I haven't read all the posts about numbers of MPs needed to guarantee reaching the final two, but... isn't it theoretically 1?
If Mrs Front Runner gets N-1 and Mr Also Ran gets 1, (where N is the total number of voting MPs), surely FR and AR go through?
Only if Ms No Hoper gets zero, but to get zero votes having got as far as the final MP round would require a certain creativity.
Yes.. I get that (hence saying it won't happen like that). But mathematically it could.
I certainly could see a situation where a front runner emerges and their support snowballs as people race to 'back a winner' - that could leave a couple of people scrabbling for a lowish threshold (a few dozen?) to join the winner.
Just got an email from the BBC saying they are going to charge over-75s for TV licences from June 2020 unless they receive pension credit.
This will hit me as I'm 76 and don't receive pension credit, but I agree with it 100%.
I think fairly wealthy pensioners have had a very good deal from governments looking for their votes, at the expense of poorer people who tend not to vote.
Next I'd like to see NI extended to pensioners. It won't affect those on low incomes but will help pay for social care.
Unlikely to be good for the Tories among older voters. Will Labour promise to reverse this?
I believe Farage wants free tv licences for all - by abolishing the licence entirely!
Why in 2019 should anyone be forced to pay for the BBC when they can watch ITV and loads of other channels on free view funded by adverts.
Why not let people or at least over 75s choose in a free market - BBC if you want it for £160 a year and zero if you don’t. Love island, Corrie and Britain’s got Talent will still be free for everyone!
Absolutely. Why should everyone in the country who wants to watch live TV from any provider be forced to pay the BBC to produce its rubbish?
Just got an email from the BBC saying they are going to charge over-75s for TV licences from June 2020 unless they receive pension credit.
This will hit me as I'm 76 and don't receive pension credit, but I agree with it 100%.
I think fairly wealthy pensioners have had a very good deal from governments looking for their votes, at the expense of poorer people who tend not to vote.
Next I'd like to see NI extended to pensioners. It won't affect those on low incomes but will help pay for social care.
Unlikely to be good for the Tories among older voters. Will Labour promise to reverse this?
Tom Watson already has.
I appreciate the BBC was always going to lay it on with a trowel, but Tony Hall said today:
"Had the BBC copied the Government's scheme, the extra costs on top of around £500m, would have meant unprecedented closures. In practice, we expect this would mean the closures of BBC Two, BBC Four, the BBC News Channel, the BBC Scotland channel, Radio 5live, and a number of local radio stations, as well as other cuts and reductions."
I think that paints a reasonable picture of rock v hard place (though I doubt the BBC's enemies elsewhere in the media will miss a trick in slagging it off!)
The magic number for a candidate is not one third plus one of the Conservative MPs but one half plus one of the Conservative MPs who have not voted for your chief rival. That might be as low as 70, depending on what the front runner gets.
While that's true, any candidate reaching the run-off with only 70 votes - presumably against 170+ for the winner of the semi-final - would almost certainly be doomed simply by the momentum of the campaign and the apparent confidence the MPs had in the leading candidate.
Corbyn won after losing 172 to 40 among MPs. Do you really think Tory membership are minded to be deferential to MPs in the current climate?
With Thatcher's baleful visage staring at us centre stage, like a religious icon. The Tories have become the Brexit Cargo Cult. The last person to leave can snuff out Maggie's votive candle.
Williamglenn: yes I see your point, but if Boris comes in second with less than 111 how will this affect the membership vote?
For example, if Hunt mopped up most support and the final tally was, say, Hunt 230 Johnson 100 think of the pressure there would be on members to mirror the MPs choice.
It wouldn't be. The final round of MPs' voting has *three* candidates, the loser of which is eliminated.
The only way I can see the momentum running against Boris is if some Remainy MPs tactically vote for Raab in the last four to put him into the semi-final and so split the Brexiteer vote while unifying the rest. As things stand though, it's more likely that a semi-final of Gove / Hunt / Johnson would produce a big lead for Boris.
I'm not sure Gove will even make such a semi final now - more likely one of Raab, Javid or Leadsom. Taking class A drugs might be deemed fine among wealthy public school boys and metropolitan trendies but such a candidate has no hope amongst the wider Tory membership which is C2 dominated these days. And although people are possibly more forgiving now I don't think that extends to a potential PM - it is worth remembering the majority of people in the UK still have never taken any form of recreational drug even cannabis.
Leadsom? She isn't even sure of making the starting gate.
If Gove drops out, the majority of his supporters are Remainers and unlikely to transfer to Raab or Boris. It'd depend on when he got knocked out but I'd expect Hunt, Javid or Hancock to be the main beneficiaries.
With Thatcher's baleful visage staring at us centre stage, like a religious icon. The Tories have become the Brexit Cargo Cult. The last person to leave can snuff out Maggie's votive candle.
Indeed. The optics are are of a mad milennarian sect, competing to conjure up the most colourful form of mass suicide.
People used to call the Church of England “the Tory Party at prayer”.
Seems the Tory Party is now the “Jonestown Massacre at table”.
The magic number for a candidate is not one third plus one of the Conservative MPs but one half plus one of the Conservative MPs who have not voted for your chief rival. That might be as low as 70, depending on what the front runner gets.
While that's true, any candidate reaching the run-off with only 70 votes - presumably against 170+ for the winner of the semi-final - would almost certainly be doomed simply by the momentum of the campaign and the apparent confidence the MPs had in the leading candidate.
Corbyn won after losing 172 to 40 among MPs. Do you really think Tory membership are minded to be deferential to MPs in the current climate?
Remember that the Conservative membership once chose IDS over Kenneth Clarke. Unless it has changed radically in nature since, this tells you much about the way it is likely to be thinking.
Mr. Tweed, trying to remember, other than news, the last thing I watched on the BBC. Not sure.
I used to enjoy their F1 coverage before they stitched up the licence fee payer by getting Sky rather than a free-to-air rival involved, so I'm not swayed by their quivering lip and teary eyes over funding.
With Thatcher's baleful visage staring at us centre stage, like a religious icon. The Tories have become the Brexit Cargo Cult. The last person to leave can snuff out Maggie's votive candle.
Yet despite that, despite the proximity, despite the trading group, despite the fact the protectionist trading group forbids us from signing deals elsewhere . . . elsewhere still forms the majority of our trade.
