There is nothing left for Britain. No spark, no energy, no ideas, nothing. We are a hollowed out version of Egypt - filthy, overpopulated and stagnant - but without the sunshine
And we are governed by a cabal of mediocre halfwits who get excited by “free designer spectacles”
Nah. we're a wonderful country.
True, there are problems, and some things could be better - when has that not been the case? - but we're still a great place to live. People are generally kind, society generally muddles along, and things generally work.
Do you ever travel? I’m not sure you do
You only need to get out there in the world to realise, sadly, very sadly, that Britain is no longer a “great place to live” - not relatively, not any more
Many many countries now offer a notably higher quality of life
For the well-off, perhaps. The sorts of wankers who go to the hotels you waste around in
For the less well-off?
Clean streets are clean streets. Good transport infra is hard to fake. A functioning health system can be measured by the angst about healthcare in the locals
There is nothing left for Britain. No spark, no energy, no ideas, nothing. We are a hollowed out version of Egypt - filthy, overpopulated and stagnant - but without the sunshine
And we are governed by a cabal of mediocre halfwits who get excited by “free designer spectacles”
A couple of people on here got so excited about “free designer spectacles” they bombarded the site with their single opinion about those spectacles' owner.
A cabal of mediocre halfwits? I wouldn't like to say!
I think you misunderstand what Gerald Ratner did. He made a public, video-recorded speech slating his own products. This was widely publicised and killed his company. Boris Johnson did not do that; in-fact the leader who has come closest to 'Ratnering' the Tory brand is Theresa May, with her 'Nasty Party' tag, which has indeed been damaging and hard to shake.
BoZo made very public announcements telling everybody to not meet up, not celebrate, and certainly not party
While his staff did all three
Which still has nothing to do with what Ratner did.
BoZo, and Ratner, both told the public "I am selling you crap"
Boris may have been crap, and people may have rumbled him as crap, but he still did not 'Ratner' the Tory brand in the way that GR (to Ratner's) and arguably TMay did. You can call what he did do to it more damaging or less damaging, but it isn't the same.
People stopped buying it as a result of his actions.
Quite possibly (though the polling vs. his successors doesn't quite bear that out), but it's still not Ratnering something. I have now idea why you're trying so hard to sell this point - it wasn't even you who made the erroneous reference.
There is nothing left for Britain. No spark, no energy, no ideas, nothing. We are a hollowed out version of Egypt - filthy, overpopulated and stagnant - but without the sunshine
And we are governed by a cabal of mediocre halfwits who get excited by “free designer spectacles”
Nah. we're a wonderful country.
True, there are problems, and some things could be better - when has that not been the case? - but we're still a great place to live. People are generally kind, society generally muddles along, and things generally work.
Do you ever travel? I’m not sure you do
You only need to get out there in the world to realise, sadly, very sadly, that Britain is no longer a “great place to live” - not relatively, not any more
Many many countries now offer a notably higher quality of life
Not to say you are wrong on this but I would argue that what you do - fly in, stay in posh places, have great experiences etc is not a good way to work out if a place has a notably higher quality of life than the UK. You generally find out far more if you live somewhere, use its healthcare, pays its taxes etc.
I stay in all kinds of places. I’m going to some weird ones in the coming days
Also, when I visit a country I TALK to people
Moreover, polling shows I am right. British people are just about the most miserable on the planet
“The UK is the 2nd-most miserable country in the world, report says”
“To be fair to Sue Gray, she really is an impartial civil servant. She brought down one prime minister, who was a Conservative. And now she’s bringing down another one, who happens to be Labour”
It's a good gag, but a) it's not really true (Boris was weakened by Partygate, sure, but he was brought down by lying about Pincher the Pincher) and b) it's a dangerous thing for any Conservative to talk about...
"so Tom, if Boris was so badly treated, would you welcome him back as a Conservative candidate?"
Tom isn't ever going to have to make that decision, so he may as well make the gag and court some popularity.
There is nothing left for Britain. No spark, no energy, no ideas, nothing. We are a hollowed out version of Egypt - filthy, overpopulated and stagnant - but without the sunshine
And we are governed by a cabal of mediocre halfwits who get excited by “free designer spectacles”
Nah. we're a wonderful country.
True, there are problems, and some things could be better - when has that not been the case? - but we're still a great place to live. People are generally kind, society generally muddles along, and things generally work.
Do you ever travel? I’m not sure you do
You only need to get out there in the world to realise, sadly, very sadly, that Britain is no longer a “great place to live” - not relatively, not any more
Many many countries now offer a notably higher quality of life
For the well-off, perhaps. The sorts of wankers who go to the hotels you waste around in
For the less well-off?
