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The next election: CON winning most seats & votes but Starmer PM? – politicalbetting.com

SystemSystem Posts: 11,706
edited April 2022 in General
imageThe next election: CON winning most seats & votes but Starmer PM? – politicalbetting.com

Currently, according to the betting markets, there is a 73% chance that the election will take place in 2024.

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    Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 60,393
    edited March 2022
    Good morning

    I would expect the next Parliament to be either hung or a small conservative majority

    Just listened to Kay Burley ask Angela Rayner can a woman have a penis ?

    The world has gone mad
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    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 61,013
    FPT:
    Good morning, everyone.

    Mr. Pioneers, my neighbours have it.

    It turns out being a massive introvert is a great survival trait during a pandemic.

    F1: vague ramble for Oz: I suspect McLaren will drift backwards, but be interesting to see (Saudi Arabia was much faster than Bahrain, Australia will be much slower). Should be good for Alfa Romeo. I'm expecting Ferrari to have the edge on Red Bull. Might look to back Sainz each way if I get a free bet or the odds improve from 7.

    Surprised by the poor reliability in Saudi Arabia for multiple teams.
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    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,403
    Fixed penalties apparently being issued from today for partygate. Could be highly destabilising, despite the absurdity of this. What's the betting that those issued a FP are the ones stupid enough to fill in their questionaires.
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    DavidL said:

    Fixed penalties apparently being issued from today for partygate. Could be highly destabilising, despite the absurdity of this. What's the betting that those issued a FP are the ones stupid enough to fill in their questionaires.

    It has been suggested some will appeal rather than accept the FPN, though these are supposed to be the 'low hanging fruit'
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    MoonRabbitMoonRabbit Posts: 12,635

    Good morning

    I would expect the next Parliament to be either hung or a small conservative majority

    Just listened to Kay Burley ask Angela Rayner can a woman have a penis ?

    The world has gone mad

    Did she rise to that?
    Is there a firm response?
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    MoonRabbitMoonRabbit Posts: 12,635
    Today. The Peace Talks. Zelenskyy has offered neutrality. Correct me where I’m wrong, What he means by this, Ukraine won’t bear arms, but it’s security will be underwritten by “guarantors” UK, US and Turkey.

    Question. If the end to the war hinged on that, and they looked to us to sign as guarantor to initiate the peace, with Russia out, right back to how they were out at start of February, as UK PM would you sign to be guarantor?

    I’ve had a think on this question, and my answer would be no.
  • Options

    Good morning

    I would expect the next Parliament to be either hung or a small conservative majority

    Just listened to Kay Burley ask Angela Rayner can a woman have a penis ?

    The world has gone mad

    Did she rise to that?
    Excellent response and no, she tied herself in knots !!
  • Options
    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,403

    DavidL said:

    Fixed penalties apparently being issued from today for partygate. Could be highly destabilising, despite the absurdity of this. What's the betting that those issued a FP are the ones stupid enough to fill in their questionaires.

    It has been suggested some will appeal rather than accept the FPN, though these are supposed to be the 'low hanging fruit'
    My understanding is that you don't even need to appeal, you simply don't pay it. It is then up to the CPS to decide if they want to actually prosecute with all the interesting time bar issues, self incrimination issues and hearsay issues that would entail. Wouldn't fancy being the prosecutor myself.
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    DavidL said:

    DavidL said:

    Fixed penalties apparently being issued from today for partygate. Could be highly destabilising, despite the absurdity of this. What's the betting that those issued a FP are the ones stupid enough to fill in their questionaires.

    It has been suggested some will appeal rather than accept the FPN, though these are supposed to be the 'low hanging fruit'
    My understanding is that you don't even need to appeal, you simply don't pay it. It is then up to the CPS to decide if they want to actually prosecute with all the interesting time bar issues, self incrimination issues and hearsay issues that would entail. Wouldn't fancy being the prosecutor myself.
    That is interesting
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    kjhkjh Posts: 10,678

    Good morning

    I would expect the next Parliament to be either hung or a small conservative majority

    Just listened to Kay Burley ask Angela Rayner can a woman have a penis ?

    The world has gone mad

    Did she rise to that?
    Excellent response and no, she tied herself in knots !!
    Painful.
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    MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 44,602

    Today. The Peace Talks. Zelenskyy has offered neutrality. Correct me where I’m wrong, What he means by this, Ukraine won’t bear arms, but it’s security will be underwritten by “guarantors” UK, US and Turkey.

    Question. If the end to the war hinged on that, and they looked to us to sign as guarantor to initiate the peace, with Russia out, right back to how they were out at start of February, as UK PM would you sign to be guarantor?

    I’ve had a think on this question, and my answer would be no.

    I would provide the guarantee.

    Jericho III missiles from Isreal. Whose warheads should we buy? Israeli is a bit obvious... I say we sell them some.
  • Options
    NemtynakhtNemtynakht Posts: 2,311

    Good morning

    I would expect the next Parliament to be either hung or a small conservative majority

    Just listened to Kay Burley ask Angela Rayner can a woman have a penis ?

    The world has gone mad

    I was trying to think when the Trans issue got out of hand, and I think it is when they tried messing around with the language. I am happy to let anyone change their birth gender, it is up to that individual and should only be restricted
  • Options
    TimSTimS Posts: 9,820

    Today. The Peace Talks. Zelenskyy has offered neutrality. Correct me where I’m wrong, What he means by this, Ukraine won’t bear arms, but it’s security will be underwritten by “guarantors” UK, US and Turkey.

    Question. If the end to the war hinged on that, and they looked to us to sign as guarantor to initiate the peace, with Russia out, right back to how they were out at start of February, as UK PM would you sign to be guarantor?

    I’ve had a think on this question, and my answer would be no.

    Neutrality doesn't mean Ukraine not-bearing arms. That would be demilitarisation. It means them not joining NATO. A neutral Ukraine, armed to the teeth with Western weapons and with a highly trained army, would be a reasonable long term answer and less risky for them than some kind of security guarantee that Russia would, inevitably, break in due course.
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    Dura_AceDura_Ace Posts: 13,039
    moonshine said:

    Hate to say it but Putin will be thinking he just needs to see through the next 6 months and we’re back into winter.

    It's possible to plot a trajectory that looks like survival and even victory of sorts for VVP from here.

    Ukraine is never joining NATO, he's got Donbas and a land bridge to Crimea. Ideally, he'd like a commitment that they won't be allowed in to the EU and to capture Odesa in order to strategically and logistically impair whatever is left of Ukraine. Those might have to remain aspirations until next time.

    He's right to assume that the West will eventually get too bored and/or greedy to maintain sanctions so the only great disadvantage to come out of World War Z will be the greatly diminished reputation of the Russian military. He won't give a fuck about the 10,000 KIAs and neither will anyone else who matters. Russians have always excelled at dying in large numbers with stoicism.
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    MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 25,345
    edited March 2022

    Good morning

    I would expect the next Parliament to be either hung or a small conservative majority

    Just listened to Kay Burley ask Angela Rayner can a woman have a penis ?

    The world has gone mad

    A well hung Parliament?

    Addressing to the left or the right?
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    algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 10,624
    At first glance more or less all those probabilities look like value. For example it seems to me that the chance of the PM after the next GE being one of Boris or SKS is more than 56%.
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    HeathenerHeathener Posts: 5,422



    Just listened to Kay Burley ask Angela Rayner can a woman have a penis ?

    The world has gone mad

    You may think it mad but I think this is typical of your, and some fellow old white male, attitude.

    The world has moved on and increasingly comprehends the complexities and nuance of gender, sex and language.

    Most of us increasingly realise that binary thinking of all sorts contributes to the evils of the world.

    So however loud the strident voices, like yours, become on the extremes they are not where the majority of the next few generations beyond yours are.

    (I could walk you through the complexities of gender but not now.)
  • Options

    Good morning

    I would expect the next Parliament to be either hung or a small conservative majority

    Just listened to Kay Burley ask Angela Rayner can a woman have a penis ?

