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Politicians shouldn’t appoint Lords – politicalbetting.com

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  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 10,841

    .

    Leon said:

    Foxy said:

    TimS said:

    Fun map exercise posted earlier by Meeks (FOTP).

    https://smstone0.github.io/#/uk-map

    All the places in the UK you’ve lived, stayed, visited, stopped in or passed through.


    I score 246. All of England covered, no NI, and half of Scotland to go.
    My “lived in” is not very impressive: London, Devon, Cornwall, Herefordshire

    But I’ve “visited, stayed, stopped etc” in every single one of the others - apart from the southern outer Hebrides

    This is also fun

    https://been.app/

    An app where you can see how much of the world you’ve visited. I’m on exactly 50% in terms of countries. I’ve visited 99 of 198 UN territories
    I've never lived more than 7 miles away from where I was born. Not through any conscious decision, just how the jobs came along and the girls I fell in love with.
    I live 300 metres from where I grew up, and 400 metres from where my great-grandfather was born… although I have lived further away (3900 miles).

    But then I do live in London. We’re a very conservative place, people don’t move around much.
    Doesn't surprise me. Everything about you screams London.
    Success, fame, wealth, hedonistic lifestyle? It’s all true, I must admit it.
    @Leon lives that.

    An exciting day for you is taking off your tie after you get back from a committee meeting at the Department for Work and Pensions.
    I don’t think I’ve worn a tie since before the pandemic.
    Ties should be illegal.
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 32,070
    eek said:

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    I can report that despite Sir Keir Traitor’s bleatings, e-gates have not been opened for Brits in the EU. He’s gonna have a lot of disappointed British voters fuming at him on holibobs this summer. What an idiot

    I can however report that I am now in my…. HUNDREDTH COUNTRY. A lifetime goal achieved

    100 countries!!


    Yes ok it’s Luxembourg. So also possibly the most boring country on earth. But that’s kind of fitting

    Go everywhere, young man!

    But he said we were all excited by his prime negotiation win. This can't be right
    It’s such desperately crap basic retail politics. If you can’t deliver, don’t promise. Instead he promised and he hasn’t delivered

    He will hack off another million holidaying British voters this summer, for no reason at all other than that he is terrible at comms
    His government cannot do comms. At all.
    I have got to say that that is by far Labour's biggest problem.

    They've got a whole set of other issues but without fixing their communications issue the other changes are irrelevant.

    and granted I fly a lot so know this but it was never going to be implemented or implementable until the EU's new ETIAS and EES systems are in place and that's delayed until at least October.
    It's got worse under McSweeney. There must be some brutal Alistair Campbell style ruthless barsteward out there who can pull this around.
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 32,070

    eek said:


    If he wasn't in Parliament that offence would likely resulted in him being out the door that day for gross misconduct.
    After the Labour expenses scandal Labour MPs served custodial sentences for similar offences (granted the sums were greater). How the Desmond deal didn't breach any laws genuinely baffled me.
    Administrative errors are endemic in parliament expenses - Starmers Donkey paddock for example
    It's probably an occupational risk when your job involves expenses on a day to day basis rather than exceptionally
    Try claiming expenses for your fuel for the journey after the company have paid for a rail warrant. See you at the Jobcentre.
    I think accounts would more likely get on the blower and ask what this is all about. 'You've already claimed for that journey'
    Any company jumping on gross misconduct for that (unless its a pattern of behaviour) is barking.
    I've worked for companies where at the very least that behaviour would get a final written warning.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 44,634

    eek said:

    Carnyx said:

    Cookie said:

    kinabalu said:

    Cookie said:

    kinabalu said:

    Cookie said:

    MattW said:

    isam said:

    Foxy said:

    TimS said:

    Fun map exercise posted earlier by Meeks (FOTP).

    https://smstone0.github.io/#/uk-map

    All the places in the UK you’ve lived, stayed, visited, stopped in or passed through.


    I score 246. All of England covered, no NI, and half of Scotland to go.
    Only 199 for me. I think I've been everywhere in Great Britain with the exception of the very far north of Scotland and that big bit in the middle of Wales. No Isles of Man or Wight, only Down in NI. But I've only actually lived in four places in the UK: Fife, Tyne and Wear, Cambridgeshire and London. I lived overseas for eight years but no points for that. Not in this game!
    I only got 86. Lived in Essex, North London & Brighton and rarely ventured further north than that. I did live in Gibraltar though, that should score points
    Haven't you travelled the railway across nearly the entire mainland?

    Given that there are 91 areas on the mainland, and going through on a train is one, whilst stopping at a station is two, does that not make it a bit higher?

    Or have I got to review my 300+ score :smile: ?

    Max mainland-only score would be 455.
    I cannot work out how to download the map based only on a phone, but I scored 272. I've stayed in almost every county in England and Scotland and North Wales and visited almost all the rest (just a pass through for Kent and Essex - must visit tge SE more. Lived in GM, SY Durham and Notts. Never been to Norn Iron though.
    252 for me. Stayed in a lot of places, but not adjacent to where I've lived.

    Wigton, Essex, the Isle of Wight and the Northern Isles (major hole that one) are the only blanks.
    Can you genuinely remember all the places you've been to or through in your life?
    For me: yes.
    Though I am younger than you. And I've started to notice recently mymemory of things which happened in my childhood is not what it once was.
    I have a good memory for anything to do with people but I'm poor on places. I'd certainly struggle with this exercise.

    There are however places I know for sure I haven't been. One, and I say this with neither regret nor pride, is Sunderland.
    I'm the opposite. I can't remember people's names, but I remember where they're from.
    And also the opposite in that I HAVE been to Sunderland.
    178 if my memory's right. And I met my wife in Sunderland, where we were both students.
    Been to Sunderland too! Only for the day, at the uni, but how it must have been a dynamic place in its day and how badly it's been treated by London since. A convenient and disposable source of wealth to be squandered.
    My views of Sunderland are somewhat coloured by growing up in Newcastle, and also by some friends getting quite badly beaten up there, essentially for looking and sounding a bit different from the locals.
    I went to Sunderland once.
    Terrible, blighted place. Worse place I’ve been in the UK.
    I could think of 10 worse places than Sunderland in the UK without trying..
    Go on, then.
    Camden for a start, crowded shithole which isn't even being bulldozed to build proper transport links for the rest of us.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 77,876

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    I can report that despite Sir Keir Traitor’s bleatings, e-gates have not been opened for Brits in the EU. He’s gonna have a lot of disappointed British voters fuming at him on holibobs this summer. What an idiot

    I can however report that I am now in my…. HUNDREDTH COUNTRY. A lifetime goal achieved

    100 countries!!


    Yes ok it’s Luxembourg. So also possibly the most boring country on earth. But that’s kind of fitting

    Go everywhere, young man!

    But he said we were all excited by his prime negotiation win. This can't be right
    It’s such desperately crap basic retail politics. If you can’t deliver, don’t promise. Instead he promised and he hasn’t delivered

    He will hack off another million holidaying British voters this summer, for no reason at all other than that he is terrible at comms
    His government cannot do comms. At all.
    I thought McSweeney the demon strategist was supposed to be shit hot at this kind of thing?
    You have inadvertently added "strategist " and "hot" to your sentence.
    And "supposed to be".
  • eekeek Posts: 30,159
    edited May 31

    .

    Leon said:

    Foxy said:

    TimS said:

    Fun map exercise posted earlier by Meeks (FOTP).

    https://smstone0.github.io/#/uk-map

    All the places in the UK you’ve lived, stayed, visited, stopped in or passed through.


    I score 246. All of England covered, no NI, and half of Scotland to go.
    My “lived in” is not very impressive: London, Devon, Cornwall, Herefordshire

    But I’ve “visited, stayed, stopped etc” in every single one of the others - apart from the southern outer Hebrides

    This is also fun

    https://been.app/

    An app where you can see how much of the world you’ve visited. I’m on exactly 50% in terms of countries. I’ve visited 99 of 198 UN territories
    I've never lived more than 7 miles away from where I was born. Not through any conscious decision, just how the jobs came along and the girls I fell in love with.
    I live 300 metres from where I grew up, and 400 metres from where my great-grandfather was born… although I have lived further away (3900 miles).

    But then I do live in London. We’re a very conservative place, people don’t move around much.
    Doesn't surprise me. Everything about you screams London.
    Success, fame, wealth, hedonistic lifestyle? It’s all true, I must admit it.
    @Leon lives that.

    An exciting day for you is taking off your tie after you get back from a committee meeting at the Department for Work and Pensions.
    I don’t think I’ve worn a tie since before the pandemic.
    Ties should be illegal.
    Don't think I've worn a tie for work since 2015.

    Including in a German $10bn company's board meeting because no-one had told me we had that meeting - so I walked in in my normal corporate attire of chinos, blazer and a colourful shirt. The CEO commented that he wished he could do that..
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 10,841

    eek said:


    If he wasn't in Parliament that offence would likely resulted in him being out the door that day for gross misconduct.
    After the Labour expenses scandal Labour MPs served custodial sentences for similar offences (granted the sums were greater). How the Desmond deal didn't breach any laws genuinely baffled me.
    Administrative errors are endemic in parliament expenses - Starmers Donkey paddock for example
    It's probably an occupational risk when your job involves expenses on a day to day basis rather than exceptionally
    Try claiming expenses for your fuel for the journey after the company have paid for a rail warrant. See you at the Jobcentre.
    I think accounts would more likely get on the blower and ask what this is all about. 'You've already claimed for that journey'
    Any company jumping on gross misconduct for that (unless its a pattern of behaviour) is barking.
    I've worked for companies where at the very least that behaviour would get a final written warning.
    Well then I'd put them in the barking bin! I think if they are at 'this isn't the first time you've made a double claim/mistaken claim' etc then yeah disciplinary action might loom but a one off?
    Cutthroat!
  • bondegezoubondegezou Posts: 14,506

    Nigelb said:

    Nigelb said:

    isam said:

    Nige’s main rival for next PM chips in on Lord Hermer

    My grandmother fled the Nazis.

    My grandfather’s family were murdered by them.

    Our Attorney General likened questioning an agreement (made a lifetime ago in a different world) with a savage, psycopathic regime that killed millions.

    He says it was “clumsy”. I say it’s repugnant

    https://x.com/katie_lam_mp/status/1928771268938985582?s=46&t=CW4pL-mMpTqsJXCdjW0Z6Q

    That's a very bad faith representation of what he said.
    You say 'bad faith representation', others say 'attention grabbing, excellent politics'.

    To be honest, it's always (because Lam isn't the first to do this, and it's not unique to the right) the hypocricy that grates. Politician X is allowed to do studs-up, bad faith misrepresentations of their opponents, but cries foul when anything remotely similar is done to them.
    Well yes - and that obviously applies both ways.
    In this case, though, I'd strongly argue that she's also objectively wrong.

    Schmitt is more than just a former Nazi enabling philosopher. He both predated and post dated them, born in the 1880s and dying in the 1980s. He remains an influential philosopher whose ideas about the state are central to those who believe in sovereignty at the expense of international law.

    The current systems of international law grew up in direct response to the events of WWII. That obviously doesn't mean that anyone who critiques them is a Nazi, but what they are very often doing is adopting Schmitt's precise arguments - which weren't about race, but about the state.

    And Hermer hasn't cried foul. I have.
    It's an oversimplification to say that the current system of international law grew up in direct response to the events of WWII. I think it's more correct to say that WWII forms part of the mythology that legitimates it and helps maintain a taboo around questioning it.
    The current system of international law goes back to the mid or late 19th century, but it’s modern form is very much a reaction to WWII, the Nazis, the failures of the ‘30s and the challenges of the ‘50s.

    There hardly seems like a taboo around questioning it. It gets questioned every day here.
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 10,841
    eek said:

    .

    Leon said:

    Foxy said:

    TimS said:

    Fun map exercise posted earlier by Meeks (FOTP).

    https://smstone0.github.io/#/uk-map

    All the places in the UK you’ve lived, stayed, visited, stopped in or passed through.


    I score 246. All of England covered, no NI, and half of Scotland to go.
    My “lived in” is not very impressive: London, Devon, Cornwall, Herefordshire

    But I’ve “visited, stayed, stopped etc” in every single one of the others - apart from the southern outer Hebrides

    This is also fun

    https://been.app/

    An app where you can see how much of the world you’ve visited. I’m on exactly 50% in terms of countries. I’ve visited 99 of 198 UN territories
    I've never lived more than 7 miles away from where I was born. Not through any conscious decision, just how the jobs came along and the girls I fell in love with.
    I live 300 metres from where I grew up, and 400 metres from where my great-grandfather was born… although I have lived further away (3900 miles).

    But then I do live in London. We’re a very conservative place, people don’t move around much.
    Doesn't surprise me. Everything about you screams London.
    Success, fame, wealth, hedonistic lifestyle? It’s all true, I must admit it.
    @Leon lives that.

    An exciting day for you is taking off your tie after you get back from a committee meeting at the Department for Work and Pensions.
    I don’t think I’ve worn a tie since before the pandemic.
    Ties should be illegal.
    Don't think I've worn a tie for work since 2015.

    Including in a German $10bn company's board meeting because no-one had told me we had that meeting - so I walked in in my normal corporate attire of chinos, blazer and a colourful shirt. The CEO commented that he wished he could do that..
    Funerals and weddings are the only time I wear a tie now and i hate it then too. Ghastly things
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 77,876
    Carnyx said:

    Carnyx said:

    Carnyx said:

    Nigelb said:

    rkrkrk said:

    Leon said:

    I can report that despite Sir Keir Traitor’s bleatings, e-gates have not been opened for Brits in the EU. He’s gonna have a lot of disappointed British voters fuming at him on holibobs this summer. What an idiot

    I can however report that I am now in my…. HUNDREDTH COUNTRY. A lifetime goal achieved

    100 countries!!


    Yes ok it’s Luxembourg. So also possibly the most boring country on earth. But that’s kind of fitting

    Go everywhere, young man!

