Boris is going to be next PM. Just backed him at 5/1.
His first utterance at the FO made me think
1. striking the right tone - sober, serious, focused. 2. delighted and reassured to have someone with such brainpower in this office.
It is the final phase of his apprenticeship. After the lunacy of his career to date and especially over the past few weeks, if he gets it (and he is v bright so why shouldn't he get it), knuckles down, curbs his excesses, he is bolted on next Cons leader/PM.
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.
A bit pompous from you Robert, getting a bit above yourself. Bankers are bottom feeders are they not.
Not necessarily...
Very many are though and they have wrecked many people's lives and come out smelling of roses personally. I have a very very very low opinion of bankers.
Already quite heartbreaking. Six out of seven members of one family...
Not sure if already posted but IS now claiming responsibility for Nice.
I heard on Radio 4 yesterday a commentator saying we just have to learn to live with terrorism. Sorry no we don't. I am fed up with namby bloody pamby way we always seem to deal with this type of incident. I am fed up with world leaders stating we will never give in before disappearing back into their bullet proof limos behind huge security.
After seeing the carnage in Nice and just imagining its was my family lying on the streets I want hell and damnation brought down on the terrorists heads from a huge height....... And I want it to hurt....
A lot.
What exactly do you propose to do? Bombing Middle Eastern countries has demonstrably made the problem worse.
Dying as a result of terrorism is still far less likely than dying in a car accident or of a heart attack. It's always shocking when this happens but lets keep things in proportion.
BBC appear to be turning a blind eye to lynching of coup troops by mobs.
I'm no fan of the Turkish government, but they are traitors to their country and should be put on trial.
If you're on the losing side as a significant participant in a failed coup, you have to be fairly lucky to have the benefit of the judicial process before execution, and realistically shouldn't expect it.
I suspect that triggering Article 50 won't be put to a vote
But the final proposed arrangements (whatever they are) for the exit will probably be submitted for approval. (If rejected then the clock would run out on Article 50, resulting in a MFNWTO exit, so I can't see it not being approved. And then everyone has dipped their hands in blood).
Once again I think the sagacious and erudite Mr. Charles has probably got this spot on, and with an intelligence network like his why should he not.
The only question mark I have is what is TM's desired outcome? I have a sneaking suspicion that she really wants out and the EU will have the same status, initially, as the rest of the world. Something I could live with but no doubt it would bring on an attack of the vapours for many on here.
It's good that TM is quite inscrutable. It means the EU can't second guess her, which gives her negotiating strength. She hasn't been as stupid as David Cameron, announcing he would "never countenance leaving the EU" before beginning a supposed renegotiation of our membership.
Amazingly, he got nothing.
FWIW I reckon May would be quite happy with EEA plus (single market with an emergency brake on migration) and most in the EU would be content to accept, as it harms their own economies the least.
May will then try to mollify deeper concerns over immigration by changes to Benefits etc
I agree. I can imagine a Cabinet meeting where it is agreed that protecting the economy comes before immigration control but they also agree not to utter a word about that publicly. The public line will be the David Davis line that immigration control trumps the economy and he'll negotiate on that basis (but ensure on the last long night that the economy comes first).
And that won't leak.
I read Davis' piece. He believes the EU will cave and they are the ones bluffing. We shall see. People are usually more pragmatic than the polemics. I've no insight into the EU frame of mind so maybe he's right. Part of the single market, no FMoP. Could happen. Of course the regs side (the vast majority of all those laws we are supposed to have foisted upon us) remain for us to follow and will be set in Brussels.
But DD knows no one will pay attention to the detail to that degree.
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.
A bit pompous from you Robert, getting a bit above yourself. Bankers are bottom feeders are they not.
Not necessarily...
Very many are though and they have wrecked many people's lives and come out smelling of roses personally. I have a very very very low opinion of bankers.
My late father-in-law, as a senior Gas Board accounts employee, used, in the 50’s and 60’s to attend bankruptcy hearings. He told me that if the bank’s repreresentaive said that the bank was NOT covered as a preferential creditor, a cheer would go up.
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.
A bit pompous from you Robert, getting a bit above yourself. Bankers are bottom feeders are they not.
Not necessarily...
Very many are though and they have wrecked many people's lives and come out smelling of roses personally. I have a very very very low opinion of bankers.
There are relatively few who add real.value and a great many with an over-inflated sense of their own importance
A few days ago there was £40K available to back Donald Trump at 4 on Betfair. Must have been gobbled up or removed: now he's at 3.7 and there's only £1000 available.
BBC appear to be turning a blind eye to lynching of coup troops by mobs.
