"Fuck the Overton window,” Steve Bannon told The Atlantic. "Remember, our strategy... is maximalist, a maximalist strategy. You have to take it however deep you can take it and, quite frankly, until you meet resistance. And we haven’t met any resistance.”
'Wage growth in the UK eased to 4.5% between September and November, official figures suggest, following a sharp slowdown in private sector pay increases.
The pace of pay growth for those employed by private businesses slowed to the lowest rate in five years, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
In contrast, public sector workers saw their wages jump but, the ONS said, this was likely due to pay rises being awarded earlier than in the previous year.
Meanwhile, the number of people on company payrolls continued to fall - down 135,000 in the three months to November - with a particular decline in shops and hospitality....The ONS data showed a stark contrast between public and private pay growth in the three months to November.
Annual average public sector pay growth was 7.9% compared to 3.6% for the private sector.'
As ever the people who produce are stiffed by those who suck at the public teat. Unlimited cash to give them rises at twice the private sector and of course more of them on higher salaries whilst the private companies don't have a magic money tree and have to balance the books.
Don’t forget the near 30% employer pension contribution too, and the increments and the extra holidays.
Yes it is incredible and never any productivity improvements for all the wonga flung at them.
So I presume you never received any benefits in kind other than salary.
Well I get shedloads, but the company has had regular culls in the bad times over my 49 years to balance the books and those left have to take up the slack.
NHS England is currently cutting 50% of its staff.
so they have been totally overstaffed for ages then. WTF do they actually do if you can get rid of 50% of them. No doubt there will be a new organisation where they will all get jobs on even better salaries.
NHS England is being merged into DHSC. There are no new organisations where they will all get jobs. People I know are moving to the private sector.
Number of net gains (or losses -ve) for the Dems in the House? 30
Number of net gains (or losses -ve) for the Dems in the Senate? 4
Number of MSPs won by the SNP at the Holyrood election? 62
Number of AMs won by Plaid Cymru at the Senedd election? 24
UK Party recording the largest poll lead during 2026 and by what percentage? (British Polling Council registered pollsters only). Reform 16%
Labour’s Projected National Share of the vote based on the 2026 local elections according to the BBC? 20%
Number of Reform MPs on the 31st December 2026? 9
The name of the UK Prime Minister on 31st December 2026? Starmer
Will Andy Burnham will be an MP on 31st December 2026? No
UK borrowing in the financial year to November 2026 (£132.3bn to November 2025). £153billion
UK GDP growth in the 12 months to October 2026 (1.1% to October 2025). 0.1%
Winners of the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup. Argentina
You have the Senate being retaken? That's a strong bet.
I think the Dems win North Carolina and Maine.
Then it gets much harder. You are basically betting on two of:
Iowa, Ohio, Alaska and Texas.
That's a really tough ask. Not impossible, but tough.
Sherrod could win in Ohio (and he did in 2018). Ken Paxton could be the Democratic dream opponent in Texas. And Pelota could win in Alaska (and came within a whisker last time in the House). And Iowa is winnable on a *really* good day for the Dems.
My guess is that Ohio stays Republican, although Sherrod Brown will get within 5 or 6 points.
I think Texas will be a closer race, but that the Republicans will hold it by the slimmest of margins.
Iowa - the Dems will pickup at least one Congressional District - but not the Senate seat.
Of the four tough ones, Alaska is probably the best bet. Dan Sullivan, the incumbent Republican only has favorables of 38% - that's pretty poor. There's also ranked choice voting. And Mary Pelota only just lost the (sole) House District in a year when Trump won Alaska by 13%. Given it's the midterms and differential turnout will not favour the Republicans, that's probably a decent bet for a Democratic pickup.
So... I'm going with +3.
In the US after November presumably the current administration will be vulnerable to impeachment if there is a combination of a hostile house and senate. You would expect them to try to make it an election issue by having a pretend go before the elections, this Summer. This would make it difficult for Trump loyalists to be re-elected. If the Dems go down this route then I suspect more seats will change hands than you suggest. But, that is not a given, remember they managed to select two Presidential candidates they year before last who couldn't beat the present deranged nincompoop.
And when people compare the present administration to 13 yo wankers, as a long former member of that select group, quite frankly I find the allusion defamatory.
Number of net gains (or losses -ve) for the Dems in the House? 30
Number of net gains (or losses -ve) for the Dems in the Senate? 4
Number of MSPs won by the SNP at the Holyrood election? 62
Number of AMs won by Plaid Cymru at the Senedd election? 24
UK Party recording the largest poll lead during 2026 and by what percentage? (British Polling Council registered pollsters only). Reform 16%
Labour’s Projected National Share of the vote based on the 2026 local elections according to the BBC? 20%
Number of Reform MPs on the 31st December 2026? 9
The name of the UK Prime Minister on 31st December 2026? Starmer
Will Andy Burnham will be an MP on 31st December 2026? No
UK borrowing in the financial year to November 2026 (£132.3bn to November 2025). £153billion
UK GDP growth in the 12 months to October 2026 (1.1% to October 2025). 0.1%
Winners of the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup. Argentina
You have the Senate being retaken? That's a strong bet.
I think the Dems win North Carolina and Maine.
Then it gets much harder. You are basically betting on two of:
Iowa, Ohio, Alaska and Texas.
That's a really tough ask. Not impossible, but tough.
Sherrod could win in Ohio (and he did in 2018). Ken Paxton could be the Democratic dream opponent in Texas. And Pelota could win in Alaska (and came within a whisker last time in the House). And Iowa is winnable on a *really* good day for the Dems.
My guess is that Ohio stays Republican, although Sherrod Brown will get within 5 or 6 points.
I think Texas will be a closer race, but that the Republicans will hold it by the slimmest of margins.
Iowa - the Dems will pickup at least one Congressional District - but not the Senate seat.
Of the four tough ones, Alaska is probably the best bet. Dan Sullivan, the incumbent Republican only has favorables of 38% - that's pretty poor. There's also ranked choice voting. And Mary Pelota only just lost the (sole) House District in a year when Trump won Alaska by 13%. Given it's the midterms and differential turnout will not favour the Republicans, that's probably a decent bet for a Democratic pickup.
So... I'm going with +3.
I went with +1 for the Dems in the Senate on the basis that they've looked good to win NC in previous years, and somehow it keeps eluding them, while Collins seems to have a special relationship with Maine voters. I also don't think it's impossible that the Dems really feck up and lose MI. So there are lots of ways to +1 - hold MI and win one of ME or NC, or lose MI and win both NC and ME are the more obvious ones.
I'm surprised people are so bullish on Georgia.
That would be an easy Dem hold, except for the trifling detail that its senior officials (Republicans) are among the world's leading expert at voter suppression even if they baulk at outright falsification.
I think Ossoff has a tough fight on his hands.
That remains the elephant in the polling place.
In how many places will voting be less than fully fair, and how far from the ideal will some places go?
Unfortunately, I don't think we know. Which is bad enough in itself.
Number of net gains (or losses -ve) for the Dems in the House? 30
Number of net gains (or losses -ve) for the Dems in the Senate? 4
Number of MSPs won by the SNP at the Holyrood election? 62
Number of AMs won by Plaid Cymru at the Senedd election? 24
UK Party recording the largest poll lead during 2026 and by what percentage? (British Polling Council registered pollsters only). Reform 16%
Labour’s Projected National Share of the vote based on the 2026 local elections according to the BBC? 20%
Number of Reform MPs on the 31st December 2026? 9
The name of the UK Prime Minister on 31st December 2026? Starmer
Will Andy Burnham will be an MP on 31st December 2026? No
UK borrowing in the financial year to November 2026 (£132.3bn to November 2025). £153billion
UK GDP growth in the 12 months to October 2026 (1.1% to October 2025). 0.1%
Winners of the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup. Argentina
You have the Senate being retaken? That's a strong bet.
I think the Dems win North Carolina and Maine.
Then it gets much harder. You are basically betting on two of:
Iowa, Ohio, Alaska and Texas.
That's a really tough ask. Not impossible, but tough.
Sherrod could win in Ohio (and he did in 2018). Ken Paxton could be the Democratic dream opponent in Texas. And Pelota could win in Alaska (and came within a whisker last time in the House). And Iowa is winnable on a *really* good day for the Dems.
My guess is that Ohio stays Republican, although Sherrod Brown will get within 5 or 6 points.
I think Texas will be a closer race, but that the Republicans will hold it by the slimmest of margins.
Iowa - the Dems will pickup at least one Congressional District - but not the Senate seat.
Of the four tough ones, Alaska is probably the best bet. Dan Sullivan, the incumbent Republican only has favorables of 38% - that's pretty poor. There's also ranked choice voting. And Mary Pelota only just lost the (sole) House District in a year when Trump won Alaska by 13%. Given it's the midterms and differential turnout will not favour the Republicans, that's probably a decent bet for a Democratic pickup.
So... I'm going with +3.
In the US after November presumably the current administration will be vulnerable to impeachment if there is a combination of a hostile house and senate. You would expect them to try to make it an election issue by having a pretend go before the elections, this Summer. This would make it difficult for Trump loyalists to be re-elected. If the Dems go down this route then I suspect more seats will change hands than you suggest. But, that is not a given, remember they managed to select two Presidential candidates they year before last who couldn't beat the present deranged nincompoop.
And when people compare the present administration to 13 yo wankers, as a long former member of that select group, quite frankly I find the allusion defamatory.
Number of net gains (or losses -ve) for the Dems in the House? 30
Number of net gains (or losses -ve) for the Dems in the Senate? 4
Number of MSPs won by the SNP at the Holyrood election? 62
Number of AMs won by Plaid Cymru at the Senedd election? 24
UK Party recording the largest poll lead during 2026 and by what percentage? (British Polling Council registered pollsters only). Reform 16%
Labour’s Projected National Share of the vote based on the 2026 local elections according to the BBC? 20%
Number of Reform MPs on the 31st December 2026? 9
The name of the UK Prime Minister on 31st December 2026? Starmer
Will Andy Burnham will be an MP on 31st December 2026? No
UK borrowing in the financial year to November 2026 (£132.3bn to November 2025). £153billion
UK GDP growth in the 12 months to October 2026 (1.1% to October 2025). 0.1%
Winners of the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup. Argentina
You have the Senate being retaken? That's a strong bet.
I think the Dems win North Carolina and Maine.
Then it gets much harder. You are basically betting on two of:
Iowa, Ohio, Alaska and Texas.
That's a really tough ask. Not impossible, but tough.
