Either Reeves needs to back down/ameliorate or Starmer needs to sack her before she ends their 2028-29 chances with four years to go.
It's a bloody disaster as PBers like me said on the day it was announced.
" ‘It’s only a matter of time until we get some terrible case,’ a minister confided to me. ‘It happens every year, some tragedy where a pensioner dies alone. But this year it will be blamed on us – for winter fuel allowance cuts. And then we’re going to be in the midst of a full-blown crisis.’ "
"But they cannot align the relatively small saving with the potentially catastrophic political cost of being seen to target some of the most vulnerable in society in wintertime."
"I’ve spoken to Cabinet ministers, junior ministers, MPs, councillors, party officials, activists, trade union officials. I have yet to find a single person within Labour’s ranks who genuinely believes in the winter fuel benefit cut. Or thinks it is politically sustainable."
Featherbedded spoilt people expecting others to give them money they haven't earned and don't need deserve zero sympathy. None whatsoever.
Pensioners are not the "most vulnerable" in society, that is pig ignorant. 75% own their own home without a mortgage and they aren't even the most vulnerable to the cold, that is infants under 1 year of age who are far more vulnerable than pensioners but have never had such entitlement.
Welfare should be a safety net for those who need it.
You are not even at the level of a halfwit. Plenty of pensioners are poor you absolute unfeeling twat , an excuse for a human being.
Plenty of people of all ages are poor - why do only pensioners matter to you?
If poor people need welfare, then it should be targeted at those who need it, not those who don't.
And the most in need are poor babies, not pensioners. Contrary to received myths on here, pensioners have never been the most vulnerable to the cold.
Where did I say only pensioners matter. Learn to read comments and not just apply your bias. People who are not pensioners and poor get heating allowances as well every year paid direct to their supplier in november / december. So poor babies are already catered for with benefits, child allowance, heating allowance and no doubt other allowances. Think now and again, read and educate yourself rather than relying on your bias and fact you want WFA for your breeding prowess..
The Government should embrace the fact it has pissed off a self-centred vested interest group that primarily didn't vote for it anyway and do the right things that for too long haven't been done for the country.
Planning reform so that young people can own their own home, even if it affects the views or property prices of landlords.
End the triple lock and link pensioners salaries to working people's salaries so that we really are "all in it together".
Merge NI and Income Tax so everyone pays the same tax rate regardless of whether they're working or not.
Labour should grasp the nettle and govern for people who are working for a living like their name implies.
You support increasing pensions, who would have thought, minimum wage for state pension, first cogent thought I have ever seen you post.
Either Reeves needs to back down/ameliorate or Starmer needs to sack her before she ends their 2028-29 chances with four years to go.
It's a bloody disaster as PBers like me said on the day it was announced.
" ‘It’s only a matter of time until we get some terrible case,’ a minister confided to me. ‘It happens every year, some tragedy where a pensioner dies alone. But this year it will be blamed on us – for winter fuel allowance cuts. And then we’re going to be in the midst of a full-blown crisis.’ "
"But they cannot align the relatively small saving with the potentially catastrophic political cost of being seen to target some of the most vulnerable in society in wintertime."
"I’ve spoken to Cabinet ministers, junior ministers, MPs, councillors, party officials, activists, trade union officials. I have yet to find a single person within Labour’s ranks who genuinely believes in the winter fuel benefit cut. Or thinks it is politically sustainable."
Featherbedded spoilt people expecting others to give them money they haven't earned and don't need deserve zero sympathy. None whatsoever.
Pensioners are not the "most vulnerable" in society, that is pig ignorant. 75% own their own home without a mortgage and they aren't even the most vulnerable to the cold, that is infants under 1 year of age who are far more vulnerable than pensioners but have never had such entitlement.
Welfare should be a safety net for those who need it.
Universal winter fuel allowance is not needed
Those most in need can apply for help.
All pensioners including higher rate tax payers have had a near 500 quid uplift due to triple lock
The fucking Daily Mail have attacked pensioners in need for 14 years... We all know the fucking ghouls are just waiting for a suitable death to exploit.
Stand firm Labour.
Remove universal wfa permanently, remove the triple lock and increase pension credit thresholds marginally if you need to.
Nothing about ending higher rate tax relief on pension contributions? The perk enjoyed only by the well-off, including highly-paid columnists and pundits who call instead for measures that hit the poorer pensioner.
I'd certainly look to end that. "Hello, well off person, here's some extra help for you, is a cheque from HMRC ok?"
I was amazed when I benefited from it on setting up a SIPP. I thought there must be some mistake.
Another one who does not understand that they will be taxed on it regardless
The Government should embrace the fact it has pissed off a self-centred vested interest group that primarily didn't vote for it anyway and do the right things that for too long haven't been done for the country.
Planning reform so that young people can own their own home, even if it affects the views or property prices of landlords.
End the triple lock and link pensioners salaries to working people's salaries so that we really are "all in it together".
Merge NI and Income Tax so everyone pays the same tax rate regardless of whether they're working or not.
Labour should grasp the nettle and govern for people who are working for a living like their name implies.
Increase the number of council tax bands so that wealthy people pay it proportionately to the value of their home
Tax capital gains, dividends etc the same way as income. (I don't buy the double taxation argument as it isn't the capital you are taxing)
Deliberately set out to ensure that Richard Branson (and lawyers, accountants, CEOs etc) pay at least the same proportion of their income in tax as an average taxpayer.
The Russian withdrawal from Syria, makes the US withdrawal from Afghanistan look like it was well organised and brilliantly executed.
What a shame for Putin’s 21st Century Potemkin army.
I wouldn't celebrate too soon. Putin needs a win, fast, and the only place he can get it is Ukraine.
They are also struggling and a major Russian push could see a sudden collapse.
It would be a grim irony if the disaster Russia has suffered in the ME led to a mirror effect in Ukraine.
And an utter disaster if Syria falls to the jihadi rebels and Putin makes further incursions into Ukraine before Trump tries and imposes a peace deal
It's clear that in your mind, anyone who is not Christian is a Jihadi rebel...
Your takes on this situation have been truly awful.
The rebels are led by Al Qaeda linked militants and ISIS are beginning to make a resurgence too in parts of Syria as the rebels pushed against Assad's regime.
It is what Syria looks like this time next year or in 2030 that is significant, not some celebrations over statues falling this week
There are many rebel groups.
I'd say you're a fool, but you're now well into maliciousness.
Most with Al Qaeda or ISIS links, Syria may now become the biggest centre for jihadi terrorism in the world by far
HTS are the good bit of AQ apparently. They've got a HR Dept. and do a lot of work for charity.
The reason that Islamists have such popularity is because they do provide food, healthcare and education, while the Arab authoritarians simply embezzle and spend on secret police and prisons.
We really have got to the stage where our biggest dickheads are openly defending Islamists on here, dear God. 'Food, healthcare and education' - who would that education be for you moral vacuum - presumably not girls. I'd love you to move your family to the new Syria to enjoy all that 'food healthcare and education'. I'm sure you'd all have a super time.
As opposed to the dickheads who actively advocate for direct support of a mass murderer who utterly destroyed his country, created six million refugees - who you've been complaining about for a decade - and allied with Iran and Russia ? Who imprisoned, tortured and murdered tens of thousands; who gassed civilians ?
Neither you, not I have any idea what the successor regime will be like, but it's unlikely to be worse.
Either Reeves needs to back down/ameliorate or Starmer needs to sack her before she ends their 2028-29 chances with four years to go.
It's a bloody disaster as PBers like me said on the day it was announced.
" ‘It’s only a matter of time until we get some terrible case,’ a minister confided to me. ‘It happens every year, some tragedy where a pensioner dies alone. But this year it will be blamed on us – for winter fuel allowance cuts. And then we’re going to be in the midst of a full-blown crisis.’ "
"But they cannot align the relatively small saving with the potentially catastrophic political cost of being seen to target some of the most vulnerable in society in wintertime."
"I’ve spoken to Cabinet ministers, junior ministers, MPs, councillors, party officials, activists, trade union officials. I have yet to find a single person within Labour’s ranks who genuinely believes in the winter fuel benefit cut. Or thinks it is politically sustainable."
Featherbedded spoilt people expecting others to give them money they haven't earned and don't need deserve zero sympathy. None whatsoever.
Pensioners are not the "most vulnerable" in society, that is pig ignorant. 75% own their own home without a mortgage and they aren't even the most vulnerable to the cold, that is infants under 1 year of age who are far more vulnerable than pensioners but have never had such entitlement.
Welfare should be a safety net for those who need it.
Universal winter fuel allowance is not needed
Those most in need can apply for help.
All pensioners including higher rate tax payers have had a near 500 quid uplift due to triple lock
The fucking Daily Mail have attacked pensioners in need for 14 years... We all know the fucking ghouls are just waiting for a suitable death to exploit.
Stand firm Labour.
Remove universal wfa permanently, remove the triple lock and increase pension credit thresholds marginally if you need to.
Nothing about ending higher rate tax relief on pension contributions? The perk enjoyed only by the well-off, including highly-paid columnists and pundits who call instead for measures that hit the poorer pensioner.
I'd certainly look to end that. "Hello, well off person, here's some extra help for you, is a cheque from HMRC ok?"
I was amazed when I benefited from it on setting up a SIPP. I thought there must be some mistake.
Not really though. It's just that you don't pay tax on income you put into a pension. That's much simpler than buggering about with rates. There are other ways of taxing higher rate pensioners eg restricting the amount you can take as a tax free lump sum
Either Reeves needs to back down/ameliorate or Starmer needs to sack her before she ends their 2028-29 chances with four years to go.
It's a bloody disaster as PBers like me said on the day it was announced.
" ‘It’s only a matter of time until we get some terrible case,’ a minister confided to me. ‘It happens every year, some tragedy where a pensioner dies alone. But this year it will be blamed on us – for winter fuel allowance cuts. And then we’re going to be in the midst of a full-blown crisis.’ "
"But they cannot align the relatively small saving with the potentially catastrophic political cost of being seen to target some of the most vulnerable in society in wintertime."
"I’ve spoken to Cabinet ministers, junior ministers, MPs, councillors, party officials, activists, trade union officials. I have yet to find a single person within Labour’s ranks who genuinely believes in the winter fuel benefit cut. Or thinks it is politically sustainable."
Featherbedded spoilt people expecting others to give them money they haven't earned and don't need deserve zero sympathy. None whatsoever.
Pensioners are not the "most vulnerable" in society, that is pig ignorant. 75% own their own home without a mortgage and they aren't even the most vulnerable to the cold, that is infants under 1 year of age who are far more vulnerable than pensioners but have never had such entitlement.
Welfare should be a safety net for those who need it.
Universal winter fuel allowance is not needed
Those most in need can apply for help.
All pensioners including higher rate tax payers have had a near 500 quid uplift due to triple lock
The fucking Daily Mail have attacked pensioners in need for 14 years... We all know the fucking ghouls are just waiting for a suitable death to exploit.
Stand firm Labour.
Remove universal wfa permanently, remove the triple lock and increase pension credit thresholds marginally if you need to.
Nothing about ending higher rate tax relief on pension contributions? The perk enjoyed only by the well-off, including highly-paid columnists and pundits who call instead for measures that hit the poorer pensioner.
I'd certainly look to end that. "Hello, well off person, here's some extra help for you, is a cheque from HMRC ok?"
I was amazed when I benefited from it on setting up a SIPP. I thought there must be some mistake.
Another one who does not understand that they will be taxed on it regardless
I do understand how it works and the rationale for it. I'd prefer more of a match-funding model though. Same ££ cap for everyone.
One local NIMBY arsehole turned up to the meeting with his own barrister, to try and stop a collective of local farmers from selling their own food in a small restaurant.
That particular barrister (ironically, given Clarkson’s views on it) is a noted scourge of HS2. This has included repeating false claims about the importance of certain local areas and landmarks in order to try and block it, e.g. the Roald Dahl wood that wasn’t. While that hasn’t worked, it has been a major factor in ballooning costs.
I haven’t checked whether he was one of the people behind the ‘bat tunnel’ but it seems eminently possible.
According to the (pro-HS2) Green Signals podcast, the bat tunnel thing is hilariously both right and wrong. Yes, there is a tunnel, and the section if is in costs £100 million (not just the tunnel). But the project manager who told us about it got nearly all the details wrong. As a starter: it was HS2 themselves who decided the bats needed protecting!
Either Reeves needs to back down/ameliorate or Starmer needs to sack her before she ends their 2028-29 chances with four years to go.
It's a bloody disaster as PBers like me said on the day it was announced.
" ‘It’s only a matter of time until we get some terrible case,’ a minister confided to me. ‘It happens every year, some tragedy where a pensioner dies alone. But this year it will be blamed on us – for winter fuel allowance cuts. And then we’re going to be in the midst of a full-blown crisis.’ "
"But they cannot align the relatively small saving with the potentially catastrophic political cost of being seen to target some of the most vulnerable in society in wintertime."
"I’ve spoken to Cabinet ministers, junior ministers, MPs, councillors, party officials, activists, trade union officials. I have yet to find a single person within Labour’s ranks who genuinely believes in the winter fuel benefit cut. Or thinks it is politically sustainable."
Featherbedded spoilt people expecting others to give them money they haven't earned and don't need deserve zero sympathy. None whatsoever.
Pensioners are not the "most vulnerable" in society, that is pig ignorant. 75% own their own home without a mortgage and they aren't even the most vulnerable to the cold, that is infants under 1 year of age who are far more vulnerable than pensioners but have never had such entitlement.
Welfare should be a safety net for those who need it.
Universal winter fuel allowance is not needed
Those most in need can apply for help.
All pensioners including higher rate tax payers have had a near 500 quid uplift due to triple lock
The fucking Daily Mail have attacked pensioners in need for 14 years... We all know the fucking ghouls are just waiting for a suitable death to exploit.
Stand firm Labour.
Remove universal wfa permanently, remove the triple lock and increase pension credit thresholds marginally if you need to.
Nothing about ending higher rate tax relief on pension contributions? The perk enjoyed only by the well-off, including highly-paid columnists and pundits who call instead for measures that hit the poorer pensioner.
I'd certainly look to end that. "Hello, well off person, here's some extra help for you, is a cheque from HMRC ok?"
I was amazed when I benefited from it on setting up a SIPP. I thought there must be some mistake.
Not really though. It's just that you don't pay tax on income you put into a pension. That's much simpler than buggering about with rates. There are other ways of taxing higher rate pensioners eg restricting the amount you can take as a tax free lump sum
Exactly , and he would have got base rate relief in his salary like all others do and he will et taxed when he withdraws it , likely at higher rate and so will have had anything but a perk. Some not so bright intelligent people on here. The lump sum is indeed the only perk that is more likely to a higher rate tax payer given you need a big pot to get the lot. Tinkering with that however may well kill pensions off and so cost more in the long run as they may have to fork out more benefits as people have less incentive to save to look after themselves rather than just blowing it/hiding it and getting benefits like the rest.
Either Reeves needs to back down/ameliorate or Starmer needs to sack her before she ends their 2028-29 chances with four years to go.
It's a bloody disaster as PBers like me said on the day it was announced.
" ‘It’s only a matter of time until we get some terrible case,’ a minister confided to me. ‘It happens every year, some tragedy where a pensioner dies alone. But this year it will be blamed on us – for winter fuel allowance cuts. And then we’re going to be in the midst of a full-blown crisis.’ "
"But they cannot align the relatively small saving with the potentially catastrophic political cost of being seen to target some of the most vulnerable in society in wintertime."
"I’ve spoken to Cabinet ministers, junior ministers, MPs, councillors, party officials, activists, trade union officials. I have yet to find a single person within Labour’s ranks who genuinely believes in the winter fuel benefit cut. Or thinks it is politically sustainable."
Featherbedded spoilt people expecting others to give them money they haven't earned and don't need deserve zero sympathy. None whatsoever.
Pensioners are not the "most vulnerable" in society, that is pig ignorant. 75% own their own home without a mortgage and they aren't even the most vulnerable to the cold, that is infants under 1 year of age who are far more vulnerable than pensioners but have never had such entitlement.
Welfare should be a safety net for those who need it.
Universal winter fuel allowance is not needed
Those most in need can apply for help.
All pensioners including higher rate tax payers have had a near 500 quid uplift due to triple lock
The fucking Daily Mail have attacked pensioners in need for 14 years... We all know the fucking ghouls are just waiting for a suitable death to exploit.
Stand firm Labour.
Remove universal wfa permanently, remove the triple lock and increase pension credit thresholds marginally if you need to.
Nothing about ending higher rate tax relief on pension contributions? The perk enjoyed only by the well-off, including highly-paid columnists and pundits who call instead for measures that hit the poorer pensioner.
I'd certainly look to end that. "Hello, well off person, here's some extra help for you, is a cheque from HMRC ok?"
I was amazed when I benefited from it on setting up a SIPP. I thought there must be some mistake.
Not really though. It's just that you don't pay tax on income you put into a pension. That's much simpler than buggering about with rates. There are other ways of taxing higher rate pensioners eg restricting the amount you can take as a tax free lump sum
Exactly , and he would have got base rate relief in his salary like all others do and he will et taxed when he withdraws it , likely at higher rate and so will have had anything but a perk. Some not so bright intelligent people on here. The lump sum is indeed the only perk that is more likely to a higher rate tax payer given you need a big pot to get the lot. Tinkering with that however may well kill pensions off and so cost more in the long run as they may have to fork out more benefits as people have less incentive to save to look after themselves rather than just blowing it/hiding it and getting benefits like the rest.
The whole point of a pension investment specifically, as opposed to any other investment product, is as an income tax shield. Remove the income tax shield and the pensions industry dies overnight, people will save in a bog-standard S&P/FTSE tracker if they save at all.
Either Reeves needs to back down/ameliorate or Starmer needs to sack her before she ends their 2028-29 chances with four years to go.
It's a bloody disaster as PBers like me said on the day it was announced.
" ‘It’s only a matter of time until we get some terrible case,’ a minister confided to me. ‘It happens every year, some tragedy where a pensioner dies alone. But this year it will be blamed on us – for winter fuel allowance cuts. And then we’re going to be in the midst of a full-blown crisis.’ "
"But they cannot align the relatively small saving with the potentially catastrophic political cost of being seen to target some of the most vulnerable in society in wintertime."
"I’ve spoken to Cabinet ministers, junior ministers, MPs, councillors, party officials, activists, trade union officials. I have yet to find a single person within Labour’s ranks who genuinely believes in the winter fuel benefit cut. Or thinks it is politically sustainable."
Featherbedded spoilt people expecting others to give them money they haven't earned and don't need deserve zero sympathy. None whatsoever.
Pensioners are not the "most vulnerable" in society, that is pig ignorant. 75% own their own home without a mortgage and they aren't even the most vulnerable to the cold, that is infants under 1 year of age who are far more vulnerable than pensioners but have never had such entitlement.
Welfare should be a safety net for those who need it.
Universal winter fuel allowance is not needed
Those most in need can apply for help.
All pensioners including higher rate tax payers have had a near 500 quid uplift due to triple lock
The fucking Daily Mail have attacked pensioners in need for 14 years... We all know the fucking ghouls are just waiting for a suitable death to exploit.
Stand firm Labour.
Remove universal wfa permanently, remove the triple lock and increase pension credit thresholds marginally if you need to.
Nothing about ending higher rate tax relief on pension contributions? The perk enjoyed only by the well-off, including highly-paid columnists and pundits who call instead for measures that hit the poorer pensioner.
Think of the poor hospital consultants who hit the max pension contributions….
Either Reeves needs to back down/ameliorate or Starmer needs to sack her before she ends their 2028-29 chances with four years to go.
It's a bloody disaster as PBers like me said on the day it was announced.
" ‘It’s only a matter of time until we get some terrible case,’ a minister confided to me. ‘It happens every year, some tragedy where a pensioner dies alone. But this year it will be blamed on us – for winter fuel allowance cuts. And then we’re going to be in the midst of a full-blown crisis.’ "
"But they cannot align the relatively small saving with the potentially catastrophic political cost of being seen to target some of the most vulnerable in society in wintertime."
