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    Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453
    DavidL said:

    There is a long and fine tradition of hat eating but if turnout in any of the Scottish regions reaches 80% after this lacklustre campaign I will join them.

    The report I had was over 60% at 6:30pm, expecting up to 80% by close of polls
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    weejonnieweejonnie Posts: 3,820

    Normally we welcome a new poster but The_Taxman with their dramatic move from the Conservatives to the rabid left wingery of Corbyn comes across as plausible as the few REMAIN proponents on here who tried to make us believe that they were wavering for LEAVE until... until that is someone said something that upset them ....

    that's torn it and there was me wobbling thinking I wasn't a Ken Clarkite member of the blue team after all

    ... that's me voting remain once and for all.
    And it might very well be so.
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    Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 55,680

    John McDonnell is a far superior performer to Jeremy Corbyn.

    I have up until today been a staunch Conservative voter, however since voting Conservative for the last time in the 2015 General Election I have slowly but surely moved toward the Labour party. I voted Labour in the local elections and Labour as my first choice for PPC, I chose the Lib Dems for my second vote.

    The Conservatives under Cameron and Osborne are not One Nation Conservatives but rather Thatcherites of the most extreme order. The punitive cost of their administration on the poor and vulnerable has forced me to cross the Rubicon from Tory voter to Labour supporter despite the Corbyn takeover. I don’t like Corbyn’s defence policy or his immigration free for all. However, I thought voting Labour sends a better signal to the two chumps in Downing street than spoiling my ballot.

    So, I took the bull by the horns today and thought in my own way to mount a solitary signal to Cameron and Osborne, which is F**k You! You have failed and are useless pair who need to be removed asap.

    I did think about saving my protest until the European referendum, however I see no advantage in exit so I thought I would get my little protest in first and vote to remain in the EU later.

    Democracy is a beautiful thing!

    That's interesting.

    I'm almost the precise opposite.
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    another_richardanother_richard Posts: 25,142
    AndyJS said:

    AndyJS said:

    Danny565 said:

    George Eaton ‏@georgeeaton 4m4 minutes ago
    Labour source fears "up to 10 losses" in Sheffield.

    Sheffield is difficult to gauge because new wards are coming into force today:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_electoral_wards_in_South_Yorkshire
    Is there a map of the changes ?

    Apart from a few wards changing from being called X to being called X and Y it doesn't look like any real change.
    There's a link to maps of the new wards on here but I don't know whether it includes the old ones:

    https://www.lgbce.org.uk/news/electoral-review/local-electoral-arrangements-finalised-for-sheffield-city-council
    Thanks.

    It does.

    Near identical
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    NickPalmerNickPalmer Posts: 21,370
    Counting my blessings from the painless dental session, I did 3 hours' knockup this evening in the Corbyn mothership (Islington Central Finchley Road branch). Anecdotal stuff: at lunchtime 23% had voted in the local pollijng station. Of my 200 or so "pledges" (really anyone who had said they were Labour at any time since 2011), 30% were out, but of the remainder about 75% said they had voted and I only found one household who were definitely giving it a miss. So seemingly a high turnout of this core group of supporters, but no idea if it's replicated elsewhere.

    Usual entertaining encounters:

    Asian lady: Khan, who's he? He sounds like a foreigner.
    Me - H's the son of a Tooting bus driver.
    Huh. I want to vote for Jeremy Corbyn, he's a good man.
    If you vote Khan it'll help Jeremy.
    Hmm. Maybe. I never heard of him.

    and

    Did you cast your postal vote?
    No, sorry dear, I really want to, can I vote anyway?
    Yes, you can take your postal vote to the polling station.
    Oh. (Embarrassed) I'm afraid the dog ate it. He's very fierce.

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    AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340

    ROFL - Sinn Fein dig themselves in deeper.

    Black slaves were treated better than the Irish in America.

    http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/northern-ireland-news/sinn-fein-mep-ridiculed-after-support-for-adams-over-slavery-1-7363720

    Oh my word.
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    SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,950
    Liverpool 3-0 on the night, 3-1 ag. Surely through now with 8 mins left?
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    gettingbettergettingbetter Posts: 479
    AndyJS said:

    Have any Tories conceded they haven't won the London mayoral election yet?

    Yes we have lost. I made nice sums betting on a conservative majority last year and never quite loat hope. But I don't have any hope for zac and fear we will lose fairly badly. Pity as zac is a really decent guy. Maybe it was not the right job for him. Maybe it was an unplayable wicket. I just hope he gets a chance to something else good in due course.
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    DixieDixie Posts: 1,221
    Will there be an exit poll on TV at 10 pm does anyone know?
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    initforthemoneyinitforthemoney Posts: 736
    edited May 2016
    If Corbyn were seen to be knifed by the (Labour) establishment against the will of the many folks who voted for him is this likely to lead these folks to be less inclined to vote to remain in what many of them must suspect to be an establishment lie-dream whn remaining naturally suits those who benefit from the status quo (i.e. the wider political and business establishment they detest)?
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    NickPalmerNickPalmer Posts: 21,370
    matt said:

    I'm sure that the last paragraph's correct re the selectorate but are there enough willing MPs who will act as nominee for McDonnell? One for Nick Palmer, perhaps.

    The final sentence is the faintest of praise as well.

    There's a timing issue here - if any challenge is after the conference, the rules may well change to lower the barrier. Otherwise, it's not clear. If Corbyn wants to stand again (as he says he will) then he'll have enough nominees, if he needs them (rules not quite clear on this). If Corbyn doesn't, I'd think McDonnell would, but it's not a shoo-in.
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    RobDRobD Posts: 58,994
    Dixie said:

    Will there be an exit poll on TV at 10 pm does anyone know?

