There's plenty of evidence of Prime Ministers getting rid of Chancellors and carrying on - MacMillan sacked Selwyn Lloyd, Thatcher got rid of both Howe and Lawson. Major sacked Lamont and that's before we get to more recent times.
Unless you have a technocratic Chancellor, the occupant of No.11 will always be seen as a potential rival or alternative to the resident of No.10 so the tension will always exist however superficially friendly the outward relationship may appear - I'm sure the relationships between Blair and Brown and in their turn Cameron and Osborne suffered because of this.
TL:DR F*** off Iran and allow free passage of vessels.
Yes, but what are they going to do about it?
"…to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait."
Now that the incoming drones and missiles have reduced significantly in recent days, expect the GCC nations to move towards a more offensive phase of their operation. They have navies specifically built towards this problem, and if the US can keep the Apaches and Warthogs flying over the Hormuz area it shouldn’t be massively difficult.
More important is the insurance issue for civil vessels, AIUI Scott Bessent is working on this at the moment, with presumably Lloyd’s of London also involved.
I presume the GCC nations would rather the US and Israel just fucked off now and a peace deal was done?
A peace deal with who exactly?
Because it definitely won’t be anyone to do with the Iranian regime that’s been bombing them for the past 22 days.
US and Israel are saving the GCC countries a lot of ammo at the moment.
They only need that ammo because the US and Israel started bombing Iran!
I’m sure the GCC are happy to see Iran being taken down a notch, but the war isn’t exactly unfolding to their advantage. A quick end to the war, Iran damaged, the straits of Hormuz open again, that seems like a good result for them. Ongoing war with no clear war aims, is that what they want?
They’re been waiting and preparing for this month for the past 47 years. A little disruption is worth it to see Iran finally defeated once and for all.
US and Israel are very much the good guys, and Iran is very much the bad guy.
100%.
It is quite depressing how many people here have an inverted sense of who is good and who is bad here.
The Iranian regime have killed thousands of civilians, the Israeli regime have killed thousands of civilians.
Reshuffle speculation from @DavidPBMaddox: Streeting and Reeves out; Rayner, Haigh and Powell back in
Is it April 1st already !
What a load of nonsense . And if you read the article all it says is if there’s a move to the left then it might be Reeves and Streeting could go . It’s a load of speculation. Basically a load of tosh .
It's also a load of tosh because Rayner, Haigh and Powell would turn down any offer made by Starmer for the purpose of saving his own skin, which is what that would be. So not just speculation but utterly wrong speculation.
Everyone from all wings in the Labour Party is now just counting down to the day after the May election catastrophe, after which the real action will start, and Starmer won't be in a position to conduct any reshuffle.
Trump on troop deployments: I seem to have great support. CNN came out with a poll today that I'm at 100%. They said they have never seen a poll like that. The CNN poll said I'm at 100%. https://x.com/Acyn/status/2035082293677809824
TL:DR F*** off Iran and allow free passage of vessels.
Yes, but what are they going to do about it?
"…to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait."
Now that the incoming drones and missiles have reduced significantly in recent days, expect the GCC nations to move towards a more offensive phase of their operation. They have navies specifically built towards this problem, and if the US can keep the Apaches and Warthogs flying over the Hormuz area it shouldn’t be massively difficult.
More important is the insurance issue for civil vessels, AIUI Scott Bessent is working on this at the moment, with presumably Lloyd’s of London also involved.
I presume the GCC nations would rather the US and Israel just fucked off now and a peace deal was done?
A peace deal with who exactly?
Because it definitely won’t be anyone to do with the Iranian regime that’s been bombing them for the past 22 days.
US and Israel are saving the GCC countries a lot of ammo at the moment.
They only need that ammo because the US and Israel started bombing Iran!
I’m sure the GCC are happy to see Iran being taken down a notch, but the war isn’t exactly unfolding to their advantage. A quick end to the war, Iran damaged, the straits of Hormuz open again, that seems like a good result for them. Ongoing war with no clear war aims, is that what they want?
They’re been waiting and preparing for this month for the past 47 years. A little disruption is worth it to see Iran finally defeated once and for all.
US and Israel are very much the good guys, and Iran is very much the bad guy.
100%.
It is quite depressing how many people here have an inverted sense of who is good and who is bad here.
The Iranian regime have killed thousands of civilians, the Israeli regime have killed thousands of civilians.
TL:DR F*** off Iran and allow free passage of vessels.
Yes, but what are they going to do about it?
"…to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait."
Now that the incoming drones and missiles have reduced significantly in recent days, expect the GCC nations to move towards a more offensive phase of their operation. They have navies specifically built towards this problem, and if the US can keep the Apaches and Warthogs flying over the Hormuz area it shouldn’t be massively difficult.
More important is the insurance issue for civil vessels, AIUI Scott Bessent is working on this at the moment, with presumably Lloyd’s of London also involved.
I presume the GCC nations would rather the US and Israel just fucked off now and a peace deal was done?
A peace deal with who exactly?
Because it definitely won’t be anyone to do with the Iranian regime that’s been bombing them for the past 22 days.
US and Israel are saving the GCC countries a lot of ammo at the moment.
They only need that ammo because the US and Israel started bombing Iran!
I’m sure the GCC are happy to see Iran being taken down a notch, but the war isn’t exactly unfolding to their advantage. A quick end to the war, Iran damaged, the straits of Hormuz open again, that seems like a good result for them. Ongoing war with no clear war aims, is that what they want?
They’re been waiting and preparing for this month for the past 47 years. A little disruption is worth it to see Iran finally defeated once and for all.
US and Israel are very much the good guys, and Iran is very much the bad guy.
100%.
It is quite depressing how many people here have an inverted sense of who is good and who is bad here.
The Iranian regime have killed thousands of civilians, the Israeli regime have killed thousands of civilians.
TL:DR F*** off Iran and allow free passage of vessels.
Yes, but what are they going to do about it?
"…to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait."
Now that the incoming drones and missiles have reduced significantly in recent days, expect the GCC nations to move towards a more offensive phase of their operation. They have navies specifically built towards this problem, and if the US can keep the Apaches and Warthogs flying over the Hormuz area it shouldn’t be massively difficult.
More important is the insurance issue for civil vessels, AIUI Scott Bessent is working on this at the moment, with presumably Lloyd’s of London also involved.
I presume the GCC nations would rather the US and Israel just fucked off now and a peace deal was done?
A peace deal with who exactly?
Because it definitely won’t be anyone to do with the Iranian regime that’s been bombing them for the past 22 days.
US and Israel are saving the GCC countries a lot of ammo at the moment.
They only need that ammo because the US and Israel started bombing Iran!
I’m sure the GCC are happy to see Iran being taken down a notch, but the war isn’t exactly unfolding to their advantage. A quick end to the war, Iran damaged, the straits of Hormuz open again, that seems like a good result for them. Ongoing war with no clear war aims, is that what they want?
They’re been waiting and preparing for this month for the past 47 years. A little disruption is worth it to see Iran finally defeated once and for all.
US and Israel are very much the good guys, and Iran is very much the bad guy.
100%.
It is quite depressing how many people here have an inverted sense of who is good and who is bad here.
The Iranian regime have killed thousands of civilians, the Israeli regime have killed thousands of civilians.
TL:DR F*** off Iran and allow free passage of vessels.
Yes, but what are they going to do about it?
"…to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait."
Now that the incoming drones and missiles have reduced significantly in recent days, expect the GCC nations to move towards a more offensive phase of their operation. They have navies specifically built towards this problem, and if the US can keep the Apaches and Warthogs flying over the Hormuz area it shouldn’t be massively difficult.
More important is the insurance issue for civil vessels, AIUI Scott Bessent is working on this at the moment, with presumably Lloyd’s of London also involved.
I presume the GCC nations would rather the US and Israel just fucked off now and a peace deal was done?
A peace deal with who exactly?
Because it definitely won’t be anyone to do with the Iranian regime that’s been bombing them for the past 22 days.
US and Israel are saving the GCC countries a lot of ammo at the moment.
They only need that ammo because the US and Israel started bombing Iran!
I’m sure the GCC are happy to see Iran being taken down a notch, but the war isn’t exactly unfolding to their advantage. A quick end to the war, Iran damaged, the straits of Hormuz open again, that seems like a good result for them. Ongoing war with no clear war aims, is that what they want?
They’re been waiting and preparing for this month for the past 47 years. A little disruption is worth it to see Iran finally defeated once and for all.
