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In 2027 will I be writing 'Shortly there will be an election, in which Labour will increase its majo
In 2027 will I be writing 'Shortly there will be an election, in which Labour will increase its majority'? – politicalbetting.com
The screen grab above is from yesterday’s Sunday Times, like most of Starmer’s inner circle I think this is a bananas ideas for several reasons.
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If they can get results.
They’re not going to call an election early unless there’s a whole load of good news backed by polling.
Back in the day, I worked for a bank which structured derivatives for clients. They would often ask for a payout which depended on several not necessarily connected factors and we were told to ask them in such cases: "are your views really that complicated".
You'll know they have changed/are utterly desperate when they go after public sector pension pots.
Remember, the Conservative vote share in elections barely moved from 1979 all the way to 1992. Despite all the alarms and excursions on the way.
If things go well for the government (no sniggering at the back), Starmer wins in 2028 and retires in about 2030. If not, he goes in 2028 and his successor tries their luck in 2029.
Our unelected head of state is a hippy. dippy member of the CND.
Why should our armed forces be forced to swear allegiance to him?
The King questioned Margaret Thatcher’s nuclear defence strategy during the Cold War, newly declassified documents have revealed.
The monarch, who was then the Prince of Wales, demanded personal military briefings from senior officials in 1983 about the government’s approach to disarmament and the stockpiling of nuclear weapons.
Representatives for the Prince later contacted ministers to say he was “not entirely convinced” by the policies of the Conservative administration and “did not follow the logic” of the explanations he was given.
The correspondence, held by the National Archives and first reported by The Times newspaper, shows how ministers sought to allay the Prince’s concerns for “official flannel and obfuscation” by providing bespoke briefings.
He was also given access to sensitive documents that were meant to be seen only by senior politicians and military figures, the documents reveal.
On Dec 14 1983, the Foreign Office was made aware that the Prince had requested briefings on “current arms control and disarmament issues”.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/01/06/king-questioned-thatchers-nuclear-defence-plans-cold-war-uk/
I hope this does not cause any distress or mental harm to anyone flying economy
PMs are forced out, precious few walk away willingly.
If you are an elected politician, every election is a good election to win when when you consider the alternative.
There are votes to be won by appealing to the populists but eventually you have to draw a line or you will be taken to a very dark place. But as Musk’s behaviour suggests, a dark place is where some want to go. It exposes the dilemma of parties of the right: populists, you can’t live with them, and you can’t live without them.
https://www.newstatesman.com/comment/2025/01/elon-musk-shows-the-perils-of-populism
There is no plan, and SKS hates politics.
I support the principle of deterrence versus unilateral disarmament. But in his privileged position I'd be tempted to ask for answers to awkward questions.
Nevermind, your business class doesn't get you out from under the Great Firewall. So we are at least equal there.
War is terrible.
I looked out and we were in a foggy mountain range flying between peaks and I'm guessing had nearly, or just been about to hit one.
Probably the closest shave I've had.
Bon voyage.
It’s seriously impressive. I guess it’s their flagship lounge? Almost as good as the Iberia lounge at Barajas
The lounge food is borderline brilliant. Very very good Chinese tucker. The food on the plane was nice but nothing special
https://www.boldmethod.com/learn-to-fly/weather/mountain-wave-turbulence-where-to-find-it-and-how-to-avoid-wave-flight/
Chinese ATC are famous for being very strict with airways and routings, not allowing any deviation even for weather, unless you dare utter the M-word that results in a lot of paperwork afterwards.
Reform insiders are convinced that the billionaire’s support for Robinson stems from his conversations with Dr Peterson
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2025/01/06/tommy-robinson-interview-jordan-peterson-musk-farage-reform/ (£££)
As plausible an explanation as anything else, except I'd also note Musk's disillusionment with Farage followed having met him.
The fact that the UK has totally fucked up Brexit and not seized its opportunities does not negate this truth. The brexiteers’ diagnosis of the EU was bang on
Sadly my lounge days are no more. My corporate travel has declined precipitously since Covid and just before Christmas I lost BA silver. And now BA have changed their tier points rules so it’s about money spent not distances, meaning it’s not feasible to get tier status on the cheap with a few carefully chosen private flights.
My 140 country friend, who was getting towards lifetime gold, is distraught. It’s now £20k to maintain gold each year. He used to get it for about 3k by doing tier point runs like London-Helsinki-Stockholm-Malaga (he’s a bit mad). His life is ruined, he says.
