"Carol Vorderman @carolvorders · 13m · Nicola Sturgeon used the following descriptors #CovidInquiry @PoliticoForYou #Satire
Matt Hancock - "weaker than a Nun's pis*" Liz Truss - "about as much use as a Marzipan Dildo" Suella Braverman - "Shitler" Boris Johnson - "A fu*king clown"
I haven't heard of a #MarzipanDildo…"
I read that earlier on what looked like a parody account
While you're on Isam could you recall those two troll flags you gave me yesterday in ten minute succession for my support for the banning of Zombie knives. Particularly as 24 hours later Chris Philp declared the banning of Zombie knives Government ( your Government) policy. Thanks. Pete.
No problem. I didn’t say banning them was a good or bad thing but, always on the front foot to get on my nerves, you felt the need to start trying to make an argument about it
Actually, the dig at St Keir was his writing exclusively for the paper he said he wouldn’t give interviews to during his leadership election campaign
So unflag me. I don't flag you. My point was a serious one, now agreed by HMG.
You bellyache about how hard done by, you are on here, and then you behave like that. Please unflag.
There's no need to flag me, because I don't constantly try to start arguments with the same person every day, plus I try to actually read what people are saying before jumping in.
I linked to St Keir's piece about Zombie knives in The Sun. I didn't say he was wrong or right in what he said at all. You decided to try and start an argument about something I hadn't said, because you always do. I couldn't be bothered with it, so flagged you as a troll. No big deal really
Isn't this supposed to be a debating forum? I don't flag you because I am not a child. Sometimes you post things which outrage me, but I am not minded to flag you several times over just to piss you off.
If the standard of debate is so demeaned by randomly flagging people on this site, you can stick your site and your flags where the sun don't shine.
For the record I was making a point I agreed with Starmer (and now the Government) over.
Idiot.
Forgive my ignorance but what does flagging someone do and how do you know who has flagged you
As I haven't ever done it I have often wondered what it's purpose was
It is supposed to flag up spammers/trolls, it sends an alert to Robert and Mike.
Robert gets quite annoyed by people who misuse that button as it not supposed to be used as a disagree button.
I remember @MaxPB once flagged one of RCS' own posts.
Somehow, he didn't get banned.
I can only conclude that he's the other, er, another Radiohead fan.
The trouble is that as the election approaches, Tory MPs worry less about their party winning and more about losing their seats and their jobs.
Facing almost certain failure, [Sunak’s] mission was to steady the ship. He needed to clear up the budgetary aftermath of the pandemic and the chaotic legacy of Johnson and Truss. He had to make a Tory vote in 2024 seem like one for stability and common sense.
All prime ministers have tended to depart office with a fatal phrase stamped as a memorial on their graves. For Margaret Thatcher it was the poll tax, for Tony Blair Iraq, for David Cameron it was Brexit and for Johnson it was Partygate. Sunak’s memorial is destined to be Rwanda. Braverman’s Rwanda was the prime minister’s great mistake.
Whatever the legality of any British deportation, it seems unlikely that a single plane will depart by election time, let alone a single migrant be shown as deterred. The reality is that illegal migration into Britain from continental Europe has one solution, and that lies in Europe. All else is pretence.
If he has any concern for his reputation he will shelve Rwanda, cast aside his fixation on tax cuts and do everything to rescue public services, whose state is the most glaring failure of modern British government. He should want it to be said of him that, in whatever shambles he left the Tory party, at least he did the right thing for the country.
An unexpected and not unwelcome early end to the working day.
One or two getting over-excited at the Savanta poll and playing the old "let's add all the Reform vote to the Conservatives" schtick. All the evidence suggests even if Reform ran no candidates, at best a third of their vote would go to the Conservatives - about a sixth would go to Labour and half would stay at home.
A range of between 20% and 29% for Conservative vote share is enormous - starting from the viewpoint all polls are wrong is one thing but that degree of variation is hard to understand but suggests variations in sampling and methodology which make trying to see the wood for the trees tricky.
Not many clues to be gained from local by elections in the short term and it may be we won't know a lot more until Kingswood and Wellingborough poll in three weeks.
1. Immediately reissue 2020 executive order restoring the president’s authority to remove rogue bureaucrats and wield that power “very aggressively."
2. Clean out all the corrupt actors in our national security and intelligence apparatus.
3. Totally reform FISA courts.
4. Establish a “Truth and Reconciliation Commission” to declassify and publish all documents on the deep state’s spying, censorship, and corruption.
5. Launch a major crackdown on government leakers who collude with “fake news to deliberately weave false narratives and subvert our government and democracy.”
6. Make every inspector general’s office independent and physically separated from the departments they oversee.
7. Ask Congress to establish an independent auditing system to continually monitor our intelligence agencies.
8. Continue the effort launched by the Trump administration to move parts of the federal bureaucracy to new locations outside the “Washington Swamp.”
9. Work to ban federal bureaucrats from taking jobs at the companies they deal with and regulate.
10. Push a constitutional amendment to impose term limits on members of Congress.
Outside of the fact that this is being proposed by Trump and therefore, of course, will mostly be used to deal with his petty grievances rather than increase scrutiny on the executive branch or Congress - these aren't all bad policies even as written. Like 1 and 5 are very questionable, and the invective about "fake news" and "Washington Swamp" are bad - but the overall idea if done in a sincere way would be a boon. A shame it will be imposed by a fascist to make the executive branch more fashy.
Some horrible and some sensible ideas in here, though like a delicious curry someone has thrown up in, kind of puts you off the whole thing.
1. Bonkers. 2. Fashy witch hunt alarm bells (also would've thought they'd be natural Trump allies having diligently read my James Ellroy). 3. Needs specifics. 4. Incoherent and bonkers. 5. A culture of leaking (if such a thing exists) is not good, however, leaking is unspokenly a necessary part of democracy. Ask Malcolm Tucker. 6. Sensible. 7. Sensible - though sounds like creating more State here. 8. 'Washington Swamp' aside, this is likely a 9. good idea anyway. 10. Very sensible and overdue. 11. Up for debate. Tend to disagree, though accept that there has defo been some safe-seat bed blocking by veteran pols.
7 + 6 is a disaster. It’s designed to put intelligence information in a less secure environment that can be compromised
Like Trump's head? That's definitely a non-secure environment where all forms of intelligence have leaked away.
Holidaymakers driving to Europe face queues of 15 hours or more in Kent when new rules for Britons travelling to the European Union come into force later this year.
Officials have warned that the “reasonable worst-case scenario” would result in gridlock in the county and “welfare concerns for passengers”.
Passengers will be required to register their fingerprints and picture once the new entry/exit system (EES) is launched in October.
The system, which will apply to all non-EU passport holders, had been due to launch in May, but was delayed because of IT problems.
Bosses at the Channel Tunnel have previously said they estimate that the average time for processing a car through the French border will rise from under a minute to five to seven minutes. There are also concerns about bottlenecks at the Port of Dover and Eurostar terminal in London.
"Carol Vorderman @carolvorders · 13m · Nicola Sturgeon used the following descriptors #CovidInquiry @PoliticoForYou #Satire
Matt Hancock - "weaker than a Nun's pis*" Liz Truss - "about as much use as a Marzipan Dildo" Suella Braverman - "Shitler" Boris Johnson - "A fu*king clown"
I haven't heard of a #MarzipanDildo…"
I read that earlier on what looked like a parody account
While you're on Isam could you recall those two troll flags you gave me yesterday in ten minute succession for my support for the banning of Zombie knives. Particularly as 24 hours later Chris Philp declared the banning of Zombie knives Government ( your Government) policy. Thanks. Pete.
No problem. I didn’t say banning them was a good or bad thing but, always on the front foot to get on my nerves, you felt the need to start trying to make an argument about it
Actually, the dig at St Keir was his writing exclusively for the paper he said he wouldn’t give interviews to during his leadership election campaign
So unflag me. I don't flag you. My point was a serious one, now agreed by HMG.
You bellyache about how hard done by, you are on here, and then you behave like that. Please unflag.
There's no need to flag me, because I don't constantly try to start arguments with the same person every day, plus I try to actually read what people are saying before jumping in.
I linked to St Keir's piece about Zombie knives in The Sun. I didn't say he was wrong or right in what he said at all. You decided to try and start an argument about something I hadn't said, because you always do. I couldn't be bothered with it, so flagged you as a troll. No big deal really
Isn't this supposed to be a debating forum? I don't flag you because I am not a child. Sometimes you post things which outrage me, but I am not minded to flag you several times over just to piss you off.
If the standard of debate is so demeaned by randomly flagging people on this site, you can stick your site and your flags where the sun don't shine.
For the record I was making a point I agreed with Starmer (and now the Government) over.
Idiot.
Has anyone actually been stabbed with such a knife? Or is this another moral panic?
If we are going to have a PB Panic, I need to get the tea, coffee and biscuits out. And the chairs and tables. Last time we had a panic was during COVID so everything is going to be covered in dust.
I am reluctant to comment on this subject so I don't get another shit load of flags from Isam.
It was just my view that this kind of weaponry has no place on our streets, alongside ninja swords which haven't been banned. Irrespective of whether they have been responsible for a single death, what kind are f nutcase feels the need to carry them around?
(although I'm sure one of our posters (now more a lurker) would agree, given on his own admission he was a teacher thirty years and never did any work. But then, he worked in a rather different era with easier exams and limited OFSTED.)
On my weekends? It's at the weekend in the UK.
I suspect it's one of those Americanisms that is gradually replacing its British equivalent. To be honest, both sound correct to me, but I used to live in the US so my vocab and grammar has gone a bit mid Atlantic. Anyone in this country under 20 pretty much speaks American English with a British accent these days as far as I can tell, thanks to the influence of US streaming services.
It’s a peculiarity that ‘on Tuesday’ and ‘at the weekend’ sound correct, whereas the converses don’t.
"Carol Vorderman @carolvorders · 13m · Nicola Sturgeon used the following descriptors #CovidInquiry @PoliticoForYou #Satire
Matt Hancock - "weaker than a Nun's pis*" Liz Truss - "about as much use as a Marzipan Dildo" Suella Braverman - "Shitler" Boris Johnson - "A fu*king clown"
I haven't heard of a #MarzipanDildo…"
I read that earlier on what looked like a parody account
While you're on Isam could you recall those two troll flags you gave me yesterday in ten minute succession for my support for the banning of Zombie knives. Particularly as 24 hours later Chris Philp declared the banning of Zombie knives Government ( your Government) policy. Thanks. Pete.
No problem. I didn’t say banning them was a good or bad thing but, always on the front foot to get on my nerves, you felt the need to start trying to make an argument about it
Actually, the dig at St Keir was his writing exclusively for the paper he said he wouldn’t give interviews to during his leadership election campaign
So unflag me. I don't flag you. My point was a serious one, now agreed by HMG.
You bellyache about how hard done by, you are on here, and then you behave like that. Please unflag.
There's no need to flag me, because I don't constantly try to start arguments with the same person every day, plus I try to actually read what people are saying before jumping in.
I linked to St Keir's piece about Zombie knives in The Sun. I didn't say he was wrong or right in what he said at all. You decided to try and start an argument about something I hadn't said, because you always do. I couldn't be bothered with it, so flagged you as a troll. No big deal really
Isn't this supposed to be a debating forum? I don't flag you because I am not a child. Sometimes you post things which outrage me, but I am not minded to flag you several times over just to piss you off.
If the standard of debate is so demeaned by randomly flagging people on this site, you can stick your site and your flags where the sun don't shine.
For the record I was making a point I agreed with Starmer (and now the Government) over.
Idiot.
Forgive my ignorance but what does flagging someone do and how do you know who has flagged you
As I haven't ever done it I have often wondered what it's purpose was
It is supposed to flag up spammers/trolls, it sends an alert to Robert and Mike.
Robert gets quite annoyed by people who misuse that button as it not supposed to be used as a disagree button.
I remember @MaxPB once flagged one of RCS' own posts.
Somehow, he didn't get banned.
I can only conclude that he's the other, er, another Radiohead fan.
To think I got banned for writing this in a thread header.
Light the beacons of Gondor, it turns out Boris Johnson was telling the truth last month, an event rarer than a decent Radiohead album
The next election will be decided on how many Reform voters actually vote conservative, where the don't knows go, and whether the Lib Dems can improve their present vote share
"Carol Vorderman @carolvorders · 13m · Nicola Sturgeon used the following descriptors #CovidInquiry @PoliticoForYou #Satire
Matt Hancock - "weaker than a Nun's pis*" Liz Truss - "about as much use as a Marzipan Dildo" Suella Braverman - "Shitler" Boris Johnson - "A fu*king clown"
I haven't heard of a #MarzipanDildo…"
I read that earlier on what looked like a parody account
While you're on Isam could you recall those two troll flags you gave me yesterday in ten minute succession for my support for the banning of Zombie knives. Particularly as 24 hours later Chris Philp declared the banning of Zombie knives Government ( your Government) policy. Thanks. Pete.
No problem. I didn’t say banning them was a good or bad thing but, always on the front foot to get on my nerves, you felt the need to start trying to make an argument about it
Actually, the dig at St Keir was his writing exclusively for the paper he said he wouldn’t give interviews to during his leadership election campaign
So unflag me. I don't flag you. My point was a serious one, now agreed by HMG.
You bellyache about how hard done by, you are on here, and then you behave like that. Please unflag.
There's no need to flag me, because I don't constantly try to start arguments with the same person every day, plus I try to actually read what people are saying before jumping in.
I linked to St Keir's piece about Zombie knives in The Sun. I didn't say he was wrong or right in what he said at all. You decided to try and start an argument about something I hadn't said, because you always do. I couldn't be bothered with it, so flagged you as a troll. No big deal really
Isn't this supposed to be a debating forum? I don't flag you because I am not a child. Sometimes you post things which outrage me, but I am not minded to flag you several times over just to piss you off.
If the standard of debate is so demeaned by randomly flagging people on this site, you can stick your site and your flags where the sun don't shine.
For the record I was making a point I agreed with Starmer (and now the Government) over.
Idiot.
Forgive my ignorance but what does flagging someone do and how do you know who has flagged you
As I haven't ever done it I have often wondered what it's purpose was
The next election will be decided on how many Reform voters actually vote conservative, where the don't knows go, and whether the Lib Dems can improve their present vote share
As well as the always-bemusing plague on both their houses voters previously saying Lib Dems and now opting for the newly fashionable RefUK. Such voters exist.
1. Immediately reissue 2020 executive order restoring the president’s authority to remove rogue bureaucrats and wield that power “very aggressively."
2. Clean out all the corrupt actors in our national security and intelligence apparatus.
3. Totally reform FISA courts.
4. Establish a “Truth and Reconciliation Commission” to declassify and publish all documents on the deep state’s spying, censorship, and corruption.
5. Launch a major crackdown on government leakers who collude with “fake news to deliberately weave false narratives and subvert our government and democracy.”
6. Make every inspector general’s office independent and physically separated from the departments they oversee.
7. Ask Congress to establish an independent auditing system to continually monitor our intelligence agencies.
8. Continue the effort launched by the Trump administration to move parts of the federal bureaucracy to new locations outside the “Washington Swamp.”
9. Work to ban federal bureaucrats from taking jobs at the companies they deal with and regulate.
10. Push a constitutional amendment to impose term limits on members of Congress.
Outside of the fact that this is being proposed by Trump and therefore, of course, will mostly be used to deal with his petty grievances rather than increase scrutiny on the executive branch or Congress - these aren't all bad policies even as written. Like 1 and 5 are very questionable, and the invective about "fake news" and "Washington Swamp" are bad - but the overall idea if done in a sincere way would be a boon. A shame it will be imposed by a fascist to make the executive branch more fashy.