Oh my goodness, this is the level of stupidity of the 32ish percent who want to wreck our economy. It is quite staggering. It is beyond parody. As I said earlier, this is like being a supplier of fresh produce and saying; "hey we do slightly more business with Budgens, Spar shops and several hundred independent shops than we do to Tesco, Waitrose and Aldi. Let's tell the big guys to fuck themselves. They need us more than we need them." MMM GOOD BUSINESS SENSE!!
No, this is like being a farmer has previously signed a very lopsided deal with Tesco's but now finds their goods being demanded by plenty of alternatives including Budgens, Spar, several hundred independents . . . and yes, Waitrose and Aldi. But currently Tesco's writes their contract terms and conditions and the farmer is only allowed to trade on favourable terms exclusively with Tesco's. So the farmer decides to continue to trade with Tesco's but exercises a clause to get out of the exclusivity deal with them. Now they can sign favourable deals with Waitrose, Aldi, Spar and yes hundreds of independents too.
I was not aware that Budgens, Waitrose, Aldi and Spar were in the habit of signing favourable deals with small producers. I was under the impression that they squeezed them for all they could get. But perhaps that does happen in Thompsonland.
We are not talking about a small producer though, we are talking about the world's fifth largest producer. So yes they do try and squeeze them for all the could get, but there are more options being able to trade freely and not be bound to only signing deals favourable with Tesco's alone.
With Thatcher's baleful visage staring at us centre stage, like a religious icon. The Tories have become the Brexit Cargo Cult. The last person to leave can snuff out Maggie's votive candle.
Indeed. The optics are are of a mad milennarian sect, competing to conjure up the most colourful form of mass suicide.
People used to call the Church of England “the Tory Party at prayer”.
Seems the Tory Party is now the “Jonestown Massacre at table”.
Yes but would you rather have them replaced by a slick marketing operation with no real policies other than PR fluff?
It is not just 2008 and 2012 that Boris led successful campaigns.
He also successfully led 2016 too.
You mean when he was effectively working for Mr. Putin.
And effectively working against Cameron, Labour [officially], the IMF, most trade unions, most business lobbies, Obama and more.
Yet Boris won, defeating Cameron, Obama etc - that surely is more evidence that he can win than in one constituency a swing of 6.5 vs a swing of 6.2
We get it. There is a strong market for unicorns and it is entirely likely that unicorn demand has not diminished over the past n years. They are still unicorns, however. And no more attainable now than they have been in the past.
But if we're choosing I will go for a sugar pink and lime green one please.
Independence and free trade aren't unicorns. Its what plenty of other countries already have, including one I lived in for a long time and people there seem quite happy with their lot.
As you are talking about free trade - what tariff policy should we implement (after all that is the basis of trade)..
If it was up to me then pretty much 0% across the board would be my ideal.
Realistically probably start off with the EU's baseline but then drop to 0% anything we don't produce ourselves [like olives etc]
But earlier you were telling us that freer trade is bound to lead to a balance of payments deficit given the UKs addiction to credit.
You are inconsistent. Or a troll.
Or you have me mistaken for someone else. I never said that.
You mean the Conservative Party constitution declares that the leader shall be the person identified on that web page?
If you say so, I bow to your superior knowledge, but I find it surprising.
No the law does.
Out of curiosity, can you quote the wording of that law?
IANAL but from the Electoral Commission website:
Registration requirements for political parties
When registering, parties need to provide us with some information about their party structure, including a financial scheme, their constitution and details of any branches of the party that manage their own finances (“accounting units”). They must also appoint people to the official roles of:
Party leader Treasurer Nominating officer
Registered parties must keep details of these roles up to date and inform us of any changes.
No update to the "official role" of "Party leader" has been done yet, despite the fact that the party "must keep details of these roles up to date and inform ... of any changes".
Thanks. Precisely as I thought, the law supposedly stipulating that the party leader was the person named on the Electoral Commission website turns out to be a requirement that the parties keep the EC up-to-date.
Could some people here make themselves any more absurd if they tried?
Yes and if the EC had been updated then they would have updated the register. They haven't been. May is still listed as official Leader.
Mr. Tweed, trying to remember, other than news, the last thing I watched on the BBC. Not sure.
I used to enjoy their F1 coverage before they stitched up the licence fee payer by getting Sky rather than a free-to-air rival involved, so I'm not swayed by their quivering lip and teary eyes over funding.
The BBC is something I would pay for but then again I don't pay for Sky but happily pay for Netflix even though I very rarely watch it - keeping my subscription going is however less hassle than continually cancelling and resubscribing when something I want to watch appears...
If Gove withdraws or gets sidelined because of his cocaine admission, would that not set an interesting precedent for other candidates?
Andrew Neil went through varying interview answers over the years regarding Boris's use / non-use of cocaine.
It would be a hysterically funny counterpoint to the 2016 leadership if it were a Gove withdrawal this time that ultimately holed Boris's campaign below the waterline.
If Gove withdraws or gets sidelined because of his cocaine admission, would that not set an interesting precedent for other candidates?
Gove's problem is the fact he doesn't see him taking cocaine being a problem but it is (thanks to him) a career destroying decision if you are a teacher.
That's a level of hypocrisy that really isn't acceptable...
.. which is a roundabout way of saying that, even though the Leadsom odds are too short, I wouldn't personally want to build up too much exposure to laying her, in case of, err, developments...
If Gove withdraws or gets sidelined because of his cocaine admission, would that not set an interesting precedent for other candidates?
Gove's problem is the fact he doesn't see him taking cocaine being a problem but it is (thanks to him) a career destroying decision if you are a teacher.
That's a level of hypocrisy that really isn't acceptable...
It's shared by half the candidates in some form though. Literally half or more have admitted to drug use (and some of them have probably taken more than they like to admit), but none have been pushing for softer sentencing for drug users even though many have been in Cabinet.
Mr. Tweed, trying to remember, other than news, the last thing I watched on the BBC. Not sure.
I used to enjoy their F1 coverage before they stitched up the licence fee payer by getting Sky rather than a free-to-air rival involved, so I'm not swayed by their quivering lip and teary eyes over funding.
Bizarre that you blame the BBC for Bernie Ecclestone’s greedy hikes in the cost of the F1 rights.
If Gove withdraws or gets sidelined because of his cocaine admission, would that not set an interesting precedent for other candidates?
Gove's problem is the fact he doesn't see him taking cocaine being a problem but it is (thanks to him) a career destroying decision if you are a teacher.
That's a level of hypocrisy that really isn't acceptable...
It's shared by half the candidates in some form though. Literally half or more have admitted to drug use (and some of them have probably taken more than they like to admit), but none have been pushing for softer sentencing for drug users even though many have been in Cabinet.
