This is rather predicated on the interesting idea that quite a few Greens and LDs couldn't care less about Reform winning unless Burnham is the Labour candidate. I doubt if this makes sense. Which of course doesn't stop it being true.
"Katie Lam is going to be one of the next Conservative MPs to defect to Reform UK. She’s been on the fence for a while, but after seeing her closest allies join Reform, she feels like she’s got to make a decision."
The statement is beyond crass, it must have been written by some 20 year old dickhead in CCHQ
I’d say the same if it was about Diane Abbott or, god help me, Nicola Sturgeon
Why? Because
1. If it is true it is grotesque and cruel, and way beyond the pale of political abuse
Or, if it is, as I strongly suspect
2. Totally untrue, it is a nasty, childish, boorish, unfunny slur, which disgraces the Tory Party
Also, it is totally unnecessary. There are multiple ways to give Braverman a subtle kicking as she quits, they flawlessly chose the worst
How many on the left have in the past said Cruella was "mad as a box of frogs"?
Spolier: most of them.
The hypocrisy is off the scale...
I agree. It’s good riddance and great news. But where does "mad as a box of frogs" come from? Are they mad because they are in a box and can’t jump without banging their head?
An excellent phrase - up there with "Bats in the Belfry".
Beyond that there is something in popular culture from around 1960.
And a band formed by former Yardbirds in the early 1980s.
I'd speculate that the Strand Magazine reference made it via public school escapees into wider culture. Is there anything in Python, Fawlty Towers etc?
Retain Gorton, lose the whole of Greater Manchester.
That's like exchanging your queen for a pawn in a game of chess.
The way to beat Reform is for the government to run the country brilliantly well, and communicate well with the UK population. Might they give that a try instead of worrying about individuals and the micro politics of a seat or a city?
I'm sure this has already been dsaid but just two thoughts.
1 Her timing is extraordinary. Just as Labour were ready to eviscerate Starmer for his unforgivable pettiness with regard to Burnham she upstages him and his story disappears
2. Anyone listening to Kemi B on Desert Island Discs will be less surprised by the mass exodus from her Party than they would have been before listening. In fact I'm surprised she hasn't joined Farage.
There’s a Tory Party I’d vote for somewhere in the people that are left, especially if Labour get rid of Starmer and go to the left with Burnham “who cares about the bond markets anyway”.
Taking Braverman was a big strategic error in my view for Reform.
She's obviously a flake given her record of sackings and resignations, with a very high opinion of her own abilities not sured by anyone else. Zahawi, Jenrick and Braverman. Jeez, what a shower. These were always the sort of people who made you slightly embarrassed to be a Tory.
Luckily, there are only 5 of you Tory voters left in the entire UK. So the sum total of human embarrassment is modest
TBF it can only be a few days before Starmer initiates an NEC U-turn.
With polls like this, which could have been easily predicted, Starmer is going to be in far more trouble than if he had approved Burnham's candidature
The election is on the 26th February so not long to wait
It’s a catastrophic error by Starmer. When I heard the news I was genuinely bewildered. How does it benefit him? He fends off one challenger but makes an ultimately successful challenge 100 times more likely
There are many reasons. But one big one is this: it makes him look like a rank coward. Voters really really despise cowardice
If you’re a leader you simply cannot be a coward. It’s in the definition of the job. Starmer is finished
There’s a Tory Party I’d vote for somewhere in the people that are left, especially if Labour get rid of Starmer and go to the left with Burnham “who cares about the bond markets anyway”.
Taking Braverman was a big strategic error in my view for Reform.
She's obviously a flake given her record of sackings and resignations, with a very high opinion of her own abilities not sured by anyone else. Zahawi, Jenrick and Braverman. Jeez, what a shower. These were always the sort of people who made you slightly embarrassed to be a Tory.
Luckily, there are only 5 of you Tory voters left in the entire UK. So the sum total of human embarrassment is modest
Mebbes. But the polling analysis from the new Tory ginger group ProsperUK (Andy Street, Ruth Davidson et al) shows a LOT of potential for a centre-right party. There are a few of us around, even now. And, let's face it, have you ever seen a more unprepossessing bunch of bampots than the Tory defectors (Danny Kruger possibly excepted). A bunch of entitled narcissists who would be at each others throats 5 minutes into govt.
I'm sure this has already been dsaid but just two thoughts.
1 Her timing is extraordinary. Just as Labour were ready to eviscerate Starmer for his unforgivable pettiness with regard to Burnham she upstages him and his story disappears
2. Anyone listening to Kemi B on Desert Island Discs will be less surprised by the mass exodus from her Party than they would have been before listening. In fact I'm surprised she hasn't joined Farage.
I didn't listen but I was this one of her choices?
I said he seemed lonely, because he gave every impression of fucking his dog all over Norway
He then explained that he was widowed and found the dog great company in the sub-Arctic. I then expressed sympathy for his loss, and I refrained from further speculations about his blatant zoophilia for well over a week
There’s a Tory Party I’d vote for somewhere in the people that are left, especially if Labour get rid of Starmer and go to the left with Burnham “who cares about the bond markets anyway”.
Taking Braverman was a big strategic error in my view for Reform.
She's obviously a flake given her record of sackings and resignations, with a very high opinion of her own abilities not sured by anyone else. Zahawi, Jenrick and Braverman. Jeez, what a shower. These were always the sort of people who made you slightly embarrassed to be a Tory.
Luckily, there are only 5 of you Tory voters left in the entire UK. So the sum total of human embarrassment is modest
Mebbes. But the polling analysis from the new Tory ginger group ProsperUK (Andy Street, Ruth Davidson et al) shows a LOT of potential for a centre-right party. There are a few of us around, even now. And, let's face it, have you ever seen a more unprepossessing bunch of bampots than the Tory defectors (Danny Kruger possibly excepted). A bunch of entitled narcissists who would be at each others throats 5 minutes into govt.
Jenrick is good. Talented. Ambitious. Clever. Like it or not - presumably not in your case - he understands social media and he knows how to use it and he is literally the only Tory to have made the political weather at any point (Badenoch excepted, but she’s the leader) since the election
And they’ve lost him. The Tory party is not in any position to lose raw political talent. About the only other one they possess is Katie Lam. And now she’s going too?
Retain Gorton, lose the whole of Greater Manchester.
That's like exchanging your queen for a pawn in a game of chess.
The way to beat Reform is for the government to run the country brilliantly well, and communicate well with the UK population. Might they give that a try instead of worrying about individuals and the micro politics of a seat or a city?
"Brilliantly well" isn't really necessary after the past 30 years - I'd settle for tolerable competence.
Didn't Farage promise a Labour defector this week rather than another Tory?
What is the case is that Charlie Simpson, who predicted Rosindell, and has just predicted that Katie Lam is about to go, predicted Braverman specifically (among an otherwise anonymous group) on X 19th January. One to watch.
Do you think that the Labour party made the right or wrong decision in blocking Andy Burnham from being able to stand as a candidate in an upcoming parliamentary by‑election?
Right/Wrong decision All 12/44 Con 14/54 Lab 16/45 LD 16/48 Reform 9/58 Green 6/48
I'm sure this has already been dsaid but just two thoughts.
1 Her timing is extraordinary. Just as Labour were ready to eviscerate Starmer for his unforgivable pettiness with regard to Burnham she upstages him and his story disappears
2. Anyone listening to Kemi B on Desert Island Discs will be less surprised by the mass exodus from her Party than they would have been before listening. In fact I'm surprised she hasn't joined Farage.
I didn't listen but I was this one of her choices?
Do you think that the Labour party made the right or wrong decision in blocking Andy Burnham from being able to stand as a candidate in an upcoming parliamentary by‑election?
Right/Wrong decision All 12/44 Con 14/54 Lab 16/45 LD 16/48 Reform 9/58 Green 6/48
Well, quite
A terrible terrible blunder which damages Starmer obviously, but also Labour in the medium/long term
Retain Gorton, lose the whole of Greater Manchester.
That's like exchanging your queen for a pawn in a game of chess.
The way to beat Reform is for the government to run the country brilliantly well, and communicate well with the UK population. Might they give that a try instead of worrying about individuals and the micro politics of a seat or a city?
