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Fifty Shades of Grey Voters. Sunak’s punishing polling – politicalbetting.com

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  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 42,620
    viewcode said:

    Carnyx said:

    Sean_F said:

    Cyclefree said:

    viewcode said:

    Cyclefree said:

    One of my projects is to build a sort of woman-shed on my land: wooden, with a verandah, log burner, green roof, internal mezzanine, space for my books and yet more plants and with one side in glass so that I can bask in sunshine and views. It will be where I go to hide and dream and potter and outside will be a sort of courtyard with paths leading to gorgeously planted beds and a potager etc.

    One day I will, DV, sit on a chair there after lunch, fall asleep, never wake up and my sending off will involve flowers picked from the garden.

    Anyway that's the dream. But finding such a cabin or even someone to build one is surprisingly hard. But recently I got into correspondence with a carpenter who makes such cabins - but dammit - he is in the US and his cabins are gorgeous.

    How infuriating. Still chit-chatting with a carpenter about roofs and verandahs and types of wood is a huge amount of fun.

    What I need is a sort of local Amish community so we could have a Witness-style barn raising. I'd make the lemonade.

    Completely off topic of course but if you learn that I've run away with a hunky carpenter to some remote woods somewhere you'll know why .....

    I may be missing something, but shed, summer houses, and full-on log-cabins are purchasable off-the-shelf Multi-storey ones can be found here: If you want something bespoke, this will do: If you want something more sophisticated, garden offices are available Some thoughts
    • Wood changes colour as it ages and is exposed, so make sure your wood is preserved in some fashion to retain the richness
    • Many of these sheds have felt tiles. Try to get something thicker or more weatherproof
    • If you are intending to stay inside instead of just storing tools, make sure the inside is lined and plasterboarded
    • Planning permission is not necessary if it is within your garden and a certain distance away from the boundaries. I doubt this applies for two storey ones, tho.
    • If you want something more sophisticated still then you are looking at modular buildings, which is a whole different ball game.
    If it's a pitched roof and less than 4 metres high no planning permission is needed.

    I will have a look. I'd quite like to use solar panel roof tiles or a green roof. I just have a vision in my head and none of the ones I've seen quite match the vision. Day-dreaming about what it should be is part of the fun. I stayed in one in the Rockies which is pretty damn close to what I want.
    My wife has a diploma in garden design. If you PM me, I could give you her email.

    The green roof keeps it incredibly cool in hot weather.
    We built an A-frame potting shed, clad in local western red cedar. Nice DIY project (though we did get roofers in to tile the roof:

    image

    image
    Ooh. Dragon or wyvern?
    Dog. For scale.
    Yes, but Jack Russell or Armenian Sheepdog??
  • EPG said:

    DavidL said:

    That almost certainly means that Trump wins. He won the last time with less of the vote and it wasn't as close as that. Americans are truly mad, absolutely bonkers.
    Hopefully not, swingback is a real thing don't forget.

    A year before the 2020 Presidential election Biden was posting 10 point leads against then-incumbent Trump. By the time of the election that had narrowed considerably. https://edition.cnn.com/2019/07/07/politics/biden-trump-approval-rating-washington-post-abc-poll/index.html

    Swingback from only a 1% deficit a year before the election should put Biden back into the lead by election day.
    For swingback to be "real", it would help if either nothing significant happened during 2020 or if Clinton had enjoyed a polling rally by election day in 2016.
    Election Day
    Hillary Clinton 48%
    Donald Trump 46%

    November 2015 poll (Fox News)
    Hillary Clinton 41%
    Donald Trump 46%

    From a 5% deficit to a 2% lead in a year? Looks like swingback to me.

    Other polls are available too giving different results to be fair. Trump in November 2015 was beating Clinton in hypothetical matchups with a few pollsters, but Clinton was winning with others. But there was either definite polling errors, or swingback, from those showing Trump winning the popular vote in 2015.

    One of the things that gave Trump's initial campaigning impetus was polls showing he could beat Clinton in a head to head.
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 34,551
    DavidL said:

    That almost certainly means that Trump wins. He won the last time with less of the vote and it wasn't as close as that. Americans are truly mad, absolutely bonkers.
    That poll means very little. There's an ocean to flow under the bridge before next November.
  • DavidL said:

    That almost certainly means that Trump wins. He won the last time with less of the vote and it wasn't as close as that. Americans are truly mad, absolutely bonkers.
    That poll means very little. There's an ocean to flow under the bridge before next November.
    As there is in the UK but I doubt Starmer will lose
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 53,674

    DavidL said:

    That almost certainly means that Trump wins. He won the last time with less of the vote and it wasn't as close as that. Americans are truly mad, absolutely bonkers.
    That poll means very little. There's an ocean to flow under the bridge before next November.
    It means that a significant percentage of the US population is bonkers, stark raving bonkers. Trump is a crook, facing 5 indictments, who tried to overturn an election he lost. He shouldn't be in the running for dog catcher.
  • DavidL said:

    That almost certainly means that Trump wins. He won the last time with less of the vote and it wasn't as close as that. Americans are truly mad, absolutely bonkers.
    That poll means very little. There's an ocean to flow under the bridge before next November.
    As there is in the UK but I doubt Starmer will lose
    Starmer has an opinion poll lead in the high tens to low 20s.
    Trump has an opinion poll lead of 1% in that poll.

    Apples and oranges.

    If Starmer were 1% in the lead today then Sunak would be feeling pretty happy.
  • DavidL said:

    DavidL said:

    That almost certainly means that Trump wins. He won the last time with less of the vote and it wasn't as close as that. Americans are truly mad, absolutely bonkers.
    That poll means very little. There's an ocean to flow under the bridge before next November.
    It means that a significant percentage of the US population is bonkers, stark raving bonkers. Trump is a crook, facing 5 indictments, who tried to overturn an election he lost. He shouldn't be in the running for dog catcher.
    Can we nominate him for XL Bully catcher?
  • Penddu2Penddu2 Posts: 685
    Excellent result. I said before tournament started that Wales would beat Fiji, Fiji would beat Australia.....but then Australia would beat Wales ...and everything would come down to bonus points.

    Except I am revising my prediction. Wales will go into Oz match with most players having had two weeks rest. Meanwhile Australia have just been battered and need to go again in 6 days. Wales to beat Australia and top the group, with Fiji coming second. @TSE will be loving it...
  • EPGEPG Posts: 6,640

    Pagan2 said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Pagan2 said:

    I do wonder if we shouldnt ask people here commenting on pensions whether they are on a defined contribution scheme or a defined benefits scheme....it makes a huge difference to how well off they will be in retiremend. For example a person doing form filling in a an office earning 24k a year for forty years....dc they may get 2 to 3k pension.....db they are probably on 12k

    Fair question. But the triple lock can't go on forever, pensions would end up costing more than 100% GDP.
    Not saying it can nor do I think it should. I am merely querying how many here realise how crappy the majorities private pension is actually going to be
    Pensions are almost a second order issue, the biggest issue (as always) is housing.

    If you get £12k and pay £1k a month on rent, then that leaves you with nothing. If you get £2k and pay £1k a month on rent, then you have negative money and will clearly be living off benefits.

    If you get £12k and have no rent, then you can actually use that money to live off.

    The problem is that young people today both rent and have DC not DB. So they're doubly f***ed.

    DB and no mortgage is a dream situation, but one out of reach of people who are now paying the costs of those DB pensions but won't get one themselves.
    My generation is worse off than yours...not only did gen x lost out on db pensions...Most of us not being able to go to uni....endure the unemployment of the 80's, the price crash of the 90's we also need to endure the whinging of your generation about "its so unfair"
    The price crash of the 90s was a fantastic thing, not something to "endure".

    By the end of the 90s home ownership rates were at the highest ever levels in recorded history. That's a golden generation, not depressing.

    Things have gone backwards since.
    Yeah sure...tell that to me who had a home they couldnt sell and had to live there despite going through a nasty split with the gf. The flat we paid 48000 for got no offers even at 40k....we couldnt afford to sell
    Do you want another bottle of Château de Chasselas, eh, Josiah? While you insist with three other Yorkshiremen how tough you had it in your day?

    You had a home. That's more than most since you have had even after decades of work.

    The thing that's worse than having a home you can't sell, is never being able to get a home in the first place. 🤦‍♂️
    Do fuck off you dont count the costs of 3 people sharing a flat they cant sell because it would put them in to much debt while two of them are tearing shreds off each other because they dont want to be there....you only count economic costs not mental health costs
    And you ignore the mental health costs of people going decades going from home to home, never able to get on the housing ladder because of ever-escalating price rises, while getting evicted at 2 months notice whenever the landlord wants to get someone else in and put the price up. Never having any stability and never being more than 2 months from homelessness, despite being on time with rent.

    Yes what you describe is bad, its also transient.

    What I describe is worse, and ongoing for decades.

    Just because you temporarily had something bad, doesn't mean others don't permanently have something worse.

    Being on the ladder, no matter how uncomfortable it is, is better than the alternative. And by the end of the 20th century there were a higher share on the ladder than ever before. Then the ladder got pulled up.
    Are renter-psychoses at epidemic levels in Austria or Germany where most people rent?
  • LeonLeon Posts: 54,557
    Penddu2 said:

    Excellent result. I said before tournament started that Wales would beat Fiji, Fiji would beat Australia.....but then Australia would beat Wales ...and everything would come down to bonus points.

    Except I am revising my prediction. Wales will go into Oz match with most players having had two weeks rest. Meanwhile Australia have just been battered and need to go again in 6 days. Wales to beat Australia and top the group, with Fiji coming second. @TSE will be loving it...

    Wales v Oz will be massive game now. Yay

    Fancy Oz to snatch it
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 53,674
    Trump is also now facing 2 different cases in 2 different states challenging his eligibility for standing for President standing his behaviour on Jan 6th. https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/9/13/2192892/-Then-there-were-2-Minnesota-brings-next-major-constitutional-challenge-to-Trump-s-candidacy
  • Stocky said:

    Pagan2 said:

    I do wonder if we shouldnt ask people here commenting on pensions whether they are on a defined contribution scheme or a defined benefits scheme....it makes a huge difference to how well off they will be in retiremend. For example a person doing form filling in a an office earning 24k a year for forty years....dc they may get 2 to 3k pension.....db they are probably on 12k

    Yes. I read that too. Astonishing the ignorance of those with public sector DB schemes.

    There is only one private sector company offering a DB scheme to new employees (Croda).