Takes a special level of hypocrisy to make it a career ender for a teacher, but not for an Education or Justice Secretary. That is pretty stellar.
Mr. Tweed, trying to remember, other than news, the last thing I watched on the BBC. Not sure.
I used to enjoy their F1 coverage before they stitched up the licence fee payer by getting Sky rather than a free-to-air rival involved, so I'm not swayed by their quivering lip and teary eyes over funding.
Bizarre that you blame the BBC for Bernie Ecclestone’s greedy hikes in the cost of the F1 rights.
The BBC walked away half way through a deal to save a bit of money - Granted Bernie got more money but that was only because the BBC gave him the opportunity to ask Sky for more...
Mr. Fire, if you read what I wrote, you'd see I blamed the BBC for approaching Sky (pay TV) rather than Channel 4 or ITV (free-to-air rivals to the BBC).
This paved the way for the sport to go fully behind a pay wall (excepting, I think, one race).
It was also at a time when the BBC had already paid for a further full season of live, free-to-air rights, and when they preferred spending £30m on the concept of The Voice than on F1.
Criticising them on those grounds is entirely legitimate.
If Gove withdraws or gets sidelined because of his cocaine admission, would that not set an interesting precedent for other candidates?
Gove's problem is the fact he doesn't see him taking cocaine being a problem but it is (thanks to him) a career destroying decision if you are a teacher.
That's a level of hypocrisy that really isn't acceptable...
It's shared by half the candidates in some form though. Literally half or more have admitted to drug use (and some of them have probably taken more than they like to admit), but none have been pushing for softer sentencing for drug users even though many have been in Cabinet.
Takes a special level of hypocrisy to make it a career ender for a teacher, but not for an Education or Justice Secretary. That is pretty stellar.
He wasn't Education or Justice Secretary at the time. *That* would have been hypocritical.
As an aside, is there any reason why other ex-journalist candidates are not getting these sort of questions - particularly ex-Bullingdon types (other than hiding in a box)? It feels a bit elephanty.
Mr. Fire, if you read what I wrote, you'd see I blamed the BBC for approaching Sky (pay TV) rather than Channel 4 or ITV (free-to-air rivals to the BBC).
This paved the way for the sport to go fully behind a pay wall (excepting, I think, one race).
It was also at a time when the BBC had already paid for a further full season of live, free-to-air rights, and when they preferred spending £30m on the concept of The Voice than on F1.
Criticising them on those grounds is entirely legitimate.
Given that we are talking about F1 I do wonder how happy Sky actually are with F1. I can't see this season being the ratings / subscription bonanza they hoped it would be. I saw the results of the first race and decided that the £195 for Now TV / £37 a month for Sky wasn't going to be worth it...
Unfortunately the soul of the Tory Party has been corrupted, just like the Labour Party. The extremists and nutjobs are in the ascendancy. Nothing good will come of it.
You've covered Esther McVey – but what about that fat bloke with the microphone?
Mr. Fire, if you read what I wrote, you'd see I blamed the BBC for approaching Sky (pay TV) rather than Channel 4 or ITV (free-to-air rivals to the BBC).
This paved the way for the sport to go fully behind a pay wall (excepting, I think, one race).
It was also at a time when the BBC had already paid for a further full season of live, free-to-air rights, and when they preferred spending £30m on the concept of The Voice than on F1.
Criticising them on those grounds is entirely legitimate.
Given that we are talking about F1 I do wonder how happy Sky actually are with F1. I can't see this season being the ratings / subscription bonanza they hoped it would be. I saw the results of the first race and decided that the £195 for Now TV / £37 a month for Sky wasn't going to be worth it...
There was an article by Brundle after Spain that suggested that Sky are not happy at all.
If Gove withdraws or gets sidelined because of his cocaine admission, would that not set an interesting precedent for other candidates?
Gove's problem is the fact he doesn't see him taking cocaine being a problem but it is (thanks to him) a career destroying decision if you are a teacher.
That's a level of hypocrisy that really isn't acceptable...
It's shared by half the candidates in some form though. Literally half or more have admitted to drug use (and some of them have probably taken more than they like to admit), but none have been pushing for softer sentencing for drug users even though many have been in Cabinet.
Takes a special level of hypocrisy to make it a career ender for a teacher, but not for an Education or Justice Secretary. That is pretty stellar.
He wasn't Education or Justice Secretary at the time. *That* would have been hypocritical.
As an aside, is there any reason why other ex-journalist candidates are not getting these sort of questions - particularly ex-Bullingdon types (other than hiding in a box)? It feels a bit elephanty.
Boris's price has started to drift a bit. Is it possible some are concluding from the Gove revelations that other candidates familiarly with the white stuff might go out of favour soon?
With Thatcher's baleful visage staring at us centre stage, like a religious icon. The Tories have become the Brexit Cargo Cult. The last person to leave can snuff out Maggie's votive candle.
Indeed. The optics are are of a mad milennarian sect, competing to conjure up the most colourful form of mass suicide.
People used to call the Church of England “the Tory Party at prayer”.
Seems the Tory Party is now the “Jonestown Massacre at table”.
Why are these people so aggressive? He didn't even have a point other than nobody in the room was a conservative except himself.
How many other loons like this have joined the Tories in recent years?
If Gove withdraws or gets sidelined because of his cocaine admission, would that not set an interesting precedent for other candidates?
Gove's problem is the fact he doesn't see him taking cocaine being a problem but it is (thanks to him) a career destroying decision if you are a teacher.
That's a level of hypocrisy that really isn't acceptable...
It's shared by half the candidates in some form though. Literally half or more have admitted to drug use (and some of them have probably taken more than they like to admit), but none have been pushing for softer sentencing for drug users even though many have been in Cabinet.
Takes a special level of hypocrisy to make it a career ender for a teacher, but not for an Education or Justice Secretary. That is pretty stellar.
He wasn't Education or Justice Secretary at the time. *That* would have been hypocritical.
As an aside, is there any reason why other ex-journalist candidates are not getting these sort of questions - particularly ex-Bullingdon types (other than hiding in a box)? It feels a bit elephanty.
Let's look at the facts:-
1) Gove took cocaine (and has admitted doing so multiple times. 2) Gove while in charge of education decided that taking cocaine or having taken if you are in education is a career ending crime. 3) Gove having admitted to point 1 by implementing point 2 believes there is 1 rule for him as the person in charge of Justice / Education and another for everyone underneath him.
As far as I'm concerned I actually don't care about items 1 and 2, I care about point 3.
