One set all in the Wimbledon final, Jannick Sinner v. Alexander Zverev.
I know you spend much of your life on British trains and thus think that the populace is entirely cut off from anything resembling news, but the "Sunil News" channel is going to have to do some work to get really popular.
Sunil on Sunday.
Am I imagining things, but perhaps you used to make posts 'Sunil on Sunday' ? You definitely did do some railway travelogues which were first class. .
In case it doesn't bore you:
Track done for the first time:
January 2026
Bickley Jn to Petts Wood Jn via...
Zzzzzzzz
....Up through fast road at Darlington (avoiding station shed and new P5)
One set all in the Wimbledon final, Jannick Sinner v. Alexander Zverev.
I know you spend much of your life on British trains and thus think that the populace is entirely cut off from anything resembling news, but the "Sunil News" channel is going to have to do some work to get really popular.
Sunil on Sunday.
Am I imagining things, but perhaps you used to make posts 'Sunil on Sunday' ? You definitely did do some railway travelogues which were first class. .
In case it doesn't bore you:
Track done for the first time:
January 2026
Bickley Jn to Petts Wood Jn via Fast Tonbridge Loop (Southeastern weekend diversion)
Didcot West Curve Jn to Foxhall Jn (GWR weekend diversion - east to north done in 2024)
February
New loops at Cambridge South (station itself yet to open at that time) Northbound via P4 and southbound via P1 (weekdays 1000 to 1530)
Leigh-on-Sea platform 2 arrive/depart (available all day due to weekend engineering work)
March
Acton Town to Northfields (both ways) via outer ("local") tracks due to engineering works (service Acton to Heathrow only)
Barking bay P3 departure (arrival photos 2018) Dagenham East bay platform arrival/departure (arrival in dark 2018) (M-F peak hour reversals)
April
Bull Street to Millennium Point (West Midlands Metro) Millennium Point to Corporation St (also reprised Corporation St to Bull St both ways to account for new junction)
Retford P2 (high level) to Thrumpton West Jn (low level line), both ways. 1345 Worksop to Retford, 1414 from Retford.
May
Reading Spur Jn to Reading New Jn (westbound) CrossCountry engineering diversion Guildford to Reading
Connection to/from Grove Park P1 from/to the main line London Bridge to Bromley North direct service due to engineering elsewhere
June
Moorgate bay platform 3 (Hammersmith & City) Departure only, chance sight of train waiting there.
Minster station TO Minster South Jn Sunday engineering work (opposite direction done in 2017)
Tower Hill P2 westbound both ways (first definitive pics/note!) Eastbound done in 2025
Down through road at Darlington (avoiding station shed)
Glenrothes P2 to Thornton West Jn to Thornton North Jn (both ways) (Glenrothes P1 to Thornton West to South Jn done in 2019)
Larbert curve from Larbert to Falkirk (opposite direction done in 2019)
July
Kilmarnock to Troon (opposite direction done in 2018 and 2019)
Reprised East Kilbride branch to account for new two-track Hairmyres station, newly extended passing loop near there, and electrification
Carstairs north curve towards Edinburgh (towards Glasgow done in 2018)
Up through fast road at Darlington (avoiding station shed and new P5)
Doesn't bore me at all. Moorgate though! That's the big crash platform I think. What I was hoping for though was a return to your Betjaman-esque ramblings.
Rather nice piece from Hunter Biden on the death of Graham. Great closing line in particular.
What a strange thing to say. Why would one need to believe in 2029?
I don't know where the 2029 comes from in your post? Although I would assume the date suggests a hope that when Trump is out of office on 20th January 2029 politics in America can return to something bordering on the collegiate, irrespective of rosette colour.
Personally I believe that to be unlikely.
20th January 2029, at the latest, is when America after Trump begins. This doesn't need "belief".
It's popular on the American left to pretend Trump will stay in office after then.
Indeed, and it's utterly absurd.
Yes, nothing Trump has ever done has suggested anything less than complete respect for democracy and Constitution.
He left office after losing to Joe Biden
Yes, with characteristic good grace after the riot he incited failed to prevent the result being finalised.
Bearing in mind that atrump 47 is far less inhibited than Trump 45 can we count on him going more quietly this time?
The Mid-terms should give us some idea.
I’ve read on here they won’t be allowed to happen. So I’m not sure they will.
Meantime in the U.K. our govt genuinely blocked local elections from taking place when they were due and this was only overturned after legal action.
I personally thought that a cynical error sold as pragmatism. However comparing it to an attempted coup and demanding faux votes from the Governor of Georgia is a nonsense.
If I’d done that you’d have a point
I didn’t
I compared it to people claiming that this years mid terms would be canned.
I don't believe many have suggested they won't happen.
The fear is there will be a military presence on the streets of Democratic cities, and voter suppression tactics will be employed. Trump wants the win and will claim the win. The fun starts if the Republican Party lose badly. They have said already that anything other than Republican House, Senate and Gubernatorial victories will be considered to be voter fraud.
The Widdecombe murder suddenly has got weird again.
A man suspected of murdering Ann Widdecombe is believed to have driven nearly 300 miles to her Dartmoor home with a “wooden stick” on the morning of her death, The Telegraph can disclose. ... “He rarely comes out of the house, his dad used to do everything for him and I don’t know what he did for a living,” she said. “I think once his dad died he went a bit loopy.” ... Other neighbours said the suspect had lived in the property for at least a year and may have had learning difficulties. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/07/12/ann-widdecombe-murder-suspect-drove-dartmoor-alleged-murder/ (£££)
Mental health klaxon!
Also a politically motivated murder klaxon, for how else would he have known Ann but from her political views? 🙁
Rather nice piece from Hunter Biden on the death of Graham. Great closing line in particular.
What a strange thing to say. Why would one need to believe in 2029?
I don't know where the 2029 comes from in your post? Although I would assume the date suggests a hope that when Trump is out of office on 20th January 2029 politics in America can return to something bordering on the collegiate, irrespective of rosette colour.
Personally I believe that to be unlikely.
20th January 2029, at the latest, is when America after Trump begins. This doesn't need "belief".
It's popular on the American left to pretend Trump will stay in office after then.
Indeed, and it's utterly absurd.
Yes, nothing Trump has ever done has suggested anything less than complete respect for democracy and Constitution.
He left office after losing to Joe Biden
Yes, with characteristic good grace after the riot he incited failed to prevent the result being finalised.
Bearing in mind that atrump 47 is far less inhibited than Trump 45 can we count on him going more quietly this time?
The Mid-terms should give us some idea.
