Sir Keir will be thrilled that his cherished ideals of anglo-French co-operation will be retained after he leaves office.
*In seriousness, in the event that both Farage and Bardella are elected, minds are more than likely to change, but it's interesting nonetheless.
The Home Office and Civil Service simply won’t allow it.
I dont think towing overloaded dinghies is something that either coastguard or Royal Navy could do. Theres a very high risk of a capsize catastrophe.
Loading them onto a safe vessel and landing them back on the French coast is possible, but obviously needs French governmental support.
I wouldn’t advocate it for the reasons you outline. Whatever people think of these men and their motivations for coming here you cannot simply risk drowning them. It would be unacceptable.
I thought the Labour government told us that they were mostly women and children?
Perhaps they self-identify as women and children.
There's a long tradition of asylum seekers claiming to be children when they're not.
Specific quote of interest "Jahanzeb fled Afghanistan and underwent an age assessment after arriving in the UK in January, which concluded he was 17, Mr Williams said." But was he really 17?
Is this the case that was reported of the two Leamington spa boys committing a heinous attack on a girl ?
I used to work in Leamington and live in Kenilworth.
It used to be a nice place.
Of course this is your partisan, culture warrior take on it.
(Leamington is still a nice place).
Indeed, I also lived there for 2 years as a student, though some parts are nice than others, especially North Leamington relative to South Leamington. Of the two I would also say Kenilworth is the posher
The World Cup in 2026 is going to be a fiasco isn't it? No-one is going to turn up. I see the latest proposal is that all visitors must provide social media, email addresses going back 5 years and details of all your relatives.
Isn’t that normal for the USA.
My wife had to provide a lot of info, like that, prior to a recent trip to New York.
Don't think so. I travelled to the US twice in recent times (just after Covid). Applied for the bit of paper I needed (can't remember its name), which had minimal info on it, which was very straightforward and trundled through passport checks with minimal interference. They did something with my passport, had some sort of scan and then straight through. A lot less than I was anticipating having listened to some stories.
My wife certainly had to provide that to get her ESTA but she travelled last month.
Must be something relatively recent then
ESTA was the word I was looking for. Ours are now expired but yes it was very, very basic info eg name, dob, that sort of thing.
Re pubs. We have 2 locals. The nearest one to me is useless. The beer isn't well kept, it doesn't feel clean and is empty, yet it seems to have trundled on like this for years. The one further down the road is my local. It went bust during Covid. The son of the landlord tried to get it up and running again but failed. It was then bought and gutted and we all feared for what would replace it, but they have done a great job. 4 of the staff from a pub in the next village got together to buy it and have set up a proper local with great food. It is often packed (a bit too much for me). On Monday (a quiet day) they put on a free pint and foc quality nibbles and people turned up. I have yet to ask if the extra revenue covered the cost.
He’s an accomplished speaker in a small group situation: naturally loud voice, articulate, reasonably on top of his brief. I think it’s a mistake to lump all Reform people together as knuckle-heads - he has a brain. Not a brain that thinks the same way as mine, but a brain nonetheless.
Ideologically and stylistically he’s very much a Redwoodite Tory. The conversation could easily have been with someone on the right of the Tory party any time in the last 30 years. Deregulation, let’s get business people into government, cutting waste, common sense etc etc. The wrinkle vis a vis most Thatcherite types is a greater attachment to national champions, government intervention in the ownership of public utilities, and PPP. And of course a very clear enmity towards net zero and all things renewable, which is now mainstream conservative ideology but didn’t used to be.
To my question on corporation tax, he said they couldn’t make firm policy thus far out from an election but he praised Osborne’s tax roadmap.
He steered well away from anything culture war related, apart from a lone scoffing reference to “woke” investment funds. Nor foreign affairs. Clearly not his lane.
A clear indication that they would do “what they do in the USA” (he actually said that) and create a partisan civil service with Perm secs and their staff appointed by the government.
This was, in essence, like watching an hour of Dominic Cummings. Or indeed @Luckyguy1983 of this parish with a dollop of @Casino_Royale .
Thanks for the summary - reads well. I could live with a John Redwood type in charge of our country. I dont think I could live with Nigel Farage...
As many of us have been saying for a while it's time for Starmer to make clear he's going to distance himself unequivocally from Trump and all of his neo Nazi coterie. If you think Trumps unpopular in the US imagine how the citizenship of the UK and the EU feel about him. Leave Trump to Farage and his flag waving admirers and move on quickly and decisively. I'm in France but the stuff he said about Khan appeared on the news and is shocking ......
........and for Starmer to be silent on it is even more shocking
I’m no fan of Trump but ‘neo-Nazi’.
Where Trump is concerned there is serious derangement going down. Some seriously deranged takes. Including in this thread. You’d think the US is on the verge of becoming the next N Korea.
What I expect to happen. The US carries on for a year. The Dems flip the house. Trump is reigned in and limps on for two years and his ability to rule by executive order is diminished.
He is just an out and out grifter, makes Al Capone look like an angel.
Sir Keir will be thrilled that his cherished ideals of anglo-French co-operation will be retained after he leaves office.
*In seriousness, in the event that both Farage and Bardella are elected, minds are more than likely to change, but it's interesting nonetheless.
The Home Office and Civil Service simply won’t allow it.
I dont think towing overloaded dinghies is something that either coastguard or Royal Navy could do. Theres a very high risk of a capsize catastrophe.
Loading them onto a safe vessel and landing them back on the French coast is possible, but obviously needs French governmental support.
I wouldn’t advocate it for the reasons you outline. Whatever people think of these men and their motivations for coming here you cannot simply risk drowning them. It would be unacceptable.
I thought the Labour government told us that they were mostly women and children?
Perhaps they self-identify as women and children.
There's a long tradition of asylum seekers claiming to be children when they're not.
