It would make for a fascinating by-election. Both the Lib Dems and UKIP would be going for this seat hell for leather.
He is a backbench MP, one who really has no time for the leadership. Why should he resign?
Because it might make for a fascinating by-election? As you say, he really has no time for the leadership. A by-election in Rochdale would be rather awkward for Jeremy Corbyn. Simon Danczuk might see it as a parting present.
The ghost of Cyril Smith will assuredly doom the LibDems in Rochdale for many years yet to come.
That price is amazing. I just checked the price of a train ticket from Atlanta to New York City, a distance of almost 900 miles.
The cheapest seat is $124.95. A flexible ticket is $239.70. The most expensive option - A viewliner roomette (bunk to you and me) is $302.95.
So from $125 to $300 on a 900 mile trip, vs $750 for a 200 mile trip to Euston.
That is stunning.
That is...the magic of the marketplace in action.
Basically, there is no competition in the UK Rail network. It is a licence to print money. These fares are after receiving government subsidy.
Rail subsidies have fallen 40% in 5 years (FT).
It is still a licence to print money - like the Duty Free's. If you book ahead, air fare is cheaper.
It really isn't a licence to print money. And if you are in favour of renationalisation, you should ask yourself why the nationalised Network Rail has been making so many catastrophic mistakes. Inn comparison, the train operators are doing a good job.
I never thought I'd end up asking this on PB, but it's about seating on flights. I have flown transatlantically on cheap fares but I found it difficult to handle the poor legroom for a prolonged period of time. I have thought of splitting the journey - so US to Canada to Iceland to UK - but the cost trebles or more. Seeing as there are people here more knowledgable than I, I thought I'd ask the following question
"What is the cheapest option that allows one to fly transatlantically lying down or mostly reclined?"
Nick Palmer's suggestion of Norwegian, where they have a "almost business" class option, with decent leg room, is good.
Alternatively, try looking through all your old Tesco club cards, American Express Reward Points and the like. There are websites that show you how to convert them into other things - so that (with a bit of hassle) you can probably get them all converted into Virgin Atlantic miles of BA Avios.
What I used to do a lot in my old job was to buy a Virgin Premium Economy return ticket to where I was going, and then to use airmiles at the airport to upgrade. It wasn't always possible, but it cost roughly half what it would have cost to buy an Upper Class ticket.
I never thought I'd end up asking this on PB, but it's about seating on flights. I have flown transatlantically on cheap fares but I found it difficult to handle the poor legroom for a prolonged period of time. I have thought of splitting the journey - so US to Canada to Iceland to UK - but the cost trebles or more. Seeing as there are people here more knowledgable than I, I thought I'd ask the following question
"What is the cheapest option that allows one to fly transatlantically lying down or mostly reclined?"
I don't know, but I do recommend Norwegian for a combination of cheap fare and reasonable legroom. Paying a bit extra to choose your seat and going for a bulkhead seat might be the ideal.
What's a "bulkhead seat" please?
OK, I may have been obtuse. I'll assume a "bulkhead seat" is a seat immediately behind an internal partition (and which would have greater legroom as a result)
I never thought I'd end up asking this on PB, but it's about seating on flights. I have flown transatlantically on cheap fares but I found it difficult to handle the poor legroom for a prolonged period of time. I have thought of splitting the journey - so US to Canada to Iceland to UK - but the cost trebles or more. Seeing as there are people here more knowledgable than I, I thought I'd ask the following question
"What is the cheapest option that allows one to fly transatlantically lying down or mostly reclined?"
Nick Palmer's suggestion of Norwegian, where they have a "almost business" class option, with decent leg room, is good.
Alternatively, try looking through all your old Tesco club cards, American Express Reward Points and the like. There are websites that show you how to convert them into other things - so that (with a bit of hassle) you can probably get them all converted into Virgin Atlantic miles of BA Avios.
What I used to do a lot in my old job was to buy a Virgin Premium Economy return ticket to where I was going, and then to use airmiles at the airport to upgrade. It wasn't always possible, but it cost roughly half what it would have cost to buy an Upper Class ticket.
Also La Compaigne might be interesting: it's a business class only airline that flies between Luton and Newark. It's about £1,500 return.
As Danny565 (I think) pointed out last night, he seems to be in a bad place, personally. I hope he gets some help, and he should step down as MP.
I mean for his own sake.
if he's mentally or personally in a bad place he can get help without resigning, MPs and other senior positions are, slowly, being more open about seeking assistance for such things now. Of course he might feel he can best sort himself out if he is no longer an MP, but it may not be necessary and I would presume he enjoys his work and would like to come back to it fresh once he's sorted himself out, rather than resigning.
Thank you. I don't have Tesco club cards, American Express, or anything else that offers points (yes, I know...:-( ) but your validation of NPXMP's recommendation of "Norwegian" is good to know.
I never thought I'd end up asking this on PB, but it's about seating on flights. I have flown transatlantically on cheap fares but I found it difficult to handle the poor legroom for a prolonged period of time. I have thought of splitting the journey - so US to Canada to Iceland to UK - but the cost trebles or more. Seeing as there are people here more knowledgable than I, I thought I'd ask the following question
"What is the cheapest option that allows one to fly transatlantically lying down or mostly reclined?"
Nick Palmer's suggestion of Norwegian, where they have a "almost business" class option, with decent leg room, is good.
Alternatively, try looking through all your old Tesco club cards, American Express Reward Points and the like. There are websites that show you how to convert them into other things - so that (with a bit of hassle) you can probably get them all converted into Virgin Atlantic miles of BA Avios.
What I used to do a lot in my old job was to buy a Virgin Premium Economy return ticket to where I was going, and then to use airmiles at the airport to upgrade. It wasn't always possible, but it cost roughly half what it would have cost to buy an Upper Class ticket.
On another note, I have been advised by one of my nubile Thai servants that tyson accused me of being a "narcissistic prick" for debating the virtues of Eva Air Biz Class.
I plead Guilty.
Prior to sentencing, and in mitigation, I only wonder if this is the same tyson who told us he was a helpless millionaire, bored of horribly white north Oxford, which was why he was moving to his second home in Tuscany?
Wait. You fly commercial?
I've yet to go on a private jet.
Talking of First World Problems, I think I heard the best one EVAH the other day.
I was having an argument with my ludicrously rich Hollywood Film Director friend about whether he was ludicrously rich or not (he is, he's literally married to a billionairess, and is a self made millionaire in his own right). In the end he had to yield, when he admitted that the biggest argument in his Los Angeles home, over the Christmas period, was centred on "the remote control for the fountain".
At that point both of us stopped and laughed for a full five minutes.
Thirty years ago we were both heroin addicts, together, living an unheated London basement, without £5 between us.
Triumph and Disaster, Triumph and Disaster.
Ha! I've finally beaten SeanT in the luxury stakes. I have. And bloody wonderful it was too.
That price is amazing. I just checked the price of a train ticket from Atlanta to New York City, a distance of almost 900 miles.
The cheapest seat is $124.95. A flexible ticket is $239.70. The most expensive option - A viewliner roomette (bunk to you and me) is $302.95.
So from $125 to $300 on a 900 mile trip, vs $750 for a 200 mile trip to Euston.
That is stunning.
That is...the magic of the marketplace in action.
Basically, there is no competition in the UK Rail network. It is a licence to print money. These fares are after receiving government subsidy.
Rail subsidies have fallen 40% in 5 years (FT).
It is still a licence to print money - like the Duty Free's. If you book ahead, air fare is cheaper.
It really isn't a licence to print money. And if you are in favour of renationalisation, you should ask yourself why the nationalised Network Rail has been making so many catastrophic mistakes. Inn comparison, the train operators are doing a good job.
The operating companies paid the government a net £802 million in 2014-15.
I think by the time High Speed 2 is built, an actual game changer in terms of time & cost for travel - the Hyperloop will have a functional track up and running, perhaps between San Fransisco and Los Angeles.
I never thought I'd end up asking this on PB, but it's about seating on flights. I have flown transatlantically on cheap fares but I found it difficult to handle the poor legroom for a prolonged period of time. I have thought of splitting the journey - so US to Canada to Iceland to UK - but the cost trebles or more. Seeing as there are people here more knowledgable than I, I thought I'd ask the following question
"What is the cheapest option that allows one to fly transatlantically lying down or mostly reclined?"
Nick Palmer's suggestion of Norwegian, where they have a "almost business" class option, with decent leg room, is good.
