Nick Tyrone @NicholasTyrone · 2h I was thinking of things the Tories could come out against next, after football. What about dogs? Just be really, really anti-dog. I mean, if the goal is to alienate as many people in Britain as possible, it feels like the next natural move.
I would put dogs and dog owners in Room 101 ahead of anything else I think. Popular policy that would be. Two thirds of households don’t own a dog.
Re the BBC they have just surrendered golf coverage and are hardly showing any football live which is dominated by Sky and BT, will they pull their coverage of football as well?
They haven’t so much “surrendered” it as can’t afford it. They only have the FA Cup. MOTD, while a highlights package, is massive. They have the rights for a few more years and are basically guaranteed the World Cup as a “crown jewel”.
To be radical. They could stop spending a huge proportion of their sports budget on 2 weeks of Wimbledon. And buy up shed loads of cheaper, popular sports year round. But that might affect the pearl clutching elite snowflakes who might have to put a sky dish on their house to hear grunting and squealing.
ITV4 is very good for sports fans who like the 'cheap and cheerful' variety.
Doesn't have to be. Ditch the Wimbledon elite wankfest. See how the Daily Hate likes that. They aren't overly interested in tennis after all. Otherwise there'd be a bit of interest in other Majors.
It does seem rather an own goal. Gary Lineker is an engaging everyman, rather than the "lefty liberal elite".
He is lefty liberal elite.
Very much so. All over.
Probably. But is he seen that way by the everymen and everywomen who only know him as that football chap, and now he said something about being nice to refugees or something?
Your reminder that he is in a minority
Britain Elects
On banning migrants who come to the UK in small boats from ever re-entering the UK
Does being on the minority or majority side of an issue have any effect on the validity or justifiability of expressing your views? Slippery slope if so I'm sure you'll agree.
All sorts of whacko ideas can get majority support;
5/ In our weekly Brexit tracker, we asked how people would vote if there were another EU Referendum tomorrow. This is the latest state of play:
Staying out of the EU is now as unpopular as the Tory government. Starmer is missing out badly by keeping silent. He's showing himself up to be a feeble follower when the public want a leader. He should take a leaf out of Blair's book. Be respected enough to get people to follow you.
I'm beginning to think BJO has a point.
To me, seems like Starmer is more akin to Biden than Blair, in style and substance. Aside from seniority, both in politics & government AND in sheer longevity.
Which all-in-all strikes me as more suitable than not at current juncture, for Labour and the UK.
It does seem rather an own goal. Gary Lineker is an engaging everyman, rather than the "lefty liberal elite".
He is lefty liberal elite.
Very much so. All over.
Probably. But is he seen that way by the everymen and everywomen who only know him as that football chap, and now he said something about being nice to refugees or something?
Your reminder that he is in a minority
Britain Elects
On banning migrants who come to the UK in small boats from ever re-entering the UK
Does being on the minority or majority side of an issue have any effect on the validity or justifiability of expressing your views? Slippery slope if so I'm sure you'll agree.
All sorts of whacko ideas can get majority support;
5/ In our weekly Brexit tracker, we asked how people would vote if there were another EU Referendum tomorrow. This is the latest state of play:
Staying out of the EU is now as unpopular as the Tory government. Starmer is missing out badly by keeping silent. He's showing himself up to be a feeble follower when the public want a leader. He should take a leaf out of Blair's book. Be respected enough to get people to follow you.
I'm beginning to think BJO has a point.
Never mind, Sunak and Macron are on course to take the UK into much closer cooperation and Macron's EPC which is as close to rejoining as we are likely to get and improves all aspects of our relationship including trade
Starmer is still pro Brexit so maybe you need to see Sunak in a more pro Europe light than before
That's what worries me. If Starmer doesn't start showing some imagination and leadership the public might start to wonder why we need a change forgetting the complete awfulness of the last seven years..
Re the BBC they have just surrendered golf coverage and are hardly showing any football live which is dominated by Sky and BT, will they pull their coverage of football as well?
They haven’t so much “surrendered” it as can’t afford it. They only have the FA Cup. MOTD, while a highlights package, is massive. They have the rights for a few more years and are basically guaranteed the World Cup as a “crown jewel”.
To be radical. They could stop spending a huge proportion of their sports budget on 2 weeks of Wimbledon. And buy up shed loads of cheaper, popular sports year round. But that might affect the pearl clutching elite snowflakes who might have to put a sky dish on their house to hear grunting and squealing.
Wimbledon is so important as a social event for the sorts of people that BBC bigwigs socialise with that giving up on Wimbledon would be unthinkable. Also, if my step-mother is any guide, Wimbledon is about the only sporting event that a significant chunk of the population is at all interested in watching.
Losing Wimbledon is proper Ravens leaving the Tower territory for the BBC.
Incidentally, I made it over to a castle - well, a ruined tower house - after work this evening, to find a pair of Ravens were perching on the battlements. Which was ace.
Dear BBC, a gentle reminder that this is written on the side of your fucking headquarters. If I were you, I’d be sacking the chairman who withheld the truth, NOT the presenter who told it.
Does that include telling Lineker what he doesn't want to hear ?
Nick Tyrone @NicholasTyrone · 2h I was thinking of things the Tories could come out against next, after football. What about dogs? Just be really, really anti-dog. I mean, if the goal is to alienate as many people in Britain as possible, it feels like the next natural move.
I would put dogs and dog owners in Room 101 ahead of anything else I think. Popular policy that would be. Two thirds of households don’t own a dog.
I'm wondering how dogs would fare vs cyclists in a properly sampled poll of pavement and walk hazards. For me the cyclists are more dangerous.
It does seem rather an own goal. Gary Lineker is an engaging everyman, rather than the "lefty liberal elite".
He is lefty liberal elite.
Very much so. All over.
Probably. But is he seen that way by the everymen and everywomen who only know him as that football chap, and now he said something about being nice to refugees or something?
Your reminder that he is in a minority
Britain Elects
On banning migrants who come to the UK in small boats from ever re-entering the UK
Does being on the minority or majority side of an issue have any effect on the validity or justifiability of expressing your views? Slippery slope if so I'm sure you'll agree.
All sorts of whacko ideas can get majority support;
5/ In our weekly Brexit tracker, we asked how people would vote if there were another EU Referendum tomorrow. This is the latest state of play:
Staying out of the EU is now as unpopular as the Tory government. Starmer is missing out badly by keeping silent. He's showing himself up to be a feeble follower when the public want a leader. He should take a leaf out of Blair's book. Be respected enough to get people to follow you.
I'm beginning to think BJO has a point.
