Apparently Kemi Badenoch prefers watching Die Hard at Christmas
It's even more bonkers than that:
So much to unpack there:
Lunch is for wimps.
"I have food brought in"
Desk steaks?
Sandwiches are for breakfast?
How dry does bread have to be?
Sandwiches were of course invented by the Earl of Sandwich in the 18th century precisely because it meant he could eat roast beef between slices of bread and still gamble
Everyone knows that. What fewer people know is that boiled eggs were invented by the Marquess of Boiled who, when asked if he wanted anything with his thin strips of toast during a particularly intense game of backgammon, yelled at his footman, "Hot egg! I just want hot egg, shell on."
Poll suggesting majority of Leave voters support return of freedom of movement. Is this really Farage's moment?
Clear consensus Brexit was a mistake. We're at last moving onto the And This Means... stage.
SKS knows any loosening of Brexit conditions would have been jumped upon in any GE Campaign by MSM.
He also knows that there is REAL APPETITE now to begin to reduild and reopen bridges and that he is ALREADY DOING.
If the great cooperation over Migration and Immigration starts to bear the sort of low hanging fruits we've seen in the past few months with well publicised arrests in Germany, The Balkans etc, it opens up more avenues economically and travel wise.
The is potentially plenty of low hanging fruit for him to gradually pick over the next 3-4 years.
(1) HOLIDAY TRAVEL- anything that improves transit to and through EU airports in holiday season where SKS has actually moved the dial in favour of the UK Voter = MASSIVE VOTE WINNER
(2) EASIER EMPLOYMENT / Study On fixed term Visas EU Nationals - a BIG vote winner with the key Younger Voters
(3) Easing of RED TAPE and PAPERWORK - may even placate the majority of Framers who are not Farage supporting bone heads
-----
Drip feed this slowly sr=teadily, gain PUBLIC APPROVAL and then in 2028 or 2029 go the the Country with a stark WARNING...
You can gradually enjoy the benefits of a NEW EU relationship that loosely ties us to the benefits..
or
Vote for Farage or whoever the then Tory Leader is and go back to the "little englander" dark ages....and if that also ensures we DON'T become the 51st or 52nd State as Farage wants...even BETTER!
I think there is likely some truth to this, although your habit of bursting into all caps every couple of sentences makes your writing a lot less compelling than it would otherwise be.
We seldom complain at Leon's "habit of bursting into caps every couple of sentences".
That would be like complaining about the burglar having dirty shoes.
Apparently Kemi Badenoch prefers watching Die Hard at Christmas
It's even more bonkers than that:
So much to unpack there:
Lunch is for wimps.
"I have food brought in"
Desk steaks?
Sandwiches are for breakfast?
How dry does bread have to be?
Okay, lunch is for wimps is pure Del Boy, but what is wrong with the rest of it. It is a personal preference.
It is not the norm but so what.
Plenty of things to critique her for politically but her choice of food so what.
People I work with have food brought in. They order a Greggs via Uber Eats. No one bats an eyelid.
That's because the spectators can't tell if the sausage rolls are vegan or not.
I am not a great fan of Greggs stuff, I prefer my local Farm shop (Holmside) for Sausage rolls. However the Vegan sausage roll Greggs do is really quite decent.
They should try one, they might like it.
Vegan sausage rolls are to Greggs what Coffee is to McDonalds.
The item on the menu which will minimise objections, before the remainder of the meal commits a heart attack.
The sodium thiopental, before the potassium chloride enters the building.
I'm going to bite on this one. He might end up PM one day but probably not the next one.
He'll be a bit old by the one after, by UK political standards... He's already 60.
Also if Farage is the prime minister after next he probably has to get rid of the Conservative Party first or merge Reform into the Conservatives and become leader of both.
Not necessarily, he could be PM if Reform largest party with Tory confidence and supply
Conservatives and Reform are polling mostly the same set of voters. It's not easy to get a result where both parties significantly increase their seats. Farage would do better if the Conservatives go backwards from their disastrous 2024 result. I presume the Conservatives don't want to do that?
Though at the moment a lot of Reform's gains come from drawing in a disproportionate share of the more loosely coupled Labour voters from GE2024. That doesn't do the Tories any good, and will reduce Labour's majority significantly at the next GE - but who doesn't expect that from Labour's ridiculously efficient starting point?
I still think the chances of just a smaller Labour majority are underpriced.
Apparently Kemi Badenoch prefers watching Die Hard at Christmas
It's even more bonkers than that:
So much to unpack there:
Lunch is for wimps.
"I have food brought in"
Desk steaks?
Sandwiches are for breakfast?
How dry does bread have to be?
Its possible some of that comes from her Nigerian upbringing.
But the 'lunch is for wimps, you should be eating while you work' stuff is not what any employee wants to hear.
Confirmed: sandwiches for breakfast are a thing in Nigeria:
Here are 10 common Nigerian breakfast dishes.
1) Bread Sandwich with a hot beverage
This is the most common breakfast dish in Nigeria. The ever-present Bread and ‘tea’. In most homes, this is the go-to breakfast dish. It is loved by both adults and children, it is quick and easy to throw together. Bread and ‘tea’ can be accompanied by boiled egg, omelette, sausage, bacon, canned sardines, corned beef, mackerel in tomato sauce (geisha) etc. A lot of kids call any hot beverage ‘tea’.
This is one of the simplest and most satisfying Nigerian breakfasts. All you need is some bread, some fillings, and a hot drink of your choice. You can toast the bread or eat it as it is. You can fill it with eggs, sardines, corned beef, bacon, or anything else you like. You can also add some butter, jam, cheese, or peanut butter for extra flavor. For the hot drink, you can choose from tea, coffee, or cocoa. This breakfast is perfect for busy mornings when you need something quick and easy.
Apparently Kemi Badenoch prefers watching Die Hard at Christmas
It's even more bonkers than that:
So much to unpack there:
Lunch is for wimps.
"I have food brought in"
Desk steaks?
Sandwiches are for breakfast?
How dry does bread have to be?
Okay, lunch is for wimps is pure Del Boy, but what is wrong with the rest of it. It is a personal preference.
It is not the norm but so what.
Plenty of things to critique her for politically but her choice of food so what.
People I work with have food brought in. They order a Greggs via Uber Eats. No one bats an eyelid.
That's because the spectators can't tell if the sausage rolls are vegan or not.
I am not a great fan of Greggs stuff, I prefer my local Farm shop (Holmside) for Sausage rolls. However the Vegan sausage roll Greggs do is really quite decent.
They should try one, they might like it.
Vegan sausage rolls are to Greggs what Coffee is to McDonalds.
The item on the menu which will minimise objections, before the remainder of the meal commits a heart attack.
The sodium thiopental, before the potassium chloride enters the building.
Discuss .
I have only been to McDonalds twice in the last 30 years, once of which was on a business trip in Slovakia, so feel unable to offer a view on them. Sadly.
Apparently Kemi Badenoch prefers watching Die Hard at Christmas
It's even more bonkers than that:
So much to unpack there:
Lunch is for wimps.
"I have food brought in"
Desk steaks?
Sandwiches are for breakfast?
How dry does bread have to be?
Okay, lunch is for wimps is pure Del Boy, but what is wrong with the rest of it. It is a personal preference.
It is not the norm but so what.
Plenty of things to critique her for politically but her choice of food so what.
People I work with have food brought in. They order a Greggs via Uber Eats. No one bats an eyelid.
That's because the spectators can't tell if the sausage rolls are vegan or not.
I am not a great fan of Greggs stuff, I prefer my local Farm shop (Holmside) for Sausage rolls. However the Vegan sausage roll Greggs do is really quite decent.
They should try one, they might like it.
Vegan sausage rolls are to Greggs what Coffee is to McDonalds.
The item on the menu which will minimise objections, before the remainder of the meal commits a heart attack.
The sodium thiopental, before the potassium chloride enters the building.
I'm going to bite on this one. He might end up PM one day but probably not the next one.
He'll be a bit old by the one after, by UK political standards... He's already 60.
Also if Farage is the prime minister after next he probably has to get rid of the Conservative Party first or merge Reform into the Conservatives and become leader of both.
Not necessarily, he could be PM if Reform largest party with Tory confidence and supply
Conservatives and Reform are polling mostly the same set of voters. It's not easy to get a result where both parties significantly increase their seats. Farage would do better if the Conservatives go backwards from their disastrous 2024 result. I presume the Conservatives don't want to do that?
That is simply not true.
The polls now show that the Tories are holding their 2024 voters who are largely middle class and adding a few 2024 middle class Labour voters.
Reform meanwhile are making big gains from 2024 white working class Labour voters, especially in the redwall to add to their largely working class July voters
Poll suggesting majority of Leave voters support return of freedom of movement. Is this really Farage's moment?
May be Davey's moment, most polls make him Kingmaker at the next GE in a hung parliament not Farage.
