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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Theresa May’s lucky to have avoided the scrutiny that there

SystemSystem Posts: 11,688
edited July 2016 in General

imagepoliticalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Theresa May’s lucky to have avoided the scrutiny that there’d have been with prolonged membership ballot

The decision of Andrea Leadsom to pull out of the race last Monday is making May’s initial period a whole lot easier. Instead of the 8 weeks long slog of hustings meetings, probing interviews and TV debates the new PM has managed to avoid the searching questions on policy that would have made life considerably harder when entering Number 10.

Read the full story here


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Comments

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    dr_spyndr_spyn Posts: 11,288
    first...like Mrs May.
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    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,285
    Brother reveals 'violent, drug-crazed' ISIS 'soldier' Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel smuggled £84,000 to his family in Tunisia DAYS before murdering 84 in Nice

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3693227/Brother-reveals-violent-drug-crazed-ISIS-soldier-Mohamed-Lahouaiej-Bouhlel-smuggled-84-000-family-Tunisia-DAYS-murdering-84-Nice.html

    Where does a petty criminal get 100k euro from?
  • Options
    PlatoSaidPlatoSaid Posts: 10,383
    #BREAKING AFP - Kerry offers US help in investigating coup, urges Erdogan to present evidence against Gulen.
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    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,044
    PlatoSaid said:

    #BREAKING AFP - Kerry offers US help in investigating coup, urges Erdogan to present evidence against Gulen.

    If it wasn't so tragic for the country, it'd be amusing to see how fast and severely Erdogan and Gulen have fallen out.
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    SimonStClareSimonStClare Posts: 7,976
    Afternoon all.

    Personally, I’d liked to have seen the hustings take place, if only to give a more rounded and clearer picture of the present PM. - On saying that, May has been in the public eye for a decade and the Tory membership will already have a fairly clear idea of her in their own minds and if the ballot had taken place between, TM & AL, I have no doubt May would have had a convincing win.
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    dr_spyndr_spyn Posts: 11,288
    edited July 2016
    "Turkey's state news agency Anadolu and the NTV news channel both report that 2,745 judges were fired across the country on Saturday.

    The decision was taken by the body overseeing judges and prosecutors - the meeting was reportedly held to discuss disciplinary measures against those suspected of having links with alleged coup plotter Fetullah Gulen."

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-europe-36811357

    Wasn't just a small faction of armed forces?
  • Options
    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,285
    edited July 2016
    dr_spyn said:

    "Turkey's state news agency Anadolu and the NTV news channel both report that 2,745 judges were fired across the country on Saturday.

    The decision was taken by the body overseeing judges and prosecutors - the meeting was reportedly held to discuss disciplinary measures against those suspected of having links with alleged coup plotter Fetullah Gulen."

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-europe-36811357

    Wasn't just a small faction of armed forces?

    That has alarm bells ringing to me.
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    SimonStClareSimonStClare Posts: 7,976
    edited July 2016
    G-live - "Greece’s government spokesperson Olga Gerovasili has announced the Athens government is in touch with its counterpart in Ankara over the landing of a Turkish military helicopter with eight coup plotters on board in the northern border town of Alexandroupolis, Helena Smith reports".

    They will be returned forthwith, despite no assurances of what their punishment might be?
  • Options
    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,044
    dr_spyn said:

    "Turkey's state news agency Anadolu and the NTV news channel both report that 2,745 judges were fired across the country on Saturday.

    The decision was taken by the body overseeing judges and prosecutors - the meeting was reportedly held to discuss disciplinary measures against those suspected of having links with alleged coup plotter Fetullah Gulen."

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-europe-36811357

    Wasn't just a small faction of armed forces?

    It may have been, but the government forces are using the opportunity to round up other troublesome (to them) individuals and groups.

    The state-within-a-state ("deep state") idea has a long history within Turkey (no wonder given the number of coups they have had), and is either real, non-existent, or vastly exaggerated to be used as a bogeyman by different groups.

    An example is the Ergenekon conspiracy, which led to hundreds of people being arrested in 2011. This might have been a join Erdogan - Gulen operation. When they had a falling out a couple of years later and Gulen's people allegedly arrested lots of Erdogan's, suddenly the 2011 plotters were mostly acquitted and the judges who arrested them (and who had just arrested Erdogan's people) were charged!

    Turkish politics makes ours look positive uneventful.

    My family are safe for the moment. Sadly I can only say for the moment ... :(

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ergenekon_(allegation)
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    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,044
    In addition: why might military and police/judicial forces be doing this, and why at this time - as aside from a few years ago when there were the popular uprisings when they might have had more effect?
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    PlatoSaidPlatoSaid Posts: 10,383
    Alya
    Trending on @Twitter in Turkey right now are: "I want the death penalty" (#idamistiyorum) & "Not a coup. Theatre." (#DarbeDegilTiyatro)
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    williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 48,079

    In addition: why might military and police/judicial forces be doing this, and why at this time - as aside from a few years ago when there were the popular uprisings when they might have had more effect?

    I believe Chris Bryant has a theory about that.
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    PlatoSaidPlatoSaid Posts: 10,383
    Chris Mason
    Downing St: PM has spoken to Australian opposite number Malcolm Turnbull. Mr Turnbull 'expressed a desire to strike a free trade deal ASAP'
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    DecrepitJohnLDecrepitJohnL Posts: 13,300
    Theresa May was certainly lucky in her choice of opponents, with most of the Cabinet deciding not to run and then Michael Gove taking out both himself and Boris, in circumstances yet to be clearly explained. CV-gate then meant Mrs May faced no examination of her own record.

    A question for the memoirs is whether Theresa May ever saw herself at the top of the greasy pole -- would she even have stood in two, three or four years' time if David Cameron had been able to keep to his original timetable?
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    I see Boris is the man of the moment - again
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    GeoffMGeoffM Posts: 6,071

    In addition: why might military and police/judicial forces be doing this, and why at this time - as aside from a few years ago when there were the popular uprisings when they might have had more effect?

    I believe Chris Bryant has a theory about that.
    Does it involve a photo of him in his underpants?

    If so, include me out.
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    PlatoSaidPlatoSaid Posts: 10,383
    Montie
    CNN reporting "very different vibe" on streets after Nice compared to Paris. Real anger this time, rather than sadness. Significant if true.
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    PlatoSaid said:

    Chris Mason
    Downing St: PM has spoken to Australian opposite number Malcolm Turnbull. Mr Turnbull 'expressed a desire to strike a free trade deal ASAP'

    Rejoice Rejoice
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    Theresa May was certainly lucky in her choice of opponents, with most of the Cabinet deciding not to run and then Michael Gove taking out both himself and Boris, in circumstances yet to be clearly explained. CV-gate then meant Mrs May faced no examination of her own record.

    A question for the memoirs is whether Theresa May ever saw herself at the top of the greasy pole -- would she even have stood in two, three or four years' time if David Cameron had been able to keep to his original timetable?