I'm no fan of the Turkish government, but they are traitors to their country and should be put on trial.
If you're on the losing side as a significant participant in a failed coup, you have to be fairly lucky to have the benefit of the judicial process before execution, and realistically shouldn't expect it.
Treason doth never posper; here’s the reason. If it do prosper, none dare call it treason!
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.
A bit pompous from you Robert, getting a bit above yourself. Bankers are bottom feeders are they not.
Not necessarily...
Very many are though and they have wrecked many people's lives and come out smelling of roses personally. I have a very very very low opinion of bankers.
There are relatively few who add real.value and a great many with an over-inflated sense of their own importance
Like any profession then. Bankers are usually above average bright and, like politicians, the vast vast majority of them are in the business to do their job well and in the best interests of their clients.
What are the half dozen key sanctions and concessions that the UK has at its disposal to get a deal?
A better question might be, what deal does Britain want? Surely the key weakness in David Cameron's negotiation was not that he said at the outset that he'd stay whatever happened, but that he did not seem to be asking for anything in particular.
Already quite heartbreaking. Six out of seven members of one family...
Not sure if already posted but IS now claiming responsibility for Nice.
I heard on Radio 4 yesterday a commentator saying we just have to learn to live with terrorism. Sorry no we don't. I am fed up with namby bloody pamby way we always seem to deal with this type of incident. I am fed up with world leaders stating we will never give in before disappearing back into their bullet proof limos behind huge security.
After seeing the carnage in Nice and just imagining its was my family lying on the streets I want hell and damnation brought down on the terrorists heads from a huge height....... And I want it to hurt....
A lot.
What exactly do you propose to do? Bombing Middle Eastern countries has demonstrably made the problem worse.
Dying as a result of terrorism is still far less likely than dying in a car accident or of a heart attack. It's always shocking when this happens but lets keep things in proportion.
It is apparent that these attacks are not going away - indeed they are becoming more common. Wringing hands, condemning them and expressing solidarity is all very well, but at some point you have to DO something. It's time we began talking with both NATO and our allies in the middle east, with regard to start planning a military option to be employed. When, what etc is to be determined. No knee jerk reactions, no half baked responses - we should begin to plan for a comprehensive military option to be deployed at our discretion to clear the I.S. nest of vipers out once and for all. When the time is judged to be right we move, but not until then.
Boris is going to be next PM. Just backed him at 5/1.
His first utterance at the FO made me think
1. striking the right tone - sober, serious, focused. 2. delighted and reassured to have someone with such brainpower in this office.
It is the final phase of his apprenticeship. After the lunacy of his career to date and especially over the past few weeks, if he gets it (and he is v bright so why shouldn't he get it), knuckles down, curbs his excesses, he is bolted on next Cons leader/PM.
All this is too soon May will win a landslide and might be leader for so long Boris gets bored.
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.
A bit pompous from you Robert, getting a bit above yourself. Bankers are bottom feeders are they not.
Not necessarily...
Very many are though and they have wrecked many people's lives and come out smelling of roses personally. I have a very very very low opinion of bankers.
There are relatively few who add real.value and a great many with an over-inflated sense of their own importance
Like any profession then. Bankers are usually above average bright and, like politicians, the vast vast majority of them are in the business to do their job well and in the best interests of their clients.
Boris is going to be next PM. Just backed him at 5/1.
His first utterance at the FO made me think
1. striking the right tone - sober, serious, focused. 2. delighted and reassured to have someone with such brainpower in this office.
It is the final phase of his apprenticeship. After the lunacy of his career to date and especially over the past few weeks, if he gets it (and he is v bright so why shouldn't he get it), knuckles down, curbs his excesses, he is bolted on next Cons leader/PM.
All this is too soon May will win a landslide and might be leader for so long Boris gets bored.
Yes. It is a huge test of character; it is there for him if he wants it. He only the other day realised that those character traits people thought cute, weren't appropriate for PM.
Already quite heartbreaking. Six out of seven members of one family...
Not sure if already posted but IS now claiming responsibility for Nice.
I heard on Radio 4 yesterday a commentator saying we just have to learn to live with terrorism. Sorry no we don't. I am fed up with namby bloody pamby way we always seem to deal with this type of incident. I am fed up with world leaders stating we will never give in before disappearing back into their bullet proof limos behind huge security.
After seeing the carnage in Nice and just imagining its was my family lying on the streets I want hell and damnation brought down on the terrorists heads from a huge height....... And I want it to hurt....
A lot.
What exactly do you propose to do? Bombing Middle Eastern countries has demonstrably made the problem worse.
