Slightly odd letter from Boris this morning. He said:
"This I must say was in stark contrast to the Labour Party and Keir Starmer who took every opportunity to attack the heroic work of our Vaccine Taskforce.
Arguing that the UK should have joined the EU scheme – a policy which would have seen millions fewer of our most vulnerable protected as of today."
Obviously it is shocking that SKS didn't order a single dose of vaccine but I must have missed the last bit. Did he really say that? I don't think so.
Instead of posting every thing you can find that in your mind trashes the UK, why cannot you just be honest and openly accept the EU vaccination scheme is a disaster and will result in thousands of avoidable lost lives.
Then your other posts could be seen as more balanced as you are able to criticise the EU when they get things wrong, otherwise it is more than reasonable to conclude that you are simply an anti brexit obsessive with no balance and your postings are just tedious
This is rich coming from a pro tory pro brexit anti labour obsessive like yourself. There is nothing wrong with questioning issues affecting our country when they are becoming apparent to most people. There is no point in commenting on the EU as because you keep on saying, Brexit has happened and we can do nothing about it. We can though do something about our bunch of liars and hypocrits running our country.
Posting anti UK vaccination articles while not criticising the EU who are failing in a big way is all part of the attitude the EU can do no wrong
And of course the EU's failure is important as many on here and elsewhere condemned Boris for not joining it, when it was absolutely the correct decision as was his decision on the vaccine investments here in the UK
I am content if you just agree the EU has failed in its responsibility on the vaccine programme
I agree that the EU has totally cocked up their response to the vaccinations, but don't assume the UK response hasn't had it's issues. It is easy for 1 country to cut and run. Sadly we live in a selfish world.
Nothing to do with being selfish - the EU has mismanaged purchasing at least partly through haggling on price and mismanaged the authorising process for Pfizer and has still not authorised Astra Zeneca. It's a total shambles and here in Spain all the headlines are about politicians and army generals jumping the gun while 10k of doses were thrown away because the syringes were the wrong size!
"The title is "SENEDD SHAKE-UP: WHAT HAPPENS IF WELSH LABOUR LOSE THEIR MAJORITY?".
Actually, Labour don't have a majority at the moment. It is short by two. The Welsh Government includes the solitary Lib Dem (Kirsty Williams) and a renegade from Plaid Cymru (Dafydd Ellis Thomas).
Some Labour losses in Wales in 2021 look to me inevitable.
1n 2016, Labour were led by Carwyn Jones, who was certainly a formidable campaigner. Labour are now led by Mark Drakeford, who is not. That alone will mean some seat losses for Labour.
As David Herdson points out "if Wales were an independent state then its Covid deaths per million population would be second-worst in the world among countries of 1m+, behind only Belgium". Drakeford was given the credit earlier for what was then a better performance, and I expect him to get some of the blame if the COVID performance/vaccine rollout remains bad.
David quotes Awan-Scully's prediction
Lab 26, Con 16, Plaid 15, AtWA 2, LD 1
whereas in 2016, it was
Lab 29, Con 11, Plaid 12, UKIP 7, LD 1.
I think Labour will have done very well if they limit seat losses to just 3 seats.
Overall, the voting system that Tony Blair imposed on Wales is the worst gerrymander in the UK. Labour deserve to lose power in Wales. It helps parties to lose power, as they renew themselves in opposition. It is part of political evolution.
But, this can't happen in Wales. This is of course very bad for Wales, but it is also bad for Labour as well ... because when the change finally happens, it will be like Scotland 2015.
Very good post, but I can't help objecting to "Labour deserve to lose power in Wales." If that's just your personal judgement, fine, I can't argue. But they are still the most popular party in Wales. Whatever their supposed failings, nobody has (yet) overtaken them.
No, he’s right. They do deserve to lose power in Wales. The reason they are still popular is because they have built up a substantial client vote over the last century that will vote for them regardless.
What seems to me to be changing is that recently it looks like they’ve given up even pretending to care about anyone else.
I'm not really sure what you mean by "client vote".
People who are appointed to their jobs because of their links to the Labour Party, either as a whole or senior individuals within it.
As was always the way in Labour Wales. The well documented work of Graham Jenkins in Port Talbot made him one of the finest proponents.
One of my family frustrations (and we were all staunch Labour back in the day) was a woman ( now long deceased) a Labour Councillor in Carmarthenshire who allegedly took two pedestrians out on zebra crossings on two separate occassions but avoided both the wrath of Dyfed Powys Police and the magistrates.
However, these demonstrations of corruption by such scoundrels, are those of rank amateurs when compared to the current incumbents in Westminster.
I don’t see them as ‘knights in shining armour.’ Anything but, as you may have noticed from my posts. What I do say is that at this moment they are the ones with the best chance of removing Labour from office.
As with the SNP, they may run a dreadful government when they get there, spending all their time throwing red meat to their noisier supporters to hide their abject performance, but if Wales is to advance at all it needs a functioning democratic system. At the moment, it is in effect a one party state and it’s no coincidence that it’s run on graft, corruption and incompetence as a result. So getting Labour out is the key to making a start.
It’s just nearly impossible to do.
That is so close to my own POV, I might have mistaken it for one of my posts
Given general English incomprehension of welsh names and terms plenty of the rest of us might well do that every time between ydoethur and ybarddcwsc.
"The title is "SENEDD SHAKE-UP: WHAT HAPPENS IF WELSH LABOUR LOSE THEIR MAJORITY?".
Actually, Labour don't have a majority at the moment. It is short by two. The Welsh Government includes the solitary Lib Dem (Kirsty Williams) and a renegade from Plaid Cymru (Dafydd Ellis Thomas).
Some Labour losses in Wales in 2021 look to me inevitable.
1n 2016, Labour were led by Carwyn Jones, who was certainly a formidable campaigner. Labour are now led by Mark Drakeford, who is not. That alone will mean some seat losses for Labour.
As David Herdson points out "if Wales were an independent state then its Covid deaths per million population would be second-worst in the world among countries of 1m+, behind only Belgium". Drakeford was given the credit earlier for what was then a better performance, and I expect him to get some of the blame if the COVID performance/vaccine rollout remains bad.
David quotes Awan-Scully's prediction
Lab 26, Con 16, Plaid 15, AtWA 2, LD 1
whereas in 2016, it was
Lab 29, Con 11, Plaid 12, UKIP 7, LD 1.
I think Labour will have done very well if they limit seat losses to just 3 seats.
Overall, the voting system that Tony Blair imposed on Wales is the worst gerrymander in the UK. Labour deserve to lose power in Wales. It helps parties to lose power, as they renew themselves in opposition. It is part of political evolution.
But, this can't happen in Wales. This is of course very bad for Wales, but it is also bad for Labour as well ... because when the change finally happens, it will be like Scotland 2015.
A great post, highlighting our dilemma in Wales. I am surprised both yourself and Ydoethur see the Welsh Tories as our knights in shining armour, they look lacklustre to me.
"The title is "SENEDD SHAKE-UP: WHAT HAPPENS IF WELSH LABOUR LOSE THEIR MAJORITY?".
Actually, Labour don't have a majority at the moment. It is short by two. The Welsh Government includes the solitary Lib Dem (Kirsty Williams) and a renegade from Plaid Cymru (Dafydd Ellis Thomas).
Some Labour losses in Wales in 2021 look to me inevitable.
1n 2016, Labour were led by Carwyn Jones, who was certainly a formidable campaigner. Labour are now led by Mark Drakeford, who is not. That alone will mean some seat losses for Labour.
As David Herdson points out "if Wales were an independent state then its Covid deaths per million population would be second-worst in the world among countries of 1m+, behind only Belgium". Drakeford was given the credit earlier for what was then a better performance, and I expect him to get some of the blame if the COVID performance/vaccine rollout remains bad.
David quotes Awan-Scully's prediction
Lab 26, Con 16, Plaid 15, AtWA 2, LD 1
whereas in 2016, it was
Lab 29, Con 11, Plaid 12, UKIP 7, LD 1.
I think Labour will have done very well if they limit seat losses to just 3 seats.
Overall, the voting system that Tony Blair imposed on Wales is the worst gerrymander in the UK. Labour deserve to lose power in Wales. It helps parties to lose power, as they renew themselves in opposition. It is part of political evolution.
But, this can't happen in Wales. This is of course very bad for Wales, but it is also bad for Labour as well ... because when the change finally happens, it will be like Scotland 2015.
Very good post, but I can't help objecting to "Labour deserve to lose power in Wales." If that's just your personal judgement, fine, I can't argue. But they are still the most popular party in Wales. Whatever their supposed failings, nobody has (yet) overtaken them.
I assume you have not lived under labour in Wales, sought medical treatment, sent your children to school or suffered the worst covid response in the four parts of the UK, otherwise you would know shy labour deserve to lose power
Whether they do is another matter but they absolutely do deserve to lose power
Firstly, I have. Secondly, my judgement mirrors yours to some extent. Thirdly, I'm able to separate my own feelings about Labour's inadequacy from the idea that they "deserve" power or not. If you get the most votes, well, you deserve more than just being sent to bed with no tea.
Lastly, this is rapidly descending into a semantic argument which probably isn't interesting for any of us. I was actually hoping to draw us all into a discussion about what kind of mandate means you "deserve" power and to use it as a wedge to point out the absurdity of any party wielding majority power with far less than 50% of the vote, as happens in non-proportional systems. I was being too clever by half in trying to engineer it that way, and that was my mistake, so let me put it plainly. I agree Labour in Wales aren't doing very well. I feel very much the same about the Conservatives UK wide. I don't want to see either in power, and I wish the electoral systems were repaired to stop single-party rule except in cases of exceptional popularity. We deserve better systems than the ones we have, but given the ones we have, we can't really argue with the plurality party being in government.
Of course, they totally ignore the EU shambles on the vaccine and the UK's stellar rollout which for the next 2 years matters far more than a few rotting haddock.
Vaccines are more important than fish right now, no question about that, but I think it's still ok to post about fish. Last night for example, being Friday, we took advantage of a special delivery offer on cod & chips, 2 portions + mushy peas, £15 inc delivery - good value. We'd done the same several times last year but this was the first time in 2021, i.e. since the Thin Deal and consequent meltdown of the fishing industry. And guess what, the retail end is (surprise surprise) not immune to the chaos in the wholesale markets. The chips were great, and so were the mushies. Both of the usual high standard. But the fish was not. The fish was disappointing. For the first time ever the fish was disappointing. It was cooked ok but its overall condition told of a very difficult, downright brexity journey from sea to North London fryer. Bottom line, Brexit ruins my Friday fish & chips. Thank you Leavers. I'm not making this up or exaggerating btw. It's 100% solid anecdata.
"The title is "SENEDD SHAKE-UP: WHAT HAPPENS IF WELSH LABOUR LOSE THEIR MAJORITY?".
Actually, Labour don't have a majority at the moment. It is short by two. The Welsh Government includes the solitary Lib Dem (Kirsty Williams) and a renegade from Plaid Cymru (Dafydd Ellis Thomas).
Some Labour losses in Wales in 2021 look to me inevitable.
1n 2016, Labour were led by Carwyn Jones, who was certainly a formidable campaigner. Labour are now led by Mark Drakeford, who is not. That alone will mean some seat losses for Labour.
As David Herdson points out "if Wales were an independent state then its Covid deaths per million population would be second-worst in the world among countries of 1m+, behind only Belgium". Drakeford was given the credit earlier for what was then a better performance, and I expect him to get some of the blame if the COVID performance/vaccine rollout remains bad.
David quotes Awan-Scully's prediction
Lab 26, Con 16, Plaid 15, AtWA 2, LD 1
whereas in 2016, it was
Lab 29, Con 11, Plaid 12, UKIP 7, LD 1.
I think Labour will have done very well if they limit seat losses to just 3 seats.
Overall, the voting system that Tony Blair imposed on Wales is the worst gerrymander in the UK. Labour deserve to lose power in Wales. It helps parties to lose power, as they renew themselves in opposition. It is part of political evolution.
But, this can't happen in Wales. This is of course very bad for Wales, but it is also bad for Labour as well ... because when the change finally happens, it will be like Scotland 2015.
A great post, highlighting our dilemma in Wales. I am surprised both yourself and Ydoethur see the Welsh Tories as our knights in shining armour, they look lacklustre to me.
I don't think I have ever said the Welsh Tories are "knights in shining armour". Did YDoethur, I very much doubt it ?
Labour deserve to lose. No one deserves to win.
The problem is there are no knights in shining armour for Wales.
A fair point. On so many points of principle, I could not vote for the Welsh Tories. My future vote lies in the hands of PC.
You are right, however Labour need to lose to be cleansed. I just don't see Welsh Tories as being those best equipped to do the cleansing.
"The title is "SENEDD SHAKE-UP: WHAT HAPPENS IF WELSH LABOUR LOSE THEIR MAJORITY?".
Actually, Labour don't have a majority at the moment. It is short by two. The Welsh Government includes the solitary Lib Dem (Kirsty Williams) and a renegade from Plaid Cymru (Dafydd Ellis Thomas).
