The remarkable story of the woman who was pretty well responsible for the development of mRNA as a therapeutic, and without whom the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines would not have existed.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/08/health/coronavirus-mrna-kariko.html ... For her entire career, Dr. Kariko has focused on messenger RNA, or mRNA — the genetic script that carries DNA instructions to each cell’s protein-making machinery. She was convinced mRNA could be used to instruct cells to make their own medicines, including vaccines.
But for many years her career at the University of Pennsylvania was fragile. She migrated from lab to lab, relying on one senior scientist after another to take her in. She never made more than $60,000 a year....
The Nobel Prize judges are going to have one hell of a time of it this year!
Thank whoever you pray to, for all these scientists doing good work, often for many years and for little reward or recognition.
She should certainly get one, IMO. Her contribution was absolutely fundamental.
The story is also a good illustration of the value of basic research. For quite a long time, very few saw any value in her research at all, and it turned out to be astronomical.
Don't you just love the excuse as to why Megan is not coming to the funeral.
Meghan is not coming because she is pregnant and on medical advice. Perhaps you feel she should have used the Prime Minister's excuse. Boris is not going because he wants to make room for the family and anyway he's not Jeremy Corbyn so it doesn't matter.
That’s harsh on both of them.
Meghan doesn’t want to go and has doctors advice (which will be genuine if she is 3rd trimester - although the risk is about the chance the baby may be born early vs any health issue & so isn’t really a risk in her case as she’d get great care regardless).
Boris - where numbers are limited it’s right he steps back. HMQ, C&C, W&K, H, A&T, Peter, Zara & Mike Tindall, A, B&E+2, E&S+2. You are already at 20 before you have included great grandkids (3 for W&K) plus 2-3 priests.
Certainly Boris is right not to go. At thirty it's a family event, not a state event, and doubtless there'll be some sort of state event as and when circumstances allow.
And who would want a clown at their funeral, anyway.
Don't you just love the excuse as to why Megan is not coming to the funeral.
Meghan is not coming because she is pregnant and on medical advice. Perhaps you feel she should have used the Prime Minister's excuse. Boris is not going because he wants to make room for the family and anyway he's not Jeremy Corbyn so it doesn't matter.
Travel in pregnancy is a problem, doubly so in times of covid, as a significant risk factor.
Except that she famously travelled from the UK to the US for a party, at about seven months gone last time.
I’m sure her husband appreciates her support at this difficult time
The remarkable story of the woman who was pretty well responsible for the development of mRNA as a therapeutic, and without whom the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines would not have existed.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/08/health/coronavirus-mrna-kariko.html ... For her entire career, Dr. Kariko has focused on messenger RNA, or mRNA — the genetic script that carries DNA instructions to each cell’s protein-making machinery. She was convinced mRNA could be used to instruct cells to make their own medicines, including vaccines.
But for many years her career at the University of Pennsylvania was fragile. She migrated from lab to lab, relying on one senior scientist after another to take her in. She never made more than $60,000 a year....
The Nobel Prize judges are going to have one hell of a time of it this year!
Thank whoever you pray to, for all these scientists doing good work, often for many years and for little reward or recognition.
It's one of the few non-ridiculous benefits of the honours system, for the British and Commonwealth scientists at least - it isn't much, but it will be easier to at least formally recognise large numbers of them.
Yes, good point. Plenty of CBEs and knighthoods to go around, for those involved directly in getting humanity out of this mess.
Makes a change from politicians, SpAds and time-serving civil servants getting all the gongs.
Don't you just love the excuse as to why Megan is not coming to the funeral.
Meghan is not coming because she is pregnant and on medical advice. Perhaps you feel she should have used the Prime Minister's excuse. Boris is not going because he wants to make room for the family and anyway he's not Jeremy Corbyn so it doesn't matter.
Travel in pregnancy is a problem, doubly so in times of covid, as a significant risk factor.
Except that she famously travelled from the UK to the US for a party, at about seven months gone last time.
There wasn't a covid epidemic then.
Are there any other reasons why a pregnant woman shouldn’t fly?
In part it might be her history of miscarriage last pregnancy. Also not recommended after 28 weeks, indeed specifically rulled out by most airlines.
Which is why she took a private plane last time! Does anyone believe she actually had a miscarriage?
Yes, it's well documented. She's an older mother biologically speaking so had an increased chance. I think the comment is somewhat off colour, no matter your thoughts on her relationship with her wider family miscarriages are obviously painful experiences.
As a participant in the 2015 Labour leadership election, I'd like to respond to some of the myths earlier in this thread.
Cooper didn't lose because she was female, just as Burnham didn't lost because he was male. Corbyn won because Cooper and Burnham both ran absolutely dreadful campaigns that did nothing to appeal to those in the party who wanted change. They made no attempt at all to tickle the sweet spot of the soft left, let alone the hard left. They came across as continuity Cameron/Osborne, offering no way out of austerity. They had to offer at least some red meat to the party; they didn't. I intended to vote for Cooper from the outset, but after the campaign only did so with a very heavy heart. They let Corbyn win.
I am sorry you didn't win the job; as a candidate you kept a very low profile, which probably explains it?
Surely the first woman ever to hold either of those roles? Or is there some Tory that I’ve missed?
No, but I was looking at it through the lens of Labour's inability to have a female leader - 46 years and counting behind the supposed misogynistic Tories. Dodd will give Labour's knuckle-draggers extra ammunition, when it comes to replacing Starmer.
It’s not about ammunition, because nobody overtly campaigns against a woman being leader of the Labour Party. It’s just that they always find an excuse, however flimsy, as to why that particular woman isn’t the right person at that moment.
In 2010 and 2020 it was easy because the lone/leading female candidate clearly was not up to being leader. But in 2016 they decided Cooper was ‘uninspiring’ and elected Corbyn instead. Now, if you want a clearer and more absurd example of sexism I’m struggling to find it, but nobody stood up and actually said ‘we don’t want her as leader because she has a vagina.’
In a way, such covert sexism is more insidious than that would have been. But it does mean there’s no reason to think Dodds’ performance will make a difference to it.
Cooper's problem was not her gender, but her politics, as was Kendall's. Much as I liked them personally and their politics, that was not what their party wanted. The party wanted a clear break from New Labour, of which Ed Miliband was the repeat as farce.
Corbyn was a relic of the old left, of a mythical time of purity before Blair contaminated everything. This is why he motivated the young, and swept up older activists who finally felt free of the taint of Blairism.
Cooper’s *ostensible* problem was her politics.
I don’t think we would have heard quite so much about that had she been a man, given Corbyn’s admirers have spent years telling us that his policies weren’t that socialist really.
Cooper went on HOLIDAY with her family, while Corbyn campaigned.
Given the advanced stage of Megan Markles pregnancy and the current covid situation traveling to the funeral wouldn’t be a wise thing to do but clearly the hate mob have decided to criticize her . And then if she did come they would say her presence would upstage the funeral . So she can’t win either way.
I’m curious as to what the reaction will be to Prince Andrew attending. On the one hand he is definitely persona non grata now, but on the other it is his father’s funeral, the sort of thing that convicted prisoners are let out on license to attend.
They should limit the processional. Make it just Charles & William and you could get away with it. If you have Edward you need to have Andrew as well
Don't you just love the excuse as to why Megan is not coming to the funeral.
Meghan is not coming because she is pregnant and on medical advice. Perhaps you feel she should have used the Prime Minister's excuse. Boris is not going because he wants to make room for the family and anyway he's not Jeremy Corbyn so it doesn't matter.
That’s harsh on both of them.
Meghan doesn’t want to go and has doctors advice (which will be genuine if she is 3rd trimester - although the risk is about the chance the baby may be born early vs any health issue & so isn’t really a risk in her case as she’d get great care regardless).
Boris - where numbers are limited it’s right he steps back. HMQ, C&C, W&K, H, A&T, Peter, Zara & Mike Tindall, A, B&E+2, E&S+2. You are already at 20 before you have included great grandkids (3 for W&K) plus 2-3 priests.
Certainly Boris is right not to go. At thirty it's a family event, not a state event, and doubtless there'll be some sort of state event as and when circumstances allow.
And who would want a clown at their funeral, anyway.
Don't you just love the excuse as to why Megan is not coming to the funeral.
Meghan is not coming because she is pregnant and on medical advice. Perhaps you feel she should have used the Prime Minister's excuse. Boris is not going because he wants to make room for the family and anyway he's not Jeremy Corbyn so it doesn't matter.
Travel in pregnancy is a problem, doubly so in times of covid, as a significant risk factor.
Except that she famously travelled from the UK to the US for a party, at about seven months gone last time.
I’m sure her husband appreciates her support at this difficult time
It's going to be a very emotional meeting between the brothers. Not sure about Harry and his dad. His grandma loves Harry and he her. I suspect it was the same with Philip who was a supporter of Diana and possibly of Meghan as well. He had no time for the palace flunkies who rule the roost.
But it's better for all concerned that Meghan has a good excuse for not being there. Let the close family hug each other.
Surely the first woman ever to hold either of those roles? Or is there some Tory that I’ve missed?
No, but I was looking at it through the lens of Labour's inability to have a female leader - 46 years and counting behind the supposed misogynistic Tories. Dodd will give Labour's knuckle-draggers extra ammunition, when it comes to replacing Starmer.
It’s not about ammunition, because nobody overtly campaigns against a woman being leader of the Labour Party. It’s just that they always find an excuse, however flimsy, as to why that particular woman isn’t the right person at that moment.
In 2010 and 2020 it was easy because the lone/leading female candidate clearly was not up to being leader. But in 2016 they decided Cooper was ‘uninspiring’ and elected Corbyn instead. Now, if you want a clearer and more absurd example of sexism I’m struggling to find it, but nobody stood up and actually said ‘we don’t want her as leader because she has a vagina.’
In a way, such covert sexism is more insidious than that would have been. But it does mean there’s no reason to think Dodds’ performance will make a difference to it.
Cooper's problem was not her gender, but her politics, as was Kendall's. Much as I liked them personally and their politics, that was not what their party wanted. The party wanted a clear break from New Labour, of which Ed Miliband was the repeat as farce.
Corbyn was a relic of the old left, of a mythical time of purity before Blair contaminated everything. This is why he motivated the young, and swept up older activists who finally felt free of the taint of Blairism.
The only thing Cooper ever did was to force HIPS upon us.. a fatuous piece of unnecessary legislation. The only reason she was discussed on here was because Mr Smithson bigged her up. She has no gravitas and whines a lot.
Her ministerial record speaks for itself.
HIPS don’t lie.
HIPS seemed like something out of The Thick of It: a piece of legislation which was proposed to show that the department was Doing Something rather than to address a particular need. If I remember correctly it was supposed to replace the survey done by the prospective buyers, but as the mortgage providers didn’t trust them it just made the whole process more expensive.
In Scotland we still have them! And they are accepted by the lenders, mainly, although they will want any reservations more thoroughly investigated.
I still don't think that they were a good idea.
Were they introduced before or after HIPS? I remember hearing that in Scottish law “gazumping” (sp?) is not allowed, so I’m assuming that the whole process is different in many ways.
Are you sure you mean HIPS are left?
Most of it was torpedoed before it made it into law. The main problem was that the assessed admin cost was going to be £400-£500.
What is left is the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) process and I think things like the Property Information Form. PIF is excellent, and tells you things about the house.
EPC is not quite how I would like it but has done a lot for improved energy efficiency.
The main current problem is that huge numbers of Owner Occupiers don't seem to give a toss about the quality of house they live in. Scotland is doing something about it; England is not. No idea about Wales.
Latest EMA shows Tories with a 7.2% lead and an overall majority of 42.
Just a current snap shot. Long way to go yet.
You wonder how many candidates Refuk will actually stand? I doubt it will be a tiny proportion of the 276 seats where Brexit Party stood in 2019. If it is even a thing by the net election.
Don't you just love the excuse as to why Megan is not coming to the funeral.
Meghan is not coming because she is pregnant and on medical advice. Perhaps you feel she should have used the Prime Minister's excuse. Boris is not going because he wants to make room for the family and anyway he's not Jeremy Corbyn so it doesn't matter.
Travel in pregnancy is a problem, doubly so in times of covid, as a significant risk factor.
Except that she famously travelled from the UK to the US for a party, at about seven months gone last time.
I’m sure her husband appreciates her support at this difficult time
It's going to be a very emotional meeting between the brothers. Not sure about Harry and his dad. His grandma loves Harry and he her. I suspect it was the same with Philip who was a supporter of Diana and possibly of Meghan as well. He had no time for the palace flunkies who rule the roost.
But it's better for all concerned that Meghan has a good excuse for not being there. Let the close family hug each other.
I very much doubt there will be too much famiy hugging...not unless Harry gives an abject apology and a promise to ensure it never happens again...
ICYMI Airline software super-bug: Flight loads miscalculated because women using 'Miss' were treated as children
A programming error in the software used by UK airline TUI to check-in passengers led to miscalculated flight loads on three flights last July, a potentially serious safety issue.
The error occurred, according to a report [PDF] released on Thursday by the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), because the check-in software treated travelers identified as "Miss" in the passenger list as children, and assigned them a weight of 35 kg (~77 lbs) instead of 69 kg (~152 lbs) for an adult.
This is interesting for a couple of reasons. First that a software upgrade made during a Covid shutdown of aviation was not adequately tested. Second, that the different meaning of "Miss" between cultures forms some sort of argument in the university English debate mentioned earlier. Third, see first.
Read that report last week.
A serious failure to test the software, followed by failures of the crew to sense-check the outputs. It’s hardly as if they’ve been running to 20-minute turnarounds for the past few months, is it?
Overweight is still overweight though, even though there’s plenty of margins built in to the design. Thankfully the more important load balance wasn’t screwed up.
I've been surprised over the last few years how few people are naturally inquisitive enough to test things properly without being forced to.
For many people it's enough that it runs without returning an obvious error message, and they don't even think to check that it does what they intended.
I used to be the guy who ran through the QA scripts checking outputs, then started doing random things to see what came out the other end.
