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  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 52,920
    Seems to be quite good chemistry between Merkel and May.
  • MarkHopkinsMarkHopkins Posts: 5,584
    Last post by @IOS is classic:

    11:02pm 6 May 2015

    So here is the question. When will we reach peak over excitement tomorrow. Will it be when there are very bad swings for Labour in the north east or when the rumours of the SNP winning everything start to fly.

    Whatever it is - there will be some that just can't believe that ED IS PM.
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 61,257

    Seems to be quite good chemistry between Merkel and May.

    Wait for Hollande.
  • DaveDaveDaveDave Posts: 76
    RobD said:

    DaveDave said:

    Tories should aspire to a GE. majority wafer thin and a lot changes in a week. Crack on.

    Would be rude to do one while Labour are in the middle of a leadership election :p
    RobD said:

    DaveDave said:

    Tories should aspire to a GE. majority wafer thin and a lot changes in a week. Crack on.

    Would be rude to do one while Labour are in the middle of a leadership election :p
    stupidly, I mis-wrote that. Tories should NOT aspire. But, I see your point, pop a quickie in 3 weeks it takes to call and have an election. Look at the UKIP opinion poll figures. Are they finished post Brexit?
  • nunununu Posts: 6,024
    Negotiations with British government is always exhausting- she sounds relieved to be rid of us!
  • saddenedsaddened Posts: 2,245

    Last post by @IOS is classic:

    11:02pm 6 May 2015

    So here is the question. When will we reach peak over excitement tomorrow. Will it be when there are very bad swings for Labour in the north east or when the rumours of the SNP winning everything start to fly.

    Whatever it is - there will be some that just can't believe that ED IS PM.

    Heart of stone etc.
  • JonathanJonathan Posts: 21,769
    Corbyn was brilliant in the Commons today. An inspired tour de force.
  • John_MJohn_M Posts: 7,503

    Seems to be quite good chemistry between Merkel and May.

    Wait for Hollande.
    To be honest, if I were May, I wouldn't even bother remembering his name. She should be batting her eyelashes at M. Juppe.

    I'd wager that part of the reason we're delaying article 50 is just to spike his electoral guns.
  • nunununu Posts: 6,024
    Jonathan said:

    Corbyn was brilliant in the Commons today. An inspired tour de force.

    .......
  • saddenedsaddened Posts: 2,245
    Jonathan said:

    Corbyn was brilliant in the Commons today. An inspired tour de force.

    Citation please
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 52,405
    Jonathan said:

    Corbyn was brilliant in the Commons today. An inspired tour de force.

    JCICIPM!!!!
  • stjohnstjohn Posts: 1,889
    Gary Johnson alludes to Jeb Bush support.

    http://www.politico.com/story/2016/07/gary-johnson-jeb-bush-225875
  • eekeek Posts: 28,797

    Seems to be quite good chemistry between Merkel and May.

    Wait for Hollande.
    Little point in negotiation with Hollande when he will be gone next year - and his replacement will be from the other side of the political spectrum
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 62,078
    Good afternoon, everyone.

    Curse temperamental Helios!

    Mr. Jonathan, you tinker.
  • surbitonsurbiton Posts: 13,549

    John_M said:

    Merkel & May on BBC News. Merkel selfishly talking in German :).

    Having grown up in the East, her English is probably not that brilliant.
    Russian was compulsory in the East, until the wall came down. Can’t expect Frau Merkle to speak English as well, she’s not a rocket scientist…
    She does speak English.
  • surbitonsurbiton Posts: 13,549
    John_M said:

    Merkel & May on BBC News. Merkel selfishly talking in German :).

    That's terrible. I take it May was speaking in German.
  • SimonStClareSimonStClare Posts: 7,976
    Jonathan said:

    Corbyn was brilliant in the Commons today. An inspired tour de force.

    That's the ticket, never give up, never surrender – and keep practicing your rictus grin :lol:
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 96,855
    Jonathan said:

    Corbyn was brilliant in the Commons today. An inspired tour de force.

    He was fine. Didn't slip up, made some decent points.
  • FeersumEnjineeyaFeersumEnjineeya Posts: 4,566
    edited July 2016
    surbiton said:

    John_M said:

    Merkel & May on BBC News. Merkel selfishly talking in German :).