Davey would likely demand Starmer returns to the EEA with free movement while also scrapping the tractor tax and restoring winter fuel allowance for pensioners as the price for his support
Tractor tax and winter fuel allowance just won't be issues at the next General Election. They are issues now, and may well be through to the local elections. But they won't be the ground on which the 2028/29 election is fought - they are relatively ephemeral issues compared with long running issues like social care and trading relationships.
FPT - very disturbing conversation last night. Murder is never an answer to justice, under any circumstances.
If we go down that road we will get a free for all and there will be someone who finds some reason to gun for you too. Literally. "I would give the devil benefit of law, for my own safety's sake."
Woke and/or virtue signalling.
A fundamental principle of law stretching back, ooh, about 800 years at least.
People can vent and emote, I get that, but the problem with social media is that it can, and does, cross over into real action.
Kill one rich guy on the streets of Manhattan and the law swings rapidly into action and tracks you down within days.
Kill tens of thousands by perpetrating medical insurance fraud across America and you are lauded for increasing profits.
If the law isn't working for people then they won't respect it. If the law isn't for everyone then it's for no-one.
Perhaps someone should have read that quote about the benefit of the law to the CEO. He certainly seemed to think he could enjoy the law's protection without sticking to it.
Apparently Kemi Badenoch prefers watching Die Hard at Christmas
It's even more bonkers than that:
So much to unpack there:
Lunch is for wimps.
"I have food brought in"
Desk steaks?
Sandwiches are for breakfast?
How dry does bread have to be?
Okay, lunch is for wimps is pure Del Boy, but what is wrong with the rest of it. It is a personal preference.
It is not the norm but so what.
Plenty of things to critique her for politically but her choice of food so what.
People I work with have food brought in. They order a Greggs via Uber Eats. No one bats an eyelid.
That's because the spectators can't tell if the sausage rolls are vegan or not.
I am not a great fan of Greggs stuff, I prefer my local Farm shop (Holmside) for Sausage rolls. However the Vegan sausage roll Greggs do is really quite decent.
They should try one, they might like it.
Vegan sausage rolls are to Greggs what Coffee is to McDonalds.
The item on the menu which will minimise objections, before the remainder of the meal commits a heart attack.
The sodium thiopental, before the potassium chloride enters the building.
Discuss .
Firstly, vegan sausage rolls sell seriously well at Greggs - people genuinely like them and they are top sellers. People also commonly buy them on their own - they generally aren't a side dish, they are the lunch.
Secondly, coffee probably isn't the analogy you were looking for at McDonalds. It isn't particularly seen as a healthy product - it's just the alternative to Coke if you go in for breakfast. You're probably more thinking about the option to get carrot sticks rather than fries, which basically nobody does.
Apparently Kemi Badenoch prefers watching Die Hard at Christmas
It's even more bonkers than that:
So much to unpack there:
Lunch is for wimps.
"I have food brought in"
Desk steaks?
Sandwiches are for breakfast?
How dry does bread have to be?
Okay, lunch is for wimps is pure Del Boy, but what is wrong with the rest of it. It is a personal preference.
It is not the norm but so what.
Plenty of things to critique her for politically but her choice of food so what.
People I work with have food brought in. They order a Greggs via Uber Eats. No one bats an eyelid.
That's because the spectators can't tell if the sausage rolls are vegan or not.
I am not a great fan of Greggs stuff, I prefer my local Farm shop (Holmside) for Sausage rolls. However the Vegan sausage roll Greggs do is really quite decent.
They should try one, they might like it.
Vegan sausage rolls are to Greggs what Coffee is to McDonalds.
The item on the menu which will minimise objections, before the remainder of the meal commits a heart attack.
The sodium thiopental, before the potassium chloride enters the building.
Apparently Kemi Badenoch prefers watching Die Hard at Christmas
Good morning everyone,
That's comment is a signpost to a rabbit hole.
Which film or other script represents the current opposition?
I don't know my film scripts well enough, but I'm inclined to reach for something centred on a different planet such as an alien civilisation visited by Star Trek, or The Clangers.
"Tell me about this strange earth custom known only as "kissing", Cpt Kirk", says a voluptuous, scantily clad, blonde haired green skinned alien woman in her early twenties.
"Tell me about this strange Earth custom known as moist bread, Cpt Badenoch!"
Kemi Badenoch decided to attack Starmer on immigration.
What is she doing?
The significant thing is that Starmer isn’t afraid to lean into nativism to attack ethnic minority politicians.
I've remarked before that I think the Starmer Government has been leaning too heavily into disarming existing or potential Conservative attacks - trimming on measures needed in the budget, for example, such as spending even more billions cutting fuel excise duty further in real terms.
Another is Rachel Reeve's 'here and no further' comments on tax increases so far.
That gives the opposition more influence than they deserve or should have imo, when the need is to drive through the strategic policies of the new Government. As I see it, one of Starmer's core domestic political requirement is to deliver perceptible and visible improvement to voters in time to win their votes in 2028 or 2029. Even if he is playing a top drawer game internationally, unless there is a White Swan (is that a thing?) domestic politics is the sausage, and international politics is the sizzle.
Poll suggesting majority of Leave voters support return of freedom of movement. Is this really Farage's moment?
May be Davey's moment, most polls make him Kingmaker at the next GE in a hung parliament not Farage.
Davey would likely demand Starmer returns to the EEA with free movement while also scrapping the tractor tax and restoring winter fuel allowance for pensioners as the price for his support
Tractor tax and winter fuel allowance just won't be issues at the next General Election. They are issues now, and may well be through to the local elections. But they won't be the ground on which the 2028/29 election is fought - they are relatively ephemeral issues compared with long running issues like social care and trading relationships.
The bigger issues will be the triple lock which Stride has already said is unsustainable, in addition to social care, tax, spending and borrowing
Tractor tax and WFP will not be on the agenda but the legacy of ill feeling may remain
Apparently Kemi Badenoch prefers watching Die Hard at Christmas
It's even more bonkers than that:
So much to unpack there:
Lunch is for wimps.
"I have food brought in"
Desk steaks?
Sandwiches are for breakfast?
How dry does bread have to be?
Okay, lunch is for wimps is pure Del Boy, but what is wrong with the rest of it. It is a personal preference.
It is not the norm but so what.
Plenty of things to critique her for politically but her choice of food so what.
People I work with have food brought in. They order a Greggs via Uber Eats. No one bats an eyelid.
That's because the spectators can't tell if the sausage rolls are vegan or not.
I am not a great fan of Greggs stuff, I prefer my local Farm shop (Holmside) for Sausage rolls. However the Vegan sausage roll Greggs do is really quite decent.
They should try one, they might like it.
Vegan sausage rolls are to Greggs what Coffee is to McDonalds.
The item on the menu which will minimise objections, before the remainder of the meal commits a heart attack.
The sodium thiopental, before the potassium chloride enters the building.
Discuss .
Firstly, vegan sausage rolls sell seriously well at Greggs - people genuinely like them and they are top sellers. People also commonly buy them on their own - they generally aren't a side dish, they are the lunch.
Secondly, coffee probably isn't the analogy you were looking for at McDonalds. It isn't particularly seen as a healthy product - it's just the alternative to Coke if you go in for breakfast. You're probably more thinking about the option to get carrot sticks rather than fries, which basically nobody does.
As it happens, I have a free coffee every month at Greggs with my current car insurance policy (no idea why), but I have yet to claim one.
FPT - very disturbing conversation last night. Murder is never an answer to justice, under any circumstances.
If we go down that road we will get a free for all and there will be someone who finds some reason to gun for you too. Literally. "I would give the devil benefit of law, for my own safety's sake."
Agreed. But it is very telling that there is now a groundswell not only in the US but also here of "the fuckers deserve everything that's coming to them".
It will likely first manifest itself in finding it impossible to get a jury that will unanimously convict. The Gorgeous Assassin will then operate in another world of alternative laws.
Until somebody guns him down.
He didn't deserve to be killed.
He did deserve to be prosecuted.
Prosecuted by the same DA's office that receives millions in donations from companies like UHC to turn a blind eye to their fraud? Or by the US Attorney who gets instructions from politicians not to go after the donor class?
This seems to be the justice that was available for the thousands of people this CEO killed with his policies. Was it right? No. Are people sorry it happened? Also a resounding no.
I hope this will lead to some actual prosecutions of companies and executives that have defrauded the American public but that seems unlikely to me. If anything things will get worse and these kinds of acts will become more acceptable because people feel powerless to change things. Just as Trump swept away the big corporate loving Dems, I think a Bernie like candidate will sweep MAGA away if they don't do anything about companies ripping off ordinary people.
Apparently Kemi Badenoch prefers watching Die Hard at Christmas
Good morning everyone,
That's comment is a signpost to a rabbit hole.
Which film or other script represents the current opposition?
I don't know my film scripts well enough, but I'm inclined to reach for something centred on a different planet such as an alien civilisation visited by Star Trek, or The Clangers.
"Tell me about this strange earth custom known only as "kissing", Cpt Kirk", says a voluptuous, scantily clad, blonde haired green skinned alien woman in her early twenties.
