Honestly Mayday in France is mad. It’s like the whole country goes into mourning. Who died?
This is the main square of lovely Quimper. Normally bustling and full of joie de vivre
Who gains from this enforced desolation? The workers? I don’t think so. They already have plentiful rights to holidays and weekends etc. So this is just a self defeating day of ennui
May Day is the day of international communism. Quarters-bound misery is compulsory, comrade
It actually feels like a secular version of Easter Sunday. A day of grey meditation on mortality, and exploitation, which requires the penance of boredom
Fucking May Day. So every business in France shuts and no one has any where to go on the one day everyone is on holiday. How fucking stupid is that. The French are twats
You think it unusual that people in businesses don't work on a public holiday? What (and who) do you think public holidays are for?
Somehow in Britain we manage to have a public holiday without shuttering every business in the country so the holiday becomes a miserable hunt for the one place which is still open, which is then horribly overcrowded, stressing out the staff and the customers. Idiots
If I could come back as Napoleon (spoiler: I have) I’d fix this first, and pronto
Errr no:
Napolean came back as you.
Poor bastard.
We can dispute the semantics but I am glad you accept the principle. I am literally the reincarnation of Napoleon
Now, I don’t wan to get all ME ME ME about this, so I’m not going to bang on. About me being the reincarnation of Napoleon
So Nappy, me old mucker
Remember that note you hid in Bill Poppleton’s snuff box? What did you mean by that?
Hah. In Adam Zamoyski’s Napoleon he talks about Napoleon’s attitude to religion (about which bonaparte cared a lot: he was a deist)
Napoleon deeply criticised the French Revolution because it took away the “sense of the numinous”. Those are the words Zamoyski uses
This actually reinforces something I’ve been thinking for a while. I know this will provoke more skeptical and materialist PB-ers, but for a long time I’ve thought I am actually a reincarnation of Napoleon Bonaparte. And I am increasingly sure it is true, given the plentiful evidence, which I surely don’t need to adduce here
I had a gruelling evening yesterday. I'd decided to do a big walk. I stopped after 36km in quite a big town to try to find a room about 10km on
I found one 12km away and booked, but got no confirmation. I'd run out of supplies (beer) and went to three supermarkets. They were all closed and not opening until 5pm, I got to the third one at 4:30
I had to press on without beer, not knowing if I had a room booked. I'd walked about 2km more when I got a message from the host asking me to be there before 8pm
I replied no problem, thinking I'd be there by 7. Five minutes later I was officially diverted. They were doing major works on the canal I'd been walking by. I followed the diversion, and it seemed to be an extra km or two on the route. No problem
Then I lost the route.. the signs are set up for people going the right way, not oddballs like me walking to France. But Google maps told me that I was still on a path, heading for a road that would join me back to the official route
Then the path ended. It carried on on Google, but I'd reached the middle of a side of a vast field with some young crops growing in it. I couldn't follow the Google path, straight through the field, but I had to carry on, I had to be there by 8
I ended up having to walk around four fields, and walk through the brambles and climb over the irrigation channels between them. I eventually got back to the road, still with 10km to go, and two and a half hours until eight
I knew I could do it, but I was damned thirsty and still had a hill to climb. I got over the 100m hill and thought I was basically done; 5km to go and an hour and a half to get there
Then the heavens opened, quite violently, and the wind got strong. I had my little umbrella up but couldn't stop the rain from hammering ìnto the back of my legs
Nor could I do anything about the dirty, huge splash from the rain covering my jeans from the knee down in filth
I arrived at the hostel with half an hour to spare. The host was shocked to see me; he was sure I'd have given up. But my room was available, he gave me perfect dinner (chicken soup, then lentil and chorizo stew), and did my washing, all for 40€
End of an era. No-one I knew bought it and yet somehow it was always around.
I haven’t seen a copy for years. My grandparents had it but they passed away 20 years ago or more.
Happy memories. We used to get it from a neighbour when I were a bairn and I came across lots of stories and history I would never otherwise do. Often read the full books in later years.
Is their a website somewhere with a list of when we can expect the results? I'm assuming the London Mayor one will be massively delayed as it always is and won't announce until Saturday.
Andrew Teale's previews mention the day results are expected for each area and election, though not in a convenient list as far as I'm aware
Hah. In Adam Zamoyski’s Napoleon he talks about Napoleon’s attitude to religion (about which bonaparte cared a lot: he was a deist)
Napoleon deeply criticised the French Revolution because it took away the “sense of the numinous”. Those are the words Zamoyski uses
This actually reinforces something I’ve been thinking for a while. I know this will provoke more skeptical and materialist PB-ers, but for a long time I’ve thought I am actually a reincarnation of Napoleon Bonaparte. And I am increasingly sure it is true, given the plentiful evidence, which I surely don’t need to adduce here
Honestly Mayday in France is mad. It’s like the whole country goes into mourning. Who died?
This is the main square of lovely Quimper. Normally bustling and full of joie de vivre
Who gains from this enforced desolation? The workers? I don’t think so. They already have plentiful rights to holidays and weekends etc. So this is just a self defeating day of ennui
May Day is the day of international communism. Quarters-bound misery is compulsory, comrade
It actually feels like a secular version of Easter Sunday. A day of grey meditation on mortality, and exploitation, which requires the penance of boredom
Which is all kinds of ironic
It is a lonely old man too moribund to even pour himself a glass of cheap local red, barely even able to mutter 'j'ai triste' as he soils himself. It is the total absence of joy. The Netherjoy
Hah. In Adam Zamoyski’s Napoleon he talks about Napoleon’s attitude to religion (about which bonaparte cared a lot: he was a deist)
Napoleon deeply criticised the French Revolution because it took away the “sense of the numinous”. Those are the words Zamoyski uses
This actually reinforces something I’ve been thinking for a while. I know this will provoke more skeptical and materialist PB-ers, but for a long time I’ve thought I am actually a reincarnation of Napoleon Bonaparte. And I am increasingly sure it is true, given the plentiful evidence, which I surely don’t need to adduce here
I've pretty much lost track of Starmer's tedious tactical triangulations, but have we done this one?
"Labour set to unveil weakened package of workers’ rights. Shadow ministers have been discussing how to tone down some of pledges in ‘New Deal’ to ease employer misgivings", Financial Times, May 1 2024?, see https://archive.is/DdxXz
Honestly Mayday in France is mad. It’s like the whole country goes into mourning. Who died?
This is the main square of lovely Quimper. Normally bustling and full of joie de vivre
Who gains from this enforced desolation? The workers? I don’t think so. They already have plentiful rights to holidays and weekends etc. So this is just a self defeating day of ennui
May Day is the day of international communism. Quarters-bound misery is compulsory, comrade
It actually feels like a secular version of Easter Sunday. A day of grey meditation on mortality, and exploitation, which requires the penance of boredom
Which is all kinds of ironic
It is a lonely old man too moribund to even pour himself a glass of cheap local red, barely even able to mutter 'j'ai triste' as he soils himself. It is the total absence of joy. The Netherjoy
Harsh. Leon would always be able to pour himself a glass of cheap local red.
Hah. In Adam Zamoyski’s Napoleon he talks about Napoleon’s attitude to religion (about which bonaparte cared a lot: he was a deist)
Napoleon deeply criticised the French Revolution because it took away the “sense of the numinous”. Those are the words Zamoyski uses
This actually reinforces something I’ve been thinking for a while. I know this will provoke more skeptical and materialist PB-ers, but for a long time I’ve thought I am actually a reincarnation of Napoleon Bonaparte. And I am increasingly sure it is true, given the plentiful evidence, which I surely don’t need to adduce here
Well you are a short arse
Small dick syndrome, reborn.
Sacre bleu!
It's artefact. Illiterate Independent.
OTOH the Independent can obviously read the OED. Which has both morphs. Equally acceptable, although artefact comes higher in the ABC so gets done first ...
Hah. In Adam Zamoyski’s Napoleon he talks about Napoleon’s attitude to religion (about which bonaparte cared a lot: he was a deist)
Napoleon deeply criticised the French Revolution because it took away the “sense of the numinous”. Those are the words Zamoyski uses
This actually reinforces something I’ve been thinking for a while. I know this will provoke more skeptical and materialist PB-ers, but for a long time I’ve thought I am actually a reincarnation of Napoleon Bonaparte. And I am increasingly sure it is true, given the plentiful evidence, which I surely don’t need to adduce here
Well you are a short arse
Small dick syndrome, reborn.
Sacre bleu!
It's artefact. Illiterate Independent.
Artifact appears to be non English usage, possibly US. I suspect you'd find that even more deplorable.
Is their a website somewhere with a list of when we can expect the results? I'm assuming the London Mayor one will be massively delayed as it always is and won't announce until Saturday.
Honestly Mayday in France is mad. It’s like the whole country goes into mourning. Who died?
This is the main square of lovely Quimper. Normally bustling and full of joie de vivre
Who gains from this enforced desolation? The workers? I don’t think so. They already have plentiful rights to holidays and weekends etc. So this is just a self defeating day of ennui
May Day is the day of international communism. Quarters-bound misery is compulsory, comrade
It actually feels like a secular version of Easter Sunday. A day of grey meditation on mortality, and exploitation, which requires the penance of boredom
Which is all kinds of ironic
You'd have thought they would have opened everything up in honour of Napoleon's visit.
Hah. In Adam Zamoyski’s Napoleon he talks about Napoleon’s attitude to religion (about which bonaparte cared a lot: he was a deist)
Napoleon deeply criticised the French Revolution because it took away the “sense of the numinous”. Those are the words Zamoyski uses
This actually reinforces something I’ve been thinking for a while. I know this will provoke more skeptical and materialist PB-ers, but for a long time I’ve thought I am actually a reincarnation of Napoleon Bonaparte. And I am increasingly sure it is true, given the plentiful evidence, which I surely don’t need to adduce here
Well you are a short arse
Small dick syndrome, reborn.
Sacre bleu!
It's artefact. Illiterate Independent.
Artifact appears to be non English usage, possibly US. I suspect you'd find that even more deplorable.
Not even that. Not a hint of it in OED. I did wonder.