That's absolutely the correct decision. It will of course be hugely unpopular.
Wow that is going to be controversial.
I thought they might extend it at least to pensioners in receipt of council tax benefit who just miss out on pension credit. And I presume those on pension credit aged below 75 still have to pay.
Probably going to lead to more scrutiny - poor pensioner has to give up watching telly as she can't afford her £160 licence fee while Graham Norton and Gary Lineker get a £200k pay rise!
Wait until they start dragging 90 year old grannies to court for not paying, then they’ll see how popular their decision is.
If Gove withdraws or gets sidelined because of his cocaine admission, would that not set an interesting precedent for other candidates?
Gove's problem is the fact he doesn't see him taking cocaine being a problem but it is (thanks to him) a career destroying decision if you are a teacher.
That's a level of hypocrisy that really isn't acceptable...
It's shared by half the candidates in some form though. Literally half or more have admitted to drug use (and some of them have probably taken more than they like to admit), but none have been pushing for softer sentencing for drug users even though many have been in Cabinet.
Takes a special level of hypocrisy to make it a career ender for a teacher, but not for an Education or Justice Secretary. That is pretty stellar.
He wasn't Education or Justice Secretary at the time. *That* would have been hypocritical.
As an aside, is there any reason why other ex-journalist candidates are not getting these sort of questions - particularly ex-Bullingdon types (other than hiding in a box)? It feels a bit elephanty.
If they're big and fluffy and bumbling and a jolly good laugh, everyone loves them so much that they wouldn't want to embarrass them.
Just got an email from the BBC saying they are going to charge over-75s for TV licences from June 2020 unless they receive pension credit.
This will hit me as I'm 76 and don't receive pension credit, but I agree with it 100%.
I think fairly wealthy pensioners have had a very good deal from governments looking for their votes, at the expense of poorer people who tend not to vote.
Next I'd like to see NI extended to pensioners. It won't affect those on low incomes but will help pay for social care.
Not all pensioners not getting pension credit are Wealthy and not all those entitled claim it as it involves a probing 45 minute means test on the phone with the DWP.
At the very least it should also apply to pensioners getting council tax benefit who just miss out on pension credit.
Why is it £160 or nothing?
My guess is that the more complex the system, the more complex and expensive it is to administer.
The poll tax was simple to adminster - the licence fee is a poll tax on watching tv as everyone pays the same and you have no choice. Doesn’t make it fair though.
If you are going to start means testing it then perhaps you need a more sophisticated system.
Fund TV from general taxation. Several countries seem to do so. That saves 10-20% on admin costs. This saving could be given to C4 to enable them to run some ad.-free programmes, e.g. documentaries.
Increasingly, with the rise of video on demand/VOD and the internet, it's uncollectable. Is Sky News live on Youtube TV, or is it video on demand? What about overseas TV news that's viewed live on Y.tube? I haven't a clue and probably nor have the young people who use VOD.
If Gove withdraws or gets sidelined because of his cocaine admission, would that not set an interesting precedent for other candidates?
Gove's problem is the fact he doesn't see him taking cocaine being a problem but it is (thanks to him) a career destroying decision if you are a teacher.
That's a level of hypocrisy that really isn't acceptable...
It's shared by half the candidates in some form though. Literally half or more have admitted to drug use (and some of them have probably taken more than they like to admit), but none have been pushing for softer sentencing for drug users even though many have been in Cabinet.
Takes a special level of hypocrisy to make it a career ender for a teacher, but not for an Education or Justice Secretary. That is pretty stellar.
He wasn't Education or Justice Secretary at the time. *That* would have been hypocritical.
As an aside, is there any reason why other ex-journalist candidates are not getting these sort of questions - particularly ex-Bullingdon types (other than hiding in a box)? It feels a bit elephanty.
Let's look at the facts:-
1) Gove took cocaine (and has admitted doing so multiple times. 2) Gove while in charge of education decided that taking cocaine or having taken if you are in education is a career ending crime. 3) Gove having admitted to point 1 by implementing point 2 believes there is 1 rule for him as the person in charge of Justice / Education and another for everyone underneath him.
As far as I'm concerned I actually don't care about items 1 and 2, I care about point 3.
And also what about drug education workers? Some of them are ex-users who can guide the young away from the mess they made of their own lives.
If Gove withdraws or gets sidelined because of his cocaine admission, would that not set an interesting precedent for other candidates?
Gove's problem is the fact he doesn't see him taking cocaine being a problem but it is (thanks to him) a career destroying decision if you are a teacher.
That's a level of hypocrisy that really isn't acceptable...
It's shared by half the candidates in some form though. Literally half or more have admitted to drug use (and some of them have probably taken more than they like to admit), but none have been pushing for softer sentencing for drug users even though many have been in Cabinet.
Takes a special level of hypocrisy to make it a career ender for a teacher, but not for an Education or Justice Secretary. That is pretty stellar.
He wasn't Education or Justice Secretary at the time. *That* would have been hypocritical.
As an aside, is there any reason why other ex-journalist candidates are not getting these sort of questions - particularly ex-Bullingdon types (other than hiding in a box)? It feels a bit elephanty.
Let's look at the facts:-
1) Gove took cocaine (and has admitted doing so multiple times. 2) Gove while in charge of education decided that taking cocaine or having taken if you are in education is a career ending crime. 3) Gove having admitted to point 1 by implementing point 2 believes there is 1 rule for him as the person in charge of Justice / Education and another for everyone underneath him.
As far as I'm concerned I actually don't care about items 1 and 2, I care about point 3.
2) Is not right. If a teacher said they had taken cocaine twenty years ago before they were a teacher then that would not be career ending.
Mr. Fire, if you read what I wrote, you'd see I blamed the BBC for approaching Sky (pay TV) rather than Channel 4 or ITV (free-to-air rivals to the BBC).
This paved the way for the sport to go fully behind a pay wall (excepting, I think, one race).
It was also at a time when the BBC had already paid for a further full season of live, free-to-air rights, and when they preferred spending £30m on the concept of The Voice than on F1.
Criticising them on those grounds is entirely legitimate.
Given that we are talking about F1 I do wonder how happy Sky actually are with F1. I can't see this season being the ratings / subscription bonanza they hoped it would be. I saw the results of the first race and decided that the £195 for Now TV / £37 a month for Sky wasn't going to be worth it...
F1 is of limited appeal, compared to other sports, as it's only really of interest to car nerds. The racing element is secondary to the technology. It is akin to football matches focusing on the boots and ball design and cricket devoting lots of airtime to the analysis of the global willow market.
