Seriously, is there a case for Sir Keir, Reeves and Rayner simply to resign? Drastic but it could be spun as the ultimate government relaunch and the Bidden-Harris handover cited as a legitimate 'game-changing' model. As things stand this clearly isn't working.
I think that's right. Yvette for pm and Tulip for chancellor.
Either that or an October GE and give people the opportunity they are crying out for to give their verdict on this bunch of chancers and no hopers.
I called this the other day (and alluded to it in the header.)
No 10 was flat-footed in explaining the details in a way that would have muted the criticism. Reports that Starmer has been given an entire corporate box by Arsenal, worth about £8,000 a game, for security reasons were inaccurate.
The prime minister owns season tickets for him and his son, which he continues to pay for. He has been able to take two seats in a box, moving around each game so he is never in the same place twice, a requirement of his security team. Starmer has already twice paid the difference between the value of his seats and those he has been given. The sums are “a few hundred pounds”.
More understandably, his team has not been able to brief about the security threat, which sources say is much higher than it was when Cameron or Sunak sat in the stands. This is because Islamist extremists are targeting Starmer and senior cabinet ministers over the government’s approach to the war in Gaza.
Seriously, is there a case for Sir Keir, Reeves and Rayner simply to resign? Drastic but it could be spun as the ultimate government relaunch and the Bidden-Harris handover cited as a legitimate 'game-changing' model. As things stand this clearly isn't working.
As things stand, this has been embarrassing to the government, but I don’t see it dominating the national conversation or having long-lasting damage. It’s no Partygate. It’s not even up there with Sunak’s love of helicopter rides.
I would suggest those who are horrified to have Labour in No. 10 should pace themselves. Labour are going to be there for at least 5 years. Starmer, Rayner and Reeves are very probably in place for several years.
Possibly an even larger differential between the sexes than we have seen already? Trump must know that right now women (and those liars he appointed to the SC) are going to cost him the election.
The interesting thing Trump says is this bit: ...with powerful exceptions, like those that Ronald Reagan insisted on, for rape, incest and the life of the mother
In trying to carve out those exceptions, Trump is standing against the ultras on his own side (hence the appeal to Reagan).
Although abortion being permitted only for those reasons remains an extreme position which takes women back to the pre civil rights era and tosses any notion of gender equality into the bin.
He almost injured himself trying not to say "white"...
Is that fair though? The interviewer hostilely suggests there’s no such thing as English identity, or that the very idea of it is somehow racist.
I think Jenrick acquits himself pretty well.
No he asks him to define it - which is entirely fair. Jenrick screws up because any answer that's coherent, accurate and doesn't exclude lots of people who are very much English, would show that English identity isn't "under threat" in any way because it's a nebulous and evolving concept that people apply in their own way, and that in many senses it's more celebrated than ever - we've had West End plays about the England football team.
Can some English people have other identities as well ? For example, Indian or Nigerian or Irish ?
Because if the English part of their identity is 'nebulous' while the other aspects of the identity are more 'concrete' isn't it a possibility that the other parts of their identity become dominant ?
Something which might not be conducive to a harmonious society.
All identities are nebulous though.
Holding strongly onto one's identity a la Jenrick is, in my view, a sign of insecurity about it. For the same reason someone who has, or whose family has, migrated from India or Nigeria will probably hold onto their identity more strongly, indeed fetishise it.
As a confident Englishman, coming from a position of relative power, I don't really feel the need to define my identity. In fact I value precisely its nebulous, adaptable nature.
I quite like Rayner - at least she’s got some spark of life - but this could be fatal. The hypocrisy is off the dial
I mean I did New Year in New York in 2008 and it was north of £1,000 night then.
As an occasional travel writer, my guess is a trip like that would cost at least £6k and maybe much more
Why does she not admit that? Is there some rule about accepting sums over a certain level? Or is it just coz it looks so bad - “yeah I had a free ten grand holibobs, soz”
It's Labour's bloody class warfare that has come back to haunt them.
You cannot portray yourself as a man/woman of the people when you're cadging £6k holidays so best keep schtum about the latter.
I’m amazed at how rapidly this government has come apart.
Its coming apart because many people are skint. Lost count of the number of conversations ive had where its"What you doing tonite" "Oh just chilling".
Tonight.
Are you suggesting that TomW is a non native English speaker who doesn't understand the differences between American English and British English? For shame
I quite like Rayner - at least she’s got some spark of life - but this could be fatal. The hypocrisy is off the dial
I mean I did New Year in New York in 2008 and it was north of £1,000 night then.
As an occasional travel writer, my guess is a trip like that would cost at least £6k and maybe much more
Why does she not admit that? Is there some rule about accepting sums over a certain level? Or is it just coz it looks so bad - “yeah I had a free ten grand holibobs, soz”
It's Labour's bloody class warfare that has come back to haunt them.
You cannot portray yourself as a man/woman of the people when you're cadging £6k holidays so best keep schtum about the latter.
I’m amazed at how rapidly this government has come apart.
Its coming apart because many people are skint. Lost count of the number of conversations ive had where its"What you doing tonite" "Oh just chilling".
Tonight.
Thats what i said. Interestingly when people are losing arguments they always criticize punctuation. Human nature i guess.
Your spellchecker has erroneously corrected the first person singular pronoun capital "I" to a small "i".
On topic. Forgive me for not understanding the appeal of Robert Jenrick.
Lay the favourite?
His appeal is that he is a (Cambridge educated) lawyer.
The 2024 is the year of the lawyer.
Starmer, Jenrick, then Kamala Harris.
He is Cambridge educated (John's, history) but not a Cambridge lawyer.
Jenrick (St John's, Cambridge) v Starmer (St Edmund Hall, Oxford by way of Leeds) would be the first Oxford v Cambridge general election Varsity Match since Howard v Blair in 2005. Oxford won that one, though Cambridge won the last one before that when Baldwin (Trinity, Cambridge) beat Attlee (University College, Oxford) in 1935
Baldwin was the best Tory ever.
Got rid of the King.
To replace him with his brother as King who successfully with Churchill led us through WW2
Churchill the closet Shinner?
There is nothing so British as firing inconvenient Kings. Kings rule by divine right - if they fall off the throne, that’s God saying “You’re chips are done”.
That is why everyone should sing the national anthem each night, and not just the first verse. May he defend our laws, and ever give us cause... That's the important part, the British monarch defends our laws, not his laws, the King's laws or God's laws but our laws, made in Parliament by representatives of the people.
What about the line about “rebellious Scots”?
That's why they only sing two verses when they're not singing only the one.
Seriously, is there a case for Sir Keir, Reeves and Rayner simply to resign? Drastic but it could be spun as the ultimate government relaunch and the Bidden-Harris handover cited as a legitimate 'game-changing' model. As things stand this clearly isn't working.
Government of national unity with Sunak returning as PM and Mandelson appointed as Chancellor from the Lords.
Possibly an even larger differential between the sexes than we have seen already? Trump must know that right now women (and those liars he appointed to the SC) are going to cost him the election.
The interesting thing Trump says is this bit: ...with powerful exceptions, like those that Ronald Reagan insisted on, for rape, incest and the life of the mother
In trying to carve out those exceptions, Trump is standing against the ultras on his own side (hence the appeal to Reagan).
Although abortion being permitted only for those reasons remains an extreme position which takes women back to the pre civil rights era and tosses any notion of gender equality into the bin.
Indeed but it is interesting that on abortion (and on Project 2025) Trump is trying to distance himself from other Republicans.
Possibly an even larger differential between the sexes than we have seen already? Trump must know that right now women (and those liars he appointed to the SC) are going to cost him the election.
The interesting thing Trump says is this bit: ...with powerful exceptions, like those that Ronald Reagan insisted on, for rape, incest and the life of the mother
In trying to carve out those exceptions, Trump is standing against the ultras on his own side (hence the appeal to Reagan).
Although abortion being permitted only for those reasons remains an extreme position which takes women back to the pre civil rights era and tosses any notion of gender equality into the bin.
Not really. We have effective contraception in the pill now so its totally different.
Possibly an even larger differential between the sexes than we have seen already? Trump must know that right now women (and those liars he appointed to the SC) are going to cost him the election.
The interesting thing Trump says is this bit: ...with powerful exceptions, like those that Ronald Reagan insisted on, for rape, incest and the life of the mother
In trying to carve out those exceptions, Trump is standing against the ultras on his own side (hence the appeal to Reagan).
Although abortion being permitted only for those reasons remains an extreme position which takes women back to the pre civil rights era and tosses any notion of gender equality into the bin.
From 2019-22, maternal mortality has increased by 56% in Texas, compared to an 11% increase across the US as a whole. That’s the result of the abortion ban. It is killing women.
I suspect Rayner arrived at the figure by estimating how much she would have spent on a week's holiday if paying for herself rather than the value of the specific trip in question.
lol
“Ok I got a free ten grand holiday but if paying for myself I’d have done a coach trip to Whitby, had some chips on the seafront, then got a bus home, costing £73, so I declare this a £73 holiday”
Angela Rayner is the posh and middle class persons ideal view of the working class. They use her to burnish their pro worker credentials while reinforcing their worldview.. How can I be against the working class. I love Ange. She’s working class. She’s okay.
Working class people who don’t confirm to their world view, like Lee Anderson however….
Plenty of posh right wing racists seem to like Lee Anderson.
I’ve just watched the Fayed documentary on iPlayer. Absolutely horrendous. Thank god we have #metoo and cancel culture today. If we’d had the same in the 1980s, many women would have been spared later rape, assault or harassment (and Princess Di would still be alive!).
At least the BBC isn't implicated in this one.
The producers of The Crown knew about the stories - apparently they were approached before the series featuring the Phoney Pharoh was made, by some of the women.
And they chose to bowlerise his character, instead.
I suspect Rayner arrived at the figure by estimating how much she would have spent on a week's holiday if paying for herself rather than the value of the specific trip in question.
lol
“Ok I got a free ten grand holiday but if paying for myself I’d have done a coach trip to Whitby, had some chips on the seafront, then got a bus home, costing £73, so I declare this a £73 holiday”
On topic. Forgive me for not understanding the appeal of Robert Jenrick.
Lay the favourite?
His appeal is that he is a (Cambridge educated) lawyer.
The 2024 is the year of the lawyer.
Starmer, Jenrick, then Kamala Harris.
He is Cambridge educated (John's, history) but not a Cambridge lawyer.
Jenrick (St John's, Cambridge) v Starmer (St Edmund Hall, Oxford by way of Leeds) would be the first Oxford v Cambridge general election Varsity Match since Howard v Blair in 2005. Oxford won that one, though Cambridge won the last one before that when Baldwin (Trinity, Cambridge) beat Attlee (University College, Oxford) in 1935
Baldwin was the best Tory ever.
Got rid of the King.
To replace him with his brother as King who successfully with Churchill led us through WW2
Churchill the closet Shinner?
There is nothing so British as firing inconvenient Kings. Kings rule by divine right - if they fall off the throne, that’s God saying “You’re chips are done”.
Indeed. England can boast Edward II, Richard II, Henry VI, Richard III and James II.
Scotland can mention John, Mary, James I and James VII.
I quite like Rayner - at least she’s got some spark of life - but this could be fatal. The hypocrisy is off the dial
I mean I did New Year in New York in 2008 and it was north of £1,000 night then.
As an occasional travel writer, my guess is a trip like that would cost at least £6k and maybe much more
Why does she not admit that? Is there some rule about accepting sums over a certain level? Or is it just coz it looks so bad - “yeah I had a free ten grand holibobs, soz”
It's Labour's bloody class warfare that has come back to haunt them.
You cannot portray yourself as a man/woman of the people when you're cadging £6k holidays so best keep schtum about the latter.
I’m amazed at how rapidly this government has come apart.
Its coming apart because many people are skint. Lost count of the number of conversations ive had where its"What you doing tonite" "Oh just chilling".
Tonight.
Thats what i said. Interestingly when people are losing arguments they always criticize punctuation. Human nature i guess.
I'm very surprised you criticise anyone's punctuation, despite the fact you must invariably lose every argument you partake of.
But actually, Sandy was criticising your spelling. So your point's invalid anyway.
I quite like Rayner - at least she’s got some spark of life - but this could be fatal. The hypocrisy is off the dial
I mean I did New Year in New York in 2008 and it was north of £1,000 night then.
