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The public want some political bettors to get a criminal record – politicalbetting.com

SystemSystem Posts: 12,146
edited July 4 in General
The public want some political bettors to get a criminal record – politicalbetting.com

If staff members / prospective MPs with insider knowledge of the date of the general election are found to have made a bet on that date before it was announced, do you think they should or should not face criminal prosecution?Should: 77%Should not: 10%https://t.co/FiPucbqwaI pic.twitter.com/xaojWMK7Wl

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Comments

  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 60,234
    First
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 60,234
    Fucking yes 💪
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 54,487
    edited June 22
    Second!

    Like the Tories, what they thought was an easy second might end up being third.
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 53,752
    edited June 22
    Gentlemen always come second. You should know this.

    Argh third. Not so good.
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 60,234
    On topic, not good. I have a real fear Labour will tax gambling and kill off the betting industry.

    Imagine trying to bet where you have to factor in 40p tax on any profit you make, on top of Betfair commission.
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 53,752

    On topic, not good. I have a real fear Labour will tax gambling and kill off the betting industry.

    Imagine trying to bet where you have to factor in 40p tax on any profit you make, on top of Betfair commission.

    They have got to find a lot of new sources of tax and seem to be spending the entire campaign reducing their options. Their supporters will demand more money for pretty much everything. I expect them to be innovative.
  • squareroot2squareroot2 Posts: 6,702
    edited June 22
    The raid on Dieppe was not a disaster. Slapton Sands on the other hand was.
  • RochdalePioneersRochdalePioneers Posts: 28,880
    DavidL said:

    On topic, not good. I have a real fear Labour will tax gambling and kill off the betting industry.

    Imagine trying to bet where you have to factor in 40p tax on any profit you make, on top of Betfair commission.

    They have got to find a lot of new sources of tax and seem to be spending the entire campaign reducing their options. Their supporters will demand more money for pretty much everything. I expect them to be innovative.
    Monty Python has all the answers:

    1. Tax on all foreigners living abroad
    2. Tax on thingy. You know... thingy!
  • TweedledeeTweedledee Posts: 1,405
    Mercer part 94, this morning

    Now he was an Officer in the Special Boat Service? Has the world gone mad? You can literally make up anything you like about your life and media will buy it?! Provided you’re Labour I suppose..
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 53,752
    Sandpit said:

    Two changes I’d make to gambling regulations:

    1. Companies not allowed to decide odds or max limits based on customer profiling.
    2. Companies not allowed to advertise on TV during sports events, nor to sponsor sports teams.

    1 seems unfair to the companies, frankly. Would any of us bet with someone you constantly lost to? They are not providing a public service.

    2, absolutely. We have gone far too far in removing restrictions on gambling and it causes serious harm.
  • CiceroCicero Posts: 3,072

    Mercer part 94, this morning

    Now he was an Officer in the Special Boat Service? Has the world gone mad? You can literally make up anything you like about your life and media will buy it?! Provided you’re Labour I suppose..

    Paddy Ashdown would have eaten these wannabes for breakfast.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 42,685
    edited June 22

    The raid on Dieppe was not a disaster. Slapton Sands on the other hand was.

    Dieppe *was* a disaster, above all in its own terms. The aim was that they would land, cause havoc, and then go back on the landing craft and go home for a pint. In the event, many of the invaders were killed or captured, and the heavy equipment such as brand new secret Churchill tanks left behind.

    The Canadians have not forgotten.

    Edit: don't diasgree about Slapton (or rather the S-boat battle en route there).
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 28,284

    Cicero said:

    Cicero said:

    Nunu5 said:

    Imagine the Far right won the parliamentary elections in France and then govern really well......eek!

    Like Putin in Russia maybe?
    Putin's rule in Russia is best characterised as a serious of catastrophic economic decisions which has left the Russian economy disastrously under invested and undervthe control of brutal mafia cliques. This then followed by the deaths of half a million men at a time when Russian demographics were already close to collapse.
    Putin has launched a serious of wars against peaceful neighbours- Georgia in 2008 and Ukraine since 2014. He has also used bribery, blackmail, propaganda and cyber war directly against the West. He has openly paid money to disruptive parties, such as the RN in France and the AfD. In the UK Farage and Salmond were both employed by Russia Today. I note the strong Russian links of Aaron Banks, Dominic Cummings and Jacob Rees Mogg amongst others.

    Putin is the enemy of freedom and democracy. His supporters likewise.
    Dominic Cummings lived in Russia for four years, and you maybrecall was denied full security clearance. Aaron Banks has close links with the Russian Embassy and was a regular guest of the Ambassador, where Brexit was a major discussion topic. Jacob Rees Mogg invested many millions in Russia, and it is strongly suggested, these investments were made on behalf of ultimately Russian beneficiaries.
    ...and Boris Johnson attended Lebedev parties whilst Foreign Secretary sans his security detail.

    How so little has been made of that breach by the authorities and the media is beyond me. Boris will be Boris.
    ISTR OGH attended a party at the Russian embassy a few years back. Does that mean that OGH, and by extension this site, is a Russian mouthpiece?

    And I'm also amused by the way Mandelson is not mentioned whenever Russia and British politicians are mentioned...
    OGH and Mandelson weren't Foreign Secretary at the time. There is no equity in a formal event at the Embassy and a bunga, bunga party in Lebedev's villa.

    That you can't see the jeopardy in the Foreign Secretary shaking off his minders and attending a party held by a close associate of Putin, an enemy of our nation is remarkable.
  • maxhmaxh Posts: 1,209
    edited June 22

    First

    DavidL said:

    Gentlemen always come second. You should know this.

    Argh third. Not so good.

    Sandpit said:

    Second!

    Like the Tories, what they thought was an easy second might end up being third.

    Unfortunately for the rest of us, it seems the principled Tories who are sitting this one out have come third (when they thought they were going to come second), and the tribal Tories who are sticking with Sunak, betting and all, are coming first.



    Oh the injustices of the world.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 54,487
    edited June 22
    DavidL said:

    Sandpit said:

    Two changes I’d make to gambling regulations:

    1. Companies not allowed to decide odds or max limits based on customer profiling.
    2. Companies not allowed to advertise on TV during sports events, nor to sponsor sports teams.

    1 seems unfair to the companies, frankly. Would any of us bet with someone you constantly lost to? They are not providing a public service.

    2, absolutely. We have gone far too far in removing restrictions on gambling and it causes serious harm.
    1. Will cost the bookies
    2. Will save them a fortune, and have the positive (for Labour) effect of annoying Sky TV.

    1. Is about fairness, as the back end data mining is as out of control as the advertising, but it’s not visible to the punters.
    If you think the probablily of some event happening is 10/1 and you decide to let people bet £100 on that outcome, then the bet should be available to anyone who wants it until weight of money makes you adjust the odds or the limit. That’s how the old-fashioned on-course bookies work. The large online companies will, as many here know, reduce you to pennies or close accounts arbitrarily, purely because you got a big win from them.
  • CookieCookie Posts: 13,689
    FPT, snip
    Cicero said:

    Nunu5 said:

    Imagine the Far right won the parliamentary elections in France and then govern really well......eek!

    Like Putin in Russia maybe?
    Putin's rule in Russia is best characterised as a serious of catastrophic economic decisions which has left the Russian economy disastrously under invested and undervthe control of brutal mafia cliques. This then followed by the deaths of half a million men at a time when Russian demographics were already close to collapse.
    In characteriatic pb.com fashion, I'm going to pick up on the third or fourth most important point in the post: I am utterly fascinated by the demographic impact on Russia (and indeed Ukraine) of this war). Not just the number of deaths, which are now large enough to be a notiveable blip in the age/sex pyramid; not just the emigrations, ditto, but the fact that these deaths and emigrations are of the generation who would otherwise be having children. This is the first major war between two countries whose populations are already declining and is going to make the Chinese demographic difficulties look trifling. In 100 years the Russian population will be smaller than that of the UK.
  • TweedledeeTweedledee Posts: 1,405

    On topic, not good. I have a real fear Labour will tax gambling and kill off the betting industry.