"I’ve spoken to Cabinet ministers, junior ministers, MPs, councillors, party officials, activists, trade union officials. I have yet to find a single person within Labour’s ranks who genuinely believes in the winter fuel benefit cut. Or thinks it is politically sustainable."
Featherbedded spoilt people expecting others to give them money they haven't earned and don't need deserve zero sympathy. None whatsoever.
Pensioners are not the "most vulnerable" in society, that is pig ignorant. 75% own their own home without a mortgage and they aren't even the most vulnerable to the cold, that is infants under 1 year of age who are far more vulnerable than pensioners but have never had such entitlement.
Welfare should be a safety net for those who need it.
Universal winter fuel allowance is not needed
Those most in need can apply for help.
All pensioners including higher rate tax payers have had a near 500 quid uplift due to triple lock
The fucking Daily Mail have attacked pensioners in need for 14 years... We all know the fucking ghouls are just waiting for a suitable death to exploit.
Stand firm Labour.
Remove universal wfa permanently, remove the triple lock and increase pension credit thresholds marginally if you need to.
Nothing about ending higher rate tax relief on pension contributions? The perk enjoyed only by the well-off, including highly-paid columnists and pundits who call instead for measures that hit the poorer pensioner.
They end up paying tax on the pension contributions at a later date, so just deferred, hardly a perk given they will be paying shedloads as it is and when supporting themselves from said pension. Saving for a pension also means they are thinking , intelligent , caring people , unlikely to sponge off the state like many feckless do.
That is why basic rate relief should stay. Most pensioners who benefit from higher rate relief on the way in are unlikely to withdraw quickly enough to be hit by higher rate income tax on the way out.
On first viewing there didn’t seem to be anything particularly special there, but watch again and right at the beginning is an ultra rare Ferrari F50, one of only 350 made and worth around $4m.
Either Reeves needs to back down/ameliorate or Starmer needs to sack her before she ends their 2028-29 chances with four years to go.
It's a bloody disaster as PBers like me said on the day it was announced.
" ‘It’s only a matter of time until we get some terrible case,’ a minister confided to me. ‘It happens every year, some tragedy where a pensioner dies alone. But this year it will be blamed on us – for winter fuel allowance cuts. And then we’re going to be in the midst of a full-blown crisis.’ "
"But they cannot align the relatively small saving with the potentially catastrophic political cost of being seen to target some of the most vulnerable in society in wintertime."
"I’ve spoken to Cabinet ministers, junior ministers, MPs, councillors, party officials, activists, trade union officials. I have yet to find a single person within Labour’s ranks who genuinely believes in the winter fuel benefit cut. Or thinks it is politically sustainable."
Featherbedded spoilt people expecting others to give them money they haven't earned and don't need deserve zero sympathy. None whatsoever.
Pensioners are not the "most vulnerable" in society, that is pig ignorant. 75% own their own home without a mortgage and they aren't even the most vulnerable to the cold, that is infants under 1 year of age who are far more vulnerable than pensioners but have never had such entitlement.
Welfare should be a safety net for those who need it.
Universal winter fuel allowance is not needed
Those most in need can apply for help.
All pensioners including higher rate tax payers have had a near 500 quid uplift due to triple lock
The fucking Daily Mail have attacked pensioners in need for 14 years... We all know the fucking ghouls are just waiting for a suitable death to exploit.
Stand firm Labour.
Remove universal wfa permanently, remove the triple lock and increase pension credit thresholds marginally if you need to.
Nothing about ending higher rate tax relief on pension contributions? The perk enjoyed only by the well-off, including highly-paid columnists and pundits who call instead for measures that hit the poorer pensioner.
I'd certainly look to end that. "Hello, well off person, here's some extra help for you, is a cheque from HMRC ok?"
I was amazed when I benefited from it on setting up a SIPP. I thought there must be some mistake.
Not really though. It's just that you don't pay tax on income you put into a pension. That's much simpler than buggering about with rates. There are other ways of taxing higher rate pensioners eg restricting the amount you can take as a tax free lump sum
Well I was in the (very) privileged position of being able to start fund a SIPP with an amount equal to the whole of my annual salary. I got the basic rate tax relief credited automatically to my fund - nice - and then would you believe on top of that I received a cheque from HMRC for all the rest of the tax I'd paid, ie all of the higher rate amount too. It felt wrong. It felt like being rewarded for having too much to start with.
I'd prefer a 'match-fund up to a ££ annual cap' type system.
The Russian withdrawal from Syria, makes the US withdrawal from Afghanistan look like it was well organised and brilliantly executed.
What a shame for Putin’s 21st Century Potemkin army.
I wouldn't celebrate too soon. Putin needs a win, fast, and the only place he can get it is Ukraine.
They are also struggling and a major Russian push could see a sudden collapse.
It would be a grim irony if the disaster Russia has suffered in the ME led to a mirror effect in Ukraine.
And an utter disaster if Syria falls to the jihadi rebels and Putin makes further incursions into Ukraine before Trump tries and imposes a peace deal
It's clear that in your mind, anyone who is not Christian is a Jihadi rebel...
Your takes on this situation have been truly awful.
The rebels are led by Al Qaeda linked militants and ISIS are beginning to make a resurgence too in parts of Syria as the rebels pushed against Assad's regime.
It is what Syria looks like this time next year or in 2030 that is significant, not some celebrations over statues falling this week
There are many rebel groups.
I'd say you're a fool, but you're now well into maliciousness.
Most with Al Qaeda or ISIS links, Syria may now become the biggest centre for jihadi terrorism in the world by far
HTS are the good bit of AQ apparently. They've got a HR Dept. and do a lot of work for charity.
The reason that Islamists have such popularity is because they do provide food, healthcare and education, while the Arab authoritarians simply embezzle and spend on secret police and prisons.
We really have got to the stage where our biggest dickheads are openly defending Islamists on here, dear God. 'Food, healthcare and education' - who would that education be for you moral vacuum - presumably not girls. I'd love you to move your family to the new Syria to enjoy all that 'food healthcare and education'. I'm sure you'd all have a super time.
As opposed to the dickheads who actively advocate for direct support of a mass murderer who utterly destroyed his country, created six million refugees - who you've been complaining about for a decade - and allied with Iran and Russia ? Who imprisoned, tortured and murdered tens of thousands; who gassed civilians ?
Neither you, not I have any idea what the successor regime will be like[lie], but it's unlikely to be worse.[lie]
Tell me more about your moral vacuum.
How did Assad destroy his country exactly? And did the 6 million refugees leave Syria befor the civil war started - I must have missed that.
Incidentally, you're one of the very worst, because unlike some of the more mealy-mouthed islamist-defenders on here, you simply lie. Try to grow some integrity and moral courage.
As a recent-ish patient in several places, it seems to me that some management by walking around could harvest some low hanging fruit.
For instance, my test last week included:-
the appointment letter being delivered literally as I left for the appointment
a booklet badly put together
a booklet that referred to the wrong hospital
signposting that ended short of the destination
some guesswork as to the correct waiting area
confusing directions about gowns
So, investment needed in admin, rather than front line clinicians? 🤔
Or maybe as well as.
I have a slightly dodgy left thumb, it has been painful and "clicky" for a while. It needs looking at. Preferably on a Friday when I don't work. But I'm right handed so it's not my favourite digit, there's no rush.
I haven't worked out how to book an appointment yet. The surgery website tells me I can book on line but the NHS app consistently tells me there's nothing available. There is no point requesting a teleconsult as someone needs to look at it. In any case, last time I had one of those I missed it, because the doctor rang at a random time and I was unable to get to my phone in time. Neither do they ring twice. Presumably I could join a telephone queue early in the morning but it's not an emergency.
In contrast, Specsavers tell me it's time to have a new hearing test so I go online and book it at a time of my choosing, at the end of a working day so I only have to leave work a few minutes early. Yes it was a few weeks ahead, but again it's not urgent, convenience was more important.
So, yes, the admin certainly has to improve.
For such booking schemes to work there has to be capacity (and in your case capacity for someone who knows about hands, on a friday).
Specsavers makes more money if it creates fresh capacity, the NHS does not, it has a finite budget.
So the reduction in 18 week waits to what they were in 2010 is the base for what you need.
I can't book someone who knows about hands, though, I have to talk to my GP first, who if he does know about hands it will be a surprise, he will then have to decide there is indeed a problem with my hand and I need to see someone who knows about hands. I wouldn't mind an 18 week wait if I could just more easily get into the system. I will try harder next week and see if any appointments are available to book online early in the morning. The problem with phoning at 8am or whenever the phone lines open is that that is exactly when I need to be on my way to work. Which is great if I have gone down with the lurgy and need to take time off, but not otherwise.
Yes, my GP has the same "must phone at 8am on the day, even if it's something that could easily wait a week". To be fair to them they have got the admin side of it down pretty well -- you sit in a phone queue, but not for long, you speak to the receptionist who triages you into nurse/on-site physio/GP, the GP calls back for a phone consultation within an hour or two. But as a system it definitely puts me off from attempting to engage with it -- it was months before I decided a dodgy shoulder really wasn't going away on its own and I really did need to go through the hassle of the 8am phone queue.
The 8 AM rush is a legacy of targetism from previous regimes.
It became a requirement to be able to offer appointments within 48 hours, and in a system lacking capacity the simplest way to do that was to cease advance booking of appointments.
Targets always distort delivery. Something that Starmer should pay attention to.
No online booking? My GP has offered it for years. Admittedly I'm in good health so don't see them too often but I have had a few non-urgent issues over the years and I can't remember when I last had to phone the surgery to make an appointment.
I think I would have to phone for an urgent appointment but with many of the routine bookings done online it must be much easier to get through than otherwise.
The top target on the NHS - 92% of routine hospital treatments to be conducted within 18 weeks - is suspiciously precise, especially when compared with the other 5 targets. I wonder why
The 18 week Referral To Treatment time was one of New Labour's targets, being the time from GP referral to starting treatment. The 92% figure was being met in 2010 when Labour lost power. The latest figures for NHS England that I can see it's 58%. The current 92% percentile is 44 weeks. Hence the target is a shortening of 26 weeks for the 92nd percentile.
In short the pledge is to get NHS waiting times back to 2010 figures. Considering the population changes that might mean higher absolute numbers, but ultimately it is the time not the number that matters.
On first viewing there didn’t seem to be anything particularly special there, but watch again and right at the beginning is an ultra rare Ferrari F50, one of only 350 made and worth around $4m.
I linked to it the other day, but don't know if you saw it: Bernie Ecclestone's selling his collection of F1 cars. They could go for half a billion.
The Russian withdrawal from Syria, makes the US withdrawal from Afghanistan look like it was well organised and brilliantly executed.
What a shame for Putin’s 21st Century Potemkin army.
I wouldn't celebrate too soon. Putin needs a win, fast, and the only place he can get it is Ukraine.
They are also struggling and a major Russian push could see a sudden collapse.
It would be a grim irony if the disaster Russia has suffered in the ME led to a mirror effect in Ukraine.
And an utter disaster if Syria falls to the jihadi rebels and Putin makes further incursions into Ukraine before Trump tries and imposes a peace deal
It's clear that in your mind, anyone who is not Christian is a Jihadi rebel...
Your takes on this situation have been truly awful.
The rebels are led by Al Qaeda linked militants and ISIS are beginning to make a resurgence too in parts of Syria as the rebels pushed against Assad's regime.
It is what Syria looks like this time next year or in 2030 that is significant, not some celebrations over statues falling this week
There are many rebel groups.
I'd say you're a fool, but you're now well into maliciousness.
Most with Al Qaeda or ISIS links, Syria may now become the biggest centre for jihadi terrorism in the world by far
HTS are the good bit of AQ apparently. They've got a HR Dept. and do a lot of work for charity.
The reason that Islamists have such popularity is because they do provide food, healthcare and education, while the Arab authoritarians simply embezzle and spend on secret police and prisons.
We really have got to the stage where our biggest dickheads are openly defending Islamists on here, dear God. 'Food, healthcare and education' - who would that education be for you moral vacuum - presumably not girls. I'd love you to move your family to the new Syria to enjoy all that 'food healthcare and education'. I'm sure you'd all have a super time.
As opposed to the dickheads who actively advocate for direct support of a mass murderer who utterly destroyed his country, created six million refugees - who you've been complaining about for a decade - and allied with Iran and Russia ? Who imprisoned, tortured and murdered tens of thousands; who gassed civilians ?
Neither you, not I have any idea what the successor regime will be like[lie], but it's unlikely to be worse.[lie]
Tell me more about your moral vacuum.
How did Assad destroy his country exactly? And did the 6 million refugees leave Syria befor the civil war started - I must have missed that.
Incidentally, you're one of the very worst, because unlike some of the more mealy-mouthed islamist-defenders on here, you simply lie. Try to grow some integrity and moral courage.
Well, this Assad took over a complete country in 2000. In 2011, his totalitarianism fostered a civil war that ripped his country asunder. It has never been complete since; all Russian and Iran did was help him keep power in the rump.
The Russian withdrawal from Syria, makes the US withdrawal from Afghanistan look like it was well organised and brilliantly executed.
What a shame for Putin’s 21st Century Potemkin army.
I wouldn't celebrate too soon. Putin needs a win, fast, and the only place he can get it is Ukraine.
They are also struggling and a major Russian push could see a sudden collapse.
It would be a grim irony if the disaster Russia has suffered in the ME led to a mirror effect in Ukraine.
And an utter disaster if Syria falls to the jihadi rebels and Putin makes further incursions into Ukraine before Trump tries and imposes a peace deal
It's clear that in your mind, anyone who is not Christian is a Jihadi rebel...
Your takes on this situation have been truly awful.
The rebels are led by Al Qaeda linked militants and ISIS are beginning to make a resurgence too in parts of Syria as the rebels pushed against Assad's regime.
It is what Syria looks like this time next year or in 2030 that is significant, not some celebrations over statues falling this week
There are many rebel groups.
I'd say you're a fool, but you're now well into maliciousness.
Most with Al Qaeda or ISIS links, Syria may now become the biggest centre for jihadi terrorism in the world by far
HTS are the good bit of AQ apparently. They've got a HR Dept. and do a lot of work for charity.
The reason that Islamists have such popularity is because they do provide food, healthcare and education, while the Arab authoritarians simply embezzle and spend on secret police and prisons.
We really have got to the stage where our biggest dickheads are openly defending Islamists on here, dear God. 'Food, healthcare and education' - who would that education be for you moral vacuum - presumably not girls. I'd love you to move your family to the new Syria to enjoy all that 'food healthcare and education'. I'm sure you'd all have a super time.
As opposed to the dickheads who actively advocate for direct support of a mass murderer who utterly destroyed his country, created six million refugees - who you've been complaining about for a decade - and allied with Iran and Russia ? Who imprisoned, tortured and murdered tens of thousands; who gassed civilians ?
Neither you, not I have any idea what the successor regime will be like, but it's unlikely to be worse.
Tell me more about your moral vacuum.
I think you can simply celebrate the end of one of the vilest regimes in modern history without coupling it to crystal balling on where things go now (which is beyond even those whose job that is).
I hope you can anyway because that is what I'm doing.
The Russian withdrawal from Syria, makes the US withdrawal from Afghanistan look like it was well organised and brilliantly executed.
What a shame for Putin’s 21st Century Potemkin army.
I wouldn't celebrate too soon. Putin needs a win, fast, and the only place he can get it is Ukraine.
They are also struggling and a major Russian push could see a sudden collapse.
It would be a grim irony if the disaster Russia has suffered in the ME led to a mirror effect in Ukraine.
And an utter disaster if Syria falls to the jihadi rebels and Putin makes further incursions into Ukraine before Trump tries and imposes a peace deal
It's clear that in your mind, anyone who is not Christian is a Jihadi rebel...
Your takes on this situation have been truly awful.
The rebels are led by Al Qaeda linked militants and ISIS are beginning to make a resurgence too in parts of Syria as the rebels pushed against Assad's regime.
It is what Syria looks like this time next year or in 2030 that is significant, not some celebrations over statues falling this week
There are many rebel groups.
I'd say you're a fool, but you're now well into maliciousness.
Most with Al Qaeda or ISIS links, Syria may now become the biggest centre for jihadi terrorism in the world by far
HTS are the good bit of AQ apparently. They've got a HR Dept. and do a lot of work for charity.
The reason that Islamists have such popularity is because they do provide food, healthcare and education, while the Arab authoritarians simply embezzle and spend on secret police and prisons.
We really have got to the stage where our biggest dickheads are openly defending Islamists on here, dear God. 'Food, healthcare and education' - who would that education be for you moral vacuum - presumably not girls. I'd love you to move your family to the new Syria to enjoy all that 'food healthcare and education'. I'm sure you'd all have a super time.
As opposed to the dickheads who actively advocate for direct support of a mass murderer who utterly destroyed his country, created six million refugees - who you've been complaining about for a decade - and allied with Iran and Russia ? Who imprisoned, tortured and murdered tens of thousands; who gassed civilians ?
Neither you, not I have any idea what the successor regime will be like, but it's unlikely to be worse.
On first viewing there didn’t seem to be anything particularly special there, but watch again and right at the beginning is an ultra rare Ferrari F50, one of only 350 made and worth around $4m.
I linked to it the other day, but don't know if you saw it: Bernie Ecclestone's selling his collection of F1 cars. They could go for half a billion.
Didn’t see it here but did see it on Pistonheads motorsport forum. Quite the collection he’s got there, and interesting that he’s selling them now privately rather than letting them end up at an estate auction in the future. Presumably he wants to see them go to good homes, to people will will also keep them serviceable and in use rather than sat in a museum.
Either Reeves needs to back down/ameliorate or Starmer needs to sack her before she ends their 2028-29 chances with four years to go.
It's a bloody disaster as PBers like me said on the day it was announced.
" ‘It’s only a matter of time until we get some terrible case,’ a minister confided to me. ‘It happens every year, some tragedy where a pensioner dies alone. But this year it will be blamed on us – for winter fuel allowance cuts. And then we’re going to be in the midst of a full-blown crisis.’ "
"But they cannot align the relatively small saving with the potentially catastrophic political cost of being seen to target some of the most vulnerable in society in wintertime."
"I’ve spoken to Cabinet ministers, junior ministers, MPs, councillors, party officials, activists, trade union officials. I have yet to find a single person within Labour’s ranks who genuinely believes in the winter fuel benefit cut. Or thinks it is politically sustainable."
Featherbedded spoilt people expecting others to give them money they haven't earned and don't need deserve zero sympathy. None whatsoever.
Pensioners are not the "most vulnerable" in society, that is pig ignorant. 75% own their own home without a mortgage and they aren't even the most vulnerable to the cold, that is infants under 1 year of age who are far more vulnerable than pensioners but have never had such entitlement.
Welfare should be a safety net for those who need it.
Universal winter fuel allowance is not needed
Those most in need can apply for help.
All pensioners including higher rate tax payers have had a near 500 quid uplift due to triple lock
The fucking Daily Mail have attacked pensioners in need for 14 years... We all know the fucking ghouls are just waiting for a suitable death to exploit.
Stand firm Labour.
Remove universal wfa permanently, remove the triple lock and increase pension credit thresholds marginally if you need to.
Nothing about ending higher rate tax relief on pension contributions? The perk enjoyed only by the well-off, including highly-paid columnists and pundits who call instead for measures that hit the poorer pensioner.
I'd certainly look to end that. "Hello, well off person, here's some extra help for you, is a cheque from HMRC ok?"
I was amazed when I benefited from it on setting up a SIPP. I thought there must be some mistake.