Sherrod could win in Ohio (and he did in 2018). Ken Paxton could be the Democratic dream opponent in Texas. And Pelota could win in Alaska (and came within a whisker last time in the House). And Iowa is winnable on a *really* good day for the Dems.
My guess is that Ohio stays Republican, although Sherrod Brown will get within 5 or 6 points.
I think Texas will be a closer race, but that the Republicans will hold it by the slimmest of margins.
Iowa - the Dems will pickup at least one Congressional District - but not the Senate seat.
Of the four tough ones, Alaska is probably the best bet. Dan Sullivan, the incumbent Republican only has favorables of 38% - that's pretty poor. There's also ranked choice voting. And Mary Pelota only just lost the (sole) House District in a year when Trump won Alaska by 13%. Given it's the midterms and differential turnout will not favour the Republicans, that's probably a decent bet for a Democratic pickup.
So... I'm going with +3.
I went with +1 for the Dems in the Senate on the basis that they've looked good to win NC in previous years, and somehow it keeps eluding them, while Collins seems to have a special relationship with Maine voters. I also don't think it's impossible that the Dems really feck up and lose MI. So there are lots of ways to +1 - hold MI and win one of ME or NC, or lose MI and win both NC and ME are the more obvious ones.
What does senators crossing the floor do to the PB competition? Does it count as Democrat up, even though they didn’t win seat election?
Number of net gains (or losses -ve) for the Dems in the House? 30
Number of net gains (or losses -ve) for the Dems in the Senate? 4
Number of MSPs won by the SNP at the Holyrood election? 62
Number of AMs won by Plaid Cymru at the Senedd election? 24
UK Party recording the largest poll lead during 2026 and by what percentage? (British Polling Council registered pollsters only). Reform 16%
Labour’s Projected National Share of the vote based on the 2026 local elections according to the BBC? 20%
Number of Reform MPs on the 31st December 2026? 9
The name of the UK Prime Minister on 31st December 2026? Starmer
Will Andy Burnham will be an MP on 31st December 2026? No
UK borrowing in the financial year to November 2026 (£132.3bn to November 2025). £153billion
UK GDP growth in the 12 months to October 2026 (1.1% to October 2025). 0.1%
Winners of the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup. Argentina
You have the Senate being retaken? That's a strong bet.
I think the Dems win North Carolina and Maine.
Then it gets much harder. You are basically betting on two of:
Iowa, Ohio, Alaska and Texas.
That's a really tough ask. Not impossible, but tough.
Sherrod could win in Ohio (and he did in 2018). Ken Paxton could be the Democratic dream opponent in Texas. And Pelota could win in Alaska (and came within a whisker last time in the House). And Iowa is winnable on a *really* good day for the Dems.
My guess is that Ohio stays Republican, although Sherrod Brown will get within 5 or 6 points.
I think Texas will be a closer race, but that the Republicans will hold it by the slimmest of margins.
Iowa - the Dems will pickup at least one Congressional District - but not the Senate seat.
Of the four tough ones, Alaska is probably the best bet. Dan Sullivan, the incumbent Republican only has favorables of 38% - that's pretty poor. There's also ranked choice voting. And Mary Pelota only just lost the (sole) House District in a year when Trump won Alaska by 13%. Given it's the midterms and differential turnout will not favour the Republicans, that's probably a decent bet for a Democratic pickup.
So... I'm going with +3.
In the US after November presumably the current administration will be vulnerable to impeachment if there is a combination of a hostile house and senate. You would expect them to try to make it an election issue by having a pretend go before the elections, this Summer. This would make it difficult for Trump loyalists to be re-elected. If the Dems go down this route then I suspect more seats will change hands than you suggest. But, that is not a given, remember they managed to select two Presidential candidates they year before last who couldn't beat the present deranged nincompoop.
And when people compare the present administration to 13 yo wankers, as a long former member of that select group, quite frankly I find the allusion defamatory.
'Wage growth in the UK eased to 4.5% between September and November, official figures suggest, following a sharp slowdown in private sector pay increases.
The pace of pay growth for those employed by private businesses slowed to the lowest rate in five years, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
In contrast, public sector workers saw their wages jump but, the ONS said, this was likely due to pay rises being awarded earlier than in the previous year.
Meanwhile, the number of people on company payrolls continued to fall - down 135,000 in the three months to November - with a particular decline in shops and hospitality....The ONS data showed a stark contrast between public and private pay growth in the three months to November.
Annual average public sector pay growth was 7.9% compared to 3.6% for the private sector.'
As ever the people who produce are stiffed by those who suck at the public teat. Unlimited cash to give them rises at twice the private sector and of course more of them on higher salaries whilst the private companies don't have a magic money tree and have to balance the books.
Don’t forget the near 30% employer pension contribution too, and the increments and the extra holidays.
Yes it is incredible and never any productivity improvements for all the wonga flung at them.
So I presume you never received any benefits in kind other than salary.
Well I get shedloads, but the company has had regular culls in the bad times over my 49 years to balance the books and those left have to take up the slack.
NHS England is currently cutting 50% of its staff.
so they have been totally overstaffed for ages then. WTF do they actually do if you can get rid of 50% of them. No doubt there will be a new organisation where they will all get jobs on even better salaries.
NHS England is being merged into DHSC. There are no new organisations where they will all get jobs. People I know are moving to the private sector.
That would be a private sector where according to today's report unemployment is rising, with wholesale and retail down a net 72,000 jobs, accomodation and food services down 70,000, information and communication down 31,000 and manufacturing down 31,000 jobs net? While health and social work is up a net 37,000 jobs and public administration now up a net 16,000 jobs?
The same private sector now averaging just 3.6% wage growth compared to 7.9% wage growth in the public sector?
Number of net gains (or losses -ve) for the Dems in the House? 30
Number of net gains (or losses -ve) for the Dems in the Senate? 4
Number of MSPs won by the SNP at the Holyrood election? 62
Number of AMs won by Plaid Cymru at the Senedd election? 24
UK Party recording the largest poll lead during 2026 and by what percentage? (British Polling Council registered pollsters only). Reform 16%
Labour’s Projected National Share of the vote based on the 2026 local elections according to the BBC? 20%
Number of Reform MPs on the 31st December 2026? 9
The name of the UK Prime Minister on 31st December 2026? Starmer
Will Andy Burnham will be an MP on 31st December 2026? No
UK borrowing in the financial year to November 2026 (£132.3bn to November 2025). £153billion
UK GDP growth in the 12 months to October 2026 (1.1% to October 2025). 0.1%
Winners of the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup. Argentina
You have the Senate being retaken? That's a strong bet.
I think the Dems win North Carolina and Maine.
Then it gets much harder. You are basically betting on two of:
Iowa, Ohio, Alaska and Texas.
That's a really tough ask. Not impossible, but tough.
Sherrod could win in Ohio (and he did in 2018). Ken Paxton could be the Democratic dream opponent in Texas. And Pelota could win in Alaska (and came within a whisker last time in the House). And Iowa is winnable on a *really* good day for the Dems.
My guess is that Ohio stays Republican, although Sherrod Brown will get within 5 or 6 points.
I think Texas will be a closer race, but that the Republicans will hold it by the slimmest of margins.
Iowa - the Dems will pickup at least one Congressional District - but not the Senate seat.
Of the four tough ones, Alaska is probably the best bet. Dan Sullivan, the incumbent Republican only has favorables of 38% - that's pretty poor. There's also ranked choice voting. And Mary Pelota only just lost the (sole) House District in a year when Trump won Alaska by 13%. Given it's the midterms and differential turnout will not favour the Republicans, that's probably a decent bet for a Democratic pickup.
So... I'm going with +3.
I went with +1 for the Dems in the Senate on the basis that they've looked good to win NC in previous years, and somehow it keeps eluding them, while Collins seems to have a special relationship with Maine voters. I also don't think it's impossible that the Dems really feck up and lose MI. So there are lots of ways to +1 - hold MI and win one of ME or NC, or lose MI and win both NC and ME are the more obvious ones.
I'm surprised people are so bullish on Georgia.
That would be an easy Dem hold, except for the trifling detail that its senior officials (Republicans) are among the world's leading expert at voter suppression even if they baulk at outright falsification.
I think Ossoff has a tough fight on his hands.
I think that the Dem party organisation in Georgia is the only capable party organisation they have in the country, so I think they will outperform the party nationally by some margin in Georgia.
'Wage growth in the UK eased to 4.5% between September and November, official figures suggest, following a sharp slowdown in private sector pay increases.
The pace of pay growth for those employed by private businesses slowed to the lowest rate in five years, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
In contrast, public sector workers saw their wages jump but, the ONS said, this was likely due to pay rises being awarded earlier than in the previous year.
Meanwhile, the number of people on company payrolls continued to fall - down 135,000 in the three months to November - with a particular decline in shops and hospitality....The ONS data showed a stark contrast between public and private pay growth in the three months to November.
Annual average public sector pay growth was 7.9% compared to 3.6% for the private sector.'
As ever the people who produce are stiffed by those who suck at the public teat. Unlimited cash to give them rises at twice the private sector and of course more of them on higher salaries whilst the private companies don't have a magic money tree and have to balance the books.
Don’t forget the near 30% employer pension contribution too, and the increments and the extra holidays.
Yes it is incredible and never any productivity improvements for all the wonga flung at them.
So I presume you never received any benefits in kind other than salary.
Well I get shedloads, but the company has had regular culls in the bad times over my 49 years to balance the books and those left have to take up the slack.
NHS England is currently cutting 50% of its staff.
so they have been totally overstaffed for ages then. WTF do they actually do if you can get rid of 50% of them. No doubt there will be a new organisation where they will all get jobs on even better salaries.
NHS England is being merged into DHSC. There are no new organisations where they will all get jobs. People I know are moving to the private sector.
That would be a private sector where according to today's report unemployment is rising, with wholesale and retail down a net 72,000 jobs, accomodation and food services down 70,000, information and communication down 31,000 and manufacturing down 31,000 jobs net? While health and social work is up a net 37,000 jobs and public administration now up a net 16,000 jobs?
The same private sector now averaging just 3.6% wage growth compared to 7.9% wage growth in the public sector?
Number of net gains (or losses -ve) for the Dems in the House? 30
Number of net gains (or losses -ve) for the Dems in the Senate? 4
Number of MSPs won by the SNP at the Holyrood election? 62
Number of AMs won by Plaid Cymru at the Senedd election? 24
UK Party recording the largest poll lead during 2026 and by what percentage? (British Polling Council registered pollsters only). Reform 16%
Labour’s Projected National Share of the vote based on the 2026 local elections according to the BBC? 20%
Number of Reform MPs on the 31st December 2026? 9
The name of the UK Prime Minister on 31st December 2026? Starmer
Will Andy Burnham will be an MP on 31st December 2026? No
UK borrowing in the financial year to November 2026 (£132.3bn to November 2025). £153billion
UK GDP growth in the 12 months to October 2026 (1.1% to October 2025). 0.1%
Winners of the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup. Argentina
You have the Senate being retaken? That's a strong bet.