Never mind, Sunak and Macron are on course to take the UK into much closer cooperation and Macron's EPC which is as close to rejoining as we are likely to get and improves all aspects of our relationship including trade
Starmer is still pro Brexit so maybe you need to see Sunak in a more pro Europe light than before
Oh, FFS, Sunak is pro-Brexit too. Let’s wait and see about this “closer cooperation” shall we? It’s all smoke a mirrors. A nice photo opp a new relationship does not make. People used to say Macron and Trump had a thing going. This will end as it always does, Tory squabbling resulting in a “hard line” with Europe to keep the swivel eyed on side. The Conservative Party is a disease.
Nick Tyrone @NicholasTyrone · 2h I was thinking of things the Tories could come out against next, after football. What about dogs? Just be really, really anti-dog. I mean, if the goal is to alienate as many people in Britain as possible, it feels like the next natural move.
I would put dogs and dog owners in Room 101 ahead of anything else I think. Popular policy that would be. Two thirds of households don’t own a dog.
I'm wondering how dogs would fare vs cyclists in a properly sampled poll of pavement and walk hazards. For me the cyclists are more dangerous.
Yes cyclists. Them too into the fiery hell of Room 101. Bradley Wiggins has a lot to answer for.
Nick Tyrone @NicholasTyrone · 2h I was thinking of things the Tories could come out against next, after football. What about dogs? Just be really, really anti-dog. I mean, if the goal is to alienate as many people in Britain as possible, it feels like the next natural move.
I would put dogs and dog owners in Room 101 ahead of anything else I think. Popular policy that would be. Two thirds of households don’t own a dog.
I'm taking all this anti-dogism personally, just saying.
Nick Tyrone @NicholasTyrone · 2h I was thinking of things the Tories could come out against next, after football. What about dogs? Just be really, really anti-dog. I mean, if the goal is to alienate as many people in Britain as possible, it feels like the next natural move.
Plenty of dog owners piss me off. There are far too many dogs around and they're all off the lead.
"Oh, don't worry, he won't bite!", "He only eats one child a day!"
Impossible to go for a country walk anywhere now without getting jumped on and salivated by someone's dirty hound. And, yes, sometimes they do bite.
When I lived in an urban area dogs were one of the things that activated my inner authoritarian - I'd be in favour of a compulsory DNA database and heavy fines, escalating to euthanasia for the dog, for any mess left behind. Any dog found not to be microchipped and on the database - give the army of newly-recruited dog wardens lethal injections to apply on the spot, Judge Dredd style.
Nick Tyrone @NicholasTyrone · 2h I was thinking of things the Tories could come out against next, after football. What about dogs? Just be really, really anti-dog. I mean, if the goal is to alienate as many people in Britain as possible, it feels like the next natural move.
I would put dogs and dog owners in Room 101 ahead of anything else I think. Popular policy that would be. Two thirds of households don’t own a dog.
I'm taking all this anti-dogism personally, just saying.
I sort of think we should train dogs to cycle just to be generally irritating.
'Prof van der Merwe said there was “little justification for doing such experiments, except scientific curiosity and the desire for prestige”.
He argued that if it was shown that the pandemic started in the Wuhan lab, such research could be banned forever.'
I believe I suggested something similar earlier this week, to a deafening lack of interest.
"may be"
"could"
DT ... Now ifx it were Nature, I would be more interested.
What on earth are you wittering on about? The DT is reporting the news that the Senate and House of Representatives in the US have voted unanimously to request that intelligence on the Wuhan lab is declassified - that is a piece of news, it's not relevant where it's appearing, and why would it be published in 'Nature'?
Paywalled for me, so I was simply reacting to the usual DT rubbish headline. Very different impression from what you say, ta.
Nature are rather more reliable on anything scientific.
I apologise then. I do not have a subscription and most things are paywalled but that one wasn't.
"Davie stood as a councillor for the Conservative Party in Hammersmith in 1993 and 1994 and was deputy chairman of the Hammersmith and Fulham Conservative party in the 1990s."
The 60% who aren't interested in football are going "What's all the fuss about?" at the moment.
The problem for the Tories is, a lot of the people who are interested in football, are ( some of ) their new core vote. The days of green wellies in the Tory shires being their only, or even fully functioning, redoubts are not ours.
They are again actually, Rishi's core vote is West London and Home counties. Most of the redwall football fanatics are back voting Labour now or have gone to RefUK
Indeed, which means very bad news at the elections for the Tories. A number of shire former strongholds will go Lib Dem, I think, thanks to tactical voting among younger voters.
The opposite. Rishi will hold Tory Shire seats from the LDs and may even gain a few seats from the Liberals and Independents. However he will lose seats to Labour in Essex, Kent, the North and Midlands.
Few young voters vote in local elections
Recent council by-elections are consistently showing the Lib Dems outperforming polls (and Labour underperforming), as well as the Greens taking huge shares from Con across the whole SE.
One increasingly important factor is the environment, by which I mean raw sewage being pumped into watercourses. The government ignores this at its peril.
LDs always do better in by elections as they throw every activist and their wife within a hundred miles at it. When national elections are held however they can't do that.
Yes, that poll gives a swing of 3% from LD to Conservative since the 2019 local elections and 2% from LD to Conservative since the local elections last year when Boris was PM
"The Greens are currently polling worse than RefUK" is what you said. Nothing about swings.
Still adding stuff after posting, without making your editing clear.
4 to 1 polls support me, I win there
There is htis concept called MoE. I recommend you study it.
If you look at the graph on wikipedia, it would seem that RefUK consistently outpolled the Greens by a margin of nearly 1pp, for a couple of months. If it was simply margin of error random variations you wold expect those to cancel out in a large enough average.
The latest figures suggest that the Greens have narrowed the difference - perhaps eliminated it to draw level - but the LOESS average used is uncertain towards the end, so you can't conclude that with certainty yet.
It hadn't really permeated my consciousness that RefUK had pulled ahead of the Greens during the post-Truss era. Feels unlikely that they will get the 10% between them that the polls currently have them exceeding.
Makes sense to me, your reasoning above.
HOWEVER, think there is (perhaps) this key difference: that large share of Green support consists of tactical votes-in-waiting for Labour and Lib Dems (and SNP), compared with share of current Reform supporters who will end up voting Conservative when the time comes.
It's a theory, anyway.
SOME Greens will vote Lab or LibDem, and SOME RefUK will vote Con, but there will also be some of each that will end up (revert to) not voting. And experience tells me that in the former case the NV will be a minority, and I. The latter case the NV will be a majority. Because that's how each side thinks.
It does seem rather an own goal. Gary Lineker is an engaging everyman, rather than the "lefty liberal elite".
He is lefty liberal elite.
Very much so. All over.
Probably. But is he seen that way by the everymen and everywomen who only know him as that football chap, and now he said something about being nice to refugees or something?
Your reminder that he is in a minority
Britain Elects
On banning migrants who come to the UK in small boats from ever re-entering the UK
Does being on the minority or majority side of an issue have any effect on the validity or justifiability of expressing your views? Slippery slope if so I'm sure you'll agree.
