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Wanted: A PM who DID NOT go to Oxford – politicalbetting.com

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    I think having a postgrad experience at Oxford (as I did) is very different to being an undergrad there.

    Postgrad at any university is a very different experience.
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    Living in San Francisco is where your Singaporean Chinese wife (who lived in Singapore for 32 years until last June) gets corrected by a kid for calling it "Chinese New Year."

    Apparently, the "correct" term here is "Lunar New Year."

    https://twitter.com/pratyushbuddiga/status/1490451465369841667?t=LwBQklKgLKuosTHLQhoRlg&s=19

    It would be rather more sensible for the people of San Francisco to put the energy they devote to policing ludicrous neologisms into dealing with their awful drug overdoses, crime, urban decay and homelessness instead.
    Don't be silly.....
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    Stark accusation against the EU and Macron by Professor Sir John Bell

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/02/07/politicians-criticised-astrazeneca-covid-jab-probably-killed/
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    My final remark on this. Who are the truly great Prime ministers? I would argue

    Walpole - Cambridge
    Pitt The Younger - Cambridge
    Gladstone - Oxford
    Lloyd-George - n/a
    Churchill - n/a

    So two Cambridge, one Oxford and two who never went to university.

    Interesting list. No Disraeli?
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    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,462
    edited February 2022

    My final remark on this. Who are the truly great Prime ministers? I would argue

    Walpole - Cambridge
    Pitt The Younger - Cambridge
    Gladstone - Oxford
    Lloyd-George - n/a
    Churchill - n/a

    So two Cambridge, one Oxford and two who never went to university.

    Attlee and Thatcher and maybe Peel and Disraeli too should be added.

    3 Oxford and one who never went to university.

    Overall, counting all PMs since Walpole in 1721, 50.9% went to Oxford, lower than I expected. 25% went to Cambridge, just most of the Cambridge PMs were in the 18th and 19th centuries

    10% of PMs went to Edinburgh or Glasgow Universities, 12% went to another university and 14% did not go to university at all
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_prime_ministers_of_the_United_Kingdom_by_education
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    OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 32,234

    MattW said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Do you want a head of government who did not go to Oxford University?

    They should run that question past a thousand Scots.

    Scots already have had a PM educated at Edinburgh University, Gordon Brown, more recently than there has been a PM educated at Cambridge
    So we get one every hundred years. How fair.

    Would you fancy being part of a political union where you never get to pick the government?
    Given the average time in office for each UK PM is about 5 years and Scotland is less than 10% of the UK population, that is about right.

    You also get your own Parliament now too where Sturgeon gets to be FM of Scotland
    I am sure there are Scots that don't like to be reminded that Tony Blair was born in Scotland of a Scottish family, but I guess to the more prejudiced (meaning most Scottish Nationalists) he didn't sound Scottish enough or wear his tartan on his sleeve. Then there is also that very English sounding name Cameron who was PM fairly recently, plus the many many Scots who were leading members of the last Labour government. No doubt none of these people were "Scottish enough" and are probably all race traitors
    Hat-tip please to John Smith, who was one of the best Labour Leaders ever, even if only briefly.
    And as a point of order to the Scottish Nationalist fake news purveyors there have been 47 British PMs and 7 of them Scottish.
    So 14%, when Scotland is only 7% of the UK population.

    Essex has 1.4 million people and has not yet had a single PM born and raised in the county! Priti would be the first if she ever got there. Churchill was MP for Epping but was born at Blenheim Palace and raised in London
    Priti was born and raised in Hertfordshire. AFAIK she didn't come to Essex until she did a post-grad at Essex Uni. Still doesn't live in the County.
    So we are left with Andrew Rosindell then (if you still count Romford as Essex). Philip Hammond was raised in Essex but obviously has now missed his chance
    Surely the only time the words "Andrew Rosindell" and "left" have been in the same sentence.
    One of my more interesting experiences at University was that the students on our Russian course had a 16 week exchange with students from the USSR (this was mid-1980s).

    They were saturated in English Georgian and Victorian Classics (create an easily managed stereotype of Western societal values), brought much of their food with them (eg tins of meat) to save up hard currency allowances for consumer durables, and were very carefully supervised inside a well controlled section of the hall of residence.

    It caused a bit of havoc when one of them converted to Christianity. It was equally interesting house-sharing with one of the students who went to Leningrad on the Exchange, and understanding some of the restrictions placed on the life of Baptist churches in the USSR.
    One set of nieces had (he's long gone) a grandfather who was born in Russia. One of the girls went on a Baltic Sea School Trip, bought by her other grandfather (born in Wales), which included a stop at Leningrad, and my 16 or so off niece was not allowed to land, and see the sights with her friends
    That's a coincidence. I went on a similar trip when I was 16 [1964] and spent a day in Leningrad. Had a great time. No, we were not policed or followed (as far as I know). In fact we were treated royally, once it became clear that we were not Americans, who they didn't like at all.

    I particularly remember the Nevsky Prospect and the ice cream. Some lads made a killing selling bic biro pens for eight times what they cost in England. English cigarettes were also popular but mostly the day passed pleasantly and uneventfully.
    Glad you enjoyed it; my niece is somewhat younger (born 1965)

    However your experience is similar to mine, when I went on a 'cultural' trip to Bulgaria some twenty years later.
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    Living in San Francisco is where your Singaporean Chinese wife (who lived in Singapore for 32 years until last June) gets corrected by a kid for calling it "Chinese New Year."

    Apparently, the "correct" term here is "Lunar New Year."

    https://twitter.com/pratyushbuddiga/status/1490451465369841667?t=LwBQklKgLKuosTHLQhoRlg&s=19

    I have lots of friends and colleagues from Vietnam and other parts of SE Asia who do indeed get very upset about it being called Chinese New Year. Something that long predates the current Chinese shenanigans.
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    IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    Guto Harri on his first meeting with Boris since being named Director of Communications:

    “I walked in, I gave him a salute and said ‘Prime Minister, Guto Harri reporting for duty’ and he stood up from behind his desk and started to salute but then said ‘What am I doing, I should take the knee for you.”….

    “I then asked ‘Are you going to survive Boris?’ And he said in his deep voice, slowly and with purpose, whilst singing a little as he finished his sentence ‘I Will Survive’. ” he answered, ‘I’ve got all my love to give’, so we had a little blast of Gloria Gaynor!

    https://order-order.com/quote/boris-johnson-i-will-survive/?fbclid=IwAR01Wbr2FunsWlkRWabUVRhyvt-yk1Ru4pqL5apNF3Vg_Psqxdr8TjoDJww

    Astonishingly this seems to be true.
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    HYUFD said:

    mwadams said:

    HYUFD said:

    Leon said:

    That's a remarkable list. I had no idea Oxford was THAT dominant, I would have expected more from Cambridge and a smattering from London - LSE, UCL, etc


    It is also quite depressing and I agree with the general thrust. Non Oxford would be good

    JFK went to LSE briefly, one Japanese PM went to UCL. Yet we have not yet had a UK PM who went to London University
    Jim Hacker was LSE.

    edited to add: beaten to it.
    Yes although Sir Humphrey went to Oxford of course
    Worse, he studied PPE.
    Fake news. He studied Literae humaniores (the Greats)
    I think the scriptwriters tweaked that when he met Mrs T and she asked him what subjects he studied at Uni. It was beautifully done and very, very funny.
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    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,775
    edited February 2022
    IshmaelZ said:

    Guto Harri on his first meeting with Boris since being named Director of Communications:

    “I walked in, I gave him a salute and said ‘Prime Minister, Guto Harri reporting for duty’ and he stood up from behind his desk and started to salute but then said ‘What am I doing, I should take the knee for you.”….

    “I then asked ‘Are you going to survive Boris?’ And he said in his deep voice, slowly and with purpose, whilst singing a little as he finished his sentence ‘I Will Survive’. ” he answered, ‘I’ve got all my love to give’, so we had a little blast of Gloria Gaynor!

    https://order-order.com/quote/boris-johnson-i-will-survive/?fbclid=IwAR01Wbr2FunsWlkRWabUVRhyvt-yk1Ru4pqL5apNF3Vg_Psqxdr8TjoDJww

    Astonishingly this seems to be true.

    Reminds me of the Peter Kay character Keith Lard doing Burn Baby Burn...
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    Andy_CookeAndy_Cooke Posts: 4,825
    Arguably, the last PM to genuinely leave at a time of his or her own choosing (not voted out by the electorate or his own party, pressured to resign against their true will, or resigning through illness or concern about illness) was also Baldwin.

    Coincidence?
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    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,462

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Do you want a head of government who did not go to Oxford University?

    They should run that question past a thousand Scots.

    Scots already have had a PM educated at Edinburgh University, Gordon Brown, more recently than there has been a PM educated at Cambridge
    So we get one every hundred years. How fair.

    Would you fancy being part of a political union where you never get to pick the government?
    Given the average time in office for each UK PM is about 5 years and Scotland is less than 10% of the UK population, that is about right.

    You also get your own Parliament now too where Sturgeon gets to be FM of Scotland
    I am sure there are Scots that don't like to be reminded that Tony Blair was born in Scotland of a Scottish family, but I guess to the more prejudiced (meaning most Scottish Nationalists) he didn't sound Scottish enough or wear his tartan on his sleeve. Then there is also that very English sounding name Cameron who was PM fairly recently, plus the many many Scots who were leading members of the last Labour government. No doubt none of these people were "Scottish enough" and are probably all race traitors
    Hat-tip please to John Smith, who was one of the best Labour Leaders ever, even if only briefly.
    And as a point of order to the Scottish Nationalist fake news purveyors there have been 47 British PMs and 7 of them Scottish.
    So 14%, when Scotland is only 7% of the UK population.

    Essex has 1.4 million people and has not yet had a single PM born and raised in the county! Priti would be the first if she ever got there. Churchill was MP for Epping but was born at Blenheim Palace and raised in London
    Priti was born and raised in Hertfordshire. AFAIK she didn't come to Essex until she did a post-grad at Essex Uni. Still doesn't live in the County.
    So we are left with Andrew Rosindell then (if you still count Romford as Essex). Philip Hammond was raised in Essex but obviously has now missed his chance
    Your modesty with regard to your ambition is very creditable!
    Although technically even I am not a true Essex boy, I was born and raised in Tunbridge Wells
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    TresTres Posts: 2,289

    Let's have a look at Blair's first cabinet for those born in Scotland:

    Blair
    Brown
    Strang
    Cook
    Robertson
    Lord Irvine of Lairg
    Darling (morning Darling!)
    Clark

    And of course there was Alastair Campbell, son of Scottish veterinary surgeon.

    That is a fairly high proportion.

    Did any non-Scots complain about this? Not that I recall. As I said previously they were probably all race traitors in the mind of some of the ScotNat posters on here. Oh, yes, and to correct Mr Fake News himself, @StuartDickson , both the top two became PM.

    Absolutely shocked that it escaped your notice that a certain ex-journalist named Mr B Johnson used to regularly refer to the trope of a 'tartan mafia' when trying to fill-up his column inches.
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    MattWMattW Posts: 19,139
    edited February 2022

    Taking Back the Control to shaft our previously thriving music sector.

    Green Man festival owner Fiona Stewart says her costs have risen 34.5% since 2016 against a 20% rise in ticket prices. This year, “we’ve started to see real problems with sourcing goods and services,” she says, adding that Brexit has also exacerbated issues for festivals. “A lot of the big touring infrastructure, which Britain was a world leader in, has been completely decimated. Now, because you can only make two stops if you’re a British vehicle in any European country, all those companies are moving to Europe so everything we utilise to do with infrastructure has increased in price.”

    https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/feb/07/how-live-music-joined-cost-of-living-crisis

    They seem rather confused, and have left a lot of things out.

    No note that general inflation 2016-2021 is 17%, which accounts for half their cost increase, while they mention only the factors which are perhaps responsible for the other half - leaving the impression that it has caused all of it.

    Or about artists charging as much as they can get away with, or consolidating their tours from arenas to stadia.

    Also a confusion between "any European country" and "the minority within EU countries who seem to be causing problems".

    According to this previous Guardian piece, 19 from 27 EU countries do not require Visas or Work Permits for short term touring:
    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/aug/05/uk-musicians-to-be-able-to-tour-visa-free-in-19-eu-countries-brexit

    I'm sure there are issues, but I am also sure there is much exaggeration here, as has been usual from industry bodies in the last couple of years.
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    eekeek Posts: 25,355

    HYUFD said:

    mwadams said:

    HYUFD said:

    Leon said:

    That's a remarkable list. I had no idea Oxford was THAT dominant, I would have expected more from Cambridge and a smattering from London - LSE, UCL, etc


    It is also quite depressing and I agree with the general thrust. Non Oxford would be good

    JFK went to LSE briefly, one Japanese PM went to UCL. Yet we have not yet had a UK PM who went to London University
    Jim Hacker was LSE.

    edited to add: beaten to it.
    Yes although Sir Humphrey went to Oxford of course
    Worse, he studied PPE.
    Fake news. He studied Literae humaniores (the Greats)
    I think the scriptwriters tweaked that when he met Mrs T and she asked him what subjects he studied at Uni. It was beautifully done and very, very funny.
    The Mrs T sketch can be found at https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=353600081679695
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    MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 45,121

    eek said:

    tlg86 said:

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/feb/07/boycott-jimmy-carr-over-horrid-joke-about-roma-people-says-sajid-javid

    Asked about the comments, Javid told Times Radio they were “horrid”. He added: “I think we all have a right to react to that. And one of the best ways anyone can react to that is show these platforms, what they think about Jimmy Carr by not watching or listening to him, and that will send him a very strong message.”

    So that's two cabinet ministers criticising Jimmy Carr. If they said "personally, I don't find it very funny, but each to their own" then I could understand it. But it's disappointing to hear them saying how other people should behave towards Carr.

    I am still intrigued why 6 weeks after it was releases this has only just become a thing. It was the most watched comedy special on Netflix in 2021, despite only coming out on the 26th Dec.

    Millions watched it, the media will have as its part of their job and nobody commented. Then 6 weeks later it becomes an outrage.
    Because the joke is now being repeated completely out of context. And it's only when out of context that the joke is utterly appalling.
    Of course. Also, find it interesting that the sole focus of the outrage is on the gypsy element, not the Jehovah Witness had it coming part of the routine.

    eek said:

    tlg86 said:

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/feb/07/boycott-jimmy-carr-over-horrid-joke-about-roma-people-says-sajid-javid

    Asked about the comments, Javid told Times Radio they were “horrid”. He added: “I think we all have a right to react to that. And one of the best ways anyone can react to that is show these platforms, what they think about Jimmy Carr by not watching or listening to him, and that will send him a very strong message.”

    So that's two cabinet ministers criticising Jimmy Carr. If they said "personally, I don't find it very funny, but each to their own" then I could understand it. But it's disappointing to hear them saying how other people should behave towards Carr.

    I am still intrigued why 6 weeks after it was releases this has only just become a thing. It was the most watched comedy special on Netflix in 2021, despite only coming out on the 26th Dec.

    Millions watched it, the media will have as its part of their job and nobody commented. Then 6 weeks later it becomes an outrage.
    Because the joke is now being repeated completely out of context. And it's only when out of context that the joke is utterly appalling.
    Of course. Also, find it interesting that the sole focus of the outrage is on the gypsy element, not the Jehovah Witness had it coming part of the routine.
    I once had some good fun - I got some people really rilled up against Seventh Day Adventists. Foaming at the mouth about their ghastly beliefs and practices. One person even suggest they should have children taken away from them....

    Then I showed them a picture of me helping out at a community event that involved the local Seventh Day Adventist church. When they saw who made up the church, they got very, very upset. With me.....
  • Options
    SandpitSandpit Posts: 50,236

    MattW said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Do you want a head of government who did not go to Oxford University?

