Good morning everyone. That’s a greeting, not a wish that Conservative supporters have to stop feeling pessimistic.
Mrs Cole has just asked me a question to which I don’t know the answer…… one of many over the years, of course, but this time people here may be able to help. Does this National Service thing apply to both sexes, or just males. If so, do girls get the military option? (We know there are women in the Armed Services.)
It really can't be boys only
There was a stunning interview on r4 pick of the week last night. Female us f16 fighter pilot, just qualified on 9/11 but still in training squadron so no live weapons, sent up with instructions to collide with flight 93 to prevent it reaching Washington [spoiler: it had actually crashed by the time she took off,,but she didn't know that].
F-16 always flies with at least 100 rounds in the gun to maintain CoG limits so "Lucky" Penney wasn't totally unarmed as the legend now has it. However, that might not have been enough to bring down UA93 (M61 will do 100 rounds in one second) so a Sonderkommando Elbe style ramming attack was always a possibility. Aim for the cockpit and bang out at the last second. Home for tea and medals.
What is a CoG limit and why must it be maintained?
Morning all. Off to do some non-compulsory volunteering...
It doesn't count if you enjoy it.
The latest research suggests even the pyramids didn't require compulsory volunteering.
Yay - Kant early on a Bank Holiday morning. Doing a good turn is of no moral worth if you enjoy doing it.
So, when I find an errant shopping trolley on my way to the local supermarket, I should not return it? This is about the limit of my "do-goodery" these days.
Alan, I'm sure others have mentioned it too, but congratulations on being the only entrant in Ben's Excellent Competition to predict correctly the date of the GE.
How does it feel to be a front-runner?
To be honest, I had forgotten about that competition.
The tea at 4pm proposal is fairly sound, but it needs a R4 Today gotcha interview about whether this is enforced by custodial sentences are merely a fine. There is also the question of how to afford two sorts of cake (Victoria sponge and coffee and walnut for me please) what with the cost of living and all that.
My 2 favourite cakes. You've got my vote.
I thought Dundee cake would be your thing?
Dundee cake is fine but Victoria sponge well made with a slightly tart jam to offset the sweetness of the cream and coffee and walnut are simply divine. @algarkirk is a man of excellent taste and judgment.
One Downing Street insider called the 61- year-old Labour leader "Sleepy Keir", an apparent attempt to link him in the public's mind to the US's 81-year-old President Joe Biden, dubbed "Sleepy Joe" by Donald Trump. "Campaigns are tough, tiring things and it's understandable that he may be weary," said a Tory campaign official. "But being prime minister is a 24/7 job which requires stamina."
They really are very bad at this, considering whatever you think of him Starmer looks a young 61, famously plays football every week and kind of looks like a Thunderbirds character gone slightly to seed.
If it were Corbyn it would make sense, if still daft. But not here.
Plus, what a way to insult the only people in the country still voting for you as past it.
I honestly think SKS is quite a sexy man. I say as a straight man.
Who is the Labour leader? His name is Starmer ... Keir Starmer.
Famously, but perhaps apocryphally, Mark Darcy from Bridget Jones was modelled on him.
I never got a “son of a toolmaker” vibe off Mark Darcy, more upper middle class son of a lawyer by way of Radley and Oxford. Maybe it was a different human rights lawyer she based him on.
Just the hunky looks and air of stolid decency, I think.
One Downing Street insider called the 61- year-old Labour leader "Sleepy Keir", an apparent attempt to link him in the public's mind to the US's 81-year-old President Joe Biden, dubbed "Sleepy Joe" by Donald Trump. "Campaigns are tough, tiring things and it's understandable that he may be weary," said a Tory campaign official. "But being prime minister is a 24/7 job which requires stamina."
They really are crap at politics. Starmer looks very good for somebody in their 60s (albeit he has got a bit chunkier in recent years). Sleepy is not a word I would ever equate with him.
Where as Biden, you are never sure if he will actually make it to the end of a speech without the batteries running out and he spends large parts of the day not working as he is actually asleep.
Trump is very good at these insults, but he A/B tests them at all the rallies he does. He is like a comedian testing out the gags, so when its Live at the Apollo time, he has the lines that worked the best ready to go.
Seeing as @Casino_Royale has openly admitted that he will be campaigning for the Conservative Party his posts are effectively @HYUFD style party political broadcasts
I know it's unwelcome to you to have another point of view intrude into your happy echo chamber but you're going to have to put up with it for the next 6 weeks, I'm afraid.
It's called democracy.
Is it actually your point of view though or is it actually the point of view of the party which seems to change at the drop of a hat
I always share on here my point of view.
I look forward to you criticising aspects of the Tory manifesto that you disagree with
Labour is now where our focus should be - look at the polls.
How about you look forward to me pointing out that SKS is far from the best thing since sliced bread and many of the policies he is proposing will exacerbate the problems in this country, not solve them?
I actually agree with you there, from a political strategy perspective. That's why, even if a net neutral or slight positive, the National Service thing was silly.
The Ming vase strategy requires Labour to get through 6 weeks of as little media coverage as possible. That will be easy if we get more National Service type policies from Sunak.
It's about denying any oxygen to Reform and rallying the base; it also shifts the debate to defence and security - and away from cost of living where Labour would like it.
SKS has responded by basically taking yesterday off to decide how to respond, so it has disrupted their grid, and he's trying to make a speech about security atm, but it hasn't got much beyond his first job "clearing stones for farmers" so far, which did make me chuckle.
Very sensible of him.
I hope he takes a similar approach to being PM. Working 20 hour days, and trying to respond immediately to every shift in the political wind, exhausts PMs, and is probably part of the reason they make such poor decisions from time to time.
I don't hold out any great hopes for his administration, but basic competence would be an improvement on what we've had for most of the last decade.
More in Common has a swing of 3.5% from SNP to Tory. So while in England and Wales the Conservatives look headed for a 1997 style landslide defeat, in Scotland the Scottish Tories may even gain some seats from the SNP and avoid the wipeout they got in 1997
Has anyone done a seat projection from that Scottish poll? Because it is vital for knowing the landing zone percentage lead for majority/NOM. Apologies if already posted.
Electoral Calculus (rolls eyes) says Lab 29 SNP 16 Con 7 LD 5.
My guess would be that that is probably not far off for Scotland.
One Downing Street insider called the 61- year-old Labour leader "Sleepy Keir", an apparent attempt to link him in the public's mind to the US's 81-year-old President Joe Biden, dubbed "Sleepy Joe" by Donald Trump. "Campaigns are tough, tiring things and it's understandable that he may be weary," said a Tory campaign official. "But being prime minister is a 24/7 job which requires stamina."
They really are very bad at this, considering whatever you think of him Starmer looks a young 61, famously plays football every week and kind of looks like a Thunderbirds character gone slightly to seed.
If it were Corbyn it would make sense, if still daft. But not here.
Plus, what a way to insult the only people in the country still voting for you as past it.
I honestly think SKS is quite a sexy man. I say as a straight man.
Who is the Labour leader? His name is Starmer ... Keir Starmer.
Famously, but perhaps apocryphally, Mark Darcy from Bridget Jones was modelled on him.
I never got a “son of a toolmaker” vibe off Mark Darcy, more upper middle class son of a lawyer by way of Radley and Oxford. Maybe it was a different human rights lawyer she based him on.
Just the hunky looks and air of stolid decency, I think.
In politics the bar for ‘hunky’ is even lower that for ‘decency’ 😉
Good morning everyone. That’s a greeting, not a wish that Conservative supporters have to stop feeling pessimistic.
Mrs Cole has just asked me a question to which I don’t know the answer…… one of many over the years, of course, but this time people here may be able to help. Does this National Service thing apply to both sexes, or just males. If so, do girls get the military option? (We know there are women in the Armed Services.)
It really can't be boys only
There was a stunning interview on r4 pick of the week last night. Female us f16 fighter pilot, just qualified on 9/11 but still in training squadron so no live weapons, sent up with instructions to collide with flight 93 to prevent it reaching Washington [spoiler: it had actually crashed by the time she took off,,but she didn't know that].
F-16 always flies with at least 100 rounds in the gun to maintain CoG limits so "Lucky" Penney wasn't totally unarmed as the legend now has it. However, that might not have been enough to bring down UA93 (M61 will do 100 rounds in one second) so a Sonderkommando Elbe style ramming attack was always a possibility. Aim for the cockpit and bang out at the last second. Home for tea and medals.
What is a CoG limit and why must it be maintained?
The Centre of Gravity of the aircraft. The FCS (flight control system) has a range of acceptable CoGs aft-to-forward that it can manage. If the CoG is outside limits then the behaviour of the FCS and hence the aircraft in pitch axis is probably going to be problematic. Putting 100 rounds in the gun of the F-16 is enough to move the CoG forward into those limits.
You can't take the gun out of the Typhoon for the same reason though the RAF wanted to. They thought about putting a ballast in the gun bay instead but that worked out more expensive than just leaving the gun in.
E2A: It also makes the aircraft easier to handle on the ground by putting more weight over the nose wheel. Except on the MiG-21 where nothing helps.
One Downing Street insider called the 61- year-old Labour leader "Sleepy Keir", an apparent attempt to link him in the public's mind to the US's 81-year-old President Joe Biden, dubbed "Sleepy Joe" by Donald Trump. "Campaigns are tough, tiring things and it's understandable that he may be weary," said a Tory campaign official. "But being prime minister is a 24/7 job which requires stamina."
They really are very bad at this, considering whatever you think of him Starmer looks a young 61, famously plays football every week and kind of looks like a Thunderbirds character gone slightly to seed.
If it were Corbyn it would make sense, if still daft. But not here.
Plus, what a way to insult the only people in the country still voting for you as past it.
I honestly think SKS is quite a sexy man. I say as a straight man.
Who is the Labour leader? His name is Starmer ... Keir Starmer.
Famously, but perhaps apocryphally, Mark Darcy from Bridget Jones was modelled on him.
I never got a “son of a toolmaker” vibe off Mark Darcy, more upper middle class son of a lawyer by way of Radley and Oxford. Maybe it was a different human rights lawyer she based him on.
Just the hunky looks and air of stolid decency, I think.
In politics the bar for ‘hunky’ is even lower that for ‘decency’ 😉
Need we forget the supposed politically engaged yuff getting all hot under the collar over Ed Miliband...
More in Common has a swing of 3.5% from SNP to Tory. So while in England and Wales the Conservatives look headed for a 1997 style landslide defeat, in Scotland the Scottish Tories may even gain some seats from the SNP and avoid the wipeout they got in 1997
Has anyone done a seat projection from that Scottish poll? Because it is vital for knowing the landing zone percentage lead for majority/NOM. Apologies if already posted.
Electoral Calculus (rolls eyes) says Lab 29 SNP 16 Con 7 LD 5.
I would edge up the SNP seats a bit, and SLAB down a few but looks the right ballpark.
@Steven_Swinford A minister has said that the Conservative's new national service scheme was 'sprung on' MPs and candidates without consultation
Steve Baker, an NI minister, said that the policy 'was developed by a political adviser or advisers and sprung on candidates, some of whom are relevant ministers'
It’s almost as though this policy hasn’t been properly thought through and has been written on back of a fag packet (now that cigs aren’t going to be banned)
IANAE but inventing a new policy on the spur of the moment might be a risky game to play.
But it hasn’t been. It has been in development a while. William Hague has been involved in crafting it.
Sounds like the crap Vague would come up with for sure.
I thought you were all for compelling today's feckless youth to do time polishing boots and marching around parade grounds?
I would make the b*ggers work. Get them out sweeping the streets, picking up litter , getting chewing gum off pavements, painting graffiti and helping old ladies across the street. 8 am - 5pm with 30 minutes for lunch. Pay retired soldiers to ensure disciplne and no slacking. No cushy billets.
Would they get a break for National Tea Time?
Hang on, what about us tea-hating coffee drinkers? And will there be vegan options?
Nice example of why politics and statute drafting is hard. The Afternoon Tea Act 2025 will need 120 sections and 47 schedules and the debate over exemptions (The Bakewell Tart Regulations are only one example) takes 9 days in the House of Commons.
Remember the argument over whether Jaffas were cakes or biscuits. Went all the way to high legal arbitration.
That was, is and always will be about greedy transnational Big Food trying to avoid VAT on their UPF. The Pringles case always makes me smile.
Good morning everyone. That’s a greeting, not a wish that Conservative supporters have to stop feeling pessimistic.
Mrs Cole has just asked me a question to which I don’t know the answer…… one of many over the years, of course, but this time people here may be able to help. Does this National Service thing apply to both sexes, or just males. If so, do girls get the military option? (We know there are women in the Armed Services.)
