politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Extraordinary. Trump wants Farage to be Britain’s Ambassador t
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UKIP would do well to remember that headlines in the Mail and the Express are not necessarily reflective of UK public opinion generally. I can't help thinking that Farage's current Trump arse-lick is not going to end well for him.CD13 said:I was listening to Crispin Blunt this morning on R5L.
He commented that Farage couldn't be considered for an ambassador's role because he wasn't a member of the Conservative party. I didn't realise that only party supporters were considered.
he also hinted that he wasn't a gentleman. It's possible that he didn't quite mean to say that, but surely admitting that ambassadors were political appointees wasn't wise, even if it is true?
I doubt if he did Ukip any harm. A toff called Crispin Jeremy Rupert Blunt being condescending to the plebs wasn't all that wise either.
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Crispin "poppers" Blunt. Enough said.CD13 said:I was listening to Crispin Blunt this morning on R5L.
He commented that Farage couldn't be considered for an ambassador's role because he wasn't a member of the Conservative party. I didn't realise that only party supporters were considered.
he also hinted that he wasn't a gentleman. It's possible that he didn't quite mean to say that, but surely admitting that ambassadors were political appointees wasn't wise, even if it is true?
I doubt if he did Ukip any harm. A toff called Crispin Jeremy Rupert Blunt being condescending to the plebs wasn't all that wise either.
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Mr Price,
"Sympathetic to the government" would be a more felicitous turn of phrase."
He also complained that Farage probably wouldn't "take a brief". In other words, "Do as you're told by HMG."
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LOL you're just drifting to the right as do all people who age Mr SOSouthamObserver said:
Ha, ha.David_Evershed said:
Margaret Thatcher would have been proud of your enterprise.SouthamObserver said:
Three days before my first boy was born.rottenborough said:
I remember it like yesterday. I was with a group of other software guys in a small company. We got a phone call from someone's wife to say it had just been on telly (no Web then).TheScreamingEagles said:
After jumping around the office for a bit we went to the pub.
Glorious!
I made a fair bit of money out of it. Invested in 150 Evening Standards and picture frames. Put the front cover in the frame and sold each one for - I think - £5 outside Camden Town tube station. They all went in a day and it paid for us to get back to Spain, where we were living at the time.
I have never hidden the fact that on a personal level I did very well out of Thatcherism. A lot of what she did was very necessary and she did release enterprise, I think that is undoubtedly true. Like any good leftie, I used to hate her. But nowadays my views are a lot more nuanced. Get past the southern Midlands and her legacy becomes a lot more debatable.
You're still only a Leftie because you're a late developer :-)
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I don't think we really want to be represented by a tree anyway:
https://twitter.com/matthaig1/status/8009709362833408000 -
Nah sorry I don't agree at all. The primary twin purpose of an Ambassador is to communicate the Government's considered view on matters to the host nation and to give as much insight as possible to the Government into the views and possible actions of the host nation. As much as humanly possible the Ambassador should have no personal axe to grind in either direction and should be there solely to serve the Government . Farage is fantastically, extraordinarily unsuited to that role.TCPoliticalBetting said:
We have a europhile Ambassador whom Farage does not like. Farage poisons the well and Darroch had not created strong links in the months beforehand. So Darroch is toast. We now have an opportunity for a Trade focused Ambassador to the USA, something which Darroch has no record in undertaking.edmundintokyo said:
Trump is currently dealing a blizzard of problems and exciting grift opportunities. The idea that he's spending brain cycles on ambassadors of medium-sized countries is ridiculous.David_Evershed said:
Has the British Ambassador not made himself known to the Presdent elect or previously to the Republican presidential candidate?edmundintokyo said:
I don't know why you'd think that Trump knows who the current UK ambassador to the US, let alone has an opinion about him.TCPoliticalBetting said:Trump is a chump on this matter but he has given us an advantage. He wants someone different there. It is good that we now know that Darroch is unwelcome with Trump. Maybe Darroch was also unwelcome to Obama, but Obama never told us - we just got overlooked...
If not, the Ambassador should be sacked.
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Ba da da da da da da, Fillon groovy.....TheScreamingEagles said:
I'm wanting Fillon to win, his name gives great potential for puns.stodge said:Morning all
I had a thought - the likely UUP French Presidential candidate, the British Minister of Defence and the Liberal Democrat leader stand in a room:
Fillon meets Fallon meets Farron.
I'll get me stoat...
'Fillon good' that sort of thing.0 -
I think he might also be a little too fond of a drink.Richard_Tyndall said:
Nah sorry I don't agree at all. The primary twin purpose of an Ambassador is to communicate the Government's considered view on matters to the host nation and to give as much insight as possible to the Government into the views and possible actions of the host nation. As much as humanly possible the Ambassador should have no personal axe to grind in either direction and should be there solely to serve the Government . Farage is fantastically, extraordinarily unsuited to that role.TCPoliticalBetting said:
We have a europhile Ambassador whom Farage does not like. Farage poisons the well and Darroch had not created strong links in the months beforehand. So Darroch is toast. We now have an opportunity for a Trade focused Ambassador to the USA, something which Darroch has no record in undertaking.edmundintokyo said:
Trump is currently dealing a blizzard of problems and exciting grift opportunities. The idea that he's spending brain cycles on ambassadors of medium-sized countries is ridiculous.David_Evershed said:
Has the British Ambassador not made himself known to the Presdent elect or previously to the Republican presidential candidate?edmundintokyo said:
I don't know why you'd think that Trump knows who the current UK ambassador to the US, let alone has an opinion about him.TCPoliticalBetting said:Trump is a chump on this matter but he has given us an advantage. He wants someone different there. It is good that we now know that Darroch is unwelcome with Trump. Maybe Darroch was also unwelcome to Obama, but Obama never told us - we just got overlooked...
If not, the Ambassador should be sacked.0 -
Richard_Tyndall said:
Nah sorry I don't agree at all. The primary twin purpose of an Ambassador is to communicate the Government's considered view on matters to the host nation and to give as much insight as possible to the Government into the views and possible actions of the host nation. As much as humanly possible the Ambassador should have no personal axe to grind in either direction and should be there solely to serve the Government . Farage is fantastically, extraordinarily unsuited to that role.TCPoliticalBetting said:
We have a europhile Ambassador whom Farage does not like. Farage poisons the well and Darroch had not created strong links in the months beforehand. So Darroch is toast. We now have an opportunity for a Trade focused Ambassador to the USA, something which Darroch has no record in undertaking.edmundintokyo said:
Trump is currently dealing a blizzard of problems and exciting grift opportunities. The idea that he's spending brain cycles on ambassadors of medium-sized countries is ridiculous.David_Evershed said:
Has the British Ambassador not made himself known to the Presdent elect or previously to the Republican presidential candidate?edmundintokyo said:
I don't know why you'd think that Trump knows who the current UK ambassador to the US, let alone has an opinion about him.TCPoliticalBetting said:Trump is a chump on this matter but he has given us an advantage. He wants someone different there. It is good that we now know that Darroch is unwelcome with Trump. Maybe Darroch was also unwelcome to Obama, but Obama never told us - we just got overlooked...
If not, the Ambassador should be sacked.
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Not going to happen.Tissue_Price said:On topic, Donald Trump needs defusing
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By God! What are you doing mooching about PB, Southam? We've never seen eye to eye on anything political Southam, but If I were you - M&S need a smart CEO - see what you can do. It might be the remaking of the company and kudos with riches for you.SouthamObserver said:
Ha, ha.David_Evershed said:
Margaret Thatcher would have been proud of your enterprise.SouthamObserver said:
Three days before my first boy was born.rottenborough said:
I remember it like yesterday. I was with a group of other software guys in a small company. We got a phone call from someone's wife to say it had just been on telly (no Web then).TheScreamingEagles said:
After jumping around the office for a bit we went to the pub.
Glorious!
I made a fair bit of money out of it. Invested in 150 Evening Standards and picture frames. Put the front cover in the frame and sold each one for - I think - £5 outside Camden Town tube station. They all went in a day and it paid for us to get back to Spain, where we were living at the time.