I think the Dems win North Carolina and Maine.
Then it gets much harder. You are basically betting on two of:
Iowa, Ohio, Alaska and Texas.
That's a really tough ask. Not impossible, but tough.
Sherrod could win in Ohio (and he did in 2018). Ken Paxton could be the Democratic dream opponent in Texas. And Pelota could win in Alaska (and came within a whisker last time in the House). And Iowa is winnable on a *really* good day for the Dems.
My guess is that Ohio stays Republican, although Sherrod Brown will get within 5 or 6 points.
I think Texas will be a closer race, but that the Republicans will hold it by the slimmest of margins.
Iowa - the Dems will pickup at least one Congressional District - but not the Senate seat.
Of the four tough ones, Alaska is probably the best bet. Dan Sullivan, the incumbent Republican only has favorables of 38% - that's pretty poor. There's also ranked choice voting. And Mary Pelota only just lost the (sole) House District in a year when Trump won Alaska by 13%. Given it's the midterms and differential turnout will not favour the Republicans, that's probably a decent bet for a Democratic pickup.
So... I'm going with +3.
I went with +1 for the Dems in the Senate on the basis that they've looked good to win NC in previous years, and somehow it keeps eluding them, while Collins seems to have a special relationship with Maine voters. I also don't think it's impossible that the Dems really feck up and lose MI. So there are lots of ways to +1 - hold MI and win one of ME or NC, or lose MI and win both NC and ME are the more obvious ones.
I'm surprised people are so bullish on Georgia.
That would be an easy Dem hold, except for the trifling detail that its senior officials (Republicans) are among the world's leading expert at voter suppression even if they baulk at outright falsification.
I think Ossoff has a tough fight on his hands.
I think that the Dem party organisation in Georgia is the only capable party organisation they have in the country, so I think they will outperform the party nationally by some margin in Georgia.
You also need 50% to avoid a run off, so there's a not insubstantial chance that we won't have a winner on the night.
Number of net gains (or losses -ve) for the Dems in the House? 30
Number of net gains (or losses -ve) for the Dems in the Senate? 4
Number of MSPs won by the SNP at the Holyrood election? 62
Number of AMs won by Plaid Cymru at the Senedd election? 24
UK Party recording the largest poll lead during 2026 and by what percentage? (British Polling Council registered pollsters only). Reform 16%
Labour’s Projected National Share of the vote based on the 2026 local elections according to the BBC? 20%
Number of Reform MPs on the 31st December 2026? 9
The name of the UK Prime Minister on 31st December 2026? Starmer
Will Andy Burnham will be an MP on 31st December 2026? No
UK borrowing in the financial year to November 2026 (£132.3bn to November 2025). £153billion
UK GDP growth in the 12 months to October 2026 (1.1% to October 2025). 0.1%
Winners of the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup. Argentina
You have the Senate being retaken? That's a strong bet.
I think the Dems win North Carolina and Maine.
Then it gets much harder. You are basically betting on two of:
Iowa, Ohio, Alaska and Texas.
That's a really tough ask. Not impossible, but tough.
Sherrod could win in Ohio (and he did in 2018). Ken Paxton could be the Democratic dream opponent in Texas. And Pelota could win in Alaska (and came within a whisker last time in the House). And Iowa is winnable on a *really* good day for the Dems.
My guess is that Ohio stays Republican, although Sherrod Brown will get within 5 or 6 points.
I think Texas will be a closer race, but that the Republicans will hold it by the slimmest of margins.
Iowa - the Dems will pickup at least one Congressional District - but not the Senate seat.
Of the four tough ones, Alaska is probably the best bet. Dan Sullivan, the incumbent Republican only has favorables of 38% - that's pretty poor. There's also ranked choice voting. And Mary Pelota only just lost the (sole) House District in a year when Trump won Alaska by 13%. Given it's the midterms and differential turnout will not favour the Republicans, that's probably a decent bet for a Democratic pickup.
So... I'm going with +3.
In the US after November presumably the current administration will be vulnerable to impeachment if there is a combination of a hostile house and senate. You would expect them to try to make it an election issue by having a pretend go before the elections, this Summer. This would make it difficult for Trump loyalists to be re-elected. If the Dems go down this route then I suspect more seats will change hands than you suggest. But, that is not a given, remember they managed to select two Presidential candidates they year before last who couldn't beat the present deranged nincompoop.
And when people compare the present administration to 13 yo wankers, as a long former member of that select group, quite frankly I find the allusion defamatory.
Hang on - you were once part of the Trump administration???
Number of net gains (or losses -ve) for the Dems in the House? 30
Number of net gains (or losses -ve) for the Dems in the Senate? 4
Number of MSPs won by the SNP at the Holyrood election? 62
Number of AMs won by Plaid Cymru at the Senedd election? 24
UK Party recording the largest poll lead during 2026 and by what percentage? (British Polling Council registered pollsters only). Reform 16%
Labour’s Projected National Share of the vote based on the 2026 local elections according to the BBC? 20%
Number of Reform MPs on the 31st December 2026? 9
The name of the UK Prime Minister on 31st December 2026? Starmer
Will Andy Burnham will be an MP on 31st December 2026? No
UK borrowing in the financial year to November 2026 (£132.3bn to November 2025). £153billion
UK GDP growth in the 12 months to October 2026 (1.1% to October 2025). 0.1%
Winners of the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup. Argentina
You have the Senate being retaken? That's a strong bet.
I think the Dems win North Carolina and Maine.
Then it gets much harder. You are basically betting on two of:
Iowa, Ohio, Alaska and Texas.
That's a really tough ask. Not impossible, but tough.
Sherrod could win in Ohio (and he did in 2018). Ken Paxton could be the Democratic dream opponent in Texas. And Pelota could win in Alaska (and came within a whisker last time in the House). And Iowa is winnable on a *really* good day for the Dems.
My guess is that Ohio stays Republican, although Sherrod Brown will get within 5 or 6 points.
I think Texas will be a closer race, but that the Republicans will hold it by the slimmest of margins.
Iowa - the Dems will pickup at least one Congressional District - but not the Senate seat.
Of the four tough ones, Alaska is probably the best bet. Dan Sullivan, the incumbent Republican only has favorables of 38% - that's pretty poor. There's also ranked choice voting. And Mary Pelota only just lost the (sole) House District in a year when Trump won Alaska by 13%. Given it's the midterms and differential turnout will not favour the Republicans, that's probably a decent bet for a Democratic pickup.
So... I'm going with +3.
I went with +1 for the Dems in the Senate on the basis that they've looked good to win NC in previous years, and somehow it keeps eluding them, while Collins seems to have a special relationship with Maine voters. I also don't think it's impossible that the Dems really feck up and lose MI. So there are lots of ways to +1 - hold MI and win one of ME or NC, or lose MI and win both NC and ME are the more obvious ones.
I'm surprised people are so bullish on Georgia.
That would be an easy Dem hold, except for the trifling detail that its senior officials (Republicans) are among the world's leading expert at voter suppression even if they baulk at outright falsification.
I think Ossoff has a tough fight on his hands.
I think that the Dem party organisation in Georgia is the only capable party organisation they have in the country, so I think they will outperform the party nationally by some margin in Georgia.
It used to be. Stacey Abrams has faded from the scene and without her, things look much harder.
"If great powers abandon even the pretense of rules & values for the unhindered pursuit of their power & interest, the gains from transactionalism will become harder to replicate" -- Carney's speech at Davos is an extended criticism of the damage Trump is doing (though he's not mentioning his name)
Carney: "We stand firmly with Greenland and Denmark and fully support their unique right to determine Greenland's future. Our commitment to NATO's Article 5 is unwavering ... Canada strongly opposes tariffs over Greenland"
Mark Carney delivering a very good speech in Davos declaring we are in the midst of a rupture, not a crisis
Multilateral institutions are are risk
We will be principled and pragmatic
We will engage strategically and are recalibrating our relationship to maximise our values
We stand with Greenland and Denmark and strongly oppose tariffs over Greenland and calls for focused talks
He is championing efforts to build a bridge between the trans pacific partnership and the EU to create a trading block of 1.5 billion people ...............
The comparision with Starmer is stark and why is he not speaking like this.
A trans pacific - EU partnersip has to be welcomed by everyone as it solves the problem of UK - EU membership and excludes the madman in the White House
Danish pension fund to dump US treasuries "The US is basically not a good credit and long-term the US government finances are not sustainable," says chief investment officer
@SecScottBessent : "@POTUS just believes that the U.S. needs Greenland because no-one will make a move on it then...we share a military facility on an island called Diego Garcia, and the U.K. is giving that island to Mauritius, and guess who is behind Mauritius? The Chinese!"
This sort of thing is why medieval kingship is one of the best models for understanding how the Trump state operates.
One of the saving graces is that there were plenty of rebellions against the King's advisers, and some Kings were overthrown on the basis of a refusal to sacrifice their advisers.
Mark Carney delivering a very good speech in Davos declaring we are in the midst of a rupture, not a crisis
Multilateral institutions are are risk
We will be principled and pragmatic
We will engage strategically and are recalibrating our relationship to maximise our values
We stand with Greenland and Denmark and strongly oppose tariffs over Greenland and calls for focused talks
He is championing efforts to build a bridge between the trans pacific partnership and the EU to create a trading block of 1.5 billion people ...............
The comparision with Starmer is stark and why is he not speaking like this.
A trans pacific - EU partnersip has to be welcomed by everyone as it solves the problem of UK - EU membership and excludes the madman in the White House
@SecScottBessent : "@POTUS just believes that the U.S. needs Greenland because no-one will make a move on it then...we share a military facility on an island called Diego Garcia, and the U.K. is giving that island to Mauritius, and guess who is behind Mauritius? The Chinese!"
Mark Carney delivering a very good speech in Davos declaring we are in the midst of a rupture, not a crisis
Multilateral institutions are are risk
We will be principled and pragmatic
We will engage strategically and are recalibrating our relationship to maximise our values
We stand with Greenland and Denmark and strongly oppose tariffs over Greenland and calls for focused talks
He is championing efforts to build a bridge between the trans pacific partnership and the EU to create a trading block of 1.5 billion people ...............
