Musk backed Germany's AFD today and with Trump' co campaign director's derogatory comments about Mandelson and add in millions given to Farage by Musk, will this help or hinder Reform?
The US billionaries, not just Musk, are going to throw their money around in Europe now to finish off democracy aided by Putin and the middle eastern royal dictators. They won't find it particularly hard to win.
On the big questions, what we have in Europe can't really be called democracy. In this country people have consistently voted for reductions in immigration and got the opposite. Polls show substantial majorities in favour of the death penalty but it's become a political taboo to mention it. This disconnect can't hold forever and if the existing system collapses, it won't be the end of democracy but it's rebirth.
What voters want is low taxes, high public spending, no immigration but full capacity in healthcare, care and other jobs natives don't want to do. Delivering that mix isn't democracy, it is fantasy.
I note that you ignored the point about the death penalty. Do you think the idea of reintroducing it is a fantasy?
Do you think Letby should have gone to the gallows last year?
The polling for the death penalty is strongest for convicted child killers.
That would have been a question for the judge. We have decided to accept the risk of people being improperly euthanised so I don't think the potential for miscarriages of justice is decisive as an argument against the death penalty.
What's an acceptable number of dead innocents per year?
Well that is a decision people in government already makes with NICE making decisions on treatments to sanction....people die from those denials.
NICE currently defines it as 20k per qualy year....how do you therefore justify 50k a year to keep a child killer in prison?
There's a fundamental difference between action to kill someone, and inaction killing someone.
Hence the trolley problem.
In any case, support for the death penalty varies. When crime is seen as out of control, and there is no death penalty, then people are generally in favour.
And when there are high profile examples of it not looking so great (like Derek Bentley), then public opinion tends to go the other way.
So explain to someone innocent they wont get treatment because it cost's 21k a year so they will have to either go private or die but we will spend 50k a year to keep a child killer alive then probably spend a load more if they are released because not like they are getting a job plus they will no doubt need security cover
There's no reason why we can't introduce a greater element of work in our prisons to ensure prisoners pay for their upkeep. And it probably results in those released having greater skills and employability than would otherwise be the case.
Musk backed Germany's AFD today and with Trump' co campaign director's derogatory comments about Mandelson and add in millions given to Farage by Musk, will this help or hinder Reform?
The US billionaries, not just Musk, are going to throw their money around in Europe now to finish off democracy aided by Putin and the middle eastern royal dictators. They won't find it particularly hard to win.
On the big questions, what we have in Europe can't really be called democracy. In this country people have consistently voted for reductions in immigration and got the opposite. Polls show substantial majorities in favour of the death penalty but it's become a political taboo to mention it. This disconnect can't hold forever and if the existing system collapses, it won't be the end of democracy but it's rebirth.
What voters want is low taxes, high public spending, no immigration but full capacity in healthcare, care and other jobs natives don't want to do. Delivering that mix isn't democracy, it is fantasy.
I note that you ignored the point about the death penalty. Do you think the idea of reintroducing it is a fantasy?
Do you think Letby should have gone to the gallows last year?
The polling for the death penalty is strongest for convicted child killers.
That would have been a question for the judge. We have decided to accept the risk of people being improperly euthanised so I don't think the potential for miscarriages of justice is decisive as an argument against the death penalty.
What's an acceptable number of dead innocents per year?
Well that is a decision people in government already makes with NICE making decisions on treatments to sanction....people die from those denials.
NICE currently defines it as 20k per qualy year....how do you therefore justify 50k a year to keep a child killer in prison?
There's a fundamental difference between action to kill someone, and inaction killing someone.
Hence the trolley problem.
In any case, support for the death penalty varies. When crime is seen as out of control, and there is no death penalty, then people are generally in favour.
And when there are high profile examples of it not looking so great (like Derek Bentley), then public opinion tends to go the other way.
So explain to someone innocent they wont get treatment because it cost's 21k a year so they will have to either go private or die but we will spend 50k a year to keep a child killer alive then probably spend a load more if they are released because not like they are getting a job plus they will no doubt need security cover
There's no reason why we can't introduce a greater element of work in our prisons to ensure prisoners pay for their upkeep. And it probably results in those released having greater skills and employability than would otherwise be the case.
We could make a lot more by auctioning off execution rights and televisual rights and take some money of the billionaires
Musk backed Germany's AFD today and with Trump' co campaign director's derogatory comments about Mandelson and add in millions given to Farage by Musk, will this help or hinder Reform?
The US billionaries, not just Musk, are going to throw their money around in Europe now to finish off democracy aided by Putin and the middle eastern royal dictators. They won't find it particularly hard to win.
We will miss democracy when it's gone.
This man did well out of democracy.
Two Chinese Students come across Rishi Sunak now living the good life in Santa Monica
I am aware I am coming of as extreme tonight, I am however upset right now once again have a friend being told there treatment doesn't meet criteria for their illness yet we spend more keeping people like hindley and brady alive
If Billionaire Elon Musk wants to boldly go where no no billionaire has been before, perhaps he could go to the tax office and offer to pay his fair share of taxes!
Toby Young, if I rightly remember the Channel 4 docudrama When Boris Met Dave, was at Oxford with Boris and David Cameron. Accepted by mistake, Tobes got a first in PPE like Dave and was sacked from the Times like Boris. He is the quintessential Conservative.
I know Tobes reasonably well. OOOOH the stories I could tell, but shan't
He used to be quite a lad, but these days is much more sensible. He is doing genuinely good work with the Free Speech Union, taking on very deserving cases, he has also been cancelled at least twice, quite nastily, generally by people who hate the idea of Academies, or indeed of anyone rightwing
For the Free Speech Union alone it's a good appointment, far more deserved that 90% of these fucking time wasters on the left. Have you seen Starmer's list? Fucksake Well done Kemi
I agree. The fact he provokes billious attacks from our lefties says everything about his politics, nothing about his suitability. Do you folks want the Lords rammed to the rafters with centrist drones nodding through every bit of authoritarian lunacy that Sir Helmet dreams up? - Wait don't answer that.
Look at Starmer's list, and weep for Britain
Steamer’s new peerages:
Professor Wendy Alexander Sir Brendan Barber Luciana Berger Mary Bousted Kevin Brennan Lyn Brown Dinah Caine Kay Carberry Margaret Curran Thangam Debbonaire Julie Elliott David Evans Sue Gray Theresa Griffin Anji Hunter Carwyn Jones Mike Katz Gerard Lemos Alison Levitt KC Anne Longfield Deborah Mattinson Steve McCabe Claude Morae Wendy Nichols Simon Pitkeathley Dame Anne Marie Rafferty Krish Raval Marvin Rees
Revd Dr Russell David Rook Phil Wilson
At the same time they got rid of 42 Conservative peers this is a massive stacking of parliament on party political grounds.
And narry a whisper from the hypocrite who accused the Tories of electoral malfeasance for asking for voter ID or redistricting
Starmer is loathsome from basically every angle. Not only grossly incompetent, terrible at politics, a greedy lying grifter, and a charmless egotist, he is also a reeking hypocrite
Toby Young, if I rightly remember the Channel 4 docudrama When Boris Met Dave, was at Oxford with Boris and David Cameron. Accepted by mistake, Tobes got a first in PPE like Dave and was sacked from the Times like Boris. He is the quintessential Conservative.
I know Tobes reasonably well. OOOOH the stories I could tell, but shan't
He used to be quite a lad, but these days is much more sensible. He is doing genuinely good work with the Free Speech Union, taking on very deserving cases, he has also been cancelled at least twice, quite nastily, generally by people who hate the idea of Academies, or indeed of anyone rightwing
For the Free Speech Union alone it's a good appointment, far more deserved that 90% of these fucking time wasters on the left. Have you seen Starmer's list? Fucksake Well done Kemi
I agree. The fact he provokes billious attacks from our lefties says everything about his politics, nothing about his suitability. Do you folks want the Lords rammed to the rafters with centrist drones nodding through every bit of authoritarian lunacy that Sir Helmet dreams up? - Wait don't answer that.
Look at Starmer's list, and weep for Britain
Steamer’s new peerages:
Professor Wendy Alexander Sir Brendan Barber Luciana Berger Mary Bousted Kevin Brennan Lyn Brown Dinah Caine Kay Carberry Margaret Curran Thangam Debbonaire Julie Elliott David Evans Sue Gray Theresa Griffin Anji Hunter Carwyn Jones Mike Katz Gerard Lemos Alison Levitt KC Anne Longfield Deborah Mattinson Steve McCabe Claude Morae Wendy Nichols Simon Pitkeathley Dame Anne Marie Rafferty Krish Raval Marvin Rees
Revd Dr Russell David Rook Phil Wilson
At the same time they got rid of 42 Conservative peers this is a massive stacking of parliament on party political grounds.
And narry a whisper from the hypocrite who accused the Tories of electoral malfeasance for asking for voter ID or redistricting
They didn't get rid of Conservative peers. They got rid of hereditaries. Not the same thing.
The Tories are still the largest party in the Lords as I understand it.
42 of the life peers were elected by conservatives vs 2 elected by labour peers.
Grant that that is wrong (I was in favour a proper reform of the lords to get rid of the hereditaries) but this is a massive change in the composition of the house by executive fiat
"Reports of at least 11 Killed and over 60 Injured, after a Car drove Full-Speed into a Christmas Market in the Eastern German City of Magdeburg, with Police investigating the Incident as a Terrorist Attack"
I am aware I am coming of as extreme tonight, I am however upset right now once again have a friend being told there treatment doesn't meet criteria for their illness yet we spend more keeping people like hindley and brady alive
Musk backed Germany's AFD today and with Trump' co campaign director's derogatory comments about Mandelson and add in millions given to Farage by Musk, will this help or hinder Reform?
The US billionaries, not just Musk, are going to throw their money around in Europe now to finish off democracy aided by Putin and the middle eastern royal dictators. They won't find it particularly hard to win.
On the big questions, what we have in Europe can't really be called democracy. In this country people have consistently voted for reductions in immigration and got the opposite. Polls show substantial majorities in favour of the death penalty but it's become a political taboo to mention it. This disconnect can't hold forever and if the existing system collapses, it won't be the end of democracy but it's rebirth.
What voters want is low taxes, high public spending, no immigration but full capacity in healthcare, care and other jobs natives don't want to do. Delivering that mix isn't democracy, it is fantasy.
I note that you ignored the point about the death penalty. Do you think the idea of reintroducing it is a fantasy?
Clearly democracies can have the death penalty, USA and Japan as examples. It is up to parties to put it into a manifesto and get elected. I don't think it a particular barrier to being elected here.
It clearly is a barrier because among other things, reinstating the death penalty would involve withdrawing from the ECHR which on its own would provoke hysterical opposition.
You are confusing what is possible within the legacy of the Conservative party and what is possible within the UK. Yes the Conservative party establishment are too divided on leaving ECHR or the death penalty to make it sensible to make it part of their pitch. That doesn't stop others doing so and winning, if the voters want it, nor the Conservative party changing further over time.