"Tell me about this strange Earth custom known as moist bread, Cpt Badenoch!"
I have sympathy with Kemi here. Far too many shop bought sandwiches are soggy, and mayonnaise is far too liberally applied. I always avoid any shop bought sandwich which contains tomatoes.
Apparently Kemi Badenoch prefers watching Die Hard at Christmas
It's even more bonkers than that:
So much to unpack there:
Lunch is for wimps.
"I have food brought in"
Desk steaks?
Sandwiches are for breakfast?
How dry does bread have to be?
Okay, lunch is for wimps is pure Del Boy, but what is wrong with the rest of it. It is a personal preference.
It is not the norm but so what.
Plenty of things to critique her for politically but her choice of food so what.
People I work with have food brought in. They order a Greggs via Uber Eats. No one bats an eyelid.
That's because the spectators can't tell if the sausage rolls are vegan or not.
I am not a great fan of Greggs stuff, I prefer my local Farm shop (Holmside) for Sausage rolls. However the Vegan sausage roll Greggs do is really quite decent.
They should try one, they might like it.
Vegan sausage rolls are to Greggs what Coffee is to McDonalds.
The item on the menu which will minimise objections, before the remainder of the meal commits a heart attack.
The sodium thiopental, before the potassium chloride enters the building.
Discuss .
Firstly, vegan sausage rolls sell seriously well at Greggs - people genuinely like them and they are top sellers. People also commonly buy them on their own - they generally aren't a side dish, they are the lunch.
Secondly, coffee probably isn't the analogy you were looking for at McDonalds. It isn't particularly seen as a healthy product - it's just the alternative to Coke if you go in for breakfast. You're probably more thinking about the option to get carrot sticks rather than fries, which basically nobody does.
Coffee is fantastically healthy, packed fully of antioxidants and other nutrient compounds. It's even got a bit of fibre in it.
FPT - very disturbing conversation last night. Murder is never an answer to justice, under any circumstances.
If we go down that road we will get a free for all and there will be someone who finds some reason to gun for you too. Literally. "I would give the devil benefit of law, for my own safety's sake."
Woke and/or virtue signalling.
A fundamental principle of law stretching back, ooh, about 800 years at least.
People can vent and emote, I get that, but the problem with social media is that it can, and does, cross over into real action.
Kill one rich guy on the streets of Manhattan and the law swings rapidly into action and tracks you down within days.
Kill tens of thousands by perpetrating medical insurance fraud across America and you are lauded for increasing profits.
If the law isn't working for people then they won't respect it. If the law isn't for everyone then it's for no-one.
Perhaps someone should have read that quote about the benefit of the law to the CEO. He certainly seemed to think he could enjoy the law's protection without sticking to it.
Two rising zeitgeists in America combined. First, political violence is legitimate in good causes (which in practice means provided you feel strongly about something, such as a stolen election). Second, that the squillionaire class is all take (profiteering; government subsidies; massive tax cuts) and no giving back.
Told you Badenoch had faulty judgment and is out of touch with the British public.
But [Badenoch] is also inspired by fiction and is a fan of Game of Thrones. Asked if she identifies with Daenerys Targaryen, known as the Mother of Dragons, she said: “I strongly associated with Daenerys, yes.” She added that the character — a queen who demands unswerving loyalty, can walk through fire and has a penchant for immolating her enemies — is “much misunderstood”.
She is less keen on another cult favourite, however: the Christmas film Love Actually.
“There’s actually quite a lot of dark undertones to Love Actually,” she told the magazine. “There is a British prime minister who’s messing around and is not doing the foreign policy properly, people are cheating … there is a lot going on there if you move away from the smiley, happy, cheesy stuff.”
Instead, she enjoys Die Hard, which she describes as “a good Christmas-adjacent movie”. She added: “My favourite Christmas movie is probably a tie between Gremlins and Scrooged. Ghosts of Girlfriends Past is a close third. So I do like the Scrooge theme.“
Poll suggesting majority of Leave voters support return of freedom of movement. Is this really Farage's moment?
It's Starmer and Labour's 'get out of jail free' card if things start going badly.
Not that It feels likely at the moment. After a few teething troubles his government seems to be shaping up to be one the most competent and creative we've had for a while
So that's why its approval rating has collapsed and they are third in the polls, despite the last government being pretty rubbish?
I was confused for a while, thinking it meant they were utterly shite and out of their depths.
Thanks for clarifying.
I'm surprised you don't appreciate Labour's strategy. It's straight out of the Thatcher playbook. Her government was the most disapproved of in anyone's living memory for the first year or two......
...........before convincing them that it was all part of the act. Get the unpopular stuff out of the way and it'll be sweet smelling roses from here on in and she won again ......and again....
Apparently Kemi Badenoch prefers watching Die Hard at Christmas
Good morning everyone,
That's comment is a signpost to a rabbit hole.
Which film or other script represents the current opposition?
I don't know my film scripts well enough, but I'm inclined to reach for something centred on a different planet such as an alien civilisation visited by Star Trek, or The Clangers.
"Tell me about this strange earth custom known only as "kissing", Cpt Kirk", says a voluptuous, scantily clad, blonde haired green skinned alien woman in her early twenties.
"Tell me about this strange Earth custom known as moist bread, Cpt Badenoch!"
So she was actually channelling Dan Ackroyd in Blues Brothers ?
I'm going to bite on this one. He might end up PM one day but probably not the next one.
He'll be a bit old by the one after, by UK political standards... He's already 60.
Also if Farage is the prime minister after next he probably has to get rid of the Conservative Party first or merge Reform into the Conservatives and become leader of both.
Not necessarily, he could be PM if Reform largest party with Tory confidence and supply
Conservatives and Reform are polling mostly the same set of voters. It's not easy to get a result where both parties significantly increase their seats. Farage would do better if the Conservatives go backwards from their disastrous 2024 result. I presume the Conservatives don't want to do that?
Though at the moment a lot of Reform's gains come from drawing in a disproportionate share of the more loosely coupled Labour voters from GE2024. That doesn't do the Tories any good, and will reduce Labour's majority significantly at the next GE - but who doesn't expect that from Labour's ridiculously efficient starting point?
I still think the chances of just a smaller Labour majority are underpriced.
I agree. I think the most likely outcome is a Labour majority, just not a massive Labour majority.
I also think there's a good chance the LDs do *better* than last time because they will hang on to most of their wins, and take a few near misses.
But so much can happen between now and then, it's pretty much moot.
FPT - very disturbing conversation last night. Murder is never an answer to justice, under any circumstances.
If we go down that road we will get a free for all and there will be someone who finds some reason to gun for you too. Literally. "I would give the devil benefit of law, for my own safety's sake."
Woke and/or virtue signalling.
A fundamental principle of law stretching back, ooh, about 800 years at least.
People can vent and emote, I get that, but the problem with social media is that it can, and does, cross over into real action.
The irony of that quote is that the real Sir Thomas Moore allowed all sorts of dodgy and illegal practises when he was prosecuting heretics.
Which got quoted back to him, in court, when he questioned some of the evidence against him.
Another thing that is old as sin - someone being surprised when he gets a necktie at his favourite hanging tree.
FPT - very disturbing conversation last night. Murder is never an answer to justice, under any circumstances.
If we go down that road we will get a free for all and there will be someone who finds some reason to gun for you too. Literally. "I would give the devil benefit of law, for my own safety's sake."
Woke and/or virtue signalling.
A fundamental principle of law stretching back, ooh, about 800 years at least.
People can vent and emote, I get that, but the problem with social media is that it can, and does, cross over into real action.
Kill one rich guy on the streets of Manhattan and the law swings rapidly into action and tracks you down within days.
Kill tens of thousands by perpetrating medical insurance fraud across America and you are lauded for increasing profits.
If the law isn't working for people then they won't respect it. If the law isn't for everyone then it's for no-one.
Perhaps someone should have read that quote about the benefit of the law to the CEO. He certainly seemed to think he could enjoy the law's protection without sticking to it.
US voters could elect a candidate promising Medicare for all but they don't, the only reason the US is the only OECD nation without universal healthcare is because most US voters don't want to pay the taxes to fund it.
The CEO was head of a private healthcare insurance company being paid to make a profit and manage risk in its healthcare funding. There was no excuse for his murder
FPT - very disturbing conversation last night. Murder is never an answer to justice, under any circumstances.
If we go down that road we will get a free for all and there will be someone who finds some reason to gun for you too. Literally. "I would give the devil benefit of law, for my own safety's sake."
Woke and/or virtue signalling.
A fundamental principle of law stretching back, ooh, about 800 years at least.
People can vent and emote, I get that, but the problem with social media is that it can, and does, cross over into real action.
Kill one rich guy on the streets of Manhattan and the law swings rapidly into action and tracks you down within days.
Kill tens of thousands by perpetrating medical insurance fraud across America and you are lauded for increasing profits.
If the law isn't working for people then they won't respect it. If the law isn't for everyone then it's for no-one.
