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Meeks and Rentoul argue over Davey’s “No deals with CON” – politicalbetting.com

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  • RogerRoger Posts: 19,897
    edited September 2021

    So a vote for the Lib Dems is a vote for the Labour Party then? Is that Davey's game.

    What a shame. My current preference would be to vote LD and get an LD/Tory coalition again but if that's not even possible then what's a centre right ex Tory supposed to do?

    I'd gently remind you that you're not 'Centre Right'. Not even simply 'Right'. You are off the cliff 'Right '. Way beyond the Farage nut-jobs.
  • TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 42,952
    ping said:

    I’m broadly pro-choice on abortion and anti-assisted dying.

    I get the sense my position is rather unusual.

    I think my morality is strongly influenced by having a younger brother with severe disabilities and thinking through such moral issues in relation to him over a long period of time.

    I am, broadly, of the same view as you. Generally pro-choice and generally anti-assisted dying.

    It seems that a woman should have full control of her body but at the same time goodness only knows who gets to play god by deeming when a foetus is a person (with rights - the vast majority of foeti [?] would unhindered grow to become people).

    Likewise assisted dying. I get that people, say, with MND have chosen this option but the dangers of enshrining it in law to me are many and real.
  • HYUFD said:

    Y'all know I'm ex Labour and now a LibDem. So those of you who are neither need to understand the mess out there in opposition parties. In the UK the Tories have made themselves completely alone, with no possible partner after the LD implosion of 2015 and the shitting on the DUP of 2020.

    Making a statement that "we will not work with the Tories" is not news. Nobody will work with the Tories again for a long time. But the flip isn't that we will go into coalition with Labour either. C&S is the absolute most I can see the party backing.

    The mess is that whilst all agree the Tories are unfit for office they don't know what to do about it or how to go about removing them. Unless Labour win a majority, the kingmakers will be the SNP and the threat of them holding the whip hand was a driving force in the final week of the 2015 election which gave Cameron a majority.

    Here is the real question. The Tories fall short. The only deal on the table is from the SNP who are prepared to provide confidence for a minority Tory government in exchange for favourable terms for a referendum.

    If you are Boris Johnson, what do you do...?

    Incoming denial for post GE agreement between Cons and SNP for Sindyref2 from HYUFD.
    There will never be another indyref2 again under a Tory government effectively, if the SNP want one they will have to get a Labour government.

    I would demand the Tories go into opposition rather than rely on the SNP as I expect would most Tory MPs.

    In any case the SNP would not do any deal with the Tories anyway, it would guarantee their central belt seats go back to Labour
    You are unbelievable

    Who on earth are you to demand anything

    You are not unique in that you only have one vote, and no matter your disgraceful attitude to other conservatives you do not own the conservative party

    Day by day, week by week, you have become an embarrassment and yes, you can tell me to clear off because I voted Blair twice, but fortunately the conservatives I know in my area and who I have previously campaigned with would send you to Coventry
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 122,889
    Carnyx said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Y'all know I'm ex Labour and now a LibDem. So those of you who are neither need to understand the mess out there in opposition parties. In the UK the Tories have made themselves completely alone, with no possible partner after the LD implosion of 2015 and the shitting on the DUP of 2020.

    Making a statement that "we will not work with the Tories" is not news. Nobody will work with the Tories again for a long time. But the flip isn't that we will go into coalition with Labour either. C&S is the absolute most I can see the party backing.

    The mess is that whilst all agree the Tories are unfit for office they don't know what to do about it or how to go about removing them. Unless Labour win a majority, the kingmakers will be the SNP and the threat of them holding the whip hand was a driving force in the final week of the 2015 election which gave Cameron a majority.

    Here is the real question. The Tories fall short. The only deal on the table is from the SNP who are prepared to provide confidence for a minority Tory government in exchange for favourable terms for a referendum.

    If you are Boris Johnson, what do you do...?

    Incoming denial for post GE agreement between Cons and SNP for Sindyref2 from HYUFD.
    There will never be another indyref2 again under a Tory government effectively, if the SNP want one they will have to get a Labour government.

    I would demand the Tories go into opposition rather than rely on the SNP as I expect would most Tory MPs.

    In any case the SNP would not do any deal with the Tories anyway, it would guarantee their central belt seats go back to Labour
    You really do talk some shite.

    "I would demand the Tories go into opposition rather than rely on the SNP as I expect would most Tory MPs."

    No you wouldn't. A Tory government allowed to do what Tory governments do or a chaotic Labour led one ruining things? You'd back the Tory government every time.

    "In any case the SNP would not do any deal with the Tories anyway, it would guarantee their central belt seats go back to Labour"

    Wipe the foam from your mouth and read this again. For "central belt" seats you mean "seats which would just have elected an SNP MP". So you believe that should the SNP secure the thing that SNP MPs were elected to secure, the people who voted for that thing they have just secured will vote for people against that thing in 2027?

    You really need to pull back the focus of things you post about. Preferably to wokeists and communists in Loughton or whatever that you can get sorted.
    The main reason they went from SLab to SNP is dislike of New Labour and Tory governments, they certainly did not want the SNP propping up Tory governments.

    I will not support indyref2
    You surely will if it becomes party policy. Indyref1 was party policy too.
    There was a Tory LD government in 2014 not a Tory majority government and it was supposed to be once in a generation
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,174
    https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/other/council-tax-should-be-replaced-with-annual-payment-think-tank-says/ar-AAOwJf0?ocid=entnewsntp&pc=U531

    If Labour come out with this 0.5% levy idea to replace council tax in their manifesto my X will be in the Labour box quicker than @HYUFD can make a u-turn on abortion policy.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 42,814
    Sandpit said:

    Foss said:

    Question: A Tory leadership election is triggered when 15 per cent of Tory MPs write a letter to the 1922 Committee chairman.

    Under the current rules, when is an individual classed as a Tory MP? Is it de facto after a returning officer has announced that they’re the winner of a constituency or is it de jure from when they're sworn in? Indeed, is a Tory leader effectively untouchable between the end of the previous parliament and the start of the next?

    A Johnson who can be challenged as soon as he talks to Sturgeon has a very different set of options to a Johnson who cannot and who can present something as a fait accompli.

    Between the dissolution of Parliament, and the swearing-in after the subsequent election, there are no MPs.
    True, but there are party members who have been elected to become MPs, and a party leader who is busy negotiating with other party leaders. There's nothing to stop the members-to-be of the 1922 group-to-be getting together informally and making their collective views known to Mr J so he is in no doublt about their reaction. Whether it is possible for a party leader to be overthrown on a similar timescale I'm not sure, if he is not willing to step down.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 122,889
    edited September 2021

    HYUFD said:

    Y'all know I'm ex Labour and now a LibDem. So those of you who are neither need to understand the mess out there in opposition parties. In the UK the Tories have made themselves completely alone, with no possible partner after the LD implosion of 2015 and the shitting on the DUP of 2020.

    Making a statement that "we will not work with the Tories" is not news. Nobody will work with the Tories again for a long time. But the flip isn't that we will go into coalition with Labour either. C&S is the absolute most I can see the party backing.

    The mess is that whilst all agree the Tories are unfit for office they don't know what to do about it or how to go about removing them. Unless Labour win a majority, the kingmakers will be the SNP and the threat of them holding the whip hand was a driving force in the final week of the 2015 election which gave Cameron a majority.

    Here is the real question. The Tories fall short. The only deal on the table is from the SNP who are prepared to provide confidence for a minority Tory government in exchange for favourable terms for a referendum.

    If you are Boris Johnson, what do you do...?

    Incoming denial for post GE agreement between Cons and SNP for Sindyref2 from HYUFD.
    There will never be another indyref2 again under a Tory government effectively, if the SNP want one they will have to get a Labour government.

    I would demand the Tories go into opposition rather than rely on the SNP as I expect would most Tory MPs.

    In any case the SNP would not do any deal with the Tories anyway, it would guarantee their central belt seats go back to Labour
    You are unbelievable

    Who on earth are you to demand anything

    You are not unique in that you only have one vote, and no matter your disgraceful attitude to other conservatives you do not own the conservative party

    Day by day, week by week, you have become an embarrassment and yes, you can tell me to clear off because I voted Blair twice, but fortunately the conservatives I know in my area and who I have previously campaigned with would send you to Coventry
    You will find BigG on most issues the average Tory voter let alone the average Tory member now has more in common with me than you now matter how much you huff and puff.

  • TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 42,952
    Yeah I really don't think that any politician would trust Johnson to form a pact with him. He s&&t the bed with his border in the Irish Sea which no British PM could ever agree to and standing staring business people in the eye saying there will be no checks between NI and GB.

    You would have to be a special type of stupid to believe anything he said when offering a pact with the political party you lead.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 96,071

    Related to on-topic, an interesting by-election yesterday in Middlesbrough:

    https://twitter.com/BritainElects/status/1438844755933282308
    IND (Grainge): 34.8% (+34.8)
    CON: 30.3% (-9.3)
    LAB: 21.7% (-38.7)
    IND (Platt): 11.6% (+11.6)
    LDEM: 1.3% (+1.3)
    IND (Hoban): 0.3% (+0.3)

    Seat was held by MIG (Middlesbrough Independent Group) after the death of their councillor who had defected from Labour to MIG after her election in 2019.

    As you can see, Labour got beaten into 3rd place. Worth noting that the other independents also ran - MICA (Middlesbrough Independent Councillors Association). MIG are the group who held executive posts under independent Mayor Andy Preston until they all quit and made accusations against him. Preston then replaced them with the competing MICA group.

    See - it doesn't all have to be Labour and Tory. Instead you have two competing groups of independents fighting like ferrets in a sack.

    I've always enjoyed competing Independent groups. Just feels like they've missed the point somewhat.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 42,814
    HYUFD said:

    Carnyx said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Y'all know I'm ex Labour and now a LibDem. So those of you who are neither need to understand the mess out there in opposition parties. In the UK the Tories have made themselves completely alone, with no possible partner after the LD implosion of 2015 and the shitting on the DUP of 2020.

    Making a statement that "we will not work with the Tories" is not news. Nobody will work with the Tories again for a long time. But the flip isn't that we will go into coalition with Labour either. C&S is the absolute most I can see the party backing.

    The mess is that whilst all agree the Tories are unfit for office they don't know what to do about it or how to go about removing them. Unless Labour win a majority, the kingmakers will be the SNP and the threat of them holding the whip hand was a driving force in the final week of the 2015 election which gave Cameron a majority.

    Here is the real question. The Tories fall short. The only deal on the table is from the SNP who are prepared to provide confidence for a minority Tory government in exchange for favourable terms for a referendum.

    If you are Boris Johnson, what do you do...?

    Incoming denial for post GE agreement between Cons and SNP for Sindyref2 from HYUFD.
    There will never be another indyref2 again under a Tory government effectively, if the SNP want one they will have to get a Labour government.

