I’m not going to rise to replying to the uninformed, unChristian warmonger bile you are continually posting.
I am an atheist. Could not care less about being unChristian.
Wanting the liberation of Iranians from their brutal dictatorship is not bile.
I would like to see the Iranian people free from such barbaric masochistic women hating bastards. But that’s not the purpose of the latest round of bombing, is it?
And whilst it is hard to calculate and it would be nice to think only a tiny majority there are barbaric masocistic women hating bastards - and unfortunately the ones with the power - there are probably a lot more present than is comfortable to think about.
If I may say so, the string of words 'barbaric masochistic women hating bastards' could do with some extra punctuation for clarity of meaning. E.g. I suspect you mean misogynistic not masochistic.
Both words work.
They take pleasure in being cruel, to women and to others, so both are valid.
How about sadistic? I thought masochistic was enjoying pain inflicted on oneself.
I’m not going to rise to replying to the uninformed, unChristian warmonger bile you are continually posting.
I am an atheist. Could not care less about being unChristian.
Wanting the liberation of Iranians from their brutal dictatorship is not bile.
I would like to see the Iranian people free from such barbaric masochistic women hating bastards. But that’s not the purpose of the latest round of bombing, is it?
Well arm yourself with the facts. The Iranian population is one of the best educated in the region and there is no educational discrimination against women. I think you might be confusing Iran with some of the Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia and Iraq where prejudice against women is severe. There are more Iranian female graduates than male ones.
Apologist for Khomeini
Iran slaughtered its demonstrators and you excuse them
So every misadventure the US wants to get into should now be backed by the UK incase it goes badly and they lose troops!
Bombing Iran won’t lead to regime change and we wouldn’t be here if Trump hadn’t torn up the original agreement.
Regime change is absolutely what should be the objective and we should be pushing hard for it, not because of Trump, but because it is the right thing to do.
Not saying it’s wrong but who defines ‘right’ or is this the Bart Dictat?
Everyone has to judge right or wrong for themselves.
My opinions are formed by my beliefs, no more, no less. Same as everyone else's.
So every misadventure the US wants to get into should now be backed by the UK incase it goes badly and they lose troops!
Bombing Iran won’t lead to regime change and we wouldn’t be here if Trump hadn’t torn up the original agreement.
Regime change is absolutely what should be the objective and we should be pushing hard for it, not because of Trump, but because it is the right thing to do.
Not saying it’s wrong but who defines ‘right’ or is this the Bart Dictat?
We are not a global super power, we are not lackeysvto to Trump.
I didn't see The Tories seeking regime change for mass murder on Chile or South Africa far from it they actually supported it.
Regime change is absolutely what should be the objective and we should be pushing hard for it, not because of Trump, but because it is the right thing to do.
It will probably come after the May elections. I can't see him lasting much longer than that.
It will come when the people who really want the job are in a position to get it.
So while Raynor has HMRC checking her finances and Mandelson is keeping Wes from running SKS is safe.
I’m not going to rise to replying to the uninformed, unChristian warmonger bile you are continually posting.
I am an atheist. Could not care less about being unChristian.
Wanting the liberation of Iranians from their brutal dictatorship is not bile.
I would like to see the Iranian people free from such barbaric masochistic women hating bastards. But that’s not the purpose of the latest round of bombing, is it?
And whilst it is hard to calculate and it would be nice to think only a tiny majority there are barbaric masocistic women hating bastards - and unfortunately the ones with the power - there are probably a lot more present than is comfortable to think about.
If I may say so, the string of words 'barbaric masochistic women hating bastards' could do with some extra punctuation for clarity of meaning. E.g. I suspect you mean misogynistic not masochistic.
Both words work.
They take pleasure in being cruel, to women and to others, so both are valid.
How about sadistic? I thought masochistic was enjoying pain inflicted on oneself.
It’s very very risky from Starmer. Hard to believe he said no.
It is a very big moment in UK US special relationship I think. Does anyone have any example of such a request turned down before? I think for Vietnam US never asked Labour government to use an RAF base at any point?
If Kemi says she would have given a different answer, straight away a huge and explosive differential between Conservative and Labour. Because, if any US plane goes down, with U’S service lives lost, anywhere in the battle space, Trump will blame the British Labour government for their deaths.
Yes - I have such an example.
The Conservative Government in 2012 rebuffed any attempt to use Diego-Garcia for a pre-emptive attack on Iran in advance, because they had official legal advice that could be against international law.
The Guardian has been told that US diplomats have also lobbied for the use of British bases in Cyprus, and for permission to fly from US bases on Ascension Island in the Atlantic and Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, both of which are British territories. .. The UK would be in breach of international law if it facilitated what amounted to a pre-emptive strike on Iran," said a senior Whitehall source. "It is explicit. The government has been using this to push back against the Americans." .. "I think the US has been surprised that ministers have been reluctant to provide assurances about this kind of upfront assistance," said one source. "They'd expect resistance from senior Liberal Democrats, but it's Tories as well. That has come as a bit of a surprise." https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/oct/25/uk-reject-us-request-bases-iran
It will be fun if SKS finds that, given that the Shadow Def Sec is jumping up and down demanding the Govt do the opposite.
From The Times. “Under the terms of long-standing agreements with Washington, these bases {Times includes Diego Garcia} can only be used for military operations that have been agreed in advance with the government.
I suspect The Times journalism is wrong, and no such agreement applies to Diego Garcia. It’s not an RAF base, it’s not even a joint base, it’s a US base. It seems very odd to me, based on the whole history of UK involvement with the US in Chagos, where UK have been so subservient, the US would allow such a clause on use of their own base.
As for 2012 and all that, the UK government would try to bundle DG in with the others to aid their pushback - but they were likely wrong. Technically UK island, but not UK base.
Either way Starmer and Davey stand up to Trump
Badenoch and Farage lie down sunserviently
In the court of public opinion I'd say Keir and Ed have it 70 to 30.
It’s not as glib as that though. In the bigger picture, planes that don’t come back and service lives lost, Starmer will be relentlessly blamed for these deaths from politicians on both sides of the Atlantic. Labour will be blamed long after Starmer and his government are gone. I don’t think Starmer and advisors around him are smart enough to realise this.
Think of every single UK front page, the coffins of our allies with flag draped over them a picture of laughing Ayatollah inset. “You happy which side you picked, Mr Starmer?” As headline.
The US has loads of other bases it can use . It’s not essential to use UK ones . Trump can go fxck himself especially after his comments about NATO troops .
May I ask gently do you have knowledge of the US logistics and capabilities for action against Iran ?
We've been treated as a glorified Air craft Carrier for long enough
When we've supported then the ass hole has then claimed we did nothing to help.
Let him and Netanyahu roll in their own shit.
We cannot continue to get involved in everyone else's battles.
We certainly can't support gun toting Zionists.
Do you support Iran and it's axis of terror ?
He supports Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas and anyone who'd wish death on "Zionists".
No
Categorically not.
Hezbollah and Hamas are the same as the IDF under Nrtanyahu
Gordon Brown's journalism on Andrew continues, he now says he has sent a five page document to a number of police forces about flight rosters at Stansted and other airports. Another extraordinary element of this crisis is the former PM's service here.
Absolutely. Deeply flawed as he is I've always thought Brown was a fundamentally decent human being - for a politician anyway.
Not sure I agree. I worked in government at the time of his collapsing government and heard too many stories about how abusive he was to his staff. One or two might be sour grapes, but when you hear the dozenth in a year or so you start to see a pattern.
I'm no fan of either, but I never heard similar stories about Blair or Cameron.