Alternatively, try looking through all your old Tesco club cards, American Express Reward Points and the like. There are websites that show you how to convert them into other things - so that (with a bit of hassle) you can probably get them all converted into Virgin Atlantic miles of BA Avios.
What I used to do a lot in my old job was to buy a Virgin Premium Economy return ticket to where I was going, and then to use airmiles at the airport to upgrade. It wasn't always possible, but it cost roughly half what it would have cost to buy an Upper Class ticket.
Also La Compaigne might be interesting: it's a business class only airline that flies between Luton and Newark. It's about £1,500 return.
It would make for a fascinating by-election. Both the Lib Dems and UKIP would be going for this seat hell for leather.
He is a backbench MP, one who really has no time for the leadership. Why should he resign?
Because it might make for a fascinating by-election? As you say, he really has no time for the leadership. A by-election in Rochdale would be rather awkward for Jeremy Corbyn. Simon Danczuk might see it as a parting present.
When at university I helped organise cheese-and-wine (yes, really pissups) in the Victoria Room at the House of Commons. The format was simple - a bunch of students got to meet a bunch of MPs. The moment the word was out in the corridors of parliament that free booze was on offer - well, you got alot of MPs.
Watching the interactions was fascinating. There does seem to be a type of young lady who chases after fat, old, ugly politicians. As one foat, old, ugly MP remarked to me - "Moths to a flame. But who is the moth?"
Top post.
You know the story is weak when The Sun has to hedge its story with quotes like "At the time I played along with it, but now I feel like he duped me" and "I enjoyed the attention ... there is something about him that I was attracted to" and her quoted texts include the claim that she would "look better on your bedroom floor" as well as "Hope that's a good reaction... of course it is. I'm quite turned on just by thinking about it" and "Hmm that sounds amazing and I want to "
How embarrassing ... but he doesn't seem to have been as outright predatory as a lot of MPs we could name. A very poor show of judgment, to be sure.
''Do Brits cost too much ? And, the hotel market will not pay that salary given the cost competitiveness ? Or, would the Brits not do the job ? At this rate, we will run out of jobs to do.''
I stayed in a boutiquey place in Hastings recently. Hotel owner said the Lithuanians and Poles literally knock on the door to ask if there's work going. One thought 'vacancies' meant job vacancies. Now she runs his cleaning operation.
Locals? never.
And, there are people who will blame these people for taking our jobs. What we mean by "our jobs" is "our jobs at a certain price, otherwise I will not do it".
It started with office cleaning 50 years ago. Even bus drivers have to be brought in ? What's wrong with driving buses ?
I don't disagree with you, but I do find it funny how, where immigration is concerned, lefties suddenly come over all Tebbit, berating the lazy British worker and praising his hard working Polish competitor, who has done the ultimate 'getting on his bike and looking for work'. It's not intellectually tenable.
The best way to get a free first class tickets/upgrades is for your airline to lose/misdirect your luggage. I reckon you can get 3 to 6 tickets out of them if you complain hard enough.
Best thing Virgin ever did was send my luggage to Melbourne when I was going to New York.
I got entire new wardrobe of clothes out of them as well.
So far we have got the following: Norman Fowler did not know what oral sex was, but his wife did !
Perhaps she saw it as unnecessary in marriage. I know a couple of men who complain - lament, I should say - that their wives take that view.
As you give so shall you receive.
Sage advice. I shall pass that on.
It doesn't always work. The Beatles song "Please Please Me" is supposedly about a girlfriend who didn't do her fair share of the work:
"Last night I said these words to my girl I know you never even try, girl Come on (come on) Come on (come on) Come on (come on) Come on (come on) Please please me, woah yeah, Like I please you."
It would make for a fascinating by-election. Both the Lib Dems and UKIP would be going for this seat hell for leather.
He is a backbench MP, one who really has no time for the leadership. Why should he resign?
Because it might make for a fascinating by-election? As you say, he really has no time for the leadership. A by-election in Rochdale would be rather awkward for Jeremy Corbyn. Simon Danczuk might see it as a parting present.
When at university I helped organise cheese-and-wine (yes, really pissups) in the Victoria Room at the House of Commons. The format was simple - a bunch of students got to meet a bunch of MPs. The moment the word was out in the corridors of parliament that free booze was on offer - well, you got alot of MPs.
Watching the interactions was fascinating. There does seem to be a type of young lady who chases after fat, old, ugly politicians. As one foat, old, ugly MP remarked to me - "Moths to a flame. But who is the moth?"
Top post.
You know the story is weak when The Sun has to hedge its story with quotes like "At the time I played along with it, but now I feel like he duped me" and "I enjoyed the attention ... there is something about him that I was attracted to" and her quoted texts include the claim that she would "look better on your bedroom floor" as well as "Hope that's a good reaction... of course it is. I'm quite turned on just by thinking about it" and "Hmm that sounds amazing and I want to "
How embarrassing ... but he doesn't seem to have been as outright predatory as a lot of MPs we could name. A very poor show of judgment, to be sure.
Personally I think he is a moron. Bit like if he had sent his credit card details in response to a 419 email.
The real question here is if he did something illegal. If she was over 16 then the answer is no. Can't see it being made into a resigning issue if it wasn't illegal. The Corbynites will obviously try and get him binned, but I don't think they will manage it with this.
On another note, I have been advised by one of my nubile Thai servants that tyson accused me of being a "narcissistic prick" for debating the virtues of Eva Air Biz Class.
I plead Guilty.
Prior to sentencing, and in mitigation, I only wonder if this is the same tyson who told us he was a helpless millionaire, bored of horribly white north Oxford, which was why he was moving to his second home in Tuscany?
Wait. You fly commercial?
I've yet to go on a private jet.
Talking of First World Problems, I think I heard the best one EVAH the other day.
I was having an argument with my ludicrously rich Hollywood Film Director friend about whether he was ludicrously rich or not (he is, he's literally married to a billionairess, and is a self made millionaire in his own right). In the end he had to yield, when he admitted that the biggest argument in his Los Angeles home, over the Christmas period, was centred on "the remote control for the fountain".
At that point both of us stopped and laughed for a full five minutes.
Thirty years ago we were both heroin addicts, together, living an unheated London basement, without £5 between us.
Triumph and Disaster, Triumph and Disaster.
Oddly, a Hollywood film director (fairly well known but not in the top commercial tier) is one of the few clients I've had who tried to seriously haggle with me over my rates. They pleaded poverty, which perhaps for someone in the arthouse scene is plausible.
For some purposes it is 18, depending on whether the relationship contains a position of responsibility. I don't know if this includes boss/employee - could one of the lawyers enlighten me? It would cover things like a teacher or a sports coach and their student.
Since this comes under the aegis of child protection, it suggests that 16 and 17 year olds are not, in the eyes of the law, regarded as completely adult for the purposes of sexuality. (See also prostitution and pornography.)
So far we have got the following: Norman Fowler did not know what oral sex was, but his wife did !
Perhaps she saw it as unnecessary in marriage. I know a couple of men who complain - lament, I should say - that their wives take that view.
As you give so shall you receive.
Sage advice. I shall pass that on.
It doesn't always work. The Beatles song "Please Please Me" is supposedly about a girlfriend who didn't do her fair share of the work:
"Last night I said these words to my girl I know you never even try, girl Come on (come on) Come on (come on) Come on (come on) Come on (come on) Please please me, woah yeah, Like I please you."
You've ruined The Beatles for me now.
At least you'll never ruin Relax by Frankie Goes To Hollywood, 'cause that song is about Yoga, and nothing else.
That price is amazing. I just checked the price of a train ticket from Atlanta to New York City, a distance of almost 900 miles.
The cheapest seat is $124.95. A flexible ticket is $239.70. The most expensive option - A viewliner roomette (bunk to you and me) is $302.95.
So from $125 to $300 on a 900 mile trip, vs $750 for a 200 mile trip to Euston.
That is stunning.
That is...the magic of the marketplace in action.
Basically, there is no competition in the UK Rail network. It is a licence to print money. These fares are after receiving government subsidy.
Rail subsidies have fallen 40% in 5 years (FT).
It is still a licence to print money - like the Duty Free's. If you book ahead, air fare is cheaper.
It really isn't a licence to print money. And if you are in favour of renationalisation, you should ask yourself why the nationalised Network Rail has been making so many catastrophic mistakes. Inn comparison, the train operators are doing a good job.