    Having grown up in the East, her English is probably not that brilliant.
    Russian was compulsory in the East, until the wall came down. Can’t expect Frau Merkle to speak English as well, she’s not a rocket scientist…
    She does speak English.
    That's pretty impressive, considering she's likely to have had to learn English from scratch as an adult.
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 22,387

    Good afternoon, everyone.

    Curse temperamental Helios!

    Mr. Jonathan, you tinker.

    Good evening, surely, Mr D?
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 61,257
    Jonathan said:

    Corbyn was brilliant in the Commons today. An inspired tour de force.

    Thing is - you're so dry - I don't actually know if you're joking or not.
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 52,405

    Good afternoon, everyone.

    Curse temperamental Helios!

    Mr. Jonathan, you tinker.

    Mr Dancer, I've forgotten how much I hate space travel hot weather!
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 52,405
    surbiton said:

    John_M said:

    Merkel & May on BBC News. Merkel selfishly talking in German :).

    That's terrible. I take it May was speaking in German.
    "Please! I like America Britain!"
  • SimonStClareSimonStClare Posts: 7,976
    edited July 2016

    surbiton said:

    John_M said:

    Merkel & May on BBC News. Merkel selfishly talking in German :).

    Having grown up in the East, her English is probably not that brilliant.
    Russian was compulsory in the East, until the wall came down. Can’t expect Frau Merkle to speak English as well, she’s not a rocket scientist…
    She does speak English.
    That's pretty impressive, considering she's likely to have had to learn English from scratch as an adult.
    Frau Merkel spoke to parliament in 2014 and joked about her English – I’s OK (ish)
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 39,334

    Jonathan said:

    Corbyn was brilliant in the Commons today. An inspired tour de force.

    Thing is - you're so dry - I don't actually know if you're joking or not.
    He's doing his best impression of those clueless Corbynites.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 57,931

    Seems to be quite good chemistry between Merkel and May.

    Wait for Hollande.
    You mean, soon to be exPresident Hollande
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 120,409
    Sky - Sam Allardyce to be appointed England manager in the next 24 hrs
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 62,078
    Mr. Rentool, you're right to correct me. Vile humidity is to blame for the error, quite clearly.

    Dr. Prasannan, it's deeply aggravating.
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 39,334
    rcs1000 said:

    Seems to be quite good chemistry between Merkel and May.

    Wait for Hollande.
    You mean, soon to be exPresident Hollande
    I don't know why she is bothering. She should be snubbing Hollande and meeting with Juppé or Sarkozy. Hollande has no chance of winning.
  • nunununu Posts: 6,024
    surbiton said:
    Yes I remember the great Strawberry shortage of 2004.
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 52,405

    Jonathan said:

    Corbyn was brilliant in the Commons today. An inspired tour de force.

    That's the ticket, never give up, never surrender – and keep practicing your rictus grin :lol:
    "Not one step back!"

    "Ни шагу назад!"

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_No._227
  • John_MJohn_M Posts: 7,503
    edited July 2016
    surbiton said:
    I live on the Herefordshire border. We've had seasonal workers coming over for the harvest since well before I was born and certainly before the EEC was even a thing.

    Just add another class of tier 5 visa. Job done.
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 39,334

    Sky - Sam Allardyce to be appointed England manager in the next 24 hrs

    Best man for the job tbh. Hopefully he won't be as bad a Roy and the players will get behind him. It's a classic appointment for a team in trouble though, and England are a team in trouble.
  • JonathanJonathan Posts: 21,769

    Jonathan said:

    Corbyn was brilliant in the Commons today. An inspired tour de force.

    Thing is - you're so dry - I don't actually know if you're joking or not.
    I don't understand what you mean.

    I accept Jeremy has a battle. Not only does he have to fight the Tories, but also has to take on the conspiracy of the PLP, Blairites, the BBC, the Right wing press, the Internet and the wider electorate.
  • John_MJohn_M Posts: 7,503
    Labour are now the Hooray Henrys of politics. Rich, thick and useless.
  • nunununu Posts: 6,024
    £25 is not a lot for the bourgeois London supporters mummy and daddy will pay it.
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 62,078
    Well, at least the new England manager won't be Chris Evans.
  • JonathanDJonathanD Posts: 2,400
    edited July 2016
    John_M said:

