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Comments
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I see also an extra 1% on NI being mooted to spend on NHS.
In all seriousness the NHS will soak up whatever money we spend on it and then say it needs more.0 -
And none of those alleged groping allegations turned into anything. I remain extremely sceptical of all this sort of stuff until it goes as far as affidavit et al. And why would a billionaire need to buy random Russian hookers? It doesn't pass the plausibility test for me.Ishmael_Z said:
Been done to death. There were much worse allegations going about during the campaign. What didn't hurt him them has no chance of hurting him now.lCarlottaVance said:
Surely the bigger problem for Trump is this opens up the whole "prostitutes" thing - having denied the specificity of this allegation he'll be asked "have you EVER hired a prostitute?" - and there must be a reasonable chance there are ladies out there who might have a different story...Sandpit said:
Indeed, these things can stick if they sound like they might plausibly be true.SouthamObserver said:
As HRC found out after the FBI Director's intervention, these things have a habit of sticking, even if they turn out to be totally groundless. Trump made hay with that FBI letter, as did many of his supporters - on here and elsewhere. What goes around comes around.PlatoSaid said:Sophie Ridge
"There is serious reason to doubt the allegations" ... hate to spoil the party, but when even the publisher is questioning the veracity... https://t.co/FiZAKztvXA
Witness a distraught Charlie Brooker doing his end of year show, realising that it would be the last time he'd make the David Cameron Getting Blown By A Pig joke.0 -
Mr. Jessop, not watching PMQs, but I suspect May Vs Miliband would've been like watching England play Scotland in the Six Nations, in a soaking wet pitch.0
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Indeedmalcolmg said:
If they just read the newspapers they will find Biden is nowhere, Trump won in a canter, next they will be saying if Biden had wheels he would be a wheelbarrow.HYUFD said:
Biden might have won but that is not certain especially as the issues of immigration and outsourcing and the need for change would still have favoured Trump. Biden would have needed to won Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin and also hold Nevada and Virginia which is a pretty tall orderrottenborough said:
Yep, he appeared a couple of times in the campaign and tore into Trump, especially over veterans issues. A few solid weeks of that and the fabled rust belt forgotten wouldn't have given Trump a second thought.tyson said:
Hillary shouldn't have run end of. Just too much baggage. Her time had passed. Neither Jeb Bush, the GOP establishment candidate. 3 Bushes is at least two too many.rottenborough said:
No doubt, Biden should have run. He'd have attacked Trump in a way Clinton didn't bother.tyson said:@Casino
From before.....
There were other candidates that could appeal to the Blue Collar crowd...the Democrats had Biden. GOP had Christie. Both would have polled significantly than their party's respective candidates.
Trump won by such slender margins.
Biden would have won by a landslide.0 -
Ok, I can believe it.Theuniondivvie said:
Purest Paddy P. I'd have thought.Casino_Royale said:Can't believe PP are offering a bet Trump appears on a porn site.
Edit: or pure Pee Pee, in the circs.0 -
She's also poor at interviews....she's just nervous and not confident, and probably struggles with anxiety. Gordon Brown struggled as PM too.Floater said:May really isn't a good public speaker is she.
The more I look at May, the more I question why she has put herself through this. She clearly does not enjoy it and she is not narcissistic. She probably overthinks everything.
I hate myself for saying this, but Boris would probably been better. His cavalier, bombastic, entitled attitude would have been better for for the post Brexit fallout.
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Why did Max Moseley, a very rich man, buy random hookers? Why do some men, rich or poor, buy random hookers?PlatoSaid said:
And none of those alleged groping allegations turned into anything. I remain extremely sceptical of all this sort of stuff until it goes as far as affidavit et al. And why would a billionaire need to buy random Russian hookers? It doesn't pass the plausibility test for me.Ishmael_Z said:
Been done to death. There were much worse allegations going about during the campaign. What didn't hurt him them has no chance of hurting him now.lCarlottaVance said:
Surely the bigger problem for Trump is this opens up the whole "prostitutes" thing - having denied the specificity of this allegation he'll be asked "have you EVER hired a prostitute?" - and there must be a reasonable chance there are ladies out there who might have a different story...Sandpit said:
Indeed, these things can stick if they sound like they might plausibly be true.SouthamObserver said:
As HRC found out after the FBI Director's intervention, these things have a habit of sticking, even if they turn out to be totally groundless. Trump made hay with that FBI letter, as did many of his supporters - on here and elsewhere. What goes around comes around.PlatoSaid said:Sophie Ridge
"There is serious reason to doubt the allegations" ... hate to spoil the party, but when even the publisher is questioning the veracity... https://t.co/FiZAKztvXA
Witness a distraught Charlie Brooker doing his end of year show, realising that it would be the last time he'd make the David Cameron Getting Blown By A Pig joke.
Being in a strange city, away from home, with money, temptation and a sex drive. Oh, and a power lust might play into it in some cases as well.0 -
https://twitter.com/RussianEmbassy/status/819128403232256005HYUFD said:A former British spy not a current one and Boris has only just come back from sucking up to Trump's top team
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Corbyn has definitely started dressing better.
He gets my seal of approval.0 -
Mr Observer,
"If I were a Labour strategist I would be having him on the TV as much as I could from here on in."
I I were a Corbynite, I'd be doing the same. Poor old Bonehead can't really get any worse in the view of the general public (his acolytes don't have too many brain cells to spare anyway).
His only hope is that the chorus of condemnation brings out the pity reflex in the voters. "Ah ... poor dear, he's doing his best and all he gets is nastiness in return."
There's even the possibility that he accidentally makes sense one day and surprises on the up-side.
And as been said elsewhere, Mrs May makes John Major look exciting.0 -
The News of the World hacking scandal was different but as far as I can tell the main beef most of HackedOff have in their crusade to regulate the press is that they were embarrassed by them, and don't want it to happen again.JosiasJessop said:
Why did Max Moseley, a very rich man, buy random hookers? Why do some men, rich or poor, buy random hookers?PlatoSaid said:
And none of those alleged groping allegations turned into anything. I remain extremely sceptical of all this sort of stuff until it goes as far as affidavit et al. And why would a billionaire need to buy random Russian hookers? It doesn't pass the plausibility test for me.Ishmael_Z said:
Been done to death. There were much worse allegations going about during the campaign. What didn't hurt him them has no chance of hurting him now.lCarlottaVance said:
Surely the bigger problem for Trump is this opens up the whole "prostitutes" thing - having denied the specificity of this allegation he'll be asked "have you EVER hired a prostitute?" - and there must be a reasonable chance there are ladies out there who might have a different story...Sandpit said:
Indeed, these things can stick if they sound like they might plausibly be true.SouthamObserver said:
As HRC found out after the FBI Director's intervention, these things have a habit of sticking, even if they turn out to be totally groundless. Trump made hay with that FBI letter, as did many of his supporters - on here and elsewhere. What goes around comes around.PlatoSaid said:Sophie Ridge
"There is serious reason to doubt the allegations" ... hate to spoil the party, but when even the publisher is questioning the veracity... https://t.co/FiZAKztvXA
Witness a distraught Charlie Brooker doing his end of year show, realising that it would be the last time he'd make the David Cameron Getting Blown By A Pig joke.