    I would demand the Tories go into opposition rather than rely on the SNP as I expect would most Tory MPs.

    In any case the SNP would not do any deal with the Tories anyway, it would guarantee their central belt seats go back to Labour
    You really do talk some shite.

    "I would demand the Tories go into opposition rather than rely on the SNP as I expect would most Tory MPs."

    No you wouldn't. A Tory government allowed to do what Tory governments do or a chaotic Labour led one ruining things? You'd back the Tory government every time.

    "In any case the SNP would not do any deal with the Tories anyway, it would guarantee their central belt seats go back to Labour"

    Wipe the foam from your mouth and read this again. For "central belt" seats you mean "seats which would just have elected an SNP MP". So you believe that should the SNP secure the thing that SNP MPs were elected to secure, the people who voted for that thing they have just secured will vote for people against that thing in 2027?

    You really need to pull back the focus of things you post about. Preferably to wokeists and communists in Loughton or whatever that you can get sorted.
    The main reason they went from SLab to SNP is dislike of New Labour and Tory governments, they certainly did not want the SNP propping up Tory governments.

    I will not support indyref2
    You surely will if it becomes party policy. Indyref1 was party policy too.
    There was a Tory LD government in 2014 not a Tory majority government and it was supposed to be once in a generation
    You're just repeating that generation shite again, admittedly with the creative innovation of adding "it was a big boy that did it and ran away".
  • TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 42,952
    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Y'all know I'm ex Labour and now a LibDem. So those of you who are neither need to understand the mess out there in opposition parties. In the UK the Tories have made themselves completely alone, with no possible partner after the LD implosion of 2015 and the shitting on the DUP of 2020.

    Making a statement that "we will not work with the Tories" is not news. Nobody will work with the Tories again for a long time. But the flip isn't that we will go into coalition with Labour either. C&S is the absolute most I can see the party backing.

    The mess is that whilst all agree the Tories are unfit for office they don't know what to do about it or how to go about removing them. Unless Labour win a majority, the kingmakers will be the SNP and the threat of them holding the whip hand was a driving force in the final week of the 2015 election which gave Cameron a majority.

    Here is the real question. The Tories fall short. The only deal on the table is from the SNP who are prepared to provide confidence for a minority Tory government in exchange for favourable terms for a referendum.

    If you are Boris Johnson, what do you do...?

    Incoming denial for post GE agreement between Cons and SNP for Sindyref2 from HYUFD.
    There will never be another indyref2 again under a Tory government effectively, if the SNP want one they will have to get a Labour government.

    I would demand the Tories go into opposition rather than rely on the SNP as I expect would most Tory MPs.

    In any case the SNP would not do any deal with the Tories anyway, it would guarantee their central belt seats go back to Labour
    You are unbelievable

    Who on earth are you to demand anything

    You are not unique in that you only have one vote, and no matter your disgraceful attitude to other conservatives you do not own the conservative party

    Day by day, week by week, you have become an embarrassment and yes, you can tell me to clear off because I voted Blair twice, but fortunately the conservatives I know in my area and who I have previously campaigned with would send you to Coventry
    You will find BigG on most issues the average Tory voter let alone the average Tory member now has more in common with me than you now matter how much you huff and puff
    Apart from, you know, The Biggie.

    You and they are polls apart (geddit).
  • Roger said:

    I'm with Alastair. To a lot of people Johnson is repellent. Repellent beyond any normal dislike for a politician.

    So what does that say about Starmer if "a lot" of people are repelled by Johnson - yet on most metrics Johnson rates higher?
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 48,627
    Pro_Rata said:

    isam said:

    Does anyone know the stats on percentage of abortions from existing mothers?

    From https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/891405/abortion-statistics-commentary-2019.pdf

    2.25 In 2019, 55% of women undergoing abortions had had one or more previous
    pregnancies that resulted in a live or stillbirth, up from 49% in 2009 (Table 3a.vii).
    20% of women had had a previous pregnancy resulting in a miscarriage or ectopic
    pregnancy, up from 15% in 2009.
    There are around 200 000 surgical and medical abortions in the UK, and around 630 000 live births. Some miscarriages and still births too, but overall it looks like about a quarter of pregnancies are aborted.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 54,577
    Carnyx said:

    Sandpit said:

    Foss said:

    Question: A Tory leadership election is triggered when 15 per cent of Tory MPs write a letter to the 1922 Committee chairman.

    Under the current rules, when is an individual classed as a Tory MP? Is it de facto after a returning officer has announced that they’re the winner of a constituency or is it de jure from when they're sworn in? Indeed, is a Tory leader effectively untouchable between the end of the previous parliament and the start of the next?

    A Johnson who can be challenged as soon as he talks to Sturgeon has a very different set of options to a Johnson who cannot and who can present something as a fait accompli.

    Between the dissolution of Parliament, and the swearing-in after the subsequent election, there are no MPs.
    True, but there are party members who have been elected to become MPs, and a party leader who is busy negotiating with other party leaders. There's nothing to stop the members-to-be of the 1922 group-to-be getting together informally and making their collective views known to Mr J so he is in no doublt about their reaction. Whether it is possible for a party leader to be overthrown on a similar timescale I'm not sure, if he is not willing to step down.
    If the election is on Thursday, the swearings-in usually start on Monday. When there’s enough letters to the ‘22, the vote is usually within 48 hours, as we saw when Mrs May was challenged.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 42,098

    isam said:

    Sandpit said:

    isam said:

    Does anyone know the stats on percentage of abortions from existing mothers?

    “ In 2020, 58% of women undergoing abortions had had one or more previous pregnancies that resulted in a live or stillbirth, up from 50% in 2010 (Table 3a.vii). 22% of women had a previous pregnancy resulting in a miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy, up from 16% in 2010.”
    Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/abortion-statistics-for-england-and-wales-2020/abortion-statistics-england-and-wales-2020

    The scariest statistic, from a brief read through the document.
    “In 2020, 42% of women undergoing abortions had had one or more previous abortions. The proportion has increased steadily from 34% in 2010”
    I am really surprised it is as high as 58%, mothers who would have an abortion.

    When you look at the grounds for NHS granting one, it is almost impossible to get an abortion for any reason other than danger to the mother or the unborn child. I reckon damage to mental health must be a big player - I don’t know anyone who has had an abortion for any other reason than it was inconvenient to have a baby, I guess they must have gone private
    About 97% are on mental health grounds. You could say this is tantamount to abortion on demand, because if you want an abortion and are instead forced to carry a baby to term it seems obvious it would be mentally distressing, but two doctors have to agree and you have to convince them you would be distressed.
    That's right. It's for over 24 weeks where there needs to be exceptional circumstances such as danger to either mother or baby's life.
  • HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Y'all know I'm ex Labour and now a LibDem. So those of you who are neither need to understand the mess out there in opposition parties. In the UK the Tories have made themselves completely alone, with no possible partner after the LD implosion of 2015 and the shitting on the DUP of 2020.

    Making a statement that "we will not work with the Tories" is not news. Nobody will work with the Tories again for a long time. But the flip isn't that we will go into coalition with Labour either. C&S is the absolute most I can see the party backing.

    The mess is that whilst all agree the Tories are unfit for office they don't know what to do about it or how to go about removing them. Unless Labour win a majority, the kingmakers will be the SNP and the threat of them holding the whip hand was a driving force in the final week of the 2015 election which gave Cameron a majority.

    Here is the real question. The Tories fall short. The only deal on the table is from the SNP who are prepared to provide confidence for a minority Tory government in exchange for favourable terms for a referendum.

    If you are Boris Johnson, what do you do...?

    Incoming denial for post GE agreement between Cons and SNP for Sindyref2 from HYUFD.
    There will never be another indyref2 again under a Tory government effectively, if the SNP want one they will have to get a Labour government.

    I would demand the Tories go into opposition rather than rely on the SNP as I expect would most Tory MPs.

    In any case the SNP would not do any deal with the Tories anyway, it would guarantee their central belt seats go back to Labour
    You are unbelievable

    Who on earth are you to demand anything

    You are not unique in that you only have one vote, and no matter your disgraceful attitude to other conservatives you do not own the conservative party

    Day by day, week by week, you have become an embarrassment and yes, you can tell me to clear off because I voted Blair twice, but fortunately the conservatives I know in my area and who I have previously campaigned with would send you to Coventry
    You will find BigG on most issues the average Tory voter let alone the average Tory member now has more in common with me than you now matter how much you huff and puff.

    No they do not

    You are living in a fantasy
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 96,071

    Roger said:

    I'm with Alastair. To a lot of people Johnson is repellent. Repellent beyond any normal dislike for a politician.

    So what does that say about Starmer if "a lot" of people are repelled by Johnson - yet on most metrics Johnson rates higher?
    Boris repels many but also attracts many, it's pointless to talk only of repelling. Starmer doesnt repel many but as yet has struggled to attract as well.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 23,128
    France suspends 3000 unvaccinated Health Workers without pay. That's roughly the staff of a 500 bed district hospital in the UK.

    TBF it is about 1 in 1000 from the health / care sector in France.

    https://www.france24.com/en/france/20210916-france-suspends-3-000-unvaccinated-health-workers-without-pay
    About 3,000 workers in the health and care sectors have been suspended in France for failing to get vaccinated against COVID-19 before a government deadline, health minister Olivier Véran has announced.

  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 48,627
    TOPPING said:

    Yeah I really don't think that any politician would trust Johnson to form a pact with him. He s&&t the bed with his border in the Irish Sea which no British PM could ever agree to and standing staring business people in the eye saying there will be no checks between NI and GB.

    You would have to be a special type of stupid to believe anything he said when offering a pact with the political party you lead.

    I think that if Johnson lost his majority, there would be a new leader to negotiate with.

    That said, there is no way that the Lib Dems would support the party of Brexit. We want closer economic, social and cultural links with the EU. EEA or similar.
  • Pulpstar said:

    https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/other/council-tax-should-be-replaced-with-annual-payment-think-tank-says/ar-AAOwJf0?ocid=entnewsntp&pc=U531

    If Labour come out with this 0.5% levy idea to replace council tax in their manifesto my X will be in the Labour box quicker than @HYUFD can make a u-turn on abortion policy.

    It does seem a good idea and at a quick calculation I would pay about the same as I do now
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 35,986
    🚨 Exclusive 🚨 The government is bracing itself for supplies of beer, fizzy drinks and meat to be hit by a severe shortage of CO2

    🛒 Supermarkets and restaurants expected to be affected in the coming days

    👇 Read the full story from @AdamPayne26

    https://www.politicshome.com/news/article/beer-and-fizzy-drink-supplies-at-risk-from-co2-shortages
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,174

    Pulpstar said:

    https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/other/council-tax-should-be-replaced-with-annual-payment-think-tank-says/ar-AAOwJf0?ocid=entnewsntp&pc=U531

    If Labour come out with this 0.5% levy idea to replace council tax in their manifesto my X will be in the Labour box quicker than @HYUFD can make a u-turn on abortion policy.

