Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
It is hard to argue against that, for sure
People like @Foxy and @BartholomewRoberts and @kinabalu and @OnlyLivingBoy and @Roger and the rest, who want more and more immigration, and think multiculturalism is a fantastic success, should count themselves lucky that, as things stand, the popular right opposition is a relatively humane and domesticated beast like Reform
Nigel Farage is not gonna start shooting boat-people, he's not gonna cancel elections, he won't bring back the noose. Indeed he is criticised by many on the alt.right for being too soft
There is no law to say Britain is magically immune from much nastier political forces, lile the AfD in Germany
We should pray that if and when Farage reaches power and succeeds, the boil is lanced, and British democracy endures. Because the alternative will not be a cosy return to the old politics, it will be something darker
You are being unfair to Bart there. Like me he might believe in free movement but that does not mean he necessarily thinks multiculturalism is a success or ever could be.
Norway has one of the highest immigrant rates for its population of any country in Europe and they make a success of it precisely becuase they don't hold with multiculturalism. If you want to stay and settle in Norway then you become Norwegian. You embrace the language and the culture. It is a system that works and is a very long way from the multiculturalist approach we see in Britain or other parts of Europe. .
The Norwegion approach is impossible here because learning the Norwegian language necessarily implies a serious commitment to Norway and its culture, whereas learning the English language is entirely detached from any commitment to Britain.
Language is only one part of it. And even if you already know it the 300 hours of compulsory study are still mandatory.
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
It is hard to argue against that, for sure
People like @Foxy and @BartholomewRoberts and @kinabalu and @OnlyLivingBoy and @Roger and the rest, who want more and more immigration, and think multiculturalism is a fantastic success, should count themselves lucky that, as things stand, the popular right opposition is a relatively humane and domesticated beast like Reform
Nigel Farage is not gonna start shooting boat-people, he's not gonna cancel elections, he won't bring back the noose. Indeed he is criticised by many on the alt.right for being too soft
There is no law to say Britain is magically immune from much nastier political forces, lile the AfD in Germany
We should pray that if and when Farage reaches power and succeeds, the boil is lanced, and British democracy endures. Because the alternative will not be a cosy return to the old politics, it will be something darker
You are being unfair to Bart there. Like me he might believe in free movement but that does not mean he necessarily thinks multiculturalism is a success or ever could be.
Norway has one of the highest immigrant rates for its population of any country in Europe and they make a success of it precisely becuase they don't hold with multiculturalism. If you want to stay and settle in Norway then you become Norwegian. You embrace the language and the culture. It is a system that works and is a very long way from the multiculturalist approach we see in Britain or other parts of Europe. .
France refuses multiculturalism, to the point of not recording ethnic or religious data in official records.
The AfD is the most popular party in Germany, and by far the most representative of East Germany. Now the bureaucrats try to destroy it.
The West tore down the Berlin Wall together. And it has been rebuilt—not by the Soviets or the Russians, but by the German establishment.
Reading KL about the Nazi concentration camps. The idea that other ‘races’ were not equal to Germans was one of the cornerstones of Nazi ideology, and that led to the horrors I send myself to sleep with each night. I’ve not even reached Auschwitz yet and the war has only just got going. If you want to understand why people are worried about AfD it might be because they too regard non Germans as not equal to Germans.
Simply regarding non-Germans as non-German is the thought crime they are accused of.
Of course @williamglenn is lying again - he's an AfD supporter. Anyone can regard anyone as not German enough for their tastes, if that's what turns them on. What is unconstitutional is to work to undermine democracy. For example, by saying that citizens who don't pass your German purity test shouldn't have any rights.
But it is a difficult problem - what does a democracy do when a political party seeks to overthrow democracy by getting elected? The German constitution was written with this in mind, but I don't think they've found a solution.
Trump tried to reverse the previous election and the Republican Party seems to be on board with all kinds of anti-democratic unconstitutional power grabs, but democracy hasn't died in the US, though it's under threat.
In a democracy, the make-up of the electorate is a constitutional question. If the state can modify the electorate by importing millions of people and the people whose votes (i.e. political rights) are being diluted are denied any legitimate means of objecting, then you don't have a democratic regime but something else.
People can vote to stop immigration, or vote to make it harder to gain German citizenship. Nothing is stopping them.
A political party that campaigns to disenfranchise Germans because they are the wrong skin colour is likely to be designated as anti-democratic and right-extremist as the AfD has been after 3 years of investigation. This seems consistent with previous decisions about various organisations over the years, and with the German constitution. Whether this decision makes any difference to anything I'm fairly doubtful.
You are an AfD supporter. You're obviously going to play the victim here. You're obviously going to claim the AfD are not anti-democratic. I don't think you are in favour of democracy yourself, but you are never honest.
What a rude man Curtice is. He's either been infected by Farage or he must have been tired. Academics usually have manners
He was exceptionally rude when I had to write an official letter to him asking a few fairly innocuous questions about the British Polling Council. He acted like I was a seminarian asking a question of the Pope.
Re Cornwall, I am VERY happy to report that one of my best friends XXXX XX XXXXXXX - the ex mayor of Truro! - has been retuned once again (3rd time?) as an indy county councillor in Cornwall. He's very popular in his ward, has a massively loyal vote, and he does this by working extremely hard and knowing everyone everywhere, and he charms them
I've been canvassing with hin, they invite him in for tea, "ah come in my lover". It's lovely to see
He'd be a great MP for his chunk of Cornwall, he could be a new David Penhaligon, trouble is he's an indy so doesn't have the party system/infra to back him
Reform have otherwise swept the board in Conwall, destroyed the Tories and Labour. I now expect Reform to win most Cornwall seats in the next GE, with maybe one LD
In a world where voters are scunnered with the traditional parties, why shouldn’t a popular politician stand as an Independent and win as an MP?
The AfD is the most popular party in Germany, and by far the most representative of East Germany. Now the bureaucrats try to destroy it.
The West tore down the Berlin Wall together. And it has been rebuilt—not by the Soviets or the Russians, but by the German establishment.
Reading KL about the Nazi concentration camps. The idea that other ‘races’ were not equal to Germans was one of the cornerstones of Nazi ideology, and that led to the horrors I send myself to sleep with each night. I’ve not even reached Auschwitz yet and the war has only just got going. If you want to understand why people are worried about AfD it might be because they too regard non Germans as not equal to Germans.
Simply regarding non-Germans as non-German is the thought crime they are accused of.
Of course @williamglenn is lying again - he's an AfD supporter. Anyone can regard anyone as not German enough for their tastes, if that's what turns them on. What is unconstitutional is to work to undermine democracy. For example, by saying that citizens who don't pass your German purity test shouldn't have any rights.
But it is a difficult problem - what does a democracy do when a political party seeks to overthrow democracy by getting elected? The German constitution was written with this in mind, but I don't think they've found a solution.
Trump tried to reverse the previous election and the Republican Party seems to be on board with all kinds of anti-democratic unconstitutional power grabs, but democracy hasn't died in the US, though it's under threat.
In a democracy, the make-up of the electorate is a constitutional question. If the state can modify the electorate by importing millions of people and the people whose votes (i.e. political rights) are being diluted are denied any legitimate means of objecting, then you don't have a democratic regime but something else.
People can vote to stop immigration, or vote to make it harder to gain German citizenship. Nothing is stopping them.
A political party that campaigns to disenfranchise Germans because they are the wrong skin colour is likely to be designated as anti-democratic and right-extremist as the AfD has been after 3 years of investigation. This seems consistent with previous decisions about various organisations over the years, and with the German constitution. Whether this decision makes any difference to anything I'm fairly doubtful.
You are an AfD supporter. You're obviously going to play the victim here. You're obviously going to claim the AfD are not anti-democratic. I don't think you are in favour of democracy yourself, but you are never honest.
You are advocating a system where the state is not accountable to the people because the state gets to decide who the people are. It's a complete perversion of concepts like self-determination that used to be regarded as central to democracy.
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
It is hard to argue against that, for sure
People like @Foxy and @BartholomewRoberts and @kinabalu and @OnlyLivingBoy and @Roger and the rest, who want more and more immigration, and think multiculturalism is a fantastic success, should count themselves lucky that, as things stand, the popular right opposition is a relatively humane and domesticated beast like Reform
Nigel Farage is not gonna start shooting boat-people, he's not gonna cancel elections, he won't bring back the noose. Indeed he is criticised by many on the alt.right for being too soft
There is no law to say Britain is magically immune from much nastier political forces, lile the AfD in Germany
We should pray that if and when Farage reaches power and succeeds, the boil is lanced, and British democracy endures. Because the alternative will not be a cosy return to the old politics, it will be something darker
You are being unfair to Bart there. Like me he might believe in free movement but that does not mean he necessarily thinks multiculturalism is a success or ever could be.
Norway has one of the highest immigrant rates for its population of any country in Europe and they make a success of it precisely becuase they don't hold with multiculturalism. If you want to stay and settle in Norway then you become Norwegian. You embrace the language and the culture. It is a system that works and is a very long way from the multiculturalist approach we see in Britain or other parts of Europe. .
The Norwegion approach is impossible here because learning the Norwegian language necessarily implies a serious commitment to Norway and its culture, whereas learning the English language is entirely detached from any commitment to Britain.
You don't need any commitment to Britain other than abiding by the law, supporting yourself if able, and being a good person.
That's it. There's nothing else. There's no 'glue that binds', no mystical unifying concept of who 'we' are or what 'we' are. That's all nonsense imo.
The AfD is the most popular party in Germany, and by far the most representative of East Germany. Now the bureaucrats try to destroy it.
The West tore down the Berlin Wall together. And it has been rebuilt—not by the Soviets or the Russians, but by the German establishment.
Reading KL about the Nazi concentration camps. The idea that other ‘races’ were not equal to Germans was one of the cornerstones of Nazi ideology, and that led to the horrors I send myself to sleep with each night. I’ve not even reached Auschwitz yet and the war has only just got going. If you want to understand why people are worried about AfD it might be because they too regard non Germans as not equal to Germans.
Simply regarding non-Germans as non-German is the thought crime they are accused of.
Of course @williamglenn is lying again - he's an AfD supporter. Anyone can regard anyone as not German enough for their tastes, if that's what turns them on. What is unconstitutional is to work to undermine democracy. For example, by saying that citizens who don't pass your German purity test shouldn't have any rights.
But it is a difficult problem - what does a democracy do when a political party seeks to overthrow democracy by getting elected? The German constitution was written with this in mind, but I don't think they've found a solution.
Trump tried to reverse the previous election and the Republican Party seems to be on board with all kinds of anti-democratic unconstitutional power grabs, but democracy hasn't died in the US, though it's under threat.
In a democracy, the make-up of the electorate is a constitutional question. If the state can modify the electorate by importing millions of people and the people whose votes (i.e. political rights) are being diluted are denied any legitimate means of objecting, then you don't have a democratic regime but something else.
People can vote to stop immigration, or vote to make it harder to gain German citizenship. Nothing is stopping them.
A political party that campaigns to disenfranchise Germans because they are the wrong skin colour is likely to be designated as anti-democratic and right-extremist as the AfD has been after 3 years of investigation. This seems consistent with previous decisions about various organisations over the years, and with the German constitution. Whether this decision makes any difference to anything I'm fairly doubtful.
You are an AfD supporter. You're obviously going to play the victim here. You're obviously going to claim the AfD are not anti-democratic. I don't think you are in favour of democracy yourself, but you are never honest.
You are advocating a system where the state is not accountable to the people because the state gets to decide who the people are. It's a complete perversion of concepts like self-determination that used to be regarded as central to democracy.
Sorry? That is just a load of bollocks. Every normal state has rules on who is a citizen.
You seem to be in favour of a racial qualification for citizenship,and stripping citizenship from people don't pass @williamglenn's purity test. You can fuck right off.
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
It is hard to argue against that, for sure
People like @Foxy and @BartholomewRoberts and @kinabalu and @OnlyLivingBoy and @Roger and the rest, who want more and more immigration, and think multiculturalism is a fantastic success, should count themselves lucky that, as things stand, the popular right opposition is a relatively humane and domesticated beast like Reform
Nigel Farage is not gonna start shooting boat-people, he's not gonna cancel elections, he won't bring back the noose. Indeed he is criticised by many on the alt.right for being too soft
There is no law to say Britain is magically immune from much nastier political forces, lile the AfD in Germany
We should pray that if and when Farage reaches power and succeeds, the boil is lanced, and British democracy endures. Because the alternative will not be a cosy return to the old politics, it will be something darker
You are being unfair to Bart there. Like me he might believe in free movement but that does not mean he necessarily thinks multiculturalism is a success or ever could be.
Norway has one of the highest immigrant rates for its population of any country in Europe and they make a success of it precisely becuase they don't hold with multiculturalism. If you want to stay and settle in Norway then you become Norwegian. You embrace the language and the culture. It is a system that works and is a very long way from the multiculturalist approach we see in Britain or other parts of Europe. .