US and Israel are very much the good guys, and Iran is very much the bad guy.
in your nasty right wing bubble. you'd be hard put to find many who agree that the killers of 25,000 children in Gaza are the 'good guys'. if you listened to Any Questions and Any Answers to-day they litterally couldn't find any.
If these figures are correct, why are we bothering to deploy any fast jets to the region ?
While high-end assets like THAAD and the F-35 grab all the headlines, a "blue-collar" hero, as I like to call it, is quietly winning the drone war every night. The RAF Regiment’s Rapid Sentry system, deployed around Erbil, Iraq, has notched an incredible tally of ~50 Iranian drone intercepts since February 28. To put that in perspective, Rapid Sentry has downed roughly 10 times as many drones as the RAF’s fighter jets in the same theater! It’s the ultimate goalkeeper: a VSHORAD designed exclusively to tackle low and slow threats like the Shahed-136... https://x.com/RealAirPower1/status/2035389347248148717
The fast jets should be used to intercept cruise missiles and similar, rather than drones.
Also, Rapid Sentry is a VSHORAD (very short range air defence) system, and doubtless you'd need several orders of magnitude more of them to defend everywhere. A fast jet is fast - it can get to where the threats are heading - and so it can cover a wider area.
The Ukrainians operate a layered air defence system against drones and business. You certainly wouldn't want fast jets to be the backbone of it, but they'll be part of it.
Cost/benefit. Our very expensive deployment of a few jets isn't very effective on those numbers. Most of our Typhoons have old radars not great at this job, and we don't have AEW.
BTW for all Colonel Blimp fans/detractors, I saw today that it’s on iPlayer.
It is a brilliant film, well worth a watch, not just in its technique but also for its positive depiction of the Germans in a wartime film. General Wynn- Candy comes over as out dated, but always as likeable, loyal and kind hearted.
TL:DR F*** off Iran and allow free passage of vessels.
Yes, but what are they going to do about it?
"…to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait."
Now that the incoming drones and missiles have reduced significantly in recent days, expect the GCC nations to move towards a more offensive phase of their operation. They have navies specifically built towards this problem, and if the US can keep the Apaches and Warthogs flying over the Hormuz area it shouldn’t be massively difficult.
More important is the insurance issue for civil vessels, AIUI Scott Bessent is working on this at the moment, with presumably Lloyd’s of London also involved.
I presume the GCC nations would rather the US and Israel just fucked off now and a peace deal was done?
A peace deal with who exactly?
Because it definitely won’t be anyone to do with the Iranian regime that’s been bombing them for the past 22 days.
US and Israel are saving the GCC countries a lot of ammo at the moment.
They only need that ammo because the US and Israel started bombing Iran!
I’m sure the GCC are happy to see Iran being taken down a notch, but the war isn’t exactly unfolding to their advantage. A quick end to the war, Iran damaged, the straits of Hormuz open again, that seems like a good result for them. Ongoing war with no clear war aims, is that what they want?
They’re been waiting and preparing for this month for the past 47 years. A little disruption is worth it to see Iran finally defeated once and for all.
US and Israel are very much the good guys, and Iran is very much the bad guy.
100%.
It is quite depressing how many people here have an inverted sense of who is good and who is bad here.
The Iranian regime have killed thousands of civilians, the Israeli regime have killed thousands of civilians.
But the Israeli regime still killed tens of thousands of innocent civilians in their blood lust.
Alien versus Predator.
No, they didn't.
They fought in a war against an armed enemy and people died as happens in all wars.
That's not blood lust.
Only one nation involved has deliberately murdered tens of thousands of unarmed civilians as opposed to fighting a just war. Only Iran has done that.
It is blood lust. Nothing but blood lust, just like with the Iranian regime.
Hamas slaughtered in one day well over a thousand innocent unarmed people.
And Israel killed well over 50,000 innocent people in revenge.
Alien versus Predator, I'm afraid...
No they didn't, they fought a war. You're quoting the total deaths as "innocent civilians" as if everyone who died was an innocent and there was zero justification for fighting.
Would you say Britain killed a million civilians by invading Iraq?
BTW for all Colonel Blimp fans/detractors, I saw today that it’s on iPlayer.
It is a brilliant film, well worth a watch, not just in its technique but also for its positive depiction of the Germans in a wartime film. General Wynn- Candy comes over as out dated, but always as likeable, loyal and kind hearted.
So Labour ministers are angry that their plans for government are being disrupted by "events" - karma's a bitch says Boris, Sunak, et al. Awful where the buck stops and I find it hard to stop laughing!
I don't recall laughing gleefully at the Covid pandemic or the Russian invasion of Ukraine just because they derailed the plans of a Tory government. But I guess everyone is different.
I'm laughing at the squirming politicians not the event. But of course you know that so discard the halo.
Yes. Purely because they're Labour ones. Doing what I wouldn't (and didn't) when similar big international disasters screw the Tories in office. So, ok, I'll keep the halo and you keep whatever we're calling that.
BTW for all Colonel Blimp fans/detractors, I saw today that it’s on iPlayer.
It is a brilliant film, well worth a watch, not just in its technique but also for its positive depiction of the Germans in a wartime film. General Winstanley comes over as out dated, but always as likeable, loyal and kind hearted.
It’s definitely one of my all time top films. “Blimp” always reminds me of one of my grandfathers and old school headmasters with the combination of discipline, good heart and no-nonsense.
It’s actually quite a sad film when you think about the evolution of the characters, youth to age, superiority to being broken, useful to mocked as useless.
The nation with the strongest interest in reopening the strait, and with the military power to be able to try, is of course China.
If the US were to wash its hands of the disaster it has precipitated, then that leaves a vacuum which they might fill. And the "nations don't have allies, just interests" crowd might just start thinking about making common cause with them.
The Chinese leadership is evil, but rational. You can deal with them. The US leadership is evil, and insane.
I don't think the Chinese or Iranian leadership are comparable to the US leadership in the evil stakes.
Trump is breaching boundaries and taboos he never should have in a Western country, which shocks us to the core, but his regime isn't totalitarian.
We believed that the community of interests based on the Atlantic Charter was an alliance of principles, and that our common values mattered. Trump has rejected those common values in favour of a narrow, purely American self interest. From the European point of view, if you had a choice of two offers, one from the USA and one from China, our community of values would have always chosen America. Now, given the United States refuses to accept that community, the alliance is effectively over. Worse, many of the decisions that Trump has taken have not only been taken with no reference to the NATO alliance, several of them have in fact been directly hostile to the interests of the Europeans. In fact Trump has made comments, such as his wish to destroy the Lloyds of London insurance market that are directly contrary to our own national interests. His insults to our PM are simply not acceptable in any forum, while his despicable hostility to Ukraine and his pro Moscow, pro Orban stance is a direct challenge to the interests of the EU.
The abject incompetence of the attack on Iran gives us a chance to haul in the USA in the short term but if we fail to put some restraint on Trump, then the USA not only ceases to be any kind of ally, but becomes instead a direct strategic competitor. Under such circumstances, we start to make deals that no longer reference a community of interests which no longer holds, but instead we will start to aim to do deals that weaken the American threat. In fact, whatever happens in Iran now, the Europeans have no choice- we can no longer rely on American weapons or political support. We will need to rearm and face the challenge not just of China, but the USA too and that is the irrevocable change that Trump's treachery has caused. When Putin goes, there will be a scramble to get Russia onside- and while that could still be a while off, we already see a conflict of interests- the US wants to keep Russia strong enough to challenge China, even if Putinism is still in the saddle, Europe could only work with Russia after Putin and his system have gone.
Trump will be remembered with horror, but his poisonous legacy will probably remain.
Incidentally, re the Trump-Mandelson-Epstein connection: two of the children accusing Trump of abuse in the files have boys names. The full files are, of course, not yet released, but the accusations against Trump in the materials that have been released show a man of almost limitless depravity, especially since it appears that several of the victims seem to have met mysterious deaths.
Too long and too pompous. Didn't read it.
Sorry.
I bow to your expertise on pomposity but how do you know the piece was pompous if you didn't read it?
Fairly safe assumption.
I've found Cicero's posts informative over years, what, exactly do you think was "pompous" in the comment we sew discussing?
Well, what did you find informative in it?
Although this comment wasn't about the Baltics in particular I find Cicero's comments on what is going on there informative, particularly with Putin posing the threat he is. To simply dismiss it as "pompous" without even bothering to read it is crass.