It really can't be boys only
There was a stunning interview on r4 pick of the week last night. Female us f16 fighter pilot, just qualified on 9/11 but still in training squadron so no live weapons, sent up with instructions to collide with flight 93 to prevent it reaching Washington [spoiler: it had actually crashed by the time she took off,,but she didn't know that].
F-16 always flies with at least 100 rounds in the gun to maintain CoG limits so "Lucky" Penney wasn't totally unarmed as the legend now has it. However, that might not have been enough to bring down UA93 (M61 will do 100 rounds in one second) so a Sonderkommando Elbe style ramming attack was always a possibility. Aim for the cockpit and bang out at the last second. Home for tea and medals.
What is a CoG limit and why must it be maintained?
The Centre of Gravity of the aircraft. The FCS (flight control system) has a range of acceptable CoGs aft-to-forward that it can manage. If the CoG is outside limits then the behaviour of the FCS and hence the aircraft in pitch axis is probably going to be problematic. Putting 100 rounds in the gun of the F-16 is enough to move the CoG forward into those limits.
You can't take the gun out of the Typhoon for the same reason though the RAF wanted to. They thought about putting a ballast in the gun bay instead but that worked out more expensive than just leaving the gun in.
So if an F16 uses all its ammunition up, it falls out of the sky?
Seeing as @Casino_Royale has openly admitted that he will be campaigning for the Conservative Party his posts are effectively @HYUFD style party political broadcasts
I know it's unwelcome to you to have another point of view intrude into your happy echo chamber but you're going to have to put up with it for the next 6 weeks, I'm afraid.
It's called democracy.
Is it actually your point of view though or is it actually the point of view of the party which seems to change at the drop of a hat
I always share on here my point of view.
I look forward to you criticising aspects of the Tory manifesto that you disagree with
Labour is now where our focus should be - look at the polls.
How about you look forward to me pointing out that SKS is far from the best thing since sliced bread and many of the policies he is proposing will exacerbate the problems in this country, not solve them?
I actually agree with you there, from a political strategy perspective. That's why, even if a net neutral or slight positive, the National Service thing was silly.
The Ming vase strategy requires Labour to get through 6 weeks of as little media coverage as possible. That will be easy if we get more National Service type policies from Sunak.
It's about denying any oxygen to Reform and rallying the base; it also shifts the debate to defence and security - and away from cost of living where Labour would like it.
SKS has responded by basically taking yesterday off to decide how to respond, so it has disrupted their grid, and he's trying to make a speech about security atm, but it hasn't got much beyond his first job "clearing stones for farmers" so far, which did make me chuckle.
Very sensible of him.
I hope he takes a similar approach to being PM. Working 20 hour days, and trying to respond immediately to every shift in the political wind, exhausts PMs, and is probably part of the reason they make such poor decisions from time to time.
I don't hold out any great hopes for his administration, but basic competence would be an improvement on what we've had for most of the last decade.
Its like the criticism of Cameron for chillaxing. It was nonsense, he had a reasonable work life balance and the big thing the civil service said was he was always on top of the day to day aspects of government e.g. reading red box, signing off what was required etc. Where as workaholic Brown, this stuff was a disaster when he was PM as he tried to micromanage everything.
I don't expect the PM to work 20hrs a day. I expect them to keep on top of thing, set out the vision and delegate to others the implementation. Of course there are times when its all hands on deck, when it isn't, taking a Sunday off to recharge, I think is perfectly healthy.
More in Common has a swing of 3.5% from SNP to Tory. So while in England and Wales the Conservatives look headed for a 1997 style landslide defeat, in Scotland the Scottish Tories may even gain some seats from the SNP and avoid the wipeout they got in 1997
Has anyone done a seat projection from that Scottish poll? Because it is vital for knowing the landing zone percentage lead for majority/NOM. Apologies if already posted.
Electoral Calculus (rolls eyes) says Lab 29 SNP 16 Con 7 LD 5.
I would edge up the SNP seats a bit, and SLAB down a few but looks the right ballpark.
I just put the raw %ages into their Scottish predictor. There are a lot of marginals.
Good morning everyone. That’s a greeting, not a wish that Conservative supporters have to stop feeling pessimistic.
Mrs Cole has just asked me a question to which I don’t know the answer…… one of many over the years, of course, but this time people here may be able to help. Does this National Service thing apply to both sexes, or just males. If so, do girls get the military option? (We know there are women in the Armed Services.)
It really can't be boys only
There was a stunning interview on r4 pick of the week last night. Female us f16 fighter pilot, just qualified on 9/11 but still in training squadron so no live weapons, sent up with instructions to collide with flight 93 to prevent it reaching Washington [spoiler: it had actually crashed by the time she took off,,but she didn't know that].
F-16 always flies with at least 100 rounds in the gun to maintain CoG limits so "Lucky" Penney wasn't totally unarmed as the legend now has it. However, that might not have been enough to bring down UA93 (M61 will do 100 rounds in one second) so a Sonderkommando Elbe style ramming attack was always a possibility. Aim for the cockpit and bang out at the last second. Home for tea and medals.
What is a CoG limit and why must it be maintained?
The Centre of Gravity of the aircraft. The FCS (flight control system) has a range of acceptable CoGs aft-to-forward that it can manage. If the CoG is outside limits then the behaviour of the FCS and hence the aircraft in pitch axis is probably going to be problematic. Putting 100 rounds in the gun of the F-16 is enough to move the CoG forward into those limits.
You can't take the gun out of the Typhoon for the same reason though the RAF wanted to. They thought about putting a ballast in the gun bay instead but that worked out more expensive than just leaving the gun in.
E2A: It also makes the aircraft easier to handle on the ground by putting more weight over the nose wheel. Except on the MiG-21 where nothing helps.
Presumably though you unbalance the CoG by firing the last 100 rounds.
Good morning everyone. That’s a greeting, not a wish that Conservative supporters have to stop feeling pessimistic.
Mrs Cole has just asked me a question to which I don’t know the answer…… one of many over the years, of course, but this time people here may be able to help. Does this National Service thing apply to both sexes, or just males. If so, do girls get the military option? (We know there are women in the Armed Services.)
It really can't be boys only
There was a stunning interview on r4 pick of the week last night. Female us f16 fighter pilot, just qualified on 9/11 but still in training squadron so no live weapons, sent up with instructions to collide with flight 93 to prevent it reaching Washington [spoiler: it had actually crashed by the time she took off,,but she didn't know that].
F-16 always flies with at least 100 rounds in the gun to maintain CoG limits so "Lucky" Penney wasn't totally unarmed as the legend now has it. However, that might not have been enough to bring down UA93 (M61 will do 100 rounds in one second) so a Sonderkommando Elbe style ramming attack was always a possibility. Aim for the cockpit and bang out at the last second. Home for tea and medals.
What is a CoG limit and why must it be maintained?
The Centre of Gravity of the aircraft. The FCS (flight control system) has a range of acceptable CoGs aft-to-forward that it can manage. If the CoG is outside limits then the behaviour of the FCS and hence the aircraft in pitch axis is probably going to be problematic. Putting 100 rounds in the gun of the F-16 is enough to move the CoG forward into those limits.
You can't take the gun out of the Typhoon for the same reason though the RAF wanted to. They thought about putting a ballast in the gun bay instead but that worked out more expensive than just leaving the gun in.
So if an F16 uses all its ammunition up, it falls out of the sky?
The most important thing with regards to CoG for fighter aircraft is the fuel. knowing which tanks have fuel, how much and actively moving fuel between tanks will be used to manage the CoG
Good morning everyone. That’s a greeting, not a wish that Conservative supporters have to stop feeling pessimistic.
Mrs Cole has just asked me a question to which I don’t know the answer…… one of many over the years, of course, but this time people here may be able to help. Does this National Service thing apply to both sexes, or just males. If so, do girls get the military option? (We know there are women in the Armed Services.)
It really can't be boys only
There was a stunning interview on r4 pick of the week last night. Female us f16 fighter pilot, just qualified on 9/11 but still in training squadron so no live weapons, sent up with instructions to collide with flight 93 to prevent it reaching Washington [spoiler: it had actually crashed by the time she took off,,but she didn't know that].
F-16 always flies with at least 100 rounds in the gun to maintain CoG limits so "Lucky" Penney wasn't totally unarmed as the legend now has it. However, that might not have been enough to bring down UA93 (M61 will do 100 rounds in one second) so a Sonderkommando Elbe style ramming attack was always a possibility. Aim for the cockpit and bang out at the last second. Home for tea and medals.
What is a CoG limit and why must it be maintained?
The Centre of Gravity of the aircraft. The FCS (flight control system) has a range of acceptable CoGs aft-to-forward that it can manage. If the CoG is outside limits then the behaviour of the FCS and hence the aircraft in pitch axis is probably going to be problematic. Putting 100 rounds in the gun of the F-16 is enough to move the CoG forward into those limits.
You can't take the gun out of the Typhoon for the same reason though the RAF wanted to. They thought about putting a ballast in the gun bay instead but that worked out more expensive than just leaving the gun in.
So if an F16 uses all its ammunition up, it falls out of the sky?
No, because it will have used up some fuel by then thus necessitating a whole other set of rebalancing maneuvers.
Good morning everyone. That’s a greeting, not a wish that Conservative supporters have to stop feeling pessimistic.
Mrs Cole has just asked me a question to which I don’t know the answer…… one of many over the years, of course, but this time people here may be able to help. Does this National Service thing apply to both sexes, or just males. If so, do girls get the military option? (We know there are women in the Armed Services.)
It really can't be boys only
There was a stunning interview on r4 pick of the week last night. Female us f16 fighter pilot, just qualified on 9/11 but still in training squadron so no live weapons, sent up with instructions to collide with flight 93 to prevent it reaching Washington [spoiler: it had actually crashed by the time she took off,,but she didn't know that].
F-16 always flies with at least 100 rounds in the gun to maintain CoG limits so "Lucky" Penney wasn't totally unarmed as the legend now has it. However, that might not have been enough to bring down UA93 (M61 will do 100 rounds in one second) so a Sonderkommando Elbe style ramming attack was always a possibility. Aim for the cockpit and bang out at the last second. Home for tea and medals.
What is a CoG limit and why must it be maintained?
The Centre of Gravity of the aircraft. The FCS (flight control system) has a range of acceptable CoGs aft-to-forward that it can manage. If the CoG is outside limits then the behaviour of the FCS and hence the aircraft in pitch axis is probably going to be problematic. Putting 100 rounds in the gun of the F-16 is enough to move the CoG forward into those limits.
You can't take the gun out of the Typhoon for the same reason though the RAF wanted to. They thought about putting a ballast in the gun bay instead but that worked out more expensive than just leaving the gun in.
So if an F16 uses all its ammunition up, it falls out of the sky?
Ideally whatever the F-16 has expended all its ammunition on falls out of the sky.
@Steven_Swinford A minister has said that the Conservative's new national service scheme was 'sprung on' MPs and candidates without consultation
Steve Baker, an NI minister, said that the policy 'was developed by a political adviser or advisers and sprung on candidates, some of whom are relevant ministers'
It’s almost as though this policy hasn’t been properly thought through and has been written on back of a fag packet (now that cigs aren’t going to be banned)
IANAE but inventing a new policy on the spur of the moment might be a risky game to play.
But it hasn’t been. It has been in development a while. William Hague has been involved in crafting it.
Sounds like the crap Vague would come up with for sure.
I thought you were all for compelling today's feckless youth to do time polishing boots and marching around parade grounds?
I would make the b*ggers work. Get them out sweeping the streets, picking up litter , getting chewing gum off pavements, painting graffiti and helping old ladies across the street. 8 am - 5pm with 30 minutes for lunch. Pay retired soldiers to ensure disciplne and no slacking. No cushy billets.
Would they get a break for National Tea Time?
Hang on, what about us tea-hating coffee drinkers? And will there be vegan options?
Nice example of why politics and statute drafting is hard. The Afternoon Tea Act 2025 will need 120 sections and 47 schedules and the debate over exemptions (The Bakewell Tart Regulations are only one example) takes 9 days in the House of Commons.
Remember the argument over whether Jaffas were cakes or biscuits. Went all the way to high legal arbitration.
The real test is simple for anything that could only be either a cake or a biscuit.
If it goes dryer/harder when left for a long time it's a cake; If it goes damper/softer when left for a long time it's a biscuit.
I think this may be some physics law about entropy at work.
Jaffa cakes are, of course, cakes under this rule. Rich tea biscuits are are the very paradigm of biscuits - you have to eat them all on opening or they liquify.