The comparision with Starmer is stark and why is he not speaking like this.
A trans pacific - EU partnersip has to be welcomed by everyone as it solves the problem of UK - EU membership and excludes the madman in the White House
Carney is a really great guy. All power to him.
He would make a great Prime Minister of an Anglo-Canadian Union.
This sort of thing is why medieval kingship is one of the best models for understanding how the Trump state operates.
One of the saving graces is that there were plenty of rebellions against the King's advisers, and some Kings were overthrown on the basis of a refusal to sacrifice their advisers.
Or, very commonly, following a realisation having eliminated said advisers that actually it wasn't the advisers that were the problem.
See Richard II, Henry VI, Charles I, George III...
Mark Carney delivering a very good speech in Davos declaring we are in the midst of a rupture, not a crisis
Multilateral institutions are are risk
We will be principled and pragmatic
We will engage strategically and are recalibrating our relationship to maximise our values
We stand with Greenland and Denmark and strongly oppose tariffs over Greenland and calls for focused talks
He is championing efforts to build a bridge between the trans pacific partnership and the EU to create a trading block of 1.5 billion people ...............
The comparision with Starmer is stark and why is he not speaking like this.
A trans pacific - EU partnersip has to be welcomed by everyone as it solves the problem of UK - EU membership and excludes the madman in the White House
Carney is a really great guy. All power to him.
I wasn't impressed previously, but his speech was outstanding and Canada is fortunate to have him at this time
Carney: "We stand firmly with Greenland and Denmark and fully support their unique right to determine Greenland's future. Our commitment to NATO's Article 5 is unwavering ... Canada strongly opposes tariffs over Greenland"
He's so good. Strikes me that a new polar defence alliance made up of Canada, UK, Denmark, Norway and Finland wouldn't be a bad outcome from this mess. Something to jump to if NATO really does collapse, and avoids most of the EU prevarication.
Carney: "We stand firmly with Greenland and Denmark and fully support their unique right to determine Greenland's future. Our commitment to NATO's Article 5 is unwavering ... Canada strongly opposes tariffs over Greenland"
He's so good. Strikes me that a new polar defence alliance made up of Canada, UK, Denmark, Norway and Finland wouldn't be a bad outcome from this mess. Something to jump to if NATO really does collapse, and avoids most of the EU prevarication.
Needs a cool name, 3% defence budget, joint procurement.
Carney: "We stand firmly with Greenland and Denmark and fully support their unique right to determine Greenland's future. Our commitment to NATO's Article 5 is unwavering ... Canada strongly opposes tariffs over Greenland"
He's so good. Strikes me that a new polar defence alliance made up of Canada, UK, Denmark, Norway and Finland wouldn't be a bad outcome from this mess. Something to jump to if NATO really does collapse, and avoids most of the EU prevarication.
Needs a cool name.
We already have JEF -> UK + NL + Nords + Balts You could invite other countries to join that.
Number of net gains (or losses -ve) for the Dems in the House? 30
Number of net gains (or losses -ve) for the Dems in the Senate? 4
Number of MSPs won by the SNP at the Holyrood election? 62
Number of AMs won by Plaid Cymru at the Senedd election? 24
UK Party recording the largest poll lead during 2026 and by what percentage? (British Polling Council registered pollsters only). Reform 16%
Labour’s Projected National Share of the vote based on the 2026 local elections according to the BBC? 20%
Number of Reform MPs on the 31st December 2026? 9
The name of the UK Prime Minister on 31st December 2026? Starmer
Will Andy Burnham will be an MP on 31st December 2026? No
UK borrowing in the financial year to November 2026 (£132.3bn to November 2025). £153billion
UK GDP growth in the 12 months to October 2026 (1.1% to October 2025). 0.1%
Winners of the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup. Argentina
You have the Senate being retaken? That's a strong bet.
I think the Dems win North Carolina and Maine.
Then it gets much harder. You are basically betting on two of:
Iowa, Ohio, Alaska and Texas.
That's a really tough ask. Not impossible, but tough.
Sherrod could win in Ohio (and he did in 2018). Ken Paxton could be the Democratic dream opponent in Texas. And Pelota could win in Alaska (and came within a whisker last time in the House). And Iowa is winnable on a *really* good day for the Dems.
My guess is that Ohio stays Republican, although Sherrod Brown will get within 5 or 6 points.
I think Texas will be a closer race, but that the Republicans will hold it by the slimmest of margins.
Iowa - the Dems will pickup at least one Congressional District - but not the Senate seat.
Of the four tough ones, Alaska is probably the best bet. Dan Sullivan, the incumbent Republican only has favorables of 38% - that's pretty poor. There's also ranked choice voting. And Mary Pelota only just lost the (sole) House District in a year when Trump won Alaska by 13%. Given it's the midterms and differential turnout will not favour the Republicans, that's probably a decent bet for a Democratic pickup.
So... I'm going with +3.
I went with +1 for the Dems in the Senate on the basis that they've looked good to win NC in previous years, and somehow it keeps eluding them, while Collins seems to have a special relationship with Maine voters. I also don't think it's impossible that the Dems really feck up and lose MI. So there are lots of ways to +1 - hold MI and win one of ME or NC, or lose MI and win both NC and ME are the more obvious ones.
What does senators crossing the floor do to the PB competition? Does it count as Democrat up, even though they didn’t win seat election?
I would take it as only those seats being contested in the 2026 midterms. If they crosss and get re-elected, counts. If they cross but not up for election doesn't count. Only those being voted on in November would be my twopenneth.
Bloody rare for floor-crossing in the Senate anyway.
This sort of thing is why medieval kingship is one of the best models for understanding how the Trump state operates.
One of the saving graces is that there were plenty of rebellions against the King's advisers, and some Kings were overthrown on the basis of a refusal to sacrifice their advisers.
Or, very commonly, following a realisation having eliminated said advisers that actually it wasn't the advisers that were the problem.
See Richard II, Henry VI, Charles I, George III...
When it worked, the advisor system was a little bit like having effective elections. So you could a revolution with reduced bloodshed.
PM Cromwell was really unpopular, so he got the chop etc…
@SecScottBessent : "@POTUS just believes that the U.S. needs Greenland because no-one will make a move on it then...we share a military facility on an island called Diego Garcia, and the U.K. is giving that island to Mauritius, and guess who is behind Mauritius? The Chinese!"
That's not a rationale, william.
This is.
Lavrov, today: “If Greenland is ‘U.S. security,’ then Crimea is ‘Russian security.’”
Regrettably whatever you think of Trump he's right.
You are referring to Chagos not Greenland. You are buying the line when Trump said “UK has got a great deal. We came on board and helped them get a great deal” was because Trump had not been properly briefed about it? That’s why he said that rubbish previously isn’t it? bad briefing made him wrong, now put right this week?
If you are referring to Greenland, is Trump actually right on Greenland because the ice melting opening up waterways has very much changed the whole security picture of Greenland, and protecting the security of the west? That melting has very much brought China and Russia into the picture of such a mineral and geographical security must have, has it not? And It’s true isn’t it, how can any serious US Administration simply trust Denmark and Greenland governments not to sell out to highest bidder, so China put bases, listening stations and nukes on Greenland? What sort of legacy for Trumps Administration, is that how you see Trumps point?
"If great powers abandon even the pretense of rules & values for the unhindered pursuit of their power & interest, the gains from transactionalism will become harder to replicate" -- Carney's speech at Davos is an extended criticism of the damage Trump is doing (though he's not mentioning his name)
It is, albeit unintentionally, also a critique of the international-law-doesn't-exist stance of @BartholomewRoberts and others here.
Good, she is serving a whole life order anyway, a complete waste of CPS taxpayer money to charge her anymore
That is simply nonsense
Had the evidence indicated further murders than of course she should have faced justice, not least for the bereaved families
There is no sentence longer than a whole life order which she has already received. She has already faced justice and every penny the CPS would have to pay on another prosecution of her would be a penny not spent on prosecuting a criminal who has not yet faced justice.
That is assuming Letby is still definitely guilty, of which even a few medical experts have raised doubts
Number of net gains (or losses -ve) for the Dems in the House? 30
Number of net gains (or losses -ve) for the Dems in the Senate? 4
Number of MSPs won by the SNP at the Holyrood election? 62
Number of AMs won by Plaid Cymru at the Senedd election? 24
UK Party recording the largest poll lead during 2026 and by what percentage? (British Polling Council registered pollsters only). Reform 16%
Labour’s Projected National Share of the vote based on the 2026 local elections according to the BBC? 20%
Number of Reform MPs on the 31st December 2026? 9
The name of the UK Prime Minister on 31st December 2026? Starmer
Will Andy Burnham will be an MP on 31st December 2026? No
UK borrowing in the financial year to November 2026 (£132.3bn to November 2025). £153billion
UK GDP growth in the 12 months to October 2026 (1.1% to October 2025). 0.1%
Winners of the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup. Argentina
You have the Senate being retaken? That's a strong bet.
I think the Dems win North Carolina and Maine.
Then it gets much harder. You are basically betting on two of:
Iowa, Ohio, Alaska and Texas.
That's a really tough ask. Not impossible, but tough.
Sherrod could win in Ohio (and he did in 2018). Ken Paxton could be the Democratic dream opponent in Texas. And Pelota could win in Alaska (and came within a whisker last time in the House). And Iowa is winnable on a *really* good day for the Dems.
My guess is that Ohio stays Republican, although Sherrod Brown will get within 5 or 6 points.
I think Texas will be a closer race, but that the Republicans will hold it by the slimmest of margins.
Iowa - the Dems will pickup at least one Congressional District - but not the Senate seat.
Of the four tough ones, Alaska is probably the best bet. Dan Sullivan, the incumbent Republican only has favorables of 38% - that's pretty poor. There's also ranked choice voting. And Mary Pelota only just lost the (sole) House District in a year when Trump won Alaska by 13%. Given it's the midterms and differential turnout will not favour the Republicans, that's probably a decent bet for a Democratic pickup.
So... I'm going with +3.
I went with +1 for the Dems in the Senate on the basis that they've looked good to win NC in previous years, and somehow it keeps eluding them, while Collins seems to have a special relationship with Maine voters. I also don't think it's impossible that the Dems really feck up and lose MI. So there are lots of ways to +1 - hold MI and win one of ME or NC, or lose MI and win both NC and ME are the more obvious ones.
What does senators crossing the floor do to the PB competition? Does it count as Democrat up, even though they didn’t win seat election?
