That Starmer interview with Peston is pathetic. He can't say how he would fix all of the problems of the Boris Brexit Deal because he refuses to point to the problems and say "these are the problems".
Instead its "we're looking forwards not backwards". Great! But ignoring the twin elephants in the room (our lack of a free trade deal hanks to having no customs or single market deals) just makes his position nothing but hot air.
Trouble is, that's true with Starmer's position on many other issues. We wants to criticise the government, but is terrified of offering an alternative, because if it's any good the government will steal it, and if it is crap, well, he'll lose votes.
It may be shrewd politics, but it's certainly not courageous leadership.
On a personal note today was the day my 82 year old wife sold her car, following confirmation from her surgeon that her right shoulder was shot and she needs a complete new one
It was decided the operation, and especially the lengthy recovery period and physio was not for her and she is to live with restrictive movement
This is the first time since we had our children that she has not had her own car and independence, but she is just so pragmatic and realistic
We have so much to be grateful for and indeed grandchild number 5 due on the 1st September
And I am delighted to be her own personal chauffeur from now on
Well done her on a hard decision, and well done you for stepping up to the role of chauffeur.
Thanks and we are very close and with a wonderful supportive family
On a personal note today was the day my 82 year old wife sold her car, following confirmation from her surgeon that her right shoulder was shot and she needs a complete new one
It was decided the operation, and especially the lengthy recovery period and physio was not for her and she is to live with restrictive movement
This is the first time since we had our children that she has not had her own car and independence, but she is just so pragmatic and realistic
We have so much to be grateful for and indeed grandchild number 5 due on the 1st September
And I am delighted to be her own personal chauffeur from now on
Am sorry for Mrs Big, glad you can take up the slack. Best of luck for you & yours!
Haven't had a car for some time now, and still miss it.
You’ll be cheered to hear I am now in the mountains of Montenegro
From my balcony I can see the house of njegos in cetinje
If Lab are only 6% ahead overall they're decidedly unlikely to win a by-election in Pincher's seat.
The key figure here, i think, is the 35. If the Tories are North of 35 in a GE, Labour will, at best, have a messy minority. Seems outlierish though with a low LabGrLD for Redfield and a much higher ConRef than lately. SNP also too low (as they are in the subsample)
No way are REF going to get anywhere near 5% in a GE, and I am sceptical that the right wing parties' combined vote is really as high as 40% at the moment. LLG at 56% though is not out of line with recent trends.
Surprise. "No 10 refuses to deny PM referred to disgraced MP as 'Pincher by name, pincher by nature' before making him deputy chief whip"
He probably repeated it numerous times thinking it jolly witty.
It does make you think all this is already baked into the public's opinion of Johnson but hopefully his mps will do the right thing and send him on his way
It's the hope that kills you, you know. There's no evidence they will as yet.
Our own Aaron Bell is leading the charge for the 1922 later this month., and he has my 100% support in his desire to see the back of Johnson
And if he succeeds then if the latest ConHome survey is correct, Ben Wallace is already next Tory leader and PM in all but name
On a personal note today was the day my 82 year old wife sold her car, following confirmation from her surgeon that her right shoulder was shot and she needs a complete new one
It was decided the operation, and especially the lengthy recovery period and physio was not for her and she is to live with restrictive movement
This is the first time since we had our children that she has not had her own car and independence, but she is just so pragmatic and realistic
We have so much to be grateful for and indeed grandchild number 5 due on the 1st September
And I am delighted to be her own personal chauffeur from now on
Look on the bright side BigG, you and the good lady can now move to Saudi without it being a massive cultural change!
That Starmer interview with Peston is pathetic. He can't say how he would fix all of the problems of the Boris Brexit Deal because he refuses to point to the problems and say "these are the problems".
Instead its "we're looking forwards not backwards". Great! But ignoring the twin elephants in the room (our lack of a free trade deal hanks to having no customs or single market deals) just makes his position nothing but hot air.
Trouble is, that's true with Starmer's position on many other issues. We wants to criticise the government, but is terrified of offering an alternative, because if it's any good the government will steal it, and if it is crap, well, he'll lose votes.
It may be shrewd politics, but it's certainly not courageous leadership.
A clear statement from Ed Davey now on the point might work wonders for the LD prospects
Surprise. "No 10 refuses to deny PM referred to disgraced MP as 'Pincher by name, pincher by nature' before making him deputy chief whip"
He probably repeated it numerous times thinking it jolly witty.
It does make you think all this is already baked into the public's opinion of Johnson but hopefully his mps will do the right thing and send him on his way
It's the hope that kills you, you know. There's no evidence they will as yet.
Our own Aaron Bell is leading the charge for the 1922 later this month., and he has my 100% support in his desire to see the back of Johnson
And if he succeeds then if the latest ConHome survey is correct, Ben Wallace is already next Tory leader and PM in all but name
That Starmer interview with Peston is pathetic. He can't say how he would fix all of the problems of the Boris Brexit Deal because he refuses to point to the problems and say "these are the problems".
Instead its "we're looking forwards not backwards". Great! But ignoring the twin elephants in the room (our lack of a free trade deal hanks to having no customs or single market deals) just makes his position nothing but hot air.
It follows a pattern and not sure having the same policy as the conservatives is as sensible as some may think
He would have changed everything if he had said he was joining the single market but his decision has just handed the initiative to all those pro EU supporters to the lib dems
On a personal note today was the day my 82 year old wife sold her car, following confirmation from her surgeon that her right shoulder was shot and she needs a complete new one
It was decided the operation, and especially the lengthy recovery period and physio was not for her and she is to live with restrictive movement
This is the first time since we had our children that she has not had her own car and independence, but she is just so pragmatic and realistic
We have so much to be grateful for and indeed grandchild number 5 due on the 1st September
And I am delighted to be her own personal chauffeur from now on
Am sorry for Mrs Big, glad you can take up the slack. Best of luck for you & yours!
Haven't had a car for some time now, and still miss it.
Thank you and yes it was an emotional day but inevitable
If Lab are only 6% ahead overall they're decidedly unlikely to win a by-election in Pincher's seat.
The key figure here, i think, is the 35. If the Tories are North of 35 in a GE, Labour will, at best, have a messy minority. Seems outlierish though with a low LabGrLD for Redfield and a much higher ConRef than lately. SNP also too low (as they are in the subsample)
No way are REF going to get anywhere near 5% in a GE, and I am sceptical that the right wing parties' combined vote is really as high as 40% at the moment. LLG at 56% though is not out of line with recent trends.
