She really really has a brass neck, looks likeshe is going to take the whole lot down before she will fess up.
Ruth's point today is a telling one. Up to now the focus has all been on the meeting with Mr Aberdein on 29th March where what was to be discussed at the meeting on 2nd April was allegedly discussed but Ruth is pointing out that Sturgeon knew about the allegations months prior to this and had discussed them with her officials. That really blows the water out of her "shock" at what was discussed on 2nd April and indeed her contention that she thought that this was some sort of SNP meeting which did not have to involve civil servants.
Given what she knew and given her position she really should not have met Salmond anywhere, let alone in her own home.
David - Geoff Aberdein's submission to the inquiry is not doing to be published and he will not be called, so his version of events contradicting Sturgeon cannot be even considered. That is the reason she felt confident enough to say the complainant's name was not disclosed to salmond via Aberdein prior to the 29 march meeting.
In other words, it is a total, brazen cover-up. Down here in London we are all gawping in amazement that she can get away with this. Yet, in modern Devolved Scotland, it seems that she can?
The politics demanded we told the EU to do one in response to invoking A16 over the NI protocol. In turn, the EU politics demanded they publicly tell us we signed it, and to implement it in full, and to suck it up.
In private both sides know if this is not politically sustainable it will blow up or be unilaterally blown up so, behind the scenes, both sides will have to do pragmatic deals on the detail and fudge it as much as possible.
She really really has a brass neck, looks likeshe is going to take the whole lot down before she will fess up.
Ruth's point today is a telling one. Up to now the focus has all been on the meeting with Mr Aberdein on 29th March where what was to be discussed at the meeting on 2nd April was allegedly discussed but Ruth is pointing out that Sturgeon knew about the allegations months prior to this and had discussed them with her officials. That really blows the water out of her "shock" at what was discussed on 2nd April and indeed her contention that she thought that this was some sort of SNP meeting which did not have to involve civil servants.
Given what she knew and given her position she really should not have met Salmond anywhere, let alone in her own home.
David - Geoff Aberdein's submission to the inquiry is not doing to be published and he will not be called, so his version of events contradicting Sturgeon cannot be even considered. That is the reason she felt confident enough to say the complainant's name was not disclosed to salmond via Aberdein prior to the 29 march meeting.
Have they said why? Why can’t it be issued in redacted form?
She really really has a brass neck, looks likeshe is going to take the whole lot down before she will fess up.
Ruth's point today is a telling one. Up to now the focus has all been on the meeting with Mr Aberdein on 29th March where what was to be discussed at the meeting on 2nd April was allegedly discussed but Ruth is pointing out that Sturgeon knew about the allegations months prior to this and had discussed them with her officials. That really blows the water out of her "shock" at what was discussed on 2nd April and indeed her contention that she thought that this was some sort of SNP meeting which did not have to involve civil servants.
Given what she knew and given her position she really should not have met Salmond anywhere, let alone in her own home.
David - Geoff Aberdein's submission to the inquiry is not doing to be published and he will not be called, so his version of events contradicting Sturgeon cannot be even considered. That is the reason she felt confident enough to say the complainant's name was not disclosed to salmond via Aberdein prior to the 29 march meeting.
Didn't know that. It seems really inexplicable that he is not called as a witness given her prior statements about what she thought was going to happen on 2nd April. It also makes the desire of Crown Office to redact the relevant paragraph of Slamond's statement about what he was told even more curious.
This is way past the joke. It is making Scotland, its legal system and its Parliament look completely ridiculous. Its embarrassing.
She really really has a brass neck, looks likeshe is going to take the whole lot down before she will fess up.
Ruth's point today is a telling one. Up to now the focus has all been on the meeting with Mr Aberdein on 29th March where what was to be discussed at the meeting on 2nd April was allegedly discussed but Ruth is pointing out that Sturgeon knew about the allegations months prior to this and had discussed them with her officials. That really blows the water out of her "shock" at what was discussed on 2nd April and indeed her contention that she thought that this was some sort of SNP meeting which did not have to involve civil servants.
Given what she knew and given her position she really should not have met Salmond anywhere, let alone in her own home.
David - Geoff Aberdein's submission to the inquiry is not doing to be published and he will not be called, so his version of events contradicting Sturgeon cannot be even considered. That is the reason she felt confident enough to say the complainant's name was not disclosed to salmond via Aberdein prior to the 29 march meeting.
Have they said why? Why can’t it be issued in redacted form?
It's that pesky contempt of court issue again that they have been hiding behind for months years now.
On Sturgeon-Salmond the thing that I think would really shift the polls would be Sturgeon being forced to resign. I don't see how that happens.
Sure, on the old rules, misleading Holyrood, etc, would be enough, but these days nobody resigns. She'll apologise if she has to, let the voters decide, and most of them will trust her.
That is brilliant. I always thought Biden would bend over when it came to China, I didn't realise it would be literally.