Specific quote of interest "Jahanzeb fled Afghanistan and underwent an age assessment after arriving in the UK in January, which concluded he was 17, Mr Williams said." But was he really 17?
Is this the case that was reported of the two Leamington spa boys committing a heinous attack on a girl ?
I used to work in Leamington and live in Kenilworth.
It used to be a nice place.
Of course this is your partisan, culture warrior take on it.
(Leamington is still a nice place).
‘Partisan culture war’
😂😂
I rarely get involved in culture war stuff, aside from not buying into the view cross dressers are women, as I don’t care sufficiently.
I’m just ribbing the iniitial reporting.
I’m sure you spend loads of time in Royal Leamington Spa and know it intimately. In the meantime I will be dining there Saturday.
Good news for investors and those buying annuities. Every transaction has 2 sides.
Indeed. Ive been most happy with VGOV in my SIPP and am buying monthly at the moment.
But its not good for the govt.
VGOV is down over almost every time period from 1 day to 5 years. Average gilt duration 8.3 years. Surely rising gilt yields are (yet more) bad news for holders ?
Rising gilt yields are great news for the holders, but not so great for the government.
As many of us have been saying for a while it's time for Starmer to make clear he's going to distance himself unequivocally from Trump and all of his neo Nazi coterie. If you think Trumps unpopular in the US imagine how the citizenship of the UK and the EU feel about him. Leave Trump to Farage and his flag waving admirers and move on quickly and decisively. I'm in France but the stuff he said about Khan appeared on the news and is shocking ......
........and for Starmer to be silent on it is even more shocking
I’m no fan of Trump but ‘neo-Nazi’.
Where Trump is concerned there is serious derangement going down. Some seriously deranged takes. Including in this thread. You’d think the US is on the verge of becoming the next N Korea.
What I expect to happen. The US carries on for a year. The Dems flip the house. Trump is reigned in and limps on for two years and his ability to rule by executive order is diminished.
He is just an out and out grifter, makes Al Capone look like an angel.
He’s an accomplished speaker in a small group situation: naturally loud voice, articulate, reasonably on top of his brief. I think it’s a mistake to lump all Reform people together as knuckle-heads - he has a brain. Not a brain that thinks the same way as mine, but a brain nonetheless.
Ideologically and stylistically he’s very much a Redwoodite Tory. The conversation could easily have been with someone on the right of the Tory party any time in the last 30 years. Deregulation, let’s get business people into government, cutting waste, common sense etc etc. The wrinkle vis a vis most Thatcherite types is a greater attachment to national champions, government intervention in the ownership of public utilities, and PPP. And of course a very clear enmity towards net zero and all things renewable, which is now mainstream conservative ideology but didn’t used to be.
To my question on corporation tax, he said they couldn’t make firm policy thus far out from an election but he praised Osborne’s tax roadmap.
He steered well away from anything culture war related, apart from a lone scoffing reference to “woke” investment funds. Nor foreign affairs. Clearly not his lane.
A clear indication that they would do “what they do in the USA” (he actually said that) and create a partisan civil service with Perm secs and their staff appointed by the government.
This was, in essence, like watching an hour of Dominic Cummings. Or indeed @Luckyguy1983 of this parish with a dollop of @Casino_Royale .
Thanks for the summary - reads well. I could live with a John Redwood type in charge of our country. I dont think I could live with Nigel Farage...
I could love with anyone who can get us away from low,growth. Low productivity, high tax, high welfare.
Good news for investors and those buying annuities. Every transaction has 2 sides.
Indeed. Ive been most happy with VGOV in my SIPP and am buying monthly at the moment.
But its not good for the govt.
VGOV is down over almost every time period from 1 day to 5 years. Average gilt duration 8.3 years. Surely rising gilt yields are (yet more) bad news for holders ?
Yes, down 37% over 5 years so do not seem great deal
The World Cup in 2026 is going to be a fiasco isn't it? No-one is going to turn up. I see the latest proposal is that all visitors must provide social media, email addresses going back 5 years and details of all your relatives.
plus cost, they reckon minimum 7.5K-10K to budget.
There’s already reports of hotels in the cities where matches are being held making up prices like $2,000 for a 3*, with airlines not far behind in rapidly increasing prices once people started searching the dates.
Suspect it will be like modern Las Vegas, where they give the impression of trying to nickel-and-dime you at every opportunity. Look out for $20 beers and $50 nachos in the stadiums.
The World Cup in 2026 is going to be a fiasco isn't it? No-one is going to turn up. I see the latest proposal is that all visitors must provide social media, email addresses going back 5 years and details of all your relatives.
I think FIFA require fairly easy visas for fans.
When I went to the 2018 Russia world cup I just had to register as a fan, upload my ticket and got a 6 week visa immediately, far easier than a normal Russia tourist visa.
I expect the WC to be a bit of a fiasco, but for other reasons. Mostly it is far too bloated and spread out.
Sir Keir will be thrilled that his cherished ideals of anglo-French co-operation will be retained after he leaves office.
*In seriousness, in the event that both Farage and Bardella are elected, minds are more than likely to change, but it's interesting nonetheless.
The Home Office and Civil Service simply won’t allow it.
I dont think towing overloaded dinghies is something that either coastguard or Royal Navy could do. Theres a very high risk of a capsize catastrophe.
Loading them onto a safe vessel and landing them back on the French coast is possible, but obviously needs French governmental support.
I wouldn’t advocate it for the reasons you outline. Whatever people think of these men and their motivations for coming here you cannot simply risk drowning them. It would be unacceptable.
I thought the Labour government told us that they were mostly women and children?
Mainly look like hairy arsed if they are, usual porkies which anyone who has ever seen a taxi unloading them can see they are almost completely men 20's to 30's
That bollocks won’t cut it when people are paying for his policies with their jobs and food costs are going up and up.
