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.
He’s deleted and explained it was supposed to be ironic but that he sees how that did not come across. It was an awful Tweet.
People can support whoever they want in sport. It doesn’t matter - except in the moment. That said, I will always feel a kinship to Spurs fans. Constant misery and suffering does create a bond!!
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".
One of the most disgraceful speeches ever given by a serving British Prime Minister. It rejected any compromise Brexit and set a course for the Hard Brexit which is now the cause of much of our current economic travails. At the same time it blamed those who opposed Brexit for not supporting what they did not and do not believe in.
So, although we can all agree that Johnson and Truss were even worse leaders, the coming doom of the Tories was set on the day that Theresa May told the Conservative Party that the opinions of others had no bearing on the direction of the state as far as Brexit was concerned and that they could and should be ignored.
Looking at the Wikipedia page on the 'Cricket Test', it's quite funny to see a quote from Tebbit in 2018 that suggests that he doesn't even remember what the test was: "The Tebbit Test is immaterial now," he told The Indian Express. "If I were in charge of cricket, football or athletics in the country, I would be choosing British-Asians, Blacks and people from Ethiopia. I cheer for them. The race isn't an issue like it used to be. The time to talk stuff like ‘whether it’s in the blood’ is gone now. It has gradually washed away. Assimilation has already occurred. The more non-ethnic English get into the English cricket team, the more it will become obvious that the door is open to full integration."
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
So... you met a bloke?
You don’t meet people? You really should. Speak to one new person a day. Especially people who are different from you.
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".
One of the most disgraceful speeches ever given by a serving British Prime Minister. It rejected any compromise Brexit and set a course for the Hard Brexit which is now the cause of much of our current economic travails. At the same time it blamed those who opposed Brexit for not supporting what they did not and do not believe in.
If any speech by a serving British Prime Minister set a course for the Hard Brexit that is peripheral to much of our current economic travails, surely it was David Cameron saying that a vote for Leave meant a vote to leave the single market and there would be no going back and no second referendum.
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.
Get back on your meds pyscho
Projecting again are you Malc? Here is the odd thing about Scottish Nationalism. There definitely are shades. It is a bit like Brexit followers. In fact, very like Brexit followers. You are the equivalent of an extreme Faragist. Based on your posts, and using a little deduction, I'd guess you are fairly short (often accounts for anger), bald and very overweight. You are over retirement age but still having to work, somewhere like Halfords or Tesco - nothing wrong with that but it makes you very bitter.
You are an extremist: a misogynist homophobe with a racist hatred toward the English, probably because you once had a teacher who was English, maybe female, that you didn't like. Now here is a thing Mr. Thicky: I am not racially pure English! maybe that is even more things for you to hate about me?
I genuinely feel sorry for anyone like you that has so much hate and anger. I also feel sorry for the other nationalists on here that don't disassociate themselves from you. You are the very very ugly face of nationalism. The stereotype.
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.
If sport isn't important for someone they wouldn't watch it.
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
So... you met a bloke?
You don’t meet people? You really should. Speak to one new person a day. Especially people who are different from you.
I tried it once. It was horrible.
“If you meet one person and they are an asshole, you met an asshole. If you meet assholes all day long, you’re the asshole”
Looking at the Wikipedia page on the 'Cricket Test', it's quite funny to see a quote from Tebbit in 2018 that suggests that he doesn't even remember what the test was: "The Tebbit Test is immaterial now," he told The Indian Express. "If I were in charge of cricket, football or athletics in the country, I would be choosing British-Asians, Blacks and people from Ethiopia. I cheer for them. The race isn't an issue like it used to be. The time to talk stuff like ‘whether it’s in the blood’ is gone now. It has gradually washed away. Assimilation has already occurred. The more non-ethnic English get into the English cricket team, the more it will become obvious that the door is open to full integration."
It's all very odd. I'm not interested in cricket (though there is a thriving local club). But according to some on here my failure to support England at cricket is evidence of rabid right-wing nationalism. I don't even support Scotland at footie ...
