Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. Sign in or register to get started.

I am spotting a trend in Anglosphere elections this week – politicalbetting.com

24

Comments

  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 31,457
    Leon said:

    kinabalu said:

    Cookie said:

    kinabalu said:

    At the moment though, this does not appear to be the case in the UK, where the momentum remains with Reform.

    For whatever reason, association with Trump is hurting Farage far less at the moment than counterparts in other countries. This is despite him being far closer to Trump than the opposition politicians in Australia and Canada.

    So what is happening?

    Firstly, our political landscape is more fragmented. You can have a big victory on 30-ish % of the vote at the moment, given opponents are polling in the low-to-mid 20s. It remains to be seen if RefUK can break into the mid to high 30s, which would put them in a very good position.

    Secondly, I think that minds are less concentrated right now. Our election is 4 years away, and into a new presidential term. We cannot predict what will be happening at that point, and where Trump and Trump policies will be at that point.

    And thirdly, I think this country is maybe just in a different phase of the cycle to others. We are uniquely fed up with both our major parties, Farage as a politician runs rings around any other high-profile political figure, the country has experienced a long malaise since at least Covid and people are casting around for alternatives.

    We have an interesting period ahead of us. But Labour can perhaps take some comfort from the fact that very unpopular incumbents have managed remarkable turnarounds, and they’d be foolish not to study those blueprints carefully.

    It might also be the case that we are fundamentally more secure in our own national identity, despite the political class seemingly being obsessed with the US. We are the mother country and not the other way round.
    The obsession with immigration does not indicate security in our national identity (whatever that is).
    There are lots of reasons apart from identity not to want thousands of boat people arriving each week. I don't particularly like the tent city of immigrants developing in our town centre, for example. Or seeing 23 kids bkown up at my local arena. Or pensioners in Hartlepool murdered. Or wages supressed in favour of capital. Or a massive housing shortage. Just, you know, off the top of my head.
    But just on identity, the election of a 'stop men and women mixing' candidate in Burnley Central on Thursday - well, British identity might be hard to pin down, but it isn't that. And that isn't down to native votes
    It's coming down, immigration, although "boats" is a toughie.

    Course, the last thing the Nat Pops want is any realism or perspective on any of this.
    And of course we must finally deal with The Unmentionable

    Leon?

    P.S. What a horrid, horrid post!
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 59,600

    At the moment though, this does not appear to be the case in the UK, where the momentum remains with Reform.

    For whatever reason, association with Trump is hurting Farage far less at the moment than counterparts in other countries. This is despite him being far closer to Trump than the opposition politicians in Australia and Canada.

    So what is happening?

    Firstly, our political landscape is more fragmented. You can have a big victory on 30-ish % of the vote at the moment, given opponents are polling in the low-to-mid 20s. It remains to be seen if RefUK can break into the mid to high 30s, which would put them in a very good position.

    Secondly, I think that minds are less concentrated right now. Our election is 4 years away, and into a new presidential term. We cannot predict what will be happening at that point, and where Trump and Trump policies will be at that point.

    And thirdly, I think this country is maybe just in a different phase of the cycle to others. We are uniquely fed up with both our major parties, Farage as a politician runs rings around any other high-profile political figure, the country has experienced a long malaise since at least Covid and people are casting around for alternatives.

    We have an interesting period ahead of us. But Labour can perhaps take some comfort from the fact that very unpopular incumbents have managed remarkable turnarounds, and they’d be foolish not to study those blueprints carefully.

    This deserved more likes than it got. (The solitary one from me.)
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 55,012
    Interesting observation on the aesthetics of Reform:

    https://x.com/mikediplockre/status/1918732788401840153

    Ngl Reform's camp and garish aesthetic is growing on me. They don't pretend to be high culture. They're low culture Britain and happy to lean into it.

    They're Dancing on Ice on ITV. They're slush puppies at Butlin's. They're Deano's crushed velvet sofa in his Essex new build.
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 31,457
    rcs1000 said:

    At the moment though, this does not appear to be the case in the UK, where the momentum remains with Reform.

    For whatever reason, association with Trump is hurting Farage far less at the moment than counterparts in other countries. This is despite him being far closer to Trump than the opposition politicians in Australia and Canada.

    So what is happening?

    Firstly, our political landscape is more fragmented. You can have a big victory on 30-ish % of the vote at the moment, given opponents are polling in the low-to-mid 20s. It remains to be seen if RefUK can break into the mid to high 30s, which would put them in a very good position.

    Secondly, I think that minds are less concentrated right now. Our election is 4 years away, and into a new presidential term. We cannot predict what will be happening at that point, and where Trump and Trump policies will be at that point.

    And thirdly, I think this country is maybe just in a different phase of the cycle to others. We are uniquely fed up with both our major parties, Farage as a politician runs rings around any other high-profile political figure, the country has experienced a long malaise since at least Covid and people are casting around for alternatives.

    We have an interesting period ahead of us. But Labour can perhaps take some comfort from the fact that very unpopular incumbents have managed remarkable turnarounds, and they’d be foolish not to study those blueprints carefully.

    This deserved more likes than it got. (The solitary one from me.)
    Yes, that really is an excellent post.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 73,639

    Leon said:

    kinabalu said:

    Cookie said:

    kinabalu said:

    At the moment though, this does not appear to be the case in the UK, where the momentum remains with Reform.

    For whatever reason, association with Trump is hurting Farage far less at the moment than counterparts in other countries. This is despite him being far closer to Trump than the opposition politicians in Australia and Canada.

    So what is happening?

    Firstly, our political landscape is more fragmented. You can have a big victory on 30-ish % of the vote at the moment, given opponents are polling in the low-to-mid 20s. It remains to be seen if RefUK can break into the mid to high 30s, which would put them in a very good position.

    Secondly, I think that minds are less concentrated right now. Our election is 4 years away, and into a new presidential term. We cannot predict what will be happening at that point, and where Trump and Trump policies will be at that point.

    And thirdly, I think this country is maybe just in a different phase of the cycle to others. We are uniquely fed up with both our major parties, Farage as a politician runs rings around any other high-profile political figure, the country has experienced a long malaise since at least Covid and people are casting around for alternatives.

    We have an interesting period ahead of us. But Labour can perhaps take some comfort from the fact that very unpopular incumbents have managed remarkable turnarounds, and they’d be foolish not to study those blueprints carefully.

    It might also be the case that we are fundamentally more secure in our own national identity, despite the political class seemingly being obsessed with the US. We are the mother country and not the other way round.
    The obsession with immigration does not indicate security in our national identity (whatever that is).
    There are lots of reasons apart from identity not to want thousands of boat people arriving each week. I don't particularly like the tent city of immigrants developing in our town centre, for example. Or seeing 23 kids bkown up at my local arena. Or pensioners in Hartlepool murdered. Or wages supressed in favour of capital. Or a massive housing shortage. Just, you know, off the top of my head.
    But just on identity, the election of a 'stop men and women mixing' candidate in Burnley Central on Thursday - well, British identity might be hard to pin down, but it isn't that. And that isn't down to native votes
    It's coming down, immigration, although "boats" is a toughie.

    Course, the last thing the Nat Pops want is any realism or perspective on any of this.
    And of course we must finally deal with The Unmentionable

    Leon?
    AI?
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 22,785

    kinabalu said:

    At the moment though, this does not appear to be the case in the UK, where the momentum remains with Reform.

    For whatever reason, association with Trump is hurting Farage far less at the moment than counterparts in other countries. This is despite him being far closer to Trump than the opposition politicians in Australia and Canada.

    So what is happening?

    Firstly, our political landscape is more fragmented. You can have a big victory on 30-ish % of the vote at the moment, given opponents are polling in the low-to-mid 20s. It remains to be seen if RefUK can break into the mid to high 30s, which would put them in a very good position.

    Secondly, I think that minds are less concentrated right now. Our election is 4 years away, and into a new presidential term. We cannot predict what will be happening at that point, and where Trump and Trump policies will be at that point.

    And thirdly, I think this country is maybe just in a different phase of the cycle to others. We are uniquely fed up with both our major parties, Farage as a politician runs rings around any other high-profile political figure, the country has experienced a long malaise since at least Covid and people are casting around for alternatives.

    We have an interesting period ahead of us. But Labour can perhaps take some comfort from the fact that very unpopular incumbents have managed remarkable turnarounds, and they’d be foolish not to study those blueprints carefully.

    Farage is a very strong brand here. It's quite resilient. That said, I don't think he makes it unless a serious threat to Labour from their left emerges. This the keyest of the key factors imo. Unless it happens Labour's position is structurally strong and they will likely win again.
    But Labour do have threats from the left - there are a growing amount of disillusioned voices going to the Greens and LDs. This is nowhere near the same issue as the Tories have with REFUK, but it is an issue for them. Do those voters hold their noses and vote Labour to stop Farage? That will be one of the big questions of the coming years.

    As I paid on the last thread, we have to gamble that they do see sense and vote Labour to keep RefCon out, while making efforts of persuasion to win back those who have left us on the other flank.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 73,639
    Williams absolutely cruising into the final.
  • TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 43,458
    kamski said:

    Verona is nice, and has romantic associations. I really like Bologna, which is less than an hour away on the fast train, not too touristy or expensive, good food. The 62km (!) of arcades are apparently a UNESCO World Heritage Site https://www.bolognawelcome.com/en/information/unesco-porticoes-of-bologna-en

    Another hour by train gets you to Ravenna, which is fantastic, especially if you have any liking for mosaics. A little bit further down that side of Italy, Marche is full of beautiful towns that are still relatively undiscovered, and I would say could be called romantic.

    Or, pick somewhere in Italy you haven't been, and haven't (really) heard of, and see what it has to offer. There are so many really nice places that aren't well-known at all.

    Bologna also home of Ducati and their great museum. Nothing more romantic than old motorbikes as I tell my partner (Mrs DavidL may not agree).
  • Pro_RataPro_Rata Posts: 5,586
    OK, just checking in for a short while, so some Kinabalu style quick hits on the topics of the day.

    Australia: didn't follow it. But, need I care - I mean, 3 year terms, come on.

    I can just wait for next week's election.
  • TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 43,458

    TimS said:

    Omnium said:

    Re header: Are you new!?

    Surely we've all agreed long ago that AV is just different to FPTP. Better in some ways, and worse in others. I refer you to Donald G Saari!