I agree, 40 feels wrong. Feels like an outlier. Would be more like 38 Tory in a GE if the ConRef split were 40. Thats too much surely. I could just about buy 35 plus 2 right now
On a personal note today was the day my 82 year old wife sold her car, following confirmation from her surgeon that her right shoulder was shot and she needs a complete new one
It was decided the operation, and especially the lengthy recovery period and physio was not for her and she is to live with restrictive movement
This is the first time since we had our children that she has not had her own car and independence, but she is just so pragmatic and realistic
We have so much to be grateful for and indeed grandchild number 5 due on the 1st September
And I am delighted to be her own personal chauffeur from now on
My dad (86 this week) thinks he has driven a couple of million miles during his life. He and mum have just come back from a caravanning trip up north. He is very aware that his driving skills are decreasing, e.g. he tries to avoid driving at night as his depth perception is reduced in the dark.
But there will come a time when he has to stop driving, and that will be a massive wrench to his psyche. He is not looking forward to it.
Oh, and congrats on grandchild #5! I'm soon going to be a great-/grand-uncle. The thought alone makes me feel old...
Surprise. "No 10 refuses to deny PM referred to disgraced MP as 'Pincher by name, pincher by nature' before making him deputy chief whip"
He probably repeated it numerous times thinking it jolly witty.
It does make you think all this is already baked into the public's opinion of Johnson but hopefully his mps will do the right thing and send him on his way
It's the hope that kills you, you know. There's no evidence they will as yet.
Our own Aaron Bell is leading the charge for the 1922 later this month., and he has my 100% support in his desire to see the back of Johnson
And if he succeeds then if the latest ConHome survey is correct, Ben Wallace is already next Tory leader and PM in all but name
Surprise. "No 10 refuses to deny PM referred to disgraced MP as 'Pincher by name, pincher by nature' before making him deputy chief whip"
He probably repeated it numerous times thinking it jolly witty.
It does make you think all this is already baked into the public's opinion of Johnson but hopefully his mps will do the right thing and send him on his way
It's the hope that kills you, you know. There's no evidence they will as yet.
Our own Aaron Bell is leading the charge for the 1922 later this month., and he has my 100% support in his desire to see the back of Johnson
And if he succeeds then if the latest ConHome survey is correct, Ben Wallace is already next Tory leader and PM in all but name
On a personal note today was the day my 82 year old wife sold her car, following confirmation from her surgeon that her right shoulder was shot and she needs a complete new one
It was decided the operation, and especially the lengthy recovery period and physio was not for her and she is to live with restrictive movement
This is the first time since we had our children that she has not had her own car and independence, but she is just so pragmatic and realistic
We have so much to be grateful for and indeed grandchild number 5 due on the 1st September
And I am delighted to be her own personal chauffeur from now on
Look on the bright side BigG, you and the good lady can now move to Saudi without it being a massive cultural change!
That Starmer interview with Peston is pathetic. He can't say how he would fix all of the problems of the Boris Brexit Deal because he refuses to point to the problems and say "these are the problems".
Instead its "we're looking forwards not backwards". Great! But ignoring the twin elephants in the room (our lack of a free trade deal hanks to having no customs or single market deals) just makes his position nothing but hot air.
Trouble is, that's true with Starmer's position on many other issues. We wants to criticise the government, but is terrified of offering an alternative, because if it's any good the government will steal it, and if it is crap, well, he'll lose votes.
It may be shrewd politics, but it's certainly not courageous leadership.
A clear statement from Ed Davey now on the point might work wonders for the LD prospects
Daniel Norcross BBC Test Match Special WinViz is quite preposterous, it now suggests that England are favourites to win.
Has WinViz seen the England tail?
Another 50 from these two and I might start to believe.
Fair point that we don't have Foakes this time. Billings the stand-in by no means a reliable Test batsman.
Not much test experience, but hell of a white ball cricketer, which is kind of what we are playing these days.
That's good if you need a quick 20, but maybe not if you need someone to block one end. Fingers crossed it is only a quick 20 England need by the time he comes to the crease.
It would be good if these two can keep going if only so that we can avoid the spectacle of Kohli dancing on a length again.
On a personal note today was the day my 82 year old wife sold her car, following confirmation from her surgeon that her right shoulder was shot and she needs a complete new one
It was decided the operation, and especially the lengthy recovery period and physio was not for her and she is to live with restrictive movement
This is the first time since we had our children that she has not had her own car and independence, but she is just so pragmatic and realistic
We have so much to be grateful for and indeed grandchild number 5 due on the 1st September
And I am delighted to be her own personal chauffeur from now on
Am sorry for Mrs Big, glad you can take up the slack. Best of luck for you & yours!
Haven't had a car for some time now, and still miss it.
Thank you and yes it was an emotional day but inevitable
I can imagine it was emotional - you take the independence a car gives you for granted from a relatively young age and to then have it removed is not just a restraint on your independence but a stark realisation that you are no longer the physical specimen you once were.
I remember my father before he went into long stay hospital when he was insistent he wanted to drive and having to repeatedly tell him that it wasn’t safe as he was suffering dementia and was losing his physical abilities as well. He had always loved cars from his Jensen Interceptors, Porsche 911’s, old Rolls’ and to lose a love and independence was hard for him. He did take it as an absolute insult so I hope MrsG is able to take it better.
Surprise. "No 10 refuses to deny PM referred to disgraced MP as 'Pincher by name, pincher by nature' before making him deputy chief whip"
He probably repeated it numerous times thinking it jolly witty.
It does make you think all this is already baked into the public's opinion of Johnson but hopefully his mps will do the right thing and send him on his way
It's the hope that kills you, you know. There's no evidence they will as yet.
Our own Aaron Bell is leading the charge for the 1922 later this month., and he has my 100% support in his desire to see the back of Johnson
And if he succeeds then if the latest ConHome survey is correct, Ben Wallace is already next Tory leader and PM in all but name
That Starmer interview with Peston is pathetic. He can't say how he would fix all of the problems of the Boris Brexit Deal because he refuses to point to the problems and say "these are the problems".