The operating companies paid the government a net £802 million in 2014-15.
I think by the time High Speed 2 is built, an actual game changer in terms of time & cost for travel - the Hyperloop will have a functional track up and running, perhaps between San Fransisco and Los Angeles.
You will not be surprised by this, but I'm a great cynic when it comes to Hyperloop. The cost alone will be crazy (it'll be interesting to see how the test tracks perform wrt cost).
Leaving aside technical issues, what would be its throughput of passengers?
Must be a contender for the most dishonourable honour ever.
Quite high risk, too.
Crosby's understanding of the public has been shown by events to be massively in excess of anything the pollsters managed. For that insight alone, from which others can learn, the honour is deserved. He is a market leader in his field by a mile: in any other industry there'd have been no criticism.
Besides, far better for the state to reward political service with cheap gongs than with real power or money.
Mr Herdson you one of my favourite article writers on here but that is utter tosh, knighting somebody for masterminding an election victory is disgraceful, if Blair had knighted Alistair Campbell you would have been apoplectic. I'm afraid even the more rational Tories are embarrassing themselves here.
There are abundant examples of party strategists getting honours, Spencer Livermore being the most recent but also Philip Gould and Tim Bell. I'm not a fan of the honours system but I struggle to see how this knighthood breaks new ground.
I didn't say it broke new ground I said it's a disgrace. Crosby is superb at what he's paid to do, he undermined the Labour campaign in a very effective way, that was his job. But honours should be about service to the country not a political party. (Yes, I hear you say, when it's a Tory that's the same thing).
This award demeans the system and highlights Cameron's continual bad personal judgement.
!0+ years a PM -UKIP and the rest could do with some of his bad judgement. Too much vinegar on your cornflakes...again.
Moderately funny but actually another case of playing the man not the ball.
If you attempting to "smear" me you're really smearing the wonderful Marf who produced a wonderful parody of UKIP. She sent me the original which has pride of place.
On another note, I have been advised by one of my nubile Thai servants that tyson accused me of ome in Tuscany?
Nothing wrong with the poor man's business class. It has seats like any other plane. I have to admit I haven't flown Eva. My flights to Taiwan has always been with Dragon, an excellent airline.
Tyson is a good chap. I don't think he votes Tory but like many he is not too fond of Corbyn.
Eva Air Biz used to be incredibly cheap, about £1200 return, London-Bangkok - not much more than BA Premium Economy.
Now it has doubled, but now you get your own podules, it's as good as First in many other airlines.
Also the flight times are nice - an ideal 9pm night flight from Heathrow T3, a tolerable midday return from BKK.
I do wonder how they get such good slots from Heathrow - better than BA, or anyone else.
For a moment I thought there were other services available.
Asian standards of customer service are in general much better than the West. It's related to their cultures of hierarchy and caste and generalised grovelling (which are less appealing, in so many ways).
Their luxury hotels are better for the very same reason. I did the Oberois in India this year. Oh my word.
I like attentive service, but I find grovelling offensive.
I
Dorchester etc. has always had the grovelling element. Why blame the Asians ? Have you seen what hotel staff are up to with Arab Shiekhs ? And, they are white British.
At what point did I ever "blame Asians"??
I didn't. I wasn't even apportioning blame.
I merely observed - correctly - that Asian societies are culturally more formal and hierarchical, from India to Japan, so Asians probably make better hotel staff - if what you want from your staff is lots of elegant, unselfconscious bowing and scraping. And with luxury hotels that is exactly what you want.
That said, the best hotel managers seem to be Germans and Swiss (across the world), and the best concierges and maitre d's are British, or sometimes French.
This comment was brought to you by Stereotypes Inc.
I was not you. It was the kipper Sean who wrote that he found grovelling repulsive. And, I said Dorchester etc. always did it. Now others are getting the same treatment for less.
I find grovelling just as offensive from white people as from Asians. As a paying customer, I want to be treated with respect and courtesy, not as God Almighty.
Switched on SKY News, they are showing the New Year celebrations live from Sydney. The BBC showing an interview with a scruffy looking Jeremy Corbyn re the floods!
What a bloody fool Simon Danczuk is, he's fallen straight into the Corbynistas trap.
''Do Brits cost too much ? And, the hotel market will not pay that salary given the cost competitiveness ? Or, would the Brits not do the job ? At this rate, we will run out of jobs to do.''
I stayed in a boutiquey place in Hastings recently. Hotel owner said the Lithuanians and Poles literally knock on the door to ask if there's work going. One thought 'vacancies' meant job vacancies. Now she runs his cleaning operation.
Locals? never.
And, there are people who will blame these people for taking our jobs. What we mean by "our jobs" is "our jobs at a certain price, otherwise I will not do it".
It started with office cleaning 50 years ago. Even bus drivers have to be brought in ? What's wrong with driving buses ?
Wandering off the point but according to an instructor friend, bus driver is now a popular job again -- power steering, automatic gearboxes and the king of the road driving position.
...I was having an argument with my ludicrously rich Hollywood Film Director friend about whether he was ludicrously rich or not (he is, he's literally married to a billionairess, and is a self made millionaire in his own right). In the end he had to yield, when he admitted that the biggest argument in his Los Angeles home, over the Christmas period, was centred on "the remote control for the fountain".
At that point both of us stopped and laughed for a full five minutes.
Thirty years ago we were both heroin addicts, together, living an unheated London basement, without £5 between us...
Kirk Jones? Danny Cannon? Guy Richie? Christopher Nolan???
Must be a contender for the most dishonourable honour ever.
Quite high risk, too.
Crosby's understanding of the public has been shown by events to be massively in excess of anything the pollsters managed. For that insight alone, from which others can learn, the honour is deserved. He is a market leader in his field by a mile: in any other industry there'd have been no criticism.
Besides, far better for the state to reward political service with cheap gongs than with real power or money.
Mr Herdson you one of my favourite article writers on here but that is utter tosh, knighting somebody for masterminding an election victory is disgraceful, if Blair had knighted Alistair Campbell you would have been apoplectic. I'm afraid even the more rational Tories are embarrassing themselves here.
There are abundant examples of party strategists getting honours, Spencer Livermore being the most recent but also Philip Gould and Tim Bell. I'm not a fan of the honours system but I struggle to see how this knighthood breaks new ground.
I didn't say it broke new ground I said it's a disgrace. Crosby is superb at what he's paid to do, he undermined the Labour campaign in a very effective way, that was his job. But honours should be about service to the country not a political party. (Yes, I hear you say, when it's a Tory that's the same thing).
This award demeans the system and highlights Cameron's continual bad personal judgement.
!0+ years a PM -UKIP and the rest could do with some of his bad judgement. Too much vinegar on your cornflakes...again.
Moderately funny but actually another case of playing the man not the ball.
If you attempting to "smear" me you're really smearing the wonderful Marf who produced a wonderful parody of UKIP. She sent me the original which has pride of place.
I find grovelling just as offensive from white people as from Asians. As a paying customer, I want to be treated with respect and courtesy, not as God Almighty.
Agreed. Apart from considerations of dignity, it's also a question of sincerity - if someone treats you in a polite and friendly manner they may well be genuine, whereas someone who grovels probably dislikes you at some level.
Looking at the numbers in the header, what strikes me is that the ~60% who voted for Corbyn are still for him, and that the Labour selectorate was in fact fairly representative of Labour voters.
I find that last thought particularly depressing for Labour.
Are politicians mad ? Texting from his own phone ?
If a 49 year old man is texting a teenager I'd suggest being mad is the least of his worries. The standard of people in public life is dreadful, like that other MP dancing in his y fronts on a dating site. Whatever happened to decency, dignity and self respect.
None of us are paragons of virtue but if you run for senior public office you must set standards that others can't immediately berate or laugh at.
Are politicians mad ? Texting from his own phone ?
If a 49 year old man is texting a teenager I'd suggest being mad is the least of his worries. The standard of people in public life is dreadful, like that other MP dancing in his y fronts on a dating site. Whatever happened to decency, dignity and self respect.
None of us are paragons of virtue but if you run for senior public office you must set standards that others can't immediately berate or laugh at.
It would make for a fascinating by-election. Both the Lib Dems and UKIP would be going for this seat hell for leather.
He is a backbench MP, one who really has no time for the leadership. Why should he resign?