    It does seem a good idea and at a quick calculation I would pay about the same as I do now
    I'd save about £800 a year.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,174
    Foxy said:

    Pro_Rata said:

    isam said:

    Does anyone know the stats on percentage of abortions from existing mothers?

    From https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/891405/abortion-statistics-commentary-2019.pdf

    2.25 In 2019, 55% of women undergoing abortions had had one or more previous
    pregnancies that resulted in a live or stillbirth, up from 49% in 2009 (Table 3a.vii).
    20% of women had had a previous pregnancy resulting in a miscarriage or ectopic
    pregnancy, up from 15% in 2009.
    There are around 200 000 surgical and medical abortions in the UK, and around 630 000 live births. Some miscarriages and still births too, but overall it looks like about a quarter of pregnancies are aborted.
    Hmm you're not in obs-gyn are you ^^;

    I reckon that's probably about a million pregnancies.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 23,128
    edited September 2021

    Pulpstar said:

    https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/other/council-tax-should-be-replaced-with-annual-payment-think-tank-says/ar-AAOwJf0?ocid=entnewsntp&pc=U531

    If Labour come out with this 0.5% levy idea to replace council tax in their manifesto my X will be in the Labour box quicker than @HYUFD can make a u-turn on abortion policy.

    It does seem a good idea and at a quick calculation I would pay about the same as I do now
    Isn't that devolved to Wales?

    (Excellent idea, though, and Stamp Duty gets abolished too. But our PB one percenters will be squealing like live piglets being turned into pork scratchings with a rusty cut throat razor. I make it that my costs for my home would go up a little, which I would more then recover when I buy the next place. People in a normal terraced house here would benefit to the tune of 1-2% of average income.)
  • HYUFD said:

    There was a Tory LD government in 2014 not a Tory majority government and it was supposed to be once in a generation

    "Once in a generation" is HYUFD chanting "I believe in fairies"

    Was the referendum legislated as once in a generation
    Was the referendum referred to as once in a generation when the laws creating it were debated
    Was the referendum promoted as once in a generation aside from an off the cuff interview comment

    Quite simply the referendum was not in any way once in a generation. You either know this and are endlessly lying. Or you are now believing in fairies.

    Either way, it is embarrassing for you to keep chanting it with this kind of impotent non-authority.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 42,098
    HYUFD said:

    No, they would still vote for it, as 22 weeks is a step in the right direction to 12 weeks and still below the current 24 weeks. Votes could then also be held on 20 weeks and 12 weeks on a free vote basis after though those would be less likely to pass

    I see the featured object of your desired everlasting dominion has transferred from Scotland to women's bodies.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 122,889
    TOPPING said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Y'all know I'm ex Labour and now a LibDem. So those of you who are neither need to understand the mess out there in opposition parties. In the UK the Tories have made themselves completely alone, with no possible partner after the LD implosion of 2015 and the shitting on the DUP of 2020.

    Making a statement that "we will not work with the Tories" is not news. Nobody will work with the Tories again for a long time. But the flip isn't that we will go into coalition with Labour either. C&S is the absolute most I can see the party backing.

    The mess is that whilst all agree the Tories are unfit for office they don't know what to do about it or how to go about removing them. Unless Labour win a majority, the kingmakers will be the SNP and the threat of them holding the whip hand was a driving force in the final week of the 2015 election which gave Cameron a majority.

    Here is the real question. The Tories fall short. The only deal on the table is from the SNP who are prepared to provide confidence for a minority Tory government in exchange for favourable terms for a referendum.

    If you are Boris Johnson, what do you do...?

    Incoming denial for post GE agreement between Cons and SNP for Sindyref2 from HYUFD.
    There will never be another indyref2 again under a Tory government effectively, if the SNP want one they will have to get a Labour government.

    I would demand the Tories go into opposition rather than rely on the SNP as I expect would most Tory MPs.

    In any case the SNP would not do any deal with the Tories anyway, it would guarantee their central belt seats go back to Labour
    You are unbelievable

    Who on earth are you to demand anything

    You are not unique in that you only have one vote, and no matter your disgraceful attitude to other conservatives you do not own the conservative party

    Day by day, week by week, you have become an embarrassment and yes, you can tell me to clear off because I voted Blair twice, but fortunately the conservatives I know in my area and who I have previously campaigned with would send you to Coventry
    You will find BigG on most issues the average Tory voter let alone the average Tory member now has more in common with me than you now matter how much you huff and puff
    Apart from, you know, The Biggie.

    You and they are polls apart (geddit).
    BigG was also a Remainer and the comparison was with BigG, so there is no difference between us on Brexit in the sense we both respect the vote the differences are on other issues
  • TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 42,952
    Foxy said:

    TOPPING said:

    Yeah I really don't think that any politician would trust Johnson to form a pact with him. He s&&t the bed with his border in the Irish Sea which no British PM could ever agree to and standing staring business people in the eye saying there will be no checks between NI and GB.

    You would have to be a special type of stupid to believe anything he said when offering a pact with the political party you lead.

    I think that if Johnson lost his majority, there would be a new leader to negotiate with.

    That said, there is no way that the Lib Dems would support the party of Brexit. We want closer economic, social and cultural links with the EU. EEA or similar.
    Yes absolutely but look at the Cons now - flying high why would there be a new leader? Sure the Cons/BJ's numbers are slipping but this is mid-term they should be shocking instead they are bobbing around parity with Lab and still generally 5pts ahead.

    I just don't see a new leader. And I backed Boris to be out by, er, Sep 2021 god help me.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 42,098
    Bell v Tavistock overturned: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58598186
  • MattW said:

    Pulpstar said:

    https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/other/council-tax-should-be-replaced-with-annual-payment-think-tank-says/ar-AAOwJf0?ocid=entnewsntp&pc=U531

    If Labour come out with this 0.5% levy idea to replace council tax in their manifesto my X will be in the Labour box quicker than @HYUFD can make a u-turn on abortion policy.

    It does seem a good idea and at a quick calculation I would pay about the same as I do now
    Isn't that devolved to Wales?

    (Excellent idea, and Stamp Duty gets abolished too. But our PB one percenters will be squealing like live piglets being turned into pork sratchings with a cut throat razor.)
    No - we pay council tax
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 122,889

    HYUFD said:

    There was a Tory LD government in 2014 not a Tory majority government and it was supposed to be once in a generation

    "Once in a generation" is HYUFD chanting "I believe in fairies"

    Was the referendum legislated as once in a generation
    Was the referendum referred to as once in a generation when the laws creating it were debated
    Was the referendum promoted as once in a generation aside from an off the cuff interview comment

    Quite simply the referendum was not in any way once in a generation. You either know this and are endlessly lying. Or you are now believing in fairies.

    Either way, it is embarrassing for you to keep chanting it with this kind of impotent non-authority.
    In Sturgeon's own words it was

    https://www.facebook.com/ScottishConservatives/videos/they-said-it-was-a-once-in-a-generation-event/2666429930077957/

    However regardless the future of the union is reserved to Westminster under the Scotland Act 1998 and as long as we continue to have a Tory government it will say no.
  • HYUFD said:

    There was a Tory LD government in 2014 not a Tory majority government and it was supposed to be once in a generation

    "Once in a generation" is HYUFD chanting "I believe in fairies"

    Was the referendum legislated as once in a generation
    Was the referendum referred to as once in a generation when the laws creating it were debated
    Was the referendum promoted as once in a generation aside from an off the cuff interview comment

    Quite simply the referendum was not in any way once in a generation. You either know this and are endlessly lying. Or you are now believing in fairies.

    Either way, it is embarrassing for you to keep chanting it with this kind of impotent non-authority.
    He is embarrassing in so many ways
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 35,986
    The risk of serious food shortages caused by the shutdown of two of the UK’s biggest CO2 production sites has prompted the government to intervene in talks with the plants’ American owner
    https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/fears-of-food-shortages-as-energy-price-rises-force-co2-plants-to-shut-down-w3rwq0g0z?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1631889358
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 48,627
    Pulpstar said:

    Foxy said:

    Pro_Rata said:

    isam said:

    Does anyone know the stats on percentage of abortions from existing mothers?

    From https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/891405/abortion-statistics-commentary-2019.pdf

    2.25 In 2019, 55% of women undergoing abortions had had one or more previous
    pregnancies that resulted in a live or stillbirth, up from 49% in 2009 (Table 3a.vii).
    20% of women had had a previous pregnancy resulting in a miscarriage or ectopic
    pregnancy, up from 15% in 2009.
    There are around 200 000 surgical and medical abortions in the UK, and around 630 000 live births. Some miscarriages and still births too, but overall it looks like about a quarter of pregnancies are aborted.
    Hmm you're not in obs-gyn are you ^^;

    I reckon that's probably about a million pregnancies.
    Probably in that ball park, but while miscarriages are often tragic, in terms of political debate it is births and deliberate abortions that matter.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,174
    MattW said:

    Pulpstar said:

    https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/other/council-tax-should-be-replaced-with-annual-payment-think-tank-says/ar-AAOwJf0?ocid=entnewsntp&pc=U531

    If Labour come out with this 0.5% levy idea to replace council tax in their manifesto my X will be in the Labour box quicker than @HYUFD can make a u-turn on abortion policy.

    It does seem a good idea and at a quick calculation I would pay about the same as I do now
    Isn't that devolved to Wales?

    (Excellent idea, and Stamp Duty gets abolished too. But our PB one percenters will be squealing like live piglets being turned into pork scratchings with a rusty cut throat razor. I make it that my costs for my home would go up a little, which I would more than recover when I buy the next place.)
    Lol do you have the solitary house in Nottinghamshire that would be adversely affected by this :D ?
  • TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 42,952
    HYUFD said:

    TOPPING said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Y'all know I'm ex Labour and now a LibDem. So those of you who are neither need to understand the mess out there in opposition parties. In the UK the Tories have made themselves completely alone, with no possible partner after the LD implosion of 2015 and the shitting on the DUP of 2020.

    Making a statement that "we will not work with the Tories" is not news. Nobody will work with the Tories again for a long time. But the flip isn't that we will go into coalition with Labour either. C&S is the absolute most I can see the party backing.

    The mess is that whilst all agree the Tories are unfit for office they don't know what to do about it or how to go about removing them. Unless Labour win a majority, the kingmakers will be the SNP and the threat of them holding the whip hand was a driving force in the final week of the 2015 election which gave Cameron a majority.

    Here is the real question. The Tories fall short. The only deal on the table is from the SNP who are prepared to provide confidence for a minority Tory government in exchange for favourable terms for a referendum.