Clean streets are clean streets. Good transport infra is hard to fake. A functioning health system can be measured by the angst about healthcare in the locals
I walk, cycle and run extensively in this country. And - shock horror - I'd argue that the streets are *generally* clean. Yes, you get some places with a litter problem, but the vast majority of places don't.
London has an excellent transport infrastructure, as do many of the larger conurbations. Out in the sticks, less so.
And the health system also *generally* works fairly well - though in something so vast, you will always have problems. Using stories in local papers as a sign of issues is odd, as the media love stories of things failing. Things that work... less so.
I think you misunderstand what Gerald Ratner did. He made a public, video-recorded speech slating his own products. This was widely publicised and killed his company. Boris Johnson did not do that; in-fact the leader who has come closest to 'Ratnering' the Tory brand is Theresa May, with her 'Nasty Party' tag, which has indeed been damaging and hard to shake.
BoZo made very public announcements telling everybody to not meet up, not celebrate, and certainly not party
While his staff did all three
Which still has nothing to do with what Ratner did.
BoZo, and Ratner, both told the public "I am selling you crap"
Boris may have been crap, and people may have rumbled him as crap, but he still did not 'Ratner' the Tory brand in the way that GR (to Ratner's) and arguably TMay did. You can call what he did do to it more damaging or less damaging, but it isn't the same.
I wouldn't say Johnson ratnered the Conservative. His 2019 election victory was a genuinely impressive outcome, which he achieved by standing in opposition to previous Conservative governments. I felt at the time he was creating problems for the Conservative Party for the future when he was no longer there and it had repudiated everything it previously stood for.
There is nothing left for Britain. No spark, no energy, no ideas, nothing. We are a hollowed out version of Egypt - filthy, overpopulated and stagnant - but without the sunshine
And we are governed by a cabal of mediocre halfwits who get excited by “free designer spectacles”
Nah. we're a wonderful country.
True, there are problems, and some things could be better - when has that not been the case? - but we're still a great place to live. People are generally kind, society generally muddles along, and things generally work.
Do you ever travel? I’m not sure you do
You only need to get out there in the world to realise, sadly, very sadly, that Britain is no longer a “great place to live” - not relatively, not any more
Many many countries now offer a notably higher quality of life
For the well-off, perhaps. The sorts of wankers who go to the hotels you waste around in
For the less well-off?
Clean streets are clean streets. Good transport infra is hard to fake. A functioning health system can be measured by the angst about healthcare in the locals
I walk, cycle and run extensively in this country. And - shock horror - I'd argue that the streets are *generally* clean. Yes, you get some places with a litter problem, but the vast majority of places don't.
London has an excellent transport infrastructure, as do many of the larger conurbations. Out in the sticks, less so.
And the health system also *generally* works fairly well - though in something so vast, you will always have problems. Using stories in local papers as a sign of issues is odd, as the media love stories of things failing. Things that work... less so.
This is just bollocks. And provably bollocks
In healthcare we have some of the worst outcomes in the OECD and this is now despite us spending evermore trillions on the NHS, it can no longer be blamed on lack of cash
There is nothing left for Britain. No spark, no energy, no ideas, nothing. We are a hollowed out version of Egypt - filthy, overpopulated and stagnant - but without the sunshine
And we are governed by a cabal of mediocre halfwits who get excited by “free designer spectacles”
Nah. we're a wonderful country.
True, there are problems, and some things could be better - when has that not been the case? - but we're still a great place to live. People are generally kind, society generally muddles along, and things generally work.
Do you ever travel? I’m not sure you do
You only need to get out there in the world to realise, sadly, very sadly, that Britain is no longer a “great place to live” - not relatively, not any more
Many many countries now offer a notably higher quality of life
Not to say you are wrong on this but I would argue that what you do - fly in, stay in posh places, have great experiences etc is not a good way to work out if a place has a notably higher quality of life than the UK. You generally find out far more if you live somewhere, use its healthcare, pays its taxes etc.