    Imagine trying to bet where you have to factor in 40p tax on any profit you make, on top of Betfair commission.

    I assume it will be summed over the tax year if they want that much. So they will usually be paying me 40%
  • TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 41,893
    edited June 22
    DavidL said:

    Gentlemen always come second. You should know this.

    Argh third. Not so good.

    Gentlemen come third, are we talking a Palmeresque situation here?

    4th I see, things getting spicy in the ‘Dee.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 42,685
    Cicero said:

    Mercer part 94, this morning

    Now he was an Officer in the Special Boat Service? Has the world gone mad? You can literally make up anything you like about your life and media will buy it?! Provided you’re Labour I suppose..

    Paddy Ashdown would have eaten these wannabes for breakfast.
    What's so odd is that we have a Minister for Veterans Affairs using his knowledge - so he seemed to say yesterday, and heaven knows what else it could mean - gained through his position to do the dirty on one such veteran. In which case he's screwed even if he is right. But if he is wrong, he's screwed.
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 28,284

    On topic, not good. I have a real fear Labour will tax gambling and kill off the betting industry.

    Imagine trying to bet where you have to factor in 40p tax on any profit you make, on top of Betfair commission.

    Well they didn't last time.

    In fact they erroneously allowed advertising for the more pernicious side of punting such as internet bingo, poker and slots.
  • FPT.
    Leon said:

    Incidentally, and in the spirit of Rogerdamus de Villefranche-sur-Mer, I just took my older daughter home via Uber - after a WONDERFUL picnic in the Chilterns, then drinks with friends in Primrose Hill

    The driver was a Somalian Muslim with Swedish citizenship. We had an impassioned debate (it was a long 57 minute journey) about everything from Gareth Southgate's failings to his own upbringing in war-torn Mogadishu to the likely UK election outcome to the problem of gangs in Malmo to his son's ambitions to be a journalist (I gave the best advice I could) to a really nuanced debate on Israel/Palestine

    He was fiercely intelligent and put most PB-ers to shame with his knowledge of the history of Israel/Palestine and the intractable nature of the conflict. I felt quite humbled by the end, that a recent immigrant to the UK with English as his likely third language was so well informed on so many things. He was certainly not knee-jerk pro-Hamas

    Really quite something, Reminded me why I love London. The driver also kept repeating this (and I don't believe he did it for effect) - how much he loved Britain and London ("and my son loves it even more")

    A lot of food for thought. You can learn a lot in an hour of intense debate

    It seems to be little reaslised that if you can get yourself out of places like Mogadishu to the west, by legal or illegal means, you are not going to be a chav from the Mogadishu equivalent of Jaywick.

    You will almost certainly be well educated middle classes with considerable ability and funds to pay the various middlemen.

    The Somalia equivalent of Times and Guardian Readers.



  • TweedledeeTweedledee Posts: 1,405

    On topic, not good. I have a real fear Labour will tax gambling and kill off the betting industry.

    Imagine trying to bet where you have to factor in 40p tax on any profit you make, on top of Betfair commission.

    Well they didn't last time.

    In fact they erroneously allowed advertising for the more pernicious side of punting such as internet bingo, poker and slots.
    There was a Blairite scheme for a Las Vegas in Manchester or Blackpool or somewhere wasn't there?
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 42,425

    Cicero said:

    Cicero said:

    Nunu5 said:

    Imagine the Far right won the parliamentary elections in France and then govern really well......eek!

    Like Putin in Russia maybe?
    Putin's rule in Russia is best characterised as a serious of catastrophic economic decisions which has left the Russian economy disastrously under invested and undervthe control of brutal mafia cliques. This then followed by the deaths of half a million men at a time when Russian demographics were already close to collapse.
    Putin has launched a serious of wars against peaceful neighbours- Georgia in 2008 and Ukraine since 2014. He has also used bribery, blackmail, propaganda and cyber war directly against the West. He has openly paid money to disruptive parties, such as the RN in France and the AfD. In the UK Farage and Salmond were both employed by Russia Today. I note the strong Russian links of Aaron Banks, Dominic Cummings and Jacob Rees Mogg amongst others.

    Putin is the enemy of freedom and democracy. His supporters likewise.
    Dominic Cummings lived in Russia for four years, and you maybrecall was denied full security clearance. Aaron Banks has close links with the Russian Embassy and was a regular guest of the Ambassador, where Brexit was a major discussion topic. Jacob Rees Mogg invested many millions in Russia, and it is strongly suggested, these investments were made on behalf of ultimately Russian beneficiaries.
    ...and Boris Johnson attended Lebedev parties whilst Foreign Secretary sans his security detail.

    How so little has been made of that breach by the authorities and the media is beyond me. Boris will be Boris.
    ISTR OGH attended a party at the Russian embassy a few years back. Does that mean that OGH, and by extension this site, is a Russian mouthpiece?

    And I'm also amused by the way Mandelson is not mentioned whenever Russia and British politicians are mentioned...
    OGH and Mandelson weren't Foreign Secretary at the time. There is no equity in a formal event at the Embassy and a bunga, bunga party in Lebedev's villa.

    That you can't see the jeopardy in the Foreign Secretary shaking off his minders and attending a party held by a close associate of Putin, an enemy of our nation is remarkable.
    I can see that. I'm just pointing out that connections are not uncommon.

    As an aside, if members of the Conservative Party are paid Russian stooges, then Russia has got incredibly poor value for money given the vehement support for Russia within the party. IMV that alone negates your point. Now if you were talking about Fico's government in Slovakia, I might agree.

    What evidence do you have that attending parties with Russians has caused the UK government to be less harsh on Russia's misdeeds?
  • LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 18,249
    Cookie said:

    FPT, snip

    Cicero said:

    Nunu5 said:

    Imagine the Far right won the parliamentary elections in France and then govern really well......eek!

    Like Putin in Russia maybe?
    Putin's rule in Russia is best characterised as a serious of catastrophic economic decisions which has left the Russian economy disastrously under invested and undervthe control of brutal mafia cliques. This then followed by the deaths of half a million men at a time when Russian demographics were already close to collapse.
    In characteriatic pb.com fashion, I'm going to pick up on the third or fourth most important point in the post: I am utterly fascinated by the demographic impact on Russia (and indeed Ukraine) of this war). Not just the number of deaths, which are now large enough to be a notiveable blip in the age/sex pyramid; not just the emigrations, ditto, but the fact that these deaths and emigrations are of the generation who would otherwise be having children. This is the first major war between two countries whose populations are already declining and is going to make the Chinese demographic difficulties look trifling. In 100 years the Russian population will be smaller than that of the UK.
    Perhaps, but Russia have been pretty good at concentrating casualties among peripheral populations, and coercing immigrants to die for them.

    The result is that Russia in the decades ahead will have a greater proportion of its population from the Muscovy core, than would have otherwise been the case, and that might be regarded as a score draw on the demographic front by the ethno-nationalists who run Russia.
  • TweedledeeTweedledee Posts: 1,405
    Carnyx said:

    Cicero said:

    Mercer part 94, this morning

    Now he was an Officer in the Special Boat Service? Has the world gone mad? You can literally make up anything you like about your life and media will buy it?! Provided you’re Labour I suppose..