    We regularly see public sector retirees eligible for pension benefits which would need a £1M plus private sector fund (built up from actual employee/employer contributions) to equate to. The other day we dealt with a client with a £62,000 pa public sector pension, indexed and with a 50% spouse pension. Utterly astonishing.
    The answer to which is to reduce the 40% tax threshold for the over-67s, so the higher-earning pensioners pay more tax.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 122,079
    Yes hard to see either Sunak or Starmer ending the triple lock given the clear polling support for it.

    Indeed given 60% of Conservative voters think it should definitely be maintained at the current level but only 42% of Labour voters do if anything Starmer could risk it more than Sunak
    https://yougov.co.uk/topics/economy/survey-results/daily/2023/09/13/4cb44/1
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 34,551

    Stocky said:

    Pagan2 said:

    I do wonder if we shouldnt ask people here commenting on pensions whether they are on a defined contribution scheme or a defined benefits scheme....it makes a huge difference to how well off they will be in retiremend. For example a person doing form filling in a an office earning 24k a year for forty years....dc they may get 2 to 3k pension.....db they are probably on 12k

    Yes. I read that too. Astonishing the ignorance of those with public sector DB schemes.

    There is only one private sector company offering a DB scheme to new employees (Croda).

    We regularly see public sector retirees eligible for pension benefits which would need a £1M plus private sector fund (built up from actual employee/employer contributions) to equate to. The other day we dealt with a client with a £62,000 pa public sector pension, indexed and with a 50% spouse pension. Utterly astonishing.
    The answer to which is to reduce the 40% tax threshold for the over-67s, so the higher-earning pensioners pay more tax.
    No, that's complicated and will appear to be 'unfair.' Just extend NI to all earnings.
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 17,119
    Penddu2 said:

    Excellent result. I said before tournament started that Wales would beat Fiji, Fiji would beat Australia.....but then Australia would beat Wales ...and everything would come down to bonus points.

    Except I am revising my prediction. Wales will go into Oz match with most players having had two weeks rest. Meanwhile Australia have just been battered and need to go again in 6 days. Wales to beat Australia and top the group, with Fiji coming second. @TSE will be loving it...

    Not this Welsh team. Previous ones maybe.
  • Penddu2Penddu2 Posts: 685
    Leon said:

    Penddu2 said:

    Excellent result. I said before tournament started that Wales would beat Fiji, Fiji would beat Australia.....but then Australia would beat Wales ...and everything would come down to bonus points.

    Except I am revising my prediction. Wales will go into Oz match with most players having had two weeks rest. Meanwhile Australia have just been battered and need to go again in 6 days. Wales to beat Australia and top the group, with Fiji coming second. @TSE will be loving it...

    Wales v Oz will be massive game now. Yay

    Fancy Oz to snatch it
    It will be close.....even if we lose we could not only qualify...but win the group...all down to bonus points...watch them very closely.
  • EPG said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Pagan2 said:

    I do wonder if we shouldnt ask people here commenting on pensions whether they are on a defined contribution scheme or a defined benefits scheme....it makes a huge difference to how well off they will be in retiremend. For example a person doing form filling in a an office earning 24k a year for forty years....dc they may get 2 to 3k pension.....db they are probably on 12k

    Fair question. But the triple lock can't go on forever, pensions would end up costing more than 100% GDP.
    Not saying it can nor do I think it should. I am merely querying how many here realise how crappy the majorities private pension is actually going to be
    Pensions are almost a second order issue, the biggest issue (as always) is housing.

    If you get £12k and pay £1k a month on rent, then that leaves you with nothing. If you get £2k and pay £1k a month on rent, then you have negative money and will clearly be living off benefits.

    If you get £12k and have no rent, then you can actually use that money to live off.

    The problem is that young people today both rent and have DC not DB. So they're doubly f***ed.

    DB and no mortgage is a dream situation, but one out of reach of people who are now paying the costs of those DB pensions but won't get one themselves.
    My generation is worse off than yours...not only did gen x lost out on db pensions...Most of us not being able to go to uni....endure the unemployment of the 80's, the price crash of the 90's we also need to endure the whinging of your generation about "its so unfair"
    The price crash of the 90s was a fantastic thing, not something to "endure".

    By the end of the 90s home ownership rates were at the highest ever levels in recorded history. That's a golden generation, not depressing.

    Things have gone backwards since.
    Yeah sure...tell that to me who had a home they couldnt sell and had to live there despite going through a nasty split with the gf. The flat we paid 48000 for got no offers even at 40k....we couldnt afford to sell
    Do you want another bottle of Château de Chasselas, eh, Josiah? While you insist with three other Yorkshiremen how tough you had it in your day?

    You had a home. That's more than most since you have had even after decades of work.

    The thing that's worse than having a home you can't sell, is never being able to get a home in the first place. 🤦‍♂️
    Do fuck off you dont count the costs of 3 people sharing a flat they cant sell because it would put them in to much debt while two of them are tearing shreds off each other because they dont want to be there....you only count economic costs not mental health costs
    And you ignore the mental health costs of people going decades going from home to home, never able to get on the housing ladder because of ever-escalating price rises, while getting evicted at 2 months notice whenever the landlord wants to get someone else in and put the price up. Never having any stability and never being more than 2 months from homelessness, despite being on time with rent.

    Yes what you describe is bad, its also transient.

    What I describe is worse, and ongoing for decades.

    Just because you temporarily had something bad, doesn't mean others don't permanently have something worse.

    Being on the ladder, no matter how uncomfortable it is, is better than the alternative. And by the end of the 20th century there were a higher share on the ladder than ever before. Then the ladder got pulled up.
    Are renter-psychoses at epidemic levels in Austria or Germany where most people rent?
    Tenants in Germany have much more security than in the UK so not a reasonable comparison.
  • Stocky said:

    Pagan2 said:

    I do wonder if we shouldnt ask people here commenting on pensions whether they are on a defined contribution scheme or a defined benefits scheme....it makes a huge difference to how well off they will be in retiremend. For example a person doing form filling in a an office earning 24k a year for forty years....dc they may get 2 to 3k pension.....db they are probably on 12k

    Yes. I read that too. Astonishing the ignorance of those with public sector DB schemes.

    There is only one private sector company offering a DB scheme to new employees (Croda).

    We regularly see public sector retirees eligible for pension benefits which would need a £1M plus private sector fund (built up from actual employee/employer contributions) to equate to. The other day we dealt with a client with a £62,000 pa public sector pension, indexed and with a 50% spouse pension. Utterly astonishing.
    The answer to which is to reduce the 40% tax threshold for the over-67s, so the higher-earning pensioners pay more tax.
    No, that's complicated and will appear to be 'unfair.' Just extend NI to all earnings.
    Earnings should have had NI all along

    The question some would have is should the state pension be included in the mandate for NI ?
  • LeonLeon Posts: 54,557
    edited September 2023
    Penddu2 said:

    Leon said:

    Penddu2 said:

    Excellent result. I said before tournament started that Wales would beat Fiji, Fiji would beat Australia.....but then Australia would beat Wales ...and everything would come down to bonus points.

    Except I am revising my prediction. Wales will go into Oz match with most players having had two weeks rest. Meanwhile Australia have just been battered and need to go again in 6 days. Wales to beat Australia and top the group, with Fiji coming second. @TSE will be loving it...

    Wales v Oz will be massive game now. Yay

    Fancy Oz to snatch it
    It will be close.....even if we lose we could not only qualify...but win the group...all down to bonus points...watch them very closely.
    Fiji should have won last week and should be leading the group. Now it’s all compellingly tight
  • boulayboulay Posts: 5,407
    I’m hoping my land of the setting sun is better than the land of the rising sun tonight.


  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 29,324

    Pagan2 said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Pagan2 said:

    I do wonder if we shouldnt ask people here commenting on pensions whether they are on a defined contribution scheme or a defined benefits scheme....it makes a huge difference to how well off they will be in retiremend. For example a person doing form filling in a an office earning 24k a year for forty years....dc they may get 2 to 3k pension.....db they are probably on 12k

    Fair question. But the triple lock can't go on forever, pensions would end up costing more than 100% GDP.
    Not saying it can nor do I think it should. I am merely querying how many here realise how crappy the majorities private pension is actually going to be
    Pensions are almost a second order issue, the biggest issue (as always) is housing.

    If you get £12k and pay £1k a month on rent, then that leaves you with nothing. If you get £2k and pay £1k a month on rent, then you have negative money and will clearly be living off benefits.

    If you get £12k and have no rent, then you can actually use that money to live off.

    The problem is that young people today both rent and have DC not DB. So they're doubly f***ed.

    DB and no mortgage is a dream situation, but one out of reach of people who are now paying the costs of those DB pensions but won't get one themselves.
    My generation is worse off than yours...not only did gen x lost out on db pensions...Most of us not being able to go to uni....endure the unemployment of the 80's, the price crash of the 90's we also need to endure the whinging of your generation about "its so unfair"
    The price crash of the 90s was a fantastic thing, not something to "endure".

    By the end of the 90s home ownership rates were at the highest ever levels in recorded history. That's a golden generation, not depressing.

    Things have gone backwards since.
    Yeah sure...tell that to me who had a home they couldnt sell and had to live there despite going through a nasty split with the gf. The flat we paid 48000 for got no offers even at 40k....we couldnt afford to sell
    Do you want another bottle of Château de Chasselas, eh, Josiah? While you insist with three other Yorkshiremen how tough you had it in your day?

    You had a home. That's more than most since you have had even after decades of work.

    The thing that's worse than having a home you can't sell, is never being able to get a home in the first place. 🤦‍♂️
    Do fuck off you dont count the costs of 3 people sharing a flat they cant sell because it would put them in to much debt while two of them are tearing shreds off each other because they dont want to be there....you only count economic costs not mental health costs
    And you ignore the mental health costs of people going decades going from home to home, never able to get on the housing ladder because of ever-escalating price rises, while getting evicted at 2 months notice whenever the landlord wants to get someone else in and put the price up. Never having any stability and never being more than 2 months from homelessness, despite being on time with rent.

    Yes what you describe is bad, its also transient.

    What I describe is worse, and ongoing for decades.

    Just because you temporarily had something bad, doesn't mean others don't permanently have something worse.

    Being on the ladder, no matter how uncomfortable it is, is better than the alternative. And by the end of the 20th century there were a higher share on the ladder than ever before. Then the ladder got pulled up.
    Can we please stop calling it a "ladder"?
    They are places to live not means to an end.
  • Leon said:

    Christ what a kick!

