It’s a year today since I was sacked from the front bench of the SNP Westminster Group having been wrongly accused of “transphobia”. Despite a continued campaign of bullying & harassment on account of my feminist beliefs & my sexuality..."
The current loyalist Tory mantra is that we all need to 'move on' from Partygate and focus on much more important things. Namely, the cost of living crisis, Ukraine, levelling up, and the benefits of Brexit.
But I can't help feeling that these may not necessarily be fertile territory for a Tory recovery. In particular, the cost of living crisis (e.g. NI rise, energy prices, shop inflation) may not play too well for them. And I'm not convinced that Ukraine, levelling up, and the benefits of Brexit will necessarily play out to the Tories' advantage.
I am with Ismael on this. It’s getting to the point where the new leader would have to be something extraordinary for me to vote Tory again. Tick tock, the window is closing.
Has that feeling where for the sake of the democratic process, the voters need to turf the governing party out on their arse, even if this would likely be financially detrimental to me personally.
Mr. Dickson, Devon was one of two places I regularly went on holiday as a child. Have vague, but fond, memories of the seaside and pubs. Fewer castles than Wales but nicer weather.
Devon is one of the most beautiful corners of the UK, indeed of the world
A unique, fascinating, historic city: Plymouth (I know others differ but come at it afresh and it is astonishing)
Lush pastoral landscapes
Endless lovely villages, with attending churches and stately homes
Big enough not to have been ruined by over-population (ditto roads and rails, tho it probably needs more rails)
Two distinct coastlines, the mild, succulent south, the bracing wild north
Two impressive moorland wildernesses
Thick woods, gorgeous beaches, excellent seafood, delightful pubs, and areas -like northwest Devon, and the higher Tamar valley - that seem almost entirely empty in a way inconceivable in mild southern England.
And it has mostly escaped the huge influx that now plagues Cornwall
They need to fix two major things: rebuild ugly redbrick Exeter exactly as it was before the Germans flattened it. Do something about the tattier coastal resorts, Teignmouth, Dawlish, etc
Have you ever thought about taking up travel writing?
Best places to get pissed for 50 grand
The Antarctic peninsula
Though I didn't when I went there, was too engrossed in the magnificence of the scenery and wild life and immersed in the whole 2 week experience
All true. But imagine being drunk on deck looking at this:
The Header clarifies things nicely. “The Rules” in pandemic parlance means the Law plus the Guidance. So whether the Met issues a blizzard of tickets or not, and whether Johnson gets one or not, he has without a shadow of a doubt lied to Parliament. Even the censored Report was enough to demonstrate that.
However, we have entered a new era where lying to Parliament is no longer a resigning or removal offence and lawmakers *can* be lawbreakers if they don’t understand the laws they’ve made or just consider them to be too tedious for words. It’s the Boris Johnson effect. Hard to view it as a positive but there we are.
Big picture, he survives this and now it’s down to the public. We have the polls and the May local elections for them to make their voice heard. Johnson will be replaced if Tory MPs know they face a thrashing at the general election if he isn’t. Until they reach this view I think he stays.
Or more accurately *unless* they reach this view – since they might never. In fact I make it close to a 50/50 chance that he survives to fight the election in 2024. Therefore I turn once more to my favourite market – Next PM – and the Starmer price. It should imo be around 5 but it’s almost 9.
Ooh! A rarity. A lesser-spotted betting post.
Hey!! I posted yesterday that I had just backed BoJo to leave Jan - Mar 22 because these things can happen quickly and things are febrile enough for the party to snap.
Wrongly, as it seems, as evidently they are about as snappy as a blancmange but I did put my view up there.
I wonder what will happen if, as, admittedly, seems HIGHLY unlikely, the Tories lose Southend W? I realise it would probably be to UKIP if they did, of course. Even a narrow win on a low turnout would cause 'excitement'.
Mr. Dickson, Devon was one of two places I regularly went on holiday as a child. Have vague, but fond, memories of the seaside and pubs. Fewer castles than Wales but nicer weather.
Devon is one of the most beautiful corners of the UK, indeed of the world
A unique, fascinating, historic city: Plymouth (I know others differ but come at it afresh and it is astonishing)
Lush pastoral landscapes
Endless lovely villages, with attending churches and stately homes
Big enough not to have been ruined by over-population (ditto roads and rails, tho it probably needs more rails)
Two distinct coastlines, the mild, succulent south, the bracing wild north
Two impressive moorland wildernesses
Thick woods, gorgeous beaches, excellent seafood, delightful pubs, and areas -like northwest Devon, and the higher Tamar valley - that seem almost entirely empty in a way inconceivable in mild southern England.
And it has mostly escaped the huge influx that now plagues Cornwall
They need to fix two major things: rebuild ugly redbrick Exeter exactly as it was before the Germans flattened it. Do something about the tattier coastal resorts, Teignmouth, Dawlish, etc
Have you ever thought about taking up travel writing?
Best places to get pissed for 50 grand
The Antarctic peninsula
Though I didn't when I went there, was too engrossed in the magnificence of the scenery and wild life and immersed in the whole 2 week experience
All true. But imagine being drunk on deck looking at this:
The Header clarifies things nicely. “The Rules” in pandemic parlance means the Law plus the Guidance. So whether the Met issues a blizzard of tickets or not, and whether Johnson gets one or not, he has without a shadow of a doubt lied to Parliament. Even the censored Report was enough to demonstrate that.
However, we have entered a new era where lying to Parliament is no longer a resigning or removal offence and lawmakers *can* be lawbreakers if they don’t understand the laws they’ve made or just consider them to be too tedious for words. It’s the Boris Johnson effect. Hard to view it as a positive but there we are.
Big picture, he survives this and now it’s down to the public. We have the polls and the May local elections for them to make their voice heard. Johnson will be replaced if Tory MPs know they face a thrashing at the general election if he isn’t. Until they reach this view I think he stays.
Or more accurately *unless* they reach this view – since they might never. In fact I make it close to a 50/50 chance that he survives to fight the election in 2024. Therefore I turn once more to my favourite market – Next PM – and the Starmer price. It should imo be around 5 but it’s almost 9.
Ooh! A rarity. A lesser-spotted betting post.
Hey!! I posted yesterday that I had just backed BoJo to leave Jan - Mar 22 because these things can happen quickly and things are febrile enough for the party to snap.
Wrongly, as it seems, as evidently they are about as snappy as a blancmange but I did put my view up there.
I wonder what will happen if, as, admittedly, seems HIGHLY unlikely, the Tories lose Southend W? I realise it would probably be to UKIP if they did, of course. Even a narrow win on a low turnout would cause 'excitement'.
The 2019 intake lionised Boris and all signed the Isn't Boris Fantastic pledge before being let in as PPCs. That they are only now or relatively recently realising what a pact with the devil it actually was is, shall we say, no credit to them. It is not a great leap of faith to think they will be turned back from the edge.
But as I say some may soldier on regardless in pushing for his demise.
Haven't perused it myself yet, but it looks as though the 'best' rail route to meet the government's strategic objectives is the original HS2 route, but the proposed alternative is a cheaper, but good, compromise.
So something for everyone...
Nope, it's a pile of crap and forgets the fact that you can either increase some journey times at the cost of few services or standardise journey times (at a lower speed due to stops) and run more services.
That report assumes you can do both and you physically can't.
Or you could go Antarctic kayaking - one of the most hazardous sports in the world - and paddle to a beach likely never before trodden by humans, and then climb off and get hammered on cognac next to a seal.
I remember the cognac was cheap. Which seemed a bit mad seeing as it cost about £50k each to get us there
"Ben Wallace’s vigorous response to the crisis in eastern Europe, coming relatively soon after his mature conduct during the Afghanistan debacle, propels him upwards from 62 points to 80 points – and he displaces Liz Truss after her year-long reign at the top of the table. The Defence Secretary’s name has crept into the margins of future Party leadership speculation. It will now advance further."
Check out his wiki entry. The sort of record beloved of Tory activists. Significant record of public service. And he gets Scotland - former MSP.
Mr. Dickson, Devon was one of two places I regularly went on holiday as a child. Have vague, but fond, memories of the seaside and pubs. Fewer castles than Wales but nicer weather.
Devon is one of the most beautiful corners of the UK, indeed of the world
A unique, fascinating, historic city: Plymouth (I know others differ but come at it afresh and it is astonishing)
Lush pastoral landscapes
Endless lovely villages, with attending churches and stately homes
Big enough not to have been ruined by over-population (ditto roads and rails, tho it probably needs more rails)
Two distinct coastlines, the mild, succulent south, the bracing wild north
Two impressive moorland wildernesses
Thick woods, gorgeous beaches, excellent seafood, delightful pubs, and areas -like northwest Devon, and the higher Tamar valley - that seem almost entirely empty in a way inconceivable in mild southern England.
And it has mostly escaped the huge influx that now plagues Cornwall
They need to fix two major things: rebuild ugly redbrick Exeter exactly as it was before the Germans flattened it. Do something about the tattier coastal resorts, Teignmouth, Dawlish, etc
Have you ever thought about taking up travel writing?
Best places to get pissed for 50 grand
The Antarctic peninsula
Though I didn't when I went there, was too engrossed in the magnificence of the scenery and wild life and immersed in the whole 2 week experience
All true. But imagine being drunk on deck looking at this:
We were drunk on the utter magnificence as shown in your photo.