I’ve read on here they won’t be allowed to happen. So I’m not sure they will.
Meantime in the U.K. our govt genuinely blocked local elections from taking place when they were due and this was only overturned after legal action.
I personally thought that a cynical error sold as pragmatism. However comparing it to an attempted coup and demanding faux votes from the Governor of Georgia is a nonsense.
Ah, we're getting all the silly memes tonight.
What silly memes are those? My post was entirely factual.
Rather nice piece from Hunter Biden on the death of Graham. Great closing line in particular.
What a strange thing to say. Why would one need to believe in 2029?
I don't know where the 2029 comes from in your post? Although I would assume the date suggests a hope that when Trump is out of office on 20th January 2029 politics in America can return to something bordering on the collegiate, irrespective of rosette colour.
Personally I believe that to be unlikely.
20th January 2029, at the latest, is when America after Trump begins. This doesn't need "belief".
It's popular on the American left to pretend Trump will stay in office after then.
Indeed, and it's utterly absurd.
Yes, nothing Trump has ever done has suggested anything less than complete respect for democracy and Constitution.
He left office after losing to Joe Biden
Yes, with characteristic good grace after the riot he incited failed to prevent the result being finalised.
Bearing in mind that atrump 47 is far less inhibited than Trump 45 can we count on him going more quietly this time?
The Mid-terms should give us some idea.
I’ve read on here they won’t be allowed to happen. So I’m not sure they will.
Meantime in the U.K. our govt genuinely blocked local elections from taking place when they were due and this was only overturned after legal action.
I personally thought that a cynical error sold as pragmatism. However comparing it to an attempted coup and demanding faux votes from the Governor of Georgia is a nonsense.
If I’d done that you’d have a point
I didn’t
I compared it to people claiming that this years mid terms would be canned.
I don't believe many have suggested they won't happen.
The fear is there will be a military presence on the streets of Democratic cities, and voter suppression tactics will be employed. Trump wants the win and will claim the win. The fun starts if the Republican Party lose badly. They have said already that anything other than Republican House, Senate and Gubernatorial victories will be considered to be voter fraud.
Rather nice piece from Hunter Biden on the death of Graham. Great closing line in particular.
What a strange thing to say. Why would one need to believe in 2029?
I don't know where the 2029 comes from in your post? Although I would assume the date suggests a hope that when Trump is out of office on 20th January 2029 politics in America can return to something bordering on the collegiate, irrespective of rosette colour.
Personally I believe that to be unlikely.
20th January 2029, at the latest, is when America after Trump begins. This doesn't need "belief".
It's popular on the American left to pretend Trump will stay in office after then.
Indeed, and it's utterly absurd.
Yes, nothing Trump has ever done has suggested anything less than complete respect for democracy and Constitution.
He left office after losing to Joe Biden
Yes, with characteristic good grace after the riot he incited failed to prevent the result being finalised.
Bearing in mind that atrump 47 is far less inhibited than Trump 45 can we count on him going more quietly this time?
The Mid-terms should give us some idea.
I’ve read on here they won’t be allowed to happen. So I’m not sure they will.
Meantime in the U.K. our govt genuinely blocked local elections from taking place when they were due and this was only overturned after legal action.
I personally thought that a cynical error sold as pragmatism. However comparing it to an attempted coup and demanding faux votes from the Governor of Georgia is a nonsense.
Ah, we're getting all the silly memes tonight.
What silly memes are those? My post was entirely factual.
It showed a lack of understanding of the conversation in question.
The Widdecombe murder suddenly has got weird again.
A man suspected of murdering Ann Widdecombe is believed to have driven nearly 300 miles to her Dartmoor home with a “wooden stick” on the morning of her death, The Telegraph can disclose. ... “He rarely comes out of the house, his dad used to do everything for him and I don’t know what he did for a living,” she said. “I think once his dad died he went a bit loopy.” ... Other neighbours said the suspect had lived in the property for at least a year and may have had learning difficulties. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/07/12/ann-widdecombe-murder-suspect-drove-dartmoor-alleged-murder/ (£££)
Mental health klaxon!
Also a politically motivated murder klaxon, for how else would he have known Ann but from her political views? 🙁
Maybe he got fixated on her dancing. (Sorry, not supposed to be speculation just the daftest alternative that occurred to me.)
Rather nice piece from Hunter Biden on the death of Graham. Great closing line in particular.
What a strange thing to say. Why would one need to believe in 2029?
I don't know where the 2029 comes from in your post? Although I would assume the date suggests a hope that when Trump is out of office on 20th January 2029 politics in America can return to something bordering on the collegiate, irrespective of rosette colour.
Personally I believe that to be unlikely.
20th January 2029, at the latest, is when America after Trump begins. This doesn't need "belief".
It's popular on the American left to pretend Trump will stay in office after then.
Indeed, and it's utterly absurd.
Yes, nothing Trump has ever done has suggested anything less than complete respect for democracy and Constitution.
He left office after losing to Joe Biden
only after his attempted uprising was nipped in the bud by his VP
The Widdecombe murder suddenly has got weird again.
A man suspected of murdering Ann Widdecombe is believed to have driven nearly 300 miles to her Dartmoor home with a “wooden stick” on the morning of her death, The Telegraph can disclose. ... “He rarely comes out of the house, his dad used to do everything for him and I don’t know what he did for a living,” she said. “I think once his dad died he went a bit loopy.” ... Other neighbours said the suspect had lived in the property for at least a year and may have had learning difficulties. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/07/12/ann-widdecombe-murder-suspect-drove-dartmoor-alleged-murder/ (£££)
Mental health klaxon!
Also a politically motivated murder klaxon, for how else would he have known Ann but from her political views? 🙁
Many in Reform want to return Britain to an imagined 1950s, a far better time in their opinion, when there was peace and harmony and everyone got along merrily etc etc.
In the 1950s did senior politicians spend all day writing to the newspapers and making wireless comments demanding the police tell them every detail of an on-going inquiry before wildly speculating about motives and so forth?
I think not.
Grammar schools, elite universities, the workhouse, hanging, flogging and the return of pre-war diseases. Mind you, the last Government gave the return of Victorian diseases a good old go.
Even if Truss did open negotiations over Chagos she was there so briefly responsibility for any subsequent actions which followed through on it would have to fall on those that came after, not her.
She cannot be blamed for everything, and even where she started stuff it was on others to sort things out, and failed.
You are forgetting that Keir Starmer, as a Labour PM, has no agency. If a Conservative Government started a negotiation, he had to sign whatever deal was created.
Not to do so, would be to not doff his cap and say "Corblimey, thank you guv'nr".