"Brilliantly well" isn't really necessary after the past 30 years - I'd settle for tolerable competence.
I agree actually. Never let the perfect be the enemy of the good. (Or for today's politics, never let the desultory be the enemy of the merely direly awful.)
Do you think that the Labour party made the right or wrong decision in blocking Andy Burnham from being able to stand as a candidate in an upcoming parliamentary by‑election?
Right/Wrong decision All 12/44 Con 14/54 Lab 16/45 LD 16/48 Reform 9/58 Green 6/48
If Con,Lab LD, Reform and Grn all have more than 44 saying wrong how can All be 44?
“I can’t look my daughters in the eye and say I’m running as a Republican, when they’re pulling over Hispanics and Asians because of the color of the skin and what they look like. I did not sign up for that.” https://x.com/EpsilonTheory/status/2015794782396657691
Do you think that the Labour party made the right or wrong decision in blocking Andy Burnham from being able to stand as a candidate in an upcoming parliamentary by‑election?
Right/Wrong decision All 12/44 Con 14/54 Lab 16/45 LD 16/48 Reform 9/58 Green 6/48
Well, quite
A terrible terrible blunder which damages Starmer obviously, but also Labour in the medium/long term
Starmer is in the position of one of TSE’s Stepmoms now.
Do you think that the Labour party made the right or wrong decision in blocking Andy Burnham from being able to stand as a candidate in an upcoming parliamentary by‑election?
Right/Wrong decision All 12/44 Con 14/54 Lab 16/45 LD 16/48 Reform 9/58 Green 6/48
Do you think that the Labour party made the right or wrong decision in blocking Andy Burnham from being able to stand as a candidate in an upcoming parliamentary by‑election?
Right/Wrong decision All 12/44 Con 14/54 Lab 16/45 LD 16/48 Reform 9/58 Green 6/48
If Con,Lab LD, Reform and Grn all have more than 44 saying wrong how can All be 44?
“I can’t look my daughters in the eye and say I’m running as a Republican, when they’re pulling over Hispanics and Asians because of the color of the skin and what they look like. I did not sign up for that.” https://x.com/EpsilonTheory/status/2015794782396657691
Good for them. Let's hope the dam is about to break.
Do you think that the Labour party made the right or wrong decision in blocking Andy Burnham from being able to stand as a candidate in an upcoming parliamentary by‑election?
Right/Wrong decision All 12/44 Con 14/54 Lab 16/45 LD 16/48 Reform 9/58 Green 6/48
Well, quite
A terrible terrible blunder which damages Starmer obviously, but also Labour in the medium/long term
Hearing the Labour talking heads trying to defend this decision it gave me flashbacks to some of the Tory talking heads trying to defend Boris dodgy parliamentary moves. The gas lighting reasons why it was in fact a great decision surely can't be convincing anybody.
The media pumping of Burnham though is quite something. Anybody would think he was the next Obama rather than somebody who was failed in national government and crashed the car a few months ago when he tried a big power move.
There’s a Tory Party I’d vote for somewhere in the people that are left, especially if Labour get rid of Starmer and go to the left with Burnham “who cares about the bond markets anyway”.
Taking Braverman was a big strategic error in my view for Reform.
She's obviously a flake given her record of sackings and resignations, with a very high opinion of her own abilities not sured by anyone else. Zahawi, Jenrick and Braverman. Jeez, what a shower. These were always the sort of people who made you slightly embarrassed to be a Tory.
Luckily, there are only 5 of you Tory voters left in the entire UK. So the sum total of human embarrassment is modest
Mebbes. But the polling analysis from the new Tory ginger group ProsperUK (Andy Street, Ruth Davidson et al) shows a LOT of potential for a centre-right party. There are a few of us around, even now. And, let's face it, have you ever seen a more unprepossessing bunch of bampots than the Tory defectors (Danny Kruger possibly excepted). A bunch of entitled narcissists who would be at each others throats 5 minutes into govt.
Jenrick is good. Talented. Ambitious. Clever. Like it or not - presumably not in your case - he understands social media and he knows how to use it and he is literally the only Tory to have made the political weather at any point (Badenoch excepted, but she’s the leader) since the election
And they’ve lost him. The Tory party is not in any position to lose raw political talent. About the only other one they possess is Katie Lam. And now she’s going too?
I do think this could be terminal
I think Lam changes things if she goes because of its effect on the media/commentariat. Most people have never heard of her. For political careers on the right of centre there are no safe places, which, given they are more or less guaranteed close to half the votes going between them, is strange.
The options are: pact - impossible; one of Tory and Reform to clearly overcome the other - good chance, but which?; both to fight and kill each other like scorpions. Possible.
That last goes thus: left of centre clarifies its cloudy picture and attracts 56% of the vote. Leaving 44%. 22% each for Tory and Reform. Labour get to 30+%. Tory and Reform both decimated. Centre left wins easily.
Dom Joly: Reform is just a dumping ground for failed Tory MPs and nativist grifters. Farage said that Braverman was “too toxic” to have in his party…It’s hilarious!
"The one nation wets have won the Conservative party. The centrists control it, they populate it, and they are welcome to it. The truth is that, in recent years, I have found myself effectively in a social democrat, left-leaning party made up of conservatives in name only – Chino."
Can somebody tell me what this social democrat left-leaning party might be? I've been trying to find one.
There’s a Tory Party I’d vote for somewhere in the people that are left, especially if Labour get rid of Starmer and go to the left with Burnham “who cares about the bond markets anyway”.
Taking Braverman was a big strategic error in my view for Reform.
She's obviously a flake given her record of sackings and resignations, with a very high opinion of her own abilities not sured by anyone else. Zahawi, Jenrick and Braverman. Jeez, what a shower. These were always the sort of people who made you slightly embarrassed to be a Tory.
Luckily, there are only 5 of you Tory voters left in the entire UK. So the sum total of human embarrassment is modest
Mebbes. But the polling analysis from the new Tory ginger group ProsperUK (Andy Street, Ruth Davidson et al) shows a LOT of potential for a centre-right party. There are a few of us around, even now. And, let's face it, have you ever seen a more unprepossessing bunch of bampots than the Tory defectors (Danny Kruger possibly excepted). A bunch of entitled narcissists who would be at each others throats 5 minutes into govt.
Jenrick is good. Talented. Ambitious. Clever. Like it or not - presumably not in your case - he understands social media and he knows how to use it and he is literally the only Tory to have made the political weather at any point (Badenoch excepted, but she’s the leader) since the election
And they’ve lost him. The Tory party is not in any position to lose raw political talent. About the only other one they possess is Katie Lam. And now she’s going too?
I do think this could be terminal
It really isn't terminal. It's far easier to imagine circumstances in which Reform disappears than the Tories. Ultimately Reform is a NOTA protest party. Bit like Corbyn Labour which, not so long ago, had 500k members. Jenrick made a massive mistake. Given the split on the right, it's quite likely we'll have some form of left govt after 2029. He would have been brilliantly positioned as the Unite the Right candidate after Farage retires and Badenoch resigns - if he had stuck with the Tories. Completely blown it now. Whether Katie Lam is any brighter we'll soon find out.
TBF it can only be a few days before Starmer initiates an NEC U-turn.
With polls like this, which could have been easily predicted, Starmer is going to be in far more trouble than if he had approved Burnham's candidature
The election is on the 26th February so not long to wait
It’s a catastrophic error by Starmer. When I heard the news I was genuinely bewildered. How does it benefit him? He fends off one challenger but makes an ultimately successful challenge 100 times more likely
There are many reasons. But one big one is this: it makes him look like a rank coward. Voters really really despise cowardice
If you’re a leader you simply cannot be a coward. It’s in the definition of the job. Starmer is finished
And you will be saying that for the next several years.
How will you cope if Aston Villa win the Premier League this season?
I will cry even more bitter salt tears than usual and console myself their ground is in the worst part of Brum.
I'm on 19/1 on Villa to win the title, I will be very happy if they win, I will be even more amused if Arsenal bottle it again.
I think the only comfort I’d get from a Villa title win would be yet another Arsenal bottle job.
Two racing certainties: Arsenal will bottle it. Villa won't win the title. Sherlock Holmes doctrine applies: Once you have eliminated the impossible.....This leaves it between Man U and City. The form team in Utd. Currently about 50/1. Bet accordingly. DYOR.