Some horrible and some sensible ideas in here, though like a delicious curry someone has thrown up in, kind of puts you off the whole thing.
1. Bonkers. 2. Fashy witch hunt alarm bells (also would've thought they'd be natural Trump allies having diligently read my James Ellroy). 3. Needs specifics. 4. Incoherent and bonkers. 5. A culture of leaking (if such a thing exists) is not good, however, leaking is unspokenly a necessary part of democracy. Ask Malcolm Tucker. 6. Sensible. 7. Sensible - though sounds like creating more State here. 8. 'Washington Swamp' aside, this is likely a 9. good idea anyway. 10. Very sensible and overdue. 11. Up for debate. Tend to disagree, though accept that there has defo been some safe-seat bed blocking by veteran pols.
7 + 6 is a disaster. It’s designed to put intelligence information in a less secure environment that can be compromised
Like Trump's head? That's definitely a non-secure environment where all forms of intelligence have leaked away.
Remember, as the pressure to vote tactically builds, the LibDem vote goes up in their targets and down in Labour’s. Because there are more of the latter than the former, a successful drive to vote tactically will both depress the national LibDem VI and increase their haul of seats.
"Carol Vorderman @carolvorders · 13m · Nicola Sturgeon used the following descriptors #CovidInquiry @PoliticoForYou #Satire
Matt Hancock - "weaker than a Nun's pis*" Liz Truss - "about as much use as a Marzipan Dildo" Suella Braverman - "Shitler" Boris Johnson - "A fu*king clown"
I haven't heard of a #MarzipanDildo…"
I read that earlier on what looked like a parody account
While you're on Isam could you recall those two troll flags you gave me yesterday in ten minute succession for my support for the banning of Zombie knives. Particularly as 24 hours later Chris Philp declared the banning of Zombie knives Government ( your Government) policy. Thanks. Pete.
No problem. I didn’t say banning them was a good or bad thing but, always on the front foot to get on my nerves, you felt the need to start trying to make an argument about it
Actually, the dig at St Keir was his writing exclusively for the paper he said he wouldn’t give interviews to during his leadership election campaign
So unflag me. I don't flag you. My point was a serious one, now agreed by HMG.
You bellyache about how hard done by, you are on here, and then you behave like that. Please unflag.
There's no need to flag me, because I don't constantly try to start arguments with the same person every day, plus I try to actually read what people are saying before jumping in.
I linked to St Keir's piece about Zombie knives in The Sun. I didn't say he was wrong or right in what he said at all. You decided to try and start an argument about something I hadn't said, because you always do. I couldn't be bothered with it, so flagged you as a troll. No big deal really
Isn't this supposed to be a debating forum? I don't flag you because I am not a child. Sometimes you post things which outrage me, but I am not minded to flag you several times over just to piss you off.
If the standard of debate is so demeaned by randomly flagging people on this site, you can stick your site and your flags where the sun don't shine.
For the record I was making a point I agreed with Starmer (and now the Government) over.
Idiot.
Has anyone actually been stabbed with such a knife? Or is this another moral panic?
If we are going to have a PB Panic, I need to get the tea, coffee and biscuits out. And the chairs and tables. Last time we had a panic was during COVID so everything is going to be covered in dust.
I am reluctant to comment on this subject so I don't get another shit load of flags from Isam.
It was just my view that this kind of weaponry has no place on our streets, alongside ninja swords which haven't been banned. Irrespective of whether they have been responsible for a single death, what kind are f nutcase feels the need to carry them around?
Oh no, not another troll flag!
I can’t wait until the Zombie Apocalypse arrives and you are hiding in the basement waiting for salvation by a county lines kid with a Zombie knife. You won’t be disparaging them then will you? They are the Citizen Army the Top Brass have been asking for without even realising.
"Carol Vorderman @carolvorders · 13m · Nicola Sturgeon used the following descriptors #CovidInquiry @PoliticoForYou #Satire
Matt Hancock - "weaker than a Nun's pis*" Liz Truss - "about as much use as a Marzipan Dildo" Suella Braverman - "Shitler" Boris Johnson - "A fu*king clown"
I haven't heard of a #MarzipanDildo…"
I read that earlier on what looked like a parody account
While you're on Isam could you recall those two troll flags you gave me yesterday in ten minute succession for my support for the banning of Zombie knives. Particularly as 24 hours later Chris Philp declared the banning of Zombie knives Government ( your Government) policy. Thanks. Pete.
No problem. I didn’t say banning them was a good or bad thing but, always on the front foot to get on my nerves, you felt the need to start trying to make an argument about it
Actually, the dig at St Keir was his writing exclusively for the paper he said he wouldn’t give interviews to during his leadership election campaign
So unflag me. I don't flag you. My point was a serious one, now agreed by HMG.
You bellyache about how hard done by, you are on here, and then you behave like that. Please unflag.
There's no need to flag me, because I don't constantly try to start arguments with the same person every day, plus I try to actually read what people are saying before jumping in.
I linked to St Keir's piece about Zombie knives in The Sun. I didn't say he was wrong or right in what he said at all. You decided to try and start an argument about something I hadn't said, because you always do. I couldn't be bothered with it, so flagged you as a troll. No big deal really
Isn't this supposed to be a debating forum? I don't flag you because I am not a child. Sometimes you post things which outrage me, but I am not minded to flag you several times over just to piss you off.
If the standard of debate is so demeaned by randomly flagging people on this site, you can stick your site and your flags where the sun don't shine.
For the record I was making a point I agreed with Starmer (and now the Government) over.
Idiot.
Forgive my ignorance but what does flagging someone do and how do you know who has flagged you
As I haven't ever done it I have often wondered what it's purpose was
G it was my fat finger. I have unflagged.
I was referring to your genuine complaint about the use of flagging as I didn't really understand the reason for it
"Carol Vorderman @carolvorders · 13m · Nicola Sturgeon used the following descriptors #CovidInquiry @PoliticoForYou #Satire
Matt Hancock - "weaker than a Nun's pis*" Liz Truss - "about as much use as a Marzipan Dildo" Suella Braverman - "Shitler" Boris Johnson - "A fu*king clown"
I haven't heard of a #MarzipanDildo…"
I read that earlier on what looked like a parody account
While you're on Isam could you recall those two troll flags you gave me yesterday in ten minute succession for my support for the banning of Zombie knives. Particularly as 24 hours later Chris Philp declared the banning of Zombie knives Government ( your Government) policy. Thanks. Pete.
No problem. I didn’t say banning them was a good or bad thing but, always on the front foot to get on my nerves, you felt the need to start trying to make an argument about it
Actually, the dig at St Keir was his writing exclusively for the paper he said he wouldn’t give interviews to during his leadership election campaign
So unflag me. I don't flag you. My point was a serious one, now agreed by HMG.
You bellyache about how hard done by, you are on here, and then you behave like that. Please unflag.
There's no need to flag me, because I don't constantly try to start arguments with the same person every day, plus I try to actually read what people are saying before jumping in.
I linked to St Keir's piece about Zombie knives in The Sun. I didn't say he was wrong or right in what he said at all. You decided to try and start an argument about something I hadn't said, because you always do. I couldn't be bothered with it, so flagged you as a troll. No big deal really
Isn't this supposed to be a debating forum? I don't flag you because I am not a child. Sometimes you post things which outrage me, but I am not minded to flag you several times over just to piss you off.
If the standard of debate is so demeaned by randomly flagging people on this site, you can stick your site and your flags where the sun don't shine.
For the record I was making a point I agreed with Starmer (and now the Government) over.
Idiot.
Forgive my ignorance but what does flagging someone do and how do you know who has flagged you
As I haven't ever done it I have often wondered what it's purpose was
It is supposed to flag up spammers/trolls, it sends an alert to Robert and Mike.
Robert gets quite annoyed by people who misuse that button as it not supposed to be used as a disagree button.
I remember @MaxPB once flagged one of RCS' own posts.
Somehow, he didn't get banned.
I can only conclude that he's the other, er, another Radiohead fan.
I did as well. Fat scrolling finger syndrome, which happens. Deliberate multiple flags to piss off a poster is the work of a scoundrel.
Remember, as the pressure to vote tactically builds, the LibDem vote goes up in their targets and down in Labour’s. Because there are more of the latter than the former, a successful drive to vote tactically will both depress the national LibDem VI and increase their haul of seats.
I disagree.
The last 5 local elections have opened up a far wider “lib Dem” target seats, that’s going to require more, not less, Labour votes to get over the line.
If tactical voting maxes out, Lib Dem’s will be on 17% of the PV, not 9.
What a huge gap between how we understand this, one of us is going to be proved painfully and screechingly wrong. 😟
Remember, as the pressure to vote tactically builds, the LibDem vote goes up in their targets and down in Labour’s. Because there are more of the latter than the former, a successful drive to vote tactically will both depress the national LibDem VI and increase their haul of seats.
If Labour are seen to be heading for a landslide win will tactical voting actually happen?
"Carol Vorderman @carolvorders · 13m · Nicola Sturgeon used the following descriptors #CovidInquiry @PoliticoForYou #Satire
Matt Hancock - "weaker than a Nun's pis*" Liz Truss - "about as much use as a Marzipan Dildo" Suella Braverman - "Shitler" Boris Johnson - "A fu*king clown"
I haven't heard of a #MarzipanDildo…"
I read that earlier on what looked like a parody account
While you're on Isam could you recall those two troll flags you gave me yesterday in ten minute succession for my support for the banning of Zombie knives. Particularly as 24 hours later Chris Philp declared the banning of Zombie knives Government ( your Government) policy. Thanks. Pete.
No problem. I didn’t say banning them was a good or bad thing but, always on the front foot to get on my nerves, you felt the need to start trying to make an argument about it
Actually, the dig at St Keir was his writing exclusively for the paper he said he wouldn’t give interviews to during his leadership election campaign
So unflag me. I don't flag you. My point was a serious one, now agreed by HMG.
You bellyache about how hard done by, you are on here, and then you behave like that. Please unflag.
There's no need to flag me, because I don't constantly try to start arguments with the same person every day, plus I try to actually read what people are saying before jumping in.
I linked to St Keir's piece about Zombie knives in The Sun. I didn't say he was wrong or right in what he said at all. You decided to try and start an argument about something I hadn't said, because you always do. I couldn't be bothered with it, so flagged you as a troll. No big deal really
Isn't this supposed to be a debating forum? I don't flag you because I am not a child. Sometimes you post things which outrage me, but I am not minded to flag you several times over just to piss you off.
If the standard of debate is so demeaned by randomly flagging people on this site, you can stick your site and your flags where the sun don't shine.
For the record I was making a point I agreed with Starmer (and now the Government) over.
Idiot.
Forgive my ignorance but what does flagging someone do and how do you know who has flagged you
As I haven't ever done it I have often wondered what it's purpose was
It is supposed to flag up spammers/trolls, it sends an alert to Robert and Mike.
Robert gets quite annoyed by people who misuse that button as it not supposed to be used as a disagree button.
I remember @MaxPB once flagged one of RCS' own posts.
Somehow, he didn't get banned.
I can only conclude that he's the other, er, another Radiohead fan.
To think I got banned for writing this in a thread header.
Light the beacons of Gondor, it turns out Boris Johnson was telling the truth last month, an event rarer than a decent Radiohead album
Remember, as the pressure to vote tactically builds, the LibDem vote goes up in their targets and down in Labour’s. Because there are more of the latter than the former, a successful drive to vote tactically will both depress the national LibDem VI and increase their haul of seats.
I disagree.
The last 5 local elections have opened up a far wider “lib Dem” target seats, that’s going to require more, not less, Labour votes to get over the line.
If tactical voting maxes out, Lib Dem’s will be on 17% of the PV, not 9.
What a huge gap between how we understand this, one of us is going to be proved painfully and screechingly wrong. 😟
The GEs in which the vote share went down while the seat tally went up are evidence in my favour.
Meanwhile, the LDs are in a sweet spot. VI goes up - more votes means more seats! VI goes down - more tactical voting means more seats!
Remember, as the pressure to vote tactically builds, the LibDem vote goes up in their targets and down in Labour’s. Because there are more of the latter than the former, a successful drive to vote tactically will both depress the national LibDem VI and increase their haul of seats.
If Labour are seen to be heading for a landslide win will tactical voting actually happen?
We Brits are very nervous of large majorities. So, yes. The more certain Labour is to win, the more willing their voters will be to see the Tories out in their own patch.
An unexpected and not unwelcome early end to the working day.
One or two getting over-excited at the Savanta poll and playing the old "let's add all the Reform vote to the Conservatives" schtick. All the evidence suggests even if Reform ran no candidates, at best a third of their vote would go to the Conservatives - about a sixth would go to Labour and half would stay at home.
A range of between 20% and 29% for Conservative vote share is enormous - starting from the viewpoint all polls are wrong is one thing but that degree of variation is hard to understand but suggests variations in sampling and methodology which make trying to see the wood for the trees tricky.
Not many clues to be gained from local by elections in the short term and it may be we won't know a lot more until Kingswood and Wellingborough poll in three weeks.
“ and playing the old "let's add all the Reform vote to the Conservatives" schtick.”
That’s Me!
Look us in the eye Stodge, and tell us 100% with confidence the Ref ain’t getting a PV of 3 and Con of 33 at the next general election.
Republican Primary = 323,166 (72.7% of total primary votes cast) Donald Trump = 175,308 (54.2% of Republican votes) Nikki Haley =139,792 (43.3%) Ron DeSantis = 2,223 (0.7%) Chris Christie = 1,488 (0.5%) Vivek Ramaswamy = 826 (0.4%) Mike Pence =401 (0.1%) Ryan Binkley =314 (0.1%) Tim Scott = 189 (0.06%) Doug Burgum = 179 (0.06%) Asa Hutchinson = 106 (0.01%) other Republicans on ballot =1,182 (3.7%) Joe Biden (wi) = 497 (1.5%) other Democrats (wi) = 97 (0.03%) Robert Kennedy Jr (wi) = 203 other (wi) = 361 (0.1%) > > last includes 34 (0.01%) for "Cease Fire"
Democratic Primary = 121,152 (27.3% of total primary votes cast)
Joe Biden (wi) = 77,061 (63.6% of Democratic votes) Dean Philips = 23,977 (19.8%) Marianne Williamson =4,938 (4.1%) other Dems on ballot =5,105 (4.2%) Nikki Haley (wi) = 4,695 (3.9%) Donald Trump (wi) = 2,055 (1.7%) other Republicans (wi) = 77 (0.06%) Robert Kennedy Jr (wi) = 435 (0.4%) other (wi) = 2,809 (2.3%) > last includes 1,497 (1.2%) for "Cease Fire"
Remember, as the pressure to vote tactically builds, the LibDem vote goes up in their targets and down in Labour’s. Because there are more of the latter than the former, a successful drive to vote tactically will both depress the national LibDem VI and increase their haul of seats.
I disagree.
The last 5 local elections have opened up a far wider “lib Dem” target seats, that’s going to require more, not less, Labour votes to get over the line.
If tactical voting maxes out, Lib Dem’s will be on 17% of the PV, not 9.
What a huge gap between how we understand this, one of us is going to be proved painfully and screechingly wrong. 😟
The GEs in which the vote share went down while the seat tally went up are evidence in my favour.
Meanwhile, the LDs are in a sweet spot. VI goes up - more votes means more seats! VI goes down - more tactical voting means more seats!
