The confrontation Ledbetter got yesterday was a disgrace, and if Starmer had anything about him he'd be out supporting Leadbetter in BS perhaps even knocking a few doors for her. He's been quiet about it if he has supported her
Why was it though?
She was challenged in the street by someone. Something that will happen to politicians across the divide in all elections. An experienced, or savvy, campaigner would be able to shut it down quite Easily.
She showed her inexperience and lack of political nous.
Doubt that, there's a teacher who fears for his life because of these goons. I haven't seen anyone "shut them down" because the chief rabble rousers are surrounded by like minded homophobes egging them on. Most politicians just avoid them in the first place, perhaps that was her error expecting any sort of rational debate from the cretins.
For me, one of the most interesting longer-term consequences of this by-election is how it may change the metropolitan middle class left’s view of the Muslim community. For most of the former, dealings with the latter tend to be superficial limited ones, usually in a service capacity and accompanied by the frequent comment “I had a nice Muslim Uber driver / delivery man / corner shop owner.” Certainly in the woker parts of North London, there are very few Muslim residents (that obviously changes as you get to gentrifying areas). The issue of different cultural values doesn’t really touch them on a day to day basis.
However, if Kim Leadbitter, a white middle class lesbian professional from a public service occupation, the type of person that the metropolitan class can easily identify with, gets defeated in large part due to a homophobic religiously-driven campaign, that may change the perception of just how friendly the Muslim community really is
They will never, ever admit they were wrong. It would be tantamount to admitting multiculturalism doesn't work. How could they then answer the questions about terrorism and grooming gangs that would follow?
He has to resign by Monday otherwise Boris needs to sack him
And he may find tomorrow's papers make his resignation inevitable, though of course I am speculating
He did offer his resignation and it wasn’t accepted I understood. Maybe a, tough it out till Monday and we will see where we are old bean, I’ll give you my backing till then.
The tricky thing for him is wether to stay with the family or choose to pack a bag and go to his other love.
She’s been booted out of the house. Where would they go?
That's interesting gossip, (not that gossip is a good thing but ....)
So the 'other woman' has split up with her husband? did she leave by chose or was she asked to leave?
Think it is time for us to reverse Cameron's cowardice over Tibet. And recognize democratic Taiwan while we are at it.
Certainly the latter. There would be a nice symbolism of doing that with a UK carrier in their harbour.
You do realise that would involve cutting all diplomatic ties with the PRC? And probably putting an end to all but a tiny amount of trade? And no overseas students? Brave call.
No, It would mean, China cutting ties with us, which may amount to the same thing.
However it is the right things to do. China has a horrible track record for decades: in Tibet, the Uiga people, now Hon-King, then there is the corruption and debt, she is inflicting on many developing nations, destroying much of the globes fishery's, and her deceitfulness' over COVID.
Trade would be disrupted, but it would still get though, just vier 3rd coutarys which would add something to the price.
It will be hard, but it is the right thing to do, and it will only get harder over time.
I recall a piece several years ago, asking what would Islamic State look like 20 years later if it won the civil war? Answer, Saudi Arabia.
We can ask the same of Nazi Germany. And the most appropriate answer is probably CCP run China.
Osborne and Cameron were a disgrace for their behaviour towards communist China.
It is worth remembering, though, that China under the Hu Jintao was much more conciliatory towards the rest of the World. Was it perfect? No, far from it. It even followed the principle of love-bombing Taiwan, allowing direct flights, and trying to improve relations. It's broad foreign policy was (except over Taiwan where it might have gentle words) never publicly oppose the US. And during the GFC, the Chinese government made it very clear that it would not rock the boat, and would continue to buy US Government bonds.
At this time, China was not a friend, but it was merely an economic competitor to the West.
Since Xi Jinping took over, things have changed - both internally and externally. Under Jintao, there were tentative attempts to create some local democracy in China. These are being dismantled. The press, which had grown loud and independent, has been reigned in. Oligarchs have been brought to heel.
And China has sought to assert its dominance over its neighbours, and has sought to challenge the West everywhere. This, it should be noted, preceded Trump coming to power. But it was also probably accelerated by it.
The West got itself into a really stupid place: it was rude to China, while offering no alternative. What's the old saying: talk softly, but carry a big stick. Well, the US did the opposite, it appearerd weak and unwilling to take action. And when it did do things - like tariffs - they were poorly thought out, and then were quietly removed, emboldening China that there was nothing the US or the West could do.
I don't know what the solution is. It would be great if the US could rejoin the TPP, and provide an instiutional framework for trade in the Pacific. The US also needs to decide if Taiwan is a hill it wants to die on.
It was incredibly naive. Autocratic regimes always return to form sooner or later. They know they have no real legitimacy and so when they are challenged, they resort to suppression for regime survival.
Taiwan is a thriving democratic regime and can be a beacon to people across China over what is possible if the CPC collapses. It would be immoral and geopolitically foolish if we let the CPC swallow it up. The equivalent of not doing anything over Poland in the 1930s.
Poland under Pilsudski then Rydz was effectively a fascist autocracy, like Horthy’s Hungary. Czechoslovakia would be a much better parallel.
I'm indebted to @another_richard for pointing out the daily vaccination dashboard and some sobering numbers.
In England, 83.5% of adults have had the first vaccination, 61.3% have had both.
In Newham, 52% of adults have had the first vaccination, 30% have had both.
Having been out for a pleasant lunch in Barking, or as it is now to be known apparently, "Tornado Alley UK", I noticed on the way back three separate groups of evangelical Christians haranguing us constantly with the news Lord Jesus Christ loves us and all we need to do is to repent our sins for the life everlasting.
None of these groups wore masks or practiced social distancing and I was left to muse on whether, among those with such evangelical faith, there was a very low take-up of vaccination because, apparently, God is going to take care of them. I noticed such sentiment in America as well.
I was left to consider whether there was a correlation between the high level of religious belief in Newham (lowest percentage of agnostics and atheists in the UK according to the 2010 census) and the low level of vaccination take-up as mentioned above.
My Israeli mole reports the same over there: God will take care of us so we don't need no vaccination; the possibility that God sent the vaccine to save his chosen people has not persuaded them.
I'm indebted to @another_richard for pointing out the daily vaccination dashboard and some sobering numbers.
In England, 83.5% of adults have had the first vaccination, 61.3% have had both.
In Newham, 52% of adults have had the first vaccination, 30% have had both.
Having been out for a pleasant lunch in Barking, or as it is now to be known apparently, "Tornado Alley UK", I noticed on the way back three separate groups of evangelical Christians haranguing us constantly with the news Lord Jesus Christ loves us and all we need to do is to repent our sins for the life everlasting.
None of these groups wore masks or practiced social distancing and I was left to muse on whether, among those with such evangelical faith, there was a very low take-up of vaccination because, apparently, God is going to take care of them. I noticed such sentiment in America as well.
I was left to consider whether there was a correlation between the high level of religious belief in Newham (lowest percentage of agnostics and atheists in the UK according to the 2010 census) and the low level of vaccination take-up as mentioned above.
What's interesting is the ONS series on antibody prevalence. London, despite its pretty terrible vaccine take up actually has reasonably high antibody prevalence because it's seen two massive outbreaks.
As PBers may or may not know (or care) the western USA is in the grips of a major heat wave. Here in the Great Pacific Northwest, on the seaward slide of the Cascade Mountains, we've mostly escaped due to our marine climate,specifically another weather system in the North Pacific that's been holding the massive blob of hot air at bay.
Until now, that is. Yesterday was hot for Seattle, got to 87F at SeaTac Airport. AND last night's low temperature was in the low 70Fs just outside my own personal shanty. High today is expected to be mid-90Fs. And Sunday's forecast to be even hotter, possibly beating the all-time high-temp record for June in Seattle, which is 103F.
Seattle is a city that, rather unique for America, does NOT have a high level of air conditioning, esp. for houses and apartments. Indeed, has always been something we're proud of. Until now!
Am now going to water the plants - they're really gonna need it today.
FWIW The summer is shite here so far do you are going to be suffering for sympathy here.
I wonder why wouldn't Labour give an interview with Joe? The journalist is definitely left leaning, and i have seen him interview a whole range of people across the political spectrum and is always polite and reasonable.
I think @DavidL has hit the nail on the head with "inexperienced and possibly fragile candidate."
Agreed,
She is probably a wonderful person, I have no axe to grind here. but in the few clips I've seen of her, she is not a 'robust' candidate, dos not seem to do 'political confutation' well, and did not come across well in the hustings. Perhaps standing in a safe seat at a GE and we would not notice, and possibly has a lot of offer HoC, I don't know. But, I get the feeling she was adopted by Lab, because of who her sister was, and I have empathy for that chose and the people making it, but It does not look like a good chose at the moment.
I think the logic was she was absolutely everything the Labour's Hartlepool candidate wasn't.
And were it not for GG being such a ..... I thought she had a decent chance of getting elected.
It would be interesting to get his take on what is happening on B&S
From that clip, I fear for Kim. She looked out of her depth.
GG looked every bit the cunning wolf, waiting to devour her alive.
For all his nonsense Galloway is not an easy person to debate. He's articulate and self-assured and impossible to embarrass.
If Galloway had been English, perhaps he'd have been able to lead a Corbynite populist movement to power.
Being Scottish didn't help him to lead any kind of populist movement, Corbynite or otherwise, in Scotland. I think it's more a personality than a nationality thing.
Though just to enrage the Unionists, unlike in Scotland he still seems able to get numbers of English people to vote for him.
Does he really come over as Scottish? He seems to be so cosmopolitan as to defy any such specificity.
Don't believe everything (or even anything) that you read in the Telegraph. Highly unlikely. And even if she does, not a chance. Dawn Butler ain't no AOC.
It would be nice to brand Russia Today's Galloway as the man who gave the seat to the Tories
SKS is the man that gives all Lab seats to the Tories though.
Corbyn made a fantastic start to reach that goal. Jezza really didn't leave a great deal for Starmer to do on that score did he? Although he has his helpers in place to finish the job. If Corbynista candidates stand against the official Labour candidate in all Labour held constituencies, as one has done in B and S, Corbyn's work is complete.
SKS is in charge and done worse than Corbyn in every single electoral test
Excuses Excuses Pete will get you nowhere
I agree with you that Starmer is a grave disappointment. However your solution is to return to a Corbynista leader (remember you can't have Burnham as he is otherwise occupied) so you are lumbered with Rayner, Long- Bailey, or Burgon. And what did a Corbynista leader return in 2019? A Johnson landslide!
So what would I propose? No idea really, perhaps time travel back to 2015 and warn idiot Labour MPs not to nominate Corbyn for leader. That way you would have got Burnham too.
Yevette Copper is still an MP (I think) not that I want to help the Labour party, but I think she has a decent enough combination of skills, to be a fairly good leader,
He has to resign by Monday otherwise Boris needs to sack him
And he may find tomorrow's papers make his resignation inevitable, though of course I am speculating
He did offer his resignation and it wasn’t accepted I understood. Maybe a, tough it out till Monday and we will see where we are old bean, I’ll give you my backing till then.
The tricky thing for him is wether to stay with the family or choose to pack a bag and go to his other love.
She’s been booted out of the house. Where would they go?
That's interesting gossip, (not that gossip is a good thing but ....)
