Good morning, everyone. I am interested in the debate about taking in refugees. Yesterday I went to a Lent lunch where the guests were a Syrian refugee couple and the lady who sponsored them and provided them and their two sons with a local house. I learned that following David Cameron's much vaunted offer that the UK would take in 20,000 Syrian refugees, 847 have actually been resttled here. Plus, the lady who offered to sponsor and provide a home for a family waited two years before there was any significant action on her offer.
Talking up a great game on accepting refugees while doing as little as possible to take them in seems a long standing factor in British politics. I’ve no doubt if Labour were in power that they would also be tiptoeing gingerly rounded the subject. Given the outpouring of sympathy from the UK public towards Ukrainian refugees (for ‘reasons’) it seems odd that populist BJ and his motley crew haven’t gone for an easy win, but after seeing the ghastly Braverman on QT the other night I conclude that these people are intrinsically anti immigration whatever the context. BJ is after all the historian (lol!) who said the fall of the Roman Empire was caused by uncontrolled immigration.
I think you're probably right. Itd be easy to be more sympathetic on the Ukraine issue without being dragged to it and without changing their general stance, but they seemed terrified of looking 'weak' on the issue and no consideration given to the situation.
I used to think many of them personally were not that bothered by immigration but it was a political imperative for them, but that doesnt seem the case.
I find this lot’s conflation of criticism of their policies on refugees with criticism of ‘the generosity of the great British public’ particularly disgusting.
Well, standard government policy world over - You are criticising our policy? So you are doing down the country?
Prepare for a general election next year, No 10 staff told as inflation bites
Rishi Sunak’s spring statement next week will highlight fault lines within a government already grappling with an energy crisis, the lockdown party scandal and Brexit
When David Canzini, the prime minister’s new deputy chief of staff, addressed advisers on Friday last week he had some surprising news. The Australian strategist, an ally of Sir Lynton Crosby, told those present that they had to begin preparing for the possibility of a general election in the autumn of next year.
While May 2024 remains the most likely date, Canzini said that the “clock is ticking”. The prime minister, he said, was “not out of the woods yet” over the No 10 lockdown parties scandal and Conservative MPs needed to be wooed, especially those who have openly plotted against the prime minister. “They are all God’s children,” he said.
He presented staff with a slide showing the government’s five priorities.
Delivering on the promises of Brexit was at the top of the list. “If you don’t think that’s a priority you shouldn’t be here,” Canzini said. The cost-of-living crisis was second, and the NHS, crime and migrant boats were the others.
“It was a strange list of priorities,” one government aide said. “We’re on the brink of a generational cost-of-living crisis and yet Brexit was top of the list.”
Delivering on the Brexit promises they made absolutely needs to be a priority. Aligned as it is to reducing inequality among the regions and levelling up.
The Brexit campaign made many promises to the regions that leaving the EU would enable these regions to prosper. They need to deliver that.
The idea of Brexit levelling up the regions of the North and the Midlands always was a mirage. It is a turbocharged fantasy on the back of a pandemic and in the midst of an economic crisis.
Throw some short term cash up the M1 by all means. In reality it won't help much in eighteen months, but it might look good on paper through the smoke and mirrors.
How anyone was ever taken in by that one is what amazes me. What were the Northerners thinking of , leopard's do not change their spots. They use samew mince for Scotland every time as well and many fools are taken in time and time again despite the historical evidence that after they have your vote it is back to spending all the money in the south.
The other thing is Malcolm, living here in South Wales, and I daresay Ayrshire and the Central Belt (I've listened to the Proclaimers, "Linwood no more, Methil no more") governments can throw incentives at regions, but as soon as those incentives stop "the Man" moves on to where the next set of incentives can be found.
Levelling up may mean inviting Sony, Bosch, Honda, Panasonic, Peugeot, Ford and the like back to our shores, which may be expedient politically for the next election, but before you know it, they'll be off again.
Just heard a clip on Radio 4 of Obama mocking Mitt Romney for saying Russia was the biggest geopolitical threat “the 1980s and 1990’s called and they want their foreign policies back”….. aged well.
It might have been better had Romney won in 2012, the US having proved it could elect a black President in 2008 and Obama already having delivered his main legislative achievement, Obamacare in 2010. Not only was he right on Putin and had a successful business background to boost the economy, had he won then Trump could not have run for the GOP nomination in 2016 either as Romney would have been President running for re election
He would have made Biden look like a steady hand in comparison.
He would have been mentally active and engaged unlike Biden.
In fact a President Romney could well have been the best President of the 21st century. However too late now
He personally would likely have been good, but the GoP was already going down the toliet by then. Not sure he could have stopped it.
Did I read it correctly that the next GE could be as late as February 25
Extraordinary if true as that is virtually 3 years away
It would have had to be by May 24 under the FTPA, so not sure what the new Bill would do that would extend the life of this parliament to over 5 years - do you have a link?
My granddad used to joke about his heroic service...in 1946, of being on a submarine once. Briefly. Said his parents had very good timing so he was still 17 when the war ended.
I think my other granddad worked on planes in the war, but cannot be sure as my dad hated him so only met him like twice.
When the feeble remain campaign just offered more of the same and the reality of the same is minimum wage jobs in call centres, warehouses and supermarkets they had not got too much to lose.
Prepare for a general election next year, No 10 staff told as inflation bites
Rishi Sunak’s spring statement next week will highlight fault lines within a government already grappling with an energy crisis, the lockdown party scandal and Brexit
When David Canzini, the prime minister’s new deputy chief of staff, addressed advisers on Friday last week he had some surprising news. The Australian strategist, an ally of Sir Lynton Crosby, told those present that they had to begin preparing for the possibility of a general election in the autumn of next year.
While May 2024 remains the most likely date, Canzini said that the “clock is ticking”. The prime minister, he said, was “not out of the woods yet” over the No 10 lockdown parties scandal and Conservative MPs needed to be wooed, especially those who have openly plotted against the prime minister. “They are all God’s children,” he said.
He presented staff with a slide showing the government’s five priorities.
Delivering on the promises of Brexit was at the top of the list. “If you don’t think that’s a priority you shouldn’t be here,” Canzini said. The cost-of-living crisis was second, and the NHS, crime and migrant boats were the others.
“It was a strange list of priorities,” one government aide said. “We’re on the brink of a generational cost-of-living crisis and yet Brexit was top of the list.”
Delivering on the Brexit promises they made absolutely needs to be a priority. Aligned as it is to reducing inequality among the regions and levelling up.
The Brexit campaign made many promises to the regions that leaving the EU would enable these regions to prosper. They need to deliver that.
The idea of Brexit levelling up the regions of the North and the Midlands always was a mirage. It is a turbocharged fantasy on the back of a pandemic and in the midst of an economic crisis.
Throw some short term cash up the M1 by all means. In reality it won't help much in eighteen months, but it might look good on paper through the smoke and mirrors.
How anyone was ever taken in by that one is what amazes me. What were the Northerners thinking of , leopard's do not change their spots. They use samew mince for Scotland every time as well and many fools are taken in time and time again despite the historical evidence that after they have your vote it is back to spending all the money in the south.
The other thing is Malcolm, living here in South Wales, and I daresay Ayrshire and the Central Belt (I've listened to the Proclaimers, "Linwood no more, Methil no more") governments can throw incentives at regions, but as soon as those incentives stop "the Man" moves on to where the next set of incentives can be found.
Levelling up may mean inviting Sony, Bosch, Honda, Panasonic, Peugeot, Ford and the like back to our shores, which may be expedient politically for the next election, but before you know it, they'll be off again.
Very true, yet other countries can manage it. Money better spent helping small local business where most people are actually employed.
Just heard a clip on Radio 4 of Obama mocking Mitt Romney for saying Russia was the biggest geopolitical threat “the 1980s and 1990’s called and they want their foreign policies back”….. aged well.
It might have been better had Romney won in 2012, the US having proved it could elect a black President in 2008 and Obama already having delivered his main legislative achievement, Obamacare in 2010. Not only was he right on Putin and had a successful business background to boost the economy, had he won then Trump could not have run for the GOP nomination in 2016 either as Romney would have been President running for re election
He would have made Biden look like a steady hand in comparison.
He would have been mentally active and engaged unlike Biden.
In fact a President Romney could well have been the best President of the 21st century. However too late now
I see Trumpites still won't forgive him for voting against their beautiful man at both impeachments, and are seeking to primary Romney (if Romney is even intending to stand, which the article suggests he won't)
Gordon Brown and John Major want a Nuremberg style trial for Putin. Not happening given Russia has a permanent veto at the UN Security Council however unless Putin is removed as President
Just heard a clip on Radio 4 of Obama mocking Mitt Romney for saying Russia was the biggest geopolitical threat “the 1980s and 1990’s called and they want their foreign policies back”….. aged well.
It might have been better had Romney won in 2012, the US having proved it could elect a black President in 2008 and Obama already having delivered his main legislative achievement, Obamacare in 2010. Not only was he right on Putin and had a successful business background to boost the economy, had he won then Trump could not have run for the GOP nomination in 2016 either as Romney would have been President running for re election
He would have made Biden look like a steady hand in comparison.
He would have been mentally active and engaged unlike Biden.
In fact a President Romney could well have been the best President of the 21st century. However too late now
I see Trumpites still won't forgive him for voting against their beautiful man at both impeachments, and are seeking to primary Romney (if Romney is even intending to stand, which the article suggests he won't)
Romney will survive in Utah, it is full of Mormons who see him as one of their own. Utah was also the state which saw the biggest swing from Republican to Democrat from 2012 to 2016 and 2020, it is not a state which likes Trump
My granddad used to joke about his heroic service...in 1946, of being on a submarine once. Briefly. Said his parents had very good timing so he was still 17 when the war ended.
I think my other granddad worked on planes in the war, but cannot be sure as my dad hated him so only met him like twice.
I've worked at a coal mine. Yes, I was a miner!
Well... I drove a mini-digger at one of the mines near Stoke in about 1990. For one afternoon. From memory, the safety induction took longer than the work...
Under DACOP, dissolution is on the fifth anniversary of the parliament first meeting, which was Tuesday 17 December 2019.
25 working days from 17 December 2024, allowing for the four Bank Holidays in Scotland, is Monday 27 January 2025 - so, in effect, Thursday 23 January.
So the report you've read seems to assume a longer election campaign than the Electoral Commission.