Spellbound even
The expedition to Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falklands was our retirement celebration in 2010
Mr. Dickson, Devon was one of two places I regularly went on holiday as a child. Have vague, but fond, memories of the seaside and pubs. Fewer castles than Wales but nicer weather.
Devon is one of the most beautiful corners of the UK, indeed of the world
A unique, fascinating, historic city: Plymouth (I know others differ but come at it afresh and it is astonishing)
Lush pastoral landscapes
Endless lovely villages, with attending churches and stately homes
Big enough not to have been ruined by over-population (ditto roads and rails, tho it probably needs more rails)
Two distinct coastlines, the mild, succulent south, the bracing wild north
Two impressive moorland wildernesses
Thick woods, gorgeous beaches, excellent seafood, delightful pubs, and areas -like northwest Devon, and the higher Tamar valley - that seem almost entirely empty in a way inconceivable in mild southern England.
And it has mostly escaped the huge influx that now plagues Cornwall
They need to fix two major things: rebuild ugly redbrick Exeter exactly as it was before the Germans flattened it. Do something about the tattier coastal resorts, Teignmouth, Dawlish, etc
Have you ever thought about taking up travel writing?
Best places to get pissed for 50 grand
The Antarctic peninsula
Though I didn't when I went there, was too engrossed in the magnificence of the scenery and wild life and immersed in the whole 2 week experience
All true. But imagine being drunk on deck looking at this:
Those railings look a bit low. How drunk ?
... and how long would you last in the water...
There was another deck below to be fair
The water is so cold you’d last about 30-60 seconds, or so we were told. As we got ready to go…. Antarctic kayaking
If not yesterday, what's the teeing off point? Is it in the next 2 weeks - as would allow for a typical process - or later, with either Boris handing over while that process completes or a coronation?
The idea of Boris quietly handing over whilst he waits for the party that overthrows him to pick their new king or queen is a very weird and naive consensus view. Has he ever done anything that suggests he would be willing to do that? If overthrown he walks instantly and leaves others to sort it out imo.
Mr. Dickson, Devon was one of two places I regularly went on holiday as a child. Have vague, but fond, memories of the seaside and pubs. Fewer castles than Wales but nicer weather.
Devon is one of the most beautiful corners of the UK, indeed of the world
A unique, fascinating, historic city: Plymouth (I know others differ but come at it afresh and it is astonishing)
Lush pastoral landscapes
Endless lovely villages, with attending churches and stately homes
Big enough not to have been ruined by over-population (ditto roads and rails, tho it probably needs more rails)
Two distinct coastlines, the mild, succulent south, the bracing wild north
Two impressive moorland wildernesses
Thick woods, gorgeous beaches, excellent seafood, delightful pubs, and areas -like northwest Devon, and the higher Tamar valley - that seem almost entirely empty in a way inconceivable in mild southern England.
And it has mostly escaped the huge influx that now plagues Cornwall
They need to fix two major things: rebuild ugly redbrick Exeter exactly as it was before the Germans flattened it. Do something about the tattier coastal resorts, Teignmouth, Dawlish, etc
We also have some very fine restaurants, using very fine local produce.
But Exeter is seeping out into the countryside at an alarming rate. Its transport network already grinds to a halt. Thousands more houses is going to cause political issues around the gridlock.
"Ben Wallace’s vigorous response to the crisis in eastern Europe, coming relatively soon after his mature conduct during the Afghanistan debacle, propels him upwards from 62 points to 80 points – and he displaces Liz Truss after her year-long reign at the top of the table. The Defence Secretary’s name has crept into the margins of future Party leadership speculation. It will now advance further."
Check out his wiki entry. The sort of record beloved of Tory activists. Significant record of public service. And he gets Scotland - former MSP.
To have one ex-Jock Guard as leader of the Party may be regarded as a misfortune; to have two looks like carelessness.
Yesterday was an embarrassment for any decent conservative and Boris is on borrowed time
I understand why conservative mps have deferred Boris removal, as they do not have a unity candidate and with Ukraine and the cost of living crisis immediate issues that need attention
I believe that Rishi is to reveal his support package for the energy crisis before the 7th February when the decision on April's tariff increase will be made and then I expect the release of the rest of Sue Gray's report
It is that moment that I anticipate the party will act on Boris, especially if he and Carrie receive FPN's over the alleged flat party, and start a succession election
It is clear that with so many publicly criticising Boris from within including the conservative party in Scotland he has run out of space to continue and I expect a new leader and cabinet by June
On the next leader, while I support Rishi I will have no problem accepting the mps and memberships decision and will rejoin the party
Your last section is precisely why we are stuck with the clown. They know you and many expressing disgust now can and will be very easily be won back.
Mr. Dickson, Devon was one of two places I regularly went on holiday as a child. Have vague, but fond, memories of the seaside and pubs. Fewer castles than Wales but nicer weather.
Devon is one of the most beautiful corners of the UK, indeed of the world
A unique, fascinating, historic city: Plymouth (I know others differ but come at it afresh and it is astonishing)
Lush pastoral landscapes
Endless lovely villages, with attending churches and stately homes
Big enough not to have been ruined by over-population (ditto roads and rails, tho it probably needs more rails)
Two distinct coastlines, the mild, succulent south, the bracing wild north
Two impressive moorland wildernesses
Thick woods, gorgeous beaches, excellent seafood, delightful pubs, and areas -like northwest Devon, and the higher Tamar valley - that seem almost entirely empty in a way inconceivable in mild southern England.
And it has mostly escaped the huge influx that now plagues Cornwall
They need to fix two major things: rebuild ugly redbrick Exeter exactly as it was before the Germans flattened it. Do something about the tattier coastal resorts, Teignmouth, Dawlish, etc
We also have some very fine restaurants, using very fine local produce.
But Exeter is seeping out into the countryside at an alarming rate. Its transport network already grinds to a halt. Thousands more houses is going to cause political issues around the gridlock.
But then, who goes to Devon to go to Exeter?
The Jolly Roger, down by the quay, is where I had the best scones ever. And we saw Kingfishers down by the river a couple of times. So Exeter is not without its attractions.
Mr. Dickson, Devon was one of two places I regularly went on holiday as a child. Have vague, but fond, memories of the seaside and pubs. Fewer castles than Wales but nicer weather.
Devon is one of the most beautiful corners of the UK, indeed of the world
A unique, fascinating, historic city: Plymouth (I know others differ but come at it afresh and it is astonishing)
Lush pastoral landscapes
Endless lovely villages, with attending churches and stately homes
Big enough not to have been ruined by over-population (ditto roads and rails, tho it probably needs more rails)
Two distinct coastlines, the mild, succulent south, the bracing wild north
Two impressive moorland wildernesses
Thick woods, gorgeous beaches, excellent seafood, delightful pubs, and areas -like northwest Devon, and the higher Tamar valley - that seem almost entirely empty in a way inconceivable in mild southern England.
And it has mostly escaped the huge influx that now plagues Cornwall
They need to fix two major things: rebuild ugly redbrick Exeter exactly as it was before the Germans flattened it. Do something about the tattier coastal resorts, Teignmouth, Dawlish, etc
Have you ever thought about taking up travel writing?
Best places to get pissed for 50 grand
The Antarctic peninsula
Though I didn't when I went there, was too engrossed in the magnificence of the scenery and wild life and immersed in the whole 2 week experience
All true. But imagine being drunk on deck looking at this:
We were drunk on the utter magnificence as shown in your photo.
Spellbound even
The expedition to Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falklands was our retirement celebration in 2010
You are a lucky man.
I’ve travelled the entire world. And I used to find it hard to answer the question: “where’s the most amazing place you’ve been”
Now, after that late 2019 trip, it is easy. Antarctica. No question. It is mind boggling in a way like nowhere else on the planet. It is the closest you can come to LEAVING the planet without actually doing so
Mr. Dickson, Devon was one of two places I regularly went on holiday as a child. Have vague, but fond, memories of the seaside and pubs. Fewer castles than Wales but nicer weather.
Devon is one of the most beautiful corners of the UK, indeed of the world
A unique, fascinating, historic city: Plymouth (I know others differ but come at it afresh and it is astonishing)
Lush pastoral landscapes
Endless lovely villages, with attending churches and stately homes
Big enough not to have been ruined by over-population (ditto roads and rails, tho it probably needs more rails)
Two distinct coastlines, the mild, succulent south, the bracing wild north
Two impressive moorland wildernesses
Thick woods, gorgeous beaches, excellent seafood, delightful pubs, and areas -like northwest Devon, and the higher Tamar valley - that seem almost entirely empty in a way inconceivable in mild southern England.
And it has mostly escaped the huge influx that now plagues Cornwall
They need to fix two major things: rebuild ugly redbrick Exeter exactly as it was before the Germans flattened it. Do something about the tattier coastal resorts, Teignmouth, Dawlish, etc
Have you ever thought about taking up travel writing?
Best places to get pissed for 50 grand
The Antarctic peninsula
I had a G&T with ice from an iceberg down there.....didn't cost 50 grand mind....