No agency but wrong reason. Keir Starmer is a lawyer, not a politician, so once an international court decided, it was just a matter of following due process.
Doesn’t explain why Burnham apparently wants to continue with it.
The Foreign Office wants to continue with it. As Moonrabbit astutely observed (though she drew the in my opinion the wrong conclusion) the positive noises about Chagos came after his Foreign Office briefing. Moonrabbit thinks the conclusion is that the Foreign Office are good chaps who want to gracefully bow to the inevitable and help the politicians see that any other course is futile. I think the conclusion is that the Foreign Office is utterly unfit for purpose.
I think wiser heads will prevail, and we will not see a re-emergence of Chagos either in this parliament or in Labour's next manifesto.
Thank you Lucky. What we both agree, the idea behind Yes Minister was training manual for politicians, so not to be such suckers that’s used merely as auto pen for what their big office Mandarins want to do. Clearly Burnham is getting briefings, and is getting brainwashed into being that auto pen for Mandarins. Another good example why the WotN is just not up to job of being our PM.
Also, I’m not not saying FO are right on this, I’m not convinced either, but they likely do have some sort of argument, that makes it appear not quite so black and white, that’s not getting much of a hearing.
Getting under the hood why FO love this deal so much they can’t let go, would be interesting.
I think the Foreign Office firstly have always had a culture that is far to impressed with its own grandiosity with gilded halls and flourishes of fountain pens on global treaties, and far too little concerned with the national interest. You constantly hear of the Foreign office trying to block other departments because they are worrying about 'upsetting the Chinese' or even 'upsetting the Pakistanis' - to a completely disportionate degree.
Then I think it has far too close a relationship with the US State Department, who (certainly under the Democrats, but possibly at its 'deep state' core) seem in favour of this deal. They are not our friends.
Then I think it got even worse when it became the FDCO, because it inherited a large cadre of people from DFID who were totally ideologically captured and joined up with the sole intention of giving British money away to foreigners.
Jason Cowley says in todays Sunday Times that Ed Balls and David Miliband have wanted return to frontline uk politics for some time and were seeking seats before 2024 but Starmer's "team" blocked them.
The Widdecombe murder suddenly has got weird again.
A man suspected of murdering Ann Widdecombe is believed to have driven nearly 300 miles to her Dartmoor home with a “wooden stick” on the morning of her death, The Telegraph can disclose. ... “He rarely comes out of the house, his dad used to do everything for him and I don’t know what he did for a living,” she said. “I think once his dad died he went a bit loopy.” ... Other neighbours said the suspect had lived in the property for at least a year and may have had learning difficulties. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/07/12/ann-widdecombe-murder-suspect-drove-dartmoor-alleged-murder/ (£££)
Mental health klaxon!
Also a politically motivated murder klaxon, for how else would he have known Ann but from her political views? 🙁
Maybe he's a Strictly fan?
That was my first guess – that Rotherham man had become obsessed with Widdecombe on telly – but it is 16 years since she was on Strictly, when he'd have been only 10.
It does amuse me when the closet PB MAGAs feel compelled to half stand up for Trump.
They would clearly love to do so more often and more openly.
How they must hate it that DJT is such a complete arse in every conceivable way.
The problem is that obvious BS like this distracts from his obvious faults.
Is there anything in particular that's prompted you to come out today in defence of Trump? You seem to be quite fired-up on his behalf this evening.
Yeah, that pathetic tweet by Biden jr and the n millionth repetition of all the same old bollocks about 2020/21 - fixation on which by the Democrats for the following four years is not the smallest reason why he won again and we're stuck with him for another term.
And, of course, the way you phrased that is part of the problem. Pointing out the Democrats' BS is neither defending Trump nor speaking on his behalf.
Rather nice piece from Hunter Biden on the death of Graham. Great closing line in particular.
What a strange thing to say. Why would one need to believe in 2029?
I don't know where the 2029 comes from in your post? Although I would assume the date suggests a hope that when Trump is out of office on 20th January 2029 politics in America can return to something bordering on the collegiate, irrespective of rosette colour.
Personally I believe that to be unlikely.
20th January 2029, at the latest, is when America after Trump begins. This doesn't need "belief".
It's popular on the American left to pretend Trump will stay in office after then.
Indeed, and it's utterly absurd.
Yes, nothing Trump has ever done has suggested anything less than complete respect for democracy and Constitution.
He left office after losing to Joe Biden
Yes, with characteristic good grace after the riot he incited failed to prevent the result being finalised.
Bearing in mind that atrump 47 is far less inhibited than Trump 45 can we count on him going more quietly this time?
The Mid-terms should give us some idea.
I’ve read on here they won’t be allowed to happen. So I’m not sure they will.
Meantime in the U.K. our govt genuinely blocked local elections from taking place when they were due and this was only overturned after legal action.
I personally thought that a cynical error sold as pragmatism. However comparing it to an attempted coup and demanding faux votes from the Governor of Georgia is a nonsense.
Ah, we're getting all the silly memes tonight.
What silly memes are those? My post was entirely factual.
It showed a lack of understanding of the conversation in question.
From you or from me?
I don't claim to be anything but an ill educated serf, but I suspect here I am right and you are way off beam.
It does amuse me when the closet PB MAGAs feel compelled to half stand up for Trump.
They would clearly love to do so more often and more openly.
How they must hate it that DJT is such a complete arse in every conceivable way.
The problem is that obvious BS like this distracts from his obvious faults.
Is there anything in particular that's prompted you to come out today in defence of Trump? You seem to be quite fired-up on his behalf this evening.
Yeah, that pathetic tweet by Biden and the n millionth repetition of all the same old bollocks about 2020/21 - fixation on which by the Democrats for the following four years is not the smallest reason why he won again and we're stuck with him for another term.
And, of course, the way you phrased that is part of the problem. Pointing out the Democrats' BS is neither defending Trump nor speaking on his behalf.
I honestly can't see what there is in Biden's tweet to object to. It seemed pretty well pitched to me.
One set all in the Wimbledon final, Jannick Sinner v. Alexander Zverev.
I know you spend much of your life on British trains and thus think that the populace is entirely cut off from anything resembling news, but the "Sunil News" channel is going to have to do some work to get really popular.
Sunil on Sunday.
Am I imagining things, but perhaps you used to make posts 'Sunil on Sunday' ? You definitely did do some railway travelogues which were first class. .