There’s several things that stand out from this one:
1. That the airline booking system can feed nonsense into the dispatch system, that ends up on the actual plane. 2. That someone deliberately coded the title ‘Miss’ to be interpreted as being a child, because it was normal in the country where the software was developed. Where was this, and who signed off that gender-specific specification? The booking system also contains dates of birth, which are obviously a better indicator. 3. The dispatcher (a qualified professional, even if now office-based rather than at the gate) didn’t spot the unusual number of ‘children’ on the flights. 4. The pilots also didn’t enquire with the cabin crew about the large number of children on board.
Thankfully it didn’t make much of a difference this time, but it was rightly classed as a serious incident. If the plane had been carrying, for example, a women’s football team, the error could have been significant enough to affect V speeds and fuel burn. (Although someone might have done a better job at spotting a much bigger error).
One interesting thing is how badly traditional engineering companies have "bolted on" software development.
This showed up in the SpaceX vs Boeing approach for their manned spacecraft.
SpaceX built a system that would appeal to most people in the software world. - they setup so that every single code change triggered a cascade of automated tests, each level larger in scope than the last, until it finally ran a full simulated mission on a real spacecraft adapted as a test rig.
So every time you moved a semicolon, it went through the ringer. At the point all the real software engineers say something on the lines of "Nice", "Sensible" and "I vote for that".
This seemed strange to NASA - they hadn't seen anything like this, before - so they registered concerns.
Boeing did traditional aerospace style software - lots of solemn manual code reviews, not so much testing. They did one, partial all up test before they flew their test flight. NASA signed off with enthusiasm on their work up to that point.
The SpaceX flight went well. SpaceX are now flying missions to ISS,
The Boeing flight was a mission failure. They haven't flown people yet, and probably won't for a long time.
The reason for the Boeing approach is that when computers were small, simpler it was possible, by heroic effort to review the errors out the code. In addition computers were expensive and slower. The classic of this genre was the Space Shuttle code - People in smoke filed rooms reviewed, manually every line. Repeatedly. Many reckon it ended up bug free. At a cost of $5 a line of code. In 1975 dollars.
Now we have machines that multiple orders of magnitude faster, running 10 million tests every time you check in a code change is merely an infrastructure issue.
Being seen by many as un-patriotic is a pretty disastrous position for Labour to be in when you consider that working-class people are probably more likely to be serving in, are have served in, the armed forces. But that may not be true in the big cities and university towns, where most Labour activists are situated.
"Unpatriotic" is also a really hard thing to shake off. You can pose behind a billion flags but if one single MP says something daft and anti-British, back to square one: you are "unpatriotic"
The Tories have weaponised this brilliantly. With the significant assistance of J Corbyn Esq. What a calamity he was
At some point it will become an issue, having an Opposition fundamentally crippled on the issue of "whether they actually like the country, or the people, they seek to govern" but for now it is hilarious
What they Labour need is a leader who seems happily at ease with Britishness, not just tolerant of it, or "respectful". Blair did that, superbly, by inventing Cool Britannia. He embodied it. He was a Brit, and he enioyed being British, but he did it in a new and interesting way
Starmer salutes the flag and looks stiff and earnest. It helps, but is is not enough, I fear - unless Boris and the Tories implode
Labour. Where is your Blair?
Starmer is on record as saying he wants the monarchy abolished. He’s posing with the flag because PR teams have told him to. The voters Labour have lost were lost because Starmer types offered their jobs to anyone from Eastern Europe who fancied bidding for it - they’re not going to be fooled by a rictus grin next to a Union Jack. He was kneeling to the BLM less than a year ago
Yes.
I fear in retrospect the BLM kneel will haunt him
However, I quite like Sir Kir "Royale" Starmer, at least he won't fuck the country like Corbyn. He is decent, and sensitive, and intelligent. A bit woke, but he doesn't actively support Hamas and the IRA, who want to kill British people for being British
For Labour, such is their plight, this constitutes progress: not having a leader who wants to kill average British voters
Early days, but a necessary step, one feels.
Next, post-Starmer, they need to find a new Blair. A Chuka Umunna character, perhaps. Just an idea. Someone cool and black and British and happy about it. Idris Elba as James Bond. I can see that working, for much of the party (and many voters)
A real shame for Labour that Chuka jumped ship. A horrendous move in hindsight for the party & for him political career-wise, though he may be happier now he’s out of it. He would have Labour much closer to the Tories now, in my opinion.
He was terrible though. I find Starmer dull and uninspiring but he is clearly intelligent and competent. Chukka was just flaky
Intelligence and competence is good enough for me. I'll provide my own stimuli.
That’s why we have elections 😀
My view is he is a micromanager and I don’t think that is the personality type that works in number 10. After all, Brown and May were tremendous successes weren’t they?
Sir Keir admits defeat in the charisma stakes, but the quiet man is trying to turn up the volume.
“Starmer’s voice hardens. “I’m not like Boris Johnson in any respect,” he says. “There’s almost nothing we have in common.” What matters, he insists, is not flashy charisma but core values. “And I know who I am.” “
These kind of articles make me despair for the future. Endless goalpost shifting. I realise it's not government policy (at present), but it's clearly a sufficiently widely held strand of thought that this sort of thing keeps popping up in the papers.
At least this one has some numbers in it - suggesting that just under 100 cases per week per 100k people is worryingly high.
Which it is.
Monitoring is obvs necessary, and trigger levels need to be such that action can be taken before it gets out of control, and the dynamics are understood wrt to a vaccinated population.
I have no problem with that, as long as we keep the number of hotspots low and the methodology appropriate.
There's also quite a bit of wibble in it of course, but it's the Observer on a Sunday.
The Guardian/Observer have been in the zero CVOID camp all along.
I would say that, so far, in the vaccination/unlocking, we have been on the "good" side of the middle case. When schools opened, the effect was to stop the drop in cases, not cause a rise.
When we unlock, I think, inevitable that COVID cases will increase. This in turn will lead to some deaths and hospitalisations. Especially among those groups rejecting the vaccine.
Good to see a minor outbreak of sanity in France. There'll be an uncomfortable calculation to be done since the Health Authorities told them to do it from January. Could have had another 3m with one dose.
PARIS (Reuters) - France will lengthen the period between the first and second shots of mRNA anti-COVID vaccines to six weeks from four weeks as of April 14 to accelerate the inoculation campaign, Health Minister Olivier Veran told the JDD newspaper on Sunday.
Although France’s top health authority advised a six-week period between the two shots in January in order to stretch supplies, the government at the time said there was insufficient data on how well the vaccines performed with a longer interval.
Macron claimed the AZ vaccine was quasi-ineffective for people over 65. Very, very loudly. France’s top health authority was always going to get drowned out. And on delaying second doses, reluctant to get fired by pointing out that as with vaccines, on refusing to adopt "l'attitde rosbif" he was again being a twat.
I had dinner last night with some French contacts of mine
They thought that Xavier Bertrand was in with a good shot. Admittedly I was teasing them about the prospect of a Melenchon - Le Pen run off in round 2 (“Alien vs Predator”)
Interesting. "his best shot probably relies on the president stumbling badly" - how many extra deaths laid at Macron's door does it take to constitute a bad stumble?
Dunno, what's the current score on BJ's 'I think we got away with it'?
Sir Keir admits defeat in the charisma stakes, but the quiet man is trying to turn up the volume.
“Starmer’s voice hardens. “I’m not like Boris Johnson in any respect,” he says. “There’s almost nothing we have in common.” What matters, he insists, is not flashy charisma but core values. “And I know who I am.” “
“ on the question of compulsory vaccine passports, he tells me he’s torn. “I think it’s a really difficult question, and I’m not going to pretend otherwise.” Asked about pub passports in an interview with The Daily Telegraph, he says: “My instinct is that … there will be a British sense that we don’t actually want to go down this road.” On the other hand, he tells me he would not employ an aide who refused to be vaccinated. “No, my instinct is I’d be very uncomfortable with that.” “
Sir Keir admits defeat in the charisma stakes, but the quiet man is trying to turn up the volume.
“Starmer’s voice hardens. “I’m not like Boris Johnson in any respect,” he says. “There’s almost nothing we have in common.” What matters, he insists, is not flashy charisma but core values. “And I know who I am.” “
ICYMI Airline software super-bug: Flight loads miscalculated because women using 'Miss' were treated as children
A programming error in the software used by UK airline TUI to check-in passengers led to miscalculated flight loads on three flights last July, a potentially serious safety issue.
The error occurred, according to a report [PDF] released on Thursday by the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), because the check-in software treated travelers identified as "Miss" in the passenger list as children, and assigned them a weight of 35 kg (~77 lbs) instead of 69 kg (~152 lbs) for an adult.
This is interesting for a couple of reasons. First that a software upgrade made during a Covid shutdown of aviation was not adequately tested. Second, that the different meaning of "Miss" between cultures forms some sort of argument in the university English debate mentioned earlier. Third, see first.
Read that report last week.
A serious failure to test the software, followed by failures of the crew to sense-check the outputs. It’s hardly as if they’ve been running to 20-minute turnarounds for the past few months, is it?
Overweight is still overweight though, even though there’s plenty of margins built in to the design. Thankfully the more important load balance wasn’t screwed up.
I've been surprised over the last few years how few people are naturally inquisitive enough to test things properly without being forced to.
For many people it's enough that it runs without returning an obvious error message, and they don't even think to check that it does what they intended.
I used to be the guy who ran through the QA scripts checking outputs, then started doing random things to see what came out the other end.
There’s several things that stand out from this one:
1. That the airline booking system can feed nonsense into the dispatch system, that ends up on the actual plane. 2. That someone deliberately coded the title ‘Miss’ to be interpreted as being a child, because it was normal in the country where the software was developed. Where was this, and who signed off that gender-specific specification? The booking system also contains dates of birth, which are obviously a better indicator. 3. The dispatcher (a qualified professional, even if now office-based rather than at the gate) didn’t spot the unusual number of ‘children’ on the flights. 4. The pilots also didn’t enquire with the cabin crew about the large number of children on board.
Thankfully it didn’t make much of a difference this time, but it was rightly classed as a serious incident. If the plane had been carrying, for example, a women’s football team, the error could have been significant enough to affect V speeds and fuel burn. (Although someone might have done a better job at spotting a much bigger error).
One interesting thing is how badly traditional engineering companies have "bolted on" software development.
This showed up in the SpaceX vs Boeing approach for their manned spacecraft.
SpaceX built a system that would appeal to most people in the software world. - they setup so that every single code change triggered a cascade of automated tests, each level larger in scope than the last, until it finally ran a full simulated mission on a real spacecraft adapted as a test rig.
So every time you moved a semicolon, it went through the ringer. At the point all the real software engineers say something on the lines of "Nice", "Sensible" and "I vote for that".
This seemed strange to NASA - they hadn't seen anything like this, before - so they registered concerns.
Boeing did traditional aerospace style software - lots of solemn manual code reviews, not so much testing. They did one, partial all up test before they flew their test flight. NASA signed off with enthusiasm on their work up to that point.
The SpaceX flight went well. SpaceX are now flying missions to ISS,
The Boeing flight was a mission failure. They haven't flown people yet, and probably won't for a long time.
The reason for the Boeing approach is that when computers were small, simpler it was possible, by heroic effort to review the errors out the code. In addition computers were expensive and slower. The classic of this genre was the Space Shuttle code - People in smoke filed rooms reviewed, manually every line. Repeatedly. Many reckon it ended up bug free. At a cost of $5 a line of code. In 1975 dollars.
Now we have machines that multiple orders of magnitude faster, running 10 million tests every time you check in a code change is merely an infrastructure issue.
Yes, very astute observation of the difference in approach - also highlighted by the Starship testing SpaceX are doing now, where they’re iterating prototypes and actually testing them to destruction for real, as opposed to doing everything in theory then building something at the end of the process.
Sir Keir admits defeat in the charisma stakes, but the quiet man is trying to turn up the volume.
“Starmer’s voice hardens. “I’m not like Boris Johnson in any respect,” he says. “There’s almost nothing we have in common.” What matters, he insists, is not flashy charisma but core values. “And I know who I am.” “
“ on the question of compulsory vaccine passports, he tells me he’s torn. “I think it’s a really difficult question, and I’m not going to pretend otherwise.” Asked about pub passports in an interview with The Daily Telegraph, he says: “My instinct is that … there will be a British sense that we don’t actually want to go down this road.” On the other hand, he tells me he would not employ an aide who refused to be vaccinated. “No, my instinct is I’d be very uncomfortable with that.” “
“ He can’t remember the last time he raised his voice at anyone — “probably on the football pitch” — and isn’t “much of a shouter”. Nor, he says, is he any good at lying. He last cried when his wife’s mother died in February 2020, can’t recall the last time he got howling drunk, nor the last time he felt intimidated by anything or anyone. ”
Good to see a minor outbreak of sanity in France. There'll be an uncomfortable calculation to be done since the Health Authorities told them to do it from January. Could have had another 3m with one dose.
PARIS (Reuters) - France will lengthen the period between the first and second shots of mRNA anti-COVID vaccines to six weeks from four weeks as of April 14 to accelerate the inoculation campaign, Health Minister Olivier Veran told the JDD newspaper on Sunday.
Although France’s top health authority advised a six-week period between the two shots in January in order to stretch supplies, the government at the time said there was insufficient data on how well the vaccines performed with a longer interval.
Macron claimed the AZ vaccine was quasi-ineffective for people over 65. Very, very loudly. France’s top health authority was always going to get drowned out. And on delaying second doses, reluctant to get fired by pointing out that as with vaccines, on refusing to adopt "l'attitde rosbif" he was again being a twat.
I had dinner last night with some French contacts of mine
They thought that Xavier Bertrand was in with a good shot. Admittedly I was teasing them about the prospect of a Melenchon - Le Pen run off in round 2 (“Alien vs Predator”)
Interesting. "his best shot probably relies on the president stumbling badly" - how many extra deaths laid at Macron's door does it take to constitute a bad stumble?
Dunno, what's the current score on BJ's 'I think we got away with it'?
Sir Keir admits defeat in the charisma stakes, but the quiet man is trying to turn up the volume.