    If you are Boris Johnson, what do you do...?

    Incoming denial for post GE agreement between Cons and SNP for Sindyref2 from HYUFD.
    There will never be another indyref2 again under a Tory government effectively, if the SNP want one they will have to get a Labour government.

    I would demand the Tories go into opposition rather than rely on the SNP as I expect would most Tory MPs.

    In any case the SNP would not do any deal with the Tories anyway, it would guarantee their central belt seats go back to Labour
    You are unbelievable

    Who on earth are you to demand anything

    You are not unique in that you only have one vote, and no matter your disgraceful attitude to other conservatives you do not own the conservative party

    Day by day, week by week, you have become an embarrassment and yes, you can tell me to clear off because I voted Blair twice, but fortunately the conservatives I know in my area and who I have previously campaigned with would send you to Coventry
    You will find BigG on most issues the average Tory voter let alone the average Tory member now has more in common with me than you now matter how much you huff and puff
    Apart from, you know, The Biggie.

    You and they are polls apart (geddit).
    BigG was also a Remainer and the comparison was with BigG, so there is no difference between us on Brexit in the sense we both respect the vote the differences are on other issues
    Of course but you said "on most issues the average Tory voter...has more in common with" you.

    Most perhaps, but not the defining issue of this Conservative government. Which is fine, I respect the fact that you still believe Remain was the right choice but accept the democratic decision that said we left.

    But that doesn't make a difference to your political beliefs, which are at odds with those of the Conservative Party (that leaving was a good idea).
  • Britain Decides - model update:

    Government loses its majority on the latest polls.

    CON: 316 MPs (-49)
    LAB: 241 (+39)
    SNP: 56 (+8)
    LDEM: 13 (+2)


    https://twitter.com/BritainElects/status/1438877519659294721?s=20
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 48,627
    TOPPING said:

    Foxy said:

    TOPPING said:

    Yeah I really don't think that any politician would trust Johnson to form a pact with him. He s&&t the bed with his border in the Irish Sea which no British PM could ever agree to and standing staring business people in the eye saying there will be no checks between NI and GB.

    You would have to be a special type of stupid to believe anything he said when offering a pact with the political party you lead.

    I think that if Johnson lost his majority, there would be a new leader to negotiate with.

    That said, there is no way that the Lib Dems would support the party of Brexit. We want closer economic, social and cultural links with the EU. EEA or similar.
    Yes absolutely but look at the Cons now - flying high why would there be a new leader? Sure the Cons/BJ's numbers are slipping but this is mid-term they should be shocking instead they are bobbing around parity with Lab and still generally 5pts ahead.

    I just don't see a new leader. And I backed Boris to be out by, er, Sep 2021 god help me.
    My point is that if Johnson were needing to negotiate a coalition or C and S, he would be doing so because he lost more seats than his current majority. There would be a new Con leader, sure as eggs is eggs. Probably not quickly enough to negotiate though possibly that would be done by an acting leader.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 122,889
    edited September 2021

    Britain Decides - model update:

    Government loses its majority on the latest polls.

    CON: 316 MPs (-49)
    LAB: 241 (+39)
    SNP: 56 (+8)
    LDEM: 13 (+2)


    https://twitter.com/BritainElects/status/1438877519659294721?s=20

    However it could stay in power with the 8 DUP MPs if they back the Tories again, assuming SF do not take their seats.

    What better way to win over our DUP friends than promising to reduce the abortion time limit to 22 weeks for the whole UK as a bonus while Lord Frost continues to work to remove the Irish Sea border?
  • AlistairAlistair Posts: 23,670
    edited September 2021
    Scottish Case numbers are incredible.

    5,885 is the combined figure for yesterday and today.

    The equivalent two days last week were 13,651

    That's a monstrous fall.
  • TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 42,952
    kinabalu said:

    Bell v Tavistock overturned: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58598186

    What does that mean? I mean I know it's something to do with the Tavvy but what are the implications?
  • TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 42,952
    Foxy said:

    TOPPING said:

    Foxy said:

    TOPPING said:

    Yeah I really don't think that any politician would trust Johnson to form a pact with him. He s&&t the bed with his border in the Irish Sea which no British PM could ever agree to and standing staring business people in the eye saying there will be no checks between NI and GB.

    You would have to be a special type of stupid to believe anything he said when offering a pact with the political party you lead.

    I think that if Johnson lost his majority, there would be a new leader to negotiate with.

    That said, there is no way that the Lib Dems would support the party of Brexit. We want closer economic, social and cultural links with the EU. EEA or similar.
    Yes absolutely but look at the Cons now - flying high why would there be a new leader? Sure the Cons/BJ's numbers are slipping but this is mid-term they should be shocking instead they are bobbing around parity with Lab and still generally 5pts ahead.

    I just don't see a new leader. And I backed Boris to be out by, er, Sep 2021 god help me.
    My point is that if Johnson were needing to negotiate a coalition or C and S, he would be doing so because he lost more seats than his current majority. There would be a new Con leader, sure as eggs is eggs. Probably not quickly enough to negotiate though possibly that would be done by an acting leader.
    Ah yes good point.
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 49,859
    edited September 2021

    The idea that any party would do a coalition with Boris is off the wall. For the Tories, this is the man who's literally turned untrustworthiness into a virtue.

    This is the key point.

    He’s betrayed most of his women.

    He’s lied to his employers, and to us as voters, over and over

    He’s been shown willing to break British law to get his own way.

    He’s been willing to break international agreements.

    What sane politician could ever do a deal with this man?
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 96,071

    Britain Decides - model update:

    Government loses its majority on the latest polls.

    CON: 316 MPs (-49)
    LAB: 241 (+39)
    SNP: 56 (+8)
    LDEM: 13 (+2)


    https://twitter.com/BritainElects/status/1438877519659294721?s=20

    If it ever gets super close worth remembering that an absolute majority is not needed even without allies, depending how many SF get. Yes it's only a few less than a majority needed, and itd be weak, but would be enough to cling on for a bit.
  • Foxy said:

    TOPPING said:

    Foxy said:

    TOPPING said:

    Yeah I really don't think that any politician would trust Johnson to form a pact with him. He s&&t the bed with his border in the Irish Sea which no British PM could ever agree to and standing staring business people in the eye saying there will be no checks between NI and GB.

    You would have to be a special type of stupid to believe anything he said when offering a pact with the political party you lead.

    I think that if Johnson lost his majority, there would be a new leader to negotiate with.

    That said, there is no way that the Lib Dems would support the party of Brexit. We want closer economic, social and cultural links with the EU. EEA or similar.
    Yes absolutely but look at the Cons now - flying high why would there be a new leader? Sure the Cons/BJ's numbers are slipping but this is mid-term they should be shocking instead they are bobbing around parity with Lab and still generally 5pts ahead.

    I just don't see a new leader. And I backed Boris to be out by, er, Sep 2021 god help me.
    My point is that if Johnson were needing to negotiate a coalition or C and S, he would be doing so because he lost more seats than his current majority. There would be a new Con leader, sure as eggs is eggs. Probably not quickly enough to negotiate though possibly that would be done by an acting leader.
    Didn't the LibDems make clear in 2010 that while they might go into coalition with Labour, the price would be replacing Brown? (Not that the maths would have worked).
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 48,627
    kinabalu said:

    Bell v Tavistock overturned: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58598186

    I think that is in line with the rulings over Gillick.

    The question then becomes one of assessing Competence and Informed Consent in these troubled teenagers, which is quite a minefield to dance through.
  • TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 42,952
    IanB2 said:

    The idea that any party would do a coalition with Boris is off the wall. For the Tories, this is the man who's literally turned untrustworthiness into a virtue.

    This is the key point.

    He’s betrayed most of his women.

    He’s been shown willing to break British law to get his own way.

    He’s been willing to break international agreements.

    What sane politician could ever do a deal with this man?
    @Foxy's point being that if the Cons were in the position of needing support then Boris would be out.

    Which I think is likely in the medium term but perhaps not in the short term and there's a 5-10% chance that Boris would try to tough it out - most successful leader in a generation, etc, etc. And he might well succeed.

    In which case absolutely, no sane party leader would go near him.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 96,071
    edited September 2021
    IanB2 said:

    The idea that any party would do a coalition with Boris is off the wall. For the Tories, this is the man who's literally turned untrustworthiness into a virtue.

    This is the key point.

    He’s betrayed most of his women.

    He’s lied to his employers, and to us as voters, over and over

    He’s been shown willing to break British law to get his own way.

    He’s been willing to break international agreements.

    What sane politician could ever do a deal with this man?
    No one trusts Boris but he's still managed to make them need him to win. That is rather impressive if infuriating for many.
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 63,027
    edited September 2021
    TOPPING said:

    Foxy said:

    TOPPING said:

    Yeah I really don't think that any politician would trust Johnson to form a pact with him. He s&&t the bed with his border in the Irish Sea which no British PM could ever agree to and standing staring business people in the eye saying there will be no checks between NI and GB.

    You would have to be a special type of stupid to believe anything he said when offering a pact with the political party you lead.

    I think that if Johnson lost his majority, there would be a new leader to negotiate with.

    That said, there is no way that the Lib Dems would support the party of Brexit. We want closer economic, social and cultural links with the EU. EEA or similar.
    Yes absolutely but look at the Cons now - flying high why would there be a new leader? Sure the Cons/BJ's numbers are slipping but this is mid-term they should be shocking instead they are bobbing around parity with Lab and still generally 5pts ahead.

    I just don't see a new leader. And I backed Boris to be out by, er, Sep 2021 god help me.
    He never fails to surprise

    He has had a dreadful time, then he reshuffles his cabinet getting rid of Williamson and demoting Raab, while promoting many women

    Then he springs AUKUS on everyone with no leaks or even hints and receives endorsements from Starmer, Blackford, and many others including countries across the Trans Pacific

    It is said he is very buoyant and confident and certainly attending the UN next week and the formal signing of the AUKUS agreement will have more camera bulbs flashing

    It would be unwise to underestimate him though my preference would either be Rishi or Truss ( yes I do rate her)
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,174
    Foxy said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Foxy said:

    Pro_Rata said:

    isam said:

    Does anyone know the stats on percentage of abortions from existing mothers?