    DavidL said:

    boulay said:

    Leon said:

    I know I’m banging on Jesus F Christ look at the size of this XL Bully. You would have precisely zero chance if it came for you. And the ludicrous owner would have zero chance of restraining it

    This is like walking around the local park with a flamethrower

    “Imagine this dog running towards you”

    https://x.com/ascendedyield/status/1703214876087243195?s=46&t=bulOICNH15U6kB0MwE6Lfw

    The Spectator should hire that Sean T chap to spend a few days looking after an XL Bully to give an insight into how evil/lovable they are. If Sean T survives then no ban, if not then they must all be destroyed. At least if they eat him he won’t be stalking you anymore.
    Because of the somewhat daft construction of a firearm carrying a taser which looks like a torch, as most of them do, carries a mandatory 5 year sentence. It’s not even 1% as dangerous as that dog.
    What kind of selfish moronic c*nt thinks it is acceptable to walk a dog like that around a park, terrorising everyone, and potentially endangering kids - and all other dogs?

    This is one thing that mystifies me about dog lovers battling for the bully. The most likely victim of these hell hounds is another dog
    You could take it up with my MP, if you want...



    https://twitter.com/AndrewRosindell/status/1703423466278355189

    Talking of whom,

    EXCL: Andrew Rosindell remains under investigation for sexual offences — including indecent assault and abuse of a position of trust.

    Now the Conservative MP has had his bail extended until *February 2024*.

    He’s still never informed his constituents.

    https://twitter.com/Gabriel_Pogrund/status/1703302706859831401

    Whatever his guilt or innocence, this is getting beyond a joke.

  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 34,551

    Stocky said:

    Pagan2 said:

    I do wonder if we shouldnt ask people here commenting on pensions whether they are on a defined contribution scheme or a defined benefits scheme....it makes a huge difference to how well off they will be in retiremend. For example a person doing form filling in a an office earning 24k a year for forty years....dc they may get 2 to 3k pension.....db they are probably on 12k

    Yes. I read that too. Astonishing the ignorance of those with public sector DB schemes.

    There is only one private sector company offering a DB scheme to new employees (Croda).

    We regularly see public sector retirees eligible for pension benefits which would need a £1M plus private sector fund (built up from actual employee/employer contributions) to equate to. The other day we dealt with a client with a £62,000 pa public sector pension, indexed and with a 50% spouse pension. Utterly astonishing.
    The answer to which is to reduce the 40% tax threshold for the over-67s, so the higher-earning pensioners pay more tax.
    No, that's complicated and will appear to be 'unfair.' Just extend NI to all earnings.
    Earnings should have had NI all along

    The question some would have is should the state pension be included in the mandate for NI ?
    Sorry, my error, typed in haste - I meant just extend NI to all income
  • RattersRatters Posts: 1,046
    The World Cup could reasonably drop to 16 teams without issue, but it would have the downside of making it harder for it to grow its geographic reach. Those that I can recall ever having a half decent side:

    England
    Wales
    Scotland
    Ireland
    France
    Italy

    Australia
    New Zealand
    South Africa
    Argentina
    Fiji
    Samoa
    Japan

    That still leaves 3 spots got the likes of Tonga, Georgia or whoever has a decent team that year.

    The additional 4 teams to bring us to 20 add little to the tournament.
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 34,551
    Penddu2 said:

    Excellent result. I said before tournament started that Wales would beat Fiji, Fiji would beat Australia.....but then Australia would beat Wales ...and everything would come down to bonus points.

    Except I am revising my prediction. Wales will go into Oz match with most players having had two weeks rest. Meanwhile Australia have just been battered and need to go again in 6 days. Wales to beat Australia and top the group, with Fiji coming second. @TSE will be loving it...

    Tbf, TSE would really like Fiji to come first and second, with both Wales and Australia going out.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 54,557
    Borthwick is so utterly uninspiring
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 34,551

    DavidL said:

    That almost certainly means that Trump wins. He won the last time with less of the vote and it wasn't as close as that. Americans are truly mad, absolutely bonkers.
    That poll means very little. There's an ocean to flow under the bridge before next November.
    As there is in the UK but I doubt Starmer will lose
    True, but if Con and Lab were roughly neck and neck we'd all be a lot less sure of that.
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 34,551
    edited September 2023
    DavidL said:

    DavidL said:

    That almost certainly means that Trump wins. He won the last time with less of the vote and it wasn't as close as that. Americans are truly mad, absolutely bonkers.
    That poll means very little. There's an ocean to flow under the bridge before next November.
    It means that a significant percentage of the US population is bonkers, stark raving bonkers. Trump is a crook, facing 5 indictments, who tried to overturn an election he lost. He shouldn't be in the running for dog catcher.
    I'd vote for Trump for dog catcher - I'd like to see him have a go at catching a few XL Bullies.

    "Everybody says I'm the best dog catcher the world has ever see... Aaargh! gurgle, gurgle... [silence]"
  • DavidL said:

    That almost certainly means that Trump wins. He won the last time with less of the vote and it wasn't as close as that. Americans are truly mad, absolutely bonkers.
    The Electoral College is their version of FPTP.
    "Trump won four states by 1.2% or less: Florida (29 EVs), Pennsylvania (20 EVs), Wisconsin (10 EVs) and Michigan (16 EVs). Had these states been won by Clinton, she would have won the Electoral College by a 307-231 margin."
    https://theconversation.com/us-2016-election-final-results-how-trump-won-69356
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 122,079
    DavidL said:

    That almost certainly means that Trump wins. He won the last time with less of the vote and it wasn't as close as that. Americans are truly mad, absolutely bonkers.
    Though of course if he is convicted next year Independents in polls say they would no longer vote for Trump.

    The irony is if Trump had just calmly accepted defeat in 2020 and attended Biden's inaugration without malice he would now be odds on to be President again. It may be the events of January 6 2020 that costs him a return to the White House
  • Penddu2Penddu2 Posts: 685
    Ratters said:

    The World Cup could reasonably drop to 16 teams without issue, but it would have the downside of making it harder for it to grow its geographic reach. Those that I can recall ever having a half decent side:

    England
    Wales
    Scotland
    Ireland
    France
    Italy

    Australia
    New Zealand
    South Africa
    Argentina
    Fiji
    Samoa
    Japan

    That still leaves 3 spots got the likes of Tonga, Georgia or whoever has a decent team that year.

    The additional 4 teams to bring us to 20 add little to the tournament.

    Reduce first round to 16 teams - playing 3 games each. 12 teams to qualify automatically (making qualifying matches more interesting) But have a preliminary round where 8 teams are reduced to 4 - that will still give smaller teams chance to play in RWC but eliminate the huge mismatches
  • bondegezoubondegezou Posts: 10,673

    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    One of the many areas of national life which needs sorting out is the pension system.

    I wonder if any politician will brave enough to suggest nationalising all private pensions and using the gained assets to have a much bigger state pension?

    I'm not totally sure what your proposal is there. If it's to bring all the assets currently held in private pension pots into the Treasury, and to use it to boost the universal pension, then that isn't nationalisation but confiscation, and it would clearly be illegal. But maybe I've misunderstood your idea.
    No, that was the idea.

    And I'm mildly amused you think it would be illegal. Leaving aside the state of most private pensions which will probably ultimately have to be lifeboated anyway, the concept of Parliamentary sovereignty means they can actually pass a law to make anything legal.

    The nationalisation of the railways in 1948 was, for example, done without even remotely adequate compensation (contrary to the lies of Dalton and Wolmar) but it was definitely legal.

    I think you mean it would be against the right to property which is different. But if you still got a pension, even a much lower one, I think you'd be hard pressed to make that argument stick.

    I'm not saying it would be a good idea, incidentally. But I'm sure it will be proposed at some point. And to be fair, it may as I note above happen to many pensions by default anyway.
    It would certainly be illegal under Article 1 of Protocol 1 of the European Convention on Human Rights. That has been very widely used to secure adequate compensation for compulsory acquisition of assets. I don't pretend to know much about the debate over rail nationalisation, but of course it predates the ECHR anyway.

    The point of nationalisation is that you believe that whatever it is would be better run from within the public sector. You don't get "free" assets from it as property rights are a protected human right.
    Haven't the Tories taken us out of that?
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 21,684
    Some of you here may recall my ongoing rant about how we are creating growth by importing 500K-1M foreign nationals per year and getting foreign wealth funds to build the shoeboxes necessary to quarter them, with the result that the younger generations have to work harder and harder to live in smaller and smaller places whilst paying rent to foreign nationals to live in them.

    Here's a tweet from @Leon's fave tweetist, @AscendedYield

    "More than £4bn is being invested in the regeneration of Elephant and Castle. Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company is a key investor." The Qataris of course have got form in importing slave labour with gastarbeiter camps At least with Soviet cities there were green spaces, dedicated transport and a bloody statue of Lenin. The UK developments are just box on box on box on box on box. A future holding pen for drug addicts and murder dogs whilst our lords and masters swan around on stupidities with no consequence.

  • DavidL said:

    That almost certainly means that Trump wins. He won the last time with less of the vote and it wasn't as close as that. Americans are truly mad, absolutely bonkers.
    That poll means very little. There's an ocean to flow under the bridge before next November.
    It's a Heathener poll.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 56,706
    Penddu2 said:

    Excellent result. I said before tournament started that Wales would beat Fiji, Fiji would beat Australia.....but then Australia would beat Wales ...and everything would come down to bonus points.

    Except I am revising my prediction. Wales will go into Oz match with most players having had two weeks rest. Meanwhile Australia have just been battered and need to go again in 6 days. Wales to beat Australia and top the group, with Fiji coming second. @TSE will be loving it...

    I think you said something about England's chances too. Can you remind me what it was?
  • I wonder if Drakeford is about to learn that you can only govern WITH consent.
  • Stocky said:

    Pagan2 said:

    I do wonder if we shouldnt ask people here commenting on pensions whether they are on a defined contribution scheme or a defined benefits scheme....it makes a huge difference to how well off they will be in retiremend. For example a person doing form filling in a an office earning 24k a year for forty years....dc they may get 2 to 3k pension.....db they are probably on 12k

    Yes. I read that too. Astonishing the ignorance of those with public sector DB schemes.

    There is only one private sector company offering a DB scheme to new employees (Croda).

