Consumer boycotts are the best reply to Trump. As we've said before some aren't easy with the big tech companies being practical monopolies. What has been the impact with Canada over the last twelve months? I'd have thought avoiding holidays (vacations?) in the US would be the easiest win. The sort of thing people spend thousands on.
Why would Trump even notice? He routinely lies about the economy - not just bar chart stuff, outright “the sky is green” stuff.
Is that not why blunt measures are necessary, in addition to all the "cope with, and circumvent, the deranged criminal who escaped from Rampton and is now sitting in our kitchen with a gun he found" stuff?
Trump, and his manipulators, declare that only hard power matters.
So that is what in the end it may have to be if they continue down their current trajectory.
But that is not something we know yet, and we still need to be able to go down a range of routes.
If you want to influence Trump, mad performative demonstrations are the way to go.
Testing the largest nuclear weapon in history, on the Moon, for example. Time it so it lights up the dark moon over Washington. Stupid, ridiculous and performative. #EuropeStonk
I think it needs both.
Performative does not have to be mad; it can also be useful. His method is to push, and if nothing happens push a bit more, until he is made to stop.
And pressure does flow back to Trump and/or his advisers. He is still Mr TACO, and time is not on his side either biologically or strategically - some of his levers are being rendered gradually irrelevant.
You need the Fuck! You! transgression. That’s what the MAGA types like. See the Russia! Stonk! “Russians love massive casualties in war” narrative that some try and sell.
As I say frequently to an uncomfortable silence, America don't owe it to Britain to elect someone we like. If we'd wanted to demonstrate some independence from the USA in this sort of situation, the time to look after that was over the last 7 decades when we gave ever more power to the US, allowed the US to gobble up key British companies, made our armed services and intelligence systems indivisible from theirs, and adopted an unecessarily servile approach compared to countries of similar size.
Truss gave an anecdote in her show of the Foreign Office changing her speech without asking her. When she demanded to know why, they told her it was because they'd checked it with the State Department. Why would the US State Department get a veto over the words of the British Foreign Secretary. That is toxic and totally against democracy.
Sadly, we're so demoralised (certainly PBers seem to be) that instead of being determined to do better, and to gradually reclaim our sovereignty, we think the best thing to do in this situation is to jump straight into bed with the EU, thus giving up even MORE independence to someone ELSE. As if Europe would never choose a leader we don't like. I mean get a grip PB for the love of God.
I think America owes it to America to choose a leader compatible with USA interests, of which one is "someone our allies - including the UK - like". Not to do so is to destroy the US interest, which is what is currently in process.
Now, they have already gone a huge distance in destroying the US interest, starting with burning down much of their international influence, and much of a system set up largely by them to promote and institutionalise US hegemony. That is now gone - what comes next? I think an underlying problem, in addition to Trump listening to voices in his head, is MAGA types like Vance and Miller, not understanding the USA's position.
I don't see any "jumping back into bed with EU"; I see Starmer looking, quite slowly, for an effective way of running Brexit and working with the EU - a promise on which the former Government(s) welched. I think most PBers agree that the Starmer Govt is too cautious, and in his desire to avoid the downside risks lsoign the upside too. They current Government were left with a pig in a poke, and whatever happens next, they start from there.
Do you have an approx link to the Liz Truss anecdote? The episode is good enough. There's a possible parallel with an anecdote told by Rory Tewart about his attempts to stop a particular programme in Afghanistan that he knew would be hijacked by Armed Groups, and his Civil Servants telling him that he did not have authority to stop programmes run by the department in which he was Minister. They both sound like a Sir Humprey problem.
It comes up in an interview (that you will detest) with a very glamorous American lady at the start of this episode:
It's mentioned in passing and there's not really any response from the interviewee, primarily I think because she imagines Truss is speaking about the British 'State department'. Which of course she isn't.
William Hague has also hinted at it, saying something like 'when you get into Government you soon learn how close we are to America'. To his discredit, unlike Rory and Truss, he wasn't complaining about it - if anything seemed mildly pleased at taking orders from Dep'ty Dog and the insider status it conferred upon him.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is now making an explicit link between the US desire to annex Greenland and the continuation of US support for Ukraine.
"What would happen in Ukraine if the US pulled its support out? The whole thing would collapse," Bessent told Meet The Press.
Consumer boycotts are the best reply to Trump. As we've said before some aren't easy with the big tech companies being practical monopolies. What has been the impact with Canada over the last twelve months? I'd have thought avoiding holidays (vacations?) in the US would be the easiest win. The sort of thing people spend thousands on.
Why would Trump even notice? He routinely lies about the economy - not just bar chart stuff, outright “the sky is green” stuff.
Is that not why blunt measures are necessary, in addition to all the "cope with, and circumvent, the deranged criminal who escaped from Rampton and is now sitting in our kitchen with a gun he found" stuff?
Trump, and his manipulators, declare that only hard power matters.
So that is what in the end it may have to be if they continue down their current trajectory.
But that is not something we know yet, and we still need to be able to go down a range of routes.
If you want to influence Trump, mad performative demonstrations are the way to go.
Testing the largest nuclear weapon in history, on the Moon, for example. Time it so it lights up the dark moon over Washington. Stupid, ridiculous and performative. #EuropeStonk
I think it needs both.
Performative does not have to be mad; it can also be useful. His method is to push, and if nothing happens push a bit more, until he is made to stop.
And pressure does flow back to Trump and/or his advisers. He is still Mr TACO, and time is not on his side either biologically or strategically - some of his levers are being rendered gradually irrelevant.
You need the Fuck! You! transgression. That’s what the MAGA types like. See the Russia! Stonk! “Russians love massive casualties in war” narrative that some try and sell.
I'd suggest looking more for the "Look! This is how you are fucking yourself !" things.
As I say frequently to an uncomfortable silence, America don't owe it to Britain to elect someone we like. If we'd wanted to demonstrate some independence from the USA in this sort of situation, the time to look after that was over the last 7 decades when we gave ever more power to the US, allowed the US to gobble up key British companies, made our armed services and intelligence systems indivisible from theirs, and adopted an unecessarily servile approach compared to countries of similar size.
Truss gave an anecdote in her show of the Foreign Office changing her speech without asking her. When she demanded to know why, they told her it was because they'd checked it with the State Department. Why would the US State Department get a veto over the words of the British Foreign Secretary. That is toxic and totally against democracy.
Sadly, we're so demoralised (certainly PBers seem to be) that instead of being determined to do better, and to gradually reclaim our sovereignty, we think the best thing to do in this situation is to jump straight into bed with the EU, thus giving up even MORE independence to someone ELSE. As if Europe would never choose a leader we don't like. I mean get a grip PB for the love of God.
I think America owes it to America to choose a leader compatible with USA interests, of which one is "someone our allies - including the UK - like". Not to do so is to destroy the US interest, which is what is currently in process.
Now, they have already gone a huge distance in destroying the US interest, starting with burning down much of their international influence, and much of a system set up largely by them to promote and institutionalise US hegemony. That is now gone - what comes next? I think an underlying problem, in addition to Trump listening to voices in his head, is MAGA types like Vance and Miller, not understanding the USA's position.
I don't see any "jumping back into bed with EU"; I see Starmer looking, quite slowly, for an effective way of running Brexit and working with the EU - a promise on which the former Government(s) welched. I think most PBers agree that the Starmer Govt is too cautious, and in his desire to avoid the downside risks lsoign the upside too. They current Government were left with a pig in a poke, and whatever happens next, they start from there.
Do you have an approx link to the Liz Truss anecdote? The episode is good enough. There's a possible parallel with an anecdote told by Rory Tewart about his attempts to stop a particular programme in Afghanistan that he knew would be hijacked by Armed Groups, and his Civil Servants telling him that he did not have authority to stop programmes run by the department in which he was Minister. They both sound like a Sir Humprey problem.
It comes up in an interview (that you will detest) with a very glamorous American lady at the start of this episode:
It's mentioned in passing and there's not really any response from the interviewee, primarily I think because she imagines Truss is speaking about the British 'State department'. Which of course she isn't.
William Hague has also hinted at it, saying something like 'when you get into Government you soon learn how close we are to America'. To his discredit, unlike Rory and Truss, he wasn't complaining about it - if anything seemed mildly pleased at taking orders from Dep'ty Dog and the insider status it conferred upon him.
Considering the situation with Greenland, is Mike Johnson (yes, I know ) value in terms of being the next President? Presuming that Trump invading would be a step to far for the GOP and Trump gets impeached and convicted, are the EU and other US allies going to want to deal with Vance as President? For any kind of reset back to some variation of the status quo, surely the message from Macron, Merz etc. would be that Vance needs to be impeached and gone as well. Which means Johnson becomes President.
Mike Johnson may well not be Speaker much longer. His grip on the House of Representatives is tentative. The Californian Representative who died recently will not be replaced until a Special ELection in August (the last date possible). The margin is now fingers on one hand. He is likely to incur the wrath of Republican Representatives if Trump invades Greenland. Even if he buys it, the umpty billions paid will face questions as to whether it could have been better spent on keeping a hospital open in East Bumfuck, Nowhere. Venting by removing the Speaker is an obvious move.
Plus, if it is thought that the US Speaker did have a sniff at becoming President, how many other ambitious Representatives in an already fractious caucus might like the look of the Speakership at this point.
Consumer boycotts are the best reply to Trump. As we've said before some aren't easy with the big tech companies being practical monopolies. What has been the impact with Canada over the last twelve months? I'd have thought avoiding holidays (vacations?) in the US would be the easiest win. The sort of thing people spend thousands on.
Why would Trump even notice? He routinely lies about the economy - not just bar chart stuff, outright “the sky is green” stuff.
Is that not why blunt measures are necessary, in addition to all the "cope with, and circumvent, the deranged criminal who escaped from Rampton and is now sitting in our kitchen with a gun he found" stuff?
Trump, and his manipulators, declare that only hard power matters.
So that is what in the end it may have to be if they continue down their current trajectory.
But that is not something we know yet, and we still need to be able to go down a range of routes.
If you want to influence Trump, mad performative demonstrations are the way to go.
Testing the largest nuclear weapon in history, on the Moon, for example. Time it so it lights up the dark moon over Washington. Stupid, ridiculous and performative. #EuropeStonk
I think it needs both.
Performative does not have to be mad; it can also be useful. His method is to push, and if nothing happens push a bit more, until he is made to stop.