    From https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/891405/abortion-statistics-commentary-2019.pdf

    2.25 In 2019, 55% of women undergoing abortions had had one or more previous
    pregnancies that resulted in a live or stillbirth, up from 49% in 2009 (Table 3a.vii).
    20% of women had had a previous pregnancy resulting in a miscarriage or ectopic
    pregnancy, up from 15% in 2009.
    There are around 200 000 surgical and medical abortions in the UK, and around 630 000 live births. Some miscarriages and still births too, but overall it looks like about a quarter of pregnancies are aborted.
    Hmm you're not in obs-gyn are you ^^;

    I reckon that's probably about a million pregnancies.
    Probably in that ball park, but while miscarriages are often tragic, in terms of political debate it is births and deliberate abortions that matter.
    I'd disagree with your use of "often" here but no matter - on deliberate abortions even at 20% that's a staggering and very sad figure to my mind :(
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 48,627

    Foxy said:

    TOPPING said:

    Foxy said:

    TOPPING said:

    Yeah I really don't think that any politician would trust Johnson to form a pact with him. He s&&t the bed with his border in the Irish Sea which no British PM could ever agree to and standing staring business people in the eye saying there will be no checks between NI and GB.

    You would have to be a special type of stupid to believe anything he said when offering a pact with the political party you lead.

    I think that if Johnson lost his majority, there would be a new leader to negotiate with.

    That said, there is no way that the Lib Dems would support the party of Brexit. We want closer economic, social and cultural links with the EU. EEA or similar.
    Yes absolutely but look at the Cons now - flying high why would there be a new leader? Sure the Cons/BJ's numbers are slipping but this is mid-term they should be shocking instead they are bobbing around parity with Lab and still generally 5pts ahead.

    I just don't see a new leader. And I backed Boris to be out by, er, Sep 2021 god help me.
    My point is that if Johnson were needing to negotiate a coalition or C and S, he would be doing so because he lost more seats than his current majority. There would be a new Con leader, sure as eggs is eggs. Probably not quickly enough to negotiate though possibly that would be done by an acting leader.
    Didn't the LibDems make clear in 2010 that while they might go into coalition with Labour, the price would be replacing Brown? (Not that the maths would have worked).
    Yes, I don't think it tenable to support a PM who has just been rejected. Only the DUP make that mistake!
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    edited September 2021
    MattW said:

    Pulpstar said:

    https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/other/council-tax-should-be-replaced-with-annual-payment-think-tank-says/ar-AAOwJf0?ocid=entnewsntp&pc=U531

    If Labour come out with this 0.5% levy idea to replace council tax in their manifesto my X will be in the Labour box quicker than @HYUFD can make a u-turn on abortion policy.

    It does seem a good idea and at a quick calculation I would pay about the same as I do now
    Isn't that devolved to Wales?

    (Excellent idea, though, and Stamp Duty gets abolished too. But our PB one percenters will be squealing like live piglets being turned into pork scratchings with a rusty cut throat razor. I make it that my costs for my home would go up a little, which I would more then recover when I buy the next place. People in a normal terraced house here would benefit to the tune of 1-2% of average income.)
    Stamp duty abolition will feed straight into an equivalent house price rise.
  • HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    There was a Tory LD government in 2014 not a Tory majority government and it was supposed to be once in a generation

    "Once in a generation" is HYUFD chanting "I believe in fairies"

    Was the referendum legislated as once in a generation
    Was the referendum referred to as once in a generation when the laws creating it were debated
    Was the referendum promoted as once in a generation aside from an off the cuff interview comment

    Quite simply the referendum was not in any way once in a generation. You either know this and are endlessly lying. Or you are now believing in fairies.

    Either way, it is embarrassing for you to keep chanting it with this kind of impotent non-authority.
    In Sturgeon's own words it was

    https://www.facebook.com/ScottishConservatives/videos/they-said-it-was-a-once-in-a-generation-event/2666429930077957/

    However regardless the future of the union is reserved to Westminster under the Scotland Act 1998 and as long as we continue to have a Tory government it will say no.
    Until they say yes
  • Lagging indicator - so hopefully this was Scotland's peak, and the last two days cases are well down:



    https://twitter.com/ONS/status/1438820215341604868?s=20
  • 32,651 and 178
  • 32,651 cases....178 deaths.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 48,627
    Pulpstar said:

    Foxy said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Foxy said:

    Pro_Rata said:

    isam said:

    Does anyone know the stats on percentage of abortions from existing mothers?

    From https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/891405/abortion-statistics-commentary-2019.pdf

    2.25 In 2019, 55% of women undergoing abortions had had one or more previous
    pregnancies that resulted in a live or stillbirth, up from 49% in 2009 (Table 3a.vii).
    20% of women had had a previous pregnancy resulting in a miscarriage or ectopic
    pregnancy, up from 15% in 2009.
    There are around 200 000 surgical and medical abortions in the UK, and around 630 000 live births. Some miscarriages and still births too, but overall it looks like about a quarter of pregnancies are aborted.
    Hmm you're not in obs-gyn are you ^^;

    I reckon that's probably about a million pregnancies.
    Probably in that ball park, but while miscarriages are often tragic, in terms of political debate it is births and deliberate abortions that matter.
    I'd disagree with your use of "often" here but no matter - on deliberate abortions even at 20% that's a staggering and very sad figure to my mind :(
    A high percentage of miscarriages are very early, often before the woman is aware of more than being a bit late. Later ones are often devastating.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 122,889

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    There was a Tory LD government in 2014 not a Tory majority government and it was supposed to be once in a generation

    "Once in a generation" is HYUFD chanting "I believe in fairies"

    Was the referendum legislated as once in a generation
    Was the referendum referred to as once in a generation when the laws creating it were debated
    Was the referendum promoted as once in a generation aside from an off the cuff interview comment

    Quite simply the referendum was not in any way once in a generation. You either know this and are endlessly lying. Or you are now believing in fairies.

    Either way, it is embarrassing for you to keep chanting it with this kind of impotent non-authority.
    In Sturgeon's own words it was

    https://www.facebook.com/ScottishConservatives/videos/they-said-it-was-a-once-in-a-generation-event/2666429930077957/

    However regardless the future of the union is reserved to Westminster under the Scotland Act 1998 and as long as we continue to have a Tory government it will say no.
    Until they say yes
    It will say No and on current polls it is Sir Jeffrey Donaldson Boris will need to win over, he will not need Sturgeon or Blackford
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 96,071
    Foxy said:

    Foxy said:

    TOPPING said:

    Foxy said:

    TOPPING said:

    Yeah I really don't think that any politician would trust Johnson to form a pact with him. He s&&t the bed with his border in the Irish Sea which no British PM could ever agree to and standing staring business people in the eye saying there will be no checks between NI and GB.

    You would have to be a special type of stupid to believe anything he said when offering a pact with the political party you lead.

    I think that if Johnson lost his majority, there would be a new leader to negotiate with.

    That said, there is no way that the Lib Dems would support the party of Brexit. We want closer economic, social and cultural links with the EU. EEA or similar.
    Yes absolutely but look at the Cons now - flying high why would there be a new leader? Sure the Cons/BJ's numbers are slipping but this is mid-term they should be shocking instead they are bobbing around parity with Lab and still generally 5pts ahead.

    I just don't see a new leader. And I backed Boris to be out by, er, Sep 2021 god help me.
    My point is that if Johnson were needing to negotiate a coalition or C and S, he would be doing so because he lost more seats than his current majority. There would be a new Con leader, sure as eggs is eggs. Probably not quickly enough to negotiate though possibly that would be done by an acting leader.
    Didn't the LibDems make clear in 2010 that while they might go into coalition with Labour, the price would be replacing Brown? (Not that the maths would have worked).
    Yes, I don't think it tenable to support a PM who has just been rejected. Only the DUP make that mistake!
    May wasnt rejected, she led the most popularly supported UK wide party.

    It was a failure for her as she went backwards but it gets a but overegged.
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    TOPPING said:

    kinabalu said:

    Bell v Tavistock overturned: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58598186

    What does that mean? I mean I know it's something to do with the Tavvy but what are the implications?
    Overturns a ruling which said you can't give under 16s puberty blockers without parental permission.
  • Looking good so far from the return of the super spreading rug rats.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 122,889
    kle4 said:

    Foxy said:

    Foxy said:

    TOPPING said:

    Foxy said:

    TOPPING said:

    Yeah I really don't think that any politician would trust Johnson to form a pact with him. He s&&t the bed with his border in the Irish Sea which no British PM could ever agree to and standing staring business people in the eye saying there will be no checks between NI and GB.

    You would have to be a special type of stupid to believe anything he said when offering a pact with the political party you lead.

    I think that if Johnson lost his majority, there would be a new leader to negotiate with.

    That said, there is no way that the Lib Dems would support the party of Brexit. We want closer economic, social and cultural links with the EU. EEA or similar.
    Yes absolutely but look at the Cons now - flying high why would there be a new leader? Sure the Cons/BJ's numbers are slipping but this is mid-term they should be shocking instead they are bobbing around parity with Lab and still generally 5pts ahead.

    I just don't see a new leader. And I backed Boris to be out by, er, Sep 2021 god help me.
    My point is that if Johnson were needing to negotiate a coalition or C and S, he would be doing so because he lost more seats than his current majority. There would be a new Con leader, sure as eggs is eggs. Probably not quickly enough to negotiate though possibly that would be done by an acting leader.
    Didn't the LibDems make clear in 2010 that while they might go into coalition with Labour, the price would be replacing Brown? (Not that the maths would have worked).
    Yes, I don't think it tenable to support a PM who has just been rejected. Only the DUP make that mistake!
    May wasnt rejected, she led the most popularly supported UK wide party.

    It was a failure for her as she went backwards but it gets a but overegged.
    Indeed, the Tories and DUP won most seats, that was a bigger victory for the right in seat terms than Cameron's 2010 win when the Tories and LDs had a majority
  • Pro_RataPro_Rata Posts: 5,286
    Foxy said:

    Pro_Rata said:

    isam said:

    Does anyone know the stats on percentage of abortions from existing mothers?

    From https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/891405/abortion-statistics-commentary-2019.pdf

    2.25 In 2019, 55% of women undergoing abortions had had one or more previous
    pregnancies that resulted in a live or stillbirth, up from 49% in 2009 (Table 3a.vii).
    20% of women had had a previous pregnancy resulting in a miscarriage or ectopic
    pregnancy, up from 15% in 2009.
    There are around 200 000 surgical and medical abortions in the UK, and around 630 000 live births. Some miscarriages and still births too, but overall it looks like about a quarter of pregnancies are aborted.
    The estimate seems to be around 250 000 miscarriages per year, most in early pregnancy.

    Stillbirths, talking statistically the fourth distinct pregnancy outcome are, thankfully, far lower at around 3 000, but there are also
    2 000 deaths in the first month of life from the live births and abortions include around
    4 000 that are due to health issues detected in the foetus.

    In any case the total number of established pregnancies per year is around the 1.1 million mark.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 23,128
    edited September 2021
    Pulpstar said:

    MattW said:

    Pulpstar said:

    https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/other/council-tax-should-be-replaced-with-annual-payment-think-tank-says/ar-AAOwJf0?ocid=entnewsntp&pc=U531

    If Labour come out with this 0.5% levy idea to replace council tax in their manifesto my X will be in the Labour box quicker than @HYUFD can make a u-turn on abortion policy.

