Why do politicians do this? I know the public likes punchier politics, they love their leaders to attack their enemies, but even if it was meant to be a light hearted jibe it's at best lame, and at worse pathetic.
(((Dan Hodges))) @DPJHodges · 58m Even by the standards of what we’ve come to expect from Trump and Infantino, this is staggering. Quote Square profile picture The White House @WhiteHouse · 2h USA-USA-USA 🦅 x.com/espn/status/20… Image
John Gustavsson, PhD @JGustavssonPhD I am worried this may stain FIFA's otherwise stellar reputation of honesty and fair conduct.
Those Mexican players who had to give back gifts of watches because of a Fifa Code of Ethics were probably quite taken aback that there was such a thing.
On the red card, it was expressed in such a weird way, if it had just been an overturn situation I don't think there's be much reaction.
Russian hackers have infiltrated the email accounts of UK government officials and overseas Foreign Office staff in a major national security breach. In the sophisticated and ongoing attack – nicknamed FortiBleed by researchers – hackers stole login credentials belonging to government staff, granting unauthorised access to sensitive systems and threatening further infiltration across Whitehall departments.
Reform's Mayoral candidate Sian Astley was featured on an old episode of Property Ladder, which charts her rise from first-time solo renovator to BTL empress. She's a quarrelsome customer, frequently disagreeing with Sarah Beeney, but ultimately emerges as a successful risk-taker.
I am glad Reform didn't waste her on Makerfield. I don't think she'll win the Manchester Mayoralty, but I do think she is probably the best candidate Reform could have selected.
Building up a BTL empire in a time of low interest rates and rising prices doesn't shout 'risk-taking entrepreneur creating value for themselves and the wider community'.
Although tbf it does indicate a good head for money and an ability to organise and negotiate.
She got lucky on her first one because the market rose considerably. But the rest took some balls. I think actually Manchester would be quite well advised to vote for her. An entrepreneurial Mayor like Houchen. Only so far implementing a bus service can take you. But as I've said, I don't think the electoral maths stack up for Reform in Manchester.
Doesn't it take you all the way to Downing St?
But no, not for me. BTL isn't the sort of business I gaze at with admiration and approval etched across my face. In fact if you look carefully you might be able to detect the hint of a scowl.
I know Luckyguy1983 and I come from very different perspectives, but I'm really struggling to see how being a "BTL Empress" is a net positive for a political candidate from any party. By housing tenure Reform voters are primarily council tenants and outright owners, so I guess they aren't exposed to the horrors of the private rental market in the same way Labour and Green voters are.
At best it's neutral - it turns out she's benevolent and tolerant. At worst... well Reform's vetting hasn't been brilliant so far, has it? And they very much against the Renters' Rights Act, despite 4:1 support across the public.
I share Ben Pointer's aversion to casual use of 'parasite' but it's certainly the case that a lot of the money made off residential property effectively comes out of the pockets of the less fortunate.
They go to the one on the right given their direction of travel just like the escalators in the Tube.
There is no bat tunnel. It's a train tunnel. Instead of avoiding ancient woodland as all the guidance says, the child that crayoned the route for HS2 just smashed through an irreplaceable habitat, threatening rare and disappearing protected species. At no stage were bats ever designed to use a tunnel. Quite the opposite.
Reform's Mayoral candidate Sian Astley was featured on an old episode of Property Ladder, which charts her rise from first-time solo renovator to BTL empress. She's a quarrelsome customer, frequently disagreeing with Sarah Beeney, but ultimately emerges as a successful risk-taker.
I am glad Reform didn't waste her on Makerfield. I don't think she'll win the Manchester Mayoralty, but I do think she is probably the best candidate Reform could have selected.
Building up a BTL empire in a time of low interest rates and rising prices doesn't shout 'risk-taking entrepreneur creating value for themselves and the wider community'.
Although tbf it does indicate a good head for money and an ability to organise and negotiate.
She got lucky on her first one because the market rose considerably. But the rest took some balls. I think actually Manchester would be quite well advised to vote for her. An entrepreneurial Mayor like Houchen. Only so far implementing a bus service can take you. But as I've said, I don't think the electoral maths stack up for Reform in Manchester.
Doesn't it take you all the way to Downing St?
But no, not for me. BTL isn't the sort of business I gaze at with admiration and approval etched across my face. In fact if you look carefully you might be able to detect the hint of a scowl.
I know Luckyguy1983 and I come from very different perspectives, but I'm really struggling to see how being a "BTL Empress" is a net positive for a political candidate from any party. By housing tenure Reform voters are primarily council tenants and outright owners, so I guess they aren't exposed to the horrors of the private rental market in the same way Labour and Green voters are.
At best it's neutral - it turns out she's benevolent and tolerant. At worst... well Reform's vetting hasn't been brilliant so far, has it? And they very much against the Renters' Rights Act, despite 4:1 support across the public.
I share Ben Pointer's aversion to casual use of 'parasite' but it's certainly the case that a lot of the money made off residential property effectively comes out of the pockets of the less fortunate.
If these are low value properites as is typical with BTL, quite a lot of rent comes out of your and my taxes in the form of housing benefit or UC housing element.
Russian hackers have infiltrated the email accounts of UK government officials and overseas Foreign Office staff in a major national security breach. In the sophisticated and ongoing attack – nicknamed FortiBleed by researchers – hackers stole login credentials belonging to government staff, granting unauthorised access to sensitive systems and threatening further infiltration across Whitehall departments.
Team Putin won't even have to make the effort once we have a Reform Government.
It doesn't seem like they're making much effort to do it now. The British State appears to be the world's most expensive joke. Perhaps we should send bad uncle Vlad a thank you note for the heads up.
By the way, I didn't hear much from you about the Russians calling Mandelson a 'privileged contact'.
Russian hackers have infiltrated the email accounts of UK government officials and overseas Foreign Office staff in a major national security breach. In the sophisticated and ongoing attack – nicknamed FortiBleed by researchers – hackers stole login credentials belonging to government staff, granting unauthorised access to sensitive systems and threatening further infiltration across Whitehall departments.
Team Putin won't even have to make the effort once we have a Reform Government.
It doesn't seem like they're making much effort to do it now. The British State appears to be the world's most expensive joke. Perhaps we should send bad uncle Vlad a thank you note for the heads up.
By the way, I didn't hear much from you about the Russians calling Mandelson a 'privileged contact'.
Reform's Mayoral candidate Sian Astley was featured on an old episode of Property Ladder, which charts her rise from first-time solo renovator to BTL empress. She's a quarrelsome customer, frequently disagreeing with Sarah Beeney, but ultimately emerges as a successful risk-taker.
I am glad Reform didn't waste her on Makerfield. I don't think she'll win the Manchester Mayoralty, but I do think she is probably the best candidate Reform could have selected.
Building up a BTL empire in a time of low interest rates and rising prices doesn't shout 'risk-taking entrepreneur creating value for themselves and the wider community'.
Although tbf it does indicate a good head for money and an ability to organise and negotiate.
She got lucky on her first one because the market rose considerably. But the rest took some balls. I think actually Manchester would be quite well advised to vote for her. An entrepreneurial Mayor like Houchen. Only so far implementing a bus service can take you. But as I've said, I don't think the electoral maths stack up for Reform in Manchester.
Doesn't it take you all the way to Downing St?
But no, not for me. BTL isn't the sort of business I gaze at with admiration and approval etched across my face. In fact if you look carefully you might be able to detect the hint of a scowl.
I know Luckyguy1983 and I come from very different perspectives, but I'm really struggling to see how being a "BTL Empress" is a net positive for a political candidate from any party. By housing tenure Reform voters are primarily council tenants and outright owners, so I guess they aren't exposed to the horrors of the private rental market in the same way Labour and Green voters are.
At best it's neutral - it turns out she's benevolent and tolerant. At worst... well Reform's vetting hasn't been brilliant so far, has it? And they very much against the Renters' Rights Act, despite 4:1 support across the public.
Firstly, my description of her as a buy to let empress was a mildly humorous statement of fact, not an expression of breathless admiration.
Secondly, yes it does seem to show our very different perspectives that you consider it a black mark against someone that they made some money, quite legally, by doing up properties and renting them out, which by the way gives her more business experience than the entire parliamentary Labour Party. No doubt you'd consider her far more worthy of municipal office if she'd been an invoice clerk for 30 years.
Reform's Mayoral candidate Sian Astley was featured on an old episode of Property Ladder, which charts her rise from first-time solo renovator to BTL empress. She's a quarrelsome customer, frequently disagreeing with Sarah Beeney, but ultimately emerges as a successful risk-taker.
