"BREAKING: in unclassified documents released to Congress today, by the DoD, Pentagon officials admit the UAP (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena) are not American technology, and show advanced characteristics indicating non-human origin"
Just seen a clip of Ledbetter being harangued in Batley and Spen. Vile stuff
Do you mind me asking, by whom, and for what?
Was it activists form a different party?
I'm assuming it's from voters Labour would consider 'theirs' and fits in to the pattern of ignoring homophobia or anti-semitism if its electorally damaging to challenge it that they've gone for.
Labour really are completely fucked. Either they try and keep the conservative Muslim vote on board (but how? How do they square this with Wokeness??) or they abandon them and lose several million voters in one go
When the woke types feel comfortable calling out Islamic misogyny and homophobia, we might be approaching assimilation. Letting them off because of their religion, or that they’re their enemies enemy proves multiculturalism isn’t working.
I would have thought it will happen the other way around: you know, lack of support for transgender rights might wake a few woke people up.
“…our historic lack of flag-waving reflects the confidence that comes from having an ancient political history, the kingdom of England being almost 1100 years old; it comes from being a country which until the mid-20th century had little racial diversity and no memory of foreign rule. A country like that didn’t need its schoolchildren to sing about the dream of unity; it went without saying.
Multicultural countries in contrast need to shout about what they have in common, which is why the United States made such an effort to enforce a secular national faith, making children salute the flag and forcing poor southern European immigrants to deny the obvious superiority of football and instead pretend to enjoy America’s incomprehensibly boring national sports. Multicultural Britain needs to do something similar, rather than relying on ancient cynicism and irony.”
"BREAKING: in unclassified documents released to Congress today, by the DoD, Pentagon officials admit the UAP (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena) are not American technology, and show advanced characteristics indicating non-human origin"
The country is facing a summer of food shortages likened to a series of “rolling power cuts” because of a loss of 100,000 lorry drivers due to Covid and Brexit, industry chiefs have warned.
The country is facing a summer of food shortages likened to a series of “rolling power cuts” because of a loss of 100,000 lorry drivers due to Covid and Brexit, industry chiefs have warned.
"BREAKING: in unclassified documents released to Congress today, by the DoD, Pentagon officials admit the UAP (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena) are not American technology, and show advanced characteristics indicating non-human origin"
"BREAKING: in unclassified documents released to Congress today, by the DoD, Pentagon officials admit the UAP (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena) are not American technology, and show advanced characteristics indicating non-human origin"
A complete offtopic anecdote but I will post here for reference
The 2 child limit for Working Tax Credits came into being in April 2017. Checking 2 different schools it seems reception admissions for September 2021 are 15% lower than September 2020...
Am interesting example of the lack of joined up thinking in politics is that the same people who complain about immigration are often the same people who won't do anything to maintain the birth rate. I've got three kids anyway, so I've done my bit.
Just seen a clip of Ledbetter being harangued in Batley and Spen. Vile stuff
Do you mind me asking, by whom, and for what?
Was it activists form a different party?
I'm assuming it's from voters Labour would consider 'theirs' and fits in to the pattern of ignoring homophobia or anti-semitism if its electorally damaging to challenge it that they've gone for.
Labour really are completely fucked. Either they try and keep the conservative Muslim vote on board (but how? How do they square this with Wokeness??) or they abandon them and lose several million voters in one go
When the woke types feel comfortable calling out Islamic misogyny and homophobia, we might be approaching assimilation. Letting them off because of their religion, or that they’re their enemies enemy proves multiculturalism isn’t working.
I would have thought it will happen the other way around: you know, lack of support for transgender rights might wake a few woke people up.
No. Remember the Identity Matrix. Transgender people need to move to the back of the bus.
The country is facing a summer of food shortages likened to a series of “rolling power cuts” because of a loss of 100,000 lorry drivers due to Covid and Brexit, industry chiefs have warned.
For the record, the UK is not going to be facing a summer of food shortages.
You heard it here first.
It might face a summer of slightly higher prices for food, of course.
Its the usual "STRAWBERRY SHORTAGES" summer story we have had for the past 10 years. Last year we were going to run out of food as well because of COVID, Brexit, etc....and the government of course just offered short term visas for workers, and a load of Romanians came again because they can earn more in 3 months, than a year working in Romania.
Just seen a clip of Ledbetter being harangued in Batley and Spen. Vile stuff
Do you mind me asking, by whom, and for what?
Was it activists form a different party?
I'm assuming it's from voters Labour would consider 'theirs' and fits in to the pattern of ignoring homophobia or anti-semitism if its electorally damaging to challenge it that they've gone for.
Labour really are completely fucked. Either they try and keep the conservative Muslim vote on board (but how? How do they square this with Wokeness??) or they abandon them and lose several million voters in one go
When the woke types feel comfortable calling out Islamic misogyny and homophobia, we might be approaching assimilation. Letting them off because of their religion, or that they’re their enemies enemy proves multiculturalism isn’t working.
I'm happy to call out misogyny and homophobia whether it's Islamic, Hungarian, American, English, or from any other source.
Galloway saw the Batley Grammar School cartoon issue, which appeared to be slowly calming down, fanned the flames and stood back in anticipation of the fireworks. A truly vile animal.
I wonder if the Hancock story could see Labour sqweak home?
Under any other leader yes under SKS who knows?
Might cause a few Tory voters to sit this one out in silent protest at being told not to see their loved ones for months by Hancock.
If anything, the Hancock row makes me tempted to put a few quid on Galloway.
Plague on all your houses could come through the middle on this one.
Plus also differentiated turnout. This feels to me like a low turnout by election - I don’t get the impression the Tories have sizzled either. If Galloway does whip up enthusiasm in the Muslim community and gets their votes (plus a few WWC), he is in. See Peterborough 2019 by-election.
I understand that even if GG were to sweep the "Muslim vote" then that is only 20%, albeit mostly from the Labour pool.
He won't sweep up the vote, nor pick up significant numbers of white voters. There may be selective turnout, but I think the best he will do is to come second and third or lower more likely. I see it as Con gain by narrow majority, smaller than the GG vote.
I think that's a reasonable estimate:
Con 45, Lab 35, GG 15
Would be my guess. And I may be a little high with the GG forecast.
"BREAKING: in unclassified documents released to Congress today, by the DoD, Pentagon officials admit the UAP (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena) are not American technology, and show advanced characteristics indicating non-human origin"
Just seen a clip of Ledbetter being harangued in Batley and Spen. Vile stuff
Do you mind me asking, by whom, and for what?
Was it activists form a different party?
I'm assuming it's from voters Labour would consider 'theirs' and fits in to the pattern of ignoring homophobia or anti-semitism if its electorally damaging to challenge it that they've gone for.