Being in a strange city, away from home, with money, temptation and a sex drive. Oh, and a power lust might play into it in some cases as well.0 -
Gorbachev was a rather different prospect than Putinwilliamglenn said:
https://twitter.com/RussianEmbassy/status/819128403232256005HYUFD said:A former British spy not a current one and Boris has only just come back from sucking up to Trump's top team
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Theresa May to Corbyn 'The last thing the NHS needs is a cheque that bounces'0
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Put it this way, Corbyn is no longer losing PMQs these days.
He even came out with an effective soundbite.0 -
Great line.Big_G_NorthWales said:Theresa May to Corbyn 'The last thing the NHS needs is a cheque that bounces'
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EU leaders despise Boris for his role on the Leave campaign and he has no attention to detail unlike May, he would have guaranteed a very poor Brexit deal. Boris however might still have a chance when May eventually leaves officetyson said:
She's also poor at interviews....she's just nervous and not confident, and probably struggles with anxiety. Gordon Brown struggled as PM too.Floater said:May really isn't a good public speaker is she.
The more I look at May, the more I question why she has put herself through this. She clearly does not enjoy it and she is not narcissistic. She probably overthinks everything.
I hate myself for saying this, but Boris would probably been better. His cavalier, bombastic, entitled attitude would have been better for for the post Brexit fallout.0 -
Mr Eagles,
"Corbyn has definitely started dressing better."
I'll take your word for that. But he looked rough yesterday - I've seen better looking corpses. Not quite in the Alec Douglas Hume category, but give it another three months.0 -
John Major won the 1992 election and Corbyn is worse than KinnockCD13 said:Mr Observer,
"If I were a Labour strategist I would be having him on the TV as much as I could from here on in."
I I were a Corbynite, I'd be doing the same. Poor old Bonehead can't really get any worse in the view of the general public (his acolytes don't have too many brain cells to spare anyway).
His only hope is that the chorus of condemnation brings out the pity reflex in the voters. "Ah ... poor dear, he's doing his best and all he gets is nastiness in return."
There's even the possibility that he accidentally makes sense one day and surprises on the up-side.
And as been said elsewhere, Mrs May makes John Major look exciting.0 -
One of the things history teaches us, I think, is that no one is ever prepared for the awesome responsibility of the highest office, no matter how long they think they have been prepared (e.g. Gordon). I agree May looks nervous in interviews. She can just avoid them as much as possible and still be PM.tyson said:
She's also poor at interviews....she's just nervous and not confident, and probably struggles with anxiety. Gordon Brown struggled as PM too.Floater said:May really isn't a good public speaker is she.
The more I look at May, the more I question why she has put herself through this. She clearly does not enjoy it and she is not narcissistic. She probably overthinks everything.
I hate myself for saying this, but Boris would probably been better. His cavalier, bombastic, entitled attitude would have been better for for the post Brexit fallout.0 -
Winning PMQs, and soon an election against May. All those people who took the 7-4 on him going this year will be sorry soon enoughTheScreamingEagles said:Put it this way, Corbyn is no longer losing PMQs these days.
He even came out with an effective soundbite.
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Is Corbyn the worst party leader in British history? Got to be a leading contender.HYUFD said:
John Major won the 1992 election and Corbyn is worse than KinnockCD13 said:Mr Observer,
"If I were a Labour strategist I would be having him on the TV as much as I could from here on in."
I I were a Corbynite, I'd be doing the same. Poor old Bonehead can't really get any worse in the view of the general public (his acolytes don't have too many brain cells to spare anyway).
His only hope is that the chorus of condemnation brings out the pity reflex in the voters. "Ah ... poor dear, he's doing his best and all he gets is nastiness in return."
There's even the possibility that he accidentally makes sense one day and surprises on the up-side.
And as been said elsewhere, Mrs May makes John Major look exciting.0 -
Off work today so actually getting to watch PMQs. Theresa May reminds me of Nicola Murray.0
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Though meaningless. A government cheque can't bounce.PlatoSaid said:
Great line.Big_G_NorthWales said:Theresa May to Corbyn 'The last thing the NHS needs is a cheque that bounces'
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PlatoSaid said:
And none of those alleged groping allegations turned into anything. I remain extremely sceptical of all this sort of stuff until it goes as far as affidavit et al. And why would a billionaire need to buy random Russian hookers? It doesn't pass the plausibility test for me.Ishmael_Z said:
Been done to death. There were much worse allegations going about during the campaign. What didn't hurt him them has no chance of hurting him now.lCarlottaVance said:
Surely the bigger problem for Trump is this opens up the whole "prostitutes" thing - having denied the specificity of this allegation he'll be asked "have you EVER hired a prostitute?" - and there must be a reasonable chance there are ladies out there who might have a different story...Sandpit said:
Indeed, these things can stick if they sound like they might plausibly be true.SouthamObserver said:
As HRC found out after the FBI Director's intervention, these things have a habit of sticking, even if they turn out to be totally groundless. Trump made hay with that FBI letter, as did many of his supporters - on here and elsewhere. What goes around comes around.PlatoSaid said:Sophie Ridge
"There is serious reason to doubt the allegations" ... hate to spoil the party, but when even the publisher is questioning the veracity... https://t.co/FiZAKztvXA
Witness a distraught Charlie Brooker doing his end of year show, realising that it would be the last time he'd make the David Cameron Getting Blown By A Pig joke.
Hookers and Donald Trump? That is implausible? Plato....do you engage your brain sometimes?
The only reason why any women would go with Trump is because he's got money. Without his wallet, Trump is a lumbering, bloated, foolish oaf.
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The problem Labour has in replacing Corbyn, on the assumption that he doesn't stand down, is that the MPs have to nominate a genuine PM-candidate. One reason that Corbyn won last year was that Smith was not up to it either. To flunk a second challenge might well rule out the possibility of a third this parliament because there's only so many times you can lose before you're seen to be causing trouble rather than trying to resolve it. So the MPs would have to nominate Starmer or Benn or someone of that stature.HYUFD said:
Corbyn is not going anywhere and the Unite election means next to nothing after Miliband scrapped the electoral college and Corbyn was re reelected by the membership by a landslideSouthamObserver said:
The number of hardline Corbynites is limited, though. Once the Unite election is done it will be a case of working out a candidate to replace Corbyn. The more I look at it, the more I think it will be Clive Lewis. Not my choice and deeply flawed, but he does not have Corbyn's baggage, is a much better media performer and has a decent back-story - crucially, as an ex-serviceman he is not someone who winces in the presence of a Union Jack.DecrepitJohnL said:
The problem with yesterday is that it reinforces the hardline Corbynite view that there is no point trying to play the Blairite media game since they will screw you anyway.SouthamObserver said:
I actually think that it has got to the stage with Corbyn that he is becoming a Labour asset. His unpopularity is such that Labour will get a boost and a chance of a hearing just by getting rid of him. And that really is now just a matter of when, not if. Yesterday was such a clusterf*** that even his doughtiest backers are struggling to defend him.
In related news, the Momentum push to recruit lots more Unite members to help McCluskey get re-elected attracted a grand total of 659 new applications.
I am developing a theory on the last few months which, if I have time, I may put in front of Mike and TSE for consideration as a published piece.
But the problem is that those candidates may well be unwilling to challenge directly and they begin with the 'disloyalty' tag either because they participated in last year failed 'coup' or because they'd have had to resign in order to challenge. Perhaps a heavyweight challenge might be enough to overcome that tag but it's a heck of a gamble, particularly with selection battles now looming more closely.