The Lib Dems could do with another by-election win, but failing that the locals in May should help. Nothing succeeds like success.
"Carol Vorderman @carolvorders · 13m · Nicola Sturgeon used the following descriptors #CovidInquiry @PoliticoForYou #Satire
Matt Hancock - "weaker than a Nun's pis*" Liz Truss - "about as much use as a Marzipan Dildo" Suella Braverman - "Shitler" Boris Johnson - "A fu*king clown"
I haven't heard of a #MarzipanDildo…"
Me in 2017 on David Davis
‘He’s useless. He’s absolutely useless. He’s as useless as a marzipan dildo.’
Remember, as the pressure to vote tactically builds, the LibDem vote goes up in their targets and down in Labour’s. Because there are more of the latter than the former, a successful drive to vote tactically will both depress the national LibDem VI and increase their haul of seats.
I disagree.
The last 5 local elections have opened up a far wider “lib Dem” target seats, that’s going to require more, not less, Labour votes to get over the line.
If tactical voting maxes out, Lib Dem’s will be on 17% of the PV, not 9.
What a huge gap between how we understand this, one of us is going to be proved painfully and screechingly wrong. 😟
The GEs in which the vote share went down while the seat tally went up are evidence in my favour.
Meanwhile, the LDs are in a sweet spot. VI goes up - more votes means more seats! VI goes down - more tactical voting means more seats!
Any of your GE evidence pre 2016?
a political landscape where Tory’s won a Red Wall, and Lib Dem’s targeting a huge Blue Wall is in my favour.
Lib Dem’s 17% at next election thanks to Labour Voters.
"Carol Vorderman @carolvorders · 13m · Nicola Sturgeon used the following descriptors #CovidInquiry @PoliticoForYou #Satire
Matt Hancock - "weaker than a Nun's pis*" Liz Truss - "about as much use as a Marzipan Dildo" Suella Braverman - "Shitler" Boris Johnson - "A fu*king clown"
I haven't heard of a #MarzipanDildo…"
Me in 2017 on David Davis
‘He’s useless. He’s absolutely useless. He’s as useless as a marzipan dildo.’
I need to thank you for pointing me towards Tom Scott. I've been going through his lengthy back catalogue whilst on the cross-trainer. I particularly liked his talk to the Royal Institution about "There is no Algorithm for Truth": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leX541Dr2rU (Also the game show format with three others on "Citation Needed")
4 - 60 *choose your word*s parked head to tail for 400m in a traffic lane on an urban clearway forcing private motor vehicles into the bus lane, and *all of them* got parking tickets. https://twitter.com/CrimeLdn/status/1750449754973077963
"Carol Vorderman @carolvorders · 13m · Nicola Sturgeon used the following descriptors #CovidInquiry @PoliticoForYou #Satire
Matt Hancock - "weaker than a Nun's pis*" Liz Truss - "about as much use as a Marzipan Dildo" Suella Braverman - "Shitler" Boris Johnson - "A fu*king clown"
I haven't heard of a #MarzipanDildo…"
I read that earlier on what looked like a parody account
While you're on Isam could you recall those two troll flags you gave me yesterday in ten minute succession for my support for the banning of Zombie knives. Particularly as 24 hours later Chris Philp declared the banning of Zombie knives Government ( your Government) policy. Thanks. Pete.
No problem. I didn’t say banning them was a good or bad thing but, always on the front foot to get on my nerves, you felt the need to start trying to make an argument about it
Actually, the dig at St Keir was his writing exclusively for the paper he said he wouldn’t give interviews to during his leadership election campaign
So unflag me. I don't flag you. My point was a serious one, now agreed by HMG.
You bellyache about how hard done by, you are on here, and then you behave like that. Please unflag.
There's no need to flag me, because I don't constantly try to start arguments with the same person every day, plus I try to actually read what people are saying before jumping in.
I linked to St Keir's piece about Zombie knives in The Sun. I didn't say he was wrong or right in what he said at all. You decided to try and start an argument about something I hadn't said, because you always do. I couldn't be bothered with it, so flagged you as a troll. No big deal really
Isn't this supposed to be a debating forum? I don't flag you because I am not a child. Sometimes you post things which outrage me, but I am not minded to flag you several times over just to piss you off.
If the standard of debate is so demeaned by randomly flagging people on this site, you can stick your site and your flags where the sun don't shine.
For the record I was making a point I agreed with Starmer (and now the Government) over.
Idiot.
Forgive my ignorance but what does flagging someone do and how do you know who has flagged you
As I haven't ever done it I have often wondered what it's purpose was
It is supposed to flag up spammers/trolls, it sends an alert to Robert and Mike.
Robert gets quite annoyed by people who misuse that button as it not supposed to be used as a disagree button.
This will come as a surprise to any posters who think 'flag' means 'like very much'.
The British Polling Council (BPC) is looking into controversial YouGov polling used by Conservative plotters to call for Rishi Sunak to be ousted.
The two polls, which YouGov said were commissioned by a mysterious group called the Conservative Britain Alliance with Tory peer David Frost acting as the intermediary, caused shock waves in Westminster when they were published in the Daily Telegraph last week.
They projected that the Conservatives are on track for a 1997-style defeat, but that they could win if Sunak were replaced by a hypothetical Tory leader who cut taxes and immigration.
The findings were unveiled with great fanfare on the front page of the Telegraph alongside a piece by Frost arguing that Sunak’s current strategy was leading the party to annihilation. This week, Tory MP Simon Clarke cited the poll’s findings in a piece calling for Sunak to be ousted.
It has prompted questions about who paid for the survey, which will have cost tens of thousands of pounds to commission. The Conservative Britain Alliance is said to consist of a group of Tory donors.
The BPC discussed the controversy at its regular meeting on Wednesday and has asked YouGov if it had documentation showing that the Conservative Britain Alliance is its client, according to one of its committee members.
Nick Moon, secretary of the BPC, said: “Under the rules of the BPC, YouGov has to publish the details of the poll, including who their client was.
“They’ve said the client was the Conservative Britain Alliance. We’re just making sure that they were formally hired by this organisation.”
YouGov said: “Over the past week, YouGov has sought guidance from the BPC and received assurances that we have followed the rules.”
The BPC is an industry group for polling companies that promotes transparency, but does not have any formal powers. Under its guidelines, clients do not have to be registered companies or have any formal status in order to commission polling. Pollsters do not need to specify who paid for the work.
“So long as [the Conservative Britain Alliance] were actually the client they’ve met the rules,” Moon said. “If I were to form the St Albans Walrus Protection Society, that body could go out and commission polls about walruses. Any polling company would be very happy to take my money.”
Have we done Labour's candidate in Kingswood (a guy from Lewisham) getting adverse press for putting on a fake West Country accent?
Joey Barton?
Scrolled through some of his social media back a few years and there is the odd Bristol raised reference that pre-dates his candidacy for the Kingswood selection. More an accent re-thickening on contact with home type scenario.
"Carol Vorderman @carolvorders · 13m · Nicola Sturgeon used the following descriptors #CovidInquiry @PoliticoForYou #Satire
Matt Hancock - "weaker than a Nun's pis*" Liz Truss - "about as much use as a Marzipan Dildo" Suella Braverman - "Shitler" Boris Johnson - "A fu*king clown"
I haven't heard of a #MarzipanDildo…"
I read that earlier on what looked like a parody account
While you're on Isam could you recall those two troll flags you gave me yesterday in ten minute succession for my support for the banning of Zombie knives. Particularly as 24 hours later Chris Philp declared the banning of Zombie knives Government ( your Government) policy. Thanks. Pete.
No problem. I didn’t say banning them was a good or bad thing but, always on the front foot to get on my nerves, you felt the need to start trying to make an argument about it
Actually, the dig at St Keir was his writing exclusively for the paper he said he wouldn’t give interviews to during his leadership election campaign
So unflag me. I don't flag you. My point was a serious one, now agreed by HMG.
You bellyache about how hard done by, you are on here, and then you behave like that. Please unflag.
There's no need to flag me, because I don't constantly try to start arguments with the same person every day, plus I try to actually read what people are saying before jumping in.
I linked to St Keir's piece about Zombie knives in The Sun. I didn't say he was wrong or right in what he said at all. You decided to try and start an argument about something I hadn't said, because you always do. I couldn't be bothered with it, so flagged you as a troll. No big deal really
Isn't this supposed to be a debating forum? I don't flag you because I am not a child. Sometimes you post things which outrage me, but I am not minded to flag you several times over just to piss you off.
If the standard of debate is so demeaned by randomly flagging people on this site, you can stick your site and your flags where the sun don't shine.
For the record I was making a point I agreed with Starmer (and now the Government) over.
Idiot.
Forgive my ignorance but what does flagging someone do and how do you know who has flagged you
As I haven't ever done it I have often wondered what it's purpose was
It is supposed to flag up spammers/trolls, it sends an alert to Robert and Mike.
Robert gets quite annoyed by people who misuse that button as it not supposed to be used as a disagree button.
This will come as a surprise to any posters who think 'flag' means 'like very much'.
It’s no surprise PBs tradition of Drunk Tank Thursday has started up early this winter night.
"Carol Vorderman @carolvorders · 13m · Nicola Sturgeon used the following descriptors #CovidInquiry @PoliticoForYou #Satire
Matt Hancock - "weaker than a Nun's pis*" Liz Truss - "about as much use as a Marzipan Dildo" Suella Braverman - "Shitler" Boris Johnson - "A fu*king clown"
I haven't heard of a #MarzipanDildo…"
I read that earlier on what looked like a parody account
While you're on Isam could you recall those two troll flags you gave me yesterday in ten minute succession for my support for the banning of Zombie knives. Particularly as 24 hours later Chris Philp declared the banning of Zombie knives Government ( your Government) policy. Thanks. Pete.
No problem. I didn’t say banning them was a good or bad thing but, always on the front foot to get on my nerves, you felt the need to start trying to make an argument about it
Actually, the dig at St Keir was his writing exclusively for the paper he said he wouldn’t give interviews to during his leadership election campaign
So unflag me. I don't flag you. My point was a serious one, now agreed by HMG.
You bellyache about how hard done by, you are on here, and then you behave like that. Please unflag.
There's no need to flag me, because I don't constantly try to start arguments with the same person every day, plus I try to actually read what people are saying before jumping in.
I linked to St Keir's piece about Zombie knives in The Sun. I didn't say he was wrong or right in what he said at all. You decided to try and start an argument about something I hadn't said, because you always do. I couldn't be bothered with it, so flagged you as a troll. No big deal really
Isn't this supposed to be a debating forum? I don't flag you because I am not a child. Sometimes you post things which outrage me, but I am not minded to flag you several times over just to piss you off.
If the standard of debate is so demeaned by randomly flagging people on this site, you can stick your site and your flags where the sun don't shine.
For the record I was making a point I agreed with Starmer (and now the Government) over.
Idiot.
Has anyone actually been stabbed with such a knife? Or is this another moral panic?
If we are going to have a PB Panic, I need to get the tea, coffee and biscuits out. And the chairs and tables. Last time we had a panic was during COVID so everything is going to be covered in dust.
"Zombie Knives" were included by name in the list years ago as a fashionably named item / PR stunt at the time. I have not followed closely enough to know how the current proposed "ban" is different.
They seem to be talking about "serrated" rather than 'look like something out of a Kill Bill type film'.
A normal kitchen bread knife is more convenient to carry and use.
"Carol Vorderman @carolvorders · 13m · Nicola Sturgeon used the following descriptors #CovidInquiry @PoliticoForYou #Satire
Matt Hancock - "weaker than a Nun's pis*" Liz Truss - "about as much use as a Marzipan Dildo" Suella Braverman - "Shitler" Boris Johnson - "A fu*king clown"
I haven't heard of a #MarzipanDildo…"
I read that earlier on what looked like a parody account
While you're on Isam could you recall those two troll flags you gave me yesterday in ten minute succession for my support for the banning of Zombie knives. Particularly as 24 hours later Chris Philp declared the banning of Zombie knives Government ( your Government) policy. Thanks. Pete.
No problem. I didn’t say banning them was a good or bad thing but, always on the front foot to get on my nerves, you felt the need to start trying to make an argument about it
Actually, the dig at St Keir was his writing exclusively for the paper he said he wouldn’t give interviews to during his leadership election campaign
So unflag me. I don't flag you. My point was a serious one, now agreed by HMG.
You bellyache about how hard done by, you are on here, and then you behave like that. Please unflag.
There's no need to flag me, because I don't constantly try to start arguments with the same person every day, plus I try to actually read what people are saying before jumping in.
I linked to St Keir's piece about Zombie knives in The Sun. I didn't say he was wrong or right in what he said at all. You decided to try and start an argument about something I hadn't said, because you always do. I couldn't be bothered with it, so flagged you as a troll. No big deal really
Isn't this supposed to be a debating forum? I don't flag you because I am not a child. Sometimes you post things which outrage me, but I am not minded to flag you several times over just to piss you off.
If the standard of debate is so demeaned by randomly flagging people on this site, you can stick your site and your flags where the sun don't shine.
For the record I was making a point I agreed with Starmer (and now the Government) over.
Idiot.
Has anyone actually been stabbed with such a knife? Or is this another moral panic?
If we are going to have a PB Panic, I need to get the tea, coffee and biscuits out. And the chairs and tables. Last time we had a panic was during COVID so everything is going to be covered in dust.
I am reluctant to comment on this subject so I don't get another shit load of flags from Isam.
It was just my view that this kind of weaponry has no place on our streets, alongside ninja swords which haven't been banned. Irrespective of whether they have been responsible for a single death, what kind are f nutcase feels the need to carry them around?
Oh no, not another troll flag!
So we should spend time and money banning something which may or may not be a problem… because it is Doing Something.
Fine.
While we are at it, let’s extend my suggested solution to COVID in schools -
All persons 18 and below can only appear in a public place when inside a Zorb ball made of knife proof plastic, with a HEPA filter. Or face 10 years in prison.
Remember, as the pressure to vote tactically builds, the LibDem vote goes up in their targets and down in Labour’s. Because there are more of the latter than the former, a successful drive to vote tactically will both depress the national LibDem VI and increase their haul of seats.
If Labour are seen to be heading for a landslide win will tactical voting actually happen?
Yes. If Labour are heading for a landslide, it will be because a large number of people very strongly want a change of government. If a large number of people feel that way, there will be a lot of tactical voting.
A thing that may limit tactical voting would be if the apparent landslide related to Starmer and his team being personally enormously popular, such that people are very keen to identify with that. However, I don't think there is a lot of evidence of that. Starmer has positioned himself, and is widely seen as, blandly managerial. That doesn't frighten people off, but nor does discourage people in Godalming (say) from voting for the challengers to the Tories in their neck of the woods.
"Carol Vorderman @carolvorders · 13m · Nicola Sturgeon used the following descriptors #CovidInquiry @PoliticoForYou #Satire
Matt Hancock - "weaker than a Nun's pis*" Liz Truss - "about as much use as a Marzipan Dildo" Suella Braverman - "Shitler" Boris Johnson - "A fu*king clown"
I haven't heard of a #MarzipanDildo…"
I read that earlier on what looked like a parody account
While you're on Isam could you recall those two troll flags you gave me yesterday in ten minute succession for my support for the banning of Zombie knives. Particularly as 24 hours later Chris Philp declared the banning of Zombie knives Government ( your Government) policy. Thanks. Pete.