Not really though. It's just that you don't pay tax on income you put into a pension. That's much simpler than buggering about with rates. There are other ways of taxing higher rate pensioners eg restricting the amount you can take as a tax free lump sum
Exactly , and he would have got base rate relief in his salary like all others do and he will et taxed when he withdraws it , likely at higher rate and so will have had anything but a perk. Some not so bright intelligent people on here. The lump sum is indeed the only perk that is more likely to a higher rate tax payer given you need a big pot to get the lot. Tinkering with that however may well kill pensions off and so cost more in the long run as they may have to fork out more benefits as people have less incentive to save to look after themselves rather than just blowing it/hiding it and getting benefits like the rest.
My experience is that one of the advantages of a pension is that you can receive higher rate tax relief when contributing, and, for many people, only pay basic rate tax when drawing down, as most people’s income is less when retired than when working.
Either Reeves needs to back down/ameliorate or Starmer needs to sack her before she ends their 2028-29 chances with four years to go.
It's a bloody disaster as PBers like me said on the day it was announced.
" ‘It’s only a matter of time until we get some terrible case,’ a minister confided to me. ‘It happens every year, some tragedy where a pensioner dies alone. But this year it will be blamed on us – for winter fuel allowance cuts. And then we’re going to be in the midst of a full-blown crisis.’ "
"But they cannot align the relatively small saving with the potentially catastrophic political cost of being seen to target some of the most vulnerable in society in wintertime."
"I’ve spoken to Cabinet ministers, junior ministers, MPs, councillors, party officials, activists, trade union officials. I have yet to find a single person within Labour’s ranks who genuinely believes in the winter fuel benefit cut. Or thinks it is politically sustainable."
Featherbedded spoilt people expecting others to give them money they haven't earned and don't need deserve zero sympathy. None whatsoever.
Pensioners are not the "most vulnerable" in society, that is pig ignorant. 75% own their own home without a mortgage and they aren't even the most vulnerable to the cold, that is infants under 1 year of age who are far more vulnerable than pensioners but have never had such entitlement.
Welfare should be a safety net for those who need it.
Universal winter fuel allowance is not needed
Those most in need can apply for help.
All pensioners including higher rate tax payers have had a near 500 quid uplift due to triple lock
The fucking Daily Mail have attacked pensioners in need for 14 years... We all know the fucking ghouls are just waiting for a suitable death to exploit.
Stand firm Labour.
Remove universal wfa permanently, remove the triple lock and increase pension credit thresholds marginally if you need to.
Nothing about ending higher rate tax relief on pension contributions? The perk enjoyed only by the well-off, including highly-paid columnists and pundits who call instead for measures that hit the poorer pensioner.
UK pensions policy is dictated by the British Medical Association.
Either Reeves needs to back down/ameliorate or Starmer needs to sack her before she ends their 2028-29 chances with four years to go.
It's a bloody disaster as PBers like me said on the day it was announced.
" ‘It’s only a matter of time until we get some terrible case,’ a minister confided to me. ‘It happens every year, some tragedy where a pensioner dies alone. But this year it will be blamed on us – for winter fuel allowance cuts. And then we’re going to be in the midst of a full-blown crisis.’ "
"But they cannot align the relatively small saving with the potentially catastrophic political cost of being seen to target some of the most vulnerable in society in wintertime."
"I’ve spoken to Cabinet ministers, junior ministers, MPs, councillors, party officials, activists, trade union officials. I have yet to find a single person within Labour’s ranks who genuinely believes in the winter fuel benefit cut. Or thinks it is politically sustainable."
Featherbedded spoilt people expecting others to give them money they haven't earned and don't need deserve zero sympathy. None whatsoever.
Pensioners are not the "most vulnerable" in society, that is pig ignorant. 75% own their own home without a mortgage and they aren't even the most vulnerable to the cold, that is infants under 1 year of age who are far more vulnerable than pensioners but have never had such entitlement.
Welfare should be a safety net for those who need it.
Universal winter fuel allowance is not needed
Those most in need can apply for help.
All pensioners including higher rate tax payers have had a near 500 quid uplift due to triple lock
The fucking Daily Mail have attacked pensioners in need for 14 years... We all know the fucking ghouls are just waiting for a suitable death to exploit.
Stand firm Labour.
Remove universal wfa permanently, remove the triple lock and increase pension credit thresholds marginally if you need to.
Nothing about ending higher rate tax relief on pension contributions? The perk enjoyed only by the well-off, including highly-paid columnists and pundits who call instead for measures that hit the poorer pensioner.
I'd certainly look to end that. "Hello, well off person, here's some extra help for you, is a cheque from HMRC ok?"
I was amazed when I benefited from it on setting up a SIPP. I thought there must be some mistake.
Not really though. It's just that you don't pay tax on income you put into a pension. That's much simpler than buggering about with rates. There are other ways of taxing higher rate pensioners eg restricting the amount you can take as a tax free lump sum
Exactly , and he would have got base rate relief in his salary like all others do and he will et taxed when he withdraws it , likely at higher rate and so will have had anything but a perk. Some not so bright intelligent people on here. The lump sum is indeed the only perk that is more likely to a higher rate tax payer given you need a big pot to get the lot. Tinkering with that however may well kill pensions off and so cost more in the long run as they may have to fork out more benefits as people have less incentive to save to look after themselves rather than just blowing it/hiding it and getting benefits like the rest.
The whole point of a pension investment specifically, as opposed to any other investment product, is as an income tax shield. Remove the income tax shield and the pensions industry dies overnight, people will save in a bog-standard S&P/FTSE tracker if they save at all.
On first viewing there didn’t seem to be anything particularly special there, but watch again and right at the beginning is an ultra rare Ferrari F50, one of only 350 made and worth around $4m.
It's telling that the XJ220 was made around the same time, in smaller numbers and they are worth about 10% of that. I guess, in part, coz one has a derivative of a Claudio Lombardi V12 F1 engine and the other has a V6 out of a Metro.
The Russian withdrawal from Syria, makes the US withdrawal from Afghanistan look like it was well organised and brilliantly executed.
What a shame for Putin’s 21st Century Potemkin army.
I wouldn't celebrate too soon. Putin needs a win, fast, and the only place he can get it is Ukraine.
They are also struggling and a major Russian push could see a sudden collapse.
It would be a grim irony if the disaster Russia has suffered in the ME led to a mirror effect in Ukraine.
And an utter disaster if Syria falls to the jihadi rebels and Putin makes further incursions into Ukraine before Trump tries and imposes a peace deal
It's clear that in your mind, anyone who is not Christian is a Jihadi rebel...
Your takes on this situation have been truly awful.
The rebels are led by Al Qaeda linked militants and ISIS are beginning to make a resurgence too in parts of Syria as the rebels pushed against Assad's regime.
It is what Syria looks like this time next year or in 2030 that is significant, not some celebrations over statues falling this week
There are many rebel groups.
I'd say you're a fool, but you're now well into maliciousness.
Most with Al Qaeda or ISIS links, Syria may now become the biggest centre for jihadi terrorism in the world by far
HTS are the good bit of AQ apparently. They've got a HR Dept. and do a lot of work for charity.
The reason that Islamists have such popularity is because they do provide food, healthcare and education, while the Arab authoritarians simply embezzle and spend on secret police and prisons.
We really have got to the stage where our biggest dickheads are openly defending Islamists on here, dear God. 'Food, healthcare and education' - who would that education be for you moral vacuum - presumably not girls. I'd love you to move your family to the new Syria to enjoy all that 'food healthcare and education'. I'm sure you'd all have a super time.
Nope, not defending Islamists at all, just pointing out where they get their popular support.
The West defeated Communism after WW2 principle by creating working class prosperity. A growing economy, labour rights, affordable housing, access to higher education etc Communism is now history in the Far East for much the same reason too, de facto if not de sure.
The way to defeat Islamism lies in much the same way. If the average Palastinian, Syrian or Iraqi has a better way to a decent life then revolution won't appeal to them either.
The West seems to have forgotten this important lesson of history. If the state fails to look after it's people then revolutionaries gain influence, whether far right populists or the people cheerleading the murder of the United Health CEO.
The Broligarchs need to fear the Tumbrils as much as the middle Eastern "strongman" like Assad.
I know it’s the Daily Mail but that’s unbelievably unfair framing in the headline.
She knocked over a box in which a loaded gun was stored; it went off and the bullet hit her father in the face.
It was a tragic accident that traumatised her. Fair play that it inspired her to get into medicine (she said it was because her father was bleeding out and she didn’t know how to help him)
should have inspired her to get into gun control really
The Turkish backed SNA is taking territory from the mostly Kurdish SDF. I'm not sure that the prospects for peace in Syria are that good. It looks like Turkey is going to have a go at crushing the Kurds in Syria.
So instead of four groups fighting we'll have three. Or is that five down to four?
Not really sure that's much of an improvement.
SNA, SDF, HTS, the US-backed group near Palmyra, the southern rebels (but they might be affiliated to HTS). We'll see.
It's notable that the SNA are backed by Turkey. In these situations there's generally a lot more trouble the more that outside powers meddle.
On first viewing there didn’t seem to be anything particularly special there, but watch again and right at the beginning is an ultra rare Ferrari F50, one of only 350 made and worth around $4m.
It's telling that the XJ220 was made around the same time, in smaller numbers and they are worth about 10% of that. I guess, in part, coz one has a derivative of a Claudio Lombardi V12 F1 engine and the other has a V6 out of a Metro.
Imagine if they’d designed the Jag with a screaming V12?
Oh.
(Jaguar’s biggest marketing fcukup ever, until about a fortnight ago).
The Russian withdrawal from Syria, makes the US withdrawal from Afghanistan look like it was well organised and brilliantly executed.
What a shame for Putin’s 21st Century Potemkin army.
I wouldn't celebrate too soon. Putin needs a win, fast, and the only place he can get it is Ukraine.
They are also struggling and a major Russian push could see a sudden collapse.
It would be a grim irony if the disaster Russia has suffered in the ME led to a mirror effect in Ukraine.
And an utter disaster if Syria falls to the jihadi rebels and Putin makes further incursions into Ukraine before Trump tries and imposes a peace deal
It's clear that in your mind, anyone who is not Christian is a Jihadi rebel...
Your takes on this situation have been truly awful.
The rebels are led by Al Qaeda linked militants and ISIS are beginning to make a resurgence too in parts of Syria as the rebels pushed against Assad's regime.
It is what Syria looks like this time next year or in 2030 that is significant, not some celebrations over statues falling this week
There are many rebel groups.
I'd say you're a fool, but you're now well into maliciousness.
Most with Al Qaeda or ISIS links, Syria may now become the biggest centre for jihadi terrorism in the world by far
HTS are the good bit of AQ apparently. They've got a HR Dept. and do a lot of work for charity.
The reason that Islamists have such popularity is because they do provide food, healthcare and education, while the Arab authoritarians simply embezzle and spend on secret police and prisons.
We really have got to the stage where our biggest dickheads are openly defending Islamists on here, dear God. 'Food, healthcare and education' - who would that education be for you moral vacuum - presumably not girls. I'd love you to move your family to the new Syria to enjoy all that 'food healthcare and education'. I'm sure you'd all have a super time.
Nope, not defending Islamists at all, just pointing out where they get their popular support.
The West defeated Communism after WW2 principle by creating working class prosperity. A growing economy, labour rights, affordable housing, access to higher education etc Communism is now history in the Far East for much the same reason too, de facto if not de sure.
The way to defeat Islamism lies in much the same way. If the average Palastinian, Syrian or Iraqi has a better way to a decent life then revolution won't appeal to them either.
The West seems to have forgotten this important lesson of history. If the state fails to look after it's people then revolutionaries gain influence, whether far right populists or the people cheerleading the murder of the United Health CEO.
The Broligarchs need to fear the Tumbrils as much as the middle Eastern "strongman" like Assad.
This was not at all clear from your post, which read like the Islamist-washing. The sort of 'Great guys' stuff we've heard so much of from people who would never live within a thousand miles of such people.
Secret police and prisons are vile instruments of dictatorship. But let's face it, beating and torturing people in a secret prison is quaint and old-fashioned compared to what is taking over Syria - they'll just chuck you off a building.
However, given that your post did have a wider argument behind it, I am very sorry for my overreaction and rude remark.
Despite all the Syrian expertise that has rapidly emerged, almost Ukraine-like, on here, which has put my lack of knowledge to shame, I don't believe anybody has much of a clue about what will happen next in that troubled country. So I'm just going to cross my fingers and hope for a better Syrian future.
The Turkish backed SNA is taking territory from the mostly Kurdish SDF. I'm not sure that the prospects for peace in Syria are that good. It looks like Turkey is going to have a go at crushing the Kurds in Syria.
So instead of four groups fighting we'll have three. Or is that five down to four?
Not really sure that's much of an improvement.
SNA, SDF, HTS, the US-backed group near Palmyra, the southern rebels (but they might be affiliated to HTS). We'll see.
It's notable that the SNA are backed by Turkey. In these situations there's generally a lot more trouble the more that outside powers meddle.
As I think Lost Password mentioned, the Turks are alarmed by the Kurdish nationalists in East of Syria. IANAE, but I get the impression there's a sneaking sympathy for the Kurds among Western European governments. Probably due to Franco-British guilt.
Presumably he wants to see them go to good homes, to people will will also keep them serviceable and in use rather than sat in a museum.
I think that's pretty much impossible except for the DFV engined ones. They only have a few hundred hours of engine life and fuck getting any parts. The Renault R25 I drove years ago has now lapsed into lawn ornament status due to software issues. I wasn't as fast as Alonso. I was braking 75m (that's SEVENTY FIVE meters) earlier than him according to the data and I still felt like I was going to die in every corner.
The Russian withdrawal from Syria, makes the US withdrawal from Afghanistan look like it was well organised and brilliantly executed.
What a shame for Putin’s 21st Century Potemkin army.
I wouldn't celebrate too soon. Putin needs a win, fast, and the only place he can get it is Ukraine.
They are also struggling and a major Russian push could see a sudden collapse.
It would be a grim irony if the disaster Russia has suffered in the ME led to a mirror effect in Ukraine.
And an utter disaster if Syria falls to the jihadi rebels and Putin makes further incursions into Ukraine before Trump tries and imposes a peace deal
It's clear that in your mind, anyone who is not Christian is a Jihadi rebel...
Your takes on this situation have been truly awful.
The rebels are led by Al Qaeda linked militants and ISIS are beginning to make a resurgence too in parts of Syria as the rebels pushed against Assad's regime.
It is what Syria looks like this time next year or in 2030 that is significant, not some celebrations over statues falling this week
There are many rebel groups.
I'd say you're a fool, but you're now well into maliciousness.
Most with Al Qaeda or ISIS links, Syria may now become the biggest centre for jihadi terrorism in the world by far
HTS are the good bit of AQ apparently. They've got a HR Dept. and do a lot of work for charity.
The reason that Islamists have such popularity is because they do provide food, healthcare and education, while the Arab authoritarians simply embezzle and spend on secret police and prisons.
We really have got to the stage where our biggest dickheads are openly defending Islamists on here, dear God. 'Food, healthcare and education' - who would that education be for you moral vacuum - presumably not girls. I'd love you to move your family to the new Syria to enjoy all that 'food healthcare and education'. I'm sure you'd all have a super time.
As opposed to the dickheads who actively advocate for direct support of a mass murderer who utterly destroyed his country, created six million refugees - who you've been complaining about for a decade - and allied with Iran and Russia ? Who imprisoned, tortured and murdered tens of thousands; who gassed civilians ?
Neither you, not I have any idea what the successor regime will be like, but it's unlikely to be worse.
Tell me more about your moral vacuum.
I think you can simply celebrate the end of one of the vilest regimes in modern history without coupling it to crystal balling on where things go now (which is beyond even those whose job that is).
I hope you can anyway because that is what I'm doing.
Obvious parallel is 1945.
The conversion of Eastern Europe into Soviet satellites of varying grimness left them in a bad place. Doesn't mean that the fall of Nazi Germany wasn't a good thing to be celebrated.
The Russian withdrawal from Syria, makes the US withdrawal from Afghanistan look like it was well organised and brilliantly executed.
What a shame for Putin’s 21st Century Potemkin army.
I wouldn't celebrate too soon. Putin needs a win, fast, and the only place he can get it is Ukraine.
They are also struggling and a major Russian push could see a sudden collapse.
It would be a grim irony if the disaster Russia has suffered in the ME led to a mirror effect in Ukraine.
And an utter disaster if Syria falls to the jihadi rebels and Putin makes further incursions into Ukraine before Trump tries and imposes a peace deal
It's clear that in your mind, anyone who is not Christian is a Jihadi rebel...
Your takes on this situation have been truly awful.
The rebels are led by Al Qaeda linked militants and ISIS are beginning to make a resurgence too in parts of Syria as the rebels pushed against Assad's regime.
It is what Syria looks like this time next year or in 2030 that is significant, not some celebrations over statues falling this week
There are many rebel groups.
I'd say you're a fool, but you're now well into maliciousness.
Most with Al Qaeda or ISIS links, Syria may now become the biggest centre for jihadi terrorism in the world by far
HTS are the good bit of AQ apparently. They've got a HR Dept. and do a lot of work for charity.
The reason that Islamists have such popularity is because they do provide food, healthcare and education, while the Arab authoritarians simply embezzle and spend on secret police and prisons.
We really have got to the stage where our biggest dickheads are openly defending Islamists on here, dear God. 'Food, healthcare and education' - who would that education be for you moral vacuum - presumably not girls. I'd love you to move your family to the new Syria to enjoy all that 'food healthcare and education'. I'm sure you'd all have a super time.
Nope, not defending Islamists at all, just pointing out where they get their popular support.
The West defeated Communism after WW2 principle by creating working class prosperity. A growing economy, labour rights, affordable housing, access to higher education etc Communism is now history in the Far East for much the same reason too, de facto if not de sure.
The way to defeat Islamism lies in much the same way. If the average Palastinian, Syrian or Iraqi has a better way to a decent life then revolution won't appeal to them either.
The West seems to have forgotten this important lesson of history. If the state fails to look after it's people then revolutionaries gain influence, whether far right populists or the people cheerleading the murder of the United Health CEO.
The Broligarchs need to fear the Tumbrils as much as the middle Eastern "strongman" like Assad.
We - the west - need to offer hands of friendships to the rebel groups. Syria and its people desperately need help, and it is in our interests to give it. But any help we give groups should come with a mahoosive "play nicely" red card.
What is in 'our' interests? What should keep the red card in the pocket?
*) A stable Syria that is not in hock to Russia or Iran. *) Refugees flowing back into, and not out from, Syria. *) No home for ISIS/L or AQ. *) As little internal violence as possible (some is inevitable). *) Be better than Assad was.
Keep within those bounds, and we help them. I think Al-Jolani may understand this.
Either Reeves needs to back down/ameliorate or Starmer needs to sack her before she ends their 2028-29 chances with four years to go.
It's a bloody disaster as PBers like me said on the day it was announced.
" ‘It’s only a matter of time until we get some terrible case,’ a minister confided to me. ‘It happens every year, some tragedy where a pensioner dies alone. But this year it will be blamed on us – for winter fuel allowance cuts. And then we’re going to be in the midst of a full-blown crisis.’ "
"But they cannot align the relatively small saving with the potentially catastrophic political cost of being seen to target some of the most vulnerable in society in wintertime."
"I’ve spoken to Cabinet ministers, junior ministers, MPs, councillors, party officials, activists, trade union officials. I have yet to find a single person within Labour’s ranks who genuinely believes in the winter fuel benefit cut. Or thinks it is politically sustainable."
Rachel Reeves has repeated the blunders of George Osborne's omnishambles budget but in an area where potential outcomes are literally and not just metaphorically fatal. Removing WFA is a neat bureaucratic fix that would appeal to Treasury apparatchiks but which is politically tin-eared, and especially while Reeves and other MPs have their own heating bills subsidised by the state.
Hard to imagine how low these curs can stoop. Rob poor pensioners yet claim huge amounts for their second homes. How do these hypocrites sleep at night.
any genuinely poor pensioner is still gonna get the payment
Presumably he wants to see them go to good homes, to people will will also keep them serviceable and in use rather than sat in a museum.
