BBC - Attacker 'was IS soldier' The so-called Islamic State terror group has claimed through its news agency that the Westminster attacker was a "soldier of the Islamic State".
As the terrorist’s identity is known, I wonder what benefit there is in not revealing it.
An acquaintance of mine who is an ex-copper just posted something on fb contrasting May's fine (and deserved) words about the work of the police force with the way she filleted their pay, conditions and pensions when Home Secretary.
Just an observation....
The Home Secretary represents the taxpayers as well as the Police.
And has her hands tied by the Treasury, as do all ministers.
I think Putin's regime is looking increasingly unstable in light of the failure of the election of Trump to bring about the kind of thawing in relations they were expecting. The money is running out...
The money seems to be the biggie. I read this morning that the Russian government's income has collapsed by about 60% over the past few years and, further, its grip on the supply of gas to Europe is being weakened by LNG coming from the USA.
Russia has embarked on a programme of rearmament, which may now run out of steam due to a shortage of funds or it may as per the Soviet days try to keep its military going at the expense of the civil economy. Either way stability does not look certain.
Why is Russia spending so much on arms? Has Putin lost the plot or does he genuinely fear invasion from China?
For those who thought this morning that 90 minutes was too long for the House of Commons to question the Prime Minister on the death of a police officer, three other innocent people and the justified killing of a terrorist who attempted to attack our democracy, they may now be reassured that prior to such questions the House had discussed international trade and other issues.
Within the last ten minutes the Commons has been treated to issues related to Waltham Forest Parish Council and other less important matters.
"Does the Prime Minister agree with me that JackW can be a sanctimonious old feck?" Order! Order!
BBC - Attacker 'was IS soldier' The so-called Islamic State terror group has claimed through its news agency that the Westminster attacker was a "soldier of the Islamic State".
As the terrorist’s identity is known, I wonder what benefit there is in not revealing it.
The BBC haven't quite finished anglicizing his name. He'll be 'Mike' from Birmingham by 5pm.
An important longer-term challenge is to try to lower the threshold at which people report acquaintances or even friends who seem to be thinking about doing this sort of thing. Most of us hesitate before reporting friends about anything - it goes against lots of good instincts and we don't want some sort of Stasi system where we all report anything from a dodgy joke to drunken hyperbole. And if we're in a community that rightly or wrongly feels beleaguered, the threshold is higher. But if a friend says "You know, I'm really thinking about doing something to take out some of those politician bastards" or something like that, people need to feel ready to warn someone.
How that's best done is not obvious to me - dialling 999 doesn't feel the most promising thing to urge. Maybe some sort of phoneline run by a respected non-governmental group with representatives from different communities who could discuss anything that people find worrying and persuade callers to take them to the police where appropriate?
This is worse than when you wanted to grass that locksmith for trying to do a cashie,
Really? You feel that if you know someone who is talking about committing an act of terrorism, you shouldn't report it? I'd have thought there was quite a broad consensus that at some level it gets to the point where you need to "grass", without getting to the stage that every stray opinion gets reported. The difficulty is where to draw the line and how to encourage people to do it.
BBC - Attacker 'was IS soldier' The so-called Islamic State terror group has claimed through its news agency that the Westminster attacker was a "soldier of the Islamic State".
As the terrorist’s identity is known, I wonder what benefit there is in not revealing it.
They are waiting in fear of a Channel 4 News exclusive indicating that the attacker was in fact an innocent motorist with a rogue sat nav that indicated the House of Commons had a resident knife sharpener in the Whips Office.
An acquaintance of mine who is an ex-copper just posted something on fb contrasting May's fine (and deserved) words about the work of the police force with the way she filleted their pay, conditions and pensions when Home Secretary.
Just an observation....
As far as I can tell, the pay and pensions of police officers are not bad at all.
I think Putin's regime is looking increasingly unstable in light of the failure of the election of Trump to bring about the kind of thawing in relations they were expecting. The money is running out...
The money seems to be the biggie. I read this morning that the Russian government's income has collapsed by about 60% over the past few years and, further, its grip on the supply of gas to Europe is being weakened by LNG coming from the USA.
Russia has embarked on a programme of rearmament, which may now run out of steam due to a shortage of funds or it may as per the Soviet days try to keep its military going at the expense of the civil economy. Either way stability does not look certain.
Why is Russia spending so much on arms? Has Putin lost the plot or does he genuinely fear invasion from China?
Who knows what is really in the mind of Putin and his gang? I suspect it is a desire to be taken seriously again by the USA and, perhaps, by NATO. An attempt, if you will, to recover the glory days of the Soviet empire and to wipe out the embarrassment and shame of the 1990s. To defend against invasion from China would not require new classes of submarines.
For those who thought this morning that 90 minutes was too long for the House of Commons to question the Prime Minister on the death of a police officer, three other innocent people and the justified killing of a terrorist who attempted to attack our democracy, they may now be reassured that prior to such questions the House had discussed international trade and other issues.
Within the last ten minutes the Commons has been treated to issues related to Waltham Forest Parish Council and other less important matters.
"Does the Prime Minister agree with me that JackW can be a sanctimonious old feck?" Order! Order!
Prime Minister - "It appears the honourable gentleman has broken his pledge made at 12:15pm that he would refrain from commenting on the issue. This is, Mr Speaker, a clear example on why the member should not take to arms against the most formidable Jacobite fine pie maker that this, the world's oldest parliament has ever known."
I think Putin's regime is looking increasingly unstable in light of the failure of the election of Trump to bring about the kind of thawing in relations they were expecting. The money is running out...
The money seems to be the biggie. I read this morning that the Russian government's income has collapsed by about 60% over the past few years and, further, its grip on the supply of gas to Europe is being weakened by LNG coming from the USA.
Russia has embarked on a programme of rearmament, which may now run out of steam due to a shortage of funds or it may as per the Soviet days try to keep its military going at the expense of the civil economy. Either way stability does not look certain.
Why is Russia spending so much on arms? Has Putin lost the plot or does he genuinely fear invasion from China?
You can't invade the Crimea in T-34s.
Handy for civil control as well, as long as they're paid, fed and motivated.
BBC - Attacker 'was IS soldier' The so-called Islamic State terror group has claimed through its news agency that the Westminster attacker was a "soldier of the Islamic State".
As the terrorist’s identity is known, I wonder what benefit there is in not revealing it.
The BBC haven't quite finished anglicizing his name. He'll be 'Mike' from Birmingham by 5pm.
For those who thought this morning that 90 minutes was too long for the House of Commons to question the Prime Minister on the death of a police officer, three other innocent people and the justified killing of a terrorist who attempted to attack our democracy, they may now be reassured that prior to such questions the House had discussed international trade and other issues.
Within the last ten minutes the Commons has been treated to issues related to Waltham Forest Parish Council and other less important matters.
"Does the Prime Minister agree with me that JackW can be a sanctimonious old feck?" Order! Order!
