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Aborting a second Trump presidency – politicalbetting.com

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  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 63,027

    Well done @dixiedean

    This has been quite a disappointing and anticlimactic end to the season, considering where we were just a few weeks ago.

    It's always good to front it out. As a Watford fan I am used to that!

    You have still got a trophy and Champions League football for next season 👍
    But without Klopp
  • GIN1138GIN1138 Posts: 22,274
    viewcode said:

    GIN1138 said:

    nico679 said:

    The Tories moaning that Labour have stolen the name Great British Railways from them!

    I think the rail nationalization is a big story and will help shore up the left . It’s also not expensive as it’s simply waiting for the franchises to finish .

    Lets hope Great British Railways works out better than British Rail lol!

    That said, I was never keen on rail privatization, personally.

    Coming at the bitter end of the 79-97 Conservative government, it always felt like Major and Hezza were desperate to try and find a "legacy" beyond the Cones Hotline (the the Tories worst defeat since 1832) and didn't give much thought to how it would actually work.
    The Cones Hotline was a good idea. Major was trying to formalise the idea of feedback: means whereby the governed could inform their governors of dissatisfaction and so improve governance. We're so used to it now that we've forgotten it was almost wholly absent outside of elections.
    I mean The Cones Hotline probably did have a lot of merit... Just not sure Major wanted that to be his legacy after 7 years in Downing St. (and especially compared to the legacy of reform his immediate predecessor - The Blessed St. Margaret - Left! )
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 28,412
    Foxy said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Does anyone have an uncanny feeling that Truss will be back as PM again one day?

    I believe Liz Truss suffers from that particular delusion.
    Great bit in today's Private Eye:


    Fairly predictable line from the establishment's favourite 'anti-establishment' publication, except that someone there clearly carries somewhat of a torch for Kwasi. How adorable.
  • londonpubmanlondonpubman Posts: 3,639

    Well done @dixiedean

    This has been quite a disappointing and anticlimactic end to the season, considering where we were just a few weeks ago.

    It's always good to front it out. As a Watford fan I am used to that!

    You have still got a trophy and Champions League football for next season 👍
    But without Klopp
    Klopp did well for Liverpool. Lots of trophies. A Premier League in 2020. But nothing lasts for ever. Liverpool will still be big next season.
  • EPGEPG Posts: 6,652
    I don't think either dividends or purported inefficiency in inter-franchise connections will save a lot of money. Labour can give goodies to London commuters and last-minute leisure travellers but someone else will pay. In particular, ending dividends to a state-owned company is just saying that more money will have to go in on net. Will they try to save money by sacking a lot of people? Brave.
  • eekeek Posts: 28,366
    edited April 24
    Chris said:

    Boris Johnson
    @BorisJohnson
    ·
    46m
    Frank Field was one of the best and most principled people in politics. He backed Brexit from a simple belief in British democracy and he attacked welfarism out of sheer Christian compassion. His ideas remain vital today.

    https://twitter.com/BorisJohnson/status/1783226820441014586

    Johnson is always worth listening to on matters of principle and spirituality.
    When Bozo says something like that I suspect he's thinking sucker but somehow manages to ensure the word doesn't come out of his mouth.
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 53,798

    Well done @dixiedean

    This has been quite a disappointing and anticlimactic end to the season, considering where we were just a few weeks ago.

    It's always good to front it out. As a Watford fan I am used to that!

    You have still got a trophy and Champions League football for next season 👍
    But without Klopp
    Klopp did well for Liverpool. Lots of trophies. A Premier League in 2020. But nothing lasts for ever. Liverpool will still be big next season.
    That's what United said in 2013.
  • nico679nico679 Posts: 6,275
    The rail nationalization story is a big deal . For a variety of reasons , Labour have been accused of not having a clear direction , some saying what do they stand for . This is a headline grabbing proposal , the public can relate to this and it polls very well .

    Whether it provides a better service only time will tell if Labour do win the GE .
  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 23,479
    Andy_JS said:

    Is Bunco still around? From June 2016.

    "Bunco makes the case for Liz Truss as next CON leader and PM"

    https://web.archive.org/web/20160625200236/http://www2.politicalbetting.com/

    I remember him. Was an irritating, self-important poster who signed off every post with “Bunco, your man on the spot”.

    He was a Tory shill as I recall.
  • WaterfallWaterfall Posts: 96
    BREAKING: Mass chaos breaks out at college campuses across the United States as pro-Palestine protests intensify.

    Protesters are crowding Columbia, Harvard, USC, University of Texas at Austin, and more.

    At USC, police are using their batons because the protesters are becoming violent.

    State troopers from Texas have come and arrested many people at the University of Texas at Austin.

    Pro-Palestine protesters have occupied Harvard Yard and are camping there because the university threatened to take action.

    https://x.com/Megatron_ron/status/1783229942668329036
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 22,068

    Andy_JS said:

    Is Bunco still around? From June 2016.

    "Bunco makes the case for Liz Truss as next CON leader and PM"

    https://web.archive.org/web/20160625200236/http://www2.politicalbetting.com/

    I remember him. Was an irritating, self-important poster who signed off every post with “Bunco, your man on the spot”.

    He was a Tory shill as I recall.
    I liked him!
  • londonpubmanlondonpubman Posts: 3,639
    DavidL said:

    Well done @dixiedean

    This has been quite a disappointing and anticlimactic end to the season, considering where we were just a few weeks ago.

    It's always good to front it out. As a Watford fan I am used to that!

    You have still got a trophy and Champions League football for next season 👍
    But without Klopp
    Klopp did well for Liverpool. Lots of trophies. A Premier League in 2020. But nothing lasts for ever. Liverpool will still be big next season.
    That's what United said in 2013.
    For once your team are the people's favourite in the FA cup final. Let's see what happens 👍
  • MJWMJW Posts: 1,728
    DavidL said:

    Well done @dixiedean

    This has been quite a disappointing and anticlimactic end to the season, considering where we were just a few weeks ago.

    It's always good to front it out. As a Watford fan I am used to that!

    You have still got a trophy and Champions League football for next season 👍
    But without Klopp
    Klopp did well for Liverpool. Lots of trophies. A Premier League in 2020. But nothing lasts for ever. Liverpool will still be big next season.
    That's what United said in 2013.
    Hmm...providing they don't pick an absolute dud though Liverpool have a decent and not too old squad with some really promising youngsters. Unlike United who were really built around Fergie's last hurrah. Their squad needed major surgery - which the owners and Moyes cocked up.

    Liverpool? If Slot isn't a disaster they probably only really need to replace Salah. Easier said than done, obviously. But much easier to identify and buy one great player than several who are starting to get past it.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 55,239
    Heart of stone, laughter, etc

    “Asylum seekers pouring into Ireland from UK, says minister

    More than 80pc of migrants and refugees in Republic have entered country via land border, Irish Parliament committee told


    “This is the challenge that we have, that we have advocated for an open border on this island,” she said. “It is absolutely a challenge.”

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/04/24/asylum-claims-ireland-come-over-land-from-uk-says-minister/

    Why don’t you campaign to close the border you stupid Irish twats?
  • WaterfallWaterfall Posts: 96
    This is economic madness.

    JUST IN: President Biden pushes 44.6% capital gains tax.

    The highest capital gains rate ever in the USA.

    https://x.com/RadarHits/status/1783173220255838274
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 22,068
    edited April 24
    Donkeys said:

    Today's London horses event: calling those with photoint training - where is this?

    image

    https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/uk/2024/04/24/army-on-the-hunt-for-escaped-horses-on-loose-in-london/

    The caption says it's in "Lower Belgrave Street in Victoria at the spot where a witness says the horses lost control", but I couldn't find a place in LBSt that looks like that - not even outside no.46 where Lord Lucan's nanny was murdered. Other sources give Belgrave Square.

