A song that is odd for me in that I really like it but find it almost unlistenable is ‘Eight Miles High’ by The Byrds. The guitar is so bad, like scraping nails down a blackboard, but I love the tune/lyrics
Changes from 23rd April [Find Out Now, 30th April, N=1,990]
Yes, Find Out Now, blah blah, but wow
I've always maintained that Reform's breakthrough number is 30. Once they reach 30 a fair few times then they will be entrenched in the voters' minds as THE opposition and the next government, and they might enter a virtuous cycle where increasing credibility leads to even more support. Of course, this might also lead to more scrutiny and they collapse like a bunch of failed neoNazis, but... wow
We are close to a tipping point. And the Tories under 20!
Also if major press eg The Sun back them. Think this is quite likely TBH - "Give Nige A Chance"
Give the country to Trump...
Like Trump? Better off after Brexit? In favour of privatising the NHS? Then vote Reform
Please Please Me She Loves You And I Love Her Help You’ve Got to hide your Love away In my Life Polythene Pam I Want You Something Across the Universe
Quite a John skew there.
Yes I seem to like his songs better than McCartney’s. Just listening to a few more favs and I think they’d be Lennon too; She Said She Said, You Really Got a hold on me, and I should have known Better
Yep, sounds right (although I've stopped marking up each song quoted by people).
I like lots of John's too. It's just the notion he had all the 'edge' and Paul was a great big soppy centrist dad of a songwriter that I don't hold with. The facts, ie the catalogue, do not support that.
Please Please Me She Loves You And I Love Her Help You’ve Got to hide your Love away In my Life Polythene Pam I Want You Something Across the Universe
Quite a John skew there.
Yes I seem to like his songs better than McCartney’s. Just listening to a few more favs and I think they’d be Lennon too; She Said She Said, You Really Got a hold on me, and I should have known Better
Yep, sounds right (although I've stopped marking up each song quoted by people).
I like lots of John's too. It's just the notion he had all the 'edge' and Paul was a great big soppy centrist dad of a songwriter that I don't hold with. The facts, ie the catalogue, do not support that.
To a much, much lesser degree, but the songs, and lives, of Kurt Cobain & Dave Grohl strike me as similar to JL & PMc. One is more hero worshipped than the other and his songs were edgier, but ultimately the one who lived to tell the tale was more accessible and probably a nicer guy (if we forget the recent adultery)
The problem in this country is people being sold the idea that you can get better public services and not have to pay more for them . The UK still has low taxes compared to most of Europe. So Reform are allegedly going to find loads of cuts to make and yet somehow local services won’t suffer .
Councils have suffered because of governments slashing of central funding , an aging population, more demands for social care etc mean it’s only going to get worse .
We aren't going to get wealthier as a country, or make any progress, by taxing working people ever more to pay for retired/non working people.
A single sentence summary of our most fundamental problems. And hanging on for the blessed inheritance is not the answer either.
Reform aren’t going to fix that
Oh of course not. They are a bunch of boorish prats who con the gullible.
Like every other party then.
Or does this level of disdain only apply to parties and voters of which we disapprove ?
Easy solution. Don’t vote. Don’t legitimise the system.
It’s getting ever harder to find a reason to vote. Sadly, the reasons in recent years have been negative. I don’t really vote for someone, I vote against someone else. The SNP in my case.
I fear that is where the majority are. It’s what is making the electorate so volatile. It’s not healthy.
According to Vote UK 'insiders' say Labour to scrape home in Runcorn. DYOR
While scrolling through one of the Runcorn threads:
Quote:
"What is it with all these loony ex-ambassadors and the Workers Party? Says a lot about the Foreign Office really.."
Reply:
"Socially engineered trendy leftie utter toe rags, wrongly appointed to towelhead failed states, where they are 'turned' and groomed by our Muslim enemies."
According to Vote UK 'insiders' say Labour to scrape home in Runcorn. DYOR
Surely impossible to know at this stage.
Party canvassing returns, internal polling etc, sometimes it is spot on but its a myth it will be more accurate because its 'insider'. Many a contest won or less has taken a party by surprise even if just on scale of a particular result.
I am admittedly in a white, middle class, boris-biking, isn't it all lovely what did you see at the theatre last week bubble, but do we really think sensible people are going to go out and vote for Reform in big numbers.