Inflation people generally really take notice of when it affects stuff they buy regularly. Like food. Beef prices are elevated and will continue to be. Eggs are still elevated. The cost of dining out is going through the roof there.
Trump made food inflation a cornerstone of his campaign and, one year in, he’s failing.
All of his minions are on TV every day saying the economy is wonderful
Just like Labour people telling us how wonderful Reeves budget was, especially for hospitality, they can tell us but reality or (dare I say it for triggering resident loons) lived experience is different people won’t listen or trust them
Business rates, energy bills, cost of staff, it’s all got a lot worse.
As many of us have been saying for a while it's time for Starmer to make clear he's going to distance himself unequivocally from Trump and all of his neo Nazi coterie. If you think Trumps unpopular in the US imagine how the citizenship of the UK and the EU feel about him. Leave Trump to Farage and his flag waving admirers and move on quickly and decisively. I'm in France but the stuff he said about Khan appeared on the news and is shocking ......
........and for Starmer to be silent on it is even more shocking
It is understandable (whether it is right or wrong to do so) that Starmer does not distance himself from the USA and Trumpism in public; what is interesting is that, SFAICS, there aren't leaks or off the record briefings happening to suggest that other views are in existence around the cabinet table etc.
Government leaks like a sieve about everything else. Is this party discipline, an agreement with the media to hold the line, or something else?
Sir Keir will be thrilled that his cherished ideals of anglo-French co-operation will be retained after he leaves office.
*In seriousness, in the event that both Farage and Bardella are elected, minds are more than likely to change, but it's interesting nonetheless.
The Home Office and Civil Service simply won’t allow it.
According to PB , the Home Office is a hotbed of bleeding-heart liberals who will block towbacks, but also a hotbed of authoritarians who constantly push for ID cards. By and large, the Home Office and civil service do what their political leaders want!
The World Cup in 2026 is going to be a fiasco isn't it? No-one is going to turn up. I see the latest proposal is that all visitors must provide social media, email addresses going back 5 years and details of all your relatives.
I think FIFA require fairly easy visas for fans.
When I went to the 2018 Russia world cup I just had to register as a fan, upload my ticket and got a 6 week visa immediately, far easier than a normal Russia tourist visa.
I expect the WC to be a bit of a fiasco, but for other reasons. Mostly it is far too bloated and spread out.
games times for europe are dire as well and far too many teams included, 6 weeks of it is far too much. Also the grifting by seeding some teams is pretty pathetic. Infantino is an absolute diddy and grifter to boot.
He’s an accomplished speaker in a small group situation: naturally loud voice, articulate, reasonably on top of his brief. I think it’s a mistake to lump all Reform people together as knuckle-heads - he has a brain. Not a brain that thinks the same way as mine, but a brain nonetheless.
Ideologically and stylistically he’s very much a Redwoodite Tory. The conversation could easily have been with someone on the right of the Tory party any time in the last 30 years. Deregulation, let’s get business people into government, cutting waste, common sense etc etc. The wrinkle vis a vis most Thatcherite types is a greater attachment to national champions, government intervention in the ownership of public utilities, and PPP. And of course a very clear enmity towards net zero and all things renewable, which is now mainstream conservative ideology but didn’t used to be.
To my question on corporation tax, he said they couldn’t make firm policy thus far out from an election but he praised Osborne’s tax roadmap.
He steered well away from anything culture war related, apart from a lone scoffing reference to “woke” investment funds. Nor foreign affairs. Clearly not his lane.
A clear indication that they would do “what they do in the USA” (he actually said that) and create a partisan civil service with Perm secs and their staff appointed by the government.
This was, in essence, like watching an hour of Dominic Cummings. Or indeed Luckyguy1983 of this parish with a dollop of Casino_Royale .
Of course this is your partisan, centrist, take on it.
That's a funny way of saying "Thank you for the insight from a meeting which otherwise I would have no access to"
Sir Keir will be thrilled that his cherished ideals of anglo-French co-operation will be retained after he leaves office.
*In seriousness, in the event that both Farage and Bardella are elected, minds are more than likely to change, but it's interesting nonetheless.
The Home Office and Civil Service simply won’t allow it.
I dont think towing overloaded dinghies is something that either coastguard or Royal Navy could do. Theres a very high risk of a capsize catastrophe.
Loading them onto a safe vessel and landing them back on the French coast is possible, but obviously needs French governmental support.
I wouldn’t advocate it for the reasons you outline. Whatever people think of these men and their motivations for coming here you cannot simply risk drowning them. It would be unacceptable.
I thought the Labour government told us that they were mostly women and children?
Perhaps they self-identify as women and children.
There's a long tradition of asylum seekers claiming to be children when they're not.
Specific quote of interest "Jahanzeb fled Afghanistan and underwent an age assessment after arriving in the UK in January, which concluded he was 17, Mr Williams said." But was he really 17?
Is this the case that was reported of the two Leamington spa boys committing a heinous attack on a girl ?
I used to work in Leamington and live in Kenilworth.
It used to be a nice place.
Of course this is your partisan, culture warrior take on it.
(Leamington is still a nice place).
‘Partisan culture war’
😂😂
I rarely get involved in culture war stuff, aside from not buying into the view cross dressers are women, as I don’t care sufficiently.
I’m just ribbing the iniitial reporting.
I’m sure you spend loads of time in Royal Leamington Spa and know it intimately. In the meantime I will be dining there Saturday.
So it’s still nice after all.
Yes I know it reasonably well. My parents live in Leamington Hastings (and are considering moving to Kenilworth as they’ve heard the locals are so welcoming).
He’s an accomplished speaker in a small group situation: naturally loud voice, articulate, reasonably on top of his brief. I think it’s a mistake to lump all Reform people together as knuckle-heads - he has a brain. Not a brain that thinks the same way as mine, but a brain nonetheless.
