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.
Presumably a training capability more independent of the US will develop over time. Part and parcel of the increase in European defence spending.
Don't expect @Dura_Ace to have accurate intel on these matters. I'm also surprised that someone who claims to have been involved in the military is surprised that the number of combatants produced for an active conflict is 'murky'..
@Casino_Royale I wager you cannot find a single post on here with any unqualified praise of SKS. You despise the man, that is clear, but no one loves him as much as you hate him. Your partisan loathing of an unremarkable politician is based on the fact his party is, based on current polling, leading yours handily. You don’t understand why that is so you lash out. Like @isam and @bigjohnowls who suffer from a similar malady. Seriously, there are no unqualified “SKS Fans” on this board as much as you and BJO keep talking to/about them.
When/if you win in July, what policies will your party introduce in its next term of government that should make us vote for it? We have discussed the recent National Service announcement. Anything else? Make your pitch. “Better than SKS” we know about. What else?
So that’s TWO people just on PB - or known to PB - who’ve had slightly embarrassing skin problems with peculiar names where the symptomology includes bizarrely accurate images of relatively forgotten political figures like Sir Francis Pym (later The Lord Pym of Sandy in Bedfordshire) of appearing to form on their genitals or related areas so it’s obviously a lot more common than people realise and we need to talk about it so sufferers don’t feel cruelly stigmatised as they did in the past
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.
I did wonder about the effect of NS on the 'mum's vote'. Not a parent myself I can't really say but do parents of teenage children really want their kids lives being dictated in this way?
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.
De gustibus, etc.
I can't honestly think of any politician I'd ever describe as sexy.
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.
Maybe we'll surprise you.
The Tories might surprise us on the downside in this election.
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.
Maybe we'll surprise you.
What are your plans to deliver that improvement in the Conservative Party? Do you think there’s a particular new leader who could lead the way? Or a policy emphasis?
I did wonder about the effect of NS on the 'mum's vote'. Not a parent myself I can't really say but do parents of teenage children really want their kids lives being dictated in this way?
Not to mention grandparents. Should imagine there's a large constituency in favour of NS for other people's relatives.
See. The continual banging on about "no plan" emanating from CCHQ is pure projection. Jung pointed this out. What precisely is the Tory plan for five more years?
See. The continual banging on about "no plan" emanating from CCHQ is pure projection. Jung pointed this out. What precisely is the Tory plan for five more years?
Eventually there will be a Labour manifesto outlining what they intend to do. “No Plan” messaging cuts across any attempt to attack that manifesto.
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.
They've been trying to really push arms exports for years. The French, German and American behaviour over arming Ukraine has really made a mark on the international arms market.
Poland is setting up to buy a fleet of Korean tanks on the basis that the factory will be built in Poland and they will have ultimate ownership of the tanks (no secondary export restrictions).
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.
De gustibus, etc.
I can't honestly think of any politician I'd ever describe as sexy.
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.
Maybe we'll surprise you.
What are your plans to deliver that improvement in the Conservative Party? Do you think there’s a particular new leader who could lead the way? Or a policy emphasis?
I have lots of ideas, some of which I've shared on here before, but now is not the time.
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.
Maybe so; they're all swipe lefts for me but chàcun a son goût. My point was more that after 4+ years of jowly rhetoric and that bumble bee trapped in a bottle voice people are suddenly coming out for hotty Starmer, something I'd not noticed as a thing before. Sight of the finishing line getting the blood pumping?
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.
Maybe we'll surprise you.
Maybe you will.
Maybe Labour will wholeheartedly adopt my favoured housing policy in they'd first year if government.
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.
Maybe we'll surprise you.
What are your plans to deliver that improvement in the Conservative Party? Do you think there’s a particular new leader who could lead the way? Or a policy emphasis?
I have lots of ideas, some of which I've shared on here before, but now is not the time.
If a General Election campaign is not the time to share yours and your party’s ideas, then when is?
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.
Maybe so; they're all swipe lefts for me but chàcun a son goût. My point was more that after 4+ years of jowly rhetoric and that bumble bee trapped in a bottle voice people are suddenly coming out for hotty Starmer, something I'd not noticed as a thing before. Sight of the finishing line getting the blood pumping?
I remember the Mr Darcy comments from 4 years ago.
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.
Maybe we'll surprise you.
What are your plans to deliver that improvement in the Conservative Party? Do you think there’s a particular new leader who could lead the way? Or a policy emphasis?
I have lots of ideas, some of which I've shared on here before, but now is not the time.
If a General Election campaign is not the time to share yours and your party’s ideas, then when is?
Tbf, I was asking about post-defeat, in opposition, plans.
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.
When I was at UCL in the 90s, we had a good half dozen in the class of mature students. People who failed to go to university, failed the first degree etc.
They all did very well, IIRC.
In my last year, we had a hilarious chap from the oil rigs. He'd made a pile and decided to take three years out to get a degree. Mad Max biker - was parking his Harley next to Dean Vernon Wormer's official car within about ten minutes of arriving (he just chatted to security and they were his best mates) - all the piercings and tattoos.