I stay in all kinds of places. I’m going to some weird ones in the coming days
Also, when I visit a country I TALK to people
Moreover, polling shows I am right. British people are just about the most miserable on the planet
“The UK is the 2nd-most miserable country in the world, report says”
You don’t get poll results like that from a country that is “still a great place to live”
That’s because Britain is no longer a great place to live
What's interesting is the comparison to 1997. For all the confected nature of "Things can only get better", the activists waving Union flags in Downing St, the music, etc there was a real sense of national renewal, hope and optimism. Arguably it was a bit unfair as the economy that Labour inherited was on the up, and people were just sick of the Tories as much as anything else. Fast forward to 2024. The Tories lost for a number of reasons, some self inflicted, others external. Any government challenged by Covid and then the energy crisis would struggle, and indeed most have around the world. Where is Jacinta Ardern now? Nicola Sturgeon? But they also failed to get the economy going enough the decline in the NHS is clear to see from the data. And yet their is no sense of 1997 reborn. Starmer is dull as ditchwater and a huge hypocrite to boot. He takes the lawyers way out of any issues "No rules were broken" whether it is covid rules and a needless cuury and a pint to vast, vast sums of money to buy nice clothes for his wife. His wife, FFS.
And so the whole country is in a bad mood. The press are running things down left, right and centre. People tend to think that the country is more dangerous than ever, with more crime, when the reverse is true, but the 24/7 news culture needs feeding its diet of dismay.
Most people who use the NHS say they get great service from people who care yet also say how bad it is. There is a disconnect somewhere.
Interesting article in Unherd. 'It is largely forgotten that when Thatcher replaced Ted Heath in 1975, she was also seen as a lightweight who would be Labour’s “secret weapon”. The former chancellor and her leadership rival, Reginald Maudling, described her victory as the “darkest day in the history of the Tory party”. And polls in 1978 suggested the Tories would enjoy a significant increase in support if it were to return the leadership to Heath. What actually won her power in 1979 was not her radicalism or iron will, but Labour’s total failure in government. “We lost the Election because people didn’t get their dustbins emptied, because commuters were angry about train disruption and because of too much union power,” James Callaghan argued, lamenting the Winter of Discontent which upended his premiership. Rishi Sunak could well say the same of his own time in government...
Those close to Starmer believe that Robert Jenrick has come closest to having the kind of political analysis that could be most problematic for Labour. The 14 years of Tory government were very bad, Jenrick states, because the government showed itself incapable of delivering the systemic reforms that would allow it to deliver what it promised. Only by clearing away the bureaucratic and legal obstacles binding the government’s hands can voters’ wishes be delivered — from reducing immigration and bogus asylum claims to improving economic growth and the performance of public services. This is the message Labour fears — but not the messenger. The words they used to describe him included “weird” and “extreme”. They also believe he reaches too quickly for old Thatcherite solutions to today’s problems. Jenrick has alighted on the systemic nature of Britain’s ills, but has yet to really embrace the new world to which Britain belongs — a world that requires more than reheated Thatcherism if Britain is to prosper. To those close to Starmer, Jenrick looks more like a second William Hague — or even Iain Duncan Smith — than a David Cameron, let alone a Margaret Thatcher.'
By contrast, Tugendhat and Cleverly are seen as more effective messengers, but with ineffective messages. Tugendhat does not share Jenrick’s belief in the systemic failure of the British state — arguing that Britain has simply lost its dynamism because it has allowed itself to be run by the “rule of lawyers” rather than the rule of law. Cleverly, in contrast, says Britain just needs some of Ronald Reagan’s optimistic spirit. Neither troubles Labour — yet.The candidate that Starmer’s team is least sure about is Badenoch. The size of her personality and willingness to speak her mind makes her a dangerous opponent. Her instinctive, confident conservatism also appears fresh in a way Jenrick’s does not. And yet she is also seen as potentially self-destructive in a way the others are not. She has the self-confidence of Thatcher, but does she have the discipline and political skill to navigate the challenges of opposition? After going on Times Radio to declare current rates of maternity pay “excessive” the question raised by T.E. Utley becomes pertinent once again: Is she willing to put aside her devotion to doctrine to avoid the plainly politically suicidal? If she wants to win, the answer must be yes.' https://unherd.com/2024/09/the-tory-contender-labour-fears/?tl_inbound=1&tl_groups[0]=18743&tl_period_type=3&utm_source=UnHerd+Today&utm_campaign=ce0ce17957-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_09_30_08_49&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_79fd0df946-ce0ce17957-[LIST_EMAIL_ID]
There is nothing left for Britain. No spark, no energy, no ideas, nothing. We are a hollowed out version of Egypt - filthy, overpopulated and stagnant - but without the sunshine
And we are governed by a cabal of mediocre halfwits who get excited by “free designer spectacles”
Nah. we're a wonderful country.
True, there are problems, and some things could be better - when has that not been the case? - but we're still a great place to live. People are generally kind, society generally muddles along, and things generally work.