Hah. In Adam Zamoyski’s Napoleon he talks about Napoleon’s attitude to religion (about which bonaparte cared a lot: he was a deist)
Napoleon deeply criticised the French Revolution because it took away the “sense of the numinous”. Those are the words Zamoyski uses
This actually reinforces something I’ve been thinking for a while. I know this will provoke more skeptical and materialist PB-ers, but for a long time I’ve thought I am actually a reincarnation of Napoleon Bonaparte. And I am increasingly sure it is true, given the plentiful evidence, which I surely don’t need to adduce here
Well you are a short arse
Small dick syndrome, reborn.
Sacre bleu!
It's artefact. Illiterate Independent.
Artifact appears to be non English usage, possibly US. I suspect you'd find that even more deplorable.
Hah. In Adam Zamoyski’s Napoleon he talks about Napoleon’s attitude to religion (about which bonaparte cared a lot: he was a deist)
Napoleon deeply criticised the French Revolution because it took away the “sense of the numinous”. Those are the words Zamoyski uses
This actually reinforces something I’ve been thinking for a while. I know this will provoke more skeptical and materialist PB-ers, but for a long time I’ve thought I am actually a reincarnation of Napoleon Bonaparte. And I am increasingly sure it is true, given the plentiful evidence, which I surely don’t need to adduce here
Well you are a short arse
Small dick syndrome, reborn.
Sacre bleu!
It's artefact. Illiterate Independent.
Worse than that, “Artifact” is the American spelling. Yet more cultural imperialism.
I've pretty much lost track of Starmer's tedious tactical triangulations, but have we done this one?
"Labour set to unveil weakened package of workers’ rights. Shadow ministers have been discussing how to tone down some of pledges in ‘New Deal’ to ease employer misgivings", Financial Times, May 1 2024?, see https://archive.is/DdxXz
Or do we just throw it on the pile with the rest?
We're teaming with Employers up and down the country to give you an extensively limited package of vague and disappointing rights. Because they told us to. It's electoral gold
Hah. In Adam Zamoyski’s Napoleon he talks about Napoleon’s attitude to religion (about which bonaparte cared a lot: he was a deist)
Napoleon deeply criticised the French Revolution because it took away the “sense of the numinous”. Those are the words Zamoyski uses
This actually reinforces something I’ve been thinking for a while. I know this will provoke more skeptical and materialist PB-ers, but for a long time I’ve thought I am actually a reincarnation of Napoleon Bonaparte. And I am increasingly sure it is true, given the plentiful evidence, which I surely don’t need to adduce here
Well you are a short arse
Small dick syndrome, reborn.
Sacre bleu!
It's artefact. Illiterate Independent.
Worse than that, “Artifact” is the American spelling. Yet more cultural imperialism.
Enough to give anyone of a sensitive disposition a billious attack.
Hah. In Adam Zamoyski’s Napoleon he talks about Napoleon’s attitude to religion (about which bonaparte cared a lot: he was a deist)
Napoleon deeply criticised the French Revolution because it took away the “sense of the numinous”. Those are the words Zamoyski uses
This actually reinforces something I’ve been thinking for a while. I know this will provoke more skeptical and materialist PB-ers, but for a long time I’ve thought I am actually a reincarnation of Napoleon Bonaparte. And I am increasingly sure it is true, given the plentiful evidence, which I surely don’t need to adduce here
Well you are a short arse
Small dick syndrome, reborn.
Sacre bleu!
It's artefact. Illiterate Independent.
Worse than that, “Artifact” is the American spelling. Yet more cultural imperialism.
You'd better tell Gilbert Murray and Arnold Toynbee. They will be black affronted.
I've pretty much lost track of Starmer's tedious tactical triangulations, but have we done this one?
"Labour set to unveil weakened package of workers’ rights. Shadow ministers have been discussing how to tone down some of pledges in ‘New Deal’ to ease employer misgivings", Financial Times, May 1 2024?, see https://archive.is/DdxXz
Or do we just throw it on the pile with the rest?
We're teaming with Employers up and down the country to give you an extensively limited package of vague and disappointing rights. Because they told us to. It's electoral gold
Starmer is going to be absolutely shit, isn’t he? He will have an enormous majority and he will do zero with it, apart from vaguely left wing things that are pointless and cheap (because there’s no money left). He will then try and appease his base with Woke crap
I suspect he will manage to throw away that vast majority within one term
Sky News @SkyNews 'I don't believe in Rwanda scheme.'
Speaking exclusively to Sky's @BethRigby , Sir @Keir_Starmer expressed a desire to implement Labour's own plan to tackle small boat crossings by targeting the criminal networks that enable them.
Thing is, they are already targeting the criminal gangs. There was a fascinating interview on R4 this morning with a chap explaining all they do. It’s actually quite impressive and wide ranging where they work with all the European countries to stop the purchase of the boats and engines and it’s a huge operation - weirdly the Bulgarian police were singled out for how many of the boats they were stopping being provided to the gangs.
He talked about the huge work in trying to get to the people in the gangs and explained that the way they are set up is that layers are protected and isolated so intelligence is very hard to get. The top people are so well removed and protected by other groups that they are untouchable and when a low link in the chain gets caught it’s easily replaced.
So saying “we are going to target the criminal networks” is like him saying that he is going to solve global warming by investing in renewable energy in the UK - it’s already being done by multiple police agencies, governments and intelligence networks and to do much more is not at all easy as there are constraints and just sticking up more wind turbines/targeting crime networks doesn’t solve the problem as it’s multilayered.
I've pretty much lost track of Starmer's tedious tactical triangulations, but have we done this one?
"Labour set to unveil weakened package of workers’ rights. Shadow ministers have been discussing how to tone down some of pledges in ‘New Deal’ to ease employer misgivings", Financial Times, May 1 2024?, see https://archive.is/DdxXz
Or do we just throw it on the pile with the rest?
We're teaming with Employers up and down the country to give you an extensively limited package of vague and disappointing rights. Because they told us to. It's electoral gold
Starmer is going to be absolutely shit, isn’t he? He will have an enormous majority and he will do zero with it, apart from vaguely left wing things that are pointless and cheap (because there’s no money left). He will then try and appease his base with Woke crap
I suspect he will manage to throw away that vast majority within one term
He'll make himself and his senior team a great deal of money selling off what's left of the family silver.
I've pretty much lost track of Starmer's tedious tactical triangulations, but have we done this one?
"Labour set to unveil weakened package of workers’ rights. Shadow ministers have been discussing how to tone down some of pledges in ‘New Deal’ to ease employer misgivings", Financial Times, May 1 2024?, see https://archive.is/DdxXz
Or do we just throw it on the pile with the rest?
We're teaming with Employers up and down the country to give you an extensively limited package of vague and disappointing rights. Because they told us to. It's electoral gold
Starmer is going to be absolutely shit, isn’t he? He will have an enormous majority and he will do zero with it, apart from vaguely left wing things that are pointless and cheap (because there’s no money left). He will then try and appease his base with Woke crap
I suspect he will manage to throw away that vast majority within one term
If he keeps this up he won't even have the enormous majority. Many of those currently saying 'Labour' won't bother if he's offering jack. Next up - Rachel Reeves strangles a kitten to show you we are WELL UP FOR IT.
I've pretty much lost track of Starmer's tedious tactical triangulations, but have we done this one?
"Labour set to unveil weakened package of workers’ rights. Shadow ministers have been discussing how to tone down some of pledges in ‘New Deal’ to ease employer misgivings", Financial Times, May 1 2024?, see https://archive.is/DdxXz
Or do we just throw it on the pile with the rest?
We're teaming with Employers up and down the country to give you an extensively limited package of vague and disappointing rights. Because they told us to. It's electoral gold
Starmer is going to be absolutely shit, isn’t he? He will have an enormous majority and he will do zero with it, apart from vaguely left wing things that are pointless and cheap (because there’s no money left). He will then try and appease his base with Woke crap
I suspect he will manage to throw away that vast majority within one term
Possible. Given his propensity for u-turning he may surprise many with some major actions.
He would be wise to try, since as the fall since 2019 will likely show, a big majority does not guarantee a second term.
Sky News @SkyNews 'I don't believe in Rwanda scheme.'
Speaking exclusively to Sky's @BethRigby , Sir @Keir_Starmer expressed a desire to implement Labour's own plan to tackle small boat crossings by targeting the criminal networks that enable them.
Thing is, they are already targeting the criminal gangs. There was a fascinating interview on R4 this morning with a chap explaining all they do. It’s actually quite impressive and wide ranging where they work with all the European countries to stop the purchase of the boats and engines and it’s a huge operation - weirdly the Bulgarian police were singled out for how many of the boats they were stopping being provided to the gangs.
He talked about the huge work in trying to get to the people in the gangs and explained that the way they are set up is that layers are protected and isolated so intelligence is very hard to get. The top people are so well removed and protected by other groups that they are untouchable and when a low link in the chain gets caught it’s easily replaced.
So saying “we are going to target the criminal networks” is like him saying that he is going to solve global warming by investing in renewable energy in the UK - it’s already being done by multiple police agencies, governments and intelligence networks and to do much more is not at all easy as their are constraints and just sticking up more wind turbines doesn’t solve the problem as it’s multilayered.
Sky News @SkyNews 'I don't believe in Rwanda scheme.'
Speaking exclusively to Sky's @BethRigby , Sir @Keir_Starmer expressed a desire to implement Labour's own plan to tackle small boat crossings by targeting the criminal networks that enable them.
“I don’t believe in it” doesn’t equate to “I will abolish it.” We know enough about SKS now to know that means he’s preparing the ground to reverse ferret, if it suits him.
Sky News @SkyNews 'I don't believe in Rwanda scheme.'
Speaking exclusively to Sky's @BethRigby , Sir @Keir_Starmer expressed a desire to implement Labour's own plan to tackle small boat crossings by targeting the criminal networks that enable them.
Thing is, they are already targeting the criminal gangs. There was a fascinating interview on R4 this morning with a chap explaining all they do. It’s actually quite impressive and wide ranging where they work with all the European countries to stop the purchase of the boats and engines and it’s a huge operation - weirdly the Bulgarian police were singled out for how many of the boats they were stopping being provided to the gangs.
He talked about the huge work in trying to get to the people in the gangs and explained that the way they are set up is that layers are protected and isolated so intelligence is very hard to get. The top people are so well removed and protected by other groups that they are untouchable and when a low link in the chain gets caught it’s easily replaced.