I am glad Reform didn't waste her on Makerfield. I don't think she'll win the Manchester Mayoralty, but I do think she is probably the best candidate Reform could have selected.
Building up a BTL empire in a time of low interest rates and rising prices doesn't shout 'risk-taking entrepreneur creating value for themselves and the wider community'.
Although tbf it does indicate a good head for money and an ability to organise and negotiate.
She got lucky on her first one because the market rose considerably. But the rest took some balls. I think actually Manchester would be quite well advised to vote for her. An entrepreneurial Mayor like Houchen. Only so far implementing a bus service can take you. But as I've said, I don't think the electoral maths stack up for Reform in Manchester.
Doesn't it take you all the way to Downing St?
But no, not for me. BTL isn't the sort of business I gaze at with admiration and approval etched across my face. In fact if you look carefully you might be able to detect the hint of a scowl.
I know Luckyguy1983 and I come from very different perspectives, but I'm really struggling to see how being a "BTL Empress" is a net positive for a political candidate from any party. By housing tenure Reform voters are primarily council tenants and outright owners, so I guess they aren't exposed to the horrors of the private rental market in the same way Labour and Green voters are.
At best it's neutral - it turns out she's benevolent and tolerant. At worst... well Reform's vetting hasn't been brilliant so far, has it? And they very much against the Renters' Rights Act, despite 4:1 support across the public.
I share Ben Pointer's aversion to casual use of 'parasite' but it's certainly the case that a lot of the money made off residential property effectively comes out of the pockets of the less fortunate.
If these are low value properites as is typical with BTL, quite a lot of rent comes out of your and my taxes in the form of housing benefit or UC housing element.
Yes, probably a better general statement is that it's by and large an activity that produces remuneration without value added - so the profits are extracted rather than earned.
But of course with exceptions. If you build or develop you are adding value. And if you are a pure landlord but do it to a good professional standard at a fair price that is a genuine service.
Reform's Mayoral candidate Sian Astley was featured on an old episode of Property Ladder, which charts her rise from first-time solo renovator to BTL empress. She's a quarrelsome customer, frequently disagreeing with Sarah Beeney, but ultimately emerges as a successful risk-taker.
I am glad Reform didn't waste her on Makerfield. I don't think she'll win the Manchester Mayoralty, but I do think she is probably the best candidate Reform could have selected.
Building up a BTL empire in a time of low interest rates and rising prices doesn't shout 'risk-taking entrepreneur creating value for themselves and the wider community'.
Although tbf it does indicate a good head for money and an ability to organise and negotiate.
She got lucky on her first one because the market rose considerably. But the rest took some balls. I think actually Manchester would be quite well advised to vote for her. An entrepreneurial Mayor like Houchen. Only so far implementing a bus service can take you. But as I've said, I don't think the electoral maths stack up for Reform in Manchester.
Doesn't it take you all the way to Downing St?
But no, not for me. BTL isn't the sort of business I gaze at with admiration and approval etched across my face. In fact if you look carefully you might be able to detect the hint of a scowl.
I know Luckyguy1983 and I come from very different perspectives, but I'm really struggling to see how being a "BTL Empress" is a net positive for a political candidate from any party. By housing tenure Reform voters are primarily council tenants and outright owners, so I guess they aren't exposed to the horrors of the private rental market in the same way Labour and Green voters are.
At best it's neutral - it turns out she's benevolent and tolerant. At worst... well Reform's vetting hasn't been brilliant so far, has it? And they very much against the Renters' Rights Act, despite 4:1 support across the public.
Firstly, my description of her as a buy to let empress was a mildly humorous statement of fact, not an expression of breathless admiration.
Secondly, yes it does seem to show our very different perspectives that you consider it a black mark against someone that they made some money, quite legally, by doing up properties and renting them out, which by the way gives her more business experience than the entire parliamentary Labour Party. No doubt you'd consider her far more worthy of municipal office if she'd been an invoice clerk for 30 years.
As a fellow BTL landlord I couldn't agree more . Though he fact you had to resort to an ad hominem does suggest you are aware of the weakness - I'm afraid you won't be the last person to call her something similar. Slum landlord will be the charge.
I'm interested in why the George Cottrell ("Posh George") reporting is becoming prominent now - as far as I can tell he's a fairly normal minor aristocratic wide boy crook (he has a wire fraud conviction, and interesting questions about things like money laundering from the past, and other interesting questions now). of the sort who would be perhaps knocking around Aspinall's several decades ago.
Russian hackers have infiltrated the email accounts of UK government officials and overseas Foreign Office staff in a major national security breach. In the sophisticated and ongoing attack – nicknamed FortiBleed by researchers – hackers stole login credentials belonging to government staff, granting unauthorised access to sensitive systems and threatening further infiltration across Whitehall departments.
Reform's Mayoral candidate Sian Astley was featured on an old episode of Property Ladder, which charts her rise from first-time solo renovator to BTL empress. She's a quarrelsome customer, frequently disagreeing with Sarah Beeney, but ultimately emerges as a successful risk-taker.
I am glad Reform didn't waste her on Makerfield. I don't think she'll win the Manchester Mayoralty, but I do think she is probably the best candidate Reform could have selected.
Building up a BTL empire in a time of low interest rates and rising prices doesn't shout 'risk-taking entrepreneur creating value for themselves and the wider community'.
Although tbf it does indicate a good head for money and an ability to organise and negotiate.
She got lucky on her first one because the market rose considerably. But the rest took some balls. I think actually Manchester would be quite well advised to vote for her. An entrepreneurial Mayor like Houchen. Only so far implementing a bus service can take you. But as I've said, I don't think the electoral maths stack up for Reform in Manchester.
Doesn't it take you all the way to Downing St?
But no, not for me. BTL isn't the sort of business I gaze at with admiration and approval etched across my face. In fact if you look carefully you might be able to detect the hint of a scowl.
I know Luckyguy1983 and I come from very different perspectives, but I'm really struggling to see how being a "BTL Empress" is a net positive for a political candidate from any party. By housing tenure Reform voters are primarily council tenants and outright owners, so I guess they aren't exposed to the horrors of the private rental market in the same way Labour and Green voters are.
At best it's neutral - it turns out she's benevolent and tolerant. At worst... well Reform's vetting hasn't been brilliant so far, has it? And they very much against the Renters' Rights Act, despite 4:1 support across the public.
I share Ben Pointer's aversion to casual use of 'parasite' but it's certainly the case that a lot of the money made off residential property effectively comes out of the pockets of the less fortunate.
If these are low value properites as is typical with BTL, quite a lot of rent comes out of your and my taxes in the form of housing benefit or UC housing element.
Yes, probably a better general statement is that it's by and large an activity that produces remuneration without value added - so the profits are extracted rather than earned.
But of course with exceptions. If you build or develop you are adding value. And if you are a pure landlord but do it to a good professional standard at a fair price that is a genuine service.
"Empress" is a stretch - she has 17 apartments, which as a business is quite small by "professional landlord" standards.
Cherie Blair had 31 investment properties - which were sold off in 2025.
Seeing trains going through the country? Unthinkable.
I think that's the idea of trainspotting!
Cut and cover? It's not just noise and visual pollution, a motorway, railway or canal is a physical barrier that can only be crossed at bridges or tunnels. My aunt and uncle moved because HS2 was going to slice through all the country lanes and paths near them, my uncle said that a 10 minute drive to see their friends a couple of miles away would become a 30 minute drive to the nearest crossing point.
Reform's Mayoral candidate Sian Astley was featured on an old episode of Property Ladder, which charts her rise from first-time solo renovator to BTL empress. She's a quarrelsome customer, frequently disagreeing with Sarah Beeney, but ultimately emerges as a successful risk-taker.
I am glad Reform didn't waste her on Makerfield. I don't think she'll win the Manchester Mayoralty, but I do think she is probably the best candidate Reform could have selected.
Building up a BTL empire in a time of low interest rates and rising prices doesn't shout 'risk-taking entrepreneur creating value for themselves and the wider community'.
Although tbf it does indicate a good head for money and an ability to organise and negotiate.
She got lucky on her first one because the market rose considerably. But the rest took some balls. I think actually Manchester would be quite well advised to vote for her. An entrepreneurial Mayor like Houchen. Only so far implementing a bus service can take you. But as I've said, I don't think the electoral maths stack up for Reform in Manchester.
Doesn't it take you all the way to Downing St?
But no, not for me. BTL isn't the sort of business I gaze at with admiration and approval etched across my face. In fact if you look carefully you might be able to detect the hint of a scowl.
