Gloom descended on Rishi Sunak’s Downing Street this week
Tories fear the Boris Johnson saga, rising interest rates and an increasingly likely 2024 recession have further closed their already very narrow path to victory
There was a man on Newsnight last night who was speaking for his friend whose wife had drowned in the boat tragedy off Greece. His story was a simple one. He had escaped from Syria four years ago where there is no work and no possible way of making a living and he was now living and studying in a university in Germany.
His wife hadn't been able to get a visa to join him so after several frustrating years had tried the illegal route and had paid $4000 for a crossing.
I can't remember hearing such a heartbreaking story from such a sympathetic character. All at once there was a story behind the ginning faces of Sunak and Braverman boasting about 'stopping the boats' and it made you feel disgusted
It is a tragedy beyond compare that 500 or more immigrants died unwanted at sea as Greece, Italy and the EU prevaricate and blame each other
As in all these cases, everyone should be supporting measures to prevent these boats from sailing but again it is politicised and as a consequence many more avoidable deaths are inevitable not just in the channel but the Mediterranean as the EU members close their borders and turn a blind eye
Collins has posted a follow up which doesn’t exactly clarify why he thinks it’s a disgrace for Sunak to support England.
@PhilipJCollins1 I think we are way beyond the Tebbit test now, thankfully. People of Indian origin (my children included) can support India and are no less English on account of it. Anyone who thinks this impulse is Tebbit-like has misunderstood.
There was a man on Newsnight last night who was speaking for his friend whose wife had drowned in the boat tragedy off Greece. His story was a simple one. He had escaped from Syria four years ago where there is no work and no possible way of making a living and he was now living and studying in a university in Germany.
His wife hadn't been able to get a visa to join him so after several frustrating years had tried the illegal route and had paid $4000 for a crossing.
I can't remember hearing such a heartbreaking story from such a sympathetic character. All at once there was a story behind the ginning faces of Sunak and Braverman boasting about 'stopping the boats' and it made you feel disgusted
It is a tragedy beyond compare that 500 or more immigrants died unwanted at sea as Greece, Italy and the EU prevaricate and blame each other
As in all these cases, everyone should be supporting measures to prevent these boats from sailing but again it is politicised and as a consequence many more avoidable deaths are inevitable not just in the channel but the Mediterranean as the EU members close their borders and turn a blind eye
I blame the Libyan Coastguard.
They are paid to stop this and fucked up.
There was an allegation they attempted to tow the distressed boat and caused it to capsize but they have denied this
Towing can be a very difficult operation and I know our RNLI crews undergo extensive training in this aspect of sea rescue
Surely it's the last Labour Government that is to blame for the incoming recession.
The bizarre “thing” about our system is this notion the BOE is prepared to tip the economy in to a recession curb inflation. How is that a sane / logical way forward?
Starmer needs to sack Collins for being a racist piece of shit.
Is that a real post?
Deleted, but yes it was.
Wow! That’s some post.
I’m hoping it is a piss take of the Tebbit test.
He seems to genuinely believe that passing the Tebbit test is a badge of shame.
Slightly worse, perhaps, is he seems to doubt Rishi does pass the Tebbit test, so is suggesting the whole thing is a cynical photo-op like when Boris pretends to like football or Gordon Brown the Arctic Monkeys.
So the tweet was intended to call Rishi out, and deleted when he realised (or had pointed out to him) that it is based on a racist assumption.
Starmer needs to sack Collins for being a racist piece of shit.
Is that a real post?
Deleted, but yes it was.
Wow! That’s some post.
I’m hoping it is a piss take of the Tebbit test.
He seems to genuinely believe that passing the Tebbit test is a badge of shame.
Slightly worse, perhaps, is he seems to doubt Rishi does pass the Tebbit test, so is suggesting the whole thing is a cynical photo-op like when Boris pretends to like football or Gordon Brown the Arctic Monkeys.
So the tweet was intended to call Rishi out, and deleted when he realised (or had pointed out to him) that it is based on a racist assumption.
Many a tweet etc.
The truly idiotic thing is pretending that eleven unemployables somehow represent a country because they can hit a small leather ball, or that it matters a damn whether they are better than some other unemployables from another country.
Gloom descended on Rishi Sunak’s Downing Street this week
Tories fear the Boris Johnson saga, rising interest rates and an increasingly likely 2024 recession have further closed their already very narrow path to victory
Collins has posted a follow up which doesn’t exactly clarify why he thinks it’s a disgrace for Sunak to support England.
@PhilipJCollins1 I think we are way beyond the Tebbit test now, thankfully. People of Indian origin (my children included) can support India and are no less English on account of it. Anyone who thinks this impulse is Tebbit-like has misunderstood.
The original post wasn’t saying that the PM couldn’t support India, it was insisting that he must support India and that he was wrong, offensively so, to be supporting England.
Its pretty much always been 11 in tests in the UK. It is late in mid summer. Could definitely start at 10.30 (as they did in 2005, I think). Later in the summer there can be issues with damp but not right now.
There was a man on Newsnight last night who was speaking for his friend whose wife had drowned in the boat tragedy off Greece. His story was a simple one. He had escaped from Syria four years ago where there is no work and no possible way of making a living and he was now living and studying in a university in Germany.
His wife hadn't been able to get a visa to join him so after several frustrating years had tried the illegal route and had paid $4000 for a crossing.
I can't remember hearing such a heartbreaking story from such a sympathetic character. All at once there was a story behind the ginning faces of Sunak and Braverman boasting about 'stopping the boats' and it made you feel disgusted
So economic migrants trying to jump the queue for legal immigration, rather than people fleeing state-sponsored persecution?
Do you think these people had the same chance you did when you chose to work in Dubai?
Gloom descended on Rishi Sunak’s Downing Street this week
Tories fear the Boris Johnson saga, rising interest rates and an increasingly likely 2024 recession have further closed their already very narrow path to victory
The Tories are as mad as a bag of snakes. That much is obvious after the last week.
Pretending Johnson and Truss never happened, or never represented the real Tory party just won't wash.
Less farcical and dishonest than Corbyn's former shadow cabinet member who campaigned for Jezza to be PM and then ran on a Corbynite manifesto to get elected pretending that he was a secret Blairite all the time. Whereas, of course, he's just a shabby, lying opportunist.
Along with pretty much everyone on here, I detest Starmer.
However anyone who undermines Corbyn gets an uptick from me, and compared to the sack of fighting rats that is the current UK Conservative Party (Sunak and Hunt excepted) Starmer in relative terms doesn't seem so bad.
Do you mean pretty much everyone on here detests Starmer? Or you detest pretty much everyone on here?