Did I read it correctly that the next GE could be as late as February 25
Extraordinary if true as that is virtually 3 years away
It will take longer than that for people to forget about his lawbreaking and dishonesty
Hardly the answer to the question and I did not mention Boris
It is, to mine.
What on earth are you going to do if Boris wins 5 more years from 2025
I was with a retired Oncologist and his Historian wife earlier in the week. When I first met them over 30 years ago they were loyal one nation Conservatives. Since Black Wednesday they have been anything but, and now they both have a healthy detestation of Johnson. My Dr friend was fearful that what you suggest may come to pass by an unexpected quirk of history that benefits the unpopular Johnson. I reassured him that if Johnson* survives the economic Armageddon heading our way, even with an unexpected quirk of history, I would eat my socks.
* That is not to say the Conservatives with a new one nation leader "might" or " might not" win the next GE.
Prepare for a general election next year, No 10 staff told as inflation bites
Rishi Sunak’s spring statement next week will highlight fault lines within a government already grappling with an energy crisis, the lockdown party scandal and Brexit
When David Canzini, the prime minister’s new deputy chief of staff, addressed advisers on Friday last week he had some surprising news. The Australian strategist, an ally of Sir Lynton Crosby, told those present that they had to begin preparing for the possibility of a general election in the autumn of next year.
While May 2024 remains the most likely date, Canzini said that the “clock is ticking”. The prime minister, he said, was “not out of the woods yet” over the No 10 lockdown parties scandal and Conservative MPs needed to be wooed, especially those who have openly plotted against the prime minister. “They are all God’s children,” he said.
He presented staff with a slide showing the government’s five priorities.
Delivering on the promises of Brexit was at the top of the list. “If you don’t think that’s a priority you shouldn’t be here,” Canzini said. The cost-of-living crisis was second, and the NHS, crime and migrant boats were the others.
“It was a strange list of priorities,” one government aide said. “We’re on the brink of a generational cost-of-living crisis and yet Brexit was top of the list.”
Delivering on the Brexit promises they made absolutely needs to be a priority. Aligned as it is to reducing inequality among the regions and levelling up.
The Brexit campaign made many promises to the regions that leaving the EU would enable these regions to prosper. They need to deliver that.
The idea of Brexit levelling up the regions of the North and the Midlands always was a mirage. It is a turbocharged fantasy on the back of a pandemic and in the midst of an economic crisis.
Throw some short term cash up the M1 by all means. In reality it won't help much in eighteen months, but it might look good on paper through the smoke and mirrors.
How anyone was ever taken in by that one is what amazes me. What were the Northerners thinking of , leopard's do not change their spots. They use samew mince for Scotland every time as well and many fools are taken in time and time again despite the historical evidence that after they have your vote it is back to spending all the money in the south.
The other thing is Malcolm, living here in South Wales, and I daresay Ayrshire and the Central Belt (I've listened to the Proclaimers, "Linwood no more, Methil no more") governments can throw incentives at regions, but as soon as those incentives stop "the Man" moves on to where the next set of incentives can be found.
Levelling up may mean inviting Sony, Bosch, Honda, Panasonic, Peugeot, Ford and the like back to our shores, which may be expedient politically for the next election, but before you know it, they'll be off again.
Same in the North East. Although Nissan have stayed plenty came for the incentives and left. Prime example being Samsung.
Under DACOP, dissolution is on the fifth anniversary of the parliament first meeting, which was Tuesday 17 December 2019.
25 working days from 17 December 2024, allowing for the four Bank Holidays in Scotland, is Monday 27 January 2025 - so, in effect, Thursday 23 January.
So the report you've read seems to assume a longer election campaign than the Electoral Commission.
My granddad used to joke about his heroic service...in 1946, of being on a submarine once. Briefly. Said his parents had very good timing so he was still 17 when the war ended.
I think my other granddad worked on planes in the war, but cannot be sure as my dad hated him so only met him like twice.
I've worked at a coal mine. Yes, I was a miner!
Well... I drove a mini-digger at one of the mines near Stoke in about 1990. For one afternoon. From memory, the safety induction took longer than the work...
I know a few pretty wealthy people who describe themselves as farmers. I'd say that they own some farms, since they don't get stuck in with any physical or business aspect of running them.
Did I read it correctly that the next GE could be as late as February 25
Extraordinary if true as that is virtually 3 years away
It will take longer than that for people to forget about his lawbreaking and dishonesty
Hardly the answer to the question and I did not mention Boris
It is, to mine.
What on earth are you going to do if Boris wins 5 more years from 2025
I was with a retired Oncologist and his Historian wife earlier in the week. When I first met them over 30 years ago they were loyal one nation Conservatives. Since Black Wednesday they have been anything but, and now they both have a healthy detestation of Johnson. My Dr friend was fearful that what you suggest may come to pass by an unexpected quirk of history that benefits the unpopular Johnson. I reassured him that if Johnson* survives the economic Armageddon heading our way, even with an unexpected quirk of history, I would eat my socks.
* That is not to say the Conservatives with a new one nation leader "might" or " might not" win the next GE.
Prepare for a general election next year, No 10 staff told as inflation bites
Rishi Sunak’s spring statement next week will highlight fault lines within a government already grappling with an energy crisis, the lockdown party scandal and Brexit
When David Canzini, the prime minister’s new deputy chief of staff, addressed advisers on Friday last week he had some surprising news. The Australian strategist, an ally of Sir Lynton Crosby, told those present that they had to begin preparing for the possibility of a general election in the autumn of next year.
While May 2024 remains the most likely date, Canzini said that the “clock is ticking”. The prime minister, he said, was “not out of the woods yet” over the No 10 lockdown parties scandal and Conservative MPs needed to be wooed, especially those who have openly plotted against the prime minister. “They are all God’s children,” he said.
He presented staff with a slide showing the government’s five priorities.
Delivering on the promises of Brexit was at the top of the list. “If you don’t think that’s a priority you shouldn’t be here,” Canzini said. The cost-of-living crisis was second, and the NHS, crime and migrant boats were the others.
“It was a strange list of priorities,” one government aide said. “We’re on the brink of a generational cost-of-living crisis and yet Brexit was top of the list.”
Delivering on the Brexit promises they made absolutely needs to be a priority. Aligned as it is to reducing inequality among the regions and levelling up.
The Brexit campaign made many promises to the regions that leaving the EU would enable these regions to prosper. They need to deliver that.
The idea of Brexit levelling up the regions of the North and the Midlands always was a mirage. It is a turbocharged fantasy on the back of a pandemic and in the midst of an economic crisis.
Throw some short term cash up the M1 by all means. In reality it won't help much in eighteen months, but it might look good on paper through the smoke and mirrors.
How anyone was ever taken in by that one is what amazes me. What were the Northerners thinking of , leopard's do not change their spots. They use samew mince for Scotland every time as well and many fools are taken in time and time again despite the historical evidence that after they have your vote it is back to spending all the money in the south.
The other thing is Malcolm, living here in South Wales, and I daresay Ayrshire and the Central Belt (I've listened to the Proclaimers, "Linwood no more, Methil no more") governments can throw incentives at regions, but as soon as those incentives stop "the Man" moves on to where the next set of incentives can be found.
Levelling up may mean inviting Sony, Bosch, Honda, Panasonic, Peugeot, Ford and the like back to our shores, which may be expedient politically for the next election, but before you know it, they'll be off again.
Very true, yet other countries can manage it. Money better spent helping small local business where most people are actually employed.
Not such a headline grabbing story though. One hundred 10 employee engineering start ups with fairly paid employees doesn't have the same ring to Uber opening a 1000 person call centre on poverty wages does it?
My granddad used to joke about his heroic service...in 1946, of being on a submarine once. Briefly. Said his parents had very good timing so he was still 17 when the war ended.
I think my other granddad worked on planes in the war, but cannot be sure as my dad hated him so only met him like twice.
I've worked at a coal mine. Yes, I was a miner!
Well... I drove a mini-digger at one of the mines near Stoke in about 1990. For one afternoon. From memory, the safety induction took longer than the work...
I know a few pretty wealthy people who describe themselves as farmers. I'd say that they own some farms, since they don't get stuck in with any physical or business aspect of running them.
'Farming' covers a multitude of sins. A relative owns a farm, but does none of the farming: she rents out all the land to neighbouring farmers. Another is a 'farmer' who only farms a little land: his main business is renting machinery and associated services. My sister and her hubby runs a tractor spares / restoration business for farmers and others.
I'd never call the former a farmer; she does none of the work. The other two are in farming, but the latter barely so.
It's like coal mining. We all think of miners as working underground, but AIUI the vast majority of workers were grass workers, on the surface. But they were still miners.
Prepare for a general election next year, No 10 staff told as inflation bites
Rishi Sunak’s spring statement next week will highlight fault lines within a government already grappling with an energy crisis, the lockdown party scandal and Brexit
When David Canzini, the prime minister’s new deputy chief of staff, addressed advisers on Friday last week he had some surprising news. The Australian strategist, an ally of Sir Lynton Crosby, told those present that they had to begin preparing for the possibility of a general election in the autumn of next year.
While May 2024 remains the most likely date, Canzini said that the “clock is ticking”. The prime minister, he said, was “not out of the woods yet” over the No 10 lockdown parties scandal and Conservative MPs needed to be wooed, especially those who have openly plotted against the prime minister. “They are all God’s children,” he said.
He presented staff with a slide showing the government’s five priorities.
Delivering on the promises of Brexit was at the top of the list. “If you don’t think that’s a priority you shouldn’t be here,” Canzini said. The cost-of-living crisis was second, and the NHS, crime and migrant boats were the others.
“It was a strange list of priorities,” one government aide said. “We’re on the brink of a generational cost-of-living crisis and yet Brexit was top of the list.”
Delivering on the Brexit promises they made absolutely needs to be a priority. Aligned as it is to reducing inequality among the regions and levelling up.
The Brexit campaign made many promises to the regions that leaving the EU would enable these regions to prosper. They need to deliver that.
The idea of Brexit levelling up the regions of the North and the Midlands always was a mirage. It is a turbocharged fantasy on the back of a pandemic and in the midst of an economic crisis.
Throw some short term cash up the M1 by all means. In reality it won't help much in eighteen months, but it might look good on paper through the smoke and mirrors.
How anyone was ever taken in by that one is what amazes me. What were the Northerners thinking of , leopard's do not change their spots. They use samew mince for Scotland every time as well and many fools are taken in time and time again despite the historical evidence that after they have your vote it is back to spending all the money in the south.