    Now if you say that you prefer AV, then I'm all with you.

    STV all the way.
    I wish Grampian TV was still about.
    Jimmy Spanky!
  • Daveyboy1961Daveyboy1961 Posts: 4,549

    TimS said:

    Omnium said:

    Re header: Are you new!?

    Surely we've all agreed long ago that AV is just different to FPTP. Better in some ways, and worse in others. I refer you to Donald G Saari!

    Now if you say that you prefer AV, then I'm all with you.

    STV all the way.
    I wish Grampian TV was still about.
    Jimmy Spanky!
    Ooh errr Mrs...
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 24,439

    Interesting observation on the aesthetics of Reform:

    https://x.com/mikediplockre/status/1918732788401840153

    Ngl Reform's camp and garish aesthetic is growing on me. They don't pretend to be high culture. They're low culture Britain and happy to lean into it.

    They're Dancing on Ice on ITV. They're slush puppies at Butlin's. They're Deano's crushed velvet sofa in his Essex new build.

    #accidentalMarillionlyric
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 79,334

    TimS said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Posted without comment:


    Farrukh
    @implausibleblog
    ·
    21h
    Reform Councillor John Doddy, "DOGE style efficiency, but not in the same sense as Elon Musk"

    "The people of Nottinghamshire give us their tax money and we promise to do things for them in return"

    "We can do it better"

    https://x.com/implausibleblog/status/1918395752750964750

    The replies are comical, half of them think it's something to do with Nottingham, the other half don't realise he's been a councillor for over a decade. Reform might fail here, but the writing off of them before they've even started is just lazy prejudice imo.
    I live here, didn't vote for them and hope very much they succeed
    I hope they fail, because it’s far less damaging to the fabric of this wonderful country that they fail now in a few town and county councils, than that they fail, Trump style, in national government.
    All political careers end in failure, but it's better to have the maximum level of success beforehand.
    JFK and Shinzo Abe ?
  • BurgessianBurgessian Posts: 2,994
    isam said:

    Replacing Badenoch would not be a silver bullet. Tryl said his recent focus groups with Tory-to-Reform switchers showed that even Jenrick would struggle to turn around the party’s fortunes. “The only Conservative politician who could muster affection was Boris Johnson. Some cannot forgive him for partygate, but among those who had switched from the Tories to Reform UK there was a sense that Johnson was the only Tory who “got it” and could speak to them.


    https://www.thetimes.com/article/cc4c5d19-9656-490f-8f2b-314245c7f332?shareToken=3a3a9dd639986c220093e073bc8f1d02

    Boris as Party chairman would be fun. He would certainly entertain the troops.
    Just keep him away from anything to do with policy.
    He'd certainly complement Kemi who appears to do little other than contemplate policy, or so the critics complain.


  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 30,383
    ydoethur said:

    Williams absolutely cruising into the final.

    Snooker or Britain's Got Talent?
  • Pro_RataPro_Rata Posts: 5,586
    Japan: I've been abroad to Europe far less often in the last 20 years than I'd ever envisaged before my kids, but even early on I wanted to keep 'trip of a lifetime' mystique and rarity to longer range off continent adventures.

    And Japan is one of very few forays out of Europe so far. Yes, it's otherness was striking, but I don't have the comparators tbh. And did the miles on a JR card, south to Hiroshima which felt, ironically, like the most oldest city I visited beyond a few hallowed courtyards and shrines then all the way up in steps to Sapporo for unlimited beer and (then unknown to me) Mongolian grill.
  • RogerRoger Posts: 20,547
    The BBC warned viewers that their report from Australia contained some rather strong language which turned out to be an interview with the leader of the opposition which asked "Are you up Donald Trump's arse?"
  • CookieCookie Posts: 14,931
    kinabalu said:

    Cookie said:

    kinabalu said:

    At the moment though, this does not appear to be the case in the UK, where the momentum remains with Reform.

    For whatever reason, association with Trump is hurting Farage far less at the moment than counterparts in other countries. This is despite him being far closer to Trump than the opposition politicians in Australia and Canada.

    So what is happening?

    Firstly, our political landscape is more fragmented. You can have a big victory on 30-ish % of the vote at the moment, given opponents are polling in the low-to-mid 20s. It remains to be seen if RefUK can break into the mid to high 30s, which would put them in a very good position.

    Secondly, I think that minds are less concentrated right now. Our election is 4 years away, and into a new presidential term. We cannot predict what will be happening at that point, and where Trump and Trump policies will be at that point.

    And thirdly, I think this country is maybe just in a different phase of the cycle to others. We are uniquely fed up with both our major parties, Farage as a politician runs rings around any other high-profile political figure, the country has experienced a long malaise since at least Covid and people are casting around for alternatives.

    We have an interesting period ahead of us. But Labour can perhaps take some comfort from the fact that very unpopular incumbents have managed remarkable turnarounds, and they’d be foolish not to study those blueprints carefully.

    It might also be the case that we are fundamentally more secure in our own national identity, despite the political class seemingly being obsessed with the US. We are the mother country and not the other way round.
    The obsession with immigration does not indicate security in our national identity (whatever that is).
    There are lots of reasons apart from identity not to want thousands of boat people arriving each week. I don't particularly like the tent city of immigrants developing in our town centre, for example. Or seeing 23 kids bkown up at my local arena. Or pensioners in Hartlepool murdered. Or wages supressed in favour of capital. Or a massive housing shortage. Just, you know, off the top of my head.
    But just on identity, the election of a 'stop men and women mixing' candidate in Burnley Central on Thursday - well, British identity might be hard to pin down, but it isn't that. And that isn't down to native votes
    It's coming down, immigration, although "boats" is a toughie.

    Course, the last thing the Nat Pops want is any realism or perspective on any of this.
    Immigration - well, certainly boat-people-immigration - is like inflation. It's simlly a measure of how quickly things are getting worse.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 44,951
    Leon said:

    kinabalu said:

    Cookie said:

    kinabalu said:

    At the moment though, this does not appear to be the case in the UK, where the momentum remains with Reform.

    For whatever reason, association with Trump is hurting Farage far less at the moment than counterparts in other countries. This is despite him being far closer to Trump than the opposition politicians in Australia and Canada.

    So what is happening?

    Firstly, our political landscape is more fragmented. You can have a big victory on 30-ish % of the vote at the moment, given opponents are polling in the low-to-mid 20s. It remains to be seen if RefUK can break into the mid to high 30s, which would put them in a very good position.

    Secondly, I think that minds are less concentrated right now. Our election is 4 years away, and into a new presidential term. We cannot predict what will be happening at that point, and where Trump and Trump policies will be at that point.

    And thirdly, I think this country is maybe just in a different phase of the cycle to others. We are uniquely fed up with both our major parties, Farage as a politician runs rings around any other high-profile political figure, the country has experienced a long malaise since at least Covid and people are casting around for alternatives.

    We have an interesting period ahead of us. But Labour can perhaps take some comfort from the fact that very unpopular incumbents have managed remarkable turnarounds, and they’d be foolish not to study those blueprints carefully.

    It might also be the case that we are fundamentally more secure in our own national identity, despite the political class seemingly being obsessed with the US. We are the mother country and not the other way round.
    The obsession with immigration does not indicate security in our national identity (whatever that is).
    There are lots of reasons apart from identity not to want thousands of boat people arriving each week. I don't particularly like the tent city of immigrants developing in our town centre, for example. Or seeing 23 kids bkown up at my local arena. Or pensioners in Hartlepool murdered. Or wages supressed in favour of capital. Or a massive housing shortage. Just, you know, off the top of my head.
    But just on identity, the election of a 'stop men and women mixing' candidate in Burnley Central on Thursday - well, British identity might be hard to pin down, but it isn't that. And that isn't down to native votes
    It's coming down, immigration, although "boats" is a toughie.

    Course, the last thing the Nat Pops want is any realism or perspective on any of this.
    It doesn't just have to come down, it needs to go into REVERSE. You still don't get it

    Nearly all the Boriswave people need to go back. Anyone that hasn't got ILR - go back. Any foreign criminals - immediately deport. Anyone with a dodgy visa - back they go. Students overstaying - sorry, but you're out

    Legal immigration needs, in essence, to cease: we must have a pause for several years while we try to knit the country back together. We have to leave the ECHR. Sack any lawyers that stand in the way. We have to make life uncomfortable for those people here who clearly despise us and our values. Bulldoze ghettoes like the Danish social democrats

    Meanwhile all boats must stop ASAFP - not just "bring them down a bit". Stop them. Zero boats. And of course we must finally deal with The Unmentionable

    @MaxPB laid it all out in pretty much these exact terms a couple of days ago. The above needs to happen, and soon, or we will get far worse than Farage
    Thank you, yes. I was just talking about obsession with immigration.
  • carnforthcarnforth Posts: 5,818

    ydoethur said:

    Williams absolutely cruising into the final.

    Snooker or Britain's Got Talent?
    Well, not F1.
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 31,457
    kinabalu said:

    Leon said:

    kinabalu said:

    Cookie said:

    kinabalu said:

    At the moment though, this does not appear to be the case in the UK, where the momentum remains with Reform.

    For whatever reason, association with Trump is hurting Farage far less at the moment than counterparts in other countries. This is despite him being far closer to Trump than the opposition politicians in Australia and Canada.

    So what is happening?

    Firstly, our political landscape is more fragmented. You can have a big victory on 30-ish % of the vote at the moment, given opponents are polling in the low-to-mid 20s. It remains to be seen if RefUK can break into the mid to high 30s, which would put them in a very good position.

    Secondly, I think that minds are less concentrated right now. Our election is 4 years away, and into a new presidential term. We cannot predict what will be happening at that point, and where Trump and Trump policies will be at that point.

    And thirdly, I think this country is maybe just in a different phase of the cycle to others. We are uniquely fed up with both our major parties, Farage as a politician runs rings around any other high-profile political figure, the country has experienced a long malaise since at least Covid and people are casting around for alternatives.

    We have an interesting period ahead of us. But Labour can perhaps take some comfort from the fact that very unpopular incumbents have managed remarkable turnarounds, and they’d be foolish not to study those blueprints carefully.