As an occasional travel writer, my guess is a trip like that would cost at least £6k and maybe much more
Why does she not admit that? Is there some rule about accepting sums over a certain level? Or is it just coz it looks so bad - “yeah I had a free ten grand holibobs, soz”
It's Labour's bloody class warfare that has come back to haunt them.
You cannot portray yourself as a man/woman of the people when you're cadging £6k holidays so best keep schtum about the latter.
I’m amazed at how rapidly this government has come apart.
Its coming apart because many people are skint. Lost count of the number of conversations ive had where its"What you doing tonite" "Oh just chilling".
Tonight.
Thats what i said. Interestingly when people are losing arguments they always criticize punctuation. Human nature i guess.
I, not i. And spelling (or in my case grammar/syntax), not punctuation.
On topic. Forgive me for not understanding the appeal of Robert Jenrick.
Lay the favourite?
His appeal is that he is a (Cambridge educated) lawyer.
The 2024 is the year of the lawyer.
Starmer, Jenrick, then Kamala Harris.
He is Cambridge educated (John's, history) but not a Cambridge lawyer.
Jenrick (St John's, Cambridge) v Starmer (St Edmund Hall, Oxford by way of Leeds) would be the first Oxford v Cambridge general election Varsity Match since Howard v Blair in 2005. Oxford won that one, though Cambridge won the last one before that when Baldwin (Trinity, Cambridge) beat Attlee (University College, Oxford) in 1935
Baldwin was the best Tory ever.
Got rid of the King.
To replace him with his brother as King who successfully with Churchill led us through WW2
Churchill the closet Shinner?
There is nothing so British as firing inconvenient Kings. Kings rule by divine right - if they fall off the throne, that’s God saying “You’re chips are done”.
Indeed. England can boast Edward II, Richard II, Henry VI, Richard III and James II.
Scotland can mention John, Mary, James I and James VII.
I suspect Rayner arrived at the figure by estimating how much she would have spent on a week's holiday if paying for herself rather than the value of the specific trip in question.
lol
“Ok I got a free ten grand holiday but if paying for myself I’d have done a coach trip to Whitby, had some chips on the seafront, then got a bus home, costing £73, so I declare this a £73 holiday”
Add in a bit of fudge around airline flights and five days not a whole week, and now sharing with another MP, and suddenly the scandal is blurred.
That’s the long term rate.
Good luck booking a holiday rental for that.
Occasionally (actually, who am I kidding: often) when reading PB I find myself getting caught up in the froth of news that won't stick beyond a few news cycles.
I suspect this is that. Don't get me wrong, the hypocrisy of a government 'dedicating itself to service' yet unable to see that freebies of any sort are almost always unnecessary and compromising leaves a bad taste in the mouth. But the prospect of the top three ministers resigning en masse, or an October election, is utterly farcical.
Seriously, is there a case for Sir Keir, Reeves and Rayner simply to resign? Drastic but it could be spun as the ultimate government relaunch and the Bidden-Harris handover cited as a legitimate 'game-changing' model. As things stand this clearly isn't working.
I think that's right. Yvette for pm and Tulip for chancellor.
Either that or an October GE and give people the opportunity they are crying out for to give their verdict on this bunch of chancers and no hopers.
Well I seem to remember someone chanting "There should be a second vote, people didn't know what they were voting for". On July 4 that was true !
I quite like Rayner - at least she’s got some spark of life - but this could be fatal. The hypocrisy is off the dial
I mean I did New Year in New York in 2008 and it was north of £1,000 night then.
As an occasional travel writer, my guess is a trip like that would cost at least £6k and maybe much more
Why does she not admit that? Is there some rule about accepting sums over a certain level? Or is it just coz it looks so bad - “yeah I had a free ten grand holibobs, soz”
It's Labour's bloody class warfare that has come back to haunt them.
You cannot portray yourself as a man/woman of the people when you're cadging £6k holidays so best keep schtum about the latter.
I’m amazed at how rapidly this government has come apart.
It's very funny.
I hope the hubris is pure and they're flushed down the toilet of history as soon as possible.
He almost injured himself trying not to say "white"...
Is that fair though? The interviewer hostilely suggests there’s no such thing as English identity, or that the very idea of it is somehow racist.
I think Jenrick acquits himself pretty well.
No he asks him to define it - which is entirely fair. Jenrick screws up because any answer that's coherent, accurate and doesn't exclude lots of people who are very much English, would show that English identity isn't "under threat" in any way because it's a nebulous and evolving concept that people apply in their own way, and that in many senses it's more celebrated than ever - we've had West End plays about the England football team.
Can some English people have other identities as well ? For example, Indian or Nigerian or Irish ?
Because if the English part of their identity is 'nebulous' while the other aspects of the identity are more 'concrete' isn't it a possibility that the other parts of their identity become dominant ?
Something which might not be conducive to a harmonious society.
All identities are nebulous though.
Holding strongly onto one's identity a la Jenrick is, in my view, a sign of insecurity about it. For the same reason someone who has, or whose family has, migrated from India or Nigeria will probably hold onto their identity more strongly, indeed fetishise it.
As a confident Englishman, coming from a position of relative power, I don't really feel the need to define my identity. In fact I value precisely its nebulous, adaptable nature.
I think we all know what the English Way is: hanging on in quiet desperation.
I suspect Rayner arrived at the figure by estimating how much she would have spent on a week's holiday if paying for herself rather than the value of the specific trip in question.
lol
“Ok I got a free ten grand holiday but if paying for myself I’d have done a coach trip to Whitby, had some chips on the seafront, then got a bus home, costing £73, so I declare this a £73 holiday”
Add in a bit of fudge around airline flights and five days not a whole week, and now sharing with another MP, and suddenly the scandal is blurred.
That’s the long term rate.
Good luck booking a holiday rental for that.
Occasionally (actually, who am I kidding: often) when reading PB I find myself getting caught up in the froth of news that won't stick beyond a few news cycles.
I suspect this is that. Don't get me wrong, the hypocrisy of a government 'dedicating itself to service' yet unable to see that freebies of any sort are almost always unnecessary and compromising leaves a bad taste in the mouth. But the prospect of the top three ministers resigning en masse, or an October election, is utterly farcical.
There are lots of seriously damaging stories that could hit the government this winter. What if one of Starmer's released prisoners is implicated in a serious crime or if particularly cold weather causes a spike in deaths among the elderly?
I suspect Rayner arrived at the figure by estimating how much she would have spent on a week's holiday if paying for herself rather than the value of the specific trip in question.
lol
“Ok I got a free ten grand holiday but if paying for myself I’d have done a coach trip to Whitby, had some chips on the seafront, then got a bus home, costing £73, so I declare this a £73 holiday”
Add in a bit of fudge around airline flights and five days not a whole week, and now sharing with another MP, and suddenly the scandal is blurred.
That’s the long term rate.
Good luck booking a holiday rental for that.
Occasionally (actually, who am I kidding: often) when reading PB I find myself getting caught up in the froth of news that won't stick beyond a few news cycles.
I suspect this is that. Don't gwereet me wrong, the hypocrisy of a government 'dedicating itself to service' yet unable to see that freebies of any sort are almost always unnecessary and compromising leaves a bad taste in the mouth. But the prospect of the top three ministers resigning en masse, or an October election, is utterly farcical.
He almost injured himself trying not to say "white"...
Is that fair though? The interviewer hostilely suggests there’s no such thing as English identity, or that the very idea of it is somehow racist.
I think Jenrick acquits himself pretty well.
No he asks him to define it - which is entirely fair. Jenrick screws up because any answer that's coherent, accurate and doesn't exclude lots of people who are very much English, would show that English identity isn't "under threat" in any way because it's a nebulous and evolving concept that people apply in their own way, and that in many senses it's more celebrated than ever - we've had West End plays about the England football team.
Your answer suggests that English identity is undefinable because it’s a “nebulous and evolving concept that people apply in their own way.”
This is nonsense.
Indeed so. For the poster, and the interviewer as well, it's the very idea of an English identity that they find offensive.
On topic. Forgive me for not understanding the appeal of Robert Jenrick.
Lay the favourite?
His appeal is that he is a (Cambridge educated) lawyer.
The 2024 is the year of the lawyer.
Starmer, Jenrick, then Kamala Harris.
He is Cambridge educated (John's, history) but not a Cambridge lawyer.
Jenrick (St John's, Cambridge) v Starmer (St Edmund Hall, Oxford by way of Leeds) would be the first Oxford v Cambridge general election Varsity Match since Howard v Blair in 2005. Oxford won that one, though Cambridge won the last one before that when Baldwin (Trinity, Cambridge) beat Attlee (University College, Oxford) in 1935
Baldwin was the best Tory ever.
Got rid of the King.
To replace him with his brother as King who successfully with Churchill led us through WW2
Churchill the closet Shinner?
There is nothing so British as firing inconvenient Kings. Kings rule by divine right - if they fall off the throne, that’s God saying “You’re chips are done”.
Indeed. England can boast Edward II, Richard II, Henry VI, Richard III and James II.
Scotland can mention John, Mary, James I and James VII.
And both can boast of Edward VIII.
I’d add Charles I to the list, I think…
D'oh! I hadn't even thought of him.
Honestly, I'll lose my head next.
I was wondering what made him different: it’s not like all the others lived to a ripe old age after being deposed…
I suspect Rayner arrived at the figure by estimating how much she would have spent on a week's holiday if paying for herself rather than the value of the specific trip in question.
lol
“Ok I got a free ten grand holiday but if paying for myself I’d have done a coach trip to Whitby, had some chips on the seafront, then got a bus home, costing £73, so I declare this a £73 holiday”
Add in a bit of fudge around airline flights and five days not a whole week, and now sharing with another MP, and suddenly the scandal is blurred.
That’s the long term rate.
Good luck booking a holiday rental for that.
Occasionally (actually, who am I kidding: often) when reading PB I find myself getting caught up in the froth of news that won't stick beyond a few news cycles.
I suspect this is that. Don't get me wrong, the hypocrisy of a government 'dedicating itself to service' yet unable to see that freebies of any sort are almost always unnecessary and compromising leaves a bad taste in the mouth. But the prospect of the top three ministers resigning en masse, or an October election, is utterly farcical.
Ehhhh. It's just that you can't campaign against sleaze and immediately 180, that will be remembered (and will be a boon to they're all the same-ism).
It will pass before anyone resigns, but their polling is unlikely to recover.
He almost injured himself trying not to say "white"...
Is that fair though? The interviewer hostilely suggests there’s no such thing as English identity, or that the very idea of it is somehow racist.
I think Jenrick acquits himself pretty well.
No he asks him to define it - which is entirely fair. Jenrick screws up because any answer that's coherent, accurate and doesn't exclude lots of people who are very much English, would show that English identity isn't "under threat" in any way because it's a nebulous and evolving concept that people apply in their own way, and that in many senses it's more celebrated than ever - we've had West End plays about the England football team.
Your answer suggests that English identity is undefinable because it’s a “nebulous and evolving concept that people apply in their own way.”
This is nonsense.
Indeed so. For the poster, and the interviewer as well, it's the very idea of an English identity that they find offensive.
Well, I dunno. We could then get on to Anderson in Imagined Communities and the shortcomings of nationalism as an idea if you want to take a philosophical approach.
I quite like Rayner - at least she’s got some spark of life - but this could be fatal. The hypocrisy is off the dial
I mean I did New Year in New York in 2008 and it was north of £1,000 night then.
As an occasional travel writer, my guess is a trip like that would cost at least £6k and maybe much more
Why does she not admit that? Is there some rule about accepting sums over a certain level? Or is it just coz it looks so bad - “yeah I had a free ten grand holibobs, soz”
It's Labour's bloody class warfare that has come back to haunt them.
You cannot portray yourself as a man/woman of the people when you're cadging £6k holidays so best keep schtum about the latter.
I’m amazed at how rapidly this government has come apart.
It's very funny.
I hope the hubris is pure and they're flushed down the toilet of history as soon as possible.
Without a military coup, asap is two and a half months shy of 5 years. Enjoy!
Possibly an even larger differential between the sexes than we have seen already? Trump must know that right now women (and those liars he appointed to the SC) are going to cost him the election.
The interesting thing Trump says is this bit: ...with powerful exceptions, like those that Ronald Reagan insisted on, for rape, incest and the life of the mother
In trying to carve out those exceptions, Trump is standing against the ultras on his own side (hence the appeal to Reagan).
Although abortion being permitted only for those reasons remains an extreme position which takes women back to the pre civil rights era and tosses any notion of gender equality into the bin.
Indeed but it is interesting that on abortion (and on Project 2025) Trump is trying to distance himself from other Republicans.