I noticed that Biden was asked a question about the treatment of the Uihigurs (sp?) in a Townhall he did, and didn't condemn China, instead talking about 'cultural norms' ???
Still not sure if it was one of Biden's senior rambles, or if the policy actually is now to attempt a rapprochement with China at all costs - perhaps to prise them apart from Russia?
Both sides will be relieved by that IPSOS poll. The SNP are taking a hit, but still quite likely to get a majority - at the moment (but much still to come)
The government will be mightily relieved by the indyref polling: the trend is to NO, but more importantly, a large plurality of Scots will accept the right of HMG to refuse a vote til the next GE. The rest - mainly the Nats - are split between UDI (which will never go anywhere), or taking Boris to court (almost certainly going nowhere)
All Boris has to do is say No in the politest possible way, order a Royal Commission into Federalism and Everything, punt the football out of Celtic Park and into the long grass by the Clyde, then sit back and watch the SNP implode: as they are already very close to doing. Sorted.
I have it from an unimpeachable source, popped through my letterbox this very morn, that 'The SNP will hold another independence referendum early in the next Parliament if they win a majority at May's election.' Are you suggesting that they're lying?
Both sides will be relieved by that IPSOS poll. The SNP are taking a hit, but still quite likely to get a majority - at the moment (but much still to come)
The government will be mightily relieved by the indyref polling: the trend is to NO, but more importantly, a large plurality of Scots will accept the right of HMG to refuse a vote til the next GE. The rest - mainly the Nats - are split between UDI (which will never go anywhere), or taking Boris to court (almost certainly going nowhere)
All Boris has to do is say No in the politest possible way, order a Royal Commission into Federalism and Everything, punt the football out of Celtic Park and into the long grass by the Clyde, then sit back and watch the SNP implode: as they are already very close to doing. Sorted.
I have it from an unimpeachable source, popped through my letterbox this very morn, that 'The SNP will hold another independence referendum early in the next Parliament if they win a majority at May's election.' Are you suggesting that they're lying?
On Sturgeon-Salmond the thing that I think would really shift the polls would be Sturgeon being forced to resign. I don't see how that happens.
Sure, on the old rules, misleading Holyrood, etc, would be enough, but these days nobody resigns. She'll apologise if she has to, let the voters decide, and most of them will trust her.
It's a bit beyond that now. I agree she won't resign, and the affair is murky and hard to follow, for most, but it is now causing a stink. Average voters can smell it, even if they can't see it. Check the latest polls: many Scots believe the SNP is tarnished, including some Nats.
The stink is going to pursue her til the election. All the questions to her will be about Salmondgate, because journalists can sense she is on the defensive, and weakened, and their instinct is to have another go and try and get the scalp (this would apply to any leading politician embroiled in a juicy scandal, it's not a Yoon conspiracy).
So her image as Mother Scotland will become unsustainable.
I can see the SNP taking enough collateral damage to - maybe - just fall short of an outright maj. The question then is would Sturgeon carry on as leader? I guess she'd try, but the discontent in the party would surge
@MaxPB was posting recently about how UK tech tends to go overseas for capital investment. This is a slightly different context, but the technology for this solar project is from Oxford Photovoltaics: https://twitter.com/GunterErfurt/status/1364853965981167617
Both sides will be relieved by that IPSOS poll. The SNP are taking a hit, but still quite likely to get a majority - at the moment (but much still to come)
The government will be mightily relieved by the indyref polling: the trend is to NO, but more importantly, a large plurality of Scots will accept the right of HMG to refuse a vote til the next GE. The rest - mainly the Nats - are split between UDI (which will never go anywhere), or taking Boris to court (almost certainly going nowhere)
All Boris has to do is say No in the politest possible way, order a Royal Commission into Federalism and Everything, punt the football out of Celtic Park and into the long grass by the Clyde, then sit back and watch the SNP implode: as they are already very close to doing. Sorted.
I have it from an unimpeachable source, popped through my letterbox this very morn, that 'The SNP will hold another independence referendum early in the next Parliament if they win a majority at May's election.' Are you suggesting that they're lying?
Oh look, a squirrel.
You're exercised at me replying directly to a specific post on the subject of that post? Perhaps you could lay out the posting ground rules for me.
Maybe if the politicians and party that you support weren't so utterly shit and compromised, your protestations about the current imbroglio might have more resonance outside the PB circle jerk.
That is brilliant. I always thought Biden would bend over when it came to China, I didn't realise it would be literally.
I noticed that Biden was asked a question about the treatment of the Uihigurs (sp?) in a Townhall he did, and didn't condemn China, instead talking about 'cultural norms' ???
Still not sure if it was one of Biden's senior rambles, or if the policy actually is now to attempt a rapprochement with China at all costs - perhaps to prise them apart from Russia?
If you look at Biden's state department hires, that seems unlikely. I don't think the administration has any illusions about the nature of the Chinese regime, but they also recognise US strategic weakness which needs rectifying.
