I used to think that Badenoch was safe until the next GE.
I now think Bobby J or Cleverly are going to be leader by the middle of the parliament.
They won't, it would be Stride or Philp who replaced her if she did go likely by MPs coronation as when Howard replaced IDS or Sunak replaced Truss. Jenrick and Cleverly failed to win either the Tory MPs vote or members vote
Philp?
You cannot be serious!!!!
It’ll be Hunt.
Don’t let the oiks have a vote, leave it to the PCP.
Who the fuck is gonna vote for Jeremy Hunt as PM? lol!
It's a suicide note
I actively want the Tories to drop dead but people like you are speeding the process
TSE backs the LDs now anyway.
Hunt would be OK but he wouldn't win, he had little MP support when he stood last term, as I said it would be Shadow Chancellor Stride or Shadow HS Philp
I voted Tory at the last election, I am still a member of the party.
Maybe but you voted LD in 2017 and 2019 and basically want the Tories to merge with Davey's LDs, whereas Leon wants them to merge with Farage and Reform
I voted LD to stop Corbynites winning the seat, the Tories are a distant third.
As I keep on telling you the Lib Dems aren’t for me.
All they do is object from NIMBYism, to opposing the WFA cut, supporting tax dodging farmers etc.
You mean - just as an example - like when I pointed out that Sleepy Joe Biden was gaga from about 2022, and I said "this will be a massive problem for the Dems if they don't fix it", and you kept saying, for another 2 years, "No no no, he just likes dribbling and falling over"
Times like that?
But you weren’t brave enough to predict way back in January 2024 that he’d be replaced before the election, for the PB new year competition, unlike some of us.
Just accept that I’m right about everything, it’s best for your mental health
which reiterates the inexplicableness of the defence in the trials calling no expert evidence.
What it doesn't go on to say it that the most likely reason this can't be discussed (and hence is inexplicable) is that Letby has not given permission for her confidentiality to be breached in this regard. (The legal privilege belongs to her, not her former lawyers). Until we know exactly why, and what the defence unused evidence would have revealed we are being kept in the dark.
Gives Labour 187 seats, Reform 178, Conservatives 167 and LDs 60.
So Kemi Kingmaker who could make Starmer or Farage PM
With this trend as it is there is no way that an intervention will not be made. Kemi's replacement may arrest the slide or may not, but it is coming.
Your problem with these snapshots is that by the time we get to an election the Tory seat count is more like 67 than 167 with the trend as it is...
What can an alternative leader really do though? And do any of the potentials have much about them?
Yes they will change at some point, but it won't help them. They are floating off to irrelevance.
It increasingly feels to me like the next GE is shaping up to be a Labour/Reform battle.
The Tories might have a part to play, but I don’t think in current form they’re likely to be in any fit state to really challenge for government next time. Of course, things can change, but I am starting to think the only way that happens is by circumstances outside their control - the main one being a Farage flounce.
Tories are done. Labour are next in line for the Farage treatment, and like the Tories they don't know how to respond.
One argument - listen to voters and show how we get their concerns so here's this propaganda video of us roughing up the forrin as we deport them Alternately - Diane Abbott asks what the point is of trying to our-Farage Farage as you can never be extreme enough.
I think the sweet spot is in the middle. Don't be dismissive of people's concerns, but instead of dogwhistles propose *actual solutions* which you then implement. Farage and Reform are fishing for low-engagement voters who simply don't know how stuff works and are thus susceptible to crayon policy solutions. But as the Tories found out to their peril, crayon solutions aren't enough - you have to deliver.
I used to think that Badenoch was safe until the next GE.
I now think Bobby J or Cleverly are going to be leader by the middle of the parliament.
They won't, it would be Stride or Philp who replaced her if she did go likely by MPs coronation as when Howard replaced IDS or Sunak replaced Truss. Jenrick and Cleverly failed to win either the Tory MPs vote or members vote
Philp?
You cannot be serious!!!!
It’ll be Hunt.
Don’t let the oiks have a vote, leave it to the PCP.
Who the fuck is gonna vote for Jeremy Hunt as PM? lol!
It's a suicide note
I actively want the Tories to drop dead but people like you are speeding the process
Probably not enough people, but they might lose and go quietly into the night with some dignity - or survive long enough to wait out Reformy impulses and rebuild. Unlike now where it's like watching a maimed animal painfully die.
PB should ban me from discussing any topic where I am completely right, and eventually shown to be right, and right in a way which horribly annoys everyone else, not least because I gloat, endlessly, about my clairvoyant genius
Unfortunately, going forward, this will restrict me to commentary about Liz Truss and What3Words. And even What3Words is looking a bit perkier than it was
"Ulaanbaatar, December 24, 2024 /MONTSAME/. The National Emergency Management Agency of Mongolia has launched a campaign to encourage every citizen to install the location-identifying What3Words application on their mobile phones. As part of this effort, the app has been installed and implemented for use on the mobile phones of 636,876 Mongolian citizens across 21 aimags of Mongolia."
I have to admit that we used W3W a fair bit on my watch in my old job. Leicestershire is a very rural county and W3W enabled us to locate incidents quickly if it was used. Even just using it to identify to other crews where we were using a portable pump for water or the best gate to use to traverse a field was a regular occurrence. I haven't used it since, but a couple of Amazon drivers said it helps if people in remote or complex locations put it in their delivery notes on orders.
Yes it is very useful for identifying gates. Especially gates in the middle of nowhere blocking Rights of Way.
Trouble is lack of error checking/sensing. I'm just working with a paper which has a NGR obviously out - but given the area it looks as if a 6 has been typed for a 0 which makes complete sense. With What Three Words, if Leon mistyped 'tart' for 'tarn' you'd probably be 5000 km rather than 500m out ...
(((Dan Hodges))) @DPJHodges · 4m That wasn’t just Kemi Badenoch’s worst performance as leader. It was one of the worst performances ever from a leader of the opposition. She had no capacity to readjust after Starmer gave her a clear and direct answer on the Gaza family. It was embarrassing to watch.
I think Dan's wrong. Kemi might not be great, but she was very specific with her questions. Starmer wouldn't confirm whether the government would appeal the decision or not. It seems to me that he wants to say that the judge got it right and it was badly drafted legislation by the Tories. That is obviously bollocks, and there's nothing to stop an activist judge overriding whatever legislation Cooper comes up with.
One of the things I'm, hoping for if/when Farage gets in is a wholesale clearout of the immigration tribunal system. It's clearly not fit for purpose.
I do think that a lot of judges in the Immigration Tribunal system need to be dismissed. They take a kind of wilful delight in frustrating the will of Parliament, whilst pretending to uphold it.
Many think immigration control are vexatious and those who want them rather unseemly people, so they view it as their life's work to frustrate it, for which they are applauded professionally and socially.
I used to think that Badenoch was safe until the next GE.
I now think Bobby J or Cleverly are going to be leader by the middle of the parliament.
They won't, it would be Stride or Philp who replaced her if she did go likely by MPs coronation as when Howard replaced IDS or Sunak replaced Truss. Jenrick and Cleverly failed to win either the Tory MPs vote or members vote
Philp?
You cannot be serious!!!!
It’ll be Hunt.
Don’t let the oiks have a vote, leave it to the PCP.
Who the fuck is gonna vote for Jeremy Hunt as PM? lol!
It's a suicide note
I actively want the Tories to drop dead but people like you are speeding the process
Probably not enough people, but they might lose and go quietly into the night with some dignity - or survive long enough to wait out Reformy impulses and rebuild. Unlike now where it's like watching a maimed animal painfully die.
It would be a more dignified way out, as a suicide note, than the current thrashing and wailing like a crippled turtle.
Gives Labour 187 seats, Reform 178, Conservatives 167 and LDs 60.
So Kemi Kingmaker who could make Starmer or Farage PM
With this trend as it is there is no way that an intervention will not be made. Kemi's replacement may arrest the slide or may not, but it is coming.
Your problem with these snapshots is that by the time we get to an election the Tory seat count is more like 67 than 167 with the trend as it is...
What can an alternative leader really do though? And do any of the potentials have much about them?
Yes they will change at some point, but it won't help them. They are floating off to irrelevance.
It increasingly feels to me like the next GE is shaping up to be a Labour/Reform battle.
The Tories might have a part to play, but I don’t think in current form they’re likely to be in any fit state to really challenge for government next time. Of course, things can change, but I am starting to think the only way that happens is by circumstances outside their control - the main one being a Farage flounce.
Tories are done. Labour are next in line for the Farage treatment, and like the Tories they don't know how to respond.
One argument - listen to voters and show how we get their concerns so here's this propaganda video of us roughing up the forrin as we deport them Alternately - Diane Abbott asks what the point is of trying to our-Farage Farage as you can never be extreme enough.
I think the sweet spot is in the middle. Don't be dismissive of people's concerns, but instead of dogwhistles propose *actual solutions* which you then implement. Farage and Reform are fishing for low-engagement voters who simply don't know how stuff works and are thus susceptible to crayon policy solutions. But as the Tories found out to their peril, crayon solutions aren't enough - you have to deliver.
There are quite a few opportunities to be more aggressive with Reform, such as their absentee MPs, dearth of NHS ideas, gaping black hole in the manifesto, and their voting against the recent Bill for workers' rights. Especially when some policies start to (maybe) show results.
I tend to agree that focusing the debate around Labour policies which will benefit Ref UK voters, in areas where they are weak, would have more impact.
(((Dan Hodges))) @DPJHodges · 4m That wasn’t just Kemi Badenoch’s worst performance as leader. It was one of the worst performances ever from a leader of the opposition. She had no capacity to readjust after Starmer gave her a clear and direct answer on the Gaza family. It was embarrassing to watch.
I suspect her confidence has been hit by the polling and criticism of recent weeks, and it's starting to affect her.
It's quite clear she's not up to the job. But, outside Jeremy Hunt, I'm not sure who would me.
[FWIW, Jenrick's approach would be to try to ape Farage and he'd do so by being rather nasty, which is no answer and wouldn't work.]
(((Dan Hodges))) @DPJHodges · 4m That wasn’t just Kemi Badenoch’s worst performance as leader. It was one of the worst performances ever from a leader of the opposition. She had no capacity to readjust after Starmer gave her a clear and direct answer on the Gaza family. It was embarrassing to watch.
