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As conference season begins – politicalbetting.com

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  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 43,209

    DavidL said:

    BBC News: "Sir Keir Starmer has said that the cut to winter fuel allowance was necessary to stabilise the economy"

    Really?

    Has he said this?

    If so, it is utter bollocks.

    No one in the bond markets gives a shit about WFA.

    The saving of £1.5bn is less than 0.2% of government spending. I think giving bungs like that to well off pensioners is wrong but the justifications are bordering on the irrational.
    I think it is rightly totemic of being a serious government at what is a difficult time for the country, not to be giving out money unnecessarily. Some of these sums will be modest in themselves, but they add up.

    What's irrational is that WFA survived Osborne's period of austerity.
    The survival of the WFA came almost entirely from the rocketing energy costs from the Ukrine war and even today those energy bills are extremely high especially for the elderly who stay at home and need heating in the winter to keep them well
    The 2022 invasion of Ukraine was nearly six years after Osborne ceased to be Chancellor. What has it got to do with Osborne preserving a pointless Brown-era bung to pensioners?
    Callous half witted arse, hope you have no heating this winter
  • LeonLeon Posts: 54,677
    Another REALLY hostile anti-Starmer headline, in the guardian, even as he plunges in the polls. They genuinely dislike him, this isn’t just for clicks. Odd


    “Charities demand to meet UK ministers as 1.6m disabled OAPs set to lose winter fuel payments”

    https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/sep/15/charities-demand-to-meet-uk-ministers-as-16m-disabled-oaps-set-to-lose-winter-fuel-payments
  • EabhalEabhal Posts: 8,424

    geoffw said:

     

    Interesting to see the number of EU flags at the last night of the proms. They possibly outnumber the union jacks.

    That's not interesting. It's been going on for years now.

    They set up a Remoaner stall outside the Albert Hall every time now and hand them out for free to "celebrate our European musicians".

    They find a willing audience because most who go are well-off, internationalist, liberal urbanites, and many aren't even British at all.
    I'm a brexiteer but I'd wave an EU flag if handed one. What the hell, we've left

    I wouldn't. I love continental Europe dearly but the Last Night of the Proms is the one time when you're allowed unashamedly to celebrate being British (or you were). I'd ask for 20 for friends and family then put them in a nearby bin.
    That's exactly why they target it.

    The venue should draw a line and ban EU flags. Yes, there would be a furore but tough- it's been part of an orchestrated political campaign on national TV for years now.

    It's like a silent Steve Bray jamboree.
    It's the Council of Europe flag. Can't ban that, we're a founding and current member.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,154
    *Y Doethur wakes, slowly, muzzily, remembering a bizarre dream where Glos won the Vitality Blast thrashing Somerset by eight wickets*

    *Checks Cricinfo to see what the score was*

    *Slowly, an ecstatic smile spreads across his face*

    *He rolls over and goes back to sleep*
  • algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 12,360
    DavidL said:

    So BBC news starts with the alleged assault of a woman by a man who was released today and then goes into the WFA once again. Government is proving tougher than mocking an inept and dysfunctional administration before the election.

    Governments leave open goals all the time. The WFA thing was just folly and can only be done well with preparation and care. No excuses.

    The prisoner release thing was essential; where the government went wrong is not (and this is a wide cultural failing) making it clear in advance that almost all prisoners get released, and some of them immediately commit crimes. And this is always true. But they are so used to never actually answering the question that they routinely don't state what is obvious to us all, so it is simple to confect a story out of the inevitable.

    They could of course also work on stopping prisons being an expensive way of making bad people worse, and an expensive way of not treating mental disorders.
  • TazTaz Posts: 14,162

    geoffw said:

     

    Interesting to see the number of EU flags at the last night of the proms. They possibly outnumber the union jacks.

    That's not interesting. It's been going on for years now.

    They set up a Remoaner stall outside the Albert Hall every time now and hand them out for free to "celebrate our European musicians".

    They find a willing audience because most who go are well-off, internationalist, liberal urbanites, and many aren't even British at all.
    I'm a brexiteer but I'd wave an EU flag if handed one. What the hell, we've left

    I wouldn't. I love continental Europe dearly but the Last Night of the Proms is the one time when you're allowed unashamedly to celebrate being British (or you were). I'd ask for 20 for friends and family then put them in a nearby bin.
    That's exactly why they target it.

    The venue should draw a line and ban EU flags. Yes, there would be a furore but tough- it's been part of an orchestrated political campaign on national TV for years now.

    It's like a silent Steve Bray jamboree.
    Funny you say that.

    https://x.com/thesundaysport/status/1835195921908330553?s=61
  • logical_songlogical_song Posts: 9,898

    Nigelb said:

    The 1980s just called to ask for its bigotry back.

    JD Vance now says Haitian immigrants are spreading HIV after bizarre pet-eating claim flops
    https://x.com/TheAdvocateMag/status/1834668688886157471

    How well does an earlier version of that glibness look now:

    The 1980s are now calling to ask for their foreign policy back – A portion of a statement that Obama made in an October 2012 debate. In the debate, Obama was deriding an earlier Romney statement in the campaign that Russia is "without question, our No. 1 geopolitical foe."

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_United_States_presidential_election#Presidential_debates
    How is that in any way relevant to Vance’s revolting bigotry, other than it using the same stock phrase?
    If you want every comment to be precisely relevant to those proceeding then you're on the wrong site.

    But if you want some relevance I would suggest:

    1) The particulars of what Haitian immigrants get up to matter less than highlighting that they are there. Haiti is a failed state, Haitians are failed state people, who wants failed state people when you have enough problems of your own ? The Dems poll badly on immigration so the more the focus is on immigration then the more it benefits Trump.

    2) Other people might not agree with hostile references to the 1980s. Remember Labour's 'Fire up the Quattro' fiasco:

    The Milibands' attempt to portray Tory leader as a throwback to the Eighties backfires spectacularly

    https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/labour-poster-turns-cameron-into-a-cult-hero-1935428.html
    “failed state people”? What bullshit is this? Are you blaming the general population of Haiti for its problems, as if they are somehow inferior people?

    When a state fails, I’d rather live in a world where the neighbouring countries help the people of the failed state.
    Are you saying that the people of Haiti have had no influence on the state of their country ?

    If so you are denying them any ability to affect their own lives and the outside world.

    You also seem to be in denial that differing immigrant groups have varying levels of success in their new countries. With those from failed states tending towards the lower end of success.

    But its irrelevant what you and I think, safe in our affluence across the Atlantic.

    Instead consider what an American voter might think - perhaps those struggling themselves with price rises or housing costs or health problems or student debt. Are they going to welcome thousands of people from a failed state to their own town ? Or would they want their own problems given priority ?

    That is the voting demographic that the GOP is aiming for when they discuss immigration.
    '

    Discussing immigration' is one thing, the eating cats and dogs accusation is another.
  • algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 12,360

    Andy_JS said:

    No comments on the report that Labour were 24 hours from telling the police not to arrest anyone?

    I have a rule of thumb that any newspaper article saying we are 24 hours from the collapse of the NHS, irreversible climate change, world war 3 or anything else is typically complete BS
    Yes. However if the science is correct the reason why we are not 24 hours from irreversible climate change is that we have been in that state for some years already, and the outworking is only a matter of the passage of time.

    The rhetoric is already very tentatively moving in that direction.
  • algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 12,360
    edited September 15
    Leon said:

    Another REALLY hostile anti-Starmer headline, in the guardian, even as he plunges in the polls. They genuinely dislike him, this isn’t just for clicks. Odd


    “Charities demand to meet UK ministers as 1.6m disabled OAPs set to lose winter fuel payments”

    https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/sep/15/charities-demand-to-meet-uk-ministers-as-16m-disabled-oaps-set-to-lose-winter-fuel-payments

    Completely incomprehensible. The WFA thing is a Truss level performance; and they are now in a state where it is almost impossible to rescue the matter without losing face. Very similar to T May's social care disaster in the 2017 GE campaign.

    And it is getting a little chillier and darker in the north every day.
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 43,209
    algarkirk said:

    Leon said:

    Another REALLY hostile anti-Starmer headline, in the guardian, even as he plunges in the polls. They genuinely dislike him, this isn’t just for clicks. Odd


    “Charities demand to meet UK ministers as 1.6m disabled OAPs set to lose winter fuel payments”

    https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/sep/15/charities-demand-to-meet-uk-ministers-as-16m-disabled-oaps-set-to-lose-winter-fuel-payments

    Completely incomprehensible. The WFA thing is a Truss level performance; and they are now in a state where it is almost impossible to rescue the matter without losing face. Very similar to T May's social care disaster in the 2017 GE campaign.

