Am on the (overground) train. Ticket inspector (guard?) came through. Opposite me is a young (18-25 I'd say), IC3 male, sort of not quite an afro, smartly enough dressed, backpack on the seat next to him. He showed his ticket and then the guard asked him for his railcard.
So far so good.
Then he asked for my ticket, which I showed him (on my phone, @Anabobazina don't panic) and....HE DID NOT ASK ME FOR MY RAILCARD.
(And without doxxing myself, and for reference, I am not a young IC3 male.)
Do you even qualify for a railcard?
P.S. I used to have a 'SOUTH EAST RAILCARD' – on my phone, praise be, so I never forgot it.
You'll be reassured to hear that I have a "Two Together" railcard on my phone. I show this to the guard alongside the two paper tickets.
Lugging around pointless landfill, odd behaviour for an environmentalist.
Bit of a fuck off to the people of Rochdale, who exercised their democratic choice to elect Jalloway. I think they were wrong to, but I don't know that you should link GG being elected with concerns about violence and intimidation.
Also, why keep blaming pro-Palestine protests and Galloway on Islamism? If there are cynical ideologues behind these protests, they're far left, not Islamist.
Last night, the Tory party failed to win a byelection in Rochdale - the seat went to George Galloway who said his victory was "for Gaza"
That is all accurate, but a bit of a weird way to put it BBC - 'failed to win' almost implies they had any kind of chance, and that's an attempt at balance that goes too far.
This is terrible from Sunak. He is stoking fear of a problem that does not exist. Shocking that a PM should try to make a problem worse as opposed to better.
He's made a mistake on the timing of this imo. It could have waited a few days. Doing it so soon after the Rochdale by-election result looks a bit desperate, and makes Galloway seem more important than he is.
He’s banning the wearing of the Fedora in public. If you can’t stop George at the ballot box, stop him leaving the house.
Logic fail. The thing is Araldited on.
Exactly, he can’t remove it so he either can’t leave his house or gets arrested the moment he steps out in public. There’s many ways to skin a pretend cat.
I'm not one to suggest PMs should not give statements from time to time, in fact doing so more often might be a good idea, but a 'standing outside No.10' statement needs a bit of oomph.
He's made a mistake on the timing of this imo. It could have waited a few days. Doing it so soon after the Rochdale by-election result looks a bit desperate, and makes Galloway seem more important than he is.
Also mentions BNP endorsed Galloway, so biggest publicity BNP have had since Griffin was on QT
He does know that he has just lit the fire under the protests? "THEY WANT TO BAN US". With Tossface Galloway as the face of the protestors. And Nigel Farage the face of the "WHY WON'T THIS GOVERNMENT STOP THEM" rants.
Tories will be passed by RefUK pretty quickly now.
The trouble Sunak has, and it's entirely his fault, is that everything he says or does just smacks of tactical political opportunism. It's almost impossible to listen to a speech like this, on a Friday evening, without imagining the CCHQ PR team brainstorming session on how best to milk the Galloway victory for electoral gain.
And he's not very good at it. The SNP managed to act much more earnest and heartfelt as they attempted then failed to skewer Labour on the Gaza vote, enough to convince some people. Whereas Rishi just can't pull it off.
This is the latest in a string of underwhelming PM podium speeches. They've rather devalued the whole thing.
Question - if we are so warm and welcoming and cuddly, how does he explain his party's policies and MPs? If extremist divisive speeches are wrong is he now to boot out Braverman?
I think it was pretty good, actually, but he should have done one more thing, about 80% of the way into the speech he should suddenly run over the street and punched a capering midget, several times, in a weird pointless display of random prime-ministerial violence, this would also have proved that he is not in fact the smallest person in central London
He does know that he has just lit the fire under the protests? "THEY WANT TO BAN US". With Tossface Galloway as the face of the protestors. And Nigel Farage the face of the "WHY WON'T THIS GOVERNMENT STOP THEM" rants.
Tories will be passed by RefUK pretty quickly now.
Galloway must be the happiest politician in Britain right now. Is this some 4D chess move attempt to make Galloway look really important, in an effort to destabilise Starmer?
Because that's the kind of dumb-person's-attempt-to-be-clever move I'd expect from a student politician or overgrown spad.
He does know that he has just lit the fire under the protests? "THEY WANT TO BAN US". With Tossface Galloway as the face of the protestors. And Nigel Farage the face of the "WHY WON'T THIS GOVERNMENT STOP THEM" rants.
Tories will be passed by RefUK pretty quickly now.
Galloway must be the happiest politician in Britain right now. Is this some 4D chess move attempt to make Galloway look really important, in an effort to destabilise Starmer?
Because that's the kind of dumb-person's-attempt-to-be-clever move I'd expect from a student politician or overgrown spad.
I don't think anyone has ever accused Rishi over being 'overgrown'.
The trouble Sunak has, and it's entirely his fault, is that everything he says or does just smacks of tactical political opportunism. It's almost impossible to listen to a speech like this, on a Friday evening, without imagining the CCHQ PR team brainstorming session on how best to milk the Galloway victory for electoral gain.