For example... Biden orders 100-day review amid supply chain strains https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56186655 US President Joe Biden has ordered officials to find ways to bolster supply chains as a shortage of computer chips hits carmakers around the world. It comes after the pandemic has strained many producers and forced the US to scramble for medical gear. The initial review is focused on computer chips, pharmaceuticals, rare earth minerals and large batteries, such as those used in electric cars. China is a key supplier for many of those items. US officials said the review was not targeted at China*, which like the US imports most of its computer chips and has been trying to boost domestic production. They said the administration was interested in increasing some production in the US and expected to work with other countries for items that could not be made domestically. Reliance on "strategic competitor nations" is expected to be part of the analysis, they added...
*True, since the reliance in chip manufacturing is on Taiwan...
@MaxPB was posting recently about how UK tech tends to go overseas for capital investment. This is a slightly different context, but the technology for this solar project is from Oxford Photovoltaics: https://twitter.com/GunterErfurt/status/1364853965981167617
The tech markets in the US are awash with cash as everyone tries to buy into the next thing that the big boys are going to buy up at a premium. It is inevitable that UK based tech companies would want to take advantage of that and it may even be in our interests that they do so because they will get a serious wedge of cash for further development and growth. I really don't see anything the UK Chancellor can do to prevent this even if he was so minded (as opposed to counting the CGT).
I get that its frustrating for @MaxPB but its a market distortion in favour of the US that will not be overcome until the next bubble bursts.
As a scientist herself, Merkel should be ashamed of this.
She's in a bind, tho, isn't she? Her own Government has foolishly undermined Astra Zeneca with blatant lies, and then advised against it for over-65s.
So she can't really contradict that advice, even if it is harmful to Germany - and it is harmful, because any vaccine is better than no vaccine, which means you should take what you can now. And do not fret, because more and even better jabs will be arriving later, in their billions. And, anyway, AZ looks pretty damn good judging by real-world British data.
Hundreds of Germans could die as a result of this misdirection of the people. What a mess they have made.
That is brilliant. I always thought Biden would bend over when it came to China, I didn't realise it would be literally.
I noticed that Biden was asked a question about the treatment of the Uihigurs (sp?) in a Townhall he did, and didn't condemn China, instead talking about 'cultural norms' ???
Still not sure if it was one of Biden's senior rambles, or if the policy actually is now to attempt a rapprochement with China at all costs - perhaps to prise them apart from Russia?
If you look at Biden's state department hires, that seems unlikely. I don't think the administration has any illusions about the nature of the Chinese regime, but they also recognise US strategic weakness which needs rectifying.
For example... Biden orders 100-day review amid supply chain strains https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56186655 US President Joe Biden has ordered officials to find ways to bolster supply chains as a shortage of computer chips hits carmakers around the world. It comes after the pandemic has strained many producers and forced the US to scramble for medical gear. The initial review is focused on computer chips, pharmaceuticals, rare earth minerals and large batteries, such as those used in electric cars. China is a key supplier for many of those items. US officials said the review was not targeted at China*, which like the US imports most of its computer chips and has been trying to boost domestic production. They said the administration was interested in increasing some production in the US and expected to work with other countries for items that could not be made domestically. Reliance on "strategic competitor nations" is expected to be part of the analysis, they added...
*True, since the reliance in chip manufacturing is on Taiwan...
Yes, but that could be looked at two ways - getting away from reliance on China, or preparing to capitulate to China by getting away from reliance on Taiwan.
I'd put myself amongst the most pragmatic of PBers foreign policy wise - I do not go in for impotent rants about China or Russia. However, leaving Taiwan to its fate really goes against the grain for me.
Kier Starmer really has some work to do, doesn't he?
Sadly, I think he'll either veer off-piste in response to this, or try and triangulate, where what he should really do is unite and lead both sides with a compelling vision.
Not quite back to previous weeks but not bad at all. Also the highest 2nd dose total for England since 11 January. That number will I imagine start ramping up incredibly quickly now.
Both sides will be relieved by that IPSOS poll. The SNP are taking a hit, but still quite likely to get a majority - at the moment (but much still to come)
The government will be mightily relieved by the indyref polling: the trend is to NO, but more importantly, a large plurality of Scots will accept the right of HMG to refuse a vote til the next GE. The rest - mainly the Nats - are split between UDI (which will never go anywhere), or taking Boris to court (almost certainly going nowhere)
All Boris has to do is say No in the politest possible way, order a Royal Commission into Federalism and Everything, punt the football out of Celtic Park and into the long grass by the Clyde, then sit back and watch the SNP implode: as they are already very close to doing. Sorted.
I have it from an unimpeachable source, popped through my letterbox this very morn, that 'The SNP will hold another independence referendum early in the next Parliament if they win a majority at May's election.' Are you suggesting that they're lying?
It's on very thick paper isn't it? Feels like 200gsm.