Some Labour losses in Wales in 2021 look to me inevitable.
1n 2016, Labour were led by Carwyn Jones, who was certainly a formidable campaigner. Labour are now led by Mark Drakeford, who is not. That alone will mean some seat losses for Labour.
As David Herdson points out "if Wales were an independent state then its Covid deaths per million population would be second-worst in the world among countries of 1m+, behind only Belgium". Drakeford was given the credit earlier for what was then a better performance, and I expect him to get some of the blame if the COVID performance/vaccine rollout remains bad.
David quotes Awan-Scully's prediction
Lab 26, Con 16, Plaid 15, AtWA 2, LD 1
whereas in 2016, it was
Lab 29, Con 11, Plaid 12, UKIP 7, LD 1.
I think Labour will have done very well if they limit seat losses to just 3 seats.
Overall, the voting system that Tony Blair imposed on Wales is the worst gerrymander in the UK. Labour deserve to lose power in Wales. It helps parties to lose power, as they renew themselves in opposition. It is part of political evolution.
But, this can't happen in Wales. This is of course very bad for Wales, but it is also bad for Labour as well ... because when the change finally happens, it will be like Scotland 2015.
Very good post, but I can't help objecting to "Labour deserve to lose power in Wales." If that's just your personal judgement, fine, I can't argue. But they are still the most popular party in Wales. Whatever their supposed failings, nobody has (yet) overtaken them.
I assume you have not lived under labour in Wales, sought medical treatment, sent your children to school or suffered the worst covid response in the four parts of the UK, otherwise you would know shy labour deserve to lose power
Whether they do is another matter but they absolutely do deserve to lose power
Firstly, I have. Secondly, my judgement mirrors yours to some extent. Thirdly, I'm able to separate my own feelings about Labour's inadequacy from the idea that they "deserve" power or not. If you get the most votes, well, you deserve more than just being sent to bed with no tea.
Lastly, this is rapidly descending into a semantic argument which probably isn't interesting for any of us. I was actually hoping to draw us all into a discussion about what kind of mandate means you "deserve" power and to use it as a wedge to point out the absurdity of any party wielding majority power with far less than 50% of the vote, as happens in non-proportional systems. I was being too clever by half in trying to engineer it that way, and that was my mistake, so let me put it plainly. I agree Labour in Wales aren't doing very well. I feel very much the same about the Conservatives UK wide. I don't want to see either in power, and I wish the electoral systems were repaired to stop single-party rule except in cases of exceptional popularity. We deserve better systems than the ones we have, but given the ones we have, we can't really argue with the plurality party being in government.
Oh, and just an additional note: putting my own feelings aside again, part of me hopes Labour stays in government in Wales, just to annoy those Conservatives who don't want a proportional voting system. Seeing people hoist by their own petard is not the worst of all outcomes.
As a Rejoiner, I don't think the EU states have covered themselves with glory as far as vaccination is concerned. Yet anyway. Whereas on vaccination, including the purchase of vaccines, the British Govt. has done very well, although I'm concerned at the apparently arbitrary decision to extend the interval between injections. However, time does strange things sometimes, and if in 18 months time we have thousands of unemployed but vaccinated people wandering the streets much of the credit for a job well done will be dissipated. And, to my mind, at the moment anyway, the economic indicators don't look good.
Just an anecdote; my wife went to M&S on a click and collect this morning and many of the fresh produce shelves were empty. It was early, though.
As a Rejoiner, I don't think the EU states have covered themselves with glory as far as vaccination is concerned. Yet anyway. Whereas on vaccination, including the purchase of vaccines, the British Govt. has done very well, although I'm concerned at the apparently arbitrary decision to extend the interval between injections. However, time does strange things sometimes, and if in 18 months time we have thousands of unemployed but vaccinated people wandering the streets much of the credit for a job well done will be dissipated. And, to my mind, at the moment anyway, the economic indicators don't look good.
Just an anecdote; my wife went to M&S on a click and collect this morning and many of the fresh produce shelves were empty. It was early, though.
Why are Brexiteers so obsessed with the EU vacc scheme?
You won. We left. Get over it...
The obsession with the EU vaccination scheme came from those desparate to have the U.K. sign up to it.
There is a point about focusing on where the EU is doing badly does not matter so much as where the UK is unfortunately still doing badly.
On the other hand, someone who is obsessively and breathlessly excited about pointing out every problem to come from Brexit, and fair enough that's a position someone can take, is not really in a position to complain about others pointing out that a lot of people, for seemingly ideological reasons, condemned the policy that has been a success for the UK.
I think I thought it was a bad idea at the time too, a petty decision taken by the government to show it could go its own way and choosing politics over health. But it really has worked out well, and while that of course doesn't mean every Brexit related problem is irrelevant, it is a bit unreasonable to expect others to forget that those who condemned that decision were wrong. And a lot of them likely condemned it simply because of ideology.
Why are Brexiteers so obsessed with the EU vacc scheme?
You won. We left. Get over it...
We had a worried phone call from a relative in Spain yesterday, fearful because of the death rates in the UK she was seeing on Spanish TV. We told her not to worry, it is not a metric that concerns the UK media anymore. But we will worry for her, because we have the vaccine and she doesn't!
"The title is "SENEDD SHAKE-UP: WHAT HAPPENS IF WELSH LABOUR LOSE THEIR MAJORITY?".
Actually, Labour don't have a majority at the moment. It is short by two. The Welsh Government includes the solitary Lib Dem (Kirsty Williams) and a renegade from Plaid Cymru (Dafydd Ellis Thomas).
Some Labour losses in Wales in 2021 look to me inevitable.
1n 2016, Labour were led by Carwyn Jones, who was certainly a formidable campaigner. Labour are now led by Mark Drakeford, who is not. That alone will mean some seat losses for Labour.
As David Herdson points out "if Wales were an independent state then its Covid deaths per million population would be second-worst in the world among countries of 1m+, behind only Belgium". Drakeford was given the credit earlier for what was then a better performance, and I expect him to get some of the blame if the COVID performance/vaccine rollout remains bad.
David quotes Awan-Scully's prediction
Lab 26, Con 16, Plaid 15, AtWA 2, LD 1
whereas in 2016, it was
Lab 29, Con 11, Plaid 12, UKIP 7, LD 1.
I think Labour will have done very well if they limit seat losses to just 3 seats.
Overall, the voting system that Tony Blair imposed on Wales is the worst gerrymander in the UK. Labour deserve to lose power in Wales. It helps parties to lose power, as they renew themselves in opposition. It is part of political evolution.
But, this can't happen in Wales. This is of course very bad for Wales, but it is also bad for Labour as well ... because when the change finally happens, it will be like Scotland 2015.
Very good post, but I can't help objecting to "Labour deserve to lose power in Wales." If that's just your personal judgement, fine, I can't argue. But they are still the most popular party in Wales. Whatever their supposed failings, nobody has (yet) overtaken them.
No, he’s right. They do deserve to lose power in Wales. The reason they are still popular is because they have built up a substantial client vote over the last century that will vote for them regardless.
What seems to me to be changing is that recently it looks like they’ve given up even pretending to care about anyone else.
I'm not really sure what you mean by "client vote".
People who are appointed to their jobs because of their links to the Labour Party, either as a whole or senior individuals within it.
Still not quite sure I follow. Are we talking about a large number of people, thus affecting the result of elections? Or something approaching the small-numbers-but-still-serious chumocracy type appointments that won't flip an election but are in the realm of what ordinary people might think of as corrupt?
Of course, they totally ignore the EU shambles on the vaccine and the UK's stellar rollout which for the next 2 years matters far more than a few rotting haddock.
Vaccines are more important than fish right now, no question about that, but I think it's still ok to post about fish. Last night for example, being Friday, we took advantage of a special delivery offer on cod & chips, 2 portions + mushy peas, £15 inc delivery - good value. We'd done the same several times last year but this was the first time in 2021, i.e. since the Thin Deal and consequent meltdown of the fishing industry. And guess what, the retail end is (surprise surprise) not immune to the chaos in the wholesale markets. The chips were great, and so were the mushies. Both of the usual high standard. But the fish was not. The fish was disappointing. For the first time ever the fish was disappointing. It was cooked ok but its overall condition told of a very difficult, downright brexity journey from sea to North London fryer. Bottom line, Brexit ruins my Friday fish & chips. Thank you Leavers. I'm not making this up or exaggerating btw. It's 100% solid anecdata.
It's clearly a made up story. Nobody south of Nottingham would ever eat mushy peas.
I'm calling it. You're a high-grade Russian bot with excellent knowledge of Britain but you've just had your "good luck / thank you" moment.
Of course, they totally ignore the EU shambles on the vaccine and the UK's stellar rollout which for the next 2 years matters far more than a few rotting haddock.
Vaccines are more important than fish right now, no question about that, but I think it's still ok to post about fish. Last night for example, being Friday, we took advantage of a special delivery offer on cod & chips, 2 portions + mushy peas, £15 inc delivery - good value. We'd done the same several times last year but this was the first time in 2021, i.e. since the Thin Deal and consequent meltdown of the fishing industry. And guess what, the retail end is (surprise surprise) not immune to the chaos in the wholesale markets. The chips were great, and so were the mushies. Both of the usual high standard. But the fish was not. The fish was disappointing. For the first time ever the fish was disappointing. It was cooked ok but its overall condition told of a very difficult, downright brexity journey from sea to North London fryer. Bottom line, Brexit ruins my Friday fish & chips. Thank you Leavers. I'm not making this up or exaggerating btw. It's 100% solid anecdata.
It's clearly a made up story. Nobody south of Nottingham would ever eat mushy peas.
I'm calling it. You're a high-grade Russian bot with excellent knowledge of Britain but you've just had your "good luck / thank you" moment.
He's translating from guacamole for the benefit fof 50% of us.
Why are Brexiteers so obsessed with the EU vacc scheme?
You won. We left. Get over it...
We had a worried phone call from a relative in Spain yesterday, fearful because of the death rates in the UK she was seeing on Spanish TV. We told her not to worry, it is not a metric that concerns the UK media anymore. But we will worry for her, because we have the vaccine and she doesn't!
I have colleagues across the US and Europe.
They all tell me they hear that the virus is out of control in the U.K.
Mr. Walker, to be fair, it's quite an important thing.
Were it the other way around, would those on the other side of the fence be avoiding the topic?
Even from a neutral perspective, amid the various errors the Government has made, the vaccine procurement has been excellent and it's foolish not to acknowledge this fact.
Brexiters are obsessed with the EU vaccine scheme because it’s about all they’ve got.
Fair enough, it’s a garbage fire.
It's a distraction from the hidden disaster which is importing and especially exporting anything into this country.
Mind you it's not just imports from the EU that is the problem there is a story on the BBC that relates to issues in getting from China as a lot of containers are in the wrong place.
I have a forlorn hope that, whatever the outcome of the upcoming election in Wales, parties can support or oppose one another on the basis of individual policy. If I lived in Wales, I would be giving at least my list vote to whoever seemed the most open to cross party cooperation. Seems like a more important thing right now than almost any policy area.
I'm not that close to Welsh politics so I don't know... who would that be?
That’s easy, Plaid, because of the aforementioned looseness of structure.
That is not to say they would be particularly open to it, however.
Edit - incidentally the Tories would almost certainly be willing to work with Labour if it resulted in a Tory led government, probably more so than with Plaid, but Labour would certainly never offer it. It would be their answer to the LD fiasco on tuition fees.
Would Plaid ever consent to a coalition with the Tories is the latter won the most seats?
Brexiters are obsessed with the EU vaccine scheme because it’s about all they’ve got.
Fair enough, it’s a garbage fire.
It's a distraction from the hidden disaster which is importing and especially exporting anything into this country.
Mind you it's not just imports from the EU that is the problem there is a story on the BBC that relates to issues in getting from China as a lot of containers are in the wrong place.
No problems with my D2C business to Europe.
Recipients totally understanding of the VAT issue. They've been doing the same with purchases from the states....
Why are Brexiteers so obsessed with the EU vacc scheme?
You won. We left. Get over it...
You were obsessed with it when you pasted tweets predicting how brilliant it would be.
You would be even more obsessed with it if it had been better than the UK vaccination scheme.
The fanatics on both sides are the same on this.
Brexiteers - EU bad UK good or Brexit good, lets talk about it whereas UK or Brexit bad should not be discussed we should move on Rejoiners - EU good UK bad or Brexit bad, lets talk about it whereas UK or Brexit good should not be discussed we should move on
Imo - how Brexit is going, and differences between EU & UK are certainly worthy of comment regardless of which entity is doing well or badly, the problem is finding objective commentary amongst the hyper partisan noise.
Of course, they totally ignore the EU shambles on the vaccine and the UK's stellar rollout which for the next 2 years matters far more than a few rotting haddock.
I wouldn't call the rollout by the UK of vaccines as "stellar". It only has that appearance because the EU isn't as good and the trade deal negotiated by the liar in chief is so crap.