Do you ever travel? I’m not sure you do
You only need to get out there in the world to realise, sadly, very sadly, that Britain is no longer a “great place to live” - not relatively, not any more
Many many countries now offer a notably higher quality of life
Not to say you are wrong on this but I would argue that what you do - fly in, stay in posh places, have great experiences etc is not a good way to work out if a place has a notably higher quality of life than the UK. You generally find out far more if you live somewhere, use its healthcare, pays its taxes etc.
I stay in all kinds of places. I’m going to some weird ones in the coming days
Also, when I visit a country I TALK to people
Moreover, polling shows I am right. British people are just about the most miserable on the planet
“The UK is the 2nd-most miserable country in the world, report says”
You don’t get poll results like that from a country that is “still a great place to live”
That’s because Britain is no longer a great place to live
What's interesting is the comparison to 1997. For all the confected nature of "Things can only get better", the activists waving Union flags in Downing St, the music, etc there was a real sense of national renewal, hope and optimism. Arguably it was a bit unfair as the economy that Labour inherited was on the up, and people were just sick of the Tories as much as anything else. Fast forward to 2024. The Tories lost for a number of reasons, some self inflicted, others external. Any government challenged by Covid and then the energy crisis would struggle, and indeed most have around the world. Where is Jacinta Ardern now? Nicola Sturgeon? But they also failed to get the economy going enough the decline in the NHS is clear to see from the data. And yet their is no sense of 1997 reborn. Starmer is dull as ditchwater and a huge hypocrite to boot. He takes the lawyers way out of any issues "No rules were broken" whether it is covid rules and a needless cuury and a pint to vast, vast sums of money to buy nice clothes for his wife. His wife, FFS.
And so the whole country is in a bad mood. The press are running things down left, right and centre. People tend to think that the country is more dangerous than ever, with more crime, when the reverse is true, but the 24/7 news culture needs feeding its diet of dismay.
Most people who use the NHS say they get great service from people who care yet also say how bad it is. There is a disconnect somewhere.
Look at the data on cancer survival etc. The NHS is relatively crap
@TimesRadio “I’ve applied for a few jobs and sadly not even had an interview yet.”
@GullisJonathan admits he’s struggling to return to teaching after losing his seat as a Conservative MP because there are "too many activists in the classroom"
I am sorry about that. I don't hold a particularly high opinion of Gullis' time in parliament but he was there, as far as I know, as a public servant and I wish him better than the demoralising round of joblessness and job applications.
There is nothing left for Britain. No spark, no energy, no ideas, nothing. We are a hollowed out version of Egypt - filthy, overpopulated and stagnant - but without the sunshine
And we are governed by a cabal of mediocre halfwits who get excited by “free designer spectacles”
Argentina in the 1950s, just a steady slow decline because the state is unwilling to face up to cutting welfare and entitlements.
There is nothing left for Britain. No spark, no energy, no ideas, nothing. We are a hollowed out version of Egypt - filthy, overpopulated and stagnant - but without the sunshine
And we are governed by a cabal of mediocre halfwits who get excited by “free designer spectacles”
Nah. we're a wonderful country.
True, there are problems, and some things could be better - when has that not been the case? - but we're still a great place to live. People are generally kind, society generally muddles along, and things generally work.
Do you ever travel? I’m not sure you do
You only need to get out there in the world to realise, sadly, very sadly, that Britain is no longer a “great place to live” - not relatively, not any more
Many many countries now offer a notably higher quality of life
For the well-off, perhaps. The sorts of wankers who go to the hotels you waste around in
For the less well-off?
Clean streets are clean streets. Good transport infra is hard to fake. A functioning health system can be measured by the angst about healthcare in the locals
I walk, cycle and run extensively in this country. And - shock horror - I'd argue that the streets are *generally* clean. Yes, you get some places with a litter problem, but the vast majority of places don't.
London has an excellent transport infrastructure, as do many of the larger conurbations. Out in the sticks, less so.
And the health system also *generally* works fairly well - though in something so vast, you will always have problems. Using stories in local papers as a sign of issues is odd, as the media love stories of things failing. Things that work... less so.
This is just bollocks. And provably bollocks
In healthcare we have some of the worst outcomes in the OECD and this is now despite us spending evermore trillions on the NHS, it can no longer be blamed on lack of cash
Are you saying I don't walk, cycle and run extensively in this country?
As for healthcare: hmmmm. I'd still rather have UK healthcare than suffer the US's system, for instance.
There is nothing left for Britain. No spark, no energy, no ideas, nothing. We are a hollowed out version of Egypt - filthy, overpopulated and stagnant - but without the sunshine
And we are governed by a cabal of mediocre halfwits who get excited by “free designer spectacles”
Nah. we're a wonderful country.