Perhaps someone should have read that quote about the benefit of the law to the CEO. He certainly seemed to think he could enjoy the law's protection without sticking to it.
Two rising zeitgeists in America combined. First, political violence is legitimate in good causes (which in practice means provided you feel strongly about something, such as a stolen election)...
See also throttling to death slightly scary people on the metro.
FPT - very disturbing conversation last night. Murder is never an answer to justice, under any circumstances.
If we go down that road we will get a free for all and there will be someone who finds some reason to gun for you too. Literally. "I would give the devil benefit of law, for my own safety's sake."
Woke and/or virtue signalling.
A fundamental principle of law stretching back, ooh, about 800 years at least.
People can vent and emote, I get that, but the problem with social media is that it can, and does, cross over into real action.
Kill one rich guy on the streets of Manhattan and the law swings rapidly into action and tracks you down within days.
Kill tens of thousands by perpetrating medical insurance fraud across America and you are lauded for increasing profits.
If the law isn't working for people then they won't respect it. If the law isn't for everyone then it's for no-one.
Perhaps someone should have read that quote about the benefit of the law to the CEO. He certainly seemed to think he could enjoy the law's protection without sticking to it.
Two rising zeitgeists in America combined. First, political violence is legitimate in good causes (which in practice means provided you feel strongly about something, such as a stolen election). Second, that the squillionaire class is all take (profiteering; government subsidies; massive tax cuts) and no giving back.
Odd, because the american people have just elected a president who is or claims to be in that class and certainly intends his government to be run by and stuff full of billionaires grifting as hard as they can grift.
The people were offered an alternative and they voted for the rich people.
Told you Badenoch had faulty judgment and is out of touch with the British public.
But [Badenoch] is also inspired by fiction and is a fan of Game of Thrones. Asked if she identifies with Daenerys Targaryen, known as the Mother of Dragons, she said: “I strongly associated with Daenerys, yes.” She added that the character — a queen who demands unswerving loyalty, can walk through fire and has a penchant for immolating her enemies — is “much misunderstood”.
She is less keen on another cult favourite, however: the Christmas film Love Actually.
“There’s actually quite a lot of dark undertones to Love Actually,” she told the magazine. “There is a British prime minister who’s messing around and is not doing the foreign policy properly, people are cheating … there is a lot going on there if you move away from the smiley, happy, cheesy stuff.”
Instead, she enjoys Die Hard, which she describes as “a good Christmas-adjacent movie”. She added: “My favourite Christmas movie is probably a tie between Gremlins and Scrooged. Ghosts of Girlfriends Past is a close third. So I do like the Scrooge theme.“
Kemi hates Love Actually, which as we know from the More in Common Polls for The Rest is Entertainment (see the last thread header) is the most popular Christmas film for Conservative voters. She's not focus-grouped this interview.
https://thehill.com/media/5036312-trump-kari-lake-director-voice-of-america/ President-elect Trump announced he is tapping Kari Lake, a former news anchor and staunch Trump supporter, to head the government-funded news outlet Voice of America. “I am pleased to announce that Kari Lake will serve as our next Director of the Voice of America,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post Wednesday night. Lake will “ensure that the American values of Freedom and Liberty are broadcast around the World FAIRLY and ACCURATELY, unlike the lies spread by the Fake News Media,” Trump added...
FPT - very disturbing conversation last night. Murder is never an answer to justice, under any circumstances.
If we go down that road we will get a free for all and there will be someone who finds some reason to gun for you too. Literally. "I would give the devil benefit of law, for my own safety's sake."
Woke and/or virtue signalling.
A fundamental principle of law stretching back, ooh, about 800 years at least.
People can vent and emote, I get that, but the problem with social media is that it can, and does, cross over into real action.
Kill one rich guy on the streets of Manhattan and the law swings rapidly into action and tracks you down within days.
Kill tens of thousands by perpetrating medical insurance fraud across America and you are lauded for increasing profits.
If the law isn't working for people then they won't respect it. If the law isn't for everyone then it's for no-one.
Perhaps someone should have read that quote about the benefit of the law to the CEO. He certainly seemed to think he could enjoy the law's protection without sticking to it.
Two rising zeitgeists in America combined. First, political violence is legitimate in good causes (which in practice means provided you feel strongly about something, such as a stolen election)...
See also throttling to death slightly scary people on the metro.
No that doesn't compare at all. All of the eyewitnesses say the man in question was threatening to kill people on that train. The person who subdued the would be murderer saved many lives that day. That it went to court is ridiculous but at least the correct verdict was reached.
I'm going to bite on this one. He might end up PM one day but probably not the next one.
He'll be a bit old by the one after, by UK political standards... He's already 60.
...and might have the liver of an 80 year old.
My liver is in excellent condition according to my GP who requires blood tests every quarter due to my need to take blood thinners
Mind you I rarely drink !!!!
Long may it stay so!
Unlike you, Farage is not a healthy man and will, I suspect, age a lot in the next five years. He already looks a lot older than he is.
Fortunately my cardiologist provided me with a pacemaker in February having told me the day after Christmas last year that my heart was worn out and I needed an urgent pacemaker to save my life
Since then I remain under a haematologist, vascular surgeon, and my cardiologist, all of whom are performing valiantly to keep me going though at times its a struggle
Poll suggesting majority of Leave voters support return of freedom of movement. Is this really Farage's moment?
It's Starmer and Labour's 'get out of jail free' card if things start going badly.
Not that It feels likely at the moment. After a few teething troubles his government seems to be shaping up to be one the most competent and creative we've had for a while
So that's why its approval rating has collapsed and they are third in the polls, despite the last government being pretty rubbish?
I was confused for a while, thinking it meant they were utterly shite and out of their depths.
Thanks for clarifying.
I'm surprised you don't appreciate Labour's strategy. It's straight out of the Thatcher playbook. Her government was the most disapproved of in anyone's living memory for the first year or two......
...........before convincing them that it was all part of the act. Get the unpopular stuff out of the way and it'll be sweet smelling roses from here on in and she won again ......and again....
I'm going to bite on this one. He might end up PM one day but probably not the next one.
He'll be a bit old by the one after, by UK political standards... He's already 60.
...and might have the liver of an 80 year old.
My liver is in excellent condition according to my GP who requires blood tests every quarter due to my need to take blood thinners
Mind you I rarely drink !!!!
Long may it stay so!
Unlike you, Farage is not a healthy man and will, I suspect, age a lot in the next five years. He already looks a lot older than he is.
We could have an all-new line-up at the next general election. Kemi hates sandwiches and Love Actually and is making no impact at PMQs. Farage is old and uninterested in day-to-day politics. Starmer is old and made another verbal slip at PMQs. Ed Davey risks drowning.
Apparently Kemi Badenoch prefers watching Die Hard at Christmas
Good morning everyone,
That's comment is a signpost to a rabbit hole.
Which film or other script represents the current opposition?
I don't know my film scripts well enough, but I'm inclined to reach for something centred on a different planet such as an alien civilisation visited by Star Trek, or The Clangers.
"Tell me about this strange earth custom known only as "kissing", Cpt Kirk", says a voluptuous, scantily clad, blonde haired green skinned alien woman in her early twenties.
"Tell me about this strange Earth custom known as moist bread, Cpt Badenoch!"
I have sympathy with Kemi here. Far too many shop bought sandwiches are soggy, and mayonnaise is far too liberally applied. I always avoid any shop bought sandwich which contains tomatoes.
I never understand why anyone buys a pre-made sandwich at a shop, they are all overpriced and disgusting. I always make my own.
Badenoch's comment about lunch, though, is a small indication of poor judgement. My current employer sends out reminders from time to time that not only should we take a proper break from work at lunchtime, it should be away from our desks. And that's not because they are doing so out of the goodness of their hearts, there is a clear benefit in afternoon performance of doing so.
I also have a feeling that there is a requirement on an employer to ensure that staff take the break they are entitled to?
Told you Badenoch had faulty judgment and is out of touch with the British public.
But [Badenoch] is also inspired by fiction and is a fan of Game of Thrones. Asked if she identifies with Daenerys Targaryen, known as the Mother of Dragons, she said: “I strongly associated with Daenerys, yes.” She added that the character — a queen who demands unswerving loyalty, can walk through fire and has a penchant for immolating her enemies — is “much misunderstood”.
She is less keen on another cult favourite, however: the Christmas film Love Actually.
“There’s actually quite a lot of dark undertones to Love Actually,” she told the magazine. “There is a British prime minister who’s messing around and is not doing the foreign policy properly, people are cheating … there is a lot going on there if you move away from the smiley, happy, cheesy stuff.”
Instead, she enjoys Die Hard, which she describes as “a good Christmas-adjacent movie”. She added: “My favourite Christmas movie is probably a tie between Gremlins and Scrooged. Ghosts of Girlfriends Past is a close third. So I do like the Scrooge theme.“
Kemi hates Love Actually, which as we know from the More in Common Polls for The Rest is Entertainment (see the last thread header) is the most popular Christmas film for Conservative voters. She's not focus-grouped this interview.
