Hmm, I checked and it doesn't appear to be linked to the Cimbri. A shame.
The Cimbri were a notable tribe that sought peaceful accommodation in the Roman Empire or, failing that, peaceful passage. They got repeatedly attacked and repeatedly annihilated Roman armies, with Arausio being a particularly bloody affair. In the end it was Marius, uncle of Julius Caesar (I think) who put them down. Ironically, that was one of the few occasions they actually wanted a battle.
Conservative party members could lose their final say over who becomes Tory leader as senior figures weigh up whether to change the rules if they suffer an election defeat.
Two Cabinet ministers have expressed interest to The Telegraph about diluting the voting power of members given criticism over how the grassroots selected Liz Truss in 2022.
Similar arguments have been made in public and private by influential Tories in the last year amid frustration at how Ms Truss’s premiership backfired, sending the party’s opinion poll rating plummeting.
While Tory candidates are insisting it is still possible to win the general election next Thursday, privately many are braced for defeat, with minds turning to what may come afterwards.
Coming to Brittany you realise what a feat the Welsh have achieved - keeping Welsh alive. It is easy to find people naturally speaking Welsh - thee are entire towns where it is the main language. You walk into bars and shops - they speak Welsh
When I first arrived in Brittany I asked guides where I could find native speakers. They were all all quite furtive - er, try a market, maybe the islands; dunno
Now I realise that they did not want to disappoint me. But the truth is Breton has vanished
Language themed empire building is what the French do. Breton is probably as dead as Cornish and they are lying about it with a long term plan of making it an official language of the EU.
I am having a French themed travel year - Polynésie. Bretagne. Algérie.
They really are lying about it
A language does not exist if it is not spoken naturally. The fact some kids learn it then forget it means nothing. The fact you can probably only hear it at Breton festivals means it is functionally dead
Which is quite incredible when you learn that there might have been a million speakers as late as 1950. Now all gone
It seems to me there are just two traits which matter when it comes to being English.
- A fondness for drinking tea - A delight in annoying the French and Scots at any and all opportunities.
I see nothing wrong in either of these things, indeed it's clearly the premier mark of civilisation. So I rather disagree with the header!
English nationalism is generally awful. It feels very contrived. I'm far more likely to think of myself as British than English, although I'm obviously both.
Coming to Brittany you realise what a feat the Welsh have achieved - keeping Welsh alive. It is easy to find people naturally speaking Welsh - thee are entire towns where it is the main language. You walk into bars and shops - they speak Welsh
When I first arrived in Brittany I asked guides where I could find native speakers. They were all all quite furtive - er, try a market, maybe the islands; dunno
Now I realise that they did not want to disappoint me. But the truth is Breton has vanished
Language themed empire building is what the French do. Breton is probably as dead as Cornish and they are lying about it with a long term plan of making it an official language of the EU.
I am having a French themed travel year - Polynésie. Bretagne. Algérie.
They try and keep Jersey Norman French going, teaching it in schools here but it’s more a novelty than a living language. The oldies who are from generations of islanders still speak it to each other, an ex’s stepfather used to speak to his brothers and parents in it, sounds like South Africans speaking bad French.
I always chuckle thinking that when French tourists come here and they see all the signs etc in Jersey Norman French that they must think some tosser has tried to write in French and got it wrong as it has many differences that are clearer when seen written than spoken.
Conservative party members could lose their final say over who becomes Tory leader as senior figures weigh up whether to change the rules if they suffer an election defeat.
Two Cabinet ministers have expressed interest to The Telegraph about diluting the voting power of members given criticism over how the grassroots selected Liz Truss in 2022.
Similar arguments have been made in public and private by influential Tories in the last year amid frustration at how Ms Truss’s premiership backfired, sending the party’s opinion poll rating plummeting.
While Tory candidates are insisting it is still possible to win the general election next Thursday, privately many are braced for defeat, with minds turning to what may come afterwards.
English Nationalism gives 'Nationalism' a bad name. In Monaco there's a small zoo by the harbour that has a cockatoo which sings 'La Marseillaise' every time you walk past and after you've listened laughed and start to walk away he says. 'Bye Bye' with a slight bow of his head.
There are plenty of other nationalisms giving nationalism a bad name. Including Russian, Turkish, Azeri/Armenian, Hindu, Serbian, Hungarian, and Han-Chinese.
Nationalism, whether English, Scottish, Russian or anything, gives itself a bad name as it looks to exclude, marginalise, blame or in some cases oppress, others to the benefit of a favoured group.
Patriotism - belief that one's country has much to be proud of and things to like about it - isn't the same as it isn't necessarily exclusionary, and can help draw people together.
Nationalism, however, tends to be both the cause, and the result, of democracy. It brings empires to an end. Of course, post-imperial democracy can be terrible for some minority groups, and indigenous peoples.
Coming to Brittany you realise what a feat the Welsh have achieved - keeping Welsh alive. It is easy to find people naturally speaking Welsh - thee are entire towns where it is the main language. You walk into bars and shops - they speak Welsh
When I first arrived in Brittany I asked guides where I could find native speakers. They were all all quite furtive - er, try a market, maybe the islands; dunno
Now I realise that they did not want to disappoint me. But the truth is Breton has vanished
Language themed empire building is what the French do. Breton is probably as dead as Cornish and they are lying about it with a long term plan of making it an official language of the EU.
I am having a French themed travel year - Polynésie. Bretagne. Algérie.
They try and keep Jersey Norman French going, teaching it in schools here but it’s more a novelty than a living language. The oldies who are from generations of islanders still speak it to each other, an ex’s stepfather used to speak to his brothers and parents in it, sounds like South Africans speaking bad French.
I always chuckle thinking that when French tourists come here and they see all the signs etc in Jersey Norman French that they must think some tosser has tried to write in French and got it wrong as it has many differences that are clearer when seen written than spoken.
You’ve travelled in Brittany a lot. Have you ever heard Breton spoken in a natural setting? Eg casually between people in shops or markets or bars etc?
Plus, whilst some of the post Truss troubles are due to the damage she caused, at the end of the day the Members were given what transpired to be two duds of candidates, so how big an error did they really make?
Indeed! If Con MP's didn't want Tory members to vote for Loopy Lizzie they shouldn't have put her on the ballot. Con members were given an awful choice (granted they voted for the worst of the two, though)
What is the point of being a Tory party member if you don't in your heart believe in the good chaps theory of government? The members' job is for the husbands to finance and prop up the bar and the womenfolk to make the cakes and organise the raffles so that the good chaps can run the country.
It's a shame that the 'good chaps' theory of government has been so comprehensively trashed by the party of good chaps. It wasn't all good, but wasn't all bad either.
Having said that, this is Cumberland and my Labour candidate, Marcus Campbell Savours just happens to be the son of a former well known Cumberland Labour MP, Dale CS. So maybe the good chaps theory has just switched to Labour.
Conservative party members could lose their final say over who becomes Tory leader as senior figures weigh up whether to change the rules if they suffer an election defeat.
Two Cabinet ministers have expressed interest to The Telegraph about diluting the voting power of members given criticism over how the grassroots selected Liz Truss in 2022.
Similar arguments have been made in public and private by influential Tories in the last year amid frustration at how Ms Truss’s premiership backfired, sending the party’s opinion poll rating plummeting.
While Tory candidates are insisting it is still possible to win the general election next Thursday, privately many are braced for defeat, with minds turning to what may come afterwards.
Good. The party leader has to be the person the MPs think is best to lead them in Parliament. The membership should have nothing to do with it.
I 100% agree. I believe in government Labour MPs select the leader but they should also do the same when I opposition.
Do not let people like me vote, we voted for Corbyn.
Depends on whether a party wants to be a mass movement. Corbyn did achieve that (in relative terms) and engaged a lot of younger voters in 2017 in particular. I suspect being able to vote him in as leader helped.
Remove that right to vote and we may never see such a link to supporters again. That would be sad.
I remain British by birth, but English by the grace of God, as the saying goes.
UK by birth, or at least passport, surely ...
Doesn't the passport say British citizen?
NI.
Edit: it does say 'British citizen' but this is absurd as the main texts say United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. And no way is NI part of Britain.
Actually Britain has long been synonymous with UK. You are thinking of Great Britain (putting Olympics to one side).
Conservative party members could lose their final say over who becomes Tory leader as senior figures weigh up whether to change the rules if they suffer an election defeat.
Two Cabinet ministers have expressed interest to The Telegraph about diluting the voting power of members given criticism over how the grassroots selected Liz Truss in 2022.
Similar arguments have been made in public and private by influential Tories in the last year amid frustration at how Ms Truss’s premiership backfired, sending the party’s opinion poll rating plummeting.
While Tory candidates are insisting it is still possible to win the general election next Thursday, privately many are braced for defeat, with minds turning to what may come afterwards.
The article says it is hard to tell because speakers are conditioned to feel guilty about it and will speak it in private behind closed doors. Bit paradoxical as to how that is knowable of course.
Conservative party members could lose their final say over who becomes Tory leader as senior figures weigh up whether to change the rules if they suffer an election defeat.
Two Cabinet ministers have expressed interest to The Telegraph about diluting the voting power of members given criticism over how the grassroots selected Liz Truss in 2022.
Similar arguments have been made in public and private by influential Tories in the last year amid frustration at how Ms Truss’s premiership backfired, sending the party’s opinion poll rating plummeting.
While Tory candidates are insisting it is still possible to win the general election next Thursday, privately many are braced for defeat, with minds turning to what may come afterwards.
I've never understood why we cannot find enough excellent batsmen to enable selecting the best wicketkeeper, so long that person is not completely terrible with the bat.
Its just an equation to balance.
If a keeper is 5 runs an innings better as keeper than his rival, he can be about 5 runs worse than that rival with the bat, but if he is 10 runs worse you'd pick the worse keeper.