    It does seem a good idea and at a quick calculation I would pay about the same as I do now
    Isn't that devolved to Wales?

    (Excellent idea, and Stamp Duty gets abolished too. But our PB one percenters will be squealing like live piglets being turned into pork scratchings with a rusty cut throat razor. I make it that my costs for my home would go up a little, which I would more than recover when I buy the next place.)
    Lol do you have the solitary house in Nottinghamshire that would be adversely affected by this :D ?
    It's more that that. These are the Council tax bands where I am. In my area of 55k of properties I make it roughly 10-12% that would be modestly worse off.

    For people who live alone such as myself it kicks in at a somewhat lower level as I get a 25% discount on Council Tax. Mine is Band D worth around 300-325k.

    The % will be somewhat higher in more expensive areas of Notts, which is parts of the S of the county and probably Nottingham, and places where the nobs live such as part of Revenshead.



    Overall I think it is a very fair deal, and a good way of very gradual strategic levelling up, which will inflate very low house prices somewhat (& justify investment), and put a bit of downward pressure on expensive ones by increasing the costs modestly.

  • HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    There was a Tory LD government in 2014 not a Tory majority government and it was supposed to be once in a generation

    "Once in a generation" is HYUFD chanting "I believe in fairies"

    Was the referendum legislated as once in a generation
    Was the referendum referred to as once in a generation when the laws creating it were debated
    Was the referendum promoted as once in a generation aside from an off the cuff interview comment

    Quite simply the referendum was not in any way once in a generation. You either know this and are endlessly lying. Or you are now believing in fairies.

    Either way, it is embarrassing for you to keep chanting it with this kind of impotent non-authority.
    In Sturgeon's own words it was

    https://www.facebook.com/ScottishConservatives/videos/they-said-it-was-a-once-in-a-generation-event/2666429930077957/

    However regardless the future of the union is reserved to Westminster under the Scotland Act 1998 and as long as we continue to have a Tory government it will say no.
    Until they say yes
    Which is how long the SNP will be demanding referendums for......
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 48,627
    kle4 said:

    Foxy said:

    Foxy said:

    TOPPING said:

    Foxy said:

    TOPPING said:

    Yeah I really don't think that any politician would trust Johnson to form a pact with him. He s&&t the bed with his border in the Irish Sea which no British PM could ever agree to and standing staring business people in the eye saying there will be no checks between NI and GB.

    You would have to be a special type of stupid to believe anything he said when offering a pact with the political party you lead.

    I think that if Johnson lost his majority, there would be a new leader to negotiate with.

    That said, there is no way that the Lib Dems would support the party of Brexit. We want closer economic, social and cultural links with the EU. EEA or similar.
    Yes absolutely but look at the Cons now - flying high why would there be a new leader? Sure the Cons/BJ's numbers are slipping but this is mid-term they should be shocking instead they are bobbing around parity with Lab and still generally 5pts ahead.

    I just don't see a new leader. And I backed Boris to be out by, er, Sep 2021 god help me.
    My point is that if Johnson were needing to negotiate a coalition or C and S, he would be doing so because he lost more seats than his current majority. There would be a new Con leader, sure as eggs is eggs. Probably not quickly enough to negotiate though possibly that would be done by an acting leader.
    Didn't the LibDems make clear in 2010 that while they might go into coalition with Labour, the price would be replacing Brown? (Not that the maths would have worked).
    Yes, I don't think it tenable to support a PM who has just been rejected. Only the DUP make that mistake!
    May wasnt rejected, she led the most popularly supported UK wide party.

    It was a failure for her as she went backwards but it gets a but overegged.
    Her post 2017 GE regime was rather ignominious. In retrospect, a change of leadership quickly would probably have been better.
  • ChrisChris Posts: 11,747
    "Rentoul’s argument is that by ruling out one side Davey could be undermining his negotiating position."

    Never mind that - he could be undermining a large part of his vote who think they're supporting a cuddlier version of the Conservatives.
  • pigeonpigeon Posts: 4,837
    MattW said:

    France suspends 3000 unvaccinated Health Workers without pay. That's roughly the staff of a 500 bed district hospital in the UK.

    TBF it is about 1 in 1000 from the health / care sector in France.

    https://www.france24.com/en/france/20210916-france-suspends-3-000-unvaccinated-health-workers-without-pay
    About 3,000 workers in the health and care sectors have been suspended in France for failing to get vaccinated against COVID-19 before a government deadline, health minister Olivier Véran has announced.

    Nothing like as strong as the new measures announced in Italy where, from October 15th, anyone in employment in any organisation will be suspended without pay for failing to be vaccinated.

    They have elected to take radical measures to apply a boot to the necks of most refusers. People of working age who won't get jabbed are going to be deprived of their wages, on top of existing regulations that exclude all anti-vaxxers from many venues including gyms and restaurants.

    If, as a consequence, they manage to get through the Winter without yet another lockdown disaster and we do not then the Government will have a great deal of explaining to do.
  • SelebianSelebian Posts: 8,721
    edited September 2021
    TOPPING said:

    kinabalu said:

    Bell v Tavistock overturned: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58598186

    What does that mean? I mean I know it's something to do with the Tavvy but what are the implications?
    The previous ruling blocked puberty delaying medication without parents' consent (as it ruled that under 16s were not competent to give their own consent). Therefore it effectively gave parents a veto on puberty blocking (as, by 16, it is generally a bit late).

    It's a tricky area, as 'delaying' puberty can also have long term effects - it's not as simple as stop the medication, puberty happens and you end up physically (let alone mentally) the same as if no medication was given. But it still could be preferable to having to choose whether to do more invasive treatment early on.

    The overturning brings this back into line with all other medical issues, following Gillick, as Foxy said.

    Interestingly, the original argument in this case seems to be that there was poor information and not fully informed consent, which is more an issue in the particuar case than the principle - Tavistock might have made the judgement wrongly on the young person's competence to choose; it doesn't mean that all under 16s would not be competent to choose.
  • Another day of falling coronavirus cases in England - down a quarter in past 9 days. Even though there are signs of rising infections in school age kids, it's not yet outweighing falls in other ages. If this carries on next week we can probably relax about new school term

    https://twitter.com/Smyth_Chris/status/1438881983430598658?s=20
  • Foxy said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Foxy said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Foxy said:

    Pro_Rata said:

    isam said:

    Does anyone know the stats on percentage of abortions from existing mothers?

    From https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/891405/abortion-statistics-commentary-2019.pdf

    2.25 In 2019, 55% of women undergoing abortions had had one or more previous
    pregnancies that resulted in a live or stillbirth, up from 49% in 2009 (Table 3a.vii).
    20% of women had had a previous pregnancy resulting in a miscarriage or ectopic
    pregnancy, up from 15% in 2009.
    There are around 200 000 surgical and medical abortions in the UK, and around 630 000 live births. Some miscarriages and still births too, but overall it looks like about a quarter of pregnancies are aborted.
    Hmm you're not in obs-gyn are you ^^;

    I reckon that's probably about a million pregnancies.
    Probably in that ball park, but while miscarriages are often tragic, in terms of political debate it is births and deliberate abortions that matter.
    I'd disagree with your use of "often" here but no matter - on deliberate abortions even at 20% that's a staggering and very sad figure to my mind :(
    A high percentage of miscarriages are very early, often before the woman is aware of more than being a bit late. Later ones are often devastating.
    My daughter falls into the early category before her first born came along
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 42,814
    edited September 2021
    IshmaelZ said:

    TOPPING said:

    kinabalu said:

    Bell v Tavistock overturned: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58598186

    What does that mean? I mean I know it's something to do with the Tavvy but what are the implications?
    Overturns a ruling which said you can't give under 16s puberty blockers without parental permission.
    [deleted - happily Selebian has commented learnedly.]
  • JohnOJohnO Posts: 4,291
    Anyway, there’s not the slightest chance of the next Conservative manifesto containing a commitment to restrict abortions to 22 weeks or any other level. It might conceivably pledge to have another vote on the matter (like Cameron did over hunting…did that ever happen?) but it will be a free vote as it has always been.

    But even that is lower than 5%: I doubt the Prime Minister will want to be reminded on the campaign trail of his relationship with Petronnella Wyatt and his encouraging her….
  • Brutal - the ONS upper estimate (they estimate a range) of COVID infection in Scotland w/e Sept 11 was nearly 3% of the population, with the lower estimate 2%:


  • Our Runner-up for University of the Year, Warwick (@warwickuni), also embraced the academic and research challenges presented by the pandemic

    Students strongly endorsed Warwick’s pandemic learning model, lifting it into the top 20 on both our measures of student satisfaction

    https://twitter.com/thetimes/status/1438749928315138057?s=20

    Given the performance of the COVID modellers, should have been minus 1,000,000 points.
  • pigeon said:

    MattW said:

    France suspends 3000 unvaccinated Health Workers without pay. That's roughly the staff of a 500 bed district hospital in the UK.

    TBF it is about 1 in 1000 from the health / care sector in France.

    https://www.france24.com/en/france/20210916-france-suspends-3-000-unvaccinated-health-workers-without-pay
    About 3,000 workers in the health and care sectors have been suspended in France for failing to get vaccinated against COVID-19 before a government deadline, health minister Olivier Véran has announced.

    Nothing like as strong as the new measures announced in Italy where, from October 15th, anyone in employment in any organisation will be suspended without pay for failing to be vaccinated.

    They have elected to take radical measures to apply a boot to the necks of most refusers. People of working age who won't get jabbed are going to be deprived of their wages, on top of existing regulations that exclude all anti-vaxxers from many venues including gyms and restaurants.

    If, as a consequence, they manage to get through the Winter without yet another lockdown disaster and we do not then the Government will have a great deal of explaining to do.
    What happens when they hammered by the flu instead?
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 42,098
    On topic -

    The LDs can't prop up these Johnson Tories, this is obvious, so they may as well be clear about it. The election is going to be a binary battle between the 2 sides of England; modern v trad, metro v town & country, young v old, graduates v not, etc, ie like the EU referendum and the 2 GEs since. LDs, Lab, Greens make up the 1st block and their mission is to win enough seats (together with the nationalist parties of the other nations) to make Keir Starmer the PM of a minority Labour government. I think they're in with a decent shout but it's going to require some smart tactical voting.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,174
    Chris said:

    "Rentoul’s argument is that by ruling out one side Davey could be undermining his negotiating position."

    Never mind that - he could be undermining a large part of his vote who think they're supporting a cuddlier version of the Conservatives.

    Anyone think the typical Chesham & Amersham Lib Dem BE voter might be just a smidgen to the right of the typical Lib Dem member ?
  • Chris said:

    "Rentoul’s argument is that by ruling out one side Davey could be undermining his negotiating position."