Ideologically and stylistically he’s very much a Redwoodite Tory. The conversation could easily have been with someone on the right of the Tory party any time in the last 30 years. Deregulation, let’s get business people into government, cutting waste, common sense etc etc. The wrinkle vis a vis most Thatcherite types is a greater attachment to national champions, government intervention in the ownership of public utilities, and PPP. And of course a very clear enmity towards net zero and all things renewable, which is now mainstream conservative ideology but didn’t used to be.
To my question on corporation tax, he said they couldn’t make firm policy thus far out from an election but he praised Osborne’s tax roadmap.
He steered well away from anything culture war related, apart from a lone scoffing reference to “woke” investment funds. Nor foreign affairs. Clearly not his lane.
A clear indication that they would do “what they do in the USA” (he actually said that) and create a partisan civil service with Perm secs and their staff appointed by the government.
This was, in essence, like watching an hour of Dominic Cummings. Or indeed Luckyguy1983 of this parish with a dollop of Casino_Royale .
Thank you for the insight from a meeting which otherwise I would have no access to
The World Cup in 2026 is going to be a fiasco isn't it? No-one is going to turn up. I see the latest proposal is that all visitors must provide social media, email addresses going back 5 years and details of all your relatives.
I think FIFA require fairly easy visas for fans.
When I went to the 2018 Russia world cup I just had to register as a fan, upload my ticket and got a 6 week visa immediately, far easier than a normal Russia tourist visa.
I expect the WC to be a bit of a fiasco, but for other reasons. Mostly it is far too bloated and spread out.
Far too many teams in the finals. And so too many matches that don't raise any interest. Too long. Too Trumpian. Host countries include one that threatens to invade another. Apart from that it's all great.
Sir Keir will be thrilled that his cherished ideals of anglo-French co-operation will be retained after he leaves office.
*In seriousness, in the event that both Farage and Bardella are elected, minds are more than likely to change, but it's interesting nonetheless.
The Home Office and Civil Service simply won’t allow it.
I dont think towing overloaded dinghies is something that either coastguard or Royal Navy could do. Theres a very high risk of a capsize catastrophe.
Loading them onto a safe vessel and landing them back on the French coast is possible, but obviously needs French governmental support.
I wouldn’t advocate it for the reasons you outline. Whatever people think of these men and their motivations for coming here you cannot simply risk drowning them. It would be unacceptable.
I thought the Labour government told us that they were mostly women and children?
Perhaps they self-identify as women and children.
There's a long tradition of asylum seekers claiming to be children when they're not.
Specific quote of interest "Jahanzeb fled Afghanistan and underwent an age assessment after arriving in the UK in January, which concluded he was 17, Mr Williams said." But was he really 17?
It's been on the front page of at least one national newspaper.
The World Cup in 2026 is going to be a fiasco isn't it? No-one is going to turn up. I see the latest proposal is that all visitors must provide social media, email addresses going back 5 years and details of all your relatives.
I think FIFA require fairly easy visas for fans.
When I went to the 2018 Russia world cup I just had to register as a fan, upload my ticket and got a 6 week visa immediately, far easier than a normal Russia tourist visa.
I expect the WC to be a bit of a fiasco, but for other reasons. Mostly it is far too bloated and spread out.
One suspects that “ticket-holders” is going to be a small subset of “fans travelling for the event”.
As opposed to Russia, where very few turned up on tourist visas without a ticket.
The BBC will broadcast Scotland's first men's World Cup match since 1998, when they take on Haiti on 14 June, as well as their final group match against Brazil.
England's second group match - against Ghana on 23 June - will also be shown on BBC, as well as their knockout fixtures in the last 32, last 16, and semi-final provided they reach those stages.
England's other Group L matches - against Croatia and Panama - and Scotland's meeting with Morocco will be shown on ITV.
If Wales or Northern Ireland qualify via March's play-offs - both are in a section of four competing for one place- their group match against Canada on 12 June will be broadcast on the BBC.
Two group fixtures for the Republic of Ireland will also be shown if they come through the play-offs.
The BBC will have three of the top four picks in the round of 16 and three of the top five picks in the round of 32.
He’s an accomplished speaker in a small group situation: naturally loud voice, articulate, reasonably on top of his brief. I think it’s a mistake to lump all Reform people together as knuckle-heads - he has a brain. Not a brain that thinks the same way as mine, but a brain nonetheless.
Ideologically and stylistically he’s very much a Redwoodite Tory. The conversation could easily have been with someone on the right of the Tory party any time in the last 30 years. Deregulation, let’s get business people into government, cutting waste, common sense etc etc. The wrinkle vis a vis most Thatcherite types is a greater attachment to national champions, government intervention in the ownership of public utilities, and PPP. And of course a very clear enmity towards net zero and all things renewable, which is now mainstream conservative ideology but didn’t used to be.
To my question on corporation tax, he said they couldn’t make firm policy thus far out from an election but he praised Osborne’s tax roadmap.
He steered well away from anything culture war related, apart from a lone scoffing reference to “woke” investment funds. Nor foreign affairs. Clearly not his lane.
A clear indication that they would do “what they do in the USA” (he actually said that) and create a partisan civil service with Perm secs and their staff appointed by the government.
This was, in essence, like watching an hour of Dominic Cummings. Or indeed @Luckyguy1983 of this parish with a dollop of @Casino_Royale .
Of course this is your partisan, centrist, take on it.
He’s an accomplished speaker in a small group situation: naturally loud voice, articulate, reasonably on top of his brief. I think it’s a mistake to lump all Reform people together as knuckle-heads - he has a brain. Not a brain that thinks the same way as mine, but a brain nonetheless.