So saying “we are going to target the criminal networks” is like him saying that he is going to solve global warming by investing in renewable energy in the UK - it’s already being done by multiple police agencies, governments and intelligence networks and to do much more is not at all easy as there are constraints and just sticking up more wind turbines/targeting crime networks doesn’t solve the problem as it’s multilayered.
Targeting the gangs is not enough: they need to disrupt them. Sometimes it seems there is an official view that better the devil you know, and can keep an eye on them, since locking them up would just bring others in to fill the vacuum.
I've pretty much lost track of Starmer's tedious tactical triangulations, but have we done this one?
"Labour set to unveil weakened package of workers’ rights. Shadow ministers have been discussing how to tone down some of pledges in ‘New Deal’ to ease employer misgivings", Financial Times, May 1 2024?, see https://archive.is/DdxXz
Fucking May Day. So every business in France shuts and no one has any where to go on the one day everyone is on holiday. How fucking stupid is that. The French are twats
You think it unusual that people in businesses don't work on a public holiday? What (and who) do you think public holidays are for?
Somehow in Britain we manage to have a public holiday without shuttering every business in the country so the holiday becomes a miserable hunt for the one place which is still open, which is then horribly overcrowded, stressing out the staff and the customers. Idiots
If I could come back as Napoleon (spoiler: I have) I’d fix this first, and pronto
Errr no:
Napolean came back as you.
Poor bastard.
We can dispute the semantics but I am glad you accept the principle. I am literally the reincarnation of Napoleon
Now, I don’t wan to get all ME ME ME about this, so I’m not going to bang on. About me being the reincarnation of Napoleon
Sky News @SkyNews 'I don't believe in Rwanda scheme.'
Speaking exclusively to Sky's @BethRigby , Sir @Keir_Starmer expressed a desire to implement Labour's own plan to tackle small boat crossings by targeting the criminal networks that enable them.
Thing is, they are already targeting the criminal gangs. There was a fascinating interview on R4 this morning with a chap explaining all they do. It’s actually quite impressive and wide ranging where they work with all the European countries to stop the purchase of the boats and engines and it’s a huge operation - weirdly the Bulgarian police were singled out for how many of the boats they were stopping being provided to the gangs.
He talked about the huge work in trying to get to the people in the gangs and explained that the way they are set up is that layers are protected and isolated so intelligence is very hard to get. The top people are so well removed and protected by other groups that they are untouchable and when a low link in the chain gets caught it’s easily replaced.
So saying “we are going to target the criminal networks” is like him saying that he is going to solve global warming by investing in renewable energy in the UK - it’s already being done by multiple police agencies, governments and intelligence networks and to do much more is not at all easy as their are constraints and just sticking up more wind turbines doesn’t solve the problem as it’s multilayered.
He's gonna be tough on the causes of boats.
I can just see the Tories, the police, intelligence services and all their European counterparts hearing it from Starmer and saying “why didn’t we think of that before? We could actually go after the criminal networks when in fact we’ve just been sitting on our arses praying Rwanda solves the UK end of the problem and we can all just relax. Starmer is a genius, go after the crims, so simple, no wonder we haven’t been doing that for fucking years.”
OK, body language alert! Beth Rigby interviewing Starmer. Asks about whether it's more likely Arsenal win the league or they win W Mids. He fancies W Mids, then she asks about Tees Valley. Arms crossed straight away, leans back. Lump on Houchen imo.
Today has been very much easier, apart from the climbing. But climbs are often good. Both because it means the landscape is getting more interesting, and because of the views at the top of them
I came over a big hill to see this today. It's no Mont Saint Michel, but it's pretty impressive
The building on top is a ninth century Celtiberian castle, built on the site of a Roman/Visigoth fortress
I didn't walk up an extra steep climb to check out the noom. I had to climb over 500m today without that
Sky News @SkyNews 'I don't believe in Rwanda scheme.'
Speaking exclusively to Sky's @BethRigby , Sir @Keir_Starmer expressed a desire to implement Labour's own plan to tackle small boat crossings by targeting the criminal networks that enable them.
Thing is, they are already targeting the criminal gangs. There was a fascinating interview on R4 this morning with a chap explaining all they do. It’s actually quite impressive and wide ranging where they work with all the European countries to stop the purchase of the boats and engines and it’s a huge operation - weirdly the Bulgarian police were singled out for how many of the boats they were stopping being provided to the gangs.
He talked about the huge work in trying to get to the people in the gangs and explained that the way they are set up is that layers are protected and isolated so intelligence is very hard to get. The top people are so well removed and protected by other groups that they are untouchable and when a low link in the chain gets caught it’s easily replaced.
So saying “we are going to target the criminal networks” is like him saying that he is going to solve global warming by investing in renewable energy in the UK - it’s already being done by multiple police agencies, governments and intelligence networks and to do much more is not at all easy as their are constraints and just sticking up more wind turbines doesn’t solve the problem as it’s multilayered.
He's gonna be tough on the causes of boats.
I can just see the Tories, the police, intelligence services and all their European counterparts hearing it from Starmer and saying “why didn’t we think of that before? We could actually go after the criminal networks when in fact we’ve just been sitting on our arses praying Rwanda solves the UK end of the problem and we can all just relax. Starmer is a genius, go after the crims, so simple, no wonder we haven’t been doing that for fucking years.”
SKS has just announced a radical plan to Beth Rigby, he’s going to stop the problem with illegal drugs in the UK by targeting the criminal networks. If this brand new genius approach is a success he’s going to target the terrorist networks next. It’s all you need to do, target the networks, and to think of all the time spent doing nothing until he came along.
Sky News @SkyNews 'I don't believe in Rwanda scheme.'
Speaking exclusively to Sky's @BethRigby , Sir @Keir_Starmer expressed a desire to implement Labour's own plan to tackle small boat crossings by targeting the criminal networks that enable them.
Thing is, they are already targeting the criminal gangs. There was a fascinating interview on R4 this morning with a chap explaining all they do. It’s actually quite impressive and wide ranging where they work with all the European countries to stop the purchase of the boats and engines and it’s a huge operation - weirdly the Bulgarian police were singled out for how many of the boats they were stopping being provided to the gangs.
He talked about the huge work in trying to get to the people in the gangs and explained that the way they are set up is that layers are protected and isolated so intelligence is very hard to get. The top people are so well removed and protected by other groups that they are untouchable and when a low link in the chain gets caught it’s easily replaced.
So saying “we are going to target the criminal networks” is like him saying that he is going to solve global warming by investing in renewable energy in the UK - it’s already being done by multiple police agencies, governments and intelligence networks and to do much more is not at all easy as their are constraints and just sticking up more wind turbines doesn’t solve the problem as it’s multilayered.
He's gonna be tough on the causes of boats.
I doubt his toughness on the causes of boats will include telling America to get stuffed when they ask us to help them topple another Middle Eastern regime.
I've pretty much lost track of Starmer's tedious tactical triangulations, but have we done this one?
"Labour set to unveil weakened package of workers’ rights. Shadow ministers have been discussing how to tone down some of pledges in ‘New Deal’ to ease employer misgivings", Financial Times, May 1 2024?, see https://archive.is/DdxXz
Or do we just throw it on the pile with the rest?
We're teaming with Employers up and down the country to give you an extensively limited package of vague and disappointing rights. Because they told us to. It's electoral gold
Starmer is going to be absolutely shit, isn’t he? He will have an enormous majority and he will do zero with it, apart from vaguely left wing things that are pointless and cheap (because there’s no money left). He will then try and appease his base with Woke crap
I suspect he will manage to throw away that vast majority within one term
Yes. The trouble is, hope dies as a result. Because the Tories in opposition are going to be ludicrous and mental, led by the people who weren't good enough to get a turn on the great 2019-2024 merry-go-round. At least now people can have a vague hope that at least Labour will be a bit less crap, but when they aren't, what hope will people have?
Sky News @SkyNews 'I don't believe in Rwanda scheme.'
Speaking exclusively to Sky's @BethRigby , Sir @Keir_Starmer expressed a desire to implement Labour's own plan to tackle small boat crossings by targeting the criminal networks that enable them.
Thing is, they are already targeting the criminal gangs. There was a fascinating interview on R4 this morning with a chap explaining all they do. It’s actually quite impressive and wide ranging where they work with all the European countries to stop the purchase of the boats and engines and it’s a huge operation - weirdly the Bulgarian police were singled out for how many of the boats they were stopping being provided to the gangs.
He talked about the huge work in trying to get to the people in the gangs and explained that the way they are set up is that layers are protected and isolated so intelligence is very hard to get. The top people are so well removed and protected by other groups that they are untouchable and when a low link in the chain gets caught it’s easily replaced.
So saying “we are going to target the criminal networks” is like him saying that he is going to solve global warming by investing in renewable energy in the UK - it’s already being done by multiple police agencies, governments and intelligence networks and to do much more is not at all easy as their are constraints and just sticking up more wind turbines doesn’t solve the problem as it’s multilayered.
He's gonna be tough on the causes of boats.
I can just see the Tories, the police, intelligence services and all their European counterparts hearing it from Starmer and saying “why didn’t we think of that before? We could actually go after the criminal networks when in fact we’ve just been sitting on our arses praying Rwanda solves the UK end of the problem and we can all just relax. Starmer is a genius, go after the crims, so simple, no wonder we haven’t been doing that for fucking years.”
SKS has just announced a radical plan to Beth Rigby, he’s going to stop the problem with illegal drugs in the UK by targeting the criminal networks. If this brand new genius approach is a success he’s going to target the terrorist networks next. It’s all you need to do, target the networks, and to think of all the time spent doing nothing until he came along.
His policy of maximum excellence leading to happy times national renewal is inspiring me to get on the Keir train. Who the f.... am I meant to vote for?
Sky News @SkyNews 'I don't believe in Rwanda scheme.'
Speaking exclusively to Sky's @BethRigby , Sir @Keir_Starmer expressed a desire to implement Labour's own plan to tackle small boat crossings by targeting the criminal networks that enable them.
Thing is, they are already targeting the criminal gangs. There was a fascinating interview on R4 this morning with a chap explaining all they do. It’s actually quite impressive and wide ranging where they work with all the European countries to stop the purchase of the boats and engines and it’s a huge operation - weirdly the Bulgarian police were singled out for how many of the boats they were stopping being provided to the gangs.