And pressure does flow back to Trump and/or his advisers. He is still Mr TACO, and time is not on his side either biologically or strategically - some of his levers are being rendered gradually irrelevant.
You need the Fuck! You! transgression. That’s what the MAGA types like. See the Russia! Stonk! “Russians love massive casualties in war” narrative that some try and sell.
I'd suggest looking more for the "Look! This is how you are fucking yourself !" things.
Which is reasoning with people who are all about the “feels”.
It doesn’t impinge.
Try - “Given us 10 billion euro within an hour, or the nuke test on the moon will be on the Apollo 11 site.”
Consumer boycotts are the best reply to Trump. As we've said before some aren't easy with the big tech companies being practical monopolies. What has been the impact with Canada over the last twelve months? I'd have thought avoiding holidays (vacations?) in the US would be the easiest win. The sort of thing people spend thousands on.
Why would Trump even notice? He routinely lies about the economy - not just bar chart stuff, outright “the sky is green” stuff.
Is that not why blunt measures are necessary, in addition to all the "cope with, and circumvent, the deranged criminal who escaped from Rampton and is now sitting in our kitchen with a gun he found" stuff?
Trump, and his manipulators, declare that only hard power matters.
So that is what in the end it may have to be if they continue down their current trajectory.
But that is not something we know yet, and we still need to be able to go down a range of routes.
If you want to influence Trump, mad performative demonstrations are the way to go.
Testing the largest nuclear weapon in history, on the Moon, for example. Time it so it lights up the dark moon over Washington. Stupid, ridiculous and performative. #EuropeStonk
I think it needs both.
Performative does not have to be mad; it can also be useful. His method is to push, and if nothing happens push a bit more, until he is made to stop.
And pressure does flow back to Trump and/or his advisers. He is still Mr TACO, and time is not on his side either biologically or strategically - some of his levers are being rendered gradually irrelevant.
You need the Fuck! You! transgression. That’s what the MAGA types like. See the Russia! Stonk! “Russians love massive casualties in war” narrative that some try and sell.
I'd suggest looking more for the "Look! This is how you are fucking yourself !" things.
Which is reasoning with people who are all about the “feels”.
It doesn’t impinge.
Try - “Given us 10 billion euro within an hour, or the nuke test on the moon will be on the Apollo 11 site.”
It impinges when he is destroying his own power base, and the Red states and Red side of Congress are turning.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is now making an explicit link between the US desire to annex Greenland and the continuation of US support for Ukraine.
"What would happen in Ukraine if the US pulled its support out? The whole thing would collapse," Bessent told Meet The Press.
"The whole thing" being the pretence that Trump's desire to annex Greenland has the slightest thing to do with security?
Bessent on Greenland: "Peace through strength. Make it part of the US and there will not be a conflict because the US right now, we're the hottest country in the world, we're the strongest country in the world. Europeans project weakness. The US projects strength."
When Europe cuts welfare to fund strategic security it will start to project strength.
This is a weird meme because, as a percentage of GDP and including social security contributions, the United States is the biggest spender on welfare in the world - 7ppts higher than the UK. Even if you restrict it to pure, direct government expenditure (which isn't a fair comparison because of the complexities of public/private systems across countries), the US isn't far behind the UK (20% v 23%).
Any time someone suggests reducing welfare you can expect someone else to say "country X is spending more on welfare therefore it shouldn't be reduced in this country".
Might I point out that the USA's deficit and debt is even worse than that of the UK.
I didn't say that. I'm just calling out the MAGA talking point which is, as ever, based on a falsehood. The Americans are welfare junkies like the rest of us - and they don't get anywhere near the value that the Nordics do (the happiest countries in the world).
The Poles spend a larger proportion on defence than we do - and are applauded for it - but their welfare spending is even higher. The same goes for Finland, the largest standing reserve and artillery in Europe. The Danes spend more than we do on defence as well. We shouldn't be bullied into copying an American system of governance which is demonstrably shite at all levels and in all aspects, particularly when these excellent alternatives exist.
Bessent on Greenland: "Peace through strength. Make it part of the US and there will not be a conflict because the US right now, we're the hottest country in the world, we're the strongest country in the world. Europeans project weakness. The US projects strength."
When Europe cuts welfare to fund strategic security it will start to project strength.
This is a weird meme because, as a percentage of GDP and including social security contributions, the United States is the biggest spender on welfare in the world - 7ppts higher than the UK. Even if you restrict it to pure, direct government expenditure (which isn't a fair comparison because of the complexities of public/private systems across countries), the US isn't far behind the UK (20% v 23%).
Any time someone suggests reducing welfare you can expect someone else to say "country X is spending more on welfare therefore it shouldn't be reduced in this country".
Might I point out that the USA's deficit and debt is even worse than that of the UK.
I didn't say that. I'm just calling out the MAGA talking point which is, as ever, based on a falsehood. The Americans are welfare junkies like the rest of us - and they don't get anywhere near the value that the Nordics do (the happiest countries in the world).
The Poles spend a larger proportion on defence than we do - and are applauded for it - but their welfare spending is even higher. The same goes for Finland, the largest standing reserve and artillery in Europe. The Danes spend more than we do on defence as well. We shouldn't be bullied into copying an American system of governance which is demonstrably shite at all levels and in all aspects, particularly when these excellent alternatives exist.
Corruption is expensive, which is why the American system is so broken.
Americans spend more in public taxation on healthcare than we do in the UK. Not even counting private expenditure.
They wanted the brand - MG was the brand used by SAIC to introduce Chinese cars to the european market - in China MG cars are sold under the brand Roewe
The story is that if Americans all lost 10% of their weight, airlines would use 1.5% less fuel as a result. They don’t (yes) charge humans by their own weight and the average American is 180lb. 1.5% of the fuel bill across the major American airlines is $580m.
Always remember: as insane as Trump is behaving right now -- and he has never behaved more insanely -- it is only going to get worse. Don't just think how to respond to what he is doing now. Think about how to respond to what he will do next.
EDIT: This is why we need to punch him in the mouth (metaphorically) right now. Object lesson.
Bessent on Greenland: "Peace through strength. Make it part of the US and there will not be a conflict because the US right now, we're the hottest country in the world, we're the strongest country in the world. Europeans project weakness. The US projects strength."
When Europe cuts welfare to fund strategic security it will start to project strength.
This is a weird meme because, as a percentage of GDP and including social security contributions, the United States is the biggest spender on welfare in the world - 7ppts higher than the UK. Even if you restrict it to pure, direct government expenditure (which isn't a fair comparison because of the complexities of public/private systems across countries), the US isn't far behind the UK (20% v 23%).
Any time someone suggests reducing welfare you can expect someone else to say "country X is spending more on welfare therefore it shouldn't be reduced in this country".
Might I point out that the USA's deficit and debt is even worse than that of the UK.
I didn't say that. I'm just calling out the MAGA talking point which is, as ever, based on a falsehood. The Americans are welfare junkies like the rest of us - and they don't get anywhere near the value that the Nordics do (the happiest countries in the world).
The Poles spend a larger proportion on defence than we do - and are applauded for it - but their welfare spending is even higher. The same goes for Finland, the largest standing reserve and artillery in Europe. The Danes spend more than we do on defence as well. We shouldn't be bullied into copying an American system of governance which is demonstrably shite at all levels and in all aspects, particularly when these excellent alternatives exist.
Corruption is expensive, which is why the American system is so broken.
Americans spend more in public taxation on healthcare than we do in the UK. Not even counting private expenditure.
The Americans spend more on healthcare than the NHS, per head. Just counting the federal programs. The states and lower government structures pay other fortune in providing healthcare plans to employees.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is now making an explicit link between the US desire to annex Greenland and the continuation of US support for Ukraine.
"What would happen in Ukraine if the US pulled its support out? The whole thing would collapse," Bessent told Meet The Press.
"The whole thing" being the pretence that Trump's desire to annex Greenland has the slightest thing to do with security?
To smokescreen Epstein and to grift petrochemical and mining conglomerates.
And we have posters on here this afternoon gaslighting Biden.
Reform plan to be our next government. Farage said the next GE would be in 2027. Are Reform on the record anywhere as specifically opposing the USA policy of taking over Greenland?
I can't find it if it exists. They have been conspicuous by their silence since Trump's tariff statement yesterday. Perhaps they are awaiting instructions. But who from?
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is now making an explicit link between the US desire to annex Greenland and the continuation of US support for Ukraine.
"What would happen in Ukraine if the US pulled its support out? The whole thing would collapse," Bessent told Meet The Press.
"The whole thing" being the pretence that Trump's desire to annex Greenland has the slightest thing to do with security?
The underlying conceit is that the US is scared of Russia getting a foothold in Greenland - when it could crush Russia for decades by helping it be driven out of Ukraine.
What a bunch of See You Next Tuesdays they are in that Administration.
Reform plan to be our next government. Farage said the next GE would be in 2027. Are Reform on the record anywhere as specifically opposing the USA policy of taking over Greenland?
I can't find it if it exists. They have been conspicuous by their silence since Trump's tariff statement yesterday. Perhaps they are awaiting instructions. But who from?
If Farage thinks the next election is in 27 - he doesn't have the first clue how the British constitution works...
The story is that if Americans all lost 10% of their weight, airlines would use 1.5% less fuel as a result. They don’t (yes) charge humans by their own weight and the average American is 180lb. 1.5% of the fuel bill across the major American airlines is $580m.
I have long thought that airlines should charge by combined weight of passenger and baggage.
Reform plan to be our next government. Farage said the next GE would be in 2027. Are Reform on the record anywhere as specifically opposing the USA policy of taking over Greenland?
I can't find it if it exists. They have been conspicuous by their silence since Trump's tariff statement yesterday. Perhaps they are awaiting instructions. But who from?
How do we get a GE next year? Are the Trump administration planning a shit load of Labour held seat by elections?
The story is that if Americans all lost 10% of their weight, airlines would use 1.5% less fuel as a result. They don’t (yes) charge humans by their own weight and the average American is 180lb. 1.5% of the fuel bill across the major American airlines is $580m.
I though the principle was that moderation and efficiency were worthless concepts ?
Selling England by the pound. Britain's newspaper of record worries about Chinese purchases of whatever is not already owned by Americans and Europeans.
You should see what the UAE is buying up. Brands. They like brands. Big famous names.
Abu Dhabi alone has been doing deals at the rate of $5 billion A DAY...
ADIA investment fund alone has around $1trn under management at the moment.
There’s also plenty in of cash in Dubai, Riyadh, Doha, all finding a home in the West.