The Norwegion approach is impossible here because learning the Norwegian language necessarily implies a serious commitment to Norway and its culture, whereas learning the English language is entirely detached from any commitment to Britain.
You don't need any commitment to Britain other than abiding by the law, supporting yourself if able, and being a good person.
That's it. There's nothing else. There's no 'glue that binds', no mystical unifying concept of who 'we' are or what 'we' are. That's all nonsense imo.
Queueing. Don't forget about our ability to queue.
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
It is hard to argue against that, for sure
People like @Foxy and @BartholomewRoberts and @kinabalu and @OnlyLivingBoy and @Roger and the rest, who want more and more immigration, and think multiculturalism is a fantastic success, should count themselves lucky that, as things stand, the popular right opposition is a relatively humane and domesticated beast like Reform
Nigel Farage is not gonna start shooting boat-people, he's not gonna cancel elections, he won't bring back the noose. Indeed he is criticised by many on the alt.right for being too soft
There is no law to say Britain is magically immune from much nastier political forces, lile the AfD in Germany
We should pray that if and when Farage reaches power and succeeds, the boil is lanced, and British democracy endures. Because the alternative will not be a cosy return to the old politics, it will be something darker
You are being unfair to Bart there. Like me he might believe in free movement but that does not mean he necessarily thinks multiculturalism is a success or ever could be.
Norway has one of the highest immigrant rates for its population of any country in Europe and they make a success of it precisely becuase they don't hold with multiculturalism. If you want to stay and settle in Norway then you become Norwegian. You embrace the language and the culture. It is a system that works and is a very long way from the multiculturalist approach we see in Britain or other parts of Europe. .
The Norwegion approach is impossible here because learning the Norwegian language necessarily implies a serious commitment to Norway and its culture, whereas learning the English language is entirely detached from any commitment to Britain.
You don't need any commitment to Britain other than abiding by the law, supporting yourself if able, and being a good person.
That's it. There's nothing else. There's no 'glue that binds', no mystical unifying concept of who 'we' are or what 'we' are. That's all nonsense imo.
You may be right, but it's utopian to act on the basis that everyone else shares that view, particularly people who see you as one of 'them'.
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
It is hard to argue against that, for sure
People like @Foxy and @BartholomewRoberts and @kinabalu and @OnlyLivingBoy and @Roger and the rest, who want more and more immigration, and think multiculturalism is a fantastic success, should count themselves lucky that, as things stand, the popular right opposition is a relatively humane and domesticated beast like Reform
Nigel Farage is not gonna start shooting boat-people, he's not gonna cancel elections, he won't bring back the noose. Indeed he is criticised by many on the alt.right for being too soft
There is no law to say Britain is magically immune from much nastier political forces, lile the AfD in Germany
We should pray that if and when Farage reaches power and succeeds, the boil is lanced, and British democracy endures. Because the alternative will not be a cosy return to the old politics, it will be something darker
You are being unfair to Bart there. Like me he might believe in free movement but that does not mean he necessarily thinks multiculturalism is a success or ever could be.
Norway has one of the highest immigrant rates for its population of any country in Europe and they make a success of it precisely becuase they don't hold with multiculturalism. If you want to stay and settle in Norway then you become Norwegian. You embrace the language and the culture. It is a system that works and is a very long way from the multiculturalist approach we see in Britain or other parts of Europe. .
The Norwegion approach is impossible here because learning the Norwegian language necessarily implies a serious commitment to Norway and its culture, whereas learning the English language is entirely detached from any commitment to Britain.
You don't need any commitment to Britain other than abiding by the law, supporting yourself if able, and being a good person.
That's it. There's nothing else. There's no 'glue that binds', no mystical unifying concept of who 'we' are or what 'we' are. That's all nonsense imo.
Re Cornwall, I am VERY happy to report that one of my best friends XXXX XX XXXXXXX - the ex mayor of Truro! - has been retuned once again (3rd time?) as an indy county councillor in Cornwall. He's very popular in his ward, has a massively loyal vote, and he does this by working extremely hard and knowing everyone everywhere, and he charms them
I've been canvassing with hin, they invite him in for tea, "ah come in my lover". It's lovely to see
He'd be a great MP for his chunk of Cornwall, he could be a new David Penhaligon, trouble is he's an indy so doesn't have the party system/infra to back him
Reform have otherwise swept the board in Conwall, destroyed the Tories and Labour. I now expect Reform to win most Cornwall seats in the next GE, with maybe one LD
In a world where voters are scunnered with the traditional parties, why shouldn’t a popular politician stand as an Independent and win as an MP?
Well yes, ideally, that would be great
But my friend is not wealthy and he can't afford to compete against the established parties as a candidate indy MP, unless somehow he can find a donor?
It's a damn shame because he is clever, dogged, characterful, genuinely independent - and funny - and a true Cornish patriot - and I honestly believe he'd be a great tribune for his chunk of the Duchy
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
It is hard to argue against that, for sure
People like @Foxy and @BartholomewRoberts and @kinabalu and @OnlyLivingBoy and @Roger and the rest, who want more and more immigration, and think multiculturalism is a fantastic success, should count themselves lucky that, as things stand, the popular right opposition is a relatively humane and domesticated beast like Reform
Nigel Farage is not gonna start shooting boat-people, he's not gonna cancel elections, he won't bring back the noose. Indeed he is criticised by many on the alt.right for being too soft
There is no law to say Britain is magically immune from much nastier political forces, lile the AfD in Germany
We should pray that if and when Farage reaches power and succeeds, the boil is lanced, and British democracy endures. Because the alternative will not be a cosy return to the old politics, it will be something darker
You are being unfair to Bart there. Like me he might believe in free movement but that does not mean he necessarily thinks multiculturalism is a success or ever could be.
Norway has one of the highest immigrant rates for its population of any country in Europe and they make a success of it precisely becuase they don't hold with multiculturalism. If you want to stay and settle in Norway then you become Norwegian. You embrace the language and the culture. It is a system that works and is a very long way from the multiculturalist approach we see in Britain or other parts of Europe. .
The Norwegion approach is impossible here because learning the Norwegian language necessarily implies a serious commitment to Norway and its culture, whereas learning the English language is entirely detached from any commitment to Britain.
You don't need any commitment to Britain other than abiding by the law, supporting yourself if able, and being a good person.
That's it. There's nothing else. There's no 'glue that binds', no mystical unifying concept of who 'we' are or what 'we' are. That's all nonsense imo.
The mediocre architecture of your soul gets ever drearier. You are like Swindon turned into a human
Re Cornwall, I am VERY happy to report that one of my best friends XXXX XX XXXXXXX - the ex mayor of Truro! - has been retuned once again (3rd time?) as an indy county councillor in Cornwall. He's very popular in his ward, has a massively loyal vote, and he does this by working extremely hard and knowing everyone everywhere, and he charms them
I've been canvassing with hin, they invite him in for tea, "ah come in my lover". It's lovely to see
He'd be a great MP for his chunk of Cornwall, he could be a new David Penhaligon, trouble is he's an indy so doesn't have the party system/infra to back him
Reform have otherwise swept the board in Conwall, destroyed the Tories and Labour. I now expect Reform to win most Cornwall seats in the next GE, with maybe one LD
In a world where voters are scunnered with the traditional parties, why shouldn’t a popular politician stand as an Independent and win as an MP?
Well yes, ideally, that would be great
But my friend is not wealthy and he can't afford to compete against the established parties as a candidate indy MP, unless somehow he can find a donor?
It's a damn shame because he is clever, dogged, characterful, genuinely independent - and funny - and a true Cornish patriot - and I honestly believe he'd be a great tribune for his chunk of the Duchy
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
It is hard to argue against that, for sure
People like @Foxy and @BartholomewRoberts and @kinabalu and @OnlyLivingBoy and @Roger and the rest, who want more and more immigration, and think multiculturalism is a fantastic success, should count themselves lucky that, as things stand, the popular right opposition is a relatively humane and domesticated beast like Reform
Nigel Farage is not gonna start shooting boat-people, he's not gonna cancel elections, he won't bring back the noose. Indeed he is criticised by many on the alt.right for being too soft
There is no law to say Britain is magically immune from much nastier political forces, lile the AfD in Germany
We should pray that if and when Farage reaches power and succeeds, the boil is lanced, and British democracy endures. Because the alternative will not be a cosy return to the old politics, it will be something darker
You are being unfair to Bart there. Like me he might believe in free movement but that does not mean he necessarily thinks multiculturalism is a success or ever could be.
Norway has one of the highest immigrant rates for its population of any country in Europe and they make a success of it precisely becuase they don't hold with multiculturalism. If you want to stay and settle in Norway then you become Norwegian. You embrace the language and the culture. It is a system that works and is a very long way from the multiculturalist approach we see in Britain or other parts of Europe. .
The Norwegion approach is impossible here because learning the Norwegian language necessarily implies a serious commitment to Norway and its culture, whereas learning the English language is entirely detached from any commitment to Britain.
You don't need any commitment to Britain other than abiding by the law, supporting yourself if able, and being a good person.
That's it. There's nothing else. There's no 'glue that binds', no mystical unifying concept of who 'we' are or what 'we' are. That's all nonsense imo.
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
It is hard to argue against that, for sure
People like @Foxy and @BartholomewRoberts and @kinabalu and @OnlyLivingBoy and @Roger and the rest, who want more and more immigration, and think multiculturalism is a fantastic success, should count themselves lucky that, as things stand, the popular right opposition is a relatively humane and domesticated beast like Reform
Nigel Farage is not gonna start shooting boat-people, he's not gonna cancel elections, he won't bring back the noose. Indeed he is criticised by many on the alt.right for being too soft
There is no law to say Britain is magically immune from much nastier political forces, lile the AfD in Germany
We should pray that if and when Farage reaches power and succeeds, the boil is lanced, and British democracy endures. Because the alternative will not be a cosy return to the old politics, it will be something darker
You are being unfair to Bart there. Like me he might believe in free movement but that does not mean he necessarily thinks multiculturalism is a success or ever could be.
Norway has one of the highest immigrant rates for its population of any country in Europe and they make a success of it precisely becuase they don't hold with multiculturalism. If you want to stay and settle in Norway then you become Norwegian. You embrace the language and the culture. It is a system that works and is a very long way from the multiculturalist approach we see in Britain or other parts of Europe. .
The Norwegion approach is impossible here because learning the Norwegian language necessarily implies a serious commitment to Norway and its culture, whereas learning the English language is entirely detached from any commitment to Britain.
Having worked at the Jobcentre, it is surprising how many people you meet who don't speak good enough English to get by. From itinerant kebab shop workers who get by in Turkish to wives of subcontinental corner shop owners whose husbands would apparently prefer them not to know any English.
We need to make it easier, and cheaper, to learn English, and harder to manage without it.
If you can't speak English, and are not a refugee, you should not be able to claim benefits, as you should be deemed not to be available for work.
Refugees excepted, of course. But if you are an economic migrant you should be expected to learn English at your own expense
Some time ago I mentioned here a disabled wheelchair users / cyclist (previously an amateur competitve cyclist) who was doing a "Goodbye Legs" sponsored ride (50 people rode with him), as he was about to have a double amputation due to a rare genetic condition called MDP syndrome, with only a couple of dozen known cases worldwide. It affects fatty and connective tissues:
"Because I'm not putting weight on my feet and because I'm not using my feet, the bone density is dropping. Now the bones are starting to crumble, and that poses an increasingly large infection risk."
“To avoid that infection risk, and also to try and give me a bit of mobility and better quality of life, we’ve gone for the elective double leg amputation below the knee.”
Anyhow, they raised £12,000+ split between The Devon Air Ambulance charity, Wheels for Wellbeing, Exeter UNESCO City of Literature, and the Devon and Exeter Institution.
So if anyone has any cash lying around, or parts of your annual charity budget not used at home or at work - this is my suggestion. The donations page is open until the end of May. Cheers for anyone who can support this.
BBC must be bloody sure Nigel isn't going to be next PM because bumping his massive breakthrough moment for an "exclusive" with Prince Harry isn't going to go well at all in Reform world I suspect.
Stupid decision by the BBC. ITV leading with the elections.
GB News led with Harry. Stupid decision by GB News
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
It is hard to argue against that, for sure
People like @Foxy and @BartholomewRoberts and @kinabalu and @OnlyLivingBoy and @Roger and the rest, who want more and more immigration, and think multiculturalism is a fantastic success, should count themselves lucky that, as things stand, the popular right opposition is a relatively humane and domesticated beast like Reform
Nigel Farage is not gonna start shooting boat-people, he's not gonna cancel elections, he won't bring back the noose. Indeed he is criticised by many on the alt.right for being too soft
There is no law to say Britain is magically immune from much nastier political forces, lile the AfD in Germany
We should pray that if and when Farage reaches power and succeeds, the boil is lanced, and British democracy endures. Because the alternative will not be a cosy return to the old politics, it will be something darker
You are being unfair to Bart there. Like me he might believe in free movement but that does not mean he necessarily thinks multiculturalism is a success or ever could be.