“Starmer’s voice hardens. “I’m not like Boris Johnson in any respect,” he says. “There’s almost nothing we have in common.” What matters, he insists, is not flashy charisma but core values. “And I know who I am.” “
“ on the question of compulsory vaccine passports, he tells me he’s torn. “I think it’s a really difficult question, and I’m not going to pretend otherwise.” Asked about pub passports in an interview with The Daily Telegraph, he says: “My instinct is that … there will be a British sense that we don’t actually want to go down this road.” On the other hand, he tells me he would not employ an aide who refused to be vaccinated. “No, my instinct is I’d be very uncomfortable with that.” “
“ He can’t remember the last time he raised his voice at anyone — “probably on the football pitch” — and isn’t “much of a shouter”. Nor, he says, is he any good at lying. He last cried when his wife’s mother died in February 2020, can’t recall the last time he got howling drunk, nor the last time he felt intimidated by anything or anyone. ”
No one who is good at lying would say that they were...
Sir Keir admits defeat in the charisma stakes, but the quiet man is trying to turn up the volume.
“Starmer’s voice hardens. “I’m not like Boris Johnson in any respect,” he says. “There’s almost nothing we have in common.” What matters, he insists, is not flashy charisma but core values. “And I know who I am.” “
“ on the question of compulsory vaccine passports, he tells me he’s torn. “I think it’s a really difficult question, and I’m not going to pretend otherwise.” Asked about pub passports in an interview with The Daily Telegraph, he says: “My instinct is that … there will be a British sense that we don’t actually want to go down this road.” On the other hand, he tells me he would not employ an aide who refused to be vaccinated. “No, my instinct is I’d be very uncomfortable with that.” “
“ He can’t remember the last time he raised his voice at anyone — “probably on the football pitch” — and isn’t “much of a shouter”. Nor, he says, is he any good at lying. He last cried when his wife’s mother died in February 2020, can’t recall the last time he got howling drunk, nor the last time he felt intimidated by anything or anyone. ”
ICYMI Airline software super-bug: Flight loads miscalculated because women using 'Miss' were treated as children
A programming error in the software used by UK airline TUI to check-in passengers led to miscalculated flight loads on three flights last July, a potentially serious safety issue.
The error occurred, according to a report [PDF] released on Thursday by the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), because the check-in software treated travelers identified as "Miss" in the passenger list as children, and assigned them a weight of 35 kg (~77 lbs) instead of 69 kg (~152 lbs) for an adult.
This is interesting for a couple of reasons. First that a software upgrade made during a Covid shutdown of aviation was not adequately tested. Second, that the different meaning of "Miss" between cultures forms some sort of argument in the university English debate mentioned earlier. Third, see first.
Read that report last week.
A serious failure to test the software, followed by failures of the crew to sense-check the outputs. It’s hardly as if they’ve been running to 20-minute turnarounds for the past few months, is it?
Overweight is still overweight though, even though there’s plenty of margins built in to the design. Thankfully the more important load balance wasn’t screwed up.
I've been surprised over the last few years how few people are naturally inquisitive enough to test things properly without being forced to.
For many people it's enough that it runs without returning an obvious error message, and they don't even think to check that it does what they intended.
I used to be the guy who ran through the QA scripts checking outputs, then started doing random things to see what came out the other end.
There’s several things that stand out from this one:
1. That the airline booking system can feed nonsense into the dispatch system, that ends up on the actual plane. 2. That someone deliberately coded the title ‘Miss’ to be interpreted as being a child, because it was normal in the country where the software was developed. Where was this, and who signed off that gender-specific specification? The booking system also contains dates of birth, which are obviously a better indicator. 3. The dispatcher (a qualified professional, even if now office-based rather than at the gate) didn’t spot the unusual number of ‘children’ on the flights. 4. The pilots also didn’t enquire with the cabin crew about the large number of children on board.
Thankfully it didn’t make much of a difference this time, but it was rightly classed as a serious incident. If the plane had been carrying, for example, a women’s football team, the error could have been significant enough to affect V speeds and fuel burn. (Although someone might have done a better job at spotting a much bigger error).
One interesting thing is how badly traditional engineering companies have "bolted on" software development.
This showed up in the SpaceX vs Boeing approach for their manned spacecraft.
SpaceX built a system that would appeal to most people in the software world. - they setup so that every single code change triggered a cascade of automated tests, each level larger in scope than the last, until it finally ran a full simulated mission on a real spacecraft adapted as a test rig.
So every time you moved a semicolon, it went through the ringer. At the point all the real software engineers say something on the lines of "Nice", "Sensible" and "I vote for that".
This seemed strange to NASA - they hadn't seen anything like this, before - so they registered concerns.
Boeing did traditional aerospace style software - lots of solemn manual code reviews, not so much testing. They did one, partial all up test before they flew their test flight. NASA signed off with enthusiasm on their work up to that point.
The SpaceX flight went well. SpaceX are now flying missions to ISS,
The Boeing flight was a mission failure. They haven't flown people yet, and probably won't for a long time.
The reason for the Boeing approach is that when computers were small, simpler it was possible, by heroic effort to review the errors out the code. In addition computers were expensive and slower. The classic of this genre was the Space Shuttle code - People in smoke filed rooms reviewed, manually every line. Repeatedly. Many reckon it ended up bug free. At a cost of $5 a line of code. In 1975 dollars.
Now we have machines that multiple orders of magnitude faster, running 10 million tests every time you check in a code change is merely an infrastructure issue.
Yes, very astute observation of the difference in approach - also highlighted by the Starship testing SpaceX are doing now, where they’re iterating prototypes and actually testing them to destruction for real, as opposed to doing everything in theory then building something at the end of the process.
The interesting bit is that, not long ago, in aviation, that kind of mad experimental approach *was* applied.
The first experimental stealth aircraft built by Lockheed included undercarriage from a crashed F-16, engines that were so old that they were being surplussed (before they got refurbed one more time), and a chuck of a filing cabinet.
The result aircraft was rather tricky to fly, but had the radar cross section of a marble.
Once they had proved the RCS, they moved onto to building a "proper" aircraft.
Sir Keir admits defeat in the charisma stakes, but the quiet man is trying to turn up the volume.
“Starmer’s voice hardens. “I’m not like Boris Johnson in any respect,” he says. “There’s almost nothing we have in common.” What matters, he insists, is not flashy charisma but core values. “And I know who I am.” “
“ on the question of compulsory vaccine passports, he tells me he’s torn. “I think it’s a really difficult question, and I’m not going to pretend otherwise.” Asked about pub passports in an interview with The Daily Telegraph, he says: “My instinct is that … there will be a British sense that we don’t actually want to go down this road.” On the other hand, he tells me he would not employ an aide who refused to be vaccinated. “No, my instinct is I’d be very uncomfortable with that.” “
As I just posted Pubs are 66/28 public approval for a vaccine passport so he will probably endorse it whenever of if required
Sir Keir admits defeat in the charisma stakes, but the quiet man is trying to turn up the volume.
“Starmer’s voice hardens. “I’m not like Boris Johnson in any respect,” he says. “There’s almost nothing we have in common.” What matters, he insists, is not flashy charisma but core values. “And I know who I am.” “
Good to see a minor outbreak of sanity in France. There'll be an uncomfortable calculation to be done since the Health Authorities told them to do it from January. Could have had another 3m with one dose.
PARIS (Reuters) - France will lengthen the period between the first and second shots of mRNA anti-COVID vaccines to six weeks from four weeks as of April 14 to accelerate the inoculation campaign, Health Minister Olivier Veran told the JDD newspaper on Sunday.
Although France’s top health authority advised a six-week period between the two shots in January in order to stretch supplies, the government at the time said there was insufficient data on how well the vaccines performed with a longer interval.
Macron claimed the AZ vaccine was quasi-ineffective for people over 65. Very, very loudly. France’s top health authority was always going to get drowned out. And on delaying second doses, reluctant to get fired by pointing out that as with vaccines, on refusing to adopt "l'attitde rosbif" he was again being a twat.
I had dinner last night with some French contacts of mine
They thought that Xavier Bertrand was in with a good shot. Admittedly I was teasing them about the prospect of a Melenchon - Le Pen run off in round 2 (“Alien vs Predator”)
Interesting. "his best shot probably relies on the president stumbling badly" - how many extra deaths laid at Macron's door does it take to constitute a bad stumble?
Dunno, what's the current score on BJ's 'I think we got away with it'?
Or Nicola's
Still running at c.2/3 of England's per capita I believe. I know how you guys love a stat..
Sir Keir admits defeat in the charisma stakes, but the quiet man is trying to turn up the volume.
“Starmer’s voice hardens. “I’m not like Boris Johnson in any respect,” he says. “There’s almost nothing we have in common.” What matters, he insists, is not flashy charisma but core values. “And I know who I am.” “
They made no attempt at all to tickle the sweet spot of the soft left, let alone the hard left. They came across as continuity Cameron/Osborne, offering no way out of austerity.
There is a reason for that.
They knew, and Corbyn proved, that the hard left is a route only to failure and recrimination.
Sir Keir admits defeat in the charisma stakes, but the quiet man is trying to turn up the volume.
“Starmer’s voice hardens. “I’m not like Boris Johnson in any respect,” he says. “There’s almost nothing we have in common.” What matters, he insists, is not flashy charisma but core values. “And I know who I am.” “
“ on the question of compulsory vaccine passports, he tells me he’s torn. “I think it’s a really difficult question, and I’m not going to pretend otherwise.” Asked about pub passports in an interview with The Daily Telegraph, he says: “My instinct is that … there will be a British sense that we don’t actually want to go down this road.” On the other hand, he tells me he would not employ an aide who refused to be vaccinated. “No, my instinct is I’d be very uncomfortable with that.” “
“ He can’t remember the last time he raised his voice at anyone — “probably on the football pitch” — and isn’t “much of a shouter”. Nor, he says, is he any good at lying. He last cried when his wife’s mother died in February 2020, can’t recall the last time he got howling drunk, nor the last time he felt intimidated by anything or anyone. ”
Labour need to get rid off him. He's not going to win.
(Labour being Labour will of course persevere with him till the inevitable, bitter defeat).
I am now of the opinion that any of the other candidates would have been better (Nandy, or Phillips, or Rayner, or Allin-Khan, and even Long Bailey). The irony probably is that most in Labour really wanted one of those candidates, but they thought Sir Keir was a winner.
Lisa or Jess & Co would not be leading Boris at the moment, but they would be doing better than Sir Sit on the Fence.
In fact, I think even Corbyn would be doing better. He would be able to articulate the grotesque unfairness of COVID much more eloquently than Starmer -- that it has ravaged the poor and wretched, while others had Waitrose deliveries on full salaries.
Good to see a minor outbreak of sanity in France. There'll be an uncomfortable calculation to be done since the Health Authorities told them to do it from January. Could have had another 3m with one dose.
PARIS (Reuters) - France will lengthen the period between the first and second shots of mRNA anti-COVID vaccines to six weeks from four weeks as of April 14 to accelerate the inoculation campaign, Health Minister Olivier Veran told the JDD newspaper on Sunday.
Although France’s top health authority advised a six-week period between the two shots in January in order to stretch supplies, the government at the time said there was insufficient data on how well the vaccines performed with a longer interval.
Macron claimed the AZ vaccine was quasi-ineffective for people over 65. Very, very loudly. France’s top health authority was always going to get drowned out. And on delaying second doses, reluctant to get fired by pointing out that as with vaccines, on refusing to adopt "l'attitde rosbif" he was again being a twat.
I had dinner last night with some French contacts of mine
They thought that Xavier Bertrand was in with a good shot. Admittedly I was teasing them about the prospect of a Melenchon - Le Pen run off in round 2 (“Alien vs Predator”)
Interesting. "his best shot probably relies on the president stumbling badly" - how many extra deaths laid at Macron's door does it take to constitute a bad stumble?
Dunno, what's the current score on BJ's 'I think we got away with it'?
Or Nicola's
Still running at c.2/3 of England's per capita I believe. I know how you guys love a stat..
Nicola has already admitted errors caused untold deaths in Scotland's care homes
To be honest Boris, Nicola, Drakeford, and Foster all made mistakes but the redeeming factor for Boris is the UK wide rollout of the vaccines, which would not have happened if Scotland had been in the EU
As a participant in the 2015 Labour leadership election, I'd like to respond to some of the myths earlier in this thread.
Cooper didn't lose because she was female, just as Burnham didn't lost because he was male. Corbyn won because Cooper and Burnham both ran absolutely dreadful campaigns that did nothing to appeal to those in the party who wanted change. They made no attempt at all to tickle the sweet spot of the soft left, let alone the hard left. They came across as continuity Cameron/Osborne, offering no way out of austerity. They had to offer at least some red meat to the party; they didn't. I intended to vote for Cooper from the outset, but after the campaign only did so with a very heavy heart. They let Corbyn win.
I am sorry you didn't win the job; as a candidate you kept a very low profile, which probably explains it?
Ha ha, very good - maybe I should have said voter. Though if I'd won I'd have been better than Corbyn.
Sir Keir admits defeat in the charisma stakes, but the quiet man is trying to turn up the volume.
“Starmer’s voice hardens. “I’m not like Boris Johnson in any respect,” he says. “There’s almost nothing we have in common.” What matters, he insists, is not flashy charisma but core values. “And I know who I am.” “
Good to see a minor outbreak of sanity in France. There'll be an uncomfortable calculation to be done since the Health Authorities told them to do it from January. Could have had another 3m with one dose.
PARIS (Reuters) - France will lengthen the period between the first and second shots of mRNA anti-COVID vaccines to six weeks from four weeks as of April 14 to accelerate the inoculation campaign, Health Minister Olivier Veran told the JDD newspaper on Sunday.
Although France’s top health authority advised a six-week period between the two shots in January in order to stretch supplies, the government at the time said there was insufficient data on how well the vaccines performed with a longer interval.
Macron claimed the AZ vaccine was quasi-ineffective for people over 65. Very, very loudly. France’s top health authority was always going to get drowned out. And on delaying second doses, reluctant to get fired by pointing out that as with vaccines, on refusing to adopt "l'attitde rosbif" he was again being a twat.
I had dinner last night with some French contacts of mine
They thought that Xavier Bertrand was in with a good shot. Admittedly I was teasing them about the prospect of a Melenchon - Le Pen run off in round 2 (“Alien vs Predator”)
Interesting. "his best shot probably relies on the president stumbling badly" - how many extra deaths laid at Macron's door does it take to constitute a bad stumble?