Because it might make for a fascinating by-election? As you say, he really has no time for the leadership. A by-election in Rochdale would be rather awkward for Jeremy Corbyn. Simon Danczuk might see it as a parting present.
When at university I helped organise cheese-and-wine (yes, really pissups) in the Victoria Room at the House of Commons. The format was simple - a bunch of students got to meet a bunch of MPs. The moment the word was out in the corridors of parliament that free booze was on offer - well, you got alot of MPs.
Watching the interactions was fascinating. There does seem to be a type of young lady who chases after fat, old, ugly politicians. As one foat, old, ugly MP remarked to me - "Moths to a flame. But who is the moth?"
Top post.
You know the story is weak when The Sun has to hedge its story with quotes like "At the time I played along with it, but now I feel like he duped me" and "I enjoyed the attention ... there is something about him that I was attracted to" and her quoted texts include the claim that she would "look better on your bedroom floor" as well as "Hope that's a good reaction... of course it is. I'm quite turned on just by thinking about it" and "Hmm that sounds amazing and I want to "
How embarrassing ... but he doesn't seem to have been as outright predatory as a lot of MPs we could name. A very poor show of judgment, to be sure.
I don't usually comment on Danczuk even when he's ranting about Corbyn and Miliband as I think he's perhaps more to be pitied than censured for some of the things he does. But I do recall getting an email from someone I'd never heard of saying she was excited by men of power (er, wrong address, madam), had read all about me and would love to meet and work in my office where she could show me interesting things. She attached a photo which I didn't open - I forwarded the email to the HoC IT department as apparently having evaded their virus guard. They called up with some amusement to say it was perfectly virus-free and "what you do with it is a matter for you, sir".
That was an easy one to bin, but I did wonder if most MPs would be entirely resistant to a more subtle approach. The Commons can be quite lonely at times.
Must be a contender for the most dishonourable honour ever.
Quite high risk, too.
Crosby's understanding of the public has been shown by events to be massively in excess of anything the pollsters managed. For that insight alone, from which others can learn, the honour is deserved. He is a market leader in his field by a mile: in any other industry there'd have been no criticism.
Besides, far better for the state to reward political service with cheap gongs than with real power or money.
Mr Herdson you one of my favourite article writers on here but that is utter tosh, knighting somebody for masterminding an election victory is disgraceful, if Blair had knighted Alistair Campbell you would have been apoplectic. I'm afraid even the more rational Tories are embarrassing themselves here.
There are abundant examples of party strategists getting honours, Spencer Livermore being the most recent but also Philip Gould and Tim Bell. I'm not a fan of the honours system but I struggle to see how this knighthood breaks new ground.
I didn't say it broke new ground I said it's a disgrace. Crosby is superb at what he's paid to do, he undermined the Labour campaign in a very effective way, that was his job. But honours should be about service to the country not a political party. (Yes, I hear you say, when it's a Tory that's the same thing).
This award demeans the system and highlights Cameron's continual bad personal judgement.
!0+ years a PM -UKIP and the rest could do with some of his bad judgement. Too much vinegar on your cornflakes...again.
Moderately funny but actually another case of playing the man not the ball.
If you attempting to "smear" me you're really smearing the wonderful Marf who produced a wonderful parody of UKIP. She sent me the original which has pride of place.
Can you see the difference here? In laughing at bongo bongo I was laughing at ukip, ergo myself. If I laugh at Tories you circle like baying hyenas. It's why I can't resist getting my cattle prod out.
Thanks for the compliment though, that's my second on pb.
Are politicians mad ? Texting from his own phone ?
If a 49 year old man is texting a teenager I'd suggest being mad is the least of his worries. The standard of people in public life is dreadful, like that other MP dancing in his y fronts on a dating site. Whatever happened to decency, dignity and self respect.
None of us are paragons of virtue but if you run for senior public office you must set standards that others can't immediately berate or laugh at.
I do like your standard.
I stood as a candidate, the scrutiny I came under was uncomfortable but it was my choice. I have zero sympathy for people that govern us grizzling when we question their morals. I'm sure Danczuk's children think this is all a bit of harmless fun by their old dad.
As December comes to a close, it's worth reflecting how incredibly warm it's been this month - a truly astonishing month.
The Central England Temperature for December 2015 is currently standing at 9.8C (81-10 average is 4.6C, previous high was 8.1C). To smash a record by that margin is truly astonishing.
Will be interesting to see the various global temperature datasets for both December 2015 and 2015 but I'm fairly sure that the WMO will state that 2015 will be the warmest year on record. Any bets for 2016?
As December comes to a close, it's worth reflecting how incredibly warm it's been this month - a truly astonishing month.
The Central England Temperature for December 2015 is currently standing at 9.8C (81-10 average is 4.6C, previous high was 8.1C). To smash a record by that margin is truly astonishing.
Will be interesting to see the various global temperature datasets for both December 2015 and 2015 but I'm fairly sure that the WMO will state that 2015 will be the warmest year on record. Any bets for 2016?
As December comes to a close, it's worth reflecting how incredibly warm it's been this month - a truly astonishing month.
The Central England Temperature for December 2015 is currently standing at 9.8C (81-10 average is 4.6C, previous high was 8.1C). To smash a record by that margin is truly astonishing.
Will be interesting to see the various global temperature datasets for both December 2015 and 2015 but I'm fairly sure that the WMO will state that 2015 will be the warmest year on record. Any bets for 2016?
As December comes to a close, it's worth reflecting how incredibly warm it's been this month - a truly astonishing month.
The Central England Temperature for December 2015 is currently standing at 9.8C (81-10 average is 4.6C, previous high was 8.1C). To smash a record by that margin is truly astonishing.
Will be interesting to see the various global temperature datasets for both December 2015 and 2015 but I'm fairly sure that the WMO will state that 2015 will be the warmest year on record. Any bets for 2016?
Yeah, I bet 99% of people don't care.
But surely they should mon ami?
Nope, why care about something you can do nothing to change. Climate changes, it always has done.
When at university I helped organise cheese-and-wine (yes, really pissups) in the Victoria Room at the House of Commons. The format was simple - a bunch of students got to meet a bunch of MPs. The moment the word was out in the corridors of parliament that free booze was on offer - well, you got alot of MPs.
Watching the interactions was fascinating. There does seem to be a type of young lady who chases after fat, old, ugly politicians. As one foat, old, ugly MP remarked to me - "Moths to a flame. But who is the moth?"
Top post.
You know the story is weak when The Sun has to hedge its story with quotes like "At the time I played along with it, but now I feel like he duped me" and "I enjoyed the attention ... there is something about him that I was attracted to" and her quoted texts include the claim that she would "look better on your bedroom floor" as well as "Hope that's a good reaction... of course it is. I'm quite turned on just by thinking about it" and "Hmm that sounds amazing and I want to "
How embarrassing ... but he doesn't seem to have been as outright predatory as a lot of MPs we could name. A very poor show of judgment, to be sure.
I don't usually comment on Danczuk even when he's ranting about Corbyn and Miliband as I think he's perhaps more to be pitied than censured for some of the things he does. But I do recall getting an email from someone I'd never heard of saying she was excited by men of power (er, wrong address, madam), had read all about me and would love to meet and work in my office where she could show me interesting things. She attached a photo which I didn't open - I forwarded the email to the HoC IT department as apparently having evaded their virus guard. They called up with some amusement to say it was perfectly virus-free and "what you do with it is a matter for you, sir".
That was an easy one to bin, but I did wonder if most MPs would be entirely resistant to a more subtle approach. The Commons can be quite lonely at times.
MPs, even those without ministerial office, do have a certain allure I think. It might be partly due to Parliament itself which is a fascinating and arcane institution. Also, MPs tend to be quite charismatic face to face, often surprisingly so.
As December comes to a close, it's worth reflecting how incredibly warm it's been this month - a truly astonishing month.
The Central England Temperature for December 2015 is currently standing at 9.8C (81-10 average is 4.6C, previous high was 8.1C). To smash a record by that margin is truly astonishing.
Will be interesting to see the various global temperature datasets for both December 2015 and 2015 but I'm fairly sure that the WMO will state that 2015 will be the warmest year on record. Any bets for 2016?
Corbyn will never get the approval of the sore losers of the leadership election, that's a fact, if he wants to increase his favourability rating he has to look elsewhere.
Nevertheless Christmas did come for him, though a bit late. Hahaha Danzuck got thrown out, not due to him being a political embarrassment and serial backknifer, but for doing the things that he built his career accusing others of doing.