I have never hidden the fact that on a personal level I did very well out of Thatcherism. A lot of what she did was very necessary and she did release enterprise, I think that is undoubtedly true. Like any good leftie, I used to hate her. But nowadays my views are a lot more nuanced. Get past the southern Midlands and her legacy becomes a lot more debatable.0 -
I think part of the reason US tech companies are all jumping in now is because they think we're heading for a reasonable free trade deal but ultimately won't be under EU jurisdiction which has been very hostile to their business models. Even if there isn't a free trade deal, services are tariff free and it doesn't cost Google anything to export services from the UK to the EU whether we are in or out. Skilled workers which these companies are looking for will never be under any kind of restrictions so any that are placed on free movement won't really matter, they aren't looking to hire Spanish waitresses.SouthamObserver said:
Well, if IBM did speak to the government before making its investment that is very interesting.DecrepitJohnL said:
Two problems with basing our future on cloud-based services. First is that unlike the American government, HMG does not favour or protect British providers, so the industry is US-dominated. Second, the main attraction of European-based infrastructure is protection from American legislation -- but that comes from the EU.SouthamObserver said:
If you are tech company doing work where borders do not matter, then now is absolutely the time to get into the UK. We are currently Europe's tech capital, with open borders ensuring a free flow of top talent from across the continent. Waiting a few years - when the drawbridge could have been lifted - is not a good idea. Cloud-related services, as well as the kind of work that Google and Amazon do, is not predicated on access to the single market, just on the availability of good people. We have those in spades right now. Hopefully, we will ensure that continues after Brexit, too. That's what makes the work visa regime that is put in place so important. Being able to get your visa in the UK having travelled as a tourist to find work will be absolutely essential.JosiasJessop said:
Good news. This is starting to look like an orchestrated campaign. If so, good on the government.PlatoSaid said:Simon Richards
Another US tech giant has announced a major UK expansion https://t.co/AbBe8aoOPx via @CityAM0 -
I have never said that Farage would be a good idea. Darroch has personal views on the EU that are europhile. He also cannot communicate effectively to the next POTUS since Trump clearly mistrusts him.Richard_Tyndall said:
Nah sorry I don't agree at all. The primary twin purpose of an Ambassador is to communicate the Government's considered view on matters to the host nation and to give as much insight as possible to the Government into the views and possible actions of the host nation. As much as humanly possible the Ambassador should have no personal axe to grind in either direction and should be there solely to serve the Government . Farage is fantastically, extraordinarily unsuited to that role.TCPoliticalBetting said:
We have a europhile Ambassador whom Farage does not like. Farage poisons the well and Darroch had not created strong links in the months beforehand. So Darroch is toast. We now have an opportunity for a Trade focused Ambassador to the USA, something which Darroch has no record in undertaking.edmundintokyo said:
Trump is currently dealing a blizzard of problems and exciting grift opportunities. The idea that he's spending brain cycles on ambassadors of medium-sized countries is ridiculous.David_Evershed said:
Has the British Ambassador not made himself known to the Presdent elect or previously to the Republican presidential candidate?edmundintokyo said:
I don't know why you'd think that Trump knows who the current UK ambassador to the US, let alone has an opinion about him.TCPoliticalBetting said:Trump is a chump on this matter but he has given us an advantage. He wants someone different there. It is good that we now know that Darroch is unwelcome with Trump. Maybe Darroch was also unwelcome to Obama, but Obama never told us - we just got overlooked...
If not, the Ambassador should be sacked.
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Apart from being sent out to lie for the Government of the day, the four requirements for an ambassador are to be diplomatic, posh, follow orders, and preferably know which knife to use with fish. Farage ticks the boxes on the second and last.
Trump was just doing him a favour as pay-back. And sending a shot across the bows.0 -
It may not end well for UKIP, but for Farage personally, it couldn't be a better ticket to the gravy train than friendship with POTUS.SouthamObserver said:
UKIP would do well to remember that headlines in the Mail and the Express are not necessarily reflective of UK public opinion generally. I can't help thinking that Farage's current Trump arse-lick is not going to end well for him.CD13 said:I was listening to Crispin Blunt this morning on R5L.
He commented that Farage couldn't be considered for an ambassador's role because he wasn't a member of the Conservative party. I didn't realise that only party supporters were considered.
he also hinted that he wasn't a gentleman. It's possible that he didn't quite mean to say that, but surely admitting that ambassadors were political appointees wasn't wise, even if it is true?
I doubt if he did Ukip any harm. A toff called Crispin Jeremy Rupert Blunt being condescending to the plebs wasn't all that wise either.0 -
Finding people in the FCO who aren't Europhile could be an issue.TCPoliticalBetting said:
I have never said that Farage would be a good idea. Darroch has personal views on the EU that are europhile. He also cannot communicate effectively to the next POTUS since Trump clearly mistrusts him.Richard_Tyndall said:
Nah sorry I don't agree at all. The primary twin purpose of an Ambassador is to communicate the Government's considered view on matters to the host nation and to give as much insight as possible to the Government into the views and possible actions of the host nation. As much as humanly possible the Ambassador should have no personal axe to grind in either direction and should be there solely to serve the Government . Farage is fantastically, extraordinarily unsuited to that role.TCPoliticalBetting said:
We have a europhile Ambassador whom Farage does not like. Farage poisons the well and Darroch had not created strong links in the months beforehand. So Darroch is toast. We now have an opportunity for a Trade focused Ambassador to the USA, something which Darroch has no record in undertaking.edmundintokyo said:
Trump is currently dealing a blizzard of problems and exciting grift opportunities. The idea that he's spending brain cycles on ambassadors of medium-sized countries is ridiculous.David_Evershed said:
Has the British Ambassador not made himself known to the Presdent elect or previously to the Republican presidential candidate?edmundintokyo said:
I don't know why you'd think that Trump knows who the current UK ambassador to the US, let alone has an opinion about him.TCPoliticalBetting said:Trump is a chump on this matter but he has given us an advantage. He wants someone different there. It is good that we now know that Darroch is unwelcome with Trump. Maybe Darroch was also unwelcome to Obama, but Obama never told us - we just got overlooked...
If not, the Ambassador should be sacked.0 -
I don't want to get OGH into trouble with m'learned friends but, seriously, anyone who knows anything about Digby Jones's business career wouldn't touch him with a barge pole. Some people are lucky not to get their just desserts.TCPoliticalBetting said:
Ha ha.rottenborough said:
By "Trade focused" do you mean is interested in cooking up real estate deals with Trump? Most of Scotland will be a golf course by the end of the first term.TCPoliticalBetting said:
We have a europhile Ambassador whom Farage does not like. Farage poisons the well and Darroch had not created strong links in the months beforehand. So Darroch is toast. We now have an opportunity for a Trade focused Ambassador to the USA, something which Darroch has no record in undertaking.edmundintokyo said:
Trump is currently dealing a blizzard of problems and exciting grift opportunities. The idea that he's spending brain cycles on ambassadors of medium-sized countries is ridiculous.David_Evershed said:
Has the British Ambassador not made himself known to the Presdent elect or previously to the Republican presidential candidate?edmundintokyo said:
I don't know why you'd think that Trump knows who the current UK ambassador to the US, let alone has an opinion about him.TCPoliticalBetting said:Trump is a chump on this matter but he has given us an advantage. He wants someone different there. It is good that we now know that Darroch is unwelcome with Trump. Maybe Darroch was also unwelcome to Obama, but Obama never told us - we just got overlooked...
If not, the Ambassador should be sacked.
Seriously, I mean a Lord Digby Jones type of Ambassador. Let us break away from FO diplomats and retiring politicians.
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Yes, this has been little short of a national humiliation. Trump clearly holds the May government in contempt and regards British diplomacy as nothing other than a playpen for the amusement of his pet joke Englishman. What a depressing state of affairs. It's good that May offered this current rebuff, but we know that Farage will be indulged eventually - the Tory hard-Right, obsessed with his alchemy, will clamour for it.0
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How do you know he has personal views on the EU?TCPoliticalBetting said:
I have never said that Farage would be a good idea. Darroch has personal views on the EU that are europhile. He also cannot communicate effectively to the next POTUS since Trump clearly mistrusts him.Richard_Tyndall said:
Nah sorry I don't agree at all. The primary twin purpose of an Ambassador is to communicate the Government's considered view on matters to the host nation and to give as much insight as possible to the Government into the views and possible actions of the host nation. As much as humanly possible the Ambassador should have no personal axe to grind in either direction and should be there solely to serve the Government . Farage is fantastically, extraordinarily unsuited to that role.TCPoliticalBetting said:
We have a europhile Ambassador whom Farage does not like. Farage poisons the well and Darroch had not created strong links in the months beforehand. So Darroch is toast. We now have an opportunity for a Trade focused Ambassador to the USA, something which Darroch has no record in undertaking.edmundintokyo said:
Trump is currently dealing a blizzard of problems and exciting grift opportunities. The idea that he's spending brain cycles on ambassadors of medium-sized countries is ridiculous.David_Evershed said:
Has the British Ambassador not made himself known to the Presdent elect or previously to the Republican presidential candidate?edmundintokyo said:
I don't know why you'd think that Trump knows who the current UK ambassador to the US, let alone has an opinion about him.TCPoliticalBetting said:Trump is a chump on this matter but he has given us an advantage. He wants someone different there. It is good that we now know that Darroch is unwelcome with Trump. Maybe Darroch was also unwelcome to Obama, but Obama never told us - we just got overlooked...
If not, the Ambassador should be sacked.
What relevance is that to his job as US ambassador?0 -
Farage posh? Only in the Spice sense.CD13 said:Apart from being sent out to lie for the Government of the day, the four requirements for an ambassador are to be diplomatic, posh, follow orders, and preferably know which knife to use with fish. Farage ticks the boxes on the second and last.
Trump was just doing him a favour as pay-back. And sending a shot across the bows.0 -
Indeed Trump has found a neat segway from the Brussels European Parliament gravy turn to a potentially an even more lucrative one. If it results in him staying that side of the Atlantic then everyone's a winner.MikeK said:
It may not end well for UKIP, but for Farage personally, it couldn't be a better ticket to the gravy train than friendship with POTUS.SouthamObserver said:
UKIP would do well to remember that headlines in the Mail and the Express are not necessarily reflective of UK public opinion generally. I can't help thinking that Farage's current Trump arse-lick is not going to end well for him.CD13 said:I was listening to Crispin Blunt this morning on R5L.
He commented that Farage couldn't be considered for an ambassador's role because he wasn't a member of the Conservative party. I didn't realise that only party supporters were considered.
he also hinted that he wasn't a gentleman. It's possible that he didn't quite mean to say that, but surely admitting that ambassadors were political appointees wasn't wise, even if it is true?