Farage as PM? I just can't see it. Mind you, I couldn't see Trump ever getting re-elected. My faith in US voters was misplaced and cost me money - does the same apply to my faith in UK voters?
While proper fragmentation, Con/ref and Lab losing votes to Greens, tankies-light and Lib Dems* could see Ref winning on sub-30, I still think there would be a concerted tactical voting operation, even for the Tories, if that looked like a proper risk. Most likely would be if there was a polling miss - Ref not looking like they can win and then an exit poll surprise
Poll suggesting majority of Leave voters support return of freedom of movement. Is this really Farage's moment?
Clear consensus Brexit was a mistake. We're at last moving onto the And This Means... stage.
SKS knows any loosening of Brexit conditions would have been jumped upon in any GE Campaign by MSM.
He also knows that there is REAL APPETITE now to begin to reduild and reopen bridges and that he is ALREADY DOING.
If the great cooperation over Migration and Immigration starts to bear the sort of low hanging fruits we've seen in the past few months with well publicised arrests in Germany, The Balkans etc, it opens up more avenues economically and travel wise.
The is potentially plenty of low hanging fruit for him to gradually pick over the next 3-4 years.
(1) HOLIDAY TRAVEL- anything that improves transit to and through EU airports in holiday season where SKS has actually moved the dial in favour of the UK Voter = MASSIVE VOTE WINNER
(2) EASIER EMPLOYMENT / Study On fixed term Visas EU Nationals - a BIG vote winner with the key Younger Voters
(3) Easing of RED TAPE and PAPERWORK - may even placate the majority of Framers who are not Farage supporting bone heads
-----
Drip feed this slowly sr=teadily, gain PUBLIC APPROVAL and then in 2028 or 2029 go the the Country with a stark WARNING...
I'm afraid you simply don't understand what the EU does or how it negotiates. Nothing with the EU is low-hanging fruit. I have spent too many years of my career trying to make headway in Brussels.
Anything we want, they will oppose, simply because they regard it as cherry-picking. Doesn't matter if it's perfectly reasonable or marginally beneficial to them or even if they proposed it in the first place. And they will demand huge and unacceptable concessions simply because they think they have the upper hand.
The only way to get results from the EU, as Margaret Thatcher showed with the rebate, is to be even more determined, single-minded and inflexible than they are. Then maybe you'll get a fraction of what you want.
Even the Americans, who are by no means a pushover, are more rational and easier to deal with than the EU. They may be excruciatingly legalistic and utterly insular and ignorant of foreign countries, but at least they don't constantly shift their ground and aren't quite as insecure about their rationale for existence.
I think that one area to watch is how Mr Starmer handles the end of the UK-EU transitional post-Brexit fishing arrangements. It was claimed as a big Brexit win, and the French fought a bureaucratic, regulatory war with much impact on their politics. I generally agree that negotiating with the EU requires the ability take a strong stance, and have the ability to back it up in practice.
The arrangements are coming to an end in 2026, and with France in several varieties of chaos it will be tempting for Mons. Macron to use it as a lever to please nationalists, blaming the UK.
Brexit promises were that it would help out fishing industry by recovering autonomy. The Govt will have control over quotas in UK waters, and pressure from other countries imo will be around tit for tat negotiations to maintain access.
I have no idea how this will go, or how other areas of improving co-operation may have an impact.
FPT - very disturbing conversation last night. Murder is never an answer to justice, under any circumstances.
If we go down that road we will get a free for all and there will be someone who finds some reason to gun for you too. Literally. "I would give the devil benefit of law, for my own safety's sake."
Woke and/or virtue signalling.
A fundamental principle of law stretching back, ooh, about 800 years at least.
People can vent and emote, I get that, but the problem with social media is that it can, and does, cross over into real action.
Kill one rich guy on the streets of Manhattan and the law swings rapidly into action and tracks you down within days.
Kill tens of thousands by perpetrating medical insurance fraud across America and you are lauded for increasing profits.
If the law isn't working for people then they won't respect it. If the law isn't for everyone then it's for no-one.
Perhaps someone should have read that quote about the benefit of the law to the CEO. He certainly seemed to think he could enjoy the law's protection without sticking to it.
Two rising zeitgeists in America combined. First, political violence is legitimate in good causes (which in practice means provided you feel strongly about something, such as a stolen election)...
See also throttling to death slightly scary people on the metro.
No that doesn't compare at all. All of the eyewitnesses say the man in question was threatening to kill people on that train. The person who subdued the would be murderer saved many lives that day. That it went to court is ridiculous but at least the correct verdict was reached.
A jury clearly formed of people who ride the Subway in New York, and come across many such total lunatics on a regular basis.
Also another case where the media was very selective about what was reported during the trial, trying to build towards a narrative that the acquittal was somehow unreasonable or that race was a factor - when it was a pretty straightforward case of self defence and the ‘victim’ was alive when police and medics arrived.
Farage as PM? I just can't see it. Mind you, I couldn't see Trump ever getting re-elected. My faith in US voters was misplaced and cost me money - does the same apply to my faith in UK voters?
While proper fragmentation, Con/ref and Lab losing votes to Greens, tankies-light and Lib Dems* could see Ref winning on sub-30, I still think there would be a concerted tactical voting operation, even for the Tories, if that looked like a proper risk. Most likely would be if there was a polling miss - Ref not looking like they can win and then an exit poll surprise
*this never happens
Trump as next president was always a possibility, the mechanics and stuff that needs to happen for Nige to be next PM are just a lot tougher. The rise of Reform can still happen and he won't be the next PM (Lab leader change, Reform most votes/inefficient seat allocation, Labour having more allies in parliament when push and shove come, Reform most seats & not enough Tory votes for Farage to be PM)
Kemi Badenoch decided to attack Starmer on immigration.
What is she doing?
It's a Tory rite-of-passage to show that you don't like immigrants.
Bizarre but true.
Why then was Starmer condemning the immigration figures at PMQs vowing to reduce both legal and illegal immigration, if it is just a Tory rite of passage ?
Apparently Kemi Badenoch prefers watching Die Hard at Christmas
It's even more bonkers than that:
So much to unpack there:
Lunch is for wimps.
"I have food brought in"
Desk steaks?
Sandwiches are for breakfast?
How dry does bread have to be?
Okay, lunch is for wimps is pure Del Boy, but what is wrong with the rest of it. It is a personal preference.
It is not the norm but so what.
Plenty of things to critique her for politically but her choice of food so what.
People I work with have food brought in. They order a Greggs via Uber Eats. No one bats an eyelid.
That's because the spectators can't tell if the sausage rolls are vegan or not.
I am not a great fan of Greggs stuff, I prefer my local Farm shop (Holmside) for Sausage rolls. However the Vegan sausage roll Greggs do is really quite decent.
They should try one, they might like it.
Vegan sausage rolls are to Greggs what Coffee is to McDonalds.
The item on the menu which will minimise objections, before the remainder of the meal commits a heart attack.
The sodium thiopental, before the potassium chloride enters the building.
Discuss .
I have only been to McDonalds twice in the last 30 years, once of which was on a business trip in Slovakia, so feel unable to offer a view on them. Sadly.
I will 4 u. It's poor quality food and lacking in taste. If you want a Burger, go to Burger King imho.
Told you Badenoch had faulty judgment and is out of touch with the British public.
But [Badenoch] is also inspired by fiction and is a fan of Game of Thrones. Asked if she identifies with Daenerys Targaryen, known as the Mother of Dragons, she said: “I strongly associated with Daenerys, yes.” She added that the character — a queen who demands unswerving loyalty, can walk through fire and has a penchant for immolating her enemies — is “much misunderstood”.
She is less keen on another cult favourite, however: the Christmas film Love Actually.
“There’s actually quite a lot of dark undertones to Love Actually,” she told the magazine. “There is a British prime minister who’s messing around and is not doing the foreign policy properly, people are cheating … there is a lot going on there if you move away from the smiley, happy, cheesy stuff.”
Instead, she enjoys Die Hard, which she describes as “a good Christmas-adjacent movie”. She added: “My favourite Christmas movie is probably a tie between Gremlins and Scrooged. Ghosts of Girlfriends Past is a close third. So I do like the Scrooge theme.“
Kemi hates Love Actually, which as we know from the More in Common Polls for The Rest is Entertainment (see the last thread header) is the most popular Christmas film for Conservative voters. She's not focus-grouped this interview.
She's right about Love Actually, if nothing else.
I can watch Notting Hill time after time, but found Love Actually cloyingly horrible.
I'm going to bite on this one. He might end up PM one day but probably not the next one.
He'll be a bit old by the one after, by UK political standards... He's already 60.
Also if Farage is the prime minister after next he probably has to get rid of the Conservative Party first or merge Reform into the Conservatives and become leader of both.
Not necessarily, he could be PM if Reform largest party with Tory confidence and supply
Conservatives and Reform are polling mostly the same set of voters. It's not easy to get a result where both parties significantly increase their seats. Farage would do better if the Conservatives go backwards from their disastrous 2024 result. I presume the Conservatives don't want to do that?