He talked about the huge work in trying to get to the people in the gangs and explained that the way they are set up is that layers are protected and isolated so intelligence is very hard to get. The top people are so well removed and protected by other groups that they are untouchable and when a low link in the chain gets caught it’s easily replaced.
So saying “we are going to target the criminal networks” is like him saying that he is going to solve global warming by investing in renewable energy in the UK - it’s already being done by multiple police agencies, governments and intelligence networks and to do much more is not at all easy as their are constraints and just sticking up more wind turbines doesn’t solve the problem as it’s multilayered.
He's gonna be tough on the causes of boats.
I can just see the Tories, the police, intelligence services and all their European counterparts hearing it from Starmer and saying “why didn’t we think of that before? We could actually go after the criminal networks when in fact we’ve just been sitting on our arses praying Rwanda solves the UK end of the problem and we can all just relax. Starmer is a genius, go after the crims, so simple, no wonder we haven’t been doing that for fucking years.”
I agree up to a point Lord copper. There are some 'basics' that aren't being done - the fact that we approved 72% of asylum claims (vs. France's 25%) in 2021 (I don't have subsequent years) is a massive pull factor and that we haven't addressed. But it's not something Labour have promised to address or even acknowledged as an issue.
Today has been very much easier, apart from the climbing. But climbs are often good. Both because it means the landscape is getting more interesting, and because of the views at the top of them
I came over a big hill to see this today. It's no Mont Saint Michel, but it's pretty impressive
The building on top is a ninth century Celtiberian castle, built on the site of a Roman/Visigoth fortress
I didn't walk up an extra steep climb to check out the noom. I had to climb over 500m today without that
If i were to read into Labour's activities and social medis postings at the moment i'd conclude they are finding it somewhat harder to turn out voters whilst well clear in polling than they'd hoped
Today has been very much easier, apart from the climbing. But climbs are often good. Both because it means the landscape is getting more interesting, and because of the views at the top of them
I came over a big hill to see this today. It's no Mont Saint Michel, but it's pretty impressive
The building on top is a ninth century Celtiberian castle, built on the site of a Roman/Visigoth fortress
I didn't walk up an extra steep climb to check out the noom. I had to climb over 500m today without that
On the previous voting system I'd have put Lib Dems first and Labour/Khan second.
First past the post makes it harder. I don't want Susan Hall to get in, but equally that feels sufficiently unlikely to not be a concern such that I can vote how I wish.
An interesting conversation with a strongly Conservative supporting neighbour, who is quite well informed, about Elections and the General Election in Notts.
He thinks
1 - Labour to win the PCC. 2 - Ben Bradley likely to win the East Midlands mayoralty. 3 - Conservatives to lose all their seats in Nottinghamshire at the GE. 4 - Lee Anderson will retain Ashfield, on the basis of votes amongst 45+, and because younglings will tend not to vote. And Zadrozny not to be seriously impacted by impending criminal charges ("Vote for me, I'm an innocent man!").
He thinks Ashfield Labour are still mad.
Me:
1 - Agree. 2 - I'm not sure on this. 3 - I think they will retain 1-3. 4 - I think Anderson will split the Right vote, Z will be quite more unpopular than he has been, and Labour may come through the middle.
Sky News @SkyNews 'I don't believe in Rwanda scheme.'
Speaking exclusively to Sky's @BethRigby , Sir @Keir_Starmer expressed a desire to implement Labour's own plan to tackle small boat crossings by targeting the criminal networks that enable them.
Thing is, they are already targeting the criminal gangs. There was a fascinating interview on R4 this morning with a chap explaining all they do. It’s actually quite impressive and wide ranging where they work with all the European countries to stop the purchase of the boats and engines and it’s a huge operation - weirdly the Bulgarian police were singled out for how many of the boats they were stopping being provided to the gangs.
He talked about the huge work in trying to get to the people in the gangs and explained that the way they are set up is that layers are protected and isolated so intelligence is very hard to get. The top people are so well removed and protected by other groups that they are untouchable and when a low link in the chain gets caught it’s easily replaced.
So saying “we are going to target the criminal networks” is like him saying that he is going to solve global warming by investing in renewable energy in the UK - it’s already being done by multiple police agencies, governments and intelligence networks and to do much more is not at all easy as their are constraints and just sticking up more wind turbines doesn’t solve the problem as it’s multilayered.
He's gonna be tough on the causes of boats.
I can just see the Tories, the police, intelligence services and all their European counterparts hearing it from Starmer and saying “why didn’t we think of that before? We could actually go after the criminal networks when in fact we’ve just been sitting on our arses praying Rwanda solves the UK end of the problem and we can all just relax. Starmer is a genius, go after the crims, so simple, no wonder we haven’t been doing that for fucking years.”
I agree up to a point Lord copper. There are some 'basics' that aren't being done - the fact that we approved 72% of asylum claims (vs. France's 25%) in 2021 (I don't have subsequent years) is a massive pull factor and that we haven't addressed. But it's not something Labour have promised to address or even acknowledged as an issue.
It is becoming a real threat to Biden. After a long gradual climb in the polling to equality with Trump, Trump is suddenly edging away again. Since his life is not exactly filled with good news at the moment I think we need to look at Biden and, to me, these ongoing riots are a major issue.
I am a big fan of LBC. Nonetheless LBC would appear to have dismissed the excellent Sangita Myska for challenging an Israeli spokesman defending the Gaza campaign. Sangita is a proper journalist and a great presenter. If that wasn't bad enough she has been replaced by the right-wing and grating Vanessa Feltz.
Today has been very much easier, apart from the climbing. But climbs are often good. Both because it means the landscape is getting more interesting, and because of the views at the top of them
I came over a big hill to see this today. It's no Mont Saint Michel, but it's pretty impressive
The building on top is a ninth century Celtiberian castle, built on the site of a Roman/Visigoth fortress
I didn't walk up an extra steep climb to check out the noom. I had to climb over 500m today without that
Someone should
Castrojeriz?
That looks as if it was supposed to be Mont St Michel, but Nimbys stopped planning permission.
OK, body language alert! Beth Rigby interviewing Starmer. Asks about whether it's more likely Arsenal win the league or they win W Mids. He fancies W Mids, then she asks about Tees Valley. Arms crossed straight away, leans back. Lump on Houchen imo.
I pray you, speak not; he grows worse and worse. Question enrages him. At once, good night.
This wins the Scotch play quoting contest, and applies whenever sks or sunil is interviewed.
On the previous voting system I'd have put Lib Dems first and Labour/Khan second.
First past the post makes it harder. I don't want Susan Hall to get in, but equally that feels sufficiently unlikely to not be a concern such that I can vote how I wish.
Decisions, decisions.
Rob Blackie’s a good candidate, and if the worst comes to the worst and Susan Hall wins she’ll be a living reminder to the country for several years of why they kicked out the Tories.
I've pretty much lost track of Starmer's tedious tactical triangulations, but have we done this one?
"Labour set to unveil weakened package of workers’ rights. Shadow ministers have been discussing how to tone down some of pledges in ‘New Deal’ to ease employer misgivings", Financial Times, May 1 2024?, see https://archive.is/DdxXz
Or do we just throw it on the pile with the rest?
We're teaming with Employers up and down the country to give you an extensively limited package of vague and disappointing rights. Because they told us to. It's electoral gold
Starmer is going to be absolutely shit, isn’t he? He will have an enormous majority and he will do zero with it, apart from vaguely left wing things that are pointless and cheap (because there’s no money left). He will then try and appease his base with Woke crap
I suspect he will manage to throw away that vast majority within one term
To be fair, I don't feel sure exactly what Sir Keir is supposed to be saying (he has no power to do anything, he's in opposition) that will excite his PB critics and win an election. At the moment serious players are suggesting he may get a majority of +200 (while I would be delighted if he got 320 seats). What exactly is he doing wrong?
I've pretty much lost track of Starmer's tedious tactical triangulations, but have we done this one?
"Labour set to unveil weakened package of workers’ rights. Shadow ministers have been discussing how to tone down some of pledges in ‘New Deal’ to ease employer misgivings", Financial Times, May 1 2024?, see https://archive.is/DdxXz
Or do we just throw it on the pile with the rest?
We're teaming with Employers up and down the country to give you an extensively limited package of vague and disappointing rights. Because they told us to. It's electoral gold
Starmer is going to be absolutely shit, isn’t he? He will have an enormous majority and he will do zero with it, apart from vaguely left wing things that are pointless and cheap (because there’s no money left). He will then try and appease his base with Woke crap
I suspect he will manage to throw away that vast majority within one term
Yes. The trouble is, hope dies as a result. Because the Tories in opposition are going to be ludicrous and mental, led by the people who weren't good enough to get a turn on the great 2019-2024 merry-go-round. At least now people can have a vague hope that at least Labour will be a bit less crap, but when they aren't, what hope will people have?
I'm front running the hope => no-hope hump. FWIW It'll be the Greens for me these mayorals. Labour are practising political homeopathy.
Fucking May Day. So every business in France shuts and no one has any where to go on the one day everyone is on holiday. How fucking stupid is that. The French are twats
They should rename it Lockdown Day and cordon bleu off the park benches
Jesus Christ:
Don't give the politicians ideas. Before you know it, there'll be a public holiday where we're all confined to our homes in recognition of the great struggle with Covid.
[Patrick Harvie] says Humza Yousaf spoke out for the victims of Gaza in a way "that no other national leader I can think of was able to do".
Scottish Greens. Not bothered about the environment.
Same with the Greens in the rest of the UK. The Green MP at PMQ's question was about Gaza. A matter of the utmost concern, obviously.
Well, the IDF have fucked up the environment in Gaza.
Hamas are funded by Iranian Oil.
America funds the IDF.
And who would you rather trust - America or Iran?
Neither, frankly.
Oh come on Sunil. Don't come over all "they're all as bad as each other" because that just isn't true. The Iranian regime is one of the most evil on earth. And even (nod to kinabalu) if Trump were to win, America would remain a democracy. Criticism of the regime would be possible. Women wouldn't be beaten to death for immodesty. It would still be nowhere near Iran on the scale of awful.