NOTA? Maybe. Shire folk wanting to head back to the 1950s? Possibly. Urban agitators railing against "immigrants" (ie everyone non-white)? Okay.
But in size?
I also used to live in a bubble. And then my daughter started playing football. I very much like the kids there, and the other parents - but it is very much not in the bubble. And you hear views expressed that you simply don't in the bubble. I'm not trying to oversimplify. Quite the opposite: there are a LOT of views expressed (some quite astute, some absolutely insane). It is us in the bubble who are simple in our views. But I no longer find it surprising that Reform are polling 25%.
Very interesting. I skew posho for my extra-bubbular interactions and many of those look down on Reform as Hyacinth Bouquet-type oiks. But I suppose there is a large number of such folk. Still seems a stretch.
Not long to wait now, that said.
Congratulations on the word 'extra-bubbular'. I enjoyed that.
It's refreshing to go extra-bubbular. It's not that suddenly everyone is a Reform voter. But views which would simply Not Be Expressed in your own bubble are not only expressed but - when they are countered - are countered with reasons, rather than simply because you Can't Say That.
I've gone extra-bubbular the other way on occasion, too - I have distant family who move in vaguely posh rural circles and it's just as surprising when you get views expressed which also wouldn't get an airing in my middle class public sector big city milieu.
"'I don't want to leave, but if the money's right then I have to'
Matchroom Sport president Barry Hearn, speaking to BBC Two about the latest regarding the future of the World Snooker Championship at the Crucible beyond 2027: "It's a good time to talk because I've had a very productive meeting with Sheffield City Council. We all know where our heart is, unfortunately it's got to marry up with our wallets because that's what professional sport is about. "I'm looking at prize money levels and thinking snooker players have got to have more, so it's Matchroom's job and World Snooker's job to generate more."
A “confidential” memo (leaked to the Tele) projects that the Conservatives will lose control of all the councils they are defending — as well as all the mayoral elections taking place
In Farage’s interview with Beth Rigby that I linked to earlier, he repeated what a lot of his critics have already said; that Reform’s biggest problem will be winning and having to deliver, and that if they fail to do so, people will distrust him as they do other politicians
A “confidential” memo (leaked to the Tele) projects that the Conservatives will lose control of all the councils they are defending — as well as all the mayoral elections taking place
A “confidential” memo (leaked to the Tele) projects that the Conservatives will lose control of all the councils they are defending — as well as all the mayoral elections taking place
Interesting conversation with Evan Davis at the end of World at One about the relative wealth and prospects of China and the US. Particularly surprising to me was the relative wealth of the two countries and which was likely to come out on top
"Thunderbolts*" is out, the plot is on Wikipedia, the reason for the asterisk is what we always thought it was, and the post-credits scene is on YouTube. It's impossible to spoil it given how many details have been leaked.
The problem in this country is people being sold the idea that you can get better public services and not have to pay more for them . The UK still has low taxes compared to most of Europe. So Reform are allegedly going to find loads of cuts to make and yet somehow local services won’t suffer .
Councils have suffered because of governments slashing of central funding , an aging population, more demands for social care etc mean it’s only going to get worse .
We aren't going to get wealthier as a country, or make any progress, by taxing working people ever more to pay for retired/non working people.
A single sentence summary of our most fundamental problems. And hanging on for the blessed inheritance is not the answer either.
Reform aren’t going to fix that
Oh of course not. They are a bunch of boorish prats who con the gullible.
Like every other party then.
Or does this level of disdain only apply to parties and voters of which we disapprove ?
Easy solution. Don’t vote. Don’t legitimise the system.
It’s getting ever harder to find a reason to vote. Sadly, the reasons in recent years have been negative. I don’t really vote for someone, I vote against someone else. The SNP in my case.
I fear that is where the majority are. It’s what is making the electorate so volatile. It’s not healthy.
Agree with that . At least with PR people have a better chance of a positive vote . I’m normally a Labour voter but have more often than not voted Lib Dem to stop the Tories as I’ve ended up living in areas where it’s been a Tory v Lib Dem marginal .
Please Please Me She Loves You And I Love Her Help You’ve Got to hide your Love away In my Life Polythene Pam I Want You Something Across the Universe
Quite a John skew there.