The other thing is Malcolm, living here in South Wales, and I daresay Ayrshire and the Central Belt (I've listened to the Proclaimers, "Linwood no more, Methil no more") governments can throw incentives at regions, but as soon as those incentives stop "the Man" moves on to where the next set of incentives can be found.
Levelling up may mean inviting Sony, Bosch, Honda, Panasonic, Peugeot, Ford and the like back to our shores, which may be expedient politically for the next election, but before you know it, they'll be off again.
Same in the North East. Although Nissan have stayed plenty came for the incentives and left. Prime example being Samsung.
Reading between the lines Nissan's incentives just kept on rolling in, particularly when they threatened to use spare Renault capacity at, I think, Billancourt.
Prepare for a general election next year, No 10 staff told as inflation bites
Rishi Sunak’s spring statement next week will highlight fault lines within a government already grappling with an energy crisis, the lockdown party scandal and Brexit
When David Canzini, the prime minister’s new deputy chief of staff, addressed advisers on Friday last week he had some surprising news. The Australian strategist, an ally of Sir Lynton Crosby, told those present that they had to begin preparing for the possibility of a general election in the autumn of next year.
While May 2024 remains the most likely date, Canzini said that the “clock is ticking”. The prime minister, he said, was “not out of the woods yet” over the No 10 lockdown parties scandal and Conservative MPs needed to be wooed, especially those who have openly plotted against the prime minister. “They are all God’s children,” he said.
He presented staff with a slide showing the government’s five priorities.
Delivering on the promises of Brexit was at the top of the list. “If you don’t think that’s a priority you shouldn’t be here,” Canzini said. The cost-of-living crisis was second, and the NHS, crime and migrant boats were the others.
“It was a strange list of priorities,” one government aide said. “We’re on the brink of a generational cost-of-living crisis and yet Brexit was top of the list.”
Delivering on the Brexit promises they made absolutely needs to be a priority. Aligned as it is to reducing inequality among the regions and levelling up.
The Brexit campaign made many promises to the regions that leaving the EU would enable these regions to prosper. They need to deliver that.
The idea of Brexit levelling up the regions of the North and the Midlands always was a mirage. It is a turbocharged fantasy on the back of a pandemic and in the midst of an economic crisis.
Throw some short term cash up the M1 by all means. In reality it won't help much in eighteen months, but it might look good on paper through the smoke and mirrors.
How anyone was ever taken in by that one is what amazes me. What were the Northerners thinking of , leopard's do not change their spots. They use samew mince for Scotland every time as well and many fools are taken in time and time again despite the historical evidence that after they have your vote it is back to spending all the money in the south.
The other thing is Malcolm, living here in South Wales, and I daresay Ayrshire and the Central Belt (I've listened to the Proclaimers, "Linwood no more, Methil no more") governments can throw incentives at regions, but as soon as those incentives stop "the Man" moves on to where the next set of incentives can be found.
Levelling up may mean inviting Sony, Bosch, Honda, Panasonic, Peugeot, Ford and the like back to our shores, which may be expedient politically for the next election, but before you know it, they'll be off again.
Same in the North East. Although Nissan have stayed plenty came for the incentives and left. Prime example being Samsung.
Reading between the lines Nissan's incentives just kept on rolling in, particularly when they threatened to use spare Renault capacity at, I think, Billancourt.
I got a lift in a Qashqai last week. I had to have a Silkwood Shower when I got home.
One grandfather was a aircraft pilot in WWI, the other was in a reserved profession (auditor) during WWII and worked nights as a fireman in London during the blitz etc.
Gordon Brown and John Major want a Nuremberg style trial for Putin.
Seems appropriate, after Putin's Nuremberg rally yesterday.
Brown putting himself up for one given he was gung ho on Iraq and the lies of why we blew them back to the stoneage.
From reading The End of the Party, the impression I got of Brown regarding Iraq was pretty ambivalent. Apparently he failed to see how it could be a stick to beat Blair with but only got 'enthusiastic' when Blair promised he would go 'soon' if Brown supported it.
My own recollection at the time (I was 12, an interested 12 year old but 12 nonetheless) was that Iraq was Blair's baby.
Prepare for a general election next year, No 10 staff told as inflation bites
Rishi Sunak’s spring statement next week will highlight fault lines within a government already grappling with an energy crisis, the lockdown party scandal and Brexit
When David Canzini, the prime minister’s new deputy chief of staff, addressed advisers on Friday last week he had some surprising news. The Australian strategist, an ally of Sir Lynton Crosby, told those present that they had to begin preparing for the possibility of a general election in the autumn of next year.
While May 2024 remains the most likely date, Canzini said that the “clock is ticking”. The prime minister, he said, was “not out of the woods yet” over the No 10 lockdown parties scandal and Conservative MPs needed to be wooed, especially those who have openly plotted against the prime minister. “They are all God’s children,” he said.
He presented staff with a slide showing the government’s five priorities.
Delivering on the promises of Brexit was at the top of the list. “If you don’t think that’s a priority you shouldn’t be here,” Canzini said. The cost-of-living crisis was second, and the NHS, crime and migrant boats were the others.
“It was a strange list of priorities,” one government aide said. “We’re on the brink of a generational cost-of-living crisis and yet Brexit was top of the list.”
Delivering on the Brexit promises they made absolutely needs to be a priority. Aligned as it is to reducing inequality among the regions and levelling up.
The Brexit campaign made many promises to the regions that leaving the EU would enable these regions to prosper. They need to deliver that.
The idea of Brexit levelling up the regions of the North and the Midlands always was a mirage. It is a turbocharged fantasy on the back of a pandemic and in the midst of an economic crisis.
Throw some short term cash up the M1 by all means. In reality it won't help much in eighteen months, but it might look good on paper through the smoke and mirrors.
How anyone was ever taken in by that one is what amazes me. What were the Northerners thinking of , leopard's do not change their spots. They use samew mince for Scotland every time as well and many fools are taken in time and time again despite the historical evidence that after they have your vote it is back to spending all the money in the south.
The other thing is Malcolm, living here in South Wales, and I daresay Ayrshire and the Central Belt (I've listened to the Proclaimers, "Linwood no more, Methil no more") governments can throw incentives at regions, but as soon as those incentives stop "the Man" moves on to where the next set of incentives can be found.
Levelling up may mean inviting Sony, Bosch, Honda, Panasonic, Peugeot, Ford and the like back to our shores, which may be expedient politically for the next election, but before you know it, they'll be off again.
Same in the North East. Although Nissan have stayed plenty came for the incentives and left. Prime example being Samsung.
Reading between the lines Nissan's incentives just kept on rolling in, particularly when they threatened to use spare Renault capacity at, I think, Billancourt.
I got a lift in a Qashqai last week. I had to have a Silkwood Shower when I got home.
I know a couple who spent their hard earned on a Juke. Why? But then they were rabid Brexiteers.
Gordon Brown and John Major want a Nuremberg style trial for Putin.
Seems appropriate, after Putin's Nuremberg rally yesterday.
Brown putting himself up for one given he was gung ho on Iraq and the lies of why we blew them back to the stoneage.
From reading The End of the Party, the impression I got of Brown regarding Iraq was pretty ambivalent. Apparently he failed to see how it could be a stick to beat Blair with but only got 'enthusiastic' when Blair promised he would go 'soon' if Brown supported it.
My own recollection at the time (I was 12, an interested 12 year old but 12 nonetheless) was that Iraq was Blair's baby.
Brown going awol from expressing a view over Iraq was entirely characteristic.
Gordon Brown and John Major want a Nuremberg style trial for Putin.
Seems appropriate, after Putin's Nuremberg rally yesterday.
Brown putting himself up for one given he was gung ho on Iraq and the lies of why we blew them back to the stoneage.
From reading The End of the Party, the impression I got of Brown regarding Iraq was pretty ambivalent. Apparently he failed to see how it could be a stick to beat Blair with but only got 'enthusiastic' when Blair promised he would go 'soon' if Brown supported it.
My own recollection at the time (I was 12, an interested 12 year old but 12 nonetheless) was that Iraq was Blair's baby.
Brown was the other cheek of Blair's arse. Only thing he ever cared about was himself and his overinflated ego.
p.s. And before anyone says, 'yes but you said Putin wouldn't be stupid enough to invade', remember I predicated that on the knowledge that 200,000 troops was insufficient to guarantee outright victory and that the might of Russian military capability was exaggerated. Correct reasons. Just overlooked the rather important fact that we were dealing with a lunatic.
Did you actually state those reasons on here? Because I cannot remember you saying that beforehand.
.
I did indeed. For some reason I can't get back quotes to paste as quotes but if you look back here are a couple, verbatim. I made the point regularly that I didn't think there were sufficient Russian forces in place to be sure of victory, especially on multiple fronts and that Russian military might has been overplayed. Couple of examples:
Feb 9th
"The Russian military might has been exaggerated ever since 1945. In fact it became something of a running joke when I had an involvement in this subject. That's not to downplay, but as you say to invade Ukraine properly would take a really serious concentration and I don't believe that Putin's deployment (of 200,000) was on that kind of magnitude."
Feb 7th
"As I have stated on here [...[ they don't have anything like sufficient forces in place."
Russia had 190k troops to start with. Let's be generous and say they also had (or now have) 60k auxiliaries, be they Belarusian, Chechen, Syrian or "other".
That's 250k.
What are they all doing?
Well, look at this map. They are split across six main thrusts: Kyiv from the north, Kyiv from the east, north from Mykolaiv (ultimately this one wants to hook round to Odessa), a pincer movement on Mariupol from both the Melitopol area and Donetsk region, and one on Kharkiv. I suppose you could add a couple more mini-ones donkeying around trying to expand into Ukraine from the breakaway regions in the far-east of the country:
They are also tying up troops and artillery investing other cities like Chernihiv, Konotop, Sumy, Kharkiv, Mariupol and Mykolaiv. Their tanks and armoured vehicles will mainly be in the mobile 'thrusts'.
You don't have to be a mathematical genius to work out that if even if their tanks and armoured forces constitute half their army they are split at least six ways, so probably have no more than 15,000-25,000 men in each one, perhaps slightly stronger in the Kyiv wing, and they will have had to detach 1/4 of those to protect their supply lines. And even if you assumed *all* the rest are combat troops, which they won't be, that leaves barely 20,000 a piece to invest 6 x different major Ukrainian cities. Cities where they have mobilised almost all the adult male population, with probably equal numbers of Ukrainian regulars to the Russians and vast numbers of militia on top.