I think Brown and May are similar characters really. Both are wedded to the concept of public service, I think there was a dutifulness about both of them, yet both were also very flawed - in different ways. Brown had a workaholic streak and a tendency to resort to petty politics when he felt slighted (internal and external). May couldnt inspire nor play the “people” part of politics.
I’m not going to rise to replying to the uninformed, unChristian warmonger bile you are continually posting.
I am an atheist. Could not care less about being unChristian.
Wanting the liberation of Iranians from their brutal dictatorship is not bile.
I would like to see the Iranian people free from such barbaric masochistic women hating bastards. But that’s not the purpose of the latest round of bombing, is it?
Well arm yourself with the facts. The Iranian population is one of the best educated in the region and there is no educational discrimination against women. I think you might be confusing Iran with some of the Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia and Iraq where prejudice against women is severe. There are more Iranian female graduates than male ones.
Some other facts - the regieme in Iran imposes the “Islamic” rules on women such as their evidence in a law court is worth less than a man’s.
There are non-stop conflicts between the religious police and women who want to dress how they want and behave as they wish.
Gordon Brown's journalism on Andrew continues, he now says he has sent a five page document to a number of police forces about flight rosters at Stansted and other airports. Another extraordinary element of this crisis is the former PM's service here.
Absolutely. Deeply flawed as he is I've always thought Brown was a fundamentally decent human being - for a politician anyway.
Not sure I agree. I worked in government at the time of his collapsing government and heard too many stories about how abusive he was to his staff. One or two might be sour grapes, but when you hear the dozenth in a year or so you start to see a pattern.
I'm no fan of either, but I never heard similar stories about Blair or Cameron.
That's true. I'd heard similar. I retract.
Apparently he once threw a stapler at Alistair Darling, followed by a holepunch.
Margaret asked if Brown had hit him.
'No,' replied Alistair. 'I ducked.'
So.my assessment of Brown as a thoroughly nasty individual has proved to have been correct.
Musing on some thoughts earlier, there were over 4,500 candidates at the 2024 General Election. IF we have full or nearly full slates from Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrat, Green, Reform and Restore along with the SNP and Plaid in the Scottish and Welsjh seats respectively and a number of other candidates including perhaps Your Party, SDP, Advance and other Independents we could have well over 5,000 candidates next time - perhaps 5,500.
Of those only about 1,600 will be trying to win and the others will be largely paper candidates.
Restore pick up a further 2 direct Reform defectors on Warwickshire council
Wow. I thought Restore were merely a fringe outfit and completely non-serious. Why are they starting to cause problems for Reform? Does Nigel need to take action here? How likely that a trickle becomes a flood?
13 so far. Announcement every day since launch. I think Reform do have a (limited so far) problem Some chatter that this may cost Reform control of one or more of their county councils.......
Radicalisation spiral.
According to a friend who fell down the Reform rabbit hole, Farage is a sell out. And was saying that a while back.
Yeah. One aspect of the Sarah Pochin rumour is the Restore Britain supporters on twitter not wanting to have her because she spoke at some event welcoming immigrants years ago. Presumably, if it happens, Restore Britain loses a bunch of supporters to the next more extreme group on the spiral (Advance UK, I guess).
It’s very very risky from Starmer. Hard to believe he said no.
It is a very big moment in UK US special relationship I think. Does anyone have any example of such a request turned down before? I think for Vietnam US never asked Labour government to use an RAF base at any point?
If Kemi says she would have given a different answer, straight away a huge and explosive differential between Conservative and Labour. Because, if any US plane goes down, with U’S service lives lost, anywhere in the battle space, Trump will blame the British Labour government for their deaths.
Yes - I have such an example.
The Conservative Government in 2012 rebuffed any attempt to use Diego-Garcia for a pre-emptive attack on Iran in advance, because they had official legal advice that could be against international law.
The Guardian has been told that US diplomats have also lobbied for the use of British bases in Cyprus, and for permission to fly from US bases on Ascension Island in the Atlantic and Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, both of which are British territories. .. The UK would be in breach of international law if it facilitated what amounted to a pre-emptive strike on Iran," said a senior Whitehall source. "It is explicit. The government has been using this to push back against the Americans." .. "I think the US has been surprised that ministers have been reluctant to provide assurances about this kind of upfront assistance," said one source. "They'd expect resistance from senior Liberal Democrats, but it's Tories as well. That has come as a bit of a surprise." https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/oct/25/uk-reject-us-request-bases-iran
It will be fun if SKS finds that, given that the Shadow Def Sec is jumping up and down demanding the Govt do the opposite.
From The Times. “Under the terms of long-standing agreements with Washington, these bases {Times includes Diego Garcia} can only be used for military operations that have been agreed in advance with the government.
I suspect The Times journalism is wrong, and no such agreement applies to Diego Garcia. It’s not an RAF base, it’s not even a joint base, it’s a US base. It seems very odd to me, based on the whole history of UK involvement with the US in Chagos, where UK have been so subservient, the US would allow such a clause on use of their own base.
As for 2012 and all that, the UK government would try to bundle DG in with the others to aid their pushback - but they were likely wrong. Technically UK island, but not UK base.
Either way Starmer and Davey stand up to Trump
Badenoch and Farage lie down sunserviently
In the court of public opinion I'd say Keir and Ed have it 70 to 30.
It’s not as glib as that though. In the bigger picture, planes that don’t come back and service lives lost, Starmer will be relentlessly blamed for these deaths from politicians on both sides of the Atlantic. Labour will be blamed long after Starmer and his government are gone. I don’t think Starmer and advisors around him are smart enough to realise this.
Think of every single UK front page, the coffins of our allies with flag draped over them a picture of laughing Ayatollah inset. “You happy which side you picked, Mr Starmer?” As headline.
The US has loads of other bases it can use . It’s not essential to use UK ones . Trump can go fxck himself especially after his comments about NATO troops .
May I ask gently do you have knowledge of the US logistics and capabilities for action against Iran ?
We've been treated as a glorified Air craft Carrier for long enough
When we've supported then the ass hole has then claimed we did nothing to help.
Let him and Netanyahu roll in their own shit.
We cannot continue to get involved in everyone else's battles.
We certainly can't support gun toting Zionists.
Do you support Iran and it's axis of terror ?
He supports Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas and anyone who'd wish death on "Zionists".
For your information of I go back generations I have a 50%/DNA Jewish great great grandmother.
That meant I studied the history of Israel from a very young age.
I utterly abhor where Netanyahu has taken the Country and the wrath globally that this has bought on decent Jews who aren't zionists.
Zionism is a cancer on the history of the Jewish people as Naziism was on the German people.
Usual Corbynite Drivel. Nothing about the environment, of course.
Zack attack is a good speaker to camera.
I really liked the retro living room it was set in. Could have been from a museum. Looked very much like a blast from the past. A metaphor for their politics.
If it turns out to be true that Britain is denying the United States the ability to use British bases against Iran if there is a necessity for an attack - it would be beyond surprising.
I’ve been a military lawyer most of my adult life. What they’re saying about the status of Diego Garcia, the joint US-UK military base, is a huge question.
The bottom line is the largest state sponsor of terrorism on the planet is the weakest it’s been because the people of Iran have risen up by the millions to end their oppression and the United States and Israel have delivered crushing blows to the regime’s military infrastructure.
To my friends in Britain, sitting this one out puts you on the wrong side of history and is yet another example of how much our alliances throughout Europe have degraded.
Restore pick up a further 2 direct Reform defectors on Warwickshire council
Wow. I thought Restore were merely a fringe outfit and completely non-serious. Why are they starting to cause problems for Reform? Does Nigel need to take action here? How likely that a trickle becomes a flood?
13 so far. Announcement every day since launch. I think Reform do have a (limited so far) problem Some chatter that this may cost Reform control of one or more of their county councils.......