So the 'other woman' has split up with her husband? did she leave by chose or was she asked to leave?
It would be nice to brand Russia Today's Galloway as the man who gave the seat to the Tories
SKS is the man that gives all Lab seats to the Tories though.
Corbyn made a fantastic start to reach that goal. Jezza really didn't leave a great deal for Starmer to do on that score did he? Although he has his helpers in place to finish the job. If Corbynista candidates stand against the official Labour candidate in all Labour held constituencies, as one has done in B and S, Corbyn's work is complete.
SKS is in charge and done worse than Corbyn in every single electoral test
Excuses Excuses Pete will get you nowhere
I agree with you that Starmer is a grave disappointment. However your solution is to return to a Corbynista leader (remember you can't have Burnham as he is otherwise occupied) so you are lumbered with Rayner, Long- Bailey, or Burgon. And what did a Corbynista leader return in 2019? A Johnson landslide!
So what would I propose? No idea really, perhaps time travel back to 2015 and warn idiot Labour MPs not to nominate Corbyn for leader. That way you would have got Burnham too.
Don’t you concede the Brexit bug in Labours electoral base, means Boris has brexiteers support, is the issue regardless who is in charge, BJ?
The confrontation Ledbetter got yesterday was a disgrace, and if Starmer had anything about him he'd be out supporting Leadbetter in BS perhaps even knocking a few doors for her. He's been quiet about it if he has supported her
Why was it though?
She was challenged in the street by someone. Something that will happen to politicians across the divide in all elections. An experienced, or savvy, campaigner would be able to shut it down quite Easily.
She showed her inexperience and lack of political nous.
Doubt that, there's a teacher who fears for his life because of these goons. I haven't seen anyone "shut them down" because the chief rabble rousers are surrounded by like minded homophobes egging them on. Most politicians just avoid them in the first place, perhaps that was her error expecting any sort of rational debate from the cretins.
For me, one of the most interesting longer-term consequences of this by-election is how it may change the metropolitan middle class left’s view of the Muslim community. For most of the former, dealings with the latter tend to be superficial limited ones, usually in a service capacity and accompanied by the frequent comment “I had a nice Muslim Uber driver / delivery man / corner shop owner.” Certainly in the woker parts of North London, there are very few Muslim residents (that obviously changes as you get to gentrifying areas). The issue of different cultural values doesn’t really touch them on a day to day basis.
However, if Kim Leadbitter, a white middle class lesbian professional from a public service occupation, the type of person that the metropolitan class can easily identify with, gets defeated in large part due to a homophobic religiously-driven campaign, that may change the perception of just how friendly the Muslim community really is
If Labour lose due to a big Muslim vote for George Galloway it won't be fair or valid to attribute it to homophobia. The fact is, Galloway has strong appeal to Muslims here - has twice won a seat off the back of this - and it's in large part due to his long and loud campaigning for Palestine. And it's also a fact that Labour under Starmer is not as overtly pro-Palestine as it was under Corbyn. Plus there's been far more focus on antisemitism under Starmer than on islamophobia. These are all reasons why Muslims might desert the party and lodge a by-election protest vote for GG. Anybody who ignores this and instead homes in purely on Muslim homophobia (and/or antisemitism) as the reason for the result will be showing a bit of islamophobic leg.
Palestine really isn't an issue for day to day British Politics. Granted it's a mess this country is partly responsible for creating but for the past 73 years the Israelis have governed themselves.
But it's an issue of importance for many Muslims. Galloway has built his appeal to them on it.
As PBers may or may not know (or care) the western USA is in the grips of a major heat wave. Here in the Great Pacific Northwest, on the seaward slide of the Cascade Mountains, we've mostly escaped due to our marine climate,specifically another weather system in the North Pacific that's been holding the massive blob of hot air at bay.
Until now, that is. Yesterday was hot for Seattle, got to 87F at SeaTac Airport. AND last night's low temperature was in the low 70Fs just outside my own personal shanty. High today is expected to be mid-90Fs. And Sunday's forecast to be even hotter, possibly beating the all-time high-temp record for June in Seattle, which is 103F.
Seattle is a city that, rather unique for America, does NOT have a high level of air conditioning, esp. for houses and apartments. Indeed, has always been something we're proud of. Until now!
Am now going to water the plants - they're really gonna need it today.
FWIW The summer is shite here so far do you are going to be suffering for sympathy here.
What? Absolutely glorious June weather in South Manchester today. Perfect shorta and t-shirt weather.
Does anyone know why Labour are nowhere on this Hancock stuff. Why aren't they on every single news channel, newspaper and radio station smashing the door down. It's got to be worth at least a 5 point swing if Boris doesn't sack Hancock.
I'm indebted to @another_richard for pointing out the daily vaccination dashboard and some sobering numbers.
In England, 83.5% of adults have had the first vaccination, 61.3% have had both.
In Newham, 52% of adults have had the first vaccination, 30% have had both.
Cambridge has some similarly depressing figures. I would really like to see per-area graphs of vaccine takeup over time by agegroup, so you could see how much was "lots of younger people here who were only elegible recently" and how much was "curve flattens out at a level below the national average for the agegroup".
Don't believe everything (or even anything) that you read in the Telegraph. Highly unlikely. And even if she does, not a chance. Dawn Butler ain't no AOC.
One reason I would be astonished if Starmer is removed is simply because, as has effectively been the case since 2019, there isn’t a plausible alternative and unless he quits, Labour’s rules require a challenger to topple an incumbent leader.
Sod not having a Heseltine, they don’t even have an Owen Smith right now.
If Dawn Butler is the best they can come up with, Starmer is safe.
Given the way Johnson has treated other Cabinet ministers and Cummings after what we might call 'Professional Standards Slips' I don't see why Hancock isn't 1/5 at the longest to survive the next few days.
He has to resign by Monday otherwise Boris needs to sack him
And he may find tomorrow's papers make his resignation inevitable, though of course I am speculating
He did offer his resignation and it wasn’t accepted I understood. Maybe a, tough it out till Monday and we will see where we are old bean, I’ll give you my backing till then.
The tricky thing for him is wether to stay with the family or choose to pack a bag and go to his other love.
She’s been booted out of the house. Where would they go?
Love Island?
When you love your family as much as your mistress, how to stand by both is tricky, is why so many books and tv cover the question.
I'm indebted to @another_richard for pointing out the daily vaccination dashboard and some sobering numbers.
In England, 83.5% of adults have had the first vaccination, 61.3% have had both.
In Newham, 52% of adults have had the first vaccination, 30% have had both.
Having been out for a pleasant lunch in Barking, or as it is now to be known apparently, "Tornado Alley UK", I noticed on the way back three separate groups of evangelical Christians haranguing us constantly with the news Lord Jesus Christ loves us and all we need to do is to repent our sins for the life everlasting.
None of these groups wore masks or practiced social distancing and I was left to muse on whether, among those with such evangelical faith, there was a very low take-up of vaccination because, apparently, God is going to take care of them. I noticed such sentiment in America as well.
I was left to consider whether there was a correlation between the high level of religious belief in Newham (lowest percentage of agnostics and atheists in the UK according to the 2010 census) and the low level of vaccination take-up as mentioned above.
I think you're absolutely right. Belief in one superstition - in this case religion - obviously makes you vulnerable to another: anti-vax nonsense. Both are associated with low levels of intelligence and education.
I wonder why wouldn't Labour give an interview with Joe? The journalist is definitely left leaning, and i have seen him interview a whole range of people across the political spectrum and is always polite and reasonable.
I think @DavidL has hit the nail on the head with "inexperienced and possibly fragile candidate."
Agreed,
She is probably a wonderful person, I have no axe to grind here. but in the few clips I've seen of her, she is not a 'robust' candidate, dos not seem to do 'political confutation' well, and did not come across well in the hustings. Perhaps standing in a safe seat at a GE and we would not notice, and possibly has a lot of offer HoC, I don't know. But, I get the feeling she was adopted by Lab, because of who her sister was, and I have empathy for that chose and the people making it, but It does not look like a good chose at the moment.
I think the logic was she was absolutely everything the Labour's Hartlepool candidate wasn't.
And were it not for GG being such a ..... I thought she had a decent chance of getting elected.
It would be interesting to get his take on what is happening on B&S
From that clip, I fear for Kim. She looked out of her depth.
GG looked every bit the cunning wolf, waiting to devour her alive.
For all his nonsense Galloway is not an easy person to debate. He's articulate and self-assured and impossible to embarrass.
If Galloway had been English, perhaps he'd have been able to lead a Corbynite populist movement to power.
Being Scottish didn't help him to lead any kind of populist movement, Corbynite or otherwise, in Scotland. I think it's more a personality than a nationality thing.
Though just to enrage the Unionists, unlike in Scotland he still seems able to get numbers of English people to vote for him.
Does he really come over as Scottish? He seems to be so cosmopolitan as to defy any such specificity.
He does sound pretty Scottish. Nice try though.
I have a tin ear for accents - so had been wondering, and you've answered the question nicely!
Does anyone know why Labour are nowhere on this Hancock stuff. Why aren't they on every single news channel, newspaper and radio station smashing the door down. It's got to be worth at least a 5 point swing if Boris doesn't sack Hancock.
The media are doing the work for them and I would guess the worry is (or they know) there are people in the Labour Party who have done similar.
Hypocrisy is what is really killing Hancock, he has been going round telling everybody to stick to the rules, then hasn't himself.
Cummings actions, his refusal to go and the press pack got Labour 10% in the polls, without them having to do much.
The heat wave that’s now underway in the Pacific Northwest is unlike anything the region has ever experienced. Some places are expected to break their all-time temperature records before noon, for multiple days in a row. That’s just unheard of.
The confrontation Ledbetter got yesterday was a disgrace, and if Starmer had anything about him he'd be out supporting Leadbetter in BS perhaps even knocking a few doors for her. He's been quiet about it if he has supported her
Why was it though?
She was challenged in the street by someone. Something that will happen to politicians across the divide in all elections. An experienced, or savvy, campaigner would be able to shut it down quite Easily.
She showed her inexperience and lack of political nous.
Doubt that, there's a teacher who fears for his life because of these goons. I haven't seen anyone "shut them down" because the chief rabble rousers are surrounded by like minded homophobes egging them on. Most politicians just avoid them in the first place, perhaps that was her error expecting any sort of rational debate from the cretins.
For me, one of the most interesting longer-term consequences of this by-election is how it may change the metropolitan middle class left’s view of the Muslim community. For most of the former, dealings with the latter tend to be superficial limited ones, usually in a service capacity and accompanied by the frequent comment “I had a nice Muslim Uber driver / delivery man / corner shop owner.” Certainly in the woker parts of North London, there are very few Muslim residents (that obviously changes as you get to gentrifying areas). The issue of different cultural values doesn’t really touch them on a day to day basis.
However, if Kim Leadbitter, a white middle class lesbian professional from a public service occupation, the type of person that the metropolitan class can easily identify with, gets defeated in large part due to a homophobic religiously-driven campaign, that may change the perception of just how friendly the Muslim community really is
If Labour lose due to a big Muslim vote for George Galloway it won't be fair or valid to attribute it to homophobia. The fact is, Galloway has strong appeal to Muslims here - has twice won a seat off the back of this - and it's in large part due to his long and loud campaigning for Palestine. And it's also a fact that Labour under Starmer is not as overtly pro-Palestine as it was under Corbyn. Plus there's been far more focus on antisemitism under Starmer than on islamophobia. These are all reasons why Muslims might desert the party and lodge a by-election protest vote for GG. Anybody who ignores this and instead homes in purely on Muslim homophobia (and/or antisemitism) as the reason for the result will be showing a bit of islamophobic leg.
