The MPs know the game is up. I can see a well timed resignation tipping us over if we aren't already at 54. They are getting marmalised if they dont lance the boris boil.
Time for a cabinet minister, or two, to resign and submit a letter/s
Would certainly force the numbers way over 54
Sunak gets yet another chance to seize the day?
Which he wont take.
Unless he judges it his last chance saloon.....
The trouble is that the ideal would have been for Boris to take the flack for the incoming poverty. Dump Bozza in Summer 2023 (when, please, things will have stopped getting worse), go to the country in Spring 2024 after a giveaway budget.
The trouble with that is that Big Dog is so incontinent that he can't be left in place for that long- it would destroy the party. It would destroy the country too, but who cares about that?
Now is the best time for a change of leadership- or the least bad time, anyhow. But it is simultaneously too early and too late.
Team Boris’ attention is turning to shoring up support for when a possible confidence vote is held, per one source. Mood in No 10 is low, with special advisers joking that it is time for yet another “reset”
My partner has written to our MP tonight saying he should ditch Boris. Said MP is keeping his head beneath the parapet so far, mainly tweeting about the anniversary of the Falklands War
I don't get it - how is ending Fast Stream going to shrink the civil service generally, as opposed to shrinking the more able ones seeking to enter? Even if those entering are not that great, I don't see how it shrinks recruitment.
Is part of the PM’s push to shrink the civil service by a fifth (91k jobs cut).
First floated at the cabinet away day in Stoke. Gove during the discussion criticised thw plan.
Those backing move believe it is justified given driven to return civil service size to 2016 levels.
The MPs know the game is up. I can see a well timed resignation tipping us over if we aren't already at 54. They are getting marmalised if they dont lance the boris boil.
Time for a cabinet minister, or two, to resign and submit a letter/s
Would certainly force the numbers way over 54
Sunak gets yet another chance to seize the day?
Which he wont take.
Unless he judges it his last chance saloon.....
The trouble is that the ideal would have been for Boris to take the flack for the incoming poverty. Dump Bozza in Summer 2023 (when, please, things will have stopped getting worse), go to the country in Spring 2024 after a giveaway budget.
The trouble with that is that Big Dog is so incontinent that he can't be left in place for that long- it would destroy the party. It would destroy the country too, but who cares about that?
Now is the best time for a change of leadership- or the least bad time, anyhow. But it is simultaneously too early and too late.
Hobsons choice. Perhaps no better than they deserve.
The MPs know the game is up. I can see a well timed resignation tipping us over if we aren't already at 54. They are getting marmalised if they dont lance the boris boil.
They could still botch it if they have the vote before the by-elections, Johnson narrowly hangs on, and then the by-election results are very bad for the Tories.
I don't get it - how is ending Fast Stream going to shrink the civil service generally, as opposed to shrinking the more able ones seeking to enter? Even if those entering are not that great, I don't see how it shrinks recruitment.
Is part of the PM’s push to shrink the civil service by a fifth (91k jobs cut).
First floated at the cabinet away day in Stoke. Gove during the discussion criticised thw plan.
Those backing move believe it is justified given driven to return civil service size to 2016 levels.
IT makes sense to the oldie Tory Party members whom the PM wants to vote for him?
The MPs know the game is up. I can see a well timed resignation tipping us over if we aren't already at 54. They are getting marmalised if they dont lance the boris boil.
They could still botch it if they have the vote before the by-elections, Johnson narrowly hangs on, and then the by-election results are very bad for the Tories.
If they are ditching him at all it will happen whenever they get 54. If he survives, he'd have survived later.
I don't get it - how is ending Fast Stream going to shrink the civil service generally, as opposed to shrinking the more able ones seeking to enter? Even if those entering are not that great, I don't see how it shrinks recruitment.
Is part of the PM’s push to shrink the civil service by a fifth (91k jobs cut).
First floated at the cabinet away day in Stoke. Gove during the discussion criticised thw plan.
Those backing move believe it is justified given driven to return civil service size to 2016 levels.
IT makes sense to the oldie Tory Party members whom the PM wants to vote for him?
Yes, but how do they think it will reduce numbers?
I'm not saying Simon Jenkins is a Kremlin stooge, but Simon Jenkins is not not a Kremlin stooge
His article about Russia's military build up in January began by claiming that "nothing on the ground poses any strategic threat to Britain or any other western government, or even to Europe’s security as a whole."
Another one who believes that Russia should be the gendarme of Eastern Europe.
I am not aware of anything going on in Ukraine that *has*posed a strategical threat to Britain. The above seems a not very insightful statement of fact.
There is a simple and very obvious strategic threat. Most of us believe very strongly (and this is backed up by many independent analysts) that Putin has his eyes not only on Ukraine but on many of the former Iron Curtain countries. Remember his demands prior to invading Ukraine were not just that Ukraine should be within the Russian sphere but that NATO should withdraw from all the former Warsaw Pact countries or risk war. Many of these are now members of NATO and an attack on one of those would precipitate open war between the UK and Russia.
That is not just a strategic threat but quite likely an existential threat as well. Far better to make a stand now rather than allowing Putin victories which would probably embolden him.
Jenkins was, is, and will remain, wrong if that is his view.
Perhaps, but that is dependent on a British response. As is the above post about Russia threatening nuclear obliteration. The objective reality is that Russia can gobble up as much of Eastern and Central Europe is it likes, and it wouldn't make a blind bit of difference to Britain's interests. It would be horrible for those concerned however.
You seriously think that if Putin seized all of eastern and Central Europe, presumably including Poland, Romania, the Baltics, Finland, Czechia, Croatia, Austria, etc etc etc, ie half of the EU and NATO, that wouldn’t make “a blind bit of difference to Britain’s interests”?
You’re a fucking lunatic
Yes, I really think that. That's not the same as staying I want it to happen. Historically, bits of Europe change hands all the time, between the Holy Roman Empire and the French, and blobs of Germany, and the Pope. It doesn't make much difference to Britain. We are an Island, a 'fortress built by Nature for herself against infection and the hand of war'.
Well she singularly failed against infection and the hand of war certainly extended itself to our shores the last time someone thought a central European war was "a quarrel in a far away country between people of whom we know nothing"
It was our decision to take the tack we did in WW2, nothing to do with any deficiencies in our natural fortress.