Labour really are completely fucked. Either they try and keep the conservative Muslim vote on board (but how? How do they square this with Wokeness??) or they abandon them and lose several million voters in one go
When the woke types feel comfortable calling out Islamic misogyny and homophobia, we might be approaching assimilation. Letting them off because of their religion, or that they’re their enemies enemy proves multiculturalism isn’t working.
Conservative Islam is backward and reprehensible in its attitude to women and homosexuality.
That was easy, wasn't it.
I dont know, it was you who did it
The fact you had to add ‘Conservative’ makes me feel like it wouldn’t be easy to say it without caveats
Isn't that because Islam comes in many flavours? I know plenty of Muslims who have totally progressive views on things like homosexuality and women's rights. Just like Christians, Jews, Hindus and Athiests also hold a range of views. Are the percentages of fundamentalists/moderates the same across all religious groups in the UK? Probably not. But criticising Islam as a whole isn't really helpful.
Here is an eye opening article about Iran's attitude to transgender people.
A complete offtopic anecdote but I will post here for reference
The 2 child limit for Working Tax Credits came into being in April 2017. Checking 2 different schools it seems reception admissions for September 2021 are 15% lower than September 2020...
Am interesting example of the lack of joined up thinking in politics is that the same people who complain about immigration are often the same people who won't do anything to maintain the birth rate. I've got three kids anyway, so I've done my bit.
Perhaps xenophobia saps the libido. It makes a weird sort of sense if you think about it.
"BREAKING: in unclassified documents released to Congress today, by the DoD, Pentagon officials admit the UAP (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena) are not American technology, and show advanced characteristics indicating non-human origin"
"BREAKING: in unclassified documents released to Congress today, by the DoD, Pentagon officials admit the UAP (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena) are not American technology, and show advanced characteristics indicating non-human origin"
"BREAKING: in unclassified documents released to Congress today, by the DoD, Pentagon officials admit the UAP (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena) are not American technology, and show advanced characteristics indicating non-human origin"
I’ve just read Leon’s fake cnn tweet out to my wife and she’s walked off before I could tell her it was a joker online making it up
Imagine if CNN DO say something like that in the next hour or two. How would people react?!
Well I can tell you because my wife doesn’t know it was you making it up. She thought it was a tweet from cnn. She said “oh I figured as much. Anyway I have to go and check on the casserole”.
So the brother of a Non-Executive director at the DoH has been given NHS contracts.
It's like something from the bad old days in Africa.
If you'd actually bothered to read the article, you'd have found (admittedly towards the end, as is common with these hatchet-jobs trying to stay just within the libel laws) that it really, really isn't anything corrupt, or indeed anything to do with Matt Hancock at all:
A person close to the situation said that PHL had been providing services to the NHS since it was established 11 years ago, and that contracts awarded by the NHS followed the relevant procurement rules.
If the comments of PB Tories, PB Tory sympathisers and ex-Tories, and PB centrists are anything to go by, it looks to me like Hancock will struggle to stay in post, despite the PM attempting to shrug it off.
Although we're a weird lot, I don't think PBers are so out of tune that we don't reflect the mood of the public (or Tory MPs) on occasions like this.
For once, the handful of us on the left are quite enjoying this. Such pleasure has been very rare recently.
I'm glad you are enjoying this, at least somebody should.
Hancoks problem at the moment is that lots of people dislike him for divernt reasons
Some, Ex Tory like me, hate him for the lockdown, and recently its extension Some, hate him for not locking down sooner/harder Some, Tory Loyalists, who may have once defended Dominic Cummings, hate him for being in DCs words incompetent Some, non political types, may not of had an opinion, but dislike adultery. Some, may just be joules that he got his leg over.
But all can agree that braking social distasting 'rules' was not good, not by the SoS for Health. therefor even though most of us have been within 2 meters of somebody.
I’ve just read Leon’s fake cnn tweet out to my wife and she’s walked off before I could tell her it was a joker online making it up
Imagine if CNN DO say something like that in the next hour or two. How would people react?!
Well I can tell you because my wife doesn’t know it was you making it up. She thought it was a tweet from cnn. She said “oh I figured as much. Anyway I have to go and check on the casserole”.
Yes, it's fascinating. I bet many people - most? - would react exactly like that. A puzzled frown, then a shrug, back to the football
JUST THE BIGGEST BREAKING NEWS STORY IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD
Maybe some news stories are just TOO big to be taken in?
Just seen a clip of Ledbetter being harangued in Batley and Spen. Vile stuff
Do you mind me asking, by whom, and for what?
Was it activists form a different party?
I'm assuming it's from voters Labour would consider 'theirs' and fits in to the pattern of ignoring homophobia or anti-semitism if its electorally damaging to challenge it that they've gone for.
Labour really are completely fucked. Either they try and keep the conservative Muslim vote on board (but how? How do they square this with Wokeness??) or they abandon them and lose several million voters in one go
When the woke types feel comfortable calling out Islamic misogyny and homophobia, we might be approaching assimilation. Letting them off because of their religion, or that they’re their enemies enemy proves multiculturalism isn’t working.
Conservative Islam is backward and reprehensible in its attitude to women and homosexuality.
Just seen a clip of Ledbetter being harangued in Batley and Spen. Vile stuff
Do you mind me asking, by whom, and for what?
Was it activists form a different party?
I'm assuming it's from voters Labour would consider 'theirs' and fits in to the pattern of ignoring homophobia or anti-semitism if its electorally damaging to challenge it that they've gone for.
Labour really are completely fucked. Either they try and keep the conservative Muslim vote on board (but how? How do they square this with Wokeness??) or they abandon them and lose several million voters in one go
Well yes: the problem with identity politics (as feminists and transrights activists are also demonstrating) is that the identities get ever smaller, and the tyranny of small differences takes over.
It's why you shouldn't worry.
Out with a friend today. His stepdaughter - 17, newly out as gay, and a long way down the woke rabbithole - recently called her mother (old school lefty) a Terf at the dinner table.
Lefty mother tremendously unimpressed.
Friend confirms the left is indeed in civil war, in his house at least.
I’ve just read Leon’s fake cnn tweet out to my wife and she’s walked off before I could tell her it was a joker online making it up
Imagine if CNN DO say something like that in the next hour or two. How would people react?!
Well I can tell you because my wife doesn’t know it was you making it up. She thought it was a tweet from cnn. She said “oh I figured as much. Anyway I have to go and check on the casserole”.
Yes, it's fascinating. I bet many people - most? - would react exactly like that. A puzzled frown, then a shrug, back to the football
JUST THE BIGGEST BREAKING NEWS STORY IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD
Maybe some news stories are just TOO big to be taken in?
She has been up to speed with the story for a long time but prefers not to dwell on it.
