I don't think HS2 was salvageable given the billions that the Bank of England's taxpayer-backed quantative tightening programme is taking out of the Government's budget. Note that Labour hasn't said it will reinstate it.
Regarding the economy more generally, a very simple summary of the economy at the moment is of a seesaw. The more that the Government succeeds in growing the economy and putting more money into peoples' pockets, the more that the Bank of England will remove it in the cause of fighting inflation. They will do this by raising interest rates and selling government bonds, which will impoverish both the public, and the Government.
That results in an uncomfortable stalemate. There's only one way off the seesaw that I can see, which is to increase supply. Increasing the supply of energy and food drives prices down, that drives inflation down, whilst growing the economy.
Anyone know another way?
Trains are an obsession among male middle class nerds.
PB is filled with male middle class nerds.
As to the BoE and reversing QE - its probably a good idea to 'reload the magazine' for when it is needed again.
Whether they're doing it at the right pace and to the right amount I've no idea.
1. There's no need to sell the bonds before they reach maturity. The ECB is waiting. 2. There's no need for the Government to indemnify the Bank's crazy programme out of its budget - the US Government is not chucking money at the Fed's QT programme. Our Government is literally borrowing on the markets to fund this programme. It's lunacy. They could be paying £80bn off our national debt instead.
It's finally being noted in some areas of the media, so that's something.
On the wider point though, it would be good to know if anyone here has a plan or an idea of how to return the economy to growth without expanding supply and driving prices down that way. Because that looks like the only show in town to me, yet it's the opposite of what either Sunak or Starmer are trying to do.
W Mids - yet another mayor vote where LibDems do terribly and are behind Greens.
I think it’s a brand thing, which is interesting. Lib Dems have a solid brand in local government. In Westminster they’re either in contention in certain areas or wholly irrelevant. Mayors and PCCs, for whatever reason, just not seen as in scope.
A bit like quiche Lorraine: you enjoy eating it for lunch. You might at a push consider it at dinner. But you would never countenance it at breakfast despite it sharing most ingredients with a fry up.
A lot of LD councillors also do actually do quite a good job of being a councillor, which helps.
A lot of councillors of all stripes do quite a good job. It's not something that generally gets acknowledged as we only tend to hear about the loony ones. Yet go on any local news comments section and the prevailing view (at least of the type of people who comment on such things) is a default assumption councillors are useless or outright corrupt. It's typically stated with utter confidence.
Sam Freedman @Samfr · 10m You will be astonished to learn that the post-election fightback will include crackdowns on "benefits spongers" and "dangling tax cuts".
The political Left are in a tailspin, claiming that Britain First got less votes on Thursday than 'Count Binface'. This is simply not true, overall. The total number of voters who put a cross for Britain First in the London elections was 32,085, compared to 24,260 for Binface.
But @countbinface got more votes than the BF Mayoral candidate.
Andy Street is a decent guy. That's how you give a losing speech.
He should join Labour.
This place tonight is rather nasty. It’s perfectly possible to be a conservative and be a decent guy. Being conservative is a view of how the world works, and how you think the country should be run. Being labour has different views on that. Their is an astonishingly nasty streak of some posters on here tonight (not talking about you, horse). The bile is coming from the left. It’s time for Labour to have their go at running the country. But to here some, a party that was in tatters a few short years ago are set for a decade of power, all before a single vote in the GE has been cast. Hubris, I name thee Heathener.
Sorry dude, but this "I'm very sad because bile is directed at the tories" line feels very pathetic. The Tories have made a bloody mess over the last five years in the most arrogant, inconsiderate way possible. The reason Street gets so much kudos is he isn't that person. He's what the tory party could be if they weren't full of people who are corrupt, incompetent, stupid or borderline evil. That's why they cop the sharp edge of the tongue. Just like Labour did under Corbyn. The lesson is simple: be better.
I’m not trying to defend the Tories, far from it. It’s just the tone from some posters is rather nasty.
It’s easy and in my view rather lazy the blame the incumbent government during a once in a century pandemic and a major European war with resulting surgedvinflation for all the ills of the country. Starmer and Labour will not find many easy answers out there. I wish that there were.
I'm sorry, what?
Are you saying we shouldn't blame the Tories for partying through lockdown - illegally - against their own advice?
I think everyone agrees they handled the vaccine rollout well and the pandemic itself the UK was middling but not terrible.
But what has anything since then got to do with it?
Boris Johnson chose to lie - nothing to do with COVID The Tories chose to defend Johnson's lies - nothing to do with COVID They chose to elect Liz Truss - nothing to do with COVID Rishi Sunak chose to cancel HS2 - nothing to do with COVID Rishi Sunak chose to pursue an electoral strategy based on one London seat - nothing to do with COVID
I think the Tories have been dealt a bad hand - and played it incredibly badly. You can't honestly say at this point Labour would have done any of those things with a straight face.
Covid was a huge hit financially, hit schooling with the potential effects lasting a decade, hit healthcare hugely. If you can see the effects of covid, then you need to look a bit harder.
Johnson and the Conservative Party were held aloft as the nation's COVID saviours. They claimed to have saved the economy through the furlough scheme and trumpeted their part in developing and distributing vaccines. They were the nation's heroes.
However unbeknownst to us they were milking a PPE procurement crisis by fast tracking their friends and relations to multi million pounds profits from cheap PPE purchased, and then sold at an astronomical profit, from AliExpress. And to celebrate whilst we were peering out from under the bedsheets in fear as 160,000 Britons died in agony, they were pissing it up at Downing Street.