    I don't think there will be an exit poll.
  • Options
    Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453
    AndyJS said:

    Have any Tories conceded they haven't won the London mayoral election yet?

    You mean counting our 33/1 winnings?
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    AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340
    Welcome @The_Taxman

    In case you're new to the site:

    I'll tell you how it's going to be, it's one for Remain, 19 for Leave.
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    The_TaxmanThe_Taxman Posts: 2,979

    Sandpit said:

    Floater said:

    John McDonnell is a far superior performer to Jeremy Corbyn.

    LOL - of course mate, of course.

    I kid you not Floater and Tyson, I did vote Labour for the first time today. I have found that my income has been frozen by the Tory government until 2019 and the much vaunted reduction in social rents that Cameron keeps boasting about means I have to pay the 1 % change as my social landlord increased the amount I am liable for so stuff Cameron is my view! People might say I am a nutter for doing this because ideologically I am a Tory but I wanted to get my protest in now as I don't think Cameron is going to be around long.
    Have you not benefitted from the doubling of the personal allowance since 2010?
    Does not earn enough to benefit?
    That is correct. My circumstances are I am not in work. I am just making the point that even someone who was once a staunch conservative can be repelled into voting Labour because of government actions.

    I mean if Cameron has the money to cut Capital gains tax in the last budget, why did they have to freeze my income till 2019? I don't want to go any further into my circumstances but I am in the lower quintile of income. Maybe I am going against the grain and I do think Labour would be a sad failure in government with Corbyn at the helm. But I was not voting for a government today, just some monkey spanker who would have got in anyway on the local council and a PCC I voted for whose name I don't even know?! What can go wrong when I am protest voting.
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    DixieDixie Posts: 1,221
    RobD said:

    Dixie said:

    Will there be an exit poll on TV at 10 pm does anyone know?

    I don't think there will be an exit poll.
    Too small fry I imagine and harder to know because of all these alternative voting larks going on,
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    Ave_itAve_it Posts: 2,411
    Not as exciting as this time last year!

    Will the polls be wrong?

    Will CON get an overall majority in London?!
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    david_herdsondavid_herdson Posts: 17,422
    Good luck to all pbers involved tonight (except perhaps those standing under non-blue rosettes in Con marginals!). Hope the night goes quickly and profitably.

    Little feedback to offer from my area other than that the Con vote seems reasonably solid. have spent the last few hours knocking up on the phones so don't really have a picture beyond that of floating voters or the Lab/UKIP situation.
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    RobDRobD Posts: 58,994
    Ave_it said:

    Not as exciting as this time last year!

    Will the polls be wrong?

    Will CON get an overall majority in London?!

    Labour are just relieved not to be defending Bootle.... ;)
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    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,175
    RobD said:

    Dixie said:

    Will there be an exit poll on TV at 10 pm does anyone know?

    I don't think there will be an exit poll.
    No, you will start to get projected voteshares come out as the first results come in from 11pm
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    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,408

    Welcome @The_Taxman

    In case you're new to the site:

    I'll tell you how it's going to be, it's one for Remain, 19 for Leave.

    But you wouldn't have the odds any other way Alastair.
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    DixieDixie Posts: 1,221
    Ave_it said:

    Not as exciting as this time last year!

    Will the polls be wrong?

    Will CON get an overall majority in London?!

    That would be exciting. Blues not feeling it at the moment. Especially if Barnet cock up costs us votes.
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    RobDRobD Posts: 58,994
    HYUFD said:

    RobD said:

    Dixie said:

    Will there be an exit poll on TV at 10 pm does anyone know?

    I don't think there will be an exit poll.
    No, you will start to get projected voteshares come out as the first results come in from 11pm
    I don't think the PB servers can stand another exit poll. Not after last year...
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    Plato_SaysPlato_Says Posts: 11,822
    Can anyone help me out here - the BBC had the usual Daily Politics today. How? I thought they were all on shutdown.
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    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    stodge said:

    Evening all :)

    Remember the Golden Rule of PoliticalBetting.com:

    Anyone who posts between 10pm and 6am is SAD
    Anyone who posts between 6am and 2pm is MAD
    Anyone who posts between 2pm and 10pm is BAD

    Oh dear. Trebly qualified :-(
  • Options
    Ave_itAve_it Posts: 2,411
    Liverpool!

    4th team in premier league feeling worried now!

    (Do Liverpool get the nod in CL over the 4th place team if they win Europa Cop?)
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    SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,950
    Scott_P said:

    AndyJS said:

    Have any Tories conceded they haven't won the London mayoral election yet?

    You mean counting our 33/1 winnings?
    Yes, well done to all those who followed @HenryGManson and OGH in on that a couple of years ago. Great bet, shame I didn't get on but can't win them all.
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    tysontyson Posts: 6,051
    Great stuff Nick. I need to think of a different excuse when I haven't done something..the dog ate it doesn't quite cut it....

    I can still think back to this time a year ago, back in Beeston, Broxtowe....happy times, well sort of.... if you get the result to the back of your mind. Provided I do not go down with dementia, it'll count as a lifelong memory.

    BTW- did you get news of Peter the Punter?

    Counting my blessings from the painless dental session, I did 3 hours' knockup this evening in the Corbyn mothership (Islington Central Finchley Road branch). Anecdotal stuff: at lunchtime 23% had voted in the local pollijng station. Of my 200 or so "pledges" (really anyone who had said they were Labour at any time since 2011), 30% were out, but of the remainder about 75% said they had voted and I only found one household who were definitely giving it a miss. So seemingly a high turnout of this core group of supporters, but no idea if it's replicated elsewhere.