@Steven_Swinford A minister has said that the Conservative's new national service scheme was 'sprung on' MPs and candidates without consultation
Steve Baker, an NI minister, said that the policy 'was developed by a political adviser or advisers and sprung on candidates, some of whom are relevant ministers'
It’s almost as though this policy hasn’t been properly thought through and has been written on back of a fag packet (now that cigs aren’t going to be banned)
IANAE but inventing a new policy on the spur of the moment might be a risky game to play.
But it hasn’t been. It has been in development a while. William Hague has been involved in crafting it.
Sounds like the crap Vague would come up with for sure.
I thought you were all for compelling today's feckless youth to do time polishing boots and marching around parade grounds?
I would make the b*ggers work. Get them out sweeping the streets, picking up litter , getting chewing gum off pavements, painting graffiti and helping old ladies across the street. 8 am - 5pm with 30 minutes for lunch. Pay retired soldiers to ensure disciplne and no slacking. No cushy billets.
Would they get a break for National Tea Time?
Hang on, what about us tea-hating coffee drinkers? And will there be vegan options?
A Conservative Party spokesperson has stated that coffee drinkers will not face custodial sentences if they refuse to drink tea.
Seeing as @Casino_Royale has openly admitted that he will be campaigning for the Conservative Party his posts are effectively @HYUFD style party political broadcasts
I know it's unwelcome to you to have another point of view intrude into your happy echo chamber but you're going to have to put up with it for the next 6 weeks, I'm afraid.
It's called democracy.
Is it actually your point of view though or is it actually the point of view of the party which seems to change at the drop of a hat
I always share on here my point of view.
I look forward to you criticising aspects of the Tory manifesto that you disagree with
Labour is now where our focus should be - look at the polls.
How about you look forward to me pointing out that SKS is far from the best thing since sliced bread and many of the policies he is proposing will exacerbate the problems in this country, not solve them?
I actually agree with you there, from a political strategy perspective. That's why, even if a net neutral or slight positive, the National Service thing was silly.
The Ming vase strategy requires Labour to get through 6 weeks of as little media coverage as possible. That will be easy if we get more National Service type policies from Sunak.
It's about denying any oxygen to Reform and rallying the base; it also shifts the debate to defence and security - and away from cost of living where Labour would like it.
SKS has responded by basically taking yesterday off to decide how to respond, so it has disrupted their grid, and he's trying to make a speech about security atm, but it hasn't got much beyond his first job "clearing stones for farmers" so far, which did make me chuckle.
Very sensible of him.
I hope he takes a similar approach to being PM. Working 20 hour days, and trying to respond immediately to every shift in the political wind, exhausts PMs, and is probably part of the reason they make such poor decisions from time to time.
I don't hold out any great hopes for his administration, but basic competence would be an improvement on what we've had for most of the last decade.
I mean one point is that the better you plan your campaign, the less hyperactive it needs to be. As your interventions land how you want them to, you're happy with you are in the polls - and you're not constantly having to be out there firefighting negative coverage.
In other F-16 news, Ukrainian Crew Training Plan C looks like it's finally coming together. Plan A was a multi-national centre in Romania. Nobody would pay for it. Plan B was Denmark which has gone very murky and produced no crew. Plan C is apparently Arizona ANG.
@Steven_Swinford A minister has said that the Conservative's new national service scheme was 'sprung on' MPs and candidates without consultation
Steve Baker, an NI minister, said that the policy 'was developed by a political adviser or advisers and sprung on candidates, some of whom are relevant ministers'
It’s almost as though this policy hasn’t been properly thought through and has been written on back of a fag packet (now that cigs aren’t going to be banned)
IANAE but inventing a new policy on the spur of the moment might be a risky game to play.
But it hasn’t been. It has been in development a while. William Hague has been involved in crafting it.
Sounds like the crap Vague would come up with for sure.
I thought you were all for compelling today's feckless youth to do time polishing boots and marching around parade grounds?
I would make the b*ggers work. Get them out sweeping the streets, picking up litter , getting chewing gum off pavements, painting graffiti and helping old ladies across the street. 8 am - 5pm with 30 minutes for lunch. Pay retired soldiers to ensure disciplne and no slacking. No cushy billets.
Would they get a break for National Tea Time?
Hang on, what about us tea-hating coffee drinkers? And will there be vegan options?
A Conservative Party spokesperson has stated that coffee drinkers will not face custodial sentences if they refuse to drink tea.
Do I get banged up if my adult kids don't drink tea?
Spain is set to announce a new massive 1.13 billion Euro ($1.23 billion) military aid package for Ukraine.
The package will include roughly 12 additional PATRIOT interceptors, 19 Leopard 2A4s, and a large number of additional systems procured from the Spanish defense industry. https://x.com/Osinttechnical/status/1794986685085757806
No longer are they just sending obsolete kit from reserves: "..Most of the funding will go to Spanish companies to procure new equipment for Ukraine.."
War, what is it good for absolutely nothing domestic arms manufacturers....
South Korea is an interesting case - by selling its weapons abroad, it keeps the production lines open and running. With a large quantity of inventory ready to go at any time.
Which means that they are really, really ready. If the North goes South....
I think it's the other way round with S Korea. It's only recently they've become such a large arms exporter, and that's on the back of having had to maintain arms development and manufacturing capacity to deal with the threat from the north.
It helps that their economy is so heavily skewed towards manufacturing.
But you're right that they're now reaping the benefits. With the exception of the KF21, which hasn't yet attracted any significant partners.
Seeing as @Casino_Royale has openly admitted that he will be campaigning for the Conservative Party his posts are effectively @HYUFD style party political broadcasts
I know it's unwelcome to you to have another point of view intrude into your happy echo chamber but you're going to have to put up with it for the next 6 weeks, I'm afraid.
It's called democracy.
Is it actually your point of view though or is it actually the point of view of the party which seems to change at the drop of a hat
I always share on here my point of view.
I look forward to you criticising aspects of the Tory manifesto that you disagree with
Labour is now where our focus should be - look at the polls.
How about you look forward to me pointing out that SKS is far from the best thing since sliced bread and many of the policies he is proposing will exacerbate the problems in this country, not solve them?
I actually agree with you there, from a political strategy perspective. That's why, even if a net neutral or slight positive, the National Service thing was silly.
The Ming vase strategy requires Labour to get through 6 weeks of as little media coverage as possible. That will be easy if we get more National Service type policies from Sunak.
It's about denying any oxygen to Reform and rallying the base; it also shifts the debate to defence and security - and away from cost of living where Labour would like it.
SKS has responded by basically taking yesterday off to decide how to respond, so it has disrupted their grid, and he's trying to make a speech about security atm, but it hasn't got much beyond his first job "clearing stones for farmers" so far, which did make me chuckle.
Very sensible of him.
I hope he takes a similar approach to being PM. Working 20 hour days, and trying to respond immediately to every shift in the political wind, exhausts PMs, and is probably part of the reason they make such poor decisions from time to time.
I don't hold out any great hopes for his administration, but basic competence would be an improvement on what we've had for most of the last decade.
Exactly, your projections are based entirely on the frustrations of the existing administration.
Which is why absolutely no-one wants to hear any criticism whatever of SKS or his prospective new Labour administration.
Good morning everyone. That’s a greeting, not a wish that Conservative supporters have to stop feeling pessimistic.
Mrs Cole has just asked me a question to which I don’t know the answer…… one of many over the years, of course, but this time people here may be able to help. Does this National Service thing apply to both sexes, or just males. If so, do girls get the military option? (We know there are women in the Armed Services.)
It really can't be boys only
There was a stunning interview on r4 pick of the week last night. Female us f16 fighter pilot, just qualified on 9/11 but still in training squadron so no live weapons, sent up with instructions to collide with flight 93 to prevent it reaching Washington [spoiler: it had actually crashed by the time she took off,,but she didn't know that].
F-16 always flies with at least 100 rounds in the gun to maintain CoG limits so "Lucky" Penney wasn't totally unarmed as the legend now has it. However, that might not have been enough to bring down UA93 (M61 will do 100 rounds in one second) so a Sonderkommando Elbe style ramming attack was always a possibility. Aim for the cockpit and bang out at the last second. Home for tea and medals.
It says here you can limit bursts to 2 rounds. So with an unarmed opponent you can go round 50 times trying to shoot him through the windscreen. Unnerving even if you miss.
Was thinking back yesterday to my votes in past General Elections:
3 x Labour 2 x Conservative 2 x LibDem
I guess that might baffle some of the partisan folk on here but I’m happy about it. I’ve voted Green at local level a number of times too.
"When the facts change, I change my mind."
I'm baffled by people who vote the same way their entire life, tbh. At that point, you're just supporting your favourite football team, not casting a sensible vote on who is best suited to run the country.
Parties also change over time. I could vote for the economically and social liberal Conservatives of Cameron's era. You wouldn't catch me dead voting for the bunch of batshit crazy authoritarians running the Tories now.
Like others downthread I am concerned that Labour in power will trend towards authoritarianism. Not out of malice, but because they believe in the benevolence of the state. I don't believe in that, so I'll never find a natural home in Labour. But I sure as heck don't have one in the modern Conservative Party, either.
Spain is set to announce a new massive 1.13 billion Euro ($1.23 billion) military aid package for Ukraine.
The package will include roughly 12 additional PATRIOT interceptors, 19 Leopard 2A4s, and a large number of additional systems procured from the Spanish defense industry. https://x.com/Osinttechnical/status/1794986685085757806
No longer are they just sending obsolete kit from reserves: "..Most of the funding will go to Spanish companies to procure new equipment for Ukraine.."
War, what is it good for absolutely nothing domestic arms manufacturers....
South Korea is an interesting case - by selling its weapons abroad, it keeps the production lines open and running. With a large quantity of inventory ready to go at any time.
Which means that they are really, really ready. If the North goes South....
I think it's the other way round with S Korea. It's only recently they've become such a large arms exporter, and that's on the back of having had to maintain arms development and manufacturing capacity to deal with the threat from the north.
It helps that their economy is so heavily skewed towards manufacturing.
But you're right that they're now reaping the benefits. With the exception of the KF21, which hasn't yet attracted any significant partners.
One way and another the two Koreas are turning into major arms suppliers. What happens if they both run out of customers?
In the new seat of Kensington and Bayswater, I see that running are both Emma Dent Coad as an independent, and a Workers Party candidate, Garry Cattle. Dent Coad was the former Labour MP for the predecessor Kensington constituency 2017-9. She’s a Corbynite and left the Labour Party last year.
Why on Earth are the Workers Party and Coad running against each other? This is why I think the impact of the Workers Party will be very limited. A new party that could embrace Dent Coad, Corbyn and Galloway, that might do well in places. Hard left candidates standing against each other, no chance.
One Downing Street insider called the 61- year-old Labour leader "Sleepy Keir", an apparent attempt to link him in the public's mind to the US's 81-year-old President Joe Biden, dubbed "Sleepy Joe" by Donald Trump. "Campaigns are tough, tiring things and it's understandable that he may be weary," said a Tory campaign official. "But being prime minister is a 24/7 job which requires stamina."
They really are very bad at this, considering whatever you think of him Starmer looks a young 61, famously plays football every week and kind of looks like a Thunderbirds character gone slightly to seed.
If it were Corbyn it would make sense, if still daft. But not here.
Plus, what a way to insult the only people in the country still voting for you as past it.
One Downing Street insider called the 61- year-old Labour leader "Sleepy Keir", an apparent attempt to link him in the public's mind to the US's 81-year-old President Joe Biden, dubbed "Sleepy Joe" by Donald Trump. "Campaigns are tough, tiring things and it's understandable that he may be weary," said a Tory campaign official. "But being prime minister is a 24/7 job which requires stamina."
They really are very bad at this, considering whatever you think of him Starmer looks a young 61, famously plays football every week and kind of looks like a Thunderbirds character gone slightly to seed.
If it were Corbyn it would make sense, if still daft. But not here.
Plus, what a way to insult the only people in the country still voting for you as past it.
I don't think he plays each week any more, but the sleepy Keir nickname won't stick.
He is just pacing himself and preparing well, not throwing ideas from the random policy generator without prepping his own team.
He has a remorseless, meticulous well briefed plan and will stick to it as far as he can.
He was still playing every week in February. No doubt Labour will put him on a 5 a side pitch at some point.
One Downing Street insider called the 61- year-old Labour leader "Sleepy Keir", an apparent attempt to link him in the public's mind to the US's 81-year-old President Joe Biden, dubbed "Sleepy Joe" by Donald Trump. "Campaigns are tough, tiring things and it's understandable that he may be weary," said a Tory campaign official. "But being prime minister is a 24/7 job which requires stamina."