Looking at the Wikipedia page on the 'Cricket Test', it's quite funny to see a quote from Tebbit in 2018 that suggests that he doesn't even remember what the test was: "The Tebbit Test is immaterial now," he told The Indian Express. "If I were in charge of cricket, football or athletics in the country, I would be choosing British-Asians, Blacks and people from Ethiopia. I cheer for them. The race isn't an issue like it used to be. The time to talk stuff like ‘whether it’s in the blood’ is gone now. It has gradually washed away. Assimilation has already occurred. The more non-ethnic English get into the English cricket team, the more it will become obvious that the door is open to full integration."
I'm wondering when Tebbit thinks it was the time to talk stuff like ‘whether it’s in the blood’?
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
So... you met a bloke?
You don’t meet people? You really should. Speak to one new person a day. Especially people who are different from you.
I tried it once. It was horrible.
“If you meet one person and they are an asshole, you met an asshole. If you meet assholes all day long, you’re the asshole”
Oh I'm definitely an arsehole. I don't think anyone doubts that.
You are about 0.75 out of 10 on the @malcolmg scale.
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.
Get back on your meds pyscho
Projecting again are you Malc? Here is the odd thing about Scottish Nationalism. There definitely are shades. It is a bit like Brexit followers. In fact, very like Brexit followers. You are the equivalent of an extreme Faragist. Based on your posts, and using a little deduction, I'd guess you are fairly short (often accounts for anger), bald and very overweight. You are over retirement age but still having to work, somewhere like Halfords or Tesco - nothing wrong with that but it makes you very bitter.
You are an extremist: a misogynist homophobe with a racist hatred toward the English, probably because you once had a teacher who was English, maybe female, that you didn't like. Now here is a thing Mr. Thicky: I am not racially pure English! maybe that is even more things for you to hate about me?
I genuinely feel sorry for anyone like you that has so much hate and anger. I also feel sorry for the other nationalists on here that don't disassociate themselves from you. You are the very very ugly face of nationalism. The stereotype.
No mate, I don't approve of that behaviour. Not that I would call it fascism. Something doesn't have to be fascism for us to think it stupid and nasty.
But you know, the way you and malcolm go at each is actually the same. I think you both think you're cleverer than the other but you aren't. You're both idiots.
OK, let me explain . Malcolm is an objectionable rude cynical little prat of very low intellect that makes zero contribution to this otherwise fun site. He is rude to pretty much everyone, and he makes boring low-intellect comments that essentially add up to his cynical belief that everyone is on the make except his idol Alex Salmond.
On the contrary, I don't think he thinks he is cleverer than me because he knows he is stupid. He has no wit, just abuse. I respond to him when he is rude. Otherwise I ignore him. I do respond to other Nats like @Theuniondivvie when they make remarks that are essentially divisive (referring to his idea of wit which include the words "Scotch" and "Jocks" which are code for his own Anglophobia) When I respond to this nonsense it normally draws in playground abuse from Malcolm.
I personally don't think you are an idiot. In fact I quite like your posts. It is obviously up to you, but maybe you should get off your high horse and stop being an apologist for arseholes like Malcolm perhaps?
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
So... you met a bloke?
You don’t meet people? You really should. Speak to one new person a day. Especially people who are different from you.
I tried it once. It was horrible.
“If you meet one person and they are an asshole, you met an asshole. If you meet assholes all day long, you’re the asshole”
Oh I'm definitely an arsehole. I don't think anyone doubts that.
- "I guess I was wrong about you. You're not such an asshole after all!"
- "Oh, you were right about me. I'm just your kind of asshole!"
Looking at the Wikipedia page on the 'Cricket Test', it's quite funny to see a quote from Tebbit in 2018 that suggests that he doesn't even remember what the test was: "The Tebbit Test is immaterial now," he told The Indian Express. "If I were in charge of cricket, football or athletics in the country, I would be choosing British-Asians, Blacks and people from Ethiopia. I cheer for them. The race isn't an issue like it used to be. The time to talk stuff like ‘whether it’s in the blood’ is gone now. It has gradually washed away. Assimilation has already occurred. The more non-ethnic English get into the English cricket team, the more it will become obvious that the door is open to full integration."
I'm wondering when Tebbit thinks it was the time to talk stuff like ‘whether it’s in the blood’?
The funny thing is that judging from that 2018 quotation, by then Tebbit remembered the Cricket Test as "coloureds shouldn't be picked to play for England".
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
So... you met a bloke?
You don’t meet people? You really should. Speak to one new person a day. Especially people who are different from you.