I doubt if he did Ukip any harm. A toff called Crispin Jeremy Rupert Blunt being condescending to the plebs wasn't all that wise either.0 -
I am more upbeat about Brexit and Trump today than I have been for a while as it seems ever more likely that the sheer weight of fuckwittery will overwhelm the key protagonists sooner rather than laterSouthamObserver said:I can't help thinking that Farage's current Trump arse-lick is not going to end well for him.
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Of the campaign Zac says "so far its been very positive - it's going well."rogerh said:http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/independent-zac-goldsmith-on-the-richmond-by-election-heathrow-and-brexit-a7429266.html
Interesting article. in todays Independen.Is Zac gettinga bit jumpy re Brexit?0 -
Is that what Faisal thinks?Scott_P said:
I am more upbeat about Brexit and Trump today than I have been for a while as it seems ever more likely that the sheer weight of fuckwittery will overwhelm the key protagonists sooner rather than laterSouthamObserver said:I can't help thinking that Farage's current Trump arse-lick is not going to end well for him.
Meanwhile, the rest of us are waiting for Blair, with the backing of his billionaire tax exile chums, to upset the apple cart when he takes over the reins of Team Remain. What could possibly go wrong.
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''It may not end well for UKIP, but for Farage personally, it couldn't be a better ticket to the gravy train than friendship with POTUS.''
Farage isn;t interested in the gravy train. He wants power, influence and revenge on those who dismissed him.
His ideal is the likes of Blair and Cameron, bending the knee.0 -
Having a deadline 3 weeks before the French election could be interesting, especially if she doesn't stick to it.Tissue_Price said:I wonder if May had any sort of implicit agreement with Merkel before she announced the March "deadline"?
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Just heard a snippet of some Labour fool talking about £500bn in additional spending and borrowing. Those historically low interest rates would suddenly be a lot higher if the government announced £500bn in new Gilts and prices crash. Idiot.0
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I imagine that they are currently struggling to find someone who knows what Twitter is.Philip_Thompson said:
Finding people in the FCO who aren't Europhile could be an issue.TCPoliticalBetting said:
I have never said that Farage would be a good idea. Darroch has personal views on the EU that are europhile. He also cannot communicate effectively to the next POTUS since Trump clearly mistrusts him.Richard_Tyndall said:
Nah sorry I don't agree at all. The primary twin purpose of an Ambassador is to communicate the Government's considered view on matters to the host nation and to give as much insight as possible to the Government into the views and possible actions of the host nation. As much as humanly possible the Ambassador should have no personal axe to grind in either direction and should be there solely to serve the Government . Farage is fantastically, extraordinarily unsuited to that role.TCPoliticalBetting said:
We have a europhile Ambassador whom Farage does not like. Farage poisons the well and Darroch had not created strong links in the months beforehand. So Darroch is toast. We now have an opportunity for a Trade focused Ambassador to the USA, something which Darroch has no record in undertaking.edmundintokyo said:
Trump is currently dealing a blizzard of problems and exciting grift opportunities. The idea that he's spending brain cycles on ambassadors of medium-sized countries is ridiculous.David_Evershed said:
Has the British Ambassador not made himself known to the Presdent elect or previously to the Republican presidential candidate?edmundintokyo said:
I don't know why you'd think that Trump knows who the current UK ambassador to the US, let alone has an opinion about him.TCPoliticalBetting said:Trump is a chump on this matter but he has given us an advantage. He wants someone different there. It is good that we now know that Darroch is unwelcome with Trump. Maybe Darroch was also unwelcome to Obama, but Obama never told us - we just got overlooked...
If not, the Ambassador should be sacked.0 -
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He's impressively traded from an okayish regional banking firm. Nigel Knowles-esque.Cyclefree said:
I don't want to get OGH into trouble with m'learned friends but, seriously, anyone who knows anything about Digby Jones's business career wouldn't touch him with a barge pole. Some people are lucky not to get their just desserts.TCPoliticalBetting said:
Ha ha.rottenborough said:
By "Trade focused" do you mean is interested in cooking up real estate deals with Trump? Most of Scotland will be a golf course by the end of the first term.TCPoliticalBetting said:
We have a europhile Ambassador whom Farage does not like. Farage poisons the well and Darroch had not created strong links in the months beforehand. So Darroch is toast. We now have an opportunity for a Trade focused Ambassador to the USA, something which Darroch has no record in undertaking.edmundintokyo said:
Trump is currently dealing a blizzard of problems and exciting grift opportunities. The idea that he's spending brain cycles on ambassadors of medium-sized countries is ridiculous.David_Evershed said:
Has the British Ambassador not made himself known to the Presdent elect or previously to the Republican presidential candidate?edmundintokyo said:
I don't know why you'd think that Trump knows who the current UK ambassador to the US, let alone has an opinion about him.TCPoliticalBetting said:Trump is a chump on this matter but he has given us an advantage. He wants someone different there. It is good that we now know that Darroch is unwelcome with Trump. Maybe Darroch was also unwelcome to Obama, but Obama never told us - we just got overlooked...
If not, the Ambassador should be sacked.
Seriously, I mean a Lord Digby Jones type of Ambassador. Let us break away from FO diplomats and retiring politicians.0 -
I would not describe Trump as posh. Not at all. Rather a common little man, if anything. As is Trump. Money does not mean poshness. No wonder they get on.CD13 said:Apart from being sent out to lie for the Government of the day, the four requirements for an ambassador are to be diplomatic, posh, follow orders, and preferably know which knife to use with fish. Farage ticks the boxes on the second and last.
Trump was just doing him a favour as pay-back. And sending a shot across the bows.
Speaking bluntly, saying what needs to be said is one thing. But neither of these imply that one has to be ill-mannered and offensive.
Trump is a bully. If this tweet finally persuades the British political establishment that the so-called relationship is nothing of the kind and that Trump will look after his own interests and no-one else's then he will have done us a favour.
What you don't do to bullies - or their sidekicks - is appease them. Britain used to understand this. Time for it to remember this basic lesson. Again.0 -
Nothing impressive about his trading. More like Macavity the cat.matt said:
He's impressively traded from an okayish regional banking firm. Nigel Knowles-esque.Cyclefree said:
I don't want to get OGH into trouble with m'learned friends but, seriously, anyone who knows anything about Digby Jones's business career wouldn't touch him with a barge pole. Some people are lucky not to get their just desserts.TCPoliticalBetting said:
Ha ha.rottenborough said:
By "Trade focused" do you mean is interested in cooking up real estate deals with Trump? Most of Scotland will be a golf course by the end of the first term.TCPoliticalBetting said:
We have a europhile Ambassador whom Farage does not like. Farage poisons the well and Darroch had not created strong links in the months beforehand. So Darroch is toast. We now have an opportunity for a Trade focused Ambassador to the USA, something which Darroch has no record in undertaking.edmundintokyo said:
Trump is currently dealing a blizzard of problems and exciting grift opportunities. The idea that he's spending brain cycles on ambassadors of medium-sized countries is ridiculous.David_Evershed said:
Has the British Ambassador not made himself known to the Presdent elect or previously to the Republican presidential candidate?edmundintokyo said:
I don't know why you'd think that Trump knows who the current UK ambassador to the US, let alone has an opinion about him.TCPoliticalBetting said:Trump is a chump on this matter but he has given us an advantage. He wants someone different there. It is good that we now know that Darroch is unwelcome with Trump. Maybe Darroch was also unwelcome to Obama, but Obama never told us - we just got overlooked...
If not, the Ambassador should be sacked.
Seriously, I mean a Lord Digby Jones type of Ambassador. Let us break away from FO diplomats and retiring politicians.
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Codswallop.Stark_Dawning said:Yes, this has been little short of a national humiliation.
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Impressive in the sense of moving on up. Nothing more.Cyclefree said:
Nothing impressive about his trading. More like Macavity the cat.matt said:
He's impressively traded from an okayish regional banking firm. Nigel Knowles-esque.Cyclefree said:
I don't want to get OGH into trouble with m'learned friends but, seriously, anyone who knows anything about Digby Jones's business career wouldn't touch him with a barge pole. Some people are lucky not to get their just desserts.TCPoliticalBetting said:
Ha ha.rottenborough said:
By "Trade focused" do you mean is interested in cooking up real estate deals with Trump? Most of Scotland will be a golf course by the end of the first term.TCPoliticalBetting said:
We have a europhile Ambassador whom Farage does not like. Farage poisons the well and Darroch had not created strong links in the months beforehand. So Darroch is toast. We now have an opportunity for a Trade focused Ambassador to the USA, something which Darroch has no record in undertaking.edmundintokyo said:
Trump is currently dealing a blizzard of problems and exciting grift opportunities. The idea that he's spending brain cycles on ambassadors of medium-sized countries is ridiculous.David_Evershed said:
Has the British Ambassador not made himself known to the Presdent elect or previously to the Republican presidential candidate?edmundintokyo said:
I don't know why you'd think that Trump knows who the current UK ambassador to the US, let alone has an opinion about him.TCPoliticalBetting said:Trump is a chump on this matter but he has given us an advantage. He wants someone different there. It is good that we now know that Darroch is unwelcome with Trump. Maybe Darroch was also unwelcome to Obama, but Obama never told us - we just got overlooked...
If not, the Ambassador should be sacked.