Dying as a result of terrorism is still far less likely than dying in a car accident or of a heart attack. It's always shocking when this happens but lets keep things in proportion.
It is apparent that these attacks are not going away - indeed they are becoming more common. Wringing hands, condemning them and expressing solidarity is all very well, but at some point you have to DO something. It's time we began talking with both NATO and our allies in the middle east, with regard to start planning a military option to be employed. When, what etc is to be determined. No knee jerk reactions, no half baked responses - we should begin to plan for a comprehensive military option to be deployed at our discretion to clear the I.S. nest of vipers out once and for all. When the time is judged to be right we move, but not until then.
We've tried the military route before, and it's failed disastrously. And even if it was successful, it wouldn't have stopped the lone nutcase attacks like Nice who just needed to see something on website. The reality is that there is next to nothing we can do about those,
What is worth looking at is the issues that cause these people to hate their host country. Now some of these are within Islam itself, which badly needs a reformation. Others are due to the deeply counter-productive way France treats its poorer immigrant populations (shove 'em to the banlieues)
Already quite heartbreaking. Six out of seven members of one family...
Not sure if already posted but IS now claiming responsibility for Nice.
I heard on Radio 4 yesterday a commentator saying we just have to learn to live with terrorism. Sorry no we don't. I am fed up with namby bloody pamby way we always seem to deal with this type of incident. I am fed up with world leaders stating we will never give in before disappearing back into their bullet proof limos behind huge security.
After seeing the carnage in Nice and just imagining its was my family lying on the streets I want hell and damnation brought down on the terrorists heads from a huge height....... And I want it to hurt....
A lot.
What exactly do you propose to do? Bombing Middle Eastern countries has demonstrably made the problem worse.
Dying as a result of terrorism is still far less likely than dying in a car accident or of a heart attack. It's always shocking when this happens but lets keep things in proportion.
It is apparent that these attacks are not going away - indeed they are becoming more common. Wringing hands, condemning them and expressing solidarity is all very well, but at some point you have to DO something. It's time we began talking with both NATO and our allies in the middle east, with regard to start planning a military option to be employed. When, what etc is to be determined. No knee jerk reactions, no half baked responses - we should begin to plan for a comprehensive military option to be deployed at our discretion to clear the I.S. nest of vipers out once and for all. When the time is judged to be right we move, but not until then.
Sorry - you don't need a military operation - you need a sociological one.
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.
A bit pompous from you Robert, getting a bit above yourself. Bankers are bottom feeders are they not.
Not necessarily...
Very many are though and they have wrecked many people's lives and come out smelling of roses personally. I have a very very very low opinion of bankers.
There are relatively few who add real.value and a great many with an over-inflated sense of their own importance
Like any profession then. Bankers are usually above average bright and, like politicians, the vast vast majority of them are in the business to do their job well and in the best interests of their clients.
Too many of them are too orientated towards transactions and the commission's that go with them.
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.
I can see Sourby voting against the final Brexit plan/A50 bill unless it looks a lot like we have now, along with Ken Clark. Only need a few more and May's in trouble.
Does Soubry have any future in the Conservative Party?
Unlikely.
So what will she do now, Mr Fear? Jump ship, or just wait quietly until she is exterminated?
I don't know. If the Lib Dems were more numerous, she'd likely switch. Her twitter account suggests someone who is deeply unhappy.
She has more than a passing resemblance (politically) to Emma Nicholson, IMHO.
I think she's going to hang tough on immigration/free movement.
Indeed and there are an awful lot of different audiences who will be watching the negotiations closely. The remaining EU members have dissident elements who would gladly follow Britain out the door. Whether the agreement obtained by the UK is or becomes a template for other countries is going to be the key outcome.
The atmosphere may well matter more than the content.
If the EU is to hold together in the long-term then it's only going to do so by making membership an attractive positive proposition for its members.
If it only offers inflexibility, combined with punishment and threatening of malcontents as its only coping strategy, then it is doomed.
A few days ago there was £40K available to back Donald Trump at 4 on Betfair. Must have been gobbled up or removed: now he's at 3.7 and there's only £1000 available.
I backed Trump at 4.1 weeks ago, he dropped to mid 3s an then rebound to high 4s.
I'm waiting till the end if the convention and chashing out.
Boris is going to be next PM. Just backed him at 5/1.
His first utterance at the FO made me think
1. striking the right tone - sober, serious, focused. 2. delighted and reassured to have someone with such brainpower in this office.
It is the final phase of his apprenticeship. After the lunacy of his career to date and especially over the past few weeks, if he gets it (and he is v bright so why shouldn't he get it), knuckles down, curbs his excesses, he is bolted on next Cons leader/PM.