Instead its "we're looking forwards not backwards". Great! But ignoring the twin elephants in the room (our lack of a free trade deal hanks to having no customs or single market deals) just makes his position nothing but hot air.
It follows a pattern and not sure having the same policy as the conservatives is as sensible as some may think
He would have changed everything if he had said he was joining the single market but his decision has just handed the initiative to all those pro EU supporters to the lib dems
He can't become PM without regaining the redwall seats, he had no choice and Remainers will vote for him anyway outside London and Home counties seats where the LDs are the Tories main opponents
Surprise. "No 10 refuses to deny PM referred to disgraced MP as 'Pincher by name, pincher by nature' before making him deputy chief whip"
He probably repeated it numerous times thinking it jolly witty.
It does make you think all this is already baked into the public's opinion of Johnson but hopefully his mps will do the right thing and send him on his way
It's the hope that kills you, you know. There's no evidence they will as yet.
Our own Aaron Bell is leading the charge for the 1922 later this month., and he has my 100% support in his desire to see the back of Johnson
And if he succeeds then if the latest ConHome survey is correct, Ben Wallace is already next Tory leader and PM in all but name
On a personal note today was the day my 82 year old wife sold her car, following confirmation from her surgeon that her right shoulder was shot and she needs a complete new one
It was decided the operation, and especially the lengthy recovery period and physio was not for her and she is to live with restrictive movement
This is the first time since we had our children that she has not had her own car and independence, but she is just so pragmatic and realistic
We have so much to be grateful for and indeed grandchild number 5 due on the 1st September
And I am delighted to be her own personal chauffeur from now on
Am sorry for Mrs Big, glad you can take up the slack. Best of luck for you & yours!
Haven't had a car for some time now, and still miss it.
Thank you and yes it was an emotional day but inevitable
I can imagine it was emotional - you take the independence a car gives you for granted from a relatively young age and to then have it removed is not just a restraint on your independence but a stark realisation that you are no longer the physical specimen you once were.
I remember my father before he went into long stay hospital when he was insistent he wanted to drive and having to repeatedly tell him that it wasn’t safe as he was suffering dementia and was losing his physical abilities as well. He had always loved cars from his Jensen Interceptors, Porsche 911’s, old Rolls’ and to lose a love and independence was hard for him. He did take it as an absolute insult so I hope MrsG is able to take it better.
Yes she has been very pragmatic and feared her restrictive movement could contribute to an accident
Surprise. "No 10 refuses to deny PM referred to disgraced MP as 'Pincher by name, pincher by nature' before making him deputy chief whip"
He probably repeated it numerous times thinking it jolly witty.
It does make you think all this is already baked into the public's opinion of Johnson but hopefully his mps will do the right thing and send him on his way
It's the hope that kills you, you know. There's no evidence they will as yet.
Our own Aaron Bell is leading the charge for the 1922 later this month., and he has my 100% support in his desire to see the back of Johnson
And if he succeeds then if the latest ConHome survey is correct, Ben Wallace is already next Tory leader and PM in all but name
Unless he doesn't make the final two of course. And there'll be a campaign too. But aside from that.
Highly unlikely he doesn't make the final 2 with that much support amongst the membership and as a prominent Cabinet Minister.
Indeed if Johnson went Wallace might even now get a coronation a la Howard 2003 or Brown 2007
Prominent cabinet minister is not all it could be as he is complicent in Johnson's tenure and certainly there will not be a coronation
Well on that survey Hunt and Sunak would be trounced if they got to the membership so might not even stand.
I doubt Truss or Mordaunt have much support amongst MPs and the pressure therefore to make Wallace PM by coronation would be immense if Boris lost a VONC.
Wallace is more of a traditional Tory and social conservative than Boris, he would return the party to core values
Surprise. "No 10 refuses to deny PM referred to disgraced MP as 'Pincher by name, pincher by nature' before making him deputy chief whip"
He probably repeated it numerous times thinking it jolly witty.
It does make you think all this is already baked into the public's opinion of Johnson but hopefully his mps will do the right thing and send him on his way
It's the hope that kills you, you know. There's no evidence they will as yet.
Our own Aaron Bell is leading the charge for the 1922 later this month., and he has my 100% support in his desire to see the back of Johnson
And if he succeeds then if the latest ConHome survey is correct, Ben Wallace is already next Tory leader and PM in all but name
Surprise. "No 10 refuses to deny PM referred to disgraced MP as 'Pincher by name, pincher by nature' before making him deputy chief whip"
He probably repeated it numerous times thinking it jolly witty.
It does make you think all this is already baked into the public's opinion of Johnson but hopefully his mps will do the right thing and send him on his way
It's the hope that kills you, you know. There's no evidence they will as yet.
Our own Aaron Bell is leading the charge for the 1922 later this month., and he has my 100% support in his desire to see the back of Johnson
And if he succeeds then if the latest ConHome survey is correct, Ben Wallace is already next Tory leader and PM in all but name
That Starmer interview with Peston is pathetic. He can't say how he would fix all of the problems of the Boris Brexit Deal because he refuses to point to the problems and say "these are the problems".
Instead its "we're looking forwards not backwards". Great! But ignoring the twin elephants in the room (our lack of a free trade deal hanks to having no customs or single market deals) just makes his position nothing but hot air.
It follows a pattern and not sure having the same policy as the conservatives is as sensible as some may think
He would have changed everything if he had said he was joining the single market but his decision has just handed the initiative to all those pro EU supporters to the lib dems
He can't become PM without regaining the redwall seats, he had no choice and Remainers will vote for him anyway outside London and Home counties seats where the LDs are the Tories main opponents
After today there is no certainty remainers will now vote Labour and it is a gift to the lib dems
Surprise. "No 10 refuses to deny PM referred to disgraced MP as 'Pincher by name, pincher by nature' before making him deputy chief whip"
He probably repeated it numerous times thinking it jolly witty.
It does make you think all this is already baked into the public's opinion of Johnson but hopefully his mps will do the right thing and send him on his way
It's the hope that kills you, you know. There's no evidence they will as yet.
Our own Aaron Bell is leading the charge for the 1922 later this month., and he has my 100% support in his desire to see the back of Johnson
And if he succeeds then if the latest ConHome survey is correct, Ben Wallace is already next Tory leader and PM in all but name
Unless he doesn't make the final two of course. And there'll be a campaign too. But aside from that.