    It might also be the case that we are fundamentally more secure in our own national identity, despite the political class seemingly being obsessed with the US. We are the mother country and not the other way round.
    The obsession with immigration does not indicate security in our national identity (whatever that is).
    There are lots of reasons apart from identity not to want thousands of boat people arriving each week. I don't particularly like the tent city of immigrants developing in our town centre, for example. Or seeing 23 kids bkown up at my local arena. Or pensioners in Hartlepool murdered. Or wages supressed in favour of capital. Or a massive housing shortage. Just, you know, off the top of my head.
    But just on identity, the election of a 'stop men and women mixing' candidate in Burnley Central on Thursday - well, British identity might be hard to pin down, but it isn't that. And that isn't down to native votes
    It's coming down, immigration, although "boats" is a toughie.

    Course, the last thing the Nat Pops want is any realism or perspective on any of this.
    It doesn't just have to come down, it needs to go into REVERSE. You still don't get it

    Nearly all the Boriswave people need to go back. Anyone that hasn't got ILR - go back. Any foreign criminals - immediately deport. Anyone with a dodgy visa - back they go. Students overstaying - sorry, but you're out

    Legal immigration needs, in essence, to cease: we must have a pause for several years while we try to knit the country back together. We have to leave the ECHR. Sack any lawyers that stand in the way. We have to make life uncomfortable for those people here who clearly despise us and our values. Bulldoze ghettoes like the Danish social democrats

    Meanwhile all boats must stop ASAFP - not just "bring them down a bit". Stop them. Zero boats. And of course we must finally deal with The Unmentionable

    @MaxPB laid it all out in pretty much these exact terms a couple of days ago. The above needs to happen, and soon, or we will get far worse than Farage
    Thank you, yes. I was just talking about obsession with immigration.
    That was a truly repulsive post by the house troll. Someone flagged it. It wasn't me, much to my eternal shame.
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 31,457
    edited May 3
    ...
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 55,012

    kinabalu said:

    Leon said:

    kinabalu said:

    Cookie said:

    kinabalu said:

    At the moment though, this does not appear to be the case in the UK, where the momentum remains with Reform.

    For whatever reason, association with Trump is hurting Farage far less at the moment than counterparts in other countries. This is despite him being far closer to Trump than the opposition politicians in Australia and Canada.

    So what is happening?

    Firstly, our political landscape is more fragmented. You can have a big victory on 30-ish % of the vote at the moment, given opponents are polling in the low-to-mid 20s. It remains to be seen if RefUK can break into the mid to high 30s, which would put them in a very good position.

    Secondly, I think that minds are less concentrated right now. Our election is 4 years away, and into a new presidential term. We cannot predict what will be happening at that point, and where Trump and Trump policies will be at that point.

    And thirdly, I think this country is maybe just in a different phase of the cycle to others. We are uniquely fed up with both our major parties, Farage as a politician runs rings around any other high-profile political figure, the country has experienced a long malaise since at least Covid and people are casting around for alternatives.

    We have an interesting period ahead of us. But Labour can perhaps take some comfort from the fact that very unpopular incumbents have managed remarkable turnarounds, and they’d be foolish not to study those blueprints carefully.

    It might also be the case that we are fundamentally more secure in our own national identity, despite the political class seemingly being obsessed with the US. We are the mother country and not the other way round.
    The obsession with immigration does not indicate security in our national identity (whatever that is).
    There are lots of reasons apart from identity not to want thousands of boat people arriving each week. I don't particularly like the tent city of immigrants developing in our town centre, for example. Or seeing 23 kids bkown up at my local arena. Or pensioners in Hartlepool murdered. Or wages supressed in favour of capital. Or a massive housing shortage. Just, you know, off the top of my head.
    But just on identity, the election of a 'stop men and women mixing' candidate in Burnley Central on Thursday - well, British identity might be hard to pin down, but it isn't that. And that isn't down to native votes
    It's coming down, immigration, although "boats" is a toughie.

    Course, the last thing the Nat Pops want is any realism or perspective on any of this.
    It doesn't just have to come down, it needs to go into REVERSE. You still don't get it

    Nearly all the Boriswave people need to go back. Anyone that hasn't got ILR - go back. Any foreign criminals - immediately deport. Anyone with a dodgy visa - back they go. Students overstaying - sorry, but you're out

    Legal immigration needs, in essence, to cease: we must have a pause for several years while we try to knit the country back together. We have to leave the ECHR. Sack any lawyers that stand in the way. We have to make life uncomfortable for those people here who clearly despise us and our values. Bulldoze ghettoes like the Danish social democrats

    Meanwhile all boats must stop ASAFP - not just "bring them down a bit". Stop them. Zero boats. And of course we must finally deal with The Unmentionable

    @MaxPB laid it all out in pretty much these exact terms a couple of days ago. The above needs to happen, and soon, or we will get far worse than Farage
    Thank you, yes. I was just talking about obsession with immigration.
    That was a truly repulsive post by the house troll. Someone flagged it. It wasn't me, much to my eternal shame.
    #accidentalBangleslyric
  • TimSTimS Posts: 15,108

    TimS said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Posted without comment:


    Farrukh
    @implausibleblog
    ·
    21h
    Reform Councillor John Doddy, "DOGE style efficiency, but not in the same sense as Elon Musk"

    "The people of Nottinghamshire give us their tax money and we promise to do things for them in return"

    "We can do it better"

    https://x.com/implausibleblog/status/1918395752750964750

    The replies are comical, half of them think it's something to do with Nottingham, the other half don't realise he's been a councillor for over a decade. Reform might fail here, but the writing off of them before they've even started is just lazy prejudice imo.
    I live here, didn't vote for them and hope very much they succeed
    I hope they fail, because it’s far less damaging to the fabric of this wonderful country that they fail now in a few town and county councils, than that they fail, Trump style, in national government.
    All political careers end in failure, but it's better to have the maximum level of success beforehand.
    The trouble is, the careers of far-right political leaders tend to fail spectacularly, with significant collateral damage, sometimes at the end of a war. They are not generally given to handing over power after an election.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 60,150
    I have just made the world's greatest cod and chorizo. This is LITERALLY no exaggeration
  • TimSTimS Posts: 15,108

    kinabalu said:

    Leon said:

    kinabalu said:

    Cookie said:

    kinabalu said:

    At the moment though, this does not appear to be the case in the UK, where the momentum remains with Reform.

    For whatever reason, association with Trump is hurting Farage far less at the moment than counterparts in other countries. This is despite him being far closer to Trump than the opposition politicians in Australia and Canada.

    So what is happening?

    Firstly, our political landscape is more fragmented. You can have a big victory on 30-ish % of the vote at the moment, given opponents are polling in the low-to-mid 20s. It remains to be seen if RefUK can break into the mid to high 30s, which would put them in a very good position.

    Secondly, I think that minds are less concentrated right now. Our election is 4 years away, and into a new presidential term. We cannot predict what will be happening at that point, and where Trump and Trump policies will be at that point.

    And thirdly, I think this country is maybe just in a different phase of the cycle to others. We are uniquely fed up with both our major parties, Farage as a politician runs rings around any other high-profile political figure, the country has experienced a long malaise since at least Covid and people are casting around for alternatives.

    We have an interesting period ahead of us. But Labour can perhaps take some comfort from the fact that very unpopular incumbents have managed remarkable turnarounds, and they’d be foolish not to study those blueprints carefully.

    It might also be the case that we are fundamentally more secure in our own national identity, despite the political class seemingly being obsessed with the US. We are the mother country and not the other way round.
    The obsession with immigration does not indicate security in our national identity (whatever that is).
    There are lots of reasons apart from identity not to want thousands of boat people arriving each week. I don't particularly like the tent city of immigrants developing in our town centre, for example. Or seeing 23 kids bkown up at my local arena. Or pensioners in Hartlepool murdered. Or wages supressed in favour of capital. Or a massive housing shortage. Just, you know, off the top of my head.
    But just on identity, the election of a 'stop men and women mixing' candidate in Burnley Central on Thursday - well, British identity might be hard to pin down, but it isn't that. And that isn't down to native votes
    It's coming down, immigration, although "boats" is a toughie.

    Course, the last thing the Nat Pops want is any realism or perspective on any of this.
    It doesn't just have to come down, it needs to go into REVERSE. You still don't get it

    Nearly all the Boriswave people need to go back. Anyone that hasn't got ILR - go back. Any foreign criminals - immediately deport. Anyone with a dodgy visa - back they go. Students overstaying - sorry, but you're out

    Legal immigration needs, in essence, to cease: we must have a pause for several years while we try to knit the country back together. We have to leave the ECHR. Sack any lawyers that stand in the way. We have to make life uncomfortable for those people here who clearly despise us and our values. Bulldoze ghettoes like the Danish social democrats

    Meanwhile all boats must stop ASAFP - not just "bring them down a bit". Stop them. Zero boats. And of course we must finally deal with The Unmentionable

    @MaxPB laid it all out in pretty much these exact terms a couple of days ago. The above needs to happen, and soon, or we will get far worse than Farage
    Thank you, yes. I was just talking about obsession with immigration.
    That was a truly repulsive post by the house troll. Someone flagged it. It wasn't me, much to my eternal shame.
    #accidentalBangleslyric
    All the Japanese with their yen
    The party boys call the Kremlin
    And the Chinese know (Oh-way-oh)
  • TimSTimS Posts: 15,108
    Leon said:

    I have just made the world's greatest cod and chorizo. This is LITERALLY no exaggeration

    Fine but I just made stuffed pork chops filled with sage, basil and breadcrumbs, Parmesan and lots of butter, with some sagey pasta, and according to my children it was better than the one we had in Sicily.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 59,600
    Leon said:

    I have just made the world's greatest cod and chorizo. This is LITERALLY no exaggeration

    Cod and chorizo is one of the world's great combinations - there are a dozen brilliant NY Times recipes.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 54,710
    ydoethur said:

    Williams absolutely cruising into the final.

    Thank you. Trump v China still on....
  • ohnotnowohnotnow Posts: 4,716
    Roger said:

    The BBC warned viewers that their report from Australia contained some rather strong language which turned out to be an interview with the leader of the opposition which asked "Are you up Donald Trump's arse?"

    They are at the mercy of the social media platforms now - is 'arse' going to get us blocked? Zero likes on FB! No engagement on TikTok! Journalistic disaster!
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 54,710
    edited May 3
    rcs1000 said:

    Leon said:

    I have just made the world's greatest cod and chorizo. This is LITERALLY no exaggeration

    Cod and chorizo is one of the world's great combinations - there are a dozen brilliant NY Times recipes.
    Yebbut - Leon's is the BEST.