Palestine really isn't an issue for day to day British Politics. Granted it's a mess this country is partly responsible for creating but for the past 73 years the Israelis have governed themselves.
But it's an issue of importance for many Muslims. Galloway has built his appeal to them on it.
And it's an issue that we can do nothing about - so the correct response to Galloway is to ask him what he can and will do to fix the issue. And then watch him fall apart...
Does anyone know why Labour are nowhere on this Hancock stuff. Why aren't they on every single news channel, newspaper and radio station smashing the door down. It's got to be worth at least a 5 point swing if Boris doesn't sack Hancock.
Well. I’m not naughty enough to say so. But there’s one possible reason. Along much the same lines as the criticism thrown Boris’s way in the past 24 hours.
The confrontation Ledbetter got yesterday was a disgrace, and if Starmer had anything about him he'd be out supporting Leadbetter in BS perhaps even knocking a few doors for her. He's been quiet about it if he has supported her
Why was it though?
She was challenged in the street by someone. Something that will happen to politicians across the divide in all elections. An experienced, or savvy, campaigner would be able to shut it down quite Easily.
She showed her inexperience and lack of political nous.
Doubt that, there's a teacher who fears for his life because of these goons. I haven't seen anyone "shut them down" because the chief rabble rousers are surrounded by like minded homophobes egging them on. Most politicians just avoid them in the first place, perhaps that was her error expecting any sort of rational debate from the cretins.
For me, one of the most interesting longer-term consequences of this by-election is how it may change the metropolitan middle class left’s view of the Muslim community. For most of the former, dealings with the latter tend to be superficial limited ones, usually in a service capacity and accompanied by the frequent comment “I had a nice Muslim Uber driver / delivery man / corner shop owner.” Certainly in the woker parts of North London, there are very few Muslim residents (that obviously changes as you get to gentrifying areas). The issue of different cultural values doesn’t really touch them on a day to day basis.
However, if Kim Leadbitter, a white middle class lesbian professional from a public service occupation, the type of person that the metropolitan class can easily identify with, gets defeated in large part due to a homophobic religiously-driven campaign, that may change the perception of just how friendly the Muslim community really is
If Labour lose Batley due to a big Muslim vote for George Galloway it won't be fair or valid to attribute it to homophobia. The fact is, Galloway has strong appeal to Muslims here - has twice won a seat off the back of this - and it's in large part due to his long and loud campaigning for Palestine. And it's also a fact that Labour under Starmer is not as overtly pro-Palestine as it was under Corbyn. Plus there's been far more focus on antisemitism under Starmer than on islamophobia. These are all reasons why Muslims might desert the party and lodge a by-election protest vote for GG. Anybody who ignores this and instead homes in purely on Muslim homophobia (and/or antisemitism) as the reason for the result will be showing a bit of islamophobic leg.
People raising the issue of homophobia will not be the same as those homing in 'purely' on the issue of homophobia of course. Yet will people doing the former be accused of doing the former?
Does anyone know why Labour are nowhere on this Hancock stuff. Why aren't they on every single news channel, newspaper and radio station smashing the door down. It's got to be worth at least a 5 point swing if Boris doesn't sack Hancock.
They’ve sent every available shadow cabinet minister to Batley and Spen, and don’t have enough people left in London to shout for the Health minister’s head.
Except there’s no-one in Batley and Spen, so what the hell are they all doing today?
I'm indebted to @another_richard for pointing out the daily vaccination dashboard and some sobering numbers.
In England, 83.5% of adults have had the first vaccination, 61.3% have had both.
In Newham, 52% of adults have had the first vaccination, 30% have had both.
Cambridge has some similarly depressing figures. I would really like to see per-area graphs of vaccine takeup over time by agegroup, so you could see how much was "lots of younger people here who were only elegible recently" and how much was "curve flattens out at a level below the national average for the agegroup".
Newham is a "young" area so the vaccination programme started very slowly here. A high percentage of non take-up of vaccines among over-70s for example would mean a much smaller figure in absolute terms than in many other areas.
The confrontation Ledbetter got yesterday was a disgrace, and if Starmer had anything about him he'd be out supporting Leadbetter in BS perhaps even knocking a few doors for her. He's been quiet about it if he has supported her
Why was it though?
She was challenged in the street by someone. Something that will happen to politicians across the divide in all elections. An experienced, or savvy, campaigner would be able to shut it down quite Easily.
She showed her inexperience and lack of political nous.
Doubt that, there's a teacher who fears for his life because of these goons. I haven't seen anyone "shut them down" because the chief rabble rousers are surrounded by like minded homophobes egging them on. Most politicians just avoid them in the first place, perhaps that was her error expecting any sort of rational debate from the cretins.
For me, one of the most interesting longer-term consequences of this by-election is how it may change the metropolitan middle class left’s view of the Muslim community. For most of the former, dealings with the latter tend to be superficial limited ones, usually in a service capacity and accompanied by the frequent comment “I had a nice Muslim Uber driver / delivery man / corner shop owner.” Certainly in the woker parts of North London, there are very few Muslim residents (that obviously changes as you get to gentrifying areas). The issue of different cultural values doesn’t really touch them on a day to day basis.
However, if Kim Leadbitter, a white middle class lesbian professional from a public service occupation, the type of person that the metropolitan class can easily identify with, gets defeated in large part due to a homophobic religiously-driven campaign, that may change the perception of just how friendly the Muslim community really is
If Labour lose due to a big Muslim vote for George Galloway it won't be fair or valid to attribute it to homophobia. The fact is, Galloway has strong appeal to Muslims here - has twice won a seat off the back of this - and it's in large part due to his long and loud campaigning for Palestine. And it's also a fact that Labour under Starmer is not as overtly pro-Palestine as it was under Corbyn. Plus there's been far more focus on antisemitism under Starmer than on islamophobia. These are all reasons why Muslims might desert the party and lodge a by-election protest vote for GG. Anybody who ignores this and instead homes in purely on Muslim homophobia (and/or antisemitism) as the reason for the result will be showing a bit of islamophobic leg.
Palestine really isn't an issue for day to day British Politics. Granted it's a mess this country is partly responsible for creating but for the past 73 years the Israelis have governed themselves.
But it's an issue of importance for many Muslims. Galloway has built his appeal to them on it.
And it's an issue that we can do nothing about - so the correct response to Galloway is to ask him what he can and will do to fix the issue. And then watch him fall apart...
I suspect George will have a solution that can "fix the issue" of Palestine because ...
"Because you're gorgeous I'd do anything for you Because you're gorgeous I know you'll get me through"
Don't believe everything (or even anything) that you read in the Telegraph. Highly unlikely. And even if she does, not a chance. Dawn Butler ain't no AOC.
Dawn Butler is as thick as mince. Lovely smile though!
Does anyone know why Labour are nowhere on this Hancock stuff. Why aren't they on every single news channel, newspaper and radio station smashing the door down. It's got to be worth at least a 5 point swing if Boris doesn't sack Hancock.
They’ve sent every available shadow cabinet minister to Batley and Spen, and don’t have enough people left in London to shout for the Health minister’s head.
Except there’s no-one in Batley and Spen, so what the hell are they all doing today?
Spending the day braking social distancing with their own mistraces?
only joking!!
But this did make me think, if a Mistrace is a female, with whom, somebody is having an affair, is there an equivalent word for a male, with whom somebody is having an affair?
Does anyone know why Labour are nowhere on this Hancock stuff. Why aren't they on every single news channel, newspaper and radio station smashing the door down. It's got to be worth at least a 5 point swing if Boris doesn't sack Hancock.
But it will be a temporary swing. It will swing back to Boris over time. He's got the northern white working class vote sewn up. Based on unicorns et al. All lies of course....
I find it incredible Hancock has not jumped or been pushed. Also quite incredible that there are so many people, according to the two snap polls, who back him.
I was one who said he should stay in the yougov snap poll. I am not one to call for sackings without a proper investigation, particularly into how she got her posts and who else he did favours for.
Another PBer on opinion pollsters speed dial! What a representative sample
I don’t think there’s a need to over complicate this one - he told us not to kiss & hug our families at Christmas, he banned people from visiting dying loved ones, millions of sacrifices have been made and he has been caught at it with another mans wife, or more importantly risking disease with a contact from another household by breaking his own rules.
O-U-T spells out
The 'hypocrisy' point is strong - so's the 'jobs for mates' angle - but for me it really isn't the story. It's more about precisely what he was doing. It's incredibly crass and immature. That furtive peep to check the coast is clear, then the illicit little snog in an office corridor. From the Secretary of State for Health. I mean, c'mon. There's a lot of David Brent in there - never a good thing. It destroys his dignity and authority in a way that breaking distancing rules in another (less cringey) way would not have done. If he truly wants to ride this out and carry on he must have the skin of a rhino.
Matt Handsy is the highest-profile (maybe the only?) ex-Remainer left in the Cabinet, isn't he?
Going from backing Remain to accepting BoJo's approach to Brexit without a blink of those sad puppy eyes shows a definite excess of ambition over dignity.
Plenty of others were Remain supporters - Buckland, Wallace, Williamson, Sharma, Truss, Cofffey, Jenrick, Lewis, Shapps, Hart, Dowden, Milling and probably Jack as well.
So over half the cabinet even if none of the top jobs.
Are we betting without the Prime Minister himself? It always seemed to me that Boris was a Remainer pretending to be a Leaver, while Theresa May was a Leaver pretending to be a Remainer.
It would be nice to brand Russia Today's Galloway as the man who gave the seat to the Tories
SKS is the man that gives all Lab seats to the Tories though.
Corbyn made a fantastic start to reach that goal. Jezza really didn't leave a great deal for Starmer to do on that score did he? Although he has his helpers in place to finish the job. If Corbynista candidates stand against the official Labour candidate in all Labour held constituencies, as one has done in B and S, Corbyn's work is complete.
SKS is in charge and done worse than Corbyn in every single electoral test
Excuses Excuses Pete will get you nowhere
I agree with you that Starmer is a grave disappointment. However your solution is to return to a Corbynista leader (remember you can't have Burnham as he is otherwise occupied) so you are lumbered with Rayner, Long- Bailey, or Burgon. And what did a Corbynista leader return in 2019? A Johnson landslide!
So what would I propose? No idea really, perhaps time travel back to 2015 and warn idiot Labour MPs not to nominate Corbyn for leader. That way you would have got Burnham too.
Starmer will have my support as long as he stops the cult taking over
If Butler were to manage to get enough support for a challenge (which I think very unlikely) it could put a lot of the less rebellious MPs in an awkward position. Would they risk allowing a Butler versus Starmer two horse race? If not who would do better against the left? Perhaps a compromise leftish candidate would be found?
I find it incredible Hancock has not jumped or been pushed. Also quite incredible that there are so many people, according to the two snap polls, who back him.