    Usual entertaining encounters:

    Asian lady: Khan, who's he? He sounds like a foreigner.
    Me - H's the son of a Tooting bus driver.
    Huh. I want to vote for Jeremy Corbyn, he's a good man.
    If you vote Khan it'll help Jeremy.
    Hmm. Maybe. I never heard of him.

    and

    Did you cast your postal vote?
    No, sorry dear, I really want to, can I vote anyway?
    Yes, you can take your postal vote to the polling station.
    Oh. (Embarrassed) I'm afraid the dog ate it. He's very fierce.

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    FensterFenster Posts: 2,115

    Welcome @The_Taxman

    In case you're new to the site:

    I'll tell you how it's going to be, it's one for Remain, 19 for Leave.

    Ha! A splendid little joke that'll go over the heads of many.

    Incidentally, it's the 50th anniversary this summer of the Revolver album.

    50 years! And it's never been bettered, in my opinion.
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    RobDRobD Posts: 58,994

    Can anyone help me out here - the BBC had the usual Daily Politics today. How? I thought they were all on shutdown.

    They talked about Syria and the US elections.
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    tysontyson Posts: 6,051
    edited May 2016
    Yes- or no. Someone explained it to me but at that stage Man City were still in the CL and could have slipped out of the top 4, despite winning the CL. Help please...
    Ave_it said:

    Liverpool!

    4th team in premier league feeling worried now!

    (Do Liverpool get the nod in CL over the 4th place team if they win Europa Cop?)

  • Options
    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,297
    Sky rather than bbc, nothing to do with political bias, quality & speed of coverage has been far better since the dreaded BBC 2010 GE coverage with their cruise of the demented. Sky has trasher who is far more on the ball.
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    RobDRobD Posts: 58,994

    stodge said:

    Evening all :)

    Remember the Golden Rule of PoliticalBetting.com:

    Anyone who posts between 10pm and 6am is SAD
    Anyone who posts between 6am and 2pm is MAD
    Anyone who posts between 2pm and 10pm is BAD

    Oh dear. Trebly qualified :-(
    Also not fair on those handicapped by a time zone :(
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    Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 55,680
    Hannan's video is now up from The Spectator Brexit debate:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZRuIhtC9Mo
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    tlg86tlg86 Posts: 25,208
    tyson said:

    Yes

    Ave_it said:

    Liverpool!

    4th team in premier league feeling worried now!

    (Do Liverpool get the nod in CL over the 4th place team if they win Europa Cop?)

    No, we get five places if Liverpool win it. Fourth place was only in danger if City won the Champions League, Liverpool won the Europa League and both finished outside the Top 4.
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    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548

    Welcome @The_Taxman

    In case you're new to the site:

    I'll tell you how it's going to be, it's one for Remain, 19 for Leave.

    If 5 percent should seem too small, be grateful Leave don't take it all.
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    SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,950
    UEFA Cup Final!!! :D:D:D

    Great match from Liverpool, completely dominant performance tonight.
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    AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 23,763
    SeanT said:

    ON topic, I've just spent four days in Lyon and the Beaujolais, the "gastronomic capital" of France. I did five Michelin-starred restaurants in that time

    The wine was very agreeable, the landscapes are heavenly, the history absorbing, the people surprisingly friendly, like Geordies in the sun.

    BUT JESUS HOW FUCKING SHIT IS FRENCH FOOD, NOW?

    It's like it's stuck in some late 80s time warp of crap fusion foods and stupid complicated food and grotesquely over-elaborate bollocks that a savvy Brit would laugh to scorn. I've had several dishes which were outright disgusting on this trip. And this is the "gastronomic capital" of the country. And I'm eating in "top" restaurants.

    If this trip is anything to go by, I wouldn't put France in my top five global cuisines. The food in Spain and Italy is infiinitely better, likewise Japan and Thailand, the food in Britain is better, the food in London is miles better, the food in fecking Ireland was better when I went there last year.

    Desole. Just had to vent. Can't do it anywhere else as it would seem ungrateful.


    But it is true. France is gripped by some weird malaise and now it's so bad it's seriously affecting the FOOD

    It's not just the food it's the whole country. France is stagnating. It's stuck somewhere in 1985
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    tysontyson Posts: 6,051
    Thanks- I just sort of corrected myself after I posted and asked for advice.
    tlg86 said:

    tyson said:

    Yes

    Ave_it said:

    Liverpool!

    4th team in premier league feeling worried now!

    (Do Liverpool get the nod in CL over the 4th place team if they win Europa Cop?)

    No, we get five places if Liverpool win it. Fourth place was only in danger if City won the Champions League, Liverpool won the Europa League and both finished outside the Top 4.
  • Options
    Ave_itAve_it Posts: 2,411
    TY Tyson and tlg86

    Next season no problem as Watford will win the PL!
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    NickPalmerNickPalmer Posts: 21,370
    tyson said:

    Great stuff Nick. I need to think of a different excuse when I haven't done something..the dog ate it doesn't quite cut it....

    I can still think back to this time a year ago, back in Beeston, Broxtowe....happy times, well sort of.... if you get the result to the back of your mind. Provided I do not go down with dementia, it'll count as a lifelong memory.

    BTW- did you get news of Peter the Punter?

    Yes, Peter's fine! - I did post his update on another thread but you must have missed it. He and his partner have been sorting out their house and haven't finally decided where they'll be long term. He says he'll probably return to PB sometime - as a Labour supporter he got a bit fed up with the Tory gloating.

    And yes, the Broxtowe swan song was good fun, especially with your good self and other nice people coming in to help.