So you would argue that if a party with such a platform came to power in the UK or another European country, it would simply be democracy working as it should?
It would be democratic. US and Japan up until now have the death penalty and are not in the ECHR, they are democracies.
A caveat would be that such parties tend to (not always) have a taste for the authoritarian in general which would weaken democracy. But on their own, there is nothing undemocratic about the death penalty or membership of the ECHR.
We have polling evidence that there is a disconnect between public opinion, and a stipulation of membership of the ECHR, yet membership of the ECHR is woven into constitutional legislation like the Good Friday Agreement. It acts as a brake on democracy by design.
As repeatedly pointed out public opinion is not internally logically consistent nor is it static or always deliverable.
And democracy is as much about the rule of law, independent judiciary as it is about the will of the people.
We had the rule of law and an independent judiciary long before we had universal suffrage.
Putins Russia has elections and he wins. He exagerrates the totals but he would win anyway. It is not what people mean by democracy.
Saying that he would win anyway is Putinist propaganda. Nobody in a freely-contested system could retain power for 25 years.
As I pointed out in my Parties article , it is entirely possible to hold power indefinitely in a democracy. You just say which parties can exist, and ensure that you have a veto over which candidates they can field. The votes are real, the results accurate, but the 'wrong' people never get to stand.
It's not democracy in that case, because such a scheme would not be possible if you had the freedom to protest, freedom of the Press, an independent judiciary, etc.
Democratic elections are a consequence of more fundamental elements of democracy - law and dissent. You can trivially have meaningless elections if there is not the rule of law or freedom to dissent, but in that case you don't have democracy.
Edit: I've been disappointed that the rhetoric on Syria from some in the West doesn't recognise this, and there is too much emphasis on elections, and not enough on the rule of law and freedom of speech.
You're redefining "democracy" to win your case. Although I agree with you that freedom of the press (now freedom of speech), freedom to create a party that represents your position and to recruit others to that cause, freedom to advocate positions currently illegal, etc are highly desirable, they are not necessary for democracy, and this deficit is democracy's Achilles heel.
Nearly finished a week of doing my taxes. Just a couple of hours needed now, after Christmas
What gets me REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY QUITE RESENTFUL is the fact that: if I am a day late filing my returns, I get INSTANTLY fined. But HMRC, all working from home, are now taking A YEAR to process Tax Exemption forms, despite multiple calls, and feeble promises, thereby costing me serious money
Utter state of this country
I'm not joking. A YEAR. AT LEAST
To process one form
Bureacracies tend to be more concerned with adherence to their own rules by others than their own compliance with standards, rules, or the law.
It's making me quite irritable. I spoke to my Knapping Foreign Tax Accountant today, and she said the only tax authority in the world that is as fucked up as the UK's is....Germany's
And it just so happens that my much-needed tax form is for exemption from tax by.... Germany
She said "the whole thing could take easily two years, or more"
I've already waited one year for the UK - AND THEY STILL HAVEN'T DELIVERED - and even when I get the form, perhaps when I am dead, I have to wait at least another year for the fucking krauts to be as shite as the British
It is emblematic of the two sick men of Europe. Germany and the UK
We sent a form to reclaim some German VAT (MwSt) (Well our German accountants did) a few weeks back. I reckon it'll be at least a couple of years we're out of pocket (If we're lucky) on it
Fucking maddening. I reckon HMRC's pitiful chaos - along with that of Germany's - is costing me thousands. Maybe tens of thousands if for some reason I keel over in the interim
WTF am I meant to do? My government no longer serves its purpose, it cannot run an efficient state. And yet when I vote for the other lot, they are just as bad, indeed significantly worse
For this reason alone I will vote Reform, to terrify the shit out of ALL the Establishment. I want them frightened for their jobs and I want half of them sacked
still waiting for a refund from HMRC from April - all it says is "pending" -apparently referred to a special department despite them accepting evidence of the pension contributions that caused the refund. Can you get to talk to that department? -nah of course not - the only conversation you will have (after about 30 minutes of infuriating nannying messages about finding out online any query ) is with yourself saying "Fing hell" when it then cuts you off.
Jim Harra (the CEO of HMRC) should have been sacked years ago due to this abysmal customer service
I'll make this my photo quota for today. I've been threatening PB wiyh a Vorrangsplein junction, and this is the first in the UK, in Sheffield.
It's a way of simplifying a junction between a minor, and major, road, such that decisions are made in sequence rather than all at once, by drivers especially. For motor traffic, a driver from the minor road addresses pedestrians and cycles, then traffic one way, then the other way, rather than all at once. A driver on the major route slows down a little. And cycles and pedestrians have their own more easily readable routes to follow.
Nearly finished a week of doing my taxes. Just a couple of hours needed now, after Christmas
What gets me REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY QUITE RESENTFUL is the fact that: if I am a day late filing my returns, I get INSTANTLY fined. But HMRC, all working from home, are now taking A YEAR to process Tax Exemption forms, despite multiple calls, and feeble promises, thereby costing me serious money
Utter state of this country
I'm not joking. A YEAR. AT LEAST
To process one form
Bureacracies tend to be more concerned with adherence to their own rules by others than their own compliance with standards, rules, or the law.
It's making me quite irritable. I spoke to my Knapping Foreign Tax Accountant today, and she said the only tax authority in the world that is as fucked up as the UK's is....Germany's
And it just so happens that my much-needed tax form is for exemption from tax by.... Germany
She said "the whole thing could take easily two years, or more"
I've already waited one year for the UK - AND THEY STILL HAVEN'T DELIVERED - and even when I get the form, perhaps when I am dead, I have to wait at least another year for the fucking krauts to be as shite as the British
It is emblematic of the two sick men of Europe. Germany and the UK
We sent a form to reclaim some German VAT (MwSt) (Well our German accountants did) a few weeks back. I reckon it'll be at least a couple of years we're out of pocket (If we're lucky) on it
Fucking maddening. I reckon HMRC's pitiful chaos - along with that of Germany's - is costing me thousands. Maybe tens of thousands if for some reason I keel over in the interim
WTF am I meant to do? My government no longer serves its purpose, it cannot run an efficient state. And yet when I vote for the other lot, they are just as bad, indeed significantly worse
For this reason alone I will vote Reform, to terrify the shit out of ALL the Establishment. I want them frightened for their jobs and I want half of them sacked
still waiting for a refund from HMRC from April - all it says is "pending" -apparently referred to a special department despite them accepting evidence of the pension contributions that caused the refund. Can you get to talk to that department -nah of course not - the only conversation you will have (after about 30 minutes of infuriating nannying messages about finding out online any query ) is with yourself saying "Fing hell" when it then cuts you off
They're all at home. When I call them I can literally hear their fucking pets and kids kicking off, and then they say "Oh I can't find the file, let me get back to you in a few days"
Well maybe you can't find it because you are sitting on your obese butt in your fucking house in Newent, you pathetic lazy bint
I have honestly had HMRC twats say to me, "We understand we have failed you, we are now expediting your case"
EXPEDITING
And then - nothing. She goes and has another biscuit. If I ran my life like this I'd be out of work in weeks
It is utterly pathetic. Get them back in the office and halve their pay with the threat of instant dismissal and replacement by a keen, eager, articulate robot
Look at these threats from the BBC mafia - expect the thugs on Christmas Day!
When we win in 2029, the licence fee is gone on day one.
There’s actually a really unpleasant tone to that letter. Not one which a quasi governmental agency should be adopting
The licence fee demand letters are one of the best arguments in favour of abolishing the licence fee. They're vile.
I have a long history of not having a television, so a long history of getting these threatening letters. Recently I heard of a new one I haven't seen personally. Apparently they start legal proceedings and if you don't reply to their letter (eg you've just recycled it unopened) you can be found guilty in absentia. So you have to pay the fine even if you genuinely don't need a license.
Attendance requirements - it's not full time, but it's more than an occasional hobby
No ex-MPs/political staffers/donors right away - it's not a retirement home, reward for being a loser, or to be a prize to be bought
Greater time for scrutiny
Simple and straightforward.
What’s wrong with ex-MPs? They are surely among the most qualified for the role.
If they are ex mp's voters have judged them unfit to govern so you put them back in a government role in the lords....thats what is wrong
I was thinking about that when I saw Thangam Debbonaire’s (sp?) name on the list. I’d rather see her back in the Commons, but she seems to be a sensible woman and an asset to Parliament.
Musk backed Germany's AFD today and with Trump' co campaign director's derogatory comments about Mandelson and add in millions given to Farage by Musk, will this help or hinder Reform?
The US billionaries, not just Musk, are going to throw their money around in Europe now to finish off democracy aided by Putin and the middle eastern royal dictators. They won't find it particularly hard to win.
On the big questions, what we have in Europe can't really be called democracy. In this country people have consistently voted for reductions in immigration and got the opposite. Polls show substantial majorities in favour of the death penalty but it's become a political taboo to mention it. This disconnect can't hold forever and if the existing system collapses, it won't be the end of democracy but it's rebirth.
What voters want is low taxes, high public spending, no immigration but full capacity in healthcare, care and other jobs natives don't want to do. Delivering that mix isn't democracy, it is fantasy.
I note that you ignored the point about the death penalty. Do you think the idea of reintroducing it is a fantasy?
Clearly democracies can have the death penalty, USA and Japan as examples. It is up to parties to put it into a manifesto and get elected. I don't think it a particular barrier to being elected here.
It clearly is a barrier because among other things, reinstating the death penalty would involve withdrawing from the ECHR which on its own would provoke hysterical opposition.
You are confusing what is possible within the legacy of the Conservative party and what is possible within the UK. Yes the Conservative party establishment are too divided on leaving ECHR or the death penalty to make it sensible to make it part of their pitch. That doesn't stop others doing so and winning, if the voters want it, nor the Conservative party changing further over time.
So you would argue that if a party with such a platform came to power in the UK or another European country, it would simply be democracy working as it should?
It would be democratic. US and Japan up until now have the death penalty and are not in the ECHR, they are democracies.
A caveat would be that such parties tend to (not always) have a taste for the authoritarian in general which would weaken democracy. But on their own, there is nothing undemocratic about the death penalty or membership of the ECHR.
We have polling evidence that there is a disconnect between public opinion, and a stipulation of membership of the ECHR, yet membership of the ECHR is woven into constitutional legislation like the Good Friday Agreement. It acts as a brake on democracy by design.
As repeatedly pointed out public opinion is not internally logically consistent nor is it static or always deliverable.
And democracy is as much about the rule of law, independent judiciary as it is about the will of the people.
We had the rule of law and an independent judiciary long before we had universal suffrage.
Putins Russia has elections and he wins. He exagerrates the totals but he would win anyway. It is not what people mean by democracy.
Saying that he would win anyway is Putinist propaganda. Nobody in a freely-contested system could retain power for 25 years.