    Paddy Ashdown would have eaten these wannabes for breakfast.
    What's so odd is that we have a Minister for Veterans Affairs using his knowledge - so he seemed to say yesterday, and heaven knows what else it could mean - gained through his position to do the dirty on one such veteran. In which case he's screwed even if he is right. But if he is wrong, he's screwed.
    It's Watergate behaviour. We need a name for this. Veterangate? Mercergate?

    MITTYGATE!
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 42,425

    Carnyx said:

    Cicero said:

    Mercer part 94, this morning

    Now he was an Officer in the Special Boat Service? Has the world gone mad? You can literally make up anything you like about your life and media will buy it?! Provided you’re Labour I suppose..

    Paddy Ashdown would have eaten these wannabes for breakfast.
    What's so odd is that we have a Minister for Veterans Affairs using his knowledge - so he seemed to say yesterday, and heaven knows what else it could mean - gained through his position to do the dirty on one such veteran. In which case he's screwed even if he is right. But if he is wrong, he's screwed.
    It's Watergate behaviour. We need a name for this. Veterangate? Mercergate?

    MITTYGATE!
    Waltgate!
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 42,685
    Carnyx said:

    Cicero said:

    Mercer part 94, this morning

    Now he was an Officer in the Special Boat Service? Has the world gone mad? You can literally make up anything you like about your life and media will buy it?! Provided you’re Labour I suppose..

    Paddy Ashdown would have eaten these wannabes for breakfast.
    What's so odd is that we have a Minister for Veterans Affairs using his knowledge - so he seemed to say yesterday, and heaven knows what else it could mean - gained through his position to do the dirty on one such veteran. In which case he's screwed even if he is right. But if he is wrong, he's screwed.
    Edit: in fact, any knowledge, never mind how gained, that relates to personal information is out, given his position.
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 35,937
    @rhodri

    Johnny Mercer, 7.29am: “I will leave it there.”

    Johnny Mercer, 7.56am, 8.04am, 8.06am, 8.24am, 8.26am, 8.34am, 8.43am: “Wahh wahhh wahhhh wahhhhhh”
  • TimSTimS Posts: 12,897

    Cookie said:

    FPT, snip

    Cicero said:

    Nunu5 said:

    Imagine the Far right won the parliamentary elections in France and then govern really well......eek!

    Like Putin in Russia maybe?
    Putin's rule in Russia is best characterised as a serious of catastrophic economic decisions which has left the Russian economy disastrously under invested and undervthe control of brutal mafia cliques. This then followed by the deaths of half a million men at a time when Russian demographics were already close to collapse.
    In characteriatic pb.com fashion, I'm going to pick up on the third or fourth most important point in the post: I am utterly fascinated by the demographic impact on Russia (and indeed Ukraine) of this war). Not just the number of deaths, which are now large enough to be a notiveable blip in the age/sex pyramid; not just the emigrations, ditto, but the fact that these deaths and emigrations are of the generation who would otherwise be having children. This is the first major war between two countries whose populations are already declining and is going to make the Chinese demographic difficulties look trifling. In 100 years the Russian population will be smaller than that of the UK.
    Perhaps, but Russia have been pretty good at concentrating casualties among peripheral populations, and coercing immigrants to die for them.

    The result is that Russia in the decades ahead will have a greater proportion of its population from the Muscovy core, than would have otherwise been the case, and that might be regarded as a score draw on the demographic front by the ethno-nationalists who run Russia.
    A small, inward looking country of an appropriate size around Moscow to house its ethnically homogeneous population is something I think the rest of us could probably live with.
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 61,741
    Mr. Dee, I think the plan was for four supercasinos, as they were dubbed, but it could watered down rather a lot.
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 34,611

    Thanks TSE.

    Few people who do not share our passion for betting understand much about gambling. When I tell people that bookmakers won't take my bets because I am too successful they are generally genuinely surprised that is legal. They don't understand the nuances and see it as a black and white issue.

    Same applies to Sunak's people betting on the date of the GE. Punters like us can see the angles, but it's absolutely straight forward cheating to most people. Worse, it's the kind of thing they would love to do themselves but can't because they don't have the connections and never will have.

    That's really annoying. No wonder it cut through.

    Spot on. Legal or illegal, to most people the insider betting is just WRONG.

    Farage is a lucky guy* - his car-crash interview has been sunk by Bettinggate.

    (*Though probably not the Luckyguy)
  • TimSTimS Posts: 12,897
    Scott_xP said:

    @rhodri

    Johnny Mercer, 7.29am: “I will leave it there.”

    Johnny Mercer, 7.56am, 8.04am, 8.06am, 8.24am, 8.26am, 8.34am, 8.43am: “Wahh wahhh wahhhh wahhhhhh”

    I’ll give you one chance at honesty. Did you insinuate you were a combat hardened Royal Marines captain on the Plymouth Herald comments section?
  • Peter_the_PunterPeter_the_Punter Posts: 14,307
    edited June 22
    Sandpit said:

    DavidL said:

    Sandpit said:

    Two changes I’d make to gambling regulations:

    1. Companies not allowed to decide odds or max limits based on customer profiling.
    2. Companies not allowed to advertise on TV during sports events, nor to sponsor sports teams.

    1 seems unfair to the companies, frankly. Would any of us bet with someone you constantly lost to? They are not providing a public service.

    2, absolutely. We have gone far too far in removing restrictions on gambling and it causes serious harm.
    1. Will cost the bookies
    2. Will save them a fortune, and have the positive (for Labour) effect of annoying Sky TV.

    1. Is about fairness, as the back end data mining is as out of control as the advertising, but it’s not visible to the punters.
    If you think the probablily of some event happening is 10/1 and you decide to let people bet £100 on that outcome, then the bet should be available to anyone who wants it until weight of money makes you adjust the odds or the limit. That’s how the old-fashioned on-course bookies work. The large online companies will, as many here know, reduce you to pennies or close accounts arbitrarily, purely because you got a big win from them.
    Once had a long and interesting conversation with a regulator at the Gambling Commission about this and he had obviously thought long and hard on the subject. His personal view was that whilst what the bookies did was legal, it was immoral and this should be openly acknowledged.

    You also need to speak to our resident expert, ex-MP Aaron Bell [Tissue Price]* He would point out, I think, that whilst a change in the law might be desirable, it would come at a certain cost. The business model would change. So yes, the likes of me and thee would be able to place our bets without being knocked back, but the overrounds would have to increase to absorb the undoubted cost of this to bookmakers.

    Swings and roundabouts then.



    *Sadly, it is likely Aaron will have soon have rather more time soon to represent his views on the matter here in person.
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 53,752
    And we borrowed another £15bn in May https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cmll7k8pl2xo

    More than we did last year. I am really not sure in what alternative world Hunt now lives but its nice that we are not so insolvent there.

    In this one our finances are continuing to deteriorate, we are consuming far more than we are earning, urgent cuts in public spending and tax rises are needed and several sacred cows are for the chopping block.

    Politicians of all stripes who say they will not increase taxes are LIARS.
    Politicians of all stripes who claim that they can fund better public services are LIARS.
    Politicians who claim debt is falling are...well you've got the idea by now.

    I genuinely cannot recall a political campaign where the competition seems to be who can stick their fingers in their ears the hardest to this extent. No wonder Reeves looks miserable all the time.
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 27,722
    The Gambling Commission couldn't find its own arse with both hands and a map. Has it explained why any of these bets were illegal as opposed to immoral and politically toxic?
  • DopermeanDopermean Posts: 466

    Cicero said:

    Cicero said:

    Nunu5 said:

    Imagine the Far right won the parliamentary elections in France and then govern really well......eek!