    The Judges' Table has called it so.
  • Pro_RataPro_Rata Posts: 5,586
    Reform revisit:
    I took the family from Yorkshire to Kent yesterday evening, to visit relations, but also on an Angry and Teal road trip through Don and Notts and Lincs and future points south.

    It is the "they now have to govern" thought I come back to. Even at council level, and even with a smattering of old hand defectors, they have come from zero. These council chambers will be run by tyro leaders. What you get is going to be very dependent on the early local power plays within those groupings. I'm going to stick my neck out and say that one or two will make a very decent fist of this situation.

    But equally it is probable that there will be big fallings out, majorities lost to defections and some badly directed DOGE nonsense. It's highly possible that we will see some of the most chaotic council leaderships seen since Hatton's Liverpool.

    They are responsible for the Elderly Care of some 7.5 million people. Somewhere they could collapse this totally. They have more power over pensioner wellbeing in their hands than Rachel Reeves could dream of 2.5% fuel haircut off generous triple lock increases. I hope they take it seriously.
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 30,383
    rcs1000 said:

    Leon said:

    I have just made the world's greatest cod and chorizo. This is LITERALLY no exaggeration

    Cod and chorizo is one of the world's great combinations - there are a dozen brilliant NY Times recipes.
    Unless chorizo is Italian for chips, you are both wrong.
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 18,740

    ydoethur said:

    Williams absolutely cruising into the final.

    Thank you. Trump v China still on....
    Can’t see Williams not getting over the line now.
  • ohnotnowohnotnow Posts: 4,716

    TimS said:

    Omnium said:

    Re header: Are you new!?

    Surely we've all agreed long ago that AV is just different to FPTP. Better in some ways, and worse in others. I refer you to Donald G Saari!

    Now if you say that you prefer AV, then I'm all with you.

    STV all the way.
    I wish Grampian TV was still about.
    Jimmy Spanky!
    I remember an old story from the other PB. Many years ago when The Krankies became retro-chic a London theatre phoned them up to try and book them. They asked for £xx. The booker on the other end paused for a bit then explained they couldn't possibly pay that. Krankies back down and say they'll take much less.

    Booker politely explains that they couldn't pay the original £xx as it was below minimum wage.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 60,150
    TimS said:

    Leon said:

    I have just made the world's greatest cod and chorizo. This is LITERALLY no exaggeration

    Fine but I just made stuffed pork chops filled with sage, basil and breadcrumbs, Parmesan and lots of butter, with some sagey pasta, and according to my children it was better than the one we had in Sicily.
    No, seriously, add fennel seeds, black mustard seeds, dry sherry, bird's eye chilis, sambek olek, smoked paprika - so it ALMOST becomes an Asian curry - but crucially it doesn't. Basically it is still Spanish cod and chorizo, just really spiced

    It is fucking brilliant
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 73,639

    ydoethur said:

    Williams absolutely cruising into the final.

    Thank you. Trump v China still on....
    Much will be pocketed...
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 30,977
    edited May 3

    I see people are directly and indirectly talking about the grooming story, again.

    Final warning, next time it happens, permanent bans, you have tested the patience of myself and OGH.

    Like the phone hacking story and the Lord MacAlpine rumours I am not going to risk OGH's financial future because some people are too stupid to follow the rules.
    .

    If someone refers to 'the thing that may not be named', they are surely not breaking the rule, nor could such a statement be legally actionable in any possible way.

    With a few lapses, some accidental, as mine was the other day in reviewing PMQs, PBers have all accepted a pretty significant omerta, given the topicality and polling significance of the subject, and accepted your reasons for it. Perhaps you could meet us halfway and post good-natured reminders when we wander off piste rather than the above.
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 22,785
    A massive rise in our bills, then they give us this shit:

    "People are being urged to "use water wisely" in gardens as dry and warm weather continues in Yorkshire.

    Reservoir levels are almost 15% lower than average for this time of year, Yorkshire Water said, after the region experienced its driest combined February, March and April for 90 years."
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 18,740

    ydoethur said:

    Williams absolutely cruising into the final.

    Thank you. Trump v China still on....
    Can’t see Williams not getting over the line now.
    He missed to the centre before I had finished typing!
  • LeonLeon Posts: 60,150

    rcs1000 said:

    Leon said:

    I have just made the world's greatest cod and chorizo. This is LITERALLY no exaggeration

    Cod and chorizo is one of the world's great combinations - there are a dozen brilliant NY Times recipes.
    Yebbut - Leon's is the BEST.

    The Judges' Table has called it so.
    I'm not kidding, I am an honest judge of my own food

    Two days ago I made a really disappointing Keralan fish curry. Forgot the tamarind amongst other things

    But this? THIS? I have always liked cod and chorizo but never really adored it. This version is adorable. I had significant help from a cheffy friend
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 31,457

    ydoethur said:

    Williams absolutely cruising into the final.

    Thank you. Trump v China still on....
    Can’t see Williams not getting over the line now.
    Thanks for the tip. Oh wait...
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 54,710
    Century 107 by Trump this season...
  • Frank_BoothFrank_Booth Posts: 142
    To change the subject.....

    Russian would be unable to continue it's war in Europe without Chinese support
    The Houthis have been getting support from China to disrupt shipping in the Red Sea
    China has of course been helping to prop up the nuclear seeking Iranian regime by buying oil etc
    Victor Gao from the centre for China and globalisation says China is fully committed to defending Pakistan's sovereignty.
    Is China helping to exacerbate the migration crisis in the west? We know that Putin has been for a long time and he increasingly looks like a puppet.
    Taiwan makes a high percentage of the world's chips and is increasingly threatened.

    Does the government/Treasury understand this? I assume Radakin is trying to lecture them on it.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 60,150
    Leon said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Leon said:

    I have just made the world's greatest cod and chorizo. This is LITERALLY no exaggeration

    Cod and chorizo is one of the world's great combinations - there are a dozen brilliant NY Times recipes.
    Yebbut - Leon's is the BEST.

    The Judges' Table has called it so.
    I'm not kidding, I am an honest judge of my own food

    Two days ago I made a really disappointing Keralan fish curry. Forgot the tamarind amongst other things

    But this? THIS? I have always liked cod and chorizo but never really adored it. This version is adorable. I had significant help from a cheffy friend
    DMing you
  • algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 14,101
    Pro_Rata said:

    Reform revisit:
    I took the family from Yorkshire to Kent yesterday evening, to visit relations, but also on an Angry and Teal road trip through Don and Notts and Lincs and future points south.

    It is the "they now have to govern" thought I come back to. Even at council level, and even with a smattering of old hand defectors, they have come from zero. These council chambers will be run by tyro leaders. What you get is going to be very dependent on the early local power plays within those groupings. I'm going to stick my neck out and say that one or two will make a very decent fist of this situation.

    But equally it is probable that there will be big fallings out, majorities lost to defections and some badly directed DOGE nonsense. It's highly possible that we will see some of the most chaotic council leaderships seen since Hatton's Liverpool.

    They are responsible for the Elderly Care of some 7.5 million people. Somewhere they could collapse this totally. They have more power over pensioner wellbeing in their hands than Rachel Reeves could dream of 2.5% fuel haircut off generous triple lock increases. I hope they take it seriously.

    Maybe. OTOH just as with central government, almost everything of a quotidien nature is in fact fashioned, decided and implemented by the paid staff to whom almost all the time the elected officials are barely noticed and almost completely irrelevant. they mostly neither know nor care who they are. Very few councillors could run any aspect of a complex operation themselves, any more than they could contract for, purchase, maintain and organise a fleet of dustcarts or read a hard book from one of their libraries. The chief officers will keep them entertained by giving them choices over where to put a set of swings in a playpark, while they pass undiscussed budgets of multiple millions contained in several hundred pages of documents politicians will never read.

    Total chaos would ensue if this were not mostly true, most of the time.
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 24,439
    Roger said:

    The BBC warned viewers that their report from Australia contained some rather strong language which turned out to be an interview with the leader of the opposition which asked "Are you up Donald Trump's arse?"

    By Australian politics standards, that's rather genteel.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 73,639
    It's instructive to think, compared to O'Sullivan's constant bizarre behaviour and unpleasant personality, and Higgins getting entrapped by that scumbag Mazher Mahmood into match fixing, the worst accusation levelled against Williams in a 33 year professional career is that he once said some rather terse things about the Crucible.

    Not the best player of the three, but the best of them for all that.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 30,977
    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Leon said:

    I have just made the world's greatest cod and chorizo. This is LITERALLY no exaggeration

    Cod and chorizo is one of the world's great combinations - there are a dozen brilliant NY Times recipes.
    Yebbut - Leon's is the BEST.

    The Judges' Table has called it so.
    I'm not kidding, I am an honest judge of my own food

    Two days ago I made a really disappointing Keralan fish curry. Forgot the tamarind amongst other things

    But this? THIS? I have always liked cod and chorizo but never really adored it. This version is adorable. I had significant help from a cheffy friend
    DMing you
    I didn't even know we could DM ourselves.
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 55,256
    edited May 3

    A massive rise in our bills, then they give us this shit:

    "People are being urged to "use water wisely" in gardens as dry and warm weather continues in Yorkshire.

    Reservoir levels are almost 15% lower than average for this time of year, Yorkshire Water said, after the region experienced its driest combined February, March and April for 90 years."

    We've been doing early morning walks and on the paths in the woods and fields there is dust. This was the case even in April. Don't recall ever seeing that at this stage of the year. Sometimes in August. Usually pretty muddy at this time of year.

    There are going to be a lot of wildfires this year.
  • algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 14,101

    A massive rise in our bills, then they give us this shit:

    "People are being urged to "use water wisely" in gardens as dry and warm weather continues in Yorkshire.

    Reservoir levels are almost 15% lower than average for this time of year, Yorkshire Water said, after the region experienced its driest combined February, March and April for 90 years."

    Hardly any rain in Cumbria for weeks. The complete opposite of last year which was six months of biblical rain, enough for Noah.
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 121,793

    I see people are directly and indirectly talking about the grooming story, again.

    Final warning, next time it happens, permanent bans, you have tested the patience of myself and OGH.

    Like the phone hacking story and the Lord MacAlpine rumours I am not going to risk OGH's financial future because some people are too stupid to follow the rules.
    .