If it's option 1, you're wrong. If it's option 2, you're, well, wrong but in a different way.
Well spotted grammatical faux pas!
I care not one jot for your tacit assertion that I am to PB what Johnson represents to the nation. And anyway it's not my fault it's everyone else's!
Collins has posted a follow up which doesn’t exactly clarify why he thinks it’s a disgrace for Sunak to support England.
@PhilipJCollins1 I think we are way beyond the Tebbit test now, thankfully. People of Indian origin (my children included) can support India and are no less English on account of it. Anyone who thinks this impulse is Tebbit-like has misunderstood.
The implication being that Indians who support England are somehow less Indian. He's, in a roundabout way, calling Rishi an Uncle Tom which is racist. Starmer needs to swing the axe.
Starmer needs to sack Collins for being a racist piece of shit.
Is that a real post?
Deleted, but yes it was.
Wow! That’s some post.
I’m hoping it is a piss take of the Tebbit test.
He seems to genuinely believe that passing the Tebbit test is a badge of shame.
Slightly worse, perhaps, is he seems to doubt Rishi does pass the Tebbit test, so is suggesting the whole thing is a cynical photo-op like when Boris pretends to like football or Gordon Brown the Arctic Monkeys.
So the tweet was intended to call Rishi out, and deleted when he realised (or had pointed out to him) that it is based on a racist assumption.
Many a tweet etc.
The truly idiotic thing is pretending that eleven unemployables somehow represent a country because they can hit a small leather ball, or that it matters a damn whether they are better than some other unemployables from another country.
I think a couple of the England team could be very successfully employed as public warnings on the inadvisability of ginger men growing beards.
There was a man on Newsnight last night who was speaking for his friend whose wife had drowned in the boat tragedy off Greece. His story was a simple one. He had escaped from Syria four years ago where there is no work and no possible way of making a living and he was now living and studying in a university in Germany.
His wife hadn't been able to get a visa to join him so after several frustrating years had tried the illegal route and had paid $4000 for a crossing.
I can't remember hearing such a heartbreaking story from such a sympathetic character. All at once there was a story behind the ginning faces of Sunak and Braverman boasting about 'stopping the boats' and it made you feel disgusted
Its heartbreaking. I think its complicated. We should stop the boats - because its insanely dangerous as this tragedy has yet again shown. The UK government needs to do this AND provide safe and legal routes to gain asylum in the UK. But there also needs an honest conversation about how many can come. I'm incredibly lucky to be born in the UK and have a great life. People round the world want that too. The answer cannot be that they all get to come to the west, at some point, people have to try to improve their own countries and the west should be an agent of that.
He's so dull and boring I find it hard to have any strong reaction to him at all.
I find him quite impressive, and have always said so. It is the rest of the tribal Labour Party that I fear; with their petty hate and envy of anyone that is successful and not working in the public sector. If they were all like Starmer I'd be tempted to vote for them. Indeed, if we had a directly elected PM I would very happily put an X next to SKS, partic had been a choice between him and the Clown.
I believe that to be his only was back. Johnson is not to be misunderestimated!
He is not coming back in any shape, manner or form
He has called his sycophants off from voting against the committee report on Monday and it seems it may just get knodded through
The fact that only 7 sycophants could be found is a sure sign he is over in a parliamentary sense and his future is in writing in newspapers and public speaking
Starmer needs to sack Collins for being a racist piece of shit.
Isn’t supposed to be a (clumsy) joke, showing how we’ve moved on from the real racist shittery of the Tebbit test?
Possibly, probably, but just polar opposite racist shittery. People of whatever colour or background can support whatever team they identify with most, or even the one whose clothes, or style of play they like best, and its all hunky dory. Limiting people with an Indian heritage to supporting India, even if they grew up somewhere else, is no better than limiting them to supporting England.
I believe that to be his only was back. Johnson is not to be misunderestimated!
He is not coming back in any shape, manner or form
He has called his sycophants off from voting against the committee report on Monday and it seems it may just get knodded through
The fact that only 7 sycophants could be found is a sure sign he is over in a parliamentary sense and his future is in writing in newspapers and public speaking
Who would pay to hear that disorganised twat riffing about Peppa Pig is a complete mystery to me
Collins has posted a follow up which doesn’t exactly clarify why he thinks it’s a disgrace for Sunak to support England.
@PhilipJCollins1 I think we are way beyond the Tebbit test now, thankfully. People of Indian origin (my children included) can support India and are no less English on account of it. Anyone who thinks this impulse is Tebbit-like has misunderstood.
Starmer needs to sack Collins for being a racist piece of shit.
Is that a real post?
Deleted, but yes it was.
Wow! That’s some post.
I’m hoping it is a piss take of the Tebbit test.
He seems to genuinely believe that passing the Tebbit test is a badge of shame.
Slightly worse, perhaps, is he seems to doubt Rishi does pass the Tebbit test, so is suggesting the whole thing is a cynical photo-op like when Boris pretends to like football or Gordon Brown the Arctic Monkeys.
So the tweet was intended to call Rishi out, and deleted when he realised (or had pointed out to him) that it is based on a racist assumption.
Many a tweet etc.
No one could ever beat the IPod and Arctic Monkeys cringe.
Its pretty much always been 11 in tests in the UK. It is late in mid summer. Could definitely start at 10.30 (as they did in 2005, I think). Later in the summer there can be issues with damp but not right now.
Needs to be 10:30 because of the shocking over rates these days. The extra half hour would produce an extra 6 overs which would get the day much closer to the "minimum" 90 overs.
He's so dull and boring I find it hard to have any strong reaction to him at all.
I find him quite impressive, and have always said so. It is the rest of the tribal Labour Party that I fear; with their petty hate and envy of anyone that is successful and not working in the public sector. If they were all like Starmer I'd be tempted to vote for them. Indeed, if we had a directly elected PM I would very happily put an X next to SKS, partic had been a choice between him and the Clown.
let's not forget it was Keir Starmer's patient and cunning questioning that elicited the lies for which Johnson has at last been punished. And SKS knew it at the time.
Starmer needs to sack Collins for being a racist piece of shit.
Is that a real post?
Deleted, but yes it was.
Wow! That’s some post.
I’m hoping it is a piss take of the Tebbit test.
He seems to genuinely believe that passing the Tebbit test is a badge of shame.
Slightly worse, perhaps, is he seems to doubt Rishi does pass the Tebbit test, so is suggesting the whole thing is a cynical photo-op like when Boris pretends to like football or Gordon Brown the Arctic Monkeys.