Highly unlikely he doesn't make the final 2 with that much support amongst the membership and as a prominent Cabinet Minister.
Indeed if Johnson went Wallace might even now get a coronation a la Howard 2003 or Brown 2007
Prominent cabinet minister is not all it could be as he is complicent in Johnson's tenure and certainly there will not be a coronation
Well on that survey Hunt and Sunak would be trounced if they got to the membership so might not even stand.
I doubt Truss or Mordaunt have much support amongst MPs and the pressure therefore to make Wallace PM by coronation would be immense if Boris lost a VONC.
Wallace is more of a traditional Tory and social conservative than Boris, he would return the party to core values
I am not saying Wallace is out of it but clearly he is one of several who have a chance of leading the party
That Starmer interview with Peston is pathetic. He can't say how he would fix all of the problems of the Boris Brexit Deal because he refuses to point to the problems and say "these are the problems".
Instead its "we're looking forwards not backwards". Great! But ignoring the twin elephants in the room (our lack of a free trade deal hanks to having no customs or single market deals) just makes his position nothing but hot air.
It follows a pattern and not sure having the same policy as the conservatives is as sensible as some may think
He would have changed everything if he had said he was joining the single market but his decision has just handed the initiative to all those pro EU supporters to the lib dems
He is right that we in all likelihood *cannot* simply rejoin the EEA or EUCU. They won't allow it. But what we need to be addressing is the mess caused by our lack of any workable agreement with them. I understand the politics that "if we are seen to backslide the Tories / Red Wall Voters will think we want to cancel Brexit". But as that isn't possible, and as the damage done is very genuine, this refusal to even look at workable ideas is contemptuous.
That Starmer interview with Peston is pathetic. He can't say how he would fix all of the problems of the Boris Brexit Deal because he refuses to point to the problems and say "these are the problems".
Instead its "we're looking forwards not backwards". Great! But ignoring the twin elephants in the room (our lack of a free trade deal hanks to having no customs or single market deals) just makes his position nothing but hot air.
Trouble is, that's true with Starmer's position on many other issues. We wants to criticise the government, but is terrified of offering an alternative, because if it's any good the government will steal it, and if it is crap, well, he'll lose votes.
It may be shrewd politics, but it's certainly not courageous leadership.
A clear statement from Ed Davey now on the point might work wonders for the LD prospects
Would it?
Labour and the Lib Dems are in very different places. Labour is in the position of prospective Government and will be scrutinised heavily in the run-up to an election on all kinds of policies, prominent amongst which will be its attitude to Europe. If they sound too pro-EU then they risk allowing the Tories to resuscitate Brexit as an issue, and thus allow them to keep hold of wavering ex-Labour Leave voters who might otherwise be persuaded to repudiate the current shambles and change sides again.
The Lib Dems, on the other hand... are also best served by being wishy-washy on Europe. Their target audience of Home Counties nimbies disgusted with the behaviour of Boris Johnson needs to be reminded that they helped invent the Triple Lock and that they don't want smelly poor people houses being dropped all over green field sites and ruining people's views. Other than that, they benefit from standing for as little as possible, so that fed-up voters can imagine the party as representing whatever they want it to.
The general idea is that Euro-enthusiasts will assume the party loves the EU and vote accordingly; Eurosceptics don't need to be reminded that the party loves the EU, in the hope that they will vote for it despite the fact and for other more pressing reasons, i.e. punishing sleazy Tories.
On a personal note today was the day my 82 year old wife sold her car, following confirmation from her surgeon that her right shoulder was shot and she needs a complete new one
It was decided the operation, and especially the lengthy recovery period and physio was not for her and she is to live with restrictive movement
This is the first time since we had our children that she has not had her own car and independence, but she is just so pragmatic and realistic
We have so much to be grateful for and indeed grandchild number 5 due on the 1st September
And I am delighted to be her own personal chauffeur from now on
My dad (86 this week) thinks he has driven a couple of million miles during his life. He and mum have just come back from a caravanning trip up north. He is very aware that his driving skills are decreasing, e.g. he tries to avoid driving at night as his depth perception is reduced in the dark.
But there will come a time when he has to stop driving, and that will be a massive wrench to his psyche. He is not looking forward to it.
Oh, and congrats on grandchild #5! I'm soon going to be a great-/grand-uncle. The thought alone makes me feel old...
My dad is only 74 but physically broken and mentally has lapses as well. Frankly I am unsure if he should be driving, but if they stop being able to get about independently I can see it being a swift slide downhill into the abyss for both of them.
That Starmer interview with Peston is pathetic. He can't say how he would fix all of the problems of the Boris Brexit Deal because he refuses to point to the problems and say "these are the problems".
Instead its "we're looking forwards not backwards". Great! But ignoring the twin elephants in the room (our lack of a free trade deal hanks to having no customs or single market deals) just makes his position nothing but hot air.
It follows a pattern and not sure having the same policy as the conservatives is as sensible as some may think
He would have changed everything if he had said he was joining the single market but his decision has just handed the initiative to all those pro EU supporters to the lib dems
He is right that we in all likelihood *cannot* simply rejoin the EEA or EUCU. They won't allow it. But what we need to be addressing is the mess caused by our lack of any workable agreement with them. I understand the politics that "if we are seen to backslide the Tories / Red Wall Voters will think we want to cancel Brexit". But as that isn't possible, and as the damage done is very genuine, this refusal to even look at workable ideas is contemptuous.
It does seem we are refusing to even contemplate some things out of fear of some 'punishment' for doing so, but that's like playing tennis with one arm tied behind your back.
Thanks for that. The little 'un was fascinated with the Eiffel Tower a few years back, so I bought him a book containing piccies of it being built, along with structural diagrams. (*) Much of the text is in French, but it is a truly beautiful book.
(*) I say it was for him, I may have spent a long while looking at it.
I visited the St Anne Mission church in the middle of nowhere in Gabon that was designed by Eiffel and delivered flat-pack to be assembled. Sadly in a fairly poor state of repair now:
Ooh, the roof looks like a waterlily leaf - sort of - rib reinforced shell.
Prefabricated kirks were quite a thing in the C19 for the 'colonies' but also turned up in the more remote parts of Scotland (where it was difficult to build in conventional terms - skilled labour, materials etc.). And in some very central parts too, for speed/economy/temporariness while the main building was fundraised. No idea what happened south of the border, but I'm sure there were some too. And of course this segued into Nissen huts and so on in the C20.