    The Independent coyly say the route they show is "estimated":

    https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/london-horses-cavalry-running-loose-map-where-b2533971.html

    The map in the Daily Express is crap and the editors seem to have no care for leylinology whatsoever:

    https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1891846/horses-escape-in-london

    I have no idea where that tarmac is.

    However the curved road the horses are galloping down in this news clip https://youtu.be/I6iKhXGDwjA?si=-sq43MKCJfRJerl0&t=2 is Aldwych, specifically at the point where Melbourne Place intersects Aldwych. The building with the flags on it is Melbourne House, Australian High Commission.

    You can find it on Google Maps here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/qgZzwdFbwhp6EiPM9

  • MJWMJW Posts: 1,728
    GIN1138 said:

    viewcode said:

    GIN1138 said:

    nico679 said:

    The Tories moaning that Labour have stolen the name Great British Railways from them!

    I think the rail nationalization is a big story and will help shore up the left . It’s also not expensive as it’s simply waiting for the franchises to finish .

    Lets hope Great British Railways works out better than British Rail lol!

    That said, I was never keen on rail privatization, personally.

    Coming at the bitter end of the 79-97 Conservative government, it always felt like Major and Hezza were desperate to try and find a "legacy" beyond the Cones Hotline (the the Tories worst defeat since 1832) and didn't give much thought to how it would actually work.
    The Cones Hotline was a good idea. Major was trying to formalise the idea of feedback: means whereby the governed could inform their governors of dissatisfaction and so improve governance. We're so used to it now that we've forgotten it was almost wholly absent outside of elections.
    I mean The Cones Hotline probably did have a lot of merit... Just not sure Major wanted that to be his legacy after 7 years in Downing St. (and especially compared to the legacy of reform his immediate predecessor - The Blessed St. Margaret - Left! )
    Yep - that was the problem, wasn't it? Not that it was a bad idea per se, but that it was something for a junior minister to throw out as a nice idea in an interview, not something for a PM to trumpet as a major new policy. Plus it then descended into farce into how it was run - with no staff, contracted out, brought back, and scrapped.
  • isamisam Posts: 41,118
    Didn’t Corbyn do something like this, read his prompt as of it were part of his speech, at Labour’s conference one year?

    NOW - Biden: "Four more years. Pause."

    https://x.com/disclosetv/status/1783184198477508785?s=46&t=CW4pL-mMpTqsJXCdjW0Z6Q
  • nico679nico679 Posts: 6,275
    Can you imagine the furore from the Tories if he had spoken at the Labour conference. He really should recuse himself from the investigation.
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 51,814
    What's the biggest problem re. abortion jokes?

    The delivery.
  • WaterfallWaterfall Posts: 96
    Benjamin Netanyahu today.

    Anti-Semitism on campuses in the United States is reminiscent of what happened in German universities in the 1930s.

    The world cannot stand idly by.

    https://x.com/netanyahu/status/1783191454308864300
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 28,368
    nico679 said:

    Can you imagine the furore from the Tories if he had spoken at the Labour conference. He really should recuse himself from the investigation.
    Apparently Daly is pushing for Watson to be Met Chief Constable if the Government can shoehorn Rowley out.
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 22,068

    What's the biggest problem re. abortion jokes?

    The delivery.

    What's the biggest problem re: synchronizing watch jokes?

    Timing.
  • Jim_MillerJim_Miller Posts: 2,998
    Related to the topic: I am old enough so that I can remember when some political experts thought many US voters didn't start paying attention to the presidential campaigns -- until after the World Series. (Baseball was more important then, of course.)

    Do I foresee very large shifts from Trump to Biden after this year's World Series? I think that's unlikely, but not impossible.
  • nico679nico679 Posts: 6,275

    nico679 said:

    Can you imagine the furore from the Tories if he had spoken at the Labour conference. He really should recuse himself from the investigation.
    Apparently Daly is pushing for Watson to be Met Chief Constable if the Government can shoehorn Rowley out.
    Starmer won’t want to bring this up as he’s supposed to have full confidence in the police . But this has huge ramifications if Rayner is charged.
  • another_richardanother_richard Posts: 26,585

    Andy_JS said:

    Is Bunco still around? From June 2016.

    "Bunco makes the case for Liz Truss as next CON leader and PM"

    https://web.archive.org/web/20160625200236/http://www2.politicalbetting.com/

    I remember him. Was an irritating, self-important poster who signed off every post with “Bunco, your man on the spot”.

    He was a Tory shill as I recall.
    Not a shill but an actual Conservative politician.

    I think he mentioned that he was the leader of South Norfolk district council.

    If so he was:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fuller,_Baron_Fuller

    Perhaps not coincidentally:

    Fuller joined J & H Bunn Ltd,[3] a private fertiliser manufacturing company in Great Yarmouth in May 1991. In 1995 he was awarded a Nuffield Scholarship to study precision farming concepts, investigating emerging technologies in GPS, satellite imagery and the Internet and their application to agriculture.[4] From 1998 to 2011, he was a director of Bunn until it was sold to US-based Koch Industries in March 2011.
  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 23,479
    nico679 said:

    The rail nationalization story is a big deal . For a variety of reasons , Labour have been accused of not having a clear direction , some saying what do they stand for . This is a headline grabbing proposal , the public can relate to this and it polls very well .

    Whether it provides a better service only time will tell if Labour do win the GE .

    It is a big deal, and will be warmly welcomed by the vast majority of the public, who are sick to the eye-teeth of the fragmented rail network and the chiselling carpet-bagging of the privateers.

    But, the eagle-eyed among us will note that it is not news. It’s been Labour policy for a while.

    What it is is a speech by Louise Haigh, and a very clever piece of media management by Labour’s PR team. They’ve bagged four splashes in tomorrow’s nationals.

  • MJWMJW Posts: 1,728
    isam said:

    Didn’t Corbyn do something like this, read his prompt as of it were part of his speech, at Labour’s conference one year?

    NOW - Biden: "Four more years. Pause."

    https://x.com/disclosetv/status/1783184198477508785?s=46&t=CW4pL-mMpTqsJXCdjW0Z6Q

    "Strong message here".
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 28,368
    nico679 said:

    nico679 said:

    Can you imagine the furore from the Tories if he had spoken at the Labour conference. He really should recuse himself from the investigation.
    Apparently Daly is pushing for Watson to be Met Chief Constable if the Government can shoehorn Rowley out.
    Starmer won’t want to bring this up as he’s supposed to have full confidence in the police . But this has huge ramifications if Rayner is charged.
    One can now understand why he has put 12 detectives on the case.

    The fact that she skewered Dowden today will make it more of an imperative that Rayner is felled by Watson.
  • DonkeysDonkeys Posts: 723
    edited April 24
    Adrian Chiles in the Guardian:

    "Everyone laughed at Hitler in the 1920s. A century on, are we making the same mistake?"

    A fair enough question. So I clicked to find out who he's talking about. Donald Trump? Possibly Elon Musk? Could it possibly be Liz Truss?

    "Just because we find a political leader ludicrous, that doesn’t mean they’re not dangerous."

    Okayyy. Who then? But he doesn't mention any contemporary person at all! I was clickbaited.

    Made me wonder whether the Foreign Office may have put out a "Don't piss Donald off" bulletin. Or is there a rule about not comparing people to Hitler maybe??

    "There’s more than one failed, incumbent or potential leader who regularly brings it to mind."
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 32,549
    Waterfall said:

    This is economic madness.

    JUST IN: President Biden pushes 44.6% capital gains tax.

    The highest capital gains rate ever in the USA.

    https://x.com/RadarHits/status/1783173220255838274

    Are American millionaires going to move to Canada as a result of this?
  • WaterfallWaterfall Posts: 96
    This stuff could cost Biden the election.