I would take it as only those seats being contested in the 2026 midterms. If they crosss and get re-elected, counts. If they cross but not up for election doesn't count. Only those being voted on in November would be my twopenneth.
Bloody rare for floor-crossing in the Senate anyway.
Only one full floor crossing in the Senate (as opposed to caucus quitting) this century - Arlen Specter in 2009 (although I think Jim Jeffords sort of made an unofficial switch).
Before that 1995, 1994 and then Strom Thurmond in 1964.
This sort of thing is why medieval kingship is one of the best models for understanding how the Trump state operates.
One of the saving graces is that there were plenty of rebellions against the King's advisers, and some Kings were overthrown on the basis of a refusal to sacrifice their advisers.
Absolutely; the same was true under Stalin - though he was like to have you liquidated for coded criticism anyway.
It's a mark of Republican politicians being terrified of Trump, and what his base might do to them.
High Court clears the way for Reform to challenge the cancelled local elections
Good.
As fiscal conservatives, why do we want to see good money which can be spent on services, simply wasted?
One word - democracy
But not having elections to zombie councils that are about to be abolished has been normal practice since always. The cancellation of the 1985 GLC elections was only the highest-profile example.
Oppositions always cry foul, because they always do. Farage is particularly cross, but spending lots of public money to give him a publicity coup doesn't seem like a wise use of public funds in a time of austerity.
(The bigger issue is the time the reorganisations are taking, and there are multiple groups to blame there.)
Mark Carney delivering a very good speech in Davos declaring we are in the midst of a rupture, not a crisis
Multilateral institutions are are risk
We will be principled and pragmatic
We will engage strategically and are recalibrating our relationship to maximise our values
We stand with Greenland and Denmark and strongly oppose tariffs over Greenland and calls for focused talks
He is championing efforts to build a bridge between the trans pacific partnership and the EU to create a trading block of 1.5 billion people ...............
The comparision with Starmer is stark and why is he not speaking like this.
A trans pacific - EU partnersip has to be welcomed by everyone as it solves the problem of UK - EU membership and excludes the madman in the White House
Carney is a really great guy. All power to him.
He would make a great Prime Minister of an Anglo-Canadian Union.
Mark Carney delivering a very good speech in Davos declaring we are in the midst of a rupture, not a crisis
Multilateral institutions are are risk
We will be principled and pragmatic
We will engage strategically and are recalibrating our relationship to maximise our values
We stand with Greenland and Denmark and strongly oppose tariffs over Greenland and calls for focused talks
He is championing efforts to build a bridge between the trans pacific partnership and the EU to create a trading block of 1.5 billion people ...............
The comparision with Starmer is stark and why is he not speaking like this.
A trans pacific - EU partnersip has to be welcomed by everyone as it solves the problem of UK - EU membership and excludes the madman in the White House
Carney is a really great guy. All power to him.
I wasn't impressed previously, but his speech was outstanding and Canada is fortunate to have him at this time
I wish we had a comparable PM
He is a very funny and charming guy. I saw him deliver an off the cuff speech once and he had the room eating out of his hand. The ability to communicate effectively and convincingly is a core skill for a successful politician. Streeting is our only comparable figure IMHO.
Mark Carney delivering a very good speech in Davos declaring we are in the midst of a rupture, not a crisis
Multilateral institutions are are risk
We will be principled and pragmatic
We will engage strategically and are recalibrating our relationship to maximise our values
We stand with Greenland and Denmark and strongly oppose tariffs over Greenland and calls for focused talks
He is championing efforts to build a bridge between the trans pacific partnership and the EU to create a trading block of 1.5 billion people ...............
The comparision with Starmer is stark and why is he not speaking like this.
A trans pacific - EU partnersip has to be welcomed by everyone as it solves the problem of UK - EU membership and excludes the madman in the White House
Carney is a really great guy. All power to him.
I wasn't impressed previously, but his speech was outstanding and Canada is fortunate to have him at this time
I wish we had a comparable PM
He is a very funny and charming guy. I saw him deliver an off the cuff speech once and he had the room eating out of his hand. The ability to communicate effectively and convincingly is a core skill for a successful politician. Streeting is our only comparable figure IMHO.
Very much agree, I too have enjoyed his company.
Not sure PBers are aware of but Carney helped me win a 14/1 bet in a few days during the last Canadian general election when I tipped Pierre Poilievre to lose his seat.
@mariatad Asked what happens if the EU retaliates, US commerce secretary Lutnick says “it goes back to tit for that…but in the end Ursula von der Leyen and POTUS will end up talking” yet earlier VDL said the EU would respond in an «unflinching, united and proportional» to tariffs over Greenland in Davos speech.
Carney: "We stand firmly with Greenland and Denmark and fully support their unique right to determine Greenland's future. Our commitment to NATO's Article 5 is unwavering ... Canada strongly opposes tariffs over Greenland"
He's so good. Strikes me that a new polar defence alliance made up of Canada, UK, Denmark, Norway and Finland wouldn't be a bad outcome from this mess. Something to jump to if NATO really does collapse, and avoids most of the EU prevarication.
Needs a cool name, 3% defence budget, joint procurement.
Carney: "We stand firmly with Greenland and Denmark and fully support their unique right to determine Greenland's future. Our commitment to NATO's Article 5 is unwavering ... Canada strongly opposes tariffs over Greenland"
He's so good. Strikes me that a new polar defence alliance made up of Canada, UK, Denmark, Norway and Finland wouldn't be a bad outcome from this mess. Something to jump to if NATO really does collapse, and avoids most of the EU prevarication.
Needs a cool name, 3% defence budget, joint procurement.
Good, she is serving a whole life order anyway, a complete waste of CPS taxpayer money to charge her anymore
That is simply nonsense
Had the evidence indicated further murders than of course she should have faced justice, not least for the bereaved families
There is no sentence longer than a whole life order which she has already received. She has already faced justice and every penny the CPS would have to pay on another prosecution of her would be a penny not spent on prosecuting a criminal who has not yet faced justice.
That is assuming Letby is still definitely guilty, of which even a few medical experts have raised doubts
You cannot deny justice to bereaved families, and dismissing them as no point is simply unacceptable no matter how much you prevaricate [ which is of course your modus operandi]
Good, she is serving a whole life order anyway, a complete waste of CPS taxpayer money to charge her anymore
That is simply nonsense
Had the evidence indicated further murders than of course she should have faced justice, not least for the bereaved families
There is no sentence longer than a whole life order which she has already received. She has already faced justice and every penny the CPS would have to pay on another prosecution of her would be a penny not spent on prosecuting a criminal who has not yet faced justice.
That is assuming Letby is still definitely guilty, of which even a few medical experts have raised doubts
You cannot deny justice to bereaved families, and dismissing them as no point is simply unacceptable no matter how much you prevaricate [ which is of course your modus operandi]
What's justice in this context? They won't be particularly happy if she were found not guilty. I've gone 180 degrees on my view of her guilt and I suspect that a retrial would have cast doubt on previous convictions.
Just listening to BBC and in passing they said the rude tweet to Starmer was nothing compared to the extremely insulting retweet of Macron's exchange with him.
Anyone know what they are talking about? I've not been keeping up (who could?)
High Court clears the way for Reform to challenge the cancelled local elections
Good.
As fiscal conservatives, why do we want to see good money which can be spent on services, simply wasted?
Democracy, who needs it !!
I know you are not one of this people ignorant of how local government works, so to you is this simply cancelling normal election schedule? Are you saying this years elections are not at all tied into unitary authority elections - there’s no actual link between them in this change over period? These elections will result in full value for money?
They Good, she is serving a whole life order anyway, a complete waste of CPS taxpayer money to charge her anymore
That is simply nonsense
Had the evidence indicated further murders than of course she should have faced justice, not least for the bereaved families
There is no sentence longer than a whole life order which she has already received. She has already faced justice and every penny the CPS would have to pay on another prosecution of her would be a penny not spent on prosecuting a criminal who has not yet faced justice.
That is assuming Letby is still definitely guilty, of which even a few medical experts have raised doubts
You cannot deny justice to bereaved families, and dismissing them as no point is simply unacceptable no matter how much you prevaricate [ which is of course your modus operandi]
They HAVE NOT been denied justice, what the hell do you think a WHOLE LIFE ORDER is!!!!!!!
A complete waste of taxpayers money to spend any more prosecuting someone serving a whole life order. If they want to apply to the criminal cases compensation scheme they can, that is it
"Unlike typical cometary opposition geometries which often last for hours, 3I/ATLAS will maintain α < 2 degrees for approximately one week, between 19–26 of January, 2026.
Good, she is serving a whole life order anyway, a complete waste of CPS taxpayer money to charge her anymore
That is simply nonsense
Had the evidence indicated further murders than of course she should have faced justice, not least for the bereaved families
There is no sentence longer than a whole life order which she has already received. She has already faced justice and every penny the CPS would have to pay on another prosecution of her would be a penny not spent on prosecuting a criminal who has not yet faced justice.
That is assuming Letby is still definitely guilty, of which even a few medical experts have raised doubts
You cannot deny justice to bereaved families, and dismissing them as no point is simply unacceptable no matter how much you prevaricate [ which is of course your modus operandi]
What's justice in this context? They won't be particularly happy if she were found not guilty. I've gone 180 degrees on my view of her guilt and I suspect that a retrial would have cast doubt on previous convictions.
If the CPS has evidence that could convict a murder than it should be pursued
Whether the defendant has been convicted for other murders and is serving a life sentence has no bearing in the need to seek justice
They Good, she is serving a whole life order anyway, a complete waste of CPS taxpayer money to charge her anymore
That is simply nonsense
Had the evidence indicated further murders than of course she should have faced justice, not least for the bereaved families
There is no sentence longer than a whole life order which she has already received. She has already faced justice and every penny the CPS would have to pay on another prosecution of her would be a penny not spent on prosecuting a criminal who has not yet faced justice.
That is assuming Letby is still definitely guilty, of which even a few medical experts have raised doubts
You cannot deny justice to bereaved families, and dismissing them as no point is simply unacceptable no matter how much you prevaricate [ which is of course your modus operandi]
They HAVE NOT been denied justice, what the hell do you think a WHOLE LIFE ORDER is!!!!!!!
A complete waste of taxpayers money to spend any more prosecuting someone serving a whole life order. If they want to apply to the criminal cases compensation scheme they can, that is it
High Court clears the way for Reform to challenge the cancelled local elections
Good.
As fiscal conservatives, why do we want to see good money which can be spent on services, simply wasted?
One word - democracy
These areas are being combined to save costs, elections being held on eve they become merged, is to some extent pointless and precious money wasted isn’t it?