China is definitely the big future threat, because they’re building up monopolies for commodity as well as technological products. As we all should have realised during the pandemic. Canada are out of their minds to drop tariffs on Chinese cars, they’ll be everywhere by next year, although ironically the biggest seller of them will probably be an American company, Tesla.
I told JohnO before Christmas that I have been headhunted to go work for one of these Middle Eastern banks/governments/investment firms.
They ain't messing around.
Indeed, when I was open to offers I spoke to a few ME companies coming in at well into seven figures tax free to go and work in Riyadh or Kuwait.
I would never make my wife move to the Middle East and live in a gilded cage so it was a non-starters but the offers were up to 10x what I eventually took here.
This job would be UK based, like you I have no desire to work in the Middle East.
I've never had a good experience working in the Middle East.
Reform plan to be our next government. Farage said the next GE would be in 2027. Are Reform on the record anywhere as specifically opposing the USA policy of taking over Greenland?
I can't find it if it exists. They have been conspicuous by their silence since Trump's tariff statement yesterday. Perhaps they are awaiting instructions. But who from?
Farage is off sick. Reminds me of John Major's toothache.
His own cousin, surely, unless his previous wife was his sister?
Under English law at the time, if you were married to somebody you were legally considered that person for marital purposes.
When Henry VIII married Catherine of Aragon, he had to obtain a papal dispensation because she had been married to his brother.
He claimed, in the dispensation, that Catherine and Arthur had never consummated their marriage. When he wanted an annulment, he claimed she had misled him on this point.
Similarly, he annulled his marriage to Anne Boleyn before beheading her on the grounds he'd previously been shagging her sister Mary.
The story is that if Americans all lost 10% of their weight, airlines would use 1.5% less fuel as a result. They don’t (yes) charge humans by their own weight and the average American is 180lb. 1.5% of the fuel bill across the major American airlines is $580m.
I have long thought that airlines should charge by combined weight of passenger and baggage.
Various politicians have leaned hard on airlines to *not* do that.
His own cousin, surely, unless his previous wife was his sister?
Under English law at the time, if you were married to somebody you were legally considered that person for marital purposes.
When Henry VIII married Catherine of Aragon, he had to obtain a papal dispensation because she had been married to his brother.
He claimed, in the dispensation, that Catherine and Arthur had never consummated their marriage. When he wanted an annulment, he claimed she had misled him on this point.
Similarly, he annulled his marriage to Anne Boleyn before beheading her on the grounds he'd previously been shagging her sister Mary.
His own cousin, surely, unless his previous wife was his sister?
Under English law at the time, if you were married to somebody you were legally considered that person for marital purposes.
When Henry VIII married Catherine of Aragon, he had to obtain a papal dispensation because she had been married to his brother.
He claimed, in the dispensation, that Catherine and Arthur had never consummated their marriage. When he wanted an annulment, he claimed she had misled him on this point.
Similarly, he annulled his marriage to Anne Boleyn before beheading her on the grounds he'd previously been shagging her sister Mary.
Apparently Farage is under the weather and couldn’t make LK .
Yes right ! Obviously he didn’t want answer uncomfortable questions about his relationship with Trump .
It is his usual 'duck and cover' approach when Trump is being particularly egregious. Not that Trump is massively popular with Reform voters, but he is more popular than with other voters, and going silent (or sticking to careful written statements) about being pro-Trump in such moments usually allows things to blow over.
He won't be able to get away with ducking things like that on this or other issues forever, when he is in with a shot of being PM.
If he's lucky though it won't hurt him until after he's already in office. It took a long time for Corbyn's unchanging views on foreign affairs to have any impact at all.
One party stands out in this table. It seems a fair number of Reform voters are Trump bootlickers:
It is really interesting that Reform is so out of line on this. 39% "strongly oppose". If the bulk of Reform's support is from former Tories, then they must have had their minds melted in the journey across.
I think about half of the Reform vote is from weathy older Shire voters not unlike the Tories, but the other half is from those swapping various MAGA conspiracy theories on Social Media.
All parties are coalitions, but this doesn't seem a natural fit in the long term. Farage knows this and its one reason that he won't criticize Trump.
You seriously think about 14.5% of the country are swapping MAGA conspiracy stories online 🙄
Last night one of my Tweets about Greenland went viral, I'd say about 40% of the replies are MAGA bullshit by Brits.
Any brit who defends and supports immigrants is a traitor.
Any brit who defends and supports immigrants is a traitor.
I'd forgotten you still had a Twitter account. Can't be fun, given that it is chock full of nutters. Have you thought of migrating to Bluesky and going on Matt Wardman's Political Betting starter pack?
Those of you who are talking about UK military action may wish to view the video below. The TL:DR is that Labour is dragging its feet about coming up with the actual money for the promised defence improvements. This is obviously criminally irresponsible given the current pressures and our mounting responsibilities.
The story is that if Americans all lost 10% of their weight, airlines would use 1.5% less fuel as a result. They don’t (yes) charge humans by their own weight and the average American is 180lb. 1.5% of the fuel bill across the major American airlines is $580m.
I have long thought that airlines should charge by combined weight of passenger and baggage.
If you added an onboard decibel measuring device so that noisy children were charged per slightest shriek then it'd be perfect. Oh and an extra 10% charged if you tip your seat back on short haul, with an equivalent discount to the seat-tipper victim.
I am deeply concerned that so many Reform voters don't see this for what it is.
They seem to think Trump can do no wrong, and if anyone opposes him then that's a sign that he himself must be supported.
The appeal of isolationism has always united the top and bottom in society. Wars are expensive. People at the top fear interruption to their businesses, people at the bottom fear more taxes and less spending on them. Plus, wars are scary and personally, I don't want to find out what I'm made of.
Start from there, and we're all prone to all sorts of contortions to justify the conclusion we want.
The story is that if Americans all lost 10% of their weight, airlines would use 1.5% less fuel as a result. They don’t (yes) charge humans by their own weight and the average American is 180lb. 1.5% of the fuel bill across the major American airlines is $580m.
I have long thought that airlines should charge by combined weight of passenger and baggage.
If you added an onboard decibel measuring device so that noisy children were charged per slightest shriek then it'd be perfect. Oh and an extra 10% charged if you tip your seat back on short haul, with an equivalent discount to the seat-tipper victim.
I am deeply concerned that so many Reform voters don't see this for what it is.
They seem to think Trump can do no wrong, and if anyone opposes him then that's a sign that he himself must be supported.
The appeal of isolationism has always united the top and bottom in society. Wars are expensive. People at the top fear interruption to their businesses, people at the bottom fear more taxes and less spending on them. Plus, wars are scary and personally, I don't want to find out what I'm made of.
Start from there, and we're all prone to all sorts of contortions to justify the conclusion we want.
It's also easier - at least, in theory. It's true for people as much as it is for rogue states. No need to adjust your position to accommodate anyone else's opinions, or get involved in long, drawn out negotions - just "my way or the highway". Which is a sustainable position to hold - right up to the moment when you need help, or for someone else to agree with you.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is now making an explicit link between the US desire to annex Greenland and the continuation of US support for Ukraine.
"What would happen in Ukraine if the US pulled its support out? The whole thing would collapse," Bessent told Meet The Press.
The damage these people are doing will take decades to heal. How can anyone trust the US again when it behaves like this to allies?
Apparently Farage is under the weather and couldn’t make LK .
Yes right ! Obviously he didn’t want answer uncomfortable questions about his relationship with Trump .
It is his usual 'duck and cover' approach when Trump is being particularly egregious. Not that Trump is massively popular with Reform voters, but he is more popular than with other voters, and going silent (or sticking to careful written statements) about being pro-Trump in such moments usually allows things to blow over.
He won't be able to get away with ducking things like that on this or other issues forever, when he is in with a shot of being PM.
If he's lucky though it won't hurt him until after he's already in office. It took a long time for Corbyn's unchanging views on foreign affairs to have any impact at all.
One party stands out in this table. It seems a fair number of Reform voters are Trump bootlickers:
It is really interesting that Reform is so out of line on this. 39% "strongly oppose". If the bulk of Reform's support is from former Tories, then they must have had their minds melted in the journey across.
I think about half of the Reform vote is from weathy older Shire voters not unlike the Tories, but the other half is from those swapping various MAGA conspiracy theories on Social Media.
All parties are coalitions, but this doesn't seem a natural fit in the long term. Farage knows this and its one reason that he won't criticize Trump.
You seriously think about 14.5% of the country are swapping MAGA conspiracy stories online 🙄
Last night one of my Tweets about Greenland went viral, I'd say about 40% of the replies are MAGA bullshit by Brits.
Any brit who defends and supports immigrants is a traitor.
Any brit who defends and supports immigrants is a traitor.
I'd forgotten you still had a Twitter account. Can't be fun, given that it is chock full of nutters. Have you thought of migrating to Bluesky and going on Matt Wardman's Political Betting starter pack?
His own cousin, surely, unless his previous wife was his sister?
Under English law at the time, if you were married to somebody you were legally considered that person for marital purposes.
When Henry VIII married Catherine of Aragon, he had to obtain a papal dispensation because she had been married to his brother.
He claimed, in the dispensation, that Catherine and Arthur had never consummated their marriage. When he wanted an annulment, he claimed she had misled him on this point.
Similarly, he annulled his marriage to Anne Boleyn before beheading her on the grounds he'd previously been shagging her sister Mary.
Yes, he was massively creepy.
Trump is rather like Henry VIII, I think.
Certainly in the sense that if either saw something they want then they must have it, and both would take disagreement very personally.
The story is that if Americans all lost 10% of their weight, airlines would use 1.5% less fuel as a result. They don’t (yes) charge humans by their own weight and the average American is 180lb. 1.5% of the fuel bill across the major American airlines is $580m.
I have long thought that airlines should charge by combined weight of passenger and baggage.
If you added an onboard decibel measuring device so that noisy children were charged per slightest shriek then it'd be perfect. Oh and an extra 10% charged if you tip your seat back on short haul, with an equivalent discount to the seat-tipper victim.
Another wheeze the airlines could do is offer seat upgrades in flight. There have been many times when in retrospect I'd have happily paid twice the business upgrade cost along the way just to get more legroom, less noise, or just be able to get off the hellish thing 2 minutes sooner!
Apparently Farage is under the weather and couldn’t make LK .
Yes right ! Obviously he didn’t want answer uncomfortable questions about his relationship with Trump .