As I pointed out in my Parties article , it is entirely possible to hold power indefinitely in a democracy. You just say which parties can exist, and ensure that you have a veto over which candidates they can field. The votes are real, the results accurate, but the 'wrong' people never get to stand.
It's not democracy in that case, because such a scheme would not be possible if you had the freedom to protest, freedom of the Press, an independent judiciary, etc.
Democratic elections are a consequence of more fundamental elements of democracy - law and dissent. You can trivially have meaningless elections if there is not the rule of law or freedom to dissent, but in that case you don't have democracy.
Edit: I've been disappointed that the rhetoric on Syria from some in the West doesn't recognise this, and there is too much emphasis on elections, and not enough on the rule of law and freedom of speech.
You're redefining "democracy" to win your case. Although I agree with you that freedom of the press (now freedom of speech), freedom to create a party that represents your position and to recruit others to that cause, freedom to advocate positions currently illegal, etc are highly desirable, they are not necessary for democracy, and this deficit is democracy's Achilles heel.
On one level all definitions are arbitrary, but the definition I'm using has long-standing. It's why Britain is generally considered to be a democracy in the 19th century, despite being well short of universal suffrage, and it also didn't have full freedom of assembly for much of that period either.
Attendance requirements - it's not full time, but it's more than an occasional hobby
No ex-MPs/political staffers/donors right away - it's not a retirement home, reward for being a loser, or to be a prize to be bought
Greater time for scrutiny
Simple and straightforward.
What’s wrong with ex-MPs? They are surely among the most qualified for the role.
My problem with ex-MPs is how they are appointed, as compensation when they lose, or to convince some old duffer to stand aside in their seat to get in some new blood. Being appointed right after not being an MP also means they are still immersed in the day to day political psychodrama of the Commons, and therefore not in the right frame of mind for the more scrutiny minded focus of the Lords. You will get some decent ones, but you will also get a bunch of the most useless political lapdogs that exist.
That's why I favour a delay before they can go to the Lords of 2 parliaments/10 years - so that they have demonstrated a) additional achievements/skills beyond merely being an MP, and b) gain a level of seperation and perspective on politics because they have been away from it for a little while.
Musk backed Germany's AFD today and with Trump' co campaign director's derogatory comments about Mandelson and add in millions given to Farage by Musk, will this help or hinder Reform?
The US billionaries, not just Musk, are going to throw their money around in Europe now to finish off democracy aided by Putin and the middle eastern royal dictators. They won't find it particularly hard to win.
We will miss democracy when it's gone.
Funny that the Lib Dems literally campaigned to Revoke democracy, ie the Brexit referendum, and most of the Left wanted to annul democracy, by not enacting Brexit and having a 2nd vote to reverse it without even implementing it, ie telling the voters they don't count
Didn't see many lefties and Lib Dems "missing democracy" back then
Don't forget shecorns missive here advocating a grand coalition to keep out reform if they polled most
The abolishing elections (temporarily) to save democracy was the corker…
In 1939 all Parties in the UK united to fight Hitler. Hitler and the right wing British Press wanted to install Moseley and the ex King to give Hitler power
Now we have another Trojan Horse like Moseley in Farage Trump is not Hitler he is a mere puppet. The Fuhrer of 21st century fascism is Musk.
Musk poses far greater threat to the world than Hitler.
Idiots saying they will vote Reform because they can't be arsed to fill in a Tax Return on time, having had 9 months warning, may think they are funny, but make no mistake Reform as a Musk puppet would destroy Britain.
Imagine London like Damascus or Beirut in 2030...its real and Reform are a cancer within ..
Look at these threats from the BBC mafia - expect the thugs on Christmas Day!
When we win in 2029, the licence fee is gone on day one.
There’s actually a really unpleasant tone to that letter. Not one which a quasi governmental agency should be adopting
The licence fee demand letters are one of the best arguments in favour of abolishing the licence fee. They're vile.
I have a long history of not having a television, so a long history of getting these threatening letters. Recently I heard of a new one I haven't seen personally. Apparently they start legal proceedings and if you don't reply to their letter (eg you've just recycled it unopened) you can be found guilty in absentia. So you have to pay the fine even if you genuinely don't need a license.
Good evening, everybody.
If you can be tried and convicted without being ever told you are told you are on trial then this is not a country of law and justice
Attendance requirements - it's not full time, but it's more than an occasional hobby
No ex-MPs/political staffers/donors right away - it's not a retirement home, reward for being a loser, or to be a prize to be bought
Greater time for scrutiny
Simple and straightforward.
What’s wrong with ex-MPs? They are surely among the most qualified for the role.
If they are ex mp's voters have judged them unfit to govern so you put them back in a government role in the lords....thats what is wrong
An ex-MP hasn’t necessarily lost an election. They may have chosen not to stand again.
I think we should have an elected upper house. But if we’re going to have appointments, then why not appoint experienced legislators?
As per my other reply the issue for me is the cronyism means you get a mix of decent ex-MPs, and a bunch of timeserving nonentities, but more its because I think the Lords serves a slightly different role than the Commons, and ex-MPs should show additional reason they deserve to be reappointed to the legislature (for life), and a separation of time enables that and allows for them to take a step back from being immersed in toe dogfights of national top level politics, and so approach the new role in a better frame of mind.
Attendance requirements - it's not full time, but it's more than an occasional hobby
No ex-MPs/political staffers/donors right away - it's not a retirement home, reward for being a loser, or to be a prize to be bought
Greater time for scrutiny
Simple and straightforward.
What’s wrong with ex-MPs? They are surely among the most qualified for the role.
My problem with ex-MPs is how they are appointed, as compensation when they lose, or to convince some old duffer to stand aside in their seat to get in some new blood. Being appointed right after not being an MP also means they are still immersed in the day to day political psychodrama of the Commons, and therefore not in the right frame of mind for the more scrutiny minded focus of the Lords. You will get some decent ones, but you will also get a bunch of the most useless political lapdogs that exist.
That's why I favour a delay before they can go to the Lords of 2 parliaments/10 years - so that they have demonstrated a) additional achievements/skills beyond merely being an MP, and b) gain a level of seperation and perspective on politics because they have been away from it for a little while.
Also given the last few decades arguing ex mp's are most qualified to govern is somewhat risible they are the ones that landed us in this mess
Obviously, these things shouldn't be needed, but come on, they're not difficult to set up in the required spots.
Apparently they did have them and it wasn't enough. Who knows. Maybe - maybe - we will find out
Why should we have to live in fear at our own Christmas markets, in Christian countries? With militarised police and massive barriers? Which arguably don't work?
Obviously, these things shouldn't be needed, but come on, they're not difficult to set up in the required spots.
Apparently they did have them and it wasn't enough. Who knows. Maybe - maybe - we will find out
Why should we have to live in fear at our own Christmas markets, in Christian countries? With militarised police and massive barriers? Which arguably don't work?
Look at these threats from the BBC mafia - expect the thugs on Christmas Day!
When we win in 2029, the licence fee is gone on day one.
There’s actually a really unpleasant tone to that letter. Not one which a quasi governmental agency should be adopting
The licence fee demand letters are one of the best arguments in favour of abolishing the licence fee. They're vile.
I have a long history of not having a television, so a long history of getting these threatening letters. Recently I heard of a new one I haven't seen personally. Apparently they start legal proceedings and if you don't reply to their letter (eg you've just recycled it unopened) you can be found guilty in absentia. So you have to pay the fine even if you genuinely don't need a license.
Good evening, everybody.
Thanks Anne, that's very helpful and informative. Our next door neighbour has been getting these letters for years. He's blind.
I'll be watching out for the arrival of any such threats now.
Look at these threats from the BBC mafia - expect the thugs on Christmas Day!
When we win in 2029, the licence fee is gone on day one.
There’s actually a really unpleasant tone to that letter. Not one which a quasi governmental agency should be adopting
The licence fee demand letters are one of the best arguments in favour of abolishing the licence fee. They're vile.
I have a long history of not having a television, so a long history of getting these threatening letters. Recently I heard of a new one I haven't seen personally. Apparently they start legal proceedings and if you don't reply to their letter (eg you've just recycled it unopened) you can be found guilty in absentia. So you have to pay the fine even if you genuinely don't need a license.
Good evening, everybody.
A lot of cases are decided in the absence of the householder.
According to Wikipedia the BBC are heavily involved in the language used in the TV licensing letters.
According to the BBC: "Customer service is the brand experience we create for customers who are currently licensed, unknowingly unlicensed or who don't need a licence", whereas "Collections is the brand experience we create for those customers whose television licence has expired and whom TV Licensing wants to motivate to renew." Finally, the enforcement tone is used for households who have been unlicensed for a longer period.
I believe a previous poster was severely mistaken to put the blame on the contractors. Also worth noting that Wikipedia states that the BBC have a statutory duty to ensure that all households requiring a TV licence have one, so ultimately the responsibility is Parliament's.
Attendance requirements - it's not full time, but it's more than an occasional hobby
No ex-MPs/political staffers/donors right away - it's not a retirement home, reward for being a loser, or to be a prize to be bought
Greater time for scrutiny
Simple and straightforward.
What’s wrong with ex-MPs? They are surely among the most qualified for the role.
My problem with ex-MPs is how they are appointed, as compensation when they lose, or to convince some old duffer to stand aside in their seat to get in some new blood. Being appointed right after not being an MP also means they are still immersed in the day to day political psychodrama of the Commons, and therefore not in the right frame of mind for the more scrutiny minded focus of the Lords. You will get some decent ones, but you will also get a bunch of the most useless political lapdogs that exist.
That's why I favour a delay before they can go to the Lords of 2 parliaments/10 years - so that they have demonstrated a) additional achievements/skills beyond merely being an MP, and b) gain a level of seperation and perspective on politics because they have been away from it for a little while.
Seems pointlessly complicated. No-one else getting elevated to the Lords is judged on their additional achievements, level of separation or perspective.
The obvious approach is to do what nearly every other democracy does and have elections. If you’re going to appoint, then tinkering around with rules like this is make-work.
Look at these threats from the BBC mafia - expect the thugs on Christmas Day!
When we win in 2029, the licence fee is gone on day one.
There’s actually a really unpleasant tone to that letter. Not one which a quasi governmental agency should be adopting
The licence fee demand letters are one of the best arguments in favour of abolishing the licence fee. They're vile.
I have a long history of not having a television, so a long history of getting these threatening letters. Recently I heard of a new one I haven't seen personally. Apparently they start legal proceedings and if you don't reply to their letter (eg you've just recycled it unopened) you can be found guilty in absentia. So you have to pay the fine even if you genuinely don't need a license.
Good evening, everybody.
If you can be tried and convicted without being ever told you are told you are on trial then this is not a country of law and justice
That's normal with civil court cases, isn't it? You're called to court, you don't defend yourself ... you lose. But that isn't 'conviction'.
It's only criminal if you don't pay up the ensuing charge/penalty [edit], I believe. Then you do get convicted.
Look at these threats from the BBC mafia - expect the thugs on Christmas Day!
When we win in 2029, the licence fee is gone on day one.