    And it is getting a little chillier and darker in the north every day.
    Heating is already needed up here
  • algarkirk said:

    Leon said:

    Another REALLY hostile anti-Starmer headline, in the guardian, even as he plunges in the polls. They genuinely dislike him, this isn’t just for clicks. Odd


    “Charities demand to meet UK ministers as 1.6m disabled OAPs set to lose winter fuel payments”

    https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/sep/15/charities-demand-to-meet-uk-ministers-as-16m-disabled-oaps-set-to-lose-winter-fuel-payments

    Completely incomprehensible. The WFA thing is a Truss level performance; and they are now in a state where it is almost impossible to rescue the matter without losing face. Very similar to T May's social care disaster in the 2017 GE campaign.

    And it is getting a little chillier and darker in the north every day.
    Difference is that one of those was just before an election, the other is just after.

    Does anyone really think that a Conservative Party on the verge of winning will put WFA reform in its manifesto for 2029?
  • OnlyLivingBoyOnlyLivingBoy Posts: 15,687

    David Cameron and George Osborne had contempt for people who did not share their backgrounds.
    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/09/13/graham-brady-reveals-secrets-how-five-tory-pms-ousted/ (£££)

    Like, duh. I'm not sure this counts as a secret.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 52,357
    Latest polling moves Alaska from "bet the farm on it" to "leans Republican".

    Alaska.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAJ--SKZRsE
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 59,994
    Eabhal said:

    geoffw said:

     

    Interesting to see the number of EU flags at the last night of the proms. They possibly outnumber the union jacks.

    That's not interesting. It's been going on for years now.

    They set up a Remoaner stall outside the Albert Hall every time now and hand them out for free to "celebrate our European musicians".

    They find a willing audience because most who go are well-off, internationalist, liberal urbanites, and many aren't even British at all.
    I'm a brexiteer but I'd wave an EU flag if handed one. What the hell, we've left

    I wouldn't. I love continental Europe dearly but the Last Night of the Proms is the one time when you're allowed unashamedly to celebrate being British (or you were). I'd ask for 20 for friends and family then put them in a nearby bin.
    That's exactly why they target it.

    The venue should draw a line and ban EU flags. Yes, there would be a furore but tough- it's been part of an orchestrated political campaign on national TV for years now.

    It's like a silent Steve Bray jamboree.
    It's the Council of Europe flag. Can't ban that, we're a founding and current member.
    Oh, you can.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/09/14/eu-flags-confiscated-concert-goers-last-night-of-the-proms/
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 59,994
    Leon said:

    Another REALLY hostile anti-Starmer headline, in the guardian, even as he plunges in the polls. They genuinely dislike him, this isn’t just for clicks. Odd


    “Charities demand to meet UK ministers as 1.6m disabled OAPs set to lose winter fuel payments”

    https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/sep/15/charities-demand-to-meet-uk-ministers-as-16m-disabled-oaps-set-to-lose-winter-fuel-payments

    It's silly really. He's taking it away only from those who don't really need it, who are not on pension credit, and it's hardly the end of days.

    Yet, he's done it in the shittest way possible and has managed to piss everyone off.
  • AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 25,316
    So three months in and nobody's talking about how competent Starmer's government is.

    Unbelievably Sunak is starting to look good
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,154

    So three months in and nobody's talking about how competent Starmer's government is.

    Unbelievably Sunak is starting to look good

    Now hang on, that's going a bit far.
  • EabhalEabhal Posts: 8,424

    Eabhal said:

    geoffw said:

     

    Interesting to see the number of EU flags at the last night of the proms. They possibly outnumber the union jacks.

    That's not interesting. It's been going on for years now.

    They set up a Remoaner stall outside the Albert Hall every time now and hand them out for free to "celebrate our European musicians".

    They find a willing audience because most who go are well-off, internationalist, liberal urbanites, and many aren't even British at all.
    I'm a brexiteer but I'd wave an EU flag if handed one. What the hell, we've left

    I wouldn't. I love continental Europe dearly but the Last Night of the Proms is the one time when you're allowed unashamedly to celebrate being British (or you were). I'd ask for 20 for friends and family then put them in a nearby bin.
    That's exactly why they target it.

    The venue should draw a line and ban EU flags. Yes, there would be a furore but tough- it's been part of an orchestrated political campaign on national TV for years now.

    It's like a silent Steve Bray jamboree.
    It's the Council of Europe flag. Can't ban that, we're a founding and current member.
    Oh, you can.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/09/14/eu-flags-confiscated-concert-goers-last-night-of-the-proms/
    That's not on. The Council of Europe was suggested by Churchill and is all about the rule of law, human rights and democracy.

    The only kind of weirdo who wants to ban that wants the UK to look like Belarus.
  • David Cameron and George Osborne had contempt for people who did not share their backgrounds.
    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/09/13/graham-brady-reveals-secrets-how-five-tory-pms-ousted/ (£££)

    Like, duh. I'm not sure this counts as a secret.
    In other "news that's not news" news,

    The Barnard Castle story is obvious bulls— – no sane person would drive their wife and small child 30 miles to test his eyesight!’

    Boris looked totally perplexed at this. ‘HE’S NOT SANE!’ He replied, as though that should have been obvious.

    I briefly wondered whether Boris was also losing it.


    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/09/14/graham-brady-kingmaker-extract-boris-johnson-liz-truss/
  • TazTaz Posts: 14,162

    So three months in and nobody's talking about how competent Starmer's government is.

    Unbelievably Sunak is starting to look good

    Labour in govt - Continuity Sunak.
  • AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 25,316
    ydoethur said:

    So three months in and nobody's talking about how competent Starmer's government is.

    Unbelievably Sunak is starting to look good

    Now hang on, that's going a bit far.
    Is it ?

    I mean for months on PB Starmer was praised for his quiet competence, w were going to have better government etc.

    So far we have had a mega lie on £22 billion, the unions are rubbing their hands om inflationary pay increases, Miliband is merrily screwing up energy and killiing 100000+ jobs in the North Sea, , WFA fiasco, riots, growth at a stand still for the last 2 months and big tax rises on the horizon.

    And all of that in 10 week as just today the sleaze accusations start to circle round Starmer.




  • bondegezoubondegezou Posts: 10,696

    nico679 said:

    The removal of the single occupancy discount would be WFA furore on steroids . Not just those currently living alone , older couples will think if one of us goes then the other with just one pension will have to meet that extra cost. It hammers single parents and others who live alone .

    Starmer and Reeves made a big deal of the pension rise covering the loss of the WFA so what will be their defence here ?

    The logical side suggests this is a case of giving the worst case scenario so that when it doesn’t happen there’s a big relief for those that might be effected .

    Alternatively Reeves and Starmer are insane and want the polling to have them in single digits and want their councilors to be totally wiped out next year.

    Has this been seriously proposed or is it just one of a number of pre-budget scare stories put out by the Conservatives?
    Conservative scaremongering about the budget is going to make the final thing look really mild!
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,154

    ydoethur said:

    So three months in and nobody's talking about how competent Starmer's government is.

    Unbelievably Sunak is starting to look good

    Now hang on, that's going a bit far.
    Is it ?

    I mean for months on PB Starmer was praised for his quiet competence, w were going to have better government etc.

    So far we have had a mega lie on £22 billion, the unions are rubbing their hands om inflationary pay increases, Miliband is merrily screwing up energy and killiing 100000+ jobs in the North Sea, , WFA fiasco, riots, growth at a stand still for the last 2 months and big tax rises on the horizon.

    And all of that in 10 week as just today the sleaze accusations start to circle round Starmer.




    It is permissible to think Starmer is no good after several weeks of mistakes.

    It is hardly permissible to say Sunak after two years of extraordinary bungling where he got practically every major decision wrong looks good by comparison.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 52,357
    Taz said:

    So three months in and nobody's talking about how competent Starmer's government is.

    Unbelievably Sunak is starting to look good

    Labour in govt - Continuity Sunak.
    Harsh - but not innaccurate.

    And not remotely a surprise.
  • kjhkjh Posts: 11,695

    Andy_JS said:

    I trust everyone's watching the Last Night of the Proms. 😊

    Yep. I try and watch and listen to all the Prom concerts though the summer and The Last Night for me marks the start of autumn and my Sacred Season.
    What's with the EU flags? During Elgar?

    There have always been flags of many different nations there although the Union Flag was usually the most prominent. After the Referendum the Remainer clique tried to flood the Last Night with EU flags as a protest and I think hoping to provoke some outrage. The Daily Mail crowd were predictably outraged but everyone else just shrugged and got on with it.

    Weirdly it has become a new tradition now and it would be strange to be offended by it - well except for the Daily Mail readers.

    One thing I did notice once again was how many Ukraine flags were being waved
    Nah, that's a bit of an inspid establishment view. It's not a "bring your own flag" competition and to say that robs of its meaning, and why people started going in the first place.

    I'm with @Luckyguy1983 on this - it was a musical carnival, an unabashed, celebration of being British - all glorious and bombastic - and to enjoy it amongst everyone else doing it. The fewer doing it the less of a collective and special communal experience it is.

    You get "unofficial" battleproms/last nights around the country now that have sprung up where ordinary people can enjoy themselves as it should be. Either the Albert Hall event needs resetting or it should be relocated or debroadcast now.