All sorts of whacko ideas can get majority support;
5/ In our weekly Brexit tracker, we asked how people would vote if there were another EU Referendum tomorrow. This is the latest state of play:
Staying out of the EU is now as unpopular as the Tory government. Starmer is missing out badly by keeping silent. He's showing himself up to be a feeble follower when the public want a leader. He should take a leaf out of Blair's book. Be respected enough to get people to follow you.
I'm beginning to think BJO has a point.
Never mind, Sunak and Macron are on course to take the UK into much closer cooperation and Macron's EPC which is as close to rejoining as we are likely to get and improves all aspects of our relationship including trade
Starmer is still pro Brexit so maybe you need to see Sunak in a more pro Europe light than before
Oh, FFS, Sunak is pro-Brexit too. Let’s wait and see about this “closer cooperation” shall we? It’s all smoke a mirrors. A nice photo opp a new relationship does not make. People used to say Macron and Trump had a thing going. This will end as it always does, Tory squabbling resulting in a “hard line” with Europe to keep the swivel eyed on side. The Conservative Party is a disease.
Sunak is taking his party on a very different journey not only with the WF but today's announcements in Paris all of which were spoken publicly by Macron and Sunak in today's news conference
And don't forget even UVDL addressed Sunak as dear Rishi
These are changing days in our relationship with Europe and it should be welcomed by anyone who cares for the UK and EU
Should I apply for a full time job at a Special Intervention Unit at a Special School? The job I've been doing since September? My job has been advertised at £20k pro rata. 38 weeks a year, 37 hours a week. £300 a week after tax. Priorities. Ha ha I'm great at it and love it but I can't. Liberal elite, me. Maybe I could present MOTD instead?
Part of the problem I think is that it feels like the Republicans have got what they wanted but the Unionists haven't. However Northern Ireland might be in the single market for goods but it isn't for services. That is a reasonable gripe republicans could make. Ultimately it is a compromise position.
Nick Tyrone @NicholasTyrone · 2h I was thinking of things the Tories could come out against next, after football. What about dogs? Just be really, really anti-dog. I mean, if the goal is to alienate as many people in Britain as possible, it feels like the next natural move.
I would put dogs and dog owners in Room 101 ahead of anything else I think. Popular policy that would be. Two thirds of households don’t own a dog.
I'm wondering how dogs would fare vs cyclists in a properly sampled poll of pavement and walk hazards. For me the cyclists are more dangerous.
Yes cyclists. Them too into the fiery hell of Room 101. Bradley Wiggins has a lot to answer for.
In that case scratch the cyclists from the Tory list. But add cats to get the right spread. Puppy and kitten pies would be a suitably disastrous idea after footie and Sir David A. And they're already doing nurses.
Nat Hentoff said it about right in the title of this book: "Free Speech for Me—But Not for Thee: How the American Left and Right Relentlessly Censor Each Other".
There are exceptions, and I honor them. And have begun to think I should give a regular contribution to one of his organizations, FIRE: https://www.thefire.org/
(By the way, if you aren't familiar with Hentoff, you should be. He had an unusual combination of beliefs, one or more of which is bound to annoy almost eveyone here. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nat_Hentoff )
'Prof van der Merwe said there was “little justification for doing such experiments, except scientific curiosity and the desire for prestige”.
He argued that if it was shown that the pandemic started in the Wuhan lab, such research could be banned forever.'
I believe I suggested something similar earlier this week, to a deafening lack of interest.
It’s been done to death by Leon. Anything Leon touches turns to yawn. Elvis could descend from Heaven with the Heavenly Choir on backing vocals, Jesus on bass, Hendrix on guitar and Bonham on drums, and he’d make it sound boring.
Although Leon is the PBer who has made millions from his writings.
Unlikely. Thousands certainly, but not millions. Very few writers make millions.
Part of the problem I think is that it feels like the Republicans have got what they wanted but the Unionists haven't. However Northern Ireland might be in the single market for goods but it isn't for services. That is a reasonable gripe republicans could make. Ultimately it is a compromise position.
If that many DUP voters are against it then that's a no from them. Where's the upside from not doing so? They can even secretly welcome it as better than before, but act as though they were betrayed by Westminster.
Should I apply for a full time job at a Special Intervention Unit at a Special School? The job I've been doing since September. My job has been advertised at £20k pro rata. 38 weeks a year, 37 hours a week. £300 a week before tax. Priorities. Ha ha I'm great at it and love it but I can't. Maybe I could present MOTD?
Idiots.
Offer to cut out the middleman and do it for £200 a day and they'll actually bite your hands off.
It does seem rather an own goal. Gary Lineker is an engaging everyman, rather than the "lefty liberal elite".
He is lefty liberal elite.
Very much so. All over.
Probably. But is he seen that way by the everymen and everywomen who only know him as that football chap, and now he said something about being nice to refugees or something?
Your reminder that he is in a minority
Britain Elects
On banning migrants who come to the UK in small boats from ever re-entering the UK
Does being on the minority or majority side of an issue have any effect on the validity or justifiability of expressing your views? Slippery slope if so I'm sure you'll agree.
All sorts of whacko ideas can get majority support;
5/ In our weekly Brexit tracker, we asked how people would vote if there were another EU Referendum tomorrow. This is the latest state of play:
Staying out of the EU is now as unpopular as the Tory government. Starmer is missing out badly by keeping silent. He's showing himself up to be a feeble follower when the public want a leader. He should take a leaf out of Blair's book. Be respected enough to get people to follow you.
I'm beginning to think BJO has a point.
Never mind, Sunak and Macron are on course to take the UK into much closer cooperation and Macron's EPC which is as close to rejoining as we are likely to get and improves all aspects of our relationship including trade
Starmer is still pro Brexit so maybe you need to see Sunak in a more pro Europe light than before
Oh, FFS, Sunak is pro-Brexit too. Let’s wait and see about this “closer cooperation” shall we? It’s all smoke a mirrors. A nice photo opp a new relationship does not make. People used to say Macron and Trump had a thing going. This will end as it always does, Tory squabbling resulting in a “hard line” with Europe to keep the swivel eyed on side. The Conservative Party is a disease.
Sunak is taking his party on a very different journey no only with the WF but today's announcements in Paris all of which were spoken publicly by Macro and Sunak in today's news conference
And don't forget even UVDL addressed Sunak as dear Rishi
These are changing days in our relationship with Europe and it should be welcomed by anyone who cares for the UK and EU
No they’re not. Look, you’re a Conservative Party supporter, and want to put a positive spin on todays rather underwhelming news, but bunging £500m to France and getting a nice word from VDL a new relationship does not make.
The Conservative Party can’t be trusted with these things. Sunak supported a policy that destroyed our relationship with Europe. The idea he can fix it is for the birds.