They really are very bad at this, considering whatever you think of him Starmer looks a young 61, famously plays football every week and kind of looks like a Thunderbirds character gone slightly to seed.
If it were Corbyn it would make sense, if still daft. But not here.
Plus, what a way to insult the only people in the country still voting for you as past it.
One Downing Street insider called the 61- year-old Labour leader "Sleepy Keir", an apparent attempt to link him in the public's mind to the US's 81-year-old President Joe Biden, dubbed "Sleepy Joe" by Donald Trump. "Campaigns are tough, tiring things and it's understandable that he may be weary," said a Tory campaign official. "But being prime minister is a 24/7 job which requires stamina."
They really are very bad at this, considering whatever you think of him Starmer looks a young 61, famously plays football every week and kind of looks like a Thunderbirds character gone slightly to seed.
If it were Corbyn it would make sense, if still daft. But not here.
Plus, what a way to insult the only people in the country still voting for you as past it.
I don't think he plays each week any more, but the sleepy Keir nickname won't stick.
He is just pacing himself and preparing well, not throwing ideas from the random policy generator without prepping his own team.
He has a remorseless, meticulous well briefed plan and will stick to it as far as he can.
He was still playing every week in February. No doubt Labour will put him on a 5 a side pitch at some point.
Was thinking back yesterday to my votes in past General Elections:
3 x Labour 2 x Conservative 2 x LibDem
I guess that might baffle some of the partisan folk on here but I’m happy about it. I’ve voted Green at local level a number of times too.
I've never lived in a location where my vote has made a difference. I've lived in very labour areas (both MP and Council) and very Tory areas (both MP and council). So I've done all sorts over the years including putting back the vote blank.
This time I've got a choice between * my local labour councillor (who should win comfortably) * Chris Williamson (yes that one) for the WPGB * Tory * reform * Green (good luck with that in the constituency which contains Rolls-Royce) * Lib Dem (TBC)
not sure what I'll do this time. I may mark multiple candidates or draw a 'none of the above box)
In the new seat of Kensington and Bayswater, I see that running are both Emma Dent Coad as an independent, and a Workers Party candidate, Garry Cattle. Dent Coad was the former Labour MP for the predecessor Kensington constituency 2017-9. She’s a Corbynite and left the Labour Party last year.
Why on Earth are the Workers Party and Coad running against each other? This is why I think the impact of the Workers Party will be very limited. A new party that could embrace Dent Coad, Corbyn and Galloway, that might do well in places. Hard left candidates standing against each other, no chance.
Because they are almost the antithesis of each other on social issues?
In the new seat of Kensington and Bayswater, I see that running are both Emma Dent Coad as an independent, and a Workers Party candidate, Garry Cattle. Dent Coad was the former Labour MP for the predecessor Kensington constituency 2017-9. She’s a Corbynite and left the Labour Party last year.
Why on Earth are the Workers Party and Coad running against each other? This is why I think the impact of the Workers Party will be very limited. A new party that could embrace Dent Coad, Corbyn and Galloway, that might do well in places. Hard left candidates standing against each other, no chance.
But in Holborn & St Pancras, the Workers Party is supporting the independent Corbynite, Andrew Feinstein. That makes more sense, but it still shows the party’s weakness that Feinstein would rather run as an independent than as the official Workers Party candidate.
I am sitting a lot of this debate out as, frankly, in a few weeks we will have a majority Starmer led government and for that Sunak deservers a lot of credit for 'biting the bullet' and lighting the touch paper to bring the curtain down on a divided, weary, and flawed conservative party (and it saddens me as on previous occasions at election time I have been an active member, but no longer)
I have no idea how Starmer will govern but he faces enormous problems which I genuinely do not think he has the courage or idea how to resolve, other than to plead for two terms which as we know is ambitious as the public want answers now especially on the NHS
Seeing as @Casino_Royale has openly admitted that he will be campaigning for the Conservative Party his posts are effectively @HYUFD style party political broadcasts
I know it's unwelcome to you to have another point of view intrude into your happy echo chamber but you're going to have to put up with it for the next 6 weeks, I'm afraid.
It's called democracy.
Is it actually your point of view though or is it actually the point of view of the party which seems to change at the drop of a hat
I always share on here my point of view.
I look forward to you criticising aspects of the Tory manifesto that you disagree with
Labour is now where our focus should be - look at the polls.
How about you look forward to me pointing out that SKS is far from the best thing since sliced bread and many of the policies he is proposing will exacerbate the problems in this country, not solve them?
I don't disagree with you - I am no massive SKS fan
I am sitting a lot of this debate out as, frankly, in a few weeks we will have a majority Starmer led government and for that Sunak deservers a lot of credit for 'biting the bullet' and lighting the touch paper to bring the curtain down on a divided, weary, and flawed conservative party (and it saddens me as on previous occasions at election time I have been an active member, but no longer)
I have no idea how Starmer will govern but he faces enormous problems which I genuinely do not think he has the courage or idea how to resolve, other than to plead for two terms which as we know is ambitious as the public want answers now especially on the NHS
Sunak deserves credit for calling an election he's only called because he thinks it's his best shot? You Tories'll believe any old shite.
In the new seat of Kensington and Bayswater, I see that running are both Emma Dent Coad as an independent, and a Workers Party candidate, Garry Cattle. Dent Coad was the former Labour MP for the predecessor Kensington constituency 2017-9. She’s a Corbynite and left the Labour Party last year.
Why on Earth are the Workers Party and Coad running against each other? This is why I think the impact of the Workers Party will be very limited. A new party that could embrace Dent Coad, Corbyn and Galloway, that might do well in places. Hard left candidates standing against each other, no chance.
Because they are almost the antithesis of each other on social issues?
Well, indeed, although the Workers Party is backing candidates who share similar views to Dent Coad on social issues in other constituencies. But, yes, that’s my point. The hard left are much less of a threat to the Labour Party while they can’t agree on so many positions. A pro-Gaza, Corbynite party would have more impact, but a socially conservative Galloway vehicle and a bunch of independents will struggle to gather any momentum.
Seeing as @Casino_Royale has openly admitted that he will be campaigning for the Conservative Party his posts are effectively @HYUFD style party political broadcasts
I know it's unwelcome to you to have another point of view intrude into your happy echo chamber but you're going to have to put up with it for the next 6 weeks, I'm afraid.
It's called democracy.
Is it actually your point of view though or is it actually the point of view of the party which seems to change at the drop of a hat
I always share on here my point of view.
I look forward to you criticising aspects of the Tory manifesto that you disagree with
Labour is now where our focus should be - look at the polls.
How about you look forward to me pointing out that SKS is far from the best thing since sliced bread and many of the policies he is proposing will exacerbate the problems in this country, not solve them?
I actually agree with you there, from a political strategy perspective. That's why, even if a net neutral or slight positive, the National Service thing was silly.
The Ming vase strategy requires Labour to get through 6 weeks of as little media coverage as possible. That will be easy if we get more National Service type policies from Sunak.
It's about denying any oxygen to Reform and rallying the base; it also shifts the debate to defence and security - and away from cost of living where Labour would like it.
SKS has responded by basically taking yesterday off to decide how to respond, so it has disrupted their grid, and he's trying to make a speech about security atm, but it hasn't got much beyond his first job "clearing stones for farmers" so far, which did make me chuckle.
Very sensible of him.
I hope he takes a similar approach to being PM. Working 20 hour days, and trying to respond immediately to every shift in the political wind, exhausts PMs, and is probably part of the reason they make such poor decisions from time to time.
I don't hold out any great hopes for his administration, but basic competence would be an improvement on what we've had for most of the last decade.
Exactly, your projections are based entirely on the frustrations of the existing administration.
Which is why absolutely no-one wants to hear any criticism whatever of SKS or his prospective new Labour administration.
It would destroy that.
I’m looking forward to seeing criticisms that are based on reality rather than make believe. Which is why I find all the current SKS / Labour will do ABC things so funny because until we see Labour’s manifesto we don’t have a clue what will be done and what will be a priority…
And I suspect the first 6 months I’ll be firefighting the forthcoming disasters such as university finance, immigration ….
In the new seat of Kensington and Bayswater, I see that running are both Emma Dent Coad as an independent, and a Workers Party candidate, Garry Cattle. Dent Coad was the former Labour MP for the predecessor Kensington constituency 2017-9. She’s a Corbynite and left the Labour Party last year.
Why on Earth are the Workers Party and Coad running against each other? This is why I think the impact of the Workers Party will be very limited. A new party that could embrace Dent Coad, Corbyn and Galloway, that might do well in places. Hard left candidates standing against each other, no chance.
Because they are almost the antithesis of each other on social issues?
Well, indeed, although the Workers Party is backing candidates who share similar views to Dent Coad on social issues in other constituencies. But, yes, that’s my point. The hard left are much less of a threat to the Labour Party while they can’t agree on so many positions. A pro-Gaza, Corbynite party would have more impact, but a socially conservative Galloway vehicle and a bunch of independents will struggle to gather any momentum.
This has ever been the case. For a comparison, contrast the official economic policies of Reform, and the views on public spending of those intending to vote for them.
I am sitting a lot of this debate out as, frankly, in a few weeks we will have a majority Starmer led government and for that Sunak deservers a lot of credit for 'biting the bullet' and lighting the touch paper to bring the curtain down on a divided, weary, and flawed conservative party (and it saddens me as on previous occasions at election time I have been an active member, but no longer)
I have no idea how Starmer will govern but he faces enormous problems which I genuinely do not think he has the courage or idea how to resolve, other than to plead for two terms which as we know is ambitious as the public want answers now especially on the NHS
Sunak deserves credit for calling an election he's only called because he thinks it's his best shot? You Tories'll believe any old shite.
No - he never had a chance of winning and the conservative party urgently needs to go into opposition
More in Common has a swing of 3.5% from SNP to Tory. So while in England and Wales the Conservatives look headed for a 1997 style landslide defeat, in Scotland the Scottish Tories may even gain some seats from the SNP and avoid the wipeout they got in 1997
Has anyone done a seat projection from that Scottish poll? Because it is vital for knowing the landing zone percentage lead for majority/NOM. Apologies if already posted.
The 4% for Reform looks a bit whiffy. The mind boggles at the type of candidates they’ll dig up (literally?) for Scotland.
Annie Wells MSP would be an ideal fit for Reform. However, the Tories bagged her first.
Was thinking back yesterday to my votes in past General Elections:
3 x Labour 2 x Conservative 2 x LibDem
I guess that might baffle some of the partisan folk on here but I’m happy about it. I’ve voted Green at local level a number of times too.
I've never lived in a location where my vote has made a difference. I've lived in very labour areas (both MP and Council) and very Tory areas (both MP and council). So I've done all sorts over the years including putting back the vote blank.
This time I've got a choice between * my local labour councillor (who should win comfortably) * Chris Williamson (yes that one) for the WPGB * Tory * reform * Green (good luck with that in the constituency which contains Rolls-Royce) * Lib Dem (TBC)
not sure what I'll do this time. I may mark multiple candidates or draw a 'none of the above box)
It seems quite polarised by area looking at Councillors.
Are the 5 (iicc: if I count correctly) for Reform Derby part of Reform UK?
I am sitting a lot of this debate out as, frankly, in a few weeks we will have a majority Starmer led government and for that Sunak deservers a lot of credit for 'biting the bullet' and lighting the touch paper to bring the curtain down on a divided, weary, and flawed conservative party (and it saddens me as on previous occasions at election time I have been an active member, but no longer)
I have no idea how Starmer will govern but he faces enormous problems which I genuinely do not think he has the courage or idea how to resolve, other than to plead for two terms which as we know is ambitious as the public want answers now especially on the NHS
In Wales, of course, Tory MPs may lose their seats because of the inadequacies of the NHS while the actual perpetrators are hiding in Cardiff Bay.
In the new seat of Kensington and Bayswater, I see that running are both Emma Dent Coad as an independent, and a Workers Party candidate, Garry Cattle. Dent Coad was the former Labour MP for the predecessor Kensington constituency 2017-9. She’s a Corbynite and left the Labour Party last year.
Why on Earth are the Workers Party and Coad running against each other? This is why I think the impact of the Workers Party will be very limited. A new party that could embrace Dent Coad, Corbyn and Galloway, that might do well in places. Hard left candidates standing against each other, no chance.
T’were ever thus, no? Since the Judean People’s Front, if not before.