The EU vaccine situation is an utter and absolute shambles
And yes, the UK's vaccine rollout is stellar. We pre-ordered in bulk from multiple developers: the greatest policy decision by any Government since the second world war. No exaggeration.
We have now jabbed nearly 10% of the adult population placing us roughly 3rd in the world. Our backing of Astra Zeneca and rollout of that has been a triumph.
It is an absolutely stellar achievement. Quite simply the greatest of my lifetime by any Government I have witnessed.
yours, a Labour voter last time.
It was a reasonably good idea. Even a very good idea. But let's not elevate it to "Two world wars, one world cup and a vaccine rollout" status, shall we? Not when we are unchallenged numero uno worldbeaters when it comes to deaths per head of population.
Obviously not comparable to a game of football and it's far better than our performance in the first world war.
We did okay in the second world war. Plenty of errors, much bravery, some luck and a great leader. But more than anything, the Americans.
So I will elevate it and so will the Conservatives backed by the press. When we've beaten this fucker, which we will in a matter of months, you are going to have to retreat to a hermitage because there will be praise for this Government's vaccine triumph like nothing else you've ever witnessed. Deservedly so.
We won the First World War, in case you hadn’t noticed.
As for the Second World War, it was the Soviets as much as the Americans .
I don't think anyone won the first world war. It was a catastrophe for humanity. I've visited more WWI war graves and sites than probably anyone on this forum so don't think I'm unsympathetic to what you are saying. I just don't think it was a victory for anyone. One massive disaster from start to finish. And even if the Daily Mail rants about Blackadder in the classroom, the fact is that the immortal line contains a lot of truth:
'Field Marshal Haig is about to make yet another gargantuan effort to move his drinks cabinet six inches closer to Berlin.'
I agree of course about the Soviets but had the Americans not intervened that begs a whole other question about where the USSR would have halted and how that might have shaped things.
In many ways Adolf Hitler lost the second world war rather than we won it. He was a military muppet. Anyone with a half-working normal brain would have learned the lesson of Napoleon's catastrophic eastern campaign and would have buttoned up the western front before launching east.
Wake up this morning and England's spinners still haven't taken a single wicket. Lordy, the India tour is going to be grim.
Looks like Anderson's just getting better with age though. He just needs longer breaks between tests.
Broad likewise. Neither particularly quick but highly skilled at their craft. Our spinners, however, are just not up to the mark at all. I think we have to go back to Moeen ahead of either of these 2.
Both leach and Bess took a five wicket haul in the last match, on a more spin friendly pitch. You don’t expect spin to bowl out sides first innings, no matter where in the world it is.
Do you still think that having seem Embuldiniya pick up our hapless openers for next to nothing? First time seamers have taken all 10 wickets in an innings in Sri Lanka since 1994. Really, really poor effort.
Nobody has answered the point about the decline or the Liberals in Wales.
Presume - like the rest of the country - Labour supplanted them as the country industrialised. It probably happened later in Wales due to the sheer hold of rural Methodist style culture.
I guess Libs last redoubt is as a competitor to the Tories in Anglo rural areas.
Even as late as 1935, the Liberals still dominated rural Wales. They were still competitive there up till 1951. It was really their last holdout. And, as you say, it was very much to do with noncomformism and the Welsh language. It only took two elections, 1918 and 1922, for Labour to drive them out of the Valleys.
Brexiters are obsessed with the EU vaccine scheme because it’s about all they’ve got.
Fair enough, it’s a garbage fire.
It's a distraction from the hidden disaster which is importing and especially exporting anything into this country.
Mind you it's not just imports from the EU that is the problem there is a story on the BBC that relates to issues in getting from China as a lot of containers are in the wrong place.
The Times yesterday said that UK-EU traffic was at 5,000 lorries a day (which is about 70% of the usual level of 7,000 lorries a day) and they expect it to get up to par by February. Approx 5% of them are having problems with either Covid testing or EU/UK paperwork, so that's about a couple of hundred a day. The worst 5-6 of those will clearly generate some Twitter horror stories (daily) - that there is clearly an appetite for - but there isn't any evidence for food shortages or major problems. There are specific challenges with SPS rules with fresh meat and fish for smaller suppliers, and across the GB to NI border, and that needs some more work by the UK-EU jointly to smooth but otherwise nothing has gummed up.
95% of traffic flowing smoothly in each direction, except with more checks at each end now, isn't much of a story.
Why are Brexiteers so obsessed with the EU vacc scheme?
You won. We left. Get over it...
We had a worried phone call from a relative in Spain yesterday, fearful because of the death rates in the UK she was seeing on Spanish TV. We told her not to worry, it is not a metric that concerns the UK media anymore. But we will worry for her, because we have the vaccine and she doesn't!
Here in Spain we are in the midst of a very serious 3rd wave and way behind with vaccinations which ware mired in scandal over politicians, etc., jumping the queue and 10k vaccines being dumped in the trash. I love my life here but just like everywhere else there is good and there is crap. right now we're in the crap.
Brexiters are obsessed with the EU vaccine scheme because it’s about all they’ve got.
Fair enough, it’s a garbage fire.
It's a distraction from the hidden disaster which is importing and especially exporting anything into this country.
Mind you it's not just imports from the EU that is the problem there is a story on the BBC that relates to issues in getting from China as a lot of containers are in the wrong place.
95% of traffic flowing smoothly in each direction, except with more checks at each end now, isn't much of a story.
Indeed.
And the point below is pertinent about remoaners breathlessly seizing on every story about the latest piece of haddock lying on the side of the road.
Brexit isn't much of a story. Covid is. And on that the Gov't made mistakes, quite a lot of them. However, they learned, corrected and now we have one of the greatest global vaccine rollouts.
On vaccination, which is all that now really matters going forward against this pandemic, we are world-beating.
Why are Brexiteers so obsessed with the EU vacc scheme?
You won. We left. Get over it...
We had a worried phone call from a relative in Spain yesterday, fearful because of the death rates in the UK she was seeing on Spanish TV. We told her not to worry, it is not a metric that concerns the UK media anymore. But we will worry for her, because we have the vaccine and she doesn't!
Here in Spain we are in the midst of a very serious 3rd wave and way behind with vaccinations which ware mired in scandal over politicians, etc., jumping the queue and 10k vaccines being dumped in the trash. I love my life here but just like everywhere else there is good and there is crap. right now we're in the crap.
Fake news on Spanish media about how bad the virus is in the UK, I guess helps detracts from how abject vaccine rollout has been in Spain.
Of course, they totally ignore the EU shambles on the vaccine and the UK's stellar rollout which for the next 2 years matters far more than a few rotting haddock.
Vaccines are more important than fish right now, no question about that, but I think it's still ok to post about fish. Last night for example, being Friday, we took advantage of a special delivery offer on cod & chips, 2 portions + mushy peas, £15 inc delivery - good value. We'd done the same several times last year but this was the first time in 2021, i.e. since the Thin Deal and consequent meltdown of the fishing industry. And guess what, the retail end is (surprise surprise) not immune to the chaos in the wholesale markets. The chips were great, and so were the mushies. Both of the usual high standard. But the fish was not. The fish was disappointing. For the first time ever the fish was disappointing. It was cooked ok but its overall condition told of a very difficult, downright brexity journey from sea to North London fryer. Bottom line, Brexit ruins my Friday fish & chips. Thank you Leavers. I'm not making this up or exaggerating btw. It's 100% solid anecdata.
I'm calling it. You're a high-grade Russian bot with excellent knowledge of Britain but you've just had your "good luck / thank you" moment.
I know you're joking, at least I assume you are, but having been on the receiving end of being called a bot on here can I politely suggest we desist? It's a rather low-grade way of attempting to put down an 'opponent.'
Nobody has answered the point about the decline or the Liberals in Wales.
Presume - like the rest of the country - Labour supplanted them as the country industrialised. It probably happened later in Wales due to the sheer hold of rural Methodist style culture.
I guess Libs last redoubt is as a competitor to the Tories in Anglo rural areas.
Even as late as 1935, the Liberals still dominated rural Wales. They were still competitive there up till 1951. It was really their last holdout. And, as you say, it was very much to do with noncomformism and the Welsh language. It only took two elections, 1918 and 1922, for Labour to drive them out of the Valleys.
Having Lloyd-George as leader would have helped in rural Wales.
That his own son and daughter respectively joined the Conservatives and Labour in the 1950s was indicative of the Liberals decline.
Of course, they totally ignore the EU shambles on the vaccine and the UK's stellar rollout which for the next 2 years matters far more than a few rotting haddock.
I wouldn't call the rollout by the UK of vaccines as "stellar". It only has that appearance because the EU isn't as good and the trade deal negotiated by the liar in chief is so crap.
The EU vaccine situation is an utter and absolute shambles
And yes, the UK's vaccine rollout is stellar. We pre-ordered in bulk from multiple developers: the greatest policy decision by any Government since the second world war. No exaggeration.
We have now jabbed nearly 10% of the adult population placing us roughly 3rd in the world. Our backing of Astra Zeneca and rollout of that has been a triumph.
It is an absolutely stellar achievement. Quite simply the greatest of my lifetime by any Government I have witnessed.
yours, a Labour voter last time.
It was a reasonably good idea. Even a very good idea. But let's not elevate it to "Two world wars, one world cup and a vaccine rollout" status, shall we? Not when we are unchallenged numero uno worldbeaters when it comes to deaths per head of population.
Obviously not comparable to a game of football and it's far better than our performance in the first world war.
We did okay in the second world war. Plenty of errors, much bravery, some luck and a great leader. But more than anything, the Americans.
So I will elevate it and so will the Conservatives backed by the press. When we've beaten this fucker, which we will in a matter of months, you are going to have to retreat to a hermitage because there will be praise for this Government's vaccine triumph like nothing else you've ever witnessed. Deservedly so.
We won the First World War, in case you hadn’t noticed.
As for the Second World War, it was the Soviets as much as the Americans .
I don't think anyone won the first world war. It was a catastrophe for humanity. I've visited more WWI war graves and sites than probably anyone on this forum so don't think I'm unsympathetic to what you are saying. I just don't think it was a victory for anyone. One massive disaster from start to finish. And even if the Daily Mail rants about Blackadder in the classroom, the fact is that the immortal line contains a lot of truth:
'Field Marshal Haig is about to make yet another gargantuan effort to move his drinks cabinet six inches closer to Berlin.'
I agree of course about the Soviets but had the Americans not intervened that begs a whole other question about where the USSR would have halted and how that might have shaped things.
In many ways Adolf Hitler lost the second world war rather than we won it. He was a military muppet. Anyone with a half-working normal brain would have learned the lesson of Napoleon's catastrophic eastern campaign and would have buttoned up the western front before launching east.
Actually, I don't agree with that Blackadder line. Trench warfare, and limited assaults, saved lives. The bloodiest period of the war on the Western front was the first three months. Neither the French nor the Germans had any idea, at that point, just how deadly defensive rifle and machine-gun fire was. We had found out the hard way, during the Boer War.
Re WWII, Germany's generals were just as culpable as Hitler. There was a lot of post-war myth-making, along the lines of "We would have won the war if it wasn't for that bloody fool." They grossly underestimated Soviet military capabilities, and German atrocities ensured that people who might have fought the communists threw in their lot with them instead.
More basically, given the extent to which the Germans had failed to properly prepare their economy for war, it's remarkable they did as well as they did.
I have a forlorn hope that, whatever the outcome of the upcoming election in Wales, parties can support or oppose one another on the basis of individual policy. If I lived in Wales, I would be giving at least my list vote to whoever seemed the most open to cross party cooperation. Seems like a more important thing right now than almost any policy area.
I'm not that close to Welsh politics so I don't know... who would that be?
That’s easy, Plaid, because of the aforementioned looseness of structure.
That is not to say they would be particularly open to it, however.
Edit - incidentally the Tories would almost certainly be willing to work with Labour if it resulted in a Tory led government, probably more so than with Plaid, but Labour would certainly never offer it. It would be their answer to the LD fiasco on tuition fees.
Would Plaid ever consent to a coalition with the Tories is the latter won the most seats?
And vice versa?
Too much divides them, I think.
The other factor that's different between Scotland in 2007 and Wales now is that there wasn't the slightest chance of the SCons being in the driving seat and given the Tories' history in Scotland they were happy to take any influence they could exert going. I'd imagine the reluctance of Plaid and the Welsh Tories to give either the upper hand in any coalition/arrangement would be as much a bar as their political differences.
Why are Brexiteers so obsessed with the EU vacc scheme?
You won. We left. Get over it...
We had a worried phone call from a relative in Spain yesterday, fearful because of the death rates in the UK she was seeing on Spanish TV. We told her not to worry, it is not a metric that concerns the UK media anymore. But we will worry for her, because we have the vaccine and she doesn't!
I have colleagues across the US and Europe.
They all tell me they hear that the virus is out of control in the U.K.