I think Dan's wrong. Kemi might not be great, but she was very specific with her questions. Starmer wouldn't confirm whether the government would appeal the decision or not. It seems to me that he wants to say that the judge got it right and it was badly drafted legislation by the Tories. That is obviously bollocks, and there's nothing to stop an activist judge overriding whatever legislation Cooper comes up with.
The days of Dan Hodges being right on anything have long gone, if they ever existed. He has a pick and mix of bad and dreadful takes, this being another. Starmer didn't answer the questions and looked liked an arrogant twat. It's not a good look, but I understand why Hodges likes it.
He's not the only jouno:
Ava-Santina
@AvaSantina · 13m Striking how poorly researched Kemi Badenoch's PMQs are. Best line was about Labour's new borders watchdog that will apparently WFH in Finland, knocked back by Starmer explaining he was hired and worked from home since 2019 under the Tories. Lack of fact-checking extraordinary.
It's PoliticsJoe. Are you trying to tell me that they are some kind of independent journalists, not a group of young left wing metropolitan commentators? Jesus.
Is *anybody* not a metropolitan commentator these days? "CurrentThing is BAD! We discuss the badness of CurrentThing! I have a mike and a neon sign over my shoulder! I AM VERY IMPORTANT!"
You mean - just as an example - like when I pointed out that Sleepy Joe Biden was gaga from about 2022, and I said "this will be a massive problem for the Dems if they don't fix it", and you kept saying, for another 2 years, "No no no, he just likes dribbling and falling over"
Times like that?
But you weren’t brave enough to predict way back in January 2024 that he’d be replaced before the election, for the PB new year competition, unlike some of us.
Just accept that I’m right about everything, it’s best for your mental health
Have you considered that you need an entourage? They would be your sycophants. They would be the ones to say "of course you are always right, oh great one". PB does not, on the whole, tend to be sycophantic.
I used to think that Badenoch was safe until the next GE.
I now think Bobby J or Cleverly are going to be leader by the middle of the parliament.
They won't, it would be Stride or Philp who replaced her if she did go likely by MPs coronation as when Howard replaced IDS or Sunak replaced Truss. Jenrick and Cleverly failed to win either the Tory MPs vote or members vote
Philp?
You cannot be serious!!!!
It’ll be Hunt.
Don’t let the oiks have a vote, leave it to the PCP.
Who the fuck is gonna vote for Jeremy Hunt as PM? lol!
It's a suicide note
I actively want the Tories to drop dead but people like you are speeding the process
TSE backs the LDs now anyway.
Hunt would be OK but he wouldn't win, he had little MP support when he stood last term, as I said it would be Shadow Chancellor Stride or Shadow HS Philp
I voted Tory at the last election, I am still a member of the party.
Maybe but you voted LD in 2017 and 2019 and basically want the Tories to merge with Davey's LDs, whereas Leon wants them to merge with Farage and Reform
I used to think that Badenoch was safe until the next GE.
I now think Bobby J or Cleverly are going to be leader by the middle of the parliament.
They won't, it would be Stride or Philp who replaced her if she did go likely by MPs coronation as when Howard replaced IDS or Sunak replaced Truss. Jenrick and Cleverly failed to win either the Tory MPs vote or members vote
Philp?
You cannot be serious!!!!
It’ll be Hunt.
Don’t let the oiks have a vote, leave it to the PCP.
Who the fuck is gonna vote for Jeremy Hunt as PM? lol!
It's a suicide note
I actively want the Tories to drop dead but people like you are speeding the process
I would.
Centre-right economic competence is the one USP the Tories have left, and Hunt can play it - credibly - if he can escape being boxed in by pensioners, that is.
Jeez the bbc is so horrifically and obviously biased against Trump
“Look what he’s done now”
“Musk is an idiot”
“He’s insane isn’t he? - let’s get this Democrat politician on, to agree with us”
You’d think Trump was some tinpot dictator in Central America - not the most powerful politician in the world who holds his position by winning the popular vote in a massive election
When nigel gets in to number 10 he needs to destroy the bbc after he’s sacked every lawyer and judge in the UK
I used to think that Badenoch was safe until the next GE.
I now think Bobby J or Cleverly are going to be leader by the middle of the parliament.
They won't, it would be Stride or Philp who replaced her if she did go likely by MPs coronation as when Howard replaced IDS or Sunak replaced Truss. Jenrick and Cleverly failed to win either the Tory MPs vote or members vote
Philp?
You cannot be serious!!!!
It’ll be Hunt.
Don’t let the oiks have a vote, leave it to the PCP.
Who the fuck is gonna vote for Jeremy Hunt as PM? lol!
It's a suicide note
I actively want the Tories to drop dead but people like you are speeding the process
I would.
Centre-right economic competence is the one USP the Tories have left, and Hunt can play it - credibly - if he can escape being boxed in by pensioners, that is.
Gives Labour 187 seats, Reform 178, Conservatives 167 and LDs 60.
So Kemi Kingmaker who could make Starmer or Farage PM
With this trend as it is there is no way that an intervention will not be made. Kemi's replacement may arrest the slide or may not, but it is coming.
Your problem with these snapshots is that by the time we get to an election the Tory seat count is more like 67 than 167 with the trend as it is...
What can an alternative leader really do though? And do any of the potentials have much about them?
Yes they will change at some point, but it won't help them. They are floating off to irrelevance.
It increasingly feels to me like the next GE is shaping up to be a Labour/Reform battle.
The Tories might have a part to play, but I don’t think in current form they’re likely to be in any fit state to really challenge for government next time. Of course, things can change, but I am starting to think the only way that happens is by circumstances outside their control - the main one being a Farage flounce.
If Reform hit the 30s then Labour are finished as an electoral force, with the added indignity of losing some of their big names over sectarian issues.
On the Chagos thing, is there any valid reason why the Tories are (a) refusing to be briefed and (b) throwing mud other than not caring what the facts are?
It's a good question. I have a tiny suspicion that Badenoch doesn't see the current government and what it does as legitimate - she should be PM. So she has no curiosity about what it does.
The other answer is she doesn't need a briefing. She can ask the people in her own party who were previously negotiating with Mauritius. *
It comes down on both counts to a lack of interest in the topic. In that case why does she make Chagos a centerpiece of her opposition, rather than, say, ordinary people's taxes? I suppose she's just running with whatever headline the Telegraph has that day.
* Edit thinking about it further it's possible Badenoch was involved in cabinet discussions about the negotiation.
which reiterates the inexplicableness of the defence in the trials calling no expert evidence.
What it doesn't go on to say it that the most likely reason this can't be discussed (and hence is inexplicable) is that Letby has not given permission for her confidentiality to be breached in this regard. (The legal privilege belongs to her, not her former lawyers). Until we know exactly why, and what the defence unused evidence would have revealed we are being kept in the dark.
In Scotland we have what is, in shorthand, called an Anderson appeal. This allows the appeal court to quash the decision at first instance if the representation at first instance is so defective that a miscarriage of justice may have occurred. The test is a high one. What happens in practice is that the court writes to counsel or the solicitor querying certain decisions. Counsel is able to reply because he is being directed to by the court. The Court are very cautious about second guessing decisions on what witnesses to call, not call or other tactical decisions in the case.
IANAE in English procedure but it is my understanding that the Court of Appeal in England have a similar test that, once again, tries not to second guess the decision, such as a decision not to lead evidence of experts whose reports might be "mixed" with good bits and bad bits.
We don't know yet but it seems very likely that this is the reason why the decision was taken by Letby's former representatives. If so, this will not be a successful ground of appeal.
How could she or her team not know that the reply would be 'you lot appointed him in 2019 and after five years we have now made him work from UK'???
Its completely bonkers. Someone must have fed the story to the Daily Heil as well - did they think it was a biog gotcha?
Same with her repeat of the same question. "Are you appealing" - "we're closing the loophole" - "but are you appealing" etc etc
Two things done. Demonstrating that the Tories screwed up the law. And that Labour are fixing it. And she let him hammer that point over and over and over.
Question is, what is the underlying cause?
How much of it is Badenoch lazily swooping on superficial gotchas like a seagull on chips?
And how much is it a complete lack of backroom boys and girls to game this sort of thing out behind the scenes, because opposition is a very cold and very lonely place?
The first- Kemi's crapness- is fixable by a change of leader. The second- lack of people to do the thinking- is much harder to solve.
I used to think that Badenoch was safe until the next GE.
I now think Bobby J or Cleverly are going to be leader by the middle of the parliament.
I doubt it matters any more. The Conservatives have lost the ability to appeal to voters aged under 65, so they'll just fade out, in favour of Reform.
Yes, I think so. It's a mixture of poorly balanced and executed policy, and terrible behaviour.
The chatterati will lazily blame it on Brexit, as they seek to do with everything, but this trend stretches back 25-30 years in the Tory party.
I disagree, I think Kemi Badenoch was strong at PMQs today, because it was clear Starmer was not answering the question. The question was legal precedent has been set in court, what exactly are you going to do about it? And no answer came from Starmer. Kemi was right to keep pressing him on it.
Noticeable Bobby J sits beside her every single week. United front!
(((Dan Hodges))) @DPJHodges · 4m That wasn’t just Kemi Badenoch’s worst performance as leader. It was one of the worst performances ever from a leader of the opposition. She had no capacity to readjust after Starmer gave her a clear and direct answer on the Gaza family. It was embarrassing to watch.
I suspect her confidence has been hit by the polling and criticism of recent weeks, and it's starting to affect her.
It's quite clear she's not up to the job. But, outside Jeremy Hunt, I'm not sure who would me.
[FWIW, Jenrick's approach would be to try to ape Farage and he'd do so by being rather nasty, which is no answer and wouldn't work.]
I actually suspect the opposite - in that she doesn't read her criticism as dismisses it as biased and can't take it on board and course correct. A month ago, informed and generally unpartisan commentators were writing "she doesn't do detail and the reading, does she, this is why Starmer keeps getting off so lightly on topics that are bad for him/Labour".
If she'd read any of that and thought "hmm maybe they have a point"then would be taking a topic and really getting into the weeds and where she could really embarrass the government on it.