Prime Minister - "It appears the honourable gentleman has broken his pledge made at 12:15pm that he wouldn't refrain from commenting on the issue. This is, Mr Speaker, a clear example on why the member should not take to arms against the most formidable Jacobite fine pie maker that this, the world's oldest parliament has ever known."
An acquaintance of mine who is an ex-copper just posted something on fb contrasting May's fine (and deserved) words about the work of the police force with the way she filleted their pay, conditions and pensions when Home Secretary.
Just an observation....
The Home Secretary represents the taxpayers as well as the Police.
So you don't think the police deserved their conditions then?
For those who thought this morning that 90 minutes was too long for the House of Commons to question the Prime Minister on the death of a police officer, three other innocent people and the justified killing of a terrorist who attempted to attack our democracy, they may now be reassured that prior to such questions the House had discussed international trade and other issues.
Within the last ten minutes the Commons has been treated to issues related to Waltham Forest Parish Council and other less important matters.
"Does the Prime Minister agree with me that JackW can be a sanctimonious old feck?" Order! Order!
Prime Minister - "It appears the honourable gentleman has broken his pledge made at 12:15pm that he would refrain from commenting on the issue. This is, Mr Speaker, a clear example on why the member should not take to arms against the most formidable Jacobite fine pie maker that this, the world's oldest parliament has ever known."
Resounding cheers in the House ....
Nicely done!
Thank you.
Accordingly I have taken you off my comestibles donor list.
We could try it now. After all, we are a one party state with an appointed, unelected head of government.
May for El Presidente?
Unelected? The people of Maidenhead may beg to differ
They voted for Theresa May MP not Theresa May PM. No one voted for Theresa May PM, not even Tory MPs. Her challenger dropped out and no vote was held.
No, the Tory MPs *did* vote for her - more comprehensively than in any previous open election. Their role in the process as MPs was over when Leadsom dropped out, and May would have been elected under any of the previous 'MP only' versions of the Party's rules, given how the votes actually went.
Do you think May would have won in a membership vote? Comfortably?
Yes, and yes.
Remember, Cameron beat David Davis comfortably in 2005. Leadsom was sinking fast at the time she withdrew and several more weeks of proving that she wasn't up to it would have been more than enough. If there's one thing that Tory members like above all else, it's a winner.
We could try it now. After all, we are a one party state with an appointed, unelected head of government.
May for El Presidente?
Unelected? The people of Maidenhead may beg to differ
They voted for Theresa May MP not Theresa May PM. No one voted for Theresa May PM, not even Tory MPs. Her challenger dropped out and no vote was held.
No, the Tory MPs *did* vote for her - more comprehensively than in any previous open election. Their role in the process as MPs was over when Leadsom dropped out, and May would have been elected under any of the previous 'MP only' versions of the Party's rules, given how the votes actually went.
Do you think May would have won in a membership vote? Comfortably?
Yes, and yes.
Remember, Cameron beat David Davis comfortably in 2005. Leadsom was sinking fast at the time she withdrew and several more weeks of proving that she wasn't up to it would have been more than enough. If there's one thing that Tory members like above all else, it's a winner.
Yes they certainly saw IDS as the all conquering genius he was back in 2001!
We could try it now. After all, we are a one party state with an appointed, unelected head of government.
May for El Presidente?
Unelected? The people of Maidenhead may beg to differ
They voted for Theresa May MP not Theresa May PM. No one voted for Theresa May PM, not even Tory MPs. Her challenger dropped out and no vote was held.
No, the Tory MPs *did* vote for her - more comprehensively than in any previous open election. Their role in the process as MPs was over when Leadsom dropped out, and May would have been elected under any of the previous 'MP only' versions of the Party's rules, given how the votes actually went.
Do you think May would have won in a membership vote? Comfortably?
Yes, and yes.
Remember, Cameron beat David Davis comfortably in 2005. Leadsom was sinking fast at the time she withdrew and several more weeks of proving that she wasn't up to it would have been more than enough. If there's one thing that Tory members like above all else, it's a winner.
Yes they certainly saw IDS as the all conquering genius he was back in 2001!
Mind you, any Tory leader would have looked crap up against Blair in the 2001 era.
BBC - Attacker 'was IS soldier' The so-called Islamic State terror group has claimed through its news agency that the Westminster attacker was a "soldier of the Islamic State".
As the terrorist’s identity is known, I wonder what benefit there is in not revealing it.
I think it's because the police need time to identify all possible accomplices. If he's named, they'll go to ground
We could try it now. After all, we are a one party state with an appointed, unelected head of government.
May for El Presidente?
Unelected? The people of Maidenhead may beg to differ
They voted for Theresa May MP not Theresa May PM. No one voted for Theresa May PM, not even Tory MPs. Her challenger dropped out and no vote was held.
No, the Tory MPs *did* vote for her - more comprehensively than in any previous open election. Their role in the process as MPs was over when Leadsom dropped out, and May would have been elected under any of the previous 'MP only' versions of the Party's rules, given how the votes actually went.
Do you think May would have won in a membership vote? Comfortably?
Yes, and yes.
Remember, Cameron beat David Davis comfortably in 2005. Leadsom was sinking fast at the time she withdrew and several more weeks of proving that she wasn't up to it would have been more than enough. If there's one thing that Tory members like above all else, it's a winner.
I think that's a complacent view. If Leadsom had had the mettle to ride out the storm over the 'as a mother' interview it's not impossible that she would have won. Mary Berry's case of foot-in-mouth this week shows that it's not an uncommon sentiment in the Tory shires.
An acquaintance of mine who is an ex-copper just posted something on fb contrasting May's fine (and deserved) words about the work of the police force with the way she filleted their pay, conditions and pensions when Home Secretary.
Just an observation....
As far as I can tell, the pay and pensions of police officers are not bad at all.
According to Herself (who is a retired member of the Plod and so pays attention to these things) the big filleting of police pensions occurred in April 2006, but only for new entrants as of that date.
From what I can gather it had to happen. Police Pensions are paid out of current income. Something like 82% of a police force's money goes out in salaries and pensions. If that figure ever got to 83.5% then there would not be enough cash to actually pay the bills for operations (petrol, uniforms, toilet paper and stuff). Mind you the 2006 reform also reduced the contributions made by officers from 11.5% of salary to something near 10%, so reduced benefits was accompanied by reduced payments. I am not sure the actuaries got that right so retirement terms were further downgraded in subsequent years for all officers.
We could try it now. After all, we are a one party state with an appointed, unelected head of government.
May for El Presidente?
Unelected? The people of Maidenhead may beg to differ
They voted for Theresa May MP not Theresa May PM. No one voted for Theresa May PM, not even Tory MPs. Her challenger dropped out and no vote was held.
No, the Tory MPs *did* vote for her - more comprehensively than in any previous open election. Their role in the process as MPs was over when Leadsom dropped out, and May would have been elected under any of the previous 'MP only' versions of the Party's rules, given how the votes actually went.