    If someone refers to 'the thing that may not be named', they are surely not breaking the rule, nor could such a statement be legally actionable in any possible way.

    With a few lapses, some accidental, as mine was the other day in reviewing PMQs, PBers have all accepted a pretty significant omerta, given the topicality and polling significance of the subject, and accepted your reasons for it. Perhaps you could meet us halfway and post good-natured reminders when we wander off piste rather than the above.
    I am getting annoyed because I seem to be warning the same handful of people, and you're not in that number.

    When people start talking about the thing that cannot be named is that people reply to those posts and that's where the problems occur.

    We've been through this with phone hacking and the Lord MacAlpine sagas.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 30,977
    DavidL said:

    A massive rise in our bills, then they give us this shit:

    "People are being urged to "use water wisely" in gardens as dry and warm weather continues in Yorkshire.

    Reservoir levels are almost 15% lower than average for this time of year, Yorkshire Water said, after the region experienced its driest combined February, March and April for 90 years."

    We've been doing early morning walks and paths in the woods and fields there is dust. This was the case even in April. Don't recall ever seeing that at this stage of the year. Sometimes in August. Usually pretty muddy at this time of year.

    There are going to be a lot of wildfires this year.
    We've had a hugely wet winter. This is what happens when you build zero reservoirs.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 60,150
    edited May 3

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Leon said:

    I have just made the world's greatest cod and chorizo. This is LITERALLY no exaggeration

    Cod and chorizo is one of the world's great combinations - there are a dozen brilliant NY Times recipes.
    Yebbut - Leon's is the BEST.

    The Judges' Table has called it so.
    I'm not kidding, I am an honest judge of my own food

    Two days ago I made a really disappointing Keralan fish curry. Forgot the tamarind amongst other things

    But this? THIS? I have always liked cod and chorizo but never really adored it. This version is adorable. I had significant help from a cheffy friend
    DMing you
    I didn't even know we could DM ourselves.
    lol. Sorry. I am DMing @MarqueeMark

    There is no weird subterfuge. I am multitasking - eatng my dinenr and sipping wine and also watching a rather good new Netflix docu about Jamie Oliver
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 30,977

    I see people are directly and indirectly talking about the grooming story, again.

    Final warning, next time it happens, permanent bans, you have tested the patience of myself and OGH.

    Like the phone hacking story and the Lord MacAlpine rumours I am not going to risk OGH's financial future because some people are too stupid to follow the rules.
    .

    If someone refers to 'the thing that may not be named', they are surely not breaking the rule, nor could such a statement be legally actionable in any possible way.

    With a few lapses, some accidental, as mine was the other day in reviewing PMQs, PBers have all accepted a pretty significant omerta, given the topicality and polling significance of the subject, and accepted your reasons for it. Perhaps you could meet us halfway and post good-natured reminders when we wander off piste rather than the above.
    I am getting annoyed because I seem to be warning the same handful of people, and you're not in that number.

    When people start talking about the thing that cannot be named is that people reply to those posts and that's where the problems occur.

    We've been through this with phone hacking and the Lord MacAlpine sagas.
    Ok fair enough. I do understand it.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 44,951

    kinabalu said:

    Leon said:

    kinabalu said:

    Cookie said:

    kinabalu said:

    At the moment though, this does not appear to be the case in the UK, where the momentum remains with Reform.

    For whatever reason, association with Trump is hurting Farage far less at the moment than counterparts in other countries. This is despite him being far closer to Trump than the opposition politicians in Australia and Canada.

    So what is happening?

    Firstly, our political landscape is more fragmented. You can have a big victory on 30-ish % of the vote at the moment, given opponents are polling in the low-to-mid 20s. It remains to be seen if RefUK can break into the mid to high 30s, which would put them in a very good position.

    Secondly, I think that minds are less concentrated right now. Our election is 4 years away, and into a new presidential term. We cannot predict what will be happening at that point, and where Trump and Trump policies will be at that point.

    And thirdly, I think this country is maybe just in a different phase of the cycle to others. We are uniquely fed up with both our major parties, Farage as a politician runs rings around any other high-profile political figure, the country has experienced a long malaise since at least Covid and people are casting around for alternatives.

    We have an interesting period ahead of us. But Labour can perhaps take some comfort from the fact that very unpopular incumbents have managed remarkable turnarounds, and they’d be foolish not to study those blueprints carefully.

    It might also be the case that we are fundamentally more secure in our own national identity, despite the political class seemingly being obsessed with the US. We are the mother country and not the other way round.
    The obsession with immigration does not indicate security in our national identity (whatever that is).
    There are lots of reasons apart from identity not to want thousands of boat people arriving each week. I don't particularly like the tent city of immigrants developing in our town centre, for example. Or seeing 23 kids bkown up at my local arena. Or pensioners in Hartlepool murdered. Or wages supressed in favour of capital. Or a massive housing shortage. Just, you know, off the top of my head.
    But just on identity, the election of a 'stop men and women mixing' candidate in Burnley Central on Thursday - well, British identity might be hard to pin down, but it isn't that. And that isn't down to native votes
    It's coming down, immigration, although "boats" is a toughie.

    Course, the last thing the Nat Pops want is any realism or perspective on any of this.
    It doesn't just have to come down, it needs to go into REVERSE. You still don't get it

    Nearly all the Boriswave people need to go back. Anyone that hasn't got ILR - go back. Any foreign criminals - immediately deport. Anyone with a dodgy visa - back they go. Students overstaying - sorry, but you're out

    Legal immigration needs, in essence, to cease: we must have a pause for several years while we try to knit the country back together. We have to leave the ECHR. Sack any lawyers that stand in the way. We have to make life uncomfortable for those people here who clearly despise us and our values. Bulldoze ghettoes like the Danish social democrats

    Meanwhile all boats must stop ASAFP - not just "bring them down a bit". Stop them. Zero boats. And of course we must finally deal with The Unmentionable

    @MaxPB laid it all out in pretty much these exact terms a couple of days ago. The above needs to happen, and soon, or we will get far worse than Farage
    Thank you, yes. I was just talking about obsession with immigration.
    That was a truly repulsive post by the house troll. Someone flagged it. It wasn't me, much to my eternal shame.
    Thank goodness that isn't our "national identity". Least not of any nation I want to be a part of.
  • EabhalEabhal Posts: 10,267
    edited May 3
    DavidL said:

    A massive rise in our bills, then they give us this shit:

    "People are being urged to "use water wisely" in gardens as dry and warm weather continues in Yorkshire.

    Reservoir levels are almost 15% lower than average for this time of year, Yorkshire Water said, after the region experienced its driest combined February, March and April for 90 years."

    We've been doing early morning walks and on the paths in the woods and fields there is dust. This was the case even in April. Don't recall ever seeing that at this stage of the year. Sometimes in August. Usually pretty muddy at this time of year.

    There are going to be a lot of wildfires this year.
    Check out the SEPA water shortage warning map. And the Scotland Outdoors podcast has featured wildfires/water in a few episodes recently - really interesting stuff about fuel load, different types of grasses, muirburn and so on.

    I spend a lot of time in the Highlands and everything is looking very low.
  • Pro_RataPro_Rata Posts: 5,586
    algarkirk said:

    Pro_Rata said:

    Reform revisit:
    I took the family from Yorkshire to Kent yesterday evening, to visit relations, but also on an Angry and Teal road trip through Don and Notts and Lincs and future points south.

    It is the "they now have to govern" thought I come back to. Even at council level, and even with a smattering of old hand defectors, they have come from zero. These council chambers will be run by tyro leaders. What you get is going to be very dependent on the early local power plays within those groupings. I'm going to stick my neck out and say that one or two will make a very decent fist of this situation.

    But equally it is probable that there will be big fallings out, majorities lost to defections and some badly directed DOGE nonsense. It's highly possible that we will see some of the most chaotic council leaderships seen since Hatton's Liverpool.

    They are responsible for the Elderly Care of some 7.5 million people. Somewhere they could collapse this totally. They have more power over pensioner wellbeing in their hands than Rachel Reeves could dream of 2.5% fuel haircut off generous triple lock increases. I hope they take it seriously.

    Maybe. OTOH just as with central government, almost everything of a quotidien nature is in fact fashioned, decided and implemented by the paid staff to whom almost all the time the elected officials are barely noticed and almost completely irrelevant. they mostly neither know nor care who they are. Very few councillors could run any aspect of a complex operation themselves, any more than they could contract for, purchase, maintain and organise a fleet of dustcarts or read a hard book from one of their libraries. The chief officers will keep them entertained by giving them choices over where to put a set of swings in a playpark, while they pass undiscussed budgets of multiple millions contained in several hundred pages of documents politicians will never read.

    Total chaos would ensue if this were not mostly true, most of the time.
    If you accept the rules of the game, accept the blob, this is true. Even if you are trying to chip it away at the edges. The question is the extent to which you don't accept it.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 59,600
    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Leon said:

    I have just made the world's greatest cod and chorizo. This is LITERALLY no exaggeration

    Cod and chorizo is one of the world's great combinations - there are a dozen brilliant NY Times recipes.
    Yebbut - Leon's is the BEST.

    The Judges' Table has called it so.
    I'm not kidding, I am an honest judge of my own food

    Two days ago I made a really disappointing Keralan fish curry. Forgot the tamarind amongst other things

    But this? THIS? I have always liked cod and chorizo but never really adored it. This version is adorable. I had significant help from a cheffy friend
    DMing you
    I didn't even know we could DM ourselves.
    lol. Sorry. I am DMing @MarqueeMark

    There is no weird subterfuge. I am multitasking - eatng my dinenr and sipping wine and also watching a rather good new Netflix docu about Jamie Oliver
    The one about his membership of the weird cult?
  • ohnotnowohnotnow Posts: 4,716
    rcs1000 said:

    Leon said:

    I have just made the world's greatest cod and chorizo. This is LITERALLY no exaggeration

    Cod and chorizo is one of the world's great combinations - there are a dozen brilliant NY Times recipes.
    Salt cod and chorizo, granted.

    Sadly, one of the few UK producers shut down again after just a year or two. Was glorious while it lasted.

    https://foodanddrink.scotsman.com/producers/artisan/scotlands-larder-thule-ventus/

    For anyone who likes Spanish food - I quite enjoy this YT channel "Spain on a Fork" :

    https://www.youtube.com/@SpainonaFork

    Not pretentious or overly 'Influencer'. Just a lot of simple tasty dishes.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 60,150
    kinabalu said:

    kinabalu said:

    Leon said:

    kinabalu said:

    Cookie said:

    kinabalu said:

    At the moment though, this does not appear to be the case in the UK, where the momentum remains with Reform.