Judging those numbers, and how much they change in different conditions, isn't easy but the logic is straightforward.
Whereas a good keeper can be worth a couple of wickets per innings.
Yes it’s good if your keeper and bowlers can also bat, but you should have enough strength at the top of the order to not need to worry too much about trying to pick a keeping all-rounder rather than a specialist.
+1
Countries employing specialist batsmen as keepers (*cough* Alec Stewart *cough*) manage to get the worst of both worlds: poor keeping and a batsman who doesn't bat as well as they are capable.
Conservative party members could lose their final say over who becomes Tory leader as senior figures weigh up whether to change the rules if they suffer an election defeat.
Two Cabinet ministers have expressed interest to The Telegraph about diluting the voting power of members given criticism over how the grassroots selected Liz Truss in 2022.
Similar arguments have been made in public and private by influential Tories in the last year amid frustration at how Ms Truss’s premiership backfired, sending the party’s opinion poll rating plummeting.
While Tory candidates are insisting it is still possible to win the general election next Thursday, privately many are braced for defeat, with minds turning to what may come afterwards.
It seems to me there are just two traits which matter when it comes to being English.
- A fondness for drinking tea - A delight in annoying the French and Scots at any and all opportunities.
I see nothing wrong in either of these things, indeed it's clearly the premier mark of civilisation. So I rather disagree with the header!
English nationalism is generally awful. It feels very contrived. I'm far more likely to think of myself as British than English, although I'm obviously both.
English nationalism is awful because when expressed it is rancid and the stuff of red faced losers. I think this is because most English are nationalists in the inward and passive sense of just assuming that being English is the default position of the universe, from which everything else is an exception. There's The Times, and there's The New York Times. There's stamps and there's stamps with a nation's name on them. There's a newspaper called 'The Scotsman'. The English equivalent would just be called 'The'.
Given I want Britain to be dissolved through Scottish Independence and the reunification of Ireland it would be daft for me to describe myself as British.
But I also think English as a race concept is equally daft given what a mongrel people we are. We are the Heinz 57 variety of humanity and all the better for it. English to me is a cultural thing, accepting certain basic ideals even if we generally fail to achieve them as a nation. That is why some of the most English people I ever met were not white, not Christian and, in some cases, not even born here.
Conservative party members could lose their final say over who becomes Tory leader as senior figures weigh up whether to change the rules if they suffer an election defeat.
Two Cabinet ministers have expressed interest to The Telegraph about diluting the voting power of members given criticism over how the grassroots selected Liz Truss in 2022.
Similar arguments have been made in public and private by influential Tories in the last year amid frustration at how Ms Truss’s premiership backfired, sending the party’s opinion poll rating plummeting.
While Tory candidates are insisting it is still possible to win the general election next Thursday, privately many are braced for defeat, with minds turning to what may come afterwards.
Coming to Brittany you realise what a feat the Welsh have achieved - keeping Welsh alive. It is easy to find people naturally speaking Welsh - thee are entire towns where it is the main language. You walk into bars and shops - they speak Welsh
When I first arrived in Brittany I asked guides where I could find native speakers. They were all all quite furtive - er, try a market, maybe the islands; dunno
Now I realise that they did not want to disappoint me. But the truth is Breton has vanished
Every time a civilising influence arrived they dispersed into the hills
Weak bowling attack. Probably he ok in English conditions, but don't fancy that in attack in Australia. Loads of right arm medium fast who rely on English seam movement of the Dukes ball. I still never convinced Robinson is the replacement for Anderson, he bowls so slowly as times, it club crickey velocity. Anderson even to this day is 5-10 mph quicker with better accuracy and more movement.
Conservative party members could lose their final say over who becomes Tory leader as senior figures weigh up whether to change the rules if they suffer an election defeat.
Two Cabinet ministers have expressed interest to The Telegraph about diluting the voting power of members given criticism over how the grassroots selected Liz Truss in 2022.
Similar arguments have been made in public and private by influential Tories in the last year amid frustration at how Ms Truss’s premiership backfired, sending the party’s opinion poll rating plummeting.
While Tory candidates are insisting it is still possible to win the general election next Thursday, privately many are braced for defeat, with minds turning to what may come afterwards.
Coming to Brittany you realise what a feat the Welsh have achieved - keeping Welsh alive. It is easy to find people naturally speaking Welsh - thee are entire towns where it is the main language. You walk into bars and shops - they speak Welsh
When I first arrived in Brittany I asked guides where I could find native speakers. They were all all quite furtive - er, try a market, maybe the islands; dunno
Now I realise that they did not want to disappoint me. But the truth is Breton has vanished
Language themed empire building is what the French do. Breton is probably as dead as Cornish and they are lying about it with a long term plan of making it an official language of the EU.
I am having a French themed travel year - Polynésie. Bretagne. Algérie.
They try and keep Jersey Norman French going, teaching it in schools here but it’s more a novelty than a living language. The oldies who are from generations of islanders still speak it to each other, an ex’s stepfather used to speak to his brothers and parents in it, sounds like South Africans speaking bad French.
I always chuckle thinking that when French tourists come here and they see all the signs etc in Jersey Norman French that they must think some tosser has tried to write in French and got it wrong as it has many differences that are clearer when seen written than spoken.
You’ve travelled in Brittany a lot. Have you ever heard Breton spoken in a natural setting? Eg casually between people in shops or markets or bars etc?
Not that I remember however I’m usually only sober for an hour at the beginning and an hour at the end of my visits. I think if you go inland you have a better chance of hearing it amongst the farmers but the coasts attract tourists and workers from elsewhere so it flushed out Breton.
We had lots of Bretons come here pre about 1970 to work on the farms before the Madeirans took their place and I’ve heard that there was absolute mutual lack of understanding between them and the Jèrriais speakers despite growing up across about 20 miles of sea.
I remain British by birth, but English by the grace of God, as the saying goes.
UK by birth, or at least passport, surely ...
Doesn't the passport say British citizen?
NI.
Edit: it does say 'British citizen' but this is absurd as the main texts say United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. And no way is NI part of Britain.
Actually Britain has long been synonymous with UK. You are thinking of Great Britain (putting Olympics to one side).
Britain is bigger than Great Britain?
I am three parts England one part Isle of Skye. I say English because I wouldn't, ahem, want to be accused of falsely claiming the honour of having Welsh or NI blood and anyway foreigners are only interested in the language and the PL which are both genuinely English not British. UK filling in forms as it saves 5 letters.
Conservative party members could lose their final say over who becomes Tory leader as senior figures weigh up whether to change the rules if they suffer an election defeat.
Two Cabinet ministers have expressed interest to The Telegraph about diluting the voting power of members given criticism over how the grassroots selected Liz Truss in 2022.
Similar arguments have been made in public and private by influential Tories in the last year amid frustration at how Ms Truss’s premiership backfired, sending the party’s opinion poll rating plummeting.
While Tory candidates are insisting it is still possible to win the general election next Thursday, privately many are braced for defeat, with minds turning to what may come afterwards.
Under the proposed changes, there would be an electoral college, weighted 50% MPs, 30% donors, 10% Peers and 10% ordinary members.
That's quite a change.
The Lib Dem membership have a mixed record of choosing leaders. Some good choices, some less so. They would probably also be better off with MPs choosing the leader but the problem is when there are very few MPs but hundreds of councillors, as in this parliament and since 2015, you’re concentrating the decision in a very tiny fraction of the Lib Dem hierarchy.
I know I'm becoming an utter bore about this - and I've taken a bit out of my instant access savings to top up my arb, but at least it's a betting post!
Corbyn getting routinely matched below 2 (last 1.86) at Betfair Best available back odds - 2.5 with Ladbrokes/Coral
The arb has been there for over 24 hours now, apart from briefly disappearing around lunchtime today.
It seems to me there are just two traits which matter when it comes to being English.
- A fondness for drinking tea - A delight in annoying the French and Scots at any and all opportunities.
I see nothing wrong in either of these things, indeed it's clearly the premier mark of civilisation. So I rather disagree with the header!
English nationalism is generally awful. It feels very contrived. I'm far more likely to think of myself as British than English, although I'm obviously both.
The problem with English nationalism is that English culture, or something very similar, is the default way of doing business around large chunks of the developed world. The English language and the (English) business suit, most obviously.
So an English nationalism doesn't have much to work with. England's success means it isn't distinctive.
Last minute surprises next week in the campaign. Anyone prepared to make a prediction. Farage accuses the BBC of treason! Hangings at The Tower Of London will be brought back into law to deal with traitors! Any other fantasy predictions from the participants here?
Conservative party members could lose their final say over who becomes Tory leader as senior figures weigh up whether to change the rules if they suffer an election defeat.
Two Cabinet ministers have expressed interest to The Telegraph about diluting the voting power of members given criticism over how the grassroots selected Liz Truss in 2022.
Similar arguments have been made in public and private by influential Tories in the last year amid frustration at how Ms Truss’s premiership backfired, sending the party’s opinion poll rating plummeting.
While Tory candidates are insisting it is still possible to win the general election next Thursday, privately many are braced for defeat, with minds turning to what may come afterwards.
Conservative party members could lose their final say over who becomes Tory leader as senior figures weigh up whether to change the rules if they suffer an election defeat.
Two Cabinet ministers have expressed interest to The Telegraph about diluting the voting power of members given criticism over how the grassroots selected Liz Truss in 2022.
Similar arguments have been made in public and private by influential Tories in the last year amid frustration at how Ms Truss’s premiership backfired, sending the party’s opinion poll rating plummeting.
While Tory candidates are insisting it is still possible to win the general election next Thursday, privately many are braced for defeat, with minds turning to what may come afterwards.