My point though is this is got up from anti Labour bias, opportunistic opportunism from oppositions, not actual concern for democracy. Oppositions being Trumpian and not behaving proper.
If Lady Thatcher was in power, Conservative councils asking to save money that should be spent on services would have this request accepted, and Lady Thatcher would explain as such at PMQs, to the game playing opposition, backed to the hilt by the fiscal Conservative supporting press. Taking care of the finances, and no time for silly games from opponents, isn’t this what made Lady Thatcher great and electable?
They Good, she is serving a whole life order anyway, a complete waste of CPS taxpayer money to charge her anymore
That is simply nonsense
Had the evidence indicated further murders than of course she should have faced justice, not least for the bereaved families
There is no sentence longer than a whole life order which she has already received. She has already faced justice and every penny the CPS would have to pay on another prosecution of her would be a penny not spent on prosecuting a criminal who has not yet faced justice.
That is assuming Letby is still definitely guilty, of which even a few medical experts have raised doubts
You cannot deny justice to bereaved families, and dismissing them as no point is simply unacceptable no matter how much you prevaricate [ which is of course your modus operandi]
They HAVE NOT been denied justice, what the hell do you think a WHOLE LIFE ORDER is!!!!!!!
A complete waste of taxpayers money to spend any more prosecuting someone serving a whole life order. If they want to apply to the criminal cases compensation scheme they can, that is it
You are 'shouting' in a vein bid to justify your ridiculous stance
They Good, she is serving a whole life order anyway, a complete waste of CPS taxpayer money to charge her anymore
That is simply nonsense
Had the evidence indicated further murders than of course she should have faced justice, not least for the bereaved families
There is no sentence longer than a whole life order which she has already received. She has already faced justice and every penny the CPS would have to pay on another prosecution of her would be a penny not spent on prosecuting a criminal who has not yet faced justice.
That is assuming Letby is still definitely guilty, of which even a few medical experts have raised doubts
You cannot deny justice to bereaved families, and dismissing them as no point is simply unacceptable no matter how much you prevaricate [ which is of course your modus operandi]
They HAVE NOT been denied justice, what the hell do you think a WHOLE LIFE ORDER is!!!!!!!
A complete waste of taxpayers money to spend any more prosecuting someone serving a whole life order. If they want to apply to the criminal cases compensation scheme they can, that is it
You are 'shouting' in a vein bid to justify your ridiculous stance
It is not ridiculous, it is sane.
It is an utter waste of taxpayers money to prosecute someone already serving a WLO who will never be released (unless their conviction is overturned) and which will come at the cost of further delays to prosecutions and charges of criminals not yet convicted and sentenced
Just listening to BBC and in passing they said the rude tweet to Starmer was nothing compared to the extremely insulting retweet of Macron's exchange with him.
Anyone know what they are talking about? I've not been keeping up (who could?)
I think it might be Trump has been rude to Starmer but much more so to Macron who he really dislikes along with the EU
@SecScottBessent : "@POTUS just believes that the U.S. needs Greenland because no-one will make a move on it then...we share a military facility on an island called Diego Garcia, and the U.K. is giving that island to Mauritius, and guess who is behind Mauritius? The Chinese!"
FAKE NEWS. It’s the Indians pushing it, the Chinese are barely in the picture.
And the US know this as they sat in the room at the table with the Indians and UK to construct this deal as India wants it. So Trumpian lies are making a mug of you being their conduit Willy.
Good, she is serving a whole life order anyway, a complete waste of CPS taxpayer money to charge her anymore
That is simply nonsense
Had the evidence indicated further murders than of course she should have faced justice, not least for the bereaved families
There is no sentence longer than a whole life order which she has already received. She has already faced justice and every penny the CPS would have to pay on another prosecution of her would be a penny not spent on prosecuting a criminal who has not yet faced justice.
That is assuming Letby is still definitely guilty, of which even a few medical experts have raised doubts
The general policy about murder is clear, with quite a few instances including a very contemporary one at this very moment. Regardless of whether it can make any difference to sentence, the public good and individual justice is best served by always seeking to resolve cases of murder.
The question of the evidential threshold is a different matter. The CPS says it has not been met.
There is bound to be discussion (perhaps including here) of the issue as to whether the decision not to go ahead is in fact because of the tricky prospect that is opened up if she were acquitted on all counts.
Good, she is serving a whole life order anyway, a complete waste of CPS taxpayer money to charge her anymore
That is simply nonsense
Had the evidence indicated further murders than of course she should have faced justice, not least for the bereaved families
There is no sentence longer than a whole life order which she has already received. She has already faced justice and every penny the CPS would have to pay on another prosecution of her would be a penny not spent on prosecuting a criminal who has not yet faced justice.
That is assuming Letby is still definitely guilty, of which even a few medical experts have raised doubts
You cannot deny justice to bereaved families, and dismissing them as no point is simply unacceptable no matter how much you prevaricate [ which is of course your modus operandi]
What's justice in this context? They won't be particularly happy if she were found not guilty. I've gone 180 degrees on my view of her guilt and I suspect that a retrial would have cast doubt on previous convictions.
If the CPS has evidence that could convict a murder than it should be pursued
Whether the defendant has been convicted for other murders and is serving a life sentence has no bearing in the need to seek justice
That doesn't address my previous point. You keep saying this phrase "seek justice" and I am not entirely sure you know what it means. I think what you mean is "find her guilty" when that might not be what happens. We spend hundred of thousands on a "not guilty" verdict then the bereaved families would be in a worse position.
They Good, she is serving a whole life order anyway, a complete waste of CPS taxpayer money to charge her anymore
That is simply nonsense
Had the evidence indicated further murders than of course she should have faced justice, not least for the bereaved families
There is no sentence longer than a whole life order which she has already received. She has already faced justice and every penny the CPS would have to pay on another prosecution of her would be a penny not spent on prosecuting a criminal who has not yet faced justice.
That is assuming Letby is still definitely guilty, of which even a few medical experts have raised doubts
You cannot deny justice to bereaved families, and dismissing them as no point is simply unacceptable no matter how much you prevaricate [ which is of course your modus operandi]
They HAVE NOT been denied justice, what the hell do you think a WHOLE LIFE ORDER is!!!!!!!
A complete waste of taxpayers money to spend any more prosecuting someone serving a whole life order. If they want to apply to the criminal cases compensation scheme they can, that is it
You are 'shouting' in a vein bid to justify your ridiculous stance
It is not ridiculous, it is sane.
It is an utter waste of taxpayers money to prosecute someone already serving a WLO who will never be released (unless their conviction is overturned) and which will come at the cost of further delays to prosecutions and charges of criminals not yet convicted and sentenced
If it was our child that had been murdered and the CPS said sorry but there is no point in seeking justice for you as the person is already serving a whole life term and it would be a waste of money, just how on earth do you think that would make me and our family feel
@SecScottBessent : "@POTUS just believes that the U.S. needs Greenland because no-one will make a move on it then...we share a military facility on an island called Diego Garcia, and the U.K. is giving that island to Mauritius, and guess who is behind Mauritius? The Chinese!"
Why was Rubio incredibly supportive on May 22nd last year of the Chagos arrangement?
Can you please explain your own unequivocal support for Donald Trump for at least the last eleven years and how utterly wrong you were to support this dangerous apparently Russia -adjacent tyrant?
Good, she is serving a whole life order anyway, a complete waste of CPS taxpayer money to charge her anymore
That is simply nonsense
Had the evidence indicated further murders than of course she should have faced justice, not least for the bereaved families
There is no sentence longer than a whole life order which she has already received. She has already faced justice and every penny the CPS would have to pay on another prosecution of her would be a penny not spent on prosecuting a criminal who has not yet faced justice.
That is assuming Letby is still definitely guilty, of which even a few medical experts have raised doubts
You cannot deny justice to bereaved families, and dismissing them as no point is simply unacceptable no matter how much you prevaricate [ which is of course your modus operandi]
What's justice in this context? They won't be particularly happy if she were found not guilty. I've gone 180 degrees on my view of her guilt and I suspect that a retrial would have cast doubt on previous convictions.
To me at least, Justice is a multi-functional thing.
There is publicly trying to set out what happened, there is punishment, there is deterrence and a host of other things.
It’s not about making people happy - it’s about getting as close as we can to facts.
'Wage growth in the UK eased to 4.5% between September and November, official figures suggest, following a sharp slowdown in private sector pay increases.
The pace of pay growth for those employed by private businesses slowed to the lowest rate in five years, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
In contrast, public sector workers saw their wages jump but, the ONS said, this was likely due to pay rises being awarded earlier than in the previous year.
Meanwhile, the number of people on company payrolls continued to fall - down 135,000 in the three months to November - with a particular decline in shops and hospitality....The ONS data showed a stark contrast between public and private pay growth in the three months to November.
Annual average public sector pay growth was 7.9% compared to 3.6% for the private sector.'
As ever the people who produce are stiffed by those who suck at the public teat. Unlimited cash to give them rises at twice the private sector and of course more of them on higher salaries whilst the private companies don't have a magic money tree and have to balance the books.
Don’t forget the near 30% employer pension contribution too, and the increments and the extra holidays.
Yes it is incredible and never any productivity improvements for all the wonga flung at them.
So I presume you never received any benefits in kind other than salary.
Well I get shedloads, but the company has had regular culls in the bad times over my 49 years to balance the books and those left have to take up the slack.
NHS England is currently cutting 50% of its staff.
so they have been totally overstaffed for ages then. WTF do they actually do if you can get rid of 50% of them. No doubt there will be a new organisation where they will all get jobs on even better salaries.
NHS England is being merged into DHSC. There are no new organisations where they will all get jobs. People I know are moving to the private sector.
That would be a private sector where according to today's report unemployment is rising, with wholesale and retail down a net 72,000 jobs, accomodation and food services down 70,000, information and communication down 31,000 and manufacturing down 31,000 jobs net? While health and social work is up a net 37,000 jobs and public administration now up a net 16,000 jobs?
The same private sector now averaging just 3.6% wage growth compared to 7.9% wage growth in the public sector?
@mariatad Asked what happens if the EU retaliates, US commerce secretary Lutnick says “it goes back to tit for that…but in the end Ursula von der Leyen and POTUS will end up talking” yet earlier VDL said the EU would respond in an «unflinching, united and proportional» to tariffs over Greenland in Davos speech.
What happened when China pushed back ? Trump backed off.
Europe accepted a unilateral tariff from the US last time round in return for them continuing to back Europen security. If that's gone, when what's the incentive to give in now ?