As you have agreed believe that it's a "fairly safe assumption" that Cicero's comments are pompous, I ask again, what makes you say this? I just don't see it
TL:DR F*** off Iran and allow free passage of vessels.
Yes, but what are they going to do about it?
"…to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait."
Now that the incoming drones and missiles have reduced significantly in recent days, expect the GCC nations to move towards a more offensive phase of their operation. They have navies specifically built towards this problem, and if the US can keep the Apaches and Warthogs flying over the Hormuz area it shouldn’t be massively difficult.
More important is the insurance issue for civil vessels, AIUI Scott Bessent is working on this at the moment, with presumably Lloyd’s of London also involved.
I presume the GCC nations would rather the US and Israel just fucked off now and a peace deal was done?
A peace deal with who exactly?
Because it definitely won’t be anyone to do with the Iranian regime that’s been bombing them for the past 22 days.
US and Israel are saving the GCC countries a lot of ammo at the moment.
They only need that ammo because the US and Israel started bombing Iran!
I’m sure the GCC are happy to see Iran being taken down a notch, but the war isn’t exactly unfolding to their advantage. A quick end to the war, Iran damaged, the straits of Hormuz open again, that seems like a good result for them. Ongoing war with no clear war aims, is that what they want?
They’re been waiting and preparing for this month for the past 47 years. A little disruption is worth it to see Iran finally defeated once and for all.
US and Israel are very much the good guys, and Iran is very much the bad guy.
100%.
It is quite depressing how many people here have an inverted sense of who is good and who is bad here.
The Iranian regime have killed thousands of civilians, the Israeli regime have killed thousands of civilians.
But the Israeli regime still killed tens of thousands of innocent civilians in their blood lust.
Alien versus Predator.
No, they didn't.
They fought in a war against an armed enemy and people died as happens in all wars.
That's not blood lust.
Only one nation involved has deliberately murdered tens of thousands of unarmed civilians as opposed to fighting a just war. Only Iran has done that.
It is blood lust. Nothing but blood lust, just like with the Iranian regime.
Hamas slaughtered in one day well over a thousand innocent unarmed people.
Going to war over that is not blood lust, it is self-defence.
Only if you believe it to be repeatable. Self defence refers to anticipated future injuries, not past ones.
Israel's appallingly complacent border security let the terrorists in - it should have toughened up there, rather than gone in killing tens of thousands in exchange for the thousand or so dead, while negotiating for the release of the hostages.
Of course that would have needed saintly levels of self-restraint, and a PM who didn't need a war for his own political survival, so it was never going to happen. But just because something was never going to happen doesn't mean it shouldn't have. But invading Gaza only turned world opinion against Israel, while creating tens of thousands more recruits for Hamas, so even in its own terms it was totally self-defeating in the long-run.
TL:DR F*** off Iran and allow free passage of vessels.
Yes, but what are they going to do about it?
"…to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait."
Now that the incoming drones and missiles have reduced significantly in recent days, expect the GCC nations to move towards a more offensive phase of their operation. They have navies specifically built towards this problem, and if the US can keep the Apaches and Warthogs flying over the Hormuz area it shouldn’t be massively difficult.
More important is the insurance issue for civil vessels, AIUI Scott Bessent is working on this at the moment, with presumably Lloyd’s of London also involved.
I presume the GCC nations would rather the US and Israel just fucked off now and a peace deal was done?
A peace deal with who exactly?
Because it definitely won’t be anyone to do with the Iranian regime that’s been bombing them for the past 22 days.
US and Israel are saving the GCC countries a lot of ammo at the moment.
They only need that ammo because the US and Israel started bombing Iran!
I’m sure the GCC are happy to see Iran being taken down a notch, but the war isn’t exactly unfolding to their advantage. A quick end to the war, Iran damaged, the straits of Hormuz open again, that seems like a good result for them. Ongoing war with no clear war aims, is that what they want?
They’re been waiting and preparing for this month for the past 47 years. A little disruption is worth it to see Iran finally defeated once and for all.
US and Israel are very much the good guys, and Iran is very much the bad guy.
100%.
It is quite depressing how many people here have an inverted sense of who is good and who is bad here.
The Iranian regime have killed thousands of civilians, the Israeli regime have killed thousands of civilians.
But the Israeli regime still killed tens of thousands of innocent civilians in their blood lust.
Alien versus Predator.
No, they didn't.
They fought in a war against an armed enemy and people died as happens in all wars.
That's not blood lust.
Only one nation involved has deliberately murdered tens of thousands of unarmed civilians as opposed to fighting a just war. Only Iran has done that.
It is blood lust. Nothing but blood lust, just like with the Iranian regime.
Hamas slaughtered in one day well over a thousand innocent unarmed people.
Going to war over that is not blood lust, it is self-defence.
Only if you believe it to be repeatable. Self defence refers to anticipated future injuries, not past ones.
Israel's appallingly complacent border security let the terrorists in - it should have toughened up there, rather than gone in killing tens of thousands in exchange for the thousand or so dead, while negotiating for the release of the hostages.
Of course that would have needed saintly levels of self-restraint, and a PM who didn't need a war for his own political survival, so it was never going to happen. But just because something was never going to happen doesn't mean it shouldn't have. But invading Gaza only turned world opinion against Israel, while creating tens of thousands more recruits for Hamas, so even in its own terms it was totally self-defeating in the long-run.
As long as Hamas exists its definitely repeatable.
TL:DR F*** off Iran and allow free passage of vessels.
Yes, but what are they going to do about it?
"…to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait."
Now that the incoming drones and missiles have reduced significantly in recent days, expect the GCC nations to move towards a more offensive phase of their operation. They have navies specifically built towards this problem, and if the US can keep the Apaches and Warthogs flying over the Hormuz area it shouldn’t be massively difficult.
More important is the insurance issue for civil vessels, AIUI Scott Bessent is working on this at the moment, with presumably Lloyd’s of London also involved.
I presume the GCC nations would rather the US and Israel just fucked off now and a peace deal was done?
A peace deal with who exactly?
Because it definitely won’t be anyone to do with the Iranian regime that’s been bombing them for the past 22 days.
US and Israel are saving the GCC countries a lot of ammo at the moment.
They only need that ammo because the US and Israel started bombing Iran!
I’m sure the GCC are happy to see Iran being taken down a notch, but the war isn’t exactly unfolding to their advantage. A quick end to the war, Iran damaged, the straits of Hormuz open again, that seems like a good result for them. Ongoing war with no clear war aims, is that what they want?
They’re been waiting and preparing for this month for the past 47 years. A little disruption is worth it to see Iran finally defeated once and for all.
US and Israel are very much the good guys, and Iran is very much the bad guy.
100%.
It is quite depressing how many people here have an inverted sense of who is good and who is bad here.
The Iranian regime have killed thousands of civilians, the Israeli regime have killed thousands of civilians.
But the Israeli regime still killed tens of thousands of innocent civilians in their blood lust.
Alien versus Predator.
No, they didn't.
They fought in a war against an armed enemy and people died as happens in all wars.
That's not blood lust.
Only one nation involved has deliberately murdered tens of thousands of unarmed civilians as opposed to fighting a just war. Only Iran has done that.
It is blood lust. Nothing but blood lust, just like with the Iranian regime.
Hamas slaughtered in one day well over a thousand innocent unarmed people.
Going to war over that is not blood lust, it is self-defence.
Only if you believe it to be repeatable. Self defence refers to anticipated future injuries, not past ones.
Israel's appallingly complacent border security let the terrorists in - it should have toughened up there, rather than gone in killing tens of thousands in exchange for the thousand or so dead, while negotiating for the release of the hostages.
Of course that would have needed saintly levels of self-restraint, and a PM who didn't need a war for his own political survival, so it was never going to happen. But just because something was never going to happen doesn't mean it shouldn't have. But invading Gaza only turned world opinion against Israel, while creating tens of thousands more recruits for Hamas, so even in its own terms it was totally self-defeating in the long-run.
Yeah I said this at the time.
What Hamas did was absolutely appalling and unforgivable.
However if you want to stop Hamas and people joining it the Israelis have taken an extremely odd approach.
Trump: “Robert Mueller just died. Good, I’m glad he’s dead. He can no longer hurt innocent people! President DONALD J. TRUMP”
You voted for this, America.
Hang your fucking head in shame.