I tried it once. It was horrible.
“If you meet one person and they are an asshole, you met an asshole. If you meet assholes all day long, you’re the asshole”
Oh I'm definitely an arsehole. I don't think anyone doubts that.
- "I guess I was wrong about you. You're not such an asshole after all!"
- "Oh, you were right about me. I'm just your kind of asshole!"
Forget the cricket, the Leogang DH World Cup Elite finals are about to start. Rachel Atherton looks good, but Holl, Hoffman and Balanche are all on fire. The men's looks like a shootout between Bruni and Iles, but the Brits Greenland, Kerr, Williams and Walker could all pull something out of the bag. As an aside, it's gone PPV this season, I'm paying 6 quid a month to Discovery Plus for it....the quality is crap. Crap presenters (no Rob Warner), they keep missing key points like riders crashing, and we've currently lost the commentary. No one seems to know what's happening, and I'm wondering if I can get my money back and find a torrent!
Looking at the Wikipedia page on the 'Cricket Test', it's quite funny to see a quote from Tebbit in 2018 that suggests that he doesn't even remember what the test was: "The Tebbit Test is immaterial now," he told The Indian Express. "If I were in charge of cricket, football or athletics in the country, I would be choosing British-Asians, Blacks and people from Ethiopia. I cheer for them. The race isn't an issue like it used to be. The time to talk stuff like ‘whether it’s in the blood’ is gone now. It has gradually washed away. Assimilation has already occurred. The more non-ethnic English get into the English cricket team, the more it will become obvious that the door is open to full integration."
I'm wondering when Tebbit thinks it was the time to talk stuff like ‘whether it’s in the blood’?
It's an odd comment, isn't it? Sort of like "I want to distance myself from this but I don't want to say I was wrong either".
I propose a Farooq test. If you go from one opinion to a contradictory one without passing through the "I was wrong" stage, you have to support Scotland's cricket team from then on.
Slacker - what about the *Peruvian* cricket team?
Hmmm. Come to think of it, which would I support in a Scotland vs Peru match?
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.
Safe legal routes would do absolutely nothing to stop the boats.
Unless you plan on letting anyone in who applies by a safe legal route what do you think those rejected are going to do? They are going to try and come by the current illegal routes.
Safe legal routes would only work if we let in all that applied and that would not be feasible. We already have strained infrastructure and services due to too many people in the country and no sign that any party is going to do anything to fix that.
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
So... you met a bloke?
You don’t meet people? You really should. Speak to one new person a day. Especially people who are different from you.
I tried it once. It was horrible.
“If you meet one person and they are an asshole, you met an asshole. If you meet assholes all day long, you’re the asshole”
Rather like the story of the dissenting juror who had never met eleven such obstinate men in his life...
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?
That’s pretty well every central bank in a western economy. There’s no good way to bring down inflation once it’s taken hold.
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.
It’s rather that most haven’t learned that irony operates a little differently online, than it does in conversation or extended writing.
This was Collins being crass rather than readers lacking a sense of humour.
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.
It’s rather that most haven’t learned that irony operates a little differently online, than it does in conversation or extended writing.
This was Collins being crass rather than readers lacking a sense of humour.
Yes, but hardly him being (checks notes) a racist piece of shit.
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.
It’s rather that most haven’t learned that irony operates a little differently online, than it does in conversation or extended writing.
This was Collins being crass rather than readers lacking a sense of humour.
Yes, but hardly him being (checks notes) a racist piece of shit.
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.
It’s rather that most haven’t learned that irony operates a little differently online, than it does in conversation or extended writing.
This was Collins being crass rather than readers lacking a sense of humour.
Yes, but hardly him being (checks notes) a racist piece of shit.
Yes, but what was his point? Who is he aiming the tweet at? At face value its an attack on a British Asian for supporting England (checks notes, the country of this birth). If he's referencing the Tebbit test, what's his point? The Tebbit test is stupid anyway. Peoples backgrounds are often complex. (Not me - I'm Wiltshire as far back as we can tell). If you grow up in a house in Birmingham where Dad, grandad, all the uncles etc idolise Sachin Tendulkar and Indian cricket, its not surprising if you follow suit. And so what, its sport.