"It seems as if the exact moment of 3i/Atlas being precisely aliigned between the Sun and the earth will be on Thursday, at 1pm, a bit like a cometary eclipse.
High Court clears the way for Reform to challenge the cancelled local elections
Good.
As fiscal conservatives, why do we want to see good money which can be spent on services, simply wasted?
Democracy, who needs it !!
I know you are not one of this people ignorant of how local government works, so to you is this simply cancelling normal election schedule? Are you saying this years elections are not at all tied into unitary authority elections - there’s no actual link between them in this change over period? These elections will result in full value for money?
So how long is this reorganisation taking ?
What happens if it drags on another year, cancel those too ?
Last year they were cancelled and barely a murmur.
This year look at who is cancelling and where. Mostly Labour where they will get battered. Only 1 Lib Dem wants to cancel and some Tories.
Either cancel all that are affected by reorganisation or none. At the moment the cancellations seem largely cynical political ploys to prevent embarrassing defeats.
It seems as if the exact moment of 3i/Atlas being precisely aliigned between the Sun and the earth will be on Thursday at 1om, a bit like a cometsry eclipse.
Don't worry, the chances of anything coming from 3i/Atlas are a million to one...
High Court clears the way for Reform to challenge the cancelled local elections
Good.
As fiscal conservatives, why do we want to see good money which can be spent on services, simply wasted?
Democracy, who needs it !!
I know you are not one of this people ignorant of how local government works, so to you is this simply cancelling normal election schedule? Are you saying this years elections are not at all tied into unitary authority elections - there’s no actual link between them in this change over period? These elections will result in full value for money?
What seems to me a bad idea is that the decision to cancel an election should be in the hands of any aspect of the day to day political process or anywhere near the politics of party. There is no chance of its being beyond suspicion.
We have a boundary commission (unlike the slippery USA) which is well regarded as being able to put party considerations aside. Such a body + the power to ask a judge to review would be a better approach.
Good, she is serving a whole life order anyway, a complete waste of CPS taxpayer money to charge her anymore
That is simply nonsense
Had the evidence indicated further murders than of course she should have faced justice, not least for the bereaved families
There is no sentence longer than a whole life order which she has already received. She has already faced justice and every penny the CPS would have to pay on another prosecution of her would be a penny not spent on prosecuting a criminal who has not yet faced justice.
That is assuming Letby is still definitely guilty, of which even a few medical experts have raised doubts
You cannot deny justice to bereaved families, and dismissing them as no point is simply unacceptable no matter how much you prevaricate [ which is of course your modus operandi]
What's justice in this context? They won't be particularly happy if she were found not guilty. I've gone 180 degrees on my view of her guilt and I suspect that a retrial would have cast doubt on previous convictions.
To me at least, Justice is a multi-functional thing.
There is publicly trying to set out what happened, there is punishment, there is deterrence and a host of other things.
It’s not about making people happy - it’s about getting as close as we can to facts.
At least to me.
I agree with you. We've gone from a position where victims were routinely ignored or worse (e.g. Hillsborough) to the opposite extreme where victims' views are all that matter (e.g. the ridiculous "Martyn's Law" mandating village halls to have an anti-terror plan).
Just listening to BBC and in passing they said the rude tweet to Starmer was nothing compared to the extremely insulting retweet of Macron's exchange with him.
Anyone know what they are talking about? I've not been keeping up (who could?)
Team Trump have been putting out a barrage of stuff simply to stir the shit for and get under the skin of all his European enemies, including Canada.
Take a look at the IA generated map and those in room with Trump as he tells them what will be. Local news stations like BBC and Sky UK will always mostly focus on the local angle, not the whole picture.
Hope this helps you.
Wondering what sort of off ramp Trump had left for himself, I suspect he already knew he was going to be ruled against by the court on tarrifs, and congress would follow the courts lead. So he knew he had that off ramp coming before doing all this splurge of nonsense.
It seems as if the exact moment of 3i/Atlas being precisely aliigned between the Sun and the earth will be on Thursday at 1om, a bit like a cometsry eclipse.
Don't worry, the chances of anything coming from 3i/Atlas are a million to one...
Avi Loeb thinks a little higher, but it's also interesting from a physical-cosmoliogical, and also even astrological perspective, if one is interested in that sort of thing.
There are also some scientists who seem to be interested in the possible electromagnetic effects not only for earth , but also other planets aswell.
Good, she is serving a whole life order anyway, a complete waste of CPS taxpayer money to charge her anymore
That is simply nonsense
Had the evidence indicated further murders than of course she should have faced justice, not least for the bereaved families
There is no sentence longer than a whole life order which she has already received. She has already faced justice and every penny the CPS would have to pay on another prosecution of her would be a penny not spent on prosecuting a criminal who has not yet faced justice.
That is assuming Letby is still definitely guilty, of which even a few medical experts have raised doubts
You cannot deny justice to bereaved families, and dismissing them as no point is simply unacceptable no matter how much you prevaricate [ which is of course your modus operandi]
What's justice in this context? They won't be particularly happy if she were found not guilty. I've gone 180 degrees on my view of her guilt and I suspect that a retrial would have cast doubt on previous convictions.
If the CPS has evidence that could convict a murder than it should be pursued
Whether the defendant has been convicted for other murders and is serving a life sentence has no bearing in the need to seek justice
That doesn't address my previous point. You keep saying this phrase "seek justice" and I am not entirely sure you know what it means. I think what you mean is "find her guilty" when that might not be what happens. We spend hundred of thousands on a "not guilty" verdict then the bereaved families would be in a worse position.
No it doesnt
I am speaking more generally that because someone is serving a life sentence for murder that they should not receive an amnesty on other crimes they may have committed
Good, she is serving a whole life order anyway, a complete waste of CPS taxpayer money to charge her anymore
That is simply nonsense
Had the evidence indicated further murders than of course she should have faced justice, not least for the bereaved families
There is no sentence longer than a whole life order which she has already received. She has already faced justice and every penny the CPS would have to pay on another prosecution of her would be a penny not spent on prosecuting a criminal who has not yet faced justice.
That is assuming Letby is still definitely guilty, of which even a few medical experts have raised doubts
You cannot deny justice to bereaved families, and dismissing them as no point is simply unacceptable no matter how much you prevaricate [ which is of course your modus operandi]
What's justice in this context? They won't be particularly happy if she were found not guilty. I've gone 180 degrees on my view of her guilt and I suspect that a retrial would have cast doubt on previous convictions.
If the CPS has evidence that could convict a murder than it should be pursued
Whether the defendant has been convicted for other murders and is serving a life sentence has no bearing in the need to seek justice
That doesn't address my previous point. You keep saying this phrase "seek justice" and I am not entirely sure you know what it means. I think what you mean is "find her guilty" when that might not be what happens. We spend hundred of thousands on a "not guilty" verdict then the bereaved families would be in a worse position.
No it doesnt
I am speaking more generally that because someone is serving a life sentence for murder that they should not receive an amnesty on other crimes they may have committed
Mark Carney delivering a very good speech in Davos declaring we are in the midst of a rupture, not a crisis
Multilateral institutions are are risk
We will be principled and pragmatic
We will engage strategically and are recalibrating our relationship to maximise our values
We stand with Greenland and Denmark and strongly oppose tariffs over Greenland and calls for focused talks
He is championing efforts to build a bridge between the trans pacific partnership and the EU to create a trading block of 1.5 billion people ...............
The comparision with Starmer is stark and why is he not speaking like this.
A trans pacific - EU partnersip has to be welcomed by everyone as it solves the problem of UK - EU membership and excludes the madman in the White House
Carney is a really great guy. All power to him.
I wasn't impressed previously, but his speech was outstanding and Canada is fortunate to have him at this time
I wish we had a comparable PM
Starmer may not be great, but I can't imagine any of the last 3 PMs doing a better job.
Mark Carney delivering a very good speech in Davos declaring we are in the midst of a rupture, not a crisis
Multilateral institutions are are risk
We will be principled and pragmatic
We will engage strategically and are recalibrating our relationship to maximise our values
We stand with Greenland and Denmark and strongly oppose tariffs over Greenland and calls for focused talks
He is championing efforts to build a bridge between the trans pacific partnership and the EU to create a trading block of 1.5 billion people ...............
The comparision with Starmer is stark and why is he not speaking like this.
A trans pacific - EU partnersip has to be welcomed by everyone as it solves the problem of UK - EU membership and excludes the madman in the White House
Carney is a really great guy. All power to him.
I wasn't impressed previously, but his speech was outstanding and Canada is fortunate to have him at this time
I wish we had a comparable PM
Starmer may not be great, but I can't imagine any of the last 3 PMs doing a better job.
Sunak possibly would be a little better.
The other two, the thought is enough to make you shudder !
Number of net gains (or losses -ve) for the Dems in the House? 30
Number of net gains (or losses -ve) for the Dems in the Senate? 4
Number of MSPs won by the SNP at the Holyrood election? 62
Number of AMs won by Plaid Cymru at the Senedd election? 24
UK Party recording the largest poll lead during 2026 and by what percentage? (British Polling Council registered pollsters only). Reform 16%
Labour’s Projected National Share of the vote based on the 2026 local elections according to the BBC? 20%
Number of Reform MPs on the 31st December 2026? 9
The name of the UK Prime Minister on 31st December 2026? Starmer
Will Andy Burnham will be an MP on 31st December 2026? No
UK borrowing in the financial year to November 2026 (£132.3bn to November 2025). £153billion
UK GDP growth in the 12 months to October 2026 (1.1% to October 2025). 0.1%
Winners of the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup. Argentina
You have the Senate being retaken? That's a strong bet.
I think the Dems win North Carolina and Maine.
Then it gets much harder. You are basically betting on two of:
Iowa, Ohio, Alaska and Texas.
That's a really tough ask. Not impossible, but tough.
Sherrod could win in Ohio (and he did in 2018). Ken Paxton could be the Democratic dream opponent in Texas. And Pelota could win in Alaska (and came within a whisker last time in the House). And Iowa is winnable on a *really* good day for the Dems.
My guess is that Ohio stays Republican, although Sherrod Brown will get within 5 or 6 points.
I think Texas will be a closer race, but that the Republicans will hold it by the slimmest of margins.
Iowa - the Dems will pickup at least one Congressional District - but not the Senate seat.
Of the four tough ones, Alaska is probably the best bet. Dan Sullivan, the incumbent Republican only has favorables of 38% - that's pretty poor. There's also ranked choice voting. And Mary Pelota only just lost the (sole) House District in a year when Trump won Alaska by 13%. Given it's the midterms and differential turnout will not favour the Republicans, that's probably a decent bet for a Democratic pickup.