I think that's pretty much impossible except for the DFV engined ones. They only have a few hundred hours of engine life and fuck getting any parts. The Renault R25 I drove years ago has now lapsed into lawn ornament status due to software issues. I wasn't as fast as Alonso. I was braking 75m (that's SEVENTY FIVE meters) earlier than him according to the data and I still felt like I was going to die in every corner.
A placement student to Mrs J recently: "What's a serial port?"
Presumably he wants to see them go to good homes, to people will will also keep them serviceable and in use rather than sat in a museum.
I think that's pretty much impossible except for the DFV engined ones. They only have a few hundred hours of engine life and fuck getting any parts. The Renault R25 I drove years ago has now lapsed into lawn ornament status due to software issues. I wasn't as fast as Alonso. I was braking 75m (that's SEVENTY FIVE meters) earlier than him according to the data and I still felt like I was going to die in every corner.
There’s a pretty good cottage industry that keeps old F1 cars running, making parts they can’t find, or swapping out stuff like ECUs for more modern versions.
The braking performance of an F1 car is the single most astonishing thing about them.
I once sat in the grandstand in the run up to what’s now the Turn 6/7 chicane at Abu Dhabi, and you can see a car that goes from ~330kph to ~60kph in about 80 metres! It looks like it’s having an accident, no matter how late any normie thinks they can brake, and no matter how hard they think they can push the pedal, it’s nowhere near enough. They have to reduce brake pressure through the zone as the downforce comes off!
Despite all the Syrian expertise that has rapidly emerged, almost Ukraine-like, on here, which has put my lack of knowledge to shame, I don't believe anybody has much of a clue about what will happen next in that troubled country. So I'm just going to cross my fingers and hope for a better Syrian future.
My scepticism is based only on the empirical evidence of Middle Eastern regimes, which, almost uniformly, are awful for either their citizens, their neighbours or the west, or all three. The current regime is truly awful but it seems hard to believe anything better will replace it because it never does.
One local NIMBY arsehole turned up to the meeting with his own barrister, to try and stop a collective of local farmers from selling their own food in a small restaurant.
That particular barrister (ironically, given Clarkson’s views on it) is a noted scourge of HS2. This has included repeating false claims about the importance of certain local areas and landmarks in order to try and block it, e.g. the Roald Dahl wood that wasn’t. While that hasn’t worked, it has been a major factor in ballooning costs.
I haven’t checked whether he was one of the people behind the ‘bat tunnel’ but it seems eminently possible.
I think Clarkson's problem is that he thinks he should be a law unto Himself, and presented his programme as such.
He is pursuing only his own interest, and if he was on the other end he would be using the same skills to do the exact opposite.
On things like the fake / irrelevant points made. That always happens, and I would point to lack of resources for local authorities to do a competent, professional job (see austerity and continued year on year cuts over a decade) and regulate appropriately. So we get too much of a free for all using detail.
Everything gets weaponised for micro interests, and becomes a weapon to stop whatever it is, or to throw blocks in the way to stop it by making it as difficult as possible.
An example is how village green legislation, which is laudable, becomes another way to introduce a further delay.
But an improvement is not to create a scorched earth followed by chaos, it is to adjust and align the balance of interests.
I'm on with making the Local Authority role more strategic, and doing detailed rulings following the law not the parish pump politics.
The Russian withdrawal from Syria, makes the US withdrawal from Afghanistan look like it was well organised and brilliantly executed.
What a shame for Putin’s 21st Century Potemkin army.
I wouldn't celebrate too soon. Putin needs a win, fast, and the only place he can get it is Ukraine.
They are also struggling and a major Russian push could see a sudden collapse.
It would be a grim irony if the disaster Russia has suffered in the ME led to a mirror effect in Ukraine.
And an utter disaster if Syria falls to the jihadi rebels and Putin makes further incursions into Ukraine before Trump tries and imposes a peace deal
It's clear that in your mind, anyone who is not Christian is a Jihadi rebel...
Your takes on this situation have been truly awful.
The rebels are led by Al Qaeda linked militants and ISIS are beginning to make a resurgence too in parts of Syria as the rebels pushed against Assad's regime.
It is what Syria looks like this time next year or in 2030 that is significant, not some celebrations over statues falling this week
There are many rebel groups.
I'd say you're a fool, but you're now well into maliciousness.
Most with Al Qaeda or ISIS links, Syria may now become the biggest centre for jihadi terrorism in the world by far
HTS are the good bit of AQ apparently. They've got a HR Dept. and do a lot of work for charity.
The reason that Islamists have such popularity is because they do provide food, healthcare and education, while the Arab authoritarians simply embezzle and spend on secret police and prisons.
We really have got to the stage where our biggest dickheads are openly defending Islamists on here, dear God. 'Food, healthcare and education' - who would that education be for you moral vacuum - presumably not girls. I'd love you to move your family to the new Syria to enjoy all that 'food healthcare and education'. I'm sure you'd all have a super time.
As opposed to the dickheads who actively advocate for direct support of a mass murderer who utterly destroyed his country, created six million refugees - who you've been complaining about for a decade - and allied with Iran and Russia ? Who imprisoned, tortured and murdered tens of thousands; who gassed civilians ?
Neither you, not I have any idea what the successor regime will be like, but it's unlikely to be worse.
Tell me more about your moral vacuum.
I think you can simply celebrate the end of one of the vilest regimes in modern history without coupling it to crystal balling on where things go now (which is beyond even those whose job that is).
I hope you can anyway because that is what I'm doing.
We don't know how many people the Assad family killed but their industrial scale massacres were hardly hidden. Most serious analysis puts it at hundreds of thousands killed. Meanwhile the forces associated with Mohamed Al Jolani are estimated to have killed several thousand civilians.
Al Jolani may turn out to be as bad as Assad - he can hardly be worse - but it's reasonable to hope he won't be. Better the devil you don't know in this case I think.
Either Reeves needs to back down/ameliorate or Starmer needs to sack her before she ends their 2028-29 chances with four years to go.
It's a bloody disaster as PBers like me said on the day it was announced.
" ‘It’s only a matter of time until we get some terrible case,’ a minister confided to me. ‘It happens every year, some tragedy where a pensioner dies alone. But this year it will be blamed on us – for winter fuel allowance cuts. And then we’re going to be in the midst of a full-blown crisis.’ "
"But they cannot align the relatively small saving with the potentially catastrophic political cost of being seen to target some of the most vulnerable in society in wintertime."
"I’ve spoken to Cabinet ministers, junior ministers, MPs, councillors, party officials, activists, trade union officials. I have yet to find a single person within Labour’s ranks who genuinely believes in the winter fuel benefit cut. Or thinks it is politically sustainable."
Rachel Reeves has repeated the blunders of George Osborne's omnishambles budget but in an area where potential outcomes are literally and not just metaphorically fatal. Removing WFA is a neat bureaucratic fix that would appeal to Treasury apparatchiks but which is politically tin-eared, and especially while Reeves and other MPs have their own heating bills subsidised by the state.
Hard to imagine how low these curs can stoop. Rob poor pensioners yet claim huge amounts for their second homes. How do these hypocrites sleep at night.
any genuinely poor pensioner is still gonna get the payment
Also any current pensioner never paid a penny in tax towards a winter fuel payment for their parents and grandparents generation. It's amazing how something introduced in 1997 is suddenly such a key marker of a civilised society.
The Government should embrace the fact it has pissed off a self-centred vested interest group that primarily didn't vote for it anyway and do the right things that for too long haven't been done for the country.
Planning reform so that young people can own their own home, even if it affects the views or property prices of landlords.
End the triple lock and link pensioners salaries to working people's salaries so that we really are "all in it together".
Merge NI and Income Tax so everyone pays the same tax rate regardless of whether they're working or not.
Labour should grasp the nettle and govern for people who are working for a living like their name implies.
NI should be ringfenced for state pensions, contributions based unemployment benefit and some social care funding.
Planning reform must not rip all over the greenbelt and also needs to go hand in hand with reduced immigration to cut demand
Either Reeves needs to back down/ameliorate or Starmer needs to sack her before she ends their 2028-29 chances with four years to go.
It's a bloody disaster as PBers like me said on the day it was announced.
" ‘It’s only a matter of time until we get some terrible case,’ a minister confided to me. ‘It happens every year, some tragedy where a pensioner dies alone. But this year it will be blamed on us – for winter fuel allowance cuts. And then we’re going to be in the midst of a full-blown crisis.’ "
"But they cannot align the relatively small saving with the potentially catastrophic political cost of being seen to target some of the most vulnerable in society in wintertime."
"I’ve spoken to Cabinet ministers, junior ministers, MPs, councillors, party officials, activists, trade union officials. I have yet to find a single person within Labour’s ranks who genuinely believes in the winter fuel benefit cut. Or thinks it is politically sustainable."
Featherbedded spoilt people expecting others to give them money they haven't earned and don't need deserve zero sympathy. None whatsoever.
Pensioners are not the "most vulnerable" in society, that is pig ignorant. 75% own their own home without a mortgage and they aren't even the most vulnerable to the cold, that is infants under 1 year of age who are far more vulnerable than pensioners but have never had such entitlement.
Welfare should be a safety net for those who need it.
Universal winter fuel allowance is not needed
Those most in need can apply for help.
All pensioners including higher rate tax payers have had a near 500 quid uplift due to triple lock
The fucking Daily Mail have attacked pensioners in need for 14 years... We all know the fucking ghouls are just waiting for a suitable death to exploit.
Stand firm Labour.
Remove universal wfa permanently, remove the triple lock and increase pension credit thresholds marginally if you need to.
Nothing about ending higher rate tax relief on pension contributions? The perk enjoyed only by the well-off, including highly-paid columnists and pundits who call instead for measures that hit the poorer pensioner.
I'd certainly look to end that. "Hello, well off person, here's some extra help for you, is a cheque from HMRC ok?"
I was amazed when I benefited from it on setting up a SIPP. I thought there must be some mistake.
I'm inclined to think we will see more pension reform next year. I'm with the person who posted that the gap left behind in revenue / expenditure and for investment is *far* bigger than the amounts we have discussed, and that we are in the ballpark of needing perhaps £80-100bn extra per annum rather than the £30-40bn we have seen so far.
I think so far the Government has been rather timid.
The Russian withdrawal from Syria, makes the US withdrawal from Afghanistan look like it was well organised and brilliantly executed.
What a shame for Putin’s 21st Century Potemkin army.
I wouldn't celebrate too soon. Putin needs a win, fast, and the only place he can get it is Ukraine.
They are also struggling and a major Russian push could see a sudden collapse.
It would be a grim irony if the disaster Russia has suffered in the ME led to a mirror effect in Ukraine.
And an utter disaster if Syria falls to the jihadi rebels and Putin makes further incursions into Ukraine before Trump tries and imposes a peace deal
It's clear that in your mind, anyone who is not Christian is a Jihadi rebel...
Your takes on this situation have been truly awful.
The rebels are led by Al Qaeda linked militants and ISIS are beginning to make a resurgence too in parts of Syria as the rebels pushed against Assad's regime.
It is what Syria looks like this time next year or in 2030 that is significant, not some celebrations over statues falling this week
There are many rebel groups.
I'd say you're a fool, but you're now well into maliciousness.
Most with Al Qaeda or ISIS links, Syria may now become the biggest centre for jihadi terrorism in the world by far
HTS are the good bit of AQ apparently. They've got a HR Dept. and do a lot of work for charity.
The reason that Islamists have such popularity is because they do provide food, healthcare and education, while the Arab authoritarians simply embezzle and spend on secret police and prisons.
We really have got to the stage where our biggest dickheads are openly defending Islamists on here, dear God. 'Food, healthcare and education' - who would that education be for you moral vacuum - presumably not girls. I'd love you to move your family to the new Syria to enjoy all that 'food healthcare and education'. I'm sure you'd all have a super time.
Nope, not defending Islamists at all, just pointing out where they get their popular support.
The West defeated Communism after WW2 principle by creating working class prosperity. A growing economy, labour rights, affordable housing, access to higher education etc Communism is now history in the Far East for much the same reason too, de facto if not de sure.
The way to defeat Islamism lies in much the same way. If the average Palastinian, Syrian or Iraqi has a better way to a decent life then revolution won't appeal to them either.
The West seems to have forgotten this important lesson of history. If the state fails to look after it's people then revolutionaries gain influence, whether far right populists or the people cheerleading the murder of the United Health CEO.
The Broligarchs need to fear the Tumbrils as much as the middle Eastern "strongman" like Assad.
This was not at all clear from your post, which read like the Islamist-washing. The sort of 'Great guys' stuff we've heard so much of from people who would never live within a thousand miles of such people.
Secret police and prisons are vile instruments of dictatorship. But let's face it, beating and torturing people in a secret prison is quaint and old-fashioned compared to what is taking over Syria - they'll just chuck you off a building.
However, given that your post did have a wider argument behind it, I am very sorry for my overreaction and rude remark.
No need to apologise. My original comment wasn't detailed.
Defeating both Nazism and Communism was the triumph of Liberal Democracy, but one that too many now take for granted. The challenge of Islamism is similar*.
Certainly creating a prosperous working class with social opportunity and also consumer goods was easier in the economic boom of the post war decades than in the contemporary world. That is a real problem for Liberal Democrats like me, and it does require new thinking.
In particular we need a society that looks after the young (for they are the ones who become revolutionaries) as well as it looks after the older population.
* I once posted here that the Americans would have done better by dropping coca-cola and fridges rather than Napalm on Vietnamese villagers, and DVD players with Hollywood/Bollywood movies on Afghanistan.
Either Reeves needs to back down/ameliorate or Starmer needs to sack her before she ends their 2028-29 chances with four years to go.
It's a bloody disaster as PBers like me said on the day it was announced.
" ‘It’s only a matter of time until we get some terrible case,’ a minister confided to me. ‘It happens every year, some tragedy where a pensioner dies alone. But this year it will be blamed on us – for winter fuel allowance cuts. And then we’re going to be in the midst of a full-blown crisis.’ "
"But they cannot align the relatively small saving with the potentially catastrophic political cost of being seen to target some of the most vulnerable in society in wintertime."
"I’ve spoken to Cabinet ministers, junior ministers, MPs, councillors, party officials, activists, trade union officials. I have yet to find a single person within Labour’s ranks who genuinely believes in the winter fuel benefit cut. Or thinks it is politically sustainable."
Rachel Reeves has repeated the blunders of George Osborne's omnishambles budget but in an area where potential outcomes are literally and not just metaphorically fatal. Removing WFA is a neat bureaucratic fix that would appeal to Treasury apparatchiks but which is politically tin-eared, and especially while Reeves and other MPs have their own heating bills subsidised by the state.
Hard to imagine how low these curs can stoop. Rob poor pensioners yet claim huge amounts for their second homes. How do these hypocrites sleep at night.
any genuinely poor pensioner is still gonna get the payment
Also any current pensioner never paid a penny in tax towards a winter fuel payment for their parents and grandparents generation. It's amazing how something introduced in 1997 is suddenly such a key marker of a civilised society.
Civil partnerships were introduced in 2005, and gay marriage in 2014.
The Government should embrace the fact it has pissed off a self-centred vested interest group that primarily didn't vote for it anyway and do the right things that for too long haven't been done for the country.
Planning reform so that young people can own their own home, even if it affects the views or property prices of landlords.
End the triple lock and link pensioners salaries to working people's salaries so that we really are "all in it together".
Merge NI and Income Tax so everyone pays the same tax rate regardless of whether they're working or not.
Labour should grasp the nettle and govern for people who are working for a living like their name implies.
NI should be ringfenced for state pensions, contributions based unemployment benefit and some social care funding.
Planning reform must not rip all over the greenbelt and also needs to go hand in hand with reduced immigration to cut demand
An excellent example of how the Tories are the servants of the elderly Home Counties voters. .
Either Reeves needs to back down/ameliorate or Starmer needs to sack her before she ends their 2028-29 chances with four years to go.
It's a bloody disaster as PBers like me said on the day it was announced.
" ‘It’s only a matter of time until we get some terrible case,’ a minister confided to me. ‘It happens every year, some tragedy where a pensioner dies alone. But this year it will be blamed on us – for winter fuel allowance cuts. And then we’re going to be in the midst of a full-blown crisis.’ "
"But they cannot align the relatively small saving with the potentially catastrophic political cost of being seen to target some of the most vulnerable in society in wintertime."
"I’ve spoken to Cabinet ministers, junior ministers, MPs, councillors, party officials, activists, trade union officials. I have yet to find a single person within Labour’s ranks who genuinely believes in the winter fuel benefit cut. Or thinks it is politically sustainable."
Featherbedded spoilt people expecting others to give them money they haven't earned and don't need deserve zero sympathy. None whatsoever.
Pensioners are not the "most vulnerable" in society, that is pig ignorant. 75% own their own home without a mortgage and they aren't even the most vulnerable to the cold, that is infants under 1 year of age who are far more vulnerable than pensioners but have never had such entitlement.
Welfare should be a safety net for those who need it.
You are not even at the level of a halfwit. Plenty of pensioners are poor you absolute unfeeling twat , an excuse for a human being.
Plenty of people of all ages are poor - why do only pensioners matter to you?
If poor people need welfare, then it should be targeted at those who need it, not those who don't.
And the most in need are poor babies, not pensioners. Contrary to received myths on here, pensioners have never been the most vulnerable to the cold.
Compared to the average Briton pensioners are more vulnerable to the cold, what a stupid post
Either Reeves needs to back down/ameliorate or Starmer needs to sack her before she ends their 2028-29 chances with four years to go.
It's a bloody disaster as PBers like me said on the day it was announced.
" ‘It’s only a matter of time until we get some terrible case,’ a minister confided to me. ‘It happens every year, some tragedy where a pensioner dies alone. But this year it will be blamed on us – for winter fuel allowance cuts. And then we’re going to be in the midst of a full-blown crisis.’ "
"But they cannot align the relatively small saving with the potentially catastrophic political cost of being seen to target some of the most vulnerable in society in wintertime."
"I’ve spoken to Cabinet ministers, junior ministers, MPs, councillors, party officials, activists, trade union officials. I have yet to find a single person within Labour’s ranks who genuinely believes in the winter fuel benefit cut. Or thinks it is politically sustainable."
Rachel Reeves has repeated the blunders of George Osborne's omnishambles budget but in an area where potential outcomes are literally and not just metaphorically fatal. Removing WFA is a neat bureaucratic fix that would appeal to Treasury apparatchiks but which is politically tin-eared, and especially while Reeves and other MPs have their own heating bills subsidised by the state.
Hard to imagine how low these curs can stoop. Rob poor pensioners yet claim huge amounts for their second homes. How do these hypocrites sleep at night.
any genuinely poor pensioner is still gonna get the payment
That's not entirely true, the Pension Credit level is quite a bit lower than the State Pension, and it's a hard cutoff so being a pound over it sees you lose the full value of the WFA.
They would have done better to abolish it completely, and increase Pension Credit
The Russian withdrawal from Syria, makes the US withdrawal from Afghanistan look like it was well organised and brilliantly executed.
What a shame for Putin’s 21st Century Potemkin army.
I wouldn't celebrate too soon. Putin needs a win, fast, and the only place he can get it is Ukraine.
They are also struggling and a major Russian push could see a sudden collapse.
It would be a grim irony if the disaster Russia has suffered in the ME led to a mirror effect in Ukraine.
And an utter disaster if Syria falls to the jihadi rebels and Putin makes further incursions into Ukraine before Trump tries and imposes a peace deal
It's clear that in your mind, anyone who is not Christian is a Jihadi rebel...
Your takes on this situation have been truly awful.
The rebels are led by Al Qaeda linked militants and ISIS are beginning to make a resurgence too in parts of Syria as the rebels pushed against Assad's regime.
It is what Syria looks like this time next year or in 2030 that is significant, not some celebrations over statues falling this week
There are many rebel groups.