I guess he has to try. The abortion thing. The court judgement on sexual abuse. His blatant misogyny generally. He has a big problem on the distaff side. Over half the electorate are women and so is his opponent. Good luck with that Donald but it'll take a minor miracle imo. I think enough people see him now.
I suspect Rayner arrived at the figure by estimating how much she would have spent on a week's holiday if paying for herself rather than the value of the specific trip in question.
lol
“Ok I got a free ten grand holiday but if paying for myself I’d have done a coach trip to Whitby, had some chips on the seafront, then got a bus home, costing £73, so I declare this a £73 holiday”
Add in a bit of fudge around airline flights and five days not a whole week, and now sharing with another MP, and suddenly the scandal is blurred.
That’s the long term rate.
Good luck booking a holiday rental for that.
Occasionally (actually, who am I kidding: often) when reading PB I find myself getting caught up in the froth of news that won't stick beyond a few news cycles.
I suspect this is that. Don't get me wrong, the hypocrisy of a government 'dedicating itself to service' yet unable to see that freebies of any sort are almost always unnecessary and compromising leaves a bad taste in the mouth. But the prospect of the top three ministers resigning en masse, or an October election, is utterly farcical.
On topic. Forgive me for not understanding the appeal of Robert Jenrick.
Lay the favourite?
His appeal is that he is a (Cambridge educated) lawyer.
The 2024 is the year of the lawyer.
Starmer, Jenrick, then Kamala Harris.
He is Cambridge educated (John's, history) but not a Cambridge lawyer.
Jenrick (St John's, Cambridge) v Starmer (St Edmund Hall, Oxford by way of Leeds) would be the first Oxford v Cambridge general election Varsity Match since Howard v Blair in 2005. Oxford won that one, though Cambridge won the last one before that when Baldwin (Trinity, Cambridge) beat Attlee (University College, Oxford) in 1935
Baldwin was the best Tory ever.
Got rid of the King.
To replace him with his brother as King who successfully with Churchill led us through WW2
Churchill the closet Shinner?
There is nothing so British as firing inconvenient Kings. Kings rule by divine right - if they fall off the throne, that’s God saying “You’re chips are done”.
Indeed. England can boast Edward II, Richard II, Henry VI, Richard III and James II.
Scotland can mention John, Mary, James I and James VII.
And both can boast of Edward VIII.
I’d add Charles I to the list, I think…
D'oh! I hadn't even thought of him.
Honestly, I'll lose my head next.
I was wondering what made him different: it’s not like all the others lived to a ripe old age after being deposed…
What made him different is he was so damn boring I forgot him.
I suspect Rayner arrived at the figure by estimating how much she would have spent on a week's holiday if paying for herself rather than the value of the specific trip in question.
lol
“Ok I got a free ten grand holiday but if paying for myself I’d have done a coach trip to Whitby, had some chips on the seafront, then got a bus home, costing £73, so I declare this a £73 holiday”
Add in a bit of fudge around airline flights and five days not a whole week, and now sharing with another MP, and suddenly the scandal is blurred.
That’s the long term rate.
Good luck booking a holiday rental for that.
Occasionally (actually, who am I kidding: often) when reading PB I find myself getting caught up in the froth of news that won't stick beyond a few news cycles.
I suspect this is that. Don't get me wrong, the hypocrisy of a government 'dedicating itself to service' yet unable to see that freebies of any sort are almost always unnecessary and compromising leaves a bad taste in the mouth. But the prospect of the top three ministers resigning en masse, or an October election, is utterly farcical.
There are lots of seriously damaging stories that could hit the government this winter. What if one of Starmer's released prisoners is implicated in a serious crime or if particularly cold weather causes a spike in deaths among the elderly?
The former has already happened. Multiple cases,
The government has defended the early release of prisoners after it emerged a former inmate allegedly sexually assaulted a woman on the same day he was freed.
Possibly an even larger differential between the sexes than we have seen already? Trump must know that right now women (and those liars he appointed to the SC) are going to cost him the election.
The interesting thing Trump says is this bit: ...with powerful exceptions, like those that Ronald Reagan insisted on, for rape, incest and the life of the mother
In trying to carve out those exceptions, Trump is standing against the ultras on his own side (hence the appeal to Reagan).
Although abortion being permitted only for those reasons remains an extreme position which takes women back to the pre civil rights era and tosses any notion of gender equality into the bin.
Indeed but it is interesting that on abortion (and on Project 2025) Trump is trying to distance himself from other Republicans.
I guess he has to try. The abortion thing. The court judgement on sexual abuse. His blatant misogyny generally. He has a big problem on the distaff side. Over half the electorate are women and so is his opponent. Good luck with that Donald but it'll take a minor miracle imo. I think enough people see him now.
This, I suspect, is why polls showed Harris' support jumping when she pushed her race and gender.
This is a crucial election for women in particular. If Trump gets back in, they're fucked. Literally and figuratively.
I quite like Rayner - at least she’s got some spark of life - but this could be fatal. The hypocrisy is off the dial
I mean I did New Year in New York in 2008 and it was north of £1,000 night then.
As an occasional travel writer, my guess is a trip like that would cost at least £6k and maybe much more
Why does she not admit that? Is there some rule about accepting sums over a certain level? Or is it just coz it looks so bad - “yeah I had a free ten grand holibobs, soz”
It's Labour's bloody class warfare that has come back to haunt them.
You cannot portray yourself as a man/woman of the people when you're cadging £6k holidays so best keep schtum about the latter.
I’m amazed at how rapidly this government has come apart.
It's very funny.
I hope the hubris is pure and they're flushed down the toilet of history as soon as possible.
And then what. Back to the tories yawn. Look decline is inevitable. Why. Because any serious reform threatens interest groups who will push back hard to prevent it And with the debt the govt has little room for manouvre. This will be true under tory or labour. So get used to each new year being worse than the last.
I suspect Rayner arrived at the figure by estimating how much she would have spent on a week's holiday if paying for herself rather than the value of the specific trip in question.
lol
“Ok I got a free ten grand holiday but if paying for myself I’d have done a coach trip to Whitby, had some chips on the seafront, then got a bus home, costing £73, so I declare this a £73 holiday”
Add in a bit of fudge around airline flights and five days not a whole week, and now sharing with another MP, and suddenly the scandal is blurred.
That’s the long term rate.
Good luck booking a holiday rental for that.
Occasionally (actually, who am I kidding: often) when reading PB I find myself getting caught up in the froth of news that won't stick beyond a few news cycles.
I suspect this is that. Don't get me wrong, the hypocrisy of a government 'dedicating itself to service' yet unable to see that freebies of any sort are almost always unnecessary and compromising leaves a bad taste in the mouth. But the prospect of the top three ministers resigning en masse, or an October election, is utterly farcical.
I suspect Rayner arrived at the figure by estimating how much she would have spent on a week's holiday if paying for herself rather than the value of the specific trip in question.
lol
“Ok I got a free ten grand holiday but if paying for myself I’d have done a coach trip to Whitby, had some chips on the seafront, then got a bus home, costing £73, so I declare this a £73 holiday”
Add in a bit of fudge around airline flights and five days not a whole week, and now sharing with another MP, and suddenly the scandal is blurred.
That’s the long term rate.
Good luck booking a holiday rental for that.
Occasionally (actually, who am I kidding: often) when reading PB I find myself getting caught up in the froth of news that won't stick beyond a few news cycles.
I suspect this is that. Don't get me wrong, the hypocrisy of a government 'dedicating itself to service' yet unable to see that freebies of any sort are almost always unnecessary and compromising leaves a bad taste in the mouth. But the prospect of the top three ministers resigning en masse, or an October election, is utterly farcical.
There are lots of seriously damaging stories that could hit the government this winter. What if one of Starmer's released prisoners is implicated in a serious crime or if particularly cold weather causes a spike in deaths among the elderly?
Prisoners being released early is a result of policies under the Conservatives. It takes time to build new prisons, as in years. I think the public can understand that.
I suspect Rayner arrived at the figure by estimating how much she would have spent on a week's holiday if paying for herself rather than the value of the specific trip in question.
lol
“Ok I got a free ten grand holiday but if paying for myself I’d have done a coach trip to Whitby, had some chips on the seafront, then got a bus home, costing £73, so I declare this a £73 holiday”
Add in a bit of fudge around airline flights and five days not a whole week, and now sharing with another MP, and suddenly the scandal is blurred.
That’s the long term rate.
Good luck booking a holiday rental for that.
Occasionally (actually, who am I kidding: often) when reading PB I find myself getting caught up in the froth of news that won't stick beyond a few news cycles.
I suspect this is that. Don't get me wrong, the hypocrisy of a government 'dedicating itself to service' yet unable to see that freebies of any sort are almost always unnecessary and compromising leaves a bad taste in the mouth. But the prospect of the top three ministers resigning en masse, or an October election, is utterly farcical.
The long term impact of clobber-gate is Starmer USP of a man of public service, country over party, not interesting enriching himself, has been ratnered. He is in now rolling around in the same mud as most politicians, but it started from a position where he wasn't very popular to begin with unlike Blair.
I suspect Rayner arrived at the figure by estimating how much she would have spent on a week's holiday if paying for herself rather than the value of the specific trip in question.
lol
“Ok I got a free ten grand holiday but if paying for myself I’d have done a coach trip to Whitby, had some chips on the seafront, then got a bus home, costing £73, so I declare this a £73 holiday”
Add in a bit of fudge around airline flights and five days not a whole week, and now sharing with another MP, and suddenly the scandal is blurred.
That’s the long term rate.
Good luck booking a holiday rental for that.
Occasionally (actually, who am I kidding: often) when reading PB I find myself getting caught up in the froth of news that won't stick beyond a few news cycles.
I suspect this is that. Don't get me wrong, the hypocrisy of a government 'dedicating itself to service' yet unable to see that freebies of any sort are almost always unnecessary and compromising leaves a bad taste in the mouth. But the prospect of the top three ministers resigning en masse, or an October election, is utterly farcical.
There are lots of seriously damaging stories that could hit the government this winter. What if one of Starmer's released prisoners is implicated in a serious crime or if particularly cold weather causes a spike in deaths among the elderly?
I suspect with the prisoners it is “when” not “if”.
I suspect Rayner arrived at the figure by estimating how much she would have spent on a week's holiday if paying for herself rather than the value of the specific trip in question.
lol
“Ok I got a free ten grand holiday but if paying for myself I’d have done a coach trip to Whitby, had some chips on the seafront, then got a bus home, costing £73, so I declare this a £73 holiday”
He almost injured himself trying not to say "white"...
Is that fair though? The interviewer hostilely suggests there’s no such thing as English identity, or that the very idea of it is somehow racist.
I think Jenrick acquits himself pretty well.
No he asks him to define it - which is entirely fair. Jenrick screws up because any answer that's coherent, accurate and doesn't exclude lots of people who are very much English, would show that English identity isn't "under threat" in any way because it's a nebulous and evolving concept that people apply in their own way, and that in many senses it's more celebrated than ever - we've had West End plays about the England football team.
Your answer suggests that English identity is undefinable because it’s a “nebulous and evolving concept that people apply in their own way.”
This is nonsense.
Indeed so. For the poster, and the interviewer as well, it's the very idea of an English identity that they find offensive.
What in the clip linked to provides any evidence for that being the interviewer’s view?
I quite like Rayner - at least she’s got some spark of life - but this could be fatal. The hypocrisy is off the dial
I mean I did New Year in New York in 2008 and it was north of £1,000 night then.
As an occasional travel writer, my guess is a trip like that would cost at least £6k and maybe much more
Why does she not admit that? Is there some rule about accepting sums over a certain level? Or is it just coz it looks so bad - “yeah I had a free ten grand holibobs, soz”
It's Labour's bloody class warfare that has come back to haunt them.
You cannot portray yourself as a man/woman of the people when you're cadging £6k holidays so best keep schtum about the latter.
I’m amazed at how rapidly this government has come apart.
It's very funny.
I hope the hubris is pure and they're flushed down the toilet of history as soon as possible.
And then what. Back to the tories yawn. Look decline is inevitable. Why. Because any serious reform threatens interest groups who will push back hard to prevent it And with the debt the govt has little room for manouvre. This will be true under tory or labour. So get used to each new year being worse than the last.
All we need then is for Starmer to lock Jenrick up in a camp on the Isle of Arran where he dies mysteriously from a mosquito bite and then invade Ireland but only getting as far as Dundalk, and we'll be Russian to destruction.