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    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,297
    Aren't the same complaints about French plonk, that so many countries are now produciny better quality more consistently.
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    Scott_P said:

    John McDonnell is a far superior performer to Jeremy Corbyn.

    I have up until today been a staunch Conservative voter

    Phil "Us Blues" Roberts is dead. Long live "The Taxman"
    I see I wasn't the only person to remember the infamous Phil Roberts.
    A true legend.
    Phil (Us Blues) Roberts was awesome. Whatever happened to him?
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    FensterFenster Posts: 2,115
    tyson said:

    Yes- or no. Someone explained it to me but at that stage Man City were still in the CL and could have slipped out of the top 4, despite winning the CL. Help please...

    Ave_it said:

    Liverpool!

    4th team in premier league feeling worried now!

    (Do Liverpool get the nod in CL over the 4th place team if they win Europa Cop?)

    Man Utd are only 4 points behind them in the league with a game in hand..one slip and City might not finish Top 4
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    viewcodeviewcode Posts: 19,027
    Point 1: at 4:21pm today the Twitter account for Jim Pickard (FT correspondent) tweeted the "London 12% turnout by 4pm" meme (see here). As his twitter feed shows (see here) he may have been semi-serious. That SINGLE F*****G TWEET was retweeted BY EVERYONE IN THE F*****G WORLD and grew in the telling.

    I have no idea what the turnout in London is. But if somebody's gonna quote me a goddamn number I want to know who the source is! AAAARGH!

    (I have a hundred pound bet on Khan)
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    murali_smurali_s Posts: 3,045

    Sky rather than bbc, nothing to do with political bias, quality & speed of coverage has been far better since the dreaded BBC 2010 GE coverage with their cruise of the demented. Sky has trasher who is far more on the ball.

    I, like many in this country, love the BBC but I actually though their 2015 coverage was worse. Think Dimbleby is the problem...
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    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,297
    Phil Roberts that's a blast the past along with Martin day (who wasn't called Martin or day)
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    Plato_SaysPlato_Says Posts: 11,822
    edited May 2016

    Sky rather than bbc, nothing to do with political bias, quality & speed of coverage has been far better since the dreaded BBC 2010 GE coverage with their cruise of the demented. Sky has trasher who is far more on the ball.

    BBC coverage has been pants for years - Sky for me all the way.

    OMG - what is Adam Boulton wearing - his tie looks like it was made from a Grayson Perry dress
  • Options
    williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 48,148

    SeanT said:

    ON topic, I've just spent four days in Lyon and the Beaujolais, the "gastronomic capital" of France. I did five Michelin-starred restaurants in that time

    The wine was very agreeable, the landscapes are heavenly, the history absorbing, the people surprisingly friendly, like Geordies in the sun.

    BUT JESUS HOW FUCKING SHIT IS FRENCH FOOD, NOW?

    It's like it's stuck in some late 80s time warp of crap fusion foods and stupid complicated food and grotesquely over-elaborate bollocks that a savvy Brit would laugh to scorn. I've had several dishes which were outright disgusting on this trip. And this is the "gastronomic capital" of the country. And I'm eating in "top" restaurants.

    If this trip is anything to go by, I wouldn't put France in my top five global cuisines. The food in Spain and Italy is infiinitely better, likewise Japan and Thailand, the food in Britain is better, the food in London is miles better, the food in fecking Ireland was better when I went there last year.

    Desole. Just had to vent. Can't do it anywhere else as it would seem ungrateful.


    But it is true. France is gripped by some weird malaise and now it's so bad it's seriously affecting the FOOD

    It's not just the food it's the whole country. France is stagnating. It's stuck somewhere in 1985
    Yet their infrastructure puts us to shame. Only in the case of CDG airport do they rival our crapness.
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    EPGEPG Posts: 6,048

    Welcome @The_Taxman

    In case you're new to the site:

    I'll tell you how it's going to be, it's one for Remain, 19 for Leave.

    Are you Mr Heath?
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    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,297
    murali_s said:

    Sky rather than bbc, nothing to do with political bias, quality & speed of coverage has been far better since the dreaded BBC 2010 GE coverage with their cruise of the demented. Sky has trasher who is far more on the ball.

    I, like many in this country, love the BBC but I actually though their 2015 coverage was worse. Think Dimbleby is the problem...
    Yes the 2015 coverage on BBC was awful. They were way off the ball.

    The best local election coverage was actually when Iain dale did it using crowd sourced info.

    However these days hard to beat pb.com
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    Ave_itAve_it Posts: 2,411
    #zac
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    Ave_itAve_it Posts: 2,411
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    SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,950
    Fenster said:

    tyson said:

    Yes- or no. Someone explained it to me but at that stage Man City were still in the CL and could have slipped out of the top 4, despite winning the CL. Help please...

    Ave_it said:

    Liverpool!

    4th team in premier league feeling worried now!

    (Do Liverpool get the nod in CL over the 4th place team if they win Europa Cop?)

    Man Utd are only 4 points behind them in the league with a game in hand..one slip and City might not finish Top 4
    But Ciy can't win the CL any more. The top 4 will all qualify for next year's CL, as will Liverpool if they win the UEFA final in a couple of weeks
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    numbertwelvenumbertwelve Posts: 5,522
    Ave_it said:
    Oh god, I'd tried to block that one out.
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    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,408
    edited May 2016

    Sky rather than bbc, nothing to do with political bias, quality & speed of coverage has been far better since the dreaded BBC 2010 GE coverage with their cruise of the demented. Sky has trasher who is far more on the ball.

    The Cruise of the demented was a truly special moment. Better than the stupid gimmicks and cowboy outfit I vaguely recall.