Nick Tyrone @NicholasTyrone · 2h I was thinking of things the Tories could come out against next, after football. What about dogs? Just be really, really anti-dog. I mean, if the goal is to alienate as many people in Britain as possible, it feels like the next natural move.
I would put dogs and dog owners in Room 101 ahead of anything else I think. Popular policy that would be. Two thirds of households don’t own a dog.
I'm taking all this anti-dogism personally, just saying.
Quite right. In my experience the local hounds are much more amiable and relaxed than the cyclists and runners.
'Prof van der Merwe said there was “little justification for doing such experiments, except scientific curiosity and the desire for prestige”.
He argued that if it was shown that the pandemic started in the Wuhan lab, such research could be banned forever.'
I believe I suggested something similar earlier this week, to a deafening lack of interest.
It’s been done to death by Leon. Anything Leon touches turns to yawn. Elvis could descend from Heaven with the Heavenly Choir on backing vocals, Jesus on bass, Hendrix on guitar and Bonham on drums, and he’d make it sound boring.
Although Leon is the PBer who has made millions from his writings.
Unlikely. Thousands certainly, but not millions. Very few writers make millions.
Didn't he say he got offered millions in film rights ?
It does seem rather an own goal. Gary Lineker is an engaging everyman, rather than the "lefty liberal elite".
He is lefty liberal elite.
Very much so. All over.
Probably. But is he seen that way by the everymen and everywomen who only know him as that football chap, and now he said something about being nice to refugees or something?
Your reminder that he is in a minority
Britain Elects
On banning migrants who come to the UK in small boats from ever re-entering the UK
Does being on the minority or majority side of an issue have any effect on the validity or justifiability of expressing your views? Slippery slope if so I'm sure you'll agree.
All sorts of whacko ideas can get majority support;
5/ In our weekly Brexit tracker, we asked how people would vote if there were another EU Referendum tomorrow. This is the latest state of play:
Staying out of the EU is now as unpopular as the Tory government. Starmer is missing out badly by keeping silent. He's showing himself up to be a feeble follower when the public want a leader. He should take a leaf out of Blair's book. Be respected enough to get people to follow you.
I'm beginning to think BJO has a point.
Never mind, Sunak and Macron are on course to take the UK into much closer cooperation and Macron's EPC which is as close to rejoining as we are likely to get and improves all aspects of our relationship including trade
Starmer is still pro Brexit so maybe you need to see Sunak in a more pro Europe light than before
Oh, FFS, Sunak is pro-Brexit too. Let’s wait and see about this “closer cooperation” shall we? It’s all smoke a mirrors. A nice photo opp a new relationship does not make. People used to say Macron and Trump had a thing going. This will end as it always does, Tory squabbling resulting in a “hard line” with Europe to keep the swivel eyed on side. The Conservative Party is a disease.
Sunak is taking his party on a very different journey not only with the WF but today's announcements in Paris all of which were spoken publicly by Macron and Sunak in today's news conference
And don't forget even UVDL addressed Sunak as dear Rishi
These are changing days in our relationship with Europe and it should be welcomed by anyone who cares for the UK and EU
Have you been borrowing HYUFD's rose tinted specs again?
It does seem rather an own goal. Gary Lineker is an engaging everyman, rather than the "lefty liberal elite".
He is lefty liberal elite.
Very much so. All over.
Probably. But is he seen that way by the everymen and everywomen who only know him as that football chap, and now he said something about being nice to refugees or something?
Your reminder that he is in a minority
Britain Elects
On banning migrants who come to the UK in small boats from ever re-entering the UK
Does being on the minority or majority side of an issue have any effect on the validity or justifiability of expressing your views? Slippery slope if so I'm sure you'll agree.
All sorts of whacko ideas can get majority support;
5/ In our weekly Brexit tracker, we asked how people would vote if there were another EU Referendum tomorrow. This is the latest state of play:
Staying out of the EU is now as unpopular as the Tory government. Starmer is missing out badly by keeping silent. He's showing himself up to be a feeble follower when the public want a leader. He should take a leaf out of Blair's book. Be respected enough to get people to follow you.
I'm beginning to think BJO has a point.
Never mind, Sunak and Macron are on course to take the UK into much closer cooperation and Macron's EPC which is as close to rejoining as we are likely to get and improves all aspects of our relationship including trade
Starmer is still pro Brexit so maybe you need to see Sunak in a more pro Europe light than before
Oh, FFS, Sunak is pro-Brexit too. Let’s wait and see about this “closer cooperation” shall we? It’s all smoke a mirrors. A nice photo opp a new relationship does not make. People used to say Macron and Trump had a thing going. This will end as it always does, Tory squabbling resulting in a “hard line” with Europe to keep the swivel eyed on side. The Conservative Party is a disease.
Sunak is taking his party on a very different journey no only with the WF but today's announcements in Paris all of which were spoken publicly by Macro and Sunak in today's news conference
And don't forget even UVDL addressed Sunak as dear Rishi
These are changing days in our relationship with Europe and it should be welcomed by anyone who cares for the UK and EU
No they’re not. Look, you’re a Conservative Party supporter, and want to put a positive spin on todays rather underwhelming news, but bunging £500m to France and getting a nice word from VDL a new relationship does not make.
The Conservative Party can’t be trusted with these things. Sunak supported a policy that destroyed our relationship with Europe. The idea he can fix it is for the birds.
Yes but can you really imagine Macron would give the same embrace and warm welcome to dull, stodgy old Starmer as he did to slick, charismatic and handsome Rishi? For Macron Sir Keir would still be better than Boris and Liz but he seems to be building a close relationship with Rishi
It does seem rather an own goal. Gary Lineker is an engaging everyman, rather than the "lefty liberal elite".
He is lefty liberal elite.
Very much so. All over.
Probably. But is he seen that way by the everymen and everywomen who only know him as that football chap, and now he said something about being nice to refugees or something?
Your reminder that he is in a minority
Britain Elects
On banning migrants who come to the UK in small boats from ever re-entering the UK
Does being on the minority or majority side of an issue have any effect on the validity or justifiability of expressing your views? Slippery slope if so I'm sure you'll agree.
All sorts of whacko ideas can get majority support;
5/ In our weekly Brexit tracker, we asked how people would vote if there were another EU Referendum tomorrow. This is the latest state of play:
Staying out of the EU is now as unpopular as the Tory government. Starmer is missing out badly by keeping silent. He's showing himself up to be a feeble follower when the public want a leader. He should take a leaf out of Blair's book. Be respected enough to get people to follow you.
I'm beginning to think BJO has a point.
Never mind, Sunak and Macron are on course to take the UK into much closer cooperation and Macron's EPC which is as close to rejoining as we are likely to get and improves all aspects of our relationship including trade
Starmer is still pro Brexit so maybe you need to see Sunak in a more pro Europe light than before
Oh, FFS, Sunak is pro-Brexit too. Let’s wait and see about this “closer cooperation” shall we? It’s all smoke a mirrors. A nice photo opp a new relationship does not make. People used to say Macron and Trump had a thing going. This will end as it always does, Tory squabbling resulting in a “hard line” with Europe to keep the swivel eyed on side. The Conservative Party is a disease.