So the tweet was intended to call Rishi out, and deleted when he realised (or had pointed out to him) that it is based on a racist assumption.
Many a tweet etc.
The truly idiotic thing is pretending that eleven unemployables somehow represent a country because they can hit a small leather ball, or that it matters a damn whether they are better than some other unemployables from another country.
Unemployables? Most cricket players would excel in other positions. Historically cricket was very poorly paid, and most had jobs through the winter. Its still pretty poor away from the T20 franchises and elite test players.
I believe that to be his only was back. Johnson is not to be misunderestimated!
He is not coming back in any shape, manner or form
He has called his sycophants off from voting against the committee report on Monday and it seems it may just get knodded through
The fact that only 7 sycophants could be found is a sure sign he is over in a parliamentary sense and his future is in writing in newspapers and public speaking
Who would pay to hear that disorganised twat riffing about Peppa Pig is a complete mystery to me
Talking of Johnson, has anyone read his fridge raiding exploits in the Mail yet?
The article proves Johnson is just as good a writer as he was Prime Minister. Bravo!
Very minor, but good decision on bogof to delay but implement when the economy and prices more stable. Little things, like getting these right first time rather than u-turning after sending Shapps out to pledge absolutely no u-turns, are probably going to be one of the main differences between Sunak and Johnson.
Since Tebbit had popped up like a nasty fart in a railway carriage, shouldn’t all those people wanting to find work and a better life for themselves and their families be lauded for getting on whatever form of transport is available? Perhaps if they crossed the Channel on pedalos it might be more palatable to some folk.
There was a man on Newsnight last night who was speaking for his friend whose wife had drowned in the boat tragedy off Greece. His story was a simple one. He had escaped from Syria four years ago where there is no work and no possible way of making a living and he was now living and studying in a university in Germany.
His wife hadn't been able to get a visa to join him so after several frustrating years had tried the illegal route and had paid $4000 for a crossing.
I can't remember hearing such a heartbreaking story from such a sympathetic character. All at once there was a story behind the ginning faces of Sunak and Braverman boasting about 'stopping the boats' and it made you feel disgusted
So economic migrants trying to jump the queue for legal immigration, rather than people fleeing state-sponsored persecution?
Do you think these people had the same chance you did when you chose to work in Dubai?
Tens of thousands of Syrians out here, you get a plane rather than risking your life on an unsafe boat.
Its pretty much always been 11 in tests in the UK. It is late in mid summer. Could definitely start at 10.30 (as they did in 2005, I think). Later in the summer there can be issues with damp but not right now.
Needs to be 10:30 because of the shocking over rates these days. The extra half hour would produce an extra 6 overs which would get the day much closer to the "minimum" 90 overs.
Only if they extended the day. The playing conditions would be start at 10.30, lnch 12.30-1.10. Tea at 3.10 until 3.30 then play until 5.30, with an extra 30 minutes.
You can fix the over rates if the playing conditions are that they keep playing until the overs are bowled. In fairness to modern players we have introduced DRS which typically takes 2-3 minutes (so around half an over for each review). You could easily have 6 or 7 reviews a day, so lose 4 overs.
He's so dull and boring I find it hard to have any strong reaction to him at all.
I find him quite impressive, and have always said so. It is the rest of the tribal Labour Party that I fear; with their petty hate and envy of anyone that is successful and not working in the public sector. If they were all like Starmer I'd be tempted to vote for them. Indeed, if we had a directly elected PM I would very happily put an X next to SKS, partic had been a choice between him and the Clown.
let's not forget it was Keir Starmer's patient and cunning questioning that elicited the lies for which Johnson has at last been punished. And SKS knew it at the time.
Indeed, but where he has been less impressive, particularly when compared to Blair is not properly making the Labour Party fit for government. He will almost certainly run into some major issues when he inevitably becomes PM. There are still a huge number of loons in the Labour Party who really think everything should be nationalised and that wealth creators should be taxed until the pips squeak (or they more likely flee the country). I have loathed this period of politics since Johnson has caused havoc, but I am certainly not looking forward to a different load of economic simpletons taking over.
Starmer needs to sack Collins for being a racist piece of shit.
Isn’t supposed to be a (clumsy) joke, showing how we’ve moved on from the real racist shittery of the Tebbit test?
Possibly, probably, but just polar opposite racist shittery. People of whatever colour or background can support whatever team they identify with most, or even the one whose clothes, or style of play they like best, and its all hunky dory. Limiting people with an Indian heritage to supporting India, even if they grew up somewhere else, is no better than limiting them to supporting England.
As I said it’s clumsy, but I just thought it was lumbering irony, ie it’s obviously very much not a disgrace if someone of Indian heritage chooses not to support India. Shit joke, shit point, shit tweet, a very common combo.
Since Tebbit had popped up like a nasty fart in a railway carriage, shouldn’t all those people wanting to find work and a better life for themselves and their families be lauded for getting on whatever form of transport is available? Perhaps if they crossed the Channel in pedalos it might be more palatable to some folk.
Well quite. Anyone showing the gumption to try to improve their lot is showing the kind of motivation we need.
Surely it's the last Labour Government that is to blame for the incoming recession.
All parties blame the other lot, or external factors when economies go badly. Conversely Gordon Brown really believed he abolished "boom and bust" and rewritten the rules of economic cycles. Starmer may get lucky and ride the wave as it goes up and will no doubt claim it is due to his great economic skills.
I believe that to be his only was back. Johnson is not to be misunderestimated!
He is not coming back in any shape, manner or form
He has called his sycophants off from voting against the committee report on Monday and it seems it may just get knodded through
The fact that only 7 sycophants could be found is a sure sign he is over in a parliamentary sense and his future is in writing in newspapers and public speaking
Who would pay to hear that disorganised twat riffing about Peppa Pig is a complete mystery to me
Talking of Johnson, has anyone read his fridge raiding exploits in the Mail yet?
The article proves Johnson is just as good a writer as he was Prime Minister. Bravo!
Who could have imagined that Johnson had problems with self control?
Since Tebbit had popped up like a nasty fart in a railway carriage, shouldn’t all those people wanting to find work and a better life for themselves and their families be lauded for getting on whatever form of transport is available? Perhaps if they crossed the Channel in pedalos it might be more palatable to some folk.
Well quite. Anyone showing the gumption to try to improve their lot is showing the kind of motivation we need.
Bit like those who founded America.
Or indeed all those Brits who arrived on ships in various parts of the world against the will of local inhabitants.
Very minor, but good decision on bogof to delay but implement when the economy and prices more stable. Little things, like getting these right first time rather than u-turning after sending Shapps out to pledge absolutely no u-turns, are probably going to be one of the main differences between Sunak and Johnson.
