I put on a solid 10 pounds during Covid, and it is proving extremely hard to shift - taking me from normal to overweight - whereas for the decade before that I was highly disciplined, and stayed close to my ideal weight. No problem
I don’t think it’s my metabolism or diet that has changed, it’s my psychology. Covid was so bloody terrible, in so many ways, it has debuted a new voice in my mental choir: the voice that says Fuck it, life is short, this could be your last meal, enjoy. I suspect I’m not alone. Covid has changed many, mentally
The goal I am setting myself is losing 10% of my bodyweight over 10 weeks. Which would take me safely out of obesity in to the 'slightly overweight' category and would be the lowest weight I have been in 5 years.
Plan
1. No alcohol at all for 10 weeks. This is going to be hard. I've got holidays and parties coming up. And long overdue meetings with old friends for 'beers'. But, my experience is that after about 3 weeks the actual cravings for alcohol go and you just switch to being sober. Alternatively, if you switch back to drinking, then the whole edifice quickly collapses.
2. I've got a diet which involves calorie counted food. A friend who was very good at losing weight did so by just eating pre bought ready meals just because even though they aren't the healthiest food, they were at least calorie counted.
3. Going to the gym 2-3 times per week. Involving 30 mins on an exercise bike and then some light weight training, possibly followed by a swim.
4. Getting around town by bike. Pedal bike.
I take the view that there is a lot of uncertainty about weight loss and think that everyone has their own path. However, in terms of the vague science of what motivates us to find and stick to a plan, the book below about how to overcome procrastination is quite insightful.
On point 2. Weight Watchers does a range which varies from the utterly bland, to surprisingly tasty. Don't just buy one and then bin it off as a disappointment, they are worth persisting with. And if you're worried about the health of it, you can have it with a big side of fresh salad. All the best.
Even "non-slimming" ready meals are OK in my experience. An Indian or Chinese ready meal from the supermarket will be one container, half rice, half curry or whatever. A takeaway will be a similar-sized container of each!
Yeah I think it is more just the point that they are calorie counted; its just a lazy way of achieving portion control more than anything else. I've never really gone in to specialist weight loss food because I have always found it synthetic and disappointing, perhaps unfairly.
Takeaways are terrible because they aren't calorie counted. It has often occured to me that many of the meals sold by takeaways and restaurants are basically 2000 calories in one go. These are even supposedly upmarket and 'hipster' places.
We always reckon that a takeaway meal will last us two days!
Who would be best for the country? Hunt - to clear out the stable Who will the membership choose? Sunak Who would be best for the LibDems? Zahawi Who would be best for my book? Truss (on at 60/1 with William Hill) Who would I enjoy watching as PM? Mordaunt
Until we get to the stage of asking candidates whether they regret voting leave we are still screwed
Someone actually said it!
FUEL DUTY!!!!
Every Single Thing we buy in the UK is delivered somewhere in the process by diesel. So the ludicrous cost is a significant driver of the inflation that is crippling individuals and the economy.
Yes, slashing duty/VAT on fuel will have a negative impact on tax revenues,. But what is the cost if we don't? And as the Liaison Committee pointed out on Boris's Day Of Shame, his government have made bold declarations about an end to fossil fuelled vehicles. With zero plan to replace the tax revenues.
In the interests of currently supporting the "in-it together" fuel duty narrative, I thought that the Cabinet each rocking up to Downing Street in their 20mph (urban cycle) Range Rover Diesels showed the necessary patriotic spirit.
...but open and honest with his tax affairs and domiciled status? Think again.
Interested stat that death rates are running at 1300 or 14% higher than norm per week and it is not known why. Hypotheses include undiagnosed stuff during COVID, people damaged by COVID, damage done to NHS by COVID. All seem to be tangentially related to COVID even though deaths are not people with COVID.
Yes, that has been surfacing over the last week or two. I think the favourite is the problems people were having seeing their GP/consultant for the best part of 2 years during which conditions metastized beyond the treatable.
No, I don't think that the case.
Peak excess deaths, even when not having covid written on the death certificate, have very much the same pattern as the covid pandemic waves, with a slight lag.
Missed and neglected non-covid disease certainly exists, but it wouldn't follow that pattern, but would occur fairly evenly across peaks and troughs.
I think most are related to undiagnosed covid, and in particular to the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular effects of infection.
Perhaps it is the case that we have come to the eventual (unacknowledged) conclusion that, after 2 years of trying to control the virus, we have to live with a higher death rate?
It is going to be around long term, but who knows how virulent.
I think there is a place for passive infection control measures such as ventilation and air filtration, avoiding overcrowding in enclosed spaces, appropriate hygiene and WFH when symptomatic etc. Certainly I would want to continue public health surveillance and vaccination of the vulnerable.
Just because we cannot eliminate it, doesn't mean doing nothing. No one is calling for further lockdowns etc, but non intrusive interventions seem reasonable.
I noticed in Waitrose in Cowbridge yesterday there was around 10% maskage, mostly over 60s. Up from zero a few weeks ago.
I was in a gun shop in East LA today (don't ask), and there were a significant number of people wearing masks (like 15-20%).
Whether you like it or not, you have nonetheless begged the most pressing question of the day.
He said "there will be a contest". He didn't say "I am resigning so there will be a contest"
This is a common mistake people make about rulebooks - they assume every single scenario under the sun must be covered within them and if it is not set out carved into stone something is permissable, but that really is not the case because it is impossible to cover everything. Common sense is actually a big part of administration.
There shall be a Leader of the Party (referred to in this Constitution as “the Leader”) drawn from those elected to the House of Commons, who shall be elected by the Party Members and Scottish Party Members in accordance with the provisions of Schedule 2
The Board (which 'have the power to do anything which in its opinion releates to the management and administration of the power') is responsible for 'the overseeing of the procedure for the election of the Leader in accordance with the provisions of Schedule 2'
Schedule 2 is categorical a leader 'resigning' from the leadership is not eligible. But let's play this out and say resigning is not necessarily a trigger.
Point 3 states
Upon the initiation of an election for the Leader, it shall be the duty of the 1922 Committee to present to the Party, as soon as reasonably practicable, a choice of candidates for election as Leader. The rules for deciding the procedure by which the 1922 Committee selects candidates for submission for election shall be determined by the Executive Committee of the 1922 Committee after consultation of the Board
So let's say Boris argfues the process has been 'initiated' without him resigning - the 1922 still gets to decide how the candidates are selected, and can say the current PM, in this case, is not eligible, based on his statements.
You can argue the toss about him trying to play fast and loose with the rules, but if he does that they have the tools to stymie him - this is only happening because as he acknowledged the will of the parliamentary party was that he not be leader. So he will not be allowed to be eligible, I am very confident of that.
Because it is not a question of what he can do - the will to remove him is there, so a way will be found. As noted, if he is saying he has not resigned then Brady and the committee can surely say well then no contest can happen until we settle if there is a vacancy or not.
Edit: chrisb makes the same point in about 1/10 of the space.
“… shall be elected by the Party Members and Scottish Party Members…”
Why the distinction?
Can people who live outwith Scotland *choose* to be classified as a “Scottish Party Member”? If so, one wonders how many members they actually have north of the border. 5,000?
I'd wondered that too. Seems odd when my understandings was it was just a branding issue, not actually a distinct sister party.
Under UK electdoral law such branding is illegal - except when the word 'Scottish' and 'Scotland' are involved. A Labour fiddle from Mr Blair's time. (And presumably Wales too.)