Women would, however, die on illegal operating tables with messed up abortions. But hey, women, surprised they are allowed to vote really.
You would be surprised how many people say "both sides are just as bad as each other. Democrats want unrestricted access to abortion until birth".
I've pretty much lost track of Starmer's tedious tactical triangulations, but have we done this one?
"Labour set to unveil weakened package of workers’ rights. Shadow ministers have been discussing how to tone down some of pledges in ‘New Deal’ to ease employer misgivings", Financial Times, May 1 2024?, see https://archive.is/DdxXz
Or do we just throw it on the pile with the rest?
We're teaming with Employers up and down the country to give you an extensively limited package of vague and disappointing rights. Because they told us to. It's electoral gold
Starmer is going to be absolutely shit, isn’t he? He will have an enormous majority and he will do zero with it, apart from vaguely left wing things that are pointless and cheap (because there’s no money left). He will then try and appease his base with Woke crap
I suspect he will manage to throw away that vast majority within one term
He could “surprise on the upside” as one of your uncannily accurate predictions once had it.
Sky News @SkyNews 'I don't believe in Rwanda scheme.'
Speaking exclusively to Sky's @BethRigby , Sir @Keir_Starmer expressed a desire to implement Labour's own plan to tackle small boat crossings by targeting the criminal networks that enable them.
Thing is, they are already targeting the criminal gangs. There was a fascinating interview on R4 this morning with a chap explaining all they do. It’s actually quite impressive and wide ranging where they work with all the European countries to stop the purchase of the boats and engines and it’s a huge operation - weirdly the Bulgarian police were singled out for how many of the boats they were stopping being provided to the gangs.
He talked about the huge work in trying to get to the people in the gangs and explained that the way they are set up is that layers are protected and isolated so intelligence is very hard to get. The top people are so well removed and protected by other groups that they are untouchable and when a low link in the chain gets caught it’s easily replaced.
So saying “we are going to target the criminal networks” is like him saying that he is going to solve global warming by investing in renewable energy in the UK - it’s already being done by multiple police agencies, governments and intelligence networks and to do much more is not at all easy as their are constraints and just sticking up more wind turbines doesn’t solve the problem as it’s multilayered.
He's gonna be tough on the causes of boats.
I can just see the Tories, the police, intelligence services and all their European counterparts hearing it from Starmer and saying “why didn’t we think of that before? We could actually go after the criminal networks when in fact we’ve just been sitting on our arses praying Rwanda solves the UK end of the problem and we can all just relax. Starmer is a genius, go after the crims, so simple, no wonder we haven’t been doing that for fucking years.”
I agree up to a point Lord copper. There are some 'basics' that aren't being done - the fact that we approved 72% of asylum claims (vs. France's 25%) in 2021 (I don't have subsequent years) is a massive pull factor and that we haven't addressed. But it's not something Labour have promised to address or even acknowledged as an issue.
An interesting conversation with a strongly Conservative supporting neighbour, who is quite well informed, about Elections and the General Election in Notts.
He thinks
1 - Labour to win the PCC. 2 - Ben Bradley likely to win the East Midlands mayoralty. 3 - Conservatives to lose all their seats in Nottinghamshire at the GE. 4 - Lee Anderson will retain Ashfield, on the basis of votes amongst 45+, and because younglings will tend not to vote. And Zadrozny not to be seriously impacted by impending criminal charges ("Vote for me, I'm an innocent man!").
He thinks Ashfield Labour are still mad.
Me:
1 - Agree. 2 - I'm not sure on this. 3 - I think they will retain 1-3. 4 - I think Anderson will split the Right vote, Z will be quite more unpopular than he has been, and Labour may come through the middle.
Ref the Notts seats, I also think they hold a couple. If Jenrick loses Newark they are in serious doodoo
Sky News @SkyNews 'I don't believe in Rwanda scheme.'
Speaking exclusively to Sky's @BethRigby , Sir @Keir_Starmer expressed a desire to implement Labour's own plan to tackle small boat crossings by targeting the criminal networks that enable them.
“I don’t believe in it” doesn’t equate to “I will abolish it.” We know enough about SKS now to know that means he’s preparing the ground to reverse ferret, if it suits him.
Put a bounty on the boat organisers. Euro 100,000. Half to the French Govt., half to the French arresting officers.
This problem is a money problem. Play them at their own game.
I've pretty much lost track of Starmer's tedious tactical triangulations, but have we done this one?
"Labour set to unveil weakened package of workers’ rights. Shadow ministers have been discussing how to tone down some of pledges in ‘New Deal’ to ease employer misgivings", Financial Times, May 1 2024?, see https://archive.is/DdxXz
Or do we just throw it on the pile with the rest?
We're teaming with Employers up and down the country to give you an extensively limited package of vague and disappointing rights. Because they told us to. It's electoral gold
Starmer is going to be absolutely shit, isn’t he? He will have an enormous majority and he will do zero with it, apart from vaguely left wing things that are pointless and cheap (because there’s no money left). He will then try and appease his base with Woke crap
I suspect he will manage to throw away that vast majority within one term
To be fair, I don't feel sure exactly what Sir Keir is supposed to be saying (he has no power to do anything, he's in opposition) that will excite his PB critics and win an election. At the moment serious players are suggesting he may get a majority of +200 (while I would be delighted if he got 320 seats). What exactly is he doing wrong?
He could stop the cycle of:
1> Promising policy. 2> Rumours abound that the policy is no longer policy at least not the policy that was promised. 3> Scrapping the policy a day before an election.
If i were to read into Labour's activities and social medis postings at the moment i'd conclude they are finding it somewhat harder to turn out voters whilst well clear in polling than they'd hoped
Labour's main pitch to the voters is that the Tories are crap/malevolent and only Labour can stop them. But that doesn't work so well for local elections as it does for general elections, because the local council can't wreck the NHS. So it's no great fear to have the Tories win.
What today has proved is that any leader of the SNP has to have Green support or there is an exceptional election. Forbes is not going to get it so she really ought to be in a position to trade.
I think you are misreading the situation.
What today has shown is that the Greens do not want there to be an early election, in the same way as turkeys don't vote for Christmas. The Greens know that they are in a privileged position currently and any election will worsen their hand.
Yousaf fell not because he fell out with the Greens, but because he rudely spurned them and to paraphrase hell hath no fury like those who are spurned.
Forbes would not be the Greens choice, but that is by the by. If the SNP vote for Forbes then the Greens will face the choice of working with Forbes where they can with an SNP minority government, or vote for an early election from which the Greens can only lose significance. They know which side their bread is buttered on and will do the former, so long as Forbes isn't obnoxiously rude to them in the way that Yousaf was.
Well, we shall see. I can't see Forbes having Green Ministers again. I can't see her not implementing Cass in full. I strongly suspect she would want to dual the A9 and the A96. She is not going to revisit absurdly optimistic and now abandoned net zero targets. She will cut the funding of some of these state funded charities that are making so much noise. She would very likely start to reduce the tartan taxes that make Scotland such an unattractive place to run a business or invest in. The no fishing zones would go.
In fact, I am struggling to see what they might agree about.
An interesting conversation with a strongly Conservative supporting neighbour, who is quite well informed, about Elections and the General Election in Notts.
He thinks
1 - Labour to win the PCC. 2 - Ben Bradley likely to win the East Midlands mayoralty. 3 - Conservatives to lose all their seats in Nottinghamshire at the GE. 4 - Lee Anderson will retain Ashfield, on the basis of votes amongst 45+, and because younglings will tend not to vote. And Zadrozny not to be seriously impacted by impending criminal charges ("Vote for me, I'm an innocent man!").
He thinks Ashfield Labour are still mad.
Me:
1 - Agree. 2 - I'm not sure on this. 3 - I think they will retain 1-3. 4 - I think Anderson will split the Right vote, Z will be quite more unpopular than he has been, and Labour may come through the middle.
Ref the Notts seats, I also think they hold a couple. If Jenrick loses Newark they are in serious doodoo
Don't forget CON lost Newark in 1997 and still got 165. Ok it's not a lot but better than some projections!
Sky News @SkyNews 'I don't believe in Rwanda scheme.'
Speaking exclusively to Sky's @BethRigby , Sir @Keir_Starmer expressed a desire to implement Labour's own plan to tackle small boat crossings by targeting the criminal networks that enable them.
Thing is, they are already targeting the criminal gangs. There was a fascinating interview on R4 this morning with a chap explaining all they do. It’s actually quite impressive and wide ranging where they work with all the European countries to stop the purchase of the boats and engines and it’s a huge operation - weirdly the Bulgarian police were singled out for how many of the boats they were stopping being provided to the gangs.
He talked about the huge work in trying to get to the people in the gangs and explained that the way they are set up is that layers are protected and isolated so intelligence is very hard to get. The top people are so well removed and protected by other groups that they are untouchable and when a low link in the chain gets caught it’s easily replaced.
So saying “we are going to target the criminal networks” is like him saying that he is going to solve global warming by investing in renewable energy in the UK - it’s already being done by multiple police agencies, governments and intelligence networks and to do much more is not at all easy as their are constraints and just sticking up more wind turbines doesn’t solve the problem as it’s multilayered.
He's gonna be tough on the causes of boats.
I can just see the Tories, the police, intelligence services and all their European counterparts hearing it from Starmer and saying “why didn’t we think of that before? We could actually go after the criminal networks when in fact we’ve just been sitting on our arses praying Rwanda solves the UK end of the problem and we can all just relax. Starmer is a genius, go after the crims, so simple, no wonder we haven’t been doing that for fucking years.”
I agree up to a point Lord copper. There are some 'basics' that aren't being done - the fact that we approved 72% of asylum claims (vs. France's 25%) in 2021 (I don't have subsequent years) is a massive pull factor and that we haven't addressed. But it's not something Labour have promised to address or even acknowledged as an issue.
I've pretty much lost track of Starmer's tedious tactical triangulations, but have we done this one?
"Labour set to unveil weakened package of workers’ rights. Shadow ministers have been discussing how to tone down some of pledges in ‘New Deal’ to ease employer misgivings", Financial Times, May 1 2024?, see https://archive.is/DdxXz
Or do we just throw it on the pile with the rest?