    They should run that question past a thousand Scots.

    Scots already have had a PM educated at Edinburgh University, Gordon Brown, more recently than there has been a PM educated at Cambridge
    So we get one every hundred years. How fair.

    Would you fancy being part of a political union where you never get to pick the government?
    Given the average time in office for each UK PM is about 5 years and Scotland is less than 10% of the UK population, that is about right.

    You also get your own Parliament now too where Sturgeon gets to be FM of Scotland
    I am sure there are Scots that don't like to be reminded that Tony Blair was born in Scotland of a Scottish family, but I guess to the more prejudiced (meaning most Scottish Nationalists) he didn't sound Scottish enough or wear his tartan on his sleeve. Then there is also that very English sounding name Cameron who was PM fairly recently, plus the many many Scots who were leading members of the last Labour government. No doubt none of these people were "Scottish enough" and are probably all race traitors
    Hat-tip please to John Smith, who was one of the best Labour Leaders ever, even if only briefly.
    And as a point of order to the Scottish Nationalist fake news purveyors there have been 47 British PMs and 7 of them Scottish.
    So 14%, when Scotland is only 7% of the UK population.

    Essex has 1.4 million people and has not yet had a single PM born and raised in the county! Priti would be the first if she ever got there. Churchill was MP for Epping but was born at Blenheim Palace and raised in London
    Priti was born and raised in Hertfordshire. AFAIK she didn't come to Essex until she did a post-grad at Essex Uni. Still doesn't live in the County.
    So we are left with Andrew Rosindell then (if you still count Romford as Essex). Philip Hammond was raised in Essex but obviously has now missed his chance
    Surely the only time the words "Andrew Rosindell" and "left" have been in the same sentence.
    One of my more interesting experiences at University was that the students on our Russian course had a 16 week exchange with students from the USSR (this was mid-1980s).

    They were saturated in English Georgian and Victorian Classics (create an easily managed stereotype of Western societal values), brought much of their food with them (eg tins of meat) to save up hard currency allowances for consumer durables, and were very carefully supervised inside a well controlled section of the hall of residence.

    It caused a bit of havoc when one of them converted to Christianity. It was equally interesting house-sharing with one of the students who went to Leningrad on the Exchange, and understanding some of the restrictions placed on the life of Baptist churches in the USSR.
    One set of nieces had (he's long gone) a grandfather who was born in Russia. One of the girls went on a Baltic Sea School Trip, bought by her other grandfather (born in Wales), which included a stop at Leningrad, and my 16 or so off niece was not allowed to land, and see the sights with her friends
    That's a coincidence. I went on a similar trip when I was 16 [1964] and spent a day in Leningrad. Had a great time. No, we were not policed or followed (as far as I know). In fact we were treated royally, once it became clear that we were not Americans, who they didn't like at all.

    I particularly remember the Nevsky Prospect and the ice cream. Some lads made a killing selling bic biro pens for eight times what they cost in England. English cigarettes were also popular but mostly the day passed pleasantly and uneventfully.
    While half the thread is talking about trips to Russia, and the other half is talking about cancelling comedians…

    Have an American comedian telling a 14-minute joke, that starts “When I was 22, I got involved with the Russian Mafia, here’s how it happened”
    https://youtube.com/watch?v=paG1-lPtIXA
    (This story is being turned into a movie, for release later this year).
  • Options
    MattWMattW Posts: 19,139
    edited February 2022



    Training plumbers for the hydrogen addition to the natural gas supply is also a big one.

    The last time we had the boiler inspected, the plumber told me about going on his hydrogen certification course. Where they couldn't use actual hydrogen. Because they would need to rebuild the training centre to handle it safely.

    I have read that, counter-intuitively, hydrogen is safer than natural gas. The reason for this is that it is so light that, if it leaks, it dissipates from a building very rapidly, rather than remaining trapped inside and building up a dangerous concentration as natural gas does.
    If a fraction of hydrogen is introduced, I'd say that there will have to be an imposition first of all boilers - ie every house - to receive it will have to have upgraded boilers before it can happen.

    That sounds like a biggish project, especially as not all boilers are currently required to have annual inspections afaik. I don't think that regulation applies to owner occupied dwellings.

    And I wonder about illegal, or "for cash" unregistered installations.

    It's something that has to be completely right, or there could be a risk of multiples gas explosions.
  • Options
    FrankBoothFrankBooth Posts: 9,098

    My final remark on this. Who are the truly great Prime ministers? I would argue

    Walpole - Cambridge
    Pitt The Younger - Cambridge
    Gladstone - Oxford
    Lloyd-George - n/a
    Churchill - n/a

    So two Cambridge, one Oxford and two who never went to university.

    Interesting list. No Disraeli?
    I came up with my own personal list. In the next category I put Peel, Pitt the Elder, Atlee, Disraeli, Thatcher, Grey and Palmerston.
  • Options
    MattWMattW Posts: 19,139

    eek said:

    tlg86 said:

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/feb/07/boycott-jimmy-carr-over-horrid-joke-about-roma-people-says-sajid-javid

    Asked about the comments, Javid told Times Radio they were “horrid”. He added: “I think we all have a right to react to that. And one of the best ways anyone can react to that is show these platforms, what they think about Jimmy Carr by not watching or listening to him, and that will send him a very strong message.”

    So that's two cabinet ministers criticising Jimmy Carr. If they said "personally, I don't find it very funny, but each to their own" then I could understand it. But it's disappointing to hear them saying how other people should behave towards Carr.

    I am still intrigued why 6 weeks after it was releases this has only just become a thing. It was the most watched comedy special on Netflix in 2021, despite only coming out on the 26th Dec.

    Millions watched it, the media will have as its part of their job and nobody commented. Then 6 weeks later it becomes an outrage.
    Because the joke is now being repeated completely out of context. And it's only when out of context that the joke is utterly appalling.
    Of course. Also, find it interesting that the sole focus of the outrage is on the gypsy element, not the Jehovah Witness had it coming part of the routine.
    Is that not because the former has an established identity-politics lobby complete with fellow travellers, whilst the other does not?
  • Options
    SandpitSandpit Posts: 50,236
    MattW said:

    eek said:

    tlg86 said:

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/feb/07/boycott-jimmy-carr-over-horrid-joke-about-roma-people-says-sajid-javid

    Asked about the comments, Javid told Times Radio they were “horrid”. He added: “I think we all have a right to react to that. And one of the best ways anyone can react to that is show these platforms, what they think about Jimmy Carr by not watching or listening to him, and that will send him a very strong message.”

    So that's two cabinet ministers criticising Jimmy Carr. If they said "personally, I don't find it very funny, but each to their own" then I could understand it. But it's disappointing to hear them saying how other people should behave towards Carr.

    I am still intrigued why 6 weeks after it was releases this has only just become a thing. It was the most watched comedy special on Netflix in 2021, despite only coming out on the 26th Dec.

    Millions watched it, the media will have as its part of their job and nobody commented. Then 6 weeks later it becomes an outrage.
    Because the joke is now being repeated completely out of context. And it's only when out of context that the joke is utterly appalling.
    Of course. Also, find it interesting that the sole focus of the outrage is on the gypsy element, not the Jehovah Witness had it coming part of the routine.
    Is that not because the former has an established identity-politics lobby complete with fellow travellers, whilst the other does not?
    Fellow travellers, you say…
  • Options
    eek said:

    HYUFD said:

    mwadams said:

    HYUFD said:

    Leon said:

    That's a remarkable list. I had no idea Oxford was THAT dominant, I would have expected more from Cambridge and a smattering from London - LSE, UCL, etc


    It is also quite depressing and I agree with the general thrust. Non Oxford would be good

    JFK went to LSE briefly, one Japanese PM went to UCL. Yet we have not yet had a UK PM who went to London University
    Jim Hacker was LSE.

    edited to add: beaten to it.
    Yes although Sir Humphrey went to Oxford of course
    Worse, he studied PPE.
    Fake news. He studied Literae humaniores (the Greats)
    I think the scriptwriters tweaked that when he met Mrs T and she asked him what subjects he studied at Uni. It was beautifully done and very, very funny.
    The Mrs T sketch can be found at https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=353600081679695
    So they didn't impose PPE on Humpy even then; he claims a double first in Politics and Economics.
  • Options
    ApplicantApplicant Posts: 3,379
    edited February 2022
    MattW said:

    eek said:

    tlg86 said:

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/feb/07/boycott-jimmy-carr-over-horrid-joke-about-roma-people-says-sajid-javid

    Asked about the comments, Javid told Times Radio they were “horrid”. He added: “I think we all have a right to react to that. And one of the best ways anyone can react to that is show these platforms, what they think about Jimmy Carr by not watching or listening to him, and that will send him a very strong message.”

    So that's two cabinet ministers criticising Jimmy Carr. If they said "personally, I don't find it very funny, but each to their own" then I could understand it. But it's disappointing to hear them saying how other people should behave towards Carr.

    I am still intrigued why 6 weeks after it was releases this has only just become a thing. It was the most watched comedy special on Netflix in 2021, despite only coming out on the 26th Dec.

    Millions watched it, the media will have as its part of their job and nobody commented. Then 6 weeks later it becomes an outrage.
    Because the joke is now being repeated completely out of context. And it's only when out of context that the joke is utterly appalling.
    Of course. Also, find it interesting that the sole focus of the outrage is on the gypsy element, not the Jehovah Witness had it coming part of the routine.
    Is that not because the former has an established identity-politics lobby complete with fellow travellers, whilst the other does not?
    I like what you did there.
  • Options
    TazTaz Posts: 11,658

    Personally I wouldn't care if they went to St Trinians if only they were any bloody good at running the country.

    What struck me about that list was how far back you have to go to find one who was remotely as bad as Johnson. I'd actually have to go to Baldwin, who I have always despised. (Brown isn't listed I see, but he was merely poor and he did do good work during the Banking Crisis.)

    I know this point of view is not popular with Hyufd, but it is Monday morning and I feel like annoying somebody.

    Harold Wilson's book "A Prime Minister on Prime Minister" is interestingly nuanced about Baldwin, who he says handled the Abdication crisis well and who supported Churchill when he was most vulnerable. But he condemns Baldwin for a crucial minute, released 35 years later, when he says that Germany will attack Russia and would find attacking the West "too difficult"; Baldwin is explicitly relaxed about the Nazis attacking the Soviets (very much as the Soviets suspected the West thought), and Wilson says the consequent failure to gear up Britain's own rearmament programme was a nearly fatal mistake. It's a good example of making a mistaken judgement and then basing crucial policy decisions on it, rather than allowing for the possibility that your judgement may be wrong.

    Wilson's book is good, and very fair about his predecessors (up to the ones he competed against, about whom he doesn't feel he can sensibly comment), and I'm surprised it's not better-known. I'd never heard of it until I saw it mentioned on PB.
    The book tied in with the Tv series which is available on DVD from Network.
  • Options
    kinabalukinabalu Posts: 39,604

    eek said:

    tlg86 said:

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/feb/07/boycott-jimmy-carr-over-horrid-joke-about-roma-people-says-sajid-javid

    Asked about the comments, Javid told Times Radio they were “horrid”. He added: “I think we all have a right to react to that. And one of the best ways anyone can react to that is show these platforms, what they think about Jimmy Carr by not watching or listening to him, and that will send him a very strong message.”

    So that's two cabinet ministers criticising Jimmy Carr. If they said "personally, I don't find it very funny, but each to their own" then I could understand it. But it's disappointing to hear them saying how other people should behave towards Carr.

    I am still intrigued why 6 weeks after it was releases this has only just become a thing. It was the most watched comedy special on Netflix in 2021, despite only coming out on the 26th Dec.

    Millions watched it, the media will have as its part of their job and nobody commented. Then 6 weeks later it becomes an outrage.
    Because the joke is now being repeated completely out of context. And it's only when out of context that the joke is utterly appalling.
    Of course. Also, find it interesting that the sole focus of the outrage is on the gypsy element, not the Jehovah Witness had it coming part of the routine.

    eek said:

    tlg86 said:

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/feb/07/boycott-jimmy-carr-over-horrid-joke-about-roma-people-says-sajid-javid

    Asked about the comments, Javid told Times Radio they were “horrid”. He added: “I think we all have a right to react to that. And one of the best ways anyone can react to that is show these platforms, what they think about Jimmy Carr by not watching or listening to him, and that will send him a very strong message.”

    So that's two cabinet ministers criticising Jimmy Carr. If they said "personally, I don't find it very funny, but each to their own" then I could understand it. But it's disappointing to hear them saying how other people should behave towards Carr.

    I am still intrigued why 6 weeks after it was releases this has only just become a thing. It was the most watched comedy special on Netflix in 2021, despite only coming out on the 26th Dec.

    Millions watched it, the media will have as its part of their job and nobody commented. Then 6 weeks later it becomes an outrage.
    Because the joke is now being repeated completely out of context. And it's only when out of context that the joke is utterly appalling.
    Of course. Also, find it interesting that the sole focus of the outrage is on the gypsy element, not the Jehovah Witness had it coming part of the routine.
    I once had some good fun - I got some people really rilled up against Seventh Day Adventists. Foaming at the mouth about their ghastly beliefs and practices. One person even suggest they should have children taken away from them....

    Then I showed them a picture of me helping out at a community event that involved the local Seventh Day Adventist church. When they saw who made up the church, they got very, very upset. With me.....
    As indeed they might - you and your little games.
  • Options
    MattWMattW Posts: 19,139
    Applicant said:

    MattW said:

    eek said:

    tlg86 said:

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/feb/07/boycott-jimmy-carr-over-horrid-joke-about-roma-people-says-sajid-javid

    Asked about the comments, Javid told Times Radio they were “horrid”. He added: “I think we all have a right to react to that. And one of the best ways anyone can react to that is show these platforms, what they think about Jimmy Carr by not watching or listening to him, and that will send him a very strong message.”

    So that's two cabinet ministers criticising Jimmy Carr. If they said "personally, I don't find it very funny, but each to their own" then I could understand it. But it's disappointing to hear them saying how other people should behave towards Carr.

    I am still intrigued why 6 weeks after it was releases this has only just become a thing. It was the most watched comedy special on Netflix in 2021, despite only coming out on the 26th Dec.

    Millions watched it, the media will have as its part of their job and nobody commented. Then 6 weeks later it becomes an outrage.
    Because the joke is now being repeated completely out of context. And it's only when out of context that the joke is utterly appalling.
    Of course. Also, find it interesting that the sole focus of the outrage is on the gypsy element, not the Jehovah Witness had it coming part of the routine.
    Is that not because the former has an established identity-politics lobby complete with fellow travellers, whilst the other does not?
    I like what you did there,
    Ooops.
  • Options
    LeonLeon Posts: 48,136

    MattW said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Do you want a head of government who did not go to Oxford University?

    They should run that question past a thousand Scots.

    Scots already have had a PM educated at Edinburgh University, Gordon Brown, more recently than there has been a PM educated at Cambridge
    So we get one every hundred years. How fair.

    Would you fancy being part of a political union where you never get to pick the government?
    Given the average time in office for each UK PM is about 5 years and Scotland is less than 10% of the UK population, that is about right.

    You also get your own Parliament now too where Sturgeon gets to be FM of Scotland
    I am sure there are Scots that don't like to be reminded that Tony Blair was born in Scotland of a Scottish family, but I guess to the more prejudiced (meaning most Scottish Nationalists) he didn't sound Scottish enough or wear his tartan on his sleeve. Then there is also that very English sounding name Cameron who was PM fairly recently, plus the many many Scots who were leading members of the last Labour government. No doubt none of these people were "Scottish enough" and are probably all race traitors
    Hat-tip please to John Smith, who was one of the best Labour Leaders ever, even if only briefly.
    And as a point of order to the Scottish Nationalist fake news purveyors there have been 47 British PMs and 7 of them Scottish.
    So 14%, when Scotland is only 7% of the UK population.