If Boris is ousted I wonder what the Mail's take will be. Will they go with 'Treacherous Tories destroy the national treasure that is Boris' or will they decide to draw a line under the entire Boris experiment and quickly get behind his successor? As HYUFD suggested, many Tories may simply refuse to accept Boris's removal and treat him as a kind of leader in exile. That would be a fascinating development.
It's all of a piece. You de-professionalise the Public Sector. Then faux outrage when the Passport Office and DVLA are useless. It worked in Further Education. Surprise when we have a skills shortage. Then privatise. Leading to thousands of private sector management consultants at twice the price. And your average frontline worker on zero hours contracts.
Team Boris’ attention is turning to shoring up support for when a possible confidence vote is held, per one source. Mood in No 10 is low, with special advisers joking that it is time for yet another “reset”
If Boris is ousted I wonder what the Mail's take will be. Will they go with 'Treacherous Tories destroy the national treasure that is Boris' or will they decide to draw a line under the entire Boris experiment and quickly get behind his successor? As HYUFD suggested, many Tories may simply refuse to accept Boris's removal and treat him as a kind of leader in exile. That would be a fascinating development.
Team Boris’ attention is turning to shoring up support for when a possible confidence vote is held, per one source. Mood in No 10 is low, with special advisers joking that it is time for yet another “reset”
If Boris is ousted I wonder what the Mail's take will be. Will they go with 'Treacherous Tories destroy the national treasure that is Boris' or will they decide to draw a line under the entire Boris experiment and quickly get behind his successor? As HYUFD suggested, many Tories may simply refuse to accept Boris's removal and treat him as a kind of leader in exile. That would be a fascinating development.
It worth remembering it isn't very long ago that the Mail was the most critical paper of every decision the government made over COVID, sometimes in the same day they would claim the government was being too strict and not strict enough.
If Boris is ousted I wonder what the Mail's take will be. Will they go with 'Treacherous Tories destroy the national treasure that is Boris' or will they decide to draw a line under the entire Boris experiment and quickly get behind his successor? As HYUFD suggested, many Tories may simply refuse to accept Boris's removal and treat him as a kind of leader in exile. That would be a fascinating development.
It worth remembering it isn't very long ago that the Mail was the most critical paper of every decision the government made over COVID, sometimes in the same day they would claim the government was being too strict and not strict enough.
If Boris is ousted I wonder what the Mail's take will be. Will they go with 'Treacherous Tories destroy the national treasure that is Boris' or will they decide to draw a line under the entire Boris experiment and quickly get behind his successor? As HYUFD suggested, many Tories may simply refuse to accept Boris's removal and treat him as a kind of leader in exile. That would be a fascinating development.
It worth remembering it isn't very long ago that the Mail was the most critical paper of every decision the government made over COVID, sometimes in the same day they would claim the government was being too strict and not strict enough.
If Boris is ousted I wonder what the Mail's take will be. Will they go with 'Treacherous Tories destroy the national treasure that is Boris' or will they decide to draw a line under the entire Boris experiment and quickly get behind his successor? As HYUFD suggested, many Tories may simply refuse to accept Boris's removal and treat him as a kind of leader in exile. That would be a fascinating development.
It worth remembering it isn't very long ago that the Mail was the most critical paper of every decision the government made over COVID, sometimes in the same day they would claim the government was being too strict and not strict enough.
A weird mash up of Piers Corbyn and Piers Morgan
It was quite weird. The telegraph were consistently we need to live with this / think of business etc, the guardian full on zero covid / corruption is behind every decision, the Mail you refreshed the page and it went from Boris is destroying the UK economy to Boris is killing grannies by not being tough enough.
I'm not saying Simon Jenkins is a Kremlin stooge, but Simon Jenkins is not not a Kremlin stooge
His article about Russia's military build up in January began by claiming that "nothing on the ground poses any strategic threat to Britain or any other western government, or even to Europe’s security as a whole."
Another one who believes that Russia should be the gendarme of Eastern Europe.
I am not aware of anything going on in Ukraine that *has*posed a strategical threat to Britain. The above seems a not very insightful statement of fact.
There is a simple and very obvious strategic threat. Most of us believe very strongly (and this is backed up by many independent analysts) that Putin has his eyes not only on Ukraine but on many of the former Iron Curtain countries. Remember his demands prior to invading Ukraine were not just that Ukraine should be within the Russian sphere but that NATO should withdraw from all the former Warsaw Pact countries or risk war. Many of these are now members of NATO and an attack on one of those would precipitate open war between the UK and Russia.
That is not just a strategic threat but quite likely an existential threat as well. Far better to make a stand now rather than allowing Putin victories which would probably embolden him.
Jenkins was, is, and will remain, wrong if that is his view.
Perhaps, but that is dependent on a British response. As is the above post about Russia threatening nuclear obliteration. The objective reality is that Russia can gobble up as much of Eastern and Central Europe is it likes, and it wouldn't make a blind bit of difference to Britain's interests. It would be horrible for those concerned however.
You seriously think that if Putin seized all of eastern and Central Europe, presumably including Poland, Romania, the Baltics, Finland, Czechia, Croatia, Austria, etc etc etc, ie half of the EU and NATO, that wouldn’t make “a blind bit of difference to Britain’s interests”?
You’re a fucking lunatic
Yes, I really think that. That's not the same as staying I want it to happen. Historically, bits of Europe change hands all the time, between the Holy Roman Empire and the French, and blobs of Germany, and the Pope. It doesn't make much difference to Britain. We are an Island, a 'fortress built by Nature for herself against infection and the hand of war'.
Well she singularly failed against infection and the hand of war certainly extended itself to our shores the last time someone thought a central European war was "a quarrel in a far away country between people of whom we know nothing"
The Anti-French-Ditch came in very handy. See the Sandhiurst war gaming of Sealion. On one run, the Germans achieved losses of 25% in the first wave. Before any British units did anything…
Didn't help much against the bombing though did it. My point is that pretending we can sit safely on our island whilst the world goes to hell in a handcart is a very foolish position. I wouldn't go as far as Leon in calling Luckyguy a fucking lunatic but I think he is being very naive about our position in the world today.
Personally I think the naivety lies in the opposite approach.