    We regularly see public sector retirees eligible for pension benefits which would need a £1M plus private sector fund (built up from actual employee/employer contributions) to equate to. The other day we dealt with a client with a £62,000 pa public sector pension, indexed and with a 50% spouse pension. Utterly astonishing.
    The answer to which is to reduce the 40% tax threshold for the over-67s, so the higher-earning pensioners pay more tax.
    No, that's complicated and will appear to be 'unfair.' Just extend NI to all earnings.
    Earnings should have had NI all along

    The question some would have is should the state pension be included in the mandate for NI ?
    Sorry, my error, typed in haste - I meant just extend NI to all income
    I paid Ni for 49 yrs.... I have to pay tax till I die. It would be very courageous if any Govt put Ni on State or Private pensions. A sort of Sir Humphrey type of courageous....
  • DavidL said:

    That almost certainly means that Trump wins. He won the last time with less of the vote and it wasn't as close as that. Americans are truly mad, absolutely bonkers.
    The Electoral College is their version of FPTP.
    "Trump won four states by 1.2% or less: Florida (29 EVs), Pennsylvania (20 EVs), Wisconsin (10 EVs) and Michigan (16 EVs). Had these states been won by Clinton, she would have won the Electoral College by a 307-231 margin."
    https://theconversation.com/us-2016-election-final-results-how-trump-won-69356
    More electors per capita for small, Republican-leaning states than the bigger Democratic-leaning states.
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 34,551

    Stocky said:

    Pagan2 said:

    I do wonder if we shouldnt ask people here commenting on pensions whether they are on a defined contribution scheme or a defined benefits scheme....it makes a huge difference to how well off they will be in retiremend. For example a person doing form filling in a an office earning 24k a year for forty years....dc they may get 2 to 3k pension.....db they are probably on 12k

    Yes. I read that too. Astonishing the ignorance of those with public sector DB schemes.

    There is only one private sector company offering a DB scheme to new employees (Croda).

    We regularly see public sector retirees eligible for pension benefits which would need a £1M plus private sector fund (built up from actual employee/employer contributions) to equate to. The other day we dealt with a client with a £62,000 pa public sector pension, indexed and with a 50% spouse pension. Utterly astonishing.
    The answer to which is to reduce the 40% tax threshold for the over-67s, so the higher-earning pensioners pay more tax.
    No, that's complicated and will appear to be 'unfair.' Just extend NI to all earnings.
    Earnings should have had NI all along

    The question some would have is should the state pension be included in the mandate for NI ?
    Sorry, my error, typed in haste - I meant just extend NI to all income
    I paid Ni for 49 yrs.... I have to pay tax till I die. It would be very courageous if any Govt put Ni on State or Private pensions. A sort of Sir Humphrey type of courageous....
    Indeed. So were I Chancellor I would reduce employee's NI by 2% and increase ICT by 1.5%*... and do that every year until employee's NI is 0%.

    (*Since a 1% increase in ICT will raise more than a 1% decrease in NI loses (because more people pay ICT than NI), as Chancellor I can afford to provide a net NI/ICT reduction for working taxpayers.)
  • Stocky said:

    Pagan2 said:

    I do wonder if we shouldnt ask people here commenting on pensions whether they are on a defined contribution scheme or a defined benefits scheme....it makes a huge difference to how well off they will be in retiremend. For example a person doing form filling in a an office earning 24k a year for forty years....dc they may get 2 to 3k pension.....db they are probably on 12k

    Yes. I read that too. Astonishing the ignorance of those with public sector DB schemes.

    There is only one private sector company offering a DB scheme to new employees (Croda).

    We regularly see public sector retirees eligible for pension benefits which would need a £1M plus private sector fund (built up from actual employee/employer contributions) to equate to. The other day we dealt with a client with a £62,000 pa public sector pension, indexed and with a 50% spouse pension. Utterly astonishing.
    The answer to which is to reduce the 40% tax threshold for the over-67s, so the higher-earning pensioners pay more tax.
    No, that's complicated and will appear to be 'unfair.' Just extend NI to all earnings.
    Earnings should have had NI all along

    The question some would have is should the state pension be included in the mandate for NI ?
    Yes, the stumbling block in extending NI past pension age is that currently NI is used as the qualifying criterion for the state pension. This could easily be changed but what would replace it? Simply age?
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 34,551
    edited September 2023

    Stocky said:

    Pagan2 said:

    I do wonder if we shouldnt ask people here commenting on pensions whether they are on a defined contribution scheme or a defined benefits scheme....it makes a huge difference to how well off they will be in retiremend. For example a person doing form filling in a an office earning 24k a year for forty years....dc they may get 2 to 3k pension.....db they are probably on 12k

    Yes. I read that too. Astonishing the ignorance of those with public sector DB schemes.

    There is only one private sector company offering a DB scheme to new employees (Croda).

    We regularly see public sector retirees eligible for pension benefits which would need a £1M plus private sector fund (built up from actual employee/employer contributions) to equate to. The other day we dealt with a client with a £62,000 pa public sector pension, indexed and with a 50% spouse pension. Utterly astonishing.
    The answer to which is to reduce the 40% tax threshold for the over-67s, so the higher-earning pensioners pay more tax.
    No, that's complicated and will appear to be 'unfair.' Just extend NI to all earnings.
    Earnings should have had NI all along

    The question some would have is should the state pension be included in the mandate for NI ?
    Yes, the stumbling block in extending NI past pension age is that currently NI is used as the qualifying criterion for the state pension. This could easily be changed but what would replace it? Simply age?
    Years of paying Income Tax surely? It's hardly an insurmountable barrier.
  • I wonder if Drakeford is about to learn that you can only govern WITH consent.

    Give us a clue.
  • Penddu2 said:

    Excellent result. I said before tournament started that Wales would beat Fiji, Fiji would beat Australia.....but then Australia would beat Wales ...and everything would come down to bonus points.

    Except I am revising my prediction. Wales will go into Oz match with most players having had two weeks rest. Meanwhile Australia have just been battered and need to go again in 6 days. Wales to beat Australia and top the group, with Fiji coming second. @TSE will be loving it...

    Not this Welsh team. Previous ones maybe.
    Are they limited to 20 mph?
  • FishingFishing Posts: 4,932
    edited September 2023
    HYUFD said:

    DavidL said:

    That almost certainly means that Trump wins. He won the last time with less of the vote and it wasn't as close as that. Americans are truly mad, absolutely bonkers.
    Though of course if he is convicted next year Independents in polls say they would no longer vote for Trump.

    The irony is if Trump had just calmly accepted defeat in 2020 and attended Biden's inaugration without malice he would now be odds on to be President again. It may be the events of January 6 2020 that costs him a return to the White House
    If Putin had just been content with lopping off a few more chunks of eastern and southern Ukraine last year he'd probably already have dictated terms to Zelenski in Kyiv. But even the luckiest dictator can push their luck too far: narcisstic psychopaths never know when to stop.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 122,079

    Leon said:

    Christ what a kick!

    DavidL said:

    boulay said:

    Leon said:

    I know I’m banging on Jesus F Christ look at the size of this XL Bully. You would have precisely zero chance if it came for you. And the ludicrous owner would have zero chance of restraining it

    This is like walking around the local park with a flamethrower

    “Imagine this dog running towards you”

    https://x.com/ascendedyield/status/1703214876087243195?s=46&t=bulOICNH15U6kB0MwE6Lfw

    The Spectator should hire that Sean T chap to spend a few days looking after an XL Bully to give an insight into how evil/lovable they are. If Sean T survives then no ban, if not then they must all be destroyed. At least if they eat him he won’t be stalking you anymore.
    Because of the somewhat daft construction of a firearm carrying a taser which looks like a torch, as most of them do, carries a mandatory 5 year sentence. It’s not even 1% as dangerous as that dog.
    What kind of selfish moronic c*nt thinks it is acceptable to walk a dog like that around a park, terrorising everyone, and potentially endangering kids - and all other dogs?

    This is one thing that mystifies me about dog lovers battling for the bully. The most likely victim of these hell hounds is another dog
    You could take it up with my MP, if you want...



    https://twitter.com/AndrewRosindell/status/1703423466278355189

    Talking of whom,

    EXCL: Andrew Rosindell remains under investigation for sexual offences — including indecent assault and abuse of a position of trust.

    Now the Conservative MP has had his bail extended until *February 2024*.

    He’s still never informed his constituents.

    https://twitter.com/Gabriel_Pogrund/status/1703302706859831401

    Whatever his guilt or innocence, this is getting beyond a joke.

    Regardless, unless he is charged why does the media need to make this public?
  • CatManCatMan Posts: 3,048
    So how long until England get a red card?
  • Penddu2Penddu2 Posts: 685
    rcs1000 said:

    Penddu2 said:

    Excellent result. I said before tournament started that Wales would beat Fiji, Fiji would beat Australia.....but then Australia would beat Wales ...and everything would come down to bonus points.

    Except I am revising my prediction. Wales will go into Oz match with most players having had two weeks rest. Meanwhile Australia have just been battered and need to go again in 6 days. Wales to beat Australia and top the group, with Fiji coming second. @TSE will be loving it...

    I think you said something about England's chances too. Can you remind me what it was?
    I said that they would be beaten by Argentina. They werent - Argentina let me down. But I have high hopes for Samoa.

    And to quote the great Max Boyce.....
    'Aso Aso Yogoshi......
    me Welsh speaking Japanese'
  • viewcode said:

    Some of you here may recall my ongoing rant about how we are creating growth by importing 500K-1M foreign nationals per year and getting foreign wealth funds to build the shoeboxes necessary to quarter them, with the result that the younger generations have to work harder and harder to live in smaller and smaller places whilst paying rent to foreign nationals to live in them.

    Here's a tweet from @Leon's fave tweetist, @AscendedYield

    "More than £4bn is being invested in the regeneration of Elephant and Castle. Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company is a key investor."

    The Qataris of course have got form in importing slave labour with gastarbeiter camps At least with Soviet cities there were green spaces, dedicated transport and a bloody statue of Lenin. The UK developments are just box on box on box on box on box. A future holding pen for drug addicts and murder dogs whilst our lords and masters swan around on stupidities with no consequence.

    I always wonder why the young are so pro-migrant. They never seem to put two and two together
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,104

    Leon said:

    Christ what a kick!