    Essex has 1.4 million people and has not yet had a single PM born and raised in the county! Priti would be the first if she ever got there. Churchill was MP for Epping but was born at Blenheim Palace and raised in London
    Priti was born and raised in Hertfordshire. AFAIK she didn't come to Essex until she did a post-grad at Essex Uni. Still doesn't live in the County.
    So we are left with Andrew Rosindell then (if you still count Romford as Essex). Philip Hammond was raised in Essex but obviously has now missed his chance
    Surely the only time the words "Andrew Rosindell" and "left" have been in the same sentence.
    One of my more interesting experiences at University was that the students on our Russian course had a 16 week exchange with students from the USSR (this was mid-1980s).

    They were saturated in English Georgian and Victorian Classics (create an easily managed stereotype of Western societal values), brought much of their food with them (eg tins of meat) to save up hard currency allowances for consumer durables, and were very carefully supervised inside a well controlled section of the hall of residence.

    It caused a bit of havoc when one of them converted to Christianity. It was equally interesting house-sharing with one of the students who went to Leningrad on the Exchange, and understanding some of the restrictions placed on the life of Baptist churches in the USSR.
    One set of nieces had (he's long gone) a grandfather who was born in Russia. One of the girls went on a Baltic Sea School Trip, bought by her other grandfather (born in Wales), which included a stop at Leningrad, and my 16 or so off niece was not allowed to land, and see the sights with her friends
    That's a coincidence. I went on a similar trip when I was 16 [1964] and spent a day in Leningrad. Had a great time. No, we were not policed or followed (as far as I know). In fact we were treated royally, once it became clear that we were not Americans, who they didn't like at all.

    I particularly remember the Nevsky Prospect and the ice cream. Some lads made a killing selling bic biro pens for eight times what they cost in England. English cigarettes were also popular but mostly the day passed pleasantly and uneventfully.

    I did the White Nights in St Petersburg for the Knappers Gazette in summer 2019. Insanely decadent luxury. Stayed at the Four Seasons, the Belmond, the Astoria.

    The Belmond actually gave us a vodka-and-caviar pairing session, where we just got more and more drunk on the vodka shots, and by the end they could have been feeding us Co-op fish paste rather than the finest Beluga

    Enormous fun, however. The White Nights are incredible. Everyone goes mad

    Midnight on the Neva

  • Options
    MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 45,121
    edited February 2022
    MattW said:



    Training plumbers for the hydrogen addition to the natural gas supply is also a big one.

    The last time we had the boiler inspected, the plumber told me about going on his hydrogen certification course. Where they couldn't use actual hydrogen. Because they would need to rebuild the training centre to handle it safely.

    I have read that, counter-intuitively, hydrogen is safer than natural gas. The reason for this is that it is so light that, if it leaks, it dissipates from a building very rapidly, rather than remaining trapped inside and building up a dangerous concentration as natural gas does.
    If a fraction of hydrogen is introduced, I'd say that there will have to be an imposition first of all boilers - ie every house - to receive it will have to have upgraded boilers before it can happen.

    That sounds like a biggish project, especially as not all boilers are currently required to have annual inspections afaik. I don't think that regulation applies to owner occupied dwellings.

    And I wonder about illegal, or "for cash" unregistered installations.

    It's something that has to be completely right, or there could be a risk of multiples gas explosions.
    Fairly reasonable explanation here - https://www.britishgas.co.uk/the-source/greener-living/hydrogen-boilers.html

    Hydrogen blend compatible boilers are being sold now. The ones that are capable of running on 100% hydrogen are out next year, I believe.

    The idea is it will be a mater of converting to the blend, area by area.

    EDIT: Hydrogen has some interesting safety issues. One is that it is a very small molecule, so it can leak through apparently solid materials. In addition, adding a smell agent (as with Natural gas) doesn't necessarily work, because a leak can be small enough to leak hydrogen, but not the molecules of the smell agent......
  • Options

    eek said:

    HYUFD said:

    mwadams said:

    HYUFD said:

    Leon said:

    That's a remarkable list. I had no idea Oxford was THAT dominant, I would have expected more from Cambridge and a smattering from London - LSE, UCL, etc


    It is also quite depressing and I agree with the general thrust. Non Oxford would be good

    JFK went to LSE briefly, one Japanese PM went to UCL. Yet we have not yet had a UK PM who went to London University
    Jim Hacker was LSE.

    edited to add: beaten to it.
    Yes although Sir Humphrey went to Oxford of course
    Worse, he studied PPE.
    Fake news. He studied Literae humaniores (the Greats)
    I think the scriptwriters tweaked that when he met Mrs T and she asked him what subjects he studied at Uni. It was beautifully done and very, very funny.
    The Mrs T sketch can be found at https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=353600081679695
    So they didn't impose PPE on Humpy even then; he claims a double first in Politics and Economics.
    My ailing memory, Blanche, but I was right in principle. The point was her hostility to Ecomomists.
  • Options
    dixiedean said:

    Con Maj still lengthening. The rot hasn’t stopped.

    Next UK GE

    NOM 1.96
    Con Maj 3.35
    Lab Maj 5

    An absolute steal. I wouldn't say it is nailed on. But I'd make it 50/50 or thereabouts.
    Lab at 5 has to one of the worst bets ever.
    Needs to be double.
    I concur. Labour Majority at 4/1 is extremely poor value. If Starmer can become popular in Scotland then it’s game on. If he can’t, it isn’t.

    He was at -10 in the last full-sample Scottish poll.

    Net favourability

    Sturgeon 13%
    Scottish Government 7%
    Anas Sarwar 1%
    Keir Starmer -10
    Patrick Harvie -15
    Alex Cole-Hamilton -15
    Lorna Slater -15
    Rishi Sunak -19
    Douglas Ross -21
    UK Government -50
    Alex Salmond -62
    Boris Johnson -62

    (Savanta ComRes/The Scotsman; 14-18 January; 1,004)
  • Options
    MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 45,121
    kinabalu said:

    eek said:

    tlg86 said:

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/feb/07/boycott-jimmy-carr-over-horrid-joke-about-roma-people-says-sajid-javid

    Asked about the comments, Javid told Times Radio they were “horrid”. He added: “I think we all have a right to react to that. And one of the best ways anyone can react to that is show these platforms, what they think about Jimmy Carr by not watching or listening to him, and that will send him a very strong message.”

    So that's two cabinet ministers criticising Jimmy Carr. If they said "personally, I don't find it very funny, but each to their own" then I could understand it. But it's disappointing to hear them saying how other people should behave towards Carr.

    I am still intrigued why 6 weeks after it was releases this has only just become a thing. It was the most watched comedy special on Netflix in 2021, despite only coming out on the 26th Dec.

    Millions watched it, the media will have as its part of their job and nobody commented. Then 6 weeks later it becomes an outrage.
    Because the joke is now being repeated completely out of context. And it's only when out of context that the joke is utterly appalling.
    Of course. Also, find it interesting that the sole focus of the outrage is on the gypsy element, not the Jehovah Witness had it coming part of the routine.

    eek said:

    tlg86 said:

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/feb/07/boycott-jimmy-carr-over-horrid-joke-about-roma-people-says-sajid-javid

    Asked about the comments, Javid told Times Radio they were “horrid”. He added: “I think we all have a right to react to that. And one of the best ways anyone can react to that is show these platforms, what they think about Jimmy Carr by not watching or listening to him, and that will send him a very strong message.”

    So that's two cabinet ministers criticising Jimmy Carr. If they said "personally, I don't find it very funny, but each to their own" then I could understand it. But it's disappointing to hear them saying how other people should behave towards Carr.

    I am still intrigued why 6 weeks after it was releases this has only just become a thing. It was the most watched comedy special on Netflix in 2021, despite only coming out on the 26th Dec.

    Millions watched it, the media will have as its part of their job and nobody commented. Then 6 weeks later it becomes an outrage.
    Because the joke is now being repeated completely out of context. And it's only when out of context that the joke is utterly appalling.
    Of course. Also, find it interesting that the sole focus of the outrage is on the gypsy element, not the Jehovah Witness had it coming part of the routine.
    I once had some good fun - I got some people really rilled up against Seventh Day Adventists. Foaming at the mouth about their ghastly beliefs and practices. One person even suggest they should have children taken away from them....

    Then I showed them a picture of me helping out at a community event that involved the local Seventh Day Adventist church. When they saw who made up the church, they got very, very upset. With me.....
    As indeed they might - you and your little games.
    Well, if you are going to express bigotry concerning religious minorities, don't be shocked if they turn out to be racial minorities as well.

    Assuming that funky brands of Christianity are white-people-only or that there isn't a nasty history of oppression of such groups.......
  • Options
    TazTaz Posts: 11,658

    eek said:

    tlg86 said:

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/feb/07/boycott-jimmy-carr-over-horrid-joke-about-roma-people-says-sajid-javid

    Asked about the comments, Javid told Times Radio they were “horrid”. He added: “I think we all have a right to react to that. And one of the best ways anyone can react to that is show these platforms, what they think about Jimmy Carr by not watching or listening to him, and that will send him a very strong message.”

    So that's two cabinet ministers criticising Jimmy Carr. If they said "personally, I don't find it very funny, but each to their own" then I could understand it. But it's disappointing to hear them saying how other people should behave towards Carr.

    I am still intrigued why 6 weeks after it was releases this has only just become a thing. It was the most watched comedy special on Netflix in 2021, despite only coming out on the 26th Dec.

    Millions watched it, the media will have as its part of their job and nobody commented. Then 6 weeks later it becomes an outrage.
    Because the joke is now being repeated completely out of context. And it's only when out of context that the joke is utterly appalling.
    Of course. Also, find it interesting that the sole focus of the outrage is on the gypsy element, not the Jehovah Witness had it coming part of the routine.
    Yes. The Jehovah’s lot don’t need middle class white knights with guilt complexes.
  • Options
    IshmaelZ said:

    Guto Harri on his first meeting with Boris since being named Director of Communications:

    “I walked in, I gave him a salute and said ‘Prime Minister, Guto Harri reporting for duty’ and he stood up from behind his desk and started to salute but then said ‘What am I doing, I should take the knee for you.”….

    “I then asked ‘Are you going to survive Boris?’ And he said in his deep voice, slowly and with purpose, whilst singing a little as he finished his sentence ‘I Will Survive’. ” he answered, ‘I’ve got all my love to give’, so we had a little blast of Gloria Gaynor!

    https://order-order.com/quote/boris-johnson-i-will-survive/?fbclid=IwAR01Wbr2FunsWlkRWabUVRhyvt-yk1Ru4pqL5apNF3Vg_Psqxdr8TjoDJww

    Astonishingly this seems to be true.

    Guto dines out on Boris anecdotes, all of which, of course, portray him as a disorganised, lovable rogue with no respect for authority. Expect much more incoming.
  • Options

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Do you want a head of government who did not go to Oxford University?

    They should run that question past a thousand Scots.

    Scots already have had a PM educated at Edinburgh University, Gordon Brown, more recently than there has been a PM educated at Cambridge
    So we get one every hundred years. How fair.

    Would you fancy being part of a political union where you never get to pick the government?
    Given the average time in office for each UK PM is about 5 years and Scotland is less than 10% of the UK population, that is about right.

    You also get your own Parliament now too where Sturgeon gets to be FM of Scotland
    I am sure there are Scots that don't like to be reminded that Tony Blair was born in Scotland of a Scottish family, but I guess to the more prejudiced (meaning most Scottish Nationalists) he didn't sound Scottish enough or wear his tartan on his sleeve. Then there is also that very English sounding name Cameron who was PM fairly recently, plus the many many Scots who were leading members of the last Labour government. No doubt none of these people were "Scottish enough" and are probably all race traitors
    Hat-tip please to John Smith, who was one of the best Labour Leaders ever, even if only briefly.
    And as a point of order to the Scottish Nationalist fake news purveyors there have been 47 British PMs and 7 of them Scottish.
    There are 55 in Iain Dale's book on Prime Ministers. Admittedly in the early days, it was sometimes hard to tell who was PM.
  • Options
    LeonLeon Posts: 48,136
    St Petersburg also has an incredible light by day, in midsummer


    Statues in the gardens of the Summer Palace, on the “Grand Cascade”









  • Options
    kinabalukinabalu Posts: 39,604

    kinabalu said:

    eek said:

    tlg86 said:

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/feb/07/boycott-jimmy-carr-over-horrid-joke-about-roma-people-says-sajid-javid

    Asked about the comments, Javid told Times Radio they were “horrid”. He added: “I think we all have a right to react to that. And one of the best ways anyone can react to that is show these platforms, what they think about Jimmy Carr by not watching or listening to him, and that will send him a very strong message.”

    So that's two cabinet ministers criticising Jimmy Carr. If they said "personally, I don't find it very funny, but each to their own" then I could understand it. But it's disappointing to hear them saying how other people should behave towards Carr.

    I am still intrigued why 6 weeks after it was releases this has only just become a thing. It was the most watched comedy special on Netflix in 2021, despite only coming out on the 26th Dec.

    Millions watched it, the media will have as its part of their job and nobody commented. Then 6 weeks later it becomes an outrage.
    Because the joke is now being repeated completely out of context. And it's only when out of context that the joke is utterly appalling.
    Of course. Also, find it interesting that the sole focus of the outrage is on the gypsy element, not the Jehovah Witness had it coming part of the routine.

    eek said:

    tlg86 said:

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/feb/07/boycott-jimmy-carr-over-horrid-joke-about-roma-people-says-sajid-javid

    Asked about the comments, Javid told Times Radio they were “horrid”. He added: “I think we all have a right to react to that. And one of the best ways anyone can react to that is show these platforms, what they think about Jimmy Carr by not watching or listening to him, and that will send him a very strong message.”

    So that's two cabinet ministers criticising Jimmy Carr. If they said "personally, I don't find it very funny, but each to their own" then I could understand it. But it's disappointing to hear them saying how other people should behave towards Carr.

    I am still intrigued why 6 weeks after it was releases this has only just become a thing. It was the most watched comedy special on Netflix in 2021, despite only coming out on the 26th Dec.

    Millions watched it, the media will have as its part of their job and nobody commented. Then 6 weeks later it becomes an outrage.
    Because the joke is now being repeated completely out of context. And it's only when out of context that the joke is utterly appalling.
    Of course. Also, find it interesting that the sole focus of the outrage is on the gypsy element, not the Jehovah Witness had it coming part of the routine.
    I once had some good fun - I got some people really rilled up against Seventh Day Adventists. Foaming at the mouth about their ghastly beliefs and practices. One person even suggest they should have children taken away from them....

    Then I showed them a picture of me helping out at a community event that involved the local Seventh Day Adventist church. When they saw who made up the church, they got very, very upset. With me.....
    As indeed they might - you and your little games.
    Well, if you are going to express bigotry concerning religious minorities, don't be shocked if they turn out to be racial minorities as well.

    Assuming that funky brands of Christianity are white-people-only or that there isn't a nasty history of oppression of such groups.......
    That the reactionary wing of Christianity very much isn't whites only certainly isn't news to me.
  • Options
    eekeek Posts: 25,355

    IshmaelZ said:

    Guto Harri on his first meeting with Boris since being named Director of Communications:

    “I walked in, I gave him a salute and said ‘Prime Minister, Guto Harri reporting for duty’ and he stood up from behind his desk and started to salute but then said ‘What am I doing, I should take the knee for you.”….

    “I then asked ‘Are you going to survive Boris?’ And he said in his deep voice, slowly and with purpose, whilst singing a little as he finished his sentence ‘I Will Survive’. ” he answered, ‘I’ve got all my love to give’, so we had a little blast of Gloria Gaynor!

    https://order-order.com/quote/boris-johnson-i-will-survive/?fbclid=IwAR01Wbr2FunsWlkRWabUVRhyvt-yk1Ru4pqL5apNF3Vg_Psqxdr8TjoDJww

    Astonishingly this seems to be true.