There's nothing stopping the Tories using English Conservative Party if they wanted. No-one else could use English Conservative Party because that would confuse voters.
*Sounds like an arch way of asking your partner whether they have lubed up.
My top 3 now Tom, kemi, penny
I hated everything about that Mordaunt video. It was just awful. The VO (probably Gyles Brandreth) was portentious to the point of being sick making. If you were burying the Queen it might have been suitable but as it is it was old fashioned fuddy duddy pompous nonsense.
The only saving grace was 'PM4PM' which was cute
Thats goodbye Shapps Mordaunt and Hunt....
There we have it. Roger has spoken.
We can be 100% confident it's an excellent video for the contest.
Yep. As I said ideal for the audience that actual has a vote in the contest.
Really? I thought that video was a spoof and the tagline? Dearie me
If the Tories don't choose Hunt they deserve what's coming to them
After this morning on BBC I would suggest he is unlikely to feature
Indeed Mordaunt is the one to watch
I expect the final three to be Sunak- Mordaunt - Truss
And final 2 Sunak v Mordaunt
Membership most likely Mordaunt
I have made my prediction and think it is not far off
So, if members have Rishi versus Penny, you think it is Penny who wins.
It would be interesting to hear your prediction if the members get:
Penny versus Liz ?
or Liz versus Rishi ?
Penny beats Liz IMO.
She has more gravitas and authenticity. The video is a bit unoriginal and full of flags and clichés, but it is a solid pitch to the target audience, and that isn't me or @roger.
That is a deeply ordinary video. Having Boris in it was a mistake. Having platitudes and cliches at every turn when her first priority is to actually improve name awareness and distinctiveness is just daft. Really quite disappointed.
It’s three minutes long, and she doesn’t even appear until the last 20 seconds.
Yes, but anyone viewing it already knows who she is.
*Sounds like an arch way of asking your partner whether they have lubed up.
My top 3 now Tom, kemi, penny
I hated everything about that Mordaunt video. It was just awful. The VO (probably Gyles Brandreth) was portentious to the point of being sick making. If you were burying the Queen it might have been suitable but as it is it was old fashioned fuddy duddy pompous nonsense.
The only saving grace was 'PM4PM' which was cute
Thats goodbye Shapps Mordaunt and Hunt....
I loved the video. I chuckled and then laughed out loud. It's obviously aimed at Tory members, not you and me. It could be effective. I find it hard to step into the shoes of a Tory member. Perhaps they'll find it patronising? I don't know. What do Tory members here think of it? That's the test.
@HYUFD I was listening to Peter Hennessy this morning about Boris. He also relating to a conversation with Gillian Shephard after Boris resigned who commented with relief that our constitution held up. There was also comment on fears by Conservatives that Boris might have gone to the Queen to ask for a dissolution and out her in an impossible position. Which actual have a senior constitutional expert and senior Tories who were terrified that Boris was breaking the British Constitution.
As a traditionalist did this not worry you?
There is no written constitution to break. Our constitution is based on Crown in Parliament, it is the Queen ultimately who decides whether to agree to a general election and in that instance I suspect she would have just asked Boris for a parliamentary vote to confirm
That is a deeply ordinary video. Having Boris in it was a mistake. Having platitudes and cliches at every turn when her first priority is to actually improve name awareness and distinctiveness is just daft. Really quite disappointed.
Well she was only Reading not Oxford like Rishi don't you know. What does one expect?
I put on a solid 10 pounds during Covid, and it is proving extremely hard to shift - taking me from normal to overweight - whereas for the decade before that I was highly disciplined, and stayed close to my ideal weight. No problem
I don’t think it’s my metabolism or diet that has changed, it’s my psychology. Covid was so bloody terrible, in so many ways, it has debuted a new voice in my mental choir: the voice that says Fuck it, life is short, this could be your last meal, enjoy. I suspect I’m not alone. Covid has changed many, mentally
Could be alcohol consumption...
I drink a lot of booze, but that was the case before Covid, too
I’m sure it’s a new mix of nihilism and hedonism in the face of the world’s woes. War, Plague and Famine stalk the planet. They’ve run out of tonic in my favourite bar on Kotor Bay. Next week it will hit 56C in Newent, forever blemishing one of Europe’s most beautiful towns
Pleased Penny is running, but her logo is horrendous. Gives off “Organisation of British Widget Suppliers” vibes.
It'a FLEG tho innit?
Yet again, you have to look at the intended audience. Tory MPs aren't interested in wanky videos, this is aimed purely at the membership who are, ahem, not on average of the same calibre as most Tory Party members on PB.
You know how implausible those letters are about getting $200m out of Nigeria? that's deliberate, because the intended audience is the people who are too stupid to spot the implausibilities.
If Penny gets into the last round and she is not persuaded to withdraw in favour of a “big beast” then she’s got a great chance, albeit there will be a lot made of her inexperience in the media and by her opponents and that could colour things.
Which is why I suspect much will be done to prevent her getting to the last round.
@HYUFD I was listening to Peter Hennessy this morning about Boris. He also relating to a conversation with Gillian Shephard after Boris resigned who commented with relief that our constitution held up. There was also comment on fears by Conservatives that Boris might have gone to the Queen to ask for a dissolution and out her in an impossible position. Which actual have a senior constitutional expert and senior Tories who were terrified that Boris was breaking the British Constitution.
As a traditionalist did this not worry you?
There is no written constitution to break.
That there is no single document to break does not mean there is no constitution to break.
BTW Thanks to the PB-ears - @rcs1000? - who recommended the Amazon/BBC adaptation of Good Omens
I started watching it last night and ended up bingeing three episodes. Only three left! Why isn’t it longer??
But it is excellent. Wry, witty, imaginative, thoughtful, daring in places, with two copper bottomed, sterling silver, 24 carat, platinum-Amex-card performances from Sheen and Tennant. Superb
Esther McVey as deputy is interesting because until this morning, she was not listed as endorsing him. Does Hunt have a list of non-public endorsements lined up to imply momentum, or just her?
Esther McVey as deputy is interesting because until this morning, she was not listed as endorsing him. Does Hunt have a list of non-public endorsements lined up to imply momentum, or just her?
With Mordaunt's video being full of stock footage I look forward to someone tracking down one of the people who appears in it and finding out they are not a Tory, then acting like that matters in any way.
I did think the inclusion of a shot of Cameron with Clegg was interesting.
*Sounds like an arch way of asking your partner whether they have lubed up.
My top 3 now Tom, kemi, penny
I hated everything about that Mordaunt video. It was just awful. The VO (probably Gyles Brandreth) was portentious to the point of being sick making. If you were burying the Queen it might have been suitable but as it is it was old fashioned fuddy duddy pompous nonsense.
The only saving grace was 'PM4PM' which was cute
Thats goodbye Shapps Mordaunt and Hunt....
There we have it. Roger has spoken.
We can be 100% confident it's an excellent video for the contest.
Well there's little doubt that Casino, who reacted positively, is rather closer to the target market than is Roger.
@HYUFD I was listening to Peter Hennessy this morning about Boris. He also relating to a conversation with Gillian Shephard after Boris resigned who commented with relief that our constitution held up. There was also comment on fears by Conservatives that Boris might have gone to the Queen to ask for a dissolution and out her in an impossible position. Which actual have a senior constitutional expert and senior Tories who were terrified that Boris was breaking the British Constitution.
As a traditionalist did this not worry you?
There is no written constitution to break.
That there is no single document to break does not mean there is no constitution to break.
The Queen would have been put in a very difficult position but not an impossible one.