Now, we know they've suffered casualties - even they admit that - and let's say that's about 10%, so about 25k men killed, injured, wounded, captured or "missing", and that these will be concentrated in the front-line infantry and tank forces. So they will be even weaker here where city fighting normally requires overwhelming superiority.
So, rather than asking "why have they stalled" we should be asking "we wouldn't they stall?"
As I said yesterday, Putin is attacking like he has over a million men, and he doesn't.
Instead, he's convinced himself he's like Stalin and capable of conquest of the whole centre and east of the country. Thus, he's fallen victim to hubris.
There was an assessment yesterday from some military bod, suggesting that Russia may have lost half of its frontline spearhead troops.
Reports overnight of several more Russian columns destroyed won't have helped.
I remember reading that in the Vietnam War, as few as 15% of the US troops sent over there were the grunts in contact with the enemy.
Good point. I'm no expert but isn't this the norm for most wars. Of all the people I know/knew who were in WW2 which is my parents generation, so a lot. I am only aware of 2 that actually saw real action.
One of my grandfathers was in the education corps in India during ww2 so did no actual fighting. My other grandfather was in the merchant navy so didn't fight either although his boat was sunk by a German submarine in the Indian Ocean (he survived). One of my grandmothers drove an ambulance during the blitz in Plymouth so she probably saw more energy action and death and destruction than anyone else in the family.
Dad was one of five brothers, all were actively involved in the war - three as gunners, one in the RAF, one in the ambulance corps. Three were unscathed, Dad was wounded at Tobruk and invalided out of action; his youngest brother Albert was amongst the first into Belsen and the experience deranged him to the extent that he never properly recovered and hebecame an alcoholic.
I suspect they represent a fairly characteristic cohort.
My paternal granddad was in DEMS, serving on ships at sea, before he got posted ashore to Portsmouth because of his maths skills (a captain said he was 'wasted' at sea.)
We recently discovered that one of my mum's uncles was evacuated off the beach at Dunkirk. Aside from that, my maternal grandmother worked in the war rooms at Liverpool before she got married and had my mum.
As far as we are aware, we have never lost a member of our family in war. On that count, we have been blessed. And I hope that continues.
Had one family member who was taken prisoner at Monte Casino - suffered mental health issues until his early death.
Another was on ground crew for bombers - hosing out the remains of rear gunners on return to base.
Grandfather was blown up in the air by an artillery shell and had problems walking for the rest of his life.
Some absolutely fascinating but often appalling family stories on PB today.
Carnyx, I know you like books , if you get a chance , look for MOUNTAIN AND FLOOD The History of 52nd (Lowland) Division. It is a very good read.
Thanks for that! I think a friend has the original edition - one of those division's own histories. I Hadn't realised it had been reprinted by Naval and Military Press, so have noted that down on the list.
My granddad used to joke about his heroic service...in 1946, of being on a submarine once. Briefly. Said his parents had very good timing so he was still 17 when the war ended.
I think my other granddad worked on planes in the war, but cannot be sure as my dad hated him so only met him like twice.
I've worked at a coal mine. Yes, I was a miner!
Well... I drove a mini-digger at one of the mines near Stoke in about 1990. For one afternoon. From memory, the safety induction took longer than the work...
Probably qualifies you for a million pound bonus pension payout when you are about 90 given the dwindling numbers of miners and the surpluses of the Mineworkers pension scheme as it stands!
My granddad used to joke about his heroic service...in 1946, of being on a submarine once. Briefly. Said his parents had very good timing so he was still 17 when the war ended.
I think my other granddad worked on planes in the war, but cannot be sure as my dad hated him so only met him like twice.
I've worked at a coal mine. Yes, I was a miner!
Well... I drove a mini-digger at one of the mines near Stoke in about 1990. For one afternoon. From memory, the safety induction took longer than the work...
Probably qualifies you for a million pound bonus pension payout when you are about 90 given the dwindling numbers of miners and the surpluses of the Mineworkers pension scheme as it stands!
Did I read it correctly that the next GE could be as late as February 25
Extraordinary if true as that is virtually 3 years away
It would have had to be by May 24 under the FTPA, so not sure what the new Bill would do that would extend the life of this parliament to over 5 years - do you have a link?
The new act will contain a clause that Parliament will be dissolved when Jacob Rees Mogg talks sense and the election held six weeks later.
Thereby postponing the election until six weeks after the Last Trump(ism).
My granddad used to joke about his heroic service...in 1946, of being on a submarine once. Briefly. Said his parents had very good timing so he was still 17 when the war ended.
I think my other granddad worked on planes in the war, but cannot be sure as my dad hated him so only met him like twice.
I've worked at a coal mine. Yes, I was a miner!
Well... I drove a mini-digger at one of the mines near Stoke in about 1990. For one afternoon. From memory, the safety induction took longer than the work...
Presumably you know that quite a few people were conscripted into the coal mines during WW2. (I mean, sent by HMG from all over to work there, on top of the established mining workforce which AIUI was 'reserved' from conscription). 'Bevan's Boys' they were called. Quite the culture shock for some.
p.s. And before anyone says, 'yes but you said Putin wouldn't be stupid enough to invade', remember I predicated that on the knowledge that 200,000 troops was insufficient to guarantee outright victory and that the might of Russian military capability was exaggerated. Correct reasons. Just overlooked the rather important fact that we were dealing with a lunatic.
Did you actually state those reasons on here? Because I cannot remember you saying that beforehand.
.
I did indeed. For some reason I can't get back quotes to paste as quotes but if you look back here are a couple, verbatim. I made the point regularly that I didn't think there were sufficient Russian forces in place to be sure of victory, especially on multiple fronts and that Russian military might has been overplayed. Couple of examples:
Feb 9th
"The Russian military might has been exaggerated ever since 1945. In fact it became something of a running joke when I had an involvement in this subject. That's not to downplay, but as you say to invade Ukraine properly would take a really serious concentration and I don't believe that Putin's deployment (of 200,000) was on that kind of magnitude."
Feb 7th
"As I have stated on here [...[ they don't have anything like sufficient forces in place."
Russia had 190k troops to start with. Let's be generous and say they also had (or now have) 60k auxiliaries, be they Belarusian, Chechen, Syrian or "other".
That's 250k.
What are they all doing?
Well, look at this map. They are split across six main thrusts: Kyiv from the north, Kyiv from the east, north from Mykolaiv (ultimately this one wants to hook round to Odessa), a pincer movement on Mariupol from both the Melitopol area and Donetsk region, and one on Kharkiv. I suppose you could add a couple more mini-ones donkeying around trying to expand into Ukraine from the breakaway regions in the far-east of the country:
They are also tying up troops and artillery investing other cities like Chernihiv, Konotop, Sumy, Kharkiv, Mariupol and Mykolaiv. Their tanks and armoured vehicles will mainly be in the mobile 'thrusts'.
You don't have to be a mathematical genius to work out that if even if their tanks and armoured forces constitute half their army they are split at least six ways, so probably have no more than 15,000-25,000 men in each one, perhaps slightly stronger in the Kyiv wing, and they will have had to detach 1/4 of those to protect their supply lines. And even if you assumed *all* the rest are combat troops, which they won't be, that leaves barely 20,000 a piece to invest 6 x different major Ukrainian cities. Cities where they have mobilised almost all the adult male population, with probably equal numbers of Ukrainian regulars to the Russians and vast numbers of militia on top.
Now, we know they've suffered casualties - even they admit that - and let's say that's about 10%, so about 25k men killed, injured, wounded, captured or "missing", and that these will be concentrated in the front-line infantry and tank forces. So they will be even weaker here where city fighting normally requires overwhelming superiority.
So, rather than asking "why have they stalled" we should be asking "we wouldn't they stall?"
As I said yesterday, Putin is attacking like he has over a million men, and he doesn't.
Instead, he's convinced himself he's like Stalin and capable of conquest of the whole centre and east of the country. Thus, he's fallen victim to hubris.
There was an assessment yesterday from some military bod, suggesting that Russia may have lost half of its frontline spearhead troops.
Reports overnight of several more Russian columns destroyed won't have helped.
I remember reading that in the Vietnam War, as few as 15% of the US troops sent over there were the grunts in contact with the enemy.
Good point. I'm no expert but isn't this the norm for most wars. Of all the people I know/knew who were in WW2 which is my parents generation, so a lot. I am only aware of 2 that actually saw real action.
One of my grandfathers was in the education corps in India during ww2 so did no actual fighting. My other grandfather was in the merchant navy so didn't fight either although his boat was sunk by a German submarine in the Indian Ocean (he survived). One of my grandmothers drove an ambulance during the blitz in Plymouth so she probably saw more energy action and death and destruction than anyone else in the family.
Dad was one of five brothers, all were actively involved in the war - three as gunners, one in the RAF, one in the ambulance corps. Three were unscathed, Dad was wounded at Tobruk and invalided out of action; his youngest brother Albert was amongst the first into Belsen and the experience deranged him to the extent that he never properly recovered and hebecame an alcoholic.
I suspect they represent a fairly characteristic cohort.
My paternal granddad was in DEMS, serving on ships at sea, before he got posted ashore to Portsmouth because of his maths skills (a captain said he was 'wasted' at sea.)
We recently discovered that one of my mum's uncles was evacuated off the beach at Dunkirk. Aside from that, my maternal grandmother worked in the war rooms at Liverpool before she got married and had my mum.
As far as we are aware, we have never lost a member of our family in war. On that count, we have been blessed. And I hope that continues.
Had one family member who was taken prisoner at Monte Casino - suffered mental health issues until his early death.
Another was on ground crew for bombers - hosing out the remains of rear gunners on return to base.
Grandfather was blown up in the air by an artillery shell and had problems walking for the rest of his life.
Some absolutely fascinating but often appalling family stories on PB today.
Carnyx, I know you like books , if you get a chance , look for MOUNTAIN AND FLOOD The History of 52nd (Lowland) Division. It is a very good read.
Thanks for that! I think a friend has the original edition - one of those division's own histories. I Hadn't realised it had been reprinted by Naval and Military Press, so have noted that down on the list.
I have one of the originals, very detailed and great read.