We're teaming with Employers up and down the country to give you an extensively limited package of vague and disappointing rights. Because they told us to. It's electoral gold
Starmer is going to be absolutely shit, isn’t he? He will have an enormous majority and he will do zero with it, apart from vaguely left wing things that are pointless and cheap (because there’s no money left). He will then try and appease his base with Woke crap
I suspect he will manage to throw away that vast majority within one term
To be fair, I don't feel sure exactly what Sir Keir is supposed to be saying (he has no power to do anything, he's in opposition) that will excite his PB critics and win an election. At the moment serious players are suggesting he may get a majority of +200 (while I would be delighted if he got 320 seats). What exactly is he doing wrong?
Yes, Starmer is playing the right game to win the election - continue to convince wavering Conservatives he is no threat and life will go on much as usual if he wins. After 14 years of Conservastive-led Government the stench of decay, especially over the past four years, is palpable and while I'm no Conservtative, the idea of voting to put them both out of their misery and ours is seriously attractive.
The fear must be it will be 10 years of drift and that's the challenge - with a huge majority, Starmer can afford to be radical (Blair could as well and we'll never know what a second term might have been like as the events of September 11th 2001 transformed both the domestic and international agenda in ways which could not have been foreseen).
Starmer of course must be aware such things could happen on this watch - after all, Covid torpedoed Johnson's plans completely. Will there be a rush to be radical in the first term? Perhaps and not explaining that radicalism now will irritate some but the voters Starmer needs to win don't want to hear radical now - whether they will when he has a 200+ majority (if that happens) remains to be seen.
I am a big fan of LBC. Nonetheless LBC would appear to have dismissed the excellent Sangita Myska for challenging an Israeli spokesman defending the Gaza campaign. Sangita is a proper journalist and a great presenter. If that wasn't bad enough she has been replaced by the right-wing and grating Vanessa Feltz.
Vanessa Feltz (whilst you're correct that she's right wing, and yes, she can be annoying) is a very smart cookie and not to be underestimated. Her demolition of Alistair Campbell in a Radio interview with him was exquisite.
I had a gruelling evening yesterday. I'd decided to do a big walk. I stopped after 36km in quite a big town to try to find a room about 10km on
I found one 12km away and booked, but got no confirmation. I'd run out of supplies (beer) and went to three supermarkets. They were all closed and not opening until 5pm, I got to the third one at 4:30
I had to press on without beer, not knowing if I had a room booked. I'd walked about 2km more when I got a message from the host asking me to be there before 8pm
I replied no problem, thinking I'd be there by 7. Five minutes later I was officially diverted. They were doing major works on the canal I'd been walking by. I followed the diversion, and it seemed to be an extra km or two on the route. No problem
Then I lost the route.. the signs are set up for people going the right way, not oddballs like me walking to France. But Google maps told me that I was still on a path, heading for a road that would join me back to the official route
Then the path ended. It carried on on Google, but I'd reached the middle of a side of a vast field with some young crops growing in it. I couldn't follow the Google path, straight through the field, but I had to carry on, I had to be there by 8
I ended up having to walk around four fields, and walk through the brambles and climb over the irrigation channels between them. I eventually got back to the road, still with 10km to go, and two and a half hours until eight
I knew I could do it, but I was damned thirsty and still had a hill to climb. I got over the 100m hill and thought I was basically done; 5km to go and an hour and a half to get there
Then the heavens opened, quite violently, and the wind got strong. I had my little umbrella up but couldn't stop the rain from hammering ìnto the back of my legs
Nor could I do anything about the dirty, huge splash from the rain covering my jeans from the knee down in filth
I arrived at the hostel with half an hour to spare. The host was shocked to see me; he was sure I'd have given up. But my room was available, he gave me perfect dinner (chicken soup, then lentil and chorizo stew), and did my washing, all for 40€
Fantastic. You have a gift for vivid self-reportage!
What today has proved is that any leader of the SNP has to have Green support or there is an exceptional election. Forbes is not going to get it so she really ought to be in a position to trade.
I think you are misreading the situation.
What today has shown is that the Greens do not want there to be an early election, in the same way as turkeys don't vote for Christmas. The Greens know that they are in a privileged position currently and any election will worsen their hand.
Yousaf fell not because he fell out with the Greens, but because he rudely spurned them and to paraphrase hell hath no fury like those who are spurned.
Forbes would not be the Greens choice, but that is by the by. If the SNP vote for Forbes then the Greens will face the choice of working with Forbes where they can with an SNP minority government, or vote for an early election from which the Greens can only lose significance. They know which side their bread is buttered on and will do the former, so long as Forbes isn't obnoxiously rude to them in the way that Yousaf was.
Well, we shall see. I can't see Forbes having Green Ministers again. I can't see her not implementing Cass in full. I strongly suspect she would want to dual the A9 and the A96. She is not going to revisit absurdly optimistic and now abandoned net zero targets. She will cut the funding of some of these state funded charities that are making so much noise. She would very likely start to reduce the tartan taxes that make Scotland such an unattractive place to run a business or invest in. The no fishing zones would go.
Today has been very much easier, apart from the climbing. But climbs are often good. Both because it means the landscape is getting more interesting, and because of the views at the top of them
I came over a big hill to see this today. It's no Mont Saint Michel, but it's pretty impressive
The building on top is a ninth century Celtiberian castle, built on the site of a Roman/Visigoth fortress
I didn't walk up an extra steep climb to check out the noom. I had to climb over 500m today without that
Someone should
Castrojeriz?
That looks as if it was supposed to be Mont St Michel, but Nimbys stopped planning permission.
I love hills like that. Always had a thing for standalone rounded hills, with a convex summit, especially if they’re set in a flat or ridgy landscape.
Sky News @SkyNews 'I don't believe in Rwanda scheme.'
Speaking exclusively to Sky's @BethRigby , Sir @Keir_Starmer expressed a desire to implement Labour's own plan to tackle small boat crossings by targeting the criminal networks that enable them.
Thing is, they are already targeting the criminal gangs. There was a fascinating interview on R4 this morning with a chap explaining all they do. It’s actually quite impressive and wide ranging where they work with all the European countries to stop the purchase of the boats and engines and it’s a huge operation - weirdly the Bulgarian police were singled out for how many of the boats they were stopping being provided to the gangs.
He talked about the huge work in trying to get to the people in the gangs and explained that the way they are set up is that layers are protected and isolated so intelligence is very hard to get. The top people are so well removed and protected by other groups that they are untouchable and when a low link in the chain gets caught it’s easily replaced.
So saying “we are going to target the criminal networks” is like him saying that he is going to solve global warming by investing in renewable energy in the UK - it’s already being done by multiple police agencies, governments and intelligence networks and to do much more is not at all easy as their are constraints and just sticking up more wind turbines doesn’t solve the problem as it’s multilayered.
He's gonna be tough on the causes of boats.
I can just see the Tories, the police, intelligence services and all their European counterparts hearing it from Starmer and saying “why didn’t we think of that before? We could actually go after the criminal networks when in fact we’ve just been sitting on our arses praying Rwanda solves the UK end of the problem and we can all just relax. Starmer is a genius, go after the crims, so simple, no wonder we haven’t been doing that for fucking years.”
SKS has just announced a radical plan to Beth Rigby, he’s going to stop the problem with illegal drugs in the UK by targeting the criminal networks. If this brand new genius approach is a success he’s going to target the terrorist networks next. It’s all you need to do, target the networks, and to think of all the time spent doing nothing until he came along.
His policy of maximum excellence leading to happy times national renewal is inspiring me to get on the Keir train. Who the f.... am I meant to vote for?
I've pondering that myself of late. My constituency is fairly balanced between the SNP and Labour (SNP currently). And I have no overwhelming reason to vote for either.
Pretty useless vs. possibly useless grey mist. Those are my choices.
What today has proved is that any leader of the SNP has to have Green support or there is an exceptional election. Forbes is not going to get it so she really ought to be in a position to trade.
I think you are misreading the situation.
What today has shown is that the Greens do not want there to be an early election, in the same way as turkeys don't vote for Christmas. The Greens know that they are in a privileged position currently and any election will worsen their hand.
Yousaf fell not because he fell out with the Greens, but because he rudely spurned them and to paraphrase hell hath no fury like those who are spurned.
Forbes would not be the Greens choice, but that is by the by. If the SNP vote for Forbes then the Greens will face the choice of working with Forbes where they can with an SNP minority government, or vote for an early election from which the Greens can only lose significance. They know which side their bread is buttered on and will do the former, so long as Forbes isn't obnoxiously rude to them in the way that Yousaf was.
Well, we shall see. I can't see Forbes having Green Ministers again. I can't see her not implementing Cass in full. I strongly suspect she would want to dual the A9 and the A96. She is not going to revisit absurdly optimistic and now abandoned net zero targets. She will cut the funding of some of these state funded charities that are making so much noise. She would very likely start to reduce the tartan taxes that make Scotland such an unattractive place to run a business or invest in. The no fishing zones would go.
In fact, I am struggling to see what they might agree about.
You mean Scotland would do even better?!! Bonus points for the reason NI is punching above its weight.
Is their a website somewhere with a list of when we can expect the results? I'm assuming the London Mayor one will be massively delayed as it always is and won't announce until Saturday.
This is the Press Association page, but they haven't updated it like they said they would, by the end of April.
I've pretty much lost track of Starmer's tedious tactical triangulations, but have we done this one?
"Labour set to unveil weakened package of workers’ rights. Shadow ministers have been discussing how to tone down some of pledges in ‘New Deal’ to ease employer misgivings", Financial Times, May 1 2024?, see https://archive.is/DdxXz
Or do we just throw it on the pile with the rest?
We're teaming with Employers up and down the country to give you an extensively limited package of vague and disappointing rights. Because they told us to. It's electoral gold
Starmer is going to be absolutely shit, isn’t he? He will have an enormous majority and he will do zero with it, apart from vaguely left wing things that are pointless and cheap (because there’s no money left). He will then try and appease his base with Woke crap
I suspect he will manage to throw away that vast majority within one term
I am a big fan of LBC. Nonetheless LBC would appear to have dismissed the excellent Sangita Myska for challenging an Israeli spokesman defending the Gaza campaign. Sangita is a proper journalist and a great presenter. If that wasn't bad enough she has been replaced by the right-wing and grating Vanessa Feltz.