I'm not really sure that it is a good line. I get the point, they want a leader who won't be all 'me me me', but this is about the leader.
This step is about convincing 100 or so of her colleagues that she is a blank canvas who will do what they want, and that they stand a good chance of an important role. It is a good line.
John Major did win, unexpectedly, the 1992 general election.
I'm not sure why Major gets such grief when you can argue 1992 was an amazing result.
The question I don't know the answer to, why did so many vote for Major in 1992?
Sheffield is the trad answer, then someone comes along and says, not-Sheffield. It was a big surprise, as big as 2017, and I think it was the same answer inboth cases: personality. The more Kinnock's shad cab bigged him up as Ready for Government the more you thought, by God he isn't.
Was my first intro to the concept of political betting, my citiboi housemate had 50,000 on Lab maj as an insurance policy. Dunno what the odds were.
@HYUFD I was listening to Peter Hennessy this morning about Boris. He also relating to a conversation with Gillian Shephard after Boris resigned who commented with relief that our constitution held up. There was also comment on fears by Conservatives that Boris might have gone to the Queen to ask for a dissolution and out her in an impossible position. Which actual have a senior constitutional expert and senior Tories who were terrified that Boris was breaking the British Constitution.
As a traditionalist did this not worry you?
There is no written constitution to break.
That there is no single document to break does not mean there is no constitution to break.
The Queen would have been put in a very difficult position but not an impossible one.
I did not know Twister was part of our constitution.
@HYUFD I was listening to Peter Hennessy this morning about Boris. He also relating to a conversation with Gillian Shephard after Boris resigned who commented with relief that our constitution held up. There was also comment on fears by Conservatives that Boris might have gone to the Queen to ask for a dissolution and out her in an impossible position. Which actual have a senior constitutional expert and senior Tories who were terrified that Boris was breaking the British Constitution.
As a traditionalist did this not worry you?
There is no written constitution to break.
That there is no single document to break does not mean there is no constitution to break.
The Queen would have been put in a very difficult position but not an impossible one.
Yeah, this really is bedwetting. There was all sorts of ways for Her Maj to fudge it, esp with Charles now pulling the strings.
*Sounds like an arch way of asking your partner whether they have lubed up.
My top 3 now Tom, kemi, penny
I hated everything about that Mordaunt video. It was just awful. The VO (probably Gyles Brandreth) was portentious to the point of being sick making. If you were burying the Queen it might have been suitable but as it is it was old fashioned fuddy duddy pompous nonsense.
John Major did win, unexpectedly, the 1992 general election.
I'm not sure why Major gets such grief when you can argue 1992 was an amazing result.
The question I don't know the answer to, why did so many vote for Major in 1992?
I think that Major was a pleasant change after the bitter end of Thatcher. He seemed normal and decent. Kinnock was nearly there, but ultimately that tax bombshell poster hit Labour hard.
Basically people wanted a change from Thatcher, but not too big of change. Tony Blair certainly thought so.
He said "there will be a contest". He didn't say "I am resigning so there will be a contest"
This is a common mistake people make about rulebooks - they assume every single scenario under the sun must be covered within them and if it is not set out carved into stone something is permissable, but that really is not the case because it is impossible to cover everything. Common sense is actually a big part of administration.
There shall be a Leader of the Party (referred to in this Constitution as “the Leader”) drawn from those elected to the House of Commons, who shall be elected by the Party Members and Scottish Party Members in accordance with the provisions of Schedule 2
The Board (which 'have the power to do anything which in its opinion releates to the management and administration of the power') is responsible for 'the overseeing of the procedure for the election of the Leader in accordance with the provisions of Schedule 2'
Schedule 2 is categorical a leader 'resigning' from the leadership is not eligible. But let's play this out and say resigning is not necessarily a trigger.
Point 3 states
Upon the initiation of an election for the Leader, it shall be the duty of the 1922 Committee to present to the Party, as soon as reasonably practicable, a choice of candidates for election as Leader. The rules for deciding the procedure by which the 1922 Committee selects candidates for submission for election shall be determined by the Executive Committee of the 1922 Committee after consultation of the Board
So let's say Boris argfues the process has been 'initiated' without him resigning - the 1922 still gets to decide how the candidates are selected, and can say the current PM, in this case, is not eligible, based on his statements.
You can argue the toss about him trying to play fast and loose with the rules, but if he does that they have the tools to stymie him - this is only happening because as he acknowledged the will of the parliamentary party was that he not be leader. So he will not be allowed to be eligible, I am very confident of that.
Because it is not a question of what he can do - the will to remove him is there, so a way will be found. As noted, if he is saying he has not resigned then Brady and the committee can surely say well then no contest can happen until we settle if there is a vacancy or not.
Edit: chrisb makes the same point in about 1/10 of the space.
“… shall be elected by the Party Members and Scottish Party Members…”
Why the distinction?
Can people who live outwith Scotland *choose* to be classified as a “Scottish Party Member”? If so, one wonders how many members they actually have north of the border. 5,000?
Presumably because there needs to be a separate definition to cover those able to influence selection of MSPs and leaders of the Scottish Conservatives. I would have thought that obvious.
Nope. Cos then there would be a corresponding classification for Welsh Party Members.
ISTR the Scottish party was separate until it was merged/subsumed into the English one.
Yes, but that was in 1965. Why would the Party constitution still differentiate between old Unionist Party (of Scotland) and Conservative Party (of England and Wales) members? Presumably most of the pre-merger members are now deceased?
And what about the N Ireland members, who are neither E&W Members nor S Members?
Nope, there must be a *reason* for the two membership classes. And my suspicion is that one does not need to be resident in Scotland to be classified as a “Scottish Party Member”. Ie. it’s to satisfy the (presumably significant) Anglo-Scottish group of members.
Tim Shipman @ShippersUnbound · 1h Dear Twitter, however much it upsets you, you don't have a vote in the Tory leadership contest. It should not come as a major surprise, therefore, when they attempt to appeal to the people who do
*Sounds like an arch way of asking your partner whether they have lubed up.
My top 3 now Tom, kemi, penny
I hated everything about that Mordaunt video. It was just awful. The VO (probably Gyles Brandreth) was portentious to the point of being sick making. If you were burying the Queen it might have been suitable but as it is it was old fashioned fuddy duddy pompous nonsense.
The only saving grace was 'PM4PM' which was cute
Thats goodbye Shapps Mordaunt and Hunt....
There we have it. Roger has spoken.
We can be 100% confident it's an excellent video for the contest.
Well there's little doubt that Casino, who reacted positively, is rather closer to the target market than is Roger.
That’s a bloody brilliant video
It gave me the Patriotic Tinglez several times. And if it is doing that to me, a drunken and debauched cynic washed up on the karstic shores of Montenegro, what is it doing to Conservative Members? They are probably spaffing all over this morning’s Wordle
This video is a smart missile targeted superbly at its intended audience, not me or you, not Britain or the world, but 200,000 mostly older, highly patriotic people in middle England, mainly in the south, who often found Boris amusing but despaired of his amorality, and who still yearn for Maggie
Tick tick tick tick tick. Alongside her clever rebuttal of the Woke stuff last night, she’s had an excellent weekend. Barring revelations, she might be the one to beat - and if she makes the final two I reckon she wins against anyone else
John Major did win, unexpectedly, the 1992 general election.
I'm not sure why Major gets such grief when you can argue 1992 was an amazing result.
The question I don't know the answer to, why did so many vote for Major in 1992?
He was a reasonable, normal PM. Massive improvement on tail end of Thatcher era. Some still scared of Labour at that point. And most importantly there are more Tories in the country than Labour to start with.