Ideologically and stylistically he’s very much a Redwoodite Tory. The conversation could easily have been with someone on the right of the Tory party any time in the last 30 years. Deregulation, let’s get business people into government, cutting waste, common sense etc etc. The wrinkle vis a vis most Thatcherite types is a greater attachment to national champions, government intervention in the ownership of public utilities, and PPP. And of course a very clear enmity towards net zero and all things renewable, which is now mainstream conservative ideology but didn’t used to be.
To my question on corporation tax, he said they couldn’t make firm policy thus far out from an election but he praised Osborne’s tax roadmap.
He steered well away from anything culture war related, apart from a lone scoffing reference to “woke” investment funds. Nor foreign affairs. Clearly not his lane.
A clear indication that they would do “what they do in the USA” (he actually said that) and create a partisan civil service with Perm secs and their staff appointed by the government.
This was, in essence, like watching an hour of Dominic Cummings. Or indeed @Luckyguy1983 of this parish with a dollop of @Casino_Royale .
Of course this is your partisan, centrist, take on it.
He’s an accomplished speaker in a small group situation: naturally loud voice, articulate, reasonably on top of his brief. I think it’s a mistake to lump all Reform people together as knuckle-heads - he has a brain. Not a brain that thinks the same way as mine, but a brain nonetheless.
Ideologically and stylistically he’s very much a Redwoodite Tory. The conversation could easily have been with someone on the right of the Tory party any time in the last 30 years. Deregulation, let’s get business people into government, cutting waste, common sense etc etc. The wrinkle vis a vis most Thatcherite types is a greater attachment to national champions, government intervention in the ownership of public utilities, and PPP. And of course a very clear enmity towards net zero and all things renewable, which is now mainstream conservative ideology but didn’t used to be.
To my question on corporation tax, he said they couldn’t make firm policy thus far out from an election but he praised Osborne’s tax roadmap.
He steered well away from anything culture war related, apart from a lone scoffing reference to “woke” investment funds. Nor foreign affairs. Clearly not his lane.
A clear indication that they would do “what they do in the USA” (he actually said that) and create a partisan civil service with Perm secs and their staff appointed by the government.
This was, in essence, like watching an hour of Dominic Cummings. Or indeed @Luckyguy1983 of this parish with a dollop of @Casino_Royale .
You painted a very good picture. I started loathing him well before you got to Cummings Casino or Lucky....
He’s an accomplished speaker in a small group situation: naturally loud voice, articulate, reasonably on top of his brief. I think it’s a mistake to lump all Reform people together as knuckle-heads - he has a brain. Not a brain that thinks the same way as mine, but a brain nonetheless.
Ideologically and stylistically he’s very much a Redwoodite Tory. The conversation could easily have been with someone on the right of the Tory party any time in the last 30 years. Deregulation, let’s get business people into government, cutting waste, common sense etc etc. The wrinkle vis a vis most Thatcherite types is a greater attachment to national champions, government intervention in the ownership of public utilities, and PPP. And of course a very clear enmity towards net zero and all things renewable, which is now mainstream conservative ideology but didn’t used to be.
To my question on corporation tax, he said they couldn’t make firm policy thus far out from an election but he praised Osborne’s tax roadmap.
He steered well away from anything culture war related, apart from a lone scoffing reference to “woke” investment funds. Nor foreign affairs. Clearly not his lane.
A clear indication that they would do “what they do in the USA” (he actually said that) and create a partisan civil service with Perm secs and their staff appointed by the government.
This was, in essence, like watching an hour of Dominic Cummings. Or indeed @Luckyguy1983 of this parish with a dollop of @Casino_Royale .
You painted a very good picture. I started loathing him well before you got to Cummings Casino or Lucky....
The “what they do in the USA” is pretty bloody worrying to be honest.
As many of us have been saying for a while it's time for Starmer to make clear he's going to distance himself unequivocally from Trump and all of his neo Nazi coterie. If you think Trumps unpopular in the US imagine how the citizenship of the UK and the EU feel about him. Leave Trump to Farage and his flag waving admirers and move on quickly and decisively. I'm in France but the stuff he said about Khan appeared on the news and is shocking ......
........and for Starmer to be silent on it is even more shocking
I’m no fan of Trump but ‘neo-Nazi’.
Where Trump is concerned there is serious derangement going down. Some seriously deranged takes. Including in this thread. You’d think the US is on the verge of becoming the next N Korea.
What I expect to happen. The US carries on for a year. The Dems flip the house. Trump is reigned in and limps on for two years and his ability to rule by executive order is diminished.
The Trump administration is ignoring the rule of law. They ignore court cases that go against them. Trump is illegally appointing people.
The Trump administration is using military and paramilitary forces on his own domestic population contrary to the law. This includes directing ICE to arrest people on the basis that they look Latino. The Trump administration are consistently racist in their rhetoric.
The Trump administration is using the military to attack people in international waters against international and domestic law. The Trump administration repeatedly makes threat of military action and invasion against other countries. The Trump administration is allying with dictatorships and seeking to undermine democracies.
The Trump administration are grifting for their personal benefit and the benefit of their relatives.
The Trump administration is prosecuting political opponents on spurious grounds, while pardoning violent criminals who support them. The Trump administration continues to seek to undermine democracy at home.
The Trump administration wants to carve up an eastern European country's territory.
The parallels to the Nazis seem obvious to me! Maybe it's 1935 Nazis rather than 1939 Nazis, but I don't think we should the many, many warning signs.
Jeremy Hunt has, by coincidence, a new book out in time for Christmas! I've not read it yet but if it is anything like his NHS book, Hunt is strong on analysis and reflection even if you disapprove of his actions.
The World Cup in 2026 is going to be a fiasco isn't it? No-one is going to turn up. I see the latest proposal is that all visitors must provide social media, email addresses going back 5 years and details of all your relatives.
I think FIFA require fairly easy visas for fans.