Yesterday was an embarrassment for any decent conservative and Boris is on borrowed time
I understand why conservative mps have deferred Boris removal, as they do not have a unity candidate and with Ukraine and the cost of living crisis immediate issues that need attention
I believe that Rishi is to reveal his support package for the energy crisis before the 7th February when the decision on April's tariff increase will be made and then I expect the release of the rest of Sue Gray's report
It is that moment that I anticipate the party will act on Boris, especially if he and Carrie receive FPN's over the alleged flat party, and start a succession election
It is clear that with so many publicly criticising Boris from within including the conservative party in Scotland he has run out of space to continue and I expect a new leader and cabinet by June
On the next leader, while I support Rishi I will have no problem accepting the mps and memberships decision and will rejoin the party
Mr. Dickson, Devon was one of two places I regularly went on holiday as a child. Have vague, but fond, memories of the seaside and pubs. Fewer castles than Wales but nicer weather.
Devon is one of the most beautiful corners of the UK, indeed of the world
A unique, fascinating, historic city: Plymouth (I know others differ but come at it afresh and it is astonishing)
Lush pastoral landscapes
Endless lovely villages, with attending churches and stately homes
Big enough not to have been ruined by over-population (ditto roads and rails, tho it probably needs more rails)
Two distinct coastlines, the mild, succulent south, the bracing wild north
Two impressive moorland wildernesses
Thick woods, gorgeous beaches, excellent seafood, delightful pubs, and areas -like northwest Devon, and the higher Tamar valley - that seem almost entirely empty in a way inconceivable in mild southern England.
And it has mostly escaped the huge influx that now plagues Cornwall
They need to fix two major things: rebuild ugly redbrick Exeter exactly as it was before the Germans flattened it. Do something about the tattier coastal resorts, Teignmouth, Dawlish, etc
Have you ever thought about taking up travel writing?
Best places to get pissed for 50 grand
The Antarctic peninsula
Though I didn't when I went there, was too engrossed in the magnificence of the scenery and wild life and immersed in the whole 2 week experience
All true. But imagine being drunk on deck looking at this:
We were drunk on the utter magnificence as shown in your photo.
Spellbound even
The expedition to Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falklands was our retirement celebration in 2010
You are a lucky man.
I’ve travelled the entire world. And I used to find it hard to answer the question: “where’s the most amazing place you’ve been”
Now, after that late 2019 trip, it is easy. Antarctica. No question. It is mind boggling in a way like nowhere else on the planet. It is the closest you can come to LEAVING the planet without actually doing so
And so very very very very beautiful
We are both very privileged, and if anyone does get the opportunity of going on an expedition cruise to Antarctica absolutely do so
Mr. Dickson, Devon was one of two places I regularly went on holiday as a child. Have vague, but fond, memories of the seaside and pubs. Fewer castles than Wales but nicer weather.
Devon is one of the most beautiful corners of the UK, indeed of the world
A unique, fascinating, historic city: Plymouth (I know others differ but come at it afresh and it is astonishing)
Lush pastoral landscapes
Endless lovely villages, with attending churches and stately homes
Big enough not to have been ruined by over-population (ditto roads and rails, tho it probably needs more rails)
Two distinct coastlines, the mild, succulent south, the bracing wild north
Two impressive moorland wildernesses
Thick woods, gorgeous beaches, excellent seafood, delightful pubs, and areas -like northwest Devon, and the higher Tamar valley - that seem almost entirely empty in a way inconceivable in mild southern England.
And it has mostly escaped the huge influx that now plagues Cornwall
They need to fix two major things: rebuild ugly redbrick Exeter exactly as it was before the Germans flattened it. Do something about the tattier coastal resorts, Teignmouth, Dawlish, etc
Have you ever thought about taking up travel writing?
Best places to get pissed for 50 grand
The Antarctic peninsula
Though I didn't when I went there, was too engrossed in the magnificence of the scenery and wild life and immersed in the whole 2 week experience
All true. But imagine being drunk on deck looking at this:
We were drunk on the utter magnificence as shown in your photo.
Spellbound even
The expedition to Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falklands was our retirement celebration in 2010
You are a lucky man.
I’ve travelled the entire world. And I used to find it hard to answer the question: “where’s the most amazing place you’ve been”
Now, after that late 2019 trip, it is easy. Antarctica. No question. It is mind boggling in a way like nowhere else on the planet. It is the closest you can come to LEAVING the planet without actually doing so
And so very very very very beautiful
I've been told that South Georgia is actually much more impressive - from a wildlife spectacle POV - than the Antarctic itself. Any views?
I have reluctantly reached the conclusion that Boris has to go, if only because this scandal is now just so fucking BORING
And you think Sunak is going to be exciting?
No. But he will surely stop Labour winning a majority, and could easily get a slender majority of his own. Plus he might have actual ideas as to what to do next, other than build a bridge to Greenland for the lolz
I know I've suggested on here that Boris might bounce back - he is uniquely bouncy for a British politician - but - from the far distant perspective of the Laccadive Sea, in the Indian Ocean, this seems increasingly impossible
Or Truss. Why not Truss. She might be fun
FGS not Ben Wallace
Even Boris will stop Labour winning a majority on current polls.
Only if that changes and polls suggest Starmer wins a Labour majority will Boris be replaced by Sunak I think to save the Tory furniture
2 years still for the stink of corruption to be recognised by those who still like Boris.
It's highly likely that it's all downhill from here.
Cost of living crisis Tax increases Levelling up being revealed to be empty promises (Red Wall seats) Levelling up resulting in the South having to spend money (old Southern seats)
All 4 of those are now going to occur in the next 3 months and the result is an inevitable and slow dripping away of Tory support.
And note 3 and 4 are true at the same time, Boris has created a party whose supporters have 2 contradictory demands.
I don't think it's impossible that, with sufficient chutzpah, and a veneer of credibility, these issues can be reconciled and managed successfully.
1. Specific policy may be seen to address the energy crisis, and the inflation rate might peak soon and begin to decline. 2. The tax increases can be sold now as a necessary post-Covid investment in the NHS to address the backlog, and they create the fiscal headroom for the pre-election income tax cut. 3. For all that we debate government spending the things that will do most to create a sense of levelling up is growth in the regional economies, jobs, housing and people having money to spend. The economy isn't doing that badly. None of the rail schemes would have been finished in time to make a difference to the economy for the next election anyway. 4. The pre-election income tax cut might be enough to reassure wealthier Tories that the government is on the right track, and current high levels of taxation are in part a temporary Covid aberration.
The situation is certainly bad for the Tories now, and the window for recovery is narrowing, but I don't think it's yet irretrievable.
The problem you have there is it requires a veneer of credibility and for a lot of the population Boris can't offer that anymore.
Yes. Much easier to stage a recovery with a new leader. May even be a necessary, if not sufficient, condition.
Yesterday was an embarrassment for any decent conservative and Boris is on borrowed time
I understand why conservative mps have deferred Boris removal, as they do not have a unity candidate and with Ukraine and the cost of living crisis immediate issues that need attention
I believe that Rishi is to reveal his support package for the energy crisis before the 7th February when the decision on April's tariff increase will be made and then I expect the release of the rest of Sue Gray's report
It is that moment that I anticipate the party will act on Boris, especially if he and Carrie receive FPN's over the alleged flat party, and start a succession election
It is clear that with so many publicly criticising Boris from within including the conservative party in Scotland he has run out of space to continue and I expect a new leader and cabinet by June
On the next leader, while I support Rishi I will have no problem accepting the mps and memberships decision and will rejoin the party
Your last section is precisely why we are stuck with the clown. They know you and many expressing disgust now can and will be very easily be won back.
💥 On the claim that birthday was impromptu work break, where PM was ‘ambushed by cake’ - my intel is: 1. it was planned; 2. his official photographer took photos; 3. there was no cake; 4. people drunk imported canned beer.
Mr. Dickson, Devon was one of two places I regularly went on holiday as a child. Have vague, but fond, memories of the seaside and pubs. Fewer castles than Wales but nicer weather.
Devon is one of the most beautiful corners of the UK, indeed of the world
A unique, fascinating, historic city: Plymouth (I know others differ but come at it afresh and it is astonishing)
Lush pastoral landscapes
Endless lovely villages, with attending churches and stately homes
Big enough not to have been ruined by over-population (ditto roads and rails, tho it probably needs more rails)
Two distinct coastlines, the mild, succulent south, the bracing wild north
Two impressive moorland wildernesses
Thick woods, gorgeous beaches, excellent seafood, delightful pubs, and areas -like northwest Devon, and the higher Tamar valley - that seem almost entirely empty in a way inconceivable in mild southern England.
And it has mostly escaped the huge influx that now plagues Cornwall
They need to fix two major things: rebuild ugly redbrick Exeter exactly as it was before the Germans flattened it. Do something about the tattier coastal resorts, Teignmouth, Dawlish, etc
We also have some very fine restaurants, using very fine local produce.
But Exeter is seeping out into the countryside at an alarming rate. Its transport network already grinds to a halt. Thousands more houses is going to cause political issues around the gridlock.
But then, who goes to Devon to go to Exeter?
Two years ago, we stopped in Exeter on the way back from Cornwall. I was astounded how unappealing it was. I had assumed - based on nothing in particular - that it would be a pleasantly charming cathedral city akin to Lincoln or Norwich or Ely.
But it wasn't.
Now, it was raining, and I spent almost an hour in traffic jams trying to find somewhere to park, which was strangely impossible in a car with a roof box. So I wasn't in the best of tempers and I may have been unfortunate in what I found. But it seemed strangely charmless.
That said, we did, in the end, find a perfectly pleasant cafe on Polsloe Road.
On Leon's last point, there is a place in the world for tatty coastal resorts. Brash can be rather fun.