It is his usual 'duck and cover' approach when Trump is being particularly egregious. Not that Trump is massively popular with Reform voters, but he is more popular than with other voters, and going silent (or sticking to careful written statements) about being pro-Trump in such moments usually allows things to blow over.
He won't be able to get away with ducking things like that on this or other issues forever, when he is in with a shot of being PM.
If he's lucky though it won't hurt him until after he's already in office. It took a long time for Corbyn's unchanging views on foreign affairs to have any impact at all.
One party stands out in this table. It seems a fair number of Reform voters are Trump bootlickers:
It is really interesting that Reform is so out of line on this. 39% "strongly oppose". If the bulk of Reform's support is from former Tories, then they must have had their minds melted in the journey across.
I think about half of the Reform vote is from weathy older Shire voters not unlike the Tories, but the other half is from those swapping various MAGA conspiracy theories on Social Media.
All parties are coalitions, but this doesn't seem a natural fit in the long term. Farage knows this and its one reason that he won't criticize Trump.
You seriously think about 14.5% of the country are swapping MAGA conspiracy stories online 🙄
Last night one of my Tweets about Greenland went viral, I'd say about 40% of the replies are MAGA bullshit by Brits.
Any brit who defends and supports immigrants is a traitor.
Any brit who defends and supports immigrants is a traitor.
I'd forgotten you still had a Twitter account. Can't be fun, given that it is chock full of nutters. Have you thought of migrating to Bluesky and going on Matt Wardman's Political Betting starter pack?
Whereas Bluesky is a silent desert with the odd shrieking group of pious lefty nutters, acidly bickering with each other and wondering why no one wants to join them
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is now making an explicit link between the US desire to annex Greenland and the continuation of US support for Ukraine.
"What would happen in Ukraine if the US pulled its support out? The whole thing would collapse," Bessent told Meet The Press.
Europe has had four years to get its act together. There has been some progress, but given the risk that we would face this moment ultimately the opportunity we had to get ready has been wasted.
Starmer is still dragging his heels on increasing defence spending, but the previous Tory PMs since the full-scale invasion are also culpable.
It's only because Europe has failed to prepare that the US is able to make these threats.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is now making an explicit link between the US desire to annex Greenland and the continuation of US support for Ukraine.
"What would happen in Ukraine if the US pulled its support out? The whole thing would collapse," Bessent told Meet The Press.
The damage these people are doing will take decades to heal. How can anyone trust the US again when it behaves like this to allies?
What if they don’t care?
That’s one disturbing rationale. What if they’ve decided that NATO can go fuck itself (ditto Ukraine), and the Europeans are a bunch of expensive effete losers determined to immigrate their nations to death - ergo they are doomed and useless allies now and forever
What if they’ve therefore decided that American isolationism is the answer - building an impregnable fortress in the wider Americas, which contains all the resources it needs and has all means to defend itself - especially if they can seize the vast mineral wealth and strategic location of Greenland
In that light the seizure of Greenland makes “sense”. They just don’t care. America must have what it needs for security and fuck Denmark (and Greenland)
If this is their thinking - rather than just a trumpian flight of lunacy - then it has an internal logic. It is also crazily risky and almost certainly a massive error - every nation, no matter how strong, must have allies and alliances
Just pointing out that it might not be pure insanity. Eg the death of NATO is possibly seen as a positive by product
I am deeply concerned that so many Reform voters don't see this for what it is.
They seem to think Trump can do no wrong, and if anyone opposes him then that's a sign that he himself must be supported.
I did vote Reform in 2024, but have never been all in on Trump, and probably won’t vote Reform next time anyway. I liked that he tore up the rule book and gave the centrists/lefty can’t do’s a kick up the arse, but his response to the film directors death recently woke me up to what a crass person he is. Now it seems like he is getting crazier every day.
Not that it would cross his mind, but he has put Farage in a bit of a muddle now. Laying Reform most seats at 2 seems even better than before, I think it’s been a bad week for them
Just pointing out that it might not be pure insanity. Eg the death of NATO is possibly seen as a positive by product
I may be overthinking it, but getting the US out of NATO, an objective with which I have some sympathy, is what's behind all this Greenland bollocks. It's upending 70 years of US strategic doctrine so Miller, JDV and the rest of the danse macabre need an imperative. Handily annexing Greenland resonates with DJT's pleonexia and sadism.
After all, we need them a hell of a lot more than they need us.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is now making an explicit link between the US desire to annex Greenland and the continuation of US support for Ukraine.
"What would happen in Ukraine if the US pulled its support out? The whole thing would collapse," Bessent told Meet The Press.
The damage these people are doing will take decades to heal. How can anyone trust the US again when it behaves like this to allies?
What if they don’t care?
That’s one disturbing rationale. What if they’ve decided that NATO can go fuck itself (ditto Ukraine), and the Europeans are a bunch of expensive effete losers determined to immigrate their nations to death - ergo they are doomed and useless allies now and forever
What if they’ve therefore decided that American isolationism is the answer - building an impregnable fortress in the wider Americas, which contains all the resources it needs and has all means to defend itself - especially if they can seize the vast mineral wealth and strategic location of Greenland
In that light the seizure of Greenland makes “sense”. They just don’t care. America must have what it needs for security and fuck Denmark (and Greenland)
If this is their thinking - rather than just a trumpian flight of lunacy - then it has an internal logic. It is also crazily risky and almost certainly a massive error - every nation, no matter how strong, must have allies and alliances
Just pointing out that it might not be pure insanity. Eg the death of NATO is possibly seen as a positive by product
America never guarded the free world out of a defence of democracy. It did it to protect trade with its industry.
It risks trashing its trading empire, as everyone else now works together to find alternatives.
Europe, Africa and Asia can happily trade amongst themselves. What do we need from the US that can't be found elsewhere?
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is now making an explicit link between the US desire to annex Greenland and the continuation of US support for Ukraine.
"What would happen in Ukraine if the US pulled its support out? The whole thing would collapse," Bessent told Meet The Press.
The damage these people are doing will take decades to heal. How can anyone trust the US again when it behaves like this to allies?
What if they don’t care?
That’s one disturbing rationale. What if they’ve decided that NATO can go fuck itself (ditto Ukraine), and the Europeans are a bunch of expensive effete losers determined to immigrate their nations to death - ergo they are doomed and useless allies now and forever
What if they’ve therefore decided that American isolationism is the answer - building an impregnable fortress in the wider Americas, which contains all the resources it needs and has all means to defend itself - especially if they can seize the vast mineral wealth and strategic location of Greenland
In that light the seizure of Greenland makes “sense”. They just don’t care. America must have what it needs for security and fuck Denmark (and Greenland)
If this is their thinking - rather than just a trumpian flight of lunacy - then it has an internal logic. It is also crazily risky and almost certainly a massive error - every nation, no matter how strong, must have allies and alliances
Just pointing out that it might not be pure insanity. Eg the death of NATO is possibly seen as a positive by product
Then, that would be a failure of imagination.
America has less than 5% of humanity's population, and isn't anything like as invulnerable or omnipotent as it thinks it is.
They soon will care when they realise such actions leave Americans friendless, their markets smaller, access to products reduced, and - being no longer able or trusted to shape world events - a recipient of the chaos that causes, which it will.
Not that it would cross his mind, but he has put Farage in a bit of a muddle now. Laying Reform most seats at 2 seems even better than before, I think it’s been a bad week for them
I used to think that any political downside to Big Nige's Trump adjacency was overblown. Now, as Trump gets increasingly crackers and still unchallenged by most of the US political and media landscape, I'm not sure. There is so much Farage/Trump bollocks on records, if Trump goes down he could well take c-nt features with him.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is now making an explicit link between the US desire to annex Greenland and the continuation of US support for Ukraine.
"What would happen in Ukraine if the US pulled its support out? The whole thing would collapse," Bessent told Meet The Press.
The damage these people are doing will take decades to heal. How can anyone trust the US again when it behaves like this to allies?
What if they don’t care?
That’s one disturbing rationale. What if they’ve decided that NATO can go fuck itself (ditto Ukraine), and the Europeans are a bunch of expensive effete losers determined to immigrate their nations to death - ergo they are doomed and useless allies now and forever
What if they’ve therefore decided that American isolationism is the answer - building an impregnable fortress in the wider Americas, which contains all the resources it needs and has all means to defend itself - especially if they can seize the vast mineral wealth and strategic location of Greenland
In that light the seizure of Greenland makes “sense”. They just don’t care. America must have what it needs for security and fuck Denmark (and Greenland)
If this is their thinking - rather than just a trumpian flight of lunacy - then it has an internal logic. It is also crazily risky and almost certainly a massive error - every nation, no matter how strong, must have allies and alliances
Just pointing out that it might not be pure insanity. Eg the death of NATO is possibly seen as a positive by product
Then, that would be a failure of imagination.
America has less than 5% of humanity's population, and isn't anything like as invulnerable or omnipotent as it thinks it is.
They soon will care when they realise such actions leave Americans friendless, their markets smaller, access to products reduced, and - being no longer able or trusted to shape world events - a recipient of the chaos that causes, which it will.
Technology may be about to render all this very arguable
I am deeply concerned that so many Reform voters don't see this for what it is.
They seem to think Trump can do no wrong, and if anyone opposes him then that's a sign that he himself must be supported.
I did vote Reform in 2024, but have never been all in on Trump, and probably won’t vote Reform next time anyway. I liked that he tore up the rule book and gave the centrists/lefty can’t do’s a kick up the arse, but his response to the film directors death recently woke me up to what a crass person he is. Now it seems like he is getting crazier every day.
Not that it would cross his mind, but he has put Farage in a bit of a muddle now. Laying Reform most seats at 2 seems even better than before, I think it’s been a bad week for them
EDIT It’s 2.1 now, predictable drift
I don't like bullies, wherever they come from on the political spectrum. Nor the weaponising of law and trade for those ends.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is now making an explicit link between the US desire to annex Greenland and the continuation of US support for Ukraine.
"What would happen in Ukraine if the US pulled its support out? The whole thing would collapse," Bessent told Meet The Press.
The damage these people are doing will take decades to heal. How can anyone trust the US again when it behaves like this to allies?
What if they don’t care?
