Any one taking on Health at the moment is being given a hospital pass.
There were successes to be had during Covid, but very few to be had in the quagmire of the recovery phase, a hole that gets bigger and deeper every week.
How can anyone possibly defend Boris Johnson or his judgment.
He hopes Matt Hancock will be back in frontline politics soon and he is sad Hancock has gone, not believing it was necessary (is the implication of the PM's response).
China threatened to withhold vaccines from Ukraine for human rights scrutiny - reports
The Associated Press reports that China threatened to withhold 500,000 COVID vaccines from Ukraine if the country went through with plans to cosign a statement calling for more investigations into what is happening in Xinjiang.
More than a million Uighur Muslims are said to be in so called "reeducation camps" in the region. Sky News reported this week on how Uighur cemeteries are being destroyed in the region.
Two diplomats familiar with the matter told the Associated Press that Ukraine pulled out of the plan to call for immediate access for independent inspectors to Xinjiang following the pressure.
Ukraine purchased 1.9 million doses of the CoronaVac jab from China's Sinovac Biotech. As of early May, Ukraine had received 1.2 million doses.
More than 40 countries supported the statement, which was presented by Canada at the Human Rights Council in Geneva on Tuesday.
One of the Western diplomats called it sign of "bare-knuckles" diplomacy by China. The other diplomat cited "reports of significant pressure in Kyiv," adding, "last night the delegation told us they needed to pull out".
I would have thought a much more punitive response would have been to send them more vaccines, given how utterly shit they are.
Reading the various posts on B & S it seems a nightmare for Labour but also it does seem most think it is a loss
Is it the case Labour are virtually certain to lose
It's slightly hard to read. Will Tories stay at home following the Hancock saga? Will other parties cluster round Labour to see off Galloway? or cluster round Tories to see off Galloway? Will the left/Islamist vote turn out and others stay at home and see GG romp in?
It's an election they all deserve to lose. I don't think it is a walkover for the Tories.
Reading the various posts on B & S it seems a nightmare for Labour but also it does seem most think it is a loss
Is it the case Labour are virtually certain to lose
It's slightly hard to read. Will Tories stay at home following the Hancock saga? Will other parties cluster round Labour to see off Galloway? or cluster round Tories to see off Galloway? Will the left/Islamist vote turn out and others stay at home and see GG romp in?
It's an election they all deserve to lose. I don't think it is a walkover for the Tories.
Or he listened to Any Answers. The callers were, uniformly, brutal/angry/disgusted/contemptuous. With the exception of one guy who opined that those who made the rules ought to be allowed to bend them (?).
I don’t often listen to it, but I was on a car journey. Not heard such mass contumely since Nick Clegg did his ‘sorry’ thing.
China threatened to withhold vaccines from Ukraine for human rights scrutiny - reports
The Associated Press reports that China threatened to withhold 500,000 COVID vaccines from Ukraine if the country went through with plans to cosign a statement calling for more investigations into what is happening in Xinjiang.
More than a million Uighur Muslims are said to be in so called "reeducation camps" in the region. Sky News reported this week on how Uighur cemeteries are being destroyed in the region.
Two diplomats familiar with the matter told the Associated Press that Ukraine pulled out of the plan to call for immediate access for independent inspectors to Xinjiang following the pressure.
Ukraine purchased 1.9 million doses of the CoronaVac jab from China's Sinovac Biotech. As of early May, Ukraine had received 1.2 million doses.
More than 40 countries supported the statement, which was presented by Canada at the Human Rights Council in Geneva on Tuesday.
One of the Western diplomats called it sign of "bare-knuckles" diplomacy by China. The other diplomat cited "reports of significant pressure in Kyiv," adding, "last night the delegation told us they needed to pull out".
I would have thought a much more punitive response would have been to send them more vaccines, given how utterly shit they are.
To highlight how well the Chinese/Russian propaganda is working: an acquaintance abroad has had the Sinopharm jab. They had been offered Pfizer, but rejected it as it was too dangerous ...
We think our social media's bad, but there's apparently some really dodgy stuff doing the rounds abroad. Oddly, much of it to the advantage of China/Russia.
So let me understand. On Thursday night Hancock announced he's leaving his family, for his Mistress, who is on the government payroll, on his say so. And he, and the PM thought he could brazen it out? We need to be told exactly how long this has been going on.
Do I get an award for worst timed post ever on PB?
I think you have a way to go to top Rogerdamus.....
Though Roger's (ex-Oscar) predictions are usually diametrically opposed to the actual outcomes, I don't think he's ever posted a prediction that's come unstuck whilst he was typing it.
I think Max has set a new standard.
The PB SNP honeymoon terminators appear to have got lost in the post.
When Wales beats Denmark tomorrow, and England lose to Germany, with Kane misfiring again, on Tuesday the narrative will be football and then the B&S election will make the headlines
Hancock may get away it it but that does not excuse the fact he should have resigned/ been sacked
So let me understand. On Thursday night Hancock announced he's leaving his family, for his Mistress, who is on the government payroll, on his say so. And he, and the PM thought he could brazen it out? We need to be told exactly how long this has been going on.
I wouldn't be surprised to learn that this is a Charles/Camilla thing and has been going on and for years/decade.