His plan was to do the degree, then back to the rigs and do a Masters/PhD while working. He figured that between being a roughneck and having all the academics he would zoom up the ladder.
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
Halfords have a zero enforcement (or even) care policy on shoplifting. I don't think I have paid for a 10mm socket for about five years.
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.
Presumably a training capability more independent of the US will develop over time. Part and parcel of the increase in European defence spending.
Don't expect @Dura_Ace to have accurate intel on these matters. I'm also surprised that someone who claims to have been involved in the military is surprised that the number of combatants produced for an active conflict is 'murky'..
I did wonder about the effect of NS on the 'mum's vote'. Not a parent myself I can't really say but do parents of teenage children really want their kids lives being dictated in this way?
Not to mention grandparents. Should imagine there's a large constituency in favour of NS for other people's relatives.
The over-60s without children/grandchildren maybe? Oh, hang on, that's me... No, I still think it's a crap idea.
Takeaways from Starmer's first campaign speech: 🏴 big on Englishness 💷 there *is no money left* 🪜 anything not in 'first steps' is low priority 🎒 private school parents "work hard" 🛥️ he wants to stop the boats ⚔️ not quite ruling out national service
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.
Maybe we'll surprise you.
What are your plans to deliver that improvement in the Conservative Party? Do you think there’s a particular new leader who could lead the way? Or a policy emphasis?
I have lots of ideas, some of which I've shared on here before, but now is not the time.
If a General Election campaign is not the time to share yours and your party’s ideas, then when is?
Tbf, I was asking about post-defeat, in opposition, plans.
Apologies. As clear as it seems at the moment though there remains the strong possibility of a Conservative led Govt after the election and it would be good to know what they propose
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.
When I was at UCL in the 90s, we had a good half dozen in the class of mature students. People who failed to go to university, failed the first degree etc.
They all did very well, IIRC.
In my last year, we had a hilarious chap from the oil rigs. He'd made a pile and decided to take three years out to get a degree. Mad Max biker - was parking his Harley next to Dean Vernon Wormer's official car within about ten minutes of arriving (he just chatted to security and they were his best mates) - all the piercings and tattoos.
His plan was to do the degree, then back to the rigs and do a Masters/PhD while working. He figured that between being a roughneck and having all the academics he would zoom up the ladder.
I’m at UCL now and always look forward to having mature students on our Master’s programme, although I would also caution that doing a PhD part-time while working is tough.
CCHQ appears to have accidentally emailed around its internal criticisms of the early campaign to activists across the country
The party is completely dysfunctional. This is so very basic.
Conservative ministers and MPs have failed to “get behind” campaigning and have refused to knock on doors, a leaked memo from Tory headquarters sent days into the general election campaign has revealed...
The “key theme” identified in the document was that candidates had failed to “get behind” the campaign, with some on holiday or refusing to knock on doors.
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?
A dyed in the wool unionist , don't be silly, he mimics the colonial masters in London. Tea at 4pm with a picture of the latest inbred and a union jack proudly displayed on the wall and God save the Inbred intoned before supping.
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.
I think Labour have completely been allowed to set the narrative on this policy.
They've said it's a vote for or against putting your child into the army and have branded it as such.
I think for the first time I am prepared to say it, this policy will be perceived as badly as we thought.
I thought you said it would be a plus for the Tories?
I genuinely thought it would but my mind has been changed - and I am happy to say when it has. Is that okay with you?
Oh, OK. It was a genuine question, as I thought you had had a different view.
I think if the Tories had been able to set the narrative it may have gone over well but the truth is that Labour has succeeded in branding it as "send your child off to the army". And that's it.
"Dan Neidle @DanNeidle · 1h Most of the tax gap is small businesses receiving payment in cash and not filing properly (accidentally or deliberately). This is not a very politically convenient answer, but it is nevertheless the truth."
As far as I can see this practice is absolutely rife amongst small traders like builders and plumbers.
Takeaways from Starmer's first campaign speech: 🏴 big on Englishness 💷 there *is no money left* 🪜 anything not in 'first steps' is low priority 🎒 private school parents "work hard" 🛥️ he wants to stop the boats ⚔️ not quite ruling out national service
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
Halfords have a zero enforcement (or even) care policy on shoplifting. I don't think I have paid for a 10mm socket for about five years.
Don't try it at B&Q. I was amazed last month to see someone actually get accosted by security for shoplifting.
I had assumed their outrageous prices were a result of a very laissez faire policy on shrinkage.
CCHQ appears to have accidentally emailed around its internal criticisms of the early campaign to activists across the country
The party is completely dysfunctional. This is so very basic.
Conservative ministers and MPs have failed to “get behind” campaigning and have refused to knock on doors, a leaked memo from Tory headquarters sent days into the general election campaign has revealed...
The “key theme” identified in the document was that candidates had failed to “get behind” the campaign, with some on holiday or refusing to knock on doors.
Most of the tax gap is small businesses receiving payment in cash and not filing properly (accidentally or deliberately). This is not a very politically convenient answer, but it is nevertheless the truth.