Dunno, what's the current score on BJ's 'I think we got away with it'?
Or Nicola's
Still running at c.2/3 of England's per capita I believe. I know how you guys love a stat..
Scotland population density: 65 per sq. km
England population density: 275 per sq. km
Want to calculate deaths per sq km and compare? For those who love a stat....
As a participant in the 2015 Labour leadership election, I'd like to respond to some of the myths earlier in this thread.
Cooper didn't lose because she was female, just as Burnham didn't lost because he was male. Corbyn won because Cooper and Burnham both ran absolutely dreadful campaigns that did nothing to appeal to those in the party who wanted change. They made no attempt at all to tickle the sweet spot of the soft left, let alone the hard left. They came across as continuity Cameron/Osborne, offering no way out of austerity. They had to offer at least some red meat to the party; they didn't. I intended to vote for Cooper from the outset, but after the campaign only did so with a very heavy heart. They let Corbyn win.
Surely the first woman ever to hold either of those roles? Or is there some Tory that I’ve missed?
No, but I was looking at it through the lens of Labour's inability to have a female leader - 46 years and counting behind the supposed misogynistic Tories. Dodd will give Labour's knuckle-draggers extra ammunition, when it comes to replacing Starmer.
It’s not about ammunition, because nobody overtly campaigns against a woman being leader of the Labour Party. It’s just that they always find an excuse, however flimsy, as to why that particular woman isn’t the right person at that moment.
In 2010 and 2020 it was easy because the lone/leading female candidate clearly was not up to being leader. But in 2016 they decided Cooper was ‘uninspiring’ and elected Corbyn instead. Now, if you want a clearer and more absurd example of sexism I’m struggling to find it, but nobody stood up and actually said ‘we don’t want her as leader because she has a vagina.’
In a way, such covert sexism is more insidious than that would have been. But it does mean there’s no reason to think Dodds’ performance will make a difference to it.
Cooper's problem was not her gender, but her politics, as was Kendall's. Much as I liked them personally and their politics, that was not what their party wanted. The party wanted a clear break from New Labour, of which Ed Miliband was the repeat as farce.
Corbyn was a relic of the old left, of a mythical time of purity before Blair contaminated everything. This is why he motivated the young, and swept up older activists who finally felt free of the taint of Blairism.
Cooper’s *ostensible* problem was her politics.
I don’t think we would have heard quite so much about that had she been a man, given Corbyn’s admirers have spent years telling us that his policies weren’t that socialist really.
Cooper went on HOLIDAY with her family, while Corbyn campaigned.
Like I said, if Starmer moves Labour forward then that is progress as far as I am concerned. Bearing in mind what he inherited I think he's doing fine.
Intelligence and competence is good enough for me. I'll provide my own stimuli.
Yes, that's the line which ultimately may cut through if people tire of Johnson. We activists tend to overestimate the importance of flashy charismatic leaders. Voters are more variable - they like one thing (Blair) then they like a change (Brown, who was very popular at first for exqctly that reason).
An odd line in the interview is Decca's view that Blair wasn't easy and charismatic in person. I'm not sure about the charismatic (how many people are when you chat to them 1-1?) but he's certsinly easy to talk to, much easier than Brown, who I like but who doesn't really interact spontaneously. Brown is a warmer personality in private, though - Blair is always pleasant but the brain is in charge more than the heart.
Intelligence and competence is good enough for me. I'll provide my own stimuli.
Yes, that's the line which ultimately may cut through if people tire of Johnson. We activists tend to overestimate the importance of flashy charismatic leaders. Voters are more variable - they like one thing (Blair) then they like a change (Brown, who was very popular at first for exqctly that reason).
An odd line in the interview is Decca's view that Blair wasn't easy and charismatic in person. I'm not sure about the charismatic (how many people are when you chat to them 1-1?) but he's certsinly easy to talk to, much easier than Brown, who I like but who doesn't really interact spontaneously. Brown is a warmer personality in private, though - Blair is always pleasant but the brain is in charge more than the heart.
I think the point the more sensible Tories here have made - beyond those who just repeat "Keir is crap" every day - is that it's a big *if* - if people tire of Johnson.
I think you're spot on with your analysis - but it remains to be seen whether it actually happens. Right now Johnson is riding high on the back of a successful vaccine rollout (which I acknowledge has been fantastic) but as we saw over the last several months, that popularity can disappear quickly. There are going to be issues that come up that dent him and Labour will no doubt lead again.
It's whether Labour can sustain a lead for a long period and whether at some point voters are completely "done" with Johnson, that is a question without an answer.
It's unfortunate in a way that we have to rely on this as an outcome - but sadly for Labour it's the only one they have. And that would have been the case with whoever had one the leadership contest. There was no Blair standing.
You think that Dublin’s public involvement would calm unionists down?
The reality is there needs to be a reworking of the GFA. But the EU needs to move on that.
WE stamp our feet, shout and cry. Other people have to run round in circles to put things right. Things that were working at least reasonably well before. That's not how you deal with toddlers.Or their emotional equivalent.
Presumably there is a case for the Queen to stand aside now, and let Meghan have a go as Queen? It would be an interesting experiment in refreshing the monarchy.
Intelligence and competence is good enough for me. I'll provide my own stimuli.
Yes, that's the line which ultimately may cut through if people tire of Johnson. We activists tend to overestimate the importance of flashy charismatic leaders. Voters are more variable - they like one thing (Blair) then they like a change (Brown, who was very popular at first for exqctly that reason).
An odd line in the interview is Decca's view that Blair wasn't easy and charismatic in person. I'm not sure about the charismatic (how many people are when you chat to them 1-1?) but he's certsinly easy to talk to, much easier than Brown, who I like but who doesn't really interact spontaneously. Brown is a warmer personality in private, though - Blair is always pleasant but the brain is in charge more than the heart.
I think the point the more sensible Tories here have made - beyond those who just repeat "Keir is crap" every day - is that it's a big *if* - if people tire of Johnson.
I think you're spot on with your analysis - but it remains to be seen whether it actually happens. Right now Johnson is riding high on the back of a successful vaccine rollout (which I acknowledge has been fantastic) but as we saw over the last several months, that popularity can disappear quickly. There are going to be issues that come up that dent him and Labour will no doubt lead again.
It's whether Labour can sustain a lead for a long period and whether at some point voters are completely "done" with Johnson, that is a question without an answer.
It's unfortunate in a way that we have to rely on this as an outcome - but sadly for Labour it's the only one they have. And that would have been the case with whoever had one the leadership contest. There was no Blair standing.
Governments always become unpopular, the question for Starmer is whether he and his party can put themselves in position to capitalise on the situation.
Last time the government became unpopular, only a couple of years ago, the same party managed to reinvent themselves under a new leader, without the Opposition getting a look-in.
Cut 30 from the following - broad order of likelihood of attendance (Lowest at bottom)
Wife QEII (1)
Children (4) Charles Anne Andrew Edward
Partners of children (3) Camilla Timothy Lawrence Sophie
Grandchildren (8) William Harry Eugenie Beatrice Lady Louise Windsor James, viscount Severn Zara Tindall Peter Phillips
Partners of grandchildren (5) Mike Tindall Kate Jack Brooksbank Autumn Kelly Edoardo Mozzi Definitely not present Meghan Markle
Other relatives close to the Queen (9)
Princess Alexandra Duke of Gloucester Duchess of Gloucester Duke of Kent Duchess of Kent Prince Michael of Kent Princess Michael of Kent Earl of Snowdon Lady Sarah Chatto
Parents of grandchildren, divorced (2) Sarah Ferguson Mark Phillips
Other worthies (1) Tony Radakin (First sea Lord) Definitely not present Boris Johnson
School age Greatgrandchildren (5) Savannah Isla George Mia Charlotte
Greatgrandchildren Toddlers (2) Louis Lena
Greatgrandchildren Babies (2) August Lucas Definitely not present Archie
Sir Keir admits defeat in the charisma stakes, but the quiet man is trying to turn up the volume.
“Starmer’s voice hardens. “I’m not like Boris Johnson in any respect,” he says. “There’s almost nothing we have in common.” What matters, he insists, is not flashy charisma but core values. “And I know who I am.” “
“ on the question of compulsory vaccine passports, he tells me he’s torn. “I think it’s a really difficult question, and I’m not going to pretend otherwise.” Asked about pub passports in an interview with The Daily Telegraph, he says: “My instinct is that … there will be a British sense that we don’t actually want to go down this road.” On the other hand, he tells me he would not employ an aide who refused to be vaccinated. “No, my instinct is I’d be very uncomfortable with that.” “
“ He can’t remember the last time he raised his voice at anyone — “probably on the football pitch” — and isn’t “much of a shouter”. Nor, he says, is he any good at lying. He last cried when his wife’s mother died in February 2020, can’t recall the last time he got howling drunk, nor the last time he felt intimidated by anything or anyone. ”
Labour need to get rid off him. He's not going to win.
(Labour being Labour will of course persevere with him till the inevitable, bitter defeat).
I am now of the opinion that any of the other candidates would have been better (Nandy, or Phillips, or Rayner, or Allin-Khan, and even Long Bailey). The irony probably is that most in Labour really wanted one of those candidates, but they thought Sir Keir was a winner.
Lisa or Jess & Co would not be leading Boris at the moment, but they would be doing better than Sir Sit on the Fence.
In fact, I think even Corbyn would be doing better. He would be able to articulate the grotesque unfairness of COVID much more eloquently than Starmer -- that it has ravaged the poor and wretched, while others had Waitrose deliveries on full salaries.
Of those 4, I would perhaps trust Nandy of Philips - probably Nandy, though she has some strange opinions on some identity politics.
For me Allin-Khan is a loose cannon with a kneejerk habit - she has made too many public attacks in the last year on Ministers that have turned out be baseless. Just never impressed by Rayner. And the one And Yvette Cooper was far too active in mortgage and address flipping for expenses-farming reasons; unlike Ed Balls, not enough ability to balance that out.
Like I said, if Starmer moves Labour forward then that is progress as far as I am concerned. Bearing in mind what he inherited I think he's doing fine.
If he did as well vs Corbyn as Hague did vs Major would that be sufficient for you?
I think the point the more sensible Tories here have made - beyond those who just repeat "Keir is crap" every day - is that it's a big *if* - if people tire of Johnson.
I think you're spot on with your analysis - but it remains to be seen whether it actually happens. Right now Johnson is riding high on the back of a successful vaccine rollout (which I acknowledge has been fantastic) but as we saw over the last several months, that popularity can disappear quickly. There are going to be issues that come up that dent him and Labour will no doubt lead again.
It's whether Labour can sustain a lead for a long period and whether at some point voters are completely "done" with Johnson, that is a question without an answer.
It's unfortunate in a way that we have to rely on this as an outcome - but sadly for Labour it's the only one they have. And that would have been the case with whoever had one the leadership contest. There was no Blair standing.
Yes, that's very perceptive, and as you say we don't know. Traditionally people do tire of absolutely anyone in power, but it can take a long time. While I'd like Keir to be a bit more systematic in charting a new direction of travel, I broadly agree with you that it's pointless being impatient with him, as the main issue is outside his or our control.
It's not, I think that most people especially like Johnson, but they don't dislike him either, and find him quite amusing. If things are going OKish, as per the vaccines, they see no urgent reason to change.
It's not, I think that most people especially like Johnson, but they don't dislike him either, and find him quite amusing. If things are going OKish, as per the vaccines, they see no urgent reason to change.
I think the point the more sensible Tories here have made - beyond those who just repeat "Keir is crap" every day - is that it's a big *if* - if people tire of Johnson.
I think you're spot on with your analysis - but it remains to be seen whether it actually happens. Right now Johnson is riding high on the back of a successful vaccine rollout (which I acknowledge has been fantastic) but as we saw over the last several months, that popularity can disappear quickly. There are going to be issues that come up that dent him and Labour will no doubt lead again.
It's whether Labour can sustain a lead for a long period and whether at some point voters are completely "done" with Johnson, that is a question without an answer.
It's unfortunate in a way that we have to rely on this as an outcome - but sadly for Labour it's the only one they have. And that would have been the case with whoever had one the leadership contest. There was no Blair standing.
Yes, that's very perceptive, and as you say we don't know. Traditionally people do tire of absolutely anyone in power, but it can take a long time. While I'd like Keir to be a bit more systematic in charting a new direction of travel, I broadly agree with you that it's pointless being impatient with him, as the main issue is outside his or our control.
It's not, I think that most people especially like Johnson, but they don't dislike him either, and find him quite amusing. If things are going OKish, as per the vaccines, they see no urgent reason to change.
I'd like to remind everyone of the first election I saw. ..... 1945. Hero PM, war-winner, everyone's (well, maybe not in S Wales) favourite. And lost. To the quiet man..... a modest man with much to be modest about.
One asset Keir has - and I haven’t seen any discussion of this yet on PB - is that the Biden administration is promising (and in some ways already delivering) that rare thing: a popular, left-wing platform.
Seems possible that Keir could be sailing with the tide; once corona dissipates.
One asset Keir has - and I haven’t seen any discussion of this yet on PB - is that the Biden administration is promising (and in some ways already delivering) that rare thing: a popular, left-wing platform.
Seems possible that Keir could be sailing with the tide; once corona dissipates.
Surely the first woman ever to hold either of those roles? Or is there some Tory that I’ve missed?
No, but I was looking at it through the lens of Labour's inability to have a female leader - 46 years and counting behind the supposed misogynistic Tories. Dodd will give Labour's knuckle-draggers extra ammunition, when it comes to replacing Starmer.
It’s not about ammunition, because nobody overtly campaigns against a woman being leader of the Labour Party. It’s just that they always find an excuse, however flimsy, as to why that particular woman isn’t the right person at that moment.
In 2010 and 2020 it was easy because the lone/leading female candidate clearly was not up to being leader. But in 2016 they decided Cooper was ‘uninspiring’ and elected Corbyn instead. Now, if you want a clearer and more absurd example of sexism I’m struggling to find it, but nobody stood up and actually said ‘we don’t want her as leader because she has a vagina.’