    The world has gone mad

    A well hung Parliament?

    Addressing to the left or the right?
    Centre hopefully
  • Options
    HeathenerHeathener Posts: 5,422

    Good morning

    I would expect the next Parliament to be either hung or a small conservative majority

    As for this idea, I think your judgement is somewhat coloured by your own political wishes.
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    SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,947
    DavidL said:

    Fixed penalties apparently being issued from today for partygate. Could be highly destabilising, despite the absurdity of this. What's the betting that those issued a FP are the ones stupid enough to fill in their questionaires.

    Anyone actually accepting one, rather than forcing the prosecution to put their case to an actual court, must be completely mad.
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    HeathenerHeathener Posts: 5,422
    Checks pb.

    Jokes about hairy women and well hung men.

    Great place for females this.

    I'll leave you men to it for the day.
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    kle4kle4 Posts: 92,054
    TimS said:

    Today. The Peace Talks. Zelenskyy has offered neutrality. Correct me where I’m wrong, What he means by this, Ukraine won’t bear arms, but it’s security will be underwritten by “guarantors” UK, US and Turkey.

    Question. If the end to the war hinged on that, and they looked to us to sign as guarantor to initiate the peace, with Russia out, right back to how they were out at start of February, as UK PM would you sign to be guarantor?

    I’ve had a think on this question, and my answer would be no.

    Neutrality doesn't mean Ukraine not-bearing arms. That would be demilitarisation. It means them not joining NATO. A neutral Ukraine, armed to the teeth with Western weapons and with a highly trained army, would be a reasonable long term answer and less risky for them than some kind of security guarantee that Russia would, inevitably, break in due course.
    Seems weird Russia would buy that as neutral, especially if the EU puts forces in Ukraine instead, but hopefully theyd have to take it.
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    DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 24,556

    Today. The Peace Talks. Zelenskyy has offered neutrality. Correct me where I’m wrong, What he means by this, Ukraine won’t bear arms, but it’s security will be underwritten by “guarantors” UK, US and Turkey.

    Question. If the end to the war hinged on that, and they looked to us to sign as guarantor to initiate the peace, with Russia out, right back to how they were out at start of February, as UK PM would you sign to be guarantor?

    I’ve had a think on this question, and my answer would be no.

    I would provide the guarantee.

    Jericho III missiles from Isreal. Whose warheads should we buy? Israeli is a bit obvious... I say we sell them some.
    Israel is not obvious at all. Israel has not been keen to supply arms to Ukraine.
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    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,403
    Sandpit said:

    DavidL said:

    Fixed penalties apparently being issued from today for partygate. Could be highly destabilising, despite the absurdity of this. What's the betting that those issued a FP are the ones stupid enough to fill in their questionaires.

    Anyone actually accepting one, rather than forcing the prosecution to put their case to an actual court, must be completely mad.
    Unless they have self incriminated I agree.
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    eekeek Posts: 25,028

    Good morning

    I would expect the next Parliament to be either hung or a small conservative majority

    Just listened to Kay Burley ask Angela Rayner can a woman have a penis ?

    The world has gone mad

    I was trying to think when the Trans issue got out of hand, and I think it is when they tried messing around with the language. I am happy to let anyone change their birth gender, it is up to that individual and should only be restricted
    One advantage of the question being asked now is that it will be possible to stop the question being asked come the election because the answer should be - I answered that in 2022 and nothing has changed.

    But the actual question is there because there is no answer that works. The question has 2 possible answers both of which will seriously annoy x% of the population and as @NickPalmer points out any answer isn't going to help you as it's the same as two neighbours arguing over a neighbourhood issue - whatever you do will upset 1 person and not go far enough for the other 1.
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    MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 50,146
    "CON WINNING MOST SEATS & VOTES BUT STARMER PM" would be a short-lived and chaotic Parliament, as soon as the SNP shopping list came out.

    And that scenario could still have England with a majority of MPs, with Starmer unable to get legislation through on English matters where the SNP don't vote and the Tory MPs do.

    Starmer, the PM of the UK - but effectively not of England.
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    MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 44,602
    TimS said:

    Today. The Peace Talks. Zelenskyy has offered neutrality. Correct me where I’m wrong, What he means by this, Ukraine won’t bear arms, but it’s security will be underwritten by “guarantors” UK, US and Turkey.

    Question. If the end to the war hinged on that, and they looked to us to sign as guarantor to initiate the peace, with Russia out, right back to how they were out at start of February, as UK PM would you sign to be guarantor?

    I’ve had a think on this question, and my answer would be no.

    Neutrality doesn't mean Ukraine not-bearing arms. That would be demilitarisation. It means them not joining NATO. A neutral Ukraine, armed to the teeth with Western weapons and with a highly trained army, would be a reasonable long term answer and less risky for them than some kind of security guarantee that Russia would, inevitably, break in due course.
    The problem is that in Might Is Right World, a Ukraine with the ability to defend itself against Russia is.... offensive.

    Hence the Russian demands for de-militarisation.
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    NigelbNigelb Posts: 62,837
    Heathener said:

    Checks pb.

    Jokes about hairy women and well hung men.

    Great place for females this.

    I'll leave you men to it for the day.

    I don't think @MoonRabbit is a man ?
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    kle4kle4 Posts: 92,054

    Good morning

    I would expect the next Parliament to be either hung or a small conservative majority

    Just listened to Kay Burley ask Angela Rayner can a woman have a penis ?

    The world has gone mad

    I was trying to think when the Trans issue got out of hand, and I think it is when they tried messing around with the language. I am happy to let anyone change their birth gender, it is up to that individual and should only be restricted
    When disagreement on terminology became heresy and akin to the most hateful anti trans bigotry it does rather push otherwise moderate people to opposition by default.
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    TheWhiteRabbitTheWhiteRabbit Posts: 12,388
    DavidL said:

    Sandpit said:

    DavidL said:

    Fixed penalties apparently being issued from today for partygate. Could be highly destabilising, despite the absurdity of this. What's the betting that those issued a FP are the ones stupid enough to fill in their questionaires.

    Anyone actually accepting one, rather than forcing the prosecution to put their case to an actual court, must be completely mad.
    Unless they have self incriminated I agree.
    I've advised clients to do either option before.

    Normally the questionnaire would be accompanied by evidence a crime had been committed. If that evidence, or the other evidence, available to the prosecution would likely stand, you can take the FPN. If it is no more than a fishing expedition, you can give the equivalent of a "no comment" interview.
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    MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 44,602
    edited March 2022

    Today. The Peace Talks. Zelenskyy has offered neutrality. Correct me where I’m wrong, What he means by this, Ukraine won’t bear arms, but it’s security will be underwritten by “guarantors” UK, US and Turkey.

    Question. If the end to the war hinged on that, and they looked to us to sign as guarantor to initiate the peace, with Russia out, right back to how they were out at start of February, as UK PM would you sign to be guarantor?

    I’ve had a think on this question, and my answer would be no.

    I would provide the guarantee.

    Jericho III missiles from Isreal. Whose warheads should we buy? Israeli is a bit obvious... I say we sell them some.
    Israel is not obvious at all. Israel has not been keen to supply arms to Ukraine.
    I was err... joking. Jericho III is an ICBM.

    EDIT: In all seriousness, the truth is that what Ukraine needs is nuclear weapons. A truth that will be discussed in many government offices around the world. There is no technical barrier for a least half a dozen countries - they have the nuclear material and the skills.
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    Heathener said:



    Just listened to Kay Burley ask Angela Rayner can a woman have a penis ?

    The world has gone mad

    You may think it mad but I think this is typical of your, and some fellow old white male, attitude.

    The world has moved on and increasingly comprehends the complexities and nuance of gender, sex and language.

    Most of us increasingly realise that binary thinking of all sorts contributes to the evils of the world.