Radicalisation spiral.
According to a friend who fell down the Reform rabbit hole, Farage is a sell out. And was saying that a while back.
Yeah. One aspect of the Sarah Pochin rumour is the Restore Britain supporters on twitter not wanting to have her because she spoke at some event welcoming immigrants years ago. Presumably, if it happens, Restore Britain loses a bunch of supporters to the next more extreme group on the spiral (Advance UK, I guess).
Pochin has posted from the campaign trail in Gorton and said its bollox. Booooooo.
"Almost every important decision of the past 36 years, by Labour, Tories and coalition Lib Dems alike – with the exception of some of John Major’s domestic reforms, the launch of auto-enrolled pensions, the legalisation of gay marriage, Michael Gove’s school reforms and Brexit – has been a disaster or backfired in catastrophic ways. Most will need to be reversed if Britain is to be saved."
It's Allister Heath, King of the unhinged headline, for goodness sake!
It's also got a touch of the 'What have the Romans" about it. And I would like to add 'increasing the personal allowance' to the list. And peace in Northern Ireland. And I can probably think of a few more things too.
The Tories had burnt the best part of the increases in the personal allowance away again via freezing the threshold before they left office, a policy continued with enthusiasm by Rachel from accounts.
I think, if I've understood the graphs correctly, the threshold would have ended up higher in 2028 than current fiscal plans had the Tories not touched it, and it had just carried on increasing by RPI (this was the policy before the Tory "reforms").
At best, one can only credit them with half a point on this.
It’s very very risky from Starmer. Hard to believe he said no.
It is a very big moment in UK US special relationship I think. Does anyone have any example of such a request turned down before? I think for Vietnam US never asked Labour government to use an RAF base at any point?
If Kemi says she would have given a different answer, straight away a huge and explosive differential between Conservative and Labour. Because, if any US plane goes down, with U’S service lives lost, anywhere in the battle space, Trump will blame the British Labour government for their deaths.
Yes - I have such an example.
The Conservative Government in 2012 rebuffed any attempt to use Diego-Garcia for a pre-emptive attack on Iran in advance, because they had official legal advice that could be against international law.
The Guardian has been told that US diplomats have also lobbied for the use of British bases in Cyprus, and for permission to fly from US bases on Ascension Island in the Atlantic and Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, both of which are British territories. .. The UK would be in breach of international law if it facilitated what amounted to a pre-emptive strike on Iran," said a senior Whitehall source. "It is explicit. The government has been using this to push back against the Americans." .. "I think the US has been surprised that ministers have been reluctant to provide assurances about this kind of upfront assistance," said one source. "They'd expect resistance from senior Liberal Democrats, but it's Tories as well. That has come as a bit of a surprise." https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/oct/25/uk-reject-us-request-bases-iran
It will be fun if SKS finds that, given that the Shadow Def Sec is jumping up and down demanding the Govt do the opposite.
From The Times. “Under the terms of long-standing agreements with Washington, these bases {Times includes Diego Garcia} can only be used for military operations that have been agreed in advance with the government.
I suspect The Times journalism is wrong, and no such agreement applies to Diego Garcia. It’s not an RAF base, it’s not even a joint base, it’s a US base. It seems very odd to me, based on the whole history of UK involvement with the US in Chagos, where UK have been so subservient, the US would allow such a clause on use of their own base.
As for 2012 and all that, the UK government would try to bundle DG in with the others to aid their pushback - but they were likely wrong. Technically UK island, but not UK base.
Either way Starmer and Davey stand up to Trump
Badenoch and Farage lie down sunserviently
In the court of public opinion I'd say Keir and Ed have it 70 to 30.
It’s not as glib as that though. In the bigger picture, planes that don’t come back and service lives lost, Starmer will be relentlessly blamed for these deaths from politicians on both sides of the Atlantic. Labour will be blamed long after Starmer and his government are gone. I don’t think Starmer and advisors around him are smart enough to realise this.
Think of every single UK front page, the coffins of our allies with flag draped over them a picture of laughing Ayatollah inset. “You happy which side you picked, Mr Starmer?” As headline.
The US has loads of other bases it can use . It’s not essential to use UK ones . Trump can go fxck himself especially after his comments about NATO troops .
May I ask gently do you have knowledge of the US logistics and capabilities for action against Iran ?
We've been treated as a glorified Air craft Carrier for long enough
When we've supported then the ass hole has then claimed we did nothing to help.
Let him and Netanyahu roll in their own shit.
We cannot continue to get involved in everyone else's battles.
We certainly can't support gun toting Zionists.
Do you support Iran and it's axis of terror ?
He supports Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas and anyone who'd wish death on "Zionists".
For your information of I go back generations I have a 50%/DNA Jewish great great grandmother.
That meant I studied the history of Israel from a very young age.
I utterly abhor where Netanyahu has taken the Country and the wrath globally that this has bought on decent Jews who aren't zionists.
Zionism is a cancer on the history of the Jewish people as Naziism was on the German people.
Arab states = 13,000,000 sq. km. in area (roughly 3/4 the size of Russia) Israel = 20,000 sq. km in area (ie. roughly the same size as Wales)
If you put the Find Out Now numbers into Baxter, London becomes a Green city.
Looking at the data, which is probably meaningless, the biggest move to "Other" is from 2024 Reform voters but it's more than compensated by Reform gaining more than a third of those voting Conservative at the last election.
As for Iran, I'm not sure whether the objective of any American strike would be the removal of the theocracy but if it were possible, the plan would presumably be for Reza Pahlavi to act as an Interim leader pending elections or a constitutional referendum. Is America prepared or contemplating a military involvement in Iran or is it just to secure oil supplies or deny them to other parties?
I'd like to hope this is a well-planned and well-executed operation of a surgical nature. If it's more about sending a message to do a deal, I get that but as seems to be the case with Venezuela, the endgame looks far from clear.
Thank you @wooliedyed . We were all waiting for the PB gold standard from FoS. Any news from Ashcroft?
Colour me sceptical, but shouldn't the +3 to Rupe be more likely to correlate to -3 Reform rather than Con.
I am not dissing this excellent pollster but I don't like their methodology.
See, if the PB predictions competition was launched this month, I would have excluded Find Out Now from the polling question.
OGH did always say the poll you disagree most with should probably be ignored
It's not that I disagree with them, they have recently described two of their recent polls as either statistically insignificant and a non standard poll, that's admitting your polls are garbage.
I’m not going to rise to replying to the uninformed, unChristian warmonger bile you are continually posting.
I am an atheist. Could not care less about being unChristian.
Wanting the liberation of Iranians from their brutal dictatorship is not bile.
I would like to see the Iranian people free from such barbaric masochistic women hating bastards. But that’s not the purpose of the latest round of bombing, is it?
Well arm yourself with the facts. The Iranian population is one of the best educated in the region and there is no educational discrimination against women. I think you might be confusing Iran with some of the Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia and Iraq where prejudice against women is severe. There are more Iranian female graduates than male ones.
Some other facts - the regieme in Iran imposes the “Islamic” rules on women such as their evidence in a law court is worth less than a man’s.
There are non-stop conflicts between the religious police and women who want to dress how they want and behave as they wish.
I don't know whether you are Jewish. I somehow thought you might be. if you think women are prejudiced against in Islam it's but nothing compared to judaism. Try getting a Get (a Jewish divorce ) if you are a woman. Or the male morning prayer "Thank you for not making me a woman " Or the womens one "Thank you for making me according to your will"
Thank you @wooliedyed . We were all waiting for the PB gold standard from FoS. Any news from Ashcroft?
Colour me sceptical, but shouldn't the +3 to Rupe be more likely to correlate to -3 Reform rather than Con.