    I wonder whether the two of them (boris and may) had agreed whichever one did not become PM would be foreign sec
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    TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 41,318
    edited July 2016
    @Paul_Bedfordshire

    That suggests a degree of foresight and planning otherwise wholly absent from any politician over the past six months.
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    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,044
    TOPPING said:

    @Paul_Bedfordshire

    That suggests a degree of foresight and planning otherwise wholly absent from any politician over the past six months.

    And trust. A characteristic also rarely seen from any politician over the past six months.
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    IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,291

    G-live - "Greece’s government spokesperson Olga Gerovasili has announced the Athens government is in touch with its counterpart in Ankara over the landing of a Turkish military helicopter with eight coup plotters on board in the northern border town of Alexandroupolis, Helena Smith reports".

    They will be returned forthwith, despite no assurances of what their punishment might be?

    One of the saddest and most shameful episodes of WWII was the Allied governments' return of Soviet POWs to the USSR, almost all of whom were either shot or imprisoned when they arrived home.
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    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,044
    IanB2 said:

    G-live - "Greece’s government spokesperson Olga Gerovasili has announced the Athens government is in touch with its counterpart in Ankara over the landing of a Turkish military helicopter with eight coup plotters on board in the northern border town of Alexandroupolis, Helena Smith reports".

    They will be returned forthwith, despite no assurances of what their punishment might be?

    One of the saddest and most shameful episodes of WWII was the Allied governments' return of Soviet POWs to the USSR, almost all of whom were either shot or imprisoned when they arrived home.
    More importantly than those eight people: will Erdogan's government produce a compelling case for the US to extradite Gulen to them? They do have extradition treaties.
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    JonathanDJonathanD Posts: 2,400
    SeanT said:

    Brother reveals 'violent, drug-crazed' ISIS 'soldier' Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel smuggled £84,000 to his family in Tunisia DAYS before murdering 84 in Nice

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3693227/Brother-reveals-violent-drug-crazed-ISIS-soldier-Mohamed-Lahouaiej-Bouhlel-smuggled-84-000-family-Tunisia-DAYS-murdering-84-Nice.html

    Where does a petty criminal get 100k euro from?

    That's significant

    If I were the ISIS Fuhrer I'd be recruiting sad loser Muslim villains in the west with money, to perform atrocities, and I'd actively prefer the ones who are apparently non-religious, drinkers and gamblers etc, as they are so much less suspicious.

    Is this what happened here? If so, it makes the job of French police (and ours) even harder. Suspicion falls on ALL Muslims.
    I've seen a theory that these suicide jihadists are often petty criminal Muslims who are recruited by the intelligence services while in prison to be informers but are then turned by ISIS who tell them that a suicide mission is the only way to get forgiveness. No idea if true however.
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    nunununu Posts: 6,024
    edited July 2016
    I see "what is a millatry coup" is one of the top searches in Google, if u listened to hard remainers logic that means all of those people who supported the Turkish coup did so before knowing what it was.
  • Options
    PlatoSaidPlatoSaid Posts: 10,383
    Conflict News
    MORE: 11 Supreme Court members arrested along with 4 members of Judges Committee #TurkeyCoup - @agirecudi

    MORE: Arrest warrants issued for 140 Constitutional Court members and 48 members of the Council of State #TurkeyCoup - RT
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    SimonStClareSimonStClare Posts: 7,976
    G-L - US Secretary of State John Kerry said the United States would entertain an extradition request for exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Turkey’s president blames for a failed coup, AP reports.

    But Kerry added Turkey’s government would have to present evidence of Gulen’s wrongdoing that withstands scrutiny.
  • Options
    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,044
    SeanT said:

    JonathanD said:

    SeanT said:

    Brother reveals 'violent, drug-crazed' ISIS 'soldier' Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel smuggled £84,000 to his family in Tunisia DAYS before murdering 84 in Nice

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3693227/Brother-reveals-violent-drug-crazed-ISIS-soldier-Mohamed-Lahouaiej-Bouhlel-smuggled-84-000-family-Tunisia-DAYS-murdering-84-Nice.html

    Where does a petty criminal get 100k euro from?

    That's significant

    If I were the ISIS Fuhrer I'd be recruiting sad loser Muslim villains in the west with money, to perform atrocities, and I'd actively prefer the ones who are apparently non-religious, drinkers and gamblers etc, as they are so much less suspicious.

    Is this what happened here? If so, it makes the job of French police (and ours) even harder. Suspicion falls on ALL Muslims.
    I've seen a theory that these suicide jihadists are often petty criminal Muslims who are recruited by the intelligence services while in prison to be informers but are then turned by ISIS who tell them that a suicide mission is the only way to get forgiveness. No idea if true however.
    But this guy had never been in prison. Just got a suspended sentence, once, and did community work.

    He's a totally clean skin Muslim, in terms of radicalisation. There aren't ANY of the normal markers - "started attending mosque", "grew a beard", "learned his Koran" and so forth.

    He just went straight from a druggy, boozy criminal half life to becoming a mad suicidal jihadi - and you would presume therefore he was a lone wolf.

    Except that he suddenly got £84,000 the week before he killed in Nice????
    The bigger question for me is what the guns and weaponry were, and where he got them. It sounds (at least from one report) like all except one handgun were fakes. That's not necessarily the hallmark of a well-planned ISIS operation.
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    stjohnstjohn Posts: 1,779
    Margaret Thatcher is reputed to have said, "A man who, beyond the age of 26, finds himself on a bus can count himself a failure."

    How about this ? "A man who, beyond the age of 26, finds himself spending hours and days on PB.com can count himself a failure."

    Discuss.
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    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,044
    SeanT said:

    PlatoSaid said:

    Conflict News
    MORE: 11 Supreme Court members arrested along with 4 members of Judges Committee #TurkeyCoup - @agirecudi

    MORE: Arrest warrants issued for 140 Constitutional Court members and 48 members of the Council of State #TurkeyCoup - RT

    This sound to me more like an anti-coup. Erdogan had all of this just ready to go?

    Was the coup actually a Reichstag fire?
    Possibly, although he could just be taking advantage of. The lists of the ner-do-wells are prepared, and in many cases their phones tapped.

    One interesting aside: I might be wrong, but AIUI a clause in the EU agreement with Turkey signed earlier in the year means we can take refugees, but we have to refuse Turks fleeing persecution. This may mean that it is hard for genuine plotters or those caught up in the aftermath to flee to the EU for safety.
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    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,929
    200+ is going to be a tough task.

    Won't go 5 days, may not go 4.
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    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,044
    SeanT said:

    SeanT said:

    JonathanD said:

    SeanT said:

    Brother reveals 'violent, drug-crazed' ISIS 'soldier' Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel smuggled £84,000 to his family in Tunisia DAYS before murdering 84 in Nice

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3693227/Brother-reveals-violent-drug-crazed-ISIS-soldier-Mohamed-Lahouaiej-Bouhlel-smuggled-84-000-family-Tunisia-DAYS-murdering-84-Nice.html

    Where does a petty criminal get 100k euro from?