In relation to the Tebbit Test, the Guardian newspaper is interesting in that regard. At the time of the 2005 Ashes its online over-by-over commentary was written by British journalists for a British audience and it reflected that partisanship. One of the journalists went on to write a book called, "Is it cowardly to pray for rain?" after the question posed towards the end of the final test of that series (rain would lead to a draw in the final match and a 2-1 series victory for England).
Today, the Guardian has an Australian edition, Australian journalists writing stories for Australian readers, and Australian journalists contributing to the over-by-over commentary. So it no longer reflects a partisan, pro-England stance, and neither is it impassively neutral.
It's a rather strange amalgam of strong partisanship for both sides. A bit like a marble cake, you might say. Mmm, marble cake.
A further thought about Sunak's cricket photo. I've no idea if Sunak has a genuine interest in cricket - as Major and May have - but if he doesn't I'm at least glad that cricket has enough supporters that he felt it worthwhile to suck up to them.
I don't recall any photo opportunities from politicians trying to ingratiate themselves with devotees of some of my other leisure interests, like knitting or miniature wargaming.
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?
That’s pretty well every central bank in a western economy. There’s no good way to bring down inflation once it’s taken hold.
As someone was (rightly, because he didn't spell out the consequences) pilloried for saying
"wages would go up, but that's not necessarily a good thing."
There's not much point in increasing wages if it drives prices higher faster, which was starting to happen before Ukraine even kicked off.
There's not much point in increasing wages if your screwed up housing market sets the cost of housing at "every penny you can afford plus a bit more". The extra pay will just flow to rentiers.
Part of the trouble is that we have a governing class who only know the painful fight to tame the Lawson inflationary bubble as a folk memory.
Sweden pledges $23.5 million aid package, confirms fighter jet training for Ukraine.
On June 16, Sweden's Defense Ministry made public its 12th aid package for Ukraine worth $23.5 million. The package will include training Ukrainian pilots on JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets. https://twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1669728029734477824
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".
One of the most disgraceful speeches ever given by a serving British Prime Minister. It rejected any compromise Brexit and set a course for the Hard Brexit which is now the cause of much of our current economic travails. At the same time it blamed those who opposed Brexit for not supporting what they did not and do not believe in.
So, although we can all agree that Johnson and Truss were even worse leaders, the coming doom of the Tories was set on the day that Theresa May told the Conservative Party that the opinions of others had no bearing on the direction of the state as far as Brexit was concerned and that they could and should be ignored.
I agree. Mrs May’s fortune is that of rather too many recent PMs, in that the scoundrels that have followed have made them look not quite so bad in retrospect.
Remember also the “go home” vans from her time in the Home Office, deliberately launched when her LibDem junior minister was away on holiday.
Some on the right of politics are terribly confused about this identity politics stuff, aren't they:
1. It's great to have a PM of Indian origin, but he should be judged entirely on what he achieves and his origins are irrelevant (insert MLK quote here usually). For the left to question his loyalties (even if it was a poor joke that backfired) is just out and out racism.
2. With any luck, voters of Indian Hindu origin will turn out for Sunak and help the Tories hang on to Uxbridge in a few weeks' time.
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.
It’s rather that most haven’t learned that irony operates a little differently online, than it does in conversation or extended writing.
This was Collins being crass rather than readers lacking a sense of humour.
Yes, but hardly him being (checks notes) a racist piece of shit.
I never said he was; just crass.
No, but the person who originally posted the tweet said he was. If that was the tone being originally set I prefer to note that and kick against it.
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".
One of the most disgraceful speeches ever given by a serving British Prime Minister. It rejected any compromise Brexit and set a course for the Hard Brexit which is now the cause of much of our current economic travails. At the same time it blamed those who opposed Brexit for not supporting what they did not and do not believe in.
So, although we can all agree that Johnson and Truss were even worse leaders, the coming doom of the Tories was set on the day that Theresa May told the Conservative Party that the opinions of others had no bearing on the direction of the state as far as Brexit was concerned and that they could and should be ignored.
I agree. Mrs May’s fortune is that of rather too many recent PMs, in that the scoundrels that have followed have made them look not quite so bad in retrospect.
Remember also the “go home” vans from her time in the Home Office, deliberately launched when her LibDem junior minister was away on holiday.