Like you I do a lot less flying than hitherto but would always choose budget over BA for EU and Virgin over BA for longer haul.
Outside EU/US, BA might be the right choice for 4-6hrs, that said.
Opinions might vary on whether that is due to Brexit, I suppose. But still.
Last time I was there was probably before Covid and it was WOW. They had an entire station for Jamon Iberica de bellota. It was like Soneva fushi
Very few lounges truly stand out. Virgin Atlantic first class at LHR used to be wondrous - endless just sliced sashimi and properly good fizz. I hear it’s disappeared or gravely declined
In fact does virgin airways still exist? Just realised I have no idea
BTW on R4 Today Jenrick and Robinson between them managed to be abysmally awful. Toe curling stuff on both sides.
I was looking into some rather clever green tech for one of the charities I help out with and was to astonished to find it was made a mile away from where I went to school.
Here’s how I’d rate them, top to bottom
Eva
BA
Thai
Etihad
China Eastern
Air France
KLM
Finnair
The top three are at the top because they’re direct from LHR. Eva is now superb but you really pay for it
If you factor in cost and don’t mind a stopover then China Eastern wins. Quite luxurious cabins, nice food, ok wine. Really GREAT lounge at Shanghai - and about 65% the price of the others except for Finnair
The prime minister faces criticism over the refurbishment, after Labour condemned Boris Johnson’s spending on the room as a ‘vanity project’
https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/starmer-80k-renovation-tory-blue-downing-street-gqj8hb2pv (£££)
Keir Starmer is a lawyer, not a politician. Labour staffers will be anxiously checking he's not bought a duck house.
Sic Transit Gloria Mundi
I’d like to see the Singapore airlines lounge at Changi. That must be quite something
'Sack' to Pepys was sweet white wine from Spain or the Canaries. You could mix it with sugar and milk to make sack-posset. pepeys drank this quite often.
Presumably they got the tv room surveyors in to do a valuation.
So there is no chance of Labour increasing it's majority. Indeed Starmer would do well to avoid the fate of May in 2017 when she lost her majority completely
Which is why I now have to chase KLM up for €500 we spent on hotels when stuck in Schiphol twice overnight.
Twin A’s holiday has been different
Their quality of life is now in many ways superior to that of Europeans and it’s just expected
The more I think about it the more I reckon PB cannot survive the OSA
Someone is bound to say something “distressing” and even if they never intended distress and even if it’s factual that’s no defence - AFAICS
And the fines are potentially enormous
Who will risk that?
I'm still of the view Reform will peak then subside, just as the SDP did in the 80s and the Lib Dems have done a couple of times in recent history, notably in 2005-2010 and briefly in 2019, and UKIP did in 2013-16.
Just don’t mention tiananmen in China. Or you might get a keir starmer type sentence for being mean on Facebook
And it's extremely telling that most offices I go into have kit that is significantly worse than my WFH set up, and almost all my colleagues bring their own keyboards/mice in. It's pathetic.
People moan about the government not doing enough investment, but it's a culture that persists throughout the economy outside the top consultancies.
A government elected with a landslide majority has no cause to go to the country after two years. On what basis? Delivery? There won't be any because the only actual decisions the govt has taken so far have been to piss things off and make them (temporarily, one assumes Labour expects), worse. Mandate? It already has that, unless it wants to rat on a pledge. Preventative, before things really go down the pan? Hardly an inspiring message. To take advantage? Brenda from Bristol - and indeed the entire 2017 election - would have an answer to that.
And even if re-elected, then unless the Tories and Reform are both at each others' throats and failing to land blows on Labour, then Labour will lose seats. No matter how you spin it, that will take the shine off any victory and check Labour's momentum - as well as potentially costing some ministers their seats.
Just bloody govern and forget about the games. Governments have many structural advantages in the political game. If the country is in a decent, improved, shape come 2028/9, and Labour runs a capable campaign, they will win.
Though most people in an ideal world would want to disarm nuclear weapons and the King has always been a bit of an eco warrior and certainly not as gung ho or macho as his father or even his sons. However while Russia and China have nuclear weapons so must we
However I have been to some airline lounges (hello Nairobi) which ARE all about status. They are crowded and horrible and it’s much nicer outside but people surge in just to show they are entitled to be in a lounge. Quite wanky
PB can’t do either
About the only thing I can praise Blair for is his good fortune in coming into government at a time of relative stability and choosing to (basically) carry on a continuity Major administration, domestically.
Given both Tory and Labour are suffering, I wonder if Westminster has collectively forgotten how to do it?