If Gove withdraws or gets sidelined because of his cocaine admission, would that not set an interesting precedent for other candidates?
Gove's problem is the fact he doesn't see him taking cocaine being a problem but it is (thanks to him) a career destroying decision if you are a teacher.
That's a level of hypocrisy that really isn't acceptable...
It's shared by half the candidates in some form though. Literally half or more have admitted to drug use (and some of them have probably taken more than they like to admit), but none have been pushing for softer sentencing for drug users even though many have been in Cabinet.
Takes a special level of hypocrisy to make it a career ender for a teacher, but not for an Education or Justice Secretary. That is pretty stellar.
He wasn't Education or Justice Secretary at the time. *That* would have been hypocritical.
As an aside, is there any reason why other ex-journalist candidates are not getting these sort of questions - particularly ex-Bullingdon types (other than hiding in a box)? It feels a bit elephanty.
Let's look at the facts:-
1) Gove took cocaine (and has admitted doing so multiple times. 2) Gove while in charge of education decided that taking cocaine or having taken if you are in education is a career ending crime. 3) Gove having admitted to point 1 by implementing point 2 believes there is 1 rule for him as the person in charge of Justice / Education and another for everyone underneath him.
As far as I'm concerned I actually don't care about items 1 and 2, I care about point 3.
And also what about drug education workers? Some of them are ex-users who can guide the young away from the mess they made of their own lives.
Drug education workers are usually either council, police or NHS (depending where you are in the country). I know that as I used to write the software used to manage drug rehabilitation and pass the information back to the home office.
Mr. Fire, if you read what I wrote, you'd see I blamed the BBC for approaching Sky (pay TV) rather than Channel 4 or ITV (free-to-air rivals to the BBC).
This paved the way for the sport to go fully behind a pay wall (excepting, I think, one race).
It was also at a time when the BBC had already paid for a further full season of live, free-to-air rights, and when they preferred spending £30m on the concept of The Voice than on F1.
Criticising them on those grounds is entirely legitimate.
Perhaps, but there are more popular sports that the BBC long since all-but abandoned – chiefly cricket and football. I wish it were otherwise but I fear that one is swimming against the tide by wishing that professional sport would return to free-to-air TV. And Sky Sports isn't bad value for the sheer amount of quality sport you get.
With Thatcher's baleful visage staring at us centre stage, like a religious icon. The Tories have become the Brexit Cargo Cult. The last person to leave can snuff out Maggie's votive candle.
Indeed. The optics are are of a mad milennarian sect, competing to conjure up the most colourful form of mass suicide.
People used to call the Church of England “the Tory Party at prayer”.
Seems the Tory Party is now the “Jonestown Massacre at table”.
Why are these people so aggressive? He didn't even have a point other than nobody in the room was a conservative except himself.
How many other loons like this have joined the Tories in recent years?
A great many. As I said earlier, sadly they are in the ascendancy
Unfortunately the soul of the Tory Party has been corrupted, just like the Labour Party. The extremists and nutjobs are in the ascendancy. Nothing good will come of it.
You've covered Esther McVey – but what about that fat bloke with the microphone?
Well done Esther McVey (not a phrase I thought I would see myself write). No matter the circumstances it must be unnerving to have a fat twat clamber on stage shouting the odds.
54% of the population believe having taken drugs is a disbarment to being PM. Should imagine that is substantially higher amongst Tory members. Therefore, if it gets to the members, maybe we should be looking at the one with the cleanest hands, or nose, on this issue? What would be the reaction if it is a choice of 2 ex-drug users? I imagine a section could be outraged.
Just got an email from the BBC saying they are going to charge over-75s for TV licences from June 2020 unless they receive pension credit.
This will hit me as I'm 76 and don't receive pension credit, but I agree with it 100%.
I think fairly wealthy pensioners have had a very good deal from governments looking for their votes, at the expense of poorer people who tend not to vote.
Next I'd like to see NI extended to pensioners. It won't affect those on low incomes but will help pay for social care.
Not all pensioners not getting pension credit are Wealthy and not all those entitled claim it as it involves a probing 45 minute means test on the phone with the DWP.
At the very least it should also apply to pensioners getting council tax benefit who just miss out on pension credit.
Why is it £160 or nothing?
My guess is that the more complex the system, the more complex and expensive it is to administer.
The poll tax was simple to adminster - the licence fee is a poll tax on watching tv as everyone pays the same and you have no choice. Doesn’t make it fair though.
If you are going to start means testing it then perhaps you need a more sophisticated system.
Fund TV from general taxation. Several countries seem to do so. That saves 10-20% on admin costs. It could be given to C4 to enable them to run some ad.-free programmes, e.g. documentaries.
Increasingly, with the rise of video on demand/VOD and the internet, it's uncollectable. Is Sky News live on Youtube TV, or is it video on demand? What about overseas TV news that's viewed live on Y.tube? I haven't a clue and probably nor have the young people who use VOD.
It is an offence to watch or record television programmes as they are being shown on any channel and on any broadcast platform (terrestrial, satellite, cable and the internet) or download or watch BBC programmes on demand, including catch up TV, on BBC iPlayer without a valid TV Licence. https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/about/foi-legal-framework-AB16
You say it's uncollectable, but are you sure information about your viewing habits isn't being stored by your ISP?
Unfortunately the soul of the Tory Party has been corrupted, just like the Labour Party. The extremists and nutjobs are in the ascendancy. Nothing good will come of it.
You've covered Esther McVey – but what about that fat bloke with the microphone?
If you are referring to Eric Pickles, he never needed a microphone!
Just got an email from the BBC saying they are going to charge over-75s for TV licences from June 2020 unless they receive pension credit.
This will hit me as I'm 76 and don't receive pension credit, but I agree with it 100%.
I think fairly wealthy pensioners have had a very good deal from governments looking for their votes, at the expense of poorer people who tend not to vote.
Next I'd like to see NI extended to pensioners. It won't affect those on low incomes but will help pay for social care.
Unlikely to be good for the Tories among older voters. Will Labour promise to reverse this?
I believe Farage wants free tv licences for all - by abolishing the licence entirely!
Why in 2019 should anyone be forced to pay for the BBC when they can watch ITV and loads of other channels on free view funded by adverts.
Why not let people or at least over 75s choose in a free market - BBC if you want it for £160 a year and zero if you don’t. Love island, Corrie and Britain’s got Talent will still be free for everyone!
Agreed.
The government should not be in the providing TV service business, especially in a world where an increasing number of people have simply given up on broadcast TV.