Also referring to EU Citizens living in the UK as "Queue Jumpers"
Some on the right of politics are terribly confused about this identity politics stuff, aren't they:
1. It's great to have a PM of Indian origin, but he should be judged entirely on what he achieves and his origins are irrelevant (insert MLK quote here usually). For the left to question his loyalties (even if it was a poor joke that backfired) is just out and out racism.
2. With any luck, voters of Indian Hindu origin will turn out for Sunak and help the Tories hang on to Uxbridge in a few weeks' time.
Some on the right of politics are terribly confused about this identity politics stuff, aren't they:
1. It's great to have a PM of Indian origin, but he should be judged entirely on what he achieves and his origins are irrelevant (insert MLK quote here usually). For the left to question his loyalties (even if it was a poor joke that backfired) is just out and out racism.
2. With any luck, voters of Indian Hindu origin will turn out for Sunak and help the Tories hang on to Uxbridge in a few weeks' time.
Of Indian origin? He was born in Southampton...
This is the issue isn't it? Because of race (whether or not race exists as a scientific term) Sunak will always be seen as of Indian heritage in a way that someone born in Southampton to parents from Manchester would not be seen as of Mancunian heritage.
Rishi Sunak is the Mark Ramprakash of politics. Should be a good performer on paper, but struggles to get out of the 20s.
But who also enjoyed an exceptionally long first class career?
Not the only player to be exposed at the highest level. Many, many England players over the years have been tried and not quite been good enough. In recent times Rory Burns would be a good example. Back further Graham Hick.
Its also notable to see who Ramps played - mostly Australia and the WI, when both have excellent attacks.
Some on the right of politics are terribly confused about this identity politics stuff, aren't they:
1. It's great to have a PM of Indian origin, but he should be judged entirely on what he achieves and his origins are irrelevant (insert MLK quote here usually). For the left to question his loyalties (even if it was a poor joke that backfired) is just out and out racism.
2. With any luck, voters of Indian Hindu origin will turn out for Sunak and help the Tories hang on to Uxbridge in a few weeks' time.
Of Indian origin? He was born in Southampton...
I know that. I should have used 'heritage' rather than 'origin', I guess.
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?
That’s pretty well every central bank in a western economy. There’s no good way to bring down inflation once it’s taken hold.
As someone was (rightly, because he didn't spell out the consequences) pilloried for saying
"wages would go up, but that's not necessarily a good thing."
There's not much point in increasing wages if it drives prices higher faster, which was starting to happen before Ukraine even kicked off.
There's not much point in increasing wages if your screwed up housing market sets the cost of housing at "every penny you can afford plus a bit more". The extra pay will just flow to rentiers.
Part of the trouble is that we have a governing class who only know the painful fight to tame the Lawson inflationary bubble as a folk memory.
Can you name a sector that has had a real term wage rise over the last two years?
1. It's not in her nature to reach out to others and bring people together. She simply doesn't have the people skills, and she showed that she prefers to plan in private before revealing those plans in public - hence "Brexit means Brexit."
2. She was a Remainer in the referendum campaign and so would have struggled to convince Leavers to accept a compromise.
Gove may have been the only politician capable of leading a compromise Brexit, or perhaps Cameron, had he campaigned for Leave and led Britain out of the EU.
Rishi Sunak is the Mark Ramprakash of politics. Should be a good performer on paper, but struggles to get out of the 20s.
But who also enjoyed an exceptionally long first class career?
Not the only player to be exposed at the highest level. Many, many England players over the years have been tried and not quite been good enough. In recent times Rory Burns would be a good example. Back further Graham Hick.
Its also notable to see who Ramps played - mostly Australia and the WI, when both have excellent attacks.
Ramprakash and Hick both had their test debuts in the same game, although I think you could argue that Hick's test performance improved more than Ramprakash's.
Rishi Sunak is the Mark Ramprakash of politics. Should be a good performer on paper, but struggles to get out of the 20s.
But who also enjoyed an exceptionally long first class career?
Not the only player to be exposed at the highest level. Many, many England players over the years have been tried and not quite been good enough. In recent times Rory Burns would be a good example. Back further Graham Hick.
Its also notable to see who Ramps played - mostly Australia and the WI, when both have excellent attacks.
Ramprakash and Hick both had their test debuts in the same game, although I think you could argue that Hick's test performance improved more than Ramprakash's.