I suspect she's too lazy too and just reads the absolute tripe that comes up in her Twitter/X timeline from sycophants who think anyone acting like General Pinochet is great because they're on the same team.
I think the point Badenoch was trying to make was that the government need to be open to derogating from the ECHR. But then she started talking about some bloke in Finland.
If Kemi backed withdrawal from the ECHR is there any significant policy difference between her and Farage then apart from Reform are a bit more Nimby?
Farage wants an insurance based health service.
One of his few sensible ideas
Wonder how that will work since the NHS is nominally (national) insurance based. Will there be a flat scale; or an age based scale; or will pre-existing conditions not be covered. For example, if you are born with a condition that needs constant medical treatment or a visit to the hospital, how will insurance cover it.
Government is difficult, complex and has many pitfalls as the previous government found. Easy to have sound-bite politicians moaning on but history suggests they'll be equally incompetent to the last lot.
I think the point Badenoch was trying to make was that the government need to be open to derogating from the ECHR. But then she started talking about some bloke in Finland.
If Kemi backed withdrawal from the ECHR is there any significant policy difference between her and Farage then apart from Reform are a bit more Nimby?
Farage wants an insurance based health service.
One of his few sensible ideas
Wonder how that will work since the NHS is nominally (national) insurance based. Will there be a flat scale; or an age based scale; or will pre-existing conditions not be covered. For example, if you are born with a condition that needs constant medical treatment or a visit to the hospital, how will insurance cover it.
Government is difficult, complex and has many pitfalls as the previous government found. Easy to have sound-bite politicians moaning on but history suggests they'll be equally incompetent to the last lot.
There are no easy answers.
Just look overseas. Most nations have some kind of insurance based medical system.
(((Dan Hodges))) @DPJHodges · 4m That wasn’t just Kemi Badenoch’s worst performance as leader. It was one of the worst performances ever from a leader of the opposition. She had no capacity to readjust after Starmer gave her a clear and direct answer on the Gaza family. It was embarrassing to watch.
I think Dan's wrong. Kemi might not be great, but she was very specific with her questions. Starmer wouldn't confirm whether the government would appeal the decision or not. It seems to me that he wants to say that the judge got it right and it was badly drafted legislation by the Tories. That is obviously bollocks, and there's nothing to stop an activist judge overriding whatever legislation Cooper comes up with.
One of the things I'm, hoping for if/when Farage gets in is a wholesale clearout of the immigration tribunal system. It's clearly not fit for purpose.
I do think that a lot of judges in the Immigration Tribunal system need to be dismissed. They take a kind of wilful delight in frustrating the will of Parliament, whilst pretending to uphold it.
Many think immigration control are vexatious and those who want them rather unseemly people, so they view it as their life's work to frustrate it, for which they are applauded professionally and socially.
I'm sure neutrality descends on them immediately they enter the courtroom.
Just watched PMQs. If I were still a teacher, I'd be keeping Kemi in detention for not doing her homework. During said detention, I would make her write out 100 lines: I must get my ducks in a row.
I used to think that Badenoch was safe until the next GE.
I now think Bobby J or Cleverly are going to be leader by the middle of the parliament.
I doubt it matters any more. The Conservatives have lost the ability to appeal to voters aged under 65, so they'll just fade out, in favour of Reform.
Yes, I think so. It's a mixture of poorly balanced and executed policy, and terrible behaviour.
The chatterati will lazily blame it on Brexit, as they seek to do with everything, but this trend stretches back 25-30 years in the Tory party.
I disagree, I think Kemi Badenoch was strong at PMQs today, because it was clear Starmer was not answering the question. The question was legal precedent has been set in court, what exactly are you going to do about it? And no answer came from Starmer. Kemi was right to keep pressing him on it.
Noticeable Bobby J sits beside her every single week. United front!
There is no point in appealing if you cannot win. What Starmer said is that the law will be changed. Badenoch should have heard that and moved on. And she absolutely should not have asked about someone who the previous government appointed and allowed to work from Finland. How on earth did she fail to do the basic research that would have told her this was a subject to actively avoid?
Interesting version of chain migration. If the court did support his application there would be bulge in the number of w**kers applying for paternity rights.
I used to think that Badenoch was safe until the next GE.
I now think Bobby J or Cleverly are going to be leader by the middle of the parliament.
They won't, it would be Stride or Philp who replaced her if she did go likely by MPs coronation as when Howard replaced IDS or Sunak replaced Truss. Jenrick and Cleverly failed to win either the Tory MPs vote or members vote
Philp?
You cannot be serious!!!!
It’ll be Hunt.
Don’t let the oiks have a vote, leave it to the PCP.
Who the fuck is gonna vote for Jeremy Hunt as PM? lol!
It's a suicide note
I actively want the Tories to drop dead but people like you are speeding the process
TSE backs the LDs now anyway.
Hunt would be OK but he wouldn't win, he had little MP support when he stood last term, as I said it would be Shadow Chancellor Stride or Shadow HS Philp
I voted Tory at the last election, I am still a member of the party.
Maybe but you voted LD in 2017 and 2019 and basically want the Tories to merge with Davey's LDs, whereas Leon wants them to merge with Farage and Reform
I voted LD to stop Corbynites winning the seat, the Tories are a distant third.
As I keep on telling you the Lib Dems aren’t for me.
All they do is object from NIMBYism, to opposing the WFA cut, supporting tax dodging farmers etc.
Well you may as well vote Starmer Labour then as they are the only main party proposing to build all over the greenbelt, cut pensioners WFA and hammer the farmers who provide our food with tax
(((Dan Hodges))) @DPJHodges · 4m That wasn’t just Kemi Badenoch’s worst performance as leader. It was one of the worst performances ever from a leader of the opposition. She had no capacity to readjust after Starmer gave her a clear and direct answer on the Gaza family. It was embarrassing to watch.
I think Dan's wrong. Kemi might not be great, but she was very specific with her questions. Starmer wouldn't confirm whether the government would appeal the decision or not. It seems to me that he wants to say that the judge got it right and it was badly drafted legislation by the Tories. That is obviously bollocks, and there's nothing to stop an activist judge overriding whatever legislation Cooper comes up with.
One of the things I'm, hoping for if/when Farage gets in is a wholesale clearout of the immigration tribunal system. It's clearly not fit for purpose.
I do think that a lot of judges in the Immigration Tribunal system need to be dismissed. They take a kind of wilful delight in frustrating the will of Parliament, whilst pretending to uphold it.
Many think immigration control are vexatious and those who want them rather unseemly people, so they view it as their life's work to frustrate it, for which they are applauded professionally and socially.
I'm sure neutrality descends on them immediately they enter the courtroom.
Electoral Calculus have just stated "We have updated our poll-of-polls prediction , and our user-defined predictor to reflect the new MRP baseline." That is why there has been a dramatic change in Electoral Calculus predictions, in spite of no dramatic change in polling.
Gives Labour 187 seats, Reform 178, Conservatives 167 and LDs 60.
So Kemi Kingmaker who could make Starmer or Farage PM
With this trend as it is there is no way that an intervention will not be made. Kemi's replacement may arrest the slide or may not, but it is coming.
Your problem with these snapshots is that by the time we get to an election the Tory seat count is more like 67 than 167 with the trend as it is...
No, neither Starmer nor Farage can become PM without Badenoch's support at the moment on the most recent poll.
For all the hand wringing Kemi is on the latest poll potentially the most powerful party leader after the next GE in terms of deciding the next government, IDS had no chance of deciding who would become PM by contrast, nor did Hague
Yes. *The most recent poll* will not be frozen in time so that its a likely result in 2028/9. The most recent poll shows that you are sliding every further away. Even assuming that Kemi stays leader she would be very lucky to be kingmaker. And remember how that worked out for Clegg and the LDs.
Only if Kemi did a deal with Starmer to keep him PM would she likely face the fate of Clegg's LDs, leaking voters en masse to Farage's Reform as he leaked en masse to Ed Miliband's Labour
I think the point Badenoch was trying to make was that the government need to be open to derogating from the ECHR. But then she started talking about some bloke in Finland.
If Kemi backed withdrawal from the ECHR is there any significant policy difference between her and Farage then apart from Reform are a bit more Nimby?
Farage wants an insurance based health service.
One of his few sensible ideas
Wonder how that will work since the NHS is nominally (national) insurance based. Will there be a flat scale; or an age based scale; or will pre-existing conditions not be covered. For example, if you are born with a condition that needs constant medical treatment or a visit to the hospital, how will insurance cover it.
Government is difficult, complex and has many pitfalls as the previous government found. Easy to have sound-bite politicians moaning on but history suggests they'll be equally incompetent to the last lot.
There are no easy answers.
As Robert pointed out the other day, the US government is an insurance company with its own army. The UK government is not any different. We all share the risk of expensive treatment and contribute premiums (tax) according to our resources (except pensioners, natch).
(((Dan Hodges))) @DPJHodges · 4m That wasn’t just Kemi Badenoch’s worst performance as leader. It was one of the worst performances ever from a leader of the opposition. She had no capacity to readjust after Starmer gave her a clear and direct answer on the Gaza family. It was embarrassing to watch.
I think Dan's wrong. Kemi might not be great, but she was very specific with her questions. Starmer wouldn't confirm whether the government would appeal the decision or not. It seems to me that he wants to say that the judge got it right and it was badly drafted legislation by the Tories. That is obviously bollocks, and there's nothing to stop an activist judge overriding whatever legislation Cooper comes up with.
One of the things I'm, hoping for if/when Farage gets in is a wholesale clearout of the immigration tribunal system. It's clearly not fit for purpose.
I do think that a lot of judges in the Immigration Tribunal system need to be dismissed. They take a kind of wilful delight in frustrating the will of Parliament, whilst pretending to uphold it.
Many think immigration control are vexatious and those who want them rather unseemly people, so they view it as their life's work to frustrate it, for which they are applauded professionally and socially.
I'm sure neutrality descends on them immediately they enter the courtroom.