That Starmer interview with Peston is pathetic. He can't say how he would fix all of the problems of the Boris Brexit Deal because he refuses to point to the problems and say "these are the problems".
Instead its "we're looking forwards not backwards". Great! But ignoring the twin elephants in the room (our lack of a free trade deal hanks to having no customs or single market deals) just makes his position nothing but hot air.
It follows a pattern and not sure having the same policy as the conservatives is as sensible as some may think
He would have changed everything if he had said he was joining the single market but his decision has just handed the initiative to all those pro EU supporters to the lib dems
He can't become PM without regaining the redwall seats, he had no choice and Remainers will vote for him anyway outside London and Home counties seats where the LDs are the Tories main opponents
After today there is no certainty remainers will now vote Labour and it is a gift to the lib dems
In safe Labour seats leakage to the LDs is irrelevant, without regaining the Tory held marginals in the redwall however Starmer and Labour will be defeated by the Tories again
Surprise. "No 10 refuses to deny PM referred to disgraced MP as 'Pincher by name, pincher by nature' before making him deputy chief whip"
He probably repeated it numerous times thinking it jolly witty.
It does make you think all this is already baked into the public's opinion of Johnson but hopefully his mps will do the right thing and send him on his way
It's the hope that kills you, you know. There's no evidence they will as yet.
Our own Aaron Bell is leading the charge for the 1922 later this month., and he has my 100% support in his desire to see the back of Johnson
And if he succeeds then if the latest ConHome survey is correct, Ben Wallace is already next Tory leader and PM in all but name
That Starmer interview with Peston is pathetic. He can't say how he would fix all of the problems of the Boris Brexit Deal because he refuses to point to the problems and say "these are the problems".
Instead its "we're looking forwards not backwards". Great! But ignoring the twin elephants in the room (our lack of a free trade deal hanks to having no customs or single market deals) just makes his position nothing but hot air.
It follows a pattern and not sure having the same policy as the conservatives is as sensible as some may think
He would have changed everything if he had said he was joining the single market but his decision has just handed the initiative to all those pro EU supporters to the lib dems
He is right that we in all likelihood *cannot* simply rejoin the EEA or EUCU. They won't allow it. But what we need to be addressing is the mess caused by our lack of any workable agreement with them. I understand the politics that "if we are seen to backslide the Tories / Red Wall Voters will think we want to cancel Brexit". But as that isn't possible, and as the damage done is very genuine, this refusal to even look at workable ideas is contemptuous.
It does seem we are refusing to even contemplate some things out of fear of some 'punishment' for doing so, but that's like playing tennis with one arm tied behind your back.
Labour can improve relations significantly simply by desisting from picking fights over the NI protocol. They may then have a little more wriggle room once the election campaign is out of the way, but not very much. Significantly closer relations with the EU are effectively blocked by the latter's position on the free movement of people, which Labour can't concede without ripping open old wounds and creating an instant betrayal narrative.
I really don't understand what's happened to England. Surely there's never been such an amazing transformation of a team?
It's weird - mostly same players, and they are still cocking up at times (Stokes being reckless rather than aggressive, the tail end bowling in the first innings, the openers still struggling), yet it just feels like they always have a chance. And since they score quickly (and India do too), a result of some kind is usually on the table.
On a personal note today was the day my 82 year old wife sold her car, following confirmation from her surgeon that her right shoulder was shot and she needs a complete new one
It was decided the operation, and especially the lengthy recovery period and physio was not for her and she is to live with restrictive movement
This is the first time since we had our children that she has not had her own car and independence, but she is just so pragmatic and realistic
We have so much to be grateful for and indeed grandchild number 5 due on the 1st September
And I am delighted to be her own personal chauffeur from now on
My dad (86 this week) thinks he has driven a couple of million miles during his life. He and mum have just come back from a caravanning trip up north. He is very aware that his driving skills are decreasing, e.g. he tries to avoid driving at night as his depth perception is reduced in the dark.
But there will come a time when he has to stop driving, and that will be a massive wrench to his psyche. He is not looking forward to it.
Oh, and congrats on grandchild #5! I'm soon going to be a great-/grand-uncle. The thought alone makes me feel old...
My dad is only 74 but physically broken and mentally has lapses as well. Frankly I am unsure if he should be driving, but if they stop being able to get about independently I can see it being a swift slide downhill into the abyss for both of them.
MY dad coped fairly well with having to give up driving - and indeed did it off his own bat. And he was fairly good with buses, as he is used to them (very good locally, and parking hell in Edinburgh). But the main problems I had were to try and get him used to having a taxi when he needed it, e,g,. for hospital treatment, rather than take the bus (and he knew and liked the taximan of old); and to shift to having deliveries of such things as gro-bags made rather than rely solely on crap stuff from the local supermarket across the road. There was an element of "I'm not paying more than threepence farthing!" when in reality he spent so little he could afford it easily, and I'd much rathher he had spent more of my inheritance!
If you didn't know you'd be able to guess that the Indian captain is inexperienced. Fielding positions have been suboptimal.
Can we play until 7pm tonight?
Not unless the umpires think there's a chance of a result tonight, which won't happen.
So when is the close then? 6.30pm?
Vitaï Lampada Sir Henry Newbolt
There's a breathless hush in the Close to-night — Ten to make and the match to win — A bumping pitch and a blinding light, An hour to play and the last man in. And it's not for the sake of a ribboned coat, Or the selfish hope of a season's fame, But his Captain's hand on his shoulder smote "Play up! play up! and play the game!"
The sand of the desert is sodden red, — Red with the wreck of a square that broke; — The Gatling's jammed and the colonel dead, And the regiment blind with dust and smoke. The river of death has brimmed his banks, And England's far, and Honour a name, But the voice of schoolboy rallies the ranks, "Play up! play up! and play the game!"
This is the word that year by year While in her place the School is set Every one of her sons must hear, And none that hears it dare forget. This they all with a joyful mind Bear through life like a torch in flame, And falling fling to the host behind — "Play up! play up! and play the game!"