If Boris is ousted I wonder what the Mail's take will be. Will they go with 'Treacherous Tories destroy the national treasure that is Boris' or will they decide to draw a line under the entire Boris experiment and quickly get behind his successor? As HYUFD suggested, many Tories may simply refuse to accept Boris's removal and treat him as a kind of leader in exile. That would be a fascinating development.
It worth remembering it isn't very long ago that the Mail was the most critical paper of every decision the government made over COVID, sometimes in the same day they would claim the government was being too strict and not strict enough.
Do you approve of Zahawi treatment at this university
And would Starmer get the same reception
What happened to free speech
In answer to you questions:
1) Yes, it is what a small group of students always do. They will be voting Tory in 20 years with a mortgage and two kids.
2) I would hope so.
3) It is free speech, if somewhat immature
In my day 99% of students didn't do this, I suspect it is the same today. In my entire student days I only attended one event and that was because it was a motion in support of the IRA. This was at the height of the troubles so just about the entire student population turned up to tell the supporters of the motion to sod off, which they did.
The Warwick student union’s society for “Lesbian, Gay, Bi+, Trans, Undefined and Asexual/Aromantic”
Aromatic? When did this become a term?
Honestly, I just can't keep up these days.
Aromantic, not aromatic - albeit most students do, in fact, smell rather.
What does it mean?
It means you like sex - with whom is unspecified - but you're not keen on the whole buying flowers and chocolates malarky.
If Boris is ousted I wonder what the Mail's take will be. Will they go with 'Treacherous Tories destroy the national treasure that is Boris' or will they decide to draw a line under the entire Boris experiment and quickly get behind his successor? As HYUFD suggested, many Tories may simply refuse to accept Boris's removal and treat him as a kind of leader in exile. That would be a fascinating development.
Might depend who the successor is?
Doubt the Mail will be too happy with Hunt but they would be wetting themselves over Patel or JRM.
Team Boris’ attention is turning to shoring up support for when a possible confidence vote is held, per one source. Mood in No 10 is low, with special advisers joking that it is time for yet another “reset”
I'm not saying Simon Jenkins is a Kremlin stooge, but Simon Jenkins is not not a Kremlin stooge
His article about Russia's military build up in January began by claiming that "nothing on the ground poses any strategic threat to Britain or any other western government, or even to Europe’s security as a whole."
Another one who believes that Russia should be the gendarme of Eastern Europe.
I am not aware of anything going on in Ukraine that *has*posed a strategical threat to Britain. The above seems a not very insightful statement of fact.
There is a simple and very obvious strategic threat. Most of us believe very strongly (and this is backed up by many independent analysts) that Putin has his eyes not only on Ukraine but on many of the former Iron Curtain countries. Remember his demands prior to invading Ukraine were not just that Ukraine should be within the Russian sphere but that NATO should withdraw from all the former Warsaw Pact countries or risk war. Many of these are now members of NATO and an attack on one of those would precipitate open war between the UK and Russia.
That is not just a strategic threat but quite likely an existential threat as well. Far better to make a stand now rather than allowing Putin victories which would probably embolden him.
Jenkins was, is, and will remain, wrong if that is his view.
Perhaps, but that is dependent on a British response. As is the above post about Russia threatening nuclear obliteration. The objective reality is that Russia can gobble up as much of Eastern and Central Europe is it likes, and it wouldn't make a blind bit of difference to Britain's interests. It would be horrible for those concerned however.
You seriously think that if Putin seized all of eastern and Central Europe, presumably including Poland, Romania, the Baltics, Finland, Czechia, Croatia, Austria, etc etc etc, ie half of the EU and NATO, that wouldn’t make “a blind bit of difference to Britain’s interests”?
You’re a fucking lunatic
Yes, I really think that. That's not the same as staying I want it to happen. Historically, bits of Europe change hands all the time, between the Holy Roman Empire and the French, and blobs of Germany, and the Pope. It doesn't make much difference to Britain. We are an Island, a 'fortress built by Nature for herself against infection and the hand of war'.
Well she singularly failed against infection and the hand of war certainly extended itself to our shores the last time someone thought a central European war was "a quarrel in a far away country between people of whom we know nothing"
The Anti-French-Ditch came in very handy. See the Sandhiurst war gaming of Sealion. On one run, the Germans achieved losses of 25% in the first wave. Before any British units did anything…
Do you have a reference for that, please? I'd be interested, though might have the relevant book already ...
I'm not saying Simon Jenkins is a Kremlin stooge, but Simon Jenkins is not not a Kremlin stooge
His article about Russia's military build up in January began by claiming that "nothing on the ground poses any strategic threat to Britain or any other western government, or even to Europe’s security as a whole."
Another one who believes that Russia should be the gendarme of Eastern Europe.
I am not aware of anything going on in Ukraine that *has*posed a strategical threat to Britain. The above seems a not very insightful statement of fact.
There is a simple and very obvious strategic threat. Most of us believe very strongly (and this is backed up by many independent analysts) that Putin has his eyes not only on Ukraine but on many of the former Iron Curtain countries. Remember his demands prior to invading Ukraine were not just that Ukraine should be within the Russian sphere but that NATO should withdraw from all the former Warsaw Pact countries or risk war. Many of these are now members of NATO and an attack on one of those would precipitate open war between the UK and Russia.
That is not just a strategic threat but quite likely an existential threat as well. Far better to make a stand now rather than allowing Putin victories which would probably embolden him.
Jenkins was, is, and will remain, wrong if that is his view.
Perhaps, but that is dependent on a British response. As is the above post about Russia threatening nuclear obliteration. The objective reality is that Russia can gobble up as much of Eastern and Central Europe is it likes, and it wouldn't make a blind bit of difference to Britain's interests. It would be horrible for those concerned however.
You seriously think that if Putin seized all of eastern and Central Europe, presumably including Poland, Romania, the Baltics, Finland, Czechia, Croatia, Austria, etc etc etc, ie half of the EU and NATO, that wouldn’t make “a blind bit of difference to Britain’s interests”?
You’re a fucking lunatic
Yes, I really think that. That's not the same as staying I want it to happen. Historically, bits of Europe change hands all the time, between the Holy Roman Empire and the French, and blobs of Germany, and the Pope. It doesn't make much difference to Britain. We are an Island, a 'fortress built by Nature for herself against infection and the hand of war'.