Do you think May would have won in a membership vote? Comfortably?
Yes, and yes.
Remember, Cameron beat David Davis comfortably in 2005. Leadsom was sinking fast at the time she withdrew and several more weeks of proving that she wasn't up to it would have been more than enough. If there's one thing that Tory members like above all else, it's a winner.
Yes they certainly saw IDS as the all conquering genius he was back in 2001!
Mind you, any Tory leader would have looked crap up against Blair in the 2001 era.
Ken Clarke wouldn't. Indeed Ken Clarke may have been able to prevent Blair taking us into Iraq.
We could try it now. After all, we are a one party state with an appointed, unelected head of government.
May for El Presidente?
Unelected? The people of Maidenhead may beg to differ
They voted for Theresa May MP not Theresa May PM. No one voted for Theresa May PM, not even Tory MPs. Her challenger dropped out and no vote was held.
No, the Tory MPs *did* vote for her - more comprehensively than in any previous open election. Their role in the process as MPs was over when Leadsom dropped out, and May would have been elected under any of the previous 'MP only' versions of the Party's rules, given how the votes actually went.
Do you think May would have won in a membership vote? Comfortably?
Yes, and yes.
Remember, Cameron beat David Davis comfortably in 2005. Leadsom was sinking fast at the time she withdrew and several more weeks of proving that she wasn't up to it would have been more than enough. If there's one thing that Tory members like above all else, it's a winner.
Yes they certainly saw IDS as the all conquering genius he was back in 2001!
Mind you, any Tory leader would have looked crap up against Blair in the 2001 era.
IDS would look crap against anyone in any era....even Corbyn would fancy his chances
So will be quickly lost in all the news coverage of the triggering of Article 50 the next day
I wonder if the EU's response will make any note of the decision of the Scottish parliament...
Certainly not if Spain has anything to do with it
People need to get rid of the idea that the EU will try to 'take advantage's of the future SindyRef2 referendum in anyway.
Any threats to the territorial integrity of a nation by the EU would be the end of the EU.
Indeed
I thought that claim was wrong until you endorsed it, expelling any remaining doubt from my mind. Why would that be the end of the EU?
If the EU endorsed the independence of Scotland what is to stop them endorsing an independent Catalonia, Flanders, northern Italy, Bavaria or any other separatist movement in Europe, secessionist would seize on it as opening the floodgates and national governments would swiftly have to take action to stamp it out. Post a hypothetical independent Scotland maybe but not before
Raises some interesting questions along with Beth Rigby saying the plod on the gates are always unarmed. It could have been a lot lot worse is a) fallon not in the commons, b) attacker was armed with more than a knife.
We could try it now. After all, we are a one party state with an appointed, unelected head of government.
May for El Presidente?
Unelected? The people of Maidenhead may beg to differ
They voted for Theresa May MP not Theresa May PM. No one voted for Theresa May PM, not even Tory MPs. Her challenger dropped out and no vote was held.
No, the Tory MPs *did* vote for her - more comprehensively than in any previous open election. Their role in the process as MPs was over when Leadsom dropped out, and May would have been elected under any of the previous 'MP only' versions of the Party's rules, given how the votes actually went.
Do you think May would have won in a membership vote? Comfortably?
Yes, and yes.
Remember, Cameron beat David Davis comfortably in 2005. Leadsom was sinking fast at the time she withdrew and several more weeks of proving that she wasn't up to it would have been more than enough. If there's one thing that Tory members like above all else, it's a winner.
Yes they certainly saw IDS as the all conquering genius he was back in 2001!
Mind you, any Tory leader would have looked crap up against Blair in the 2001 era.
Though Clarke rather less so but his EU views killed him
So will be quickly lost in all the news coverage of the triggering of Article 50 the next day
I wonder if the EU's response will make any note of the decision of the Scottish parliament...
Certainly not if Spain has anything to do with it
Not yet anyway. If the talks do go south, Spain's concern's will be overridden, and there will be comments made about how the Scottish case doesn't resemble the Catalan one (and they don't), especially if France and Germany both get on board. Not out of any great desire to see Scotland independent or join the EU, but because the breakup of the UK would be a very potent message about the dangers of Brexit to other member states.
Of course, as it would pretty much destroy UK-EU relations to be seen as openly encouraging Scottish independence, it's very much only the nuclear option if talks completely break down.
So will be quickly lost in all the news coverage of the triggering of Article 50 the next day
I wonder if the EU's response will make any note of the decision of the Scottish parliament...
Certainly not if Spain has anything to do with it
People need to get rid of the idea that the EU will try to 'take advantage's of the future SindyRef2 referendum in anyway.
Any threats to the territorial integrity of a nation by the EU would be the end of the EU.
Indeed
I thought that claim was wrong until you endorsed it, expelling any remaining doubt from my mind. Why would that be the end of the EU?
If the EU endorsed the independence of Scotland what is to stop them endorsing an independent Catalonia, Flanders, northern Italy, Bavaria or any other separatist movement in Europe, secessionist would seize on it as opening the floodgates and national governments would swiftly have to take action to stamp it out. Post a hypothetical independent Scotland maybe but not me
The only precedent it would set is that if a country that is itself a union invokes Article 50, it can expect the EU to be sympathetic towards those parts of the union that wish to remain in the EU.
As a formerly sovereign state Scotland is in a different position to most other hypothetical examples.
So will be quickly lost in all the news coverage of the triggering of Article 50 the next day
I wonder if the EU's response will make any note of the decision of the Scottish parliament...
Certainly not if Spain has anything to do with it
People need to get rid of the idea that the EU will try to 'take advantage's of the future SindyRef2 referendum in anyway.
Any threats to the territorial integrity of a nation by the EU would be the end of the EU.
Indeed
I thought that claim was wrong until you endorsed it, expelling any remaining doubt from my mind. Why would that be the end of the EU?
If the EU endorsed the independence of Scotland what is to stop them endorsing an independent Catalonia, Flanders, northern Italy, Bavaria or any other separatist movement in Europe, secessionist would seize on it as opening the floodgates and national governments would swiftly have to take action to stamp it out. Post a hypothetical independent Scotland maybe but not me
As long as they remain part of EU what's the big problem ?
We could try it now. After all, we are a one party state with an appointed, unelected head of government.
May for El Presidente?
Unelected? The people of Maidenhead may beg to differ
They voted for Theresa May MP not Theresa May PM. No one voted for Theresa May PM, not even Tory MPs. Her challenger dropped out and no vote was held.
No, the Tory MPs *did* vote for her - more comprehensively than in any previous open election. Their role in the process as MPs was over when Leadsom dropped out, and May would have been elected under any of the previous 'MP only' versions of the Party's rules, given how the votes actually went.
Do you think May would have won in a membership vote? Comfortably?
Yes, and yes.