5/11/24 will, I'm afraid, go down in history as one of those days. The hope - which I totally have because they’re a great country - is they find a way to clean up the bed on which they have so comprehensively shat.
Trump: “Robert Mueller just died. Good, I’m glad he’s dead. He can no longer hurt innocent people! President DONALD J. TRUMP”
You voted for this, America.
Hang your fucking head in shame.
5/11/24 will, I'm afraid, go down in history as one of those days. The hope - which I totally have because they’re a great country - is they find a way to clean up the bed on which they have so comprehensively shat.
BTW for all Colonel Blimp fans/detractors, I saw today that it’s on iPlayer.
It is a brilliant film, well worth a watch, not just in its technique but also for its positive depiction of the Germans in a wartime film. General Winstanley comes over as out dated, but always as likeable, loyal and kind hearted.
It’s definitely one of my all time top films. “Blimp” always reminds me of one of my grandfathers and old school headmasters with the combination of discipline, good heart and no-nonsense.
It’s actually quite a sad film when you think about the evolution of the characters, youth to age, superiority to being broken, useful to mocked as useless.
Roger Livesey is an underrated actor. (It's impossible I think to imagine Olivier, who was first choice for the role, producing so human a performance
British politics in a nutshell, by @mrianleslie ian-leslie.com/p/against-intr…
I’m quite confident Sir Keir will outlast May.
You're more likely to be right than wrong, but only because a leadership election called in May would not be decided until June or July depending on the timetable, and Starmer's political instincts are so lousy that he might choose to contest the election rather than stand down in the face of the inevitable. He needs zero nominations from MPs to be on the ballot paper.
British politics in a nutshell, by @mrianleslie ian-leslie.com/p/against-intr…
I’m quite confident Sir Keir will outlast May.
You're more likely to be right than wrong, but only because a leadership election called in May would not be decided until June or July depending on the timetable, and Starmer's political instincts are so lousy that he might choose to contest the election rather than stand down in the face of the inevitable. He needs zero nominations from MPs to be on the ballot paper.
My view of things is:
He won’t be challenged at all. And he’ll quit of his own accord in 2027/2028.
BTW for all Colonel Blimp fans/detractors, I saw today that it’s on iPlayer.
It is a brilliant film, well worth a watch, not just in its technique but also for its positive depiction of the Germans in a wartime film. General Winstanley comes over as out dated, but always as likeable, loyal and kind hearted.
It’s definitely one of my all time top films. “Blimp” always reminds me of one of my grandfathers and old school headmasters with the combination of discipline, good heart and no-nonsense.
It’s actually quite a sad film when you think about the evolution of the characters, youth to age, superiority to being broken, useful to mocked as useless.
Roger Livesey is an underrated actor. (It's impossible I think to imagine Olivier, who was first choice for the role, producing so human a performance
I do wonder if it is something as different as their faces. Olivier was an alright actor… but Livesy’s face and demeanour was probably more friendly and softer and so a more hard faced actor might not have created the same empathy for the character.
TL:DR F*** off Iran and allow free passage of vessels.
Yes, but what are they going to do about it?
"…to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait."
Now that the incoming drones and missiles have reduced significantly in recent days, expect the GCC nations to move towards a more offensive phase of their operation. They have navies specifically built towards this problem, and if the US can keep the Apaches and Warthogs flying over the Hormuz area it shouldn’t be massively difficult.
More important is the insurance issue for civil vessels, AIUI Scott Bessent is working on this at the moment, with presumably Lloyd’s of London also involved.
I presume the GCC nations would rather the US and Israel just fucked off now and a peace deal was done?
A peace deal with who exactly?
Because it definitely won’t be anyone to do with the Iranian regime that’s been bombing them for the past 22 days.
US and Israel are saving the GCC countries a lot of ammo at the moment.
They only need that ammo because the US and Israel started bombing Iran!
I’m sure the GCC are happy to see Iran being taken down a notch, but the war isn’t exactly unfolding to their advantage. A quick end to the war, Iran damaged, the straits of Hormuz open again, that seems like a good result for them. Ongoing war with no clear war aims, is that what they want?
They’re been waiting and preparing for this month for the past 47 years. A little disruption is worth it to see Iran finally defeated once and for all.
US and Israel are very much the good guys, and Iran is very much the bad guy.
100%.
It is quite depressing how many people here have an inverted sense of who is good and who is bad here.
The Iranian regime have killed thousands of civilians, the Israeli regime have killed thousands of civilians.
But the Israeli regime still killed tens of thousands of innocent civilians in their blood lust.
Alien versus Predator.
No, they didn't.
They fought in a war against an armed enemy and people died as happens in all wars.
That's not blood lust.
Only one nation involved has deliberately murdered tens of thousands of unarmed civilians as opposed to fighting a just war. Only Iran has done that.
It is blood lust. Nothing but blood lust, just like with the Iranian regime.
Hamas slaughtered in one day well over a thousand innocent unarmed people.
Going to war over that is not blood lust, it is self-defence.
Only if you believe it to be repeatable. Self defence refers to anticipated future injuries, not past ones.
Israel's appallingly complacent border security let the terrorists in - it should have toughened up there, rather than gone in killing tens of thousands in exchange for the thousand or so dead, while negotiating for the release of the hostages.
Of course that would have needed saintly levels of self-restraint, and a PM who didn't need a war for his own political survival, so it was never going to happen. But just because something was never going to happen doesn't mean it shouldn't have. But invading Gaza only turned world opinion against Israel, while creating tens of thousands more recruits for Hamas, so even in its own terms it was totally self-defeating in the long-run.
Trump: “Robert Mueller just died. Good, I’m glad he’s dead. He can no longer hurt innocent people! President DONALD J. TRUMP”
He's completely mad isn't he? Totally bonkers...
Vile, depraved, senile, lacking in any basic decency. Obscenities pour out of his mouth as if he’s demon-possessed.
I'd question the judgement of anybody who is sure that, free of restraint, he wouldn't be capable of major league atrocities. Thankfully there are restraints. Not as many (or as strong) as you'd like but they are there.
BTW for all Colonel Blimp fans/detractors, I saw today that it’s on iPlayer.
It is a brilliant film, well worth a watch, not just in its technique but also for its positive depiction of the Germans in a wartime film. General Winstanley comes over as out dated, but always as likeable, loyal and kind hearted.
It’s definitely one of my all time top films. “Blimp” always reminds me of one of my grandfathers and old school headmasters with the combination of discipline, good heart and no-nonsense.
It’s actually quite a sad film when you think about the evolution of the characters, youth to age, superiority to being broken, useful to mocked as useless.
Blimp is a great film, but isn’t the end quite philosophical, the arc of a life with all that entails, and some wisdom gained?
For some balance: you’ve admitted your youth spent as a communist supporter. In any sensible world, that should have disbarred you from any career in mainstream British politics, just as it would for some right-wing youth who spent their time on National Front marches and later fancied a career in the Tory party. But, because of our blind spot when it comes to the abomination of communism, you were allowed to reinvent yourself, sell your soul to New Labour, and serve your time in parliament as one of its foot soldiers. Doubtless, if we dug into your voting record, we would uncover a whole stack of votes you made for things in which you simply don’t believe.
Now, retired from active politics, you’re free to return to putting your principles ahead of keeping your place on the political gravy train.
In the round, far from being a good example, I would suggest you’re an exemplar for much that is wrong with our politics.
It's a view. But I've never felt that there was a huge gap between my youthful Eurocommunism and later acting as a largely loyal Labour MP. Both came from the same essentially idealistic starting point, and although Eurocommunism - supporting the principle of equality and working-class solidarity while rejecting the dictatorial slant of Eastern Europe - proved a dead end I've never apologised for supporting it (I doubt if you'd even know if I wasn't open about it). I felt that Blair and Brown were in principle on board with the project of a more equal society, in a way that I sadly no longer feel with Starmer. Nor did I see the Commons in the least as a gravy train - I took a 50% pay cut on election compared with my previous private sector job, and the 13 years in Parliament wasn't a particularly wealthy time.
Most of us make excuses for our choices and I'm sure that I'd do some things differently if I relived my life. But you imply a more cynical approach than I ever had.
So sorry I can only give this one like Nick. Post of the day for me.
BTW for all Colonel Blimp fans/detractors, I saw today that it’s on iPlayer.
It is a brilliant film, well worth a watch, not just in its technique but also for its positive depiction of the Germans in a wartime film. General Winstanley comes over as out dated, but always as likeable, loyal and kind hearted.