I am not dissing this excellent pollster but I don't like their methodology.
See, if the PB predictions competition was launched this month, I would have excluded Find Out Now from the polling question.
OGH did always say the poll you disagree most with should probably be ignored
True and there no point in extrapolating bar for fun. Starmer is going to crash the Labour Party The big question is whether his replacement is stellar.
I’m not going to rise to replying to the uninformed, unChristian warmonger bile you are continually posting.
I am an atheist. Could not care less about being unChristian.
Wanting the liberation of Iranians from their brutal dictatorship is not bile.
I would like to see the Iranian people free from such barbaric masochistic women hating bastards. But that’s not the purpose of the latest round of bombing, is it?
Well arm yourself with the facts. The Iranian population is one of the best educated in the region and there is no educational discrimination against women. I think you might be confusing Iran with some of the Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia and Iraq where prejudice against women is severe. There are more Iranian female graduates than male ones.
Some other facts - the regieme in Iran imposes the “Islamic” rules on women such as their evidence in a law court is worth less than a man’s.
There are non-stop conflicts between the religious police and women who want to dress how they want and behave as they wish.
I don't know whether you are Jewish. I somehow thought you might be. if you think women are prejudiced against in Islam it's but nothing compared to judaism. Try getting a Get (a Jewish divorce ) if you are a woman. Or the male morning prayer "Thank you for not making me a woman " Or the womens one "Thank you for making me according to your will"
It’s very very risky from Starmer. Hard to believe he said no.
It is a very big moment in UK US special relationship I think. Does anyone have any example of such a request turned down before? I think for Vietnam US never asked Labour government to use an RAF base at any point?
If Kemi says she would have given a different answer, straight away a huge and explosive differential between Conservative and Labour. Because, if any US plane goes down, with U’S service lives lost, anywhere in the battle space, Trump will blame the British Labour government for their deaths.
Yes - I have such an example.
The Conservative Government in 2012 rebuffed any attempt to use Diego-Garcia for a pre-emptive attack on Iran in advance, because they had official legal advice that could be against international law.
The Guardian has been told that US diplomats have also lobbied for the use of British bases in Cyprus, and for permission to fly from US bases on Ascension Island in the Atlantic and Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, both of which are British territories. .. The UK would be in breach of international law if it facilitated what amounted to a pre-emptive strike on Iran," said a senior Whitehall source. "It is explicit. The government has been using this to push back against the Americans." .. "I think the US has been surprised that ministers have been reluctant to provide assurances about this kind of upfront assistance," said one source. "They'd expect resistance from senior Liberal Democrats, but it's Tories as well. That has come as a bit of a surprise." https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/oct/25/uk-reject-us-request-bases-iran
It will be fun if SKS finds that, given that the Shadow Def Sec is jumping up and down demanding the Govt do the opposite.
From The Times. “Under the terms of long-standing agreements with Washington, these bases {Times includes Diego Garcia} can only be used for military operations that have been agreed in advance with the government.
I suspect The Times journalism is wrong, and no such agreement applies to Diego Garcia. It’s not an RAF base, it’s not even a joint base, it’s a US base. It seems very odd to me, based on the whole history of UK involvement with the US in Chagos, where UK have been so subservient, the US would allow such a clause on use of their own base.
As for 2012 and all that, the UK government would try to bundle DG in with the others to aid their pushback - but they were likely wrong. Technically UK island, but not UK base.
Either way Starmer and Davey stand up to Trump
Badenoch and Farage lie down sunserviently
In the court of public opinion I'd say Keir and Ed have it 70 to 30.
It’s not as glib as that though. In the bigger picture, planes that don’t come back and service lives lost, Starmer will be relentlessly blamed for these deaths from politicians on both sides of the Atlantic. Labour will be blamed long after Starmer and his government are gone. I don’t think Starmer and advisors around him are smart enough to realise this.
Think of every single UK front page, the coffins of our allies with flag draped over them a picture of laughing Ayatollah inset. “You happy which side you picked, Mr Starmer?” As headline.
The US has loads of other bases it can use . It’s not essential to use UK ones . Trump can go fxck himself especially after his comments about NATO troops .
May I ask gently do you have knowledge of the US logistics and capabilities for action against Iran ?
We've been treated as a glorified Air craft Carrier for long enough
When we've supported then the ass hole has then claimed we did nothing to help.
Let him and Netanyahu roll in their own shit.
We cannot continue to get involved in everyone else's battles.
We certainly can't support gun toting Zionists.
Do you support Iran and it's axis of terror ?
He supports Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas and anyone who'd wish death on "Zionists".
No
Categorically not.
Hezbollah and Hamas are the same as the IDF under Nrtanyahu
Mass murderers
I don't engage with Bartholomew. Even by the ignorance of the Middle East on here his stands out
It’s very very risky from Starmer. Hard to believe he said no.
It is a very big moment in UK US special relationship I think. Does anyone have any example of such a request turned down before? I think for Vietnam US never asked Labour government to use an RAF base at any point?
If Kemi says she would have given a different answer, straight away a huge and explosive differential between Conservative and Labour. Because, if any US plane goes down, with U’S service lives lost, anywhere in the battle space, Trump will blame the British Labour government for their deaths.
Yes - I have such an example.
The Conservative Government in 2012 rebuffed any attempt to use Diego-Garcia for a pre-emptive attack on Iran in advance, because they had official legal advice that could be against international law.
The Guardian has been told that US diplomats have also lobbied for the use of British bases in Cyprus, and for permission to fly from US bases on Ascension Island in the Atlantic and Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, both of which are British territories. .. The UK would be in breach of international law if it facilitated what amounted to a pre-emptive strike on Iran," said a senior Whitehall source. "It is explicit. The government has been using this to push back against the Americans." .. "I think the US has been surprised that ministers have been reluctant to provide assurances about this kind of upfront assistance," said one source. "They'd expect resistance from senior Liberal Democrats, but it's Tories as well. That has come as a bit of a surprise." https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/oct/25/uk-reject-us-request-bases-iran
It will be fun if SKS finds that, given that the Shadow Def Sec is jumping up and down demanding the Govt do the opposite.
From The Times. “Under the terms of long-standing agreements with Washington, these bases {Times includes Diego Garcia} can only be used for military operations that have been agreed in advance with the government.
I suspect The Times journalism is wrong, and no such agreement applies to Diego Garcia. It’s not an RAF base, it’s not even a joint base, it’s a US base. It seems very odd to me, based on the whole history of UK involvement with the US in Chagos, where UK have been so subservient, the US would allow such a clause on use of their own base.
As for 2012 and all that, the UK government would try to bundle DG in with the others to aid their pushback - but they were likely wrong. Technically UK island, but not UK base.
Either way Starmer and Davey stand up to Trump
Badenoch and Farage lie down sunserviently
In the court of public opinion I'd say Keir and Ed have it 70 to 30.
It’s not as glib as that though. In the bigger picture, planes that don’t come back and service lives lost, Starmer will be relentlessly blamed for these deaths from politicians on both sides of the Atlantic. Labour will be blamed long after Starmer and his government are gone. I don’t think Starmer and advisors around him are smart enough to realise this.
Think of every single UK front page, the coffins of our allies with flag draped over them a picture of laughing Ayatollah inset. “You happy which side you picked, Mr Starmer?” As headline.
The US has loads of other bases it can use . It’s not essential to use UK ones . Trump can go fxck himself especially after his comments about NATO troops .
May I ask gently do you have knowledge of the US logistics and capabilities for action against Iran ?
We've been treated as a glorified Air craft Carrier for long enough
When we've supported then the ass hole has then claimed we did nothing to help.
Let him and Netanyahu roll in their own shit.
We cannot continue to get involved in everyone else's battles.