There’s actually a really unpleasant tone to that letter. Not one which a quasi governmental agency should be adopting
The licence fee demand letters are one of the best arguments in favour of abolishing the licence fee. They're vile.
I have a long history of not having a television, so a long history of getting these threatening letters. Recently I heard of a new one I haven't seen personally. Apparently they start legal proceedings and if you don't reply to their letter (eg you've just recycled it unopened) you can be found guilty in absentia. So you have to pay the fine even if you genuinely don't need a license.
Good evening, everybody.
If you can be tried and convicted without being ever told you are told you are on trial then this is not a country of law and justice
That's normal with civil court cases, isn't it? You're called to court, you don't defend yourself ... you lose. But that isn't 'conviction'.
It's only criminal if you don't pay up, I believe. Then you do get convicted.
Which is fine if you know and don't turn up. The implication was they weren't told of a court summons
Nearly finished a week of doing my taxes. Just a couple of hours needed now, after Christmas
What gets me REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY QUITE RESENTFUL is the fact that: if I am a day late filing my returns, I get INSTANTLY fined. But HMRC, all working from home, are now taking A YEAR to process Tax Exemption forms, despite multiple calls, and feeble promises, thereby costing me serious money
Utter state of this country
I'm not joking. A YEAR. AT LEAST
To process one form
Bureacracies tend to be more concerned with adherence to their own rules by others than their own compliance with standards, rules, or the law.
It's making me quite irritable. I spoke to my Knapping Foreign Tax Accountant today, and she said the only tax authority in the world that is as fucked up as the UK's is....Germany's
And it just so happens that my much-needed tax form is for exemption from tax by.... Germany
She said "the whole thing could take easily two years, or more"
I've already waited one year for the UK - AND THEY STILL HAVEN'T DELIVERED - and even when I get the form, perhaps when I am dead, I have to wait at least another year for the fucking krauts to be as shite as the British
It is emblematic of the two sick men of Europe. Germany and the UK
We sent a form to reclaim some German VAT (MwSt) (Well our German accountants did) a few weeks back. I reckon it'll be at least a couple of years we're out of pocket (If we're lucky) on it
Fucking maddening. I reckon HMRC's pitiful chaos - along with that of Germany's - is costing me thousands. Maybe tens of thousands if for some reason I keel over in the interim
WTF am I meant to do? My government no longer serves its purpose, it cannot run an efficient state. And yet when I vote for the other lot, they are just as bad, indeed significantly worse
For this reason alone I will vote Reform, to terrify the shit out of ALL the Establishment. I want them frightened for their jobs and I want half of them sacked
still waiting for a refund from HMRC from April - all it says is "pending" -apparently referred to a special department despite them accepting evidence of the pension contributions that caused the refund. Can you get to talk to that department -nah of course not - the only conversation you will have (after about 30 minutes of infuriating nannying messages about finding out online any query ) is with yourself saying "Fing hell" when it then cuts you off
They're all at home. When I call them I can literally hear their fucking pets and kids kicking off, and then they say "Oh I can't find the file, let me get back to you in a few days"
Well maybe you can't find it because you are sitting on your obese butt in your fucking house in Newent, you pathetic lazy bint
I have honestly had HMRC twats say to me, "We understand we have failed you, we are now expediting your case"
EXPEDITING
And then - nothing. She goes and has another biscuit. If I ran my life like this I'd be out of work in weeks
It is utterly pathetic. Get them back in the office and halve their pay with the threat of instant dismissal and replacement by a keen, eager, articulate robot
I've always found them quite good. Maybe I'm just lucky.
Attendance requirements - it's not full time, but it's more than an occasional hobby
No ex-MPs/political staffers/donors right away - it's not a retirement home, reward for being a loser, or to be a prize to be bought
Greater time for scrutiny
Simple and straightforward.
What’s wrong with ex-MPs? They are surely among the most qualified for the role.
My problem with ex-MPs is how they are appointed, as compensation when they lose, or to convince some old duffer to stand aside in their seat to get in some new blood. Being appointed right after not being an MP also means they are still immersed in the day to day political psychodrama of the Commons, and therefore not in the right frame of mind for the more scrutiny minded focus of the Lords. You will get some decent ones, but you will also get a bunch of the most useless political lapdogs that exist.
That's why I favour a delay before they can go to the Lords of 2 parliaments/10 years - so that they have demonstrated a) additional achievements/skills beyond merely being an MP, and b) gain a level of seperation and perspective on politics because they have been away from it for a little while.
Seems pointlessly complicated. No-one else getting elevated to the Lords is judged on their additional achievements, level of separation or perspective.
The obvious approach is to do what nearly every other democracy does and have elections. If you’re going to appoint, then tinkering around with rules like this is make-work.
Which is a fair argument to make, and one reason many support an elected chamber.
But I disagree tinkering with such rules is make work, I would argue it is improving what is there, and that is worth doing even if you prefer to go fully elected. Other people are getting judged on their additional achievements, separation, and perspective, by the very fact that they are not politicians that is the sole things they are getting judged on - excellence in their fields, good works, etc. They are being judged, ostensibly, on what they have to offer the legislature.
What do ex-MPs offer the legislature that anyone else does not offer better? We have the Commons to offer the openly political perspective. Most MPs are no good at scrutinising or drafting legislation, as it is not something working in the Commons incentivizes, and those who get appointed to the Lords are more likely to be loyal footsoldiers than potentially troublemaking legislation drafters.
I think it would remove a corrupting element of our politics wherein PMs can buy out some of their MPs or reward cronies by giving them a title and job for life.
We can improve the Lords without going fully elected or abolishing, if that is a step too far for many people.
Look at these threats from the BBC mafia - expect the thugs on Christmas Day!
When we win in 2029, the licence fee is gone on day one.
There’s actually a really unpleasant tone to that letter. Not one which a quasi governmental agency should be adopting
The licence fee demand letters are one of the best arguments in favour of abolishing the licence fee. They're vile.
I have a long history of not having a television, so a long history of getting these threatening letters. Recently I heard of a new one I haven't seen personally. Apparently they start legal proceedings and if you don't reply to their letter (eg you've just recycled it unopened) you can be found guilty in absentia. So you have to pay the fine even if you genuinely don't need a license.
Good evening, everybody.
If you can be tried and convicted without being ever told you are told you are on trial then this is not a country of law and justice
That's normal with civil court cases, isn't it? You're called to court, you don't defend yourself ... you lose. But that isn't 'conviction'.
It's only criminal if you don't pay up, I believe. Then you do get convicted.
Which is fine if you know and don't turn up. The implication was they weren't told of a court summons
Not the implication of AnneJGP's post: just that if it comes and you ignore it ... The court summons will be valid if properly registered by the postman etc.
It's an extremely annoying system. I had lots of letters to deal with as the executor of an elderly relative whose house clearance and sale got held up. Even when I'd told them the house was empty I kept getting the letters. I had to write another formal statement.
Nearly finished a week of doing my taxes. Just a couple of hours needed now, after Christmas
What gets me REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY QUITE RESENTFUL is the fact that: if I am a day late filing my returns, I get INSTANTLY fined. But HMRC, all working from home, are now taking A YEAR to process Tax Exemption forms, despite multiple calls, and feeble promises, thereby costing me serious money
Utter state of this country
I'm not joking. A YEAR. AT LEAST
To process one form
Bureacracies tend to be more concerned with adherence to their own rules by others than their own compliance with standards, rules, or the law.
It's making me quite irritable. I spoke to my Knapping Foreign Tax Accountant today, and she said the only tax authority in the world that is as fucked up as the UK's is....Germany's
And it just so happens that my much-needed tax form is for exemption from tax by.... Germany
She said "the whole thing could take easily two years, or more"
I've already waited one year for the UK - AND THEY STILL HAVEN'T DELIVERED - and even when I get the form, perhaps when I am dead, I have to wait at least another year for the fucking krauts to be as shite as the British
It is emblematic of the two sick men of Europe. Germany and the UK
We sent a form to reclaim some German VAT (MwSt) (Well our German accountants did) a few weeks back. I reckon it'll be at least a couple of years we're out of pocket (If we're lucky) on it
Fucking maddening. I reckon HMRC's pitiful chaos - along with that of Germany's - is costing me thousands. Maybe tens of thousands if for some reason I keel over in the interim
WTF am I meant to do? My government no longer serves its purpose, it cannot run an efficient state. And yet when I vote for the other lot, they are just as bad, indeed significantly worse
For this reason alone I will vote Reform, to terrify the shit out of ALL the Establishment. I want them frightened for their jobs and I want half of them sacked
still waiting for a refund from HMRC from April - all it says is "pending" -apparently referred to a special department despite them accepting evidence of the pension contributions that caused the refund. Can you get to talk to that department -nah of course not - the only conversation you will have (after about 30 minutes of infuriating nannying messages about finding out online any query ) is with yourself saying "Fing hell" when it then cuts you off
They're all at home. When I call them I can literally hear their fucking pets and kids kicking off, and then they say "Oh I can't find the file, let me get back to you in a few days"
Well maybe you can't find it because you are sitting on your obese butt in your fucking house in Newent, you pathetic lazy bint
I have honestly had HMRC twats say to me, "We understand we have failed you, we are now expediting your case"
EXPEDITING
And then - nothing. She goes and has another biscuit. If I ran my life like this I'd be out of work in weeks
It is utterly pathetic. Get them back in the office and halve their pay with the threat of instant dismissal and replacement by a keen, eager, articulate robot
I've always found them quite good. Maybe I'm just lucky.
This is a fairly recent evolution - during and post pandemic. HMRC were reasonably efficient before. But ever since, Jeez
It was forgivable, perhaps, in 2022, in 2024? No. FFS. It is clearly a drag on the economy
I wonder when you last filed a significent self assessment return, my guess is a while, and maybe never a return with an element of foreign income, which seems to be a particular deficiency
The UKPO - the passport office - was fricking terrible for a while. Now they are super efficient. I've heard this from multiple sources, and experienced it myself. Personal phone calls the next day, and results within a week
Whatever happened at the UKPO, apply it to the HMRC
Look at these threats from the BBC mafia - expect the thugs on Christmas Day!
When we win in 2029, the licence fee is gone on day one.
There’s actually a really unpleasant tone to that letter. Not one which a quasi governmental agency should be adopting
The licence fee demand letters are one of the best arguments in favour of abolishing the licence fee. They're vile.
I have a long history of not having a television, so a long history of getting these threatening letters. Recently I heard of a new one I haven't seen personally. Apparently they start legal proceedings and if you don't reply to their letter (eg you've just recycled it unopened) you can be found guilty in absentia. So you have to pay the fine even if you genuinely don't need a license.
Good evening, everybody.
I also have no time at all for the harrassing TV licence protection racket, it is a total scandal, as is the confused law about who needs a TV licence, but there is a misjudgment here.
A civil society depends upon being able to deem that receiving a letter according to a statutory and lawful procedure means you are on notice of its contents. Eg a Notice of Intended Prosecution for motoring offences. It's not enough to argue that you throw letters away unopened and therefore you don't know what is going on.