Arguably Hick was in decline by the time he qualified. he had to wait a full 7 years. Nowadays there would have been a grandfather somewhere...
Rishi Sunak is the Mark Ramprakash of politics. Should be a good performer on paper, but struggles to get out of the 20s.
But who also enjoyed an exceptionally long first class career?
Not the only player to be exposed at the highest level. Many, many England players over the years have been tried and not quite been good enough. In recent times Rory Burns would be a good example. Back further Graham Hick.
Its also notable to see who Ramps played - mostly Australia and the WI, when both have excellent attacks.
Ramprakash and Hick both had their test debuts in the same game, although I think you could argue that Hick's test performance improved more than Ramprakash's.
Arguably Hick was in decline by the time he qualified. he had to wait a full 7 years. Nowadays there would have been a grandfather somewhere...
Some on the right of politics are terribly confused about this identity politics stuff, aren't they:
1. It's great to have a PM of Indian origin, but he should be judged entirely on what he achieves and his origins are irrelevant (insert MLK quote here usually). For the left to question his loyalties (even if it was a poor joke that backfired) is just out and out racism.
2. With any luck, voters of Indian Hindu origin will turn out for Sunak and help the Tories hang on to Uxbridge in a few weeks' time.
Of Indian origin? He was born in Southampton...
This is the issue isn't it? Because of race (whether or not race exists as a scientific term) Sunak will always be seen as of Indian heritage in a way that someone born in Southampton to parents from Manchester would not be seen as of Mancunian heritage.
His parents are from East Africa, and at least one grandparent from what is now Pakistan.
Pretty strong links to India though via his wife and her business interests.
Rishi Sunak is the Mark Ramprakash of politics. Should be a good performer on paper, but struggles to get out of the 20s.
But who also enjoyed an exceptionally long first class career?
Not the only player to be exposed at the highest level. Many, many England players over the years have been tried and not quite been good enough. In recent times Rory Burns would be a good example. Back further Graham Hick.
Its also notable to see who Ramps played - mostly Australia and the WI, when both have excellent attacks.
Ramprakash and Hick both had their test debuts in the same game, although I think you could argue that Hick's test performance improved more than Ramprakash's.
Arguably Hick was in decline by the time he qualified. he had to wait a full 7 years. Nowadays there would have been a grandfather somewhere...
If you divide Hick's Test career into two halves, his first was very disappointing, averaging around 20, while in the second he was averaging around 40. So I'm not sure that holds.
Rishi Sunak is the Mark Ramprakash of politics. Should be a good performer on paper, but struggles to get out of the 20s.
But who also enjoyed an exceptionally long first class career?
Not the only player to be exposed at the highest level. Many, many England players over the years have been tried and not quite been good enough. In recent times Rory Burns would be a good example. Back further Graham Hick.
Its also notable to see who Ramps played - mostly Australia and the WI, when both have excellent attacks.
Ramprakash and Hick both had their test debuts in the same game, although I think you could argue that Hick's test performance improved more than Ramprakash's.
There was a lot of nonsense around Graeme Hick's eligibility status, so whilst he was at the top of his game at New Road he was ineligible for England and for years. I believe there was more to it than that, I don't think Hick fitted into the England set up and Ray Illingwirth didn't rate him or like him.
Rishi Sunak is the Mark Ramprakash of politics. Should be a good performer on paper, but struggles to get out of the 20s.
But who also enjoyed an exceptionally long first class career?
Not the only player to be exposed at the highest level. Many, many England players over the years have been tried and not quite been good enough. In recent times Rory Burns would be a good example. Back further Graham Hick.
Its also notable to see who Ramps played - mostly Australia and the WI, when both have excellent attacks.
Ramprakash and Hick both had their test debuts in the same game, although I think you could argue that Hick's test performance improved more than Ramprakash's.
Arguably Hick was in decline by the time he qualified. he had to wait a full 7 years. Nowadays there would have been a grandfather somewhere...
He was far from in decline when Atherton declared at Trent Bridge in 1995 with Hick on 98. What a b****** trick to play!
1. It's not in her nature to reach out to others and bring people together. She simply doesn't have the people skills, and she showed that she prefers to plan in private before revealing those plans in public - hence "Brexit means Brexit."