I can't think what NF's end game is refusing a Laura K interview until the Beeb apologises for the QT audience. I don't think they will, therefore I don't think he'll do the interview, therefore Reform will miss out, which is bad. Each time Farage appears I think it's good for the party - I think even the rough ride he got on QT will help him. So I'm not sure why he's not leaving the bitter recriminations to after the election. Perhaps he's just knackered.
There is a conspiracy theorist angle on the whole QT audience thing - let's say the C4 racism expose was considered completely legitimate, no hint of a set up. Then, the QT appearance before a stony, baleful audience becomes like a media execution - a TV 'moment' where 'The British public angrily rejects racism'. The audience is packed with people who hate Reform just to make the window dressing perfect with no chance of NF winning them round. But beforehand, it all goes a bit to shit with the acting revelations. Now the expose is called into question, and the whole QT execution format doesn't really work any more. It goes ahead as planned, nothing else can possibly be done, but Bruce's questioning now appears partisan and aggressive, and the stony silence from the audience now looks a bit suspicious given that 'people who support Reform' are meant to make up a quotient.
I am still not sure what trying to hold the Beeb to ransome will do - Reform has no ground game, so NF really needs to be everywhere.
I remain British by birth, but English by the grace of God, as the saying goes.
UK by birth, or at least passport, surely ...
Doesn't the passport say British citizen?
NI.
Edit: it does say 'British citizen' but this is absurd as the main texts say United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. And no way is NI part of Britain.
It's at least as much a part of Britain as the Isle of Skye is.
Last minute surprises next week in the campaign. Anyone prepared to make a prediction. Farage accuses the BBC of treason! Hangings at The Tower Of London will be brought back into law to deal with traitors! Any other fantasy predictions from the participants here?
Will Farage unveil a secret political establishment paedo ring based around a pizza parlour, somewhere like Woking. If he’s going full MAGA Trump he might as well.
The problem was entirely on the MPs, selecting two names and then refusing to back the winner.
If you don’t want someone to be leader, then don’t nominate them in the first place.
The problem was the pool of names they had to choose from
If you don't want only duds, don't select a vindictive clown as leader...
Yes, the lack of Anna Soubry was a blow they never really recovered from.
She was very articulate. A few more like her and a few less of the lunatic fringe and this could have been a competitive election. I just listened to an any questions and even though the quite likeable David Davis was the Tory on board the loathing for the Tories from a Fleetwood audience was something to behold.
Given I want Britain to be dissolved through Scottish Independence and the reunification of Ireland it would be daft for me to describe myself as British.
But I also think English as a race concept is equally daft given what a mongrel people we are. We are the Heinz 57 variety of humanity and all the better for it. English to me is a cultural thing, accepting certain basic ideals even if we generally fail to achieve them as a nation. That is why some of the most English people I ever met were not white, not Christian and, in some cases, not even born here.
Really? That sounds like exceptionalism to me. Obviously the Channel is not an impermeable barrier but it is there, and it would surprise me to learn we were more miscegenated than the continental average.
Coming to Brittany you realise what a feat the Welsh have achieved - keeping Welsh alive. It is easy to find people naturally speaking Welsh - thee are entire towns where it is the main language. You walk into bars and shops - they speak Welsh
When I first arrived in Brittany I asked guides where I could find native speakers. They were all all quite furtive - er, try a market, maybe the islands; dunno
Now I realise that they did not want to disappoint me. But the truth is Breton has vanished
Every time a civilising influence arrived they dispersed into the hills
In that respect the Welsh are very much like the Kogi of Colombia
Conservative party members could lose their final say over who becomes Tory leader as senior figures weigh up whether to change the rules if they suffer an election defeat.
Two Cabinet ministers have expressed interest to The Telegraph about diluting the voting power of members given criticism over how the grassroots selected Liz Truss in 2022.
Similar arguments have been made in public and private by influential Tories in the last year amid frustration at how Ms Truss’s premiership backfired, sending the party’s opinion poll rating plummeting.
While Tory candidates are insisting it is still possible to win the general election next Thursday, privately many are braced for defeat, with minds turning to what may come afterwards.
Under the proposed changes, there would be an electoral college, weighted 50% MPs, 30% donors, 10% Peers and 10% ordinary members.
That's quite a change.
Got to ask why do donors get a say - they say is whether they donate money or not. Otherwise they are just members with 2 votes...
Someone decided being in hock to millionaires was not quite explicit enough.
Complex leader voting mechanisms are just plain stupid, either it is a members choice (with some kind of MP screening/threshold first) or it isn't, don't mess about with weighting and electoral colleges.
I can't think what NF's end game is refusing a Laura K interview until the Beeb apologises for the QT audience. I don't think they will, therefore I don't think he'll do the interview, therefore Reform will miss out, which is bad. Each time Farage appears I think it's good for the party - I think even the rough ride he got on QT will help him. So I'm not sure why he's not leaving the bitter recriminations to after the election. Perhaps he's just knackered.
There is a conspiracy theorist angle on the whole QT audience thing - let's say the C4 racism expose was considered completely legitimate, no hint of a set up. Then, the QT appearance before a stony, baleful audience becomes like a media execution - a TV 'moment' where 'The British public angrily rejects racism'. The audience is packed with people who hate Reform just to make the window dressing perfect with no chance of NF winning them round. But beforehand, it all goes a bit to shit with the acting revelations. Now the expose is called into question, and the whole QT execution format doesn't really work any more. It goes ahead as planned, nothing else can possibly be done, but Bruce's questioning now appears partisan and aggressive, and the stony silence from the audience now looks a bit suspicious given that 'people who support Reform' are meant to make up a quotient.
I am still not sure what trying to hold the Beeb to ransome will do - Reform has no ground game, so NF really needs to be everywhere.
It's probably that he's going to have a drink tonight and can't be arsed getting up early with a hangover.
Conservative party members could lose their final say over who becomes Tory leader as senior figures weigh up whether to change the rules if they suffer an election defeat.
Two Cabinet ministers have expressed interest to The Telegraph about diluting the voting power of members given criticism over how the grassroots selected Liz Truss in 2022.
Similar arguments have been made in public and private by influential Tories in the last year amid frustration at how Ms Truss’s premiership backfired, sending the party’s opinion poll rating plummeting.
While Tory candidates are insisting it is still possible to win the general election next Thursday, privately many are braced for defeat, with minds turning to what may come afterwards.
Last minute surprises next week in the campaign. Anyone prepared to make a prediction. Farage accuses the BBC of treason! Hangings at The Tower Of London will be brought back into law to deal with traitors! Any other fantasy predictions from the participants here?
Will Farage unveil a secret political establishment paedo ring based around a pizza parlour, somewhere like Woking. If he’s going full MAGA Trump he might as well.
Medway Towns. Somewhere there would be another location.
I remain British by birth, but English by the grace of God, as the saying goes.
UK by birth, or at least passport, surely ...
Doesn't the passport say British citizen?
NI.
Edit: it does say 'British citizen' but this is absurd as the main texts say United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. And no way is NI part of Britain.
It's at least as much a part of Britain as the Isle of Skye is.
Last minute surprises next week in the campaign. Anyone prepared to make a prediction. Farage accuses the BBC of treason! Hangings at The Tower Of London will be brought back into law to deal with traitors! Any other fantasy predictions from the participants here?
Will Farage unveil a secret political establishment paedo ring based around a pizza parlour, somewhere like Woking. If he’s going full MAGA Trump he might as well.
I can't think what NF's end game is refusing a Laura K interview until the Beeb apologises for the QT audience. I don't think they will, therefore I don't think he'll do the interview, therefore Reform will miss out, which is bad. Each time Farage appears I think it's good for the party - I think even the rough ride he got on QT will help him. So I'm not sure why he's not leaving the bitter recriminations to after the election. Perhaps he's just knackered.
There is a conspiracy theorist angle on the whole QT audience thing - let's say the C4 racism expose was considered completely legitimate, no hint of a set up. Then, the QT appearance before a stony, baleful audience becomes like a media execution - a TV 'moment' where 'The British public angrily rejects racism'. The audience is packed with people who hate Reform just to make the window dressing perfect with no chance of NF winning them round. But beforehand, it all goes a bit to shit with the acting revelations. Now the expose is called into question, and the whole QT execution format doesn't really work any more. It goes ahead as planned, nothing else can possibly be done, but Bruce's questioning now appears partisan and aggressive, and the stony silence from the audience now looks a bit suspicious given that 'people who support Reform' are meant to make up a quotient.
I am still not sure what trying to hold the Beeb to ransome will do - Reform has no ground game, so NF really needs to be everywhere.
Because he knows he'll be eviscerated by Laura K, all this paid actor nonsense is not gonna cut it. He has no proof, to the contrary there is proof that guy has been campaigning with reform for some time.
Last minute surprises next week in the campaign. Anyone prepared to make a prediction. Farage accuses the BBC of treason! Hangings at The Tower Of London will be brought back into law to deal with traitors! Any other fantasy predictions from the participants here?
Will Farage unveil a secret political establishment paedo ring based around a pizza parlour, somewhere like Woking. If he’s going full MAGA Trump he might as well.
Medway Towns. Somewhere there would be another location.
I figured a pizza place in Woking would have more sticking power considering who used it for an alibi once.
Coming to Brittany you realise what a feat the Welsh have achieved - keeping Welsh alive. It is easy to find people naturally speaking Welsh - thee are entire towns where it is the main language. You walk into bars and shops - they speak Welsh
When I first arrived in Brittany I asked guides where I could find native speakers. They were all all quite furtive - er, try a market, maybe the islands; dunno
Now I realise that they did not want to disappoint me. But the truth is Breton has vanished
Language themed empire building is what the French do. Breton is probably as dead as Cornish and they are lying about it with a long term plan of making it an official language of the EU.