Yes I seem to like his songs better than McCartney’s. Just listening to a few more favs and I think they’d be Lennon too; She Said She Said, You Really Got a hold on me, and I should have known Better
Yep, sounds right (although I've stopped marking up each song quoted by people).
I like lots of John's too. It's just the notion he had all the 'edge' and Paul was a great big soppy centrist dad of a songwriter that I don't hold with. The facts, ie the catalogue, do not support that.
To a much, much lesser degree, but the songs, and lives, of Kurt Cobain & Dave Grohl strike me as similar to JL & PMc. One is more hero worshipped than the other and his songs were edgier, but ultimately the one who lived to tell the tale was more accessible and probably a nicer guy (if we forget the recent adultery)
I'm on slightly firmer ground here than I was with the Beatles. I think Kurt Cobain was meant to be a nice guy. Pleasant and gentle and personable. But also a massive addict and wracked with his own demons.
Dave Grohl's back catalogue is now gargantuan, and dwarves Kurt's. And it's mostly excellent. And there is almost nothing of Kurt's which wasn't also Dave's. Nirvana basically did three albums, one of which was almost unlistenable and one of which was no better than quite good. But then there's Nevermind, and the beautiful, haunted look of the man most associated with it...
According to Vote UK 'insiders' say Labour to scrape home in Runcorn. DYOR
Surely impossible to know at this stage.
Party canvassing returns, internal polling etc, sometimes it is spot on but its a myth it will be more accurate because its 'insider'. Many a contest won or less has taken a party by surprise even if just on scale of a particular result.
When Lib Dems are the challenger they usually give pretty accurate predictions based on canvassing returns (though typically deliberately downgraded a little to GTVO) but I’m not sure that’s been true of Labour defences.
I suspect it’s harder to get a true sense in canvassing if you’re the defending party, because so many people will not answer the door or, if they’re switchers, will lie to save face.
My son has been debating with his friends the relative merits of the Beatles and Queen. To my mind it’s easy, Queen have the better tunes (as for that matter do ABBA and several others), but the Beatles were more historically important.
What on earth is going on with 10cc's Dreadlock Holiday.
How is it that this song hasn't been cancelled. Or the band. Are 10cc still a thing/alive/playing at the Shepherds Bush Empire next Friday?
What the hell is going on.
Edit: bloody hell they are playing Molesey in June as part of their UK tour.
It's just one of the classic four members (Graham Gouldman).
Trigger's broom/Ship of Theseus/10cc
(And just about every other band of yesteryear touring today - and as people will know, because I mention it regularly, there is barely a band of yesteryear not touring today.)
Oh, absolutely. I'm a big Yes fan. The band today has no original members and just one classic member, and I go see every tour.
But does being an original lend legitimacy. I mean the band Marmalade have no original members now, Graham Knight having retired. However Sandy Newman has been with them since the mid seventies. He has been a member far longer than the likes of Dean Ford and Junior Campbell.
At the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame (Don Henley reckons it should be achievement not fame, he has a point) look at Blondies acceptance. Debbie Harry was steadfastly against any of the classic line up no longer members playing
People often talk in terms of original members, but, I agree, being an original member doesn't really matter. Canadian rock band Rush had a different bass player for their first ever concert, before he was replaced. So the bass player everyone knows about isn't technically original, but he's original enough. Steve Howe in Yes didn't join until touring in support of the second album, but he was there when the band made it big and made the albums they're famous for. Lots of bands had original members who aren't as well known as the people who were there when they found success.
But then you've got a band like The Drifters. No-one in the current band touring as The Drifters was in The Drifters when The Drifters recorded their hit songs. No-one in the current band has worked with anyone who was in The Drifters when The Drifters recorded their hit songs. No-one in the current band has even worked with anyone who has worked with anyone who was in The Drifters when The Drifters recorded their hit songs.
Then you've got Fleetwood Mac, whose early history confuses the heck out of everyone.
One of the things I like about ABBA is that they kept it simple.
Not that simple. As I understand it, all of Abba have now been replaced by holograms of the original members. Easy to understand, I suppose, even if it does sound like a minor plot from Futurama.
I am admittedly in a white, middle class, boris-biking, isn't it all lovely what did you see at the theatre last week bubble, but do we really think sensible people are going to go out and vote for Reform in big numbers.
NOTA? Maybe. Shire folk wanting to head back to the 1950s? Possibly. Urban agitators railing against "immigrants" (ie everyone non-white)? Okay.