If there is "market failure", i.e. certain types of programming are not being made for financial reasons (such as Welsh language, or educational, or arts) then surely it would be better for the government to simply commission their production directly.
I know teams, especially the midfield, are unhappy. Sponsorship dries up when audiences decline due to pay walls, and sponsor money goes to teams. But revenue from pay TV deals goes to the bigwigs who then distribute the largesse, which is better if you're a big team.
Mr. Anazina, F1 is only beaten in viewer numbers (or was a couple of years ago) by the Olympics and the football World Cup. The idea it's a minority sport is plain wrong.
I think the 2011 Canadian Grand Prix had about 8m viewers at one point.
Just got an email from the BBC saying they are going to charge over-75s for TV licences from June 2020 unless they receive pension credit.
This will hit me as I'm 76 and don't receive pension credit, but I agree with it 100%.
I think fairly wealthy pensioners have had a very good deal from governments looking for their votes, at the expense of poorer people who tend not to vote.
Next I'd like to see NI extended to pensioners. It won't affect those on low incomes but will help pay for social care.
Unlikely to be good for the Tories among older voters. Will Labour promise to reverse this?
I believe Farage wants free tv licences for all - by abolishing the licence entirely!
Why in 2019 should anyone be forced to pay for the BBC when they can watch ITV and loads of other channels on free view funded by adverts.
Why not let people or at least over 75s choose in a free market - BBC if you want it for £160 a year and zero if you don’t. Love island, Corrie and Britain’s got Talent will still be free for everyone!
Agreed.
The government should not be in the providing TV service business, especially in a world where an increasing number of people have simply given up on broadcast TV.
If there is "market failure", i.e. certain types of programming are not being made for financial reasons (such as Welsh language, or educational, or arts) then surely it would be better for the government to simply commission their production directly.
With Thatcher's baleful visage staring at us centre stage, like a religious icon. The Tories have become the Brexit Cargo Cult. The last person to leave can snuff out Maggie's votive candle.
Indeed. The optics are are of a mad milennarian sect, competing to conjure up the most colourful form of mass suicide.
People used to call the Church of England “the Tory Party at prayer”.
Seems the Tory Party is now the “Jonestown Massacre at table”.
Why are these people so aggressive? He didn't even have a point other than nobody in the room was a conservative except himself.
How many other loons like this have joined the Tories in recent years?
A great many. As I said earlier, sadly they are in the ascendancy
I presume they have all joined simply because of Brexit. No interest in a single other policy issue?
54% of the population believe having taken drugs is a disbarment to being PM. Should imagine that is substantially higher amongst Tory members. Therefore, if it gets to the members, maybe we should be looking at the one with the cleanest hands, or nose, on this issue? What would be the reaction if it is a choice of 2 ex-drug users? I imagine a section could be outraged.
Morals are flexible. In America, the Christian right voted for Trump despite his record of adultery and lying, two things that are literally in the Ten Commandments.
If Gove withdraws or gets sidelined because of his cocaine admission, would that not set an interesting precedent for other candidates?
Gove's problem is the fact he doesn't see him taking cocaine being a problem but it is (thanks to him) a career destroying decision if you are a teacher.
That's a level of hypocrisy that really isn't acceptable...
It's shared by half the candidates in some form though. Literally half or more have admitted to drug use (and some of them have probably taken more than they like to admit), but none have been pushing for softer sentencing for drug users even though many have been in Cabinet.
It would be welcome if this fiasco led to a grown-up debate about drugs policy in this country, but it won't.
Cocaine and cannabis use is tolerated so widely in large cities, it is effectively decriminalised.
One of the most damaging drugs of all – alcohol – is legal and indeed culturally encouraged (and I write this as a big beer and wine fan).
Yet we continue to be childish about all of this and fail to grasp the nettle of an adult debate on how we administer recreational drugs.
Just got an email from the BBC saying they are going to charge over-75s for TV licences from June 2020 unless they receive pension credit.
This will hit me as I'm 76 and don't receive pension credit, but I agree with it 100%.
I think fairly wealthy pensioners have had a very good deal from governments looking for their votes, at the expense of poorer people who tend not to vote.
Next I'd like to see NI extended to pensioners. It won't affect those on low incomes but will help pay for social care.
Unlikely to be good for the Tories among older voters. Will Labour promise to reverse this?
I believe Farage wants free tv licences for all - by abolishing the licence entirely!
Why in 2019 should anyone be forced to pay for the BBC when they can watch ITV and loads of other channels on free view funded by adverts.
Why not let people or at least over 75s choose in a free market - BBC if you want it for £160 a year and zero if you don’t. Love island, Corrie and Britain’s got Talent will still be free for everyone!
Agreed.
The government should not be in the providing TV service business, especially in a world where an increasing number of people have simply given up on broadcast TV.
If there is "market failure", i.e. certain types of programming are not being made for financial reasons (such as Welsh language, or educational, or arts) then surely it would be better for the government to simply commission their production directly.
What irritates me most is when the Beeb interviews someone from Russia Today about how, being a state owned broadcaster, they are necessarily a tool of the state.
If Gove withdraws or gets sidelined because of his cocaine admission, would that not set an interesting precedent for other candidates?
Gove's problem is the fact he doesn't see him taking cocaine being a problem but it is (thanks to him) a career destroying decision if you are a teacher.
That's a level of hypocrisy that really isn't acceptable...
It's shared by half the candidates in some form though. Literally half or more have admitted to drug use (and some of them have probably taken more than they like to admit), but none have been pushing for softer sentencing for drug users even though many have been in Cabinet.
Takes a special level of hypocrisy to make it a career ender for a teacher, but not for an Education or Justice Secretary. That is pretty stellar.
He wasn't Education or Justice Secretary at the time. *That* would have been hypocritical.
As an aside, is there any reason why other ex-journalist candidates are not getting these sort of questions - particularly ex-Bullingdon types (other than hiding in a box)? It feels a bit elephanty.
Let's look at the facts:-
1) Gove took cocaine (and has admitted doing so multiple times. 2) Gove while in charge of education decided that taking cocaine or having taken if you are in education is a career ending crime. 3) Gove having admitted to point 1 by implementing point 2 believes there is 1 rule for him as the person in charge of Justice / Education and another for everyone underneath him.
As far as I'm concerned I actually don't care about items 1 and 2, I care about point 3.
And also what about drug education workers? Some of them are ex-users who can guide the young away from the mess they made of their own lives.
I would go further. I would say having used really ought to be in the highly desired category for that line of work.