In case it doesn't bore you:
Track done for the first time:
January 2026
Bickley Jn to Petts Wood Jn via Fast Tonbridge Loop (Southeastern weekend diversion)
Didcot West Curve Jn to Foxhall Jn (GWR weekend diversion - east to north done in 2024)
February
New loops at Cambridge South (station itself yet to open at that time) Northbound via P4 and southbound via P1 (weekdays 1000 to 1530)
Leigh-on-Sea platform 2 arrive/depart (available all day due to weekend engineering work)
March
Acton Town to Northfields (both ways) via outer ("local") tracks due to engineering works (service Acton to Heathrow only)
Barking bay P3 departure (arrival photos 2018) Dagenham East bay platform arrival/departure (arrival in dark 2018) (M-F peak hour reversals)
April
Bull Street to Millennium Point (West Midlands Metro) Millennium Point to Corporation St (also reprised Corporation St to Bull St both ways to account for new junction)
Retford P2 (high level) to Thrumpton West Jn (low level line), both ways. 1345 Worksop to Retford, 1414 from Retford.
May
Reading Spur Jn to Reading New Jn (westbound) CrossCountry engineering diversion Guildford to Reading
Connection to/from Grove Park P1 from/to the main line London Bridge to Bromley North direct service due to engineering elsewhere
June
Moorgate bay platform 3 (Hammersmith & City) Departure only, chance sight of train waiting there.
Minster station TO Minster South Jn Sunday engineering work (opposite direction done in 2017)
Tower Hill P2 westbound both ways (first definitive pics/note!) Eastbound done in 2025
Down through road at Darlington (avoiding station shed)
Glenrothes P2 to Thornton West Jn to Thornton North Jn (both ways) (Glenrothes P1 to Thornton West to South Jn done in 2019)
Larbert curve from Larbert to Falkirk (opposite direction done in 2019)
July
Kilmarnock to Troon (opposite direction done in 2018 and 2019)
Reprised East Kilbride branch to account for new two-track Hairmyres station, newly extended passing loop near there, and electrification
Carstairs north curve towards Edinburgh (towards Glasgow done in 2018)
Up through fast road at Darlington (avoiding station shed and new P5)
Doesn't bore me at all. Moorgate though! That's the big crash platform I think. What I was hoping for though was a return to your Betjaman-esque ramblings.
No, no, no. The crash was in P9 or P10, the deep-level tube now used by Great Northern towards Hertford/Welwyn.
Rather nice piece from Hunter Biden on the death of Graham. Great closing line in particular.
What a strange thing to say. Why would one need to believe in 2029?
I don't know where the 2029 comes from in your post? Although I would assume the date suggests a hope that when Trump is out of office on 20th January 2029 politics in America can return to something bordering on the collegiate, irrespective of rosette colour.
Personally I believe that to be unlikely.
20th January 2029, at the latest, is when America after Trump begins. This doesn't need "belief".
It's popular on the American left to pretend Trump will stay in office after then.
Indeed, and it's utterly absurd.
Yes, nothing Trump has ever done has suggested anything less than complete respect for democracy and Constitution.
He left office after losing to Joe Biden
Yes, with characteristic good grace after the riot he incited failed to prevent the result being finalised.
Bearing in mind that atrump 47 is far less inhibited than Trump 45 can we count on him going more quietly this time?
The Mid-terms should give us some idea.
I’ve read on here they won’t be allowed to happen. So I’m not sure they will.
Meantime in the U.K. our govt genuinely blocked local elections from taking place when they were due and this was only overturned after legal action.
I personally thought that a cynical error sold as pragmatism. However comparing it to an attempted coup and demanding faux votes from the Governor of Georgia is a nonsense.
If I’d done that you’d have a point
I didn’t
I compared it to people claiming that this years mid terms would be canned.
I don't believe many have suggested they won't happen.
The fear is there will be a military presence on the streets of Democratic cities, and voter suppression tactics will be employed. Trump wants the win and will claim the win. The fun starts if the Republican Party lose badly. They have said already that anything other than Republican House, Senate and Gubernatorial victories will be considered to be voter fraud.
Even if Truss did open negotiations over Chagos she was there so briefly responsibility for any subsequent actions which followed through on it would have to fall on those that came after, not her.
She cannot be blamed for everything, and even where she started stuff it was on others to sort things out, and failed.
You are forgetting that Keir Starmer, as a Labour PM, has no agency. If a Conservative Government started a negotiation, he had to sign whatever deal was created.
Not to do so, would be to not doff his cap and say "Corblimey, thank you guv'nr".
No agency but wrong reason. Keir Starmer is a lawyer, not a politician, so once an international court decided, it was just a matter of following due process.
Doesn’t explain why Burnham apparently wants to continue with it.
The Foreign Office wants to continue with it. As Moonrabbit astutely observed (though she drew the in my opinion the wrong conclusion) the positive noises about Chagos came after his Foreign Office briefing. Moonrabbit thinks the conclusion is that the Foreign Office are good chaps who want to gracefully bow to the inevitable and help the politicians see that any other course is futile. I think the conclusion is that the Foreign Office is utterly unfit for purpose.
I think wiser heads will prevail, and we will not see a re-emergence of Chagos either in this parliament or in Labour's next manifesto.
Thank you Lucky. What we both agree, the idea behind Yes Minister was training manual for politicians, so not to be such suckers that’s used merely as auto pen for what their big office Mandarins want to do. Clearly Burnham is getting briefings, and is getting brainwashed into being that auto pen for Mandarins. Another good example why the WotN is just not up to job of being our PM.
Also, I’m not not saying FO are right on this, I’m not convinced either, but they likely do have some sort of argument, that makes it appear not quite so black and white, that’s not getting much of a hearing.
Getting under the hood why FO love this deal so much they can’t let go, would be interesting.
The bit I’m confident is weak part of your understanding, that’s very key to this: Maritious in bed with China. Imo everyone saying “Maritious in bed with China” over and over have brainwashed themselves, believing something not true. Don’t take my word for it, or the AI slop out there, bit of proper research for yourself and it becomes clear that Mauritius are firmly in bed on military and security with India, who they are quite close to culturally and ethnically too due to historical migration. Mauritius fancy themselves as “East Coast Singapore” as the Chatham House articles call it - trade deals they have signed with everybody and those with China are doing too much heavy lifting for the “totally in bed with China” spin line. So what else have you got that proves totally in bed with China? Security and military deals that outstrip those they have with India? Trade deals not enough proof alone, after all UK have sexier trade deals with China - does it put us in bed with China?
Well. Okay. yes. There is that discussion under Blair, brown, Cam, Ossie, May, Boris, perhaps we did we get too far in bed with China on business, an we have been played on security.