Well it is. We are on the edge of a precipice right now. Any relaxation of severe restrictions and the NHS would collapse under the pressure. Much necessary medical work is being deferred at a future cost. Over 40k recorded new cases yesterday shows the danger. As Whitty said yesterday if we have any upward lift from here we are in serious trouble. As it is we will go over 100k deaths by the end of this month.
It makes the vaccine successes no more than the minimum necessary to avoid melt down. We are not only on the precipice but leaning over with a strand of vaccine stopping us from falling. Right now that is a thread, soon it will be a rope and eventually it will be a band that can pull us back. But these are perilous times, no doubt about it.
Nobody has answered the point about the decline or the Liberals in Wales.
Presume - like the rest of the country - Labour supplanted them as the country industrialised. It probably happened later in Wales due to the sheer hold of rural Methodist style culture.
I guess Libs last redoubt is as a competitor to the Tories in Anglo rural areas.
Even as late as 1935, the Liberals still dominated rural Wales. They were still competitive there up till 1951. It was really their last holdout. And, as you say, it was very much to do with noncomformism and the Welsh language. It only took two elections, 1918 and 1922, for Labour to drive them out of the Valleys.
Having Lloyd-George as leader would have helped in rural Wales.
That his own son and daughter respectively joined the Conservatives and Labour in the 1950s was indicative of the Liberals decline.
Lloyd George's own constituency, Carnarvon Boroughs, was actually one of a handful of Conservative gains in 1945.
Of course, they totally ignore the EU shambles on the vaccine and the UK's stellar rollout which for the next 2 years matters far more than a few rotting haddock.
I wouldn't call the rollout by the UK of vaccines as "stellar". It only has that appearance because the EU isn't as good and the trade deal negotiated by the liar in chief is so crap.
The EU vaccine situation is an utter and absolute shambles
And yes, the UK's vaccine rollout is stellar. We pre-ordered in bulk from multiple developers: the greatest policy decision by any Government since the second world war. No exaggeration.
We have now jabbed nearly 10% of the adult population placing us roughly 3rd in the world. Our backing of Astra Zeneca and rollout of that has been a triumph.
It is an absolutely stellar achievement. Quite simply the greatest of my lifetime by any Government I have witnessed.
yours, a Labour voter last time.
It was a reasonably good idea. Even a very good idea. But let's not elevate it to "Two world wars, one world cup and a vaccine rollout" status, shall we? Not when we are unchallenged numero uno worldbeaters when it comes to deaths per head of population.
Obviously not comparable to a game of football and it's far better than our performance in the first world war.
We did okay in the second world war. Plenty of errors, much bravery, some luck and a great leader. But more than anything, the Americans.
So I will elevate it and so will the Conservatives backed by the press. When we've beaten this fucker, which we will in a matter of months, you are going to have to retreat to a hermitage because there will be praise for this Government's vaccine triumph like nothing else you've ever witnessed. Deservedly so.
We won the First World War, in case you hadn’t noticed.
As for the Second World War, it was the Soviets as much as the Americans .
I don't think anyone won the first world war. It was a catastrophe for humanity. I've visited more WWI war graves and sites than probably anyone on this forum so don't think I'm unsympathetic to what you are saying. I just don't think it was a victory for anyone. One massive disaster from start to finish.
I agree of course about the Soviets but had the Americans not intervened that begs a whole other question about where the USSR would have halted and how that might have shaped things.
In many ways Adolf Hitler lost the second world war rather than we won it. He was a military muppet. Anyone with a half-working normal brain would have learned the lesson of Napoleon's catastrophic eastern campaign and would have buttoned up the western front before launching east.
I suspect Hitler thought the rules had changed and that with the mechanisation of transport, supply lines were an easier problem to solve, and that the Germans vs the Soviets were in a better position relative to Napoleon vs The Russian Empire. It didn't work out, of course, but it's a lot easier to say that in hindsight than it was to say at the time. Thank goodness for the Soviets, Americans, and the British efforts.
And the one thing that often gets forgotten here is Germany doing an excellent job of abandoning that toxic ideology. It's quite an arresting idea, that one could quite rationally argue that in 2021 Germany is in a better place, ideologically, than Russia, Britain and America are.
Nobody has answered the point about the decline or the Liberals in Wales.
Presume - like the rest of the country - Labour supplanted them as the country industrialised. It probably happened later in Wales due to the sheer hold of rural Methodist style culture.
I guess Libs last redoubt is as a competitor to the Tories in Anglo rural areas.
Even as late as 1935, the Liberals still dominated rural Wales. They were still competitive there up till 1951. It was really their last holdout. And, as you say, it was very much to do with noncomformism and the Welsh language. It only took two elections, 1918 and 1922, for Labour to drive them out of the Valleys.
So essentially they were supplanted by Labour and then squeezed by PC.
A “Progressive Alliance” of PC-Lib-Green might perhaps be interesting. One candidate per seat; joint list.
Of course, they totally ignore the EU shambles on the vaccine and the UK's stellar rollout which for the next 2 years matters far more than a few rotting haddock.
I wouldn't call the rollout by the UK of vaccines as "stellar". It only has that appearance because the EU isn't as good and the trade deal negotiated by the liar in chief is so crap.
The EU vaccine situation is an utter and absolute shambles
And yes, the UK's vaccine rollout is stellar. We pre-ordered in bulk from multiple developers: the greatest policy decision by any Government since the second world war. No exaggeration.
We have now jabbed nearly 10% of the adult population placing us roughly 3rd in the world. Our backing of Astra Zeneca and rollout of that has been a triumph.
It is an absolutely stellar achievement. Quite simply the greatest of my lifetime by any Government I have witnessed.
yours, a Labour voter last time.
It was a reasonably good idea. Even a very good idea. But let's not elevate it to "Two world wars, one world cup and a vaccine rollout" status, shall we? Not when we are unchallenged numero uno worldbeaters when it comes to deaths per head of population.
Obviously not comparable to a game of football and it's far better than our performance in the first world war.
We did okay in the second world war. Plenty of errors, much bravery, some luck and a great leader. But more than anything, the Americans.
So I will elevate it and so will the Conservatives backed by the press. When we've beaten this fucker, which we will in a matter of months, you are going to have to retreat to a hermitage because there will be praise for this Government's vaccine triumph like nothing else you've ever witnessed. Deservedly so.
We won the First World War, in case you hadn’t noticed.
As for the Second World War, it was the Soviets as much as the Americans .
I don't think anyone won the first world war. It was a catastrophe for humanity. I've visited more WWI war graves and sites than probably anyone on this forum so don't think I'm unsympathetic to what you are saying. I just don't think it was a victory for anyone. One massive disaster from start to finish. And even if the Daily Mail rants about Blackadder in the classroom, the fact is that the immortal line contains a lot of truth:
'Field Marshal Haig is about to make yet another gargantuan effort to move his drinks cabinet six inches closer to Berlin.'
I agree of course about the Soviets but had the Americans not intervened that begs a whole other question about where the USSR would have halted and how that might have shaped things.
In many ways Adolf Hitler lost the second world war rather than we won it. He was a military muppet. Anyone with a half-working normal brain would have learned the lesson of Napoleon's catastrophic eastern campaign and would have buttoned up the western front before launching east.
Re WWII, Germany's generals were just as culpable. They grossly underestimated Soviet military capabilities, and German atrocities ensured that people who might have fought the communists threw in their lot with them instead. .
Yes I was about to post that in fact Hitler's biggest mistake was launching the eastern front at all. He ('they' as you do correctly point out) had a chance to keep the peace with the Soviets. Poking that bear was bloody foolish. And by heck did they enact their vengeance when they swept back towards Berlin.
Brexiters are obsessed with the EU vaccine scheme because it’s about all they’ve got.
Fair enough, it’s a garbage fire.
It's a distraction from the hidden disaster which is importing and especially exporting anything into this country.
Mind you it's not just imports from the EU that is the problem there is a story on the BBC that relates to issues in getting from China as a lot of containers are in the wrong place.
No problems with my D2C business to Europe.
Recipients totally understanding of the VAT issue. They've been doing the same with purchases from the states....
Wait until July when you have to start doing the VAT at your end not at their end
Whitty was absolutely clear about this once again yesterday. Given the level of protection given by 1 dose you save the most lives by putting as many first doses in as many people as possible. Yes, it is a bit more of a risk for those who already had one dose but the overall benefit is clear and only completely selfish gits would be demanding a second dose when so many have not had one. In fairness, I have not heard anyone who has had the first dose complaining, just people trying to stir up trouble supposedly on their behalf. Its ridiculous.
Of course, they totally ignore the EU shambles on the vaccine and the UK's stellar rollout which for the next 2 years matters far more than a few rotting haddock.
Vaccines are more important than fish right now, no question about that, but I think it's still ok to post about fish. Last night for example, being Friday, we took advantage of a special delivery offer on cod & chips, 2 portions + mushy peas, £15 inc delivery - good value. We'd done the same several times last year but this was the first time in 2021, i.e. since the Thin Deal and consequent meltdown of the fishing industry. And guess what, the retail end is (surprise surprise) not immune to the chaos in the wholesale markets. The chips were great, and so were the mushies. Both of the usual high standard. But the fish was not. The fish was disappointing. For the first time ever the fish was disappointing. It was cooked ok but its overall condition told of a very difficult, downright brexity journey from sea to North London fryer. Bottom line, Brexit ruins my Friday fish & chips. Thank you Leavers. I'm not making this up or exaggerating btw. It's 100% solid anecdata.
I'm calling it. You're a high-grade Russian bot with excellent knowledge of Britain but you've just had your "good luck / thank you" moment.
I know you're joking, at least I assume you are, but having been on the receiving end of being called a bot on here can I politely suggest we desist? It's a rather low-grade way of attempting to put down an 'opponent.'
If you know it's a joke, why are you getting all sanctimonious about it?
Of course, they totally ignore the EU shambles on the vaccine and the UK's stellar rollout which for the next 2 years matters far more than a few rotting haddock.
I wouldn't call the rollout by the UK of vaccines as "stellar". It only has that appearance because the EU isn't as good and the trade deal negotiated by the liar in chief is so crap.
The EU vaccine situation is an utter and absolute shambles
And yes, the UK's vaccine rollout is stellar. We pre-ordered in bulk from multiple developers: the greatest policy decision by any Government since the second world war. No exaggeration.
We have now jabbed nearly 10% of the adult population placing us roughly 3rd in the world. Our backing of Astra Zeneca and rollout of that has been a triumph.
It is an absolutely stellar achievement. Quite simply the greatest of my lifetime by any Government I have witnessed.
yours, a Labour voter last time.
It was a reasonably good idea. Even a very good idea. But let's not elevate it to "Two world wars, one world cup and a vaccine rollout" status, shall we? Not when we are unchallenged numero uno worldbeaters when it comes to deaths per head of population.
Obviously not comparable to a game of football and it's far better than our performance in the first world war.
We did okay in the second world war. Plenty of errors, much bravery, some luck and a great leader. But more than anything, the Americans.
So I will elevate it and so will the Conservatives backed by the press. When we've beaten this fucker, which we will in a matter of months, you are going to have to retreat to a hermitage because there will be praise for this Government's vaccine triumph like nothing else you've ever witnessed. Deservedly so.
We won the First World War, in case you hadn’t noticed.
As for the Second World War, it was the Soviets as much as the Americans .
I don't think anyone won the first world war. It was a catastrophe for humanity. I've visited more WWI war graves and sites than probably anyone on this forum so don't think I'm unsympathetic to what you are saying. I just don't think it was a victory for anyone. One massive disaster from start to finish. And even if the Daily Mail rants about Blackadder in the classroom, the fact is that the immortal line contains a lot of truth:
'Field Marshal Haig is about to make yet another gargantuan effort to move his drinks cabinet six inches closer to Berlin.'
I agree of course about the Soviets but had the Americans not intervened that begs a whole other question about where the USSR would have halted and how that might have shaped things.
In many ways Adolf Hitler lost the second world war rather than we won it. He was a military muppet. Anyone with a half-working normal brain would have learned the lesson of Napoleon's catastrophic eastern campaign and would have buttoned up the western front before launching east.
But which lesson from history should Hitler have followed ?
Russian resistance in 1812 or Russia's lack of resistance in 1917 ?
Of course, they totally ignore the EU shambles on the vaccine and the UK's stellar rollout which for the next 2 years matters far more than a few rotting haddock.
I wouldn't call the rollout by the UK of vaccines as "stellar". It only has that appearance because the EU isn't as good and the trade deal negotiated by the liar in chief is so crap.
The EU vaccine situation is an utter and absolute shambles
And yes, the UK's vaccine rollout is stellar. We pre-ordered in bulk from multiple developers: the greatest policy decision by any Government since the second world war. No exaggeration.
We have now jabbed nearly 10% of the adult population placing us roughly 3rd in the world. Our backing of Astra Zeneca and rollout of that has been a triumph.
It is an absolutely stellar achievement. Quite simply the greatest of my lifetime by any Government I have witnessed.
yours, a Labour voter last time.