This provides concerning context for your political predictions.
Do you think that the Labour party made the right or wrong decision in blocking Andy Burnham from being able to stand as a candidate in an upcoming parliamentary by‑election?
Right/Wrong decision All 12/44 Con 14/54 Lab 16/45 LD 16/48 Reform 9/58 Green 6/48
Well, quite
A terrible terrible blunder which damages Starmer obviously, but also Labour in the medium/long term
Don't agree. I'm a 'sometimes' Labour voter and I think it was an understandable decision, given the likely costs to both the country's and the party's finances. I do though, as I've posted before, think that Starmer should have either abstained or found himself unable to log into the Zoom* meeting.
*Or whatever it was.
What's more, if I lived in Denton (etc), which I don't, although I worked there for a while many years ago, I'd wait and see what the polls said, and what my friends in the pub said, before casting my anti-Reform vote.
There’s a Tory Party I’d vote for somewhere in the people that are left, especially if Labour get rid of Starmer and go to the left with Burnham “who cares about the bond markets anyway”.
Taking Braverman was a big strategic error in my view for Reform.
She's obviously a flake given her record of sackings and resignations, with a very high opinion of her own abilities not sured by anyone else. Zahawi, Jenrick and Braverman. Jeez, what a shower. These were always the sort of people who made you slightly embarrassed to be a Tory.
Luckily, there are only 5 of you Tory voters left in the entire UK. So the sum total of human embarrassment is modest
Mebbes. But the polling analysis from the new Tory ginger group ProsperUK (Andy Street, Ruth Davidson et al) shows a LOT of potential for a centre-right party. There are a few of us around, even now. And, let's face it, have you ever seen a more unprepossessing bunch of bampots than the Tory defectors (Danny Kruger possibly excepted). A bunch of entitled narcissists who would be at each others throats 5 minutes into govt.
Jenrick is good. Talented. Ambitious. Clever. Like it or not - presumably not in your case - he understands social media and he knows how to use it and he is literally the only Tory to have made the political weather at any point (Badenoch excepted, but she’s the leader) since the election
And they’ve lost him. The Tory party is not in any position to lose raw political talent. About the only other one they possess is Katie Lam. And now she’s going too?
I do think this could be terminal
I think Lam changes things if she goes because of its effect on the media/commentariat. Most people have never heard of her. For political careers on the right of centre there are no safe places, which, given they are more or less guaranteed close to half the votes going between them, is strange.
The options are: pact - impossible; one of Tory and Reform to clearly overcome the other - good chance, but which?; both to fight and kill each other like scorpions. Possible.
That last goes thus: left of centre clarifies its cloudy picture and attracts 56% of the vote. Leaving 44%. 22% each for Tory and Reform. Labour get to 30+%. Tory and Reform both decimated. Centre left wins easily.
Wow. I’m amazed you’ve reached this conclusion. Which exactly matches all of your 4,563 predictions on this theme since whenever you started breathing oxygen
There’s a Tory Party I’d vote for somewhere in the people that are left, especially if Labour get rid of Starmer and go to the left with Burnham “who cares about the bond markets anyway”.
Taking Braverman was a big strategic error in my view for Reform.
She's obviously a flake given her record of sackings and resignations, with a very high opinion of her own abilities not sured by anyone else. Zahawi, Jenrick and Braverman. Jeez, what a shower. These were always the sort of people who made you slightly embarrassed to be a Tory.
Luckily, there are only 5 of you Tory voters left in the entire UK. So the sum total of human embarrassment is modest
Mebbes. But the polling analysis from the new Tory ginger group ProsperUK (Andy Street, Ruth Davidson et al) shows a LOT of potential for a centre-right party. There are a few of us around, even now. And, let's face it, have you ever seen a more unprepossessing bunch of bampots than the Tory defectors (Danny Kruger possibly excepted). A bunch of entitled narcissists who would be at each others throats 5 minutes into govt.
Jenrick is good. Talented. Ambitious. Clever. Like it or not - presumably not in your case - he understands social media and he knows how to use it and he is literally the only Tory to have made the political weather at any point (Badenoch excepted, but she’s the leader) since the election
And they’ve lost him. The Tory party is not in any position to lose raw political talent. About the only other one they possess is Katie Lam. And now she’s going too?
I do think this could be terminal
I think Lam changes things if she goes because of its effect on the media/commentariat. Most people have never heard of her. For political careers on the right of centre there are no safe places, which, given they are more or less guaranteed close to half the votes going between them, is strange.
The options are: pact - impossible; one of Tory and Reform to clearly overcome the other - good chance, but which?; both to fight and kill each other like scorpions. Possible.
That last goes thus: left of centre clarifies its cloudy picture and attracts 56% of the vote. Leaving 44%. 22% each for Tory and Reform. Labour get to 30+%. Tory and Reform both decimated. Centre left wins easily.
With a different leader, the Tories could have more chance of a back room deal with Labour and the LibDems to jointly nail Farage as a Putin/Trump stooge. With a bit of undeclared coordination, they could do the country a favour and bury him.
"Katie Lam is going to be one of the next Conservative MPs to defect to Reform UK. She’s been on the fence for a while, but after seeing her closest allies join Reform, she feels like she’s got to make a decision."
That's way more of a shocker than Jenrick - she is one of those who should be the future, if the Tories have a future. It is starting to look like death by a thousand cuts.
(Spoke to quite a few of the colleagues who are Denton residents today, all furious about SKS blocking Burnham. All Labour 2024 voters.)
TBF it can only be a few days before Starmer initiates an NEC U-turn.
With polls like this, which could have been easily predicted, Starmer is going to be in far more trouble than if he had approved Burnham's candidature
The election is on the 26th February so not long to wait
It’s a catastrophic error by Starmer. When I heard the news I was genuinely bewildered. How does it benefit him? He fends off one challenger but makes an ultimately successful challenge 100 times more likely
There are many reasons. But one big one is this: it makes him look like a rank coward. Voters really really despise cowardice
If you’re a leader you simply cannot be a coward. It’s in the definition of the job. Starmer is finished
And you will be saying that for the next several years.
"The one nation wets have won the Conservative party. The centrists control it, they populate it, and they are welcome to it. The truth is that, in recent years, I have found myself effectively in a social democrat, left-leaning party made up of conservatives in name only – Chino."
Can somebody tell me what this social democrat left-leaning party might be? I've been trying to find one.
Hmm. I'm not too sure about that approach. It's fine to say the Tories are a bunch of washed-up losers and Nigel is the sparkling new saviour brimming with energy and ideas, but to bang on endlessly about how massively right-wing Reform is? That could leave them terribly stranded if one of the big-tent parties recovers.
"The one nation wets have won the Conservative party. The centrists control it, they populate it, and they are welcome to it. The truth is that, in recent years, I have found myself effectively in a social democrat, left-leaning party made up of conservatives in name only – Chino."
Can somebody tell me what this social democrat left-leaning party might be? I've been trying to find one.
Kemi Badenoch a Chino? Yeah, right. This really is MAGA-speak. Suella will fit right in.
"The one nation wets have won the Conservative party. The centrists control it, they populate it, and they are welcome to it. The truth is that, in recent years, I have found myself effectively in a social democrat, left-leaning party made up of conservatives in name only – Chino."
Can somebody tell me what this social democrat left-leaning party might be? I've been trying to find one.
Kemi Badenoch a Chino? Yeah, right. This really is MAGA-speak. Suella will fit right in.
Labour need to hammer Reform as the UK Trump party at every opportunity.
Farage's massive achilles heal is him and his mates want UK to be like Trump's America. Hardly else anyone in Britain does.
How will you cope if Aston Villa win the Premier League this season?
I will cry even more bitter salt tears than usual and console myself their ground is in the worst part of Brum.
I'm on 19/1 on Villa to win the title, I will be very happy if they win, I will be even more amused if Arsenal bottle it again.
I think the only comfort I’d get from a Villa title win would be yet another Arsenal bottle job.
Two racing certainties: Arsenal will bottle it. Villa won't win the title. Sherlock Holmes doctrine applies: Once you have eliminated the impossible.....This leaves it between Man U and City. The form team in Utd. Currently about 50/1. Bet accordingly. DYOR.