But in size?
I also used to live in a bubble. And then my daughter started playing football. I very much like the kids there, and the other parents - but it is very much not in the bubble. And you hear views expressed that you simply don't in the bubble. I'm not trying to oversimplify. Quite the opposite: there are a LOT of views expressed (some quite astute, some absolutely insane). It is us in the bubble who are simple in our views. But I no longer find it surprising that Reform are polling 25%.
Very interesting. I skew posho for my extra-bubbular interactions and many of those look down on Reform as Hyacinth Bouquet-type oiks. But I suppose there is a large number of such folk. Still seems a stretch.
Not long to wait now, that said.
Congratulations on the word 'extra-bubbular'. I enjoyed that.
It's refreshing to go extra-bubbular. It's not that suddenly everyone is a Reform voter. But views which would simply Not Be Expressed in your own bubble are not only expressed but - when they are countered - are countered with reasons, rather than simply because you Can't Say That.
I've gone extra-bubbular the other way on occasion, too - I have distant family who move in vaguely posh rural circles and it's just as surprising when you get views expressed which also wouldn't get an airing in my middle class public sector big city milieu.
WRT extra-bubbularness and Reform, the most recent YouGov sub-sample figures are ABC1: 15; C2DE 24 - that's looking at the figures including the DKs and WNVs.
So in a particular class based bubble about a quarter are for Reform, and there is also a strongly male aspect to Reform vote. and also the north, and England.
So if, like me, you live and move in a mostly C2DE area, in the north of England where the males are a good deal noisier than the females absolutely nothing is taking you by surprise.
It's a repeat of how Brexit worked out. Lawyer friends in the south would tell me they knew no-one apart from Remainers, but when you dug down a bit they remembered that their offices and homes had cleaners and lowly clerical staff and people who fixed the coffee machine and perhaps some of them were, irrationally, Brexiteers.
If Reform really does look like it will break through, will we see lots of former Tories (and some Labour) stream in as candidates in search of a ministerial post?
I think that’s the point where the Tories vanish isn’t it?
It will get very nasty between Labour and Reform when it sinks in that Labour have lost the native working class. Labour took them for granted for too long and thought that ranting about the Tories and 'our NHS' was good enough.
I have a very different view in that, when Conservatives had Westminster majorities, about half the working class voted for them. And in Conservative defeats, 35-45% of the working class voted Conservative.
If it was Tory’s challenging Labour, the by election would have had a lower turnout. The fact it is Reform challenging will have boosted turnout out. The more educated and well off Tory, Lab, Green and Libdems the voters are, the more likely they are ganging up on Reform out there right now, across the country.
To some extent Reform have a NOTA attraction, but for 70% of regular voters, Farage is responsible for Brexit, and they loath his populist policy offering too. So even as NOTA, Reform from now till it’s disbanded, will always have a glass ceiling and vote inefficiency.
My son has been debating with his friends the relative merits of the Beatles and Queen. To my mind it’s easy, Queen have the better tunes (as for that matter do ABBA and several others), but the Beatles were more historically important.
Emtirely untrue. The Beatles are incomparable, even Queen and Abba come nowhere near them in terms of the incredible back catalogue of fantastic songs, one after the other for eight years: stupefying
This debate has sealed it, and I'm not a Beatles fanboi. The sheer abundance of talent and melody is unexampled
I disagree with much of it, but it gives you a sense of the scale. They are like the Bach and Mozart of pop music, combined, the fecundity of Bach, the insta-genius of Mozart
What on earth is going on with 10cc's Dreadlock Holiday.
How is it that this song hasn't been cancelled. Or the band. Are 10cc still a thing/alive/playing at the Shepherds Bush Empire next Friday?
What the hell is going on.
Edit: bloody hell they are playing Molesey in June as part of their UK tour.
It's just one of the classic four members (Graham Gouldman).
Trigger's broom/Ship of Theseus/10cc
(And just about every other band of yesteryear touring today - and as people will know, because I mention it regularly, there is barely a band of yesteryear not touring today.)
Oh, absolutely. I'm a big Yes fan. The band today has no original members and just one classic member, and I go see every tour.
But does being an original lend legitimacy. I mean the band Marmalade have no original members now, Graham Knight having retired. However Sandy Newman has been with them since the mid seventies. He has been a member far longer than the likes of Dean Ford and Junior Campbell.