Well she singularly failed against infection and the hand of war certainly extended itself to our shores the last time someone thought a central European war was "a quarrel in a far away country between people of whom we know nothing"
The Anti-French-Ditch came in very handy. See the Sandhiurst war gaming of Sealion. On one run, the Germans achieved losses of 25% in the first wave. Before any British units did anything…
Do you have a reference for that, please? I'd be interested, though might have the relevant book already ...
The sheer industrial effort the US and U.K. committed to D-Day shows just how difficult Sealion would have been. I doubt it could have been done in 1940, and the Germans were planning on using barges, I think. Even with dominance in the air, which was never that likely, the British Navy was still a potent threat.
I haven’t got a link to the formal write ups of the games. Sadly.
Apparently in one game, the chap playing Goering was asked what the hell he was doing? He stated that he was trying to maximise Goerings position in the Third Reich in the game, by sabotaging rivals.
The barge story is somewhere between comic and and sad.
I'll be there with a few friends - I'm cast as an alien (which will not surprise some of you). I designed one of the megagames a long time back, with 50 players. Called "The Middle East Peacegame", set in the 70s, it had players for Israel, PLO, Saudi, US, Russia, Cihna, Britain, etc. - as in this new game, everyone had individual secret objectives. The PLO unexpectedly scored best, as I recall, by fiendishly adroit manipulation of the other players.
Not sure if people have heard about the baby formula story in the US, where one big plant has had to shut down over contamination, and now there's an emergency airlift from Ireland to replace the lost supply. Seems that Ireland is to baby formula as Ukraine is to wheat (and formerly Neon) - a source of a surprisingly large fraction of global exports.
Made me think a bit more about the fundamentally interconnected nature of global trade these days, and wonder what key product the world would suddenly find themselves short of if other countries were forced out of global markets.
I know Scotland is the source of a large fraction of the world's seed potatoes. England is home to most of F1. Is there anything more fundamental that England is central to?
If Boris is ousted I wonder what the Mail's take will be. Will they go with 'Treacherous Tories destroy the national treasure that is Boris' or will they decide to draw a line under the entire Boris experiment and quickly get behind his successor? As HYUFD suggested, many Tories may simply refuse to accept Boris's removal and treat him as a kind of leader in exile. That would be a fascinating development.
Might depend who the successor is?
Doubt the Mail will be too happy with Hunt but they would be wetting themselves over Patel or JRM.
I just had a vision of Patel and Mogg launching a joint bid at a presser. They look like a weird 1989 Brits with Sam Fox and Mick Fleetwood
Not sure if people have heard about the baby formula story in the US, where one big plant has had to shut down over contamination, and now there's an emergency airlift from Ireland to replace the lost supply. Seems that Ireland is to baby formula as Ukraine is to wheat (and formerly Neon) - a source of a surprisingly large fraction of global exports.
Made me think a bit more about the fundamentally interconnected nature of global trade these days, and wonder what key product the world would suddenly find themselves short of if other countries were forced out of global markets.
I know Scotland is the source of a large fraction of the world's seed potatoes. England is home to most of F1. Is there anything more fundamental that England is central to?
I'm not saying Simon Jenkins is a Kremlin stooge, but Simon Jenkins is not not a Kremlin stooge
His article about Russia's military build up in January began by claiming that "nothing on the ground poses any strategic threat to Britain or any other western government, or even to Europe’s security as a whole."
Another one who believes that Russia should be the gendarme of Eastern Europe.
I am not aware of anything going on in Ukraine that *has*posed a strategical threat to Britain. The above seems a not very insightful statement of fact.
There is a simple and very obvious strategic threat. Most of us believe very strongly (and this is backed up by many independent analysts) that Putin has his eyes not only on Ukraine but on many of the former Iron Curtain countries. Remember his demands prior to invading Ukraine were not just that Ukraine should be within the Russian sphere but that NATO should withdraw from all the former Warsaw Pact countries or risk war. Many of these are now members of NATO and an attack on one of those would precipitate open war between the UK and Russia.
That is not just a strategic threat but quite likely an existential threat as well. Far better to make a stand now rather than allowing Putin victories which would probably embolden him.
Jenkins was, is, and will remain, wrong if that is his view.
Perhaps, but that is dependent on a British response. As is the above post about Russia threatening nuclear obliteration. The objective reality is that Russia can gobble up as much of Eastern and Central Europe is it likes, and it wouldn't make a blind bit of difference to Britain's interests. It would be horrible for those concerned however.
You seriously think that if Putin seized all of eastern and Central Europe, presumably including Poland, Romania, the Baltics, Finland, Czechia, Croatia, Austria, etc etc etc, ie half of the EU and NATO, that wouldn’t make “a blind bit of difference to Britain’s interests”?
You’re a fucking lunatic
Yes, I really think that. That's not the same as staying I want it to happen. Historically, bits of Europe change hands all the time, between the Holy Roman Empire and the French, and blobs of Germany, and the Pope. It doesn't make much difference to Britain. We are an Island, a 'fortress built by Nature for herself against infection and the hand of war'.
Well she singularly failed against infection and the hand of war certainly extended itself to our shores the last time someone thought a central European war was "a quarrel in a far away country between people of whom we know nothing"
The Anti-French-Ditch came in very handy. See the Sandhiurst war gaming of Sealion. On one run, the Germans achieved losses of 25% in the first wave. Before any British units did anything…
Do you have a reference for that, please? I'd be interested, though might have the relevant book already ...
I'm not saying Simon Jenkins is a Kremlin stooge, but Simon Jenkins is not not a Kremlin stooge
His article about Russia's military build up in January began by claiming that "nothing on the ground poses any strategic threat to Britain or any other western government, or even to Europe’s security as a whole."
Another one who believes that Russia should be the gendarme of Eastern Europe.
I am not aware of anything going on in Ukraine that *has*posed a strategical threat to Britain. The above seems a not very insightful statement of fact.
There is a simple and very obvious strategic threat. Most of us believe very strongly (and this is backed up by many independent analysts) that Putin has his eyes not only on Ukraine but on many of the former Iron Curtain countries. Remember his demands prior to invading Ukraine were not just that Ukraine should be within the Russian sphere but that NATO should withdraw from all the former Warsaw Pact countries or risk war. Many of these are now members of NATO and an attack on one of those would precipitate open war between the UK and Russia.
