It was Abba Eban who said of the Palestinians that “they never missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity.” However true this may or may not be of the Palestinians, it is certainly true of Mrs May. One Cabinet resignation does not have to lead to a full-scale reshuffle, of course, particularly if the PM cannot be certain how many of the possible candidates have been guilty of knee touching, knee tremblers or any other variety of sexual activity. But however fearful she may have been of instigating a reshuffle, when presented with the opportunity for one, why the craven timidity? Well, we can all guess why: fear for her job, a loss of confidence ever since her ill-fated General Election gamble, an unwillingness to trust outside a small circle and, probably most important of all, a failure to grasp two important lessons from the election.
Comments
Vote Cable/Sturgeon, Get Corbyn might well swing some votes.
We seem to have a collection of shambles.
https://twitter.com/JohnRentoul/status/926459965358903301
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wv-34w8kGPM
I had no idea about this song until it was mentioned on Buffy: The Vampire Slayer.
At 16 you can't get married in England without parental consent. The same applies to joining the Army.
So the top two things on their list, you can't do without your parents agreeing.
The polling is the interesting thing.
https://twitter.com/MattSingh_/status/926423815478968322
https://twitter.com/MattSingh_/status/926428161482592258
Members will keep voting for the myth they have invested in the man, and voters will keep voting for the brand.
Neither of them need to measure up to reality, apparently.
https://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/document/6use40wjdi/SexualHarassment_Oct17.pdf
It's frustratingly heterosexual. Female on male harassment questions are absent, too.
Pong wantz proppa data.
A full UK sexual attitudes survey would be awesome.
18 is a perfectly acceptable age to take on adult responsibilities. I would be quite content to see that extend to most if not all of the things in the Green list.
Betting Post
F1: for what it's worth, I've made some early bets with small stakes.
My view is that the Renault engine is critical. If it's on song next year then Alonso at 12 each way (Ladbrokes, odds boosted [weirdly, this is also working for each way bets]) is the best value by a mile. Also backed Vandoorne at 81 each way on the basis that Australia tends to be good for McLaren and whilst he's unlikely to be on terms with Alonso, that equates to 17 to be top 3, which is possible.
I've also backed Bottas at 16 each way. If it's Mercedes versus Ferrari, or if reliability of the Renault is as poor as this year, he's almost nailed on to be top 3 at 4 (as with Vandoorne, that's fifth the odds for top 3).
The short odds on Hamilton, Vettel, Verstappen and Ricciardo do not appeal. If Hamilton wins, the Bottas bet is likely to come off at better odds. If Renault step up their game, McLaren are far better value than Red Bull.
If/when the Constructors' comes up I'll look at Red Bull, as their driver pairing is the most balanced. It'll be them or Mercedes, in my view.
3/5 they’ve got wrong.
As well as vote, you can’t buy cigarettes, alcohol or knives, enter a nightclub, a sex shop or a bookmakers, or sign a contact or take out a mortgage until you’re 18.
Reminds me of Edwina Currie on This Week yesterday.
I think it's also true that because you had to put up with stuff that you would not tolerate now you developed a thicker skin and got on with it. Choose your battles is wise advice in lots of walks of life. And in calling out the bad behaviour of others, it's important, IMO, not to let the boundaries of your own life be limited by the word "victim" and all that that entails. It's the actions of those who behave badly who should be constrained not your own life.
More seriously the arguments are superficially very convincing.
Good job corbyn dealt with this swiftly and didn't promote the guy and cover up the complaint....
A very good header, @Cyclefree. We ought to be able to appeal to the younger generation who have grown up in a world full of technological innovation, new marketplaces and multiple careers. They're not hungering for 1970s style unionised jobs-for-life. True, Brexit is a cultural complication: we need to reassure people that we aren't seeking to re-enact the 1950s either.
But we have to communicate properly using the right people. The working assumption was that there would have been a relatively substantial reshuffle, post-May winning a 50+ majority. It can't be postponed much longer, but the present unedifying spectacle may need to be played out first.
Perhaps 16/17 year olds who go out to work and pay tax should get a vote?
Any mention of the other side of the argument in the preamble...Don't be silly.
They can't drink and smoke?
[...ducks for cover...]
Kevin Spacey: UK police 'investigate sexual assault claim'
http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-41857327