On a personal note today was the day my 82 year old wife sold her car, following confirmation from her surgeon that her right shoulder was shot and she needs a complete new one
It was decided the operation, and especially the lengthy recovery period and physio was not for her and she is to live with restrictive movement
This is the first time since we had our children that she has not had her own car and independence, but she is just so pragmatic and realistic
We have so much to be grateful for and indeed grandchild number 5 due on the 1st September
And I am delighted to be her own personal chauffeur from now on
My dad (86 this week) thinks he has driven a couple of million miles during his life. He and mum have just come back from a caravanning trip up north. He is very aware that his driving skills are decreasing, e.g. he tries to avoid driving at night as his depth perception is reduced in the dark.
But there will come a time when he has to stop driving, and that will be a massive wrench to his psyche. He is not looking forward to it.
Oh, and congrats on grandchild #5! I'm soon going to be a great-/grand-uncle. The thought alone makes me feel old...
My dad is only 74 but physically broken and mentally has lapses as well. Frankly I am unsure if he should be driving, but if they stop being able to get about independently I can see it being a swift slide downhill into the abyss for both of them.
Same age as my dad was at the time - unfortunately you have to weigh up the sad swift slide into the abyss for both of them from the loss of independence to a potential quick slide into a roadside ditch for them and/or other people. It’s grim and he won’t thank you but there is a point where it has to happen.
I think the test needs to be that the moment you consider buying a Honda Jazz you have all driving rights revoked. They are absolute bastards - never let them out at junctions. You will age to the age of the driver in the time it takes to get to your destination.
Surprise. "No 10 refuses to deny PM referred to disgraced MP as 'Pincher by name, pincher by nature' before making him deputy chief whip"
He probably repeated it numerous times thinking it jolly witty.
It does make you think all this is already baked into the public's opinion of Johnson but hopefully his mps will do the right thing and send him on his way
It's the hope that kills you, you know. There's no evidence they will as yet.
Our own Aaron Bell is leading the charge for the 1922 later this month., and he has my 100% support in his desire to see the back of Johnson
And if he succeeds then if the latest ConHome survey is correct, Ben Wallace is already next Tory leader and PM in all but name
HYUFD said: "The US, Spain, France, the Arabs etc all continued slavery long after the UK and British Empire"
Depends on which part of the United States you are talking about: Examples: 1777 "The Constitution of the Vermont Republic partially bans slavery,[64] freeing men over 21 and women older than 18 at the time of its passage.[65] The ban is not strongly enforced." 1783 "Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court rules slavery unconstitutional, a decision based on the 1780 Massachusetts constitution. All slaves are immediately freed." 1787 "The United States in Congress Assembled passes the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, outlawing any new slavery in the Northwest Territories." (The area covered by the ordinance became Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, and part of Minnesota.) source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_abolition_of_slavery_and_serfdom (That timeline deserves study, even though it omits the Gulag and the similar camps in Communist China.)
In other northern states, prior to the Civil War, slavery was often banned gradually, but it was banned in all of them long before the war.
Slavery continued in the South and border states of the USA until 1865, long after the British Empire had abolished slavery
And was abolished in many others long before. That's his point. Continual whataboutery concerning slavery is tiring. It was wrong. No matter what anyone else was doing.
And where did a lot of the cotton for the UK economy come from? (A lot did come from Egypt, however.)
I really don't understand what's happened to England. Surely there's never been such an amazing transformation of a team?
Complete change in mentality.
Remember that this same team declined a chase of 270 odd only last summer.
Not surprising I suppose when you look at the coach. I hadn't realised until afterwards that when Bairstow was chasing the fastest Test Century ever by an Englishman - and missed it by 1 ball - that the holder of that title overall of any nationality was Brendon McCullum who is now the England coach. Hardly surprising that he and Stokes see eye to eye on how the game should be played.
If you didn't know you'd be able to guess that the Indian captain is inexperienced. Fielding positions have been suboptimal.
Can we play until 7pm tonight?
Not unless the umpires think there's a chance of a result tonight, which won't happen.
So when is the close then? 6.30pm?
Vitaï Lampada Sir Henry Newbolt
There's a breathless hush in the Close to-night — Ten to make and the match to win — A bumping pitch and a blinding light, An hour to play and the last man in. And it's not for the sake of a ribboned coat, Or the selfish hope of a season's fame, But his Captain's hand on his shoulder smote "Play up! play up! and play the game!"
The sand of the desert is sodden red, — Red with the wreck of a square that broke; — The Gatling's jammed and the colonel dead, And the regiment blind with dust and smoke. The river of death has brimmed his banks, And England's far, and Honour a name, But the voice of schoolboy rallies the ranks, "Play up! play up! and play the game!"
This is the word that year by year While in her place the School is set Every one of her sons must hear, And none that hears it dare forget. This they all with a joyful mind Bear through life like a torch in flame, And falling fling to the host behind — "Play up! play up! and play the game!"
On a personal note today was the day my 82 year old wife sold her car, following confirmation from her surgeon that her right shoulder was shot and she needs a complete new one
It was decided the operation, and especially the lengthy recovery period and physio was not for her and she is to live with restrictive movement
This is the first time since we had our children that she has not had her own car and independence, but she is just so pragmatic and realistic
We have so much to be grateful for and indeed grandchild number 5 due on the 1st September
And I am delighted to be her own personal chauffeur from now on
My dad (86 this week) thinks he has driven a couple of million miles during his life. He and mum have just come back from a caravanning trip up north. He is very aware that his driving skills are decreasing, e.g. he tries to avoid driving at night as his depth perception is reduced in the dark.
But there will come a time when he has to stop driving, and that will be a massive wrench to his psyche. He is not looking forward to it.
Oh, and congrats on grandchild #5! I'm soon going to be a great-/grand-uncle. The thought alone makes me feel old...
My dad is only 74 but physically broken and mentally has lapses as well. Frankly I am unsure if he should be driving, but if they stop being able to get about independently I can see it being a swift slide downhill into the abyss for both of them.
MY dad coped fairly well with having to give up driving - and indeed did it off his own bat. And he was fairly good with buses, as he is used to them (very good locally, and parking hell in Edinburgh). But the main problems I had were to try and get him used to having a taxi when he needed it, e,g,. for hospital treatment, rather than take the bus (and he knew and liked the taximan of old); and to shift to having deliveries of such things as gro-bags made rather than rely solely on crap stuff from the local supermarket across the road. There was an element of "I'm not paying more than threepence farthing!" when in reality he spent so little he could afford it easily, and I'd much rathher he had spent more of my inheritance!