Just caught up on PMQs and agree with the concensus Kemi was poor though Starmer does avoid answers as all PMs do at PMQs
I listened to Cleverly talking at the Farmers protest and it occurred to me that if he hadn't messed around with votes he would be leader now and would be more authoritative and better briefed
However, Kemi is the leader of the opposition and has the next 12 months to win over her doubters but poor Scotland and Wales elections may prove a step too far for her
Jeez the bbc is so horrifically and obviously biased against Trump
“Look what he’s done now”
“Musk is an idiot”
“He’s insane isn’t he? - let’s get this Democrat politician on, to agree with us”
You’d think Trump was some tinpot dictator in Central America - not the most powerful politician in the world who holds his position by winning the popular vote in a massive election
When nigel gets in to number 10 he needs to destroy the bbc after he’s sacked every lawyer and judge in the UK
Surely he should torture the BBC to death after he's hanged every lawyer and judge and anyone who didn't vote for him from the highest yardarm in the fleet?
(((Dan Hodges))) @DPJHodges · 4m That wasn’t just Kemi Badenoch’s worst performance as leader. It was one of the worst performances ever from a leader of the opposition. She had no capacity to readjust after Starmer gave her a clear and direct answer on the Gaza family. It was embarrassing to watch.
I think Dan's wrong. Kemi might not be great, but she was very specific with her questions. Starmer wouldn't confirm whether the government would appeal the decision or not. It seems to me that he wants to say that the judge got it right and it was badly drafted legislation by the Tories. That is obviously bollocks, and there's nothing to stop an activist judge overriding whatever legislation Cooper comes up with.
One of the things I'm, hoping for if/when Farage gets in is a wholesale clearout of the immigration tribunal system. It's clearly not fit for purpose.
I do think that a lot of judges in the Immigration Tribunal system need to be dismissed. They take a kind of wilful delight in frustrating the will of Parliament, whilst pretending to uphold it.
Many think immigration control are vexatious and those who want them rather unseemly people, so they view it as their life's work to frustrate it, for which they are applauded professionally and socially.
I think such a view is largely wrong.
Mist judges try fairly to balance the mass of interacting (and sometimes conflicting) legislation that governments have passed over the years. That's their job - which means they remember more of the stuff which is inconvenient to any given point of view.
I don't know what direct experience you've had of the immigration system, and the law which underlies it, but it's been a morass for years. Not helped by the frequent changes of policy.
What people don't like is the outcomes - but you can't legislate outcomes.
(((Dan Hodges))) @DPJHodges · 4m That wasn’t just Kemi Badenoch’s worst performance as leader. It was one of the worst performances ever from a leader of the opposition. She had no capacity to readjust after Starmer gave her a clear and direct answer on the Gaza family. It was embarrassing to watch.
I think Dan's wrong. Kemi might not be great, but she was very specific with her questions. Starmer wouldn't confirm whether the government would appeal the decision or not. It seems to me that he wants to say that the judge got it right and it was badly drafted legislation by the Tories. That is obviously bollocks, and there's nothing to stop an activist judge overriding whatever legislation Cooper comes up with.
One of the things I'm, hoping for if/when Farage gets in is a wholesale clearout of the immigration tribunal system. It's clearly not fit for purpose.
I do think that a lot of judges in the Immigration Tribunal system need to be dismissed. They take a kind of wilful delight in frustrating the will of Parliament, whilst pretending to uphold it.
Many think immigration control are vexatious and those who want them rather unseemly people, so they view it as their life's work to frustrate it, for which they are applauded professionally and socially.
I'm sure neutrality descends on them immediately they enter the courtroom.
Unbelievable.
You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
Jeez the bbc is so horrifically and obviously biased against Trump
“Look what he’s done now”
“Musk is an idiot”
“He’s insane isn’t he? - let’s get this Democrat politician on, to agree with us”
You’d think Trump was some tinpot dictator in Central America - not the most powerful politician in the world who holds his position by winning the popular vote in a massive election
When nigel gets in to number 10 he needs to destroy the bbc after he’s sacked every lawyer and judge in the UK
Surely he should torture the BBC to death after he's hanged every lawyer and judge and anyone who didn't vote for him from the highest yardarm in the fleet?
After reading about that judge cited by @carnforth above, I’m tempted to say Yes
We really do need a Trumpite revolution now. A simple swing of the pendulum is not gonna cut it
Actually, Jeremy Hunt would be a strong choice for the Tories. Despite his culpability in Sunak’s tax rort, he exudes competence.
He’s untarred by Boris-ism (and the Boriswave) and he stuck at his seat when many might have done a runner.
He’s even more charismatic than Starmer (obviously a low bar).
When Hunt ran against Boris for the leadership he did argue that failing to bring immigration down would be a betrayal of Brexit, so he'd be in a strong position to avoid the blame for the Boriswave while also steering the party back towards a moderate pro-business position.
He might lose a few votes to Reform but that would do more damage to Labour.
I used to think that Badenoch was safe until the next GE.
I now think Bobby J or Cleverly are going to be leader by the middle of the parliament.
They won't, it would be Stride or Philp who replaced her if she did go likely by MPs coronation as when Howard replaced IDS or Sunak replaced Truss. Jenrick and Cleverly failed to win either the Tory MPs vote or members vote
Philp?
You cannot be serious!!!!
It’ll be Hunt.
Don’t let the oiks have a vote, leave it to the PCP.
Who the fuck is gonna vote for Jeremy Hunt as PM? lol!
It's a suicide note
I actively want the Tories to drop dead but people like you are speeding the process
I would.
Centre-right economic competence is the one USP the Tories have left, and Hunt can play it - credibly - if he can escape being boxed in by pensioners, that is.
I'd consider voting Tory if Hunt was to be PM.
I'm politically left of centre, but if the LDs keep being so NIMBY and Labour screw up badly or veer to the left, then I'd consider a vote for a moderate Conservative, especially if that's what was needed to keep Farage away from the levers of power.
(((Dan Hodges))) @DPJHodges · 4m That wasn’t just Kemi Badenoch’s worst performance as leader. It was one of the worst performances ever from a leader of the opposition. She had no capacity to readjust after Starmer gave her a clear and direct answer on the Gaza family. It was embarrassing to watch.
I think Dan's wrong. Kemi might not be great, but she was very specific with her questions. Starmer wouldn't confirm whether the government would appeal the decision or not. It seems to me that he wants to say that the judge got it right and it was badly drafted legislation by the Tories. That is obviously bollocks, and there's nothing to stop an activist judge overriding whatever legislation Cooper comes up with.
One of the things I'm, hoping for if/when Farage gets in is a wholesale clearout of the immigration tribunal system. It's clearly not fit for purpose.
I do think that a lot of judges in the Immigration Tribunal system need to be dismissed. They take a kind of wilful delight in frustrating the will of Parliament, whilst pretending to uphold it.
Many think immigration control are vexatious and those who want them rather unseemly people, so they view it as their life's work to frustrate it, for which they are applauded professionally and socially.
I'm sure neutrality descends on them immediately they enter the courtroom.
Dismissing and replacing judges like this would just shift rather than eliminate the bias. Moving cases over to a jury system where the requestee needed say 80% of the jury to agree that they should stay would move these decisions closer to the views of the (wo)man on the omnibus of your choice.
Also the squealing from the loss of institutional power would be terribly amusing.
(((Dan Hodges))) @DPJHodges · 4m That wasn’t just Kemi Badenoch’s worst performance as leader. It was one of the worst performances ever from a leader of the opposition. She had no capacity to readjust after Starmer gave her a clear and direct answer on the Gaza family. It was embarrassing to watch.
I think Dan's wrong. Kemi might not be great, but she was very specific with her questions. Starmer wouldn't confirm whether the government would appeal the decision or not. It seems to me that he wants to say that the judge got it right and it was badly drafted legislation by the Tories. That is obviously bollocks, and there's nothing to stop an activist judge overriding whatever legislation Cooper comes up with.
One of the things I'm, hoping for if/when Farage gets in is a wholesale clearout of the immigration tribunal system. It's clearly not fit for purpose.
I do think that a lot of judges in the Immigration Tribunal system need to be dismissed. They take a kind of wilful delight in frustrating the will of Parliament, whilst pretending to uphold it.
Many think immigration control are vexatious and those who want them rather unseemly people, so they view it as their life's work to frustrate it, for which they are applauded professionally and socially.
I'm sure neutrality descends on them immediately they enter the courtroom.
Unbelievable.
How can you possibly vote for the Tories and “Jeremy hunt” when you read shit like that? We are way beyond sensible centre right governance
We need a hard right revolution that sweeps away the whole rotten edifice. Democratically but very very firmly
Bombshell speech from US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to Nato: - US will no longer be the primary guarantor of security in Europe. - US troops will not be part of any Ukrainian peacekeeping deterrence force - No Nato protection for any forces that do take part in that force.
Just watched PMQs. If I were still a teacher, I'd be keeping Kemi in detention for not doing her homework. During said detention, I would make her write out 100 lines: I must get my ducks in a row.
And If I were still a student I would be wondering how close to an f I can make the ds in the later rows without getting more lines.....
I used to think that Badenoch was safe until the next GE.
I now think Bobby J or Cleverly are going to be leader by the middle of the parliament.
They won't, it would be Stride or Philp who replaced her if she did go likely by MPs coronation as when Howard replaced IDS or Sunak replaced Truss. Jenrick and Cleverly failed to win either the Tory MPs vote or members vote
Philp?
You cannot be serious!!!!
It’ll be Hunt.
Don’t let the oiks have a vote, leave it to the PCP.
Who the fuck is gonna vote for Jeremy Hunt as PM? lol!
It's a suicide note
I actively want the Tories to drop dead but people like you are speeding the process
I would.
Centre-right economic competence is the one USP the Tories have left, and Hunt can play it - credibly - if he can escape being boxed in by pensioners, that is.
I'd consider voting Tory if Hunt was to be PM.
I'm politically left of centre, but if the LDs keep being so NIMBY and Labour screw up badly or veer to the left, then I'd consider a vote for a moderate Conservative, especially if that's what was needed to keep Farage away from the levers of power.
On Lincoln’s birthday, I always re-read his second inaugural, and again am amazed at the speech, especially that final paragraph: "With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Lincoln's_second_inaugural_address
(((Dan Hodges))) @DPJHodges · 4m That wasn’t just Kemi Badenoch’s worst performance as leader. It was one of the worst performances ever from a leader of the opposition. She had no capacity to readjust after Starmer gave her a clear and direct answer on the Gaza family. It was embarrassing to watch.