    Never mind that - he could be undermining a large part of his vote who think they're supporting a cuddlier version of the Conservatives.

    I have a theory that most LibDem activists are far closer to Labour thinking than Conservative but their voters are not.
  • FishingFishing Posts: 5,033
    TOPPING said:

    Yeah I really don't think that any politician would trust Johnson to form a pact with him. He s&&t the bed with his border in the Irish Sea which no British PM could ever agree to and standing staring business people in the eye saying there will be no checks between NI and GB.

    You would have to be a special type of stupid to believe anything he said when offering a pact with the political party you lead.

    All politicians break their word. Yes Minister made a distinction between a political promise and a real promise.

    Cameron broke his word just as much as Johnson did, for example saying he wouldn't resign if he lost the EU referendum, then resigning a few hours after the result. And Clegg apparently felt, wrongly I think, that Cameron stitched him up over the AV referendum.

    But the reason to be in a coalition with somebody, even if you don't trust him, is that it's in his interests to be in a coalition with you. He needs your MPs, and you can always withdraw them if he does anything completely beyond the pale. So I think the question of personal trust is much less important in coalitions than it is on individual election pledges, for example.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 23,128
    edited September 2021
    IshmaelZ said:

    MattW said:

    Pulpstar said:

    https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/other/council-tax-should-be-replaced-with-annual-payment-think-tank-says/ar-AAOwJf0?ocid=entnewsntp&pc=U531

    If Labour come out with this 0.5% levy idea to replace council tax in their manifesto my X will be in the Labour box quicker than @HYUFD can make a u-turn on abortion policy.

    It does seem a good idea and at a quick calculation I would pay about the same as I do now
    Isn't that devolved to Wales?

    (Excellent idea, though, and Stamp Duty gets abolished too. But our PB one percenters will be squealing like live piglets being turned into pork scratchings with a rusty cut throat razor. I make it that my costs for my home would go up a little, which I would more then recover when I buy the next place. People in a normal terraced house here would benefit to the tune of 1-2% of average income.)
    Stamp duty abolition will feed straight into an equivalent house price rise.
    I'm not convinced of that.

    At the lower end Stamp Duty does not apply, and at the upper end the annual cost of running a house will have increased. Overall it is another distorting tax out of the marketplace

    I suppose we could leave it in place for everything say in the Upper Quartile :smile: .
  • TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 42,952
    IshmaelZ said:

    TOPPING said:

    kinabalu said:

    Bell v Tavistock overturned: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58598186

    What does that mean? I mean I know it's something to do with the Tavvy but what are the implications?
    Overturns a ruling which said you can't give under 16s puberty blockers without parental permission.
    tyvm
  • RogerRoger Posts: 19,897

    Roger said:

    I'm with Alastair. To a lot of people Johnson is repellent. Repellent beyond any normal dislike for a politician.

    So what does that say about Starmer if "a lot" of people are repelled by Johnson - yet on most metrics Johnson rates higher?
    How much Johnson repels people hasn't as far as I know been answered by the polls. My sense is that a majority of voters- including lifetime Tories -wont touch him with a 100 foot pole. This is Marmite with a twist.

    Like Trump and other populists he just has too many haters. I can't remember such a polarising figure (mixed with Brexit ) and If 60% vote AGAINST him come what may then he'll lose.



  • ChrisChris Posts: 11,747

    Chris said:

    "Rentoul’s argument is that by ruling out one side Davey could be undermining his negotiating position."

    Never mind that - he could be undermining a large part of his vote who think they're supporting a cuddlier version of the Conservatives.

    I have a theory that most LibDem activists are far closer to Labour thinking than Conservative but their voters are not.
    I've always assumed that was true in the Con/LD seats, and that the opposite was true in the Con/Lab seats.
  • TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 42,952
    Selebian said:

    TOPPING said:

    kinabalu said:

    Bell v Tavistock overturned: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58598186

    What does that mean? I mean I know it's something to do with the Tavvy but what are the implications?
    The previous ruling blocked puberty delaying medication without parents' consent (as it ruled that under 16s were not competent to give their own consent). Therefore it effectively gave parents a veto on puberty blocking (as, by 16, it is generally a bit late).

    It's a tricky area, as 'delaying' puberty can also have long term effects - it's not as simple as stop the medication, puberty happens and you end up physically (let alone mentally) the same as if no medication was given. But it still could be preferable to having to choose whether to do more invasive treatment early on.

    The overturning brings this back into line with all other medical issues, following Gillick, as Foxy said.

    Interestingly, the original argument in this case seems to be that there was poor information and not fully informed consent, which is more an issue in the particuar case than the principle - Tavistock might have made the judgement wrongly on the young person's competence to choose; it doesn't mean that all under 16s would not be competent to choose.
    Thanks v much. A super tricky area.
  • HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    There was a Tory LD government in 2014 not a Tory majority government and it was supposed to be once in a generation

    "Once in a generation" is HYUFD chanting "I believe in fairies"

    Was the referendum legislated as once in a generation
    Was the referendum referred to as once in a generation when the laws creating it were debated
    Was the referendum promoted as once in a generation aside from an off the cuff interview comment

    Quite simply the referendum was not in any way once in a generation. You either know this and are endlessly lying. Or you are now believing in fairies.

    Either way, it is embarrassing for you to keep chanting it with this kind of impotent non-authority.
    In Sturgeon's own words it was

    https://www.facebook.com/ScottishConservatives/videos/they-said-it-was-a-once-in-a-generation-event/2666429930077957/

    However regardless the future of the union is reserved to Westminster under the Scotland Act 1998 and as long as we continue to have a Tory government it will say no.
    Until they say yes
    Which is how long the SNP will be demanding referendums for......
    That is true but an optimum time to win indyref2 for the union may present itself and anyway I expect the union to win comfortably post Brexit and covid

    It is foolish to rule out all options
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 96,071
    edited September 2021
    Foxy said:

    kle4 said:

    Foxy said:

    Foxy said:

    TOPPING said:

    Foxy said:

    TOPPING said:

    Yeah I really don't think that any politician would trust Johnson to form a pact with him. He s&&t the bed with his border in the Irish Sea which no British PM could ever agree to and standing staring business people in the eye saying there will be no checks between NI and GB.

    You would have to be a special type of stupid to believe anything he said when offering a pact with the political party you lead.

    I think that if Johnson lost his majority, there would be a new leader to negotiate with.

    That said, there is no way that the Lib Dems would support the party of Brexit. We want closer economic, social and cultural links with the EU. EEA or similar.
    Yes absolutely but look at the Cons now - flying high why would there be a new leader? Sure the Cons/BJ's numbers are slipping but this is mid-term they should be shocking instead they are bobbing around parity with Lab and still generally 5pts ahead.

    I just don't see a new leader. And I backed Boris to be out by, er, Sep 2021 god help me.
    My point is that if Johnson were needing to negotiate a coalition or C and S, he would be doing so because he lost more seats than his current majority. There would be a new Con leader, sure as eggs is eggs. Probably not quickly enough to negotiate though possibly that would be done by an acting leader.
    Didn't the LibDems make clear in 2010 that while they might go into coalition with Labour, the price would be replacing Brown? (Not that the maths would have worked).
    Yes, I don't think it tenable to support a PM who has just been rejected. Only the DUP make that mistake!
    May wasnt rejected, she led the most popularly supported UK wide party.

    It was a failure for her as she went backwards but it gets a but overegged.
    Her post 2017 GE regime was rather ignominious. In retrospect, a change of leadership quickly would probably have been better.
    It might well be so - in fact the torturous nature of those years suggest it is likely to be so - but I confess as frustrating as it was in a strange way I appreciated May sticking it out for so long, even when she had lost complete control.

    In effect, if not perhaps intent, she was telling the Tory party that if they truly felt there was someone better placed to lead, or who had a better idea of what to do next, then they were going to have to stand up and be counted and say so. Not just whinge privately or publicly. Not wait for her to make it easy for them. It was the equivalent of telling an opposition leader that it is easy to criticise but harder to come up with ideas. They much vaunted ruthlessness rather disappeared when put to that test.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 122,889
    edited September 2021
    JohnO said:

    Anyway, there’s not the slightest chance of the next Conservative manifesto containing a commitment to restrict abortions to 22 weeks or any other level. It might conceivably pledge to have another vote on the matter (like Cameron did over hunting…did that ever happen?) but it will be a free vote as it has always been.

    But even that is lower than 5%: I doubt the Prime Minister will want to be reminded on the campaign trail of his relationship with Petronnella Wyatt and his encouraging her….

    Given the latest polling average gives a hung parliament with the Tories needing DUP support to stay in power, offering the DUP the carrot of a reduction in the abortion limit from 24 to 22 weeks for the whole UK as well as lots of dosh for NI while Lord Frost works on trying to remove the Irish Sea border with the EU may be the only way Boris stays in No 10.

    Boris will easily switch from pro choice social liberal to evangelical pro lifer if it keeps him in power as PM
  • TheValiantTheValiant Posts: 1,874

    The idea that any party would do a coalition with Boris is off the wall. For the Tories, this is the man who's literally turned untrustworthiness into a virtue.

    I'd agree they may not do a coalition with Boris.
    But the Lib Dems shouldn't rule out doing a coalition with the Conservatives.
    And the price they could extract would be the same Clegg tried to extract from Labour. Namely a change in leadership.
  • CookieCookie Posts: 13,773

    Another day of falling coronavirus cases in England - down a quarter in past 9 days. Even though there are signs of rising infections in school age kids, it's not yet outweighing falls in other ages. If this carries on next week we can probably relax about new school term

    https://twitter.com/Smyth_Chris/status/1438881983430598658?s=20

    According to Richard Lister's stats, infections among 10-19 year olds have peaked and are declining rapidly. There is a slight rise in the 0-9 cohort but this doesn't balance out the 10-19s.
    I accept that 10-19 includes some who are not school age.
    https://twitter.com/RP131/status/1438553892812427271?s=20
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 57,129
    HYUFD said:

    Britain Decides - model update:

    Government loses its majority on the latest polls.

    CON: 316 MPs (-49)
    LAB: 241 (+39)
    SNP: 56 (+8)
    LDEM: 13 (+2)


    https://twitter.com/BritainElects/status/1438877519659294721?s=20

    However it could stay in power with the 8 DUP MPs if they back the Tories again, assuming SF do not take their seats.

    What better way to win over our DUP friends than promising to reduce the abortion time limit to 22 weeks for the whole UK as a bonus while Lord Frost continues to work to remove the Irish Sea border?
    If the Conservatives have 316 seats, then they will remain in Government. No government without them is really possible.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 96,071
    TOPPING said:

    Selebian said:

    TOPPING said:

    kinabalu said:

    Bell v Tavistock overturned: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58598186

    What does that mean? I mean I know it's something to do with the Tavvy but what are the implications?
    The previous ruling blocked puberty delaying medication without parents' consent (as it ruled that under 16s were not competent to give their own consent). Therefore it effectively gave parents a veto on puberty blocking (as, by 16, it is generally a bit late).