True, there are problems, and some things could be better - when has that not been the case? - but we're still a great place to live. People are generally kind, society generally muddles along, and things generally work.
Do you ever travel? I’m not sure you do
You only need to get out there in the world to realise, sadly, very sadly, that Britain is no longer a “great place to live” - not relatively, not any more
Many many countries now offer a notably higher quality of life
Not to say you are wrong on this but I would argue that what you do - fly in, stay in posh places, have great experiences etc is not a good way to work out if a place has a notably higher quality of life than the UK. You generally find out far more if you live somewhere, use its healthcare, pays its taxes etc.
I stay in all kinds of places. I’m going to some weird ones in the coming days
Also, when I visit a country I TALK to people
Moreover, polling shows I am right. British people are just about the most miserable on the planet
“The UK is the 2nd-most miserable country in the world, report says”
You don’t get poll results like that from a country that is “still a great place to live”
That’s because Britain is no longer a great place to live
What's interesting is the comparison to 1997. For all the confected nature of "Things can only get better", the activists waving Union flags in Downing St, the music, etc there was a real sense of national renewal, hope and optimism. Arguably it was a bit unfair as the economy that Labour inherited was on the up, and people were just sick of the Tories as much as anything else. Fast forward to 2024. The Tories lost for a number of reasons, some self inflicted, others external. Any government challenged by Covid and then the energy crisis would struggle, and indeed most have around the world. Where is Jacinta Ardern now? Nicola Sturgeon? But they also failed to get the economy going enough the decline in the NHS is clear to see from the data. And yet their is no sense of 1997 reborn. Starmer is dull as ditchwater and a huge hypocrite to boot. He takes the lawyers way out of any issues "No rules were broken" whether it is covid rules and a needless cuury and a pint to vast, vast sums of money to buy nice clothes for his wife. His wife, FFS.
And so the whole country is in a bad mood. The press are running things down left, right and centre. People tend to think that the country is more dangerous than ever, with more crime, when the reverse is true, but the 24/7 news culture needs feeding its diet of dismay.
Most people who use the NHS say they get great service from people who care yet also say how bad it is. There is a disconnect somewhere.
Look at the data on cancer survival etc. The NHS is relatively crap
Biggest issue around cancer is the GP gatekeeper. They see their role as keeping patients out of secondary care and it can be difficult to persuade that you actually DO need a scan etc. But in general beware stats. There may be other reasons, such as a generally older population.
There is nothing left for Britain. No spark, no energy, no ideas, nothing. We are a hollowed out version of Egypt - filthy, overpopulated and stagnant - but without the sunshine
And we are governed by a cabal of mediocre halfwits who get excited by “free designer spectacles”
True. Throwing valuable objects (particularly metal) into water is old, old magic. And the oldest Gods live in the water (particularly springs - hence, I suppose, the fountain connection.) Archaeological (is it archaeological if you dive rather than dig?) evidence shows that goes back to pre-Roman Britain at least. An echo of this can be found in the return of excalibur to the water.
It’s remarkable that we still have these deep, primitive, reflexive religious drives
Circumcision is just human sacrifice somewhat attenuated with bogus explanations. The Aztecs were much more honest: they used to pierce their penises with maguey thorns. Then offer the bloodied thorns to the Gods of Tenochtitlan
Scarification, body piercing, tattoos…?
I think religious drives are possibly hardwired (that is, the genetic descendents of those with religious drives outcompeted the genetic descendents of those without) but from a purely scientific point of view it seems unlikely that those specifcally with the urge to sacrifice things in water or pierce/tattoo themselves would actually do better than those who did not - unless, you know, that is actually what the Gods want, and they reward those who do? An easier explanation is that humans ARE hardwired to tradition, and to repeating what our parents and grandparents did, even if we don't know why - strikes me that those with a behavioural bias to tradition could have a genetic advantage in survival. But just putting forward a possible explanation doesn't make it any less remarkable. It's still remarkable that so apparently useless a tradition HAS survived for so long.
Pretty good theories
The more I think about it, the more convinced I am that tattoos, piercings are religious. You are harming yourself permanently, and the exercise is painful
Why on earth would you do that? It must be religious, you are propitiating the gods, even if you don’t realise it
The Moche of Peru used to cut off their own noses and lips to honour their not-at-all-freaky Tarantula God, that’s just one step further from a piercing
Some Moche ceramics I saw in Lima. It was once thought these statuettes were imaginative, now we know the Moche really did this:
No wonder they capitulated so surprisingly when the Spanish with their slightly less terrifying God arrived.