    It has been totally sullied and spoiled.
    I think you are being a bit of a spoilsport here. It is a great event that hasn't really changed. I can understand people not liking the EU flags, but they don't spoil the event and there are still plenty of Union flags and I'm sure with time it will revert when the fuss finally dies down. And the fun and music are the important thing which are very patriotic and nobody has suggested changing that.

    It is one of the events that makes Britain British, like pubs, bonfire night and pantomime.

    PS re @Big_G_NorthWales he has mentioned his child in Canada a few times.
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 59,994
    Eabhal said:

    Eabhal said:

    geoffw said:

     

    Interesting to see the number of EU flags at the last night of the proms. They possibly outnumber the union jacks.

    That's not interesting. It's been going on for years now.

    They set up a Remoaner stall outside the Albert Hall every time now and hand them out for free to "celebrate our European musicians".

    They find a willing audience because most who go are well-off, internationalist, liberal urbanites, and many aren't even British at all.
    I'm a brexiteer but I'd wave an EU flag if handed one. What the hell, we've left

    I wouldn't. I love continental Europe dearly but the Last Night of the Proms is the one time when you're allowed unashamedly to celebrate being British (or you were). I'd ask for 20 for friends and family then put them in a nearby bin.
    That's exactly why they target it.

    The venue should draw a line and ban EU flags. Yes, there would be a furore but tough- it's been part of an orchestrated political campaign on national TV for years now.

    It's like a silent Steve Bray jamboree.
    It's the Council of Europe flag. Can't ban that, we're a founding and current member.
    Oh, you can.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/09/14/eu-flags-confiscated-concert-goers-last-night-of-the-proms/
    That's not on. The Council of Europe was suggested by Churchill and is all about the rule of law, human rights and democracy.

    The only kind of weirdo who wants to ban that wants the UK to look like Belarus.
    Er, no. I want the UK to look like the UK, not like a Brussels Ode to Joy.

    The confiscation was inconsistent and far too many got through.

    But I wouldn't have stopped there: all the organisers and distributors needed to be performatively detained and made to write out 1,000 time, "I will not Remoan and waste everyone else's time again", followed by being made to sing a compulsory rendition of the national anthem whilst wearing a union jack waistcoat and waving a proper flag that would be recorded and subsequently WhatsApped to all their friends.

    That'd teach them.
  • algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 12,360
    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    So three months in and nobody's talking about how competent Starmer's government is.

    Unbelievably Sunak is starting to look good

    Now hang on, that's going a bit far.
    Is it ?

    I mean for months on PB Starmer was praised for his quiet competence, w were going to have better government etc.

    So far we have had a mega lie on £22 billion, the unions are rubbing their hands om inflationary pay increases, Miliband is merrily screwing up energy and killiing 100000+ jobs in the North Sea, , WFA fiasco, riots, growth at a stand still for the last 2 months and big tax rises on the horizon.

    And all of that in 10 week as just today the sleaze accusations start to circle round Starmer.




    It is permissible to think Starmer is no good after several weeks of mistakes.

    It is hardly permissible to say Sunak after two years of extraordinary bungling where he got practically every major decision wrong looks good by comparison.
    This is exactly the problem for centrists of every sort. The turn away from voting Tory was massive and, for now, decisive. This turn from Tory hardly increased the Labour vote at all. So at the election there was already deep malaise about the only two parties who can form a government. This placed a gigantic responsibility on Labour to be reasonably capable, competent and honest.

    The LDs and also the populists have some open goal opportunities out of all this. Those whom want good government have rather less to look forward to, but I suppose we must keep an open mind
  • StillWatersStillWaters Posts: 8,095
    Taz said:

    Good for Starmer. Excellent and long overdue news :

    Jack Surfleet
    @jacksurfleet
    ·
    1h
    The Mail on Sunday: Assisted dying bill set to be 'rushed into law'
    #TomorrowsPapersToday

    https://x.com/jacksurfleet

    Why the need to rush?

    It’s a highly complex issues with deeply held moral beliefs on all sides. Better to get the law right surely?
    Apparently approved by a so-called Citizens Assembly no less.
    30 people selected by a campaigning charity to “reflect the balance of society”
  • AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 25,316
    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    So three months in and nobody's talking about how competent Starmer's government is.

    Unbelievably Sunak is starting to look good

    Now hang on, that's going a bit far.
    Is it ?

    I mean for months on PB Starmer was praised for his quiet competence, w were going to have better government etc.

    So far we have had a mega lie on £22 billion, the unions are rubbing their hands om inflationary pay increases, Miliband is merrily screwing up energy and killiing 100000+ jobs in the North Sea, , WFA fiasco, riots, growth at a stand still for the last 2 months and big tax rises on the horizon.

    And all of that in 10 week as just today the sleaze accusations start to circle round Starmer.




    It is permissible to think Starmer is no good after several weeks of mistakes.

    It is hardly permissible to say Sunak after two years of extraordinary bungling where he got practically every major decision wrong looks good by comparison.
    Or one could look at it that Sunak took several months to make his screw ups whereas Starmer does his in weeks. Doing cock ups faster isnt an improvement.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 70,513

    geoffw said:

     

    Interesting to see the number of EU flags at the last night of the proms. They possibly outnumber the union jacks.

    That's not interesting. It's been going on for years now.

    They set up a Remoaner stall outside the Albert Hall every time now and hand them out for free to "celebrate our European musicians".

    They find a willing audience because most who go are well-off, internationalist, liberal urbanites, and many aren't even British at all.
    I'm a brexiteer but I'd wave an EU flag if handed one. What the hell, we've left

    I wouldn't. I love continental Europe dearly but the Last Night of the Proms is the one time when you're allowed unashamedly to celebrate being British (or you were). I'd ask for 20 for friends and family then put them in a nearby bin.
    That's exactly why they target it.

    The venue should draw a line and ban EU flags. Yes, there would be a furore but tough- it's been part of an orchestrated political campaign on national TV for years now.

    It's like a silent Steve Bray jamboree.
    'Orchestrated' - bravo.

    Casino proposes concerted campaign against orchestration.
  • mercatormercator Posts: 815
    https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/sep/15/trump-likelier-winner-unless-harris-tackles-two-failings-says-ex-ambassador

    Kim Darroch, our ex man in Washington. KH offers nothing to the left behind and hides from the media.
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 59,994
    kjh said:

    Andy_JS said:

    I trust everyone's watching the Last Night of the Proms. 😊

    Yep. I try and watch and listen to all the Prom concerts though the summer and The Last Night for me marks the start of autumn and my Sacred Season.
    What's with the EU flags? During Elgar?

    There have always been flags of many different nations there although the Union Flag was usually the most prominent. After the Referendum the Remainer clique tried to flood the Last Night with EU flags as a protest and I think hoping to provoke some outrage. The Daily Mail crowd were predictably outraged but everyone else just shrugged and got on with it.

    Weirdly it has become a new tradition now and it would be strange to be offended by it - well except for the Daily Mail readers.

    One thing I did notice once again was how many Ukraine flags were being waved
    Nah, that's a bit of an inspid establishment view. It's not a "bring your own flag" competition and to say that robs of its meaning, and why people started going in the first place.

    I'm with @Luckyguy1983 on this - it was a musical carnival, an unabashed, celebration of being British - all glorious and bombastic - and to enjoy it amongst everyone else doing it. The fewer doing it the less of a collective and special communal experience it is.

    You get "unofficial" battleproms/last nights around the country now that have sprung up where ordinary people can enjoy themselves as it should be. Either the Albert Hall event needs resetting or it should be relocated or debroadcast now.

    It has been totally sullied and spoiled.
    I think you are being a bit of a spoilsport here. It is a great event that hasn't really changed. I can understand people not liking the EU flags, but they don't spoil the event and there are still plenty of Union flags and I'm sure with time it will revert when the fuss finally dies down. And the fun and music are the important thing which are very patriotic and nobody has suggested changing that.

    It is one of the events that makes Britain British, like pubs, bonfire night and pantomime.

    PS re @Big_G_NorthWales he has mentioned his child in Canada a few times.
    The spoilsports are those who actually organise - bear in mind they are sad enough to spend their free time doing this - the purchase and manufacture of boxes and boxes of EU flags and then hang around all day outside the Albert Hall with the sole purpose of ruining a iconic festival of British music with europhilia and trolling the country on national TV.

    There should only be Union flags, except for a handful of niche ones for guests and interest. Once they get swamped by political campaigns like this action must be taken.
  • Taz said:

    So three months in and nobody's talking about how competent Starmer's government is.

    Unbelievably Sunak is starting to look good

    Labour in govt - Continuity Sunak.
    Keir Starmer is Continuity Boris, at least as far as undeclared freebies go.
  • TresTres Posts: 2,686
    edited September 15

    kjh said:

    Andy_JS said:

    I trust everyone's watching the Last Night of the Proms. 😊

    Yep. I try and watch and listen to all the Prom concerts though the summer and The Last Night for me marks the start of autumn and my Sacred Season.
    What's with the EU flags? During Elgar?