    Guto dines out on Boris anecdotes, all of which, of course, portray him as a disorganised, lovable rogue with no respect for authority. Expect much more incoming.
    I wouldn't use lovable rogue for Bozo more arrogant but lazy mobster.
  • Options

    Personally I wouldn't care if they went to St Trinians if only they were any bloody good at running the country.

    What struck me about that list was how far back you have to go to find one who was remotely as bad as Johnson. I'd actually have to go to Baldwin, who I have always despised. (Brown isn't listed I see, but he was merely poor and he did do good work during the Banking Crisis.)

    I know this point of view is not popular with Hyufd, but it is Monday morning and I feel like annoying somebody.

    Harold Wilson's book "A Prime Minister on Prime Minister" is interestingly nuanced about Baldwin, who he says handled the Abdication crisis well and who supported Churchill when he was most vulnerable. But he condemns Baldwin for a crucial minute, released 35 years later, when he says that Germany will attack Russia and would find attacking the West "too difficult"; Baldwin is explicitly relaxed about the Nazis attacking the Soviets (very much as the Soviets suspected the West thought), and Wilson says the consequent failure to gear up Britain's own rearmament programme was a nearly fatal mistake. It's a good example of making a mistaken judgement and then basing crucial policy decisions on it, rather than allowing for the possibility that your judgement may be wrong.

    Wilson's book is good, and very fair about his predecessors (up to the ones he competed against, about whom he doesn't feel he can sensibly comment), and I'm surprised it's not better-known. I'd never heard of it until I saw it mentioned on PB.
    Wilson also made a television series of the same name, available on DVD. In one episode Wilson interviews Macmillan iirc.
  • Options
    The very fact the Nats think you could fight a referendum on the basis of some sort of court action against a foreign country to (hopefully) secure a state pension if there was a yes vote is only proof there patently isn’t going to be a referendum

    https://twitter.com/ianssmart/status/1490617744701677569?s=20&t=h7sAb9V_C62ZRuucpDGo7Q
  • Options
    eek said:

    IshmaelZ said:

    Guto Harri on his first meeting with Boris since being named Director of Communications:

    “I walked in, I gave him a salute and said ‘Prime Minister, Guto Harri reporting for duty’ and he stood up from behind his desk and started to salute but then said ‘What am I doing, I should take the knee for you.”….

    “I then asked ‘Are you going to survive Boris?’ And he said in his deep voice, slowly and with purpose, whilst singing a little as he finished his sentence ‘I Will Survive’. ” he answered, ‘I’ve got all my love to give’, so we had a little blast of Gloria Gaynor!

    https://order-order.com/quote/boris-johnson-i-will-survive/?fbclid=IwAR01Wbr2FunsWlkRWabUVRhyvt-yk1Ru4pqL5apNF3Vg_Psqxdr8TjoDJww

    Astonishingly this seems to be true.

    Guto dines out on Boris anecdotes, all of which, of course, portray him as a disorganised, lovable rogue with no respect for authority. Expect much more incoming.
    I wouldn't use lovable rogue for Bozo more arrogant but lazy mobster.
    Harder to sell, though.
  • Options
    MISTYMISTY Posts: 1,594
    IshmaelZ said:

    Guto Harri on his first meeting with Boris since being named Director of Communications:

    “I walked in, I gave him a salute and said ‘Prime Minister, Guto Harri reporting for duty’ and he stood up from behind his desk and started to salute but then said ‘What am I doing, I should take the knee for you.”….

    “I then asked ‘Are you going to survive Boris?’ And he said in his deep voice, slowly and with purpose, whilst singing a little as he finished his sentence ‘I Will Survive’. ” he answered, ‘I’ve got all my love to give’, so we had a little blast of Gloria Gaynor!

    https://order-order.com/quote/boris-johnson-i-will-survive/?fbclid=IwAR01Wbr2FunsWlkRWabUVRhyvt-yk1Ru4pqL5apNF3Vg_Psqxdr8TjoDJww

    Astonishingly this seems to be true.

    When that enormous gas bill lands on the doormat, this kind of thing isn't just not funny its genuinely galling.
  • Options
    LeonLeon Posts: 48,136
    Why won't Vanilla accept photos in Portrait mode?

    I have one shot of a gold statue in St Petersburg which is quite something, it looks unreal and shopped, but it isn't

    Tsk!
  • Options
    IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    MISTY said:

    IshmaelZ said:

    Guto Harri on his first meeting with Boris since being named Director of Communications:

    “I walked in, I gave him a salute and said ‘Prime Minister, Guto Harri reporting for duty’ and he stood up from behind his desk and started to salute but then said ‘What am I doing, I should take the knee for you.”….

    “I then asked ‘Are you going to survive Boris?’ And he said in his deep voice, slowly and with purpose, whilst singing a little as he finished his sentence ‘I Will Survive’. ” he answered, ‘I’ve got all my love to give’, so we had a little blast of Gloria Gaynor!

    https://order-order.com/quote/boris-johnson-i-will-survive/?fbclid=IwAR01Wbr2FunsWlkRWabUVRhyvt-yk1Ru4pqL5apNF3Vg_Psqxdr8TjoDJww

    Astonishingly this seems to be true.

    When that enormous gas bill lands on the doormat, this kind of thing isn't just not funny its genuinely galling.
    It was an interview with a Welsh language website. Presumably he thought that would limit its circulation. The sort of genius insight one wants in a director of communications.

    Pleasingly the Welsh for prime minister is Prif Weinidog.
  • Options
    TazTaz Posts: 11,658
    Leon said:

    St Petersburg also has an incredible light by day, in midsummer


    Statues in the gardens of the Summer Palace, on the “Grand Cascade”









    Leon said:

    St Petersburg also has an incredible light by day, in midsummer


    Statues in the gardens of the Summer Palace, on the “Grand Cascade”









    Stunning.
  • Options
    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,775
    edited February 2022
    MISTY said:

    IshmaelZ said:

    Guto Harri on his first meeting with Boris since being named Director of Communications:

    “I walked in, I gave him a salute and said ‘Prime Minister, Guto Harri reporting for duty’ and he stood up from behind his desk and started to salute but then said ‘What am I doing, I should take the knee for you.”….

    “I then asked ‘Are you going to survive Boris?’ And he said in his deep voice, slowly and with purpose, whilst singing a little as he finished his sentence ‘I Will Survive’. ” he answered, ‘I’ve got all my love to give’, so we had a little blast of Gloria Gaynor!

    https://order-order.com/quote/boris-johnson-i-will-survive/?fbclid=IwAR01Wbr2FunsWlkRWabUVRhyvt-yk1Ru4pqL5apNF3Vg_Psqxdr8TjoDJww

    Astonishingly this seems to be true.

    When that enormous gas bill lands on the doormat, this kind of thing isn't just not funny its genuinely galling.
    There is nothing wrong with a bit of humour, even in testing times. Who wants to work in a totally joyless work environment. Emergency response staff and medics are historically famous for it as a way of coping.

    The problem is that Boris is a crap leader, who doesn't do his job properly. The fact he makes a funny like that is here nor there. But its the fact he does the funny, then doesn't read all the required info to stay on top of situations.
  • Options
    PensfoldPensfold Posts: 191
    Testing
  • Options
    eekeek Posts: 25,355

    The very fact the Nats think you could fight a referendum on the basis of some sort of court action against a foreign country to (hopefully) secure a state pension if there was a yes vote is only proof there patently isn’t going to be a referendum

    https://twitter.com/ianssmart/status/1490617744701677569?s=20&t=h7sAb9V_C62ZRuucpDGo7Q

    Let's not go there again - can we just agree to disagree with those who believe in magic state pension money trees.
  • Options
    BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 32,237
    eek said:

    Interesting thread on training new generation of plumbers for all the 'Net Zero' work:

    https://twitter.com/jameskirkup/status/1490634706102202370

    It ignores a big elephant in the room - unless your house is very modern and meets the very latest insulation rules, Heatpumps are as much use as a chocolate fireguard in warming a property.
    This is veritable rubbish - it has nothing to do with insulation. Insulation is no more or less important for heat pumps than for any other form of heating. More insulation is always better; less is always worse.

    The challenge for heat pumps is that the usable heat produced is less concentrated - they work best when delivering hot water at <40 degrees C. So you need bigger radiators than for gas or oil boilers, or (ideally) underfloor heating. Either are expensive to fit retrospectively.

    It can be done though - we did it perfectly successfully when we did a comprehensive refurbishment of our current bungalow, which was built in the 1960s.

  • Options
    MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 25,689

    Not happening - Rishi is an Oxford man....

    The electorate seem to be open to the idea:

    Boris Johnson:

    London -33
    Rest of South -28
    Midlands -43
    North -43
    Wales -43
    Scotland -77
    GB -40

    Keir Starmer:

    London +3
    Rest of South -5
    Midlands +11
    North +8
    Wales +18
    Scotland +7
    GB +4

    Rishi Sunak:

    London +16
    Rest of South +45
    Midlands +44
    North +26
    Wales +51
    Scotland +27
    GB +35

    (Deltapoll/Daily Mirror; Sample Size: 1,515; Fieldwork: 25th - 27th January 2022)
    Richy Rich smashes Starmer out of the park.

    Get rid of Bozza, snap election, 150 seat Conservative majority. Simples.
  • Options

    Macron is the best.

    "Far superior in every way to his Anglo-Saxon allies, the French President shows Statesmanship, maturity and common sense"

    So says Timothy Bancroft-Hinchey.

    Of Pravda.

    https://english.pravda.ru/opinion/150165-superior_emmanuel_macron/

    I can see the point you are trying to make, but it seems a bit muddled. Is Pravda not the paper of the Communist party? Not a mouthpiece of the government. The Communist party is now the country’s main opposition and won 19% of the vote in the 2021 GE.

    Pravda presented the state line during the Cold War, but RIA Novosti is the modern mouthpiece. Happy to be corrected.

    On the substantive point, it is unequivocally correct that Macron is far superior in every way to his Anglo-Saxon* allies, and that the French President shows statesmanship, maturity and common sense.

    *Not sure how “Anglo-Saxon” any of them are:

    The Unflushable Turd appears to have Circassian, Turkish, Jewish, Lithuanian, American, Russian and German ancestry, in addition to English (which may or may not be equivalent to “Anglo-Saxon”).

    Biden has English, French and Irish ancestry, and seems much keener on his Irish roots than his “Anglo-Saxon” roots.

    Haven’t checked the other leaders of English-speaking countries, but highly likely calling them “Anglo-Saxon” is just as bogus.
  • Options
    MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 45,121
    edited February 2022
    kinabalu said:

    kinabalu said:

    eek said:

    tlg86 said:

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/feb/07/boycott-jimmy-carr-over-horrid-joke-about-roma-people-says-sajid-javid

    Asked about the comments, Javid told Times Radio they were “horrid”. He added: “I think we all have a right to react to that. And one of the best ways anyone can react to that is show these platforms, what they think about Jimmy Carr by not watching or listening to him, and that will send him a very strong message.”

    So that's two cabinet ministers criticising Jimmy Carr. If they said "personally, I don't find it very funny, but each to their own" then I could understand it. But it's disappointing to hear them saying how other people should behave towards Carr.

    I am still intrigued why 6 weeks after it was releases this has only just become a thing. It was the most watched comedy special on Netflix in 2021, despite only coming out on the 26th Dec.

    Millions watched it, the media will have as its part of their job and nobody commented. Then 6 weeks later it becomes an outrage.
    Because the joke is now being repeated completely out of context. And it's only when out of context that the joke is utterly appalling.
    Of course. Also, find it interesting that the sole focus of the outrage is on the gypsy element, not the Jehovah Witness had it coming part of the routine.

    eek said:

    tlg86 said:

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/feb/07/boycott-jimmy-carr-over-horrid-joke-about-roma-people-says-sajid-javid

    Asked about the comments, Javid told Times Radio they were “horrid”. He added: “I think we all have a right to react to that. And one of the best ways anyone can react to that is show these platforms, what they think about Jimmy Carr by not watching or listening to him, and that will send him a very strong message.”

    So that's two cabinet ministers criticising Jimmy Carr. If they said "personally, I don't find it very funny, but each to their own" then I could understand it. But it's disappointing to hear them saying how other people should behave towards Carr.

    I am still intrigued why 6 weeks after it was releases this has only just become a thing. It was the most watched comedy special on Netflix in 2021, despite only coming out on the 26th Dec.

    Millions watched it, the media will have as its part of their job and nobody commented. Then 6 weeks later it becomes an outrage.
    Because the joke is now being repeated completely out of context. And it's only when out of context that the joke is utterly appalling.
    Of course. Also, find it interesting that the sole focus of the outrage is on the gypsy element, not the Jehovah Witness had it coming part of the routine.
    I once had some good fun - I got some people really rilled up against Seventh Day Adventists. Foaming at the mouth about their ghastly beliefs and practices. One person even suggest they should have children taken away from them....

    Then I showed them a picture of me helping out at a community event that involved the local Seventh Day Adventist church. When they saw who made up the church, they got very, very upset. With me.....
    As indeed they might - you and your little games.
    Well, if you are going to express bigotry concerning religious minorities, don't be shocked if they turn out to be racial minorities as well.

    Assuming that funky brands of Christianity are white-people-only or that there isn't a nasty history of oppression of such groups.......
    That the reactionary wing of Christianity very much isn't whites only certainly isn't news to me.
    Most religions are "reactionary" in the sense of the not being on the politically/socially progressive side.

    If you are up for condemning religions based on them being reactionary, then you will have to be comfortable with saying that religion X, primarily practised by ethnic minority Y, is a crock of shit.

    Personally, I find condemning other peoples religions somewhere between rude and a waste of time.....
  • Options
    eekeek Posts: 25,355
    edited February 2022

    eek said:

    Interesting thread on training new generation of plumbers for all the 'Net Zero' work:

    https://twitter.com/jameskirkup/status/1490634706102202370

    It ignores a big elephant in the room - unless your house is very modern and meets the very latest insulation rules, Heatpumps are as much use as a chocolate fireguard in warming a property.
    This is veritable rubbish - it has nothing to do with insulation. Insulation is no more or less important for heat pumps than for any other form of heating. More insulation is always better; less is always worse.

    The challenge for heat pumps is that the usable heat produced is less concentrated - they work best when delivering hot water at
    Sorry but utter bollox - otherwise why is the Government forcing Landlords to spend £xx,000s improving the insulation on rental properties.

    And what is a refurbishment of a 1960s bungalow but improving a property (as far as possible) to current building regs?

    If you don't improve the insulation you end up spending more money trying to heat up drafts that just result in the heat going outside.
  • Options
    TazTaz Posts: 11,658
    eek said:

    The very fact the Nats think you could fight a referendum on the basis of some sort of court action against a foreign country to (hopefully) secure a state pension if there was a yes vote is only proof there patently isn’t going to be a referendum

    https://twitter.com/ianssmart/status/1490617744701677569?s=20&t=h7sAb9V_C62ZRuucpDGo7Q

    Let's not go there again - can we just agree to disagree with those who believe in magic state pension money trees.
    WASPI women ?
  • Options
    .
    kinabalu said:

    eek said:

    tlg86 said:

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/feb/07/boycott-jimmy-carr-over-horrid-joke-about-roma-people-says-sajid-javid

    Asked about the comments, Javid told Times Radio they were “horrid”. He added: “I think we all have a right to react to that. And one of the best ways anyone can react to that is show these platforms, what they think about Jimmy Carr by not watching or listening to him, and that will send him a very strong message.”