We always knew that Danzuck's time will come but never under these ironic circumstances. 1 down, 65 to go to obtain some peace in the Labour party.
As December comes to a close, it's worth reflecting how incredibly warm it's been this month - a truly astonishing month.
The Central England Temperature for December 2015 is currently standing at 9.8C (81-10 average is 4.6C, previous high was 8.1C). To smash a record by that margin is truly astonishing.
Will be interesting to see the various global temperature datasets for both December 2015 and 2015 but I'm fairly sure that the WMO will state that 2015 will be the warmest year on record. Any bets for 2016?
Yeah, I bet 99% of people don't care.
But surely they should mon ami?
Nope, why care about something you can do nothing to change. Climate changes, it always has done.
That's very debatable. The ramifications of climate change haven't even started to hit yet home fully yet. When it does, you'll notice...
As December comes to a close, it's worth reflecting how incredibly warm it's been this month - a truly astonishing month.
The Central England Temperature for December 2015 is currently standing at 9.8C (81-10 average is 4.6C, previous high was 8.1C). To smash a record by that margin is truly astonishing.
Will be interesting to see the various global temperature datasets for both December 2015 and 2015 but I'm fairly sure that the WMO will state that 2015 will be the warmest year on record. Any bets for 2016?
That price is amazing. I just checked the price of a train ticket from Atlanta to New York City, a distance of almost 900 miles.
The cheapest seat is $124.95. A flexible ticket is $239.70. The most expensive option - A viewliner roomette (bunk to you and me) is $302.95.
So from $125 to $300 on a 900 mile trip, vs $750 for a 200 mile trip to Euston.
That is stunning.
That is...the magic of the marketplace in action.
Basically, there is no competition in the UK Rail network. It is a licence to print money. These fares are after receiving government subsidy.
Rail subsidies have fallen 40% in 5 years (FT).
It is still a licence to print money - like the Duty Free's. If you book ahead, air fare is cheaper.
It really isn't a licence to print money. And if you are in favour of renationalisation, you should ask yourself why the nationalised Network Rail has been making so many catastrophic mistakes. Inn comparison, the train operators are doing a good job.
The operating companies paid the government a net £802 million in 2014-15.
I think by the time High Speed 2 is built, an actual game changer in terms of time & cost for travel - the Hyperloop will have a functional track up and running, perhaps between San Fransisco and Los Angeles.
Quite. I always thought we should have seriously considered the Maglev for HS2. Japan have one under construction now that will be a real game changer, and the Shanghai airport one has proved the technology over a number of years on a smaller scale. It would mean that people could give serious consideration to commuting to London daily from as far north as Leeds and Manchester.
Corbyn will never get the approval of the sore losers of the leadership election, that's a fact, if he wants to increase his favourability rating he has to look elsewhere.
Nevertheless Christmas did come for him, though a bit late. Hahaha Danzuck got thrown out, not due to him being a political embarrassment and serial backknifer, but for doing the things that he built his career accusing others of doing.
We always knew that Danzuck's time will come but never under these ironic circumstances. 1 down, 65 to go to obtain some peace in the Labour party.
As December comes to a close, it's worth reflecting how incredibly warm it's been this month - a truly astonishing month.
The Central England Temperature for December 2015 is currently standing at 9.8C (81-10 average is 4.6C, previous high was 8.1C). To smash a record by that margin is truly astonishing.
Will be interesting to see the various global temperature datasets for both December 2015 and 2015 but I'm fairly sure that the WMO will state that 2015 will be the warmest year on record. Any bets for 2016?
Yeah, I bet 99% of people don't care.
But surely they should mon ami?
Nope, why care about something you can do nothing to change. Climate changes, it always has done.
That's very debatable. The ramifications of climate change haven't even started to hit yet home fully yet. When it does, you'll notice...
Are politicians mad ? Texting from his own phone ?
If a 49 year old man is texting a teenager I'd suggest being mad is the least of his worries. The standard of people in public life is dreadful, like that other MP dancing in his y fronts on a dating site. Whatever happened to decency, dignity and self respect.
None of us are paragons of virtue but if you run for senior public office you must set standards that others can't immediately berate or laugh at.
I have no issue with holding MPs to a higher standard than other people to some degree - they are in positions of power over us, so being judged on stricter terms than most people seems entirely fair - but I go back and forth about how far to take it. Some proper scumbags or narcissistic weirdos or just plain fools may, in other respects, be very fine at all or parts of their jobs and if people don't mind those flaws enough to vote them out and they have not broken any laws, then that's their choice I suppose. Better if their personal issues are discreet so we don't have to think about it, but if it does come into the public eye then sure the public can take it into account more than they might for a normal person, but I'd think we can still forgive a lot of discretionary.
When at university I helped organise cheese-and-wine (yes, really pissups) in the Victoria Room at the House of Commons. The format was simple - a bunch of students got to meet a bunch of MPs. The moment the word was out in the corridors of parliament that free booze was on offer - well, you got alot of MPs.
Watching the interactions was fascinating. There does seem to be a type of young lady who chases after fat, old, ugly politicians. As one foat, old, ugly MP remarked to me - "Moths to a flame. But who is the moth?"
Top post.
You know the story is weak when The Sun has to hedge its story with quotes like "At the time I played along with it, but now I feel like he duped me" and "I enjoyed the attention ... there is something about him that I was attracted to" and her quoted texts include the claim that she would "look better on your bedroom floor" as well as "Hope that's a good reaction... of course it is. I'm quite turned on just by thinking about it" and "Hmm that sounds amazing and I want to "
How embarrassing ... but he doesn't seem to have been as outright predatory as a lot of MPs we could name. A very poor show of judgment, to be sure.
I don't usually comment on Danczuk even when he's ranting about Corbyn and Miliband as I think he's perhaps more to be pitied than censured for some of the things he does. But I do recall getting an email from someone I'd never heard of saying she was excited by men of power (er, wrong address, madam), had read all about me and would love to meet and work in my office where she could show me interesting things. She attached a photo which I didn't open - I forwarded the email to the HoC IT department as apparently having evaded their virus guard. They called up with some amusement to say it was perfectly virus-free and "what you do with it is a matter for you, sir".
That was an easy one to bin, but I did wonder if most MPs would be entirely resistant to a more subtle approach. The Commons can be quite lonely at times.
MPs, even those without ministerial office, do have a certain allure I think. It might be partly due to Parliament itself which is a fascinating and arcane institution. Also, MPs tend to be quite charismatic face to face, often surprisingly so.
I can see that - I have little trouble believing a lot of MPs, and particularly party leaders, even if not adept at media presentation, one on one are probably quite compelling and convincing about all sorts of things, which is attractive in of itself.
Are politicians mad ? Texting from his own phone ?
If a 49 year old man is texting a teenager I'd suggest being mad is the least of his worries. The standard of people in public life is dreadful, like that other MP dancing in his y fronts on a dating site. Whatever happened to decency, dignity and self respect.
None of us are paragons of virtue but if you run for senior public office you must set standards that others can't immediately berate or laugh at.
I have no issue with holding MPs to a higher standard than other people to some degree - they are in positions of power over us, so being judged on stricter terms than most people seems entirely fair - but I go back and forth about how far to take it. Some proper scumbags or narcissistic weirdos or just plain fools may, in other respects, be very fine at all or parts of their jobs and if people don't mind those flaws enough to vote them out and they have not broken any laws, then that's their choice I suppose. Better if their personal issues are discreet so we don't have to think about it, but if it does come into the public eye then sure the public can take it into account more than they might for a normal person, but I'd think we can still forgive a lot of discretionary.
Of course you're right, let him without sin and all that. But come on, within his constituency there'll be thousands of people with teenage daughters, nieces, sisters etc, the thought of a pudgy middle aged man texting her about spanking is nauseous.
As December comes to a close, it's worth reflecting how incredibly warm it's been this month - a truly astonishing month.
The Central England Temperature for December 2015 is currently standing at 9.8C (81-10 average is 4.6C, previous high was 8.1C). To smash a record by that margin is truly astonishing.
Will be interesting to see the various global temperature datasets for both December 2015 and 2015 but I'm fairly sure that the WMO will state that 2015 will be the warmest year on record. Any bets for 2016?
It's not astonishing and given the short period that the records cover, it's not even particularly meaningful.
As December comes to a close, it's worth reflecting how incredibly warm it's been this month - a truly astonishing month.