In a way, such covert sexism is more insidious than that would have been. But it does mean there’s no reason to think Dodds’ performance will make a difference to it.
Cooper's problem was not her gender, but her politics, as was Kendall's. Much as I liked them personally and their politics, that was not what their party wanted. The party wanted a clear break from New Labour, of which Ed Miliband was the repeat as farce.
Corbyn was a relic of the old left, of a mythical time of purity before Blair contaminated everything. This is why he motivated the young, and swept up older activists who finally felt free of the taint of Blairism.
This is absolutely right. That sexism was a material factor in why Cooper or Kendall didn't get the Labour leader job after Miliband is nonsense. The 2015 defeat after such strenuous efforts were made not to frighten the horses - aka Middle England - with any radicalism traumatized the party. The mood was, "Oh fuck this for a game of soldiers. We triangulated our heart & soul away and it didn't even win us any votes. So no more of that crap. Let's throw the dice. Let's rock."
I know this very well. I was part of it. I felt exactly that and although I wasn't a member in 2015 if I had been I'd have voted for Corbyn. And that's despite me not rating him on intellect or competence as even in the same league as the formidable (in those areas) Cooper. I rated Burnham quite highly on a personal level too. Made no odds.
Surely the first woman ever to hold either of those roles? Or is there some Tory that I’ve missed?
No, but I was looking at it through the lens of Labour's inability to have a female leader - 46 years and counting behind the supposed misogynistic Tories. Dodd will give Labour's knuckle-draggers extra ammunition, when it comes to replacing Starmer.
It’s not about ammunition, because nobody overtly campaigns against a woman being leader of the Labour Party. It’s just that they always find an excuse, however flimsy, as to why that particular woman isn’t the right person at that moment.
In 2010 and 2020 it was easy because the lone/leading female candidate clearly was not up to being leader. But in 2016 they decided Cooper was ‘uninspiring’ and elected Corbyn instead. Now, if you want a clearer and more absurd example of sexism I’m struggling to find it, but nobody stood up and actually said ‘we don’t want her as leader because she has a vagina.’
In a way, such covert sexism is more insidious than that would have been. But it does mean there’s no reason to think Dodds’ performance will make a difference to it.
Cooper's problem was not her gender, but her politics, as was Kendall's. Much as I liked them personally and their politics, that was not what their party wanted. The party wanted a clear break from New Labour, of which Ed Miliband was the repeat as farce.
Corbyn was a relic of the old left, of a mythical time of purity before Blair contaminated everything. This is why he motivated the young, and swept up older activists who finally felt free of the taint of Blairism.
Cooper’s *ostensible* problem was her politics.
I don’t think we would have heard quite so much about that had she been a man, given Corbyn’s admirers have spent years telling us that his policies weren’t that socialist really.
Cooper went on HOLIDAY with her family, while Corbyn campaigned.
I don't share your very high opinion of Cooper ... but more importantly, nor does Yvette.
None of the other contenders would have got anywhere near Jezzas 40% of the Electorate in GE 2017
SKS will not equal it in 2024
Sad but true.
You're always good at pointing out Starmer's shortcomings. But what, or who, is your solution, assuming you accept that there's no conceivable route back for Corbyn? Who would you have as leader?
Surely the first woman ever to hold either of those roles? Or is there some Tory that I’ve missed?
No, but I was looking at it through the lens of Labour's inability to have a female leader - 46 years and counting behind the supposed misogynistic Tories. Dodd will give Labour's knuckle-draggers extra ammunition, when it comes to replacing Starmer.
It’s not about ammunition, because nobody overtly campaigns against a woman being leader of the Labour Party. It’s just that they always find an excuse, however flimsy, as to why that particular woman isn’t the right person at that moment.
In 2010 and 2020 it was easy because the lone/leading female candidate clearly was not up to being leader. But in 2016 they decided Cooper was ‘uninspiring’ and elected Corbyn instead. Now, if you want a clearer and more absurd example of sexism I’m struggling to find it, but nobody stood up and actually said ‘we don’t want her as leader because she has a vagina.’
In a way, such covert sexism is more insidious than that would have been. But it does mean there’s no reason to think Dodds’ performance will make a difference to it.
Cooper's problem was not her gender, but her politics, as was Kendall's. Much as I liked them personally and their politics, that was not what their party wanted. The party wanted a clear break from New Labour, of which Ed Miliband was the repeat as farce.
Corbyn was a relic of the old left, of a mythical time of purity before Blair contaminated everything. This is why he motivated the young, and swept up older activists who finally felt free of the taint of Blairism.
Cooper’s *ostensible* problem was her politics.
I don’t think we would have heard quite so much about that had she been a man, given Corbyn’s admirers have spent years telling us that his policies weren’t that socialist really.
Cooper went on HOLIDAY with her family, while Corbyn campaigned.
I don't share your very high opinion of Cooper ... but more importantly, nor does Yvette.
I don’t have very high opinion of her. I think she was clearly a better candidate than an elderly racist with views that dated from the nineteenth century, and a bland nobody whose chief action in government was to try and cover up systemic manslaughter.
One asset Keir has - and I haven’t seen any discussion of this yet on PB - is that the Biden administration is promising (and in some ways already delivering) that rare thing: a popular, left-wing platform.
Seems possible that Keir could be sailing with the tide; once corona dissipates.
So's Boris.
No, he really isn’t.
Although Boris has a sunny disposition and the rhetoric is “levelling up”, Rishi’s budget showed that the primary goal is fiscal virtue-signalling which must in turn bear down on government spending.
Cut 30 from the following - broad order of likelihood of attendance (Lowest at bottom)
Wife QEII (1)
Children (4) Charles Anne Andrew Edward
Partners of children (3) Camilla Timothy Lawrence Sophie
Grandchildren (8) William Harry Eugenie Beatrice Lady Louise Windsor James, viscount Severn Zara Tindall Peter Phillips
Partners of grandchildren (5) Mike Tindall Kate Jack Brooksbank Autumn Kelly Edoardo Mozzi Definitely not present Meghan Markle
Other relatives close to the Queen (9)
Princess Alexandra Duke of Gloucester Duchess of Gloucester Duke of Kent Duchess of Kent Prince Michael of Kent Princess Michael of Kent Earl of Snowdon Lady Sarah Chatto
Parents of grandchildren, divorced (2) Sarah Ferguson Mark Phillips
Other worthies (1) Tony Radakin (First sea Lord) Definitely not present Boris Johnson
School age Greatgrandchildren (5) Savannah Isla George Mia Charlotte
Greatgrandchildren Toddlers (2) Louis Lena
Greatgrandchildren Babies (2) August Lucas Definitely not present Archie
School age Great grandchildren: at least one so that there is someone in the family in 70 or 80 years time who remembers Phil's funeral.
Good to see a minor outbreak of sanity in France. There'll be an uncomfortable calculation to be done since the Health Authorities told them to do it from January. Could have had another 3m with one dose.
PARIS (Reuters) - France will lengthen the period between the first and second shots of mRNA anti-COVID vaccines to six weeks from four weeks as of April 14 to accelerate the inoculation campaign, Health Minister Olivier Veran told the JDD newspaper on Sunday.
Although France’s top health authority advised a six-week period between the two shots in January in order to stretch supplies, the government at the time said there was insufficient data on how well the vaccines performed with a longer interval.
Macron claimed the AZ vaccine was quasi-ineffective for people over 65. Very, very loudly. France’s top health authority was always going to get drowned out. And on delaying second doses, reluctant to get fired by pointing out that as with vaccines, on refusing to adopt "l'attitde rosbif" he was again being a twat.
I had dinner last night with some French contacts of mine
They thought that Xavier Bertrand was in with a good shot. Admittedly I was teasing them about the prospect of a Melenchon - Le Pen run off in round 2 (“Alien vs Predator”)
Interesting. "his best shot probably relies on the president stumbling badly" - how many extra deaths laid at Macron's door does it take to constitute a bad stumble?
Dunno, what's the current score on BJ's 'I think we got away with it'?
Or Nicola's
Still running at c.2/3 of England's per capita I believe. I know how you guys love a stat..
Scotland population density: 65 per sq. km
England population density: 275 per sq. km
Want to calculate deaths per sq km and compare? For those who love a stat....
But that doesn't work either does it? If you eliminate the vast areas where practically no one lives in Scotland the population density of Scotland changes significantly. To take it to its extreme it is like calculating the population density for a desert state and claiming that is meaningful density figure.
Only way you can make it meaningful is to compare large cities to large cities and towns to towns and areas containing villages to areas contain villages of comparable densities.
She’s telegenic, always has something interesting to say, is not the “woke” caricature that people might think she is, is sound on foreign policy, and comes from impeccable left-wing academic heritage but is not a wonk.
Presumably there is a case for the Queen to stand aside now, and let Meghan have a go as Queen? It would be an interesting experiment in refreshing the monarchy.
The statue topplers deserve all they are get. I have never met a more unprincipled, reactionary and shamelessly deceitful bunch of campaigners than local Greens.
Cut 30 from the following - broad order of likelihood of attendance (Lowest at bottom)
Wife QEII (1)
Children (4) Charles Anne Andrew Edward
Partners of children (3) Camilla Timothy Lawrence Sophie
Grandchildren (8) William Harry Eugenie Beatrice Lady Louise Windsor James, viscount Severn Zara Tindall Peter Phillips
Partners of grandchildren (5) Mike Tindall Kate Jack Brooksbank Autumn Kelly Edoardo Mozzi Definitely not present Meghan Markle
Other relatives close to the Queen (9)
Princess Alexandra Duke of Gloucester Duchess of Gloucester Duke of Kent Duchess of Kent Prince Michael of Kent Princess Michael of Kent Earl of Snowdon Lady Sarah Chatto
Parents of grandchildren, divorced (2) Sarah Ferguson Mark Phillips
Other worthies (1) Tony Radakin (First sea Lord) Definitely not present Boris Johnson
School age Greatgrandchildren (5) Savannah Isla George Mia Charlotte
Greatgrandchildren Toddlers (2) Louis Lena
Greatgrandchildren Babies (2) August Lucas Definitely not present Archie
School age Great grandchildren: at least one so that there is someone in the family in 70 or 80 years time who remembers Phil's funeral.
I think Autumn and Peter Phillips are separated ? But George and Charlotte will get invited
One asset Keir has - and I haven’t seen any discussion of this yet on PB - is that the Biden administration is promising (and in some ways already delivering) that rare thing: a popular, left-wing platform.
Seems possible that Keir could be sailing with the tide; once corona dissipates.
So's Boris.
No, he really isn’t.
Although Boris has a sunny disposition and the rhetoric is “levelling up”, Rishi’s budget showed that the primary goal is fiscal virtue-signalling which must in turn bear down on government spending.
He is running a quite staggering deficit and seem insouciant about it. He seems very keen on us becoming a science powerhouse and wants a lot more public investment in that. He has been supportive of an incredibly generous aid program for business and focused fiscal support on the lower paid. He is lining up higher taxes. If this is not left wing economics I am not sure what is.
Of course he still has Priti throwing red meat to the social conservatives but on economic policy we are well to the left of Miliband.
Cut 30 from the following - broad order of likelihood of attendance (Lowest at bottom)
Wife QEII (1)
Children (4) Charles Anne Andrew Edward
Partners of children (3) Camilla Timothy Lawrence Sophie
Grandchildren (8) William Harry Eugenie Beatrice Lady Louise Windsor James, viscount Severn Zara Tindall Peter Phillips
Partners of grandchildren (5) Mike Tindall Kate Jack Brooksbank Autumn Kelly Edoardo Mozzi Definitely not present Meghan Markle
Other relatives close to the Queen (9)
Princess Alexandra Duke of Gloucester Duchess of Gloucester Duke of Kent Duchess of Kent Prince Michael of Kent Princess Michael of Kent Earl of Snowdon Lady Sarah Chatto
Parents of grandchildren, divorced (2) Sarah Ferguson Mark Phillips
Other worthies (1) Tony Radakin (First sea Lord) Definitely not present Boris Johnson
School age Greatgrandchildren (5) Savannah Isla George Mia Charlotte
Greatgrandchildren Toddlers (2) Louis Lena
Greatgrandchildren Babies (2) August Lucas Definitely not present Archie
School age Great grandchildren: at least one so that there is someone in the family in 70 or 80 years time who remembers Phil's funeral.
Good call. It's going to be a very small funeral for a very large family!
Cut 30 from the following - broad order of likelihood of attendance (Lowest at bottom)
Wife QEII (1)
Children (4) Charles Anne Andrew Edward
Partners of children (3) Camilla Timothy Lawrence Sophie
Grandchildren (8) William Harry Eugenie Beatrice Lady Louise Windsor James, viscount Severn Zara Tindall Peter Phillips
Partners of grandchildren (5) Mike Tindall Kate Jack Brooksbank Autumn Kelly Edoardo Mozzi Definitely not present Meghan Markle
Other relatives close to the Queen (9)
Princess Alexandra Duke of Gloucester Duchess of Gloucester Duke of Kent Duchess of Kent Prince Michael of Kent Princess Michael of Kent Earl of Snowdon Lady Sarah Chatto
Parents of grandchildren, divorced (2) Sarah Ferguson Mark Phillips
Other worthies (1) Tony Radakin (First sea Lord) Definitely not present Boris Johnson
School age Greatgrandchildren (5) Savannah Isla George Mia Charlotte
Greatgrandchildren Toddlers (2) Louis Lena
Greatgrandchildren Babies (2) August Lucas Definitely not present Archie
School age Great grandchildren: at least one so that there is someone in the family in 70 or 80 years time who remembers Phil's funeral.
George potentially, he is likely to become king around 2085 or so.
Surely the first woman ever to hold either of those roles? Or is there some Tory that I’ve missed?
No, but I was looking at it through the lens of Labour's inability to have a female leader - 46 years and counting behind the supposed misogynistic Tories. Dodd will give Labour's knuckle-draggers extra ammunition, when it comes to replacing Starmer.
It’s not about ammunition, because nobody overtly campaigns against a woman being leader of the Labour Party. It’s just that they always find an excuse, however flimsy, as to why that particular woman isn’t the right person at that moment.