    DavidL said:

    boulay said:

    Leon said:

    I know I’m banging on Jesus F Christ look at the size of this XL Bully. You would have precisely zero chance if it came for you. And the ludicrous owner would have zero chance of restraining it

    This is like walking around the local park with a flamethrower

    “Imagine this dog running towards you”

    https://x.com/ascendedyield/status/1703214876087243195?s=46&t=bulOICNH15U6kB0MwE6Lfw

    The Spectator should hire that Sean T chap to spend a few days looking after an XL Bully to give an insight into how evil/lovable they are. If Sean T survives then no ban, if not then they must all be destroyed. At least if they eat him he won’t be stalking you anymore.
    Because of the somewhat daft construction of a firearm carrying a taser which looks like a torch, as most of them do, carries a mandatory 5 year sentence. It’s not even 1% as dangerous as that dog.
    What kind of selfish moronic c*nt thinks it is acceptable to walk a dog like that around a park, terrorising everyone, and potentially endangering kids - and all other dogs?

    This is one thing that mystifies me about dog lovers battling for the bully. The most likely victim of these hell hounds is another dog
    You could take it up with my MP, if you want...



    https://twitter.com/AndrewRosindell/status/1703423466278355189

    Talking of whom,

    EXCL: Andrew Rosindell remains under investigation for sexual offences — including indecent assault and abuse of a position of trust.

    Now the Conservative MP has had his bail extended until *February 2024*.

    He’s still never informed his constituents.

    https://twitter.com/Gabriel_Pogrund/status/1703302706859831401

    Whatever his guilt or innocence, this is getting beyond a joke.

    He's let himself go somewhat, hasn't he? Positively hangdog in that photo.

    Incidentally (regardless of the charge) I thought the police couldn't dick about with bail like that any more? Has he been before a magistrate?
  • HYUFD said:

    Leon said:

    Christ what a kick!

    DavidL said:

    boulay said:

    Leon said:

    I know I’m banging on Jesus F Christ look at the size of this XL Bully. You would have precisely zero chance if it came for you. And the ludicrous owner would have zero chance of restraining it

    This is like walking around the local park with a flamethrower

    “Imagine this dog running towards you”

    https://x.com/ascendedyield/status/1703214876087243195?s=46&t=bulOICNH15U6kB0MwE6Lfw

    The Spectator should hire that Sean T chap to spend a few days looking after an XL Bully to give an insight into how evil/lovable they are. If Sean T survives then no ban, if not then they must all be destroyed. At least if they eat him he won’t be stalking you anymore.
    Because of the somewhat daft construction of a firearm carrying a taser which looks like a torch, as most of them do, carries a mandatory 5 year sentence. It’s not even 1% as dangerous as that dog.
    What kind of selfish moronic c*nt thinks it is acceptable to walk a dog like that around a park, terrorising everyone, and potentially endangering kids - and all other dogs?

    This is one thing that mystifies me about dog lovers battling for the bully. The most likely victim of these hell hounds is another dog
    You could take it up with my MP, if you want...



    https://twitter.com/AndrewRosindell/status/1703423466278355189

    Talking of whom,

    EXCL: Andrew Rosindell remains under investigation for sexual offences — including indecent assault and abuse of a position of trust.

    Now the Conservative MP has had his bail extended until *February 2024*.

    He’s still never informed his constituents.

    https://twitter.com/Gabriel_Pogrund/status/1703302706859831401

    Whatever his guilt or innocence, this is getting beyond a joke.

    Regardless, unless he is charged why does the media need to make this public?
    The issue is that, whilst he is in legal limbo, he has agreed not to go to Westminster. That was a pretty sensible workround for a few months. But this has been going on for over a year now. And whilst Rosindell has been diligent in doing other stuff (written questions and so on), there is a fundamental problem with a constituency having a Member of Parliament who never goes to Parliament.
  • I wonder if Drakeford is about to learn that you can only govern WITH consent.

    I am receiving social media comments from my daughter and if they are anything to go by there is a lot of anger in Wales tonight

    Comments include the first country hearse drivers have to go on speed awareness courses, Wrexham football ground is full for Wales first speed awareness course, letters to Starmer resigning from Labour, and lots of signs being defaced

    It is early days yet but the reaction today is very negative
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 122,079

    HYUFD said:

    Leon said:

    Christ what a kick!

    DavidL said:

    boulay said:

    Leon said:

    I know I’m banging on Jesus F Christ look at the size of this XL Bully. You would have precisely zero chance if it came for you. And the ludicrous owner would have zero chance of restraining it

    This is like walking around the local park with a flamethrower

    “Imagine this dog running towards you”

    https://x.com/ascendedyield/status/1703214876087243195?s=46&t=bulOICNH15U6kB0MwE6Lfw

    The Spectator should hire that Sean T chap to spend a few days looking after an XL Bully to give an insight into how evil/lovable they are. If Sean T survives then no ban, if not then they must all be destroyed. At least if they eat him he won’t be stalking you anymore.
    Because of the somewhat daft construction of a firearm carrying a taser which looks like a torch, as most of them do, carries a mandatory 5 year sentence. It’s not even 1% as dangerous as that dog.
    What kind of selfish moronic c*nt thinks it is acceptable to walk a dog like that around a park, terrorising everyone, and potentially endangering kids - and all other dogs?

    This is one thing that mystifies me about dog lovers battling for the bully. The most likely victim of these hell hounds is another dog
    You could take it up with my MP, if you want...



    https://twitter.com/AndrewRosindell/status/1703423466278355189

    Talking of whom,

    EXCL: Andrew Rosindell remains under investigation for sexual offences — including indecent assault and abuse of a position of trust.

    Now the Conservative MP has had his bail extended until *February 2024*.

    He’s still never informed his constituents.

    https://twitter.com/Gabriel_Pogrund/status/1703302706859831401

    Whatever his guilt or innocence, this is getting beyond a joke.

    Regardless, unless he is charged why does the media need to make this public?
    The issue is that, whilst he is in legal limbo, he has agreed not to go to Westminster. That was a pretty sensible workround for a few months. But this has been going on for over a year now. And whilst Rosindell has been diligent in doing other stuff (written questions and so on), there is a fundamental problem with a constituency having a Member of Parliament who never goes to Parliament.
    Well that is the fault of the CPS and police for taking so long to make a decision. If they had masses of evidence he would surely have been charged by now? As it is he has neither been charged nor convicted of anything and unless and until that changes he has every right to do the job he was elected to do (as you say he still diligently takes up constituency correspondence)
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,104

    I wonder if Drakeford is about to learn that you can only govern WITH consent.

    I am receiving social media comments from my daughter and if they are anything to go by there is a lot of anger in Wales tonight

    Comments include the first country hearse drivers have to go on speed awareness courses, Wrexham football ground is full for Wales first speed awareness course, letters to Starmer resigning from Labour, and lots of signs being defaced

    It is early days yet but the reaction today is very negative
    Unfortunately, unless Wales does something radical and elects politicians with functioning brains and an understanding of the diversity of Wales rather than an eye to the main chance and no knowledge of anything outside the Valleys, they will keep doing these things.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 54,557
    Terrible handling by England. They could lose this
  • geoffwgeoffw Posts: 8,653
    Japanese playing fast and clean. A surprise to me how well they're doing.
  • Penddu2Penddu2 Posts: 685
    Leon said:

    Terrible handling by England. They could lose this

    Oh dear.
    How sad.
    Never mind.
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 62,684
    edited September 2023
    ydoethur said:

    I wonder if Drakeford is about to learn that you can only govern WITH consent.

    I am receiving social media comments from my daughter and if they are anything to go by there is a lot of anger in Wales tonight

    Comments include the first country hearse drivers have to go on speed awareness courses, Wrexham football ground is full for Wales first speed awareness course, letters to Starmer resigning from Labour, and lots of signs being defaced

    It is early days yet but the reaction today is very negative
    Unfortunately, unless Wales does something radical and elects politicians with functioning brains and an understanding of the diversity of Wales rather than an eye to the main chance and no knowledge of anything outside the Valleys, they will keep doing these things.
    I expect that there will be many LA'S under intense pressure to review some of their decisions

    Following Plaids successful amendment they do have the power to ameliorate the effects and of course the Welsh government are required to review the policy
  • boulayboulay Posts: 5,407
    Leon said:

    Terrible handling by England. They could lose this

    Stop being a wet ninny. Long time to go.
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 17,119
    Penddu2 said:

    Leon said:

    Terrible handling by England. They could lose this

    Oh dear.
    How sad.
    Never mind.
    I popped a tenner on Japan after your fake tip of the other day… Could be a nice earner!
  • I wonder if Drakeford is about to learn that you can only govern WITH consent.

    I am receiving social media comments from my daughter and if they are anything to go by there is a lot of anger in Wales tonight

    Comments include the first country hearse drivers have to go on speed awareness courses, Wrexham football ground is full for Wales first speed awareness course, letters to Starmer resigning from Labour, and lots of signs being defaced

    It is early days yet but the reaction today is very negative
    Labour have been in power too long in Wales. It's a shame that Con and Plaid can't work together.
  • Conleth Burns
    @BurnsConleth
    🚨Mid-Beds Focus Group 🚨 This week,
    @Moreincommon_
    spoke to undecided voters in Mid-Bedfordshire ahead of next month’s by-election. Striking contrast between a by-election that has dominated Westminster for weeks, but barely registered with these voters (1/12)

    Conleth Burns
    @BurnsConleth
    ·
    6h
    ⚪️Surprise win for independent can’t be completely written off. 4/9 were thinking of voting independent and their broad disillusionment put them on the look out for something fresh. (6/12)

    https://twitter.com/BurnsConleth/status/1703354692061811126

    But perhaps independent is code for 'shy Tory don't shout at me'.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,104

    ydoethur said:

    I wonder if Drakeford is about to learn that you can only govern WITH consent.

    I am receiving social media comments from my daughter and if they are anything to go by there is a lot of anger in Wales tonight

    Comments include the first country hearse drivers have to go on speed awareness courses, Wrexham football ground is full for Wales first speed awareness course, letters to Starmer resigning from Labour, and lots of signs being defaced

    It is early days yet but the reaction today is very negative
    Unfortunately, unless Wales does something radical and elects politicians with functioning brains and an understanding of the diversity of Wales rather than an eye to the main chance and no knowledge of anything outside the Valleys, they will keep doing these things.
    I expect that there will be many LA'S under intense pressure to review some of their decisions

    Following Plaids successful amendment they do have the power to ameliorate the effects and of course the Welsh government are required to review the policy
    Although truthfully, while it is a stupid idea for large parts of Wales, the real issue as much as anything else is the poor quality of the roads.