2. She was a Remainer in the referendum campaign and so would have struggled to convince Leavers to accept a compromise.
Gove may have been the only politician capable of leading a compromise Brexit, or perhaps Cameron, had he campaigned for Leave and led Britain out of the EU.
Factor in Johnson's ego, though. If not-Boris (they're all the same to him) was Prime Minister, and there was any space at all for Johnson to destabilise them by shouting "NOT A PROPER BREXIT", he would have done so. Heck, he did it to May and the May plan was objectively at the harder end of possible Brexits.
"Govey and I go back a long way, and he was right to see the wisdom of Brexit before even I did. But sadly, he's been captured by the Westminster blob. Come on Mikey, it's time to remember your convictions (continued page 94)..."
Johnson could have done it, because it would have needed utter shamelessness and an assurance that Johnson wouldn't attack you for it. Unfortuately, he was too busy enjoying the big house and outsourced all his thinking to scruffy Mekon. Remember? Had funny views about eye tests.
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?
That’s pretty well every central bank in a western economy. There’s no good way to bring down inflation once it’s taken hold.
As someone was (rightly, because he didn't spell out the consequences) pilloried for saying
"wages would go up, but that's not necessarily a good thing."
There's not much point in increasing wages if it drives prices higher faster, which was starting to happen before Ukraine even kicked off.
There's not much point in increasing wages if your screwed up housing market sets the cost of housing at "every penny you can afford plus a bit more". The extra pay will just flow to rentiers.
Part of the trouble is that we have a governing class who only know the painful fight to tame the Lawson inflationary bubble as a folk memory.
Can you name a sector that has had a real term wage rise over the last two years?
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?
That’s pretty well every central bank in a western economy. There’s no good way to bring down inflation once it’s taken hold.
As someone was (rightly, because he didn't spell out the consequences) pilloried for saying
"wages would go up, but that's not necessarily a good thing."
There's not much point in increasing wages if it drives prices higher faster, which was starting to happen before Ukraine even kicked off.
There's not much point in increasing wages if your screwed up housing market sets the cost of housing at "every penny you can afford plus a bit more". The extra pay will just flow to rentiers.
Part of the trouble is that we have a governing class who only know the painful fight to tame the Lawson inflationary bubble as a folk memory.
Can you name a sector that has had a real term wage rise over the last two years?
Comments
https://twitter.com/spajw/status/1669991121651466241?s=46&t=rw5lNVUgmRPVyKpxfV_pPQ
People can support whoever they want in sport. It doesn’t matter - except in the moment. That said, I will always feel a kinship to Spurs fans. Constant misery and suffering does create a bond!!
Owned by Sport Republic who are Balkan run I think.
So, although we can all agree that Johnson and Truss were even worse leaders, the coming doom of the Tories was set on the day that Theresa May told the Conservative Party that the opinions of others had no bearing on the direction of the state as far as Brexit was concerned and that they could and should be ignored.
"The Tebbit Test is immaterial now," he told The Indian Express. "If I were in charge of cricket, football or athletics in the country, I would be choosing British-Asians, Blacks and people from Ethiopia. I cheer for them. The race isn't an issue like it used to be. The time to talk stuff like ‘whether it’s in the blood’ is gone now. It has gradually washed away. Assimilation has already occurred. The more non-ethnic English get into the English cricket team, the more it will become obvious that the door is open to full integration."
Will he get it?
I don't know, but the batting is impressive regardless.
Shame on anyone who doubted him and wanted Foakes.
You are an extremist: a misogynist homophobe with a racist hatred toward the English, probably because you once had a teacher who was English, maybe female, that you didn't like. Now here is a thing Mr. Thicky: I am not racially pure English! maybe that is even more things for you to hate about me?
I genuinely feel sorry for anyone like you that has so much hate and anger. I also feel sorry for the other nationalists on here that don't disassociate themselves from you. You are the very very ugly face of nationalism. The stereotype.
Like this bunch of Scottish Nat fascists (I bet you and @Theuniondivvie and possibly @Farooq approve of this behaviour): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5Ewu5A-fJA
On the contrary, I don't think he thinks he is cleverer than me because he knows he is stupid. He has no wit, just abuse. I respond to him when he is rude. Otherwise I ignore him. I do respond to other Nats like @Theuniondivvie when they make remarks that are essentially divisive (referring to his idea of wit which include the words "Scotch" and "Jocks" which are code for his own Anglophobia) When I respond to this nonsense it normally draws in playground abuse from Malcolm.