I've not been looking at what they have been saying too closely but I've not seen a lot about what the candidates would try to do about CPI which is by far the biggest issue facing this country.
That’s far too pragmatic. Better to fight “wokeness”.
BTW Thanks to the PB-ears - @rcs1000? - who recommended the Amazon/BBC adaptation of Good Omens
I started watching it last night and ended up bingeing three episodes. Only three left! Why isn’t it longer??
But it is excellent. Wry, witty, imaginative, thoughtful, daring in places, with two copper bottomed, sterling silver, 24 carat, platinum-Amex-card performances from Sheen and Tennant. Superb
Did you watch Amazon's 'The Boys' ? Dystopian super hero satire, somewhat NSFW (increasingly so), but very funny indeed, if you enjoy black humour, as well as a bit disturbing. Season 3 just started, and amps up all of the above.
*Sounds like an arch way of asking your partner whether they have lubed up.
My top 3 now Tom, kemi, penny
I hated everything about that Mordaunt video. It was just awful. The VO (probably Gyles Brandreth) was portentious to the point of being sick making. If you were burying the Queen it might have been suitable but as it is it was old fashioned fuddy duddy pompous nonsense.
The only saving grace was 'PM4PM' which was cute
Thats goodbye Shapps Mordaunt and Hunt....
There we have it. Roger has spoken.
We can be 100% confident it's an excellent video for the contest.
Well there's little doubt that Casino, who reacted positively, is rather closer to the target market than is Roger.
That’s a bloody brilliant video
It gave me the Patiriotic Tinglez several times. And if it is doing that to me, a drunken and debauched cynic washed up on the karstic shores of Montenegro, what is it doing to Conservative Members? They are probably spaffing all over this morning’s Wordle
This video is a smart missile targeted superbly at its intended audience, not me or you, not Britain or the world, but 200,000 mostly older, highly patriotic people in middle England, mainly in the south, who often found Boris amusing but despaired of his amorality, and who still yearn for Maggie
Tick tick tick tick tick. Alongside her clever rebuttal of the Woke stuff last night, she’s had an excellent weekend. Barring revelations, she might be the one to beat - and if she makes the final two I reckon she wins against anyone else
*Sounds like an arch way of asking your partner whether they have lubed up.
My top 3 now Tom, kemi, penny
I hated everything about that Mordaunt video. It was just awful. The VO (probably Gyles Brandreth) was portentious to the point of being sick making. If you were burying the Queen it might have been suitable but as it is it was old fashioned fuddy duddy pompous nonsense.
The only saving grace was 'PM4PM' which was cute
Thats goodbye Shapps Mordaunt and Hunt....
There we have it. Roger has spoken.
We can be 100% confident it's an excellent video for the contest.
Well there's little doubt that Casino, who reacted positively, is rather closer to the target market than is Roger.
That’s a bloody brilliant video
It gave me the Patiriotic Tinglez several times. And if it is doing that to me, a drunken and debauched cynic washed up on the karstic shores of Montenegro, what is it doing to Conservative Members? They are probably spaffing all over this morning’s Wordle
This video is a smart missile targeted superbly at its intended audience, not me or you, not Britain or the world, but 200,000 mostly older, highly patriotic people in middle England, mainly in the south, who often found Boris amusing but despaired of his amorality, and who still yearn for Maggie
Tick tick tick tick tick. Alongside her clever rebuttal of the Woke stuff last night, she’s had an excellent weekend. Barring revelations, she might be the one to beat - and if she makes the final two I reckon she wins against anyone else
If it is to be a beauty contest she is undoubtedly the most attractive candidate. Of that there can be little doubt.
Tom Tugendhat seems to be the only candidate making a pitch for Scottish Tory support. I suppose that brand is now so marginal to the Conservatives that the Unionist constituency can be safely ignored?
Can their and their leader’s consistent support be relied on for more than a couple of days?
Dougie: It’s Wednesday, I feel a position change coming on.
Yeah, the “loyalty” of Scottish Tory politicians is entirely conditional. I really don’t understand why they don’t just do UDI. They clearly despise the party in E&W.
*Sounds like an arch way of asking your partner whether they have lubed up.
My top 3 now Tom, kemi, penny
I hated everything about that Mordaunt video. It was just awful. The VO (probably Gyles Brandreth) was portentious to the point of being sick making. If you were burying the Queen it might have been suitable but as it is it was old fashioned fuddy duddy pompous nonsense.
The only saving grace was 'PM4PM' which was cute
Thats goodbye Shapps Mordaunt and Hunt....
There we have it. Roger has spoken.
We can be 100% confident it's an excellent video for the contest.
Well there's little doubt that Casino, who reacted positively, is rather closer to the target market than is Roger.
That’s a bloody brilliant video
It gave me the Patriotic Tinglez several times. And if it is doing that to me, a drunken and debauched cynic washed up on the karstic shores of Montenegro, what is it doing to Conservative Members? They are probably spaffing all over this morning’s Wordle
This video is a smart missile targeted superbly at its intended audience, not me or you, not Britain or the world, but 200,000 mostly older, highly patriotic people in middle England, mainly in the south, who often found Boris amusing but despaired of his amorality, and who still yearn for Maggie
Tick tick tick tick tick. Alongside her clever rebuttal of the Woke stuff last night, she’s had an excellent weekend. Barring revelations, she might be the one to beat - and if she makes the final two I reckon she wins against anyone else
I'm very green on her so my wallet hopes you are correct.
As far as being able to sleep at night I can live with Sunak, Javid or Hunt. Possibly Mordaunt, but need more info on her really.
Truss would go late-Thatcher era mad within weeks of getting the job imho.
*Sounds like an arch way of asking your partner whether they have lubed up.
My top 3 now Tom, kemi, penny
I hated everything about that Mordaunt video. It was just awful. The VO (probably Gyles Brandreth) was portentious to the point of being sick making. If you were burying the Queen it might have been suitable but as it is it was old fashioned fuddy duddy pompous nonsense.
The only saving grace was 'PM4PM' which was cute
Thats goodbye Shapps Mordaunt and Hunt....
There we have it. Roger has spoken.
We can be 100% confident it's an excellent video for the contest.
Well there's little doubt that Casino, who reacted positively, is rather closer to the target market than is Roger.
That’s a bloody brilliant video
It gave me the Patiriotic Tinglez several times. And if it is doing that to me, a drunken and debauched cynic washed up on the karstic shores of Montenegro, what is it doing to Conservative Members? They are probably spaffing all over this morning’s Wordle
This video is a smart missile targeted superbly at its intended audience, not me or you, not Britain or the world, but 200,000 mostly older, highly patriotic people in middle England, mainly in the south, who often found Boris amusing but despaired of his amorality, and who still yearn for Maggie
Tick tick tick tick tick. Alongside her clever rebuttal of the Woke stuff last night, she’s had an excellent weekend. Barring revelations, she might be the one to beat - and if she makes the final two I reckon she wins against anyone else
If it is to be a beauty contest she is undoubtedly the most attractive candidate. Of that there can be little doubt.
Tom Tugendhat seems to be the only candidate making a pitch for Scottish Tory support. I suppose that brand is now so marginal to the Conservatives that the Unionist constituency can be safely ignored?
Can their and their leader’s consistent support be relied on for more than a couple of days?
Dougie: It’s Wednesday, I feel a position change coming on.
One can only imagine he's so used to play changing ends every 40 minutes ...
Surely every 45 minutes in the spherical ball version?