We certainly can't support gun toting Zionists.
Do you support Iran and it's axis of terror ?
He supports Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas and anyone who'd wish death on "Zionists".
For your information of I go back generations I have a 50%/DNA Jewish great great grandmother.
That meant I studied the history of Israel from a very young age.
I utterly abhor where Netanyahu has taken the Country and the wrath globally that this has bought on decent Jews who aren't zionists.
Zionism is a cancer on the history of the Jewish people as Naziism was on the German people.
Arab states = 13,000,000 sq. km. in area (roughly 3/4 the size of Russia) Israel = 20,000 sq. km in area (ie. roughly the same size as Wales)
If it turns out to be true that Britain is denying the United States the ability to use British bases against Iran if there is a necessity for an attack - it would be beyond surprising.
I’ve been a military lawyer most of my adult life. What they’re saying about the status of Diego Garcia, the joint US-UK military base, is a huge question.
The bottom line is the largest state sponsor of terrorism on the planet is the weakest it’s been because the people of Iran have risen up by the millions to end their oppression and the United States and Israel have delivered crushing blows to the regime’s military infrastructure.
To my friends in Britain, sitting this one out puts you on the wrong side of history and is yet another example of how much our alliances throughout Europe have degraded.
If it turns out to be true that Britain is denying the United States the ability to use British bases against Iran if there is a necessity for an attack - it would be beyond surprising.
I’ve been a military lawyer most of my adult life. What they’re saying about the status of Diego Garcia, the joint US-UK military base, is a huge question.
The bottom line is the largest state sponsor of terrorism on the planet is the weakest it’s been because the people of Iran have risen up by the millions to end their oppression and the United States and Israel have delivered crushing blows to the regime’s military infrastructure.
To my friends in Britain, sitting this one out puts you on the wrong side of history and is yet another example of how much our alliances throughout Europe have degraded.
Usual Corbynite Drivel. Nothing about the environment, of course.
Zack attack is a good speaker to camera.
I really liked the retro living room it was set in. Could have been from a museum. Looked very much like a blast from the past. A metaphor for their politics.
Usual Corbynite Drivel. Nothing about the environment, of course.
Zack attack is a good speaker to camera.
I really liked the retro living room it was set in. Could have been from a museum. Looked very much like a blast from the past. A metaphor for their politics.
I’m not going to rise to replying to the uninformed, unChristian warmonger bile you are continually posting.
I am an atheist. Could not care less about being unChristian.
Wanting the liberation of Iranians from their brutal dictatorship is not bile.
I would like to see the Iranian people free from such barbaric masochistic women hating bastards. But that’s not the purpose of the latest round of bombing, is it?
Well arm yourself with the facts. The Iranian population is one of the best educated in the region and there is no educational discrimination against women. I think you might be confusing Iran with some of the Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia and Iraq where prejudice against women is severe. There are more Iranian female graduates than male ones.
Some other facts - the regieme in Iran imposes the “Islamic” rules on women such as their evidence in a law court is worth less than a man’s.
There are non-stop conflicts between the religious police and women who want to dress how they want and behave as they wish.
I don't know whether you are Jewish. I somehow thought you might be. if you think women are prejudiced against in Islam it's but nothing compared to judaism. Try getting a Get (a Jewish divorce ) if you are a woman. Or the male morning prayer "Thank you for not making me a woman " Or the womens one "Thank you for making me according to your will"
Usual Corbynite Drivel. Nothing about the environment, of course.
Zack attack is a good speaker to camera.
I really liked the retro living room it was set in. Could have been from a museum. Looked very much like a blast from the past. A metaphor for their politics.
Usual Corbynite Drivel. Nothing about the environment, of course.
Zack attack is a good speaker to camera.
I really liked the retro living room it was set in. Could have been from a museum. Looked very much like a blast from the past. A metaphor for their politics.
It's a repeat.
It gets worse with age.
The dreary LIB Dem one earlier in the week was a repeat too.
It’s very very risky from Starmer. Hard to believe he said no.
It is a very big moment in UK US special relationship I think. Does anyone have any example of such a request turned down before? I think for Vietnam US never asked Labour government to use an RAF base at any point?
If Kemi says she would have given a different answer, straight away a huge and explosive differential between Conservative and Labour. Because, if any US plane goes down, with U’S service lives lost, anywhere in the battle space, Trump will blame the British Labour government for their deaths.
Yes - I have such an example.
The Conservative Government in 2012 rebuffed any attempt to use Diego-Garcia for a pre-emptive attack on Iran in advance, because they had official legal advice that could be against international law.
The Guardian has been told that US diplomats have also lobbied for the use of British bases in Cyprus, and for permission to fly from US bases on Ascension Island in the Atlantic and Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, both of which are British territories. .. The UK would be in breach of international law if it facilitated what amounted to a pre-emptive strike on Iran," said a senior Whitehall source. "It is explicit. The government has been using this to push back against the Americans." .. "I think the US has been surprised that ministers have been reluctant to provide assurances about this kind of upfront assistance," said one source. "They'd expect resistance from senior Liberal Democrats, but it's Tories as well. That has come as a bit of a surprise." https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/oct/25/uk-reject-us-request-bases-iran
It will be fun if SKS finds that, given that the Shadow Def Sec is jumping up and down demanding the Govt do the opposite.
From The Times. “Under the terms of long-standing agreements with Washington, these bases {Times includes Diego Garcia} can only be used for military operations that have been agreed in advance with the government.
I suspect The Times journalism is wrong, and no such agreement applies to Diego Garcia. It’s not an RAF base, it’s not even a joint base, it’s a US base. It seems very odd to me, based on the whole history of UK involvement with the US in Chagos, where UK have been so subservient, the US would allow such a clause on use of their own base.
As for 2012 and all that, the UK government would try to bundle DG in with the others to aid their pushback - but they were likely wrong. Technically UK island, but not UK base.
Seems very in keeping with the whole arrangement if it was technically a UK base even if in every way that matters it was not. Maintaining such legal ties long beyond practical reality is pretty common in our way of working.
I don’t think it’s ever in any technicality been a UK base, we are just Landlord, with a very token presence in the base. UK is not really a user of the base, as online pages saying “joint UK US base” could fool you into thinking.
It’s starts with the US wanting this base in Indian Ocean - it does both aircraft and submarines - and UK wasn’t the first country they approached with their pitch, that was France. Key part of the pitch for hosting the US base was a knockdown deal on US nuclear weaponry. The French would have to explain for themselves why they said no - maybe something about them does such things for themselves not joint ventures, they didn’t want such a degree of trans Atlantic special relationship they could get tied into, and lose some degree of freedom. Maybe it’s true De Gaulle was just plain unstable. But UK governments in 1960’s, both Conservative and Labour, saw the pitch from the US as a bargain. They embraced it.
I don’t believe there was any predecessor the base was built on, not an RAF airfield or anything. It’s also interesting, as they approached France first, US may have had a particular site already in mind.
Someone has said Andrew M-W was the first member of the Royal Family to be arrested since Charles I.
That didn’t end well!
Didn't he escape and raise an army to his standard?
No, that was when he marched into Parliament to arrest some MPs (and one Lord, IIRC), failed, and left the capital. He was captured much later after lost battles and political manueverings.
Usual Corbynite Drivel. Nothing about the environment, of course.
Zack attack is a good speaker to camera.
I really liked the retro living room it was set in. Could have been from a museum. Looked very much like a blast from the past. A metaphor for their politics.
Usual Corbynite Drivel. Nothing about the environment, of course.
Zack attack is a good speaker to camera.
I really liked the retro living room it was set in. Could have been from a museum. Looked very much like a blast from the past. A metaphor for their politics.