Seriously, I mean a Lord Digby Jones type of Ambassador. Let us break away from FO diplomats and retiring politicians.0 -
I can't help thinking that Farage's current Trump arse-lick is not going to end well for him.
This is to entirely misunderstand the relationship. Trump genuinely thinks Farage has been a major help to him. First, in helping to secure Brexit, and then helping to secure him the presidency by tweaking his campaign. Which he did. Its not about arse-likhan.
He thinks Farage is a highly capable guy, based on what Nige has done for him. Free of charge.0 -
Well, this is the big question. There are a lot of constraints on Presidential power, especially once the appointments have been made.edmundintokyo said:
Not going to happen.Tissue_Price said:On topic, Donald Trump needs defusing
Trump will want, both personally and politically*, to be seen to succeed, but it doesn't necessarily have to be on his current terms.
*One suspects the political is less important to him!0 -
@iainmartin1: Take back control... to give it to Donald Trump. That wasn't really the plan.Stark_Dawning said:Yes, this has been little short of a national humiliation.
@Freedland: UKippers thrilled by Trump's nomination of Farage to be UK Amb to the US: we don't really need listen to them on "sovereignty" ever again0 -
That is a fair point. There is probably money to be made from being the US president's pet Englishman. He is currently like the winner of the X Factor getting to number one in the charts just after the final. Soon, though, it will cruise ships, shop openings in the provinces and a column in This England. Then, thankfully, we'll not have to entertain any more lectures from him about patriotism, sovereignty and not interfering in other people's elections/politics. We all know now that he is a total charlatan and hypocrite.MikeK said:
It may not end well for UKIP, but for Farage personally, it couldn't be a better ticket to the gravy train than friendship with POTUS.SouthamObserver said:
UKIP would do well to remember that headlines in the Mail and the Express are not necessarily reflective of UK public opinion generally. I can't help thinking that Farage's current Trump arse-lick is not going to end well for him.CD13 said:I was listening to Crispin Blunt this morning on R5L.
He commented that Farage couldn't be considered for an ambassador's role because he wasn't a member of the Conservative party. I didn't realise that only party supporters were considered.
he also hinted that he wasn't a gentleman. It's possible that he didn't quite mean to say that, but surely admitting that ambassadors were political appointees wasn't wise, even if it is true?
I doubt if he did Ukip any harm. A toff called Crispin Jeremy Rupert Blunt being condescending to the plebs wasn't all that wise either.
0 -
The interesting line there is "his own interests". Where will he fall if there's a choice between his interests and the US' interest?Cyclefree said:
I would not describe Trump as posh. Not at all. Rather a common little man, if anything. As is Trump. Money does not mean poshness. No wonder they get on.CD13 said:Apart from being sent out to lie for the Government of the day, the four requirements for an ambassador are to be diplomatic, posh, follow orders, and preferably know which knife to use with fish. Farage ticks the boxes on the second and last.
Trump was just doing him a favour as pay-back. And sending a shot across the bows.
Speaking bluntly, saying what needs to be said is one thing. But neither of these imply that one has to be ill-mannered and offensive.
Trump is a bully. If this tweet finally persuades the British political establishment that the so-called relationship is nothing of the kind and that Trump will look after his own interests and no-one else's then he will have done us a favour.
What you don't do to bullies - or their sidekicks - is appease them. Britain used to understand this. Time for it to remember this basic lesson. Again.0 -
Sir Kim Darroch according to Steve Hilton
"He briefed us on Brussels procedures, and how we might stop — or at least reduce — the flow of unwanted bureaucracy. It was a fascinating and enlightening conversation. The only problem was: almost everything he told us turned out to be completely wrong."
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3603793/Why-quit-EU-Cameron-s-guru-Friend-strategist-Steve-Hilton-breaks-ranks-Brexit-say-Britain-literally-ungovernable-unless-power-self-serving-elite.html#ixzz4QjvipDEW
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
0 -
So Islington's proudest bennies-boy (and 'Intellectual-Property business-man') plagiarised a viable business for his own self-gain? What a freckin' pile of :tumbleweed:SouthamObserver said:Ha, ha.
I have never hidden the fact that on a personal level I did very well out of Thatcherism. A lot of what she did was very necessary and she did release enterprise, I think that is undoubtedly true. Like any good leftie, I used to hate her. But nowadays my views are a lot more nuanced. Get past the southern Midlands and her legacy becomes a lot more debatable.0 -
Farage would be totally unsuitable for anyone other than President Trump. And he might not be that great with Trump, but a compliment from the POTUS is something that Gordon and Tony would have died for.
Just a hint of sour grapes from some on here.
Trump maintains his maverick image, Farage can cast himself in the martyr role ... Think not what your country can do for you but what ... etc
No one else comes out well. That Trump man ... he's a genius!0 -
Farage is an irrelevance to Brexit. That he is desperately getting his buddy over the water to find a role for him should tell you how far removed he is from the action.Scott_P said:
I am more upbeat about Brexit and Trump today than I have been for a while as it seems ever more likely that the sheer weight of fuckwittery will overwhelm the key protagonists sooner rather than laterSouthamObserver said:I can't help thinking that Farage's current Trump arse-lick is not going to end well for him.
0 -
When will people learn, Trump is the ultimate twitter troll. He does this stuff deliberately.0
-
The two are now inextricably linked. He can't be a personal success and a failed president. He was a billionaire to start with so there's no value to him in acting like Yanukovych.Tissue_Price said:Trump will want, both personally and politically*, to be seen to succeed, but it doesn't necessarily have to be on his current terms.
*One suspects the political is less important to him!0 -
Really? Thought he was a lawyer at Edge & Ellison. Ended up as Senior Partner.matt said:
He's impressively traded from an okayish regional banking firm. Nigel Knowles-esque.Cyclefree said:
I don't want to get OGH into trouble with m'learned friends but, seriously, anyone who knows anything about Digby Jones's business career wouldn't touch him with a barge pole. Some people are lucky not to get their just desserts.TCPoliticalBetting said:
Ha ha.rottenborough said:
By "Trade focused" do you mean is interested in cooking up real estate deals with Trump? Most of Scotland will be a golf course by the end of the first term.TCPoliticalBetting said:
We have a europhile Ambassador whom Farage does not like. Farage poisons the well and Darroch had not created strong links in the months beforehand. So Darroch is toast. We now have an opportunity for a Trade focused Ambassador to the USA, something which Darroch has no record in undertaking.edmundintokyo said:
Trump is currently dealing a blizzard of problems and exciting grift opportunities. The idea that he's spending brain cycles on ambassadors of medium-sized countries is ridiculous.David_Evershed said:
Has the British Ambassador not made himself known to the Presdent elect or previously to the Republican presidential candidate?edmundintokyo said:
I don't know why you'd think that Trump knows who the current UK ambassador to the US, let alone has an opinion about him.TCPoliticalBetting said:Trump is a chump on this matter but he has given us an advantage. He wants someone different there. It is good that we now know that Darroch is unwelcome with Trump. Maybe Darroch was also unwelcome to Obama, but Obama never told us - we just got overlooked...
If not, the Ambassador should be sacked.
Seriously, I mean a Lord Digby Jones type of Ambassador. Let us break away from FO diplomats and retiring politicians.0 -
I have definitely moved right as I have got older, but I have not got to crossover and I don't think I will. Funnily enough, my Dad went the other way. He was very middle of the road but by the time he died he had drifted to the edge of the left and had become very anti-American. We would have fallen out over Corbyn big time.Alanbrooke said:
LOL you're just drifting to the right as do all people who age Mr SOSouthamObserver said:
Ha, ha.David_Evershed said:
Margaret Thatcher would have been proud of your enterprise.SouthamObserver said:
Three days before my first boy was born.rottenborough said:
I remember it like yesterday. I was with a group of other software guys in a small company. We got a phone call from someone's wife to say it had just been on telly (no Web then).TheScreamingEagles said:
After jumping around the office for a bit we went to the pub.
Glorious!
I made a fair bit of money out of it. Invested in 150 Evening Standards and picture frames. Put the front cover in the frame and sold each one for - I think - £5 outside Camden Town tube station. They all went in a day and it paid for us to get back to Spain, where we were living at the time.
I have never hidden the fact that on a personal level I did very well out of Thatcherism. A lot of what she did was very necessary and she did release enterprise, I think that is undoubtedly true. Like any good leftie, I used to hate her. But nowadays my views are a lot more nuanced. Get past the southern Midlands and her legacy becomes a lot more debatable.
You're still only a Leftie because you're a late developer :-)
0 -
Counterfactual:
Remain and Hillary Clinton have won. Dave is still PM, and he's received a discreet telegram from Hillary saying that though she doesn't have any room in her cabinet a certain D Miliband would be a great US-UK ambassador...0 -
A good question.matt said:
The interesting line there is "his own interests". Where will he fall if there's a choice between his interests and the US' interest?Cyclefree said:
I would not describe Trump as posh. Not at all. Rather a common little man, if anything. As is Trump. Money does not mean poshness. No wonder they get on.CD13 said:Apart from being sent out to lie for the Government of the day, the four requirements for an ambassador are to be diplomatic, posh, follow orders, and preferably know which knife to use with fish. Farage ticks the boxes on the second and last.
Trump was just doing him a favour as pay-back. And sending a shot across the bows.
Speaking bluntly, saying what needs to be said is one thing. But neither of these imply that one has to be ill-mannered and offensive.