I know Luckyguy1983 and I come from very different perspectives, but I'm really struggling to see how being a "BTL Empress" is a net positive for a political candidate from any party. By housing tenure Reform voters are primarily council tenants and outright owners, so I guess they aren't exposed to the horrors of the private rental market in the same way Labour and Green voters are.
At best it's neutral - it turns out she's benevolent and tolerant. At worst... well Reform's vetting hasn't been brilliant so far, has it? And they very much against the Renters' Rights Act, despite 4:1 support across the public.
I share Ben Pointer's aversion to casual use of 'parasite' but it's certainly the case that a lot of the money made off residential property effectively comes out of the pockets of the less fortunate.
If these are low value properites as is typical with BTL, quite a lot of rent comes out of your and my taxes in the form of housing benefit or UC housing element.
Yes, probably a better general statement is that it's by and large an activity that produces remuneration without value added - so the profits are extracted rather than earned.
But of course with exceptions. If you build or develop you are adding value. And if you are a pure landlord but do it to a good professional standard at a fair price that is a genuine service.
"Empress" is a stretch - she has 17 apartments, which as a business is quite small by "professional landlord" standards.
Cherie Blair had 31 - which were sold off in 2025.
I'm interested in why the George Cottrell ("Posh George") reporting is becoming prominent now - as far as I can tell he's a fairly normal minor aristocratic wide boy crook (he has a wire fraud conviction, and interesting questions about things like money laundering from the past, and other interesting questions now). of the sort who would be perhaps knocking around Aspinall's several decades ago.
He's been around Farage for years and years.
Is this a Murdoch thing?
If you were feeling conspiratorial then you could make a tenuous case that Farage was needed to undermine and depose Starmer and now he is gone it is time to dispose of Farage. The establishment is Team Burnham of course.
Actually I don't believe a word of it, particularly the establishment bit.
More likely the Times have been working on this for a very long time and finally feel that they have the evidence they need to make the case stick. Coming after the £5 million bung is an added bonus as they don't need to develop the narrative, just add fuel.
This is one bit of the rebellion MAGA have trouble recalling.
A good day to remember one of the Declaration's indictments against George III was, "He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither" https://x.com/BretDevereaux/status/2073438573966057819
Has the Overton Window moved a little if the Sunday Times can be described as "lefty"?
Asking for a friend.
I think in that case Overton's fall out of the window a la Putin's Russia.
Previously, stories in the Guardian concerning how the situation has developed not necessarily to Starmer's advantage, were described as extreme right propaganda.
I think the Overton window runs on rails - some kind of Victorian ironwork, with small wheels that squeak, if not oiled?
Russian hackers have infiltrated the email accounts of UK government officials and overseas Foreign Office staff in a major national security breach. In the sophisticated and ongoing attack – nicknamed FortiBleed by researchers – hackers stole login credentials belonging to government staff, granting unauthorised access to sensitive systems and threatening further infiltration across Whitehall departments.
Reform's Mayoral candidate Sian Astley was featured on an old episode of Property Ladder, which charts her rise from first-time solo renovator to BTL empress. She's a quarrelsome customer, frequently disagreeing with Sarah Beeney, but ultimately emerges as a successful risk-taker.
I am glad Reform didn't waste her on Makerfield. I don't think she'll win the Manchester Mayoralty, but I do think she is probably the best candidate Reform could have selected.
Building up a BTL empire in a time of low interest rates and rising prices doesn't shout 'risk-taking entrepreneur creating value for themselves and the wider community'.
Although tbf it does indicate a good head for money and an ability to organise and negotiate.
She got lucky on her first one because the market rose considerably. But the rest took some balls. I think actually Manchester would be quite well advised to vote for her. An entrepreneurial Mayor like Houchen. Only so far implementing a bus service can take you. But as I've said, I don't think the electoral maths stack up for Reform in Manchester.
Doesn't it take you all the way to Downing St?
But no, not for me. BTL isn't the sort of business I gaze at with admiration and approval etched across my face. In fact if you look carefully you might be able to detect the hint of a scowl.
I know Luckyguy1983 and I come from very different perspectives, but I'm really struggling to see how being a "BTL Empress" is a net positive for a political candidate from any party. By housing tenure Reform voters are primarily council tenants and outright owners, so I guess they aren't exposed to the horrors of the private rental market in the same way Labour and Green voters are.
At best it's neutral - it turns out she's benevolent and tolerant. At worst... well Reform's vetting hasn't been brilliant so far, has it? And they very much against the Renters' Rights Act, despite 4:1 support across the public.
Firstly, my description of her as a buy to let empress was a mildly humorous statement of fact, not an expression of breathless admiration.
Secondly, yes it does seem to show our very different perspectives that you consider it a black mark against someone that they made some money, quite legally, by doing up properties and renting them out, which by the way gives her more business experience than the entire parliamentary Labour Party. No doubt you'd consider her far more worthy of municipal office if she'd been an invoice clerk for 30 years.
As a fellow BTL landlord I couldn't agree more . Though he fact you had to resort to an ad hominem does suggest you are aware of the weakness - I'm afraid you won't be the last person to call her something similar. Slum landlord will be the charge.
I'm interested in why the George Cottrell ("Posh George") reporting is becoming prominent now - as far as I can tell he's a fairly normal minor aristocratic wide boy crook (he has a wire fraud conviction, and interesting questions about things like money laundering from the past, and other interesting questions now). of the sort who would be perhaps knocking around Aspinall's several decades ago.
He's been around Farage for years and years.
Is this a Murdoch thing?
My understanding is that somebody very close to Nigel Farage has gone rogue.
Some of the information coming out can only be known by a handful of people.
The George Cottrell links have been known for years but only last night did we get the gory details.
Also remember Cottrell used Carter Ruck to silence some of this stuff which turns out to be true.
I'm interested in why the George Cottrell ("Posh George") reporting is becoming prominent now - as far as I can tell he's a fairly normal minor aristocratic wide boy crook (he has a wire fraud conviction, and interesting questions about things like money laundering from the past, and other interesting questions now). of the sort who would be perhaps knocking around Aspinall's several decades ago.
He's been around Farage for years and years.
Is this a Murdoch thing?
My understanding is that somebody very close to Nigel Farage has gone rogue.
Some of the information coming out can only be known by a handful of people.
The George Cottrell links have been known for years but only last night did we get the gory details.
Also remember Cottrell used Carter Ruck to silence some of this stuff which turns out to be true.
It reminds me a bit about Big Ange. The number of people who knew the whole jigsaw must be very small. But every few days a new breadcrumb was dropped.
I'm interested in why the George Cottrell ("Posh George") reporting is becoming prominent now - as far as I can tell he's a fairly normal minor aristocratic wide boy crook (he has a wire fraud conviction, and interesting questions about things like money laundering from the past, and other interesting questions now). of the sort who would be perhaps knocking around Aspinall's several decades ago.
He's been around Farage for years and years.
Is this a Murdoch thing?
My understanding is that somebody very close to Nigel Farage has gone rogue.
Some of the information coming out can only be known by a handful of people.
The George Cottrell links have been known for years but only last night did we get the gory details.
Also remember Cottrell used Carter Ruck to silence some of this stuff which turns out to be true.
It reminds me a bit about Big Ange. The number of people who knew the whole jigsaw must be very small. But every few days a new breadcrumb was dropped just in the right direction. And soon as Big Ange came up with an excuse, another bit of very confidental info got into the medias hands which moved the story on again.
Reform's Mayoral candidate Sian Astley was featured on an old episode of Property Ladder, which charts her rise from first-time solo renovator to BTL empress. She's a quarrelsome customer, frequently disagreeing with Sarah Beeney, but ultimately emerges as a successful risk-taker.
I am glad Reform didn't waste her on Makerfield. I don't think she'll win the Manchester Mayoralty, but I do think she is probably the best candidate Reform could have selected.
Building up a BTL empire in a time of low interest rates and rising prices doesn't shout 'risk-taking entrepreneur creating value for themselves and the wider community'.
Although tbf it does indicate a good head for money and an ability to organise and negotiate.
She got lucky on her first one because the market rose considerably. But the rest took some balls. I think actually Manchester would be quite well advised to vote for her. An entrepreneurial Mayor like Houchen. Only so far implementing a bus service can take you. But as I've said, I don't think the electoral maths stack up for Reform in Manchester.
If by "entrepreneurial" you mean throwing large sums of public money at private companies with no transparency, accountability, business plan or apparent return on investment of any kind, I agree, Houchen is indeed entrepreneurial.