If the comments of PB Tories, PB Tory sympathisers and ex-Tories, and PB centrists are anything to go by, it looks to me like Hancock will struggle to stay in post, despite the PM attempting to shrug it off.
Although we're a weird lot, I don't think PBers are so out of tune that we don't reflect the mood of the public (or Tory MPs) on occasions like this.
For once, the handful of us on the left are quite enjoying this. Such pleasure has been very rare recently.
I'm glad you are enjoying this, at least somebody should.
Hancoks problem at the moment is that lots of people dislike him for divernt reasons
Some, Ex Tory like me, hate him for the lockdown, and recently its extension Some, hate him for not locking down sooner/harder Some, Tory Loyalists, who may have once defended Dominic Cummings, hate him for being in DCs words incompetent Some, non political types, may not of had an opinion, but dislike adultery. Some, may just be joules that he got his leg over.
But all can agree that braking social distasting 'rules' was not good, not by the SoS for Health. therefor even though most of us have been within 2 meters of somebody.
The country is facing a summer of food shortages likened to a series of “rolling power cuts” because of a loss of 100,000 lorry drivers due to Covid and Brexit, industry chiefs have warned.
I’ve just read Leon’s fake cnn tweet out to my wife and she’s walked off before I could tell her it was a joker online making it up
Imagine if CNN DO say something like that in the next hour or two. How would people react?!
Well I can tell you because my wife doesn’t know it was you making it up. She thought it was a tweet from cnn. She said “oh I figured as much. Anyway I have to go and check on the casserole”.
Yes, it's fascinating. I bet many people - most? - would react exactly like that. A puzzled frown, then a shrug, back to the football
JUST THE BIGGEST BREAKING NEWS STORY IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD
Maybe some news stories are just TOO big to be taken in?
She has been up to speed with the story for a long time but prefers not to dwell on it.
I reckon Elizondo is right. If this disclosure ever occurs (an almighty IF, of course), it will be a truly Sombre Thing
Those that don't ignore it will be sobered, or frightened. Panicked?
I have no idea if the US Military (or anyone else) does have this knowledge, but if they did, it would indeed be a tremendous responsibility: how do you release it? How do you prep homo sapiens for such a shocking revelation?
Just seen a clip of Ledbetter being harangued in Batley and Spen. Vile stuff
Do you mind me asking, by whom, and for what?
Was it activists form a different party?
I'm assuming it's from voters Labour would consider 'theirs' and fits in to the pattern of ignoring homophobia or anti-semitism if its electorally damaging to challenge it that they've gone for.
Labour really are completely fucked. Either they try and keep the conservative Muslim vote on board (but how? How do they square this with Wokeness??) or they abandon them and lose several million voters in one go
When the woke types feel comfortable calling out Islamic misogyny and homophobia, we might be approaching assimilation. Letting them off because of their religion, or that they’re their enemies enemy proves multiculturalism isn’t working.
I would have thought it will happen the other way around: you know, lack of support for transgender rights might wake a few woke people up.
No. Remember the Identity Matrix. Transgender people need to move to the back of the bus.
Do they? I thought transgender trumped everything else. I thought it was trans, then Muslim, then black, then other non-heterosexuals, then other non-white, then women. But my understanding is hazy and I may be out of date.
Just seen a clip of Ledbetter being harangued in Batley and Spen. Vile stuff
Do you mind me asking, by whom, and for what?
Was it activists form a different party?
I'm assuming it's from voters Labour would consider 'theirs' and fits in to the pattern of ignoring homophobia or anti-semitism if its electorally damaging to challenge it that they've gone for.
Labour really are completely fucked. Either they try and keep the conservative Muslim vote on board (but how? How do they square this with Wokeness??) or they abandon them and lose several million voters in one go
When the woke types feel comfortable calling out Islamic misogyny and homophobia, we might be approaching assimilation. Letting them off because of their religion, or that they’re their enemies enemy proves multiculturalism isn’t working.
Conservative Islam is backward and reprehensible in its attitude to women and homosexuality.
That was easy, wasn't it.
I dont know, it was you who did it
The fact you had to add ‘Conservative’ makes me feel like it wouldn’t be easy to say it without caveats
You could say pretty similar things about conservative Christianity in some of the Southern states.
Except in this case, it doesn't seem to be the case. 11 years ago when this company was contracted by the NHS, Hancock was only just elected an MP and nowhere near the levers of power.
Just seen a clip of Ledbetter being harangued in Batley and Spen. Vile stuff
Do you mind me asking, by whom, and for what?
Was it activists form a different party?
I'm assuming it's from voters Labour would consider 'theirs' and fits in to the pattern of ignoring homophobia or anti-semitism if its electorally damaging to challenge it that they've gone for.
Labour really are completely fucked. Either they try and keep the conservative Muslim vote on board (but how? How do they square this with Wokeness??) or they abandon them and lose several million voters in one go
When the woke types feel comfortable calling out Islamic misogyny and homophobia, we might be approaching assimilation. Letting them off because of their religion, or that they’re their enemies enemy proves multiculturalism isn’t working.
Conservative Islam is backward and reprehensible in its attitude to women and homosexuality.
That was easy, wasn't it.
I dont know, it was you who did it
The fact you had to add ‘Conservative’ makes me feel like it wouldn’t be easy to say it without caveats
Isn't that because Islam comes in many flavours? I know plenty of Muslims who have totally progressive views on things like homosexuality and women's rights. Just like Christians, Jews, Hindus and Athiests also hold a range of views. Are the percentages of fundamentalists/moderates the same across all religious groups in the UK? Probably not. But criticising Islam as a whole isn't really helpful.
I thought over 50% of a group thinking something should be enough to not have to pretend we have to caveat, but maybe not. Could be wrong
So the brother of a Non-Executive director at the DoH has been given NHS contracts.
It's like something from the bad old days in Africa.
If you'd actually bothered to read the article, you'd have found (admittedly towards the end, as is common with these hatchet-jobs trying to stay just within the libel laws) that it really, really isn't anything corrupt, or indeed anything to do with Matt Hancock at all:
A person close to the situation said that PHL had been providing services to the NHS since it was established 11 years ago, and that contracts awarded by the NHS followed the relevant procurement rules.
Interesting that a company specialising in contracting NHS GP services decided to appoint the brother of The Health Ministers mistress in October 2019 as Director of Strategy.
Re George Galloway: it is worth remember that Batley & Spen is a lot less Muslim than either Bradford West or Bethnel Green & Bow.
In Bradford West, the population is 51% Muslim, and he got 56%. In Bethnal Green & Bow, the population is 35% Muslim, and he got 36% of the vote.
Even if we assume that he outperforms the 19% of the population that is Muslim, it's hard to see how Galloway could get more than 25-26%. And that's surely nowhere near enough, given the Conservatives should easily clear 35%.