It’s definitely one of my all time top films. “Blimp” always reminds me of one of my grandfathers and old school headmasters with the combination of discipline, good heart and no-nonsense.
It’s actually quite a sad film when you think about the evolution of the characters, youth to age, superiority to being broken, useful to mocked as useless.
Blimp is a great film, but isn’t the end quite philosophical, the arc of a life with all that entails, and some wisdom gained?
Absolutely. It touches on the disdain for experience where he is seen as a crackpot and mocked by the younger soldiers but it’s sad in how it compresses the life of a young thrusting chap with all ahead of him and friendships and relationships damaged or disrupted by war and time. The arc of his German adversary, friend is particularly profound in his change from utter Prussian confidence to being broken and relying on the kindness and hospitality of former enemies is wonderful but tragic.
BTW for all Colonel Blimp fans/detractors, I saw today that it’s on iPlayer.
It is a brilliant film, well worth a watch, not just in its technique but also for its positive depiction of the Germans in a wartime film. General Winstanley comes over as out dated, but always as likeable, loyal and kind hearted.
It’s definitely one of my all time top films. “Blimp” always reminds me of one of my grandfathers and old school headmasters with the combination of discipline, good heart and no-nonsense.
It’s actually quite a sad film when you think about the evolution of the characters, youth to age, superiority to being broken, useful to mocked as useless.
Roger Livesey is an underrated actor. (It's impossible I think to imagine Olivier, who was first choice for the role, producing so human a performance
I do wonder if it is something as different as their faces. Olivier was an alright actor… but Livesy’s face and demeanour was probably more friendly and softer and so a more hard faced actor might not have created the same empathy for the character.
In an era when many young men—including President Trump—were trying to avoid serving in Vietnam, Mueller not only volunteered for the Marines after graduating from Princeton—he spent a year waiting for an injured knee to heal so he could serve. https://x.com/KDilanianMSNOW/status/2035403797925605435
BTW for all Colonel Blimp fans/detractors, I saw today that it’s on iPlayer.
It is a brilliant film, well worth a watch, not just in its technique but also for its positive depiction of the Germans in a wartime film. General Winstanley comes over as out dated, but always as likeable, loyal and kind hearted.
It’s definitely one of my all time top films. “Blimp” always reminds me of one of my grandfathers and old school headmasters with the combination of discipline, good heart and no-nonsense.
It’s actually quite a sad film when you think about the evolution of the characters, youth to age, superiority to being broken, useful to mocked as useless.
Roger Livesey is an underrated actor. (It's impossible I think to imagine Olivier, who was first choice for the role, producing so human a performance
I do wonder if it is something as different as their faces. Olivier was an alright actor… but Livesy’s face and demeanour was probably more friendly and softer and so a more hard faced actor might not have created the same empathy for the character.
I'd say he was a bit better than 'alright.'
Hence my full stops, didn’t know how else to signify sarcasm.
There's plenty of evidence of Prime Ministers getting rid of Chancellors and carrying on - MacMillan sacked Selwyn Lloyd, Thatcher got rid of both Howe and Lawson. Major sacked Lamont and that's before we get to more recent times.
Unless you have a technocratic Chancellor, the occupant of No.11 will always be seen as a potential rival or alternative to the resident of No.10 so the tension will always exist however superficially friendly the outward relationship may appear - I'm sure the relationships between Blair and Brown and in their turn Cameron and Osborne suffered because of this.
Macmillan - out less than 18 months after sacking Lloyd.
Thatcher - out less than three months after Lawson resigning (Howe was a different case as he was moved to another role which he wanted more).
Major I will give you but his authority never recovered.
BTW for all Colonel Blimp fans/detractors, I saw today that it’s on iPlayer.
It is a brilliant film, well worth a watch, not just in its technique but also for its positive depiction of the Germans in a wartime film. General Winstanley comes over as out dated, but always as likeable, loyal and kind hearted.
It’s definitely one of my all time top films. “Blimp” always reminds me of one of my grandfathers and old school headmasters with the combination of discipline, good heart and no-nonsense.
It’s actually quite a sad film when you think about the evolution of the characters, youth to age, superiority to being broken, useful to mocked as useless.
Roger Livesey is an underrated actor. (It's impossible I think to imagine Olivier, who was first choice for the role, producing so human a performance
I do wonder if it is something as different as their faces. Olivier was an alright actor… but Livesy’s face and demeanour was probably more friendly and softer and so a more hard faced actor might not have created the same empathy for the character.
I'd say he was a bit better than 'alright.'
This is why Sir John Gielgud was the best actor ever.
British politics in a nutshell, by @mrianleslie ian-leslie.com/p/against-intr…
I’m quite confident Sir Keir will outlast May.
As in the month or the predecessor?
Sir Keir will still be PM for the remainder of 2026.
I want him to have already quit. However I honestly cannot see how any of the alternatives will do any better.
Not got any faith in Burnham but I respect he’s got something. But he becomes an MP how?
I thought the same but now I think any change will be an improvement. He has major flaws that can't be corrected,.He's a person without courage and he barely has any principles
BTW for all Colonel Blimp fans/detractors, I saw today that it’s on iPlayer.
It is a brilliant film, well worth a watch, not just in its technique but also for its positive depiction of the Germans in a wartime film. General Winstanley comes over as out dated, but always as likeable, loyal and kind hearted.
It’s definitely one of my all time top films. “Blimp” always reminds me of one of my grandfathers and old school headmasters with the combination of discipline, good heart and no-nonsense.
It’s actually quite a sad film when you think about the evolution of the characters, youth to age, superiority to being broken, useful to mocked as useless.
Blimp is a great film, but isn’t the end quite philosophical, the arc of a life with all that entails, and some wisdom gained?
Absolutely. It touches on the disdain for experience where he is seen as a crackpot and mocked by the younger soldiers but it’s sad in how it compresses the life of a young thrusting chap with all ahead of him and friendships and relationships damaged or disrupted by war and time. The arc of his German adversary, friend is particularly profound in his change from utter Prussian confidence to being broken and relying on the kindness and hospitality of former enemies is wonderful but tragic.
I’d say moving rather than sad, but yeah. It adds a certain piquancy that Anton Walbrook who played the Prussian friend was also a refugee from the Nazis, though I guess that applies to all the cast who were more or less living through the events portrayed.
Difficult not to given the impact on personal finances, the economy, the dead children...
Perhaps the sensible approach would have been to draw out the Greenland debacle for as long as possible, ideally until he died/got removed from office. Grim for the Danes and Greenlanders but a necessary sacrifice to prevent him moving onto something more drastic.
The same goes for the current crisis. PB can descend into hysterics sometimes but I think there is something in him using nuclear weapons - perhaps a small, tactical one - if the "ratings" start to decline. In his first term there was a minor scuffle with North Korea; I wouldn't be surprised if that gets a re-make.
There's plenty of evidence of Prime Ministers getting rid of Chancellors and carrying on - MacMillan sacked Selwyn Lloyd, Thatcher got rid of both Howe and Lawson. Major sacked Lamont and that's before we get to more recent times.
Unless you have a technocratic Chancellor, the occupant of No.11 will always be seen as a potential rival or alternative to the resident of No.10 so the tension will always exist however superficially friendly the outward relationship may appear - I'm sure the relationships between Blair and Brown and in their turn Cameron and Osborne suffered because of this.
Macmillan - out less than 18 months after sacking Lloyd.
Thatcher - out less than three months after Lawson resigning (Howe was a different case as he was moved to another role which he wanted more).
Major I will give you but his authority never recovered.
Thatcher lasted 13 months after Lawson's resignation/constructive dismissal.
There's plenty of evidence of Prime Ministers getting rid of Chancellors and carrying on - MacMillan sacked Selwyn Lloyd, Thatcher got rid of both Howe and Lawson. Major sacked Lamont and that's before we get to more recent times.
Unless you have a technocratic Chancellor, the occupant of No.11 will always be seen as a potential rival or alternative to the resident of No.10 so the tension will always exist however superficially friendly the outward relationship may appear - I'm sure the relationships between Blair and Brown and in their turn Cameron and Osborne suffered because of this.
Macmillan - out less than 18 months after sacking Lloyd.
Thatcher - out less than three months after Lawson resigning (Howe was a different case as he was moved to another role which he wanted more).
Major I will give you but his authority never recovered.