At the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame (Don Henley reckons it should be achievement not fame, he has a point) look at Blondies acceptance. Debbie Harry was steadfastly against any of the classic line up no longer members playing
People often talk in terms of original members, but, I agree, being an original member doesn't really matter. Canadian rock band Rush had a different bass player for their first ever concert, before he was replaced. So the bass player everyone knows about isn't technically original, but he's original enough. Steve Howe in Yes didn't join until touring in support of the second album, but he was there when the band made it big and made the albums they're famous for. Lots of bands had original members who aren't as well known as the people who were there when they found success.
But then you've got a band like The Drifters. No-one in the current band touring as The Drifters was in The Drifters when The Drifters recorded their hit songs. No-one in the current band has worked with anyone who was in The Drifters when The Drifters recorded their hit songs. No-one in the current band has even worked with anyone who has worked with anyone who was in The Drifters when The Drifters recorded their hit songs.
Then you've got Fleetwood Mac, whose early history confuses the heck out of everyone.
One of the things I like about ABBA is that they kept it simple.
I enjoy the story of Fleetwood Mac more than their music!
What on earth is going on with 10cc's Dreadlock Holiday.
How is it that this song hasn't been cancelled. Or the band. Are 10cc still a thing/alive/playing at the Shepherds Bush Empire next Friday?
What the hell is going on.
Edit: bloody hell they are playing Molesey in June as part of their UK tour.
It's just one of the classic four members (Graham Gouldman).
Trigger's broom/Ship of Theseus/10cc
(And just about every other band of yesteryear touring today - and as people will know, because I mention it regularly, there is barely a band of yesteryear not touring today.)
Oh, absolutely. I'm a big Yes fan. The band today has no original members and just one classic member, and I go see every tour.
But does being an original lend legitimacy. I mean the band Marmalade have no original members now, Graham Knight having retired. However Sandy Newman has been with them since the mid seventies. He has been a member far longer than the likes of Dean Ford and Junior Campbell.
At the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame (Don Henley reckons it should be achievement not fame, he has a point) look at Blondies acceptance. Debbie Harry was steadfastly against any of the classic line up no longer members playing
People often talk in terms of original members, but, I agree, being an original member doesn't really matter. Canadian rock band Rush had a different bass player for their first ever concert, before he was replaced. So the bass player everyone knows about isn't technically original, but he's original enough. Steve Howe in Yes didn't join until touring in support of the second album, but he was there when the band made it big and made the albums they're famous for. Lots of bands had original members who aren't as well known as the people who were there when they found success.
But then you've got a band like The Drifters. No-one in the current band touring as The Drifters was in The Drifters when The Drifters recorded their hit songs. No-one in the current band has worked with anyone who was in The Drifters when The Drifters recorded their hit songs. No-one in the current band has even worked with anyone who has worked with anyone who was in The Drifters when The Drifters recorded their hit songs.
Then you've got Fleetwood Mac, whose early history confuses the heck out of everyone.
One of the things I like about ABBA is that they kept it simple.
Lynyrd Skynyrd tour with zero original members I think . Fleetwood Mac still have Fleetwood and Max don’t they?
One of those isn't actually original, even though the band was half-named after him.
I am admittedly in a white, middle class, boris-biking, isn't it all lovely what did you see at the theatre last week bubble, but do we really think sensible people are going to go out and vote for Reform in big numbers.
NOTA? Maybe. Shire folk wanting to head back to the 1950s? Possibly. Urban agitators railing against "immigrants" (ie everyone non-white)? Okay.
But in size?
I also used to live in a bubble. And then my daughter started playing football. I very much like the kids there, and the other parents - but it is very much not in the bubble. And you hear views expressed that you simply don't in the bubble. I'm not trying to oversimplify. Quite the opposite: there are a LOT of views expressed (some quite astute, some absolutely insane). It is us in the bubble who are simple in our views. But I no longer find it surprising that Reform are polling 25%.
Very interesting. I skew posho for my extra-bubbular interactions and many of those look down on Reform as Hyacinth Bouquet-type oiks. But I suppose there is a large number of such folk. Still seems a stretch.
Not long to wait now, that said.
Congratulations on the word 'extra-bubbular'. I enjoyed that.