No problem. I didn’t say banning them was a good or bad thing but, always on the front foot to get on my nerves, you felt the need to start trying to make an argument about it
Actually, the dig at St Keir was his writing exclusively for the paper he said he wouldn’t give interviews to during his leadership election campaign
So unflag me. I don't flag you. My point was a serious one, now agreed by HMG.
You bellyache about how hard done by, you are on here, and then you behave like that. Please unflag.
There's no need to flag me, because I don't constantly try to start arguments with the same person every day, plus I try to actually read what people are saying before jumping in.
I linked to St Keir's piece about Zombie knives in The Sun. I didn't say he was wrong or right in what he said at all. You decided to try and start an argument about something I hadn't said, because you always do. I couldn't be bothered with it, so flagged you as a troll. No big deal really
Isn't this supposed to be a debating forum? I don't flag you because I am not a child. Sometimes you post things which outrage me, but I am not minded to flag you several times over just to piss you off.
If the standard of debate is so demeaned by randomly flagging people on this site, you can stick your site and your flags where the sun don't shine.
For the record I was making a point I agreed with Starmer (and now the Government) over.
Idiot.
Forgive my ignorance but what does flagging someone do and how do you know who has flagged you
As I haven't ever done it I have often wondered what it's purpose was
It is supposed to flag up spammers/trolls, it sends an alert to Robert and Mike.
Robert gets quite annoyed by people who misuse that button as it not supposed to be used as a disagree button.
This will come as a surprise to any posters who think 'flag' means 'like very much'.
It’s no surprise PBs tradition of Drunk Tank Thursday has started up early this winter night.
The British Polling Council (BPC) is looking into controversial YouGov polling used by Conservative plotters to call for Rishi Sunak to be ousted.
The two polls, which YouGov said were commissioned by a mysterious group called the Conservative Britain Alliance with Tory peer David Frost acting as the intermediary, caused shock waves in Westminster when they were published in the Daily Telegraph last week.
They projected that the Conservatives are on track for a 1997-style defeat, but that they could win if Sunak were replaced by a hypothetical Tory leader who cut taxes and immigration.
The findings were unveiled with great fanfare on the front page of the Telegraph alongside a piece by Frost arguing that Sunak’s current strategy was leading the party to annihilation. This week, Tory MP Simon Clarke cited the poll’s findings in a piece calling for Sunak to be ousted.
It has prompted questions about who paid for the survey, which will have cost tens of thousands of pounds to commission. The Conservative Britain Alliance is said to consist of a group of Tory donors.
The BPC discussed the controversy at its regular meeting on Wednesday and has asked YouGov if it had documentation showing that the Conservative Britain Alliance is its client, according to one of its committee members.
Nick Moon, secretary of the BPC, said: “Under the rules of the BPC, YouGov has to publish the details of the poll, including who their client was.
“They’ve said the client was the Conservative Britain Alliance. We’re just making sure that they were formally hired by this organisation.”
YouGov said: “Over the past week, YouGov has sought guidance from the BPC and received assurances that we have followed the rules.”
The BPC is an industry group for polling companies that promotes transparency, but does not have any formal powers. Under its guidelines, clients do not have to be registered companies or have any formal status in order to commission polling. Pollsters do not need to specify who paid for the work.
“So long as [the Conservative Britain Alliance] were actually the client they’ve met the rules,” Moon said. “If I were to form the St Albans Walrus Protection Society, that body could go out and commission polls about walruses. Any polling company would be very happy to take my money.”
If these were your options, Who would you vote for? Rishi Sunak 1% Keir Starmer 2% A Walrus who stopped the boats, cut my taxes, gave British Homes to British Families, saved the NHS, made petrol cheaper, reversed shrinkflation, obtained 2% growth, unpolluted the rivers, and turned UK back into a green and pleasant land 97%
Remember, as the pressure to vote tactically builds, the LibDem vote goes up in their targets and down in Labour’s. Because there are more of the latter than the former, a successful drive to vote tactically will both depress the national LibDem VI and increase their haul of seats.
If Labour are seen to be heading for a landslide win will tactical voting actually happen?
It certainly did in 1997 and 2001, so why not this time too?
I think the LDs do need more distinctive policies though. The current proposals are pretty much identical to Starmers Labour. If there's no difference why not go the whole hog?
The LDs need to be more distinctive. Advocating EEA status for example.
"Carol Vorderman @carolvorders · 13m · Nicola Sturgeon used the following descriptors #CovidInquiry @PoliticoForYou #Satire
Matt Hancock - "weaker than a Nun's pis*" Liz Truss - "about as much use as a Marzipan Dildo" Suella Braverman - "Shitler" Boris Johnson - "A fu*king clown"
I haven't heard of a #MarzipanDildo…"
I read that earlier on what looked like a parody account
While you're on Isam could you recall those two troll flags you gave me yesterday in ten minute succession for my support for the banning of Zombie knives. Particularly as 24 hours later Chris Philp declared the banning of Zombie knives Government ( your Government) policy. Thanks. Pete.
No problem. I didn’t say banning them was a good or bad thing but, always on the front foot to get on my nerves, you felt the need to start trying to make an argument about it
Actually, the dig at St Keir was his writing exclusively for the paper he said he wouldn’t give interviews to during his leadership election campaign
So unflag me. I don't flag you. My point was a serious one, now agreed by HMG.
You bellyache about how hard done by, you are on here, and then you behave like that. Please unflag.
There's no need to flag me, because I don't constantly try to start arguments with the same person every day, plus I try to actually read what people are saying before jumping in.
I linked to St Keir's piece about Zombie knives in The Sun. I didn't say he was wrong or right in what he said at all. You decided to try and start an argument about something I hadn't said, because you always do. I couldn't be bothered with it, so flagged you as a troll. No big deal really
Isn't this supposed to be a debating forum? I don't flag you because I am not a child. Sometimes you post things which outrage me, but I am not minded to flag you several times over just to piss you off.
If the standard of debate is so demeaned by randomly flagging people on this site, you can stick your site and your flags where the sun don't shine.
For the record I was making a point I agreed with Starmer (and now the Government) over.
Idiot.
Has anyone actually been stabbed with such a knife? Or is this another moral panic?
If we are going to have a PB Panic, I need to get the tea, coffee and biscuits out. And the chairs and tables. Last time we had a panic was during COVID so everything is going to be covered in dust.
I am reluctant to comment on this subject so I don't get another shit load of flags from Isam.
It was just my view that this kind of weaponry has no place on our streets, alongside ninja swords which haven't been banned. Irrespective of whether they have been responsible for a single death, what kind are f nutcase feels the need to carry them around?
Oh no, not another troll flag!
So we should spend time and money banning something which may or may not be a problem… because it is Doing Something.
Fine.
While we are at it, let’s extend my suggested solution to COVID in schools -
All persons 18 and below can only appear in a public place when inside a Zorb ball made of knife proof plastic, with a HEPA filter. Or face 10 years in prison.
It may not work, but it is Something.
The morning school run is going to be way more fun with the road full of kids in zorb balls. It's going to cut down on RTAs too... well, not cut down on accidents, but the kids will just bounce off and be fine. Got my vote.
"Carol Vorderman @carolvorders · 13m · Nicola Sturgeon used the following descriptors #CovidInquiry @PoliticoForYou #Satire
Matt Hancock - "weaker than a Nun's pis*" Liz Truss - "about as much use as a Marzipan Dildo" Suella Braverman - "Shitler" Boris Johnson - "A fu*king clown"
I haven't heard of a #MarzipanDildo…"
Me in 2017 on David Davis
‘He’s useless. He’s absolutely useless. He’s as useless as a marzipan dildo.’
"Carol Vorderman @carolvorders · 13m · Nicola Sturgeon used the following descriptors #CovidInquiry @PoliticoForYou #Satire
Matt Hancock - "weaker than a Nun's pis*" Liz Truss - "about as much use as a Marzipan Dildo" Suella Braverman - "Shitler" Boris Johnson - "A fu*king clown"
I haven't heard of a #MarzipanDildo…"
I read that earlier on what looked like a parody account
While you're on Isam could you recall those two troll flags you gave me yesterday in ten minute succession for my support for the banning of Zombie knives. Particularly as 24 hours later Chris Philp declared the banning of Zombie knives Government ( your Government) policy. Thanks. Pete.
No problem. I didn’t say banning them was a good or bad thing but, always on the front foot to get on my nerves, you felt the need to start trying to make an argument about it
Actually, the dig at St Keir was his writing exclusively for the paper he said he wouldn’t give interviews to during his leadership election campaign
So unflag me. I don't flag you. My point was a serious one, now agreed by HMG.
You bellyache about how hard done by, you are on here, and then you behave like that. Please unflag.
There's no need to flag me, because I don't constantly try to start arguments with the same person every day, plus I try to actually read what people are saying before jumping in.
I linked to St Keir's piece about Zombie knives in The Sun. I didn't say he was wrong or right in what he said at all. You decided to try and start an argument about something I hadn't said, because you always do. I couldn't be bothered with it, so flagged you as a troll. No big deal really
Isn't this supposed to be a debating forum? I don't flag you because I am not a child. Sometimes you post things which outrage me, but I am not minded to flag you several times over just to piss you off.
If the standard of debate is so demeaned by randomly flagging people on this site, you can stick your site and your flags where the sun don't shine.
For the record I was making a point I agreed with Starmer (and now the Government) over.
Idiot.
Has anyone actually been stabbed with such a knife? Or is this another moral panic?
If we are going to have a PB Panic, I need to get the tea, coffee and biscuits out. And the chairs and tables. Last time we had a panic was during COVID so everything is going to be covered in dust.
"Zombie Knives" were included by name in the list years ago as a fashionably named item / PR stunt at the time. I have not followed closely enough to know how the current proposed "ban" is different.
They seem to be talking about "serrated" rather than 'look like something out of a Kill Bill type film'.
A normal kitchen bread knife is more convenient to carry and use.
Exactly.
There are plenty of kitchen knives that make more effective and concealable weapons than an 18 inch machete.
A fair number of my gardening tools are pretty useful in the case of a zombie apocalypse too!
The British Polling Council (BPC) is looking into controversial YouGov polling used by Conservative plotters to call for Rishi Sunak to be ousted.
The two polls, which YouGov said were commissioned by a mysterious group called the Conservative Britain Alliance with Tory peer David Frost acting as the intermediary, caused shock waves in Westminster when they were published in the Daily Telegraph last week.
They projected that the Conservatives are on track for a 1997-style defeat, but that they could win if Sunak were replaced by a hypothetical Tory leader who cut taxes and immigration.
The findings were unveiled with great fanfare on the front page of the Telegraph alongside a piece by Frost arguing that Sunak’s current strategy was leading the party to annihilation. This week, Tory MP Simon Clarke cited the poll’s findings in a piece calling for Sunak to be ousted.
It has prompted questions about who paid for the survey, which will have cost tens of thousands of pounds to commission. The Conservative Britain Alliance is said to consist of a group of Tory donors.
The BPC discussed the controversy at its regular meeting on Wednesday and has asked YouGov if it had documentation showing that the Conservative Britain Alliance is its client, according to one of its committee members.
Nick Moon, secretary of the BPC, said: “Under the rules of the BPC, YouGov has to publish the details of the poll, including who their client was.
“They’ve said the client was the Conservative Britain Alliance. We’re just making sure that they were formally hired by this organisation.”
YouGov said: “Over the past week, YouGov has sought guidance from the BPC and received assurances that we have followed the rules.”
The BPC is an industry group for polling companies that promotes transparency, but does not have any formal powers. Under its guidelines, clients do not have to be registered companies or have any formal status in order to commission polling. Pollsters do not need to specify who paid for the work.
“So long as [the Conservative Britain Alliance] were actually the client they’ve met the rules,” Moon said. “If I were to form the St Albans Walrus Protection Society, that body could go out and commission polls about walruses. Any polling company would be very happy to take my money.”
If these were your options, Who would you vote for? Rishi Sunak 1% Keir Starmer 2% A Walrus who stopped the boats, cut my taxes, gave British Homes to British Families, saved the NHS, made petrol cheaper, reversed shrinkflation, obtained 2% growth, unpolluted the rivers, and turned UK back into a green and pleasant land 97%
"Carol Vorderman @carolvorders · 13m · Nicola Sturgeon used the following descriptors #CovidInquiry @PoliticoForYou #Satire
Matt Hancock - "weaker than a Nun's pis*" Liz Truss - "about as much use as a Marzipan Dildo" Suella Braverman - "Shitler" Boris Johnson - "A fu*king clown"
I haven't heard of a #MarzipanDildo…"
I read that earlier on what looked like a parody account
While you're on Isam could you recall those two troll flags you gave me yesterday in ten minute succession for my support for the banning of Zombie knives. Particularly as 24 hours later Chris Philp declared the banning of Zombie knives Government ( your Government) policy. Thanks. Pete.
No problem. I didn’t say banning them was a good or bad thing but, always on the front foot to get on my nerves, you felt the need to start trying to make an argument about it
Actually, the dig at St Keir was his writing exclusively for the paper he said he wouldn’t give interviews to during his leadership election campaign
So unflag me. I don't flag you. My point was a serious one, now agreed by HMG.
You bellyache about how hard done by, you are on here, and then you behave like that. Please unflag.
There's no need to flag me, because I don't constantly try to start arguments with the same person every day, plus I try to actually read what people are saying before jumping in.
I linked to St Keir's piece about Zombie knives in The Sun. I didn't say he was wrong or right in what he said at all. You decided to try and start an argument about something I hadn't said, because you always do. I couldn't be bothered with it, so flagged you as a troll. No big deal really
Isn't this supposed to be a debating forum? I don't flag you because I am not a child. Sometimes you post things which outrage me, but I am not minded to flag you several times over just to piss you off.
If the standard of debate is so demeaned by randomly flagging people on this site, you can stick your site and your flags where the sun don't shine.
For the record I was making a point I agreed with Starmer (and now the Government) over.
Idiot.
Has anyone actually been stabbed with such a knife? Or is this another moral panic?
If we are going to have a PB Panic, I need to get the tea, coffee and biscuits out. And the chairs and tables. Last time we had a panic was during COVID so everything is going to be covered in dust.
I am reluctant to comment on this subject so I don't get another shit load of flags from Isam.
It was just my view that this kind of weaponry has no place on our streets, alongside ninja swords which haven't been banned. Irrespective of whether they have been responsible for a single death, what kind are f nutcase feels the need to carry them around?
Oh no, not another troll flag!
So we should spend time and money banning something which may or may not be a problem… because it is Doing Something.
Fine.
While we are at it, let’s extend my suggested solution to COVID in schools -
All persons 18 and below can only appear in a public place when inside a Zorb ball made of knife proof plastic, with a HEPA filter. Or face 10 years in prison.
It may not work, but it is Something.
The morning school run is going to be way more fun with the road full of kids in zorb balls. It's going to cut down on RTAs too... well, not cut down on accidents, but the kids will just bounce off and be fine. Got my vote.
I'd position the latest proposed Zombie Knife and Machete ban as a Bully XL style populist Hail Mary pass.
LOTR Roleplayers doing Uruk-Hai Orcs will have to make very that sure their machetes are blunt, or plastic.
"Carol Vorderman @carolvorders · 13m · Nicola Sturgeon used the following descriptors #CovidInquiry @PoliticoForYou #Satire
Matt Hancock - "weaker than a Nun's pis*" Liz Truss - "about as much use as a Marzipan Dildo" Suella Braverman - "Shitler" Boris Johnson - "A fu*king clown"
I haven't heard of a #MarzipanDildo…"
Me in 2017 on David Davis
‘He’s useless. He’s absolutely useless. He’s as useless as a marzipan dildo.’