My granddad used to joke about his heroic service...in 1946, of being on a submarine once. Briefly. Said his parents had very good timing so he was still 17 when the war ended.
I think my other granddad worked on planes in the war, but cannot be sure as my dad hated him so only met him like twice.
I've worked at a coal mine. Yes, I was a miner!
Well... I drove a mini-digger at one of the mines near Stoke in about 1990. For one afternoon. From memory, the safety induction took longer than the work...
Presumably you know that quite a few people were conscripted into the coal mines during WW2. (I mean, sent by HMG from all over to work there, on top of the established mining workforce which AIUI was 'reserved' from conscription). 'Bevan's Boys' they were called. Quite the culture shock for some.
Yeah, read a book about them yonks ago. Many hated it. A few seemed to love it. A bit like evacuees: some kids loved their new homes, whilst others hated the experience.
My granddad used to joke about his heroic service...in 1946, of being on a submarine once. Briefly. Said his parents had very good timing so he was still 17 when the war ended.
I think my other granddad worked on planes in the war, but cannot be sure as my dad hated him so only met him like twice.
I've worked at a coal mine. Yes, I was a miner!
Well... I drove a mini-digger at one of the mines near Stoke in about 1990. For one afternoon. From memory, the safety induction took longer than the work...
I know a few pretty wealthy people who describe themselves as farmers. I'd say that they own some farms, since they don't get stuck in with any physical or business aspect of running them.
'Farming' covers a multitude of sins. A relative owns a farm, but does none of the farming: she rents out all the land to neighbouring farmers. Another is a 'farmer' who only farms a little land: his main business is renting machinery and associated services. My sister and her hubby runs a tractor spares / restoration business for farmers and others.
I'd never call the former a farmer; she does none of the work. The other two are in farming, but the latter barely so.
It's like coal mining. We all think of miners as working underground, but AIUI the vast majority of workers were grass workers, on the surface. But they were still miners.
I inherited a small field myself in the Borders from a forebear - the legal paperwork costs were out of proportion ... but the local farmer rents it and sends me a modest cheque annually to mutual satisfaction.
My granddad used to joke about his heroic service...in 1946, of being on a submarine once. Briefly. Said his parents had very good timing so he was still 17 when the war ended.
I think my other granddad worked on planes in the war, but cannot be sure as my dad hated him so only met him like twice.
I've worked at a coal mine. Yes, I was a miner!
Well... I drove a mini-digger at one of the mines near Stoke in about 1990. For one afternoon. From memory, the safety induction took longer than the work...
Presumably you know that quite a few people were conscripted into the coal mines during WW2. (I mean, sent by HMG from all over to work there, on top of the established mining workforce which AIUI was 'reserved' from conscription). 'Bevan's Boys' they were called. Quite the culture shock for some.
Prepare for a general election next year, No 10 staff told as inflation bites
Rishi Sunak’s spring statement next week will highlight fault lines within a government already grappling with an energy crisis, the lockdown party scandal and Brexit
When David Canzini, the prime minister’s new deputy chief of staff, addressed advisers on Friday last week he had some surprising news. The Australian strategist, an ally of Sir Lynton Crosby, told those present that they had to begin preparing for the possibility of a general election in the autumn of next year.
While May 2024 remains the most likely date, Canzini said that the “clock is ticking”. The prime minister, he said, was “not out of the woods yet” over the No 10 lockdown parties scandal and Conservative MPs needed to be wooed, especially those who have openly plotted against the prime minister. “They are all God’s children,” he said.
He presented staff with a slide showing the government’s five priorities.
Delivering on the promises of Brexit was at the top of the list. “If you don’t think that’s a priority you shouldn’t be here,” Canzini said. The cost-of-living crisis was second, and the NHS, crime and migrant boats were the others.
“It was a strange list of priorities,” one government aide said. “We’re on the brink of a generational cost-of-living crisis and yet Brexit was top of the list.”
Delivering on the Brexit promises they made absolutely needs to be a priority. Aligned as it is to reducing inequality among the regions and levelling up.
The Brexit campaign made many promises to the regions that leaving the EU would enable these regions to prosper. They need to deliver that.
The idea of Brexit levelling up the regions of the North and the Midlands always was a mirage. It is a turbocharged fantasy on the back of a pandemic and in the midst of an economic crisis.
Throw some short term cash up the M1 by all means. In reality it won't help much in eighteen months, but it might look good on paper through the smoke and mirrors.
How anyone was ever taken in by that one is what amazes me. What were the Northerners thinking of , leopard's do not change their spots. They use samew mince for Scotland every time as well and many fools are taken in time and time again despite the historical evidence that after they have your vote it is back to spending all the money in the south.
The other thing is Malcolm, living here in South Wales, and I daresay Ayrshire and the Central Belt (I've listened to the Proclaimers, "Linwood no more, Methil no more") governments can throw incentives at regions, but as soon as those incentives stop "the Man" moves on to where the next set of incentives can be found.
Levelling up may mean inviting Sony, Bosch, Honda, Panasonic, Peugeot, Ford and the like back to our shores, which may be expedient politically for the next election, but before you know it, they'll be off again.
Same in the North East. Although Nissan have stayed plenty came for the incentives and left. Prime example being Samsung.
Reading between the lines Nissan's incentives just kept on rolling in, particularly when they threatened to use spare Renault capacity at, I think, Billancourt.
True but no different to any major automotive tier 1 given the chronic over capacity that exists.
My granddad used to joke about his heroic service...in 1946, of being on a submarine once. Briefly. Said his parents had very good timing so he was still 17 when the war ended.
I think my other granddad worked on planes in the war, but cannot be sure as my dad hated him so only met him like twice.
I've worked at a coal mine. Yes, I was a miner!
Well... I drove a mini-digger at one of the mines near Stoke in about 1990. For one afternoon. From memory, the safety induction took longer than the work...
Presumably you know that quite a few people were conscripted into the coal mines during WW2. (I mean, sent by HMG from all over to work there, on top of the established mining workforce which AIUI was 'reserved' from conscription). 'Bevan's Boys' they were called. Quite the culture shock for some.
My granddad used to joke about his heroic service...in 1946, of being on a submarine once. Briefly. Said his parents had very good timing so he was still 17 when the war ended.
I think my other granddad worked on planes in the war, but cannot be sure as my dad hated him so only met him like twice.
I've worked at a coal mine. Yes, I was a miner!
Well... I drove a mini-digger at one of the mines near Stoke in about 1990. For one afternoon. From memory, the safety induction took longer than the work...
I know a few pretty wealthy people who describe themselves as farmers. I'd say that they own some farms, since they don't get stuck in with any physical or business aspect of running them.
'Farming' covers a multitude of sins. A relative owns a farm, but does none of the farming: she rents out all the land to neighbouring farmers. Another is a 'farmer' who only farms a little land: his main business is renting machinery and associated services. My sister and her hubby runs a tractor spares / restoration business for farmers and others.
I'd never call the former a farmer; she does none of the work. The other two are in farming, but the latter barely so.
It's like coal mining. We all think of miners as working underground, but AIUI the vast majority of workers were grass workers, on the surface. But they were still miners.
I inherited a small field myself in the Borders from a forebear - the legal paperwork costs were out of proportion ... but the local farmer rents it and sends me a modest cheque annually to mutual satisfaction.
Sounds like a wonderful opportunity to create an oasis for wildlife.
My granddad used to joke about his heroic service...in 1946, of being on a submarine once. Briefly. Said his parents had very good timing so he was still 17 when the war ended.
I think my other granddad worked on planes in the war, but cannot be sure as my dad hated him so only met him like twice.
I've worked at a coal mine. Yes, I was a miner!
Well... I drove a mini-digger at one of the mines near Stoke in about 1990. For one afternoon. From memory, the safety induction took longer than the work...
I know a few pretty wealthy people who describe themselves as farmers. I'd say that they own some farms, since they don't get stuck in with any physical or business aspect of running them.
'Farming' covers a multitude of sins. A relative owns a farm, but does none of the farming: she rents out all the land to neighbouring farmers. Another is a 'farmer' who only farms a little land: his main business is renting machinery and associated services. My sister and her hubby runs a tractor spares / restoration business for farmers and others.
I'd never call the former a farmer; she does none of the work. The other two are in farming, but the latter barely so.
It's like coal mining. We all think of miners as working underground, but AIUI the vast majority of workers were grass workers, on the surface. But they were still miners.
I inherited a small field myself in the Borders from a forebear - the legal paperwork costs were out of proportion ... but the local farmer rents it and sends me a modest cheque annually to mutual satisfaction.
Sounds like a wonderful opportunity to create an oasis for wildlife.
Which is what the farmer will be doing anyway in 3 years time
10 % of the younger conscripts, under 25, were Bevin Boys. Chosen by lot. The list is quite eclectic. Jimmy Savile, Nat Lofthouse, Stanley Baxter, Eric Morecambe, Brian Rix.
This is my great grand uncle Herbert just after signing up as a Royal Artillery gunner. He was captured at Singapore and died in a Japanese POW camp in Thailand.
This is Herbert's big brother Harry (centre, back row)
He was in the Pioneer Corps. I don't know much actual action he saw, but I know he was in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. I've got a local newspaper cutting from his first post-war leave back home. He was sent into Ostend just after the Canadians had liberated it; they were chasing retreating Germans so hadn't been able to secure the city.
The article says "they received a tremendous welcome from the townspeople. United Nations flags were flying from nearly every window and the civilians could not do enough for the boys. Harry made quite a number of friends in the town and was very sorry to leave. One of the people he met was a Belgian woman who had lived in England and spoke faultless English. Another was the Dean of Ostend, who gave him presents for his mother."
I'd love to know what presents he took home for his Mam! I did meet uncle Harry when I was very young, but he died in 1985 just before my seventh birthday.
10 % of the younger conscripts, under 25, were Bevin Boys. Chosen by lot. The list is quite eclectic. Jimmy Savile, Nat Lofthouse, Stanley Baxter, Eric Morecambe, Brian Rix.
In one case inspiring a lifelong interest in miners..sorry, minors.
Gordon Brown and John Major want a Nuremberg style trial for Putin.
Seems appropriate, after Putin's Nuremberg rally yesterday.
Brown putting himself up for one given he was gung ho on Iraq and the lies of why we blew them back to the stoneage.
From reading The End of the Party, the impression I got of Brown regarding Iraq was pretty ambivalent. Apparently he failed to see how it could be a stick to beat Blair with but only got 'enthusiastic' when Blair promised he would go 'soon' if Brown supported it.