Remember, Cameron beat David Davis comfortably in 2005. Leadsom was sinking fast at the time she withdrew and several more weeks of proving that she wasn't up to it would have been more than enough. If there's one thing that Tory members like above all else, it's a winner.
Yes they certainly saw IDS as the all conquering genius he was back in 2001!
Mind you, any Tory leader would have looked crap up against Blair in the 2001 era.
IDS would look crap against anyone in any era....even Corbyn would fancy his chances
The precision is, of course, ridiculous. The thrust of the numbers is interesting, though it seems to me to understate the chance of a shock. @Cyan will be appalled to see that his horse isn't even listed as a starter.
For completeness, this was the site's closing prediction for the US election:
So will be quickly lost in all the news coverage of the triggering of Article 50 the next day
I wonder if the EU's response will make any note of the decision of the Scottish parliament...
Certainly not if Spain has anything to do with it
Not yet anyway. If the talks do go south, Spain's concern's will be overridden, and there will be comments made about how the Scottish case doesn't resemble the Catalan one (and they don't), especially if France and Germany both get on board. Not out of any great desire to see Scotland independent or join the EU, but because the breakup of the UK would be a very potent message about the dangers of Brexit to other member states.
Of course, as it would pretty much destroy UK-EU relations to be seen as openly encouraging Scottish independence, it's very much only the nuclear option if talks completely break down.
Two can play at that game, however.
If hypothetically speaking, the EU were to back the SNP and Sinn Fein, as punishment for Brexit, what would prevent the British government in turn backing Russia's ambitions in Eastern Europe?
Raises some interesting questions along with Beth Rigby saying the plod on the gates are always unarmed. It could have been a lot lot worse is a) fallon not in the commons, b) attacker was armed with more than a knife.
The vast majority of all of the police are unarmed. Anyone of them could be attacked, anywhere, at any time. Is there an argument for the routine arming of all police officers, or just those surrounding Parliament?
So will be quickly lost in all the news coverage of the triggering of Article 50 the next day
I wonder if the EU's response will make any note of the decision of the Scottish parliament...
Certainly not if Spain has anything to do with it
Not yet anyway. If the talks do go south, Spain's concern's will be overridden, and there will be comments made about how the Scottish case doesn't resemble the Catalan one (and they don't), especially if France and Germany both get on board. Not out of any great desire to see Scotland independent or join the EU, but because the breakup of the UK would be a very potent message about the dangers of Brexit to other member states.
Of course, as it would pretty much destroy UK-EU relations to be seen as openly encouraging Scottish independence, it's very much only the nuclear option if talks completely break down.
Comments could be made but a Pandora's box would be opened and Catalonian nationalists would seize on it and Germany would of course have to bear in mind even Bavaria has a party committed to Bavarian independence
We could try it now. After all, we are a one party state with an appointed, unelected head of government.
May for El Presidente?
Unelected? The people of Maidenhead may beg to differ
They voted for Theresa May MP not Theresa May PM. No one voted for Theresa May PM, not even Tory MPs. Her challenger dropped out and no vote was held.
No, the Tory MPs *did* vote for her - more comprehensively than in any previous open election. Their role in the process as MPs was over when Leadsom dropped out, and May would have been elected under any of the previous 'MP only' versions of the Party's rules, given how the votes actually went.
Do you think May would have won in a membership vote? Comfortably?
Yes, and yes.
Remember, Cameron beat David Davis comfortably in 2005. Leadsom was sinking fast at the time she withdrew and several more weeks of proving that she wasn't up to it would have been more than enough. If there's one thing that Tory members like above all else, it's a winner.
So will be quickly lost in all the news coverage of the triggering of Article 50 the next day
I wonder if the EU's response will make any note of the decision of the Scottish parliament...
Certainly not if Spain has anything to do with it
People need to get rid of the idea that the EU will try to 'take advantage's of the future SindyRef2 referendum in anyway.
Any threats to the territorial integrity of a nation by the EU would be the end of the EU.
Indeed
I thought that claim was wrong until you endorsed it, expelling any remaining doubt from my mind. Why would that be the end of the EU?
If the EU endorsed the independence of Scotland what is to stop them endorsing an independent Catalonia, Flanders, northern Italy, Bavaria or any other separatist movement in Europe, secessionist would seize on it as opening the floodgates and national governments would swiftly have to take action to stamp it out. Post a hypothetical independent Scotland maybe but not me
As a formerly sovereign state Scotland is in a different position to most other hypothetical examples.
So will be quickly lost in all the news coverage of the triggering of Article 50 the next day
I wonder if the EU's response will make any note of the decision of the Scottish parliament...
Certainly not if Spain has anything to do with it
People need to get rid of the idea that the EU will try to 'take advantage's of the future SindyRef2 referendum in anyway.
Any threats to the territorial integrity of a nation by the EU would be the end of the EU.
Indeed
I thought that claim was wrong until you endorsed it, expelling any remaining doubt from my mind. Why would that be the end of the EU?
If the EU endorsed the independence of Scotland what is to stop them endorsing an independent Catalonia, Flanders, northern Italy, Bavaria or any other separatist movement in Europe, secessionist would seize on it as opening the floodgates and national governments would swiftly have to take action to stamp it out. Post a hypothetical independent Scotland maybe but not me
Rubbish, the separatist movements are few in number and unimportant except to their own national governments, and there are all sorts of ways for the EU to interfere in indyref which would not amount to openly endorsing anything. Their obvious approach, which would succeed, would be whatever increases their empire: anti Scot independence before the leave vote, pro it now, but all conveyed privately and deniably.
So will be quickly lost in all the news coverage of the triggering of Article 50 the next day
I wonder if the EU's response will make any note of the decision of the Scottish parliament...
Certainly not if Spain has anything to do with it
People need to get rid of the idea that the EU will try to 'take advantage's of the future SindyRef2 referendum in anyway.
Any threats to the territorial integrity of a nation by the EU would be the end of the EU.
Indeed
I thought that claim was wrong until you endorsed it, expelling any remaining doubt from my mind. Why would that be the end of the EU?
If the EU endorsed the independence of Scotland what is to stop them endorsing an independent Catalonia, Flanders, northern Italy, Bavaria or any other separatist movement in Europe, secessionist would seize on it as opening the floodgates and national governments would swiftly have to take action to stamp it out. Post a hypothetical independent Scotland maybe but not me
As long as they remain part of EU what's the big problem ?
The same argument could apply to Catalonia as Spain would be well aware
So will be quickly lost in all the news coverage of the triggering of Article 50 the next day
I wonder if the EU's response will make any note of the decision of the Scottish parliament...
Certainly not if Spain has anything to do with it
People need to get rid of the idea that the EU will try to 'take advantage's of the future SindyRef2 referendum in anyway.
Any threats to the territorial integrity of a nation by the EU would be the end of the EU.
Indeed
I thought that claim was wrong until you endorsed it, expelling any remaining doubt from my mind. Why would that be the end of the EU?