I suspect Rayner arrived at the figure by estimating how much she would have spent on a week's holiday if paying for herself rather than the value of the specific trip in question.
lol
“Ok I got a free ten grand holiday but if paying for myself I’d have done a coach trip to Whitby, had some chips on the seafront, then got a bus home, costing £73, so I declare this a £73 holiday”
Add in a bit of fudge around airline flights and five days not a whole week, and now sharing with another MP, and suddenly the scandal is blurred.
That’s the long term rate.
Good luck booking a holiday rental for that.
Occasionally (actually, who am I kidding: often) when reading PB I find myself getting caught up in the froth of news that won't stick beyond a few news cycles.
I suspect this is that. Don't gwereet me wrong, the hypocrisy of a government 'dedicating itself to service' yet unable to see that freebies of any sort are almost always unnecessary and compromising leaves a bad taste in the mouth. But the prospect of the top three ministers resigning en masse, or an October election, is utterly farcical.
I suspect Rayner arrived at the figure by estimating how much she would have spent on a week's holiday if paying for herself rather than the value of the specific trip in question.
lol
“Ok I got a free ten grand holiday but if paying for myself I’d have done a coach trip to Whitby, had some chips on the seafront, then got a bus home, costing £73, so I declare this a £73 holiday”
Add in a bit of fudge around airline flights and five days not a whole week, and now sharing with another MP, and suddenly the scandal is blurred.
That’s the long term rate.
Good luck booking a holiday rental for that.
Occasionally (actually, who am I kidding: often) when reading PB I find myself getting caught up in the froth of news that won't stick beyond a few news cycles.
I suspect this is that. Don't gwereet me wrong, the hypocrisy of a government 'dedicating itself to service' yet unable to see that freebies of any sort are almost always unnecessary and compromising leaves a bad taste in the mouth. But the prospect of the top three ministers resigning en masse, or an October election, is utterly farcical.
I was joking and I assume others were
I missed that! I am one of the most gullible people I know...
On topic. Forgive me for not understanding the appeal of Robert Jenrick.
Lay the favourite?
His appeal is that he is a (Cambridge educated) lawyer.
The 2024 is the year of the lawyer.
Starmer, Jenrick, then Kamala Harris.
He is Cambridge educated (John's, history) but not a Cambridge lawyer.
Jenrick (St John's, Cambridge) v Starmer (St Edmund Hall, Oxford by way of Leeds) would be the first Oxford v Cambridge general election Varsity Match since Howard v Blair in 2005. Oxford won that one, though Cambridge won the last one before that when Baldwin (Trinity, Cambridge) beat Attlee (University College, Oxford) in 1935
Baldwin was the best Tory ever.
Got rid of the King.
To replace him with his brother as King who successfully with Churchill led us through WW2
Churchill the closet Shinner?
There is nothing so British as firing inconvenient Kings. Kings rule by divine right - if they fall off the throne, that’s God saying “You’re chips are done”.
Indeed. England can boast Edward II, Richard II, Henry VI, Richard III and James II.
Scotland can mention John, Mary, James I and James VII.
I quite like Rayner - at least she’s got some spark of life - but this could be fatal. The hypocrisy is off the dial
I mean I did New Year in New York in 2008 and it was north of £1,000 night then.
As an occasional travel writer, my guess is a trip like that would cost at least £6k and maybe much more
Why does she not admit that? Is there some rule about accepting sums over a certain level? Or is it just coz it looks so bad - “yeah I had a free ten grand holibobs, soz”
It's Labour's bloody class warfare that has come back to haunt them.
You cannot portray yourself as a man/woman of the people when you're cadging £6k holidays so best keep schtum about the latter.
I’m amazed at how rapidly this government has come apart.
It's very funny.
I hope the hubris is pure and they're flushed down the toilet of history as soon as possible.
And then what. Back to the tories yawn. Look decline is inevitable. Why. Because any serious reform threatens interest groups who will push back hard to prevent it And with the debt the govt has little room for manouvre. This will be true under tory or labour. So get used to each new year being worse than the last.
All we need then is for Starmer to lock Jenrick up in a camp on the Isle of Arran where he dies mysteriously from a mosquito bite and then invade Ireland but only getting as far as Dundalk, and we'll be Russian to destruction.
I suspect Rayner arrived at the figure by estimating how much she would have spent on a week's holiday if paying for herself rather than the value of the specific trip in question.
lol
“Ok I got a free ten grand holiday but if paying for myself I’d have done a coach trip to Whitby, had some chips on the seafront, then got a bus home, costing £73, so I declare this a £73 holiday”
Add in a bit of fudge around airline flights and five days not a whole week, and now sharing with another MP, and suddenly the scandal is blurred.
That’s the long term rate.
Good luck booking a holiday rental for that.
Occasionally (actually, who am I kidding: often) when reading PB I find myself getting caught up in the froth of news that won't stick beyond a few news cycles.
I suspect this is that. Don't get me wrong, the hypocrisy of a government 'dedicating itself to service' yet unable to see that freebies of any sort are almost always unnecessary and compromising leaves a bad taste in the mouth. But the prospect of the top three ministers resigning en masse, or an October election, is utterly farcical.
There are lots of seriously damaging stories that could hit the government this winter. What if one of Starmer's released prisoners is implicated in a serious crime or if particularly cold weather causes a spike in deaths among the elderly?
I suspect with the prisoners it is “when” not “if”.
On topic. Forgive me for not understanding the appeal of Robert Jenrick.
Lay the favourite?
His appeal is that he is a (Cambridge educated) lawyer.
The 2024 is the year of the lawyer.
Starmer, Jenrick, then Kamala Harris.
He is Cambridge educated (John's, history) but not a Cambridge lawyer.
Jenrick (St John's, Cambridge) v Starmer (St Edmund Hall, Oxford by way of Leeds) would be the first Oxford v Cambridge general election Varsity Match since Howard v Blair in 2005. Oxford won that one, though Cambridge won the last one before that when Baldwin (Trinity, Cambridge) beat Attlee (University College, Oxford) in 1935
Baldwin was the best Tory ever.
Got rid of the King.
To replace him with his brother as King who successfully with Churchill led us through WW2
Churchill the closet Shinner?
There is nothing so British as firing inconvenient Kings. Kings rule by divine right - if they fall off the throne, that’s God saying “You’re chips are done”.
Indeed. England can boast Edward II, Richard II, Henry VI, Richard III and James II.
Scotland can mention John, Mary, James I and James VII.
And both can boast of Edward VIII.
I’d add Charles I to the list, I think…
D'oh! I hadn't even thought of him.
Honestly, I'll lose my head next.
I was wondering what made him different: it’s not like all the others lived to a ripe old age after being deposed…
What made him different is he was so damn boring I forgot him.
I suspect Rayner arrived at the figure by estimating how much she would have spent on a week's holiday if paying for herself rather than the value of the specific trip in question.
lol
“Ok I got a free ten grand holiday but if paying for myself I’d have done a coach trip to Whitby, had some chips on the seafront, then got a bus home, costing £73, so I declare this a £73 holiday”
Add in a bit of fudge around airline flights and five days not a whole week, and now sharing with another MP, and suddenly the scandal is blurred.
That’s the long term rate.
Good luck booking a holiday rental for that.
Occasionally (actually, who am I kidding: often) when reading PB I find myself getting caught up in the froth of news that won't stick beyond a few news cycles.
I suspect this is that. Don't get me wrong, the hypocrisy of a government 'dedicating itself to service' yet unable to see that freebies of any sort are almost always unnecessary and compromising leaves a bad taste in the mouth. But the prospect of the top three ministers resigning en masse, or an October election, is utterly farcical.
There are lots of seriously damaging stories that could hit the government this winter. What if one of Starmer's released prisoners is implicated in a serious crime or if particularly cold weather causes a spike in deaths among the elderly?
Prisoners being released early is a result of policies under the Conservatives. It takes time to build new prisons, as in years. I think the public can understand that.
I agree wholeheartedly with your first two sentences, but I think you are being wildly optimistic with the third.
On topic. Forgive me for not understanding the appeal of Robert Jenrick.
Lay the favourite?
His appeal is that he is a (Cambridge educated) lawyer.
The 2024 is the year of the lawyer.
Starmer, Jenrick, then Kamala Harris.
He is Cambridge educated (John's, history) but not a Cambridge lawyer.
Jenrick (St John's, Cambridge) v Starmer (St Edmund Hall, Oxford by way of Leeds) would be the first Oxford v Cambridge general election Varsity Match since Howard v Blair in 2005. Oxford won that one, though Cambridge won the last one before that when Baldwin (Trinity, Cambridge) beat Attlee (University College, Oxford) in 1935
Baldwin was the best Tory ever.
Got rid of the King.
To replace him with his brother as King who successfully with Churchill led us through WW2
Churchill the closet Shinner?
There is nothing so British as firing inconvenient Kings. Kings rule by divine right - if they fall off the throne, that’s God saying “You’re chips are done”.
Indeed. England can boast Edward II, Richard II, Henry VI, Richard III and James II.
Scotland can mention John, Mary, James I and James VII.
And both can boast of Edward VIII.
I’d add Charles I to the list, I think…
D'oh! I hadn't even thought of him.
Honestly, I'll lose my head next.
Add Harold d.1066, and Edward V.
One was conquered and killed by a Danish-French invader, the other was usurped by his uncle leading ultimately to the collapse of the government.
I don't think it's fair to say they were disposed of for being 'inconvenient' to the English (in this case).
I suspect Rayner arrived at the figure by estimating how much she would have spent on a week's holiday if paying for herself rather than the value of the specific trip in question.
lol
“Ok I got a free ten grand holiday but if paying for myself I’d have done a coach trip to Whitby, had some chips on the seafront, then got a bus home, costing £73, so I declare this a £73 holiday”
Cost? 5 nights over NYE: Including cleaning and service: £9,323
It costs more per NIGHT than Rayner claimed for the whole trip
Next time I need to rent an AirBnB I am going to try that one, but but but the mortgage on a similar property is only £2k a month, I am not willing to pay £300 a night, it should only be £80 a night.....I have a sneaking suspicion I will be told to go do one.
On topic. Forgive me for not understanding the appeal of Robert Jenrick.
Lay the favourite?
His appeal is that he is a (Cambridge educated) lawyer.
The 2024 is the year of the lawyer.
Starmer, Jenrick, then Kamala Harris.
He is Cambridge educated (John's, history) but not a Cambridge lawyer.
Jenrick (St John's, Cambridge) v Starmer (St Edmund Hall, Oxford by way of Leeds) would be the first Oxford v Cambridge general election Varsity Match since Howard v Blair in 2005. Oxford won that one, though Cambridge won the last one before that when Baldwin (Trinity, Cambridge) beat Attlee (University College, Oxford) in 1935
Baldwin was the best Tory ever.
Got rid of the King.
To replace him with his brother as King who successfully with Churchill led us through WW2
Churchill the closet Shinner?
There is nothing so British as firing inconvenient Kings. Kings rule by divine right - if they fall off the throne, that’s God saying “You’re chips are done”.
Indeed. England can boast Edward II, Richard II, Henry VI, Richard III and James II.
Scotland can mention John, Mary, James I and James VII.
On topic. Forgive me for not understanding the appeal of Robert Jenrick.
Lay the favourite?
His appeal is that he is a (Cambridge educated) lawyer.
The 2024 is the year of the lawyer.
Starmer, Jenrick, then Kamala Harris.
He is Cambridge educated (John's, history) but not a Cambridge lawyer.
Jenrick (St John's, Cambridge) v Starmer (St Edmund Hall, Oxford by way of Leeds) would be the first Oxford v Cambridge general election Varsity Match since Howard v Blair in 2005. Oxford won that one, though Cambridge won the last one before that when Baldwin (Trinity, Cambridge) beat Attlee (University College, Oxford) in 1935
Baldwin was the best Tory ever.
Got rid of the King.
To replace him with his brother as King who successfully with Churchill led us through WW2
Churchill the closet Shinner?
There is nothing so British as firing inconvenient Kings. Kings rule by divine right - if they fall off the throne, that’s God saying “You’re chips are done”.
Indeed. England can boast Edward II, Richard II, Henry VI, Richard III and James II.
Scotland can mention John, Mary, James I and James VII.
And both can boast of Edward VIII.
I’d add Charles I to the list, I think…
D'oh! I hadn't even thought of him.
Honestly, I'll lose my head next.
Add Harold d.1066, and Edward V.