Slightly on topic. Well, changing use of language anyways. Was watching West Wing Series 3 last night. Josh says to CJ "You have to come quickly, there's a couple of Indians in the lobby talking to the Press." Imagine my surprise when they weren't from Delhi, but were Native Americans. There were a couple of other uses of the term in the episode, which strongly jarred with me. This was a show about an ultra-liberal administration made only 20 years ago.
A complete offtopic anecdote but I will post here for reference
The 2 child limit for Working Tax Credits came into being in April 2017. Checking 2 different schools it seems reception admissions for September 2021 are 15% lower than September 2020...
Am interesting example of the lack of joined up thinking in politics is that the same people who complain about immigration are often the same people who won't do anything to maintain the birth rate. I've got three kids anyway, so I've done my bit.
Perhaps xenophobia saps the libido. It makes a weird sort of sense if you think about it.
Just seen a clip of Ledbetter being harangued in Batley and Spen. Vile stuff
Do you mind me asking, by whom, and for what?
Was it activists form a different party?
I'm assuming it's from voters Labour would consider 'theirs' and fits in to the pattern of ignoring homophobia or anti-semitism if its electorally damaging to challenge it that they've gone for.
Labour really are completely fucked. Either they try and keep the conservative Muslim vote on board (but how? How do they square this with Wokeness??) or they abandon them and lose several million voters in one go
When the woke types feel comfortable calling out Islamic misogyny and homophobia, we might be approaching assimilation. Letting them off because of their religion, or that they’re their enemies enemy proves multiculturalism isn’t working.
I would have thought it will happen the other way around: you know, lack of support for transgender rights might wake a few woke people up.
No. Remember the Identity Matrix. Transgender people need to move to the back of the bus.
Do they? I thought transgender trumped everything else. I thought it was trans, then Muslim, then black, then other non-heterosexuals, then other non-white, then women. But my understanding is hazy and I may be out of date.
The matrix is completely self contradictory - as are all attempts to buttonhole people by groups.
it is probably how the aliens do the multidimensional travel thing - they input a contradiction into the matrix, space time collapses into a point singularity.....
If the comments of PB Tories, PB Tory sympathisers and ex-Tories, and PB centrists are anything to go by, it looks to me like Hancock will struggle to stay in post, despite the PM attempting to shrug it off.
Although we're a weird lot, I don't think PBers are so out of tune that we don't reflect the mood of the public (or Tory MPs) on occasions like this.
For once, the handful of us on the left are quite enjoying this. Such pleasure has been very rare recently.
I think they can blag it out between them.
In some ways a potential infidelity by someone in government other than Johnson gives Johnson some cover. As for the breaching of social distancing rules, she was in his bubble...
It does not make it right and this conservative believes Hancock should resign, as he is the person creating the rules and enforcing them
I know it is Wales, but it is similar in England, but should my son and his partner not comply with social distancing rules at their wedding at the end of July, they face a £10,000, - Yes £10,000
Sadly it just feeds into HMG critics that Boris and now Hancock think they are immune to any fallout by not doing the right thing and of course Cummings did prove that is not the case as he did hurt the government in public perception
Joe Twyman, the head of Deltapoll, indicated that he did not think it would do much polling damage but that is not the point
I have said for some time I am not a fan of Boris, and did not vote for him in the party's election, and I would be delighted if the conservative back benchers rallied to the cause and installed Rishi, Jeremy Hunt or Liz Truss into the Office
I would just comment that I have twice voted labour under Blair but sadly labour are in such an incoherent mess it is not likely to be repeated again, and I have not voted lib dem before, notwithstanding that a lib dem local councillor was a very good family friend
Until another party can provide a rational platform for government I will of continue to support my party but hope their mps can see that this sleaze is not the way forward
The country is facing a summer of food shortages likened to a series of “rolling power cuts” because of a loss of 100,000 lorry drivers due to Covid and Brexit, industry chiefs have warned.
For the record, the UK is not going to be facing a summer of food shortages.
You heard it here first.
It might face a summer of slightly higher prices for food, of course.
Oh goody. But isn’t food supposed to be getting cheaper? When do we get the hormone-laden, chlorine-drenched cheap shit to shovel in our disgusting proletarian faces?
I see EE are reintroducing roaming charges for us in Europe. No doubt the other networks will shortly follow. Something to look forward to when I can actually visit the EU again. Oh goody.
Re George Galloway: it is worth remember that Batley & Spen is a lot less Muslim than either Bradford West or Bethnel Green & Bow.
In Bradford West, the population is 51% Muslim, and he got 56%. In Bethnal Green & Bow, the population is 35% Muslim, and he got 36% of the vote.
Even if we assume that he outperforms the 19% of the population that is Muslim, it's hard to see how Galloway could get more than 25-26%. And that's surely nowhere near enough, given the Conservatives should easily clear 35%.
Differential turnout is GG's friend. I reckon he has about a 1 in 7 chance of winning.
Whenever I type GG I mentally pronounce it 'Gigi'. That is Galloway's new name in my head.
Just a random one apropos of nothing - took a train trip to the Ayrshire coast today. Bearing in mind my home station is a small one but a relative handful of stops from Glasgow Central and therefore a big commuter line, ticket office guy was very downbeat in telling me that last year takings were 10% of pre-pandemic levels and still at the moment only running at about 20-30% of pre-pandemic levels.
In a way absolutely not surprising, but it was a stark reminder that the railways continue to be as stuffed as a lot of the other industries in this post-lockdown-but-pre-freedom limbo we are in at the moment.
Got Merseyrail a few times to work this last year. Probably been on it six or seven times in the last year. Northern line only (Southport to Hunts Cross) I can report that numbers on the train are greatly down, I was able to get a seat on the 5pm rush hour train on two occassions now. Train services themselves, usually every 15 minutes are now every 20 minutes. Trains near 'rush hour' are often quiet and I can have a bank of four seats to myself. I suspect even post 19th July, the local railways are going to really struggle.
Just seen a clip of Ledbetter being harangued in Batley and Spen. Vile stuff
Do you mind me asking, by whom, and for what?
Was it activists form a different party?
I'm assuming it's from voters Labour would consider 'theirs' and fits in to the pattern of ignoring homophobia or anti-semitism if its electorally damaging to challenge it that they've gone for.
Labour really are completely fucked. Either they try and keep the conservative Muslim vote on board (but how? How do they square this with Wokeness??) or they abandon them and lose several million voters in one go
When the woke types feel comfortable calling out Islamic misogyny and homophobia, we might be approaching assimilation. Letting them off because of their religion, or that they’re their enemies enemy proves multiculturalism isn’t working.
Conservative Islam is backward and reprehensible in its attitude to women and homosexuality.
That was easy, wasn't it.
The fact you had to add ‘Conservative’ makes me feel like it wouldn’t be easy to say it without caveats
If you said it without caveat it would be anti-Muslim bigotry.