In 2010 and 2020 it was easy because the lone/leading female candidate clearly was not up to being leader. But in 2016 they decided Cooper was ‘uninspiring’ and elected Corbyn instead. Now, if you want a clearer and more absurd example of sexism I’m struggling to find it, but nobody stood up and actually said ‘we don’t want her as leader because she has a vagina.’
In a way, such covert sexism is more insidious than that would have been. But it does mean there’s no reason to think Dodds’ performance will make a difference to it.
Cooper's problem was not her gender, but her politics, as was Kendall's. Much as I liked them personally and their politics, that was not what their party wanted. The party wanted a clear break from New Labour, of which Ed Miliband was the repeat as farce.
Corbyn was a relic of the old left, of a mythical time of purity before Blair contaminated everything. This is why he motivated the young, and swept up older activists who finally felt free of the taint of Blairism.
This is absolutely right. That sexism was a material factor in why Cooper or Kendall didn't get the Labour leader job after Miliband is nonsense. The 2015 defeat after such strenuous efforts were made not to frighten the horses - aka Middle England - with any radicalism traumatized the party. The mood was, "Oh fuck this for a game of soldiers. We triangulated our heart & soul away and it didn't even win us any votes. So no more of that crap. Let's throw the dice. Let's rock."
I know this very well. I was part of it. I felt exactly that and although I wasn't a member in 2015 if I had been I'd have voted for Corbyn. And that's despite me not rating him on intellect or competence as even in the same league as the formidable (in those areas) Cooper. I rated Burnham quite highly on a personal level too. Made no odds.
Totally understandable, especially whence takes in account that the big winners in 2015 were the principled SNP and the big losers the LibDems, who were widely seen to have betrayed their principles.
Presumably there is a case for the Queen to stand aside now, and let Meghan have a go as Queen? It would be an interesting experiment in refreshing the monarchy.
Crazy idea. Meghan has no relationship to the electorate of Hanover.
One asset Keir has - and I haven’t seen any discussion of this yet on PB - is that the Biden administration is promising (and in some ways already delivering) that rare thing: a popular, left-wing platform.
Seems possible that Keir could be sailing with the tide; once corona dissipates.
So's Boris.
No, he really isn’t.
Although Boris has a sunny disposition and the rhetoric is “levelling up”, Rishi’s budget showed that the primary goal is fiscal virtue-signalling which must in turn bear down on government spending.
He is running a quite staggering deficit and seem insouciant about it. He seems very keen on us becoming a science powerhouse and wants a lot more public investment in that. He has been supportive of an incredibly generous aid program for business and focused fiscal support on the lower paid. He is lining up higher taxes. If this is not left wing economics I am not sure what is.
Of course he still has Priti throwing red meat to the social conservatives but on economic policy we are well to the left of Miliband.
You are confusing mid-pandemic with post-pandemic fiscal policy, I think.
I suspect his science powerhouse stuff will go the way of all Boris boondoggles, and the higher (corporate) tax piece is a pure piece of theatre to “shoot Labour’s fox” and hoodwink people like you.
Surely the first woman ever to hold either of those roles? Or is there some Tory that I’ve missed?
No, but I was looking at it through the lens of Labour's inability to have a female leader - 46 years and counting behind the supposed misogynistic Tories. Dodd will give Labour's knuckle-draggers extra ammunition, when it comes to replacing Starmer.
It’s not about ammunition, because nobody overtly campaigns against a woman being leader of the Labour Party. It’s just that they always find an excuse, however flimsy, as to why that particular woman isn’t the right person at that moment.
In 2010 and 2020 it was easy because the lone/leading female candidate clearly was not up to being leader. But in 2016 they decided Cooper was ‘uninspiring’ and elected Corbyn instead. Now, if you want a clearer and more absurd example of sexism I’m struggling to find it, but nobody stood up and actually said ‘we don’t want her as leader because she has a vagina.’
In a way, such covert sexism is more insidious than that would have been. But it does mean there’s no reason to think Dodds’ performance will make a difference to it.
Cooper's problem was not her gender, but her politics, as was Kendall's. Much as I liked them personally and their politics, that was not what their party wanted. The party wanted a clear break from New Labour, of which Ed Miliband was the repeat as farce.
Corbyn was a relic of the old left, of a mythical time of purity before Blair contaminated everything. This is why he motivated the young, and swept up older activists who finally felt free of the taint of Blairism.
Cooper’s *ostensible* problem was her politics.
I don’t think we would have heard quite so much about that had she been a man, given Corbyn’s admirers have spent years telling us that his policies weren’t that socialist really.
Cooper went on HOLIDAY with her family, while Corbyn campaigned.
I don't share your very high opinion of Cooper ... but more importantly, nor does Yvette.
None of the other contenders would have got anywhere near Jezzas 40% of the Electorate in GE 2017
SKS will not equal it in 2024
Sad but true.
You're always good at pointing out Starmer's shortcomings. But what, or who, is your solution, assuming you accept that there's no conceivable route back for Corbyn? Who would you have as leader?
Anyone with charisma would be better than SKS
I voted Nandy (the most right wing of the 3 Candidates, and someone who said she wanted to break Corbyn as a man) as she was least bad and had slightly more charisma than the other 2
Personally I think Labour is finished unless it reconnects with the working class with a radical Agenda
Burnham needs a Constituency I would then vote for him as leader but I can see very little talent or creative thinking in the PLP
Rehashing New New Labour will result in defeat IMO
Good to see a minor outbreak of sanity in France. There'll be an uncomfortable calculation to be done since the Health Authorities told them to do it from January. Could have had another 3m with one dose.
PARIS (Reuters) - France will lengthen the period between the first and second shots of mRNA anti-COVID vaccines to six weeks from four weeks as of April 14 to accelerate the inoculation campaign, Health Minister Olivier Veran told the JDD newspaper on Sunday.
Although France’s top health authority advised a six-week period between the two shots in January in order to stretch supplies, the government at the time said there was insufficient data on how well the vaccines performed with a longer interval.
Macron claimed the AZ vaccine was quasi-ineffective for people over 65. Very, very loudly. France’s top health authority was always going to get drowned out. And on delaying second doses, reluctant to get fired by pointing out that as with vaccines, on refusing to adopt "l'attitde rosbif" he was again being a twat.
I had dinner last night with some French contacts of mine
They thought that Xavier Bertrand was in with a good shot. Admittedly I was teasing them about the prospect of a Melenchon - Le Pen run off in round 2 (“Alien vs Predator”)
Interesting. "his best shot probably relies on the president stumbling badly" - how many extra deaths laid at Macron's door does it take to constitute a bad stumble?
Dunno, what's the current score on BJ's 'I think we got away with it'?
Or Nicola's
Still running at c.2/3 of England's per capita I believe. I know how you guys love a stat..
Scotland population density: 65 per sq. km
England population density: 275 per sq. km
Want to calculate deaths per sq km and compare? For those who love a stat....
But that doesn't work either does it? If you eliminate the vast areas where practically no one lives in Scotland the population density of Scotland changes significantly. To take it to its extreme it is like calculating the population density for a desert state and claiming that is meaningful density figure.
Only way you can make it meaningful is to compare large cities to large cities and towns to towns and areas containing villages to areas contain villages of comparable densities.
That's nonsense, why would you eliminate the vast areas?
The vast areas where people don't live serve as a firebreak that helps prevent the virus spreading from one community to the next.
The distance between Glasgow and Edinburgh is only a few miles more than the distance between Liverpool and Manchester. But between Edinburgh and Glasgow there's a whole lot of not very much - between Liverpool and Manchester its one urban conurbation after another. There's no firebreak.
Good to see a minor outbreak of sanity in France. There'll be an uncomfortable calculation to be done since the Health Authorities told them to do it from January. Could have had another 3m with one dose.
PARIS (Reuters) - France will lengthen the period between the first and second shots of mRNA anti-COVID vaccines to six weeks from four weeks as of April 14 to accelerate the inoculation campaign, Health Minister Olivier Veran told the JDD newspaper on Sunday.
Although France’s top health authority advised a six-week period between the two shots in January in order to stretch supplies, the government at the time said there was insufficient data on how well the vaccines performed with a longer interval.
Macron claimed the AZ vaccine was quasi-ineffective for people over 65. Very, very loudly. France’s top health authority was always going to get drowned out. And on delaying second doses, reluctant to get fired by pointing out that as with vaccines, on refusing to adopt "l'attitde rosbif" he was again being a twat.
I had dinner last night with some French contacts of mine
They thought that Xavier Bertrand was in with a good shot. Admittedly I was teasing them about the prospect of a Melenchon - Le Pen run off in round 2 (“Alien vs Predator”)
Interesting. "his best shot probably relies on the president stumbling badly" - how many extra deaths laid at Macron's door does it take to constitute a bad stumble?
Dunno, what's the current score on BJ's 'I think we got away with it'?
Or Nicola's
Still running at c.2/3 of England's per capita I believe. I know how you guys love a stat..
Scotland population density: 65 per sq. km
England population density: 275 per sq. km
Want to calculate deaths per sq km and compare? For those who love a stat....
But that doesn't work either does it? If you eliminate the vast areas where practically no one lives in Scotland the population density of Scotland changes significantly. To take it to its extreme it is like calculating the population density for a desert state and claiming that is meaningful density figure.
Only way you can make it meaningful is to compare large cities to large cities and towns to towns and areas containing villages to areas contain villages of comparable densities.
There's always some external excuse for the BJ fanbois.
Latest EMA shows Tories with a 7.2% lead and an overall majority of 42.
Just a current snap shot. Long way to go yet.
You wonder how many candidates Refuk will actually stand? I doubt it will be a tiny proportion of the 276 seats where Brexit Party stood in 2019. If it is even a thing by the net election.
LibDems threatening single taxi levels again.
I remember the golden days of EICEIPM, all he had to do from a couple of years in to the government was turn up and he would win...
All professional sporting fixtures scheduled for 3pm next Saturday, are to be moved to avoid a clash with the funeral. Football league games are mostly going to be lunchtime or evening kickoffs.
Good to see a minor outbreak of sanity in France. There'll be an uncomfortable calculation to be done since the Health Authorities told them to do it from January. Could have had another 3m with one dose.
PARIS (Reuters) - France will lengthen the period between the first and second shots of mRNA anti-COVID vaccines to six weeks from four weeks as of April 14 to accelerate the inoculation campaign, Health Minister Olivier Veran told the JDD newspaper on Sunday.
Although France’s top health authority advised a six-week period between the two shots in January in order to stretch supplies, the government at the time said there was insufficient data on how well the vaccines performed with a longer interval.
Macron claimed the AZ vaccine was quasi-ineffective for people over 65. Very, very loudly. France’s top health authority was always going to get drowned out. And on delaying second doses, reluctant to get fired by pointing out that as with vaccines, on refusing to adopt "l'attitde rosbif" he was again being a twat.
I had dinner last night with some French contacts of mine
They thought that Xavier Bertrand was in with a good shot. Admittedly I was teasing them about the prospect of a Melenchon - Le Pen run off in round 2 (“Alien vs Predator”)
Interesting. "his best shot probably relies on the president stumbling badly" - how many extra deaths laid at Macron's door does it take to constitute a bad stumble?
Dunno, what's the current score on BJ's 'I think we got away with it'?
Or Nicola's
Still running at c.2/3 of England's per capita I believe. I know how you guys love a stat..
Scotland population density: 65 per sq. km
England population density: 275 per sq. km
Want to calculate deaths per sq km and compare? For those who love a stat....
But that doesn't work either does it? If you eliminate the vast areas where practically no one lives in Scotland the population density of Scotland changes significantly. To take it to its extreme it is like calculating the population density for a desert state and claiming that is meaningful density figure.
Only way you can make it meaningful is to compare large cities to large cities and towns to towns and areas containing villages to areas contain villages of comparable densities.
There's always some external excuse for the BJ fanbois.
We need a cull of BJ fanbois.
They dominate discussion (once again we have a “Keir is crap” thread) and it was appalling to see @kamski bullied off here the other day for dating to express a dissenting opinion.
Perhaps one or two could refrain from posting in aid of encouraging a diversity of the opinion.
Latest EMA shows Tories with a 7.2% lead and an overall majority of 42.
Just a current snap shot. Long way to go yet.
You wonder how many candidates Refuk will actually stand? I doubt it will be a tiny proportion of the 276 seats where Brexit Party stood in 2019. If it is even a thing by the net election.
LibDems threatening single taxi levels again.
I remember the golden days of EICEIPM, all he had to do from a couple of years in to the government was turn up and he would win...
The 35% strategy.
The problem being that’s all Labour has pursued ever since, but with the exception of 2017 under very unusual conditions they can’t even get 35%.
What they need is not a ‘radical agenda’ but some dim idea of what their potential supporters will vote for. At the moment, not only do they not know but under Corbyn they made a point of not caring.
So far, Starmer doesn’t seem to have asked that question, which is a mistake but would be quite tough under the circumstances so he can be forgiven.
He needs, however, to be asking those questions and then answering with policies morning, noon and night from next month.
If he doesn’t, he won’t be making major progress at the next election even if the lid comes off exposing the Johnson government’s extraordinary corruption and incompetence.
One asset Keir has - and I haven’t seen any discussion of this yet on PB - is that the Biden administration is promising (and in some ways already delivering) that rare thing: a popular, left-wing platform.
Seems possible that Keir could be sailing with the tide; once corona dissipates.
So's Boris.
No, he really isn’t.
Although Boris has a sunny disposition and the rhetoric is “levelling up”, Rishi’s budget showed that the primary goal is fiscal virtue-signalling which must in turn bear down on government spending.
He is running a quite staggering deficit and seem insouciant about it. He seems very keen on us becoming a science powerhouse and wants a lot more public investment in that. He has been supportive of an incredibly generous aid program for business and focused fiscal support on the lower paid. He is lining up higher taxes. If this is not left wing economics I am not sure what is.
Of course he still has Priti throwing red meat to the social conservatives but on economic policy we are well to the left of Miliband.
You are confusing mid-pandemic with post-pandemic fiscal policy, I think.
I suspect his science powerhouse stuff will go the way of all Boris boondoggles, and the higher (corporate) tax piece is a pure piece of theatre to “shoot Labour’s fox” and hoodwink people like you.