"Carol Vorderman @carolvorders · 13m · Nicola Sturgeon used the following descriptors #CovidInquiry @PoliticoForYou #Satire
Matt Hancock - "weaker than a Nun's pis*" Liz Truss - "about as much use as a Marzipan Dildo" Suella Braverman - "Shitler" Boris Johnson - "A fu*king clown"
I haven't heard of a #MarzipanDildo…"
Me in 2017 on David Davis
‘He’s useless. He’s absolutely useless. He’s as useless as a marzipan dildo.’
There is very little commentary on UK geopolitical choices and trade strategy in the event of a Trump win, which is sad, bigly.
Let’s assume that a 10% import tariff goes through, for example, and the US cuts off aid to Ukraine.
Starmer’s Britain will have little choice but some kind of “ever closer” arrangement with the EU and European defence powers.
In other news, it’s pretty obvious that Johnson still harbours hope of a return. The flaw is he needs a sympathetic Tory HQ in order to get a safe seat. Unless he strikes some kind of deal with Reform, which I’d judge very unlikely. I wonder what the strategy is.
Do these two threads connect. Is Johnson the man to secure a UK carve-out from a U.S. trade wall?
"Carol Vorderman @carolvorders · 13m · Nicola Sturgeon used the following descriptors #CovidInquiry @PoliticoForYou #Satire
Matt Hancock - "weaker than a Nun's pis*" Liz Truss - "about as much use as a Marzipan Dildo" Suella Braverman - "Shitler" Boris Johnson - "A fu*king clown"
I haven't heard of a #MarzipanDildo…"
I read that earlier on what looked like a parody account
While you're on Isam could you recall those two troll flags you gave me yesterday in ten minute succession for my support for the banning of Zombie knives. Particularly as 24 hours later Chris Philp declared the banning of Zombie knives Government ( your Government) policy. Thanks. Pete.
No problem. I didn’t say banning them was a good or bad thing but, always on the front foot to get on my nerves, you felt the need to start trying to make an argument about it
Actually, the dig at St Keir was his writing exclusively for the paper he said he wouldn’t give interviews to during his leadership election campaign
So unflag me. I don't flag you. My point was a serious one, now agreed by HMG.
You bellyache about how hard done by, you are on here, and then you behave like that. Please unflag.
There's no need to flag me, because I don't constantly try to start arguments with the same person every day, plus I try to actually read what people are saying before jumping in.
I linked to St Keir's piece about Zombie knives in The Sun. I didn't say he was wrong or right in what he said at all. You decided to try and start an argument about something I hadn't said, because you always do. I couldn't be bothered with it, so flagged you as a troll. No big deal really
Isn't this supposed to be a debating forum? I don't flag you because I am not a child. Sometimes you post things which outrage me, but I am not minded to flag you several times over just to piss you off.
If the standard of debate is so demeaned by randomly flagging people on this site, you can stick your site and your flags where the sun don't shine.
For the record I was making a point I agreed with Starmer (and now the Government) over.
Idiot.
Has anyone actually been stabbed with such a knife? Or is this another moral panic?
If we are going to have a PB Panic, I need to get the tea, coffee and biscuits out. And the chairs and tables. Last time we had a panic was during COVID so everything is going to be covered in dust.
I am reluctant to comment on this subject so I don't get another shit load of flags from Isam.
It was just my view that this kind of weaponry has no place on our streets, alongside ninja swords which haven't been banned. Irrespective of whether they have been responsible for a single death, what kind are f nutcase feels the need to carry them around?
Oh no, not another troll flag!
So we should spend time and money banning something which may or may not be a problem… because it is Doing Something.
Fine.
While we are at it, let’s extend my suggested solution to COVID in schools -
All persons 18 and below can only appear in a public place when inside a Zorb ball made of knife proof plastic, with a HEPA filter. Or face 10 years in prison.
It may not work, but it is Something.
The morning school run is going to be way more fun with the road full of kids in zorb balls. It's going to cut down on RTAs too... well, not cut down on accidents, but the kids will just bounce off and be fine. Got my vote.
It would eliminate RTA deaths Eliminate knife deaths of teenagers Eliminate knife murders by teenagers Eliminate assaults on teachers Eliminate assaults by teachers Makes truancy from school really hard Eliminates most crimes teenagers commit - very hard to steal a mobile from a Zorb ball. Eliminate teenagers as a source of infectious disease Eliminate teenagers from picking up infectious disease
"Carol Vorderman @carolvorders · 13m · Nicola Sturgeon used the following descriptors #CovidInquiry @PoliticoForYou #Satire
Matt Hancock - "weaker than a Nun's pis*" Liz Truss - "about as much use as a Marzipan Dildo" Suella Braverman - "Shitler" Boris Johnson - "A fu*king clown"
I haven't heard of a #MarzipanDildo…"
I read that earlier on what looked like a parody account
While you're on Isam could you recall those two troll flags you gave me yesterday in ten minute succession for my support for the banning of Zombie knives. Particularly as 24 hours later Chris Philp declared the banning of Zombie knives Government ( your Government) policy. Thanks. Pete.
No problem. I didn’t say banning them was a good or bad thing but, always on the front foot to get on my nerves, you felt the need to start trying to make an argument about it
Actually, the dig at St Keir was his writing exclusively for the paper he said he wouldn’t give interviews to during his leadership election campaign
So unflag me. I don't flag you. My point was a serious one, now agreed by HMG.
You bellyache about how hard done by, you are on here, and then you behave like that. Please unflag.
There's no need to flag me, because I don't constantly try to start arguments with the same person every day, plus I try to actually read what people are saying before jumping in.
I linked to St Keir's piece about Zombie knives in The Sun. I didn't say he was wrong or right in what he said at all. You decided to try and start an argument about something I hadn't said, because you always do. I couldn't be bothered with it, so flagged you as a troll. No big deal really
Isn't this supposed to be a debating forum? I don't flag you because I am not a child. Sometimes you post things which outrage me, but I am not minded to flag you several times over just to piss you off.
If the standard of debate is so demeaned by randomly flagging people on this site, you can stick your site and your flags where the sun don't shine.
For the record I was making a point I agreed with Starmer (and now the Government) over.
Idiot.
Forgive my ignorance but what does flagging someone do and how do you know who has flagged you
As I haven't ever done it I have often wondered what it's purpose was
It is supposed to flag up spammers/trolls, it sends an alert to Robert and Mike.
Robert gets quite annoyed by people who misuse that button as it not supposed to be used as a disagree button.
This will come as a surprise to any posters who think 'flag' means 'like very much'.
It’s no surprise PBs tradition of Drunk Tank Thursday has started up early this winter night.
An unexpected and not unwelcome early end to the working day.
One or two getting over-excited at the Savanta poll and playing the old "let's add all the Reform vote to the Conservatives" schtick. All the evidence suggests even if Reform ran no candidates, at best a third of their vote would go to the Conservatives - about a sixth would go to Labour and half would stay at home.
A range of between 20% and 29% for Conservative vote share is enormous - starting from the viewpoint all polls are wrong is one thing but that degree of variation is hard to understand but suggests variations in sampling and methodology which make trying to see the wood for the trees tricky.
Not many clues to be gained from local by elections in the short term and it may be we won't know a lot more until Kingswood and Wellingborough poll in three weeks.
“ and playing the old "let's add all the Reform vote to the Conservatives" schtick.”
That’s Me!
Look us in the eye Stodge, and tell us 100% with confidence the Ref ain’t getting a PV of 3 and Con of 33 at the next general election.
You can’t be 100% sure, can you.
Come on Stodge. The gauntlet has been picked up. Where are you?
An unexpected and not unwelcome early end to the working day.
One or two getting over-excited at the Savanta poll and playing the old "let's add all the Reform vote to the Conservatives" schtick. All the evidence suggests even if Reform ran no candidates, at best a third of their vote would go to the Conservatives - about a sixth would go to Labour and half would stay at home.
A range of between 20% and 29% for Conservative vote share is enormous - starting from the viewpoint all polls are wrong is one thing but that degree of variation is hard to understand but suggests variations in sampling and methodology which make trying to see the wood for the trees tricky.
Not many clues to be gained from local by elections in the short term and it may be we won't know a lot more until Kingswood and Wellingborough poll in three weeks.
“ and playing the old "let's add all the Reform vote to the Conservatives" schtick.”
That’s Me!
Look us in the eye Stodge, and tell us 100% with confidence the Ref ain’t getting a PV of 3 and Con of 33 at the next general election.
You can’t be 100% sure, can you.
Last time, TBP got 2% even though they stood in only 275 seats and effectively endorsed Boris Johnson. I detect no similar endorsement for Sunak as being on the cards and indeed it probably works to Reform's advantage to see the Conservatives get as big as hammering as possible.
UKIP stood in 624 seats in 2015 and won 12.5%. If Reform stand in every seat (that's their claim), I think they will get 6-8% so better than Referendum who stood in 547 seats and got 2.6%. How many seats will that cost the Conservatives? The evidence is Reform is strongest where the Conservatives are strongest - look at the Clacton numbers without Farage - the fifth safest Conservative seat becomes a marginal.
Reform will gain a number of third places and possibly the odd second place but that's all.
You can't be confident Reform won't get 10% and the Conservatives 25%, can you?
"Carol Vorderman @carolvorders · 13m · Nicola Sturgeon used the following descriptors #CovidInquiry @PoliticoForYou #Satire
Matt Hancock - "weaker than a Nun's pis*" Liz Truss - "about as much use as a Marzipan Dildo" Suella Braverman - "Shitler" Boris Johnson - "A fu*king clown"
I haven't heard of a #MarzipanDildo…"
Me in 2017 on David Davis
‘He’s useless. He’s absolutely useless. He’s as useless as a marzipan dildo.’
You know, I am starting to think that Nicola wasn't such a nice person after all.
If she was a nice person, she wouldn’t have lied to try and get her predecessor jailed. However, her comments on Johnson were understandable, true and accurate.
On topic I don't think Trump is worried although he is certainly nasty. What I suspect is ticking him off is that he wants to be the undisputed GOP candidate for the Presidency before the SC has to decide whether he is eligible on account of his insurrection. Haley is denying him that and he is pissed.
"Carol Vorderman @carolvorders · 13m · Nicola Sturgeon used the following descriptors #CovidInquiry @PoliticoForYou #Satire
Matt Hancock - "weaker than a Nun's pis*" Liz Truss - "about as much use as a Marzipan Dildo" Suella Braverman - "Shitler" Boris Johnson - "A fu*king clown"
I haven't heard of a #MarzipanDildo…"
I read that earlier on what looked like a parody account
While you're on Isam could you recall those two troll flags you gave me yesterday in ten minute succession for my support for the banning of Zombie knives. Particularly as 24 hours later Chris Philp declared the banning of Zombie knives Government ( your Government) policy. Thanks. Pete.
No problem. I didn’t say banning them was a good or bad thing but, always on the front foot to get on my nerves, you felt the need to start trying to make an argument about it
Actually, the dig at St Keir was his writing exclusively for the paper he said he wouldn’t give interviews to during his leadership election campaign
So unflag me. I don't flag you. My point was a serious one, now agreed by HMG.
You bellyache about how hard done by, you are on here, and then you behave like that. Please unflag.
There's no need to flag me, because I don't constantly try to start arguments with the same person every day, plus I try to actually read what people are saying before jumping in.
I linked to St Keir's piece about Zombie knives in The Sun. I didn't say he was wrong or right in what he said at all. You decided to try and start an argument about something I hadn't said, because you always do. I couldn't be bothered with it, so flagged you as a troll. No big deal really
Isn't this supposed to be a debating forum? I don't flag you because I am not a child. Sometimes you post things which outrage me, but I am not minded to flag you several times over just to piss you off.
If the standard of debate is so demeaned by randomly flagging people on this site, you can stick your site and your flags where the sun don't shine.
For the record I was making a point I agreed with Starmer (and now the Government) over.
Idiot.
Has anyone actually been stabbed with such a knife? Or is this another moral panic?
If we are going to have a PB Panic, I need to get the tea, coffee and biscuits out. And the chairs and tables. Last time we had a panic was during COVID so everything is going to be covered in dust.
"Zombie Knives" were included by name in the list years ago as a fashionably named item / PR stunt at the time. I have not followed closely enough to know how the current proposed "ban" is different.
They seem to be talking about "serrated" rather than 'look like something out of a Kill Bill type film'.
A normal kitchen bread knife is more convenient to carry and use.
Er, surely bread knives *are* serrated.
Be a real worry for a lot of anglers, too, come to think of it.
"Carol Vorderman @carolvorders · 13m · Nicola Sturgeon used the following descriptors #CovidInquiry @PoliticoForYou #Satire
Matt Hancock - "weaker than a Nun's pis*" Liz Truss - "about as much use as a Marzipan Dildo" Suella Braverman - "Shitler" Boris Johnson - "A fu*king clown"
I haven't heard of a #MarzipanDildo…"
I read that earlier on what looked like a parody account
While you're on Isam could you recall those two troll flags you gave me yesterday in ten minute succession for my support for the banning of Zombie knives. Particularly as 24 hours later Chris Philp declared the banning of Zombie knives Government ( your Government) policy. Thanks. Pete.
No problem. I didn’t say banning them was a good or bad thing but, always on the front foot to get on my nerves, you felt the need to start trying to make an argument about it
Actually, the dig at St Keir was his writing exclusively for the paper he said he wouldn’t give interviews to during his leadership election campaign
So unflag me. I don't flag you. My point was a serious one, now agreed by HMG.
You bellyache about how hard done by, you are on here, and then you behave like that. Please unflag.
There's no need to flag me, because I don't constantly try to start arguments with the same person every day, plus I try to actually read what people are saying before jumping in.
I linked to St Keir's piece about Zombie knives in The Sun. I didn't say he was wrong or right in what he said at all. You decided to try and start an argument about something I hadn't said, because you always do. I couldn't be bothered with it, so flagged you as a troll. No big deal really
Isn't this supposed to be a debating forum? I don't flag you because I am not a child. Sometimes you post things which outrage me, but I am not minded to flag you several times over just to piss you off.
If the standard of debate is so demeaned by randomly flagging people on this site, you can stick your site and your flags where the sun don't shine.
For the record I was making a point I agreed with Starmer (and now the Government) over.
Idiot.
Forgive my ignorance but what does flagging someone do and how do you know who has flagged you
As I haven't ever done it I have often wondered what it's purpose was
It is supposed to flag up spammers/trolls, it sends an alert to Robert and Mike.
Robert gets quite annoyed by people who misuse that button as it not supposed to be used as a disagree button.
This will come as a surprise to any posters who think 'flag' means 'like very much'.
It’s no surprise PBs tradition of Drunk Tank Thursday has started up early this winter night.
An unexpected and not unwelcome early end to the working day.
One or two getting over-excited at the Savanta poll and playing the old "let's add all the Reform vote to the Conservatives" schtick. All the evidence suggests even if Reform ran no candidates, at best a third of their vote would go to the Conservatives - about a sixth would go to Labour and half would stay at home.
A range of between 20% and 29% for Conservative vote share is enormous - starting from the viewpoint all polls are wrong is one thing but that degree of variation is hard to understand but suggests variations in sampling and methodology which make trying to see the wood for the trees tricky.
Not many clues to be gained from local by elections in the short term and it may be we won't know a lot more until Kingswood and Wellingborough poll in three weeks.
“ and playing the old "let's add all the Reform vote to the Conservatives" schtick.”