    So however loud the strident voices, like yours, become on the extremes they are not where the majority of the next few generations beyond yours are.

    (I could walk you through the complexities of gender but not now.)
    You are a ridiculous poster and this is up there with most of your witterings

    You react to most any post you do not like by discrimination against men

    What has this is to do with male attitudes ?

    This anger is coming from women themselves and is an issue tearing labour apart at present

    I do not believe a word you say most of the time anyway
  • Options
    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,403

    "CON WINNING MOST SEATS & VOTES BUT STARMER PM" would be a short-lived and chaotic Parliament, as soon as the SNP shopping list came out.

    And that scenario could still have England with a majority of MPs, with Starmer unable to get legislation through on English matters where the SNP don't vote and the Tory MPs do.

    Starmer, the PM of the UK - but effectively not of England.

    Is EVEL still a thing? I had got the impression it had been dropped, possibly and entirely coincidently, when the Tories had more Scottish MPs than Labour.
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    NigelbNigelb Posts: 62,837

    Today. The Peace Talks. Zelenskyy has offered neutrality. Correct me where I’m wrong, What he means by this, Ukraine won’t bear arms, but its security will be underwritten by “guarantors” UK, US and Turkey.

    Question. If the end to the war hinged on that, and they looked to us to sign as guarantor to initiate the peace, with Russia out, right back to how they were out at start of February, as UK PM would you sign to be guarantor?

    I’ve had a think on this question, and my answer would be no.

    The UK would not, and could not be a sole guarantor.
    The role of the US is obviously key - and Turkey is an interesting addition.
  • Options
    Heathener said:

    Checks pb.

    Jokes about hairy women and well hung men.

    Great place for females this.

    I'll leave you men to it for the day.

    Cheerio
  • Options
    NickPalmerNickPalmer Posts: 21,369
    eek said:

    Good morning

    I would expect the next Parliament to be either hung or a small conservative majority

    Just listened to Kay Burley ask Angela Rayner can a woman have a penis ?

    The world has gone mad

    I was trying to think when the Trans issue got out of hand, and I think it is when they tried messing around with the language. I am happy to let anyone change their birth gender, it is up to that individual and should only be restricted
    One advantage of the question being asked now is that it will be possible to stop the question being asked come the election because the answer should be - I answered that in 2022 and nothing has changed.

    But the actual question is there because there is no answer that works. The question has 2 possible answers both of which will seriously annoy x% of the population and as @NickPalmer points out any answer isn't going to help you as it's the same as two neighbours arguing over a neighbourhood issue - whatever you do will upset 1 person and not go far enough for the other 1.
    I think there are more votes to be won by being ostentatiously neutral - say ad nauseam that you don't want to get into the issue, sorry, and the next Government will not be legislating on the issue. Most people will approve, and the x% on both sides who don't will mostly in the end vote on other issues. So long as you keep message discipline, there comes a point when it's no longer fun for journalists to use up their quota of questions asking about it.
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    Dura_AceDura_Ace Posts: 13,039
    Has anybody asked Butter Tits the 'woman' question yet? His flocculant dribblings on the subject would no doubt rarefy the debate.
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    NigelbNigelb Posts: 62,837
    Dura_Ace said:

    moonshine said:

    Hate to say it but Putin will be thinking he just needs to see through the next 6 months and we’re back into winter.

    It's possible to plot a trajectory that looks like survival and even victory of sorts for VVP from here.

    Ukraine is never joining NATO, he's got Donbas and a land bridge to Crimea. Ideally, he'd like a commitment that they won't be allowed in to the EU and to capture Odesa in order to strategically and logistically impair whatever is left of Ukraine. Those might have to remain aspirations until next time.

    He's right to assume that the West will eventually get too bored and/or greedy to maintain sanctions so the only great disadvantage to come out of World War Z will be the greatly diminished reputation of the Russian military. He won't give a fuck about the 10,000 KIAs and neither will anyone else who matters. Russians have always excelled at dying in large numbers with stoicism.
    Especially when most of the dead aren't Russians.
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    Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 33,205
    @Kasparov63 Yet again, I find myself agreeing with every word of another @Kasparov63 thread. Having had plenty of experience negotiating - including against the Russians - I would employ precisely the approach Kasparov outlines. It works. #Ukraine. https://twitter.com/kasparov63/status/1508545477234597891
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    NigelbNigelb Posts: 62,837

    Today. The Peace Talks. Zelenskyy has offered neutrality. Correct me where I’m wrong, What he means by this, Ukraine won’t bear arms, but it’s security will be underwritten by “guarantors” UK, US and Turkey.

    Question. If the end to the war hinged on that, and they looked to us to sign as guarantor to initiate the peace, with Russia out, right back to how they were out at start of February, as UK PM would you sign to be guarantor?

    I’ve had a think on this question, and my answer would be no.

    I would provide the guarantee.

    Jericho III missiles from Isreal. Whose warheads should we buy? Israeli is a bit obvious... I say we sell them some.
    Israel is not obvious at all. Israel has not been keen to supply arms to Ukraine.
    I was err... joking. Jericho III is an ICBM.

    EDIT: In all seriousness, the truth is that what Ukraine needs is nuclear weapons. A truth that will be discussed in many government offices around the world. There is no technical barrier for a least half a dozen countries - they have the nuclear material and the skills.
    They've already committed not to developing them as part of their negotiating stance.
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    kle4kle4 Posts: 92,054

    eek said:

    Good morning

    I would expect the next Parliament to be either hung or a small conservative majority

    Just listened to Kay Burley ask Angela Rayner can a woman have a penis ?

    The world has gone mad

    I was trying to think when the Trans issue got out of hand, and I think it is when they tried messing around with the language. I am happy to let anyone change their birth gender, it is up to that individual and should only be restricted
    One advantage of the question being asked now is that it will be possible to stop the question being asked come the election because the answer should be - I answered that in 2022 and nothing has changed.

    But the actual question is there because there is no answer that works. The question has 2 possible answers both of which will seriously annoy x% of the population and as @NickPalmer points out any answer isn't going to help you as it's the same as two neighbours arguing over a neighbourhood issue - whatever you do will upset 1 person and not go far enough for the other 1.
    I think there are more votes to be won by being ostentatiously neutral - say ad nauseam that you don't want to get into the issue, sorry, and the next Government will not be legislating on the issue. Most people will approve, and the x% on both sides who don't will mostly in the end vote on other issues. So long as you keep message discipline, there comes a point when it's no longer fun for journalists to use up their quota of questions asking about it.
    I actually agree, but it will lead to many stupid responses in interviews in the meantime as politicians have not been particular good with the non answers.
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    SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,947
    edited March 2022
    American comedian Bridget Phetasy, trying to make sense of the gender debate in an amusing way.

    She sells t-shirts with “WOMEN!!!” written on the front, as a protest at the attempted removal of that word from public discourse by a small but loud group of activists.

    https://youtube.com/watch?v=xlRnvDTn7cY&t=400s

    This week’s context, is the new Supreme Court nominee being unable or unwilling to define the word “woman”.
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    IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    Heathener said:



    Just listened to Kay Burley ask Angela Rayner can a woman have a penis ?

    The world has gone mad

    You may think it mad but I think this is typical of your, and some fellow old white male, attitude.

    The world has moved on and increasingly comprehends the complexities and nuance of gender, sex and language.

    Most of us increasingly realise that binary thinking of all sorts contributes to the evils of the world.

    So however loud the strident voices, like yours, become on the extremes they are not where the majority of the next few generations beyond yours are.

    (I could walk you through the complexities of gender but not now.)
    I wish you would, because when you walk anyone through the complexities of anything the results are hilarious. I don't think I will ever forget the lecture on aviation and fuel jettisoning

    Here's a cunning plan: Anything you want to segregate (toilets prisons etc) you segregate by dick/no dick. This takes most of the sting out of the situation for actual women, and the clever thing is, for anyone who wants to attack it on discrimination grounds, they can't, because to do so they would have to argue that dick owning status and sex are in some way correlated.
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    kjhkjh Posts: 10,678
    FPT @StillWaters re people not reading past the headlines. Yes I agree, but they still become very aware once they realise there is an effective tax rate of 100% or more and a lot of Americans own shares or run businesses.