Though at the moment a lot of Reform's gains come from drawing in a disproportionate share of the more loosely coupled Labour voters from GE2024. That doesn't do the Tories any good, and will reduce Labour's majority significantly at the next GE - but who doesn't expect that from Labour's ridiculously efficient starting point?
I still think the chances of just a smaller Labour majority are underpriced.
I think fixing odds about the next GE - July 2029 at the latest - is about as transparent a process as trying to price the 2029 Derby. Ditto next PM.
The thought that between them Farage and Badenoch have an even money chance of being next PM (27% + 22% chances) is risible.
Just do a simple exercise: there are two big prospects of the next PM being Labour - Starmer is replaced before the next election; Starmer wins the next election but doesn't carry on for 5 years. The % chance of the next PM being Labour is high.
Farage as PM? I just can't see it. Mind you, I couldn't see Trump ever getting re-elected. My faith in US voters was misplaced and cost me money - does the same apply to my faith in UK voters?
While proper fragmentation, Con/ref and Lab losing votes to Greens, tankies-light and Lib Dems* could see Ref winning on sub-30, I still think there would be a concerted tactical voting operation, even for the Tories, if that looked like a proper risk. Most likely would be if there was a polling miss - Ref not looking like they can win and then an exit poll surprise
*this never happens
The problem is the combination of Nothing Can Be Done and the doctrine of Pure Popular Sovereignty.
In the later, politicians preach that the People are always right and pander to them on a range of things. Democracy is all.
Then, suddenly, with certain things - No, you can’t. Immigration is a Must. Protecting the water companies is a Must. Not building infrastructure is a Must. Enquiries into scandals never lead anywhere etc etc
So along come Trump or Reform and say “We will bulldoze our way forward. We will build the trains on time, and to a price.”
I'm going to bite on this one. He might end up PM one day but probably not the next one.
He'll be a bit old by the one after, by UK political standards... He's already 60.
...and might have the liver of an 80 year old.
My liver is in excellent condition according to my GP who requires blood tests every quarter due to my need to take blood thinners
Mind you I rarely drink !!!!
Long may it stay so!
Unlike you, Farage is not a healthy man and will, I suspect, age a lot in the next five years. He already looks a lot older than he is.
Fortunately my cardiologist provided me with a pacemaker in February having told me the day after Christmas last year that my heart was worn out and I needed an urgent pacemaker to save my life
Since then I remain under a haematologist, vascular surgeon, and my cardiologist, all of whom are performing valiantly to keep me going though at times its a struggle
Anyway I am so grateful for all my blessings
.........a haematologist a vascular surgeon and a cardiologist,
And these multi millionaire farmers want to know why they have to pay tax
https://thehill.com/media/5036312-trump-kari-lake-director-voice-of-america/ President-elect Trump announced he is tapping Kari Lake, a former news anchor and staunch Trump supporter, to head the government-funded news outlet Voice of America. “I am pleased to announce that Kari Lake will serve as our next Director of the Voice of America,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post Wednesday night. Lake will “ensure that the American values of Freedom and Liberty are broadcast around the World FAIRLY and ACCURATELY, unlike the lies spread by the Fake News Media,” Trump added...
Does Trump believe in the traditional American values of Freedom and Liberty? The contrast between Reagan's shining city upon a hill and Trump's build the wall is as clear as that between Reagan's muscular defence of Western values (with exceptions) and Trump's isolationism.
Told you Badenoch had faulty judgment and is out of touch with the British public.
But [Badenoch] is also inspired by fiction and is a fan of Game of Thrones. Asked if she identifies with Daenerys Targaryen, known as the Mother of Dragons, she said: “I strongly associated with Daenerys, yes.” She added that the character — a queen who demands unswerving loyalty, can walk through fire and has a penchant for immolating her enemies — is “much misunderstood”.
She is less keen on another cult favourite, however: the Christmas film Love Actually.
“There’s actually quite a lot of dark undertones to Love Actually,” she told the magazine. “There is a British prime minister who’s messing around and is not doing the foreign policy properly, people are cheating … there is a lot going on there if you move away from the smiley, happy, cheesy stuff.”
Instead, she enjoys Die Hard, which she describes as “a good Christmas-adjacent movie”. She added: “My favourite Christmas movie is probably a tie between Gremlins and Scrooged. Ghosts of Girlfriends Past is a close third. So I do like the Scrooge theme.“
Kemi hates Love Actually, which as we know from the More in Common Polls for The Rest is Entertainment (see the last thread header) is the most popular Christmas film for Conservative voters. She's not focus-grouped this interview.
She's right about Love Actually, if nothing else.
I can watch Notting Hill time after time, but found Love Actually cloyingly horrible.
Yup, I can sit through Notting Hill when my wife inevitably watches it every other year, bit I can't make it through Love Actually at all. It's just awful.
Told you Badenoch had faulty judgment and is out of touch with the British public.
But [Badenoch] is also inspired by fiction and is a fan of Game of Thrones. Asked if she identifies with Daenerys Targaryen, known as the Mother of Dragons, she said: “I strongly associated with Daenerys, yes.” She added that the character — a queen who demands unswerving loyalty, can walk through fire and has a penchant for immolating her enemies — is “much misunderstood”.
She is less keen on another cult favourite, however: the Christmas film Love Actually.
“There’s actually quite a lot of dark undertones to Love Actually,” she told the magazine. “There is a British prime minister who’s messing around and is not doing the foreign policy properly, people are cheating … there is a lot going on there if you move away from the smiley, happy, cheesy stuff.”
Instead, she enjoys Die Hard, which she describes as “a good Christmas-adjacent movie”. She added: “My favourite Christmas movie is probably a tie between Gremlins and Scrooged. Ghosts of Girlfriends Past is a close third. So I do like the Scrooge theme.“
Although not an Xmas movie, the best Xmas movie segment, bar none, is All through the House from "Tales from the Crypt" where Joan Collins has a less than pleasant encounter with Santa.
I'm going to bite on this one. He might end up PM one day but probably not the next one.
He'll be a bit old by the one after, by UK political standards... He's already 60.
...and might have the liver of an 80 year old.
My liver is in excellent condition according to my GP who requires blood tests every quarter due to my need to take blood thinners
Mind you I rarely drink !!!!
Long may it stay so!
Unlike you, Farage is not a healthy man and will, I suspect, age a lot in the next five years. He already looks a lot older than he is.
Fortunately my cardiologist provided me with a pacemaker in February having told me the day after Christmas last year that my heart was worn out and I needed an urgent pacemaker to save my life
Since then I remain under a haematologist, vascular surgeon, and my cardiologist, all of whom are performing valiantly to keep me going though at times its a struggle
Anyway I am so grateful for all my blessings
.........a haematologist a vascular surgeon and a cardiologist,
And these multi millionaire farmers want to know why they have to pay tax
They saved my life and you try to make it political
Told you Badenoch had faulty judgment and is out of touch with the British public.
But [Badenoch] is also inspired by fiction and is a fan of Game of Thrones. Asked if she identifies with Daenerys Targaryen, known as the Mother of Dragons, she said: “I strongly associated with Daenerys, yes.” She added that the character — a queen who demands unswerving loyalty, can walk through fire and has a penchant for immolating her enemies — is “much misunderstood”.
She is less keen on another cult favourite, however: the Christmas film Love Actually.
“There’s actually quite a lot of dark undertones to Love Actually,” she told the magazine. “There is a British prime minister who’s messing around and is not doing the foreign policy properly, people are cheating … there is a lot going on there if you move away from the smiley, happy, cheesy stuff.”
Instead, she enjoys Die Hard, which she describes as “a good Christmas-adjacent movie”. She added: “My favourite Christmas movie is probably a tie between Gremlins and Scrooged. Ghosts of Girlfriends Past is a close third. So I do like the Scrooge theme.“
Kemi hates Love Actually, which as we know from the More in Common Polls for The Rest is Entertainment (see the last thread header) is the most popular Christmas film for Conservative voters. She's not focus-grouped this interview.
She's right about Love Actually, if nothing else.
I can watch Notting Hill time after time, but found Love Actually cloyingly horrible.
Told you Badenoch had faulty judgment and is out of touch with the British public.
But [Badenoch] is also inspired by fiction and is a fan of Game of Thrones. Asked if she identifies with Daenerys Targaryen, known as the Mother of Dragons, she said: “I strongly associated with Daenerys, yes.” She added that the character — a queen who demands unswerving loyalty, can walk through fire and has a penchant for immolating her enemies — is “much misunderstood”.
She is less keen on another cult favourite, however: the Christmas film Love Actually.
“There’s actually quite a lot of dark undertones to Love Actually,” she told the magazine. “There is a British prime minister who’s messing around and is not doing the foreign policy properly, people are cheating … there is a lot going on there if you move away from the smiley, happy, cheesy stuff.”