My own recollection at the time (I was 12, an interested 12 year old but 12 nonetheless) was that Iraq was Blair's baby.
Brown going awol from expressing a view over Iraq was entirely characteristic.
To be fair, the infamous Granita "agreement" included Brown having huge control over economic and domestic policy, not so much foreign. That was seen as Blair's thing.
This is my great grand uncle Herbert just after signing up as a Royal Artillery gunner. He was captured at Singapore and died in a Japanese POW camp in Thailand.
This is Herbert's big brother Harry (centre, back row)
He was in the Pioneer Corps. I don't know much actual action he saw, but I know he was in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. I've got a local newspaper cutting from his first post-war leave back home. He was sent into Ostend just after the Canadians had liberated it; they were chasing retreating Germans so hadn't been able to secure the city.
The article says "they received a tremendous welcome from the townspeople. United Nations flags were flying from nearly every window and the civilians could not do enough for the boys. Harry made quite a number of friends in the town and was very sorry to leave. One of the people he met was a Belgian woman who had lived in England and spoke faultless English. Another was the Dean of Ostend, who gave him presents for his mother."
I'd love to know what presents he took home for his Mam! I did meet uncle Harry when I was very young, but he died in 1985 just before my seventh birthday.
Not sure if it has been covered, but if he died in 1985 it is past the 25 year limit to apply for a service history with more detail for £30 without being immediate kin - not sure if "nephew" is "immediate kin".
I have a couple of interesting relatives who were in the forces - an uncle was a Padre in India in WW2 and had Huntingdon's Disease, and I have two grandparent generation people who were in the trenches, of whom one killed himself aiui and the other had lifelong mental health issues.
Gordon Brown and John Major want a Nuremberg style trial for Putin.
Seems appropriate, after Putin's Nuremberg rally yesterday.
Brown putting himself up for one given he was gung ho on Iraq and the lies of why we blew them back to the stoneage.
From reading The End of the Party, the impression I got of Brown regarding Iraq was pretty ambivalent. Apparently he failed to see how it could be a stick to beat Blair with but only got 'enthusiastic' when Blair promised he would go 'soon' if Brown supported it.
My own recollection at the time (I was 12, an interested 12 year old but 12 nonetheless) was that Iraq was Blair's baby.
Brown going awol from expressing a view over Iraq was entirely characteristic.
To be fair, the infamous Granita "agreement" included Brown having huge control over economic and domestic policy, not so much foreign. That was seen as Blair's thing.
I assume lots of new cheques had to be signed for Iraq? In any case my point was more about what was probably the greatest moral issue of the first decade of the C20th and the man who was never slow to mention his moral compass when it suited him.
Sobering to read some of the comments on this thread about relatives' experiences - they were such an amazing generation. My own parents were lucky - my father had a desk job in intelligence (which he almost never talked about, loyal to the Official Secrets Act), my mother worked for UNRRA for refugees, and talked matter-of-factly as the worst moment being driving through Hammersmith while the buildings on both sides were on fire. Neither experienced any harm at all.
On a more cheerful note, it's always fun to argue about lists, and here's the happiness list, with FINLAND winning again. Makes sense!
My granddad used to joke about his heroic service...in 1946, of being on a submarine once. Briefly. Said his parents had very good timing so he was still 17 when the war ended.
I think my other granddad worked on planes in the war, but cannot be sure as my dad hated him so only met him like twice.
I've worked at a coal mine. Yes, I was a miner!
Well... I drove a mini-digger at one of the mines near Stoke in about 1990. For one afternoon. From memory, the safety induction took longer than the work...
I know a few pretty wealthy people who describe themselves as farmers. I'd say that they own some farms, since they don't get stuck in with any physical or business aspect of running them.
'Farming' covers a multitude of sins. A relative owns a farm, but does none of the farming: she rents out all the land to neighbouring farmers. Another is a 'farmer' who only farms a little land: his main business is renting machinery and associated services. My sister and her hubby runs a tractor spares / restoration business for farmers and others.
I'd never call the former a farmer; she does none of the work. The other two are in farming, but the latter barely so.
It's like coal mining. We all think of miners as working underground, but AIUI the vast majority of workers were grass workers, on the surface. But they were still miners.
I inherited a small field myself in the Borders from a forebear - the legal paperwork costs were out of proportion ... but the local farmer rents it and sends me a modest cheque annually to mutual satisfaction.
Sobering to read some of the comments on this thread about relatives' experiences - they were such an amazing generation. My own parents were lucky - my father had a desk job in intelligence (which he almost never talked about, loyal to the Official Secrets Act), my mother worked for UNRRA for refugees, and talked matter-of-factly as the worst moment being driving through Hammersmith while the buildings on both sides were on fire. Neither experienced any harm at all.
On a more cheerful note, it's always fun to argue about lists, and here's the happiness list, with FINLAND winning again. Makes sense!
Sobering to read some of the comments on this thread about relatives' experiences - they were such an amazing generation. My own parents were lucky - my father had a desk job in intelligence (which he almost never talked about, loyal to the Official Secrets Act), my mother worked for UNRRA for refugees, and talked matter-of-factly as the worst moment being driving through Hammersmith while the buildings on both sides were on fire. Neither experienced any harm at all.
On a more cheerful note, it's always fun to argue about lists, and here's the happiness list, with FINLAND winning again. Makes sense!
Finland, Finland, Finland The country where I quite want to be Your mountains so lofty Your treetops so tall Finland, Finland, Finland Finland has it all
I honestly don't understand what it is going on in these cases. I know the Baroness was making a point about there being a man on the ward, but that seems beside the point.
Supposedly the ward staff's sole response to the suggestion there had been a rape on the ward was that there were no men on the ward, which seems to indicate a complete lack of any cognitive function whatsoever, investigation, or any instinct to believe or listen to the victim at all.
I don't think it's particularly helpful to think of the main point being whether the assault or rape was perpetrated by a man or woman given the imbelic nature of the (apparent) response.
My mother was at the younger end of a large family, so most of my maternal cousins are older than I, and several of them served in WWII. It was discovered some time after the war that one, in the WRNS, had sent the signal which sent another, a Commando, ashore at Walcheren Island on the Dutch coast in November 1944.
I honestly don't understand what it is going on in these cases. I know the Baroness was making a point about there being a man on the ward, but that seems beside the point.
Supposedly the ward staff's sole response to the suggestion there had been a rape on the ward was that there were no men on the ward, which seems to indicate a complete lack of any cognitive function whatsoever, investigation, or any instinct to believe or listen to the victim at all.
I don't think it's particularly helpful to think of the main point being whether the assault or rape was perpetrated by a man or woman given the imbelic nature of the (apparent) response.
Surely it is central as like the Rochdale grooming or Stephen Lawrence cases predominant ideology and belief systems caused grotesque actions by public servants.
My mother was at the younger end of a large family, so most of my maternal cousins are older than I, and several of them served in WWII. It was discovered some time after the war that one, in the WRNS, had sent the signal which sent another, a Commando, ashore at Walcheren Island on the Dutch coast in November 1944.
Have you watched The Forgotten Battle, a film about the Battle of the Scheldt/Walcheren? Decent enough though the plot gets a bit schlocky towards the end. Might be of extra interest due to your family connections.
I honestly don't understand what it is going on in these cases. I know the Baroness was making a point about there being a man on the ward, but that seems beside the point.
Supposedly the ward staff's sole response to the suggestion there had been a rape on the ward was that there were no men on the ward, which seems to indicate a complete lack of any cognitive function whatsoever, investigation, or any instinct to believe or listen to the victim at all.
I don't think it's particularly helpful to think of the main point being whether the assault or rape was perpetrated by a man or woman given the imbelic nature of the (apparent) response.
You need to calibrate your brain to unthinking worship of The Rules. Dial the Humanity thing down to a quiet background hum.
1) The Rules say that it is Transphobic to say that a person identifying as a woman is a man. 2) The Law Says only men can commit rape. 3) from 1) there were no men present 4) From 3) & 2) there was no rape. Anyone who says there was a rape is a Transphobe.
I honestly don't understand what it is going on in these cases. I know the Baroness was making a point about there being a man on the ward, but that seems beside the point.
Supposedly the ward staff's sole response to the suggestion there had been a rape on the ward was that there were no men on the ward, which seems to indicate a complete lack of any cognitive function whatsoever, investigation, or any instinct to believe or listen to the victim at all.
I don't think it's particularly helpful to think of the main point being whether the assault or rape was perpetrated by a man or woman given the imbelic nature of the (apparent) response.
Doesn't make sense given that women (in all senses) can and do commit sexual assaults.
My granddad used to joke about his heroic service...in 1946, of being on a submarine once. Briefly. Said his parents had very good timing so he was still 17 when the war ended.
I think my other granddad worked on planes in the war, but cannot be sure as my dad hated him so only met him like twice.
I've worked at a coal mine. Yes, I was a miner!
Well... I drove a mini-digger at one of the mines near Stoke in about 1990. For one afternoon. From memory, the safety induction took longer than the work...
I know a few pretty wealthy people who describe themselves as farmers. I'd say that they own some farms, since they don't get stuck in with any physical or business aspect of running them.
'Farming' covers a multitude of sins. A relative owns a farm, but does none of the farming: she rents out all the land to neighbouring farmers. Another is a 'farmer' who only farms a little land: his main business is renting machinery and associated services. My sister and her hubby runs a tractor spares / restoration business for farmers and others.
I'd never call the former a farmer; she does none of the work. The other two are in farming, but the latter barely so.
It's like coal mining. We all think of miners as working underground, but AIUI the vast majority of workers were grass workers, on the surface. But they were still miners.
I inherited a small field myself in the Borders from a forebear - the legal paperwork costs were out of proportion ... but the local farmer rents it and sends me a modest cheque annually to mutual satisfaction.
Sounds like a wonderful opportunity to create an oasis for wildlife.
I honestly don't understand what it is going on in these cases. I know the Baroness was making a point about there being a man on the ward, but that seems beside the point.
Supposedly the ward staff's sole response to the suggestion there had been a rape on the ward was that there were no men on the ward, which seems to indicate a complete lack of any cognitive function whatsoever, investigation, or any instinct to believe or listen to the victim at all.
I don't think it's particularly helpful to think of the main point being whether the assault or rape was perpetrated by a man or woman given the imbelic nature of the (apparent) response.