Just seen a clip of Ledbetter being harangued in Batley and Spen. Vile stuff
Do you mind me asking, by whom, and for what?
Was it activists form a different party?
I'm assuming it's from voters Labour would consider 'theirs' and fits in to the pattern of ignoring homophobia or anti-semitism if its electorally damaging to challenge it that they've gone for.
Labour really are completely fucked. Either they try and keep the conservative Muslim vote on board (but how? How do they square this with Wokeness??) or they abandon them and lose several million voters in one go
When the woke types feel comfortable calling out Islamic misogyny and homophobia, we might be approaching assimilation. Letting them off because of their religion, or that they’re their enemies enemy proves multiculturalism isn’t working.
Conservative Islam is backward and reprehensible in its attitude to women and homosexuality.
That was easy, wasn't it.
I dont know, it was you who did it
The fact you had to add ‘Conservative’ makes me feel like it wouldn’t be easy to say it without caveats
Isn't that because Islam comes in many flavours? I know plenty of Muslims who have totally progressive views on things like homosexuality and women's rights. Just like Christians, Jews, Hindus and Athiests also hold a range of views. Are the percentages of fundamentalists/moderates the same across all religious groups in the UK? Probably not. But criticising Islam as a whole isn't really helpful.
I thought over 50% of a group thinking something should be enough to not have to pretend we have to caveat, but maybe not. Could be wrong
Middle class people like me, and perhaps OLB tend to know, disproportionately, middle class Muslims with fairly western views. It gives us an impression that Muslims are more western than is typically the case. But clearly these are not terribly representative.
So the brother of a Non-Executive director at the DoH has been given NHS contracts.
It's like something from the bad old days in Africa.
If you'd actually bothered to read the article, you'd have found (admittedly towards the end, as is common with these hatchet-jobs trying to stay just within the libel laws) that it really, really isn't anything corrupt, or indeed anything to do with Matt Hancock at all:
A person close to the situation said that PHL had been providing services to the NHS since it was established 11 years ago, and that contracts awarded by the NHS followed the relevant procurement rules.
Interesting that a company specialising in contracting NHS GP services decided to appoint the brother of The Health Ministers mistress in October 2019 as Director of Strategy.
Interesting only to conspiracy theorists and time travellers.
Except in this case, it doesn't seem to be the case. 11 years ago when this company was contracted by the NHS, Hancock was only just elected an MP and nowhere near the levers of power.
Sky News gets worse by the day.
Yes, but the brother only joined in Oct 2019, a year after Hancock became SoS Health.
The web of contacts between senior ministers and companies with NHS contracts does rather whiff, and Hancock certainly has form.
Excellent Covid numbers from an England hospitals perspective today.
The total number in hospital with Covid in England is 1,284, which is up 10 from yesterday, and below the peak of 1,301 achieved on Tuesday.
Week-over-week growth continues to sharply decelerate, and is now under 10%.
Most encouragingly of all, bed usage in the North West - the nexus of Delta Covid - continues to retreat and is only up 4% from the level achieved a week ago.
Just a random one apropos of nothing - took a train trip to the Ayrshire coast today. Bearing in mind my home station is a small one but a relative handful of stops from Glasgow Central and therefore a big commuter line, ticket office guy was very downbeat in telling me that last year takings were 10% of pre-pandemic levels and still at the moment only running at about 20-30% of pre-pandemic levels.
In a way absolutely not surprising, but it was a stark reminder that the railways continue to be as stuffed as a lot of the other industries in this post-lockdown-but-pre-freedom limbo we are in at the moment.
Got Merseyrail a few times to work this last year. Probably been on it six or seven times in the last year. Northern line only (Southport to Hunts Cross) I can report that numbers on the train are greatly down, I was able to get a seat on the 5pm rush hour train on two occassions now. Train services themselves, usually every 15 minutes are now every 20 minutes. Trains near 'rush hour' are often quiet and I can have a bank of four seats to myself. I suspect even post 19th July, the local railways are going to really struggle.
Haven't done rush hour. But have been doing lunch time in, half nine back to Newcastle. Numbers growing every time. Would say at 75% of pre-pandemic now.
If the comments of PB Tories, PB Tory sympathisers and ex-Tories, and PB centrists are anything to go by, it looks to me like Hancock will struggle to stay in post, despite the PM attempting to shrug it off.
Although we're a weird lot, I don't think PBers are so out of tune that we don't reflect the mood of the public (or Tory MPs) on occasions like this.
For once, the handful of us on the left are quite enjoying this. Such pleasure has been very rare recently.
I am fascinated at the delineation between ex Tories, Tories and Tory sympathisers, whilst retaining centrists.
It's a finely honed categorisation that I've reached since I started posting here over a year ago. I can give you lists of who's in which category if you wish.....
Bit worrying hearing about people making lists of names....
Almost as creepy as Roger who is obsessed with me - counting all of my likes! Quite bizarre.
Just seen a clip of Ledbetter being harangued in Batley and Spen. Vile stuff
Do you mind me asking, by whom, and for what?
Was it activists form a different party?
I'm assuming it's from voters Labour would consider 'theirs' and fits in to the pattern of ignoring homophobia or anti-semitism if its electorally damaging to challenge it that they've gone for.
Labour really are completely fucked. Either they try and keep the conservative Muslim vote on board (but how? How do they square this with Wokeness??) or they abandon them and lose several million voters in one go
When the woke types feel comfortable calling out Islamic misogyny and homophobia, we might be approaching assimilation. Letting them off because of their religion, or that they’re their enemies enemy proves multiculturalism isn’t working.
Conservative Islam is backward and reprehensible in its attitude to women and homosexuality.
That was easy, wasn't it.
I dont know, it was you who did it
The fact you had to add ‘Conservative’ makes me feel like it wouldn’t be easy to say it without caveats
Isn't that because Islam comes in many flavours? I know plenty of Muslims who have totally progressive views on things like homosexuality and women's rights. Just like Christians, Jews, Hindus and Athiests also hold a range of views. Are the percentages of fundamentalists/moderates the same across all religious groups in the UK? Probably not. But criticising Islam as a whole isn't really helpful.
I thought over 50% of a group thinking something should be enough to not have to pretend we have to caveat, but maybe not. Could be wrong
50%<100%. The funny thing about your whole Muslim beef is that I keep reading your name as "Islam". It's very confusing. Incidentally, I've got a mate whose surname is Islam, who I used to meet for lunch fairly regularly, pre-Covid. I always tried to arrive first so I could say "I've got a table booked in the name of Islam."
I’ve just read Leon’s fake cnn tweet out to my wife and she’s walked off before I could tell her it was a joker online making it up
Imagine if CNN DO say something like that in the next hour or two. How would people react?!