Like Hancock, Prince Charles went to the University of Cambridge.
What is it with the finest university in the world producing so many fornicators and adulterers?
When Wales beats Denmark tomorrow, and England lose to Germany, with Kane misfiring again, on Tuesday the narrative will be football and then the B&S election will make the headlines
Hancock may get away it it but that does not excuse the fact he should have resigned/ been sacked
China threatened to withhold vaccines from Ukraine for human rights scrutiny - reports
The Associated Press reports that China threatened to withhold 500,000 COVID vaccines from Ukraine if the country went through with plans to cosign a statement calling for more investigations into what is happening in Xinjiang.
More than a million Uighur Muslims are said to be in so called "reeducation camps" in the region. Sky News reported this week on how Uighur cemeteries are being destroyed in the region.
Two diplomats familiar with the matter told the Associated Press that Ukraine pulled out of the plan to call for immediate access for independent inspectors to Xinjiang following the pressure.
Ukraine purchased 1.9 million doses of the CoronaVac jab from China's Sinovac Biotech. As of early May, Ukraine had received 1.2 million doses.
More than 40 countries supported the statement, which was presented by Canada at the Human Rights Council in Geneva on Tuesday.
One of the Western diplomats called it sign of "bare-knuckles" diplomacy by China. The other diplomat cited "reports of significant pressure in Kyiv," adding, "last night the delegation told us they needed to pull out".
Ukraine did the right thing, and we should support them.
I hope we where one of the 40 nations to support the statement, but ether way, we should be sending them at least some of the AZ we are not using, and do it very quickly.
Ukraine is in a perilous situation with even less vaccination that Russia, and should be helped anyway, but this adds an extra reason to help.
I suspect that may have been the final straw for many Tory MPs “need time to heal marriage” gets a lot more sympathy than “dumping wife and mother of my 3 children to shack up with millionaire mistress”
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.”
Nope, just quoting that is insufficient to attain islamophobe status. To clear that bar you need to bang on about it at every opportunity and it needs to be about the only time you ever show any great concern for LGBT issues. I'm sure you understand.
Careful, you’ll end up shaming me into not mentioning your uncomfortable truths
Why the constant convoluted wriggle? It's not a crime to be prejudiced against Muslims.
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.”
Nope, just quoting that is insufficient to attain islamophobe status. To clear that bar you need to bang on about it at every opportunity and it needs to be about the only time you ever show any great concern for LGBT issues. I'm sure you understand.
Careful, you’ll end up shaming me into not mentioning your uncomfortable truths
Why the constant convoluted wriggle? It's not a crime to be prejudiced against Muslims.
You are the sort of person that shouted down people investigating the Rotherham child rapes.
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.”
Nope, just quoting that is insufficient to attain islamophobe status. To clear that bar you need to bang on about it at every opportunity and it needs to be about the only time you ever show any great concern for LGBT issues. I'm sure you understand.
Careful, you’ll end up shaming me into not mentioning your uncomfortable truths
Why the constant convoluted wriggle? It's not a crime to be prejudiced against Muslims.
Talking to yourself on an message board must rank very high on the things not to do on a Saturday night list
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.
Andy Burnham probably
Yep, he’s the strongest Labour politician around at the moment. They need to find a way to get him into Parliament at the next election.
Comments
There were successes to be had during Covid, but very few to be had in the quagmire of the recovery phase, a hole that gets bigger and deeper every week.
He hopes Matt Hancock will be back in frontline politics soon and he is sad Hancock has gone, not believing it was necessary (is the implication of the PM's response).
Anyone want to come out to bat?
It's an election they all deserve to lose. I don't think it is a walkover for the Tories.
Johnson's judgment is just appalling.
https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/chaotic-scenes-in-nsw-supermarkets-as-panic-buying-takes-hold/news-story/058dac1ea866a082325f5110ada699e5
Corrupt and a prick
The callers were, uniformly, brutal/angry/disgusted/contemptuous.
With the exception of one guy who opined that those who made the rules ought to be allowed to bend them (?).
I don’t often listen to it, but I was on a car journey. Not heard such mass contumely since Nick Clegg did his ‘sorry’ thing.
We think our social media's bad, but there's apparently some really dodgy stuff doing the rounds abroad. Oddly, much of it to the advantage of China/Russia.
Thank you Denmark for tonight's profits and shutting up the Welsh.
On Thursday night Hancock announced he's leaving his family, for his Mistress, who is on the government payroll, on his say so.
And he, and the PM thought he could brazen it out?
We need to be told exactly how long this has been going on.
Like Hancock, Prince Charles went to the University of Cambridge.
What is it with the finest university in the world producing so many fornicators and adulterers?
And England have not beaten Germany yet
NEW THREAD
I hope we where one of the 40 nations to support the statement, but ether way, we should be sending them at least some of the AZ we are not using, and do it very quickly.
Ukraine is in a perilous situation with even less vaccination that Russia, and should be helped anyway, but this adds an extra reason to help.
Doctor - So what seems to be the trouble?
Patient - Argar.
Doctor - Hmm, that could be serious. Would you please raise your right arm whilst balancing on your left leg?
Patient - Argar! Argar!
Doctor - Aha! Now we're getting somewhere . . .