That said, the Unite election does matter, not for the leadership election particularly (though union cash is important) but because of Unite's seats on the NEC. The GS election might not affect that directly but there's a good chance that the nominees will follow the GS result.0 -
Trump and hookers ... meh.
Obama and hookers ... world news.0 -
tlg86 said:
Off work today so actually getting to watch PMQs. Theresa May reminds me of Nicola Murray.
Think though of what was the alternative - Louthsome.0 -
I think you need a 'without IDS' market..rottenborough said:
Is Corbyn the worst party leader in British history? Got to be a leading contender.HYUFD said:
John Major won the 1992 election and Corbyn is worse than KinnockCD13 said:Mr Observer,
"If I were a Labour strategist I would be having him on the TV as much as I could from here on in."
I I were a Corbynite, I'd be doing the same. Poor old Bonehead can't really get any worse in the view of the general public (his acolytes don't have too many brain cells to spare anyway).
His only hope is that the chorus of condemnation brings out the pity reflex in the voters. "Ah ... poor dear, he's doing his best and all he gets is nastiness in return."
There's even the possibility that he accidentally makes sense one day and surprises on the up-side.
And as been said elsewhere, Mrs May makes John Major look exciting.0 -
I think she is nervous at times and probably would prefer to just get on with the job. However, to be fair to TM there cannot be any new PM who has had to face so many complex issues that would daunt any politician and she needs to be given time to allow her to grow into the role.rottenborough said:
One of the things history teaches us, I think, is that no one is ever prepared for the awesome responsibility of the highest office, no matter how long they think they have been prepared (e.g. Gordon). I agree May looks nervous in interviews. She can just avoid them as much as possible and still be PM.tyson said:
She's also poor at interviews....she's just nervous and not confident, and probably struggles with anxiety. Gordon Brown struggled as PM too.Floater said:May really isn't a good public speaker is she.
The more I look at May, the more I question why she has put herself through this. She clearly does not enjoy it and she is not narcissistic. She probably overthinks everything.
I hate myself for saying this, but Boris would probably been better. His cavalier, bombastic, entitled attitude would have been better for for the post Brexit fallout.
Anyway, there is no other choice at present0 -
Also from the Independent
"Dozens of memos have been compiled by the former British operative, beginning as opposition research by Mr Trump’s rivals for the Republican candidacy, unnamed security sources told CNN.
The former MI6 agent reportedly served in Russia during the 1990s. His investigation into the New York businessman started during the GOP primaries, and was then taken up by liberal groups and donors once Mr Trump became the presidential nominee."
Desperately thin stuff so far, and he has already sold it at least twice (to GOP rivals, then the Democrats) in acts of blatant interference in the affairs of a friendly state. Either he is a fantasist, or he is massively in breach of the Official Secrets Act.
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Maybe my memory is failing but was he this bad?Theuniondivvie said:
I think you need a 'without IDS' market..rottenborough said:
Is Corbyn the worst party leader in British history? Got to be a leading contender.HYUFD said:
John Major won the 1992 election and Corbyn is worse than KinnockCD13 said:Mr Observer,
"If I were a Labour strategist I would be having him on the TV as much as I could from here on in."
I I were a Corbynite, I'd be doing the same. Poor old Bonehead can't really get any worse in the view of the general public (his acolytes don't have too many brain cells to spare anyway).
His only hope is that the chorus of condemnation brings out the pity reflex in the voters. "Ah ... poor dear, he's doing his best and all he gets is nastiness in return."
There's even the possibility that he accidentally makes sense one day and surprises on the up-side.
And as been said elsewhere, Mrs May makes John Major look exciting.0 -
F1: Vasseur, the Renault team principal, has resigned, it seems.
Hmm.0 -
May is dull and pedestrian. I am glad she has given up in trying to use humour which involves using senses not available to her.
This does not make her a bad PM of course. That has yet to be seen. She has a hard road to follow and difficult decisions to make. How she makes them will determine her ultimate standing far more than her lack of wit at PMQs.0 -
No, he wasn't. He wasn't good but at least he was coherent.rottenborough said:
Maybe my memory is failing but was he this bad?Theuniondivvie said:
I think you need a 'without IDS' market..rottenborough said:
Is Corbyn the worst party leader in British history? Got to be a leading contender.HYUFD said:
John Major won the 1992 election and Corbyn is worse than KinnockCD13 said:Mr Observer,
"If I were a Labour strategist I would be having him on the TV as much as I could from here on in."
I I were a Corbynite, I'd be doing the same. Poor old Bonehead can't really get any worse in the view of the general public (his acolytes don't have too many brain cells to spare anyway).
His only hope is that the chorus of condemnation brings out the pity reflex in the voters. "Ah ... poor dear, he's doing his best and all he gets is nastiness in return."
There's even the possibility that he accidentally makes sense one day and surprises on the up-side.
And as been said elsewhere, Mrs May makes John Major look exciting.0 -
Ex intelligence officers weren't helped by David Shayler...Ishmael_Z said:Also from the Independent
"Dozens of memos have been compiled by the former British operative, beginning as opposition research by Mr Trump’s rivals for the Republican candidacy, unnamed security sources told CNN.
The former MI6 agent reportedly served in Russia during the 1990s. His investigation into the New York businessman started during the GOP primaries, and was then taken up by liberal groups and donors once Mr Trump became the presidential nominee."
Desperately thin stuff so far, and he has already sold it at least twice (to GOP rivals, then the Democrats) in acts of blatant interference in the affairs of a friendly state. Either he is a fantasist, or he is massively in breach of the Official Secrets Act.0 -
Some members of Hacked Off want total control over the media image: they're perfectly willing to appear in the media when it comes to stories they want to come out; e.g. "here's my newest film," or "look what a great family person I am!" Stories that go against that image hurt their careers (though far from always), and they want to control these.Casino_Royale said:
The News of the World hacking scandal was different but as far as I can tell the main beef most of HackedOff have in their crusade to regulate the press is that they were embarrassed by them, and don't want it to happen again.JosiasJessop said:
Why did Max Moseley, a very rich man, buy random hookers? Why do some men, rich or poor, buy random hookers?PlatoSaid said:
And none of those alleged groping allegations turned into anything. I remain extremely sceptical of all this sort of stuff until it goes as far as affidavit et al. And why would a billionaire need to buy random Russian hookers? It doesn't pass the plausibility test for me.Ishmael_Z said:
Been done to death. There were much worse allegations going about during the campaign. What didn't hurt him them has no chance of hurting him now.lCarlottaVance said:
Surely the bigger problem for Trump is this opens up the whole "prostitutes" thing - having denied the specificity of this allegation he'll be asked "have you EVER hired a prostitute?" - and there must be a reasonable chance there are ladies out there who might have a different story...Sandpit said:
Indeed, these things can stick if they sound like they might plausibly be true.SouthamObserver said:
As HRC found out after the FBI Director's intervention, these things have a habit of sticking, even if they turn out to be totally groundless. Trump made hay with that FBI letter, as did many of his supporters - on here and elsewhere. What goes around comes around.PlatoSaid said:Sophie Ridge
"There is serious reason to doubt the allegations" ... hate to spoil the party, but when even the publisher is questioning the veracity... https://t.co/FiZAKztvXA
Witness a distraught Charlie Brooker doing his end of year show, realising that it would be the last time he'd make the David Cameron Getting Blown By A Pig joke.