Well I can tell you because my wife doesn’t know it was you making it up. She thought it was a tweet from cnn. She said “oh I figured as much. Anyway I have to go and check on the casserole”.
Yes, it's fascinating. I bet many people - most? - would react exactly like that. A puzzled frown, then a shrug, back to the football
JUST THE BIGGEST BREAKING NEWS STORY IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD
Maybe some news stories are just TOO big to be taken in?
She has been up to speed with the story for a long time but prefers not to dwell on it.
I reckon Elizondo is right. If this disclosure ever occurs (an almighty IF, of course), it will be a truly Sombre Thing
Those that don't ignore it will be sobered, or frightened. Panicked?
I have no idea if the US Military (or anyone else) does have this knowledge, but if they did, it would indeed be a tremendous responsibility: how do you release it? How do you prep homo sapiens for such a shocking revelation?
I have told my wife it was a fake tweet. In the interim period, she booked lunch at the pub for tomorrow which I think is a super response to being told that aliens are real.
I think Elizondo and the US security apparatus overestimate the impact of the announcement. Most people are aware of the size and age of the universe and on some level, already take it for granted that we are not alone and most likely are well known to the other lot.
It’s a bit like how the pandemic in real life was largely a lot less dramatic than when it happened to Dustin Hoffman or Winslet. How modern soldiers often experience war for long periods as tedium, rather than Richard Burton intrigue and excitement or Platoon misery. Alien disclosure will be largely “yeah but how does that affect me?”. Unless they decide they like the look of the green belt for a few million pied a terre i suppose.
If the comments of PB Tories, PB Tory sympathisers and ex-Tories, and PB centrists are anything to go by, it looks to me like Hancock will struggle to stay in post, despite the PM attempting to shrug it off.
Although we're a weird lot, I don't think PBers are so out of tune that we don't reflect the mood of the public (or Tory MPs) on occasions like this.
For once, the handful of us on the left are quite enjoying this. Such pleasure has been very rare recently.
I'm glad you are enjoying this, at least somebody should.
Hancoks problem at the moment is that lots of people dislike him for divernt reasons
Some, Ex Tory like me, hate him for the lockdown, and recently its extension Some, hate him for not locking down sooner/harder Some, Tory Loyalists, who may have once defended Dominic Cummings, hate him for being in DCs words incompetent Some, non political types, may not of had an opinion, but dislike adultery. Some, may just be joules that he got his leg over.
But all can agree that braking social distasting 'rules' was not good, not by the SoS for Health. therefor even though most of us have been within 2 meters of somebody.
It's nice to have something to bring us together. Happy to join BigRich, Northern Al and everyone from all sides of the political spectrum in lining up to give Matt Hancock a kicking.
Just seen a clip of Ledbetter being harangued in Batley and Spen. Vile stuff
Do you mind me asking, by whom, and for what?
Was it activists form a different party?
I'm assuming it's from voters Labour would consider 'theirs' and fits in to the pattern of ignoring homophobia or anti-semitism if its electorally damaging to challenge it that they've gone for.
Labour really are completely fucked. Either they try and keep the conservative Muslim vote on board (but how? How do they square this with Wokeness??) or they abandon them and lose several million voters in one go
When the woke types feel comfortable calling out Islamic misogyny and homophobia, we might be approaching assimilation. Letting them off because of their religion, or that they’re their enemies enemy proves multiculturalism isn’t working.
Conservative Islam is backward and reprehensible in its attitude to women and homosexuality.
That was easy, wasn't it.
The fact you had to add ‘Conservative’ makes me feel like it wouldn’t be easy to say it without caveats
If you said it without caveat it would be anti-Muslim bigotry.
Which then leads to the question - at what level of belief is it acceptable to generalise about a group.
If group A has X% holding a belief Y, at what level of X does it become acceptable to say "Group A believes Y"
Except in this case, it doesn't seem to be the case. 11 years ago when this company was contracted by the NHS, Hancock was only just elected an MP and nowhere near the levers of power.
Sky News gets worse by the day.
Yes, but the brother only joined in Oct 2019, a year after Hancock became SoS Health.
The web of contacts between senior ministers and companies with NHS contracts does rather whiff, and Hancock certainly has form.
The foresight by this company is worthy of Back to the Future Biff Tannen Sports Almanac based predictions.
October 2019, UK total stalemate over Brexit, nothing getting done on anything and utter uncertainty about any direction for the future. And nobody thought Boris would win a big majority in any potential GE, rather that it would lead to more stalemate on everything, possibility a second referendum, perhaps back into the EU, yadda yadda yadda.
Let alone a global pandemic requiring massive ramping up of NHS auxiliary services or that the Health Secretary would start an affair in the middle of it.
Yesterday saw 221,534 first doses given and 177,813 second jabs......
This getting worse..
We are deep into the dregs of people that can’t be arsed getting vaccinated. If you want a million a day you’re going to have to wait for third doses to kick in to the stats.
If the comments of PB Tories, PB Tory sympathisers and ex-Tories, and PB centrists are anything to go by, it looks to me like Hancock will struggle to stay in post, despite the PM attempting to shrug it off.
Although we're a weird lot, I don't think PBers are so out of tune that we don't reflect the mood of the public (or Tory MPs) on occasions like this.
For once, the handful of us on the left are quite enjoying this. Such pleasure has been very rare recently.
I am fascinated at the delineation between ex Tories, Tories and Tory sympathisers, whilst retaining centrists.
It's a finely honed categorisation that I've reached since I started posting here over a year ago. I can give you lists of who's in which category if you wish.....
Bit worrying hearing about people making lists of names....
Almost as creepy as Roger who is obsessed with me - counting all of my likes! Quite bizarre.
Yesterday saw 221,534 first doses given and 177,813 second jabs......
This getting worse..
It's about 8 or so weeks since we had the small numbers of 1st doses being given in April and early May so it definitely shrinks the second dose pool under the current guidance. AZ 2nds it seems ideally need the 8 week gap to maximise protection but I wonder if the JCVI/government could be doing more to get Pfizer and Moderna 2nds done a bit sooner since you can have just the 3-4 week gap with those for good 2 dose protection.
Yes, it's fascinating. I bet many people - most? - would react exactly like that. A puzzled frown, then a shrug, back to the football
JUST THE BIGGEST BREAKING NEWS STORY IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD
Maybe some news stories are just TOO big to be taken in?
It's not that. Partly most of us are just sceptical because of the "cry wolf" thing - people have claimed to see aliens forever, but nothing seems to happen. But also it fails the "how will this affect us?" test. It's a bit like God - yes, I accept they (sic) may exist, but in the apparent absence of any actual divine intervention, what difference does it make, really? Quite interesting, like theories on the start of the universe, but hard to get excited about.
Now if the aliens were going to intervene to get George Galloway elected, you'd get us really worried...