    Like Putin in Russia maybe?
    Putin's rule in Russia is best characterised as a serious of catastrophic economic decisions which has left the Russian economy disastrously under invested and undervthe control of brutal mafia cliques. This then followed by the deaths of half a million men at a time when Russian demographics were already close to collapse.
    Putin has launched a serious of wars against peaceful neighbours- Georgia in 2008 and Ukraine since 2014. He has also used bribery, blackmail, propaganda and cyber war directly against the West. He has openly paid money to disruptive parties, such as the RN in France and the AfD. In the UK Farage and Salmond were both employed by Russia Today. I note the strong Russian links of Aaron Banks, Dominic Cummings and Jacob Rees Mogg amongst others.

    Putin is the enemy of freedom and democracy. His supporters likewise.
    Dominic Cummings lived in Russia for four years, and you maybrecall was denied full security clearance. Aaron Banks has close links with the Russian Embassy and was a regular guest of the Ambassador, where Brexit was a major discussion topic. Jacob Rees Mogg invested many millions in Russia, and it is strongly suggested, these investments were made on behalf of ultimately Russian beneficiaries.
    ...and Boris Johnson attended Lebedev parties whilst Foreign Secretary sans his security detail.

    How so little has been made of that breach by the authorities and the media is beyond me. Boris will be Boris.
    ISTR OGH attended a party at the Russian embassy a few years back. Does that mean that OGH, and by extension this site, is a Russian mouthpiece?

    And I'm also amused by the way Mandelson is not mentioned whenever Russia and British politicians are mentioned...
    OGH and Mandelson weren't Foreign Secretary at the time. There is no equity in a formal event at the Embassy and a bunga, bunga party in Lebedev's villa.

    That you can't see the jeopardy in the Foreign Secretary shaking off his minders and attending a party held by a close associate of Putin, an enemy of our nation is remarkable.
    Remarkable except among Boris Johnson fans, where it is totally normal to excuse his behaviour
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 28,284

    Cicero said:

    Cicero said:

    Nunu5 said:

    Imagine the Far right won the parliamentary elections in France and then govern really well......eek!

    Like Putin in Russia maybe?
    Putin's rule in Russia is best characterised as a serious of catastrophic economic decisions which has left the Russian economy disastrously under invested and undervthe control of brutal mafia cliques. This then followed by the deaths of half a million men at a time when Russian demographics were already close to collapse.
    Putin has launched a serious of wars against peaceful neighbours- Georgia in 2008 and Ukraine since 2014. He has also used bribery, blackmail, propaganda and cyber war directly against the West. He has openly paid money to disruptive parties, such as the RN in France and the AfD. In the UK Farage and Salmond were both employed by Russia Today. I note the strong Russian links of Aaron Banks, Dominic Cummings and Jacob Rees Mogg amongst others.

    Putin is the enemy of freedom and democracy. His supporters likewise.
    Dominic Cummings lived in Russia for four years, and you maybrecall was denied full security clearance. Aaron Banks has close links with the Russian Embassy and was a regular guest of the Ambassador, where Brexit was a major discussion topic. Jacob Rees Mogg invested many millions in Russia, and it is strongly suggested, these investments were made on behalf of ultimately Russian beneficiaries.
    ...and Boris Johnson attended Lebedev parties whilst Foreign Secretary sans his security detail.

    How so little has been made of that breach by the authorities and the media is beyond me. Boris will be Boris.
    ISTR OGH attended a party at the Russian embassy a few years back. Does that mean that OGH, and by extension this site, is a Russian mouthpiece?

    And I'm also amused by the way Mandelson is not mentioned whenever Russia and British politicians are mentioned...
    OGH and Mandelson weren't Foreign Secretary at the time. There is no equity in a formal event at the Embassy and a bunga, bunga party in Lebedev's villa.

    That you can't see the jeopardy in the Foreign Secretary shaking off his minders and attending a party held by a close associate of Putin, an enemy of our nation is remarkable.
    I can see that. I'm just pointing out that connections are not uncommon.

    As an aside, if members of the Conservative Party are paid Russian stooges, then Russia has got incredibly poor value for money given the vehement support for Russia within the party. IMV that alone negates your point. Now if you were talking about Fico's government in Slovakia, I might agree.

    What evidence do you have that attending parties with Russians has caused the UK government to be less harsh on Russia's misdeeds?
    You have a tendency to defend you position by throwing out wild hyperbole such as "members of the Conservative Party are paid Russian stooges". I suspect that Johnson's decision to attend was the opportunity for lots of casual shags with lots of nubile young call girls (maybe I am wrong and he kept his trousers on) and not to trade state secrets. The reality is he should have been nowhere near Lebedev's villa, with or without his minders.

    Alec Douglas Home's government fell for a lot less, but rather than banish the Minister to a lifetime of charitable works as we did with Profumo we made this Foreign Secretary Prime Minister.
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 53,752

    Sandpit said:

    DavidL said:

    Sandpit said:

    Two changes I’d make to gambling regulations:

    1. Companies not allowed to decide odds or max limits based on customer profiling.
    2. Companies not allowed to advertise on TV during sports events, nor to sponsor sports teams.

    1 seems unfair to the companies, frankly. Would any of us bet with someone you constantly lost to? They are not providing a public service.

    2, absolutely. We have gone far too far in removing restrictions on gambling and it causes serious harm.
    1. Will cost the bookies
    2. Will save them a fortune, and have the positive (for Labour) effect of annoying Sky TV.

    1. Is about fairness, as the back end data mining is as out of control as the advertising, but it’s not visible to the punters.
    If you think the probablily of some event happening is 10/1 and you decide to let people bet £100 on that outcome, then the bet should be available to anyone who wants it until weight of money makes you adjust the odds or the limit. That’s how the old-fashioned on-course bookies work. The large online companies will, as many here know, reduce you to pennies or close accounts arbitrarily, purely because you got a big win from them.
    Once had a long and interesting conversation with a regulator at the Gambling Commission about this and he had obviously thought long and hard on the subject. His personal view was that whilst what the bookies did was legal, it was immoral and this should be openly acknowledged.

    You also need to speak to our resident expert, ex-MP Aaron Bell [Tissue Price]* He would point out, I think, that whilst a change in the law might be desirable, it would come at a certain cost. The business model would change. So yes, the likes of me and thee would be able to place our bets without being knocked back, but the overrounds would have to increase to absorb the undoubted cost of this to bookmakers.

    Swings and roundabouts then.



    *Sadly, it is likely Aaron will have soon have rather more time soon to represent his views on the matter here in person.
    That was at least one of my concerns. If betting companies are forced to make bets with those likely to win they need to squeeze the rubes even harder.
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 27,722

    Thanks TSE.

    Few people who do not share our passion for betting understand much about gambling. When I tell people that bookmakers won't take my bets because I am too successful they are generally genuinely surprised that is legal. They don't understand the nuances and see it as a black and white issue.

    Same applies to Sunak's people betting on the date of the GE. Punters like us can see the angles, but it's absolutely straight forward cheating to most people. Worse, it's the kind of thing they would love to do themselves but can't because they don't have the connections and never will have.

    That's really annoying. No wonder it cut through.

    Some of us earlier expressed surprised that Partygate was still being raised in vox pops. These bets are the same: self-serving spivs at the heart of government sticking two fingers up at ordinary voters.
  • TweedledeeTweedledee Posts: 1,405

    The Gambling Commission couldn't find its own arse with both hands and a map. Has it explained why any of these bets were illegal as opposed to immoral and politically toxic?
    No, but look at the threader - most of the country refuses to recognise the difference.
  • Richard_TyndallRichard_Tyndall Posts: 32,352
    Carnyx said:

    Cicero said:

    Mercer part 94, this morning

    Now he was an Officer in the Special Boat Service? Has the world gone mad? You can literally make up anything you like about your life and media will buy it?! Provided you’re Labour I suppose..