    BREAKING:

    Biden has declared war on students across the US

    Police are currently beating students at US universities for protesting the Israeli genocide in Gaza and against the war criminal Netanyahu.

    Netanyahu today called the students in the United States "Hamas"

    https://x.com/Megatron_ron/status/1783247777608179885
  • edmundintokyoedmundintokyo Posts: 17,708
    Waterfall said:

    This is economic madness.

    JUST IN: President Biden pushes 44.6% capital gains tax.

    The highest capital gains rate ever in the USA.

    https://x.com/RadarHits/status/1783173220255838274

    That would more-or-less align with the upper rate of income tax which seems sensible?
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 50,213
    Leon said:

    Heart of stone, laughter, etc

    “Asylum seekers pouring into Ireland from UK, says minister

    More than 80pc of migrants and refugees in Republic have entered country via land border, Irish Parliament committee told


    “This is the challenge that we have, that we have advocated for an open border on this island,” she said. “It is absolutely a challenge.”

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/04/24/asylum-claims-ireland-come-over-land-from-uk-says-minister/

    Why don’t you campaign to close the border you stupid Irish twats?

    For the idiots among us.

    There never was a border. Some country lanes don’t even have markers.

    During the troubles, more than one army patrol got lost and realised they’d invaded Southern Ireland by the colour of the post boxes.

    The Guarda, when they came across this, would politely lead them back to Northern Ireland.
  • nico679nico679 Posts: 6,275

    nico679 said:

    nico679 said:

    Can you imagine the furore from the Tories if he had spoken at the Labour conference. He really should recuse himself from the investigation.
    Apparently Daly is pushing for Watson to be Met Chief Constable if the Government can shoehorn Rowley out.
    Starmer won’t want to bring this up as he’s supposed to have full confidence in the police . But this has huge ramifications if Rayner is charged.
    One can now understand why he has put 12 detectives on the case.

    The fact that she skewered Dowden today will make it more of an imperative that Rayner is felled by Watson.
    The Tories were moaning the other day that Burnham could place influence on the investigation. They really have no shame. One of the very few left wing papers we have now need to run with this story.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 32,549
    edited April 24

    What's the biggest problem re. abortion jokes?

    The delivery.

    Fetch your coat. 😊
  • Jim_MillerJim_Miller Posts: 2,998
    Why did so many voters see Trump as a plausible Republican president?

    There are many, many reasons for that, but one of them is the increasing leftism (and, I would say, decreasing fairness) of so many news organizations. Republican voters who saw how differently George W. Bush and Barack Obama were treated by those organizations often came to disbelieve anything that came from those "mainstream" news organizations. Including the Guardian and the BBC.

    A local example: Danny Westneat, long-time columnist for the Seattle Times, wrote a column praising Obama for negotiating a nuclear arms reduction, and said George W. Bush would never have done something similar. Except that Bush had, and the reduction he negotiated was somewhat larger than Obama's.

    (For many more examples, read this book: https://www.amazon.com/Slobbering-Love-Affair-Pathetic-Mainstream/dp/1596980907 )

  • DonkeysDonkeys Posts: 723
    viewcode said:

    Donkeys said:

    Today's London horses event: calling those with photoint training - where is this?

    image

    https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/uk/2024/04/24/army-on-the-hunt-for-escaped-horses-on-loose-in-london/

    The caption says it's in "Lower Belgrave Street in Victoria at the spot where a witness says the horses lost control", but I couldn't find a place in LBSt that looks like that - not even outside no.46 where Lord Lucan's nanny was murdered. Other sources give Belgrave Square.

    The Independent coyly say the route they show is "estimated":

    https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/london-horses-cavalry-running-loose-map-where-b2533971.html

    The map in the Daily Express is crap and the editors seem to have no care for leylinology whatsoever:

    https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1891846/horses-escape-in-london

    I have no idea where that tarmac is.

    However the curved road the horses are galloping down in this news clip https://youtu.be/I6iKhXGDwjA?si=-sq43MKCJfRJerl0&t=2 is Aldwych, specifically at the point where Melbourne Place intersects Aldwych. The building with the flags on it is Melbourne House, Australian High Commission.

    You can find it on Google Maps here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/qgZzwdFbwhp6EiPM9

    Thanks. But where was the instigating incident that spooked the horses? The suggestion in the first article is that it was where they show in the photo.
  • NeilVWNeilVW Posts: 732

    nico679 said:

    nico679 said:

    Can you imagine the furore from the Tories if he had spoken at the Labour conference. He really should recuse himself from the investigation.
    Apparently Daly is pushing for Watson to be Met Chief Constable if the Government can shoehorn Rowley out.
    Starmer won’t want to bring this up as he’s supposed to have full confidence in the police . But this has huge ramifications if Rayner is charged.
    One can now understand why he has put 12 detectives on the case.

    The fact that she skewered Dowden today will make it more of an imperative that Rayner is felled by Watson.
    In what way did she skewer Dowden?
  • another_richardanother_richard Posts: 26,585

    Waterfall said:

    This is economic madness.

    JUST IN: President Biden pushes 44.6% capital gains tax.

    The highest capital gains rate ever in the USA.

    https://x.com/RadarHits/status/1783173220255838274

    That would more-or-less align with the upper rate of income tax which seems sensible?
    Taken as a whole, then, the 44.6% rate would only come to fruition under a separate proposal from the Biden administration’s main capital gains rate increase, and only apply to those individuals with taxable income above $1 million and investment income above $400,000. That isn’t quite as cataclysmic a policy shift as referring to a blanket 44.6% long-term capital gains rate would suggest.

    The presentation of the 44.6% capital gains rate proposal is a strategic policy maneuver—loudly shouting a startlingly high percentage while mutely ignoring the crucial aspect of income thresholds. The intent appears to be to play on public sentiments and concerns, more specifically the political landmine of adverse outcomes for small business owners.


    https://www.forbes.com/newsletters/andrewleahey/2024/04/24/biden-capital-gains-rate-proposal-446/
  • MJWMJW Posts: 1,728
    Waterfall said:

    This stuff could cost Biden the election.

    BREAKING:

    Biden has declared war on students across the US

    Police are currently beating students at US universities for protesting the Israeli genocide in Gaza and against the war criminal Netanyahu.

    Netanyahu today called the students in the United States "Hamas"

    https://x.com/Megatron_ron/status/1783247777608179885

    Spoiler: It won't. Polling shows Israel/Palestine is way down the list of voters' concerns. It gets disproportionately stressed - as with all activist demands - as those who are best connected shout loudest.

    That's before we get to the fact Trump is likely to run an extremely pro-Israel/anti-protester campaign, and so push all but the most exorcised by it back to Biden.


    Which isn't to say Biden won't lose - just it's liable to be reasons beyond Palestine.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 32,549
    Waterfall said:

    This stuff could cost Biden the election.

    BREAKING:

    Biden has declared war on students across the US

    Police are currently beating students at US universities for protesting the Israeli genocide in Gaza and against the war criminal Netanyahu.

    Netanyahu today called the students in the United States "Hamas"

    https://x.com/Megatron_ron/status/1783247777608179885

    I think if anything it'll probably help Biden. Floating voters probably don't like disturbances on campus.
  • carnforthcarnforth Posts: 4,574
    Noom despite ruination, not in England:

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clonmacnoise
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 28,368
    NeilVW said:

    nico679 said:

    nico679 said:

    Can you imagine the furore from the Tories if he had spoken at the Labour conference. He really should recuse himself from the investigation.
    Apparently Daly is pushing for Watson to be Met Chief Constable if the Government can shoehorn Rowley out.
    Starmer won’t want to bring this up as he’s supposed to have full confidence in the police . But this has huge ramifications if Rayner is charged.
    One can now understand why he has put 12 detectives on the case.