Your conclusion that “the Foreign Office is utterly unfit for purpose.” Ties in with Barty in the post just before yours “There is absolutely no binding legal reason why the UK needs to do this Chagos nonsense.” I’m not saying either point are wrong. But why are FO are so in bed with this idea as sensible in their view.
Maybe the malign influence of India. India want Mauritius to legally have Chagos. Barty is right, they can’t force it legally, but they can apply other forms of strong pressure on UK, in the economic and security spheres we need in the region, that UK are not getting due to India’s influence. So the foreign office is working on a balance what is now worse for UK - accommodation with India and Mauritius legal right on Chagos for all that UK security and trade damage turned off, or keep the status quo, this comes with that trade and security damage for UK from India’s influence in the region, still switched on.
I havn’t sexed it up to be like something from “the great game” - it very much is from a Great Game. And the FO are the pro ballers in that game on behalf of the British People. Where deals with influential power brokers to further your trade and security, never come so black and white as this Chagos one is always being presented in UK media.
I would sell it to the USA and use some of the money to buy off the Chagossians, who have certainly been badly treated but won't be any better treated under any possible other outcome.
Yes, I think that is a very sensible post.
If Chagouns could now return to the islands, what would they do for employment, business, industry?
There is this sense our military top brass would like to do it your way - a sort of wash our hands and draw a UK line under what hasn’t been great for UK overall. When Trump killed this deal the Democrats would have signed - the media in the region went to town laughing and lampooning how weak the UK are over Chagos in that it’s not up to UK government but one desk in the White House - you tried giving away what you own but couldn’t when Trump said no, total US poodle.
But ownership passing from us to India, via lease to Mauritius 3rd party, was a get out for UK the FO - maybe our military top brass too though we don’t have a supporting citation, and the Biden White House, all thought was a good all round move for everyone - perhaps looking forward to how two new Super Powers are rising in the region, long term thinking in the way short term minds of politicians and media never do.
But no your deal is immposible unless the US want to buy. And they never have, currently don’t, and never will want to buy Chagos from us - why on earth would they when they have such generous “friends of the owners” benefits, without any ownership hassles or bills. In “county lines” drug trade, in which this “presence in the region” is virtually identical, I believe the term for what US is doing to us is called cuckooing. This cuckooing is exactly how the US envisaged their presence in the region back in the 40s and 50s. They have been very clever in The Great Game (modern version).
The Widdecombe murder suddenly has got weird again.
A man suspected of murdering Ann Widdecombe is believed to have driven nearly 300 miles to her Dartmoor home with a “wooden stick” on the morning of her death, The Telegraph can disclose. ... “He rarely comes out of the house, his dad used to do everything for him and I don’t know what he did for a living,” she said. “I think once his dad died he went a bit loopy.” ... Other neighbours said the suspect had lived in the property for at least a year and may have had learning difficulties. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/07/12/ann-widdecombe-murder-suspect-drove-dartmoor-alleged-murder/ (£££)
Mental health klaxon!
Also a politically motivated murder klaxon, for how else would he have known Ann but from her political views? 🙁
Rather nice piece from Hunter Biden on the death of Graham. Great closing line in particular.
What a strange thing to say. Why would one need to believe in 2029?
I don't know where the 2029 comes from in your post? Although I would assume the date suggests a hope that when Trump is out of office on 20th January 2029 politics in America can return to something bordering on the collegiate, irrespective of rosette colour.
Personally I believe that to be unlikely.
20th January 2029, at the latest, is when America after Trump begins. This doesn't need "belief".
It's popular on the American left to pretend Trump will stay in office after then.
Indeed, and it's utterly absurd.
Yes, nothing Trump has ever done has suggested anything less than complete respect for democracy and Constitution.
He left office after losing to Joe Biden
Yes, with characteristic good grace after the riot he incited failed to prevent the result being finalised.
Bearing in mind that atrump 47 is far less inhibited than Trump 45 can we count on him going more quietly this time?
The Mid-terms should give us some idea.
I’ve read on here they won’t be allowed to happen. So I’m not sure they will.
Meantime in the U.K. our govt genuinely blocked local elections from taking place when they were due and this was only overturned after legal action.
I personally thought that a cynical error sold as pragmatism. However comparing it to an attempted coup and demanding faux votes from the Governor of Georgia is a nonsense.
Ah, we're getting all the silly memes tonight.
What silly memes are those? My post was entirely factual.
It showed a lack of understanding of the conversation in question.
From you or from me?
I don't claim to be anthing but an ill educated serf, but I suspect here I am right and you are way off beam.
Afraid not. Legal procedure is something I happen to know a bit about, which is why I know the Democrats' attack line here is bollocks.
In the Democrats' telling of it, Trump wanted Raffensperger to add 11 thousand totally new votes to Trump's total so he could be declared the winner outright.
In the real world, Trump was hoping to sue but knew he couldn't do so unless questions over that many votes - either counted or rejected, in the appropriate direction - of that amount could be identified.
Now, I admit to the lay person this distinction may be too subtle to appreciate. But it's definitely there.
One set all in the Wimbledon final, Jannick Sinner v. Alexander Zverev.
I know you spend much of your life on British trains and thus think that the populace is entirely cut off from anything resembling news, but the "Sunil News" channel is going to have to do some work to get really popular.
Sunil on Sunday.
Am I imagining things, but perhaps you used to make posts 'Sunil on Sunday' ? You definitely did do some railway travelogues which were first class. .
In case it doesn't bore you:
Track done for the first time:
January 2026
Bickley Jn to Petts Wood Jn via Fast Tonbridge Loop (Southeastern weekend diversion)
Didcot West Curve Jn to Foxhall Jn (GWR weekend diversion - east to north done in 2024)
February
New loops at Cambridge South (station itself yet to open at that time) Northbound via P4 and southbound via P1 (weekdays 1000 to 1530)
Leigh-on-Sea platform 2 arrive/depart (available all day due to weekend engineering work)
March
Acton Town to Northfields (both ways) via outer ("local") tracks due to engineering works (service Acton to Heathrow only)
Barking bay P3 departure (arrival photos 2018) Dagenham East bay platform arrival/departure (arrival in dark 2018) (M-F peak hour reversals)
April
Bull Street to Millennium Point (West Midlands Metro) Millennium Point to Corporation St (also reprised Corporation St to Bull St both ways to account for new junction)
Retford P2 (high level) to Thrumpton West Jn (low level line), both ways. 1345 Worksop to Retford, 1414 from Retford.
May
Reading Spur Jn to Reading New Jn (westbound) CrossCountry engineering diversion Guildford to Reading
Connection to/from Grove Park P1 from/to the main line London Bridge to Bromley North direct service due to engineering elsewhere
June
Moorgate bay platform 3 (Hammersmith & City) Departure only, chance sight of train waiting there.