That’s Me!
Look us in the eye Stodge, and tell us 100% with confidence the Ref ain’t getting a PV of 3 and Con of 33 at the next general election.
You can’t be 100% sure, can you.
Last time, TBP got 2% even though they stood in only 275 seats and effectively endorsed Boris Johnson. I detect no similar endorsement for Sunak as being on the cards and indeed it probably works to Reform's advantage to see the Conservatives get as big as hammering as possible.
UKIP stood in 624 seats in 2015 and won 12.5%. If Reform stand in every seat (that's their claim), I think they will get 6-8% so better than Referendum who stood in 547 seats and got 2.6%. How many seats will that cost the Conservatives? The evidence is Reform is strongest where the Conservatives are strongest - look at the Clacton numbers without Farage - the fifth safest Conservative seat becomes a marginal.
Reform will gain a number of third places and possibly the odd second place but that's all.
You can't be confident Reform won't get 10% and the Conservatives 25%, can you?
No I can’t. You are right.
But yours a complete non answer though, because you didn’t say Ref of 3 and Con of 33 definitely 100% ain’t happening.
Some of you may remember that a few months back I asked on here for some advice about buying a bookshop. Well, it's been a longer journey than I expected, but as of today, I am the owner and proprietor of The Book Ferret*, High Street, Arundel. You're very welcome to drop in and say hello!
*New name (already decided and approved) will be announced in a few months.
"Carol Vorderman @carolvorders · 13m · Nicola Sturgeon used the following descriptors #CovidInquiry @PoliticoForYou #Satire
Matt Hancock - "weaker than a Nun's pis*" Liz Truss - "about as much use as a Marzipan Dildo" Suella Braverman - "Shitler" Boris Johnson - "A fu*king clown"
I haven't heard of a #MarzipanDildo…"
I read that earlier on what looked like a parody account
While you're on Isam could you recall those two troll flags you gave me yesterday in ten minute succession for my support for the banning of Zombie knives. Particularly as 24 hours later Chris Philp declared the banning of Zombie knives Government ( your Government) policy. Thanks. Pete.
No problem. I didn’t say banning them was a good or bad thing but, always on the front foot to get on my nerves, you felt the need to start trying to make an argument about it
Actually, the dig at St Keir was his writing exclusively for the paper he said he wouldn’t give interviews to during his leadership election campaign
So unflag me. I don't flag you. My point was a serious one, now agreed by HMG.
You bellyache about how hard done by, you are on here, and then you behave like that. Please unflag.
There's no need to flag me, because I don't constantly try to start arguments with the same person every day, plus I try to actually read what people are saying before jumping in.
I linked to St Keir's piece about Zombie knives in The Sun. I didn't say he was wrong or right in what he said at all. You decided to try and start an argument about something I hadn't said, because you always do. I couldn't be bothered with it, so flagged you as a troll. No big deal really
Isn't this supposed to be a debating forum? I don't flag you because I am not a child. Sometimes you post things which outrage me, but I am not minded to flag you several times over just to piss you off.
If the standard of debate is so demeaned by randomly flagging people on this site, you can stick your site and your flags where the sun don't shine.
For the record I was making a point I agreed with Starmer (and now the Government) over.
Idiot.
Forgive my ignorance but what does flagging someone do and how do you know who has flagged you
As I haven't ever done it I have often wondered what it's purpose was
It is supposed to flag up spammers/trolls, it sends an alert to Robert and Mike.
Robert gets quite annoyed by people who misuse that button as it not supposed to be used as a disagree button.
This will come as a surprise to any posters who think 'flag' means 'like very much'.
It’s no surprise PBs tradition of Drunk Tank Thursday has started up early this winter night.
The British Polling Council (BPC) is looking into controversial YouGov polling used by Conservative plotters to call for Rishi Sunak to be ousted.
The two polls, which YouGov said were commissioned by a mysterious group called the Conservative Britain Alliance with Tory peer David Frost acting as the intermediary, caused shock waves in Westminster when they were published in the Daily Telegraph last week.
They projected that the Conservatives are on track for a 1997-style defeat, but that they could win if Sunak were replaced by a hypothetical Tory leader who cut taxes and immigration.
The findings were unveiled with great fanfare on the front page of the Telegraph alongside a piece by Frost arguing that Sunak’s current strategy was leading the party to annihilation. This week, Tory MP Simon Clarke cited the poll’s findings in a piece calling for Sunak to be ousted.
It has prompted questions about who paid for the survey, which will have cost tens of thousands of pounds to commission. The Conservative Britain Alliance is said to consist of a group of Tory donors.
The BPC discussed the controversy at its regular meeting on Wednesday and has asked YouGov if it had documentation showing that the Conservative Britain Alliance is its client, according to one of its committee members.
Nick Moon, secretary of the BPC, said: “Under the rules of the BPC, YouGov has to publish the details of the poll, including who their client was.
“They’ve said the client was the Conservative Britain Alliance. We’re just making sure that they were formally hired by this organisation.”
YouGov said: “Over the past week, YouGov has sought guidance from the BPC and received assurances that we have followed the rules.”
The BPC is an industry group for polling companies that promotes transparency, but does not have any formal powers. Under its guidelines, clients do not have to be registered companies or have any formal status in order to commission polling. Pollsters do not need to specify who paid for the work.
“So long as [the Conservative Britain Alliance] were actually the client they’ve met the rules,” Moon said. “If I were to form the St Albans Walrus Protection Society, that body could go out and commission polls about walruses. Any polling company would be very happy to take my money.”
If these were your options, Who would you vote for? Rishi Sunak 1% Keir Starmer 2% A Walrus who stopped the boats, cut my taxes, gave British Homes to British Families, saved the NHS, made petrol cheaper, reversed shrinkflation, obtained 2% growth, unpolluted the rivers, and turned UK back into a green and pleasant land 97%
Glad that’s cleared up.
Surely the real question should be:
"Who would make the greatest Prime Minister in the history of Great Britain and Ireland and the United Kingdom?
David Churchillian war hero and Brexit patriot Frost.
Some of you may remember that a few months back I asked on here for some advice about buying a bookshop. Well, it's been a longer journey than I expected, but as of today, I am the owner and proprietor of The Book Ferret*, High Street, Arundel. You're very welcome to drop in and say hello!
*New name (already decided and approved) will be announced in a few months.
"Carol Vorderman @carolvorders · 13m · Nicola Sturgeon used the following descriptors #CovidInquiry @PoliticoForYou #Satire
Matt Hancock - "weaker than a Nun's pis*" Liz Truss - "about as much use as a Marzipan Dildo" Suella Braverman - "Shitler" Boris Johnson - "A fu*king clown"
I haven't heard of a #MarzipanDildo…"
I read that earlier on what looked like a parody account
While you're on Isam could you recall those two troll flags you gave me yesterday in ten minute succession for my support for the banning of Zombie knives. Particularly as 24 hours later Chris Philp declared the banning of Zombie knives Government ( your Government) policy. Thanks. Pete.
No problem. I didn’t say banning them was a good or bad thing but, always on the front foot to get on my nerves, you felt the need to start trying to make an argument about it
Actually, the dig at St Keir was his writing exclusively for the paper he said he wouldn’t give interviews to during his leadership election campaign
So unflag me. I don't flag you. My point was a serious one, now agreed by HMG.
You bellyache about how hard done by, you are on here, and then you behave like that. Please unflag.
There's no need to flag me, because I don't constantly try to start arguments with the same person every day, plus I try to actually read what people are saying before jumping in.
I linked to St Keir's piece about Zombie knives in The Sun. I didn't say he was wrong or right in what he said at all. You decided to try and start an argument about something I hadn't said, because you always do. I couldn't be bothered with it, so flagged you as a troll. No big deal really
Isn't this supposed to be a debating forum? I don't flag you because I am not a child. Sometimes you post things which outrage me, but I am not minded to flag you several times over just to piss you off.
If the standard of debate is so demeaned by randomly flagging people on this site, you can stick your site and your flags where the sun don't shine.
For the record I was making a point I agreed with Starmer (and now the Government) over.
Idiot.
Has anyone actually been stabbed with such a knife? Or is this another moral panic?
If we are going to have a PB Panic, I need to get the tea, coffee and biscuits out. And the chairs and tables. Last time we had a panic was during COVID so everything is going to be covered in dust.
"Zombie Knives" were included by name in the list years ago as a fashionably named item / PR stunt at the time. I have not followed closely enough to know how the current proposed "ban" is different.
They seem to be talking about "serrated" rather than 'look like something out of a Kill Bill type film'.
A normal kitchen bread knife is more convenient to carry and use.
Er, surely bread knives *are* serrated.
Be a real worry for a lot of anglers, too, come to think of it.
That strikes me as descriptions by media idiots, not what Rishi is going to pull out of his sheath.
There is very little commentary on UK geopolitical choices and trade strategy in the event of a Trump win, which is sad, bigly.
Let’s assume that a 10% import tariff goes through, for example, and the US cuts off aid to Ukraine.
Starmer’s Britain will have little choice but some kind of “ever closer” arrangement with the EU and European defence powers.
In other news, it’s pretty obvious that Johnson still harbours hope of a return. The flaw is he needs a sympathetic Tory HQ in order to get a safe seat. Unless he strikes some kind of deal with Reform, which I’d judge very unlikely. I wonder what the strategy is.
Do these two threads connect. Is Johnson the man to secure a UK carve-out from a U.S. trade wall?
Starmer will try and trombone the US President just like Blair did.
"Carol Vorderman @carolvorders · 13m · Nicola Sturgeon used the following descriptors #CovidInquiry @PoliticoForYou #Satire
Matt Hancock - "weaker than a Nun's pis*" Liz Truss - "about as much use as a Marzipan Dildo" Suella Braverman - "Shitler" Boris Johnson - "A fu*king clown"
I haven't heard of a #MarzipanDildo…"
I read that earlier on what looked like a parody account
While you're on Isam could you recall those two troll flags you gave me yesterday in ten minute succession for my support for the banning of Zombie knives. Particularly as 24 hours later Chris Philp declared the banning of Zombie knives Government ( your Government) policy. Thanks. Pete.
No problem. I didn’t say banning them was a good or bad thing but, always on the front foot to get on my nerves, you felt the need to start trying to make an argument about it
Actually, the dig at St Keir was his writing exclusively for the paper he said he wouldn’t give interviews to during his leadership election campaign
So unflag me. I don't flag you. My point was a serious one, now agreed by HMG.
You bellyache about how hard done by, you are on here, and then you behave like that. Please unflag.
There's no need to flag me, because I don't constantly try to start arguments with the same person every day, plus I try to actually read what people are saying before jumping in.
I linked to St Keir's piece about Zombie knives in The Sun. I didn't say he was wrong or right in what he said at all. You decided to try and start an argument about something I hadn't said, because you always do. I couldn't be bothered with it, so flagged you as a troll. No big deal really
Isn't this supposed to be a debating forum? I don't flag you because I am not a child. Sometimes you post things which outrage me, but I am not minded to flag you several times over just to piss you off.
If the standard of debate is so demeaned by randomly flagging people on this site, you can stick your site and your flags where the sun don't shine.
For the record I was making a point I agreed with Starmer (and now the Government) over.
Idiot.
Forgive my ignorance but what does flagging someone do and how do you know who has flagged you
As I haven't ever done it I have often wondered what it's purpose was
It is supposed to flag up spammers/trolls, it sends an alert to Robert and Mike.
Robert gets quite annoyed by people who misuse that button as it not supposed to be used as a disagree button.
This will come as a surprise to any posters who think 'flag' means 'like very much'.
It’s no surprise PBs tradition of Drunk Tank Thursday has started up early this winter night.
"Carol Vorderman @carolvorders · 13m · Nicola Sturgeon used the following descriptors #CovidInquiry @PoliticoForYou #Satire
Matt Hancock - "weaker than a Nun's pis*" Liz Truss - "about as much use as a Marzipan Dildo" Suella Braverman - "Shitler" Boris Johnson - "A fu*king clown"
I haven't heard of a #MarzipanDildo…"
I read that earlier on what looked like a parody account
While you're on Isam could you recall those two troll flags you gave me yesterday in ten minute succession for my support for the banning of Zombie knives. Particularly as 24 hours later Chris Philp declared the banning of Zombie knives Government ( your Government) policy. Thanks. Pete.
No problem. I didn’t say banning them was a good or bad thing but, always on the front foot to get on my nerves, you felt the need to start trying to make an argument about it
Actually, the dig at St Keir was his writing exclusively for the paper he said he wouldn’t give interviews to during his leadership election campaign
So unflag me. I don't flag you. My point was a serious one, now agreed by HMG.
You bellyache about how hard done by, you are on here, and then you behave like that. Please unflag.
There's no need to flag me, because I don't constantly try to start arguments with the same person every day, plus I try to actually read what people are saying before jumping in.
I linked to St Keir's piece about Zombie knives in The Sun. I didn't say he was wrong or right in what he said at all. You decided to try and start an argument about something I hadn't said, because you always do. I couldn't be bothered with it, so flagged you as a troll. No big deal really
Isn't this supposed to be a debating forum? I don't flag you because I am not a child. Sometimes you post things which outrage me, but I am not minded to flag you several times over just to piss you off.
If the standard of debate is so demeaned by randomly flagging people on this site, you can stick your site and your flags where the sun don't shine.
For the record I was making a point I agreed with Starmer (and now the Government) over.
Idiot.
Has anyone actually been stabbed with such a knife? Or is this another moral panic?
If we are going to have a PB Panic, I need to get the tea, coffee and biscuits out. And the chairs and tables. Last time we had a panic was during COVID so everything is going to be covered in dust.
"Zombie Knives" were included by name in the list years ago as a fashionably named item / PR stunt at the time. I have not followed closely enough to know how the current proposed "ban" is different.
They seem to be talking about "serrated" rather than 'look like something out of a Kill Bill type film'.
A normal kitchen bread knife is more convenient to carry and use.
Er, surely bread knives *are* serrated.
Be a real worry for a lot of anglers, too, come to think of it.
That strikes me as descriptions by media idiots, not what Rishi is going to pull out of his sheath.
This media bombardment, nevertheless, makes it harder for him to do some successful wi- -- er, keep up to expectations when he does make the announcement.
Some of you may remember that a few months back I asked on here for some advice about buying a bookshop. Well, it's been a longer journey than I expected, but as of today, I am the owner and proprietor of The Book Ferret*, High Street, Arundel. You're very welcome to drop in and say hello!
*New name (already decided and approved) will be announced in a few months.
Good luck . There are far too few independent book shops . Arundel is a lovely place and full of charm .
As an aside I think it’s marvelous that things like Kindle never took off and people will forever love reading an actual book.
This is something she clearly feels very strongly about. I think abortion is proving a very effective weapon in the hands of the Democrats in this election round. The old maxim of be careful what you wish for comes to mind.
An unexpected and not unwelcome early end to the working day.
One or two getting over-excited at the Savanta poll and playing the old "let's add all the Reform vote to the Conservatives" schtick. All the evidence suggests even if Reform ran no candidates, at best a third of their vote would go to the Conservatives - about a sixth would go to Labour and half would stay at home.
A range of between 20% and 29% for Conservative vote share is enormous - starting from the viewpoint all polls are wrong is one thing but that degree of variation is hard to understand but suggests variations in sampling and methodology which make trying to see the wood for the trees tricky.
Not many clues to be gained from local by elections in the short term and it may be we won't know a lot more until Kingswood and Wellingborough poll in three weeks.