The real point of The Tebbit Test was not about cricket. It was which side people will cheer for when buses explode….
Starmer needs to sack Collins for being a racist piece of shit.
Really? It's a pity he feels he has to be so predictable. If there's one thing above all others that makes Sunak so boring and unimaginative it's his predictability. I'd be delighted if he'd go against type just once. Maybe he could even find himself a working class friend. The best advice I was given when I first became a photographer was to zig when everyone else zagged.
I believe that to be his only was back. Johnson is not to be misunderestimated!
He is not coming back in any shape, manner or form
He has called his sycophants off from voting against the committee report on Monday and it seems it may just get knodded through
The fact that only 7 sycophants could be found is a sure sign he is over in a parliamentary sense and his future is in writing in newspapers and public speaking
Who would pay to hear that disorganised twat riffing about Peppa Pig is a complete mystery to me
Talking of Johnson, has anyone read his fridge raiding exploits in the Mail yet?
The article proves Johnson is just as good a writer as he was Prime Minister. Bravo!
Who could have imagined that Johnson had problems with self control?
Seems like the Mail looked at Adrian Chiles’ column in the guardian and thought “that’s what we need, a fat bore writing tedious articles about being fat and boring, get Boris on the phone.”
Collins has posted a follow up which doesn’t exactly clarify why he thinks it’s a disgrace for Sunak to support England.
@PhilipJCollins1 I think we are way beyond the Tebbit test now, thankfully. People of Indian origin (my children included) can support India and are no less English on account of it. Anyone who thinks this impulse is Tebbit-like has misunderstood.
The implication being that Indians who support England are somehow less Indian. He's, in a roundabout way, calling Rishi an Uncle Tom which is racist. Starmer needs to swing the axe.
Collins has made it pretty clear how it works in his household, I think.
Since Tebbit had popped up like a nasty fart in a railway carriage, shouldn’t all those people wanting to find work and a better life for themselves and their families be lauded for getting on whatever form of transport is available? Perhaps if they crossed the Channel in pedalos it might be more palatable to some folk.
Well quite. Anyone showing the gumption to try to improve their lot is showing the kind of motivation we need.
Bit like those who founded America.
Or indeed all those Brits who arrived on ships in various parts of the world against the will of local inhabitants.
But that was in their best interests. Particularly when those English and Scottish regiments brought law and order to the ingrates
Collins has posted a follow up which doesn’t exactly clarify why he thinks it’s a disgrace for Sunak to support England.
@PhilipJCollins1 I think we are way beyond the Tebbit test now, thankfully. People of Indian origin (my children included) can support India and are no less English on account of it. Anyone who thinks this impulse is Tebbit-like has misunderstood.
Starmer needs to sack Collins for being a racist piece of shit.
Really? It's a pity he feels he has to be so predictable. If there's one thing above all others that makes Sunak so boring and unimaginative it's his predictability. I'd be delighted if he'd go against type just once. Maybe he could even find himself a working class friend. The best advice I was given when I first became a photographer was to zig when everyone else zagged.
Starmer needs to sack Collins for being a racist piece of shit.
Really? It's a pity he feels he has to be so predictable. If there's one thing above all others that makes Sunak so boring and unimaginative it's his predictability. I'd be delighted if he'd go against type just once. Maybe he could even find himself a working class friend. The best advice I was given when I first became a photographer was to zig when everyone else zagged.
Yawn. You really need to move on from your class obsession. But even if he did what you suggest (and how do you know he doesn't) your tribal instinct would be to suggest it was tokenism, which of course would be so ironic from someone who supports a party that has never had anyone for leader who is not male and white and normally educated at Oxbridge
Starmer needs to sack Collins for being a racist piece of shit.
Really? It's a pity he feels he has to be so predictable. If there's one thing above all others that makes Sunak so boring and unimaginative it's his predictability. I'd be delighted if he'd go against type just once. Maybe he could even find himself a working class friend. The best advice I was given when I first became a photographer was to zig when everyone else zagged.
Maybe he just really likes cricket?
Well, his remarks were bold, definitely a slip, and he comes across as quite batty to the point of being wicket.
Starmer needs to sack Collins for being a racist piece of shit.
Really? It's a pity he feels he has to be so predictable. If there's one thing above all others that makes Sunak so boring and unimaginative it's his predictability. I'd be delighted if he'd go against type just once. Maybe he could even find himself a working class friend. The best advice I was given when I first became a photographer was to zig when everyone else zagged.
Maybe he just really likes cricket?
Well, his remarks were bold, definitely a slip, and he comes across as quite batty to the point of being wicket.
So we can all pitch in on him with cricket puns.
It will be a field day.
(I don't think I've left many for a third man.)
My puns normally come straight off the bat, which I know makes most PBers bowled over
Starmer needs to sack Collins for being a racist piece of shit.
Really? It's a pity he feels he has to be so predictable. If there's one thing above all others that makes Sunak so boring and unimaginative it's his predictability. I'd be delighted if he'd go against type just once. Maybe he could even find himself a working class friend. The best advice I was given when I first became a photographer was to zig when everyone else zagged.
Maybe he just really likes cricket?
Well, his remarks were bold, definitely a slip, and he comes across as quite batty to the point of being wicket.
Starmer needs to sack Collins for being a racist piece of shit.
Really? It's a pity he feels he has to be so predictable. If there's one thing above all others that makes Sunak so boring and unimaginative it's his predictability. I'd be delighted if he'd go against type just once. Maybe he could even find himself a working class friend. The best advice I was given when I first became a photographer was to zig when everyone else zagged.
Maybe he just really likes cricket?
Well, his remarks were bold, definitely a slip, and he comes across as quite batty to the point of being wicket.
So we can all pitch in on him with cricket puns.
It will be a field day.
(I don't think I've left many for a third man.)
My puns normally come straight off the bat, which I know makes most PBers bowled over
Starmer needs to sack Collins for being a racist piece of shit.
Really? It's a pity he feels he has to be so predictable. If there's one thing above all others that makes Sunak so boring and unimaginative it's his predictability. I'd be delighted if he'd go against type just once. Maybe he could even find himself a working class friend. The best advice I was given when I first became a photographer was to zig when everyone else zagged.
Maybe he just really likes cricket?
Well, his remarks were bold, definitely a slip, and he comes across as quite batty to the point of being wicket.
Starmer needs to sack Collins for being a racist piece of shit.
Really? It's a pity he feels he has to be so predictable. If there's one thing above all others that makes Sunak so boring and unimaginative it's his predictability. I'd be delighted if he'd go against type just once. Maybe he could even find himself a working class friend. The best advice I was given when I first became a photographer was to zig when everyone else zagged.