Look at these threats from the BBC mafia - expect the thugs on Christmas Day!
When we win in 2029, the licence fee is gone on day one.
There’s actually a really unpleasant tone to that letter. Not one which a quasi governmental agency should be adopting
The licence fee demand letters are one of the best arguments in favour of abolishing the licence fee. They're vile.
I have a long history of not having a television, so a long history of getting these threatening letters. Recently I heard of a new one I haven't seen personally. Apparently they start legal proceedings and if you don't reply to their letter (eg you've just recycled it unopened) you can be found guilty in absentia. So you have to pay the fine even if you genuinely don't need a license.
Good evening, everybody.
I also have no time at all for the harrassing TV licence protection racket, it is a total scandal, as is the confused law about who needs a TV licence, but there is a misjudgment here.
A civil society depends upon being able to deem that receiving a letter according to a statutory and lawful procedure means you are on notice of its contents. Eg a Notice of Intended Prosecution for motoring offences. It's not enough to argue that you throw letters away unopened and therefore you don't know what is going on.
I would argue given the amount of post that I am told I have been sent and never received that something like a notice of court proceedings needs more than just a "Well we sent it"...should require a signature of receipt too
Look at these threats from the BBC mafia - expect the thugs on Christmas Day!
When we win in 2029, the licence fee is gone on day one.
There’s actually a really unpleasant tone to that letter. Not one which a quasi governmental agency should be adopting
The licence fee demand letters are one of the best arguments in favour of abolishing the licence fee. They're vile.
I have a long history of not having a television, so a long history of getting these threatening letters. Recently I heard of a new one I haven't seen personally. Apparently they start legal proceedings and if you don't reply to their letter (eg you've just recycled it unopened) you can be found guilty in absentia. So you have to pay the fine even if you genuinely don't need a license.
Good evening, everybody.
If you can be tried and convicted without being ever told you are told you are on trial then this is not a country of law and justice
That's normal with civil court cases, isn't it? You're called to court, you don't defend yourself ... you lose. But that isn't 'conviction'.
It's only criminal if you don't pay up, I believe. Then you do get convicted.
Which is fine if you know and don't turn up. The implication was they weren't told of a court summons
That's the point. They tell you in what you believe is junk mail, so you chuck it away unopened.
Look at these threats from the BBC mafia - expect the thugs on Christmas Day!
When we win in 2029, the licence fee is gone on day one.
There’s actually a really unpleasant tone to that letter. Not one which a quasi governmental agency should be adopting
The licence fee demand letters are one of the best arguments in favour of abolishing the licence fee. They're vile.
I have a long history of not having a television, so a long history of getting these threatening letters. Recently I heard of a new one I haven't seen personally. Apparently they start legal proceedings and if you don't reply to their letter (eg you've just recycled it unopened) you can be found guilty in absentia. So you have to pay the fine even if you genuinely don't need a license.
Good evening, everybody.
I also have no time at all for the harrassing TV licence protection racket, it is a total scandal, as is the confused law about who needs a TV licence, but there is a misjudgment here.
A civil society depends upon being able to deem that receiving a letter according to a statutory and lawful procedure means you are on notice of its contents. Eg a Notice of Intended Prosecution for motoring offences. It's not enough to argue that you throw letters away unopened and therefore you don't know what is going on.
Have you not noticed how shit the Royal Mail is now? I reckon 10% of my promised letter and parcels, if sent by Royal Mail, do not make it
Look at these threats from the BBC mafia - expect the thugs on Christmas Day!
When we win in 2029, the licence fee is gone on day one.
There’s actually a really unpleasant tone to that letter. Not one which a quasi governmental agency should be adopting
The licence fee demand letters are one of the best arguments in favour of abolishing the licence fee. They're vile.
I have a long history of not having a television, so a long history of getting these threatening letters. Recently I heard of a new one I haven't seen personally. Apparently they start legal proceedings and if you don't reply to their letter (eg you've just recycled it unopened) you can be found guilty in absentia. So you have to pay the fine even if you genuinely don't need a license.
Good evening, everybody.
I also have no time at all for the harrassing TV licence protection racket, it is a total scandal, as is the confused law about who needs a TV licence, but there is a misjudgment here.
A civil society depends upon being able to deem that receiving a letter according to a statutory and lawful procedure means you are on notice of its contents. Eg a Notice of Intended Prosecution for motoring offences. It's not enough to argue that you throw letters away unopened and therefore you don't know what is going on.
I would argue given the amount of post that I am told I have been sent and never received that something like a notice of court proceedings needs more than just a "Well we sent it"...should require a signature of receipt too
Agree in part. Though of course this turns the system into one where the evasive have the upper hand. Proof of delivery should be sufficient.
The UKPO - the passport office - was fricking terrible for a while. Now they are super efficient. I've heard this from multiple sources, and experienced it myself. Personal phone calls the next day, and results within a week
Whatever happened at the UKPO, apply it to the HMRC
Yep, earlier this year it was just 8 days from taking my picture at the printing shop to receiving my new passport in the post.
Look at these threats from the BBC mafia - expect the thugs on Christmas Day!
When we win in 2029, the licence fee is gone on day one.
There’s actually a really unpleasant tone to that letter. Not one which a quasi governmental agency should be adopting
The licence fee demand letters are one of the best arguments in favour of abolishing the licence fee. They're vile.
I have a long history of not having a television, so a long history of getting these threatening letters. Recently I heard of a new one I haven't seen personally. Apparently they start legal proceedings and if you don't reply to their letter (eg you've just recycled it unopened) you can be found guilty in absentia. So you have to pay the fine even if you genuinely don't need a license.
Good evening, everybody.
I also have no time at all for the harrassing TV licence protection racket, it is a total scandal, as is the confused law about who needs a TV licence, but there is a misjudgment here.
A civil society depends upon being able to deem that receiving a letter according to a statutory and lawful procedure means you are on notice of its contents. Eg a Notice of Intended Prosecution for motoring offences. It's not enough to argue that you throw letters away unopened and therefore you don't know what is going on.
I would argue given the amount of post that I am told I have been sent and never received that something like a notice of court proceedings needs more than just a "Well we sent it"...should require a signature of receipt too
Agree in part. Though of course this turns the system into one where the evasive have the upper hand. Proof of delivery should be sufficient.
99.99 percent of mail I get is junk mail...pod isnt enough you need signature for receipt...the evasive easy...put the letter in an amazon box
Obviously, these things shouldn't be needed, but come on, they're not difficult to set up in the required spots.
Where are the required spots? A Ford Transit that swerved into the bus queue outside a school could kill a dozen children and the odd parent. Are we to place barriers by every bus stop in the country? Look at fans converging on a football ground. Central London is full of tourists looking at Christmas decorations.
The trouble with lone wolf nutters is that kitchen knives and cars are freely available and can kill lots of people provided the attacker does not mind being captured or killed. And people convinced God is on their side often welcome that as a shortcut to heaven.
The UKPO - the passport office - was fricking terrible for a while. Now they are super efficient. I've heard this from multiple sources, and experienced it myself. Personal phone calls the next day, and results within a week
Whatever happened at the UKPO, apply it to the HMRC
Yep, earlier this year it was just 8 days from taking my picture at the printing shop to receiving my new passport in the post.
Toby Young, if I rightly remember the Channel 4 docudrama When Boris Met Dave, was at Oxford with Boris and David Cameron. Accepted by mistake, Tobes got a first in PPE like Dave and was sacked from the Times like Boris. He is the quintessential Conservative.
I know Tobes reasonably well. OOOOH the stories I could tell, but shan't
He used to be quite a lad, but these days is much more sensible. He is doing genuinely good work with the Free Speech Union, taking on very deserving cases, he has also been cancelled at least twice, quite nastily, generally by people who hate the idea of Academies, or indeed of anyone rightwing
For the Free Speech Union alone it's a good appointment, far more deserved that 90% of these fucking time wasters on the left. Have you seen Starmer's list? Fucksake Well done Kemi
I agree. The fact he provokes billious attacks from our lefties says everything about his politics, nothing about his suitability. Do you folks want the Lords rammed to the rafters with centrist drones nodding through every bit of authoritarian lunacy that Sir Helmet dreams up? - Wait don't answer that.
Look at Starmer's list, and weep for Britain
Steamer’s new peerages:
Professor Wendy Alexander Sir Brendan Barber Luciana Berger Mary Bousted Kevin Brennan Lyn Brown Dinah Caine Kay Carberry Margaret Curran Thangam Debbonaire Julie Elliott David Evans Sue Gray Theresa Griffin Anji Hunter Carwyn Jones Mike Katz Gerard Lemos Alison Levitt KC Anne Longfield Deborah Mattinson Steve McCabe Claude Morae Wendy Nichols Simon Pitkeathley Dame Anne Marie Rafferty Krish Raval Marvin Rees
Revd Dr Russell David Rook Phil Wilson
At the same time they got rid of 42 Conservative peers this is a massive stacking of parliament on party political grounds.
And narry a whisper from the hypocrite who accused the Tories of electoral malfeasance for asking for voter ID or redistricting
Starmer is loathsome from basically every angle. Not only grossly incompetent, terrible at politics, a greedy lying grifter, and a charmless egotist, he is also a reeking hypocrite
Look at these threats from the BBC mafia - expect the thugs on Christmas Day!
When we win in 2029, the licence fee is gone on day one.
There’s actually a really unpleasant tone to that letter. Not one which a quasi governmental agency should be adopting
The licence fee demand letters are one of the best arguments in favour of abolishing the licence fee. They're vile.
I have a long history of not having a television, so a long history of getting these threatening letters. Recently I heard of a new one I haven't seen personally. Apparently they start legal proceedings and if you don't reply to their letter (eg you've just recycled it unopened) you can be found guilty in absentia. So you have to pay the fine even if you genuinely don't need a license.
Good evening, everybody.
I also have no time at all for the harrassing TV licence protection racket, it is a total scandal, as is the confused law about who needs a TV licence, but there is a misjudgment here.
A civil society depends upon being able to deem that receiving a letter according to a statutory and lawful procedure means you are on notice of its contents. Eg a Notice of Intended Prosecution for motoring offences. It's not enough to argue that you throw letters away unopened and therefore you don't know what is going on.
I would argue given the amount of post that I am told I have been sent and never received that something like a notice of court proceedings needs more than just a "Well we sent it"...should require a signature of receipt too
Agree in part. Though of course this turns the system into one where the evasive have the upper hand. Proof of delivery should be sufficient.
99.99 percent of mail I get is junk mail...pod isnt enough you need signature for receipt...the evasive easy...put the letter in an amazon box
Plus had proof of delivery photo's for parcels where gone back to the company and said yeah but that photo isnt where I live....no idea who they delivered it to but it wasn't me....also had plenty of mail from RM which wasnt addressed to my house but a different one so no proof of delivery sorry that fails
The UKPO - the passport office - was fricking terrible for a while. Now they are super efficient. I've heard this from multiple sources, and experienced it myself. Personal phone calls the next day, and results within a week
Whatever happened at the UKPO, apply it to the HMRC
Yep, earlier this year it was just 8 days from taking my picture at the printing shop to receiving my new passport in the post.