    As neither of us have read the details I am wondering if it is rather more nuanced than this and is actually simply a tax avoidance measure aimed at the well off. Eg like when we got rid of B&B.

    Something @HYUFD said late last night when I challenged the fact that he was getting capital and income mixed up. He referred to short term capital gains being taxed as income. That immediately rang alarm bells re the understanding of the measure. Firstly by definition you can't have an unrealised short term capital gain. If it is unrealised you don't know if it's short term or not yet, so what does that mean. However it is perfectly reasonable to treat short term realized capital gains as income. That would be normal practice here for instance if done on a very regular basis.

    Not sure I can be bothered to read the details, but sounds like measures to stop avoidance to me.
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    IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    Dura_Ace said:

    Has anybody asked Butter Tits the 'woman' question yet? His flocculant dribblings on the subject would no doubt rarefy the debate.

    He said at PMQs the other day he had a lorra respect for basic biology
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    MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 44,602
    Nigelb said:

    Today. The Peace Talks. Zelenskyy has offered neutrality. Correct me where I’m wrong, What he means by this, Ukraine won’t bear arms, but it’s security will be underwritten by “guarantors” UK, US and Turkey.

    Question. If the end to the war hinged on that, and they looked to us to sign as guarantor to initiate the peace, with Russia out, right back to how they were out at start of February, as UK PM would you sign to be guarantor?

    I’ve had a think on this question, and my answer would be no.

    I would provide the guarantee.

    Jericho III missiles from Isreal. Whose warheads should we buy? Israeli is a bit obvious... I say we sell them some.
    Israel is not obvious at all. Israel has not been keen to supply arms to Ukraine.
    I was err... joking. Jericho III is an ICBM.

    EDIT: In all seriousness, the truth is that what Ukraine needs is nuclear weapons. A truth that will be discussed in many government offices around the world. There is no technical barrier for a least half a dozen countries - they have the nuclear material and the skills.
    They've already committed not to developing them as part of their negotiating stance.
    Because they can't get them from here. Western support would collapse if they announced renouncing the treaty on nukes. Russia would go even more Full Tonto.

    If Ukraine had been a nuclear power since it's independence, this war wouldn't have happened.

    A Nuclear Weapon Keeps the Bear Away.
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    StillWatersStillWaters Posts: 7,097

    Good morning

    I would expect the next Parliament to be either hung or a small conservative majority

    Just listened to Kay Burley ask Angela Rayner can a woman have a penis ?

    The world has gone mad

    Did she rise to that?
    Is there a firm response?
    Only for a bit. No staying power.
  • Options
    IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    https://news.sky.com/story/spring-statement-criticism-rishi-sunak-defends-mini-budget-over-claims-it-fails-to-protect-poorest-from-prices-spiral-12576946

    sunak eviscerated by Select Committee, plays "Computer says no" card

    "He was pressed on why he had still chosen to announce tax-cutting measures rather than give more help to those who were out of work.

    Mr Sunak told MPs that because of the way the social security system operates it would not have been possible to scale up benefits at such short notice."
  • Options
    Anyway, from the previous thread. Regarding Covid we don't need to reinstate restrictions but we do need to ask people to think. Covid is everywhere again and even if it isn't a threat to long-term health or our lives for most of us, it's bloody inconvenient.

    I'm on the train into that London from Gatwick and am one of very few in a mask. I'm not going to wear one all day - it'll be off on the communal office. But where it's no imposition and it reduces to very low my chance of catching it now why not wear a mask?

    I'm way too busy to get Covid. So I wear a mask and think what I am doing. Others could do the same and we wouldn't have the quiet epidemic we are currently suffering.
  • Options
    IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    Any active E&W criminal lawyers, or indeed criminals, on here?

    FPN recipients can not pay, and wait to be prosecuted after 28 days, which is what you'd expect them to do. How long is that sort of case taking to get to a hearing ATM? And how much longer if there's an appeal to the Crown Court?
  • Options
    MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 44,602

    Anyway, from the previous thread. Regarding Covid we don't need to reinstate restrictions but we do need to ask people to think. Covid is everywhere again and even if it isn't a threat to long-term health or our lives for most of us, it's bloody inconvenient.

    I'm on the train into that London from Gatwick and am one of very few in a mask. I'm not going to wear one all day - it'll be off on the communal office. But where it's no imposition and it reduces to very low my chance of catching it now why not wear a mask?

    I'm way too busy to get Covid. So I wear a mask and think what I am doing. Others could do the same and we wouldn't have the quiet epidemic we are currently suffering.

    Given the very high R number for Omicron, the paper masks don't work, essentially.

    N95s probably do a something.
  • Options
    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,403
    IshmaelZ said:

    https://news.sky.com/story/spring-statement-criticism-rishi-sunak-defends-mini-budget-over-claims-it-fails-to-protect-poorest-from-prices-spiral-12576946

    sunak eviscerated by Select Committee, plays "Computer says no" card

    "He was pressed on why he had still chosen to announce tax-cutting measures rather than give more help to those who were out of work.

    Mr Sunak told MPs that because of the way the social security system operates it would not have been possible to scale up benefits at such short notice."

    Why didn't he tell them not to be so f****** stupid? We already have significant labour shortages in this country and a very high (by international standards) activity rate. We are facing significant cost push inflation because of this which risks the temporary energy shock inflation being endemic. We simply do not need to boost the demand for labour any higher than it is already. There are far more urgent things to do.
  • Options
    dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 28,016
    edited March 2022
    On topic.
    Tories most votes 70%.
    Most seats 58%.
    Makes no sense. All psephologists agree, I think, that on a most votes tie, the Conservatives would have most seats.
    It is entirely possible for Labour to win the popular vote by 2, maybe even 3%, and still have fewer seats.
    Most seats is value. Most votes doesn't look it to me.
  • Options
    SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,947

    eek said:

    Good morning

    I would expect the next Parliament to be either hung or a small conservative majority

    Just listened to Kay Burley ask Angela Rayner can a woman have a penis ?

    The world has gone mad

    I was trying to think when the Trans issue got out of hand, and I think it is when they tried messing around with the language. I am happy to let anyone change their birth gender, it is up to that individual and should only be restricted
    One advantage of the question being asked now is that it will be possible to stop the question being asked come the election because the answer should be - I answered that in 2022 and nothing has changed.

    But the actual question is there because there is no answer that works. The question has 2 possible answers both of which will seriously annoy x% of the population and as @NickPalmer points out any answer isn't going to help you as it's the same as two neighbours arguing over a neighbourhood issue - whatever you do will upset 1 person and not go far enough for the other 1.
    I think there are more votes to be won by being ostentatiously neutral - say ad nauseam that you don't want to get into the issue, sorry, and the next Government will not be legislating on the issue. Most people will approve, and the x% on both sides who don't will mostly in the end vote on other issues. So long as you keep message discipline, there comes a point when it's no longer fun for journalists to use up their quota of questions asking about it.
    The problem, is that it’s only an issue for certain political parties.

    Whoever is the Conservative leader at the next election, they are likely to say that a woman is an adult human female, and wait for the other parties to tie themselves in knots trying to avoid quoting the dictionary definition of the word.
  • Options
    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,403

    Anyway, from the previous thread. Regarding Covid we don't need to reinstate restrictions but we do need to ask people to think. Covid is everywhere again and even if it isn't a threat to long-term health or our lives for most of us, it's bloody inconvenient.

    I'm on the train into that London from Gatwick and am one of very few in a mask. I'm not going to wear one all day - it'll be off on the communal office. But where it's no imposition and it reduces to very low my chance of catching it now why not wear a mask?