    Congratulations! But you might have saved the big 100 for somewhere a bit more exciting...
    Why ?
    Keeping an actual count is, as Leon wisely recognises, the equivalent of trainspotting.
    Trainspotting? Change [latest place Leon is in] and [food] and swap it for watching double-ended Fairlie locomotives at Penrhyndeudraeth on a rainy day while munching Welsh cakes from the bakery. What's the difference in principle?
    You’re back! I was getting worried..
    Oh, yes, for the moment however. Busy with voluntary work (setting-out-facts report for an organization, which needed some unexpectedly complex but interesting research) and trying to get some papers completed to deadline, so I had to focus. Still do if the truth be told.
    Good.
    I have reached the age of man not mentioned by Shakespeare, attender of funerals. It’s not helped my tendency to fear the worst.
    Quite. Me too.

    Memo to self: put a note in the wills folder for my executor to drop a line to PB. As at least you might be interested.
    I gave that a like, and then realised it might be misinterpreted...
  • StuartinromfordStuartinromford Posts: 18,815
    eek said:

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    I can report that despite Sir Keir Traitor’s bleatings, e-gates have not been opened for Brits in the EU. He’s gonna have a lot of disappointed British voters fuming at him on holibobs this summer. What an idiot

    I can however report that I am now in my…. HUNDREDTH COUNTRY. A lifetime goal achieved

    100 countries!!


    Yes ok it’s Luxembourg. So also possibly the most boring country on earth. But that’s kind of fitting

    Go everywhere, young man!

    But he said we were all excited by his prime negotiation win. This can't be right
    It’s such desperately crap basic retail politics. If you can’t deliver, don’t promise. Instead he promised and he hasn’t delivered

    He will hack off another million holidaying British voters this summer, for no reason at all other than that he is terrible at comms
    His government cannot do comms. At all.
    I have got to say that that is by far Labour's biggest problem.

    They've got a whole set of other issues but without fixing their communications issue the other changes are irrelevant.

    and granted I fly a lot so know this but it was never going to be implemented or implementable until the EU's new ETIAS and EES systems are in place and that's delayed until at least October.
    And that- going from opposition comms (which are all about guerrilla marketing ambusing the government) to government comms (keeping the press occupied every day and defending against attacks)- really ought to be fixable. Some of that will be having the right Labour MPs in the right places (they've got 400 of them, dammit), but mostly it's about the backroom staff. There must be some bright, outward-looking lefties who are willing and able to give this government the necessary spit and polish if they are bunged enough cash...

    Mustn't there?
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 44,634
    Nigelb said:

    Carnyx said:

    Carnyx said:

    Carnyx said:

    Nigelb said:

    rkrkrk said:

    Leon said:

    I can report that despite Sir Keir Traitor’s bleatings, e-gates have not been opened for Brits in the EU. He’s gonna have a lot of disappointed British voters fuming at him on holibobs this summer. What an idiot

    I can however report that I am now in my…. HUNDREDTH COUNTRY. A lifetime goal achieved

    100 countries!!


    Yes ok it’s Luxembourg. So also possibly the most boring country on earth. But that’s kind of fitting

    Go everywhere, young man!

    Congratulations! But you might have saved the big 100 for somewhere a bit more exciting...
    Why ?
    Keeping an actual count is, as Leon wisely recognises, the equivalent of trainspotting.
    Trainspotting? Change [latest place Leon is in] and [food] and swap it for watching double-ended Fairlie locomotives at Penrhyndeudraeth on a rainy day while munching Welsh cakes from the bakery. What's the difference in principle?
    You’re back! I was getting worried..
    Oh, yes, for the moment however. Busy with voluntary work (setting-out-facts report for an organization, which needed some unexpectedly complex but interesting research) and trying to get some papers completed to deadline, so I had to focus. Still do if the truth be told.
    Good.
    I have reached the age of man not mentioned by Shakespeare, attender of funerals. It’s not helped my tendency to fear the worst.
    Quite. Me too.

    Memo to self: put a note in the wills folder for my executor to drop a line to PB. As at least you might be interested.
    I gave that a like, and then realised it might be misinterpreted...
    Not to worry. You certainly don't need to wear a tie either way, that's for sure.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 61,405
    Luxembourg feels quite German so far. But then I’ve only been here about an hour, so I’ve only seen 90% of it
  • FishingFishing Posts: 5,589
    Leon said:

    Luxembourg feels quite German so far. But then I’ve only been here about an hour, so I’ve only seen 90% of it

    It's marked all wrong on maps.

    They have it as a country, whereas really it's just a tax dodge.

    One of the many idiocies of our membership of the EU was how we had to pretend that a place with a population of an average London borough was in any sense the equal of us or the real Krauts.
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 10,841
    edited May 31
    Leon said:

    Luxembourg feels quite German so far. But then I’ve only been here about an hour, so I’ve only seen 90% of it

    Luxembourg is what you get if an EU state were designed by committee (with apols to camels and horses)
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 65,563
    Leon said:

    Luxembourg feels quite German so far. But then I’ve only been here about an hour, so I’ve only seen 90% of it

    Some years ago when the children were young we stayed overnight in Luxembourg on our drive to Italy

    The hotel did a BBQ but about 2.30am with indigestion from the BBQ we checked out for the long drive

    Later in the early hours we were stopped by the police to allow s long convoy of cruise missiles through

    The kids talk about it to this day
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 45,487
    MattW said:

    isam said:

    MattW said:

    isam said:

    Lord Hermer, Starmer’s AG & the government’s shield for not doing anything about the small boats is currently apologising for saying Reform & the Conservatives are the equivalent of 1930s Nazis

    I'm not sure that's a wise political move, because afaics he made no such actual comparison. He is letting himself be defined by misrepresentation by his opponents.

    He made a comparison of the potential consequences of rolling back international law, and letting the political interests of the current party in control override the basic systems of the State/country, and is the basic agenda of those behind Trump. That was what happened in 1933, and his apposite warning is where it can lead.

    It's a standard playbook - try and avoid a criticism by invoking a far more extreme version and demanding in a loud voice "Why are you calling me THIS?".

    I'd say he should have issued a careful statement, then made a speech, ramming their claim straight back down their throats, refusing to be pulled down into the mud. This is Starmer & co being too timid again, and ceding control of the agenda.

    Both the Conservative Right and Reform are politically fragile, and need to be shattered into little pieces.

    Official text of the speech:
    https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/attorney-generals-2025-rusi-annual-security-lecture

    Guardian report:
    https://www.theguardian.com/law/2025/may/30/attorney-general-richard-hermer-apologises-for-comparing-tories-and-reform-to-nazis

    He said people were making the point, leaving the Human Rights convention, in the Palacevof Westminster, then started referencing those who opened the door to Hitler didn’t he?
    That's not a Hitler comparison either, though.

    TBF comparisons with Italy 1920s, or even Erdogan, or Trump, are likely to be more effective, in addition to being more accurate, as less generative of elephant traps for - here - Hermer.

    I've not seen much debate comparing Farage, or say Jenrick, directly to Trump - but I see no reason why it it inappropriate.

    If someone gets their head together, there will be commentary around Farage's praise of Andrew Tate *after* he had been charged with rape, as a good role model. We shall see.
    Whilst it's usually best to avoid namechecking Hitler I see no problem with saying there are afoot today strands of the same kind of sentiment that fed the rise of fascism pre WW2. It's difficult for history to be a warning if nobody talks about it.

    The main thing is to avoid facile hyperbole of the "1984 was not an instruction manual" variety. If I had a pound for every one of those uttered in response to something like Tesco putting cameras in the car park I'd be ... well I'd need a big jar.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 59,997
    Fishing said:

    Leon said:

    Luxembourg feels quite German so far. But then I’ve only been here about an hour, so I’ve only seen 90% of it

    It's marked all wrong on maps.

    They have it as a country, whereas really it's just a tax dodge.

    One of the many idiocies of our membership of the EU was how we had to pretend that a place with a population of an average London borough was in any sense the equal of us or the real Krauts.
    Wait until you hear about Iceland!
  • MattWMattW Posts: 27,531

    Nigelb said:

    Nigelb said:

    isam said:

    Nige’s main rival for next PM chips in on Lord Hermer

    My grandmother fled the Nazis.

    My grandfather’s family were murdered by them.

    Our Attorney General likened questioning an agreement (made a lifetime ago in a different world) with a savage, psycopathic regime that killed millions.

    He says it was “clumsy”. I say it’s repugnant

    https://x.com/katie_lam_mp/status/1928771268938985582?s=46&t=CW4pL-mMpTqsJXCdjW0Z6Q

    That's a very bad faith representation of what he said.
    You say 'bad faith representation', others say 'attention grabbing, excellent politics'.

    To be honest, it's always (because Lam isn't the first to do this, and it's not unique to the right) the hypocricy that grates. Politician X is allowed to do studs-up, bad faith misrepresentations of their opponents, but cries foul when anything remotely similar is done to them.
    Well yes - and that obviously applies both ways.
    In this case, though, I'd strongly argue that she's also objectively wrong.

    Schmitt is more than just a former Nazi enabling philosopher. He both predated and post dated them, born in the 1880s and dying in the 1980s. He remains an influential philosopher whose ideas about the state are central to those who believe in sovereignty at the expense of international law.

    The current systems of international law grew up in direct response to the events of WWII. That obviously doesn't mean that anyone who critiques them is a Nazi, but what they are very often doing is adopting Schmitt's precise arguments - which weren't about race, but about the state.

    And Hermer hasn't cried foul. I have.
    It's an oversimplification to say that the current system of international law grew up in direct response to the events of WWII. I think it's more correct to say that WWII forms part of the mythology that legitimates it and helps maintain a taboo around questioning it.
    The current system of international law goes back to the mid or late 19th century, but it’s modern form is very much a reaction to WWII, the Nazis, the failures of the ‘30s and the challenges of the ‘50s.

    There hardly seems like a taboo around questioning it. It gets questioned every day here.
    Without getting complicated, the First Geneva Convention was 1864.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 45,487

    eek said:

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    I can report that despite Sir Keir Traitor’s bleatings, e-gates have not been opened for Brits in the EU. He’s gonna have a lot of disappointed British voters fuming at him on holibobs this summer. What an idiot

    I can however report that I am now in my…. HUNDREDTH COUNTRY. A lifetime goal achieved

    100 countries!!


    Yes ok it’s Luxembourg. So also possibly the most boring country on earth. But that’s kind of fitting

    Go everywhere, young man!

    But he said we were all excited by his prime negotiation win. This can't be right
    It’s such desperately crap basic retail politics. If you can’t deliver, don’t promise. Instead he promised and he hasn’t delivered

    He will hack off another million holidaying British voters this summer, for no reason at all other than that he is terrible at comms
    His government cannot do comms. At all.
    I have got to say that that is by far Labour's biggest problem.

    They've got a whole set of other issues but without fixing their communications issue the other changes are irrelevant.

    and granted I fly a lot so know this but it was never going to be implemented or implementable until the EU's new ETIAS and EES systems are in place and that's delayed until at least October.
    It's got worse under McSweeney. There must be some brutal Alistair Campbell style ruthless barsteward out there who can pull this around.
    I sense the real one is itching to get stuck in again.
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 10,841
    kinabalu said:

    eek said:

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    I can report that despite Sir Keir Traitor’s bleatings, e-gates have not been opened for Brits in the EU. He’s gonna have a lot of disappointed British voters fuming at him on holibobs this summer. What an idiot

    I can however report that I am now in my…. HUNDREDTH COUNTRY. A lifetime goal achieved

    100 countries!!


    Yes ok it’s Luxembourg. So also possibly the most boring country on earth. But that’s kind of fitting

    Go everywhere, young man!

    But he said we were all excited by his prime negotiation win. This can't be right
    It’s such desperately crap basic retail politics. If you can’t deliver, don’t promise. Instead he promised and he hasn’t delivered

    He will hack off another million holidaying British voters this summer, for no reason at all other than that he is terrible at comms
    His government cannot do comms. At all.
    I have got to say that that is by far Labour's biggest problem.

    They've got a whole set of other issues but without fixing their communications issue the other changes are irrelevant.

    and granted I fly a lot so know this but it was never going to be implemented or implementable until the EU's new ETIAS and EES systems are in place and that's delayed until at least October.
    It's got worse under McSweeney. There must be some brutal Alistair Campbell style ruthless barsteward out there who can pull this around.
    I sense the real one is itching to get stuck in again.
    Nah not when he can make shit podcasts with Rory
  • MattWMattW Posts: 27,531
    edited May 31
    I'm becoming a little more positive about the future of RefUK.

    Both of their Regional Mayors have now expressed support for Green Energy and investment, directly or indirectly.
  • carnforthcarnforth Posts: 6,184

    Leon said:

    Luxembourg feels quite German so far. But then I’ve only been here about an hour, so I’ve only seen 90% of it

    Some years ago when the children were young we stayed overnight in Luxembourg on our drive to Italy

    The hotel did a BBQ but about 2.30am with indigestion from the BBQ we checked out for the long drive

    Later in the early hours we were stopped by the police to allow s long convoy of cruise missiles through

    The kids talk about it to this day
    I've had some loose stools in my day, but none that could be described as cruise missiles.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 45,487

    kinabalu said:

    eek said:

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    I can report that despite Sir Keir Traitor’s bleatings, e-gates have not been opened for Brits in the EU. He’s gonna have a lot of disappointed British voters fuming at him on holibobs this summer. What an idiot

    I can however report that I am now in my…. HUNDREDTH COUNTRY. A lifetime goal achieved

    100 countries!!


    Yes ok it’s Luxembourg. So also possibly the most boring country on earth. But that’s kind of fitting

    Go everywhere, young man!

    But he said we were all excited by his prime negotiation win. This can't be right
    It’s such desperately crap basic retail politics. If you can’t deliver, don’t promise. Instead he promised and he hasn’t delivered

    He will hack off another million holidaying British voters this summer, for no reason at all other than that he is terrible at comms
    His government cannot do comms. At all.
    I have got to say that that is by far Labour's biggest problem.