Yes, I need two passports because job and I had a lovely Scottish lady personally call me and discuss my case and she was charming and efficient (Glasgow passport office?) and both arrived about 5 days later, and considerably earlier than the official ETA
V pleasing. But HMRC is much more important than UKPO and fucksake they need to sort themselves out. My internatinal flint accountant is not given to swearing or hyperbole but she was cussing the UK and German tax authorities today
Look at these threats from the BBC mafia - expect the thugs on Christmas Day!
When we win in 2029, the licence fee is gone on day one.
There’s actually a really unpleasant tone to that letter. Not one which a quasi governmental agency should be adopting
The licence fee demand letters are one of the best arguments in favour of abolishing the licence fee. They're vile.
I have a long history of not having a television, so a long history of getting these threatening letters. Recently I heard of a new one I haven't seen personally. Apparently they start legal proceedings and if you don't reply to their letter (eg you've just recycled it unopened) you can be found guilty in absentia. So you have to pay the fine even if you genuinely don't need a license.
Good evening, everybody.
A lot of cases are decided in the absence of the householder.
According to Wikipedia the BBC are heavily involved in the language used in the TV licensing letters.
According to the BBC: "Customer service is the brand experience we create for customers who are currently licensed, unknowingly unlicensed or who don't need a licence", whereas "Collections is the brand experience we create for those customers whose television licence has expired and whom TV Licensing wants to motivate to renew." Finally, the enforcement tone is used for households who have been unlicensed for a longer period.
I believe a previous poster was severely mistaken to put the blame on the contractors. Also worth noting that Wikipedia states that the BBC have a statutory duty to ensure that all households requiring a TV licence have one, so ultimately the responsibility is Parliament's.
If you tell them you don't need a licence, the certificate is supposed to cover you for 2 years, but the enforcement letters start before even one year has passed.
The hysterical response from many to Musk's AfD tweet couldn't have had worse timing.
'Hysterical' ?
Not really. Perhaps we should actually wait and see what's happened, and by who.
Playing political games with this sort of event is really shitty.
Yes it was fairly hysterical. 'Serious' people were saying it was illegal for him to state his opinion and that he should be sanctioned by the EU.
Why don't you think Musk is a danger to democracy, in the USA and abroad?
I disagree with the framing entirely. Why is Musk a 'danger' but conducting an open borders experiment against the wishes of the people is sensible and moderate?
Look at these threats from the BBC mafia - expect the thugs on Christmas Day!
When we win in 2029, the licence fee is gone on day one.
There’s actually a really unpleasant tone to that letter. Not one which a quasi governmental agency should be adopting
The licence fee demand letters are one of the best arguments in favour of abolishing the licence fee. They're vile.
I have a long history of not having a television, so a long history of getting these threatening letters. Recently I heard of a new one I haven't seen personally. Apparently they start legal proceedings and if you don't reply to their letter (eg you've just recycled it unopened) you can be found guilty in absentia. So you have to pay the fine even if you genuinely don't need a license.
Good evening, everybody.
A lot of cases are decided in the absence of the householder.
According to Wikipedia the BBC are heavily involved in the language used in the TV licensing letters.
According to the BBC: "Customer service is the brand experience we create for customers who are currently licensed, unknowingly unlicensed or who don't need a licence", whereas "Collections is the brand experience we create for those customers whose television licence has expired and whom TV Licensing wants to motivate to renew." Finally, the enforcement tone is used for households who have been unlicensed for a longer period.
I believe a previous poster was severely mistaken to put the blame on the contractors. Also worth noting that Wikipedia states that the BBC have a statutory duty to ensure that all households requiring a TV licence have one, so ultimately the responsibility is Parliament's.
If you tell them you don't need a licence, the certificate is supposed to cover you for 2 years, but the enforcement letters start before even one year has passed.
Also if they turn up to your door record the interaction, they have been known to both lie about what was said and fill out the form themselves that they are meant to ask you to fill out because guess what...they get commission
Nearly finished a week of doing my taxes. Just a couple of hours needed now, after Christmas
What gets me REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY QUITE RESENTFUL is the fact that: if I am a day late filing my returns, I get INSTANTLY fined. But HMRC, all working from home, are now taking A YEAR to process Tax Exemption forms, despite multiple calls, and feeble promises, thereby costing me serious money
Utter state of this country
I'm not joking. A YEAR. AT LEAST
To process one form
Bureacracies tend to be more concerned with adherence to their own rules by others than their own compliance with standards, rules, or the law.
It's making me quite irritable. I spoke to my Knapping Foreign Tax Accountant today, and she said the only tax authority in the world that is as fucked up as the UK's is....Germany's
And it just so happens that my much-needed tax form is for exemption from tax by.... Germany
She said "the whole thing could take easily two years, or more"
I've already waited one year for the UK - AND THEY STILL HAVEN'T DELIVERED - and even when I get the form, perhaps when I am dead, I have to wait at least another year for the fucking krauts to be as shite as the British
It is emblematic of the two sick men of Europe. Germany and the UK
We sent a form to reclaim some German VAT (MwSt) (Well our German accountants did) a few weeks back. I reckon it'll be at least a couple of years we're out of pocket (If we're lucky) on it
Fucking maddening. I reckon HMRC's pitiful chaos - along with that of Germany's - is costing me thousands. Maybe tens of thousands if for some reason I keel over in the interim
WTF am I meant to do? My government no longer serves its purpose, it cannot run an efficient state. And yet when I vote for the other lot, they are just as bad, indeed significantly worse
For this reason alone I will vote Reform, to terrify the shit out of ALL the Establishment. I want them frightened for their jobs and I want half of them sacked
still waiting for a refund from HMRC from April - all it says is "pending" -apparently referred to a special department despite them accepting evidence of the pension contributions that caused the refund. Can you get to talk to that department -nah of course not - the only conversation you will have (after about 30 minutes of infuriating nannying messages about finding out online any query ) is with yourself saying "Fing hell" when it then cuts you off
They're all at home. When I call them I can literally hear their fucking pets and kids kicking off, and then they say "Oh I can't find the file, let me get back to you in a few days"
Well maybe you can't find it because you are sitting on your obese butt in your fucking house in Newent, you pathetic lazy bint
I have honestly had HMRC twats say to me, "We understand we have failed you, we are now expediting your case"
EXPEDITING
And then - nothing. She goes and has another biscuit. If I ran my life like this I'd be out of work in weeks
It is utterly pathetic. Get them back in the office and halve their pay with the threat of instant dismissal and replacement by a keen, eager, articulate robot
Hypothetically, if Starmer were to sort out HMRC (extremely unlikely, I know), would you vote for him … again ?
“A car has crashed into a crowd at a Christmas market in east Germany, local media report.
“A least one person has been killed and several injured in the incident in Magdeburg, according to German public broadcaster MDR.”
Watch the video. At your moral peril
If only one person has died it is a genuine Christmas miracle; I fear that has not happened
A cursory glance at "the video" shows it has already been sped up to make it look more dramatic.
Given there have been previous similar incidents across Europe, I wouldn't be so sure this is footage from this particular event.
What are you talking about? Are you claming this event is "faked"??
No. I'm just pointing out that the video doing the rounds has 1) been altered 2) might not be of the same event.
It's a bit pathetic of you to suggest that my cautious take on this means I am some sort of terrorist attack denier. Indeed, my take relies on the fact there have been so many similar attacks in the past.
The hysterical response from many to Musk's AfD tweet couldn't have had worse timing.
'Hysterical' ?
Not really. Perhaps we should actually wait and see what's happened, and by who.
Playing political games with this sort of event is really shitty.
Yes it was fairly hysterical. 'Serious' people were saying it was illegal for him to state his opinion and that he should be sanctioned by the EU.
Why don't you think Musk is a danger to democracy, in the USA and abroad?
I disagree with the framing entirely. Why is Musk a 'danger' but conducting an open borders experiment against the wishes of the people is sensible and moderate?
Why do you think the two are even remotely comparable?
Nearly finished a week of doing my taxes. Just a couple of hours needed now, after Christmas
What gets me REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY QUITE RESENTFUL is the fact that: if I am a day late filing my returns, I get INSTANTLY fined. But HMRC, all working from home, are now taking A YEAR to process Tax Exemption forms, despite multiple calls, and feeble promises, thereby costing me serious money
Utter state of this country
I'm not joking. A YEAR. AT LEAST
To process one form
Bureacracies tend to be more concerned with adherence to their own rules by others than their own compliance with standards, rules, or the law.
It's making me quite irritable. I spoke to my Knapping Foreign Tax Accountant today, and she said the only tax authority in the world that is as fucked up as the UK's is....Germany's
And it just so happens that my much-needed tax form is for exemption from tax by.... Germany
She said "the whole thing could take easily two years, or more"
I've already waited one year for the UK - AND THEY STILL HAVEN'T DELIVERED - and even when I get the form, perhaps when I am dead, I have to wait at least another year for the fucking krauts to be as shite as the British
It is emblematic of the two sick men of Europe. Germany and the UK
We sent a form to reclaim some German VAT (MwSt) (Well our German accountants did) a few weeks back. I reckon it'll be at least a couple of years we're out of pocket (If we're lucky) on it
Fucking maddening. I reckon HMRC's pitiful chaos - along with that of Germany's - is costing me thousands. Maybe tens of thousands if for some reason I keel over in the interim
WTF am I meant to do? My government no longer serves its purpose, it cannot run an efficient state. And yet when I vote for the other lot, they are just as bad, indeed significantly worse
For this reason alone I will vote Reform, to terrify the shit out of ALL the Establishment. I want them frightened for their jobs and I want half of them sacked
still waiting for a refund from HMRC from April - all it says is "pending" -apparently referred to a special department despite them accepting evidence of the pension contributions that caused the refund. Can you get to talk to that department -nah of course not - the only conversation you will have (after about 30 minutes of infuriating nannying messages about finding out online any query ) is with yourself saying "Fing hell" when it then cuts you off
They're all at home. When I call them I can literally hear their fucking pets and kids kicking off, and then they say "Oh I can't find the file, let me get back to you in a few days"
Well maybe you can't find it because you are sitting on your obese butt in your fucking house in Newent, you pathetic lazy bint
I have honestly had HMRC twats say to me, "We understand we have failed you, we are now expediting your case"
EXPEDITING
And then - nothing. She goes and has another biscuit. If I ran my life like this I'd be out of work in weeks
It is utterly pathetic. Get them back in the office and halve their pay with the threat of instant dismissal and replacement by a keen, eager, articulate robot
Hypothetically, if Starmer were to sort out HMRC (extremely unlikely, I know), would you vote for him … again ?
lolno
Edit to add: I don't blame this shit on Starmer. But I don't see him sorting out public sector inefficiency
“A car has crashed into a crowd at a Christmas market in east Germany, local media report.