That is brilliant. I always thought Biden would bend over when it came to China, I didn't realise it would be literally.
I noticed that Biden was asked a question about the treatment of the Uihigurs (sp?) in a Townhall he did, and didn't condemn China, instead talking about 'cultural norms' ???
Still not sure if it was one of Biden's senior rambles, or if the policy actually is now to attempt a rapprochement with China at all costs - perhaps to prise them apart from Russia?
If you look at Biden's state department hires, that seems unlikely. I don't think the administration has any illusions about the nature of the Chinese regime, but they also recognise US strategic weakness which needs rectifying.
For example... Biden orders 100-day review amid supply chain strains https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56186655 US President Joe Biden has ordered officials to find ways to bolster supply chains as a shortage of computer chips hits carmakers around the world. It comes after the pandemic has strained many producers and forced the US to scramble for medical gear. The initial review is focused on computer chips, pharmaceuticals, rare earth minerals and large batteries, such as those used in electric cars. China is a key supplier for many of those items. US officials said the review was not targeted at China*, which like the US imports most of its computer chips and has been trying to boost domestic production. They said the administration was interested in increasing some production in the US and expected to work with other countries for items that could not be made domestically. Reliance on "strategic competitor nations" is expected to be part of the analysis, they added...
*True, since the reliance in chip manufacturing is on Taiwan...
Yes, but that could be looked at two ways - getting away from reliance on China, or preparing to capitulate to China by getting away from reliance on Taiwan.
I'd put myself amongst the most pragmatic of PBers foreign policy wise - I do not go in for impotent rants about China or Russia. However, leaving Taiwan to its fate really goes against the grain for me.
And for me. But I simply don't agree that reducing tech reliance on Taiwan implies abandoning it - and confronting China cannot be done from a position of weakness.
Kier Starmer really has some work to do, doesn't he?
Sadly, I think he'll either veer off-piste in response to this, or try and triangulate, where what he should really do is unite and lead both sides with a compelling vision.
As a scientist herself, Merkel should be ashamed of this.
She's in a bind, tho, isn't she? Her own Government has foolishly undermined Astra Zeneca with blatant lies, and then advised against it for over-65s.
So she can't really contradict that advice, even if it is harmful to Germany - and it is harmful, because any vaccine is better than no vaccine, which means you should take what you can now. And do not fret, because more and even better jabs will be arriving later, in their billions. And, anyway, AZ looks pretty damn good judging by real-world British data.
Hundreds of Germans could die as a result of this misdirection of the people. What a mess they have made.
They have actively blocked off the vaccine to those it does by far the most to help - the over-65s. It is about as crass a decision as could be taken in a pandemic.
Not quite back to previous weeks but not bad at all. Also the highest 2nd dose total for England since 11 January. That number will I imagine start ramping up incredibly quickly now.
The England second dose is already ramping up quickly - a week ago it was under 5,000 - its tripled in the last week.
Both sides will be relieved by that IPSOS poll. The SNP are taking a hit, but still quite likely to get a majority - at the moment (but much still to come)
The government will be mightily relieved by the indyref polling: the trend is to NO, but more importantly, a large plurality of Scots will accept the right of HMG to refuse a vote til the next GE. The rest - mainly the Nats - are split between UDI (which will never go anywhere), or taking Boris to court (almost certainly going nowhere)
All Boris has to do is say No in the politest possible way, order a Royal Commission into Federalism and Everything, punt the football out of Celtic Park and into the long grass by the Clyde, then sit back and watch the SNP implode: as they are already very close to doing. Sorted.
I have it from an unimpeachable source, popped through my letterbox this very morn, that 'The SNP will hold another independence referendum early in the next Parliament if they win a majority at May's election.' Are you suggesting that they're lying?
It's on very thick paper isn't it? Feels like 200gsm.
Kier Starmer really has some work to do, doesn't he?
Sadly, I think he'll either veer off-piste in response to this, or try and triangulate, where what he should really do is unite and lead both sides with a compelling vision.
I'm not sure he does compelling. Or vision.
He seems to be absolutely devoid of personality. I've heard of parties being a 'blank sheet of paper' so that people can project what they want onto the party, but Starmer seems to be taking that to unprecedented extremes.
Not quite back to previous weeks but not bad at all. Also the highest 2nd dose total for England since 11 January. That number will I imagine start ramping up incredibly quickly now.
It will be interesting to see how quickly we can get to 30 million.
Kier Starmer really has some work to do, doesn't he?
Sadly, I think he'll either veer off-piste in response to this, or try and triangulate, where what he should really do is unite and lead both sides with a compelling vision.
I'm not sure he does compelling. Or vision.
He seems to be absolutely devoid of personality. I've heard of parties being a 'blank sheet of paper' so that people can project what they want onto the party, but Starmer seems to be taking that to unprecedented extremes.
Yeah, I wonder about this one - so was Attlee.
The difference was Attlee knew politics, and could do vision and leadership in an understated way, and did shit.