When I went to the 2018 Russia world cup I just had to register as a fan, upload my ticket and got a 6 week visa immediately, far easier than a normal Russia tourist visa.
I expect the WC to be a bit of a fiasco, but for other reasons. Mostly it is far too bloated and spread out.
FIFA just awarded him a Jim'll Fix It badge. You think they are going to get to enforce the contract on Trump?
Good news for investors and those buying annuities. Every transaction has 2 sides.
Indeed. Ive been most happy with VGOV in my SIPP and am buying monthly at the moment.
But its not good for the govt.
VGOV is down over almost every time period from 1 day to 5 years. Average gilt duration 8.3 years. Surely rising gilt yields are (yet more) bad news for holders ?
Yes, down 37% over 5 years so do not seem great deal
But that was due to rate cycles. I wouldn’t touch it five years ago. I’m positive on it and getting a good payout so I’m happy
The rumours of major setbacks to the Russian operations are continuing to grow. It seems that Pokrovsk, far from being a Russian victory has been an utter bloodbath for them and the Ukrainians still have a foothold in the city. Meanwhile the Russians are facing continual degradation of capabilities and logistics that are forcing very unpleasant choices and may lead to the collapse of the Crimean perimeter.
As always Trump's grip on reality in Ukraine may as fake as everything else he says.
As many of us have been saying for a while it's time for Starmer to make clear he's going to distance himself unequivocally from Trump and all of his neo Nazi coterie. If you think Trumps unpopular in the US imagine how the citizenship of the UK and the EU feel about him. Leave Trump to Farage and his flag waving admirers and move on quickly and decisively. I'm in France but the stuff he said about Khan appeared on the news and is shocking ......
........and for Starmer to be silent on it is even more shocking
I’m no fan of Trump but ‘neo-Nazi’.
Where Trump is concerned there is serious derangement going down. Some seriously deranged takes. Including in this thread. You’d think the US is on the verge of becoming the next N Korea.
What I expect to happen. The US carries on for a year. The Dems flip the house. Trump is reigned in and limps on for two years and his ability to rule by executive order is diminished.
The Trump administration is ignoring the rule of law. They ignore court cases that go against them. Trump is illegally appointing people.
The Trump administration is using military and paramilitary forces on his own domestic population contrary to the law. This includes directing ICE to arrest people on the basis that they look Latino. The Trump administration are consistently racist in their rhetoric.
The Trump administration is using the military to attack people in international waters against international and domestic law. The Trump administration repeatedly makes threat of military action and invasion against other countries. The Trump administration is allying with dictatorships and seeking to undermine democracies.
The Trump administration are grifting for their personal benefit and the benefit of their relatives.
The Trump administration is prosecuting political opponents on spurious grounds, while pardoning violent criminals who support them. The Trump administration continues to seek to undermine democracy at home.
The Trump administration wants to carve up an eastern European country's territory.
The parallels to the Nazis seem obvious to me! Maybe it's 1935 Nazis rather than 1939 Nazis, but I don't think we should the many, many warning signs.
Don’t be stupid be a smarty come and join the Trump party
In the meantime the UK ignores the judgement on cross dressers in women’s spaces and postpones elections the governing party will lose but nothing wrong there 👍👍👍👍
The World Cup in 2026 is going to be a fiasco isn't it? No-one is going to turn up. I see the latest proposal is that all visitors must provide social media, email addresses going back 5 years and details of all your relatives.
I think FIFA require fairly easy visas for fans.
When I went to the 2018 Russia world cup I just had to register as a fan, upload my ticket and got a 6 week visa immediately, far easier than a normal Russia tourist visa.
I expect the WC to be a bit of a fiasco, but for other reasons. Mostly it is far too bloated and spread out.
Far too many teams in the finals. And so too many matches that don't raise any interest. Too long. Too Trumpian. Host countries include one that threatens to invade another. Apart from that it's all great.
Wait til you hear that they are playing four quarters rather than two halves.....*
* This is happening, not a joke, ad breaks after 22 mins in each half.
As many of us have been saying for a while it's time for Starmer to make clear he's going to distance himself unequivocally from Trump and all of his neo Nazi coterie. If you think Trumps unpopular in the US imagine how the citizenship of the UK and the EU feel about him. Leave Trump to Farage and his flag waving admirers and move on quickly and decisively. I'm in France but the stuff he said about Khan appeared on the news and is shocking ......
........and for Starmer to be silent on it is even more shocking
I’m no fan of Trump but ‘neo-Nazi’.
Where Trump is concerned there is serious derangement going down. Some seriously deranged takes. Including in this thread. You’d think the US is on the verge of becoming the next N Korea.
What I expect to happen. The US carries on for a year. The Dems flip the house. Trump is reigned in and limps on for two years and his ability to rule by executive order is diminished.
The Trump administration is ignoring the rule of law. They ignore court cases that go against them. Trump is illegally appointing people.
The Trump administration is using military and paramilitary forces on his own domestic population contrary to the law. This includes directing ICE to arrest people on the basis that they look Latino. The Trump administration are consistently racist in their rhetoric.
The Trump administration is using the military to attack people in international waters against international and domestic law. The Trump administration repeatedly makes threat of military action and invasion against other countries. The Trump administration is allying with dictatorships and seeking to undermine democracies.
The Trump administration are grifting for their personal benefit and the benefit of their relatives.
The Trump administration is prosecuting political opponents on spurious grounds, while pardoning violent criminals who support them. The Trump administration continues to seek to undermine democracy at home.
The Trump administration wants to carve up an eastern European country's territory.
The parallels to the Nazis seem obvious to me! Maybe it's 1935 Nazis rather than 1939 Nazis, but I don't think we should the many, many warning signs.