    It's a tricky area, as 'delaying' puberty can also have long term effects - it's not as simple as stop the medication, puberty happens and you end up physically (let alone mentally) the same as if no medication was given. But it still could be preferable to having to choose whether to do more invasive treatment early on.

    The overturning brings this back into line with all other medical issues, following Gillick, as Foxy said.

    Interestingly, the original argument in this case seems to be that there was poor information and not fully informed consent, which is more an issue in the particuar case than the principle - Tavistock might have made the judgement wrongly on the young person's competence to choose; it doesn't mean that all under 16s would not be competent to choose.
    Thanks v much. A super tricky area.
    Indeed - I really don't think all under 16s are competent to choose, given how much we don't trust teenagers to do, so am wary of any suggestion the process should be simple and easy once they want to do it, but that issue of demonstrating competence does complicate things.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 57,129
    MaxPB said:

    rcs1000 said:

    FPT: on abortion laws.

    Part of my view on this comes form a slightly different angle; one which might be non-obvious, or even wrong.

    It starts with a statement: we are far too precious about life.

    Now that's a crass thing to say, so let me elaborate: there are thousands of people who are suffering terribly, and we keep them alive when many do not want to be alive.

    Take the case of French footballer Jean-Pierre Adams. He was in a coma for 39 years before he sadly - but perhaps thankfully - died this month. 39 years, perhaps of torture for him, but also for his friends and family. He had very significant damage to his brain, so even if he had miraculously awoken from his coma, what would his quality of live have been like?

    We should also remember the case of Terri Schiavo, a young woman with PVS, over whose life a series of court cases were fought. After she was eventually left to die - seven years after the first court case - an autopsy showed that her brain weighed half that of an equivalent woman of her age.

    A few lucky people do awaken from multi-year comas. But such occurrences are rare, and the amount of suffering of patients, relatives and friends is immense.

    We need to talk about this, personally, as a society, and as a nation. I am not fond of Dignitas, but part of the issue is that Dignitas has to exist because of the laws in other states.

    Personally, I am willing to say that if I am in a long-term coma, or if I am in a state where I have a persistently very low quality of life, am in pain, and cannot do many of the things I love - either through illness, accident, or old age - I would rather reach a happy end that continue the suffering of myself, my family, and friends. even if there is a 1% chance of recovering, I think an end would be best. I wish there was a way I could legally say it without outsiders, religious bigots and others interfering.

    How does this connect to abortion? Put simply, many of the people who are pro-life would baulk at any assisted suicide or dignity in death laws. And I think a compassionate, humane society really needs such laws. I do not want to give these people such power over my death if I was in such an unfortunate position.

    (1): https://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/feb/27/jean-pierre-adams-footballer-coma

    I agree; I think we should take doctors out of the equation and maybe allow that once all a person's children are adults then if there is unanimity, a parent can be euthanised.

    This would have a number of other advantages too. It would allow us to get rid of all the child cruelty laws. No parent would dare abuse their kid, knowing that when they reached 21 (18 is too young), then they would have the power of life or death. It would also encourage parents to be generous with the inheritance early, which would help with the housing crisis in the UK. Finally, of course, it would begin to solve the demopgraphic issues that have so plagued the country.

    I realise that there are a small number of downsides to this plan - notably the idea that it might disincentivize becoming a parent, but I'm sure we can come up with solutions to that.
    Would it? Parents would ensure they always had at least one kid under 18/21.
    Easier for men than for women.
  • TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 42,952
    Fishing said:

    TOPPING said:

    Yeah I really don't think that any politician would trust Johnson to form a pact with him. He s&&t the bed with his border in the Irish Sea which no British PM could ever agree to and standing staring business people in the eye saying there will be no checks between NI and GB.

    You would have to be a special type of stupid to believe anything he said when offering a pact with the political party you lead.

    All politicians break their word. Yes Minister made a distinction between a political promise and a real promise.

    Cameron broke his word just as much as Johnson did, for example saying he wouldn't resign if he lost the EU referendum, then resigning a few hours after the result. And Clegg apparently felt, wrongly I think, that Cameron stitched him up over the AV referendum.

    But the reason to be in a coalition with somebody, even if you don't trust him, is that it's in his interests to be in a coalition with you. He needs your MPs, and you can always withdraw them if he does anything completely beyond the pale. So I think the question of personal trust is much less important in coalitions than it is on individual election pledges, for example.
    Yes I see that. I have many times said why I believe Cameron's fell short of lying so I won't repeat it and yes absolutely if it is a numbers game and you have the numbers you get to decide case by case.

    Just that one would surely get the feeling that Boris would walk away from his meeting with you and almost before he was out of earshot would be planning on how to betray you and go back on his word to you. I have no doubt he would find a way.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 57,129
    Carnyx said:

    rcs1000 said:

    FPT: on abortion laws.

    Part of my view on this comes form a slightly different angle; one which might be non-obvious, or even wrong.

    It starts with a statement: we are far too precious about life.

    Now that's a crass thing to say, so let me elaborate: there are thousands of people who are suffering terribly, and we keep them alive when many do not want to be alive.

    Take the case of French footballer Jean-Pierre Adams. He was in a coma for 39 years before he sadly - but perhaps thankfully - died this month. 39 years, perhaps of torture for him, but also for his friends and family. He had very significant damage to his brain, so even if he had miraculously awoken from his coma, what would his quality of live have been like?

    We should also remember the case of Terri Schiavo, a young woman with PVS, over whose life a series of court cases were fought. After she was eventually left to die - seven years after the first court case - an autopsy showed that her brain weighed half that of an equivalent woman of her age.

    A few lucky people do awaken from multi-year comas. But such occurrences are rare, and the amount of suffering of patients, relatives and friends is immense.

    We need to talk about this, personally, as a society, and as a nation. I am not fond of Dignitas, but part of the issue is that Dignitas has to exist because of the laws in other states.

    Personally, I am willing to say that if I am in a long-term coma, or if I am in a state where I have a persistently very low quality of life, am in pain, and cannot do many of the things I love - either through illness, accident, or old age - I would rather reach a happy end that continue the suffering of myself, my family, and friends. even if there is a 1% chance of recovering, I think an end would be best. I wish there was a way I could legally say it without outsiders, religious bigots and others interfering.

    How does this connect to abortion? Put simply, many of the people who are pro-life would baulk at any assisted suicide or dignity in death laws. And I think a compassionate, humane society really needs such laws. I do not want to give these people such power over my death if I was in such an unfortunate position.

    (1): https://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/feb/27/jean-pierre-adams-footballer-coma

    I agree; I think we should take doctors out of the equation and maybe allow that once all a person's children are adults then if there is unanimity, a parent can be euthanised.

    This would have a number of other advantages too. It would allow us to get rid of all the child cruelty laws. No parent would dare abuse their kid, knowing that when they reached 21 (18 is too young), then they would have the power of life or death. It would also encourage parents to be generous with the inheritance early, which would help with the housing crisis in the UK. Finally, of course, it would begin to solve the demopgraphic issues that have so plagued the country.

    I realise that there are a small number of downsides to this plan - notably the idea that it might disincentivize becoming a parent, but I'm sure we can come up with solutions to that.
    That has to come pretty close to the top of the prize for most nut-job post ever placed on PB. And there have been a few good contenders!

    One of the most troubling things for those of us that believe in universal suffrage and free speech is that all nutters have a vote and that they also have the right to demonstrate that it might be best if they were not allowed.
    I think RCS is being ironic ... vide Swift A Modest Proposal.
    You think?
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 62,700
    edited September 2021

    Looking good so far from the return of the super spreading rug rats.

    Indeed. Although iSAGE are this afternoon fretting that the Leicestershire school figures are not too good and they started back two weeks earlier than rest of England.

    Clutching at any passing straw?
  • pigeonpigeon Posts: 4,837

    32,651 and 178

    The seven day average for deaths is still creeping upwards, but - whisper it quietly - the hospital patient total is showing signs of levelling off...

    And beyond that, reported cases are well into decline - the start of the dip coinciding, quite unexpectedly, with the return of schools in most of the country - and cases per capita in England stubbornly refuse to get as bad as they are in Scotland, NI and Wales. For now, anyway.

    With vaccination rates and antibody prevalence now so high, you have to wonder if Covid is transitioning from its pandemic to its endemic phase - with the disease simply "filling in the gaps" in the three devolved nations where, crudely speaking, restrictions have been a little more onerous and previous waves of the disease a little less bad?
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    JohnO said:

    Anyway, there’s not the slightest chance of the next Conservative manifesto containing a commitment to restrict abortions to 22 weeks or any other level. It might conceivably pledge to have another vote on the matter (like Cameron did over hunting…did that ever happen?) but it will be a free vote as it has always been.

    But even that is lower than 5%: I doubt the Prime Minister will want to be reminded on the campaign trail of his relationship with Petronnella Wyatt and his encouraging her….

    Cameron offered the hunting vote but it didn't happen - became pointless when the SNP said they would vote on it.
  • kle4 said:

    Foxy said:

    Foxy said:

    TOPPING said:

    Foxy said:

    TOPPING said:

    Yeah I really don't think that any politician would trust Johnson to form a pact with him. He s&&t the bed with his border in the Irish Sea which no British PM could ever agree to and standing staring business people in the eye saying there will be no checks between NI and GB.

    You would have to be a special type of stupid to believe anything he said when offering a pact with the political party you lead.

    I think that if Johnson lost his majority, there would be a new leader to negotiate with.

    That said, there is no way that the Lib Dems would support the party of Brexit. We want closer economic, social and cultural links with the EU. EEA or similar.
    Yes absolutely but look at the Cons now - flying high why would there be a new leader? Sure the Cons/BJ's numbers are slipping but this is mid-term they should be shocking instead they are bobbing around parity with Lab and still generally 5pts ahead.

    I just don't see a new leader. And I backed Boris to be out by, er, Sep 2021 god help me.
    My point is that if Johnson were needing to negotiate a coalition or C and S, he would be doing so because he lost more seats than his current majority. There would be a new Con leader, sure as eggs is eggs. Probably not quickly enough to negotiate though possibly that would be done by an acting leader.
    Didn't the LibDems make clear in 2010 that while they might go into coalition with Labour, the price would be replacing Brown? (Not that the maths would have worked).
    Yes, I don't think it tenable to support a PM who has just been rejected. Only the DUP make that mistake!
    May wasnt rejected, she led the most popularly supported UK wide party.

    It was a failure for her as she went backwards but it gets a but overegged.
    There's an old saying that Success = Performance - Expectations
This discussion has been closed.