Sunak is taking his party on a very different journey no only with the WF but today's announcements in Paris all of which were spoken publicly by Macro and Sunak in today's news conference
And don't forget even UVDL addressed Sunak as dear Rishi
These are changing days in our relationship with Europe and it should be welcomed by anyone who cares for the UK and EU
No they’re not. Look, you’re a Conservative Party supporter, and want to put a positive spin on todays rather underwhelming news, but bunging £500m to France and getting a nice word from VDL a new relationship does not make.
The Conservative Party can’t be trusted with these things. Sunak supported a policy that destroyed our relationship with Europe. The idea he can fix it is for the birds.
Should I apply for a full time job at a Special Intervention Unit at a Special School? The job I've been doing since September. My job has been advertised at £20k pro rata. 38 weeks a year, 37 hours a week. £300 a week before tax. Priorities. Ha ha I'm great at it and love it but I can't. Maybe I could present MOTD?
Idiots.
Offer to cut out the middleman and do it for £200 a day and they'll actually bite your hands off.
It does seem rather an own goal. Gary Lineker is an engaging everyman, rather than the "lefty liberal elite".
He is lefty liberal elite.
Very much so. All over.
Probably. But is he seen that way by the everymen and everywomen who only know him as that football chap, and now he said something about being nice to refugees or something?
Your reminder that he is in a minority
Britain Elects
On banning migrants who come to the UK in small boats from ever re-entering the UK
Does being on the minority or majority side of an issue have any effect on the validity or justifiability of expressing your views? Slippery slope if so I'm sure you'll agree.
All sorts of whacko ideas can get majority support;
5/ In our weekly Brexit tracker, we asked how people would vote if there were another EU Referendum tomorrow. This is the latest state of play:
Staying out of the EU is now as unpopular as the Tory government. Starmer is missing out badly by keeping silent. He's showing himself up to be a feeble follower when the public want a leader. He should take a leaf out of Blair's book. Be respected enough to get people to follow you.
I'm beginning to think BJO has a point.
To me, seems like Starmer is more akin to Biden than Blair, in style and substance. Aside from seniority, both in politics & government AND in sheer longevity.
Which all-in-all strikes me as more suitable than not at current juncture, for Labour and the UK.
Sure it's enough. This Brexit government has been one of the worst ever and is basically loathed. But inertia is also a difficult habit to break.A government who have just appointed Boris Johnson's fixer as Chairman should be facing more trouble than anything they've seen in the last six years and all we hear from starmer is that Lineker's language was unwise. What a jerk!
It does seem rather an own goal. Gary Lineker is an engaging everyman, rather than the "lefty liberal elite".
He is lefty liberal elite.
Very much so. All over.
Probably. But is he seen that way by the everymen and everywomen who only know him as that football chap, and now he said something about being nice to refugees or something?
Your reminder that he is in a minority
Britain Elects
On banning migrants who come to the UK in small boats from ever re-entering the UK
Does being on the minority or majority side of an issue have any effect on the validity or justifiability of expressing your views? Slippery slope if so I'm sure you'll agree.
All sorts of whacko ideas can get majority support;
5/ In our weekly Brexit tracker, we asked how people would vote if there were another EU Referendum tomorrow. This is the latest state of play:
Staying out of the EU is now as unpopular as the Tory government. Starmer is missing out badly by keeping silent. He's showing himself up to be a feeble follower when the public want a leader. He should take a leaf out of Blair's book. Be respected enough to get people to follow you.
I'm beginning to think BJO has a point.
Never mind, Sunak and Macron are on course to take the UK into much closer cooperation and Macron's EPC which is as close to rejoining as we are likely to get and improves all aspects of our relationship including trade
Starmer is still pro Brexit so maybe you need to see Sunak in a more pro Europe light than before
Oh, FFS, Sunak is pro-Brexit too. Let’s wait and see about this “closer cooperation” shall we? It’s all smoke a mirrors. A nice photo opp a new relationship does not make. People used to say Macron and Trump had a thing going. This will end as it always does, Tory squabbling resulting in a “hard line” with Europe to keep the swivel eyed on side. The Conservative Party is a disease.
Sunak is taking his party on a very different journey no only with the WF but today's announcements in Paris all of which were spoken publicly by Macro and Sunak in today's news conference
And don't forget even UVDL addressed Sunak as dear Rishi
These are changing days in our relationship with Europe and it should be welcomed by anyone who cares for the UK and EU
No they’re not. Look, you’re a Conservative Party supporter, and want to put a positive spin on todays rather underwhelming news, but bunging £500m to France and getting a nice word from VDL a new relationship does not make.
The Conservative Party can’t be trusted with these things. Sunak supported a policy that destroyed our relationship with Europe. The idea he can fix it is for the birds.
Bunging £500 million to France over 3 years in a joint funded operation to address the boat crisis including people smugglers across Europe and a new detention centre in Dunkirk, 500 additional French police officers on the beaches, more drones anda joint operational centre seems a sensible deal
Plus Macron confirmed the UK and EU are entering talks over the migration crisis across Europe to seek further cooperation and return migrants across Europe
Would it assuage No. 10 and Tory HQ, to have Lineker replaced by . . . wait for it . . . Gordon Ramsey?
Or is he too pro-French?
I said before that the Tory Government should make it clear to the nation that the punishment for Lineker's comments is that MOTD is cancelled and the only football highlights to be shown are the Scottish ones.
It does seem rather an own goal. Gary Lineker is an engaging everyman, rather than the "lefty liberal elite".
He is lefty liberal elite.
Very much so. All over.
Probably. But is he seen that way by the everymen and everywomen who only know him as that football chap, and now he said something about being nice to refugees or something?
Your reminder that he is in a minority
Britain Elects
On banning migrants who come to the UK in small boats from ever re-entering the UK
Does being on the minority or majority side of an issue have any effect on the validity or justifiability of expressing your views? Slippery slope if so I'm sure you'll agree.
All sorts of whacko ideas can get majority support;
5/ In our weekly Brexit tracker, we asked how people would vote if there were another EU Referendum tomorrow. This is the latest state of play:
Staying out of the EU is now as unpopular as the Tory government. Starmer is missing out badly by keeping silent. He's showing himself up to be a feeble follower when the public want a leader. He should take a leaf out of Blair's book. Be respected enough to get people to follow you.
I'm beginning to think BJO has a point.