Norway has one of the highest immigrant rates for its population of any country in Europe and they make a success of it precisely becuase they don't hold with multiculturalism. If you want to stay and settle in Norway then you become Norwegian. You embrace the language and the culture. It is a system that works and is a very long way from the multiculturalist approach we see in Britain or other parts of Europe. .
The Norwegion approach is impossible here because learning the Norwegian language necessarily implies a serious commitment to Norway and its culture, whereas learning the English language is entirely detached from any commitment to Britain.
Having worked at the Jobcentre, it is surprising how many people you meet who don't speak good enough English to get by. From itinerant kebab shop workers who get by in Turkish to wives of subcontinental corner shop owners whose husbands would apparently prefer them not to know any English.
We need to make it easier, and cheaper, to learn English, and harder to manage without it.
If you can't speak English, and are not a refugee, you should not be able to claim benefits, as you should be deemed not to be available for work.
Refugees excepted, of course. But if you are an economic migrant you should be expected to learn English at your own expense
One of the areas I suspect 'AI' would be 'good enough' as a tutor. At the expense of English Language tutors. But... that's where we're headed.
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
It is hard to argue against that, for sure
People like @Foxy and @BartholomewRoberts and @kinabalu and @OnlyLivingBoy and @Roger and the rest, who want more and more immigration, and think multiculturalism is a fantastic success, should count themselves lucky that, as things stand, the popular right opposition is a relatively humane and domesticated beast like Reform
Nigel Farage is not gonna start shooting boat-people, he's not gonna cancel elections, he won't bring back the noose. Indeed he is criticised by many on the alt.right for being too soft
There is no law to say Britain is magically immune from much nastier political forces, lile the AfD in Germany
We should pray that if and when Farage reaches power and succeeds, the boil is lanced, and British democracy endures. Because the alternative will not be a cosy return to the old politics, it will be something darker
You are being unfair to Bart there. Like me he might believe in free movement but that does not mean he necessarily thinks multiculturalism is a success or ever could be.
Norway has one of the highest immigrant rates for its population of any country in Europe and they make a success of it precisely becuase they don't hold with multiculturalism. If you want to stay and settle in Norway then you become Norwegian. You embrace the language and the culture. It is a system that works and is a very long way from the multiculturalist approach we see in Britain or other parts of Europe. .
The Norwegion approach is impossible here because learning the Norwegian language necessarily implies a serious commitment to Norway and its culture, whereas learning the English language is entirely detached from any commitment to Britain.
Having worked at the Jobcentre, it is surprising how many people you meet who don't speak good enough English to get by. From itinerant kebab shop workers who get by in Turkish to wives of subcontinental corner shop owners whose husbands would apparently prefer them not to know any English.
We need to make it easier, and cheaper, to learn English, and harder to manage without it.
If you can't speak English, and are not a refugee, you should not be able to claim benefits, as you should be deemed not to be available for work.
Refugees excepted, of course. But if you are an economic migrant you should be expected to learn English at your own expense
One of the areas I suspect 'AI' would be 'good enough' as a tutor. At the expense of English Language tutors. But... that's where we're headed.
Osborne/Cameron took away the funding for the local voluntary centre in my patch who had, as one of their big offerings, a number of english language classes for migrants.
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
It is hard to argue against that, for sure
People like @Foxy and @BartholomewRoberts and @kinabalu and @OnlyLivingBoy and @Roger and the rest, who want more and more immigration, and think multiculturalism is a fantastic success, should count themselves lucky that, as things stand, the popular right opposition is a relatively humane and domesticated beast like Reform
Nigel Farage is not gonna start shooting boat-people, he's not gonna cancel elections, he won't bring back the noose. Indeed he is criticised by many on the alt.right for being too soft
There is no law to say Britain is magically immune from much nastier political forces, lile the AfD in Germany
We should pray that if and when Farage reaches power and succeeds, the boil is lanced, and British democracy endures. Because the alternative will not be a cosy return to the old politics, it will be something darker
You are being unfair to Bart there. Like me he might believe in free movement but that does not mean he necessarily thinks multiculturalism is a success or ever could be.
Norway has one of the highest immigrant rates for its population of any country in Europe and they make a success of it precisely becuase they don't hold with multiculturalism. If you want to stay and settle in Norway then you become Norwegian. You embrace the language and the culture. It is a system that works and is a very long way from the multiculturalist approach we see in Britain or other parts of Europe. .
The Norwegion approach is impossible here because learning the Norwegian language necessarily implies a serious commitment to Norway and its culture, whereas learning the English language is entirely detached from any commitment to Britain.
You don't need any commitment to Britain other than abiding by the law, supporting yourself if able, and being a good person.
That's it. There's nothing else. There's no 'glue that binds', no mystical unifying concept of who 'we' are or what 'we' are. That's all nonsense imo.
The mediocre architecture of your soul gets ever drearier. You are like Swindon turned into a human
It's (Kinabula) certainly not the view of millions of UK voters that's for sure.
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
It is hard to argue against that, for sure
People like @Foxy and @BartholomewRoberts and @kinabalu and @OnlyLivingBoy and @Roger and the rest, who want more and more immigration, and think multiculturalism is a fantastic success, should count themselves lucky that, as things stand, the popular right opposition is a relatively humane and domesticated beast like Reform
Nigel Farage is not gonna start shooting boat-people, he's not gonna cancel elections, he won't bring back the noose. Indeed he is criticised by many on the alt.right for being too soft
There is no law to say Britain is magically immune from much nastier political forces, lile the AfD in Germany
We should pray that if and when Farage reaches power and succeeds, the boil is lanced, and British democracy endures. Because the alternative will not be a cosy return to the old politics, it will be something darker
You are being unfair to Bart there. Like me he might believe in free movement but that does not mean he necessarily thinks multiculturalism is a success or ever could be.
Norway has one of the highest immigrant rates for its population of any country in Europe and they make a success of it precisely becuase they don't hold with multiculturalism. If you want to stay and settle in Norway then you become Norwegian. You embrace the language and the culture. It is a system that works and is a very long way from the multiculturalist approach we see in Britain or other parts of Europe. .
The Norwegion approach is impossible here because learning the Norwegian language necessarily implies a serious commitment to Norway and its culture, whereas learning the English language is entirely detached from any commitment to Britain.
You don't need any commitment to Britain other than abiding by the law, supporting yourself if able, and being a good person.
That's it. There's nothing else. There's no 'glue that binds', no mystical unifying concept of who 'we' are or what 'we' are. That's all nonsense imo.
I have to disagree. There is a story of England (Britain, too) that goes back millennia. Our ancestors made that story with their lives. It’s both tangible and intangible. It’s queueing and tutting quietly. It’s pubs. It’s cricket, football, rugby, darts and the snooker world championship that always finishes on the May bank holiday. It’s the royal family and castles. It’s everything. And the best thing? The new stories. Immigrants making England (Britain) their home. Then perhaps starting businesses, making friends, playing football, rugby, cricket for their country. England. Joining the national story. I get why some don’t understand patriotism. I really do. It’s all bollocks really. But it’s my bollocks. And I love it. When Saka scores the winning goal in the Workd Cup final, or Mark Itoje lifts the Webb Ellis Tropy, or when your kids go to school with every race under the sun and don’t give a shit because they are just people that’s part of what we are.
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
It is hard to argue against that, for sure
People like @Foxy and @BartholomewRoberts and @kinabalu and @OnlyLivingBoy and @Roger and the rest, who want more and more immigration, and think multiculturalism is a fantastic success, should count themselves lucky that, as things stand, the popular right opposition is a relatively humane and domesticated beast like Reform
Nigel Farage is not gonna start shooting boat-people, he's not gonna cancel elections, he won't bring back the noose. Indeed he is criticised by many on the alt.right for being too soft
There is no law to say Britain is magically immune from much nastier political forces, lile the AfD in Germany
We should pray that if and when Farage reaches power and succeeds, the boil is lanced, and British democracy endures. Because the alternative will not be a cosy return to the old politics, it will be something darker
You are being unfair to Bart there. Like me he might believe in free movement but that does not mean he necessarily thinks multiculturalism is a success or ever could be.
Norway has one of the highest immigrant rates for its population of any country in Europe and they make a success of it precisely becuase they don't hold with multiculturalism. If you want to stay and settle in Norway then you become Norwegian. You embrace the language and the culture. It is a system that works and is a very long way from the multiculturalist approach we see in Britain or other parts of Europe. .
The Norwegion approach is impossible here because learning the Norwegian language necessarily implies a serious commitment to Norway and its culture, whereas learning the English language is entirely detached from any commitment to Britain.
You don't need any commitment to Britain other than abiding by the law, supporting yourself if able, and being a good person.
That's it. There's nothing else. There's no 'glue that binds', no mystical unifying concept of who 'we' are or what 'we' are. That's all nonsense imo.
"There's no such thing as society."
"There is no such thing as society. There is living tapestry of men and women and people and the beauty of that tapestry and the quality of our lives will depend upon how much each of us is prepared to take responsibility for ourselves and each of us prepared to turn round and help by our own efforts those who are unfortunate."
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
It is hard to argue against that, for sure
People like @Foxy and @BartholomewRoberts and @kinabalu and @OnlyLivingBoy and @Roger and the rest, who want more and more immigration, and think multiculturalism is a fantastic success, should count themselves lucky that, as things stand, the popular right opposition is a relatively humane and domesticated beast like Reform
Nigel Farage is not gonna start shooting boat-people, he's not gonna cancel elections, he won't bring back the noose. Indeed he is criticised by many on the alt.right for being too soft
There is no law to say Britain is magically immune from much nastier political forces, lile the AfD in Germany
We should pray that if and when Farage reaches power and succeeds, the boil is lanced, and British democracy endures. Because the alternative will not be a cosy return to the old politics, it will be something darker
You are being unfair to Bart there. Like me he might believe in free movement but that does not mean he necessarily thinks multiculturalism is a success or ever could be.
Norway has one of the highest immigrant rates for its population of any country in Europe and they make a success of it precisely becuase they don't hold with multiculturalism. If you want to stay and settle in Norway then you become Norwegian. You embrace the language and the culture. It is a system that works and is a very long way from the multiculturalist approach we see in Britain or other parts of Europe. .
The Norwegion approach is impossible here because learning the Norwegian language necessarily implies a serious commitment to Norway and its culture, whereas learning the English language is entirely detached from any commitment to Britain.
Having worked at the Jobcentre, it is surprising how many people you meet who don't speak good enough English to get by. From itinerant kebab shop workers who get by in Turkish to wives of subcontinental corner shop owners whose husbands would apparently prefer them not to know any English.
We need to make it easier, and cheaper, to learn English, and harder to manage without it.
If you can't speak English, and are not a refugee, you should not be able to claim benefits, as you should be deemed not to be available for work.
Refugees excepted, of course. But if you are an economic migrant you should be expected to learn English at your own expense
One of the areas I suspect 'AI' would be 'good enough' as a tutor. At the expense of English Language tutors. But... that's where we're headed.
Osborne/Cameron took away the funding for the local voluntary centre in my patch who had, as one of their big offerings, a number of english language classes for migrants.
I expect they also legislated for local councils to provide English lessons at the same time.
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
It is hard to argue against that, for sure
People like @Foxy and @BartholomewRoberts and @kinabalu and @OnlyLivingBoy and @Roger and the rest, who want more and more immigration, and think multiculturalism is a fantastic success, should count themselves lucky that, as things stand, the popular right opposition is a relatively humane and domesticated beast like Reform
Nigel Farage is not gonna start shooting boat-people, he's not gonna cancel elections, he won't bring back the noose. Indeed he is criticised by many on the alt.right for being too soft
There is no law to say Britain is magically immune from much nastier political forces, lile the AfD in Germany
We should pray that if and when Farage reaches power and succeeds, the boil is lanced, and British democracy endures. Because the alternative will not be a cosy return to the old politics, it will be something darker
You are being unfair to Bart there. Like me he might believe in free movement but that does not mean he necessarily thinks multiculturalism is a success or ever could be.
Norway has one of the highest immigrant rates for its population of any country in Europe and they make a success of it precisely becuase they don't hold with multiculturalism. If you want to stay and settle in Norway then you become Norwegian. You embrace the language and the culture. It is a system that works and is a very long way from the multiculturalist approach we see in Britain or other parts of Europe. .
The Norwegion approach is impossible here because learning the Norwegian language necessarily implies a serious commitment to Norway and its culture, whereas learning the English language is entirely detached from any commitment to Britain.
Having worked at the Jobcentre, it is surprising how many people you meet who don't speak good enough English to get by. From itinerant kebab shop workers who get by in Turkish to wives of subcontinental corner shop owners whose husbands would apparently prefer them not to know any English.
We need to make it easier, and cheaper, to learn English, and harder to manage without it.
If you can't speak English, and are not a refugee, you should not be able to claim benefits, as you should be deemed not to be available for work.
Refugees excepted, of course. But if you are an economic migrant you should be expected to learn English at your own expense
One of the areas I suspect 'AI' would be 'good enough' as a tutor. At the expense of English Language tutors. But... that's where we're headed.