CCHQ appears to have accidentally emailed around its internal criticisms of the early campaign to activists across the country
The party is completely dysfunctional. This is so very basic.
Conservative ministers and MPs have failed to “get behind” campaigning and have refused to knock on doors, a leaked memo from Tory headquarters sent days into the general election campaign has revealed...
The “key theme” identified in the document was that candidates had failed to “get behind” the campaign, with some on holiday or refusing to knock on doors.
CCHQ appears to have accidentally emailed around its internal criticisms of the early campaign to activists across the country
The party is completely dysfunctional. This is so very basic.
Conservative ministers and MPs have failed to “get behind” campaigning and have refused to knock on doors, a leaked memo from Tory headquarters sent days into the general election campaign has revealed...
The “key theme” identified in the document was that candidates had failed to “get behind” the campaign, with some on holiday or refusing to knock on doors.
Most of the tax gap is small businesses receiving payment in cash and not filing properly (accidentally or deliberately). This is not a very politically convenient answer, but it is nevertheless the truth.
Simples: we just need to BAN CASH!
Implement my plan to end the black economy. And stop the boats, as a minor side effect.
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.
Presumably a training capability more independent of the US will develop over time. Part and parcel of the increase in European defence spending.
Don't expect @Dura_Ace to have accurate intel on these matters. I'm also surprised that someone who claims to have been involved in the military is surprised that the number of combatants produced for an active conflict is 'murky'..
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
Halfords have a zero enforcement (or even) care policy on shoplifting. I don't think I have paid for a 10mm socket for about five years.
Incredibly I'm off to Halfords (new wipers) right now. Apparently they will fit them for a nominal extra £5. Bet they won't. Too good to be true.
I think Labour have completely been allowed to set the narrative on this policy.
They've said it's a vote for or against putting your child into the army and have branded it as such.
I think for the first time I am prepared to say it, this policy will be perceived as badly as we thought.
I thought you said it would be a plus for the Tories?
I genuinely thought it would but my mind has been changed - and I am happy to say when it has. Is that okay with you?
Oh, OK. It was a genuine question, as I thought you had had a different view.
I think if the Tories had been able to set the narrative it may have gone over well but the truth is that Labour has succeeded in branding it as "send your child off to the army". And that's it.
But. A policy thrown in from leftfield with absolutely no warning. And within 48 hours the Opposition have set the narrative? Without even any seeming Party line of a narrative of your own?
Did the Tories not support detention without charge?
I just can't support such a policy, innocent until proven guilty. Always.
They opposed it at 90 days and 56 days.
That's not opposed it full stop, is it?
God, you're embarrassing. Being detained without charge has existed for many years, it gives the police/CPS time to gather evidence/make decisions.
Blair wanted to increase pre charge detention from 14 days to 90 days, when that was defeated he tried to compromise at 56 days, which was defeated again.
Blair had a massive strop saying anyone opposed to 90/56 days detention without charges was effectively helping terrorists.
I've clearly got on your nerves, it's funny to be called "embarrassing" by one of the most partisan posters here.
I don’t think @TSE can be accused of being one of the most partisan posters. Considering he’s openly a Conservative he does a very good job of presenting threads from a wide range of perspectives.
The only thing I don’t like is his sometimes descending into personal abuse, such as calling you ‘a bloody embarrassment’. It’s unbecoming and unnecessary for the site leader. Keep the gravitas TSE and you’re doing well. Thank you for oiling this machine through the febrile election campaign.
He's a massive Cameron/Osborne fanboy, which is fine. I don't have a problem with that, they're much better than everything that has come since.
Takeaways from Starmer's first campaign speech: 🏴 big on Englishness 💷 there *is no money left* 🪜 anything not in 'first steps' is low priority 🎒 private school parents "work hard" 🛥️ he wants to stop the boats ⚔️ not quite ruling out national service
I’m uncertain this is the best summary. Starmer was excoriating about the national service scheme. He talked about more teachers, more police and more NHS appointments. This is the BBC summary:
“Here are they key points:
He talked about his childhood in Oxted, Surrey, and his family's constant fear of not being able to pay the bills and falling into debt Sunak's newly-proposed national service scheme was described as "desperate" and compared to a "teenage Dad’s Army" (the scheme is for 18-year-olds and is explained, in full, here) The importance of economic, border and national security was emphasised - Starmer accused the Tories of not believing in those principles anymore In terms of policies, he repeated promises - if elected - to launch a new border security unit to crack down on small boat crossings and set up Great British Energy, a public sector energy company He also promised Labour would recruit 6,500 new teachers and 13,000 more police officers, and ensure 40,000 more NHS appointments a week On the Israel-Gaza war, he said he was "shocked" by the overnight attacks in Rafah and - if prime minister - he'd implore Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu to "stop"”
"Dan Neidle @DanNeidle · 1h Most of the tax gap is small businesses receiving payment in cash and not filing properly (accidentally or deliberately). This is not a very politically convenient answer, but it is nevertheless the truth."
As far as I can see this practice is absolutely rife amongst small traders like builders and plumbers.
The going rates for academic, 1-1 tuition, start at about £35 per hour and go up.