    The fact that she skewered Dowden today will make it more of an imperative that Rayner is felled by Watson.
    In what way did she skewer Dowden?
    I've just watched it again. She shot his fox with her comment about her house. He went with his jokes anyway, none of which struck home. He claimed that Labour wouldn't confirm support for the 2.5% GDP for defence. She said 2.5% was Labour's idea. So he suggested she refused to say Labour agreed with the "plan" because ,"Labour has no plan and the Conservatives have a plan. He then finished by alluding to the notion that Jeremy Corbyn runs Labour Party Defence/Foreign policy.

    He was way out of his depth.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 32,549
    edited April 24

    NeilVW said:

    nico679 said:

    nico679 said:

    Can you imagine the furore from the Tories if he had spoken at the Labour conference. He really should recuse himself from the investigation.
    Apparently Daly is pushing for Watson to be Met Chief Constable if the Government can shoehorn Rowley out.
    Starmer won’t want to bring this up as he’s supposed to have full confidence in the police . But this has huge ramifications if Rayner is charged.
    One can now understand why he has put 12 detectives on the case.

    The fact that she skewered Dowden today will make it more of an imperative that Rayner is felled by Watson.
    In what way did she skewer Dowden?
    I've just watched it again. She shot his fox with her comment about her house. He went with his jokes anyway, none of which struck home. He claimed that Labour wouldn't confirm support for the 2.5% GDP for defence. She said 2.5% was Labour's idea. So he suggested she refused to say Labour agreed with the "plan" because ,"Labour has no plan and the Conservatives have a plan. He then finished by alluding to the notion that Jeremy Corbyn runs Labour Party Defence/Foreign policy.

    He was way out of his depth.
    Dowden slightly comes across as a character out of an Enid Blyton novel.
  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 23,479

    NeilVW said:

    nico679 said:

    nico679 said:

    Can you imagine the furore from the Tories if he had spoken at the Labour conference. He really should recuse himself from the investigation.
    Apparently Daly is pushing for Watson to be Met Chief Constable if the Government can shoehorn Rowley out.
    Starmer won’t want to bring this up as he’s supposed to have full confidence in the police . But this has huge ramifications if Rayner is charged.
    One can now understand why he has put 12 detectives on the case.

    The fact that she skewered Dowden today will make it more of an imperative that Rayner is felled by Watson.
    In what way did she skewer Dowden?
    I've just watched it again. She shot his fox with her comment about her house. He went with his jokes anyway, none of which struck home. He claimed that Labour wouldn't confirm support for the 2.5% GDP for defence. She said 2.5% was Labour's idea. So he suggested she refused to say Labour agreed with the "plan" because ,"Labour has no plan and the Conservatives have a plan. He then finished by alluding to the notion that Jeremy Corbyn runs Labour Party Defence/Foreign policy.

    He was way out of his depth.
    The best bit was towards the beginning why she just mock-laughed at one of his ‘jokes’, by throwing her head side to side. Poor Olly!
  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 23,479
    Andy_JS said:

    NeilVW said:

    nico679 said:

    nico679 said:

    Can you imagine the furore from the Tories if he had spoken at the Labour conference. He really should recuse himself from the investigation.
    Apparently Daly is pushing for Watson to be Met Chief Constable if the Government can shoehorn Rowley out.
    Starmer won’t want to bring this up as he’s supposed to have full confidence in the police . But this has huge ramifications if Rayner is charged.
    One can now understand why he has put 12 detectives on the case.

    The fact that she skewered Dowden today will make it more of an imperative that Rayner is felled by Watson.
    In what way did she skewer Dowden?
    I've just watched it again. She shot his fox with her comment about her house. He went with his jokes anyway, none of which struck home. He claimed that Labour wouldn't confirm support for the 2.5% GDP for defence. She said 2.5% was Labour's idea. So he suggested she refused to say Labour agreed with the "plan" because ,"Labour has no plan and the Conservatives have a plan. He then finished by alluding to the notion that Jeremy Corbyn runs Labour Party Defence/Foreign policy.

    He was way out of his depth.
    Dowden slightly comes across as a character out of an Enid Blyton novel.
    He is too mild mannered to face Angela. She made mincemeat of him.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 32,549
    Splendid video from 1946 about Enid Blyton's home life.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKluTnhZmgM
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 22,068
    Donkeys said:

    viewcode said:

    Donkeys said:

    Today's London horses event: calling those with photoint training - where is this?

    image

    https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/uk/2024/04/24/army-on-the-hunt-for-escaped-horses-on-loose-in-london/

    The caption says it's in "Lower Belgrave Street in Victoria at the spot where a witness says the horses lost control", but I couldn't find a place in LBSt that looks like that - not even outside no.46 where Lord Lucan's nanny was murdered. Other sources give Belgrave Square.

    The Independent coyly say the route they show is "estimated":

    https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/london-horses-cavalry-running-loose-map-where-b2533971.html

    The map in the Daily Express is crap and the editors seem to have no care for leylinology whatsoever:

    https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1891846/horses-escape-in-london

    I have no idea where that tarmac is.

    However the curved road the horses are galloping down in this news clip https://youtu.be/I6iKhXGDwjA?si=-sq43MKCJfRJerl0&t=2 is Aldwych, specifically at the point where Melbourne Place intersects Aldwych. The building with the flags on it is Melbourne House, Australian High Commission.

    You can find it on Google Maps here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/qgZzwdFbwhp6EiPM9

    Thanks. But where was the instigating incident that spooked the horses? The suggestion in the first article is that it was where they show in the photo.
    I don't know I'm afraid. The Household Cavalry are on Whitehall, which is plausible. So try somewhere around there or thereabouts.
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 22,068
    MRP hasn't worked in the past for USA. Delia Bailey once said so. It works-ish in UK and Germany. I don't know why the difference.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 57,129
    viewcode said:

    MRP hasn't worked in the past for USA. Delia Bailey once said so. It works-ish in UK and Germany. I don't know why the difference.
    And all that poll really tells is something we already knew: this election is likely to be hella-close.
  • carnforthcarnforth Posts: 4,574
    Wasn't aware my personal photos had leaked onto PB, Sunil!
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,216
    Got the Vicar of Bath excited:

    EXCLUSIVE BREAKING: An emergency meeting of the Scottish Cabinet will take place tomorrow morning at 10am, only the second such meeting we're aware of in the last 17 years.

    https://x.com/WingsScotland/status/1783267532066968049
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,216
    "That woman" from the UN:

    The Cass review findings and recommendations are seminal, and its implications go beyond the United Kingdom. While the Cass Review may not have framed its conclusions and findings explicitly in human rights language, it has – in my view – very clearly shown the devastating consequences that policies on gender treatments have had on human rights of children, including girls. These policies have breached fundamental principles, such as the need to uphold the best interest of the child in all decisions that affect their lives, and the right of children to the highest attainable standards of health.

    https://www.ohchr.org/en/statements/2024/04/uk-implementation-cass-report-key-protecting-girls-serious-harm-says-un-expert
  • carnforthcarnforth Posts: 4,574

    "That woman" from the UN:

    The Cass review findings and recommendations are seminal, and its implications go beyond the United Kingdom. While the Cass Review may not have framed its conclusions and findings explicitly in human rights language, it has – in my view – very clearly shown the devastating consequences that policies on gender treatments have had on human rights of children, including girls. These policies have breached fundamental principles, such as the need to uphold the best interest of the child in all decisions that affect their lives, and the right of children to the highest attainable standards of health.

    https://www.ohchr.org/en/statements/2024/04/uk-implementation-cass-report-key-protecting-girls-serious-harm-says-un-expert

    A UN Special Rapporteur having sensible opinions? Truly the end-times are upon us.
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 60,407
    nico679 said:

    GIN1138 said:

    nico679 said:

    The Tories moaning that Labour have stolen the name Great British Railways from them!