Osborne/Cameron took away the funding for the local voluntary centre in my patch who had, as one of their big offerings, a number of english language classes for migrants.
Hang on! Hang on just a minute! Is it not the case that they come all the way to this country, an English-speaking country, because they can ALREADY speak English??
This man could make the story of the greatest night of your life seem stilted, awkward and boring
In his first speech after yesterdays elections, Starmer could have chosen to appear at a school, a library or a care home. He could have spoken about the cost of living crisis.
Instead he chose to appear at a defence contractor and speak about Ukraine & military drones
They think Russia etc. is a weak spot for Reform? I think it could be, but it wasn't yesterday.
I think the Russia angle kicks in when it looks like Farage/Reform will be running foreign/defence policy rather than schools and potholes in Geordieland.
You need to brush up on your north east geography!
I am surprised the WFA is being given as a major reason. It has totally slipped away from the headlines.
I would have guessed it was PIP cuts (as that got lots and lots of coverage), immigration and economy is still in bad shape. Perhaps NI increase as it has just come in and I am sure within smaller businesses it has been discussed with employees just how much extra it is costing them.
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
It is hard to argue against that, for sure
People like @Foxy and @BartholomewRoberts and @kinabalu and @OnlyLivingBoy and @Roger and the rest, who want more and more immigration, and think multiculturalism is a fantastic success, should count themselves lucky that, as things stand, the popular right opposition is a relatively humane and domesticated beast like Reform
Nigel Farage is not gonna start shooting boat-people, he's not gonna cancel elections, he won't bring back the noose. Indeed he is criticised by many on the alt.right for being too soft
There is no law to say Britain is magically immune from much nastier political forces, lile the AfD in Germany
We should pray that if and when Farage reaches power and succeeds, the boil is lanced, and British democracy endures. Because the alternative will not be a cosy return to the old politics, it will be something darker
You are being unfair to Bart there. Like me he might believe in free movement but that does not mean he necessarily thinks multiculturalism is a success or ever could be.
Norway has one of the highest immigrant rates for its population of any country in Europe and they make a success of it precisely becuase they don't hold with multiculturalism. If you want to stay and settle in Norway then you become Norwegian. You embrace the language and the culture. It is a system that works and is a very long way from the multiculturalist approach we see in Britain or other parts of Europe. .
The Norwegion approach is impossible here because learning the Norwegian language necessarily implies a serious commitment to Norway and its culture, whereas learning the English language is entirely detached from any commitment to Britain.
You don't need any commitment to Britain other than abiding by the law, supporting yourself if able, and being a good person.
That's it. There's nothing else. There's no 'glue that binds', no mystical unifying concept of who 'we' are or what 'we' are. That's all nonsense imo.
"There's no such thing as society."
"There is no such thing as society. There is living tapestry of men and women and people and the beauty of that tapestry and the quality of our lives will depend upon how much each of us is prepared to take responsibility for ourselves and each of us prepared to turn round and help by our own efforts those who are unfortunate."
- Margaret Thatcher, 1987.
The full quote makes it sounds like she and Denis were... likely to put the car keys in an ashtray mid-way through a party.
I am surprised the WFA is being given as a major reason. It has totally slipped away from the headlines.
I would have guessed it was PIP cuts (as that got lots and lots of coverage), immigration and economy is still in bad shape.
Don’t forget it’s the oldies that vote and it’s the oldies who lost their freebie.
That is true, but it isn't like the triple lock has gone. In the grand scheme of shafting government have given people this was on the small end, things like increase in council tax and car taxes are bigger.
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
It is hard to argue against that, for sure
People like @Foxy and @BartholomewRoberts and @kinabalu and @OnlyLivingBoy and @Roger and the rest, who want more and more immigration, and think multiculturalism is a fantastic success, should count themselves lucky that, as things stand, the popular right opposition is a relatively humane and domesticated beast like Reform
Nigel Farage is not gonna start shooting boat-people, he's not gonna cancel elections, he won't bring back the noose. Indeed he is criticised by many on the alt.right for being too soft
There is no law to say Britain is magically immune from much nastier political forces, lile the AfD in Germany
We should pray that if and when Farage reaches power and succeeds, the boil is lanced, and British democracy endures. Because the alternative will not be a cosy return to the old politics, it will be something darker
You are being unfair to Bart there. Like me he might believe in free movement but that does not mean he necessarily thinks multiculturalism is a success or ever could be.
Norway has one of the highest immigrant rates for its population of any country in Europe and they make a success of it precisely becuase they don't hold with multiculturalism. If you want to stay and settle in Norway then you become Norwegian. You embrace the language and the culture. It is a system that works and is a very long way from the multiculturalist approach we see in Britain or other parts of Europe. .
The Norwegion approach is impossible here because learning the Norwegian language necessarily implies a serious commitment to Norway and its culture, whereas learning the English language is entirely detached from any commitment to Britain.
Having worked at the Jobcentre, it is surprising how many people you meet who don't speak good enough English to get by. From itinerant kebab shop workers who get by in Turkish to wives of subcontinental corner shop owners whose husbands would apparently prefer them not to know any English.
We need to make it easier, and cheaper, to learn English, and harder to manage without it.
If you can't speak English, and are not a refugee, you should not be able to claim benefits, as you should be deemed not to be available for work.
Refugees excepted, of course. But if you are an economic migrant you should be expected to learn English at your own expense
One of the areas I suspect 'AI' would be 'good enough' as a tutor. At the expense of English Language tutors. But... that's where we're headed.
Osborne/Cameron took away the funding for the local voluntary centre in my patch who had, as one of their big offerings, a number of english language classes for migrants.
That's just basic English though. How do you learn the intermediate stuff? Classes just aren't available, even at a cost
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
It is hard to argue against that, for sure
People like @Foxy and @BartholomewRoberts and @kinabalu and @OnlyLivingBoy and @Roger and the rest, who want more and more immigration, and think multiculturalism is a fantastic success, should count themselves lucky that, as things stand, the popular right opposition is a relatively humane and domesticated beast like Reform
Nigel Farage is not gonna start shooting boat-people, he's not gonna cancel elections, he won't bring back the noose. Indeed he is criticised by many on the alt.right for being too soft
There is no law to say Britain is magically immune from much nastier political forces, lile the AfD in Germany
We should pray that if and when Farage reaches power and succeeds, the boil is lanced, and British democracy endures. Because the alternative will not be a cosy return to the old politics, it will be something darker
You are being unfair to Bart there. Like me he might believe in free movement but that does not mean he necessarily thinks multiculturalism is a success or ever could be.
Norway has one of the highest immigrant rates for its population of any country in Europe and they make a success of it precisely becuase they don't hold with multiculturalism. If you want to stay and settle in Norway then you become Norwegian. You embrace the language and the culture. It is a system that works and is a very long way from the multiculturalist approach we see in Britain or other parts of Europe. .
The Norwegion approach is impossible here because learning the Norwegian language necessarily implies a serious commitment to Norway and its culture, whereas learning the English language is entirely detached from any commitment to Britain.
Having worked at the Jobcentre, it is surprising how many people you meet who don't speak good enough English to get by. From itinerant kebab shop workers who get by in Turkish to wives of subcontinental corner shop owners whose husbands would apparently prefer them not to know any English.
We need to make it easier, and cheaper, to learn English, and harder to manage without it.
If you can't speak English, and are not a refugee, you should not be able to claim benefits, as you should be deemed not to be available for work.
Refugees excepted, of course. But if you are an economic migrant you should be expected to learn English at your own expense
One of the areas I suspect 'AI' would be 'good enough' as a tutor. At the expense of English Language tutors. But... that's where we're headed.
Osborne/Cameron took away the funding for the local voluntary centre in my patch who had, as one of their big offerings, a number of english language classes for migrants.
Hang on! Hang on just a minute! Is it not the case that they come all the way to this country, an English-speaking country, because they can ALREADY speak English??
No. You live in Ilford. Tell me everyone else who lives in Ilford speaks good enough English to get by, work, go shopping, etc
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
It is hard to argue against that, for sure
People like @Foxy and @BartholomewRoberts and @kinabalu and @OnlyLivingBoy and @Roger and the rest, who want more and more immigration, and think multiculturalism is a fantastic success, should count themselves lucky that, as things stand, the popular right opposition is a relatively humane and domesticated beast like Reform
Nigel Farage is not gonna start shooting boat-people, he's not gonna cancel elections, he won't bring back the noose. Indeed he is criticised by many on the alt.right for being too soft
There is no law to say Britain is magically immune from much nastier political forces, lile the AfD in Germany
We should pray that if and when Farage reaches power and succeeds, the boil is lanced, and British democracy endures. Because the alternative will not be a cosy return to the old politics, it will be something darker
You are being unfair to Bart there. Like me he might believe in free movement but that does not mean he necessarily thinks multiculturalism is a success or ever could be.
Norway has one of the highest immigrant rates for its population of any country in Europe and they make a success of it precisely becuase they don't hold with multiculturalism. If you want to stay and settle in Norway then you become Norwegian. You embrace the language and the culture. It is a system that works and is a very long way from the multiculturalist approach we see in Britain or other parts of Europe. .
The Norwegion approach is impossible here because learning the Norwegian language necessarily implies a serious commitment to Norway and its culture, whereas learning the English language is entirely detached from any commitment to Britain.
You don't need any commitment to Britain other than abiding by the law, supporting yourself if able, and being a good person.
That's it. There's nothing else. There's no 'glue that binds', no mystical unifying concept of who 'we' are or what 'we' are. That's all nonsense imo.
I have to disagree. There is a story of England (Britain, too) that goes back millennia. Our ancestors made that story with their lives. It’s both tangible and intangible. It’s queueing and tutting quietly. It’s pubs. It’s cricket, football, rugby, darts and the snooker world championship that always finishes on the May bank holiday. It’s the royal family and castles. It’s everything. And the best thing? The new stories. Immigrants making England (Britain) their home. Then perhaps starting businesses, making friends, playing football, rugby, cricket for their country. England. Joining the national story. I get why some don’t understand patriotism. I really do. It’s all bollocks really. But it’s my bollocks. And I love it. When Saka scores the winning goal in the Workd Cup final, or Mark Itoje lifts the Webb Ellis Tropy, or when your kids go to school with every race under the sun and don’t give a shit because they are just people that’s part of what we are.
Agreed but that story also includes plenty of people that some on here would seek to edit out. You can't tell the Victorian bit without the Jews of East London who confined themselves to their own communities and didn't speak much English. Or the Hugenots, Normans and the Norse. Another century's hence all of the immigrants that Reform minded types are getting so worked up about will be part of the story too.
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
It is hard to argue against that, for sure
People like @Foxy and @BartholomewRoberts and @kinabalu and @OnlyLivingBoy and @Roger and the rest, who want more and more immigration, and think multiculturalism is a fantastic success, should count themselves lucky that, as things stand, the popular right opposition is a relatively humane and domesticated beast like Reform
Nigel Farage is not gonna start shooting boat-people, he's not gonna cancel elections, he won't bring back the noose. Indeed he is criticised by many on the alt.right for being too soft
There is no law to say Britain is magically immune from much nastier political forces, lile the AfD in Germany
We should pray that if and when Farage reaches power and succeeds, the boil is lanced, and British democracy endures. Because the alternative will not be a cosy return to the old politics, it will be something darker
You are being unfair to Bart there. Like me he might believe in free movement but that does not mean he necessarily thinks multiculturalism is a success or ever could be.
Norway has one of the highest immigrant rates for its population of any country in Europe and they make a success of it precisely becuase they don't hold with multiculturalism. If you want to stay and settle in Norway then you become Norwegian. You embrace the language and the culture. It is a system that works and is a very long way from the multiculturalist approach we see in Britain or other parts of Europe. .
The Norwegion approach is impossible here because learning the Norwegian language necessarily implies a serious commitment to Norway and its culture, whereas learning the English language is entirely detached from any commitment to Britain.
You don't need any commitment to Britain other than abiding by the law, supporting yourself if able, and being a good person.
That's it. There's nothing else. There's no 'glue that binds', no mystical unifying concept of who 'we' are or what 'we' are. That's all nonsense imo.
"There's no such thing as society."
"There is no such thing as society. There is living tapestry of men and women and people and the beauty of that tapestry and the quality of our lives will depend upon how much each of us is prepared to take responsibility for ourselves and each of us prepared to turn round and help by our own efforts those who are unfortunate."
- Margaret Thatcher, 1987.
That doesn’t mean Lady Thatcher is actually saying there is no such thing as society.
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
It is hard to argue against that, for sure
People like @Foxy and @BartholomewRoberts and @kinabalu and @OnlyLivingBoy and @Roger and the rest, who want more and more immigration, and think multiculturalism is a fantastic success, should count themselves lucky that, as things stand, the popular right opposition is a relatively humane and domesticated beast like Reform
Nigel Farage is not gonna start shooting boat-people, he's not gonna cancel elections, he won't bring back the noose. Indeed he is criticised by many on the alt.right for being too soft
There is no law to say Britain is magically immune from much nastier political forces, lile the AfD in Germany
We should pray that if and when Farage reaches power and succeeds, the boil is lanced, and British democracy endures. Because the alternative will not be a cosy return to the old politics, it will be something darker
You are being unfair to Bart there. Like me he might believe in free movement but that does not mean he necessarily thinks multiculturalism is a success or ever could be.