That was the Aztecs and Incas and others. The Moche died out around the 9th century
There is some evidence the Moche were SO freaky even the other sacrifice-our-children MesoAmerican cultures thought they were a bit “off”
Puts me in mind of Mark Lamarr's story of being on coke, and of being taken to one side by Shaun Ryder and told he was being a bit lairy. Being thought of as a bit weirdly bloodthirsty by the MesoAmericans must be very much like being thought of as a bit lairy by Shaun Ryder.
Funny story, Shaun Ryder was once the only person banned by name from appearing on live TV in the UK, after OFCOM had given out so many fines related to his language, or his inability to control it.
As much as it pains to complement the French, they got nuclear power right from the beginning, and are paying a lot less for their power than most of Europe.
And I know I’ve said this at least a dozen times now, but UK Gov really needs to put in an order for the first half dozen Rolls Royce SMRs, otherwise that whole industry will go to the Chinese.
There is nothing left for Britain. No spark, no energy, no ideas, nothing. We are a hollowed out version of Egypt - filthy, overpopulated and stagnant - but without the sunshine
And we are governed by a cabal of mediocre halfwits who get excited by “free designer spectacles”
Nah. we're a wonderful country.
True, there are problems, and some things could be better - when has that not been the case? - but we're still a great place to live. People are generally kind, society generally muddles along, and things generally work.
Do you ever travel? I’m not sure you do
You only need to get out there in the world to realise, sadly, very sadly, that Britain is no longer a “great place to live” - not relatively, not any more
Many many countries now offer a notably higher quality of life
Not to say you are wrong on this but I would argue that what you do - fly in, stay in posh places, have great experiences etc is not a good way to work out if a place has a notably higher quality of life than the UK. You generally find out far more if you live somewhere, use its healthcare, pays its taxes etc.
It’s often really easy to stay somewhere if you turn up with hard currency, but the reality of actually having to work there and earn local wages can be very different.
There are some exceptions though - there are loads of software developers in cities like Kiev and Bucharest who earn US$50 an hour selling themselves internationally, also an increasing number of what I’ll euphemistically call ‘bored housewives’ in the same places who can earn real money online.
Interesting article in Unherd. 'It is largely forgotten that when Thatcher replaced Ted Heath in 1975, she was also seen as a lightweight who would be Labour’s “secret weapon”. The former chancellor and her leadership rival, Reginald Maudling, described her victory as the “darkest day in the history of the Tory party”. And polls in 1978 suggested the Tories would enjoy a significant increase in support if it were to return the leadership to Heath. What actually won her power in 1979 was not her radicalism or iron will, but Labour’s total failure in government. “We lost the Election because people didn’t get their dustbins emptied, because commuters were angry about train disruption and because of too much union power,” James Callaghan argued, lamenting the Winter of Discontent which upended his premiership. Rishi Sunak could well say the same of his own time in government...
Those close to Starmer believe that Robert Jenrick has come closest to having the kind of political analysis that could be most problematic for Labour. The 14 years of Tory government were very bad, Jenrick states, because the government showed itself incapable of delivering the systemic reforms that would allow it to deliver what it promised. Only by clearing away the bureaucratic and legal obstacles binding the government’s hands can voters’ wishes be delivered — from reducing immigration and bogus asylum claims to improving economic growth and the performance of public services. This is the message Labour fears — but not the messenger. The words they used to describe him included “weird” and “extreme”. They also believe he reaches too quickly for old Thatcherite solutions to today’s problems. Jenrick has alighted on the systemic nature of Britain’s ills, but has yet to really embrace the new world to which Britain belongs — a world that requires more than reheated Thatcherism if Britain is to prosper. To those close to Starmer, Jenrick looks more like a second William Hague — or even Iain Duncan Smith — than a David Cameron, let alone a Margaret Thatcher.'