Would Labour have done the same. I dunno, but we have the smoking gun from the Tories
Labour might well have pissed away more on worthless PPE but I don't think the personal sleaze would have been as great.
Labour would have had longer and harder lockdowns, with all the damage they caused, but they wouldn't have flouted their own restrictions as stupidly.
If some of the lockdowns had been earlier the final casualty tally might have been less. I'll give Johnson a pass for that one, because it was a tough call for whoever was in charge. The Conservative Government's corruption and rule flouting on the other hand was unforgivable
What is Rishi Sunak actually trying to achieve now. We can all see the political trajectory. Every week that passes the Tory position worsens. The government is paralysed. The nation is rudderless. What is the point. Why drag out the pain for everyone.
Sam Freedman @Samfr · 10m You will be astonished to learn that the post-election fightback will include crackdowns on "benefits spongers" and "dangling tax cuts".
Jeez they really are delusional.
When you are in a hole, keep on digging. Even when your spade breaks.
The expresserati are fuming. A few claims of vote tampering and betrayal of the British people. I have to admit that I am nervous about the far right after the GE. It wouldn't surprise me if there is a Capitol Hill style event. Without their guys in office to moderate them the safety is going to come off that crowd.
You seriously think people would be arsed to riot on behalf of Rishi Sunak? 😂
Not for sunak, but against the marxist rejoiner woke blob.
I don't think HS2 was salvageable given the billions that the Bank of England's taxpayer-backed quantative tightening programme is taking out of the Government's budget. Note that Labour hasn't said it will reinstate it.
Regarding the economy more generally, a very simple summary of the economy at the moment is of a seesaw. The more that the Government succeeds in growing the economy and putting more money into peoples' pockets, the more that the Bank of England will remove it in the cause of fighting inflation. They will do this by raising interest rates and selling government bonds, which will impoverish both the public, and the Government.
That results in an uncomfortable stalemate. There's only one way off the seesaw that I can see, which is to increase supply. Increasing the supply of energy and food drives prices down, that drives inflation down, whilst growing the economy.
Anyone know another way?
Trains are an obsession among male middle class nerds.
PB is filled with male middle class nerds.
As to the BoE and reversing QE - its probably a good idea to 'reload the magazine' for when it is needed again.
Whether they're doing it at the right pace and to the right amount I've no idea.
1. There's no need to sell the bonds before they reach maturity. The ECB is waiting. 2. There's no need for the Government to indemnify the Bank's crazy programme out of its budget - the US Government is not chucking money at the Fed's QT programme. Our Government is literally borrowing on the markets to fund this programme. It's lunacy. They could be paying £80bn off our national debt instead.
It's finally being noted in some areas of the media, so that's something.
On the wider point though, it would be good to know if anyone here has a plan or an idea of how to return the economy to growth without expanding supply and driving prices down that way. Because that looks like the only show in town to me, yet it's the opposite of what either Sunak or Starmer are trying to do.
Blame Osbourne. He wrote the indemnity when he wanted to bank gains on the QE programme many years earlier which contributed to the fiscal position (and reduction I'm borrowing) back then.
This is just the chickens coming home to roost.
(Albeit I do think the BoE could stop selling bonds now - inflation is back at target more or less)
Henry Mance @henrymance · 5h Respect to the election workers who counted votes for the London mayoralty, despite the capital's widespread looting, gun battles and tank warfare
Henry Mance @henrymance · 5h Respect to the election workers who counted votes for the London mayoralty, despite the capital's widespread looting, gun battles and tank warfare
Henry Mance @henrymance · 5h Respect to the election workers who counted votes for the London mayoralty, despite the capital's widespread looting, gun battles and tank warfare
“The only person promoting Paul Scully as a concept is Paul Scully. Reality is Susan polled way above what the party is polling in London. Goes to show proper conservative values win support.”
They're going to do it all over again aren't they.
The political Left are in a tailspin, claiming that Britain First got less votes on Thursday than 'Count Binface'. This is simply not true, overall. The total number of voters who put a cross for Britain First in the London elections was 32,085, compared to 24,260 for Binface.
But @countbinface got more votes than the BF Mayoral candidate.
Not that you'd expect them to be slick at politics, but that's just pathetic.
Being serious the chap behind Count Binface deserves credit for how much more effort he puts in than most joke candidates.
I'll be London's greatest mayor your wish is my command But I could use your help to run I need to raise ten grand
2024's an opportunity to show the world the wonders of democracy Putin, Trump and Xi would throw it all in the abyss But the British system still allows us all to take the piss
Oh you to me are everything the city I'll be conquiering Oh London!
The political Left are in a tailspin, claiming that Britain First got less votes on Thursday than 'Count Binface'. This is simply not true, overall. The total number of voters who put a cross for Britain First in the London elections was 32,085, compared to 24,260 for Binface.
But @countbinface got more votes than the BF Mayoral candidate.
The political Left are in a tailspin, claiming that Britain First got less votes on Thursday than 'Count Binface'. This is simply not true, overall. The total number of voters who put a cross for Britain First in the London elections was 32,085, compared to 24,260 for Binface.
But @countbinface got more votes than the BF Mayoral candidate.
Perhaps this tweet, highlighting the ambivalent evidence vis-a-vis Count Binface, will make the political Left reconsider and shut up shop for good.
I don't think HS2 was salvageable given the billions that the Bank of England's taxpayer-backed quantative tightening programme is taking out of the Government's budget. Note that Labour hasn't said it will reinstate it.