That is not just a strategic threat but quite likely an existential threat as well. Far better to make a stand now rather than allowing Putin victories which would probably embolden him.
Jenkins was, is, and will remain, wrong if that is his view.
Perhaps, but that is dependent on a British response. As is the above post about Russia threatening nuclear obliteration. The objective reality is that Russia can gobble up as much of Eastern and Central Europe is it likes, and it wouldn't make a blind bit of difference to Britain's interests. It would be horrible for those concerned however.
You seriously think that if Putin seized all of eastern and Central Europe, presumably including Poland, Romania, the Baltics, Finland, Czechia, Croatia, Austria, etc etc etc, ie half of the EU and NATO, that wouldn’t make “a blind bit of difference to Britain’s interests”?
You’re a fucking lunatic
Yes, I really think that. That's not the same as staying I want it to happen. Historically, bits of Europe change hands all the time, between the Holy Roman Empire and the French, and blobs of Germany, and the Pope. It doesn't make much difference to Britain. We are an Island, a 'fortress built by Nature for herself against infection and the hand of war'.
Well she singularly failed against infection and the hand of war certainly extended itself to our shores the last time someone thought a central European war was "a quarrel in a far away country between people of whom we know nothing"
The Anti-French-Ditch came in very handy. See the Sandhiurst war gaming of Sealion. On one run, the Germans achieved losses of 25% in the first wave. Before any British units did anything…
Do you have a reference for that, please? I'd be interested, though might have the relevant book already ...
The sheer industrial effort the US and U.K. committed to D-Day shows just how difficult Sealion would have been. I doubt it could have been done in 1940, and the Germans were planning on using barges, I think. Even with dominance in the air, which was never that likely, the British Navy was still a potent threat.
I haven’t got a link to the formal write ups of the games. Sadly.
Apparently in one game, the chap playing Goering was asked what the hell he was doing? He stated that he was trying to maximise Goerings position in the Third Reich in the game, by sabotaging rivals.
The barge story is somewhere between comic and and sad.
I'll be there with a few friends - I'm cast as an alien (which will not surprise some of you). I designed one of the megagames a long time back, with 50 players. Called "The Middle East Peacegame", set in the 70s, it had players for Israel, PLO, Saudi, US, Russia, Cihna, Britain, etc. - as in this new game, everyone had individual secret objectives. The PLO unexpectedly scored best, as I recall, by fiendishly adroit manipulation of the other players.
Wow. Interesting stuff. I was a bit of a wargamer back in my teen years. Minifigs anyone?
I don't get how you combine board game with live role play though?
Two seats to go, and Labor has made it to a majority of 1...
Stay up? I was watching it Saturday lunchtime on the way to the football
Slim majority sounds bad, but maybe not - greens and teals should back the environment push at least, if not the social policy and swathes of economic and foreign policy, so not look to bring the government down anytime soon as opportunity to get movement on what they want.
If Boris is ousted I wonder what the Mail's take will be. Will they go with 'Treacherous Tories destroy the national treasure that is Boris' or will they decide to draw a line under the entire Boris experiment and quickly get behind his successor? As HYUFD suggested, many Tories may simply refuse to accept Boris's removal and treat him as a kind of leader in exile. That would be a fascinating development.
Might depend who the successor is?
Doubt the Mail will be too happy with Hunt but they would be wetting themselves over Patel or JRM.
I just had a vision of Patel and Mogg launching a joint bid at a presser. They look like a weird 1989 Brits with Sam Fox and Mick Fleetwood
Umbridge and fucking Voldemort. The pair of them can get in the sea.
Team Boris’ attention is turning to shoring up support for when a possible confidence vote is held, per one source. Mood in No 10 is low, with special advisers joking that it is time for yet another “reset”
Harry Cole @MrHarryCole · 24m My take on where the leadership speciation is tonight..
Can reveal PM plotting joint speech on economy with Sunak in coming weeks.. tie together growth push with deregulation package - including massive post-Brexit insurance reforms...
Harry Cole @MrHarryCole · 24m My take on where the leadership speciation is tonight..
Can reveal PM plotting joint speech on economy with Sunak in coming weeks.. tie together growth push with deregulation package - including massive post-Brexit insurance reforms...
Trying to take Sunak with him in a crocodile death roll
Love Islands coming and Tasha from thirsk is bloody maftin
Just googled. We are, for once, in total agreement. What's more. I wouldn't have to make small talk.
🙄 . .
You may jest. But I did once date a deaf Japanese girl. We only communicated in writing. A bit of her English and my kanji. We somehow managed to pick each other up on barmats. If there is a strong enough will there's a way. I fervently hope she's OK now. I really liked her.
Iain Dale ⚒️🇺🇦 @IainDale · 6h As a student of 8 Tory leadership contests over 32 years all my instincts are that the threshold of 54 MPs has been, or is close to being met. The list so far is very far from being full of the 'usual suspects'
Next week could be very interesting indeed when Parliament returns.
Wow. Interesting stuff. I was a bit of a wargamer back in my teen years. Minifigs anyone?
I don't get how you combine board game with live role play though?
The games are turn-based, and everyone submits orders to the gamemasters, who adjust the maps accordingly - if China takes advantage of the distraction to invade Taiwan, for instance, that will be resolved as one part of the turn while other things are happening all over the world - and perhaps beyond.
In a previous version of this game (which you can see a video about on the site), the aliens settled on the moon, built a base, and sent out negotiating teams to the human governments, who had to (a) decide whether the alins were peaceful and (b) try to use their scientific advantage to gain advantage in power struggles on earth - if you imagine Trump or Putin being offered super-technology to make themselves nearly invincible, are you sure they'd refuse?
In that game, one of the countries which felt that its rivals were getting an unfair advantage nuked the alien moonbase. Which was unfortunate, as the aliens had in fact come in peace to see whether humanity were ready for galactic friendship.
Is the scenario similar here? Who knows? I've not got my briefing yet, nor have the other 199 players. Can't wait!
"Russ Jones @RussInCheshire I'm hearing 54 letters have been handed in, and a confidence vote in Johnson is likely in early June. Rumour. But solid source.