Johnson only wants high profile stuff that he can wave a flag in front of at the next election. He has no strategic vision or plan to remedy the many underlying problems in British society.
Starmer needs to sort himself out, or to quit, or we have another 5 years of the gurning fool to look forward to.
One asset Keir has - and I haven’t seen any discussion of this yet on PB - is that the Biden administration is promising (and in some ways already delivering) that rare thing: a popular, left-wing platform.
Seems possible that Keir could be sailing with the tide; once corona dissipates.
The problem he's got is that Johnson is already delivering a popular left wing program albeit with added corruption and a bonus culture war.
Good to see a minor outbreak of sanity in France. There'll be an uncomfortable calculation to be done since the Health Authorities told them to do it from January. Could have had another 3m with one dose.
PARIS (Reuters) - France will lengthen the period between the first and second shots of mRNA anti-COVID vaccines to six weeks from four weeks as of April 14 to accelerate the inoculation campaign, Health Minister Olivier Veran told the JDD newspaper on Sunday.
Although France’s top health authority advised a six-week period between the two shots in January in order to stretch supplies, the government at the time said there was insufficient data on how well the vaccines performed with a longer interval.
Macron claimed the AZ vaccine was quasi-ineffective for people over 65. Very, very loudly. France’s top health authority was always going to get drowned out. And on delaying second doses, reluctant to get fired by pointing out that as with vaccines, on refusing to adopt "l'attitde rosbif" he was again being a twat.
I had dinner last night with some French contacts of mine
They thought that Xavier Bertrand was in with a good shot. Admittedly I was teasing them about the prospect of a Melenchon - Le Pen run off in round 2 (“Alien vs Predator”)
Interesting. "his best shot probably relies on the president stumbling badly" - how many extra deaths laid at Macron's door does it take to constitute a bad stumble?
Dunno, what's the current score on BJ's 'I think we got away with it'?
Or Nicola's
Still running at c.2/3 of England's per capita I believe. I know how you guys love a stat..
Scotland population density: 65 per sq. km
England population density: 275 per sq. km
Want to calculate deaths per sq km and compare? For those who love a stat....
But that doesn't work either does it? If you eliminate the vast areas where practically no one lives in Scotland the population density of Scotland changes significantly. To take it to its extreme it is like calculating the population density for a desert state and claiming that is meaningful density figure.
Only way you can make it meaningful is to compare large cities to large cities and towns to towns and areas containing villages to areas contain villages of comparable densities.
There's always some external excuse for the BJ fanbois.
We need a cull of BJ fanbois.
They dominate discussion (once again we have a “Keir is crap” thread) and it was appalling to see @kamski bullied off here the other day for dating to express a dissenting opinion.
Perhaps one or two could refrain from posting in aid of encouraging a diversity of the opinion.
In fairness, anyone defending Ursula von der Leyen and Thierry Breton, who make Johnson look honest and competent, was probably not worth listening to.
I was surprised when kamski attempted it, tbh, because s/he was defending the truly indefensible.
I'm sceptical of the standard 'Senior Tories, including cabinet ministers' bs but the point is certainly correct, Unionists will have to decide if there's a point beyond which a referendum can't be won.
All professional sporting fixtures scheduled for 3pm next Saturday, are to be moved to avoid a clash with the funeral. Football league games are mostly going to be lunchtime or evening kickoffs.
I think the big problem for Labour is the general public see Johnson and Sunak as a genuine change from the austerity focussed Tory governments of 2010 onwards. It feels like a change of the guard in the way Blair into Brown never did.
That means the public will need to tire of the new Tories all over again before they want to switch to Labour. That won't happen during a vaccination programme going so well or the immediate aftermath of the return to normality.
Labour needs to be patient and see how the government decides how the bills will be paid, assuming the Bank of England won't foot them for too much longer. It is at that point they will have opportunities and need someone credible as leader. I still think Starmer fits the bill for that scenario, however uninspiring he has been so far, but he will need to take more risks on policy than he has during the pandemic.
Surely the first woman ever to hold either of those roles? Or is there some Tory that I’ve missed?
No, but I was looking at it through the lens of Labour's inability to have a female leader - 46 years and counting behind the supposed misogynistic Tories. Dodd will give Labour's knuckle-draggers extra ammunition, when it comes to replacing Starmer.
It’s not about ammunition, because nobody overtly campaigns against a woman being leader of the Labour Party. It’s just that they always find an excuse, however flimsy, as to why that particular woman isn’t the right person at that moment.
In 2010 and 2020 it was easy because the lone/leading female candidate clearly was not up to being leader. But in 2016 they decided Cooper was ‘uninspiring’ and elected Corbyn instead. Now, if you want a clearer and more absurd example of sexism I’m struggling to find it, but nobody stood up and actually said ‘we don’t want her as leader because she has a vagina.’
In a way, such covert sexism is more insidious than that would have been. But it does mean there’s no reason to think Dodds’ performance will make a difference to it.
Cooper's problem was not her gender, but her politics, as was Kendall's. Much as I liked them personally and their politics, that was not what their party wanted. The party wanted a clear break from New Labour, of which Ed Miliband was the repeat as farce.
Corbyn was a relic of the old left, of a mythical time of purity before Blair contaminated everything. This is why he motivated the young, and swept up older activists who finally felt free of the taint of Blairism.
Cooper’s *ostensible* problem was her politics.
I don’t think we would have heard quite so much about that had she been a man, given Corbyn’s admirers have spent years telling us that his policies weren’t that socialist really.
Cooper went on HOLIDAY with her family, while Corbyn campaigned.
I don't share your very high opinion of Cooper ... but more importantly, nor does Yvette.
None of the other contenders would have got anywhere near Jezzas 40% of the Electorate in GE 2017
SKS will not equal it in 2024
Sad but true.
You're always good at pointing out Starmer's shortcomings. But what, or who, is your solution, assuming you accept that there's no conceivable route back for Corbyn? Who would you have as leader?
Anyone with charisma would be better than SKS
I voted Nandy (the most right wing of the 3 Candidates, and someone who said she wanted to break Corbyn as a man) as she was least bad and had slightly more charisma than the other 2
Personally I think Labour is finished unless it reconnects with the working class with a radical Agenda
Burnham needs a Constituency I would then vote for him as leader but I can see very little talent or creative thinking in the PLP
Rehashing New New Labour will result in defeat IMO
Fair enough; I voted for Nandy too (I thought BJ would struggle with her), but she lost. Unlike you, though, I remain optimistic that when Starmer comes up with an agenda in advance of the next GE it will be more radical than you fear. I just don't think he is New New Labour.
Good to see a minor outbreak of sanity in France. There'll be an uncomfortable calculation to be done since the Health Authorities told them to do it from January. Could have had another 3m with one dose.
PARIS (Reuters) - France will lengthen the period between the first and second shots of mRNA anti-COVID vaccines to six weeks from four weeks as of April 14 to accelerate the inoculation campaign, Health Minister Olivier Veran told the JDD newspaper on Sunday.
Although France’s top health authority advised a six-week period between the two shots in January in order to stretch supplies, the government at the time said there was insufficient data on how well the vaccines performed with a longer interval.
Macron claimed the AZ vaccine was quasi-ineffective for people over 65. Very, very loudly. France’s top health authority was always going to get drowned out. And on delaying second doses, reluctant to get fired by pointing out that as with vaccines, on refusing to adopt "l'attitde rosbif" he was again being a twat.
I had dinner last night with some French contacts of mine
They thought that Xavier Bertrand was in with a good shot. Admittedly I was teasing them about the prospect of a Melenchon - Le Pen run off in round 2 (“Alien vs Predator”)
Interesting. "his best shot probably relies on the president stumbling badly" - how many extra deaths laid at Macron's door does it take to constitute a bad stumble?
Dunno, what's the current score on BJ's 'I think we got away with it'?
Or Nicola's
Still running at c.2/3 of England's per capita I believe. I know how you guys love a stat..
Scotland population density: 65 per sq. km
England population density: 275 per sq. km
Want to calculate deaths per sq km and compare? For those who love a stat....
But that doesn't work either does it? If you eliminate the vast areas where practically no one lives in Scotland the population density of Scotland changes significantly. To take it to its extreme it is like calculating the population density for a desert state and claiming that is meaningful density figure.
Only way you can make it meaningful is to compare large cities to large cities and towns to towns and areas containing villages to areas contain villages of comparable densities.
There's always some external excuse for the BJ fanbois.
We need a cull of BJ fanbois.
They dominate discussion (once again we have a “Keir is crap” thread) and it was appalling to see @kamski bullied off here the other day for dating to express a dissenting opinion.
Perhaps one or two could refrain from posting in aid of encouraging a diversity of the opinion.
In fairness, anyone defending Ursula von der Leyen and Thierry Breton, who make Johnson look honest and competent, was probably not worth listening to.
I was surprised when kamski attempted it, tbh, because s/he was defending the truly indefensible.
I can’t remember the specifics, but the wider point he was making - which is that most British political discussion exists within a broadly right-wing, self-congratulatory bubble - was spot on.
Good to see a minor outbreak of sanity in France. There'll be an uncomfortable calculation to be done since the Health Authorities told them to do it from January. Could have had another 3m with one dose.
PARIS (Reuters) - France will lengthen the period between the first and second shots of mRNA anti-COVID vaccines to six weeks from four weeks as of April 14 to accelerate the inoculation campaign, Health Minister Olivier Veran told the JDD newspaper on Sunday.
Although France’s top health authority advised a six-week period between the two shots in January in order to stretch supplies, the government at the time said there was insufficient data on how well the vaccines performed with a longer interval.
Macron claimed the AZ vaccine was quasi-ineffective for people over 65. Very, very loudly. France’s top health authority was always going to get drowned out. And on delaying second doses, reluctant to get fired by pointing out that as with vaccines, on refusing to adopt "l'attitde rosbif" he was again being a twat.
I had dinner last night with some French contacts of mine
They thought that Xavier Bertrand was in with a good shot. Admittedly I was teasing them about the prospect of a Melenchon - Le Pen run off in round 2 (“Alien vs Predator”)
Interesting. "his best shot probably relies on the president stumbling badly" - how many extra deaths laid at Macron's door does it take to constitute a bad stumble?
Dunno, what's the current score on BJ's 'I think we got away with it'?
Or Nicola's
Still running at c.2/3 of England's per capita I believe. I know how you guys love a stat..
Scotland population density: 65 per sq. km
England population density: 275 per sq. km
Want to calculate deaths per sq km and compare? For those who love a stat....
But that doesn't work either does it? If you eliminate the vast areas where practically no one lives in Scotland the population density of Scotland changes significantly. To take it to its extreme it is like calculating the population density for a desert state and claiming that is meaningful density figure.
Only way you can make it meaningful is to compare large cities to large cities and towns to towns and areas containing villages to areas contain villages of comparable densities.
There's always some external excuse for the BJ fanbois.
We need a cull of BJ fanbois.
They dominate discussion (once again we have a “Keir is crap” thread) and it was appalling to see @kamski bullied off here the other day for dating to express a dissenting opinion.
Perhaps one or two could refrain from posting in aid of encouraging a diversity of the opinion.
In fairness, anyone defending Ursula von der Leyen and Thierry Breton, who make Johnson look honest and competent, was probably not worth listening to.
I was surprised when kamski attempted it, tbh, because s/he was defending the truly indefensible.
I don't think there's much question about Frau Dr von der Leyen's honesty is there? About from a couple of queries over her PhD thesis, which were sorted, IIRC.
Whereas our PM has actually lost jobs as a result of lying.
Surely the first woman ever to hold either of those roles? Or is there some Tory that I’ve missed?
No, but I was looking at it through the lens of Labour's inability to have a female leader - 46 years and counting behind the supposed misogynistic Tories. Dodd will give Labour's knuckle-draggers extra ammunition, when it comes to replacing Starmer.
It’s not about ammunition, because nobody overtly campaigns against a woman being leader of the Labour Party. It’s just that they always find an excuse, however flimsy, as to why that particular woman isn’t the right person at that moment.
In 2010 and 2020 it was easy because the lone/leading female candidate clearly was not up to being leader. But in 2016 they decided Cooper was ‘uninspiring’ and elected Corbyn instead. Now, if you want a clearer and more absurd example of sexism I’m struggling to find it, but nobody stood up and actually said ‘we don’t want her as leader because she has a vagina.’
In a way, such covert sexism is more insidious than that would have been. But it does mean there’s no reason to think Dodds’ performance will make a difference to it.
Cooper's problem was not her gender, but her politics, as was Kendall's. Much as I liked them personally and their politics, that was not what their party wanted. The party wanted a clear break from New Labour, of which Ed Miliband was the repeat as farce.
Corbyn was a relic of the old left, of a mythical time of purity before Blair contaminated everything. This is why he motivated the young, and swept up older activists who finally felt free of the taint of Blairism.
This is absolutely right. That sexism was a material factor in why Cooper or Kendall didn't get the Labour leader job after Miliband is nonsense. The 2015 defeat after such strenuous efforts were made not to frighten the horses - aka Middle England - with any radicalism traumatized the party. The mood was, "Oh fuck this for a game of soldiers. We triangulated our heart & soul away and it didn't even win us any votes. So no more of that crap. Let's throw the dice. Let's rock."
I know this very well. I was part of it. I felt exactly that and although I wasn't a member in 2015 if I had been I'd have voted for Corbyn. And that's despite me not rating him on intellect or competence as even in the same league as the formidable (in those areas) Cooper. I rated Burnham quite highly on a personal level too. Made no odds.
Totally understandable, especially whence takes in account that the big winners in 2015 were the principled SNP and the big losers the LibDems, who were widely seen to have betrayed their principles.
Yep. And in fact, if I try hard, I can still just about remember how sick and down I felt at the outcome of that GE. That Con outright win in 2015. Far far worse than after the Johnson landslide just gone. That one was just so obviously coming. I was ready for it and made a stack on the betting. But 2015? Oh god. What a kick in the goolies. Such a shocker. Good leader. Tight moderate policies. A solid poll lead. And what happens? The electorate get distracted by bacon sandwiches and all worked up about the nasty Scots having too much influence.