Most people accept when they can no longer drive fairly philosophically. The biggest problems are those with early dementia and no insight.
A useful exercise is to sum up the annual cost they were spending on motoring, and budget the same as the taxi fund. Most will get nowhere near what they were spending, as local errands are fairly cheap with taxis, except in rural areas where social isolation can be a big issue.
HYUFD said: "The US, Spain, France, the Arabs etc all continued slavery long after the UK and British Empire"
Depends on which part of the United States you are talking about: Examples: 1777 "The Constitution of the Vermont Republic partially bans slavery,[64] freeing men over 21 and women older than 18 at the time of its passage.[65] The ban is not strongly enforced." 1783 "Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court rules slavery unconstitutional, a decision based on the 1780 Massachusetts constitution. All slaves are immediately freed." 1787 "The United States in Congress Assembled passes the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, outlawing any new slavery in the Northwest Territories." (The area covered by the ordinance became Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, and part of Minnesota.) source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_abolition_of_slavery_and_serfdom (That timeline deserves study, even though it omits the Gulag and the similar camps in Communist China.)
In other northern states, prior to the Civil War, slavery was often banned gradually, but it was banned in all of them long before the war.
Slavery continued in the South and border states of the USA until 1865, long after the British Empire had abolished slavery
And was abolished in many others long before. That's his point. Continual whataboutery concerning slavery is tiring. It was wrong. No matter what anyone else was doing.
And where did a lot of the cotton for the UK economy come from? (A lot did come from Egypt, however.)
At start of Civil War, Confederate leaders & followers alike were convinced that "King Cotton" would inevitably force Britain to actively side with CSA due to dependence of UK mills on Dixie's chief cash crop. Along with aristo disdain for low-bred Yankees combined with desire to humble such upstarts, dismantle their plebeian Republic and create new opening for the British Empire in North America.
Did NOT quite work out that way. Despite best efforts of (pre-liberal) Gladstone and Liverpudlian & Mancunian mercantile-industrial oligarchy.
Partly due to other sources of fiber (as C notes) BUT also IIRC because the mill workers of Lancashire did NOT concur and in fact supported Abe Lincoln and the Union.
SO what is the view of the average (or exceptional) Montenegrin re: silly overs?
One thing that strikes me re: "Play Up, Play Up, and Play the Game!" is that after the Fuzy Wuzzies finished wiping out the what was left of the Regiment, they picked up the lad's cricket bat, scraped off what was left of his head, and used the skull so they too could "play the game!"
Surprise. "No 10 refuses to deny PM referred to disgraced MP as 'Pincher by name, pincher by nature' before making him deputy chief whip"
He probably repeated it numerous times thinking it jolly witty.
It does make you think all this is already baked into the public's opinion of Johnson but hopefully his mps will do the right thing and send him on his way
It's the hope that kills you, you know. There's no evidence they will as yet.
Our own Aaron Bell is leading the charge for the 1922 later this month., and he has my 100% support in his desire to see the back of Johnson
And if he succeeds then if the latest ConHome survey is correct, Ben Wallace is already next Tory leader and PM in all but name
SO what is the view of the average (or exceptional) Montenegrin re: silly overs?
One thing that strikes me re: "Play Up, Play Up, and Play the Game!" is that after the Fuzy Wuzzies finished wiping out the what was left of the Regiment, they picked up the lad's cricket bat, scraped off what was left of his head, and used the skull so they too could "play the game!"
The rest, as they say, is history.
One thing that strikes me is that he was lucky not to be shot by his own troops coming out with that bollocks!
When has the OBR ever been right he says? When it predicted leaving the EU would damage the economy, its central forecast remains correct, to this day.
One thing that strikes me re: "Play Up, Play Up, and Play the Game!" is that after the Fuzy Wuzzies finished wiping out the what was left of the Regiment
No sense of jeopardy - chasing previously unheard of totals with too much ease. Needs to 7 or 8 down to make it tense.
There's clearly far less jeopardy to be sensed now (though I wouldn't rule out a 100/7 collapse in the morning), but there certainly was plenty when we were set 378 to win.
» show previous quotes One of my sons, when at Lancaster University, was knocked about in a pub for speaking with a south Essex accent!
You weaselly arsehole Dougseal insulting me again. Shitface it is you that is hated not anything to do with being English. You are a whining , snivelling , cretinous arsewipe of the first order. Go F**k yourself you ignorant pompous little shit for brains creep. @DougSeal
» show previous quotes One of my sons, when at Lancaster University, was knocked about in a pub for speaking with a south Essex accent!
You weaselly arsehole Dougseal insulting me again. Shitface it is you that is hated not anything to do with being English. You are a whining , snivelling , cretinous arsewipe of the first order. Go F**k yourself you ignorant pompous little shit for brains creep. @DougSeal
Re: "King Cotton" and US Civil War, one major source of cotton for UK mills turned out to be . . . wait for it . . . Dixie.
Via cotton seized as contraband of war by Union Army, then sold to eager buyers, including British.
BTW, the word "contraband" became a popular, indeed humorous euphemism for "freed slave".
Even before the Emancipation Proclamation, Union forces were taking slaves from rebel slaveholders as spoils of war. Then putting them to work as ad hoc federal labor corps, along with runaway slaves who made a beeline for the bluecoats.
Comments
It may be shrewd politics, but it's certainly not courageous leadership.
From my balcony I can see the house of njegos in cetinje
https://conservativehome.com/2022/07/03/our-survey-next-tory-leader-wallace-leads-mordaunt-by-two-votes-in-over-seven-hundred/
https://conservativehome.com/2022/07/04/next-tory-leader-play-offs-first-ben-wallace-second-penny-mordaunt/
https://conservativehome.com/2022/07/04/next-tory-leader-play-offs-third-liz-truss/
https://conservativehome.com/2022/07/04/next-tory-leader-play-offs-sixth-rishi-sunak/
https://conservativehome.com/2022/07/04/next-tory-leader-play-offs-ninth-jeremy-hunt/
And there'll be a campaign too.
But aside from that.
He would have changed everything if he had said he was joining the single market but his decision has just handed the initiative to all those pro EU supporters to the lib dems
#bbccricket
Christopher David: I'm not sure if the Indians have realised this but if you add up 378 singles, England will win."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/cricket/59013061
I could just about buy 35 plus 2 right now
But there will come a time when he has to stop driving, and that will be a massive wrench to his psyche. He is not looking forward to it.