“ and playing the old "let's add all the Reform vote to the Conservatives" schtick.”
That’s Me!
Look us in the eye Stodge, and tell us 100% with confidence the Ref ain’t getting a PV of 3 and Con of 33 at the next general election.
You can’t be 100% sure, can you.
Last time, TBP got 2% even though they stood in only 275 seats and effectively endorsed Boris Johnson. I detect no similar endorsement for Sunak as being on the cards and indeed it probably works to Reform's advantage to see the Conservatives get as big as hammering as possible.
UKIP stood in 624 seats in 2015 and won 12.5%. If Reform stand in every seat (that's their claim), I think they will get 6-8% so better than Referendum who stood in 547 seats and got 2.6%. How many seats will that cost the Conservatives? The evidence is Reform is strongest where the Conservatives are strongest - look at the Clacton numbers without Farage - the fifth safest Conservative seat becomes a marginal.
Reform will gain a number of third places and possibly the odd second place but that's all.
You can't be confident Reform won't get 10% and the Conservatives 25%, can you?
No I can’t. You are right.
But yours a complete non answer though, because you didn’t say Ref of 3 and Con of 33 definitely 100% ain’t happening.
It's possible, sure. It's a future event.
But based on what we know of the dynamic between RefUK and Cons parties, it's pretty improbable. However, there are a couple of footnotes to that
First is that it's doubly improbable that the Conservatives can show RefUK voters sufficient ankle without losing support on whatever their left flank is these days. Con 23 RefUK 13 could easily become Con 28 RefUK 3.
Second is that the hope, however thin, that something like this could turn up will be a strong incentive for Sunak not to go to the country just yet.
Some of you may remember that a few months back I asked on here for some advice about buying a bookshop. Well, it's been a longer journey than I expected, but as of today, I am the owner and proprietor of The Book Ferret*, High Street, Arundel. You're very welcome to drop in and say hello!
*New name (already decided and approved) will be announced in a few months.
Good luck . There are far too few independent book shops . Arundel is a lovely place and full of charm .
As an aside I think it’s marvelous that things like Kindle never took off and people will forever love reading an actual book.
Wonderful news, James. Not often down that way these days, but if I am, I'll drop in for sure.
McGregor should be firmly on everyone's 'ignore' list.
Let's look at some of his predictions about Ukraine:
"Three days after the war began, he said "The battle in eastern Ukraine is really almost over," and predicted "If [Ukraine] don't surrender in the next 24 hours, I suspect Russia will ultimately annihilate them." Macgregor said he believed Russia should be allowed to seize whatever parts of Ukraine it wanted. In his second appearance, he revised his prediction: "The first five days Russian forces I think frankly were too gentle. They've now corrected that. So, I would say another 10 days this should be completely over... I think the most heroic thing he could do right now is come to terms with reality. Neutralize Ukraine."":
or:
"In a fourth appearance in early March, Macgregor said a ceasefire was close as Ukrainian forces had been "grounded to bits. There's no question about that despite what we report on our mainstream media".[9] He also defended Russia's invasion in an interview on The Grayzone, saying Putin had taken great care with civilians and this was delaying his victory."
or:
"In September 2022, he again predicted on Carlson's show that “this war may be over soon”[67] and later in the month "the Ukrainian army is bled white, tens of thousands of Ukrainian troops have been killed or wounded, Ukraine is really on the ropes"."
And:
"In an October 2021 speech to the Serbian American Voters Alliance, Macgregor blamed America's problems on what "the Russians used to call certain individuals many, many years ago, rootless cosmopolitans". Commentators noted that "rootless cosmopolitans" was a Soviet antisemitic trope"
ITV for their Tonight Programme films a meeting with the Post Office Minister, Kevin Holllinrake, and SPM Jo Hamilton and the first thing he says to her is 'sorry'
Maybe if Davey had done the same it would have been wise
I should say I knew Kevin many years ago through business, and he was very competent and successful in his business
The one thing Trump is right about is the abortion issue is a losing one for the GOP .
The commentariat in the USA before the mid-terms downplayed its effect . It saved quite a few House and Senate seats and was pivotal in several swing states re the governorship.
Trump will avoid it like the plague in the election campaign.
"Carol Vorderman @carolvorders · 13m · Nicola Sturgeon used the following descriptors #CovidInquiry @PoliticoForYou #Satire
Matt Hancock - "weaker than a Nun's pis*" Liz Truss - "about as much use as a Marzipan Dildo" Suella Braverman - "Shitler" Boris Johnson - "A fu*king clown"
I haven't heard of a #MarzipanDildo…"
I read that earlier on what looked like a parody account
While you're on Isam could you recall those two troll flags you gave me yesterday in ten minute succession for my support for the banning of Zombie knives. Particularly as 24 hours later Chris Philp declared the banning of Zombie knives Government ( your Government) policy. Thanks. Pete.
No problem. I didn’t say banning them was a good or bad thing but, always on the front foot to get on my nerves, you felt the need to start trying to make an argument about it
Actually, the dig at St Keir was his writing exclusively for the paper he said he wouldn’t give interviews to during his leadership election campaign
So unflag me. I don't flag you. My point was a serious one, now agreed by HMG.
You bellyache about how hard done by, you are on here, and then you behave like that. Please unflag.
There's no need to flag me, because I don't constantly try to start arguments with the same person every day, plus I try to actually read what people are saying before jumping in.
I linked to St Keir's piece about Zombie knives in The Sun. I didn't say he was wrong or right in what he said at all. You decided to try and start an argument about something I hadn't said, because you always do. I couldn't be bothered with it, so flagged you as a troll. No big deal really
Isn't this supposed to be a debating forum? I don't flag you because I am not a child. Sometimes you post things which outrage me, but I am not minded to flag you several times over just to piss you off.
If the standard of debate is so demeaned by randomly flagging people on this site, you can stick your site and your flags where the sun don't shine.
For the record I was making a point I agreed with Starmer (and now the Government) over.
Idiot.
Has anyone actually been stabbed with such a knife? Or is this another moral panic?
If we are going to have a PB Panic, I need to get the tea, coffee and biscuits out. And the chairs and tables. Last time we had a panic was during COVID so everything is going to be covered in dust.
I am reluctant to comment on this subject so I don't get another shit load of flags from Isam.
It was just my view that this kind of weaponry has no place on our streets, alongside ninja swords which haven't been banned. Irrespective of whether they have been responsible for a single death, what kind are f nutcase feels the need to carry them around?
Oh no, not another troll flag!
So we should spend time and money banning something which may or may not be a problem… because it is Doing Something.
Fine.
While we are at it, let’s extend my suggested solution to COVID in schools -
All persons 18 and below can only appear in a public place when inside a Zorb ball made of knife proof plastic, with a HEPA filter. Or face 10 years in prison.
It may not work, but it is Something.
The morning school run is going to be way more fun with the road full of kids in zorb balls. It's going to cut down on RTAs too... well, not cut down on accidents, but the kids will just bounce off and be fine. Got my vote.
If the kids are stuck in them permanently, it should do wonders to bring down the teenage pregnancy stats...
ITV for their Tonight Programme films a meeting with the Post Office Minister, Kevin Holllinrake, and SPM Jo Hamilton and the first thing he says to her is 'sorry'
Maybe if Davey had done the same it would have been wise
I should say I knew Kevin many years ago through business, and he was very competent and successful in his business
I can't understand Davey's approach. Maybe he's just so used to being the one calling for other people to say sorry.
ITV for their Tonight Programme films a meeting with the Post Office Minister, Kevin Holllinrake, and SPM Jo Hamilton and the first thing he says to her is 'sorry'
Maybe if Davey had done the same it would have been wise
I should say I knew Kevin many years ago through business, and he was very competent and successful in his business
I can't understand Davey's approach. Maybe he's just so used to being the one calling for other people to say sorry.
ITV for their Tonight Programme films a meeting with the Post Office Minister, Kevin Holllinrake, and SPM Jo Hamilton and the first thing he says to her is 'sorry'
Maybe if Davey had done the same it would have been wise
I should say I knew Kevin many years ago through business, and he was very competent and successful in his business
What about all the Conservative Ministers since 2015? Shouldn't they have apologised as well?
Not quite sure why you continue to pick on Ed Davey.
ITV for their Tonight Programme films a meeting with the Post Office Minister, Kevin Holllinrake, and SPM Jo Hamilton and the first thing he says to her is 'sorry'
Maybe if Davey had done the same it would have been wise
I should say I knew Kevin many years ago through business, and he was very competent and successful in his business
What about all the Conservative Ministers since 2015? Shouldn't they have apologised as well?
Not quite sure why you continue to pick on Ed Davey.
ITV for their Tonight Programme films a meeting with the Post Office Minister, Kevin Holllinrake, and SPM Jo Hamilton and the first thing he says to her is 'sorry'
Maybe if Davey had done the same it would have been wise
I should say I knew Kevin many years ago through business, and he was very competent and successful in his business
What about all the Conservative Ministers since 2015? Shouldn't they have apologised as well?
Not quite sure why you continue to pick on Ed Davey.
Ed Davey was directly involved with Bates and his refusal to apologise when asked 10 times was unwise - a simple apology as Kevin gave tonight could have saved him a lot of criticism
An unexpected and not unwelcome early end to the working day.
One or two getting over-excited at the Savanta poll and playing the old "let's add all the Reform vote to the Conservatives" schtick. All the evidence suggests even if Reform ran no candidates, at best a third of their vote would go to the Conservatives - about a sixth would go to Labour and half would stay at home.
A range of between 20% and 29% for Conservative vote share is enormous - starting from the viewpoint all polls are wrong is one thing but that degree of variation is hard to understand but suggests variations in sampling and methodology which make trying to see the wood for the trees tricky.
Not many clues to be gained from local by elections in the short term and it may be we won't know a lot more until Kingswood and Wellingborough poll in three weeks.
“ and playing the old "let's add all the Reform vote to the Conservatives" schtick.”
That’s Me!
Look us in the eye Stodge, and tell us 100% with confidence the Ref ain’t getting a PV of 3 and Con of 33 at the next general election.
You can’t be 100% sure, can you.
Last time, TBP got 2% even though they stood in only 275 seats and effectively endorsed Boris Johnson. I detect no similar endorsement for Sunak as being on the cards and indeed it probably works to Reform's advantage to see the Conservatives get as big as hammering as possible.
UKIP stood in 624 seats in 2015 and won 12.5%. If Reform stand in every seat (that's their claim), I think they will get 6-8% so better than Referendum who stood in 547 seats and got 2.6%. How many seats will that cost the Conservatives? The evidence is Reform is strongest where the Conservatives are strongest - look at the Clacton numbers without Farage - the fifth safest Conservative seat becomes a marginal.
Reform will gain a number of third places and possibly the odd second place but that's all.
You can't be confident Reform won't get 10% and the Conservatives 25%, can you?
No I can’t. You are right.
But yours a complete non answer though, because you didn’t say Ref of 3 and Con of 33 definitely 100% ain’t happening.
ITV for their Tonight Programme films a meeting with the Post Office Minister, Kevin Holllinrake, and SPM Jo Hamilton and the first thing he says to her is 'sorry'
Maybe if Davey had done the same it would have been wise
I should say I knew Kevin many years ago through business, and he was very competent and successful in his business
What about all the Conservative Ministers since 2015? Shouldn't they have apologised as well?
Not quite sure why you continue to pick on Ed Davey.
Personally quite unsure why YOU and other LidDem-tards continue to stick up for Ed Davey?
His upside appears to be minimal, even before you factor in his PO downside. Or rather down-slide?
This is something she clearly feels very strongly about. I think abortion is proving a very effective weapon in the hands of the Democrats in this election round. The old maxim of be careful what you wish for comes to mind.
Oh, if Biden scrapes over the line, it will be because of abortion.
"Carol Vorderman @carolvorders · 13m · Nicola Sturgeon used the following descriptors #CovidInquiry @PoliticoForYou #Satire
Matt Hancock - "weaker than a Nun's pis*" Liz Truss - "about as much use as a Marzipan Dildo" Suella Braverman - "Shitler" Boris Johnson - "A fu*king clown"
I haven't heard of a #MarzipanDildo…"
I read that earlier on what looked like a parody account
While you're on Isam could you recall those two troll flags you gave me yesterday in ten minute succession for my support for the banning of Zombie knives. Particularly as 24 hours later Chris Philp declared the banning of Zombie knives Government ( your Government) policy. Thanks. Pete.
No problem. I didn’t say banning them was a good or bad thing but, always on the front foot to get on my nerves, you felt the need to start trying to make an argument about it
Actually, the dig at St Keir was his writing exclusively for the paper he said he wouldn’t give interviews to during his leadership election campaign
So unflag me. I don't flag you. My point was a serious one, now agreed by HMG.
You bellyache about how hard done by, you are on here, and then you behave like that. Please unflag.
There's no need to flag me, because I don't constantly try to start arguments with the same person every day, plus I try to actually read what people are saying before jumping in.
I linked to St Keir's piece about Zombie knives in The Sun. I didn't say he was wrong or right in what he said at all. You decided to try and start an argument about something I hadn't said, because you always do. I couldn't be bothered with it, so flagged you as a troll. No big deal really
Isn't this supposed to be a debating forum? I don't flag you because I am not a child. Sometimes you post things which outrage me, but I am not minded to flag you several times over just to piss you off.
If the standard of debate is so demeaned by randomly flagging people on this site, you can stick your site and your flags where the sun don't shine.
For the record I was making a point I agreed with Starmer (and now the Government) over.
Idiot.
Forgive my ignorance but what does flagging someone do and how do you know who has flagged you
As I haven't ever done it I have often wondered what it's purpose was
It is supposed to flag up spammers/trolls, it sends an alert to Robert and Mike.
Robert gets quite annoyed by people who misuse that button as it not supposed to be used as a disagree button.
This will come as a surprise to any posters who think 'flag' means 'like very much'.
It’s no surprise PBs tradition of Drunk Tank Thursday has started up early this winter night.
Some of you may remember that a few months back I asked on here for some advice about buying a bookshop. Well, it's been a longer journey than I expected, but as of today, I am the owner and proprietor of The Book Ferret*, High Street, Arundel. You're very welcome to drop in and say hello!
*New name (already decided and approved) will be announced in a few months.
Best of British - and Irish - luck to yez!
BTW (also FYI) to encourage sales, suggest placing the Psephology section next the Erotica section.
Profitable synergy re: horny psephologists and jaded eroticists!
A lot of the analysis to the contrary basically amounts to: Trump is odious so he can't win.
Not what the evidence says.
Normally, incumbent Presidents breeze reelection. But Biden is (a) doddery, (b) has unnecessarily fucked up the illegal immigration issue. (Although - too late - he's actually doing stuff.) And (c) has suffered from a rising interest cycle through his Presidency,
I would say it's 50/50 - almost an exact coin toss - on who wins in November.
A lot of the analysis to the contrary basically amounts to: Trump is odious so he can't win.
Not what the evidence says.
Normally, incumbent Presidents breeze reelection. But Biden is (a) doddery, (b) has unnecessarily fucked up the illegal immigration issue. (Although - too late - he's actually doing stuff.) And (c) has suffered from a rising interest cycle through his Presidency,
I would say it's 50/50 - almost an exact coin toss - on who wins in November.
Comments
Somehow, he didn't get banned.
I can only conclude that he's the other, er, another Radiohead fan.
The trouble is that as the election approaches, Tory MPs worry less about their party winning and more about losing their seats and their jobs.