All the university students are in on it - teaching GCSE very often.
A huge number of state school teachers supplement their income doing this.
As far as I can see, from the consumption side, nearly no one is paying tax on any of it.
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.
When I was at UCL in the 90s, we had a good half dozen in the class of mature students. People who failed to go to university, failed the first degree etc.
They all did very well, IIRC.
In my last year, we had a hilarious chap from the oil rigs. He'd made a pile and decided to take three years out to get a degree. Mad Max biker - was parking his Harley next to Dean Vernon Wormer's official car within about ten minutes of arriving (he just chatted to security and they were his best mates) - all the piercings and tattoos.
His plan was to do the degree, then back to the rigs and do a Masters/PhD while working. He figured that between being a roughneck and having all the academics he would zoom up the ladder.
I’m at UCL now and always look forward to having mature students on our Master’s programme, although I would also caution that doing a PhD part-time while working is tough.
Mrs S. has examined many a PhD thesis in her time. If ever a thankless, underpaid, mind-numbing job cried out for the merciful intercession of AI, this is it.
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
Halfords have a zero enforcement (or even) care policy on shoplifting. I don't think I have paid for a 10mm socket for about five years.
Incredibly I'm off to Halfords (new wipers) right now. Apparently they will fit them for a nominal extra £5. Bet they won't. Too good to be true.
A friend of mine bought a bike from Halfords. I spent a day taking it apart and putting everything back in the right place.
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
Halfords have a zero enforcement (or even) care policy on shoplifting. I don't think I have paid for a 10mm socket for about five years.
Incredibly I'm off to Halfords (new wipers) right now. Apparently they will fit them for a nominal extra £5. Bet they won't. Too good to be true.
A friend of mine bought a bike from Halfords. I spent a day taking it apart and putting everything back in the right place.
The handlebars of the road bike I bought were not quite central. Easy enough to 'fix'. I don't have a torque wrench to do it properly...
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.
De gustibus, etc.
I can't honestly think of any politician I'd ever describe as sexy.
I'm sure there are a few guilty fancies out there. For example I think Gillian Keegan has a glint in her eye, and if I were inclined that way, young Joseph Vissarionovich a total hunk.
CCHQ appears to have accidentally emailed around its internal criticisms of the early campaign to activists across the country
The party is completely dysfunctional. This is so very basic.
Conservative ministers and MPs have failed to “get behind” campaigning and have refused to knock on doors, a leaked memo from Tory headquarters sent days into the general election campaign has revealed...
The “key theme” identified in the document was that candidates had failed to “get behind” the campaign, with some on holiday or refusing to knock on doors.
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.
De gustibus, etc.
I can't honestly think of any politician I'd ever describe as sexy.
I have to say there are quite a few rather striking american politicians. Many are also bonkers unfortunately.
CCHQ appears to have accidentally emailed around its internal criticisms of the early campaign to activists across the country
The party is completely dysfunctional. This is so very basic.
Conservative ministers and MPs have failed to “get behind” campaigning and have refused to knock on doors, a leaked memo from Tory headquarters sent days into the general election campaign has revealed...
The “key theme” identified in the document was that candidates had failed to “get behind” the campaign, with some on holiday or refusing to knock on doors.
Takeaways from Starmer's first campaign speech: 🏴 big on Englishness 💷 there *is no money left* 🪜 anything not in 'first steps' is low priority 🎒 private school parents "work hard" 🛥️ he wants to stop the boats ⚔️ not quite ruling out national service
I’m uncertain this is the best summary. Starmer was excoriating about the national service scheme. He talked about more teachers, more police and more NHS appointments. This is the BBC summary:
“Here are they key points:
He talked about his childhood in Oxted, Surrey, and his family's constant fear of not being able to pay the bills and falling into debt Sunak's newly-proposed national service scheme was described as "desperate" and compared to a "teenage Dad’s Army" (the scheme is for 18-year-olds and is explained, in full, here) The importance of economic, border and national security was emphasised - Starmer accused the Tories of not believing in those principles anymore In terms of policies, he repeated promises - if elected - to launch a new border security unit to crack down on small boat crossings and set up Great British Energy, a public sector energy company He also promised Labour would recruit 6,500 new teachers and 13,000 more police officers, and ensure 40,000 more NHS appointments a week On the Israel-Gaza war, he said he was "shocked" by the overnight attacks in Rafah and - if prime minister - he'd implore Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu to "stop"”
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.
De gustibus, etc.
I can't honestly think of any politician I'd ever describe as sexy.
I'm sure there are a few guilty fancies out there. For example I think Gillian Keegan has a glint in her eye, and if I were inclined that way, young Joseph Vissarionovich a total hunk.
CCHQ appears to have accidentally emailed around its internal criticisms of the early campaign to activists across the country
The party is completely dysfunctional. This is so very basic.
Conservative ministers and MPs have failed to “get behind” campaigning and have refused to knock on doors, a leaked memo from Tory headquarters sent days into the general election campaign has revealed...
The “key theme” identified in the document was that candidates had failed to “get behind” the campaign, with some on holiday or refusing to knock on doors.