    I'm way too busy to get Covid. So I wear a mask and think what I am doing. Others could do the same and we wouldn't have the quiet epidemic we are currently suffering.

    The evidence that any of the surviving measures reduce the risk of getting Covid is, at best, mixed. Anecdotally, the current wave is catching those who haven't had it yet and even some who have. As the former includes both my wife and myself this is not great news. And I really don't think the virus cares how busy I am right now.
  • Options
    eekeek Posts: 25,028
    It seems that about 2 hours ago the Russia gas pipeline via the Ukraine stopped transporting gas

    https://twitter.com/bert_hu_bert/status/1508713195992723458

    REAKING: According to the
    @ENTSOG
    European natural gas transparency data, no more Russian gas is coming through Ukraine since two hours. This represents over 25% of all Russian gas sales to Europe. Hourly updates on: https://berthub.eu/gazmon/ /cc
  • Options
    NigelbNigelb Posts: 62,837
    RIP Martin Pope, inventor of the OLED, at the age of 103.

    Born Isidore Poppick...
    https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/27/obituaries/martin-pope-dead.html
    ...After serving as a first lieutenant in the Army Air Forces in World War II, he sought employment. Aware of an undercurrent of antisemitism, Dr. Pope applied in 1946 for a position at the American Cyanamid Company using two names: Isidore Poppick, with the published paper listed on his résumé, and Martin Pope, with no such record.
    “Martin Pope received an application, and Isidore Poppick received a notice that no positions were available,” Dr. Pope said. “I decided to use Martin Pope as my new name.” One of Dr. Pope’s brothers also changed his name to Pope when he encountered similar prejudice while looking for work...
  • Options
    rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 58,442
    DavidL said:

    Anyway, from the previous thread. Regarding Covid we don't need to reinstate restrictions but we do need to ask people to think. Covid is everywhere again and even if it isn't a threat to long-term health or our lives for most of us, it's bloody inconvenient.

    I'm on the train into that London from Gatwick and am one of very few in a mask. I'm not going to wear one all day - it'll be off on the communal office. But where it's no imposition and it reduces to very low my chance of catching it now why not wear a mask?

    I'm way too busy to get Covid. So I wear a mask and think what I am doing. Others could do the same and we wouldn't have the quiet epidemic we are currently suffering.

    The evidence that any of the surviving measures reduce the risk of getting Covid is, at best, mixed. Anecdotally, the current wave is catching those who haven't had it yet and even some who have. As the former includes both my wife and myself this is not great news. And I really don't think the virus cares how busy I am right now.
    A lot of people I know through extended family, mates, friends of friends, old work colleagues etc are coming down with this sub-variant. I've lost track of how times I have been told 'oh, by the way, so and so, has covid' in last three or four weeks.

    Anecdotally, as far as I can see it is a massive wave at moment.
  • Options
    eekeek Posts: 25,028
    Sandpit said:

    eek said:

    Good morning

    I would expect the next Parliament to be either hung or a small conservative majority

    Just listened to Kay Burley ask Angela Rayner can a woman have a penis ?

    The world has gone mad

    I was trying to think when the Trans issue got out of hand, and I think it is when they tried messing around with the language. I am happy to let anyone change their birth gender, it is up to that individual and should only be restricted
    One advantage of the question being asked now is that it will be possible to stop the question being asked come the election because the answer should be - I answered that in 2022 and nothing has changed.

    But the actual question is there because there is no answer that works. The question has 2 possible answers both of which will seriously annoy x% of the population and as @NickPalmer points out any answer isn't going to help you as it's the same as two neighbours arguing over a neighbourhood issue - whatever you do will upset 1 person and not go far enough for the other 1.
    I think there are more votes to be won by being ostentatiously neutral - say ad nauseam that you don't want to get into the issue, sorry, and the next Government will not be legislating on the issue. Most people will approve, and the x% on both sides who don't will mostly in the end vote on other issues. So long as you keep message discipline, there comes a point when it's no longer fun for journalists to use up their quota of questions asking about it.
    The problem, is that it’s only an issue for certain political parties.

    Whoever is the Conservative leader at the next election, they are likely to say that a woman is an adult human female, and wait for the other parties to tie themselves in knots trying to avoid quoting the dictionary definition of the word.
    +1 - the other parties need a stock answer that silences the issue and until there is a decent none answer (which I doubt exists) referring people back to an answer in 2022 would be as good as you could hope for.
  • Options
    LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 15,438

    Today. The Peace Talks. Zelenskyy has offered neutrality. Correct me where I’m wrong, What he means by this, Ukraine won’t bear arms, but it’s security will be underwritten by “guarantors” UK, US and Turkey.

    Question. If the end to the war hinged on that, and they looked to us to sign as guarantor to initiate the peace, with Russia out, right back to how they were out at start of February, as UK PM would you sign to be guarantor?

    I’ve had a think on this question, and my answer would be no.

    I understand the position of Ukraine is armed neutrality.

    I'm not sure what security guarantees we can offer that will be more convincing than the ones offered in 1994, that don't involve a permanent British military base in Ukraine - which presumably wouldn't be seen as very neutral.
  • Options
    eekeek Posts: 25,028
    Robert Peston
    @Peston
    ·
    1m
    Met confirms it is initially issuing 20 fines for the Downing St and Cabinet Office partying that breached Covid19 rules. It won’t say who is being fined, or even identify the relevant parties. But the police say this is just the start, and there may be further fines to come
  • Options
    boulayboulay Posts: 3,993
    Dura_Ace said:

    Has anybody asked Butter Tits the 'woman' question yet? His flocculant dribblings on the subject would no doubt rarefy the debate.

    I imagine it would be along the lines of “we have world leading women. We were the first country to have women. And as Plato said women are the source of all greatness leading the world. In Ancient Rome emperors such as Caligula saw that you could make a woman from a man with a handy knife and achieve world beating happiness and so as a world leading Prime Minister I say let women be men and men be women and women be with me. Women can be letter boxes and watermelons can be men. So I think that should show you how determined I am to be leading the world in not answering what a woman is.”
  • Options
    CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,789
    Heathener said:



    Just listened to Kay Burley ask Angela Rayner can a woman have a penis ?

    The world has gone mad

    The world has moved on and increasingly comprehends the complexities and nuance of gender, sex and language.
    Perhaps you can educate:

    - Is gender more important than sex in deciding access to services?
    - What is a "she-cock" and does it belong in women's prisons or refuges?
    - Is a Lesbian who refuses to suck a "she-cock" a homophobe?

    Interested in your thoughts. And reasoning.
  • Options
    MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 50,146
    eek said:

    It seems that about 2 hours ago the Russia gas pipeline via the Ukraine stopped transporting gas

    https://twitter.com/bert_hu_bert/status/1508713195992723458

    REAKING: According to the
    @ENTSOG
    European natural gas transparency data, no more Russian gas is coming through Ukraine since two hours. This represents over 25% of all Russian gas sales to Europe. Hourly updates on: https://berthub.eu/gazmon/ /cc

    Interesting move for the negotiations going on in Turkey.....
  • Options
    SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 20,732
    If the Tories get fewer votes than Labour but more seats and end up in opposition, that would be a fair result.

    Well, as fair as you can get with our half-baked FPTP electoral system.

    Reliant on the SNP winning all of the seats with half of the votes.
  • Options
    TazTaz Posts: 11,309

    Good morning

    I would expect the next Parliament to be either hung or a small conservative majority

    Just listened to Kay Burley ask Angela Rayner can a woman have a penis ?

    The world has gone mad

    Did she rise to that?
    It wouldn’t stand up in court.
  • Options
    kjhkjh Posts: 10,678
    Sandpit said:

    eek said:

    Good morning

    I would expect the next Parliament to be either hung or a small conservative majority

    Just listened to Kay Burley ask Angela Rayner can a woman have a penis ?