    Paddy Ashdown would have eaten these wannabes for breakfast.
    What's so odd is that we have a Minister for Veterans Affairs using his knowledge - so he seemed to say yesterday, and heaven knows what else it could mean - gained through his position to do the dirty on one such veteran. In which case he's screwed even if he is right. But if he is wrong, he's screwed.
    Not at all. If there is one thing veterans hate its those who either pretend to have served or who lie about the nature of their service. There are whole organisations dedicated to identifying and exposing such people.

  • MonksfieldMonksfield Posts: 2,803
    Scott_xP said:

    @rhodri

    Johnny Mercer, 7.29am: “I will leave it there.”

    Johnny Mercer, 7.56am, 8.04am, 8.06am, 8.24am, 8.26am, 8.34am, 8.43am: “Wahh wahhh wahhhh wahhhhhh”

    Whatever the rights and wrongs of this Mercer is coming across as a proper tw@t
  • bigjohnowlsbigjohnowls Posts: 22,645
    Sent my postal vote back today.

    Pen hovered over a few options (LD, WPOGB, Independent) but came down on Green
  • Peter_the_PunterPeter_the_Punter Posts: 14,307

    Thanks TSE.

    Few people who do not share our passion for betting understand much about gambling. When I tell people that bookmakers won't take my bets because I am too successful they are generally genuinely surprised that is legal. They don't understand the nuances and see it as a black and white issue.

    Same applies to Sunak's people betting on the date of the GE. Punters like us can see the angles, but it's absolutely straight forward cheating to most people. Worse, it's the kind of thing they would love to do themselves but can't because they don't have the connections and never will have.

    That's really annoying. No wonder it cut through.

    The way my friends put it is that footballers aren't allowed to bet on anything football related because of integrity reasons and the same principle should apply to politicians.
    And they are right.

    It is a question of common sense as much as morality.

    Not sure the law can be of much help in this area, but the relevant associations (such as EUFA and the Conservative Party) certainly can.
  • So what will be the next election disaster for the the Tories after the betting one? Frankly this not the best one they can come up with.They have a few days left to cock up something else. The mother of all ballsups. Do not do things by halves.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 42,685
    edited June 22

    Carnyx said:

    Cicero said:

    Mercer part 94, this morning

    Now he was an Officer in the Special Boat Service? Has the world gone mad? You can literally make up anything you like about your life and media will buy it?! Provided you’re Labour I suppose..

    Paddy Ashdown would have eaten these wannabes for breakfast.
    What's so odd is that we have a Minister for Veterans Affairs using his knowledge - so he seemed to say yesterday, and heaven knows what else it could mean - gained through his position to do the dirty on one such veteran. In which case he's screwed even if he is right. But if he is wrong, he's screwed.
    Not at all. If there is one thing veterans hate its those who either pretend to have served or who lie about the nature of their service. There are whole organisations dedicated to identifying and exposing such people.

    I don't disagree at all. A moment's look at ARRSE on any normal day will show that.* But Mr Mercer has specific obligations by virtue of his (currently ongoing) position.

    *As does the recent news yesterday about a certain Chief Constable.
  • LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 18,249
    DavidL said:

    And we borrowed another £15bn in May https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cmll7k8pl2xo

    More than we did last year. I am really not sure in what alternative world Hunt now lives but its nice that we are not so insolvent there.

    In this one our finances are continuing to deteriorate, we are consuming far more than we are earning, urgent cuts in public spending and tax rises are needed and several sacred cows are for the chopping block.

    Politicians of all stripes who say they will not increase taxes are LIARS.
    Politicians of all stripes who claim that they can fund better public services are LIARS.
    Politicians who claim debt is falling are...well you've got the idea by now.

    I genuinely cannot recall a political campaign where the competition seems to be who can stick their fingers in their ears the hardest to this extent. No wonder Reeves looks miserable all the time.

    I can't see how Reeves avoids becoming the most hated Labour chancellor of all time. I see that she has two routes to that destination, but I can't see any way to a different outcome. One of those routes involves a sovereign debt crisis, and the other doesn't. Her choice.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 48,529
    DavidL said:

    And we borrowed another £15bn in May https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cmll7k8pl2xo

    More than we did last year. I am really not sure in what alternative world Hunt now lives but its nice that we are not so insolvent there.

    In this one our finances are continuing to deteriorate, we are consuming far more than we are earning, urgent cuts in public spending and tax rises are needed and several sacred cows are for the chopping block.

    Politicians of all stripes who say they will not increase taxes are LIARS.
    Politicians of all stripes who claim that they can fund better public services are LIARS.
    Politicians who claim debt is falling are...well you've got the idea by now.

    I genuinely cannot recall a political campaign where the competition seems to be who can stick their fingers in their ears the hardest to this extent. No wonder Reeves looks miserable all the time.

    Yes, that is all part of the unreality of this election. It's all parties promising to sort out public services and not tax* to do so. £15 billion borrowing in May, £20 billion in April yet the pretence is that there is scope for tax cuts.

    There is no one being honest about the finances. Where are "sound money" centre right people like us supposed to put our cross?

    *Greens being the exception, as they have major tax rises in their manifesto.
  • StuartinromfordStuartinromford Posts: 17,174
    DavidL said:

    And we borrowed another £15bn in May https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cmll7k8pl2xo

    More than we did last year. I am really not sure in what alternative world Hunt now lives but its nice that we are not so insolvent there.

    In this one our finances are continuing to deteriorate, we are consuming far more than we are earning, urgent cuts in public spending and tax rises are needed and several sacred cows are for the chopping block.

    Politicians of all stripes who say they will not increase taxes are LIARS.
    Politicians of all stripes who claim that they can fund better public services are LIARS.
    Politicians who claim debt is falling are...well you've got the idea by now.

    I genuinely cannot recall a political campaign where the competition seems to be who can stick their fingers in their ears the hardest to this extent. No wonder Reeves looks miserable all the time.

    Remind me- how much does 4p off National Insurance cost per year?

    Hunt, as much as Sunak, was always going to lose the verdict of the electorate about now. Their flailing around to change that has cost them the verdict of history too- and, if they listen hard enough, I suspect their own self-respect.
  • RogerRoger Posts: 19,854
    I notice Moon Rabbit has gone uncharacteristically silent on her clairvoyance....
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 95,989

    On topic, not good. I have a real fear Labour will tax gambling and kill off the betting industry.

    Imagine trying to bet where you have to factor in 40p tax on any profit you make, on top of Betfair commission.

    Tbf Casino you fearing Labour will tax something is hardly shocking news.
    Tbf there's a lot of money needed and nobody wants to tax anything significant, they've got to do something.
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 34,611
    edited June 22
    DavidL said:

    And we borrowed another £15bn in May https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cmll7k8pl2xo

    More than we did last year. I am really not sure in what alternative world Hunt now lives but its nice that we are not so insolvent there.

    In this one our finances are continuing to deteriorate, we are consuming far more than we are earning, urgent cuts in public spending and tax rises are needed and several sacred cows are for the chopping block.

    Politicians of all stripes who say they will not increase taxes are LIARS.
    Politicians of all stripes who claim that they can fund better public services are LIARS.
    Politicians who claim debt is falling are...well you've got the idea by now.

    I genuinely cannot recall a political campaign where the competition seems to be who can stick their fingers in their ears the hardest to this extent. No wonder Reeves looks miserable all the time.

    You can blame the politicians but it's the voters themselves who are responsible, led by a rancid media. If either the Tories or Labour came out and said taxes will rise to the extent they need to they would eviscerated by the papers. Look what happened to May with her social care plans.
  • MisterBedfordshireMisterBedfordshire Posts: 2,252
    edited June 22
    It is quite hilarious that peoole still think Putin is a communist.