Yesterday was an embarrassment for any decent conservative and Boris is on borrowed time
I understand why conservative mps have deferred Boris removal, as they do not have a unity candidate and with Ukraine and the cost of living crisis immediate issues that need attention
I believe that Rishi is to reveal his support package for the energy crisis before the 7th February when the decision on April's tariff increase will be made and then I expect the release of the rest of Sue Gray's report
It is that moment that I anticipate the party will act on Boris, especially if he and Carrie receive FPN's over the alleged flat party, and start a succession election
It is clear that with so many publicly criticising Boris from within including the conservative party in Scotland he has run out of space to continue and I expect a new leader and cabinet by June
On the next leader, while I support Rishi I will have no problem accepting the mps and memberships decision and will rejoin the party
Your last section is precisely why we are stuck with the clown. They know you and many expressing disgust now can and will be very easily be won back.
I will rejoin once Boris goes, not before
Which means they have your guaranteed vote changing at any time in the next 3 years, plus a chance of changing your mind if they stick with the PM.
"Ben Wallace’s vigorous response to the crisis in eastern Europe, coming relatively soon after his mature conduct during the Afghanistan debacle, propels him upwards from 62 points to 80 points – and he displaces Liz Truss after her year-long reign at the top of the table. The Defence Secretary’s name has crept into the margins of future Party leadership speculation. It will now advance further."
Check out his wiki entry. The sort of record beloved of Tory activists. Significant record of public service. And he gets Scotland - former MSP.
Do any Con MSPs “get” Scotland? Perhaps. But never seen any evidence Ben Wallace was among their number.
To have one ex-Jock Guard as leader of the Party may be regarded as a misfortune; to have two looks like carelessness.
Significant military service (so RAF would be fine) should disqualify anyone from high political office.
Well, it's a view.
"From 1991 to 1998, he served in Germany, Cyprus, Belize, and Northern Ireland, rising to the rank of captain. During his time in Northern Ireland, he was mentioned in dispatches in 1992 for an incident in which the patrol he was commanding captured an entire IRA active service unit attempting to carry out a bomb attack against British troops."
Yesterday was an embarrassment for any decent conservative and Boris is on borrowed time
I understand why conservative mps have deferred Boris removal, as they do not have a unity candidate and with Ukraine and the cost of living crisis immediate issues that need attention
I believe that Rishi is to reveal his support package for the energy crisis before the 7th February when the decision on April's tariff increase will be made and then I expect the release of the rest of Sue Gray's report
It is that moment that I anticipate the party will act on Boris, especially if he and Carrie receive FPN's over the alleged flat party, and start a succession election
It is clear that with so many publicly criticising Boris from within including the conservative party in Scotland he has run out of space to continue and I expect a new leader and cabinet by June
On the next leader, while I support Rishi I will have no problem accepting the mps and memberships decision and will rejoin the party
In, Out. In, Out. Shake it all about.
Mind it doesn’t fall off old boy.
I am not going to rejoin with Boris in place
If you read what I have said I expect a new leader by June and that is when I return to the party, not before
Mr. Dickson, Devon was one of two places I regularly went on holiday as a child. Have vague, but fond, memories of the seaside and pubs. Fewer castles than Wales but nicer weather.
Devon is one of the most beautiful corners of the UK, indeed of the world
A unique, fascinating, historic city: Plymouth (I know others differ but come at it afresh and it is astonishing)
Lush pastoral landscapes
Endless lovely villages, with attending churches and stately homes
Big enough not to have been ruined by over-population (ditto roads and rails, tho it probably needs more rails)
Two distinct coastlines, the mild, succulent south, the bracing wild north
Two impressive moorland wildernesses
Thick woods, gorgeous beaches, excellent seafood, delightful pubs, and areas -like northwest Devon, and the higher Tamar valley - that seem almost entirely empty in a way inconceivable in mild southern England.
And it has mostly escaped the huge influx that now plagues Cornwall
They need to fix two major things: rebuild ugly redbrick Exeter exactly as it was before the Germans flattened it. Do something about the tattier coastal resorts, Teignmouth, Dawlish, etc
Have you ever thought about taking up travel writing?
Best places to get pissed for 50 grand
The Antarctic peninsula
Though I didn't when I went there, was too engrossed in the magnificence of the scenery and wild life and immersed in the whole 2 week experience
All true. But imagine being drunk on deck looking at this:
We were drunk on the utter magnificence as shown in your photo.
Spellbound even
The expedition to Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falklands was our retirement celebration in 2010
You are a lucky man.
I’ve travelled the entire world. And I used to find it hard to answer the question: “where’s the most amazing place you’ve been”
Now, after that late 2019 trip, it is easy. Antarctica. No question. It is mind boggling in a way like nowhere else on the planet. It is the closest you can come to LEAVING the planet without actually doing so
And so very very very very beautiful
I've been told that South Georgia is actually much more impressive - from a wildlife spectacle POV - than the Antarctic itself. Any views?
For wildlife maybe. But even then I doubt it. Antarctica has amazing wildlife too. I saw huge pods of killer whales, loads of elephant seals, hordes of penguin, scary leopard seals, bird life everywhere
For sheer mind-numbing spectacle definitely not. The Antarctic is a place apart. It is just so fucking strange. Aethereal one minute, majestic the next, violently terrifying three seconds later
Not sure it's about black lives, instead pinging David Baddiel: Jews don't count.
What has the world come to?
Hmm, I think @Leon is right. Across the US there has been a downplaying of racism experienced by Asians, it happens over here as well to a lesser degree. Somehow being called a paki is no big deal because Asian people are financially successful in the UK. We're no longer considered part of the oppressed community here or in the US, only black people are and this leads to idiotic thinking shown by Whoopi Goldberg, that people who aren't "oppressed" can't experience racism.
BLM has always been a front for socialism and promoting the idea that the world is split into oppressors (white people and other "race traitors") and the oppressed (black people). It's a ridiculous movement that in 5 years no one will admit to supporting.
Hang on, Goldberg wasn't engaged in Holocaust denying, indeed in the interview she was saying that the banning of a graphic novel of the Holocaust for nudity rather than mass killing was absurd.
She didn't deny the Holocaust - but she made the thoroughly stupid comment about it, that has been attributed to her.
Sure, but she was trying to emphasise the inhumanity of it.
Not sure it's about black lives, instead pinging David Baddiel: Jews don't count.
What has the world come to?
Hmm, I think @Leon is right. Across the US there has been a downplaying of racism experienced by Asians, it happens over here as well to a lesser degree. Somehow being called a paki is no big deal because Asian people are financially successful in the UK. We're no longer considered part of the oppressed community here or in the US, only black people are and this leads to idiotic thinking shown by Whoopi Goldberg, that people who aren't "oppressed" can't experience racism.
BLM has always been a front for socialism and promoting the idea that the world is split into oppressors (white people and other "race traitors") and the oppressed (black people). It's a ridiculous movement that in 5 years no one will admit to supporting.
Hang on, Goldberg wasn't engaged in Holocaust denying, indeed in the interview she was saying that the banning of a graphic novel of the Holocaust for nudity rather than mass killing was absurd.
Where did I say she denied the Holocaust? I said she was stupid in her thinking that it wasn't racism. The idea that race wasn't the overriding factor in the Holocaust is idiotic.
Well I agree.
Though perhaps there is a valid point that we shouldn't just accept the Nazis views on race, and should accept our common humanity.
But who's accepting the Nazi's views on race?
The idea of a world divided into races was not a Nazi invention of course, but it was fundamental to their world view.
It is a reasonable issue to contest how far we should accept that description of the world and its peoples.
Absolutely but on their own terms the holocaust was a racial endeavour.
Think about it, they try and VONC him, and he survives and then he's either charged or fined, he'll try and brazen it out, safe in the knowledge the party cannot oust him for 12 months.
Better to wait until he's charged/fined.
The threshold to remove him keeps moving up for arbitrary reasons. It now seems to be that he be found to have committed a criminal offence.
Yes I noticed that too. Whereas until a few days ago it was about misleading (lying to) the House. Which he obviously did.
The problem is that the Conservative Party has to find somebody to replace him who will not plunge it into a costly civil war whilst at the same time appearing plausible to the public at large. It needs to buy time to arrange this. This is the only explanation for its delay in removing the oaf.
He's a goner, but what comes next is far from clear. If it goes badly for them, the Party could soon be replacing the LibDems as the third largest Party in Westminster.
The LDs will never win more seats than the Tories.
Only party that might is RefUK if they overtook the Tories as the main party of the right as Labour overtook the Liberals as the main party of the centre left early last century.
The LDs are now split between centre right Orange Bookers and centre left social democrats
You are describing the party 10 years ago. 11 of the party’s 13 MPs weren’t even in Parliament when The Orange Book came out.
Davey is LD leader and was a Cabinet Minister in Cameron's government and even helped write the Orange Book.
Boris of course never served in Cameron's Cabinet unlike Ed Davey
Indeed. But how does that demonstrate your contention that the party is now split between Orange Bookers and social democrats?
Ed Davey is an Orange Booker, his opponent for LD leader in 2020 was Layla Moran, a social democrat
Okay, but again, how does that demonstrate your contention that the party is now split between Orange Bookers and Soical Democrats. That point just shows the affiliations of two leadership contenders.