By contrast, Tugendhat and Cleverly are seen as more effective messengers, but with ineffective messages. Tugendhat does not share Jenrick’s belief in the systemic failure of the British state — arguing that Britain has simply lost its dynamism because it has allowed itself to be run by the “rule of lawyers” rather than the rule of law. Cleverly, in contrast, says Britain just needs some of Ronald Reagan’s optimistic spirit. Neither troubles Labour — yet.The candidate that Starmer’s team is least sure about is Badenoch. The size of her personality and willingness to speak her mind makes her a dangerous opponent. Her instinctive, confident conservatism also appears fresh in a way Jenrick’s does not. And yet she is also seen as potentially self-destructive in a way the others are not. She has the self-confidence of Thatcher, but does she have the discipline and political skill to navigate the challenges of opposition? After going on Times Radio to declare current rates of maternity pay “excessive” the question raised by T.E. Utley becomes pertinent once again: Is she willing to put aside her devotion to doctrine to avoid the plainly politically suicidal? If she wants to win, the answer must be yes.' https://unherd.com/2024/09/the-tory-contender-labour-fears/?tl_inbound=1&tl_groups[0]=18743&tl_period_type=3&utm_source=UnHerd+Today&utm_campaign=ce0ce17957-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_09_30_08_49&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_79fd0df946-ce0ce17957-[LIST_EMAIL_ID]
Interesting article in Unherd. 'It is largely forgotten that when Thatcher replaced Ted Heath in 1975, she was also seen as a lightweight who would be Labour’s “secret weapon”. The former chancellor and her leadership rival, Reginald Maudling, described her victory as the “darkest day in the history of the Tory party”. And polls in 1978 suggested the Tories would enjoy a significant increase in support if it were to return the leadership to Heath. What actually won her power in 1979 was not her radicalism or iron will, but Labour’s total failure in government. “We lost the Election because people didn’t get their dustbins emptied, because commuters were angry about train disruption and because of too much union power,” James Callaghan argued, lamenting the Winter of Discontent which upended his premiership. Rishi Sunak could well say the same of his own time in government...
Those close to Starmer believe that Robert Jenrick has come closest to having the kind of political analysis that could be most problematic for Labour. The 14 years of Tory government were very bad, Jenrick states, because the government showed itself incapable of delivering the systemic reforms that would allow it to deliver what it promised. Only by clearing away the bureaucratic and legal obstacles binding the government’s hands can voters’ wishes be delivered — from reducing immigration and bogus asylum claims to improving economic growth and the performance of public services. This is the message Labour fears — but not the messenger. The words they used to describe him included “weird” and “extreme”. They also believe he reaches too quickly for old Thatcherite solutions to today’s problems. Jenrick has alighted on the systemic nature of Britain’s ills, but has yet to really embrace the new world to which Britain belongs — a world that requires more than reheated Thatcherism if Britain is to prosper. To those close to Starmer, Jenrick looks more like a second William Hague — or even Iain Duncan Smith — than a David Cameron, let alone a Margaret Thatcher.'
By contrast, Tugendhat and Cleverly are seen as more effective messengers, but with ineffective messages. Tugendhat does not share Jenrick’s belief in the systemic failure of the British state — arguing that Britain has simply lost its dynamism because it has allowed itself to be run by the “rule of lawyers” rather than the rule of law. Cleverly, in contrast, says Britain just needs some of Ronald Reagan’s optimistic spirit. Neither troubles Labour — yet.The candidate that Starmer’s team is least sure about is Badenoch. The size of her personality and willingness to speak her mind makes her a dangerous opponent. Her instinctive, confident conservatism also appears fresh in a way Jenrick’s does not. And yet she is also seen as potentially self-destructive in a way the others are not. She has the self-confidence of Thatcher, but does she have the discipline and political skill to navigate the challenges of opposition? After going on Times Radio to declare current rates of maternity pay “excessive” the question raised by T.E. Utley becomes pertinent once again: Is she willing to put aside her devotion to doctrine to avoid the plainly politically suicidal? If she wants to win, the answer must be yes.' https://unherd.com/2024/09/the-tory-contender-labour-fears/?tl_inbound=1&tl_groups[0]=18743&tl_period_type=3&utm_source=UnHerd+Today&utm_campaign=ce0ce17957-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_09_30_08_49&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_79fd0df946-ce0ce17957-[LIST_EMAIL_ID]
I think you misunderstand what Gerald Ratner did. He made a public, video-recorded speech slating his own products. This was widely publicised and killed his company. Boris Johnson did not do that; in-fact the leader who has come closest to 'Ratnering' the Tory brand is Theresa May, with her 'Nasty Party' tag, which has indeed been damaging and hard to shake.
BoZo made very public announcements telling everybody to not meet up, not celebrate, and certainly not party
While his staff did all three
Which still has nothing to do with what Ratner did.
BoZo, and Ratner, both told the public "I am selling you crap"
Boris may have been crap, and people may have rumbled him as crap, but he still did not 'Ratner' the Tory brand in the way that GR (to Ratner's) and arguably TMay did. You can call what he did do to it more damaging or less damaging, but it isn't the same.
I wouldn't say Johnson ratnered the Conservative. His 2019 election victory was a genuinely impressive outcome, which he achieved by standing in opposition to previous Conservative governments. I felt at the time he was creating problems for the Conservative Party for the future when he was no longer there and it had repudiated everything it previously stood for.