Maybe he just really likes cricket?
Sunak pretending (badly) to feign enthusiasm for various sports provides some of the few moments of levity in the otherwise bleak hellscape of this dying and incompetent governement.
Starmer needs to sack Collins for being a racist piece of shit.
Really? It's a pity he feels he has to be so predictable. If there's one thing above all others that makes Sunak so boring and unimaginative it's his predictability. I'd be delighted if he'd go against type just once. Maybe he could even find himself a working class friend. The best advice I was given when I first became a photographer was to zig when everyone else zagged.
Maybe he just really likes cricket?
Well, his remarks were bold, definitely a slip, and he comes across as quite batty to the point of being wicket.
So we can all pitch in on him with cricket puns.
It will be a field day.
(I don't think I've left many for a third man.)
My puns normally come straight off the bat, which I know makes most PBers bowled over
Very minor, but good decision on bogof to delay but implement when the economy and prices more stable. Little things, like getting these right first time rather than u-turning after sending Shapps out to pledge absolutely no u-turns, are probably going to be one of the main differences between Sunak and Johnson.
The real point of The Tebbit Test was not about cricket. It was which side people will cheer for when buses explode….
Pretty predictably dumb of him to choose the England cricket team a symbol of national unity in that case.
‘You Jocks not happy to be bored shitless by an endless Boycott innings? Traitors, you might as well join the IRA!’
Starmer needs to sack Collins for being a racist piece of shit.
Really? It's a pity he feels he has to be so predictable. If there's one thing above all others that makes Sunak so boring and unimaginative it's his predictability. I'd be delighted if he'd go against type just once. Maybe he could even find himself a working class friend. The best advice I was given when I first became a photographer was to zig when everyone else zagged.
Maybe he just really likes cricket?
Well, his remarks were bold, definitely a slip, and he comes across as quite batty to the point of being wicket.
So we can all pitch in on him with cricket puns.
It will be a field day.
(I don't think I've left many for a third man.)
My puns normally come straight off the bat, which I know makes most PBers bowled over
Starmer needs to sack Collins for being a racist piece of shit.
Really? It's a pity he feels he has to be so predictable. If there's one thing above all others that makes Sunak so boring and unimaginative it's his predictability. I'd be delighted if he'd go against type just once. Maybe he could even find himself a working class friend. The best advice I was given when I first became a photographer was to zig when everyone else zagged.
Maybe he just really likes cricket?
Sunak pretending (badly) to feign enthusiasm for various sports provides some of the few moments of levity in the otherwise bleak hellscape of this dying and incompetent governement.
I gather his favourite sport these days is hunting - of immigrants.
Very minor, but good decision on bogof to delay but implement when the economy and prices more stable. Little things, like getting these right first time rather than u-turning after sending Shapps out to pledge absolutely no u-turns, are probably going to be one of the main differences between Sunak and Johnson.
The real point of The Tebbit Test was not about cricket. It was which side people will cheer for when buses explode….
Pretty predictably dumb of him to choose the England cricket team a symbol of national unity in that case.
‘You Jocks not happy to be bored shitless by an endless Boycott innings? Traitors, you might as well join the IRA!’
Surely even you lot can get behind some good old fashioned Aussie bashing?
Starmer needs to sack Collins for being a racist piece of shit.
Really? It's a pity he feels he has to be so predictable. If there's one thing above all others that makes Sunak so boring and unimaginative it's his predictability. I'd be delighted if he'd go against type just once. Maybe he could even find himself a working class friend. The best advice I was given when I first became a photographer was to zig when everyone else zagged.
Maybe he just really likes cricket?
Sunak pretending (badly) to feign enthusiasm for various sports provides some of the few moments of levity in the otherwise bleak hellscape of this dying and incompetent governement.
I gather his favourite sport these days is hunting - of immigrants.
Starmer needs to sack Collins for being a racist piece of shit.
Really? It's a pity he feels he has to be so predictable. If there's one thing above all others that makes Sunak so boring and unimaginative it's his predictability. I'd be delighted if he'd go against type just once. Maybe he could even find himself a working class friend. The best advice I was given when I first became a photographer was to zig when everyone else zagged.
Maybe he just really likes cricket?
Well, his remarks were bold, definitely a slip, and he comes across as quite batty to the point of being wicket.
So we can all pitch in on him with cricket puns.
It will be a field day.
(I don't think I've left many for a third man.)
Does that mean this punfest is over?
I think that is only if @ydoethur declares it to be
Our host has a bit of a soft spot for Rishi, as many of the Tory Party's opponents (sorry if that's a mischaracterisation) do. I'm not really surprised - he effectively eliminates the chance of a shock Tory victory, whilst preparing the ground for Starmer, and opposing the pro-Brexit faction within the Party. If I wanted the Tory Party to lose, I'd be a fan of him too.
You’re right to say there’s a sizeable ‘like Rishi, won’t vote Tory’ faction. I’m one and we’re probably over-represented on PB.
But this point of view stems not from some tactical positioning, but rather more that we think he’s generally governing in the interests of the country, as opposed to for himself and his cronies. That should be a minimum standard for any government, but after the last few years it’s not something that can be taken for granted anymore.
A rather puzzling conclusion given the lack of activity on Covid fraud and his insistence on withholding evidence from the Covid enquiry (as opposed to Bojo).
Very minor, but good decision on bogof to delay but implement when the economy and prices more stable. Little things, like getting these right first time rather than u-turning after sending Shapps out to pledge absolutely no u-turns, are probably going to be one of the main differences between Sunak and Johnson.
The real point of The Tebbit Test was not about cricket. It was which side people will cheer for when buses explode….
Pretty predictably dumb of him to choose the England cricket team a symbol of national unity in that case.
‘You Jocks not happy to be bored shitless by an endless Boycott innings? Traitors, you might as well join the IRA!’
I know quite a few Scots who support England for cricket. I guess they are not true Scots in your ideal of racial purity and obsession with the Saltire. Nothing that a good bit of ethnic cleansing wouldn't sort out eh?
Starmer needs to sack Collins for being a racist piece of shit.
Really? It's a pity he feels he has to be so predictable. If there's one thing above all others that makes Sunak so boring and unimaginative it's his predictability. I'd be delighted if he'd go against type just once. Maybe he could even find himself a working class friend. The best advice I was given when I first became a photographer was to zig when everyone else zagged.
Maybe he just really likes cricket?
Sunak pretending (badly) to feign enthusiasm for various sports provides some of the few moments of levity in the otherwise bleak hellscape of this dying and incompetent governement.