Never mind, Sunak and Macron are on course to take the UK into much closer cooperation and Macron's EPC which is as close to rejoining as we are likely to get and improves all aspects of our relationship including trade
Starmer is still pro Brexit so maybe you need to see Sunak in a more pro Europe light than before
Oh, FFS, Sunak is pro-Brexit too. Let’s wait and see about this “closer cooperation” shall we? It’s all smoke a mirrors. A nice photo opp a new relationship does not make. People used to say Macron and Trump had a thing going. This will end as it always does, Tory squabbling resulting in a “hard line” with Europe to keep the swivel eyed on side. The Conservative Party is a disease.
Sunak is taking his party on a very different journey not only with the WF but today's announcements in Paris all of which were spoken publicly by Macron and Sunak in today's news conference
And don't forget even UVDL addressed Sunak as dear Rishi
These are changing days in our relationship with Europe and it should be welcomed by anyone who cares for the UK and EU
Have you been borrowing HYUFD's rose tinted specs again?
It seems today's developments are causing concern in case they succeed
I wonder whether MOTD pundits have considered that maybe most people tune in to watch the football rather than listen to them talking before and after the matches?
It does seem rather an own goal. Gary Lineker is an engaging everyman, rather than the "lefty liberal elite".
He is lefty liberal elite.
Very much so. All over.
Probably. But is he seen that way by the everymen and everywomen who only know him as that football chap, and now he said something about being nice to refugees or something?
Your reminder that he is in a minority
Britain Elects
On banning migrants who come to the UK in small boats from ever re-entering the UK
Does being on the minority or majority side of an issue have any effect on the validity or justifiability of expressing your views? Slippery slope if so I'm sure you'll agree.
All sorts of whacko ideas can get majority support;
5/ In our weekly Brexit tracker, we asked how people would vote if there were another EU Referendum tomorrow. This is the latest state of play:
Staying out of the EU is now as unpopular as the Tory government. Starmer is missing out badly by keeping silent. He's showing himself up to be a feeble follower when the public want a leader. He should take a leaf out of Blair's book. Be respected enough to get people to follow you.
I'm beginning to think BJO has a point.
To me, seems like Starmer is more akin to Biden than Blair, in style and substance. Aside from seniority, both in politics & government AND in sheer longevity.
Which all-in-all strikes me as more suitable than not at current juncture, for Labour and the UK.
Sure it's enough. This Brexit government has been one of the worst ever and is basically loathed. But inertia is also a difficult habit to break.A government who have just appointed Boris Johnson's fixer as Chairman should be facing more trouble than anything they've seen in the last six years and all we hear from starmer is that Lineker's language was unwise. What a jerk!
Either Ron Atkinson or Richard Littlejohn could be ideal replacements for Gary Lineker, for the hard right.
How about Teddy Sheringham, as a more middle-of-the-road , but somehow more Middle England-friendly candidate ? Graham Le Saux being much too Guardian-friendly from this older crop of footballers.
I wonder whether MOTD pundits have considered that maybe most people tune in to watch the football rather than listen to them talking before and after the matches?
Have you considered that it would be cheaper to run the programme without them, if it were just as popular, and that the market dictates the presence of pundits on sports shows around the world?
It does seem rather an own goal. Gary Lineker is an engaging everyman, rather than the "lefty liberal elite".
He is lefty liberal elite.
Very much so. All over.
Probably. But is he seen that way by the everymen and everywomen who only know him as that football chap, and now he said something about being nice to refugees or something?
Your reminder that he is in a minority
Britain Elects
On banning migrants who come to the UK in small boats from ever re-entering the UK
Does being on the minority or majority side of an issue have any effect on the validity or justifiability of expressing your views? Slippery slope if so I'm sure you'll agree.
All sorts of whacko ideas can get majority support;
5/ In our weekly Brexit tracker, we asked how people would vote if there were another EU Referendum tomorrow. This is the latest state of play:
Staying out of the EU is now as unpopular as the Tory government. Starmer is missing out badly by keeping silent. He's showing himself up to be a feeble follower when the public want a leader. He should take a leaf out of Blair's book. Be respected enough to get people to follow you.
I'm beginning to think BJO has a point.
To me, seems like Starmer is more akin to Biden than Blair, in style and substance. Aside from seniority, both in politics & government AND in sheer longevity.
Which all-in-all strikes me as more suitable than not at current juncture, for Labour and the UK.
Sure it's enough. This Brexit government has been one of the worst ever and is basically loathed. But inertia is also a difficult habit to break.A government who have just appointed Boris Johnson's fixer as Chairman should be facing more trouble than anything they've seen in the last six years and all we hear from starmer is that Lineker's language was unwise. What a jerk!
Emily Thornberry said it was not appropriate
Did you also agree with her assessment of White van drivers?
If today's conference had been between Starmer and Macron you and many others would be praising him to the hilt
No. I wouldn’t. Because nothing of any substance, save for us sending £500m to Paris, was achieved. Nothing at all. Yes, I admit, I like Starmer, I think he’ll make a decent PM, but you’re making this sound like some bright new dawn in U.K.- E.U. relations when all it was was some a bribe to support Sunak’s migrant policy and some nice platitudes that (on this side of the Channel) drowned out some very strong words from Macron about your party’s signature policy for the last 8 years.
Nothing to fix the catastrofuck that this government has inflicted on U.K. - E.U. trade or relations. Nothing of substance at all.
I wonder whether MOTD pundits have considered that maybe most people tune in to watch the football rather than listen to them talking before and after the matches?
My team is in the Championship but I record the highlights and forward through until my team is on. Expect I'm not the only one
If today's conference had been between Starmer and Macron you and many others would be praising him to the hilt
No. I wouldn’t. Because nothing of any substance, save for us sending £500m to Paris, was achieved. Nothing at all. Yes, I admit, I like Starmer, I think he’ll make a decent PM, but you’re making this sound like some bright new dawn in U.K.- E.U. relations when all it was was some a bribe to support Sunak’s migrant policy and some nice platitudes that (on this side of the Channel) drowned out some very strong words from Macron about your party’s signature policy for the last 8 years.
Nothing to fix the catastrofuck that this government has inflicted on U.K. - E.U. trade or relations. Nothing of substance at all.
VDL called Rishi “dear”. So what?
You obviously did not watch the conference today as Macron most certainly did not have strong words about Brexit , he wants to fix it through EPC which Sunak supports
I wonder whether MOTD pundits have considered that maybe most people tune in to watch the football rather than listen to them talking before and after the matches?
My team is in the Championship but I record the highlights and forward through until my team is on. Expect I'm not the only one
I never listen to pundits either before or after a game
I wonder whether MOTD pundits have considered that maybe most people tune in to watch the football rather than listen to them talking before and after the matches?
My team is in the Championship but I record the highlights and forward through until my team is on. Expect I'm not the only one
My team is Watford so there are never any highlights for me! 😈😡
I wonder whether MOTD pundits have considered that maybe most people tune in to watch the football rather than listen to them talking before and after the matches?