Trump is a bully. If this tweet finally persuades the British political establishment that the so-called relationship is nothing of the kind and that Trump will look after his own interests and no-one else's then he will have done us a favour.
What you don't do to bullies - or their sidekicks - is appease them. Britain used to understand this. Time for it to remember this basic lesson. Again.
I'm not at all sure that Trump would be able to make the distinction between the two. Someone who has won against all expectations risks believing his own propaganda (where is the person telling him: "Sire, you too are mortal") and risks believing that he understands America's interests without having to pay any regard for those who disagree with him.
There was a reason why the Founding Fathers built in so many checks and balances. We have to hope that they work now as they were intended to.
0 -
In reality, Tories hate Farage's guts.Stark_Dawning said:Yes, this has been little short of a national humiliation. Trump clearly holds the May government in contempt and regards British diplomacy as nothing other than a playpen for the amusement of his pet joke Englishman. What a depressing state of affairs. It's good that May offered this current rebuff, but we know that Farage will be indulged eventually - the Tory hard-Right, obsessed with his alchemy, will clamour for it.
0 -
@Mike
"the idea of this being carried out on social media is a graphic example of the new world we are in."
"There’s a form of blackmail in Trump’s Tweet"
These two statements do not both necessarily have to be true.
In my mind, the latter is, the former is not. This, at least viewed in terms of international diplomacy, is an example of one man's way, not the world's. But even in that, "signaling" - whether verbal or non-verbal - has been part of negotiations since the dawn of mankind. This is just an extreme example of it within the context of diplomacy.
However, I do not see it as the new standard for how it will be done routinely in the future. Most diplomacy will still be done out of sight and earshot.0 -
If the House and Senate don't want to put constraints on his power, there aren't a lot of constraints on his power.Tissue_Price said:
Well, this is the big question. There are a lot of constraints on Presidential power, especially once the appointments have been made.edmundintokyo said:
Not going to happen.Tissue_Price said:On topic, Donald Trump needs defusing
Trump will want, both personally and politically*, to be seen to succeed, but it doesn't necessarily have to be on his current terms.
*One suspects the political is less important to him!
If also he has control of a vast, unaccountable surveillance system, which he does, a judge or politician has to be quite brave to put any constraints on his power.
The one mitigating factor here is that the place the president has the most unaccountable power is over foreign policy, and Trump doesn't seem to be very interested in foreign policy.0 -
I am surprised you even ask the question. Trump's interests are the US's interests. End of.matt said:
The interesting line there is "his own interests". Where will he fall if there's a choice between his interests and the US' interest?Cyclefree said:
I would not describe Trump as posh. Not at all. Rather a common little man, if anything. As is Trump. Money does not mean poshness. No wonder they get on.CD13 said:Apart from being sent out to lie for the Government of the day, the four requirements for an ambassador are to be diplomatic, posh, follow orders, and preferably know which knife to use with fish. Farage ticks the boxes on the second and last.
Trump was just doing him a favour as pay-back. And sending a shot across the bows.
Speaking bluntly, saying what needs to be said is one thing. But neither of these imply that one has to be ill-mannered and offensive.
Trump is a bully. If this tweet finally persuades the British political establishment that the so-called relationship is nothing of the kind and that Trump will look after his own interests and no-one else's then he will have done us a favour.
What you don't do to bullies - or their sidekicks - is appease them. Britain used to understand this. Time for it to remember this basic lesson. Again.
0 -
I doubt Harry cares as long as she takes it up the ricker.TheScreamingEagles said:
Wouldn't bother me either, in that case.0 -
In all the hullabaloo over Trump’s win, no one has given a seconds thought to Milibanana’s dashed hopes of reaching Capitol Hill. Doesn’t he have a brother, what ever happened to him?Pulpstar said:Counterfactual:
Remain and Hillary Clinton have won. Dave is still PM, and he's received a discreet telegram from Hillary saying that though she doesn't have any room in her cabinet a certain D Miliband would be a great US-UK ambassador...0 -
Just remembered when Lady Thatcher became Prime Minister, she wanted to make Ted Heath our Ambassador to the United States.Pulpstar said:Counterfactual:
Remain and Hillary Clinton have won. Dave is still PM, and he's received a discreet telegram from Hillary saying that though she doesn't have any room in her cabinet a certain D Miliband would be a great US-UK ambassador...
Thank heavens Ted Heath refused, and she appointed Sir Nicholas Henderson instead, who was an absolute star during the Falklands war.0 -
One thing that occurs with Trump, there was talk a while ago that Twitter might be in a bit of financial trouble but now Donald seems intent to conduct the Presidency via Twitter they have probably become the important news outlet of all time. Bet Mr Dorsey can't believe his luck.
Time to "buy" Twitter?
0 -
Down that road lies impeachment.SouthamObserver said:
I am surprised you even ask the question. Trump's interests are the US's interests. End of.matt said:
The interesting line there is "his own interests". Where will he fall if there's a choice between his interests and the US' interest?Cyclefree said:
I would not describe Trump as posh. Not at all. Rather a common little man, if anything. As is Trump. Money does not mean poshness. No wonder they get on.CD13 said:Apart from being sent out to lie for the Government of the day, the four requirements for an ambassador are to be diplomatic, posh, follow orders, and preferably know which knife to use with fish. Farage ticks the boxes on the second and last.
Trump was just doing him a favour as pay-back. And sending a shot across the bows.
Speaking bluntly, saying what needs to be said is one thing. But neither of these imply that one has to be ill-mannered and offensive.
Trump is a bully. If this tweet finally persuades the British political establishment that the so-called relationship is nothing of the kind and that Trump will look after his own interests and no-one else's then he will have done us a favour.
What you don't do to bullies - or their sidekicks - is appease them. Britain used to understand this. Time for it to remember this basic lesson. Again.0 -
A well upvoted post on the Daily Mail's site made be smile.
Gist: anybody who can make Keith Vaz the head of a powerful commons select committee has maybe lost the right to make appointments.0 -
There is no point wasting hatred on a has-been, no matter how successful he was in his day, nor how recent his day was.perdix said:
In reality, Tories hate Farage's guts.Stark_Dawning said:Yes, this has been little short of a national humiliation. Trump clearly holds the May government in contempt and regards British diplomacy as nothing other than a playpen for the amusement of his pet joke Englishman. What a depressing state of affairs. It's good that May offered this current rebuff, but we know that Farage will be indulged eventually - the Tory hard-Right, obsessed with his alchemy, will clamour for it.
0 -
Well, there aren't that many Senators signed up to Trumpism. Of course, that doesn't mean they won't support it...edmundintokyo said:
If the House and Senate don't want to put constraints on his power, there aren't a lot of constraints on his power.Tissue_Price said:
Well, this is the big question. There are a lot of constraints on Presidential power, especially once the appointments have been made.edmundintokyo said:
Not going to happen.Tissue_Price said:On topic, Donald Trump needs defusing
Trump will want, both personally and politically*, to be seen to succeed, but it doesn't necessarily have to be on his current terms.
*One suspects the political is less important to him!
If also he has control of a vast, unaccountable surveillance system, which he does, a judge or politician has to be quite brave to put any constraints on his power.
The one mitigating factor here is that the place the president has the most unaccountable power is over foreign policy, and Trump doesn't seem to be very interested in foreign policy.
http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/which-republican-senators-are-most-likely-to-fight-trump/0 -
Who, Steve?SimonStClare said:
In all the hullabaloo over Trump’s win, no one has given a seconds thought to Milibanana’s dashed hopes of reaching Capitol Hill. Doesn’t he have a brother, what ever happened to him?Pulpstar said:Counterfactual:
Remain and Hillary Clinton have won. Dave is still PM, and he's received a discreet telegram from Hillary saying that though she doesn't have any room in her cabinet a certain D Miliband would be a great US-UK ambassador...0 -
Woulddavid_herdson said:
Down that road lies impeachment.SouthamObserver said:
I am surprised you even ask the question. Trump's interests are the US's interests. End of.matt said:
The interesting line there is "his own interests". Where will he fall if there's a choice between his interests and the US' interest?Cyclefree said:
I would not describe Trump as posh. Not at all. Rather a common little man, if anything. As is Trump. Money does not mean poshness. No wonder they get on.CD13 said:Apart from being sent out to lie for the Government of the day, the four requirements for an ambassador are to be diplomatic, posh, follow orders, and preferably know which knife to use with fish. Farage ticks the boxes on the second and last.
Trump was just doing him a favour as pay-back. And sending a shot across the bows.
Speaking bluntly, saying what needs to be said is one thing. But neither of these imply that one has to be ill-mannered and offensive.
Trump is a bully. If this tweet finally persuades the British political establishment that the so-called relationship is nothing of the kind and that Trump will look after his own interests and no-one else's then he will have done us a favour.
What you don't do to bullies - or their sidekicks - is appease them. Britain used to understand this. Time for it to remember this basic lesson. Again.
i) A Republican House impeach him?
and
ii) Would around 18 Republican Senators vote to convict him?0 -
No, down that road leads people calling for impeachment, which neither the House or the Senate will vote for because they're afraid of primaries and personal retribution.david_herdson said:
Down that road lies impeachment.SouthamObserver said:
I am surprised you even ask the question. Trump's interests are the US's interests. End of.matt said:
The interesting line there is "his own interests". Where will he fall if there's a choice between his interests and the US' interest?Cyclefree said:
I would not describe Trump as posh. Not at all. Rather a common little man, if anything. As is Trump. Money does not mean poshness. No wonder they get on.CD13 said:Apart from being sent out to lie for the Government of the day, the four requirements for an ambassador are to be diplomatic, posh, follow orders, and preferably know which knife to use with fish. Farage ticks the boxes on the second and last.