This provides concerning context for your political predictions.
Anyone relying on my predictions is in error. This is a general truth but I notice that the betting industry is larger than ever. I have placed my little all on the Man U long shot. If it comes home I would be able to afford fish and chips for two.
It's notable that Tory voters and Reform voters are furthest apart in their views on Russia (Tories most anti, Reform least), but Tory voters are in denial of this difference, and think Reform are anti-Russia too.
"Katie Lam is going to be one of the next Conservative MPs to defect to Reform UK. She’s been on the fence for a while, but after seeing her closest allies join Reform, she feels like she’s got to make a decision."
That's way more of a shocker than Jenrick - she is one of those who should be the future, if the Tories have a future. It is starting to look like death by a thousand cuts.
(Spoke to quite a few of the colleagues who are Denton residents today, all furious about SKS blocking Burnham. All Labour 2024 voters.)
I’d be fucking furious if I was Labour. Not least because, as a Reform supporter (despite their many many flaws) Burnham is much more of a threat than Skyr
Burnham is personable, mildly charming, quite left wing without being weirdly dogmatic. I could see him being a fairly effective fresh prime minister capturing 30-35% of the vote
Starmer is viscerally loathed, politically inert, emotionally inept, with actual hints of treachery (Chagos, Hermer, China) - he’s the ideal opponent for Nigel
Apple don't miss a trick, pumped the price of mac minis because everybody is buying them to run their Clawdbots. Waiting for Anthropic now to release super mega Max tier at a mere $400/month.
"The one nation wets have won the Conservative party. The centrists control it, they populate it, and they are welcome to it. The truth is that, in recent years, I have found myself effectively in a social democrat, left-leaning party made up of conservatives in name only – Chino."
Can somebody tell me what this social democrat left-leaning party might be? I've been trying to find one.
Where is she getting the “h” in Chino from? Is this her legendary attention to detail?
Apple don't miss a trick, pumped the price of mac minis because everybody is buying them to run their Clawdbots. Waiting for Anthropic now to release super mega Max tier at a mere $400/month.
These people have not heard of the VPS. £5 a month
"The one nation wets have won the Conservative party. The centrists control it, they populate it, and they are welcome to it. The truth is that, in recent years, I have found myself effectively in a social democrat, left-leaning party made up of conservatives in name only – Chino."
Can somebody tell me what this social democrat left-leaning party might be? I've been trying to find one.
Kemi Badenoch a Chino? Yeah, right. This really is MAGA-speak. Suella will fit right in.
Labour need to hammer Reform as the UK Trump party at every opportunity.
Farage's massive achilles heal is him and his mates want UK to be like Trump's America. Hardly else anyone in Britain does.
Yes, Sir Keir needs to ram home the message: 'Reform are the guys who opening state that the Tories aren't right wing enough.' That could be deadly if it sinks in.
"The one nation wets have won the Conservative party. The centrists control it, they populate it, and they are welcome to it. The truth is that, in recent years, I have found myself effectively in a social democrat, left-leaning party made up of conservatives in name only – Chino."
Can somebody tell me what this social democrat left-leaning party might be? I've been trying to find one.
Apple don't miss a trick, pumped the price of mac minis because everybody is buying them to run their Clawdbots. Waiting for Anthropic now to release super mega Max tier at a mere $400/month.
Am I missing some kind of meta joke here ? All your recent posts seem to be about Clawdbot. Is it running your contributions to PB ? Is that the joke ?
Dom Joly: Reform is just a dumping ground for failed Tory MPs and nativist grifters. Farage said that Braverman was “too toxic” to have in his party…It’s hilarious!
Hello!
Someone's got to run British ICE's thugs under Farage's coming administration.
There’s a Tory Party I’d vote for somewhere in the people that are left, especially if Labour get rid of Starmer and go to the left with Burnham “who cares about the bond markets anyway”.
Taking Braverman was a big strategic error in my view for Reform.
She's obviously a flake given her record of sackings and resignations, with a very high opinion of her own abilities not sured by anyone else. Zahawi, Jenrick and Braverman. Jeez, what a shower. These were always the sort of people who made you slightly embarrassed to be a Tory.
Luckily, there are only 5 of you Tory voters left in the entire UK. So the sum total of human embarrassment is modest
Mebbes. But the polling analysis from the new Tory ginger group ProsperUK (Andy Street, Ruth Davidson et al) shows a LOT of potential for a centre-right party. There are a few of us around, even now. And, let's face it, have you ever seen a more unprepossessing bunch of bampots than the Tory defectors (Danny Kruger possibly excepted). A bunch of entitled narcissists who would be at each others throats 5 minutes into govt.
Jenrick is good. Talented. Ambitious. Clever. Like it or not - presumably not in your case - he understands social media and he knows how to use it and he is literally the only Tory to have made the political weather at any point (Badenoch excepted, but she’s the leader) since the election
And they’ve lost him. The Tory party is not in any position to lose raw political talent. About the only other one they possess is Katie Lam. And now she’s going too?
I do think this could be terminal
I think Lam changes things if she goes because of its effect on the media/commentariat. Most people have never heard of her. For political careers on the right of centre there are no safe places, which, given they are more or less guaranteed close to half the votes going between them, is strange.
The options are: pact - impossible; one of Tory and Reform to clearly overcome the other - good chance, but which?; both to fight and kill each other like scorpions. Possible.
That last goes thus: left of centre clarifies its cloudy picture and attracts 56% of the vote. Leaving 44%. 22% each for Tory and Reform. Labour get to 30+%. Tory and Reform both decimated. Centre left wins easily.
Wow. I’m amazed you’ve reached this conclusion. Which exactly matches all of your 4,563 predictions on this theme since whenever you started breathing oxygen
Thanks, but you are over generous to me. Anyway, I don't think in the foregoing I made any predictions, except to note there are no safe spaces for the right of centre. I draw no other conclusions here. However, I shall repeat for your delight that the next GE will either be basically Labour v Reform or Labour v Tory. Reform will come second or third in votes and seats.
TBF it can only be a few days before Starmer initiates an NEC U-turn.
With polls like this, which could have been easily predicted, Starmer is going to be in far more trouble than if he had approved Burnham's candidature
The election is on the 26th February so not long to wait
It’s a catastrophic error by Starmer. When I heard the news I was genuinely bewildered. How does it benefit him? He fends off one challenger but makes an ultimately successful challenge 100 times more likely
There are many reasons. But one big one is this: it makes him look like a rank coward. Voters really really despise cowardice
If you’re a leader you simply cannot be a coward. It’s in the definition of the job. Starmer is finished
Starmer should have treated Burnham like William Hague dealt with Portillo when he returned in a by-election - marginalised him by forcing him to take on a front bench post. Sec of State for Northern Ireland would have been just the ticket. (That's literally how Mrs T dealt with Jim Prior)
"Katie Lam is going to be one of the next Conservative MPs to defect to Reform UK. She’s been on the fence for a while, but after seeing her closest allies join Reform, she feels like she’s got to make a decision."
That's way more of a shocker than Jenrick - she is one of those who should be the future, if the Tories have a future. It is starting to look like death by a thousand cuts.
(Spoke to quite a few of the colleagues who are Denton residents today, all furious about SKS blocking Burnham. All Labour 2024 voters.)
I’d be fucking furious if I was Labour. Not least because, as a Reform supporter (despite their many many flaws) Burnham is much more of a threat than Skyr
Burnham is personable, mildly charming, quite left wing without being weirdly dogmatic. I could see him being a fairly effective fresh prime minister capturing 30-35% of the vote
Starmer is viscerally loathed, politically inert, emotionally inept, with actual hints of treachery (Chagos, Hermer, China) - he’s the ideal opponent for Nigel
Lectures on treachery from Nigel "Russia Today" Farage and Reform "Welsh leader in jail for taking bribes from Putin" UK?
TBF it can only be a few days before Starmer initiates an NEC U-turn.