Thatcher lasted 13 months after Lawson's resignation/constructive dismissal.
Trump: “Robert Mueller just died. Good, I’m glad he’s dead. He can no longer hurt innocent people! President DONALD J. TRUMP”
If anyone ever had any doubt about Trump's guilt that nails it. Mueller did a reasonable job within the ridiculous constraints, and Barr then put a spin on his summary, and the Congress completely flunked holding Trump to account, but dozens of other people were successfully prosecuted.
Trump on troop deployments: I seem to have great support. CNN came out with a poll today that I'm at 100%. They said they have never seen a poll like that. The CNN poll said I'm at 100%. https://x.com/Acyn/status/2035082293677809824
To be fair I can quite imagine CNN saying that “they have never seen a poll like that”…
The US and Israel claim victory, mission accomplished, the threat from Iran is eliminated. The Gulf countries come to an accommodation with Iran which allows Hormuz to be open again. The current regime in Iran remains in office, as blood thirsty as ever. The west suffers a mild recession on the back of the oil and gas shock. Netanyahu avoids the jail. Epstein fades from the headlines. Mission accomplished indeed.
Trump: “Robert Mueller just died. Good, I’m glad he’s dead. He can no longer hurt innocent people! President DONALD J. TRUMP”
If anyone ever had any doubt about Trump's guilt that nails it. Mueller did a reasonable job within the ridiculous constraints, and Barr then put a spin on his summary, and the Congress completely flunked holding Trump to account, but dozens of other people were successfully prosecuted.
I was at a funeral this week of my first boss and mentor. I sent his daughter a story for her eulogy for him about how this chap, very wealthy, all powerful, very influential, would always make tea for the trading floor at 4pm every day. The tea was awful but he had made it when he was a busy man and could have asked many assistants or juniors to make it but his view was very much “nobody is too important to make tea”.
As I said to his daughter “that was the measure of the man”.
Trump’s comments equally and simply show the measure of the man.
BREAKING: The US and Israel are preparing for a significant expansion of the war with Iran as Trump intends to take control of the Strait of Hormuz in a weeks-long operation, according to Israeli sources - Kann
Trump: “Robert Mueller just died. Good, I’m glad he’s dead. He can no longer hurt innocent people! President DONALD J. TRUMP”
If anyone ever had any doubt about Trump's guilt that nails it. Mueller did a reasonable job within the ridiculous constraints, and Barr then put a spin on his summary, and the Congress completely flunked holding Trump to account, but dozens of other people were successfully prosecuted.
I was at a funeral this week of my first boss and mentor. I sent his daughter a story for her eulogy for him about how this chap, very wealthy, all powerful, very influential, would always make tea for the trading floor at 4pm every day. The tea was awful but he had made it when he was a busy man and could have asked many assistants or juniors to make it but his view was very much “nobody is too important to make tea”.
As I said to his daughter “that was the measure of the man”.
Trump’s comments equally and simply show the measure of the man.
A very small measure was required - no larger than a button mushroom.
TL:DR F*** off Iran and allow free passage of vessels.
Yes, but what are they going to do about it?
"…to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait."
Now that the incoming drones and missiles have reduced significantly in recent days, expect the GCC nations to move towards a more offensive phase of their operation. They have navies specifically built towards this problem, and if the US can keep the Apaches and Warthogs flying over the Hormuz area it shouldn’t be massively difficult.
More important is the insurance issue for civil vessels, AIUI Scott Bessent is working on this at the moment, with presumably Lloyd’s of London also involved.
I presume the GCC nations would rather the US and Israel just fucked off now and a peace deal was done?
A peace deal with who exactly?
Because it definitely won’t be anyone to do with the Iranian regime that’s been bombing them for the past 22 days.
US and Israel are saving the GCC countries a lot of ammo at the moment.
They only need that ammo because the US and Israel started bombing Iran!
I’m sure the GCC are happy to see Iran being taken down a notch, but the war isn’t exactly unfolding to their advantage. A quick end to the war, Iran damaged, the straits of Hormuz open again, that seems like a good result for them. Ongoing war with no clear war aims, is that what they want?
They’re been waiting and preparing for this month for the past 47 years. A little disruption is worth it to see Iran finally defeated once and for all.
US and Israel are very much the good guys, and Iran is very much the bad guy.
100%.
It is quite depressing how many people here have an inverted sense of who is good and who is bad here.
The Iranian regime have killed thousands of civilians, the Israeli regime have killed thousands of civilians.
And those pesky civilians in Gaza were just collateral damage
Hurrah for the IDF. Even the rapists in their midst
Absolutely, there is a huge difference between targeting enemies and civilians getting caught as collateral damage, and targeting civilians.
One is acceptable, one is not.
I’m not sure i would say “acceptable”. An unfortunate consequence of war but one that a civilised nation should seek to minimise. That’s that is where Netanyahu has exceeded the boundaries: he has allowed far too much collateral damage, irrespective of the reasonableness of his war aims.
BREAKING: The US and Israel are preparing for a significant expansion of the war with Iran as Trump intends to take control of the Strait of Hormuz in a weeks-long operation, according to Israeli sources - Kann
If this happens my forecast of a modest recession is going to need to be upgraded.
Trump: “Robert Mueller just died. Good, I’m glad he’s dead. He can no longer hurt innocent people! President DONALD J. TRUMP”
If anyone ever had any doubt about Trump's guilt that nails it. Mueller did a reasonable job within the ridiculous constraints, and Barr then put a spin on his summary, and the Congress completely flunked holding Trump to account, but dozens of other people were successfully prosecuted.
I was at a funeral this week of my first boss and mentor. I sent his daughter a story for her eulogy for him about how this chap, very wealthy, all powerful, very influential, would always make tea for the trading floor at 4pm every day. The tea was awful but he had made it when he was a busy man and could have asked many assistants or juniors to make it but his view was very much “nobody is too important to make tea”.
As I said to his daughter “that was the measure of the man”.
Trump’s comments equally and simply show the measure of the man.
People often judge the character of public figures on big things, important things, things that are consequential. But like you I think it's the smaller things, the things people do when they are not in the spotlight, don't have to do them, and could easily get out of them that really tell the essence of a person.
I abhore people like Donald Trump, but I can find plenty of time for people like Robert Mueller whose politics might be different from mine but demonstrate they they are fundamentally a decent person.
BREAKING: The US and Israel are preparing for a significant expansion of the war with Iran as Trump intends to take control of the Strait of Hormuz in a weeks-long operation, according to Israeli sources - Kann
If this happens my forecast of a modest recession is going to need to be upgraded.
I think we're about four weeks away from a depression.
At work we've already made contingencies for a full scale WFH within weeks, like March 2020.
BREAKING: The US and Israel are preparing for a significant expansion of the war with Iran as Trump intends to take control of the Strait of Hormuz in a weeks-long operation, according to Israeli sources - Kann
The US and Israel claim victory, mission accomplished, the threat from Iran is eliminated. The Gulf countries come to an accommodation with Iran which allows Hormuz to be open again. The current regime in Iran remains in office, as blood thirsty as ever. The west suffers a mild recession on the back of the oil and gas shock. Netanyahu avoids the jail. Epstein fades from the headlines. Mission accomplished indeed.
TL:DR F*** off Iran and allow free passage of vessels.
Yes, but what are they going to do about it?
"…to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait."
Now that the incoming drones and missiles have reduced significantly in recent days, expect the GCC nations to move towards a more offensive phase of their operation. They have navies specifically built towards this problem, and if the US can keep the Apaches and Warthogs flying over the Hormuz area it shouldn’t be massively difficult.
More important is the insurance issue for civil vessels, AIUI Scott Bessent is working on this at the moment, with presumably Lloyd’s of London also involved.
I presume the GCC nations would rather the US and Israel just fucked off now and a peace deal was done?
A peace deal with who exactly?
Because it definitely won’t be anyone to do with the Iranian regime that’s been bombing them for the past 22 days.
US and Israel are saving the GCC countries a lot of ammo at the moment.
They only need that ammo because the US and Israel started bombing Iran!
I’m sure the GCC are happy to see Iran being taken down a notch, but the war isn’t exactly unfolding to their advantage. A quick end to the war, Iran damaged, the straits of Hormuz open again, that seems like a good result for them. Ongoing war with no clear war aims, is that what they want?
They’re been waiting and preparing for this month for the past 47 years. A little disruption is worth it to see Iran finally defeated once and for all.