If the EU endorsed the independence of Scotland what is to stop them endorsing an independent Catalonia, Flanders, northern Italy, Bavaria or any other separatist movement in Europe, secessionist would seize on it as opening the floodgates and national governments would swiftly have to take action to stamp it out. Post a hypothetical independent Scotland maybe but not me
The only precedent it would set is that if a country that is itself a union invokes Article 50, it can expect the EU to be sympathetic towards those parts of the union that wish to remain in the EU.
As a formerly sovereign state Scotland is in a different position to most other hypothetical examples.
Catalonia had sovereignty in the 17th century, Bavaria until the 19th century, Flanders until the late 18th century
So will be quickly lost in all the news coverage of the triggering of Article 50 the next day
I wonder if the EU's response will make any note of the decision of the Scottish parliament...
Certainly not if Spain has anything to do with it
People need to get rid of the idea that the EU will try to 'take advantage's of the future SindyRef2 referendum in anyway.
Any threats to the territorial integrity of a nation by the EU would be the end of the EU.
Indeed
I thought that claim was wrong until you endorsed it, expelling any remaining doubt from my mind. Why would that be the end of the EU?
If the EU endorsed the independence of Scotland what is to stop them endorsing an independent Catalonia, Flanders, northern Italy, Bavaria or any other separatist movement in Europe, secessionist would seize on it as opening the floodgates and national governments would swiftly have to take action to stamp it out. Post a hypothetical independent Scotland maybe but not me
...
As a formerly sovereign state Scotland is in a different position to most other hypothetical examples.
Not really, Mr. Glenn, Germany and Italy only unified as single states in the late 19th century. Spain fought a civil war, in which regional identity was an issue, within living memory.
We could try it now. After all, we are a one party state with an appointed, unelected head of government.
May for El Presidente?
Unelected? The people of Maidenhead may beg to differ
They voted for Theresa May MP not Theresa May PM. No one voted for Theresa May PM, not even Tory MPs. Her challenger dropped out and no vote was held.
No, the Tory MPs *did* vote for her - more comprehensively than in any previous open election. Their role in the process as MPs was over when Leadsom dropped out, and May would have been elected under any of the previous 'MP only' versions of the Party's rules, given how the votes actually went.
Do you think May would have won in a membership vote? Comfortably?
Yes, and yes.
Remember, Cameron beat David Davis comfortably in 2005. Leadsom was sinking fast at the time she withdrew and several more weeks of proving that she wasn't up to it would have been more than enough. If there's one thing that Tory members like above all else, it's a winner.
Yes they certainly saw IDS as the all conquering genius he was back in 2001!
Mind you, any Tory leader would have looked crap up against Blair in the 2001 era.
IDS would look crap against anyone in any era....even Corbyn would fancy his chances
Steady on. IDS wasn't as bad as Corbyn is.
"Sir, there is no settling the point of precedency between a louse and a flea."
So will be quickly lost in all the news coverage of the triggering of Article 50 the next day
I wonder if the EU's response will make any note of the decision of the Scottish parliament...
Certainly not if Spain has anything to do with it
Not yet anyway. If the talks do go south, Spain's concern's will be overridden, and there will be comments made about how the Scottish case doesn't resemble the Catalan one (and they don't), especially if France and Germany both get on board. Not out of any great desire to see Scotland independent or join the EU, but because the breakup of the UK would be a very potent message about the dangers of Brexit to other member states.
Of course, as it would pretty much destroy UK-EU relations to be seen as openly encouraging Scottish independence, it's very much only the nuclear option if talks completely break down.
Comments could be made but a Pandora's box would be opened and Catalonian nationalists would seize on it and Germany would of course have to bear in mind even Bavaria has a party committed to Bavarian independence
Whose best result in recent elections has been 2% of the vote...
It's odd how on most matters you look at current polling and refuse point blank to acknowledge that circumstances could shift opinion, and in others you make the most wildly implausible claims about huge swings.
So will be quickly lost in all the news coverage of the triggering of Article 50 the next day
I wonder if the EU's response will make any note of the decision of the Scottish parliament...
Certainly not if Spain has anything to do with it
People need to get rid of the idea that the EU will try to 'take advantage's of the future SindyRef2 referendum in anyway.
Any threats to the territorial integrity of a nation by the EU would be the end of the EU.
Indeed
I thought that claim was wrong until you endorsed it, expelling any remaining doubt from my mind. Why would that be the end of the EU?
If the EU endorsed the independence of Scotland what is to stop them endorsing an independent Catalonia, Flanders, northern Italy, Bavaria or any other separatist movement in Europe, secessionist would seize on it as opening the floodgates and national governments would swiftly have to take action to stamp it out. Post a hypothetical independent Scotland maybe but not me
...
As a formerly sovereign state Scotland is in a different position to most other hypothetical examples.
Not really, Mr. Glenn, Germany and Italy only unified as single states in the late 19th century. Spain fought a civil war, in which regional identity was an issue, within living memory.
Mr Glenn joins Katy Hopkins in the dunces' corner.....
The precision is, of course, ridiculous. The thrust of the numbers is interesting, though it seems to me to understate the chance of a shock. @Cyan will be appalled to see that his horse isn't even listed as a starter.
For completeness, this was the site's closing prediction for the US election:
They weren't too far off on the vote margin, which is all that matters for the French election. I wonder if internal US migration might account for a good deal of Trump's victory, specifically rust belt -> Eastern Seaboard/West Coast..
So will be quickly lost in all the news coverage of the triggering of Article 50 the next day
I wonder if the EU's response will make any note of the decision of the Scottish parliament...
Certainly not if Spain has anything to do with it
People need to get rid of the idea that the EU will try to 'take advantage's of the future SindyRef2 referendum in anyway.
Any threats to the territorial integrity of a nation by the EU would be the end of the EU.
Indeed
I thought that claim was wrong until you endorsed it, expelling any remaining doubt from my mind. Why would that be the end of the EU?
If the EU endorsed the independence of Scotland what is to stop them endorsing an independent Catalonia, Flanders, northern Italy, Bavaria or any other separatist movement in Europe, secessionist would seize on it as opening the floodgates and national governments would swiftly have to take action to stamp it out. Post a hypothetical independent Scotland maybe but not me
Rubbish, the separatist movements are few in number and unimportant except to their own national governments, and there are all sorts of ways for the EU to interfere in indyref which would not amount to openly endorsing anything. Their obvious approach, which would succeed, would be whatever increases their empire: anti Scot independence before the leave vote, pro it now, but all conveyed privately and deniably.
Catalan nationalists already govern Catalonia and very nearly declared UDI from Spain in 2014/15, Flemish nationalists are a major force in Belgium as is the Northern League in Italy and Bavarian nationalists win votes in Bavarian state elections, it would open Pandora's box
An acquaintance of mine who is an ex-copper just posted something on fb contrasting May's fine (and deserved) words about the work of the police force with the way she filleted their pay, conditions and pensions when Home Secretary.