Being in a strange city, away from home, with money, temptation and a sex drive. Oh, and a power lust might play into it in some cases as well.
The sad case of Christopher Jefferies shows that the media can go far too far in search of a story. I'm unsure many members of Hacked Off really care for such lowly people.0 -
I don't get it. Who writes a cheque to the NHS? It doesn't make sense.PlatoSaid said:
Great line.Big_G_NorthWales said:Theresa May to Corbyn 'The last thing the NHS needs is a cheque that bounces'
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15yrs ago - how time flies
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/article125599269.html?platform=hootsuite
"Video originally released Jan. 11, 2008: A Navy combat camera photographer was just doing his job at the U.S. Navy base at Guantánamo on Jan. 11, 2002, the day the first war on terror captives arrived. Little did he know that the pictures he took that day would emerge an enduring image of the controversial prison camps.0 -
Biden had run twice before and come precisely nowhere. Nor could Biden have posed as an outsider like Trump or Sanders because he has been vice-president for the past eight years. If there was a worse candidate than Hillary, hard as that is to imagine, it might just have been Joe Biden.tyson said:
Hillary shouldn't have run end of. Just too much baggage. Her time had passed. Neither Jeb Bush, the GOP establishment candidate. 3 Bushes is at least two too many.rottenborough said:
No doubt, Biden should have run. He'd have attacked Trump in a way Clinton didn't bother.tyson said:@Casino
From before.....
There were other candidates that could appeal to the Blue Collar crowd...the Democrats had Biden. GOP had Christie. Both would have polled significantly than their party's respective candidates.
Trump won by such slender margins.
Biden would have won by a landslide.0 -
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Mr. Jessop, I agree entirely. Losing a free press because sometimes it behaves reprehensibly is not a good deal for the public. The Rotherham scandal came to light because of investigative journalism. Would it, under the new system?
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That's from a summary, though. Most of the document isn't in such semi-telegraphese.Richard_Nabavi said:Looking at the actual text of the report by a 'former British intelligence operative' on the alleged Russian activity, there is something rather odd about the language. It doesn't read to me as though it were written by a native English speaker experienced in writing reports. For example (page 4):
FSB often uses coercion and blackmail to recruit most capable cyber operatives in Russia into its state-sponsored programmes. Heavy use also, both wittingly and unwittingly, of CIS emigres working in western corporations and ethnic Russians employed by neighbouring governments e.g. Latvia.
But are we sure it's the actual document? I have known occasions when a document has surfaced and another document that is similar to it many respects but has been given a few twists has also surfaced, within about an hour or so.0 -
Think that is a tad generous myself. But IDS held the party together until they decided to get rid of him in an act of self preservation. Corbyn has made riots look organised.Carolus_Rex said:
No, he wasn't. He wasn't good but at least he was coherent.rottenborough said:
Maybe my memory is failing but was he this bad?Theuniondivvie said:
I think you need a 'without IDS' market..rottenborough said:
Is Corbyn the worst party leader in British history? Got to be a leading contender.HYUFD said:
John Major won the 1992 election and Corbyn is worse than KinnockCD13 said:Mr Observer,
"If I were a Labour strategist I would be having him on the TV as much as I could from here on in."
I I were a Corbynite, I'd be doing the same. Poor old Bonehead can't really get any worse in the view of the general public (his acolytes don't have too many brain cells to spare anyway).
His only hope is that the chorus of condemnation brings out the pity reflex in the voters. "Ah ... poor dear, he's doing his best and all he gets is nastiness in return."
There's even the possibility that he accidentally makes sense one day and surprises on the up-side.
And as been said elsewhere, Mrs May makes John Major look exciting.0 -
There are some references to a person codenamed 'alpha' in the document, who supposedly is blackmailing Putin, or at least holds compromising information on him. I find it hard to believe a person would be alive given Putin's power.Dromedary said:
That's from a summary, though. Most of the document isn't in such semi-telegraphese.Richard_Nabavi said:Looking at the actual text of the report by a 'former British intelligence operative' on the alleged Russian activity, there is something rather odd about the language. It doesn't read to me as though it were written by a native English speaker experienced in writing reports. For example (page 4):
FSB often uses coercion and blackmail to recruit most capable cyber operatives in Russia into its state-sponsored programmes. Heavy use also, both wittingly and unwittingly, of CIS emigres working in western corporations and ethnic Russians employed by neighbouring governments e.g. Latvia.
But are we sure it's the actual document? I have known occasions when a document has surfaced and another document that is similar to it many respects but has been given a few twists has also surfaced, within about an hour or so.0 -
Alistair McAlpine writes as follows (The New Machiavelli, John Wiley and Sons, 2000, p.176):
"Another useful ploy is the false accusation. First, create a situation where you are wrongly accused. Then, at a convenient moment, arrange for the false accusation to be shown to be false beyond all doubt. Those who have made accusations against both the company and its management become discredited. Further accusations will then be treated with great suspicion."
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Rotherham's possibly a poor example, given the length of time it was going on before it was uncovered and the number of people who knew.Morris_Dancer said:Mr. Jessop, I agree entirely. Losing a free press because sometimes it behaves reprehensibly is not a good deal for the public. The Rotherham scandal came to light because of investigative journalism. Would it, under the new system?
My personal (and probably misjudged) alternative to Leveson is simple: make editors personally responsible for what is published. If a newspaper goes well beyond fair comment, such as in the Jefferies case, then the editors should personally pay fines or even face jail. But only in really egregious cases such as the above.0 -
If Len loses the Unite leadership it will mean a hell of a lot - at a bare minimum the far left loses all hope of gaining control of the NEC and Momentum loses all the support it has had from Unite up to now. If he doesn't, he will no longer need to pander to the hard left as he will not be standing for election again. If I were a Tory strategist I would not be making the assumptions you do.HYUFD said:
Corbyn is not going anywhere and the Unite election means next to nothing after Miliband scrapped the electoral college and Corbyn was re reelected by the membership by a landslideSouthamObserver said:
The of a Union Jack.DecrepitJohnL said:
The problem with yesterday is that it reinforces the hardline Corbynite view that there is no point trying to play the Blairite media game since they will screw you anyway.SouthamObserver said:
I actually think that it has got to the stage with Corbyn that he is becoming a Labour asset. His unpopularity is such that Labour will get a boost and a chance of a hearing just by getting rid of him. And that really is now just a matter of when, not if. Yesterday was such a clusterf*** that even his doughtiest backers are struggling to defend him.tyson said:
I still blame the GOP establishment for Trump. This election was theirs for the taking against an unpopular, tainted, already anointed, Democratic candidate. They should have had a system for weeding out someone like Trump who is totally unfit to be POTUS. Trump should only have been allowed to run as an Independent, if at all. Not as the GOP candidate.Casino_Royale said:Sort of on topic, I think Trump admires Putin because he's a nationalist that gets results, and he recognises something of himself in how he operates. Even though Putin is far cleverer and more dangerous.
On the other side, Putin's endorsement of Trump is almost wholly cynical, and I doubt he has any real affection for him, or the USA. The 'dirt' is largely noise: whilst I don't doubt the Russians have plenty on him they probably also know they couldn't really blackmail him with it, and nor do they yet need to or want to.
But we'll see.
It is the same for the Labour party establishment and Corbyn. They are to blame...they shouldn't had let him getting anywhere near.