As Orange Bookers are fiscal conservatives, social democrats are not. The LDs are divided between the 2 even if they are united on disliking Brexit and social liberalism
Thanks for the patronising evidence-free explanation. You specialise in lecturing me on institutions I am/ was a member of. I used to be a member of the Lib Dems, and remain with the Oxford Union. You have just repeated an assertion without providing any evidence.
Please provide evidence that the LD's are "split" between these two factions, something you have again failed to do.
It is unusual, as he is normally polite, though I must point out the psychological condition known as "projection". This is one of the best examples on here I have ever seen lol. He is gradually turning into Donald Trump.
Yesterday was an embarrassment for any decent conservative and Boris is on borrowed time
I understand why conservative mps have deferred Boris removal, as they do not have a unity candidate and with Ukraine and the cost of living crisis immediate issues that need attention
I believe that Rishi is to reveal his support package for the energy crisis before the 7th February when the decision on April's tariff increase will be made and then I expect the release of the rest of Sue Gray's report
It is that moment that I anticipate the party will act on Boris, especially if he and Carrie receive FPN's over the alleged flat party, and start a succession election
It is clear that with so many publicly criticising Boris from within including the conservative party in Scotland he has run out of space to continue and I expect a new leader and cabinet by June
On the next leader, while I support Rishi I will have no problem accepting the mps and memberships decision and will rejoin the party
In, Out. In, Out. Shake it all about.
Mind it doesn’t fall off old boy.
I am not going to rejoin with Boris in place
If you read what I have said I expect a new leader by June and that is when I return to the party, not before
To have one ex-Jock Guard as leader of the Party may be regarded as a misfortune; to have two looks like carelessness.
Significant military service (so RAF would be fine) should disqualify anyone from high political office.
Ahem I don't think IDS or Wallace necessarily troubled the scorers although I do see that Wallace got a MiD for apparently capturing an "entire ASU" so would be v interested to know the details of that.
Not sure it's about black lives, instead pinging David Baddiel: Jews don't count.
What has the world come to?
Hmm, I think @Leon is right. Across the US there has been a downplaying of racism experienced by Asians, it happens over here as well to a lesser degree. Somehow being called a paki is no big deal because Asian people are financially successful in the UK. We're no longer considered part of the oppressed community here or in the US, only black people are and this leads to idiotic thinking shown by Whoopi Goldberg, that people who aren't "oppressed" can't experience racism.
BLM has always been a front for socialism and promoting the idea that the world is split into oppressors (white people and other "race traitors") and the oppressed (black people). It's a ridiculous movement that in 5 years no one will admit to supporting.
Hang on, Goldberg wasn't engaged in Holocaust denying, indeed in the interview she was saying that the banning of a graphic novel of the Holocaust for nudity rather than mass killing was absurd.
She didn't deny the Holocaust - but she made the thoroughly stupid comment about it, that has been attributed to her.
Sure, but she was trying to emphasise the inhumanity of it.
Not sure it's about black lives, instead pinging David Baddiel: Jews don't count.
What has the world come to?
Hmm, I think @Leon is right. Across the US there has been a downplaying of racism experienced by Asians, it happens over here as well to a lesser degree. Somehow being called a paki is no big deal because Asian people are financially successful in the UK. We're no longer considered part of the oppressed community here or in the US, only black people are and this leads to idiotic thinking shown by Whoopi Goldberg, that people who aren't "oppressed" can't experience racism.
BLM has always been a front for socialism and promoting the idea that the world is split into oppressors (white people and other "race traitors") and the oppressed (black people). It's a ridiculous movement that in 5 years no one will admit to supporting.
Hang on, Goldberg wasn't engaged in Holocaust denying, indeed in the interview she was saying that the banning of a graphic novel of the Holocaust for nudity rather than mass killing was absurd.
Where did I say she denied the Holocaust? I said she was stupid in her thinking that it wasn't racism. The idea that race wasn't the overriding factor in the Holocaust is idiotic.
Well I agree.
Though perhaps there is a valid point that we shouldn't just accept the Nazis views on race, and should accept our common humanity.
But who's accepting the Nazi's views on race?
The idea of a world divided into races was not a Nazi invention of course, but it was fundamental to their world view.
It is a reasonable issue to contest how far we should accept that description of the world and its peoples.
The Header clarifies things nicely. “The Rules” in pandemic parlance means the Law plus the Guidance. So whether the Met issues a blizzard of tickets or not, and whether Johnson gets one or not, he has without a shadow of a doubt lied to Parliament. Even the censored Report was enough to demonstrate that.
However, we have entered a new era where lying to Parliament is no longer a resigning or removal offence and lawmakers *can* be lawbreakers if they don’t understand the laws they’ve made or just consider them to be too tedious for words. It’s the Boris Johnson effect. Hard to view it as a positive but there we are.
Big picture, he survives this and now it’s down to the public. We have the polls and the May local elections for them to make their voice heard. Johnson will be replaced if Tory MPs know they face a thrashing at the general election if he isn’t. Until they reach this view I think he stays.
Or more accurately *unless* they reach this view – since they might never. In fact I make it close to a 50/50 chance that he survives to fight the election in 2024. Therefore I turn once more to my favourite market – Next PM – and the Starmer price. It should imo be around 5 but it’s almost 9.
Ooh! A rarity. A lesser-spotted betting post.
Hey!! I posted yesterday that I had just backed BoJo to leave Jan - Mar 22 because these things can happen quickly and things are febrile enough for the party to snap.
Wrongly, as it seems, as evidently they are about as snappy as a blancmange but I did put my view up there.
I wonder what will happen if, as, admittedly, seems HIGHLY unlikely, the Tories lose Southend W? I realise it would probably be to UKIP if they did, of course. Even a narrow win on a low turnout would cause 'excitement'.
Anything that provides succour to the nasty little fascists of UKIP would negate any pleasure of seeing the PM getting a further kicking.
Whatever the reality, it is one of those things that can never be unheard.
It was gutter politics from Johnson, but effective gutter politics nonetheless.
I disagree. Yes, Johnson's Saville smear was gutter politics. But I don't think it was effective. It was a seriously wrong claim that is beyond the pale - not just to lefties like me, but to a lot of Tories as well. I think it may come back to haunt Johnson, and he will end up regretting it. He certainly won't double down on it.
The damage to Starmer's reputation is complete. Starmer's association with Saville may be a work of fiction, but throughout the morning press briefings that is all that is being talked about.
I was castigated yesterday for seeing it as a below the belt knock out blow from Johnson.
Evil, but effective. Lynton Crosby?
I fear this is the most perceptive comment of the morning, and that your attribution to Crosby is correct. The most cynical operator in British politics is back. This will not be an edifying spectacle.
To have one ex-Jock Guard as leader of the Party may be regarded as a misfortune; to have two looks like carelessness.
Significant military service (so RAF would be fine) should disqualify anyone from high political office.
Well, it's a view.
"From 1991 to 1998, he served in Germany, Cyprus, Belize, and Northern Ireland, rising to the rank of captain. During his time in Northern Ireland, he was mentioned in dispatches in 1992 for an incident in which the patrol he was commanding captured an entire IRA active service unit attempting to carry out a bomb attack against British troops."
Mr. Dickson, Devon was one of two places I regularly went on holiday as a child. Have vague, but fond, memories of the seaside and pubs. Fewer castles than Wales but nicer weather.
Devon is one of the most beautiful corners of the UK, indeed of the world
A unique, fascinating, historic city: Plymouth (I know others differ but come at it afresh and it is astonishing)
Lush pastoral landscapes
Endless lovely villages, with attending churches and stately homes
Big enough not to have been ruined by over-population (ditto roads and rails, tho it probably needs more rails)
Two distinct coastlines, the mild, succulent south, the bracing wild north
Two impressive moorland wildernesses
Thick woods, gorgeous beaches, excellent seafood, delightful pubs, and areas -like northwest Devon, and the higher Tamar valley - that seem almost entirely empty in a way inconceivable in mild southern England.
And it has mostly escaped the huge influx that now plagues Cornwall
They need to fix two major things: rebuild ugly redbrick Exeter exactly as it was before the Germans flattened it. Do something about the tattier coastal resorts, Teignmouth, Dawlish, etc
Have you ever thought about taking up travel writing?
Best places to get pissed for 50 grand
The Antarctic peninsula
Though I didn't when I went there, was too engrossed in the magnificence of the scenery and wild life and immersed in the whole 2 week experience
All true. But imagine being drunk on deck looking at this:
We were drunk on the utter magnificence as shown in your photo.
Spellbound even
The expedition to Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falklands was our retirement celebration in 2010
You are a lucky man.
I’ve travelled the entire world. And I used to find it hard to answer the question: “where’s the most amazing place you’ve been”
Now, after that late 2019 trip, it is easy. Antarctica. No question. It is mind boggling in a way like nowhere else on the planet. It is the closest you can come to LEAVING the planet without actually doing so
And so very very very very beautiful
We are both very privileged, and if anyone does get the opportunity of going on an expedition cruise to Antarctica absolutely do so
One of my regrets is that I've never been, and am now not likely to. Missing Patagonia is another.
Mr. Dickson, Devon was one of two places I regularly went on holiday as a child. Have vague, but fond, memories of the seaside and pubs. Fewer castles than Wales but nicer weather.