    There have always been flags of many different nations there although the Union Flag was usually the most prominent. After the Referendum the Remainer clique tried to flood the Last Night with EU flags as a protest and I think hoping to provoke some outrage. The Daily Mail crowd were predictably outraged but everyone else just shrugged and got on with it.

    Weirdly it has become a new tradition now and it would be strange to be offended by it - well except for the Daily Mail readers.

    One thing I did notice once again was how many Ukraine flags were being waved
    Nah, that's a bit of an inspid establishment view. It's not a "bring your own flag" competition and to say that robs of its meaning, and why people started going in the first place.

    I'm with @Luckyguy1983 on this - it was a musical carnival, an unabashed, celebration of being British - all glorious and bombastic - and to enjoy it amongst everyone else doing it. The fewer doing it the less of a collective and special communal experience it is.

    You get "unofficial" battleproms/last nights around the country now that have sprung up where ordinary people can enjoy themselves as it should be. Either the Albert Hall event needs resetting or it should be relocated or debroadcast now.

    It has been totally sullied and spoiled.
    I think you are being a bit of a spoilsport here. It is a great event that hasn't really changed. I can understand people not liking the EU flags, but they don't spoil the event and there are still plenty of Union flags and I'm sure with time it will revert when the fuss finally dies down. And the fun and music are the important thing which are very patriotic and nobody has suggested changing that.

    It is one of the events that makes Britain British, like pubs, bonfire night and pantomime.

    PS re @Big_G_NorthWales he has mentioned his child in Canada a few times.
    The spoilsports are those who actually organise - bear in mind they are sad enough to spend their free time doing this - the purchase and manufacture of boxes and boxes of EU flags and then hang around all day outside the Albert Hall with the sole purpose of ruining a iconic festival of British music with europhilia and trolling the country on national TV.

    There should only be Union flags, except for a handful of niche ones for guests and interest. Once they get swamped by political campaigns like this action must be taken.
    uhoh someones got fleg brain rot - absolutely an import from the US we don't need
  • EabhalEabhal Posts: 8,424

    Eabhal said:

    Eabhal said:

    geoffw said:

     

    Interesting to see the number of EU flags at the last night of the proms. They possibly outnumber the union jacks.

    That's not interesting. It's been going on for years now.

    They set up a Remoaner stall outside the Albert Hall every time now and hand them out for free to "celebrate our European musicians".

    They find a willing audience because most who go are well-off, internationalist, liberal urbanites, and many aren't even British at all.
    I'm a brexiteer but I'd wave an EU flag if handed one. What the hell, we've left

    I wouldn't. I love continental Europe dearly but the Last Night of the Proms is the one time when you're allowed unashamedly to celebrate being British (or you were). I'd ask for 20 for friends and family then put them in a nearby bin.
    That's exactly why they target it.

    The venue should draw a line and ban EU flags. Yes, there would be a furore but tough- it's been part of an orchestrated political campaign on national TV for years now.

    It's like a silent Steve Bray jamboree.
    It's the Council of Europe flag. Can't ban that, we're a founding and current member.
    Oh, you can.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/09/14/eu-flags-confiscated-concert-goers-last-night-of-the-proms/
    That's not on. The Council of Europe was suggested by Churchill and is all about the rule of law, human rights and democracy.

    The only kind of weirdo who wants to ban that wants the UK to look like Belarus.
    Er, no. I want the UK to look like the UK, not like a Brussels Ode to Joy.

    The confiscation was inconsistent and far too many got through.

    But I wouldn't have stopped there: all the organisers and distributors needed to be performatively detained and made to write out 1,000 time, "I will not Remoan and waste everyone else's time again", followed by being made to sing a compulsory rendition of the national anthem whilst wearing a union jack waistcoat and waving a proper flag that would be recorded and subsequently WhatsApped to all their friends.

    That'd teach them.
    Royal Albert Hall has even got a vegan menu: https://www.royalalberthall.com/tickets/tours-and-exhibitions/afternoon-tea/

  • kjhkjh Posts: 11,695
    edited September 15

    kjh said:

    Andy_JS said:

    I trust everyone's watching the Last Night of the Proms. 😊

    Yep. I try and watch and listen to all the Prom concerts though the summer and The Last Night for me marks the start of autumn and my Sacred Season.
    What's with the EU flags? During Elgar?

    There have always been flags of many different nations there although the Union Flag was usually the most prominent. After the Referendum the Remainer clique tried to flood the Last Night with EU flags as a protest and I think hoping to provoke some outrage. The Daily Mail crowd were predictably outraged but everyone else just shrugged and got on with it.

    Weirdly it has become a new tradition now and it would be strange to be offended by it - well except for the Daily Mail readers.

    One thing I did notice once again was how many Ukraine flags were being waved
    Nah, that's a bit of an inspid establishment view. It's not a "bring your own flag" competition and to say that robs of its meaning, and why people started going in the first place.

    I'm with @Luckyguy1983 on this - it was a musical carnival, an unabashed, celebration of being British - all glorious and bombastic - and to enjoy it amongst everyone else doing it. The fewer doing it the less of a collective and special communal experience it is.

    You get "unofficial" battleproms/last nights around the country now that have sprung up where ordinary people can enjoy themselves as it should be. Either the Albert Hall event needs resetting or it should be relocated or debroadcast now.

    It has been totally sullied and spoiled.
    I think you are being a bit of a spoilsport here. It is a great event that hasn't really changed. I can understand people not liking the EU flags, but they don't spoil the event and there are still plenty of Union flags and I'm sure with time it will revert when the fuss finally dies down. And the fun and music are the important thing which are very patriotic and nobody has suggested changing that.

    It is one of the events that makes Britain British, like pubs, bonfire night and pantomime.

    PS re @Big_G_NorthWales he has mentioned his child in Canada a few times.
    The spoilsports are those who actually organise - bear in mind they are sad enough to spend their free time doing this - the purchase and manufacture of boxes and boxes of EU flags and then hang around all day outside the Albert Hall with the sole purpose of ruining a iconic festival of British music with europhilia and trolling the country on national TV.

    There should only be Union flags, except for a handful of niche ones for guests and interest. Once they get swamped by political campaigns like this action must be taken.
    But why does it bother you? And isn't banning stuff going down a very dangerous path. We aren't North Korea.

    Leave people alone to do what they want, provided it doesn't harm others. We are a democracy which is something else Britain should be proud of and celebrate.

    Nobody complains of lots of Ukrainian flags for instance and rightly so. Just leave people alone if it doesn't harm others.
  • bondegezoubondegezou Posts: 10,696

    kjh said:

    Andy_JS said:

    I trust everyone's watching the Last Night of the Proms. 😊

    Yep. I try and watch and listen to all the Prom concerts though the summer and The Last Night for me marks the start of autumn and my Sacred Season.
    What's with the EU flags? During Elgar?

    There have always been flags of many different nations there although the Union Flag was usually the most prominent. After the Referendum the Remainer clique tried to flood the Last Night with EU flags as a protest and I think hoping to provoke some outrage. The Daily Mail crowd were predictably outraged but everyone else just shrugged and got on with it.

    Weirdly it has become a new tradition now and it would be strange to be offended by it - well except for the Daily Mail readers.

    One thing I did notice once again was how many Ukraine flags were being waved
    Nah, that's a bit of an inspid establishment view. It's not a "bring your own flag" competition and to say that robs of its meaning, and why people started going in the first place.

    I'm with @Luckyguy1983 on this - it was a musical carnival, an unabashed, celebration of being British - all glorious and bombastic - and to enjoy it amongst everyone else doing it. The fewer doing it the less of a collective and special communal experience it is.

    You get "unofficial" battleproms/last nights around the country now that have sprung up where ordinary people can enjoy themselves as it should be. Either the Albert Hall event needs resetting or it should be relocated or debroadcast now.

    It has been totally sullied and spoiled.
    I think you are being a bit of a spoilsport here. It is a great event that hasn't really changed. I can understand people not liking the EU flags, but they don't spoil the event and there are still plenty of Union flags and I'm sure with time it will revert when the fuss finally dies down. And the fun and music are the important thing which are very patriotic and nobody has suggested changing that.

    It is one of the events that makes Britain British, like pubs, bonfire night and pantomime.

    PS re @Big_G_NorthWales he has mentioned his child in Canada a few times.
    The spoilsports are those who actually organise - bear in mind they are sad enough to spend their free time doing this - the purchase and manufacture of boxes and boxes of EU flags and then hang around all day outside the Albert Hall with the sole purpose of ruining a iconic festival of British music with europhilia and trolling the country on national TV.

    There should only be Union flags, except for a handful of niche ones for guests and interest. Once they get swamped by political campaigns like this action must be taken.
    I thought Conservatives believed in freedom of speech?
  • Taz said:

    So three months in and nobody's talking about how competent Starmer's government is.