The Central England Temperature for December 2015 is currently standing at 9.8C (81-10 average is 4.6C, previous high was 8.1C). To smash a record by that margin is truly astonishing.
Will be interesting to see the various global temperature datasets for both December 2015 and 2015 but I'm fairly sure that the WMO will state that 2015 will be the warmest year on record. Any bets for 2016?
Yeah, I bet 99% of people don't care.
But surely they should mon ami?
Nope, why care about something you can do nothing to change. Climate changes, it always has done.
That's very debatable. The ramifications of climate change haven't even started to hit yet home fully yet. When it does, you'll notice...
As December comes to a close, it's worth reflecting how incredibly warm it's been this month - a truly astonishing month.
The Central England Temperature for December 2015 is currently standing at 9.8C (81-10 average is 4.6C, previous high was 8.1C). To smash a record by that margin is truly astonishing.
Will be interesting to see the various global temperature datasets for both December 2015 and 2015 but I'm fairly sure that the WMO will state that 2015 will be the warmest year on record. Any bets for 2016?
Yeah, I bet 99% of people don't care.
Have you ever lived in England? Because it's a national pastime here to complain about the weather. What I've mostly heard about this month is:
* bad for gardeners (for some reason) * things are not being killed off as they should be * not Christmassy * just not right
Which is fine, though I can't help thinking that if I were homeless I'd be damn relieved by the lack of snow and frost.
Never mind that, he is a bloody fool.. he MUST have known how it would end up.. badly.. surely he has some internal clock that tells him that sexting young girls especially as an MP is crazy?
Are politicians mad ? Texting from his own phone ?
If a 49 year old man is texting a teenager I'd suggest being mad is the least of his worries. The standard of people in public life is dreadful, like that other MP dancing in his y fronts on a dating site. Whatever happened to decency, dignity and self respect.
None of us are paragons of virtue but if you run for senior public office you must set standards that others can't immediately berate or laugh at.
I have no issue with holding MPs to a higher standard than other people to some degree - they are in positions of power over us, so being judged on stricter terms than most people seems entirely fair - but I go back and forth about how far to take it. Some proper scumbags or narcissistic weirdos or just plain fools may, in other respects, be very fine at all or parts of their jobs and if people don't mind those flaws enough to vote them out and they have not broken any laws, then that's their choice I suppose. Better if their personal issues are discreet so we don't have to think about it, but if it does come into the public eye then sure the public can take it into account more than they might for a normal person, but I'd think we can still forgive a lot of discretionary.
Of course you're right, let him without sin and all that. But come on, within his constituency there'll be thousands of people with teenage daughters, nieces, sisters etc, the thought of a pudgy middle aged man texting her about spanking is nauseous.
It's more than that, he built his entire political career accusing other middle and old age politicians of doing the sort of thing that he did. It's the hypocrisy that's the killer.
That price is amazing. I just checked the price of a train ticket from Atlanta to New York City, a distance of almost 900 miles.
The cheapest seat is $124.95. A flexible ticket is $239.70. The most expensive option - A viewliner roomette (bunk to you and me) is $302.95.
So from $125 to $300 on a 900 mile trip, vs $750 for a 200 mile trip to Euston.
That is stunning.
That is...the magic of the marketplace in action.
Basically, there is no competition in the UK Rail network. It is a licence to print money. These fares are after receiving government subsidy.
Rail subsidies have fallen 40% in 5 years (FT).
It is still a licence to print money - like the Duty Free's. If you book ahead, air fare is cheaper.
It really isn't a licence to print money. And if you are in favour of renationalisation, you should ask yourself why the nationalised Network Rail has been making so many catastrophic mistakes. Inn comparison, the train operators are doing a good job.
The operating companies paid the government a net £802 million in 2014-15.
I think by the time High Speed 2 is built, an actual game changer in terms of time & cost for travel - the Hyperloop will have a functional track up and running, perhaps between San Fransisco and Los Angeles.
Quite. I always thought we should have seriously considered the Maglev for HS2. Japan have one under construction now that will be a real game changer, and the Shanghai airport one has proved the technology over a number of years on a smaller scale. It would mean that people could give serious consideration to commuting to London daily from as far north as Leeds and Manchester.
Maglev's are a dead-end technology at the moment. It's why the Germans have demolished their test line, and the Chinese are not extending their Shanghai line, instead choosing to built a conventional HSR line instead.
I doubt the Japanese will find the experience any different, even when their SC Maglev line is extended in over a decade. If that happens.
Maglev's are cool, but sadly require a step-change in tech (e.g. superconductors) to make them efficient and competitive.
Some posters on Guido noticed that a slideshow of photos of the 17 year old ended up on Youtube at 3 am this morning.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1c1aTqU2lc
One gets the feeling that he may well have been set up, but he's done nothing illegal unless he has adult photos of her or unless she is a constituent who first approached him as her MP - that would be a position of trust.
As others have said, the best thing he can do is disappear for a few months and sort himself out.
On that note, Happy New Year to all PB volunteers, contributors and lurkers.
If anyone's interested there's a 26 minute fireworks display in Dubai, starts at 8pm UK time and will probably make the rolling news channels.
Perhaps I am just too much of a cynic, but this feels right out of the Francis Urquart playbook.
Take an existing weakness of an enemy, set him up and watch him fall.
From what we have seen, I completely agree that his behaviour was utterly foolish. But it wouldn't surprise me if there was something else behind this.
I am not sure that The Sun would have set him up - after all, he is a useful anti-Corbynite to have around. So if not them, who?
Are politicians mad ? Texting from his own phone ?
If a 49 year old man is texting a teenager I'd suggest being mad is the least of his worries. The standard of people in public life is dreadful, like that other MP dancing in his y fronts on a dating site. Whatever happened to decency, dignity and self respect.
None of us are paragons of virtue but if you run for senior public office you must set standards that others can't immediately berate or laugh at.
I have no issue with holding MPs to a higher standard than other people to some degree - they are in positions of power over us, so being judged on stricter terms than most people seems entirely fair - but I go back and forth about how far to take it. Some proper scumbags or narcissistic weirdos or just plain fools may, in other respects, be very fine at all or parts of their jobs and if people don't mind those flaws enough to vote them out and they have not broken any laws, then that's their choice I suppose. Better if their personal issues are discreet so we don't have to think about it, but if it does come into the public eye then sure the public can take it into account more than they might for a normal person, but I'd think we can still forgive a lot of discretionary.
Of course you're right, let him without sin and all that. But come on, within his constituency there'll be thousands of people with teenage daughters, nieces, sisters etc, the thought of a pudgy middle aged man texting her about spanking is nauseous.
It's more than that, he built his entire political career accusing other middle and old age politicians of doing the sort of thing that he did. It's the hypocrisy that's the killer.
Let's be clear that there appears to be no illegality here. Being a middle-aged lecher is not the same as being a sex offender.
I don't usually comment on Danczuk even when he's ranting about Corbyn and Miliband as I think he's perhaps more to be pitied than censured for some of the things he does. But I do recall getting an email from someone I'd never heard of saying she was excited by men of power (er, wrong address, madam), had read all about me and would love to meet and work in my office where she could show me interesting things. She attached a photo which I didn't open - I forwarded the email to the HoC IT department as apparently having evaded their virus guard. They called up with some amusement to say it was perfectly virus-free and "what you do with it is a matter for you, sir".
That was an easy one to bin, but I did wonder if most MPs would be entirely resistant to a more subtle approach. The Commons can be quite lonely at times.
MPs, even those without ministerial office, do have a certain allure I think. It might be partly due to Parliament itself which is a fascinating and arcane institution. Also, MPs tend to be quite charismatic face to face, often surprisingly so.
I can see that - I have little trouble believing a lot of MPs, and particularly party leaders, even if not adept at media presentation, one on one are probably quite compelling and convincing about all sorts of things, which is attractive in of itself.
I haven't met a lot of MPs compared with many posters (obviously Nick will have met more than a thousand) but it's something that has always struck me. Not megastar quality, just the ability to hold the attention of a small group and be the focal point of attention. Quite surprising if the MP is one who looks quite dull on his election posters.
As December comes to a close, it's worth reflecting how incredibly warm it's been this month - a truly astonishing month.
The Central England Temperature for December 2015 is currently standing at 9.8C (81-10 average is 4.6C, previous high was 8.1C). To smash a record by that margin is truly astonishing.