    So that's two cabinet ministers criticising Jimmy Carr. If they said "personally, I don't find it very funny, but each to their own" then I could understand it. But it's disappointing to hear them saying how other people should behave towards Carr.

    I am still intrigued why 6 weeks after it was releases this has only just become a thing. It was the most watched comedy special on Netflix in 2021, despite only coming out on the 26th Dec.

    Millions watched it, the media will have as its part of their job and nobody commented. Then 6 weeks later it becomes an outrage.
    Because the joke is now being repeated completely out of context. And it's only when out of context that the joke is utterly appalling.
    Of course. Also, find it interesting that the sole focus of the outrage is on the gypsy element, not the Jehovah Witness had it coming part of the routine.

    eek said:

    tlg86 said:

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/feb/07/boycott-jimmy-carr-over-horrid-joke-about-roma-people-says-sajid-javid

    Asked about the comments, Javid told Times Radio they were “horrid”. He added: “I think we all have a right to react to that. And one of the best ways anyone can react to that is show these platforms, what they think about Jimmy Carr by not watching or listening to him, and that will send him a very strong message.”

    So that's two cabinet ministers criticising Jimmy Carr. If they said "personally, I don't find it very funny, but each to their own" then I could understand it. But it's disappointing to hear them saying how other people should behave towards Carr.

    I am still intrigued why 6 weeks after it was releases this has only just become a thing. It was the most watched comedy special on Netflix in 2021, despite only coming out on the 26th Dec.

    Millions watched it, the media will have as its part of their job and nobody commented. Then 6 weeks later it becomes an outrage.
    Because the joke is now being repeated completely out of context. And it's only when out of context that the joke is utterly appalling.
    Of course. Also, find it interesting that the sole focus of the outrage is on the gypsy element, not the Jehovah Witness had it coming part of the routine.
    I once had some good fun - I got some people really rilled up against Seventh Day Adventists. Foaming at the mouth about their ghastly beliefs and practices. One person even suggest they should have children taken away from them....

    Then I showed them a picture of me helping out at a community event that involved the local Seventh Day Adventist church. When they saw who made up the church, they got very, very upset. With me.....
    As indeed they might - you and your little games.
    What a scamp he is!
  • Options
    MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 45,121

    Macron is the best.

    "Far superior in every way to his Anglo-Saxon allies, the French President shows Statesmanship, maturity and common sense"

    So says Timothy Bancroft-Hinchey.

    Of Pravda.

    https://english.pravda.ru/opinion/150165-superior_emmanuel_macron/

    I can see the point you are trying to make, but it seems a bit muddled. Is Pravda not the paper of the Communist party? Not a mouthpiece of the government. The Communist party is now the country’s main opposition and won 19% of the vote in the 2021 GE.

    Pravda presented the state line during the Cold War, but RIA Novosti is the modern mouthpiece. Happy to be corrected.

    On the substantive point, it is unequivocally correct that Macron is far superior in every way to his Anglo-Saxon* allies, and that the French President shows statesmanship, maturity and common sense.

    *Not sure how “Anglo-Saxon” any of them are:

    The Unflushable Turd appears to have Circassian, Turkish, Jewish, Lithuanian, American, Russian and German ancestry, in addition to English (which may or may not be equivalent to “Anglo-Saxon”).

    Biden has English, French and Irish ancestry, and seems much keener on his Irish roots than his “Anglo-Saxon” roots.

    Haven’t checked the other leaders of English-speaking countries, but highly likely calling them “Anglo-Saxon” is just as bogus.
    All media in Russia, of any size, is directed by Putin and his cronies. Try and be independent and accidents will happen to you.
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 92,588

    MISTY said:

    IshmaelZ said:

    Guto Harri on his first meeting with Boris since being named Director of Communications:

    “I walked in, I gave him a salute and said ‘Prime Minister, Guto Harri reporting for duty’ and he stood up from behind his desk and started to salute but then said ‘What am I doing, I should take the knee for you.”….

    “I then asked ‘Are you going to survive Boris?’ And he said in his deep voice, slowly and with purpose, whilst singing a little as he finished his sentence ‘I Will Survive’. ” he answered, ‘I’ve got all my love to give’, so we had a little blast of Gloria Gaynor!

    https://order-order.com/quote/boris-johnson-i-will-survive/?fbclid=IwAR01Wbr2FunsWlkRWabUVRhyvt-yk1Ru4pqL5apNF3Vg_Psqxdr8TjoDJww

    Astonishingly this seems to be true.

    When that enormous gas bill lands on the doormat, this kind of thing isn't just not funny its genuinely galling.
    There is nothing wrong with a bit of humour, even in testing times. Who wants to work in a totally joyless work environment. Emergency response staff and medics are historically famous for it as a way of coping.

    The problem is that Boris is a crap leader, who doesn't do his job properly. The fact he makes a funny like that is here nor there. But its the fact he does the funny, then doesn't read all the required info to stay on top of situations.
    Yes, it's one reason some of the 'they were laughing whilst people were dying' criticisms get a bit overwrought, since even people going through personal tragedies in the last few years will have cracked a smile and joked around at some point.

    The main point about those incidents being illustrative of the lack of care by Boris and co is sound and well made, but taken literally some criticisms would suggest any levity was not permitted.
  • Options
    RobDRobD Posts: 59,110
    Taz said:

    eek said:

    The very fact the Nats think you could fight a referendum on the basis of some sort of court action against a foreign country to (hopefully) secure a state pension if there was a yes vote is only proof there patently isn’t going to be a referendum

    https://twitter.com/ianssmart/status/1490617744701677569?s=20&t=h7sAb9V_C62ZRuucpDGo7Q

    Let's not go there again - can we just agree to disagree with those who believe in magic state pension money trees.
    WASPI women ?
    I assume they've finally lost, or are they still fighting for their massive bung?
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 92,588

    Macron is the best.

    "Far superior in every way to his Anglo-Saxon allies, the French President shows Statesmanship, maturity and common sense"

    So says Timothy Bancroft-Hinchey.

    Of Pravda.

    https://english.pravda.ru/opinion/150165-superior_emmanuel_macron/

    I can see the point you are trying to make, but it seems a bit muddled. Is Pravda not the paper of the Communist party? Not a mouthpiece of the government. The Communist party is now the country’s main opposition and won 19% of the vote in the 2021 GE.

    Pravda presented the state line during the Cold War, but RIA Novosti is the modern mouthpiece. Happy to be corrected.

    On the substantive point, it is unequivocally correct that Macron is far superior in every way to his Anglo-Saxon* allies, and that the French President shows statesmanship, maturity and common sense.

    *Not sure how “Anglo-Saxon” any of them are:

    The Unflushable Turd appears to have Circassian, Turkish, Jewish, Lithuanian, American, Russian and German ancestry, in addition to English (which may or may not be equivalent to “Anglo-Saxon”).

    Biden has English, French and Irish ancestry, and seems much keener on his Irish roots than his “Anglo-Saxon” roots.

    Haven’t checked the other leaders of English-speaking countries, but highly likely calling them “Anglo-Saxon” is just as bogus.
    I think there was an article linked recently about the french usage of Anglo Saxon as a descriptor for essentially English speaking predominantly white western countries. I think it was saying usage of term is increasing there, which is odd as to me it was much more an American term ie WASPs.

    I do recall Romney once used the term as Colbert did a gag around not seeing race, but seeing 8th century Germanic tribal associations.
  • Options
    IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    eek said:

    The very fact the Nats think you could fight a referendum on the basis of some sort of court action against a foreign country to (hopefully) secure a state pension if there was a yes vote is only proof there patently isn’t going to be a referendum

    https://twitter.com/ianssmart/status/1490617744701677569?s=20&t=h7sAb9V_C62ZRuucpDGo7Q

    Let's not go there again - can we just agree to disagree with those who believe in magic state pension money trees.
    So, hang on, in the absence of indy, the UK is going to find itself unable to continue to pay pensions to UK pensioners, is it?
  • Options

    Macron is the best.

    "Far superior in every way to his Anglo-Saxon allies, the French President shows Statesmanship, maturity and common sense"

    So says Timothy Bancroft-Hinchey.

    Of Pravda.

    https://english.pravda.ru/opinion/150165-superior_emmanuel_macron/

    I can see the point you are trying to make, but it seems a bit muddled. Is Pravda not the paper of the Communist party? Not a mouthpiece of the government. The Communist party is now the country’s main opposition and won 19% of the vote in the 2021 GE.

    Pravda presented the state line during the Cold War, but RIA Novosti is the modern mouthpiece. Happy to be corrected.

    On the substantive point, it is unequivocally correct that Macron is far superior in every way to his Anglo-Saxon* allies, and that the French President shows statesmanship, maturity and common sense.

    *Not sure how “Anglo-Saxon” any of them are:

    The Unflushable Turd appears to have Circassian, Turkish, Jewish, Lithuanian, American, Russian and German ancestry, in addition to English (which may or may not be equivalent to “Anglo-Saxon”).

    Biden has English, French and Irish ancestry, and seems much keener on his Irish roots than his “Anglo-Saxon” roots.

    Haven’t checked the other leaders of English-speaking countries, but highly likely calling them “Anglo-Saxon” is just as bogus.
    Isn't Nicola a quarter English, so possibly Anglo-Saxon?
  • Options
    RobDRobD Posts: 59,110
    IshmaelZ said:

    eek said:

    The very fact the Nats think you could fight a referendum on the basis of some sort of court action against a foreign country to (hopefully) secure a state pension if there was a yes vote is only proof there patently isn’t going to be a referendum

    https://twitter.com/ianssmart/status/1490617744701677569?s=20&t=h7sAb9V_C62ZRuucpDGo7Q

    Let's not go there again - can we just agree to disagree with those who believe in magic state pension money trees.
    So, hang on, in the absence of indy, the UK is going to find itself unable to continue to pay pensions to UK pensioners, is it?
    The tree is analogous to the pot. Something that can immediately be exploited for money. There is no tree, there is no pot. It's all out of current revenue.
  • Options

    Not happening - Rishi is an Oxford man....

    The electorate seem to be open to the idea:

    Boris Johnson:

    London -33
    Rest of South -28
    Midlands -43
    North -43
    Wales -43
    Scotland -77
    GB -40

    Keir Starmer:

    London +3
    Rest of South -5
    Midlands +11
    North +8
    Wales +18
    Scotland +7
    GB +4

    Rishi Sunak:

    London +16
    Rest of South +45
    Midlands +44
    North +26
    Wales +51
    Scotland +27
    GB +35

    (Deltapoll/Daily Mirror; Sample Size: 1,515; Fieldwork: 25th - 27th January 2022)
    Richy Rich smashes Starmer out of the park.

    Get rid of Bozza, snap election, 150 seat Conservative majority. Simples.
    If he can get it over and done with before the NI rise and fuel cap rise hit. So about two months? Just about time for a quick coup and snap election?

    Tick tock.
  • Options
    From just over a decade ago, my (then) thoughts on best Roman emperors:

    http://thaddeusthesixth.blogspot.com/2011/05/best-roman-emperors.html
  • Options
    NigelbNigelb Posts: 63,539
    IshmaelZ said:

    Guto Harri on his first meeting with Boris since being named Director of Communications:

    “I walked in, I gave him a salute and said ‘Prime Minister, Guto Harri reporting for duty’ and he stood up from behind his desk and started to salute but then said ‘What am I doing, I should take the knee for you.”….

    “I then asked ‘Are you going to survive Boris?’ And he said in his deep voice, slowly and with purpose, whilst singing a little as he finished his sentence ‘I Will Survive’. ” he answered, ‘I’ve got all my love to give’, so we had a little blast of Gloria Gaynor!

    https://order-order.com/quote/boris-johnson-i-will-survive/?fbclid=IwAR01Wbr2FunsWlkRWabUVRhyvt-yk1Ru4pqL5apNF3Vg_Psqxdr8TjoDJww

    Astonishingly this seems to be true.

    Boris has a sharp sense of irony in appointing a Huawei lobbyist as Director of Communications.

    Or is just an idiot.
  • Options
    TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 41,673
    What was the context of the Jimmy Carr joke (ie what made it funny whereas everyone is saying it is not funny).
  • Options
    LeonLeon Posts: 48,136
    One last photo, then the gym


    The Winter Palace, St Petersburg, at about 1am, during the White Nights

    If you ever get a chance to experience The White Nights, take it



  • Options

    Macron is the best.

    "Far superior in every way to his Anglo-Saxon allies, the French President shows Statesmanship, maturity and common sense"

    So says Timothy Bancroft-Hinchey.

    Of Pravda.

    https://english.pravda.ru/opinion/150165-superior_emmanuel_macron/

    I can see the point you are trying to make, but it seems a bit muddled. Is Pravda not the paper of the Communist party? Not a mouthpiece of the government. The Communist party is now the country’s main opposition and won 19% of the vote in the 2021 GE.

    Pravda presented the state line during the Cold War, but RIA Novosti is the modern mouthpiece. Happy to be corrected.

    On the substantive point, it is unequivocally correct that Macron is far superior in every way to his Anglo-Saxon* allies, and that the French President shows statesmanship, maturity and common sense.

    *Not sure how “Anglo-Saxon” any of them are:

    The Unflushable Turd appears to have Circassian, Turkish, Jewish, Lithuanian, American, Russian and German ancestry, in addition to English (which may or may not be equivalent to “Anglo-Saxon”).

    Biden has English, French and Irish ancestry, and seems much keener on his Irish roots than his “Anglo-Saxon” roots.

    Haven’t checked the other leaders of English-speaking countries, but highly likely calling them “Anglo-Saxon” is just as bogus.
    Isn't Nicola a quarter English, so possibly Anglo-Saxon?
    Yes, I believe I saw a Tv clip about that once.

    An awful lot of Scots will have “Anglo-Saxon” ancestors (in reality the term North Germanic might be more useful and accurate). Not solely because of English relatives, but because of the vast migrations of peoples over the North Sea, in both directions.
  • Options
    SandpitSandpit Posts: 50,236
    .
    TOPPING said:

    What was the context of the Jimmy Carr joke (ie what made it funny whereas everyone is saying it is not funny).

    The whole ‘bit’ is a few minutes long, where he talks about the framing of jokes, saying unexpected things to get a reaction, and seeing how bad he can make jokes before the audience swap laughs for oohs.

    Out of context, it’s something about Jews, Gypsies and Nazis, rather than about wordplay and pushing the audience.
  • Options
    IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    RobD said:

    IshmaelZ said:

    eek said:

    The very fact the Nats think you could fight a referendum on the basis of some sort of court action against a foreign country to (hopefully) secure a state pension if there was a yes vote is only proof there patently isn’t going to be a referendum

    https://twitter.com/ianssmart/status/1490617744701677569?s=20&t=h7sAb9V_C62ZRuucpDGo7Q

    Let's not go there again - can we just agree to disagree with those who believe in magic state pension money trees.
    So, hang on, in the absence of indy, the UK is going to find itself unable to continue to pay pensions to UK pensioners, is it?
    The tree is analogous to the pot. Something that can immediately be exploited for money. There is no tree, there is no pot. It's all out of current revenue.
    Oh my god

    If I want to establish a fund to meet a known future liability, I tend to buy gilts from the government. That is, promises from the government to make regular payments to me in the future. This is usually regarded as the safest possible way of investing. So how actually would the government establish a fund? What is more secure than a promise by the government to pay? What makes you think that an institution which turns over 1.1tn a year and is incapable of going bankrupt is not something that can be immediately exploited for money?
  • Options
    EndillionEndillion Posts: 4,976
    edited February 2022
    RobD said:

    IshmaelZ said:

    eek said:

    The very fact the Nats think you could fight a referendum on the basis of some sort of court action against a foreign country to (hopefully) secure a state pension if there was a yes vote is only proof there patently isn’t going to be a referendum

    https://twitter.com/ianssmart/status/1490617744701677569?s=20&t=h7sAb9V_C62ZRuucpDGo7Q

    Let's not go there again - can we just agree to disagree with those who believe in magic state pension money trees.
    So, hang on, in the absence of indy, the UK is going to find itself unable to continue to pay pensions to UK pensioners, is it?
    The tree is analogous to the pot. Something that can immediately be exploited for money. There is no tree, there is no pot. It's all out of current revenue.
    This is really very simple:

    - The way pensions should work, is that today's workers pay for their own future pensions, and today's pensioners are paid out of their own (past) contributions
    - But it doesn't. Today's workers pay for today's pensioners, and today's workers are reliant on future workers for their own pensions
    - The reason why the UK/EWNI Govt would not pay for Scottish pensioners in the event of independence, is that there would then be a mismatch in terms of contributions: essentially, we would be paying Scottish pensioners based on the system that should be in place, and all others based on the system that actually is.
    - Similarly, the Scottish Government would be basing contributions for Scottish pensioners based on the system that should be in place, while ignoring the fact that they have benefited in the past (via lower taxation etc) from the system that actually is.