    Unbelievably Sunak is starting to look good

    Labour in govt - Continuity Sunak.
    Keir Starmer is Continuity Boris, at least as far as undeclared freebies go.
    Wasn't there an actual law implemented to allow Keir Starmer to have a tax free pension ?

    If so its not surprising he thinks its one law for him and another law for the 'little people'.
  • "Starmer may have broken rules over donor's gifts to wife"

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8djply3z18o

    Ooops. The donor is, naturally enough, the guy who got given a Downing Street pass. Clothes for access? ;)

    I'd expect a top lawyer to be able to follow a few simple rules. It seems when declaring donations, he's an utter numpty.

    (Remember also https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-61781601 )

    Those of us who have been elected members over many years saw the occasional council officer seek election and sometimes get elected. To me this is where Starmer finds himself, an Officer turned Member or a Gamekeeper turned poacher.

    I'm not surprised he is no good at it, it isn't an easy thing to do. But I am surprised as to just HOW bad he is but then he was probably not very good as DPP either. Of course he isn't helped by having to find places for Angela Rayner, David Lammy and Rachel Reeves.

    Presumably he has followed Blair by making his wanker Deputy PM to get her out of the way. Who is his press manager ?
  • Eabhal said:

    Tres said:

    kjh said:

    Andy_JS said:

    I trust everyone's watching the Last Night of the Proms. 😊

    Yep. I try and watch and listen to all the Prom concerts though the summer and The Last Night for me marks the start of autumn and my Sacred Season.
    What's with the EU flags? During Elgar?

    There have always been flags of many different nations there although the Union Flag was usually the most prominent. After the Referendum the Remainer clique tried to flood the Last Night with EU flags as a protest and I think hoping to provoke some outrage. The Daily Mail crowd were predictably outraged but everyone else just shrugged and got on with it.

    Weirdly it has become a new tradition now and it would be strange to be offended by it - well except for the Daily Mail readers.

    One thing I did notice once again was how many Ukraine flags were being waved
    Nah, that's a bit of an inspid establishment view. It's not a "bring your own flag" competition and to say that robs of its meaning, and why people started going in the first place.

    I'm with @Luckyguy1983 on this - it was a musical carnival, an unabashed, celebration of being British - all glorious and bombastic - and to enjoy it amongst everyone else doing it. The fewer doing it the less of a collective and special communal experience it is.

    You get "unofficial" battleproms/last nights around the country now that have sprung up where ordinary people can enjoy themselves as it should be. Either the Albert Hall event needs resetting or it should be relocated or debroadcast now.

    It has been totally sullied and spoiled.
    I think you are being a bit of a spoilsport here. It is a great event that hasn't really changed. I can understand people not liking the EU flags, but they don't spoil the event and there are still plenty of Union flags and I'm sure with time it will revert when the fuss finally dies down. And the fun and music are the important thing which are very patriotic and nobody has suggested changing that.

    It is one of the events that makes Britain British, like pubs, bonfire night and pantomime.

    PS re @Big_G_NorthWales he has mentioned his child in Canada a few times.
    The spoilsports are those who actually organise - bear in mind they are sad enough to spend their free time doing this - the purchase and manufacture of boxes and boxes of EU flags and then hang around all day outside the Albert Hall with the sole purpose of ruining a iconic festival of British music with europhilia and trolling the country on national TV.

    There should only be Union flags, except for a handful of niche ones for guests and interest. Once they get swamped by political campaigns like this action must be taken.
    uhoh someones got fleg brain rot - absolutely an import from the US we don't need
    EU flags at the proms and people on the right whining about them is now a proud British tradition.
    And one that I am sure Prince Franz August Karl Albert Emanuel of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha would have had a view on.
  • ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    So three months in and nobody's talking about how competent Starmer's government is.

    Unbelievably Sunak is starting to look good

    Now hang on, that's going a bit far.
    Is it ?

    I mean for months on PB Starmer was praised for his quiet competence, w were going to have better government etc.

    So far we have had a mega lie on £22 billion, the unions are rubbing their hands om inflationary pay increases, Miliband is merrily screwing up energy and killiing 100000+ jobs in the North Sea, , WFA fiasco, riots, growth at a stand still for the last 2 months and big tax rises on the horizon.

    And all of that in 10 week as just today the sleaze accusations start to circle round Starmer.




    It is permissible to think Starmer is no good after several weeks of mistakes.

    It is hardly permissible to say Sunak after two years of extraordinary bungling where he got practically every major decision wrong looks good by comparison.
    Well here are two major decisions Sunak got right:

    1) Balancing the energy subsidies between some help generally, extra help for the vulnerable while still encouraging energy efficiency

    2) Shifting the tax balance from workers to non workers by cutting national insurance while freezing income tax thresholds
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 59,994
    Tres said:

    kjh said:

    Andy_JS said:

    I trust everyone's watching the Last Night of the Proms. 😊

    Yep. I try and watch and listen to all the Prom concerts though the summer and The Last Night for me marks the start of autumn and my Sacred Season.
    What's with the EU flags? During Elgar?

    There have always been flags of many different nations there although the Union Flag was usually the most prominent. After the Referendum the Remainer clique tried to flood the Last Night with EU flags as a protest and I think hoping to provoke some outrage. The Daily Mail crowd were predictably outraged but everyone else just shrugged and got on with it.

    Weirdly it has become a new tradition now and it would be strange to be offended by it - well except for the Daily Mail readers.

    One thing I did notice once again was how many Ukraine flags were being waved
    Nah, that's a bit of an inspid establishment view. It's not a "bring your own flag" competition and to say that robs of its meaning, and why people started going in the first place.

    I'm with @Luckyguy1983 on this - it was a musical carnival, an unabashed, celebration of being British - all glorious and bombastic - and to enjoy it amongst everyone else doing it. The fewer doing it the less of a collective and special communal experience it is.

    You get "unofficial" battleproms/last nights around the country now that have sprung up where ordinary people can enjoy themselves as it should be. Either the Albert Hall event needs resetting or it should be relocated or debroadcast now.

    It has been totally sullied and spoiled.
    I think you are being a bit of a spoilsport here. It is a great event that hasn't really changed. I can understand people not liking the EU flags, but they don't spoil the event and there are still plenty of Union flags and I'm sure with time it will revert when the fuss finally dies down. And the fun and music are the important thing which are very patriotic and nobody has suggested changing that.

    It is one of the events that makes Britain British, like pubs, bonfire night and pantomime.

    PS re @Big_G_NorthWales he has mentioned his child in Canada a few times.
    The spoilsports are those who actually organise - bear in mind they are sad enough to spend their free time doing this - the purchase and manufacture of boxes and boxes of EU flags and then hang around all day outside the Albert Hall with the sole purpose of ruining a iconic festival of British music with europhilia and trolling the country on national TV.

    There should only be Union flags, except for a handful of niche ones for guests and interest. Once they get swamped by political campaigns like this action must be taken.
    uhoh someones got fleg brain rot - absolutely an import from the US we don't need
    So stop your fellow fleg-wankers then.

    They're the ones doing it. And well you know it.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 28,231
    kjh said:

    kjh said:

    Andy_JS said:

    I trust everyone's watching the Last Night of the Proms. 😊

    Yep. I try and watch and listen to all the Prom concerts though the summer and The Last Night for me marks the start of autumn and my Sacred Season.
    What's with the EU flags? During Elgar?

    There have always been flags of many different nations there although the Union Flag was usually the most prominent. After the Referendum the Remainer clique tried to flood the Last Night with EU flags as a protest and I think hoping to provoke some outrage. The Daily Mail crowd were predictably outraged but everyone else just shrugged and got on with it.

    Weirdly it has become a new tradition now and it would be strange to be offended by it - well except for the Daily Mail readers.

    One thing I did notice once again was how many Ukraine flags were being waved
    Nah, that's a bit of an inspid establishment view. It's not a "bring your own flag" competition and to say that robs of its meaning, and why people started going in the first place.

    I'm with @Luckyguy1983 on this - it was a musical carnival, an unabashed, celebration of being British - all glorious and bombastic - and to enjoy it amongst everyone else doing it. The fewer doing it the less of a collective and special communal experience it is.

    You get "unofficial" battleproms/last nights around the country now that have sprung up where ordinary people can enjoy themselves as it should be. Either the Albert Hall event needs resetting or it should be relocated or debroadcast now.

    It has been totally sullied and spoiled.
    I think you are being a bit of a spoilsport here. It is a great event that hasn't really changed. I can understand people not liking the EU flags, but they don't spoil the event and there are still plenty of Union flags and I'm sure with time it will revert when the fuss finally dies down. And the fun and music are the important thing which are very patriotic and nobody has suggested changing that.

    It is one of the events that makes Britain British, like pubs, bonfire night and pantomime.