    For whatever reason, association with Trump is hurting Farage far less at the moment than counterparts in other countries. This is despite him being far closer to Trump than the opposition politicians in Australia and Canada.

    So what is happening?

    Firstly, our political landscape is more fragmented. You can have a big victory on 30-ish % of the vote at the moment, given opponents are polling in the low-to-mid 20s. It remains to be seen if RefUK can break into the mid to high 30s, which would put them in a very good position.

    Secondly, I think that minds are less concentrated right now. Our election is 4 years away, and into a new presidential term. We cannot predict what will be happening at that point, and where Trump and Trump policies will be at that point.

    And thirdly, I think this country is maybe just in a different phase of the cycle to others. We are uniquely fed up with both our major parties, Farage as a politician runs rings around any other high-profile political figure, the country has experienced a long malaise since at least Covid and people are casting around for alternatives.

    We have an interesting period ahead of us. But Labour can perhaps take some comfort from the fact that very unpopular incumbents have managed remarkable turnarounds, and they’d be foolish not to study those blueprints carefully.

    It might also be the case that we are fundamentally more secure in our own national identity, despite the political class seemingly being obsessed with the US. We are the mother country and not the other way round.
    The obsession with immigration does not indicate security in our national identity (whatever that is).
    There are lots of reasons apart from identity not to want thousands of boat people arriving each week. I don't particularly like the tent city of immigrants developing in our town centre, for example. Or seeing 23 kids bkown up at my local arena. Or pensioners in Hartlepool murdered. Or wages supressed in favour of capital. Or a massive housing shortage. Just, you know, off the top of my head.
    But just on identity, the election of a 'stop men and women mixing' candidate in Burnley Central on Thursday - well, British identity might be hard to pin down, but it isn't that. And that isn't down to native votes
    It's coming down, immigration, although "boats" is a toughie.

    Course, the last thing the Nat Pops want is any realism or perspective on any of this.
    It doesn't just have to come down, it needs to go into REVERSE. You still don't get it

    Nearly all the Boriswave people need to go back. Anyone that hasn't got ILR - go back. Any foreign criminals - immediately deport. Anyone with a dodgy visa - back they go. Students overstaying - sorry, but you're out

    Legal immigration needs, in essence, to cease: we must have a pause for several years while we try to knit the country back together. We have to leave the ECHR. Sack any lawyers that stand in the way. We have to make life uncomfortable for those people here who clearly despise us and our values. Bulldoze ghettoes like the Danish social democrats

    Meanwhile all boats must stop ASAFP - not just "bring them down a bit". Stop them. Zero boats. And of course we must finally deal with The Unmentionable

    @MaxPB laid it all out in pretty much these exact terms a couple of days ago. The above needs to happen, and soon, or we will get far worse than Farage
    Thank you, yes. I was just talking about obsession with immigration.
    That was a truly repulsive post by the house troll. Someone flagged it. It wasn't me, much to my eternal shame.
    Thank goodness that isn't our "national identity". Least not of any nation I want to be a part of.
    You don't believe "national identity" exists, you said exactly that, you soulless zombie
  • TimSTimS Posts: 15,108
    Leon said:

    TimS said:

    Leon said:

    I have just made the world's greatest cod and chorizo. This is LITERALLY no exaggeration

    Fine but I just made stuffed pork chops filled with sage, basil and breadcrumbs, Parmesan and lots of butter, with some sagey pasta, and according to my children it was better than the one we had in Sicily.
    No, seriously, add fennel seeds, black mustard seeds, dry sherry, bird's eye chilis, sambek olek, smoked paprika - so it ALMOST becomes an Asian curry - but crucially it doesn't. Basically it is still Spanish cod and chorizo, just really spiced

    It is fucking brilliant
    I don’t disagree. Cod and chorizo is a delicious classic. I just saw the golden opportunity to boast about my own dinner.
  • TimSTimS Posts: 15,108
    edited May 3
    Eabhal said:

    DavidL said:

    A massive rise in our bills, then they give us this shit:

    "People are being urged to "use water wisely" in gardens as dry and warm weather continues in Yorkshire.

    Reservoir levels are almost 15% lower than average for this time of year, Yorkshire Water said, after the region experienced its driest combined February, March and April for 90 years."

    We've been doing early morning walks and on the paths in the woods and fields there is dust. This was the case even in April. Don't recall ever seeing that at this stage of the year. Sometimes in August. Usually pretty muddy at this time of year.

    There are going to be a lot of wildfires this year.
    Check out the SEPA water shortage warning map. And the Scotland Outdoors podcast has featured wildfires/water in a few episodes recently - really interesting stuff about fuel load, different types of grasses, muirburn and so on.

    I spend a lot of time in the Highlands and everything is looking very low.
    We’ve had an extreme pattern for most of the spring. High pressure and dry over Northern Europe and low pressure and wet over the South.

    My worry, aside from the frost risk next week, is that negative NAO springs like this often lead to negative NAO summers which, when the jet heads a tad North, can sometimes mean horrendous washouts and cold weather for us.
  • EabhalEabhal Posts: 10,267
    edited May 3

    DavidL said:

    A massive rise in our bills, then they give us this shit:

    "People are being urged to "use water wisely" in gardens as dry and warm weather continues in Yorkshire.

    Reservoir levels are almost 15% lower than average for this time of year, Yorkshire Water said, after the region experienced its driest combined February, March and April for 90 years."

    We've been doing early morning walks and paths in the woods and fields there is dust. This was the case even in April. Don't recall ever seeing that at this stage of the year. Sometimes in August. Usually pretty muddy at this time of year.

    There are going to be a lot of wildfires this year.
    We've had a hugely wet winter. This is what happens when you build zero reservoirs.
    Is that true? I think we've been below average rainfall every single month since June last year, with the exception of December. Varies by which bit of Scotland you're in but it's been a very dry 9 months.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 73,639
    edited May 3

    ydoethur said:

    Williams absolutely cruising into the final.

    Thank you. Trump v China still on....
    Sorry. I tried.

    I think that's called finishing in style.
  • algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 14,101
    Pro_Rata said:

    algarkirk said:

    Pro_Rata said:

    Reform revisit:
    I took the family from Yorkshire to Kent yesterday evening, to visit relations, but also on an Angry and Teal road trip through Don and Notts and Lincs and future points south.

    It is the "they now have to govern" thought I come back to. Even at council level, and even with a smattering of old hand defectors, they have come from zero. These council chambers will be run by tyro leaders. What you get is going to be very dependent on the early local power plays within those groupings. I'm going to stick my neck out and say that one or two will make a very decent fist of this situation.

    But equally it is probable that there will be big fallings out, majorities lost to defections and some badly directed DOGE nonsense. It's highly possible that we will see some of the most chaotic council leaderships seen since Hatton's Liverpool.

    They are responsible for the Elderly Care of some 7.5 million people. Somewhere they could collapse this totally. They have more power over pensioner wellbeing in their hands than Rachel Reeves could dream of 2.5% fuel haircut off generous triple lock increases. I hope they take it seriously.

    Maybe. OTOH just as with central government, almost everything of a quotidien nature is in fact fashioned, decided and implemented by the paid staff to whom almost all the time the elected officials are barely noticed and almost completely irrelevant. they mostly neither know nor care who they are. Very few councillors could run any aspect of a complex operation themselves, any more than they could contract for, purchase, maintain and organise a fleet of dustcarts or read a hard book from one of their libraries. The chief officers will keep them entertained by giving them choices over where to put a set of swings in a playpark, while they pass undiscussed budgets of multiple millions contained in several hundred pages of documents politicians will never read.

    Total chaos would ensue if this were not mostly true, most of the time.
    If you accept the rules of the game, accept the blob, this is true. Even if you are trying to chip it away at the edges. The question is the extent to which you don't accept it.
    The actual running of actual systems that actually work and do the actual things they are supposed to do is the actual work of the actual people, not politicians, who do stuff.

    Tesco, for example, manages without any elected politicans in the system. So can nearly everything that happens in local government.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 30,977
    ...
    Eabhal said:

    DavidL said:

    A massive rise in our bills, then they give us this shit:

    "People are being urged to "use water wisely" in gardens as dry and warm weather continues in Yorkshire.

    Reservoir levels are almost 15% lower than average for this time of year, Yorkshire Water said, after the region experienced its driest combined February, March and April for 90 years."

    We've been doing early morning walks and paths in the woods and fields there is dust. This was the case even in April. Don't recall ever seeing that at this stage of the year. Sometimes in August. Usually pretty muddy at this time of year.

    There are going to be a lot of wildfires this year.
    We've had a hugely wet winter. This is what happens when you build zero reservoirs.
    Is that true? I think we've been below average rainfall every single month since June last year, with the exception of December. Varies by which bit of Scotland you're in but it's been a very dry 9 months.
    I am speaking about my lived experience. I give way to the actual stats without hesitation.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 79,334
    Trump out.
  • GIN1138GIN1138 Posts: 22,903
    On Topic:

    There's definitely an anti-Trump vibe going on but not sure what it means for British politics given Trump will be history in 2029?
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 73,639
    Pulpstar said:

    Trump out.

    If only.
  • GIN1138GIN1138 Posts: 22,903
    ydoethur said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Trump out.

    If only.
    LOL!
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 55,256

    ...

    Eabhal said:

    DavidL said:

    A massive rise in our bills, then they give us this shit:

    "People are being urged to "use water wisely" in gardens as dry and warm weather continues in Yorkshire.

    Reservoir levels are almost 15% lower than average for this time of year, Yorkshire Water said, after the region experienced its driest combined February, March and April for 90 years."

    We've been doing early morning walks and paths in the woods and fields there is dust. This was the case even in April. Don't recall ever seeing that at this stage of the year. Sometimes in August. Usually pretty muddy at this time of year.

    There are going to be a lot of wildfires this year.
    We've had a hugely wet winter. This is what happens when you build zero reservoirs.
    Is that true? I think we've been below average rainfall every single month since June last year, with the exception of December. Varies by which bit of Scotland you're in but it's been a very dry 9 months.
    I am speaking about my lived experience. I give way to the actual stats without hesitation.
    I remember November in particular being spectacularly wet around here. But its been pretty dry since the turn of the year. Different everywhere I suppose.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 73,639
    GIN1138 said:

    On Topic:

    There's definitely an anti-Trump vibe going on but not sure what it means for British politics given Trump will be history in 2029?