Well of course you wouldn't, because he didn't.
He could have completely destroyed the Tory Party, but he still wouldn't have 'Ratnered' it for the reasons I've outlined.
TLDR: If you have a peanut allergy then for now best to avoid food products with mustard ingredients. There is a long list of such products including fast food chain products linked in the article.
I think you misunderstand what Gerald Ratner did. He made a public, video-recorded speech slating his own products. This was widely publicised and killed his company. Boris Johnson did not do that; in-fact the leader who has come closest to 'Ratnering' the Tory brand is Theresa May, with her 'Nasty Party' tag, which has indeed been damaging and hard to shake.
BoZo made very public announcements telling everybody to not meet up, not celebrate, and certainly not party
While his staff did all three
Which still has nothing to do with what Ratner did.
BoZo, and Ratner, both told the public "I am selling you crap"
Boris may have been crap, and people may have rumbled him as crap, but he still did not 'Ratner' the Tory brand in the way that GR (to Ratner's) and arguably TMay did. You can call what he did do to it more damaging or less damaging, but it isn't the same.
Tory vote 42% under May, 2017 = 317 seats Tory vote 23% under Rishi, 2024 = 121 seats
Comments
A cabal of mediocre halfwits? I wouldn't like to say!
!4 years of Conservative government did achieve something worthwhile, after all.
Also, when I visit a country I TALK to people
Moreover, polling shows I am right. British people are just about the most miserable on the planet
“The UK is the 2nd-most miserable country in the world, report says”
https://www.businessinsider.com/uk-second-most-miserable-country-in-world-report-2024-3
You don’t get poll results like that from a country that is “still a great place to live”
That’s because Britain is no longer a great place to live
NEW THREAD
London has an excellent transport infrastructure, as do many of the larger conurbations. Out in the sticks, less so.
And the health system also *generally* works fairly well - though in something so vast, you will always have problems. Using stories in local papers as a sign of issues is odd, as the media love stories of things failing. Things that work... less so.
In healthcare we have some of the worst outcomes in the OECD and this is now despite us spending evermore trillions on the NHS, it can no longer be blamed on lack of cash
Fast forward to 2024. The Tories lost for a number of reasons, some self inflicted, others external. Any government challenged by Covid and then the energy crisis would struggle, and indeed most have around the world. Where is Jacinta Ardern now? Nicola Sturgeon? But they also failed to get the economy going enough the decline in the NHS is clear to see from the data.
And yet their is no sense of 1997 reborn. Starmer is dull as ditchwater and a huge hypocrite to boot. He takes the lawyers way out of any issues "No rules were broken" whether it is covid rules and a needless cuury and a pint to vast, vast sums of money to buy nice clothes for his wife. His wife, FFS.
And so the whole country is in a bad mood. The press are running things down left, right and centre. People tend to think that the country is more dangerous than ever, with more crime, when the reverse is true, but the 24/7 news culture needs feeding its diet of dismay.
Most people who use the NHS say they get great service from people who care yet also say how bad it is. There is a disconnect somewhere.
“It is inconceivable that her devotion to doctrine would ever persuade her to do anything which was plainly politically suicidal,” Utley observed.
Compare to
"Never let your sense of morals prevent you from doing what is right" Salvor Hardin (a character in Foundation by Isaac Asimov)
As for healthcare: hmmmm. I'd still rather have UK healthcare than suffer the US's system, for instance.
As much as it pains to complement the French, they got nuclear power right from the beginning, and are paying a lot less for their power than most of Europe.
And I know I’ve said this at least a dozen times now, but UK Gov really needs to put in an order for the first half dozen Rolls Royce SMRs, otherwise that whole industry will go to the Chinese.
There are some exceptions though - there are loads of software developers in cities like Kiev and Bucharest who earn US$50 an hour selling themselves internationally, also an increasing number of what I’ll euphemistically call ‘bored housewives’ in the same places who can earn real money online.
He could have completely destroyed the Tory Party, but he still wouldn't have 'Ratnered' it for the reasons I've outlined.
ANYONE WITH A PEANUT ALLERGY
Just had an email from my son's school passing on an alert from the Food Standards Agency
https://www.food.gov.uk/news-alerts/news/urgent-allergy-advice-mustard-ingredients-contaminated-with-peanuts
TLDR: If you have a peanut allergy then for now best to avoid food products with mustard ingredients. There is a long list of such products including fast food chain products linked in the article.
Tory vote 23% under Rishi, 2024 = 121 seats