    The world has gone mad

    I was trying to think when the Trans issue got out of hand, and I think it is when they tried messing around with the language. I am happy to let anyone change their birth gender, it is up to that individual and should only be restricted
    One advantage of the question being asked now is that it will be possible to stop the question being asked come the election because the answer should be - I answered that in 2022 and nothing has changed.

    But the actual question is there because there is no answer that works. The question has 2 possible answers both of which will seriously annoy x% of the population and as @NickPalmer points out any answer isn't going to help you as it's the same as two neighbours arguing over a neighbourhood issue - whatever you do will upset 1 person and not go far enough for the other 1.
    I think there are more votes to be won by being ostentatiously neutral - say ad nauseam that you don't want to get into the issue, sorry, and the next Government will not be legislating on the issue. Most people will approve, and the x% on both sides who don't will mostly in the end vote on other issues. So long as you keep message discipline, there comes a point when it's no longer fun for journalists to use up their quota of questions asking about it.
    The problem, is that it’s only an issue for certain political parties.

    Whoever is the Conservative leader at the next election, they are likely to say that a woman is an adult human female, and wait for the other parties to tie themselves in knots trying to avoid quoting the dictionary definition of the word.
    Being s liberal I naturally agree with both @NickPalmer and @Sandpit! Nick is right that Labour should ignore it, but Sandpit is right that it might be effective. Like all the woke stuff I disagree with @leon that it is an issue, but I agree with @leon that it could be made an issue. It is not unknown to raise a non existent issue to frighten the electorate.
  • Options
    SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,947

    Today. The Peace Talks. Zelenskyy has offered neutrality. Correct me where I’m wrong, What he means by this, Ukraine won’t bear arms, but it’s security will be underwritten by “guarantors” UK, US and Turkey.

    Question. If the end to the war hinged on that, and they looked to us to sign as guarantor to initiate the peace, with Russia out, right back to how they were out at start of February, as UK PM would you sign to be guarantor?

    I’ve had a think on this question, and my answer would be no.

    I understand the position of Ukraine is armed neutrality.

    I'm not sure what security guarantees we can offer that will be more convincing than the ones offered in 1994, that don't involve a permanent British military base in Ukraine - which presumably wouldn't be seen as very neutral.
    Put a military base in Poland, close to the Ukranian border, and invite the Ukranians to train there while arming them to the teeth in Ukraine.
  • Options
    TazTaz Posts: 11,309

    Heathener said:



    Just listened to Kay Burley ask Angela Rayner can a woman have a penis ?

    The world has gone mad

    The world has moved on and increasingly comprehends the complexities and nuance of gender, sex and language.
    Perhaps you can educate:

    - Is gender more important than sex in deciding access to services?
    - What is a "she-cock" and does it belong in women's prisons or refuges?
    - Is a Lesbian who refuses to suck a "she-cock" a homophobe?

    Interested in your thoughts. And reasoning.
    The answer to all three, to the TRA’s is yes.

    Www.terfisaslur.com
  • Options
    TazTaz Posts: 11,309

    eek said:

    It seems that about 2 hours ago the Russia gas pipeline via the Ukraine stopped transporting gas

    https://twitter.com/bert_hu_bert/status/1508713195992723458

    REAKING: According to the
    @ENTSOG
    European natural gas transparency data, no more Russian gas is coming through Ukraine since two hours. This represents over 25% of all Russian gas sales to Europe. Hourly updates on: https://berthub.eu/gazmon/ /cc

    Interesting move for the negotiations going on in Turkey.....
    No wonder gas prices are up over 10% today
  • Options
    CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,789
    Personal view: Today, no country in the West should feel more responsibility for #Ukraine's security than #Germany. Consequently, Germany should do more than any other country to help Ukraine. Of course, we did some good as well, but we clearly weakened Ukraine's security. [1/3]

    -We worked hard to keep Ukraine out of NATO.
    -We denied Ukraine arms, even blocked others from doing so.
    -We cooperated directly with Russia's military until at least 2014.
    -We funded Russia's armament more than most.
    -We helped Russia bypass Ukraine's gas transit (NS1&2).[2/3]

    -But most of all, we were the last ones to invade, bomb and kill in Ukraine, and vowed "never again".
    It is painful to see that other countries are stepping up more than Germany at this historic time. I hope that we can still change course. [3/3]


    https://twitter.com/jakluge/status/1508711817576689666
  • Options
    Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 33,205
    eek said:

    Robert Peston
    @Peston
    ·
    1m
    Met confirms it is initially issuing 20 fines for the Downing St and Cabinet Office partying that breached Covid19 rules. It won’t say who is being fined, or even identify the relevant parties. But the police say this is just the start, and there may be further fines to come

    There were no parties...
  • Options
    kinabalukinabalu Posts: 39,363
    Sandpit said:

    eek said:

    Good morning

    I would expect the next Parliament to be either hung or a small conservative majority

    Just listened to Kay Burley ask Angela Rayner can a woman have a penis ?

    The world has gone mad

    I was trying to think when the Trans issue got out of hand, and I think it is when they tried messing around with the language. I am happy to let anyone change their birth gender, it is up to that individual and should only be restricted
    One advantage of the question being asked now is that it will be possible to stop the question being asked come the election because the answer should be - I answered that in 2022 and nothing has changed.

    But the actual question is there because there is no answer that works. The question has 2 possible answers both of which will seriously annoy x% of the population and as @NickPalmer points out any answer isn't going to help you as it's the same as two neighbours arguing over a neighbourhood issue - whatever you do will upset 1 person and not go far enough for the other 1.
    I think there are more votes to be won by being ostentatiously neutral - say ad nauseam that you don't want to get into the issue, sorry, and the next Government will not be legislating on the issue. Most people will approve, and the x% on both sides who don't will mostly in the end vote on other issues. So long as you keep message discipline, there comes a point when it's no longer fun for journalists to use up their quota of questions asking about it.
    The problem, is that it’s only an issue for certain political parties.

    Whoever is the Conservative leader at the next election, they are likely to say that a woman is an adult human female, and wait for the other parties to tie themselves in knots trying to avoid quoting the dictionary definition of the word.
    Follow up questions to that Con leader -

    By female do you mean biological sex or legal gender?
    Biological sex.
    So to be a woman you must be born female?
    Yes.
    So why do we have a legal route to change gender if such a change is meaningless?

    (Just to illustrate it's not *quite* such a slam dunk the other way as many seem to think.)
  • Options
    rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 58,442
    More trouble...


    Javier Blas
    @JavierBlas
    ·
    41m
    COLUMN: The water lever of the Rhine river is running at the lowest for early spring in at least 15 years -- and that could be a big problem for Germany, oil, steel, chemical and coal markets

    https://twitter.com/JavierBlas
  • Options
    SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,947
    kinabalu said:

    Sandpit said:

    eek said:

    Good morning

    I would expect the next Parliament to be either hung or a small conservative majority

    Just listened to Kay Burley ask Angela Rayner can a woman have a penis ?

    The world has gone mad

    I was trying to think when the Trans issue got out of hand, and I think it is when they tried messing around with the language. I am happy to let anyone change their birth gender, it is up to that individual and should only be restricted
    One advantage of the question being asked now is that it will be possible to stop the question being asked come the election because the answer should be - I answered that in 2022 and nothing has changed.

    But the actual question is there because there is no answer that works. The question has 2 possible answers both of which will seriously annoy x% of the population and as @NickPalmer points out any answer isn't going to help you as it's the same as two neighbours arguing over a neighbourhood issue - whatever you do will upset 1 person and not go far enough for the other 1.
    I think there are more votes to be won by being ostentatiously neutral - say ad nauseam that you don't want to get into the issue, sorry, and the next Government will not be legislating on the issue. Most people will approve, and the x% on both sides who don't will mostly in the end vote on other issues. So long as you keep message discipline, there comes a point when it's no longer fun for journalists to use up their quota of questions asking about it.
    The problem, is that it’s only an issue for certain political parties.