    They've got a whole set of other issues but without fixing their communications issue the other changes are irrelevant.

    and granted I fly a lot so know this but it was never going to be implemented or implementable until the EU's new ETIAS and EES systems are in place and that's delayed until at least October.
    It's got worse under McSweeney. There must be some brutal Alistair Campbell style ruthless barsteward out there who can pull this around.
    I sense the real one is itching to get stuck in again.
    Nah not when he can make shit podcasts with Rory
    I'm surprised you're familiar with them. You wouldn't be the typical listener.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 61,405

    Leon said:

    Luxembourg feels quite German so far. But then I’ve only been here about an hour, so I’ve only seen 90% of it

    Some years ago when the children were young we stayed overnight in Luxembourg on our drive to Italy

    The hotel did a BBQ but about 2.30am with indigestion from the BBQ we checked out for the long drive

    Later in the early hours we were stopped by the police to allow s long convoy of cruise missiles through

    The kids talk about it to this day
    I LOVE LUXEMBOURG

    They’ve sent me to a rather charming little medieval town, curved around a meandering river - Clervaux. Where they are having a Provençal market festival in a place that feels like a prosperous corner of Germany inhabited by Belgians talking French underneath an Austro-Hungarian castle

    Thank God we brexited to get away from stuff like this



    Plus an inexplicable American tank. Sherman?
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 55,500
    rcs1000 said:

    kinabalu said:

    MattW said:

    isam said:

    MattW said:

    isam said:

    Lord Hermer, Starmer’s AG & the government’s shield for not doing anything about the small boats is currently apologising for saying Reform & the Conservatives are the equivalent of 1930s Nazis

    I'm not sure that's a wise political move, because afaics he made no such actual comparison. He is letting himself be defined by misrepresentation by his opponents.

    He made a comparison of the potential consequences of rolling back international law, and letting the political interests of the current party in control override the basic systems of the State/country, and is the basic agenda of those behind Trump. That was what happened in 1933, and his apposite warning is where it can lead.

    It's a standard playbook - try and avoid a criticism by invoking a far more extreme version and demanding in a loud voice "Why are you calling me THIS?".

    I'd say he should have issued a careful statement, then made a speech, ramming their claim straight back down their throats, refusing to be pulled down into the mud. This is Starmer & co being too timid again, and ceding control of the agenda.

    Both the Conservative Right and Reform are politically fragile, and need to be shattered into little pieces.

    Official text of the speech:
    https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/attorney-generals-2025-rusi-annual-security-lecture

    Guardian report:
    https://www.theguardian.com/law/2025/may/30/attorney-general-richard-hermer-apologises-for-comparing-tories-and-reform-to-nazis

    He said people were making the point, leaving the Human Rights convention, in the Palacevof Westminster, then started referencing those who opened the door to Hitler didn’t he?
    That's not a Hitler comparison either, though.

    TBF comparisons with Italy 1920s, or even Erdogan, or Trump, are likely to be more effective, in addition to being more accurate, as less generative of elephant traps for - here - Hermer.

    I've not seen much debate comparing Farage, or say Jenrick, directly to Trump - but I see no reason why it it inappropriate.

    If someone gets their head together, there will be commentary around Farage's praise of Andrew Tate *after* he had been charged with rape, as a good role model. We shall see.
    Whilst it's usually best to avoid namechecking Hitler I see no problem with saying there are afoot today strands of the same kind of sentiment that fed the rise of fascism pre WW2. It's difficult for history to be a warning if nobody talks about it.

    The main thing is to avoid facile hyperbole of the "1984 was not an instruction manual" variety. If I had a pound for every one of those uttered in response to something like Tesco putting cameras in the car park I'd be ... well I'd need a big jar.
    By the way, when we go get another Hitler (or equivalent), it's worth remembering that it is all the fault of the libs, for allowing people to use whatever pronoun they liked.
    Jenrick is being accused of preparing the ground for a Kristallnacht against Turkish barber shops.

    https://x.com/Femi_Sorry/status/1928418627205972171
  • MightyAlexMightyAlex Posts: 1,766
    edited May 31
    kinabalu said:

    MattW said:

    isam said:

    MattW said:

    isam said:

    Lord Hermer, Starmer’s AG & the government’s shield for not doing anything about the small boats is currently apologising for saying Reform & the Conservatives are the equivalent of 1930s Nazis

    I'm not sure that's a wise political move, because afaics he made no such actual comparison. He is letting himself be defined by misrepresentation by his opponents.

    He made a comparison of the potential consequences of rolling back international law, and letting the political interests of the current party in control override the basic systems of the State/country, and is the basic agenda of those behind Trump. That was what happened in 1933, and his apposite warning is where it can lead.

    It's a standard playbook - try and avoid a criticism by invoking a far more extreme version and demanding in a loud voice "Why are you calling me THIS?".

    I'd say he should have issued a careful statement, then made a speech, ramming their claim straight back down their throats, refusing to be pulled down into the mud. This is Starmer & co being too timid again, and ceding control of the agenda.

    Both the Conservative Right and Reform are politically fragile, and need to be shattered into little pieces.

    Official text of the speech:
    https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/attorney-generals-2025-rusi-annual-security-lecture

    Guardian report:
    https://www.theguardian.com/law/2025/may/30/attorney-general-richard-hermer-apologises-for-comparing-tories-and-reform-to-nazis

    He said people were making the point, leaving the Human Rights convention, in the Palacevof Westminster, then started referencing those who opened the door to Hitler didn’t he?
    That's not a Hitler comparison either, though.

    TBF comparisons with Italy 1920s, or even Erdogan, or Trump, are likely to be more effective, in addition to being more accurate, as less generative of elephant traps for - here - Hermer.

    I've not seen much debate comparing Farage, or say Jenrick, directly to Trump - but I see no reason why it it inappropriate.

    If someone gets their head together, there will be commentary around Farage's praise of Andrew Tate *after* he had been charged with rape, as a good role model. We shall see.
    Whilst it's usually best to avoid namechecking Hitler I see no problem with saying there are afoot today strands of the same kind of sentiment that fed the rise of fascism pre WW2. It's difficult for history to be a warning if nobody talks about it.

    The main thing is to avoid facile hyperbole of the "1984 was not an instruction manual" variety. If I had a pound for every one of those uttered in response to something like Tesco putting cameras in the car park I'd be ... well I'd need a big jar.
    Hitler would have wanted the current surveillance state:

    https://www.404media.co/ice-taps-into-nationwide-ai-enabled-camera-network-data-shows/

    https://newrepublic.com/post/195904/trump-palantir-data-americans

    Just a taste of what has been and is being built. All available data is being ingested and used to form profiles for each citizen. From air craft boarding info to app data and ANPR. Commercial data brokers are making privacy irrelevant.

    It hard not to sound mad around this stuff... but if you have any internet presence than bots are copying it and companies are building macro-profiles of individual users.

    https://www.404media.co/the-200-sites-an-ice-surveillance-contractor-is-monitoring/
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 10,841
    kinabalu said:

    kinabalu said:

    eek said:

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    I can report that despite Sir Keir Traitor’s bleatings, e-gates have not been opened for Brits in the EU. He’s gonna have a lot of disappointed British voters fuming at him on holibobs this summer. What an idiot

    I can however report that I am now in my…. HUNDREDTH COUNTRY. A lifetime goal achieved

    100 countries!!


    Yes ok it’s Luxembourg. So also possibly the most boring country on earth. But that’s kind of fitting

    Go everywhere, young man!

    But he said we were all excited by his prime negotiation win. This can't be right
    It’s such desperately crap basic retail politics. If you can’t deliver, don’t promise. Instead he promised and he hasn’t delivered

    He will hack off another million holidaying British voters this summer, for no reason at all other than that he is terrible at comms
    His government cannot do comms. At all.
    I have got to say that that is by far Labour's biggest problem.

    They've got a whole set of other issues but without fixing their communications issue the other changes are irrelevant.

    and granted I fly a lot so know this but it was never going to be implemented or implementable until the EU's new ETIAS and EES systems are in place and that's delayed until at least October.
    It's got worse under McSweeney. There must be some brutal Alistair Campbell style ruthless barsteward out there who can pull this around.
    I sense the real one is itching to get stuck in again.
    Nah not when he can make shit podcasts with Rory
    I'm surprised you're familiar with them. You wouldn't be the typical listener.
    Haven't for a while, I used to when they carried the JL Partners polls
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 10,841

    rcs1000 said:

    kinabalu said:

    MattW said:

    isam said:

    MattW said:

    isam said:

    Lord Hermer, Starmer’s AG & the government’s shield for not doing anything about the small boats is currently apologising for saying Reform & the Conservatives are the equivalent of 1930s Nazis

    I'm not sure that's a wise political move, because afaics he made no such actual comparison. He is letting himself be defined by misrepresentation by his opponents.

    He made a comparison of the potential consequences of rolling back international law, and letting the political interests of the current party in control override the basic systems of the State/country, and is the basic agenda of those behind Trump. That was what happened in 1933, and his apposite warning is where it can lead.

    It's a standard playbook - try and avoid a criticism by invoking a far more extreme version and demanding in a loud voice "Why are you calling me THIS?".

    I'd say he should have issued a careful statement, then made a speech, ramming their claim straight back down their throats, refusing to be pulled down into the mud. This is Starmer & co being too timid again, and ceding control of the agenda.

    Both the Conservative Right and Reform are politically fragile, and need to be shattered into little pieces.

    Official text of the speech:
    https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/attorney-generals-2025-rusi-annual-security-lecture

    Guardian report:
    https://www.theguardian.com/law/2025/may/30/attorney-general-richard-hermer-apologises-for-comparing-tories-and-reform-to-nazis

    He said people were making the point, leaving the Human Rights convention, in the Palacevof Westminster, then started referencing those who opened the door to Hitler didn’t he?
    That's not a Hitler comparison either, though.

    TBF comparisons with Italy 1920s, or even Erdogan, or Trump, are likely to be more effective, in addition to being more accurate, as less generative of elephant traps for - here - Hermer.

    I've not seen much debate comparing Farage, or say Jenrick, directly to Trump - but I see no reason why it it inappropriate.

    If someone gets their head together, there will be commentary around Farage's praise of Andrew Tate *after* he had been charged with rape, as a good role model. We shall see.
    Whilst it's usually best to avoid namechecking Hitler I see no problem with saying there are afoot today strands of the same kind of sentiment that fed the rise of fascism pre WW2. It's difficult for history to be a warning if nobody talks about it.

    The main thing is to avoid facile hyperbole of the "1984 was not an instruction manual" variety. If I had a pound for every one of those uttered in response to something like Tesco putting cameras in the car park I'd be ... well I'd need a big jar.
    By the way, when we go get another Hitler (or equivalent), it's worth remembering that it is all the fault of the libs, for allowing people to use whatever pronoun they liked.
    Jenrick is being accused of preparing the ground for a Kristallnacht against Turkish barber shops.

    https://x.com/Femi_Sorry/status/1928418627205972171
    Fingers on the raging pulse of society
  • eekeek Posts: 30,159

    rcs1000 said:

    kinabalu said:

    MattW said:

    isam said:

    MattW said:

    isam said:

    Lord Hermer, Starmer’s AG & the government’s shield for not doing anything about the small boats is currently apologising for saying Reform & the Conservatives are the equivalent of 1930s Nazis

    I'm not sure that's a wise political move, because afaics he made no such actual comparison. He is letting himself be defined by misrepresentation by his opponents.

    He made a comparison of the potential consequences of rolling back international law, and letting the political interests of the current party in control override the basic systems of the State/country, and is the basic agenda of those behind Trump. That was what happened in 1933, and his apposite warning is where it can lead.

    It's a standard playbook - try and avoid a criticism by invoking a far more extreme version and demanding in a loud voice "Why are you calling me THIS?".

    I'd say he should have issued a careful statement, then made a speech, ramming their claim straight back down their throats, refusing to be pulled down into the mud. This is Starmer & co being too timid again, and ceding control of the agenda.

    Both the Conservative Right and Reform are politically fragile, and need to be shattered into little pieces.

    Official text of the speech:
    https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/attorney-generals-2025-rusi-annual-security-lecture

    Guardian report:
    https://www.theguardian.com/law/2025/may/30/attorney-general-richard-hermer-apologises-for-comparing-tories-and-reform-to-nazis

    He said people were making the point, leaving the Human Rights convention, in the Palacevof Westminster, then started referencing those who opened the door to Hitler didn’t he?
    That's not a Hitler comparison either, though.

    TBF comparisons with Italy 1920s, or even Erdogan, or Trump, are likely to be more effective, in addition to being more accurate, as less generative of elephant traps for - here - Hermer.

    I've not seen much debate comparing Farage, or say Jenrick, directly to Trump - but I see no reason why it it inappropriate.

    If someone gets their head together, there will be commentary around Farage's praise of Andrew Tate *after* he had been charged with rape, as a good role model. We shall see.
    Whilst it's usually best to avoid namechecking Hitler I see no problem with saying there are afoot today strands of the same kind of sentiment that fed the rise of fascism pre WW2. It's difficult for history to be a warning if nobody talks about it.

    The main thing is to avoid facile hyperbole of the "1984 was not an instruction manual" variety. If I had a pound for every one of those uttered in response to something like Tesco putting cameras in the car park I'd be ... well I'd need a big jar.
    By the way, when we go get another Hitler (or equivalent), it's worth remembering that it is all the fault of the libs, for allowing people to use whatever pronoun they liked.
    Jenrick is being accused of preparing the ground for a Kristallnacht against Turkish barber shops.

    https://x.com/Femi_Sorry/status/1928418627205972171
    There are so many of them in many places that it's impossible to work out what other purpose they could have?
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 54,349
    rcs1000 said:

    Fishing said:

    Leon said:

    Luxembourg feels quite German so far. But then I’ve only been here about an hour, so I’ve only seen 90% of it

    It's marked all wrong on maps.

    They have it as a country, whereas really it's just a tax dodge.

    One of the many idiocies of our membership of the EU was how we had to pretend that a place with a population of an average London borough was in any sense the equal of us or the real Krauts.
    Wait until you hear about Iceland!
    Iceland isn't in the EU.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 61,405
    edited May 31
    eek said:

    rcs1000 said:

    kinabalu said:

    MattW said:

    isam said:

    MattW said:

    isam said:

    Lord Hermer, Starmer’s AG & the government’s shield for not doing anything about the small boats is currently apologising for saying Reform & the Conservatives are the equivalent of 1930s Nazis

    I'm not sure that's a wise political move, because afaics he made no such actual comparison. He is letting himself be defined by misrepresentation by his opponents.

    He made a comparison of the potential consequences of rolling back international law, and letting the political interests of the current party in control override the basic systems of the State/country, and is the basic agenda of those behind Trump. That was what happened in 1933, and his apposite warning is where it can lead.

    It's a standard playbook - try and avoid a criticism by invoking a far more extreme version and demanding in a loud voice "Why are you calling me THIS?".