Regarding the economy more generally, a very simple summary of the economy at the moment is of a seesaw. The more that the Government succeeds in growing the economy and putting more money into peoples' pockets, the more that the Bank of England will remove it in the cause of fighting inflation. They will do this by raising interest rates and selling government bonds, which will impoverish both the public, and the Government.
That results in an uncomfortable stalemate. There's only one way off the seesaw that I can see, which is to increase supply. Increasing the supply of energy and food drives prices down, that drives inflation down, whilst growing the economy.
Anyone know another way?
Trains are an obsession among male middle class nerds.
PB is filled with male middle class nerds.
As to the BoE and reversing QE - its probably a good idea to 'reload the magazine' for when it is needed again.
Whether they're doing it at the right pace and to the right amount I've no idea.
1. There's no need to sell the bonds before they reach maturity. The ECB is waiting. 2. There's no need for the Government to indemnify the Bank's crazy programme out of its budget - the US Government is not chucking money at the Fed's QT programme. Our Government is literally borrowing on the markets to fund this programme. It's lunacy. They could be paying £80bn off our national debt instead.
It's finally being noted in some areas of the media, so that's something.
On the wider point though, it would be good to know if anyone here has a plan or an idea of how to return the economy to growth without expanding supply and driving prices down that way. Because that looks like the only show in town to me, yet it's the opposite of what either Sunak or Starmer are trying to do.
Blame Osbourne. He wrote the indemnity when he wanted to bank gains on the QE programme many years earlier which contributed to the fiscal position (and reduction I'm borrowing) back then.
This is just the chickens coming home to roost.
(Albeit I do think the BoE could stop selling bonds now - inflation is back at target more or less)
Sure. But why does Osborne's agreement have not only a quasi-constitutional status, but one that we don't even discuss or debate. It's costing us more than an entire Government department.
We have given the BOE effective command over the Government. Perhaps it has had this command for decades - there's certainly always been something a bit off about the Treasury. But it's now very stark.
I propose again, the only way to end the stalemate of Government vs. Bank - trying to get the economy going vs. trying to get it to stop, is to use the Government's powers to transform supply, and drive prices down by plentiful supply as opposed to driving them down by reduced demand. There's no other way to do it.
On Thursday Sunak had his win in TDanSmithland and might have got himself the West Midlands at a push. Even in defeat he could claim a valiant fight. But the claim via Kate Ferguson that Susan Hall had won was so plausible it needed to be true, or at the very least very close. Sunak as the figurehead now looks as ridiculous as those of us who took on Ferguson's BS.
I don't think HS2 was salvageable given the billions that the Bank of England's taxpayer-backed quantative tightening programme is taking out of the Government's budget. Note that Labour hasn't said it will reinstate it.
Regarding the economy more generally, a very simple summary of the economy at the moment is of a seesaw. The more that the Government succeeds in growing the economy and putting more money into peoples' pockets, the more that the Bank of England will remove it in the cause of fighting inflation. They will do this by raising interest rates and selling government bonds, which will impoverish both the public, and the Government.
That results in an uncomfortable stalemate. There's only one way off the seesaw that I can see, which is to increase supply. Increasing the supply of energy and food drives prices down, that drives inflation down, whilst growing the economy.
Anyone know another way?
Trains are an obsession among male middle class nerds.
PB is filled with male middle class nerds.
As to the BoE and reversing QE - its probably a good idea to 'reload the magazine' for when it is needed again.
Whether they're doing it at the right pace and to the right amount I've no idea.
1. There's no need to sell the bonds before they reach maturity. The ECB is waiting. 2. There's no need for the Government to indemnify the Bank's crazy programme out of its budget - the US Government is not chucking money at the Fed's QT programme. Our Government is literally borrowing on the markets to fund this programme. It's lunacy. They could be paying £80bn off our national debt instead.
It's finally being noted in some areas of the media, so that's something.
On the wider point though, it would be good to know if anyone here has a plan or an idea of how to return the economy to growth without expanding supply and driving prices down that way. Because that looks like the only show in town to me, yet it's the opposite of what either Sunak or Starmer are trying to do.
Blame Osbourne. He wrote the indemnity when he wanted to bank gains on the QE programme many years earlier which contributed to the fiscal position (and reduction I'm borrowing) back then.
This is just the chickens coming home to roost.
(Albeit I do think the BoE could stop selling bonds now - inflation is back at target more or less)
Sure. But why does Osborne's agreement have the status and value not only of a written part of the constitution, but of one that we don't even discuss or debate. It's costing us more than an entire Government department.
Only if you don't understand the difference between fiscal and monetary policy.
Henry Mance @henrymance · 5h Respect to the election workers who counted votes for the London mayoralty, despite the capital's widespread looting, gun battles and tank warfare
Johnson was an arse and I’m glad he’s gone and is not coming back. But the public finance constrain what governments can do. How many schools you can rebuild, how many doctors you can pay etc. This version of the Tories are getting most things wrong. I think cancelling HS2 was wrong, Inthink Rwanda is wrong. I’ll be voting for labour at the GE. But I think it’s right to appreciate the challenges thrown at the government since 2019.
But you didn't respond to any of the points I made, that have nothing to do with the finances.
You're reminding me of myself when Corbyn was about to lose.
Can you point to a single thing the Tories have actually done since 2010? A single positive change they've actually made?
I'll name one: gay marriage.
Apart from that, can you really agree that they've really done anything?
I'm reading "Cameron at 10", so I'll give you Libya. I'd also say the expansion in smaller train stations and the mayoralities. The PCCs were also a good idea IMO, although I think nobody else likes them.