    And that is something that the WAGs have done a certain amount about, usually belatedly and reluctantly, but not nearly enough and they have said 'no more.'
  • LeonLeon Posts: 54,557
    How can we be this bad?
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,104

    I wonder if Drakeford is about to learn that you can only govern WITH consent.

    I am receiving social media comments from my daughter and if they are anything to go by there is a lot of anger in Wales tonight

    Comments include the first country hearse drivers have to go on speed awareness courses, Wrexham football ground is full for Wales first speed awareness course, letters to Starmer resigning from Labour, and lots of signs being defaced

    It is early days yet but the reaction today is very negative
    Labour have been in power too long in Wales. It's a shame that Con and Plaid can't work together.
    It's a bigger shame that both parties are increasingly filled with lightweight tossers anyway.

    I mean, I didn't like Nick Bourne and Ieuan Wyn Jones but they were serious figures.

    This lot, however, would be out of their depth in an A-level debating club.
  • geoffwgeoffw Posts: 8,653
    Bad mistake by Japan
  • Leon said:

    How can we be this bad?

    I still think we can get small win by 3 points which means we should qualify top.

    No tries for us
  • ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    I wonder if Drakeford is about to learn that you can only govern WITH consent.

    I am receiving social media comments from my daughter and if they are anything to go by there is a lot of anger in Wales tonight

    Comments include the first country hearse drivers have to go on speed awareness courses, Wrexham football ground is full for Wales first speed awareness course, letters to Starmer resigning from Labour, and lots of signs being defaced

    It is early days yet but the reaction today is very negative
    Unfortunately, unless Wales does something radical and elects politicians with functioning brains and an understanding of the diversity of Wales rather than an eye to the main chance and no knowledge of anything outside the Valleys, they will keep doing these things.
    I expect that there will be many LA'S under intense pressure to review some of their decisions

    Following Plaids successful amendment they do have the power to ameliorate the effects and of course the Welsh government are required to review the policy
    Although truthfully, while it is a stupid idea for large parts of Wales, the real issue as much as anything else is the poor quality of the roads.

    And that is something that the WAGs have done a certain amount about, usually belatedly and reluctantly, but not nearly enough and they have said 'no more.'
    And Drakeford's answer

    Cancel all road building and the 3rd Menai crossing
  • boulayboulay Posts: 5,407
    Leon said:

    How can we be this bad?

    Hmmmm.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 54,557
    edited September 2023
    Farooq said:

    Leon said:

    How can we be this bad?

    Brexit

    Borthxit
  • Leon said:

    How can we be this bad?

    Tory Government.
  • ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    I wonder if Drakeford is about to learn that you can only govern WITH consent.

    I am receiving social media comments from my daughter and if they are anything to go by there is a lot of anger in Wales tonight

    Comments include the first country hearse drivers have to go on speed awareness courses, Wrexham football ground is full for Wales first speed awareness course, letters to Starmer resigning from Labour, and lots of signs being defaced

    It is early days yet but the reaction today is very negative
    Unfortunately, unless Wales does something radical and elects politicians with functioning brains and an understanding of the diversity of Wales rather than an eye to the main chance and no knowledge of anything outside the Valleys, they will keep doing these things.
    I expect that there will be many LA'S under intense pressure to review some of their decisions

    Following Plaids successful amendment they do have the power to ameliorate the effects and of course the Welsh government are required to review the policy
    Although truthfully, while it is a stupid idea for large parts of Wales, the real issue as much as anything else is the poor quality of the roads.

    And that is something that the WAGs have done a certain amount about, usually belatedly and reluctantly, but not nearly enough and they have said 'no more.'
    And Drakeford's answer

    Cancel all road building and the 3rd Menai crossing
    They could have built the M4 relief road by now
  • HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Leon said:

    Christ what a kick!

    DavidL said:

    boulay said:

    Leon said:

    I know I’m banging on Jesus F Christ look at the size of this XL Bully. You would have precisely zero chance if it came for you. And the ludicrous owner would have zero chance of restraining it

    This is like walking around the local park with a flamethrower

    “Imagine this dog running towards you”

    https://x.com/ascendedyield/status/1703214876087243195?s=46&t=bulOICNH15U6kB0MwE6Lfw

    The Spectator should hire that Sean T chap to spend a few days looking after an XL Bully to give an insight into how evil/lovable they are. If Sean T survives then no ban, if not then they must all be destroyed. At least if they eat him he won’t be stalking you anymore.
    Because of the somewhat daft construction of a firearm carrying a taser which looks like a torch, as most of them do, carries a mandatory 5 year sentence. It’s not even 1% as dangerous as that dog.
    What kind of selfish moronic c*nt thinks it is acceptable to walk a dog like that around a park, terrorising everyone, and potentially endangering kids - and all other dogs?

    This is one thing that mystifies me about dog lovers battling for the bully. The most likely victim of these hell hounds is another dog
    You could take it up with my MP, if you want...



    https://twitter.com/AndrewRosindell/status/1703423466278355189

    Talking of whom,

    EXCL: Andrew Rosindell remains under investigation for sexual offences — including indecent assault and abuse of a position of trust.

    Now the Conservative MP has had his bail extended until *February 2024*.

    He’s still never informed his constituents.

    https://twitter.com/Gabriel_Pogrund/status/1703302706859831401

    Whatever his guilt or innocence, this is getting beyond a joke.

    Regardless, unless he is charged why does the media need to make this public?
    The issue is that, whilst he is in legal limbo, he has agreed not to go to Westminster. That was a pretty sensible workround for a few months. But this has been going on for over a year now. And whilst Rosindell has been diligent in doing other stuff (written questions and so on), there is a fundamental problem with a constituency having a Member of Parliament who never goes to Parliament.
    Well that is the fault of the CPS and police for taking so long to make a decision. If they had masses of evidence he would surely have been charged by now? As it is he has neither been charged nor convicted of anything and unless and until that changes he has every right to do the job he was elected to do (as you say he still diligently takes up constituency correspondence)
    The sort of offences they are investigating are complex and sensitive. Without getting too specific, it really wouldn't be at all fair on alleged victims, or indeed the MP, to rush to trial or exoneration.

    I don't really understand, though, why the workaround involves such a prolonged absence. Whilst it may be very uncomfortable for him and colleagues, it doesn't seem to necessitate banishment whilst investigations continue.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 49,503
    viewcode said:

    Some of you here may recall my ongoing rant about how we are creating growth by importing 500K-1M foreign nationals per year and getting foreign wealth funds to build the shoeboxes necessary to quarter them, with the result that the younger generations have to work harder and harder to live in smaller and smaller places whilst paying rent to foreign nationals to live in them.

    Here's a tweet from @Leon's fave tweetist, @AscendedYield

    "More than £4bn is being invested in the regeneration of Elephant and Castle. Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company is a key investor."

    The Qataris of course have got form in importing slave labour with gastarbeiter camps At least with Soviet cities there were green spaces, dedicated transport and a bloody statue of Lenin. The UK developments are just box on box on box on box on box. A future holding pen for drug addicts and murder dogs whilst our lords and masters swan around on stupidities with no consequence.

    Though Soviet planing didn’t include 1 bedroom per person. Or even 1 bedroom between 2…
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,104

    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    I wonder if Drakeford is about to learn that you can only govern WITH consent.

    I am receiving social media comments from my daughter and if they are anything to go by there is a lot of anger in Wales tonight

    Comments include the first country hearse drivers have to go on speed awareness courses, Wrexham football ground is full for Wales first speed awareness course, letters to Starmer resigning from Labour, and lots of signs being defaced

    It is early days yet but the reaction today is very negative
    Unfortunately, unless Wales does something radical and elects politicians with functioning brains and an understanding of the diversity of Wales rather than an eye to the main chance and no knowledge of anything outside the Valleys, they will keep doing these things.
    I expect that there will be many LA'S under intense pressure to review some of their decisions

    Following Plaids successful amendment they do have the power to ameliorate the effects and of course the Welsh government are required to review the policy
    Although truthfully, while it is a stupid idea for large parts of Wales, the real issue as much as anything else is the poor quality of the roads.

    And that is something that the WAGs have done a certain amount about, usually belatedly and reluctantly, but not nearly enough and they have said 'no more.'
    And Drakeford's answer

    Cancel all road building and the 3rd Menai crossing
    They could have built the M4 relief road by now
    Or a new Menai bridge. Or straightened the A44 to Aberystwyth and bypassed Rhayader and Ponterwyd.
  • darkagedarkage Posts: 5,305
    DavidL said:

    Cyclefree said:

    DavidL said:

    That almost certainly means that Trump wins. He won the last time with less of the vote and it wasn't as close as that. Americans are truly mad, absolutely bonkers.
    Will US democracy survive another Trump presidency?
    I think its highly doubtful. It barely survived a Trump defeat.
    I don't think its because people are mad. They are just tired of 'progressive' government and its absurd extremes, so the pendulum swings back the other way. People unfortunately don't have a very objective view of the world because they live in echo chambers and see what they want to see. It is a very difficult question as to whether American democracy can survive it.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 54,557
    England will get ass-raped as soon as they meet a really good team
  • boulayboulay Posts: 5,407
    I have never seen such intense lightning in my life. It’s been going for thirty minutes non stop - if I didn’t know better I would think it was the paparazzi outside my house as Russell Brand is coming out the front door to welcome the England women’s football team for a party.

    Usually there is a good gap between it but constant - ban this Lightning XL.
  • Stocky said:

    Pagan2 said:

    I do wonder if we shouldnt ask people here commenting on pensions whether they are on a defined contribution scheme or a defined benefits scheme....it makes a huge difference to how well off they will be in retiremend. For example a person doing form filling in a an office earning 24k a year for forty years....dc they may get 2 to 3k pension.....db they are probably on 12k

    Yes. I read that too. Astonishing the ignorance of those with public sector DB schemes.

    There is only one private sector company offering a DB scheme to new employees (Croda).

    We regularly see public sector retirees eligible for pension benefits which would need a £1M plus private sector fund (built up from actual employee/employer contributions) to equate to. The other day we dealt with a client with a £62,000 pa public sector pension, indexed and with a 50% spouse pension. Utterly astonishing.
    The answer to which is to reduce the 40% tax threshold for the over-67s, so the higher-earning pensioners pay more tax.
    No, that's complicated and will appear to be 'unfair.' Just extend NI to all earnings.
    Earnings should have had NI all along

    The question some would have is should the state pension be included in the mandate for NI ?
    Yes, the stumbling block in extending NI past pension age is that currently NI is used as the qualifying criterion for the state pension. This could easily be changed but what would replace it? Simply age?
    So why should that be a problem?