I gather his favourite sport these days is hunting - of immigrants.
Devastating satire.
Thanks. But to be fair the Tories do make it ridiculously easy.
At least Rishi knows what football club he supports unlike David Cameron.
The idea that all politicians should "support" a football team is puerile. I do wish politicians would be more like Ken Clarke and just tell the truth, and say "I am not really a follower of football, but it is great that so many people are passionate about it". Why should anyone care whether someone "supports" a load of overpaid prima donnas?
Gloom descended on Rishi Sunak’s Downing Street this week
Tories fear the Boris Johnson saga, rising interest rates and an increasingly likely 2024 recession have further closed their already very narrow path to victory
Starmer needs to sack Collins for being a racist piece of shit.
Really? It's a pity he feels he has to be so predictable. If there's one thing above all others that makes Sunak so boring and unimaginative it's his predictability. I'd be delighted if he'd go against type just once. Maybe he could even find himself a working class friend. The best advice I was given when I first became a photographer was to zig when everyone else zagged.
Maybe he just really likes cricket?
Sunak pretending (badly) to feign enthusiasm for various sports provides some of the few moments of levity in the otherwise bleak hellscape of this dying and incompetent governement.
I gather his favourite sport these days is hunting - of immigrants.
Devastating satire.
Thanks. But to be fair the Tories do make it ridiculously easy.
Very minor, but good decision on bogof to delay but implement when the economy and prices more stable. Little things, like getting these right first time rather than u-turning after sending Shapps out to pledge absolutely no u-turns, are probably going to be one of the main differences between Sunak and Johnson.
The real point of The Tebbit Test was not about cricket. It was which side people will cheer for when buses explode….
Pretty predictably dumb of him to choose the England cricket team a symbol of national unity in that case.
‘You Jocks not happy to be bored shitless by an endless Boycott innings? Traitors, you might as well join the IRA!’
I know quite a few Scots who support England for cricket. I guess they are not true Scots in your ideal of racial purity and obsession with the Saltire. Nothing that a good bit of ethnic cleansing wouldn't sort out eh?
You're completely insane
Could there be bigger racist arsehole than that idiot, someone Scottish must have pulled his pigtails at some time.
Very minor, but good decision on bogof to delay but implement when the economy and prices more stable. Little things, like getting these right first time rather than u-turning after sending Shapps out to pledge absolutely no u-turns, are probably going to be one of the main differences between Sunak and Johnson.
The real point of The Tebbit Test was not about cricket. It was which side people will cheer for when buses explode….
Pretty predictably dumb of him to choose the England cricket team a symbol of national unity in that case.
‘You Jocks not happy to be bored shitless by an endless Boycott innings? Traitors, you might as well join the IRA!’
I know quite a few Scots who support England for cricket. I guess they are not true Scots in your ideal of racial purity and obsession with the Saltire. Nothing that a good bit of ethnic cleansing wouldn't sort out eh?
At least Rishi knows what football club he supports unlike David Cameron.
The idea that all politicians should "support" a football team is puerile. I do wish politicians would be more like Ken Clarke and just tell the truth, and say "I am not really a follower of football, but it is great that so many people are passionate about it". Why should anyone care whether someone "supports" a load of overpaid prima donnas?
Isn’t that what Boris famously said when dealing with the Super League fiasco?
I never understood why it should be a problem that people of Indian or Pakistani heritage should support those countries’ cricket teams against England, or that people of Caribbean heritage should support the West Indies. I mean, what is the problem with that? It’s sport not anything important. The Tebbit test was always entirely unreasonable and illogical - a dogwhistle, nothing more.
Collins has posted a follow up which doesn’t exactly clarify why he thinks it’s a disgrace for Sunak to support England.
@PhilipJCollins1 I think we are way beyond the Tebbit test now, thankfully. People of Indian origin (my children included) can support India and are no less English on account of it. Anyone who thinks this impulse is Tebbit-like has misunderstood.
The implication being that Indians who support England are somehow less Indian. He's, in a roundabout way, calling Rishi an Uncle Tom which is racist. Starmer needs to swing the axe.
It's just sport. A Liverpudlian who supports Manchester United would have to hand in his scouse card.
Very minor, but good decision on bogof to delay but implement when the economy and prices more stable. Little things, like getting these right first time rather than u-turning after sending Shapps out to pledge absolutely no u-turns, are probably going to be one of the main differences between Sunak and Johnson.
The real point of The Tebbit Test was not about cricket. It was which side people will cheer for when buses explode….
Pretty predictably dumb of him to choose the England cricket team a symbol of national unity in that case.
‘You Jocks not happy to be bored shitless by an endless Boycott innings? Traitors, you might as well join the IRA!’
I know quite a few Scots who support England for cricket. I guess they are not true Scots in your ideal of racial purity and obsession with the Saltire. Nothing that a good bit of ethnic cleansing wouldn't sort out eh?
You're completely insane
Could there be bigger racist arsehole than that idiot, someone Scottish must have pulled his pigtails at some time.
Hey Mr Thicky! I wondered when you would start your infantile abuse. Independence is dooooomed. Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahah. Anglophobe racist Scottish nationalists have only ever had two FMs. Both have been the subject of criminal investigations.
I never understood why it should be a problem that people of Indian or Pakistani heritage should support those countries’ cricket teams against England, or that people of Caribbean heritage should support the West Indies. I mean, what is the problem with that? It’s sport not anything important. The Tebbit test was always entirely unreasonable and illogical - a dogwhistle, nothing more.
A dogwhistle directed at some groups of immigrants but not white immigrants.
Very minor, but good decision on bogof to delay but implement when the economy and prices more stable. Little things, like getting these right first time rather than u-turning after sending Shapps out to pledge absolutely no u-turns, are probably going to be one of the main differences between Sunak and Johnson.
The real point of The Tebbit Test was not about cricket. It was which side people will cheer for when buses explode….
Pretty predictably dumb of him to choose the England cricket team a symbol of national unity in that case.
‘You Jocks not happy to be bored shitless by an endless Boycott innings? Traitors, you might as well join the IRA!’
I know quite a few Scots who support England for cricket. I guess they are not true Scots in your ideal of racial purity and obsession with the Saltire. Nothing that a good bit of ethnic cleansing wouldn't sort out eh?
You're completely insane
Could there be bigger racist arsehole than that idiot, someone Scottish must have pulled his pigtails at some time.
Hey Mr Thicky! I wondered when you would start your infantile abuse. Independence is dooooomed. Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahah. Anglophobe racist Scottish nationalists have only ever had two FMs. Both have been the subject of criminal investigations.