I think Dan's wrong. Kemi might not be great, but she was very specific with her questions. Starmer wouldn't confirm whether the government would appeal the decision or not. It seems to me that he wants to say that the judge got it right and it was badly drafted legislation by the Tories. That is obviously bollocks, and there's nothing to stop an activist judge overriding whatever legislation Cooper comes up with.
One of the things I'm, hoping for if/when Farage gets in is a wholesale clearout of the immigration tribunal system. It's clearly not fit for purpose.
I do think that a lot of judges in the Immigration Tribunal system need to be dismissed. They take a kind of wilful delight in frustrating the will of Parliament, whilst pretending to uphold it.
Many think immigration control are vexatious and those who want them rather unseemly people, so they view it as their life's work to frustrate it, for which they are applauded professionally and socially.
I'm sure neutrality descends on them immediately they enter the courtroom.
I used to think that Badenoch was safe until the next GE.
I now think Bobby J or Cleverly are going to be leader by the middle of the parliament.
I doubt it matters any more. The Conservatives have lost the ability to appeal to voters aged under 65, so they'll just fade out, in favour of Reform.
Yes, I think so. It's a mixture of poorly balanced and executed policy, and terrible behaviour.
The chatterati will lazily blame it on Brexit, as they seek to do with everything, but this trend stretches back 25-30 years in the Tory party.
I disagree, I think Kemi Badenoch was strong at PMQs today, because it was clear Starmer was not answering the question. The question was legal precedent has been set in court, what exactly are you going to do about it? And no answer came from Starmer. Kemi was right to keep pressing him on it.
Noticeable Bobby J sits beside her every single week. United front!
He said they intended to close the loophole, and were already planning how to do it. An answer she seemed unable to process.
Whether he's telling the truth is open to question. But you can't say he didn't answer.
If there was a better way of asking the question, Badenoch demonstrated she couldn't think of it.
Actually, Jeremy Hunt would be a strong choice for the Tories. Despite his culpability in Sunak’s tax rort, he exudes competence.
He’s untarred by Boris-ism (and the Boriswave) and he stuck at his seat when many might have done a runner.
He’s even more charismatic than Starmer (obviously a low bar).
When Hunt ran against Boris for the leadership he did argue that failing to bring immigration down would be a betrayal of Brexit, so he'd be in a strong position to avoid the blame for the Boriswave while also steering the party back towards a moderate pro-business position.
He might lose a few votes to Reform but that would do more damage to Labour.
Precisely so. He'd rally many of the southern seats too, IMHO.
I used to think that Badenoch was safe until the next GE.
I now think Bobby J or Cleverly are going to be leader by the middle of the parliament.
I doubt it matters any more. The Conservatives have lost the ability to appeal to voters aged under 65, so they'll just fade out, in favour of Reform.
Yes, I think so. It's a mixture of poorly balanced and executed policy, and terrible behaviour.
The chatterati will lazily blame it on Brexit, as they seek to do with everything, but this trend stretches back 25-30 years in the Tory party.
I disagree, I think Kemi Badenoch was strong at PMQs today, because it was clear Starmer was not answering the question. The question was legal precedent has been set in court, what exactly are you going to do about it? And no answer came from Starmer. Kemi was right to keep pressing him on it.
Noticeable Bobby J sits beside her every single week. United front!
He said they intended to close the loophole, and were already planning how to do it. An answer she seemed unable to process.
Whether he's telling the truth is open to question. But you can't say he didn't answer.
If there was a better way of asking the question, Badenoch demonstrated she couldn't think of it.
But he also said he thought the judge had made the wrong decision. That's incompatible with closing a loophole.
(((Dan Hodges))) @DPJHodges · 4m That wasn’t just Kemi Badenoch’s worst performance as leader. It was one of the worst performances ever from a leader of the opposition. She had no capacity to readjust after Starmer gave her a clear and direct answer on the Gaza family. It was embarrassing to watch.
I think Dan's wrong. Kemi might not be great, but she was very specific with her questions. Starmer wouldn't confirm whether the government would appeal the decision or not. It seems to me that he wants to say that the judge got it right and it was badly drafted legislation by the Tories. That is obviously bollocks, and there's nothing to stop an activist judge overriding whatever legislation Cooper comes up with.
One of the things I'm, hoping for if/when Farage gets in is a wholesale clearout of the immigration tribunal system. It's clearly not fit for purpose.
I do think that a lot of judges in the Immigration Tribunal system need to be dismissed. They take a kind of wilful delight in frustrating the will of Parliament, whilst pretending to uphold it.
Many think immigration control are vexatious and those who want them rather unseemly people, so they view it as their life's work to frustrate it, for which they are applauded professionally and socially.
I'm sure neutrality descends on them immediately they enter the courtroom.
Unbelievable.
How can you possibly vote for the Tories and “Jeremy hunt” when you read shit like that? We are way beyond sensible centre right governance
We need a hard right revolution that sweeps away the whole rotten edifice. Democratically but very very firmly
(((Dan Hodges))) @DPJHodges · 4m That wasn’t just Kemi Badenoch’s worst performance as leader. It was one of the worst performances ever from a leader of the opposition. She had no capacity to readjust after Starmer gave her a clear and direct answer on the Gaza family. It was embarrassing to watch.
I think Dan's wrong. Kemi might not be great, but she was very specific with her questions. Starmer wouldn't confirm whether the government would appeal the decision or not. It seems to me that he wants to say that the judge got it right and it was badly drafted legislation by the Tories. That is obviously bollocks, and there's nothing to stop an activist judge overriding whatever legislation Cooper comes up with.
The days of Dan Hodges being right on anything have long gone, if they ever existed. He has a pick and mix of bad and dreadful takes, this being another. Starmer didn't answer the questions and looked liked an arrogant twat. It's not a good look, but I understand why Hodges likes it.
He's not the only jouno:
Ava-Santina
@AvaSantina · 13m Striking how poorly researched Kemi Badenoch's PMQs are. Best line was about Labour's new borders watchdog that will apparently WFH in Finland, knocked back by Starmer explaining he was hired and worked from home since 2019 under the Tories. Lack of fact-checking extraordinary.
It's PoliticsJoe. Are you trying to tell me that they are some kind of independent journalists, not a group of young left wing metropolitan commentators? Jesus.
Is *anybody* not a metropolitan commentator these days? "CurrentThing is BAD! We discuss the badness of CurrentThing! I have a mike and a neon sign over my shoulder! I AM VERY IMPORTANT!"
(throws things at wall)
It's just freedom of speech + internet in operation. I very rarely look at PoliticsJoe but they are not bad, and why shouldn't younger people try to make careers out of whatever opportunity they can find? It's a free market, and no-one is compelled to watch it. And it is much less clickbaity than the Guardian.
Bombshell speech from US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to Nato: - US will no longer be the primary guarantor of security in Europe. - US troops will not be part of any Ukrainian peacekeeping deterrence force - No Nato protection for any forces that do take part in that force.
Every day more chaos and controversy
And we have 4 more years of this so goodness only knows where it will all end !!
Bombshell speech from US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to Nato: - US will no longer be the primary guarantor of security in Europe. - US troops will not be part of any Ukrainian peacekeeping deterrence force - No Nato protection for any forces that do take part in that force.
So Europe should be determining what happens in Ukraine, then. If you've no skin in the game, then you don't get to write terms of any settlement. Or nick Ukraine's mineral resources.
(((Dan Hodges))) @DPJHodges · 4m That wasn’t just Kemi Badenoch’s worst performance as leader. It was one of the worst performances ever from a leader of the opposition. She had no capacity to readjust after Starmer gave her a clear and direct answer on the Gaza family. It was embarrassing to watch.
I think Dan's wrong. Kemi might not be great, but she was very specific with her questions. Starmer wouldn't confirm whether the government would appeal the decision or not. It seems to me that he wants to say that the judge got it right and it was badly drafted legislation by the Tories. That is obviously bollocks, and there's nothing to stop an activist judge overriding whatever legislation Cooper comes up with.
One of the things I'm, hoping for if/when Farage gets in is a wholesale clearout of the immigration tribunal system. It's clearly not fit for purpose.
I do think that a lot of judges in the Immigration Tribunal system need to be dismissed. They take a kind of wilful delight in frustrating the will of Parliament, whilst pretending to uphold it.
Many think immigration control are vexatious and those who want them rather unseemly people, so they view it as their life's work to frustrate it, for which they are applauded professionally and socially.
I'm sure neutrality descends on them immediately they enter the courtroom.
Unbelievable.
How can you possibly vote for the Tories and “Jeremy hunt” when you read shit like that? We are way beyond sensible centre right governance
We need a hard right revolution that sweeps away the whole rotten edifice. Democratically but very very firmly
Which unelected weirdo oligarch do you want to ‘democratically’ sweep away the whole rotten edifice in the UK?
The reason people think that growth does not benefit them is that it is used for services that they take for granted (since they are "free") such as the NHS.
There is a disconnect between growth and the money government has to spend. This is, in part, because large parts of the media, the third sector and indeed the Labour party, persuaded people that the government was not spending enough on the likes of health because they were mean or uncaring, as opposed to the reality that the tax take from our economy is simply insufficient to meet our aspirations.
That's true but not the only reason. Green propaganda has persuaded a significant part of the population that growth isn't worth it because, well, plastic waste and ugly housing and smokey air and stuff. Old people see there's nothing in it for them because they're on fixed incomes. And many of the young think it's all a capitalist ramp anyway.
Only an idiot denies there are some downsides to economic growth. But it takes a much worse idiot to prefer stagnation or recession.
Not to mention that we're continually told that we need more immigrants to get growth.
With many of the places that then get immigrants not seeing, let alone benefitting, from the promised growth.
Many people believe that the pre-industrial world was The Shire, rather than a place of backbreaking labour, terrible housing, and a tiny elite living it up, at their expense.
Anyone who's read about the Tolpuddle Martyrs and the Speenhamland System in Dorset will have a very jaundiced idea of any one on PB or otherwise who seriously claims that shire society is the ideal condition of society. That is, inevitably, wish fulfilment and in reality if one were born at that time it was much more likely to be a matter of the short straw even if one survived infancy.