I don't think people here fully grasp what a moment this is, coming up on 4th July. Absent an almighty shock we are going to see something which although not quite Haley’s comet is nevertheless a vanishingly rare event - a change of governing party at Westminster. In my entire adult life, as I have ripened from callow teen to the sweet old fruit I am today, 45 winters and 44 summers, I've experienced this only twice. So I don't go with all this 'yawn' and 'no enthusiasm' talk. I'm excited.
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.
De gustibus, etc.
I can't honestly think of any politician I'd ever describe as sexy.
Thatcher famously made many Tory males hot under the collar in the 80s.
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
Halfords have a zero enforcement (or even) care policy on shoplifting. I don't think I have paid for a 10mm socket for about five years.
Incredibly I'm off to Halfords (new wipers) right now. Apparently they will fit them for a nominal extra £5. Bet they won't. Too good to be true.
A friend of mine bought a bike from Halfords. I spent a day taking it apart and putting everything back in the right place.
A lad at work bought a Boardman off them when we had the Cycle To Work Scheme. The forks were on backwards, and the rear disc brake had no pads in. It had passed their inspection as well. I wouldn't have them near my bike or car.
I don't think people here fully grasp what a moment this is, coming up on 4th July. Absent an almighty shock we are going to see something which although not quite Haley’s comet is nevertheless a vanishingly rare event - a change of governing party at Westminster. In my entire adult life, as I have ripened from callow teen to the sweet old fruit I am today, 45 winters and 44 summers, I've experienced this only twice. So I don't go with all this 'yawn' and 'no enthusiasm' talk. I'm excited.
Unless the Tories really do collapse into nothinginess it will in one sense be a humdrum change of government event. But since we will have had governments of 18 years, 13 years, then 14 years, it is actually a lot more notable than it would seem at first glance.
I cannot imagine the excitement people had in previous generations with one term governments.
Takeaways from Starmer's first campaign speech: 🏴 big on Englishness 💷 there *is no money left* 🪜 anything not in 'first steps' is low priority 🎒 private school parents "work hard" 🛥️ he wants to stop the boats ⚔️ not quite ruling out national service
He seems to be chasing the same mentally defective boomers as the tories. Do those fuckers all get 5 votes each or something?
He's assumed his own core vote is in the bag so doesn't waste any time trying to appeal or talk to them. The entire aim of the Labour campaign is to appear unthreatening to the Tory core, so that they feel safe to desert Sunak. Ideally he'd like to win converts, but if they can be persuaded that it's safe to stay home or vote for the Faragistes then that'll do almost as well.
The oldies control the largest bloc of votes in this country and most of the wealth to boot. It is small wonder that neither Starmer nor Sunak actually cares about anyone else.
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.
Presumably a training capability more independent of the US will develop over time. Part and parcel of the increase in European defence spending.
Don't expect @Dura_Ace to have accurate intel on these matters. I'm also surprised that someone who claims to have been involved in the military is surprised that the number of combatants produced for an active conflict is 'murky'..
The F-16 training has taken longer than initially estimated. Help for Ukraine is still slow, late and insufficient.
There was a report the other day that Russia was producing 3x as many 152mm shells as the US and Europe was producing 155mm shells.
The West was supposed to be able to use its economic strength to easily produce more military equipment and ammunition than Russia. This has ended up being an embarrassing failure.
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.
De gustibus, etc.
I can't honestly think of any politician I'd ever describe as sexy.
I'm sure there are a few guilty fancies out there. For example I think Gillian Keegan has a glint in her eye, and if I were inclined that way, young Joseph Vissarionovich a total hunk.
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.
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.
De gustibus, etc.
I can't honestly think of any politician I'd ever describe as sexy.
Thatcher famously made many Tory males hot under the collar in the 80s.
She still does. The 20 something Tories out there, perhaps by virtue of being rather unique, often seem more passionate and fired up about the Thatcher years than people who lived it, even on the Tory side.
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
Halfords have a zero enforcement (or even) care policy on shoplifting. I don't think I have paid for a 10mm socket for about five years.
Incredibly I'm off to Halfords (new wipers) right now. Apparently they will fit them for a nominal extra £5. Bet they won't. Too good to be true.
A friend of mine bought a bike from Halfords. I spent a day taking it apart and putting everything back in the right place.
The cheaper the bike is, the harder it is to dial in and Halfords staff have not the time nor ability to do it 100% correctly.
They don't ever face bottom bracket shells or caliper mounts and just assume that they will be good enough from the factory.
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?
Pilot has to do his job then
I love that you think even fighter pilots are slackers haha
When did you work in the Bank of England? My research says you were only there briefly as a graduate hire…. @RachelReevesMP Certainly no true dates your Wikipedia page - all very very vague. Plagiarism again? Buffing a CV? And u have never run a business. Or come close to it.
CCHQ appears to have accidentally emailed around its internal criticisms of the early campaign to activists across the country
The party is completely dysfunctional. This is so very basic.
Conservative ministers and MPs have failed to “get behind” campaigning and have refused to knock on doors, a leaked memo from Tory headquarters sent days into the general election campaign has revealed...