I never understood why it should be a problem that people of Indian or Pakistani heritage should support those countries’ cricket teams against England, or that people of Caribbean heritage should support the West Indies. I mean, what is the problem with that? It’s sport not anything important. The Tebbit test was always entirely unreasonable and illogical - a dogwhistle, nothing more.
Its interesting is all. 2nd and third generation Indian/Pakistani heritage Brits can get pulled in two directions. Totally British, but on the sporting front the heroes are all Indian and Pakistani cricketers. I've known a few who are staunch England fans when England play anyone other than India/Pakistan/Bangladesh (delete as appropriate). They will be all guns blazing for England in the Ashes and then all guns blazing the other way next time India/Pakistan/Bangladesh (delete as appropriate) arrive for a series.
I'm not sure its as strong a pull for other blends. I know at least one Kiwi who is actually British, born in the UK but raised in NZ. He thinks of himself as nothing other than a Kiwi.
I never understood why it should be a problem that people of Indian or Pakistani heritage should support those countries’ cricket teams against England, or that people of Caribbean heritage should support the West Indies. I mean, what is the problem with that? It’s sport not anything important. The Tebbit test was always entirely unreasonable and illogical - a dogwhistle, nothing more.
But the 'issue' today seems to be whether it is okay for such people to support England. I'm not sure if Collins' tweet is meant to be taken seriously. It could be a misunderstood joke.
On thread I suspect Mike is right but that could be confirmation bias and the Tory beast is somewhat unpredictable to me.
I never understood why it should be a problem that people of Indian or Pakistani heritage should support those countries’ cricket teams against England, or that people of Caribbean heritage should support the West Indies. I mean, what is the problem with that? It’s sport not anything important. The Tebbit test was always entirely unreasonable and illogical - a dogwhistle, nothing more.
Born and raised in Solihull of Welsh parentage I have always followed the Welsh national rugby side in the five and six nations, and despite my place of birth, in those competitions, it's anyone but England.
Very minor, but good decision on bogof to delay but implement when the economy and prices more stable. Little things, like getting these right first time rather than u-turning after sending Shapps out to pledge absolutely no u-turns, are probably going to be one of the main differences between Sunak and Johnson.
The real point of The Tebbit Test was not about cricket. It was which side people will cheer for when buses explode….
Pretty predictably dumb of him to choose the England cricket team a symbol of national unity in that case.
‘You Jocks not happy to be bored shitless by an endless Boycott innings? Traitors, you might as well join the IRA!’
Interesting you think Rishi was having anything to do with The Tebbit Test.
My point was that about the members of the Spontaneously Self Combusting Community*, some of whom I met at UCL, were the real issue (and others like them).
Starmer needs to sack Collins for being a racist piece of shit.
Isn’t supposed to be a (clumsy) joke, showing how we’ve moved on from the real racist shittery of the Tebbit test?
Possibly, probably, but just polar opposite racist shittery. People of whatever colour or background can support whatever team they identify with most, or even the one whose clothes, or style of play they like best, and its all hunky dory. Limiting people with an Indian heritage to supporting India, even if they grew up somewhere else, is no better than limiting them to supporting England.
As I said it’s clumsy, but I just thought it was lumbering irony, ie it’s obviously very much not a disgrace if someone of Indian heritage chooses not to support India. Shit joke, shit point, shit tweet, a very common combo.
And it seems that we as a nation have collectively turned into Americans and can no longer detect irony.
Very minor, but good decision on bogof to delay but implement when the economy and prices more stable. Little things, like getting these right first time rather than u-turning after sending Shapps out to pledge absolutely no u-turns, are probably going to be one of the main differences between Sunak and Johnson.
The real point of The Tebbit Test was not about cricket. It was which side people will cheer for when buses explode….
Pretty predictably dumb of him to choose the England cricket team a symbol of national unity in that case.
‘You Jocks not happy to be bored shitless by an endless Boycott innings? Traitors, you might as well join the IRA!’
Surely even you lot can get behind some good old fashioned Aussie bashing?
(Even if our cricketers can't.)
I just don’t have the Oz hating gene (or the French one for that matter), eg Troy Bayliss was one of my favourite sportsmen.
Our host has a bit of a soft spot for Rishi, as many of the Tory Party's opponents (sorry if that's a mischaracterisation) do. I'm not really surprised - he effectively eliminates the chance of a shock Tory victory, whilst preparing the ground for Starmer, and opposing the pro-Brexit faction within the Party. If I wanted the Tory Party to lose, I'd be a fan of him too.
Rishi is clearly less popular than Boris was in the redwall but also clearly more popular than Boris was in the bluewall. He is also more popular than Truss was in both.
So the question is which type of voter you want to appeal. The average Tory voter for Rishi next year will be both posher and older than the average Conservative voter for Boris was in 2019
I never understood why it should be a problem that people of Indian or Pakistani heritage should support those countries’ cricket teams against England, or that people of Caribbean heritage should support the West Indies. I mean, what is the problem with that? It’s sport not anything important. The Tebbit test was always entirely unreasonable and illogical - a dogwhistle, nothing more.
I fail the Ecky Thump Test.
Despite living in Yorkshire I still support Durham at cricket.
I never understood why it should be a problem that people of Indian or Pakistani heritage should support those countries’ cricket teams against England, or that people of Caribbean heritage should support the West Indies. I mean, what is the problem with that? It’s sport not anything important. The Tebbit test was always entirely unreasonable and illogical - a dogwhistle, nothing more.
Some people's political ideology demands the individual is subordinated to [God, royalty, one nation, your betters, your elders, ...]. The idea of picking and choosing is, for them, anathema. You have your place and you have responsibilities towards the hierarchy in which you find yourself.
It's the mindset that leads to weird ideas like criticising "citizens of nowhere".
Some years ago, I was at a City dinner.
The conversation was getting boring - Brexit, Brexit…
So I raised the topic of the ex Cameron advisor who’d questioned whether he should prioritise U.K. people over foreigners in terms of aid.
A number of people approved.
An HAC chap pointed out that this choose-your-own loyalty lark sounded great. As it happened he was, that weekend, in charge of a large group of armed soldiers - maybe the largest armed body of soldiers in London….
He and I started trading jokes about Operation Angel (run by a one armed, one eyed colonel in the MoD), but stopped when we saw the seriousness with which we were being taken
Our host has a bit of a soft spot for Rishi, as many of the Tory Party's opponents (sorry if that's a mischaracterisation) do. I'm not really surprised - he effectively eliminates the chance of a shock Tory victory, whilst preparing the ground for Starmer, and opposing the pro-Brexit faction within the Party. If I wanted the Tory Party to lose, I'd be a fan of him too.