Norway has one of the highest immigrant rates for its population of any country in Europe and they make a success of it precisely becuase they don't hold with multiculturalism. If you want to stay and settle in Norway then you become Norwegian. You embrace the language and the culture. It is a system that works and is a very long way from the multiculturalist approach we see in Britain or other parts of Europe. .
The Norwegion approach is impossible here because learning the Norwegian language necessarily implies a serious commitment to Norway and its culture, whereas learning the English language is entirely detached from any commitment to Britain.
Having worked at the Jobcentre, it is surprising how many people you meet who don't speak good enough English to get by. From itinerant kebab shop workers who get by in Turkish to wives of subcontinental corner shop owners whose husbands would apparently prefer them not to know any English.
We need to make it easier, and cheaper, to learn English, and harder to manage without it.
If you can't speak English, and are not a refugee, you should not be able to claim benefits, as you should be deemed not to be available for work.
Refugees excepted, of course. But if you are an economic migrant you should be expected to learn English at your own expense
One of the areas I suspect 'AI' would be 'good enough' as a tutor. At the expense of English Language tutors. But... that's where we're headed.
Osborne/Cameron took away the funding for the local voluntary centre in my patch who had, as one of their big offerings, a number of english language classes for migrants.
I expect they also legislated for local councils to provide English lessons at the same time.
No need. Economic migrants should be expected to pay for English classes, why aren't they available commercially?
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
It is hard to argue against that, for sure
People like @Foxy and @BartholomewRoberts and @kinabalu and @OnlyLivingBoy and @Roger and the rest, who want more and more immigration, and think multiculturalism is a fantastic success, should count themselves lucky that, as things stand, the popular right opposition is a relatively humane and domesticated beast like Reform
Nigel Farage is not gonna start shooting boat-people, he's not gonna cancel elections, he won't bring back the noose. Indeed he is criticised by many on the alt.right for being too soft
There is no law to say Britain is magically immune from much nastier political forces, lile the AfD in Germany
We should pray that if and when Farage reaches power and succeeds, the boil is lanced, and British democracy endures. Because the alternative will not be a cosy return to the old politics, it will be something darker
You are being unfair to Bart there. Like me he might believe in free movement but that does not mean he necessarily thinks multiculturalism is a success or ever could be.
Norway has one of the highest immigrant rates for its population of any country in Europe and they make a success of it precisely becuase they don't hold with multiculturalism. If you want to stay and settle in Norway then you become Norwegian. You embrace the language and the culture. It is a system that works and is a very long way from the multiculturalist approach we see in Britain or other parts of Europe. .
The Norwegion approach is impossible here because learning the Norwegian language necessarily implies a serious commitment to Norway and its culture, whereas learning the English language is entirely detached from any commitment to Britain.
You don't need any commitment to Britain other than abiding by the law, supporting yourself if able, and being a good person.
That's it. There's nothing else. There's no 'glue that binds', no mystical unifying concept of who 'we' are or what 'we' are. That's all nonsense imo.
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
It is hard to argue against that, for sure
People like @Foxy and @BartholomewRoberts and @kinabalu and @OnlyLivingBoy and @Roger and the rest, who want more and more immigration, and think multiculturalism is a fantastic success, should count themselves lucky that, as things stand, the popular right opposition is a relatively humane and domesticated beast like Reform
Nigel Farage is not gonna start shooting boat-people, he's not gonna cancel elections, he won't bring back the noose. Indeed he is criticised by many on the alt.right for being too soft
There is no law to say Britain is magically immune from much nastier political forces, lile the AfD in Germany
We should pray that if and when Farage reaches power and succeeds, the boil is lanced, and British democracy endures. Because the alternative will not be a cosy return to the old politics, it will be something darker
You are being unfair to Bart there. Like me he might believe in free movement but that does not mean he necessarily thinks multiculturalism is a success or ever could be.
Norway has one of the highest immigrant rates for its population of any country in Europe and they make a success of it precisely becuase they don't hold with multiculturalism. If you want to stay and settle in Norway then you become Norwegian. You embrace the language and the culture. It is a system that works and is a very long way from the multiculturalist approach we see in Britain or other parts of Europe. .
The Norwegion approach is impossible here because learning the Norwegian language necessarily implies a serious commitment to Norway and its culture, whereas learning the English language is entirely detached from any commitment to Britain.
You don't need any commitment to Britain other than abiding by the law, supporting yourself if able, and being a good person.
That's it. There's nothing else. There's no 'glue that binds', no mystical unifying concept of who 'we' are or what 'we' are. That's all nonsense imo.
Queueing. Don't forget about our ability to queue.
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
It is hard to argue against that, for sure
People like @Foxy and @BartholomewRoberts and @kinabalu and @OnlyLivingBoy and @Roger and the rest, who want more and more immigration, and think multiculturalism is a fantastic success, should count themselves lucky that, as things stand, the popular right opposition is a relatively humane and domesticated beast like Reform
Nigel Farage is not gonna start shooting boat-people, he's not gonna cancel elections, he won't bring back the noose. Indeed he is criticised by many on the alt.right for being too soft
There is no law to say Britain is magically immune from much nastier political forces, lile the AfD in Germany
We should pray that if and when Farage reaches power and succeeds, the boil is lanced, and British democracy endures. Because the alternative will not be a cosy return to the old politics, it will be something darker
You are being unfair to Bart there. Like me he might believe in free movement but that does not mean he necessarily thinks multiculturalism is a success or ever could be.
Norway has one of the highest immigrant rates for its population of any country in Europe and they make a success of it precisely becuase they don't hold with multiculturalism. If you want to stay and settle in Norway then you become Norwegian. You embrace the language and the culture. It is a system that works and is a very long way from the multiculturalist approach we see in Britain or other parts of Europe. .
The Norwegion approach is impossible here because learning the Norwegian language necessarily implies a serious commitment to Norway and its culture, whereas learning the English language is entirely detached from any commitment to Britain.
You don't need any commitment to Britain other than abiding by the law, supporting yourself if able, and being a good person.
That's it. There's nothing else. There's no 'glue that binds', no mystical unifying concept of who 'we' are or what 'we' are. That's all nonsense imo.
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
It is hard to argue against that, for sure
People like @Foxy and @BartholomewRoberts and @kinabalu and @OnlyLivingBoy and @Roger and the rest, who want more and more immigration, and think multiculturalism is a fantastic success, should count themselves lucky that, as things stand, the popular right opposition is a relatively humane and domesticated beast like Reform
Nigel Farage is not gonna start shooting boat-people, he's not gonna cancel elections, he won't bring back the noose. Indeed he is criticised by many on the alt.right for being too soft
There is no law to say Britain is magically immune from much nastier political forces, lile the AfD in Germany
We should pray that if and when Farage reaches power and succeeds, the boil is lanced, and British democracy endures. Because the alternative will not be a cosy return to the old politics, it will be something darker
You are being unfair to Bart there. Like me he might believe in free movement but that does not mean he necessarily thinks multiculturalism is a success or ever could be.
Norway has one of the highest immigrant rates for its population of any country in Europe and they make a success of it precisely becuase they don't hold with multiculturalism. If you want to stay and settle in Norway then you become Norwegian. You embrace the language and the culture. It is a system that works and is a very long way from the multiculturalist approach we see in Britain or other parts of Europe. .
The Norwegion approach is impossible here because learning the Norwegian language necessarily implies a serious commitment to Norway and its culture, whereas learning the English language is entirely detached from any commitment to Britain.
You don't need any commitment to Britain other than abiding by the law, supporting yourself if able, and being a good person.
That's it. There's nothing else. There's no 'glue that binds', no mystical unifying concept of who 'we' are or what 'we' are. That's all nonsense imo.
I have to disagree. There is a story of England (Britain, too) that goes back millennia. Our ancestors made that story with their lives. It’s both tangible and intangible. It’s queueing and tutting quietly. [snip]
I am surprised the WFA is being given as a major reason. It has totally slipped away from the headlines.
I would have guessed it was PIP cuts (as that got lots and lots of coverage), immigration and economy is still in bad shape. Perhaps NI increase as it has just come in and I am sure within smaller businesses it has been discussed with employees just how much extra it is costing them.
This was in March, PIP cuts had less cut through and also less unpopular.
My other non Shropshire observation from today is the unholy triumvirate of Starmer, Reeves and Southam Observer need to wake up and smell the coffee. Bland Blairite centrism with a dash of Osborne austerity was not what people were looking for in the run up to the last election. There was a huge opportunity for a radical approach but Starmer and co instead decided to take on their own support rather than acknowledge why Corbyn (crap leader though he was) had some sort of appeal. Labour needs to change tack, and pronto.
I will digress. There’s also a dash of irony to be had here. The same people who corruscated Labour for offering ‘free stuff’ now point at the political suicide of them removing wfa. I suppose Labour may have done them a favour by doing the dirty work for them.
Still, time for the popcorn now, watching Reform try to run stuff. Can’t be long before the massive egos of Jenkyns and Farage clash or for the discipline required to run a unitary council results in flounces and exits. Expect the numbers of independents to swell and a revolving door between Tories and Reform.
And so to Badenoch. Was always going to be a disastrous choice in the current climate. Weird, wonky and out of touch. Will she last till the summer?
I am surprised the WFA is being given as a major reason. It has totally slipped away from the headlines.
I would have guessed it was PIP cuts (as that got lots and lots of coverage), immigration and economy is still in bad shape. Perhaps NI increase as it has just come in and I am sure within smaller businesses it has been discussed with employees just how much extra it is costing them.
My view FWIW. Most people barely follow politics at all. So if something filters through to them then they remember it if only to be seen to have an opinion about politics even though they don't follow it. So when some politically very stupid thing filters through to such voters it is very very hard to dislodge.
I am surprised the WFA is being given as a major reason. It has totally slipped away from the headlines.
I would have guessed it was PIP cuts (as that got lots and lots of coverage), immigration and economy is still in bad shape. Perhaps NI increase as it has just come in and I am sure within smaller businesses it has been discussed with employees just how much extra it is costing them.
This was in March, PIP cuts had less cut through and also less unpopular.
Surprising as the likes of the BBC never shut up with the personal stories of how potential cuts to PIP would effect people.
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
It is hard to argue against that, for sure
People like @Foxy and @BartholomewRoberts and @kinabalu and @OnlyLivingBoy and @Roger and the rest, who want more and more immigration, and think multiculturalism is a fantastic success, should count themselves lucky that, as things stand, the popular right opposition is a relatively humane and domesticated beast like Reform
Nigel Farage is not gonna start shooting boat-people, he's not gonna cancel elections, he won't bring back the noose. Indeed he is criticised by many on the alt.right for being too soft
There is no law to say Britain is magically immune from much nastier political forces, lile the AfD in Germany
We should pray that if and when Farage reaches power and succeeds, the boil is lanced, and British democracy endures. Because the alternative will not be a cosy return to the old politics, it will be something darker
You are being unfair to Bart there. Like me he might believe in free movement but that does not mean he necessarily thinks multiculturalism is a success or ever could be.
Norway has one of the highest immigrant rates for its population of any country in Europe and they make a success of it precisely becuase they don't hold with multiculturalism. If you want to stay and settle in Norway then you become Norwegian. You embrace the language and the culture. It is a system that works and is a very long way from the multiculturalist approach we see in Britain or other parts of Europe. .
France refuses multiculturalism, to the point of not recording ethnic or religious data in official records.
It doesn't seem to be a beacon of integration.
Because ignoring something is not challenging it. France just lets people continue their own culture in their ghettos rather than making a positive effort at integration.
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
It is hard to argue against that, for sure
People like @Foxy and @BartholomewRoberts and @kinabalu and @OnlyLivingBoy and @Roger and the rest, who want more and more immigration, and think multiculturalism is a fantastic success, should count themselves lucky that, as things stand, the popular right opposition is a relatively humane and domesticated beast like Reform
Nigel Farage is not gonna start shooting boat-people, he's not gonna cancel elections, he won't bring back the noose. Indeed he is criticised by many on the alt.right for being too soft
There is no law to say Britain is magically immune from much nastier political forces, lile the AfD in Germany
We should pray that if and when Farage reaches power and succeeds, the boil is lanced, and British democracy endures. Because the alternative will not be a cosy return to the old politics, it will be something darker
You are being unfair to Bart there. Like me he might believe in free movement but that does not mean he necessarily thinks multiculturalism is a success or ever could be.
Norway has one of the highest immigrant rates for its population of any country in Europe and they make a success of it precisely becuase they don't hold with multiculturalism. If you want to stay and settle in Norway then you become Norwegian. You embrace the language and the culture. It is a system that works and is a very long way from the multiculturalist approach we see in Britain or other parts of Europe. .