I am having a French themed travel year - Polynésie. Bretagne. Algérie.
They try and keep Jersey Norman French going, teaching it in schools here but it’s more a novelty than a living language. The oldies who are from generations of islanders still speak it to each other, an ex’s stepfather used to speak to his brothers and parents in it, sounds like South Africans speaking bad French.
I always chuckle thinking that when French tourists come here and they see all the signs etc in Jersey Norman French that they must think some tosser has tried to write in French and got it wrong as it has many differences that are clearer when seen written than spoken.
You’ve travelled in Brittany a lot. Have you ever heard Breton spoken in a natural setting? Eg casually between people in shops or markets or bars etc?
Not that I remember however I’m usually only sober for an hour at the beginning and an hour at the end of my visits. I think if you go inland you have a better chance of hearing it amongst the farmers but the coasts attract tourists and workers from elsewhere so it flushed out Breton.
We had lots of Bretons come here pre about 1970 to work on the farms before the Madeirans took their place and I’ve heard that there was absolute mutual lack of understanding between them and the Jèrriais speakers despite growing up across about 20 miles of sea.
That’s what quora is telling me. Maybe a few old farmers deep inland but even there you’ve got to be really lucky
I can't think what NF's end game is refusing a Laura K interview until the Beeb apologises for the QT audience. I don't think they will, therefore I don't think he'll do the interview, therefore Reform will miss out, which is bad. Each time Farage appears I think it's good for the party - I think even the rough ride he got on QT will help him. So I'm not sure why he's not leaving the bitter recriminations to after the election. Perhaps he's just knackered.
There is a conspiracy theorist angle on the whole QT audience thing - let's say the C4 racism expose was considered completely legitimate, no hint of a set up. Then, the QT appearance before a stony, baleful audience becomes like a media execution - a TV 'moment' where 'The British public angrily rejects racism'. The audience is packed with people who hate Reform just to make the window dressing perfect with no chance of NF winning them round. But beforehand, it all goes a bit to shit with the acting revelations. Now the expose is called into question, and the whole QT execution format doesn't really work any more. It goes ahead as planned, nothing else can possibly be done, but Bruce's questioning now appears partisan and aggressive, and the stony silence from the audience now looks a bit suspicious given that 'people who support Reform' are meant to make up a quotient.
I am still not sure what trying to hold the Beeb to ransome will do - Reform has no ground game, so NF really needs to be everywhere.
It's probably that he's going to have a drink tonight and can't be arsed getting up early with a hangover.
Heavy curry and too much beer. Could be scared of Laura as well. She would love to have him on.
Given I want Britain to be dissolved through Scottish Independence and the reunification of Ireland it would be daft for me to describe myself as British.
But I also think English as a race concept is equally daft given what a mongrel people we are. We are the Heinz 57 variety of humanity and all the better for it. English to me is a cultural thing, accepting certain basic ideals even if we generally fail to achieve them as a nation. That is why some of the most English people I ever met were not white, not Christian and, in some cases, not even born here.
I am as British as Queen Victoria.
Depending on the sporting event I am watching, I am a Yorkshireman, Englishman, Brit, and European.
Given I want Britain to be dissolved through Scottish Independence and the reunification of Ireland it would be daft for me to describe myself as British.
But I also think English as a race concept is equally daft given what a mongrel people we are. We are the Heinz 57 variety of humanity and all the better for it. English to me is a cultural thing, accepting certain basic ideals even if we generally fail to achieve them as a nation. That is why some of the most English people I ever met were not white, not Christian and, in some cases, not even born here.
Really? That sounds like exceptionalism to me. Obviously the Channel is not an impermeable barrier but it is there, and it would surprise me to learn we were more miscegenated than the continental average.
Conservative party members could lose their final say over who becomes Tory leader as senior figures weigh up whether to change the rules if they suffer an election defeat.
Two Cabinet ministers have expressed interest to The Telegraph about diluting the voting power of members given criticism over how the grassroots selected Liz Truss in 2022.
Similar arguments have been made in public and private by influential Tories in the last year amid frustration at how Ms Truss’s premiership backfired, sending the party’s opinion poll rating plummeting.
While Tory candidates are insisting it is still possible to win the general election next Thursday, privately many are braced for defeat, with minds turning to what may come afterwards.
Coming to Brittany you realise what a feat the Welsh have achieved - keeping Welsh alive. It is easy to find people naturally speaking Welsh - thee are entire towns where it is the main language. You walk into bars and shops - they speak Welsh
When I first arrived in Brittany I asked guides where I could find native speakers. They were all all quite furtive - er, try a market, maybe the islands; dunno
Now I realise that they did not want to disappoint me. But the truth is Breton has vanished
Language themed empire building is what the French do. Breton is probably as dead as Cornish and they are lying about it with a long term plan of making it an official language of the EU.
I am having a French themed travel year - Polynésie. Bretagne. Algérie.
They try and keep Jersey Norman French going, teaching it in schools here but it’s more a novelty than a living language. The oldies who are from generations of islanders still speak it to each other, an ex’s stepfather used to speak to his brothers and parents in it, sounds like South Africans speaking bad French.
I always chuckle thinking that when French tourists come here and they see all the signs etc in Jersey Norman French that they must think some tosser has tried to write in French and got it wrong as it has many differences that are clearer when seen written than spoken.
You’ve travelled in Brittany a lot. Have you ever heard Breton spoken in a natural setting? Eg casually between people in shops or markets or bars etc?
Not that I remember however I’m usually only sober for an hour at the beginning and an hour at the end of my visits. I think if you go inland you have a better chance of hearing it amongst the farmers but the coasts attract tourists and workers from elsewhere so it flushed out Breton.
We had lots of Bretons come here pre about 1970 to work on the farms before the Madeirans took their place and I’ve heard that there was absolute mutual lack of understanding between them and the Jèrriais speakers despite growing up across about 20 miles of sea.
That’s what quora is telling me. Maybe a few old farmers deep inland but even there you’ve got to be really lucky
So it is essentially dead
Are you going to get to La Baule before you leave? Definitely worth it whilst down there.
Conservative party members could lose their final say over who becomes Tory leader as senior figures weigh up whether to change the rules if they suffer an election defeat.
Two Cabinet ministers have expressed interest to The Telegraph about diluting the voting power of members given criticism over how the grassroots selected Liz Truss in 2022.
Similar arguments have been made in public and private by influential Tories in the last year amid frustration at how Ms Truss’s premiership backfired, sending the party’s opinion poll rating plummeting.
While Tory candidates are insisting it is still possible to win the general election next Thursday, privately many are braced for defeat, with minds turning to what may come afterwards.
Under the proposed changes, there would be an electoral college, weighted 50% MPs, 30% donors, 10% Peers and 10% ordinary members.
That's quite a change.
Is the rump of Tory MPs going to be more of less sane than the rump of Tory members?
quite possibly because a lot of them were appointed by Rishi and parachuted in just before the election...
The most sensible and informed college of electors for the Tory leadership would be the members of the House of Lords who take the Tory whip. They would be far better than MPs, donors (sadly that probably isn't a joke) and ordinary members.
I can't think what NF's end game is refusing a Laura K interview until the Beeb apologises for the QT audience. I don't think they will, therefore I don't think he'll do the interview, therefore Reform will miss out, which is bad. Each time Farage appears I think it's good for the party - I think even the rough ride he got on QT will help him. So I'm not sure why he's not leaving the bitter recriminations to after the election. Perhaps he's just knackered.
There is a conspiracy theorist angle on the whole QT audience thing - let's say the C4 racism expose was considered completely legitimate, no hint of a set up. Then, the QT appearance before a stony, baleful audience becomes like a media execution - a TV 'moment' where 'The British public angrily rejects racism'. The audience is packed with people who hate Reform just to make the window dressing perfect with no chance of NF winning them round. But beforehand, it all goes a bit to shit with the acting revelations. Now the expose is called into question, and the whole QT execution format doesn't really work any more. It goes ahead as planned, nothing else can possibly be done, but Bruce's questioning now appears partisan and aggressive, and the stony silence from the audience now looks a bit suspicious given that 'people who support Reform' are meant to make up a quotient.
I am still not sure what trying to hold the Beeb to ransome will do - Reform has no ground game, so NF really needs to be everywhere.
Because he knows he'll be eviscerated by Laura K, all this paid actor nonsense is not gonna cut it. He has no proof, to the contrary there is proof that guy has been campaigning with reform for some time.
That would not surprise me. That actor, was he in The Long Good Friday with Bob Hoskins and Razors, one of the other characters in the film.
I can't think what NF's end game is refusing a Laura K interview until the Beeb apologises for the QT audience. I don't think they will, therefore I don't think he'll do the interview, therefore Reform will miss out, which is bad. Each time Farage appears I think it's good for the party - I think even the rough ride he got on QT will help him. So I'm not sure why he's not leaving the bitter recriminations to after the election. Perhaps he's just knackered.
There is a conspiracy theorist angle on the whole QT audience thing - let's say the C4 racism expose was considered completely legitimate, no hint of a set up. Then, the QT appearance before a stony, baleful audience becomes like a media execution - a TV 'moment' where 'The British public angrily rejects racism'. The audience is packed with people who hate Reform just to make the window dressing perfect with no chance of NF winning them round. But beforehand, it all goes a bit to shit with the acting revelations. Now the expose is called into question, and the whole QT execution format doesn't really work any more. It goes ahead as planned, nothing else can possibly be done, but Bruce's questioning now appears partisan and aggressive, and the stony silence from the audience now looks a bit suspicious given that 'people who support Reform' are meant to make up a quotient.
I am still not sure what trying to hold the Beeb to ransome will do - Reform has no ground game, so NF really needs to be everywhere.