That’s one disturbing rationale. What if they’ve decided that NATO can go fuck itself (ditto Ukraine), and the Europeans are a bunch of expensive effete losers determined to immigrate their nations to death - ergo they are doomed and useless allies now and forever
What if they’ve therefore decided that American isolationism is the answer - building an impregnable fortress in the wider Americas, which contains all the resources it needs and has all means to defend itself - especially if they can seize the vast mineral wealth and strategic location of Greenland
In that light the seizure of Greenland makes “sense”. They just don’t care. America must have what it needs for security and fuck Denmark (and Greenland)
If this is their thinking - rather than just a trumpian flight of lunacy - then it has an internal logic. It is also crazily risky and almost certainly a massive error - every nation, no matter how strong, must have allies and alliances
Just pointing out that it might not be pure insanity. Eg the death of NATO is possibly seen as a positive by product
Then, that would be a failure of imagination.
America has less than 5% of humanity's population, and isn't anything like as invulnerable or omnipotent as it thinks it is.
They soon will care when they realise such actions leave Americans friendless, their markets smaller, access to products reduced, and - being no longer able or trusted to shape world events - a recipient of the chaos that causes, which it will.
But that's all in the future, and therefore someone else's problem.
The US government may have other matters to deal with. The amount of freah hardware appearing in the Middle East is notable. Interestingly a lot of the new stuff is sitting in Jordan and that aircraft carrier that is apparently days away is closer than some imagine.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is now making an explicit link between the US desire to annex Greenland and the continuation of US support for Ukraine.
"What would happen in Ukraine if the US pulled its support out? The whole thing would collapse," Bessent told Meet The Press.
The damage these people are doing will take decades to heal. How can anyone trust the US again when it behaves like this to allies?
What if they don’t care?
That’s one disturbing rationale. What if they’ve decided that NATO can go fuck itself (ditto Ukraine), and the Europeans are a bunch of expensive effete losers determined to immigrate their nations to death - ergo they are doomed and useless allies now and forever
What if they’ve therefore decided that American isolationism is the answer - building an impregnable fortress in the wider Americas, which contains all the resources it needs and has all means to defend itself - especially if they can seize the vast mineral wealth and strategic location of Greenland
In that light the seizure of Greenland makes “sense”. They just don’t care. America must have what it needs for security and fuck Denmark (and Greenland)
If this is their thinking - rather than just a trumpian flight of lunacy - then it has an internal logic. It is also crazily risky and almost certainly a massive error - every nation, no matter how strong, must have allies and alliances
Just pointing out that it might not be pure insanity. Eg the death of NATO is possibly seen as a positive by product
Then, that would be a failure of imagination.
America has less than 5% of humanity's population, and isn't anything like as invulnerable or omnipotent as it thinks it is.
They soon will care when they realise such actions leave Americans friendless, their markets smaller, access to products reduced, and - being no longer able or trusted to shape world events - a recipient of the chaos that causes, which it will.
But that's all in the future, and therefore someone else's problem.
But look at TrumpGreenland and imagine all the wealth it will generate as they mine the beauty away and sell it to China..
Apparently Farage is under the weather and couldn’t make LK .
Yes right ! Obviously he didn’t want answer uncomfortable questions about his relationship with Trump .
It is his usual 'duck and cover' approach when Trump is being particularly egregious. Not that Trump is massively popular with Reform voters, but he is more popular than with other voters, and going silent (or sticking to careful written statements) about being pro-Trump in such moments usually allows things to blow over.
He won't be able to get away with ducking things like that on this or other issues forever, when he is in with a shot of being PM.
If he's lucky though it won't hurt him until after he's already in office. It took a long time for Corbyn's unchanging views on foreign affairs to have any impact at all.
One party stands out in this table. It seems a fair number of Reform voters are Trump bootlickers:
It is really interesting that Reform is so out of line on this. 39% "strongly oppose". If the bulk of Reform's support is from former Tories, then they must have had their minds melted in the journey across.
I think about half of the Reform vote is from weathy older Shire voters not unlike the Tories, but the other half is from those swapping various MAGA conspiracy theories on Social Media.
All parties are coalitions, but this doesn't seem a natural fit in the long term. Farage knows this and its one reason that he won't criticize Trump.
You seriously think about 14.5% of the country are swapping MAGA conspiracy stories online 🙄
Last night one of my Tweets about Greenland went viral, I'd say about 40% of the replies are MAGA bullshit by Brits.
Any brit who defends and supports immigrants is a traitor.
Any brit who defends and supports immigrants is a traitor.
I'd forgotten you still had a Twitter account. Can't be fun, given that it is chock full of nutters. Have you thought of migrating to Bluesky and going on Matt Wardman's Political Betting starter pack?
Whereas Bluesky is a silent desert with the odd shrieking group of pious lefty nutters, acidly bickering with each other and wondering why no one wants to join them
Think I prefer the unruly crowds and fun
There’s been an influx of Lib Dem MPs since the spat about image doctoring.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is now making an explicit link between the US desire to annex Greenland and the continuation of US support for Ukraine.
"What would happen in Ukraine if the US pulled its support out? The whole thing would collapse," Bessent told Meet The Press.
The damage these people are doing will take decades to heal. How can anyone trust the US again when it behaves like this to allies?
What if they don’t care?
That’s one disturbing rationale. What if they’ve decided that NATO can go fuck itself (ditto Ukraine), and the Europeans are a bunch of expensive effete losers determined to immigrate their nations to death - ergo they are doomed and useless allies now and forever
What if they’ve therefore decided that American isolationism is the answer - building an impregnable fortress in the wider Americas, which contains all the resources it needs and has all means to defend itself - especially if they can seize the vast mineral wealth and strategic location of Greenland
In that light the seizure of Greenland makes “sense”. They just don’t care. America must have what it needs for security and fuck Denmark (and Greenland)
If this is their thinking - rather than just a trumpian flight of lunacy - then it has an internal logic. It is also crazily risky and almost certainly a massive error - every nation, no matter how strong, must have allies and alliances
Just pointing out that it might not be pure insanity. Eg the death of NATO is possibly seen as a positive by product
Then, that would be a failure of imagination.
America has less than 5% of humanity's population, and isn't anything like as invulnerable or omnipotent as it thinks it is.
They soon will care when they realise such actions leave Americans friendless, their markets smaller, access to products reduced, and - being no longer able or trusted to shape world events - a recipient of the chaos that causes, which it will.
Technology may be about to render all this very arguable
And if it turns out that through means fair and foul, China has a huge advantage in that technology?
The aphorism of Mandy Rice-Davies applies, surely?
I don’t know, but start from the assumption that routine operational data sharing doesn’t go up as high as the politicians unless it’s something very significant.
It would be a weird thing to be caught doing while the US is involved in trying to broker a ceasefire. It doesn’t smell right as presented, and I haven’t yet gone through all of the French report material.
An American POV. She's always watchable but if you don't find her so go to the poll at 13 mins on how various countries see the US . 25% of the UK still see them as allies. The figure for the EU is down to just 16%
Not that it would cross his mind, but he has put Farage in a bit of a muddle now. Laying Reform most seats at 2 seems even better than before, I think it’s been a bad week for them
I used to think that any political downside to Big Nige's Trump adjacency was overblown. Now, as Trump gets increasingly crackers and still unchallenged by most of the US political and media landscape, I'm not sure. There is so much Farage/Trump bollocks on records, if Trump goes down he could well take c-nt features with him.
Apparently GB News has spent all day simping for Trump,
Apparently Farage is under the weather and couldn’t make LK .
Yes right ! Obviously he didn’t want answer uncomfortable questions about his relationship with Trump .
It is his usual 'duck and cover' approach when Trump is being particularly egregious. Not that Trump is massively popular with Reform voters, but he is more popular than with other voters, and going silent (or sticking to careful written statements) about being pro-Trump in such moments usually allows things to blow over.
He won't be able to get away with ducking things like that on this or other issues forever, when he is in with a shot of being PM.
If he's lucky though it won't hurt him until after he's already in office. It took a long time for Corbyn's unchanging views on foreign affairs to have any impact at all.
One party stands out in this table. It seems a fair number of Reform voters are Trump bootlickers:
It is really interesting that Reform is so out of line on this. 39% "strongly oppose". If the bulk of Reform's support is from former Tories, then they must have had their minds melted in the journey across.
I think about half of the Reform vote is from weathy older Shire voters not unlike the Tories, but the other half is from those swapping various MAGA conspiracy theories on Social Media.
All parties are coalitions, but this doesn't seem a natural fit in the long term. Farage knows this and its one reason that he won't criticize Trump.
You seriously think about 14.5% of the country are swapping MAGA conspiracy stories online 🙄
Last night one of my Tweets about Greenland went viral, I'd say about 40% of the replies are MAGA bullshit by Brits.
Any brit who defends and supports immigrants is a traitor.
Any brit who defends and supports immigrants is a traitor.
I'd forgotten you still had a Twitter account. Can't be fun, given that it is chock full of nutters. Have you thought of migrating to Bluesky and going on Matt Wardman's Political Betting starter pack?
Whereas Bluesky is a silent desert with the odd shrieking group of pious lefty nutters, acidly bickering with each other and wondering why no one wants to join them
Think I prefer the unruly crowds and fun
There’s been an influx of Lib Dem MPs since the spat about image doctoring.
What a loss to Twitter they are.
Ed Davey still keep popping up in my Twitter timeline, mostly coming across as a student activist yelling into the void at the US President.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is now making an explicit link between the US desire to annex Greenland and the continuation of US support for Ukraine.
"What would happen in Ukraine if the US pulled its support out? The whole thing would collapse," Bessent told Meet The Press.
The damage these people are doing will take decades to heal. How can anyone trust the US again when it behaves like this to allies?
What if they don’t care?
That’s one disturbing rationale. What if they’ve decided that NATO can go fuck itself (ditto Ukraine), and the Europeans are a bunch of expensive effete losers determined to immigrate their nations to death - ergo they are doomed and useless allies now and forever
What if they’ve therefore decided that American isolationism is the answer - building an impregnable fortress in the wider Americas, which contains all the resources it needs and has all means to defend itself - especially if they can seize the vast mineral wealth and strategic location of Greenland
In that light the seizure of Greenland makes “sense”. They just don’t care. America must have what it needs for security and fuck Denmark (and Greenland)
If this is their thinking - rather than just a trumpian flight of lunacy - then it has an internal logic. It is also crazily risky and almost certainly a massive error - every nation, no matter how strong, must have allies and alliances
Just pointing out that it might not be pure insanity. Eg the death of NATO is possibly seen as a positive by product
Then, that would be a failure of imagination.
America has less than 5% of humanity's population, and isn't anything like as invulnerable or omnipotent as it thinks it is.