    I'd say he should have issued a careful statement, then made a speech, ramming their claim straight back down their throats, refusing to be pulled down into the mud. This is Starmer & co being too timid again, and ceding control of the agenda.

    Both the Conservative Right and Reform are politically fragile, and need to be shattered into little pieces.

    Official text of the speech:
    https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/attorney-generals-2025-rusi-annual-security-lecture

    Guardian report:
    https://www.theguardian.com/law/2025/may/30/attorney-general-richard-hermer-apologises-for-comparing-tories-and-reform-to-nazis

    He said people were making the point, leaving the Human Rights convention, in the Palacevof Westminster, then started referencing those who opened the door to Hitler didn’t he?
    That's not a Hitler comparison either, though.

    TBF comparisons with Italy 1920s, or even Erdogan, or Trump, are likely to be more effective, in addition to being more accurate, as less generative of elephant traps for - here - Hermer.

    I've not seen much debate comparing Farage, or say Jenrick, directly to Trump - but I see no reason why it it inappropriate.

    If someone gets their head together, there will be commentary around Farage's praise of Andrew Tate *after* he had been charged with rape, as a good role model. We shall see.
    Whilst it's usually best to avoid namechecking Hitler I see no problem with saying there are afoot today strands of the same kind of sentiment that fed the rise of fascism pre WW2. It's difficult for history to be a warning if nobody talks about it.

    The main thing is to avoid facile hyperbole of the "1984 was not an instruction manual" variety. If I had a pound for every one of those uttered in response to something like Tesco putting cameras in the car park I'd be ... well I'd need a big jar.
    By the way, when we go get another Hitler (or equivalent), it's worth remembering that it is all the fault of the libs, for allowing people to use whatever pronoun they liked.
    Jenrick is being accused of preparing the ground for a Kristallnacht against Turkish barber shops.

    https://x.com/Femi_Sorry/status/1928418627205972171
    There are so many of them in many places that it's impossible to work out what other purpose they could have?
    Also they very often name and advertise themselves as “Turkish barbers” - we have about six in Camden and I think they all have signs saying exactly that

    Jenrick is identifying something we can all see every day yet the left is so pathetically weedily woke and ultra-keen to be offended this is apparently “racist”

    I think I hate the British left much more than the barbers themselves. Who always seem quite genial
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 59,997

    rcs1000 said:

    Fishing said:

    Leon said:

    Luxembourg feels quite German so far. But then I’ve only been here about an hour, so I’ve only seen 90% of it

    It's marked all wrong on maps.

    They have it as a country, whereas really it's just a tax dodge.

    One of the many idiocies of our membership of the EU was how we had to pretend that a place with a population of an average London borough was in any sense the equal of us or the real Krauts.
    Wait until you hear about Iceland!
    Iceland isn't in the EU.
    Not, but it's a real country and it has half the population of Luxembourg.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 27,531
    edited May 31
    Leon said:

    Luxembourg feels quite German so far. But then I’ve only been here about an hour, so I’ve only seen 90% of it

    The most interesting things I remember from my day in Luxembourg long ago were:

    1 - A large park in a valley in the City, where there was a mini drainage ditch through the middle, and a parent explained the concept of "self-cleansing velocity" to me. That is, the flow speed at which sediment will not collect in a channel.

    2 - The approach to Luxembourg's largest reservoir 30k north of the city, at Esch-sur-Sûre, from below. A tiny tunnel takes you through a ridge from the I2 to a perfect village around a castle on a rock on the river meander, and far end of the valley a mile away is blocked by a huge dam.

    A nine year old, or a late middle aged travel writer who had too much gin taken, might compare it to Gondolin.

    https://maps.app.goo.gl/rPgJ2K5imFKYAh4A9
  • LeonLeon Posts: 61,405
    HAHAHAHA

    I don’t like to gloat but the Economist has just run a piece about a quirky but brilliant British invention which has the potential to transform the world

    Yes

    what3words
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 51,606

    Foxy said:

    TimS said:

    Fun map exercise posted earlier by Meeks (FOTP).

    https://smstone0.github.io/#/uk-map

    All the places in the UK you’ve lived, stayed, visited, stopped in or passed through.


    I score 246. All of England covered, no NI, and half of Scotland to go.
    Only 199 for me. I think I've been everywhere in Great Britain with the exception of the very far north of Scotland and that big bit in the middle of Wales. No Isles of Man or Wight, only Down in NI. But I've only actually lived in four places in the UK: Fife, Tyne and Wear, Cambridgeshire and London. I lived overseas for eight years but no points for that. Not in this game!
    I just remembered I stayed in Lincolnshire rather than simply passing through! I reckon there are a few more points I can pick up if I really think about it.
    Most things in life will benefit from really thinking about them.
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 32,070
    Leon said:

    HAHAHAHA

    I don’t like to gloat but the Economist has just run a piece about a quirky but brilliant British invention which has the potential to transform the world

    Yes

    what3words

    Are you planning a greatest hits album?
  • LeonLeon Posts: 61,405

    Leon said:

    HAHAHAHA

    I don’t like to gloat but the Economist has just run a piece about a quirky but brilliant British invention which has the potential to transform the world

    Yes

    what3words

    Are you planning a greatest hits album?
    I have noticed it slowly spreading in recent years. In Canada they use it a fair amount. Also Japan (which makes total sense as Japanese addresses are notoriously complex, confusing and weird - even for Japanese people (like their language))

    If they crack the American market they might finally have that success I predicted years ago when I got “slightly overexcited”

    All we need then is Liz Truss to.. ok ok that’s going too far
  • Pagan2Pagan2 Posts: 11,717

    eek said:


    If he wasn't in Parliament that offence would likely resulted in him being out the door that day for gross misconduct.
    After the Labour expenses scandal Labour MPs served custodial sentences for similar offences (granted the sums were greater). How the Desmond deal didn't breach any laws genuinely baffled me.
    Administrative errors are endemic in parliament expenses - Starmers Donkey paddock for example
    It's probably an occupational risk when your job involves expenses on a day to day basis rather than exceptionally
    Try claiming expenses for your fuel for the journey after the company have paid for a rail warrant. See you at the Jobcentre.
    The company I work for has discovered a good ruse....they will only give you expenses for mileage if you have business insurance on your car....the cost of which will naturally exceed most peoples mileage claims per year
  • CatManCatMan Posts: 3,281

    rcs1000 said:

    Fishing said:

    Leon said:

    Luxembourg feels quite German so far. But then I’ve only been here about an hour, so I’ve only seen 90% of it

    It's marked all wrong on maps.

    They have it as a country, whereas really it's just a tax dodge.

    One of the many idiocies of our membership of the EU was how we had to pretend that a place with a population of an average London borough was in any sense the equal of us or the real Krauts.
    Wait until you hear about Iceland!
    Iceland isn't in the EU.
    It might be soon

    https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2024/12/22/icelands-incoming-government-says-it-will-put-eu-membership-to-referendum-by-2027
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 32,070
    Leon said:

    eek said:

    rcs1000 said:

    kinabalu said:

    MattW said:

    isam said:

    MattW said:

    isam said:

    Lord Hermer, Starmer’s AG & the government’s shield for not doing anything about the small boats is currently apologising for saying Reform & the Conservatives are the equivalent of 1930s Nazis

    I'm not sure that's a wise political move, because afaics he made no such actual comparison. He is letting himself be defined by misrepresentation by his opponents.

    He made a comparison of the potential consequences of rolling back international law, and letting the political interests of the current party in control override the basic systems of the State/country, and is the basic agenda of those behind Trump. That was what happened in 1933, and his apposite warning is where it can lead.

    It's a standard playbook - try and avoid a criticism by invoking a far more extreme version and demanding in a loud voice "Why are you calling me THIS?".

    I'd say he should have issued a careful statement, then made a speech, ramming their claim straight back down their throats, refusing to be pulled down into the mud. This is Starmer & co being too timid again, and ceding control of the agenda.

    Both the Conservative Right and Reform are politically fragile, and need to be shattered into little pieces.

    Official text of the speech:
    https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/attorney-generals-2025-rusi-annual-security-lecture

    Guardian report:
    https://www.theguardian.com/law/2025/may/30/attorney-general-richard-hermer-apologises-for-comparing-tories-and-reform-to-nazis

    He said people were making the point, leaving the Human Rights convention, in the Palacevof Westminster, then started referencing those who opened the door to Hitler didn’t he?
    That's not a Hitler comparison either, though.

    TBF comparisons with Italy 1920s, or even Erdogan, or Trump, are likely to be more effective, in addition to being more accurate, as less generative of elephant traps for - here - Hermer.

    I've not seen much debate comparing Farage, or say Jenrick, directly to Trump - but I see no reason why it it inappropriate.

    If someone gets their head together, there will be commentary around Farage's praise of Andrew Tate *after* he had been charged with rape, as a good role model. We shall see.
    Whilst it's usually best to avoid namechecking Hitler I see no problem with saying there are afoot today strands of the same kind of sentiment that fed the rise of fascism pre WW2. It's difficult for history to be a warning if nobody talks about it.

    The main thing is to avoid facile hyperbole of the "1984 was not an instruction manual" variety. If I had a pound for every one of those uttered in response to something like Tesco putting cameras in the car park I'd be ... well I'd need a big jar.
    By the way, when we go get another Hitler (or equivalent), it's worth remembering that it is all the fault of the libs, for allowing people to use whatever pronoun they liked.
    Jenrick is being accused of preparing the ground for a Kristallnacht against Turkish barber shops.

    https://x.com/Femi_Sorry/status/1928418627205972171
    There are so many of them in many places that it's impossible to work out what other purpose they could have?
    Also they very often name and advertise themselves as “Turkish barbers” - we have about six in Camden and I think they all have signs saying exactly that

    Jenrick is identifying something we can all see every day yet the left is so pathetically weedily woke and ultra-keen to be offended this is apparently “racist”

    I think I hate the British left much more than the barbers themselves. Who always seem quite genial
    The British left are not overly keen on Spectator hacks either.
  • Pagan2Pagan2 Posts: 11,717
    rcs1000 said:

    kinabalu said:

    MattW said:

    isam said:

    MattW said:

    isam said:

    Lord Hermer, Starmer’s AG & the government’s shield for not doing anything about the small boats is currently apologising for saying Reform & the Conservatives are the equivalent of 1930s Nazis

    I'm not sure that's a wise political move, because afaics he made no such actual comparison. He is letting himself be defined by misrepresentation by his opponents.

    He made a comparison of the potential consequences of rolling back international law, and letting the political interests of the current party in control override the basic systems of the State/country, and is the basic agenda of those behind Trump. That was what happened in 1933, and his apposite warning is where it can lead.

    It's a standard playbook - try and avoid a criticism by invoking a far more extreme version and demanding in a loud voice "Why are you calling me THIS?".

    I'd say he should have issued a careful statement, then made a speech, ramming their claim straight back down their throats, refusing to be pulled down into the mud. This is Starmer & co being too timid again, and ceding control of the agenda.

    Both the Conservative Right and Reform are politically fragile, and need to be shattered into little pieces.

    Official text of the speech:
    https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/attorney-generals-2025-rusi-annual-security-lecture

    Guardian report:
    https://www.theguardian.com/law/2025/may/30/attorney-general-richard-hermer-apologises-for-comparing-tories-and-reform-to-nazis

    He said people were making the point, leaving the Human Rights convention, in the Palacevof Westminster, then started referencing those who opened the door to Hitler didn’t he?
    That's not a Hitler comparison either, though.

    TBF comparisons with Italy 1920s, or even Erdogan, or Trump, are likely to be more effective, in addition to being more accurate, as less generative of elephant traps for - here - Hermer.

    I've not seen much debate comparing Farage, or say Jenrick, directly to Trump - but I see no reason why it it inappropriate.

    If someone gets their head together, there will be commentary around Farage's praise of Andrew Tate *after* he had been charged with rape, as a good role model. We shall see.
    Whilst it's usually best to avoid namechecking Hitler I see no problem with saying there are afoot today strands of the same kind of sentiment that fed the rise of fascism pre WW2. It's difficult for history to be a warning if nobody talks about it.

    The main thing is to avoid facile hyperbole of the "1984 was not an instruction manual" variety. If I had a pound for every one of those uttered in response to something like Tesco putting cameras in the car park I'd be ... well I'd need a big jar.
    By the way, when we go get another Hitler (or equivalent), it's worth remembering that it is all the fault of the libs, for allowing people to use whatever pronoun they liked.
    Besides I don't think starmer's government is as bad as the kinablu makes out
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 54,854
    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    I can report that despite Sir Keir Traitor’s bleatings, e-gates have not been opened for Brits in the EU. He’s gonna have a lot of disappointed British voters fuming at him on holibobs this summer. What an idiot

    I can however report that I am now in my…. HUNDREDTH COUNTRY. A lifetime goal achieved

    100 countries!!


    Yes ok it’s Luxembourg. So also possibly the most boring country on earth. But that’s kind of fitting

    Go everywhere, young man!

    But he said we were all excited by his prime negotiation win. This can't be right
    It’s such desperately crap basic retail politics. If you can’t deliver, don’t promise. Instead he promised and he hasn’t delivered

    He will hack off another million holidaying British voters this summer, for no reason at all other than that he is terrible at comms
    The structure of the deal is a mistake.

    Should have been

    - 3 years fishing rights
    - If, after that, e gates are implemented for less than x% of journeys, or less than x billion in orders from common European defence fund, then no extension.
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,648
    Oh, so Anna Sourface's moaning on X is actually Starmer's fault? That is funny.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 61,405

    Leon said:

    eek said:

    rcs1000 said:

    kinabalu said:

    MattW said:

    isam said:

    MattW said:

    isam said:

    Lord Hermer, Starmer’s AG & the government’s shield for not doing anything about the small boats is currently apologising for saying Reform & the Conservatives are the equivalent of 1930s Nazis

    I'm not sure that's a wise political move, because afaics he made no such actual comparison. He is letting himself be defined by misrepresentation by his opponents.

    He made a comparison of the potential consequences of rolling back international law, and letting the political interests of the current party in control override the basic systems of the State/country, and is the basic agenda of those behind Trump. That was what happened in 1933, and his apposite warning is where it can lead.