The “key theme” identified in the document was that candidates had failed to “get behind” the campaign, with some on holiday or refusing to knock on doors.
So, panel... Accidentally or accidentally-on-purpose?
The GE seems to have come as a complete surprise to the people who called it. But not to the Opposition.
It definitely suggests that they were going for the Autumn but something changed Rishi’s mind.
I am not sure we’ll find out what that something is, definitively, before the GE but it will come out in the fullness of time.
The secret service has notified him about how Putin is going to escalate the war in July/August and Sunak doesn't want to deal with it.
I think it was the inflation figures not being quite as good as hoped meaning a rate cut less likely and tax cuts in the Autumn more difficult. This was as good as it gets.
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.
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.
De gustibus, etc.
I can't honestly think of any politician I'd ever describe as sexy.
I'm sure there are a few guilty fancies out there. For example I think Gillian Keegan has a glint in her eye, and if I were inclined that way, young Joseph Vissarionovich a total hunk.
That hair. Those kind eyes.
Thanks, I didn't want to use up my pic quota! You could imagine JVS scoffing avocado toast and Americanos down Brixton way as he expounded on ownership of the means of production.
I think it was the inflation figures not being quite as good as hoped meaning a rate cut less likely and tax cuts in the Autumn more difficult. This was as good as it gets.
Again, you assume there's logic. I think he woke up annoyed and called 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.
De gustibus, etc.
I can't honestly think of any politician I'd ever describe as sexy.
I'm sure there are a few guilty fancies out there. For example I think Gillian Keegan has a glint in her eye, and if I were inclined that way, young Joseph Vissarionovich a total hunk.
Yikes at GK (no ta), but The Young Man Of Steel (Abs) is worth using my daily pic quota for.
Most of the tax gap is small businesses receiving payment in cash and not filing properly (accidentally or deliberately). This is not a very politically convenient answer, but it is nevertheless the truth.
I don't think people here fully grasp what a moment this is, coming up on 4th July. Absent an almighty shock we are going to see something which although not quite Haley’s comet is nevertheless a vanishingly rare event - a change of governing party at Westminster. In my entire adult life, as I have ripened from callow teen to the sweet old fruit I am today, 45 winters and 44 summers, I've experienced this only twice. So I don't go with all this 'yawn' and 'no enthusiasm' talk. I'm excited.
Yep. I had three changes of government before the age of 12. And another 2 years before I was born. Only two since.
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
Halfords have a zero enforcement (or even) care policy on shoplifting. I don't think I have paid for a 10mm socket for about five years.
Incredibly I'm off to Halfords (new wipers) right now. Apparently they will fit them for a nominal extra £5. Bet they won't. Too good to be true.
They do. I was going to fit a light bulb that was just impossible to get to. Decided to let them do it as I was sure I would break it. They had as much difficulty as I did, but it was then their problem. All went well. Worth it.
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
Halfords have a zero enforcement (or even) care policy on shoplifting. I don't think I have paid for a 10mm socket for about five years.
Incredibly I'm off to Halfords (new wipers) right now. Apparently they will fit them for a nominal extra £5. Bet they won't. Too good to be true.
A friend of mine bought a bike from Halfords. I spent a day taking it apart and putting everything back in the right place.
When did you work in the Bank of England? My research says you were only there briefly as a graduate hire…. @RachelReevesMP Certainly no true dates your Wikipedia page - all very very vague. Plagiarism again? Buffing a CV? And u have never run a business. Or come close to it.
I think Labour have completely been allowed to set the narrative on this policy.
They've said it's a vote for or against putting your child into the army and have branded it as such.
I think for the first time I am prepared to say it, this policy will be perceived as badly as we thought.
To be fair to the Tories, no one could ever have foreseen that if you unveil a policy in an election campaign then it will instantly be spun as an attack on family members, because that has definitely never happened before and particularly not in recent elections.
I'm starting to wonder whether the Dementia Tax should have been applied to whatever halfwit is running the Conservative campaign.
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.
De gustibus, etc.
I can't honestly think of any politician I'd ever describe as sexy.
I'm sure there are a few guilty fancies out there. For example I think Gillian Keegan has a glint in her eye, and if I were inclined that way, young Joseph Vissarionovich a total hunk.
Yikes at GK (no ta), but The Young Man Of Steel (Abs) is worth using my daily pic quota for.
I think Labour have completely been allowed to set the narrative on this policy.
They've said it's a vote for or against putting your child into the army and have branded it as such.
I think for the first time I am prepared to say it, this policy will be perceived as badly as we thought.
To be fair to the Tories, no one could ever have foreseen that if you unveil a policy in an election campaign then it will instantly be spun as an attack on family members, because that has definitely never happened before and particularly not in recent elections.
I'm starting to wonder whether the Dementia Tax should have been applied to whatever halfwit is running the Conservative campaign.
At least the dementia tax was an attempt to come up with a solution to something most people accept to be a major problem, on top of being proposed by someone who assumed they were galloping towards a win.
I don't think most people recognise a major problem with the armed forces and community volunteering, even if it is argued they should do.
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.