Instead, she enjoys Die Hard, which she describes as “a good Christmas-adjacent movie”. She added: “My favourite Christmas movie is probably a tie between Gremlins and Scrooged. Ghosts of Girlfriends Past is a close third. So I do like the Scrooge theme.“
Kemi hates Love Actually, which as we know from the More in Common Polls for The Rest is Entertainment (see the last thread header) is the most popular Christmas film for Conservative voters. She's not focus-grouped this interview.
She's right about Love Actually, if nothing else.
I can watch Notting Hill time after time, but found Love Actually cloyingly horrible.
Yup, I can sit through Notting Hill when my wife inevitably watches it every other year, bit I can't make it through Love Actually at all. It's just awful.
Of course, the difference might just be that Notting Hill has the wonderful portrayal of Spike by Rhys Ifans...
Told you Badenoch had faulty judgment and is out of touch with the British public.
But [Badenoch] is also inspired by fiction and is a fan of Game of Thrones. Asked if she identifies with Daenerys Targaryen, known as the Mother of Dragons, she said: “I strongly associated with Daenerys, yes.” She added that the character — a queen who demands unswerving loyalty, can walk through fire and has a penchant for immolating her enemies — is “much misunderstood”.
She is less keen on another cult favourite, however: the Christmas film Love Actually.
“There’s actually quite a lot of dark undertones to Love Actually,” she told the magazine. “There is a British prime minister who’s messing around and is not doing the foreign policy properly, people are cheating … there is a lot going on there if you move away from the smiley, happy, cheesy stuff.”
Instead, she enjoys Die Hard, which she describes as “a good Christmas-adjacent movie”. She added: “My favourite Christmas movie is probably a tie between Gremlins and Scrooged. Ghosts of Girlfriends Past is a close third. So I do like the Scrooge theme.“
Kemi hates Love Actually, which as we know from the More in Common Polls for The Rest is Entertainment (see the last thread header) is the most popular Christmas film for Conservative voters. She's not focus-grouped this interview.
She's right about Love Actually, if nothing else.
I can watch Notting Hill time after time, but found Love Actually cloyingly horrible.
Yup, I can sit through Notting Hill when my wife inevitably watches it every other year, bit I can't make it through Love Actually at all. It's just awful.
We all have different views on many issues here but on Love Actually we seem to be, as a group, unified in our views on it.
I'm going to bite on this one. He might end up PM one day but probably not the next one.
He'll be a bit old by the one after, by UK political standards... He's already 60.
...and might have the liver of an 80 year old.
My liver is in excellent condition according to my GP who requires blood tests every quarter due to my need to take blood thinners
Mind you I rarely drink !!!!
Long may it stay so!
Unlike you, Farage is not a healthy man and will, I suspect, age a lot in the next five years. He already looks a lot older than he is.
Fortunately my cardiologist provided me with a pacemaker in February having told me the day after Christmas last year that my heart was worn out and I needed an urgent pacemaker to save my life
Since then I remain under a haematologist, vascular surgeon, and my cardiologist, all of whom are performing valiantly to keep me going though at times its a struggle
Anyway I am so grateful for all my blessings
.........a haematologist a vascular surgeon and a cardiologist,
And these multi millionaire farmers want to know why they have to pay tax
They saved my life and you try to make it political
Monthly inflation down to 2.6% as well and still dropping. By 2027 the annual rate could dip below 10% with a very fast growing economy. Argentina could very quickly become South America's powerhouse after decades of being a basket case.
Russia still doing better than Germany and about as well as Britain?
Russia is doing worse than anyone, they might as well have had a pandemic given the 3% contraction in GDP over the past year. Wonder what’s going on there?
Told you Badenoch had faulty judgment and is out of touch with the British public.
But [Badenoch] is also inspired by fiction and is a fan of Game of Thrones. Asked if she identifies with Daenerys Targaryen, known as the Mother of Dragons, she said: “I strongly associated with Daenerys, yes.” She added that the character — a queen who demands unswerving loyalty, can walk through fire and has a penchant for immolating her enemies — is “much misunderstood”.
She is less keen on another cult favourite, however: the Christmas film Love Actually.
“There’s actually quite a lot of dark undertones to Love Actually,” she told the magazine. “There is a British prime minister who’s messing around and is not doing the foreign policy properly, people are cheating … there is a lot going on there if you move away from the smiley, happy, cheesy stuff.”
Instead, she enjoys Die Hard, which she describes as “a good Christmas-adjacent movie”. She added: “My favourite Christmas movie is probably a tie between Gremlins and Scrooged. Ghosts of Girlfriends Past is a close third. So I do like the Scrooge theme.“
Kemi hates Love Actually, which as we know from the More in Common Polls for The Rest is Entertainment (see the last thread header) is the most popular Christmas film for Conservative voters. She's not focus-grouped this interview.
She's right about Love Actually, if nothing else.
I can watch Notting Hill time after time, but found Love Actually cloyingly horrible.
Yup, I can sit through Notting Hill when my wife inevitably watches it every other year, bit I can't make it through Love Actually at all. It's just awful.
Of course, the difference might just be that Notting Hill has the wonderful portrayal of Spike by Rhys Ifans...
I think Spike (a classic Curtis 'comedy' working class person) is the most annoying thing about Notting Hill. The best thing about it? The chemistry between the two leads. I could watch Julia Roberts in anything, though. Without wanting to go full Leon, she is a very beautiful woman.
Monthly inflation down to 2.6% as well and still dropping. By 2027 the annual rate could dip below 10% with a very fast growing economy. Argentina could very quickly become South America's powerhouse after decades of being a basket case.
There’s lots of American Republican fans of Millei on Twitter, obviously hoping to do something similar there next year. He was on Lex Fridman’s podcast the other week as well?
Meanwhile, what’s happening next door in Brazil. Doesn’t look too good there.
Russia still doing better than Germany and about as well as Britain?
Russia has a major drop in the rate of growth despite an unsustainable public sector deficit currently funded by large but now exhausted currency reserves and massive defence spending which should be boosting the economy (short term). One of the worst performers in the world compared to the previous year. At some point in 2025 it is going to hit the buffers, hard.
I'm going to bite on this one. He might end up PM one day but probably not the next one.
He'll be a bit old by the one after, by UK political standards... He's already 60.
...and might have the liver of an 80 year old.
My liver is in excellent condition according to my GP who requires blood tests every quarter due to my need to take blood thinners
Mind you I rarely drink !!!!
Long may it stay so!
Unlike you, Farage is not a healthy man and will, I suspect, age a lot in the next five years. He already looks a lot older than he is.
Fortunately my cardiologist provided me with a pacemaker in February having told me the day after Christmas last year that my heart was worn out and I needed an urgent pacemaker to save my life
Since then I remain under a haematologist, vascular surgeon, and my cardiologist, all of whom are performing valiantly to keep me going though at times its a struggle
Anyway I am so grateful for all my blessings
Indeed, good luck to you. Sadly a member of our congregation had a heart attack at the weekend and on a life support machine and unlikely to survive, she was a lovely lady and wife and mother and only in her early fifties so you never know what is around the corner
Monthly inflation down to 2.6% as well and still dropping. By 2027 the annual rate could dip below 10% with a very fast growing economy. Argentina could very quickly become South America's powerhouse after decades of being a basket case.
There’s lots of American Republican fans of Millei on Twitter, obviously hoping to do something similar there next year. He was on Lex Fridman’s podcast the other week as well.
Meanwhile, what’s happening next door in Brazil. Doesn’t look too good there.
Brazil is doing a more traditional South America lefty semi-chavista policy. A lot like what Labour are doing here, targeting businesses and wealth creators.
I'm going to bite on this one. He might end up PM one day but probably not the next one.
He'll be a bit old by the one after, by UK political standards... He's already 60.
...and might have the liver of an 80 year old.
My liver is in excellent condition according to my GP who requires blood tests every quarter due to my need to take blood thinners
Mind you I rarely drink !!!!
Long may it stay so!
Unlike you, Farage is not a healthy man and will, I suspect, age a lot in the next five years. He already looks a lot older than he is.
Fortunately my cardiologist provided me with a pacemaker in February having told me the day after Christmas last year that my heart was worn out and I needed an urgent pacemaker to save my life
Since then I remain under a haematologist, vascular surgeon, and my cardiologist, all of whom are performing valiantly to keep me going though at times its a struggle
Anyway I am so grateful for all my blessings
Indeed, good luck to you. Sadly a member of our congregation had a heart attack at the weekend and on a life support machine and unlikely to survive, she was a lovely lady and wife and mother and only in her early fifties so you never know what is around the corner
Yes, enjoy your life, what is left of it, as you do not know what is around the corner. That is why I am due to retire imminently.
Russia still doing better than Germany and about as well as Britain?
Russia has a major drop in the rate of growth despite an unsustainable public sector deficit currently funded by large but now exhausted currency reserves and massive defence spending which should be boosting the economy (short term). One of the worst performers in the world compared to the previous year. At some point in 2025 it is going to hit the buffers, hard.