There has been a significant return for the people who now own 90% of Teesworks - about half a billion so far...
The papers will be looking at Manchester now to check how far Burnham's miracle was simply funnelling money from George Osborne to one particular developer, Renaker. Here's the local rag from a couple of weeks ago:-
The court battle over £1billion and how Manchester missed out on affordable housing It could have major implications for Andy Burnham's office and Manchester's biggest developer
It’s a simple fact that Renaker has shaped Manchester’s skyline.
Great Jackson Street, next to Mancunian Way, is home to seven Renaker-built skyscrapers, and five more have planning permission. Four more are eyed for Trinity Islands, next to Regent Road.
But how Renaker managed to shape the city is now subject to an ongoing legal battle.
Andy Burnham has been accused of loaning hundreds of millions of pounds to the developer amid claims his office holds a 'cosy relationship' with its owner, Daren Whitaker.
His firm has received £615m from the Greater Manchester Housing Investment Loans Fund (GMHILF). That's around half of the total lending from the fund set up in 2015 to finance housing projects.
I'm interested in why the George Cottrell ("Posh George") reporting is becoming prominent now - as far as I can tell he's a fairly normal minor aristocratic wide boy crook (he has a wire fraud conviction, and interesting questions about things like money laundering from the past, and other interesting questions now). of the sort who would be perhaps knocking around Aspinall's several decades ago.
He's been around Farage for years and years.
Is this a Murdoch thing?
My understanding is that somebody very close to Nigel Farage has gone rogue.
Some of the information coming out can only be known by a handful of people.
The George Cottrell links have been known for years but only last night did we get the gory details.
Also remember Cottrell used Carter Ruck to silence some of this stuff which turns out to be true.
It reminds me a bit about Big Ange. The number of people who knew the whole jigsaw must be very small. But every few days a new breadcrumb was dropped just in the right direction. And soon as Big Ange came up with an excuse, another bit of very confidental info got into the medias hands which moved the story on again.
The other factor was the Coutts fuckup. Where the head of Coutts lost a truth telling contest with Nigel Fucking Farage.
Without giving away privileged information, it was Coutts that fucked up and quite spectacularly. They settled with Farage by giving him a large sum of money.
This made publishing anything on Farage’s finances subject to lots of lawyers. No editor wanted to be the next one writing a cheque to Farage.
I'm interested in why the George Cottrell ("Posh George") reporting is becoming prominent now - as far as I can tell he's a fairly normal minor aristocratic wide boy crook (he has a wire fraud conviction, and interesting questions about things like money laundering from the past, and other interesting questions now). of the sort who would be perhaps knocking around Aspinall's several decades ago.
He's been around Farage for years and years.
Is this a Murdoch thing?
If you were feeling conspiratorial then you could make a tenuous case that Farage was needed to undermine and depose Starmer and now he is gone it is time to dispose of Farage. The establishment is Team Burnham of course.
Actually I don't believe a word of it, particularly the establishment bit.
More likely the Times have been working on this for a very long time and finally feel that they have the evidence they need to make the case stick. Coming after the £5 million bung is an added bonus as they don't need to develop the narrative, just add fuel.
We should remember that The Times has not been an authentically right wing paper for quite some time, because that's not what News Corp is these days. Occasionally I pass the time listening to Times Radio, and the excitement over Burnham seems palpable. I feel the editorial line is pro-Labour with a modicum of toleration for the Finkelsteinite left of the Tory Party. Reform are largely detested.
Russian hackers have infiltrated the email accounts of UK government officials and overseas Foreign Office staff in a major national security breach. In the sophisticated and ongoing attack – nicknamed FortiBleed by researchers – hackers stole login credentials belonging to government staff, granting unauthorised access to sensitive systems and threatening further infiltration across Whitehall departments.
Team Putin won't even have to make the effort once we have a Reform Government.
It doesn't seem like they're making much effort to do it now. The British State appears to be the world's most expensive joke. Perhaps we should send bad uncle Vlad a thank you note for the heads up.
By the way, I didn't hear much from you about the Russians calling Mandelson a 'privileged contact'.
That would be the Mandelson who was at the very heart of the Starmer project. Doesn't fit the narrative I suppose.
Mandelson was an 'it takes a friend of Epstein to catch a friend of Epstein" risk from Starmer which blew up in his face. Don't forget commentators like Michael Gove thought it was a work of genius.
Personally I thought it was a bad idea. Much like I consider Farage claiming Putin to be a "very impressive" political operative to be a bad idea.
I'm interested in why the George Cottrell ("Posh George") reporting is becoming prominent now - as far as I can tell he's a fairly normal minor aristocratic wide boy crook (he has a wire fraud conviction, and interesting questions about things like money laundering from the past, and other interesting questions now). of the sort who would be perhaps knocking around Aspinall's several decades ago.
He's been around Farage for years and years.
Is this a Murdoch thing?
My understanding is that somebody very close to Nigel Farage has gone rogue.
Some of the information coming out can only be known by a handful of people.
The George Cottrell links have been known for years but only last night did we get the gory details.
Also remember Cottrell used Carter Ruck to silence some of this stuff which turns out to be true.
Sorry to be a bit negative but I do think some of the things on your list should be pursued. And appreciate you putting some meat on your initial thought.
They should all be implemented forthwith. The alternative is an ever-growing tax burden and an ever-shrinking private sector. Happy to hear any realistic proposals from you for avoiding that.
I do though wish you wouldn't use "freeloaders and parasites" to describe people, the vast majority of whom are nothing more than deeply unfortunate. Then again some of your savings ideas are directed at pensioners; are pensioners 'freeloaders and parasites'?
Yes if they haven't contributed enough in their working life to fund their pensions. That's the definition of a freeloader - somebody who takes out more than they contribute.
I know the truth can hurt. But read George Orwell on the distorting effects of inaccurate language on debate.
I'm interested in why the George Cottrell ("Posh George") reporting is becoming prominent now - as far as I can tell he's a fairly normal minor aristocratic wide boy crook (he has a wire fraud conviction, and interesting questions about things like money laundering from the past, and other interesting questions now). of the sort who would be perhaps knocking around Aspinall's several decades ago.
He's been around Farage for years and years.
Is this a Murdoch thing?
My understanding is that somebody very close to Nigel Farage has gone rogue.
Some of the information coming out can only be known by a handful of people.
The George Cottrell links have been known for years but only last night did we get the gory details.
Also remember Cottrell used Carter Ruck to silence some of this stuff which turns out to be true.
I'm interested in why the George Cottrell ("Posh George") reporting is becoming prominent now - as far as I can tell he's a fairly normal minor aristocratic wide boy crook (he has a wire fraud conviction, and interesting questions about things like money laundering from the past, and other interesting questions now). of the sort who would be perhaps knocking around Aspinall's several decades ago.
He's been around Farage for years and years.
Is this a Murdoch thing?
If you were feeling conspiratorial then you could make a tenuous case that Farage was needed to undermine and depose Starmer and now he is gone it is time to dispose of Farage. The establishment is Team Burnham of course.
Actually I don't believe a word of it, particularly the establishment bit.
More likely the Times have been working on this for a very long time and finally feel that they have the evidence they need to make the case stick. Coming after the £5 million bung is an added bonus as they don't need to develop the narrative, just add fuel.
I don't have a pass key to the Times paywall.
But George Cottrell was a Farage aid in old UKIP back before Farage left it, at which point he was still in his teens. And he has been covered in Reform-skeptic circles for more than a year this time around.
The most interesting one for PBers is perhaps his alleged working with a betting syndicate, and then copying their bets in his own name to make money on his own book, which to my eye would be very edgy indeed.
There's also mucho money around (brought up on Mustique) a bit of hokey-pokey - mum is an "Honourable" who is a former GF of Charles, when he was a Prince, and donated £750k to Ref UK.
And interesting commentary around the Cons wanting a Byelection in Clacton !
Sorry to be a bit negative but I do think some of the things on your list should be pursued. And appreciate you putting some meat on your initial thought.
They should all be implemented forthwith. The alternative is an ever-growing tax burden and an ever-shrinking private sector. Happy to hear any realistic proposals from you for avoiding that.
I do though wish you wouldn't use "freeloaders and parasites" to describe people, the vast majority of whom are nothing more than deeply unfortunate. Then again some of your savings ideas are directed at pensioners; are pensioners 'freeloaders and parasites'?
Yes if they haven't contributed enough in their working life to fund their pensions. That's the definition of a freeloader - somebody who takes out more than they contribute.