Mind, Austen didn't have it as nice as some folk might like. There's a savage vein of wish fulfilment and terror of poverty in those novels.
"Terror of poverty" is most apt in the stuff I've read from that period, both fiction and non-fiction.
Less important now there is a social welfare safety net.
There was a safety net of sorts from the church, Parish Poor Relief and later the workhouse even then
That's a dire post, even by your standards.
Have you ever read any Dickens?
Historically accurate though, even Oliver Twist got fed gruel not nothing at all
Oddly enough, many people also starved.
Your sort of religio-regressionary worldview - and 'vision' for the future - positively drives people to the left.
which reiterates the inexplicableness of the defence in the trials calling no expert evidence.
What it doesn't go on to say it that the most likely reason this can't be discussed (and hence is inexplicable) is that Letby has not given permission for her confidentiality to be breached in this regard. (The legal privilege belongs to her, not her former lawyers). Until we know exactly why, and what the defence unused evidence would have revealed we are being kept in the dark.
Another article that simply does not engage with the evidence presented at trial.
Bombshell speech from US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to Nato: - US will no longer be the primary guarantor of security in Europe. - US troops will not be part of any Ukrainian peacekeeping deterrence force - No Nato protection for any forces that do take part in that force.
Every day more chaos and controversy
And we have 4 more years of this so goodness only knows where it will all end !!
Bombshell speech from US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to Nato: - US will no longer be the primary guarantor of security in Europe. - US troops will not be part of any Ukrainian peacekeeping deterrence force - No Nato protection for any forces that do take part in that force.
Who the fck is Greaser Hegseth to say who will and won’t be protected by NATO in a deterrence force if the US is bailing out?
Bombshell speech from US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to Nato: - US will no longer be the primary guarantor of security in Europe. - US troops will not be part of any Ukrainian peacekeeping deterrence force - No Nato protection for any forces that do take part in that force.
56% of Conservative Party members think Kemi should lead the party into the next GE still a ConHome survey finds, 36% don't. Largely matches the 56.5% of Tory members who voted for Kemi over Jenrick last autumn
Bombshell speech from US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to Nato: - US will no longer be the primary guarantor of security in Europe. - US troops will not be part of any Ukrainian peacekeeping deterrence force - No Nato protection for any forces that do take part in that force.
So Europe should be determining what happens in Ukraine, then. If you've no skin in the game, then you don't get to write terms of any settlement. Or nick Ukraine's mineral resources.
Has anyone asked Zelensky which mineral resources will be used to “pay” the European countries who have supported him or is this a pure US shakedown?
(((Dan Hodges))) @DPJHodges · 4m That wasn’t just Kemi Badenoch’s worst performance as leader. It was one of the worst performances ever from a leader of the opposition. She had no capacity to readjust after Starmer gave her a clear and direct answer on the Gaza family. It was embarrassing to watch.
I think Dan's wrong. Kemi might not be great, but she was very specific with her questions. Starmer wouldn't confirm whether the government would appeal the decision or not. It seems to me that he wants to say that the judge got it right and it was badly drafted legislation by the Tories. That is obviously bollocks, and there's nothing to stop an activist judge overriding whatever legislation Cooper comes up with.
One of the things I'm, hoping for if/when Farage gets in is a wholesale clearout of the immigration tribunal system. It's clearly not fit for purpose.
I do think that a lot of judges in the Immigration Tribunal system need to be dismissed. They take a kind of wilful delight in frustrating the will of Parliament, whilst pretending to uphold it.
Many think immigration control are vexatious and those who want them rather unseemly people, so they view it as their life's work to frustrate it, for which they are applauded professionally and socially.
I'm sure neutrality descends on them immediately they enter the courtroom.
Unbelievable.
How can you possibly vote for the Tories and “Jeremy hunt” when you read shit like that? We are way beyond sensible centre right governance
We need a hard right revolution that sweeps away the whole rotten edifice. Democratically but very very firmly
Which unelected weirdo oligarch do you want to ‘democratically’ sweep away the whole rotten edifice in the UK?
I'm currently listening to the excellent 'revolutions' podcast (about halfway through the Russian revolutions); and it strikes me that revolutions rarely go the way that the people who call for them expect. There is change; but often the people who call loudest for those change end up sorely disappointed by the nature of that change.
I think the point Badenoch was trying to make was that the government need to be open to derogating from the ECHR. But then she started talking about some bloke in Finland.
If Kemi backed withdrawal from the ECHR is there any significant policy difference between her and Farage then apart from Reform are a bit more Nimby?
Farage wants an insurance based health service.
One of his few sensible ideas
Wonder how that will work since the NHS is nominally (national) insurance based. Will there be a flat scale; or an age based scale; or will pre-existing conditions not be covered. For example, if you are born with a condition that needs constant medical treatment or a visit to the hospital, how will insurance cover it.
Government is difficult, complex and has many pitfalls as the previous government found. Easy to have sound-bite politicians moaning on but history suggests they'll be equally incompetent to the last lot.
There are no easy answers.
Just look overseas. Most nations have some kind of insurance based medical system.
When considering alternatives, the bemused patient/tax payer needs to know why some other funding system (insurance/lottery/let them die/debit card only/pay as you go or whatever) is intrinsically better than funding universally by a fairly progressive tax system.
Bombshell speech from US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to Nato: - US will no longer be the primary guarantor of security in Europe. - US troops will not be part of any Ukrainian peacekeeping deterrence force - No Nato protection for any forces that do take part in that force.
So, everything Putin wants.
Putin wants Western Europe to become more serious about defence?
I used to think that Badenoch was safe until the next GE.
I now think Bobby J or Cleverly are going to be leader by the middle of the parliament.
I doubt it matters any more. The Conservatives have lost the ability to appeal to voters aged under 65, so they'll just fade out, in favour of Reform.
Yes, I think so. It's a mixture of poorly balanced and executed policy, and terrible behaviour.
The chatterati will lazily blame it on Brexit, as they seek to do with everything, but this trend stretches back 25-30 years in the Tory party.
I disagree, I think Kemi Badenoch was strong at PMQs today, because it was clear Starmer was not answering the question. The question was legal precedent has been set in court, what exactly are you going to do about it? And no answer came from Starmer. Kemi was right to keep pressing him on it.
Noticeable Bobby J sits beside her every single week. United front!
He said they intended to close the loophole, and were already planning how to do it. An answer she seemed unable to process.
Whether he's telling the truth is open to question. But you can't say he didn't answer.
If there was a better way of asking the question, Badenoch demonstrated she couldn't think of it.
But he also said he thought the judge had made the wrong decision. That's incompatible with closing a loophole.
No it isn't. As I pointed out above, laws conflict and produce uncertainties, which is what seems to have happened here. You can think a judgment got the balance wrong, and at the same time recognise that the only way to rectify that might be legislation. No doubt they're trying to work out whether it's worth the time an appeal might take, along with the uncertain outcome, or whether it's simply more efficient to produce yet more legislation.
If you were designing an immigration system from scratch, you wouldn't start here. But we're not starting, and can't start, with a clean slate.
I used to think that Badenoch was safe until the next GE.
I now think Bobby J or Cleverly are going to be leader by the middle of the parliament.
I doubt it matters any more. The Conservatives have lost the ability to appeal to voters aged under 65, so they'll just fade out, in favour of Reform.
Yes, I think so. It's a mixture of poorly balanced and executed policy, and terrible behaviour.
The chatterati will lazily blame it on Brexit, as they seek to do with everything, but this trend stretches back 25-30 years in the Tory party.
I disagree, I think Kemi Badenoch was strong at PMQs today, because it was clear Starmer was not answering the question. The question was legal precedent has been set in court, what exactly are you going to do about it? And no answer came from Starmer. Kemi was right to keep pressing him on it.
Noticeable Bobby J sits beside her every single week. United front!
He said they intended to close the loophole, and were already planning how to do it. An answer she seemed unable to process.
Whether he's telling the truth is open to question. But you can't say he didn't answer.
If there was a better way of asking the question, Badenoch demonstrated she couldn't think of it.
She asked if he was appealing, which if he disagrees with it, you'd think he would. But he didn't answer. He just carried on about a loophole that no-one knows anything about.
(((Dan Hodges))) @DPJHodges · 4m That wasn’t just Kemi Badenoch’s worst performance as leader. It was one of the worst performances ever from a leader of the opposition. She had no capacity to readjust after Starmer gave her a clear and direct answer on the Gaza family. It was embarrassing to watch.
I think Dan's wrong. Kemi might not be great, but she was very specific with her questions. Starmer wouldn't confirm whether the government would appeal the decision or not. It seems to me that he wants to say that the judge got it right and it was badly drafted legislation by the Tories. That is obviously bollocks, and there's nothing to stop an activist judge overriding whatever legislation Cooper comes up with.
One of the things I'm, hoping for if/when Farage gets in is a wholesale clearout of the immigration tribunal system. It's clearly not fit for purpose.
I do think that a lot of judges in the Immigration Tribunal system need to be dismissed. They take a kind of wilful delight in frustrating the will of Parliament, whilst pretending to uphold it.
Many think immigration control are vexatious and those who want them rather unseemly people, so they view it as their life's work to frustrate it, for which they are applauded professionally and socially.
I'm sure neutrality descends on them immediately they enter the courtroom.
Unbelievable.
How can you possibly vote for the Tories and “Jeremy hunt” when you read shit like that? We are way beyond sensible centre right governance
We need a hard right revolution that sweeps away the whole rotten edifice. Democratically but very very firmly
Which unelected weirdo oligarch do you want to ‘democratically’ sweep away the whole rotten edifice in the UK?
Me
It’s Time. Time for the Leon Parliament
My cabinet shall comprise Lord Byronic as Deputy PM, the right honourable Mystic Rose as Home Secretary, the Lady G as COTE, and Goodwife Heathener as Keeper of the Thermos
I used to think that Badenoch was safe until the next GE.
I now think Bobby J or Cleverly are going to be leader by the middle of the parliament.
I doubt it matters any more. The Conservatives have lost the ability to appeal to voters aged under 65, so they'll just fade out, in favour of Reform.
Yes, I think so. It's a mixture of poorly balanced and executed policy, and terrible behaviour.
The chatterati will lazily blame it on Brexit, as they seek to do with everything, but this trend stretches back 25-30 years in the Tory party.