The most straightforward answer is perhaps correct. The QT audience is representative of the nation, can see through Farage's grift and lies and called him out on it.
The problem was entirely on the MPs, selecting two names and then refusing to back the winner.
If you don’t want someone to be leader, then don’t nominate them in the first place.
The problem was the pool of names they had to choose from
If you don't want only duds, don't select a vindictive clown as leader...
Yes, the lack of Anna Soubry was a blow they never really recovered from.
She was very articulate. A few more like her and a few less of the lunatic fringe and this could have been a competitive election. I just listened to an any questions and even though the quite likeable David Davis was the Tory on board the loathing for the Tories from a Fleetwood audience was something to behold.
How could you tell with her mouth full of furniture?
It seems to me there are just two traits which matter when it comes to being English.
- A fondness for drinking tea - A delight in annoying the French and Scots at any and all opportunities.
I see nothing wrong in either of these things, indeed it's clearly the premier mark of civilisation. So I rather disagree with the header!
English nationalism is generally awful. It feels very contrived. I'm far more likely to think of myself as British than English, although I'm obviously both.
The problem with English nationalism is that English culture, or something very similar, is the default way of doing business around large chunks of the developed world. The English language and the (English) business suit, most obviously.
So an English nationalism doesn't have much to work with. England's success means it isn't distinctive.
It’s the same reason MAGA American nationalism is self defeating.
Some identities are expansionist and proselytising, just like some religions (Islam and Christianity). Others are insular and rooted in geography or ethnicity, like Judaism and most Hinduism.
Ringfencing English or American culture is like Islam deciding it should only be practised by people living in the Arabian peninsula.
Coming to Brittany you realise what a feat the Welsh have achieved - keeping Welsh alive. It is easy to find people naturally speaking Welsh - thee are entire towns where it is the main language. You walk into bars and shops - they speak Welsh
When I first arrived in Brittany I asked guides where I could find native speakers. They were all all quite furtive - er, try a market, maybe the islands; dunno
Now I realise that they did not want to disappoint me. But the truth is Breton has vanished
Language themed empire building is what the French do. Breton is probably as dead as Cornish and they are lying about it with a long term plan of making it an official language of the EU.
I am having a French themed travel year - Polynésie. Bretagne. Algérie.
They try and keep Jersey Norman French going, teaching it in schools here but it’s more a novelty than a living language. The oldies who are from generations of islanders still speak it to each other, an ex’s stepfather used to speak to his brothers and parents in it, sounds like South Africans speaking bad French.
I always chuckle thinking that when French tourists come here and they see all the signs etc in Jersey Norman French that they must think some tosser has tried to write in French and got it wrong as it has many differences that are clearer when seen written than spoken.
You’ve travelled in Brittany a lot. Have you ever heard Breton spoken in a natural setting? Eg casually between people in shops or markets or bars etc?
Not that I remember however I’m usually only sober for an hour at the beginning and an hour at the end of my visits. I think if you go inland you have a better chance of hearing it amongst the farmers but the coasts attract tourists and workers from elsewhere so it flushed out Breton.
We had lots of Bretons come here pre about 1970 to work on the farms before the Madeirans took their place and I’ve heard that there was absolute mutual lack of understanding between them and the Jèrriais speakers despite growing up across about 20 miles of sea.
That’s what quora is telling me. Maybe a few old farmers deep inland but even there you’ve got to be really lucky
So it is essentially dead
Are you going to get to La Baule before you leave? Definitely worth it whilst down there.
Conservative party members could lose their final say over who becomes Tory leader as senior figures weigh up whether to change the rules if they suffer an election defeat.
Two Cabinet ministers have expressed interest to The Telegraph about diluting the voting power of members given criticism over how the grassroots selected Liz Truss in 2022.
Similar arguments have been made in public and private by influential Tories in the last year amid frustration at how Ms Truss’s premiership backfired, sending the party’s opinion poll rating plummeting.
While Tory candidates are insisting it is still possible to win the general election next Thursday, privately many are braced for defeat, with minds turning to what may come afterwards.
The problem was entirely on the MPs, selecting two names and then refusing to back the winner.
If you don’t want someone to be leader, then don’t nominate them in the first place.
Plenty of them didn't.
The final MP round went
Sunak 137 Truss 113 Mordaunt 105
Sunak had the support of just over a third of MPs, the other two just under a third each.
That's an extreme case, albeit not quite as bad as 2001;
Clarke 59 Duncan-Smith 54 Portillo 53
But in both cases, MPs were clearer who they didn't want (anyone on the shortlist, really) than who they did.
I don't know how you deal with that. Second place in a round of three can easily be the support of less than a third of MPs, which isn't much of a mandate to lead. But if the membership can't choose the second choice of MPs, what's the point of the final round?
Wonder how many MPs it will take to get to the final ballot this time?
Given I want Britain to be dissolved through Scottish Independence and the reunification of Ireland it would be daft for me to describe myself as British.
But I also think English as a race concept is equally daft given what a mongrel people we are. We are the Heinz 57 variety of humanity and all the better for it. English to me is a cultural thing, accepting certain basic ideals even if we generally fail to achieve them as a nation. That is why some of the most English people I ever met were not white, not Christian and, in some cases, not even born here.
I am as British as Queen Victoria.
"So, your father's German, you're half-German, and you married a German?"
I can't think what NF's end game is refusing a Laura K interview until the Beeb apologises for the QT audience. I don't think they will, therefore I don't think he'll do the interview, therefore Reform will miss out, which is bad. Each time Farage appears I think it's good for the party - I think even the rough ride he got on QT will help him. So I'm not sure why he's not leaving the bitter recriminations to after the election. Perhaps he's just knackered.
There is a conspiracy theorist angle on the whole QT audience thing - let's say the C4 racism expose was considered completely legitimate, no hint of a set up. Then, the QT appearance before a stony, baleful audience becomes like a media execution - a TV 'moment' where 'The British public angrily rejects racism'. The audience is packed with people who hate Reform just to make the window dressing perfect with no chance of NF winning them round. But beforehand, it all goes a bit to shit with the acting revelations. Now the expose is called into question, and the whole QT execution format doesn't really work any more. It goes ahead as planned, nothing else can possibly be done, but Bruce's questioning now appears partisan and aggressive, and the stony silence from the audience now looks a bit suspicious given that 'people who support Reform' are meant to make up a quotient.
I am still not sure what trying to hold the Beeb to ransome will do - Reform has no ground game, so NF really needs to be everywhere.
Because he knows he'll be eviscerated by Laura K, all this paid actor nonsense is not gonna cut it. He has no proof, to the contrary there is proof that guy has been campaigning with reform for some time.
That would not surprise me. That actor, was he in The Long Good Friday with Bob Hoskins and Razors, one of the other characters in the film.
I remain British by birth, but English by the grace of God, as the saying goes.
UK by birth, or at least passport, surely ...
Doesn't the passport say British citizen?
NI.
Edit: it does say 'British citizen' but this is absurd as the main texts say United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. And no way is NI part of Britain.
Actually Britain has long been synonymous with UK. You are thinking of Great Britain (putting Olympics to one side).
Britain is bigger than Great Britain?
I am three parts England one part Isle of Skye. I say English because I wouldn't, ahem, want to be accused of falsely claiming the honour of having Welsh or NI blood and anyway foreigners are only interested in the language and the PL which are both genuinely English not British. UK filling in forms as it saves 5 letters.
Yes. Mind you, it is not so long ago that England was used for the whole place. You can see Britain, England and UK used more or less interchangeably in old films or abroad even now.
I can't think what NF's end game is refusing a Laura K interview until the Beeb apologises for the QT audience. I don't think they will, therefore I don't think he'll do the interview, therefore Reform will miss out, which is bad. Each time Farage appears I think it's good for the party - I think even the rough ride he got on QT will help him. So I'm not sure why he's not leaving the bitter recriminations to after the election. Perhaps he's just knackered.
There is a conspiracy theorist angle on the whole QT audience thing - let's say the C4 racism expose was considered completely legitimate, no hint of a set up. Then, the QT appearance before a stony, baleful audience becomes like a media execution - a TV 'moment' where 'The British public angrily rejects racism'. The audience is packed with people who hate Reform just to make the window dressing perfect with no chance of NF winning them round. But beforehand, it all goes a bit to shit with the acting revelations. Now the expose is called into question, and the whole QT execution format doesn't really work any more. It goes ahead as planned, nothing else can possibly be done, but Bruce's questioning now appears partisan and aggressive, and the stony silence from the audience now looks a bit suspicious given that 'people who support Reform' are meant to make up a quotient.
I am still not sure what trying to hold the Beeb to ransome will do - Reform has no ground game, so NF really needs to be everywhere.
The most straightforward answer is perhaps correct. The QT audience is representative of the nation, can see through Farage's grift and lies and called him out on it.
Given that we spend hours here poring over the GE polling, I'm really not sure how to respond to such an astonishingly asinine answer. By all means re-engage in more honest terms if you'd like to have a genuine discussion.
And look how the terminally stupid have fallen for Farage's bullshit.
I feel fairly sure we don't know the whole story of the racist actor thing. Nothing about it rings true or makes entire sense. Could a fresh set of insights about this be a big story this week?
5 more sleeps and somewhere between 4 and 7 days till the election.
I can't think what NF's end game is refusing a Laura K interview until the Beeb apologises for the QT audience. I don't think they will, therefore I don't think he'll do the interview, therefore Reform will miss out, which is bad. Each time Farage appears I think it's good for the party - I think even the rough ride he got on QT will help him. So I'm not sure why he's not leaving the bitter recriminations to after the election. Perhaps he's just knackered.