Trump was just doing him a favour as pay-back. And sending a shot across the bows.
Speaking bluntly, saying what needs to be said is one thing. But neither of these imply that one has to be ill-mannered and offensive.
Trump is a bully. If this tweet finally persuades the British political establishment that the so-called relationship is nothing of the kind and that Trump will look after his own interests and no-one else's then he will have done us a favour.
What you don't do to bullies - or their sidekicks - is appease them. Britain used to understand this. Time for it to remember this basic lesson. Again.0 -
Say it how it is, Geoff.GeoffM said:
I doubt Harry cares as long as she takes it up the ricker.TheScreamingEagles said:
Wouldn't bother me either, in that case.0 -
I thought the Prince over the Water was planning to head home now that US Cabinet is out.Slackbladder said:
Who, Steve?SimonStClare said:
In all the hullabaloo over Trump’s win, no one has given a seconds thought to Milibanana’s dashed hopes of reaching Capitol Hill. Doesn’t he have a brother, what ever happened to him?Pulpstar said:Counterfactual:
Remain and Hillary Clinton have won. Dave is still PM, and he's received a discreet telegram from Hillary saying that though she doesn't have any room in her cabinet a certain D Miliband would be a great US-UK ambassador...0 -
Spectators sleep overnight in Old Trafford toilet in bid to watch Man Utd play Arsenal
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2016/11/22/spectators-sleep-overnight-old-trafford-toilet-bid-watch-man/0 -
I think that she is a Catholic, and thus only recently eligible due to a change in legislation?GeoffM said:
I doubt Harry cares as long as she takes it up the ricker.TheScreamingEagles said:
Wouldn't bother me either, in that case.0 -
If nothing else they are likely to be in the news a lot more with Trump related headlines.GIN1138 said:One thing that occurs with Trump, there was talk a while ago that Twitter might be in a bit of financial trouble but now Donald seems intent to conduct the Presidency via Twitter they have probably become the important news outlet of all time. Bet Mr Dorsey can't believe his luck.
Time to "buy" Twitter?0 -
Still wouldn't be appointed. There are only two useful sources of ambassadors: professional diplomats and members of the governing party. They have to not only represent the government of the day but be seen to be doing so. Appointing someone from a rival party (even one who has been out of the domestic scene for a while and who is a former Foreign Secretary) fails that second point. Even if Miliband were capable of acting as Theresa May's voice in Washington, it would take a long time before he would credibly be seen so.Pulpstar said:Counterfactual:
Remain and Hillary Clinton have won. Dave is still PM, and he's received a discreet telegram from Hillary saying that though she doesn't have any room in her cabinet a certain D Miliband would be a great US-UK ambassador...
In any case, I think it's pretty unlikely that Hillary would have presumed to tell another government who its representative to her should be. It's just not how diplomacy is done.0 -
Will Franky give a papal bull on this matter ?Verulamius said:
I think that she is a Catholic, and thus only recently eligible due to a change in legislation?GeoffM said:
I doubt Harry cares as long as she takes it up the ricker.TheScreamingEagles said:
Wouldn't bother me either, in that case.0 -
She would never ask... and neither Cameron nor Miliband would ever accept.Pulpstar said:Counterfactual:
Remain and Hillary Clinton have won. Dave is still PM, and he's received a discreet telegram from Hillary saying that though she doesn't have any room in her cabinet a certain D Miliband would be a great US-UK ambassador...0 -
Too right.TheScreamingEagles said:
Just remembered when Lady Thatcher became Prime Minister, she wanted to make Ted Heath our Ambassador to the United States.Pulpstar said:Counterfactual:
Remain and Hillary Clinton have won. Dave is still PM, and he's received a discreet telegram from Hillary saying that though she doesn't have any room in her cabinet a certain D Miliband would be a great US-UK ambassador...
Thank heavens Ted Heath refused, and she appointed Sir Nicholas Henderson instead, who was an absolute star during the Falklands war.
Heath would probably have been lining the US up to back Galtieri.0 -
Coming to Netflix 16th Dec...Barry (it really is called that)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6qlPeS1kGY0 -
Well when the Government has a serious discussion on whether to ban you from entering the UK it isn't exactly condusive to good relations.Stark_Dawning said:Yes, this has been little short of a national humiliation. Trump clearly holds the May government in contempt and regards British diplomacy as nothing other than a playpen for the amusement of his pet joke Englishman. What a depressing state of affairs. It's good that May offered this current rebuff, but we know that Farage will be indulged eventually - the Tory hard-Right, obsessed with his alchemy, will clamour for it.
0 -
There's also the slight consideration that David Miliband was an absolutely shite Foreign Secretary.....david_herdson said:
Still wouldn't be appointed. There are only two useful sources of ambassadors: professional diplomats and members of the governing party. They have to not only represent the government of the day but be seen to be doing so. Appointing someone from a rival party (even one who has been out of the domestic scene for a while and who is a former Foreign Secretary) fails that second point. Even if Miliband were capable of acting as Theresa May's voice in Washington, it would take a long time before he would credibly be seen so.Pulpstar said:Counterfactual:
Remain and Hillary Clinton have won. Dave is still PM, and he's received a discreet telegram from Hillary saying that though she doesn't have any room in her cabinet a certain D Miliband would be a great US-UK ambassador...
In any case, I think it's pretty unlikely that Hillary would have presumed to tell another government who its representative to her should be. It's just not how diplomacy is done.0 -
International summits will be interesting. You can imagine him kicking off a global media storm while the people around the table are unaware of what he's just tweeted.glw said:
If nothing else they are likely to be in the news a lot more with Trump related headlines.GIN1138 said:One thing that occurs with Trump, there was talk a while ago that Twitter might be in a bit of financial trouble but now Donald seems intent to conduct the Presidency via Twitter they have probably become the important news outlet of all time. Bet Mr Dorsey can't believe his luck.
Time to "buy" Twitter?0 -
In the case of abuse of power for personal gain, then yes, I think they would.TheScreamingEagles said:
Woulddavid_herdson said:
Down that road lies impeachment.SouthamObserver said:
I am surprised you even ask the question. Trump's interests are the US's interests. End of.matt said:
The interesting line there is "his own interests". Where will he fall if there's a choice between his interests and the US' interest?Cyclefree said:
I would not describe Trump as posh. Not at all. Rather a common little man, if anything. As is Trump. Money does not mean poshness. No wonder they get on.CD13 said:Apart from being sent out to lie for the Government of the day, the four requirements for an ambassador are to be diplomatic, posh, follow orders, and preferably know which knife to use with fish. Farage ticks the boxes on the second and last.
Trump was just doing him a favour as pay-back. And sending a shot across the bows.
Speaking bluntly, saying what needs to be said is one thing. But neither of these imply that one has to be ill-mannered and offensive.
Trump is a bully. If this tweet finally persuades the British political establishment that the so-called relationship is nothing of the kind and that Trump will look after his own interests and no-one else's then he will have done us a favour.
What you don't do to bullies - or their sidekicks - is appease them. Britain used to understand this. Time for it to remember this basic lesson. Again.
i) A Republican House impeach him?
and
ii) Would around 18 Republican Senators vote to convict him?
Trump is not really of the GOP and I doubt they have much love for him; it's not as partisan a question as it would normally be. Also, it would depend on the public mood. A billionaire using his office to further his own business interests (for example) is hardly likely to be well-regarded by the 'little guy' in Florida - and those in Congress who might back him would have to be ready to accept the taint by association.
And the history of Watergate suggests that a Congress could be prepared to go all the way if the evidence is there; that party colleagues can only be relied on so far - and Trump starts with less support there than most presidents.0 -
Only up til the point where Trump becomes a liability.edmundintokyo said:
No, down that road leads people calling for impeachment, which neither the House or the Senate will vote for because they're afraid of primaries and personal retribution.david_herdson said:
Down that road lies impeachment.SouthamObserver said:
I am surprised you even ask the question. Trump's interests are the US's interests. End of.matt said:
The interesting line there is "his own interests". Where will he fall if there's a choice between his interests and the US' interest?Cyclefree said:
I would not describe Trump as posh. Not at all. Rather a common little man, if anything. As is Trump. Money does not mean poshness. No wonder they get on.CD13 said:Apart from being sent out to lie for the Government of the day, the four requirements for an ambassador are to be diplomatic, posh, follow orders, and preferably know which knife to use with fish. Farage ticks the boxes on the second and last.
Trump was just doing him a favour as pay-back. And sending a shot across the bows.
Speaking bluntly, saying what needs to be said is one thing. But neither of these imply that one has to be ill-mannered and offensive.
Trump is a bully. If this tweet finally persuades the British political establishment that the so-called relationship is nothing of the kind and that Trump will look after his own interests and no-one else's then he will have done us a favour.