I put on a solid 10 pounds during Covid, and it is proving extremely hard to shift - taking me from normal to overweight - whereas for the decade before that I was highly disciplined, and stayed close to my ideal weight. No problem
I don’t think it’s my metabolism or diet that has changed, it’s my psychology. Covid was so bloody terrible, in so many ways, it has debuted a new voice in my mental choir: the voice that says Fuck it, life is short, this could be your last meal, enjoy. I suspect I’m not alone. Covid has changed many, mentally
My metabolism has put the kybosh on losing weight. I swapped Coke for water and quickly lost a stone and a half but that's it, presumably because my metabolic rate has slowed to adjust for the missing calories (or just possibly because it's summer so less work to keep warm). Good luck anyway.
*Sounds like an arch way of asking your partner whether they have lubed up.
My top 3 now Tom, kemi, penny
I hated everything about that Mordaunt video. It was just awful. The VO (probably Gyles Brandreth) was portentious to the point of being sick making. If you were burying the Queen it might have been suitable but as it is it was old fashioned fuddy duddy pompous nonsense.
The only saving grace was 'PM4PM' which was cute
Thats goodbye Shapps Mordaunt and Hunt....
There we have it. Roger has spoken.
We can be 100% confident it's an excellent video for the contest.
Well there's little doubt that Casino, who reacted positively, is rather closer to the target market than is Roger.
That’s a bloody brilliant video
It gave me the Patriotic Tinglez several times. And if it is doing that to me, a drunken and debauched cynic washed up on the karstic shores of Montenegro, what is it doing to Conservative Members? They are probably spaffing all over this morning’s Wordle
This video is a smart missile targeted superbly at its intended audience, not me or you, not Britain or the world, but 200,000 mostly older, highly patriotic people in middle England, mainly in the south, who often found Boris amusing but despaired of his amorality, and who still yearn for Maggie
Tick tick tick tick tick. Alongside her clever rebuttal of the Woke stuff last night, she’s had an excellent weekend. Barring revelations, she might be the one to beat - and if she makes the final two I reckon she wins against anyone else
Yes, it's not for me (if I could bother watching it), but the really negative reviews seem all to be from non Tories.
It does occur to me that a Tory leadership video directed by @Roger might be very funny.
*Sounds like an arch way of asking your partner whether they have lubed up.
My top 3 now Tom, kemi, penny
I hated everything about that Mordaunt video. It was just awful. The VO (probably Gyles Brandreth) was portentious to the point of being sick making. If you were burying the Queen it might have been suitable but as it is it was old fashioned fuddy duddy pompous nonsense.
The only saving grace was 'PM4PM' which was cute
Thats goodbye Shapps Mordaunt and Hunt....
There we have it. Roger has spoken.
We can be 100% confident it's an excellent video for the contest.
John Major did win, unexpectedly, the 1992 general election.
I'm not sure why Major gets such grief when you can argue 1992 was an amazing result.
The question I don't know the answer to, why did so many vote for Major in 1992?
There are a myriad of reasons but I think the crunch one was that the people who needed to vote for a Labour government weren’t actually convinced, at the end of the day, that they wanted one.
They didn’t want more Thatcher (though some would dispute that and tell you she would’ve won 1992 as well) but Major offered Tory policies without the bluntness or uncompromising nature of Thatcher and when it came down to it that seemed the better shout than rolling the dice.
This is the exact reason why Blair, Brown and Mandy set out to reassure these voters as the first limb of the New Labour project.
*Sounds like an arch way of asking your partner whether they have lubed up.
My top 3 now Tom, kemi, penny
I hated everything about that Mordaunt video. It was just awful. The VO (probably Gyles Brandreth) was portentious to the point of being sick making. If you were burying the Queen it might have been suitable but as it is it was old fashioned fuddy duddy pompous nonsense.
The only saving grace was 'PM4PM' which was cute
Thats goodbye Shapps Mordaunt and Hunt....
There we have it. Roger has spoken.
We can be 100% confident it's an excellent video for the contest.
Well there's little doubt that Casino, who reacted positively, is rather closer to the target market than is Roger.
Roger is deeply embarrassed by this country, and always has been.
It's designed to appeal to people who are proud of it and want to be greater still.
He said "there will be a contest". He didn't say "I am resigning so there will be a contest"
This is a common mistake people make about rulebooks - they assume every single scenario under the sun must be covered within them and if it is not set out carved into stone something is permissable, but that really is not the case because it is impossible to cover everything. Common sense is actually a big part of administration.
There shall be a Leader of the Party (referred to in this Constitution as “the Leader”) drawn from those elected to the House of Commons, who shall be elected by the Party Members and Scottish Party Members in accordance with the provisions of Schedule 2
The Board (which 'have the power to do anything which in its opinion releates to the management and administration of the power') is responsible for 'the overseeing of the procedure for the election of the Leader in accordance with the provisions of Schedule 2'
Schedule 2 is categorical a leader 'resigning' from the leadership is not eligible. But let's play this out and say resigning is not necessarily a trigger.
Point 3 states
Upon the initiation of an election for the Leader, it shall be the duty of the 1922 Committee to present to the Party, as soon as reasonably practicable, a choice of candidates for election as Leader. The rules for deciding the procedure by which the 1922 Committee selects candidates for submission for election shall be determined by the Executive Committee of the 1922 Committee after consultation of the Board
So let's say Boris argfues the process has been 'initiated' without him resigning - the 1922 still gets to decide how the candidates are selected, and can say the current PM, in this case, is not eligible, based on his statements.
You can argue the toss about him trying to play fast and loose with the rules, but if he does that they have the tools to stymie him - this is only happening because as he acknowledged the will of the parliamentary party was that he not be leader. So he will not be allowed to be eligible, I am very confident of that.
Because it is not a question of what he can do - the will to remove him is there, so a way will be found. As noted, if he is saying he has not resigned then Brady and the committee can surely say well then no contest can happen until we settle if there is a vacancy or not.
Edit: chrisb makes the same point in about 1/10 of the space.
“… shall be elected by the Party Members and Scottish Party Members…”
Why the distinction?
Can people who live outwith Scotland *choose* to be classified as a “Scottish Party Member”? If so, one wonders how many members they actually have north of the border. 5,000?
I'd wondered that too. Seems odd when my understandings was it was just a branding issue, not actually a distinct sister party.
Maybe, unlike “Scottish Labour” (guffaw), it *is* a separate legal entity and not simply a brand name?
He was Health, wasn't he? Bound to take an interest in breast implants.
His party under Johnson abandoned plans for key infrastructure in the crucial Oxford-Cambridge corridor that could be silicon valley.
Is he proposing to reverse this?
Is there an Oxford-Cambridge corridor? News to me.
The concept of the new silicon valley is at least 25 years out of date, designed to make the old dears think he is up to speed with this computer lark while the real sv implodes in an orgy of destruction of capital, monkeypox, housing crisis and Elongated lawsuits.
John Major did win, unexpectedly, the 1992 general election.
I'm not sure why Major gets such grief when you can argue 1992 was an amazing result.
The question I don't know the answer to, why did so many vote for Major in 1992?
He was a reasonable, normal PM. Massive improvement on tail end of Thatcher era. Some still scared of Labour at that point. And most importantly there are more Tories in the country than Labour to start with.
And he got every single last man jack of them to the polling station. And some others, too. A close friend voted Tory to prevent too big a Labour majority. Despite being a LD in a Tory/Lab marginal who preferred a Labour victory.
*Sounds like an arch way of asking your partner whether they have lubed up.