There is a conspiracy theorist angle on the whole QT audience thing - let's say the C4 racism expose was considered completely legitimate, no hint of a set up. Then, the QT appearance before a stony, baleful audience becomes like a media execution - a TV 'moment' where 'The British public angrily rejects racism'. The audience is packed with people who hate Reform just to make the window dressing perfect with no chance of NF winning them round. But beforehand, it all goes a bit to shit with the acting revelations. Now the expose is called into question, and the whole QT execution format doesn't really work any more. It goes ahead as planned, nothing else can possibly be done, but Bruce's questioning now appears partisan and aggressive, and the stony silence from the audience now looks a bit suspicious given that 'people who support Reform' are meant to make up a quotient.
I am still not sure what trying to hold the Beeb to ransome will do - Reform has no ground game, so NF really needs to be everywhere.
So what is left is a fear that LK's questions will do him no favours - hence he doesn't want to do the show and needs an excuse to justify not doing it.
I can't think what NF's end game is refusing a Laura K interview until the Beeb apologises for the QT audience. I don't think they will, therefore I don't think he'll do the interview, therefore Reform will miss out, which is bad. Each time Farage appears I think it's good for the party - I think even the rough ride he got on QT will help him. So I'm not sure why he's not leaving the bitter recriminations to after the election. Perhaps he's just knackered.
There is a conspiracy theorist angle on the whole QT audience thing - let's say the C4 racism expose was considered completely legitimate, no hint of a set up. Then, the QT appearance before a stony, baleful audience becomes like a media execution - a TV 'moment' where 'The British public angrily rejects racism'. The audience is packed with people who hate Reform just to make the window dressing perfect with no chance of NF winning them round. But beforehand, it all goes a bit to shit with the acting revelations. Now the expose is called into question, and the whole QT execution format doesn't really work any more. It goes ahead as planned, nothing else can possibly be done, but Bruce's questioning now appears partisan and aggressive, and the stony silence from the audience now looks a bit suspicious given that 'people who support Reform' are meant to make up a quotient.
I am still not sure what trying to hold the Beeb to ransome will do - Reform has no ground game, so NF really needs to be everywhere.
So what is left is a fear that LK's questions will do him no favours - hence he doesn't want to do the show and needs an excuse to justify not doing it.
Conservative party members could lose their final say over who becomes Tory leader as senior figures weigh up whether to change the rules if they suffer an election defeat.
Two Cabinet ministers have expressed interest to The Telegraph about diluting the voting power of members given criticism over how the grassroots selected Liz Truss in 2022.
Similar arguments have been made in public and private by influential Tories in the last year amid frustration at how Ms Truss’s premiership backfired, sending the party’s opinion poll rating plummeting.
While Tory candidates are insisting it is still possible to win the general election next Thursday, privately many are braced for defeat, with minds turning to what may come afterwards.
Good. The party leader has to be the person the MPs think is best to lead them in Parliament. The membership should have nothing to do with it.
The problem is the leadership increasingly choose candidates…
Which then choose leaders…
Parliamentary parties are turning into an exclusive private members clubs that vote amongst themselves who runs the country with little concern about the members or public
Then people wonder why voters are going third party !!
And look how the terminally stupid have fallen for Farage's bullshit.
I feel fairly sure we don't know the whole story of the racist actor thing. Nothing about it rings true or makes entire sense. Could a fresh set of insights about this be a big story this week?
5 more sleeps and somewhere between 4 and 7 days till the election.
Six sleeps for me.
I have my election day siesta so I can pull an all nighter on election night.
I can't think what NF's end game is refusing a Laura K interview until the Beeb apologises for the QT audience. I don't think they will, therefore I don't think he'll do the interview, therefore Reform will miss out, which is bad. Each time Farage appears I think it's good for the party - I think even the rough ride he got on QT will help him. So I'm not sure why he's not leaving the bitter recriminations to after the election. Perhaps he's just knackered.
There is a conspiracy theorist angle on the whole QT audience thing - let's say the C4 racism expose was considered completely legitimate, no hint of a set up. Then, the QT appearance before a stony, baleful audience becomes like a media execution - a TV 'moment' where 'The British public angrily rejects racism'. The audience is packed with people who hate Reform just to make the window dressing perfect with no chance of NF winning them round. But beforehand, it all goes a bit to shit with the acting revelations. Now the expose is called into question, and the whole QT execution format doesn't really work any more. It goes ahead as planned, nothing else can possibly be done, but Bruce's questioning now appears partisan and aggressive, and the stony silence from the audience now looks a bit suspicious given that 'people who support Reform' are meant to make up a quotient.
I am still not sure what trying to hold the Beeb to ransome will do - Reform has no ground game, so NF really needs to be everywhere.
Because he knows he'll be eviscerated by Laura K, all this paid actor nonsense is not gonna cut it. He has no proof, to the contrary there is proof that guy has been campaigning with reform for some time.
That would not surprise me. That actor, was he in The Long Good Friday with Bob Hoskins and Razors, one of the other characters in the film.
Cracking film Long Good Friday.
Yes! One of the best. Hoskins and Mirren! And the soundtrack!
I can't think what NF's end game is refusing a Laura K interview until the Beeb apologises for the QT audience. I don't think they will, therefore I don't think he'll do the interview, therefore Reform will miss out, which is bad. Each time Farage appears I think it's good for the party - I think even the rough ride he got on QT will help him. So I'm not sure why he's not leaving the bitter recriminations to after the election. Perhaps he's just knackered.
There is a conspiracy theorist angle on the whole QT audience thing - let's say the C4 racism expose was considered completely legitimate, no hint of a set up. Then, the QT appearance before a stony, baleful audience becomes like a media execution - a TV 'moment' where 'The British public angrily rejects racism'. The audience is packed with people who hate Reform just to make the window dressing perfect with no chance of NF winning them round. But beforehand, it all goes a bit to shit with the acting revelations. Now the expose is called into question, and the whole QT execution format doesn't really work any more. It goes ahead as planned, nothing else can possibly be done, but Bruce's questioning now appears partisan and aggressive, and the stony silence from the audience now looks a bit suspicious given that 'people who support Reform' are meant to make up a quotient.
I am still not sure what trying to hold the Beeb to ransome will do - Reform has no ground game, so NF really needs to be everywhere.
The most straightforward answer is perhaps correct. The QT audience is representative of the nation, can see through Farage's grift and lies and called him out on it.
Given that we spend hours here poring over the GE polling, I'm really not sure how to respond to such an astonishingly asinine answer. By all means re-engage in more honest terms if you'd like to have a genuine discussion.
I just think the simplistic explanation is the most likely.
It is obvious from the polls that most Brits cannot stand Farage, even if he does have love-blind fan boys.
Conservative party members could lose their final say over who becomes Tory leader as senior figures weigh up whether to change the rules if they suffer an election defeat.
Two Cabinet ministers have expressed interest to The Telegraph about diluting the voting power of members given criticism over how the grassroots selected Liz Truss in 2022.
Similar arguments have been made in public and private by influential Tories in the last year amid frustration at how Ms Truss’s premiership backfired, sending the party’s opinion poll rating plummeting.
While Tory candidates are insisting it is still possible to win the general election next Thursday, privately many are braced for defeat, with minds turning to what may come afterwards.
Good. The party leader has to be the person the MPs think is best to lead them in Parliament. The membership should have nothing to do with it.
The problem is the leadership increasingly choose candidates…
Which then choose leaders…
Parliamentary parties are turning into an exclusive private members clubs that vote amongst themselves who runs the country with little concern about the members or public
Then people wonder why voters are going third party !!
When I joined the Tory party members didn't get the vote, I am fine to having no vote on the leader.
I can't think what NF's end game is refusing a Laura K interview until the Beeb apologises for the QT audience. I don't think they will, therefore I don't think he'll do the interview, therefore Reform will miss out, which is bad. Each time Farage appears I think it's good for the party - I think even the rough ride he got on QT will help him. So I'm not sure why he's not leaving the bitter recriminations to after the election. Perhaps he's just knackered.
There is a conspiracy theorist angle on the whole QT audience thing - let's say the C4 racism expose was considered completely legitimate, no hint of a set up. Then, the QT appearance before a stony, baleful audience becomes like a media execution - a TV 'moment' where 'The British public angrily rejects racism'. The audience is packed with people who hate Reform just to make the window dressing perfect with no chance of NF winning them round. But beforehand, it all goes a bit to shit with the acting revelations. Now the expose is called into question, and the whole QT execution format doesn't really work any more. It goes ahead as planned, nothing else can possibly be done, but Bruce's questioning now appears partisan and aggressive, and the stony silence from the audience now looks a bit suspicious given that 'people who support Reform' are meant to make up a quotient.
I am still not sure what trying to hold the Beeb to ransome will do - Reform has no ground game, so NF really needs to be everywhere.
So what is left is a fear that LK's questions will do him no favours - hence he doesn't want to do the show and needs an excuse to justify not doing it.
I don't think NF really has much to worry about from hostile questioning. Too hostile; it wins him sympathy. Medium hostile and below, he does well. He's a good TV interview performer - certainly the best amongst the current leadership I'd say.
I can't think what NF's end game is refusing a Laura K interview until the Beeb apologises for the QT audience. I don't think they will, therefore I don't think he'll do the interview, therefore Reform will miss out, which is bad. Each time Farage appears I think it's good for the party - I think even the rough ride he got on QT will help him. So I'm not sure why he's not leaving the bitter recriminations to after the election. Perhaps he's just knackered.
There is a conspiracy theorist angle on the whole QT audience thing - let's say the C4 racism expose was considered completely legitimate, no hint of a set up. Then, the QT appearance before a stony, baleful audience becomes like a media execution - a TV 'moment' where 'The British public angrily rejects racism'. The audience is packed with people who hate Reform just to make the window dressing perfect with no chance of NF winning them round. But beforehand, it all goes a bit to shit with the acting revelations. Now the expose is called into question, and the whole QT execution format doesn't really work any more. It goes ahead as planned, nothing else can possibly be done, but Bruce's questioning now appears partisan and aggressive, and the stony silence from the audience now looks a bit suspicious given that 'people who support Reform' are meant to make up a quotient.