The imbecilic nature of the response derives very directly from the insistence on believing that a man was a woman and then, when the risk that many women have pointed out, turned into reality preferring to lie rather than admit what happened.
It is worth noting - if the reports are accurate - that the hospital told two lies: (1) that there was no man on the ward; and (2) therefore there was no rape. I.e. they implicitly admitted that only men can rape (though in fact women can be guilty of rape as aides and abetters) and, even worse, they were willing to accuse the victim of being a liar. They maintained this stance for a year.
Imagine the trauma for the victim. Imagine too what the delay in getting the truth does for the chances of bringing the perpetrator to justice.
Oh, I forgot. Even if he's convicted he can claim to be a woman, be put in a woman's prison and be free to rape all over again.
The whole thing is not simply imbecilic. It is disgusting.
My mother was at the younger end of a large family, so most of my maternal cousins are older than I, and several of them served in WWII. It was discovered some time after the war that one, in the WRNS, had sent the signal which sent another, a Commando, ashore at Walcheren Island on the Dutch coast in November 1944.
Have you watched The Forgotten Battle, a film about the Battle of the Scheldt/Walcheren? Decent enough though the plot gets a bit schlocky towards the end. Might be of extra interest due to your family connections.
Thanks. As one might expect of a Commando my cousin was in several 'sticky' situations. However he survived the war, married, and ended up managing a small transport business. Died a few years ago, as have most of the 20 or so grandchildren of my maternal grandparents.
Later edit: I've looked at the summary on Wikipedia. Near where I now live was a big glider base. There's a pub on the flight path and because gliders take a while to get airborne the roof had to be removed during the war, because otherwise it was a hazard to the gliders.
I honestly don't understand what it is going on in these cases. I know the Baroness was making a point about there being a man on the ward, but that seems beside the point.
Supposedly the ward staff's sole response to the suggestion there had been a rape on the ward was that there were no men on the ward, which seems to indicate a complete lack of any cognitive function whatsoever, investigation, or any instinct to believe or listen to the victim at all.
I don't think it's particularly helpful to think of the main point being whether the assault or rape was perpetrated by a man or woman given the imbelic nature of the (apparent) response.
Doesn't make sense given that women (in all senses) can and do commit sexual assaults.
Because the very precise legal definition of a 'rape' is 'penetration by a penis.'
So the hospital were dancing on the head of a pin here: 'well, she can't have been raped, no penises to do it.' Therefore implying there was no chance of any sexual assault at all.
And the reason of course is because as @Cyclefree notes if they admitted there had been there was a major safeguarding breach.
The issue now is that in addition to letting their patients be raped that hospital trust has committed the crime of perverting the course of justice.
All in all it is a brutally clear exposition of why self identification without certain very strict safeguards (I.e. call yourself what you like but no accessing female only spaces until transition is complete) is a very bad idea.
I honestly don't understand what it is going on in these cases. I know the Baroness was making a point about there being a man on the ward, but that seems beside the point.
Supposedly the ward staff's sole response to the suggestion there had been a rape on the ward was that there were no men on the ward, which seems to indicate a complete lack of any cognitive function whatsoever, investigation, or any instinct to believe or listen to the victim at all.
I don't think it's particularly helpful to think of the main point being whether the assault or rape was perpetrated by a man or woman given the imbelic nature of the (apparent) response.
The imbecilic nature of the response derives very directly from the insistence on believing that a man was a woman and then, when the risk that many women have pointed out, turned into reality preferring to lie rather than admit what happened.
It is worth noting - if the reports are accurate - that the hospital told two lies: (1) that there was no man on the ward; and (2) therefore there was no rape. I.e. they implicitly admitted that only men can rape (though in fact women can be guilty of rape as aides and abetters) and, even worse, they were willing to accuse the victim of being a liar. They maintained this stance for a year.
Imagine the trauma for the victim. Imagine too what the delay in getting the truth does for the chances of bringing the perpetrator to justice.
Oh, I forgot. Even if he's convicted he can claim to be a woman, be put in a woman's prison and be free to rape all over again.
The whole thing is not simply imbecilic. It is disgusting.
I disagree with this analysis.
There was a safeguarding issue because a serious sexual assault was carried out on the ward. So far as we can tell from the Baroness' speech, the whole issue was dismissed by the staff and/or Trust because the complainant (i.e. victim) used the word "rape" and thus we went through the whole tortuous logic Malmsbury refers to.
I don't recognise any situation where that is an appropriate response, whether you consider the perpetrator a man, woman, or alien. It is tantamount to responding to a complaint "the black guy over there punched me" with the response "no, the black guy over there did not punch you, because he is not black". The victim need not use the right words in order to have their complaint properly dealt with.
I honestly don't understand what it is going on in these cases. I know the Baroness was making a point about there being a man on the ward, but that seems beside the point.
Supposedly the ward staff's sole response to the suggestion there had been a rape on the ward was that there were no men on the ward, which seems to indicate a complete lack of any cognitive function whatsoever, investigation, or any instinct to believe or listen to the victim at all.
I don't think it's particularly helpful to think of the main point being whether the assault or rape was perpetrated by a man or woman given the imbelic nature of the (apparent) response.
Doesn't make sense given that women (in all senses) can and do commit sexual assaults.
Because the very precise legal definition of a 'rape' is 'penetration by a penis.'
So the hospital were dancing on the head of a pin here: 'well, she can't have been raped, no penises to do it.' Therefore implying there was no chance of any sexual assault at all.
And the reason of course is because as @Cyclefree notes if they admitted there had been there was a major safeguarding breach.
The issue now is that in addition to letting their patients be raped that hospital trust has committed the crime of perverting the course of justice.
All in all it is a brutally clear exposition of why self identification without certain very strict safeguards (I.e. call yourself what you like but no accessing female only spaces until transition is complete) is a very bad idea.
Also,of,concern is baroness Nicholson claims there are 5 or 6 further cases.
I honestly don't understand what it is going on in these cases. I know the Baroness was making a point about there being a man on the ward, but that seems beside the point.
Supposedly the ward staff's sole response to the suggestion there had been a rape on the ward was that there were no men on the ward, which seems to indicate a complete lack of any cognitive function whatsoever, investigation, or any instinct to believe or listen to the victim at all.
I don't think it's particularly helpful to think of the main point being whether the assault or rape was perpetrated by a man or woman given the imbelic nature of the (apparent) response.
Doesn't make sense given that women (in all senses) can and do commit sexual assaults.
Because the very precise legal definition of a 'rape' is 'penetration by a penis.'
So the hospital were dancing on the head of a pin here: 'well, she can't have been raped, no penises to do it.' Therefore implying there was no chance of any sexual assault at all.
And the reason of course is because as @Cyclefree notes if they admitted there had been there was a major safeguarding breach.
The issue now is that in addition to letting their patients be raped that hospital trust has committed the crime of perverting the course of justice.
All in all it is a brutally clear exposition of why self identification without certain very strict safeguards (I.e. call yourself what you like but no accessing female only spaces until transition is complete) is a very bad idea.
I suspect that, sorry Ms Cyclefree, but there were a couple of 'tough' Sisters on that ward: 'What, a man on my ward! Nonsense!' And no-one argued with them.
I honestly don't understand what it is going on in these cases. I know the Baroness was making a point about there being a man on the ward, but that seems beside the point.
Supposedly the ward staff's sole response to the suggestion there had been a rape on the ward was that there were no men on the ward, which seems to indicate a complete lack of any cognitive function whatsoever, investigation, or any instinct to believe or listen to the victim at all.
I don't think it's particularly helpful to think of the main point being whether the assault or rape was perpetrated by a man or woman given the imbelic nature of the (apparent) response.
Doesn't make sense given that women (in all senses) can and do commit sexual assaults.
Because the very precise legal definition of a 'rape' is 'penetration by a penis.'
So the hospital were dancing on the head of a pin here: 'well, she can't have been raped, no penises to do it.' Therefore implying there was no chance of any sexual assault at all.
And the reason of course is because as @Cyclefree notes if they admitted there had been there was a major safeguarding breach.
The issue now is that in addition to letting their patients be raped that hospital trust has committed the crime of perverting the course of justice.
All in all it is a brutally clear exposition of why self identification without certain very strict safeguards (I.e. call yourself what you like but no accessing female only spaces until transition is complete) is a very bad idea.
I'm not even sure it is a correct assessment of the law, it would appear by all accounts that the perpetrator had a penis.
The law does say "his penis" (etc.) but there is plenty of law on the statute book that refers to "he" when it means "a person".
I honestly don't understand what it is going on in these cases. I know the Baroness was making a point about there being a man on the ward, but that seems beside the point.
Supposedly the ward staff's sole response to the suggestion there had been a rape on the ward was that there were no men on the ward, which seems to indicate a complete lack of any cognitive function whatsoever, investigation, or any instinct to believe or listen to the victim at all.
I don't think it's particularly helpful to think of the main point being whether the assault or rape was perpetrated by a man or woman given the imbelic nature of the (apparent) response.
Doesn't make sense given that women (in all senses) can and do commit sexual assaults.
Because the very precise legal definition of a 'rape' is 'penetration by a penis.'
So the hospital were dancing on the head of a pin here: 'well, she can't have been raped, no penises to do it.' Therefore implying there was no chance of any sexual assault at all.
And the reason of course is because as @Cyclefree notes if they admitted there had been there was a major safeguarding breach.
The issue now is that in addition to letting their patients be raped that hospital trust has committed the crime of perverting the course of justice.
All in all it is a brutally clear exposition of why self identification without certain very strict safeguards (I.e. call yourself what you like but no accessing female only spaces until transition is complete) is a very bad idea.
Also,of,concern is baroness Nicholson claims there are 5 or 6 further cases.
I hadn't got that far. It just gets worse and worse.
Grandfathers - one too young for the First, too old for the Second (and I remember it coming up in conversation in the sixties). The other, also too young for the First lied about his age to sign up. Pretty promptly ended up a POW and spent a year or so in a German camp.
Grandmothers. One, the eldest of 10 in Wick, fisherman father, was sent into Service, but her Granny read of a murder in Glasgow, so she was diverted to London instead. When I tried to explain to her how to use an escalator she commented she’d been running on and off them as a teenager. When she’d remark “worse things happen at sea” she knew of what she spoke.