    Edit. Oh fantastic. someone found the cowboy.
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    AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 23,763

    SeanT said:

    ON topic, I've just spent four days in Lyon and the Beaujolais, the "gastronomic capital" of France. I did five Michelin-starred restaurants in that time

    The wine was very agreeable, the landscapes are heavenly, the history absorbing, the people surprisingly friendly, like Geordies in the sun.

    BUT JESUS HOW FUCKING SHIT IS FRENCH FOOD, NOW?

    It's like it's stuck in some late 80s time warp of crap fusion foods and stupid complicated food and grotesquely over-elaborate bollocks that a savvy Brit would laugh to scorn. I've had several dishes which were outright disgusting on this trip. And this is the "gastronomic capital" of the country. And I'm eating in "top" restaurants.

    If this trip is anything to go by, I wouldn't put France in my top five global cuisines. The food in Spain and Italy is infiinitely better, likewise Japan and Thailand, the food in Britain is better, the food in London is miles better, the food in fecking Ireland was better when I went there last year.

    Desole. Just had to vent. Can't do it anywhere else as it would seem ungrateful.


    But it is true. France is gripped by some weird malaise and now it's so bad it's seriously affecting the FOOD

    It's not just the food it's the whole country. France is stagnating. It's stuck somewhere in 1985
    Yet their infrastructure puts us to shame. Only in the case of CDG airport do they rival our crapness.
    Yes we are appallingly bad at investing in national infrastructure, more a question of political will than money imo.
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    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548

    SeanT said:

    ON topic, I've just spent four days in Lyon and the Beaujolais, the "gastronomic capital" of France. I did five Michelin-starred restaurants in that time

    The wine was very agreeable, the landscapes are heavenly, the history absorbing, the people surprisingly friendly, like Geordies in the sun.

    BUT JESUS HOW FUCKING SHIT IS FRENCH FOOD, NOW?

    It's like it's stuck in some late 80s time warp of crap fusion foods and stupid complicated food and grotesquely over-elaborate bollocks that a savvy Brit would laugh to scorn. I've had several dishes which were outright disgusting on this trip. And this is the "gastronomic capital" of the country. And I'm eating in "top" restaurants.

    If this trip is anything to go by, I wouldn't put France in my top five global cuisines. The food in Spain and Italy is infiinitely better, likewise Japan and Thailand, the food in Britain is better, the food in London is miles better, the food in fecking Ireland was better when I went there last year.

    Desole. Just had to vent. Can't do it anywhere else as it would seem ungrateful.


    But it is true. France is gripped by some weird malaise and now it's so bad it's seriously affecting the FOOD

    It's not just the food it's the whole country. France is stagnating. It's stuck somewhere in 1985
    France reminds me of Britain in the Seventies. Lost its place in the world, an economy the sickman of Europe, living on past glories, poor food and rude hoteliers.

    If they had decent music it could be quite a nostalgia trip.
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    stodgestodge Posts: 12,896
    SeanT said:


    If this trip is anything to go by, I wouldn't put France in my top five global cuisines. The food in Spain and Italy is infiinitely better, likewise Japan and Thailand, the food in Britain is better, the food in London is miles better, the food in fecking Ireland was better when I went there last year.

    Desole. Just had to vent. Can't do it anywhere else as it would seem ungrateful.


    But it is true. France is gripped by some weird malaise and now it's so bad it's seriously affecting the FOOD

    Mrs Stodge and I were in Vegas over Christmas - seriously good food, seriously good hotels, seriously good gambling.

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    AndreaParma_82AndreaParma_82 Posts: 4,714
    Have Sunderland finished counting?
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    AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340
    EPG said:

    Welcome @The_Taxman

    In case you're new to the site:

    I'll tell you how it's going to be, it's one for Remain, 19 for Leave.

    Are you Mr Heath?
    More Mr Wilson.
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    Plato_SaysPlato_Says Posts: 11,822

    Phil Roberts that's a blast the past along with Martin day (who wasn't called Martin or day)

    How many website rubbishing the LDs did Martin have? I seem to remember at least a dozen, and all his hilariously bad photoshopping! He loved :smiley: too
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    RobDRobD Posts: 58,994
    edited May 2016

    Ave_it said:

    BBC set the standard! :lol:

    www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7JX8D1Kb88

    Oh god, I'd tried to block that one out.
    Indeed. I'm sure they were trying to liven things up, but it got way out of hand. In my mind, more graphs and maps are needed to liven things up :)
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    AlistairAlistair Posts: 23,670
    edited May 2016
    Duh I am dumb.
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    AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 23,763

    SeanT said:

    ON topic, I've just spent four days in Lyon and the Beaujolais, the "gastronomic capital" of France. I did five Michelin-starred restaurants in that time

    The wine was very agreeable, the landscapes are heavenly, the history absorbing, the people surprisingly friendly, like Geordies in the sun.

    BUT JESUS HOW FUCKING SHIT IS FRENCH FOOD, NOW?

    It's like it's stuck in some late 80s time warp of crap fusion foods and stupid complicated food and grotesquely over-elaborate bollocks that a savvy Brit would laugh to scorn. I've had several dishes which were outright disgusting on this trip. And this is the "gastronomic capital" of the country. And I'm eating in "top" restaurants.

    If this trip is anything to go by, I wouldn't put France in my top five global cuisines. The food in Spain and Italy is infiinitely better, likewise Japan and Thailand, the food in Britain is better, the food in London is miles better, the food in fecking Ireland was better when I went there last year.

    Desole. Just had to vent. Can't do it anywhere else as it would seem ungrateful.


    But it is true. France is gripped by some weird malaise and now it's so bad it's seriously affecting the FOOD

    It's not just the food it's the whole country. France is stagnating. It's stuck somewhere in 1985
    France reminds me of Britain in the Seventies. Lost its place in the world, an economy the sickman of Europe, living on past glories, poor food and rude hoteliers.