I was one who said he should stay in the yougov snap poll. I am not one to call for sackings without a proper investigation, particularly into how she got her posts and who else he did favours for.
Another PBer on opinion pollsters speed dial! What a representative sample
I don’t think there’s a need to over complicate this one - he told us not to kiss & hug our families at Christmas, he banned people from visiting dying loved ones, millions of sacrifices have been made and he has been caught at it with another mans wife, or more importantly risking disease with a contact from another household by breaking his own rules.
O-U-T spells out
The 'hypocrisy' point is strong - so's the 'jobs for mates' angle - but for me it really isn't the story. It's more about precisely what he was doing. It's incredibly crass and immature. That furtive peep to check the coast is clear, then the illicit little snog in an office corridor. From the Secretary of State for Health. I mean, c'mon. There's a lot of David Brent in there - never a good thing. It destroys his dignity and authority in a way that breaking distancing rules in another (less cringey) way would not have done. If he truly wants to ride this out and carry on he must have the skin of a rhino.
Matt Handsy is the highest-profile (maybe the only?) ex-Remainer left in the Cabinet, isn't he?
Going from backing Remain to accepting BoJo's approach to Brexit without a blink of those sad puppy eyes shows a definite excess of ambition over dignity.
Plenty of others were Remain supporters - Buckland, Wallace, Williamson, Sharma, Truss, Cofffey, Jenrick, Lewis, Shapps, Hart, Dowden, Milling and probably Jack as well.
So over half the cabinet even if none of the top jobs.
Are we betting without the Prime Minister himself? It always seemed to me that Boris was a Remainer pretending to be a Leaver, while Theresa May was a Leaver pretending to be a Remainer.
If you read the two Boris columns it is pretty clear his heart was in Leave.
I wonder why wouldn't Labour give an interview with Joe? The journalist is definitely left leaning, and i have seen him interview a whole range of people across the political spectrum and is always polite and reasonable.
I think @DavidL has hit the nail on the head with "inexperienced and possibly fragile candidate."
Agreed,
She is probably a wonderful person, I have no axe to grind here. but in the few clips I've seen of her, she is not a 'robust' candidate, dos not seem to do 'political confutation' well, and did not come across well in the hustings. Perhaps standing in a safe seat at a GE and we would not notice, and possibly has a lot of offer HoC, I don't know. But, I get the feeling she was adopted by Lab, because of who her sister was, and I have empathy for that chose and the people making it, but It does not look like a good chose at the moment.
I think the logic was she was absolutely everything the Labour's Hartlepool candidate wasn't.
And were it not for GG being such a ..... I thought she had a decent chance of getting elected.
It would be interesting to get his take on what is happening on B&S
From that clip, I fear for Kim. She looked out of her depth.
GG looked every bit the cunning wolf, waiting to devour her alive.
For all his nonsense Galloway is not an easy person to debate. He's articulate and self-assured and impossible to embarrass.
If Galloway had been English, perhaps he'd have been able to lead a Corbynite populist movement to power.
Being Scottish didn't help him to lead any kind of populist movement, Corbynite or otherwise, in Scotland. I think it's more a personality than a nationality thing.
Though just to enrage the Unionists, unlike in Scotland he still seems able to get numbers of English people to vote for him.
Does he really come over as Scottish? He seems to be so cosmopolitan as to defy any such specificity.
He does sound pretty Scottish. Nice try though.
Like any talented man o’ the world Galloway adjusts to the environment in which he finds himself. His current accent is certainly some distance from the working class stews of Dundee which he likes to flash as his credentials when he lifts his (thankfully) metaphorical kilt.
It would be nice to brand Russia Today's Galloway as the man who gave the seat to the Tories
SKS is the man that gives all Lab seats to the Tories though.
Corbyn made a fantastic start to reach that goal. Jezza really didn't leave a great deal for Starmer to do on that score did he? Although he has his helpers in place to finish the job. If Corbynista candidates stand against the official Labour candidate in all Labour held constituencies, as one has done in B and S, Corbyn's work is complete.
SKS is in charge and done worse than Corbyn in every single electoral test
Excuses Excuses Pete will get you nowhere
I agree with you that Starmer is a grave disappointment. However your solution is to return to a Corbynista leader (remember you can't have Burnham as he is otherwise occupied) so you are lumbered with Rayner, Long- Bailey, or Burgon. And what did a Corbynista leader return in 2019? A Johnson landslide!
So what would I propose? No idea really, perhaps time travel back to 2015 and warn idiot Labour MPs not to nominate Corbyn for leader. That way you would have got Burnham too.
Starmer will have my support as long as he stops the cult taking over
If Butler were to manage to get enough support for a challenge (which I think very unlikely) it could put a lot of the less rebellious MPs in an awkward position. Would they risk allowing a Butler versus Starmer two horse race? If not who would do better against the left? Perhaps a compromise leftish candidate would be found?
I'm speculating here from first impressions, I haven't thought this through in detail, but I don't see why they wouldn't let Butler face Starmer alone on the assumption that he'd crush her like Corbyn crushed Owen Smith. The membership is nowhere near turning on Starmer. Much like Corbyn they surely feel he deserves a chance to fight a general election campaign.
It would be nice to brand Russia Today's Galloway as the man who gave the seat to the Tories
SKS is the man that gives all Lab seats to the Tories though.
Corbyn made a fantastic start to reach that goal. Jezza really didn't leave a great deal for Starmer to do on that score did he? Although he has his helpers in place to finish the job. If Corbynista candidates stand against the official Labour candidate in all Labour held constituencies, as one has done in B and S, Corbyn's work is complete.
SKS is in charge and done worse than Corbyn in every single electoral test
Excuses Excuses Pete will get you nowhere
I agree with you that Starmer is a grave disappointment. However your solution is to return to a Corbynista leader (remember you can't have Burnham as he is otherwise occupied) so you are lumbered with Rayner, Long- Bailey, or Burgon. And what did a Corbynista leader return in 2019? A Johnson landslide!
So what would I propose? No idea really, perhaps time travel back to 2015 and warn idiot Labour MPs not to nominate Corbyn for leader. That way you would have got Burnham too.
Starmer will have my support as long as he stops the cult taking over
If Butler were to manage to get enough support for a challenge (which I think very unlikely) it could put a lot of the less rebellious MPs in an awkward position. Would they risk allowing a Butler versus Starmer two horse race? If not who would do better against the left? Perhaps a compromise leftish candidate would be found?
I'm speculating here from first impressions, I haven't thought this through in detail, but I don't see why they wouldn't let Butler face Starmer alone on the assumption that he'd crush her like Corbyn crushed Owen Smith. The membership is nowhere near turning on Starmer. Much like Corbyn they surely feel he deserves a chance to fight a general election campaign.
The worse the challenger the more scary it'd be as a prospect. Unlikely scenario anyway and I suspect your conclusion is right, but you'd imagine there'd be some sleepless nights.
He has to resign by Monday otherwise Boris needs to sack him
And he may find tomorrow's papers make his resignation inevitable, though of course I am speculating
He did offer his resignation and it wasn’t accepted I understood. Maybe a, tough it out till Monday and we will see where we are old bean, I’ll give you my backing till then.
The tricky thing for him is wether to stay with the family or choose to pack a bag and go to his other love.
She’s been booted out of the house. Where would they go?
Love Island?
When you love your family as much as your mistress, how to stand by both is tricky, is why so many books and tv cover the question.
The confrontation Ledbetter got yesterday was a disgrace, and if Starmer had anything about him he'd be out supporting Leadbetter in BS perhaps even knocking a few doors for her. He's been quiet about it if he has supported her
Why was it though?
She was challenged in the street by someone. Something that will happen to politicians across the divide in all elections. An experienced, or savvy, campaigner would be able to shut it down quite Easily.
She showed her inexperience and lack of political nous.
Doubt that, there's a teacher who fears for his life because of these goons. I haven't seen anyone "shut them down" because the chief rabble rousers are surrounded by like minded homophobes egging them on. Most politicians just avoid them in the first place, perhaps that was her error expecting any sort of rational debate from the cretins.
For me, one of the most interesting longer-term consequences of this by-election is how it may change the metropolitan middle class left’s view of the Muslim community. For most of the former, dealings with the latter tend to be superficial limited ones, usually in a service capacity and accompanied by the frequent comment “I had a nice Muslim Uber driver / delivery man / corner shop owner.” Certainly in the woker parts of North London, there are very few Muslim residents (that obviously changes as you get to gentrifying areas). The issue of different cultural values doesn’t really touch them on a day to day basis.
However, if Kim Leadbitter, a white middle class lesbian professional from a public service occupation, the type of person that the metropolitan class can easily identify with, gets defeated in large part due to a homophobic religiously-driven campaign, that may change the perception of just how friendly the Muslim community really is
If Labour lose Batley due to a big Muslim vote for George Galloway it won't be fair or valid to attribute it to homophobia. The fact is, Galloway has strong appeal to Muslims here - has twice won a seat off the back of this - and it's in large part due to his long and loud campaigning for Palestine. And it's also a fact that Labour under Starmer is not as overtly pro-Palestine as it was under Corbyn. Plus there's been far more focus on antisemitism under Starmer than on islamophobia. These are all reasons why Muslims might desert the party and lodge a by-election protest vote for GG. Anybody who ignores this and instead homes in purely on Muslim homophobia (and/or antisemitism) as the reason for the result will be showing a bit of islamophobic leg.
People raising the issue of homophobia will not be the same as those homing in 'purely' on the issue of homophobia of course. Yet will people doing the former be accused of doing the latter?
The confrontation Ledbetter got yesterday was a disgrace, and if Starmer had anything about him he'd be out supporting Leadbetter in BS perhaps even knocking a few doors for her. He's been quiet about it if he has supported her
Why was it though?
She was challenged in the street by someone. Something that will happen to politicians across the divide in all elections. An experienced, or savvy, campaigner would be able to shut it down quite Easily.
She showed her inexperience and lack of political nous.
Doubt that, there's a teacher who fears for his life because of these goons. I haven't seen anyone "shut them down" because the chief rabble rousers are surrounded by like minded homophobes egging them on. Most politicians just avoid them in the first place, perhaps that was her error expecting any sort of rational debate from the cretins.
For me, one of the most interesting longer-term consequences of this by-election is how it may change the metropolitan middle class left’s view of the Muslim community. For most of the former, dealings with the latter tend to be superficial limited ones, usually in a service capacity and accompanied by the frequent comment “I had a nice Muslim Uber driver / delivery man / corner shop owner.” Certainly in the woker parts of North London, there are very few Muslim residents (that obviously changes as you get to gentrifying areas). The issue of different cultural values doesn’t really touch them on a day to day basis.
However, if Kim Leadbitter, a white middle class lesbian professional from a public service occupation, the type of person that the metropolitan class can easily identify with, gets defeated in large part due to a homophobic religiously-driven campaign, that may change the perception of just how friendly the Muslim community really is
If Labour lose due to a big Muslim vote for George Galloway it won't be fair or valid to attribute it to homophobia. The fact is, Galloway has strong appeal to Muslims here - has twice won a seat off the back of this - and it's in large part due to his long and loud campaigning for Palestine. And it's also a fact that Labour under Starmer is not as overtly pro-Palestine as it was under Corbyn. Plus there's been far more focus on antisemitism under Starmer than on islamophobia. These are all reasons why Muslims might desert the party and lodge a by-election protest vote for GG. Anybody who ignores this and instead homes in purely on Muslim homophobia (and/or antisemitism) as the reason for the result will be showing a bit of islamophobic leg.