    That's significant

    If I were the ISIS Fuhrer I'd be recruiting sad loser Muslim villains in the west with money, to perform atrocities, and I'd actively prefer the ones who are apparently non-religious, drinkers and gamblers etc, as they are so much less suspicious.

    Is this what happened here? If so, it makes the job of French police (and ours) even harder. Suspicion falls on ALL Muslims.
    I've seen a theory that these suicide jihadists are often petty criminal Muslims who are recruited by the intelligence services while in prison to be informers but are then turned by ISIS who tell them that a suicide mission is the only way to get forgiveness. No idea if true however.
    But this guy had never been in prison. Just got a suspended sentence, once, and did community work.

    He's a totally clean skin Muslim, in terms of radicalisation. There aren't ANY of the normal markers - "started attending mosque", "grew a beard", "learned his Koran" and so forth.

    He just went straight from a druggy, boozy criminal half life to becoming a mad suicidal jihadi - and you would presume therefore he was a lone wolf.

    Except that he suddenly got £84,000 the week before he killed in Nice????
    The bigger question for me is what the guns and weaponry were, and where he got them. It sounds (at least from one report) like all except one handgun were fakes. That's not necessarily the hallmark of a well-planned ISIS operation.
    That is a curious detail, I agree. Why bring fake guns? What on earth is the point??? They just arouse suspicion and have no purpose.
    Death by cop?

    If he had just driven the van, they might have been able to detain him in such a way that he did not die. If they think he's armed to the teeth, they're much more likely to shoot him.

    We'll have to wait for official news, but it's odd to say the least.
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    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,285
    I thought the claim they were fake guns had been denied by the police now.
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    BigIanBigIan Posts: 198
    nunu said:

    I see "what is a millatry coup" is one of the top searches in Google, if u listened to hard remainers logic that means all of those people who supported the Turkish coup did so before knowing what it was.

    If the Turks don't know what a military coup is, then no one does.
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    FeersumEnjineeyaFeersumEnjineeya Posts: 3,899
    edited July 2016

    I thought the claim they were fake guns had been denied by the police now.

    .
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    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,044
    BigIan said:

    nunu said:

    I see "what is a millatry coup" is one of the top searches in Google, if u listened to hard remainers logic that means all of those people who supported the Turkish coup did so before knowing what it was.

    If the Turks don't know what a military coup is, then no one does.
    Heck, they did a coup by memoranda in the past.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1971_Turkish_military_memorandum

    And later:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1997_Turkish_military_memorandum
  • Options
    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,285
    England really unlucky in the past 30 Mins in the cricket. Could easily had another 2 wickets.
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    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,285
    Chelsea have signed Leicester City midfielder N'Golo Kante for a fee believed to be in the region of £30m.
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    LowlanderLowlander Posts: 941
    Jonathan said:

    And impressive attack ad from Clinton that you may have missed.

    www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrX3Ql31URA

    Her tagline is "Stronger Together".

    I hope the campaign doesn't combine the success of "Stronger In" and the savviness of "Better Together".
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    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,285
    edited July 2016
    SeanT said:

    I thought the claim they were fake guns had been denied by the police now.

    I can't find any confirmation either way. Some still say they were fake, others speculating not.

    One theory: ISIS gave him a job lot, and fobbed him off with some crap amidst the real stuff? So they weren't fake, just old and malfunctioning?
    There was an interesting tit bit from panorama documentary over Paris, that basically Isis have a weapons delivery network where recruits can order & a car will be left loaded with hardware. That has happened not just in Paris incident but in other foiled attacks.

    The media have been pushing the mental illness / nothing to lose petty criminal who radicalised himself over the past few weeks & acted alone. The 100k euro claim doesn't really fit that narrative.
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    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,988
    Good afternoon, everyone.

    Mr. Jessop, and yet this 'coup' has been a total failure.

    Interesting given that Tim Marshal (formerly foreign affairs editor of Sky News who was on the channel, I think independently, last night) reckoned it was largely done and dusted.

    And then Erdogan (by the time I got up) had magically reasserted control, and now half the judiciary's been laid off.

    Nothing says democracy like sacking thousands of judges. Except maybe the President's party taking over critical newspapers and television stations.
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    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,044
    stjohn said:

    Margaret Thatcher is reputed to have said, "A man who, beyond the age of 26, finds himself on a bus can count himself a failure."

    How about this ? "A man who, beyond the age of 26, finds himself spending hours and days on PB.com can count himself a failure."

    Discuss.

    My productivity during my recent absence from PB went down markedly.

    Than again, I was very ill. ;)

    How about:
    "A man who, beyond the age of 26, can afford to spend hours and days on PB.com can count himself a success."
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    MontyHallMontyHall Posts: 226
    edited July 2016
    Crosses my mind that the men that carry out these Isis inspired atrocities are the modern equivalent of the navy press gangs of old, and looking for religious piety is a waste of time.

    Stoned Asians are the new portside drunkard
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    David_EvershedDavid_Evershed Posts: 6,506
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    rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 54,007
    SeanT said:

    stjohn said:

    Margaret Thatcher is reputed to have said, "A man who, beyond the age of 26, finds himself on a bus can count himself a failure."

    How about this ? "A man who, beyond the age of 26, finds himself spending hours and days on PB.com can count himself a failure."

    Discuss.

    Without being uncharacteristically too full of myself, *ahem*, if I am a failure I'd be curious to see what counts as success. You set a high bar.

    Indeed I'd say the level of success on pb, in many different fields, from law to politics to business, is much higher than in the general population.


    Although our Scots nats colleagues attempt to even it out a bit.
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    Sean_FSean_F Posts: 35,850

    dr_spyn said:

    "Turkey's state news agency Anadolu and the NTV news channel both report that 2,745 judges were fired across the country on Saturday.

    The decision was taken by the body overseeing judges and prosecutors - the meeting was reportedly held to discuss disciplinary measures against those suspected of having links with alleged coup plotter Fetullah Gulen."

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-europe-36811357

    Wasn't just a small faction of armed forces?

    It may have been, but the government forces are using the opportunity to round up other troublesome (to them) individuals and groups.

    The state-within-a-state ("deep state") idea has a long history within Turkey (no wonder given the number of coups they have had), and is either real, non-existent, or vastly exaggerated to be used as a bogeyman by different groups.

    An example is the Ergenekon conspiracy, which led to hundreds of people being arrested in 2011. This might have been a join Erdogan - Gulen operation. When they had a falling out a couple of years later and Gulen's people allegedly arrested lots of Erdogan's, suddenly the 2011 plotters were mostly acquitted and the judges who arrested them (and who had just arrested Erdogan's people) were charged!

    Turkish politics makes ours look positive uneventful.