I am still not sure what trying to hold the Beeb to ransome will do - Reform has no ground game, so NF really needs to be everywhere.
The most straightforward answer is perhaps correct. The QT audience is representative of the nation, can see through Farage's grift and lies and called him out on it.
Given that we spend hours here poring over the GE polling, I'm really not sure how to respond to such an astonishingly asinine answer. By all means re-engage in more honest terms if you'd like to have a genuine discussion.
I just think the simplistic explanation is the most likely.
It is obvious from the polls that most Brits cannot stand Farage, even if he does have love-blind fan boys.
I agree. I will eat my hat if Reform poll over 10.0%. I hope that I do not have to!
Reforn have suspended seven candidates - who will appear on ballot papers - since nominations closed on June 7th (including one voluntary resignation). Barnsley North, Basingstoke, Derbyshire Dales, Horsham, Leeds West and Pudsey, North West Essex, Southend East & Rochford
Conservative party members could lose their final say over who becomes Tory leader as senior figures weigh up whether to change the rules if they suffer an election defeat.
Two Cabinet ministers have expressed interest to The Telegraph about diluting the voting power of members given criticism over how the grassroots selected Liz Truss in 2022.
Similar arguments have been made in public and private by influential Tories in the last year amid frustration at how Ms Truss’s premiership backfired, sending the party’s opinion poll rating plummeting.
While Tory candidates are insisting it is still possible to win the general election next Thursday, privately many are braced for defeat, with minds turning to what may come afterwards.
Good. The party leader has to be the person the MPs think is best to lead them in Parliament. The membership should have nothing to do with it.
The problem is the leadership increasingly choose candidates…
Which then choose leaders…
Parliamentary parties are turning into an exclusive private members clubs that vote amongst themselves who runs the country with little concern about the members or public
Then people wonder why voters are going third party !!
When I joined the Tory party members didn't get the vote, I am fine to having no vote on the leader.
The problem was entirely on the MPs, selecting two names and then refusing to back the winner.
If you don’t want someone to be leader, then don’t nominate them in the first place.
The problem was the pool of names they had to choose from
If you don't want only duds, don't select a vindictive clown as leader...
Yes, the lack of Anna Soubry was a blow they never really recovered from.
Just imagine if Truss had left the party rather than Soubry... the country would be in a *much* better state...
The great failure of the Conservative Party in the post 2016 era, is that they have managed to drive out both Anderson (and his ilk) and Soubry (and hers), leaving them with the support of - checks - homeowning pensioners.
Conservative party members could lose their final say over who becomes Tory leader as senior figures weigh up whether to change the rules if they suffer an election defeat.
Two Cabinet ministers have expressed interest to The Telegraph about diluting the voting power of members given criticism over how the grassroots selected Liz Truss in 2022.
Similar arguments have been made in public and private by influential Tories in the last year amid frustration at how Ms Truss’s premiership backfired, sending the party’s opinion poll rating plummeting.
While Tory candidates are insisting it is still possible to win the general election next Thursday, privately many are braced for defeat, with minds turning to what may come afterwards.
Good. The party leader has to be the person the MPs think is best to lead them in Parliament. The membership should have nothing to do with it.
The problem is the leadership increasingly choose candidates…
Which then choose leaders…
Parliamentary parties are turning into an exclusive private members clubs that vote amongst themselves who runs the country with little concern about the members or public
Then people wonder why voters are going third party !!
When I joined the Tory party members didn't get the vote, I am fine to having no vote on the leader.
I'm no longer a Tory member, but the choice of leader is clearly best left to the MPs, and I don't mind if the Lords are involved too.
Conservative party members could lose their final say over who becomes Tory leader as senior figures weigh up whether to change the rules if they suffer an election defeat.
Two Cabinet ministers have expressed interest to The Telegraph about diluting the voting power of members given criticism over how the grassroots selected Liz Truss in 2022.
Similar arguments have been made in public and private by influential Tories in the last year amid frustration at how Ms Truss’s premiership backfired, sending the party’s opinion poll rating plummeting.
While Tory candidates are insisting it is still possible to win the general election next Thursday, privately many are braced for defeat, with minds turning to what may come afterwards.
Good. The party leader has to be the person the MPs think is best to lead them in Parliament. The membership should have nothing to do with it.
The problem is the leadership increasingly choose candidates…
Which then choose leaders…
Parliamentary parties are turning into an exclusive private members clubs that vote amongst themselves who runs the country with little concern about the members or public
Then people wonder why voters are going third party !!
When I joined the Tory party members didn't get the vote, I am fine to having no vote on the leader.
Conservative party members could lose their final say over who becomes Tory leader as senior figures weigh up whether to change the rules if they suffer an election defeat.
Two Cabinet ministers have expressed interest to The Telegraph about diluting the voting power of members given criticism over how the grassroots selected Liz Truss in 2022.
Similar arguments have been made in public and private by influential Tories in the last year amid frustration at how Ms Truss’s premiership backfired, sending the party’s opinion poll rating plummeting.
While Tory candidates are insisting it is still possible to win the general election next Thursday, privately many are braced for defeat, with minds turning to what may come afterwards.
Good. The party leader has to be the person the MPs think is best to lead them in Parliament. The membership should have nothing to do with it.
The problem is the leadership increasingly choose candidates…
Which then choose leaders…
Parliamentary parties are turning into an exclusive private members clubs that vote amongst themselves who runs the country with little concern about the members or public
Then people wonder why voters are going third party !!
When I joined the Tory party members didn't get the vote, I am fine to having no vote on the leader.
You make a good point about the age of the Tory membership but that’s another problem !!
Coming to Brittany you realise what a feat the Welsh have achieved - keeping Welsh alive. It is easy to find people naturally speaking Welsh - thee are entire towns where it is the main language. You walk into bars and shops - they speak Welsh
When I first arrived in Brittany I asked guides where I could find native speakers. They were all all quite furtive - er, try a market, maybe the islands; dunno
Now I realise that they did not want to disappoint me. But the truth is Breton has vanished
Language themed empire building is what the French do. Breton is probably as dead as Cornish and they are lying about it with a long term plan of making it an official language of the EU.
I am having a French themed travel year - Polynésie. Bretagne. Algérie.
They really are lying about it
A language does not exist if it is not spoken naturally. The fact some kids learn it then forget it means nothing. The fact you can probably only hear it at Breton festivals means it is functionally dead
Which is quite incredible when you learn that there might have been a million speakers as late as 1950. Now all gone
If you want to hear rare and endangered languages you really should visit Taiwan.
I know I'm becoming an utter bore about this - and I've taken a bit out of my instant access savings to top up my arb, but at least it's a betting post!
Corbyn getting routinely matched below 2 (last 1.86) at Betfair Best available back odds - 2.5 with Ladbrokes/Coral
The arb has been there for over 24 hours now, apart from briefly disappearing around lunchtime today.
I wonder what's driving it - optimistic Corbyn fans, genuine info from canvass returns, or an attempt to manipulate the odds? The latter has almost certainly happened in previous elections, but I suspect it would be unwise in the current climate.
Whatever's going on, it's weird that the bookies haven't spotted the discrepancy...
Conservative party members could lose their final say over who becomes Tory leader as senior figures weigh up whether to change the rules if they suffer an election defeat.
Two Cabinet ministers have expressed interest to The Telegraph about diluting the voting power of members given criticism over how the grassroots selected Liz Truss in 2022.
Similar arguments have been made in public and private by influential Tories in the last year amid frustration at how Ms Truss’s premiership backfired, sending the party’s opinion poll rating plummeting.
While Tory candidates are insisting it is still possible to win the general election next Thursday, privately many are braced for defeat, with minds turning to what may come afterwards.
Good. The party leader has to be the person the MPs think is best to lead them in Parliament. The membership should have nothing to do with it.
The problem is the leadership increasingly choose candidates…
Which then choose leaders…
Parliamentary parties are turning into an exclusive private members clubs that vote amongst themselves who runs the country with little concern about the members or public
Then people wonder why voters are going third party !!
When I joined the Tory party members didn't get the vote, I am fine to having no vote on the leader.
You make a good point about the age of the Tory membership but that’s another problem !!
I joined the Tory party when I was 18, a few days after the 1997 election.
Conservative party members could lose their final say over who becomes Tory leader as senior figures weigh up whether to change the rules if they suffer an election defeat.
Two Cabinet ministers have expressed interest to The Telegraph about diluting the voting power of members given criticism over how the grassroots selected Liz Truss in 2022.
Similar arguments have been made in public and private by influential Tories in the last year amid frustration at how Ms Truss’s premiership backfired, sending the party’s opinion poll rating plummeting.
While Tory candidates are insisting it is still possible to win the general election next Thursday, privately many are braced for defeat, with minds turning to what may come afterwards.
Good. The party leader has to be the person the MPs think is best to lead them in Parliament. The membership should have nothing to do with it.
The problem is the leadership increasingly choose candidates…
Which then choose leaders…
Parliamentary parties are turning into an exclusive private members clubs that vote amongst themselves who runs the country with little concern about the members or public
Then people wonder why voters are going third party !!
When I joined the Tory party members didn't get the vote, I am fine to having no vote on the leader.
I'm no longer a Tory member, but the choice of leader is clearly best left to the MPs, and I don't mind if the Lords are involved too.
I think this is true for Labour too.
The complications of a leader who is not supported in Parliament but supported by Members are too severe in a system where the leader is also an MP - they cannot delegate their management of the legislature, and simply appealing over their heads to the Members who back you is not practical.