Devon is one of the most beautiful corners of the UK, indeed of the world
A unique, fascinating, historic city: Plymouth (I know others differ but come at it afresh and it is astonishing)
Lush pastoral landscapes
Endless lovely villages, with attending churches and stately homes
Big enough not to have been ruined by over-population (ditto roads and rails, tho it probably needs more rails)
Two distinct coastlines, the mild, succulent south, the bracing wild north
Two impressive moorland wildernesses
Thick woods, gorgeous beaches, excellent seafood, delightful pubs, and areas -like northwest Devon, and the higher Tamar valley - that seem almost entirely empty in a way inconceivable in mild southern England.
And it has mostly escaped the huge influx that now plagues Cornwall
They need to fix two major things: rebuild ugly redbrick Exeter exactly as it was before the Germans flattened it. Do something about the tattier coastal resorts, Teignmouth, Dawlish, etc
Have you ever thought about taking up travel writing?
Best places to get pissed for 50 grand
The Antarctic peninsula
Though I didn't when I went there, was too engrossed in the magnificence of the scenery and wild life and immersed in the whole 2 week experience
All true. But imagine being drunk on deck looking at this:
We were drunk on the utter magnificence as shown in your photo.
Spellbound even
The expedition to Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falklands was our retirement celebration in 2010
You are a lucky man.
I’ve travelled the entire world. And I used to find it hard to answer the question: “where’s the most amazing place you’ve been”
Now, after that late 2019 trip, it is easy. Antarctica. No question. It is mind boggling in a way like nowhere else on the planet. It is the closest you can come to LEAVING the planet without actually doing so
And so very very very very beautiful
We are both very privileged, and if anyone does get the opportunity of going on an expedition cruise to Antarctica absolutely do so
One of my regrets is that I've never been, and am now not likely to. Missing Patagonia is another.
You can get a decent cruise around the Antarctic peninsula for about £8k a head.
That’s a lot of money. But as we were discussing the other day, some rich people causally drop that on holidays in Tuscany or the Maldives
And they don’t go to Antarctica. Mad stupid fuckers
The Header clarifies things nicely. “The Rules” in pandemic parlance means the Law plus the Guidance. So whether the Met issues a blizzard of tickets or not, and whether Johnson gets one or not, he has without a shadow of a doubt lied to Parliament. Even the censored Report was enough to demonstrate that.
However, we have entered a new era where lying to Parliament is no longer a resigning or removal offence and lawmakers *can* be lawbreakers if they don’t understand the laws they’ve made or just consider them to be too tedious for words. It’s the Boris Johnson effect. Hard to view it as a positive but there we are.
Big picture, he survives this and now it’s down to the public. We have the polls and the May local elections for them to make their voice heard. Johnson will be replaced if Tory MPs know they face a thrashing at the general election if he isn’t. Until they reach this view I think he stays.
Or more accurately *unless* they reach this view – since they might never. In fact I make it close to a 50/50 chance that he survives to fight the election in 2024. Therefore I turn once more to my favourite market – Next PM – and the Starmer price. It should imo be around 5 but it’s almost 9.
Ooh! A rarity. A lesser-spotted betting post.
Hey!! I posted yesterday that I had just backed BoJo to leave Jan - Mar 22 because these things can happen quickly and things are febrile enough for the party to snap.
Wrongly, as it seems, as evidently they are about as snappy as a blancmange but I did put my view up there.
I wonder what will happen if, as, admittedly, seems HIGHLY unlikely, the Tories lose Southend W? I realise it would probably be to UKIP if they did, of course. Even a narrow win on a low turnout would cause 'excitement'.
Anything that provides succour to the nasty little fascists of UKIP would negate any pleasure of seeing the PM getting a further kicking.
There's not much, if any, upside, is there? Just had a look at the Southend Echo on line; unless I missed it, seems no mention of the by-election.
Mr. Dickson, Devon was one of two places I regularly went on holiday as a child. Have vague, but fond, memories of the seaside and pubs. Fewer castles than Wales but nicer weather.
Devon is one of the most beautiful corners of the UK, indeed of the world
A unique, fascinating, historic city: Plymouth (I know others differ but come at it afresh and it is astonishing)
Lush pastoral landscapes
Endless lovely villages, with attending churches and stately homes
Big enough not to have been ruined by over-population (ditto roads and rails, tho it probably needs more rails)
Two distinct coastlines, the mild, succulent south, the bracing wild north
Two impressive moorland wildernesses
Thick woods, gorgeous beaches, excellent seafood, delightful pubs, and areas -like northwest Devon, and the higher Tamar valley - that seem almost entirely empty in a way inconceivable in mild southern England.
And it has mostly escaped the huge influx that now plagues Cornwall
They need to fix two major things: rebuild ugly redbrick Exeter exactly as it was before the Germans flattened it. Do something about the tattier coastal resorts, Teignmouth, Dawlish, etc
Have you ever thought about taking up travel writing?
Best places to get pissed for 50 grand
The Antarctic peninsula
Though I didn't when I went there, was too engrossed in the magnificence of the scenery and wild life and immersed in the whole 2 week experience
All true. But imagine being drunk on deck looking at this:
We were drunk on the utter magnificence as shown in your photo.
Spellbound even
The expedition to Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falklands was our retirement celebration in 2010
I went on a work (well, PhD) trip a bit over a decade ago. On RRS James Clark Ross, predecessor to Boaty McBoatface RRS Sir David Attenborough. The JCR is apparently now 'Noosfera' and belongs to National Antarctic Scientific Center of Ukraine.
Somewhat less luxury than your trip and Leon's, I suspect; but just as spectacular. We didn't do any landings, but got to see some of the ice and wildlife pretty close. Flew from UK to Falkland on a military flight too, which was an experience.
Edit: And seeing OKC's comment, went to Patagonia too, for three weeks. Maybe I was wrong to say that by far the best part of my PhD was meeting my wife
Not sure it's about black lives, instead pinging David Baddiel: Jews don't count.
What has the world come to?
Hmm, I think @Leon is right. Across the US there has been a downplaying of racism experienced by Asians, it happens over here as well to a lesser degree. Somehow being called a paki is no big deal because Asian people are financially successful in the UK. We're no longer considered part of the oppressed community here or in the US, only black people are and this leads to idiotic thinking shown by Whoopi Goldberg, that people who aren't "oppressed" can't experience racism.
BLM has always been a front for socialism and promoting the idea that the world is split into oppressors (white people and other "race traitors") and the oppressed (black people). It's a ridiculous movement that in 5 years no one will admit to supporting.
Hang on, Goldberg wasn't engaged in Holocaust denying, indeed in the interview she was saying that the banning of a graphic novel of the Holocaust for nudity rather than mass killing was absurd.
She didn't deny the Holocaust - but she made the thoroughly stupid comment about it, that has been attributed to her.
Sure, but she was trying to emphasise the inhumanity of it.
Not sure it's about black lives, instead pinging David Baddiel: Jews don't count.
What has the world come to?
Hmm, I think @Leon is right. Across the US there has been a downplaying of racism experienced by Asians, it happens over here as well to a lesser degree. Somehow being called a paki is no big deal because Asian people are financially successful in the UK. We're no longer considered part of the oppressed community here or in the US, only black people are and this leads to idiotic thinking shown by Whoopi Goldberg, that people who aren't "oppressed" can't experience racism.
BLM has always been a front for socialism and promoting the idea that the world is split into oppressors (white people and other "race traitors") and the oppressed (black people). It's a ridiculous movement that in 5 years no one will admit to supporting.
Hang on, Goldberg wasn't engaged in Holocaust denying, indeed in the interview she was saying that the banning of a graphic novel of the Holocaust for nudity rather than mass killing was absurd.
Where did I say she denied the Holocaust? I said she was stupid in her thinking that it wasn't racism. The idea that race wasn't the overriding factor in the Holocaust is idiotic.
Well I agree.
Though perhaps there is a valid point that we shouldn't just accept the Nazis views on race, and should accept our common humanity.
But who's accepting the Nazi's views on race?
Sounds to me like Foxy thinks that Jews should not be considered as a racial group.
No, I do not think that.
- The Nazis thought that the Jews were a racial group - The Jews thought they were racial group (especially in the modern sense of culture/ethnicity being an intertwined concept) - The Jews thought they were being persecuted by the Nazis out of hatred for their race - The Nazis thought that they were persecuting the Jews because they hated the Jewish race.
I sense a theme in all of that.
Incidentally, if you go for the implication of what Whoopi was saying, then there is no racism - it's all human-on-human.
A point of view which generally gets short shrift when you try to apply it to white/black relations.
After yesterday's Commons performance I have to tell you that I shall never vote Conservative while Boris Johnson remains in office, and never vote for any candidate currently taking the Conservative whip unless Johnson is forced out by the party by the end of this month.
I have voted Conservative in every GE since 1979 with one exception, and my principal interest in life is trail hunting. I am therefore fairly representative of a fairly large part of your core vote.
Ishmael xx
I'm sure it's fun riding on horses after a strange smell of fox urine, that dogs seem to like, laid down by people pretending to be foxes, but I rather doubt that people who enjoy this are "fairly representative of a fairly large part of Boris' core vote"
I assumed he meant Cox's core vote in west Devon, rather than the Tories nationally.
Interesting thread on the Denmark policy experiment.
https://twitter.com/M_B_Petersen/status/1488392005281628160 Today, Denmark lifted *all* restrictions, while cases are soaring. The international reaction: Disbelief. I am leading the largest Danish project on pandemic behavior & I am advising the gov. Here is why Danes are still supportive. And what may be learned from this.
Takes a peek. Sees that we are all still talking about birthday cake. goes back to lurking for a few more days.