    Whoever is the Conservative leader at the next election, they are likely to say that a woman is an adult human female, and wait for the other parties to tie themselves in knots trying to avoid quoting the dictionary definition of the word.
    Follow up questions to that Con leader -

    By female do you mean biological sex or legal gender?
    Biological sex.
    So to be a woman you must be born female?
    Yes.
    So why do we have a legal route to change gender if such a change is meaningless?

    (Just to illustrate it's not *quite* such a slam dunk the other way as many seem to think.)
    It’s about keeping sexually functional penises out of womens refuges and prisons.

    For the very few people who want to transition, there is a long medical process to go through.
  • Options
    BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,854

    More trouble...


    Javier Blas
    @JavierBlas
    ·
    41m
    COLUMN: The water lever of the Rhine river is running at the lowest for early spring in at least 15 years -- and that could be a big problem for Germany, oil, steel, chemical and coal markets

    https://twitter.com/JavierBlas

    ...awaits report of incoming asteroid.
  • Options
    OnlyLivingBoyOnlyLivingBoy Posts: 15,179
    kjh said:

    Sandpit said:

    eek said:

    Good morning

    I would expect the next Parliament to be either hung or a small conservative majority

    Just listened to Kay Burley ask Angela Rayner can a woman have a penis ?

    The world has gone mad

    I was trying to think when the Trans issue got out of hand, and I think it is when they tried messing around with the language. I am happy to let anyone change their birth gender, it is up to that individual and should only be restricted
    One advantage of the question being asked now is that it will be possible to stop the question being asked come the election because the answer should be - I answered that in 2022 and nothing has changed.

    But the actual question is there because there is no answer that works. The question has 2 possible answers both of which will seriously annoy x% of the population and as @NickPalmer points out any answer isn't going to help you as it's the same as two neighbours arguing over a neighbourhood issue - whatever you do will upset 1 person and not go far enough for the other 1.
    I think there are more votes to be won by being ostentatiously neutral - say ad nauseam that you don't want to get into the issue, sorry, and the next Government will not be legislating on the issue. Most people will approve, and the x% on both sides who don't will mostly in the end vote on other issues. So long as you keep message discipline, there comes a point when it's no longer fun for journalists to use up their quota of questions asking about it.
    The problem, is that it’s only an issue for certain political parties.

    Whoever is the Conservative leader at the next election, they are likely to say that a woman is an adult human female, and wait for the other parties to tie themselves in knots trying to avoid quoting the dictionary definition of the word.
    Being s liberal I naturally agree with both @NickPalmer and @Sandpit! Nick is right that Labour should ignore it, but Sandpit is right that it might be effective. Like all the woke stuff I disagree with @leon that it is an issue, but I agree with @leon that it could be made an issue. It is not unknown to raise a non existent issue to frighten the electorate.
    It's the Zinoviev letter in size 10 high heels.
  • Options

    Anyway, from the previous thread. Regarding Covid we don't need to reinstate restrictions but we do need to ask people to think. Covid is everywhere again and even if it isn't a threat to long-term health or our lives for most of us, it's bloody inconvenient.

    I'm on the train into that London from Gatwick and am one of very few in a mask. I'm not going to wear one all day - it'll be off on the communal office. But where it's no imposition and it reduces to very low my chance of catching it now why not wear a mask?

    I'm way too busy to get Covid. So I wear a mask and think what I am doing. Others could do the same and we wouldn't have the quiet epidemic we are currently suffering.

    Given the very high R number for Omicron, the paper masks don't work, essentially.

    N95s probably do a something.
    I wear FFP2.
  • Options
    MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 50,146
    Sandpit said:

    Today. The Peace Talks. Zelenskyy has offered neutrality. Correct me where I’m wrong, What he means by this, Ukraine won’t bear arms, but it’s security will be underwritten by “guarantors” UK, US and Turkey.

    Question. If the end to the war hinged on that, and they looked to us to sign as guarantor to initiate the peace, with Russia out, right back to how they were out at start of February, as UK PM would you sign to be guarantor?

    I’ve had a think on this question, and my answer would be no.

    I understand the position of Ukraine is armed neutrality.

    I'm not sure what security guarantees we can offer that will be more convincing than the ones offered in 1994, that don't involve a permanent British military base in Ukraine - which presumably wouldn't be seen as very neutral.
    Put a military base in Poland, close to the Ukranian border, and invite the Ukranians to train there while arming them to the teeth in Ukraine.
    A massive anti-aircraft shield over Ukraine is a bare minimum. The best, the longest range possible. We should start building it now, 20 feet inside Ukraine, then work eastwards to Lviv and Kyiv. Then further out still. The best there is, the longest range there is. But to be used only for Russian incursions into Ukraine.

    It would as a system still be at risk from hypersonic missiles launched from within Russia. But other sanctions will have to be used to deal with that.
  • Options
    OnlyLivingBoyOnlyLivingBoy Posts: 15,179
    eek said:

    Robert Peston
    @Peston
    ·
    1m
    Met confirms it is initially issuing 20 fines for the Downing St and Cabinet Office partying that breached Covid19 rules. It won’t say who is being fined, or even identify the relevant parties. But the police say this is just the start, and there may be further fines to come

    What do we reckon, has the FLSOJ got fingered?
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    Sean_FSean_F Posts: 35,983
    edited March 2022

    Heathener said:



    Just listened to Kay Burley ask Angela Rayner can a woman have a penis ?

    The world has gone mad

    The world has moved on and increasingly comprehends the complexities and nuance of gender, sex and language.
    Perhaps you can educate:

    - Is gender more important than sex in deciding access to services?
    - What is a "she-cock" and does it belong in women's prisons or refuges?
    - Is a Lesbian who refuses to suck a "she-cock" a homophobe?

    Interested in your thoughts. And reasoning.
    I certainly would never presume to tell women that they must accept some bearded brute with a cock as one of their number.
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    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,170
    At the moment after the boundary changes the Conservatives and Labour would be neck and neck on seats on current polls but with the Conservatives almost certainly having won most seats in England alone.

    However Starmer would still likely become PM in a hung parliament if he can get SNP and LD support
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    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,170
    edited March 2022
    kjh said:

    FPT @StillWaters re people not reading past the headlines. Yes I agree, but they still become very aware once they realise there is an effective tax rate of 100% or more and a lot of Americans own shares or run businesses.

    As neither of us have read the details I am wondering if it is rather more nuanced than this and is actually simply a tax avoidance measure aimed at the well off. Eg like when we got rid of B&B.

    Something @HYUFD said late last night when I challenged the fact that he was getting capital and income mixed up. He referred to short term capital gains being taxed as income. That immediately rang alarm bells re the understanding of the measure. Firstly by definition you can't have an unrealised short term capital gain. If it is unrealised you don't know if it's short term or not yet, so what does that mean. However it is perfectly reasonable to treat short term realized capital gains as income. That would be normal practice here for instance if done on a very regular basis.

    Not sure I can be bothered to read the details, but sounds like measures to stop avoidance to me.

    I cannot believe 12 hours after posting this you are still going on about it.

    Yes of course it is a tax rise aimed at the well off as that is what Democrats do as I originally said over 12 hours ago!
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    CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,789
    Another headache for PM today…

    Understand some Tory MPs feel “deeply uncomfortable” about voting against Labour’s motion this afternoon, which asks govt to release information revealing whether PM ignored security concerns over Evgeny Lebedev’s peerage. One to watch.


    https://twitter.com/PaulBrandITV/status/1508723921889402883
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    BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,854
    edited March 2022

    Anyway, from the previous thread. Regarding Covid we don't need to reinstate restrictions but we do need to ask people to think. Covid is everywhere again and even if it isn't a threat to long-term health or our lives for most of us, it's bloody inconvenient.

    I'm on the train into that London from Gatwick and am one of very few in a mask. I'm not going to wear one all day - it'll be off on the communal office. But where it's no imposition and it reduces to very low my chance of catching it now why not wear a mask?