What you don't do to bullies - or their sidekicks - is appease them. Britain used to understand this. Time for it to remember this basic lesson. Again.0 -
Yes, people are missing this. I also think Britishness (Farage is a bit spivvy in some eyes but he speaks with a bantam-weight posh accent, which is enough) carries some weight in the US. He also has a lot of knowledge about politics, especially British and EU politics, that Trump doesn't have. In short he's an asset to Trump. Something which Teresa May's Government, sadly, is so far being rather lead-footed about.taffys said:I can't help thinking that Farage's current Trump arse-lick is not going to end well for him.
This is to entirely misunderstand the relationship. Trump genuinely thinks Farage has been a major help to him. First, in helping to secure Brexit, and then helping to secure him the presidency by tweaking his campaign. Which he did. Its not about arse-likhan.
He thinks Farage is a highly capable guy, based on what Nige has done for him. Free of charge.
0 -
I always find it very weird how Banana Man is always held up of as the potential saviour for the Labour Party.MarqueeMark said:
There's also the slight consideration that David Miliband was an absolutely shite Foreign Secretary.....david_herdson said:
Still wouldn't be appointed. There are only two useful sources of ambassadors: professional diplomats and members of the governing party. They have to not only represent the government of the day but be seen to be doing so. Appointing someone from a rival party (even one who has been out of the domestic scene for a while and who is a former Foreign Secretary) fails that second point. Even if Miliband were capable of acting as Theresa May's voice in Washington, it would take a long time before he would credibly be seen so.Pulpstar said:Counterfactual:
Remain and Hillary Clinton have won. Dave is still PM, and he's received a discreet telegram from Hillary saying that though she doesn't have any room in her cabinet a certain D Miliband would be a great US-UK ambassador...
In any case, I think it's pretty unlikely that Hillary would have presumed to tell another government who its representative to her should be. It's just not how diplomacy is done.0 -
Not sadly. Rightly.Luckyguy1983 said:
Yes, people are missing this. I also think Britishness (Farage is a bit spivvy in some eyes but he speaks with a bantam-weight posh accent, which is enough) carries some weight in the US. He also has a lot of knowledge about politics, especially British and EU politics, that Trump doesn't have. In short he's an asset to Trump. Something which Teresa May's Government, sadly, is so far being rather lead-footed about.taffys said:I can't help thinking that Farage's current Trump arse-lick is not going to end well for him.
This is to entirely misunderstand the relationship. Trump genuinely thinks Farage has been a major help to him. First, in helping to secure Brexit, and then helping to secure him the presidency by tweaking his campaign. Which he did. Its not about arse-likhan.
He thinks Farage is a highly capable guy, based on what Nige has done for him. Free of charge.0 -
Lawyers rubbing their paws....
http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/11/will-philip-hammond-arrested-autumn-statement/0 -
They've been saying he's a liability all along so why would they be believed?logical_song said:
Only up til the point where Trump becomes a liability.edmundintokyo said:
No, down that road leads people calling for impeachment, which neither the House or the Senate will vote for because they're afraid of primaries and personal retribution.david_herdson said:
Down that road lies impeachment.SouthamObserver said:
I am surprised you even ask the question. Trump's interests are the US's interests. End of.matt said:
The interesting line there is "his own interests". Where will he fall if there's a choice between his interests and the US' interest?Cyclefree said:
I would not describe Trump as posh. Not at all. Rather a common little man, if anything. As is Trump. Money does not mean poshness. No wonder they get on.CD13 said:Apart from being sent out to lie for the Government of the day, the four requirements for an ambassador are to be diplomatic, posh, follow orders, and preferably know which knife to use with fish. Farage ticks the boxes on the second and last.
Trump was just doing him a favour as pay-back. And sending a shot across the bows.
Speaking bluntly, saying what needs to be said is one thing. But neither of these imply that one has to be ill-mannered and offensive.
Trump is a bully. If this tweet finally persuades the British political establishment that the so-called relationship is nothing of the kind and that Trump will look after his own interests and no-one else's then he will have done us a favour.
What you don't do to bullies - or their sidekicks - is appease them. Britain used to understand this. Time for it to remember this basic lesson. Again.0 -
Opposition morons in Parliament that should never be allowed near power again decided to have an immature debate in Parliament based on petition legislation passed by the last Labour government. The Government didn't have that discussion.weejonnie said:
Well when the Government has a serious discussion on whether to ban you from entering the UK it isn't exactly condusive to good relations.Stark_Dawning said:Yes, this has been little short of a national humiliation. Trump clearly holds the May government in contempt and regards British diplomacy as nothing other than a playpen for the amusement of his pet joke Englishman. What a depressing state of affairs. It's good that May offered this current rebuff, but we know that Farage will be indulged eventually - the Tory hard-Right, obsessed with his alchemy, will clamour for it.
Whether Trump picks up on that nuance is another question.0 -
Surely it is the job of a diplomat to represent the interests of the state..?CD13 said:Mr Price,
"Sympathetic to the government" would be a more felicitous turn of phrase."
He also complained that Farage probably wouldn't "take a brief". In other words, "Do as you're told by HMG."0 -
Like TSE I think you're reading too much into this. He isn't interested in diplomacy or foreign policy. Watch the debates: He's been running for president for the best part of a decade, and still has absolutely no idea about the main issues of the day. He simply isn't paying attention to any of it.Stark_Dawning said:Yes, this has been little short of a national humiliation. Trump clearly holds the May government in contempt and regards British diplomacy as nothing other than a playpen for the amusement of his pet joke Englishman. What a depressing state of affairs. It's good that May offered this current rebuff, but we know that Farage will be indulged eventually - the Tory hard-Right, obsessed with his alchemy, will clamour for it.
What he is interested in is people who help and flatter him. There was a British person who seems ideologically aligned, and helped and flattered him when he was losing. He's been busily giving jobs to his friends. He tweeted that this person should get the most important job he could think of that a British person gets in America.0 -
The best part about Trump's twitter account is that it is clearly mostly him.
There are obviously a few tweets that have been composed by whichever lackey has been given the gig to do his social media stuff, but by and large it is raw, unvarnished Trump.
That is a big contrast to most leaders who clearly aren't writing their own tweets.0 -
Very true, but I do note Edmund's point about those Representatives and Senators will need Trump supporters in future primaries and actual full elections.david_herdson said:
In the case of abuse of power for personal gain, then yes, I think they would.TheScreamingEagles said:
Woulddavid_herdson said:
Down that road lies impeachment.SouthamObserver said:
I am surprised you even ask the question. Trump's interests are the US's interests. End of.matt said:
The interesting line there is "his own interests". Where will he fall if there's a choice between his interests and the US' interest?Cyclefree said:
I would not describe Trump as posh. Not at all. Rather a common little man, if anything. As is Trump. Money does not mean poshness. No wonder they get on.CD13 said:Apart from being sent out to lie for the Government of the day, the four requirements for an ambassador are to be diplomatic, posh, follow orders, and preferably know which knife to use with fish. Farage ticks the boxes on the second and last.
Trump was just doing him a favour as pay-back. And sending a shot across the bows.
Speaking bluntly, saying what needs to be said is one thing. But neither of these imply that one has to be ill-mannered and offensive.
Trump is a bully. If this tweet finally persuades the British political establishment that the so-called relationship is nothing of the kind and that Trump will look after his own interests and no-one else's then he will have done us a favour.
What you don't do to bullies - or their sidekicks - is appease them. Britain used to understand this. Time for it to remember this basic lesson. Again.
i) A Republican House impeach him?
and
ii) Would around 18 Republican Senators vote to convict him?
Trump is not really of the GOP and I doubt they have much love for him; it's not as partisan a question as it would normally be. Also, it would depend on the public mood. A billionaire using his office to further his own business interests (for example) is hardly likely to be well-regarded by the 'little guy' in Florida - and those in Congress who might back him would have to be ready to accept the taint by association.
And the history of Watergate suggests that a Congress could be prepared to go all the way if the evidence is there; that party colleagues can only be relied on so far - and Trump starts with less support there than most presidents.0 -
Just imagine being the Number 10 staffer in charge of Theresa May's twitter account and one night Trump tags her in an 'interesting' tweet.Pulpstar said:The best part about Trump's twitter account is that it is clearly mostly him.
There are obviously a few tweets that have been composed by whichever lackey has been given the gig to do his social media stuff, but by and large it is raw, unvarnished Trump.
That is a big contrast to most leaders who clearly aren't writing their own tweets.0 -
'second to none'Alistair said:
North Carolina Congressional District 12 is an amazing work of egregious art.Dadge said:What's more, the level of detail in the gerrymandering in some Red states is second to none.
Ahem. I live in a Blue State - Maryland. We are second to none in gerrymandering.
MD Congressional 3 has to be about the single worst district in the US for gerrymandering.
http://somd.com/news/headlines/2011/images/14403-3rd-district-2.jpg
MD Congressional 4
http://anthonybrown.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/MD-4-District-Map.jpg
MD Congressional 2
http://www.nextcontestant.us/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/2nd-District-Map-from-Govtrack-Screen-Shot-2012-07-29.png
MD Congressional 6 does not look so bad on the face of it, but the lower right blob lumps Bethesda, Gaithersburg and Germantown in with the entire Western Panhandle, swamping the rural vote.
http://searchengineland.com/figz/wp-content/seloads/2012/08/MarylandCongressionalDistrict-600x398.png
MD Congressional 7 looks a lot like 4:
MD Congressional 8 takes all the rural areas of Frederick, Howard and Carroll counties and overwhelms them with Silver Spring, Chevy Chase and Takoma Park
http://marylandreporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/8th-Congressional-Distirct-Map.jpg
Even MD Congressional 5, although a fairly logical shape, has a bump in it to ensure that the densely populated eastern DC suburbs swamp out the Amish farmers down in St Mary's.