The other grandmother was the youngest of 11, so while her elder siblings were sent out to work, like my Wick Grandmother, she and her older sister were trained as a teacher and pharmacist respectively. When she got her first car in the 1920s to drive to Glamis school, her engineer brother advised her that as roads then had a considerable camber, best to drive in the middle, a habit she found difficult to shake. I wish I’d understood at the time what a kick it gave her to tell people that her grandchild was going to Oxford - an unimaginable achievement for a jute mill worker’s daughter. As a teenager I was mortified.
I honestly don't understand what it is going on in these cases. I know the Baroness was making a point about there being a man on the ward, but that seems beside the point.
Supposedly the ward staff's sole response to the suggestion there had been a rape on the ward was that there were no men on the ward, which seems to indicate a complete lack of any cognitive function whatsoever, investigation, or any instinct to believe or listen to the victim at all.
I don't think it's particularly helpful to think of the main point being whether the assault or rape was perpetrated by a man or woman given the imbelic nature of the (apparent) response.
Doesn't make sense given that women (in all senses) can and do commit sexual assaults.
Because the very precise legal definition of a 'rape' is 'penetration by a penis.'
So the hospital were dancing on the head of a pin here: 'well, she can't have been raped, no penises to do it.' Therefore implying there was no chance of any sexual assault at all.
And the reason of course is because as @Cyclefree notes if they admitted there had been there was a major safeguarding breach.
The issue now is that in addition to letting their patients be raped that hospital trust has committed the crime of perverting the course of justice.
All in all it is a brutally clear exposition of why self identification without certain very strict safeguards (I.e. call yourself what you like but no accessing female only spaces until transition is complete) is a very bad idea.
I'm not even sure it is a correct assessment of the law, it would appear by all accounts that the perpetrator had a penis.
The law does say "his penis" (etc.) but there is plenty of law on the statute book that refers to "he" when it means "a person".
i think you've slightly missed the point. We're not talking about the law on what rape is or isn't. That's crystal clear. It's the hospital's response that is the issue by conflating 'identifying as a woman' with 'not having a penis.'
Someone should ask Starmer “can a woman commit rape?”
In Scotland the answer is unequivocally yes and in 2 separate ways. Firstly, the definition of rape includes penetration by a "surgically constructed penis" and secondly, a woman can be, and has been convicted of rape art and part. It is not a part of the definition of rape in Scotland that the offender is classed as male and it is bluntly irrelevant how they self-identfy. This seems to me something Scotland has got right and if this is not the law in England it should be.
Comments
Levelling up may mean inviting Sony, Bosch, Honda, Panasonic, Peugeot, Ford and the like back to our shores, which may be expedient politically for the next election, but before you know it, they'll be off again.
I think my other granddad worked on planes in the war, but cannot be sure as my dad hated him so only met him like twice.
https://www.politico.com/news/2022/03/16/trump-ally-sean-reyes-mitt-romney-primary-00017741
https://twitter.com/Independent/status/1504975625521610753?s=20&t=1pDXOZqVdJ2O_WdeX5NFLw
Well... I drove a mini-digger at one of the mines near Stoke in about 1990. For one afternoon. From memory, the safety induction took longer than the work...
How about you?
Under DACOP, dissolution is on the fifth anniversary of the parliament first meeting, which was Tuesday 17 December 2019.
25 working days from 17 December 2024, allowing for the four Bank Holidays in Scotland, is Monday 27 January 2025 - so, in effect, Thursday 23 January.
So the report you've read seems to assume a longer election campaign than the Electoral Commission.
* That is not to say the Conservatives with a new one nation leader "might" or " might not" win the next GE.
I'd never call the former a farmer; she does none of the work. The other two are in farming, but the latter barely so.
It's like coal mining. We all think of miners as working underground, but AIUI the vast majority of workers were grass workers, on the surface. But they were still miners.
My own recollection at the time (I was 12, an interested 12 year old but 12 nonetheless) was that Iraq was Blair's baby.
Tom Swarbrick
@TomSwarbrick1
Been reading the speech by @Baroness_Nichol about the hospital rape case.
It is absolutely unbelievable.
Write up here:
https://twitter.com/TomSwarbrick1/status/1504761409476993025
Emma Harriet Nicholson
@Baroness_Nichol
I’ve at least six or seven cases
https://twitter.com/Baroness_Nichol/status/1504884038137491461
Thereby postponing the election until six weeks after the Last Trump(ism).
https://twitter.com/Ronaldo_uber/status/1505124900062773251
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/environmental-land-management-schemes-overview
(Different but similar scheme N of the border)
How these people get to work with vulnerable people is a mystery.
https://www.reduxx.org/post/nhs-mental-health-specialist-deletes-twitter-account-after-gaslighting-rape-victim
The list is quite eclectic. Jimmy Savile, Nat Lofthouse, Stanley Baxter, Eric Morecambe, Brian Rix.
He was in the Pioneer Corps. I don't know much actual action he saw, but I know he was in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. I've got a local newspaper cutting from his first post-war leave back home. He was sent into Ostend just after the Canadians had liberated it; they were chasing retreating Germans so hadn't been able to secure the city.
The article says "they received a tremendous welcome from the townspeople. United Nations flags were flying from nearly every window and the civilians could not do enough for the boys. Harry made quite a number of friends in the town and was very sorry to leave. One of the people he met was a Belgian woman who had lived in England and spoke faultless English. Another was the Dean of Ostend, who gave him presents for his mother."
I'd love to know what presents he took home for his Mam! I did meet uncle Harry when I was very young, but he died in 1985 just before my seventh birthday.
I'm giving the Stodge Saturday Patent a rest this week as there's no proper racing today and there's only so much punishment you and I can take.
Perhaps @ping can provide some selections today as he had such a good Cheltenham.
I have a couple of interesting relatives who were in the forces - an uncle was a Padre in India in WW2 and had Huntingdon's Disease, and I have two grandparent generation people who were in the trenches, of whom one killed himself aiui and the other had lifelong mental health issues.
https://www.gov.uk/get-copy-military-service-records/apply-for-someone-elses-records
In any case my point was more about what was probably the greatest moral issue of the first decade of the C20th and the man who was never slow to mention his moral compass when it suited him.
On a more cheerful note, it's always fun to argue about lists, and here's the happiness list, with FINLAND winning again. Makes sense!
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/19/finland-named-worlds-happiest-country-for-fifth-year-running
It is certainly in breach of its duty of care to its female patients.
The country where I quite want to be
Your mountains so lofty
Your treetops so tall
Finland, Finland, Finland
Finland has it all
Supposedly the ward staff's sole response to the suggestion there had been a rape on the ward was that there were no men on the ward, which seems to indicate a complete lack of any cognitive function whatsoever, investigation, or any instinct to believe or listen to the victim at all.
I don't think it's particularly helpful to think of the main point being whether the assault or rape was perpetrated by a man or woman given the imbelic nature of the (apparent) response.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Forgotten_Battle
1) The Rules say that it is Transphobic to say that a person identifying as a woman is a man.
2) The Law Says only men can commit rape.
3) from 1) there were no men present
4) From 3) & 2) there was no rape. Anyone who says there was a rape is a Transphobe.
As far as the victim was concerned, she had been raped by a man. Does that count for nothing?
https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/mercedes-f1-car-borrows-a-few-tricks-from-rocket-technology/8895120/
Seems that Mercedes *did* use Reaction Engines technology in their intercooler.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXi63nZiVAE
(7 minutes)
It is worth noting - if the reports are accurate - that the hospital told two lies: (1) that there was no man on the ward; and (2) therefore there was no rape. I.e. they implicitly admitted that only men can rape (though in fact women can be guilty of rape as aides and abetters) and, even worse, they were willing to accuse the victim of being a liar. They maintained this stance for a year.
Imagine the trauma for the victim. Imagine too what the delay in getting the truth does for the chances of bringing the perpetrator to justice.
Oh, I forgot. Even if he's convicted he can claim to be a woman, be put in a woman's prison and be free to rape all over again.
The whole thing is not simply imbecilic. It is disgusting.
Later edit: I've looked at the summary on Wikipedia. Near where I now live was a big glider base. There's a pub on the flight path and because gliders take a while to get airborne the roof had to be removed during the war, because otherwise it was a hazard to the gliders.
So the hospital were dancing on the head of a pin here: 'well, she can't have been raped, no penises to do it.' Therefore implying there was no chance of any sexual assault at all.
And the reason of course is because as @Cyclefree notes if they admitted there had been there was a major safeguarding breach.
The issue now is that in addition to letting their patients be raped that hospital trust has committed the crime of perverting the course of justice.
All in all it is a brutally clear exposition of why self identification without certain very strict safeguards (I.e. call yourself what you like but no accessing female only spaces until transition is complete) is a very bad idea.
https://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/19511699.scottish-greens-defend-rape-centre-boss-mridul-wadhwa-bigoted-survivors-row/
There was a safeguarding issue because a serious sexual assault was carried out on the ward. So far as we can tell from the Baroness' speech, the whole issue was dismissed by the staff and/or Trust because the complainant (i.e. victim) used the word "rape" and thus we went through the whole tortuous logic Malmsbury refers to.
I don't recognise any situation where that is an appropriate response, whether you consider the perpetrator a man, woman, or alien. It is tantamount to responding to a complaint "the black guy over there punched me" with the response "no, the black guy over there did not punch you, because he is not black". The victim need not use the right words in order to have their complaint properly dealt with.
'What, a man on my ward! Nonsense!'
And no-one argued with them.
The law does say "his penis" (etc.) but there is plenty of law on the statute book that refers to "he" when it means "a person".
What the hell is wrong with people?
Grandmothers. One, the eldest of 10 in Wick, fisherman father, was sent into Service, but her Granny read of a murder in Glasgow, so she was diverted to London instead. When I tried to explain to her how to use an escalator she commented she’d been running on and off them as a teenager. When she’d remark “worse things happen at sea” she knew of what she spoke.
The other grandmother was the youngest of 11, so while her elder siblings were sent out to work, like my Wick Grandmother, she and her older sister were trained as a teacher and pharmacist respectively. When she got her first car in the 1920s to drive to Glamis school, her engineer brother advised her that as roads then had a considerable camber, best to drive in the middle, a habit she found difficult to shake. I wish I’d understood at the time what a kick it gave her to tell people that her grandchild was going to Oxford - an unimaginable achievement for a jute mill worker’s daughter. As a teenager I was mortified.