If so, I suspect Johnson will push for the confidence vote immediately, so it happens before by-elections. And he'll survive. Weak. But survive 1/2"
Harry Cole @MrHarryCole · 24m My take on where the leadership speciation is tonight..
Can reveal PM plotting joint speech on economy with Sunak in coming weeks.. tie together growth push with deregulation package - including massive post-Brexit insurance reforms...
Johnson doesn’t get it . No ones interested in hearing what the clown has to say anymore . It all looks rather desperate , Johnson , the Norma Desmond of no 10.
Love Islands coming and Tasha from thirsk is bloody maftin
Just googled. We are, for once, in total agreement. What's more. I wouldn't have to make small talk.
🙄 . .
You may jest. But I did once date a deaf Japanese girl. We only communicated in writing. A bit of her English and my kanji. We somehow managed to pick each other up on barmats.
Its gotta be a killer when you send a written request for sex and get a post it back with 'no'!
Not sure if people have heard about the baby formula story in the US, where one big plant has had to shut down over contamination, and now there's an emergency airlift from Ireland to replace the lost supply. Seems that Ireland is to baby formula as Ukraine is to wheat (and formerly Neon) - a source of a surprisingly large fraction of global exports.
Made me think a bit more about the fundamentally interconnected nature of global trade these days, and wonder what key product the world would suddenly find themselves short of if other countries were forced out of global markets.
I know Scotland is the source of a large fraction of the world's seed potatoes. England is home to most of F1. Is there anything more fundamental that England is central to?
What about other countries?
Ireland and New Zealand have vast dairy processing sectors relative to size. Trustworthy supply chains, enough land, lots of rain, milk's mostly water.
"Russ Jones @RussInCheshire I'm hearing 54 letters have been handed in, and a confidence vote in Johnson is likely in early June. Rumour. But solid source.
If so, I suspect Johnson will push for the confidence vote immediately, so it happens before by-elections. And he'll survive. Weak. But survive 1/2"
Two seats to go, and Labor has made it to a majority of 1...
Yes I've been following it every day. In fact no seats have been officially declared yet. Everything so far is just a result of media "calls", similar to the situation at US elections.
In the still unlikely event Boris were to lose a party VONC (and what a dramatic turnaound that would be from the triumph of 3 years ago), he presumably would stay on as PM for some time until a successor as Leader was clear, so he should still beat May's tenure as PM so long as the party does not unite behind a single candidate right away. 2 more months would see him past her.
Harry Cole @MrHarryCole · 24m My take on where the leadership speciation is tonight..
Can reveal PM plotting joint speech on economy with Sunak in coming weeks.. tie together growth push with deregulation package - including massive post-Brexit insurance reforms...
Johnson doesn’t get it . No ones interested in hearing what the clown has to say anymore . It all looks rather desperate , Johnson , the Norma Desmond of no 10.
Agreed. He's just a feckin' cuckoo now. Begone man.
Love Islands coming and Tasha from thirsk is bloody maftin
Just googled. We are, for once, in total agreement. What's more. I wouldn't have to make small talk.
🙄 . .
You may jest. But I did once date a deaf Japanese girl. We only communicated in writing. A bit of her English and my kanji. We somehow managed to pick each other up on barmats.
Its gotta be a killer when you send a written request for sex and get a post it back with 'no'!
It sure was different. She got me into some super weird kinky modern woke stuff. The "Internet" and "email". So we could talk at lunchtime.
Harry Cole @MrHarryCole · 24m My take on where the leadership speciation is tonight..
Can reveal PM plotting joint speech on economy with Sunak in coming weeks.. tie together growth push with deregulation package - including massive post-Brexit insurance reforms...
Johnson doesn’t get it . No ones interested in hearing what the clown has to say anymore . It all looks rather desperate , Johnson , the Norma Desmond of no 10.
This is just the public stuff. Behind the scenes all sorts of knighthoods and other promises are being offered no doubt. Money for this northern constituency's college. New bridge over the river for that SW seat. A diplomatic post for this ageing grandee's nephew. and so on.
In the still unlikely event Boris were to lose a party VONC (and what a dramatic turnaound that would be from the triumph of 3 years ago), he presumably would stay on as PM for some time until a successor as Leader was clear, so he should still beat May's tenure as PM so long as the party does not unite behind a single candidate right away. 2 more months would see him past her.
Love Islands coming and Tasha from thirsk is bloody maftin
Just googled. We are, for once, in total agreement. What's more. I wouldn't have to make small talk.
🙄 . .
You may jest. But I did once date a deaf Japanese girl. We only communicated in writing. A bit of her English and my kanji. We somehow managed to pick each other up on barmats.
Its gotta be a killer when you send a written request for sex and get a post it back with 'no'!
It sure was different. She got me into some super weird kinky modern woke stuff. The "Internet" and "email". So we could talk at lunchtime.
Kids today and their dating. Its not the latest Boris Karloff at the drive in for sure
Wow. Interesting stuff. I was a bit of a wargamer back in my teen years. Minifigs anyone?
I don't get how you combine board game with live role play though?
The games are turn-based, and everyone submits orders to the gamemasters, who adjust the maps accordingly - if China takes advantage of the distraction to invade Taiwan, for instance, that will be resolved as one part of the turn while other things are happening all over the world - and perhaps beyond.
In a previous version of this game (which you can see a video about on the site), the aliens settled on the moon, built a base, and sent out negotiating teams to the human governments, who had to (a) decide whether the alins were peaceful and (b) try to use their scientific advantage to gain advantage in power struggles on earth - if you imagine Trump or Putin being offered super-technology to make themselves nearly invincible, are you sure they'd refuse?
In that game, one of the countries which felt that its rivals were getting an unfair advantage nuked the alien moonbase. Which was unfortunate, as the aliens had in fact come in peace to see whether humanity were ready for galactic friendship.
Is the scenario similar here? Who knows? I've not got my briefing yet, nor have the other 199 players. Can't wait!
I may be being thick - but where is the live role play in that? In sounds a bit like a massive version of Diplomacy?
An election doesn't need to be held until January 2025, so even if Johnson survives a VONC this year there would still be plenty of time for a second vote next year.
Two seats to go, and Labor has made it to a majority of 1...