Oh, and congrats on grandchild #5! I'm soon going to be a great-/grand-uncle. The thought alone makes me feel old...
It is very open and will depend on who are put forward and the hustings
Indeed Wallace is being tipped to lead NATO later this year
Indeed if Johnson went Wallace might even now get a coronation a la Howard 2003 or Brown 2007
It would be good if these two can keep going if only so that we can avoid the spectacle of Kohli dancing on a length again.
I remember my father before he went into long stay hospital when he was insistent he wanted to drive and having to repeatedly tell him that it wasn’t safe as he was suffering dementia and was losing his physical abilities as well. He had always loved cars from his Jensen Interceptors, Porsche 911’s, old Rolls’ and to lose a love and independence was hard for him. He did take it as an absolute insult so I hope MrsG is able to take it better.
https://www.politico.eu/article/nato-mission-new-secretary-general-jens-stoltenberg-successor/
https://www.ft.com/content/b68dc390-273d-4c8a-a460-f241e5d286d7
I doubt Truss or Mordaunt have much support amongst MPs and the pressure therefore to make Wallace PM by coronation would be immense if Boris lost a VONC.
Wallace is more of a traditional Tory and social conservative than Boris, he would return the party to core values
That article is from July 2021 and he leaves in September 2022, just 3 months from now
And yes Wallace is in the frame
Labour and the Lib Dems are in very different places. Labour is in the position of prospective Government and will be scrutinised heavily in the run-up to an election on all kinds of policies, prominent amongst which will be its attitude to Europe. If they sound too pro-EU then they risk allowing the Tories to resuscitate Brexit as an issue, and thus allow them to keep hold of wavering ex-Labour Leave voters who might otherwise be persuaded to repudiate the current shambles and change sides again.
The Lib Dems, on the other hand... are also best served by being wishy-washy on Europe. Their target audience of Home Counties nimbies disgusted with the behaviour of Boris Johnson needs to be reminded that they helped invent the Triple Lock and that they don't want smelly poor people houses being dropped all over green field sites and ruining people's views. Other than that, they benefit from standing for as little as possible, so that fed-up voters can imagine the party as representing whatever they want it to.
The general idea is that Euro-enthusiasts will assume the party loves the EU and vote accordingly; Eurosceptics don't need to be reminded that the party loves the EU, in the hope that they will vote for it despite the fact and for other more pressing reasons, i.e. punishing sleazy Tories.
(oops!)
Prefabricated kirks were quite a thing in the C19 for the 'colonies' but also turned up in the more remote parts of Scotland (where it was difficult to build in conventional terms - skilled labour, materials etc.). And in some very central parts too, for speed/economy/temporariness while the main building was fundraised. No idea what happened south of the border, but I'm sure there were some too. And of course this segued into Nissen huts and so on in the C20.
https://www.slhf.org/sites/default/files/documents/SLHF_108_-_Graham_M_Clark_Article_-_LR.pdf
Make more sense asking random selection of six- (or sixty-) year olds their favorite flavor.
Do admit, that a nice scoop of tutti fruiti or rocky road would be better PM than current incumbent.
https://www.euractiv.com/section/defence-and-security/news/stoltenbergs-nato-term-extended-by-a-year-amid-ukraine-war/
Complete change in mentality.
Remember that this same team declined a chase of 270 odd only last summer.
Sir Henry Newbolt
There's a breathless hush in the Close to-night —
Ten to make and the match to win —
A bumping pitch and a blinding light,
An hour to play and the last man in.
And it's not for the sake of a ribboned coat,
Or the selfish hope of a season's fame,
But his Captain's hand on his shoulder smote
"Play up! play up! and play the game!"
The sand of the desert is sodden red, —
Red with the wreck of a square that broke; —
The Gatling's jammed and the colonel dead,
And the regiment blind with dust and smoke.
The river of death has brimmed his banks,
And England's far, and Honour a name,
But the voice of schoolboy rallies the ranks,
"Play up! play up! and play the game!"
This is the word that year by year
While in her place the School is set
Every one of her sons must hear,
And none that hears it dare forget.
This they all with a joyful mind
Bear through life like a torch in flame,
And falling fling to the host behind —
"Play up! play up! and play the game!"
I think the test needs to be that the moment you consider buying a Honda Jazz you have all driving rights revoked. They are absolute bastards - never let them out at junctions. You will age to the age of the driver in the time it takes to get to your destination.
Incredible
It’s not won yet. But still
A useful exercise is to sum up the annual cost they were spending on motoring, and budget the same as the taxi fund. Most will get nowhere near what they were spending, as local errands are fairly cheap with taxis, except in rural areas where social isolation can be a big issue.
Did NOT quite work out that way. Despite best efforts of (pre-liberal) Gladstone and Liverpudlian & Mancunian mercantile-industrial oligarchy.
Partly due to other sources of fiber (as C notes) BUT also IIRC because the mill workers of Lancashire did NOT concur and in fact supported Abe Lincoln and the Union.
Not an immense surprise, but mildly depressing that his party continues to enable him.
One thing that strikes me re: "Play Up, Play Up, and Play the Game!" is that after the Fuzy Wuzzies finished wiping out the what was left of the Regiment, they picked up the lad's cricket bat, scraped off what was left of his head, and used the skull so they too could "play the game!"
The rest, as they say, is history.
Where they have a real Turk's head stuck on a post above the door.
Chris Pincher = King Leer
Rees-Mogg is dangerously thick.
When has the OBR ever been right he says? When it predicted leaving the EU would damage the economy, its central forecast remains correct, to this day.
OldKingCole said:
» show previous quotes
One of my sons, when at Lancaster University, was knocked about in a pub for speaking with a south Essex accent!
You weaselly arsehole Dougseal insulting me again. Shitface it is you that is hated not anything to do with being English. You are a whining , snivelling , cretinous arsewipe of the first order. Go F**k yourself you ignorant pompous little shit for brains creep. @DougSeal
Via cotton seized as contraband of war by Union Army, then sold to eager buyers, including British.
BTW, the word "contraband" became a popular, indeed humorous euphemism for "freed slave".
Even before the Emancipation Proclamation, Union forces were taking slaves from rebel slaveholders as spoils of war. Then putting them to work as ad hoc federal labor corps, along with runaway slaves who made a beeline for the bluecoats.