Vanessa Feltz (whilst you're correct that she's right wing, and yes, she can be annoying) is a very smart cookie and not to be underestimated. Her demolition of Alistair Campbell in a Radio interview with him was exquisite.
Vanessa Feltz got a first from the University of Cambridge. Sangita Myska got a 2:2 from the University of Birmingham.
Sky News @SkyNews 'I don't believe in Rwanda scheme.'
Speaking exclusively to Sky's @BethRigby , Sir @Keir_Starmer expressed a desire to implement Labour's own plan to tackle small boat crossings by targeting the criminal networks that enable them.
“I don’t believe in it” doesn’t equate to “I will abolish it.” We know enough about SKS now to know that means he’s preparing the ground to reverse ferret, if it suits him.
If Rwanda works and fuels a Tory recovery over the Summer (a very big "if") he will rebadge it, make some very cosmetic tweaks and adopt it as his own.
But, it will be a Labour Rwanda, and not a Tory Rwanda, so that will be ok.
On the previous voting system I'd have put Lib Dems first and Labour/Khan second.
First past the post makes it harder. I don't want Susan Hall to get in, but equally that feels sufficiently unlikely to not be a concern such that I can vote how I wish.
Decisions, decisions.
Yes, the government's attempt to gerrymander by switching to FPTP means it will always be a two-horse race, except perhaps now when if the polling is to be believed, it is a one-horse race.
I am a big fan of LBC. Nonetheless LBC would appear to have dismissed the excellent Sangita Myska for challenging an Israeli spokesman defending the Gaza campaign. Sangita is a proper journalist and a great presenter. If that wasn't bad enough she has been replaced by the right-wing and grating Vanessa Feltz.
Vanessa Feltz (whilst you're correct that she's right wing, and yes, she can be annoying) is a very smart cookie and not to be underestimated. Her demolition of Alistair Campbell in a Radio interview with him was exquisite.
Vanessa Feltz got a first from the University of Cambridge. Sangita Myska got a 2:2 from the University of Birmingham.
I had a gruelling evening yesterday. I'd decided to do a big walk. I stopped after 36km in quite a big town to try to find a room about 10km on
I found one 12km away and booked, but got no confirmation. I'd run out of supplies (beer) and went to three supermarkets. They were all closed and not opening until 5pm, I got to the third one at 4:30
I had to press on without beer, not knowing if I had a room booked. I'd walked about 2km more when I got a message from the host asking me to be there before 8pm
I replied no problem, thinking I'd be there by 7. Five minutes later I was officially diverted. They were doing major works on the canal I'd been walking by. I followed the diversion, and it seemed to be an extra km or two on the route. No problem
Then I lost the route.. the signs are set up for people going the right way, not oddballs like me walking to France. But Google maps told me that I was still on a path, heading for a road that would join me back to the official route
Then the path ended. It carried on on Google, but I'd reached the middle of a side of a vast field with some young crops growing in it. I couldn't follow the Google path, straight through the field, but I had to carry on, I had to be there by 8
I ended up having to walk around four fields, and walk through the brambles and climb over the irrigation channels between them. I eventually got back to the road, still with 10km to go, and two and a half hours until eight
I knew I could do it, but I was damned thirsty and still had a hill to climb. I got over the 100m hill and thought I was basically done; 5km to go and an hour and a half to get there
Then the heavens opened, quite violently, and the wind got strong. I had my little umbrella up but couldn't stop the rain from hammering ìnto the back of my legs
Nor could I do anything about the dirty, huge splash from the rain covering my jeans from the knee down in filth
I arrived at the hostel with half an hour to spare. The host was shocked to see me; he was sure I'd have given up. But my room was available, he gave me perfect dinner (chicken soup, then lentil and chorizo stew), and did my washing, all for 40€
Fantastic. You have a gift for vivid self-reportage!
Thank you Leon
It's rather nice to get such a compliment from a professional writer
What then are we to make of the London Mayoral election polls this evening? We had YouGov with a 22 point Khan lead yesterday, then Savanta weighed in with a 10 point Khan lead this morning.
The Savanta poll looks dramatic but it's not Hall tearing chunks out of Khan's lead (Hall is actually down a point) but all the candidates taking nibbles out of Khan's polling. Blackie has 10% (the polls often over estimate the LD position) with Garbett also up a notch as is Reform.
The methodology Savanta use weights on the 2021 Mayoral poll and there's an argument false recall is one of the issues. We'll find out more on Friday evening.
As Chris Hopkins himself states, it's still a comfortable lead for Khan but there's a world of difference in terms of how this can be spun by CCHQ between a 25% vote for Hall and a 32% vote.
As has been said by others, the Mayoral contests, more than the Council or PCC or even the Blackpool South by-elections, will be the fulcrum of the election night spin operation. IF Houchen and Street win and Hall performs respectably, the Conservatives will claim a good night irrespective of the other results. IF Houchen scrapes home, Street loses and Hall gets 25% or less I suspect it will be much harder to spin as anything positive.
Fucking May Day. So every business in France shuts and no one has any where to go on the one day everyone is on holiday. How fucking stupid is that. The French are twats
Repeated this month for 8 May (VE Day), Ascension and Pentecost.
What today has proved is that any leader of the SNP has to have Green support or there is an exceptional election. Forbes is not going to get it so she really ought to be in a position to trade.
I think you are misreading the situation.
What today has shown is that the Greens do not want there to be an early election, in the same way as turkeys don't vote for Christmas. The Greens know that they are in a privileged position currently and any election will worsen their hand.
Yousaf fell not because he fell out with the Greens, but because he rudely spurned them and to paraphrase hell hath no fury like those who are spurned.
Forbes would not be the Greens choice, but that is by the by. If the SNP vote for Forbes then the Greens will face the choice of working with Forbes where they can with an SNP minority government, or vote for an early election from which the Greens can only lose significance. They know which side their bread is buttered on and will do the former, so long as Forbes isn't obnoxiously rude to them in the way that Yousaf was.
Well, we shall see. I can't see Forbes having Green Ministers again. I can't see her not implementing Cass in full. I strongly suspect she would want to dual the A9 and the A96. She is not going to revisit absurdly optimistic and now abandoned net zero targets. She will cut the funding of some of these state funded charities that are making so much noise. She would very likely start to reduce the tartan taxes that make Scotland such an unattractive place to run a business or invest in. The no fishing zones would go.
In fact, I am struggling to see what they might agree about.
On the previous voting system I'd have put Lib Dems first and Labour/Khan second.
First past the post makes it harder. I don't want Susan Hall to get in, but equally that feels sufficiently unlikely to not be a concern such that I can vote how I wish.
On the previous voting system I'd have put Lib Dems first and Labour/Khan second.
First past the post makes it harder. I don't want Susan Hall to get in, but equally that feels sufficiently unlikely to not be a concern such that I can vote how I wish.
Decisions, decisions.
Rob Blackie’s a good candidate, and if the worst comes to the worst and Susan Hall wins she’ll be a living reminder to the country for several years of why they kicked out the Tories.
My postal vote has - for the first time we’ll ever - sat unopened on my desk.
What today has proved is that any leader of the SNP has to have Green support or there is an exceptional election. Forbes is not going to get it so she really ought to be in a position to trade.
I think you are misreading the situation.
What today has shown is that the Greens do not want there to be an early election, in the same way as turkeys don't vote for Christmas. The Greens know that they are in a privileged position currently and any election will worsen their hand.
Yousaf fell not because he fell out with the Greens, but because he rudely spurned them and to paraphrase hell hath no fury like those who are spurned.
Forbes would not be the Greens choice, but that is by the by. If the SNP vote for Forbes then the Greens will face the choice of working with Forbes where they can with an SNP minority government, or vote for an early election from which the Greens can only lose significance. They know which side their bread is buttered on and will do the former, so long as Forbes isn't obnoxiously rude to them in the way that Yousaf was.
Well, we shall see. I can't see Forbes having Green Ministers again. I can't see her not implementing Cass in full. I strongly suspect she would want to dual the A9 and the A96. She is not going to revisit absurdly optimistic and now abandoned net zero targets. She will cut the funding of some of these state funded charities that are making so much noise. She would very likely start to reduce the tartan taxes that make Scotland such an unattractive place to run a business or invest in. The no fishing zones would go.
In fact, I am struggling to see what they might agree about.
They don't need to agree on much for her to be able to be First Minister, if the Greens as they showed today are willing to support a minority government and not an early election.
Yousaf fell because he was rude to the Greens. To unilaterally tear up an agreement like that without even discussing it with them first is just shocking, I wouldn't trust anyone who does that again.
Forbes simply not agreeing with them on many matters while running a minority government is a different matter. She doesn't need Green Ministers since she'll have a minority government. All she needs from the Greens is confidence and supply, and voting on issue by issue where they do agree to get bills through like any other minority government.
If the Greens aren't willing to face an election, and they showed today they're not, then they're much easier to buy off for confidence and supply rather than a full coalition agreement.
I am a big fan of LBC. Nonetheless LBC would appear to have dismissed the excellent Sangita Myska for challenging an Israeli spokesman defending the Gaza campaign. Sangita is a proper journalist and a great presenter. If that wasn't bad enough she has been replaced by the right-wing and grating Vanessa Feltz.
Vanessa Feltz (whilst you're correct that she's right wing, and yes, she can be annoying) is a very smart cookie and not to be underestimated. Her demolition of Alistair Campbell in a Radio interview with him was exquisite.
Vanessa Feltz got a first from the University of Cambridge. Sangita Myska got a 2:2 from the University of Birmingham.
...and your point is?
You have a Cabinet full of Oxbridge firsts and look where we are. Anyway, nothing wrong with a redbrick Desmond I'll have you know.
Absolutely disgraceful and shameful efforts by the Tories in the West Midlands .
Street deserves to lose for being part of this last minute campaign to discredit his opponent . The Labour candidate already fulfills the criteria to stand regardless of where he lives because of his business interests in the area .
Absolutely disgraceful and shameful efforts by the Tories in the West Midlands .
Street deserves to lose for being part of this last minute campaign to discredit his opponent . The Labour candidate already fulfills the criteria to stand regardless of where he lives because of his business interests in the area .