The highlights are available free to all on the Sky Sports website on demand hours before.
The question that will be fascinating over the next few days is whether this has damaged the BBC or whether it has highlighted the boat crisis and how the public react
If today's conference had been between Starmer and Macron you and many others would be praising him to the hilt
No. I wouldn’t. Because nothing of any substance, save for us sending £500m to Paris, was achieved. Nothing at all. Yes, I admit, I like Starmer, I think he’ll make a decent PM, but you’re making this sound like some bright new dawn in U.K.- E.U. relations when all it was was some a bribe to support Sunak’s migrant policy and some nice platitudes that (on this side of the Channel) drowned out some very strong words from Macron about your party’s signature policy for the last 8 years.
Nothing to fix the catastrofuck that this government has inflicted on U.K. - E.U. trade or relations. Nothing of substance at all.
VDL called Rishi “dear”. So what?
You obviously did not watch the conference today as Macron most certainly did not have strong words about Brexit , he wants to fix it through EPC which Sunak supports
Of course I watched it! This is the direct quote, this is exactly what he said-
“On the short front what we have to do is to fix the consequences of Brexit.”
“A lot of issues we have are a direct consequence of Brexit and probably some of these consequences were under-estimated, but we have to fix them.”
In the realms of international diplomacy that is a pretty direct criticism of the signature policy of the Conservative Party. The French press are taking a very different view to your rosy impression. They know better than to trust a Tory. You should do the same. We’ll never join the EPC while the ERG are still in the ruling party. Sunak can’t deliver that.
The Venn Diagram crossover of PB Tories and People Who Don’t Watch Match of the Day shows an extraordinary correlation.
Amazing!
I would just comment before I retire for the night I will have watched the MOD live long before it is on the BBC and if I wanted had pundits analysing the match immediately at the final whistle
The Venn Diagram crossover of PB Tories and People Who Don’t Watch Match of the Day shows an extraordinary correlation.
Amazing!
60% of the public aren't interested in football.
You say that like it shows that football is not that popular or something. How many social or cultural events or activities are even 10% of the public interested in I wonder?
That's a genuine question, but I would not be surprised if it showed that football at 40% (I assume your figure is correct), is something the public are massively interested in by comparison to most things.
Today is the anniversary of a very important and very strange day in British history.
On 9 March 1970, the Isle of Dogs in London declared itself independent of the United Kingdom. But the island's residents were far from happy. A 🧵 on “Dexit” /
The Venn Diagram crossover of PB Tories and People Who Don’t Watch Match of the Day shows an extraordinary correlation.
Amazing!
60% of the public aren't interested in football.
You say that like it shows that football is not that popular or something. How many social or cultural events or activities are even 10% of the public interested in I wonder?
That's a genuine question, but I would not be surprised if it showed that football at 40% (I assume your figure is correct), is something the public are massively interested in by comparison to most things.
Like many things there will be much greater interest in the big events than in the everyday stuff.
Which is why the world cup get many more viewers than the premiership.
Of course you can have an interest in X without being bothered about the televising of X.
I wonder whether MOTD pundits have considered that maybe most people tune in to watch the football rather than listen to them talking before and after the matches?
Have you considered that it would be cheaper to run the programme without them, if it were just as popular, and that the market dictates the presence of pundits on sports shows around the world?
Quite. Everyone who watches probably has pundits they aren't fans of, but even that would be part of the experience - 'Oh gods, Jenas is on talking nonsense again!'.
To be sure not everyone, but if people wanted nothing but raw footage we'd have that more widely available as an option. On a similar basis why listen to commentators unless you are blind? I mean, we're there to watch the football and can already see what's going on, why waste that money?
I wonder whether MOTD pundits have considered that maybe most people tune in to watch the football rather than listen to them talking before and after the matches?
Have you considered that it would be cheaper to run the programme without them, if it were just as popular, and that the market dictates the presence of pundits on sports shows around the world?
Quite. Everyone who watches probably has pundits they aren't fans of, but even that would be part of the experience - 'Oh gods, Jenas is on talking nonsense again!'.
To be sure not everyone, but if people wanted nothing but raw footage we'd have that more widely available as an option. On a similar basis why listen to commentators unless you are blind? I mean, we're there to watch the football and can already see what's going on, why waste that money?
Indeed. Well put.
The Continuity PB Tory (Loyalist Regiment) seem to be presenting a bizarre alternative reality whereby football pundits are paid to discuss an unpopular sport.
The question that will be fascinating over the next few days is whether this has damaged the BBC or whether it has highlighted the boat crisis and how the public react
Good night folks
Has it damaged the BBC? No I don't think so. Has it damaged some of those who run the BBC and who seem to have stepped of a cliff for a completely pointless 'principle'? Yes I think so.
I disagree with Lineker's original comparison as I have already said. But I can't see any way he doesn't come out of this now with his reputation anything other than greatly enhanced.
Nat Hentoff said it about right in the title of this book: "Free Speech for Me—But Not for Thee: How the American Left and Right Relentlessly Censor Each Other".
There are exceptions, and I honor them. And have begun to think I should give a regular contribution to one of his organizations, FIRE: https://www.thefire.org/
(By the way, if you aren't familiar with Hentoff, you should be. He had an unusual combination of beliefs, one or more of which is bound to annoy almost eveyone here. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nat_Hentoff )
This is spot on.
And the very heart of free speech is that it has to be free speech for people saying things you don't want to hear! And far too many of those defending the BBC today are those who would have been up in arms if they had - for example - fired Andew Neil for expressing displeasure about a Labour government.
Let's give some examples:
I am pro legal abortion*. But if a BBC Antiques Show presenter wanted to post their opinion that abortion should illegal in all circumstances, then that's their opinion. They are allowed to express it.
If a BBC presenter were to post something to Twitter about trans-rights that I disagree with, then again, that's their perogative.
And people talking about Linekar's value for money are spectacularly missing the point. If this was the BBC deciding they could get someone better for the money, then great. BUT IT'S NOT. It's about them objecting to a stupid Tweet.
I am staggered (and disgusted) that the same people who were up in arms when Google fired an engineer for expressing an opinion. But now are cheering on the BBC for doing the same with a sports presenter.
The question that will be fascinating over the next few days is whether this has damaged the BBC or whether it has highlighted the boat crisis and how the public react
Good night folks
Has it damaged the BBC? No I don't think so. Has it damaged some of those who run the BBC and who seem to have stepped of a cliff for a completely pointless 'principle'? Yes I think so.
I disagree with Lineker's original comparison as I have already said. But I can't see any way he doesn't come out of this now with his reputation anything other than greatly enhanced.
He simply gets replaced by someone who does the job better for 10% of the pay thereby showing that very few people are irreplaceable.
Whether the BBC has the sense to do that I rather doubt.