    My family are safe for the moment. Sadly I can only say for the moment ... :(

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ergenekon_(allegation)
    Do you think the coup may have been a sham?
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    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,285
    edited July 2016
    Just a thought about the confusion over the fake guns. Could it be a translation/ misunderstanding whereby they mean those replica / deactivated ones that are widely sold in eastern europe & have been found can trivially be made to fire real ammunition.
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    ToryJimToryJim Posts: 3,419
    I suspect there is less luck at play here than you'd imagine. Just because the new PM wasn't obviously playing the game doesn't mean she wasn't. I don't believe you become PM by chance. I think Theresa May knew what she was doing, and essentially outmanoeuvred her opponents. I think Gove did what he did because the contest was already moving from stop Boris to stop May. You have to remember that May knows the Conservative party and is excessively thorough.

    It was obvious from the moment Cameron announced his resignation that the final two would be her and Boris. I think Gove thought May would play serious vs shallow on Boris and it would likely work, something she wouldn't be able to do with him as much. I don't think he anticipated it would push Boris out of the race but that it would complicate May's path to the final two. I think he figured Boris was obsessed enough to plough on regardless.

    May never looked like she was fighting because she'd prepared and had worked out how to game the election. First get to the final two then fight the election from there. I think she ended up with 50 more votes than she expected in R1 because everyone else were playing catch up and making a horlicks of it. We will have to wait a while for the full inside story of this leadership election but I don't think Theresa May is where she is by mere luck. I think her erstwhile opponents found out rather too late that she is even more formidable than her reputation and plays the game less obviously but more successfully.
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    AnneJGPAnneJGP Posts: 2,869
    Good afternoon, everybody.

    Almost 2 hours and only a single Vanilla page on this thread. Is everyone trying to catch up with the rest of their lives after the recent excitements?
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    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,988
    Miss JGP, the furious pace had to end sooner or later, thankfully.
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    HurstLlamaHurstLlama Posts: 9,098
    Charles Moore in fine form:

    "... our mindset should be that of a colonial country preparing for independence: the negotiations are important, but we need not fear them, because the key outcome is not in doubt. We know that, at the end of it all, we shall be free.... "

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/07/15/deal-or-no-deal-the-government-must-now-start-preparing-for-our/

    Shame he is no longer the editor of the Telegraph.
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    stjohnstjohn Posts: 1,779

    stjohn said:

    Margaret Thatcher is reputed to have said, "A man who, beyond the age of 26, finds himself on a bus can count himself a failure."

    How about this ? "A man who, beyond the age of 26, finds himself spending hours and days on PB.com can count himself a failure."

    Discuss.

    My productivity during my recent absence from PB went down markedly.

    Than again, I was very ill. ;)

    How about:
    "A man who, beyond the age of 26, can afford to spend hours and days on PB.com can count himself a success."
    JJ. Yes, that's much better! Whether PBers are making good choices in spending inordinate amounts of time on here is perhaps a better question. But currently it's impossible to do otherwise.

    Robert. :-)

    As far as Sean T is concerned I think PB is actually the cause of his success. He learnt his craft here. I remember when he first came on here he could hardly spell. Under OGH's patient tutelage he moved from clauses, to sentences, then paragraphs and now whole books. It has been truly wonderful to witness his journey.
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    williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 48,079

    Charles Moore in fine form:

    "... our mindset should be that of a colonial country preparing for independence: the negotiations are important, but we need not fear them, because the key outcome is not in doubt. We know that, at the end of it all, we shall be free.... "

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/07/15/deal-or-no-deal-the-government-must-now-start-preparing-for-our/

    Shame he is no longer the editor of the Telegraph.

    Does that sort of cowed thinking really resonate with you? I find it extraordinary that anyone should think that the mindset of 'a colonial country preparing for independence' has anything to offer us.
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    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,044
    Sean_F said:

    dr_spyn said:

    "Turkey's state news agency Anadolu and the NTV news channel both report that 2,745 judges were fired across the country on Saturday.

    The decision was taken by the body overseeing judges and prosecutors - the meeting was reportedly held to discuss disciplinary measures against those suspected of having links with alleged coup plotter Fetullah Gulen."

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-europe-36811357

    Wasn't just a small faction of armed forces?

    It may have been, but the government forces are using the opportunity to round up other troublesome (to them) individuals and groups.

    The state-within-a-state ("deep state") idea has a long history within Turkey (no wonder given the number of coups they have had), and is either real, non-existent, or vastly exaggerated to be used as a bogeyman by different groups.

    An example is the Ergenekon conspiracy, which led to hundreds of people being arrested in 2011. This might have been a join Erdogan - Gulen operation. When they had a falling out a couple of years later and Gulen's people allegedly arrested lots of Erdogan's, suddenly the 2011 plotters were mostly acquitted and the judges who arrested them (and who had just arrested Erdogan's people) were charged!

    Turkish politics makes ours look positive uneventful.

    My family are safe for the moment. Sadly I can only say for the moment ... :(

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ergenekon_(allegation)
    Do you think the coup may have been a sham?
    I won't pretend to know that, but my *impression* is no.

    I've pointed out in the past that Erdogan had learnt lessons from previous Turkish coups and had put in place mechanisms to prevent them or reduce their effect. This culminated in the 2011 mess.

    At this point, I think he's just taking advantage of that mess to consolidate his power and throw out his perceived opponents; e.g. Gulen's supporters. The idea that 3,000-odd judges were in league with the military plotters is ridiculous.
  • Options
    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,988
    Mr. Glenn, cowed makes me think of the Cleggian view that we'll be a pygmy without the EU.
  • Options
    John_MJohn_M Posts: 7,503
    AnneJGP said:

    Good afternoon, everybody.

    Almost 2 hours and only a single Vanilla page on this thread. Is everyone trying to catch up with the rest of their lives after the recent excitements?

    It is warm (too warm!) and sunny here. Just taking a very brief break from the day star :). We've pretty much beaten the hot topics to death.

    I'm not anticipating much excitement for a while, and it looks like a mini-heatwave on the way. Let's enjoy it!
  • Options
    TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 40,141
    edited July 2016
    rcs1000 said:

    SeanT said:

    stjohn said:

    Margaret Thatcher is reputed to have said, "A man who, beyond the age of 26, finds himself on a bus can count himself a failure."

    How about this ? "A man who, beyond the age of 26, finds himself spending hours and days on PB.com can count himself a failure."

    Discuss.

    Without being uncharacteristically too full of myself, *ahem*, if I am a failure I'd be curious to see what counts as success. You set a high bar.

    Indeed I'd say the level of success on pb, in many different fields, from law to politics to business, is much higher than in the general population.


    Although our Scots nats colleagues attempt to even it out a bit.
    Still, we reduce the smug ***t quotient considerably.
  • Options
    TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 40,141
    edited July 2016
    SeanT said:

    SeanT said:

    I thought the claim they were fake guns had been denied by the police now.

    I can't find any confirmation either way. Some still say they were fake, others speculating not.