They soon will care when they realise such actions leave Americans friendless, their markets smaller, access to products reduced, and - being no longer able or trusted to shape world events - a recipient of the chaos that causes, which it will.
Technology may be about to render all this very arguable
“Technology (what?) may be (uncertainty) about to (vague timeframe) render all this very arguable (unclear what this even means - does it mean "highly debatable" or "potentially invalid"?)“
Not that it would cross his mind, but he has put Farage in a bit of a muddle now. Laying Reform most seats at 2 seems even better than before, I think it’s been a bad week for them
I used to think that any political downside to Big Nige's Trump adjacency was overblown. Now, as Trump gets increasingly crackers and still unchallenged by most of the US political and media landscape, I'm not sure. There is so much Farage/Trump bollocks on records, if Trump goes down he could well take c-nt features with him.
Apparently GB News has spent all day simping for Trump,
It's the cheapest way for Paul Marshall to buy favours off Trump and Farage...
Apparently Farage is under the weather and couldn’t make LK .
Yes right ! Obviously he didn’t want answer uncomfortable questions about his relationship with Trump .
It is his usual 'duck and cover' approach when Trump is being particularly egregious. Not that Trump is massively popular with Reform voters, but he is more popular than with other voters, and going silent (or sticking to careful written statements) about being pro-Trump in such moments usually allows things to blow over.
He won't be able to get away with ducking things like that on this or other issues forever, when he is in with a shot of being PM.
If he's lucky though it won't hurt him until after he's already in office. It took a long time for Corbyn's unchanging views on foreign affairs to have any impact at all.
One party stands out in this table. It seems a fair number of Reform voters are Trump bootlickers:
It is really interesting that Reform is so out of line on this. 39% "strongly oppose". If the bulk of Reform's support is from former Tories, then they must have had their minds melted in the journey across.
I think about half of the Reform vote is from weathy older Shire voters not unlike the Tories, but the other half is from those swapping various MAGA conspiracy theories on Social Media.
All parties are coalitions, but this doesn't seem a natural fit in the long term. Farage knows this and its one reason that he won't criticize Trump.
You seriously think about 14.5% of the country are swapping MAGA conspiracy stories online 🙄
Last night one of my Tweets about Greenland went viral, I'd say about 40% of the replies are MAGA bullshit by Brits.
Any brit who defends and supports immigrants is a traitor.
Any brit who defends and supports immigrants is a traitor.
I'd forgotten you still had a Twitter account. Can't be fun, given that it is chock full of nutters. Have you thought of migrating to Bluesky and going on Matt Wardman's Political Betting starter pack?
Whereas Bluesky is a silent desert with the odd shrieking group of pious lefty nutters, acidly bickering with each other and wondering why no one wants to join them
Think I prefer the unruly crowds and fun
There’s been an influx of Lib Dem MPs since the spat about image doctoring.
What a loss to Twitter they are.
Ed Davey still keep popping up in my Twitter timeline, mostly coming across as a student activist yelling into the void at the US President.
I'm pretty sure the only cure is to amputate your twitter timeline. Some of your limbs may have to go too, but the end result will be far better.
I am deeply concerned that so many Reform voters don't see this for what it is.
They seem to think Trump can do no wrong, and if anyone opposes him then that's a sign that he himself must be supported.
I did vote Reform in 2024, but have never been all in on Trump, and probably won’t vote Reform next time anyway. I liked that he tore up the rule book and gave the centrists/lefty can’t do’s a kick up the arse, but his response to the film directors death recently woke me up to what a crass person he is. Now it seems like he is getting crazier every day.
Not that it would cross his mind, but he has put Farage in a bit of a muddle now. Laying Reform most seats at 2 seems even better than before, I think it’s been a bad week for them
An American POV. She's always watchable but if you don't find her so go to the poll at 13 mins on how various countries see the US . 25% of the UK still see them as allies. The figure for the EU is down to just 16%
Indeed, only in India of the countries polled do a majority, 54%, see the US as an ally at present.
South Africa, Turkey, as you say the EU, the Ukraine, Switzerland, Russia and China all see the US as even less of an ally than we do. Albeit in one of those nations, Russia, it is slightly viewed more favourably under Trump.
Brazil and S Korea have a more favourable view of the US than the UK but still less than half favourable
Consumer boycotts are the best reply to Trump. As we've said before some aren't easy with the big tech companies being practical monopolies. What has been the impact with Canada over the last twelve months? I'd have thought avoiding holidays (vacations?) in the US would be the easiest win. The sort of thing people spend thousands on.
I would value some practical advice on how to boycott US goods and services. HMG might start by no longer offering banking and consultancy work to the Wall Street and Boston institutions. There's no need for the Government to make a fuss about it - indeed, it would be better if they didn't. All they (and we) need to do is quietly give business to British, European and other companies.
I know that as a retail customer my ability to swerve US goods and services is limited - I can't go for 100% purity, but I am certainly not visiting the place, buying their food and wine or investing in US companies for the forseeable future.
Yes, my actions may be pointless, and I might be cutting off my nose to spite my face, but if all I can do is avoid US goods and services then I am going to do it.
Buy Samsung, not Apple. Buy Adidas not Nike. Buy Barr's Irn Bru not Cola.
The story is that if Americans all lost 10% of their weight, airlines would use 1.5% less fuel as a result. They don’t (yes) charge humans by their own weight and the average American is 180lb. 1.5% of the fuel bill across the major American airlines is $580m.
I have long thought that airlines should charge by combined weight of passenger and baggage.
That might be the best way of my persuading a certain someone close to me, to pack her bag sensibly for a trip!
I used to do loads of work travel when younger, so have pretty much mastered taking a large laptop cabin bag with a week’s worth of clothes in it.
The story is that if Americans all lost 10% of their weight, airlines would use 1.5% less fuel as a result. They don’t (yes) charge humans by their own weight and the average American is 180lb. 1.5% of the fuel bill across the major American airlines is $580m.
I have long thought that airlines should charge by combined weight of passenger and baggage.
That might be the best way of my persuading a certain someone close to me, to pack her bag sensibly for a trip.
I used to do loads of work travel when younger, so have pretty much mastered taking a large laptop cabin bag with a week’s worth of clothes in it.
Yes, on our recent tour of India I was relieved that Railway station Porters were omnipresent!
When we backpacked across SE Asia we had packs of abot 40 litres and 10kg for 3 months, but that was 35 years ago.
Apparently Farage is under the weather and couldn’t make LK .
Yes right ! Obviously he didn’t want answer uncomfortable questions about his relationship with Trump .
It is his usual 'duck and cover' approach when Trump is being particularly egregious. Not that Trump is massively popular with Reform voters, but he is more popular than with other voters, and going silent (or sticking to careful written statements) about being pro-Trump in such moments usually allows things to blow over.
He won't be able to get away with ducking things like that on this or other issues forever, when he is in with a shot of being PM.
If he's lucky though it won't hurt him until after he's already in office. It took a long time for Corbyn's unchanging views on foreign affairs to have any impact at all.
One party stands out in this table. It seems a fair number of Reform voters are Trump bootlickers:
It is really interesting that Reform is so out of line on this. 39% "strongly oppose". If the bulk of Reform's support is from former Tories, then they must have had their minds melted in the journey across.
I think about half of the Reform vote is from weathy older Shire voters not unlike the Tories, but the other half is from those swapping various MAGA conspiracy theories on Social Media.
All parties are coalitions, but this doesn't seem a natural fit in the long term. Farage knows this and its one reason that he won't criticize Trump.
You seriously think about 14.5% of the country are swapping MAGA conspiracy stories online 🙄
Last night one of my Tweets about Greenland went viral, I'd say about 40% of the replies are MAGA bullshit by Brits.
Any brit who defends and supports immigrants is a traitor.
Any brit who defends and supports immigrants is a traitor.
I'd forgotten you still had a Twitter account. Can't be fun, given that it is chock full of nutters. Have you thought of migrating to Bluesky and going on Matt Wardman's Political Betting starter pack?
Whereas Bluesky is a silent desert with the odd shrieking group of pious lefty nutters, acidly bickering with each other and wondering why no one wants to join them
Think I prefer the unruly crowds and fun
There’s been an influx of Lib Dem MPs since the spat about image doctoring.
What a loss to Twitter they are.
Ed Davey still keep popping up in my Twitter timeline, mostly coming across as a student activist yelling into the void at the US President.
I'm pretty sure the only cure is to amputate your twitter timeline. Some of your limbs may have to go too, but the end result will be far better.
Most Lib Dem MPs have left Twitter so, it has doubly improved now Grok image stuff is being revolved
Consumer boycotts are the best reply to Trump. As we've said before some aren't easy with the big tech companies being practical monopolies. What has been the impact with Canada over the last twelve months? I'd have thought avoiding holidays (vacations?) in the US would be the easiest win. The sort of thing people spend thousands on.
I would value some practical advice on how to boycott US goods and services. HMG might start by no longer offering banking and consultancy work to the Wall Street and Boston institutions. There's no need for the Government to make a fuss about it - indeed, it would be better if they didn't. All they (and we) need to do is quietly give business to British, European and other companies.
I know that as a retail customer my ability to swerve US goods and services is limited - I can't go for 100% purity, but I am certainly not visiting the place, buying their food and wine or investing in US companies for the forseeable future.
Yes, my actions may be pointless, and I might be cutting off my nose to spite my face, but if all I can do is avoid US goods and services then I am going to do it.
Buy Samsung, not Apple. Buy Adidas not Nike. Buy Barr's Irn Bru not Cola.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is now making an explicit link between the US desire to annex Greenland and the continuation of US support for Ukraine.
"What would happen in Ukraine if the US pulled its support out? The whole thing would collapse," Bessent told Meet The Press.
"The whole thing" being the pretence that Trump's desire to annex Greenland has the slightest thing to do with security?
The underlying conceit is that the US is scared of Russia getting a foothold in Greenland - when it could crush Russia for decades by helping it be driven out of Ukraine.
What a bunch of See You Next Tuesdays they are in that Administration.
Trump probably wants Greenland so desperately to be able to make a 'deal' and give it to Russia himself.
Not that it would cross his mind, but he has put Farage in a bit of a muddle now. Laying Reform most seats at 2 seems even better than before, I think it’s been a bad week for them
I used to think that any political downside to Big Nige's Trump adjacency was overblown. Now, as Trump gets increasingly crackers and still unchallenged by most of the US political and media landscape, I'm not sure. There is so much Farage/Trump bollocks on records, if Trump goes down he could well take c-nt features with him.