My top 3 now Tom, kemi, penny
I hated everything about that Mordaunt video. It was just awful. The VO (probably Gyles Brandreth) was portentious to the point of being sick making. If you were burying the Queen it might have been suitable but as it is it was old fashioned fuddy duddy pompous nonsense.
The only saving grace was 'PM4PM' which was cute
Thats goodbye Shapps Mordaunt and Hunt....
There we have it. Roger has spoken.
We can be 100% confident it's an excellent video for the contest.
Well there's little doubt that Casino, who reacted positively, is rather closer to the target market than is Roger.
That’s a bloody brilliant video
It gave me the Patriotic Tinglez several times. And if it is doing that to me, a drunken and debauched cynic washed up on the karstic shores of Montenegro, what is it doing to Conservative Members? They are probably spaffing all over this morning’s Wordle
This video is a smart missile targeted superbly at its intended audience, not me or you, not Britain or the world, but 200,000 mostly older, highly patriotic people in middle England, mainly in the south, who often found Boris amusing but despaired of his amorality, and who still yearn for Maggie
Tick tick tick tick tick. Alongside her clever rebuttal of the Woke stuff last night, she’s had an excellent weekend. Barring revelations, she might be the one to beat - and if she makes the final two I reckon she wins against anyone else
Yes, it's not for me (if I could bother watching it), but the really negative reviews seem all to be from non Tories.
It does occur to me that a Tory leadership video directed by @Roger might be very funny.
I thought it was cheesy but hit a lot of notes the target audience would like. But I didn't like her coming in to speak at the end - gave me very USA 'I'm Reginald Gunlover Mapother Willisford IV, and I approved this message' vibes
*Sounds like an arch way of asking your partner whether they have lubed up.
My top 3 now Tom, kemi, penny
I hated everything about that Mordaunt video. It was just awful. The VO (probably Gyles Brandreth) was portentious to the point of being sick making. If you were burying the Queen it might have been suitable but as it is it was old fashioned fuddy duddy pompous nonsense.
The only saving grace was 'PM4PM' which was cute
Thats goodbye Shapps Mordaunt and Hunt....
There we have it. Roger has spoken.
We can be 100% confident it's an excellent video for the contest.
Well there's little doubt that Casino, who reacted positively, is rather closer to the target market than is Roger.
That’s a bloody brilliant video
It gave me the Patiriotic Tinglez several times. And if it is doing that to me, a drunken and debauched cynic washed up on the karstic shores of Montenegro, what is it doing to Conservative Members? They are probably spaffing all over this morning’s Wordle
This video is a smart missile targeted superbly at its intended audience, not me or you, not Britain or the world, but 200,000 mostly older, highly patriotic people in middle England, mainly in the south, who often found Boris amusing but despaired of his amorality, and who still yearn for Maggie
Tick tick tick tick tick. Alongside her clever rebuttal of the Woke stuff last night, she’s had an excellent weekend. Barring revelations, she might be the one to beat - and if she makes the final two I reckon she wins against anyone else
"I vow to thee" was the perfect tune for it.
Yes, great choice
I’m not sure the voiceover is Michael Howard or Gyles Brandreth, tho it sounds a bit LIKE them. A professional actor?
I vastly preferred La Mord’s vid to Sunak’s glossy corporate bollocks, or Suella’s eerie girlning, and her declaration that Britain is great BECAUSE we are going to deport migrants to Rwanda
I mean, I’m quite draconian about illegal immigration, but Jeez
I also noted that Suella and Sunak do that *two hands thrust forward at the same time* thingy, a bizarre gesture never seen in normal life. They’ve obviously been told it looks better on camera, like that infamous “stand with your legs three metres apart” advice
*Sounds like an arch way of asking your partner whether they have lubed up.
My top 3 now Tom, kemi, penny
I hated everything about that Mordaunt video. It was just awful. The VO (probably Gyles Brandreth) was portentious to the point of being sick making. If you were burying the Queen it might have been suitable but as it is it was old fashioned fuddy duddy pompous nonsense.
The only saving grace was 'PM4PM' which was cute
Thats goodbye Shapps Mordaunt and Hunt....
There we have it. Roger has spoken.
We can be 100% confident it's an excellent video for the contest.
Well there's little doubt that Casino, who reacted positively, is rather closer to the target market than is Roger.
That’s a bloody brilliant video
It gave me the Patiriotic Tinglez several times. And if it is doing that to me, a drunken and debauched cynic washed up on the karstic shores of Montenegro, what is it doing to Conservative Members? They are probably spaffing all over this morning’s Wordle
This video is a smart missile targeted superbly at its intended audience, not me or you, not Britain or the world, but 200,000 mostly older, highly patriotic people in middle England, mainly in the south, who often found Boris amusing but despaired of his amorality, and who still yearn for Maggie
Tick tick tick tick tick. Alongside her clever rebuttal of the Woke stuff last night, she’s had an excellent weekend. Barring revelations, she might be the one to beat - and if she makes the final two I reckon she wins against anyone else
"I vow to thee" was the perfect tune for it.
Yes, great choice
I’m not sure the voiceover is Michael Howard or Gyles Brandreth, tho it sounds a bit LIKE them. A professional actor?
I vastly preferred La Mord’s vid to Sunak’s glossy corporate bollocks, or Suella’s eerie girlning, and her declaration that Britain is great BECAUSE we are going to deport migrants to Rwanda
I mean, I’m quite draconian about illegal immigration, but Jeez
I also noted that Suella and Sunak do that *two hands thrust forward at the same time* thingy, a bizarre gesture never seen in normal life. They’ve obviously been told it looks better on camera, like that infamous “stand with your legs three metres apart” advice
*Sounds like an arch way of asking your partner whether they have lubed up.
My top 3 now Tom, kemi, penny
I hated everything about that Mordaunt video. It was just awful. The VO (probably Gyles Brandreth) was portentious to the point of being sick making. If you were burying the Queen it might have been suitable but as it is it was old fashioned fuddy duddy pompous nonsense.
The only saving grace was 'PM4PM' which was cute
Thats goodbye Shapps Mordaunt and Hunt....
There we have it. Roger has spoken.
We can be 100% confident it's an excellent video for the contest.
You do know Roger does this for a living?
Not really the point, is it? When radiohead make an album, their primary concern is not whether U2 are going to like it or not. The video is aimed fair and square at phlegbois, and a phlegboi's verdict trumps roger's.
This weekend is all about making the nomination threshold. Which handily hasn't been decided yet. Not sure Truss being away will have that much of an effect. She'll easily clear that bar. Then it becomes as much about haggling for transfers.
Esther McVey as deputy is interesting because until this morning, she was not listed as endorsing him. Does Hunt have a list of non-public endorsements lined up to imply momentum, or just her?
FWIW, I think McVey as Deputy is a very smart move by Hunt. Not only does it give the ERG some reassurance but she's also got kudos with the Red Wall MPs and provided a lot of the thinking around levelling up. She also negates the effect of Rayner when it comes to having a chippy Northerner.
Glad to be wrong on that. She is best of the candidates. Good speaker, well presented, some vision, and socially liberal.
If it wasn't for her Brexitism, I could vote for her.
Badenoch, Tugendhat and Mordaunt are my choices.
I am concerned about the Wokeness of Penny, but she could convince me.
Having a leader with at least half a foot in the modern world is surely an advantage for a political party?
For me, the issue is: who terrifies Labour the most?
I doubt Labour worries much beyond Mordaunt on that list.
Ditto the LibDems.