    It's a standard playbook - try and avoid a criticism by invoking a far more extreme version and demanding in a loud voice "Why are you calling me THIS?".

    I'd say he should have issued a careful statement, then made a speech, ramming their claim straight back down their throats, refusing to be pulled down into the mud. This is Starmer & co being too timid again, and ceding control of the agenda.

    Both the Conservative Right and Reform are politically fragile, and need to be shattered into little pieces.

    Official text of the speech:
    https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/attorney-generals-2025-rusi-annual-security-lecture

    Guardian report:
    https://www.theguardian.com/law/2025/may/30/attorney-general-richard-hermer-apologises-for-comparing-tories-and-reform-to-nazis

    He said people were making the point, leaving the Human Rights convention, in the Palacevof Westminster, then started referencing those who opened the door to Hitler didn’t he?
    That's not a Hitler comparison either, though.

    TBF comparisons with Italy 1920s, or even Erdogan, or Trump, are likely to be more effective, in addition to being more accurate, as less generative of elephant traps for - here - Hermer.

    I've not seen much debate comparing Farage, or say Jenrick, directly to Trump - but I see no reason why it it inappropriate.

    If someone gets their head together, there will be commentary around Farage's praise of Andrew Tate *after* he had been charged with rape, as a good role model. We shall see.
    Whilst it's usually best to avoid namechecking Hitler I see no problem with saying there are afoot today strands of the same kind of sentiment that fed the rise of fascism pre WW2. It's difficult for history to be a warning if nobody talks about it.

    The main thing is to avoid facile hyperbole of the "1984 was not an instruction manual" variety. If I had a pound for every one of those uttered in response to something like Tesco putting cameras in the car park I'd be ... well I'd need a big jar.
    By the way, when we go get another Hitler (or equivalent), it's worth remembering that it is all the fault of the libs, for allowing people to use whatever pronoun they liked.
    Jenrick is being accused of preparing the ground for a Kristallnacht against Turkish barber shops.

    https://x.com/Femi_Sorry/status/1928418627205972171
    There are so many of them in many places that it's impossible to work out what other purpose they could have?
    Also they very often name and advertise themselves as “Turkish barbers” - we have about six in Camden and I think they all have signs saying exactly that

    Jenrick is identifying something we can all see every day yet the left is so pathetically weedily woke and ultra-keen to be offended this is apparently “racist”

    I think I hate the British left much more than the barbers themselves. Who always seem quite genial
    The British left are not overly keen on Spectator hacks either.
    I get a sense Jenrick is extremely cunning

    My bet is that he put the phrase “Turkish barbers” in there not as a racist dog whistle but because he KNEW it would rile woke lefties who would rise to the obvious bait and make themselves look foolish by overreacting. As they have done. And thereby also give even more publicity to his video - and him

    He really is an asset for the Tories. It’s a shame he’s shorter than Sunak

    Either way I don’t think they have much choice now. They have a genuinely talented politician who looks and talks normal and is a deeply ruthless shit who knows how to antagonise enemies and how to use social media

    In the total absence of any rivals - in terms of actual talent - they have to dump kembo and get jenro

    They don’t have any choice
  • Pagan2Pagan2 Posts: 11,717

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    I can report that despite Sir Keir Traitor’s bleatings, e-gates have not been opened for Brits in the EU. He’s gonna have a lot of disappointed British voters fuming at him on holibobs this summer. What an idiot

    I can however report that I am now in my…. HUNDREDTH COUNTRY. A lifetime goal achieved

    100 countries!!


    Yes ok it’s Luxembourg. So also possibly the most boring country on earth. But that’s kind of fitting

    Go everywhere, young man!

    But he said we were all excited by his prime negotiation win. This can't be right
    It’s such desperately crap basic retail politics. If you can’t deliver, don’t promise. Instead he promised and he hasn’t delivered

    He will hack off another million holidaying British voters this summer, for no reason at all other than that he is terrible at comms
    The structure of the deal is a mistake.

    Should have been

    - 3 years fishing rights
    - If, after that, e gates are implemented for less than x% of journeys, or less than x billion in orders from common European defence fund, then no extension.
    Your mistake is thinking Starmer didn't want to offer eternal fishing rights and got talked back to a mere 12 years else the voters wouldn't be happy
  • TazTaz Posts: 18,675

    rcs1000 said:

    kinabalu said:

    MattW said:

    isam said:

    MattW said:

    isam said:

    Lord Hermer, Starmer’s AG & the government’s shield for not doing anything about the small boats is currently apologising for saying Reform & the Conservatives are the equivalent of 1930s Nazis

    I'm not sure that's a wise political move, because afaics he made no such actual comparison. He is letting himself be defined by misrepresentation by his opponents.

    He made a comparison of the potential consequences of rolling back international law, and letting the political interests of the current party in control override the basic systems of the State/country, and is the basic agenda of those behind Trump. That was what happened in 1933, and his apposite warning is where it can lead.

    It's a standard playbook - try and avoid a criticism by invoking a far more extreme version and demanding in a loud voice "Why are you calling me THIS?".

    I'd say he should have issued a careful statement, then made a speech, ramming their claim straight back down their throats, refusing to be pulled down into the mud. This is Starmer & co being too timid again, and ceding control of the agenda.

    Both the Conservative Right and Reform are politically fragile, and need to be shattered into little pieces.

    Official text of the speech:
    https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/attorney-generals-2025-rusi-annual-security-lecture

    Guardian report:
    https://www.theguardian.com/law/2025/may/30/attorney-general-richard-hermer-apologises-for-comparing-tories-and-reform-to-nazis

    He said people were making the point, leaving the Human Rights convention, in the Palacevof Westminster, then started referencing those who opened the door to Hitler didn’t he?
    That's not a Hitler comparison either, though.

    TBF comparisons with Italy 1920s, or even Erdogan, or Trump, are likely to be more effective, in addition to being more accurate, as less generative of elephant traps for - here - Hermer.

    I've not seen much debate comparing Farage, or say Jenrick, directly to Trump - but I see no reason why it it inappropriate.

    If someone gets their head together, there will be commentary around Farage's praise of Andrew Tate *after* he had been charged with rape, as a good role model. We shall see.
    Whilst it's usually best to avoid namechecking Hitler I see no problem with saying there are afoot today strands of the same kind of sentiment that fed the rise of fascism pre WW2. It's difficult for history to be a warning if nobody talks about it.

    The main thing is to avoid facile hyperbole of the "1984 was not an instruction manual" variety. If I had a pound for every one of those uttered in response to something like Tesco putting cameras in the car park I'd be ... well I'd need a big jar.
    By the way, when we go get another Hitler (or equivalent), it's worth remembering that it is all the fault of the libs, for allowing people to use whatever pronoun they liked.
    Jenrick is being accused of preparing the ground for a Kristallnacht against Turkish barber shops.

    https://x.com/Femi_Sorry/status/1928418627205972171
    Fingers on the raging pulse of society
    Femi really is a spacker.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 59,997
    Leon said:

    HAHAHAHA

    I don’t like to gloat but the Economist has just run a piece about a quirky but brilliant British invention which has the potential to transform the world

    Yes

    what3words

    It really is doomed, then.
  • Pagan2Pagan2 Posts: 11,717
    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    eek said:

    rcs1000 said:

    kinabalu said:

    MattW said:

    isam said:

    MattW said:

    isam said:

    Lord Hermer, Starmer’s AG & the government’s shield for not doing anything about the small boats is currently apologising for saying Reform & the Conservatives are the equivalent of 1930s Nazis

    I'm not sure that's a wise political move, because afaics he made no such actual comparison. He is letting himself be defined by misrepresentation by his opponents.

    He made a comparison of the potential consequences of rolling back international law, and letting the political interests of the current party in control override the basic systems of the State/country, and is the basic agenda of those behind Trump. That was what happened in 1933, and his apposite warning is where it can lead.

    It's a standard playbook - try and avoid a criticism by invoking a far more extreme version and demanding in a loud voice "Why are you calling me THIS?".

    I'd say he should have issued a careful statement, then made a speech, ramming their claim straight back down their throats, refusing to be pulled down into the mud. This is Starmer & co being too timid again, and ceding control of the agenda.

    Both the Conservative Right and Reform are politically fragile, and need to be shattered into little pieces.

    Official text of the speech:
    https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/attorney-generals-2025-rusi-annual-security-lecture

    Guardian report:
    https://www.theguardian.com/law/2025/may/30/attorney-general-richard-hermer-apologises-for-comparing-tories-and-reform-to-nazis

    He said people were making the point, leaving the Human Rights convention, in the Palacevof Westminster, then started referencing those who opened the door to Hitler didn’t he?
    That's not a Hitler comparison either, though.

    TBF comparisons with Italy 1920s, or even Erdogan, or Trump, are likely to be more effective, in addition to being more accurate, as less generative of elephant traps for - here - Hermer.

    I've not seen much debate comparing Farage, or say Jenrick, directly to Trump - but I see no reason why it it inappropriate.

    If someone gets their head together, there will be commentary around Farage's praise of Andrew Tate *after* he had been charged with rape, as a good role model. We shall see.
    Whilst it's usually best to avoid namechecking Hitler I see no problem with saying there are afoot today strands of the same kind of sentiment that fed the rise of fascism pre WW2. It's difficult for history to be a warning if nobody talks about it.

    The main thing is to avoid facile hyperbole of the "1984 was not an instruction manual" variety. If I had a pound for every one of those uttered in response to something like Tesco putting cameras in the car park I'd be ... well I'd need a big jar.
    By the way, when we go get another Hitler (or equivalent), it's worth remembering that it is all the fault of the libs, for allowing people to use whatever pronoun they liked.
    Jenrick is being accused of preparing the ground for a Kristallnacht against Turkish barber shops.

    https://x.com/Femi_Sorry/status/1928418627205972171
    There are so many of them in many places that it's impossible to work out what other purpose they could have?
    Also they very often name and advertise themselves as “Turkish barbers” - we have about six in Camden and I think they all have signs saying exactly that

    Jenrick is identifying something we can all see every day yet the left is so pathetically weedily woke and ultra-keen to be offended this is apparently “racist”

    I think I hate the British left much more than the barbers themselves. Who always seem quite genial
    The British left are not overly keen on Spectator hacks either.
    I get a sense Jenrick is extremely cunning

    My bet is that he put the phrase “Turkish barbers” in there not as a racist dog whistle but because he KNEW it would rile woke lefties who would rise to the obvious bait and make themselves look foolish by overreacting. As they have done. And thereby also give even more publicity to his video - and him

    He really is an asset for the Tories. It’s a shame he’s shorter than Sunak

    Either way I don’t think they have much choice now. They have a genuinely talented politician who looks and talks normal and is a deeply ruthless shit who knows how to antagonise enemies and how to use social media

    In the total absence of any rivals - in terms of actual talent - they have to dump kembo and get jenro

    They don’t have any choice
    If he started wearing longer trousers and inch high stilts now, then every 3 months or so raised them another inch by the election he would be tall enough and no one would probably notice his increasing stature
  • TazTaz Posts: 18,675
    rcs1000 said:

    Leon said:

    HAHAHAHA

    I don’t like to gloat but the Economist has just run a piece about a quirky but brilliant British invention which has the potential to transform the world

    Yes

    what3words

    It really is doomed, then.
    The shepherds hut we stopped at last weekend used a what3words link for us to get there.

    First time I’ve had that for six years when we went to a Michelin star place in Oldstead.
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 66,044
    The Lettuce is on tour in freedom-loving Hungary:



    Liz Truss
    @trussliz

    People used to flee Eastern Europe to Britain for freedom.
    Now in 2025, I went to @CPACHungary to talk about the free speech crisis in Britain.

    https://x.com/trussliz/status/1928760108290298214

    There's dozens more paragraphs of tweet bilge if you can face it.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 61,405

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    I can report that despite Sir Keir Traitor’s bleatings, e-gates have not been opened for Brits in the EU. He’s gonna have a lot of disappointed British voters fuming at him on holibobs this summer. What an idiot

    I can however report that I am now in my…. HUNDREDTH COUNTRY. A lifetime goal achieved

    100 countries!!


    Yes ok it’s Luxembourg. So also possibly the most boring country on earth. But that’s kind of fitting

    Go everywhere, young man!

    But he said we were all excited by his prime negotiation win. This can't be right
    It’s such desperately crap basic retail politics. If you can’t deliver, don’t promise. Instead he promised and he hasn’t delivered

    He will hack off another million holidaying British voters this summer, for no reason at all other than that he is terrible at comms
    The structure of the deal is a mistake.

    Should have been

    - 3 years fishing rights
    - If, after that, e gates are implemented for less than x% of journeys, or less than x billion in orders from common European defence fund, then no extension.
    The Spectator is running a piece saying we might be excluded from the Defense Fund anyway, by the French

    So what did Starmer actually get for giving away TWELVE YEARS of fishing rights (when the French were terrified we’d play hardball)? He got absolutely nothing. He got empty promises that mean absolutely nothing (as we now see). He’s a fucking shrieking poo-faced moron and dangerously incompetent. Everything he touches turns to dreck
  • CatManCatMan Posts: 3,281

    The Lettuce is on tour in freedom-loving Hungary:



    Liz Truss
    @trussliz

    People used to flee Eastern Europe to Britain for freedom.
    Now in 2025, I went to @CPACHungary to talk about the free speech crisis in Britain.

    https://x.com/trussliz/status/1928760108290298214

    There's dozens more paragraphs of tweet bilge if you can face it.

    She's right about this part:

    "Underneath all this is a very powerful network, a globalist network, who are very well funded and well organised, and are pursuing their own ideology."

    I think they're called Trump supporters
  • BartholomewRobertsBartholomewRoberts Posts: 24,155
    rcs1000 said:

    Fishing said:

    Leon said:

    Luxembourg feels quite German so far. But then I’ve only been here about an hour, so I’ve only seen 90% of it

    It's marked all wrong on maps.

    They have it as a country, whereas really it's just a tax dodge.

    One of the many idiocies of our membership of the EU was how we had to pretend that a place with a population of an average London borough was in any sense the equal of us or the real Krauts.
    Wait until you hear about Iceland!
    That's just a supermarket not a tax dodge.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 77,876
    Freedom of speech in US academia.