At this rate they will be pleading with TM to stay in Office
Don't worry, she's not going anywhere if Boris or Raab wins.
she wont be hanging around, not a chance, they would vonc her immediately if she attempted it
It wouldn't be her "attempting it", but doing it out of duty because there'd be no other alternative. Unless the Tories wanted to vote for an immediate election she could soldier on as PM.
This is very naïve. Boris Johnson being a bad boy is priced into the market. No one would believe him if he denied taking cocaine. He'd get more derision for that. And no one who likes him cares very much. He could probably snort a line of cocaine at his campaign launch and get away with it.
Michael Gove taking cocaine is eye-popping, akin to that moment when Edwina Currie revealed her benighted game of consequences with John Major, something that completely changes your perception of the individual. Michael Gove's USP is as the school swot. To find out that he's on PEDs is a Lance Armstrong moment.
With Thatcher's baleful visage staring at us centre stage, like a religious icon. The Tories have become the Brexit Cargo Cult. The last person to leave can snuff out Maggie's votive candle.
Indeed. The optics are are of a mad milennarian sect, competing to conjure up the most colourful form of mass suicide.
People used to call the Church of England “the Tory Party at prayer”.
Seems the Tory Party is now the “Jonestown Massacre at table”.
Why are these people so aggressive? He didn't even have a point other than nobody in the room was a conservative except himself.
How many other loons like this have joined the Tories in recent years?
A great many. As I said earlier, sadly they are in the ascendancy
I presume they have all joined simply because of Brexit. No interest in a single other policy issue?
Those that I regarded as swivel-eyed entryists started well before Brexit as a phrase was coined, but they were always obsessed with Europe, much to the chagrin of people like myself who thought te EU needed reform, but there were many more important things to deal with. It is difficult to know where people like myself vote now. the Conservative Party is no more. Oh, and the twat in that video is not, in my opinion, a conservative, even though it is/was a broad church.
This is very naïve. Boris Johnson being a bad boy is priced into the market. No one would believe him if he denied taking cocaine. He'd get more derision for that. And no one who likes him cares very much. He could probably snort a line of cocaine at his campaign launch and get away with it.
Michael Gove taking cocaine is eye-popping, akin to that moment when Edwina Currie revealed her benighted game of consequences with John Major, something that completely changes your perception of the individual. Michael Gove's USP is as the school swot. To find out that he's on PEDs is a Lance Armstrong moment.
Well yes, the double standards are easily explicable. But I was responding to Mr Nabavi's point - could this be an elaborate second knifing of Johnson by Gove?
Were all the Bruges group present at Mcvey's launch ? She might do surprisingly well on the upside in the first vote. I have no idea who is in the Bruges group (Is it ERG concentrate ?)
Just got an email from the BBC saying they are going to charge over-75s for TV licences from June 2020 unless they receive pension credit.
This will hit me as I'm 76 and don't receive pension credit, but I agree with it 100%.
I think fairly wealthy pensioners have had a very good deal from governments looking for their votes, at the expense of poorer people who tend not to vote.
Next I'd like to see NI extended to pensioners. It won't affect those on low incomes but will help pay for social care.
Unlikely to be good for the Tories among older voters. Will Labour promise to reverse this?
I believe Farage wants free tv licences for all - by abolishing the licence entirely!
Why in 2019 should anyone be forced to pay for the BBC when they can watch ITV and loads of other channels on free view funded by adverts.
Why not let people or at least over 75s choose in a free market - BBC if you want it for £160 a year and zero if you don’t. Love island, Corrie and Britain’s got Talent will still be free for everyone!
Agreed.
The government should not be in the providing TV service business, especially in a world where an increasing number of people have simply given up on broadcast TV.
If there is "market failure", i.e. certain types of programming are not being made for financial reasons (such as Welsh language, or educational, or arts) then surely it would be better for the government to simply commission their production directly.
Are you suggesting they set up some kind of Company (or Corporation) to produce these shows?
Unfortunately the soul of the Tory Party has been corrupted, just like the Labour Party. The extremists and nutjobs are in the ascendancy. Nothing good will come of it.
You've covered Esther McVey – but what about that fat bloke with the microphone?
Well done Esther McVey (not a phrase I thought I would see myself write). No matter the circumstances it must be unnerving to have a fat twat clamber on stage shouting the odds.
I know teams, especially the midfield, are unhappy. Sponsorship dries up when audiences decline due to pay walls, and sponsor money goes to teams. But revenue from pay TV deals goes to the bigwigs who then distribute the largesse, which is better if you're a big team.
Mr. Anazina, F1 is only beaten in viewer numbers (or was a couple of years ago) by the Olympics and the football World Cup. The idea it's a minority sport is plain wrong.
I think the 2011 Canadian Grand Prix had about 8m viewers at one point.
What about the European Championship (football) the Six Nations (rugby)? Football Premier League? I dare say all command much higher figures than the average F1 race.
Were all the Bruges group present at Mcvey's launch ? She might do surprisingly well on the upside in the first vote. I have no idea who is in the Bruges group (Is it ERG concentrate ?)
It was a forerunner to the ERG. It was named after a speech made by Mrs T in which she said "We have not successfully rolled back the frontiers of the state in Britain, only to see them re-imposed at a European level". What the morons that make up the ERG don't realise is that she never advocated leaving the EU. The single market was her legacy. Theyhave trashed it.
This is very naïve. Boris Johnson being a bad boy is priced into the market. No one would believe him if he denied taking cocaine. He'd get more derision for that. And no one who likes him cares very much. He could probably snort a line of cocaine at his campaign launch and get away with it.
Michael Gove taking cocaine is eye-popping, akin to that moment when Edwina Currie revealed her benighted game of consequences with John Major, something that completely changes your perception of the individual. Michael Gove's USP is as the school swot. To find out that he's on PEDs is a Lance Armstrong moment.
Well yes, the double standards are easily explicable. But I was responding to Mr Nabavi's point - could this be an elaborate second knifing of Johnson by Gove?
I do hope so. It is the one thing that Gove seems rather good at.
This is very naïve. Boris Johnson being a bad boy is priced into the market. No one would believe him if he denied taking cocaine. He'd get more derision for that. And no one who likes him cares very much. He could probably snort a line of cocaine at his campaign launch and get away with it.
Michael Gove taking cocaine is eye-popping, akin to that moment when Edwina Currie revealed her benighted game of consequences with John Major, something that completely changes your perception of the individual. Michael Gove's USP is as the school swot. To find out that he's on PEDs is a Lance Armstrong moment.