Presumably a training capability more independent of the US will develop over time. Part and parcel of the increase in European defence spending.
Don't expect @Dura_Ace to have accurate intel on these matters. I'm also surprised that someone who claims to have been involved in the military is surprised that the number of combatants produced for an active conflict is 'murky'..
The F-16 training has taken longer than initially estimated. Help for Ukraine is still slow, late and insufficient.
There was a report the other day that Russia was producing 3x as many 152mm shells as the US and Europe was producing 155mm shells.
The West was supposed to be able to use its economic strength to easily produce more military equipment and ammunition than Russia. This has ended up being an embarrassing failure.
Yes and no. Yes, we are not going as fast as we should, or promised.
On the other hand, Russia is turning increasingly large and significant parts of its economy to produce what will soon be hunks of scrap metal in Ukraine, and begging and borrowing from those titans of military production, Iran and North Korea, whilst the 'west' have not even finished buffing their nails.
When the war ends - even with a Russian 'victory' - their economy will be utterly in the shitter (and it's already bad); especially if the sanctions remain.
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.
CCHQ appears to have accidentally emailed around its internal criticisms of the early campaign to activists across the country
The party is completely dysfunctional. This is so very basic.
Conservative ministers and MPs have failed to “get behind” campaigning and have refused to knock on doors, a leaked memo from Tory headquarters sent days into the general election campaign has revealed...
The “key theme” identified in the document was that candidates had failed to “get behind” the campaign, with some on holiday or refusing to knock on doors.
So, panel... Accidentally or accidentally-on-purpose?
The GE seems to have come as a complete surprise to the people who called it. But not to the Opposition.
It definitely suggests that they were going for the Autumn but something changed Rishi’s mind.
I am not sure we’ll find out what that something is, definitively, before the GE but it will come out in the fullness of time.
The secret service has notified him about how Putin is going to escalate the war in July/August and Sunak doesn't want to deal with it.
I think it was the inflation figures not being quite as good as hoped meaning a rate cut less likely and tax cuts in the Autumn more difficult. This was as good as it gets.
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.
De gustibus, etc.
I can't honestly think of any politician I'd ever describe as sexy.
I'm sure there are a few guilty fancies out there. For example I think Gillian Keegan has a glint in her eye, and if I were inclined that way, young Joseph Vissarionovich a total hunk.
Yikes at GK (no ta), but The Young Man Of Steel (Abs) is worth using my daily pic quota for.
So that’s TWO people just on PB - or known to PB - who’ve had slightly embarrassing skin problems with peculiar names where the symptomology includes bizarrely accurate images of relatively forgotten political figures like Sir Francis Pym (later The Lord Pym of Sandy in Bedfordshire) of appearing to form on their genitals or related areas so it’s obviously a lot more common than people realise and we need to talk about it so sufferers don’t feel cruelly stigmatised as they did in the past
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.
De gustibus, etc.
I can't honestly think of any politician I'd ever describe as sexy.
Thatcher famously made many Tory males hot under the collar in the 80s.
I think Labour have completely been allowed to set the narrative on this policy.
They've said it's a vote for or against putting your child into the army and have branded it as such.
I think for the first time I am prepared to say it, this policy will be perceived as badly as we thought.
To be fair to the Tories, no one could ever have foreseen that if you unveil a policy in an election campaign then it will instantly be spun as an attack on family members, because that has definitely never happened before and particularly not in recent elections.
I'm starting to wonder whether the Dementia Tax should have been applied to whatever halfwit is running the Conservative campaign.
At least the dementia tax was an attempt to come up with a solution to something most people accept to be a major problem, on top of being proposed by someone who assumed they were galloping towards a win.
I don't think most people recognise a major problem with the armed forces and community volunteering, even if it is argued they should so.
Alternative pathways into the military for young people is a notion worthy of consideration. However even if, by some miracle, Sunak gets to do his stupid NS shit it'll be a cut-price, privatised, corrupt fiasco. Wagner run by Serco.
Comments
https://bulgarianmilitary.com/2024/05/24/ukrainian-f-16-pilots-stand-ready-unknown-number-of-pilots-return/
+others.
When/if you win in July, what policies will your party introduce in its next term of government that should make us vote for it? We have discussed the recent National Service announcement. Anything else? Make your pitch. “Better than SKS” we know about. What else?
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/pay-apprenticeship-levy
I can't honestly think of any politician I'd ever describe as sexy.
"sesquipedalian"
Should imagine there's a large constituency in favour of NS for other people's relatives.
The continual banging on about "no plan" emanating from CCHQ is pure projection. Jung pointed this out.
What precisely is the Tory plan for five more years?
Poland is setting up to buy a fleet of Korean tanks on the basis that the factory will be built in Poland and they will have ultimate ownership of the tanks (no secondary export restrictions).
Cicciolina?
My point was more that after 4+ years of jowly rhetoric and that bumble bee trapped in a bottle voice people are suddenly coming out for hotty Starmer, something I'd not noticed as a thing before. Sight of the finishing line getting the blood pumping?
Maybe Labour will wholeheartedly adopt my favoured housing policy in they'd first year if government.