    If you max out your contributions while working do you stop paying NICs?

    I've never missed a contribution, except maybe while at Uni, but contributions will stop counting about 20 years before retirement. Won't be able to stop paying NICs at that point though.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 122,079

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Leon said:

    Christ what a kick!

    DavidL said:

    boulay said:

    Leon said:

    I know I’m banging on Jesus F Christ look at the size of this XL Bully. You would have precisely zero chance if it came for you. And the ludicrous owner would have zero chance of restraining it

    This is like walking around the local park with a flamethrower

    “Imagine this dog running towards you”

    https://x.com/ascendedyield/status/1703214876087243195?s=46&t=bulOICNH15U6kB0MwE6Lfw

    The Spectator should hire that Sean T chap to spend a few days looking after an XL Bully to give an insight into how evil/lovable they are. If Sean T survives then no ban, if not then they must all be destroyed. At least if they eat him he won’t be stalking you anymore.
    Because of the somewhat daft construction of a firearm carrying a taser which looks like a torch, as most of them do, carries a mandatory 5 year sentence. It’s not even 1% as dangerous as that dog.
    What kind of selfish moronic c*nt thinks it is acceptable to walk a dog like that around a park, terrorising everyone, and potentially endangering kids - and all other dogs?

    This is one thing that mystifies me about dog lovers battling for the bully. The most likely victim of these hell hounds is another dog
    You could take it up with my MP, if you want...



    https://twitter.com/AndrewRosindell/status/1703423466278355189

    Talking of whom,

    EXCL: Andrew Rosindell remains under investigation for sexual offences — including indecent assault and abuse of a position of trust.

    Now the Conservative MP has had his bail extended until *February 2024*.

    He’s still never informed his constituents.

    https://twitter.com/Gabriel_Pogrund/status/1703302706859831401

    Whatever his guilt or innocence, this is getting beyond a joke.

    Regardless, unless he is charged why does the media need to make this public?
    The issue is that, whilst he is in legal limbo, he has agreed not to go to Westminster. That was a pretty sensible workround for a few months. But this has been going on for over a year now. And whilst Rosindell has been diligent in doing other stuff (written questions and so on), there is a fundamental problem with a constituency having a Member of Parliament who never goes to Parliament.
    Well that is the fault of the CPS and police for taking so long to make a decision. If they had masses of evidence he would surely have been charged by now? As it is he has neither been charged nor convicted of anything and unless and until that changes he has every right to do the job he was elected to do (as you say he still diligently takes up constituency correspondence)
    The sort of offences they are investigating are complex and sensitive. Without getting too specific, it really wouldn't be at all fair on alleged victims, or indeed the MP, to rush to trial or exoneration.

    I don't really understand, though, why the workaround involves such a prolonged absence. Whilst it may be very uncomfortable for him and colleagues, it doesn't seem to necessitate banishment whilst investigations continue.
    Yes, unless he is charged and convicted no reason he cannot still do the job he was elected to do in full, not least for his constituents' sake
  • bondegezoubondegezou Posts: 10,673
    .
    darkage said:

    DavidL said:

    Cyclefree said:

    DavidL said:

    That almost certainly means that Trump wins. He won the last time with less of the vote and it wasn't as close as that. Americans are truly mad, absolutely bonkers.
    Will US democracy survive another Trump presidency?
    I think its highly doubtful. It barely survived a Trump defeat.
    I don't think its because people are mad. They are just tired of 'progressive' government and its absurd extremes, so the pendulum swings back the other way. People unfortunately don't have a very objective view of the world because they live in echo chambers and see what they want to see. It is a very difficult question as to whether American democracy can survive it.
    I think it's because Fox News lies to them. Control the media and you conto how people vote
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,104
    edited September 2023
    Farooq said:

    I wonder if Drakeford is about to learn that you can only govern WITH consent.

    I am receiving social media comments from my daughter and if they are anything to go by there is a lot of anger in Wales tonight

    Comments include the first country hearse drivers have to go on speed awareness courses, Wrexham football ground is full for Wales first speed awareness course, letters to Starmer resigning from Labour, and lots of signs being defaced

    It is early days yet but the reaction today is very negative
    Labour have been in power too long in Wales. It's a shame that Con and Plaid can't work together.
    Yes, given that they agree on Welsh independence, Europe, socialism, nuclear power, nuclear weapons, and so much more. It's really a mystery why they don't merge completely.
    Plaid don't agree on most of those within themselves anyway, so I don't see that as a fundamental objection.

    They did actually agree a coalition with the Tories in 2007 but LibDem dithering scotched it. That was a real tragedy all around. Even if Labour had only been out for twelve months it would have taught them a valuable lesson.
  • darkagedarkage Posts: 5,305
    Regarding the 'triple lock', it would still be a triple lock if the increase was the highest of inflation, earnings and 0.5%.

    I'd guess that most people just see it as what old people live on, reducing it significantly would be politically impossible.
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 34,551
    darkage said:

    Regarding the 'triple lock', it would still be a triple lock if the increase was the highest of inflation, earnings and 0.5%.

    I'd guess that most people just see it as what old people live on, reducing it significantly would be politically impossible.

    Good point - might give future governments some wriggle room.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,104

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Leon said:

    Christ what a kick!

    DavidL said:

    boulay said:

    Leon said:

    I know I’m banging on Jesus F Christ look at the size of this XL Bully. You would have precisely zero chance if it came for you. And the ludicrous owner would have zero chance of restraining it

    This is like walking around the local park with a flamethrower

    “Imagine this dog running towards you”

    https://x.com/ascendedyield/status/1703214876087243195?s=46&t=bulOICNH15U6kB0MwE6Lfw

    The Spectator should hire that Sean T chap to spend a few days looking after an XL Bully to give an insight into how evil/lovable they are. If Sean T survives then no ban, if not then they must all be destroyed. At least if they eat him he won’t be stalking you anymore.
    Because of the somewhat daft construction of a firearm carrying a taser which looks like a torch, as most of them do, carries a mandatory 5 year sentence. It’s not even 1% as dangerous as that dog.
    What kind of selfish moronic c*nt thinks it is acceptable to walk a dog like that around a park, terrorising everyone, and potentially endangering kids - and all other dogs?

    This is one thing that mystifies me about dog lovers battling for the bully. The most likely victim of these hell hounds is another dog
    You could take it up with my MP, if you want...



    https://twitter.com/AndrewRosindell/status/1703423466278355189

    Talking of whom,

    EXCL: Andrew Rosindell remains under investigation for sexual offences — including indecent assault and abuse of a position of trust.

    Now the Conservative MP has had his bail extended until *February 2024*.

    He’s still never informed his constituents.

    https://twitter.com/Gabriel_Pogrund/status/1703302706859831401

    Whatever his guilt or innocence, this is getting beyond a joke.

    Regardless, unless he is charged why does the media need to make this public?
    The issue is that, whilst he is in legal limbo, he has agreed not to go to Westminster. That was a pretty sensible workround for a few months. But this has been going on for over a year now. And whilst Rosindell has been diligent in doing other stuff (written questions and so on), there is a fundamental problem with a constituency having a Member of Parliament who never goes to Parliament.
    Well that is the fault of the CPS and police for taking so long to make a decision. If they had masses of evidence he would surely have been charged by now? As it is he has neither been charged nor convicted of anything and unless and until that changes he has every right to do the job he was elected to do (as you say he still diligently takes up constituency correspondence)
    The sort of offences they are investigating are complex and sensitive. Without getting too specific, it really wouldn't be at all fair on alleged victims, or indeed the MP, to rush to trial or exoneration.

    I don't really understand, though, why the workaround involves such a prolonged absence. Whilst it may be very uncomfortable for him and colleagues, it doesn't seem to necessitate banishment whilst investigations continue.
    I think we can safely say even if he is charged there will be no rush to trial. Four years is the average wait, is it not?
  • LeonLeon Posts: 54,557

    .

    darkage said:

    DavidL said:

    Cyclefree said:

    DavidL said:

    That almost certainly means that Trump wins. He won the last time with less of the vote and it wasn't as close as that. Americans are truly mad, absolutely bonkers.
    Will US democracy survive another Trump presidency?
    I think its highly doubtful. It barely survived a Trump defeat.
    I don't think its because people are mad. They are just tired of 'progressive' government and its absurd extremes, so the pendulum swings back the other way. People unfortunately don't have a very objective view of the world because they live in echo chambers and see what they want to see. It is a very difficult question as to whether American democracy can survive it.
    I think it's because Fox News lies to them. Control the media and you conto how people vote
    And of course the American liberal media tells the truth always
  • nico679nico679 Posts: 6,160
    Very poor so far from England who are lucky that the Japanese continue to make silly errors .

    Last week currently looks like a false dawn .
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 49,503
    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Leon said:

    Christ what a kick!

    DavidL said:

    boulay said:

    Leon said:

    I know I’m banging on Jesus F Christ look at the size of this XL Bully. You would have precisely zero chance if it came for you. And the ludicrous owner would have zero chance of restraining it

    This is like walking around the local park with a flamethrower

    “Imagine this dog running towards you”

    https://x.com/ascendedyield/status/1703214876087243195?s=46&t=bulOICNH15U6kB0MwE6Lfw

    The Spectator should hire that Sean T chap to spend a few days looking after an XL Bully to give an insight into how evil/lovable they are. If Sean T survives then no ban, if not then they must all be destroyed. At least if they eat him he won’t be stalking you anymore.
    Because of the somewhat daft construction of a firearm carrying a taser which looks like a torch, as most of them do, carries a mandatory 5 year sentence. It’s not even 1% as dangerous as that dog.
    What kind of selfish moronic c*nt thinks it is acceptable to walk a dog like that around a park, terrorising everyone, and potentially endangering kids - and all other dogs?

    This is one thing that mystifies me about dog lovers battling for the bully. The most likely victim of these hell hounds is another dog
    You could take it up with my MP, if you want...



    https://twitter.com/AndrewRosindell/status/1703423466278355189

    Talking of whom,

    EXCL: Andrew Rosindell remains under investigation for sexual offences — including indecent assault and abuse of a position of trust.

    Now the Conservative MP has had his bail extended until *February 2024*.

    He’s still never informed his constituents.

    https://twitter.com/Gabriel_Pogrund/status/1703302706859831401

    Whatever his guilt or innocence, this is getting beyond a joke.