Maud/Matilda?
She never took power. She was about to when the Londoners booted her out.
I suspect Rayner arrived at the figure by estimating how much she would have spent on a week's holiday if paying for herself rather than the value of the specific trip in question.
lol
“Ok I got a free ten grand holiday but if paying for myself I’d have done a coach trip to Whitby, had some chips on the seafront, then got a bus home, costing £73, so I declare this a £73 holiday”
Cost? 5 nights over NYE: Including cleaning and service: £9,323
It costs more per NIGHT than Rayner claimed for the whole trip
Next time I need to rent an AirBnB I am going to try that one, but but but the mortgage on a similar property is only £2k a month, I am not willing to pay £300 a night, it should only be £80 a night.....I have a sneaking suspicion I will be told to go do one.
Its interesting how expensive airbnbs are now in countries like Portugal.
I quite like Rayner - at least she’s got some spark of life - but this could be fatal. The hypocrisy is off the dial
I mean I did New Year in New York in 2008 and it was north of £1,000 night then.
As an occasional travel writer, my guess is a trip like that would cost at least £6k and maybe much more
Why does she not admit that? Is there some rule about accepting sums over a certain level? Or is it just coz it looks so bad - “yeah I had a free ten grand holibobs, soz”
It's Labour's bloody class warfare that has come back to haunt them.
You cannot portray yourself as a man/woman of the people when you're cadging £6k holidays so best keep schtum about the latter.
I’m amazed at how rapidly this government has come apart.
It's not really that surprising. The Labour opposition never remotely ready for government (not compared to previous "change" elections 1979, 1997 and 2010) - It just happened to be that the Tories were such an appalling government Labour won default... But the rapid implosion now Labour has got into power was probably inevitable.
On topic. Forgive me for not understanding the appeal of Robert Jenrick.
Lay the favourite?
His appeal is that he is a (Cambridge educated) lawyer.
The 2024 is the year of the lawyer.
Starmer, Jenrick, then Kamala Harris.
He is Cambridge educated (John's, history) but not a Cambridge lawyer.
Jenrick (St John's, Cambridge) v Starmer (St Edmund Hall, Oxford by way of Leeds) would be the first Oxford v Cambridge general election Varsity Match since Howard v Blair in 2005. Oxford won that one, though Cambridge won the last one before that when Baldwin (Trinity, Cambridge) beat Attlee (University College, Oxford) in 1935
Baldwin was the best Tory ever.
Got rid of the King.
To replace him with his brother as King who successfully with Churchill led us through WW2
Churchill the closet Shinner?
There is nothing so British as firing inconvenient Kings. Kings rule by divine right - if they fall off the throne, that’s God saying “You’re chips are done”.
Indeed. England can boast Edward II, Richard II, Henry VI, Richard III and James II.
Scotland can mention John, Mary, James I and James VII.
I quite like Rayner - at least she’s got some spark of life - but this could be fatal. The hypocrisy is off the dial
I mean I did New Year in New York in 2008 and it was north of £1,000 night then.
As an occasional travel writer, my guess is a trip like that would cost at least £6k and maybe much more
Why does she not admit that? Is there some rule about accepting sums over a certain level? Or is it just coz it looks so bad - “yeah I had a free ten grand holibobs, soz”
It's Labour's bloody class warfare that has come back to haunt them.
You cannot portray yourself as a man/woman of the people when you're cadging £6k holidays so best keep schtum about the latter.
I’m amazed at how rapidly this government has come apart.
It's very funny.
I hope the hubris is pure and they're flushed down the toilet of history as soon as possible.
Or four and a half years of them getting worse and worse and worse and worse...
On topic. Forgive me for not understanding the appeal of Robert Jenrick.
Lay the favourite?
His appeal is that he is a (Cambridge educated) lawyer.
The 2024 is the year of the lawyer.
Starmer, Jenrick, then Kamala Harris.
He is Cambridge educated (John's, history) but not a Cambridge lawyer.
Jenrick (St John's, Cambridge) v Starmer (St Edmund Hall, Oxford by way of Leeds) would be the first Oxford v Cambridge general election Varsity Match since Howard v Blair in 2005. Oxford won that one, though Cambridge won the last one before that when Baldwin (Trinity, Cambridge) beat Attlee (University College, Oxford) in 1935
Baldwin was the best Tory ever.
Got rid of the King.
To replace him with his brother as King who successfully with Churchill led us through WW2
Churchill the closet Shinner?
There is nothing so British as firing inconvenient Kings. Kings rule by divine right - if they fall off the throne, that’s God saying “You’re chips are done”.
Indeed. England can boast Edward II, Richard II, Henry VI, Richard III and James II.
Scotland can mention John, Mary, James I and James VII.
And both can boast of Edward VIII.
I’d add Charles I to the list, I think…
D'oh! I hadn't even thought of him.
Honestly, I'll lose my head next.
Add Harold d.1066, and Edward V.
Maud/Matilda?
She never took power. She was about to when the Londoners booted her out.
If we count her if we have to count Jane as well.
I’d forgotten her.
The most important question I think is who had the best play written about their downfall? I haven’t seen Edward II, but I hear it’s pretty good.
I suspect Rayner arrived at the figure by estimating how much she would have spent on a week's holiday if paying for herself rather than the value of the specific trip in question.
lol
“Ok I got a free ten grand holiday but if paying for myself I’d have done a coach trip to Whitby, had some chips on the seafront, then got a bus home, costing £73, so I declare this a £73 holiday”
Add in a bit of fudge around airline flights and five days not a whole week, and now sharing with another MP, and suddenly the scandal is blurred.
That’s the long term rate.
Good luck booking a holiday rental for that.
Occasionally (actually, who am I kidding: often) when reading PB I find myself getting caught up in the froth of news that won't stick beyond a few news cycles.
I suspect this is that. Don't get me wrong, the hypocrisy of a government 'dedicating itself to service' yet unable to see that freebies of any sort are almost always unnecessary and compromising leaves a bad taste in the mouth. But the prospect of the top three ministers resigning en masse, or an October election, is utterly farcical.
There are lots of seriously damaging stories that could hit the government this winter. What if one of Starmer's released prisoners is implicated in a serious crime or if particularly cold weather causes a spike in deaths among the elderly?
I suspect with the prisoners it is “when” not “if”.
The Conservatives have been very critical of Labour's early release scheme. They will inevitably be able to make hay with the Government's failed prisons policy.
I suspect Rayner arrived at the figure by estimating how much she would have spent on a week's holiday if paying for herself rather than the value of the specific trip in question.
lol
“Ok I got a free ten grand holiday but if paying for myself I’d have done a coach trip to Whitby, had some chips on the seafront, then got a bus home, costing £73, so I declare this a £73 holiday”
Cost? 5 nights over NYE: Including cleaning and service: £9,323
It costs more per NIGHT than Rayner claimed for the whole trip
Next time I need to rent an AirBnB I am going to try that one, but but but the mortgage on a similar property is only £2k a month, I am not willing to pay £300 a night, it should only be £80 a night.....I have a sneaking suspicion I will be told to go do one.
Its interesting how expensive airbnbs are now in countries like Portugal.
These days they are really expensive in lots of places, especially when you add on taxes, fees, potential fines for not following the 27 step process for putting the bins out, etc.
I suspect Rayner arrived at the figure by estimating how much she would have spent on a week's holiday if paying for herself rather than the value of the specific trip in question.
lol
“Ok I got a free ten grand holiday but if paying for myself I’d have done a coach trip to Whitby, had some chips on the seafront, then got a bus home, costing £73, so I declare this a £73 holiday”
Add in a bit of fudge around airline flights and five days not a whole week, and now sharing with another MP, and suddenly the scandal is blurred.
That’s the long term rate.
Good luck booking a holiday rental for that.
Occasionally (actually, who am I kidding: often) when reading PB I find myself getting caught up in the froth of news that won't stick beyond a few news cycles.
I suspect this is that. Don't get me wrong, the hypocrisy of a government 'dedicating itself to service' yet unable to see that freebies of any sort are almost always unnecessary and compromising leaves a bad taste in the mouth. But the prospect of the top three ministers resigning en masse, or an October election, is utterly farcical.
There are lots of seriously damaging stories that could hit the government this winter. What if one of Starmer's released prisoners is implicated in a serious crime or if particularly cold weather causes a spike in deaths among the elderly?
I suspect with the prisoners it is “when” not “if”.
The Conservatives have been very critical of Labour's early release scheme. They will inevitably be able to make hay with the Government's failed prisons policy.
After the much heralded hire of Timpson, he has been absolutely invisible.
I suspect Rayner arrived at the figure by estimating how much she would have spent on a week's holiday if paying for herself rather than the value of the specific trip in question.
lol
“Ok I got a free ten grand holiday but if paying for myself I’d have done a coach trip to Whitby, had some chips on the seafront, then got a bus home, costing £73, so I declare this a £73 holiday”
Cost? 5 nights over NYE: Including cleaning and service: £9,323
It costs more per NIGHT than Rayner claimed for the whole trip
Next time I need to rent an AirBnB I am going to try that one, but but but the mortgage on a similar property is only £2k a month, I am not willing to pay £300 a night, it should only be £80 a night.....I have a sneaking suspicion I will be told to go do one.
Its interesting how expensive airbnbs are now in countries like Portugal.
These days they are really expensive in lots of places, especially when you add on taxes, fees, potential fines for not following the 27 step process for putting the bins out, etc.
I quite like Rayner - at least she’s got some spark of life - but this could be fatal. The hypocrisy is off the dial
I mean I did New Year in New York in 2008 and it was north of £1,000 night then.
As an occasional travel writer, my guess is a trip like that would cost at least £6k and maybe much more
Why does she not admit that? Is there some rule about accepting sums over a certain level? Or is it just coz it looks so bad - “yeah I had a free ten grand holibobs, soz”
It's Labour's bloody class warfare that has come back to haunt them.
You cannot portray yourself as a man/woman of the people when you're cadging £6k holidays so best keep schtum about the latter.
I’m amazed at how rapidly this government has come apart.
It's very funny.
I hope the hubris is pure and they're flushed down the toilet of history as soon as possible.
Or four and a half years of them getting worse and worse and worse and worse...
You may have a point after five years, however you misremember the calamitous nature of the 2019 to 2024 Government. They were truly awful. If Team Starmer are even half as bad they will have worked hard to realise such an appalling achievement. I'm not saying it can't be done, but it is unlikely.
I suspect Rayner arrived at the figure by estimating how much she would have spent on a week's holiday if paying for herself rather than the value of the specific trip in question.
lol
“Ok I got a free ten grand holiday but if paying for myself I’d have done a coach trip to Whitby, had some chips on the seafront, then got a bus home, costing £73, so I declare this a £73 holiday”
Cost? 5 nights over NYE: Including cleaning and service: £9,323
It costs more per NIGHT than Rayner claimed for the whole trip
Next time I need to rent an AirBnB I am going to try that one, but but but the mortgage on a similar property is only £2k a month, I am not willing to pay £300 a night, it should only be £80 a night.....I have a sneaking suspicion I will be told to go do one.
Its interesting how expensive airbnbs are now in countries like Portugal.
These days they are really expensive in lots of places, especially when you add on taxes, fees, potential fines for not following the 27 step process for putting the bins out, etc.
Cost of living, in a lot of places.
I believe it is also that AirBnB have increased fees on both sides, so those renting charge more and then the renter also pays more fees on top of that. Also, a lot of AirBnB "hosts" are basically a buy-to-let model owning many properties with big / interest only mortgage and interest rates are obviously much higher. And finally, in some places like the US, they have realised they can get income by playing naughty with T&Cs (like hire car companies used to be like...I have found this tiny scratch, that will be $1k to fix)...and AirBnB are happy for them to do this nonsense.
On topic. Forgive me for not understanding the appeal of Robert Jenrick.
Lay the favourite?
His appeal is that he is a (Cambridge educated) lawyer.
The 2024 is the year of the lawyer.
Starmer, Jenrick, then Kamala Harris.
He is Cambridge educated (John's, history) but not a Cambridge lawyer.
Jenrick (St John's, Cambridge) v Starmer (St Edmund Hall, Oxford by way of Leeds) would be the first Oxford v Cambridge general election Varsity Match since Howard v Blair in 2005. Oxford won that one, though Cambridge won the last one before that when Baldwin (Trinity, Cambridge) beat Attlee (University College, Oxford) in 1935
Baldwin was the best Tory ever.
Got rid of the King.