US and Israel are very much the good guys, and Iran is very much the bad guy.
100%.
It is quite depressing how many people here have an inverted sense of who is good and who is bad here.
The Iranian regime have killed thousands of civilians, the Israeli regime have killed thousands of civilians.
But the Israeli regime still killed tens of thousands of innocent civilians in their blood lust.
Alien versus Predator.
No, they didn't.
They fought in a war against an armed enemy and people died as happens in all wars.
That's not blood lust.
Only one nation involved has deliberately murdered tens of thousands of unarmed civilians as opposed to fighting a just war. Only Iran has done that.
It is blood lust. Nothing but blood lust, just like with the Iranian regime.
Hamas slaughtered in one day well over a thousand innocent unarmed people.
Going to war over that is not blood lust, it is self-defence.
Only if you believe it to be repeatable. Self defence refers to anticipated future injuries, not past ones.
Israel's appallingly complacent border security let the terrorists in - it should have toughened up there, rather than gone in killing tens of thousands in exchange for the thousand or so dead, while negotiating for the release of the hostages.
Of course that would have needed saintly levels of self-restraint, and a PM who didn't need a war for his own political survival, so it was never going to happen. But just because something was never going to happen doesn't mean it shouldn't have. But invading Gaza only turned world opinion against Israel, while creating tens of thousands more recruits for Hamas, so even in its own terms it was totally self-defeating in the long-run.
This is, sadly, excellent analysis.
Do you believe Israels border secure was complacent.
Really?
No
Mossad and Netanyahu knew it was coming, they let it happen.
British politics in a nutshell, by @mrianleslie ian-leslie.com/p/against-intr…
I’m quite confident Sir Keir will outlast May.
You're more likely to be right than wrong, but only because a leadership election called in May would not be decided until June or July depending on the timetable, and Starmer's political instincts are so lousy that he might choose to contest the election rather than stand down in the face of the inevitable. He needs zero nominations from MPs to be on the ballot paper.
My view of things is:
He won’t be challenged at all. And he’ll quit of his own accord in 2027/2028.
BREAKING: The US and Israel are preparing for a significant expansion of the war with Iran as Trump intends to take control of the Strait of Hormuz in a weeks-long operation, according to Israeli sources - Kann
If this happens my forecast of a modest recession is going to need to be upgraded.
I think we're about four weeks away from a depression.
At work we've already made contingencies for a full scale WFH within weeks, like March 2020.
Fill your tanks lads and lasses. Present prices are extortionate but they may well get a hell of a lot worse.
BREAKING: The US and Israel are preparing for a significant expansion of the war with Iran as Trump intends to take control of the Strait of Hormuz in a weeks-long operation, according to Israeli sources - Kann
BREAKING: The US and Israel are preparing for a significant expansion of the war with Iran as Trump intends to take control of the Strait of Hormuz in a weeks-long operation, according to Israeli sources - Kann
If this happens my forecast of a modest recession is going to need to be upgraded.
I think we're about four weeks away from a depression.
At work we've already made contingencies for a full scale WFH within weeks, like March 2020.
Fill your tanks lads and lasses. Present prices are extortionate but they may well get a hell of a lot worse.
Makes me glad I've got an EV, I think the issue in a few weeks time isn't going to be the price of petrol/diesel but the fact there won't be any available.
Best thing you can invest in right now is a solar panel and a battery.
Trump: “Robert Mueller just died. Good, I’m glad he’s dead. He can no longer hurt innocent people! President DONALD J. TRUMP”
If anyone ever had any doubt about Trump's guilt that nails it. Mueller did a reasonable job within the ridiculous constraints, and Barr then put a spin on his summary, and the Congress completely flunked holding Trump to account, but dozens of other people were successfully prosecuted.
I was at a funeral this week of my first boss and mentor. I sent his daughter a story for her eulogy for him about how this chap, very wealthy, all powerful, very influential, would always make tea for the trading floor at 4pm every day. The tea was awful but he had made it when he was a busy man and could have asked many assistants or juniors to make it but his view was very much “nobody is too important to make tea”.
As I said to his daughter “that was the measure of the man”.
Trump’s comments equally and simply show the measure of the man.
People often judge the character of public figures on big things, important things, things that are consequential. But like you I think it's the smaller things, the things people do when they are not in the spotlight, don't have to do them, and could easily get out of them that really tell the essence of a person.
I abhore people like Donald Trump, but I can find plenty of time for people like Robert Mueller whose politics might be different from mine but demonstrate they they are fundamentally a decent person.
I could have learnt the professional things I learnt from many people but that lesson is one of two I carried with me through my career. The other was another boss, who was my father’s best friend but gave no favours, heard me asking one of the secretaries to refill the printer paper and he took me aside later and strongly recommended that I never asked anyone to do anything at work for me that I couldn’t do myself very easily. The absolute best lessons.
BREAKING: The US and Israel are preparing for a significant expansion of the war with Iran as Trump intends to take control of the Strait of Hormuz in a weeks-long operation, according to Israeli sources - Kann
If this happens my forecast of a modest recession is going to need to be upgraded.
I think we're about four weeks away from a depression.
At work we've already made contingencies for a full scale WFH within weeks, like March 2020.
Fill your tanks lads and lasses. Present prices are extortionate but they may well get a hell of a lot worse.
You say that, but...
Part of the reason we are so vulnerable to this crisis is that our incentives for the switch to EVs have been so distorted. Norway registered seven petrol cars last year. Seven.
Because staff won't have enough petrol to get into work and secondly if you're not in the early part of a three year deal as a business your energy costs are going to go through the roof from the summer onwards so it is cheaper to close to the office.
Because staff won't have enough petrol to get into work and secondly if you're not in the early part of a three year deal as a business your energy costs are going to go through the roof from the summer onwards so it is cheaper to close to the office.
And the wider benefits of reducing demand for those who really need it - emergency services, goods deliveries etc etc
Because staff won't have enough petrol to get into work and secondly if you're not in the early part of a three year deal as a business your energy costs are going to go through the roof from the summer onwards so it is cheaper to close to the office.
And the wider benefits of reducing demand for those who really need it - emergency services, goods deliveries etc etc
BREAKING: The US and Israel are preparing for a significant expansion of the war with Iran as Trump intends to take control of the Strait of Hormuz in a weeks-long operation, according to Israeli sources - Kann
BREAKING: The US and Israel are preparing for a significant expansion of the war with Iran as Trump intends to take control of the Strait of Hormuz in a weeks-long operation, according to Israeli sources - Kann
If this happens my forecast of a modest recession is going to need to be upgraded.
I think we're about four weeks away from a depression.
At work we've already made contingencies for a full scale WFH within weeks, like March 2020.
Fill your tanks lads and lasses. Present prices are extortionate but they may well get a hell of a lot worse.
You say that, but...
Part of the reason we are so vulnerable to this crisis is that our incentives for the switch to EVs have been so distorted. Norway registered seven petrol cars last year. Seven.
Seven in January 2026, suppressed because of a tax hike that just came into force. Still, your point stands, EVs account for 95% of sales generally.
British politics in a nutshell, by @mrianleslie ian-leslie.com/p/against-intr…
I’m quite confident Sir Keir will outlast May.
You're more likely to be right than wrong, but only because a leadership election called in May would not be decided until June or July depending on the timetable, and Starmer's political instincts are so lousy that he might choose to contest the election rather than stand down in the face of the inevitable. He needs zero nominations from MPs to be on the ballot paper.
IMO the probability is that he will stick out 2026 on the simple ground that the condition the world is in requires a bit of boring seriousness, and none of the possible runners and riders have both the support of MPs and members and also the intrinsic 'war leader' quality. Most have neither.
The Guardian today reports ministerial 'despair' is a report of extraordinary gloom. Unless a new PM is going to be a good deal cleverer than the current one, it is not a good time to change. He is the least worst of a bad bunch. The better news is that its Trumpism may see off Farage and Reform as a credible party.
BTW for all Colonel Blimp fans/detractors, I saw today that it’s on iPlayer.
It is a brilliant film, well worth a watch, not just in its technique but also for its positive depiction of the Germans in a wartime film. General Winstanley comes over as out dated, but always as likeable, loyal and kind hearted.
It’s definitely one of my all time top films. “Blimp” always reminds me of one of my grandfathers and old school headmasters with the combination of discipline, good heart and no-nonsense.