It was a reasonably good idea. Even a very good idea. But let's not elevate it to "Two world wars, one world cup and a vaccine rollout" status, shall we? Not when we are unchallenged numero uno worldbeaters when it comes to deaths per head of population.
Obviously not comparable to a game of football and it's far better than our performance in the first world war.
We did okay in the second world war. Plenty of errors, much bravery, some luck and a great leader. But more than anything, the Americans.
So I will elevate it and so will the Conservatives backed by the press. When we've beaten this fucker, which we will in a matter of months, you are going to have to retreat to a hermitage because there will be praise for this Government's vaccine triumph like nothing else you've ever witnessed. Deservedly so.
We won the First World War, in case you hadn’t noticed.
As for the Second World War, it was the Soviets as much as the Americans .
I don't think anyone won the first world war. It was a catastrophe for humanity. I've visited more WWI war graves and sites than probably anyone on this forum so don't think I'm unsympathetic to what you are saying. I just don't think it was a victory for anyone. One massive disaster from start to finish.
I agree of course about the Soviets but had the Americans not intervened that begs a whole other question about where the USSR would have halted and how that might have shaped things.
In many ways Adolf Hitler lost the second world war rather than we won it. He was a military muppet. Anyone with a half-working normal brain would have learned the lesson of Napoleon's catastrophic eastern campaign and would have buttoned up the western front before launching east.
I suspect Hitler thought the rules had changed and that with the mechanisation of transport, supply lines were an easier problem to solve, and that the Germans vs the Soviets were in a better position relative to Napoleon vs The Russian Empire. It didn't work out, of course, but it's a lot easier to say that in hindsight than it was to say at the time. Thank goodness for the Soviets, Americans, and the British efforts.
And the one thing that often gets forgotten here is Germany doing an excellent job of abandoning that toxic ideology. It's quite an arresting idea, that one could quite rationally argue that in 2021 Germany is in a better place, ideologically, than Russia, Britain and America are.
The thing is, the Germans hadn't mechanised. They relied largely on horsepower. Although, the poor quality of roads in the Soviet Union would have limited the advantages of mechanisation. But, it hadn't even occured to OKH that different railway gauges in the Soviet Union would cause them problems with supply. The quality of German military intelligence was that bad.
On topic, Labour really need to get a grip on being a govt in waiting - after 10 years of Conservative rule and BJs weaknesses (and strengths) now well known the Opposition (and SKS) must get their act together or they face a mediocre May performance (if they take place)... what is their offer to the voters - if it aint Corbynism... is it TBlair 2.0? I for one am really sruggling to see their vision etc,
This is the problem. They haven't got anything except 'we're not them.'
Starmer does need a few 'big issue' things which he can say he would do. Blair did it in 1997 to actually sell himself and New labour. National Minimum Wage, Bank of England Independence, Working Family Tax Credit, removal of section 28, and I'm sure plenty more.
If I was him I would do the following:
Legalistion of Cannabis Electoral Reform (including House of Lord) Devo-Max for Scotland and Wales (if there's still a scotland in the union) Joining ETFA/EEA (unlikely due to division) Tax reform, including Equalisation of income tax/capital gain tax rates, and removal of many CG reliefs for non business assets. Reform of IHT including lifetime gift rules.
At least that would get an arguement going and get some fire in his belly.
Sounds good. I'd really like to see the debate on drug laws in this country lifted out of the current gutter of tabloid ignorance and hypocrisy.
Yeah, friends in other countries are starting to openly scoff at the ongoing restrictions
Slightly odd letter from Boris this morning. He said:
"This I must say was in stark contrast to the Labour Party and Keir Starmer who took every opportunity to attack the heroic work of our Vaccine Taskforce.
Arguing that the UK should have joined the EU scheme – a policy which would have seen millions fewer of our most vulnerable protected as of today."
Obviously it is shocking that SKS didn't order a single dose of vaccine but I must have missed the last bit. Did he really say that? I don't think so.
Instead of posting every thing you can find that in your mind trashes the UK, why cannot you just be honest and openly accept the EU vaccination scheme is a disaster and will result in thousands of avoidable lost lives.
Then your other posts could be seen as more balanced as you are able to criticise the EU when they get things wrong, otherwise it is more than reasonable to conclude that you are simply an anti brexit obsessive with no balance and your postings are just tedious
This is rich coming from a pro tory pro brexit anti labour obsessive like yourself. There is nothing wrong with questioning issues affecting our country when they are becoming apparent to most people. There is no point in commenting on the EU as because you keep on saying, Brexit has happened and we can do nothing about it. We can though do something about our bunch of liars and hypocrits running our country.
Posting anti UK vaccination articles while not criticising the EU who are failing in a big way is all part of the attitude the EU can do no wrong
And of course the EU's failure is important as many on here and elsewhere condemned Boris for not joining it, when it was absolutely the correct decision as was his decision on the vaccine investments here in the UK
I am content if you just agree the EU has failed in its responsibility on the vaccine programme
Don't count your chickens. The only people I've heard of getting the vaccine over here are those with sharp elbows.
My 81 year old wife and I receive ours later today and we certainly have not done anything to jump the queue
We have waited patiently and our surgery phoned yesterday out of the blue to ask us to attend for it
Why are Brexiteers so obsessed with the EU vacc scheme?
You won. We left. Get over it...
We had a worried phone call from a relative in Spain yesterday, fearful because of the death rates in the UK she was seeing on Spanish TV. We told her not to worry, it is not a metric that concerns the UK media anymore. But we will worry for her, because we have the vaccine and she doesn't!
Here in Spain we are in the midst of a very serious 3rd wave and way behind with vaccinations which ware mired in scandal over politicians, etc., jumping the queue and 10k vaccines being dumped in the trash. I love my life here but just like everywhere else there is good and there is crap. right now we're in the crap.
Fake news on Spanish media about how bad the virus is in the UK, I guess helps detracts from how abject vaccine rollout has been in Spain.
Every country is doing that to some extent at the moment, looking for failures elsewhere to detract from failures closer to home.
The Splendid Rose, not my area but I recall reading that if Hitler had listened to Guderian (as he did when invading France) then Moscow would likely have fallen and that may have been that.
Mr. Password, lots of fun legacies of recent times. Labour's fantasy of perpetual Celtic fiefdoms isn't working out terribly well, nor did scuttling in to sign the Lisbon Treaty contrary to a manifesto pledge.
A major downside of democracy, not faced by the likes of China, is that it discourages strategic thinking and long term advantages in favour of short term wins and boosts at the ballot box.
Whitty was absolutely clear about this once again yesterday. Given the level of protection given by 1 dose you save the most lives by putting as many first doses in as many people as possible. Yes, it is a bit more of a risk for those who already had one dose but the overall benefit is clear and only completely selfish gits would be demanding a second dose when so many have not had one. In fairness, I have not heard anyone who has had the first dose complaining, just people trying to stir up trouble supposedly on their behalf. Its ridiculous.
Brexiters are obsessed with the EU vaccine scheme because it’s about all they’ve got.
Fair enough, it’s a garbage fire.
It's a distraction from the hidden disaster which is importing and especially exporting anything into this country.
Mind you it's not just imports from the EU that is the problem there is a story on the BBC that relates to issues in getting from China as a lot of containers are in the wrong place.
No problems with my D2C business to Europe.
Recipients totally understanding of the VAT issue. They've been doing the same with purchases from the states....
Wait until July when you have to start doing the VAT at your end not at their end
See, this is the thing. I was a remainer right up to the last minute. But I've accepted now that we have left and we have to get on with it.
What I find difficult to swallow are the remainers who seem to be just itching for the slightest hiccup so that they can leap in like cackling hyenas. But who then express extreme distaste when it's pointed out to them that the UK's vaccine rollout is a triumph compared to the almighty cock-ups inside the EU bloc.
Of course, they totally ignore the EU shambles on the vaccine and the UK's stellar rollout which for the next 2 years matters far more than a few rotting haddock.
I wouldn't call the rollout by the UK of vaccines as "stellar". It only has that appearance because the EU isn't as good and the trade deal negotiated by the liar in chief is so crap.
The EU vaccine situation is an utter and absolute shambles
And yes, the UK's vaccine rollout is stellar. We pre-ordered in bulk from multiple developers: the greatest policy decision by any Government since the second world war. No exaggeration.
We have now jabbed nearly 10% of the adult population placing us roughly 3rd in the world. Our backing of Astra Zeneca and rollout of that has been a triumph.
It is an absolutely stellar achievement. Quite simply the greatest of my lifetime by any Government I have witnessed.
yours, a Labour voter last time.
It was a reasonably good idea. Even a very good idea. But let's not elevate it to "Two world wars, one world cup and a vaccine rollout" status, shall we? Not when we are unchallenged numero uno worldbeaters when it comes to deaths per head of population.
Obviously not comparable to a game of football and it's far better than our performance in the first world war.
We did okay in the second world war. Plenty of errors, much bravery, some luck and a great leader. But more than anything, the Americans.
So I will elevate it and so will the Conservatives backed by the press. When we've beaten this fucker, which we will in a matter of months, you are going to have to retreat to a hermitage because there will be praise for this Government's vaccine triumph like nothing else you've ever witnessed. Deservedly so.
We won the First World War, in case you hadn’t noticed.
As for the Second World War, it was the Soviets as much as the Americans .
I don't think anyone won the first world war. It was a catastrophe for humanity. I've visited more WWI war graves and sites than probably anyone on this forum so don't think I'm unsympathetic to what you are saying. I just don't think it was a victory for anyone. One massive disaster from start to finish. And even if the Daily Mail rants about Blackadder in the classroom, the fact is that the immortal line contains a lot of truth:
'Field Marshal Haig is about to make yet another gargantuan effort to move his drinks cabinet six inches closer to Berlin.'
I agree of course about the Soviets but had the Americans not intervened that begs a whole other question about where the USSR would have halted and how that might have shaped things.
In many ways Adolf Hitler lost the second world war rather than we won it. He was a military muppet. Anyone with a half-working normal brain would have learned the lesson of Napoleon's catastrophic eastern campaign and would have buttoned up the western front before launching east.
But which lesson from history should Hitler have followed ?
Russian resistance in 1812 or Russia's lack of resistance in 1917 ?
1914 -17 was a very near-run thing on the Eastern front. Russia came close to driving Austria-Hungary out of the war, and sweeping into Central Europe, both in Autumn 1914, and Summer 1916.
Nobody has answered the point about the decline or the Liberals in Wales.
Presume - like the rest of the country - Labour supplanted them as the country industrialised. It probably happened later in Wales due to the sheer hold of rural Methodist style culture.
I guess Libs last redoubt is as a competitor to the Tories in Anglo rural areas.
Even as late as 1935, the Liberals still dominated rural Wales. They were still competitive there up till 1951. It was really their last holdout. And, as you say, it was very much to do with noncomformism and the Welsh language. It only took two elections, 1918 and 1922, for Labour to drive them out of the Valleys.
Having Lloyd-George as leader would have helped in rural Wales.
That his own son and daughter respectively joined the Conservatives and Labour in the 1950s was indicative of the Liberals decline.
Lloyd George's own constituency, Carnarvon Boroughs, was actually one of a handful of Conservative gains in 1945.
And another was Caithness and Sutherland, the constituency of Liberal leader Archibald Sinclair.
Of course, they totally ignore the EU shambles on the vaccine and the UK's stellar rollout which for the next 2 years matters far more than a few rotting haddock.
I wouldn't call the rollout by the UK of vaccines as "stellar". It only has that appearance because the EU isn't as good and the trade deal negotiated by the liar in chief is so crap.
The EU vaccine situation is an utter and absolute shambles
And yes, the UK's vaccine rollout is stellar. We pre-ordered in bulk from multiple developers: the greatest policy decision by any Government since the second world war. No exaggeration.
We have now jabbed nearly 10% of the adult population placing us roughly 3rd in the world. Our backing of Astra Zeneca and rollout of that has been a triumph.
It is an absolutely stellar achievement. Quite simply the greatest of my lifetime by any Government I have witnessed.
yours, a Labour voter last time.
It was a reasonably good idea. Even a very good idea. But let's not elevate it to "Two world wars, one world cup and a vaccine rollout" status, shall we? Not when we are unchallenged numero uno worldbeaters when it comes to deaths per head of population.
Obviously not comparable to a game of football and it's far better than our performance in the first world war.
We did okay in the second world war. Plenty of errors, much bravery, some luck and a great leader. But more than anything, the Americans.
So I will elevate it and so will the Conservatives backed by the press. When we've beaten this fucker, which we will in a matter of months, you are going to have to retreat to a hermitage because there will be praise for this Government's vaccine triumph like nothing else you've ever witnessed. Deservedly so.
We won the First World War, in case you hadn’t noticed.
As for the Second World War, it was the Soviets as much as the Americans .
I don't think anyone won the first world war. It was a catastrophe for humanity. I've visited more WWI war graves and sites than probably anyone on this forum so don't think I'm unsympathetic to what you are saying. I just don't think it was a victory for anyone. One massive disaster from start to finish. And even if the Daily Mail rants about Blackadder in the classroom, the fact is that the immortal line contains a lot of truth:
'Field Marshal Haig is about to make yet another gargantuan effort to move his drinks cabinet six inches closer to Berlin.'