    If they had decent music it could be quite a nostalgia trip.
    they will never have decent music while Johnny Hallyday still lives :-)
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    Scrapheap_as_wasScrapheap_as_was Posts: 10,059
    oooer

    Faisal Islam ‏@faisalislam ·
    Don't tell me you're watching local elections on anything other than @skynews - Shadow Cabinet exclusive coming up from me in 3 mins

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    Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453
    @SkyNewsBreak: Sky Sources: Shadow Home Secretary Andy Burnham is considering running for Manchester mayor
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    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    Ave_it said:

    #zac

    Richmond hold nailed on?
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    Plato_SaysPlato_Says Posts: 11,822

    murali_s said:

    Sky rather than bbc, nothing to do with political bias, quality & speed of coverage has been far better since the dreaded BBC 2010 GE coverage with their cruise of the demented. Sky has trasher who is far more on the ball.

    I, like many in this country, love the BBC but I actually though their 2015 coverage was worse. Think Dimbleby is the problem...
    Yes the 2015 coverage on BBC was awful. They were way off the ball.

    The best local election coverage was actually when Iain dale did it using crowd sourced info.

    However these days hard to beat pb.com
    His amateur radio progs were great. I was glued.

    Ohhh! Andy Burnham approached to be Manchester mayor
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    FensterFenster Posts: 2,115
    Sandpit said:

    Fenster said:

    tyson said:

    Yes- or no. Someone explained it to me but at that stage Man City were still in the CL and could have slipped out of the top 4, despite winning the CL. Help please...

    Ave_it said:

    Liverpool!

    4th team in premier league feeling worried now!

    (Do Liverpool get the nod in CL over the 4th place team if they win Europa Cop?)

    Man Utd are only 4 points behind them in the league with a game in hand..one slip and City might not finish Top 4
    But Ciy can't win the CL any more. The top 4 will all qualify for next year's CL, as will Liverpool if they win the UEFA final in a couple of weeks
    I know. Somebody was asking why defeat in the CL may mean City being knocked out of this year's and next year's CL.
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    numbertwelvenumbertwelve Posts: 5,522
    Poor Manchester....
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    Phil Roberts that's a blast the past along with Martin day (who wasn't called Martin or day)

    TBF Martin Day was very close with his call on the LD's
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    RobDRobD Posts: 58,994

    oooer

    Faisal Islam ‏@faisalislam ·
    Don't tell me you're watching local elections on anything other than @skynews - Shadow Cabinet exclusive coming up from me in 3 mins

    He's resigned from the cabinet to stand? I only loaded up the stream on youtube half way through Islam's piece.
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    AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340
    French cuisine, like Italian cuisine, is stifled by the idea that things are right or wrong, not traditional or innovative. Other cultures with a less strong heritage are less afraid to experiment.
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    tysontyson Posts: 6,051
    Agreed. French food is horrible and strictly for carnivores. The wine is expensive. The food is expensive. They hate the English. I spent the two European football nights there last week watching the footie in bars alone as I was driving back home...Chamonix and Cambria...one night I got chatted up by some French notright who offered to fund me to spend the summer with him, the next I got set on by three French oiks.... Unpleasant.

    SeanT said:

    ON topic, I've just spent four days in Lyon and the Beaujolais, the "gastronomic capital" of France. I did five Michelin-starred restaurants in that time

    The wine was very agreeable, the landscapes are heavenly, the history absorbing, the people surprisingly friendly, like Geordies in the sun.

    BUT JESUS HOW FUCKING SHIT IS FRENCH FOOD, NOW?

    It's like it's stuck in some late 80s time warp of crap fusion foods and stupid complicated food and grotesquely over-elaborate bollocks that a savvy Brit would laugh to scorn. I've had several dishes which were outright disgusting on this trip. And this is the "gastronomic capital" of the country. And I'm eating in "top" restaurants.

    If this trip is anything to go by, I wouldn't put France in my top five global cuisines. The food in Spain and Italy is infiinitely better, likewise Japan and Thailand, the food in Britain is better, the food in London is miles better, the food in fecking Ireland was better when I went there last year.

    Desole. Just had to vent. Can't do it anywhere else as it would seem ungrateful.


    But it is true. France is gripped by some weird malaise and now it's so bad it's seriously affecting the FOOD

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    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,297
    Scott_P said:

    @SkyNewsBreak: Sky Sources: Shadow Home Secretary Andy Burnham is considering running for Manchester mayor

    Is that a sinking ship he is jumping? I thought the mancs hated the scousers.
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    Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453
    @paulwaugh: Blimey. If @andyburnhammp runs for Mayor of Manchester, something really could be up, coup wise
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    Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453
    @jonwillchambers: Burnham sees a sinking ship. Briefing that out on election night just as polls close is as close to Purnell as you can get.
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    RobDRobD Posts: 58,994
    For those without sky tv:

    www.youtube.com/watch?v=y60wDzZt8yg
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    AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 23,763
    Sheesh will the Mankies vote for a scouser ? Tough call.
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    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,297
    Scott_P said:

    @paulwaugh: Blimey. If @andyburnhammp runs for Mayor of Manchester, something really could be up, coup wise

    He will have probably changed his mind by tomorrow...
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    Interesting "Pressure guage" graphic on SKY News for assessing how well Labour are doing.
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    Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453
    @AlanRoden: Latest predictions on turnout suggest high 50s. #sp16
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    AlistairAlistair Posts: 23,670

    French cuisine, like Italian cuisine, is stifled by the idea that things are right or wrong, not traditional or innovative. Other cultures with a less strong heritage are less afraid to experiment.