With polls like this, which could have been easily predicted, Starmer is going to be in far more trouble than if he had approved Burnham's candidature
The election is on the 26th February so not long to wait
It’s a catastrophic error by Starmer. When I heard the news I was genuinely bewildered. How does it benefit him? He fends off one challenger but makes an ultimately successful challenge 100 times more likely
There are many reasons. But one big one is this: it makes him look like a rank coward. Voters really really despise cowardice
If you’re a leader you simply cannot be a coward. It’s in the definition of the job. Starmer is finished
Starmer should have treated Burnham like William Hague dealt with Portillo when he returned in a by-election - marginalised him by forcing him to take on a front bench post. Sec of State for Northern Ireland would have been just the ticket. (That's literally how Mrs T dealt with Jim Prior)
"The one nation wets have won the Conservative party. The centrists control it, they populate it, and they are welcome to it. The truth is that, in recent years, I have found myself effectively in a social democrat, left-leaning party made up of conservatives in name only – Chino."
Can somebody tell me what this social democrat left-leaning party might be? I've been trying to find one.
That would be Chonservatives in name only.
Are there even any genuine ones ?
Chino is an effort at finding a British English translation of the US English Rino. It is just another example of how the new right in this country has become a kind of low rent tribute act to MAGA.
There’s a Tory Party I’d vote for somewhere in the people that are left, especially if Labour get rid of Starmer and go to the left with Burnham “who cares about the bond markets anyway”.
Taking Braverman was a big strategic error in my view for Reform.
She's obviously a flake given her record of sackings and resignations, with a very high opinion of her own abilities not sured by anyone else. Zahawi, Jenrick and Braverman. Jeez, what a shower. These were always the sort of people who made you slightly embarrassed to be a Tory.
Luckily, there are only 5 of you Tory voters left in the entire UK. So the sum total of human embarrassment is modest
Mebbes. But the polling analysis from the new Tory ginger group ProsperUK (Andy Street, Ruth Davidson et al) shows a LOT of potential for a centre-right party. There are a few of us around, even now. And, let's face it, have you ever seen a more unprepossessing bunch of bampots than the Tory defectors (Danny Kruger possibly excepted). A bunch of entitled narcissists who would be at each others throats 5 minutes into govt.
Jenrick is good. Talented. Ambitious. Clever. Like it or not - presumably not in your case - he understands social media and he knows how to use it and he is literally the only Tory to have made the political weather at any point (Badenoch excepted, but she’s the leader) since the election
And they’ve lost him. The Tory party is not in any position to lose raw political talent. About the only other one they possess is Katie Lam. And now she’s going too?
I do think this could be terminal
It really isn't terminal. It's far easier to imagine circumstances in which Reform disappears than the Tories. Ultimately Reform is a NOTA protest party. Bit like Corbyn Labour which, not so long ago, had 500k members. Jenrick made a massive mistake. Given the split on the right, it's quite likely we'll have some form of left govt after 2029. He would have been brilliantly positioned as the Unite the Right candidate after Farage retires and Badenoch resigns - if he had stuck with the Tories. Completely blown it now. Whether Katie Lam is any brighter we'll soon find out.
Jacob Rees Mogg is now the clear frontrunner to be the unite the right candidate in 2029 if both Farage and Kemi/Cleverly lose.
TBF it can only be a few days before Starmer initiates an NEC U-turn.
With polls like this, which could have been easily predicted, Starmer is going to be in far more trouble than if he had approved Burnham's candidature
The election is on the 26th February so not long to wait
It’s a catastrophic error by Starmer. When I heard the news I was genuinely bewildered. How does it benefit him? He fends off one challenger but makes an ultimately successful challenge 100 times more likely
There are many reasons. But one big one is this: it makes him look like a rank coward. Voters really really despise cowardice
If you’re a leader you simply cannot be a coward. It’s in the definition of the job. Starmer is finished
Starmer should have treated Burnham like William Hague dealt with Portillo when he returned in a by-election - marginalised him by forcing him to take on a front bench post. Sec of State for Northern Ireland would have been just the ticket. (That's literally how Mrs T dealt with Jim Prior)
If anyone had been able to come up with a good solution to the GM Mayoralty problem, I'd agree. But I don't think anyone has. Given how foreseeable this particular by-election was, that's either Burnham being very lazy or a sign that there isn't a good solution.
"Katie Lam is going to be one of the next Conservative MPs to defect to Reform UK. She’s been on the fence for a while, but after seeing her closest allies join Reform, she feels like she’s got to make a decision."
That's way more of a shocker than Jenrick - she is one of those who should be the future, if the Tories have a future. It is starting to look like death by a thousand cuts.
(Spoke to quite a few of the colleagues who are Denton residents today, all furious about SKS blocking Burnham. All Labour 2024 voters.)
I’d be fucking furious if I was Labour. Not least because, as a Reform supporter (despite their many many flaws) Burnham is much more of a threat than Skyr
Burnham is personable, mildly charming, quite left wing without being weirdly dogmatic. I could see him being a fairly effective fresh prime minister capturing 30-35% of the vote
Starmer is viscerally loathed, politically inert, emotionally inept, with actual hints of treachery (Chagos, Hermer, China) - he’s the ideal opponent for Nigel
Lectures on treachery from Nigel "Russia Today" Farage and Reform "Welsh leader in jail for taking bribes from Putin" UK?
I’m not trying to make a clever point. I’m being honest
As things stand, I want Reform to sweep to victory. This is not because they are flawless - quite the opposite. I despair of Farage, sometimes, and they have some very sketchy characters in the ranks
Nonetheless they’ve got my vote for now
So I really don’t want Labour led by an effective leader that might halt a Reform victory. To me, Burnham looked exactly like that: a potentially effective leader
"The one nation wets have won the Conservative party. The centrists control it, they populate it, and they are welcome to it. The truth is that, in recent years, I have found myself effectively in a social democrat, left-leaning party made up of conservatives in name only – Chino."
Can somebody tell me what this social democrat left-leaning party might be? I've been trying to find one.
The idea Kemi is a latter day Ted Heath or Heseltine or even a Cameron is laughable, she is fiscally more conservative than Farage
Do you think that the Labour party made the right or wrong decision in blocking Andy Burnham from being able to stand as a candidate in an upcoming parliamentary by‑election?
Right/Wrong decision All 12/44 Con 14/54 Lab 16/45 LD 16/48 Reform 9/58 Green 6/48
Well Labour and LD voters are most likely to think Labour made the right decision blocking Burnham in a positive for Sir Keir, though even they clearly think it was wrong
I had a very smart and earnest American today tell me they thought Trump was going to use the military to crush voting in democrat leaning districts in the mid terms. They didn’t mean it in a “that mad trump, it wouldn’t surprise me” way. They really sincerely believe that it is going to happen and that we are living through the death of American democracy.
Meanwhile, in the UK we have the Tories and Labour colluding to cancel our own midterms and they don’t even have to brandish a baton, yet alone an assault rifle.
Anyway back to that fascist autocrat in waiting Nigel Farage… if Katie Lam defects, it will no doubt be quickly characterised here as good riddance to a careerist wrongun that will say and do anything to retain her seat. Maybe. But it would also be pretty hard to convince that the Tory’s remain a credible national party.
"The one nation wets have won the Conservative party. The centrists control it, they populate it, and they are welcome to it. The truth is that, in recent years, I have found myself effectively in a social democrat, left-leaning party made up of conservatives in name only – Chino."
Can somebody tell me what this social democrat left-leaning party might be? I've been trying to find one.
The idea Kemi is a latter day Ted Heath or Heseltine or even a Cameron is laughable, she is fiscally more conservative than Farage
Well quite. Kemi was (until a few weeks ago) roughly in the middle of the Conservative party as it is right now. That's to say pretty right wing by the standards of recent history.
The Heath/Heseltine wets wandered off ages ago, and there's not much to attract them back. Even if they aren't dead yet. Losing Team Bobby J stops a drift even further to the right, but that's all.
"The one nation wets have won the Conservative party. The centrists control it, they populate it, and they are welcome to it. The truth is that, in recent years, I have found myself effectively in a social democrat, left-leaning party made up of conservatives in name only – Chino."
Can somebody tell me what this social democrat left-leaning party might be? I've been trying to find one.
That would be Chonservatives in name only.
Are there even any genuine ones ?
Chino is an effort at finding a British English translation of the US English Rino.
There’s a Tory Party I’d vote for somewhere in the people that are left, especially if Labour get rid of Starmer and go to the left with Burnham “who cares about the bond markets anyway”.