I agree of course about the Soviets but had the Americans not intervened that begs a whole other question about where the USSR would have halted and how that might have shaped things.
In many ways Adolf Hitler lost the second world war rather than we won it. He was a military muppet. Anyone with a half-working normal brain would have learned the lesson of Napoleon's catastrophic eastern campaign and would have buttoned up the western front before launching east.
I may be able to match you with WW1 sites visited, courtesy of helping out with about a dozen Y9 French/History trips to Flanders over the last 25 years or so. That the war was a catastrophe is undoubtedly true, but a world where the British did not take part and the Central Powers won would not necessarily have been a better one than the one we ended up with. I’m not really qualified to argue the point though, so I will leave it to others.
Of course, they totally ignore the EU shambles on the vaccine and the UK's stellar rollout which for the next 2 years matters far more than a few rotting haddock.
I wouldn't call the rollout by the UK of vaccines as "stellar". It only has that appearance because the EU isn't as good and the trade deal negotiated by the liar in chief is so crap.
The EU vaccine situation is an utter and absolute shambles
And yes, the UK's vaccine rollout is stellar. We pre-ordered in bulk from multiple developers: the greatest policy decision by any Government since the second world war. No exaggeration.
We have now jabbed nearly 10% of the adult population placing us roughly 3rd in the world. Our backing of Astra Zeneca and rollout of that has been a triumph.
It is an absolutely stellar achievement. Quite simply the greatest of my lifetime by any Government I have witnessed.
yours, a Labour voter last time.
It was a reasonably good idea. Even a very good idea. But let's not elevate it to "Two world wars, one world cup and a vaccine rollout" status, shall we? Not when we are unchallenged numero uno worldbeaters when it comes to deaths per head of population.
Obviously not comparable to a game of football and it's far better than our performance in the first world war.
We did okay in the second world war. Plenty of errors, much bravery, some luck and a great leader. But more than anything, the Americans.
So I will elevate it and so will the Conservatives backed by the press. When we've beaten this fucker, which we will in a matter of months, you are going to have to retreat to a hermitage because there will be praise for this Government's vaccine triumph like nothing else you've ever witnessed. Deservedly so.
We won the First World War, in case you hadn’t noticed.
As for the Second World War, it was the Soviets as much as the Americans .
I don't think anyone won the first world war. It was a catastrophe for humanity. I've visited more WWI war graves and sites than probably anyone on this forum so don't think I'm unsympathetic to what you are saying. I just don't think it was a victory for anyone. One massive disaster from start to finish. And even if the Daily Mail rants about Blackadder in the classroom, the fact is that the immortal line contains a lot of truth:
'Field Marshal Haig is about to make yet another gargantuan effort to move his drinks cabinet six inches closer to Berlin.'
I agree of course about the Soviets but had the Americans not intervened that begs a whole other question about where the USSR would have halted and how that might have shaped things.
In many ways Adolf Hitler lost the second world war rather than we won it. He was a military muppet. Anyone with a half-working normal brain would have learned the lesson of Napoleon's catastrophic eastern campaign and would have buttoned up the western front before launching east.
But which lesson from history should Hitler have followed ?
Russian resistance in 1812 or Russia's lack of resistance in 1917 ?
Why are Brexiteers so obsessed with the EU vacc scheme?
You won. We left. Get over it...
We had a worried phone call from a relative in Spain yesterday, fearful because of the death rates in the UK she was seeing on Spanish TV. We told her not to worry, it is not a metric that concerns the UK media anymore. But we will worry for her, because we have the vaccine and she doesn't!
I have colleagues across the US and Europe.
They all tell me they hear that the virus is out of control in the U.K.
Well it is. We are on the edge of a precipice right now.
No it isn't and no we're not.
It's coming under control and the vaccine programme is going to beat it down all-but-entirely.
G'day.
And uniondivide go and have a cup of tea and get your head in the right place.
Of course, they totally ignore the EU shambles on the vaccine and the UK's stellar rollout which for the next 2 years matters far more than a few rotting haddock.
Vaccines are more important than fish right now, no question about that, but I think it's still ok to post about fish. Last night for example, being Friday, we took advantage of a special delivery offer on cod & chips, 2 portions + mushy peas, £15 inc delivery - good value. We'd done the same several times last year but this was the first time in 2021, i.e. since the Thin Deal and consequent meltdown of the fishing industry. And guess what, the retail end is (surprise surprise) not immune to the chaos in the wholesale markets. The chips were great, and so were the mushies. Both of the usual high standard. But the fish was not. The fish was disappointing. For the first time ever the fish was disappointing. It was cooked ok but its overall condition told of a very difficult, downright brexity journey from sea to North London fryer. Bottom line, Brexit ruins my Friday fish & chips. Thank you Leavers. I'm not making this up or exaggerating btw. It's 100% solid anecdata.
It's clearly a made up story. Nobody south of Nottingham would ever eat mushy peas.
I'm calling it. You're a high-grade Russian bot with excellent knowledge of Britain but you've just had your "good luck / thank you" moment.
I know you're joking, at least I assume you are, but having been on the receiving end of being called a bot on here can I politely suggest we desist? It's a rather low-grade way of attempting to put down an 'opponent.'
It was a low-grade way of putting down mushy peas. But I agree, mushy peas should not be put down. They should be flung away, with energetic resolve.
On topic, Labour really need to get a grip on being a govt in waiting - after 10 years of Conservative rule and BJs weaknesses (and strengths) now well known the Opposition (and SKS) must get their act together or they face a mediocre May performance (if they take place)... what is their offer to the voters - if it aint Corbynism... is it TBlair 2.0? I for one am really sruggling to see their vision etc,
This is the problem. They haven't got anything except 'we're not them.'
Starmer does need a few 'big issue' things which he can say he would do. Blair did it in 1997 to actually sell himself and New labour. National Minimum Wage, Bank of England Independence, Working Family Tax Credit, removal of section 28, and I'm sure plenty more.
If I was him I would do the following:
Legalistion of Cannabis Electoral Reform (including House of Lord) Devo-Max for Scotland and Wales (if there's still a scotland in the union) Joining ETFA/EEA (unlikely due to division) Tax reform, including Equalisation of income tax/capital gain tax rates, and removal of many CG reliefs for non business assets. Reform of IHT including lifetime gift rules.
At least that would get an arguement going and get some fire in his belly.
Sounds good. I'd really like to see the debate on drug laws in this country lifted out of the current gutter of tabloid ignorance and hypocrisy.
Yeah, friends in other countries are starting to openly scoff at the ongoing restrictions
Slightly odd letter from Boris this morning. He said:
"This I must say was in stark contrast to the Labour Party and Keir Starmer who took every opportunity to attack the heroic work of our Vaccine Taskforce.
Arguing that the UK should have joined the EU scheme – a policy which would have seen millions fewer of our most vulnerable protected as of today."
Obviously it is shocking that SKS didn't order a single dose of vaccine but I must have missed the last bit. Did he really say that? I don't think so.
Instead of posting every thing you can find that in your mind trashes the UK, why cannot you just be honest and openly accept the EU vaccination scheme is a disaster and will result in thousands of avoidable lost lives.
Then your other posts could be seen as more balanced as you are able to criticise the EU when they get things wrong, otherwise it is more than reasonable to conclude that you are simply an anti brexit obsessive with no balance and your postings are just tedious
This is rich coming from a pro tory pro brexit anti labour obsessive like yourself. There is nothing wrong with questioning issues affecting our country when they are becoming apparent to most people. There is no point in commenting on the EU as because you keep on saying, Brexit has happened and we can do nothing about it. We can though do something about our bunch of liars and hypocrits running our country.
Posting anti UK vaccination articles while not criticising the EU who are failing in a big way is all part of the attitude the EU can do no wrong
And of course the EU's failure is important as many on here and elsewhere condemned Boris for not joining it, when it was absolutely the correct decision as was his decision on the vaccine investments here in the UK
I am content if you just agree the EU has failed in its responsibility on the vaccine programme
Don't count your chickens. The only people I've heard of getting the vaccine over here are those with sharp elbows.
My 81 year old wife and I receive ours later today and we certainly have not done anything to jump the queue
We have waited patiently and our surgery phoned yesterday out of the blue to ask us to attend for it
Down in Devon my step-mother (who is a year or two older than you by the sound of it) has already had her second dose: indeed, based on a chat I had with her yesterday so have all the over eighties I know in my home town. Having said that, she did say she knew of a few in tha age bracket who are still waiting.
"Sri Lanka’s health minister, who has faced criticism for consuming and endorsing a herbal syrup made by a sorcerer, has tested positive for COVID-19
A Health Ministry official on Saturday confirmed that Pavithra Wanniarachchi became the highest-ranking official to be infected with the virus. She and her immediate contacts have been asked to self-quarantine.
Doctors have said there is no scientific basis for the syrup as remedy for the coronavirus. It's said to contain honey and nutmeg."
Of course, they totally ignore the EU shambles on the vaccine and the UK's stellar rollout which for the next 2 years matters far more than a few rotting haddock.
I wouldn't call the rollout by the UK of vaccines as "stellar". It only has that appearance because the EU isn't as good and the trade deal negotiated by the liar in chief is so crap.
The EU vaccine situation is an utter and absolute shambles
And yes, the UK's vaccine rollout is stellar. We pre-ordered in bulk from multiple developers: the greatest policy decision by any Government since the second world war. No exaggeration.
We have now jabbed nearly 10% of the adult population placing us roughly 3rd in the world. Our backing of Astra Zeneca and rollout of that has been a triumph.
It is an absolutely stellar achievement. Quite simply the greatest of my lifetime by any Government I have witnessed.
yours, a Labour voter last time.
It was a reasonably good idea. Even a very good idea. But let's not elevate it to "Two world wars, one world cup and a vaccine rollout" status, shall we? Not when we are unchallenged numero uno worldbeaters when it comes to deaths per head of population.
Obviously not comparable to a game of football and it's far better than our performance in the first world war.
We did okay in the second world war. Plenty of errors, much bravery, some luck and a great leader. But more than anything, the Americans.
So I will elevate it and so will the Conservatives backed by the press. When we've beaten this fucker, which we will in a matter of months, you are going to have to retreat to a hermitage because there will be praise for this Government's vaccine triumph like nothing else you've ever witnessed. Deservedly so.
We won the First World War, in case you hadn’t noticed.
As for the Second World War, it was the Soviets as much as the Americans .
I don't think anyone won the first world war. It was a catastrophe for humanity. I've visited more WWI war graves and sites than probably anyone on this forum so don't think I'm unsympathetic to what you are saying. I just don't think it was a victory for anyone. One massive disaster from start to finish. And even if the Daily Mail rants about Blackadder in the classroom, the fact is that the immortal line contains a lot of truth:
'Field Marshal Haig is about to make yet another gargantuan effort to move his drinks cabinet six inches closer to Berlin.'
I agree of course about the Soviets but had the Americans not intervened that begs a whole other question about where the USSR would have halted and how that might have shaped things.
In many ways Adolf Hitler lost the second world war rather than we won it. He was a military muppet. Anyone with a half-working normal brain would have learned the lesson of Napoleon's catastrophic eastern campaign and would have buttoned up the western front before launching east.
But which lesson from history should Hitler have followed ?
Russian resistance in 1812 or Russia's lack of resistance in 1917 ?
The single lesson should have been that Russia endured in both cases, even with its largest city taken.
Of course, they totally ignore the EU shambles on the vaccine and the UK's stellar rollout which for the next 2 years matters far more than a few rotting haddock.
Vaccines are more important than fish right now, no question about that, but I think it's still ok to post about fish. Last night for example, being Friday, we took advantage of a special delivery offer on cod & chips, 2 portions + mushy peas, £15 inc delivery - good value. We'd done the same several times last year but this was the first time in 2021, i.e. since the Thin Deal and consequent meltdown of the fishing industry. And guess what, the retail end is (surprise surprise) not immune to the chaos in the wholesale markets. The chips were great, and so were the mushies. Both of the usual high standard. But the fish was not. The fish was disappointing. For the first time ever the fish was disappointing. It was cooked ok but its overall condition told of a very difficult, downright brexity journey from sea to North London fryer. Bottom line, Brexit ruins my Friday fish & chips. Thank you Leavers. I'm not making this up or exaggerating btw. It's 100% solid anecdata.
It's clearly a made up story. Nobody south of Nottingham would ever eat mushy peas.
I'm calling it. You're a high-grade Russian bot with excellent knowledge of Britain but you've just had your "good luck / thank you" moment.
I know you're joking, at least I assume you are, but having been on the receiving end of being called a bot on here can I politely suggest we desist? It's a rather low-grade way of attempting to put down an 'opponent.'
It was a low-grade way of putting down mushy peas. But I agree, mushy peas should not be put down. They should be flung away, with energetic resolve.