And he's not very good at it. The SNP managed to act much more earnest and heartfelt as they attempted then failed to skewer Labour on the Gaza vote, enough to convince some people. Whereas Rishi just can't pull it off.
This is the latest in a string of underwhelming PM podium speeches. They've rather devalued the whole thing.
Question is whether it's CCHQ or just No 10 which brainstormed it.
I think it was pretty good, actually, but he should have done one more thing, about 80% of the way into the speech he should suddenly run over the street and punched a capering midget, several times, in a weird pointless display of random prime-ministerial violence, this would also have proved that he is not in fact the smallest person in central London
An opportunity missed. But otherwise, impressive
I'm afraid you've not been paying close enough attention, capering midgets were banned under the Really Important Stuff Act which was passed last year. Peter Bone tried to lead a rebellion against it but it fell flat, IIRC.
Wow the polls are looking abysmal for the tories now: techne: 21% lead, yougov 26% lead, we think 24% lead, delta 21% lead, R&W 20% lead. People did NOT like the tories antics in parliament over procedure... oh dear... This is going off the rails for the government now. I see galloway a bit like uxbridge ... an anomal. He is a byelection specialist. In don't see the workers party taking seats or even galloway surviving a GE. We could end up in a Canada 93 situation. Wow
Wow the polls are looking abysmal for the tories now: techne: 21% lead, yougov 26% lead, we think 24% lead, delta 21% lead, R&W 20% lead. People did NOT like the tories antics in parliament over procedure... oh dear... This is going off the rails for the government now. I see galloway a bit like uxbridge ... an anomal. He is a byelection specialist. In don't see the workers party taking seats or even galloway surviving a GE. We could end up in a Canada 93 situation. Wow
We really could - they are spiralling, no one has a grip on major problems, no gambit seems to be paying off, and even if Reform underwhelm it's that little bit extra that could turn a terrible night into an apocalyptic night.
Much of the speech was generic platitude, but there was a section where he started talking about people's views of history etc. that got very anti-woke. Is there a possibility that his new framework will get overly censorious?
Much of the speech was generic platitude, but there was a section where he started talking about people's views of history etc. that got very anti-woke. Is there a possibility that his new framework will get overly censorious?
Government loves to ban and control things. It's one area where MPs and Whitehall really get along.
Wow the polls are looking abysmal for the tories now: techne: 21% lead, yougov 26% lead, we think 24% lead, delta 21% lead, R&W 20% lead. People did NOT like the tories antics in parliament over procedure... oh dear... This is going off the rails for the government now. I see galloway a bit like uxbridge ... an anomal. He is a byelection specialist. In don't see the workers party taking seats or even galloway surviving a GE. We could end up in a Canada 93 situation. Wow
Unless Reform clearly overtake the Tories we won't get a Canada 93 situation
Much of the speech was generic platitude, but there was a section where he started talking about people's views of history etc. that got very anti-woke. Is there a possibility that his new framework will get overly censorious?
I disagree. Replace your first word with 'all' and I agree.
Comments
George: But Donald, why do people take such an instant dislike to me?!
Donald: (sighing) George... it just saves time
In fact I am in a meeting.
I only know what’s going on from this thread.
Has he “come out” yet?
I agree with what he's saying - but I just idk
Last night, the Tory party failed to win a byelection in Rochdale - the seat went to George Galloway who said his victory was "for Gaza"
That is all accurate, but a bit of a weird way to put it BBC - 'failed to win' almost implies they had any kind of chance, and that's an attempt at balance that goes too far.
Bringing the country together? As long as it's against the Labour Party then do whatever is best for the Tories.
Not this kind of response!
It's one seat and an MP who is a serial crank who would wear himself out through niche whinges. As Andy_JS says, it could wait.
This whole stunt is dedicated to announcing that an announcement will be made?!
Who told him this was a good idea?
Thought he was going to call an election.
Weak! Weak! Weak!
I was going to get on the treadmill, so welcomed the 10 minutes delay.
Tories will be passed by RefUK pretty quickly now.
Like an empty test tube
And he's not very good at it. The SNP managed to act much more earnest and heartfelt as they attempted then failed to skewer Labour on the Gaza vote, enough to convince some people. Whereas Rishi just can't pull it off.
This is the latest in a string of underwhelming PM podium speeches. They've rather devalued the whole thing.
An opportunity missed. But otherwise, impressive
Indeed if Starmer had made the same speech he would be lauded
I doubt it will move the dial political for him
Because that's the kind of dumb-person's-attempt-to-be-clever move I'd expect from a student politician or overgrown spad.
The questions remain what did he actually say, did that justify the drama, and does it actually mean anything?
Yes, he's absolutely right.
That's why we want to vote him out asap.
People did NOT like the tories antics in parliament over procedure... oh dear...
This is going off the rails for the government now. I see galloway a bit like uxbridge ... an anomal. He is a byelection specialist. In don't see the workers party taking seats or even galloway surviving a GE. We could end up in a Canada 93 situation. Wow
He apologised for making Ali the candidate, he should apologise for ever having him selected in the first place. Poor judgment.
From the party that made trans people a scape goat and made jokes about them whilst the mother of a murdered trans person was present.
He's going to appoint Braverman as Minister for community cohesion...
Bit too doddery now