In the meantime arch conservative Peter Dutton was elected today as the new Liberal Party leader after Scott Morrison's resignation and thus also Leader of the Opposition
In the still unlikely event Boris were to lose a party VONC (and what a dramatic turnaound that would be from the triumph of 3 years ago), he presumably would stay on as PM for some time until a successor as Leader was clear, so he should still beat May's tenure as PM so long as the party does not unite behind a single candidate right away. 2 more months would see him past her.
Yes, because there isn't going to be a coronation this time, which means the new leader won't be known for about 3 months while the campaign and ballot of Tory members takes place.
In the still unlikely event Boris were to lose a party VONC (and what a dramatic turnaound that would be from the triumph of 3 years ago), he presumably would stay on as PM for some time until a successor as Leader was clear, so he should still beat May's tenure as PM so long as the party does not unite behind a single candidate right away. 2 more months would see him past her.
I'm sure that he will be delighted.
A man so petty he apparently was concerned, as an adult, that Cameron did better than him at university, and even felt the need to pen childish insults about him (girly swot) on official papers? Yes, I think he is exactly the sort who would be sincerely delighted to last longer than May.
In the still unlikely event Boris were to lose a party VONC (and what a dramatic turnaound that would be from the triumph of 3 years ago), he presumably would stay on as PM for some time until a successor as Leader was clear, so he should still beat May's tenure as PM so long as the party does not unite behind a single candidate right away. 2 more months would see him past her.
I'm sure that he will be delighted.
A man so petty he apparently was concerned, as an adult, that Cameron did better than him at university, and even felt the need to pen childish insults about him (girly swot) on official papers? Yes, I think he is exactly the sort who would be sincerely delighted to last longer than May.
In the still unlikely event Boris were to lose a party VONC (and what a dramatic turnaound that would be from the triumph of 3 years ago), he presumably would stay on as PM for some time until a successor as Leader was clear, so he should still beat May's tenure as PM so long as the party does not unite behind a single candidate right away. 2 more months would see him past her.
I'm sure that he will be delighted.
A man so petty he apparently was concerned, as an adult, that Cameron did better than him at university, and even felt the need to pen childish insults about him (girly swot) on official papers? Yes, I think he is exactly the sort who would be sincerely delighted to last longer than May.
He really wont want to go anywhere till he is past Cameron. Thats another 3 and some years. Yuck. Typical public school low key bullying and hierarchy entitlement bollocks
In the still unlikely event Boris were to lose a party VONC (and what a dramatic turnaound that would be from the triumph of 3 years ago), he presumably would stay on as PM for some time until a successor as Leader was clear, so he should still beat May's tenure as PM so long as the party does not unite behind a single candidate right away. 2 more months would see him past her.
If he makes it to next month he also overtakes Brown's tenure as PM
In the still unlikely event Boris were to lose a party VONC (and what a dramatic turnaound that would be from the triumph of 3 years ago), he presumably would stay on as PM for some time until a successor as Leader was clear, so he should still beat May's tenure as PM so long as the party does not unite behind a single candidate right away. 2 more months would see him past her.
If he makes it to next month he also overtakes Brown's tenure as PM
Wednesday next week is > Brown day And Friday next week > Duke of Wellington day Four weeks after that he goes past Chamberlain then he's hunting May in early August followed by Callaghan late August.
In the still unlikely event Boris were to lose a party VONC (and what a dramatic turnaound that would be from the triumph of 3 years ago), he presumably would stay on as PM for some time until a successor as Leader was clear, so he should still beat May's tenure as PM so long as the party does not unite behind a single candidate right away. 2 more months would see him past her.
I hope the TV coverage is better than recently for the Glasto. I like the line ups on the main stages, as I look down the list much to peak my interest.
But on the other hand, that’s only because I listen to a lot of music from before my time - overall this does look like it’s been put together by someone born mid eighties?
If Boris is ousted I wonder what the Mail's take will be. Will they go with 'Treacherous Tories destroy the national treasure that is Boris' or will they decide to draw a line under the entire Boris experiment and quickly get behind his successor? As HYUFD suggested, many Tories may simply refuse to accept Boris's removal and treat him as a kind of leader in exile. That would be a fascinating development.
The King is dead. Long live the King.
Thatcher held sway over chunks of the party because for good or ill she had a coherent philosophy and put in the hard yards.
After Johnson goes it will be "What were we thinking? Was I that drunk?"
Wow. Interesting stuff. I was a bit of a wargamer back in my teen years. Minifigs anyone?
I don't get how you combine board game with live role play though?
The games are turn-based, and everyone submits orders to the gamemasters, who adjust the maps accordingly - if China takes advantage of the distraction to invade Taiwan, for instance, that will be resolved as one part of the turn while other things are happening all over the world - and perhaps beyond.
In a previous version of this game (which you can see a video about on the site), the aliens settled on the moon, built a base, and sent out negotiating teams to the human governments, who had to (a) decide whether the alins were peaceful and (b) try to use their scientific advantage to gain advantage in power struggles on earth - if you imagine Trump or Putin being offered super-technology to make themselves nearly invincible, are you sure they'd refuse?
In that game, one of the countries which felt that its rivals were getting an unfair advantage nuked the alien moonbase. Which was unfortunate, as the aliens had in fact come in peace to see whether humanity were ready for galactic friendship.
Is the scenario similar here? Who knows? I've not got my briefing yet, nor have the other 199 players. Can't wait!
The aliens should always be nuked, when has an advanced civillisation met a less advanced one and that has turned out well....we could ask the inca's I guess or the american indians...or the africans. Isn't the saying those who don't learn from history are doomed to reapeat it so if a an advanced civilliastion turns up kill it with extreme predjudice
Comments
And, FWIW, I very much doubt they will get to 54.
They haven't got the bottle.
The trouble with that is that Big Dog is so incontinent that he can't be left in place for that long- it would destroy the party. It would destroy the country too, but who cares about that?
Now is the best time for a change of leadership- or the least bad time, anyhow. But it is simultaneously too early and too late.
https://www.politico.eu/article/boris-johnson-in-danger-as-mps-conclude-hell-cost-them-votes/
Is part of the PM’s push to shrink the civil service by a fifth (91k jobs cut).