I have had mushy peas here in Bucks before, and liked them. Mind you I also like the pickled Brussel Sprouts I had at Christmas, so my recommendation is not going to suit everyone.
WRT war in the East, it was pretty well inevitable. Stalin was planning for war in 1944. The Red Army would have been much stronger then, than in 1941. As against that, it would have been fighting a Wehrmact that was operating much closer to home, with none of the supply problems that dogged it during Operation Barbarossa. The Soviets, by contrast, would be fighting at the end of their supply lines, and Germany's allies would surely have fought hard in defence of their homelands.
Of course, they totally ignore the EU shambles on the vaccine and the UK's stellar rollout which for the next 2 years matters far more than a few rotting haddock.
Vaccines are more important than fish right now, no question about that, but I think it's still ok to post about fish. Last night for example, being Friday, we took advantage of a special delivery offer on cod & chips, 2 portions + mushy peas, £15 inc delivery - good value. We'd done the same several times last year but this was the first time in 2021, i.e. since the Thin Deal and consequent meltdown of the fishing industry. And guess what, the retail end is (surprise surprise) not immune to the chaos in the wholesale markets. The chips were great, and so were the mushies. Both of the usual high standard. But the fish was not. The fish was disappointing. For the first time ever the fish was disappointing. It was cooked ok but its overall condition told of a very difficult, downright brexity journey from sea to North London fryer. Bottom line, Brexit ruins my Friday fish & chips. Thank you Leavers. I'm not making this up or exaggerating btw. It's 100% solid anecdata.
It's clearly a made up story. Nobody south of Nottingham would ever eat mushy peas.
I'm calling it. You're a high-grade Russian bot with excellent knowledge of Britain but you've just had your "good luck / thank you" moment.
I know you're joking, at least I assume you are, but having been on the receiving end of being called a bot on here can I politely suggest we desist? It's a rather low-grade way of attempting to put down an 'opponent.'
It was a low-grade way of putting down mushy peas. But I agree, mushy peas should not be put down. They should be flung away, with energetic resolve.
I have had mushy peas here in Bucks before, and liked them. Mind you I also like the pickled Brussel Sprouts I had at Christmas, so my recommendation is not going to suit everyone.
Of course, they totally ignore the EU shambles on the vaccine and the UK's stellar rollout which for the next 2 years matters far more than a few rotting haddock.
I wouldn't call the rollout by the UK of vaccines as "stellar". It only has that appearance because the EU isn't as good and the trade deal negotiated by the liar in chief is so crap.
The EU vaccine situation is an utter and absolute shambles
And yes, the UK's vaccine rollout is stellar. We pre-ordered in bulk from multiple developers: the greatest policy decision by any Government since the second world war. No exaggeration.
We have now jabbed nearly 10% of the adult population placing us roughly 3rd in the world. Our backing of Astra Zeneca and rollout of that has been a triumph.
It is an absolutely stellar achievement. Quite simply the greatest of my lifetime by any Government I have witnessed.
yours, a Labour voter last time.
It was a reasonably good idea. Even a very good idea. But let's not elevate it to "Two world wars, one world cup and a vaccine rollout" status, shall we? Not when we are unchallenged numero uno worldbeaters when it comes to deaths per head of population.
Obviously not comparable to a game of football and it's far better than our performance in the first world war.
We did okay in the second world war. Plenty of errors, much bravery, some luck and a great leader. But more than anything, the Americans.
So I will elevate it and so will the Conservatives backed by the press. When we've beaten this fucker, which we will in a matter of months, you are going to have to retreat to a hermitage because there will be praise for this Government's vaccine triumph like nothing else you've ever witnessed. Deservedly so.
We won the First World War, in case you hadn’t noticed.
As for the Second World War, it was the Soviets as much as the Americans .
I don't think anyone won the first world war. It was a catastrophe for humanity. I've visited more WWI war graves and sites than probably anyone on this forum so don't think I'm unsympathetic to what you are saying. I just don't think it was a victory for anyone. One massive disaster from start to finish. And even if the Daily Mail rants about Blackadder in the classroom, the fact is that the immortal line contains a lot of truth:
'Field Marshal Haig is about to make yet another gargantuan effort to move his drinks cabinet six inches closer to Berlin.'
I agree of course about the Soviets but had the Americans not intervened that begs a whole other question about where the USSR would have halted and how that might have shaped things.
In many ways Adolf Hitler lost the second world war rather than we won it. He was a military muppet. Anyone with a half-working normal brain would have learned the lesson of Napoleon's catastrophic eastern campaign and would have buttoned up the western front before launching east.
Re WWII, Germany's generals were just as culpable. They grossly underestimated Soviet military capabilities, and German atrocities ensured that people who might have fought the communists threw in their lot with them instead. .
Yes I was about to post that in fact Hitler's biggest mistake was launching the eastern front at all. He ('they' as you do correctly point out) had a chance to keep the peace with the Soviets. Poking that bear was bloody foolish. And by heck did they enact their vengeance when they swept back towards Berlin.
Of course, they totally ignore the EU shambles on the vaccine and the UK's stellar rollout which for the next 2 years matters far more than a few rotting haddock.
Vaccines are more important than fish right now, no question about that, but I think it's still ok to post about fish. Last night for example, being Friday, we took advantage of a special delivery offer on cod & chips, 2 portions + mushy peas, £15 inc delivery - good value. We'd done the same several times last year but this was the first time in 2021, i.e. since the Thin Deal and consequent meltdown of the fishing industry. And guess what, the retail end is (surprise surprise) not immune to the chaos in the wholesale markets. The chips were great, and so were the mushies. Both of the usual high standard. But the fish was not. The fish was disappointing. For the first time ever the fish was disappointing. It was cooked ok but its overall condition told of a very difficult, downright brexity journey from sea to North London fryer. Bottom line, Brexit ruins my Friday fish & chips. Thank you Leavers. I'm not making this up or exaggerating btw. It's 100% solid anecdata.
It's clearly a made up story. Nobody south of Nottingham would ever eat mushy peas.
I'm calling it. You're a high-grade Russian bot with excellent knowledge of Britain but you've just had your "good luck / thank you" moment.
I know you're joking, at least I assume you are, but having been on the receiving end of being called a bot on here can I politely suggest we desist? It's a rather low-grade way of attempting to put down an 'opponent.'
It was a low-grade way of putting down mushy peas. But I agree, mushy peas should not be put down. They should be flung away, with energetic resolve.
I have had mushy peas here in Bucks before, and liked them. Mind you I also like the pickled Brussel Sprouts I had at Christmas, so my recommendation is not going to suit everyone.
Pickled Brussel Sprouts?! Isn't there some clause in the Geneva Convention banning them? (I like sprouts and I like pickled vegetables but I confess that combination had not occurred to me)
On topic, Labour really need to get a grip on being a govt in waiting - after 10 years of Conservative rule and BJs weaknesses (and strengths) now well known the Opposition (and SKS) must get their act together or they face a mediocre May performance (if they take place)... what is their offer to the voters - if it aint Corbynism... is it TBlair 2.0? I for one am really sruggling to see their vision etc,
This is the problem. They haven't got anything except 'we're not them.'
Starmer does need a few 'big issue' things which he can say he would do. Blair did it in 1997 to actually sell himself and New labour. National Minimum Wage, Bank of England Independence, Working Family Tax Credit, removal of section 28, and I'm sure plenty more.
If I was him I would do the following:
Legalistion of Cannabis Electoral Reform (including House of Lord) Devo-Max for Scotland and Wales (if there's still a scotland in the union) Joining ETFA/EEA (unlikely due to division) Tax reform, including Equalisation of income tax/capital gain tax rates, and removal of many CG reliefs for non business assets. Reform of IHT including lifetime gift rules.
At least that would get an arguement going and get some fire in his belly.
Sounds good. I'd really like to see the debate on drug laws in this country lifted out of the current gutter of tabloid ignorance and hypocrisy.
Yeah, friends in other countries are starting to openly scoff at the ongoing restrictions
Slightly odd letter from Boris this morning. He said:
"This I must say was in stark contrast to the Labour Party and Keir Starmer who took every opportunity to attack the heroic work of our Vaccine Taskforce.
Arguing that the UK should have joined the EU scheme – a policy which would have seen millions fewer of our most vulnerable protected as of today."
Obviously it is shocking that SKS didn't order a single dose of vaccine but I must have missed the last bit. Did he really say that? I don't think so.
Instead of posting every thing you can find that in your mind trashes the UK, why cannot you just be honest and openly accept the EU vaccination scheme is a disaster and will result in thousands of avoidable lost lives.
Then your other posts could be seen as more balanced as you are able to criticise the EU when they get things wrong, otherwise it is more than reasonable to conclude that you are simply an anti brexit obsessive with no balance and your postings are just tedious
This is rich coming from a pro tory pro brexit anti labour obsessive like yourself. There is nothing wrong with questioning issues affecting our country when they are becoming apparent to most people. There is no point in commenting on the EU as because you keep on saying, Brexit has happened and we can do nothing about it. We can though do something about our bunch of liars and hypocrits running our country.
Posting anti UK vaccination articles while not criticising the EU who are failing in a big way is all part of the attitude the EU can do no wrong
And of course the EU's failure is important as many on here and elsewhere condemned Boris for not joining it, when it was absolutely the correct decision as was his decision on the vaccine investments here in the UK
I am content if you just agree the EU has failed in its responsibility on the vaccine programme
Don't count your chickens. The only people I've heard of getting the vaccine over here are those with sharp elbows.
My 81 year old wife and I receive ours later today and we certainly have not done anything to jump the queue
We have waited patiently and our surgery phoned yesterday out of the blue to ask us to attend for it
That's good, here the advice for the 80 plus is to slog half way across London to the Excel centre or embark on an odyssey round the M25 to Surrey.
Nobody has answered the point about the decline or the Liberals in Wales.
Presume - like the rest of the country - Labour supplanted them as the country industrialised. It probably happened later in Wales due to the sheer hold of rural Methodist style culture.
I guess Libs last redoubt is as a competitor to the Tories in Anglo rural areas.
The LibDems are now the party of the (largely) affluent Anglo-incomer & the Anglo-farming vote. So, probably they will remain quite competitive in Powys.
The LibDems were competitive in Ceredigion (2 universities, Aber & Lampeter), Cardiff Central (dominated by the University) & Swansea West (most of Swansea Uni) until quite recently. (The Bangor University vote has always been quite strongly Labour -- it is why Labour remain very competitive in Arfon).
I think the students & University vote will take a long time to forgive and forget.
Remarkable how Cleggy Ratnered the LibDems with tuition fees.
Of course, they totally ignore the EU shambles on the vaccine and the UK's stellar rollout which for the next 2 years matters far more than a few rotting haddock.
Vaccines are more important than fish right now, no question about that, but I think it's still ok to post about fish. Last night for example, being Friday, we took advantage of a special delivery offer on cod & chips, 2 portions + mushy peas, £15 inc delivery - good value. We'd done the same several times last year but this was the first time in 2021, i.e. since the Thin Deal and consequent meltdown of the fishing industry. And guess what, the retail end is (surprise surprise) not immune to the chaos in the wholesale markets. The chips were great, and so were the mushies. Both of the usual high standard. But the fish was not. The fish was disappointing. For the first time ever the fish was disappointing. It was cooked ok but its overall condition told of a very difficult, downright brexity journey from sea to North London fryer. Bottom line, Brexit ruins my Friday fish & chips. Thank you Leavers. I'm not making this up or exaggerating btw. It's 100% solid anecdata.
It's clearly a made up story. Nobody south of Nottingham would ever eat mushy peas.
I'm calling it. You're a high-grade Russian bot with excellent knowledge of Britain but you've just had your "good luck / thank you" moment.
I know you're joking, at least I assume you are, but having been on the receiving end of being called a bot on here can I politely suggest we desist? It's a rather low-grade way of attempting to put down an 'opponent.'
It was a low-grade way of putting down mushy peas. But I agree, mushy peas should not be put down. They should be flung away, with energetic resolve.
I have had mushy peas here in Bucks before, and liked them. Mind you I also like the pickled Brussel Sprouts I had at Christmas, so my recommendation is not going to suit everyone.
Of course, they totally ignore the EU shambles on the vaccine and the UK's stellar rollout which for the next 2 years matters far more than a few rotting haddock.
I wouldn't call the rollout by the UK of vaccines as "stellar". It only has that appearance because the EU isn't as good and the trade deal negotiated by the liar in chief is so crap.
The EU vaccine situation is an utter and absolute shambles
And yes, the UK's vaccine rollout is stellar. We pre-ordered in bulk from multiple developers: the greatest policy decision by any Government since the second world war. No exaggeration.
We have now jabbed nearly 10% of the adult population placing us roughly 3rd in the world. Our backing of Astra Zeneca and rollout of that has been a triumph.
It is an absolutely stellar achievement. Quite simply the greatest of my lifetime by any Government I have witnessed.
yours, a Labour voter last time.
It was a reasonably good idea. Even a very good idea. But let's not elevate it to "Two world wars, one world cup and a vaccine rollout" status, shall we? Not when we are unchallenged numero uno worldbeaters when it comes to deaths per head of population.