Both sides will be relieved by that IPSOS poll. The SNP are taking a hit, but still quite likely to get a majority - at the moment (but much still to come)
The government will be mightily relieved by the indyref polling: the trend is to NO, but more importantly, a large plurality of Scots will accept the right of HMG to refuse a vote til the next GE. The rest - mainly the Nats - are split between UDI (which will never go anywhere), or taking Boris to court (almost certainly going nowhere)
All Boris has to do is say No in the politest possible way, order a Royal Commission into Federalism and Everything, punt the football out of Celtic Park and into the long grass by the Clyde, then sit back and watch the SNP implode: as they are already very close to doing. Sorted.
I have it from an unimpeachable source, popped through my letterbox this very morn, that 'The SNP will hold another independence referendum early in the next Parliament if they win a majority at May's election.' Are you suggesting that they're lying?
The SNP can hold an ilegal referendum, which Westminster and the UK government will ignore, if the Tories deprive the SNP of their majority next year they will not even be able to do that
On these figures the Tories lose 9/10 seats to the LDs as well as about the same to LAB
Old boundaries....
Are the new boundaries 100% sure to come in and what difference will they make?
Pretty certain to come in — (already been delayed for a number of years, the current seats are more than 20 years old), and will probably give the Tories between 10 and 20 extra seats. The main problem for Labour is Wales dropping from 40 to 32 seats, since most of those will be lost in the south Wales valley seats which have very small electorates.
Kier Starmer really has some work to do, doesn't he?
Sadly, I think he'll either veer off-piste in response to this, or try and triangulate, where what he should really do is unite and lead both sides with a compelling vision.
I'm not sure he does compelling. Or vision.
He seems to be absolutely devoid of personality. I've heard of parties being a 'blank sheet of paper' so that people can project what they want onto the party, but Starmer seems to be taking that to unprecedented extremes.
Yeah, I wonder about this one - so was Attlee.
The difference was Attlee knew politics, and could do vision and leadership in an understated way, and did shit.
Absolutely Attlee had a vision and credit from being in government through the war years too.
Starmer though is like a black hole. Any personality he might have gets sucked in and nothing escapes from the event horizon.
Someone trying to get an appointment for their relative in a high-risk group to get vaccinated in Germany is told by the hotline that they haven't developed a mechanism yet and they should call back in a couple of weeks. https://twitter.com/AliceBota/status/1364934960671580164
Kier Starmer really has some work to do, doesn't he?
Sadly, I think he'll either veer off-piste in response to this, or try and triangulate, where what he should really do is unite and lead both sides with a compelling vision.
On Sturgeon-Salmond the thing that I think would really shift the polls would be Sturgeon being forced to resign. I don't see how that happens.
Sure, on the old rules, misleading Holyrood, etc, would be enough, but these days nobody resigns. She'll apologise if she has to, let the voters decide, and most of them will trust her.
It's a bit beyond that now. I agree she won't resign, and the affair is murky and hard to follow, for most, but it is now causing a stink. Average voters can smell it, even if they can't see it. Check the latest polls: many Scots believe the SNP is tarnished, including some Nats.
The stink is going to pursue her til the election. All the questions to her will be about Salmondgate, because journalists can sense she is on the defensive, and weakened, and their instinct is to have another go and try and get the scalp (this would apply to any leading politician embroiled in a juicy scandal, it's not a Yoon conspiracy).
So her image as Mother Scotland will become unsustainable.
I can see the SNP taking enough collateral damage to - maybe - just fall short of an outright maj. The question then is would Sturgeon carry on as leader? I guess she'd try, but the discontent in the party would surge
Agree Leon, this could damage Sturgeon.
You may also be interested to know Sindhu Vee was reading 'the Ice Twins' last night on C4 at 9pm on 'Extraordinary Escapes with Sandi Toksvig' whose author I believe you vaguely know
Worth noting the changes on that poll over the actuals when the last sets of locals were contested. If that poll is anything like the actual result in May, it's going to be an interesting night. And following days.
2016:
Labour -2 Conservative +10 LibDems -4
2017:
Labour -6 Cons +2 LibDems -7
In May 2017 the Tories had a lead of 11% in the Local Elections.
Sorry, typo, that should be +6 Labour in 2017
So a 6% swing Labour to Conservatives over 2016, plus a 2% swing Conservatives to Labour over 2017.
And a 7% swing LibDem to Conservatives over 2016, plus a 4.5% swing LibDem to Conservatives over 2017.
She really really has a brass neck, looks likeshe is going to take the whole lot down before she will fess up.
Ruth's point today is a telling one. Up to now the focus has all been on the meeting with Mr Aberdein on 29th March where what was to be discussed at the meeting on 2nd April was allegedly discussed but Ruth is pointing out that Sturgeon knew about the allegations months prior to this and had discussed them with her officials. That really blows the water out of her "shock" at what was discussed on 2nd April and indeed her contention that she thought that this was some sort of SNP meeting which did not have to involve civil servants.