I don't go with "Neo-Nazi", because that engages stereotypes of the murder of hundreds of thousands, and that plays into the hands of Extreme Right types trying to divert debates. Trump & Co are imo not there yet, even though they share similar values in many respects. I'd go with a comparison with 1920s fascist Italy, with parts of our media and political sectors playing useful idiot.
But I think you understate their hostility to Europe, and especially supra-national bodies, in the new Security Stragtegy.
There was an excellent "The Rest is Politics" this week, where Bad Al and Rory the ex-Tory were doing some very good analysis and opinion. It's the first time that I've considered subscribing, but their setup is confused and I'd put my £60 to paying for charity activist time to get a couple of barriers removed.
He’s an accomplished speaker in a small group situation: naturally loud voice, articulate, reasonably on top of his brief. I think it’s a mistake to lump all Reform people together as knuckle-heads - he has a brain. Not a brain that thinks the same way as mine, but a brain nonetheless.
Ideologically and stylistically he’s very much a Redwoodite Tory. The conversation could easily have been with someone on the right of the Tory party any time in the last 30 years. Deregulation, let’s get business people into government, cutting waste, common sense etc etc. The wrinkle vis a vis most Thatcherite types is a greater attachment to national champions, government intervention in the ownership of public utilities, and PPP. And of course a very clear enmity towards net zero and all things renewable, which is now mainstream conservative ideology but didn’t used to be.
To my question on corporation tax, he said they couldn’t make firm policy thus far out from an election but he praised Osborne’s tax roadmap.
He steered well away from anything culture war related, apart from a lone scoffing reference to “woke” investment funds. Nor foreign affairs. Clearly not his lane.
A clear indication that they would do “what they do in the USA” (he actually said that) and create a partisan civil service with Perm secs and their staff appointed by the government.
This was, in essence, like watching an hour of Dominic Cummings. Or indeed @Luckyguy1983 of this parish with a dollop of @Casino_Royale .
Thanks for the summary - reads well. I could live with a John Redwood type in charge of our country. I dont think I could live with Nigel Farage...
I could love with anyone who can get us away from low,growth. Low productivity, high tax, high welfare.
That’s not Reform.
Or any other party.
I'm using live with quite literally in the sense of leaving the country. If Farage brings in ICE style mass arrests of people who look a bit foreign then I'll be off.
As many of us have been saying for a while it's time for Starmer to make clear he's going to distance himself unequivocally from Trump and all of his neo Nazi coterie. If you think Trumps unpopular in the US imagine how the citizenship of the UK and the EU feel about him. Leave Trump to Farage and his flag waving admirers and move on quickly and decisively. I'm in France but the stuff he said about Khan appeared on the news and is shocking ......
........and for Starmer to be silent on it is even more shocking
I’m no fan of Trump but ‘neo-Nazi’.
Where Trump is concerned there is serious derangement going down. Some seriously deranged takes. Including in this thread. You’d think the US is on the verge of becoming the next N Korea.
What I expect to happen. The US carries on for a year. The Dems flip the house. Trump is reigned in and limps on for two years and his ability to rule by executive order is diminished.
The Trump administration is ignoring the rule of law. They ignore court cases that go against them. Trump is illegally appointing people.
The Trump administration is using military and paramilitary forces on his own domestic population contrary to the law. This includes directing ICE to arrest people on the basis that they look Latino. The Trump administration are consistently racist in their rhetoric.
The Trump administration is using the military to attack people in international waters against international and domestic law. The Trump administration repeatedly makes threat of military action and invasion against other countries. The Trump administration is allying with dictatorships and seeking to undermine democracies.
The Trump administration are grifting for their personal benefit and the benefit of their relatives.
The Trump administration is prosecuting political opponents on spurious grounds, while pardoning violent criminals who support them. The Trump administration continues to seek to undermine democracy at home.
The Trump administration wants to carve up an eastern European country's territory.
The parallels to the Nazis seem obvious to me! Maybe it's 1935 Nazis rather than 1939 Nazis, but I don't think we should the many, many warning signs.
I don't go with "Neo-Nazi", because that engages stereotypes of the murder of hundreds of thousands, and that plays into the hands of Extreme Right types trying to divert debates. Trump & Co are imo not there yet, even though they share similar values in many respects. I'd go with a comparison with 1920s fascist Italy, with parts of our media and political sectors playing useful idiot.
But I think you understate their hostility to Europe, and especially supra-national bodies, in the new Security Stragtegy.
There was an excellent "The Rest is Politics" this week, where Bad Al and Rory the ex-Tory were doing some very good analysis and opinion. It's the first time that I've considered subscribing, but their setup is confused and I'd put my £60 to paying for charity activist time to get a couple of barriers removed.
OT. For car lovers. There is a very striking car that seems to be much favoured by the Ukrainian ex pat community which has no visible name but AVATR underneath the passenger door. Very discreet. It looks a little like the Jag prototype but with a bit of an SUV. Favoured colours are pink and sky blue
Just checked out the website another Chinese EV - looks like a lot of car for the money.
Western car manufacturers might as well pack up.
Someone, @FrancisUrquhart IIRC, posted some YouTube videos of Chinese cars a few months back.
It’s staggering how advanced they are. Western car makers have talked the talk, the Chinese have walked the walk
Meanwhile in Germany car workers threaten to strike because they want a four day week for the same money.
The Chinese car makers are eating western car makers lunch.
Their only,salvation will be tariffs. Ironic given the criticism of Trump for them.
On a side note do you have the roof on your house ? The weather is shit at the moment.
CBAM is starting in the EU next year, 2027 in the UK. Not sure if that will have a significant impact on car manufacturers but will help level the playing field.
It should have been in place for at least the last decade. Horse bolted.
In fact - this could make it even worse for EU/UK car manufacturers. A new carbon tax on imported Chinese steel (which is the right thing to do), but not an equivalent on imported Chinese cars (that use .... Chinese steel).
FFS.