    Depends on how much damage Colonel Bat Guano does in the meanwhile.

    If he wrecks the US economy as he seems intent on doing, it will take some explaining by his admirers.
  • algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 14,101
    Eabhal said:

    DavidL said:

    A massive rise in our bills, then they give us this shit:

    "People are being urged to "use water wisely" in gardens as dry and warm weather continues in Yorkshire.

    Reservoir levels are almost 15% lower than average for this time of year, Yorkshire Water said, after the region experienced its driest combined February, March and April for 90 years."

    We've been doing early morning walks and paths in the woods and fields there is dust. This was the case even in April. Don't recall ever seeing that at this stage of the year. Sometimes in August. Usually pretty muddy at this time of year.

    There are going to be a lot of wildfires this year.
    We've had a hugely wet winter. This is what happens when you build zero reservoirs.
    Is that true? I think we've been below average rainfall every single month since June last year, with the exception of December. Varies by which bit of Scotland you're in but it's been a very dry 9 months.
    Ditto Cumbria, and record sweltering heat of about 18C too, though it's cooled now. Though it's all still quite green and not too dreid up. I think nature is still using up the Noah quantity of rain last year, when it never stopped.
  • EabhalEabhal Posts: 10,267
    DavidL said:

    ...

    Eabhal said:

    DavidL said:

    A massive rise in our bills, then they give us this shit:

    "People are being urged to "use water wisely" in gardens as dry and warm weather continues in Yorkshire.

    Reservoir levels are almost 15% lower than average for this time of year, Yorkshire Water said, after the region experienced its driest combined February, March and April for 90 years."

    We've been doing early morning walks and paths in the woods and fields there is dust. This was the case even in April. Don't recall ever seeing that at this stage of the year. Sometimes in August. Usually pretty muddy at this time of year.

    There are going to be a lot of wildfires this year.
    We've had a hugely wet winter. This is what happens when you build zero reservoirs.
    Is that true? I think we've been below average rainfall every single month since June last year, with the exception of December. Varies by which bit of Scotland you're in but it's been a very dry 9 months.
    I am speaking about my lived experience. I give way to the actual stats without hesitation.
    I remember November in particular being spectacularly wet around here. But its been pretty dry since the turn of the year. Different everywhere I suppose.
    https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/climate/maps-and-data/uk-actual-and-anomaly-maps

    This is what I'm going by.
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 31,457

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Leon said:

    I have just made the world's greatest cod and chorizo. This is LITERALLY no exaggeration

    Cod and chorizo is one of the world's great combinations - there are a dozen brilliant NY Times recipes.
    Yebbut - Leon's is the BEST.

    The Judges' Table has called it so.
    I'm not kidding, I am an honest judge of my own food

    Two days ago I made a really disappointing Keralan fish curry. Forgot the tamarind amongst other things

    But this? THIS? I have always liked cod and chorizo but never really adored it. This version is adorable. I had significant help from a cheffy friend
    DMing you
    I didn't even know we could DM ourselves.
    You can if have as many identities as Leon.
  • GIN1138GIN1138 Posts: 22,903
    edited May 3
    ydoethur said:

    GIN1138 said:

    On Topic:

    There's definitely an anti-Trump vibe going on but not sure what it means for British politics given Trump will be history in 2029?

    Depends on how much damage Colonel Bat Guano does in the meanwhile.

    If he wrecks the US economy as he seems intent on doing, it will take some explaining by his admirers.
    Indeed! Will be interesting to see who gets the blame for any recession.

    If I was Farage I'd manufacture a bust up with Trump over one of his mad policies. Maybe his behaviour towards Canada?

    Nigel should go on Fox and remind POTUS Canada is a Commonwealth country and King Charles III is it's head of state.
  • EabhalEabhal Posts: 10,267
    rcs1000 said:

    Another Substack. (Gosh I'm busy.)

    A Power Generation Primer: https://robertsmithson1.substack.com/p/a-power-generation-primer

    Thanks. Interesting thought on small gas turbines - I guess they could make use of domestic gas supply as boilers are replaced by heat pumps?
  • EabhalEabhal Posts: 10,267
    I can't remember the last time rain (of sufficient volume) stopped me cycling to work. That's a bit scary.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 30,977
    algarkirk said:

    Eabhal said:

    DavidL said:

    A massive rise in our bills, then they give us this shit:

    "People are being urged to "use water wisely" in gardens as dry and warm weather continues in Yorkshire.

    Reservoir levels are almost 15% lower than average for this time of year, Yorkshire Water said, after the region experienced its driest combined February, March and April for 90 years."

    We've been doing early morning walks and paths in the woods and fields there is dust. This was the case even in April. Don't recall ever seeing that at this stage of the year. Sometimes in August. Usually pretty muddy at this time of year.

    There are going to be a lot of wildfires this year.
    We've had a hugely wet winter. This is what happens when you build zero reservoirs.
    Is that true? I think we've been below average rainfall every single month since June last year, with the exception of December. Varies by which bit of Scotland you're in but it's been a very dry 9 months.
    Ditto Cumbria, and record sweltering heat of about 18C too, though it's cooled now. Though it's all still quite green and not too dreid up. I think nature is still using up the Noah quantity of rain last year, when it never stopped.
    As we should be. We have followed a policy (the EU Water Framework Directive) of a de facto ban on new water infrastructure, so that as soon as we get sustained sunshine (which is a blessing) we go into panic mode, and as soon as we get lots of rain (also a blessing for different reasons) we get flooding and go into panic mode. The result is a general feeling of depression and panic, along with nostalgia for the good old climate where nothing bad ever happened. This is absolutely and verifiably a deliberate policy, and we can choose another one.

    Manage rivers, and build reservoirs. I'd even be happy if those reservoirs had solar panels to generate a bit of energy and slow evaporation. I can hardly say fairer than that.
  • LilaZLilaZ Posts: 17
    What is this terrible thing than can't be mentioned? Sorry I am a rare visitor to the site but when i do come i enjoy it greatly, but many things mystify me, it is like i am in a car full of freemasons. Because you are all being so coy i am unable to identify what possibly is so bad it cannot be named even as 'a thing that cannot be named'?

    For clarity i am an american and I work in London, in tech, so maybe i am missing huge nuances. Story of my life, if so.
  • GIN1138GIN1138 Posts: 22,903
    Eabhal said:

    I can't remember the last time rain (of sufficient volume) stopped me cycling to work. That's a bit scary.

    Our last very dry spell was in 2022 when we also had an exceptionally hot summer.

    2023 and especially 2024 were very wet.

    It seems we go through blocks of very wet and very dry so it probably averages out overall but the unevenness is becoming increasingly notable along with the consistent year round warmth.
  • EabhalEabhal Posts: 10,267
    GIN1138 said:

    ydoethur said:

    GIN1138 said:

    On Topic:

    There's definitely an anti-Trump vibe going on but not sure what it means for British politics given Trump will be history in 2029?

    Depends on how much damage Colonel Bat Guano does in the meanwhile.

    If he wrecks the US economy as he seems intent on doing, it will take some explaining by his admirers.
    Indeed! Will be interesting to see who gets the blame for any recession.

    If I was Farage I'd manufacture a bust up with Trump over one of his mad policies. Maybe his behaviour towards Canada?

    Nigel should go on Fox and remind POTUS Canada is a Commonwealth country and King Charles III is it's head of state.
    Reform voters are surprisingly ambivalent about the Monarchy. They are not (c)onservatives. I can't remember a single time Farage has made significant Royalist noises, even before Charles.

    In fact, didn't he do a big protest against him on climate change a few years ago? But yes, a manufactured argument would be useful - perhaps over American privatisation of the NHS via a trade deal, which is serious weakness for Reform at the moment.
  • GIN1138GIN1138 Posts: 22,903
    edited May 3
    LilaZ said:

    What is this terrible thing than can't be mentioned? Sorry I am a rare visitor to the site but when i do come i enjoy it greatly, but many things mystify me, it is like i am in a car full of freemasons. Because you are all being so coy i am unable to identify what possibly is so bad it cannot be named even as 'a thing that cannot be named'?

    For clarity i am an american and I work in London, in tech, so maybe i am missing huge nuances. Story of my life, if so.

    I would think about 50% of PBers are Masons... That's probably down from around 70% ten years ago as a lot left in a fit of pique after Brexit! 😂
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 30,977
    GIN1138 said:

    LilaZ said:

    What is this terrible thing than can't be mentioned? Sorry I am a rare visitor to the site but when i do come i enjoy it greatly, but many things mystify me, it is like i am in a car full of freemasons. Because you are all being so coy i am unable to identify what possibly is so bad it cannot be named even as 'a thing that cannot be named'?

    For clarity i am an american and I work in London, in tech, so maybe i am missing huge nuances. Story of my life, if so.

    I would think about 50% of PBers are Masons... That's probably down from around 70% ten years ago as a lot left in a fit of pique after Brexit! 😂
    Left here or left the Masons?
  • GIN1138GIN1138 Posts: 22,903
    Eabhal said:

    GIN1138 said:

    ydoethur said:

    GIN1138 said:

    On Topic:

    There's definitely an anti-Trump vibe going on but not sure what it means for British politics given Trump will be history in 2029?

    Depends on how much damage Colonel Bat Guano does in the meanwhile.

    If he wrecks the US economy as he seems intent on doing, it will take some explaining by his admirers.
    Indeed! Will be interesting to see who gets the blame for any recession.

    If I was Farage I'd manufacture a bust up with Trump over one of his mad policies. Maybe his behaviour towards Canada?

    Nigel should go on Fox and remind POTUS Canada is a Commonwealth country and King Charles III is it's head of state.
    Reform voters are surprisingly ambivalent about the Monarchy. They are not (c)onservatives. I can't remember a single time Farage has made significant Royalist noises, even before Charles.