It's refreshing to go extra-bubbular. It's not that suddenly everyone is a Reform voter. But views which would simply Not Be Expressed in your own bubble are not only expressed but - when they are countered - are countered with reasons, rather than simply because you Can't Say That.
I've gone extra-bubbular the other way on occasion, too - I have distant family who move in vaguely posh rural circles and it's just as surprising when you get views expressed which also wouldn't get an airing in my middle class public sector big city milieu.
WRT extra-bubbularness and Reform, the most recent YouGov sub-sample figures are ABC1: 15; C2DE 24 - that's looking at the figures including the DKs and WNVs.
So in a particular class based bubble about a quarter are for Reform, and there is also a strongly male aspect to Reform vote. and also the north, and England.
So if, like me, you live and move in a mostly C2DE area, in the north of England where the males are a good deal noisier than the females absolutely nothing is taking you by surprise.
It's a repeat of how Brexit worked out. Lawyer friends in the south would tell me they knew no-one apart from Remainers, but when you dug down a bit they remembered that their offices and homes had cleaners and lowly clerical staff and people who fixed the coffee machine and perhaps some of them were, irrationally, Brexiteers.
I went to a garden party at Radcliffe Chambers, the week after the result, and admitted I voted Leave, expecting some hostility, only to discover about 40% of the lawyers present had done so.
I am admittedly in a white, middle class, boris-biking, isn't it all lovely what did you see at the theatre last week bubble, but do we really think sensible people are going to go out and vote for Reform in big numbers.
NOTA? Maybe. Shire folk wanting to head back to the 1950s? Possibly. Urban agitators railing against "immigrants" (ie everyone non-white)? Okay.
But in size?
I also used to live in a bubble. And then my daughter started playing football. I very much like the kids there, and the other parents - but it is very much not in the bubble. And you hear views expressed that you simply don't in the bubble. I'm not trying to oversimplify. Quite the opposite: there are a LOT of views expressed (some quite astute, some absolutely insane). It is us in the bubble who are simple in our views. But I no longer find it surprising that Reform are polling 25%.
Very interesting. I skew posho for my extra-bubbular interactions and many of those look down on Reform as Hyacinth Bouquet-type oiks. But I suppose there is a large number of such folk. Still seems a stretch.
Not long to wait now, that said.
Congratulations on the word 'extra-bubbular'. I enjoyed that.
It's refreshing to go extra-bubbular. It's not that suddenly everyone is a Reform voter. But views which would simply Not Be Expressed in your own bubble are not only expressed but - when they are countered - are countered with reasons, rather than simply because you Can't Say That.
I've gone extra-bubbular the other way on occasion, too - I have distant family who move in vaguely posh rural circles and it's just as surprising when you get views expressed which also wouldn't get an airing in my middle class public sector big city milieu.
WRT extra-bubbularness and Reform, the most recent YouGov sub-sample figures are ABC1: 15; C2DE 24 - that's looking at the figures including the DKs and WNVs.
So in a particular class based bubble about a quarter are for Reform, and there is also a strongly male aspect to Reform vote. and also the north, and England.
So if, like me, you live and move in a mostly C2DE area, in the north of England where the males are a good deal noisier than the females absolutely nothing is taking you by surprise.
It's a repeat of how Brexit worked out. Lawyer friends in the south would tell me they knew no-one apart from Remainers, but when you dug down a bit they remembered that their offices and homes had cleaners and lowly clerical staff and people who fixed the coffee machine and perhaps some of them were, irrationally, Brexiteers.
I went to a garden party at Radcliffe Chambers, the week after the result, and admitted I voted Leave, expecting some hostility, only to discover about 40% of the lawyers present had done so.
Second rate ones i'd expect. There are many parochial lawyers around
I am admittedly in a white, middle class, boris-biking, isn't it all lovely what did you see at the theatre last week bubble, but do we really think sensible people are going to go out and vote for Reform in big numbers.
NOTA? Maybe. Shire folk wanting to head back to the 1950s? Possibly. Urban agitators railing against "immigrants" (ie everyone non-white)? Okay.
But in size?
I also used to live in a bubble. And then my daughter started playing football. I very much like the kids there, and the other parents - but it is very much not in the bubble. And you hear views expressed that you simply don't in the bubble. I'm not trying to oversimplify. Quite the opposite: there are a LOT of views expressed (some quite astute, some absolutely insane). It is us in the bubble who are simple in our views. But I no longer find it surprising that Reform are polling 25%.