    One theory: ISIS gave him a job lot, and fobbed him off with some crap amidst the real stuff? So they weren't fake, just old and malfunctioning?
    There was an interesting tit bit from panorama documentary over Paris, that basically Isis have a weapons delivery network where recruits can order & a car will be left loaded with hardware. That has happened not just in Paris incident but in other foiled attacks.

    The media have been pushing the mental illness / nothing to lose petty criminal who radicalised himself over the past few weeks & acted alone. The 100k euro claim doesn't really fit that narrative.
    No, I agree, this *lone nutter* stuff is bollocks.

    Another detail: Bouhlel got his HGV licence a year ago. That's kind of an odd thing to do, if you're a dope smoking ne'er do well. He did work as a delivery van driver, but HGV?

    He made sure to hire the heaviest possible vehicle. Showing no signs of frothing madness.

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3693329/He-wanted-biggest-powerful-vehicle-Truck-terrorist-ordered-massive-19-tonne-lorry-create-maximum-number-victims-says-garage-boss.html

    I reckon this was a very carefully planned attack, dating back months, and almost certainly involving others - possibly ISIS themselves.

    I'm sure Louise Mensch will clarify before long.
  • Options
    HurstLlamaHurstLlama Posts: 9,098
    ToryJim said:

    I suspect there is less luck at play here than you'd imagine. Just because the new PM wasn't obviously playing the game doesn't mean she wasn't. I don't believe you become PM by chance. I think Theresa May knew what she was doing, and essentially outmanoeuvred her opponents. I think Gove did what he did because the contest was already moving from stop Boris to stop May. You have to remember that May knows the Conservative party and is excessively thorough.

    It was obvious from the moment Cameron announced his resignation that the final two would be her and Boris. I think Gove thought May would play serious vs shallow on Boris and it would likely work, something she wouldn't be able to do with him as much. I don't think he anticipated it would push Boris out of the race but that it would complicate May's path to the final two. I think he figured Boris was obsessed enough to plough on regardless.

    May never looked like she was fighting because she'd prepared and had worked out how to game the election. First get to the final two then fight the election from there. I think she ended up with 50 more votes than she expected in R1 because everyone else were playing catch up and making a horlicks of it. We will have to wait a while for the full inside story of this leadership election but I don't think Theresa May is where she is by mere luck. I think her erstwhile opponents found out rather too late that she is even more formidable than her reputation and plays the game less obviously but more successfully.

    Mr. Jim, I agree TM is not our Prime Minister by luck or chance. Furthermore, I don't believe her radical reshaping of HMG was dreamed up in a couple of days and by herself alone. The speed and precision of her work since Wednesday looks to me like a plan being put into action.

    Good for her. She had a plan, she implemented it. We must all hope it works out for the good of us all.

    What I do not believe is that she has come up with this plan by herself. It is too big, too organised, too well thought through to be the work of one person. What I would very much like to know are who are TM's confidants and advisors.
  • Options
    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,988
    Mr. Jessop, ironic that a coup was foiled and the immediate result is to weaken the democracy, such as it is, of Turkey.
  • Options
    HurstLlamaHurstLlama Posts: 9,098

    Charles Moore in fine form:

    "... our mindset should be that of a colonial country preparing for independence: the negotiations are important, but we need not fear them, because the key outcome is not in doubt. We know that, at the end of it all, we shall be free.... "

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/07/15/deal-or-no-deal-the-government-must-now-start-preparing-for-our/

    Shame he is no longer the editor of the Telegraph.

    Does that sort of cowed thinking really resonate with you? I find it extraordinary that anyone should think that the mindset of 'a colonial country preparing for independence' has anything to offer us.
    Did you read the article, Mr Glenn?
  • Options
    John_MJohn_M Posts: 7,503

    SeanT said:

    SeanT said:

    I thought the claim they were fake guns had been denied by the police now.

    I can't find any confirmation either way. Some still say they were fake, others speculating not.

    One theory: ISIS gave him a job lot, and fobbed him off with some crap amidst the real stuff? So they weren't fake, just old and malfunctioning?
    There was an interesting tit bit from panorama documentary over Paris, that basically Isis have a weapons delivery network where recruits can order & a car will be left loaded with hardware. That has happened not just in Paris incident but in other foiled attacks.

    The media have been pushing the mental illness / nothing to lose petty criminal who radicalised himself over the past few weeks & acted alone. The 100k euro claim doesn't really fit that narrative.
    No, I agree, this *lone nutter* stuff is bollocks.

    Another detail: Bouhlel got his HGV licence a year ago. That's kind of an odd thing to do, if you're a dope smoking ne'er do well. He did work as a delivery van driver, but HGV?

    He made sure to hire the heaviest possible vehicle. Showing no signs of frothing madness.

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3693329/He-wanted-biggest-powerful-vehicle-Truck-terrorist-ordered-massive-19-tonne-lorry-create-maximum-number-victims-says-garage-boss.html

    I reckon this was a very carefully planned attack, dating back months, and almost certainly involving others - possibly ISIS themselves.

    I'm sure Louise Mensch will clarify before long.
    I'm afraid Louise is too busy with Tony Blackburn, just for now.
  • Options
    williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 48,079

    Charles Moore in fine form:

    "... our mindset should be that of a colonial country preparing for independence: the negotiations are important, but we need not fear them, because the key outcome is not in doubt. We know that, at the end of it all, we shall be free.... "

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/07/15/deal-or-no-deal-the-government-must-now-start-preparing-for-our/

    Shame he is no longer the editor of the Telegraph.

    Does that sort of cowed thinking really resonate with you? I find it extraordinary that anyone should think that the mindset of 'a colonial country preparing for independence' has anything to offer us.
    Did you read the article, Mr Glenn?
    No, I just responded to the bit you quoted but I'll read it now.
  • Options
    John_MJohn_M Posts: 7,503
    SeanT said:

    stjohn said:

    Margaret Thatcher is reputed to have said, "A man who, beyond the age of 26, finds himself on a bus can count himself a failure."

    How about this ? "A man who, beyond the age of 26, finds himself spending hours and days on PB.com can count himself a failure."

    Discuss.

    Without being uncharacteristically too full of myself, *ahem*, if I am a failure I'd be curious to see what counts as success. You set a high bar.

    Indeed I'd say the level of success on pb, in many different fields, from law to politics to business, is much higher than in the general population.


    Indeed, I come here to hang out with the rich and beautiful of PB. We even have Charles to bring a touch of the gentry to the place *doffs cap*.
  • Options
    FrankBoothFrankBooth Posts: 9,047
    stjohn said:

    Margaret Thatcher is reputed to have said, "A man who, beyond the age of 26, finds himself on a bus can count himself a failure."

    How about this ? "A man who, beyond the age of 26, finds himself spending hours and days on PB.com can count himself a failure."

    Discuss.