I am sitting a lot of this debate out as, frankly, in a few weeks we will have a majority Starmer led government and for that Sunak deservers a lot of credit for 'biting the bullet' and lighting the touch paper to bring the curtain down on a divided, weary, and flawed conservative party (and it saddens me as on previous occasions at election time I have been an active member, but no longer)
I have no idea how Starmer will govern but he faces enormous problems which I genuinely do not think he has the courage or idea how to resolve, other than to plead for two terms which as we know is ambitious as the public want answers now especially on the NHS
In Wales, of course, Tory MPs may lose their seats because of the inadequacies of the NHS while the actual perpetrators are hiding in Cardiff Bay.
I am sitting a lot of this debate out as, frankly, in a few weeks we will have a majority Starmer led government and for that Sunak deservers a lot of credit for 'biting the bullet' and lighting the touch paper to bring the curtain down on a divided, weary, and flawed conservative party (and it saddens me as on previous occasions at election time I have been an active member, but no longer)
I have no idea how Starmer will govern but he faces enormous problems which I genuinely do not think he has the courage or idea how to resolve, other than to plead for two terms which as we know is ambitious as the public want answers now especially on the NHS
Sunak deserves credit for calling an election he's only called because he thinks it's his best shot? You Tories'll believe any old shite.
I'm looking forward to Sunak's concession speech. "Another six months and we'd have cracked it."
One Downing Street insider called the 61- year-old Labour leader "Sleepy Keir", an apparent attempt to link him in the public's mind to the US's 81-year-old President Joe Biden, dubbed "Sleepy Joe" by Donald Trump. "Campaigns are tough, tiring things and it's understandable that he may be weary," said a Tory campaign official. "But being prime minister is a 24/7 job which requires stamina."
They really are very bad at this, considering whatever you think of him Starmer looks a young 61, famously plays football every week and kind of looks like a Thunderbirds character gone slightly to seed.
If it were Corbyn it would make sense, if still daft. But not here.
Plus, what a way to insult the only people in the country still voting for you as past it.
One Downing Street insider called the 61- year-old Labour leader "Sleepy Keir", an apparent attempt to link him in the public's mind to the US's 81-year-old President Joe Biden, dubbed "Sleepy Joe" by Donald Trump. "Campaigns are tough, tiring things and it's understandable that he may be weary," said a Tory campaign official. "But being prime minister is a 24/7 job which requires stamina."
They really are very bad at this, considering whatever you think of him Starmer looks a young 61, famously plays football every week and kind of looks like a Thunderbirds character gone slightly to seed.
If it were Corbyn it would make sense, if still daft. But not here.
Plus, what a way to insult the only people in the country still voting for you as past it.
I don't think he plays each week any more, but the sleepy Keir nickname won't stick.
He is just pacing himself and preparing well, not throwing ideas from the random policy generator without prepping his own team.
He has a remorseless, meticulous well briefed plan and will stick to it as far as he can.
He was still playing every week in February. No doubt Labour will put him on a 5 a side pitch at some point.
In the new seat of Kensington and Bayswater, I see that running are both Emma Dent Coad as an independent, and a Workers Party candidate, Garry Cattle. Dent Coad was the former Labour MP for the predecessor Kensington constituency 2017-9. She’s a Corbynite and left the Labour Party last year.
Why on Earth are the Workers Party and Coad running against each other? This is why I think the impact of the Workers Party will be very limited. A new party that could embrace Dent Coad, Corbyn and Galloway, that might do well in places. Hard left candidates standing against each other, no chance.
Because they are almost the antithesis of each other on social issues?
You’re not suggesting a merger of the People’s Front with the Popular Front?
Was thinking back yesterday to my votes in past General Elections:
3 x Labour 2 x Conservative 2 x LibDem
I guess that might baffle some of the partisan folk on here but I’m happy about it. I’ve voted Green at local level a number of times too.
"When the facts change, I change my mind."
I'm baffled by people who vote the same way their entire life, tbh. At that point, you're just supporting your favourite football team, not casting a sensible vote on who is best suited to run the country.
Parties also change over time. I could vote for the economically and social liberal Conservatives of Cameron's era. You wouldn't catch me dead voting for the bunch of batshit crazy authoritarians running the Tories now.
Like others downthread I am concerned that Labour in power will trend towards authoritarianism. Not out of malice, but because they believe in the benevolence of the state. I don't believe in that, so I'll never find a natural home in Labour. But I sure as heck don't have one in the modern Conservative Party, either.
Quite right. This time around I will vote Labour and it will be the first time I do so in a GE (I have gone with them recently in the locals too).
I have voted LD, but mostly Tory, at GEs before.
I’m not convinced Labour are going to be able to offer me a permanent political home but they are by far the best proposition this time around.
In other F-16 news, Ukrainian Crew Training Plan C looks like it's finally coming together. Plan A was a multi-national centre in Romania. Nobody would pay for it. Plan B was Denmark which has gone very murky and produced no crew. Plan C is apparently Arizona ANG.
One Downing Street insider called the 61- year-old Labour leader "Sleepy Keir", an apparent attempt to link him in the public's mind to the US's 81-year-old President Joe Biden, dubbed "Sleepy Joe" by Donald Trump. "Campaigns are tough, tiring things and it's understandable that he may be weary," said a Tory campaign official. "But being prime minister is a 24/7 job which requires stamina."
They really are very bad at this, considering whatever you think of him Starmer looks a young 61, famously plays football every week and kind of looks like a Thunderbirds character gone slightly to seed.
If it were Corbyn it would make sense, if still daft. But not here.
Plus, what a way to insult the only people in the country still voting for you as past it.
I honestly think SKS is quite a sexy man. I say as a straight man.
He’s got great hair and is quite handsome . He also looks like he could chop a few logs where as Sunak looks like he could barely lift a tin of beans .
Not only he is tremendously sexy, but he can cure Scrofula by his touch as well.
True story: I once had scrofula in the shape of Lembit Opik’s face on my left testicle
Seeing as @Casino_Royale has openly admitted that he will be campaigning for the Conservative Party his posts are effectively @HYUFD style party political broadcasts
I know it's unwelcome to you to have another point of view intrude into your happy echo chamber but you're going to have to put up with it for the next 6 weeks, I'm afraid.
It's called democracy.
Is it actually your point of view though or is it actually the point of view of the party which seems to change at the drop of a hat
I always share on here my point of view.
I look forward to you criticising aspects of the Tory manifesto that you disagree with
Labour is now where our focus should be - look at the polls.
How about you look forward to me pointing out that SKS is far from the best thing since sliced bread and many of the policies he is proposing will exacerbate the problems in this country, not solve them?
I actually agree with you there, from a political strategy perspective. That's why, even if a net neutral or slight positive, the National Service thing was silly.
The Ming vase strategy requires Labour to get through 6 weeks of as little media coverage as possible. That will be easy if we get more National Service type policies from Sunak.
It's about denying any oxygen to Reform and rallying the base; it also shifts the debate to defence and security - and away from cost of living where Labour would like it.
SKS has responded by basically taking yesterday off to decide how to respond, so it has disrupted their grid, and he's trying to make a speech about security atm, but it hasn't got much beyond his first job "clearing stones for farmers" so far, which did make me chuckle.
Very sensible of him.
I hope he takes a similar approach to being PM. Working 20 hour days, and trying to respond immediately to every shift in the political wind, exhausts PMs, and is probably part of the reason they make such poor decisions from time to time.
I don't hold out any great hopes for his administration, but basic competence would be an improvement on what we've had for most of the last decade.
Exactly, your projections are based entirely on the frustrations of the existing administration.
Which is why absolutely no-one wants to hear any criticism whatever of SKS or his prospective new Labour administration.
It would destroy that.
The rather breathless praise of SKS from some quarters is an interesting one. From a purely political game, he has played a very good one (though has undeniably benefitted from the Tories imploding). I do think he gets a bit more praise than is perhaps merited: but I do think some of this comes from the fact that to many of us he is the alternative to what we see as a very bad, clapped out, tired and desperate government - so of course he comes out well in that comparison.
It will be very interesting to see how quickly that perception shifts after the GE.
Seeing as @Casino_Royale has openly admitted that he will be campaigning for the Conservative Party his posts are effectively @HYUFD style party political broadcasts
I know it's unwelcome to you to have another point of view intrude into your happy echo chamber but you're going to have to put up with it for the next 6 weeks, I'm afraid.
It's called democracy.
Is it actually your point of view though or is it actually the point of view of the party which seems to change at the drop of a hat
I always share on here my point of view.
I look forward to you criticising aspects of the Tory manifesto that you disagree with
Labour is now where our focus should be - look at the polls.
How about you look forward to me pointing out that SKS is far from the best thing since sliced bread and many of the policies he is proposing will exacerbate the problems in this country, not solve them?
I actually agree with you there, from a political strategy perspective. That's why, even if a net neutral or slight positive, the National Service thing was silly.
The Ming vase strategy requires Labour to get through 6 weeks of as little media coverage as possible. That will be easy if we get more National Service type policies from Sunak.
It's about denying any oxygen to Reform and rallying the base; it also shifts the debate to defence and security - and away from cost of living where Labour would like it.
SKS has responded by basically taking yesterday off to decide how to respond, so it has disrupted their grid, and he's trying to make a speech about security atm, but it hasn't got much beyond his first job "clearing stones for farmers" so far, which did make me chuckle.
Very sensible of him.
I hope he takes a similar approach to being PM. Working 20 hour days, and trying to respond immediately to every shift in the political wind, exhausts PMs, and is probably part of the reason they make such poor decisions from time to time.
I don't hold out any great hopes for his administration, but basic competence would be an improvement on what we've had for most of the last decade.
Exactly, your projections are based entirely on the frustrations of the existing administration.
Which is why absolutely no-one wants to hear any criticism whatever of SKS or his prospective new Labour administration.
It would destroy that.
I’m looking forward to seeing criticisms that are based on reality rather than make believe. Which is why I find all the current SKS / Labour will do ABC things so funny because until we see Labour’s manifesto we don’t have a clue what will be done and what will be a priority…
And I suspect the first 6 months I’ll be firefighting the forthcoming disasters such as university finance, immigration ….
We probably won't know even then.
As far as we know the man is an empty vessel, except what policies he has announced so far are shit so all we have to go is his character, temperament and past and that tells me he's a typical North London Lefty. It also tells me he's not particularly trustworthy, and most of who and what he finds inconvenient he junks within weeks. I really don't like how he's treated Rosie Duffield. I find the man utterly disingenuous.
I expect him to overtax the private sector to expand the public, at little benefit to output, follow as open a policy on immigration as he can, take a scythe to the constitution, do whatever he can to reverse Brexit, promote Wokery and increase borrowing.
Now that would be a story. Imagine Charles inviting Sir Keir and Meghan to Buck House.
Look at the top comment. I think Dura_Ace lives in Chadlington.
"Chaddington" sadly, not Chadlington.
Jeremy Clarkson and David Cameron live in Chadlington, give or take a couple of miles (Clarkson in a farm on the outskirts, Cameron in the neighbouring hamlet of Dean).
Can anyone beat that? Has anyone else had an unusual skin condition with a strange name that formed a simulacrum of the face of a barely remembered political figure on a particularly intimate part of their anatomy?
Can anyone beat that? Has anyone else had an unusual skin condition with a strange name that formed a simulacrum of the face of a barely remembered political figure on a particularly intimate part of their anatomy?
Was thinking back yesterday to my votes in past General Elections:
3 x Labour 2 x Conservative 2 x LibDem
I guess that might baffle some of the partisan folk on here but I’m happy about it. I’ve voted Green at local level a number of times too.
"When the facts change, I change my mind."
I'm baffled by people who vote the same way their entire life, tbh. At that point, you're just supporting your favourite football team, not casting a sensible vote on who is best suited to run the country.
Parties also change over time. I could vote for the economically and social liberal Conservatives of Cameron's era. You wouldn't catch me dead voting for the bunch of batshit crazy authoritarians running the Tories now.
Like others downthread I am concerned that Labour in power will trend towards authoritarianism. Not out of malice, but because they believe in the benevolence of the state. I don't believe in that, so I'll never find a natural home in Labour. But I sure as heck don't have one in the modern Conservative Party, either.
I do find it amusing when people who voted for Brexit despair about where the Cameroon Tory Party went and the fact it's been displaced by a bunch of cranks. What did you honestly expect to happen?
In other F-16 news, Ukrainian Crew Training Plan C looks like it's finally coming together. Plan A was a multi-national centre in Romania. Nobody would pay for it. Plan B was Denmark which has gone very murky and produced no crew. Plan C is apparently Arizona ANG.