If you take a utilitarian POV I don't think Libya has been a success. Yes Ghadaffi was deeply unpleasant authoritarian but he ran a functioning state with pretty good heath and education outcomes. Now ~ a decade post intervention new Libya is a tragedy and IMO much worse than new Iraq.
Sadiq Khan may not realise it yet but he has a fight on his hands next year.
I do find it ironic that Lord Frost is an unelected bureaucrat.
An unelected bureaucrat that would lose his influence in government if the public vote against his party, which will happen in the next election. When does that happen in the EU?
Sadiq Khan may not realise it yet but he has a fight on his hands next year.
I do find it ironic that Lord Frost is an unelected bureaucrat.
An unelected bureaucrat that would lose his influence in government if the public vote against his party, which will happen in the next election. When does that happen in the EU?
I don't think HS2 was salvageable given the billions that the Bank of England's taxpayer-backed quantative tightening programme is taking out of the Government's budget. Note that Labour hasn't said it will reinstate it.
Regarding the economy more generally, a very simple summary of the economy at the moment is of a seesaw. The more that the Government succeeds in growing the economy and putting more money into peoples' pockets, the more that the Bank of England will remove it in the cause of fighting inflation. They will do this by raising interest rates and selling government bonds, which will impoverish both the public, and the Government.
That results in an uncomfortable stalemate. There's only one way off the seesaw that I can see, which is to increase supply. Increasing the supply of energy and food drives prices down, that drives inflation down, whilst growing the economy.
Anyone know another way?
Trains are an obsession among male middle class nerds.
PB is filled with male middle class nerds.
As to the BoE and reversing QE - its probably a good idea to 'reload the magazine' for when it is needed again.
Whether they're doing it at the right pace and to the right amount I've no idea.
1. There's no need to sell the bonds before they reach maturity. The ECB is waiting. 2. There's no need for the Government to indemnify the Bank's crazy programme out of its budget - the US Government is not chucking money at the Fed's QT programme. Our Government is literally borrowing on the markets to fund this programme. It's lunacy. They could be paying £80bn off our national debt instead.
It's finally being noted in some areas of the media, so that's something.
On the wider point though, it would be good to know if anyone here has a plan or an idea of how to return the economy to growth without expanding supply and driving prices down that way. Because that looks like the only show in town to me, yet it's the opposite of what either Sunak or Starmer are trying to do.
Blame Osbourne. He wrote the indemnity when he wanted to bank gains on the QE programme many years earlier which contributed to the fiscal position (and reduction I'm borrowing) back then.
This is just the chickens coming home to roost.
(Albeit I do think the BoE could stop selling bonds now - inflation is back at target more or less)
Sure. But why does Osborne's agreement have the status and value not only of a written part of the constitution, but of one that we don't even discuss or debate. It's costing us more than an entire Government department.
Only if you don't understand the difference between fiscal and monetary policy.
This is fiscal policy. The Government makes good the losses on the Bank's QT programme out of 'real money'. You can claim that 'no money is real', but that's a point of theory that isn't relevant. If the Government were not having to pay over this money to the Bank, they'd have £80bn more to spend (or pay off the national debt) this year. That's as fiscal as it gets.
Sadiq Khan may not realise it yet but he has a fight on his hands next year.
I do find it ironic that Lord Frost is an unelected bureaucrat.
An unelected bureaucrat that would lose his influence in government if the public vote against his party, which will happen in the next election. When does that happen in the EU?
Governments, literally, nominate the European commissioners.
I think the main problem is that most potential Tory voters wanted to vote for Sunak, but as he was not on the ballot in their areas they voted Labour in disgust.
(In all honesty I have heard tell of people going to vote at places with only PCC elections and thinking they were going to vote for their MP - it's fascinating that with such low turnout even those that do come out may be very ill informed, not more so)
Sadiq Khan may not realise it yet but he has a fight on his hands next year.
I do find it ironic that Lord Frost is an unelected bureaucrat.
An unelected bureaucrat that would lose his influence in government if the public vote against his party, which will happen in the next election. When does that happen in the EU?
Sadiq Khan may not realise it yet but he has a fight on his hands next year.
I do find it ironic that Lord Frost is an unelected bureaucrat.
An unelected bureaucrat that would lose his influence in government if the public vote against his party, which will happen in the next election. When does that happen in the EU?
Governments, literally, nominate the European commissioners.
An irrelevant point to my argument. They remain in place when the government that appointed them gets voted out.
Sadiq Khan may not realise it yet but he has a fight on his hands next year.
I do find it ironic that Lord Frost is an unelected bureaucrat.
An unelected bureaucrat that would lose his influence in government if the public vote against his party, which will happen in the next election. When does that happen in the EU?
Not this dross again
Just because you can't counter the argument, doesn't make it dross. Your feelings and vibes about the issue don't change the facts of the matter.
Sadiq Khan may not realise it yet but he has a fight on his hands next year.
I do find it ironic that Lord Frost is an unelected bureaucrat.
An unelected bureaucrat that would lose his influence in government if the public vote against his party, which will happen in the next election. When does that happen in the EU?
Governments, literally, nominate the European commissioners.
An irrelevant point to my argument. They remain in place when the government that appointed them gets voted out.
Your argument is Boris banana stuff. Have a look this week at where it has got you. An intellectual dead end and a PM who has mortgaged his career to the leadership of Rwanda.