Given what she knew and given her position she really should not have met Salmond anywhere, let alone in her own home.
David - Geoff Aberdein's submission to the inquiry is not doing to be published and he will not be called, so his version of events contradicting Sturgeon cannot be even considered. That is the reason she felt confident enough to say the complainant's name was not disclosed to salmond via Aberdein prior to the 29 march meeting.
Why a10 day "go out and spread it" delay in starting the lockdown.
That's absolutely nuts.
Jersey discovers cases and announces lockdown three days hence - pubs predictably rammed - huge spike in cases. Guernsey discovers cases Friday evening and locks down mid-day Saturday - far fewer cases and much shorter outbreak.
Both sides will be relieved by that IPSOS poll. The SNP are taking a hit, but still quite likely to get a majority - at the moment (but much still to come)
The government will be mightily relieved by the indyref polling: the trend is to NO, but more importantly, a large plurality of Scots will accept the right of HMG to refuse a vote til the next GE. The rest - mainly the Nats - are split between UDI (which will never go anywhere), or taking Boris to court (almost certainly going nowhere)
All Boris has to do is say No in the politest possible way, order a Royal Commission into Federalism and Everything, punt the football out of Celtic Park and into the long grass by the Clyde, then sit back and watch the SNP implode: as they are already very close to doing. Sorted.
I have it from an unimpeachable source, popped through my letterbox this very morn, that 'The SNP will hold another independence referendum early in the next Parliament if they win a majority at May's election.' Are you suggesting that they're lying?
The SNP can hold an ilegal referendum, which Westminster and the UK government will ignore, if the Tories deprive the SNP of their majority next year they will not even be able to do that
Pm me your address and I'll send it down to you. You can write 'illegal' in marker pen every time referendum is mentioned on the leaflet (6 as it happens).
Kier Starmer really has some work to do, doesn't he?
Sadly, I think he'll either veer off-piste in response to this, or try and triangulate, where what he should really do is unite and lead both sides with a compelling vision.
I'm not sure he does compelling. Or vision.
He seems to be absolutely devoid of personality. I've heard of parties being a 'blank sheet of paper' so that people can project what they want onto the party, but Starmer seems to be taking that to unprecedented extremes.
Yeah, I wonder about this one - so was Attlee.
The difference was Attlee knew politics, and could do vision and leadership in an understated way, and did shit.
And Attlee had a host of "big beasts" he could call upon (and fend off!). He also married a Tory.....
Why a10 day "go out and spread it" delay in starting the lockdown.
That's absolutely nuts.
Jersey discovers cases and announces lockdown three days hence - pubs predictably rammed - huge spike in cases. Guernsey discovers cases Friday evening and locks down mid-day Saturday - far fewer cases and much shorter outbreak.
The one thing we really should have learnt by now is the quicker you lock down the quicker you can escape from the lockdown
So I'm provisionally returning back to the office on the 5th of July.
We've set the same provisional date too. Flexible working available with everyone eligible for up to 3 days from home and remote working available with the agreement of management. Interestingly they've said no to overseas remote working due to data concerns which has been quite poorly received but management have said anyone who can't live with it will have to go and find a new job.
On Sturgeon-Salmond the thing that I think would really shift the polls would be Sturgeon being forced to resign. I don't see how that happens.
Sure, on the old rules, misleading Holyrood, etc, would be enough, but these days nobody resigns. She'll apologise if she has to, let the voters decide, and most of them will trust her.
It's a bit beyond that now. I agree she won't resign, and the affair is murky and hard to follow, for most, but it is now causing a stink. Average voters can smell it, even if they can't see it. Check the latest polls: many Scots believe the SNP is tarnished, including some Nats.
The stink is going to pursue her til the election. All the questions to her will be about Salmondgate, because journalists can sense she is on the defensive, and weakened, and their instinct is to have another go and try and get the scalp (this would apply to any leading politician embroiled in a juicy scandal, it's not a Yoon conspiracy).
So her image as Mother Scotland will become unsustainable.
I can see the SNP taking enough collateral damage to - maybe - just fall short of an outright maj. The question then is would Sturgeon carry on as leader? I guess she'd try, but the discontent in the party would surge
Agree Leon, this could damage Sturgeon.
You may also be interested to know Sindhu Vee was reading 'the Ice Twins' last night on C4 at 9pm on 'Extraordinary Escapes with Sandi Toksvig' whose author I believe you vaguely know
On these figures the Tories lose 9/10 seats to the LDs as well as about the same to LAB
Old boundaries....
Are the new boundaries 100% sure to come in and what difference will they make?
Unless Boris goes for a shock early election, then yes I'd say a 2014 election is on new boundaries.
As to effect, it is expected to make a modest shift of seats to the Conservatives. The extent is maybe up to 10 more seats heading their way over the 2019 result (Mr Meeks did a thread header a couple of weeks back where he suggested significantly less, but the comments underneath gave detailed reason to believe he was somewhat pessimistic on the Tories' chances of benefitting).