The question that will be fascinating over the next few days is whether this has damaged the BBC or whether it has highlighted the boat crisis and how the public react
Good night folks
Has it damaged the BBC? No I don't think so. Has it damaged some of those who run the BBC and who seem to have stepped of a cliff for a completely pointless 'principle'? Yes I think so.
I disagree with Lineker's original comparison as I have already said. But I can't see any way he doesn't come out of this now with his reputation anything other than greatly enhanced.
He simply gets replaced by someone who does the job better for 10% of the pay thereby showing that very few people are irreplaceable.
Whether the BBC has the sense to do that I rather doubt.
With all due respect, that's a totally different point.
It may very well be that there is someone better, who can do it for 10% of the price.
But it seems awfully convenient that is those people who are most critical of his right to spout nonsense on Twitter who are suddenly concerned about his pay packet.
Comments
Ditch the Wimbledon elite wankfest. See how the Daily Hate likes that.
They aren't overly interested in tennis after all. Otherwise there'd be a bit of interest in other Majors.
Which all-in-all strikes me as more suitable than not at current juncture, for Labour and the UK.
Losing Wimbledon is proper Ravens leaving the Tower territory for the BBC.
Incidentally, I made it over to a castle - well, a ruined tower house - after work this evening, to find a pair of Ravens were perching on the battlements. Which was ace.
EXCLUSIVE:
@LucidTalk
poll for
@BelTel
on how NI would vote in a referendum on the protocol deal:
🔷 67% of people - Yes
🔷 73% of DUP voters - No
🔷 56% of UUP voters - Yes
🔷98% of Alliance/Green voters, 97% of nationalists & 38% of unionists - Yes
https://twitter.com/SuzyJourno/status/1634321027265175552?s=20
Good night.
Not so sure now.
"Davie stood as a councillor for the Conservative Party in Hammersmith in 1993 and 1994 and was deputy chairman of the Hammersmith and Fulham Conservative party in the 1990s."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Davie
And don't forget even UVDL addressed Sunak as dear Rishi
These are changing days in our relationship with Europe and it should be welcomed by anyone who cares for the UK and EU
My job has been advertised at £20k pro rata. 38
weeks a year, 37 hours a week. £300 a week after tax.
Priorities. Ha ha
I'm great at it and love it but I can't.
Liberal elite, me.
Maybe I could present MOTD instead?
There are exceptions, and I honor them. And have begun to think I should give a regular contribution to one of his organizations, FIRE: https://www.thefire.org/
(By the way, if you aren't familiar with Hentoff, you should be. He had an unusual combination of beliefs, one or more of which is bound to annoy almost eveyone here.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nat_Hentoff )
Offer to cut out the middleman and do it for £200 a day and they'll actually bite your hands off.
The Conservative Party can’t be trusted with these things. Sunak supported a policy that destroyed our relationship with Europe. The idea he can fix it is for the birds.
Hospitals without medical staff.
Etc
Or is he too pro-French?
Not that I care, I never watch it anyway.
Plus Macron confirmed the UK and EU are entering talks over the migration crisis across Europe to seek further cooperation and return migrants across Europe
And Starmer is now the Brexiteer not Sunak
Here’s how Macron’s last “Bromance” started
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-43840965.amp
I don’t need to tell you how it ended.
Don’t get your hopes up
That was just Emmanuel knowing he had to try and be amicable with the fat ageing loudmouth as he was the most powerful man in the world at the time
On theory that the name of the game alone will appeal to Red Wall voters?
How about Teddy Sheringham, as a more middle-of-the-road , but somehow more Middle England-friendly candidate ? Graham Le Saux being much too Guardian-friendly from this older crop of footballers.
Who knew?
(weeps gently)
Nothing to fix the catastrofuck that this government has inflicted on U.K. - E.U. trade or relations. Nothing of substance at all.
VDL called Rishi “dear”. So what?
Though I haven't watched MOD for years
The question that will be fascinating over the next few days is whether this has damaged the BBC or whether it has highlighted the boat crisis and how the public react
Good night folks
Amazing!
“On the short front what we have to do is to fix the consequences of Brexit.”
“A lot of issues we have are a direct consequence of Brexit and probably some of these consequences were under-estimated, but we have to fix them.”
In the realms of international diplomacy that is a pretty direct criticism of the signature policy of the Conservative Party. The French press are taking a very different view to your rosy impression. They know better than to trust a Tory. You should do the same. We’ll never join the EPC while the ERG are still in the ruling party. Sunak can’t deliver that.
Why would I watch MOD which I don't
And I wonder how many of those 3m are people who only later on watch on BBCi to see how their team did.
That's a genuine question, but I would not be surprised if it showed that football at 40% (I assume your figure is correct), is something the public are massively interested in by comparison to most things.
Today is the anniversary of a very important and very strange day in British history.
On 9 March 1970, the Isle of Dogs in London declared itself independent of the United Kingdom. But the island's residents were far from happy. A 🧵 on “Dexit” /
https://twitter.com/ITNArchive/status/1633808191480791040?cxt=HHwWgICwxZr5uawtAAAA
Which is why the world cup get many more viewers than the premiership.
Of course you can have an interest in X without being bothered about the televising of X.
To be sure not everyone, but if people wanted nothing but raw footage we'd have that more widely available as an option. On a similar basis why listen to commentators unless you are blind? I mean, we're there to watch the football and can already see what's going on, why waste that money?
The Continuity PB Tory (Loyalist Regiment) seem to be presenting a bizarre alternative reality whereby football pundits are paid to discuss an unpopular sport.
I disagree with Lineker's original comparison as I have already said. But I can't see any way he doesn't come out of this now with his reputation anything other than greatly enhanced.
And the very heart of free speech is that it has to be free speech for people saying things you don't want to hear! And far too many of those defending the BBC today are those who would have been up in arms if they had - for example - fired Andew Neil for expressing displeasure about a Labour government.
Let's give some examples:
I am pro legal abortion*. But if a BBC Antiques Show presenter wanted to post their opinion that abortion should illegal in all circumstances, then that's their opinion. They are allowed to express it.
If a BBC presenter were to post something to Twitter about trans-rights that I disagree with, then again, that's their perogative.
And people talking about Linekar's value for money are spectacularly missing the point. If this was the BBC deciding they could get someone better for the money, then great. BUT IT'S NOT. It's about them objecting to a stupid Tweet.
I am staggered (and disgusted) that the same people who were up in arms when Google fired an engineer for expressing an opinion. But now are cheering on the BBC for doing the same with a sports presenter.
* With limits, obviously
Whether the BBC has the sense to do that I rather doubt.
Funnily enough, Jeremy Clarkson makes a similar (if somewhat dumbed down) argument in his Sun column.
It may very well be that there is someone better, who can do it for 10% of the price.
But it seems awfully convenient that is those people who are most critical of his right to spout nonsense on Twitter who are suddenly concerned about his pay packet.