I'd say you're a fool, but you're now well into maliciousness.
Most with Al Qaeda or ISIS links, Syria may now become the biggest centre for jihadi terrorism in the world by far
HTS are the good bit of AQ apparently. They've got a HR Dept. and do a lot of work for charity.
The reason that Islamists have such popularity is because they do provide food, healthcare and education, while the Arab authoritarians simply embezzle and spend on secret police and prisons.
We really have got to the stage where our biggest dickheads are openly defending Islamists on here, dear God. 'Food, healthcare and education' - who would that education be for you moral vacuum - presumably not girls. I'd love you to move your family to the new Syria to enjoy all that 'food healthcare and education'. I'm sure you'd all have a super time.
As opposed to the dickheads who actively advocate for direct support of a mass murderer who utterly destroyed his country, created six million refugees - who you've been complaining about for a decade - and allied with Iran and Russia ? Who imprisoned, tortured and murdered tens of thousands; who gassed civilians ?
Neither you, not I have any idea what the successor regime will be like[lie], but it's unlikely to be worse.[lie]
Tell me more about your moral vacuum.
How did Assad destroy his country exactly? And did the 6 million refugees leave Syria befor the civil war started - I must have missed that.
Incidentally, you're one of the very worst, because unlike some of the more mealy-mouthed islamist-defenders on here, you simply lie. Try to grow some integrity and moral courage.
As I pointed out to you a few days ago, Assad was the one who decided to respond to peaceful demonstrations with violence and murder. Well before there was any armed rebellion.
The Russian withdrawal from Syria, makes the US withdrawal from Afghanistan look like it was well organised and brilliantly executed.
What a shame for Putin’s 21st Century Potemkin army.
I wouldn't celebrate too soon. Putin needs a win, fast, and the only place he can get it is Ukraine.
They are also struggling and a major Russian push could see a sudden collapse.
It would be a grim irony if the disaster Russia has suffered in the ME led to a mirror effect in Ukraine.
And an utter disaster if Syria falls to the jihadi rebels and Putin makes further incursions into Ukraine before Trump tries and imposes a peace deal
It's clear that in your mind, anyone who is not Christian is a Jihadi rebel...
Your takes on this situation have been truly awful.
The rebels are led by Al Qaeda linked militants and ISIS are beginning to make a resurgence too in parts of Syria as the rebels pushed against Assad's regime.
It is what Syria looks like this time next year or in 2030 that is significant, not some celebrations over statues falling this week
There are many rebel groups.
I'd say you're a fool, but you're now well into maliciousness.
Most with Al Qaeda or ISIS links, Syria may now become the biggest centre for jihadi terrorism in the world by far
HTS are the good bit of AQ apparently. They've got a HR Dept. and do a lot of work for charity.
The reason that Islamists have such popularity is because they do provide food, healthcare and education, while the Arab authoritarians simply embezzle and spend on secret police and prisons.
We really have got to the stage where our biggest dickheads are openly defending Islamists on here, dear God. 'Food, healthcare and education' - who would that education be for you moral vacuum - presumably not girls. I'd love you to move your family to the new Syria to enjoy all that 'food healthcare and education'. I'm sure you'd all have a super time.
Nope, not defending Islamists at all, just pointing out where they get their popular support.
The West defeated Communism after WW2 principle by creating working class prosperity. A growing economy, labour rights, affordable housing, access to higher education etc Communism is now history in the Far East for much the same reason too, de facto if not de sure.
The way to defeat Islamism lies in much the same way. If the average Palastinian, Syrian or Iraqi has a better way to a decent life then revolution won't appeal to them either.
The West seems to have forgotten this important lesson of history. If the state fails to look after it's people then revolutionaries gain influence, whether far right populists or the people cheerleading the murder of the United Health CEO.
The Broligarchs need to fear the Tumbrils as much as the middle Eastern "strongman" like Assad.
We - the west - need to offer hands of friendships to the rebel groups. Syria and its people desperately need help, and it is in our interests to give it. But any help we give groups should come with a mahoosive "play nicely" red card.
What is in 'our' interests? What should keep the red card in the pocket?
*) A stable Syria that is not in hock to Russia or Iran. *) Refugees flowing back into, and not out from, Syria. *) No home for ISIS/L or AQ. *) As little internal violence as possible (some is inevitable). *) Be better than Assad was.
Keep within those bounds, and we help them. I think Al-Jolani may understand this.
Abysmal apologia for violent islamic fundamentalism. 'As little internal violence as possible'. Lovely.
Presumably he wants to see them go to good homes, to people will will also keep them serviceable and in use rather than sat in a museum.
I think that's pretty much impossible except for the DFV engined ones. They only have a few hundred hours of engine life and fuck getting any parts. The Renault R25 I drove years ago has now lapsed into lawn ornament status due to software issues. I wasn't as fast as Alonso. I was braking 75m (that's SEVENTY FIVE meters) earlier than him according to the data and I still felt like I was going to die in every corner.
The braking performance of an F1 car is the single most astonishing thing about them.
I once sat in the grandstand in the run up to what’s now the Turn 6/7 chicane at Abu Dhabi, and you can see a car that goes from ~330kph to ~60kph in about 80 metres! It looks like it’s having an accident, no matter how late any normie thinks they can brake, and no matter how hard they think they can push the pedal, it’s nowhere near enough. They have to reduce brake pressure through the zone as the downforce comes off!
You also have to get on them very hard initially but then modulate the pressure as the carbon disks come up to temp. If you maintain constant pedal pressure the braking forces shoot up and you're heading for a lockup/spin/funeral. I drove it at Spa and 17/18 through Blanchimont was fucking horrifying. Eau Rouge wasn't that bad despite its reputation because you're braking on the uphill section and have a bit more suspension travel and F/R heave to play with.
The Russian withdrawal from Syria, makes the US withdrawal from Afghanistan look like it was well organised and brilliantly executed.
What a shame for Putin’s 21st Century Potemkin army.
I wouldn't celebrate too soon. Putin needs a win, fast, and the only place he can get it is Ukraine.
They are also struggling and a major Russian push could see a sudden collapse.
It would be a grim irony if the disaster Russia has suffered in the ME led to a mirror effect in Ukraine.
And an utter disaster if Syria falls to the jihadi rebels and Putin makes further incursions into Ukraine before Trump tries and imposes a peace deal
It's clear that in your mind, anyone who is not Christian is a Jihadi rebel...
Your takes on this situation have been truly awful.
The rebels are led by Al Qaeda linked militants and ISIS are beginning to make a resurgence too in parts of Syria as the rebels pushed against Assad's regime.
It is what Syria looks like this time next year or in 2030 that is significant, not some celebrations over statues falling this week
There are many rebel groups.
I'd say you're a fool, but you're now well into maliciousness.
Most with Al Qaeda or ISIS links, Syria may now become the biggest centre for jihadi terrorism in the world by far
HTS are the good bit of AQ apparently. They've got a HR Dept. and do a lot of work for charity.
The reason that Islamists have such popularity is because they do provide food, healthcare and education, while the Arab authoritarians simply embezzle and spend on secret police and prisons.
We really have got to the stage where our biggest dickheads are openly defending Islamists on here, dear God. 'Food, healthcare and education' - who would that education be for you moral vacuum - presumably not girls. I'd love you to move your family to the new Syria to enjoy all that 'food healthcare and education'. I'm sure you'd all have a super time.
As opposed to the dickheads who actively advocate for direct support of a mass murderer who utterly destroyed his country, created six million refugees - who you've been complaining about for a decade - and allied with Iran and Russia ? Who imprisoned, tortured and murdered tens of thousands; who gassed civilians ?
Neither you, not I have any idea what the successor regime will be like, but it's unlikely to be worse.
Tell me more about your moral vacuum.
I think you can simply celebrate the end of one of the vilest regimes in modern history without coupling it to crystal balling on where things go now (which is beyond even those whose job that is).
I hope you can anyway because that is what I'm doing.
Multiple US officials were predicting that Assad might only have a week left, hours before it was all over. Our ability to predict these sorts of events is poor.
Either Reeves needs to back down/ameliorate or Starmer needs to sack her before she ends their 2028-29 chances with four years to go.
It's a bloody disaster as PBers like me said on the day it was announced.
" ‘It’s only a matter of time until we get some terrible case,’ a minister confided to me. ‘It happens every year, some tragedy where a pensioner dies alone. But this year it will be blamed on us – for winter fuel allowance cuts. And then we’re going to be in the midst of a full-blown crisis.’ "
"But they cannot align the relatively small saving with the potentially catastrophic political cost of being seen to target some of the most vulnerable in society in wintertime."
"I’ve spoken to Cabinet ministers, junior ministers, MPs, councillors, party officials, activists, trade union officials. I have yet to find a single person within Labour’s ranks who genuinely believes in the winter fuel benefit cut. Or thinks it is politically sustainable."
Rachel Reeves has repeated the blunders of George Osborne's omnishambles budget but in an area where potential outcomes are literally and not just metaphorically fatal. Removing WFA is a neat bureaucratic fix that would appeal to Treasury apparatchiks but which is politically tin-eared, and especially while Reeves and other MPs have their own heating bills subsidised by the state.
Hard to imagine how low these curs can stoop. Rob poor pensioners yet claim huge amounts for their second homes. How do these hypocrites sleep at night.
any genuinely poor pensioner is still gonna get the payment
Also any current pensioner never paid a penny in tax towards a winter fuel payment for their parents and grandparents generation. It's amazing how something introduced in 1997 is suddenly such a key marker of a civilised society.
Civil partnerships were introduced in 2005, and gay marriage in 2014.
So do you think that not paying an additional payment for fuel on top of the state pension was an historic wrong or anomaly that was righted in 1997? Many of the people on here complaining about the move to means test it have been pretty critical of the other benefits that the previous Labour government made universal.
The Russian withdrawal from Syria, makes the US withdrawal from Afghanistan look like it was well organised and brilliantly executed.
What a shame for Putin’s 21st Century Potemkin army.
I wouldn't celebrate too soon. Putin needs a win, fast, and the only place he can get it is Ukraine.
They are also struggling and a major Russian push could see a sudden collapse.
It would be a grim irony if the disaster Russia has suffered in the ME led to a mirror effect in Ukraine.
And an utter disaster if Syria falls to the jihadi rebels and Putin makes further incursions into Ukraine before Trump tries and imposes a peace deal
It's clear that in your mind, anyone who is not Christian is a Jihadi rebel...
Your takes on this situation have been truly awful.
The rebels are led by Al Qaeda linked militants and ISIS are beginning to make a resurgence too in parts of Syria as the rebels pushed against Assad's regime.
It is what Syria looks like this time next year or in 2030 that is significant, not some celebrations over statues falling this week
There are many rebel groups.
I'd say you're a fool, but you're now well into maliciousness.
Most with Al Qaeda or ISIS links, Syria may now become the biggest centre for jihadi terrorism in the world by far
HTS are the good bit of AQ apparently. They've got a HR Dept. and do a lot of work for charity.
The reason that Islamists have such popularity is because they do provide food, healthcare and education, while the Arab authoritarians simply embezzle and spend on secret police and prisons.
We really have got to the stage where our biggest dickheads are openly defending Islamists on here, dear God. 'Food, healthcare and education' - who would that education be for you moral vacuum - presumably not girls. I'd love you to move your family to the new Syria to enjoy all that 'food healthcare and education'. I'm sure you'd all have a super time.
As opposed to the dickheads who actively advocate for direct support of a mass murderer who utterly destroyed his country, created six million refugees - who you've been complaining about for a decade - and allied with Iran and Russia ? Who imprisoned, tortured and murdered tens of thousands; who gassed civilians ?
Neither you, not I have any idea what the successor regime will be like[lie], but it's unlikely to be worse.[lie]
Tell me more about your moral vacuum.
How did Assad destroy his country exactly? And did the 6 million refugees leave Syria befor the civil war started - I must have missed that.
Incidentally, you're one of the very worst, because unlike some of the more mealy-mouthed islamist-defenders on here, you simply lie. Try to grow some integrity and moral courage.
As I pointed out to you a few days ago, Assad was the one who decided to respond to peaceful demonstrations with violence and murder. Well before there was any armed rebellion.
Recollections of the genisis of the Arab spring in Syria may vary. But the fact remains that the six million refugees as well as the destruction of the country came as Assad's regime (sadly ultimately unsuccessfully) fought an Islamist uprising. Before that Syria was a dictatorship where unless you opposed the ruling family, your life tended to be OK and you enjoyed a fair degree of personal and especially religious freedom. Syria's new rulers are not loyal to Syria, they are loyal to global jihad. We've done that. As we did in Iraq, and Libya.
The Russian withdrawal from Syria, makes the US withdrawal from Afghanistan look like it was well organised and brilliantly executed.
What a shame for Putin’s 21st Century Potemkin army.
I wouldn't celebrate too soon. Putin needs a win, fast, and the only place he can get it is Ukraine.
They are also struggling and a major Russian push could see a sudden collapse.
It would be a grim irony if the disaster Russia has suffered in the ME led to a mirror effect in Ukraine.
And an utter disaster if Syria falls to the jihadi rebels and Putin makes further incursions into Ukraine before Trump tries and imposes a peace deal
It's clear that in your mind, anyone who is not Christian is a Jihadi rebel...
Your takes on this situation have been truly awful.
The rebels are led by Al Qaeda linked militants and ISIS are beginning to make a resurgence too in parts of Syria as the rebels pushed against Assad's regime.
It is what Syria looks like this time next year or in 2030 that is significant, not some celebrations over statues falling this week
There are many rebel groups.
I'd say you're a fool, but you're now well into maliciousness.
Most with Al Qaeda or ISIS links, Syria may now become the biggest centre for jihadi terrorism in the world by far
HTS are the good bit of AQ apparently. They've got a HR Dept. and do a lot of work for charity.
The reason that Islamists have such popularity is because they do provide food, healthcare and education, while the Arab authoritarians simply embezzle and spend on secret police and prisons.
We really have got to the stage where our biggest dickheads are openly defending Islamists on here, dear God. 'Food, healthcare and education' - who would that education be for you moral vacuum - presumably not girls. I'd love you to move your family to the new Syria to enjoy all that 'food healthcare and education'. I'm sure you'd all have a super time.
Nope, not defending Islamists at all, just pointing out where they get their popular support.
The West defeated Communism after WW2 principle by creating working class prosperity. A growing economy, labour rights, affordable housing, access to higher education etc Communism is now history in the Far East for much the same reason too, de facto if not de sure.
The way to defeat Islamism lies in much the same way. If the average Palastinian, Syrian or Iraqi has a better way to a decent life then revolution won't appeal to them either.
The West seems to have forgotten this important lesson of history. If the state fails to look after it's people then revolutionaries gain influence, whether far right populists or the people cheerleading the murder of the United Health CEO.
The Broligarchs need to fear the Tumbrils as much as the middle Eastern "strongman" like Assad.
We - the west - need to offer hands of friendships to the rebel groups. Syria and its people desperately need help, and it is in our interests to give it. But any help we give groups should come with a mahoosive "play nicely" red card.
What is in 'our' interests? What should keep the red card in the pocket?
*) A stable Syria that is not in hock to Russia or Iran. *) Refugees flowing back into, and not out from, Syria. *) No home for ISIS/L or AQ. *) As little internal violence as possible (some is inevitable). *) Be better than Assad was.
Keep within those bounds, and we help them. I think Al-Jolani may understand this.
Abysmal apologia for violent islamic fundamentalism. 'As little internal violence as possible'. Lovely.
Urrm, do you want ISIS/L gone or not? If I'd written 'no violence' then you'd have screeched about that.
You are a repeated Russian apologist. Russia has spent a decade making out *all* the rebels as ISIS/L, as they wanted external people to support Assad, not the rebels. What I - and others - have been saying to you and HYUFD is that the situation is far more complex than that.
There is an opportunity here, both for us and the Syrian people. That did not exist with your murderous buddy Assad.
Maybe the Syrians will not grasp the opportunity. But perhaps, just perhaps, they will. I think my list in my previous post may help them grasp that opportunity, to everyone's advantage.
Everyone's advantage, that is, except your imperialist, fascist buddy Putin.
Presumably he wants to see them go to good homes, to people will will also keep them serviceable and in use rather than sat in a museum.
I think that's pretty much impossible except for the DFV engined ones. They only have a few hundred hours of engine life and fuck getting any parts. The Renault R25 I drove years ago has now lapsed into lawn ornament status due to software issues. I wasn't as fast as Alonso. I was braking 75m (that's SEVENTY FIVE meters) earlier than him according to the data and I still felt like I was going to die in every corner.
The braking performance of an F1 car is the single most astonishing thing about them.
I once sat in the grandstand in the run up to what’s now the Turn 6/7 chicane at Abu Dhabi, and you can see a car that goes from ~330kph to ~60kph in about 80 metres! It looks like it’s having an accident, no matter how late any normie thinks they can brake, and no matter how hard they think they can push the pedal, it’s nowhere near enough. They have to reduce brake pressure through the zone as the downforce comes off!
You also have to get on them very hard initially but then modulate the pressure as the carbon disks come up to temp. If you maintain constant pedal pressure the braking forces shoot up and you're heading for a lockup/spin/funeral. I drove it at Spa and 17/18 through Blanchimont was fucking horrifying. Eau Rouge wasn't that bad despite its reputation because you're braking on the uphill section and have a bit more suspension travel and F/R heave to play with.
Even now they reprofiled it, Eau Rouge / Radillon is nothing to a modern F1 car, and neither is Blanchimont. Pouhon is now the corner they dare to take flat in qualifying! 😵💫
Either Reeves needs to back down/ameliorate or Starmer needs to sack her before she ends their 2028-29 chances with four years to go.
It's a bloody disaster as PBers like me said on the day it was announced.
" ‘It’s only a matter of time until we get some terrible case,’ a minister confided to me. ‘It happens every year, some tragedy where a pensioner dies alone. But this year it will be blamed on us – for winter fuel allowance cuts. And then we’re going to be in the midst of a full-blown crisis.’ "
"But they cannot align the relatively small saving with the potentially catastrophic political cost of being seen to target some of the most vulnerable in society in wintertime."
"I’ve spoken to Cabinet ministers, junior ministers, MPs, councillors, party officials, activists, trade union officials. I have yet to find a single person within Labour’s ranks who genuinely believes in the winter fuel benefit cut. Or thinks it is politically sustainable."
Rachel Reeves has repeated the blunders of George Osborne's omnishambles budget but in an area where potential outcomes are literally and not just metaphorically fatal. Removing WFA is a neat bureaucratic fix that would appeal to Treasury apparatchiks but which is politically tin-eared, and especially while Reeves and other MPs have their own heating bills subsidised by the state.
Hard to imagine how low these curs can stoop. Rob poor pensioners yet claim huge amounts for their second homes. How do these hypocrites sleep at night.
any genuinely poor pensioner is still gonna get the payment
That's not entirely true, the Pension Credit level is quite a bit lower than the State Pension, and it's a hard cutoff so being a pound over it sees you lose the full value of the WFA.
They would have done better to abolish it completely, and increase Pension Credit
The Government should embrace the fact it has pissed off a self-centred vested interest group that primarily didn't vote for it anyway and do the right things that for too long haven't been done for the country.
Planning reform so that young people can own their own home, even if it affects the views or property prices of landlords.
End the triple lock and link pensioners salaries to working people's salaries so that we really are "all in it together".
Merge NI and Income Tax so everyone pays the same tax rate regardless of whether they're working or not.
Labour should grasp the nettle and govern for people who are working for a living like their name implies.
NI should be ringfenced for state pensions, contributions based unemployment benefit and some social care funding.
Planning reform must not rip all over the greenbelt and also needs to go hand in hand with reduced immigration to cut demand
An excellent example of how the Tories are the servants of the elderly Home Counties voters. .
More than anything, I suspect that’s why the Conservatives will be eclipsed by Reform. At some point over the past decade, they gave up trying to attract new voters, and prioritised the interests of their legacy voters.