Just finally, to see the extent of gerrymandering, look at the 1991 congressional district map against the current one:
1991: http://www.mdp.state.md.us/images/OurProducts/redistricting/conDistMap1991.jpg
2013: http://imgur.com/EW8j4OJ0 -
The more recent history of Bill Clinton suggests that such votes are highly partisan.david_herdson said:
In the case of abuse of power for personal gain, then yes, I think they would.TheScreamingEagles said:
Woulddavid_herdson said:
Down that road lies impeachment.SouthamObserver said:
I am surprised you even ask the question. Trump's interests are the US's interests. End of.matt said:
The interesting line there is "his own interests". Where will he fall if there's a choice between his interests and the US' interest?Cyclefree said:
I would not describe Trump as posh. Not at all. Rather a common little man, if anything. As is Trump. Money does not mean poshness. No wonder they get on.CD13 said:Apart from being sent out to lie for the Government of the day, the four requirements for an ambassador are to be diplomatic, posh, follow orders, and preferably know which knife to use with fish. Farage ticks the boxes on the second and last.
Trump was just doing him a favour as pay-back. And sending a shot across the bows.
Speaking bluntly, saying what needs to be said is one thing. But neither of these imply that one has to be ill-mannered and offensive.
Trump is a bully. If this tweet finally persuades the British political establishment that the so-called relationship is nothing of the kind and that Trump will look after his own interests and no-one else's then he will have done us a favour.
What you don't do to bullies - or their sidekicks - is appease them. Britain used to understand this. Time for it to remember this basic lesson. Again.
i) A Republican House impeach him?
and
ii) Would around 18 Republican Senators vote to convict him?
Trump is not really of the GOP and I doubt they have much love for him; it's not as partisan a question as it would normally be. Also, it would depend on the public mood. A billionaire using his office to further his own business interests (for example) is hardly likely to be well-regarded by the 'little guy' in Florida - and those in Congress who might back him would have to be ready to accept the taint by association.
And the history of Watergate suggests that a Congress could be prepared to go all the way if the evidence is there; that party colleagues can only be relied on so far - and Trump starts with less support there than most presidents.
And if anything- politics in the US is even more polarized than in Clinton's time.
0 -
Another one of Osborne's wizard wheezes that's turned out to be a fizzing grenade for someone else to defuse.FrancisUrquhart said:Lawyers rubbing their paws....
http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/11/will-philip-hammond-arrested-autumn-statement/
He really was a plonker, a boy messing about rather than manning up and getting on with the job.0 -
Trump continues to use his own account on twitter.TheScreamingEagles said:
Just imagine being the Number 10 staffer in charge of Theresa May's twitter account and one night Trump tags her in an 'interesting' tweet.Pulpstar said:The best part about Trump's twitter account is that it is clearly mostly him.
There are obviously a few tweets that have been composed by whichever lackey has been given the gig to do his social media stuff, but by and large it is raw, unvarnished Trump.
That is a big contrast to most leaders who clearly aren't writing their own tweets.
@POTUS is used by Obama. Will Trump get control of that when he takes office?0 -
Yes Trump gets the @POTUS account on January 20throttenborough said:
Trump continues to use his own account on twitter.TheScreamingEagles said:
Just imagine being the Number 10 staffer in charge of Theresa May's twitter account and one night Trump tags her in an 'interesting' tweet.Pulpstar said:The best part about Trump's twitter account is that it is clearly mostly him.
There are obviously a few tweets that have been composed by whichever lackey has been given the gig to do his social media stuff, but by and large it is raw, unvarnished Trump.
That is a big contrast to most leaders who clearly aren't writing their own tweets.
@POTUS is used by Obama. Will Trump get control of that when he takes office?0 -
I'm not sure what rectitude has to do with it. We don't demand the removal of Assad yet suck up to the Saudis, ignore Mugabe, do a hairpin turn on Iran, for rightness' sake do we? We treat all these misbehavers totally differently because of geopolitical currents and influences, mainly emanating from the US.JosiasJessop said:
Not sadly. Rightly.Luckyguy1983 said:
Yes, people are missing this. I also think Britishness (Farage is a bit spivvy in some eyes but he speaks with a bantam-weight posh accent, which is enough) carries some weight in the US. He also has a lot of knowledge about politics, especially British and EU politics, that Trump doesn't have. In short he's an asset to Trump. Something which Teresa May's Government, sadly, is so far being rather lead-footed about.taffys said:I can't help thinking that Farage's current Trump arse-lick is not going to end well for him.
This is to entirely misunderstand the relationship. Trump genuinely thinks Farage has been a major help to him. First, in helping to secure Brexit, and then helping to secure him the presidency by tweaking his campaign. Which he did. Its not about arse-likhan.
He thinks Farage is a highly capable guy, based on what Nige has done for him. Free of charge.
Farage would obviously be totally unsuitable to be the ambassador (has anyone even asked him and his poor wife if they even want the job?), but as a sort of on-off part of a welcome/trade delegation, I don't think the door should have been closed so firmly.
It also can't be ruled out that Trump makes time during his state visit to see Farage then. Which again would be a huge slap in the face to the Government. For now, they need to get Farage inside the tent pissing out.0 -
The @barackobama handle has many times more followers than POTUS. I expect Trump will continue to use his own and leave the POTUS one to the staff.rottenborough said:
Trump continues to use his own account on twitter.TheScreamingEagles said:
Just imagine being the Number 10 staffer in charge of Theresa May's twitter account and one night Trump tags her in an 'interesting' tweet.Pulpstar said:The best part about Trump's twitter account is that it is clearly mostly him.
There are obviously a few tweets that have been composed by whichever lackey has been given the gig to do his social media stuff, but by and large it is raw, unvarnished Trump.
That is a big contrast to most leaders who clearly aren't writing their own tweets.
@POTUS is used by Obama. Will Trump get control of that when he takes office?0 -
He's already a liability. But there's a collective action problem. If it was a single vote then they could all move on it at once, but it's a slow, complicated, multi-step process. They have to keep this up against the furious anger of their base, and the person they're trying to remove has a reputation for petty retribution, and control of a secretive agency that keeps records of basically all their communications data.logical_song said:
Only up til the point where Trump becomes a liability.edmundintokyo said:
No, down that road leads people calling for impeachment, which neither the House or the Senate will vote for because they're afraid of primaries and personal retribution.david_herdson said:
Down that road lies impeachment.SouthamObserver said:
I am surprised you even ask the question. Trump's interests are the US's interests. End of.matt said:
The interesting line there is "his own interests". Where will he fall if there's a choice between his interests and the US' interest?Cyclefree said:
I would not describe Trump as posh. Not at all. Rather a common little man, if anything. As is Trump. Money does not mean poshness. No wonder they get on.CD13 said:Apart from being sent out to lie for the Government of the day, the four requirements for an ambassador are to be diplomatic, posh, follow orders, and preferably know which knife to use with fish. Farage ticks the boxes on the second and last.
Trump was just doing him a favour as pay-back. And sending a shot across the bows.
Speaking bluntly, saying what needs to be said is one thing. But neither of these imply that one has to be ill-mannered and offensive.
Trump is a bully. If this tweet finally persuades the British political establishment that the so-called relationship is nothing of the kind and that Trump will look after his own interests and no-one else's then he will have done us a favour.
What you don't do to bullies - or their sidekicks - is appease them. Britain used to understand this. Time for it to remember this basic lesson. Again.
The Republicans could do it, but they'd have to be extremely courageous. And they didn't get where they are today by being extremely courageous.0 -
He will become a liability when the American people decide that he is. Any guesses, two years maybe? It should become clear whether he is or isn't following the mid terms.williamglenn said:
They've been saying he's a liability all along so why would they be believed?logical_song said:
Only up til the point where Trump becomes a liability.edmundintokyo said:
No, down that road leads people calling for impeachment, which neither the House or the Senate will vote for because they're afraid of primaries and personal retribution.david_herdson said:
Down that road lies impeachment.SouthamObserver said:
I am surprised you even ask the question. Trump's interests are the US's interests. End of.matt said:
The interesting line there is "his own interests". Where will he fall if there's a choice between his interests and the US' interest?Cyclefree said:
I would not describe Trump as posh. Not at all. Rather a common little man, if anything. As is Trump. Money does not mean poshness. No wonder they get on.CD13 said:Apart from being sent out to lie for the Government of the day, the four requirements for an ambassador are to be diplomatic, posh, follow orders, and preferably know which knife to use with fish. Farage ticks the boxes on the second and last.
Trump was just doing him a favour as pay-back. And sending a shot across the bows.
Speaking bluntly, saying what needs to be said is one thing. But neither of these imply that one has to be ill-mannered and offensive.
Trump is a bully. If this tweet finally persuades the British political establishment that the so-called relationship is nothing of the kind and that Trump will look after his own interests and no-one else's then he will have done us a favour.
What you don't do to bullies - or their sidekicks - is appease them. Britain used to understand this. Time for it to remember this basic lesson. Again.0 -
FTSE 100 appears to have jumped today on the back of the ‘Ambassador’ Farage rejection.
Or possibly news of Government borrowing falling on record October tax take?
0