Meanwhile, apropos of nothing, the PM is in Kiev today for a meeting with President Zelensky. Ukraine is getting worried that US interests and media are unnecessarily talking up the chances of a Russian invasion this month. There’s a fine line to tread between being supportive of an ally, and antagonising the Russians which makes the conflict more likely to happen.
Putin needs permission and political coverage from Xi to invade Ukraine. That isn't going to be forthcoming while it will fuck up the Winter Olympics so no invasion until the 21st.
Covid is doing a pretty good job of that anyway. Maybe Xi will authorise the invasion to draw attention away from the games and the inevitable disastrous consequences of going ahead with them.
My big fear is that Xi makes a play for Taiwan at the same time - i.e. during the Olympics. The US, UK and allies will not be able to put substantial aid to both Ukraine and Taiwan, and China will have lots of hostages guests staying for the Olympics.
It's unlikely, but would be a good way for both to achieve their goals.
A Xi invasion of Taiwan could be coordinated with a Putin invasion of Ukraine.
It makes sense for them as they know the West will not go to war to defend Ukraine or Taiwan, only a NATO nation, South Korea or Japan.
Yougov finds meanwhile a majority of Germans and a plurality of voters in most other NATO nations oppose going to war with Russia if it invades Ukraine. Only a plurality of Americans and Danes favour going to war with Russia over the Ukraine but even then only 38% of Danes and 35% of Russians back war. Britons are split
It is absolutely insane that 30% of Britons want a war with Russia if they invade Ukraine. Apart from the risk of nuclear escalation we simply don't have the forces to do so.
What's your answer then? Let Putin's evil take over Ukraine, and cast a pall over Eastern Europe?
Of course, you can always go over there and do one of the 'non-violent' protests you've trained for. That'd be fun to see.
No, I think it is reasonable to oppose by non military means, for example the sanctions package that Truss was announcing yesterday. I am actually in line with government on this, at least so far.
Do you really want British troops there, fighting Russians face to face in the snow and mud?
No, I don't want it. Only a fool wants war. But neither am I willing to say 'never'.
However, the person threatening war is Putin, not us. He invades other countries. He jails or murders journalists. He poisons people in other countries. He enriches himself and his friends as his country descends down into the mire. (*)
We are facing an evil in the form of Putin's expansionism. Many times in the past we have seen people back down from evil, and evil expand. There comes a time to say 'no more'. The question is when that time is.
People like you - so keen to have pathetic little non-violent protests in a liberal country - should be the first to argue against real evils.
(*) I'm expecting certain parallels about this...
Well the poll says 30% want war with Russia if they invade Ukraine, which rather ignores that they already have done so twice in Crimea and the Donbas.
Considering our last few expeditionary wars were fiascos, perhaps tackling the worlds third strongest military may not be wise.
We should perhaps address our elites love of Russian oligarchs and their money laundromat in London if we oppose Putinism.
I oppose Putins fascism, but start with the simple stuff including the Russian influence on our establishment.
Ah, so you're willing to have your feeble protests about relatively minor matters in the UK, but are willing to see the Russian bear take over eastern Europe? Because you do not have an answer to the immediate problem, only platitudes.
It's a view, I suppose. Chamberlain in 1938 showed the issues with that - and whilst the parallels are imperfect, they are there.
I agree about tackling Russian influence in the UK - including in all political parties (cough)Portsmouth South(cough) - oh, but he was a Lib Dem, wasn't he? - but that'll do nothing about the evil Ukraine is directly facing.
'IT'S A VIEW I SUPPOSE' Surely the most hackneyed expression on PB. It needs to be banned!
Absolutely. Count me in for your campaign.
It's almost as teeth-grindingly awful as "colour me ****" – which thankfully seems to have gone to the great PB in the sky.
Mr. Dickson, Devon was one of two places I regularly went on holiday as a child. Have vague, but fond, memories of the seaside and pubs. Fewer castles than Wales but nicer weather.
Devon is one of the most beautiful corners of the UK, indeed of the world
A unique, fascinating, historic city: Plymouth (I know others differ but come at it afresh and it is astonishing)
Lush pastoral landscapes
Endless lovely villages, with attending churches and stately homes
Big enough not to have been ruined by over-population (ditto roads and rails, tho it probably needs more rails)
Two distinct coastlines, the mild, succulent south, the bracing wild north
Two impressive moorland wildernesses
Thick woods, gorgeous beaches, excellent seafood, delightful pubs, and areas -like northwest Devon, and the higher Tamar valley - that seem almost entirely empty in a way inconceivable in mild southern England.
And it has mostly escaped the huge influx that now plagues Cornwall
They need to fix two major things: rebuild ugly redbrick Exeter exactly as it was before the Germans flattened it. Do something about the tattier coastal resorts, Teignmouth, Dawlish, etc
We also have some very fine restaurants, using very fine local produce.
But Exeter is seeping out into the countryside at an alarming rate. Its transport network already grinds to a halt. Thousands more houses is going to cause political issues around the gridlock.
But then, who goes to Devon to go to Exeter?
Two years ago, we stopped in Exeter on the way back from Cornwall. I was astounded how unappealing it was. I had assumed - based on nothing in particular - that it would be a pleasantly charming cathedral city akin to Lincoln or Norwich or Ely.
But it wasn't.
Now, it was raining, and I spent almost an hour in traffic jams trying to find somewhere to park, which was strangely impossible in a car with a roof box. So I wasn't in the best of tempers and I may have been unfortunate in what I found. But it seemed strangely charmless.
That said, we did, in the end, find a perfectly pleasant cafe on Polsloe Road.
On Leon's last point, there is a place in the world for tatty coastal resorts. Brash can be rather fun.
The Exeter District of Topsham is the nice bit, voted best place to live in the SW:
Lab 317 (+115) Con 238 (-127) SNP 59 (+11) Lib Dem 11 (nc) PC 5 (+1) Grn 1 (nc) NI 18 (nc) Speaker 1 (nc)
Labour short 9 seats of majority
LD 11 (nc)? I don't think so.
Others have caught up with Baxter and I put more trust in Flavible or the New Statesman model.
I suspect some of the SNP's +11 are gains from LD's.
Indeed, I'm sure they are - and though I would defer to the estimable @StuartDickson on this, I suspect they are fairly unlikely to materialise in practice. Regardless, I would expect the LDs to make more gains in England than they currently have seats in Scotland.
Interesting thread on the Denmark policy experiment.
https://twitter.com/M_B_Petersen/status/1488392005281628160 Today, Denmark lifted *all* restrictions, while cases are soaring. The international reaction: Disbelief. I am leading the largest Danish project on pandemic behavior & I am advising the gov. Here is why Danes are still supportive. And what may be learned from this.
Indeed.
Also, per this tweet and example of modellers not always failing or being overly alarmist.
Mr. Dickson, Devon was one of two places I regularly went on holiday as a child. Have vague, but fond, memories of the seaside and pubs. Fewer castles than Wales but nicer weather.
Devon is one of the most beautiful corners of the UK, indeed of the world
A unique, fascinating, historic city: Plymouth (I know others differ but come at it afresh and it is astonishing)
Lush pastoral landscapes
Endless lovely villages, with attending churches and stately homes
Big enough not to have been ruined by over-population (ditto roads and rails, tho it probably needs more rails)
Two distinct coastlines, the mild, succulent south, the bracing wild north
Two impressive moorland wildernesses
Thick woods, gorgeous beaches, excellent seafood, delightful pubs, and areas -like northwest Devon, and the higher Tamar valley - that seem almost entirely empty in a way inconceivable in mild southern England.
And it has mostly escaped the huge influx that now plagues Cornwall
They need to fix two major things: rebuild ugly redbrick Exeter exactly as it was before the Germans flattened it. Do something about the tattier coastal resorts, Teignmouth, Dawlish, etc
Have you ever thought about taking up travel writing?
Best places to get pissed for 50 grand
The Antarctic peninsula
Though I didn't when I went there, was too engrossed in the magnificence of the scenery and wild life and immersed in the whole 2 week experience
All true. But imagine being drunk on deck looking at this:
We were drunk on the utter magnificence as shown in your photo.
Spellbound even
The expedition to Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falklands was our retirement celebration in 2010
You are a lucky man.
I’ve travelled the entire world. And I used to find it hard to answer the question: “where’s the most amazing place you’ve been”
Now, after that late 2019 trip, it is easy. Antarctica. No question. It is mind boggling in a way like nowhere else on the planet. It is the closest you can come to LEAVING the planet without actually doing so
And so very very very very beautiful
I've been told that South Georgia is actually much more impressive - from a wildlife spectacle POV - than the Antarctic itself. Any views?
South Georgia is on a par with Antarctica and is the burial place of Ernest Shackleton
In our case our expedition was 'in the footprints of Shackleton' and sailed his epic 800 mile voyage in the 23 foot whaler, James Caird from Antarctica to South Georgia in the Antarctic inter of 1916
Lab 317 (+115) Con 238 (-127) SNP 59 (+11) Lib Dem 11 (nc) PC 5 (+1) Grn 1 (nc) NI 18 (nc) Speaker 1 (nc)
Labour short 9 seats of majority
LD 11 (nc)? I don't think so.
Others have caught up with Baxter and I put more trust in Flavible or the New Statesman model.
Last looked at Flavible a couple of years ago. Absolute shite. Unless he’s drastically improved his game?
Baxter has a terrific track record.