Taking Braverman was a big strategic error in my view for Reform.
She's obviously a flake given her record of sackings and resignations, with a very high opinion of her own abilities not sured by anyone else. Zahawi, Jenrick and Braverman. Jeez, what a shower. These were always the sort of people who made you slightly embarrassed to be a Tory.
Luckily, there are only 5 of you Tory voters left in the entire UK. So the sum total of human embarrassment is modest
Mebbes. But the polling analysis from the new Tory ginger group ProsperUK (Andy Street, Ruth Davidson et al) shows a LOT of potential for a centre-right party. There are a few of us around, even now. And, let's face it, have you ever seen a more unprepossessing bunch of bampots than the Tory defectors (Danny Kruger possibly excepted). A bunch of entitled narcissists who would be at each others throats 5 minutes into govt.
Jenrick is good. Talented. Ambitious. Clever. Like it or not - presumably not in your case - he understands social media and he knows how to use it and he is literally the only Tory to have made the political weather at any point (Badenoch excepted, but she’s the leader) since the election
And they’ve lost him. The Tory party is not in any position to lose raw political talent. About the only other one they possess is Katie Lam. And now she’s going too?
I do think this could be terminal
I think Lam changes things if she goes because of its effect on the media/commentariat. Most people have never heard of her. For political careers on the right of centre there are no safe places, which, given they are more or less guaranteed close to half the votes going between them, is strange.
The options are: pact - impossible; one of Tory and Reform to clearly overcome the other - good chance, but which?; both to fight and kill each other like scorpions. Possible.
That last goes thus: left of centre clarifies its cloudy picture and attracts 56% of the vote. Leaving 44%. 22% each for Tory and Reform. Labour get to 30+%. Tory and Reform both decimated. Centre left wins easily.
Only chance of Labour getting to 30%+ was Burnham. Streeting or Cooper might get them to 25% or so and a coalition with the LDs, Rayner or Sir Keir staying or Ed Miliband probably ensures Farage wins most seats
Apple don't miss a trick, pumped the price of mac minis because everybody is buying them to run their Clawdbots. Waiting for Anthropic now to release super mega Max tier at a mere $400/month.
Um, I don't see any prices rises - although we really won't know until Wednesday when they launch the new M5 Max chips.
I'm sure this has already been dsaid but just two thoughts.
1 Her timing is extraordinary. Just as Labour were ready to eviscerate Starmer for his unforgivable pettiness with regard to Burnham she upstages him and his story disappears
2. Anyone listening to Kemi B on Desert Island Discs will be less surprised by the mass exodus from her Party than they would have been before listening. In fact I'm surprised she hasn't joined Farage.
I didn't listen but I was this one of her choices?
"Katie Lam is going to be one of the next Conservative MPs to defect to Reform UK. She’s been on the fence for a while, but after seeing her closest allies join Reform, she feels like she’s got to make a decision."
That's way more of a shocker than Jenrick - she is one of those who should be the future, if the Tories have a future. It is starting to look like death by a thousand cuts.
(Spoke to quite a few of the colleagues who are Denton residents today, all furious about SKS blocking Burnham. All Labour 2024 voters.)
I’d be fucking furious if I was Labour. Not least because, as a Reform supporter (despite their many many flaws) Burnham is much more of a threat than Skyr
Burnham is personable, mildly charming, quite left wing without being weirdly dogmatic. I could see him being a fairly effective fresh prime minister capturing 30-35% of the vote
Starmer is viscerally loathed, politically inert, emotionally inept, with actual hints of treachery (Chagos, Hermer, China) - he’s the ideal opponent for Nigel
Lectures on treachery from Nigel "Russia Today" Farage and Reform "Welsh leader in jail for taking bribes from Putin" UK?
I’m not trying to make a clever point. I’m being honest
As things stand, I want Reform to sweep to victory. This is not because they are flawless - quite the opposite. I despair of Farage, sometimes, and they have some very sketchy characters in the ranks
Nonetheless they’ve got my vote for now
So I really don’t want Labour led by an effective leader that might halt a Reform victory. To me, Burnham looked exactly like that: a potentially effective leader
And Starmer has kneecapped him. lol
Never has this site’s faith in the curse of Leondamus been stronger. Hopefully receiving your vote will be on a par with a touch of the Hope Diamond, except that the only hope involved will accrue to the rest of us.
Apple don't miss a trick, pumped the price of mac minis because everybody is buying them to run their Clawdbots. Waiting for Anthropic now to release super mega Max tier at a mere $400/month.
Um, I don't see any prices rises - although we really won't know until Wednesday when they launch the new M5 Max chips.
$599 in US, were $499. UK they were £549, now £599. Amazon they have gone £529 to £549, highest price for 3 months. Despite as you say M5 chip out this week and new M5 mac mini is coming March or June, so you would expect price ticking down to get rid of all the stock.
"The one nation wets have won the Conservative party. The centrists control it, they populate it, and they are welcome to it. The truth is that, in recent years, I have found myself effectively in a social democrat, left-leaning party made up of conservatives in name only – Chino."
Can somebody tell me what this social democrat left-leaning party might be? I've been trying to find one.
The idea Kemi is a latter day Ted Heath or Heseltine or even a Cameron is laughable, she is fiscally more conservative than Farage
Well quite. Kemi was (until a few weeks ago) roughly in the middle of the Conservative party as it is right now. That's to say pretty right wing by the standards of recent history.
The Heath/Heseltine wets wandered off ages ago, and there's not much to attract them back. Even if they aren't dead yet. Losing Team Bobby J stops a drift even further to the right, but that's all.
Most of the Heath/Heseltine wets if still around are if not already voting LD heading that way.
Badenoch as you say is the centre of the Tories now along with Philp, Cleverly and Tugendhat and Stride the left, Jenrick and Braverman and Rosindell the right and Lam still represents that side with Patel and Francois and McVey for those hard rightwingers not yet defected to Reform
It looks like Farage has managed to attract the three least popular Tory MPs into his coven. For the rest of us it's quite good to have all the nastiest shits in one place
"Katie Lam is going to be one of the next Conservative MPs to defect to Reform UK. She’s been on the fence for a while, but after seeing her closest allies join Reform, she feels like she’s got to make a decision."
That's way more of a shocker than Jenrick - she is one of those who should be the future, if the Tories have a future. It is starting to look like death by a thousand cuts.
(Spoke to quite a few of the colleagues who are Denton residents today, all furious about SKS blocking Burnham. All Labour 2024 voters.)
I’d be fucking furious if I was Labour. Not least because, as a Reform supporter (despite their many many flaws) Burnham is much more of a threat than Skyr
Burnham is personable, mildly charming, quite left wing without being weirdly dogmatic. I could see him being a fairly effective fresh prime minister capturing 30-35% of the vote
Starmer is viscerally loathed, politically inert, emotionally inept, with actual hints of treachery (Chagos, Hermer, China) - he’s the ideal opponent for Nigel
Lectures on treachery from Nigel "Russia Today" Farage and Reform "Welsh leader in jail for taking bribes from Putin" UK?
I’m not trying to make a clever point. I’m being honest
As things stand, I want Reform to sweep to victory. This is not because they are flawless - quite the opposite. I despair of Farage, sometimes, and they have some very sketchy characters in the ranks
Nonetheless they’ve got my vote for now
So I really don’t want Labour led by an effective leader that might halt a Reform victory. To me, Burnham looked exactly like that: a potentially effective leader
And Starmer has kneecapped him. lol
Never has this site’s faith in the curse of Leondamus been stronger. Hopefully receiving your vote will be on a par with a touch of the Hope Diamond, except that the only hope involved will accrue to the rest of us.
No, it's more likely to Starmer all over again, with Leon cursing himself for being foolish enough to vote for the traitorous charlatan. In about 2030.
"Katie Lam is going to be one of the next Conservative MPs to defect to Reform UK. She’s been on the fence for a while, but after seeing her closest allies join Reform, she feels like she’s got to make a decision."
That's way more of a shocker than Jenrick - she is one of those who should be the future, if the Tories have a future. It is starting to look like death by a thousand cuts.
(Spoke to quite a few of the colleagues who are Denton residents today, all furious about SKS blocking Burnham. All Labour 2024 voters.)