    He is quite the opposite, what communists would call a reactionary.

    Basically a King Church and Country, Christian Civilisaton hardliner. He has suppressed rival brands of Christianity. Massively promoted the Russian Orthodox Church. Turned the KGB /FSB into a holy inquisition to root out spiritual threats to Russian Culture (the Lubyanka has a full time chaplain and daily Mass attendance is expected). State funeral for the Czar. Economic polices are a mixture of free market and paternalist welfarism. Lumberjacks are expected to be ok, sleep all night and work all day - without the other bits. Flying flags that look a bit like the South African Flag will get you into big trouble and foreigners causing a nuisance get the sort of treatment Britain doled out to "mad mullahs" in 1920s mandates and if the Russian equivalent of White Rhodesians in post 1990 independent countries get the Mugabe Treatment he invades them. Basically a total repudiation of western post world war one secular liberalism. Plus prisons are brutal places of hard labour.

    Can't think why that goes down well among Mail readers and a slew of Mirror Readers. (Telegraph readers are more split as the Colonel Blimp types want to reenact the Crimean War).
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 34,611
    Roger said:

    I notice Moon Rabbit has gone uncharacteristically silent on her clairvoyance....
    Yes, I saw that coming, tbh.
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 27,722
    Middle East Eye has a surprisingly balanced profile of Leanne Mohamad, the young woman standing against Wes Streeting in Ilford North (aka @Sunil_Prasannan's constituency). One titbit is that the Greens are not actively campaigning there. Looking at the road behind the candidate, you can see why this used to be a safe Conservative seat within living memory (Streeting replaced a Tory in 2005, and his 2019 majority was only 5,000).

    And ironically: When Mohamad was just 15, she faced a barrage of online abuse after winning a competition for delivering a speech defending Palestinian rights. She was accused of “vicious blood libels against the state of Israel” by pro-Israel trolls. Streeting came to her defence in a Facebook post. Now, the teenager he defended is campaigning to unseat him.
    https://www.middleeasteye.net/big-story/uk-election-ilford-north-leanne-mohamad-wes-streeting
  • bigjohnowlsbigjohnowls Posts: 22,645
    I see Farage is doubling down.

    Nigel Farage
    @Nigel_Farage
    ·
    10h
    I am one of the few figures that have been consistent & honest about the war with Russia.

    Putin was wrong to invade a sovereign nation, and the EU was wrong to expand eastward.

    The sooner we realise this, the closer we will be to ending the war and delivering peace.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 95,989
    edited June 22

    Thanks TSE.

    Few people who do not share our passion for betting understand much about gambling. When I tell people that bookmakers won't take my bets because I am too successful they are generally genuinely surprised that is legal. They don't understand the nuances and see it as a black and white issue.

    Same applies to Sunak's people betting on the date of the GE. Punters like us can see the angles, but it's absolutely straight forward cheating to most people. Worse, it's the kind of thing they would love to do themselves but can't because they don't have the connections and never will have.

    That's really annoying. No wonder it cut through.

    Spot on. Legal or illegal, to most people the insider betting is just WRONG.

    Farage is a lucky guy* - his car-crash interview has been sunk by Bettinggate.

    (*Though probably not the Luckyguy)
    It's also like how people argue over smaller things and ignore things that are too big, like complaining about pennies when they need a grand.

    Farage is a Putinista, no ifs ands or buts, he just cannot help spewing Putin talking points even if he grudgingly claims not to be a fan, and that should be a major problem, but we'll just let it slide.
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 119,463
    edited June 22
    Roger said:

    I notice Moon Rabbit has gone uncharacteristically silent on her clairvoyance....
    Nah, like a stopped clock etc, or did you miss their months of spamming about a May election?

    You may have missed it because I am modest and I don't like to brag, I tipped a July election at 20s.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 95,989

    Sent my postal vote back today.

    Pen hovered over a few options (LD, WPOGB, Independent) but came down on Green

    What flavour of independent? Hardcore rebellious lefty, swivel eyed right wing loon, or ego maniac?
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 34,611
    edited June 22

    DavidL said:

    And we borrowed another £15bn in May https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cmll7k8pl2xo

    More than we did last year. I am really not sure in what alternative world Hunt now lives but its nice that we are not so insolvent there.

    In this one our finances are continuing to deteriorate, we are consuming far more than we are earning, urgent cuts in public spending and tax rises are needed and several sacred cows are for the chopping block.

    Politicians of all stripes who say they will not increase taxes are LIARS.
    Politicians of all stripes who claim that they can fund better public services are LIARS.
    Politicians who claim debt is falling are...well you've got the idea by now.

    I genuinely cannot recall a political campaign where the competition seems to be who can stick their fingers in their ears the hardest to this extent. No wonder Reeves looks miserable all the time.

    I can't see how Reeves avoids becoming the most hated Labour chancellor of all time. I see that she has two routes to that destination, but I can't see any way to a different outcome. One of those routes involves a sovereign debt crisis, and the other doesn't. Her choice.
    She just needs to tax the wealthy more, it's not difficult. Many of them will hate her for it of course but they don't have the numbers to tip the balance against the masses.
  • RogerRoger Posts: 19,854
    It's such an irrelevance whether or not it's illegal. A bit like a footballer punting his cat across the kitchen.

    The wrongness of it just leaves you open mouthed.
  • Peter_the_PunterPeter_the_Punter Posts: 14,307
    kle4 said:

    Thanks TSE.

    Few people who do not share our passion for betting understand much about gambling. When I tell people that bookmakers won't take my bets because I am too successful they are generally genuinely surprised that is legal. They don't understand the nuances and see it as a black and white issue.

    Same applies to Sunak's people betting on the date of the GE. Punters like us can see the angles, but it's absolutely straight forward cheating to most people. Worse, it's the kind of thing they would love to do themselves but can't because they don't have the connections and never will have.

    That's really annoying. No wonder it cut through.

    Spot on. Legal or illegal, to most people the insider betting is just WRONG.

    Farage is a lucky guy* - his car-crash interview has been sunk by Bettinggate.

    (*Though probably not the Luckyguy)
    It's also like how people argue over smaller things and ignore things that are too big, like complaining about pennies when they need a grand.

    Farage is a Putinista, no ifs ands or buts, he just cannot help spewing Putin talking points even of he grudgingly claims not to be a fan, and that should be a major problem, but we'll just let it slide.
    It's difficult to avoid the suspicion that he is directly or indirectly in Putin's pay, but it will probably be down to future historians to prove that beyond doubt.
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 51,721

    I see Farage is doubling down.

    Nigel Farage
    @Nigel_Farage
    ·
    10h
    I am one of the few figures that have been consistent & honest about the war with Russia.

    Putin was wrong to invade a sovereign nation, and the EU was wrong to expand eastward.

    The sooner we realise this, the closer we will be to ending the war and delivering peace.

    "Hitler was wrong to invade Poland, and the Poles were wrong to deny him the Polish Corridor."
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 27,722
    From that MEE story, this photo of Wes Streeting's constituency office shows it is next door to a shop offering private tutoring of schoolchildren. There are several such shops around here. This is the modern face of private education, soon (one imagines) to be hit by 20 per cent fees alongside Eton and Winchester.

    image
    https://www.middleeasteye.net/big-story/uk-election-ilford-north-leanne-mohamad-wes-streeting
  • RobDRobD Posts: 59,897

    The Gambling Commission couldn't find its own arse with both hands and a map. Has it explained why any of these bets were illegal as opposed to immoral and politically toxic?
    No, but look at the threader - most of the country refuses to recognise the difference.
    So on what grounds is this being investigated? It seems somewhat arbitrary if they are looking into something that isn't against regulations (despite being really scummy).
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 48,529

    Thanks TSE.