Very interesting. I skew posho for my extra-bubbular interactions and many of those look down on Reform as Hyacinth Bouquet-type oiks. But I suppose there is a large number of such folk. Still seems a stretch.
Not long to wait now, that said.
Congratulations on the word 'extra-bubbular'. I enjoyed that.
It's refreshing to go extra-bubbular. It's not that suddenly everyone is a Reform voter. But views which would simply Not Be Expressed in your own bubble are not only expressed but - when they are countered - are countered with reasons, rather than simply because you Can't Say That.
I've gone extra-bubbular the other way on occasion, too - I have distant family who move in vaguely posh rural circles and it's just as surprising when you get views expressed which also wouldn't get an airing in my middle class public sector big city milieu.
WRT extra-bubbularness and Reform, the most recent YouGov sub-sample figures are ABC1: 15; C2DE 24 - that's looking at the figures including the DKs and WNVs.
So in a particular class based bubble about a quarter are for Reform, and there is also a strongly male aspect to Reform vote. and also the north, and England.
So if, like me, you live and move in a mostly C2DE area, in the north of England where the males are a good deal noisier than the females absolutely nothing is taking you by surprise.
It's a repeat of how Brexit worked out. Lawyer friends in the south would tell me they knew no-one apart from Remainers, but when you dug down a bit they remembered that their offices and homes had cleaners and lowly clerical staff and people who fixed the coffee machine and perhaps some of them were, irrationally, Brexiteers.
I went to a garden party at Radcliffe Chambers, the week after the result, and admitted I voted Leave, expecting some hostility, only to discover about 40% of the lawyers present had done so.
A corporate and commercial chambers, a public law or human rights set would be wall to wall Remainers
I am admittedly in a white, middle class, boris-biking, isn't it all lovely what did you see at the theatre last week bubble, but do we really think sensible people are going to go out and vote for Reform in big numbers.
NOTA? Maybe. Shire folk wanting to head back to the 1950s? Possibly. Urban agitators railing against "immigrants" (ie everyone non-white)? Okay.
But in size?
I also used to live in a bubble. And then my daughter started playing football. I very much like the kids there, and the other parents - but it is very much not in the bubble. And you hear views expressed that you simply don't in the bubble. I'm not trying to oversimplify. Quite the opposite: there are a LOT of views expressed (some quite astute, some absolutely insane). It is us in the bubble who are simple in our views. But I no longer find it surprising that Reform are polling 25%.
Very interesting. I skew posho for my extra-bubbular interactions and many of those look down on Reform as Hyacinth Bouquet-type oiks. But I suppose there is a large number of such folk. Still seems a stretch.
Not long to wait now, that said.
Congratulations on the word 'extra-bubbular'. I enjoyed that.
It's refreshing to go extra-bubbular. It's not that suddenly everyone is a Reform voter. But views which would simply Not Be Expressed in your own bubble are not only expressed but - when they are countered - are countered with reasons, rather than simply because you Can't Say That.
I've gone extra-bubbular the other way on occasion, too - I have distant family who move in vaguely posh rural circles and it's just as surprising when you get views expressed which also wouldn't get an airing in my middle class public sector big city milieu.
WRT extra-bubbularness and Reform, the most recent YouGov sub-sample figures are ABC1: 15; C2DE 24 - that's looking at the figures including the DKs and WNVs.
So in a particular class based bubble about a quarter are for Reform, and there is also a strongly male aspect to Reform vote. and also the north, and England.
So if, like me, you live and move in a mostly C2DE area, in the north of England where the males are a good deal noisier than the females absolutely nothing is taking you by surprise.
It's a repeat of how Brexit worked out. Lawyer friends in the south would tell me they knew no-one apart from Remainers, but when you dug down a bit they remembered that their offices and homes had cleaners and lowly clerical staff and people who fixed the coffee machine and perhaps some of them were, irrationally, Brexiteers.
I went to a garden party at Radcliffe Chambers, the week after the result, and admitted I voted Leave, expecting some hostility, only to discover about 40% of the lawyers present had done so.
A corporate and commercial chambers, a public law or human rights set would be wall to wall Remainers
They did a poll of the Ad industry and 97% were Remainers. I dont know who the 3% were.