Just an observation....
As far as I can tell, the pay and pensions of police officers are not bad at all.
Relative to what? To a solicitor? To a bin man? To an Uber Driver? This is a job with difficult conditions and unsociable hours, and personal risk. It was enough to drive my friend out as an experienced officer in his mid 40s. He didn't feel it was worth the aggravation any longer.
Public sector pay and conditions are really not that great any more, although I have no doubt all the usual suspects here will demur, keen as they are to quicken the race to the bottom.
The precision is, of course, ridiculous. The thrust of the numbers is interesting, though it seems to me to understate the chance of a shock. @Cyan will be appalled to see that his horse isn't even listed as a starter.
For completeness, this was the site's closing prediction for the US election:
They weren't too far off on the vote margin, which is all that matters for the French election. I wonder if internal US migration might account for a good deal of Trump's victory, specifically rust belt -> Eastern Seaboard/West Coast..
Of course there is now a California secessionist movement too following Trump's win
We could try it now. After all, we are a one party state with an appointed, unelected head of government.
May for El Presidente?
Unelected? The people of Maidenhead may beg to differ
They voted for Theresa May MP not Theresa May PM. No one voted for Theresa May PM, not even Tory MPs. Her challenger dropped out and no vote was held.
No, the Tory MPs *did* vote for her - more comprehensively than in any previous open election. Their role in the process as MPs was over when Leadsom dropped out, and May would have been elected under any of the previous 'MP only' versions of the Party's rules, given how the votes actually went.
Do you think May would have won in a membership vote? Comfortably?
Yes, and yes.
Remember, Cameron beat David Davis comfortably in 2005. Leadsom was sinking fast at the time she withdrew and several more weeks of proving that she wasn't up to it would have been more than enough. If there's one thing that Tory members like above all else, it's a winner.
Yes they certainly saw IDS as the all conquering genius he was back in 2001!
It was a horrible choice. One would not stop Blair winning another election. The other would not stop Blair ditching the Pound for the Euro. Ultimately the Tories put country before party and voted to save Sterling rather than their electoral prospects.
So will be quickly lost in all the news coverage of the triggering of Article 50 the next day
I wonder if the EU's response will make any note of the decision of the Scottish parliament...
Certainly not if Spain has anything to do with it
Not yet anyway. If the talks do go south, Spain's concern's will be overridden, and there will be comments made about how the Scottish case doesn't resemble the Catalan one (and they don't), especially if France and Germany both get on board. Not out of any great desire to see Scotland independent or join the EU, but because the breakup of the UK would be a very potent message about the dangers of Brexit to other member states.
Of course, as it would pretty much destroy UK-EU relations to be seen as openly encouraging Scottish independence, it's very much only the nuclear option if talks completely break down.
Comments could be made but a Pandora's box would be opened and Catalonian nationalists would seize on it and Germany would of course have to bear in mind even Bavaria has a party committed to Bavarian independence
Whose best result in recent elections has been 2% of the vote...
It's odd how on most matters you look at current polling and refuse point blank to acknowledge that circumstances could shift opinion, and in others you make the most wildly implausible claims about huge swings.
UKIP were on 2% just 10 years ago and look what they have done!
I can't help but think the hysteria that's been created by the media in Westminster is hugely irresponsible - this was a lone nutter (not a lone wolf) whose weapons were items anyone of us will probably use today. The coverage this has produced which has been splashed across our screens for 24 hours non-stop is possibly the greatest promotional video IS could ever ask for - these bastards rely on the oxygen of publicity and 24 hours news coverage is delivering it for them - in spades.
So will be quickly lost in all the news coverage of the triggering of Article 50 the next day
I wonder if the EU's response will make any note of the decision of the Scottish parliament...
Certainly not if Spain has anything to do with it
People need to get rid of the idea that the EU will try to 'take advantage's of the future SindyRef2 referendum in anyway.
Any threats to the territorial integrity of a nation by the EU would be the end of the EU.
Indeed
I thought that claim was wrong until you endorsed it, expelling any remaining doubt from my mind. Why would that be the end of the EU?
If the EU endorsed the independence of Scotland what is to stop them endorsing an independent Catalonia, Flanders, northern Italy, Bavaria or any other separatist movement in Europe, secessionist would seize on it as opening the floodgates and national governments would swiftly have to take action to stamp it out. Post a hypothetical independent Scotland maybe but not me
The only precedent it would set is that if a country that is itself a union invokes Article 50, it can expect the EU to be sympathetic towards those parts of the union that wish to remain in the EU.
As a formerly sovereign state Scotland is in a different position to most other hypothetical examples.
In what way is it in a different position? The fact that it was independent (a long time ago) is beside the point: it doesn't confer any greater or lesser legitimacy on its aspiration to independence or to its membership of international bodies.
In any case, Bavaria was in independent country much more recently than Scotland, as were - collectively - the pre-1861 Italian kingdoms
So will be quickly lost in all the news coverage of the triggering of Article 50 the next day
I wonder if the EU's response will make any note of the decision of the Scottish parliament...
Certainly not if Spain has anything to do with it
People need to get rid of the idea that the EU will try to 'take advantage's of the future SindyRef2 referendum in anyway.
Any threats to the territorial integrity of a nation by the EU would be the end of the EU.
Indeed
I thought that claim was wrong until you endorsed it, expelling any remaining doubt from my mind. Why would that be the end of the EU?
If the EU endorsed the independence of Scotland what is to stop them endorsing an independent Catalonia, Flanders, northern Italy, Bavaria or any other separatist movement in Europe, secessionist would seize on it as opening the floodgates and national governments would swiftly have to take action to stamp it out. Post a hypothetical independent Scotland maybe but not me
As a formerly sovereign state Scotland is in a different position to most other hypothetical examples.
We could try it now. After all, we are a one party state with an appointed, unelected head of government.
May for El Presidente?
Unelected? The people of Maidenhead may beg to differ
They voted for Theresa May MP not Theresa May PM. No one voted for Theresa May PM, not even Tory MPs. Her challenger dropped out and no vote was held.
No, the Tory MPs *did* vote for her - more comprehensively than in any previous open election. Their role in the process as MPs was over when Leadsom dropped out, and May would have been elected under any of the previous 'MP only' versions of the Party's rules, given how the votes actually went.
Do you think May would have won in a membership vote? Comfortably?
Yes, and yes.
Remember, Cameron beat David Davis comfortably in 2005. Leadsom was sinking fast at the time she withdrew and several more weeks of proving that she wasn't up to it would have been more than enough. If there's one thing that Tory members like above all else, it's a winner.
Well, Cameron pretended to be a euro sceptic.
Cameron said that he'd withdraw the Conservatives from the EPP. He did so.
So will be quickly lost in all the news coverage of the triggering of Article 50 the next day
I wonder if the EU's response will make any note of the decision of the Scottish parliament...