According to Opinium last night Sunak or Tugendhat should worry Labour most, both have a net 1% more saying they would make good PMs than bad.
Mordaunt has a net 1% saying she would make a bad PM, Truss has a net 14% saying she would make a bad PM, Hunt has a net 18% saying he would make a bad PM
I remain to be convinced most people have a clue who Mordaunt or Tugendhat are. Heck I’m not sure many people could pick Liz Truss out of an identity parade.
Absolutely. Most of the population don't know who most MPs are outside of a few key ones and therefore these polls @HYUFD quote comparing potential leaders are meaningless as they don't compare like with like.
Regardless of policies Penny Mordant comes over as the most human so as a LD the one I fear most.
They aren't meaningless as of those who know who they are they show who has good opinions of then and who don't.
In terms of who would fare best v Labour that is significant
You don't understand maths. For a stat to be meaningful you need to compare like with like. These polls don't do so when one thing is more known than the thing it is compared to. You then have a bias and you don't even know which way that bias may apply eg you might vote for the more known item (common) or against it because you don't like it, but don't know about the unknown item.
Unless she has skeletons in the closet, in sexy leather, it has to be Mordaunt if the Tories actually want to WIN the next election
She’s the only one without some dramatic flaw
Sunak: way too rich, non dom, “I don’t know a working class person”, 2 foot high Javid: deathly dull, bald, so so dull, merchant banker Zahawi: being investigated for tax, was chancellor for 3 minutes (why?), bald, hmm that PPE thing Truss: deeply strange, was a Lib Dem, was a Remainer, republican, allegedly mad, just a bad fit Braverman: thinks sending people to Rwanda makes us great Badenoch: who? Also about 13 years old Hunt: rat-eyed mannequin Remainer Grant Shapps: lol, wig
And then, Mordaunt: attractive, sane, intelligent, not posh!, sound on Brexit and defence, will appeal to Red Wall
The only downsides I can see at the moment (more will emerge) are her single status and childlessness, but - really - should that matter? I don’t give a fig but some might. Also she is relatively inexperienced but then, so was Maggie. She is allegedly Woke but she persuasively rebutted that yesterday
I put on a solid 10 pounds during Covid, and it is proving extremely hard to shift - taking me from normal to overweight - whereas for the decade before that I was highly disciplined, and stayed close to my ideal weight. No problem
I don’t think it’s my metabolism or diet that has changed, it’s my psychology. Covid was so bloody terrible, in so many ways, it has debuted a new voice in my mental choir: the voice that says Fuck it, life is short, this could be your last meal, enjoy. I suspect I’m not alone. Covid has changed many, mentally
Could be alcohol consumption...
I drink a lot of booze, but that was the case before Covid, too
I’m sure it’s a new mix of nihilism and hedonism in the face of the world’s woes. War, Plague and Famine stalk the planet. They’ve run out of tonic in my favourite bar on Kotor Bay. Next week it will hit 56C in Newent, forever blemishing one of Europe’s most beautiful towns
What the hell, don’t scrimp on the garlic sauce
Is it just coincidence that your favourite bars all seem to run out of tonic?
I put on a solid 10 pounds during Covid, and it is proving extremely hard to shift - taking me from normal to overweight - whereas for the decade before that I was highly disciplined, and stayed close to my ideal weight. No problem
I don’t think it’s my metabolism or diet that has changed, it’s my psychology. Covid was so bloody terrible, in so many ways, it has debuted a new voice in my mental choir: the voice that says Fuck it, life is short, this could be your last meal, enjoy. I suspect I’m not alone. Covid has changed many, mentally
Could be alcohol consumption...
I drink a lot of booze, but that was the case before Covid, too
I’m sure it’s a new mix of nihilism and hedonism in the face of the world’s woes. War, Plague and Famine stalk the planet. They’ve run out of tonic in my favourite bar on Kotor Bay. Next week it will hit 56C in Newent, forever blemishing one of Europe’s most beautiful towns
What the hell, don’t scrimp on the garlic sauce
Is it just coincidence that your favourite bars all seem to run out of tonic?
That gave me a proper chuckle here in <<. Checks Google Maps >> Krasici
Unless she has skeletons in the closet, in sexy leather, it has to be Mordaunt if the Tories actually want to WIN the next election
She’s the only one without some dramatic flaw
Sunak: way too rich, non dom, “I don’t know a working class person”, 2 foot high Javid: deathly dull, bald, so so dull, merchant banker Zahawi: being investigated for tax, was chancellor for 3 minutes (why?), bald, hmm that PPE thing Truss: deeply strange, was a Lib Dem, was a Remainer, republican, allegedly mad, just a bad fit Braverman: thinks sending people to Rwanda makes us great Badenoch: who? Also about 13 years old Hunt: rat-eyed mannequin Remainer Grant Shapps: lol, wig
And then, Mordaunt: attractive, sane, intelligent, not posh!, sound on Brexit and defence, will appeal to Red Wall
The only downsides I can see at the moment (more will emerge) are her single status and childlessness, but - really - should that matter? I don’t give a fig but some might. Also she is relatively inexperienced but then, so was Maggie. She is allegedly Woke but she persuasively rebutted that yesterday
Do it, Tories. PM for PM!
You missed one, PB4TOMT
But then again: French Jew with German surname, forrin wife, remainer. So reluctantly probably PM4PM4PB.
Why are all the sports fans starting to behave like football fans? Too much alcohol and cocaine? It used to be that other sports always had a friendly atmosphere, sometimes a little boisterous but with the crowd policing themselves well. There was even fighting at Edgebaston at the Test Match last week.
That is a deeply ordinary video. Having Boris in it was a mistake. Having platitudes and cliches at every turn when her first priority is to actually improve name awareness and distinctiveness is just daft. Really quite disappointed.
I think the video is OK. Yes, it's deeply cliched in visuals and soundtrack, but I don't think Penny should be aiming to look like she's got a cutting edge advertising team behind it. She should leave that to Sunak. The only real mistake I think was having the Martin Jarvis-esque narrator. She should have done it herself.
There is a big Boris fanbase out there, and Penny was not directly involved in his fall, so why not feature him?
She is also right to say not to choose the leader based on agreeing with everything they say, but on you trusting their motives, and that's 100% true, and something I said here myself.
What makes it all for me is the slogan - it's very good.
*Sounds like an arch way of asking your partner whether they have lubed up.
My top 3 now Tom, kemi, penny
I hated everything about that Mordaunt video. It was just awful. The VO (probably Gyles Brandreth) was portentious to the point of being sick making. If you were burying the Queen it might have been suitable but as it is it was old fashioned fuddy duddy pompous nonsense.
The only saving grace was 'PM4PM' which was cute
Thats goodbye Shapps Mordaunt and Hunt....
There we have it. Roger has spoken.
We can be 100% confident it's an excellent video for the contest.
Roger's criticism of the presentation is valid but 'you say that like it's a bad thing/feature not a bug' applies.
Why are all the sports fans starting to behave like football fans? Too much alcohol and cocaine? It used to be that other sports always had a friendly atmosphere, sometimes a little boisterous but with the crowd policing themselves well. There was even fighting at Edgebaston at the Test Match last week.
Coke plus covid demob happy I think
Cocaine really rules out any legalisation shit, it is such deeply unpleasant stuff. Unless you say OK LSD and MDMA are now absolutely fine, knock yourselves out, but coke = death penalty. would mellow things out a lot.
Comments
And so she has her one-liner response ready -- it is about the whole team around me.