I disagree, I think Kemi Badenoch was strong at PMQs today, because it was clear Starmer was not answering the question. The question was legal precedent has been set in court, what exactly are you going to do about it? And no answer came from Starmer. Kemi was right to keep pressing him on it.
Noticeable Bobby J sits beside her every single week. United front!
Again, its an interesting take.
Starmer couldn't have been clearer - there is a loophole in the law created by the Tories which he will close.
Legal precedent won't apply when the law is changed. What will he do about it? Change the law.
(((Dan Hodges))) @DPJHodges · 4m That wasn’t just Kemi Badenoch’s worst performance as leader. It was one of the worst performances ever from a leader of the opposition. She had no capacity to readjust after Starmer gave her a clear and direct answer on the Gaza family. It was embarrassing to watch.
I think Dan's wrong. Kemi might not be great, but she was very specific with her questions. Starmer wouldn't confirm whether the government would appeal the decision or not. It seems to me that he wants to say that the judge got it right and it was badly drafted legislation by the Tories. That is obviously bollocks, and there's nothing to stop an activist judge overriding whatever legislation Cooper comes up with.
One of the things I'm, hoping for if/when Farage gets in is a wholesale clearout of the immigration tribunal system. It's clearly not fit for purpose.
I do think that a lot of judges in the Immigration Tribunal system need to be dismissed. They take a kind of wilful delight in frustrating the will of Parliament, whilst pretending to uphold it.
Many think immigration control are vexatious and those who want them rather unseemly people, so they view it as their life's work to frustrate it, for which they are applauded professionally and socially.
I'm sure neutrality descends on them immediately they enter the courtroom.
Unbelievable.
How can you possibly vote for the Tories and “Jeremy hunt” when you read shit like that? We are way beyond sensible centre right governance
We need a hard right revolution that sweeps away the whole rotten edifice. Democratically but very very firmly
Which unelected weirdo oligarch do you want to ‘democratically’ sweep away the whole rotten edifice in the UK?
On Lincoln's birthday, it is also appropriate to thank those in the UK who supported and advised him, notably John Bright. (I'd be interested in reading a biography of Bright, some time.)
I used to think that Badenoch was safe until the next GE.
I now think Bobby J or Cleverly are going to be leader by the middle of the parliament.
I doubt it matters any more. The Conservatives have lost the ability to appeal to voters aged under 65, so they'll just fade out, in favour of Reform.
Yes, I think so. It's a mixture of poorly balanced and executed policy, and terrible behaviour.
The chatterati will lazily blame it on Brexit, as they seek to do with everything, but this trend stretches back 25-30 years in the Tory party.
I disagree, I think Kemi Badenoch was strong at PMQs today, because it was clear Starmer was not answering the question. The question was legal precedent has been set in court, what exactly are you going to do about it? And no answer came from Starmer. Kemi was right to keep pressing him on it.
Noticeable Bobby J sits beside her every single week. United front!
He said they intended to close the loophole, and were already planning how to do it. An answer she seemed unable to process.
Whether he's telling the truth is open to question. But you can't say he didn't answer.
If there was a better way of asking the question, Badenoch demonstrated she couldn't think of it.
But he also said he thought the judge had made the wrong decision. That's incompatible with closing a loophole.
Instead of shooting an admiral, from time to time, pour encourager les autres perhaps we should shoot an immigration appeals judge.
I used to think that Badenoch was safe until the next GE.
I now think Bobby J or Cleverly are going to be leader by the middle of the parliament.
I doubt it matters any more. The Conservatives have lost the ability to appeal to voters aged under 65, so they'll just fade out, in favour of Reform.
Yes, I think so. It's a mixture of poorly balanced and executed policy, and terrible behaviour.
The chatterati will lazily blame it on Brexit, as they seek to do with everything, but this trend stretches back 25-30 years in the Tory party.
I disagree, I think Kemi Badenoch was strong at PMQs today, because it was clear Starmer was not answering the question. The question was legal precedent has been set in court, what exactly are you going to do about it? And no answer came from Starmer. Kemi was right to keep pressing him on it.
Noticeable Bobby J sits beside her every single week. United front!
He said they intended to close the loophole, and were already planning how to do it. An answer she seemed unable to process.
Whether he's telling the truth is open to question. But you can't say he didn't answer.
If there was a better way of asking the question, Badenoch demonstrated she couldn't think of it.
She asked if he was appealing, which if he disagrees with it, you'd think he would. But he didn't answer. He just carried on about a loophole that no-one knows anything about.
Already asked and answered. You're as bad as Kemi.
Amazing. Is this the first PB thread ever of genuine political consensus? We all like Jeremy Hunt.
I actually saw Hunt at a Tory leadership hustings and thought he was excellent. If he had led the Tories in 2019 vs Corbyn I'd have felt bad voting Labour.
Bombshell speech from US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to Nato: - US will no longer be the primary guarantor of security in Europe. - US troops will not be part of any Ukrainian peacekeeping deterrence force - No Nato protection for any forces that do take part in that force.
Who the fck is Greaser Hegseth to say who will and won’t be protected by NATO in a deterrence force if the US is bailing out?
NATO members each have a veto on collective action by NATO. If the US says no, no collective action.
GB News seem to have it in for Kemi as well. She’s not long for this world.
People are really struggling to understand which media organisations are backing who. The Sun backed Labour. GB News is Reform.
Probably deservedly, I doubt there are many friends of Conservatives in the media. Even the Mail was half-hearted, just in an attempt to stop a Labour landslide. That was then, can only imagine now.
I think the point Badenoch was trying to make was that the government need to be open to derogating from the ECHR. But then she started talking about some bloke in Finland.
If Kemi backed withdrawal from the ECHR is there any significant policy difference between her and Farage then apart from Reform are a bit more Nimby?
Farage wants an insurance based health service.
One of his few sensible ideas
Wonder how that will work since the NHS is nominally (national) insurance based. Will there be a flat scale; or an age based scale; or will pre-existing conditions not be covered. For example, if you are born with a condition that needs constant medical treatment or a visit to the hospital, how will insurance cover it.
Government is difficult, complex and has many pitfalls as the previous government found. Easy to have sound-bite politicians moaning on but history suggests they'll be equally incompetent to the last lot.
There are no easy answers.
Just look overseas. Most nations have some kind of insurance based medical system.
When considering alternatives, the bemused patient/tax payer needs to know why some other funding system (insurance/lottery/let them die/debit card only/pay as you go or whatever) is intrinsically better than funding universally by a fairly progressive tax system.
Then look at outcomes - e.g. cancer survival. The NHS is pretty good at what it does, but its not perfect. And arguably there are better ways to run it. GP's are used in the UK to stop you getting to secondary care (hospitals) - i.e. they sort the ones who actually need referring on from those who don't. But they do it with less information than they might. In other European nations a lot more scanning, blood testing etc is done at the primary care stage and GP's are not seen as the gate keepers. Its not an easy job spotting the 1 in 10 with what looks like IBS who actually has colon cancer, even though they are late 20's (Deborah James was repeatedly turned away by her GPs in this way before finally being diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer). Or my running friend who just wasn't right and had to go back to the GP 7 times before finally getting a referral which revealed that there was indeed an issue.
I used to think that Badenoch was safe until the next GE.
I now think Bobby J or Cleverly are going to be leader by the middle of the parliament.
I doubt it matters any more. The Conservatives have lost the ability to appeal to voters aged under 65, so they'll just fade out, in favour of Reform.
Yes, I think so. It's a mixture of poorly balanced and executed policy, and terrible behaviour.
The chatterati will lazily blame it on Brexit, as they seek to do with everything, but this trend stretches back 25-30 years in the Tory party.
I disagree, I think Kemi Badenoch was strong at PMQs today, because it was clear Starmer was not answering the question. The question was legal precedent has been set in court, what exactly are you going to do about it? And no answer came from Starmer. Kemi was right to keep pressing him on it.
Noticeable Bobby J sits beside her every single week. United front!
Again, its an interesting take.
Starmer couldn't have been clearer - there is a loophole in the law created by the Tories which he will close.
Legal precedent won't apply when the law is changed. What will he do about it? Change the law.
The issue is that it will then be judged that the law is incompatible with various human rights.
Bombshell speech from US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to Nato: - US will no longer be the primary guarantor of security in Europe. - US troops will not be part of any Ukrainian peacekeeping deterrence force - No Nato protection for any forces that do take part in that force.
Who the fck is Greaser Hegseth to say who will and won’t be protected by NATO in a deterrence force if the US is bailing out?
He is the Defense Secretary of the USA, which constitutes by far the most powerful force in NATO
Bombshell speech from US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to Nato: - US will no longer be the primary guarantor of security in Europe. - US troops will not be part of any Ukrainian peacekeeping deterrence force - No Nato protection for any forces that do take part in that force.
Who the fck is Greaser Hegseth to say who will and won’t be protected by NATO in a deterrence force if the US is bailing out?
NATO members each have a veto on collective action by NATO. If the US says no, no collective action...
It's probably better to know now, rather than after Trump has tried to write the terms of any settlement, along with his mate Putin.
NATO will have to wait for another day. And another president.
I used to think that Badenoch was safe until the next GE.
I now think Bobby J or Cleverly are going to be leader by the middle of the parliament.
I doubt it matters any more. The Conservatives have lost the ability to appeal to voters aged under 65, so they'll just fade out, in favour of Reform.
Yes, I think so. It's a mixture of poorly balanced and executed policy, and terrible behaviour.
The chatterati will lazily blame it on Brexit, as they seek to do with everything, but this trend stretches back 25-30 years in the Tory party.
I disagree, I think Kemi Badenoch was strong at PMQs today, because it was clear Starmer was not answering the question. The question was legal precedent has been set in court, what exactly are you going to do about it? And no answer came from Starmer. Kemi was right to keep pressing him on it.
Noticeable Bobby J sits beside her every single week. United front!
He said they intended to close the loophole, and were already planning how to do it. An answer she seemed unable to process.
Whether he's telling the truth is open to question. But you can't say he didn't answer.
If there was a better way of asking the question, Badenoch demonstrated she couldn't think of it.
She asked if he was appealing, which if he disagrees with it, you'd think he would. But he didn't answer. He just carried on about a loophole that no-one knows anything about.