I know the truth can hurt. But read George Orwell on the distorting effects of inaccurate language on debate.
I think that's less than 10% of all current pensioners. Possibly less than 5%. Not going to fly politically, but I respect your position - it's unusual for someone to apply this kind of thinking fairly across the population.
The disability benefit reforms you propose would hit men aged 50+ the hardest, being those most likely to be on them for a substantial period of time. Again, brave. Public sector pensions is the most attractive, but the sob stories from nurses and fire fighters...
I'm interested in why the George Cottrell ("Posh George") reporting is becoming prominent now - as far as I can tell he's a fairly normal minor aristocratic wide boy crook (he has a wire fraud conviction, and interesting questions about things like money laundering from the past, and other interesting questions now). of the sort who would be perhaps knocking around Aspinall's several decades ago.
He's been around Farage for years and years.
Is this a Murdoch thing?
If you were feeling conspiratorial then you could make a tenuous case that Farage was needed to undermine and depose Starmer and now he is gone it is time to dispose of Farage. The establishment is Team Burnham of course.
Actually I don't believe a word of it, particularly the establishment bit.
More likely the Times have been working on this for a very long time and finally feel that they have the evidence they need to make the case stick. Coming after the £5 million bung is an added bonus as they don't need to develop the narrative, just add fuel.
We should remember that The Times has not been an authentically right wing paper for quite some time, because that's not what News Corp is these days. Occasionally I pass the time listening to Times Radio, and the excitement over Burnham seems palpable. I feel the editorial line is pro-Labour with a modicum of toleration for the Finkelsteinite left of the Tory Party. Reform are largely detested.
oh yes, the Times that supported the conservative party at the 2010, 2015, 2017 and 2019 general elections is not an authentically right wing paper
I'm interested in why the George Cottrell ("Posh George") reporting is becoming prominent now - as far as I can tell he's a fairly normal minor aristocratic wide boy crook (he has a wire fraud conviction, and interesting questions about things like money laundering from the past, and other interesting questions now). of the sort who would be perhaps knocking around Aspinall's several decades ago.
He's been around Farage for years and years.
Is this a Murdoch thing?
If you were feeling conspiratorial then you could make a tenuous case that Farage was needed to undermine and depose Starmer and now he is gone it is time to dispose of Farage. The establishment is Team Burnham of course.
Actually I don't believe a word of it, particularly the establishment bit.
More likely the Times have been working on this for a very long time and finally feel that they have the evidence they need to make the case stick. Coming after the £5 million bung is an added bonus as they don't need to develop the narrative, just add fuel.
We should remember that The Times has not been an authentically right wing paper for quite some time, because that's not what News Corp is these days. Occasionally I pass the time listening to Times Radio, and the excitement over Burnham seems palpable. I feel the editorial line is pro-Labour with a modicum of toleration for the Finkelsteinite left of the Tory Party. Reform are largely detested.
oh yes, the Times that supported the conservative party at the 2010, 2015, 2017 and 2019 general elections is not an authentically right wing paper
LuckyGuy's never forgiven The Times for backing Sunak over Truss in 2022.
Russian hackers have infiltrated the email accounts of UK government officials and overseas Foreign Office staff in a major national security breach. In the sophisticated and ongoing attack – nicknamed FortiBleed by researchers – hackers stole login credentials belonging to government staff, granting unauthorised access to sensitive systems and threatening further infiltration across Whitehall departments.
Team Putin won't even have to make the effort once we have a Reform Government.
It doesn't seem like they're making much effort to do it now. The British State appears to be the world's most expensive joke. Perhaps we should send bad uncle Vlad a thank you note for the heads up.
By the way, I didn't hear much from you about the Russians calling Mandelson a 'privileged contact'.
That would be the Mandelson who was at the very heart of the Starmer project. Doesn't fit the narrative I suppose.
Too late to edit my response to your post so I will add some more old bollocks in defence of my position which you have called out.
I have been consistent re: Starmer and Mandelson. It was probably a good idea until it wasn't, and the moment it wasn't I called for Starmer to fall on his sword in the nicest possible way. I was less polite when Starmer sacked Robbins over the same matter. Check my posts. I called it for what it was, an outrage.
Anyway, how is that Liz Truss post-premiership working out?
Russian hackers have infiltrated the email accounts of UK government officials and overseas Foreign Office staff in a major national security breach. In the sophisticated and ongoing attack – nicknamed FortiBleed by researchers – hackers stole login credentials belonging to government staff, granting unauthorised access to sensitive systems and threatening further infiltration across Whitehall departments.
Team Putin won't even have to make the effort once we have a Reform Government.
It doesn't seem like they're making much effort to do it now. The British State appears to be the world's most expensive joke. Perhaps we should send bad uncle Vlad a thank you note for the heads up.
By the way, I didn't hear much from you about the Russians calling Mandelson a 'privileged contact'.
That would be the Mandelson who was at the very heart of the Starmer project. Doesn't fit the narrative I suppose.
Too late to edit my response to your post so I will add some more old bollocks in defence of my position which you have called out.
I have been consistent re: Starmer and Mandelson. It was probably a good idea until it wasn't, and the moment it wasn't I called for Starmer to fall on his sword in the nicest possible way. I was less polite when Starmer sacked Robbins over the same matter. Check my posts. I called it for what it was, an outrage.
Anyway, how is that Liz Truss post-premiership working out?
Mandelbrot was never a good idea. Every time he was in government he ended up resigning over money and influence with increasingly dodgy characters.
In his extended stay outside government he founded a lobbying firm that went ever deeper into the cash and influence thing.
Then, when he was brought back…
"Insanity is repeating the same mistakes and expecting different results."
I'm interested in why the George Cottrell ("Posh George") reporting is becoming prominent now - as far as I can tell he's a fairly normal minor aristocratic wide boy crook (he has a wire fraud conviction, and interesting questions about things like money laundering from the past, and other interesting questions now). of the sort who would be perhaps knocking around Aspinall's several decades ago.
He's been around Farage for years and years.
Is this a Murdoch thing?
If you were feeling conspiratorial then you could make a tenuous case that Farage was needed to undermine and depose Starmer and now he is gone it is time to dispose of Farage. The establishment is Team Burnham of course.
Actually I don't believe a word of it, particularly the establishment bit.
More likely the Times have been working on this for a very long time and finally feel that they have the evidence they need to make the case stick. Coming after the £5 million bung is an added bonus as they don't need to develop the narrative, just add fuel.
We should remember that The Times has not been an authentically right wing paper for quite some time, because that's not what News Corp is these days. Occasionally I pass the time listening to Times Radio, and the excitement over Burnham seems palpable. I feel the editorial line is pro-Labour with a modicum of toleration for the Finkelsteinite left of the Tory Party. Reform are largely detested.
The Times editorial line is clearly and consistently right of centre. You must be reading an imposter.
Sorry to be a bit negative but I do think some of the things on your list should be pursued. And appreciate you putting some meat on your initial thought.
They should all be implemented forthwith. The alternative is an ever-growing tax burden and an ever-shrinking private sector. Happy to hear any realistic proposals from you for avoiding that.
I do though wish you wouldn't use "freeloaders and parasites" to describe people, the vast majority of whom are nothing more than deeply unfortunate. Then again some of your savings ideas are directed at pensioners; are pensioners 'freeloaders and parasites'?
Yes if they haven't contributed enough in their working life to fund their pensions. That's the definition of a freeloader - somebody who takes out more than they contribute.
I know the truth can hurt. But read George Orwell on the distorting effects of inaccurate language on debate.
I think that's less than 10% of all current pensioners. Possibly less than 5%. Not going to fly politically, but I respect your position - it's unusual for someone to apply this kind of thinking fairly across the population.
The disability benefit reforms you propose would hit men aged 50+ the hardest, being those most likely to be on them for a substantial period of time. Again, brave. Public sector pensions is the most attractive, but the sob stories from nurses and fire fighters...
If they haven't contributed enough in their life they get smaller State Pensions already, don't they?
I'm interested in why the George Cottrell ("Posh George") reporting is becoming prominent now - as far as I can tell he's a fairly normal minor aristocratic wide boy crook (he has a wire fraud conviction, and interesting questions about things like money laundering from the past, and other interesting questions now). of the sort who would be perhaps knocking around Aspinall's several decades ago.
He's been around Farage for years and years.
Is this a Murdoch thing?
If you were feeling conspiratorial then you could make a tenuous case that Farage was needed to undermine and depose Starmer and now he is gone it is time to dispose of Farage. The establishment is Team Burnham of course.
Actually I don't believe a word of it, particularly the establishment bit.