    Fired for posting this on LinkedIn.
    "We can have criticisms of DEI without wanting to tear down the whole concept of diversity and inclusion."
    https://quillette.com/2025/05/16/is-the-university-of-austin-betraying-its-founding-principles/
  • Pro_RataPro_Rata Posts: 5,628
    IanB2 said:

    Foxy said:

    TimS said:

    Fun map exercise posted earlier by Meeks (FOTP).

    https://smstone0.github.io/#/uk-map

    All the places in the UK you’ve lived, stayed, visited, stopped in or passed through.


    I score 246. All of England covered, no NI, and half of Scotland to go.
    Only 199 for me. I think I've been everywhere in Great Britain with the exception of the very far north of Scotland and that big bit in the middle of Wales. No Isles of Man or Wight, only Down in NI. But I've only actually lived in four places in the UK: Fife, Tyne and Wear, Cambridgeshire and London. I lived overseas for eight years but no points for that. Not in this game!
    I just remembered I stayed in Lincolnshire rather than simply passing through! I reckon there are a few more points I can pick up if I really think about it.
    Most things in life will benefit from really thinking about them.
    After making a few judgement calls*, I'm sitting at 251, including bits of NI, Wales and much of Scotland.

    *
    1. Did that diversion into Durham City for chips on the way to Scotland constitute a visit rather than a stop - yes, wandering up to the promontory and going into the Cathedral surely counts.
    2. Did visiting my brother briefly but finding him the worse for wear from the previous night on my way south constitute a visit. Well, yes, "did visiting constitute a visit" answers itself.
    3. Any train change or airport is a minimum stop (P.S. nobody miss out on Bristol which is tiny on the map).
    4. Working out where the hell some of those Scottish lieutenancy areas are - Tweeddale, what?, so is that on the A68? Er, no.
    5. Really, cba with working out what motorway service areas are in Warwickshire and Worcestershire and trying to recall any stops, but I have definite bands of flyover counties.
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 10,841
    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    eek said:

    rcs1000 said:

    kinabalu said:

    MattW said:

    isam said:

    MattW said:

    isam said:

    Lord Hermer, Starmer’s AG & the government’s shield for not doing anything about the small boats is currently apologising for saying Reform & the Conservatives are the equivalent of 1930s Nazis

    I'm not sure that's a wise political move, because afaics he made no such actual comparison. He is letting himself be defined by misrepresentation by his opponents.

    He made a comparison of the potential consequences of rolling back international law, and letting the political interests of the current party in control override the basic systems of the State/country, and is the basic agenda of those behind Trump. That was what happened in 1933, and his apposite warning is where it can lead.

    It's a standard playbook - try and avoid a criticism by invoking a far more extreme version and demanding in a loud voice "Why are you calling me THIS?".

    I'd say he should have issued a careful statement, then made a speech, ramming their claim straight back down their throats, refusing to be pulled down into the mud. This is Starmer & co being too timid again, and ceding control of the agenda.

    Both the Conservative Right and Reform are politically fragile, and need to be shattered into little pieces.

    Official text of the speech:
    https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/attorney-generals-2025-rusi-annual-security-lecture

    Guardian report:
    https://www.theguardian.com/law/2025/may/30/attorney-general-richard-hermer-apologises-for-comparing-tories-and-reform-to-nazis

    He said people were making the point, leaving the Human Rights convention, in the Palacevof Westminster, then started referencing those who opened the door to Hitler didn’t he?
    That's not a Hitler comparison either, though.

    TBF comparisons with Italy 1920s, or even Erdogan, or Trump, are likely to be more effective, in addition to being more accurate, as less generative of elephant traps for - here - Hermer.

    I've not seen much debate comparing Farage, or say Jenrick, directly to Trump - but I see no reason why it it inappropriate.

    If someone gets their head together, there will be commentary around Farage's praise of Andrew Tate *after* he had been charged with rape, as a good role model. We shall see.
    Whilst it's usually best to avoid namechecking Hitler I see no problem with saying there are afoot today strands of the same kind of sentiment that fed the rise of fascism pre WW2. It's difficult for history to be a warning if nobody talks about it.

    The main thing is to avoid facile hyperbole of the "1984 was not an instruction manual" variety. If I had a pound for every one of those uttered in response to something like Tesco putting cameras in the car park I'd be ... well I'd need a big jar.
    By the way, when we go get another Hitler (or equivalent), it's worth remembering that it is all the fault of the libs, for allowing people to use whatever pronoun they liked.
    Jenrick is being accused of preparing the ground for a Kristallnacht against Turkish barber shops.

    https://x.com/Femi_Sorry/status/1928418627205972171
    There are so many of them in many places that it's impossible to work out what other purpose they could have?
    Also they very often name and advertise themselves as “Turkish barbers” - we have about six in Camden and I think they all have signs saying exactly that

    Jenrick is identifying something we can all see every day yet the left is so pathetically weedily woke and ultra-keen to be offended this is apparently “racist”

    I think I hate the British left much more than the barbers themselves. Who always seem quite genial
    The British left are not overly keen on Spectator hacks either.
    I get a sense Jenrick is extremely cunning

    My bet is that he put the phrase “Turkish barbers” in there not as a racist dog whistle but because he KNEW it would rile woke lefties who would rise to the obvious bait and make themselves look foolish by overreacting. As they have done. And thereby also give even more publicity to his video - and him

    He really is an asset for the Tories. It’s a shame he’s shorter than Sunak

    Either way I don’t think they have much choice now. They have a genuinely talented politician who looks and talks normal and is a deeply ruthless shit who knows how to antagonise enemies and how to use social media

    In the total absence of any rivals - in terms of actual talent - they have to dump kembo and get jenro

    They don’t have any choice
    So naturally they will go for Victoria Atkins
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 44,634
    edited May 31
    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    Luxembourg feels quite German so far. But then I’ve only been here about an hour, so I’ve only seen 90% of it

    Some years ago when the children were young we stayed overnight in Luxembourg on our drive to Italy

    The hotel did a BBQ but about 2.30am with indigestion from the BBQ we checked out for the long drive

    Later in the early hours we were stopped by the police to allow s long convoy of cruise missiles through

    The kids talk about it to this day
    I LOVE LUXEMBOURG

    They’ve sent me to a rather charming little medieval town, curved around a meandering river - Clervaux. Where they are having a Provençal market festival in a place that feels like a prosperous corner of Germany inhabited by Belgians talking French underneath an Austro-Hungarian castle

    Thank God we brexited to get away from stuff like this



    Plus an inexplicable American tank. Sherman?
    It is indeed a M4 (the Sherman was the British name, strictly speaking, and when one has Malmesbury around ...). From the Battle of the Bulge, in that location, no less, it seems. Ergo highly explicable when all is known.

    https://www.tracesofwar.com/sights/155342/M4A3-Sherman-Tank-Clervaux-.htm
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 77,876
    This is a fairly big deal for the capability of their airforce

    Ukraine integrates NATO command and control system into combat aviation
    https://militarnyi.com/en/news/ukraine-integrates-nato-command-and-control-system-into-combat-aviation/

  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 55,429
    CatMan said:

    The Lettuce is on tour in freedom-loving Hungary:



    Liz Truss
    @trussliz

    People used to flee Eastern Europe to Britain for freedom.
    Now in 2025, I went to @CPACHungary to talk about the free speech crisis in Britain.

    https://x.com/trussliz/status/1928760108290298214

    There's dozens more paragraphs of tweet bilge if you can face it.

    She's right about this part:

    "Underneath all this is a very powerful network, a globalist network, who are very well funded and well organised, and are pursuing their own ideology."

    I think they're called Trump supporters
    That is a false conclusion. They are merely buyers of Trump, it is a broad and open market.
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 30,973
    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    eek said:

    rcs1000 said:

    kinabalu said:

    MattW said:

    isam said:

    MattW said:

    isam said:

    Lord Hermer, Starmer’s AG & the government’s shield for not doing anything about the small boats is currently apologising for saying Reform & the Conservatives are the equivalent of 1930s Nazis

    I'm not sure that's a wise political move, because afaics he made no such actual comparison. He is letting himself be defined by misrepresentation by his opponents.

    He made a comparison of the potential consequences of rolling back international law, and letting the political interests of the current party in control override the basic systems of the State/country, and is the basic agenda of those behind Trump. That was what happened in 1933, and his apposite warning is where it can lead.

    It's a standard playbook - try and avoid a criticism by invoking a far more extreme version and demanding in a loud voice "Why are you calling me THIS?".

    I'd say he should have issued a careful statement, then made a speech, ramming their claim straight back down their throats, refusing to be pulled down into the mud. This is Starmer & co being too timid again, and ceding control of the agenda.

    Both the Conservative Right and Reform are politically fragile, and need to be shattered into little pieces.

    Official text of the speech:
    https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/attorney-generals-2025-rusi-annual-security-lecture

    Guardian report:
    https://www.theguardian.com/law/2025/may/30/attorney-general-richard-hermer-apologises-for-comparing-tories-and-reform-to-nazis

    He said people were making the point, leaving the Human Rights convention, in the Palacevof Westminster, then started referencing those who opened the door to Hitler didn’t he?
    That's not a Hitler comparison either, though.

    TBF comparisons with Italy 1920s, or even Erdogan, or Trump, are likely to be more effective, in addition to being more accurate, as less generative of elephant traps for - here - Hermer.

    I've not seen much debate comparing Farage, or say Jenrick, directly to Trump - but I see no reason why it it inappropriate.

    If someone gets their head together, there will be commentary around Farage's praise of Andrew Tate *after* he had been charged with rape, as a good role model. We shall see.
    Whilst it's usually best to avoid namechecking Hitler I see no problem with saying there are afoot today strands of the same kind of sentiment that fed the rise of fascism pre WW2. It's difficult for history to be a warning if nobody talks about it.

    The main thing is to avoid facile hyperbole of the "1984 was not an instruction manual" variety. If I had a pound for every one of those uttered in response to something like Tesco putting cameras in the car park I'd be ... well I'd need a big jar.
    By the way, when we go get another Hitler (or equivalent), it's worth remembering that it is all the fault of the libs, for allowing people to use whatever pronoun they liked.
    Jenrick is being accused of preparing the ground for a Kristallnacht against Turkish barber shops.

    https://x.com/Femi_Sorry/status/1928418627205972171
    There are so many of them in many places that it's impossible to work out what other purpose they could have?
    Also they very often name and advertise themselves as “Turkish barbers” - we have about six in Camden and I think they all have signs saying exactly that

    Jenrick is identifying something we can all see every day yet the left is so pathetically weedily woke and ultra-keen to be offended this is apparently “racist”

    I think I hate the British left much more than the barbers themselves. Who always seem quite genial
    The British left are not overly keen on Spectator hacks either.
    I get a sense Jenrick is extremely cunning

    My bet is that he put the phrase “Turkish barbers” in there not as a racist dog whistle but because he KNEW it would rile woke lefties who would rise to the obvious bait and make themselves look foolish by overreacting. As they have done. And thereby also give even more publicity to his video - and him

    He really is an asset for the Tories. It’s a shame he’s shorter than Sunak

    Either way I don’t think they have much choice now. They have a genuinely talented politician who looks and talks normal and is a deeply ruthless shit who knows how to antagonise enemies and how to use social media

    In the total absence of any rivals - in terms of actual talent - they have to dump kembo and get jenro

    They don’t have any choice
    Jenrick for Mayor! Rob J has obviously read PB's analysis and realised anyone taking over from Kemi now is themselves doomed, so is following the Boris route to Downing Street via City Hall.

    So his current rival is not Kemi but James Cleverly, erstwhile nominee presumptive.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 77,876

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    eek said:

    rcs1000 said:

    kinabalu said:

    MattW said:

    isam said:

    MattW said:

    isam said:

    Lord Hermer, Starmer’s AG & the government’s shield for not doing anything about the small boats is currently apologising for saying Reform & the Conservatives are the equivalent of 1930s Nazis

    I'm not sure that's a wise political move, because afaics he made no such actual comparison. He is letting himself be defined by misrepresentation by his opponents.

    He made a comparison of the potential consequences of rolling back international law, and letting the political interests of the current party in control override the basic systems of the State/country, and is the basic agenda of those behind Trump. That was what happened in 1933, and his apposite warning is where it can lead.

    It's a standard playbook - try and avoid a criticism by invoking a far more extreme version and demanding in a loud voice "Why are you calling me THIS?".

    I'd say he should have issued a careful statement, then made a speech, ramming their claim straight back down their throats, refusing to be pulled down into the mud. This is Starmer & co being too timid again, and ceding control of the agenda.

    Both the Conservative Right and Reform are politically fragile, and need to be shattered into little pieces.

    Official text of the speech:
    https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/attorney-generals-2025-rusi-annual-security-lecture

    Guardian report:
    https://www.theguardian.com/law/2025/may/30/attorney-general-richard-hermer-apologises-for-comparing-tories-and-reform-to-nazis

    He said people were making the point, leaving the Human Rights convention, in the Palacevof Westminster, then started referencing those who opened the door to Hitler didn’t he?
    That's not a Hitler comparison either, though.

    TBF comparisons with Italy 1920s, or even Erdogan, or Trump, are likely to be more effective, in addition to being more accurate, as less generative of elephant traps for - here - Hermer.

    I've not seen much debate comparing Farage, or say Jenrick, directly to Trump - but I see no reason why it it inappropriate.

    If someone gets their head together, there will be commentary around Farage's praise of Andrew Tate *after* he had been charged with rape, as a good role model. We shall see.
    Whilst it's usually best to avoid namechecking Hitler I see no problem with saying there are afoot today strands of the same kind of sentiment that fed the rise of fascism pre WW2. It's difficult for history to be a warning if nobody talks about it.