    Regardless, unless he is charged why does the media need to make this public?
    The issue is that, whilst he is in legal limbo, he has agreed not to go to Westminster. That was a pretty sensible workround for a few months. But this has been going on for over a year now. And whilst Rosindell has been diligent in doing other stuff (written questions and so on), there is a fundamental problem with a constituency having a Member of Parliament who never goes to Parliament.
    Well that is the fault of the CPS and police for taking so long to make a decision. If they had masses of evidence he would surely have been charged by now? As it is he has neither been charged nor convicted of anything and unless and until that changes he has every right to do the job he was elected to do (as you say he still diligently takes up constituency correspondence)
    In Rotherham, on one occasion, the police literally caught some perpetrators in the act. So they had multiple police officers who saw the crime.

    No arrest.

    Well, that’s not entirely true. They arrested the victim for being drunk and disorderly, IIRC.
  • sarissasarissa Posts: 1,976
    boulay said:

    I have never seen such intense lightning in my life. It’s been going for thirty minutes non stop - if I didn’t know better I would think it was the paparazzi outside my house as Russell Brand is coming out the front door to welcome the England women’s football team for a party.

    Usually there is a good gap between it but constant - ban this Lightning XL.

    Massive lightning strikes tonight across the Midi after Leon has disappointing culinary experience. That’s a powerful ally to have backing you up!
  • .

    darkage said:

    DavidL said:

    Cyclefree said:

    DavidL said:

    That almost certainly means that Trump wins. He won the last time with less of the vote and it wasn't as close as that. Americans are truly mad, absolutely bonkers.
    Will US democracy survive another Trump presidency?
    I think its highly doubtful. It barely survived a Trump defeat.
    I don't think its because people are mad. They are just tired of 'progressive' government and its absurd extremes, so the pendulum swings back the other way. People unfortunately don't have a very objective view of the world because they live in echo chambers and see what they want to see. It is a very difficult question as to whether American democracy can survive it.
    I think it's because Fox News lies to them. Control the media and you conto how people vote
    You can't change the world
    But you can change the facts
    And when you change the facts
    You change points of view
    If you change points of view
    You may change a vote
    And when you change a vote
    You may change the world
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 34,551
    Leon said:

    .

    darkage said:

    DavidL said:

    Cyclefree said:

    DavidL said:

    That almost certainly means that Trump wins. He won the last time with less of the vote and it wasn't as close as that. Americans are truly mad, absolutely bonkers.
    Will US democracy survive another Trump presidency?
    I think its highly doubtful. It barely survived a Trump defeat.
    I don't think its because people are mad. They are just tired of 'progressive' government and its absurd extremes, so the pendulum swings back the other way. People unfortunately don't have a very objective view of the world because they live in echo chambers and see what they want to see. It is a very difficult question as to whether American democracy can survive it.
    I think it's because Fox News lies to them. Control the media and you conto how people vote
    And of course the American liberal media tells the truth always
    ...just not the 'truth' you'd like to hear.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 49,503
    sarissa said:

    boulay said:

    I have never seen such intense lightning in my life. It’s been going for thirty minutes non stop - if I didn’t know better I would think it was the paparazzi outside my house as Russell Brand is coming out the front door to welcome the England women’s football team for a party.

    Usually there is a good gap between it but constant - ban this Lightning XL.

    Massive lightning strikes tonight across the Midi after Leon has disappointing culinary experience. That’s a powerful ally to have backing you up!
    Was it like this?


  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 34,551
    edited September 2023
    boulay said:

    I have never seen such intense lightning in my life. It’s been going for thirty minutes non stop - if I didn’t know better I would think it was the paparazzi outside my house as Russell Brand is coming out the front door to welcome the England women’s football team for a party.

    Usually there is a good gap between it but constant - ban this Lightning XL.

    Whereabouts?
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 21,684
    edited September 2023

    viewcode said:

    Some of you here may recall my ongoing rant about how we are creating growth by importing 500K-1M foreign nationals per year and getting foreign wealth funds to build the shoeboxes necessary to quarter them, with the result that the younger generations have to work harder and harder to live in smaller and smaller places whilst paying rent to foreign nationals to live in them.

    Here's a tweet from @Leon's fave tweetist, @AscendedYield

    "More than £4bn is being invested in the regeneration of Elephant and Castle. Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company is a key investor."

    The Qataris of course have got form in importing slave labour with gastarbeiter camps At least with Soviet cities there were green spaces, dedicated transport and a bloody statue of Lenin. The UK developments are just box on box on box on box on box. A future holding pen for drug addicts and murder dogs whilst our lords and masters swan around on stupidities with no consequence.

    Though Soviet planing didn’t include 1 bedroom per person. Or even 1 bedroom between 2…
    I'm plowing thru "The Shortest History Of The Soviet Union" (Sheila Fitzpatrick, ISBN-13 978-1-913083-40-3?). In the early days it was bleak, with one room per family and single males in whatever nook would fit. But by the 50s and 60s when Khrushchev came in they built five-story prefabricated blocks (khrushchevka), one family to a flat. For 100 million people. In ten years (1956 to 1965).

    None of this flammable cladding ten-storey-or-more crap we are throwing up all over the place. Look at Leeds. Reading. Basingstoke. Woking. London.
  • Starmer gets my vote.

    Tories cannot criticises as he is following Sunak’s lead over the Windsor framework.


  • sarissasarissa Posts: 1,976

    boulay said:

    I have never seen such intense lightning in my life. It’s been going for thirty minutes non stop - if I didn’t know better I would think it was the paparazzi outside my house as Russell Brand is coming out the front door to welcome the England women’s football team for a party.

    Usually there is a good gap between it but constant - ban this Lightning XL.

    Whereabouts?

    boulay said:

    I have never seen such intense lightning in my life. It’s been going for thirty minutes non stop - if I didn’t know better I would think it was the paparazzi outside my house as Russell Brand is coming out the front door to welcome the England women’s football team for a party.

    Usually there is a good gap between it but constant - ban this Lightning XL.

    Whereabouts?
    https://www.lightningmaps.org/#m=oss;t=3;s=0;o=0;b=;ts=0;y=39.9771;x=4.834;z=5;d=2;dl=2;dc=0;
  • ydoethur said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Leon said:

    Christ what a kick!

    DavidL said:

    boulay said:

    Leon said:

    I know I’m banging on Jesus F Christ look at the size of this XL Bully. You would have precisely zero chance if it came for you. And the ludicrous owner would have zero chance of restraining it

    This is like walking around the local park with a flamethrower

    “Imagine this dog running towards you”

    https://x.com/ascendedyield/status/1703214876087243195?s=46&t=bulOICNH15U6kB0MwE6Lfw

    The Spectator should hire that Sean T chap to spend a few days looking after an XL Bully to give an insight into how evil/lovable they are. If Sean T survives then no ban, if not then they must all be destroyed. At least if they eat him he won’t be stalking you anymore.
    Because of the somewhat daft construction of a firearm carrying a taser which looks like a torch, as most of them do, carries a mandatory 5 year sentence. It’s not even 1% as dangerous as that dog.
    What kind of selfish moronic c*nt thinks it is acceptable to walk a dog like that around a park, terrorising everyone, and potentially endangering kids - and all other dogs?

    This is one thing that mystifies me about dog lovers battling for the bully. The most likely victim of these hell hounds is another dog
    You could take it up with my MP, if you want...



    https://twitter.com/AndrewRosindell/status/1703423466278355189

    Talking of whom,

    EXCL: Andrew Rosindell remains under investigation for sexual offences — including indecent assault and abuse of a position of trust.

    Now the Conservative MP has had his bail extended until *February 2024*.

    He’s still never informed his constituents.

    https://twitter.com/Gabriel_Pogrund/status/1703302706859831401

    Whatever his guilt or innocence, this is getting beyond a joke.

    Regardless, unless he is charged why does the media need to make this public?
    The issue is that, whilst he is in legal limbo, he has agreed not to go to Westminster. That was a pretty sensible workround for a few months. But this has been going on for over a year now. And whilst Rosindell has been diligent in doing other stuff (written questions and so on), there is a fundamental problem with a constituency having a Member of Parliament who never goes to Parliament.
    Well that is the fault of the CPS and police for taking so long to make a decision. If they had masses of evidence he would surely have been charged by now? As it is he has neither been charged nor convicted of anything and unless and until that changes he has every right to do the job he was elected to do (as you say he still diligently takes up constituency correspondence)
    The sort of offences they are investigating are complex and sensitive. Without getting too specific, it really wouldn't be at all fair on alleged victims, or indeed the MP, to rush to trial or exoneration.

    I don't really understand, though, why the workaround involves such a prolonged absence. Whilst it may be very uncomfortable for him and colleagues, it doesn't seem to necessitate banishment whilst investigations continue.
    I think we can safely say even if he is charged there will be no rush to trial. Four years is the average wait, is it not?
    Not from charge to trial, no. There are problems in the court system but that isn't correct.
  • boulayboulay Posts: 5,407

    boulay said:

    I have never seen such intense lightning in my life. It’s been going for thirty minutes non stop - if I didn’t know better I would think it was the paparazzi outside my house as Russell Brand is coming out the front door to welcome the England women’s football team for a party.

    Usually there is a good gap between it but constant - ban this Lightning XL.

    Whereabouts?
    Jersey. As I said there is usually a gap but it’s been like one of those old bathroom strip lights on the blink out into the Atlantic. Absolutely fantastic. And a background track of rolling thunder.. I loved the thunderstorms off the mountains in Switzerland but this was something very unusual in the constant lightning - more like a nightclub strobe thing. It’s probably going to hit IanB2 soon.


  • Conleth Burns
    @BurnsConleth
    🚨Mid-Beds Focus Group 🚨 This week,
    @Moreincommon_
    spoke to undecided voters in Mid-Bedfordshire ahead of next month’s by-election. Striking contrast between a by-election that has dominated Westminster for weeks, but barely registered with these voters (1/12)

    Conleth Burns
    @BurnsConleth
    ·
    6h
    ⚪️Surprise win for independent can’t be completely written off. 4/9 were thinking of voting independent and their broad disillusionment put them on the look out for something fresh. (6/12)

    https://twitter.com/BurnsConleth/status/1703354692061811126

    But perhaps independent is code for 'shy Tory don't shout at me'.
    Yes, I was thinking the same.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 54,557
    Frankly, I hope Japan win
This discussion has been closed.