Both Russia and Ukraine have huge problems racing towards them, Russia on the economy, and Ukraine militarily/manpower wise. I'd say it's a question of who can cling on the longest but Trump's quick deal idea may mean that's not the case.
Monthly inflation down to 2.6% as well and still dropping. By 2027 the annual rate could dip below 10% with a very fast growing economy. Argentina could very quickly become South America's powerhouse after decades of being a basket case.
There’s lots of American Republican fans of Millei on Twitter, obviously hoping to do something similar there next year. He was on Lex Fridman’s podcast the other week as well.
Meanwhile, what’s happening next door in Brazil. Doesn’t look too good there.
Brazil is doing a more traditional South America lefty semi-chavista policy. A lot like what Labour are doing here, targeting businesses and wealth creators.
Presumably using the same mantra "to make them pay their fair share"
I'm going to bite on this one. He might end up PM one day but probably not the next one.
He'll be a bit old by the one after, by UK political standards... He's already 60.
...and might have the liver of an 80 year old.
My liver is in excellent condition according to my GP who requires blood tests every quarter due to my need to take blood thinners
Mind you I rarely drink !!!!
Long may it stay so!
Unlike you, Farage is not a healthy man and will, I suspect, age a lot in the next five years. He already looks a lot older than he is.
Fortunately my cardiologist provided me with a pacemaker in February having told me the day after Christmas last year that my heart was worn out and I needed an urgent pacemaker to save my life
Since then I remain under a haematologist, vascular surgeon, and my cardiologist, all of whom are performing valiantly to keep me going though at times its a struggle
Comments
The item on the menu which will minimise objections, before the remainder of the meal commits a heart attack.
The sodium thiopental, before the potassium chloride enters the building.
Discuss
I like the look of a few of them. I will bookmark both sites and make a couple. The eggs and noodles looks lush.
The polls now show that the Tories are holding their 2024 voters who are largely middle class and adding a few 2024 middle class Labour voters.
Reform meanwhile are making big gains from 2024 white working class Labour voters, especially in the redwall to add to their largely working class July voters
Kill tens of thousands by perpetrating medical insurance fraud across America and you are lauded for increasing profits.
If the law isn't working for people then they won't respect it. If the law isn't for everyone then it's for no-one.
Perhaps someone should have read that quote about the benefit of the law to the CEO. He certainly seemed to think he could enjoy the law's protection without sticking to it.
More Trump votes than Harris votes apparently
Electoral college bias -0.23%
(+ve number is toward Harris, -ve is toward Trump)
Trump 77302654
Harris 75015847
Mind you I rarely drink !!!!
KingPresidentSecondly, coffee probably isn't the analogy you were looking for at McDonalds. It isn't particularly seen as a healthy product - it's just the alternative to Coke if you go in for breakfast. You're probably more thinking about the option to get carrot sticks rather than fries, which basically nobody does.
And even the very nice Heck sausages have too much salt in them.
Another is Rachel Reeve's 'here and no further' comments on tax increases so far.
That gives the opposition more influence than they deserve or should have imo, when the need is to drive through the strategic policies of the new Government. As I see it, one of Starmer's core domestic political requirement is to deliver perceptible and visible improvement to voters in time to win their votes in 2028 or 2029. Even if he is playing a top drawer game internationally, unless there is a White Swan (is that a thing?) domestic politics is the sausage, and international politics is the sizzle.
*Except at lunchtime.
Tractor tax and WFP will not be on the agenda but the legacy of ill feeling may remain
This seems to be the justice that was available for the thousands of people this CEO killed with his policies. Was it right? No. Are people sorry it happened? Also a resounding no.
I hope this will lead to some actual prosecutions of companies and executives that have defrauded the American public but that seems unlikely to me. If anything things will get worse and these kinds of acts will become more acceptable because people feel powerless to change things. Just as Trump swept away the big corporate loving Dems, I think a Bernie like candidate will sweep MAGA away if they don't do anything about companies ripping off ordinary people.
But [Badenoch] is also inspired by fiction and is a fan of Game of Thrones. Asked if she identifies with Daenerys Targaryen, known as the Mother of Dragons, she said: “I strongly associated with Daenerys, yes.” She added that the character — a queen who demands unswerving loyalty, can walk through fire and has a penchant for immolating her enemies — is “much misunderstood”.
She is less keen on another cult favourite, however: the Christmas film Love Actually.
“There’s actually quite a lot of dark undertones to Love Actually,” she told the magazine. “There is a British prime minister who’s messing around and is not doing the foreign policy properly, people are cheating … there is a lot going on there if you move away from the smiley, happy, cheesy stuff.”
Instead, she enjoys Die Hard, which she describes as “a good Christmas-adjacent movie”. She added: “My favourite Christmas movie is probably a tie between Gremlins and Scrooged. Ghosts of Girlfriends Past is a close third. So I do like the Scrooge theme.“
https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/kemi-badenoch-interview-tory-party-news-m6kxgwvhc
...........before convincing them that it was all part of the act. Get the unpopular stuff out of the way and it'll be sweet smelling roses from here on in and she won again ......and again....
I also think there's a good chance the LDs do *better* than last time because they will hang on to most of their wins, and take a few near misses.
But so much can happen between now and then, it's pretty much moot.
Which got quoted back to him, in court, when he questioned some of the evidence against him.
Another thing that is old as sin - someone being surprised when he gets a necktie at his favourite hanging tree.
The Revolution always eats its own.
The CEO was head of a private healthcare insurance company being paid to make a profit and manage risk in its healthcare funding. There was no excuse for his murder
Unlike you, Farage is not a healthy man and will, I suspect, age a lot in the next five years. He already looks a lot older than he is.
The people were offered an alternative and they voted for the rich people.
https://thehill.com/media/5036312-trump-kari-lake-director-voice-of-america/
President-elect Trump announced he is tapping Kari Lake, a former news anchor and staunch Trump supporter, to head the government-funded news outlet Voice of America.
“I am pleased to announce that Kari Lake will serve as our next Director of the Voice of America,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post Wednesday night.
Lake will “ensure that the American values of Freedom and Liberty are broadcast around the World FAIRLY and ACCURATELY, unlike the lies spread by the Fake News Media,” Trump added...
Since then I remain under a haematologist, vascular surgeon, and my cardiologist, all of whom are performing valiantly to keep me going though at times its a struggle
Anyway I am so grateful for all my blessings
Bizarre but true.
Badenoch's comment about lunch, though, is a small indication of poor judgement. My current employer sends out reminders from time to time that not only should we take a proper break from work at lunchtime, it should be away from our desks. And that's not because they are doing so out of the goodness of their hearts, there is a clear benefit in afternoon performance of doing so.
I also have a feeling that there is a requirement on an employer to ensure that staff take the break they are entitled to?
While proper fragmentation, Con/ref and Lab losing votes to Greens, tankies-light and Lib Dems* could see Ref winning on sub-30, I still think there would be a concerted tactical voting operation, even for the Tories, if that looked like a proper risk. Most likely would be if there was a polling miss - Ref not looking like they can win and then an exit poll surprise
*this never happens
The arrangements are coming to an end in 2026, and with France in several varieties of chaos it will be tempting for Mons. Macron to use it as a lever to please nationalists, blaming the UK.
Brexit promises were that it would help out fishing industry by recovering autonomy. The Govt will have control over quotas in UK waters, and pressure from other countries imo will be around tit for tat negotiations to maintain access.
I have no idea how this will go, or how other areas of improving co-operation may have an impact.
Also another case where the media was very selective about what was reported during the trial, trying to build towards a narrative that the acquittal was somehow unreasonable or that race was a factor - when it was a pretty straightforward case of self defence and the ‘victim’ was alive when police and medics arrived.
The thought that between them Farage and Badenoch have an even money chance of being next PM (27% + 22% chances) is risible.
Just do a simple exercise: there are two big prospects of the next PM being Labour - Starmer is replaced before the next election; Starmer wins the next election but doesn't carry on for 5 years. The % chance of the next PM being Labour is high.
ἄριστον μὲν ὕδωρ
In the later, politicians preach that the People are always right and pander to them on a range of things. Democracy is all.
Then, suddenly, with certain things - No, you can’t. Immigration is a Must. Protecting the water companies is a Must. Not building infrastructure is a Must. Enquiries into scandals never lead anywhere etc etc
So along come Trump or Reform and say “We will bulldoze our way forward. We will build the trains on time, and to a price.”
.........a haematologist a vascular surgeon and a cardiologist,
And these multi millionaire farmers want to know why they have to pay tax
One minute of RR:-
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/akCDcwTHFVo
Brill on Bluray.
Not your best moment
There were (and are) Argentine economic refugees in Peru…
2025 hasn't happened yet, so we don't know if the forecast is accurate.
The best thing about it? The chemistry between the two leads. I could watch Julia Roberts in anything, though. Without wanting to go full Leon, she is a very beautiful woman.
Meanwhile, what’s happening next door in Brazil. Doesn’t look too good there.
Lots of our debate is based on forecasts (I'm a bit guilty of that too, with the budget), and not enough on actual performance.