As a recent-ish patient in several places, it seems to me that some management by walking around could harvest some low hanging fruit.
For instance, my test last week included:-
the appointment letter being delivered literally as I left for the appointment
a booklet badly put together
a booklet that referred to the wrong hospital
signposting that ended short of the destination
some guesswork as to the correct waiting area
confusing directions about gowns
So, investment needed in admin, rather than front line clinicians? 🤔
Or maybe as well as.
I have a slightly dodgy left thumb, it has been painful and "clicky" for a while. It needs looking at. Preferably on a Friday when I don't work. But I'm right handed so it's not my favourite digit, there's no rush.
I haven't worked out how to book an appointment yet. The surgery website tells me I can book on line but the NHS app consistently tells me there's nothing available. There is no point requesting a teleconsult as someone needs to look at it. In any case, last time I had one of those I missed it, because the doctor rang at a random time and I was unable to get to my phone in time. Neither do they ring twice. Presumably I could join a telephone queue early in the morning but it's not an emergency.
In contrast, Specsavers tell me it's time to have a new hearing test so I go online and book it at a time of my choosing, at the end of a working day so I only have to leave work a few minutes early. Yes it was a few weeks ahead, but again it's not urgent, convenience was more important.
So, yes, the admin certainly has to improve.
For such booking schemes to work there has to be capacity (and in your case capacity for someone who knows about hands, on a friday).
Specsavers makes more money if it creates fresh capacity, the NHS does not, it has a finite budget.
So the reduction in 18 week waits to what they were in 2010 is the base for what you need.
I can't book someone who knows about hands, though, I have to talk to my GP first, who if he does know about hands it will be a surprise, he will then have to decide there is indeed a problem with my hand and I need to see someone who knows about hands. I wouldn't mind an 18 week wait if I could just more easily get into the system. I will try harder next week and see if any appointments are available to book online early in the morning. The problem with phoning at 8am or whenever the phone lines open is that that is exactly when I need to be on my way to work. Which is great if I have gone down with the lurgy and need to take time off, but not otherwise.
Yes, my GP has the same "must phone at 8am on the day, even if it's something that could easily wait a week". To be fair to them they have got the admin side of it down pretty well -- you sit in a phone queue, but not for long, you speak to the receptionist who triages you into nurse/on-site physio/GP, the GP calls back for a phone consultation within an hour or two. But as a system it definitely puts me off from attempting to engage with it -- it was months before I decided a dodgy shoulder really wasn't going away on its own and I really did need to go through the hassle of the 8am phone queue.
The 8 AM rush is a legacy of targetism from previous regimes.
It became a requirement to be able to offer appointments within 48 hours, and in a system lacking capacity the simplest way to do that was to cease advance booking of appointments.
Targets always distort delivery. Something that Starmer should pay attention to.
No online booking? My GP has offered it for years. Admittedly I'm in good health so don't see them too often but I have had a few non-urgent issues over the years and I can't remember when I last had to phone the surgery to make an appointment.
I think I would have to phone for an urgent appointment but with many of the routine bookings done online it must be much easier to get through than otherwise.
System is pathetic, some offer great service , online quick appointments etc whereas others are dire. It is a postcode lottery.
My surgery only offers online booking during open hours, as they triage all requests and apparently, in contrast to those people who go to A&E with a cold, some people will make an online booking for a medical emergency.
The Russian withdrawal from Syria, makes the US withdrawal from Afghanistan look like it was well organised and brilliantly executed.
What a shame for Putin’s 21st Century Potemkin army.
I wouldn't celebrate too soon. Putin needs a win, fast, and the only place he can get it is Ukraine.
They are also struggling and a major Russian push could see a sudden collapse.
It would be a grim irony if the disaster Russia has suffered in the ME led to a mirror effect in Ukraine.
And an utter disaster if Syria falls to the jihadi rebels and Putin makes further incursions into Ukraine before Trump tries and imposes a peace deal
It's clear that in your mind, anyone who is not Christian is a Jihadi rebel...
Your takes on this situation have been truly awful.
The rebels are led by Al Qaeda linked militants and ISIS are beginning to make a resurgence too in parts of Syria as the rebels pushed against Assad's regime.
It is what Syria looks like this time next year or in 2030 that is significant, not some celebrations over statues falling this week
There are many rebel groups.
I'd say you're a fool, but you're now well into maliciousness.
Most with Al Qaeda or ISIS links, Syria may now become the biggest centre for jihadi terrorism in the world by far
HTS are the good bit of AQ apparently. They've got a HR Dept. and do a lot of work for charity.
The reason that Islamists have such popularity is because they do provide food, healthcare and education, while the Arab authoritarians simply embezzle and spend on secret police and prisons.
We really have got to the stage where our biggest dickheads are openly defending Islamists on here, dear God. 'Food, healthcare and education' - who would that education be for you moral vacuum - presumably not girls. I'd love you to move your family to the new Syria to enjoy all that 'food healthcare and education'. I'm sure you'd all have a super time.
As opposed to the dickheads who actively advocate for direct support of a mass murderer who utterly destroyed his country, created six million refugees - who you've been complaining about for a decade - and allied with Iran and Russia ? Who imprisoned, tortured and murdered tens of thousands; who gassed civilians ?
Neither you, not I have any idea what the successor regime will be like[lie], but it's unlikely to be worse.[lie]
Tell me more about your moral vacuum.
How did Assad destroy his country exactly? And did the 6 million refugees leave Syria befor the civil war started - I must have missed that.
Incidentally, you're one of the very worst, because unlike some of the more mealy-mouthed islamist-defenders on here, you simply lie. Try to grow some integrity and moral courage.
As I pointed out to you a few days ago, Assad was the one who decided to respond to peaceful demonstrations with violence and murder. Well before there was any armed rebellion.
Recollections of the genisis of the Arab spring in Syria may vary. But the fact remains that the six million refugees as well as the destruction of the country came as Assad's regime (sadly ultimately unsuccessfully) fought an Islamist uprising. Before that Syria was a dictatorship where unless you opposed the ruling family, your life tended to be OK and you enjoyed a fair degree of personal and especially religious freedom. Syria's new rulers are not loyal to Syria, they are loyal to global jihad. We've done that. As we did in Iraq, and Libya.
"... unless you opposed the ruling family, your life tended to be OK "
That wasn't the case AIUI. That's not the way countries with secret police work. You may have a falling out with a neighbour, and then you are denounced. Essentially, there is no rule of law. Just like Russia under Stalin.
It's clear that whilst you don't like jihadists (neither do I, or anyone on here), you get positively excited about dictators, fascists, and imperialists.
The Russian withdrawal from Syria, makes the US withdrawal from Afghanistan look like it was well organised and brilliantly executed.
What a shame for Putin’s 21st Century Potemkin army.
I wouldn't celebrate too soon. Putin needs a win, fast, and the only place he can get it is Ukraine.
They are also struggling and a major Russian push could see a sudden collapse.
It would be a grim irony if the disaster Russia has suffered in the ME led to a mirror effect in Ukraine.
And an utter disaster if Syria falls to the jihadi rebels and Putin makes further incursions into Ukraine before Trump tries and imposes a peace deal
It's clear that in your mind, anyone who is not Christian is a Jihadi rebel...
Your takes on this situation have been truly awful.
The rebels are led by Al Qaeda linked militants and ISIS are beginning to make a resurgence too in parts of Syria as the rebels pushed against Assad's regime.
It is what Syria looks like this time next year or in 2030 that is significant, not some celebrations over statues falling this week
There are many rebel groups.
I'd say you're a fool, but you're now well into maliciousness.
Most with Al Qaeda or ISIS links, Syria may now become the biggest centre for jihadi terrorism in the world by far
HTS are the good bit of AQ apparently. They've got a HR Dept. and do a lot of work for charity.
The reason that Islamists have such popularity is because they do provide food, healthcare and education, while the Arab authoritarians simply embezzle and spend on secret police and prisons.
We really have got to the stage where our biggest dickheads are openly defending Islamists on here, dear God. 'Food, healthcare and education' - who would that education be for you moral vacuum - presumably not girls. I'd love you to move your family to the new Syria to enjoy all that 'food healthcare and education'. I'm sure you'd all have a super time.
Nope, not defending Islamists at all, just pointing out where they get their popular support.
The West defeated Communism after WW2 principle by creating working class prosperity. A growing economy, labour rights, affordable housing, access to higher education etc Communism is now history in the Far East for much the same reason too, de facto if not de sure.
The way to defeat Islamism lies in much the same way. If the average Palastinian, Syrian or Iraqi has a better way to a decent life then revolution won't appeal to them either.
The West seems to have forgotten this important lesson of history. If the state fails to look after it's people then revolutionaries gain influence, whether far right populists or the people cheerleading the murder of the United Health CEO.
The Broligarchs need to fear the Tumbrils as much as the middle Eastern "strongman" like Assad.
This was not at all clear from your post, which read like the Islamist-washing. The sort of 'Great guys' stuff we've heard so much of from people who would never live within a thousand miles of such people.
Secret police and prisons are vile instruments of dictatorship. But let's face it, beating and torturing people in a secret prison is quaint and old-fashioned compared to what is taking over Syria - they'll just chuck you off a building.
However, given that your post did have a wider argument behind it, I am very sorry for my overreaction and rude remark.
No need to apologise. My original comment wasn't detailed.
Defeating both Nazism and Communism was the triumph of Liberal Democracy, but one that too many now take for granted. The challenge of Islamism is similar*.
Certainly creating a prosperous working class with social opportunity and also consumer goods was easier in the economic boom of the post war decades than in the contemporary world. That is a real problem for Liberal Democrats like me, and it does require new thinking.
In particular we need a society that looks after the young (for they are the ones who become revolutionaries) as well as it looks after the older population.
* I once posted here that the Americans would have done better by dropping coca-cola and fridges rather than Napalm on Vietnamese villagers, and DVD players with Hollywood/Bollywood movies on Afghanistan.
It’s hard to overstate just how awful was the condition of most of Europe in Summer 1945. Probably worse than Syria, now.
The Government should embrace the fact it has pissed off a self-centred vested interest group that primarily didn't vote for it anyway and do the right things that for too long haven't been done for the country.
Planning reform so that young people can own their own home, even if it affects the views or property prices of landlords.
End the triple lock and link pensioners salaries to working people's salaries so that we really are "all in it together".
Merge NI and Income Tax so everyone pays the same tax rate regardless of whether they're working or not.
Labour should grasp the nettle and govern for people who are working for a living like their name implies.
NI should be ringfenced for state pensions, contributions based unemployment benefit and some social care funding.
Planning reform must not rip all over the greenbelt and also needs to go hand in hand with reduced immigration to cut demand
An excellent example of how the Tories are the servants of the elderly Home Counties voters. .
More than anything, I suspect that’s why the Conservatives will be eclipsed by Reform. At some point over the past decade, they gave up trying to attract new voters, and prioritised the interests of their legacy voters.
Eh? Reform are also opposed to Labour's Planning reforms.
Indeed in Epping Forest there is an alliance between the Reform councillor and the LDs and Independents to oppose the new homes being proposed by the Conservative led council in their Local Plan
The Russian withdrawal from Syria, makes the US withdrawal from Afghanistan look like it was well organised and brilliantly executed.
What a shame for Putin’s 21st Century Potemkin army.
I wouldn't celebrate too soon. Putin needs a win, fast, and the only place he can get it is Ukraine.
They are also struggling and a major Russian push could see a sudden collapse.
It would be a grim irony if the disaster Russia has suffered in the ME led to a mirror effect in Ukraine.
And an utter disaster if Syria falls to the jihadi rebels and Putin makes further incursions into Ukraine before Trump tries and imposes a peace deal
It's clear that in your mind, anyone who is not Christian is a Jihadi rebel...
Your takes on this situation have been truly awful.
The rebels are led by Al Qaeda linked militants and ISIS are beginning to make a resurgence too in parts of Syria as the rebels pushed against Assad's regime.
It is what Syria looks like this time next year or in 2030 that is significant, not some celebrations over statues falling this week
There are many rebel groups.
I'd say you're a fool, but you're now well into maliciousness.
Most with Al Qaeda or ISIS links, Syria may now become the biggest centre for jihadi terrorism in the world by far
HTS are the good bit of AQ apparently. They've got a HR Dept. and do a lot of work for charity.
The reason that Islamists have such popularity is because they do provide food, healthcare and education, while the Arab authoritarians simply embezzle and spend on secret police and prisons.
We really have got to the stage where our biggest dickheads are openly defending Islamists on here, dear God. 'Food, healthcare and education' - who would that education be for you moral vacuum - presumably not girls. I'd love you to move your family to the new Syria to enjoy all that 'food healthcare and education'. I'm sure you'd all have a super time.
As opposed to the dickheads who actively advocate for direct support of a mass murderer who utterly destroyed his country, created six million refugees - who you've been complaining about for a decade - and allied with Iran and Russia ? Who imprisoned, tortured and murdered tens of thousands; who gassed civilians ?
Neither you, not I have any idea what the successor regime will be like[lie], but it's unlikely to be worse.[lie]
Tell me more about your moral vacuum.
How did Assad destroy his country exactly? And did the 6 million refugees leave Syria befor the civil war started - I must have missed that.
Incidentally, you're one of the very worst, because unlike some of the more mealy-mouthed islamist-defenders on here, you simply lie. Try to grow some integrity and moral courage.
As I pointed out to you a few days ago, Assad was the one who decided to respond to peaceful demonstrations with violence and murder. Well before there was any armed rebellion.
Recollections of the genisis of the Arab spring in Syria may vary. But the fact remains that the six million refugees as well as the destruction of the country came as Assad's regime (sadly ultimately unsuccessfully) fought an Islamist uprising. Before that Syria was a dictatorship where unless you opposed the ruling family, your life tended to be OK and you enjoyed a fair degree of personal and especially religious freedom. Syria's new rulers are not loyal to Syria, they are loyal to global jihad. We've done that. As we did in Iraq, and Libya.
"... unless you opposed the ruling family, your life tended to be OK "
That wasn't the case AIUI. That's not the way countries with secret police work. You may have a falling out with a neighbour, and then you are denounced. Essentially, there is no rule of law. Just like Russia under Stalin.
It's clear that whilst you don't like jihadists (neither do I, or anyone on here), you get positively excited about dictators, fascists, and imperialists.
Assad’s regime was a savage one, prior to 2011, and as @RichardTyndall pointed out, responded to peaceful protest with extreme brutality.
The Government should embrace the fact it has pissed off a self-centred vested interest group that primarily didn't vote for it anyway and do the right things that for too long haven't been done for the country.
Planning reform so that young people can own their own home, even if it affects the views or property prices of landlords.
End the triple lock and link pensioners salaries to working people's salaries so that we really are "all in it together".
Merge NI and Income Tax so everyone pays the same tax rate regardless of whether they're working or not.
Labour should grasp the nettle and govern for people who are working for a living like their name implies.
NI should be ringfenced for state pensions, contributions based unemployment benefit and some social care funding.
Planning reform must not rip all over the greenbelt and also needs to go hand in hand with reduced immigration to cut demand
An excellent example of how the Tories are the servants of the elderly Home Counties voters. .
I think Greenbelt is overemphasised relative to other designations for preservation / conservation; it has too much head space so it is obsessed over.
Large areas of the country have little or no Greenbelt, but do have National Parks, AONBs, SPAs etc.
There's much brown belt or grey belt within Greenbelt, especially for example around London, and that should be used to allow growth - with a hefty premium of planning gain levy (probably most of it) to help fund Local Authorities more effectively. There is far too much sitting on green belt land for decades and decades for when it can be released. That's a bubble that we need to pop.
The Government should embrace the fact it has pissed off a self-centred vested interest group that primarily didn't vote for it anyway and do the right things that for too long haven't been done for the country.
Planning reform so that young people can own their own home, even if it affects the views or property prices of landlords.
End the triple lock and link pensioners salaries to working people's salaries so that we really are "all in it together".
Merge NI and Income Tax so everyone pays the same tax rate regardless of whether they're working or not.
Labour should grasp the nettle and govern for people who are working for a living like their name implies.
NI should be ringfenced for state pensions, contributions based unemployment benefit and some social care funding.
Planning reform must not rip all over the greenbelt and also needs to go hand in hand with reduced immigration to cut demand
An excellent example of how the Tories are the servants of the elderly Home Counties voters. .
More than anything, I suspect that’s why the Conservatives will be eclipsed by Reform. At some point over the past decade, they gave up trying to attract new voters, and prioritised the interests of their legacy voters.
Eh? Reform are also opposed to Labour's Planning reforms.
Indeed in Epping Forest there is an alliance between the Reform councillor and the LDs and Independents to oppose even the modest new homes being proposed by the Conservative led council in their Local Plan
“Reform” don’t like reform?
The biggest political misnomer since “The Independent Group For Change”, whose entire mission was to defend the status quo in defiance of a referendum.
I simply do not fully understand the implications of the toppling of Assad, especially as it is reported Israel is actively bombing parts of Damascus and other military areas within Syria
I hope that removing Assad creates a better place for Syrians and the wider middle east unrest
The Russian withdrawal from Syria, makes the US withdrawal from Afghanistan look like it was well organised and brilliantly executed.
What a shame for Putin’s 21st Century Potemkin army.
I wouldn't celebrate too soon. Putin needs a win, fast, and the only place he can get it is Ukraine.
They are also struggling and a major Russian push could see a sudden collapse.
It would be a grim irony if the disaster Russia has suffered in the ME led to a mirror effect in Ukraine.
And an utter disaster if Syria falls to the jihadi rebels and Putin makes further incursions into Ukraine before Trump tries and imposes a peace deal
It's clear that in your mind, anyone who is not Christian is a Jihadi rebel...
Your takes on this situation have been truly awful.
The rebels are led by Al Qaeda linked militants and ISIS are beginning to make a resurgence too in parts of Syria as the rebels pushed against Assad's regime.
It is what Syria looks like this time next year or in 2030 that is significant, not some celebrations over statues falling this week
There are many rebel groups.
I'd say you're a fool, but you're now well into maliciousness.
Most with Al Qaeda or ISIS links, Syria may now become the biggest centre for jihadi terrorism in the world by far
HTS are the good bit of AQ apparently. They've got a HR Dept. and do a lot of work for charity.
The reason that Islamists have such popularity is because they do provide food, healthcare and education, while the Arab authoritarians simply embezzle and spend on secret police and prisons.
We really have got to the stage where our biggest dickheads are openly defending Islamists on here, dear God. 'Food, healthcare and education' - who would that education be for you moral vacuum - presumably not girls. I'd love you to move your family to the new Syria to enjoy all that 'food healthcare and education'. I'm sure you'd all have a super time.
Nope, not defending Islamists at all, just pointing out where they get their popular support.
The West defeated Communism after WW2 principle by creating working class prosperity. A growing economy, labour rights, affordable housing, access to higher education etc Communism is now history in the Far East for much the same reason too, de facto if not de sure.
The way to defeat Islamism lies in much the same way. If the average Palastinian, Syrian or Iraqi has a better way to a decent life then revolution won't appeal to them either.
The West seems to have forgotten this important lesson of history. If the state fails to look after it's people then revolutionaries gain influence, whether far right populists or the people cheerleading the murder of the United Health CEO.
The Broligarchs need to fear the Tumbrils as much as the middle Eastern "strongman" like Assad.
This was not at all clear from your post, which read like the Islamist-washing. The sort of 'Great guys' stuff we've heard so much of from people who would never live within a thousand miles of such people.
Secret police and prisons are vile instruments of dictatorship. But let's face it, beating and torturing people in a secret prison is quaint and old-fashioned compared to what is taking over Syria - they'll just chuck you off a building.
However, given that your post did have a wider argument behind it, I am very sorry for my overreaction and rude remark.
No need to apologise. My original comment wasn't detailed.