    I think the rail nationalization is a big story and will help shore up the left . It’s also not expensive as it’s simply waiting for the franchises to finish .

    Lets hope Great British Railways works out better than British Rail lol!

    That said, I was never keen on rail privatization, personally.

    Coming at the bitter end of the 79-97 Conservative government, it always felt like Major and Hezza were desperate to try and find a "legacy" beyond the Cones Hotline (the the Tories worst defeat since 1832) and didn't give much thought to how it would actually work.
    I agree BR was crap . Whether GBR is better I really don’t have a lot of expectations but it’s very good politics and will help Starmer with the left of the party .
    Does everything have to be about tactical political positioning?

    It's a fucking terrible idea, that will take the railways backwards.
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 60,407
    nico679 said:

    The rail nationalization story is a big deal . For a variety of reasons , Labour have been accused of not having a clear direction , some saying what do they stand for . This is a headline grabbing proposal , the public can relate to this and it polls very well .

    Whether it provides a better service only time will tell if Labour do win the GE .

    It will certainly not provide a better service.

    What it will do is make central government a constraint for funding through the DfT, which essentially means the Treasury.

    Such pressure as there is will be to restrict fare rises and increase wages/jobs for rail workers - this will increase trade union bargaining power hugely - and investment will suffer accordingly.

    Prepare for a deterioration or contraction of infrastructure, reduced service quality, poorer customer experience and older and more ramshackle rolling stock.
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 60,407

    NeilVW said:

    nico679 said:

    nico679 said:

    Can you imagine the furore from the Tories if he had spoken at the Labour conference. He really should recuse himself from the investigation.
    Apparently Daly is pushing for Watson to be Met Chief Constable if the Government can shoehorn Rowley out.
    Starmer won’t want to bring this up as he’s supposed to have full confidence in the police . But this has huge ramifications if Rayner is charged.
    One can now understand why he has put 12 detectives on the case.

    The fact that she skewered Dowden today will make it more of an imperative that Rayner is felled by Watson.
    In what way did she skewer Dowden?
    I've just watched it again. She shot his fox with her comment about her house. He went with his jokes anyway, none of which struck home. He claimed that Labour wouldn't confirm support for the 2.5% GDP for defence. She said 2.5% was Labour's idea. So he suggested she refused to say Labour agreed with the "plan" because ,"Labour has no plan and the Conservatives have a plan. He then finished by alluding to the notion that Jeremy Corbyn runs Labour Party Defence/Foreign policy.

    He was way out of his depth.
    Invariably when someone says someone has skewered someone else, they haven't. It's just they've said something that has amused their base.

    Nothing from the above reads like a skewering to me, and Labour have refused the 2.5% - so don't have a plan - although it will be interesting to see how long that lasts.
  • CiceroCicero Posts: 3,077
    Andy_JS said:

    What's the biggest problem re. abortion jokes?

    The delivery.

    Fetch your coat. 😊
    Surely, it's the timing?
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 42,549

    NeilVW said:

    nico679 said:

    nico679 said:

    Can you imagine the furore from the Tories if he had spoken at the Labour conference. He really should recuse himself from the investigation.
    Apparently Daly is pushing for Watson to be Met Chief Constable if the Government can shoehorn Rowley out.
    Starmer won’t want to bring this up as he’s supposed to have full confidence in the police . But this has huge ramifications if Rayner is charged.
    One can now understand why he has put 12 detectives on the case.

    The fact that she skewered Dowden today will make it more of an imperative that Rayner is felled by Watson.
    In what way did she skewer Dowden?
    I've just watched it again. She shot his fox with her comment about her house. He went with his jokes anyway, none of which struck home. He claimed that Labour wouldn't confirm support for the 2.5% GDP for defence. She said 2.5% was Labour's idea. So he suggested she refused to say Labour agreed with the "plan" because ,"Labour has no plan and the Conservatives have a plan. He then finished by alluding to the notion that Jeremy Corbyn runs Labour Party Defence/Foreign policy.

    He was way out of his depth.
    The best bit was towards the beginning why she just mock-laughed at one of his ‘jokes’, by throwing her head side to side. Poor Olly!
    I didn't watch it, but I heard the exchange on the radio whilst driving, and my view was very different. Her delivery was poor, as she stumbled over words. Dowden was calm and professional, whilst Rayner got nasty.

    At a minimum, she really needs to improve her delivery. Then improve what she says.
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 42,549
    On the rail announcement:

    IMV (as stated previously), ownership structure does not matter that much: competence in whatever structure there is matters much more.

    But it's good to see two questions I've always asked being answered:

    "Labour would still allow privately financed "Open Access operators", such as Hull Trains and Lumo, to continue. Open Access operators currently run a relatively very small proportion of services.
    It is also not planning to nationalise rail freight companies or rolling stock companies."

    So no nationalisation of the trains or freight services, and Open Access still being allowed.

    This is a world away from that most renationalisation advocates wanted, and is actually not really a renationalisation.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68889345
  • TazTaz Posts: 14,362
    Waterfall said:

    This is economic madness.

    JUST IN: President Biden pushes 44.6% capital gains tax.

    The highest capital gains rate ever in the USA.

    https://x.com/RadarHits/status/1783173220255838274

    And 20% on unrealised gains too

    Although he has been saying it for a few years now.
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 28,368

    NeilVW said:

    nico679 said:

    nico679 said:

    Can you imagine the furore from the Tories if he had spoken at the Labour conference. He really should recuse himself from the investigation.
    Apparently Daly is pushing for Watson to be Met Chief Constable if the Government can shoehorn Rowley out.
    Starmer won’t want to bring this up as he’s supposed to have full confidence in the police . But this has huge ramifications if Rayner is charged.
    One can now understand why he has put 12 detectives on the case.

    The fact that she skewered Dowden today will make it more of an imperative that Rayner is felled by Watson.
    In what way did she skewer Dowden?
    I've just watched it again. She shot his fox with her comment about her house. He went with his jokes anyway, none of which struck home. He claimed that Labour wouldn't confirm support for the 2.5% GDP for defence. She said 2.5% was Labour's idea. So he suggested she refused to say Labour agreed with the "plan" because ,"Labour has no plan and the Conservatives have a plan. He then finished by alluding to the notion that Jeremy Corbyn runs Labour Party Defence/Foreign policy.

    He was way out of his depth.
    Invariably when someone says someone has skewered someone else, they haven't. It's just they've said something that has amused their base.

    Nothing from the above reads like a skewering to me, and Labour have refused the 2.5% - so don't have a plan - although it will be interesting to see how long that lasts.
    Have you watched?
  • TazTaz Posts: 14,362

    nico679 said:

    The rail nationalization story is a big deal . For a variety of reasons , Labour have been accused of not having a clear direction , some saying what do they stand for . This is a headline grabbing proposal , the public can relate to this and it polls very well .

    Whether it provides a better service only time will tell if Labour do win the GE .

    It will certainly not provide a better service.

    What it will do is make central government a constraint for funding through the DfT, which essentially means the Treasury.

    Such pressure as there is will be to restrict fare rises and increase wages/jobs for rail workers - this will increase trade union bargaining power hugely - and investment will suffer accordingly.

    Prepare for a deterioration or contraction of infrastructure, reduced service quality, poorer customer experience and older and more ramshackle rolling stock.
    It’s hard to imagine a poorer service than the one we already get from TPE.

    The BBC article refencers the TOC’s being moved into public ownership, But says nothing about the rolling stock.