“A least one person has been killed and several injured in the incident in Magdeburg, according to German public broadcaster MDR.”
Watch the video. At your moral peril
If only one person has died it is a genuine Christmas miracle; I fear that has not happened
A cursory glance at "the video" shows it has already been sped up to make it look more dramatic.
Given there have been previous similar incidents across Europe, I wouldn't be so sure this is footage from this particular event.
What are you talking about? Are you claming this event is "faked"??
No. I'm just pointing out that the video doing the rounds has 1) been altered 2) might not be of the same event.
It's a bit pathetic of you to suggest that my cautious take on this suggests I am some sort of terrorist attack denier. Indeed, my take relies on the fact there have been so many similar attacks in the past.
Footage recorded with a slower frame rate would appear to be sped up when played at normal speed. It wouldn't mean it's been altered.
Look at these threats from the BBC mafia - expect the thugs on Christmas Day!
When we win in 2029, the licence fee is gone on day one.
There’s actually a really unpleasant tone to that letter. Not one which a quasi governmental agency should be adopting
The licence fee demand letters are one of the best arguments in favour of abolishing the licence fee. They're vile.
I have a long history of not having a television, so a long history of getting these threatening letters. Recently I heard of a new one I haven't seen personally. Apparently they start legal proceedings and if you don't reply to their letter (eg you've just recycled it unopened) you can be found guilty in absentia. So you have to pay the fine even if you genuinely don't need a license.
Good evening, everybody.
I also have no time at all for the harrassing TV licence protection racket, it is a total scandal, as is the confused law about who needs a TV licence, but there is a misjudgment here.
A civil society depends upon being able to deem that receiving a letter according to a statutory and lawful procedure means you are on notice of its contents. Eg a Notice of Intended Prosecution for motoring offences. It's not enough to argue that you throw letters away unopened and therefore you don't know what is going on.
Have you not noticed how shit the Royal Mail is now? I reckon 10% of my promised letter and parcels, if sent by Royal Mail, do not make it
If it cost the BBC's enforcers the same to send each of these letters as it costs us to send a second class letter, there would be fewer of them.
I haven't had the Christmas one, but I get more than one a month.
“A car has crashed into a crowd at a Christmas market in east Germany, local media report.
“A least one person has been killed and several injured in the incident in Magdeburg, according to German public broadcaster MDR.”
Watch the video. At your moral peril
If only one person has died it is a genuine Christmas miracle; I fear that has not happened
A cursory glance at "the video" shows it has already been sped up to make it look more dramatic.
Given there have been previous similar incidents across Europe, I wouldn't be so sure this is footage from this particular event.
What are you talking about? Are you claming this event is "faked"??
No. I'm just pointing out that the video doing the rounds has 1) been altered 2) might not be of the same event.
It's a bit pathetic of you to suggest that my cautious take on this suggests I am some sort of terrorist attack denier. Indeed, my take relies on the fact there have been so many similar attacks in the past.
Footage recorded with a slower frame rate would appear to be sped up when played at normal speed. It wouldn't mean it's been altered.
I'm really not sure that real-time real-speed footage of humans being brutally smashed and pulverised by a determined driver of a murderous car would be somehow "better". Less indicting of Islamists, is that your thinking? In what way? We can see the limbs flying more slowly?
“A car has crashed into a crowd at a Christmas market in east Germany, local media report.
“A least one person has been killed and several injured in the incident in Magdeburg, according to German public broadcaster MDR.”
Watch the video. At your moral peril
If only one person has died it is a genuine Christmas miracle; I fear that has not happened
A cursory glance at "the video" shows it has already been sped up to make it look more dramatic.
Given there have been previous similar incidents across Europe, I wouldn't be so sure this is footage from this particular event.
What are you talking about? Are you claming this event is "faked"??
No. I'm just pointing out that the video doing the rounds has 1) been altered 2) might not be of the same event.
It's a bit pathetic of you to suggest that my cautious take on this suggests I am some sort of terrorist attack denier. Indeed, my take relies on the fact there have been so many similar attacks in the past.
Footage recorded with a slower frame rate would appear to be sped up when played at normal speed. It wouldn't mean it's been altered.
That's true - if German CCTV is recording at 15 FPS or something. But to me the reaction times and distance look too fast as well.
“A car has crashed into a crowd at a Christmas market in east Germany, local media report.
“A least one person has been killed and several injured in the incident in Magdeburg, according to German public broadcaster MDR.”
Watch the video. At your moral peril
If only one person has died it is a genuine Christmas miracle; I fear that has not happened
A cursory glance at "the video" shows it has already been sped up to make it look more dramatic.
Given there have been previous similar incidents across Europe, I wouldn't be so sure this is footage from this particular event.
What are you talking about? Are you claming this event is "faked"??
No. I'm just pointing out that the video doing the rounds has 1) been altered 2) might not be of the same event.
It's a bit pathetic of you to suggest that my cautious take on this suggests I am some sort of terrorist attack denier. Indeed, my take relies on the fact there have been so many similar attacks in the past.
Footage recorded with a slower frame rate would appear to be sped up when played at normal speed. It wouldn't mean it's been altered.
That's true - if German CCTV is recording at 15 FPS or something. But to me the reaction times and distance look too fast as well.
You're diseased. Many people have died and you are focusing on the speed of the CCTV footage, and whether it is "fake"
“A car has crashed into a crowd at a Christmas market in east Germany, local media report.
“A least one person has been killed and several injured in the incident in Magdeburg, according to German public broadcaster MDR.”
Watch the video. At your moral peril
If only one person has died it is a genuine Christmas miracle; I fear that has not happened
A cursory glance at "the video" shows it has already been sped up to make it look more dramatic.
Given there have been previous similar incidents across Europe, I wouldn't be so sure this is footage from this particular event.
What are you talking about? Are you claming this event is "faked"??
No. I'm just pointing out that the video doing the rounds has 1) been altered 2) might not be of the same event.
It's a bit pathetic of you to suggest that my cautious take on this suggests I am some sort of terrorist attack denier. Indeed, my take relies on the fact there have been so many similar attacks in the past.
Footage recorded with a slower frame rate would appear to be sped up when played at normal speed. It wouldn't mean it's been altered.
That's true - if German CCTV is recording at 15 FPS or something. But to me the reaction times and distance look too fast as well.
So you're not just commenting on the speed of the film but also think it's faked in some way? That's a bit too conspiracy-minded.
“A car has crashed into a crowd at a Christmas market in east Germany, local media report.
“A least one person has been killed and several injured in the incident in Magdeburg, according to German public broadcaster MDR.”
Watch the video. At your moral peril
If only one person has died it is a genuine Christmas miracle; I fear that has not happened
A cursory glance at "the video" shows it has already been sped up to make it look more dramatic.
Given there have been previous similar incidents across Europe, I wouldn't be so sure this is footage from this particular event.
What are you talking about? Are you claming this event is "faked"??
No. I'm just pointing out that the video doing the rounds has 1) been altered 2) might not be of the same event.
It's a bit pathetic of you to suggest that my cautious take on this suggests I am some sort of terrorist attack denier. Indeed, my take relies on the fact there have been so many similar attacks in the past.
Footage recorded with a slower frame rate would appear to be sped up when played at normal speed. It wouldn't mean it's been altered.
I'm really not sure that real-time real-speed footage of humans being brutally smashed and pulverised by a determined driver of a murderous car would be somehow "better". Less indicting of Islamists, is that your thinking? In what way? We can see the limbs flying more slowly?
Do provide your reasoning
Chill out, WG is just pointing out the weird jerky effect you get when you take a old silent film shot at 18fps and play it at 24fps. That might be the case here too, and explain why I thought it had been sped up.
“A car has crashed into a crowd at a Christmas market in east Germany, local media report.
“A least one person has been killed and several injured in the incident in Magdeburg, according to German public broadcaster MDR.”
Watch the video. At your moral peril
If only one person has died it is a genuine Christmas miracle; I fear that has not happened
A cursory glance at "the video" shows it has already been sped up to make it look more dramatic.
Given there have been previous similar incidents across Europe, I wouldn't be so sure this is footage from this particular event.
What are you talking about? Are you claming this event is "faked"??
No. I'm just pointing out that the video doing the rounds has 1) been altered 2) might not be of the same event.
It's a bit pathetic of you to suggest that my cautious take on this suggests I am some sort of terrorist attack denier. Indeed, my take relies on the fact there have been so many similar attacks in the past.
Footage recorded with a slower frame rate would appear to be sped up when played at normal speed. It wouldn't mean it's been altered.
That's true - if German CCTV is recording at 15 FPS or something. But to me the reaction times and distance look too fast as well.
So you're not just commenting on the speed of the film but also think it's faked in some way? That's a bit too conspiracy-minded.
No, I just think it's been sped up a bit by whoever has shared it.
“A car has crashed into a crowd at a Christmas market in east Germany, local media report.
“A least one person has been killed and several injured in the incident in Magdeburg, according to German public broadcaster MDR.”
Watch the video. At your moral peril
If only one person has died it is a genuine Christmas miracle; I fear that has not happened
A cursory glance at "the video" shows it has already been sped up to make it look more dramatic.
Given there have been previous similar incidents across Europe, I wouldn't be so sure this is footage from this particular event.
What are you talking about? Are you claming this event is "faked"??
No. I'm just pointing out that the video doing the rounds has 1) been altered 2) might not be of the same event.
It's a bit pathetic of you to suggest that my cautious take on this suggests I am some sort of terrorist attack denier. Indeed, my take relies on the fact there have been so many similar attacks in the past.
Footage recorded with a slower frame rate would appear to be sped up when played at normal speed. It wouldn't mean it's been altered.
I'm really not sure that real-time real-speed footage of humans being brutally smashed and pulverised by a determined driver of a murderous car would be somehow "better". Less indicting of Islamists, is that your thinking? In what way? We can see the limbs flying more slowly?
Do provide your reasoning
Chill out, WG is just pointing out the weird jerky effect you get when you take a old silent film shot at 18fps and play it at 24fps. That might be the case here too, and explain why I thought it had been sped up.
Your initial instincts were telling, and grotesque
How is not having a licence sufficient evidence to convict someone of watching TV illegally?
That is equivalent to being convicted of driving without a licence just because you have not passed your test.
Because as I sometimes read BBC news and listen to BBC podcasts, I know that 100% of the nation are glued to every live broadcast update about Bake Off, Strictly and Masterchef.
“A car has crashed into a crowd at a Christmas market in east Germany, local media report.
“A least one person has been killed and several injured in the incident in Magdeburg, according to German public broadcaster MDR.”
Watch the video. At your moral peril
If only one person has died it is a genuine Christmas miracle; I fear that has not happened
A cursory glance at "the video" shows it has already been sped up to make it look more dramatic.
Given there have been previous similar incidents across Europe, I wouldn't be so sure this is footage from this particular event.