    In short, Scotland wants to have its cake and eat it. It's a total non-starter.
  • Options
    IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,702

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Do you want a head of government who did not go to Oxford University?

    They should run that question past a thousand Scots.

    Scots already have had a PM educated at Edinburgh University, Gordon Brown, more recently than there has been a PM educated at Cambridge
    So we get one every hundred years. How fair.

    Would you fancy being part of a political union where you never get to pick the government?
    Given the average time in office for each UK PM is about 5 years and Scotland is less than 10% of the UK population, that is about right.

    You also get your own Parliament now too where Sturgeon gets to be FM of Scotland
    I am sure there are Scots that don't like to be reminded that Tony Blair was born in Scotland of a Scottish family, but I guess to the more prejudiced (meaning most Scottish Nationalists) he didn't sound Scottish enough or wear his tartan on his sleeve. Then there is also that very English sounding name Cameron who was PM fairly recently, plus the many many Scots who were leading members of the last Labour government. No doubt none of these people were "Scottish enough" and are probably all race traitors
    Hat-tip please to John Smith, who was one of the best Labour Leaders ever, even if only briefly.
    And as a point of order to the Scottish Nationalist fake news purveyors there have been 47 British PMs and 7 of them Scottish.
    So 14%, when Scotland is only 7% of the UK population.

    Essex has 1.4 million people and has not yet had a single PM born and raised in the county! Priti would be the first if she ever got there. Churchill was MP for Epping but was born at Blenheim Palace and raised in London
    Priti was born and raised in Hertfordshire. AFAIK she didn't come to Essex until she did a post-grad at Essex Uni. Still doesn't live in the County.
    So we are left with Andrew Rosindell then (if you still count Romford as Essex). Philip Hammond was raised in Essex but obviously has now missed his chance
    Or possibly/more likely Wes Streeting, born in the part of Essex later taken over by London.
    Stepney?
  • Options

    Not happening - Rishi is an Oxford man....

    The electorate seem to be open to the idea:

    Boris Johnson:

    London -33
    Rest of South -28
    Midlands -43
    North -43
    Wales -43
    Scotland -77
    GB -40

    Keir Starmer:

    London +3
    Rest of South -5
    Midlands +11
    North +8
    Wales +18
    Scotland +7
    GB +4

    Rishi Sunak:

    London +16
    Rest of South +45
    Midlands +44
    North +26
    Wales +51
    Scotland +27
    GB +35

    (Deltapoll/Daily Mirror; Sample Size: 1,515; Fieldwork: 25th - 27th January 2022)
    Richy Rich smashes Starmer out of the park.

    Get rid of Bozza, snap election, 150 seat Conservative majority. Simples.
    If he can get it over and done with before the NI rise and fuel cap rise hit. So about two months? Just about time for a quick coup and snap election?

    Tick tock.
    I concur. He’s got a two month window. Then he’s buggered.
  • Options
    TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 41,673
    Sandpit said:

    .

    TOPPING said:

    What was the context of the Jimmy Carr joke (ie what made it funny whereas everyone is saying it is not funny).

    The whole ‘bit’ is a few minutes long, where he talks about the framing of jokes, saying unexpected things to get a reaction, and seeing how bad he can make jokes before the audience swap laughs for oohs.

    Out of context, it’s something about Jews, Gypsies and Nazis, rather than about wordplay and pushing the audience.
    Thanks v much.
  • Options
    IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,702
    edited February 2022
    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Do you want a head of government who did not go to Oxford University?

    They should run that question past a thousand Scots.

    Scots already have had a PM educated at Edinburgh University, Gordon Brown, more recently than there has been a PM educated at Cambridge
    So we get one every hundred years. How fair.

    Would you fancy being part of a political union where you never get to pick the government?
    Given the average time in office for each UK PM is about 5 years and Scotland is less than 10% of the UK population, that is about right.

    You also get your own Parliament now too where Sturgeon gets to be FM of Scotland
    I am sure there are Scots that don't like to be reminded that Tony Blair was born in Scotland of a Scottish family, but I guess to the more prejudiced (meaning most Scottish Nationalists) he didn't sound Scottish enough or wear his tartan on his sleeve. Then there is also that very English sounding name Cameron who was PM fairly recently, plus the many many Scots who were leading members of the last Labour government. No doubt none of these people were "Scottish enough" and are probably all race traitors
    Hat-tip please to John Smith, who was one of the best Labour Leaders ever, even if only briefly.
    And as a point of order to the Scottish Nationalist fake news purveyors there have been 47 British PMs and 7 of them Scottish.
    So 14%, when Scotland is only 7% of the UK population.

    Essex has 1.4 million people and has not yet had a single PM born and raised in the county! Priti would be the first if she ever got there. Churchill was MP for Epping but was born at Blenheim Palace and raised in London
    Priti was born and raised in Hertfordshire. AFAIK she didn't come to Essex until she did a post-grad at Essex Uni. Still doesn't live in the County.
    So we are left with Andrew Rosindell then (if you still count Romford as Essex). Philip Hammond was raised in Essex but obviously has now missed his chance
    Your modesty with regard to your ambition is very creditable!
    Although technically even I am not a true Essex boy, I was born and raised in Tunbridge Wells
    And you’re not a true leaver nor a true conservative, having voted for other parties. Is there anything you can lay claim to as genuine? ;)
  • Options
    IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830

    Not happening - Rishi is an Oxford man....

    The electorate seem to be open to the idea:

    Boris Johnson:

    London -33
    Rest of South -28
    Midlands -43
    North -43
    Wales -43
    Scotland -77
    GB -40

    Keir Starmer:

    London +3
    Rest of South -5
    Midlands +11
    North +8
    Wales +18
    Scotland +7
    GB +4

    Rishi Sunak:

    London +16
    Rest of South +45
    Midlands +44
    North +26
    Wales +51
    Scotland +27
    GB +35

    (Deltapoll/Daily Mirror; Sample Size: 1,515; Fieldwork: 25th - 27th January 2022)
    Richy Rich smashes Starmer out of the park.

    Get rid of Bozza, snap election, 150 seat Conservative majority. Simples.
    If he can get it over and done with before the NI rise and fuel cap rise hit. So about two months? Just about time for a quick coup and snap election?

    Tick tock.
    I concur. He’s got a two month window. Then he’s buggered.
    So he needs to start the process TODAY. So get on with it.
  • Options
    eekeek Posts: 25,355
    edited February 2022
    IshmaelZ said:

    RobD said:

    IshmaelZ said:

    eek said:

    The very fact the Nats think you could fight a referendum on the basis of some sort of court action against a foreign country to (hopefully) secure a state pension if there was a yes vote is only proof there patently isn’t going to be a referendum

    https://twitter.com/ianssmart/status/1490617744701677569?s=20&t=h7sAb9V_C62ZRuucpDGo7Q

    Let's not go there again - can we just agree to disagree with those who believe in magic state pension money trees.
    So, hang on, in the absence of indy, the UK is going to find itself unable to continue to pay pensions to UK pensioners, is it?
    The tree is analogous to the pot. Something that can immediately be exploited for money. There is no tree, there is no pot. It's all out of current revenue.
    Oh my god

    If I want to establish a fund to meet a known future liability, I tend to buy gilts from the government. That is, promises from the government to make regular payments to me in the future. This is usually regarded as the safest possible way of investing. So how actually would the government establish a fund? What is more secure than a promise by the government to pay? What makes you think that an institution which turns over 1.1tn a year and is incapable of going bankrupt is not something that can be immediately exploited for money?
    How many rUK voters are going to willing pay the State pension of pensioners in an Independent Scotland after what would be a bitterly fought independence referendum.

    What would the consequences be for any rUK Government that agreed to do so come the next (and subsequent) elections?

    That's why it doesn't work...
  • Options
    kinabalukinabalu Posts: 39,604
    edited February 2022

    kinabalu said:

    kinabalu said:

    eek said:

    tlg86 said:

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/feb/07/boycott-jimmy-carr-over-horrid-joke-about-roma-people-says-sajid-javid

    Asked about the comments, Javid told Times Radio they were “horrid”. He added: “I think we all have a right to react to that. And one of the best ways anyone can react to that is show these platforms, what they think about Jimmy Carr by not watching or listening to him, and that will send him a very strong message.”

    So that's two cabinet ministers criticising Jimmy Carr. If they said "personally, I don't find it very funny, but each to their own" then I could understand it. But it's disappointing to hear them saying how other people should behave towards Carr.

    I am still intrigued why 6 weeks after it was releases this has only just become a thing. It was the most watched comedy special on Netflix in 2021, despite only coming out on the 26th Dec.

    Millions watched it, the media will have as its part of their job and nobody commented. Then 6 weeks later it becomes an outrage.
    Because the joke is now being repeated completely out of context. And it's only when out of context that the joke is utterly appalling.
    Of course. Also, find it interesting that the sole focus of the outrage is on the gypsy element, not the Jehovah Witness had it coming part of the routine.

    eek said:

    tlg86 said:

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/feb/07/boycott-jimmy-carr-over-horrid-joke-about-roma-people-says-sajid-javid

    Asked about the comments, Javid told Times Radio they were “horrid”. He added: “I think we all have a right to react to that. And one of the best ways anyone can react to that is show these platforms, what they think about Jimmy Carr by not watching or listening to him, and that will send him a very strong message.”

    So that's two cabinet ministers criticising Jimmy Carr. If they said "personally, I don't find it very funny, but each to their own" then I could understand it. But it's disappointing to hear them saying how other people should behave towards Carr.

    I am still intrigued why 6 weeks after it was releases this has only just become a thing. It was the most watched comedy special on Netflix in 2021, despite only coming out on the 26th Dec.

    Millions watched it, the media will have as its part of their job and nobody commented. Then 6 weeks later it becomes an outrage.
    Because the joke is now being repeated completely out of context. And it's only when out of context that the joke is utterly appalling.
    Of course. Also, find it interesting that the sole focus of the outrage is on the gypsy element, not the Jehovah Witness had it coming part of the routine.
    I once had some good fun - I got some people really rilled up against Seventh Day Adventists. Foaming at the mouth about their ghastly beliefs and practices. One person even suggest they should have children taken away from them....

    Then I showed them a picture of me helping out at a community event that involved the local Seventh Day Adventist church. When they saw who made up the church, they got very, very upset. With me.....
    As indeed they might - you and your little games.
    Well, if you are going to express bigotry concerning religious minorities, don't be shocked if they turn out to be racial minorities as well.

    Assuming that funky brands of Christianity are white-people-only or that there isn't a nasty history of oppression of such groups.......
    That the reactionary wing of Christianity very much isn't whites only certainly isn't news to me.
    Most religions are "reactionary" in the sense of the not being on the politically/socially progressive side.

    If you are up for condemning religions based on them being reactionary, then you will have to be comfortable with saying that religion X, primarily practised by ethnic minority Y, is a crock of shit.

    Personally, I find condemning other peoples religions somewhere between rude and a waste of time.....
    I split Religion into 2 parts when I think about it or comment on it. The faith in a higher power and the belief system as it applies to life on earth. The faith bit I like. I don't have it but wish I did. I don't find it irrational or to be criticized or mocked in any way. The belief system is also fine by me so long as it's based on equality and tolerance and kindness. If it isn't - and sadly this is sometimes the case - that isn't fine and one shouldn't be shy to say so.
  • Options
    IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    eek said:

    IshmaelZ said:

    RobD said:

    IshmaelZ said:

    eek said:

    The very fact the Nats think you could fight a referendum on the basis of some sort of court action against a foreign country to (hopefully) secure a state pension if there was a yes vote is only proof there patently isn’t going to be a referendum

    https://twitter.com/ianssmart/status/1490617744701677569?s=20&t=h7sAb9V_C62ZRuucpDGo7Q

    Let's not go there again - can we just agree to disagree with those who believe in magic state pension money trees.
    So, hang on, in the absence of indy, the UK is going to find itself unable to continue to pay pensions to UK pensioners, is it?
    The tree is analogous to the pot. Something that can immediately be exploited for money. There is no tree, there is no pot. It's all out of current revenue.
    Oh my god

    If I want to establish a fund to meet a known future liability, I tend to buy gilts from the government. That is, promises from the government to make regular payments to me in the future. This is usually regarded as the safest possible way of investing. So how actually would the government establish a fund? What is more secure than a promise by the government to pay? What makes you think that an institution which turns over 1.1tn a year and is incapable of going bankrupt is not something that can be immediately exploited for money?
    How many rUK voters are going to willing pay the State pension of pensioners in an Independent Scotland after what would be a bitterly fought independence referendum.

    What would the consequences be for any rUK Government that agreed to do so come the next (and subsequent) elections?

    That's why it doesn't work...
    Yes I can quite see in practice that might work but it is as dishonest an argument as the 350m to the NHS one. Which worked just fine.
  • Options
    eek said:

    IshmaelZ said:

    RobD said:

    IshmaelZ said:

    eek said:

    The very fact the Nats think you could fight a referendum on the basis of some sort of court action against a foreign country to (hopefully) secure a state pension if there was a yes vote is only proof there patently isn’t going to be a referendum

    https://twitter.com/ianssmart/status/1490617744701677569?s=20&t=h7sAb9V_C62ZRuucpDGo7Q

    Let's not go there again - can we just agree to disagree with those who believe in magic state pension money trees.
    So, hang on, in the absence of indy, the UK is going to find itself unable to continue to pay pensions to UK pensioners, is it?
    The tree is analogous to the pot. Something that can immediately be exploited for money. There is no tree, there is no pot. It's all out of current revenue.
    Oh my god

    If I want to establish a fund to meet a known future liability, I tend to buy gilts from the government. That is, promises from the government to make regular payments to me in the future. This is usually regarded as the safest possible way of investing. So how actually would the government establish a fund? What is more secure than a promise by the government to pay? What makes you think that an institution which turns over 1.1tn a year and is incapable of going bankrupt is not something that can be immediately exploited for money?
    How many rUK voters are going to willing pay the State pension of pensioners in an Independent Scotland after what would be a bitterly fought independence referendum.

    What would the consequences be for any rUK Government that agreed to do so come the next (and subsequent) elections?

    That's why it doesn't work...
    How is the construction of the concrete bunkers for the storage of 200+ nuclear warheads near Falmouth going? Oh! You haven’t started yet?! Dearie dearie me.
  • Options
    OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 32,234
    IanB2 said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Do you want a head of government who did not go to Oxford University?

    They should run that question past a thousand Scots.

    Scots already have had a PM educated at Edinburgh University, Gordon Brown, more recently than there has been a PM educated at Cambridge
    So we get one every hundred years. How fair.

    Would you fancy being part of a political union where you never get to pick the government?
    Given the average time in office for each UK PM is about 5 years and Scotland is less than 10% of the UK population, that is about right.