    Few people who do not share our passion for betting understand much about gambling. When I tell people that bookmakers won't take my bets because I am too successful they are generally genuinely surprised that is legal. They don't understand the nuances and see it as a black and white issue.

    Same applies to Sunak's people betting on the date of the GE. Punters like us can see the angles, but it's absolutely straight forward cheating to most people. Worse, it's the kind of thing they would love to do themselves but can't because they don't have the connections and never will have.

    That's really annoying. No wonder it cut through.

    Some of us earlier expressed surprised that Partygate was still being raised in vox pops. These bets are the same: self-serving spivs at the heart of government sticking two fingers up at ordinary voters.
    At our WI BBQ a couple of weeks back Partygate was being raised by a number of normally Tory Matrons. They stuck to the rules and quite vehement that Downing St should have too.

    It's the same with these political betting scandals and even the boat people, outrage that others get away with breaking the rules. In some ways we are a deeply conservative country by expecting that the rules will be followed, and angered that they are not.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 95,989
    edited June 22

    I see Farage is doubling down.

    Nigel Farage
    @Nigel_Farage
    ·
    10h
    I am one of the few figures that have been consistent & honest about the war with Russia.

    Putin was wrong to invade a sovereign nation, and the EU was wrong to expand eastward.

    The sooner we realise this, the closer we will be to ending the war and delivering peace.

    He's disgusting. The idea the two are equivalent as though peaceful expansion is morally the same as invasion, or that it is not excusing the invasion as he laughably pretends it doesn't, is despicable.

    And I don't say that lightly.

    All those millions abandoning the Tories have very good reasons, but I hope they reflect on the alternative options carefully.
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 34,611
    edited June 22

    Roger said:

    I notice Moon Rabbit has gone uncharacteristically silent on her clairvoyance....
    Nah, like a stopped clock etc, or did you miss their months of spamming about a May election?

    You may have missed it because I am modest and I don't like to brag, I tipped a May election at 20s.
    July shirley?

    Anyway, no one is taking @No_Offence_Alan's laurels for election date forecasting. He was spot on, no one else was within four weeks.
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 61,741
    Mr. Owls, Farage drawing equivalence between invading and annexing another country, and sovereign nation states choosing of their own free will to join an organisation, is bonkers on his part.

    On the plus side, it's helped me slightly narrow my options. I wasn't going to vote Reform but was wondering about going Conservative. But the incumbent's pro-Boris side was not pleasing and her shoving Farage on her electoral literature is too much.

    So... maybe I'll end up voting Lib Dem. There's also the Yorkshire Party, though their plan to slice England into pieces is abominable.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 42,685
    Roger said:

    It's such an irrelevance whether or not it's illegal. A bit like a footballer punting his cat across the kitchen.

    The wrongness of it just leaves you open mouthed.

    It's legal to use moggies for penalty kick practice? I rather thought not.
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 119,463
    Wankers, they are effectively condemning thousands to avoidable deaths.

    Like the police, doctors should not be allowed to strike.

    Junior doctors threaten winter strikes if Labour rejects 35% pay rise

    NHS staff are preparing a five-day walkout next week as the Tories say it would ‘not be appropriate’ to make an offer during the pre-election period


    https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/junior-doctors-vow-winter-strikes-if-labour-rejects-35-percent-pay-rise-cwmlkq2fz
  • MisterBedfordshireMisterBedfordshire Posts: 2,252
    edited June 22

    I see Farage is doubling down.

    Nigel Farage
    @Nigel_Farage
    ·
    10h
    I am one of the few figures that have been consistent & honest about the war with Russia.

    Putin was wrong to invade a sovereign nation, and the EU was wrong to expand eastward.

    The sooner we realise this, the closer we will be to ending the war and delivering peace.

    Of course he is. He has done it again. He has set off a s***storm infuriating fashionable opinion and getting ubiquitous publicity with all the fury, with fashionable opinions glee that he has "ratnered" himself then turning in the following days to dispair as they find it is actually making him more popular as millions are fed up with our leaders wasting our money trying to be world policeman interfering in foreign disputes, and think "anyway, at least Putin dosent allow all that trans bollocks in Russia".
  • Peter_the_PunterPeter_the_Punter Posts: 14,307

    Gambling destroys many lives. Of course we should allow gambling responsibly but I would ban gambling adverts.

    They are essentially dishonest, because they do not acknowledge that successful punters will be banned.

    The nonsense about 'responsible gambling' is also bollox, for the same reason.
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 119,463

    Roger said:

    I notice Moon Rabbit has gone uncharacteristically silent on her clairvoyance....
    Nah, like a stopped clock etc, or did you miss their months of spamming about a May election?

    You may have missed it because I am modest and I don't like to brag, I tipped a May election at 20s.
    July shirley?

    Anyway, no one is taking @No_Offence_Alan's laurels for election date forecasting. He was spot on, no one else was within four weeks.
    Well done for spotting my deliberate mistake.
  • LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 18,249

    DavidL said:

    And we borrowed another £15bn in May https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cmll7k8pl2xo

    More than we did last year. I am really not sure in what alternative world Hunt now lives but its nice that we are not so insolvent there.

    In this one our finances are continuing to deteriorate, we are consuming far more than we are earning, urgent cuts in public spending and tax rises are needed and several sacred cows are for the chopping block.

    Politicians of all stripes who say they will not increase taxes are LIARS.
    Politicians of all stripes who claim that they can fund better public services are LIARS.
    Politicians who claim debt is falling are...well you've got the idea by now.

    I genuinely cannot recall a political campaign where the competition seems to be who can stick their fingers in their ears the hardest to this extent. No wonder Reeves looks miserable all the time.

    You can blame the politicians but it's the voters themselves who are responsible, led by a rancid media. If either the Tories or Labour came out and said taxes will rise to the extent they need to they would eviscerated by the papers. Look what happened to May with her social care plans.
    Ultimately the public are responsible, but most of the public are followers and not leaders. I include myself in that, by the way. I want someone to follow. Choices and decisions are hard, so if there's a trustworthy person, who I believe shares my values, who is willing and able to make those hard decisions for me, I am willing to follow them.

    This is why values are so much more important than policies in politics. Most people do not want to have to decide between two different complicated options, so instead they will choose the person with the values they like most to choose for them. So the system needs good quality leaders who can win the trust of the voters with their values, and convince the public of the necessity of making hard choices, of not doing one thing so that we can do another.

    The fundamental failure of the Clinton/Blair third-way in politics was that it was an abdication of this role of leadership, in favour of following the whims of the electorate.
  • bigjohnowlsbigjohnowls Posts: 22,645
    kle4 said:

    I see Farage is doubling down.

    Nigel Farage
    @Nigel_Farage
    ·
    10h
    I am one of the few figures that have been consistent & honest about the war with Russia.

    Putin was wrong to invade a sovereign nation, and the EU was wrong to expand eastward.

    The sooner we realise this, the closer we will be to ending the war and delivering peace.


    All those millions abandoning the Tories have very good reasons, but I hope they reflect on the alternative options carefully.
    Do you think they will?

    I don't see it putting off a single Reform voter as long as they see net zero immigration on the ballot
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 95,989

    DavidL said:

    And we borrowed another £15bn in May https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cmll7k8pl2xo

    More than we did last year. I am really not sure in what alternative world Hunt now lives but its nice that we are not so insolvent there.

    In this one our finances are continuing to deteriorate, we are consuming far more than we are earning, urgent cuts in public spending and tax rises are needed and several sacred cows are for the chopping block.