First floated at the cabinet away day in Stoke. Gove during the discussion criticised thw plan.
Those backing move believe it is justified given driven to return civil service size to 2016 levels.
Taken his letter out?
In out in out he shakes it all about.
I went for the hokey cokey as some on here have trouble with aromantic.
Now they just need to hold onto the voters. Hung Parliament is all but guaranteed on those numbers
You de-professionalise the Public Sector.
Then faux outrage when the Passport Office and DVLA are useless.
It worked in Further Education.
Surprise when we have a skills shortage.
Then privatise.
Leading to thousands of private sector management consultants at twice the price.
And your average frontline worker on zero hours contracts.
Surely, there's something left in the bottom of the fetid barrel?
Free pork scratchings for anyone who orders a pint with a crown emblem on it?
All new cars to have to incorporate a small union jack flag on the roof?
Thieves to be branded?
2% of over 65s apparently
Doubt the Mail will be too happy with Hunt but they would be wetting themselves over Patel or JRM.
We are, for once, in total agreement.
What's more. I wouldn't have to make small talk.
Are any of you fellow-gamers going to this one?
https://www.verylargehugegames.com/first-contact-2035
I'll be there with a few friends - I'm cast as an alien (which will not surprise some of you). I designed one of the megagames a long time back, with 50 players. Called "The Middle East Peacegame", set in the 70s, it had players for Israel, PLO, Saudi, US, Russia, Cihna, Britain, etc. - as in this new game, everyone had individual secret objectives. The PLO unexpectedly scored best, as I recall, by fiendishly adroit manipulation of the other players.
Made me think a bit more about the fundamentally interconnected nature of global trade these days, and wonder what key product the world would suddenly find themselves short of if other countries were forced out of global markets.
I know Scotland is the source of a large fraction of the world's seed potatoes. England is home to most of F1. Is there anything more fundamental that England is central to?
What about other countries?
Not much boils my piss. But this does.
https://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/20175342.englands-rainforests-officials-investigate-reports-burning-protected-peat/
https://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/federal/2022/results?filter=all&sort=az&state=all
Two seats to go, and Labor has made it to a majority of 1...
I don't get how you combine board game with live role play though?
Slim majority sounds bad, but maybe not - greens and teals should back the environment push at least, if not the social policy and swathes of economic and foreign policy, so not look to bring the government down anytime soon as opportunity to get movement on what they want.
Yet they seem to just get on and cope.
Harry Cole
@MrHarryCole
·
24m
My take on where the leadership speciation is tonight..
Can reveal PM plotting joint speech on economy with Sunak in coming weeks.. tie together growth push with deregulation package - including massive post-Brexit insurance reforms...
Why did the count take so long? Did they hire koala bears
A bit of her English and my kanji. We somehow managed to pick each other up on barmats.
If there is a strong enough will there's a way.
I fervently hope she's OK now.
I really liked her.
Iain Dale ⚒️🇺🇦
@IainDale
·
6h
As a student of 8 Tory leadership contests over 32 years all my instincts are that the threshold of 54 MPs has been, or is close to being met. The list so far is very far from being full of the 'usual suspects'
Next week could be very interesting indeed when Parliament returns.
https://twitter.com/IainDale/status/1531288149875380227
In a previous version of this game (which you can see a video about on the site), the aliens settled on the moon, built a base, and sent out negotiating teams to the human governments, who had to (a) decide whether the alins were peaceful and (b) try to use their scientific advantage to gain advantage in power struggles on earth - if you imagine Trump or Putin being offered super-technology to make themselves nearly invincible, are you sure they'd refuse?
In that game, one of the countries which felt that its rivals were getting an unfair advantage nuked the alien moonbase. Which was unfortunate, as the aliens had in fact come in peace to see whether humanity were ready for galactic friendship.
Is the scenario similar here? Who knows? I've not got my briefing yet, nor have the other 199 players. Can't wait!
@RussInCheshire
I'm hearing 54 letters have been handed in, and a confidence vote in Johnson is likely in early June. Rumour. But solid source.
If so, I suspect Johnson will push for the confidence vote immediately, so it happens before by-elections. And he'll survive. Weak. But survive 1/2"
https://twitter.com/RussInCheshire/status/1531350244159635456
He won’t lose it and then will lead the Tories into the next election.
https://tallyroom.aec.gov.au/HouseDefault-27966.htm
No2AV 68%
Yes2AV 32%
She got me into some super weird kinky modern woke stuff.
The "Internet" and "email". So we could talk at lunchtime.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-61628713.amp
FT warning that supermarkets are saying imperial measurements dead cat will push up inflation.
Typical public school low key bullying and hierarchy entitlement bollocks
https://twitter.com/NaomiOhReally/status/1531394254836224003
And Friday next week > Duke of Wellington day
Four weeks after that he goes past Chamberlain then he's hunting May in early August followed by Callaghan late August.
In fairness that almost does it for him.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_prime_ministers_of_the_United_Kingdom_by_length_of_tenure
as I look down the list much to peak my interest.
RUFUS WAINWRIGHT: 13:45 – 14:45
KENDRICK LAMAR: 21:45 – 23:15
LORDE: 19:30 – 20:45
ELBOW: 17:45 – 18:45
DIANA ROSS: 16:00 – 17:15
HERBIE HANCOCK: 14:00 – 15:00
FOALS: 22:30 – 23:45
ST VINCENT: 20:30 – 21:30
IDLES: 18:45 – 19:45
SUPERGRASS: 17:15 – 18:15
PET SHOP BOYS: 21:45 – 23:15
YEARS & YEARS: 19:45 – 20:45
PRIMAL SCREAM: 22:30 – 23:45
CHARLI XCX: 21:30 – 22:45
THE AVALANCHES: 19:45 – 20:45
But on the other hand, that’s only because I listen to a lot of music from before my time - overall this does look like it’s been put together by someone born mid eighties?
https://www.nme.com/news/music/glastonbury-festival-2022-stage-set-times-full-line-up-3236490
A lefty (almost republic as a lad) accepts that his time with her as changed his mind about constitutional monarchy.
It's a belter of a piece.
Thatcher held sway over chunks of the party because for good or ill she had a coherent philosophy and put in the hard yards.
After Johnson goes it will be "What were we thinking? Was I that drunk?"