    I suspect they will want to keep both Alstom Derby and Hitachi going so will commit to new rolling stock.
  • TazTaz Posts: 14,362

    NeilVW said:

    nico679 said:

    nico679 said:

    Can you imagine the furore from the Tories if he had spoken at the Labour conference. He really should recuse himself from the investigation.
    Apparently Daly is pushing for Watson to be Met Chief Constable if the Government can shoehorn Rowley out.
    Starmer won’t want to bring this up as he’s supposed to have full confidence in the police . But this has huge ramifications if Rayner is charged.
    One can now understand why he has put 12 detectives on the case.

    The fact that she skewered Dowden today will make it more of an imperative that Rayner is felled by Watson.
    In what way did she skewer Dowden?
    I've just watched it again. She shot his fox with her comment about her house. He went with his jokes anyway, none of which struck home. He claimed that Labour wouldn't confirm support for the 2.5% GDP for defence. She said 2.5% was Labour's idea. So he suggested she refused to say Labour agreed with the "plan" because ,"Labour has no plan and the Conservatives have a plan. He then finished by alluding to the notion that Jeremy Corbyn runs Labour Party Defence/Foreign policy.

    He was way out of his depth.
    Invariably when someone says someone has skewered someone else, they haven't. It's just they've said something that has amused their base.

    Nothing from the above reads like a skewering to me, and Labour have refused the 2.5% - so don't have a plan - although it will be interesting to see how long that lasts.
    Have you watched?
    I didn’t watch it. I find the whole charade tedious and uninformative. I watched an episode of New Tricks. We Don’t even get a clip on the evening news from PMQs these days. It would get in the way of lobbying groups and charities press releases.. But Casino does appear to be right in so far as regarding the comment about what is said amusing the party base. I’ve seen glowing commentary for both Dowden and Rayners performance, predictably, from their own supporters.
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,216
    Cass makes it to Congress:

    In a congressional hearing, Republican @DanCrenshawTX excoriates HHS Secretary Becerra for an agency document that backs the gender-affirming care treatment method for children, which Rep Crenshaw notes is not supported by systematic literature reviews.[VIDEO]

    https://x.com/benryanwriter/status/1783252667608739972
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 54,577
    Morning all. Bloody Everton, spoiling Klopp’s party….
  • kamskikamski Posts: 5,189
    viewcode said:

    MRP hasn't worked in the past for USA. Delia Bailey once said so. It works-ish in UK and Germany. I don't know why the difference.
    Maybe I've misunderstood MRP but is there much point of it in Germany (which has PR) or in US presidential elections where the states in play have state level polling?
  • eekeek Posts: 28,366
    edited April 25
    Taz said:

    nico679 said:

    The rail nationalization story is a big deal . For a variety of reasons , Labour have been accused of not having a clear direction , some saying what do they stand for . This is a headline grabbing proposal , the public can relate to this and it polls very well .

    Whether it provides a better service only time will tell if Labour do win the GE .

    It will certainly not provide a better service.

    What it will do is make central government a constraint for funding through the DfT, which essentially means the Treasury.

    Such pressure as there is will be to restrict fare rises and increase wages/jobs for rail workers - this will increase trade union bargaining power hugely - and investment will suffer accordingly.

    Prepare for a deterioration or contraction of infrastructure, reduced service quality, poorer customer experience and older and more ramshackle rolling stock.
    It’s hard to imagine a poorer service than the one we already get from TPE.

    The BBC article refencers the TOC’s being moved into public ownership, But says nothing about the rolling stock.

    I suspect they will want to keep both Alstom Derby and Hitachi going so will commit to new rolling stock.
    It’s easy to imagine a worse service than TPE - try and get a seat on any cross country service from anywhere south of Darlington.

    On Tuesday I caught a 5 carriage service to Manchester from here and was able to get a seat.

    The train before that was the Edinburgh to Plymouth service, 3 carriages of which 1 was first class and the carriages were standing room only already.

    And supposedly Arriva are way worse than cross country
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 54,577
    isam said:

    Didn’t Corbyn do something like this, read his prompt as of it were part of his speech, at Labour’s conference one year?

    NOW - Biden: "Four more years. Pause."

    https://x.com/disclosetv/status/1783184198477508785?s=46&t=CW4pL-mMpTqsJXCdjW0Z6Q

    What on Earth were the Democrats thinking, to run Biden again this year aged 81? The guy should be enjoying what remains of his life with his wife and family, not spending the next six months in a different city every day, while simultaneously doing one of the most stressful jobs in the world. It’s one thing to give him a pile of drugs for a set-piece speech, but they can’t do that several times a day for months on end.

    There are plenty of others that they could run, they have a couple of dozen Governors and four dozen Senators to choose from, but they’ve left it too late now. Will we see something happen at the Convention in August, or will Biden’s re-nomination be waved through?
  • eekeek Posts: 28,366

    On the rail announcement:

    IMV (as stated previously), ownership structure does not matter that much: competence in whatever structure there is matters much more.

    But it's good to see two questions I've always asked being answered:

    "Labour would still allow privately financed "Open Access operators", such as Hull Trains and Lumo, to continue. Open Access operators currently run a relatively very small proportion of services.
    It is also not planning to nationalise rail freight companies or rolling stock companies."

    So no nationalisation of the trains or freight services, and Open Access still being allowed.

    This is a world away from that most renationalisation advocates wanted, and is actually not really a renationalisation.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68889345

    Without access to other services I suspect open access will wither away because the skills to run it won’t exist.

    As for the trains themselves the cost of taking them over is completely prohibitive. What I would be focused on is how to cheaply get the improved and new / longer trains many lines need as demand exceeds capacity (see my post above about a full train on a wet Tuesday in April)
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 42,549
    Taz said:

    nico679 said:

    The rail nationalization story is a big deal . For a variety of reasons , Labour have been accused of not having a clear direction , some saying what do they stand for . This is a headline grabbing proposal , the public can relate to this and it polls very well .

    Whether it provides a better service only time will tell if Labour do win the GE .

    It will certainly not provide a better service.

    What it will do is make central government a constraint for funding through the DfT, which essentially means the Treasury.

    Such pressure as there is will be to restrict fare rises and increase wages/jobs for rail workers - this will increase trade union bargaining power hugely - and investment will suffer accordingly.

    Prepare for a deterioration or contraction of infrastructure, reduced service quality, poorer customer experience and older and more ramshackle rolling stock.
    It’s hard to imagine a poorer service than the one we already get from TPE.

    The BBC article refencers the TOC’s being moved into public ownership, But says nothing about the rolling stock.

    (Snip)
    The article does say that:
    "It is also not planning to nationalise rail freight companies or rolling stock companies."

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68889345

    So ROSCOs continue. This really isn't a renationalisation, nor is it a simplification of the structure.
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 42,549
    eek said:

    On the rail announcement:

    IMV (as stated previously), ownership structure does not matter that much: competence in whatever structure there is matters much more.

    But it's good to see two questions I've always asked being answered:

    "Labour would still allow privately financed "Open Access operators", such as Hull Trains and Lumo, to continue. Open Access operators currently run a relatively very small proportion of services.
    It is also not planning to nationalise rail freight companies or rolling stock companies."

    So no nationalisation of the trains or freight services, and Open Access still being allowed.

    This is a world away from that most renationalisation advocates wanted, and is actually not really a renationalisation.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68889345

    Without access to other services I suspect open access will wither away because the skills to run it won’t exist.

    As for the trains themselves the cost of taking them over is completely prohibitive. What I would be focused on is how to cheaply get the improved and new / longer trains many lines need as demand exceeds capacity (see my post above about a full train on a wet Tuesday in April)
    The problem is the people deciding on the rolling stock won't be the operators, as it is not them at the moment.