Those of you who like info about US Presidents may like this new-ish channel by André Dutra. His latest is on LBJ, and the one before was Carter. https://www.youtube.com/@AndreDutraTV
I don't think HS2 was salvageable given the billions that the Bank of England's taxpayer-backed quantative tightening programme is taking out of the Government's budget. Note that Labour hasn't said it will reinstate it.
Regarding the economy more generally, a very simple summary of the economy at the moment is of a seesaw. The more that the Government succeeds in growing the economy and putting more money into peoples' pockets, the more that the Bank of England will remove it in the cause of fighting inflation. They will do this by raising interest rates and selling government bonds, which will impoverish both the public, and the Government.
That results in an uncomfortable stalemate. There's only one way off the seesaw that I can see, which is to increase supply. Increasing the supply of energy and food drives prices down, that drives inflation down, whilst growing the economy.
Anyone know another way?
Trains are an obsession among male middle class nerds.
PB is filled with male middle class nerds.
As to the BoE and reversing QE - its probably a good idea to 'reload the magazine' for when it is needed again.
Whether they're doing it at the right pace and to the right amount I've no idea.
1. There's no need to sell the bonds before they reach maturity. The ECB is waiting. 2. There's no need for the Government to indemnify the Bank's crazy programme out of its budget - the US Government is not chucking money at the Fed's QT programme. Our Government is literally borrowing on the markets to fund this programme. It's lunacy. They could be paying £80bn off our national debt instead.
It's finally being noted in some areas of the media, so that's something.
On the wider point though, it would be good to know if anyone here has a plan or an idea of how to return the economy to growth without expanding supply and driving prices down that way. Because that looks like the only show in town to me, yet it's the opposite of what either Sunak or Starmer are trying to do.
Blame Osbourne. He wrote the indemnity when he wanted to bank gains on the QE programme many years earlier which contributed to the fiscal position (and reduction I'm borrowing) back then.
This is just the chickens coming home to roost.
(Albeit I do think the BoE could stop selling bonds now - inflation is back at target more or less)
Sure. But why does Osborne's agreement have the status and value not only of a written part of the constitution, but of one that we don't even discuss or debate. It's costing us more than an entire Government department.
Only if you don't understand the difference between fiscal and monetary policy.
We’ve still brexited. And it will never change. Sorry
You’re right. We cannot change what happened on 31 January 2020. However we can and will rejoin. Sorry. But do keep posting the holiday snaps. They’re super fun!
Paradoxically the 2019 victory may have always lead to an inevitable defeat. That coalition could never I believe, be retained.
It was such a comfortable victory I think anything other than a complete implosion would have meant a decent chance of holding on to power, even with that coalition fracturing.
Covid was an unfortunate and unforeseen hindrance, but Boris sabotaging himself, and the torpedoing of credibility that the Truss-Sunak switcharoo accomplished, coupled with lack of substantive achievements since, as turned an inevitable big dip in support into a very probable loss.
We’ve still brexited. And it will never change. Sorry
You’re right. We cannot change what happened on 31 January 2020. However we can and will rejoin. Sorry. But do keep posting the holiday snaps. They’re super fun!
Do you think Starmer will put a commitment to a second referendum in the next Labour manifesto?
An intellectual dead end and a PM who has mortgaged his career to the leadership of Rwanda.
Just imagine how bad these results could have been if Rwanda wasn't already working...
The TV footy game today had adverts along the stands saying 'Visit Rwanda"
Was the "Or else" bit covered up?
Sunak is an immigrant fanatic and is just using the stop the boats plan to distract from the massive legal influx and to attempt to virtue signal to the right.
Don't write off Susan Hall just yet. She may have been mugged for the election today, but that doesn't rule out somebody handing it in to TFL tomorrow.
Sadiq Khan may not realise it yet but he has a fight on his hands next year.
I do find it ironic that Lord Frost is an unelected bureaucrat.
An unelected bureaucrat that would lose his influence in government if the public vote against his party, which will happen in the next election. When does that happen in the EU?
EU Council is the obvious example. Unelected representatives are appointed by the elected governments of individual country’s governments.
However Frosty will still have a vote in the Lords though even if the Conservatives don’t win the next election.
I can't imagine loathing my own country so much that there was no conceivable set of circumstances wherein I might find it acceptable for it not to be part of an agglomeration of its near neighbours.
Sadiq Khan may not realise it yet but he has a fight on his hands next year.
I do find it ironic that Lord Frost is an unelected bureaucrat.
An unelected bureaucrat that would lose his influence in government if the public vote against his party, which will happen in the next election. When does that happen in the EU?
Governments, literally, nominate the European commissioners.
An irrelevant point to my argument. They remain in place when the government that appointed them gets voted out.
Your argument is Boris banana stuff. Have a look this week at where it has got you. An intellectual dead end and a PM who has mortgaged his career to the leadership of Rwanda.
Wail around on other matters as much as you want. Your lack of counterarguments on the actual point remains.
We’ve still brexited. And it will never change. Sorry
You’re right. We cannot change what happened on 31 January 2020. However we can and will rejoin. Sorry. But do keep posting the holiday snaps. They’re super fun!
Do you think Starmer will put a commitment to a second referendum in the next Labour manifesto?
No. It will take a bit longer than that. I think we’ll be back roughly on the 20th anniversary of the first referendum. I don’t rule out being back in the Single Market this decade though.
However. Before I do. Irrespective of what happens in the EU, I think everyone agrees that Frosty is an unelected bureaucrat? He’s not been elected, and he was a Civil Servant so if the cap fits….