Apparently GB News has spent all day simping for Trump,
Thats the thing. They claim to be patriots yet cheer on our enemis, and yes to impose tarrifs on us for helping a NATO ally does make them an enemy.
Apparently Farage is under the weather and couldn’t make LK .
Yes right ! Obviously he didn’t want answer uncomfortable questions about his relationship with Trump .
It is his usual 'duck and cover' approach when Trump is being particularly egregious. Not that Trump is massively popular with Reform voters, but he is more popular than with other voters, and going silent (or sticking to careful written statements) about being pro-Trump in such moments usually allows things to blow over.
He won't be able to get away with ducking things like that on this or other issues forever, when he is in with a shot of being PM.
If he's lucky though it won't hurt him until after he's already in office. It took a long time for Corbyn's unchanging views on foreign affairs to have any impact at all.
One party stands out in this table. It seems a fair number of Reform voters are Trump bootlickers:
It is really interesting that Reform is so out of line on this. 39% "strongly oppose". If the bulk of Reform's support is from former Tories, then they must have had their minds melted in the journey across.
I think about half of the Reform vote is from weathy older Shire voters not unlike the Tories, but the other half is from those swapping various MAGA conspiracy theories on Social Media.
All parties are coalitions, but this doesn't seem a natural fit in the long term. Farage knows this and its one reason that he won't criticize Trump.
You seriously think about 14.5% of the country are swapping MAGA conspiracy stories online 🙄
Last night one of my Tweets about Greenland went viral, I'd say about 40% of the replies are MAGA bullshit by Brits.
Any brit who defends and supports immigrants is a traitor.
Any brit who defends and supports immigrants is a traitor.
I'd forgotten you still had a Twitter account. Can't be fun, given that it is chock full of nutters. Have you thought of migrating to Bluesky and going on Matt Wardman's Political Betting starter pack?
Whereas Bluesky is a silent desert with the odd shrieking group of pious lefty nutters, acidly bickering with each other and wondering why no one wants to join them
Think I prefer the unruly crowds and fun
There’s been an influx of Lib Dem MPs since the spat about image doctoring.
What a loss to Twitter they are.
Ed Davey still keep popping up in my Twitter timeline, mostly coming across as a student activist yelling into the void at the US President.
It looks like the Lib Dem MPs are tiring of the ‘Hammer of the Sub Postmasters’.
Consumer boycotts are the best reply to Trump. As we've said before some aren't easy with the big tech companies being practical monopolies. What has been the impact with Canada over the last twelve months? I'd have thought avoiding holidays (vacations?) in the US would be the easiest win. The sort of thing people spend thousands on.
I would value some practical advice on how to boycott US goods and services. HMG might start by no longer offering banking and consultancy work to the Wall Street and Boston institutions. There's no need for the Government to make a fuss about it - indeed, it would be better if they didn't. All they (and we) need to do is quietly give business to British, European and other companies.
I know that as a retail customer my ability to swerve US goods and services is limited - I can't go for 100% purity, but I am certainly not visiting the place, buying their food and wine or investing in US companies for the forseeable future.
Yes, my actions may be pointless, and I might be cutting off my nose to spite my face, but if all I can do is avoid US goods and services then I am going to do it.
Buy Samsung, not Apple. Buy Adidas not Nike. Buy Barr's Irn Bru not Cola.
I'm due a new phone and I'm much more likely to go for an S25 versus a pixel 10 or iphone as a result of all this. Difficult to turn down a £200 trade-in bonus though...
The S&S ISA. 55%ish US stocks. Not sure I should sacrifice what is supposed to be an early retirement pot for what I hope is only a medium term disaster in America.
An American POV. She's always watchable but if you don't find her so go to the poll at 13 mins on how various countries see the US . 25% of the UK still see them as allies. The figure for the EU is down to just 16%
Indeed, only in India of the countries polled do a majority, 54%, see the US as an ally at present.
South Africa, Turkey, as you say the EU, the Ukraine, Switzerland, Russia and China all see the US as even less of an ally than we do. Albeit in one of those nations, Russia, it is slightly viewed more favourably under Trump.
Brazil and S Korea have a more favourable view of the US than the UK but still less than half favourable
How can anyone see America as an ally?
It's not just that Trump is behaving like a greedy bully. The issue is he changes his mind and his policies very frequently according to the state of his medication, who last talked to him, his need to deflect attention from economic and political mistakes he's making and it would seem even how badly his last round of golf went.
Such a person cannot be depended upon, and therefore isn't an ally.
The only way to guarantee his focus would be to have compromising material on him or a senior figure in the administration.
‘ Spoke with @POTUS regarding the security situation in Greenland and the Arctic. We will continue working on this, and I look forward to seeing him in Davos later this week.’
Not that it would cross his mind, but he has put Farage in a bit of a muddle now. Laying Reform most seats at 2 seems even better than before, I think it’s been a bad week for them
I used to think that any political downside to Big Nige's Trump adjacency was overblown. Now, as Trump gets increasingly crackers and still unchallenged by most of the US political and media landscape, I'm not sure. There is so much Farage/Trump bollocks on records, if Trump goes down he could well take c-nt features with him.
Apparently GB News has spent all day simping for Trump,
Thats the thing. They claim to be patriots yet cheer on our enemis, and yes to impose tarrifs on us for helping a NATO ally does make them an enemy.
If they are cheering on our enemies, are they our enemas?
The story is that if Americans all lost 10% of their weight, airlines would use 1.5% less fuel as a result. They don’t (yes) charge humans by their own weight and the average American is 180lb. 1.5% of the fuel bill across the major American airlines is $580m.
I have long thought that airlines should charge by combined weight of passenger and baggage.
That might be the best way of my persuading a certain someone close to me, to pack her bag sensibly for a trip.
I used to do loads of work travel when younger, so have pretty much mastered taking a large laptop cabin bag with a week’s worth of clothes in it.
Yes, on our recent tour of India I was relieved that Railway station Porters were omnipresent!
When we backpacked across SE Asia we had packs of abot 40 litres and 10kg for 3 months, but that was 35 years ago.
Indeed. The more stuff you take the more stressful the trip, and certain points like the check-in/bag-drop desks add time and uncertainty to the process.
Last summer we did Dubai>Poland>Ukraine>Poland>UK>Poland>Dubai, with a wide variety of planes, trains, and automobiles used along the way.
Couldn’t have done it hauling the 30kg bag which is Emirates usual standard allowance in economy, and is for some reason seen by some of their customers *cough* as a target rather than a limit.
Consumer boycotts are the best reply to Trump. As we've said before some aren't easy with the big tech companies being practical monopolies. What has been the impact with Canada over the last twelve months? I'd have thought avoiding holidays (vacations?) in the US would be the easiest win. The sort of thing people spend thousands on.
I would value some practical advice on how to boycott US goods and services. HMG might start by no longer offering banking and consultancy work to the Wall Street and Boston institutions. There's no need for the Government to make a fuss about it - indeed, it would be better if they didn't. All they (and we) need to do is quietly give business to British, European and other companies.
I know that as a retail customer my ability to swerve US goods and services is limited - I can't go for 100% purity, but I am certainly not visiting the place, buying their food and wine or investing in US companies for the forseeable future.
Yes, my actions may be pointless, and I might be cutting off my nose to spite my face, but if all I can do is avoid US goods and services then I am going to do it.
Buy Samsung, not Apple. Buy Adidas not Nike. Buy Barr's Irn Bru not Cola.
Barr's Gordon Bru - made in Scotland from girdles!
I am deeply concerned that so many Reform voters don't see this for what it is.
They seem to think Trump can do no wrong, and if anyone opposes him then that's a sign that he himself must be supported.
I did vote Reform in 2024, but have never been all in on Trump, and probably won’t vote Reform next time anyway. I liked that he tore up the rule book and gave the centrists/lefty can’t do’s a kick up the arse, but his response to the film directors death recently woke me up to what a crass person he is. Now it seems like he is getting crazier every day.
Not that it would cross his mind, but he has put Farage in a bit of a muddle now. Laying Reform most seats at 2 seems even better than before, I think it’s been a bad week for them
EDIT It’s 2.1 now, predictable drift
There is more rejoicing in heaven etc etc
To be honest even though I voted and campaigned for UKIP/Leave, and have been on the Farage side of politics for a decade or so, what I wanted was for the establishment to listen, and change their ways on immigration rather than actually have Farage as PM. It’s probably true that he is best as leader of a pressure group. I would have happily stayed in the EU if Cameron would have done anything meaningful about immigration. After the event, lots of people pointed out that there was a way of doing so whilst staying in the EU, but that just proved the point that the establishment were not interested in listening.
I don’t really follow US politics, but it seems to me the same happened there; the establishment refused to listen to the concerns of ordinary people, so we end up with chaos. It is the equivalent of workers going on strike when the bosses won’t play fair. The centrist/liberal elite were tin eared and pushed their luck a bit too far by insulting their opponents. The results were Brexit (revenge of the fruitcakes and racists), POTUS Trump (revenge of the deplorables) and possibly PM Farage (revenge of the right wing thugs)
So I wouldn’t say I was a sinner who has repented. Sometimes you have to resort to a kind of political terrorism if the people in charge won’t listen
Not that it would cross his mind, but he has put Farage in a bit of a muddle now. Laying Reform most seats at 2 seems even better than before, I think it’s been a bad week for them
I used to think that any political downside to Big Nige's Trump adjacency was overblown. Now, as Trump gets increasingly crackers and still unchallenged by most of the US political and media landscape, I'm not sure. There is so much Farage/Trump bollocks on records, if Trump goes down he could well take c-nt features with him.
Prior to the last Presidential Election a fair old number of Tory privateers went over to the good ol' US of A to cheerlead the Orange Messiah. Meanwhile a charabanc of sandal wearing bearded lefties went over on a semi official Labour Party jolly to help out Kamala only to be roundly condemned by the right wing media and some of our very own PB Trump fanbois.
An American POV. She's always watchable but if you don't find her so go to the poll at 13 mins on how various countries see the US . 25% of the UK still see them as allies. The figure for the EU is down to just 16%
Indeed, only in India of the countries polled do a majority, 54%, see the US as an ally at present.
South Africa, Turkey, as you say the EU, the Ukraine, Switzerland, Russia and China all see the US as even less of an ally than we do. Albeit in one of those nations, Russia, it is slightly viewed more favourably under Trump.
Brazil and S Korea have a more favourable view of the US than the UK but still less than half favourable
How can anyone see America as an ally?