Will be interesting to see the various global temperature datasets for both December 2015 and 2015 but I'm fairly sure that the WMO will state that 2015 will be the warmest year on record. Any bets for 2016?
Yeah, I bet 99% of people don't care.
Have you ever lived in England? Because it's a national pastime here to complain about the weather. What I've mostly heard about this month is:
* bad for gardeners (for some reason) * things are not being killed off as they should be * not Christmassy * just not right
Which is fine, though I can't help thinking that if I were homeless I'd be damn relieved by the lack of snow and frost.
Yes I've lived in England for 52 years and you're correct, the weather is a national obsession, but virtually nobody gives a toss about climate change. Of course some pretend to, in the same way some people pretend to be socialists.
Are politicians mad ? Texting from his own phone ?
If a 49 year old man is texting a teenager I'd suggest being mad is the least of his worries. The standard of people in public life is dreadful, like that other MP dancing in his y fronts on a dating site. Whatever happened to decency, dignity and self respect.
None of us are paragons of virtue but if you run for senior public office you must set standards that others can't immediately berate or laugh at.
I have no issue with holding MPs to a higher standard than other people to some degree - they are in positions of power over us, so being judged on stricter terms than most people seems entirely fair - but I go back and forth about how far to take it. Some proper scumbags or narcissistic weirdos or just plain fools may, in other respects, be very fine at all or parts of their jobs and if people don't mind those flaws enough to vote them out and they have not broken any laws, then that's their choice I suppose. Better if their personal issues are discreet so we don't have to think about it, but if it does come into the public eye then sure the public can take it into account more than they might for a normal person, but I'd think we can still forgive a lot of discretionary.
Of course you're right, let him without sin and all that. But come on, within his constituency there'll be thousands of people with teenage daughters, nieces, sisters etc, the thought of a pudgy middle aged man texting her about spanking is nauseous.
I was thinking more of the abstract, of the difficulty in drawing a definitive line, but you are quite right that for many people, this particular behaviour may, while not illegal, be something they do not feel should be ignored however good an MP he may be. We'll see in 2020, if he's still there.
I don't usually comment on Danczuk even when he's ranting about Corbyn and Miliband as I think he's perhaps more to be pitied than censured for some of the things he does. But I do recall getting an email from someone I'd never heard of saying she was excited by men of power (er, wrong address, madam), had read all about me and would love to meet and work in my office where she could show me interesting things. She attached a photo which I didn't open - I forwarded the email to the HoC IT department as apparently having evaded their virus guard. They called up with some amusement to say it was perfectly virus-free and "what you do with it is a matter for you, sir".
That was an easy one to bin, but I did wonder if most MPs would be entirely resistant to a more subtle approach. The Commons can be quite lonely at times.
MPs, even those without ministerial office, do have a certain allure I think. It might be partly due to Parliament itself which is a fascinating and arcane institution. Also, MPs tend to be quite charismatic face to face, often surprisingly so.
I can see that - I have little trouble believing a lot of MPs, and particularly party leaders, even if not adept at media presentation, one on one are probably quite compelling and convincing about all sorts of things, which is attractive in of itself.
I haven't met a lot of MPs compared with many posters (obviously Nick will have met more than a thousand) but it's something that has always struck me. Not megastar quality, just the ability to hold the attention of a small group and be the focal point of attention. Quite surprising if the MP is one who looks quite dull on his election posters.
I find that even many local councillors can be more dynamic and compelling than many would expect, it would make sense that MPs might be even more so, whatever one might think about dullness, as you point out many will appear so at first glance.
I do know someone who met Lord Mandelson on many occasions, they said he was captivating and incredibly bright.
As December comes to a close, it's worth reflecting how incredibly warm it's been this month - a truly astonishing month.
The Central England Temperature for December 2015 is currently standing at 9.8C (81-10 average is 4.6C, previous high was 8.1C). To smash a record by that margin is truly astonishing.
Will be interesting to see the various global temperature datasets for both December 2015 and 2015 but I'm fairly sure that the WMO will state that 2015 will be the warmest year on record. Any bets for 2016?
Yeah, I bet 99% of people don't care.
Have you ever lived in England? Because it's a national pastime here to complain about the weather. What I've mostly heard about this month is:
* bad for gardeners (for some reason) * things are not being killed off as they should be * not Christmassy * just not right
Which is fine, though I can't help thinking that if I were homeless I'd be damn relieved by the lack of snow and frost.
Yes I've lived in England for 52 years and you're correct, the weather is a national obsession, but virtually nobody gives a toss about climate change. Of course some pretend to, in the same way some people pretend to be socialists.
I'm not sure that's right. I think there are quite a lot of people who are spooked by what they see as abnormal (and to them annoying) weather. They don't necessarily talk about *climate* but the idea that "the weather is all wrong" is very widespread, I think.
I don't think politicians can safely ignore that though what they should do is another matter.
Perhaps I am just too much of a cynic, but this feels right out of the Francis Urquart playbook.
Take an existing weakness of an enemy, set him up and watch him fall.
That's a first for PB, comparing Francis Urquart with Jeremy Corbyn. I guess there is a first time for everything.
I made no reference to Corbyn.
But it is telling that you did.
I don't think it is very telling - a reference to someone controlling the girl leading to Danczuk's trouble suggests someone who wants to punish him for some reason. Corbyn - or someone sympathetic to him, would be the natural first thought in such a situation. Not naming him initially wouldn't change that.
I don't usually comment on Danczuk even when he's ranting about Corbyn and Miliband as I think he's perhaps more to be pitied than censured for some of the things he does. But I do recall getting an email from someone I'd never heard of saying she was excited by men of power (er, wrong address, madam), had read all about me and would love to meet and work in my office where she could show me interesting things. She attached a photo which I didn't open - I forwarded the email to the HoC IT department as apparently having evaded their virus guard. They called up with some amusement to say it was perfectly virus-free and "what you do with it is a matter for you, sir".
That was an easy one to bin, but I did wonder if most MPs would be entirely resistant to a more subtle approach. The Commons can be quite lonely at times.
MPs, even those without ministerial office, do have a certain allure I think. It might be partly due to Parliament itself which is a fascinating and arcane institution. Also, MPs tend to be quite charismatic face to face, often surprisingly so.
I can see that - I have little trouble believing a lot of MPs, and particularly party leaders, even if not adept at media presentation, one on one are probably quite compelling and convincing about all sorts of things, which is attractive in of itself.
I haven't met a lot of MPs compared with many posters (obviously Nick will have met more than a thousand) but it's something that has always struck me. Not megastar quality, just the ability to hold the attention of a small group and be the focal point of attention. Quite surprising if the MP is one who looks quite dull on his election posters.
I find that even many local councillors can be more dynamic and compelling than many would expect, it would make sense that MPs might be even more so, whatever one might think about dullness, as you point out many will appear so at first glance.
I do know someone who met Lord Mandelson on many occasions, they said he was captivating and incredibly bright.
Oh, I can easily imagine that of Mandelson. I expect he's riveting company if he wants to be.
As December comes to a close, it's worth reflecting how incredibly warm it's been this month - a truly astonishing month.
The Central England Temperature for December 2015 is currently standing at 9.8C (81-10 average is 4.6C, previous high was 8.1C). To smash a record by that margin is truly astonishing.
Will be interesting to see the various global temperature datasets for both December 2015 and 2015 but I'm fairly sure that the WMO will state that 2015 will be the warmest year on record. Any bets for 2016?
Yeah, I bet 99% of people don't care.
Have you ever lived in England? Because it's a national pastime here to complain about the weather. What I've mostly heard about this month is:
* bad for gardeners (for some reason) * things are not being killed off as they should be * not Christmassy * just not right
Which is fine, though I can't help thinking that if I were homeless I'd be damn relieved by the lack of snow and frost.
Yes I've lived in England for 52 years and you're correct, the weather is a national obsession, but virtually nobody gives a toss about climate change. Of course some pretend to, in the same way some people pretend to be socialists.
I'm not sure that's right. I think there are quite a lot of people who are spooked by what they see as abnormal (and to them annoying) weather. They don't necessarily talk about *climate* but the idea that "the weather is all wrong" is very widespread, I think.
I don't think politicians can safely ignore that though what they should do is another matter.
It depends how you define "care". Do you mean "care" in the way Polly Toynbee bleats about the poor from her Tuscan villa, or the way people turn on patio heaters and somehow connect that to floods?
Just enjoy your life, nothing you can do will stop it raining.