Certainly not if Spain has anything to do with it
Not yet anyway. If the talks do go south, Spain's concern's will be overridden, and there will be comments made about how the Scottish case doesn't resemble the Catalan one (and they don't), especially if France and Germany both get on board. Not out of any great desire to see Scotland independent or join the EU, but because the breakup of the UK would be a very potent message about the dangers of Brexit to other member states.
Of course, as it would pretty much destroy UK-EU relations to be seen as openly encouraging Scottish independence, it's very much only the nuclear option if talks completely break down.
Two can play at that game, however.
If hypothetically speaking, the EU were to back the SNP and Sinn Fein, as punishment for Brexit, what would prevent the British government in turn backing Russia's ambitions in Eastern Europe?
So will be quickly lost in all the news coverage of the triggering of Article 50 the next day
I wonder if the EU's response will make any note of the decision of the Scottish parliament...
Certainly not if Spain has anything to do with it
People need to get rid of the idea that the EU will try to 'take advantage's of the future SindyRef2 referendum in anyway.
Any threats to the territorial integrity of a nation by the EU would be the end of the EU.
Indeed
I thought that claim was wrong until you endorsed it, expelling any remaining doubt from my mind. Why would that be the end of the EU?
If the EU endorsed the independence of Scotland what is to stop them endorsing an independent Catalonia, Flanders, northern Italy, Bavaria or any other separatist movement in Europe, secessionist would seize on it as opening the floodgates and national governments would swiftly have to take action to stamp it out. Post a hypothetical independent Scotland maybe but not me
...
As a formerly sovereign state Scotland is in a different position to most other hypothetical examples.
Not really, Mr. Glenn, Germany and Italy only unified as single states in the late 19th century. Spain fought a civil war, in which regional identity was an issue, within living memory.
Mr Glenn joins Katy Hopkins in the dunces' corner.....
We could try it now. After all, we are a one party state with an appointed, unelected head of government.
May for El Presidente?
Unelected? The people of Maidenhead may beg to differ
They voted for Theresa May MP not Theresa May PM. No one voted for Theresa May PM, not even Tory MPs. Her challenger dropped out and no vote was held.
No, the Tory MPs *did* vote for her - more comprehensively than in any previous open election. Their role in the process as MPs was over when Leadsom dropped out, and May would have been elected under any of the previous 'MP only' versions of the Party's rules, given how the votes actually went.
Do you think May would have won in a membership vote? Comfortably?
Yes, and yes.
Remember, Cameron beat David Davis comfortably in 2005. Leadsom was sinking fast at the time she withdrew and several more weeks of proving that she wasn't up to it would have been more than enough. If there's one thing that Tory members like above all else, it's a winner.
Well, Cameron pretended to be a euro sceptic.
Cameron said that he'd withdraw the Conservatives from the EPP. He did so.
Who could forget the Latvian homophobes? Good times, good times.
We could try it now. After all, we are a one party state with an appointed, unelected head of government.
May for El Presidente?
Unelected? The people of Maidenhead may beg to differ
They voted for Theresa May MP not Theresa May PM. No one voted for Theresa May PM, not even Tory MPs. Her challenger dropped out and no vote was held.
No, the Tory MPs *did* vote for her - more comprehensively than in any previous open election. Their role in the process as MPs was over when Leadsom dropped out, and May would have been elected under any of the previous 'MP only' versions of the Party's rules, given how the votes actually went.
Do you think May would have won in a membership vote? Comfortably?
Yes, and yes.
Remember, Cameron beat David Davis comfortably in 2005. Leadsom was sinking fast at the time she withdrew and several more weeks of proving that she wasn't up to it would have been more than enough. If there's one thing that Tory members like above all else, it's a winner.
Yes they certainly saw IDS as the all conquering genius he was back in 2001!
It was a horrible choice. One would not stop Blair winning another election. The other would not stop Blair ditching the Pound for the Euro. Ultimately the Tories put country before party and voted to save Sterling rather than their electoral prospects.
We could try it now. After all, we are a one party state with an appointed, unelected head of government.
May for El Presidente?
Unelected? The people of Maidenhead may beg to differ
They voted for Theresa May MP not Theresa May PM. No one voted for Theresa May PM, not even Tory MPs. Her challenger dropped out and no vote was held.
No, the Tory MPs *did* vote for her - more comprehensively than in any previous open election. Their role in the process as MPs was over when Leadsom dropped out, and May would have been elected under any of the previous 'MP only' versions of the Party's rules, given how the votes actually went.
Do you think May would have won in a membership vote? Comfortably?
Yes, and yes.
Remember, Cameron beat David Davis comfortably in 2005. Leadsom was sinking fast at the time she withdrew and several more weeks of proving that she wasn't up to it would have been more than enough. If there's one thing that Tory members like above all else, it's a winner.
I think that's a complacent view. If Leadsom had had the mettle to ride out the storm over the 'as a mother' interview it's not impossible that she would have won. Mary Berry's case of foot-in-mouth this week shows that it's not an uncommon sentiment in the Tory shires.
Firstly, she didn't have that mettle, which is a good indication of how things would have gone had she continued. Secondly, that political gaffe was indicative of a lack of ability that would have shown up throughout the campaign. And thirdly, May was massively more popular within the parliamentary party and unlike Labour, Conservative members would be likely to take a lead there (hence the lack of complaining about not being given a vote).
With respect, I don't think think you understand the Conservative membership.
I can't help but think the hysteria that's been created by the media in Westminster is hugely irresponsible - this was a lone nutter (not a lone wolf) whose weapons were items anyone of us will probably use today. The coverage this has produced which has been splashed across our screens for 24 hours non-stop is possibly the greatest promotional video IS could ever ask for - these bastards rely on the oxygen of publicity and 24 hours news coverage is delivering it for them - in spades.
FWIW I sense an earlier suspension would've been critisised by the same folks as giving into terrorists.
The Presiding Officer was in a difficult position, for the reasons you outline, certain MSPs on the other hand....
SNP environment secretary Roseanna Cunningham turned in the direction of the Tory benches, jabbing her finger. It is alleged that she hissed: ‘This is because you didn’t want to talk about independence.’ When you orient your politics around demonising Westminster, turning the very name into an epithet, I suppose you will react like that.
Those were the words of a cabinet secretary. If Miss Cunningham remains in post, her barb will carry the imprimatur of the Scottish Government and the First Minister. And Republican Rose will have earned a new nickname: Repugnant Rose.
I can't help but think the hysteria that's been created by the media in Westminster is hugely irresponsible - this was a lone nutter (not a lone wolf) whose weapons were items anyone of us will probably use today. The coverage this has produced which has been splashed across our screens for 24 hours non-stop is possibly the greatest promotional video IS could ever ask for - these bastards rely on the oxygen of publicity and 24 hours news coverage is delivering it for them - in spades.
I sense IS don't even know his name !