Lewis Goodall @lewis_goodall · 57m January election remains underpriced
At this point even that crazy option cannot be ruled out. I'm sure voters would be kind after waiting that long to make their decision, in objectively the worst month of the year.
Michael Fabricant 🇬🇧🇮🇱🇺🇦 @Mike_Fabricant · 2h Andy will go on to bigger and greater things, but the West Midlands will have lost its greatest champion who attracted more investment than Wales and Scotland combined.
Lewis Goodall @lewis_goodall · 57m January election remains underpriced
At this point even that crazy option cannot be ruled out. I'm sure voters would be kind after waiting that long to make their decision, in objectively the worst month of the year.
Going to the country the week before January payday, when everyone is at their most skint, is exactly the kind of genius move that Sunak might try because he doesn't realise that most people rely on their salaries.
Sadiq Khan may not realise it yet but he has a fight on his hands next year.
I do find it ironic that Lord Frost is an unelected bureaucrat.
An unelected bureaucrat that would lose his influence in government if the public vote against his party, which will happen in the next election. When does that happen in the EU?
EU Council is the obvious example. Unelected representatives are appointed by the elected governments of individual country’s governments.
However Frosty will still have a vote in the Lords though even if the Conservatives don’t win the next election.
Steve
Those aren't EU bureaucrats. Those are national government ministers turning up for a meeting.
I can't imagine loathing my own country so much that there was no conceivable set of circumstances wherein I might find it acceptable for it not to be part of an agglomeration of its near neighbours.
In response to an earlier comment you made, I rarely agree with you politically but thought you absolutely nailed it when you referred to Sunak's lack of curiosity. He is deeply incurious, has no imagination, no hinterland. Robotic and, even if intelligent, fundamentally lacking in creative thought. I think I read somewhere that his favourite author is Jilly Cooper, which just about sums it up.
Lewis Goodall @lewis_goodall · 57m January election remains underpriced
At this point even that crazy option cannot be ruled out. I'm sure voters would be kind after waiting that long to make their decision, in objectively the worst month of the year.
Sunak is stupid enough - or at least badly advised enough - to actually do this.
I'm on and have been for a while at various prices around 12 - 15
As Hodges keeps saying - the longer they wait the worse the polling is becoming.
An intellectual dead end and a PM who has mortgaged his career to the leadership of Rwanda.
Just imagine how bad these results could have been if Rwanda wasn't already working...
The TV footy game today had adverts along the stands saying 'Visit Rwanda"
Was the "Or else" bit covered up?
Sunak is an immigrant fanatic and is just using the stop the boats plan to distract from the massive legal influx and to attempt to virtue signal to the right.
That is why he has near doubled the income threshold on family and work visas.
We’ve still brexited. And it will never change. Sorry
You’re right. We cannot change what happened on 31 January 2020. However we can and will rejoin. Sorry. But do keep posting the holiday snaps. They’re super fun!
Do you think Starmer will put a commitment to a second referendum in the next Labour manifesto?
No. It will take a bit longer than that. I think we’ll be back roughly on the 20th anniversary of the first referendum. I don’t rule out being back in the Single Market this decade though.
What do you think about the argument that the longer we are outside, the more chance there is that 'events' in one form or another will make rejoining less desirable?
We're gonna carry on with this catastrophic charade right through to January, aren't we? With an electorate which made its mind up years ago being unsuccessfully distracted by trans, cars, woke and benefits while everything gets worse.
Labour must hope Rishi stays pm else they’ve scored an own goal!!
The torys must have some really old boring mp to put in as temp pm so they don’t lose so badly. Anyone wd do better than Sunak
They need to be more creative - the council of ex-PMs is to share the job on a day by day basis.
Major can have Mondays, he'll be picking up whatever crap has come through over the weekend and try to stablise things as best he can.
Blair will have Tuesdays, he's going to launch off from Monday with a lot of ambitious plans and really pump people up without thinking too far ahead.
Brown will have Wednesdays, trying to match the rhetoric of Tuesdays but things are stumbling a bit as the midweek hits.
Cameron will have Thursdays, things are getting a bit tired now but he'll generally keep a grip on problems that have emerged during the week, even if they will crop up again later
May can have Fridays as she'll be sensible and stay in and be sober, holding down the fort with no major decisions to be made.
Boris can have Saturdays as the best day to really let loose and party, with some time to recover on the rest of the weekend, leaving a big old mess behind.
Truss can have Sundays because most people including in government are not working so less damage can be done.
I rarely agree with you politically but thought you absolutely nailed it when you referred to Sunak's lack of curiosity. He is deeply incurious, has no imagination, no hinterland. Robotic and, even if intelligent, fundamentally lacking in creative thought. I think I read somewhere that his favourite author is Jilly Cooper, which just about sums it up.
Southam has commented on this frequently. Anecdotally Richi is very curious, about very specific and nerdy things.
What he is deeply incurious about is the Country he nominally leads. How to fill up a car, how to use a debit card, the cost of living, public transport.
However. Before I do. Irrespective of what happens in the EU, I think everyone agrees that Frosty is an unelected bureaucrat? He’s not been elected, and he was a Civil Servant so if the cap fits….
Yes, he is. But accountable to elected positions. Not true for many major roles in the EU.
However. Before I do. Irrespective of what happens in the EU, I think everyone agrees that Frosty is an unelected bureaucrat? He’s not been elected, and he was a Civil Servant so if the cap fits….
Yes, he is. But accountable to elected positions. Not true for many major roles in the EU.
So are you saying the EU Parliament and the elected heads of state that set EU policy and direction aren't elected?