Re George Galloway: it is worth remember that Batley & Spen is a lot less Muslim than either Bradford West or Bethnel Green & Bow.
In Bradford West, the population is 51% Muslim, and he got 56%. In Bethnal Green & Bow, the population is 35% Muslim, and he got 36% of the vote.
Even if we assume that he outperforms the 19% of the population that is Muslim, it's hard to see how Galloway could get more than 25-26%. And that's surely nowhere near enough, given the Conservatives should easily clear 35%.
Differential turnout is GG's friend. I reckon he has about a 1 in 7 chance of winning.
Whenever I type GG I mentally pronounce it 'Gigi'. That is Galloway's new name in my head.
Well, it'll have to be one hell of a differential turnout - especially the Muslim population numbers I posted include children: the proportion of adults will be lower.
I'd say he has less than a 5% chance of winning. I simply can't see how Con + BXP + Heavy Woolen vote share of 51% at the last election ends up dropping below 35%. And that's a pretty extreme worst case scenario. Realistically, the Conservatives will be in the 40s, and that means that Galloway would have to grab an awful lot of the Labour vote.
I’ve just read Leon’s fake cnn tweet out to my wife and she’s walked off before I could tell her it was a joker online making it up
Imagine if CNN DO say something like that in the next hour or two. How would people react?!
Well I can tell you because my wife doesn’t know it was you making it up. She thought it was a tweet from cnn. She said “oh I figured as much. Anyway I have to go and check on the casserole”.
Yes, it's fascinating. I bet many people - most? - would react exactly like that. A puzzled frown, then a shrug, back to the football
JUST THE BIGGEST BREAKING NEWS STORY IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD
Maybe some news stories are just TOO big to be taken in?
She has been up to speed with the story for a long time but prefers not to dwell on it.
I reckon Elizondo is right. If this disclosure ever occurs (an almighty IF, of course), it will be a truly Sombre Thing
Those that don't ignore it will be sobered, or frightened. Panicked?
I have no idea if the US Military (or anyone else) does have this knowledge, but if they did, it would indeed be a tremendous responsibility: how do you release it? How do you prep homo sapiens for such a shocking revelation?
What I've often thought would be terrible is if an Alien - ET, say, or a Dalek - visited just YOU. Came to see just you, introduced itself, had a chat, then said "spread the word" and disappeared.
Where does that leave you? With a straight (extremely unpalatable) choice. Ignore the instruction and keep an unbearable secret that will render your life unmanageable. Or obey and be chalked down - even by those you love - as a total nutcase.
"Oh god, what's happened to Simon is such a tragedy. He might have to go somewhere for a while, is what I'm hearing."
"BREAKING: in unclassified documents released to Congress today, by the DoD, Pentagon officials admit the UAP (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena) are not American technology, and show advanced characteristics indicating non-human origin"
But...current conditions are super-ripe for a big surge in the irrational, whether it's psychic prophecy à la Baba Vanga, Marian apparitions, or something of a new type that grips hundreds of millions or billions of people. Aliens could fit the bill. But I think when it comes it will probably come out of left field.
Just so long as we have no alien abductions. Please, no. They're so 1990s.
Galloway saw the Batley Grammar School cartoon issue, which appeared to be slowly calming down, fanned the flames and stood back in anticipation of the fireworks. A truly vile animal.
I wonder if the Hancock story could see Labour sqweak home?
Under any other leader yes under SKS who knows?
Might cause a few Tory voters to sit this one out in silent protest at being told not to see their loved ones for months by Hancock.
If anything, the Hancock row makes me tempted to put a few quid on Galloway.
Plague on all your houses could come through the middle on this one.
Plus also differentiated turnout. This feels to me like a low turnout by election - I don’t get the impression the Tories have sizzled either. If Galloway does whip up enthusiasm in the Muslim community and gets their votes (plus a few WWC), he is in. See Peterborough 2019 by-election.
I understand that even if GG were to sweep the "Muslim vote" then that is only 20%, albeit mostly from the Labour pool.
He won't sweep up the vote, nor pick up significant numbers of white voters. There may be selective turnout, but I think the best he will do is to come second and third or lower more likely. I see it as Con gain by narrow majority, smaller than the GG vote.
I think that's a reasonable estimate:
Con 45, Lab 35, GG 15
Would be my guess. And I may be a little high with the GG forecast.
Fascinating insight from someone who knows PM well on why he won't ask Hancock to resign: Tells me Johnson will try to 'ignore it all' and is 'still sore' about Michael Howard making him resign from shadow cabinet in 2004 for lying about his affair with Petronella Wyatt #hancock https://twitter.com/BethRigby/status/1408453165574459394
Comments
The refuseniks are in for a shock.
‘Strong Britain, Great Na-a-a-tion’
“…our historic lack of flag-waving reflects the confidence that comes from having an ancient political history, the kingdom of England being almost 1100 years old; it comes from being a country which until the mid-20th century had little racial diversity and no memory of foreign rule. A country like that didn’t need its schoolchildren to sing about the dream of unity; it went without saying.
Multicultural countries in contrast need to shout about what they have in common, which is why the United States made such an effort to enforce a secular national faith, making children salute the flag and forcing poor southern European immigrants to deny the obvious superiority of football and instead pretend to enjoy America’s incomprehensibly boring national sports. Multicultural Britain needs to do something similar, rather than relying on ancient cynicism and irony.”
https://unherd.com/2021/06/the-emptiness-of-british-values/
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/jun/25/uk-facing-summer-of-food-shortages-due-to-lack-of-lorry-drivers
Just need to pay ‘em more, innit. Piece of piss.
It's like something from the bad old days in Africa.
You heard it here first.
It might face a summer of slightly higher prices for food, of course.
Not a very good one, which I think is the joke.
I've got three kids anyway, so I've done my bit.
Con 45, Lab 35, GG 15
Would be my guess. And I may be a little high with the GG forecast.
Pubs were absolutely rammed.
Case mix is now 66/33 male/female
Soz!
That would be the biggest breaking news story OF ALL TIME
We should find out in the next few hours, I very much doubt it will be THAT exciting
https://www.google.com/amp/s/qz.com/889548/everyone-treated-me-like-a-saint-in-iran-theres-only-one-way-to-survive-as-a-transgender-person/amp/
You know that, right?
Edit - Isn't space aliens a horrendous tautology ?
A person close to the situation said that PHL had been providing services to the NHS since it was established 11 years ago, and that contracts awarded by the NHS followed the relevant procurement rules.
Hancoks problem at the moment is that lots of people dislike him for divernt reasons
Some, Ex Tory like me, hate him for the lockdown, and recently its extension
Some, hate him for not locking down sooner/harder
Some, Tory Loyalists, who may have once defended Dominic Cummings, hate him for being in DCs words incompetent
Some, non political types, may not of had an opinion, but dislike adultery.