"a loophole that no-one knows anything about"
That's the very best of epic fails. The loophole exists - found and exploited by the lawyers and validated by the judge. The loophole is definable as the Home Office are working on a change in the law to close it.
You know who you're talking about when you say "no-one knows anything about"? Its *the Tories*. Inept drafting of the law by *the Tories* and now an inability to understand their own actions by *the Tories*.
Not only did Kemi manage to fall into repeated bear traps of her own laying, she gifted Starmer the ability to detail just how inept the Tories were in government.
Whose law allowed the Palestinian family onto the Ukraine framework? *The Tories* Who hired someone to WFM from Finland? *The Tories*
GB News seem to have it in for Kemi as well. She’s not long for this world.
People are really struggling to understand which media organisations are backing who. The Sun backed Labour. GB News is Reform.
Probably deservedly, I doubt there are many friends of Conservatives in the media. Even the Mail was half-hearted, just in an attempt to stop a Labour landslide. That was then, can only imagine now.
So what you're saying is that providing we ignore the majority of people who don't vote Tory, they are definitely on track to win?
Comments
The chatterati will lazily blame it on Brexit, as they seek to do with everything, but this trend stretches back 25-30 years in the Tory party.
As I keep on telling you the Lib Dems aren’t for me.
All they do is object from NIMBYism, to opposing the WFA cut, supporting tax dodging farmers etc.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/feb/12/lucy-letby-case-trial-justice
which reiterates the inexplicableness of the defence in the trials calling no expert evidence.
What it doesn't go on to say it that the most likely reason this can't be discussed (and hence is inexplicable) is that Letby has not given permission for her confidentiality to be breached in this regard. (The legal privilege belongs to her, not her former lawyers). Until we know exactly why, and what the defence unused evidence would have revealed we are being kept in the dark.
One argument - listen to voters and show how we get their concerns so here's this propaganda video of us roughing up the forrin as we deport them
Alternately - Diane Abbott asks what the point is of trying to our-Farage Farage as you can never be extreme enough.
I think the sweet spot is in the middle. Don't be dismissive of people's concerns, but instead of dogwhistles propose *actual solutions* which you then implement. Farage and Reform are fishing for low-engagement voters who simply don't know how stuff works and are thus susceptible to crayon policy solutions. But as the Tories found out to their peril, crayon solutions aren't enough - you have to deliver.
At least a quarter of Labour's Senedd politicians are stepping down at the next election.
So far eight out of the group's 30 members have said they are quitting in 2026.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8j8d388j4ro
(It is also adding an extra 35 members to make 95 on top of the existing 60. RefUK will be interested.)
I tend to agree that focusing the debate around Labour policies which will benefit Ref UK voters, in areas where they are weak, would have more impact.
It's quite clear she's not up to the job. But, outside Jeremy Hunt, I'm not sure who would me.
[FWIW, Jenrick's approach would be to try to ape Farage and he'd do so by being rather nasty, which is no answer and wouldn't work.]
(throws things at wall)
Centre-right economic competence is the one USP the Tories have left, and Hunt can play it - credibly - if he can escape being boxed in by pensioners, that is.
“Look what he’s done now”
“Musk is an idiot”
“He’s insane isn’t he? - let’s get this Democrat politician on, to agree with us”
You’d think Trump was some tinpot dictator in Central America - not the most powerful politician in the world who holds his position by winning the popular vote in a massive election
When nigel gets in to number 10 he needs to destroy the bbc after he’s sacked every lawyer and judge in the UK
The other answer is she doesn't need a briefing. She can ask the people in her own party who were previously negotiating with Mauritius. *
It comes down on both counts to a lack of interest in the topic. In that case why does she make Chagos a centerpiece of her opposition, rather than, say, ordinary people's taxes? I suppose she's just running with whatever headline the Telegraph has that day.
* Edit thinking about it further it's possible Badenoch was involved in cabinet discussions about the negotiation.
Who scripts her questions? Is he/she a Labour mole?
IANAE in English procedure but it is my understanding that the Court of Appeal in England have a similar test that, once again, tries not to second guess the decision, such as a decision not to lead evidence of experts whose reports might be "mixed" with good bits and bad bits.
We don't know yet but it seems very likely that this is the reason why the decision was taken by Letby's former representatives. If so, this will not be a successful ground of appeal.
How much of it is Badenoch lazily swooping on superficial gotchas like a seagull on chips?
And how much is it a complete lack of backroom boys and girls to game this sort of thing out behind the scenes, because opposition is a very cold and very lonely place?
The first- Kemi's crapness- is fixable by a change of leader. The second- lack of people to do the thinking- is much harder to solve.
Noticeable Bobby J sits beside her every single week. United front!
If she'd read any of that and thought "hmm maybe they have a point"then would be taking a topic and really getting into the weeds and where she could really embarrass the government on it.
I suspect she's too lazy too and just reads the absolute tripe that comes up in her Twitter/X timeline from sycophants who think anyone acting like General Pinochet is great because they're on the same team.
Government is difficult, complex and has many pitfalls as the previous government found. Easy to have sound-bite politicians moaning on but history suggests they'll be equally incompetent to the last lot.
There are no easy answers.
What is the point of fining public bodies? Wouldn’t it be better to fine the individual Board members?
I'm sure neutrality descends on them immediately they enter the courtroom.
That is why there has been a dramatic change in Electoral Calculus predictions, in spite of no dramatic change in polling.
https://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/prediction_main.html
https://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/userpoll.html
Mystery solved. It is the new MRP baseline, whatever that is.
He’s untarred by Boris-ism (and the Boriswave) and he stuck at his seat when many might have done a runner.
He’s even more charismatic than Starmer (obviously a low bar).
Just caught up on PMQs and agree with the concensus Kemi was poor though Starmer does avoid answers as all PMs do at PMQs
I listened to Cleverly talking at the Farmers protest and it occurred to me that if he hadn't messed around with votes he would be leader now and would be more authoritative and better briefed
However, Kemi is the leader of the opposition and has the next 12 months to win over her doubters but poor Scotland and Wales elections may prove a step too far for her
Mist judges try fairly to balance the mass of interacting (and sometimes conflicting) legislation that governments have passed over the years.
That's their job - which means they remember more of the stuff which is inconvenient to any given point of view.
I don't know what direct experience you've had of the immigration system, and the law which underlies it, but it's been a morass for years.
Not helped by the frequent changes of policy.
What people don't like is the outcomes - but you can't legislate outcomes.
We really do need a Trumpite revolution now. A simple swing of the pendulum is not gonna cut it
He might lose a few votes to Reform but that would do more damage to Labour.
I'm politically left of centre, but if the LDs keep being so NIMBY and Labour screw up badly or veer to the left, then I'd consider a vote for a moderate Conservative, especially if that's what was needed to keep Farage away from the levers of power.
Also the squealing from the loss of institutional power would be terribly amusing.
She’s not long for this world.
We need a hard right revolution that sweeps away the whole rotten edifice. Democratically but very very firmly
Bombshell speech from US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to Nato:
- US will no longer be the primary guarantor of security in Europe.
- US troops will not be part of any Ukrainian peacekeeping deterrence force
- No Nato protection for any forces that do take part in that force.
On Lincoln’s birthday, I always re-read his second inaugural, and again am amazed at the speech, especially that final paragraph:
"With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Lincoln's_second_inaugural_address
(Lincoln's birthday is still a holiday in some American states:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln's_Birthday )
An answer she seemed unable to process.
Whether he's telling the truth is open to question. But you can't say he didn't answer.
If there was a better way of asking the question, Badenoch demonstrated she couldn't think of it.
He is not left-winger. Far from it.
And we have 4 more years of this so goodness only knows where it will all end !!
If you've no skin in the game, then you don't get to write terms of any settlement. Or nick Ukraine's mineral resources.
Your sort of religio-regressionary worldview - and 'vision' for the future - positively drives people to the left.
https://conservativehome.com/2025/02/12/our-survey-members-think-badenoch-should-lead-the-party-into-the-next-election-but-only-a-third-are-sure/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter for Wednesday 12th February 2025&utm_content=Newsletter for Wednesday 12th February 2025+CID_1d4d6b2ec1c10e21c225b75fd2a5a19e&utm_source=Daily Email&utm_term=Our survey Members think Badenoch should lead the party into the next election - but only a third are sure
Or dead.
As I pointed out above, laws conflict and produce uncertainties, which is what seems to have happened here. You can think a judgment got the balance wrong, and at the same time recognise that the only way to rectify that might be legislation.
No doubt they're trying to work out whether it's worth the time an appeal might take, along with the uncertain outcome, or whether it's simply more efficient to produce yet more legislation.
If you were designing an immigration system from scratch, you wouldn't start here. But we're not starting, and can't start, with a clean slate.
It’s Time. Time for the Leon Parliament
My cabinet shall comprise Lord Byronic as Deputy PM, the right honourable Mystic Rose as Home Secretary, the Lady G as COTE, and Goodwife Heathener as Keeper of the Thermos
Starmer couldn't have been clearer - there is a loophole in the law created by the Tories which he will close.
Legal precedent won't apply when the law is changed. What will he do about it? Change the law.
He just likes the vibe.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBrNk7Kdcu4
You're as bad as Kemi.
Trump hasn’t announced leaving NATO. Yet.
Probably deservedly, I doubt there are many friends of Conservatives in the media. Even the Mail was half-hearted, just in an attempt to stop a Labour landslide. That was then, can only imagine now.
Cue primary legislation….
NATO will have to wait for another day.
And another president.
Happily Reeves reversed that, but only to a level that remains wholly inadequate.
That's the very best of epic fails. The loophole exists - found and exploited by the lawyers and validated by the judge. The loophole is definable as the Home Office are working on a change in the law to close it.
You know who you're talking about when you say "no-one knows anything about"? Its *the Tories*. Inept drafting of the law by *the Tories* and now an inability to understand their own actions by *the Tories*.
Not only did Kemi manage to fall into repeated bear traps of her own laying, she gifted Starmer the ability to detail just how inept the Tories were in government.
Whose law allowed the Palestinian family onto the Ukraine framework? *The Tories*
Who hired someone to WFM from Finland? *The Tories*