One wonders why Cameron - who was elected - went to re-negotiate if only unelected bureaucrats have the power.
We’ve still brexited. And it will never change. Sorry
You’re right. We cannot change what happened on 31 January 2020. However we can and will rejoin. Sorry. But do keep posting the holiday snaps. They’re super fun!
Do you think Starmer will put a commitment to a second referendum in the next Labour manifesto?
No. It will take a bit longer than that. I think we’ll be back roughly on the 20th anniversary of the first referendum. I don’t rule out being back in the Single Market this decade though.
Nah, just try and line up the ducks that get us back into the EU, it is absurdly unlikely
1. Government with huge majority recently elected (and willing to risk it)
2. Has to do it early on in term
3. No chance of any EU nation vetoing (oops)
4. Negotiation of membership goes just fine (oops)
5. British people willing to join euro and Schenghen
6. EU doing economically much better than UK
7. Polls definitively in favour of EU membership again
8. British people OK with Free Movement
9. British PM willing to expend enormous capital to make Britain subject to EU laws created by unelected eurocrats, and willing to divide the nation coz this is a good thing??
Once you look at it like that, you realise it is simply never going to happen. It's done. 2016 was it. The Revolution. C'est finit
Lewis Goodall @lewis_goodall · 57m January election remains underpriced
At this point even that crazy option cannot be ruled out. I'm sure voters would be kind after waiting that long to make their decision, in objectively the worst month of the year.
Going to the country the week before January payday, when everyone is at their most skint, is exactly the kind of genius move that Sunak might try because he doesn't realise that most people rely on their salaries.
"yeh, but the spreadsheet informs me that people will understand that this is the last legal date for an election and so therefore is the correct date for a further inquiry into the people's general views on the excellent delivery of my plan."
Sadiq Khan may not realise it yet but he has a fight on his hands next year.
I do find it ironic that Lord Frost is an unelected bureaucrat.
An unelected bureaucrat that would lose his influence in government if the public vote against his party, which will happen in the next election. When does that happen in the EU?
Not this dross again
Just because you can't counter the argument, doesn't make it dross. Your feelings and vibes about the issue don't change the facts of the matter.
I rarely agree with you politically but thought you absolutely nailed it when you referred to Sunak's lack of curiosity. He is deeply incurious, has no imagination, no hinterland. Robotic and, even if intelligent, fundamentally lacking in creative thought. I think I read somewhere that his favourite author is Jilly Cooper, which just about sums it up.
Southam has commented on this frequently. Anecdotally Richi is very curious, about very specific and nerdy things.
What he is deeply incurious about is the Country he nominally leads. How to fill up a car, how to use a debit card, the cost of living, public transport.
Well yes, of course, but I was thinking more of intellectual curiosity, curiosity about ideas. Sunak has none as far as I can see.
However. Before I do. Irrespective of what happens in the EU, I think everyone agrees that Frosty is an unelected bureaucrat? He’s not been elected, and he was a Civil Servant so if the cap fits….
Yes, he is. But accountable to elected positions. Not true for many major roles in the EU.
So are you saying the EU Parliament and the elected heads of state that set EU policy and direction aren't elected?
No, I am talking about the European Commission, which doesn't ever get voted out, regardless of performance. The EU Parliament does have a facade of democracy, but it is done in a manner where it doesn't actually change EU policy, given the two main party groupings stitch up job sharing deals after every election.
Comments
Richard Parker for West Mids Mayor 🌹
@RichParkerLab
·
17m
Thank you, West Midlands.
https://twitter.com/RichParkerLab/status/1786870629829922928
2. There's no need for the Government to indemnify the Bank's crazy programme out of its budget - the US Government is not chucking money at the Fed's QT programme. Our Government is literally borrowing on the markets to fund this programme. It's lunacy. They could be paying £80bn off our national debt instead.
It's finally being noted in some areas of the media, so that's something.
On the wider point though, it would be good to know if anyone here has a plan or an idea of how to return the economy to growth without expanding supply and driving prices down that way. Because that looks like the only show in town to me, yet it's the opposite of what either Sunak or Starmer are trying to do.
It's a wonder anyone does it.
@BFirstParty
The political Left are in a tailspin, claiming that Britain First got less votes on Thursday than 'Count Binface'.
This is simply not true, overall.
The total number of voters who put a cross for Britain First in the London elections was 32,085, compared to 24,260 for Binface.
But @countbinface got more votes than the BF Mayoral candidate.
What is Rishi Sunak actually trying to achieve now. We can all see the political trajectory. Every week that passes the Tory position worsens. The government is paralysed. The nation is rudderless. What is the point. Why drag out the pain for everyone.
This is just the chickens coming home to roost.
(Albeit I do think the BoE could stop selling bonds now - inflation is back at target more or less)
https://twitter.com/PolitlcsUK/status/1786874663043260643
I am utterly speechless. Is he trying to lose?
Henry Mance
@henrymance
·
5h
Respect to the election workers who counted votes for the London mayoralty, despite the capital's widespread looting, gun battles and tank warfare
https://twitter.com/henrymance/status/1786786059575054499
Jesus.
He has literally done what I joked he would do an hour ago:
"Sunak insisted the country was “turning a corner” and that his party’s plan “is working” "
If there is one single reason why @Leon AI fantasy is not going to happen it is the robotic spreadsheet machine that is known as Sunak.
Front of Mail ignores the elections.