And in much the same way as he's "Boris" to everyone, there's no question of him being described as a serial adulterer or a drug addict - he's a "bad boy".
Comments
I certainly could see a situation where a front runner emerges and their support snowballs as people race to 'back a winner' - that could leave a couple of people scrabbling for a lowish threshold (a few dozen?) to join the winner.
The only thing missing were the gospel choir and doves of peace .
"Had the BBC copied the Government's scheme, the extra costs on top of around £500m, would have meant unprecedented closures. In practice, we expect this would mean the closures of BBC Two, BBC Four, the BBC News Channel, the BBC Scotland channel, Radio 5live, and a number of local radio stations, as well as other cuts and reductions."
I think that paints a reasonable picture of rock v hard place (though I doubt the BBC's enemies elsewhere in the media will miss a trick in slagging it off!)
Where are they getting that from, because Jezza and his team want out.
If Gove drops out, the majority of his supporters are Remainers and unlikely to transfer to Raab or Boris. It'd depend on when he got knocked out but I'd expect Hunt, Javid or Hancock to be the main beneficiaries.
People used to call the Church of England “the Tory Party at prayer”.
Seems the Tory Party is now the “Jonestown Massacre at table”.
I used to enjoy their F1 coverage before they stitched up the licence fee payer by getting Sky rather than a free-to-air rival involved, so I'm not swayed by their quivering lip and teary eyes over funding.
(Checks Peterborough results. Oh. You do.)
It would be a hysterically funny counterpoint to the 2016 leadership if it were a Gove withdrawal this time that ultimately holed Boris's campaign below the waterline.
That's a level of hypocrisy that really isn't acceptable...
That is pretty stellar.
Running through wheat fields is so so innocent
This paved the way for the sport to go fully behind a pay wall (excepting, I think, one race).
It was also at a time when the BBC had already paid for a further full season of live, free-to-air rights, and when they preferred spending £30m on the concept of The Voice than on F1.
Criticising them on those grounds is entirely legitimate.
As an aside, is there any reason why other ex-journalist candidates are not getting these sort of questions - particularly ex-Bullingdon types (other than hiding in a box)? It feels a bit elephanty.
https://tinyurl.com/yyy4a9a6
How many other loons like this have joined the Tories in recent years?
1) Gove took cocaine (and has admitted doing so multiple times.
2) Gove while in charge of education decided that taking cocaine or having taken if you are in education is a career ending crime.
3) Gove having admitted to point 1 by implementing point 2 believes there is 1 rule for him as the person in charge of Justice / Education and another for everyone underneath him.
As far as I'm concerned I actually don't care about items 1 and 2, I care about point 3.
Increasingly, with the rise of video on demand/VOD and the internet, it's uncollectable. Is Sky News live on Youtube TV, or is it video on demand? What about overseas TV news that's viewed live on Y.tube? I haven't a clue and probably nor have the young people who use VOD.
Perhaps, but there are more popular sports that the BBC long since all-but abandoned – chiefly cricket and football. I wish it were otherwise but I fear that one is swimming against the tide by wishing that professional sport would return to free-to-air TV. And Sky Sports isn't bad value for the sheer amount of quality sport you get.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-politics-48579887
What would be the reaction if it is a choice of 2 ex-drug users? I imagine a section could be outraged.
Afriyie, Amess, Barclay, Benyon, Blackman,
Bottomley, Brady, Buckland, Burghart, Cash,
Chope, Clark (G), Clifton-Brown, Coffey, Cox,
Davies (C), Davies (G), Donelan, Drax, IDS,
Ellwood, Elphicke, Frazer, Fysh, Gillan,
Gray, Greening, Griffiths, Hair, Harrington,
Harris, Heaton-Jones, Henderson, Holingbery,
Hollobone, Holloway, Huddleston, Hurd, Jack,
Jayawardena, Jenkin, Jones (M), Keegan, Knight,
Laing, Lancaster, Lefroy, Lewis (B), Liddell-Grainger,
Lidington, Lopez, Mackinlay, Malthouse, May,
Maynard, McPartland, Metcalfe, Mills, Mitchell,
Moore, Morton, Mundell, Newton, Norman,
O'Brien, Pawsey, Percy, Pincher, Poulter,
Pow, Quin, Redwood, Ross, Rowley, Rutley,
Scully, Simpson, Smith (H), Smith (J), Smith (R),
Spencer, Stewart (B), Stewart (I), Sturdy, Tolhurst,
Tomlinson, Vickers, Walker, Warman, Whittaker,
Wiggin
https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/about/foi-legal-framework-AB16
You say it's uncollectable, but are you sure information about your viewing habits isn't being stored by your ISP?
The government should not be in the providing TV service business, especially in a world where an increasing number of people have simply given up on broadcast TV.
If there is "market failure", i.e. certain types of programming are not being made for financial reasons (such as Welsh language, or educational, or arts) then surely it would be better for the government to simply commission their production directly.
He was 55/1 the day Ruthie endorsed him.
Maybe she has a little sparkle left?
I know teams, especially the midfield, are unhappy. Sponsorship dries up when audiences decline due to pay walls, and sponsor money goes to teams. But revenue from pay TV deals goes to the bigwigs who then distribute the largesse, which is better if you're a big team.
Mr. Anazina, F1 is only beaten in viewer numbers (or was a couple of years ago) by the Olympics and the football World Cup. The idea it's a minority sport is plain wrong.
I think the 2011 Canadian Grand Prix had about 8m viewers at one point.
Cocaine and cannabis use is tolerated so widely in large cities, it is effectively decriminalised.
One of the most damaging drugs of all – alcohol – is legal and indeed culturally encouraged (and I write this as a big beer and wine fan).
Yet we continue to be childish about all of this and fail to grasp the nettle of an adult debate on how we administer recreational drugs.
I find it all rather pathetic.
Gove 4/1
Rees-Mogg 5/1
Leadsom 6/1
Truss 8/1
Rudd 8/1
Hunt 10/1
Javid 10/1
Hancock 12/1
McDonnell 16/1
Gauke 20/1
Clark 25/1
Michael Gove taking cocaine is eye-popping, akin to that moment when Edwina Currie revealed her benighted game of consequences with John Major, something that completely changes your perception of the individual. Michael Gove's USP is as the school swot. To find out that he's on PEDs is a Lance Armstrong moment.
She might do surprisingly well on the upside in the first vote.
I have no idea who is in the Bruges group (Is it ERG concentrate ?)
Way too polite.