    The main thing is to avoid facile hyperbole of the "1984 was not an instruction manual" variety. If I had a pound for every one of those uttered in response to something like Tesco putting cameras in the car park I'd be ... well I'd need a big jar.
    By the way, when we go get another Hitler (or equivalent), it's worth remembering that it is all the fault of the libs, for allowing people to use whatever pronoun they liked.
    Jenrick is being accused of preparing the ground for a Kristallnacht against Turkish barber shops.

    https://x.com/Femi_Sorry/status/1928418627205972171
    There are so many of them in many places that it's impossible to work out what other purpose they could have?
    Also they very often name and advertise themselves as “Turkish barbers” - we have about six in Camden and I think they all have signs saying exactly that

    Jenrick is identifying something we can all see every day yet the left is so pathetically weedily woke and ultra-keen to be offended this is apparently “racist”

    I think I hate the British left much more than the barbers themselves. Who always seem quite genial
    The British left are not overly keen on Spectator hacks either.
    I get a sense Jenrick is extremely cunning

    My bet is that he put the phrase “Turkish barbers” in there not as a racist dog whistle but because he KNEW it would rile woke lefties who would rise to the obvious bait and make themselves look foolish by overreacting. As they have done. And thereby also give even more publicity to his video - and him

    He really is an asset for the Tories. It’s a shame he’s shorter than Sunak

    Either way I don’t think they have much choice now. They have a genuinely talented politician who looks and talks normal and is a deeply ruthless shit who knows how to antagonise enemies and how to use social media

    In the total absence of any rivals - in terms of actual talent - they have to dump kembo and get jenro

    They don’t have any choice
    Jenrick for Mayor! Rob J has obviously read PB's analysis and realised anyone taking over from Kemi now is themselves doomed, so is following the Boris route to Downing Street via City Hall.

    So his current rival is not Kemi but James Cleverly, erstwhile nominee presumptive.
    Would have the added benefit of hedging his bets over switching parties.
    If elected, he could defer any such decision.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 59,997
    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    I can report that despite Sir Keir Traitor’s bleatings, e-gates have not been opened for Brits in the EU. He’s gonna have a lot of disappointed British voters fuming at him on holibobs this summer. What an idiot

    I can however report that I am now in my…. HUNDREDTH COUNTRY. A lifetime goal achieved

    100 countries!!


    Yes ok it’s Luxembourg. So also possibly the most boring country on earth. But that’s kind of fitting

    Go everywhere, young man!

    But he said we were all excited by his prime negotiation win. This can't be right
    It’s such desperately crap basic retail politics. If you can’t deliver, don’t promise. Instead he promised and he hasn’t delivered

    He will hack off another million holidaying British voters this summer, for no reason at all other than that he is terrible at comms
    The structure of the deal is a mistake.

    Should have been

    - 3 years fishing rights
    - If, after that, e gates are implemented for less than x% of journeys, or less than x billion in orders from common European defence fund, then no extension.
    The Spectator is running a piece saying we might be excluded from the Defense Fund anyway, by the French

    So what did Starmer actually get for giving away TWELVE YEARS of fishing rights (when the French were terrified we’d play hardball)? He got absolutely nothing. He got empty promises that mean absolutely nothing (as we now see). He’s a fucking shrieking poo-faced moron and dangerously incompetent. Everything he touches turns to dreck
    How fucking shit is a defence fund?

    Let's have some balls and have a proper attack fund.
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 55,500
    rcs1000 said:

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    I can report that despite Sir Keir Traitor’s bleatings, e-gates have not been opened for Brits in the EU. He’s gonna have a lot of disappointed British voters fuming at him on holibobs this summer. What an idiot

    I can however report that I am now in my…. HUNDREDTH COUNTRY. A lifetime goal achieved

    100 countries!!


    Yes ok it’s Luxembourg. So also possibly the most boring country on earth. But that’s kind of fitting

    Go everywhere, young man!

    But he said we were all excited by his prime negotiation win. This can't be right
    It’s such desperately crap basic retail politics. If you can’t deliver, don’t promise. Instead he promised and he hasn’t delivered

    He will hack off another million holidaying British voters this summer, for no reason at all other than that he is terrible at comms
    The structure of the deal is a mistake.

    Should have been

    - 3 years fishing rights
    - If, after that, e gates are implemented for less than x% of journeys, or less than x billion in orders from common European defence fund, then no extension.
    The Spectator is running a piece saying we might be excluded from the Defense Fund anyway, by the French

    So what did Starmer actually get for giving away TWELVE YEARS of fishing rights (when the French were terrified we’d play hardball)? He got absolutely nothing. He got empty promises that mean absolutely nothing (as we now see). He’s a fucking shrieking poo-faced moron and dangerously incompetent. Everything he touches turns to dreck
    How fucking shit is a defence fund?

    Let's have some balls and have a proper attack fund.
    It is the best form of defence.
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 10,841
    rcs1000 said:

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    I can report that despite Sir Keir Traitor’s bleatings, e-gates have not been opened for Brits in the EU. He’s gonna have a lot of disappointed British voters fuming at him on holibobs this summer. What an idiot

    I can however report that I am now in my…. HUNDREDTH COUNTRY. A lifetime goal achieved

    100 countries!!


    Yes ok it’s Luxembourg. So also possibly the most boring country on earth. But that’s kind of fitting

    Go everywhere, young man!

    But he said we were all excited by his prime negotiation win. This can't be right
    It’s such desperately crap basic retail politics. If you can’t deliver, don’t promise. Instead he promised and he hasn’t delivered

    He will hack off another million holidaying British voters this summer, for no reason at all other than that he is terrible at comms
    The structure of the deal is a mistake.

    Should have been

    - 3 years fishing rights
    - If, after that, e gates are implemented for less than x% of journeys, or less than x billion in orders from common European defence fund, then no extension.
    The Spectator is running a piece saying we might be excluded from the Defense Fund anyway, by the French

    So what did Starmer actually get for giving away TWELVE YEARS of fishing rights (when the French were terrified we’d play hardball)? He got absolutely nothing. He got empty promises that mean absolutely nothing (as we now see). He’s a fucking shrieking poo-faced moron and dangerously incompetent. Everything he touches turns to dreck
    How fucking shit is a defence fund?

    Let's have some balls and have a proper attack fund.
    Every citizen gets a free 'cruise missile' joker they can play on any nation once in their life
  • FF43FF43 Posts: 18,053
    TimS said:

    Fun map exercise posted earlier by Meeks (FOTP).

    https://smstone0.github.io/#/uk-map

    All the places in the UK you’ve lived, stayed, visited, stopped in or passed through.


    328 for me. I have visited every county on mainland Britain except 4 and stayed or lived in all bar 12. Which I hadn't realised until I filled in this map.
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 10,841
    edited May 31
    https://x.com/GBNEWS/status/1928859021471264845?s=19

    Jenrick plays GBNews buzzword bingo and comes up jackpot
    The boys aflame
  • ChrisChris Posts: 11,998
    "Can we not recruit peers like normal jobs? Standard recruitment isn’t perfect, but employers at least try to work out what kind of person they want, via job descriptions, and systematically choose accordingly. It would not be hard to recruit some politically neutral appointers and select better people for the Lords."

    Sorry, but given that you're talking about members of the legislature I think that's very naive.

    Unless you're talking about sortition, of course, in which case it really wouldn't be hard.

  • BartholomewRobertsBartholomewRoberts Posts: 24,155
    Leon said:

    So what did Starmer actually get for giving away TWELVE YEARS of fishing rights (when the French were terrified we’d play hardball)?

    A press conference.
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 10,841
    I'm tempted to have a small bet on Starmer out in 2025. 9/2 seems generous given his appalling ratings and attempts at being PM.
    A little nibble.
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 20,442
    I say this through gritted teeth but Sunderland is actually quite nice. Especially around Roker way on the coast and the redeveloped Vaux brewery site where the new City Hall is. It also has good metro links to the toon.
  • bondegezoubondegezou Posts: 14,506
    rcs1000 said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Fishing said:

    Leon said:

    Luxembourg feels quite German so far. But then I’ve only been here about an hour, so I’ve only seen 90% of it

    It's marked all wrong on maps.

    They have it as a country, whereas really it's just a tax dodge.

    One of the many idiocies of our membership of the EU was how we had to pretend that a place with a population of an average London borough was in any sense the equal of us or the real Krauts.
    Wait until you hear about Iceland!
    Iceland isn't in the EU.
    Not, but it's a real country and it has half the population of Luxembourg.
    And still over 150 times the population of an independent Chagos Islands?
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 10,841
    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    I can report that despite Sir Keir Traitor’s bleatings, e-gates have not been opened for Brits in the EU. He’s gonna have a lot of disappointed British voters fuming at him on holibobs this summer. What an idiot

    I can however report that I am now in my…. HUNDREDTH COUNTRY. A lifetime goal achieved

    100 countries!!


    Yes ok it’s Luxembourg. So also possibly the most boring country on earth. But that’s kind of fitting

    Go everywhere, young man!

    But he said we were all excited by his prime negotiation win. This can't be right
    It’s such desperately crap basic retail politics. If you can’t deliver, don’t promise. Instead he promised and he hasn’t delivered

    He will hack off another million holidaying British voters this summer, for no reason at all other than that he is terrible at comms
    The structure of the deal is a mistake.

    Should have been

    - 3 years fishing rights
    - If, after that, e gates are implemented for less than x% of journeys, or less than x billion in orders from common European defence fund, then no extension.
    The Spectator is running a piece saying we might be excluded from the Defense Fund anyway, by the French

    So what did Starmer actually get for giving away TWELVE YEARS of fishing rights (when the French were terrified we’d play hardball)? He got absolutely nothing. He got empty promises that mean absolutely nothing (as we now see). He’s a fucking shrieking poo-faced moron and dangerously incompetent. Everything he touches turns to dreck
    He got the Blankety Blank chequebook and pen and he leaves with all of their good wishes
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 20,442

    I say this through gritted teeth but Sunderland is actually quite nice. Especially around Roker way on the coast and the redeveloped Vaux brewery site where the new City Hall is. It also has good metro links to the toon.

    The Fire Station next to the Empire Theatre is also an excellent venue
  • carnforthcarnforth Posts: 6,184
    edited May 31

    Leon said:

    So what did Starmer actually get for giving away TWELVE YEARS of fishing rights (when the French were terrified we’d play hardball)?

    A press conference.
    And that the SPS agreement will not be linked to fishing quotas.

    So a government will balls in twelve years can let the fisheries agreeement lapse, get more fish, and still be able to sell shellfish etc. to the EU.

    I would think the chance of that happening is small, but it was apparently a negotiating priority.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 77,876
    Damn.
    I just realised No Mow May is over.

  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 54,854
    rcs1000 said:

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    I can report that despite Sir Keir Traitor’s bleatings, e-gates have not been opened for Brits in the EU. He’s gonna have a lot of disappointed British voters fuming at him on holibobs this summer. What an idiot

    I can however report that I am now in my…. HUNDREDTH COUNTRY. A lifetime goal achieved

    100 countries!!


    Yes ok it’s Luxembourg. So also possibly the most boring country on earth. But that’s kind of fitting

    Go everywhere, young man!

    But he said we were all excited by his prime negotiation win. This can't be right
    It’s such desperately crap basic retail politics. If you can’t deliver, don’t promise. Instead he promised and he hasn’t delivered

    He will hack off another million holidaying British voters this summer, for no reason at all other than that he is terrible at comms
    The structure of the deal is a mistake.

    Should have been

    - 3 years fishing rights
    - If, after that, e gates are implemented for less than x% of journeys, or less than x billion in orders from common European defence fund, then no extension.
    The Spectator is running a piece saying we might be excluded from the Defense Fund anyway, by the French

    So what did Starmer actually get for giving away TWELVE YEARS of fishing rights (when the French were terrified we’d play hardball)? He got absolutely nothing. He got empty promises that mean absolutely nothing (as we now see). He’s a fucking shrieking poo-faced moron and dangerously incompetent. Everything he touches turns to dreck
    How fucking shit is a defence fund?

    Let's have some balls and have a proper attack fund.
    A “Destroy Russia by making every Russian gay” Fund?

    Line up the 344mm Lepage Crème Brûlée guns…
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 10,841
    edited May 31
    We've hit the big 1000 on boats today.
    Gangs smashed
  • BartholomewRobertsBartholomewRoberts Posts: 24,155

    rcs1000 said:

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    I can report that despite Sir Keir Traitor’s bleatings, e-gates have not been opened for Brits in the EU. He’s gonna have a lot of disappointed British voters fuming at him on holibobs this summer. What an idiot

    I can however report that I am now in my…. HUNDREDTH COUNTRY. A lifetime goal achieved

    100 countries!!


    Yes ok it’s Luxembourg. So also possibly the most boring country on earth. But that’s kind of fitting

    Go everywhere, young man!

    But he said we were all excited by his prime negotiation win. This can't be right
    It’s such desperately crap basic retail politics. If you can’t deliver, don’t promise. Instead he promised and he hasn’t delivered

    He will hack off another million holidaying British voters this summer, for no reason at all other than that he is terrible at comms
    The structure of the deal is a mistake.

    Should have been

    - 3 years fishing rights
    - If, after that, e gates are implemented for less than x% of journeys, or less than x billion in orders from common European defence fund, then no extension.
    The Spectator is running a piece saying we might be excluded from the Defense Fund anyway, by the French

    So what did Starmer actually get for giving away TWELVE YEARS of fishing rights (when the French were terrified we’d play hardball)? He got absolutely nothing. He got empty promises that mean absolutely nothing (as we now see). He’s a fucking shrieking poo-faced moron and dangerously incompetent. Everything he touches turns to dreck
    How fucking shit is a defence fund?

    Let's have some balls and have a proper attack fund.
    A “Destroy Russia by making every Russian gay” Fund?

    Line up the 344mm Lepage Crème Brûlée guns…
    Led from the front.

    image
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 24,722
    FF43 said:

    TimS said:

    Fun map exercise posted earlier by Meeks (FOTP).

    https://smstone0.github.io/#/uk-map

    All the places in the UK you’ve lived, stayed, visited, stopped in or passed through.


    328 for me. I have visited every county on mainland Britain except 4 and stayed or lived in all bar 12. Which I hadn't realised until I filled in this map.
    What is the difference between "stayed" and "visited"?
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 24,722
    (Dr Who about to start, btw)
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 55,429

    The Lettuce is on tour in freedom-loving Hungary:



    Liz Truss
    @trussliz

    People used to flee Eastern Europe to Britain for freedom.
    Now in 2025, I went to @CPACHungary to talk about the free speech crisis in Britain.

    https://x.com/trussliz/status/1928760108290298214

    There's dozens more paragraphs of tweet bilge if you can face it.

    In Hungary. She is f****** mental.
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 55,500
    DavidL said:

    The Lettuce is on tour in freedom-loving Hungary:



    Liz Truss
    @trussliz

    People used to flee Eastern Europe to Britain for freedom.
    Now in 2025, I went to @CPACHungary to talk about the free speech crisis in Britain.

    https://x.com/trussliz/status/1928760108290298214

    There's dozens more paragraphs of tweet bilge if you can face it.