Rishi is clearly less popular than Boris was in the redwall but also clearly more popular than Boris was in the bluewall. He is also more popular than Truss was in both.
These days Truss's support is mainly concentrated between padded walls.
Very minor, but good decision on bogof to delay but implement when the economy and prices more stable. Little things, like getting these right first time rather than u-turning after sending Shapps out to pledge absolutely no u-turns, are probably going to be one of the main differences between Sunak and Johnson.
The real point of The Tebbit Test was not about cricket. It was which side people will cheer for when buses explode….
Pretty predictably dumb of him to choose the England cricket team a symbol of national unity in that case.
‘You Jocks not happy to be bored shitless by an endless Boycott innings? Traitors, you might as well join the IRA!’
Interesting you think Rishi was having anything to do with The Tebbit Test.
My point was that about the members of the Spontaneously Self Combusting Community*, some of whom I met at UCL, were the real issue (and others like them).
Not sure what point you're trying to make but the original tweeter and other posters referred to the Tebbit test. Tebbit in his quote included Britons of Afro-Caribbean origin, I wasn't aware of their tendency to cheer when buses exploded.
Interesting to find out that yet again that you once met a bloke.
Starmer needs to sack Collins for being a racist piece of shit.
Isn’t supposed to be a (clumsy) joke, showing how we’ve moved on from the real racist shittery of the Tebbit test?
Possibly, probably, but just polar opposite racist shittery. People of whatever colour or background can support whatever team they identify with most, or even the one whose clothes, or style of play they like best, and its all hunky dory. Limiting people with an Indian heritage to supporting India, even if they grew up somewhere else, is no better than limiting them to supporting England.
As I said it’s clumsy, but I just thought it was lumbering irony, ie it’s obviously very much not a disgrace if someone of Indian heritage chooses not to support India. Shit joke, shit point, shit tweet, a very common combo.
And it seems that we as a nation have collectively turned into Americans and can no longer detect irony.
Very minor, but good decision on bogof to delay but implement when the economy and prices more stable. Little things, like getting these right first time rather than u-turning after sending Shapps out to pledge absolutely no u-turns, are probably going to be one of the main differences between Sunak and Johnson.
The real point of The Tebbit Test was not about cricket. It was which side people will cheer for when buses explode….
Pretty predictably dumb of him to choose the England cricket team a symbol of national unity in that case.
‘You Jocks not happy to be bored shitless by an endless Boycott innings? Traitors, you might as well join the IRA!’
Interesting you think Rishi was having anything to do with The Tebbit Test.
My point was that about the members of the Spontaneously Self Combusting Community*, some of whom I met at UCL, were the real issue (and others like them).
Not sure what point you're trying to make but the original tweeter and other posters referred to the Tebbit test. Tebbit in his quote included Britons of Afro-Caribbean origin, I wasn't aware of their tendency to cheer when buses exploded.
Interesting to find out that yet again that you once met a bloke.
The presence at UCL of the Death To The West types was a big part of what the French came to call Londonistan - the bizarre toleration of ever more extreme people who were being violent in other countries. It was simply a matter of time it became a domestic problem.
Comments
Probably the worst share I've ever bought.
European and US regulators to go.
They are paid to stop this and fucked up.
@PhilipJCollins1
I think we are way beyond the Tebbit test now, thankfully. People of Indian origin (my children included) can support India and are no less English on account of it. Anyone who thinks this impulse is Tebbit-like has misunderstood.
https://twitter.com/philipjcollins1/status/1669986345010200578
Towing can be a very difficult operation and I know our RNLI crews undergo extensive training in this aspect of sea rescue
So the tweet was intended to call Rishi out, and deleted when he realised (or had pointed out to him) that it is based on a racist assumption.
Many a tweet etc.
I care not one jot for your tacit assertion that I am to PB what Johnson represents to the nation. And anyway it's not my fault it's everyone else's!
He has called his sycophants off from voting against the committee report on Monday and it seems it may just get knodded through
The fact that only 7 sycophants could be found is a sure sign he is over in a parliamentary sense and his future is in writing in newspapers and public speaking
https://twitter.com/stevenpoole/status/1669393547701915648?t=C85jlX2HXEbj0AJIaIEwaw&s=19
The article proves Johnson is just as good a writer as he was Prime Minister. Bravo!
You can fix the over rates if the playing conditions are that they keep playing until the overs are bowled. In fairness to modern players we have introduced DRS which typically takes 2-3 minutes (so around half an over for each review). You could easily have 6 or 7 reviews a day, so lose 4 overs.
Bit like those who founded America.
So we can all pitch in on him with cricket puns.
It will be a field day.
(I don't think I've left many for a third man.)
Pharmacist from Lyon and his wife were taking holiday photos when they made the potential sighting of long-reputed ‘monster’
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/06/16/loch-ness-tourist-claims-sighting-huge-dark-shape/ (£££)
Non-paywalled picture:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/news/2023/06/16/TELEMMGLPICT000339522437_16869317626010_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqDM7UuGUQh27uEq2KTx-yczYJWWPqnOxe5PTCYsLG1rU.jpeg
‘You Jocks not happy to be bored shitless by an endless Boycott innings? Traitors, you might as well join the IRA!’
(Even if our cricketers can't.)
I'm not sure its as strong a pull for other blends. I know at least one Kiwi who is actually British, born in the UK but raised in NZ. He thinks of himself as nothing other than a Kiwi.
On thread I suspect Mike is right but that could be confirmation bias and the Tory beast is somewhat unpredictable to me.
My point was that about the members of the Spontaneously Self Combusting Community*, some of whom I met at UCL, were the real issue (and others like them).
So the question is which type of voter you want to appeal. The average Tory voter for Rishi next year will be both posher and older
than the average Conservative voter for Boris was in 2019
Apparently “rate tarts” like @Pulpstar were getting all the discounts and the people who didn’t bother were getting screwed
Despite living in Yorkshire I still support Durham at cricket.
The conversation was getting boring - Brexit, Brexit…
So I raised the topic of the ex Cameron advisor who’d questioned whether he should prioritise U.K. people over foreigners in terms of aid.
A number of people approved.
An HAC chap pointed out that this choose-your-own loyalty lark sounded great. As it happened he was, that weekend, in charge of a large group of armed soldiers - maybe the largest armed body of soldiers in London….
He and I started trading jokes about Operation Angel (run by a one armed, one eyed colonel in the MoD), but stopped when we saw the seriousness with which we were being taken
Interesting to find out that yet again that you once met a bloke.