    In fact, didn't he do a big protest against him on climate change a few years ago? But yes, a manufactured argument would be useful - perhaps over American privatisation of the NHS via a trade deal, which is serious weakness for Reform at the moment.
    Yeah, a bust up over the NHS would do Farage/Ref a lot of good.
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 51,296
    LilaZ said:

    What is this terrible thing than can't be mentioned? Sorry I am a rare visitor to the site but when i do come i enjoy it greatly, but many things mystify me, it is like i am in a car full of freemasons. Because you are all being so coy i am unable to identify what possibly is so bad it cannot be named even as 'a thing that cannot be named'?

    For clarity i am an american and I work in London, in tech, so maybe i am missing huge nuances. Story of my life, if so.

    The idea of such things is that they aren’t mentioned. The clue is in the name.

    But it isn’t your Trump, terrible though he is.
  • GIN1138GIN1138 Posts: 22,903
    edited May 3

    GIN1138 said:

    LilaZ said:

    What is this terrible thing than can't be mentioned? Sorry I am a rare visitor to the site but when i do come i enjoy it greatly, but many things mystify me, it is like i am in a car full of freemasons. Because you are all being so coy i am unable to identify what possibly is so bad it cannot be named even as 'a thing that cannot be named'?

    For clarity i am an american and I work in London, in tech, so maybe i am missing huge nuances. Story of my life, if so.

    I would think about 50% of PBers are Masons... That's probably down from around 70% ten years ago as a lot left in a fit of pique after Brexit! 😂
    Left here or left the Masons?
    Here?

    Edit: Mind you, Nigel is obviously Masonic, so I could be wrong on that, lol..
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 30,977
    GIN1138 said:

    GIN1138 said:

    LilaZ said:

    What is this terrible thing than can't be mentioned? Sorry I am a rare visitor to the site but when i do come i enjoy it greatly, but many things mystify me, it is like i am in a car full of freemasons. Because you are all being so coy i am unable to identify what possibly is so bad it cannot be named even as 'a thing that cannot be named'?

    For clarity i am an american and I work in London, in tech, so maybe i am missing huge nuances. Story of my life, if so.

    I would think about 50% of PBers are Masons... That's probably down from around 70% ten years ago as a lot left in a fit of pique after Brexit! 😂
    Left here or left the Masons?
    Here?

    Edit: Mind you, Nigel is obviously Masonic, so I could be wrong on that, lol..
    It wasn't clear. I was envisaging our PexicanMete storming out of his lodge without even putting his left nipple back in following a heated debate about the Prorogation of Parliament.
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 65,102
    GIN1138 said:

    LilaZ said:

    What is this terrible thing than can't be mentioned? Sorry I am a rare visitor to the site but when i do come i enjoy it greatly, but many things mystify me, it is like i am in a car full of freemasons. Because you are all being so coy i am unable to identify what possibly is so bad it cannot be named even as 'a thing that cannot be named'?

    For clarity i am an american and I work in London, in tech, so maybe i am missing huge nuances. Story of my life, if so.

    I would think about 50% of PBers are Masons... That's probably down from around 70% ten years ago as a lot left in a fit of pique after Brexit! 😂
    Never been a Mason
  • GIN1138GIN1138 Posts: 22,903

    GIN1138 said:

    LilaZ said:

    What is this terrible thing than can't be mentioned? Sorry I am a rare visitor to the site but when i do come i enjoy it greatly, but many things mystify me, it is like i am in a car full of freemasons. Because you are all being so coy i am unable to identify what possibly is so bad it cannot be named even as 'a thing that cannot be named'?

    For clarity i am an american and I work in London, in tech, so maybe i am missing huge nuances. Story of my life, if so.

    I would think about 50% of PBers are Masons... That's probably down from around 70% ten years ago as a lot left in a fit of pique after Brexit! 😂
    Never been a Mason
    Evening Big G.

    How are you and Mrs G doing? Hope you're both feeling better?
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 79,334
    GIN1138 said:

    Eabhal said:

    I can't remember the last time rain (of sufficient volume) stopped me cycling to work. That's a bit scary.

    Our last very dry spell was in 2022 when we also had an exceptionally hot summer.

    2023 and especially 2024 were very wet.

    It seems we go through blocks of very wet and very dry so it probably averages out overall but the unevenness is becoming increasingly notable along with the consistent year round warmth.
    I've been tracking the England Wales precipitation series. It's generally been getting wetter.
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 65,102
    GIN1138 said:

    Eabhal said:

    GIN1138 said:

    ydoethur said:

    GIN1138 said:

    On Topic:

    There's definitely an anti-Trump vibe going on but not sure what it means for British politics given Trump will be history in 2029?

    Depends on how much damage Colonel Bat Guano does in the meanwhile.

    If he wrecks the US economy as he seems intent on doing, it will take some explaining by his admirers.
    Indeed! Will be interesting to see who gets the blame for any recession.

    If I was Farage I'd manufacture a bust up with Trump over one of his mad policies. Maybe his behaviour towards Canada?

    Nigel should go on Fox and remind POTUS Canada is a Commonwealth country and King Charles III is it's head of state.
    Reform voters are surprisingly ambivalent about the Monarchy. They are not (c)onservatives. I can't remember a single time Farage has made significant Royalist noises, even before Charles.

    In fact, didn't he do a big protest against him on climate change a few years ago? But yes, a manufactured argument would be useful - perhaps over American privatisation of the NHS via a trade deal, which is serious weakness for Reform at the moment.
    Yeah, a bust up over the NHS would do Farage/Ref a lot of good.
    I do not know Reform's policy on the NHS but Farage did say a couple of days ago it will remain free to use but indicated millionaires would have to pay no doubt with some insurance based policy
  • ConcanvasserConcanvasser Posts: 168
    Eabhal said:

    GIN1138 said:

    ydoethur said:

    GIN1138 said:

    On Topic:

    There's definitely an anti-Trump vibe going on but not sure what it means for British politics given Trump will be history in 2029?

    Depends on how much damage Colonel Bat Guano does in the meanwhile.

    If he wrecks the US economy as he seems intent on doing, it will take some explaining by his admirers.
    Indeed! Will be interesting to see who gets the blame for any recession.

    If I was Farage I'd manufacture a bust up with Trump over one of his mad policies. Maybe his behaviour towards Canada?

    Nigel should go on Fox and remind POTUS Canada is a Commonwealth country and King Charles III is it's head of state.
    Reform voters are surprisingly ambivalent about the Monarchy. They are not (c)onservatives. I can't remember a single time Farage has made significant Royalist noises, even before Charles.

    In fact, didn't he do a big protest against him on climate change a few years ago? But yes, a manufactured argument would be useful - perhaps over American privatisation of the NHS via a trade deal, which is serious weakness for Reform at the moment.
    No, quite wrong. Farrage gets on well with the King. They have a private joke about the time Farrage refused to stand to give the then
    Prince a standing ovation the EU parliament.

    Nigel Farrage has also spoken publicly about his admiration for the late Queen and the late Queen Mother. He has irreverently, but truthfully, alluded to the fact that both occasionally enjoyed a cigarette, but that is it. A monarchist to his bootstraps.
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 65,102
    GIN1138 said:

    GIN1138 said:

    LilaZ said:

    What is this terrible thing than can't be mentioned? Sorry I am a rare visitor to the site but when i do come i enjoy it greatly, but many things mystify me, it is like i am in a car full of freemasons. Because you are all being so coy i am unable to identify what possibly is so bad it cannot be named even as 'a thing that cannot be named'?

    For clarity i am an american and I work in London, in tech, so maybe i am missing huge nuances. Story of my life, if so.

    I would think about 50% of PBers are Masons... That's probably down from around 70% ten years ago as a lot left in a fit of pique after Brexit! 😂
    Never been a Mason
    Evening Big G.

    How are you and Mrs G doing? Hope you're both feeling better?
    Thanks GIN1138 but still struggling especially my good lady after 2 weeks

    We are improving but it is taking time
  • GIN1138GIN1138 Posts: 22,903

    GIN1138 said:

    GIN1138 said:

    LilaZ said:

    What is this terrible thing than can't be mentioned? Sorry I am a rare visitor to the site but when i do come i enjoy it greatly, but many things mystify me, it is like i am in a car full of freemasons. Because you are all being so coy i am unable to identify what possibly is so bad it cannot be named even as 'a thing that cannot be named'?

    For clarity i am an american and I work in London, in tech, so maybe i am missing huge nuances. Story of my life, if so.

    I would think about 50% of PBers are Masons... That's probably down from around 70% ten years ago as a lot left in a fit of pique after Brexit! 😂
    Never been a Mason
    Evening Big G.

    How are you and Mrs G doing? Hope you're both feeling better?
    Thanks GIN1138 but still struggling especially my good lady after 2 weeks

    We are improving but it is taking time
    Oh dear! Sorry to hear that. Sounds like this particular virus has knocked you both for six!

    Hope you both feel soon.
  • TimSTimS Posts: 15,108
    Pulpstar said:

    GIN1138 said:

    Eabhal said:

    I can't remember the last time rain (of sufficient volume) stopped me cycling to work. That's a bit scary.

    Our last very dry spell was in 2022 when we also had an exceptionally hot summer.

    2023 and especially 2024 were very wet.

    It seems we go through blocks of very wet and very dry so it probably averages out overall but the unevenness is becoming increasingly notable along with the consistent year round warmth.
    I've been tracking the England Wales precipitation series. It's generally been getting wetter.
    Yes, marginally wetter especially in Autumn and winter. Not as pronounced as the E&W temperature trend, but still an incline.
  • LilaZLilaZ Posts: 17
    IanB2 said:

    LilaZ said:

    What is this terrible thing than can't be mentioned? Sorry I am a rare visitor to the site but when i do come i enjoy it greatly, but many things mystify me, it is like i am in a car full of freemasons. Because you are all being so coy i am unable to identify what possibly is so bad it cannot be named even as 'a thing that cannot be named'?

    For clarity i am an american and I work in London, in tech, so maybe i am missing huge nuances. Story of my life, if so.

    The idea of such things is that they aren’t mentioned. The clue is in the name.

    But it isn’t your Trump, terrible though he is.
    Thankyou for answering. I have one more question: why does everyone tease you about having only a dog and no friends at all? You seem friendly to me and I don't quite get that, but then coming to this site as a newbie is quite daunting, you all seem to know each other very well.

    Oh gee I think I have two questions. What the heck is an OGH? I promise after this I will simply try and fit in, and stop asking dumb stuff. Believe it or not i have a serious job and a masters, but this seems like a fun community. I would like to join in. Also I am female and it seems you lack them ;)
Sign In or Register to comment.