    In Hungary. She is f****** mental.
    She needs to do something like I'm A Celebrity if she wants to transition to being a national institution.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 54,854

    rcs1000 said:

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    I can report that despite Sir Keir Traitor’s bleatings, e-gates have not been opened for Brits in the EU. He’s gonna have a lot of disappointed British voters fuming at him on holibobs this summer. What an idiot

    I can however report that I am now in my…. HUNDREDTH COUNTRY. A lifetime goal achieved

    100 countries!!


    Yes ok it’s Luxembourg. So also possibly the most boring country on earth. But that’s kind of fitting

    Go everywhere, young man!

    But he said we were all excited by his prime negotiation win. This can't be right
    It’s such desperately crap basic retail politics. If you can’t deliver, don’t promise. Instead he promised and he hasn’t delivered

    He will hack off another million holidaying British voters this summer, for no reason at all other than that he is terrible at comms
    The structure of the deal is a mistake.

    Should have been

    - 3 years fishing rights
    - If, after that, e gates are implemented for less than x% of journeys, or less than x billion in orders from common European defence fund, then no extension.
    The Spectator is running a piece saying we might be excluded from the Defense Fund anyway, by the French

    So what did Starmer actually get for giving away TWELVE YEARS of fishing rights (when the French were terrified we’d play hardball)? He got absolutely nothing. He got empty promises that mean absolutely nothing (as we now see). He’s a fucking shrieking poo-faced moron and dangerously incompetent. Everything he touches turns to dreck
    How fucking shit is a defence fund?

    Let's have some balls and have a proper attack fund.
    A “Destroy Russia by making every Russian gay” Fund?

    Line up the 344mm Lepage Crème Brûlée guns…
    Led from the front.

    image
    Dude, enough about our Top* Double Agent in Russia!

    *or is it Bottom?
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 55,429

    I say this through gritted teeth but Sunderland is actually quite nice. Especially around Roker way on the coast and the redeveloped Vaux brewery site where the new City Hall is. It also has good metro links to the toon.

    The Fire Station next to the Empire Theatre is also an excellent venue
    The Stadium of Light is also a pleasant grassy area where disorganised and amateurish sporting activity takes place.
  • bondegezoubondegezou Posts: 14,506
    DavidL said:

    The Lettuce is on tour in freedom-loving Hungary:



    Liz Truss
    @trussliz

    People used to flee Eastern Europe to Britain for freedom.
    Now in 2025, I went to @CPACHungary to talk about the free speech crisis in Britain.

    https://x.com/trussliz/status/1928760108290298214

    There's dozens more paragraphs of tweet bilge if you can face it.

    In Hungary. She is f****** mental.
    She’s swallowed the online alt right Weltanschauung, the same one that is currently wrecking the US (and harming all of us in the global economy). You can see Kemi, Nigel and Bob all tempted by it, but Truss is fully there.
  • CatManCatMan Posts: 3,281

    DavidL said:

    The Lettuce is on tour in freedom-loving Hungary:



    Liz Truss
    @trussliz

    People used to flee Eastern Europe to Britain for freedom.
    Now in 2025, I went to @CPACHungary to talk about the free speech crisis in Britain.

    https://x.com/trussliz/status/1928760108290298214

    There's dozens more paragraphs of tweet bilge if you can face it.

    In Hungary. She is f****** mental.
    She needs to do something like I'm A Celebrity if she wants to transition to being a national institution.
    It's a shame they don't do a celebrity version of Naked Attraction (and if what Leon says is true, she'd probably love to go on it).
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 55,500
    kinabalu said:

    The Lettuce is on tour in freedom-loving Hungary:

    Liz Truss
    @trussliz

    People used to flee Eastern Europe to Britain for freedom.
    Now in 2025, I went to @CPACHungary to talk about the free speech crisis in Britain.

    https://x.com/trussliz/status/1928760108290298214

    There's dozens more paragraphs of tweet bilge if you can face it.

    It's just so brainless and tacky now, our politics. I'm sick of it. Can't we go back to how it was? Like, tomorrow is Sunday. Everybody's free. So there ought to be a serious lengthy interview on tv of a leading politician. All this social media shit is no substitute for that. It looks like more democracy but it means less.
    We need Walden to interrogate Starmer on the source of his right-wing inclinations.

    "Pwime Minister, it has been alleged that your Irish advisor Morgan McSweeney is whispering things in your ear..."
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 55,429

    This afternoon 2 of our grandchildren! ,13 and 11, rang our doorbell to say they were out on their own cycling adventure but just had to call for hugs with their Grandma and Papa

    Utterly delightful moment and so precious to us oldies

    My grandson is somewhat younger and has just learned to really laugh when his mum blows on his tummy. It is utterly enchanting.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 127,848
    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    eek said:

    rcs1000 said:

    kinabalu said:

    MattW said:

    isam said:

    MattW said:

    isam said:

    Lord Hermer, Starmer’s AG & the government’s shield for not doing anything about the small boats is currently apologising for saying Reform & the Conservatives are the equivalent of 1930s Nazis

    I'm not sure that's a wise political move, because afaics he made no such actual comparison. He is letting himself be defined by misrepresentation by his opponents.

    He made a comparison of the potential consequences of rolling back international law, and letting the political interests of the current party in control override the basic systems of the State/country, and is the basic agenda of those behind Trump. That was what happened in 1933, and his apposite warning is where it can lead.

    It's a standard playbook - try and avoid a criticism by invoking a far more extreme version and demanding in a loud voice "Why are you calling me THIS?".

    I'd say he should have issued a careful statement, then made a speech, ramming their claim straight back down their throats, refusing to be pulled down into the mud. This is Starmer & co being too timid again, and ceding control of the agenda.

    Both the Conservative Right and Reform are politically fragile, and need to be shattered into little pieces.

    Official text of the speech:
    https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/attorney-generals-2025-rusi-annual-security-lecture

    Guardian report:
    https://www.theguardian.com/law/2025/may/30/attorney-general-richard-hermer-apologises-for-comparing-tories-and-reform-to-nazis

    He said people were making the point, leaving the Human Rights convention, in the Palacevof Westminster, then started referencing those who opened the door to Hitler didn’t he?
    That's not a Hitler comparison either, though.

    TBF comparisons with Italy 1920s, or even Erdogan, or Trump, are likely to be more effective, in addition to being more accurate, as less generative of elephant traps for - here - Hermer.

    I've not seen much debate comparing Farage, or say Jenrick, directly to Trump - but I see no reason why it it inappropriate.

    If someone gets their head together, there will be commentary around Farage's praise of Andrew Tate *after* he had been charged with rape, as a good role model. We shall see.
    Whilst it's usually best to avoid namechecking Hitler I see no problem with saying there are afoot today strands of the same kind of sentiment that fed the rise of fascism pre WW2. It's difficult for history to be a warning if nobody talks about it.

    The main thing is to avoid facile hyperbole of the "1984 was not an instruction manual" variety. If I had a pound for every one of those uttered in response to something like Tesco putting cameras in the car park I'd be ... well I'd need a big jar.
    By the way, when we go get another Hitler (or equivalent), it's worth remembering that it is all the fault of the libs, for allowing people to use whatever pronoun they liked.
    Jenrick is being accused of preparing the ground for a Kristallnacht against Turkish barber shops.

    https://x.com/Femi_Sorry/status/1928418627205972171
    There are so many of them in many places that it's impossible to work out what other purpose they could have?
    Also they very often name and advertise themselves as “Turkish barbers” - we have about six in Camden and I think they all have signs saying exactly that

    Jenrick is identifying something we can all see every day yet the left is so pathetically weedily woke and ultra-keen to be offended this is apparently “racist”

    I think I hate the British left much more than the barbers themselves. Who always seem quite genial
    The British left are not overly keen on Spectator hacks either.
    I get a sense Jenrick is extremely cunning

    My bet is that he put the phrase “Turkish barbers” in there not as a racist dog whistle but because he KNEW it would rile woke lefties who would rise to the obvious bait and make themselves look foolish by overreacting. As they have done. And thereby also give even more publicity to his video - and him

    He really is an asset for the Tories. It’s a shame he’s shorter than Sunak

    Either way I don’t think they have much choice now. They have a genuinely talented politician who looks and talks normal and is a deeply ruthless shit who knows how to antagonise enemies and how to use social media

    In the total absence of any rivals - in terms of actual talent - they have to dump kembo and get jenro

    They don’t have any choice
    Jenrick would need to show more polling evidence he can make inroads into the Reform vote than he has yet shown
  • FF43FF43 Posts: 18,053
    viewcode said:

    FF43 said:

    TimS said:

    Fun map exercise posted earlier by Meeks (FOTP).

    https://smstone0.github.io/#/uk-map

    All the places in the UK you’ve lived, stayed, visited, stopped in or passed through.


    328 for me. I have visited every county on mainland Britain except 4 and stayed or lived in all bar 12. Which I hadn't realised until I filled in this map.
    What is the difference between "stayed" and "visited"?
    Overnight in a place versus day trip I think.
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 38,609
    Pagan2 said:

    eek said:


    If he wasn't in Parliament that offence would likely resulted in him being out the door that day for gross misconduct.
    After the Labour expenses scandal Labour MPs served custodial sentences for similar offences (granted the sums were greater). How the Desmond deal didn't breach any laws genuinely baffled me.
    Administrative errors are endemic in parliament expenses - Starmers Donkey paddock for example
    It's probably an occupational risk when your job involves expenses on a day to day basis rather than exceptionally
    Try claiming expenses for your fuel for the journey after the company have paid for a rail warrant. See you at the Jobcentre.
    The company I work for has discovered a good ruse....they will only give you expenses for mileage if you have business insurance on your car....the cost of which will naturally exceed most peoples mileage claims per year
    Is that not fairly common. My car insurance includes 'business use" by me
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 55,500
    Scott_xP said:

    Pagan2 said:

    eek said:


    If he wasn't in Parliament that offence would likely resulted in him being out the door that day for gross misconduct.
    After the Labour expenses scandal Labour MPs served custodial sentences for similar offences (granted the sums were greater). How the Desmond deal didn't breach any laws genuinely baffled me.
    Administrative errors are endemic in parliament expenses - Starmers Donkey paddock for example
    It's probably an occupational risk when your job involves expenses on a day to day basis rather than exceptionally
    Try claiming expenses for your fuel for the journey after the company have paid for a rail warrant. See you at the Jobcentre.
    The company I work for has discovered a good ruse....they will only give you expenses for mileage if you have business insurance on your car....the cost of which will naturally exceed most peoples mileage claims per year
    Is that not fairly common. My car insurance includes 'business use" by me
    Also there's business use and business use. Driving yourself somewhere is not the same as operating a courier or taxi service.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 61,405
    Carnyx said:

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    Luxembourg feels quite German so far. But then I’ve only been here about an hour, so I’ve only seen 90% of it

    Some years ago when the children were young we stayed overnight in Luxembourg on our drive to Italy

    The hotel did a BBQ but about 2.30am with indigestion from the BBQ we checked out for the long drive

    Later in the early hours we were stopped by the police to allow s long convoy of cruise missiles through

    The kids talk about it to this day
    I LOVE LUXEMBOURG

    They’ve sent me to a rather charming little medieval town, curved around a meandering river - Clervaux. Where they are having a Provençal market festival in a place that feels like a prosperous corner of Germany inhabited by Belgians talking French underneath an Austro-Hungarian castle

    Thank God we brexited to get away from stuff like this



    Plus an inexplicable American tank. Sherman?
    It is indeed a M4 (the Sherman was the British name, strictly speaking, and when one has Malmesbury around ...). From the Battle of the Bulge, in that location, no less, it seems. Ergo highly explicable when all is known.

    https://www.tracesofwar.com/sights/155342/M4A3-Sherman-Tank-Clervaux-.htm
    Thank you. I’ve now bought Antony Beevor’s Ardennes: Battle of the Bulge, as my accompanying book for this Luxembourg jaunt. I had no idea so much of it was fought here. As in, literally, right here in the pretty piazzas and lanes of Clervaux. Apparently the GIs that first came here thought it would be a cushy posting. And then….
  • LeonLeon Posts: 61,405

    This afternoon 2 of our grandchildren! ,13 and 11, rang our doorbell to say they were out on their own cycling adventure but just had to call for hugs with their Grandma and Papa

    Utterly delightful moment and so precious to us oldies

    I really hope one of my daughters gives me grandkids

    Judging by global birth rates this is unlikely but the Aussie daughter shows signs of trad-wife-ness so who knows
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 45,487
    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    I can report that despite Sir Keir Traitor’s bleatings, e-gates have not been opened for Brits in the EU. He’s gonna have a lot of disappointed British voters fuming at him on holibobs this summer. What an idiot

    I can however report that I am now in my…. HUNDREDTH COUNTRY. A lifetime goal achieved

    100 countries!!


    Yes ok it’s Luxembourg. So also possibly the most boring country on earth. But that’s kind of fitting

    Go everywhere, young man!

    But he said we were all excited by his prime negotiation win. This can't be right
    It’s such desperately crap basic retail politics. If you can’t deliver, don’t promise. Instead he promised and he hasn’t delivered

    He will hack off another million holidaying British voters this summer, for no reason at all other than that he is terrible at comms
    The structure of the deal is a mistake.

    Should have been

    - 3 years fishing rights
    - If, after that, e gates are implemented for less than x% of journeys, or less than x billion in orders from common European defence fund, then no extension.
    The Spectator is running a piece saying we might be excluded from the Defense Fund anyway, by the French

    So what did Starmer actually get for giving away TWELVE YEARS of fishing rights (when the French were terrified we’d play hardball)? He got absolutely nothing. He got empty promises that mean absolutely nothing (as we now see). He’s a fucking shrieking poo-faced moron and dangerously incompetent. Everything he touches turns to dreck
    The Morning Star is running a piece saying if Nigel Farage becomes PM it might become illegal to join a trade union in this country.

    So there you have it. This jumped up public schoolboy with bad teeth masquerading as the saviour of the working class is actually, once he's conned his way into power on the back of their votes, planning to stomp on them at the behest of his capitalist paymasters.
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