    It'll be the DfT; and they'll make a howling mess of it, as they did with the execrable Azumas.
  • Sean_FSean_F Posts: 37,344
    “Drink, dice, or a buggerer of boys?”
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,354

    On the rail announcement:

    IMV (as stated previously), ownership structure does not matter that much: competence in whatever structure there is matters much more.

    But it's good to see two questions I've always asked being answered:

    "Labour would still allow privately financed "Open Access operators", such as Hull Trains and Lumo, to continue. Open Access operators currently run a relatively very small proportion of services.
    It is also not planning to nationalise rail freight companies or rolling stock companies."

    So no nationalisation of the trains or freight services, and Open Access still being allowed.

    This is a world away from that most renationalisation advocates wanted, and is actually not really a renationalisation.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68889345

    That is actually what Christian Wolmar was proposing in the aftermath of Hatfield, so is hardly new.

    Given every time I checked something in his book he'd made mistakes I can't help wonder therefore if this is a bad idea.

    I think structure does matter, to an extent - many of our organisations are just too large and complex to be run efficiently. One of the big problems with rail is that separate countries manage pretty much every aspect so it's hopelessly disorganised and very expensive.

    But - getting rid of franchises which are one aspect of the problem would be a start.
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,216
    "I left you!"

    "No! I dumped you first"

    "Didn't"

    "Did!"

    First Minister Humza Yousaf will stage a rushed meeting of his Cabinet at 8.30am this morning amid pressure on him to ditch the Greens from Government.

    A source declined to comment on the subject matter and refused to say if the SNP/Green deal is on the agenda.

    The Greens are to hold an internal party vote on an agreement with the SNP that was signed in 2021.

    But a growing number of SNP MSPs and MPs want Yousaf to axe the deal before the Greens walk away.


    https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/humza-yousaf-stage-rushed-cabinet-32665598
  • bondegezoubondegezou Posts: 11,044
    Sandpit said:

    isam said:

    Didn’t Corbyn do something like this, read his prompt as of it were part of his speech, at Labour’s conference one year?

    NOW - Biden: "Four more years. Pause."

    https://x.com/disclosetv/status/1783184198477508785?s=46&t=CW4pL-mMpTqsJXCdjW0Z6Q

    What on Earth were the Democrats thinking, to run Biden again this year aged 81? The guy should be enjoying what remains of his life with his wife and family, not spending the next six months in a different city every day, while simultaneously doing one of the most stressful jobs in the world. It’s one thing to give him a pile of drugs for a set-piece speech, but they can’t do that several times a day for months on end.

    There are plenty of others that they could run, they have a couple of dozen Governors and four dozen Senators to choose from, but they’ve left it too late now. Will we see something happen at the Convention in August, or will Biden’s re-nomination be waved through?
    What’s your evidence that Biden is being given “a pile of drugs for a set-piece speech”?
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,354
    eek said:

    On the rail announcement:

    IMV (as stated previously), ownership structure does not matter that much: competence in whatever structure there is matters much more.

    But it's good to see two questions I've always asked being answered:

    "Labour would still allow privately financed "Open Access operators", such as Hull Trains and Lumo, to continue. Open Access operators currently run a relatively very small proportion of services.
    It is also not planning to nationalise rail freight companies or rolling stock companies."

    So no nationalisation of the trains or freight services, and Open Access still being allowed.

    This is a world away from that most renationalisation advocates wanted, and is actually not really a renationalisation.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68889345

    Without access to other services I suspect open access will wither away because the skills to run it won’t exist.

    As for the trains themselves the cost of taking them over is completely prohibitive. What I would be focused on is how to cheaply get the improved and new / longer trains many lines need as demand exceeds capacity (see my post above about a full train on a wet Tuesday in April)
    Any reorganisation of the railways will need to deal with the disaster of the ROSCOs. Does this do so?
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,354

    "I left you!"

    "No! I dumped you first"

    "Didn't"

    "Did!"

    First Minister Humza Yousaf will stage a rushed meeting of his Cabinet at 8.30am this morning amid pressure on him to ditch the Greens from Government.

    A source declined to comment on the subject matter and refused to say if the SNP/Green deal is on the agenda.

    The Greens are to hold an internal party vote on an agreement with the SNP that was signed in 2021.

    But a growing number of SNP MSPs and MPs want Yousaf to axe the deal before the Greens walk away.


    https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/humza-yousaf-stage-rushed-cabinet-32665598

    Hmmm.

    I hope they've thought this through. The last thing the SNP needs right now is a Scottish election.
  • StillWatersStillWaters Posts: 8,239
    Did Rayner really refer to Sunak as a “pint sized loser” in PMQ yesterday?

    That’s just crass.

    We might find it funny on here but it’s not phrasing that’s appropriate in parliament / serious debate
  • bondegezoubondegezou Posts: 11,044
    Sean_F said:

    “Drink, dice, or a buggerer of boys?”
    Doesn’t seem to be any of those, but exactly what is the issue isn’t very clear. https://www.irishnews.com/news/northern-ireland/mla-patrick-brown-was-due-before-assembly-standards-committee-prior-to-surprise-resignation-743IZLGTBBDGHLBCTCHD5CECKA/ has slightly more.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,354

    Did Rayner really refer to Sunak as a “pint sized loser” in PMQ yesterday?

    That’s just crass.

    We might find it funny on here but it’s not phrasing that’s appropriate in parliament / serious debate

    Could have been worse. At least it wasn't 'pint sized Tory scum.'
  • StillWatersStillWaters Posts: 8,239

    Andy_JS said:

    Is Bunco still around? From June 2016.

    "Bunco makes the case for Liz Truss as next CON leader and PM"

    https://web.archive.org/web/20160625200236/http://www2.politicalbetting.com/

    I remember him. Was an irritating, self-important poster who signed off every post with “Bunco, your man on the spot”.

    He was a Tory shill as I recall.
    He was a Tory agent not a shill. Was upfront about the fact he was getting paid by them!

  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,354
    Meanwhile, in education, the DfE have announced that single word OFSTED reports will continue.

    This has nothing to do with their legislation on academies, which oblige a minister to order any school judged 'Inadequate' overall due to a rating on safeguarding to be force academised. No siree.
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 42,549
    ydoethur said:

    eek said:

    On the rail announcement:

    IMV (as stated previously), ownership structure does not matter that much: competence in whatever structure there is matters much more.

    But it's good to see two questions I've always asked being answered:

    "Labour would still allow privately financed "Open Access operators", such as Hull Trains and Lumo, to continue. Open Access operators currently run a relatively very small proportion of services.
    It is also not planning to nationalise rail freight companies or rolling stock companies."

    So no nationalisation of the trains or freight services, and Open Access still being allowed.

    This is a world away from that most renationalisation advocates wanted, and is actually not really a renationalisation.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68889345

    Without access to other services I suspect open access will wither away because the skills to run it won’t exist.

    As for the trains themselves the cost of taking them over is completely prohibitive. What I would be focused on is how to cheaply get the improved and new / longer trains many lines need as demand exceeds capacity (see my post above about a full train on a wet Tuesday in April)
    Any reorganisation of the railways will need to deal with the disaster of the ROSCOs. Does this do so?
    Why are the ROSCOs a 'disaster' ?
  • StillWatersStillWaters Posts: 8,239
    ydoethur said:

    Did Rayner really refer to Sunak as a “pint sized loser” in PMQ yesterday?

    That’s just crass.

    We might find it funny on here but it’s not phrasing that’s appropriate in parliament / serious debate

    Could have been worse. At least it wasn't 'pint sized Tory scum.'
    Nah this isn’t a time for funnies.

    She’s just a deeply unpleasant women.

    A personal insult like that is unacceptable - the speaker should have intervened
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 60,407
    Taz said:

    nico679 said:

    The rail nationalization story is a big deal . For a variety of reasons , Labour have been accused of not having a clear direction , some saying what do they stand for . This is a headline grabbing proposal , the public can relate to this and it polls very well .