    surbiton said:
    I live on the Herefordshire border. We've had seasonal workers coming over for the harvest since well before I was born and certainly before the EEC was even a thing.
    I suspect now we will just ship the strawberries in from abroad rather than bother with seasonal workers who just bump up the immigration figures.
  • JonathanJonathan Posts: 21,769
    edited July 2016
    ToryJim said:
    The great thing about Allardyce is that he is a proven winner, has personally reedefined what top flight football is about and is a natural fit in any of the top European clubs or International sides.
  • SouthamObserverSouthamObserver Posts: 39,783
    Wow, 180,000. Where the hell have they come from. Assuming that a few £3er Tories arenot participation this time and a few more became full Labour members, that's a lot more than registered last time. Clearly most will be Corbynistas, but my guess is that a fair number of anti-Corbyn's have signed up too. That could become a base from which to organise a new party after Corbyn wins again. I don't think there will be a split, but if there is it will be a very different one to the early 80s.
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 52,920
    The fund to buy Admiralty Arch for Corbyn is off to a good start then.
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 22,387
    Corbyn had better not resign now, or else we'd have to give the money back!
  • LadyBucketLadyBucket Posts: 590
    nunu said:

    nunu said:

    Jonathan said:

    150,000 supporter at £25 a pop is a shit load of money.

    A nice war chest if May calls an early election.
    Labour doesn't need a war chest, they have an awesome ground game
    Lol. They won it for Remain as well.
    It should clear their massive debts - smart move.

  • nunununu Posts: 6,024

    Corbyn had better not resign now, or else we'd have to give the money back!
    In which case he might just resign then.
  • surbitonsurbiton Posts: 13,549

    Corbyn had better not resign now, or else we'd have to give the money back!
    Is there a way of checking that no one has become a "supporter" multiple times ? £25 - many are Tories. They can afford it.

    Not a bad way to get some cash in. We should have elections regularly.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 96,855
    RobD said:
    At least the 'Labour's broke' jokes will no longer happen.
  • John_MJohn_M Posts: 7,503
    JonathanD said:

    John_M said:

    surbiton said:
    I live on the Herefordshire border. We've had seasonal workers coming over for the harvest since well before I was born and certainly before the EEC was even a thing.
    I suspect now we will just ship the strawberries in from abroad rather than bother with seasonal workers who just bump up the immigration figures.
    Short term immigration isn't included in the net migration figures.
  • saddenedsaddened Posts: 2,245
    surbiton said:

    Corbyn had better not resign now, or else we'd have to give the money back!
    Is there a way of checking that no one has become a "supporter" multiple times ? £25 - many are Tories. They can afford it.

    Not a bad way to get some cash in. We should have elections regularly.
    Good point all Tories are filthy rich.
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 52,920
    surbiton said:

    Not a bad way to get some cash in. We should have elections regularly.

    Maybe charging a fee to take part in elections should also be the national strategy to pay off the debt. We might also get better outcomes.
  • surbitonsurbiton Posts: 13,549

    Well, at least the new England manager won't be Chris Evans.

    Why not Matt Le Blanc ? I prefer him to Clarkson.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 60,158
    May now urgently needs to sell her shoes to shore up the Tory war chest. :D
  • SpeedySpeedy Posts: 12,100
    Jeremy Corbyn is the Bernie Sanders of british politics.
    Lot's of potential for mass fundraising, what to do with the funds though is another matter.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 96,855

    surbiton said:

    Not a bad way to get some cash in. We should have elections regularly.

    Maybe charging a fee to take part in elections should also be the national strategy to pay off the debt. We might also get better outcomes.
    Well, we did use to run regular lotteries to raise money, around the time of the South Sea Bubble - things did not go well.
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 52,405
    MaxPB said:

    Sky - Sam Allardyce to be appointed England manager in the next 24 hrs

    Best man for the job tbh. Hopefully he won't be as bad a Roy and the players will get behind him. It's a classic appointment for a team in trouble though, and England are a team in trouble.
    Big Sam did well with West Ham 2011-2015.
  • surbitonsurbiton Posts: 13,549
    kle4 said:

    RobD said:
    At least the 'Labour's broke' jokes will no longer happen.
    Labour Party does not have an overdraft since last year.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 60,158
    kle4 said:

    RobD said:
    At least the 'Labour's broke' jokes will no longer happen.
    Don't worry.. it'll be wasted on pink buses :D
  • LadyBucketLadyBucket Posts: 590
    German press getting after Boris. This is going to get really tedious, although it was inevitable. Theresa May will skin him alive if he messes this up.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 96,855
    edited July 2016
    surbiton said:

    kle4 said:

    RobD said:
    At least the 'Labour's broke' jokes will no longer happen.
    Labour Party does not have an overdraft since last year.
    Thanks to the three quidders no doubt. Though I understand they had gotten their finances mostly in order by then already.
  • surbitonsurbiton Posts: 13,549

    MaxPB said:

    Sky - Sam Allardyce to be appointed England manager in the next 24 hrs

    Best man for the job tbh. Hopefully he won't be as bad a Roy and the players will get behind him. It's a classic appointment for a team in trouble though, and England are a team in trouble.
    Big Sam did well with West Ham 2011-2015.
    New formation. 5 - 5. Hoof the ball up and run ! No midfielders needed any more.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 60,158
    surbiton said:

    kle4 said:

    RobD said:
    At least the 'Labour's broke' jokes will no longer happen.
    Labour Party does not have an overdraft since last year.
    Well done! Shame you couldn't leave the country in a similar state :p
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 62,078
    Mr. Surbiton, can't comment as I intended to watch New Top Gear episode 1, but couldn't make it past the opening credits.
  • German press getting after Boris. This is going to get really tedious, although it was inevitable. Theresa May will skin him alive if he messes this up.

    It deflects any s*** from her and Davis. As planned.
  • nunununu Posts: 6,024
    Jonathan said:

    Jonathan said:

    Corbyn was brilliant in the Commons today. An inspired tour de force.

    Thing is - you're so dry - I don't actually know if you're joking or not.
    I don't understand what you mean.

    I accept Jeremy has a battle. Not only does he have to fight the Tories, but also has to take on the conspiracy of the PLP, Blairites, the BBC, the Right wing press, the Internet and the wider electorate.
    don't forget the Yougov today, what did they ask only Tories or something? Jeremy even has to fight the pollsters its a wonder he's doing as well as he is.

    The Tory pollsters are bound to fail. Tory plots everywhere.
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 62,078
    Mr. Bedfordshire, almost like a whipping boy.
  • May PM questions - even a pearl necklace.

    Where is spitting image when it is needed.

    If she does as good a job at being PM as Thatcher no one will want another man in the job.

    Today was vintage Thatcher with a bit of "Hello Boys" thrown in.
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 52,405
    ToryJim said:
    How much is Tory membership, just out of mild curiosity?
  • ToryJimToryJim Posts: 4,191

    ToryJim said:
    How much is Tory membership, just out of mild curiosity?
    Full membership is £25, under 23 it is £5 istr.
  • FrankBoothFrankBooth Posts: 10,001
    John_M said:

    Labour are now the Hooray Henrys of politics. Rich, thick and useless.
    The poor Tories with their smaller membership must really be struggling for funds.
  • Mr. Bedfordshire, almost like a whipping boy.

    Mind you Boris has just said - "For the heatwave we have beautiful German Water Cannon". :D

    https://inews.co.uk/essentials/news/uk/boris-johnson-still-trying-find-use-water-cannon/
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,654
    edited July 2016
    Jeremy's biggest battle is in the courts with this one. If he makes it through that then it's a penalty kick with the goalie tied to the post.
  • FF43FF43 Posts: 17,426
    Merkel seems keen to stress it will be a UK/EU relationship, not a UK/German relationship. Playing Article 50 by the book, I guess.
  • surbitonsurbiton Posts: 13,549

    Mr. Surbiton, can't comment as I intended to watch New Top Gear episode 1, but couldn't make it past the opening credits.

    I want Matt Le Blanc as the England football manager.
  • ToryJim said:
    I cant help thinking that we are fortunate that Leninspart did not go back into HoC.
  • Animal_pbAnimal_pb Posts: 608

    Wow, 180,000. Where the hell have they come from. Assuming that a few £3er Tories arenot participation this time and a few more became full Labour members, that's a lot more than registered last time. Clearly most will be Corbynistas, but my guess is that a fair number of anti-Corbyn's have signed up too. That could become a base from which to organise a new party after Corbyn wins again. I don't think there will be a split, but if there is it will be a very different one to the early 80s.

    This is really interesting. Anecdotally, I know a number of £3 Tories who haven't signed up this time (on the basis that either way, Smith or Corbyn, TM will deliver the political equivalent of a brutal pegging that will see them walking funny for the rest of their life); I think these 180k registrations actually mean it. You have to think that only a cult would generate this kind of following, but who knows? There could be an outside chance of a real upset, here.