    PS re @Big_G_NorthWales he has mentioned his child in Canada a few times.
    The spoilsports are those who actually organise - bear in mind they are sad enough to spend their free time doing this - the purchase and manufacture of boxes and boxes of EU flags and then hang around all day outside the Albert Hall with the sole purpose of ruining a iconic festival of British music with europhilia and trolling the country on national TV.

    There should only be Union flags, except for a handful of niche ones for guests and interest. Once they get swamped by political campaigns like this action must be taken.
    But why does it bother you? And isn't banning stuff going down a very dangerous path. We aren't North Korea.

    Leave people alone to do what they want, provided it doesn't harm others. We are a democracy which is something else Britain should be proud of and celebrate.

    Nobody complains of lots of Ukrainian flags for instance and rightly so. Just leave people alone if it doesn't harm others.
    I wouldn't ban the EU flags personally. I think it is just a symptom of a wider disease in the body politic. When Britain is a prosperous, well run, proud nation, at home with its past and confident in its future, the idea of attending the Last Night to wave around a flag of a foreign supranational organisation will be a cranky pursuit limited to a couple of eccentric people amongst a flood of Union flags. Whilst that isn't the case, censoring the activity looks like weakness not strength.
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 59,994

    kjh said:

    Andy_JS said:

    I trust everyone's watching the Last Night of the Proms. 😊

    Yep. I try and watch and listen to all the Prom concerts though the summer and The Last Night for me marks the start of autumn and my Sacred Season.
    What's with the EU flags? During Elgar?

    There have always been flags of many different nations there although the Union Flag was usually the most prominent. After the Referendum the Remainer clique tried to flood the Last Night with EU flags as a protest and I think hoping to provoke some outrage. The Daily Mail crowd were predictably outraged but everyone else just shrugged and got on with it.

    Weirdly it has become a new tradition now and it would be strange to be offended by it - well except for the Daily Mail readers.

    One thing I did notice once again was how many Ukraine flags were being waved
    Nah, that's a bit of an inspid establishment view. It's not a "bring your own flag" competition and to say that robs of its meaning, and why people started going in the first place.

    I'm with @Luckyguy1983 on this - it was a musical carnival, an unabashed, celebration of being British - all glorious and bombastic - and to enjoy it amongst everyone else doing it. The fewer doing it the less of a collective and special communal experience it is.

    You get "unofficial" battleproms/last nights around the country now that have sprung up where ordinary people can enjoy themselves as it should be. Either the Albert Hall event needs resetting or it should be relocated or debroadcast now.

    It has been totally sullied and spoiled.
    I think you are being a bit of a spoilsport here. It is a great event that hasn't really changed. I can understand people not liking the EU flags, but they don't spoil the event and there are still plenty of Union flags and I'm sure with time it will revert when the fuss finally dies down. And the fun and music are the important thing which are very patriotic and nobody has suggested changing that.

    It is one of the events that makes Britain British, like pubs, bonfire night and pantomime.

    PS re @Big_G_NorthWales he has mentioned his child in Canada a few times.
    The spoilsports are those who actually organise - bear in mind they are sad enough to spend their free time doing this - the purchase and manufacture of boxes and boxes of EU flags and then hang around all day outside the Albert Hall with the sole purpose of ruining a iconic festival of British music with europhilia and trolling the country on national TV.

    There should only be Union flags, except for a handful of niche ones for guests and interest. Once they get swamped by political campaigns like this action must be taken.
    I thought Conservatives believed in freedom of speech?
    Can I turn up at your wedding then and issue all your guests with flags inscribed with @bondegezou is a pointless wanker, then?
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 59,994
    kjh said:

    kjh said:

    Andy_JS said:

    I trust everyone's watching the Last Night of the Proms. 😊

    Yep. I try and watch and listen to all the Prom concerts though the summer and The Last Night for me marks the start of autumn and my Sacred Season.
    What's with the EU flags? During Elgar?

    There have always been flags of many different nations there although the Union Flag was usually the most prominent. After the Referendum the Remainer clique tried to flood the Last Night with EU flags as a protest and I think hoping to provoke some outrage. The Daily Mail crowd were predictably outraged but everyone else just shrugged and got on with it.

    Weirdly it has become a new tradition now and it would be strange to be offended by it - well except for the Daily Mail readers.

    One thing I did notice once again was how many Ukraine flags were being waved
    Nah, that's a bit of an inspid establishment view. It's not a "bring your own flag" competition and to say that robs of its meaning, and why people started going in the first place.

    I'm with @Luckyguy1983 on this - it was a musical carnival, an unabashed, celebration of being British - all glorious and bombastic - and to enjoy it amongst everyone else doing it. The fewer doing it the less of a collective and special communal experience it is.

    You get "unofficial" battleproms/last nights around the country now that have sprung up where ordinary people can enjoy themselves as it should be. Either the Albert Hall event needs resetting or it should be relocated or debroadcast now.

    It has been totally sullied and spoiled.
    I think you are being a bit of a spoilsport here. It is a great event that hasn't really changed. I can understand people not liking the EU flags, but they don't spoil the event and there are still plenty of Union flags and I'm sure with time it will revert when the fuss finally dies down. And the fun and music are the important thing which are very patriotic and nobody has suggested changing that.

    It is one of the events that makes Britain British, like pubs, bonfire night and pantomime.

    PS re @Big_G_NorthWales he has mentioned his child in Canada a few times.
    The spoilsports are those who actually organise - bear in mind they are sad enough to spend their free time doing this - the purchase and manufacture of boxes and boxes of EU flags and then hang around all day outside the Albert Hall with the sole purpose of ruining a iconic festival of British music with europhilia and trolling the country on national TV.

    There should only be Union flags, except for a handful of niche ones for guests and interest. Once they get swamped by political campaigns like this action must be taken.
    But why does it bother you? And isn't banning stuff going down a very dangerous path. We aren't North Korea.

    Leave people alone to do what they want, provided it doesn't harm others. We are a democracy which is something else Britain should be proud of and celebrate.

    Nobody complains of lots of Ukrainian flags for instance and rightly so. Just leave people alone if it doesn't harm others.
    Ukrainian flags are odd but not part of an orchestrated political campaign

    The efforts of you and your fellow Remoaners to defend it this morning is both predictable as the arguments are pathetic.
  • NEW THREAD

  • nico679 said:

    The removal of the single occupancy discount would be WFA furore on steroids . Not just those currently living alone , older couples will think if one of us goes then the other with just one pension will have to meet that extra cost. It hammers single parents and others who live alone .

    Starmer and Reeves made a big deal of the pension rise covering the loss of the WFA so what will be their defence here ?

    The logical side suggests this is a case of giving the worst case scenario so that when it doesn’t happen there’s a big relief for those that might be effected .

    Alternatively Reeves and Starmer are insane and want the polling to have them in single digits and want their councilors to be totally wiped out next year.

    Has this been seriously proposed or is it just one of a number of pre-budget scare stories put out by the Conservatives?
    Conservative scaremongering about the budget is going to make the final thing look really mild!
    But no, it isn't Conservative scare mongering - cutting WFA or removing council tax rebate for those living alone were beyond our worst consideration of what a 10/10 Marxist Labour party would do. We did fear that they would have forgotten Jim Callaghan's disaster with Capital Transfer Tax with widows having to sell the family home to pay the tax when their husbands died. They exempted transfers between married couples soon after that.

    I still cannot believe this government is really as incompetent as it is setting out. Rishi was no great shakes as PM but most of his problems apart from with migrants were with his lunatic flights of fancy in proposals for policy rather than day to day government. When Sir Keir snarls like a wolf at Rishi saying how evil the Tories were and Rishi just behaves like a gentleman in response it really does look bad for Sir Keir. To say there is no-one in CCHQ running the party's press presence we are having the best press since 2015.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 48,480
    edited September 15

    kjh said:

    Andy_JS said:

    I trust everyone's watching the Last Night of the Proms. 😊

    Yep. I try and watch and listen to all the Prom concerts though the summer and The Last Night for me marks the start of autumn and my Sacred Season.
    What's with the EU flags? During Elgar?

    There have always been flags of many different nations there although the Union Flag was usually the most prominent. After the Referendum the Remainer clique tried to flood the Last Night with EU flags as a protest and I think hoping to provoke some outrage. The Daily Mail crowd were predictably outraged but everyone else just shrugged and got on with it.

    Weirdly it has become a new tradition now and it would be strange to be offended by it - well except for the Daily Mail readers.

    One thing I did notice once again was how many Ukraine flags were being waved
    Nah, that's a bit of an inspid establishment view. It's not a "bring your own flag" competition and to say that robs of its meaning, and why people started going in the first place.

    I'm with @Luckyguy1983 on this - it was a musical carnival, an unabashed, celebration of being British - all glorious and bombastic - and to enjoy it amongst everyone else doing it. The fewer doing it the less of a collective and special communal experience it is.

    You get "unofficial" battleproms/last nights around the country now that have sprung up where ordinary people can enjoy themselves as it should be. Either the Albert Hall event needs resetting or it should be relocated or debroadcast now.