Palestine really isn't an issue for day to day British Politics. Granted it's a mess this country is partly responsible for creating but for the past 73 years the Israelis have governed themselves.
But it's an issue of importance for many Muslims. Galloway has built his appeal to them on it.
And it's an issue that we can do nothing about - so the correct response to Galloway is to ask him what he can and will do to fix the issue. And then watch him fall apart...
I wonder why wouldn't Labour give an interview with Joe? The journalist is definitely left leaning, and i have seen him interview a whole range of people across the political spectrum and is always polite and reasonable.
I think @DavidL has hit the nail on the head with "inexperienced and possibly fragile candidate."
Agreed,
She is probably a wonderful person, I have no axe to grind here. but in the few clips I've seen of her, she is not a 'robust' candidate, dos not seem to do 'political confutation' well, and did not come across well in the hustings. Perhaps standing in a safe seat at a GE and we would not notice, and possibly has a lot of offer HoC, I don't know. But, I get the feeling she was adopted by Lab, because of who her sister was, and I have empathy for that chose and the people making it, but It does not look like a good chose at the moment.
I think the logic was she was absolutely everything the Labour's Hartlepool candidate wasn't.
And were it not for GG being such a ..... I thought she had a decent chance of getting elected.
It would be interesting to get his take on what is happening on B&S
From that clip, I fear for Kim. She looked out of her depth.
GG looked every bit the cunning wolf, waiting to devour her alive.
For all his nonsense Galloway is not an easy person to debate. He's articulate and self-assured and impossible to embarrass.
If Galloway had been English, perhaps he'd have been able to lead a Corbynite populist movement to power.
Being Scottish didn't help him to lead any kind of populist movement, Corbynite or otherwise, in Scotland. I think it's more a personality than a nationality thing.
Though just to enrage the Unionists, unlike in Scotland he still seems able to get numbers of English people to vote for him.
Does he really come over as Scottish? He seems to be so cosmopolitan as to defy any such specificity.
He does sound pretty Scottish. Nice try though.
Like any talented man o’ the world Galloway adjusts to the environment in which he finds himself. His current accent is certainly some distance from the working class stews of Dundee which he likes to flash as his credentials when he lifts his (thankfully) metaphorical kilt.
He seems to sound rather more Scottish for the Scottish Election this spring:
On topic, Hancock should go, but the grounds for his dismissal brings back awkward precedents for Boris Johnson.
So Hancock might survive, but he's been exposed like one of those family values Christian conservative in America who rails against homosexuality then gets caughts getting fellatio from numerous guys in an airport restroom.
Betfair has, in the 90-minutes betting:- Wales 4.5 Denmark 2.1 Draw 3.2
To qualify:- Wales 3 Denmark 1.48
Come on Denmark, do it for Christian Eriksen.
Should also help them that they are playing at Eriksen's old ground in Amsterdam.
The crowd is massively behind Denmark because of the (ex-Ajax) Eriksen factor, as you suggest, but the Danish defence is not the best and Wales has the two best players at the sharp end: Aaron Ramsey and Gareth Bale. I really do not understand why the betting is so skewed to the Danes unless people are getting carried away with their win over Russia.
The confrontation Ledbetter got yesterday was a disgrace, and if Starmer had anything about him he'd be out supporting Leadbetter in BS perhaps even knocking a few doors for her. He's been quiet about it if he has supported her
Why was it though?
She was challenged in the street by someone. Something that will happen to politicians across the divide in all elections. An experienced, or savvy, campaigner would be able to shut it down quite Easily.
She showed her inexperience and lack of political nous.
Doubt that, there's a teacher who fears for his life because of these goons. I haven't seen anyone "shut them down" because the chief rabble rousers are surrounded by like minded homophobes egging them on. Most politicians just avoid them in the first place, perhaps that was her error expecting any sort of rational debate from the cretins.
For me, one of the most interesting longer-term consequences of this by-election is how it may change the metropolitan middle class left’s view of the Muslim community. For most of the former, dealings with the latter tend to be superficial limited ones, usually in a service capacity and accompanied by the frequent comment “I had a nice Muslim Uber driver / delivery man / corner shop owner.” Certainly in the woker parts of North London, there are very few Muslim residents (that obviously changes as you get to gentrifying areas). The issue of different cultural values doesn’t really touch them on a day to day basis.
However, if Kim Leadbitter, a white middle class lesbian professional from a public service occupation, the type of person that the metropolitan class can easily identify with, gets defeated in large part due to a homophobic religiously-driven campaign, that may change the perception of just how friendly the Muslim community really is
They will never, ever admit they were wrong. It would be tantamount to admitting multiculturalism doesn't work. How could they then answer the questions about terrorism and grooming gangs that would follow?
How would you go about extinguishing multiculturalism in England?
Betfair has, in the 90-minutes betting:- Wales 4.5 Denmark 2.1 Draw 3.2
To qualify:- Wales 3 Denmark 1.48
Come on Denmark, do it for Christian Eriksen.
Should also help them that they are playing at Eriksen's old ground in Amsterdam.
The crowd is massively behind Denmark because of the (ex-Ajax) Eriksen factor, as you suggest, but the Danish defence is not the best and Wales has the two best players at the sharp end: Aaron Ramsey and Gareth Bale. I really do not understand why the betting is so skewed to the Danes unless people are getting carried away with their win over Russia.
The Eriksen emotion and the fact the Welsh aren't allowed to travel to Amsterdam.
As PBers may or may not know (or care) the western USA is in the grips of a major heat wave. Here in the Great Pacific Northwest, on the seaward slide of the Cascade Mountains, we've mostly escaped due to our marine climate,specifically another weather system in the North Pacific that's been holding the massive blob of hot air at bay.
Until now, that is. Yesterday was hot for Seattle, got to 87F at SeaTac Airport. AND last night's low temperature was in the low 70Fs just outside my own personal shanty. High today is expected to be mid-90Fs. And Sunday's forecast to be even hotter, possibly beating the all-time high-temp record for June in Seattle, which is 103F.
Seattle is a city that, rather unique for America, does NOT have a high level of air conditioning, esp. for houses and apartments. Indeed, has always been something we're proud of. Until now!
Am now going to water the plants - they're really gonna need it today.
FWIW The summer is shite here so far do you are going to be suffering for sympathy here.
What? Absolutely glorious June weather in South Manchester today. Perfect shorta and t-shirt weather.
Been rainy for last few days in Liverpool. We had a couple of hours of sun today but black clouds on their way back.
Just noticed that Gatland sent out the first Lions starting XV with no England player for 71 years..
What a dick move
You know the English domestic season is still ongoing right?
Which didn't stop him putting 5 Englishmen on the bench
Who have had less training time than the weslh/irish/Scots.
Even so I'm certain that Gatland pathetically relished the opportunity to be the first Lions manager in living memory not to start a single Englishman.
FPT, the Labour candidate in B & S seems pretty weak. Refusing to give an interview to a jounalist is pretty feeble.
Agreed,
She is probably a wonderful person, I have no axe to grind here. but in the few clips I've seen of her, she is not a 'robust' candidate, dos not seem to do 'political confutation' well, and did not come across well in the hustings. Perhaps standing in a safe seat at a GE and we would not notice, and possibly has a lot of offer HoC, I don't know. But, I get the feeling she was adopted by Lab, because of who her sister was, and I have empathy for that chose and the people making it, but It does not look like a good chose at the moment.
The confrontation Ledbetter got yesterday was a disgrace, and if Starmer had anything about him he'd be out supporting Leadbetter in BS perhaps even knocking a few doors for her. He's been quiet about it if he has supported her
Why was it though?
She was challenged in the street by someone. Something that will happen to politicians across the divide in all elections. An experienced, or savvy, campaigner would be able to shut it down quite Easily.
She showed her inexperience and lack of political nous.
Doubt that, there's a teacher who fears for his life because of these goons. I haven't seen anyone "shut them down" because the chief rabble rousers are surrounded by like minded homophobes egging them on. Most politicians just avoid them in the first place, perhaps that was her error expecting any sort of rational debate from the cretins.
For me, one of the most interesting longer-term consequences of this by-election is how it may change the metropolitan middle class left’s view of the Muslim community. For most of the former, dealings with the latter tend to be superficial limited ones, usually in a service capacity and accompanied by the frequent comment “I had a nice Muslim Uber driver / delivery man / corner shop owner.” Certainly in the woker parts of North London, there are very few Muslim residents (that obviously changes as you get to gentrifying areas). The issue of different cultural values doesn’t really touch them on a day to day basis.
However, if Kim Leadbitter, a white middle class lesbian professional from a public service occupation, the type of person that the metropolitan class can easily identify with, gets defeated in large part due to a homophobic religiously-driven campaign, that may change the perception of just how friendly the Muslim community really is
They will never, ever admit they were wrong. It would be tantamount to admitting multiculturalism doesn't work. How could they then answer the questions about terrorism and grooming gangs that would follow?
How would you go about extinguishing multiculturalism in England?
FPT, the Labour candidate in B & S seems pretty weak. Refusing to give an interview to a jounalist is pretty feeble.
Agreed,
She is probably a wonderful person, I have no axe to grind here. but in the few clips I've seen of her, she is not a 'robust' candidate, dos not seem to do 'political confutation' well, and did not come across well in the hustings. Perhaps standing in a safe seat at a GE and we would not notice, and possibly has a lot of offer HoC, I don't know. But, I get the feeling she was adopted by Lab, because of who her sister was, and I have empathy for that chose and the people making it, but It does not look like a good chose at the moment.
*choice
I have probably made another spelling mistake, I am sorry in that I don't do it deliberately, but I am dyslectic, and and I post on here for fun not as work, so don't put as much effort in to correcting things.
I really don't mind people pointing it out, or having a good giggle is I have made a funny mistake. I'm only replying as you are a fairly new poster on hear, but its probably not going to change any time soon.
The confrontation Ledbetter got yesterday was a disgrace, and if Starmer had anything about him he'd be out supporting Leadbetter in BS perhaps even knocking a few doors for her. He's been quiet about it if he has supported her
Why was it though?
She was challenged in the street by someone. Something that will happen to politicians across the divide in all elections. An experienced, or savvy, campaigner would be able to shut it down quite Easily.
She showed her inexperience and lack of political nous.
Doubt that, there's a teacher who fears for his life because of these goons. I haven't seen anyone "shut them down" because the chief rabble rousers are surrounded by like minded homophobes egging them on. Most politicians just avoid them in the first place, perhaps that was her error expecting any sort of rational debate from the cretins.
For me, one of the most interesting longer-term consequences of this by-election is how it may change the metropolitan middle class left’s view of the Muslim community. For most of the former, dealings with the latter tend to be superficial limited ones, usually in a service capacity and accompanied by the frequent comment “I had a nice Muslim Uber driver / delivery man / corner shop owner.” Certainly in the woker parts of North London, there are very few Muslim residents (that obviously changes as you get to gentrifying areas). The issue of different cultural values doesn’t really touch them on a day to day basis.