Trump is likely to do to GOP what Corbyn is doing to the Labour Party.
In related news, the Momentum push to recruit lots more Unite members to help McCluskey get re-elected attracted a grand total of 659 new applications.
I am developing a theory on the last few months which, if I have time, I may put in front of Mike and TSE for consideration as a published piece.
0 -
Yes it is no guarantee of electoral successDura_Ace said:0 -
Corbyn really is the worst political leader in memory...and by a country mile.
HUYUD...Good point on Boris; he's politically toxic in Europe....
and Big G.......you are right....there is no alternative to May, certainly no better alternative at the minute. My point was she just doesn't look like someone who is enjoying her job too much..Like Gordon Brown...all that ambition and posturing, only to find you are anxious, miserable, irritable and it doesn't make you happy.
At least Corbyn looks like he sleeps well.....0 -
If he does worse than Foot did for Labour certainly though the Duke of Wellington was probably the worst overall but then he saved Europe from Napoleon which somewhat makes up for it!rottenborough said:
Is Corbyn the worst party leader in British history? Got to be a leading contender.HYUFD said:
John Major won the 1992 election and Corbyn is worse than KinnockCD13 said:Mr Observer,
"If I were a Labour strategist I would be having him on the TV as much as I could from here on in."
I I were a Corbynite, I'd be doing the same. Poor old Bonehead can't really get any worse in the view of the general public (his acolytes don't have too many brain cells to spare anyway).
His only hope is that the chorus of condemnation brings out the pity reflex in the voters. "Ah ... poor dear, he's doing his best and all he gets is nastiness in return."
There's even the possibility that he accidentally makes sense one day and surprises on the up-side.
And as been said elsewhere, Mrs May makes John Major look exciting.0 -
Yep, the next leader will essentially be decided via a stitch-up if it is to happen this side of an election. That will involve someone who can be identified as a Cobynista being able to get the nominations from MPs needed to run. Clearly, Lewis is being groomed for that role.david_herdson said:
The problem Labour has in replacing Corbyn, on the assumption that he doesn't stand down, is that the MPs have to nominate a genuine PM-candidate. One reason that Corbyn won last year was that Smith was not up to it either. To flunk a second challenge might well rule out the possibility of a third this parliament because there's only so many times you can lose before you're seen to be causing trouble rather than trying to resolve it. So the MPs would have to nominate Starmer or Benn or someone of that stature.HYUFD said:
Corbyn is not going anywhere and the Unite election means next to nothing after Miliband scrapped the electoral college and Corbyn was re reelected by the membership by a landslideSouthamObserver said:
The of a Union Jack.DecrepitJohnL said:
The problem with yesterday is that it reinforces the hardline Corbynite view that there is no point trying to play the Blairite media game since they will screw you anyway.SouthamObserver said:
I actually think that it has got to the stage with Corbyn that he is becoming a Labour asset. His unpopularity is such that Labour will get a boost and a chance of a hearing just by getting rid of him. And that really is now just a matter of when, not if. Yesterday was such a clusterf*** that even his doughtiest backers are struggling to defend him.
In related news, the Momentum push to recruit lots more Unite members to help McCluskey get re-elected attracted a grand total of 659 new applications.
I am developing a theory on the last few months which, if I have time, I may put in front of Mike and TSE for consideration as a published piece.
But the problem is that those candidates may well be unwilling to challenge directly and they begin with the 'disloyalty' tag either because they participated in last year failed 'coup' or because they'd have had to resign in order to challenge. Perhaps a heavyweight challenge might be enough to overcome that tag but it's a heck of a gamble, particularly with selection battles now looming more closely.
That said, the Unite election does matter, not for the leadership election particularly (though union cash is important) but because of Unite's seats on the NEC. The GS election might not affect that directly but there's a good chance that the nominees will follow the GS result.
0 -
Since the war, without question. Miliband is the second worst.rottenborough said:
Is Corbyn the worst party leader in British history? Got to be a leading contender.HYUFD said:
John Major won the 1992 election and Corbyn is worse than KinnockCD13 said:Mr Observer,
"If I were a Labour strategist I would be having him on the TV as much as I could from here on in."
I I were a Corbynite, I'd be doing the same. Poor old Bonehead can't really get any worse in the view of the general public (his acolytes don't have too many brain cells to spare anyway).
His only hope is that the chorus of condemnation brings out the pity reflex in the voters. "Ah ... poor dear, he's doing his best and all he gets is nastiness in return."
There's even the possibility that he accidentally makes sense one day and surprises on the up-side.
And as been said elsewhere, Mrs May makes John Major look exciting.
0 -
It's amusing trolling from ages ago, they've been a it for years
Russian Embassy UAE
#NATO's latest evidence of #Russian armor invading #Ukraine has been leaked! Seems to be the most convincing ever! http://t.co/nMdXdILX6q0 -
For his role in undermining the UK and Europe in Washington and the Iraq war, IDS will always be number 1.SouthamObserver said:
Since the war, without question. Miliband is the second worst.rottenborough said:
Is Corbyn the worst party leader in British history? Got to be a leading contender.HYUFD said:
John Major won the 1992 election and Corbyn is worse than KinnockCD13 said:Mr Observer,
"If I were a Labour strategist I would be having him on the TV as much as I could from here on in."
I I were a Corbynite, I'd be doing the same. Poor old Bonehead can't really get any worse in the view of the general public (his acolytes don't have too many brain cells to spare anyway).
His only hope is that the chorus of condemnation brings out the pity reflex in the voters. "Ah ... poor dear, he's doing his best and all he gets is nastiness in return."
There's even the possibility that he accidentally makes sense one day and surprises on the up-side.
And as been said elsewhere, Mrs May makes John Major look exciting.0 -
HYUFD said:
If he does worse than Foot did for Labour certainly though the Duke of Wellington was probably the worst overall but then he saved Europe from Napoleon which somewhat makes up for it!rottenborough said:
Is Corbyn the worst party leader in British history? Got to be a leading contender.HYUFD said:
John Major won the 1992 election and Corbyn is worse than KinnockCD13 said:Mr Observer,
"If I were a Labour strategist I would be having him on the TV as much as I could from here on in."
I I were a Corbynite, I'd be doing the same. Poor old Bonehead can't really get any worse in the view of the general public (his acolytes don't have too many brain cells to spare anyway).
His only hope is that the chorus of condemnation brings out the pity reflex in the voters. "Ah ... poor dear, he's doing his best and all he gets is nastiness in return."
There's even the possibility that he accidentally makes sense one day and surprises on the up-side.
And as been said elsewhere, Mrs May makes John Major look exciting.
Corbyn doesn't deserve to lace Foot's boots. Foot was a great orator,. writer, thinker. To see Corbyn hiding behind the likes of Chakrabarti, Thronberry and Abbot says it all about him.
IDS compares to Corbyn....but at least IDS knew his time was up0 -
IDS was worse than Miliband, in my view.SouthamObserver said:
Since the war, without question. Miliband is the second worst.rottenborough said:
Is Corbyn the worst party leader in British history? Got to be a leading contender.HYUFD said:
John Major won the 1992 election and Corbyn is worse than KinnockCD13 said:Mr Observer,
"If I were a Labour strategist I would be having him on the TV as much as I could from here on in."
I I were a Corbynite, I'd be doing the same. Poor old Bonehead can't really get any worse in the view of the general public (his acolytes don't have too many brain cells to spare anyway).