    What else is there to do when you leave the Young Conservatives?
  • Options
    Sean_FSean_F Posts: 35,850
    edited July 2016

    ToryJim said:

    I suspect there is less luck at play here than you'd imagine. Just because the new PM wasn't obviously playing the game doesn't mean she wasn't. I don't believe you become PM by chance. I think Theresa May knew what she was doing, and essentially outmanoeuvred her opponents. I think Gove did what he did because the contest was already moving from stop Boris to stop May. You have to remember that May knows the Conservative party and is excessively thorough.

    It was obvious from the moment Cameron announced his resignation that the final two would be her and Boris. I think Gove thought May would play serious vs shallow on Boris and it would likely work, something she wouldn't be able to do with him as much. I don't think he anticipated it would push Boris out of the race but that it would complicate May's path to the final two. I think he figured Boris was obsessed enough to plough on regardless.

    May never looked like she was fighting because she'd prepared and had worked out how to game the election. First get to the final two then fight the election from there. I think she ended up with 50 more votes than she expected in R1 because everyone else were playing catch up and making a horlicks of it. We will have to wait a while for the full inside story of this leadership election but I don't think Theresa May is where she is by mere luck. I think her erstwhile opponents found out rather too late that she is even more formidable than her reputation and plays the game less obviously but more successfully.

    Mr. Jim, I agree TM is not our Prime Minister by luck or chance. Furthermore, I don't believe her radical reshaping of HMG was dreamed up in a couple of days and by herself alone. The speed and precision of her work since Wednesday looks to me like a plan being put into action.

    Good for her. She had a plan, she implemented it. We must all hope it works out for the good of us all.

    What I do not believe is that she has come up with this plan by herself. It is too big, too organised, too well thought through to be the work of one person. What I would very much like to know are who are TM's confidants and advisors.
    I think she had a plan, but had no way of knowing if it would succeed or not. Her plan depended on her rivals destroying each other, before she moved in to finish them off.

    It's rather like the chief of police or army chief in a Middle Eastern country, who remains on good terms with the rival dynasts as they fight each other, before then seizing power and turning on the survivors.

    The term Magnificent Bastard sums her up.
  • Options
    HurstLlamaHurstLlama Posts: 9,098

    stjohn said:

    Margaret Thatcher is reputed to have said, "A man who, beyond the age of 26, finds himself on a bus can count himself a failure."

    How about this ? "A man who, beyond the age of 26, finds himself spending hours and days on PB.com can count himself a failure."

    Discuss.

    What else is there to do when you leave the Young Conservatives?
    Become a blood donor?

    (readers under the age of about sixty may not get the reference)
  • Options
    HurstLlamaHurstLlama Posts: 9,098
    Sean_F said:

    ToryJim said:

    I suspect there is less luck at play here than you'd imagine. Just because the new PM wasn't obviously playing the game doesn't mean she wasn't. I don't believe you become PM by chance. I think Theresa May knew what she was doing, and essentially outmanoeuvred her opponents. I think Gove did what he did because the contest was already moving from stop Boris to stop May. You have to remember that May knows the Conservative party and is excessively thorough.

    It was obvious from the moment Cameron announced his resignation that the final two would be her and Boris. I think Gove thought May would play serious vs shallow on Boris and it would likely work, something she wouldn't be able to do with him as much. I don't think he anticipated it would push Boris out of the race but that it would complicate May's path to the final two. I think he figured Boris was obsessed enough to plough on regardless.

    May never looked like she was fighting because she'd prepared and had worked out how to game the election. First get to the final two then fight the election from there. I think she ended up with 50 more votes than she expected in R1 because everyone else were playing catch up and making a horlicks of it. We will have to wait a while for the full inside story of this leadership election but I don't think Theresa May is where she is by mere luck. I think her erstwhile opponents found out rather too late that she is even more formidable than her reputation and plays the game less obviously but more successfully.

    Mr. Jim, I agree TM is not our Prime Minister by luck or chance. Furthermore, I don't believe her radical reshaping of HMG was dreamed up in a couple of days and by herself alone. The speed and precision of her work since Wednesday looks to me like a plan being put into action.

    Good for her. She had a plan, she implemented it. We must all hope it works out for the good of us all.

    What I do not believe is that she has come up with this plan by herself. It is too big, too organised, too well thought through to be the work of one person. What I would very much like to know are who are TM's confidants and advisors.
    I think she had a plan, but had no way of knowing if it would succeed or not. Her plan depended on her rivals destroying each other, before she moved in to finish them off.

    It's rather like the chief of police or army chief in a Middle Eastern country, who remains on good terms with the rival dynasts as they fight each other, before then seizing power and turning on the survivors.
    Could be, Mr F, could well be. However my question stands who are her confidants and advisors?
  • Options
    williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 48,079

    Could be, Mr F, could well be. However my question stands who are her confidants and advisors?

    The Spectator did a piece on this. Nick Timothy is a name that crops up a lot.

    http://www.spectator.co.uk/2016/07/mays-man-influence/
  • Options
    HurstLlamaHurstLlama Posts: 9,098

    Could be, Mr F, could well be. However my question stands who are her confidants and advisors?

    The Spectator did a piece on this. Nick Timothy is a name that crops up a lot.

    http://www.spectator.co.uk/2016/07/mays-man-influence/
    Thank you for that, Mr Glenn. If the argument is accurate (and I have quite a lot time for its author) I am not sure whether to be concerned or reassured. I had hoped that there would be someone or some people with a bit more bottom behind the lady.
  • Options
    JohnOJohnO Posts: 4,215
    edited July 2016

    Could be, Mr F, could well be. However my question stands who are her confidants and advisors?

    The Spectator did a piece on this. Nick Timothy is a name that crops up a lot.

    http://www.spectator.co.uk/2016/07/mays-man-influence/
    However, she does not appear to have a devoted Parliamentary coterie around her, accentuated by consciously eschewing the Commons 'club'. And that is also reflected in her appointments: a number of her leading campaign managers, notably Chris Grayling and Brandon Lewis, must be disappointed in their less than stellar Departments, with the latter still outside the top team.
  • Options
    rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 58,259
    Sean_F said:

    ToryJim said:

    I suspect there is less luck at play here than you'd imagine. Just because the new PM wasn't obviously playing the game doesn't mean she wasn't. I don't believe you become PM by chance. I think Theresa May knew what she was doing, and essentially outmanoeuvred her opponents. I think Gove did what he did because the contest was already moving from stop Boris to stop May. You have to remember that May knows the Conservative party and is excessively thorough.

    It was obvious from the moment Cameron announced his resignation that the final two would be her and Boris. I think Gove thought May would play serious vs shallow on Boris and it would likely work, something she wouldn't be able to do with him as much. I don't think he anticipated it would push Boris out of the race but that it would complicate May's path to the final two. I think he figured Boris was obsessed enough to plough on regardless.

    Mr. Jim, I agree TM is not our Prime Minister by luck or chance. Furthermore, I don't believe her radical reshaping of HMG was dreamed up in a couple of days and by herself alone. The speed and precision of her work since Wednesday looks to me like a plan being put into action.