Defeating both Nazism and Communism was the triumph of Liberal Democracy, but one that too many now take for granted. The challenge of Islamism is similar*.
Certainly creating a prosperous working class with social opportunity and also consumer goods was easier in the economic boom of the post war decades than in the contemporary world. That is a real problem for Liberal Democrats like me, and it does require new thinking.
In particular we need a society that looks after the young (for they are the ones who become revolutionaries) as well as it looks after the older population.
* I once posted here that the Americans would have done better by dropping coca-cola and fridges rather than Napalm on Vietnamese villagers, and DVD players with Hollywood/Bollywood movies on Afghanistan.
It’s hard to overstate just how awful was the condition of most of Europe in Summer 1945. Probably worse than Syria, now.
Yes, and also in the Twenties and Thirties, so that there was a lot of support for Communism. There were real prospects of Communism triumphant in Greece and Italy, and perhaps elsewhere. Creating Social Democracies out of that chaos was highly successful, but could have failed.
If you want to be rid of the mosquitos you have to drain the swamp. Give people a stake in society and they won't want revolution.
The Government should embrace the fact it has pissed off a self-centred vested interest group that primarily didn't vote for it anyway and do the right things that for too long haven't been done for the country.
Planning reform so that young people can own their own home, even if it affects the views or property prices of landlords.
End the triple lock and link pensioners salaries to working people's salaries so that we really are "all in it together".
Merge NI and Income Tax so everyone pays the same tax rate regardless of whether they're working or not.
Labour should grasp the nettle and govern for people who are working for a living like their name implies.
NI should be ringfenced for state pensions, contributions based unemployment benefit and some social care funding.
Planning reform must not rip all over the greenbelt and also needs to go hand in hand with reduced immigration to cut demand
An excellent example of how the Tories are the servants of the elderly Home Counties voters. .
More than anything, I suspect that’s why the Conservatives will be eclipsed by Reform. At some point over the past decade, they gave up trying to attract new voters, and prioritised the interests of their legacy voters.
Eh? Reform are also opposed to Labour's Planning reforms.
Indeed in Epping Forest there is an alliance between the Reform councillor and the LDs and Independents to oppose even the modest new homes being proposed by the Conservative led council in their Local Plan
“Reform” don’t like reform?
The biggest political misnomer since “The Independent Group For Change”, whose entire mission was to defend the status quo in defiance of a referendum.
Reform prefer to solve the housing problem by mass deportations to the East.
The Russian withdrawal from Syria, makes the US withdrawal from Afghanistan look like it was well organised and brilliantly executed.
What a shame for Putin’s 21st Century Potemkin army.
I wouldn't celebrate too soon. Putin needs a win, fast, and the only place he can get it is Ukraine.
They are also struggling and a major Russian push could see a sudden collapse.
It would be a grim irony if the disaster Russia has suffered in the ME led to a mirror effect in Ukraine.
And an utter disaster if Syria falls to the jihadi rebels and Putin makes further incursions into Ukraine before Trump tries and imposes a peace deal
It's clear that in your mind, anyone who is not Christian is a Jihadi rebel...
Your takes on this situation have been truly awful.
The rebels are led by Al Qaeda linked militants and ISIS are beginning to make a resurgence too in parts of Syria as the rebels pushed against Assad's regime.
It is what Syria looks like this time next year or in 2030 that is significant, not some celebrations over statues falling this week
There are many rebel groups.
I'd say you're a fool, but you're now well into maliciousness.
Most with Al Qaeda or ISIS links, Syria may now become the biggest centre for jihadi terrorism in the world by far
HTS are the good bit of AQ apparently. They've got a HR Dept. and do a lot of work for charity.
The reason that Islamists have such popularity is because they do provide food, healthcare and education, while the Arab authoritarians simply embezzle and spend on secret police and prisons.
We really have got to the stage where our biggest dickheads are openly defending Islamists on here, dear God. 'Food, healthcare and education' - who would that education be for you moral vacuum - presumably not girls. I'd love you to move your family to the new Syria to enjoy all that 'food healthcare and education'. I'm sure you'd all have a super time.
Nope, not defending Islamists at all, just pointing out where they get their popular support.
The West defeated Communism after WW2 principle by creating working class prosperity. A growing economy, labour rights, affordable housing, access to higher education etc Communism is now history in the Far East for much the same reason too, de facto if not de sure.
The way to defeat Islamism lies in much the same way. If the average Palastinian, Syrian or Iraqi has a better way to a decent life then revolution won't appeal to them either.
The West seems to have forgotten this important lesson of history. If the state fails to look after it's people then revolutionaries gain influence, whether far right populists or the people cheerleading the murder of the United Health CEO.
The Broligarchs need to fear the Tumbrils as much as the middle Eastern "strongman" like Assad.
We - the west - need to offer hands of friendships to the rebel groups. Syria and its people desperately need help, and it is in our interests to give it. But any help we give groups should come with a mahoosive "play nicely" red card.
What is in 'our' interests? What should keep the red card in the pocket?
*) A stable Syria that is not in hock to Russia or Iran. *) Refugees flowing back into, and not out from, Syria. *) No home for ISIS/L or AQ. *) As little internal violence as possible (some is inevitable). *) Be better than Assad was.
Keep within those bounds, and we help them. I think Al-Jolani may understand this.
And we all love the Kurds when they are fighting Iraq or Syria, but look the other way when it is Turkey bombing Kurds.
The realpolitik is there is nothing Britain can do, and under Trump, nothing America will want to do. It is like Tony Blair often saying he won't apologise for toppling Saddam while taking no responsibility for what follows.
The Russian withdrawal from Syria, makes the US withdrawal from Afghanistan look like it was well organised and brilliantly executed.
What a shame for Putin’s 21st Century Potemkin army.
I wouldn't celebrate too soon. Putin needs a win, fast, and the only place he can get it is Ukraine.
They are also struggling and a major Russian push could see a sudden collapse.
It would be a grim irony if the disaster Russia has suffered in the ME led to a mirror effect in Ukraine.
And an utter disaster if Syria falls to the jihadi rebels and Putin makes further incursions into Ukraine before Trump tries and imposes a peace deal
It's clear that in your mind, anyone who is not Christian is a Jihadi rebel...
Your takes on this situation have been truly awful.
The rebels are led by Al Qaeda linked militants and ISIS are beginning to make a resurgence too in parts of Syria as the rebels pushed against Assad's regime.
It is what Syria looks like this time next year or in 2030 that is significant, not some celebrations over statues falling this week
There are many rebel groups.
I'd say you're a fool, but you're now well into maliciousness.
Most with Al Qaeda or ISIS links, Syria may now become the biggest centre for jihadi terrorism in the world by far
HTS are the good bit of AQ apparently. They've got a HR Dept. and do a lot of work for charity.
The reason that Islamists have such popularity is because they do provide food, healthcare and education, while the Arab authoritarians simply embezzle and spend on secret police and prisons.
We really have got to the stage where our biggest dickheads are openly defending Islamists on here, dear God. 'Food, healthcare and education' - who would that education be for you moral vacuum - presumably not girls. I'd love you to move your family to the new Syria to enjoy all that 'food healthcare and education'. I'm sure you'd all have a super time.
Nope, not defending Islamists at all, just pointing out where they get their popular support.
The West defeated Communism after WW2 principle by creating working class prosperity. A growing economy, labour rights, affordable housing, access to higher education etc Communism is now history in the Far East for much the same reason too, de facto if not de sure.
The way to defeat Islamism lies in much the same way. If the average Palastinian, Syrian or Iraqi has a better way to a decent life then revolution won't appeal to them either.
The West seems to have forgotten this important lesson of history. If the state fails to look after it's people then revolutionaries gain influence, whether far right populists or the people cheerleading the murder of the United Health CEO.
The Broligarchs need to fear the Tumbrils as much as the middle Eastern "strongman" like Assad.
This was not at all clear from your post, which read like the Islamist-washing. The sort of 'Great guys' stuff we've heard so much of from people who would never live within a thousand miles of such people.
Secret police and prisons are vile instruments of dictatorship. But let's face it, beating and torturing people in a secret prison is quaint and old-fashioned compared to what is taking over Syria - they'll just chuck you off a building.
However, given that your post did have a wider argument behind it, I am very sorry for my overreaction and rude remark.
No need to apologise. My original comment wasn't detailed.
Defeating both Nazism and Communism was the triumph of Liberal Democracy, but one that too many now take for granted. The challenge of Islamism is similar*.
Certainly creating a prosperous working class with social opportunity and also consumer goods was easier in the economic boom of the post war decades than in the contemporary world. That is a real problem for Liberal Democrats like me, and it does require new thinking.
In particular we need a society that looks after the young (for they are the ones who become revolutionaries) as well as it looks after the older population.
* I once posted here that the Americans would have done better by dropping coca-cola and fridges rather than Napalm on Vietnamese villagers, and DVD players with Hollywood/Bollywood movies on Afghanistan.
It’s hard to overstate just how awful was the condition of most of Europe in Summer 1945. Probably worse than Syria, now.
Yes, and also in the Twenties and Thirties, so that there was a lot of support for Communism. There were real prospects of Communism triumphant in Greece and Italy, and perhaps elsewhere. Creating Social Democracies out of that chaos was highly successful, but could have failed.
If you want to be rid of the mosquitos you have to drain the swamp. Give people a stake in society and they won't want revolution.
A lesson that many of the super-rich seem incapable of learning.
The British upper classes of the 19th century were not nice people, but they had the sense to appreciate that things must change, if you want them to stay the same. So, they emancipated slaves, and enfranchised the middle, and later, working classes, and sponsored reforms.
Other ruling castes prefer the line of most resistance, which can cost them everything.
I simply do not fully understand the implications of the toppling of Assad, especially as it is reported Israel is actively bombing parts of Damascus and other military areas within Syria
I hope that removing Assad creates a better place for Syrians and the wider middle east unrest
Hope maybe, expect probably not. Especially if it ends up the AQ linked rebels and ISIS who fill the gap now Assad has gone
The Russian withdrawal from Syria, makes the US withdrawal from Afghanistan look like it was well organised and brilliantly executed.
What a shame for Putin’s 21st Century Potemkin army.
I wouldn't celebrate too soon. Putin needs a win, fast, and the only place he can get it is Ukraine.
They are also struggling and a major Russian push could see a sudden collapse.
It would be a grim irony if the disaster Russia has suffered in the ME led to a mirror effect in Ukraine.
And an utter disaster if Syria falls to the jihadi rebels and Putin makes further incursions into Ukraine before Trump tries and imposes a peace deal
It's clear that in your mind, anyone who is not Christian is a Jihadi rebel...
Your takes on this situation have been truly awful.
The rebels are led by Al Qaeda linked militants and ISIS are beginning to make a resurgence too in parts of Syria as the rebels pushed against Assad's regime.
It is what Syria looks like this time next year or in 2030 that is significant, not some celebrations over statues falling this week
There are many rebel groups.
I'd say you're a fool, but you're now well into maliciousness.
Most with Al Qaeda or ISIS links, Syria may now become the biggest centre for jihadi terrorism in the world by far
HTS are the good bit of AQ apparently. They've got a HR Dept. and do a lot of work for charity.
The reason that Islamists have such popularity is because they do provide food, healthcare and education, while the Arab authoritarians simply embezzle and spend on secret police and prisons.
We really have got to the stage where our biggest dickheads are openly defending Islamists on here, dear God. 'Food, healthcare and education' - who would that education be for you moral vacuum - presumably not girls. I'd love you to move your family to the new Syria to enjoy all that 'food healthcare and education'. I'm sure you'd all have a super time.
Nope, not defending Islamists at all, just pointing out where they get their popular support.
The West defeated Communism after WW2 principle by creating working class prosperity. A growing economy, labour rights, affordable housing, access to higher education etc Communism is now history in the Far East for much the same reason too, de facto if not de sure.
The way to defeat Islamism lies in much the same way. If the average Palastinian, Syrian or Iraqi has a better way to a decent life then revolution won't appeal to them either.
The West seems to have forgotten this important lesson of history. If the state fails to look after it's people then revolutionaries gain influence, whether far right populists or the people cheerleading the murder of the United Health CEO.
The Broligarchs need to fear the Tumbrils as much as the middle Eastern "strongman" like Assad.
We - the west - need to offer hands of friendships to the rebel groups. Syria and its people desperately need help, and it is in our interests to give it. But any help we give groups should come with a mahoosive "play nicely" red card.
What is in 'our' interests? What should keep the red card in the pocket?
*) A stable Syria that is not in hock to Russia or Iran. *) Refugees flowing back into, and not out from, Syria. *) No home for ISIS/L or AQ. *) As little internal violence as possible (some is inevitable). *) Be better than Assad was.
Keep within those bounds, and we help them. I think Al-Jolani may understand this.
And we all love the Kurds when they are fighting Iraq or Syria, but look the other way when it is Turkey bombing Kurds.
The realpolitik is there is nothing Britain can do, and under Trump, nothing America will want to do. It is like Tony Blair often saying he won't apologise for toppling Saddam while taking no responsibility for what follows.
Unlike Iraq, we have had essentially nothing to do with this mess. It is all on Assad, Iran, and Russia.
We have nothing to apologise for. But we could help the Syrian people now. If they let us.
(It'll be interesting to see what happens to the Russian bases.)
Bashar al-Asad has done many evil things, but he’s weak rather than wicked. His family members, Iran and especially Russia told him what to do, and he feebly did it. In person, I found him meek and anxious to please — the reverse of the traditional dictator.
The Government should embrace the fact it has pissed off a self-centred vested interest group that primarily didn't vote for it anyway and do the right things that for too long haven't been done for the country.
Planning reform so that young people can own their own home, even if it affects the views or property prices of landlords.
End the triple lock and link pensioners salaries to working people's salaries so that we really are "all in it together".
Merge NI and Income Tax so everyone pays the same tax rate regardless of whether they're working or not.
Labour should grasp the nettle and govern for people who are working for a living like their name implies.
NI should be ringfenced for state pensions, contributions based unemployment benefit and some social care funding.
Planning reform must not rip all over the greenbelt and also needs to go hand in hand with reduced immigration to cut demand
An excellent example of how the Tories are the servants of the elderly Home Counties voters. .
More than anything, I suspect that’s why the Conservatives will be eclipsed by Reform. At some point over the past decade, they gave up trying to attract new voters, and prioritised the interests of their legacy voters.
Eh? Reform are also opposed to Labour's Planning reforms.
Indeed in Epping Forest there is an alliance between the Reform councillor and the LDs and Independents to oppose even the modest new homes being proposed by the Conservative led council in their Local Plan
“Reform” don’t like reform?
The biggest political misnomer since “The Independent Group For Change”, whose entire mission was to defend the status quo in defiance of a referendum.
Not sure why you think the name 'Reform' automatically guarantees support for all changes to the law that can be labelled 'reforms'.
I haven't reviewed Labour's planning changes yet so I don’t know whether I support or oppose them.
The Government should embrace the fact it has pissed off a self-centred vested interest group that primarily didn't vote for it anyway and do the right things that for too long haven't been done for the country.
Planning reform so that young people can own their own home, even if it affects the views or property prices of landlords.
End the triple lock and link pensioners salaries to working people's salaries so that we really are "all in it together".
Merge NI and Income Tax so everyone pays the same tax rate regardless of whether they're working or not.
Labour should grasp the nettle and govern for people who are working for a living like their name implies.
NI should be ringfenced for state pensions, contributions based unemployment benefit and some social care funding.
Planning reform must not rip all over the greenbelt and also needs to go hand in hand with reduced immigration to cut demand
An excellent example of how the Tories are the servants of the elderly Home Counties voters. .
More than anything, I suspect that’s why the Conservatives will be eclipsed by Reform. At some point over the past decade, they gave up trying to attract new voters, and prioritised the interests of their legacy voters.
Eh? Reform are also opposed to Labour's Planning reforms.
Indeed in Epping Forest there is an alliance between the Reform councillor and the LDs and Independents to oppose even the modest new homes being proposed by the Conservative led council in their Local Plan
“Reform” don’t like reform?
The biggest political misnomer since “The Independent Group For Change”, whose entire mission was to defend the status quo in defiance of a referendum.
Reform prefer to solve the housing problem by mass deportations to the East.
Bashar al-Asad has done many evil things, but he’s weak rather than wicked. His family members, Iran and especially Russia told him what to do, and he feebly did it. In person, I found him meek and anxious to please — the reverse of the traditional dictator.
The Russian withdrawal from Syria, makes the US withdrawal from Afghanistan look like it was well organised and brilliantly executed.
What a shame for Putin’s 21st Century Potemkin army.
I wouldn't celebrate too soon. Putin needs a win, fast, and the only place he can get it is Ukraine.
They are also struggling and a major Russian push could see a sudden collapse.
It would be a grim irony if the disaster Russia has suffered in the ME led to a mirror effect in Ukraine.
And an utter disaster if Syria falls to the jihadi rebels and Putin makes further incursions into Ukraine before Trump tries and imposes a peace deal
It's clear that in your mind, anyone who is not Christian is a Jihadi rebel...
Your takes on this situation have been truly awful.
The rebels are led by Al Qaeda linked militants and ISIS are beginning to make a resurgence too in parts of Syria as the rebels pushed against Assad's regime.
It is what Syria looks like this time next year or in 2030 that is significant, not some celebrations over statues falling this week
There are many rebel groups.
I'd say you're a fool, but you're now well into maliciousness.
Most with Al Qaeda or ISIS links, Syria may now become the biggest centre for jihadi terrorism in the world by far
HTS are the good bit of AQ apparently. They've got a HR Dept. and do a lot of work for charity.
The reason that Islamists have such popularity is because they do provide food, healthcare and education, while the Arab authoritarians simply embezzle and spend on secret police and prisons.
We really have got to the stage where our biggest dickheads are openly defending Islamists on here, dear God. 'Food, healthcare and education' - who would that education be for you moral vacuum - presumably not girls. I'd love you to move your family to the new Syria to enjoy all that 'food healthcare and education'. I'm sure you'd all have a super time.
As opposed to the dickheads who actively advocate for direct support of a mass murderer who utterly destroyed his country, created six million refugees - who you've been complaining about for a decade - and allied with Iran and Russia ? Who imprisoned, tortured and murdered tens of thousands; who gassed civilians ?
Neither you, not I have any idea what the successor regime will be like[lie], but it's unlikely to be worse.[lie]
Tell me more about your moral vacuum.
How did Assad destroy his country exactly? And did the 6 million refugees leave Syria befor the civil war started - I must have missed that.
Incidentally, you're one of the very worst, because unlike some of the more mealy-mouthed islamist-defenders on here, you simply lie. Try to grow some integrity and moral courage.
As I pointed out to you a few days ago, Assad was the one who decided to respond to peaceful demonstrations with violence and murder. Well before there was any armed rebellion.
Recollections of the genisis of the Arab spring in Syria may vary. But the fact remains that the six million refugees as well as the destruction of the country came as Assad's regime (sadly ultimately unsuccessfully) fought an Islamist uprising. Before that Syria was a dictatorship where unless you opposed the ruling family, your life tended to be OK and you enjoyed a fair degree of personal and especially religious freedom. Syria's new rulers are not loyal to Syria, they are loyal to global jihad. We've done that. As we did in Iraq, and Libya.
"... unless you opposed the ruling family, your life tended to be OK "
That wasn't the case AIUI. That's not the way countries with secret police work. You may have a falling out with a neighbour, and then you are denounced. Essentially, there is no rule of law. Just like Russia under Stalin.
It's clear that whilst you don't like jihadists (neither do I, or anyone on here), you get positively excited about dictators, fascists, and imperialists.
Assad’s regime was a savage one, prior to 2011, and as @RichardTyndall pointed out, responded to peaceful protest with extreme brutality.
How do you think the new regime will respond to 'peaceful protest'?
Also 19. (And I'm unsure disinterested was not misused at one point.)