So... I'm going with +3.
I went with +1 for the Dems in the Senate on the basis that they've looked good to win NC in previous years, and somehow it keeps eluding them, while Collins seems to have a special relationship with Maine voters. I also don't think it's impossible that the Dems really feck up and lose MI. So there are lots of ways to +1 - hold MI and win one of ME or NC, or lose MI and win both NC and ME are the more obvious ones.
What does senators crossing the floor do to the PB competition? Does it count as Democrat up, even though they didn’t win seat election?
I would take it as only those seats being contested in the 2026 midterms. If they crosss and get re-elected, counts. If they cross but not up for election doesn't count. Only those being voted on in November would be my twopenneth.
Bloody rare for floor-crossing in the Senate anyway.
Only one full floor crossing in the Senate (as opposed to caucus quitting) this century - Arlen Specter in 2009 (although I think Jim Jeffords sort of made an unofficial switch).
Before that 1995, 1994 and then Strom Thurmond in 1964.
But we are facing a sort of unique time in US politics where you could most expect one?
Mark Carney delivering a very good speech in Davos declaring we are in the midst of a rupture, not a crisis
Multilateral institutions are are risk
We will be principled and pragmatic
We will engage strategically and are recalibrating our relationship to maximise our values
We stand with Greenland and Denmark and strongly oppose tariffs over Greenland and calls for focused talks
He is championing efforts to build a bridge between the trans pacific partnership and the EU to create a trading block of 1.5 billion people ...............
The comparision with Starmer is stark and why is he not speaking like this.
A trans pacific - EU partnersip has to be welcomed by everyone as it solves the problem of UK - EU membership and excludes the madman in the White House
Carney is a really great guy. All power to him.
I wasn't impressed previously, but his speech was outstanding and Canada is fortunate to have him at this time
I wish we had a comparable PM
Starmer may not be great, but I can't imagine any of the last 3 PMs doing a better job.
Sunak and he would have been more or less on the same page, but the previous two make it difficult to sneer too much at Americans voting for Trump.
Comments
"Fuck the Overton window,” Steve Bannon told The Atlantic. "Remember, our strategy... is maximalist, a maximalist strategy. You have to take it however deep you can take it and, quite frankly, until you meet resistance. And we haven’t met any resistance.”
https://bsky.app/profile/justinbaragona.bsky.social/post/3mcuhpjdjx22n
In the US after November presumably the current administration will be vulnerable to impeachment if there is a combination of a hostile house and senate. You would expect them to try to make it an election issue by having a pretend go before the elections, this Summer. This would make it difficult for Trump loyalists to be re-elected. If the Dems go down this route then I suspect more seats will change hands than you suggest. But, that is not a given, remember they managed to select two Presidential candidates they year before last who couldn't beat the present deranged nincompoop.
And when people compare the present administration to 13 yo wankers, as a long former member of that select group, quite frankly I find the allusion defamatory.
In how many places will voting be less than fully fair, and how far from the ideal will some places go?
Unfortunately, I don't think we know. Which is bad enough in itself.
If only the Senate would...
The same private sector now averaging just 3.6% wage growth compared to 7.9% wage growth in the public sector?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cddgrg87ly5o
This clip of Mock the Week has just flashed up
And Hugh Dennis is a fucking punning genius:
https://youtu.be/gkdtf8kGYUc?si=JXS4vBULF49uL0zn&t=471
Why would the councils do that? Is it money concerns - cost of holding them comes out of the already dilapidated funding for local services?
"If great powers abandon even the pretense of rules & values for the unhindered pursuit of their power & interest, the gains from transactionalism will become harder to replicate" -- Carney's speech at Davos is an extended criticism of the damage Trump is doing (though he's not mentioning his name)
Multilateral institutions are are risk
We will be principled and pragmatic
We will engage strategically and are recalibrating our relationship to maximise our values
We stand with Greenland and Denmark and strongly oppose tariffs over Greenland and calls for focused talks
He is championing efforts to build a bridge between the trans pacific partnership and the EU to create a trading block of 1.5 billion people
...............
The comparision with Starmer is stark and why is he not speaking like this.
A trans pacific - EU partnersip has to be welcomed by everyone as it solves the problem of UK - EU membership and excludes the madman in the White House
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5yxdgl21nko
Tillis: "To be clear -- I'm not critical of the president. I'm critical of the bad advice he's getting on Greenland."
https://x.com/atrupar/status/2013596352316391738
Anne Applebaum
@anneapplebaum.bsky.social
Danish pension fund to dump US treasuries
"The US is basically not a good credit and long-term the US government finances are not sustainable," says chief investment officer
https://bsky.app/profile/anneapplebaum.bsky.social/post/3mcufissjw22f
https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2013635331589902742
@SecScottBessent : "@POTUS just believes that the U.S. needs Greenland because no-one will make a move on it then...we share a military facility on an island called Diego Garcia, and the U.K. is giving that island to Mauritius, and guess who is behind Mauritius? The Chinese!"
One of the saving graces is that there were plenty of rebellions against the King's advisers, and some Kings were overthrown on the basis of a refusal to sacrifice their advisers.
See Richard II, Henry VI, Charles I, George III...
I wish we had a comparable PM
Needs a cool name, 3% defence budget, joint procurement. HQ = Nuuk.
Had the evidence indicated further murders than of course she should have faced justice, not least for the bereaved families
You could invite other countries to join that.
Bloody rare for floor-crossing in the Senate anyway.
PM Cromwell was really unpopular, so he got the chop etc…
This is.
Lavrov, today:
“If Greenland is ‘U.S. security,’ then Crimea is ‘Russian security.’”
Trump amplifies post that says NATO — not China or Russia — is part of the “real threat” to America.
https://bsky.app/profile/kyledcheney.bsky.social/post/3mcukmk55th2r
If you are referring to Greenland, is Trump actually right on Greenland because the ice melting opening up waterways has very much changed the whole security picture of Greenland, and protecting the security of the west? That melting has very much brought China and Russia into the picture of such a mineral and geographical security must have, has it not? And It’s true isn’t it, how can any serious US Administration simply trust Denmark and Greenland governments not to sell out to highest bidder, so China put bases, listening stations and nukes on Greenland? What sort of legacy for Trumps Administration, is that how you see Trumps point?
That is assuming Letby is still definitely guilty, of which even a few medical experts have raised doubts
Before that 1995, 1994 and then Strom Thurmond in 1964.
It's a mark of Republican politicians being terrified of Trump, and what his base might do to them.
Oppositions always cry foul, because they always do. Farage is particularly cross, but spending lots of public money to give him a publicity coup doesn't seem like a wise use of public funds in a time of austerity.
(The bigger issue is the time the reorganisations are taking, and there are multiple groups to blame there.)
Not sure PBers are aware of but Carney helped me win a 14/1 bet in a few days during the last Canadian general election when I tipped Pierre Poilievre to lose his seat.
European Parliament:
Danish MEP Anders Vistisen to Trump:
“Let me put this in words you might understand: Mr. President, fuck off.”
https://x.com/allenanalysis/status/2013639689970872709
Asked what happens if the EU retaliates, US commerce secretary Lutnick says “it goes back to tit for that…but in the end Ursula von der Leyen and POTUS will end up talking” yet earlier VDL said the EU would respond in an «unflinching, united and proportional» to tariffs over Greenland in Davos speech.
Anyone know what they are talking about? I've not been keeping up (who could?)
A complete waste of taxpayers money to spend any more prosecuting someone serving a whole life order. If they want to apply to the criminal cases compensation scheme they can, that is it
Whether the defendant has been convicted for other murders and is serving a life sentence has no bearing in the need to seek justice
My point though is this is got up from anti Labour bias, opportunistic opportunism from oppositions, not actual concern for democracy. Oppositions being Trumpian and not behaving proper.
If Lady Thatcher was in power, Conservative councils asking to save money that should be spent on services would have this request accepted, and Lady Thatcher would explain as such at PMQs, to the game playing opposition, backed to the hilt by the fiscal Conservative supporting press. Taking care of the finances, and no time for silly games from opponents, isn’t this what made Lady Thatcher great and electable?
No one in Greenland will be allowed a vote.
It is an utter waste of taxpayers money to prosecute someone already serving a WLO who will never be released (unless their conviction is overturned) and which will come at the cost of further delays to prosecutions and charges of criminals not yet convicted and sentenced
And the US know this as they sat in the room at the table with the Indians and UK to construct this deal as India wants it. So Trumpian lies are making a mug of you being their conduit Willy.
The question of the evidential threshold is a different matter. The CPS says it has not been met.
There is bound to be discussion (perhaps including here) of the issue as to whether the decision not to go ahead is in fact because of the tricky prospect that is opened up if she were acquitted on all counts.
For a current instance see:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1m7z5ngn3vo
The abominable late Robert Black is another.
Can you please explain your own unequivocal support for Donald Trump for at least the last eleven years and how utterly wrong you were to support this dangerous apparently Russia -adjacent tyrant?
There is publicly trying to set out what happened, there is punishment, there is deterrence and a host of other things.
It’s not about making people happy - it’s about getting as close as we can to facts.
At least to me.
Trump backed off.
Europe accepted a unilateral tariff from the US last time round in return for them continuing to back Europen security.
If that's gone, when what's the incentive to give in now ?
There is none.
What happens if it drags on another year, cancel those too ?
Last year they were cancelled and barely a murmur.
This year look at who is cancelling and where. Mostly Labour where they will get battered. Only 1 Lib Dem wants to cancel and some Tories.
Either cancel all that are affected by reorganisation or none. At the moment the cancellations seem largely cynical political ploys to prevent embarrassing defeats.
We have a boundary commission (unlike the slippery USA) which is well regarded as being able to put party considerations aside. Such a body + the power to ask a judge to review would be a better approach.
Take a look at the IA generated map and those in room with Trump as he tells them what will be. Local news stations like BBC and Sky UK will always mostly focus on the local angle, not the whole picture.
Hope this helps you.
Wondering what sort of off ramp Trump had left for himself, I suspect he already knew he was going to be ruled against by the court on tarrifs, and congress would follow the courts lead. So he knew he had that off ramp coming before doing all this splurge of nonsense.
There are also some scientists who seem to be interested in the possible electromagnetic effects not only for earth , but also other planets aswell.
I am speaking more generally that because someone is serving a life sentence for murder that they should not receive an amnesty on other crimes they may have committed
It is not specific to Letby
Fucking idiot (him, not you obvs !!)
ICE
NATO
The other two, the thought is enough to make you shudder !