    The concept of 'right and wrong' with regards to food is one that has always stuct me as bizarre and painfully hidebound.

    There is tasty and not tasty.
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    Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453

    Scott_P said:

    @paulwaugh: Blimey. If @andyburnhammp runs for Mayor of Manchester, something really could be up, coup wise

    He will have probably changed his mind by tomorrow...
    @STJamesl: "It is early days and no decision has been made" - Burnham spokesman on mayor of Manchester
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    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,297
    Scott_P said:

    Scott_P said:

    @paulwaugh: Blimey. If @andyburnhammp runs for Mayor of Manchester, something really could be up, coup wise

    He will have probably changed his mind by tomorrow...
    @STJamesl: "It is early days and no decision has been made" - Burnham spokesman on mayor of Manchester
    Make that by 11pm headlines...
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    MikeSmithsonMikeSmithson Posts: 7,382
    Election thread just published
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    Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 55,680
    Scott_P said:

    @paulwaugh: Blimey. If @andyburnhammp runs for Mayor of Manchester, something really could be up, coup wise

    Like Theon Greyjoy running for Lord of Winterfell?
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    SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 20,745
    Best wishes to those doing an all nighter. I'm off to bed!
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    Scrapheap_as_wasScrapheap_as_was Posts: 10,059
    Scott_P said:

    @SkyNewsBreak: Sky Sources: Shadow Home Secretary Andy Burnham is considering running for Manchester mayor

    Another stroke of genius from the man who brought you the northern powerhouse... George Osborne.. [just stop buggering about with pensions and he'll be ok]
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    MarkHopkinsMarkHopkins Posts: 5,584

    new thread

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    tysontyson Posts: 6,051
    I'm sorry...Italian cuisine is sublime. The simplicity. Provided you stay out of a tourist trap and keep to local trattorias, it is literally impossible to eat or drink badly in Italy.

    For people who love food, wine, the weather, the landscape, the sea, mountains, the history...and the fact that Italians love the English. The hotels are great. The coffee. You can get to gigs in the summer for £20, and I mean top bands. The cakes, the grappa, the apperetivo....the fact that in summer everything comes to life. The sun, The walks. The quality of the hotels. The light...those wonderful Italian dusks and dawns. The sense of fun and happiness. And it's cheap.

    Or you could go somewhere else. Why?

    French cuisine, like Italian cuisine, is stifled by the idea that things are right or wrong, not traditional or innovative. Other cultures with a less strong heritage are less afraid to experiment.

    French cuisine, like Italian cuisine, is stifled by the idea that things are right or wrong, not traditional or innovative. Other cultures with a less strong heritage are less afraid to experiment.

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    LucyJonesLucyJones Posts: 651
    Alistair said:

    French cuisine, like Italian cuisine, is stifled by the idea that things are right or wrong, not traditional or innovative. Other cultures with a less strong heritage are less afraid to experiment.

    The concept of 'right and wrong' with regards to food is one that has always stuct me as bizarre and painfully hidebound.

    There is tasty and not tasty.
    I think lots of food served in French restaurants is reheated boil-in-the-bag stuff. At least, it was until recently - don't know if it has changed.
    French food very overrated, in my opinion.
    http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-france-restaurants-idUKTRE79B2UF20111012

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    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,175
    tyson said:

    Agreed. French food is horrible and strictly for carnivores. The wine is expensive. The food is expensive. They hate the English. I spent the two European football nights there last week watching the footie in bars alone as I was driving back home...Chamonix and Cambria...one night I got chatted up by some French notright who offered to fund me to spend the summer with him, the next I got set on by three French oiks.... Unpleasant.



    SeanT said:

    ON topic, I've just spent four days in Lyon and the Beaujolais, the "gastronomic capital" of France. I did five Michelin-starred restaurants in that time

    The wine was very agreeable, the landscapes are heavenly, the history absorbing, the people surprisingly friendly, like Geordies in the sun.

    BUT JESUS HOW FUCKING SHIT IS FRENCH FOOD, NOW?

    It's like it's stuck in some late 80s time warp of crap fusion foods and stupid complicated food and grotesquely over-elaborate bollocks that a savvy Brit would laugh to scorn. I've had several dishes which were outright disgusting on this trip. And this is the "gastronomic capital" of the country. And I'm eating in "top" restaurants.

    If this trip is anything to go by, I wouldn't put France in my top five global cuisines. The food in Spain and Italy is infiinitely better, likewise Japan and Thailand, the food in Britain is better, the food in London is miles better, the food in fecking Ireland was better when I went there last year.

    Desole. Just had to vent. Can't do it anywhere else as it would seem ungrateful.


    But it is true. France is gripped by some weird malaise and now it's so bad it's seriously affecting the FOOD

    I have always found you can eat very well in most French towns and generally they are friendly, especially if you at least attempt to speak the language. Italy is a great country too but France has Paris, the Mediterrenean climate in the south and lots of history and is the most visited country in the world for a reason
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    HurstLlamaHurstLlama Posts: 9,098

    SeanT said:

    ON topic, I've just spent four days in Lyon and the Beaujolais, the "gastronomic capital" of France. I did five Michelin-starred restaurants in that time

    The wine was very agreeable, the landscapes are heavenly, the history absorbing, the people surprisingly friendly, like Geordies in the sun.

    BUT JESUS HOW FUCKING SHIT IS FRENCH FOOD, NOW?

    It's like it's stuck in some late 80s time warp of crap fusion foods and stupid complicated food and grotesquely over-elaborate bollocks that a savvy Brit would laugh to scorn. I've had several dishes which were outright disgusting on this trip. And this is the "gastronomic capital" of the country. And I'm eating in "top" restaurants.