Why a10 day "go out and spread it" delay in starting the lockdown.
I guess it depends on the culture - if the Icelandic public's response to this kind of announcement is to say "let's adopt the basic constraints of a lockdown and use the time to prepare our businesses and homes" as opposed to "let's spend the next 10 days in 'Spoons getting off our faces while we still can" then it is a sensible process.
I honestly believe that doing this job we're on the side of Test cricket - we bat for Test cricket because we love it, and big believers of it, and it is under pressure at the moment and has been for a number of years. This is not a good advert for Test cricket. It is not good for the broadcasters - they have been short changed for three days. Nobody wins from two-day Test matches."
So I'm provisionally returning back to the office on the 5th of July.
We've set the same provisional date too. Flexible working available with everyone eligible for up to 3 days from home and remote working available with the agreement of management. Interestingly they've said no to overseas remote working due to data concerns which has been quite poorly received but management have said anyone who can't live with it will have to go and find a new job.
Same here, as you can appreciate, working for a financial institution and working from home has tested data security/GDPR/etc to its limits and then some.
The one thing that's remarkable with Sturgeon is how she insists upon doing all the Scottish Government press conferences herself it seems, no matter what's being discussed. The UK ones will be done by the PM, Health Secretary, Home Secretary or Education Secretary etc depending upon what's on the agenda, but for Scotland it seems to always be the Sturgeon show no matter what.
I wonder why this is? Why she doesn't put more faith in her own team to stand up more? Is she worried that someone might get their own profile and become a rival?
It seems like she wants 'Mother Sturgeon' to be the only one out there so there's no alternative?
On these figures the Tories lose 9/10 seats to the LDs as well as about the same to LAB
Old boundaries....
Are the new boundaries 100% sure to come in and what difference will they make?
Unless Boris goes for a shock early election, then yes I'd say a 2014 election is on new boundaries.
As to effect, it is expected to make a modest shift of seats to the Conservatives. The extent is maybe up to 10 more seats heading their way over the 2019 result (Mr Meeks did a thread header a couple of weeks back where he suggested significantly less, but the comments underneath gave detailed reason to believe he was somewhat pessimistic on the Tories' chances of benefitting).
Boundary changes will help Labour in some places like Wycombe (removing the rural areas), east and south London (new seats).
FPT MattW, there has been a 7.5% swing in net favorables between Boris and Nicola since the last poll. OK, his previous ratings were worse than scrofula, but with Ross polling much better too, it might mean the Tories are best placed to benefit from further internal SNP trauma between now and May.
Especially with Starmer going backwards too.
Douglas Ross's approval up to 28% will be giving SCon some reason for hope. And that's before he gets the benefit of more coverage from the election campaign. Tories got 31 MSPs out of a list vote of just shy of 23% last time, so not inconceivable that they could do better in May,
Maybe vaccine rollout is having more of an impact in Scotland than elsewhere, but the personal ratings for both Boris and Ross were markedly up and for Sturgeon and Starmer, markedly down.
Comments
The politics demanded we told the EU to do one in response to invoking A16 over the NI protocol. In turn, the EU politics demanded they publicly tell us we signed it, and to implement it in full, and to suck it up.
In private both sides know if this is not politically sustainable it will blow up or be unilaterally blown up so, behind the scenes, both sides will have to do pragmatic deals on the detail and fudge it as much as possible.
This is way past the joke. It is making Scotland, its legal system and its Parliament look completely ridiculous. Its embarrassing.
https://twitter.com/ZaltzCricket/status/1364931064343498755
monthsyears now.Sure, on the old rules, misleading Holyrood, etc, would be enough, but these days nobody resigns. She'll apologise if she has to, let the voters decide, and most of them will trust her.
Still not sure if it was one of Biden's senior rambles, or if the policy actually is now to attempt a rapprochement with China at all costs - perhaps to prise them apart from Russia?
The stink is going to pursue her til the election. All the questions to her will be about Salmondgate, because journalists can sense she is on the defensive, and weakened, and their instinct is to have another go and try and get the scalp (this would apply to any leading politician embroiled in a juicy scandal, it's not a Yoon conspiracy).
So her image as Mother Scotland will become unsustainable.
I can see the SNP taking enough collateral damage to - maybe - just fall short of an outright maj. The question then is would Sturgeon carry on as leader? I guess she'd try, but the discontent in the party would surge
This is a slightly different context, but the technology for this solar project is from Oxford Photovoltaics:
https://twitter.com/GunterErfurt/status/1364853965981167617
Maybe if the politicians and party that you support weren't so utterly shit and compromised, your protestations about the current imbroglio might have more resonance outside the PB circle jerk.
For example...
Biden orders 100-day review amid supply chain strains
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56186655
US President Joe Biden has ordered officials to find ways to bolster supply chains as a shortage of computer chips hits carmakers around the world.