    Politicians of all stripes who say they will not increase taxes are LIARS.
    Politicians of all stripes who claim that they can fund better public services are LIARS.
    Politicians who claim debt is falling are...well you've got the idea by now.

    I genuinely cannot recall a political campaign where the competition seems to be who can stick their fingers in their ears the hardest to this extent. No wonder Reeves looks miserable all the time.

    You can blame the politicians but it's the voters themselves who are responsible, led by a rancid media. If either the Tories or Labour came out and said taxes will rise to the extent they need to they would eviscerated by the papers. Look what happened to May with her social care plans.
    We get the politicians we deserve as the old saying goes.

    But it's also why we need real leaders, who can lead us to realise the truth or persuade us what needs to be done and not just take the easy route.

    It's mostly on us, but they've still let us down too.
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 61,741
    Mr. Eagles, demands for a 35% pay hike is mental at the best of times. In current circumstances it's crazy.

    One more problem for the incoming Labour Government to deal with.
  • TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 41,893

    From that MEE story, this photo of Wes Streeting's constituency office shows it is next door to a shop offering private tutoring of schoolchildren. There are several such shops around here. This is the modern face of private education, soon (one imagines) to be hit by 20 per cent fees alongside Eton and Winchester.

    image
    https://www.middleeasteye.net/big-story/uk-election-ilford-north-leanne-mohamad-wes-streeting

    Pavement parking not a big deal in Wes's constituency obviously.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 48,529
    edited June 22

    Wankers, they are effectively condemning thousands to avoidable deaths.

    Like the police, doctors should not be allowed to strike.

    Junior doctors threaten winter strikes if Labour rejects 35% pay rise

    NHS staff are preparing a five-day walkout next week as the Tories say it would ‘not be appropriate’ to make an offer during the pre-election period


    https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/junior-doctors-vow-winter-strikes-if-labour-rejects-35-percent-pay-rise-cwmlkq2fz

    The Consultants and now SAS grades have settled. It's just the juniors who have not, but it's not being led by militants, the vote to keep striking gets North Korean levels of support.

    Part of the Consultants pay dispute was a pay rise, but mostly what was wanted was a truly independent pay body, which is the only way to stop strikes. Reforms we're made, but if there isn't evidence of real change the militancy will return.

  • TimSTimS Posts: 12,897

    I see Farage is doubling down.

    Nigel Farage
    @Nigel_Farage
    ·
    10h
    I am one of the few figures that have been consistent & honest about the war with Russia.

    Putin was wrong to invade a sovereign nation, and the EU was wrong to expand eastward.

    The sooner we realise this, the closer we will be to ending the war and delivering peace.

    Of course he is. He has done it again. He has set off a s***storm infuriating fashionable opinion and getting ubiquitous publicity with all the fury, with fashionable opinions glee that he has "ratnered" himself then turning in the following days to dispair as they find it is actually making him more popular as millions are fed up with our leaders wasting our money trying to be world policeman interfering in foreign disputes, and think "anyway, at least Putin dosent allow all that trans bollocks in Russia".
    “Trying to be world policemen interfering in foreign disputes”.

    “A quarrel in a faraway country between people of whom we know nothing”.
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 51,721

    From that MEE story, this photo of Wes Streeting's constituency office shows it is next door to a shop offering private tutoring of schoolchildren. There are several such shops around here. This is the modern face of private education, soon (one imagines) to be hit by 20 per cent fees alongside Eton and Winchester.

    image
    https://www.middleeasteye.net/big-story/uk-election-ilford-north-leanne-mohamad-wes-streeting

    Pavement parking not a big deal in Wes's constituency obviously.
    A1400 Woodford Avenue, it's a primary "red" route.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 95,989

    I see Farage is doubling down.

    Nigel Farage
    @Nigel_Farage
    ·
    10h
    I am one of the few figures that have been consistent & honest about the war with Russia.

    Putin was wrong to invade a sovereign nation, and the EU was wrong to expand eastward.

    The sooner we realise this, the closer we will be to ending the war and delivering peace.

    Additionally, wtf is he even talking about?

    Let's say we agree for a second the EU should not have expanded eastward. How the heck would that have any bearing on the war? Last I looked Ukraine had not been in the EU or NATO when if was invaded, it was just looking at them distantly buy hopefully.

    Even on its own merits it makes no sense. And this is the guy even most of the remaining Tory voters secretly support.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 54,487

    DavidL said:

    And we borrowed another £15bn in May https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cmll7k8pl2xo

    More than we did last year. I am really not sure in what alternative world Hunt now lives but its nice that we are not so insolvent there.

    In this one our finances are continuing to deteriorate, we are consuming far more than we are earning, urgent cuts in public spending and tax rises are needed and several sacred cows are for the chopping block.

    Politicians of all stripes who say they will not increase taxes are LIARS.
    Politicians of all stripes who claim that they can fund better public services are LIARS.
    Politicians who claim debt is falling are...well you've got the idea by now.

    I genuinely cannot recall a political campaign where the competition seems to be who can stick their fingers in their ears the hardest to this extent. No wonder Reeves looks miserable all the time.

    I can't see how Reeves avoids becoming the most hated Labour chancellor of all time. I see that she has two routes to that destination, but I can't see any way to a different outcome. One of those routes involves a sovereign debt crisis, and the other doesn't. Her choice.
    She just needs to tax the wealthy more, it's not difficult. Many of them will hate her for it of course but they don't have the numbers to tip the balance against the masses.
    It all comes down to how she defines “wealthy”.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 42,685

    Wankers, they are effectively condemning thousands to avoidable deaths.

    Like the police, doctors should not be allowed to strike.

    Junior doctors threaten winter strikes if Labour rejects 35% pay rise

    NHS staff are preparing a five-day walkout next week as the Tories say it would ‘not be appropriate’ to make an offer during the pre-election period


    https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/junior-doctors-vow-winter-strikes-if-labour-rejects-35-percent-pay-rise-cwmlkq2fz

    Which NHS? Doesn't make it clear in the first three paras and I CBA to try and work out where to find the rest. Bad marks for shite journalism.

    Presumably it's the same old 5 day strike in England only that was announced 3 weeks ago.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 42,685
    edited June 22

    From that MEE story, this photo of Wes Streeting's constituency office shows it is next door to a shop offering private tutoring of schoolchildren. There are several such shops around here. This is the modern face of private education, soon (one imagines) to be hit by 20 per cent fees alongside Eton and Winchester.

    image
    https://www.middleeasteye.net/big-story/uk-election-ilford-north-leanne-mohamad-wes-streeting

    Pavement parking not a big deal in Wes's constituency obviously.
    Well, the mumsies and daddies have to drop off their little dears right there, don't they? No walky.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 95,989

    Wankers, they are effectively condemning thousands to avoidable deaths.

    Like the police, doctors should not be allowed to strike.

    Junior doctors threaten winter strikes if Labour rejects 35% pay rise

    NHS staff are preparing a five-day walkout next week as the Tories say it would ‘not be appropriate’ to make an offer during the pre-election period


    https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/junior-doctors-vow-winter-strikes-if-labour-rejects-35-percent-pay-rise-cwmlkq2fz

    The Tories are correct about that, though I doubt they'd planned to anyway.
  • boulayboulay Posts: 5,447

    From that MEE story, this photo of Wes Streeting's constituency office shows it is next door to a shop offering private tutoring of schoolchildren. There are several such shops around here. This is the modern face of private education, soon (one imagines) to be hit by 20 per cent fees alongside Eton and Winchester.

    image
    https://www.middleeasteye.net/big-story/uk-election-ilford-north-leanne-mohamad-wes-streeting

    What a fucking dump. Is shopfront signage not covered by planning regs?
This discussion has been closed.