She has more gravitas and authenticity. The video is a bit unoriginal and full of flags and clichés, but it is a solid pitch to the target audience, and that isn't me or @roger.
It's obviously aimed at Tory members, not you and me.
It could be effective. I find it hard to step into the shoes of a Tory member. Perhaps they'll find it patronising? I don't know. What do Tory members here think of it? That's the test.
Bet accordingly.
I’m sure it’s a new mix of nihilism and hedonism in the face of the world’s woes. War, Plague and Famine stalk the planet. They’ve run out of tonic in my favourite bar on Kotor Bay. Next week it will hit 56C in Newent, forever blemishing one of Europe’s most beautiful towns
What the hell, don’t scrimp on the garlic sauce
Yet again, you have to look at the intended audience. Tory MPs aren't interested in wanky videos, this is aimed purely at the membership who are, ahem, not on average of the same calibre as most Tory Party members on PB.
You know how implausible those letters are about getting $200m out of Nigeria? that's deliberate, because the intended audience is the people who are too stupid to spot the implausibilities.
Which is why I suspect much will be done to prevent her getting to the last round.
I'm not sure why Major gets such grief when you can argue 1992 was an amazing result.
I started watching it last night and ended up bingeing three episodes. Only three left! Why isn’t it longer??
But it is excellent. Wry, witty, imaginative, thoughtful, daring in places, with two copper bottomed, sterling silver, 24 carat, platinum-Amex-card performances from Sheen and Tennant. Superb
I did think the inclusion of a shot of Cameron with Clegg was interesting.
Was my first intro to the concept of political betting, my citiboi housemate had 50,000 on Lab maj as an insurance policy. Dunno what the odds were.
"He adds using the UK's Brexit freedoms could enable it to become the next Silicone Valley."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-politics-62107496
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YBtspm8j8M
Basically people wanted a change from Thatcher, but not too big of change. Tony Blair certainly thought so.
And what about the N Ireland members, who are neither E&W Members nor S Members?
Nope, there must be a *reason* for the two membership classes. And my suspicion is that one does not need to be resident in Scotland to be classified as a “Scottish Party Member”. Ie. it’s to satisfy the (presumably significant) Anglo-Scottish group of members.
@ShippersUnbound
·
1h
Dear Twitter, however much it upsets you, you don't have a vote in the Tory leadership contest. It should not come as a major surprise, therefore, when they attempt to appeal to the people who do
It gave me the Patriotic Tinglez several times. And if it is doing that to me, a drunken and debauched cynic washed up on the karstic shores of Montenegro, what is it doing to Conservative Members? They are probably spaffing all over this morning’s Wordle
This video is a smart missile targeted superbly at its intended audience, not me or you, not Britain or the world, but 200,000 mostly older, highly patriotic people in middle England, mainly in the south, who often found Boris amusing but despaired of his amorality, and who still yearn for Maggie
Tick tick tick tick tick. Alongside her clever rebuttal of the Woke stuff last night, she’s had an excellent weekend. Barring revelations, she might be the one to beat - and if she makes the final two I reckon she wins against anyone else
Dystopian super hero satire, somewhat NSFW (increasingly so), but very funny indeed, if you enjoy black humour, as well as a bit disturbing.
Season 3 just started, and amps up all of the above.
Is he proposing to reverse this?
Of that there can be little doubt.
Any more to come? Patel?
As far as being able to sleep at night I can live with Sunak, Javid or Hunt. Possibly Mordaunt, but need more info on her really.
Truss would go late-Thatcher era mad within weeks of getting the job imho.
It does occur to me that a Tory leadership video directed by @Roger might be very funny.
They didn’t want more Thatcher (though some would dispute that and tell you she would’ve won 1992 as well) but Major offered Tory policies without the bluntness or uncompromising nature of Thatcher and when it came down to it that seemed the better shout than rolling the dice.
This is the exact reason why Blair, Brown and Mandy set out to reassure these voters as the first limb of the New Labour project.
It's designed to appeal to people who are proud of it and want to be greater still.
The concept of the new silicon valley is at least 25 years out of date, designed to make the old dears think he is up to speed with this computer lark while the real sv implodes in an orgy of destruction of capital, monkeypox, housing crisis and Elongated lawsuits.
And some others, too.
A close friend voted Tory to prevent too big a Labour majority. Despite being a LD in a Tory/Lab marginal who preferred a Labour victory.
I’m not sure the voiceover is Michael Howard or Gyles Brandreth, tho it sounds a bit LIKE them. A professional actor?
I vastly preferred La Mord’s vid to Sunak’s glossy corporate bollocks, or Suella’s eerie girlning, and her declaration that Britain is great BECAUSE we are going to deport migrants to Rwanda
I mean, I’m quite draconian about illegal immigration, but Jeez
I also noted that Suella and Sunak do that *two hands thrust forward at the same time* thingy, a bizarre gesture never seen in normal life. They’ve obviously been told it looks better on camera, like that infamous “stand with your legs three metres apart” advice
It looks just as odd. Stop it
Hunt is in a very difficult position. Not sure who he'll endorse. I'd go for Rishi normally but he might take a punt on Mordaunt if she has momentum.
Liz Truss (and I'm sure she's jetlagged and tired) is leaving this very late. I hope she has something good up her sleeve.
Not sure about Liz v Rishi but lean to Rishi
Which handily hasn't been decided yet.
Not sure Truss being away will have that much of an effect. She'll easily clear that bar. Then it becomes as much about haggling for transfers.
I think this helps Hunt a lot.
These polls are no more than good fun.
So possibly 11?
She’s the only one without some dramatic flaw
Sunak: way too rich, non dom, “I don’t know a working class person”, 2 foot high
Javid: deathly dull, bald, so so dull, merchant banker
Zahawi: being investigated for tax, was chancellor for 3 minutes (why?), bald, hmm that PPE thing
Truss: deeply strange, was a Lib Dem, was a Remainer, republican, allegedly mad, just a bad fit
Braverman: thinks sending people to Rwanda makes us great
Badenoch: who? Also about 13 years old
Hunt: rat-eyed mannequin Remainer
Grant Shapps: lol, wig
And then, Mordaunt: attractive, sane, intelligent, not posh!, sound on Brexit and defence, will appeal to Red Wall
The only downsides I can see at the moment (more will emerge) are her single status and childlessness, but - really - should that matter? I don’t give a fig but some might. Also she is relatively inexperienced but then, so was Maggie. She is allegedly Woke but she persuasively rebutted that yesterday
Do it, Tories. PM for PM!
But then again: French Jew with German surname, forrin wife, remainer. So reluctantly probably PM4PM4PB.
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-to-discuss-unacceptable-fan-harassment-with-austrian-gp-promoter/10336028/
Why are all the sports fans starting to behave like football fans? Too much alcohol and cocaine? It used to be that other sports always had a friendly atmosphere, sometimes a little boisterous but with the crowd policing themselves well. There was even fighting at Edgebaston at the Test Match last week.
*Not sure if that's correct grammar but look forward to being instantly corrected.
https://etymologeek.com/eng/ship/35205275
So ships are necessarily shipshape.
There is a big Boris fanbase out there, and Penny was not directly involved in his fall, so why not feature him?
She is also right to say not to choose the leader based on agreeing with everything they say, but on you trusting their motives, and that's 100% true, and something I said here myself.
What makes it all for me is the slogan - it's very good.
Cocaine really rules out any legalisation shit, it is such deeply unpleasant stuff. Unless you say OK LSD and MDMA are now absolutely fine, knock yourselves out, but coke = death penalty. would mellow things out a lot.