However, if Kim Leadbitter, a white middle class lesbian professional from a public service occupation, the type of person that the metropolitan class can easily identify with, gets defeated in large part due to a homophobic religiously-driven campaign, that may change the perception of just how friendly the Muslim community really is
They will never, ever admit they were wrong. It would be tantamount to admitting multiculturalism doesn't work. How could they then answer the questions about terrorism and grooming gangs that would follow?
How would you go about extinguishing multiculturalism in England?
I wouldn’t use ‘extinguishing’, that sounds very sinister. I don’t think there is a way out of it now, the damage is done.
FPT, the Labour candidate in B & S seems pretty weak. Refusing to give an interview to a jounalist is pretty feeble.
Agreed,
She is probably a wonderful person, I have no axe to grind here. but in the few clips I've seen of her, she is not a 'robust' candidate, dos not seem to do 'political confutation' well, and did not come across well in the hustings. Perhaps standing in a safe seat at a GE and we would not notice, and possibly has a lot of offer HoC, I don't know. But, I get the feeling she was adopted by Lab, because of who her sister was, and I have empathy for that chose and the people making it, but It does not look like a good chose at the moment.
*choice
AAUI @BigRich has dyslexia and had been worried that people would be dicks about his spelling and grammar on PB.
The confrontation Ledbetter got yesterday was a disgrace, and if Starmer had anything about him he'd be out supporting Leadbetter in BS perhaps even knocking a few doors for her. He's been quiet about it if he has supported her
Why was it though?
She was challenged in the street by someone. Something that will happen to politicians across the divide in all elections. An experienced, or savvy, campaigner would be able to shut it down quite Easily.
She showed her inexperience and lack of political nous.
Doubt that, there's a teacher who fears for his life because of these goons. I haven't seen anyone "shut them down" because the chief rabble rousers are surrounded by like minded homophobes egging them on. Most politicians just avoid them in the first place, perhaps that was her error expecting any sort of rational debate from the cretins.
For me, one of the most interesting longer-term consequences of this by-election is how it may change the metropolitan middle class left’s view of the Muslim community. For most of the former, dealings with the latter tend to be superficial limited ones, usually in a service capacity and accompanied by the frequent comment “I had a nice Muslim Uber driver / delivery man / corner shop owner.” Certainly in the woker parts of North London, there are very few Muslim residents (that obviously changes as you get to gentrifying areas). The issue of different cultural values doesn’t really touch them on a day to day basis.
However, if Kim Leadbitter, a white middle class lesbian professional from a public service occupation, the type of person that the metropolitan class can easily identify with, gets defeated in large part due to a homophobic religiously-driven campaign, that may change the perception of just how friendly the Muslim community really is
They will never, ever admit they were wrong. It would be tantamount to admitting multiculturalism doesn't work. How could they then answer the questions about terrorism and grooming gangs that would follow?
How would you go about extinguishing multiculturalism in England?
He doesn't want to extinguish multiculturalism he wants to extinguish Muslims from Britain, he won't say it like that, but that is what he wants, as is clear from the tone of his posts.
I've got news for him, we ain't going anywhere, ever.
He has to resign by Monday otherwise Boris needs to sack him
And he may find tomorrow's papers make his resignation inevitable, though of course I am speculating
He did offer his resignation and it wasn’t accepted I understood. Maybe a, tough it out till Monday and we will see where we are old bean, I’ll give you my backing till then.
The tricky thing for him is wether to stay with the family or choose to pack a bag and go to his other love.
She’s been booted out of the house. Where would they go?
That's interesting gossip, (not that gossip is a good thing but ....)
So the 'other woman' has split up with her husband? did she leave by chose or was she asked to leave?
A magnificent example of “the public is interested” rather than “in the public interest”. Have you considered being a journalist and pretending the latter and the former are the same in every circumstance?
The confrontation Ledbetter got yesterday was a disgrace, and if Starmer had anything about him he'd be out supporting Leadbetter in BS perhaps even knocking a few doors for her. He's been quiet about it if he has supported her
Why was it though?
She was challenged in the street by someone. Something that will happen to politicians across the divide in all elections. An experienced, or savvy, campaigner would be able to shut it down quite Easily.
She showed her inexperience and lack of political nous.
Doubt that, there's a teacher who fears for his life because of these goons. I haven't seen anyone "shut them down" because the chief rabble rousers are surrounded by like minded homophobes egging them on. Most politicians just avoid them in the first place, perhaps that was her error expecting any sort of rational debate from the cretins.
For me, one of the most interesting longer-term consequences of this by-election is how it may change the metropolitan middle class left’s view of the Muslim community. For most of the former, dealings with the latter tend to be superficial limited ones, usually in a service capacity and accompanied by the frequent comment “I had a nice Muslim Uber driver / delivery man / corner shop owner.” Certainly in the woker parts of North London, there are very few Muslim residents (that obviously changes as you get to gentrifying areas). The issue of different cultural values doesn’t really touch them on a day to day basis.
However, if Kim Leadbitter, a white middle class lesbian professional from a public service occupation, the type of person that the metropolitan class can easily identify with, gets defeated in large part due to a homophobic religiously-driven campaign, that may change the perception of just how friendly the Muslim community really is
They will never, ever admit they were wrong. It would be tantamount to admitting multiculturalism doesn't work. How could they then answer the questions about terrorism and grooming gangs that would follow?
How would you go about extinguishing multiculturalism in England?
He doesn't want to extinguish multiculturalism he wants to extinguish Muslims from Britain, he won't say it like that, but that is what he wants, as is clear from the tone of his posts.
I've got news for him, we ain't going anywhere, ever.
I'm indebted to @another_richard for pointing out the daily vaccination dashboard and some sobering numbers.
In England, 83.5% of adults have had the first vaccination, 61.3% have had both.
In Newham, 52% of adults have had the first vaccination, 30% have had both.
Cambridge has some similarly depressing figures. I would really like to see per-area graphs of vaccine takeup over time by agegroup, so you could see how much was "lots of younger people here who were only elegible recently" and how much was "curve flattens out at a level below the national average for the agegroup".
FPT, the Labour candidate in B & S seems pretty weak. Refusing to give an interview to a jounalist is pretty feeble.
Agreed,
She is probably a wonderful person, I have no axe to grind here. but in the few clips I've seen of her, she is not a 'robust' candidate, dos not seem to do 'political confutation' well, and did not come across well in the hustings. Perhaps standing in a safe seat at a GE and we would not notice, and possibly has a lot of offer HoC, I don't know. But, I get the feeling she was adopted by Lab, because of who her sister was, and I have empathy for that chose and the people making it, but It does not look like a good chose at the moment.
*choice
I have probably made another spelling mistake, I am sorry in that I don't do it deliberately, but I am dyslectic, and and I post on here for fun not as work, so don't put as much effort in to correcting things.
I really don't mind people pointing it out, or having a good giggle is I have made a funny mistake. I'm only replying as you are a fairly new poster on hear, but its probably not going to change any time soon.
Hope that's OK?
I hope his(?) comments haven’t upset you @BigRich. I value your posts and I never bother about the spellings. It’s always clear enough what you’re saying and always worth reading.
Besides, autocorrect is quite capable of cocking up anyone’s spelling all on its own.
Bloody ridiculous decision to not allow to rejoin the squad. 5 days of a couple of tests a day would confirm if he had covid or not.
Mason Mount is confident he will be ready to start England’s last-16 tie against Germany, even though he and Ben Chilwell will not be allowed to rejoin their teammates until the day of the game.
I do think a lot of candidates, a lot of actual parliamentarians would struggle badly in the bear pit of a Galloway campaign in full throat - trickier, dirtier and more downright scabrously personal against his opponents than almost any other candidate, including any former Kipper I can think of.
I don't think Leadbeater is a terrible candidate, and she had genuinely built a somewhat favourable profile of her own prior to selection. But, on the other hand, she wasn't an experienced, hardened or exceptional political candidate, she wasn't expecting or ready for the smegstorm of this campaign and she is getting thoroughly trashed. You'd think, in normal circumstances, she'd do better and I think refusing interviews is reflective of the circumstances rather than the type of candidate she is.
If she isn't good enough for this, then not many n others would have been either.
The confrontation Ledbetter got yesterday was a disgrace, and if Starmer had anything about him he'd be out supporting Leadbetter in BS perhaps even knocking a few doors for her. He's been quiet about it if he has supported her
Why was it though?
She was challenged in the street by someone. Something that will happen to politicians across the divide in all elections. An experienced, or savvy, campaigner would be able to shut it down quite Easily.
She showed her inexperience and lack of political nous.
Doubt that, there's a teacher who fears for his life because of these goons. I haven't seen anyone "shut them down" because the chief rabble rousers are surrounded by like minded homophobes egging them on. Most politicians just avoid them in the first place, perhaps that was her error expecting any sort of rational debate from the cretins.
For me, one of the most interesting longer-term consequences of this by-election is how it may change the metropolitan middle class left’s view of the Muslim community. For most of the former, dealings with the latter tend to be superficial limited ones, usually in a service capacity and accompanied by the frequent comment “I had a nice Muslim Uber driver / delivery man / corner shop owner.” Certainly in the woker parts of North London, there are very few Muslim residents (that obviously changes as you get to gentrifying areas). The issue of different cultural values doesn’t really touch them on a day to day basis.
However, if Kim Leadbitter, a white middle class lesbian professional from a public service occupation, the type of person that the metropolitan class can easily identify with, gets defeated in large part due to a homophobic religiously-driven campaign, that may change the perception of just how friendly the Muslim community really is
If Labour lose Batley due to a big Muslim vote for George Galloway it won't be fair or valid to attribute it to homophobia. The fact is, Galloway has strong appeal to Muslims here - has twice won a seat off the back of this - and it's in large part due to his long and loud campaigning for Palestine. And it's also a fact that Labour under Starmer is not as overtly pro-Palestine as it was under Corbyn. Plus there's been far more focus on antisemitism under Starmer than on islamophobia. These are all reasons why Muslims might desert the party and lodge a by-election protest vote for GG. Anybody who ignores this and instead homes in purely on Muslim homophobia (and/or antisemitism) as the reason for the result will be showing a bit of islamophobic leg.
However you choose to try and dress it up anti-semitism and homophobia are right at the heart of the reasons muslims are switching to Galloway. It really is about time that Labour stopped pussy-footing around those issues and told muslims that hold those views to do one. It's one of the reasons I let my membership lapse when Corbyn became leader. You are deluding yourself Kinabalu, I witnessed it my own CLP
Bloody ridiculous decision to not allow to rejoin the squad. 5 days of a couple of tests a day would confirm if he had covid or not.
Mason Mount is confident he will be ready to start England’s last-16 tie against Germany, even though he and Ben Chilwell will not be allowed to rejoin their teammates until the day of the game.
FPT, the Labour candidate in B & S seems pretty weak. Refusing to give an interview to a jounalist is pretty feeble.
Agreed,
She is probably a wonderful person, I have no axe to grind here. but in the few clips I've seen of her, she is not a 'robust' candidate, dos not seem to do 'political confutation' well, and did not come across well in the hustings. Perhaps standing in a safe seat at a GE and we would not notice, and possibly has a lot of offer HoC, I don't know. But, I get the feeling she was adopted by Lab, because of who her sister was, and I have empathy for that chose and the people making it, but It does not look like a good chose at the moment.