It’s actually quite a sad film when you think about the evolution of the characters, youth to age, superiority to being broken, useful to mocked as useless.
Roger Livesey is an underrated actor. (It's impossible I think to imagine Olivier, who was first choice for the role, producing so human a performance
I do wonder if it is something as different as their faces. Olivier was an alright actor… but Livesy’s face and demeanour was probably more friendly and softer and so a more hard faced actor might not have created the same empathy for the character.
I'd say he was a bit better than 'alright.'
This is why Sir John Gielgud was the best actor ever.
The US and Israel claim victory, mission accomplished, the threat from Iran is eliminated. The Gulf countries come to an accommodation with Iran which allows Hormuz to be open again. The current regime in Iran remains in office, as blood thirsty as ever. The west suffers a mild recession on the back of the oil and gas shock. Netanyahu avoids the jail. Epstein fades from the headlines. Mission accomplished indeed.
Mandelson does time?
Almost certainly not. People like him are protected.
BREAKING: The US and Israel are preparing for a significant expansion of the war with Iran as Trump intends to take control of the Strait of Hormuz in a weeks-long operation, according to Israeli sources - Kann
If this happens my forecast of a modest recession is going to need to be upgraded.
I think we're about four weeks away from a depression.
At work we've already made contingencies for a full scale WFH within weeks, like March 2020.
Fill your tanks lads and lasses. Present prices are extortionate but they may well get a hell of a lot worse.
You say that, but...
Part of the reason we are so vulnerable to this crisis is that our incentives for the switch to EVs have been so distorted. Norway registered seven petrol cars last year. Seven.
Seven in January 2026, suppressed because of a tax hike that just came into force. Still, your point stands, EVs account for 95% of sales generally.
BREAKING: The US and Israel are preparing for a significant expansion of the war with Iran as Trump intends to take control of the Strait of Hormuz in a weeks-long operation, according to Israeli sources - Kann
If this happens my forecast of a modest recession is going to need to be upgraded.
I think we're about four weeks away from a depression.
At work we've already made contingencies for a full scale WFH within weeks, like March 2020.
Fill your tanks lads and lasses. Present prices are extortionate but they may well get a hell of a lot worse.
You say that, but...
Part of the reason we are so vulnerable to this crisis is that our incentives for the switch to EVs have been so distorted. Norway registered seven petrol cars last year. Seven.
While US automakers have moved away from EV, BYD have just unveiled a 600 mille range model that charges in 5 min.
BREAKING: The US and Israel are preparing for a significant expansion of the war with Iran as Trump intends to take control of the Strait of Hormuz in a weeks-long operation, according to Israeli sources - Kann
If this happens my forecast of a modest recession is going to need to be upgraded.
I think we're about four weeks away from a depression.
At work we've already made contingencies for a full scale WFH within weeks, like March 2020.
Fill your tanks lads and lasses. Present prices are extortionate but they may well get a hell of a lot worse.
You say that, but...
Part of the reason we are so vulnerable to this crisis is that our incentives for the switch to EVs have been so distorted. Norway registered seven petrol cars last year. Seven.
That chart is quite compatible with fuel prices being extortionate.
Our price is mostly tax, which does not go on the roads. It is extortionate.
Comments
There's plenty of evidence of Prime Ministers getting rid of Chancellors and carrying on - MacMillan sacked Selwyn Lloyd, Thatcher got rid of both Howe and Lawson. Major sacked Lamont and that's before we get to more recent times.
Unless you have a technocratic Chancellor, the occupant of No.11 will always be seen as a potential rival or alternative to the resident of No.10 so the tension will always exist however superficially friendly the outward relationship may appear - I'm sure the relationships between Blair and Brown and in their turn Cameron and Osborne suffered because of this.
Alien versus Predator, I'm afraid...
Everyone from all wings in the Labour Party is now just counting down to the day after the May election catastrophe, after which the real action will start, and Starmer won't be in a position to conduct any reshuffle.
https://edition.cnn.com/2026/03/20/politics/donald-trump-supporters-iran-war
Unless it is that circularity that 100% of supporters of the war support the war.
There’s no beginning to their intelligence
Our very expensive deployment of a few jets isn't very effective on those numbers. Most of our Typhoons have old radars not great at this job, and we don't have AEW.
We'd be better spending the money on more GBAD.
British politics in a nutshell, by @mrianleslie ian-leslie.com/p/against-intr…
I’m quite confident Sir Keir will outlast May.
And we keep falling for it. Every single time.
Would you say Britain killed a million civilians by invading Iraq?
That's why it's relatable.
Hang your fucking head in shame.
It’s actually quite a sad film when you think about the evolution of the characters, youth to age, superiority to being broken, useful to mocked as useless.
As you have agreed believe that it's a "fairly safe assumption" that Cicero's comments are pompous, I ask again, what makes you say this? I just don't see it
Israel's appallingly complacent border security let the terrorists in - it should have toughened up there, rather than gone in killing tens of thousands in exchange for the thousand or so dead, while negotiating for the release of the hostages.
Of course that would have needed saintly levels of self-restraint, and a PM who didn't need a war for his own political survival, so it was never going to happen. But just because something was never going to happen doesn't mean it shouldn't have. But invading Gaza only turned world opinion against Israel, while creating tens of thousands more recruits for Hamas, so even in its own terms it was totally self-defeating in the long-run.
What Hamas did was absolutely appalling and unforgivable.
However if you want to stop Hamas and people joining it the Israelis have taken an extremely odd approach.
Trump secretly hates himself.
Just asking....
I want him to have already quit. However I honestly cannot see how any of the alternatives will do any better.
Not got any faith in Burnham but I respect he’s got something. But he becomes an MP how?
America buying Iranian oil is not an advisable way of doing that.
In 2024, they rolled around in it.
(It's impossible I think to imagine Olivier, who was first choice for the role, producing so human a performance
He won’t be challenged at all. And he’ll quit of his own accord in 2027/2028.
But if he is challenged, he will quit.
https://x.com/KDilanianMSNOW/status/2035403797925605435
Thatcher - out less than three months after Lawson resigning (Howe was a different case as he was moved to another role which he wanted more).
Major I will give you but his authority never recovered.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYztGsd1ezs
Perhaps the sensible approach would have been to draw out the Greenland debacle for as long as possible, ideally until he died/got removed from office. Grim for the Danes and Greenlanders but a necessary sacrifice to prevent him moving onto something more drastic.
The same goes for the current crisis. PB can descend into hysterics sometimes but I think there is something in him using nuclear weapons - perhaps a small, tactical one - if the "ratings" start to decline. In his first term there was a minor scuffle with North Korea; I wouldn't be surprised if that gets a re-make.
As I said to his daughter “that was the measure of the man”.
Trump’s comments equally and simply show the measure of the man.
BREAKING: The US and Israel are preparing for a significant expansion of the war with Iran as Trump intends to take control of the Strait of Hormuz in a weeks-long operation, according to Israeli sources - Kann
I abhore people like Donald Trump, but I can find plenty of time for people like Robert Mueller whose politics might be different from mine but demonstrate they they are fundamentally a decent person.
At work we've already made contingencies for a full scale WFH within weeks, like March 2020.
Really?
No
Mossad and Netanyahu knew it was coming, they let it happen.
The poor victims were collateral damage.
They gave him the war he wanted and needed
Best thing you can invest in right now is a solar panel and a battery.
Part of the reason we are so vulnerable to this crisis is that our incentives for the switch to EVs have been so distorted. Norway registered seven petrol cars last year. Seven.
He was: "A button-down, lockjawed, rock-ribbed exemplar of a vanishing caste, the liberal Republican"
says NY Times.
"The president on Saturday wrote on Truth Social: "I'm glad he's dead. He can no longer hurt innocent people!""
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8dlj6gv0q6o
The Guardian today reports ministerial 'despair' is a report of extraordinary gloom. Unless a new PM is going to be a good deal cleverer than the current one, it is not a good time to change. He is the least worst of a bad bunch. The better news is that its Trumpism may see off Farage and Reform as a credible party.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/20/uk-ministers-begin-contingency-planning-amid-fears-for-economic-effects-of-iran-war
Report those who celebrate Charlie Kirk death to employers, Vance says
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn0r5y33pj5o
Our price is mostly tax, which does not go on the roads. It is extortionate.
Iran launches 10mn rial banknote as war triggers dash for cash https://share.google/LVfrAlF5c06BZPJ0Z
How NCP went bust.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgl5rwgr5l2o