I have no idea what you're talking about sorry, but if politicians weren't allowed to attempt to discredit their opponents then there wouldn't be many politicians left.
Comments
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2024/apr/30/delacroixs-liberty-shows-her-true-colours-after-louvre-restoration
Which is all kinds of ironic
Remember that note you hid in Bill Poppleton’s snuff box? What did you mean by that?
I found one 12km away and booked, but got no confirmation. I'd run out of supplies (beer) and went to three supermarkets. They were all closed and not opening until 5pm, I got to the third one at 4:30
I had to press on without beer, not knowing if I had a room booked. I'd walked about 2km more when I got a message from the host asking me to be there before 8pm
I replied no problem, thinking I'd be there by 7. Five minutes later I was officially diverted. They were doing major works on the canal I'd been walking by. I followed the diversion, and it seemed to be an extra km or two on the route. No problem
Then I lost the route.. the signs are set up for people going the right way, not oddballs like me walking to France. But Google maps told me that I was still on a path, heading for a road that would join me back to the official route
Then the path ended. It carried on on Google, but I'd reached the middle of a side of a vast field with some young crops growing in it. I couldn't follow the Google path, straight through the field, but I had to carry on, I had to be there by 8
I ended up having to walk around four fields, and walk through the brambles and climb over the irrigation channels between them. I eventually got back to the road, still with 10km to go, and two and a half hours until eight
I knew I could do it, but I was damned thirsty and still had a hill to climb. I got over the 100m hill and thought I was basically done; 5km to go and an hour and a half to get there
Then the heavens opened, quite violently, and the wind got strong. I had my little umbrella up but couldn't stop the rain from hammering ìnto the back of my legs
Nor could I do anything about the dirty, huge splash from the rain covering my jeans from the knee down in filth
I arrived at the hostel with half an hour to spare. The host was shocked to see me; he was sure I'd have given up. But my room was available, he gave me perfect dinner (chicken soup, then lentil and chorizo stew), and did my washing, all for 40€
While digesting "Reader's Digest"
In the back of the dirty book store . . .
John Prine - Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heuGzSgsiwk
https://medium.com/britainelects/previewing-the-2nd-may-2024-local-elections-part-iii-southern-england-61b5d212e837
Man deserves an MBE for his work though.
"Labour set to unveil weakened package of workers’ rights. Shadow ministers have been discussing how to tone down some of pledges in ‘New Deal’ to ease employer misgivings", Financial Times, May 1 2024?, see https://archive.is/DdxXz
Or do we just throw it on the pile with the rest?
Leon would always be able to pour himself a glass of cheap local red.
https://election.pressassociation.com/locals/provisional-may-election-declaration-times-in-chronological-order/
Many of the mayors on Saturday. Of potentially interesting ones, Tees Valley and N Yorks both Friday afternoon.
Incremental gains ftw
https://takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/this-tfl-ai-experiment-reveals-how
AI, tube & trains, and capacity issues. It's like pb without the politics (which some nights is pb).
It's electoral gold
https://www.redbubble.com/i/t-shirt/William-Shakespeare-face-and-quote-Heat-not-a-furnace-for-your-foe-so-hot-that-it-do-singe-yourself-by-artbleed/137111077.CW2C9
I suspect he will manage to throw away that vast majority within one term
He talked about the huge work in trying to get to the people in the gangs and explained that the way they are set up is that layers are protected and isolated so intelligence is very hard to get. The top people are so well removed and protected by other groups that they are untouchable and when a low link in the chain gets caught it’s easily replaced.
So saying “we are going to target the criminal networks” is like him saying that he is going to solve global warming by investing in renewable energy in the UK - it’s already being done by multiple police agencies, governments and intelligence networks and to do much more is not at all easy as there are constraints and just sticking up more wind turbines/targeting crime networks doesn’t solve the problem as it’s multilayered.
Next up - Rachel Reeves strangles a kitten to show you we are WELL UP FOR IT.
He would be wise to try, since as the fall since 2019 will likely show, a big majority does not guarantee a second term.
I came over a big hill to see this today. It's no Mont Saint Michel, but it's pretty impressive
The building on top is a ninth century Celtiberian castle, built on the site of a Roman/Visigoth fortress
I didn't walk up an extra steep climb to check out the noom. I had to climb over 500m today without that
Someone should
Who the f.... am I meant to vote for?
https://x.com/anthonycabassa_/status/1785601669809746188
On the previous voting system I'd have put Lib Dems first and Labour/Khan second.
First past the post makes it harder. I don't want Susan Hall to get in, but equally that feels sufficiently unlikely to not be a concern such that I can vote how I wish.
Decisions, decisions.
He thinks
1 - Labour to win the PCC.
2 - Ben Bradley likely to win the East Midlands mayoralty.
3 - Conservatives to lose all their seats in Nottinghamshire at the GE.
4 - Lee Anderson will retain Ashfield, on the basis of votes amongst 45+, and because younglings will tend not to vote. And Zadrozny not to be seriously impacted by impending criminal charges ("Vote for me, I'm an innocent man!").
He thinks Ashfield Labour are still mad.
Me:
1 - Agree.
2 - I'm not sure on this.
3 - I think they will retain 1-3.
4 - I think Anderson will split the Right vote, Z will be quite more unpopular than he has been, and Labour may come through the middle.
https://chng.it/X7WKkbCvhV
Question enrages him. At once, good night.
This wins the Scotch play quoting contest, and applies whenever sks or sunil is interviewed.
This problem is a money problem. Play them at their own game.
1> Promising policy.
2> Rumours abound that the policy is no longer policy at least not the policy that was promised.
3> Scrapping the policy a day before an election.
Simply doing nothing is preferable.
It's big, clean, new and smart, but it's not at all fancy. There's pool and table football in the lobby, and the restaurant menu doesn't look great
The hotel restaurant is closed because of May Day until breakfast anyway so I wandered down to the only open restaurant i could find
Everything on the menu came with two fried eggs and chips, or was a starter version without. Even the fish came with eggs
I decided to go for Burgos morcilla (black pudding) with eggs and chips. With some local red
It was absolutely delicious, and exactly what I needed
In fact, I am struggling to see what they might agree about.
The fear must be it will be 10 years of drift and that's the challenge - with a huge majority, Starmer can afford to be radical (Blair could as well and we'll never know what a second term might have been like as the events of September 11th 2001 transformed both the domestic and international agenda in ways which could not have been foreseen).
Starmer of course must be aware such things could happen on this watch - after all, Covid torpedoed Johnson's plans completely. Will there be a rush to be radical in the first term? Perhaps and not explaining that radicalism now will irritate some but the voters Starmer needs to win don't want to hear radical now - whether they will when he has a 200+ majority (if that happens) remains to be seen.
Here are a few favourites:
Sugarloaf, Abergavenny: https://images.app.goo.gl/XjN91ruwr3p8vVxa8
The Wrekin: https://images.app.goo.gl/q7NcL2i3h4Txxb7Q8
Mont Brouilly: https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/db/Mont_Brouilly.jpg&tbnid=mXfvDIDQKIzfJM&vet=1&imgrefurl=https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mont_Brouilly.jpg&docid=Axo-KziKeKp8EM&w=2272&h=656&hl=en-gb&source=sh/x/im/m1/3&kgs=b0cccbe8611dac9c&shem=abme,trie
Gerbier de Jonc: https://images.app.goo.gl/Rjfa9k47NdmsJBNGA
There of course many more.
Pretty useless vs. possibly useless grey mist. Those are my choices.
Bonus points for the reason NI is punching above its weight.
https://tinyurl.com/5bt695ft
https://election.pressassociation.com/declaration-times/
https://www.standard.co.uk/comment/sadiq-khan-susan-hall-london-mayoral-election-labour-city-hall-b1154976.html
London's evening paper endorses the incumbent.
But, it will be a Labour Rwanda, and not a Tory Rwanda, so that will be ok.
It's rather nice to get such a compliment from a professional writer
What then are we to make of the London Mayoral election polls this evening? We had YouGov with a 22 point Khan lead yesterday, then Savanta weighed in with a 10 point Khan lead this morning.
The Savanta poll looks dramatic but it's not Hall tearing chunks out of Khan's lead (Hall is actually down a point) but all the candidates taking nibbles out of Khan's polling. Blackie has 10% (the polls often over estimate the LD position) with Garbett also up a notch as is Reform.
The methodology Savanta use weights on the 2021 Mayoral poll and there's an argument false recall is one of the issues. We'll find out more on Friday evening.
As Chris Hopkins himself states, it's still a comfortable lead for Khan but there's a world of difference in terms of how this can be spun by CCHQ between a 25% vote for Hall and a 32% vote.
As has been said by others, the Mayoral contests, more than the Council or PCC or even the Blackpool South by-elections, will be the fulcrum of the election night spin operation. IF Houchen and Street win and Hall performs respectably, the Conservatives will claim a good night irrespective of the other results. IF Houchen scrapes home, Street loses and Hall gets 25% or less I suspect it will be much harder to spin as anything positive.
She must be one of the nicest and most human MPs I've ever seen interviewed.
I'd be sorely tempted to vote Labour for her if I lived in Canterbury.
I can’t muster the enthusiasm to vote for anyone.
Yousaf fell because he was rude to the Greens. To unilaterally tear up an agreement like that without even discussing it with them first is just shocking, I wouldn't trust anyone who does that again.
Forbes simply not agreeing with them on many matters while running a minority government is a different matter. She doesn't need Green Ministers since she'll have a minority government. All she needs from the Greens is confidence and supply, and voting on issue by issue where they do agree to get bills through like any other minority government.
If the Greens aren't willing to face an election, and they showed today they're not, then they're much easier to buy off for confidence and supply rather than a full coalition agreement.
784,290 steps
499.67 kilometres
108 hours and 12 minutes
I haven't walked all the way in the Camino direction, I seem to be 480km into that
I'm told the total distance is 760km, so I have 280km to go in eight days
Maybe I could do it in seven for a nineteen day Camino?
You have a Cabinet full of Oxbridge firsts and look where we are. Anyway, nothing wrong with a redbrick Desmond I'll have you know.
He's almost as short in price as Khan.
Street deserves to lose for being part of this last minute campaign to discredit his opponent . The Labour candidate already fulfills the criteria to stand regardless of where he lives because of his business interests in the area .