I suspect there will be punitive tariffs on Chinese cars to protect western car producers. It’s too critical an industry to many European nations.
Germany's got, apparently, 15% of the Chinese car market and is reluctant to approve tariffs. Short-sighted, if so, but that may be the case.
At the rate their market share is falling, that might change fairly soon.
I've just seen a disturbing deepfake ad using the Prime Minister to recommend an obvious scam. It was nearly flawless: if it wasn't obviously a scam I would have been taken in. The ad was from ournin.digital: don't click on it.
I've signed it too. What struck me was an advert I saw recently from one of the network providers. The gist was: 'Yes, we know that being a young person with a mobile phone can condemn you to a world of pain, but we're here to ease some of the misery if we can.' It's a bloody phone, not an obligatory instrument of torture! Why are we inflicting these things on children if terrible suffering is part of the package?
Comments
Re pubs. We have 2 locals. The nearest one to me is useless. The beer isn't well kept, it doesn't feel clean and is empty, yet it seems to have trundled on like this for years. The one further down the road is my local. It went bust during Covid. The son of the landlord tried to get it up and running again but failed. It was then bought and gutted and we all feared for what would replace it, but they have done a great job. 4 of the staff from a pub in the next village got together to buy it and have set up a proper local with great food. It is often packed (a bit too much for me). On Monday (a quiet day) they put on a free pint and foc quality nibbles and people turned up. I have yet to ask if the extra revenue covered the cost.
They have now bought a second pub.
😂😂
I rarely get involved in culture war stuff, aside from not buying into the view cross dressers are women, as I don’t care sufficiently.
I’m just ribbing the iniitial reporting.
I’m sure you spend loads of time in Royal Leamington Spa and know it intimately. In the meantime I will be dining there Saturday.
That’s not Reform.
Or any other party.
Suspect it will be like modern Las Vegas, where they give the impression of trying to nickel-and-dime you at every opportunity. Look out for $20 beers and $50 nachos in the stadiums.
When I went to the 2018 Russia world cup I just had to register as a fan, upload my ticket and got a 6 week visa immediately, far easier than a normal Russia tourist visa.
I expect the WC to be a bit of a fiasco, but for other reasons. Mostly it is far too bloated and spread out.
PS Definitely not pro-labour or pro-conservative or pro-Reform. But clear eyed on what's needed and that's not more bar managers.
Government leaks like a sieve about everything else. Is this party discipline, an agreement with the media to hold the line, or something else?
Yes I know it reasonably well. My parents live in Leamington Hastings (and are considering moving to Kenilworth as they’ve heard the locals are so welcoming).
As an aside, the sentencing remarks start with the wrong date for the offence.
https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/R-v-Jahanzeb-and-Niazal.pdf
As opposed to Russia, where very few turned up on tourist visas without a ticket.
England's second group match - against Ghana on 23 June - will also be shown on BBC, as well as their knockout fixtures in the last 32, last 16, and semi-final provided they reach those stages.
England's other Group L matches - against Croatia and Panama - and Scotland's meeting with Morocco will be shown on ITV.
If Wales or Northern Ireland qualify via March's play-offs - both are in a section of four competing for one place- their group match against Canada on 12 June will be broadcast on the BBC.
Two group fixtures for the Republic of Ireland will also be shown if they come through the play-offs.
The BBC will have three of the top four picks in the round of 16 and three of the top five picks in the round of 32.
Both broadcasters will show the final.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cgjnd28w56po
https://x.com/Jeremy_Hunt/status/1998435765882134756?s=20
The Trump administration is using military and paramilitary forces on his own domestic population contrary to the law. This includes directing ICE to arrest people on the basis that they look Latino. The Trump administration are consistently racist in their rhetoric.
The Trump administration is using the military to attack people in international waters against international and domestic law. The Trump administration repeatedly makes threat of military action and invasion against other countries. The Trump administration is allying with dictatorships and seeking to undermine democracies.
The Trump administration are grifting for their personal benefit and the benefit of their relatives.
The Trump administration is prosecuting political opponents on spurious grounds, while pardoning violent criminals who support them. The Trump administration continues to seek to undermine democracy at home.
The Trump administration wants to carve up an eastern European country's territory.
The parallels to the Nazis seem obvious to me! Maybe it's 1935 Nazis rather than 1939 Nazis, but I don't think we should the many, many warning signs.
So who gets to vote? Sounds like a policy Trump can get behind.
Can We Be Great Again?
Jeremy Hunt
https://swiftpress.com/book/can-we-be-great-again/
His TRiP Leading interview with Rory and AC is worth a listen too, imo:-
Inside the Tory Soap Opera: Truss, Boris & What’s Next | Jeremy Hunt
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEGru4WPGnM
The rumours of major setbacks to the Russian operations are continuing to grow. It seems that Pokrovsk, far from being a Russian victory has been an utter bloodbath for them and the Ukrainians still have a foothold in the city. Meanwhile the Russians are facing continual degradation of capabilities and logistics that are forcing very unpleasant choices and may lead to the collapse of the Crimean perimeter.
As always Trump's grip on reality in Ukraine may as fake as everything else he says.
In the meantime the UK ignores the judgement on cross dressers in women’s spaces and postpones elections the governing party will lose but nothing wrong there 👍👍👍👍
* This is happening, not a joke, ad breaks after 22 mins in each half.
But I think you understate their hostility to Europe, and especially supra-national bodies, in the new Security Stragtegy.
There was an excellent "The Rest is Politics" this week, where Bad Al and Rory the ex-Tory were doing some very good analysis and opinion. It's the first time that I've considered subscribing, but their setup is confused and I'd put my £60 to paying for charity activist time to get a couple of barriers removed.
How Trump’s Security Strategy Destroys The Old World Order
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ad3CByhscw0
I do rather like the name of the petitioner: Sertip Zangana