I doubt such a chance will happen though, whilst parties have a right to choose a leader however they wish, cutting out members entirely would look poor in these times.
I can't think what NF's end game is refusing a Laura K interview until the Beeb apologises for the QT audience. I don't think they will, therefore I don't think he'll do the interview, therefore Reform will miss out, which is bad. Each time Farage appears I think it's good for the party - I think even the rough ride he got on QT will help him. So I'm not sure why he's not leaving the bitter recriminations to after the election. Perhaps he's just knackered.
There is a conspiracy theorist angle on the whole QT audience thing - let's say the C4 racism expose was considered completely legitimate, no hint of a set up. Then, the QT appearance before a stony, baleful audience becomes like a media execution - a TV 'moment' where 'The British public angrily rejects racism'. The audience is packed with people who hate Reform just to make the window dressing perfect with no chance of NF winning them round. But beforehand, it all goes a bit to shit with the acting revelations. Now the expose is called into question, and the whole QT execution format doesn't really work any more. It goes ahead as planned, nothing else can possibly be done, but Bruce's questioning now appears partisan and aggressive, and the stony silence from the audience now looks a bit suspicious given that 'people who support Reform' are meant to make up a quotient.
I am still not sure what trying to hold the Beeb to ransome will do - Reform has no ground game, so NF really needs to be everywhere.
The most straightforward answer is perhaps correct. The QT audience is representative of the nation, can see through Farage's grift and lies and called him out on it.
Given that we spend hours here poring over the GE polling, I'm really not sure how to respond to such an astonishingly asinine answer. By all means re-engage in more honest terms if you'd like to have a genuine discussion.
Or perhaps the QT audience is representative, but you forget that most people aren't brave enough to publicly come out in support of someone like Farage.
There is a bit of a meme that Reform voters are all blowhards. They certainly come across that way on social media. But in a public, physical setting...
(I met a virulent anti-cycling social media campaigner in person. The man didn't have the courage to stand up in a public meeting or call me anything nasty face to face. Nice chap, just gone a bit Linehan).
Reforn have suspended seven candidates - who will appear on ballot papers - since nominations closed on June 7th (including one voluntary resignation). Barnsley North, Basingstoke, Derbyshire Dales, Horsham, Leeds West and Pudsey, North West Essex, Southend East & Rochford
Conservative party members could lose their final say over who becomes Tory leader as senior figures weigh up whether to change the rules if they suffer an election defeat.
Two Cabinet ministers have expressed interest to The Telegraph about diluting the voting power of members given criticism over how the grassroots selected Liz Truss in 2022.
Similar arguments have been made in public and private by influential Tories in the last year amid frustration at how Ms Truss’s premiership backfired, sending the party’s opinion poll rating plummeting.
While Tory candidates are insisting it is still possible to win the general election next Thursday, privately many are braced for defeat, with minds turning to what may come afterwards.
Good. The party leader has to be the person the MPs think is best to lead them in Parliament. The membership should have nothing to do with it.
The problem is the leadership increasingly choose candidates…
Which then choose leaders…
Parliamentary parties are turning into an exclusive private members clubs that vote amongst themselves who runs the country with little concern about the members or public
Then people wonder why voters are going third party !!
When I joined the Tory party members didn't get the vote, I am fine to having no vote on the leader.
Bring back the men in grey suits.
The magic circle was fab.
Another reason I didn't become an MP, I do not own a grey suit.
Comments
The Cimbri were a notable tribe that sought peaceful accommodation in the Roman Empire or, failing that, peaceful passage. They got repeatedly attacked and repeatedly annihilated Roman armies, with Arausio being a particularly bloody affair. In the end it was Marius, uncle of Julius Caesar (I think) who put them down. Ironically, that was one of the few occasions they actually wanted a battle.
They really are lying about it
A language does not exist if it is not spoken naturally. The fact some kids learn it then forget it means nothing. The fact you can probably only hear it at Breton festivals means it is functionally dead
Which is quite incredible when you learn that there might have been a million speakers as late as 1950. Now all gone
- A fondness for drinking tea
- A delight in annoying the French and Scots at any and all opportunities.
I see nothing wrong in either of these things, indeed it's clearly the premier mark of civilisation. So I rather disagree with the header!
English nationalism is generally awful. It feels very contrived. I'm far more likely to think of myself as British than English, although I'm obviously both.
I always chuckle thinking that when French tourists come here and they see all the signs etc in Jersey Norman French that they must think some tosser has tried to write in French and got it wrong as it has many differences that are clearer when seen written than spoken.
Do not let people like me vote, we voted for Corbyn.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occitan_language
It's a shame that the 'good chaps' theory of government has been so comprehensively trashed by the party of good chaps. It wasn't all good, but wasn't all bad either.
Having said that, this is Cumberland and my Labour candidate, Marcus Campbell Savours just happens to be the son of a former well known Cumberland Labour MP, Dale CS. So maybe the good chaps theory has just switched to Labour.
Remove that right to vote and we may never see such a link to supporters again. That would be sad.
That's quite a change.
Countries employing specialist batsmen as keepers (*cough* Alec Stewart *cough*) manage to get the worst of both worlds: poor keeping and a batsman who doesn't bat as well as they are capable.
But I also think English as a race concept is equally daft given what a mongrel people we are. We are the Heinz 57 variety of humanity and all the better for it. English to me is a cultural thing, accepting certain basic ideals even if we generally fail to achieve them as a nation. That is why some of the most English people I ever met were not white, not Christian and, in some cases, not even born here.
That was just me "having a laugh".
See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_Democratic_Caucus for a precedent. Also, of course, https://www1.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2024/06/05/parties/
We had lots of Bretons come here pre about 1970 to work on the farms before the Madeirans took their place and I’ve heard that there was absolute mutual lack of understanding between them and the Jèrriais speakers despite growing up across about 20 miles of sea.
I am three parts England one part Isle of Skye. I say English because I wouldn't, ahem, want to be accused of falsely claiming the honour of having Welsh or NI blood and anyway foreigners are only interested in the language and the PL which are both genuinely English not British. UK filling in forms as it saves 5 letters.
Corbyn getting routinely matched below 2 (last 1.86) at Betfair
Best available back odds - 2.5 with Ladbrokes/Coral
The arb has been there for over 24 hours now, apart from briefly disappearing around lunchtime today.
So it’s a bit of a reach for me to think that they’ll get the removal of the member vote through.
So an English nationalism doesn't have much to work with. England's success means it isn't distinctive.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/06/29/reform-make-official-complaint-against-channel-4/
Its very Trumpian...it was the deep state setup.
There is a conspiracy theorist angle on the whole QT audience thing - let's say the C4 racism expose was considered completely legitimate, no hint of a set up. Then, the QT appearance before a stony, baleful audience becomes like a media execution - a TV 'moment' where 'The British public angrily rejects racism'. The audience is packed with people who hate Reform just to make the window dressing perfect with no chance of NF winning them round. But beforehand, it all goes a bit to shit with the acting revelations. Now the expose is called into question, and the whole QT execution format doesn't really work any more. It goes ahead as planned, nothing else can possibly be done, but Bruce's questioning now appears partisan and aggressive, and the stony silence from the audience now looks a bit suspicious given that 'people who support Reform' are meant to make up a quotient.
I am still not sure what trying to hold the Beeb to ransome will do - Reform has no ground game, so NF really needs to be everywhere.
https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-day-i-met-a-sun-priest/
Complex leader voting mechanisms are just plain stupid, either it is a members choice (with some kind of MP screening/threshold first) or it isn't, don't mess about with weighting and electoral colleges.
So it is essentially dead
Depending on the sporting event I am watching, I am a Yorkshireman, Englishman, Brit, and European.
Some identities are expansionist and proselytising, just like some religions (Islam and Christianity). Others are insular and rooted in geography or ethnicity, like Judaism and most Hinduism.
Ringfencing English or American culture is like Islam deciding it should only be practised by people living in the Arabian peninsula.
The final MP round went
Sunak 137
Truss 113
Mordaunt 105
Sunak had the support of just over a third of MPs, the other two just under a third each.
That's an extreme case, albeit not quite as bad as 2001;
Clarke 59
Duncan-Smith 54
Portillo 53
But in both cases, MPs were clearer who they didn't want (anyone on the shortlist, really) than who they did.
I don't know how you deal with that. Second place in a round of three can easily be the support of less than a third of MPs, which isn't much of a mandate to lead. But if the membership can't choose the second choice of MPs, what's the point of the final round?
Wonder how many MPs it will take to get to the final ballot this time?
5 more sleeps and somewhere between 4 and 7 days till the election.
Which then choose leaders…
Parliamentary parties are turning into an exclusive private members clubs that vote amongst themselves who runs the country with little concern about the members or public
Then people wonder why voters are going third party !!
I have my election day siesta so I can pull an all nighter on election night.
It is obvious from the polls that most Brits cannot stand Farage, even if he does have love-blind fan boys.
Barnsley North,
Basingstoke,
Derbyshire Dales,
Horsham,
Leeds West and Pudsey,
North West Essex,
Southend East & Rochford
Bit of a pattern.
I think this is true for Labour too.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formosan_languages
Whatever's going on, it's weird that the bookies haven't spotted the discrepancy...
I doubt such a chance will happen though, whilst parties have a right to choose a leader however they wish, cutting out members entirely would look poor in these times.
There is a bit of a meme that Reform voters are all blowhards. They certainly come across that way on social media. But in a public, physical setting...
(I met a virulent anti-cycling social media campaigner in person. The man didn't have the courage to stand up in a public meeting or call me anything nasty face to face. Nice chap, just gone a bit Linehan).
Another reason I didn't become an MP, I do not own a grey suit.