I'm not holding my breath, though.
CCHQ appears to have accidentally emailed around its internal criticisms of the early campaign to activists across the country
The party is completely dysfunctional. This is so very basic.
Worth using my photo ration on:
https://x.com/DPJHodges/status/1794691621323468913
They've said it's a vote for or against putting your child into the army and have branded it as such.
I think for the first time I am prepared to say it, this policy will be perceived as badly as we thought.
They all did very well, IIRC.
In my last year, we had a hilarious chap from the oil rigs. He'd made a pile and decided to take three years out to get a degree. Mad Max biker - was parking his Harley next to Dean Vernon Wormer's official car within about ten minutes of arriving (he just chatted to security and they were his best mates) - all the piercings and tattoos.
His plan was to do the degree, then back to the rigs and do a Masters/PhD while working. He figured that between being a roughneck and having all the academics he would zoom up the ladder.
🏴 big on Englishness
💷 there *is no money left*
🪜 anything not in 'first steps' is low priority
🎒 private school parents "work hard"
🛥️ he wants to stop the boats
⚔️ not quite ruling out national service
https://x.com/HugoGye/status/1795061748216615231
Labour and the Tories have both said they can raise £6bn from cracking down on tax avoidance and evasion. How plausible is this?
https://x.com/danneidle/status/1795034992134787330?
The “key theme” identified in the document was that candidates had failed to “get behind” the campaign, with some on holiday or refusing to knock on doors.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/30276d4d-1dc0-4bb4-887b-013decfeb7b5
So, panel... Accidentally or accidentally-on-purpose?
@DanNeidle
·
1h
Most of the tax gap is small businesses receiving payment in cash and not filing properly (accidentally or deliberately). This is not a very politically convenient answer, but it is nevertheless the truth."
As far as I can see this practice is absolutely rife amongst small traders like builders and plumbers.
I had assumed their outrageous prices were a result of a very laissez faire policy on shrinkage.
But not to the Opposition.
Simples: we just need to BAN CASH!
The Tories assumed it would be in October but Sunak seems to have always planned May or July but doesn't seem to have told his own party.
At this point it is pointless trying to understand why Sunak does things. He doesn't make logical decisions, he just does things.
changed Rishi’s mind.
I am not sure we’ll find out what that something is, definitively, before the GE but it will come out in the fullness of time.
A policy thrown in from leftfield with absolutely no warning.
And within 48 hours the Opposition have set the narrative?
Without even any seeming Party line of a narrative of your own?
“Here are they key points:
He talked about his childhood in Oxted, Surrey, and his family's constant fear of not being able to pay the bills and falling into debt
Sunak's newly-proposed national service scheme was described as "desperate" and compared to a "teenage Dad’s Army" (the scheme is for 18-year-olds and is explained, in full, here)
The importance of economic, border and national security was emphasised - Starmer accused the Tories of not believing in those principles anymore
In terms of policies, he repeated promises - if elected - to launch a new border security unit to crack down on small boat crossings and set up Great British Energy, a public sector energy company
He also promised Labour would recruit 6,500 new teachers and 13,000 more police officers, and ensure 40,000 more NHS appointments a week
On the Israel-Gaza war, he said he was "shocked" by the overnight attacks in Rafah and - if prime minister - he'd implore Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu to "stop"”
All the university students are in on it - teaching GCSE very often.
A huge number of state school teachers supplement their income doing this.
As far as I can see, from the consumption side, nearly no one is paying tax on any of it.
I cannot imagine the excitement people had in previous generations with one term governments.
The oldies control the largest bloc of votes in this country and most of the wealth to boot. It is small wonder that neither Starmer nor Sunak actually cares about anyone else.
There was a report the other day that Russia was producing 3x as many 152mm shells as the US and Europe was producing 155mm shells.
The West was supposed to be able to use its economic strength to easily produce more military equipment and ammunition than Russia. This has ended up being an embarrassing failure.
They don't ever face bottom bracket shells or caliper mounts and just assume that they will be good enough from the factory.
@RachelReevesMP
Certainly no true dates your Wikipedia page - all very very vague. Plagiarism again? Buffing a CV? And u have never run a business. Or come close to it.
https://x.com/emilysheffield/status/1795043203101388817
Rachel Reeves worked for the Bank of England for six years, which is the same as Emily Sheffield's brother-in-law's term as Prime Minister.
ROFL
You could imagine JVS scoffing avocado toast and Americanos down Brixton way as he expounded on ownership of the means of production.
So careful.
Only two since.
I'm starting to wonder whether the Dementia Tax should have been applied to whatever halfwit is running the Conservative campaign.
I don't think most people recognise a major problem with the armed forces and community volunteering, even if it is argued they should do.
On the other hand, Russia is turning increasingly large and significant parts of its economy to produce what will soon be hunks of scrap metal in Ukraine, and begging and borrowing from those titans of military production, Iran and North Korea, whilst the 'west' have not even finished buffing their nails.
When the war ends - even with a Russian 'victory' - their economy will be utterly in the shitter (and it's already bad); especially if the sanctions remain.