The Norwegion approach is impossible here because learning the Norwegian language necessarily implies a serious commitment to Norway and its culture, whereas learning the English language is entirely detached from any commitment to Britain.
Having worked at the Jobcentre, it is surprising how many people you meet who don't speak good enough English to get by. From itinerant kebab shop workers who get by in Turkish to wives of subcontinental corner shop owners whose husbands would apparently prefer them not to know any English.
We need to make it easier, and cheaper, to learn English, and harder to manage without it.
If you can't speak English, and are not a refugee, you should not be able to claim benefits, as you should be deemed not to be available for work.
Refugees excepted, of course. But if you are an economic migrant you should be expected to learn English at your own expense
One of the areas I suspect 'AI' would be 'good enough' as a tutor. At the expense of English Language tutors. But... that's where we're headed.
Osborne/Cameron took away the funding for the local voluntary centre in my patch who had, as one of their big offerings, a number of english language classes for migrants.
Hang on! Hang on just a minute! Is it not the case that they come all the way to this country, an English-speaking country, because they can ALREADY speak English??
No. You live in Ilford. Tell me everyone else who lives in Ilford speaks good enough English to get by, work, go shopping, etc
But we are told by the pro-migrant lobby that the small boat people are fleeing non-English-speaking France to get to English-speaking Blighty. Is that not the case?
I am surprised the WFA is being given as a major reason. It has totally slipped away from the headlines.
I would have guessed it was PIP cuts (as that got lots and lots of coverage), immigration and economy is still in bad shape. Perhaps NI increase as it has just come in and I am sure within smaller businesses it has been discussed with employees just how much extra it is costing them.
This was in March, PIP cuts had less cut through and also less unpopular.
Surprising as the likes of the BBC never shut up with the personal stories of how potential cuts to PIP would effect people.
Less people get PIP or know someone with PIP. Almost everyone knows someone who's been stopped £200 or £300 with the WFA means testing.
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
It is hard to argue against that, for sure
People like @Foxy and @BartholomewRoberts and @kinabalu and @OnlyLivingBoy and @Roger and the rest, who want more and more immigration, and think multiculturalism is a fantastic success, should count themselves lucky that, as things stand, the popular right opposition is a relatively humane and domesticated beast like Reform
Nigel Farage is not gonna start shooting boat-people, he's not gonna cancel elections, he won't bring back the noose. Indeed he is criticised by many on the alt.right for being too soft
There is no law to say Britain is magically immune from much nastier political forces, lile the AfD in Germany
We should pray that if and when Farage reaches power and succeeds, the boil is lanced, and British democracy endures. Because the alternative will not be a cosy return to the old politics, it will be something darker
You are being unfair to Bart there. Like me he might believe in free movement but that does not mean he necessarily thinks multiculturalism is a success or ever could be.
Norway has one of the highest immigrant rates for its population of any country in Europe and they make a success of it precisely becuase they don't hold with multiculturalism. If you want to stay and settle in Norway then you become Norwegian. You embrace the language and the culture. It is a system that works and is a very long way from the multiculturalist approach we see in Britain or other parts of Europe. .
The Norwegion approach is impossible here because learning the Norwegian language necessarily implies a serious commitment to Norway and its culture, whereas learning the English language is entirely detached from any commitment to Britain.
Having worked at the Jobcentre, it is surprising how many people you meet who don't speak good enough English to get by. From itinerant kebab shop workers who get by in Turkish to wives of subcontinental corner shop owners whose husbands would apparently prefer them not to know any English.
We need to make it easier, and cheaper, to learn English, and harder to manage without it.
If you can't speak English, and are not a refugee, you should not be able to claim benefits, as you should be deemed not to be available for work.
Refugees excepted, of course. But if you are an economic migrant you should be expected to learn English at your own expense
One of the areas I suspect 'AI' would be 'good enough' as a tutor. At the expense of English Language tutors. But... that's where we're headed.
Osborne/Cameron took away the funding for the local voluntary centre in my patch who had, as one of their big offerings, a number of english language classes for migrants.
Hang on! Hang on just a minute! Is it not the case that they come all the way to this country, an English-speaking country, because they can ALREADY speak English??
No. You live in Ilford. Tell me everyone else who lives in Ilford speaks good enough English to get by, work, go shopping, etc
But we are told by the pro-migrant lobby that the small boat people are fleeing non-English-speaking France to get to English-speaking Blighty. Is that not the case?
I think they are fleeing non-working-cash-in-hand France to get to low-employment-law-compliance Blighty
I am surprised the WFA is being given as a major reason. It has totally slipped away from the headlines.
I would have guessed it was PIP cuts (as that got lots and lots of coverage), immigration and economy is still in bad shape. Perhaps NI increase as it has just come in and I am sure within smaller businesses it has been discussed with employees just how much extra it is costing them.
This was in March, PIP cuts had less cut through and also less unpopular.
Surprising as the likes of the BBC never shut up with the personal stories of how potential cuts to PIP would effect people.
Less people get PIP or know someone with PIP. Almost everyone knows someone who's been stopped £200 or £300 with the WFA means testing.
Sure, but its not insignificant,.4 million people get PIP. Maybe the public are just more on board with cutting that benefit.
I did say at the time the whole reason Brown bought in the WFA was it immediately cut off criticism of the government in terms of oldies freezing to death, which was common bad headlines for previous government. We haven't had the bad headlines this winter which is why I was surprised it was given as a reason, but looks like the public feel the same way about oldies heating their homes.
If it was about the money, there were other sneakier ways to get rich pensioners to pay more.
I am surprised the WFA is being given as a major reason. It has totally slipped away from the headlines.
I would have guessed it was PIP cuts (as that got lots and lots of coverage), immigration and economy is still in bad shape. Perhaps NI increase as it has just come in and I am sure within smaller businesses it has been discussed with employees just how much extra it is costing them.
This was in March, PIP cuts had less cut through and also less unpopular.
Surprising as the likes of the BBC never shut up with the personal stories of how potential cuts to PIP would effect people.
No-one has had a cut yet. It won't happen until it's time for a review, and will only affect the least disabled claiming "daily living"
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
It is hard to argue against that, for sure
People like @Foxy and @BartholomewRoberts and @kinabalu and @OnlyLivingBoy and @Roger and the rest, who want more and more immigration, and think multiculturalism is a fantastic success, should count themselves lucky that, as things stand, the popular right opposition is a relatively humane and domesticated beast like Reform
Nigel Farage is not gonna start shooting boat-people, he's not gonna cancel elections, he won't bring back the noose. Indeed he is criticised by many on the alt.right for being too soft
There is no law to say Britain is magically immune from much nastier political forces, lile the AfD in Germany
We should pray that if and when Farage reaches power and succeeds, the boil is lanced, and British democracy endures. Because the alternative will not be a cosy return to the old politics, it will be something darker
You are being unfair to Bart there. Like me he might believe in free movement but that does not mean he necessarily thinks multiculturalism is a success or ever could be.
Norway has one of the highest immigrant rates for its population of any country in Europe and they make a success of it precisely becuase they don't hold with multiculturalism. If you want to stay and settle in Norway then you become Norwegian. You embrace the language and the culture. It is a system that works and is a very long way from the multiculturalist approach we see in Britain or other parts of Europe. .
The Norwegion approach is impossible here because learning the Norwegian language necessarily implies a serious commitment to Norway and its culture, whereas learning the English language is entirely detached from any commitment to Britain.
Having worked at the Jobcentre, it is surprising how many people you meet who don't speak good enough English to get by. From itinerant kebab shop workers who get by in Turkish to wives of subcontinental corner shop owners whose husbands would apparently prefer them not to know any English.
We need to make it easier, and cheaper, to learn English, and harder to manage without it.
If you can't speak English, and are not a refugee, you should not be able to claim benefits, as you should be deemed not to be available for work.
Refugees excepted, of course. But if you are an economic migrant you should be expected to learn English at your own expense
One of the areas I suspect 'AI' would be 'good enough' as a tutor. At the expense of English Language tutors. But... that's where we're headed.
Osborne/Cameron took away the funding for the local voluntary centre in my patch who had, as one of their big offerings, a number of english language classes for migrants.
Hang on! Hang on just a minute! Is it not the case that they come all the way to this country, an English-speaking country, because they can ALREADY speak English??
No. You live in Ilford. Tell me everyone else who lives in Ilford speaks good enough English to get by, work, go shopping, etc
But we are told by the pro-migrant lobby that the small boat people are fleeing non-English-speaking France to get to English-speaking Blighty. Is that not the case?
I think they are fleeing non-working-cash-in-hand France to get to low-employment-law-compliance Blighty
My understanding was that it is very common that they do actually work for cash in hand in places like France in order to get the money together for the crossing.
I am surprised the WFA is being given as a major reason. It has totally slipped away from the headlines.
I would have guessed it was PIP cuts (as that got lots and lots of coverage), immigration and economy is still in bad shape. Perhaps NI increase as it has just come in and I am sure within smaller businesses it has been discussed with employees just how much extra it is costing them.
This was in March, PIP cuts had less cut through and also less unpopular.
Surprising as the likes of the BBC never shut up with the personal stories of how potential cuts to PIP would effect people.
Less people get PIP or know someone with PIP. Almost everyone knows someone who's been stopped £200 or £300 with the WFA means testing.
Sure, but its not insignificant,.4 million people get PIP. Maybe the public are just more on board with cutting that benefit.
I did say at the time the whole reason Brown bought in the WFA was it immediately cut off criticism of the government in terms of oldies freezing to death, which was common bad headlines for previous government. We haven't had the bad headlines this winter which is why I was surprised it was given as a reason, but looks like the public feel the same way about oldies heating their homes.
If it was about the money, there were other sneakier ways to get rich pensioners to pay more.
It had almost replaced the free bus pass in the popular imagination as the main perk of reaching a certain age.
I am surprised the WFA is being given as a major reason. It has totally slipped away from the headlines.
I would have guessed it was PIP cuts (as that got lots and lots of coverage), immigration and economy is still in bad shape. Perhaps NI increase as it has just come in and I am sure within smaller businesses it has been discussed with employees just how much extra it is costing them.
This was in March, PIP cuts had less cut through and also less unpopular.
Surprising as the likes of the BBC never shut up with the personal stories of how potential cuts to PIP would effect people.
No-one has had a cut yet. It won't happen until it's time for a review, and will only affect the least disabled claiming "daily living"
Sure, but realities often don't matter. See WFA, the cut vs the increase in pension due to inflation, most pensioners aren't that much worse off, but it appears to be toxic.
The media really went for the government over proposals to cut these benefits.
Weirdly they then give a pass to some cuts to some things that seem really harsh e.g. cutting amount an adopted child can access counselling services. When the whole scheme costs a total of £50m a year and the UK already struggles with getting adoptions.
I am surprised the WFA is being given as a major reason. It has totally slipped away from the headlines.
I would have guessed it was PIP cuts (as that got lots and lots of coverage), immigration and economy is still in bad shape. Perhaps NI increase as it has just come in and I am sure within smaller businesses it has been discussed with employees just how much extra it is costing them.
This was in March, PIP cuts had less cut through and also less unpopular.
Surprising as the likes of the BBC never shut up with the personal stories of how potential cuts to PIP would effect people.
Less people get PIP or know someone with PIP. Almost everyone knows someone who's been stopped £200 or £300 with the WFA means testing.
I know quite a few people, but most are in the pub every day or, indeed, travelling somewhere out of the country. It was inelegantly done, but an awful lot of people don't need it.
I am surprised the WFA is being given as a major reason. It has totally slipped away from the headlines.
I would have guessed it was PIP cuts (as that got lots and lots of coverage), immigration and economy is still in bad shape. Perhaps NI increase as it has just come in and I am sure within smaller businesses it has been discussed with employees just how much extra it is costing them.
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
It is hard to argue against that, for sure
People like @Foxy and @BartholomewRoberts and @kinabalu and @OnlyLivingBoy and @Roger and the rest, who want more and more immigration, and think multiculturalism is a fantastic success, should count themselves lucky that, as things stand, the popular right opposition is a relatively humane and domesticated beast like Reform
Nigel Farage is not gonna start shooting boat-people, he's not gonna cancel elections, he won't bring back the noose. Indeed he is criticised by many on the alt.right for being too soft
There is no law to say Britain is magically immune from much nastier political forces, lile the AfD in Germany
We should pray that if and when Farage reaches power and succeeds, the boil is lanced, and British democracy endures. Because the alternative will not be a cosy return to the old politics, it will be something darker
You are being unfair to Bart there. Like me he might believe in free movement but that does not mean he necessarily thinks multiculturalism is a success or ever could be.
Norway has one of the highest immigrant rates for its population of any country in Europe and they make a success of it precisely becuase they don't hold with multiculturalism. If you want to stay and settle in Norway then you become Norwegian. You embrace the language and the culture. It is a system that works and is a very long way from the multiculturalist approach we see in Britain or other parts of Europe. .
The Norwegion approach is impossible here because learning the Norwegian language necessarily implies a serious commitment to Norway and its culture, whereas learning the English language is entirely detached from any commitment to Britain.