To replace him with his brother as King who successfully with Churchill led us through WW2
Churchill the closet Shinner?
There is nothing so British as firing inconvenient Kings. Kings rule by divine right - if they fall off the throne, that’s God saying “You’re chips are done”.
Indeed. England can boast Edward II, Richard II, Henry VI, Richard III and James II.
Scotland can mention John, Mary, James I and James VII.
And both can boast of Edward VIII.
I’d add Charles I to the list, I think…
D'oh! I hadn't even thought of him.
Honestly, I'll lose my head next.
Add Harold d.1066, and Edward V.
Maud/Matilda?
She never took power. She was about to when the Londoners booted her out.
If we count her if we have to count Jane as well.
I’d forgotten her.
The most important question I think is who had the best play written about their downfall? I haven’t seen Edward II, but I hear it’s pretty good.
Speaking of which how one longs for the days of insta Downfall mashups
Mein fuhrer, Rayner and friend stayed in a luxury penthouse here and partied here, here and here
...
Everyone who has had more than £100 worth of clothes off Alli leave the room
I suspect Rayner arrived at the figure by estimating how much she would have spent on a week's holiday if paying for herself rather than the value of the specific trip in question.
lol
“Ok I got a free ten grand holiday but if paying for myself I’d have done a coach trip to Whitby, had some chips on the seafront, then got a bus home, costing £73, so I declare this a £73 holiday”
Add in a bit of fudge around airline flights and five days not a whole week, and now sharing with another MP, and suddenly the scandal is blurred.
That’s the long term rate.
Good luck booking a holiday rental for that.
Occasionally (actually, who am I kidding: often) when reading PB I find myself getting caught up in the froth of news that won't stick beyond a few news cycles.
I suspect this is that. Don't get me wrong, the hypocrisy of a government 'dedicating itself to service' yet unable to see that freebies of any sort are almost always unnecessary and compromising leaves a bad taste in the mouth. But the prospect of the top three ministers resigning en masse, or an October election, is utterly farcical.
There are lots of seriously damaging stories that could hit the government this winter. What if one of Starmer's released prisoners is implicated in a serious crime or if particularly cold weather causes a spike in deaths among the elderly?
I suspect with the prisoners it is “when” not “if”.
The Conservatives have been very critical of Labour's early release scheme. They will inevitably be able to make hay with the Government's failed prisons policy.
After the much heralded hire of Timpson, he has been absolutely invisible.
They really have squandered all these golden legacies they inherited.
I quite like Rayner - at least she’s got some spark of life - but this could be fatal. The hypocrisy is off the dial
I mean I did New Year in New York in 2008 and it was north of £1,000 night then.
As an occasional travel writer, my guess is a trip like that would cost at least £6k and maybe much more
Why does she not admit that? Is there some rule about accepting sums over a certain level? Or is it just coz it looks so bad - “yeah I had a free ten grand holibobs, soz”
It's Labour's bloody class warfare that has come back to haunt them.
You cannot portray yourself as a man/woman of the people when you're cadging £6k holidays so best keep schtum about the latter.
I’m amazed at how rapidly this government has come apart.
It's very funny.
I hope the hubris is pure and they're flushed down the toilet of history as soon as possible.
Or four and a half years of them getting worse and worse and worse and worse...
You may have a point after five years, however you misremember the calamitous nature of the 2019 to 2024 Government. They were truly awful. If Team Starmer are even half as bad they will have worked hard to realise such an appalling achievement. I'm not saying it can't be done, but it is unlikely.
And if it does go badly, there are plenty of precedents for dumping the incumbent, replacing them with someone cheerful and going on to win again. See Kam, see Boris, see John.
Because the brilliant thing about being in office is how much you control the gameboard.
Does seem to need to be someone smiley, though. Sorry, Gordon. Sorry, Rishi.
I quite like Rayner - at least she’s got some spark of life - but this could be fatal. The hypocrisy is off the dial
I mean I did New Year in New York in 2008 and it was north of £1,000 night then.
As an occasional travel writer, my guess is a trip like that would cost at least £6k and maybe much more
Why does she not admit that? Is there some rule about accepting sums over a certain level? Or is it just coz it looks so bad - “yeah I had a free ten grand holibobs, soz”
It's Labour's bloody class warfare that has come back to haunt them.
You cannot portray yourself as a man/woman of the people when you're cadging £6k holidays so best keep schtum about the latter.
I’m amazed at how rapidly this government has come apart.
It's very funny.
I hope the hubris is pure and they're flushed down the toilet of history as soon as possible.
Or four and a half years of them getting worse and worse and worse and worse...
You may have a point after five years, however you misremember the calamitous nature of the 2019 to 2024 Government. They were truly awful. If Team Starmer are even half as bad they will have worked hard to realise such an appalling achievement. I'm not saying it can't be done, but it is unlikely.
Labour's start to Government has been more, er, impactful than anyone could have guessed.
Boris took quite a while to collape. Starmer has gone on the B of the Bang.
He almost injured himself trying not to say "white"...
Is that fair though? The interviewer hostilely suggests there’s no such thing as English identity, or that the very idea of it is somehow racist.
I think Jenrick acquits himself pretty well.
No he asks him to define it - which is entirely fair. Jenrick screws up because any answer that's coherent, accurate and doesn't exclude lots of people who are very much English, would show that English identity isn't "under threat" in any way because it's a nebulous and evolving concept that people apply in their own way, and that in many senses it's more celebrated than ever - we've had West End plays about the England football team.
Your answer suggests that English identity is undefinable because it’s a “nebulous and evolving concept that people apply in their own way.”
This is nonsense.
Indeed so. For the poster, and the interviewer as well, it's the very idea of an English identity that they find offensive.
Complete ignorant rubbish. You don't know what I think and I can say I certainly don't find 'English identity' offensive - it can be brilliant. Though I do find your ignorance and readiness to assume things and ascribe them to others a bit offensive.
It isn't nonsense it's self-evident. One person's 'English identity' and what they choose to emphasise about that, take pride in and see as important will always differ, so of course it's nebulous. It also changes over time. What being English means to someone now in 2024 is obviously related but different to what it was in 1924. National identities always are by necessity as an attempt to distill and wring meaning from centuries of shared culture and history into a simplified form everyone, or at least the majority, can subscribe too.
Otherwise you end up excluding a lot of people who very much feel English and have pride in that national identity, but do not subscribe to a narrow definition that is hopelessly fixed and thus loses its relevance and accuracy.
As for the interviewer, I don't know what his views are but it's a case of a journalist doing their job and puncturing a politician's windbag rhetoric rather than nodding along to it. Jenrick was caught out because his argument isn't very well thought out or argued beyond its tubthumping lines designed specifically to tickle Tory members.
The long term impact of clobber-gate is Starmer USP of a man of public service, country over party, not interesting enriching himself, has been ratnered. He is in now rolling around in the same mud as most politicians, but it started from a position where he wasn't very popular to begin with unlike Blair.
When you take freebies from wealthy people it is a sign of your corruption and your base nature. When I take freebies from wealthy people it is a sign of my incorruptibility, my service, my duty and dedication.
I had moderate hopes that Labour would at least pass the 'not as sh*t as this lot' bar. But at the first (already low bar) "Does this possibly look bad if it comes out?" test - it's already a fail.
I suspect Rayner arrived at the figure by estimating how much she would have spent on a week's holiday if paying for herself rather than the value of the specific trip in question.
lol
“Ok I got a free ten grand holiday but if paying for myself I’d have done a coach trip to Whitby, had some chips on the seafront, then got a bus home, costing £73, so I declare this a £73 holiday”
Add in a bit of fudge around airline flights and five days not a whole week, and now sharing with another MP, and suddenly the scandal is blurred.
That’s the long term rate.
Good luck booking a holiday rental for that.
Occasionally (actually, who am I kidding: often) when reading PB I find myself getting caught up in the froth of news that won't stick beyond a few news cycles.
I suspect this is that. Don't get me wrong, the hypocrisy of a government 'dedicating itself to service' yet unable to see that freebies of any sort are almost always unnecessary and compromising leaves a bad taste in the mouth. But the prospect of the top three ministers resigning en masse, or an October election, is utterly farcical.
There are lots of seriously damaging stories that could hit the government this winter. What if one of Starmer's released prisoners is implicated in a serious crime or if particularly cold weather causes a spike in deaths among the elderly?
I suspect with the prisoners it is “when” not “if”.
The Conservatives have been very critical of Labour's early release scheme. They will inevitably be able to make hay with the Government's failed prisons policy.
After the much heralded hire of Timpson, he has been absolutely invisible.
They really have squandered all these golden legacies they inherited.
I just think it is interesting, he gave an interview saying I think we need prison reform, not as many people in prison and never been heard of since, despite the mass jailing of rioters and the early release scheme to make room for them. That is his portfolio, but been totally invisible.
I suspect Rayner arrived at the figure by estimating how much she would have spent on a week's holiday if paying for herself rather than the value of the specific trip in question.
lol
“Ok I got a free ten grand holiday but if paying for myself I’d have done a coach trip to Whitby, had some chips on the seafront, then got a bus home, costing £73, so I declare this a £73 holiday”
Add in a bit of fudge around airline flights and five days not a whole week, and now sharing with another MP, and suddenly the scandal is blurred.
That’s the long term rate.
Good luck booking a holiday rental for that.
Occasionally (actually, who am I kidding: often) when reading PB I find myself getting caught up in the froth of news that won't stick beyond a few news cycles.
I suspect this is that. Don't get me wrong, the hypocrisy of a government 'dedicating itself to service' yet unable to see that freebies of any sort are almost always unnecessary and compromising leaves a bad taste in the mouth. But the prospect of the top three ministers resigning en masse, or an October election, is utterly farcical.
There are lots of seriously damaging stories that could hit the government this winter. What if one of Starmer's released prisoners is implicated in a serious crime or if particularly cold weather causes a spike in deaths among the elderly?
I suspect with the prisoners it is “when” not “if”.
The Conservatives have been very critical of Labour's early release scheme. They will inevitably be able to make hay with the Government's failed prisons policy.
After the much heralded hire of Timpson, he has been absolutely invisible.
They really have squandered all these golden legacies they inherited.
I quite like Rayner - at least she’s got some spark of life - but this could be fatal. The hypocrisy is off the dial
I mean I did New Year in New York in 2008 and it was north of £1,000 night then.
As an occasional travel writer, my guess is a trip like that would cost at least £6k and maybe much more
Why does she not admit that? Is there some rule about accepting sums over a certain level? Or is it just coz it looks so bad - “yeah I had a free ten grand holibobs, soz”
It's Labour's bloody class warfare that has come back to haunt them.
You cannot portray yourself as a man/woman of the people when you're cadging £6k holidays so best keep schtum about the latter.
I’m amazed at how rapidly this government has come apart.
It's very funny.
I hope the hubris is pure and they're flushed down the toilet of history as soon as possible.
Or four and a half years of them getting worse and worse and worse and worse...
You may have a point after five years, however you misremember the calamitous nature of the 2019 to 2024 Government. They were truly awful. If Team Starmer are even half as bad they will have worked hard to realise such an appalling achievement. I'm not saying it can't be done, but it is unlikely.
Labour's start to Government has been more, er, impactful than anyone could have guessed.
Boris took quite a while to collape. Starmer has gone on the B of the Bang.
Good evening
Listening to Laura Kuenssberg on BBC news just now she is expecting the Sunday papers to reveal more scandal on Labour's freebies
Too many people in this government are either utterly stupid or corrupt.
Or perhaps, both.
Politically naive, ideologically arrogant.
The Tories are evil, Labour are righteous. So stop trying to tar them with the Tory brush, don’t you know that the Tories are utterly stupid and corrupt?
On topic. Forgive me for not understanding the appeal of Robert Jenrick.
Lay the favourite?
His appeal is that he is a (Cambridge educated) lawyer.
The 2024 is the year of the lawyer.
Starmer, Jenrick, then Kamala Harris.
He is Cambridge educated (John's, history) but not a Cambridge lawyer.
Jenrick (St John's, Cambridge) v Starmer (St Edmund Hall, Oxford by way of Leeds) would be the first Oxford v Cambridge general election Varsity Match since Howard v Blair in 2005. Oxford won that one, though Cambridge won the last one before that when Baldwin (Trinity, Cambridge) beat Attlee (University College, Oxford) in 1935
Baldwin was the best Tory ever.
Got rid of the King.
To replace him with his brother as King who successfully with Churchill led us through WW2
Churchill the closet Shinner?