Obviously not comparable to a game of football and it's far better than our performance in the first world war.
We did okay in the second world war. Plenty of errors, much bravery, some luck and a great leader. But more than anything, the Americans.
So I will elevate it and so will the Conservatives backed by the press. When we've beaten this fucker, which we will in a matter of months, you are going to have to retreat to a hermitage because there will be praise for this Government's vaccine triumph like nothing else you've ever witnessed. Deservedly so.
We won the First World War, in case you hadn’t noticed.
As for the Second World War, it was the Soviets as much as the Americans .
I don't think anyone won the first world war. It was a catastrophe for humanity. I've visited more WWI war graves and sites than probably anyone on this forum so don't think I'm unsympathetic to what you are saying. I just don't think it was a victory for anyone. One massive disaster from start to finish. And even if the Daily Mail rants about Blackadder in the classroom, the fact is that the immortal line contains a lot of truth:
'Field Marshal Haig is about to make yet another gargantuan effort to move his drinks cabinet six inches closer to Berlin.'
I agree of course about the Soviets but had the Americans not intervened that begs a whole other question about where the USSR would have halted and how that might have shaped things.
In many ways Adolf Hitler lost the second world war rather than we won it. He was a military muppet. Anyone with a half-working normal brain would have learned the lesson of Napoleon's catastrophic eastern campaign and would have buttoned up the western front before launching east.
But which lesson from history should Hitler have followed ?
Russian resistance in 1812 or Russia's lack of resistance in 1917 ?
The single lesson should have been that Russia endured in both cases, even with its largest city taken.
Hitler had no problem with a permanent state of war in order to stop the German people from becoming 'soft'.
Of course, they totally ignore the EU shambles on the vaccine and the UK's stellar rollout which for the next 2 years matters far more than a few rotting haddock.
Vaccines are more important than fish right now, no question about that, but I think it's still ok to post about fish. Last night for example, being Friday, we took advantage of a special delivery offer on cod & chips, 2 portions + mushy peas, £15 inc delivery - good value. We'd done the same several times last year but this was the first time in 2021, i.e. since the Thin Deal and consequent meltdown of the fishing industry. And guess what, the retail end is (surprise surprise) not immune to the chaos in the wholesale markets. The chips were great, and so were the mushies. Both of the usual high standard. But the fish was not. The fish was disappointing. For the first time ever the fish was disappointing. It was cooked ok but its overall condition told of a very difficult, downright brexity journey from sea to North London fryer. Bottom line, Brexit ruins my Friday fish & chips. Thank you Leavers. I'm not making this up or exaggerating btw. It's 100% solid anecdata.
It's clearly a made up story. Nobody south of Nottingham would ever eat mushy peas.
I'm calling it. You're a high-grade Russian bot with excellent knowledge of Britain but you've just had your "good luck / thank you" moment.
I know you're joking, at least I assume you are, but having been on the receiving end of being called a bot on here can I politely suggest we desist? It's a rather low-grade way of attempting to put down an 'opponent.'
It was a low-grade way of putting down mushy peas. But I agree, mushy peas should not be put down. They should be flung away, with energetic resolve.
I have had mushy peas here in Bucks before, and liked them. Mind you I also like the pickled Brussel Sprouts I had at Christmas, so my recommendation is not going to suit everyone.
Pickled Brussel Sprouts?! Isn't there some clause in the Geneva Convention banning them? (I like sprouts and I like pickled vegetables but I confess that combination had not occurred to me)
No, Geneva bans the use of chemical weapons. You're looking for the 1993 Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction which prohibits the manufacture.
Whitty was absolutely clear about this once again yesterday. Given the level of protection given by 1 dose you save the most lives by putting as many first doses in as many people as possible. Yes, it is a bit more of a risk for those who already had one dose but the overall benefit is clear and only completely selfish gits would be demanding a second dose when so many have not had one. In fairness, I have not heard anyone who has had the first dose complaining, just people trying to stir up trouble supposedly on their behalf. Its ridiculous.
Joan 'no mansion tax' Bakewell wants the oldies to get the second dose so they can go to restaurants.
Comments
You won. We left. Get over it...
One of my family frustrations (and we were all staunch Labour back in the day) was a woman ( now long deceased) a Labour Councillor in Carmarthenshire who allegedly took two pedestrians out on zebra crossings on two separate occassions but avoided both the wrath of Dyfed Powys Police and the magistrates.
However, these demonstrations of corruption by such scoundrels, are those of rank amateurs when compared to the current incumbents in Westminster.
Secondly, my judgement mirrors yours to some extent.
Thirdly, I'm able to separate my own feelings about Labour's inadequacy from the idea that they "deserve" power or not. If you get the most votes, well, you deserve more than just being sent to bed with no tea.
Lastly, this is rapidly descending into a semantic argument which probably isn't interesting for any of us. I was actually hoping to draw us all into a discussion about what kind of mandate means you "deserve" power and to use it as a wedge to point out the absurdity of any party wielding majority power with far less than 50% of the vote, as happens in non-proportional systems.
I was being too clever by half in trying to engineer it that way, and that was my mistake, so let me put it plainly.
I agree Labour in Wales aren't doing very well. I feel very much the same about the Conservatives UK wide. I don't want to see either in power, and I wish the electoral systems were repaired to stop single-party rule except in cases of exceptional popularity. We deserve better systems than the ones we have, but given the ones we have, we can't really argue with the plurality party being in government.
You are right, however Labour need to lose to be cleansed. I just don't see Welsh Tories as being those best equipped to do the cleansing.
Seeing people hoist by their own petard is not the worst of all outcomes.
However, time does strange things sometimes, and if in 18 months time we have thousands of unemployed but vaccinated people wandering the streets much of the credit for a job well done will be dissipated.
And, to my mind, at the moment anyway, the economic indicators don't look good.
Just an anecdote; my wife went to M&S on a click and collect this morning and many of the fresh produce shelves were empty. It was early, though.
Some excellent forward planning by Edward III.
On the other hand, someone who is obsessively and breathlessly excited about pointing out every problem to come from Brexit, and fair enough that's a position someone can take, is not really in a position to complain about others pointing out that a lot of people, for seemingly ideological reasons, condemned the policy that has been a success for the UK.
I think I thought it was a bad idea at the time too, a petty decision taken by the government to show it could go its own way and choosing politics over health. But it really has worked out well, and while that of course doesn't mean every Brexit related problem is irrelevant, it is a bit unreasonable to expect others to forget that those who condemned that decision were wrong. And a lot of them likely condemned it simply because of ideology.
I'm calling it. You're a high-grade Russian bot with excellent knowledge of Britain but you've just had your "good luck / thank you" moment.
You would be even more obsessed with it if it had been better than the UK vaccination scheme.
Fair enough, it’s a garbage fire.
They all tell me they hear that the virus is out of control in the U.K.
Were it the other way around, would those on the other side of the fence be avoiding the topic?
Even from a neutral perspective, amid the various errors the Government has made, the vaccine procurement has been excellent and it's foolish not to acknowledge this fact.
Mind you it's not just imports from the EU that is the problem there is a story on the BBC that relates to issues in getting from China as a lot of containers are in the wrong place.
Recipients totally understanding of the VAT issue. They've been doing the same with purchases from the states....
Brexiteers - EU bad UK good or Brexit good, lets talk about it whereas UK or Brexit bad should not be discussed we should move on
Rejoiners - EU good UK bad or Brexit bad, lets talk about it whereas UK or Brexit good should not be discussed we should move on
Imo - how Brexit is going, and differences between EU & UK are certainly worthy of comment regardless of which entity is doing well or badly, the problem is finding objective commentary amongst the hyper partisan noise.
'Field Marshal Haig is about to make yet another gargantuan effort to move his drinks cabinet six inches closer to Berlin.'
I agree of course about the Soviets but had the Americans not intervened that begs a whole other question about where the USSR would have halted and how that might have shaped things.
In many ways Adolf Hitler lost the second world war rather than we won it. He was a military muppet. Anyone with a half-working normal brain would have learned the lesson of Napoleon's catastrophic eastern campaign and would have buttoned up the western front before launching east.
Not surprised to see them point out that the opposite has happened.
We might have some other posters who enjoy posting updates on Brexit-related predictions from Twitter.
95% of traffic flowing smoothly in each direction, except with more checks at each end now, isn't much of a story.
And the point below is pertinent about remoaners breathlessly seizing on every story about the latest piece of haddock lying on the side of the road.
Brexit isn't much of a story. Covid is. And on that the Gov't made mistakes, quite a lot of them. However, they learned, corrected and now we have one of the greatest global vaccine rollouts.
On vaccination, which is all that now really matters going forward against this pandemic, we are world-beating.
I can't think of a bigger issue in the world right now (or for the next few months) than vaccine rollout. So let's just ignore talking about it...
That his own son and daughter respectively joined the Conservatives and Labour in the 1950s was indicative of the Liberals decline.
Re WWII, Germany's generals were just as culpable as Hitler. There was a lot of post-war myth-making, along the lines of "We would have won the war if it wasn't for that bloody fool." They grossly underestimated Soviet military capabilities, and German atrocities ensured that people who might have fought the communists threw in their lot with them instead.
More basically, given the extent to which the Germans had failed to properly prepare their economy for war, it's remarkable they did as well as they did.
It makes the vaccine successes no more than the minimum necessary to avoid melt down. We are not only on the precipice but leaning over with a strand of vaccine stopping us from falling. Right now that is a thread, soon it will be a rope and eventually it will be a band that can pull us back. But these are perilous times, no doubt about it.
Thank goodness for the Soviets, Americans, and the British efforts.
And the one thing that often gets forgotten here is Germany doing an excellent job of abandoning that toxic ideology. It's quite an arresting idea, that one could quite rationally argue that in 2021 Germany is in a better place, ideologically, than Russia, Britain and America are.
A “Progressive Alliance” of PC-Lib-Green might perhaps be interesting. One candidate per seat; joint list.
I still think Hitler was militarily inept.
https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/business/vat/modernising-vat-cross-border-ecommerce_en
Russian resistance in 1812 or Russia's lack of resistance in 1917 ?
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jan/23/buyers-of-brand-new-homes-face-20000-bill-to-make-them-greener
We have waited patiently and our surgery phoned yesterday out of the blue to ask us to attend for it
Mr. Password, lots of fun legacies of recent times. Labour's fantasy of perpetual Celtic fiefdoms isn't working out terribly well, nor did scuttling in to sign the Lisbon Treaty contrary to a manifesto pledge.
A major downside of democracy, not faced by the likes of China, is that it discourages strategic thinking and long term advantages in favour of short term wins and boosts at the ballot box.
What I find difficult to swallow are the remainers who seem to be just itching for the slightest hiccup so that they can leap in like cackling hyenas. But who then express extreme distaste when it's pointed out to them that the UK's vaccine rollout is a triumph compared to the almighty cock-ups inside the EU bloc.
Two very bizarre constituency results.
That the war was a catastrophe is undoubtedly true, but a world where the British did not take part and the Central Powers won would not necessarily have been a better one than the one we ended up with. I’m not really qualified to argue the point though, so I will leave it to others.
1917 is a good one too though.
I must go. My teenager is awake. Mouth to feed!
It's coming under control and the vaccine programme is going to beat it down all-but-entirely.
G'day.
And uniondivide go and have a cup of tea and get your head in the right place.
ciao
Having said that, she did say she knew of a few in tha age bracket who are still waiting.
A Health Ministry official on Saturday confirmed that Pavithra Wanniarachchi became the highest-ranking official to be infected with the virus. She and her immediate contacts have been asked to self-quarantine.
Doctors have said there is no scientific basis for the syrup as remedy for the coronavirus. It's said to contain honey and nutmeg."
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/asia-today-sri-lanka-minister-who-drank-potion-is-positive-minister-sri-lanka-colombo-ap-colombo-b1791611.html
Mind you I also like the pickled Brussel Sprouts I had at Christmas, so my recommendation is not going to suit everyone.
(I like sprouts and I like pickled vegetables but I confess that combination had not occurred to me)
https://twitter.com/PaulEmbery/status/1352715261674201088
The LibDems were competitive in Ceredigion (2 universities, Aber & Lampeter), Cardiff Central (dominated by the University) & Swansea West (most of Swansea Uni) until quite recently. (The Bangor University vote has always been quite strongly Labour -- it is why Labour remain very competitive in Arfon).
I think the students & University vote will take a long time to forgive and forget.
Remarkable how Cleggy Ratnered the LibDems with tuition fees.
https://twitter.com/BBCWalesNews/status/1352947044772671488
Meanwhile I don't know if this has already been commented on:
https://twitter.com/martin_mckee/status/1352923893946871808?s=20
He is completely vacuous & incompetent.
https://twitter.com/SwanseaSWP/status/1110876516483780608
https://twitter.com/choeshow/status/1352810973350875136?s=19
https://twitter.com/DeedeeKIRO7/status/1352768804472852482?s=19