I’d be fucking furious if I was Labour. Not least because, as a Reform supporter (despite their many many flaws) Burnham is much more of a threat than Skyr
Burnham is personable, mildly charming, quite left wing without being weirdly dogmatic. I could see him being a fairly effective fresh prime minister capturing 30-35% of the vote
Starmer is viscerally loathed, politically inert, emotionally inept, with actual hints of treachery (Chagos, Hermer, China) - he’s the ideal opponent for Nigel
Lectures on treachery from Nigel "Russia Today" Farage and Reform "Welsh leader in jail for taking bribes from Putin" UK?
I’m not trying to make a clever point. I’m being honest
As things stand, I want Reform to sweep to victory. This is not because they are flawless - quite the opposite. I despair of Farage, sometimes, and they have some very sketchy characters in the ranks
Nonetheless they’ve got my vote for now
So I really don’t want Labour led by an effective leader that might halt a Reform victory. To me, Burnham looked exactly like that: a potentially effective leader
And Starmer has kneecapped him. lol
Never has this site’s faith in the curse of Leondamus been stronger. Hopefully receiving your vote will be on a par with a touch of the Hope Diamond, except that the only hope involved will accrue to the rest of us.
Unless I am mistaken, Leon typically tends to vote the winner - Blair 97, Cameron, Brexit, Boris, Starmer. Not sure if you voted for May, Hague or Howard.
Apple don't miss a trick, pumped the price of mac minis because everybody is buying them to run their Clawdbots. Waiting for Anthropic now to release super mega Max tier at a mere $400/month.
Um, I don't see any prices rises - although we really won't know until Wednesday when they launch the new M5 Max chips.
$599 in US, were $499. UK they were £549, now £599.
I'm sure this has already been dsaid but just two thoughts.
1 Her timing is extraordinary. Just as Labour were ready to eviscerate Starmer for his unforgivable pettiness with regard to Burnham she upstages him and his story disappears
2. Anyone listening to Kemi B on Desert Island Discs will be less surprised by the mass exodus from her Party than they would have been before listening. In fact I'm surprised she hasn't joined Farage.
I didn't listen but I was this one of her choices?
Apple don't miss a trick, pumped the price of mac minis because everybody is buying them to run their Clawdbots. Waiting for Anthropic now to release super mega Max tier at a mere $400/month.
Um, I don't see any prices rises - although we really won't know until Wednesday when they launch the new M5 Max chips.
$599 in US, were $499. UK they were £549, now £599.
No, its been ticking down in price due to end of life in next 3-6 months. £500-549 was the normal price available either through Apple / Amazon / John Lewis. Now all at highest prices for 3 months.
US a couple of weeks ago it was $499.
The reason I know is I nearly bought another one to run another Claude Code instance, but now waiting to see if we get a better hint when M5 is out.
"Katie Lam is going to be one of the next Conservative MPs to defect to Reform UK. She’s been on the fence for a while, but after seeing her closest allies join Reform, she feels like she’s got to make a decision."
That's way more of a shocker than Jenrick - she is one of those who should be the future, if the Tories have a future. It is starting to look like death by a thousand cuts.
(Spoke to quite a few of the colleagues who are Denton residents today, all furious about SKS blocking Burnham. All Labour 2024 voters.)
I’d be fucking furious if I was Labour. Not least because, as a Reform supporter (despite their many many flaws) Burnham is much more of a threat than Skyr
Burnham is personable, mildly charming, quite left wing without being weirdly dogmatic. I could see him being a fairly effective fresh prime minister capturing 30-35% of the vote
Starmer is viscerally loathed, politically inert, emotionally inept, with actual hints of treachery (Chagos, Hermer, China) - he’s the ideal opponent for Nigel
Lectures on treachery from Nigel "Russia Today" Farage and Reform "Welsh leader in jail for taking bribes from Putin" UK?
I’m not trying to make a clever point. I’m being honest
As things stand, I want Reform to sweep to victory. This is not because they are flawless - quite the opposite. I despair of Farage, sometimes, and they have some very sketchy characters in the ranks
Nonetheless they’ve got my vote for now
So I really don’t want Labour led by an effective leader that might halt a Reform victory. To me, Burnham looked exactly like that: a potentially effective leader
And Starmer has kneecapped him. lol
Never has this site’s faith in the curse of Leondamus been stronger. Hopefully receiving your vote will be on a par with a touch of the Hope Diamond, except that the only hope involved will accrue to the rest of us.
Unless I am mistaken, Leon typically tends to vote the winner - Blair 97, Cameron, Brexit, Boris, Starmer. Not sure if you voted for May, Hague or Howard.
I had a very smart and earnest American today tell me they thought Trump was going to use the military to crush voting in democrat leaning districts in the mid terms. They didn’t mean it in a “that mad trump, it wouldn’t surprise me” way. They really sincerely believe that it is going to happen and that we are living through the death of American democracy.
Meanwhile, in the UK we have the Tories and Labour colluding to cancel our own midterms and they don’t even have to brandish a baton, yet alone an assault rifle.
Anyway back to that fascist autocrat in waiting Nigel Farage… if Katie Lam defects, it will no doubt be quickly characterised here as good riddance to a careerist wrongun that will say and do anything to retain her seat. Maybe. But it would also be pretty hard to convince that the Tory’s remain a credible national party.
You do know [ maybe you don't] that the Lib Dems AND Conservatives have joined together in the HOL to get the decision reversed ?
"The one nation wets have won the Conservative party. The centrists control it, they populate it, and they are welcome to it. The truth is that, in recent years, I have found myself effectively in a social democrat, left-leaning party made up of conservatives in name only – Chino."
Can somebody tell me what this social democrat left-leaning party might be? I've been trying to find one.
Where is she getting the “h” in Chino from? Is this her legendary attention to detail?
I'm sure this has already been dsaid but just two thoughts.
1 Her timing is extraordinary. Just as Labour were ready to eviscerate Starmer for his unforgivable pettiness with regard to Burnham she upstages him and his story disappears
2. Anyone listening to Kemi B on Desert Island Discs will be less surprised by the mass exodus from her Party than they would have been before listening. In fact I'm surprised she hasn't joined Farage.
I didn't listen but I was this one of her choices?
I say this as someone who likes Kemi - TWO tracks featuring the musical stylings of 'the original Broadway cast of Hamilton'. Enough to make you long for some quicksand to end it all.
"The one nation wets have won the Conservative party. The centrists control it, they populate it, and they are welcome to it. The truth is that, in recent years, I have found myself effectively in a social democrat, left-leaning party made up of conservatives in name only – Chino."
Can somebody tell me what this social democrat left-leaning party might be? I've been trying to find one.
Where is she getting the “h” in Chino from? Is this her legendary attention to detail?
Did she write it down or was it transcribed? It could be Cino as in Cinzano.
"The one nation wets have won the Conservative party. The centrists control it, they populate it, and they are welcome to it. The truth is that, in recent years, I have found myself effectively in a social democrat, left-leaning party made up of conservatives in name only – Chino."
Can somebody tell me what this social democrat left-leaning party might be? I've been trying to find one.
She means people who don't want to bring back hanging, and don't admire Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.
Only 45 more defections before the Tories cease to be the Official Opposition.
Reform UK now move up to become the fifth largest party in the Commons, having previously been tied with Sinn Féin (not that they take their seats). One more MP and they'll tie with the SNP. Two more and they'll be the fourth largest party!
The Reform UK Commons group is now half people elected as Reform MPs and half people elected as Conservatives. It now contains a majority of people who were previously Tory MPs.
I think it would be pretty funny if those elected as Reform MPs find themselves sidelined because they don't have the same parliamentary experience (or public profile to compensate).
In fairness I do at least know who Tice is, and Anderson is pathetically performative so has some profile.
I had a very smart and earnest American today tell me they thought Trump was going to use the military to crush voting in democrat leaning districts in the mid terms. They didn’t mean it in a “that mad trump, it wouldn’t surprise me” way. They really sincerely believe that it is going to happen and that we are living through the death of American democracy.
Meanwhile, in the UK we have the Tories and Labour colluding to cancel our own midterms and they don’t even have to brandish a baton, yet alone an assault rifle.