Some, may just be joules that he got his leg over.
But all can agree that braking social distasting 'rules' was not good, not by the SoS for Health. therefor even though most of us have been within 2 meters of somebody.
NSW introduces additional restrictions as the state records 22 new COVID-19 cases and eastern suburbs cluster grows to 65
JUST THE BIGGEST BREAKING NEWS STORY IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD
Maybe some news stories are just TOO big to be taken in?
Lefty mother tremendously unimpressed.
Friend confirms the left is indeed in civil war, in his house at least.
Remember none of this was an issue before mid to late April this year..
Those that don't ignore it will be sobered, or frightened. Panicked?
I have no idea if the US Military (or anyone else) does have this knowledge, but if they did, it would indeed be a tremendous responsibility: how do you release it? How do you prep homo sapiens for such a shocking revelation?
The truth was always out there.
Sky News gets worse by the day.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/apr/11/british-muslims-strong-sense-of-belonging-poll-homosexuality-sharia-law
In Bradford West, the population is 51% Muslim, and he got 56%.
In Bethnal Green & Bow, the population is 35% Muslim, and he got 36% of the vote.
Even if we assume that he outperforms the 19% of the population that is Muslim, it's hard to see how Galloway could get more than 25-26%. And that's surely nowhere near enough, given the Conservatives should easily clear 35%.
Was watching West Wing Series 3 last night.
Josh says to CJ "You have to come quickly, there's a couple of Indians in the lobby talking to the Press."
Imagine my surprise when they weren't from Delhi, but were Native Americans.
There were a couple of other uses of the term in the episode, which strongly jarred with me.
This was a show about an ultra-liberal administration made only 20 years ago.
https://unherd.com/2021/06/nationalists-make-better-lovers/
(Cookie voted leave and has three daughters - though clearly that is only a comment on quantity, not quality)
it is probably how the aliens do the multidimensional travel thing - they input a contradiction into the matrix, space time collapses into a point singularity.....
I know it is Wales, but it is similar in England, but should my son and his partner not comply with social distancing rules at their wedding at the end of July, they face a £10,000, - Yes £10,000
Sadly it just feeds into HMG critics that Boris and now Hancock think they are immune to any fallout by not doing the right thing and of course Cummings did prove that is not the case as he did hurt the government in public perception
Joe Twyman, the head of Deltapoll, indicated that he did not think it would do much polling damage but that is not the point
I have said for some time I am not a fan of Boris, and did not vote for him in the party's election, and I would be delighted if the conservative back benchers rallied to the cause and installed Rishi, Jeremy Hunt or Liz Truss into the Office
I would just comment that I have twice voted labour under Blair but sadly labour are in such an incoherent mess it is not likely to be repeated again, and I have not voted lib dem before, notwithstanding that a lib dem local councillor was a very good family friend
Until another party can provide a rational platform for government I will of continue to support my party but hope their mps can see that this sleaze is not the way forward
I see EE are reintroducing roaming charges for us in Europe. No doubt the other networks will shortly follow. Something to look forward to when I can actually visit the EU again. Oh goody.
Whenever I type GG I mentally pronounce it 'Gigi'. That is Galloway's new name in my head.
Northern line only (Southport to Hunts Cross) I can report that numbers on the train are greatly down, I was able to get a seat on the 5pm rush hour train on two occassions now.
Train services themselves, usually every 15 minutes are now every 20 minutes.
Trains near 'rush hour' are often quiet and I can have a bank of four seats to myself.
I suspect even post 19th July, the local railways are going to really struggle.
This getting worse..
The web of contacts between senior ministers and companies with NHS contracts does rather whiff, and Hancock certainly has form.
The total number in hospital with Covid in England is 1,284, which is up 10 from yesterday, and below the peak of 1,301 achieved on Tuesday.
Week-over-week growth continues to sharply decelerate, and is now under 10%.
Most encouragingly of all, bed usage in the North West - the nexus of Delta Covid - continues to retreat and is only up 4% from the level achieved a week ago.
And she's as guilty of breaking the social distancing rules as he is.
Numbers growing every time. Would say at 75% of pre-pandemic now.
The funny thing about your whole Muslim beef is that I keep reading your name as "Islam". It's very confusing.
Incidentally, I've got a mate whose surname is Islam, who I used to meet for lunch fairly regularly, pre-Covid. I always tried to arrive first so I could say "I've got a table booked in the name of Islam."
I think Elizondo and the US security apparatus overestimate the impact of the announcement. Most people are aware of the size and age of the universe and on some level, already take it for granted that we are not alone and most likely are well known to the other lot.
It’s a bit like how the pandemic in real life was largely a lot less dramatic than when it happened to Dustin Hoffman or Winslet. How modern soldiers often experience war for long periods as tedium, rather than Richard Burton intrigue and excitement or Platoon misery. Alien disclosure will be largely “yeah but how does that affect me?”. Unless they decide they like the look of the green belt for a few million pied a terre i suppose.
If group A has X% holding a belief Y, at what level of X does it become acceptable to say "Group A believes Y"
100%
90%
80%
and so on?
October 2019, UK total stalemate over Brexit, nothing getting done on anything and utter uncertainty about any direction for the future. And nobody thought Boris would win a big majority in any potential GE, rather that it would lead to more stalemate on everything, possibility a second referendum, perhaps back into the EU, yadda yadda yadda.
Let alone a global pandemic requiring massive ramping up of NHS auxiliary services or that the Health Secretary would start an affair in the middle of it.
Now if the aliens were going to intervene to get George Galloway elected, you'd get us really worried...
I'd say he has less than a 5% chance of winning. I simply can't see how Con + BXP + Heavy Woolen vote share of 51% at the last election ends up dropping below 35%. And that's a pretty extreme worst case scenario. Realistically, the Conservatives will be in the 40s, and that means that Galloway would have to grab an awful lot of the Labour vote.
Where does that leave you? With a straight (extremely unpalatable) choice. Ignore the instruction and keep an unbearable secret that will render your life unmanageable. Or obey and be chalked down - even by those you love - as a total nutcase.
"Oh god, what's happened to Simon is such a tragedy. He might have to go somewhere for a while, is what I'm hearing."
I dread this happening to me. It'd be the pits.
But...current conditions are super-ripe for a big surge in the irrational, whether it's psychic prophecy à la Baba Vanga, Marian apparitions, or something of a new type that grips hundreds of millions or billions of people. Aliens could fit the bill. But I think when it comes it will probably come out of left field.
Just so long as we have no alien abductions. Please, no. They're so 1990s.
Via @DailyMirror
https://twitter.com/PoliticsForAlI/status/1408448404171132928
https://twitter.com/BethRigby/status/1408453165574459394
(I'm quite enjoying today.)