    If this trip is anything to go by, I wouldn't put France in my top five global cuisines. The food in Spain and Italy is infiinitely better, likewise Japan and Thailand, the food in Britain is better, the food in London is miles better, the food in fecking Ireland was better when I went there last year.

    Desole. Just had to vent. Can't do it anywhere else as it would seem ungrateful.


    But it is true. France is gripped by some weird malaise and now it's so bad it's seriously affecting the FOOD

    It's not just the food it's the whole country. France is stagnating. It's stuck somewhere in 1985
    Yet their infrastructure puts us to shame. Only in the case of CDG airport do they rival our crapness.
    Ever tried their railways? Not the super-dooper TGV or fancy inter-city stuff but the commuter lines and those that link reasonable size cities and towns. I enjoy a good moan about our own railways but for the ordinary traveller they are streets ahead of what I have experienced in France, Belgium and The Netherlands.

    The Cloggies, for example have spent shed loads of money on providing two-deck "inter-city" trains but off those routes the rolling stock and infrastructure is like something out of British Rail in the 1960s.
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    TykejohnnoTykejohnno Posts: 7,362

    Phil Roberts that's a blast the past along with Martin day (who wasn't called Martin or day)

    TBF Martin Day was very close with his call on the LD's
    Close,he was spot on ;-)
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    MJWMJW Posts: 1,387
    HYUFD said:

    MJW said:

    Jonathan said:

    Lisa Nandy. 20%? I don't get it. What has she done to be a contender? You can sort of, maybe, just about, see a case for Starmer or Jarvis. But even then, th

    Starmer could probably cut it as a possible PM. Whether
    .
    No, it has to be a big hitter before the election, Nandy is not that and not in the front-rank of the Shadow Cabinet. McDonnell or Hilary Benn are the only alternatives to Corbyn pre-2020, most likely McDonnell
    I disagree - the key group of voters in any future Labour leadership election are those who voted Corbyn not because they agree the wilder bits of his worldview but because they (misguidedly) wanted to shut the door on any whiff of Blair's third way politics. They likely still support him now, because although they know it's a doomed enterprise, but prefer the thrill of entertaining dreams than being lectured about electability and economic competence. To win them over any candidate has to be:

    1. A fresh face who didn't serve under Blair or Brown and so can't be tainted by association.
    2. From the left of the party and trusted to run on an anti-austerity program, even while junking the really mad bits of Corbynism.
    3. For the above reasons, and to win over the unions excepting the PCS, a bit of a blank slate who people can project hopes on to.

    If Corbyn is toppled there's surely room for a candidate to pitch themselves as the future of his left-wing platform over McDonnell who'd be a continuity candidate in a situation where the party was in turmoil and likely to split if he won. It would descend into a game of chicken, but if a candidate like Nandy wins it would allow both sides (excepting the zealots) to jump before the crash.

    McDonnell v Benn, whoever wins the party splits - if its McDonnell moderates admit total defeat and look to set up a new party, its Benn the Momentumers go mad and basically do the same - probably with McDonnell given his past comments.

    She's got more experience than Jarvis and Starmer and has an excellent media manner - we just don't see too much of her because she's not really staunchly in either camp.

    Plus of course, remember what Ed's job was before he became leader and he beat the party's Shadow Foreign Sec, Schools minister and chief economic thinker, Shadow Health secretary, oh and Diane Abbott.

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    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,175
    MJW said:

    HYUFD said:

    MJW said:

    Jonathan said:

    Lisa Nandy. 20%? I don't get it. What has she done to be a contender? You can sort of, maybe, just about, see a case for Starmer or Jarvis. But even then, th

    Starmer could probably cut it as a possible PM. Whether
    .
    No, it has to be a big hitter before the election, Nandy is not that and not in the front-rank of the Shadow Cabinet. McDonnell or Hilary Benn are the only alternatives to Corbyn pre-2020, most likely McDonnell
    I disagree - the key group of voters in any future Labour leadership election are those who voted Corbyn not because they agree the wilder bits of his worldview but because they (misguidedly) wanted to shut the door on any whiff of Blair's third way politics. They likely still support him now, because although they know it's a doomed enterprise, but prefer the thrill of entertaining dreams than being lectured about electability and economic competence. To win them over any candidate has to be:

    1. A fresh face who didn't serve under Blair or Brown and so can't be tainted by association.
    2. From the left of the party and trusted to run on an anti-austerity program, even while junking the really mad bits of Corbynism.
    3. For the above reasons, and to win over the unions excepting the PCS, a bit of a blank slate who people can project hopes on to.

    If Corbyn is toppled there's surely room for a candidate to pitch themselves as the future of his left-wing platform over McDonnell who'd be a continuity candidate in a situation where the party was in turmoil and likely to split if he won. It would descend into a game of chicken, but if a candidate like Nandy wins it would allow both sides (excepting the zealots) to jump before the crash.

    McDonnell v Benn, whoever wins the party splits - if its McDonnell moderates admit total defeat and look to set up a new party, its Benn the Momentumers go mad and basically do the same - probably with McDonnell given his past comments.

    She's got more experience than Jarvis and Starmer and has an excellent media manner - we just don't see too much of her because she's not really staunchly in either camp.

    Plus of course, remember what Ed's job was before he became leader and he beat the party's Shadow Foreign Sec, Schools minister and chief economic thinker, Shadow Health secretary, oh and Diane Abbott.

    Nandy is nor on the left of the party anyway, she backed Burnham and look how well Ed's experience helped Labour! It would be like the Tories picking Louise Mensch to succeed IDS
This discussion has been closed.