*choice
I have probably made another spelling mistake, I am sorry in that I don't do it deliberately, but I am dyslectic, and and I post on here for fun not as work, so don't put as much effort in to correcting things.
I really don't mind people pointing it out, or having a good giggle is I have made a funny mistake. I'm only replying as you are a fairly new poster on hear, but its probably not going to change any time soon.
Hope that's OK?
I hope his(?) comments haven’t upset you @BigRich. I value your posts and I never bother about the spellings. It’s always clear enough what you’re saying and always worth reading.
Besides, autocorrect is quite capable of cocking up anyone’s spelling all on its own.
Anybody who posts from a phone, its so easy for combo of autocorrect and far fingering to mistype.
Bloody ridiculous decision to not allow to rejoin the squad. 5 days of a couple of tests a day would confirm if he had covid or not.
Mason Mount is confident he will be ready to start England’s last-16 tie against Germany, even though he and Ben Chilwell will not be allowed to rejoin their teammates until the day of the game.
As England's main weakness is over coaching, this may not be a bad thing.
FPT, the Labour candidate in B & S seems pretty weak. Refusing to give an interview to a jounalist is pretty feeble.
Agreed,
She is probably a wonderful person, I have no axe to grind here. but in the few clips I've seen of her, she is not a 'robust' candidate, dos not seem to do 'political confutation' well, and did not come across well in the hustings. Perhaps standing in a safe seat at a GE and we would not notice, and possibly has a lot of offer HoC, I don't know. But, I get the feeling she was adopted by Lab, because of who her sister was, and I have empathy for that chose and the people making it, but It does not look like a good chose at the moment.
*choice
I have probably made another spelling mistake, I am sorry in that I don't do it deliberately, but I am dyslectic, and and I post on here for fun not as work, so don't put as much effort in to correcting things.
I really don't mind people pointing it out, or having a good giggle is I have made a funny mistake. I'm only replying as you are a fairly new poster on hear, but its probably not going to change any time soon.
Hope that's OK?
Please do not apologise and continue with your regular and interesting posts
The confrontation Ledbetter got yesterday was a disgrace, and if Starmer had anything about him he'd be out supporting Leadbetter in BS perhaps even knocking a few doors for her. He's been quiet about it if he has supported her
Why was it though?
She was challenged in the street by someone. Something that will happen to politicians across the divide in all elections. An experienced, or savvy, campaigner would be able to shut it down quite Easily.
She showed her inexperience and lack of political nous.
Doubt that, there's a teacher who fears for his life because of these goons. I haven't seen anyone "shut them down" because the chief rabble rousers are surrounded by like minded homophobes egging them on. Most politicians just avoid them in the first place, perhaps that was her error expecting any sort of rational debate from the cretins.
For me, one of the most interesting longer-term consequences of this by-election is how it may change the metropolitan middle class left’s view of the Muslim community. For most of the former, dealings with the latter tend to be superficial limited ones, usually in a service capacity and accompanied by the frequent comment “I had a nice Muslim Uber driver / delivery man / corner shop owner.” Certainly in the woker parts of North London, there are very few Muslim residents (that obviously changes as you get to gentrifying areas). The issue of different cultural values doesn’t really touch them on a day to day basis.
However, if Kim Leadbitter, a white middle class lesbian professional from a public service occupation, the type of person that the metropolitan class can easily identify with, gets defeated in large part due to a homophobic religiously-driven campaign, that may change the perception of just how friendly the Muslim community really is
They will never, ever admit they were wrong. It would be tantamount to admitting multiculturalism doesn't work. How could they then answer the questions about terrorism and grooming gangs that would follow?
How would you go about extinguishing multiculturalism in England?
🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🎶Strong Britain, Great Nation🎶🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧
Well it's all sounding a bit Heavy Woollens to me. They want a unifying national identity. Having first talked about and dealt with the stuff that other politicians are too scared to talk about and deal with.
But then again I am feeling extra specially left and radical atm. Last night I listened to an album I haven't for decades. Power in the Darkness by TRB. From the early days of Thatcher but still fabulous in 2021.
"I don't believe that sort of thing ... happens here."
FPT, the Labour candidate in B & S seems pretty weak. Refusing to give an interview to a jounalist is pretty feeble.
Agreed,
She is probably a wonderful person, I have no axe to grind here. but in the few clips I've seen of her, she is not a 'robust' candidate, dos not seem to do 'political confutation' well, and did not come across well in the hustings. Perhaps standing in a safe seat at a GE and we would not notice, and possibly has a lot of offer HoC, I don't know. But, I get the feeling she was adopted by Lab, because of who her sister was, and I have empathy for that chose and the people making it, but It does not look like a good chose at the moment.
*choice
I have probably made another spelling mistake, I am sorry in that I don't do it deliberately, but I am dyslectic, and and I post on here for fun not as work, so don't put as much effort in to correcting things.
I really don't mind people pointing it out, or having a good giggle is I have made a funny mistake. I'm only replying as you are a fairly new poster on hear, but its probably not going to change any time soon.
Hope that's OK?
I hope his(?) comments haven’t upset you @BigRich. I value your posts and I never bother about the spellings. It’s always clear enough what you’re saying and always worth reading.
Besides, autocorrect is quite capable of cocking up anyone’s spelling all on its own.
Anybody who posts from a phone, its so easy for combo of autocorrect and far fingering to mistype.
I'm indebted to @another_richard for pointing out the daily vaccination dashboard and some sobering numbers.
In England, 83.5% of adults have had the first vaccination, 61.3% have had both.
In Newham, 52% of adults have had the first vaccination, 30% have had both.
Cambridge has some similarly depressing figures. I would really like to see per-area graphs of vaccine takeup over time by agegroup, so you could see how much was "lots of younger people here who were only elegible recently" and how much was "curve flattens out at a level below the national average for the agegroup".
Interesting, it seems that each age group in Cambridge, is behind the UK national average, only a % or 2 for the very oldest, but significantly for the middle age, 50 -54 Year olds, its 76.86% to 85.28%
The confrontation Ledbetter got yesterday was a disgrace, and if Starmer had anything about him he'd be out supporting Leadbetter in BS perhaps even knocking a few doors for her. He's been quiet about it if he has supported her
Why was it though?
She was challenged in the street by someone. Something that will happen to politicians across the divide in all elections. An experienced, or savvy, campaigner would be able to shut it down quite Easily.
She showed her inexperience and lack of political nous.
Doubt that, there's a teacher who fears for his life because of these goons. I haven't seen anyone "shut them down" because the chief rabble rousers are surrounded by like minded homophobes egging them on. Most politicians just avoid them in the first place, perhaps that was her error expecting any sort of rational debate from the cretins.
For me, one of the most interesting longer-term consequences of this by-election is how it may change the metropolitan middle class left’s view of the Muslim community. For most of the former, dealings with the latter tend to be superficial limited ones, usually in a service capacity and accompanied by the frequent comment “I had a nice Muslim Uber driver / delivery man / corner shop owner.” Certainly in the woker parts of North London, there are very few Muslim residents (that obviously changes as you get to gentrifying areas). The issue of different cultural values doesn’t really touch them on a day to day basis.
However, if Kim Leadbitter, a white middle class lesbian professional from a public service occupation, the type of person that the metropolitan class can easily identify with, gets defeated in large part due to a homophobic religiously-driven campaign, that may change the perception of just how friendly the Muslim community really is
If Labour lose Batley due to a big Muslim vote for George Galloway it won't be fair or valid to attribute it to homophobia. The fact is, Galloway has strong appeal to Muslims here - has twice won a seat off the back of this - and it's in large part due to his long and loud campaigning for Palestine. And it's also a fact that Labour under Starmer is not as overtly pro-Palestine as it was under Corbyn. Plus there's been far more focus on antisemitism under Starmer than on islamophobia. These are all reasons why Muslims might desert the party and lodge a by-election protest vote for GG. Anybody who ignores this and instead homes in purely on Muslim homophobia (and/or antisemitism) as the reason for the result will be showing a bit of islamophobic leg.
However you choose to try and dress it up anti-semitism and homophobia are right at the heart of the reasons muslims are switching to Galloway. It really is about time that Labour stopped pussy-footing around those issues and told muslims that hold those views to do one. It's one of the reasons I let my membership lapse when Corbyn became leader. You are deluding yourself Kinabalu, I witnessed it my own CLP
It seems it is islamophobic to take what the majority of British Muslims say they believe (that homosexuality should be illegal) at face value. Do left wingers think belief in Islamic values is false conciousness? Chinese style re education in store?
…to quote from neo-nazi handbook The Guardian
“ …when asked to what extent they agreed or disagreed that homosexuality should be legal in Britain, 18% said they agreed and 52% said they disagreed, compared with 5% among the public at large who disagreed. Almost half (47%) said they did not agree that it was acceptable for a gay person to become a teacher, compared with 14% of the general population.”
FPT, the Labour candidate in B & S seems pretty weak. Refusing to give an interview to a jounalist is pretty feeble.
Agreed,
She is probably a wonderful person, I have no axe to grind here. but in the few clips I've seen of her, she is not a 'robust' candidate, dos not seem to do 'political confutation' well, and did not come across well in the hustings. Perhaps standing in a safe seat at a GE and we would not notice, and possibly has a lot of offer HoC, I don't know. But, I get the feeling she was adopted by Lab, because of who her sister was, and I have empathy for that chose and the people making it, but It does not look like a good chose at the moment.
*choice
I have probably made another spelling mistake, I am sorry in that I don't do it deliberately, but I am dyslectic, and and I post on here for fun not as work, so don't put as much effort in to correcting things.
I really don't mind people pointing it out, or having a good giggle is I have made a funny mistake. I'm only replying as you are a fairly new poster on hear, but its probably not going to change any time soon.
Hope that's OK?
I hope his(?) comments haven’t upset you @BigRich. I value your posts and I never bother about the spellings. It’s always clear enough what you’re saying and always worth reading.
Besides, autocorrect is quite capable of cocking up anyone’s spelling all on its own.
No, defiantly not upset, I really do have a sense of humour about my mistakes, he was no-doubt correct, I only mention it so people are aware,
Thanks for the assurance that what I type is normally readable, that is good to know.
And please feel free to 'rore with lafter' if if the mistake calls for it.
I'm indebted to @another_richard for pointing out the daily vaccination dashboard and some sobering numbers.
In England, 83.5% of adults have had the first vaccination, 61.3% have had both.
In Newham, 52% of adults have had the first vaccination, 30% have had both.
Cambridge has some similarly depressing figures. I would really like to see per-area graphs of vaccine takeup over time by agegroup, so you could see how much was "lots of younger people here who were only elegible recently" and how much was "curve flattens out at a level below the national average for the agegroup".
Interesting, it seems that each age group in Cambridge, is behind the UK national average, only a % or 2 for the very oldest, but significantly for the middle age, 50 -54 Year olds, its 76.86% to 85.28%
NIMS data is, IMO, too unreliable to be making comparisons to the national figures which are ONS numbers.
NIMS overestimates the population by 5-15% all over the country because people move around, students especially so and Cambridge is a student city.
It would be nice to brand Russia Today's Galloway as the man who gave the seat to the Tories
SKS is the man that gives all Lab seats to the Tories though.