More likely the Times have been working on this for a very long time and finally feel that they have the evidence they need to make the case stick. Coming after the £5 million bung is an added bonus as they don't need to develop the narrative, just add fuel.
We should remember that The Times has not been an authentically right wing paper for quite some time, because that's not what News Corp is these days. Occasionally I pass the time listening to Times Radio, and the excitement over Burnham seems palpable. I feel the editorial line is pro-Labour with a modicum of toleration for the Finkelsteinite left of the Tory Party. Reform are largely detested.
The Times editorial line is clearly and consistently right of centre. You must be reading an imposter.
Remember, there are people for whom the Guardian is a hard right paper.
I'm interested in why the George Cottrell ("Posh George") reporting is becoming prominent now - as far as I can tell he's a fairly normal minor aristocratic wide boy crook (he has a wire fraud conviction, and interesting questions about things like money laundering from the past, and other interesting questions now). of the sort who would be perhaps knocking around Aspinall's several decades ago.
He's been around Farage for years and years.
Is this a Murdoch thing?
If you were feeling conspiratorial then you could make a tenuous case that Farage was needed to undermine and depose Starmer and now he is gone it is time to dispose of Farage. The establishment is Team Burnham of course.
Actually I don't believe a word of it, particularly the establishment bit.
More likely the Times have been working on this for a very long time and finally feel that they have the evidence they need to make the case stick. Coming after the £5 million bung is an added bonus as they don't need to develop the narrative, just add fuel.
We should remember that The Times has not been an authentically right wing paper for quite some time, because that's not what News Corp is these days. Occasionally I pass the time listening to Times Radio, and the excitement over Burnham seems palpable. I feel the editorial line is pro-Labour with a modicum of toleration for the Finkelsteinite left of the Tory Party. Reform are largely detested.
The Times editorial line is clearly and consistently right of centre. You must be reading an imposter.
Remember, there are people for whom the Guardian is a hard right paper.
Home of the TERFs, The Guardian, according to some.
I'm interested in why the George Cottrell ("Posh George") reporting is becoming prominent now - as far as I can tell he's a fairly normal minor aristocratic wide boy crook (he has a wire fraud conviction, and interesting questions about things like money laundering from the past, and other interesting questions now). of the sort who would be perhaps knocking around Aspinall's several decades ago.
He's been around Farage for years and years.
Is this a Murdoch thing?
If you were feeling conspiratorial then you could make a tenuous case that Farage was needed to undermine and depose Starmer and now he is gone it is time to dispose of Farage. The establishment is Team Burnham of course.
Actually I don't believe a word of it, particularly the establishment bit.
More likely the Times have been working on this for a very long time and finally feel that they have the evidence they need to make the case stick. Coming after the £5 million bung is an added bonus as they don't need to develop the narrative, just add fuel.
We should remember that The Times has not been an authentically right wing paper for quite some time, because that's not what News Corp is these days. Occasionally I pass the time listening to Times Radio, and the excitement over Burnham seems palpable. I feel the editorial line is pro-Labour with a modicum of toleration for the Finkelsteinite left of the Tory Party. Reform are largely detested.
The Times editorial line is clearly and consistently right of centre. You must be reading an imposter.
Remember, there are people for whom the Guardian is a hard right paper.
Home of the TERFs, The Guardian, according to some.
Sorry to be a bit negative but I do think some of the things on your list should be pursued. And appreciate you putting some meat on your initial thought.
They should all be implemented forthwith. The alternative is an ever-growing tax burden and an ever-shrinking private sector. Happy to hear any realistic proposals from you for avoiding that.
I do though wish you wouldn't use "freeloaders and parasites" to describe people, the vast majority of whom are nothing more than deeply unfortunate. Then again some of your savings ideas are directed at pensioners; are pensioners 'freeloaders and parasites'?
Yes if they haven't contributed enough in their working life to fund their pensions. That's the definition of a freeloader - somebody who takes out more than they contribute.
I know the truth can hurt. But read George Orwell on the distorting effects of inaccurate language on debate.
I think that's less than 10% of all current pensioners. Possibly less than 5%. Not going to fly politically, but I respect your position - it's unusual for someone to apply this kind of thinking fairly across the population.
The disability benefit reforms you propose would hit men aged 50+ the hardest, being those most likely to be on them for a substantial period of time. Again, brave. Public sector pensions is the most attractive, but the sob stories from nurses and fire fighters...
If they haven't contributed enough in their life they get smaller State Pensions already, don't they?
Pension credit amounts to the same, unless you have a poor NI record but savings over £10k.
I'm interested in why the George Cottrell ("Posh George") reporting is becoming prominent now - as far as I can tell he's a fairly normal minor aristocratic wide boy crook (he has a wire fraud conviction, and interesting questions about things like money laundering from the past, and other interesting questions now). of the sort who would be perhaps knocking around Aspinall's several decades ago.
He's been around Farage for years and years.
Is this a Murdoch thing?
If you were feeling conspiratorial then you could make a tenuous case that Farage was needed to undermine and depose Starmer and now he is gone it is time to dispose of Farage. The establishment is Team Burnham of course.
Actually I don't believe a word of it, particularly the establishment bit.
More likely the Times have been working on this for a very long time and finally feel that they have the evidence they need to make the case stick. Coming after the £5 million bung is an added bonus as they don't need to develop the narrative, just add fuel.
Until the locals, the Conservatives, especially on here didn't know whether they were coming and going. I suspect one or two even considered a dabble with Team Farage. The media were certainly almost on board with Reform (Chris Mason, the Mail, the Telegraph?). After the Conservatives won the locals they all seem to have fallen in behind Team Badenoch, despite in the years leading up to May they were all very unsure of her qualities. Should we depose Kemi and give Jenrick/ Braverman/ Hunt or Stride ( Stride? yes HYUFD, I am looking at you) a whirl?
After the win in May and the look of security for Badenoch in the LOTO role, almost everyone has fallen in behind her. Party, press and PBers (all the Ps). That looks like the Establishment to this outsider.
I'm interested in why the George Cottrell ("Posh George") reporting is becoming prominent now - as far as I can tell he's a fairly normal minor aristocratic wide boy crook (he has a wire fraud conviction, and interesting questions about things like money laundering from the past, and other interesting questions now). of the sort who would be perhaps knocking around Aspinall's several decades ago.
He's been around Farage for years and years.
Is this a Murdoch thing?
If you were feeling conspiratorial then you could make a tenuous case that Farage was needed to undermine and depose Starmer and now he is gone it is time to dispose of Farage. The establishment is Team Burnham of course.
Actually I don't believe a word of it, particularly the establishment bit.
More likely the Times have been working on this for a very long time and finally feel that they have the evidence they need to make the case stick. Coming after the £5 million bung is an added bonus as they don't need to develop the narrative, just add fuel.
We should remember that The Times has not been an authentically right wing paper for quite some time, because that's not what News Corp is these days. Occasionally I pass the time listening to Times Radio, and the excitement over Burnham seems palpable. I feel the editorial line is pro-Labour with a modicum of toleration for the Finkelsteinite left of the Tory Party. Reform are largely detested.
The Times editorial line is clearly and consistently right of centre. You must be reading an imposter.
Remember, there are people for whom the Guardian is a hard right paper.
Home of the TERFs, The Guardian, according to some.
I thought that was Mumsnet?
Oh, they are beyond the pale which is beyond the pale.
My only trans aquaintance (a somewhat noted computer scientist) is posting on bluesky ten times a day about how he is a victim of "apartheid" because of the bathroom issue. Mind you, he was banned from Twitter for calling for the assassination of the prime minister...
I am sorry but the likes of Roy Keane as a pundit needs the same treatment that Botham and Holding got from Sky Sports cricket.
What was the problem with Botham and Holding as cricket commentators?
The game had changed, and not only had they not kept up with the change in tactics, they didn't know the rules or even really know the players. So it resulted in them basically going well what I would do is bowl fast and loads of bouncers. Mike, you aren't allowed to bowl an over of boucners any more...well I still would.....who is this lad coming in to bat...don't know...is he any good...never seen him.
Michael Vaughan and Tuffers are like that on BBC, especially T20. They have the cricket show that is spin-off of the overlap and Alister Cook basically has to tell them you don't really understand modern cricket.
I predict the attempts to bring down Farage in this way will fail, in the same way that similar attempts didn't work with Trump.
The difference with Trump is that the commanding heights of the regulatory and legal system aren’t controlled by Farage & Co.
In addition, the Process State thing is less problematic in the U.K. for political financial matters - Farage can’t hope that the investigation will last four years and not get anywhere.