Can anyone beat that? Has anyone else had an unusual skin condition with a strange name that formed a simulacrum of the face of a barely remembered political figure on a particularly intimate part of their anatomy?
Was thinking back yesterday to my votes in past General Elections:
3 x Labour 2 x Conservative 2 x LibDem
I guess that might baffle some of the partisan folk on here but I’m happy about it. I’ve voted Green at local level a number of times too.
I've never lived in a location where my vote has made a difference. I've lived in very labour areas (both MP and Council) and very Tory areas (both MP and council). So I've done all sorts over the years including putting back the vote blank.
This time I've got a choice between * my local labour councillor (who should win comfortably) * Chris Williamson (yes that one) for the WPGB * Tory * reform * Green (good luck with that in the constituency which contains Rolls-Royce) * Lib Dem (TBC)
not sure what I'll do this time. I may mark multiple candidates or draw a 'none of the above box)
It seems quite polarised by area looking at Councillors.
Are the 5 (iicc: if I count correctly) for Reform Derby part of Reform UK?
And who are the 3 Independents?
Will you miss Ma Beckett (and her conservatory)?
Alan Graves (Reform Derby) was UKIP so I think they are Reform but just using a different name for the ballot. I don't know much about the independents as they're not my area.
The betting question is how much of the labour majority was personal vote for Margaret Beckett and how much was block labour voting. it should be an east hold for Labour unless * WPGB takes votes of Labour due to the Gaza position (didn't have locals this year so we don't know if it will be an issue) * Some of Baggy Shanker's past comes back to haunt him. I'd say specifics but don't want to be done for libel (even though if it's true it can't be libel).
Spain is set to announce a new massive 1.13 billion Euro ($1.23 billion) military aid package for Ukraine.
The package will include roughly 12 additional PATRIOT interceptors, 19 Leopard 2A4s, and a large number of additional systems procured from the Spanish defense industry. https://x.com/Osinttechnical/status/1794986685085757806
No longer are they just sending obsolete kit from reserves: "..Most of the funding will go to Spanish companies to procure new equipment for Ukraine.."
War, what is it good for absolutely nothing domestic arms manufacturers....
South Korea is an interesting case - by selling its weapons abroad, it keeps the production lines open and running. With a large quantity of inventory ready to go at any time.
Which means that they are really, really ready. If the North goes South....
I think it's the other way round with S Korea. It's only recently they've become such a large arms exporter, and that's on the back of having had to maintain arms development and manufacturing capacity to deal with the threat from the north.
It helps that their economy is so heavily skewed towards manufacturing.
But you're right that they're now reaping the benefits. With the exception of the KF21, which hasn't yet attracted any significant partners.
One way and another the two Koreas are turning into major arms suppliers. What happens if they both run out of customers?
S Korea isn't going to run out of Middle East or European customers for the rest of this decade, whatever happens in Ukraine. And in any even they are even larger non military exporters.
One Downing Street insider called the 61- year-old Labour leader "Sleepy Keir", an apparent attempt to link him in the public's mind to the US's 81-year-old President Joe Biden, dubbed "Sleepy Joe" by Donald Trump. "Campaigns are tough, tiring things and it's understandable that he may be weary," said a Tory campaign official. "But being prime minister is a 24/7 job which requires stamina."
They really are very bad at this, considering whatever you think of him Starmer looks a young 61, famously plays football every week and kind of looks like a Thunderbirds character gone slightly to seed.
If it were Corbyn it would make sense, if still daft. But not here.
Plus, what a way to insult the only people in the country still voting for you as past it.
I honestly think SKS is quite a sexy man. I say as a straight man.
He’s got great hair and is quite handsome . He also looks like he could chop a few logs where as Sunak looks like he could barely lift a tin of beans .
Not only he is tremendously sexy, but he can cure Scrofula by his touch as well.
True story: I once had scrofula in the shape of Lembit Opik’s face on my left testicle
Was thinking back yesterday to my votes in past General Elections:
3 x Labour 2 x Conservative 2 x LibDem
I guess that might baffle some of the partisan folk on here but I’m happy about it. I’ve voted Green at local level a number of times too.
I've never lived in a location where my vote has made a difference. I've lived in very labour areas (both MP and Council) and very Tory areas (both MP and council). So I've done all sorts over the years including putting back the vote blank.
This time I've got a choice between * my local labour councillor (who should win comfortably) * Chris Williamson (yes that one) for the WPGB * Tory * reform * Green (good luck with that in the constituency which contains Rolls-Royce) * Lib Dem (TBC)
not sure what I'll do this time. I may mark multiple candidates or draw a 'none of the above box)
It seems quite polarised by area looking at Councillors.
Are the 5 (iicc: if I count correctly) for Reform Derby part of Reform UK?
And who are the 3 Independents?
Will you miss Ma Beckett (and her conservatory)?
Explication:
La Beckett was *not* one of the expenses puritans. There's some seriously astonishing stuff claimed there as essential to do the job in Westminster - starting with £13k in 2002 money for things like paving a drive and replacing part of the roof on the constituency house.
Seeing as @Casino_Royale has openly admitted that he will be campaigning for the Conservative Party his posts are effectively @HYUFD style party political broadcasts
I know it's unwelcome to you to have another point of view intrude into your happy echo chamber but you're going to have to put up with it for the next 6 weeks, I'm afraid.
It's called democracy.
Is it actually your point of view though or is it actually the point of view of the party which seems to change at the drop of a hat
I always share on here my point of view.
I look forward to you criticising aspects of the Tory manifesto that you disagree with
Labour is now where our focus should be - look at the polls.
How about you look forward to me pointing out that SKS is far from the best thing since sliced bread and many of the policies he is proposing will exacerbate the problems in this country, not solve them?
I actually agree with you there, from a political strategy perspective. That's why, even if a net neutral or slight positive, the National Service thing was silly.
The Ming vase strategy requires Labour to get through 6 weeks of as little media coverage as possible. That will be easy if we get more National Service type policies from Sunak.
It's about denying any oxygen to Reform and rallying the base; it also shifts the debate to defence and security - and away from cost of living where Labour would like it.
SKS has responded by basically taking yesterday off to decide how to respond, so it has disrupted their grid, and he's trying to make a speech about security atm, but it hasn't got much beyond his first job "clearing stones for farmers" so far, which did make me chuckle.
Very sensible of him.
I hope he takes a similar approach to being PM. Working 20 hour days, and trying to respond immediately to every shift in the political wind, exhausts PMs, and is probably part of the reason they make such poor decisions from time to time.
I don't hold out any great hopes for his administration, but basic competence would be an improvement on what we've had for most of the last decade.
Exactly, your projections are based entirely on the frustrations of the existing administration.
Which is why absolutely no-one wants to hear any criticism whatever of SKS or his prospective new Labour administration.
It would destroy that.
I’m looking forward to seeing criticisms that are based on reality rather than make believe. Which is why I find all the current SKS / Labour will do ABC things so funny because until we see Labour’s manifesto we don’t have a clue what will be done and what will be a priority…
And I suspect the first 6 months I’ll be firefighting the forthcoming disasters such as university finance, immigration ….
We probably won't know even then.
As far as we know the man is an empty vessel, except what policies he has announced so far are shit so all we have to go is his character, temperament and past and that tells me he's a typical North London Lefty. It also tells me he's not particularly trustworthy, and most of who and what he finds inconvenient he junks within weeks. I really don't like how he's treated Rosie Duffield. I find the man utterly disingenuous.
I expect him to overtax the private sector to expand the public, at little benefit to output, follow as open a policy on immigration as he can, take a scythe to the constitution, do whatever he can to reverse Brexit, promote Wokery and increase borrowing.
Of course, some people will quite like all that.
Sounds good to me! Apart from taking a scythe to the constitution, although bringing back the FTPA and scrapping photo ID might be good. I doubt very much if he’ll bring in Electoral Reform, but that would be good, too!
I must be young at heart since it seems to be my generation which thinks this is an excellent idea (having skipped it ourselves) but I think that the last thing our young require is another delay in starting out on life. We already have people staying at school until they are 18 and then the majority going on to University or college for another 3-4 years, more in some cases. So, right now, you are looking for your first job in your early 20s. Are we really going to make it mid 20s and what are the pension implications of that?
Its a silly idea. Much better to spend the money giving training so that our young can start to fill our skills gaps ASAP. National service or apprenticeships? It's a no brainer for every sort of reason.
I must sadly agree. One of the really sad things we have done over the past decades is to blur the line between children and adults, with the inevitable infantilized adults. Education is a process designed to enable children to become independent when they achieve adulthood, so that they can get a job, form relationships, have children of their own, buy a house, and raise them. By pushing each stage back into their 20s and 30s we are disabling them.
Your apprenticeships idea is a good one and would help cure this problem.
In the new seat of Kensington and Bayswater, I see that running are both Emma Dent Coad as an independent, and a Workers Party candidate, Garry Cattle. Dent Coad was the former Labour MP for the predecessor Kensington constituency 2017-9. She’s a Corbynite and left the Labour Party last year.
Why on Earth are the Workers Party and Coad running against each other? This is why I think the impact of the Workers Party will be very limited. A new party that could embrace Dent Coad, Corbyn and Galloway, that might do well in places. Hard left candidates standing against each other, no chance.
But in Holborn & St Pancras, the Workers Party is supporting the independent Corbynite, Andrew Feinstein. That makes more sense, but it still shows the party’s weakness that Feinstein would rather run as an independent than as the official Workers Party candidate.
That's a feature not a bug of the far left though. They don't actually agree on an awful lot beyond dislike of mainstream Labour and (these days) Israel.
Corbynism was rare in that it took more or less all in - and even then Galloway was too toxic when running as Labour - as buried hatchets for a shot at the big time.
Which proved a strength - as for once the far left, ultra-progressive types had a rallying point even if in practice had completely incompatible views - and a weakness as it was always quite easy to point to the foul cranks Jeremy and others had embraced over the years as part of 'no enemies on the left'.
It's he basic problem the far left has. To get to a certain point it has to embrace some really terrible people and cranks. That then come back to haunt it when it tries to go mainstream.
Can anyone beat that? Has anyone else had an unusual skin condition with a strange name that formed a simulacrum of the face of a barely remembered political figure on a particularly intimate part of their anatomy?
Just a reminder, Leon.
Your photo quota today is zero
A cousin of mine who worked at Halford’s suffered a sporadic but sharp case of vitiligo where the unmistakeable image of Donald Dewer making a speech would appear on his buttocks, but only during the winter
Seeing as @Casino_Royale has openly admitted that he will be campaigning for the Conservative Party his posts are effectively @HYUFD style party political broadcasts
I know it's unwelcome to you to have another point of view intrude into your happy echo chamber but you're going to have to put up with it for the next 6 weeks, I'm afraid.
It's called democracy.
Is it actually your point of view though or is it actually the point of view of the party which seems to change at the drop of a hat
I always share on here my point of view.
I look forward to you criticising aspects of the Tory manifesto that you disagree with
Labour is now where our focus should be - look at the polls.
How about you look forward to me pointing out that SKS is far from the best thing since sliced bread and many of the policies he is proposing will exacerbate the problems in this country, not solve them?
I actually agree with you there, from a political strategy perspective. That's why, even if a net neutral or slight positive, the National Service thing was silly.
The Ming vase strategy requires Labour to get through 6 weeks of as little media coverage as possible. That will be easy if we get more National Service type policies from Sunak.
It's about denying any oxygen to Reform and rallying the base; it also shifts the debate to defence and security - and away from cost of living where Labour would like it.
SKS has responded by basically taking yesterday off to decide how to respond, so it has disrupted their grid, and he's trying to make a speech about security atm, but it hasn't got much beyond his first job "clearing stones for farmers" so far, which did make me chuckle.
Very sensible of him.
I hope he takes a similar approach to being PM. Working 20 hour days, and trying to respond immediately to every shift in the political wind, exhausts PMs, and is probably part of the reason they make such poor decisions from time to time.
I don't hold out any great hopes for his administration, but basic competence would be an improvement on what we've had for most of the last decade.
Exactly, your projections are based entirely on the frustrations of the existing administration.
Which is why absolutely no-one wants to hear any criticism whatever of SKS or his prospective new Labour administration.
It would destroy that.
The rather breathless praise of SKS from some quarters is an interesting one. From a purely political game, he has played a very good one (though has undeniably benefitted from the Tories imploding). I do think he gets a bit more praise than is perhaps merited: but I do think some of this comes from the fact that to many of us he is the alternative to what we see as a very bad, clapped out, tired and desperate government - so of course he comes out well in that comparison.
It will be very interesting to see how quickly that perception shifts after the GE.