Corbyn made a fantastic start to reach that goal. Jezza really didn't leave a great deal for Starmer to do on that score did he? Although he has his helpers in place to finish the job. If Corbynista candidates stand against the official Labour candidate in all Labour held constituencies, as one has done in B and S, Corbyn's work is complete.
SKS is in charge and done worse than Corbyn in every single electoral test
Excuses Excuses Pete will get you nowhere
I agree with you that Starmer is a grave disappointment. However your solution is to return to a Corbynista leader (remember you can't have Burnham as he is otherwise occupied) so you are lumbered with Rayner, Long- Bailey, or Burgon. And what did a Corbynista leader return in 2019? A Johnson landslide!
So what would I propose? No idea really, perhaps time travel back to 2015 and warn idiot Labour MPs not to nominate Corbyn for leader. That way you would have got Burnham too.
Starmer will have my support as long as he stops the cult taking over
If Butler were to manage to get enough support for a challenge (which I think very unlikely) it could put a lot of the less rebellious MPs in an awkward position. Would they risk allowing a Butler versus Starmer two horse race? If not who would do better against the left? Perhaps a compromise leftish candidate would be found?
The most telling question is: Who do the Tories not want as Labour leader? Are there any candidates?
It is quite possible that the answer is no-one. But my list would tentatively include Jess Phillips and Hilary Benn. After that it's a blank. As neither of them seem anywhere close, the Tories can possibly sleep easy.
It would be nice to brand Russia Today's Galloway as the man who gave the seat to the Tories
SKS is the man that gives all Lab seats to the Tories though.
Corbyn made a fantastic start to reach that goal. Jezza really didn't leave a great deal for Starmer to do on that score did he? Although he has his helpers in place to finish the job. If Corbynista candidates stand against the official Labour candidate in all Labour held constituencies, as one has done in B and S, Corbyn's work is complete.
SKS is in charge and done worse than Corbyn in every single electoral test
Excuses Excuses Pete will get you nowhere
I agree with you that Starmer is a grave disappointment. However your solution is to return to a Corbynista leader (remember you can't have Burnham as he is otherwise occupied) so you are lumbered with Rayner, Long- Bailey, or Burgon. And what did a Corbynista leader return in 2019? A Johnson landslide!
So what would I propose? No idea really, perhaps time travel back to 2015 and warn idiot Labour MPs not to nominate Corbyn for leader. That way you would have got Burnham too.
Starmer will have my support as long as he stops the cult taking over
If Butler were to manage to get enough support for a challenge (which I think very unlikely) it could put a lot of the less rebellious MPs in an awkward position. Would they risk allowing a Butler versus Starmer two horse race? If not who would do better against the left? Perhaps a compromise leftish candidate would be found?
The most telling question is: Who do the Tories not want as Labour leader? Are there any candidates?
It is quite possible that the answer is no-one. But my list would tentatively include Jess Phillips and Hilary Benn. After that it's a blank. As neither of them seem anywhere close, the Tories can possibly sleep easy.
I'm indebted to @another_richard for pointing out the daily vaccination dashboard and some sobering numbers.
In England, 83.5% of adults have had the first vaccination, 61.3% have had both.
In Newham, 52% of adults have had the first vaccination, 30% have had both.
Cambridge has some similarly depressing figures. I would really like to see per-area graphs of vaccine takeup over time by agegroup, so you could see how much was "lots of younger people here who were only elegible recently" and how much was "curve flattens out at a level below the national average for the agegroup".
Cambridge proving that you can live in a university city and still be rather stupid. (Unless the figures are solely down to having a younger population).
I'm indebted to @another_richard for pointing out the daily vaccination dashboard and some sobering numbers.
In England, 83.5% of adults have had the first vaccination, 61.3% have had both.
In Newham, 52% of adults have had the first vaccination, 30% have had both.
Cambridge has some similarly depressing figures. I would really like to see per-area graphs of vaccine takeup over time by agegroup, so you could see how much was "lots of younger people here who were only elegible recently" and how much was "curve flattens out at a level below the national average for the agegroup".
Interesting, it seems that each age group in Cambridge, is behind the UK national average, only a % or 2 for the very oldest, but significantly for the middle age, 50 -54 Year olds, its 76.86% to 85.28%
NIMS data is, IMO, too unreliable to be making comparisons to the national figures which are ONS numbers.
NIMS overestimates the population by 5-15% all over the country because people move around, students especially so and Cambridge is a student city.
That's good to know and will enplane some of it, but I assume that not many 50-54 year olds are students, some will be but not many I would have thought.
Also I have taken both bits of data form the Uk Gov, Covid dashboard, I would have thought that one was the aggregate of the other? am I wrong?
IIRC, Cambridge is decidedly anti Boris and anti Brexit, so I can see some of that spilling over to not wishing his vaccine rollout to be a success, (but this is probably only a small minority of people even in Cambridge)
The confrontation Ledbetter got yesterday was a disgrace, and if Starmer had anything about him he'd be out supporting Leadbetter in BS perhaps even knocking a few doors for her. He's been quiet about it if he has supported her
Why was it though?
She was challenged in the street by someone. Something that will happen to politicians across the divide in all elections. An experienced, or savvy, campaigner would be able to shut it down quite Easily.
She showed her inexperience and lack of political nous.
Doubt that, there's a teacher who fears for his life because of these goons. I haven't seen anyone "shut them down" because the chief rabble rousers are surrounded by like minded homophobes egging them on. Most politicians just avoid them in the first place, perhaps that was her error expecting any sort of rational debate from the cretins.
For me, one of the most interesting longer-term consequences of this by-election is how it may change the metropolitan middle class left’s view of the Muslim community. For most of the former, dealings with the latter tend to be superficial limited ones, usually in a service capacity and accompanied by the frequent comment “I had a nice Muslim Uber driver / delivery man / corner shop owner.” Certainly in the woker parts of North London, there are very few Muslim residents (that obviously changes as you get to gentrifying areas). The issue of different cultural values doesn’t really touch them on a day to day basis.
However, if Kim Leadbitter, a white middle class lesbian professional from a public service occupation, the type of person that the metropolitan class can easily identify with, gets defeated in large part due to a homophobic religiously-driven campaign, that may change the perception of just how friendly the Muslim community really is
They will never, ever admit they were wrong. It would be tantamount to admitting multiculturalism doesn't work. How could they then answer the questions about terrorism and grooming gangs that would follow?
Very telling that five people liked your post. You are a self confessed fan of Enoch Powell and must be only a handful of people in the UK who didn't find anything distasteful in his Rivers of Blood speech. It's possible that the five 'likers' didn't have a long enough post to judge you but it's equally likely that when you pull back the rock those five are what comes crawlng out.
Comments
So the 'other woman' has split up with her husband? did she leave by chose or was she asked to leave?
Sod not having a Heseltine, they don’t even have an Owen Smith right now.
If Dawn Butler is the best they can come up with, Starmer is safe.
When you love your family as much as your mistress, how to stand by both is tricky, is why so many books and tv cover the question.
Hypocrisy is what is really killing Hancock, he has been going round telling everybody to stick to the rules, then hasn't himself.
Cummings actions, his refusal to go and the press pack got Labour 10% in the polls, without them having to do much.
Except there’s no-one in Batley and Spen, so what the hell are they all doing today?
https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/coronavirus-excess-deaths-tracker
(Charlie Falconer)
"Because you're gorgeous
I'd do anything for you
Because you're gorgeous
I know you'll get me through"
only joking!!
But this did make me think, if a Mistrace is a female, with whom, somebody is having an affair, is there an equivalent word for a male, with whom somebody is having an affair?
Betfair has, in the 90-minutes betting:-
Wales 4.5
Denmark 2.1
Draw 3.2
To qualify:-
Wales 3
Denmark 1.48
Unlikely scenario anyway and I suspect your conclusion is right, but you'd imagine there'd be some sleepless nights.
Should also help them that they are playing at Eriksen's old ground in Amsterdam.
https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/scottish-election-2021-galloway-warns-of-catalonia-style-unrest-if-salmond-reaches-holyrood-3192257
So Hancock might survive, but he's been exposed like one of those family values Christian conservative in America who rails against homosexuality then gets caughts getting fellatio from numerous guys in an airport restroom.
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/belgium/
My betting favours Denmark
Hmm
No, not a cryptic crossword clue about Hancock, that’s a pun on the cricket.
1-0
Denmark!
I really don't mind people pointing it out, or having a good giggle is I have made a funny mistake. I'm only replying as you are a fairly new poster on hear, but its probably not going to change any time soon.
Hope that's OK?
I've got news for him, we ain't going anywhere, ever.
Now very close:
Harris 5.7
Biden 5.9
Besides, autocorrect is quite capable of cocking up anyone’s spelling all on its own.
Mason Mount is confident he will be ready to start England’s last-16 tie against Germany, even though he and Ben Chilwell will not be allowed to rejoin their teammates until the day of the game.
I don't think Leadbeater is a terrible candidate, and she had genuinely built a somewhat favourable profile of her own prior to selection. But, on the other hand, she wasn't an experienced, hardened or exceptional political candidate, she wasn't expecting or ready for the smegstorm of this campaign and she is getting thoroughly trashed. You'd think, in normal circumstances, she'd do better and I think refusing interviews is reflective of the circumstances rather than the type of candidate she is.
If she isn't good enough for this, then not many n others would have been either.
90 minutes:-
Wales 21
Denmark 1.27
Draw 5.9
To qualify:-
Wales 8.2
Denmark 1.13
But then again I am feeling extra specially left and radical atm. Last night I listened to an album I haven't for decades. Power in the Darkness by TRB. From the early days of Thatcher but still fabulous in 2021.
"I don't believe that sort of thing ... happens here."
✊✊✊ - ☺
They really are having a mare this tour.
…to quote from neo-nazi handbook The Guardian
“ …when asked to what extent they agreed or disagreed that homosexuality should be legal in Britain, 18% said they agreed and 52% said they disagreed, compared with 5% among the public at large who disagreed. Almost half (47%) said they did not agree that it was acceptable for a gay person to become a teacher, compared with 14% of the general population.”
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/apr/11/british-muslims-strong-sense-of-belonging-poll-homosexuality-sharia-law
Thanks for the assurance that what I type is normally readable, that is good to know.
And please feel free to 'rore with lafter' if if the mistake calls for it.
NIMS overestimates the population by 5-15% all over the country because people move around, students especially so and Cambridge is a student city.
It is quite possible that the answer is no-one. But my list would tentatively include Jess Phillips and Hilary Benn. After that it's a blank. As neither of them seem anywhere close, the Tories can possibly sleep easy.
Is it the case Labour are virtually certain to lose
Also I have taken both bits of data form the Uk Gov, Covid dashboard, I would have thought that one was the aggregate of the other? am I wrong?
National:
https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/vaccinations?areaType=nation&areaName=England
Cambridge:
https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/vaccinations?areaType=ltla&areaName=Cambridge
IIRC, Cambridge is decidedly anti Boris and anti Brexit, so I can see some of that spilling over to not wishing his vaccine rollout to be a success, (but this is probably only a small minority of people even in Cambridge)
This is horrendous.
Florida building collapse: Report from 2018 warned of 'major damage'
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-57621774
If 50% of that report is accurate then we’re surely talking possible third degree homicide charges.