    Good for her. She had a plan, she implemented it. We must all hope it works out for the good of us all.

    What I do not believe is that she has come up with this plan by herself. It is too big, too organised, too well thought through to be the work of one person. What I would very much like to know are who are TM's confidants and advisors.
    I think she had a plan, but had no way of knowing if it would succeed or not. Her plan depended on her rivals destroying each other, before she moved in to finish them off.

    It's rather like the chief of police or army chief in a Middle Eastern country, who remains on good terms with the rival dynasts as they fight each other, before then seizing power and turning on the survivors.

    The term Magnificent Bastard sums her up.
    I'm sure her whole approach will be studied in depth by future wannabe candidates. As someone who bet on her I always felt that she was being underestimated by more showy people and, fatally for them, understood the basic rules of Tory elections: the favourite never seems to win and he who wields the knife is done for.

    Having said that I think Leadsom may well have beaten her because of the other rule (membership only rule) - you have to be a eurosceptic.
  • Options
    JohnOJohnO Posts: 4,215
    The dismissal of Dominic Raab (my MP) confirms that Mrs May possesses a disagreeable vindictive streak. That won't matter for a while, but the honeymoon never lasts for ever.
  • Options
    Sean_FSean_F Posts: 35,850

    Sean_F said:

    ToryJim said:

    I suspect there is less luck at play here than you'd imagine. Just because the new PM wasn't obviously playing the game doesn't mean she wasn't. I don't believe you become PM by chance. I think Theresa May knew what she was doing, and essentially outmanoeuvred her opponents. I think Gove did what he did because the contest was already moving from stop Boris to stop May. You have to remember that May knows the Conservative party and is excessively thorough.

    It was obvious from the moment Cameron announced his resignation that the final two would be her and Boris. I think Gove thought May would play serious vs shallow on Boris and it would likely work, something she wouldn't be able to do with him as much. I don't think he anticipated it would push Boris out of the race but that it would complicate May's path to the final two. I think he figured Boris was obsessed enough to plough on regardless.

    Mr. Jim, I agree TM is not our Prime Minister by luck or chance. Furthermore, I don't believe her radical reshaping of HMG was dreamed up in a couple of days and by herself alone. The speed and precision of her work since Wednesday looks to me like a plan being put into action.

    Good for her. She had a plan, she implemented it. We must all hope it works out for the good of us all.

    What I do not believe is that she has come up with this plan by herself. It is too big, too organised, too well thought through to be the work of one person. What I would very much like to know are who are TM's confidants and advisors.
    I think she had a plan, but had no way of knowing if it would succeed or not. Her plan depended on her rivals destroying each other, before she moved in to finish them off.

    It's rather like the chief of police or army chief in a Middle Eastern country, who remains on good terms with the rival dynasts as they fight each other, before then seizing power and turning on the survivors.

    The term Magnificent Bastard sums her up.
    I'm sure her whole approach will be studied in depth by future wannabe candidates. As someone who bet on her I always felt that she was being underestimated by more showy people and, fatally for them, understood the basic rules of Tory elections: the favourite never seems to win and he who wields the knife is done for.

    Having said that I think Leadsom may well have beaten her because of the other rule (membership only rule) - you have to be a eurosceptic.
    The knife-wielder has to be someone who's overambitious, or ideologically committed, or possesses a personal grudge. As you say, the knife wielder never wins.
  • Options
    anotherDaveanotherDave Posts: 6,746

    Could be, Mr F, could well be. However my question stands who are her confidants and advisors?

    The Spectator did a piece on this. Nick Timothy is a name that crops up a lot.

    http://www.spectator.co.uk/2016/07/mays-man-influence/
    Thank you for that, Mr Glenn. If the argument is accurate (and I have quite a lot time for its author) I am not sure whether to be concerned or reassured. I had hoped that there would be someone or some people with a bit more bottom behind the lady.
    ConHome gives thumbnail sketches of some of her team.

    http://www.conservativehome.com/parliament/2016/07/meet-the-new-team-at-number-ten.html
  • Options
    CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758
    edited July 2016
    JohnO said:

    The dismissal of Dominic Raab (my MP) confirms that Mrs May possesses a disagreeable vindictive streak. That won't matter for a while, but the honeymoon never lasts for ever.

    He was chief henchman in Gove's betrayal of Johnson, though? (That was the impression I got from the press, at least)

    Perhaps she values people who keep their promises?

    edit: I believe all four of the people listed here as Gove's "key backers" have been sacked, while those who remained loyal to Johnson have been welcomed.

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/06/30/boris-johnson-wont-run-for-prime-minister-after-michael-gove-ent/
  • Options
    HurstLlamaHurstLlama Posts: 9,098
    JohnO said:

    Could be, Mr F, could well be. However my question stands who are her confidants and advisors?

    The Spectator did a piece on this. Nick Timothy is a name that crops up a lot.

    http://www.spectator.co.uk/2016/07/mays-man-influence/
    However, she does not appear to have a devoted Parliamentary coterie around her, accentuated by consciously eschewing the Commons 'club'. And that is also reflected in her appointments: a number of her leading campaign managers, notably Chris Grayling and Brandon Lewis, must be disappointed in their less than stellar Departments, with the latter still outside the top team.
    Quite so, Mr. O. I wish the lady well, I might even vote the party that she leads (something I could never do under her predecessor). However, without her Keith Joseph or Willy Whitelaw she does look a very lonely figure in the Commons. It could be I am worrying needlessly, but maybe not.
  • Options
    IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,291
    The Labour Party wants to know what you have to do to get a front page news story nowadays?
  • Options
    rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 58,259
    IanB2 said:

    The Labour Party wants to know what you have to do to get a front page news story nowadays?

    Why would they want to be on the front page, as the only news from Labour is one of crisis and omnishambles.
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,929
    IanB2 said:

    The Labour Party wants to know what you have to do to get a front page news story nowadays?

    Has Owen Jones launched his campaign yet ?
  • Options
    justin124justin124 Posts: 11,527
    Pulpstar said:

    IanB2 said:

    The Labour Party wants to know what you have to do to get a front page news story nowadays?

    Has Owen Jones launched his campaign yet ?
    Owen Jones is not an MP!
  • Options
    brokenwheelbrokenwheel Posts: 3,352
    Pulpstar said:

    IanB2 said:

    The Labour Party wants to know what you have to do to get a front page news story nowadays?

    Has Owen Jones launched his campaign yet ?
    *cough* Smith *cough*
  • Options
    HurstLlamaHurstLlama Posts: 9,098

    Could be, Mr F, could well be. However my question stands who are her confidants and advisors?