    It has been totally sullied and spoiled.
    I think you are being a bit of a spoilsport here. It is a great event that hasn't really changed. I can understand people not liking the EU flags, but they don't spoil the event and there are still plenty of Union flags and I'm sure with time it will revert when the fuss finally dies down. And the fun and music are the important thing which are very patriotic and nobody has suggested changing that.

    It is one of the events that makes Britain British, like pubs, bonfire night and pantomime.

    PS re @Big_G_NorthWales he has mentioned his child in Canada a few times.
    The spoilsports are those who actually organise - bear in mind they are sad enough to spend their free time doing this - the purchase and manufacture of boxes and boxes of EU flags and then hang around all day outside the Albert Hall with the sole purpose of ruining a iconic festival of British music with europhilia and trolling the country on national TV.

    There should only be Union flags, except for a handful of niche ones for guests and interest. Once they get swamped by political campaigns like this action must be taken.
    I thought Conservatives believed in freedom of speech?
    Can I turn up at your wedding then and issue all your guests with flags inscribed with @bondegezou is a pointless wanker, then?
    I care not a jot about the Last Night of the Proms. It's not my cup of tea at all.

    But seeing CR harrumph like an offended retired colonel makes me smile. Brexit has made it more difficult for travelling musicians of all genres and is deeply disliked by the majority of the country now.

    If you want it restored to its Pooteresque origins why not move it to the end of the pier show in Clacton?
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 70,513
    .
    Tres said:

    kjh said:

    Andy_JS said:

    I trust everyone's watching the Last Night of the Proms. 😊

    Yep. I try and watch and listen to all the Prom concerts though the summer and The Last Night for me marks the start of autumn and my Sacred Season.
    What's with the EU flags? During Elgar?

    There have always been flags of many different nations there although the Union Flag was usually the most prominent. After the Referendum the Remainer clique tried to flood the Last Night with EU flags as a protest and I think hoping to provoke some outrage. The Daily Mail crowd were predictably outraged but everyone else just shrugged and got on with it.

    Weirdly it has become a new tradition now and it would be strange to be offended by it - well except for the Daily Mail readers.

    One thing I did notice once again was how many Ukraine flags were being waved
    Nah, that's a bit of an inspid establishment view. It's not a "bring your own flag" competition and to say that robs of its meaning, and why people started going in the first place.

    I'm with @Luckyguy1983 on this - it was a musical carnival, an unabashed, celebration of being British - all glorious and bombastic - and to enjoy it amongst everyone else doing it. The fewer doing it the less of a collective and special communal experience it is.

    You get "unofficial" battleproms/last nights around the country now that have sprung up where ordinary people can enjoy themselves as it should be. Either the Albert Hall event needs resetting or it should be relocated or debroadcast now.

    It has been totally sullied and spoiled.
    I think you are being a bit of a spoilsport here. It is a great event that hasn't really changed. I can understand people not liking the EU flags, but they don't spoil the event and there are still plenty of Union flags and I'm sure with time it will revert when the fuss finally dies down. And the fun and music are the important thing which are very patriotic and nobody has suggested changing that.

    It is one of the events that makes Britain British, like pubs, bonfire night and pantomime.

    PS re @Big_G_NorthWales he has mentioned his child in Canada a few times.
    The spoilsports are those who actually organise - bear in mind they are sad enough to spend their free time doing this - the purchase and manufacture of boxes and boxes of EU flags and then hang around all day outside the Albert Hall with the sole purpose of ruining a iconic festival of British music with europhilia and trolling the country on national TV.

    There should only be Union flags, except for a handful of niche ones for guests and interest. Once they get swamped by political campaigns like this action must be taken.
    uhoh someones got fleg brain rot - absolutely an import from the US we don't need
    I don't think Casino's aware he's calling for his own political campaign.
  • TazTaz Posts: 14,162

    Taz said:

    Good for Starmer. Excellent and long overdue news :

    Jack Surfleet
    @jacksurfleet
    ·
    1h
    The Mail on Sunday: Assisted dying bill set to be 'rushed into law'
    #TomorrowsPapersToday

    https://x.com/jacksurfleet

    Why the need to rush?

    It’s a highly complex issues with deeply held moral beliefs on all sides. Better to get the law right surely?
    Apparently approved by a so-called Citizens Assembly no less.
    30 people selected by a campaigning charity to “reflect the balance of society”
    Really. Ha ha. What a crock.
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 59,994
    Foxy said:

    kjh said:

    Andy_JS said:

    I trust everyone's watching the Last Night of the Proms. 😊

    Yep. I try and watch and listen to all the Prom concerts though the summer and The Last Night for me marks the start of autumn and my Sacred Season.
    What's with the EU flags? During Elgar?

    There have always been flags of many different nations there although the Union Flag was usually the most prominent. After the Referendum the Remainer clique tried to flood the Last Night with EU flags as a protest and I think hoping to provoke some outrage. The Daily Mail crowd were predictably outraged but everyone else just shrugged and got on with it.

    Weirdly it has become a new tradition now and it would be strange to be offended by it - well except for the Daily Mail readers.

    One thing I did notice once again was how many Ukraine flags were being waved
    Nah, that's a bit of an inspid establishment view. It's not a "bring your own flag" competition and to say that robs of its meaning, and why people started going in the first place.

    I'm with @Luckyguy1983 on this - it was a musical carnival, an unabashed, celebration of being British - all glorious and bombastic - and to enjoy it amongst everyone else doing it. The fewer doing it the less of a collective and special communal experience it is.

    You get "unofficial" battleproms/last nights around the country now that have sprung up where ordinary people can enjoy themselves as it should be. Either the Albert Hall event needs resetting or it should be relocated or debroadcast now.

    It has been totally sullied and spoiled.
    I think you are being a bit of a spoilsport here. It is a great event that hasn't really changed. I can understand people not liking the EU flags, but they don't spoil the event and there are still plenty of Union flags and I'm sure with time it will revert when the fuss finally dies down. And the fun and music are the important thing which are very patriotic and nobody has suggested changing that.

    It is one of the events that makes Britain British, like pubs, bonfire night and pantomime.

    PS re @Big_G_NorthWales he has mentioned his child in Canada a few times.
    The spoilsports are those who actually organise - bear in mind they are sad enough to spend their free time doing this - the purchase and manufacture of boxes and boxes of EU flags and then hang around all day outside the Albert Hall with the sole purpose of ruining a iconic festival of British music with europhilia and trolling the country on national TV.

    There should only be Union flags, except for a handful of niche ones for guests and interest. Once they get swamped by political campaigns like this action must be taken.
    I thought Conservatives believed in freedom of speech?
    Can I turn up at your wedding then and issue all your guests with flags inscribed with @bondegezou is a pointless wanker, then?
    I care not a jot about the Last Night of the Proms. It's not my cup of tea at all.

    But seeing CR harrumph like an offended retired colonel makes me smile. Brexit has made it more difficult for travelling musicians of all genres and is deeply disliked by the majority of the country now.

    If you want it restored to its Pooteresque origins why not move it to the end of the pier show in Clacton?
    Yes. I have a friend of mine who lives in Hendon (a staunch Brexiteer) and drives past every year to see what's going on and gently encourage them to get a life. He said they were 100% white, earnest, all over 55 years old, and all very sad people.

    In other words, people entirely like you.

    You should join them.
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 59,994

    kjh said:

    kjh said:

    Andy_JS said:

    I trust everyone's watching the Last Night of the Proms. 😊

    Yep. I try and watch and listen to all the Prom concerts though the summer and The Last Night for me marks the start of autumn and my Sacred Season.
    What's with the EU flags? During Elgar?

    There have always been flags of many different nations there although the Union Flag was usually the most prominent. After the Referendum the Remainer clique tried to flood the Last Night with EU flags as a protest and I think hoping to provoke some outrage. The Daily Mail crowd were predictably outraged but everyone else just shrugged and got on with it.

    Weirdly it has become a new tradition now and it would be strange to be offended by it - well except for the Daily Mail readers.

    One thing I did notice once again was how many Ukraine flags were being waved
    Nah, that's a bit of an inspid establishment view. It's not a "bring your own flag" competition and to say that robs of its meaning, and why people started going in the first place.

    I'm with @Luckyguy1983 on this - it was a musical carnival, an unabashed, celebration of being British - all glorious and bombastic - and to enjoy it amongst everyone else doing it. The fewer doing it the less of a collective and special communal experience it is.

    You get "unofficial" battleproms/last nights around the country now that have sprung up where ordinary people can enjoy themselves as it should be. Either the Albert Hall event needs resetting or it should be relocated or debroadcast now.

    It has been totally sullied and spoiled.
    I think you are being a bit of a spoilsport here. It is a great event that hasn't really changed. I can understand people not liking the EU flags, but they don't spoil the event and there are still plenty of Union flags and I'm sure with time it will revert when the fuss finally dies down. And the fun and music are the important thing which are very patriotic and nobody has suggested changing that.

    It is one of the events that makes Britain British, like pubs, bonfire night and pantomime.