Who praises Starmer breathlessly? I am not picking up on this. Even positive comments about Starmer tend to heavy qualification: "doesn't offer any hope", "underestimated", "better than Sunak" etc
Seeing as @Casino_Royale has openly admitted that he will be campaigning for the Conservative Party his posts are effectively @HYUFD style party political broadcasts
I know it's unwelcome to you to have another point of view intrude into your happy echo chamber but you're going to have to put up with it for the next 6 weeks, I'm afraid.
It's called democracy.
Is it actually your point of view though or is it actually the point of view of the party which seems to change at the drop of a hat
I always share on here my point of view.
I look forward to you criticising aspects of the Tory manifesto that you disagree with
Labour is now where our focus should be - look at the polls.
How about you look forward to me pointing out that SKS is far from the best thing since sliced bread and many of the policies he is proposing will exacerbate the problems in this country, not solve them?
I actually agree with you there, from a political strategy perspective. That's why, even if a net neutral or slight positive, the National Service thing was silly.
The Ming vase strategy requires Labour to get through 6 weeks of as little media coverage as possible. That will be easy if we get more National Service type policies from Sunak.
It's about denying any oxygen to Reform and rallying the base; it also shifts the debate to defence and security - and away from cost of living where Labour would like it.
SKS has responded by basically taking yesterday off to decide how to respond, so it has disrupted their grid, and he's trying to make a speech about security atm, but it hasn't got much beyond his first job "clearing stones for farmers" so far, which did make me chuckle.
Very sensible of him.
I hope he takes a similar approach to being PM. Working 20 hour days, and trying to respond immediately to every shift in the political wind, exhausts PMs, and is probably part of the reason they make such poor decisions from time to time.
I don't hold out any great hopes for his administration, but basic competence would be an improvement on what we've had for most of the last decade.
Exactly, your projections are based entirely on the frustrations of the existing administration.
Which is why absolutely no-one wants to hear any criticism whatever of SKS or his prospective new Labour administration.
It would destroy that.
What projections ? I'm forecasting nothing for the next Labour government. It could be anything from a moderate success to a disaster.
The only thing I'm reasonably certain of is that the Tories are done. And are unlikely to improve much in opposition for the foreseeable future.
Was thinking back yesterday to my votes in past General Elections:
3 x Labour 2 x Conservative 2 x LibDem
I guess that might baffle some of the partisan folk on here but I’m happy about it. I’ve voted Green at local level a number of times too.
"When the facts change, I change my mind."
I'm baffled by people who vote the same way their entire life, tbh. At that point, you're just supporting your favourite football team, not casting a sensible vote on who is best suited to run the country.
Parties also change over time. I could vote for the economically and social liberal Conservatives of Cameron's era. You wouldn't catch me dead voting for the bunch of batshit crazy authoritarians running the Tories now.
Like others downthread I am concerned that Labour in power will trend towards authoritarianism. Not out of malice, but because they believe in the benevolence of the state. I don't believe in that, so I'll never find a natural home in Labour. But I sure as heck don't have one in the modern Conservative Party, either.
I do find it amusing when people who voted for Brexit despair about where the Cameroon Tory Party went and the fact it's been displaced by a bunch of cranks. What did you honestly expect to happen?
For starters, Cameron could have stayed on rather than resign immediately.
A centrist party might have said - well, the vote was 52/48, leaving the country deeply divided, so a compromise such as remaining inside the single market or customs union might have been sought.
An even more interesting question might be - why did Labour go along with the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty without a referendum? And why did Ireland make its citizens vote twice until they got the right answer?
I'm a democrat, and a liberal - although not a Liberal Democrat, har har. The UK post 2016 hasn't matched my values, but neither did the EU (or Labour) before it.
Seeing as @Casino_Royale has openly admitted that he will be campaigning for the Conservative Party his posts are effectively @HYUFD style party political broadcasts
I know it's unwelcome to you to have another point of view intrude into your happy echo chamber but you're going to have to put up with it for the next 6 weeks, I'm afraid.
It's called democracy.
Is it actually your point of view though or is it actually the point of view of the party which seems to change at the drop of a hat
I always share on here my point of view.
I look forward to you criticising aspects of the Tory manifesto that you disagree with
Labour is now where our focus should be - look at the polls.
How about you look forward to me pointing out that SKS is far from the best thing since sliced bread and many of the policies he is proposing will exacerbate the problems in this country, not solve them?
I actually agree with you there, from a political strategy perspective. That's why, even if a net neutral or slight positive, the National Service thing was silly.
The Ming vase strategy requires Labour to get through 6 weeks of as little media coverage as possible. That will be easy if we get more National Service type policies from Sunak.
It's about denying any oxygen to Reform and rallying the base; it also shifts the debate to defence and security - and away from cost of living where Labour would like it.
SKS has responded by basically taking yesterday off to decide how to respond, so it has disrupted their grid, and he's trying to make a speech about security atm, but it hasn't got much beyond his first job "clearing stones for farmers" so far, which did make me chuckle.
Very sensible of him.
I hope he takes a similar approach to being PM. Working 20 hour days, and trying to respond immediately to every shift in the political wind, exhausts PMs, and is probably part of the reason they make such poor decisions from time to time.
I don't hold out any great hopes for his administration, but basic competence would be an improvement on what we've had for most of the last decade.
Exactly, your projections are based entirely on the frustrations of the existing administration.
Which is why absolutely no-one wants to hear any criticism whatever of SKS or his prospective new Labour administration.
It would destroy that.
The rather breathless praise of SKS from some quarters is an interesting one. From a purely political game, he has played a very good one (though has undeniably benefitted from the Tories imploding). I do think he gets a bit more praise than is perhaps merited: but I do think some of this comes from the fact that to many of us he is the alternative to what we see as a very bad, clapped out, tired and desperate government - so of course he comes out well in that comparison.
It will be very interesting to see how quickly that perception shifts after the GE.
Who praises Starmer breathlessly? I am not picking up on this. Even positive comments about Starmer tend to heavy qualification: "doesn't offer any hope", "underestimated", "better than Sunak" etc
'Sexy' Sir Keir has appeared from nowhere this morning and has a rather breathless quality.
Can anyone beat that? Has anyone else had an unusual skin condition with a strange name that formed a simulacrum of the face of a barely remembered political figure on a particularly intimate part of their anatomy?
A rogue NHS surgeon laser-etched a miniature caricature of Liz truss on one of my kidneys. Should have gone with Nuffield.
Seeing as @Casino_Royale has openly admitted that he will be campaigning for the Conservative Party his posts are effectively @HYUFD style party political broadcasts
I know it's unwelcome to you to have another point of view intrude into your happy echo chamber but you're going to have to put up with it for the next 6 weeks, I'm afraid.
It's called democracy.
Is it actually your point of view though or is it actually the point of view of the party which seems to change at the drop of a hat
I always share on here my point of view.
I look forward to you criticising aspects of the Tory manifesto that you disagree with
Labour is now where our focus should be - look at the polls.
How about you look forward to me pointing out that SKS is far from the best thing since sliced bread and many of the policies he is proposing will exacerbate the problems in this country, not solve them?
I actually agree with you there, from a political strategy perspective. That's why, even if a net neutral or slight positive, the National Service thing was silly.
The Ming vase strategy requires Labour to get through 6 weeks of as little media coverage as possible. That will be easy if we get more National Service type policies from Sunak.
It's about denying any oxygen to Reform and rallying the base; it also shifts the debate to defence and security - and away from cost of living where Labour would like it.
SKS has responded by basically taking yesterday off to decide how to respond, so it has disrupted their grid, and he's trying to make a speech about security atm, but it hasn't got much beyond his first job "clearing stones for farmers" so far, which did make me chuckle.
Very sensible of him.
I hope he takes a similar approach to being PM. Working 20 hour days, and trying to respond immediately to every shift in the political wind, exhausts PMs, and is probably part of the reason they make such poor decisions from time to time.
I don't hold out any great hopes for his administration, but basic competence would be an improvement on what we've had for most of the last decade.
Exactly, your projections are based entirely on the frustrations of the existing administration.
Which is why absolutely no-one wants to hear any criticism whatever of SKS or his prospective new Labour administration.
It would destroy that.
The rather breathless praise of SKS from some quarters is an interesting one. From a purely political game, he has played a very good one (though has undeniably benefitted from the Tories imploding). I do think he gets a bit more praise than is perhaps merited: but I do think some of this comes from the fact that to many of us he is the alternative to what we see as a very bad, clapped out, tired and desperate government - so of course he comes out well in that comparison.
It will be very interesting to see how quickly that perception shifts after the GE.
Who praises Starmer breathlessly? I am not picking up on this. Even positive comments about Starmer tend to heavy qualification: "doesn't offer any hope", "underestimated", "better than Sunak" etc
I have seen plenty of it: here, and in some media quarters. I don’t deny some people’s opinions are more nuanced (including my own) - that is exactly why I said it comes from some quarters only.
Was thinking back yesterday to my votes in past General Elections:
3 x Labour 2 x Conservative 2 x LibDem
I guess that might baffle some of the partisan folk on here but I’m happy about it. I’ve voted Green at local level a number of times too.
I've never lived in a location where my vote has made a difference. I've lived in very labour areas (both MP and Council) and very Tory areas (both MP and council). So I've done all sorts over the years including putting back the vote blank.
This time I've got a choice between * my local labour councillor (who should win comfortably) * Chris Williamson (yes that one) for the WPGB * Tory * reform * Green (good luck with that in the constituency which contains Rolls-Royce) * Lib Dem (TBC)
not sure what I'll do this time. I may mark multiple candidates or draw a 'none of the above box)
It seems quite polarised by area looking at Councillors.
Are the 5 (iicc: if I count correctly) for Reform Derby part of Reform UK?
And who are the 3 Independents?
Will you miss Ma Beckett (and her conservatory)?
Alan Graves (Reform Derby) was UKIP so I think they are Reform but just using a different name for the ballot. I don't know much about the independents as they're not my area.
The betting question is how much of the labour majority was personal vote for Margaret Beckett and how much was block labour voting. it should be an east hold for Labour unless * WPGB takes votes of Labour due to the Gaza position (didn't have locals this year so we don't know if it will be an issue) * Some of Baggy Shanker's past comes back to haunt him. I'd say specifics but don't want to be done for libel (even though if it's true it can't be libel).
Reading in detail I see that Alan Graves is Mayor of Derby.
Can anyone beat that? Has anyone else had an unusual skin condition with a strange name that formed a simulacrum of the face of a barely remembered political figure on a particularly intimate part of their anatomy?
Just a reminder, Leon.
Your photo quota today is zero
A cousin of mine who worked at Halford’s suffered a sporadic but sharp case of vitiligo where the unmistakeable image of Donald Dewer making a speech would appear on his buttocks, but only during the winter
A certain part of my anatomy resembles Anas Sarwar, nominative determinism in action!
Was thinking back yesterday to my votes in past General Elections:
3 x Labour 2 x Conservative 2 x LibDem
I guess that might baffle some of the partisan folk on here but I’m happy about it. I’ve voted Green at local level a number of times too.
I've never lived in a location where my vote has made a difference. I've lived in very labour areas (both MP and Council) and very Tory areas (both MP and council). So I've done all sorts over the years including putting back the vote blank.
This time I've got a choice between * my local labour councillor (who should win comfortably) * Chris Williamson (yes that one) for the WPGB * Tory * reform * Green (good luck with that in the constituency which contains Rolls-Royce) * Lib Dem (TBC)
not sure what I'll do this time. I may mark multiple candidates or draw a 'none of the above box)
It seems quite polarised by area looking at Councillors.
Are the 5 (iicc: if I count correctly) for Reform Derby part of Reform UK?
And who are the 3 Independents?
Will you miss Ma Beckett (and her conservatory)?
Alan Graves (Reform Derby) was UKIP so I think they are Reform but just using a different name for the ballot. I don't know much about the independents as they're not my area.
The betting question is how much of the labour majority was personal vote for Margaret Beckett and how much was block labour voting. it should be an east hold for Labour unless * WPGB takes votes of Labour due to the Gaza position (didn't have locals this year so we don't know if it will be an issue) * Some of Baggy Shanker's past comes back to haunt him. I'd say specifics but don't want to be done for libel (even though if it's true it can't be libel).
Reading in detail I see that Alan Graves is Mayor of Derby.
Seeing as @Casino_Royale has openly admitted that he will be campaigning for the Conservative Party his posts are effectively @HYUFD style party political broadcasts
I know it's unwelcome to you to have another point of view intrude into your happy echo chamber but you're going to have to put up with it for the next 6 weeks, I'm afraid.