    You also get your own Parliament now too where Sturgeon gets to be FM of Scotland
    I am sure there are Scots that don't like to be reminded that Tony Blair was born in Scotland of a Scottish family, but I guess to the more prejudiced (meaning most Scottish Nationalists) he didn't sound Scottish enough or wear his tartan on his sleeve. Then there is also that very English sounding name Cameron who was PM fairly recently, plus the many many Scots who were leading members of the last Labour government. No doubt none of these people were "Scottish enough" and are probably all race traitors
    Hat-tip please to John Smith, who was one of the best Labour Leaders ever, even if only briefly.
    And as a point of order to the Scottish Nationalist fake news purveyors there have been 47 British PMs and 7 of them Scottish.
    So 14%, when Scotland is only 7% of the UK population.

    Essex has 1.4 million people and has not yet had a single PM born and raised in the county! Priti would be the first if she ever got there. Churchill was MP for Epping but was born at Blenheim Palace and raised in London
    Priti was born and raised in Hertfordshire. AFAIK she didn't come to Essex until she did a post-grad at Essex Uni. Still doesn't live in the County.
    So we are left with Andrew Rosindell then (if you still count Romford as Essex). Philip Hammond was raised in Essex but obviously has now missed his chance
    Or possibly/more likely Wes Streeting, born in the part of Essex later taken over by London.
    Stepney?
    To the East of the City, hence, at one time Essex. But, I grant you, effectively part of London for a long time. Stepney born lads, count though, as potential Essex cricketers. Although where one find a green space big enough for cricket there now....

    Incidentally, one of the odder bus conversations I've overheard concerned two young women, one of who had not long before given birth to a boy and was, apparently, considering calling the little chap 'Stepney'.
  • Options
    williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 48,506
    kinabalu said:

    kinabalu said:

    kinabalu said:

    eek said:

    tlg86 said:

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/feb/07/boycott-jimmy-carr-over-horrid-joke-about-roma-people-says-sajid-javid

    Asked about the comments, Javid told Times Radio they were “horrid”. He added: “I think we all have a right to react to that. And one of the best ways anyone can react to that is show these platforms, what they think about Jimmy Carr by not watching or listening to him, and that will send him a very strong message.”

    So that's two cabinet ministers criticising Jimmy Carr. If they said "personally, I don't find it very funny, but each to their own" then I could understand it. But it's disappointing to hear them saying how other people should behave towards Carr.

    I am still intrigued why 6 weeks after it was releases this has only just become a thing. It was the most watched comedy special on Netflix in 2021, despite only coming out on the 26th Dec.

    Millions watched it, the media will have as its part of their job and nobody commented. Then 6 weeks later it becomes an outrage.
    Because the joke is now being repeated completely out of context. And it's only when out of context that the joke is utterly appalling.
    Of course. Also, find it interesting that the sole focus of the outrage is on the gypsy element, not the Jehovah Witness had it coming part of the routine.

    eek said:

    tlg86 said:

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/feb/07/boycott-jimmy-carr-over-horrid-joke-about-roma-people-says-sajid-javid

    Asked about the comments, Javid told Times Radio they were “horrid”. He added: “I think we all have a right to react to that. And one of the best ways anyone can react to that is show these platforms, what they think about Jimmy Carr by not watching or listening to him, and that will send him a very strong message.”

    So that's two cabinet ministers criticising Jimmy Carr. If they said "personally, I don't find it very funny, but each to their own" then I could understand it. But it's disappointing to hear them saying how other people should behave towards Carr.

    I am still intrigued why 6 weeks after it was releases this has only just become a thing. It was the most watched comedy special on Netflix in 2021, despite only coming out on the 26th Dec.

    Millions watched it, the media will have as its part of their job and nobody commented. Then 6 weeks later it becomes an outrage.
    Because the joke is now being repeated completely out of context. And it's only when out of context that the joke is utterly appalling.
    Of course. Also, find it interesting that the sole focus of the outrage is on the gypsy element, not the Jehovah Witness had it coming part of the routine.
    I once had some good fun - I got some people really rilled up against Seventh Day Adventists. Foaming at the mouth about their ghastly beliefs and practices. One person even suggest they should have children taken away from them....

    Then I showed them a picture of me helping out at a community event that involved the local Seventh Day Adventist church. When they saw who made up the church, they got very, very upset. With me.....
    As indeed they might - you and your little games.
    Well, if you are going to express bigotry concerning religious minorities, don't be shocked if they turn out to be racial minorities as well.

    Assuming that funky brands of Christianity are white-people-only or that there isn't a nasty history of oppression of such groups.......
    That the reactionary wing of Christianity very much isn't whites only certainly isn't news to me.
    Most religions are "reactionary" in the sense of the not being on the politically/socially progressive side.

    If you are up for condemning religions based on them being reactionary, then you will have to be comfortable with saying that religion X, primarily practised by ethnic minority Y, is a crock of shit.

    Personally, I find condemning other peoples religions somewhere between rude and a waste of time.....
    I split Religion into 2 parts when I think about it or comment on it. The faith in a higher power and the belief system as it applies to life on earth. The faith bit I like. I don't have it but wish I did. I don't find it irrational or to be criticized or mocked in any way. The belief system is also fine by me so long as it's based on equality and tolerance and kindness. If it isn't - and sadly this is sometimes the case - that isn't fine and one shouldn't be shy to say so.
    "The belief system is fine, as long as it coincides with my own belief system."
  • Options
    IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    Carrie Johnson's good friend leaves Boris Johnson's top team as shake-up continues, Number 10 confirms
    Henry Newman was a senior adviser to the prime minister and is a close friend of Carrie Johnson's, who has been accused of influencing government appointments and policy.

    https://news.sky.com/story/amp/carrie-johnsons-good-friend-leaves-boris-johnsons-top-team-as-shake-up-continues-number-10-confirms-12535379

  • Options
    AslanAslan Posts: 1,673
    A great article on the moral cowardice and venality of Germany:

    https://www.eurointelligence.com/column/the-two-germanies
  • Options
    RobDRobD Posts: 59,110
    IshmaelZ said:

    RobD said:

    IshmaelZ said:

    eek said:

    The very fact the Nats think you could fight a referendum on the basis of some sort of court action against a foreign country to (hopefully) secure a state pension if there was a yes vote is only proof there patently isn’t going to be a referendum

    https://twitter.com/ianssmart/status/1490617744701677569?s=20&t=h7sAb9V_C62ZRuucpDGo7Q

    Let's not go there again - can we just agree to disagree with those who believe in magic state pension money trees.
    So, hang on, in the absence of indy, the UK is going to find itself unable to continue to pay pensions to UK pensioners, is it?
    The tree is analogous to the pot. Something that can immediately be exploited for money. There is no tree, there is no pot. It's all out of current revenue.
    Oh my god

    If I want to establish a fund to meet a known future liability, I tend to buy gilts from the government. That is, promises from the government to make regular payments to me in the future. This is usually regarded as the safest possible way of investing. So how actually would the government establish a fund? What is more secure than a promise by the government to pay? What makes you think that an institution which turns over 1.1tn a year and is incapable of going bankrupt is not something that can be immediately exploited for money?
    No one is doubting the ability to pay. Like it or not, current contributions to not guarantee a payment in later years. The state pension could be cancelled tomorrow.
  • Options
    IshmaelZ said:

    Not happening - Rishi is an Oxford man....

    The electorate seem to be open to the idea:

    Boris Johnson:

    London -33
    Rest of South -28
    Midlands -43
    North -43
    Wales -43
    Scotland -77
    GB -40

    Keir Starmer:

    London +3
    Rest of South -5
    Midlands +11
    North +8
    Wales +18
    Scotland +7
    GB +4

    Rishi Sunak:

    London +16
    Rest of South +45
    Midlands +44
    North +26
    Wales +51
    Scotland +27
    GB +35

    (Deltapoll/Daily Mirror; Sample Size: 1,515; Fieldwork: 25th - 27th January 2022)
    Richy Rich smashes Starmer out of the park.

    Get rid of Bozza, snap election, 150 seat Conservative majority. Simples.
    If he can get it over and done with before the NI rise and fuel cap rise hit. So about two months? Just about time for a quick coup and snap election?

    Tick tock.
    I concur. He’s got a two month window. Then he’s buggered.
    So he needs to start the process TODAY. So get on with it.
    He appears to lack the necessary sang-froid.
  • Options
    eekeek Posts: 25,355

    eek said:

    IshmaelZ said:

    RobD said:

    IshmaelZ said:

    eek said:

    The very fact the Nats think you could fight a referendum on the basis of some sort of court action against a foreign country to (hopefully) secure a state pension if there was a yes vote is only proof there patently isn’t going to be a referendum

    https://twitter.com/ianssmart/status/1490617744701677569?s=20&t=h7sAb9V_C62ZRuucpDGo7Q

    Let's not go there again - can we just agree to disagree with those who believe in magic state pension money trees.
    So, hang on, in the absence of indy, the UK is going to find itself unable to continue to pay pensions to UK pensioners, is it?
    The tree is analogous to the pot. Something that can immediately be exploited for money. There is no tree, there is no pot. It's all out of current revenue.
    Oh my god

    If I want to establish a fund to meet a known future liability, I tend to buy gilts from the government. That is, promises from the government to make regular payments to me in the future. This is usually regarded as the safest possible way of investing. So how actually would the government establish a fund? What is more secure than a promise by the government to pay? What makes you think that an institution which turns over 1.1tn a year and is incapable of going bankrupt is not something that can be immediately exploited for money?
    How many rUK voters are going to willing pay the State pension of pensioners in an Independent Scotland after what would be a bitterly fought independence referendum.

    What would the consequences be for any rUK Government that agreed to do so come the next (and subsequent) elections?

    That's why it doesn't work...
    How is the construction of the concrete bunkers for the storage of 200+ nuclear warheads near Falmouth going? Oh! You haven’t started yet?! Dearie dearie me.
    That's not an issue until Scotland gets a referendum. My point is that what Scotland wants is politic suicide where any rUK government to even vaguely suggest it.

    And the standard attack on the forthcoming NI changes is where did that £350m a week go to?
  • Options
    AslanAslan Posts: 1,673
    IshmaelZ said:

    eek said:

    IshmaelZ said:

    RobD said:

    IshmaelZ said:

    eek said:

    The very fact the Nats think you could fight a referendum on the basis of some sort of court action against a foreign country to (hopefully) secure a state pension if there was a yes vote is only proof there patently isn’t going to be a referendum

    https://twitter.com/ianssmart/status/1490617744701677569?s=20&t=h7sAb9V_C62ZRuucpDGo7Q

    Let's not go there again - can we just agree to disagree with those who believe in magic state pension money trees.
    So, hang on, in the absence of indy, the UK is going to find itself unable to continue to pay pensions to UK pensioners, is it?
    The tree is analogous to the pot. Something that can immediately be exploited for money. There is no tree, there is no pot. It's all out of current revenue.
    Oh my god

    If I want to establish a fund to meet a known future liability, I tend to buy gilts from the government. That is, promises from the government to make regular payments to me in the future. This is usually regarded as the safest possible way of investing. So how actually would the government establish a fund? What is more secure than a promise by the government to pay? What makes you think that an institution which turns over 1.1tn a year and is incapable of going bankrupt is not something that can be immediately exploited for money?
    How many rUK voters are going to willing pay the State pension of pensioners in an Independent Scotland after what would be a bitterly fought independence referendum.

    What would the consequences be for any rUK Government that agreed to do so come the next (and subsequent) elections?

    That's why it doesn't work...
    Yes I can quite see in practice that might work but it is as dishonest an argument as the 350m to the NHS one. Which worked just fine.
    That is ridiculous because this SNP lie would depend on convincing Scots that the English will hand over dubious money to them at the same time as trying to convince them the English are awful people you have to leave.
  • Options
    IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    RobD said:

    IshmaelZ said:

    RobD said:

    IshmaelZ said:

    eek said:

    The very fact the Nats think you could fight a referendum on the basis of some sort of court action against a foreign country to (hopefully) secure a state pension if there was a yes vote is only proof there patently isn’t going to be a referendum

    https://twitter.com/ianssmart/status/1490617744701677569?s=20&t=h7sAb9V_C62ZRuucpDGo7Q

    Let's not go there again - can we just agree to disagree with those who believe in magic state pension money trees.
    So, hang on, in the absence of indy, the UK is going to find itself unable to continue to pay pensions to UK pensioners, is it?
    The tree is analogous to the pot. Something that can immediately be exploited for money. There is no tree, there is no pot. It's all out of current revenue.
    Oh my god

    If I want to establish a fund to meet a known future liability, I tend to buy gilts from the government. That is, promises from the government to make regular payments to me in the future. This is usually regarded as the safest possible way of investing. So how actually would the government establish a fund? What is more secure than a promise by the government to pay? What makes you think that an institution which turns over 1.1tn a year and is incapable of going bankrupt is not something that can be immediately exploited for money?
    No one is doubting the ability to pay. Like it or not, current contributions to not guarantee a payment in later years. The state pension could be cancelled tomorrow.
    It really couldn't.
  • Options
    Aslan said:

    A great article on the moral cowardice and venality of Germany:

    https://www.eurointelligence.com/column/the-two-germanies

    Imagine the fuss around here if a poster linked to a great article on the moral cowardice and venality of England.
  • Options
    Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 27,581
    "Top Oxford professor Sir John Bell claims Macron and Merkel's trashing of AstraZeneca jab 'probably killed hundreds of thousands of people'

    Mr Macron initially trashed AstraZeneca jab as 'quasi-ineffective' for old people
    German chancellor Angela Merkel echoed doubts by German experts on safety
    In a new programme about the jab, Sir John said they had blood on their hands
    BBC Two's AstraZeneca: A Vaccine For the World?, will air tonight at 9pm"

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10459105/EU-leaders-decision-trash-AstraZeneca-jab-killed-hundreds-thousands-people.html
  • Options
    LeonLeon Posts: 48,136
    kinabalu said:

    kinabalu said:

    kinabalu said:

    eek said:

    tlg86 said:

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/feb/07/boycott-jimmy-carr-over-horrid-joke-about-roma-people-says-sajid-javid

    Asked about the comments, Javid told Times Radio they were “horrid”. He added: “I think we all have a right to react to that. And one of the best ways anyone can react to that is show these platforms, what they think about Jimmy Carr by not watching or listening to him, and that will send him a very strong message.”

    So that's two cabinet ministers criticising Jimmy Carr. If they said "personally, I don't find it very funny, but each to their own" then I could understand it. But it's disappointing to hear them saying how other people should behave towards Carr.

    I am still intrigued why 6 weeks after it was releases this has only just become a thing. It was the most watched comedy special on Netflix in 2021, despite only coming out on the 26th Dec.

    Millions watched it, the media will have as its part of their job and nobody commented. Then 6 weeks later it becomes an outrage.
    Because the joke is now being repeated completely out of context. And it's only when out of context that the joke is utterly appalling.
    Of course. Also, find it interesting that the sole focus of the outrage is on the gypsy element, not the Jehovah Witness had it coming part of the routine.

    eek said:

    tlg86 said:

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/feb/07/boycott-jimmy-carr-over-horrid-joke-about-roma-people-says-sajid-javid

    Asked about the comments, Javid told Times Radio they were “horrid”. He added: “I think we all have a right to react to that. And one of the best ways anyone can react to that is show these platforms, what they think about Jimmy Carr by not watching or listening to him, and that will send him a very strong message.”

    So that's two cabinet ministers criticising Jimmy Carr. If they said "personally, I don't find it very funny, but each to their own" then I could understand it. But it's disappointing to hear them saying how other people should behave towards Carr.

    I am still intrigued why 6 weeks after it was releases this has only just become a thing. It was the most watched comedy special on Netflix in 2021, despite only coming out on the 26th Dec.