It's a repeat.
It gets worse with age.
People are severely disenchuffed with water service and the top brass salaries though. Cuts through!
It’s very very risky from Starmer. Hard to believe he said no.
It is a very big moment in UK US special relationship I think. Does anyone have any example of such a request turned down before? I think for Vietnam US never asked Labour government to use an RAF base at any point?
If Kemi says she would have given a different answer, straight away a huge and explosive differential between Conservative and Labour. Because, if any US plane goes down, with U’S service lives lost, anywhere in the battle space, Trump will blame the British Labour government for their deaths.
Yes - I have such an example.
The Conservative Government in 2012 rebuffed any attempt to use Diego-Garcia for a pre-emptive attack on Iran in advance, because they had official legal advice that could be against international law.
The Guardian has been told that US diplomats have also lobbied for the use of British bases in Cyprus, and for permission to fly from US bases on Ascension Island in the Atlantic and Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, both of which are British territories. .. The UK would be in breach of international law if it facilitated what amounted to a pre-emptive strike on Iran," said a senior Whitehall source. "It is explicit. The government has been using this to push back against the Americans." .. "I think the US has been surprised that ministers have been reluctant to provide assurances about this kind of upfront assistance," said one source. "They'd expect resistance from senior Liberal Democrats, but it's Tories as well. That has come as a bit of a surprise." https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/oct/25/uk-reject-us-request-bases-iran
It will be fun if SKS finds that, given that the Shadow Def Sec is jumping up and down demanding the Govt do the opposite.
From The Times. “Under the terms of long-standing agreements with Washington, these bases {Times includes Diego Garcia} can only be used for military operations that have been agreed in advance with the government.
I suspect The Times journalism is wrong, and no such agreement applies to Diego Garcia. It’s not an RAF base, it’s not even a joint base, it’s a US base. It seems very odd to me, based on the whole history of UK involvement with the US in Chagos, where UK have been so subservient, the US would allow such a clause on use of their own base.
As for 2012 and all that, the UK government would try to bundle DG in with the others to aid their pushback - but they were likely wrong. Technically UK island, but not UK base.
Seems very in keeping with the whole arrangement if it was technically a UK base even if in every way that matters it was not. Maintaining such legal ties long beyond practical reality is pretty common in our way of working.
I don’t think it’s ever in any technicality been a UK base, we are just Landlord, with a very token presence in the base. UK is not really a user of the base, as online pages saying “joint UK US base” could fool you into thinking.
It’s starts with the US wanting this base in Indian Ocean - it does both aircraft and submarines - and UK wasn’t the first country they approached with their pitch, that was France. Key part of the pitch for hosting the US base was a knockdown deal on US nuclear weaponry. The French would have to explain for themselves why they said no - maybe something about them does such things for themselves not joint ventures, they didn’t want such a degree of trans Atlantic special relationship they could get tied into, and lose some degree of freedom. Maybe it’s true De Gaulle was just plain unstable. But UK governments in 1960’s, both Conservative and Labour, saw the pitch from the US as a bargain. They embraced it.
I don’t believe there was any predecessor the base was built on, not an RAF airfield or anything. It’s also interesting, as they approached France first, US may have had a particular site already in mind.
I don't think 'technically' means what you think it does in this context - all you say could be true for all I know, and would not prevent it in a technical sense still being a UK base, even if it was basically a polite fiction.
Usual Corbynite Drivel. Nothing about the environment, of course.
Zack attack is a good speaker to camera.
I really liked the retro living room it was set in. Could have been from a museum. Looked very much like a blast from the past. A metaphor for their politics.
Usual Corbynite Drivel. Nothing about the environment, of course.
Zack attack is a good speaker to camera.
I really liked the retro living room it was set in. Could have been from a museum. Looked very much like a blast from the past. A metaphor for their politics.
It's a repeat.
It gets worse with age.
The dreary LIB Dem one earlier in the week was a repeat too.
LD had one of Ed in his kitchen repeated about 5 times
Fair play it was deeply personal and moving but it can't cost too much to make a PPB
I’m not going to rise to replying to the uninformed, unChristian warmonger bile you are continually posting.
I am an atheist. Could not care less about being unChristian.
Wanting the liberation of Iranians from their brutal dictatorship is not bile.
I would like to see the Iranian people free from such barbaric masochistic women hating bastards. But that’s not the purpose of the latest round of bombing, is it?
Well arm yourself with the facts. The Iranian population is one of the best educated in the region and there is no educational discrimination against women. I think you might be confusing Iran with some of the Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia and Iraq where prejudice against women is severe. There are more Iranian female graduates than male ones.
Some other facts - the regieme in Iran imposes the “Islamic” rules on women such as their evidence in a law court is worth less than a man’s.
There are non-stop conflicts between the religious police and women who want to dress how they want and behave as they wish.
I don't know whether you are Jewish. I somehow thought you might be. if you think women are prejudiced against in Islam it's but nothing compared to judaism. Try getting a Get (a Jewish divorce ) if you are a woman. Or the male morning prayer "Thank you for not making me a woman " Or the womens one "Thank you for making me according to your will"
These Muslims........
I’m commenting on the actual behaviour of the assholes in question. Every religion has its “we’ve got excuses for being assholes” section.
In Iran, the mullahs have enthusiastically and entirely of their own volition decided to be assholes.
Someone has said Andrew M-W was the first member of the Royal Family to be arrested since Charles I.
That didn’t end well!
Didn't he escape and raise an army to his standard?
No, that was when he marched into Parliament to arrest some MPs (and one Lord, IIRC), failed, and left the capital. He was captured much later after lost battles and political manueverings.
I don't know what @HYUFD must be thinking after today aa he is one of the most loyal posters for the royal family on here
I hope he is coming to terms with the news
Us committed monarchists believe the system is one that works well, even when the individuals let it down (and unfortunately I doubt Andrew will ever face charge or conviction, which he probably deserves).
I give the monarchy a 50/50 on making it to George - republicanism is not super popular or anything, but support can evaporate quickly if matters are handled badly, and many of the most passionate monarchists are weirdos, which hinders arguing the case for it.
Someone has said Andrew M-W was the first member of the Royal Family to be arrested since Charles I.
That didn’t end well!
Didn't he escape and raise an army to his standard?
No, that was when he marched into Parliament to arrest some MPs (and one Lord, IIRC), failed, and left the capital. He was captured much later after lost battles and political manueverings.
The Scots handed him over in 1646
If people are having trouble just remember the Monty Python song about Oliver Cromwell.
Usual Corbynite Drivel. Nothing about the environment, of course.
Zack attack is a good speaker to camera.
I really liked the retro living room it was set in. Could have been from a museum. Looked very much like a blast from the past. A metaphor for their politics.
Usual Corbynite Drivel. Nothing about the environment, of course.
Zack attack is a good speaker to camera.
I really liked the retro living room it was set in. Could have been from a museum. Looked very much like a blast from the past. A metaphor for their politics.
It's a repeat.
It gets worse with age.
The dreary LIB Dem one earlier in the week was a repeat too.
LD had one of Ed in his kitchen repeated about 5 times
Fair play it was deeply personal and moving but it can't cost too much to make a PPB
I’m not going to rise to replying to the uninformed, unChristian warmonger bile you are continually posting.
I am an atheist. Could not care less about being unChristian.
Wanting the liberation of Iranians from their brutal dictatorship is not bile.
I would like to see the Iranian people free from such barbaric masochistic women hating bastards. But that’s not the purpose of the latest round of bombing, is it?
Well arm yourself with the facts. The Iranian population is one of the best educated in the region and there is no educational discrimination against women. I think you might be confusing Iran with some of the Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia and Iraq where prejudice against women is severe. There are more Iranian female graduates than male ones.