As December comes to a close, it's worth reflecting how incredibly warm it's been this month - a truly astonishing month.
The Central England Temperature for December 2015 is currently standing at 9.8C (81-10 average is 4.6C, previous high was 8.1C). To smash a record by that margin is truly astonishing.
Will be interesting to see the various global temperature datasets for both December 2015 and 2015 but I'm fairly sure that the WMO will state that 2015 will be the warmest year on record. Any bets for 2016?
Yeah, I bet 99% of people don't care.
Have you ever lived in England? Because it's a national pastime here to complain about the weather. What I've mostly heard about this month is:
* bad for gardeners (for some reason) * things are not being killed off as they should be * not Christmassy * just not right
Which is fine, though I can't help thinking that if I were homeless I'd be damn relieved by the lack of snow and frost.
Yes I've lived in England for 52 years and you're correct, the weather is a national obsession, but virtually nobody gives a toss about climate change. Of course some pretend to, in the same way some people pretend to be socialists.
The underwater people on the news recently might be giving it some thought.
Momentum Hogwarts If Harry can't agree with every single word that comes out of Dumbledore's mouth then he should just f?!k off and join the Death Eaters.
As December comes to a close, it's worth reflecting how incredibly warm it's been this month - a truly astonishing month.
The Central England Temperature for December 2015 is currently standing at 9.8C (81-10 average is 4.6C, previous high was 8.1C). To smash a record by that margin is truly astonishing.
Will be interesting to see the various global temperature datasets for both December 2015 and 2015 but I'm fairly sure that the WMO will state that 2015 will be the warmest year on record. Any bets for 2016?
Yeah, I bet 99% of people don't care.
Have you ever lived in England? Because it's a national pastime here to complain about the weather. What I've mostly heard about this month is:
* bad for gardeners (for some reason) * things are not being killed off as they should be * not Christmassy * just not right
Which is fine, though I can't help thinking that if I were homeless I'd be damn relieved by the lack of snow and frost.
Yes I've lived in England for 52 years and you're correct, the weather is a national obsession, but virtually nobody gives a toss about climate change. Of course some pretend to, in the same way some people pretend to be socialists.
The underwater people on the news recently might be giving it some thought.
Comments
http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/99397/simon-danczuk-at-odds-with-his-caseworker-over-votes-for-16yearolds
As for the 40% quote;
http://www.railtechnologymagazine.com/Rail-News/rail-subsidies-down-nearly-40-in-five-years-
And it improved last year:
http://orr.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/18842/rail-finance-statistical-release-2014-15.pdf
The operating companies paid the government a net £802 million in 2014-15.
Alternatively, try looking through all your old Tesco club cards, American Express Reward Points and the like. There are websites that show you how to convert them into other things - so that (with a bit of hassle) you can probably get them all converted into Virgin Atlantic miles of BA Avios.
What I used to do a lot in my old job was to buy a Virgin Premium Economy return ticket to where I was going, and then to use airmiles at the airport to upgrade. It wasn't always possible, but it cost roughly half what it would have cost to buy an Upper Class ticket.
As you give so shall you receive.
Thank you. I don't have Tesco club cards, American Express, or anything else that offers points (yes, I know...:-( ) but your validation of NPXMP's recommendation of "Norwegian" is good to know.
He made his horse a Senator, although we made John Prescott a Lord.
You know the story is weak when The Sun has to hedge its story with quotes like "At the time I played along with it, but now I feel like he duped me" and "I enjoyed the attention ... there is something about him that I was attracted to" and her quoted texts include the claim that she would "look better on your bedroom floor" as well as "Hope that's a good reaction... of course it is. I'm quite turned on just by thinking about it" and "Hmm that sounds amazing and I want to
How embarrassing ... but he doesn't seem to have been as outright predatory as a lot of MPs we could name. A very poor show of judgment, to be sure.
Best thing Virgin ever did was send my luggage to Melbourne when I was going to New York.
I got entire new wardrobe of clothes out of them as well.
"Last night I said these words to my girl
I know you never even try, girl
Come on (come on)
Come on (come on)
Come on (come on)
Come on (come on)
Please please me, woah yeah,
Like I please you."
The real question here is if he did something illegal. If she was over 16 then the answer is no. Can't see it being made into a resigning issue if it wasn't illegal. The Corbynites will obviously try and get him binned, but I don't think they will manage it with this.
Since this comes under the aegis of child protection, it suggests that 16 and 17 year olds are not, in the eyes of the law, regarded as completely adult for the purposes of sexuality. (See also prostitution and pornography.)
Re B. Windsor - she has allegedly had a Knight Hood.
At least you'll never ruin Relax by Frankie Goes To Hollywood, 'cause that song is about Yoga, and nothing else.
Leaving aside technical issues, what would be its throughput of passengers?
Moderately funny but actually another case of playing the man not the ball.
If you attempting to "smear" me you're really smearing the wonderful Marf who produced a wonderful parody of UKIP. She sent me the original which has pride of place.
Sky
A group of anti-capitalist squatters have been ordered by the High Court to leave the former Royal Mint complex opposite the Tower of London
What a bloody fool Simon Danczuk is, he's fallen straight into the Corbynistas trap.
You're pretty funny off PB, I even followed you on Twitter for a bit.
I find that last thought particularly depressing for Labour.
None of us are paragons of virtue but if you run for senior public office you must set standards that others can't immediately berate or laugh at.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1c1aTqU2lc
That was an easy one to bin, but I did wonder if most MPs would be entirely resistant to a more subtle approach. The Commons can be quite lonely at times.
Thanks for the compliment though, that's my second on pb.
"Police in Brussels have arrested six people in connection with an alleged plot to target the city on New Year's Eve, prosecutors say.
The arrests come as cities around the world heighten security measures ahead of large-scale New Year celebrations.
The arrests in Brussels were made during raids in suburbs including Molenbeek, which was used as a base by the 13 November Paris attackers.
The city's main fireworks display has been cancelled over the feared plot.
None of the six people arrested on Thursday has been identified. "
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-35199793
The Central England Temperature for December 2015 is currently standing at 9.8C (81-10 average is 4.6C, previous high was 8.1C). To smash a record by that margin is truly astonishing.
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs/hadcet/cet_info_mean.html
Will be interesting to see the various global temperature datasets for both December 2015 and 2015 but I'm fairly sure that the WMO will state that 2015 will be the warmest year on record. Any bets for 2016?
Nevertheless Christmas did come for him, though a bit late.
Hahaha Danzuck got thrown out, not due to him being a political embarrassment and serial backknifer, but for doing the things that he built his career accusing others of doing.
We always knew that Danzuck's time will come but never under these ironic circumstances.
1 down, 65 to go to obtain some peace in the Labour party.
Apologies for the delay in commenting as was stuck at work.
Who is "controlling" the 17 year old girl?
Perhaps I am just too much of a cynic, but this feels right out of the Francis Urquart playbook.
Take an existing weakness of an enemy, set him up and watch him fall.
* bad for gardeners (for some reason)
* things are not being killed off as they should be
* not Christmassy
* just not right
Which is fine, though I can't help thinking that if I were homeless I'd be damn relieved by the lack of snow and frost.
It's the hypocrisy that's the killer.
I doubt the Japanese will find the experience any different, even when their SC Maglev line is extended in over a decade. If that happens.
Maglev's are cool, but sadly require a step-change in tech (e.g. superconductors) to make them efficient and competitive.
As others have said, the best thing he can do is disappear for a few months and sort himself out.
On that note, Happy New Year to all PB volunteers, contributors and lurkers.
If anyone's interested there's a 26 minute fireworks display in Dubai, starts at 8pm UK time and will probably make the rolling news channels.
See you all in 2016
I am not sure that The Sun would have set him up - after all, he is a useful anti-Corbynite to have around. So if not them, who?
I guess there is a first time for everything.
But it is telling that you did.
I do know someone who met Lord Mandelson on many occasions, they said he was captivating and incredibly bright.
I don't think politicians can safely ignore that though what they should do is another matter.
He was also a Tory before he left Oxford!
But I very much doubt such would be the case.
Anyway Happy 2016.
See you in the new year.
A happy year to all.
Just enjoy your life, nothing you can do will stop it raining.
If Harry can't agree with every single word that comes out of Dumbledore's mouth then he should just f?!k off and join the Death Eaters.
Bit nippy today. Still, it's not so long ago we had Arctic winters.