Agree LD figure looks wrong. But then again, no one ever became rich on LD seats. Baxter doesn’t use regional data, which probably misses some LD patterns.
Lab 317 (+115) Con 238 (-127) SNP 59 (+11) Lib Dem 11 (nc) PC 5 (+1) Grn 1 (nc) NI 18 (nc) Speaker 1 (nc)
Labour short 9 seats of majority
LD 11 (nc)? I don't think so.
Others have caught up with Baxter and I put more trust in Flavible or the New Statesman model.
I suspect some of the SNP's +11 are gains from LD's.
Indeed, I'm sure they are - and though I would defer to the estimable @StuartDickson on this, I suspect they are fairly unlikely to materialise in practice. Regardless, I would expect the LDs to make more gains in England than they currently have seats in Scotland.
Agree, subject to Mr D's opinion, about the likelihood or otherwise of SNP gains from LD's. If 1997 is any guide, then I suspect the LD's may do considerably better than this forecast.
Interesting thread on the Denmark policy experiment.
https://twitter.com/M_B_Petersen/status/1488392005281628160 Today, Denmark lifted *all* restrictions, while cases are soaring. The international reaction: Disbelief. I am leading the largest Danish project on pandemic behavior & I am advising the gov. Here is why Danes are still supportive. And what may be learned from this.
Indeed.
Also, per this tweet and example of modellers not always failing or being overly alarmist.
At least there's one other country that's joining us in the "irresponsible" category. When we finally get rid of isolation in a month or so the international firestorm will be interesting as we will be explicitly going against all of the current WHO advice and the advice of our own doom monger scientists. Yet every single country will meekly follow us a few months later when the world doesn't end having condemned us as insane.
Comments
As opposed to a "pure" party of one man in his tank....
But Exeter is seeping out into the countryside at an alarming rate. Its transport network already grinds to a halt. Thousands more houses is going to cause political issues around the gridlock.
But then, who goes to Devon to go to Exeter?
Yesterday was an embarrassment for any decent conservative and Boris is on borrowed time
I understand why conservative mps have deferred Boris removal, as they do not have a unity candidate and with Ukraine and the cost of living crisis immediate issues that need attention
I believe that Rishi is to reveal his support package for the energy crisis before the 7th February when the decision on April's tariff increase will be made and then I expect the release of the rest of Sue Gray's report
It is that moment that I anticipate the party will act on Boris, especially if he and Carrie receive FPN's over the alleged flat party, and start a succession election
It is clear that with so many publicly criticising Boris from within including the conservative party in Scotland he has run out of space to continue and I expect a new leader and cabinet by June
On the next leader, while I support Rishi I will have no problem accepting the mps and memberships decision and will rejoin the party
Too many “mights”.
Though perhaps there is a valid point that we shouldn't just accept the Nazis views on race, and should accept our common humanity.
Racism in the US is therefore a very different beast to the UK. That's not to say we're in a good position, it's just different, and the problems and solutions are going to be very different from a policy POV. But as individuals it's the same in both countries: don't discriminate on basis of race.
If not yesterday, what's the teeing off point? Is it in the next 2 weeks - as would allow for a typical process - or later, with either Boris handing over while that process completes or a coronation?
Sadly he won’t.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/strategic-alternatives-to-the-hs2-eastern-leg
Haven't perused it myself yet, but it looks as though the 'best' rail route to meet the government's strategic objectives is the original HS2 route, but the proposed alternative is a cheaper, but good, compromise.
So something for everyone...
Wrongly, as it seems, as evidently they are about as snappy as a blancmange but I did put my view up there.
But I can't help feeling that these may not necessarily be fertile territory for a Tory recovery. In particular, the cost of living crisis (e.g. NI rise, energy prices, shop inflation) may not play too well for them. And I'm not convinced that Ukraine, levelling up, and the benefits of Brexit will necessarily play out to the Tories' advantage.
It is a reasonable issue to contest how far we should accept that description of the world and its peoples.
"It’s a year today since I was sacked from the front bench of the SNP Westminster Group having been wrongly accused of “transphobia”. Despite a continued campaign of bullying & harassment on account of my feminist beliefs & my sexuality..."
https://twitter.com/joannaccherry/status/1488424854395232259
Has that feeling where for the sake of the democratic process, the voters need to turf the governing party out on their arse, even if this would likely be financially detrimental to me personally.
.
I realise it would probably be to UKIP if they did, of course.
Even a narrow win on a low turnout would cause 'excitement'.
Lab 317 (+115)
Con 238 (-127)
SNP 59 (+11)
Lib Dem 11 (nc)
PC 5 (+1)
Grn 1 (nc)
NI 18 (nc)
Speaker 1 (nc)
Labour short 9 seats of majority
How drunk ?
... and how long would you last in the water...
But as I say some may soldier on regardless in pushing for his demise.
That report assumes you can do both and you physically can't.
I remember the cognac was cheap. Which seemed a bit mad seeing as it cost about £50k each to get us there
https://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2022/02/our-cabinet-league-table-trusss-year-long-reign-is-ended-as-wallace-goes-top.html
"Ben Wallace’s vigorous response to the crisis in eastern Europe, coming relatively soon after his mature conduct during the Afghanistan debacle, propels him upwards from 62 points to 80 points – and he displaces Liz Truss after her year-long reign at the top of the table. The Defence Secretary’s name has crept into the margins of future Party leadership speculation. It will now advance further."
Check out his wiki entry. The sort of record beloved of Tory activists. Significant record of public service. And he gets Scotland - former MSP.
Spellbound even
The expedition to Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falklands was our retirement celebration in 2010
The water is so cold you’d last about 30-60 seconds, or so we were told. As we got ready to go…. Antarctic kayaking
Think he is here for the duration myself.
I’ve travelled the entire world. And I used to find it hard to answer the question: “where’s the most amazing place you’ve been”
Now, after that late 2019 trip, it is easy. Antarctica. No question. It is mind boggling in a way like nowhere else on the planet. It is the closest you can come to LEAVING the planet without actually doing so
And so very very very very beautiful
Out.
In,
Out.
Shake it all about.
Mind it doesn’t fall off old boy.
Might there even be a shot of the PM drinking one? 😉
https://twitter.com/sturdyAlex/status/1488461890640621574
But it wasn't.
Now, it was raining, and I spent almost an hour in traffic jams trying to find somewhere to park, which was strangely impossible in a car with a roof box. So I wasn't in the best of tempers and I may have been unfortunate in what I found.
But it seemed strangely charmless.
That said, we did, in the end, find a perfectly pleasant cafe on Polsloe Road.
On Leon's last point, there is a place in the world for tatty coastal resorts. Brash can be rather fun.
Not much of an incentive for change now is it?
"From 1991 to 1998, he served in Germany, Cyprus, Belize, and Northern Ireland, rising to the rank of captain. During his time in Northern Ireland, he was mentioned in dispatches in 1992 for an incident in which the patrol he was commanding captured an entire IRA active service unit attempting to carry out a bomb attack against British troops."
If you read what I have said I expect a new leader by June and that is when I return to the party, not before
For sheer mind-numbing spectacle definitely not. The Antarctic is a place apart. It is just so fucking strange. Aethereal one minute, majestic the next, violently terrifying three seconds later
Stuck at home full of covid still.
That’s a lot of money. But as we were discussing the other day, some rich people causally drop that on holidays in Tuscany or the Maldives
And they don’t go to Antarctica. Mad stupid fuckers
Somewhat less luxury than your trip and Leon's, I suspect; but just as spectacular. We didn't do any landings, but got to see some of the ice and wildlife pretty close. Flew from UK to Falkland on a military flight too, which was an experience.
Edit: And seeing OKC's comment, went to Patagonia too, for three weeks. Maybe I was wrong to say that by far the best part of my PhD was meeting my wife
Others have caught up with Baxter and I put more trust in Flavible or the New Statesman model.
- The Jews thought they were racial group (especially in the modern sense of culture/ethnicity being an intertwined concept)
- The Jews thought they were being persecuted by the Nazis out of hatred for their race
- The Nazis thought that they were persecuting the Jews because they hated the Jewish race.
I sense a theme in all of that.
Incidentally, if you go for the implication of what Whoopi was saying, then there is no racism - it's all human-on-human.
A point of view which generally gets short shrift when you try to apply it to white/black relations.
https://twitter.com/M_B_Petersen/status/1488392005281628160
Today, Denmark lifted *all* restrictions, while cases are soaring.
The international reaction: Disbelief.
I am leading the largest Danish project on pandemic behavior & I am advising the gov.
Here is why Danes are still supportive. And what may be learned from this.
It's almost as teeth-grindingly awful as "colour me ****" – which thankfully seems to have gone to the great PB in the sky.
https://lovetopsham.co.uk/2019/04/13/its-official-topsham-is-the-best-place-to-live-in-the-south-west/
Also, per this tweet and example of modellers not always failing or being overly alarmist.
In our case our expedition was 'in the footprints of Shackleton' and sailed his epic 800 mile voyage in the 23 foot whaler, James Caird from Antarctica to South Georgia in the Antarctic inter of 1916
https://twitter.com/tedgioia/status/1488376776065794049
Baxter has a terrific track record.
Agree LD figure looks wrong. But then again, no one ever became rich on LD seats. Baxter doesn’t use regional data, which probably misses some LD patterns.
If 1997 is any guide, then I suspect the LD's may do considerably better than this forecast.