Never felt as pissed off with the voters as I did the morning after that election. What a shower. No surprise whatsoever that they went on just a year later to vote to leave the European Union. Cameron should have known this if he had any wits about him. He should have asked himself, "If the country was stupid enough to give me an overall majority, how can I be sure they are smart enough to vote Remain in this Referendum I'm planning on doing?" He really ought to have asked himself that. It could have saved so much grief.
I'm sceptical of the standard 'Senior Tories, including cabinet ministers' bs but the point is certainly correct, Unionists will have to decide if there's a point beyond which a referendum can't be won.
The longer Johnson cockblocks it the more likely a victory for Indy. He doesn't give a fuck about Scotland (or the 6 counties) one way or the other. As long as they don't extract themselves from under the iron heel on his watch, that's all that matters to him.
Comments
The story is also a good illustration of the value of basic research. For quite a long time, very few saw any value in her research at all, and it turned out to be astronomical.
And who would want a clown at their funeral, anyway.
Makes a change from politicians, SpAds and time-serving civil servants getting all the gongs.
I think the comment is somewhat off colour, no matter your thoughts on her relationship with her wider family miscarriages are obviously painful experiences.
https://tinyurl.com/aaupuxvk
What does that tell you?
Suppose there is a job you really want and you have 6 weeks to prepare for it and make your case. Do you go on holiday?
It tells you that Cooper did not really WANT the job. (Corbyn did, that is why he won).
Cooper has -- rightly or wrongly -- always been a little lacking in confidence about her ability to do the top job.
Perhaps she felt her family comes first & she was not willing to sacrifice time with them. Perhaps it's a result of her battles with ME
https://tinyurl.com/jf6y3arp
Whatever, Cooper lost because she wanted to lose.
I don't share your very high opinion of Cooper ... but more importantly, nor does Yvette.
But it's better for all concerned that Meghan has a good excuse for not being there. Let the close family hug each other.
Most of it was torpedoed before it made it into law. The main problem was that the assessed admin cost was going to be £400-£500.
What is left is the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) process and I think things like the Property Information Form. PIF is excellent, and tells you things about the house.
EPC is not quite how I would like it but has done a lot for improved energy efficiency.
The main current problem is that huge numbers of Owner Occupiers don't seem to give a toss about the quality of house they live in. Scotland is doing something about it; England is not. No idea about Wales.
LibDems threatening single taxi levels again.
This showed up in the SpaceX vs Boeing approach for their manned spacecraft.
SpaceX built a system that would appeal to most people in the software world. - they setup so that every single code change triggered a cascade of automated tests, each level larger in scope than the last, until it finally ran a full simulated mission on a real spacecraft adapted as a test rig.
So every time you moved a semicolon, it went through the ringer. At the point all the real software engineers say something on the lines of "Nice", "Sensible" and "I vote for that".
This seemed strange to NASA - they hadn't seen anything like this, before - so they registered concerns.
Boeing did traditional aerospace style software - lots of solemn manual code reviews, not so much testing. They did one, partial all up test before they flew their test flight. NASA signed off with enthusiasm on their work up to that point.
The SpaceX flight went well. SpaceX are now flying missions to ISS,
The Boeing flight was a mission failure. They haven't flown people yet, and probably won't for a long time.
The reason for the Boeing approach is that when computers were small, simpler it was possible, by heroic effort to review the errors out the code. In addition computers were expensive and slower. The classic of this genre was the Space Shuttle code - People in smoke filed rooms reviewed, manually every line. Repeatedly. Many reckon it ended up bug free. At a cost of $5 a line of code. In 1975 dollars.
Now we have machines that multiple orders of magnitude faster, running 10 million tests every time you check in a code change is merely an infrastructure issue.
My view is he is a micromanager and I don’t think that is the personality type that works in number 10. After all, Brown and May were tremendous successes weren’t they?
The reality is there needs to be a reworking of the GFA. But the EU needs to move on that.
“Starmer’s voice hardens. “I’m not like Boris Johnson in any respect,” he says. “There’s almost nothing we have in common.” What matters, he insists, is not flashy charisma but core values. “And I know who I am.” “
https://twitter.com/thesundaytimes/status/1381143274056998913?s=21
I would say that, so far, in the vaccination/unlocking, we have been on the "good" side of the middle case. When schools opened, the effect was to stop the drop in cases, not cause a rise.
When we unlock, I think, inevitable that COVID cases will increase. This in turn will lead to some deaths and hospitalisations. Especially among those groups rejecting the vaccine.
“ on the question of compulsory vaccine passports, he tells me he’s torn. “I think it’s a really difficult question, and I’m not going to pretend otherwise.” Asked about pub passports in an interview with The Daily Telegraph, he says: “My instinct is that … there will be a British sense that we don’t actually want to go down this road.” On the other hand, he tells me he would not employ an aide who refused to be vaccinated. “No, my instinct is I’d be very uncomfortable with that.” “
Interesting Deltapoll in the Mail on Sunday this morning relating to vaccine passports
The Voting intention has been published elsewhere on this forum at
• Conservatives 45
• Labour 36
• Lib Dems 6
However, the interesting part is the response to these questions.
• Do you support a vaccine passport 63/25 yes
How long should it be
• Short term 30
• As long as it is needed 46
Would you feel comfortable showing a vaccine passport?
• Holiday abroad 70/28 yes
• Supermarket 68/28
• Hairdresser 67/27
• The Pub 66/28
• Sporting events 65/28
• The Office 62/29
It does lend weight to the opinion that some on this forum may just be a ‘wee bit’ out of step with the public
The first experimental stealth aircraft built by Lockheed included undercarriage from a crashed F-16, engines that were so old that they were being surplussed (before they got refurbed one more time), and a chuck of a filing cabinet.
The result aircraft was rather tricky to fly, but had the radar cross section of a marble.
Once they had proved the RCS, they moved onto to building a "proper" aircraft.
That will include being an election winner then.....
I know how you guys love a stat..
They knew, and Corbyn proved, that the hard left is a route only to failure and recrimination.
(Labour being Labour will of course persevere with him till the inevitable, bitter defeat).
I am now of the opinion that any of the other candidates would have been better (Nandy, or Phillips, or Rayner, or Allin-Khan, and even Long Bailey). The irony probably is that most in Labour really wanted one of those candidates, but they thought Sir Keir was a winner.
Lisa or Jess & Co would not be leading Boris at the moment, but they would be doing better than Sir Sit on the Fence.
In fact, I think even Corbyn would be doing better. He would be able to articulate the grotesque unfairness of COVID much more eloquently than Starmer -- that it has ravaged the poor and wretched, while others had Waitrose deliveries on full salaries.
To be honest Boris, Nicola, Drakeford, and Foster all made mistakes but the redeeming factor for Boris is the UK wide rollout of the vaccines, which would not have happened if Scotland had been in the EU
He is just another politician but in his case is bland and uninspiring
England population density: 275 per sq. km
Want to calculate deaths per sq km and compare? For those who love a stat....
Keir is going after the nutters again, glorious
SKS will not equal it in 2024
Sad but true.
Like I said, if Starmer moves Labour forward then that is progress as far as I am concerned. Bearing in mind what he inherited I think he's doing fine.
An odd line in the interview is Decca's view that Blair wasn't easy and charismatic in person. I'm not sure about the charismatic (how many people are when you chat to them 1-1?) but he's certsinly easy to talk to, much easier than Brown, who I like but who doesn't really interact spontaneously. Brown is a warmer personality in private, though - Blair is always pleasant but the brain is in charge more than the heart.
I think you're spot on with your analysis - but it remains to be seen whether it actually happens. Right now Johnson is riding high on the back of a successful vaccine rollout (which I acknowledge has been fantastic) but as we saw over the last several months, that popularity can disappear quickly. There are going to be issues that come up that dent him and Labour will no doubt lead again.
It's whether Labour can sustain a lead for a long period and whether at some point voters are completely "done" with Johnson, that is a question without an answer.
It's unfortunate in a way that we have to rely on this as an outcome - but sadly for Labour it's the only one they have. And that would have been the case with whoever had one the leadership contest. There was no Blair standing.
That's not how you deal with toddlers.Or their emotional equivalent.
Last time the government became unpopular, only a couple of years ago, the same party managed to reinvent themselves under a new leader, without the Opposition getting a look-in.
Wife QEII (1)
Children (4)
Charles
Anne
Andrew
Edward
Partners of children (3)
Camilla
Timothy Lawrence
Sophie
Grandchildren (8)
William
Harry
Eugenie
Beatrice
Lady Louise Windsor
James, viscount Severn
Zara Tindall
Peter Phillips
Partners of grandchildren (5)
Mike Tindall
Kate
Jack Brooksbank
Autumn Kelly
Edoardo Mozzi
Definitely not present
Meghan Markle
Other relatives close to the Queen (9)
Princess Alexandra
Duke of Gloucester
Duchess of Gloucester
Duke of Kent
Duchess of Kent
Prince Michael of Kent
Princess Michael of Kent
Earl of Snowdon
Lady Sarah Chatto
Parents of grandchildren, divorced (2)
Sarah Ferguson
Mark Phillips
Other worthies (1)
Tony Radakin (First sea Lord)
Definitely not present
Boris Johnson
School age Greatgrandchildren (5)
Savannah
Isla
George
Mia
Charlotte
Greatgrandchildren Toddlers (2)
Louis
Lena
Greatgrandchildren Babies (2)
August
Lucas
Definitely not present
Archie
For me Allin-Khan is a loose cannon with a kneejerk habit - she has made too many public attacks in the last year on Ministers that have turned out be baseless. Just never impressed by Rayner. And the one And Yvette Cooper was far too active in mortgage and address flipping for expenses-farming reasons; unlike Ed Balls, not enough ability to balance that out.
It's not, I think that most people especially like Johnson, but they don't dislike him either, and find him quite amusing. If things are going OKish, as per the vaccines, they see no urgent reason to change.
Not true in other parts of the current UK
And lost. To the quiet man..... a modest man with much to be modest about.
Seems possible that Keir could be sailing with the tide; once corona dissipates.
I know this very well. I was part of it. I felt exactly that and although I wasn't a member in 2015 if I had been I'd have voted for Corbyn. And that's despite me not rating him on intellect or competence as even in the same league as the formidable (in those areas) Cooper. I rated Burnham quite highly on a personal level too. Made no odds.
I don’t see how that’s controversial, frankly.
Although Boris has a sunny disposition and the rhetoric is “levelling up”, Rishi’s budget showed that the primary goal is fiscal virtue-signalling which must in turn bear down on government spending.
Only way you can make it meaningful is to compare large cities to large cities and towns to towns and areas containing villages to areas contain villages of comparable densities.
She’s telegenic, always has something interesting to say, is not the “woke” caricature that people might think she is, is sound on foreign policy, and comes from impeccable left-wing academic heritage but is not a wonk.
That leaves it about 5 short.
Interesting that you do not have Viscount Linley on that list.
Your first 6 categories less autumn are 30
Of course he still has Priti throwing red meat to the social conservatives but on economic policy we are well to the left of Miliband.
I suspect his science powerhouse stuff will go the way of all Boris boondoggles, and the higher (corporate) tax piece is a pure piece of theatre to “shoot Labour’s fox” and hoodwink people like you.
Seems to have worked.
I voted Nandy (the most right wing of the 3 Candidates, and someone who said she wanted to break Corbyn as a man) as she was least bad and had slightly more charisma than the other 2
Personally I think Labour is finished unless it reconnects with the working class with a radical Agenda
Burnham needs a Constituency I would then vote for him as leader but I can see very little talent or creative thinking in the PLP
Rehashing New New Labour will result in defeat IMO
The vast areas where people don't live serve as a firebreak that helps prevent the virus spreading from one community to the next.
The distance between Glasgow and Edinburgh is only a few miles more than the distance between Liverpool and Manchester. But between Edinburgh and Glasgow there's a whole lot of not very much - between Liverpool and Manchester its one urban conurbation after another. There's no firebreak.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2021/04/11/sporting-fixtures-rescheduled-avoid-clash-prince-philips-funeral/
They dominate discussion (once again we have a “Keir is crap” thread) and it was appalling to see @kamski bullied off here the other day for dating to express a dissenting opinion.
Perhaps one or two could refrain from posting in aid of encouraging a diversity of the opinion.
The problem being that’s all Labour has pursued ever since, but with the exception of 2017 under very unusual conditions they can’t even get 35%.
What they need is not a ‘radical agenda’ but some dim idea of what their potential supporters will vote for. At the moment, not only do they not know but under Corbyn they made a point of not caring.
So far, Starmer doesn’t seem to have asked that question, which is a mistake but would be quite tough under the circumstances so he can be forgiven.
He needs, however, to be asking those questions and then answering with policies morning, noon and night from next month.
If he doesn’t, he won’t be making major progress at the next election even if the lid comes off exposing the Johnson government’s extraordinary corruption and incompetence.
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/mar/31/uk-scientists-funding-cuts-grants-foreign-aid
Johnson only wants high profile stuff that he can wave a flag in front of at the next election. He has no strategic vision or plan to remedy the many underlying problems in British society.
Starmer needs to sort himself out, or to quit, or we have another 5 years of the gurning fool to look forward to.
I was surprised when kamski attempted it, tbh, because s/he was defending the truly indefensible.
https://twitter.com/TimesRadio/status/1381197680886607873?s=19
https://twitter.com/benarty/status/1381141518879195141?s=20
That means the public will need to tire of the new Tories all over again before they want to switch to Labour. That won't happen during a vaccination programme going so well or the immediate aftermath of the return to normality.
Labour needs to be patient and see how the government decides how the bills will be paid, assuming the Bank of England won't foot them for too much longer. It is at that point they will have opportunities and need someone credible as leader. I still think Starmer fits the bill for that scenario, however uninspiring he has been so far, but he will need to take more risks on policy than he has during the pandemic.
Whereas our PM has actually lost jobs as a result of lying.
Never felt as pissed off with the voters as I did the morning after that election. What a shower. No surprise whatsoever that they went on just a year later to vote to leave the European Union. Cameron should have known this if he had any wits about him. He should have asked himself, "If the country was stupid enough to give me an overall majority, how can I be sure they are smart enough to vote Remain in this Referendum I'm planning on doing?" He really ought to have asked himself that. It could have saved so much grief.