I would say it very likely he gets suspended and a recall election becomes possible. All the other parties will work hard to get the 10% sign in Clacton. Then there are the legal matters arising from the… interesting funding just revealed.
Sorry to be a bit negative but I do think some of the things on your list should be pursued. And appreciate you putting some meat on your initial thought.
They should all be implemented forthwith. The alternative is an ever-growing tax burden and an ever-shrinking private sector. Happy to hear any realistic proposals from you for avoiding that.
I do though wish you wouldn't use "freeloaders and parasites" to describe people, the vast majority of whom are nothing more than deeply unfortunate. Then again some of your savings ideas are directed at pensioners; are pensioners 'freeloaders and parasites'?
Yes if they haven't contributed enough in their working life to fund their pensions. That's the definition of a freeloader - somebody who takes out more than they contribute.
I know the truth can hurt. But read George Orwell on the distorting effects of inaccurate language on debate.
I think that's less than 10% of all current pensioners. Possibly less than 5%. Not going to fly politically, but I respect your position - it's unusual for someone to apply this kind of thinking fairly across the population.
The disability benefit reforms you propose would hit men aged 50+ the hardest, being those most likely to be on them for a substantial period of time. Again, brave. Public sector pensions is the most attractive, but the sob stories from nurses and fire fighters...
If they haven't contributed enough in their life they get smaller State Pensions already, don't they?
I was taking Fishing to mean from an actuarial basis, not per regulations. Basically the State Pension is so generous very few current pensioners will have paid enough NICs to have been able to replicate it via a private pension.
Sorry to be a bit negative but I do think some of the things on your list should be pursued. And appreciate you putting some meat on your initial thought.
They should all be implemented forthwith. The alternative is an ever-growing tax burden and an ever-shrinking private sector. Happy to hear any realistic proposals from you for avoiding that.
I do though wish you wouldn't use "freeloaders and parasites" to describe people, the vast majority of whom are nothing more than deeply unfortunate. Then again some of your savings ideas are directed at pensioners; are pensioners 'freeloaders and parasites'?
Yes if they haven't contributed enough in their working life to fund their pensions. That's the definition of a freeloader - somebody who takes out more than they contribute.
I know the truth can hurt. But read George Orwell on the distorting effects of inaccurate language on debate.
I think that's less than 10% of all current pensioners. Possibly less than 5%. Not going to fly politically, but I respect your position - it's unusual for someone to apply this kind of thinking fairly across the population.
The disability benefit reforms you propose would hit men aged 50+ the hardest, being those most likely to be on them for a substantial period of time. Again, brave. Public sector pensions is the most attractive, but the sob stories from nurses and fire fighters...
If they haven't contributed enough in their life they get smaller State Pensions already, don't they?
I was taking Fishing to mean from an actuarial basis, not per regulations. Basically the State Pension is so generous very few current pensioners will have paid enough NICs to have been able to replicate it via a private pension.
I'm interested in why the George Cottrell ("Posh George") reporting is becoming prominent now - as far as I can tell he's a fairly normal minor aristocratic wide boy crook (he has a wire fraud conviction, and interesting questions about things like money laundering from the past, and other interesting questions now). of the sort who would be perhaps knocking around Aspinall's several decades ago.
He's been around Farage for years and years.
Is this a Murdoch thing?
If you were feeling conspiratorial then you could make a tenuous case that Farage was needed to undermine and depose Starmer and now he is gone it is time to dispose of Farage. The establishment is Team Burnham of course.
Actually I don't believe a word of it, particularly the establishment bit.
More likely the Times have been working on this for a very long time and finally feel that they have the evidence they need to make the case stick. Coming after the £5 million bung is an added bonus as they don't need to develop the narrative, just add fuel.
We should remember that The Times has not been an authentically right wing paper for quite some time, because that's not what News Corp is these days. Occasionally I pass the time listening to Times Radio, and the excitement over Burnham seems palpable. I feel the editorial line is pro-Labour with a modicum of toleration for the Finkelsteinite left of the Tory Party. Reform are largely detested.
The Times editorial line is clearly and consistently right of centre. You must be reading an imposter.
Remember, there are people for whom the Guardian is a hard right paper.
It's geometry. Where something is depends on where the observer is.
I'm interested in why the George Cottrell ("Posh George") reporting is becoming prominent now - as far as I can tell he's a fairly normal minor aristocratic wide boy crook (he has a wire fraud conviction, and interesting questions about things like money laundering from the past, and other interesting questions now). of the sort who would be perhaps knocking around Aspinall's several decades ago.
He's been around Farage for years and years.
Is this a Murdoch thing?
If you were feeling conspiratorial then you could make a tenuous case that Farage was needed to undermine and depose Starmer and now he is gone it is time to dispose of Farage. The establishment is Team Burnham of course.
Actually I don't believe a word of it, particularly the establishment bit.
More likely the Times have been working on this for a very long time and finally feel that they have the evidence they need to make the case stick. Coming after the £5 million bung is an added bonus as they don't need to develop the narrative, just add fuel.
We should remember that The Times has not been an authentically right wing paper for quite some time, because that's not what News Corp is these days. Occasionally I pass the time listening to Times Radio, and the excitement over Burnham seems palpable. I feel the editorial line is pro-Labour with a modicum of toleration for the Finkelsteinite left of the Tory Party. Reform are largely detested.
The Times editorial line is clearly and consistently right of centre. You must be reading an imposter.
Remember, there are people for whom the Guardian is a hard right paper.
It's geometry. Where something is depends on where the observer is.
I predict the attempts to bring down Farage in this way will fail, in the same way that similar attempts didn't work with Trump.
To misquote what Democratic Senator Lloyd Bentsen said to Republican Senator Dan Quayle during the 1988 Vice Presidential debate. "Sir... I know Donald Trump is a lucky General. Mr Farage, you're no Donald Trump".
I'm interested in why the George Cottrell ("Posh George") reporting is becoming prominent now - as far as I can tell he's a fairly normal minor aristocratic wide boy crook (he has a wire fraud conviction, and interesting questions about things like money laundering from the past, and other interesting questions now). of the sort who would be perhaps knocking around Aspinall's several decades ago.
He's been around Farage for years and years.
Is this a Murdoch thing?
If you were feeling conspiratorial then you could make a tenuous case that Farage was needed to undermine and depose Starmer and now he is gone it is time to dispose of Farage. The establishment is Team Burnham of course.
Actually I don't believe a word of it, particularly the establishment bit.
More likely the Times have been working on this for a very long time and finally feel that they have the evidence they need to make the case stick. Coming after the £5 million bung is an added bonus as they don't need to develop the narrative, just add fuel.
We should remember that The Times has not been an authentically right wing paper for quite some time, because that's not what News Corp is these days. Occasionally I pass the time listening to Times Radio, and the excitement over Burnham seems palpable. I feel the editorial line is pro-Labour with a modicum of toleration for the Finkelsteinite left of the Tory Party. Reform are largely detested.
The Times editorial line is clearly and consistently right of centre. You must be reading an imposter.
Remember, there are people for whom the Guardian is a hard right paper.
They sacked a proper lefty as a columnist and replaced them with Simon Jenkins. Does make them very firmly a centre-left paper, as opposed to anything else, though, as with the BBC, their bias is more to a particular liberal arts culture, rather than a coherent point on the political spectrum.
I am sorry but the likes of Roy Keane as a pundit needs the same treatment that Botham and Holding got from Sky Sports cricket.
What was the problem with Botham and Holding as cricket commentators?
The game had changed, and not only had they not kept up with the change in tactics, they didn't know the rules or even really know the players. So it resulted in them basically going well what I would do is bowl fast and loads of bouncers. Mike, you aren't allowed to bowl an over of boucners any more...well I still would.....who is this lad coming in to bat...don't know...is he any good...never seen him.
Michael Vaughan and Tuffers are like that on BBC, especially T20. They have the cricket show that is spin-off of the overlap and Alister Cook basically has to tell them you don't really understand modern cricket.
Roy Keane is basically like that now.
He was like that in 2020. Tim Cahill had his number:
I am sorry but the likes of Roy Keane as a pundit needs the same treatment that Botham and Holding got from Sky Sports cricket.
What was the problem with Botham and Holding as cricket commentators?
The game had changed, and not only had they not kept up with the change in tactics, they didn't know the rules or even really know the players. So it resulted in them basically going well what I would do is bowl fast and loads of bouncers. Mike, you aren't allowed to bowl an over of boucners any more...well I still would.....who is this lad coming in to bat...don't know...is he any good...never seen him.