Yes - some slightly different Usonian definitions / usage, and it was a good test knowing what the *other* options meant in detail, and stopping before words were read to choose the word *I* would use. The vocab was a imo over-embellished, but it was a nice quiz as it used words from an extensive vocabulary rather than obscure technicalities.
As an engineer, I have a bias towards the least obscure word for the job - so my pick would be opprobrium (not in the options) rather than obloquy, for demonisation. Obloquy is a word to use for winning at Scrabble.
I was caught out by "lacuna", which I have tended to use as a pause or halt (like a pause in music) rather than a gap, in:
The autobiography had a noticeable ________, and left out crucial information about the author's early years.
Either Reeves needs to back down/ameliorate or Starmer needs to sack her before she ends their 2028-29 chances with four years to go.
It's a bloody disaster as PBers like me said on the day it was announced.
" ‘It’s only a matter of time until we get some terrible case,’ a minister confided to me. ‘It happens every year, some tragedy where a pensioner dies alone. But this year it will be blamed on us – for winter fuel allowance cuts. And then we’re going to be in the midst of a full-blown crisis.’ "
"But they cannot align the relatively small saving with the potentially catastrophic political cost of being seen to target some of the most vulnerable in society in wintertime."
"I’ve spoken to Cabinet ministers, junior ministers, MPs, councillors, party officials, activists, trade union officials. I have yet to find a single person within Labour’s ranks who genuinely believes in the winter fuel benefit cut. Or thinks it is politically sustainable."
Featherbedded spoilt people expecting others to give them money they haven't earned and don't need deserve zero sympathy. None whatsoever.
Pensioners are not the "most vulnerable" in society, that is pig ignorant. 75% own their own home without a mortgage and they aren't even the most vulnerable to the cold, that is infants under 1 year of age who are far more vulnerable than pensioners but have never had such entitlement.
Welfare should be a safety net for those who need it.
You are not even at the level of a halfwit. Plenty of pensioners are poor you absolute unfeeling twat , an excuse for a human being.
Plenty of people of all ages are poor - why do only pensioners matter to you?
If poor people need welfare, then it should be targeted at those who need it, not those who don't.
And the most in need are poor babies, not pensioners. Contrary to received myths on here, pensioners have never been the most vulnerable to the cold.
Compared to the average Briton pensioners are more vulnerable to the cold, what a stupid post
Why are you comparing to "average"?
Compared to infants under 1 year of age pensioners are LESS vulnerable to the cold.
So give me one damned reason why the hell should we give pensioners universal payments for winter fuel while their more vulnerable (great-)grandchildren are left to freeze in their cots without it.
The Russian withdrawal from Syria, makes the US withdrawal from Afghanistan look like it was well organised and brilliantly executed.
What a shame for Putin’s 21st Century Potemkin army.
I wouldn't celebrate too soon. Putin needs a win, fast, and the only place he can get it is Ukraine.
They are also struggling and a major Russian push could see a sudden collapse.
It would be a grim irony if the disaster Russia has suffered in the ME led to a mirror effect in Ukraine.
And an utter disaster if Syria falls to the jihadi rebels and Putin makes further incursions into Ukraine before Trump tries and imposes a peace deal
It's clear that in your mind, anyone who is not Christian is a Jihadi rebel...
Your takes on this situation have been truly awful.
The rebels are led by Al Qaeda linked militants and ISIS are beginning to make a resurgence too in parts of Syria as the rebels pushed against Assad's regime.
It is what Syria looks like this time next year or in 2030 that is significant, not some celebrations over statues falling this week
There are many rebel groups.
I'd say you're a fool, but you're now well into maliciousness.
Most with Al Qaeda or ISIS links, Syria may now become the biggest centre for jihadi terrorism in the world by far
HTS are the good bit of AQ apparently. They've got a HR Dept. and do a lot of work for charity.
The reason that Islamists have such popularity is because they do provide food, healthcare and education, while the Arab authoritarians simply embezzle and spend on secret police and prisons.
We really have got to the stage where our biggest dickheads are openly defending Islamists on here, dear God. 'Food, healthcare and education' - who would that education be for you moral vacuum - presumably not girls. I'd love you to move your family to the new Syria to enjoy all that 'food healthcare and education'. I'm sure you'd all have a super time.
Nope, not defending Islamists at all, just pointing out where they get their popular support.
The West defeated Communism after WW2 principle by creating working class prosperity. A growing economy, labour rights, affordable housing, access to higher education etc Communism is now history in the Far East for much the same reason too, de facto if not de sure.
The way to defeat Islamism lies in much the same way. If the average Palastinian, Syrian or Iraqi has a better way to a decent life then revolution won't appeal to them either.
The West seems to have forgotten this important lesson of history. If the state fails to look after it's people then revolutionaries gain influence, whether far right populists or the people cheerleading the murder of the United Health CEO.
The Broligarchs need to fear the Tumbrils as much as the middle Eastern "strongman" like Assad.
Indeed. Since the defeat of communism and hence the loss of any alternative economic model to rival the oligarchic-capitalism the world now enjoys, it is pretty clear that the benefits of economic growth have accrued mostly to the small group of already super-wealthy, undoing the progress toward relative egalitarianism and meritocracy ushered in by the two world wars. Our politics has been captured by those with money, and since the media is also mostly controlled by those with money, the reality of the situation doesn’t get very much scrutiny.
The Government should embrace the fact it has pissed off a self-centred vested interest group that primarily didn't vote for it anyway and do the right things that for too long haven't been done for the country.
Planning reform so that young people can own their own home, even if it affects the views or property prices of landlords.
End the triple lock and link pensioners salaries to working people's salaries so that we really are "all in it together".
Merge NI and Income Tax so everyone pays the same tax rate regardless of whether they're working or not.
Labour should grasp the nettle and govern for people who are working for a living like their name implies.
NI should be ringfenced for state pensions, contributions based unemployment benefit and some social care funding.
Planning reform must not rip all over the greenbelt and also needs to go hand in hand with reduced immigration to cut demand
An excellent example of how the Tories are the servants of the elderly Home Counties voters. .
More than anything, I suspect that’s why the Conservatives will be eclipsed by Reform. At some point over the past decade, they gave up trying to attract new voters, and prioritised the interests of their legacy voters.
Eh? Reform are also opposed to Labour's Planning reforms.
Indeed in Epping Forest there is an alliance between the Reform councillor and the LDs and Independents to oppose even the modest new homes being proposed by the Conservative led council in their Local Plan
“Reform” don’t like reform?
The biggest political misnomer since “The Independent Group For Change”, whose entire mission was to defend the status quo in defiance of a referendum.
Reform prefer to solve the housing problem by mass deportations to the East.
There’s a lot of empty land in Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex, and anyone left over can be set to digging the Norwich-Ipswich canal.
The Russian withdrawal from Syria, makes the US withdrawal from Afghanistan look like it was well organised and brilliantly executed.
What a shame for Putin’s 21st Century Potemkin army.
I wouldn't celebrate too soon. Putin needs a win, fast, and the only place he can get it is Ukraine.
They are also struggling and a major Russian push could see a sudden collapse.
It would be a grim irony if the disaster Russia has suffered in the ME led to a mirror effect in Ukraine.
And an utter disaster if Syria falls to the jihadi rebels and Putin makes further incursions into Ukraine before Trump tries and imposes a peace deal
It's clear that in your mind, anyone who is not Christian is a Jihadi rebel...
Your takes on this situation have been truly awful.
The rebels are led by Al Qaeda linked militants and ISIS are beginning to make a resurgence too in parts of Syria as the rebels pushed against Assad's regime.
It is what Syria looks like this time next year or in 2030 that is significant, not some celebrations over statues falling this week
There are many rebel groups.
I'd say you're a fool, but you're now well into maliciousness.
Most with Al Qaeda or ISIS links, Syria may now become the biggest centre for jihadi terrorism in the world by far
HTS are the good bit of AQ apparently. They've got a HR Dept. and do a lot of work for charity.
The reason that Islamists have such popularity is because they do provide food, healthcare and education, while the Arab authoritarians simply embezzle and spend on secret police and prisons.
We really have got to the stage where our biggest dickheads are openly defending Islamists on here, dear God. 'Food, healthcare and education' - who would that education be for you moral vacuum - presumably not girls. I'd love you to move your family to the new Syria to enjoy all that 'food healthcare and education'. I'm sure you'd all have a super time.
As opposed to the dickheads who actively advocate for direct support of a mass murderer who utterly destroyed his country, created six million refugees - who you've been complaining about for a decade - and allied with Iran and Russia ? Who imprisoned, tortured and murdered tens of thousands; who gassed civilians ?
Neither you, not I have any idea what the successor regime will be like[lie], but it's unlikely to be worse.[lie]
Tell me more about your moral vacuum.
How did Assad destroy his country exactly? And did the 6 million refugees leave Syria befor the civil war started - I must have missed that.
Incidentally, you're one of the very worst, because unlike some of the more mealy-mouthed islamist-defenders on here, you simply lie. Try to grow some integrity and moral courage.
As I pointed out to you a few days ago, Assad was the one who decided to respond to peaceful demonstrations with violence and murder. Well before there was any armed rebellion.
Recollections of the genisis of the Arab spring in Syria may vary. But the fact remains that the six million refugees as well as the destruction of the country came as Assad's regime (sadly ultimately unsuccessfully) fought an Islamist uprising. Before that Syria was a dictatorship where unless you opposed the ruling family, your life tended to be OK and you enjoyed a fair degree of personal and especially religious freedom. Syria's new rulers are not loyal to Syria, they are loyal to global jihad. We've done that. As we did in Iraq, and Libya.
"... unless you opposed the ruling family, your life tended to be OK "
That wasn't the case AIUI. That's not the way countries with secret police work. You may have a falling out with a neighbour, and then you are denounced. Essentially, there is no rule of law. Just like Russia under Stalin.
It's clear that whilst you don't like jihadists (neither do I, or anyone on here), you get positively excited about dictators, fascists, and imperialists.
Assad’s regime was a savage one, prior to 2011, and as @RichardTyndall pointed out, responded to peaceful protest with extreme brutality.
How do you think the new regime will respond to 'peaceful protest'?
What difference does it make?
The fall of any vicious dictator is a good thing.
If the successor is as bad, then it falling too is also good.
I simply do not fully understand the implications of the toppling of Assad, especially as it is reported Israel is actively bombing parts of Damascus and other military areas within Syria
I hope that removing Assad creates a better place for Syrians and the wider middle east unrest
Hope maybe, expect probably not. Especially if it ends up the AQ linked rebels and ISIS who fill the gap now Assad has gone
Assad directly supported Islamist terrorists like Hezbollah so there's no qualitative difference between him and ISIS.
'Great to see the leader of the UK conservatives, @KemiBadenoch during her trip to the US. We discussed many topics, but I was unable to persuade her that coffee is much better than tea. Cheers, Kemi!' https://x.com/JDVance/status/1865580812759867667
Comments
Think now and again, read and educate yourself rather than relying on your bias and fact you want WFA for your breeding prowess..
Tax capital gains, dividends etc the same way as income. (I don't buy the double taxation argument as it isn't the capital you are taxing)
Deliberately set out to ensure that Richard Branson (and lawyers, accountants, CEOs etc) pay at least the same proportion of their income in tax as an average taxpayer.
Who imprisoned, tortured and murdered tens of thousands; who gassed civilians ?
Neither you, not I have any idea what the successor regime will be like, but it's unlikely to be worse.
Tell me more about your moral vacuum.
Drain the wetland outside York, of outstanding environmental significance, for housing ? No.
Scrap idiocies like the bat tunnel ? Absolutely.
What lies in between those two poles - much more complicated.
https://x.com/Damascus_Tweets/status/1865655506087420227
The lump sum is indeed the only perk that is more likely to a higher rate tax payer given you need a big pot to get the lot. Tinkering with that however may well kill pensions off and so cost more in the long run as they may have to fork out more benefits as people have less incentive to save to look after themselves rather than just blowing it/hiding it and getting benefits like the rest.
One of our best captains ever.
https://x.com/DrewPavlou/status/1865710254606139478
Specially for Leon: some folk driving around with a lorryload of antimatter*. What could go wrong?
*(Admittedly including packaging.)
I'd prefer a 'match-fund up to a ££ annual cap' type system.
Incidentally, you're one of the very worst, because unlike some of the more mealy-mouthed islamist-defenders on here, you simply lie. Try to grow some integrity and moral courage.
In short the pledge is to get NHS waiting times back to 2010 figures. Considering the population changes that might mean higher absolute numbers, but ultimately it is the time not the number that matters.
(There was also a good interview with him: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s13gvu5rGo0 )
So yeah, Assad did destroy his country.
I hope you can anyway because that is what I'm doing.
The West defeated Communism after WW2 principle by creating working class prosperity. A growing economy, labour rights, affordable housing, access to higher education etc Communism is now history in the Far East for much the same reason too, de facto if not de sure.
The way to defeat Islamism lies in much the same way. If the average Palastinian, Syrian or Iraqi has a better way to a decent life then revolution won't appeal to them either.
The West seems to have forgotten this important lesson of history. If the state fails to look after it's people then revolutionaries gain influence, whether far right populists or the people cheerleading the murder of the United Health CEO.
The Broligarchs need to fear the Tumbrils as much as the middle Eastern "strongman" like Assad.
It's notable that the SNA are backed by Turkey. In these situations there's generally a lot more trouble the more that outside powers meddle.
Oh.
(Jaguar’s biggest marketing fcukup ever, until about a fortnight ago).
Secret police and prisons are vile instruments of dictatorship. But let's face it, beating and torturing people in a secret prison is quaint and old-fashioned compared to what is taking over Syria - they'll just chuck you off a building.
However, given that your post did have a wider argument behind it, I am very sorry for my overreaction and rude remark.
So I'm just going to cross my fingers and hope for a better Syrian future.
(cries in Star Trek)
(narrator: in the science-fiction franchise "Star Trek" the spaceships are powered by matter-antimatter interactions)
IANAE, but I get the impression there's a sneaking sympathy for the Kurds among Western European governments. Probably due to Franco-British guilt.
The conversion of Eastern Europe into Soviet satellites of varying grimness left them in a bad place. Doesn't mean that the fall of Nazi Germany wasn't a good thing to be celebrated.
What is in 'our' interests? What should keep the red card in the pocket?
*) A stable Syria that is not in hock to Russia or Iran.
*) Refugees flowing back into, and not out from, Syria.
*) No home for ISIS/L or AQ.
*) As little internal violence as possible (some is inevitable).
*) Be better than Assad was.
Keep within those bounds, and we help them. I think Al-Jolani may understand this.
Even simple things like that can be problematic.
The braking performance of an F1 car is the single most astonishing thing about them.
I once sat in the grandstand in the run up to what’s now the Turn 6/7 chicane at Abu Dhabi, and you can see a car that goes from ~330kph to ~60kph in about 80 metres! It looks like it’s having an accident, no matter how late any normie thinks they can brake, and no matter how hard they think they can push the pedal, it’s nowhere near enough. They have to reduce brake pressure through the zone as the downforce comes off!
He is pursuing only his own interest, and if he was on the other end he would be using the same skills to do the exact opposite.
On things like the fake / irrelevant points made. That always happens, and I would point to lack of resources for local authorities to do a competent, professional job (see austerity and continued year on year cuts over a decade) and regulate appropriately. So we get too much of a free for all using detail.
Everything gets weaponised for micro interests, and becomes a weapon to stop whatever it is, or to throw blocks in the way to stop it by making it as difficult as possible.
An example is how village green legislation, which is laudable, becomes another way to introduce a further delay.
But an improvement is not to create a scorched earth followed by chaos, it is to adjust and align the balance of interests.
I'm on with making the Local Authority role more strategic, and doing detailed rulings following the law not the parish pump politics.
Al Jolani may turn out to be as bad as Assad - he can hardly be worse - but it's reasonable to hope he won't be. Better the devil you don't know in this case I think.
Planning reform must not rip all over the greenbelt and also needs to go hand in hand with reduced immigration to cut demand
I think so far the Government has been rather timid.
Defeating both Nazism and Communism was the triumph of Liberal Democracy, but one that too many now take for granted. The challenge of Islamism is similar*.
Certainly creating a prosperous working class with social opportunity and also consumer goods was easier in the economic boom of the post war decades than in the contemporary world. That is a real problem for Liberal Democrats like me, and it does require new thinking.
In particular we need a society that looks after the young (for they are the ones who become revolutionaries) as well as it looks after the older population.
* I once posted here that the Americans would have done better by dropping coca-cola and fridges rather than Napalm on Vietnamese villagers, and DVD players with Hollywood/Bollywood movies on Afghanistan.
They would have done better to abolish it completely, and increase Pension Credit
You are a repeated Russian apologist. Russia has spent a decade making out *all* the rebels as ISIS/L, as they wanted external people to support Assad, not the rebels. What I - and others - have been saying to you and HYUFD is that the situation is far more complex than that.
There is an opportunity here, both for us and the Syrian people. That did not exist with your murderous buddy Assad.
Maybe the Syrians will not grasp the opportunity. But perhaps, just perhaps, they will. I think my list in my previous post may help them grasp that opportunity, to everyone's advantage.
Everyone's advantage, that is, except your imperialist, fascist buddy Putin.
No wonder you're hating Assad's fall.
That wasn't the case AIUI. That's not the way countries with secret police work. You may have a falling out with a neighbour, and then you are denounced. Essentially, there is no rule of law. Just like Russia under Stalin.
It's clear that whilst you don't like jihadists (neither do I, or anyone on here), you get positively excited about dictators, fascists, and imperialists.
Indeed in Epping Forest there is an alliance between the Reform councillor and the LDs and Independents to oppose the new homes being proposed by the Conservative led council in their Local Plan
Large areas of the country have little or no Greenbelt, but do have National Parks, AONBs, SPAs etc.
There's much brown belt or grey belt within Greenbelt, especially for example around London, and that should be used to allow growth - with a hefty premium of planning gain levy (probably most of it) to help fund Local Authorities more effectively. There is far too much sitting on green belt land for decades and decades for when it can be released. That's a bubble that we need to pop.
The biggest political misnomer since “The Independent Group For Change”, whose entire mission was to defend the status quo in defiance of a referendum.
I hope that removing Assad creates a better place for Syrians and the wider middle east unrest
If you want to be rid of the mosquitos you have to drain the swamp. Give people a stake in society and they won't want revolution.
The realpolitik is there is nothing Britain can do, and under Trump, nothing America will want to do. It is like Tony Blair often saying he won't apologise for toppling Saddam while taking no responsibility for what follows.
The British upper classes of the 19th century were not nice people, but they had the sense to appreciate that things must change, if you want them to stay the same. So, they emancipated slaves, and enfranchised the middle, and later, working classes, and sponsored reforms.
Other ruling castes prefer the line of most resistance, which can cost them everything.
We have nothing to apologise for. But we could help the Syrian people now. If they let us.
(It'll be interesting to see what happens to the Russian bases.)
https://x.com/JohnSimpsonNews/status/1865689349381128649
Simpson hot takes don't seem to age well these days.
I haven't reviewed Labour's planning changes yet so I don’t know whether I support or oppose them.
John Simpson is completely wrong
As an engineer, I have a bias towards the least obscure word for the job - so my pick would be opprobrium (not in the options) rather than obloquy, for demonisation. Obloquy is a word to use for winning at Scrabble.
I was caught out by "lacuna", which I have tended to use as a pause or halt (like a pause in music) rather than a gap, in:
The autobiography had a noticeable ________, and left out crucial information about the author's early years.
Options: syllogism, lacuna, encomium, penumbra.
It's good to keep learning.
Compared to infants under 1 year of age pensioners are LESS vulnerable to the cold.
So give me one damned reason why the hell should we give pensioners universal payments for winter fuel while their more vulnerable (great-)grandchildren are left to freeze in their cots without it.
The fall of any vicious dictator is a good thing.
If the successor is as bad, then it falling too is also good.
(Vote Casino)
https://x.com/JDVance/status/1865580812759867667