Indeed - but every would-be bedsit jihadist must be salivating at the prospect of following in his wake
So will be quickly lost in all the news coverage of the triggering of Article 50 the next day
I wonder if the EU's response will make any note of the decision of the Scottish parliament...
Certainly not if Spain has anything to do with it
People need to get rid of the idea that the EU will try to 'take advantage's of the future SindyRef2 referendum in anyway.
Any threats to the territorial integrity of a nation by the EU would be the end of the EU.
Indeed
I thought that claim was wrong until you endorsed it, expelling any remaining doubt from my mind. Why would that be the end of the EU?
If the EU endorsed the independence of Scotland what is to stop them endorsing an independent Catalonia, Flanders, northern Italy, Bavaria or any other separatist movement in Europe, secessionist would seize on it as opening the floodgates and national governments would swiftly have to take action to stamp it out. Post a hypothetical independent Scotland maybe but not me
...
As a formerly sovereign state Scotland is in a different position to most other hypothetical examples.
Not really, Mr. Glenn, Germany and Italy only unified as single states in the late 19th century. Spain fought a civil war, in which regional identity was an issue, within living memory.
Mr Glenn joins Katy Hopkins in the dunces' corner.....
So will be quickly lost in all the news coverage of the triggering of Article 50 the next day
I wonder if the EU's response will make any note of the decision of the Scottish parliament...
Certainly not if Spain has anything to do with it
People need to get rid of the idea that the EU will try to 'take advantage's of the future SindyRef2 referendum in anyway.
Any threats to the territorial integrity of a nation by the EU would be the end of the EU.
Indeed
I thought that claim was wrong until you endorsed it, expelling any remaining doubt from my mind. Why would that be the end of the EU?
If the EU endorsed the independence of Scotland what is to stop them endorsing an independent Catalonia, Flanders, northern Italy, Bavaria or any other separatist movement in Europe, secessionist would seize on it as opening the floodgates and national governments would swiftly have to take action to stamp it out. Post a hypothetical independent Scotland maybe but not me
The only precedent it would set is that if a country that is itself a union invokes Article 50, it can expect the EU to be sympathetic towards those parts of the union that wish to remain in the EU.
As a formerly sovereign state Scotland is in a different position to most other hypothetical examples.
In what way is it in a different position? The fact that it was independent (a long time ago) is beside the point: it doesn't confer any greater or lesser legitimacy on its aspiration to independence or to its membership of international bodies.
In any case, Bavaria was in independent country much more recently than Scotland, as were - collectively - the pre-1861 Italian kingdoms
The most plausible other independence movement is in Catalonia which clearly does not have a historical parallel with Scotland.
Last night a PB meet next Wednesday evening in central London was mooted. Any more interested? We have about 8 so far...
Wine bar is looking likely....unless SeanT can somehow sign more than 4 of us into the Groucho....
Is the criterion for attendance having voted LEAVE last year ? If so, I could attend.
I suspect my views on the future of "Global Britain" might not chime with the majority.
I'll back you up, Stodge.
Much appreciated, my friend. We still have the small matter of no venue as apparently every wine bar in London is hosting an A50 party (if we are to believe Dixie who knows all the senior Conservatives and has been invited to all the parties).
How about I book a spot for 10 pax at Truckles in Pied Bull Yard, just off Bury Place, for 6pm Weds 29th.
Comments
The so-called Islamic State terror group has claimed through its news agency that the Westminster attacker was a "soldier of the Islamic State".
As the terrorist’s identity is known, I wonder what benefit there is in not revealing it.
You don't agree?
Resounding cheers in the House ....
Handy for civil control as well, as long as they're paid, fed and motivated.
Any threats to the territorial integrity of a nation by the EU would be the end of the EU.
Accordingly I have taken you off my comestibles donor list.
Liam Byrne was very impressive I thought.
Remember, Cameron beat David Davis comfortably in 2005. Leadsom was sinking fast at the time she withdrew and several more weeks of proving that she wasn't up to it would have been more than enough. If there's one thing that Tory members like above all else, it's a winner.
Mind you, any Tory leader would have looked crap up against Blair in the 2001 era.
From what I can gather it had to happen. Police Pensions are paid out of current income. Something like 82% of a police force's money goes out in salaries and pensions. If that figure ever got to 83.5% then there would not be enough cash to actually pay the bills for operations (petrol, uniforms, toilet paper and stuff). Mind you the 2006 reform also reduced the contributions made by officers from 11.5% of salary to something near 10%, so reduced benefits was accompanied by reduced payments. I am not sure the actuaries got that right so retirement terms were further downgraded in subsequent years for all officers.
https://order-order.com/2017/03/23/michael-fallons-bodyguard-shot-attacker-dead/
Of course, as it would pretty much destroy UK-EU relations to be seen as openly encouraging Scottish independence, it's very much only the nuclear option if talks completely break down.
As a formerly sovereign state Scotland is in a different position to most other hypothetical examples.
https://twitter.com/GoodwinMJ/status/844666461385842689
The precision is, of course, ridiculous. The thrust of the numbers is interesting, though it seems to me to understate the chance of a shock. @Cyan will be appalled to see that his horse isn't even listed as a starter.
For completeness, this was the site's closing prediction for the US election:
http://www.thecrosstab.com/2016 Forecast/
If hypothetically speaking, the EU were to back the SNP and Sinn Fein, as punishment for Brexit, what would prevent the British government in turn backing Russia's ambitions in Eastern Europe?
It's odd how on most matters you look at current polling and refuse point blank to acknowledge that circumstances could shift opinion, and in others you make the most wildly implausible claims about huge swings.
Public sector pay and conditions are really not that great any more, although I have no doubt all the usual suspects here will demur, keen as they are to quicken the race to the bottom.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/03/23/belgian-police-arrest-man-trying-drive-crowd-antwerp/
https://twitter.com/bbcbreaking/status/844904691955851264
In any case, Bavaria was in independent country much more recently than Scotland, as were - collectively - the pre-1861 Italian kingdoms
I'm sure they'll get on like a house on fire.
Screams, running around...
With respect, I don't think think you understand the Conservative membership.
SNP environment secretary Roseanna Cunningham turned in the direction of the Tory benches, jabbing her finger. It is alleged that she hissed: ‘This is because you didn’t want to talk about independence.’ When you orient your politics around demonising Westminster, turning the very name into an epithet, I suppose you will react like that.
Those were the words of a cabinet secretary. If Miss Cunningham remains in post, her barb will carry the imprimatur of the Scottish Government and the First Minister. And Republican Rose will have earned a new nickname: Repugnant Rose.
A real charmer:
https://www.thesun.co.uk/archives/news/708215/boozy-nats-msp-roseanna-cunningham-in-evil-tory-rant/
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/mar/23/crude-nature-of-attack-suggests-lack-of-isis-network-in-britain?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Tweet
http://cicero.de/weltbuehne/terror-in-london-briten-bleiben-briten