Minster station TO Minster South Jn Sunday engineering work (opposite direction done in 2017)
Tower Hill P2 westbound both ways (first definitive pics/note!) Eastbound done in 2025
Down through road at Darlington (avoiding station shed)
Glenrothes P2 to Thornton West Jn to Thornton North Jn (both ways) (Glenrothes P1 to Thornton West to South Jn done in 2019)
Larbert curve from Larbert to Falkirk (opposite direction done in 2019)
July
Kilmarnock to Troon (opposite direction done in 2018 and 2019)
Reprised East Kilbride branch to account for new two-track Hairmyres station, newly extended passing loop near there, and electrification
Carstairs north curve towards Edinburgh (towards Glasgow done in 2018)
Up through fast road at Darlington (avoiding station shed and new P5)
Doesn't bore me at all. Moorgate though! That's the big crash platform I think. What I was hoping for though was a return to your Betjaman-esque ramblings.
No, no, no. The crash was in P9 or P10, the deep-level tube now used by Great Northern towards Hertford/Welwyn.
When I started working for Equitable Life in 1981 they were still talking about the Moorgate crash; most employees knew some of the victims.
Even if Truss did open negotiations over Chagos she was there so briefly responsibility for any subsequent actions which followed through on it would have to fall on those that came after, not her.
She cannot be blamed for everything, and even where she started stuff it was on others to sort things out, and failed.
You are forgetting that Keir Starmer, as a Labour PM, has no agency. If a Conservative Government started a negotiation, he had to sign whatever deal was created.
Not to do so, would be to not doff his cap and say "Corblimey, thank you guv'nr".
No agency but wrong reason. Keir Starmer is a lawyer, not a politician, so once an international court decided, it was just a matter of following due process.
Doesn’t explain why Burnham apparently wants to continue with it.
The Foreign Office wants to continue with it. As Moonrabbit astutely observed (though she drew the in my opinion the wrong conclusion) the positive noises about Chagos came after his Foreign Office briefing. Moonrabbit thinks the conclusion is that the Foreign Office are good chaps who want to gracefully bow to the inevitable and help the politicians see that any other course is futile. I think the conclusion is that the Foreign Office is utterly unfit for purpose.
I think wiser heads will prevail, and we will not see a re-emergence of Chagos either in this parliament or in Labour's next manifesto.
Thank you Lucky. What we both agree, the idea behind Yes Minister was training manual for politicians, so not to be such suckers that’s used merely as auto pen for what their big office Mandarins want to do. Clearly Burnham is getting briefings, and is getting brainwashed into being that auto pen for Mandarins. Another good example why the WotN is just not up to job of being our PM.
Also, I’m not not saying FO are right on this, I’m not convinced either, but they likely do have some sort of argument, that makes it appear not quite so black and white, that’s not getting much of a hearing.
Getting under the hood why FO love this deal so much they can’t let go, would be interesting.
The bit I’m confident is weak part of your understanding, that’s very key to this: Maritious in bed with China. Imo everyone saying “Maritious in bed with China” over and over have brainwashed themselves, believing something not true. Don’t take my word for it, or the AI slop out there, bit of proper research for yourself and it becomes clear that Mauritius are firmly in bed on military and security with India, who they are quite close to culturally and ethnically too due to historical migration. Mauritius fancy themselves as “East Coast Singapore” as the Chatham House articles call it - trade deals they have signed with everybody and those with China are doing too much heavy lifting for the “totally in bed with China” spin line. So what else have you got that proves totally in bed with China? Security and military deals that outstrip those they have with India? Trade deals not enough proof alone, after all UK have sexier trade deals with China - does it put us in bed with China?
Well. Okay. yes. There is that discussion under Blair, brown, Cam, Ossie, May, Boris, perhaps we did we get too far in bed with China on business, an we have been played on security.
Your conclusion that “the Foreign Office is utterly unfit for purpose.” Ties in with Barty in the post just before yours “There is absolutely no binding legal reason why the UK needs to do this Chagos nonsense.” I’m not saying either point are wrong. But why are FO are so in bed with this idea as sensible in their view.
Maybe the malign influence of India. India want Mauritius to legally have Chagos. Barty is right, they can’t force it legally, but they can apply other forms of strong pressure on UK, in the economic and security spheres we need in the region, that UK are not getting due to India’s influence. So the foreign office is working on a balance what is now worse for UK - accommodation with India and Mauritius legal right on Chagos for all that UK security and trade damage turned off, or keep the status quo, this comes with that trade and security damage for UK from India’s influence in the region, still switched on.
I havn’t sexed it up to be like something from “the great game” - it very much is from a Great Game. And the FO are the pro ballers in that game on behalf of the British People. Where deals with influential power brokers to further your trade and security, never come so black and white as this Chagos one is always being presented in UK media.
The big problem with giving Chagos to Mauritius is that it breaks Article 1(2) of the UN Charter.
No, that line the Tory front bench used in Parliament to hold things up a bit, collapsed earlier this year Driver, when legal boffins in UN said it’s not true.
Rather nice piece from Hunter Biden on the death of Graham. Great closing line in particular.
What a strange thing to say. Why would one need to believe in 2029?
I don't know where the 2029 comes from in your post? Although I would assume the date suggests a hope that when Trump is out of office on 20th January 2029 politics in America can return to something bordering on the collegiate, irrespective of rosette colour.
Personally I believe that to be unlikely.
20th January 2029, at the latest, is when America after Trump begins. This doesn't need "belief".
It's popular on the American left to pretend Trump will stay in office after then.
Indeed, and it's utterly absurd.
Yes, nothing Trump has ever done has suggested anything less than complete respect for democracy and Constitution.
He left office after losing to Joe Biden
Yes, with characteristic good grace after the riot he incited failed to prevent the result being finalised.
Bearing in mind that atrump 47 is far less inhibited than Trump 45 can we count on him going more quietly this time?
The Mid-terms should give us some idea.
I’ve read on here they won’t be allowed to happen. So I’m not sure they will.
Meantime in the U.K. our govt genuinely blocked local elections from taking place when they were due and this was only overturned after legal action.
I personally thought that a cynical error sold as pragmatism. However comparing it to an attempted coup and demanding faux votes from the Governor of Georgia is a nonsense.
If I’d done that you’d have a point
I didn’t
I compared it to people claiming that this years mid terms would be canned.
I don't believe many have suggested they won't happen.