Anyway back to that fascist autocrat in waiting Nigel Farage… if Katie Lam defects, it will no doubt be quickly characterised here as good riddance to a careerist wrongun that will say and do anything to retain her seat. Maybe. But it would also be pretty hard to convince that the Tory’s remain a credible national party.
Re the earnest American (is that a Graham Greene novel) I think he is right. Reasoning thus: if Trump and mates fall their future looks a bit like that of North Korean opposition parties - bleak. What choice do they have but to rig the elections or do away with them. And could that be done without force. Doubtful.
A court conviction and a bucket load of pro-Russian propaganda from UKIP/Brexit MEPs in the European Parliament who later became Reform grandees suggest he may be onto something.
Comments
That's like exchanging your queen for a pawn in a game of chess.
If she goes that’s it
Burnham as candidate for what? PM? Mayor? Local MP?
Reference to a "Box of Frogs" being sent through the post, Strand Magazine 1926.
https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_Strand_Magazine/QOIvAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq="box+of+frogs"&pg=PA277&printsec=frontcover
Beyond that there is something in popular culture from around 1960.
And a band formed by former Yardbirds in the early 1980s.
I'd speculate that the Strand Magazine reference made it via public school escapees into wider culture. Is there anything in Python, Fawlty Towers etc?
There are many reasons. But one big one is this: it makes him look like a rank coward. Voters really really despise cowardice
If you’re a leader you simply cannot be a coward. It’s in the definition of the job. Starmer is finished
But the polling analysis from the new Tory ginger group ProsperUK (Andy Street, Ruth Davidson et al) shows a LOT of potential for a centre-right party. There are a few of us around, even now.
And, let's face it, have you ever seen a more unprepossessing bunch of bampots than the Tory defectors (Danny Kruger possibly excepted). A bunch of entitled narcissists who would be at each others throats 5 minutes into govt.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlNhD0oS5pk
I said he seemed lonely, because he gave every impression of fucking his dog all over Norway
He then explained that he was widowed and found the dog great company in the sub-Arctic. I then expressed sympathy for his loss, and I refrained from further speculations about his blatant zoophilia for well over a week
And they’ve lost him. The Tory party is not in any position to lose raw political talent. About the only other one they possess is Katie Lam. And now she’s going too?
I do think this could be terminal
https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/survey-results/daily/2026/01/26/956d4/1
Do you think that the Labour party made the right or wrong decision in blocking Andy Burnham from being able to stand as a candidate in an upcoming parliamentary by‑election?
Right/Wrong decision
All 12/44
Con 14/54
Lab 16/45
LD 16/48
Reform 9/58
Green 6/48
A terrible terrible blunder which damages Starmer obviously, but also Labour in the medium/long term
“I can’t look my daughters in the eye and say I’m running as a Republican, when they’re pulling over Hispanics and Asians because of the color of the skin and what they look like. I did not sign up for that.”
https://x.com/EpsilonTheory/status/2015794782396657691
It’s just a matter of time.
https://yougov.co.uk/politics/articles/53606-do-britons-see-reform-uk-as-pro-russia
The media pumping of Burnham though is quite something. Anybody would think he was the next Obama rather than somebody who was failed in national government and crashed the car a few months ago when he tried a big power move.
The options are: pact - impossible; one of Tory and Reform to clearly overcome the other - good chance, but which?; both to fight and kill each other like scorpions. Possible.
That last goes thus: left of centre clarifies its cloudy picture and attracts 56% of the vote. Leaving 44%. 22% each for Tory and Reform. Labour get to 30+%. Tory and Reform both decimated. Centre left wins easily.
Hello!
"The one nation wets have won the Conservative party. The centrists control it, they populate it, and they are welcome to it. The truth is that, in recent years, I have found myself effectively in a social democrat, left-leaning party made up of conservatives in name only – Chino."
Can somebody tell me what this social democrat left-leaning party might be? I've been trying to find one.
Jenrick made a massive mistake. Given the split on the right, it's quite likely we'll have some form of left govt after 2029. He would have been brilliantly positioned as the Unite the Right candidate after Farage retires and Badenoch resigns - if he had stuck with the Tories. Completely blown it now. Whether Katie Lam is any brighter we'll soon find out.
*Or whatever it was.
What's more, if I lived in Denton (etc), which I don't, although I worked there for a while many years ago, I'd wait and see what the polls said, and what my friends in the pub said, before casting my anti-Reform vote.
(Spoke to quite a few of the colleagues who are Denton residents today, all furious about SKS blocking Burnham. All Labour 2024 voters.)
This really is MAGA-speak. Suella will fit right in.
Farage's massive achilles heal is him and his mates want UK to be like Trump's America. Hardly else anyone in Britain does.
It's notable that Tory voters and Reform voters are furthest apart in their views on Russia (Tories most anti, Reform least), but Tory voters are in denial of this difference, and think Reform are anti-Russia too.
Burnham is personable, mildly charming, quite left wing without being weirdly dogmatic. I could see him being a fairly effective fresh prime minister capturing 30-35% of the vote
Starmer is viscerally loathed, politically inert, emotionally inept, with actual hints of treachery (Chagos, Hermer, China) - he’s the ideal opponent for Nigel
Are there even any genuine ones ?
https://www.tiktok.com/@keirstarmer/video/7599279486701489430
Have they got some 50 year old running their social media in #10 ?
Sec of State for Northern Ireland would have been just the ticket. (That's literally how Mrs T dealt with Jim Prior)
Starmer has zero political skills
That name should trigger a few.
Mogg is likely to return to the Commons soon in a by election in his old seat
https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2025/04/06/uk-governing-party-suspends-mp-dan-norris-after-rape-arrest_6739879_4.html
As things stand, I want Reform to sweep to victory. This is not because they are flawless - quite the opposite. I despair of Farage, sometimes, and they have some very sketchy characters in the ranks
Nonetheless they’ve got my vote for now
So I really don’t want Labour led by an effective leader that might halt a Reform victory. To me, Burnham looked exactly like that: a potentially effective leader
And Starmer has kneecapped him. lol
Meanwhile, in the UK we have the Tories and Labour colluding to cancel our own midterms and they don’t even have to brandish a baton, yet alone an assault rifle.
Anyway back to that fascist autocrat in waiting Nigel Farage… if Katie Lam defects, it will no doubt be quickly characterised here as good riddance to a careerist wrongun that will say and do anything to retain her seat. Maybe. But it would also be pretty hard to convince that the Tory’s remain a credible national party.
The Heath/Heseltine wets wandered off ages ago, and there's not much to attract them back. Even if they aren't dead yet. Losing Team Bobby J stops a drift even further to the right, but that's all.
- Disc one: The Story of Tonight – Original Broadway cast of Hamilton
- Disc two: Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough - Michael Jackson
- Disc three: Wonderful World - Sam Cooke
- Disc four: Be Still in the Presence of the Lord – Aled Jones and the English Session Orchestra
- Disc five: Everybody's Free to Wear Sunscreen – Baz Luhrman
- Disc six: Love is All Around – Wet Wet Wet
- Disc seven: Carry You Home – Alex Warren
- Disc eight: Dear Theodosia - Original Broadway cast of Hamilton
- Book choice: Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackery
- Luxury item: The 22 movies of the Marvel Cinematic Universe Infinity Saga
- Castaway's favourite: Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough - Michael Jackson
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crkrrknxe08ohttps://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002qgm2
Badenoch as you say is the centre of the Tories now along with Philp, Cleverly and Tugendhat and Stride the left, Jenrick and Braverman and Rosindell the right and Lam still represents that side with Patel and Francois and McVey for those hard rightwingers not yet defected to Reform
In about 2030.
https://eu.usatoday.com/story/sports/soccer/worldcup/2026/01/26/former-fifa-president-sepp-blatter-fans-usa-world-cup/88361864007/
I expect the boycott calls are not going to disappear soon
I am however half expecting prices to rise which is why I got a M3 Ultra Studio a couple of weeks back when someone offered me 20% off one.
US a couple of weeks ago it was $499.
The reason I know is I nearly bought another one to run another Claude Code instance, but now waiting to see if we get a better hint when M5 is out.
Only 1 place above my team of muppets.
In fairness I do at least know who Tice is, and Anderson is pathetically performative so has some profile.