Boris has more chance of becoming a PM (and a successful one) at some stage in the future than he did 18 days ago when he was the frontrunner.
Fantastically, Gove has totally destroyed himself (even though I think his reservations were about Boris were perfectly valid, his behaviour was utterly shameless) and Boris has (instead) got a platform to prove himself and a lot of sympathy for himself in the process.
I don't Boris will want to waste that opportunity.
Already quite heartbreaking. Six out of seven members of one family...
Not sure if already posted but IS now claiming responsibility for Nice.
I heard on Radio 4 yesterday a commentator saying we just have to learn to live with terrorism. Sorry no we don't. I am fed up with namby bloody pamby way we always seem to deal with this type of incident. I am fed up with world leaders stating we will never give in before disappearing back into their bullet proof limos behind huge security.
After seeing the carnage in Nice and just imagining its was my family lying on the streets I want hell and damnation brought down on the terrorists heads from a huge height....... And I want it to hurt....
A lot.
What exactly do you propose to do? Bombing Middle Eastern countries has demonstrably made the problem worse.
Dying as a result of terrorism is still far less likely than dying in a car accident or of a heart attack. It's always shocking when this happens but lets keep things in proportion.
It is apparent that these attacks are not going away - indeed they are becoming more common. Wringing hands, condemning them and expressing solidarity is all very well, but at some point you have to DO something. It's time we began talking with both NATO and our allies in the middle east, with regard to start planning a military option to be employed. When, what etc is to be determined. No knee jerk reactions, no half baked responses - we should begin to plan for a comprehensive military option to be deployed at our discretion to clear the I.S. nest of vipers out once and for all. When the time is judged to be right we move, but not until then.
Sorry - you don't need a military operation - you need a sociological one.
Good point - meant to include that but forgot. I guess you need both. Maybe conscription would help too.
Which means the USA cannot extradite. If these guys are willing to declare war on anyone providing sanctuary his chances of survival if he is returned is zero. The USA won't like being threatened either.
Comments
Boris is going to be next PM. Just backed him at 5/1.
His first utterance at the FO made me think
1. striking the right tone - sober, serious, focused.
2. delighted and reassured to have someone with such brainpower in this office.
It is the final phase of his apprenticeship. After the lunacy of his career to date and especially over the past few weeks, if he gets it (and he is v bright so why shouldn't he get it), knuckles down, curbs his excesses, he is bolted on next Cons leader/PM.
I have a very very very low opinion of bankers.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-36815476
And a interview with Gulen from a couple of years ago that contains useful info:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25885817
Dying as a result of terrorism is still far less likely than dying in a car accident or of a heart attack. It's always shocking when this happens but lets keep things in proportion.
https://twitter.com/joshrogin/status/754333582412419072
I read Davis' piece. He believes the EU will cave and they are the ones bluffing. We shall see. People are usually more pragmatic than the polemics. I've no insight into the EU frame of mind so maybe he's right. Part of the single market, no FMoP. Could happen. Of course the regs side (the vast majority of all those laws we are supposed to have foisted upon us) remain for us to follow and will be set in Brussels.
But DD knows no one will pay attention to the detail to that degree.
We shall see.
What is worth looking at is the issues that cause these people to hate their host country. Now some of these are within Islam itself, which badly needs a reformation. Others are due to the deeply counter-productive way France treats its poorer immigrant populations (shove 'em to the banlieues)
If it only offers inflexibility, combined with punishment and threatening of malcontents as its only coping strategy, then it is doomed.
I'm waiting till the end if the convention and chashing out.
Fantastically, Gove has totally destroyed himself (even though I think his reservations were about Boris were perfectly valid, his behaviour was utterly shameless) and Boris has (instead) got a platform to prove himself and a lot of sympathy for himself in the process.
I don't Boris will want to waste that opportunity.
#awkward
On topic, speaking to my parents today (very much on the Conservative Right), they are very impressed with May and the start she has made.
As well as the tories there are 4 sinn fein who do not sit, so majority up to 16.
Then there are 8 DUP and 1 UKIP who will support most Tory measures especially Brexit, so thats up to 34.
There are also two UUP MPs who are effectively Tories - 38.
Add in a slew of pro Brexit Labour MPs like Mann, Stuart, Hoey, Field et al and you are up to a majority of 70+.
(in contrast the tory majority in 1979 was 43)
So, if Soubry, Clarke and even Gideon and co vote against the government, it will matter not a whit.
Those saying that May will go for an early election would also do well to ponder those figures above.
Quite a stand off here developing.
Hat tip Dave.