There is nothing so British as firing inconvenient Kings. Kings rule by divine right - if they fall off the throne, that’s God saying “You’re chips are done”.
Indeed. England can boast Edward II, Richard II, Henry VI, Richard III and James II.
Scotland can mention John, Mary, James I and James VII.
And both can boast of Edward VIII.
I’d add Charles I to the list, I think…
D'oh! I hadn't even thought of him.
Honestly, I'll lose my head next.
Add Harold d.1066, and Edward V.
Maud/Matilda?
She never took power. She was about to when the Londoners booted her out.
If we count her if we have to count Jane as well.
I’d forgotten her.
The most important question I think is who had the best play written about their downfall? I haven’t seen Edward II, but I hear it’s pretty good.
I quite like Rayner - at least she’s got some spark of life - but this could be fatal. The hypocrisy is off the dial
I mean I did New Year in New York in 2008 and it was north of £1,000 night then.
As an occasional travel writer, my guess is a trip like that would cost at least £6k and maybe much more
Why does she not admit that? Is there some rule about accepting sums over a certain level? Or is it just coz it looks so bad - “yeah I had a free ten grand holibobs, soz”
It's Labour's bloody class warfare that has come back to haunt them.
You cannot portray yourself as a man/woman of the people when you're cadging £6k holidays so best keep schtum about the latter.
I’m amazed at how rapidly this government has come apart.
It's very funny.
I hope the hubris is pure and they're flushed down the toilet of history as soon as possible.
Or four and a half years of them getting worse and worse and worse and worse...
You may have a point after five years, however you misremember the calamitous nature of the 2019 to 2024 Government. They were truly awful. If Team Starmer are even half as bad they will have worked hard to realise such an appalling achievement. I'm not saying it can't be done, but it is unlikely.
Labour's start to Government has been more, er, impactful than anyone could have guessed.
Boris took quite a while to collape. Starmer has gone on the B of the Bang.
I refer the Hon Gentleman to my earlier answer. If we start counting from summer 2019, his own brother had resigned from the government by this point and we were entering that deliberately mad bit where Boris and Dom tried to engineer an early election. If we restart the clock at the election, we've passed the bit where the Saj and the Smith had been thrown under the bus.
This is bad, but it's nothing like the starts the last three PMs had.
I really scratching my head over this. There is absolutely no doubt we need more hospital capacity yesterday and if you are going to borrow, to build infrastructure is something that I don't think is hard financially or politically to get through. And it is something you absolutely expect Labour to do.
If your mission is growth, growth, growth, building infrastructure is a key component.
Bought some Tim Tams from Waitrose today, for amusement on account of their minor role in Brexit. Sadly, I must inform you that they are slightly better than Penguin bars. More expensive, though.
Two more flavours to try later: dark chocolate, and chewy caramel.
I suspect Rayner arrived at the figure by estimating how much she would have spent on a week's holiday if paying for herself rather than the value of the specific trip in question.
lol
“Ok I got a free ten grand holiday but if paying for myself I’d have done a coach trip to Whitby, had some chips on the seafront, then got a bus home, costing £73, so I declare this a £73 holiday”
Add in a bit of fudge around airline flights and five days not a whole week, and now sharing with another MP, and suddenly the scandal is blurred.
That’s the long term rate.
Good luck booking a holiday rental for that.
Occasionally (actually, who am I kidding: often) when reading PB I find myself getting caught up in the froth of news that won't stick beyond a few news cycles.
I suspect this is that. Don't get me wrong, the hypocrisy of a government 'dedicating itself to service' yet unable to see that freebies of any sort are almost always unnecessary and compromising leaves a bad taste in the mouth. But the prospect of the top three ministers resigning en masse, or an October election, is utterly farcical.
There are lots of seriously damaging stories that could hit the government this winter. What if one of Starmer's released prisoners is implicated in a serious crime or if particularly cold weather causes a spike in deaths among the elderly?
I suspect with the prisoners it is “when” not “if”.
The Conservatives have been very critical of Labour's early release scheme. They will inevitably be able to make hay with the Government's failed prisons policy.
After the much heralded hire of Timpson, he has been absolutely invisible.
Timpson in particular I would cut more slack than the other departments and ministers -- as an external appointment he presumably did not get advance notice that he'd be in government. Various other soon-to-be ministers really should have been working up policy well in advance to be ready on day one, or at least in month one, but Timpson won't have had that opportunity. (He'll have strong ideas and general directions, obviously, that's the reason he was appointed, but that's not the same as having something sufficiently solidly worked up to be able to announce it.)
I suspect Rayner arrived at the figure by estimating how much she would have spent on a week's holiday if paying for herself rather than the value of the specific trip in question.
lol
“Ok I got a free ten grand holiday but if paying for myself I’d have done a coach trip to Whitby, had some chips on the seafront, then got a bus home, costing £73, so I declare this a £73 holiday”
Add in a bit of fudge around airline flights and five days not a whole week, and now sharing with another MP, and suddenly the scandal is blurred.
That’s the long term rate.
Good luck booking a holiday rental for that.
Occasionally (actually, who am I kidding: often) when reading PB I find myself getting caught up in the froth of news that won't stick beyond a few news cycles.
I suspect this is that. Don't get me wrong, the hypocrisy of a government 'dedicating itself to service' yet unable to see that freebies of any sort are almost always unnecessary and compromising leaves a bad taste in the mouth. But the prospect of the top three ministers resigning en masse, or an October election, is utterly farcical.
There are lots of seriously damaging stories that could hit the government this winter. What if one of Starmer's released prisoners is implicated in a serious crime or if particularly cold weather causes a spike in deaths among the elderly?
I suspect with the prisoners it is “when” not “if”.
The Conservatives have been very critical of Labour's early release scheme. They will inevitably be able to make hay with the Government's failed prisons policy.
After the much heralded hire of Timpson, he has been absolutely invisible.
Timpson in particular I would cut more slack than the other departments and ministers -- as an external appointment he presumably did not get advance notice that he'd be in government. Various other soon-to-be ministers really should have been working up policy well in advance to be ready on day one, or at least in month one, but Timpson won't have had that opportunity. (He'll have strong ideas and general directions, obviously, that's the reason he was appointed, but that's not the same as having something sufficiently solidly worked up to be able to announce it.)
Absolutely no way his appointment wasn't arranged many months in advance. He is CEO of a major company, he isn't like Vallance who could quite easily drop everything and move role. A huge amount of preparation would have had to be done to ensure Timpson the business would be unaffected.
Also my point wasn't just policy, it is that he isn't the one explaining any of this for the government. It is like he has been locked in a cupboard for the past 3 months.
I suspect Rayner arrived at the figure by estimating how much she would have spent on a week's holiday if paying for herself rather than the value of the specific trip in question.
lol
“Ok I got a free ten grand holiday but if paying for myself I’d have done a coach trip to Whitby, had some chips on the seafront, then got a bus home, costing £73, so I declare this a £73 holiday”
Add in a bit of fudge around airline flights and five days not a whole week, and now sharing with another MP, and suddenly the scandal is blurred.
That’s the long term rate.
Good luck booking a holiday rental for that.
Occasionally (actually, who am I kidding: often) when reading PB I find myself getting caught up in the froth of news that won't stick beyond a few news cycles.
I suspect this is that. Don't get me wrong, the hypocrisy of a government 'dedicating itself to service' yet unable to see that freebies of any sort are almost always unnecessary and compromising leaves a bad taste in the mouth. But the prospect of the top three ministers resigning en masse, or an October election, is utterly farcical.
There are lots of seriously damaging stories that could hit the government this winter. What if one of Starmer's released prisoners is implicated in a serious crime or if particularly cold weather causes a spike in deaths among the elderly?
I suspect with the prisoners it is “when” not “if”.
The Conservatives have been very critical of Labour's early release scheme. They will inevitably be able to make hay with the Government's failed prisons policy.
Reminds me a bit of the time the Home Secretary refused an impassioned appeal for the release of a prisoner, condemned to death, by a leading frontbencher, Sir Frank Soskice, saying there were no grounds for a reprieve.
Except...after Sokice's question, there had been an election and a change of government. So the Home Secretary who refused this impassioned appeal was *checks notes* Sir Frank Soskice.
(And, ironically, it later turned out he'd been right first time and Timothy Evans was innocent.)
Too many people in this government are either utterly stupid or corrupt.
Or perhaps, both.
Politically naive, ideologically arrogant.
The Tories are evil, Labour are righteous. So stop trying to tar them with the Tory brush, don’t you know that the Tories are utterly stupid and corrupt?
Presuming you're not making a joke, read what I said. 'Too many people in this government..." I did not say all this government.
There are many good Tories, including many on here, to say something like "The Tories are evil".
I quite like Rayner - at least she’s got some spark of life - but this could be fatal. The hypocrisy is off the dial
I mean I did New Year in New York in 2008 and it was north of £1,000 night then.
As an occasional travel writer, my guess is a trip like that would cost at least £6k and maybe much more
Why does she not admit that? Is there some rule about accepting sums over a certain level? Or is it just coz it looks so bad - “yeah I had a free ten grand holibobs, soz”
It's Labour's bloody class warfare that has come back to haunt them.
You cannot portray yourself as a man/woman of the people when you're cadging £6k holidays so best keep schtum about the latter.
I’m amazed at how rapidly this government has come apart.
It's very funny.
I hope the hubris is pure and they're flushed down the toilet of history as soon as possible.
I have said a few times that the labour government could just implode, to the point where the labour party have an extinction level event. The biggest problem is that their economic plan involves punitive taxation to fund money to favoured groups, along with loads more rules and regulations, so caving in to short term political pressure. This isn't going to go well. Their MP's will also eventually start tearing themselves apart on cultural issues.
On topic. Forgive me for not understanding the appeal of Robert Jenrick.
Lay the favourite?
His appeal is that he is a (Cambridge educated) lawyer.
The 2024 is the year of the lawyer.
Starmer, Jenrick, then Kamala Harris.
He is Cambridge educated (John's, history) but not a Cambridge lawyer.
Jenrick (St John's, Cambridge) v Starmer (St Edmund Hall, Oxford by way of Leeds) would be the first Oxford v Cambridge general election Varsity Match since Howard v Blair in 2005. Oxford won that one, though Cambridge won the last one before that when Baldwin (Trinity, Cambridge) beat Attlee (University College, Oxford) in 1935
Baldwin was the best Tory ever.
Got rid of the King.
To replace him with his brother as King who successfully with Churchill led us through WW2
Churchill the closet Shinner?
There is nothing so British as firing inconvenient Kings. Kings rule by divine right - if they fall off the throne, that’s God saying “You’re chips are done”.
Indeed. England can boast Edward II, Richard II, Henry VI, Richard III and James II.
Scotland can mention John, Mary, James I and James VII.
And both can boast of Edward VIII.
I’d add Charles I to the list, I think…
D'oh! I hadn't even thought of him.
Honestly, I'll lose my head next.
Add Harold d.1066, and Edward V.
Maud/Matilda?
She never took power. She was about to when the Londoners booted her out.
If we count her if we have to count Jane as well.
I’d forgotten her.
The most important question I think is who had the best play written about their downfall? I haven’t seen Edward II, but I hear it’s pretty good.
On topic. Forgive me for not understanding the appeal of Robert Jenrick.
Lay the favourite?
His appeal is that he is a (Cambridge educated) lawyer.
The 2024 is the year of the lawyer.
Starmer, Jenrick, then Kamala Harris.
He is Cambridge educated (John's, history) but not a Cambridge lawyer.
Jenrick (St John's, Cambridge) v Starmer (St Edmund Hall, Oxford by way of Leeds) would be the first Oxford v Cambridge general election Varsity Match since Howard v Blair in 2005. Oxford won that one, though Cambridge won the last one before that when Baldwin (Trinity, Cambridge) beat Attlee (University College, Oxford) in 1935
Baldwin was the best Tory ever.
Got rid of the King.
To replace him with his brother as King who successfully with Churchill led us through WW2
Churchill the closet Shinner?
There is nothing so British as firing inconvenient Kings. Kings rule by divine right - if they fall off the throne, that’s God saying “You’re chips are done”.
Indeed. England can boast Edward II, Richard II, Henry VI, Richard III and James II.
Scotland can mention John, Mary, James I and James VII.
And both can boast of Edward VIII.
I’d add Charles I to the list, I think…
D'oh! I hadn't even thought of him.
Honestly, I'll lose my head next.