    I'm way too busy to get Covid. So I wear a mask and think what I am doing. Others could do the same and we wouldn't have the quiet epidemic we are currently suffering.

    Given the very high R number for Omicron, the paper masks don't work, essentially.

    N95s probably do a something.
    I wear FFP2.
    We're going to the Pissarro exhibition at the Ashmolean this afternoon. They have sent us an email saying we need to wear a mask, which we will do, but the Ashmolean is hardly likely to be rammed with people based on past experience.

    Seems a bit odd that they request mask-wearing, it'll be interesting to see how many visitors comply.
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    Sean_FSean_F Posts: 35,983
    IMHO, it's about 50/50 whether the Conservatives win the next election. The voters are remarkably forgiving, and Boris has got two big calls right - Covid and Ukraine.
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    eekeek Posts: 25,028

    eek said:

    It seems that about 2 hours ago the Russia gas pipeline via the Ukraine stopped transporting gas

    https://twitter.com/bert_hu_bert/status/1508713195992723458

    REAKING: According to the
    @ENTSOG
    European natural gas transparency data, no more Russian gas is coming through Ukraine since two hours. This represents over 25% of all Russian gas sales to Europe. Hourly updates on: https://berthub.eu/gazmon/ /cc

    Interesting move for the negotiations going on in Turkey.....
    Highlights a problem for next October - how will the Ukraine keep warm without gas...
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    Dura_AceDura_Ace Posts: 13,039
    HYUFD said:
    I know less about golf than Sunak knows about the lives of non-billionaires but is a hole in one hard? If you play golf constantly decades on end, as the fat orange fucc boi clearly has, won't you get one eventually?
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    BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,854
    eek said:

    eek said:

    It seems that about 2 hours ago the Russia gas pipeline via the Ukraine stopped transporting gas

    https://twitter.com/bert_hu_bert/status/1508713195992723458

    REAKING: According to the
    @ENTSOG
    European natural gas transparency data, no more Russian gas is coming through Ukraine since two hours. This represents over 25% of all Russian gas sales to Europe. Hourly updates on: https://berthub.eu/gazmon/ /cc

    Interesting move for the negotiations going on in Turkey.....
    Highlights a problem for next October - how will the Ukraine keep warm without gas...
    How will Europe?
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    tlg86tlg86 Posts: 25,208
    Dura_Ace said:

    HYUFD said:
    I know less about golf than Sunak knows about the lives of non-billionaires but is a hole in one hard? If you play golf constantly decades on end, as the fat orange fucc boi clearly has, won't you get one eventually?
    180 yards is pretty good effort. It does sound a little bit North Korean, though.
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    MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 44,602

    Sandpit said:

    Today. The Peace Talks. Zelenskyy has offered neutrality. Correct me where I’m wrong, What he means by this, Ukraine won’t bear arms, but it’s security will be underwritten by “guarantors” UK, US and Turkey.

    Question. If the end to the war hinged on that, and they looked to us to sign as guarantor to initiate the peace, with Russia out, right back to how they were out at start of February, as UK PM would you sign to be guarantor?

    I’ve had a think on this question, and my answer would be no.

    I understand the position of Ukraine is armed neutrality.

    I'm not sure what security guarantees we can offer that will be more convincing than the ones offered in 1994, that don't involve a permanent British military base in Ukraine - which presumably wouldn't be seen as very neutral.
    Put a military base in Poland, close to the Ukranian border, and invite the Ukranians to train there while arming them to the teeth in Ukraine.
    A massive anti-aircraft shield over Ukraine is a bare minimum. The best, the longest range possible. We should start building it now, 20 feet inside Ukraine, then work eastwards to Lviv and Kyiv. Then further out still. The best there is, the longest range there is. But to be used only for Russian incursions into Ukraine.

    It would as a system still be at risk from hypersonic missiles launched from within Russia. But other sanctions will have to be used to deal with that.
    An ABM missile defence system (THAAD or similar) would deal with the "hypersonic" issue. All the Russians have demonstrated is launching a short range ballistic missile from an aircraft. With none of the claimed mid course manoeuvring capability.

    Though it is interesting that they have edge towards... something. For many years, in US defence circles, it was held that firing such rocket propelled hyper velocity weapons from aircraft would look too much like a nuclear strike. Hence the insistence on the long, costly air breather programs.

    Guess that taboo is broken now.
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    JACK_WJACK_W Posts: 651
    HYUFD said:
    More gender politics ..
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    UnpopularUnpopular Posts: 786
    kinabalu said:

    Sandpit said:

    eek said:

    Good morning

    I would expect the next Parliament to be either hung or a small conservative majority

    Just listened to Kay Burley ask Angela Rayner can a woman have a penis ?

    The world has gone mad

    I was trying to think when the Trans issue got out of hand, and I think it is when they tried messing around with the language. I am happy to let anyone change their birth gender, it is up to that individual and should only be restricted
    One advantage of the question being asked now is that it will be possible to stop the question being asked come the election because the answer should be - I answered that in 2022 and nothing has changed.

    But the actual question is there because there is no answer that works. The question has 2 possible answers both of which will seriously annoy x% of the population and as @NickPalmer points out any answer isn't going to help you as it's the same as two neighbours arguing over a neighbourhood issue - whatever you do will upset 1 person and not go far enough for the other 1.
    I think there are more votes to be won by being ostentatiously neutral - say ad nauseam that you don't want to get into the issue, sorry, and the next Government will not be legislating on the issue. Most people will approve, and the x% on both sides who don't will mostly in the end vote on other issues. So long as you keep message discipline, there comes a point when it's no longer fun for journalists to use up their quota of questions asking about it.
    The problem, is that it’s only an issue for certain political parties.

    Whoever is the Conservative leader at the next election, they are likely to say that a woman is an adult human female, and wait for the other parties to tie themselves in knots trying to avoid quoting the dictionary definition of the word.
    Follow up questions to that Con leader -

    By female do you mean biological sex or legal gender?
    Biological sex.
    So to be a woman you must be born female?
    Yes.
    So why do we have a legal route to change gender if such a change is meaningless?

    (Just to illustrate it's not *quite* such a slam dunk the other way as many seem to think.)
    Exactly! Gotcha questions like that really boil my piss. What it needs is a robust response on those lines.
    'Can a woman have a penis?'
    'Yes, of course they can, just as a man may have a vulva. It's well established scientifically that in some cases a person's gender is not reflected by their biological sex and there exist legal routes for people to live and be recognised as their preferred sex. While the rights of trans people require careful balancing against existing sex based protections in order to stop potential loopholes and abuse, a woman may have a penis. In my experience they tend not have one very often.'
    Sky news, having got their clip of me saying 'Yes of course' have already packed up their kit and begun the process of editing my rant.
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    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,170
    edited March 2022
    Sean_F said:

    IMHO, it's about 50/50 whether the Conservatives win the next election. The voters are remarkably forgiving, and Boris has got two big calls right - Covid and Ukraine.

    I think there is a more than 50% chance the Conservatives win most seats or even a majority in England on current polls after the boundary changes. Yet also a more than 50% chance Starmer becomes UK PM with SNP support
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    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 61,013
    Mr. Unpopular, is it scientifically proven that someone's gender and sex can be different?

    If you consider gender as a non-biological concept, what proof can there be, beyond an opinion? I'm not saying that's necessarily wrong (it's akin to a religious person's belief in God), I'm questioning whether it both is and can be scientifically proven.
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    NigelbNigelb Posts: 62,837
    Dura_Ace said:

    HYUFD said:
    I know less about golf than Sunak knows about the lives of non-billionaires but is a hole in one hard? If you play golf constantly decades on end, as the fat orange fucc boi clearly has, won't you get one eventually?
    Really easy, apparently.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyongyang_Golf_Course
    Our boy Kim registered eleven of them the first time he played.
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    dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 28,016
    So 20 fines to be issued. Guess we won't find out who or why?
This discussion has been closed.