It's not just that Trump is behaving like a greedy bully. The issue is he changes his mind and his policies very frequently according to the state of his medication, who last talked to him, his need to deflect attention from economic and political mistakes he's making and it would seem even how badly his last round of golf went.
Such a person cannot be depended upon, and therefore isn't an ally.
The only way to guarantee his focus would be to have compromising material on him or a senior figure in the administration.
Perhaps our spooks need to nick us a copy of the Epstein Files.
Consumer boycotts are the best reply to Trump. As we've said before some aren't easy with the big tech companies being practical monopolies. What has been the impact with Canada over the last twelve months? I'd have thought avoiding holidays (vacations?) in the US would be the easiest win. The sort of thing people spend thousands on.
I would value some practical advice on how to boycott US goods and services. HMG might start by no longer offering banking and consultancy work to the Wall Street and Boston institutions. There's no need for the Government to make a fuss about it - indeed, it would be better if they didn't. All they (and we) need to do is quietly give business to British, European and other companies.
I know that as a retail customer my ability to swerve US goods and services is limited - I can't go for 100% purity, but I am certainly not visiting the place, buying their food and wine or investing in US companies for the forseeable future.
Yes, my actions may be pointless, and I might be cutting off my nose to spite my face, but if all I can do is avoid US goods and services then I am going to do it.
Buy Samsung, not Apple. Buy Adidas not Nike. Buy Barr's Irn Bru not Cola.
Barr's Gordon Bru - made in Scotland from girdles!
Just pointing out that it might not be pure insanity. Eg the death of NATO is possibly seen as a positive by product
I may be overthinking it, but getting the US out of NATO, an objective with which I have some sympathy, is what's behind all this Greenland bollocks. It's upending 70 years of US strategic doctrine so Miller, JDV and the rest of the danse macabre need an imperative. Handily annexing Greenland resonates with DJT's pleonexia and sadism.
After all, we need them a hell of a lot more than they need us.
I don't agree with you all that often, but that's almost exactly what I suggested earlier.
Not that it would cross his mind, but he has put Farage in a bit of a muddle now. Laying Reform most seats at 2 seems even better than before, I think it’s been a bad week for them
I used to think that any political downside to Big Nige's Trump adjacency was overblown. Now, as Trump gets increasingly crackers and still unchallenged by most of the US political and media landscape, I'm not sure. There is so much Farage/Trump bollocks on records, if Trump goes down he could well take c-nt features with him.
Apparently GB News has spent all day simping for Trump,
On weekdays at 7pm, they have an hour's slot called "Farage", but half the time he's not even on, with others having to deputise for him!
(disclaimer: I only watch GB News for "research" purposes)
Comments
https://youtu.be/2Uvbcp-YXs8?si=gBf3YmGrXGErWSdP
It's mentioned in passing and there's not really any response from the interviewee, primarily I think because she imagines Truss is speaking about the British 'State department'. Which of course she isn't.
William Hague has also hinted at it, saying something like 'when you get into Government you soon learn how close we are to America'. To his discredit, unlike Rory and Truss, he wasn't complaining about it - if anything seemed mildly pleased at taking orders from Dep'ty Dog and the insider status it conferred upon him.
@jorgeliboreiro.bsky.social
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is now making an explicit link between the US desire to annex Greenland and the continuation of US support for Ukraine.
"What would happen in Ukraine if the US pulled its support out? The whole thing would collapse," Bessent told Meet The Press.
It doesn’t impinge.
Try - “Given us 10 billion euro within an hour, or the nuke test on the moon will be on the Apollo 11 site.”
Time will tell.
The Poles spend a larger proportion on defence than we do - and are applauded for it - but their welfare spending is even higher. The same goes for Finland, the largest standing reserve and artillery in Europe. The Danes spend more than we do on defence as well. We shouldn't be bullied into copying an American system of governance which is demonstrably shite at all levels and in all aspects, particularly when these excellent alternatives exist.
Americans spend more in public taxation on healthcare than we do in the UK. Not even counting private expenditure.
But Peter Cook, what a hero.
Ozempic could save American airlines hundreds of millions of dollars.
https://x.com/collinrugg/status/2012916988973334554
The story is that if Americans all lost 10% of their weight, airlines would use 1.5% less fuel as a result. They don’t (yes) charge humans by their own weight and the average American is 180lb. 1.5% of the fuel bill across the major American airlines is $580m.
Always remember: as insane as Trump is behaving right now -- and he has never behaved more insanely -- it is only going to get worse. Don't just think how to respond to what he is doing now. Think about how to respond to what he will do next.
EDIT: This is why we need to punch him in the mouth (metaphorically) right now. Object lesson.
And we have posters on here this afternoon gaslighting Biden.
I can't find it if it exists. They have been conspicuous by their silence since Trump's tariff statement yesterday. Perhaps they are awaiting instructions. But who from?
What a bunch of See You Next Tuesdays they are in that Administration.
They seem to think Trump can do no wrong, and if anyone opposes him then that's a sign that he himself must be supported.
Drill, baby, drill. And bugger tomorrow.
Money isn't everything.
https://youtu.be/vvmBf_xZRFM?si=mx_TKucX0pX-t6FF
Sleazy Jet Boi was well up for that, IIRC
To Henry VIII.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEzpBpZ4LqA (10 mins)
(I'll post this a couple of times over the next few days so people get the point)
Start from there, and we're all prone to all sorts of contortions to justify the conclusion we want.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/409602143609894/posts/1450624572840974/
The US threatening to invade Greenland - what have the writers been smoking?
Another wheeze the airlines could do is offer seat upgrades in flight. There have been many times when in retrospect I'd have happily paid twice the business upgrade cost along the way just to get more legroom, less noise, or just be able to get off the hellish thing 2 minutes sooner!
@juliamacfarlane
Huge week for people who enjoyed Borgen: Power and Glory
Think I prefer the unruly crowds and fun
Starmer is still dragging his heels on increasing defence spending, but the previous Tory PMs since the full-scale invasion are also culpable.
It's only because Europe has failed to prepare that the US is able to make these threats.
That’s one disturbing rationale. What if they’ve decided that NATO can go fuck itself (ditto Ukraine), and the Europeans are a bunch of expensive effete losers determined to immigrate their nations to death - ergo they are doomed and useless allies now and forever
What if they’ve therefore decided that American isolationism is the answer - building an impregnable fortress in the wider Americas, which contains all the resources it needs and has all means to defend itself - especially if they can seize the vast mineral wealth and strategic location of Greenland
In that light the seizure of Greenland makes “sense”. They just don’t care. America must have what it needs for security and fuck Denmark (and Greenland)
If this is their thinking - rather than just a trumpian flight of lunacy - then it has an internal logic. It is also crazily risky and almost certainly a massive error - every nation, no matter how strong, must have allies and alliances
Just pointing out that it might not be pure insanity. Eg the death of NATO is possibly seen as a positive by product
https://x.com/cforcd/status/2012899212304748816
Not that it would cross his mind, but he has put Farage in a bit of a muddle now. Laying Reform most seats at 2 seems even better than before, I think it’s been a bad week for them
EDIT It’s 2.1 now, predictable drift
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuQolI1BzsM
After all, we need them a hell of a lot more than they need us.
It risks trashing its trading empire, as everyone else now works together to find alternatives.
Europe, Africa and Asia can happily trade amongst themselves. What do we need from the US that can't be found elsewhere?
America has less than 5% of humanity's population, and isn't anything like as invulnerable or omnipotent as it thinks it is.
They soon will care when they realise such actions leave Americans friendless, their markets smaller, access to products reduced, and - being no longer able or trusted to shape world events - a recipient of the chaos that causes, which it will.
Though to be fair it could just have been Hegseth drunk on Signal again.
I agree the lay still looks good.
What a loss to Twitter they are.
It would be a weird thing to be caught doing while the US is involved in trying to broker a ceasefire. It doesn’t smell right as presented, and I haven’t yet gone through all of the French report material.
I wonder if we will also see a Ukranian denial?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-MtRp4LTqc
* place names you didn't know existed a few weeks ago, but can pun around now.
South Africa, Turkey, as you say the EU, the Ukraine, Switzerland, Russia and China all see the US as even less of an ally than we do. Albeit in one of those nations, Russia, it is slightly viewed more favourably under Trump.
Brazil and S Korea have a more favourable view of the US than the UK but still less than half favourable
I used to do loads of work travel when younger, so have pretty much mastered taking a large laptop cabin bag with a week’s worth of clothes in it.
When we backpacked across SE Asia we had packs of abot 40 litres and 10kg for 3 months, but that was 35 years ago.
https://x.com/danishmfa/status/2012922660640940328
TL:DR don’t be an idiot Mr Trump.
Could he be on borrowed time now?
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jan/18/liberal-democrat-mps-frustrated-ed-davey-leader
The S&S ISA. 55%ish US stocks. Not sure I should sacrifice what is supposed to be an early retirement pot for what I hope is only a medium term disaster in America.
It's not just that Trump is behaving like a greedy bully. The issue is he changes his mind and his policies very frequently according to the state of his medication, who last talked to him, his need to deflect attention from economic and political mistakes he's making and it would seem even how badly his last round of golf went.
Such a person cannot be depended upon, and therefore isn't an ally.
The only way to guarantee his focus would be to have compromising material on him or a senior figure in the administration.
‘ Spoke with @POTUS regarding the security situation in Greenland and the Arctic. We will continue working on this, and I look forward to seeing him in Davos later this week.’
https://x.com/secgennato/status/2012928533094363411?s=61
Last summer we did Dubai>Poland>Ukraine>Poland>UK>Poland>Dubai, with a wide variety of planes, trains, and automobiles used along the way.
Couldn’t have done it hauling the 30kg bag which is Emirates usual standard allowance in economy, and is for some reason seen by some of their customers *cough* as a target rather than a limit.
I don’t really follow US politics, but it seems to me the same happened there; the establishment refused to listen to the concerns of ordinary people, so we end up with chaos. It is the equivalent of workers going on strike when the bosses won’t play fair. The centrist/liberal elite were tin eared and pushed their luck a bit too far by insulting their opponents. The results were Brexit (revenge of the fruitcakes and racists), POTUS Trump (revenge of the deplorables) and possibly PM Farage (revenge of the right wing thugs)
So I wouldn’t say I was a sinner who has repented. Sometimes you have to resort to a kind of political terrorism if the people in charge won’t listen
Careful now.
(disclaimer: I only watch GB News for "research" purposes)