The fear is there will be a military presence on the streets of Democratic cities, and voter suppression tactics will be employed. Trump wants the win and will claim the win. The fun starts if the Republican Party lose badly. They have said already that anything other than Republican House, Senate and Gubernatorial victories will be considered to be voter fraud.
Rather nice piece from Hunter Biden on the death of Graham. Great closing line in particular.
What a strange thing to say. Why would one need to believe in 2029?
I don't know where the 2029 comes from in your post? Although I would assume the date suggests a hope that when Trump is out of office on 20th January 2029 politics in America can return to something bordering on the collegiate, irrespective of rosette colour.
Personally I believe that to be unlikely.
20th January 2029, at the latest, is when America after Trump begins. This doesn't need "belief".
It's popular on the American left to pretend Trump will stay in office after then.
Indeed, and it's utterly absurd.
Yes, nothing Trump has ever done has suggested anything less than complete respect for democracy and Constitution.
He left office after losing to Joe Biden
Yes, with characteristic good grace after the riot he incited failed to prevent the result being finalised.
Bearing in mind that atrump 47 is far less inhibited than Trump 45 can we count on him going more quietly this time?
The Mid-terms should give us some idea.
I’ve read on here they won’t be allowed to happen. So I’m not sure they will.
Meantime in the U.K. our govt genuinely blocked local elections from taking place when they were due and this was only overturned after legal action.
I personally thought that a cynical error sold as pragmatism. However comparing it to an attempted coup and demanding faux votes from the Governor of Georgia is a nonsense.
Ah, we're getting all the silly memes tonight.
What silly memes are those? My post was entirely factual.
It showed a lack of understanding of the conversation in question.
From you or from me?
I don't claim to be anthing but an ill educated serf, but I suspect here I am right and you are way off beam.
Afraid not. Legal procedure is something I happen to know a bit about, which is why I know the Democrats' attack line here is bollocks.
In the Democrats' telling of it, Trump wanted Raffensperger to add 11 thousand totally new votes to Trump's total so he could be declared the winner outright.
In the real world, Trump was hoping to sue but knew he couldn't do so unless questions over that many votes - either counted or rejected, in the appropriate direction - of that amount could be identified.
Now, I admit to the lay person this distinction may be too subtle to appreciate. But it's definitely there.
Far too subtle for this lay person. He still thinks it bollocks.
And back to the here and now, just one more thing. Riddle me this;
Even if Truss did open negotiations over Chagos she was there so briefly responsibility for any subsequent actions which followed through on it would have to fall on those that came after, not her.
She cannot be blamed for everything, and even where she started stuff it was on others to sort things out, and failed.
You are forgetting that Keir Starmer, as a Labour PM, has no agency. If a Conservative Government started a negotiation, he had to sign whatever deal was created.
Not to do so, would be to not doff his cap and say "Corblimey, thank you guv'nr".
No agency but wrong reason. Keir Starmer is a lawyer, not a politician, so once an international court decided, it was just a matter of following due process.
Doesn’t explain why Burnham apparently wants to continue with it.
The Foreign Office wants to continue with it. As Moonrabbit astutely observed (though she drew the in my opinion the wrong conclusion) the positive noises about Chagos came after his Foreign Office briefing. Moonrabbit thinks the conclusion is that the Foreign Office are good chaps who want to gracefully bow to the inevitable and help the politicians see that any other course is futile. I think the conclusion is that the Foreign Office is utterly unfit for purpose.
I think wiser heads will prevail, and we will not see a re-emergence of Chagos either in this parliament or in Labour's next manifesto.
Thank you Lucky. What we both agree, the idea behind Yes Minister was training manual for politicians, so not to be such suckers that’s used merely as auto pen for what their big office Mandarins want to do. Clearly Burnham is getting briefings, and is getting brainwashed into being that auto pen for Mandarins. Another good example why the WotN is just not up to job of being our PM.
Also, I’m not not saying FO are right on this, I’m not convinced either, but they likely do have some sort of argument, that makes it appear not quite so black and white, that’s not getting much of a hearing.
Getting under the hood why FO love this deal so much they can’t let go, would be interesting.
The bit I’m confident is weak part of your understanding, that’s very key to this: Maritious in bed with China. Imo everyone saying “Maritious in bed with China” over and over have brainwashed themselves, believing something not true. Don’t take my word for it, or the AI slop out there, bit of proper research for yourself and it becomes clear that Mauritius are firmly in bed on military and security with India, who they are quite close to culturally and ethnically too due to historical migration. Mauritius fancy themselves as “East Coast Singapore” as the Chatham House articles call it - trade deals they have signed with everybody and those with China are doing too much heavy lifting for the “totally in bed with China” spin line. So what else have you got that proves totally in bed with China? Security and military deals that outstrip those they have with India? Trade deals not enough proof alone, after all UK have sexier trade deals with China - does it put us in bed with China?
Well. Okay. yes. There is that discussion under Blair, brown, Cam, Ossie, May, Boris, perhaps we did we get too far in bed with China on business, an we have been played on security.
Your conclusion that “the Foreign Office is utterly unfit for purpose.” Ties in with Barty in the post just before yours “There is absolutely no binding legal reason why the UK needs to do this Chagos nonsense.” I’m not saying either point are wrong. But why are FO are so in bed with this idea as sensible in their view.
Maybe the malign influence of India. India want Mauritius to legally have Chagos. Barty is right, they can’t force it legally, but they can apply other forms of strong pressure on UK, in the economic and security spheres we need in the region, that UK are not getting due to India’s influence. So the foreign office is working on a balance what is now worse for UK - accommodation with India and Mauritius legal right on Chagos for all that UK security and trade damage turned off, or keep the status quo, this comes with that trade and security damage for UK from India’s influence in the region, still switched on.
I havn’t sexed it up to be like something from “the great game” - it very much is from a Great Game. And the FO are the pro ballers in that game on behalf of the British People. Where deals with influential power brokers to further your trade and security, never come so black and white as this Chagos one is always being presented in UK media.
The big problem with giving Chagos to Mauritius is that it breaks Article 1(2) of the UN Charter.
And I don't see why it is OK for Mauritius to be the colonial power, but not the UK.
It is not as if Mauritius is a former great nation which unjustly had its land and people taken away by European powers, it is itself a product of British and French colonialism.
And who are now in bed with the emerging Indian Super Power in the region. India love the idea, and have convinced the UN it’s legally doable.
Even if Truss did open negotiations over Chagos she was there so briefly responsibility for any subsequent actions which followed through on it would have to fall on those that came after, not her.
She cannot be blamed for everything, and even where she started stuff it was on others to sort things out, and failed.