It's called democracy.
Is it actually your point of view though or is it actually the point of view of the party which seems to change at the drop of a hat
I always share on here my point of view.
I look forward to you criticising aspects of the Tory manifesto that you disagree with
Labour is now where our focus should be - look at the polls.
How about you look forward to me pointing out that SKS is far from the best thing since sliced bread and many of the policies he is proposing will exacerbate the problems in this country, not solve them?
I actually agree with you there, from a political strategy perspective. That's why, even if a net neutral or slight positive, the National Service thing was silly.
The Ming vase strategy requires Labour to get through 6 weeks of as little media coverage as possible. That will be easy if we get more National Service type policies from Sunak.
It's about denying any oxygen to Reform and rallying the base; it also shifts the debate to defence and security - and away from cost of living where Labour would like it.
SKS has responded by basically taking yesterday off to decide how to respond, so it has disrupted their grid, and he's trying to make a speech about security atm, but it hasn't got much beyond his first job "clearing stones for farmers" so far, which did make me chuckle.
Very sensible of him.
I hope he takes a similar approach to being PM. Working 20 hour days, and trying to respond immediately to every shift in the political wind, exhausts PMs, and is probably part of the reason they make such poor decisions from time to time.
I don't hold out any great hopes for his administration, but basic competence would be an improvement on what we've had for most of the last decade.
Exactly, your projections are based entirely on the frustrations of the existing administration.
Which is why absolutely no-one wants to hear any criticism whatever of SKS or his prospective new Labour administration.
It would destroy that.
The rather breathless praise of SKS from some quarters is an interesting one. From a purely political game, he has played a very good one (though has undeniably benefitted from the Tories imploding). I do think he gets a bit more praise than is perhaps merited: but I do think some of this comes from the fact that to many of us he is the alternative to what we see as a very bad, clapped out, tired and desperate government - so of course he comes out well in that comparison.
It will be very interesting to see how quickly that perception shifts after the GE.
Who praises Starmer breathlessly? I am not picking up on this. Even positive comments about Starmer tend to heavy qualification: "doesn't offer any hope", "underestimated", "better than Sunak" etc
'Sexy' Sir Keir has appeared from nowhere this morning and has a rather breathless quality.
You can think someone sexy without believing they’re a good politician or agreeing with their policies. I think Steve Baker is a hunk and Nadine Dorries a hottie, but I strongly disagree with their politics.
Seeing as @Casino_Royale has openly admitted that he will be campaigning for the Conservative Party his posts are effectively @HYUFD style party political broadcasts
I know it's unwelcome to you to have another point of view intrude into your happy echo chamber but you're going to have to put up with it for the next 6 weeks, I'm afraid.
It's called democracy.
Is it actually your point of view though or is it actually the point of view of the party which seems to change at the drop of a hat
I always share on here my point of view.
I look forward to you criticising aspects of the Tory manifesto that you disagree with
Labour is now where our focus should be - look at the polls.
How about you look forward to me pointing out that SKS is far from the best thing since sliced bread and many of the policies he is proposing will exacerbate the problems in this country, not solve them?
I actually agree with you there, from a political strategy perspective. That's why, even if a net neutral or slight positive, the National Service thing was silly.
The Ming vase strategy requires Labour to get through 6 weeks of as little media coverage as possible. That will be easy if we get more National Service type policies from Sunak.
It's about denying any oxygen to Reform and rallying the base; it also shifts the debate to defence and security - and away from cost of living where Labour would like it.
SKS has responded by basically taking yesterday off to decide how to respond, so it has disrupted their grid, and he's trying to make a speech about security atm, but it hasn't got much beyond his first job "clearing stones for farmers" so far, which did make me chuckle.
Very sensible of him.
I hope he takes a similar approach to being PM. Working 20 hour days, and trying to respond immediately to every shift in the political wind, exhausts PMs, and is probably part of the reason they make such poor decisions from time to time.
I don't hold out any great hopes for his administration, but basic competence would be an improvement on what we've had for most of the last decade.
Exactly, your projections are based entirely on the frustrations of the existing administration.
Which is why absolutely no-one wants to hear any criticism whatever of SKS or his prospective new Labour administration.
It would destroy that.
What projections ? I'm forecasting nothing for the next Labour government. It could be anything from a moderate success to a disaster.
The only thing I'm reasonably certain of is that the Tories are done. And are unlikely to improve much in opposition for the foreseeable future.
Comments
Some people would saw off a leg to win it.
JackW used to cheat shamelessly.
Jaffa cakes are obviously cakes. Only heretics claim otherwise.
Where as Biden, you are never sure if he will actually make it to the end of a speech without the batteries running out and he spends large parts of the day not working as he is actually asleep.
Trump is very good at these insults, but he A/B tests them at all the rallies he does. He is like a comedian testing out the gags, so when its Live at the Apollo time, he has the lines that worked the best ready to go.
I hope he takes a similar approach to being PM. Working 20 hour days, and trying to respond immediately to every shift in the political wind, exhausts PMs, and is probably part of the reason they make such poor decisions from time to time.
I don't hold out any great hopes for his administration, but basic competence would be an improvement on what we've had for most of the last decade.
You can't take the gun out of the Typhoon for the same reason though the RAF wanted to. They thought about putting a ballast in the gun bay instead but that worked out more expensive than just leaving the gun in.
E2A: It also makes the aircraft easier to handle on the ground by putting more weight over the nose wheel. Except on the MiG-21 where nothing helps.
The 25 day official election countdown starts on Thursday when parliament is dissolved.
I don't expect the PM to work 20hrs a day. I expect them to keep on top of thing, set out the vision and delegate to others the implementation. Of course there are times when its all hands on deck, when it isn't, taking a Sunday off to recharge, I think is perfectly healthy.
3 x Labour
2 x Conservative
2 x LibDem
I guess that might baffle some of the partisan folk on here but I’m happy about it. I’ve voted Green at local level a number of times too.
If it goes dryer/harder when left for a long time it's a cake;
If it goes damper/softer when left for a long time it's a biscuit.
I think this may be some physics law about entropy at work.
Jaffa cakes are, of course, cakes under this rule. Rich tea biscuits are are the very paradigm of biscuits - you have to eat them all on opening or they liquify.
It's a plan. Not much of one but its a plan.
https://www.airandspaceforces.com/first-ukrainian-pilots-graduate-us-f-16-training/
End of the year, apparently. They can do the flyover at DJT's inauguration before they head east.
It's only recently they've become such a large arms exporter, and that's on the back of having had to maintain arms development and manufacturing capacity to deal with the threat from the north.
It helps that their economy is so heavily skewed towards manufacturing.
But you're right that they're now reaping the benefits. With the exception of the KF21, which hasn't yet attracted any significant partners.
Which is why absolutely no-one wants to hear any criticism whatever of SKS or his prospective new Labour administration.
It would destroy that.
I'm baffled by people who vote the same way their entire life, tbh. At that point, you're just supporting your favourite football team, not casting a sensible vote on who is best suited to run the country.
Parties also change over time. I could vote for the economically and social liberal Conservatives of Cameron's era. You wouldn't catch me dead voting for the bunch of batshit crazy authoritarians running the Tories now.
Like others downthread I am concerned that Labour in power will trend towards authoritarianism. Not out of malice, but because they believe in the benevolence of the state. I don't believe in that, so I'll never find a natural home in Labour. But I sure as heck don't have one in the modern Conservative Party, either.
Why on Earth are the Workers Party and Coad running against each other? This is why I think the impact of the Workers Party will be very limited. A new party that could embrace Dent Coad, Corbyn and Galloway, that might do well in places. Hard left candidates standing against each other, no chance.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/keir-starmer-will-find-90-32240687
This time I've got a choice between
* my local labour councillor (who should win comfortably)
* Chris Williamson (yes that one) for the WPGB
* Tory
* reform
* Green (good luck with that in the constituency which contains Rolls-Royce)
* Lib Dem (TBC)
not sure what I'll do this time. I may mark multiple candidates or draw a 'none of the above box)
https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/24347415.live-keir-starmer-sussex-first-major-campaign-speech/
I am sitting a lot of this debate out as, frankly, in a few weeks we will have a majority Starmer led government and for that Sunak deservers a lot of credit for 'biting the bullet' and lighting the touch paper to bring the curtain down on a divided, weary, and flawed conservative party (and it saddens me as on previous occasions at election time I have been an active member, but no longer)
I have no idea how Starmer will govern but he faces enormous problems which I genuinely do not think he has the courage or idea how to resolve, other than to plead for two terms which as we know is ambitious as the public want answers now especially on the NHS
And I suspect the first 6 months I’ll be firefighting the forthcoming disasters such as university finance, immigration ….
For a comparison, contrast the official economic policies of Reform, and the views on public spending of those intending to vote for them.
Are the 5 (iicc: if I count correctly) for Reform Derby part of Reform UK?
And who are the 3 Independents?
Will you miss Ma Beckett (and her conservatory)?
I have voted LD, but mostly Tory, at GEs before.
I’m not convinced Labour are going to be able to offer me a permanent political home but they are by far the best proposition this time around.
"We are using the big version, tovarisch, so it won't bounce off the wig."
Australian scientists discover ancient 'echidnapus'
It will be very interesting to see how quickly that perception shifts after the GE.
As far as we know the man is an empty vessel, except what policies he has announced so far are shit so all we have to go is his character, temperament and past and that tells me he's a typical North London Lefty. It also tells me he's not particularly trustworthy, and most of who and what he finds inconvenient he junks within weeks. I really don't like how he's treated Rosie Duffield. I find the man utterly disingenuous.
I expect him to overtax the private sector to expand the public, at little benefit to output, follow as open a policy on immigration as he can, take a scythe to the constitution, do whatever he can to reverse Brexit, promote Wokery and increase borrowing.
Of course, some people will quite like all that.
Jeremy Clarkson and David Cameron live in Chadlington, give or take a couple of miles (Clarkson in a farm on the outskirts, Cameron in the neighbouring hamlet of Dean).
The handful of new pilots trained here are starting on fast jets in France.
https://english.nv.ua/nation/10-young-pilots-undergo-training-in-france-to-master-f-16-50413056.html
Presumably a training capability more independent of the US will develop over time.
Part and parcel of the increase in European defence spending.
Your photo quota today is zero
The betting question is how much of the labour majority was personal vote for Margaret Beckett and how much was block labour voting. it should be an east hold for Labour unless
* WPGB takes votes of Labour due to the Gaza position (didn't have locals this year so we don't know if it will be an issue)
* Some of Baggy Shanker's past comes back to haunt him. I'd say specifics but don't want to be done for libel (even though if it's true it can't be libel).
And in any even they are even larger non military exporters.
La Beckett was *not* one of the expenses puritans. There's some seriously astonishing stuff claimed there as essential to do the job in Westminster - starting with £13k in 2002 money for things like paving a drive and replacing part of the roof on the constituency house.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5588020/Margaret-Beckett-claimed-three-more-times-for-hanging-baskets-on-MPs-expenses.html
Your apprenticeships idea is a good one and would help cure this problem.
Corbynism was rare in that it took more or less all in - and even then Galloway was too toxic when running as Labour - as buried hatchets for a shot at the big time.
Which proved a strength - as for once the far left, ultra-progressive types had a rallying point even if in practice had completely incompatible views - and a weakness as it was always quite easy to point to the foul cranks Jeremy and others had embraced over the years as part of 'no enemies on the left'.
It's he basic problem the far left has. To get to a certain point it has to embrace some really terrible people and cranks. That then come back to haunt it when it tries to go mainstream.
Frank Luntz
@FrankLuntz
·
18h
Donald Trump’s campaign raised more money ($76 million) than Joe Biden’s last month.
https://x.com/FrankLuntz
I'm forecasting nothing for the next Labour government. It could be anything from a moderate success to a disaster.
The only thing I'm reasonably certain of is that the Tories are done. And are unlikely to improve much in opposition for the foreseeable future.
A centrist party might have said - well, the vote was 52/48, leaving the country deeply divided, so a compromise such as remaining inside the single market or customs union might have been sought.
An even more interesting question might be - why did Labour go along with the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty without a referendum? And why did Ireland make its citizens vote twice until they got the right answer?
I'm a democrat, and a liberal - although not a Liberal Democrat, har har. The UK post 2016 hasn't matched my values, but neither did the EU (or Labour) before it.
Wow. That means the Tories voted for him.
Should we bring back National Service
Yes 30%
No 70%
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-politics-69063295
That's the trouble with PM Starmer - he's done nothing. (Apart from close a few private schools apparently.)
https://x.com/jason_kint/status/1794573782130344300