Comments
Better off after Brexit?
In favour of privatising the NHS?
Then vote Reform
I like lots of John's too. It's just the notion he had all the 'edge' and Paul was a great big soppy centrist dad of a songwriter that I don't hold with. The facts, ie the catalogue, do not support that.
Just for the bants.
I fear that is where the majority are. It’s what is making the electorate so volatile. It’s not healthy.
Quote:
"What is it with all these loony ex-ambassadors and the Workers Party? Says a lot about the Foreign Office really.."
Reply:
"Socially engineered trendy leftie utter toe rags, wrongly appointed to towelhead failed states, where they are 'turned' and groomed by our Muslim enemies."
Do they not have moderators over there? Jesus...
It's refreshing to go extra-bubbular. It's not that suddenly everyone is a Reform voter. But views which would simply Not Be Expressed in your own bubble are not only expressed but - when they are countered - are countered with reasons, rather than simply because you Can't Say That.
I've gone extra-bubbular the other way on occasion, too - I have distant family who move in vaguely posh rural circles and it's just as surprising when you get views expressed which also wouldn't get an airing in my middle class public sector big city milieu.
Matchroom Sport president Barry Hearn, speaking to BBC Two about the latest regarding the future of the World Snooker Championship at the Crucible beyond 2027: "It's a good time to talk because I've had a very productive meeting with Sheffield City Council. We all know where our heart is, unfortunately it's got to marry up with our wallets because that's what professional sport is about. "I'm looking at prize money levels and thinking snooker players have got to have more, so it's Matchroom's job and World Snooker's job to generate more."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/live/cx200xzgj8pt
What’s at stake in England’s local elections?
A “confidential” memo (leaked to the Tele) projects that the Conservatives will lose control of all the councils they are defending — as well as all the mayoral elections taking place
https://bsky.app/profile/josh.politics.co.uk/post/3lo4ehgas2s2j
My favourite is Chet Baker
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFAKFcaMs-I
NEW THREAD
I think Kurt Cobain was meant to be a nice guy. Pleasant and gentle and personable. But also a massive addict and wracked with his own demons.
Dave Grohl's back catalogue is now gargantuan, and dwarves Kurt's. And it's mostly excellent. And there is almost nothing of Kurt's which wasn't also Dave's. Nirvana basically did three albums, one of which was almost unlistenable and one of which was no better than quite good. But then there's Nevermind, and the beautiful, haunted look of the man most associated with it...
I suspect it’s harder to get a true sense in canvassing if you’re the defending party, because so many people will not answer the door or, if they’re switchers, will lie to save face.
Ditto: Norwegian Wood, I Get By With A Little Help, All My Loving, All Together Now, Lady Madonna - on and on
So in a particular class based bubble about a quarter are for Reform, and there is also a strongly male aspect to Reform vote. and also the north, and England.
So if, like me, you live and move in a mostly C2DE area, in the north of England where the males are a good deal noisier than the females absolutely nothing is taking you by surprise.
It's a repeat of how Brexit worked out. Lawyer friends in the south would tell me they knew no-one apart from Remainers, but when you dug down a bit they remembered that their offices and homes had cleaners and lowly clerical staff and people who fixed the coffee machine and perhaps some of them were, irrationally, Brexiteers.
If it was Tory’s challenging Labour, the by election would have had a lower turnout. The fact it is Reform challenging will have boosted turnout out. The more educated and well off Tory, Lab, Green and Libdems the voters are, the more likely they are ganging up on Reform out there right now, across the country.
To some extent Reform have a NOTA attraction, but for 70% of regular voters, Farage is responsible for Brexit, and they loath his populist policy offering too. So even as NOTA, Reform from now till it’s disbanded, will always have a glass ceiling and vote inefficiency.
This debate has sealed it, and I'm not a Beatles fanboi. The sheer abundance of talent and melody is unexampled
Someone has ranked all their 214 songs:
https://www.vulture.com/article/best-beatles-songs-ranked.html
I disagree with much of it, but it gives you a sense of the scale. They are like the Bach and Mozart of pop music, combined, the fecundity of Bach, the insta-genius of Mozart
Chambers, the week after the result, and admitted I voted Leave, expecting some hostility, only to discover about 40% of the lawyers present had done so.