You are forgetting that Keir Starmer, as a Labour PM, has no agency. If a Conservative Government started a negotiation, he had to sign whatever deal was created.
Not to do so, would be to not doff his cap and say "Corblimey, thank you guv'nr".
No agency but wrong reason. Keir Starmer is a lawyer, not a politician, so once an international court decided, it was just a matter of following due process.
Doesn’t explain why Burnham apparently wants to continue with it.
The Foreign Office wants to continue with it. As Moonrabbit astutely observed (though she drew the in my opinion the wrong conclusion) the positive noises about Chagos came after his Foreign Office briefing. Moonrabbit thinks the conclusion is that the Foreign Office are good chaps who want to gracefully bow to the inevitable and help the politicians see that any other course is futile. I think the conclusion is that the Foreign Office is utterly unfit for purpose.
I think wiser heads will prevail, and we will not see a re-emergence of Chagos either in this parliament or in Labour's next manifesto.
Thank you Lucky. What we both agree, the idea behind Yes Minister was training manual for politicians, so not to be such suckers that’s used merely as auto pen for what their big office Mandarins want to do. Clearly Burnham is getting briefings, and is getting brainwashed into being that auto pen for Mandarins. Another good example why the WotN is just not up to job of being our PM.
Also, I’m not not saying FO are right on this, I’m not convinced either, but they likely do have some sort of argument, that makes it appear not quite so black and white, that’s not getting much of a hearing.
Getting under the hood why FO love this deal so much they can’t let go, would be interesting.
The bit I’m confident is weak part of your understanding, that’s very key to this: Maritious in bed with China. Imo everyone saying “Maritious in bed with China” over and over have brainwashed themselves, believing something not true. Don’t take my word for it, or the AI slop out there, bit of proper research for yourself and it becomes clear that Mauritius are firmly in bed on military and security with India, who they are quite close to culturally and ethnically too due to historical migration. Mauritius fancy themselves as “East Coast Singapore” as the Chatham House articles call it - trade deals they have signed with everybody and those with China are doing too much heavy lifting for the “totally in bed with China” spin line. So what else have you got that proves totally in bed with China? Security and military deals that outstrip those they have with India? Trade deals not enough proof alone, after all UK have sexier trade deals with China - does it put us in bed with China?
Well. Okay. yes. There is that discussion under Blair, brown, Cam, Ossie, May, Boris, perhaps we did we get too far in bed with China on business, an we have been played on security.
Your conclusion that “the Foreign Office is utterly unfit for purpose.” Ties in with Barty in the post just before yours “There is absolutely no binding legal reason why the UK needs to do this Chagos nonsense.” I’m not saying either point are wrong. But why are FO are so in bed with this idea as sensible in their view.
Maybe the malign influence of India. India want Mauritius to legally have Chagos. Barty is right, they can’t force it legally, but they can apply other forms of strong pressure on UK, in the economic and security spheres we need in the region, that UK are not getting due to India’s influence. So the foreign office is working on a balance what is now worse for UK - accommodation with India and Mauritius legal right on Chagos for all that UK security and trade damage turned off, or keep the status quo, this comes with that trade and security damage for UK from India’s influence in the region, still switched on.
I havn’t sexed it up to be like something from “the great game” - it very much is from a Great Game. And the FO are the pro ballers in that game on behalf of the British People. Where deals with influential power brokers to further your trade and security, never come so black and white as this Chagos one is always being presented in UK media.
The big problem with giving Chagos to Mauritius is that it breaks Article 1(2) of the UN Charter.
No, that line the Tory front bench used in Parliament to hold things up a bit, collapsed earlier this year Driver, when legal boffins in UN said it’s not true.
"Legal boffins in the UN" can say what they want. This deal plainly infringes on the Chagossians' right to self-determination. Unless you think they don't have such a right.
Comments
(Only joking Sunil ;-))
The fear is there will be a military presence on the streets of Democratic cities, and voter suppression tactics will be employed. Trump wants the win and will claim the win. The fun starts if the Republican Party lose badly. They have said already that anything other than Republican House, Senate and Gubernatorial victories will be considered to be voter fraud.
Then I think it has far too close a relationship with the US State Department, who (certainly under the Democrats, but possibly at its 'deep state' core) seem in favour of this deal. They are not our friends.
Then I think it got even worse when it became the FDCO, because it inherited a large cadre of people from DFID who were totally ideologically captured and joined up with the sole intention of giving British money away to foreigners.
Jason Cowley says in todays Sunday Times that Ed Balls and David Miliband have wanted return to frontline uk politics for some time and were seeking seats before 2024 but Starmer's "team" blocked them.
And, of course, the way you phrased that is part of the problem. Pointing out the Democrats' BS is neither defending Trump nor speaking on his behalf.
I don't claim to be anything but an ill educated serf, but I suspect here I am right and you are way off beam.
2 sets to 1
If Chagouns could now return to the islands, what would they do for employment, business, industry?
There is this sense our military top brass would like to do it your way - a sort of wash our hands and draw a UK line under what hasn’t been great for UK overall. When Trump killed this deal the Democrats would have signed - the media in the region went to town laughing and lampooning how weak the UK are over Chagos in that it’s not up to UK government but one desk in the White House - you tried giving away what you own but couldn’t when Trump said no, total US poodle.
But ownership passing from us to India, via lease to Mauritius 3rd party, was a get out for UK the FO - maybe our military top brass too though we don’t have a supporting citation, and the Biden White House, all thought was a good all round move for everyone - perhaps looking forward to how two new Super Powers are rising in the region, long term thinking in the way short term minds of politicians and media never do.
But no your deal is immposible unless the US want to buy. And they never have, currently don’t, and never will want to buy Chagos from us - why on earth would they when they have such generous “friends of the owners” benefits, without any ownership hassles or bills. In “county lines” drug trade, in which this “presence in the region” is virtually identical, I believe the term for what US is doing to us is called cuckooing. This cuckooing is exactly how the US envisaged their presence in the region back in the 40s and 50s. They have been very clever in The Great Game (modern version).
In the Democrats' telling of it, Trump wanted Raffensperger to add 11 thousand totally new votes to Trump's total so he could be declared the winner outright.
In the real world, Trump was hoping to sue but knew he couldn't do so unless questions over that many votes - either counted or rejected, in the appropriate direction - of that amount could be identified.
Now, I admit to the lay person this distinction may be too subtle to appreciate. But it's definitely there.
All it evidences is that his opponents think it will happen.
And back to the here and now, just one more thing. Riddle me this;
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jun/16/trump-voting-rights-elections