Add Harold d.1066, and Edward V.
Maud/Matilda?
She never took power. She was about to when the Londoners booted her out.
If we count her if we have to count Jane as well.
I’d forgotten her.
The most important question I think is who had the best play written about their downfall? I haven’t seen Edward II, but I hear it’s pretty good.
I quite like Rayner - at least she’s got some spark of life - but this could be fatal. The hypocrisy is off the dial
I mean I did New Year in New York in 2008 and it was north of £1,000 night then.
As an occasional travel writer, my guess is a trip like that would cost at least £6k and maybe much more
Why does she not admit that? Is there some rule about accepting sums over a certain level? Or is it just coz it looks so bad - “yeah I had a free ten grand holibobs, soz”
It's Labour's bloody class warfare that has come back to haunt them.
You cannot portray yourself as a man/woman of the people when you're cadging £6k holidays so best keep schtum about the latter.
I’m amazed at how rapidly this government has come apart.
It's very funny.
I hope the hubris is pure and they're flushed down the toilet of history as soon as possible.
I have said a few times that the labour government could just implode, to the point where the labour party have an extinction level event. The biggest problem is that their economic plan involves punitive taxation to fund money to favoured groups, along with loads more rules and regulations, so caving in to short term political pressure. This isn't going to go well. Their MP's will also eventually start tearing themselves apart on cultural issues.
I suspect Rayner arrived at the figure by estimating how much she would have spent on a week's holiday if paying for herself rather than the value of the specific trip in question.
lol
“Ok I got a free ten grand holiday but if paying for myself I’d have done a coach trip to Whitby, had some chips on the seafront, then got a bus home, costing £73, so I declare this a £73 holiday”
Add in a bit of fudge around airline flights and five days not a whole week, and now sharing with another MP, and suddenly the scandal is blurred.
That’s the long term rate.
Good luck booking a holiday rental for that.
Occasionally (actually, who am I kidding: often) when reading PB I find myself getting caught up in the froth of news that won't stick beyond a few news cycles.
I suspect this is that. Don't get me wrong, the hypocrisy of a government 'dedicating itself to service' yet unable to see that freebies of any sort are almost always unnecessary and compromising leaves a bad taste in the mouth. But the prospect of the top three ministers resigning en masse, or an October election, is utterly farcical.
There are lots of seriously damaging stories that could hit the government this winter. What if one of Starmer's released prisoners is implicated in a serious crime or if particularly cold weather causes a spike in deaths among the elderly?
Both would be bad (as events and as political effects), but they wouldn't be a continuation of a narrative that starts with "dodgy donations and freebies". I think the stuff that sticks is when it chimes with a general pre-existing idea and then continues to roll because more things arrive that also line up with it. So far these stories have elements of the former but not the latter.
Too many people in this government are either utterly stupid or corrupt.
Or perhaps, both.
Politically naive, ideologically arrogant.
The Tories are evil, Labour are righteous. So stop trying to tar them with the Tory brush, don’t you know that the Tories are utterly stupid and corrupt?
Presuming you're not making a joke, read what I said. 'Too many people in this government..." I did not say all this government.
There are many good Tories, including many on here, to say something like "The Tories are evil".
I’m satirising the attitude of the Labour people. We saw it in Wes Streetimg’s tear down of Victoria Prentice a few weeks back. Yes her attack was laughable and pitiful. Yes he rightly pulled her apart. But then he went on. How Dare She ask valid questions that deserve answers. Who does she think she is? Her side are the crooks, the evil, the uncaring. The Tories are the disease, Labour are the cure.
It’s absurd, but that’s what a good number of them think.
He almost injured himself trying not to say "white"...
Is that fair though? The interviewer hostilely suggests there’s no such thing as English identity, or that the very idea of it is somehow racist.
I think Jenrick acquits himself pretty well.
I have watched the clip linked to above again, carefully. The interviewer at no point says anything remotely like @Gardenwalker ’s claim. He does not say there is no such thing as English identity. He does not say the word “racist” or anything like it.
Gardenwalker, could you explain yourself? Why are you making things up?
Nope Gardenwalker is right on this one. Watch the full 8 minute interview and you will see that, although he may not say it directly, the interviewer clearly indicates that he believes it doesn't exist. I bow to no one in my dislike for Jenrick but this interviewer is being a typical gotcha fuckwit.
That doesn't mean I actually agree with Jenrick and hs claims about migration. In this instance they are both being fuckwits.
If the Sunday's is just more stories of Starmer and Co accepting more gifts like a Z-list reality star, I think the story dies. Its priced in now that they will accept any freebies that are going. To move the story on, it can to be linked to some sort of quid pro quo e.g. like the story first started with a dodgy #10 pass.
I suspect Rayner arrived at the figure by estimating how much she would have spent on a week's holiday if paying for herself rather than the value of the specific trip in question.
lol
“Ok I got a free ten grand holiday but if paying for myself I’d have done a coach trip to Whitby, had some chips on the seafront, then got a bus home, costing £73, so I declare this a £73 holiday”
Cost? 5 nights over NYE: Including cleaning and service: £9,323
It costs more per NIGHT than Rayner claimed for the whole trip
Next time I need to rent an AirBnB I am going to try that one, but but but the mortgage on a similar property is only £2k a month, I am not willing to pay £300 a night, it should only be £80 a night.....I have a sneaking suspicion I will be told to go do one.
Its interesting how expensive airbnbs are now in countries like Portugal.
These days they are really expensive in lots of places, especially when you add on taxes, fees, potential fines for not following the 27 step process for putting the bins out, etc.
Cost of living, in a lot of places.
I looked in to renting out our flat on airbnb but found that there is a surplus of airbnb's in the town so there isn't much point in doing it (hassle vs reward)
Comments
Either that or an October GE and give people the opportunity they are crying out for to give their verdict on this bunch of chancers and no hopers.
I would suggest those who are horrified to have Labour in No. 10 should pace themselves. Labour are going to be there for at least 5 years. Starmer, Rayner and Reeves are very probably in place for several years.
PROTECT WOMEN FROM OPEN BORDERS
The DE-MASCULINIZATION of society and FEMINISM have destroyed the natural balance:
Now women no longer trust men and become pr0stitutes for the state.
But the state is responsible for putting women in danger with illegal mass migration!
https://x.com/SeibtNaomi/status/1837541511216406757
Holding strongly onto one's identity a la Jenrick is, in my view, a sign of insecurity about it. For the same reason someone who has, or whose family has, migrated from India or Nigeria will probably hold onto their identity more strongly, indeed fetishise it.
As a confident Englishman, coming from a position of relative power, I don't really feel the need to define my identity. In fact I value precisely its nebulous, adaptable nature.
And they chose to bowlerise his character, instead.
Good luck booking a holiday rental for that.
But actually, Sandy was criticising your spelling. So your point's invalid anyway.
Honestly, I'll lose my head next.
I suspect this is that. Don't get me wrong, the hypocrisy of a government 'dedicating itself to service' yet unable to see that freebies of any sort are almost always unnecessary and compromising leaves a bad taste in the mouth. But the prospect of the top three ministers resigning en masse, or an October election, is utterly farcical.
I hope the hubris is pure and they're flushed down the toilet of history as soon as possible.
It will pass before anyone resigns, but their polling is unlikely to recover.
The government has defended the early release of prisoners after it emerged a former inmate allegedly sexually assaulted a woman on the same day he was freed.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cnvdy22gje4o
A former actor freed from jail early under Keir Starmer’s prisoner release scheme is back behind bars after allegedly assaulting his ex-partner.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/09/19/prisoner-freed-early-keir-starmer-back-in-jail-48-hours/
This is a crucial election for women in particular. If Trump gets back in, they're fucked. Literally and figuratively.
Back to the tories yawn.
Look decline is inevitable.
Why.
Because any serious reform threatens interest groups who will push back hard to prevent it
And with the debt the govt has little room for manouvre.
This will be true under tory or labour.
So get used to each new year being worse than the last.
The only correct comparison is Airbnb or holiday apartments on booking.com
Let’s check booking.com. 28 Dec to Jan 2. NYC. Two bed luxe flat on 50th floor of prestigious tower. Midtown Manhattan…
These are so rare booking.com has none. So let’s try Airbnb
This one looks like a perfect match - exactly like Angela’s. Luxe. High up a skyscraper. 2 beds. With views of Empire State
https://www.airbnb.com/slink/wqeziZNN
Cost? 5 nights over NYE: Including cleaning and service: £9,323
It costs more per NIGHT than Rayner claimed for the whole trip
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cnvdy22gje4o
I don't think it's fair to say they were disposed of for being 'inconvenient' to the English (in this case).
If we count her if we have to count Jane as well.
It's not really that surprising. The Labour opposition never remotely ready for government (not compared to previous "change" elections 1979, 1997 and 2010) - It just happened to be that the Tories were such an appalling government Labour won default... But the rapid implosion now Labour has got into power was probably inevitable.
The most important question I think is who had the best play written about their downfall? I haven’t seen Edward II, but I hear it’s pretty good.
Starmer has been PM for 2 months and 2 weeks.
By that stage:
Gavin Williamson had resigned from Sunak's government. He lasted just over a fortnight.
The Truss government had collapsed totally.
Jo Johnson and Amber Rudd had resigned from Johnson's first ministry.
We had had Sajid Javid, Julian Smith etc sacked from Johnson's second ministry.
I don't think May had managed to lose anyone. Not yet.
David Laws had resigned from the Cameron coalition.
TLDR: Whatever you think of this government, it's been a model of calm and stability compared with its predecessors.
And "poor but better than the other lot" still wins.
Mein fuhrer, Rayner and friend stayed in a luxury penthouse here and partied here, here and here
...
Everyone who has had more than £100 worth of clothes off Alli leave the room
...
Because the brilliant thing about being in office is how much you control the gameboard.
Does seem to need to be someone smiley, though. Sorry, Gordon. Sorry, Rishi.
Boris took quite a while to collape. Starmer has gone on the B of the Bang.
It isn't nonsense it's self-evident. One person's 'English identity' and what they choose to emphasise about that, take pride in and see as important will always differ, so of course it's nebulous. It also changes over time. What being English means to someone now in 2024 is obviously related but different to what it was in 1924. National identities always are by necessity as an attempt to distill and wring meaning from centuries of shared culture and history into a simplified form everyone, or at least the majority, can subscribe too.
Otherwise you end up excluding a lot of people who very much feel English and have pride in that national identity, but do not subscribe to a narrow definition that is hopelessly fixed and thus loses its relevance and accuracy.
As for the interviewer, I don't know what his views are but it's a case of a journalist doing their job and puncturing a politician's windbag rhetoric rather than nodding along to it. Jenrick was caught out because his argument isn't very well thought out or argued beyond its tubthumping lines designed specifically to tickle Tory members.
I had moderate hopes that Labour would at least pass the 'not as sh*t as this lot' bar. But at the first (already low bar) "Does this possibly look bad if it comes out?" test - it's already a fail.
Listening to Laura Kuenssberg on BBC news just now she is expecting the Sunday papers to reveal more scandal on Labour's freebies
And this from Sky
https://news.sky.com/story/investigation-launched-into-jail-starmer-graffiti-at-mps-office-13219240
The Tories are evil, Labour are righteous. So stop trying to tar them with the Tory brush, don’t you know that the Tories are utterly stupid and corrupt?
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt20245230/
https://youtu.be/YNsAtALFkWw
This is bad, but it's nothing like the starts the last three PMs had.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/09/21/more-than-half-of-40-new-hospital-projects-could-be-delayed/
I really scratching my head over this. There is absolutely no doubt we need more hospital capacity yesterday and if you are going to borrow, to build infrastructure is something that I don't think is hard financially or politically to get through. And it is something you absolutely expect Labour to do.
If your mission is growth, growth, growth, building infrastructure is a key component.
Two more flavours to try later: dark chocolate, and chewy caramel.
Also my point wasn't just policy, it is that he isn't the one explaining any of this for the government. It is like he has been locked in a cupboard for the past 3 months.
Except...after Sokice's question, there had been an election and a change of government. So the Home Secretary who refused this impassioned appeal was *checks notes* Sir Frank Soskice.
(And, ironically, it later turned out he'd been right first time and Timothy Evans was innocent.)
There are many good Tories, including many on here, to say something like "The Tories are evil".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2m1SjCazzHE&t=20s
It’s absurd, but that’s what a good number of them think.
That doesn't mean I actually agree with Jenrick and hs claims about migration. In this instance they are both being fuckwits.