    The Spectator did a piece on this. Nick Timothy is a name that crops up a lot.

    http://www.spectator.co.uk/2016/07/mays-man-influence/
    Thank you for that, Mr Glenn. If the argument is accurate (and I have quite a lot time for its author) I am not sure whether to be concerned or reassured. I had hoped that there would be someone or some people with a bit more bottom behind the lady.
    ConHome gives thumbnail sketches of some of her team.

    http://www.conservativehome.com/parliament/2016/07/meet-the-new-team-at-number-ten.html
    Thank you, Mr. Dave. None f those actually inspire trust.
  • Options
    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,988
    Mr. Llama, also worth noting that both Osborne and his followers are united on the backbenches. With a majority of 12 and plenty of scope for mistakes over the EU/Scotland, that could bode ill for May. Osborne's young enough to either do something else or bide his time and await his moment.
  • Options
    HurstLlamaHurstLlama Posts: 9,098

    Mr. Llama, also worth noting that both Osborne and his followers are united on the backbenches. With a majority of 12 and plenty of scope for mistakes over the EU/Scotland, that could bode ill for May. Osborne's young enough to either do something else or bide his time and await his moment.

    Mr. D., Osborne's acolytes will fall away. They were only his while he had the power of patronage. So nothing for TM to worry about there, I think.
  • Options
    JohnOJohnO Posts: 4,215
    edited July 2016

    JohnO said:

    Could be, Mr F, could well be. However my question stands who are her confidants and advisors?

    The Spectator did a piece on this. Nick Timothy is a name that crops up a lot.

    http://www.spectator.co.uk/2016/07/mays-man-influence/
    However, she does not appear to have a devoted Parliamentary coterie around her, accentuated by consciously eschewing the Commons 'club'. And that is also reflected in her appointments: a number of her leading campaign managers, notably Chris Grayling and Brandon Lewis, must be disappointed in their less than stellar Departments, with the latter still outside the top team.
    Quite so, Mr. O. I wish the lady well, I might even vote the party that she leads (something I could never do under her predecessor). However, without her Keith Joseph or Willy Whitelaw she does look a very lonely figure in the Commons. It could be I am worrying needlessly, but maybe not.
    Yes. Won't matter for a few months at least (Tories polling well, Labour self immolating), possibly even longer, but she will need those reserves of good will among colleagues when the inevitable turn of political fortunes takes place. In the absence of a pretorian guard to protect her back through thick and thin, it's not terribly sensible to be gratuitously making enemies. But you're right: we'll have to wait and see what unfolds.
  • Options
    nunununu Posts: 6,024

    stjohn said:

    Margaret Thatcher is reputed to have said, "A man who, beyond the age of 26, finds himself on a bus can count himself a failure."

    How about this ? "A man who, beyond the age of 26, finds himself spending hours and days on PB.com can count himself a failure."

    Discuss.

    What else is there to do when you leave the Young Conservatives?
    Become a blood donor?

    (readers under the age of about sixty may not get the reference)
    ooh do tell.
  • Options
    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,988
    Mr. Llama, they'll linger, united by discontent, at least for a time.
  • Options
    rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 58,259
    justin124 said:

    Pulpstar said:

    IanB2 said:

    The Labour Party wants to know what you have to do to get a front page news story nowadays?

    Has Owen Jones launched his campaign yet ?
    Owen Jones is not an MP!
    Give him time, give him time.
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    CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758

    Mr. Llama, also worth noting that both Osborne and his followers are united on the backbenches. With a majority of 12 and plenty of scope for mistakes over the EU/Scotland, that could bode ill for May. Osborne's young enough to either do something else or bide his time and await his moment.

    He's a fool if he develops a faction at this point.

    If he really wants to come back (which I have my doubts about - if you have been Chancellor in your 40s you could go and do a lot of more interesting things than hang around on the backbenchs for a decade waiting for a chance that might never come) then he would do well to be conspicuously loyal right now
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    GIN1138GIN1138 Posts: 20,824
    JohnO said:

    The dismissal of Dominic Raab (my MP) confirms that Mrs May possesses a disagreeable vindictive streak. That won't matter for a while, but the honeymoon never lasts for ever.

    This one will probably be shorter than most...
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    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,285
    edited July 2016
    Manx missile wins again... he is back to the form where when he puts the hammer down nobody can match him.
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    justin124justin124 Posts: 11,527
    I expect tonight's Comres Online poll to be good for the Tories. Since May 2015 it has consistently been the best poll for them in the monthly cycle.
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    nunununu Posts: 6,024
    From the man who first reported the ex industrial Labour heartlands were swinging heavily for Leave.

    https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jul/15/labour-death-spite-bullying-working-class-base
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    OllyTOllyT Posts: 4,913

    Charles Moore in fine form:

    "... our mindset should be that of a colonial country preparing for independence: the negotiations are important, but we need not fear them, because the key outcome is not in doubt. We know that, at the end of it all, we shall be free.... "

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/07/15/deal-or-no-deal-the-government-must-now-start-preparing-for-our/

    Shame he is no longer the editor of the Telegraph.

    Really? Just comes cross as a bit loony obsessive to me. Each to his own.
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    JohnOJohnO Posts: 4,215
    edited July 2016

    Mr. Llama, also worth noting that both Osborne and his followers are united on the backbenches. With a majority of 12 and plenty of scope for mistakes over the EU/Scotland, that could bode ill for May. Osborne's young enough to either do something else or bide his time and await his moment.

    Mr. D., Osborne's acolytes will fall away. They were only his while he had the power of patronage. So nothing for TM to worry about there, I think.
    Yes and No. A number of Osborne's former acolytes e.g. Greg Clark, Javid, Truss remain in Cabinet, so the extent of the 'purge' can be overstated.

    But already we have Osborne and Gove (who are close), Perry, Vaizey, Raab, Morgan, Soubry - and we're only about 20% into the reshuffle - disconsolate and fuming on the backbenches, branded as a 'clique' or the Cameroons in exile. I don't expect them immediately to form an akward squad or hold the government to ransom. But they will brood and bide their time.

    That's perhaps inevitable and is by no means fatal to Mrs M....but I think tactically she could have handled things a little more adroitly.
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    felixfelix Posts: 15,124
    Charles said:

    JohnO said:

    The dismissal of Dominic Raab (my MP) confirms that Mrs May possesses a disagreeable vindictive streak. That won't matter for a while, but the honeymoon never lasts for ever.

    He was chief henchman in Gove's betrayal of Johnson, though? (That was the impression I got from the press, at least)

    Perhaps she values people who keep their promises?

    edit: I believe all four of the people listed here as Gove's "key backers" have been sacked, while those who remained loyal to Johnson have been welcomed.

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/06/30/boris-johnson-wont-run-for-prime-minister-after-michael-gove-ent/
    Interesting - I give her credit for that.
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    BigIanBigIan Posts: 198
    Pulpstar said:

    IanB2 said:

    The Labour Party wants to know what you have to do to get a front page news story nowadays?

    Has Owen Jones launched his campaign yet ?
    Joining Maria Eagle?
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    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,929
    nunu said:

    From the man who first reported the ex industrial Labour heartlands were swinging heavily for Leave.

    https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jul/15/labour-death-spite-bullying-working-class-base

    He's not wrong.
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