Estonia is rushing to collect as much help for Ukraine as it can, and many Estonians are individually sending help to the humanitarian effort. Despite the far right EKRE suggesting that "Estonia has passed the capacity for Ukrainian refugees", places are still being found- eg, one of the large ferries that has space for 3000. I may add that there has been something of a backlash against EKRE. They, like Le Pen, are now seen as close to Putin and as a result their support is fading.
Apologies for snipping large parts of @Cicero's excellent post, I thought I'd add the latest opinion poll from Estonia which is due to vote next March:
With changes from the 2019 election to the Riigikogu:
Reform Party: 25% (-4) Estonia 200: 21% (+17) Conservative People's Party 18% (nc) Centre Party 16% (-7) Social Democrats 9% (-1) Pro Patria (Isamaa): 7% (-4) Greens: 4% (+2)
The two governing parties (Reform and Centre) polled 52% last time but they are down to 41% in the wake of the advance of Estonia 200. That said, I can't obviously see why Estonia 200 couldn't join the coalition but I suspect it's not that simple.
Although Reform and Centre are both nominally Liberal, the wily (read:untrustworthy) Centre Leader Juri Ratas keeps trying to restore his previous coalition with EKRE and Isamaa, despite the obvious lack of popularity. In fact Reform would love to go in with Eesti 200, therefore.
I should say that the polls are pretty volatile, but Kaja Kallas as PM has increased the popularity of Reform and EKRE are declining. We will see what the voters do next year, but at the moment I would say Reform will hold on, Eesti 200 will join them and then its a question of whether either Isamaa (which may not even make it back into the Riigikogu) or the Sotsid are needed for the coalition. Personally I would like to see RE-E200-SD in office, but we will see.
I didn't notice this come by earlier, but according to the BBC "Vladimir Putin orders his troops not to storm the Azovstal steel plant, where the last group of Ukrainian fighters in Mariupol is holding out [but to blockade it instead]"
When two "or else" deadlines pass, and then you don't carry through your threat, you'd have to assume that this means they consider that storming it would be unsuccessful - not merely wasteful of Russian troops' lives, as they haven't been too picky about that up to now.
The question is whether there is any hope of resupply of those holding out?
That isn't the only assumption. It has been previously mentioned by the hold outs that they have civilians with them, including (according to some accounts) women and children. Typically the media hasn't had much to say about why civilians might be there, if not as human shields. The Russians can't bomb the place to ashes without killing these people.
Do you expect the civilians to saunter up the street and get butchered
It may just be the camera angle,, and that a lot more is off to the left, but I'd expect the largest Russian manufacturer of chemical solvents to look rather bigger than that.
I guess all that vodka limits the demand for glue.
I overheard some people discussing Boris this morning in a cafe on the Upper East Side.
Admittedly a rather niche demographic.
They think he’s an idiot, with stupid hair, and that his Churchillian act in Ukraine is pathetic. On the other hand they can’t understand why a “party” could be the end of him.
I’ve heard this before in the USA. Partygate doesn’t travel. The way I’ve tried to explain it before is that he’s lied to the House of Commons which is akin perhaps to lying under oath to a Court of Law.
But for the future history books, the idea of Johnson skulking off in disgrace for lying about some not-very-good parties... that's satisfying. Party because truth matters, but mostly because it would be a stupid end to a stupid premiership.
I feel like the mood has changed again this week. I feel like he’s going to struggle to survive the year.
Which is good, because I don’t want him to be PM in a “London Bridge” event. Call me old fashioned, but he’s not up to it.
"The whole House will, I am sure, join me in expressing great sadness at her Majesty's passing and will of course recall that she always said that I was the Prime Minister who most reminded her of Churchill."
"And errr, I hope my right honourable friends will agree that the best way to honour, um, the Queens passing is by stopping the frivolous investigations on the hard working staff at err, number ten, to allow us focus on what she really would have wanted, for me to make Britain truly great again."
I mean these are spoofs, but sadly Johnson simply cannot be trusted not to make the Queen’s passing all about him.
Indeed; he can’t be trusted to even dress properly for such a solemn occasion. He has not bothered to previously where some gravity or sobriety is required.
I disagree. Doing something, the protocol for which has been established down to each footstep by each participant, is exactly, perhaps the only thing he is good for. It is when he has to make POLICY DECISIONS, especially tricky ones, that he falls flat.
He does have a tendency to go a tad "off piste" if it enters his head, though. Whatever you think of HMtQ it would be unfortunate if her funeral was marred by a Peppa Pig World ramble
I think she's alive, so any kind of funeral for her would be much more worrying than any particular thing said at it.
At least she has achieved the ultimate accolade. Just the present for a Queen who has everything.
'Queen Elizabeth II joins the line-up of Barbie’s Tribute Collection, which was launched last year in celebration of “visionary individuals with an outstanding impact and legacy within society”. The Barbie Queen is presented in a box inspired by the styles of Buckingham Palace, made from a 3D ornate die-cut border framing the figure, and an inner panel showing the throne and the red carpet of the throne room.'
Somebody once said people who are very intelligent often lack common sense. If Johnson had resigned in December, January, even early February we would have "Moved on" by now and it would have all forgotten and not a subject of discussion. Instead he goes on digging a deeper and wider whole for himself and the party. I find the whole thing illogical, irrational, totally stupid and lacking in common sense. What is the matter with the Conservatives?
Comments
lol
I should say that the polls are pretty volatile, but Kaja Kallas as PM has increased the popularity of Reform and EKRE are declining. We will see what the voters do next year, but at the moment I would say Reform will hold on, Eesti 200 will join them and then its a question of whether either Isamaa (which may not even make it back into the Riigikogu) or the Sotsid are needed for the coalition. Personally I would like to see RE-E200-SD in office, but we will see.
Terrible airport and terrible to get to.
Are you sure there hasn't been one before?
If Johnson had resigned in December, January, even early February we would have "Moved on" by now and it would have all forgotten and not a subject of discussion. Instead he goes on digging a deeper and wider whole for himself and the party. I find the whole thing illogical, irrational, totally stupid and lacking in common sense. What is the matter with the Conservatives?