I personally don't think you are an idiot. In fact I quite like your posts. It is obviously up to you, but maybe you should get off your high horse and stop being an apologist for arseholes like Malcolm perhaps?
- "Oh, you were right about me. I'm just your kind of asshole!"
Bit like in “Life” but not as weird.
As an aside, it's gone PPV this season, I'm paying 6 quid a month to Discovery Plus for it....the quality is crap. Crap presenters (no Rob Warner), they keep missing key points like riders crashing, and we've currently lost the commentary. No one seems to know what's happening, and I'm wondering if I can get my money back and find a torrent!
Hmmm. Come to think of it, which would I support in a Scotland vs Peru match?
Unless you plan on letting anyone in who applies by a safe legal route what do you think those rejected are going to do? They are going to try and come by the current illegal routes.
Safe legal routes would only work if we let in all that applied and that would not be feasible. We already have strained infrastructure and services due to too many people in the country and no sign that any party is going to do anything to fix that.
Starmer = Curtley Ambrose.
Sir Keir = Alan Wilder
biking commentary as Chris Kamara is to football commentary. Bring back RedBull!
I’m from multiple minorities.
Non white, privately educated for starters.
My natural modesty also sees me oppressed.
There’s no good way to bring down inflation once it’s taken hold.
This was Collins being crass rather than readers lacking a sense of humour.
Today, the Guardian has an Australian edition, Australian journalists writing stories for Australian readers, and Australian journalists contributing to the over-by-over commentary. So it no longer reflects a partisan, pro-England stance, and neither is it impassively neutral.
It's a rather strange amalgam of strong partisanship for both sides. A bit like a marble cake, you might say. Mmm, marble cake.
https://constitution-unit.com/2023/06/17/do-the-public-really-care-about-lying-to-parliament-yes-they-do/
Interesting set of surveys, which shows the Boris approach is fundamentally at odds with the instincts of the electorate.
I don't recall any photo opportunities from politicians trying to ingratiate themselves with devotees of some of my other leisure interests, like knitting or miniature wargaming.
"wages would go up, but that's not necessarily a good thing."
There's not much point in increasing wages if it drives prices higher faster, which was starting to happen before Ukraine even kicked off.
There's not much point in increasing wages if your screwed up housing market sets the cost of housing at "every penny you can afford plus a bit more". The extra pay will just flow to rentiers.
Part of the trouble is that we have a governing class who only know the painful fight to tame the Lawson inflationary bubble as a folk memory.
On June 16, Sweden's Defense Ministry made public its 12th aid package for Ukraine worth $23.5 million. The package will include training Ukrainian pilots on JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets.
https://twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1669728029734477824
Remember also the “go home” vans from her time in the Home Office, deliberately launched when her LibDem junior minister was away on holiday.
1. It's great to have a PM of Indian origin, but he should be judged entirely on what he achieves and his origins are irrelevant (insert MLK quote here usually). For the left to question his loyalties (even if it was a poor joke that backfired) is just out and out racism.
2. With any luck, voters of Indian Hindu origin will turn out for Sunak and help the Tories hang on to Uxbridge in a few weeks' time.
Its also notable to see who Ramps played - mostly Australia and the WI, when both have excellent attacks.
1. It's not in her nature to reach out to others and bring people together. She simply doesn't have the people skills, and she showed that she prefers to plan in private before revealing those plans in public - hence "Brexit means Brexit."
2. She was a Remainer in the referendum campaign and so would have struggled to convince Leavers to accept a compromise.
Gove may have been the only politician capable of leading a compromise Brexit, or perhaps Cameron, had he campaigned for Leave and led Britain out of the EU.
Pretty strong links to India though via his wife and her business interests.
"Govey and I go back a long way, and he was right to see the wisdom of Brexit before even I did. But sadly, he's been captured by the Westminster blob. Come on Mikey, it's time to remember your convictions (continued page 94)..."
Johnson could have done it, because it would have needed utter shamelessness and an assurance that Johnson wouldn't attack you for it. Unfortuately, he was too busy enjoying the big house and outsourced all his thinking to scruffy Mekon. Remember? Had funny views about eye tests.