Michael Vaughan and Tuffers are like that on BBC, especially T20. They have the cricket show that is spin-off of the overlap and Alister Cook basically has to tell them you don't really understand modern cricket.
Roy Keane is basically like that now.
He was like that in 2020. Tim Cahill had his number:
Sky Sports football needs a clear out like the cricket did. Look at who Sky Sports now have Eion Morgan, Stuart Broad, Kumar Sangakkara, Dinesh Karthik...
In particular Morgan and Kumar I could listen to them talk cricket all day. They know what they are talking about, they have been there and done it, and still very in touch with what the modern tactics and players.
I am sorry but the likes of Roy Keane as a pundit needs the same treatment that Botham and Holding got from Sky Sports cricket.
What was the problem with Botham and Holding as cricket commentators?
Too long out the game.
I think there is a shelf life how long you can be out of the game unless you really work hard keeping up to date and / or can transition to more an anchor role e.g. I think Gower has showed he can do the anchor role on BT Sport (but probably also because BT Sport is bloody awful in general). Atherton has managed to not sound totally out of it, but if you notice they don't have him doing very much T20.
I'm interested in why the George Cottrell ("Posh George") reporting is becoming prominent now - as far as I can tell he's a fairly normal minor aristocratic wide boy crook (he has a wire fraud conviction, and interesting questions about things like money laundering from the past, and other interesting questions now). of the sort who would be perhaps knocking around Aspinall's several decades ago.
He's been around Farage for years and years.
Is this a Murdoch thing?
If you were feeling conspiratorial then you could make a tenuous case that Farage was needed to undermine and depose Starmer and now he is gone it is time to dispose of Farage. The establishment is Team Burnham of course.
Actually I don't believe a word of it, particularly the establishment bit.
More likely the Times have been working on this for a very long time and finally feel that they have the evidence they need to make the case stick. Coming after the £5 million bung is an added bonus as they don't need to develop the narrative, just add fuel.
We should remember that The Times has not been an authentically right wing paper for quite some time, because that's not what News Corp is these days. Occasionally I pass the time listening to Times Radio, and the excitement over Burnham seems palpable. I feel the editorial line is pro-Labour with a modicum of toleration for the Finkelsteinite left of the Tory Party. Reform are largely detested.
The Times editorial line is clearly and consistently right of centre. You must be reading an imposter.
Remember, there are people for whom the Guardian is a hard right paper.
They sacked a proper lefty as a columnist and replaced them with Simon Jenkins. Does make them very firmly a centre-left paper, as opposed to anything else, though, as with the BBC, their bias is more to a particular liberal arts culture, rather than a coherent point on the political spectrum.
The Guardian is disgustingly nepotistic and would ideally like a Lib Dem govt, which makes them centre, probably leaning right. It's also rather stale, Jenkins has stock articles he recycles, Elliott, Pratley, Toynbee have been there for decades. Hyde and Crace are starting to phone it in. It used to have good humourous wring and investigative journalism.
Comments
On the red card, it was expressed in such a weird way, if it had just been an overturn situation I don't think there's be much reaction.
By the way, I didn't hear much from you about the Russians calling Mandelson a 'privileged contact'.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2026/07/01/lord-mandelson-privileged-contact-russian-spies/
That would be the Mandelson who was at the very heart of the Starmer project. Doesn't fit the narrative I suppose.
Secondly, yes it does seem to show our very different perspectives that you consider it a black mark against someone that they made some money, quite legally, by doing up properties and renting them out, which by the way gives her more business experience than the entire parliamentary Labour Party. No doubt you'd consider her far more worthy of municipal office if she'd been an invoice clerk for 30 years.
Someone whose name is literally in not-English is playing the "if it weren't for X, you would all be speaking not-English" card?
Do we all need to just give up now?
But of course with exceptions. If you build or develop you are adding value. And if you are a pure landlord but do it to a good professional standard at a fair price that is a genuine service.
He's been around Farage for years and years.
Is this a Murdoch thing?
Cherie Blair had 31 investment properties - which were sold off in 2025.
Anyone "staggered" by this doesn't follow US politics, and has never heard of FIFA.
It's not just noise and visual pollution, a motorway, railway or canal is a physical barrier that can only be crossed at bridges or tunnels.
My aunt and uncle moved because HS2 was going to slice through all the country lanes and paths near them, my uncle said that a 10 minute drive to see their friends a couple of miles away would become a 30 minute drive to the nearest crossing point.
Actually I don't believe a word of it, particularly the establishment bit.
More likely the Times have been working on this for a very long time and finally feel that they have the evidence they need to make the case stick. Coming after the £5 million bung is an added bonus as they don't need to develop the narrative, just add fuel.
A good day to remember one of the Declaration's indictments against George III was, "He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither"
https://x.com/BretDevereaux/status/2073438573966057819
I think the Overton window runs on rails - some kind of Victorian ironwork, with small wheels that squeak, if not oiled?
Some of the information coming out can only be known by a handful of people.
The George Cottrell links have been known for years but only last night did we get the gory details.
Also remember Cottrell used Carter Ruck to silence some of this stuff which turns out to be true.
https://spectator.com/article/dirty-tricks-have-gone-too-far/
Without giving away privileged information, it was Coutts that fucked up and quite spectacularly. They settled with Farage by giving him a large sum of money.
This made publishing anything on Farage’s finances subject to lots of lawyers. No editor wanted to be the next one writing a cheque to Farage.
Personally I thought it was a bad idea. Much like I consider Farage claiming Putin to be a "very impressive" political operative to be a bad idea.
I know the truth can hurt. But read George Orwell on the distorting effects of inaccurate language on debate.
Having dealt with this kind of stuff sometimes it is envy and people wanting that kind of money.
But George Cottrell was a Farage aid in old UKIP back before Farage left it, at which point he was still in his teens. And he has been covered in Reform-skeptic circles for more than a year this time around.
The most interesting one for PBers is perhaps his alleged working with a betting syndicate, and then copying their bets in his own name to make money on his own book, which to my eye would be very edgy indeed.
There's also mucho money around (brought up on Mustique) a bit of hokey-pokey - mum is an "Honourable" who is a former GF of Charles, when he was a Prince, and donated £750k to Ref UK.
And interesting commentary around the Cons wanting a Byelection in Clacton !
The disability benefit reforms you propose would hit men aged 50+ the hardest, being those most likely to be on them for a substantial period of time. Again, brave. Public sector pensions is the most attractive, but the sob stories from nurses and fire fighters...
I have been consistent re: Starmer and Mandelson. It was probably a good idea until it wasn't, and the moment it wasn't I called for Starmer to fall on his sword in the nicest possible way. I was less polite when Starmer sacked Robbins over the same matter. Check my posts. I called it for what it was, an outrage.
Anyway, how is that Liz Truss post-premiership working out?
A: “It’s the city that never sleeps”
BBC getting grumpy.
In his extended stay outside government he founded a lobbying firm that went ever deeper into the cash and influence thing.
Then, when he was brought back…
"Insanity is repeating the same mistakes and expecting different results."
After the win in May and the look of security for Badenoch in the LOTO role, almost everyone has fallen in behind her. Party, press and PBers (all the Ps). That looks like the Establishment to this outsider.
My only trans aquaintance (a somewhat noted computer scientist) is posting on bluesky ten times a day about how he is a victim of "apartheid" because of the bathroom issue. Mind you, he was banned from Twitter for calling for the assassination of the prime minister...
Michael Vaughan and Tuffers are like that on BBC, especially T20. They have the cricket show that is spin-off of the overlap and Alister Cook basically has to tell them you don't really understand modern cricket.
Roy Keane is basically like that now.
In addition, the Process State thing is less problematic in the U.K. for political financial matters - Farage can’t hope that the investigation will last four years and not get anywhere.
I would say it very likely he gets suspended and a recall election becomes possible. All the other parties will work hard to get the 10% sign in Clacton. Then there are the legal matters arising from the… interesting funding just revealed.
https://x.com/ElijahKyama_/status/2056912779844395208
In particular Morgan and Kumar I could listen to them talk cricket all day. They know what they are talking about, they have been there and done it, and still very in touch with what the modern tactics and players.
Go Norway
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uZXXHjOWWg
It's also rather stale, Jenkins has stock articles he recycles, Elliott, Pratley, Toynbee have been there for decades. Hyde and Crace are starting to phone it in. It used to have good humourous wring and investigative journalism.
'Haaland has scored 5 goals in his first 3 Premier League matches this season.
This represents his worst start to a Premier League season.'