His only hope is that the chorus of condemnation brings out the pity reflex in the voters. "Ah ... poor dear, he's doing his best and all he gets is nastiness in return."
There's even the possibility that he accidentally makes sense one day and surprises on the up-side.
And as been said elsewhere, Mrs May makes John Major look exciting.
Miliband had some good ideas. His oddness counted against him more than his abilities.0 -
Well, I'm convinced!
https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/8191598064895918090 -
They do have a sense of humour. But, is this supposed to convince us that Russian forces did not help the Ukrainian separatists?PlatoSaid said:It's amusing trolling from ages ago, they've been a it for years
Russian Embassy UAE
#NATO's latest evidence of #Russian armor invading #Ukraine has been leaked! Seems to be the most convincing ever! http://t.co/nMdXdILX6q0 -
I missed this one. Blimey
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4105244/Morocco-bans-production-sale-burqas-reports.html0 -
Assuming the definition of success as a party leader is someone who materially improves the fortunes of the party beyond what might naturally be expected and ideally leaves it in a better place...SouthamObserver said:
Since the war, without question. Miliband is the second worst.rottenborough said:
Is Corbyn the worst party leader in British history? Got to be a leading contender.HYUFD said:
John Major won the 1992 election and Corbyn is worse than KinnockCD13 said:Mr Observer,
"If I were a Labour strategist I would be having him on the TV as much as I could from here on in."
I I were a Corbynite, I'd be doing the same. Poor old Bonehead can't really get any worse in the view of the general public (his acolytes don't have too many brain cells to spare anyway).
His only hope is that the chorus of condemnation brings out the pity reflex in the voters. "Ah ... poor dear, he's doing his best and all he gets is nastiness in return."
There's even the possibility that he accidentally makes sense one day and surprises on the up-side.
And as been said elsewhere, Mrs May makes John Major look exciting.
IMO Major and Milliband are amongst the worst. The former, despite winning 92, put his party out of power for a generation and the latter made Corbyn possible.
0 -
Everyone knows that using ALL CAPS is a clear sign that one is telling the truth. Case closed. Carry on Donald.SouthamObserver said:Well, I'm convinced!
https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/8191598064895918090 -
double negative at the end - innit ?SouthamObserver said:Well, I'm convinced!
https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/8191598064895918090 -
Leather trousers are presumably waterproof....SeanT said:Whatever one thinks of our own dear Prime Minister, it is unlikely the Russians have videos of her being pissed on by prostitutes.
0 -
Good news - the c2c rail franchise is being nationalised - by the Italian state railway!
http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/passenger/single-view/view/trenitalia-buys-c2c-to-enter-uk-rail-market.html
0 -
I wonder how PM Osborne would look ?SeanT said:Whatever one thinks of our own dear Prime Minister, it is unlikely the Russians have videos of her being pissed on by prostitutes.
0 -
Are you a professional fun sponge?logical_song said:
They do have a sense of humour. But, is this supposed to convince us that Russian forces did not help the Ukrainian separatists?PlatoSaid said:It's amusing trolling from ages ago, they've been a it for years
Russian Embassy UAE
#NATO's latest evidence of #Russian armor invading #Ukraine has been leaked! Seems to be the most convincing ever! http://t.co/nMdXdILX6q0 -
I was pleased when May became leader, particularly given the other candidates. She seems decent enough, experienced, not clearly bonkers, and says the right words.tyson said:Corbyn really is the worst political leader in memory...and by a country mile.
HUYUD...Good point on Boris; he's politically toxic in Europe....
and Big G.......you are right....there is no alternative to May, certainly no better alternative at the minute. My point was she just doesn't look like someone who is enjoying her job too much..Like Gordon Brown...all that ambition and posturing, only to find you are anxious, miserable, irritable and it doesn't make you happy.
At least Corbyn looks like he sleeps well.....
But I feel desperately sorry for her. I think she is out of her depth and not enjoying the job at all. She is also injecting four times a day and can no longer nibble food surreptitiously in the chamber. How long will she last? Possibly until 2020 but I think it will take a big toll on her health.
https://www.diabetes.org.uk/About_us/News/Balance-interview-with-Theresa-May/0 -
Of course it is possible that the British government is behind the leak, or MI6Ishmael_Z said:Also from the Independent
"Dozens of memos have been compiled by the former British operative, beginning as opposition research by Mr Trump’s rivals for the Republican candidacy, unnamed security sources told CNN.
The former MI6 agent reportedly served in Russia during the 1990s. His investigation into the New York businessman started during the GOP primaries, and was then taken up by liberal groups and donors once Mr Trump became the presidential nominee."
Desperately thin stuff so far, and he has already sold it at least twice (to GOP rivals, then the Democrats) in acts of blatant interference in the affairs of a friendly state. Either he is a fantasist, or he is massively in breach of the Official Secrets Act.0 -
Major is nowhere near the worst, he won an unprecedented 4th term for the Tories. Hague in 2001 did worse than Miliband, Gaitskill in 1959 did worse than Attlee in 1955, Callaghan worse than Wilson, Brown far worse than BlairJonathan said:
Assuming the definition of success as a party leader is someone who materially improves the fortunes of the party beyond what might naturally be expected and ideally leaves it in a better place...SouthamObserver said:
Since the war, without question. Miliband is the second worst.rottenborough said:
Is Corbyn the worst party leader in British history? Got to be a leading contender.HYUFD said:
John Major won the 1992 election and Corbyn is worse than KinnockCD13 said:Mr Observer,
"If I were a Labour strategist I would be having him on the TV as much as I could from here on in."
I I were a Corbynite, I'd be doing the same. Poor old Bonehead can't really get any worse in the view of the general public (his acolytes don't have too many brain cells to spare anyway).
His only hope is that the chorus of condemnation brings out the pity reflex in the voters. "Ah ... poor dear, he's doing his best and all he gets is nastiness in return."
There's even the possibility that he accidentally makes sense one day and surprises on the up-side.
And as been said elsewhere, Mrs May makes John Major look exciting.
IMO Major and Milliband are amongst the worst. The former, despite winning 92, put his party out of power for a generation and the latter made Corbyn possible.0 -
There is nothing shameful about diabetes. Why would she not be able to nibble during meetings and while working? Anyone with a problem with that shouldn't be working in positions that require work interaction with a PM.Barnesian said:
I was pleased when May became leader, particularly given the other candidates. She seems decent enough, experienced, not clearly bonkers, and says the right words.tyson said:Corbyn really is the worst political leader in memory...and by a country mile.
HUYUD...Good point on Boris; he's politically toxic in Europe....
and Big G.......you are right....there is no alternative to May, certainly no better alternative at the minute. My point was she just doesn't look like someone who is enjoying her job too much..Like Gordon Brown...all that ambition and posturing, only to find you are anxious, miserable, irritable and it doesn't make you happy.
At least Corbyn looks like he sleeps well.....
But I feel desperately sorry for her. I think she is out of her depth and not enjoying the job at all. She is also injecting four times a day and can no longer nibble food surreptitiously in the chamber. How long will she last? Possibly until 2020 but I think it will take a big toll on her health.
https://www.diabetes.org.uk/About_us/News/Balance-interview-with-Theresa-May/0 -
PMs don't spend hours upon hours in the chamber though, so it can't be a huge issue.Barnesian said:
I was pleased when May became leader, particularly given the other candidates. She seems decent enough, experienced, not clearly bonkers, and says the right words.tyson said:Corbyn really is the worst political leader in memory...and by a country mile.