    Probably not, though.
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 52,405
    ToryJim said:

    ToryJim said:
    How much is Tory membership, just out of mild curiosity?
    Full membership is £25, under 23 it is £5 istr.
    Ta, so the SJWs of Labour are charging the same price!!
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 52,920

    ToryJim said:
    I cant help thinking that we are fortunate that Leninspart did not go back into HoC.
    Newt Labour would have been worth the £25.
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 62,078
    Mr. 43, worth noting she has an election not too far off. That may be for domestic consumption.

    Mr. Bedfordshire, he could've said worse, one imagines.
  • FF43 said:

    Merkel seems keen to stress it will be a UK/EU relationship, not a UK/German relationship. Playing Article 50 by the book, I guess.

    I'm not sure there is much difference between the two relationship modes.

    Merkel just neglects to appoint Gaulitiers and lets them all keep their flags and languages unlike her predecessors.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,654
    Well Labour has a war chest for the next election anyway. Could still go in legal fees fighting itself, mind.
  • PlatoSaidPlatoSaid Posts: 10,383

    ToryJim said:
    I cant help thinking that we are fortunate that Leninspart did not go back into HoC.
    Newt Labour would have been worth the £25.
    :lol:
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 33,894
    There are quite a lot of local by-elections tomorrow ...10 according the ALDC site. Might give an idea of how the public sees things.
  • ToryJimToryJim Posts: 4,191
    Sounds like the Terri and Angie show could be quite good.

    "The BBC's Laura Kuenssberg asks the two leaders what they make of each other.

    Theresa May says Angela Merkel and she are "two women who, if I may say so, get on with the job".

    "Genau!" says Mrs Merkel - "Exactly!""
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 52,405
    Pulpstar said:

    Jeremy's biggest battle is in the courts with this one. If he makes it through that then it's a penalty kick with the goalie tied to the post.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejTTJmJSHkk
  • SpeedySpeedy Posts: 12,100
    edited July 2016
    Chameleon said:

    Apparently universities are raising their fees again - to £9,250 pa from September 2017, with further raises inline or above inflation in the future.

    At some point, I think we already passed it, it will be cheaper to get the same education outside of a university than in.

    I think the time has come to split the university exams from universities.

    If someone has the knowledge to pass a university exam without studying in a university, then he is just as good as someone who passed the same exam but went into a university, and should be recognized as such.

    Like a Bar Examination, in the USA:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bar_examination

    The universities are simply abusing their monopoly position of issuing degrees to force their students to pay for unrelated expenses, breaking that monopoly and introducing competition is essential to reduce the cost of education.
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 62,078
    Mr. Bedfordshire, that's a disgraceful post about Germany. You ought to be ashamed of yourself.

    It's Gauleiter*.
  • FF43FF43 Posts: 17,426

    Mr. 43, worth noting she has an election not too far off. That may be for domestic consumption.

    Mr. Bedfordshire, he could've said worse, one imagines.

    There are certainly differences between Merkel and FM Steinmeier who is in different party within her coalition, precisely because of the election. I don't think this is an example of that. It may be her famous caution. By involving all other EU countries in any decision it allows her to delay coming to any view
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 62,078
    Mr. Jim, knowing the broadcasters it'll be put on at the same time as the Boris, David and Liam sitcom :p
  • Moses_Moses_ Posts: 4,865
    John_M said:

    MaxPB said:

    I do miss IOS.

    That was hubris writ large

    Has he come back since May? And that other one, the toothpaste guy.
    No he vanished, just like Ash (toothpaste guy).
    The toothpaste guy. What an epitaph :lol::lol:
  • nunununu Posts: 6,024

    There are quite a lot of local by-elections tomorrow ...10 according the ALDC site. Might give an idea of how the public sees things.

    Lib dem gains.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,654
    Animal_pb said:

    Wow, 180,000. Where the hell have they come from. Assuming that a few £3er Tories arenot participation this time and a few more became full Labour members, that's a lot more than registered last time. Clearly most will be Corbynistas, but my guess is that a fair number of anti-Corbyn's have signed up too. That could become a base from which to organise a new party after Corbyn wins again. I don't think there will be a split, but if there is it will be a very different one to the early 80s.