Facing almost certain failure, [Sunak’s] mission was to steady the ship. He needed to clear up the budgetary aftermath of the pandemic and the chaotic legacy of Johnson and Truss. He had to make a Tory vote in 2024 seem like one for stability and common sense.
All prime ministers have tended to depart office with a fatal phrase stamped as a memorial on their graves. For Margaret Thatcher it was the poll tax, for Tony Blair Iraq, for David Cameron it was Brexit and for Johnson it was Partygate. Sunak’s memorial is destined to be Rwanda. Braverman’s Rwanda was the prime minister’s great mistake.
Whatever the legality of any British deportation, it seems unlikely that a single plane will depart by election time, let alone a single migrant be shown as deterred. The reality is that illegal migration into Britain from continental Europe has one solution, and that lies in Europe. All else is pretence.
If he has any concern for his reputation he will shelve Rwanda, cast aside his fixation on tax cuts and do everything to rescue public services, whose state is the most glaring failure of modern British government. He should want it to be said of him that, in whatever shambles he left the Tory party, at least he did the right thing for the country.
An unexpected and not unwelcome early end to the working day.
One or two getting over-excited at the Savanta poll and playing the old "let's add all the Reform vote to the Conservatives" schtick. All the evidence suggests even if Reform ran no candidates, at best a third of their vote would go to the Conservatives - about a sixth would go to Labour and half would stay at home.
A range of between 20% and 29% for Conservative vote share is enormous - starting from the viewpoint all polls are wrong is one thing but that degree of variation is hard to understand but suggests variations in sampling and methodology which make trying to see the wood for the trees tricky.
Not many clues to be gained from local by elections in the short term and it may be we won't know a lot more until Kingswood and Wellingborough poll in three weeks.
It was just my view that this kind of weaponry has no place on our streets, alongside ninja swords which haven't been banned. Irrespective of whether they have been responsible for a single death, what kind are f nutcase feels the need to carry them around?
Oh no, not another troll flag!
Light the beacons of Gondor, it turns out Boris Johnson was telling the truth last month, an event rarer than a decent Radiohead album
https://www2.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2022/11/06/what-boris-johnson-pulling-out-really-means/
The next election will be decided on how many Reform voters actually vote conservative, where the don't knows go, and whether the Lib Dems can improve their present vote share
G it was my fat finger. I have unflagged.
The last 5 local elections have opened up a far wider “lib Dem” target seats, that’s going to require more, not less, Labour votes to get over the line.
If tactical voting maxes out, Lib Dem’s will be on 17% of the PV, not 9.
What a huge gap between how we understand this, one of us is going to be proved painfully and screechingly wrong. 😟
Meanwhile, the LDs are in a sweet spot. VI goes up - more votes means more seats! VI goes down - more tactical voting means more seats!
That’s Me!
Look us in the eye Stodge, and tell us 100% with confidence the Ref ain’t getting a PV of 3 and Con of 33 at the next general election.
You can’t be 100% sure, can you.
Republican Primary = 323,166 (72.7% of total primary votes cast)
Donald Trump = 175,308 (54.2% of Republican votes)
Nikki Haley =139,792 (43.3%)
Ron DeSantis = 2,223 (0.7%)
Chris Christie = 1,488 (0.5%)
Vivek Ramaswamy = 826 (0.4%)
Mike Pence =401 (0.1%)
Ryan Binkley =314 (0.1%)
Tim Scott = 189 (0.06%)
Doug Burgum = 179 (0.06%)
Asa Hutchinson = 106 (0.01%)
other Republicans on ballot =1,182 (3.7%)
Joe Biden (wi) = 497 (1.5%)
other Democrats (wi) = 97 (0.03%)
Robert Kennedy Jr (wi) = 203
other (wi) = 361 (0.1%)
> > last includes 34 (0.01%) for "Cease Fire"
Democratic Primary = 121,152 (27.3% of total primary votes cast)
Joe Biden (wi) = 77,061 (63.6% of Democratic votes)
Dean Philips = 23,977 (19.8%)
Marianne Williamson =4,938 (4.1%)
other Dems on ballot =5,105 (4.2%)
Nikki Haley (wi) = 4,695 (3.9%)
Donald Trump (wi) = 2,055 (1.7%)
other Republicans (wi) = 77 (0.06%)
Robert Kennedy Jr (wi) = 435 (0.4%)
other (wi) = 2,809 (2.3%)
> last includes 1,497 (1.2%) for "Cease Fire"
Fill yer boots.
a political landscape where Tory’s won a Red Wall, and Lib Dem’s targeting a huge Blue Wall is in my favour.
Lib Dem’s 17% at next election thanks to Labour Voters.
https://twitter.com/DegenRolf/status/1750414411271926202
"Rolf Degen
@DegenRolf
The majority of people admit to hiding infectious diseases from others, potentially putting them at risk. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/09567976231221990"
I particularly liked his talk to the Royal Institution about "There is no Algorithm for Truth": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leX541Dr2rU
(Also the game show format with three others on "Citation Needed")
1 - Pilot project on reporting via Operation SNAP in Crewe:
https://www.cheshire.police.uk/news/cheshire/news/articles/2024/1/operation-park-safe-to-be-piloted-in-crewe-throughout-january/
2 - A Sheffield NPT training other police forces in Operation Parksafe:
(Unable to refind the link).
3 - Broxbourne applying a Public Spaces Protection Order to pavement parking throughout their area:
https://www.broxbourne.gov.uk/environment/public-space-protection-order-pspo
4 - 60 *choose your word*s parked head to tail for 400m in a traffic lane on an urban clearway forcing private motor vehicles into the bus lane, and *all of them* got parking tickets.
https://twitter.com/CrimeLdn/status/1750449754973077963
Humza Yousaf called a Labour MSP an “a—hole”, WhatsApp messages reveal.
Mr Yousaf told the National Clinical Director of the Scottish Government he wanted to check the answer to a question relating to the Omicron variant.
In a message to Professor Leitch, he wrote: “I thought I’d triple check seeing as it’s Neil Findlay and he is an a—hole”.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/01/25/uk-covid-19-inquiry-scotland-minister-nicola-sturgeon/
The British Polling Council (BPC) is looking into controversial YouGov polling used by Conservative plotters to call for Rishi Sunak to be ousted.
The two polls, which YouGov said were commissioned by a mysterious group called the Conservative Britain Alliance with Tory peer David Frost acting as the intermediary, caused shock waves in Westminster when they were published in the Daily Telegraph last week.
They projected that the Conservatives are on track for a 1997-style defeat, but that they could win if Sunak were replaced by a hypothetical Tory leader who cut taxes and immigration.
The findings were unveiled with great fanfare on the front page of the Telegraph alongside a piece by Frost arguing that Sunak’s current strategy was leading the party to annihilation. This week, Tory MP Simon Clarke cited the poll’s findings in a piece calling for Sunak to be ousted.
It has prompted questions about who paid for the survey, which will have cost tens of thousands of pounds to commission. The Conservative Britain Alliance is said to consist of a group of Tory donors.
The BPC discussed the controversy at its regular meeting on Wednesday and has asked YouGov if it had documentation showing that the Conservative Britain Alliance is its client, according to one of its committee members.
Nick Moon, secretary of the BPC, said: “Under the rules of the BPC, YouGov has to publish the details of the poll, including who their client was.
“They’ve said the client was the Conservative Britain Alliance. We’re just making sure that they were formally hired by this organisation.”
YouGov said: “Over the past week, YouGov has sought guidance from the BPC and received assurances that we have followed the rules.”
The BPC is an industry group for polling companies that promotes transparency, but does not have any formal powers. Under its guidelines, clients do not have to be registered companies or have any formal status in order to commission polling. Pollsters do not need to specify who paid for the work.
“So long as [the Conservative Britain Alliance] were actually the client they’ve met the rules,” Moon said. “If I were to form the St Albans Walrus Protection Society, that body could go out and commission polls about walruses. Any polling company would be very happy to take my money.”
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/jan/25/yougov-called-on-to-confirm-who-commissioned-poll-on-rishi-sunak-defeat
Count the banned over breakfast.
https://www.google.com/search?q=stabbed+with+zombie+knife
"Zombie Knives" were included by name in the list years ago as a fashionably named item / PR stunt at the time. I have not followed closely enough to know how the current proposed "ban" is different.
They seem to be talking about "serrated" rather than 'look like something out of a Kill Bill type film'.
A normal kitchen bread knife is more convenient to carry and use.
Fine.
While we are at it, let’s extend my suggested solution to COVID in schools -
All persons 18 and below can only appear in a public place when inside a Zorb ball made of knife proof plastic, with a HEPA filter. Or face 10 years in prison.
It may not work, but it is Something.
A thing that may limit tactical voting would be if the apparent landslide related to Starmer and his team being personally enormously popular, such that people are very keen to identify with that. However, I don't think there is a lot of evidence of that. Starmer has positioned himself, and is widely seen as, blandly managerial. That doesn't frighten people off, but nor does discourage people in Godalming (say) from voting for the challengers to the Tories in their neck of the woods.
https://youtu.be/8Xxt8gRVLnw?si=8J6gey_XZjOIiBh3
Rishi Sunak 1%
Keir Starmer 2%
A Walrus who stopped the boats, cut my taxes, gave British Homes to British Families, saved the NHS, made petrol cheaper, reversed shrinkflation, obtained 2% growth, unpolluted the rivers, and turned UK back into a green and pleasant land 97%
Glad that’s cleared up.
I think the LDs do need more distinctive policies though. The current proposals are pretty much identical to Starmers Labour. If there's no difference why not go the whole hog?
The LDs need to be more distinctive. Advocating EEA status for example.
There are plenty of kitchen knives that make more effective and concealable weapons than an 18 inch machete.
A fair number of my gardening tools are pretty useful in the case of a zombie apocalypse too!
LOTR Roleplayers doing Uruk-Hai Orcs will have to make very that sure their machetes are blunt, or plastic.
Let’s assume that a 10% import tariff goes through, for example, and the US cuts off aid to Ukraine.
Starmer’s Britain will have little choice but some kind of “ever closer” arrangement with the EU and European defence powers.
In other news, it’s pretty obvious that Johnson still harbours hope of a return. The flaw is he needs a sympathetic Tory HQ in order to get a safe seat. Unless he strikes some kind of deal with Reform, which I’d judge very unlikely. I wonder what the strategy is.
Do these two threads connect. Is Johnson the man to secure a UK carve-out from a U.S. trade wall?
Eliminate knife deaths of teenagers
Eliminate knife murders by teenagers
Eliminate assaults on teachers
Eliminate assaults by teachers
Makes truancy from school really hard
Eliminates most crimes teenagers commit - very hard to steal a mobile from a Zorb ball.
Eliminate teenagers as a source of infectious disease
Eliminate teenagers from picking up infectious disease
What’s not to like?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUolxSmGJeA
UKIP stood in 624 seats in 2015 and won 12.5%. If Reform stand in every seat (that's their claim), I think they will get 6-8% so better than Referendum who stood in 547 seats and got 2.6%. How many seats will that cost the Conservatives? The evidence is Reform is strongest where the Conservatives are strongest - look at the Clacton numbers without Farage - the fifth safest Conservative seat becomes a marginal.
Reform will gain a number of third places and possibly the odd second place but that's all.
You can't be confident Reform won't get 10% and the Conservatives 25%, can you?
However, her comments on Johnson were understandable, true and accurate.
Be a real worry for a lot of anglers, too, come to think of it.
But yours a complete non answer though, because you didn’t say Ref of 3 and Con of 33 definitely 100% ain’t happening.
Well, it's been a longer journey than I expected, but as of today, I am the owner and proprietor of The Book Ferret*, High Street, Arundel.
You're very welcome to drop in and say hello!
*New name (already decided and approved) will be announced in a few months.
"Who would make the greatest Prime Minister in the history of Great Britain and Ireland and the United Kingdom?
David Churchillian war hero and Brexit patriot Frost.
Or
Rishi diminutive socialist traitor Sunak?
Edit: I do love independent bookshops.
It's something I can see myself doing.
BBC Radio 4 PM's obituary played The Wurzels Brand New Combined Harvester. I am spitting feathers.
Bill Clinton was inaugurated as US president 31 years ago this week.
And he's still younger today than the two likely candidates for the 2024 Presidential election.
As an aside I think it’s marvelous that things like Kindle never took off and people will forever love reading an actual book.
It'd drive me completely insane.
Not what the evidence says.
A lot of people still don't seem to get the dynamic relationship between immigration and climate change.
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/1/25/2219399/-The-Supreme-Court-handed-VP-Harris-a-golden-opportunity-And-she-is-running-with-it?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=trending&pm_medium=web
This is something she clearly feels very strongly about. I think abortion is proving a very effective weapon in the hands of the Democrats in this election round. The old maxim of be careful what you wish for comes to mind.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrEveVRvRpw
But based on what we know of the dynamic between RefUK and Cons parties, it's pretty improbable. However, there are a couple of footnotes to that
First is that it's doubly improbable that the Conservatives can show RefUK voters sufficient ankle without losing support on whatever their left flank is these days. Con 23 RefUK 13 could easily become Con 28 RefUK 3.
Second is that the hope, however thin, that something like this could turn up will be a strong incentive for Sunak not to go to the country just yet.
Starts humming "In The Bleak Midwinter"...
Best of luck.
But as you didn’t know you had someone locked in the PB toilets for 3 months I don’t expect you to notice it.
And just as Viewcode asked, don’t dox me - I don’t want anyone to know I’m Jade who posts on Con Home.
Your Welcome 🙂
Let's look at some of his predictions about Ukraine:
"Three days after the war began, he said "The battle in eastern Ukraine is really almost over," and predicted "If [Ukraine] don't surrender in the next 24 hours, I suspect Russia will ultimately annihilate them." Macgregor said he believed Russia should be allowed to seize whatever parts of Ukraine it wanted. In his second appearance, he revised his prediction: "The first five days Russian forces I think frankly were too gentle. They've now corrected that. So, I would say another 10 days this should be completely over... I think the most heroic thing he could do right now is come to terms with reality. Neutralize Ukraine."":
or:
"In a fourth appearance in early March, Macgregor said a ceasefire was close as Ukrainian forces had been "grounded to bits. There's no question about that despite what we report on our mainstream media".[9] He also defended Russia's invasion in an interview on The Grayzone, saying Putin had taken great care with civilians and this was delaying his victory."
or:
"In September 2022, he again predicted on Carlson's show that “this war may be over soon”[67] and later in the month "the Ukrainian army is bled white, tens of thousands of Ukrainian troops have been killed or wounded, Ukraine is really on the ropes"."
And:
"In an October 2021 speech to the Serbian American Voters Alliance, Macgregor blamed America's problems on what "the Russians used to call certain individuals many, many years ago, rootless cosmopolitans". Commentators noted that "rootless cosmopolitans" was a Soviet antisemitic trope"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Macgregor
Maybe if Davey had done the same it would have been wise
I should say I knew Kevin many years ago through business, and he was very competent and successful in his business
The commentariat in the USA before the mid-terms downplayed its effect . It saved quite a few House and Senate seats and was pivotal in several swing states re the governorship.
Trump will avoid it like the plague in the election campaign.
Not quite sure why you continue to pick on Ed Davey.
I'd rather be on CITY OF TROY at 25s for the Arc.
His upside appears to be minimal, even before you factor in his PO downside. Or rather down-slide?
BTW (also FYI) to encourage sales, suggest placing the Psephology section next the Erotica section.
Profitable synergy re: horny psephologists and jaded eroticists!
I would say it's 50/50 - almost an exact coin toss - on who wins in November.