Some other facts - the regieme in Iran imposes the “Islamic” rules on women such as their evidence in a law court is worth less than a man’s.
There are non-stop conflicts between the religious police and women who want to dress how they want and behave as they wish.
I don't know whether you are Jewish. I somehow thought you might be. if you think women are prejudiced against in Islam it's but nothing compared to judaism. Try getting a Get (a Jewish divorce ) if you are a woman. Or the male morning prayer "Thank you for not making me a woman " Or the womens one "Thank you for making me according to your will"
These Muslims........
I’m commenting on the actual behaviour of the assholes in question. Every religion has its “we’ve got excuses for being assholes” section.
In Iran, the mullahs have enthusiastically and entirely of their own volition decided to be assholes.
The very Islam does not apparently 'require' such behaviour makes it, and places like Afhanistan, so much worse, as they choose to pick an interpretation of faith to justify mysogyny when alternatives exist.
I don't know what @HYUFD must be thinking after today aa he is one of the most loyal posters for the royal family on here
I hope he is coming to terms with the news
Us committed monarchists believe the system is one that works well, even when the individuals let it down (and unfortunately I doubt Andrew will ever face charge or conviction, which he probably deserves).
I give the monarchy a 50/50 on making it to George - republicanism is not super popular or anything, but support can evaporate quickly if matters are handled badly, and many of the most passionate monarchists are weirdos, which hinders arguing the case for it.
I have two words for the idea of an elected president.
Someone has said Andrew M-W was the first member of the Royal Family to be arrested since Charles I.
That didn’t end well!
Depends if we are including illegitimate sons. Charles II's son the Duke of Monmouth was arrested and executed after the Monmouth rebellion against James II.
Someone has said Andrew M-W was the first member of the Royal Family to be arrested since Charles I.
That didn’t end well!
Depends if we are including illegitimate sons. Charles II's son the Duke of Monmouth was arrested and executed after the Monmouth rebellion against James II.
If Keir Starmer’s real obsession with getting rid of the Chagos Islands is to destroy our strong defence relationship with America, then his government must go.
I am delighted to announce the 'Mogg Unbuttoned' tour - a series of live events that will take me from the green benches of Westminster to theatres across the country.
Tour Dates & Venues:
📅 18 Apr – Hereford 📅 08 May – Worcester 📅 15 May – Shrewsbury 📅 19 May – Lincoln 📅 24 May – Winchester
If it turns out to be true that Britain is denying the United States the ability to use British bases against Iran if there is a necessity for an attack - it would be beyond surprising.
I’ve been a military lawyer most of my adult life. What they’re saying about the status of Diego Garcia, the joint US-UK military base, is a huge question.
The bottom line is the largest state sponsor of terrorism on the planet is the weakest it’s been because the people of Iran have risen up by the millions to end their oppression and the United States and Israel have delivered crushing blows to the regime’s military infrastructure.
To my friends in Britain, sitting this one out puts you on the wrong side of history and is yet another example of how much our alliances throughout Europe have degraded.
He's been something else for the last few years of his 'adult life'. A Trump arselicker.
Someone has said Andrew M-W was the first member of the Royal Family to be arrested since Charles I.
That didn’t end well!
Isn’t it a wonderful thing that a member of our head of state’s family can get arrested? Also no possibility of the head of state issuing a pardon in return for a truck load of money.
If it turns out to be true that Britain is denying the United States the ability to use British bases against Iran if there is a necessity for an attack - it would be beyond surprising.
I’ve been a military lawyer most of my adult life. What they’re saying about the status of Diego Garcia, the joint US-UK military base, is a huge question.
The bottom line is the largest state sponsor of terrorism on the planet is the weakest it’s been because the people of Iran have risen up by the millions to end their oppression and the United States and Israel have delivered crushing blows to the regime’s military infrastructure.
To my friends in Britain, sitting this one out puts you on the wrong side of history and is yet another example of how much our alliances throughout Europe have degraded.
He's been something else for the last few years of his 'adult life'. A Trump arselicker.
I feel like the Generals will be asking Trump to handle this carefully, but Graham and co are so desperate to prove loyalty all the times that they will not care about pushing the UK beyond breaking point - we so rarely do any pushing back, but even that is too much for Trump.
March 27, 1936: Portraits of the Führer are raised on official buildings across Berlin. This one at the Potsdamer Railway Station reads "Freedom - Peace"
Someone has said Andrew M-W was the first member of the Royal Family to be arrested since Charles I.
That didn’t end well!
Isn’t it a wonderful thing that a member of our head of state’s family can get arrested? Also no possibility of the head of state issuing a pardon in return for a truck load of money.
If Keir Starmer’s real obsession with getting rid of the Chagos Islands is to destroy our strong defence relationship with America, then his government must go.
That's a ludicrous smear not a 'position'. So one would hope it harms him - unless one is rooting for ludicrous smears of course.
Someone has said Andrew M-W was the first member of the Royal Family to be arrested since Charles I.
That didn’t end well!
Depends if we are including illegitimate sons. Charles II's son the Duke of Monmouth was arrested and executed after the Monmouth rebellion against James II.
Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale is probably the closest we have come in the last 150 years to an arrest over the Cleveland Street scandal. Although nothing has ever been proven. Tbe identity of the clientele probably helped it all go away. Very much like Epstein etc
If Keir Starmer’s real obsession with getting rid of the Chagos Islands is to destroy our strong defence relationship with America, then his government must go.
No group of voters gives a flying f about Chagos Islands except those who are almost certainly going to follow Leon into the ballot stations to vote Reform/Restore/Regurgitate.
If Keir Starmer’s real obsession with getting rid of the Chagos Islands is to destroy our strong defence relationship with America, then his government must go.
No group of voters gives a flying f about Chagos Islands except those who are almost certainly going to follow Leon into the ballot stations to vote Reform/Restore/Regurgitate.
imho.
I think plenty don't like it, I'm not a fan, but it's a big step from that to 'we need to suck up to Trump even harder' which is Farage's default position.
So every misadventure the US wants to get into should now be backed by the UK incase it goes badly and they lose troops!
Bombing Iran won’t lead to regime change and we wouldn’t be here if Trump hadn’t torn up the original agreement.
Regime change is absolutely what should be the objective and we should be pushing hard for it, not because of Trump, but because it is the right thing to do.
In the PB Cabinet, would you like to be our Shadow Foreign Secretary, Barty?
How much of a world policeman would your Pirate FO be? Would you like to be friends with ISIS in Syria right now, who are murdering the Kurds, or step in on behalf of the Kurds at same time as bombing Iran?
If in your meeting in the Pentagon, which Cooper (keeping the seat warm for you) is attending this afternoon, US explained the action on Iran is to hit military, security forces, and the nuclear programme, not regime change, as their Foreign Policy is better the devil you know (arguably what just done in Venezuela) - would you still support it?
For you, would part of the calculation of removing a regime be, if it ends in chaos, a million die in the chaos, how much of that will you and the PB government own?
Would you at any moment see yourself as Foreign Secretary of a Christian Country, bombing a Muslim one? Terror cells world wide would see it like that, and bring terror here.
The Ayatollah’s idea of a religious society is little different than many people’s ideal of a Christian one, that controlled all of Europe for a long time. Including the women hating clerics. So is it fair to summarise your mission as actually to impose, through superior military might, your own set of progressive liberal values, everywhere in the world where they don’t exist?
Comments
Iran slaughtered its demonstrators and you excuse them
Up to 14 this week now
Edit - but Pochin has scotched 'the rumour'
My opinions are formed by my beliefs, no more, no less. Same as everyone else's.