HUYUD...Good point on Boris; he's politically toxic in Europe....
and Big G.......you are right....there is no alternative to May, certainly no better alternative at the minute. My point was she just doesn't look like someone who is enjoying her job too much..Like Gordon Brown...all that ambition and posturing, only to find you are anxious, miserable, irritable and it doesn't make you happy.
At least Corbyn looks like he sleeps well.....
But I feel desperately sorry for her. I think she is out of her depth and not enjoying the job at all. She is also injecting four times a day and can no longer nibble food surreptitiously in the chamber. How long will she last? Possibly until 2020 but I think it will take a big toll on her health.
https://www.diabetes.org.uk/About_us/News/Balance-interview-with-Theresa-May/0 -
Wikileaks
WikiLeaks has a 100% record of accurate authentication. We do not endorse Buzzfeed's publication of a document which is clearly bogus.0 -
The worse Corbyn gets, the broader the support in the PLP/wider party for Clive Lewis.SouthamObserver said:
Yep, the next leader will essentially be decided via a stitch-up if it is to happen this side of an election. That will involve someone who can be identified as a Cobynista being able to get the nominations from MPs needed to run. Clearly, Lewis is being groomed for that role.david_herdson said:
THYUFD said:
Corbyn is not going anywhere and the Unite election means next to nothing after Miliband scrapped the electoral college and Corbyn was re reelected by the membership by a landslideSouthamObserver said:
The of a Union Jack.DecrepitJohnL said:
The problem with yesterday is that it reinforces the hardline Corbynite view that there is no point trying to play the Blairite media game since they will screw you anyway.SouthamObserver said:
I actually think that it has got to the stage with Corbyn that he is becoming a Labour asset. His unpopularity is such that Labour will get a boost and a chance of a hearing just by getting rid of him. And that really is now just a matter of when, not if. Yesterday was such a clusterf*** that even his doughtiest backers are struggling to defend him.
In related news, the Momentum push to recruit lots more Unite members to help McCluskey get re-elected attracted a grand total of 659 new applications.
I am developing a theory on the last few months which, if I have time, I may put in front of Mike and TSE for consideration as a published piece.
But the problem is that those candidates may well be unwilling to challenge directly and they begin with the 'disloyalty' tag either because they participated in last year failed 'coup' or because they'd have had to resign in order to challenge. Perhaps a heavyweight challenge might be enough to overcome that tag but it's a heck of a gamble, particularly with selection battles now looming more closely.
That said, the Unite election does matter, not for the leadership election particularly (though union cash is important) but because of Unite's seats on the NEC. The GS election might not affect that directly but there's a good chance that the nominees will follow the GS result.
A cunning plan, eh?0 -
Is the last sentence from experience?SeanT said:
As one famously fond-of-whores Hollywood actor said (and he was a man who could bed most women at will): "You don't pay them to sleep with you, you pay them to go away afterwards".tyson said:
Honey trapping is the oldest and easiest form of espionage. Men are just so stupid....... especially rich, narcissistic, risk takers.....Sandpit said:
The Russians will have a *lot* of videos of businessmen with hookers.tyson said:
If anyone would get honey trapped, a vain, narcissistic, morally corrupt, risk taker who brags about grabbing women by their pussy with a penchant for hookers would be like taking sweets from a baby. Would explain too why Berlusconi and Shroeder became so close to Russia, though Berlusconi is such a vain man he would probably be proud for them to be posted. Straight out of the KGB copybook.Sandpit said:
LOL. Great doublespeak there. The Kremlin doesn't collect intelligence but the FSB sure does!TheScreamingEagles said:As if
@NatVasilyevaAP: Putin's spokesman Peskov has just denied allegations in the Trump report, says "the Kremlin does not engage in collecting compromising info"
God knows how many videos of hookers with businessmen the Russians have; just in case so to speak. And if said businessman becomes something more, like POTUS per chance, jeez, what a result.
A friend of mine in Moscow says for businessmen to always pick up girls in the strip clubs, as the 'models' flirting with you in the hotel bar are almost always not what they seem - if they're not employed by the government they'll be employed by whoever you're trying to do a deal with. Real James Bond stuff.
I never get what the deal is with hookers. I wouldn't want my pecker anywhere near a place where someone like Trump or Berlusconi has been maybe hours before. Yuck.
SeanT could probably provide a better insight in whoring, but it just strikes me as all a bit unhygienic.
It's the ultimate on-demand no-strings-attached sex. Unless you're being filmed by the KGB. 0 -
Great minds etc. That was my theory down thread. With Russia and the US discrediting each other, Britain - free from the EU - can emerge as the only honest broker on the planet. Why wouldn't Britain be behind it?JohnLilburne said:
Of course it is possible that the British government is behind the leak, or MI6Ishmael_Z said:Also from the Independent
"Dozens of memos have been compiled by the former British operative, beginning as opposition research by Mr Trump’s rivals for the Republican candidacy, unnamed security sources told CNN.
The former MI6 agent reportedly served in Russia during the 1990s. His investigation into the New York businessman started during the GOP primaries, and was then taken up by liberal groups and donors once Mr Trump became the presidential nominee."
Desperately thin stuff so far, and he has already sold it at least twice (to GOP rivals, then the Democrats) in acts of blatant interference in the affairs of a friendly state. Either he is a fantasist, or he is massively in breach of the Official Secrets Act.0 -
A lot of people with well-managed chronic conditions have better general health than most of the population. (I know, I'm one of them).Barnesian said:
I was pleased when May became leader, particularly given the other candidates. She seems decent enough, experienced, not clearly bonkers, and says the right words.tyson said:Corbyn really is the worst political leader in memory...and by a country mile.
HUYUD...Good point on Boris; he's politically toxic in Europe....
and Big G.......you are right....there is no alternative to May, certainly no better alternative at the minute. My point was she just doesn't look like someone who is enjoying her job too much..Like Gordon Brown...all that ambition and posturing, only to find you are anxious, miserable, irritable and it doesn't make you happy.
At least Corbyn looks like he sleeps well.....
But I feel desperately sorry for her. I think she is out of her depth and not enjoying the job at all. She is also injecting four times a day and can no longer nibble food surreptitiously in the chamber. How long will she last? Possibly until 2020 but I think it will take a big toll on her health.
https://www.diabetes.org.uk/About_us/News/Balance-interview-with-Theresa-May/0 -
Brendan O'Neill nails it
http://www.spiked-online.com/newsite/article/watersportsgate-whos-post-truth-now/19199#.WHYu45-nxTe
"It’s being called Watersportsgate. Of course it is. And this rumour – remember, the source of the rumour is unknown, its documenter unnamed – taps beautifully into the liberal-left’s increasingly conspiracy-theory idea that Trump is in essence a Manchurian Candidate, a puppet of Putin, doing his master’s bidding. And now we know why the president-elect is so dutifully poisoning America on behalf of Evil Russia: it’s at least partly because Russia has the anti-Obama piss prostitute film.