Having worked at the Jobcentre, it is surprising how many people you meet who don't speak good enough English to get by. From itinerant kebab shop workers who get by in Turkish to wives of subcontinental corner shop owners whose husbands would apparently prefer them not to know any English.
We need to make it easier, and cheaper, to learn English, and harder to manage without it.
If you can't speak English, and are not a refugee, you should not be able to claim benefits, as you should be deemed not to be available for work.
Refugees excepted, of course. But if you are an economic migrant you should be expected to learn English at your own expense
One of the areas I suspect 'AI' would be 'good enough' as a tutor. At the expense of English Language tutors. But... that's where we're headed.
Osborne/Cameron took away the funding for the local voluntary centre in my patch who had, as one of their big offerings, a number of english language classes for migrants.
Hang on! Hang on just a minute! Is it not the case that they come all the way to this country, an English-speaking country, because they can ALREADY speak English??
No. You live in Ilford. Tell me everyone else who lives in Ilford speaks good enough English to get by, work, go shopping, etc
But we are told by the pro-migrant lobby that the small boat people are fleeing non-English-speaking France to get to English-speaking Blighty. Is that not the case?
I think they are fleeing non-working-cash-in-hand France to get to low-employment-law-compliance Blighty
My understanding was that it is very common that they do actually work for cash in hand in places like France in order to get the money together for the crossing.
I think it is much easier to live under the radar long term in the UK, else they would stay in France
I am surprised the WFA is being given as a major reason. It has totally slipped away from the headlines.
I would have guessed it was PIP cuts (as that got lots and lots of coverage), immigration and economy is still in bad shape. Perhaps NI increase as it has just come in and I am sure within smaller businesses it has been discussed with employees just how much extra it is costing them.
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
It is hard to argue against that, for sure
People like @Foxy and @BartholomewRoberts and @kinabalu and @OnlyLivingBoy and @Roger and the rest, who want more and more immigration, and think multiculturalism is a fantastic success, should count themselves lucky that, as things stand, the popular right opposition is a relatively humane and domesticated beast like Reform
Nigel Farage is not gonna start shooting boat-people, he's not gonna cancel elections, he won't bring back the noose. Indeed he is criticised by many on the alt.right for being too soft
There is no law to say Britain is magically immune from much nastier political forces, lile the AfD in Germany
We should pray that if and when Farage reaches power and succeeds, the boil is lanced, and British democracy endures. Because the alternative will not be a cosy return to the old politics, it will be something darker
You are being unfair to Bart there. Like me he might believe in free movement but that does not mean he necessarily thinks multiculturalism is a success or ever could be.
Norway has one of the highest immigrant rates for its population of any country in Europe and they make a success of it precisely becuase they don't hold with multiculturalism. If you want to stay and settle in Norway then you become Norwegian. You embrace the language and the culture. It is a system that works and is a very long way from the multiculturalist approach we see in Britain or other parts of Europe. .
The Norwegion approach is impossible here because learning the Norwegian language necessarily implies a serious commitment to Norway and its culture, whereas learning the English language is entirely detached from any commitment to Britain.
You don't need any commitment to Britain other than abiding by the law, supporting yourself if able, and being a good person.
That's it. There's nothing else. There's no 'glue that binds', no mystical unifying concept of who 'we' are or what 'we' are. That's all nonsense imo.
"There's no such thing as society."
"There is no such thing as society. There is living tapestry of men and women and people and the beauty of that tapestry and the quality of our lives will depend upon how much each of us is prepared to take responsibility for ourselves and each of us prepared to turn round and help by our own efforts those who are unfortunate."
- Margaret Thatcher, 1987.
That doesn’t mean Lady Thatcher is actually saying there is no such thing as society.
And let me explain to you why. Lady Thatcher was explaining how would you define society in a way that everyone would agree on the definition. Society to you and to me can only be subjective. And from there Lady Thatcher explained her view that we get help from people, we give help to people, not from or to “a society”.
“There is a living tapestry of men and women and people and the beauty of that tapestry and the quality of our lives will depend upon how much each of us is prepared to take responsibility for ourselves and each of us prepared to turn round and help by our own efforts those who are unfortunate.”
How she understood it, every time any government does anything, it’s not through society but through people. It’s through natural structures, not through any imposed form of order created by rational design.
Lady Thatcher was very very clever for understanding this and explaining it so well.
I am surprised the WFA is being given as a major reason. It has totally slipped away from the headlines.
I would have guessed it was PIP cuts (as that got lots and lots of coverage), immigration and economy is still in bad shape. Perhaps NI increase as it has just come in and I am sure within smaller businesses it has been discussed with employees just how much extra it is costing them.
It's all Gordon Brown's fault for setting it up in the first place for all pensioners regardless of how well-off they were. At some point it was always going to be means-tested, and thus cause untold disgruntlement amongst those having something taken away from them.
In 2016, when the UK voted for Brexit, I, like most people at The Economist, was super anti Brexit. I think it was a really bad idea. And so when the UK voted for Brexit, I know when I, when I sort of look deep into my psyche.
There was a sort of phenomenon where I was like, I kind of want the UK economy to go down the toilet as a kind of punishment for voting for Brexit. And I think a lot of people did that. And I think, as a result, you were looking for evidence that the UK economy was about to collapse.
And in practice, again, that didn't happen at all.
I am surprised the WFA is being given as a major reason. It has totally slipped away from the headlines.
I would have guessed it was PIP cuts (as that got lots and lots of coverage), immigration and economy is still in bad shape. Perhaps NI increase as it has just come in and I am sure within smaller businesses it has been discussed with employees just how much extra it is costing them.
It's all Gordon Brown's fault for setting it up in the first place for all pensioners regardless of how well-off they were. At some point it was always going to be means-tested, and thus cause untold disgruntlement amongst those having something taken away from them.
No. Brown introduced a universal benefit for WFA. Child benefit is universal. There is nothing wrong with universal benefits - saves on a ton of admin and binds people who otherwise are net contributors to idea of welfare state.
Now you could argue that we can't afford universal benefits anymore but good luck with that down at Rosemary Avenue, Co. Durham, whilst they have a 4* hotel stuffed full of migrants eating a full english all paid by the state.
In 2016, when the UK voted for Brexit, I, like most people at The Economist, was super anti Brexit. I think it was a really bad idea. And so when the UK voted for Brexit, I know when I, when I sort of look deep into my psyche.
There was a sort of phenomenon where I was like, I kind of want the UK economy to go down the toilet as a kind of punishment for voting for Brexit. And I think a lot of people did that. And I think, as a result, you were looking for evidence that the UK economy was about to collapse.
And in practice, again, that didn't happen at all.
Very honest, but why did intelligent people think like this? I was a massive Remain supporter but I didn't for one moment hope that the economy would go down the toilet. I sort of accepted the result of a democratic vote.
In 2016, when the UK voted for Brexit, I, like most people at The Economist, was super anti Brexit. I think it was a really bad idea. And so when the UK voted for Brexit, I know when I, when I sort of look deep into my psyche.
There was a sort of phenomenon where I was like, I kind of want the UK economy to go down the toilet as a kind of punishment for voting for Brexit. And I think a lot of people did that. And I think, as a result, you were looking for evidence that the UK economy was about to collapse.
And in practice, again, that didn't happen at all.
A headline that perhaps only JG Ballard might have though of in the 20th century.
"M&S cyberattack devastates brides-to-be as wedding cake orders cancelled Brides have been sent last-minute cancellations as the retailer battles to recover its data"
In 2016, when the UK voted for Brexit, I, like most people at The Economist, was super anti Brexit. I think it was a really bad idea. And so when the UK voted for Brexit, I know when I, when I sort of look deep into my psyche.
There was a sort of phenomenon where I was like, I kind of want the UK economy to go down the toilet as a kind of punishment for voting for Brexit. And I think a lot of people did that. And I think, as a result, you were looking for evidence that the UK economy was about to collapse.
And in practice, again, that didn't happen at all.
Very refreshing to hear someone be so honest.
He was in the media, so he wrote about the economy going down the pan.
Similar PBers were on PB, so they constantly posted about the economy going down the pan.
Neither of those things is terribly consequential, but sadly a number of others who felt the same were in important political, administrative and judicial positions.
His prediction is of a 52%-48% two-party preferred win for Labor. He translates this to 86 two-party preferred wins in 2025, but with 7 of them currently being held by Greens & Independents. If all 7 of these Greens & Independents hold their seats, then that would translate to a prediction of 79 seats for Labor.
He expects the strongest overperformance by Labor to be in Tasmania & Queensland, both of which currently have Coalition state governments.
There is little value left in the "next government" betting where Labor is now at 1.07.
I have placed small bets on Labor winning the following seats:
Bass (Tasmania) - currently held by Coalition Braddon (Tasmania) - currently held by Coalition Lyons (Tasmania) - currently held by Labor Lingiari (Northern Territory) - currently held by Labor Bonner (Queensland) - currently held by Coalition Dickson (Queensland) - currently held by Coalition
His prediction is of a 52%-48% two-party preferred win for Labor. He translates this to 86 two-party preferred wins in 2025, but with 7 of them currently being held by Greens & Independents. If all 7 of these Greens & Independents hold their seats, then that would translate to a prediction of 79 seats for Labor.
If one believes the prediction of 79 seats, then there could be some value in the markets for "Labor Majority" government, currently at 1.69 on Betfair. Or, "Labor 76-80 Seats", currently at 2.6 on Betfair.
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
It is hard to argue against that, for sure
People like @Foxy and @BartholomewRoberts and @kinabalu and @OnlyLivingBoy and @Roger and the rest, who want more and more immigration, and think multiculturalism is a fantastic success, should count themselves lucky that, as things stand, the popular right opposition is a relatively humane and domesticated beast like Reform
Nigel Farage is not gonna start shooting boat-people, he's not gonna cancel elections, he won't bring back the noose. Indeed he is criticised by many on the alt.right for being too soft
There is no law to say Britain is magically immune from much nastier political forces, lile the AfD in Germany
We should pray that if and when Farage reaches power and succeeds, the boil is lanced, and British democracy endures. Because the alternative will not be a cosy return to the old politics, it will be something darker
You are being unfair to Bart there. Like me he might believe in free movement but that does not mean he necessarily thinks multiculturalism is a success or ever could be.
Norway has one of the highest immigrant rates for its population of any country in Europe and they make a success of it precisely becuase they don't hold with multiculturalism. If you want to stay and settle in Norway then you become Norwegian. You embrace the language and the culture. It is a system that works and is a very long way from the multiculturalist approach we see in Britain or other parts of Europe. .
The Norwegion approach is impossible here because learning the Norwegian language necessarily implies a serious commitment to Norway and its culture, whereas learning the English language is entirely detached from any commitment to Britain.
Having worked at the Jobcentre, it is surprising how many people you meet who don't speak good enough English to get by. From itinerant kebab shop workers who get by in Turkish to wives of subcontinental corner shop owners whose husbands would apparently prefer them not to know any English.
We need to make it easier, and cheaper, to learn English, and harder to manage without it.
If you can't speak English, and are not a refugee, you should not be able to claim benefits, as you should be deemed not to be available for work.
Refugees excepted, of course. But if you are an economic migrant you should be expected to learn English at your own expense
One of the areas I suspect 'AI' would be 'good enough' as a tutor. At the expense of English Language tutors. But... that's where we're headed.
Osborne/Cameron took away the funding for the local voluntary centre in my patch who had, as one of their big offerings, a number of english language classes for migrants.
Hang on! Hang on just a minute! Is it not the case that they come all the way to this country, an English-speaking country, because they can ALREADY speak English??
No. You live in Ilford. Tell me everyone else who lives in Ilford speaks good enough English to get by, work, go shopping, etc
But we are told by the pro-migrant lobby that the small boat people are fleeing non-English-speaking France to get to English-speaking Blighty. Is that not the case?
I think they are fleeing non-working-cash-in-hand France to get to low-employment-law-compliance Blighty
Maybe for people being trafficked. Not for most of the people who are in Calais waiting for an opportunity to cross.
I am surprised the WFA is being given as a major reason. It has totally slipped away from the headlines.
I would have guessed it was PIP cuts (as that got lots and lots of coverage), immigration and economy is still in bad shape. Perhaps NI increase as it has just come in and I am sure within smaller businesses it has been discussed with employees just how much extra it is costing them.
This was in March, PIP cuts had less cut through and also less unpopular.
Surprising as the likes of the BBC never shut up with the personal stories of how potential cuts to PIP would effect people.
Less people get PIP or know someone with PIP. Almost everyone knows someone who's been stopped £200 or £300 with the WFA means testing.
Sure, but its not insignificant,.4 million people get PIP. Maybe the public are just more on board with cutting that benefit.
I did say at the time the whole reason Brown bought in the WFA was it immediately cut off criticism of the government in terms of oldies freezing to death, which was common bad headlines for previous government. We haven't had the bad headlines this winter which is why I was surprised it was given as a reason, but looks like the public feel the same way about oldies heating their homes.
If it was about the money, there were other sneakier ways to get rich pensioners to pay more.