Colour me sceptical, but shouldn't the +3 to Rupe be more likely to correlate to -3 Reform rather than Con.
I am not dissing this excellent pollster but I don't like their methodology.
I didn't see The Tories seeking regime change for mass murder on Chile or South Africa far from it they actually supported it.
It's typically hypocritical Tory double standards
So while Raynor has HMRC checking her finances and Mandelson is keeping Wes from running SKS is safe.
Categorically not.
Hezbollah and Hamas are the same as the IDF under Nrtanyahu
Mass murderers
Talking of finished Labour Prime Ministers, Blair soiled himself on behalf of Trump today, again.
There are non-stop conflicts between the religious police and women who want to dress how they want and behave as they wish.
A first, I think, for a sitting President to so embrace the cult of personality.
Musing on some thoughts earlier, there were over 4,500 candidates at the 2024 General Election. IF we have full or nearly full slates from Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrat, Green, Reform and Restore along with the SNP and Plaid in the Scottish and Welsjh seats respectively and a number of other candidates including perhaps Your Party, SDP, Advance and other Independents we could have well over 5,000 candidates next time - perhaps 5,500.
Of those only about 1,600 will be trying to win and the others will be largely paper candidates.
Where's the line of text at the bottom saying "from him"?
That meant I studied the history of Israel from a very young age.
I utterly abhor where Netanyahu has taken the Country and the wrath globally that this has bought on decent Jews who aren't zionists.
Zionism is a cancer on the history of the Jewish people as Naziism was on the German people.
Usual Corbynite Drivel. Nothing about the environment, of course.
Zack attack is a good speaker to camera.
I really liked the retro living room it was set in. Could have been from a museum. Looked very much like a blast from the past. A metaphor for their politics.
If it turns out to be true that Britain is denying the United States the ability to use British bases against Iran if there is a necessity for an attack - it would be beyond surprising.
I’ve been a military lawyer most of my adult life. What they’re saying about the status of Diego Garcia, the joint US-UK military base, is a huge question.
The bottom line is the largest state sponsor of terrorism on the planet is the weakest it’s been because the people of Iran have risen up by the millions to end their oppression and the United States and Israel have delivered crushing blows to the regime’s military infrastructure.
To my friends in Britain, sitting this one out puts you on the wrong side of history and is yet another example of how much our alliances throughout Europe have degraded.
I think, if I've understood the graphs correctly, the threshold would have ended up higher in 2028 than current fiscal plans had the Tories not touched it, and it had just carried on increasing by RPI (this was the policy before the Tory "reforms").
At best, one can only credit them with half a point on this.
https://x.com/ForecasterEnten/status/2024528882716561666
Keir Starmer's ratings are absolutely atrocious. His ratings with Britons are actually worse than Nixon's were with Americans before Nixon resigned.
Every UK PM with such poor ratings (or anything close) has either resigned or their party lost the next election.
A simple yes or no will suffice.
Israel = 20,000 sq. km in area (ie. roughly the same size as Wales)
Looking at the data, which is probably meaningless, the biggest move to "Other" is from 2024 Reform voters but it's more than compensated by Reform gaining more than a third of those voting Conservative at the last election.
As for Iran, I'm not sure whether the objective of any American strike would be the removal of the theocracy but if it were possible, the plan would presumably be for Reza Pahlavi to act as an Interim leader pending elections or a constitutional referendum. Is America prepared or contemplating a military involvement in Iran or is it just to secure oil supplies or deny them to other parties?
I'd like to hope this is a well-planned and well-executed operation of a surgical nature. If it's more about sending a message to do a deal, I get that but as seems to be the case with Venezuela, the endgame looks far from clear.
That didn’t end well!
These Muslims........
The big question is whether his replacement is stellar.
Am hearing that the Greens hold the lead amongst voters under 65.
Surely not?
Our politics are turning German.
24% (tied with Lab in 1st) 25 to 49
Then rapidly declining
Then the fun is only just beginning.
Vladivostok
https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/6300942
Rostov
https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/501175
Moscow
https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/524901
Charles I was beheaded at Whitehall.
It gets worse with age.
I don’t think it’s ever in any technicality been a UK base, we are just Landlord, with a very token presence in the base. UK is not really a user of the base, as online pages saying “joint UK US base” could fool you into thinking.
It’s starts with the US wanting this base in Indian Ocean - it does both aircraft and submarines - and UK wasn’t the first country they approached with their pitch, that was France. Key part of the pitch for hosting the US base was a knockdown deal on US nuclear weaponry. The French would have to explain for themselves why they said no - maybe something about them does such things for themselves not joint ventures, they didn’t want such a degree of trans Atlantic special relationship they could get tied into, and lose some degree of freedom. Maybe it’s true De Gaulle was just plain unstable. But UK governments in 1960’s, both Conservative and Labour, saw the pitch from the US as a bargain. They embraced it.
I don’t believe there was any predecessor the base was built on, not an RAF airfield or anything. It’s also interesting, as they approached France first, US may have had a particular site already in mind.
Fair play it was deeply personal and moving but it can't cost too much to make a PPB
I hope he is coming to terms with the news
Which is a shame, as I think he has some much better portraits than that one, which looks like he is suspicious whilst taking a shit.
In Iran, the mullahs have enthusiastically and entirely of their own volition decided to be assholes.
I give the monarchy a 50/50 on making it to George - republicanism is not super popular or anything, but support can evaporate quickly if matters are handled badly, and many of the most passionate monarchists are weirdos, which hinders arguing the case for it.
Hatred of women is a powerful motivator.
And it 'aint Mary Robinson.
https://x.com/Nigel_Farage/status/2024558391536787561
If Keir Starmer’s real obsession with getting rid of the Chagos Islands is to destroy our strong defence relationship with America, then his government must go.
Jacob Rees-Mogg
@Jacob_Rees_Mogg
I am delighted to announce the 'Mogg Unbuttoned' tour - a series of live events that will take me from the green benches of Westminster to theatres across the country.
Tour Dates & Venues:
📅 18 Apr – Hereford
📅 08 May – Worcester
📅 15 May – Shrewsbury
📅 19 May – Lincoln
📅 24 May – Winchester
Find out more at http://jacobreesmogglive.com
#MoggUnbuttoned
https://x.com/Jacob_Rees_Mogg/status/2024529418064908617
===
Reads like a tour of english civil war battlefields to me.
March 27, 1936: Portraits of the Führer are raised on official buildings across Berlin. This one at the Potsdamer Railway Station reads "Freedom - Peace"
https://bsky.app/profile/vincempls.bsky.social/post/3mfacvxdu722h
100x this.
Tbe identity of the clientele probably helped it all go away. Very much like Epstein etc
imho.
How much of a world policeman would your Pirate FO be? Would you like to be friends with ISIS in Syria right now, who are murdering the Kurds, or step in on behalf of the Kurds at same time as bombing Iran?
If in your meeting in the Pentagon, which Cooper (keeping the seat warm for you) is attending this afternoon, US explained the action on Iran is to hit military, security forces, and the nuclear programme, not regime change, as their Foreign Policy is better the devil you know (arguably what just done in Venezuela) - would you still support it?
For you, would part of the calculation of removing a regime be, if it ends in chaos, a million die in the chaos, how much of that will you and the PB government own?
Would you at any moment see yourself as Foreign Secretary of a Christian Country, bombing a Muslim one? Terror cells world wide would see it like that, and bring terror here.
The Ayatollah’s idea of a religious society is little different than many people’s ideal of a Christian one, that controlled all of Europe for a long time. Including the women hating clerics. So is it fair to summarise your mission as actually to impose, through superior military might, your own set of progressive liberal values, everywhere in the world where they don’t exist?
Trump tells reporters Obama gave away classified information on aliens.