    Millions watched it, the media will have as its part of their job and nobody commented. Then 6 weeks later it becomes an outrage.
    Because the joke is now being repeated completely out of context. And it's only when out of context that the joke is utterly appalling.
    Of course. Also, find it interesting that the sole focus of the outrage is on the gypsy element, not the Jehovah Witness had it coming part of the routine.
    I once had some good fun - I got some people really rilled up against Seventh Day Adventists. Foaming at the mouth about their ghastly beliefs and practices. One person even suggest they should have children taken away from them....

    Then I showed them a picture of me helping out at a community event that involved the local Seventh Day Adventist church. When they saw who made up the church, they got very, very upset. With me.....
    As indeed they might - you and your little games.
    Well, if you are going to express bigotry concerning religious minorities, don't be shocked if they turn out to be racial minorities as well.

    Assuming that funky brands of Christianity are white-people-only or that there isn't a nasty history of oppression of such groups.......
    That the reactionary wing of Christianity very much isn't whites only certainly isn't news to me.
    Most religions are "reactionary" in the sense of the not being on the politically/socially progressive side.

    If you are up for condemning religions based on them being reactionary, then you will have to be comfortable with saying that religion X, primarily practised by ethnic minority Y, is a crock of shit.

    Personally, I find condemning other peoples religions somewhere between rude and a waste of time.....
    I split Religion into 2 parts when I think about it or comment on it. The faith in a higher power and the belief system as it applies to life on earth. The faith bit I like. I don't have it but wish I did. I don't find it irrational or to be criticized or mocked in any way. The belief system is also fine by me so long as it's based on equality and tolerance and kindness. If it isn't - and sadly this is sometimes the case - that isn't fine and one shouldn't be shy to say so.
    You DO have faith in a higher power, you just don't realise. For you it is scientific materialism. The "established science" that has gone from saying the world is flat, to the world is round, to the world is the centre of everything, no it isn't the sun is, no it isn't the galaxy is all there is, no it isn't - errr - and from there to saying Newtonian Physics is the complete answer to No Newtownian Physics is nonsense Einstein is the answer and it is all relative and space time are a continuum No Wait things can be dead and alive at the same time and light is both wave and particle and errrrr the universe is mainly made up of dark matter we do not see and cannot understand NO WAIT there isn't just one universe there are MULTIPLE UNIVERSES AND MAYBE AN INFINITE NUMBER GOD KNOWS HOW MANY and also the virus came from an animal in a market and anyone that says otherwise should be CANCELLED oh wait OK Trump has gone so the virus, in fact, came from a lab

  • Options
    SelebianSelebian Posts: 7,655

    IanB2 said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Do you want a head of government who did not go to Oxford University?

    They should run that question past a thousand Scots.

    Scots already have had a PM educated at Edinburgh University, Gordon Brown, more recently than there has been a PM educated at Cambridge
    So we get one every hundred years. How fair.

    Would you fancy being part of a political union where you never get to pick the government?
    Given the average time in office for each UK PM is about 5 years and Scotland is less than 10% of the UK population, that is about right.

    You also get your own Parliament now too where Sturgeon gets to be FM of Scotland
    I am sure there are Scots that don't like to be reminded that Tony Blair was born in Scotland of a Scottish family, but I guess to the more prejudiced (meaning most Scottish Nationalists) he didn't sound Scottish enough or wear his tartan on his sleeve. Then there is also that very English sounding name Cameron who was PM fairly recently, plus the many many Scots who were leading members of the last Labour government. No doubt none of these people were "Scottish enough" and are probably all race traitors
    Hat-tip please to John Smith, who was one of the best Labour Leaders ever, even if only briefly.
    And as a point of order to the Scottish Nationalist fake news purveyors there have been 47 British PMs and 7 of them Scottish.
    So 14%, when Scotland is only 7% of the UK population.

    Essex has 1.4 million people and has not yet had a single PM born and raised in the county! Priti would be the first if she ever got there. Churchill was MP for Epping but was born at Blenheim Palace and raised in London
    Priti was born and raised in Hertfordshire. AFAIK she didn't come to Essex until she did a post-grad at Essex Uni. Still doesn't live in the County.
    So we are left with Andrew Rosindell then (if you still count Romford as Essex). Philip Hammond was raised in Essex but obviously has now missed his chance
    Or possibly/more likely Wes Streeting, born in the part of Essex later taken over by London.
    Stepney?
    To the East of the City, hence, at one time Essex. But, I grant you, effectively part of London for a long time. Stepney born lads, count though, as potential Essex cricketers. Although where one find a green space big enough for cricket there now....

    Incidentally, one of the odder bus conversations I've overheard concerned two young women, one of who had not long before given birth to a boy and was, apparently, considering calling the little chap 'Stepney'.
    After the engine in Thomas the Tank Engine (and friends)?

    Possible influences... We've got child number three on the way and our eldest keeps suggesting names from TV shows, as those include Paw Patrol* then we're getting offered suggestions such as Chase, Rubble, Marshal etc. His name is also a major character in one of his favourite shows, but that is pure coincidence!

    *If you don't know about Paw Patrol, save yourself some horror by not looking it up :wink:
  • Options
    OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 32,234
    IanB2 said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Do you want a head of government who did not go to Oxford University?

    They should run that question past a thousand Scots.

    Scots already have had a PM educated at Edinburgh University, Gordon Brown, more recently than there has been a PM educated at Cambridge
    So we get one every hundred years. How fair.

    Would you fancy being part of a political union where you never get to pick the government?
    Given the average time in office for each UK PM is about 5 years and Scotland is less than 10% of the UK population, that is about right.

    You also get your own Parliament now too where Sturgeon gets to be FM of Scotland
    I am sure there are Scots that don't like to be reminded that Tony Blair was born in Scotland of a Scottish family, but I guess to the more prejudiced (meaning most Scottish Nationalists) he didn't sound Scottish enough or wear his tartan on his sleeve. Then there is also that very English sounding name Cameron who was PM fairly recently, plus the many many Scots who were leading members of the last Labour government. No doubt none of these people were "Scottish enough" and are probably all race traitors
    Hat-tip please to John Smith, who was one of the best Labour Leaders ever, even if only briefly.
    And as a point of order to the Scottish Nationalist fake news purveyors there have been 47 British PMs and 7 of them Scottish.
    So 14%, when Scotland is only 7% of the UK population.

    Essex has 1.4 million people and has not yet had a single PM born and raised in the county! Priti would be the first if she ever got there. Churchill was MP for Epping but was born at Blenheim Palace and raised in London
    Priti was born and raised in Hertfordshire. AFAIK she didn't come to Essex until she did a post-grad at Essex Uni. Still doesn't live in the County.
    So we are left with Andrew Rosindell then (if you still count Romford as Essex). Philip Hammond was raised in Essex but obviously has now missed his chance
    Your modesty with regard to your ambition is very creditable!
    Although technically even I am not a true Essex boy, I was born and raised in Tunbridge Wells
    And you’re not a true leaver nor a true conservative, having voted for other parties. Is there anything you can lay claim to as genuine? ;)
    There is more joy in heaven etc. So leaving Kent to come to Essex makes, as Buddhists would say, some merit for one.

    Although I can't claim to have been born in Essex; my parents were living here, though, when I was, and I've spent over 90% of my life in the County.
  • Options
    TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 41,673
    Listening to a bit of Jimmy Carr. He is undoubtedly funny (haven't got to "the" bit).

    As he himself notes however it is slightly "interesting" to have some of the minority jokes come from a straight white man.
  • Options
    TresTres Posts: 2,289

    IanB2 said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Do you want a head of government who did not go to Oxford University?

    They should run that question past a thousand Scots.

    Scots already have had a PM educated at Edinburgh University, Gordon Brown, more recently than there has been a PM educated at Cambridge
    So we get one every hundred years. How fair.

    Would you fancy being part of a political union where you never get to pick the government?
    Given the average time in office for each UK PM is about 5 years and Scotland is less than 10% of the UK population, that is about right.

    You also get your own Parliament now too where Sturgeon gets to be FM of Scotland
    I am sure there are Scots that don't like to be reminded that Tony Blair was born in Scotland of a Scottish family, but I guess to the more prejudiced (meaning most Scottish Nationalists) he didn't sound Scottish enough or wear his tartan on his sleeve. Then there is also that very English sounding name Cameron who was PM fairly recently, plus the many many Scots who were leading members of the last Labour government. No doubt none of these people were "Scottish enough" and are probably all race traitors
    Hat-tip please to John Smith, who was one of the best Labour Leaders ever, even if only briefly.
    And as a point of order to the Scottish Nationalist fake news purveyors there have been 47 British PMs and 7 of them Scottish.
    So 14%, when Scotland is only 7% of the UK population.

    Essex has 1.4 million people and has not yet had a single PM born and raised in the county! Priti would be the first if she ever got there. Churchill was MP for Epping but was born at Blenheim Palace and raised in London
    Priti was born and raised in Hertfordshire. AFAIK she didn't come to Essex until she did a post-grad at Essex Uni. Still doesn't live in the County.
    So we are left with Andrew Rosindell then (if you still count Romford as Essex). Philip Hammond was raised in Essex but obviously has now missed his chance
    Or possibly/more likely Wes Streeting, born in the part of Essex later taken over by London.
    Stepney?
    To the East of the City, hence, at one time Essex. But, I grant you, effectively part of London for a long time. Stepney born lads, count though, as potential Essex cricketers. Although where one find a green space big enough for cricket there now....

    Incidentally, one of the odder bus conversations I've overheard concerned two young women, one of who had not long before given birth to a boy and was, apparently, considering calling the little chap 'Stepney'.
    Stepney is west of the Lea so would be Middlesex in cricket county terms?
  • Options
    Andy_JS said:

    "Top Oxford professor Sir John Bell claims Macron and Merkel's trashing of AstraZeneca jab 'probably killed hundreds of thousands of people'

    Mr Macron initially trashed AstraZeneca jab as 'quasi-ineffective' for old people
    German chancellor Angela Merkel echoed doubts by German experts on safety
    In a new programme about the jab, Sir John said they had blood on their hands
    BBC Two's AstraZeneca: A Vaccine For the World?, will air tonight at 9pm"

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10459105/EU-leaders-decision-trash-AstraZeneca-jab-killed-hundreds-thousands-people.html

    Yawn.

    This is why Brexit will never be over. Johnny Foreigner is always sticking their foot out so that John Bull tumbles over it in a clownish manner. Never John Bull’s fault of course…
  • Options
    MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 45,121
    kinabalu said:

    kinabalu said:

    kinabalu said:

    eek said:

    tlg86 said:

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/feb/07/boycott-jimmy-carr-over-horrid-joke-about-roma-people-says-sajid-javid

    Asked about the comments, Javid told Times Radio they were “horrid”. He added: “I think we all have a right to react to that. And one of the best ways anyone can react to that is show these platforms, what they think about Jimmy Carr by not watching or listening to him, and that will send him a very strong message.”

    So that's two cabinet ministers criticising Jimmy Carr. If they said "personally, I don't find it very funny, but each to their own" then I could understand it. But it's disappointing to hear them saying how other people should behave towards Carr.

    I am still intrigued why 6 weeks after it was releases this has only just become a thing. It was the most watched comedy special on Netflix in 2021, despite only coming out on the 26th Dec.

    Millions watched it, the media will have as its part of their job and nobody commented. Then 6 weeks later it becomes an outrage.
    Because the joke is now being repeated completely out of context. And it's only when out of context that the joke is utterly appalling.
    Of course. Also, find it interesting that the sole focus of the outrage is on the gypsy element, not the Jehovah Witness had it coming part of the routine.

    eek said:

    tlg86 said:

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/feb/07/boycott-jimmy-carr-over-horrid-joke-about-roma-people-says-sajid-javid

    Asked about the comments, Javid told Times Radio they were “horrid”. He added: “I think we all have a right to react to that. And one of the best ways anyone can react to that is show these platforms, what they think about Jimmy Carr by not watching or listening to him, and that will send him a very strong message.”

    So that's two cabinet ministers criticising Jimmy Carr. If they said "personally, I don't find it very funny, but each to their own" then I could understand it. But it's disappointing to hear them saying how other people should behave towards Carr.

    I am still intrigued why 6 weeks after it was releases this has only just become a thing. It was the most watched comedy special on Netflix in 2021, despite only coming out on the 26th Dec.

    Millions watched it, the media will have as its part of their job and nobody commented. Then 6 weeks later it becomes an outrage.
    Because the joke is now being repeated completely out of context. And it's only when out of context that the joke is utterly appalling.
    Of course. Also, find it interesting that the sole focus of the outrage is on the gypsy element, not the Jehovah Witness had it coming part of the routine.
    I once had some good fun - I got some people really rilled up against Seventh Day Adventists. Foaming at the mouth about their ghastly beliefs and practices. One person even suggest they should have children taken away from them....

    Then I showed them a picture of me helping out at a community event that involved the local Seventh Day Adventist church. When they saw who made up the church, they got very, very upset. With me.....
    As indeed they might - you and your little games.
    Well, if you are going to express bigotry concerning religious minorities, don't be shocked if they turn out to be racial minorities as well.

    Assuming that funky brands of Christianity are white-people-only or that there isn't a nasty history of oppression of such groups.......
    That the reactionary wing of Christianity very much isn't whites only certainly isn't news to me.
    Most religions are "reactionary" in the sense of the not being on the politically/socially progressive side.

    If you are up for condemning religions based on them being reactionary, then you will have to be comfortable with saying that religion X, primarily practised by ethnic minority Y, is a crock of shit.

    Personally, I find condemning other peoples religions somewhere between rude and a waste of time.....
    I split Religion into 2 parts when I think about it or comment on it. The faith in a higher power and the belief system as it applies to life on earth. The faith bit I like. I don't have it but wish I did. I don't find it irrational or to be criticized or mocked in any way. The belief system is also fine by me so long as it's based on equality and tolerance and kindness. If it isn't - and sadly this is sometimes the case - that isn't fine and one shouldn't be shy to say so.
    "I don't have it but wish I did" - interesting. An atheist who wishes he wasn't?

    "that isn't fine and one shouldn't be shy to say so" - do you really criticise the major interpretation of all the Abrahamic religions (for example) ? Brave, if so.
  • Options
    BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 32,237
    IshmaelZ said:

    Not happening - Rishi is an Oxford man....

    The electorate seem to be open to the idea:

    Boris Johnson:

    London -33
    Rest of South -28
    Midlands -43
    North -43
    Wales -43
    Scotland -77
    GB -40

    Keir Starmer:

    London +3
    Rest of South -5
    Midlands +11
    North +8
    Wales +18
    Scotland +7
    GB +4

    Rishi Sunak:

    London +16
    Rest of South +45
    Midlands +44
    North +26
    Wales +51
    Scotland +27
    GB +35

    (Deltapoll/Daily Mirror; Sample Size: 1,515; Fieldwork: 25th - 27th January 2022)
    Richy Rich smashes Starmer out of the park.

    Get rid of Bozza, snap election, 150 seat Conservative majority. Simples.
    If he can get it over and done with before the NI rise and fuel cap rise hit. So about two months? Just about time for a quick coup and snap election?

    Tick tock.
    I concur. He’s got a two month window. Then he’s buggered.
    So he needs to start the process TODAY. So get on with it.
    No way does that timetable work...

    Say Sunak resigns today, and 54 letters are also reached today.

    Then there's at least a week, probably two, for Johnson to lose the VONC and the top two selected for the Tory members.

    Then 6 weeks for the Tory members vote.

    Then a week for the FTPA vote.

    Then 5 weeks for a GE campaign.

    I make that 13 or 14 weeks as an absolute minimum.

    It's all fiction anyway as Sunak has got as much backbone as... the rest of the Tory parliamentary party.
This discussion has been closed.