It comes after the pandemic has strained many producers and forced the US to scramble for medical gear.
The initial review is focused on computer chips, pharmaceuticals, rare earth minerals and large batteries, such as those used in electric cars.
China is a key supplier for many of those items.
US officials said the review was not targeted at China*, which like the US imports most of its computer chips and has been trying to boost domestic production.
They said the administration was interested in increasing some production in the US and expected to work with other countries for items that could not be made domestically.
Reliance on "strategic competitor nations" is expected to be part of the analysis, they added...
*True, since the reliance in chip manufacturing is on Taiwan...
https://twitter.com/tancredipalmeri/status/1364921361903349764
I get that its frustrating for @MaxPB but its a market distortion in favour of the US that will not be overcome until the next bubble bursts.
So she can't really contradict that advice, even if it is harmful to Germany - and it is harmful, because any vaccine is better than no vaccine, which means you should take what you can now. And do not fret, because more and even better jabs will be arriving later, in their billions. And, anyway, AZ looks pretty damn good judging by real-world British data.
Hundreds of Germans could die as a result of this misdirection of the people. What a mess they have made.
I'd put myself amongst the most pragmatic of PBers foreign policy wise - I do not go in for impotent rants about China or Russia. However, leaving Taiwan to its fate really goes against the grain for me.
It says that every pupil will be tested 3 times in the first couple of weeks and after that to have home kits to test themselves twice per week.
That is going to be an awfully large number of additional tests every week!
https://www.politico.eu/coronavirus-in-europe/
Sadly, I think he'll either veer off-piste in response to this, or try and triangulate, where what he should really do is unite and lead both sides with a compelling vision.
I'm not sure he does compelling. Or vision.
One would imagine it would have to.
But I simply don't agree that reducing tech reliance on Taiwan implies abandoning it - and confronting China cannot be done from a position of weakness.
https://twitter.com/HugoGye/status/1364938412508254210
Maybe make Macron front it to apologise for his previous comments?
https://twitter.com/HTScotPol/status/1364935500268789768?s=20
The difference was Attlee knew politics, and could do vision and leadership in an understated way, and did shit.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019–21_ICC_World_Test_Championship
https://c8.alamy.com/comp/2EC0CM4/football-1996-european-championships-euro-96-final-germany-v-czech-republic-wembley-stadium-30696-germany-captain-jurgen-klinsmann-lifts-the-henri-delaunay-trophy-while-guest-of-honour-hrh-queen-elizabeth-ii-looks-on-mandatory-credit-action-images-darren-walsh-2EC0CM4.jpg
Isn't she over 65?
Starmer though is like a black hole. Any personality he might have gets sucked in and nothing escapes from the event horizon.
https://twitter.com/AliceBota/status/1364934960671580164
I doubt Macron will be keen to appear if that is the case.
You may also be interested to know Sindhu Vee was reading 'the Ice Twins' last night on C4 at 9pm on 'Extraordinary Escapes with Sandi Toksvig' whose author I believe you vaguely know
So a 6% swing Labour to Conservatives over 2016, plus a 2% swing Conservatives to Labour over 2017.
And a 7% swing LibDem to Conservatives over 2016, plus a 4.5% swing LibDem to Conservatives over 2017.
https://www.gov.scot/publications/foi-202000119311/
Jersey discovers cases and announces lockdown three days hence - pubs predictably rammed - huge spike in cases.
Guernsey discovers cases Friday evening and locks down mid-day Saturday - far fewer cases and much shorter outbreak.
https://english.elpais.com/usa/2021-02-25/how-chile-vaccinated-16-of-its-population-in-just-21-days.html?utm_source=Facebook&ssm=FB_CM_EN&fbclid=IwAR382QHuhS7j3ujgXPfdtq7ZBT8_xWqPpvaTDF0tBMU0PMNltvJjdp0ezw4#Echobox=1614262787
There'll be exceptions for those who live/care for people who haven't received both jabs by then.
As to effect, it is expected to make a modest shift of seats to the Conservatives. The extent is maybe up to 10 more seats heading their way over the 2019 result (Mr Meeks did a thread header a couple of weeks back where he suggested significantly less, but the comments underneath gave detailed reason to believe he was somewhat pessimistic on the Tories' chances of benefitting).
Just as a "for example".
Jonathan Agnew
BBC cricket correspondent on The Cricket Social
I honestly believe that doing this job we're on the side of Test cricket - we bat for Test cricket because we love it, and big believers of it, and it is under pressure at the moment and has been for a number of years. This is not a good advert for Test cricket. It is not good for the broadcasters - they have been short changed for three days. Nobody wins from two-day Test matches."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/cricket/55282537
I wonder why this is? Why she doesn't put more faith in her own team to stand up more? Is she worried that someone might get their own profile and become a rival?
It seems like she wants 'Mother Sturgeon' to be the only one out there so there's no alternative?