It had almost replaced the free bus pass in the popular imagination as the main perk of reaching a certain age.
There shouldn't be any "perks".
That's not what taxation and public spending should be about.
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
Lancashire is particularly depressing, Reform taking control and 2nd place seems to be Gaza Independents.
Urgh.
What did you honestly expect from endless unfiltered mass immigration, often from cultures alien if not hostile to our values? That immigration which you constantly praise and desire on here?
You get: politiciams elected for their sectarian ethnic/religiius beliefs by those growing, hostile minorities
And you get politicians elected by the frightened majority host culture, that sees its nation's ancient identity disappearing, and want this to stop before its too late
You got exactly what you wished for. And now you whine. Twat
It is hard to argue against that, for sure
People like @Foxy and @BartholomewRoberts and @kinabalu and @OnlyLivingBoy and @Roger and the rest, who want more and more immigration, and think multiculturalism is a fantastic success, should count themselves lucky that, as things stand, the popular right opposition is a relatively humane and domesticated beast like Reform
Nigel Farage is not gonna start shooting boat-people, he's not gonna cancel elections, he won't bring back the noose. Indeed he is criticised by many on the alt.right for being too soft
There is no law to say Britain is magically immune from much nastier political forces, lile the AfD in Germany
We should pray that if and when Farage reaches power and succeeds, the boil is lanced, and British democracy endures. Because the alternative will not be a cosy return to the old politics, it will be something darker
You are being unfair to Bart there. Like me he might believe in free movement but that does not mean he necessarily thinks multiculturalism is a success or ever could be.
Norway has one of the highest immigrant rates for its population of any country in Europe and they make a success of it precisely becuase they don't hold with multiculturalism. If you want to stay and settle in Norway then you become Norwegian. You embrace the language and the culture. It is a system that works and is a very long way from the multiculturalist approach we see in Britain or other parts of Europe. .
The Norwegion approach is impossible here because learning the Norwegian language necessarily implies a serious commitment to Norway and its culture, whereas learning the English language is entirely detached from any commitment to Britain.
You don't need any commitment to Britain other than abiding by the law, supporting yourself if able, and being a good person.
That's it. There's nothing else. There's no 'glue that binds', no mystical unifying concept of who 'we' are or what 'we' are. That's all nonsense imo.
I am surprised the WFA is being given as a major reason. It has totally slipped away from the headlines.
I would have guessed it was PIP cuts (as that got lots and lots of coverage), immigration and economy is still in bad shape. Perhaps NI increase as it has just come in and I am sure within smaller businesses it has been discussed with employees just how much extra it is costing them.
This was in March, PIP cuts had less cut through and also less unpopular.
Surprising as the likes of the BBC never shut up with the personal stories of how potential cuts to PIP would effect people.
No-one has had a cut yet. It won't happen until it's time for a review, and will only affect the least disabled claiming "daily living"
Sure, but realities often don't matter. See WFA, the cut vs the increase in pension due to inflation, most pensioners aren't that much worse off, but it appears to be toxic.
The media really went for the government over proposals to cut these benefits.
Weirdly they then give a pass to some cuts to some things that seem really harsh e.g. cutting amount an adopted child can access counselling services. When the whole scheme costs a total of £50m a year and the UK already struggles with getting adoptions.
It's causing a lot of tiredness on my part. I wasn't expecting to be up that late for the Canadian election, but then it was closer than expected, and then the by-election in Runcorn went to a recount and wasn't announced until 6am.
@Nigel_Farage says any Durham County Council staff working on diversity or climate change initiatives, or think 'they can go on working from home', should be 'seeking alternative careers'
What happens when it turns out the Diversity and Climate Change bogeyman are phantoms, or that WFO costs the council more?
I checked to see how many Diversity and Equality Officers are employed by my local council. The answer is none! So, by sacking them all, the council would save £0.
I’d be amazed if those roles aren’t in someone’s job description, even if the job title isn’t that.
“DEI”. This is the point I made earlier. For all that Trump is unpopular in the UK Trumps policies are not…
It's causing a lot of tiredness on my part. I wasn't expecting to be up that late for the Canadian election, but then it was closer than expected, and then the by-election in Runcorn went to a recount and wasn't announced until 6am.
I'd totally forgotten about the Australian election.
It's too late for me to research and gamble on it now, though I suspect Labor will win I don't know if they'll get a majority or fall just short.
Albanese is probably going to win again because he seems like a fairly average type of bloke whereas Dutton comes across as an Australian version of John Redwood to a certain extent.
Albanese is probably going to win again because he seems like a fairly average type of bloke whereas Dutton comes across as an Australian version of John Redwood to a certain extent.
Labor have also followed "sensible centrist" policies.
They didn't change the stringent border control policies (boat turn-backs & offshore detention) which were implemented by the previous Coalition government, in order to deal with asylum seekers trying to enter Australia by boat. This means that Dutton can't use an "out of control border" as a cudgel with which to beat the government.
Labor have also ditched some of their more contentious tax plans, such as capital gains tax increases, that they had promoted in past elections.
They have also avoided trying to re-introduce the very unpopular Carbon Tax that had been implemented by the Gillard Labor government in 2011 & which was then rejected by the electorate.
Comments
It doesn't seem to be a beacon of integration.
A political party that campaigns to disenfranchise Germans because they are the wrong skin colour is likely to be designated as anti-democratic and right-extremist as the AfD has been after 3 years of investigation. This seems consistent with previous decisions about various organisations over the years, and with the German constitution. Whether this decision makes any difference to anything I'm fairly doubtful.
You are an AfD supporter. You're obviously going to play the victim here. You're obviously going to claim the AfD are not anti-democratic. I don't think you are in favour of democracy yourself, but you are never honest.
That's it. There's nothing else. There's no 'glue that binds', no mystical unifying concept of who 'we' are or what 'we' are. That's all nonsense imo.
You seem to be in favour of a racial qualification for citizenship,and stripping citizenship from people don't pass @williamglenn's purity test. You can fuck right off.
But my friend is not wealthy and he can't afford to compete against the established parties as a candidate indy MP, unless somehow he can find a donor?
It's a damn shame because he is clever, dogged, characterful, genuinely independent - and funny - and a true Cornish patriot - and I honestly believe he'd be a great tribune for his chunk of the Duchy
Yes there is. Queuing.
We need to make it easier, and cheaper, to learn English, and harder to manage without it.
If you can't speak English, and are not a refugee, you should not be able to claim benefits, as you should be deemed not to be available for work.
Refugees excepted, of course. But if you are an economic migrant you should be expected to learn English at your own expense
"Because I'm not putting weight on my feet and because I'm not using my feet, the bone density is dropping. Now the bones are starting to crumble, and that poses an increasingly large infection risk."
“To avoid that infection risk, and also to try and give me a bit of mobility and better quality of life, we’ve gone for the elective double leg amputation below the knee.”
Anyhow, they raised £12,000+ split between The Devon Air Ambulance charity, Wheels for Wellbeing, Exeter UNESCO City of Literature, and the Devon and Exeter Institution.
So if anyone has any cash lying around, or parts of your annual charity budget not used at home or at work - this is my suggestion. The donations page is open until the end of May. Cheers for anyone who can support this.
Donations page
https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/goodbye-legs
Ride Report
https://road.cc/content/news/former-para-cyling-champions-final-ride-amputation-313777
How many f*cking times does Reeves need to hear this?
"Donald Ruddy Duck". It fits.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruddy_duck
It was also the right thing to do. How many times do you need to hear that?
Selfish benefit twats demanding more money they aren't working for should be ignored more often.
I get why some don’t understand patriotism. I really do. It’s all bollocks really. But it’s my bollocks. And I love it. When Saka scores the winning goal in the Workd Cup final, or Mark Itoje lifts the Webb Ellis Tropy, or when your kids go to school with every race under the sun and don’t give a shit because they are just people that’s part of what we are.
- Margaret Thatcher, 1987.
I would have guessed it was PIP cuts (as that got lots and lots of coverage), immigration and economy is still in bad shape. Perhaps NI increase as it has just come in and I am sure within smaller businesses it has been discussed with employees just how much extra it is costing them.
PBers queue up to show him he's wrong.
I will digress. There’s also a dash of irony to be had here. The same people who corruscated Labour for offering ‘free stuff’ now point at the political suicide of them removing wfa. I suppose Labour may have done them a favour by doing the dirty work for them.
Still, time for the popcorn now, watching Reform try to run stuff. Can’t be long before the massive egos of Jenkyns and Farage clash or for the discipline required to run a unitary council results in flounces and exits. Expect the numbers of independents to swell and a revolving door between Tories and Reform.
And so to Badenoch. Was always going to be a disastrous choice in the current climate. Weird, wonky and out of touch. Will she last till the summer?
Also GOP: Biden still controls the economy and is responsible for every negative stat you now see on your tv screen.
I did say at the time the whole reason Brown bought in the WFA was it immediately cut off criticism of the government in terms of oldies freezing to death, which was common bad headlines for previous government. We haven't had the bad headlines this winter which is why I was surprised it was given as a reason, but looks like the public feel the same way about oldies heating their homes.
If it was about the money, there were other sneakier ways to get rich pensioners to pay more.
The media really went for the government over proposals to cut these benefits.
Weirdly they then give a pass to some cuts to some things that seem really harsh e.g. cutting amount an adopted child can access counselling services. When the whole scheme costs a total of £50m a year and the UK already struggles with getting adoptions.
“There is a living tapestry of men and women and people and the beauty of that tapestry and the quality of our lives will depend upon how much each of us is prepared to take responsibility for ourselves and each of us prepared to turn round and help by our own efforts those who are unfortunate.”
How she understood it, every time any government does anything, it’s not through society but through people. It’s through natural structures, not through any imposed form of order created by rational design.
Lady Thatcher was very very clever for understanding this and explaining it so well.
https://x.com/faringforwards/status/1917901010103910874
In 2016, when the UK voted for Brexit, I, like most people at The Economist, was super anti Brexit. I think it was a really bad idea. And so when the UK voted for Brexit, I know when I, when I sort of look deep into my psyche.
There was a sort of phenomenon where I was like, I kind of want the UK economy to go down the toilet as a kind of punishment for voting for Brexit. And I think a lot of people did that. And I think, as a result, you were looking for evidence that the UK economy was about to collapse.
And in practice, again, that didn't happen at all.
James Johnson has written an interesting piece repeating much of what I’ve said, that this isn’t a disaster for Labour, yet.
His view is that as Reform becomes more popular, their opposition also becomes more obvious.
If they become strong, it will be clear that the only way to keep them out is to have another Labour government.
Putting that aside, I still think in a year things will look very different.
Now you could argue that we can't afford universal benefits anymore but good luck with that down at Rosemary Avenue, Co. Durham, whilst they have a 4* hotel stuffed full of migrants eating a full english all paid by the state.
When Farage reaches zero hearts I will celebrate with a non-dairy milkshake and vegan gammon.
Most people I know, most Remainers even, may have regretted Brexit: but they still wanted to see Britain succeed.
"M&S cyberattack devastates brides-to-be as wedding cake orders cancelled
Brides have been sent last-minute cancellations as the retailer battles to recover its data"
https://www.thetimes.com/uk/technology-uk/article/marks-and-spencer-cyberattack-wedding-cakes-9djjk30bf
He was in the media, so he wrote about the economy going down the pan.
Similar PBers were on PB, so they constantly posted about the economy going down the pan.
Neither of those things is terribly consequential, but sadly a number of others who felt the same were in important political, administrative and judicial positions.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cevdw14r1mgt
https://insidestory.org.au/day-of-reckoning/
His prediction is of a 52%-48% two-party preferred win for Labor. He translates this to 86 two-party preferred wins in 2025, but with 7 of them currently being held by Greens & Independents. If all 7 of these Greens & Independents hold their seats, then that would translate to a prediction of 79 seats for Labor.
He expects the strongest overperformance by Labor to be in Tasmania & Queensland, both of which currently have Coalition state governments.
There is little value left in the "next government" betting where Labor is now at 1.07.
I have placed small bets on Labor winning the following seats:
Bass (Tasmania) - currently held by Coalition
Braddon (Tasmania) - currently held by Coalition
Lyons (Tasmania) - currently held by Labor
Lingiari (Northern Territory) - currently held by Labor
Bonner (Queensland) - currently held by Coalition
Dickson (Queensland) - currently held by Coalition
That's not what taxation and public spending should be about.
It's too late for me to research and gamble on it now, though I suspect Labor will win I don't know if they'll get a majority or fall just short.
They didn't change the stringent border control policies (boat turn-backs & offshore detention) which were implemented by the previous Coalition government, in order to deal with asylum seekers trying to enter Australia by boat. This means that Dutton can't use an "out of control border" as a cudgel with which to beat the government.
Labor have also ditched some of their more contentious tax plans, such as capital gains tax increases, that they had promoted in past elections.
They have also avoided trying to re-introduce the very unpopular Carbon Tax that had been implemented by the Gillard Labor government in 2011 & which was then rejected by the electorate.