    Whether it provides a better service only time will tell if Labour do win the GE .

    It will certainly not provide a better service.

    What it will do is make central government a constraint for funding through the DfT, which essentially means the Treasury.

    Such pressure as there is will be to restrict fare rises and increase wages/jobs for rail workers - this will increase trade union bargaining power hugely - and investment will suffer accordingly.

    Prepare for a deterioration or contraction of infrastructure, reduced service quality, poorer customer experience and older and more ramshackle rolling stock.
    It’s hard to imagine a poorer service than the one we already get from TPE.

    The BBC article refencers the TOC’s being moved into public ownership, But says nothing about the rolling stock.

    I suspect they will want to keep both Alstom Derby and Hitachi going so will commit to new rolling stock.
    Yes, such arguments are often responded to with "it couldn't be worse that what we have now" or "it couldn't be much worse than so and so" but that's just a failure of imagination and not an answer.

    Oh yes it could. And it would be.
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 60,407
    eek said:

    Taz said:

    nico679 said:

    The rail nationalization story is a big deal . For a variety of reasons , Labour have been accused of not having a clear direction , some saying what do they stand for . This is a headline grabbing proposal , the public can relate to this and it polls very well .

    Whether it provides a better service only time will tell if Labour do win the GE .

    It will certainly not provide a better service.

    What it will do is make central government a constraint for funding through the DfT, which essentially means the Treasury.

    Such pressure as there is will be to restrict fare rises and increase wages/jobs for rail workers - this will increase trade union bargaining power hugely - and investment will suffer accordingly.

    Prepare for a deterioration or contraction of infrastructure, reduced service quality, poorer customer experience and older and more ramshackle rolling stock.
    It’s hard to imagine a poorer service than the one we already get from TPE.

    The BBC article refencers the TOC’s being moved into public ownership, But says nothing about the rolling stock.

    I suspect they will want to keep both Alstom Derby and Hitachi going so will commit to new rolling stock.
    It’s easy to imagine a worse service than TPE - try and get a seat on any cross country service from anywhere south of Darlington.

    On Tuesday I caught a 5 carriage service to Manchester from here and was able to get a seat.

    The train before that was the Edinburgh to Plymouth service, 3 carriages of which 1 was first class and the carriages were standing room only already.

    And supposedly Arriva are way worse than cross country
    So, what you're describing here is a problem of success - high passenger demand. Which requires more train paths, rolling stock, and infrastructure investment. Exactly the things nationalisation is poorly placed to offer.

    Instead, it will deal with it by suppressing demand with a steadily corroding service as the money becomes more limited as is directed elsewhere.
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,216

    Taz said:

    nico679 said:

    The rail nationalization story is a big deal . For a variety of reasons , Labour have been accused of not having a clear direction , some saying what do they stand for . This is a headline grabbing proposal , the public can relate to this and it polls very well .

    Whether it provides a better service only time will tell if Labour do win the GE .

    It will certainly not provide a better service.

    What it will do is make central government a constraint for funding through the DfT, which essentially means the Treasury.

    Such pressure as there is will be to restrict fare rises and increase wages/jobs for rail workers - this will increase trade union bargaining power hugely - and investment will suffer accordingly.

    Prepare for a deterioration or contraction of infrastructure, reduced service quality, poorer customer experience and older and more ramshackle rolling stock.
    It’s hard to imagine a poorer service than the one we already get from TPE.

    The BBC article refencers the TOC’s being moved into public ownership, But says nothing about the rolling stock.

    I suspect they will want to keep both Alstom Derby and Hitachi going so will commit to new rolling stock.
    Yes, such arguments are often responded to with "it couldn't be worse that what we have now" or "it couldn't be much worse than so and so" but that's just a failure of imagination and not an answer.

    Oh yes it could. And it would be.
    Several years back there was a YouGov which showed a significant age skew in attitude towards nationalisation. In brief, those who'd never experienced it jolly keen, those who had, much less so.
  • squareroot2squareroot2 Posts: 6,723
    edited April 25

    ydoethur said:

    Did Rayner really refer to Sunak as a “pint sized loser” in PMQ yesterday?

    That’s just crass.

    We might find it funny on here but it’s not phrasing that’s appropriate in parliament / serious debate

    Could have been worse. At least it wasn't 'pint sized Tory scum.'
    Nah this isn’t a time for funnies.

    She’s just a deeply unpleasant women.

    A personal insult like that is unacceptable - the speaker should have intervened
    You can take the girl out of the estate but you can't take the estate out of the girl.
    Deeply unpleasant is far too generous.
    The Speaker is a busted flush. His reputation is shot.
  • eekeek Posts: 28,366

    Taz said:

    nico679 said:

    The rail nationalization story is a big deal . For a variety of reasons , Labour have been accused of not having a clear direction , some saying what do they stand for . This is a headline grabbing proposal , the public can relate to this and it polls very well .

    Whether it provides a better service only time will tell if Labour do win the GE .

    It will certainly not provide a better service.

    What it will do is make central government a constraint for funding through the DfT, which essentially means the Treasury.

    Such pressure as there is will be to restrict fare rises and increase wages/jobs for rail workers - this will increase trade union bargaining power hugely - and investment will suffer accordingly.

    Prepare for a deterioration or contraction of infrastructure, reduced service quality, poorer customer experience and older and more ramshackle rolling stock.
    It’s hard to imagine a poorer service than the one we already get from TPE.

    The BBC article refencers the TOC’s being moved into public ownership, But says nothing about the rolling stock.

    I suspect they will want to keep both Alstom Derby and Hitachi going so will commit to new rolling stock.
    Yes, such arguments are often responded to with "it couldn't be worse that what we have now" or "it couldn't be much worse than so and so" but that's just a failure of imagination and not an answer.

    Oh yes it could. And it would be.
    Several years back there was a YouGov which showed a significant age skew in attitude towards nationalisation. In brief, those who'd never experienced it jolly keen, those who had, much less so.
    The issue is that railways are long term projects and need long term planning which is something neither central Government or term limited franchises seem interested in.

    How you shift to a longer term focus is the billion dollar station.

  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 54,577
    edited April 25

    Taz said:

    nico679 said:

    The rail nationalization story is a big deal . For a variety of reasons , Labour have been accused of not having a clear direction , some saying what do they stand for . This is a headline grabbing proposal , the public can relate to this and it polls very well .

    Whether it provides a better service only time will tell if Labour do win the GE .

    It will certainly not provide a better service.

    What it will do is make central government a constraint for funding through the DfT, which essentially means the Treasury.

    Such pressure as there is will be to restrict fare rises and increase wages/jobs for rail workers - this will increase trade union bargaining power hugely - and investment will suffer accordingly.

    Prepare for a deterioration or contraction of infrastructure, reduced service quality, poorer customer experience and older and more ramshackle rolling stock.
    It’s hard to imagine a poorer service than the one we already get from TPE.

    The BBC article refencers the TOC’s being moved into public ownership, But says nothing about the rolling stock.

    I suspect they will want to keep both Alstom Derby and Hitachi going so will commit to new rolling stock.
    Yes, such arguments are often responded to with "it couldn't be worse that what we have now" or "it couldn't be much worse than so and so" but that's just a failure of imagination and not an answer.

    Oh yes it could. And it would be.
    Several years back there was a YouGov which showed a significant age skew in attitude towards nationalisation. In brief, those who'd never experienced it jolly keen, those who had, much less so.
    Anyone who remembers what BR was like in the ‘80s and ‘90s, really doesn’t want to go back down that road. The current structure is far from perfect, but nationalisation really isn’t the answer.

    Oh, and finish HS2 properly, for God’s sake.
This discussion has been closed.