    This is really interesting. Anecdotally, I know a number of £3 Tories who haven't signed up this time (on the basis that either way, Smith or Corbyn, TM will deliver the political equivalent of a brutal pegging that will see them walking funny for the rest of their life); I think these 180k registrations actually mean it. You have to think that only a cult would generate this kind of following, but who knows? There could be an outside chance of a real upset, here.

    Probably not, though.
    Yeah these 180k really really mean it - I think the number of Tories having some fun last time was very small anyway.
  • LowlanderLowlander Posts: 941
    edited July 2016
    May hardly has her problems to seek but it does seem that there is likely to
    be some serious issues with the state of the Royal Navy. Apparently, during the furor over the Brexit campaign, it seems to have gone unnoticed that our expensive new Type 45 Destroyers don't actually work.

    https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jun/07/destroyers-will-break-down-if-sent-to-middle-east-admits-royal-navy

    And now it seems that the Type 26 are on an indefinite hold. Let's ignore how this is another broken promise from the Scottish referendum and just consider that it now means at least another 15 to 20 years of Type 23s providing the bulk of the Royal Navy.

    https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jul/20/navy-fleet-global-combat-frigates-type-26-indefinitely-delayed-mod-mps-clyde-shipbuilding

    Perhaps these considerations should have been more important before £31bn short term was committed to replace the Vanguard Fleet. I think the Astute hunter-killers still have some serious problems but let's assume they are working.

    As things stand, in 10 years time, the Royal Navy will consist of one over-sized Aircraft Carrier which can't be deployed in the gulf (because the escort destroyers can't operate there), a destroyer fleet with serious issues, an aging backbone of light frigates of relatively limited functionality, hopefully a functional fleet of HK subs and a couple of old but useful Assault ships.

    This does seem to be a somewhat weak fleet for the defence of an island which claims to be a global player.Have the Tories just given up on defence now they've agreed to a new generation of Trident which has no military function whatsoever, it is no use for counter-terrorism, can't be used in a real conflict, and isn't even viable as a deterrent.
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 61,257
    Jonathan said:

    Jonathan said:

    Corbyn was brilliant in the Commons today. An inspired tour de force.

    Thing is - you're so dry - I don't actually know if you're joking or not.
    I don't understand what you mean.

    I accept Jeremy has a battle. Not only does he have to fight the Tories, but also has to take on the conspiracy of the PLP, Blairites, the BBC, the Right wing press, the Internet and the wider electorate.
    :smile:
  • SpeedySpeedy Posts: 12,100

    There are quite a lot of local by-elections tomorrow ...10 according the ALDC site. Might give an idea of how the public sees things.

    There will be a honeymoon period for the new government that lasts from 3-6 months.
    Every new PM in the world got one since polling began.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 60,158
    Lowlander said:

    May hardly has her problems to seek but it does seem that there is likely to
    be some serious issues with the state of the Royal Navy. Apparently, during the furor over the Brexit campaign, it seems to have gone unnoticed that our expensive new Type 45 Destroyers don't actually work.

    https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jun/07/destroyers-will-break-down-if-sent-to-middle-east-admits-royal-navy

    And now it seems that the Type 26 are on an indefinite hold. Let's ignore how this is another broken promise from the Scottish referendum and just consider that it now means at least another 15 to 20 years of Type 23s providing the bulk of the Royal Navy.

    https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jul/20/navy-fleet-global-combat-frigates-type-26-indefinitely-delayed-mod-mps-clyde-shipbuilding

    Perhaps these considerations should have been more important before £31bn short term was committed to replace the Vanguard Fleet. I think the Astute hunter-killers still have some serious problems but let's assume they are working.

    As things stand, in 10 years time, the Royal Navy will consist of one over-sized Aircraft Carrier which can't be deployed in the gulf (because the escort destroyers can't operate there), a destroyer fleet with serious issues, an aging backbone of light frigates of relatively limited functionality, hopefully a functional fleet of HK subs and a couple of old but useful Assault ships.

    This does seem to be a somewhat weak fleet for the defence of an island which claims to be a global player.Have the Tories just given up on defence now they've agreed to a new generation of Trident which has no military function whatsoever, it is no use for counter-terrorism, can't be used in a real conflict, and isn't even viable as a deterrent.

    How has it gone unnoticed if reported in the national press? *innocent face*
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