    PS re @Big_G_NorthWales he has mentioned his child in Canada a few times.
    The spoilsports are those who actually organise - bear in mind they are sad enough to spend their free time doing this - the purchase and manufacture of boxes and boxes of EU flags and then hang around all day outside the Albert Hall with the sole purpose of ruining a iconic festival of British music with europhilia and trolling the country on national TV.

    There should only be Union flags, except for a handful of niche ones for guests and interest. Once they get swamped by political campaigns like this action must be taken.
    But why does it bother you? And isn't banning stuff going down a very dangerous path. We aren't North Korea.

    Leave people alone to do what they want, provided it doesn't harm others. We are a democracy which is something else Britain should be proud of and celebrate.

    Nobody complains of lots of Ukrainian flags for instance and rightly so. Just leave people alone if it doesn't harm others.
    I wouldn't ban the EU flags personally. I think it is just a symptom of a wider disease in the body politic. When Britain is a prosperous, well run, proud nation, at home with its past and confident in its future, the idea of attending the Last Night to wave around a flag of a foreign supranational organisation will be a cranky pursuit limited to a couple of eccentric people amongst a flood of Union flags. Whilst that isn't the case, censoring the activity looks like weakness not strength.
    Satisfying though.
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 53,706
    malcolmg said:

    algarkirk said:

    Leon said:

    Another REALLY hostile anti-Starmer headline, in the guardian, even as he plunges in the polls. They genuinely dislike him, this isn’t just for clicks. Odd


    “Charities demand to meet UK ministers as 1.6m disabled OAPs set to lose winter fuel payments”

    https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/sep/15/charities-demand-to-meet-uk-ministers-as-16m-disabled-oaps-set-to-lose-winter-fuel-payments

    Completely incomprehensible. The WFA thing is a Truss level performance; and they are now in a state where it is almost impossible to rescue the matter without losing face. Very similar to T May's social care disaster in the 2017 GE campaign.

    And it is getting a little chillier and darker in the north every day.
    Heating is already needed up here
    You’re getting soft Malcolm. We haven’t had ours on yet. Put a jumper on.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 48,480

    Foxy said:

    kjh said:

    Andy_JS said:

    I trust everyone's watching the Last Night of the Proms. 😊

    Yep. I try and watch and listen to all the Prom concerts though the summer and The Last Night for me marks the start of autumn and my Sacred Season.
    What's with the EU flags? During Elgar?

    There have always been flags of many different nations there although the Union Flag was usually the most prominent. After the Referendum the Remainer clique tried to flood the Last Night with EU flags as a protest and I think hoping to provoke some outrage. The Daily Mail crowd were predictably outraged but everyone else just shrugged and got on with it.

    Weirdly it has become a new tradition now and it would be strange to be offended by it - well except for the Daily Mail readers.

    One thing I did notice once again was how many Ukraine flags were being waved
    Nah, that's a bit of an inspid establishment view. It's not a "bring your own flag" competition and to say that robs of its meaning, and why people started going in the first place.

    I'm with @Luckyguy1983 on this - it was a musical carnival, an unabashed, celebration of being British - all glorious and bombastic - and to enjoy it amongst everyone else doing it. The fewer doing it the less of a collective and special communal experience it is.

    You get "unofficial" battleproms/last nights around the country now that have sprung up where ordinary people can enjoy themselves as it should be. Either the Albert Hall event needs resetting or it should be relocated or debroadcast now.

    It has been totally sullied and spoiled.
    I think you are being a bit of a spoilsport here. It is a great event that hasn't really changed. I can understand people not liking the EU flags, but they don't spoil the event and there are still plenty of Union flags and I'm sure with time it will revert when the fuss finally dies down. And the fun and music are the important thing which are very patriotic and nobody has suggested changing that.

    It is one of the events that makes Britain British, like pubs, bonfire night and pantomime.

    PS re @Big_G_NorthWales he has mentioned his child in Canada a few times.
    The spoilsports are those who actually organise - bear in mind they are sad enough to spend their free time doing this - the purchase and manufacture of boxes and boxes of EU flags and then hang around all day outside the Albert Hall with the sole purpose of ruining a iconic festival of British music with europhilia and trolling the country on national TV.

    There should only be Union flags, except for a handful of niche ones for guests and interest. Once they get swamped by political campaigns like this action must be taken.
    I thought Conservatives believed in freedom of speech?
    Can I turn up at your wedding then and issue all your guests with flags inscribed with @bondegezou is a pointless wanker, then?
    I care not a jot about the Last Night of the Proms. It's not my cup of tea at all.

    But seeing CR harrumph like an offended retired colonel makes me smile. Brexit has made it more difficult for travelling musicians of all genres and is deeply disliked by the majority of the country now.

    If you want it restored to its Pooteresque origins why not move it to the end of the pier show in Clacton?
    Yes. I have a friend of mine who lives in Hendon (a staunch Brexiteer) and drives past every year to see what's going on and gently encourage them to get a life. He said they were 100% white, earnest, all over 55 years old, and all very sad people.

    In other words, people entirely like you.

    You should join them.
    Yes, that's the typical classical music audience. Older white middle class, but not my cup of tea. I have always been a bit more Gen X in my tastes.
  • Leon said:

    Have we established where @Theuniondivvie is sporting his excellent shoes?

    Is it really Trump Tower?

    I’m surprised no one got my clue, must have been too subtly TSE-ish.

    https://www.ladbible.com/entertainment/celebrity/michael-jackson-explains-baby-out-balcony-window-643218-20240913

    Afaicr the Adlon pops up in I Am A Camera so it’s on the Weimarophile route map. Miraculously it largely survived Allied bombing but after victory in 1945 the Red Army occupied it, got in to the wine cellar and burnt it down. Very plush but lacking a bit of soul in its reincarnation.

    Unknown with Liam Neeson!
  • StillWatersStillWaters Posts: 8,095

    ydoethur said:

    So three months in and nobody's talking about how competent Starmer's government is.

    Unbelievably Sunak is starting to look good

    Now hang on, that's going a bit far.
    Is it ?

    I mean for months on PB Starmer was praised for his quiet competence, w were going to have better government etc.

    So far we have had a mega lie on £22 billion, the unions are rubbing their hands om inflationary pay increases, Miliband is merrily screwing up energy and killiing 100000+ jobs in the North Sea, , WFA fiasco, riots, growth at a stand still for the last 2 months and big tax rises on the horizon.

    And all of that in 10 week as just today the sleaze accusations start to circle round Starmer.


    What I don’t get is how could Starmer not see that *obviously* the clothes should have been declared. It’s not an unreasonable donation - no one would have cared

    But as a prosecutor he must have seen how bad it would look

  • StillWatersStillWaters Posts: 8,095
    kjh said:

    Andy_JS said:

    I trust everyone's watching the Last Night of the Proms. 😊

    Yep. I try and watch and listen to all the Prom concerts though the summer and The Last Night for me marks the start of autumn and my Sacred Season.
    What's with the EU flags? During Elgar?

    There have always been flags of many different nations there although the Union Flag was usually the most prominent. After the Referendum the Remainer clique tried to flood the Last Night with EU flags as a protest and I think hoping to provoke some outrage. The Daily Mail crowd were predictably outraged but everyone else just shrugged and got on with it.

    Weirdly it has become a new tradition now and it would be strange to be offended by it - well except for the Daily Mail readers.

    One thing I did notice once again was how many Ukraine flags were being waved
    Nah, that's a bit of an inspid establishment view. It's not a "bring your own flag" competition and to say that robs of its meaning, and why people started going in the first place.

    I'm with @Luckyguy1983 on this - it was a musical carnival, an unabashed, celebration of being British - all glorious and bombastic - and to enjoy it amongst everyone else doing it. The fewer doing it the less of a collective and special communal experience it is.

    You get "unofficial" battleproms/last nights around the country now that have sprung up where ordinary people can enjoy themselves as it should be. Either the Albert Hall event needs resetting or it should be relocated or debroadcast now.

    It has been totally sullied and spoiled.
    I think you are being a bit of a spoilsport here. It is a great event that hasn't really changed. I can understand people not liking the EU flags, but they don't spoil the event and there are still plenty of Union flags and I'm sure with time it will revert when the fuss finally dies down. And the fun and music are the important thing which are very patriotic and nobody has suggested changing that.

    It is one of the events that makes Britain British, like pubs, bonfire night and
    pantomime.

    PS re @Big_G_NorthWales he has mentioned his child in Canada a few times.
    I disagree with you here (which doesn’t happen that often).

    It’s not the waving of EU flags that irritates me - if it happened organically (as it did in the past as @Richard_Tyndall noted). It’s the fact that there is a campaign to make a political point out of something that is harmless fun and a bit of silliness and flag waving

    (And there are regular attempts to change the music for what it is worth)
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 49,774
    “Please don’t use the bath towels to clean your vehicle”

    Useful advice for travellers in Kansas.
This discussion has been closed.