Why not just headline: ‘No one likes us, we don’t care’
Torsten Bell
@TorstenBell
·
1h
British politics = exactly where we thought it was
Separate Tory source gets in touch to respond:
“The only person promoting Paul Scully as a concept is Paul Scully. Reality is Susan polled way above what the party is polling in London. Goes to show proper conservative values win support.”
They're going to do it all over again aren't they.
Being serious the chap behind Count Binface deserves credit for how much more effort he puts in than most joke candidates.
I'll be London's greatest mayor
your wish is my command
But I could use your help
to run I need to raise ten grand
2024's an opportunity
to show the world the wonders of democracy
Putin, Trump and Xi would throw it all in the abyss
But the British system still allows us all to take the piss
Oh you to me are everything
the city I'll be conquiering
Oh London!
You used to think I'm just a clown
but then I took Piers Corbyn sown
Oh London!
https://nitter.poast.org/CountBinface/status/1786322889802654103#m
Scottish Westminster Voting Intention:
LAB: 34% (+2)
SNP: 29% (-3)
CON: 16% (=)
LDM: 8% (-1)
Via @NorstatGroup, 30 Apr - 3 May.
Changes w/ 9-12 Apr.
https://x.com/electionmapsuk/status/1786877950983372872?s=46
"If Steiner attacks everything will be alright"
We have given the BOE effective command over the Government. Perhaps it has had this command for decades - there's certainly always been something a bit off about the Treasury. But it's now very stark.
I propose again, the only way to end the stalemate of Government vs. Bank - trying to get the economy going vs. trying to get it to stop, is to use the Government's powers to transform supply, and drive prices down by plentiful supply as opposed to driving them down by reduced demand. There's no other way to do it.
"Sunak roars forward with new Plan to save Britain"
FFS do you want to bring bad luck to the incumbent governments in Holyrood and Westminster?
(In all honesty I have heard tell of people going to vote at places with only PCC elections and thinking they were going to vote for their MP - it's fascinating that with such low turnout even those that do come out may be very ill informed, not more so)
Those local election results in full 😉
And you're not sorry.
Thought you fucking should be.
Covid was an unfortunate and unforeseen hindrance, but Boris sabotaging himself, and the torpedoing of credibility that the Truss-Sunak switcharoo accomplished, coupled with lack of substantive achievements since, as turned an inevitable big dip in support into a very probable loss.
@scotfax
It took me a while but I couldn’t work out why @MairiMcAllan was so familiar in Government.
Then yesterday the puzzle was solved, Mairi is a real life Nicola Murray.
This is not intentional comedy.
#accidentaliannucci
https://x.com/scotfax/status/1786667586979061980
Don't write off Susan Hall just yet. She may have been mugged for the election today, but that doesn't rule out somebody handing it in to TFL tomorrow.
However Frosty will still have a vote in the Lords though even if the Conservatives don’t win the next election.
Steve
Lewis Goodall
@lewis_goodall
·
57m
January election remains underpriced
The torys must have some really old boring mp to put in as temp pm so they don’t lose so badly. Anyone wd do better than Sunak
https://twitter.com/HughCasswell/status/1786688366605443450/photo/1
Michael Fabricant 🇬🇧🇮🇱🇺🇦
@Mike_Fabricant
·
2h
Andy will go on to bigger and greater things, but the West Midlands will have lost its greatest champion who attracted more investment than Wales and Scotland combined.
I think I read somewhere that his favourite author is Jilly Cooper, which just about sums it up.
Cruella has written an op-ed in the 'graph saying the PM should be digging to get them out of a hole
@sturdyAlex
This is now the political equivalent of a mental health crisis.
How do section the Government?
I'm on and have been for a while at various prices around 12 - 15
As Hodges keeps saying - the longer they wait the worse the polling is becoming.
With an electorate which made its mind up years ago being unsuccessfully distracted by trans, cars, woke and benefits while everything gets worse.
Major can have Mondays, he'll be picking up whatever crap has come through over the weekend and try to stablise things as best he can.
Blair will have Tuesdays, he's going to launch off from Monday with a lot of ambitious plans and really pump people up without thinking too far ahead.
Brown will have Wednesdays, trying to match the rhetoric of Tuesdays but things are stumbling a bit as the midweek hits.
Cameron will have Thursdays, things are getting a bit tired now but he'll generally keep a grip on problems that have emerged during the week, even if they will crop up again later
May can have Fridays as she'll be sensible and stay in and be sober, holding down the fort with no major decisions to be made.
Boris can have Saturdays as the best day to really let loose and party, with some time to recover on the rest of the weekend, leaving a big old mess behind.
Truss can have Sundays because most people including in government are not working so less damage can be done.
@CountBinface
·
40m
I fight Fascists and extortionate croissants.
https://twitter.com/CountBinface/status/1786875743303012376
What he is deeply incurious about is the Country he nominally leads. How to fill up a car, how to use a debit card, the cost of living, public transport.
One wonders why Cameron - who was elected - went to re-negotiate if only unelected bureaucrats have the power.
1. Government with huge majority recently elected (and willing to risk it)
2. Has to do it early on in term
3. No chance of any EU nation vetoing (oops)
4. Negotiation of membership goes just fine (oops)
5. British people willing to join euro and Schenghen
6. EU doing economically much better than UK
7. Polls definitively in favour of EU membership again
8. British people OK with Free Movement
9. British PM willing to expend enormous capital to make Britain subject to EU laws created by unelected eurocrats, and willing to divide the nation coz this is a good thing??
Once you look at it like that, you realise it is simply never going to happen. It's done. 2016 was it. The Revolution. C'est finit