What are you talking about? Are you claming this event is "faked"??
No. I'm just pointing out that the video doing the rounds has 1) been altered 2) might not be of the same event.
It's a bit pathetic of you to suggest that my cautious take on this suggests I am some sort of terrorist attack denier. Indeed, my take relies on the fact there have been so many similar attacks in the past.
Footage recorded with a slower frame rate would appear to be sped up when played at normal speed. It wouldn't mean it's been altered.
I'm really not sure that real-time real-speed footage of humans being brutally smashed and pulverised by a determined driver of a murderous car would be somehow "better". Less indicting of Islamists, is that your thinking? In what way? We can see the limbs flying more slowly?
Do provide your reasoning
Chill out, WG is just pointing out the weird jerky effect you get when you take a old silent film shot at 18fps and play it at 24fps. That might be the case here too, and explain why I thought it had been sped up.
Your initial instincts were telling, and grotesque
Pot. meet kettle, black.
What sort of 'change' were you suggesting we need earlier?
“A car has crashed into a crowd at a Christmas market in east Germany, local media report.
“A least one person has been killed and several injured in the incident in Magdeburg, according to German public broadcaster MDR.”
Watch the video. At your moral peril
If only one person has died it is a genuine Christmas miracle; I fear that has not happened
A cursory glance at "the video" shows it has already been sped up to make it look more dramatic.
Given there have been previous similar incidents across Europe, I wouldn't be so sure this is footage from this particular event.
What are you talking about? Are you claming this event is "faked"??
No. I'm just pointing out that the video doing the rounds has 1) been altered 2) might not be of the same event.
It's a bit pathetic of you to suggest that my cautious take on this suggests I am some sort of terrorist attack denier. Indeed, my take relies on the fact there have been so many similar attacks in the past.
Footage recorded with a slower frame rate would appear to be sped up when played at normal speed. It wouldn't mean it's been altered.
That's true - if German CCTV is recording at 15 FPS or something. But to me the reaction times and distance look too fast as well.
So you're not just commenting on the speed of the film but also think it's faked in some way? That's a bit too conspiracy-minded.
No, I just think it's been sped up a bit by whoever has shared it.
CCTV, especially older systems, often has a lower frames rate than normal continuous filming. As mentioned above.
Attendance requirements - it's not full time, but it's more than an occasional hobby
No ex-MPs/political staffers/donors right away - it's not a retirement home, reward for being a loser, or to be a prize to be bought
Greater time for scrutiny
Simple and straightforward.
What’s wrong with ex-MPs? They are surely among the most qualified for the role.
If they are ex mp's voters have judged them unfit to govern so you put them back in a government role in the lords....thats what is wrong
I was thinking about that when I saw Thangam Debbonaire’s (sp?) name on the list. I’d rather see her back in the Commons, but she seems to be a sensible woman and an asset to Parliament.
An indication that Labour don’t expect to win the seat back anytime soon.
Comments
Then the party went mad and started ranting about Jews controlling everyhing.
The idea that contracting something out, contracts the moral risk out, is the mentality of a gangster.
“I just told Joey to go see Micky and give him a message….”
Mind you that also goes for all the PMs since 1975
Key ally propping up Canada's Trudeau says he will vote to topple him
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4glpxpke91o
Could we tell whether anyone in our galaxy uses a warp drive?
This sounds like a crazy question, but it can be answered using numerical GR …
https://x.com/martinmbauer/status/1869763981059228072
If Billionaire Elon Musk wants to boldly go where no no billionaire has been before, perhaps he could go to the tax office and offer to pay his fair share of taxes!
Grant that that is wrong (I was in favour a proper reform of the lords to get rid of the hereditaries) but this is a massive change in the composition of the house by executive fiat
"Reports of at least 11 Killed and over 60 Injured, after a Car drove Full-Speed into a Christmas Market in the Eastern German City of Magdeburg, with Police investigating the Incident as a Terrorist Attack"
https://x.com/sentdefender/status/1870186579282841869
Far Right parties are going to be elected across Europe. Le Pen in France, possibly a CDU/AfD Coalition in Germany. And so on
https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/rapprochement-between-volkswagen-union-wage-talks-sources-say-2024-12-20/
Fucking hell
Will not even link
“A car has crashed into a crowd at a Christmas market in east Germany, local media report.
“A least one person has been killed and several injured in the incident in Magdeburg, according to German public broadcaster MDR.”
If only one person has died it is a genuine Christmas miracle; I fear that has not happened
Jim Harra (the CEO of HMRC) should have been sacked years ago due to this abysmal customer service
I think we should have an elected upper house. But if we’re going to have appointments, then why not appoint experienced legislators?
It's a way of simplifying a junction between a minor, and major, road, such that decisions are made in sequence rather than all at once, by drivers especially. For motor traffic, a driver from the minor road addresses pedestrians and cycles, then traffic one way, then the other way, rather than all at once. A driver on the major route slows down a little. And cycles and pedestrians have their own more easily readable routes to follow.
Video and Chatter on Bluesky:
https://bsky.app/profile/harryhamishgray.bsky.social/post/3ldbmgz5uvc2s
I wasn't familiar with these until yesterday, so am still reflecting. Here's a detailed blog post:
https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2021/02/voorrangsplein-part-1.html
https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2021/03/voorrangsplein-part-2.html
Well maybe you can't find it because you are sitting on your obese butt in your fucking house in Newent, you pathetic lazy bint
I have honestly had HMRC twats say to me, "We understand we have failed you, we are now expediting your case"
EXPEDITING
And then - nothing. She goes and has another biscuit. If I ran my life like this I'd be out of work in weeks
It is utterly pathetic. Get them back in the office and halve their pay with the threat of instant dismissal and replacement by a keen, eager, articulate robot
Good evening, everybody.
https://l450v.alamy.com/450v/2c70p5w/harrogate-uk-23-september-2019-temporary-hostile-vehicle-management-anti-ram-safety-barrier-2c70p5w.jpg
Obviously, these things shouldn't be needed, but come on, they're not difficult to set up in the required spots.
That's why I favour a delay before they can go to the Lords of 2 parliaments/10 years - so that they have demonstrated a) additional achievements/skills beyond merely being an MP, and b) gain a level of seperation and perspective on politics because they have been away from it for a little while.
Now we have another Trojan Horse like Moseley in Farage Trump is not Hitler he is a mere puppet. The Fuhrer of 21st century fascism is Musk.
Musk poses far greater threat to the world than Hitler.
Idiots saying they will vote Reform because they can't be arsed to fill in a Tax Return on time, having had 9 months warning, may think they are funny, but make no mistake Reform as a Musk puppet would destroy Britain.
Imagine London like Damascus or Beirut in 2030...its real and Reform are a cancer within
..
Why should we have to live in fear at our own Christmas markets, in Christian countries? With militarised police and massive barriers? Which arguably don't work?
We should not. We need change
I'll be watching out for the arrival of any such threats now.
They really are quite vile letters.
According to Wikipedia the BBC are heavily involved in the language used in the TV licensing letters.
According to the BBC: "Customer service is the brand experience we create for customers who are currently licensed, unknowingly unlicensed or who don't need a licence", whereas "Collections is the brand experience we create for those customers whose television licence has expired and whom TV Licensing wants to motivate to renew." Finally, the enforcement tone is used for households who have been unlicensed for a longer period.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television_licensing_in_the_United_Kingdom
I believe a previous poster was severely mistaken to put the blame on the contractors. Also worth noting that Wikipedia states that the BBC have a statutory duty to ensure that all households requiring a TV licence have one, so ultimately the responsibility is Parliament's.
The obvious approach is to do what nearly every other democracy does and have elections. If you’re going to appoint, then tinkering around with rules like this is make-work.
It's only criminal if you don't pay up the ensuing charge/penalty [edit], I believe. Then you do get convicted.
Not really. Perhaps we should actually wait and see what's happened, and by who.
Playing political games with this sort of event is really shitty.
But I disagree tinkering with such rules is make work, I would argue it is improving what is there, and that is worth doing even if you prefer to go fully elected. Other people are getting judged on their additional achievements, separation, and perspective, by the very fact that they are not politicians that is the sole things they are getting judged on - excellence in their fields, good works, etc. They are being judged, ostensibly, on what they have to offer the legislature.
What do ex-MPs offer the legislature that anyone else does not offer better? We have the Commons to offer the openly political perspective. Most MPs are no good at scrutinising or drafting legislation, as it is not something working in the Commons incentivizes, and those who get appointed to the Lords are more likely to be loyal footsoldiers than potentially troublemaking legislation drafters.
I think it would remove a corrupting element of our politics wherein PMs can buy out some of their MPs or reward cronies by giving them a title and job for life.
We can improve the Lords without going fully elected or abolishing, if that is a step too far for many people.
It's an extremely annoying system. I had lots of letters to deal with as the executor of an elderly relative whose house clearance and sale got held up. Even when I'd told them the house was empty I kept getting the letters. I had to write another formal statement.
It was forgivable, perhaps, in 2022, in 2024? No. FFS. It is clearly a drag on the economy
I wonder when you last filed a significent self assessment return, my guess is a while, and maybe never a return with an element of foreign income, which seems to be a particular deficiency
The UKPO - the passport office - was fricking terrible for a while. Now they are super efficient. I've heard this from multiple sources, and experienced it myself. Personal phone calls the next day, and results within a week
Whatever happened at the UKPO, apply it to the HMRC
A civil society depends upon being able to deem that receiving a letter according to a statutory and lawful procedure means you are on notice of its contents. Eg a Notice of Intended Prosecution for motoring offences. It's not enough to argue that you throw letters away unopened and therefore you don't know what is going on.
That's the point. They tell you in what you believe is junk mail, so you chuck it away unopened.
Given there have been previous similar incidents across Europe, I wouldn't be so sure this is footage from this particular event.
That is equivalent to being convicted of driving without a licence just because you have not passed your test.
The trouble with lone wolf nutters is that kitchen knives and cars are freely available and can kill lots of people provided the attacker does not mind being captured or killed. And people convinced God is on their side often welcome that as a shortcut to heaven.
V pleasing. But HMRC is much more important than UKPO and fucksake they need to sort themselves out. My internatinal flint accountant is not given to swearing or hyperbole but she was cussing the UK and German tax authorities today
It's a bit pathetic of you to suggest that my cautious take on this means I am some sort of terrorist attack denier. Indeed, my take relies on the fact there have been so many similar attacks in the past.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9dp6y31qppo
Probably the same next year thanks to Spotify playlists!
ETA you can see the playlist factor here (image from above page).
Edit to add: I don't blame this shit on Starmer. But I don't see him sorting out public sector inefficiency
I haven't had the Christmas one, but I get more than one a month.
Do provide your reasoning
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5PR5S4xhXQ
Stephen Fry agrees with Leon (well, partly)!
(1 hour video)
He seems also to have got a lot older recently.
Apparently it's a very well-known Christmas market.
What sort of 'change' were you suggesting we need earlier?
This was to reduce storage issues.