This is how out-of-control the pro-Hillary, pro-EU set feels now, how unhinged they have become – that they will engage in a leftish rehash of 1950s McCarthyism, pushing the notion that Russia controls Trump, and hugging every dossier, whatever its lack of veracity, that confirms their view that they didn’t lose, that the EU didn’t fail or Hillary wasn’t rubbish, but rather that wicked foreigners, blackmailers from beyond the Black Sea, invaded our computers and minds and souls and screwed up everything.0 -
I think anyone in her position at this moment in time would at times feel overwhelmed but she has a determination to get on with the job and does have at present popular support.Barnesian said:
I was pleased when May became leader, particularly given the other candidates. She seems decent enough, experienced, not clearly bonkers, and says the right words.tyson said:Corbyn really is the worst political leader in memory...and by a country mile.
HUYUD...Good point on Boris; he's politically toxic in Europe....
and Big G.......you are right....there is no alternative to May, certainly no better alternative at the minute. My point was she just doesn't look like someone who is enjoying her job too much..Like Gordon Brown...all that ambition and posturing, only to find you are anxious, miserable, irritable and it doesn't make you happy.
At least Corbyn looks like he sleeps well.....
But I feel desperately sorry for her. I think she is out of her depth and not enjoying the job at all. She is also injecting four times a day and can no longer nibble food surreptitiously in the chamber. How long will she last? Possibly until 2020 but I think it will take a big toll on her health.
https://www.diabetes.org.uk/About_us/News/Balance-interview-with-Theresa-May/
The question of her diabetes is valid and while I was diagnosed with diabetes in 2009 but have contolled it and never needed any medication my late sister did have to inject four times a day and it is a routine a diabetic sufferer does get used to but at times she must feel quite exhausted.
However she is very diciplined and determined and will have the best of medical advice and I believe she will continue in Office beyond 2020 if elected0 -
Of course there is nothing shameful about diabetes! My reference to surreptitiously nibbling was a quote from the linked article:MTimT said:
There is nothing shameful about diabetes. Why would she not be able to nibble during meetings and while working? Anyone with a problem with that shouldn't be working in positions that require work interaction with a PM.Barnesian said:
I was pleased when May became leader, particularly given the other candidates. She seems decent enough, experienced, not clearly bonkers, and says the right words.tyson said:Corbyn really is the worst political leader in memory...and by a country mile.
HUYUD...Good point on Boris; he's politically toxic in Europe....
and Big G.......you are right....there is no alternative to May, certainly no better alternative at the minute. My point was she just doesn't look like someone who is enjoying her job too much..Like Gordon Brown...all that ambition and posturing, only to find you are anxious, miserable, irritable and it doesn't make you happy.
At least Corbyn looks like he sleeps well.....
But I feel desperately sorry for her. I think she is out of her depth and not enjoying the job at all. She is also injecting four times a day and can no longer nibble food surreptitiously in the chamber. How long will she last? Possibly until 2020 but I think it will take a big toll on her health.
https://www.diabetes.org.uk/About_us/News/Balance-interview-with-Theresa-May/
"Keeping on top of her condition has even led to her surreptitiously breaking the House of Commons' strict rules on not eating in the Chamber."
“There was one occasion when I had been expecting to go into the Chamber later, but the way the debates were drawn up meant I had to go in at 11am and I knew I wasn’t coming out till about five,” she recalls. “I had a bag of nuts in my handbag and one of my colleagues would lean forward every now and then, so that I could eat some nuts without being seen by the Speaker.”
She can't do that now. But it is a small point. The main point is that it is very tough for her, and will she last the course. There is £100 at evens on Betfair at the moment that she won't.0 -
Foot had many talents but he was trounced in 1983 winning just 28% and 209 seats putting Labour in a worse place than Callaghan had left it. As party leader he was a disaster.tyson said:HYUFD said:
If he does worse than Foot did for Labour certainly though the Duke of Wellington was probably the worst overall but then he saved Europe from Napoleon which somewhat makes up for it!rottenborough said:
Is Corbyn the worst party leader in British history? Got to be a leading contender.HYUFD said:
John Major won the 1992 election and Corbyn is worse than KinnockCD13 said:Mr Observer,
"If I were a Labour strategist I would be having him on the TV as much as I could from here on in."
I I were a Corbynite, I'd be doing the same. Poor old Bonehead can't really get any worse in the view of the general public (his acolytes don't have too many brain cells to spare anyway).
His only hope is that the chorus of condemnation brings out the pity reflex in the voters. "Ah ... poor dear, he's doing his best and all he gets is nastiness in return."
There's even the possibility that he accidentally makes sense one day and surprises on the up-side.
And as been said elsewhere, Mrs May makes John Major look exciting.
Corbyn doesn't deserve to lace Foot's boots. Foot was a great orator,. writer, thinker. To see Corbyn hiding behind the likes of Chakrabarti, Thronberry and Abbot says it all about him.
IDS compares to Corbyn....but at least IDS knew his time was up0 -
The version I've got refers to "Alpha", an unusual transliteration for what is usually called the Alfa Group, which owns Alfa Bank, Russia's largest private bank. (This is not the same as Alpha Bank, which is Greek.) Big figures at it include the oligarchs Mikhail Fridman (who also holds Israeli citizenship) and Pyotr Aven. Alfa has a British arm, and Aven is a trustee of the Centre for Economic Policy Research, headquartered in London.RobD said:
There are some references to a person codenamed 'alpha' in the document, who supposedly is blackmailing Putin, or at least holds compromising information on him. I find it hard to believe a person would be alive given Putin's power.Dromedary said:
That's from a summary, though. Most of the document isn't in such semi-telegraphese.Richard_Nabavi said:Looking at the actual text of the report by a 'former British intelligence operative' on the alleged Russian activity, there is something rather odd about the language. It doesn't read to me as though it were written by a native English speaker experienced in writing reports. For example (page 4):
FSB often uses coercion and blackmail to recruit most capable cyber operatives in Russia into its state-sponsored programmes. Heavy use also, both wittingly and unwittingly, of CIS emigres working in western corporations and ethnic Russians employed by neighbouring governments e.g. Latvia.
But are we sure it's the actual document? I have known occasions when a document has surfaced and another document that is similar to it many respects but has been given a few twists has also surfaced, within about an hour or so.0 -
Good to see Plato sticking to her guns spinning for Trump.0
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Having backed Trident Lewis is no longer a CorbynistaSouthamObserver said:
Yep, the next leader will essentially be decided via a stitch-up if it is to happen this side of an election. That will involve someone who can be identified as a Cobynista being able to get the nominations from MPs needed to run. Clearly, Lewis is being groomed for that role.david_herdson said:
The problem Labour has in replacing Corbyn, on the assumption that he doesn't stand down, is that the MPs have to nominate a genuine PM-candidate. One reason that Corbyn won last year was that Smith was not up to it either. To flunk a second challenge might well rule out the possibility of a third this parliament because there's only so many times you can lose before you're seen to be causing trouble rather than trying to resolve it. So the MPs would have to nominate Starmer or Benn or someone of that stature.HYUFD said:
Corbyn is not going anywhere and the Unite election means next to nothing after Miliband scrapped the electoral college and Corbyn was re reelected by the membership by a landslideSouthamObserver said:
The of a Union Jack.DecrepitJohnL said:
The problem with yesterday is that it reinforces the hardline Corbynite view that there is no point trying to play the Blairite media game since they will screw you anyway.SouthamObserver said:
I actually think that it has got to the stage with Corbyn that he is becoming a Labour asset. His unpopularity is such that Labour will get a boost and a chance of a hearing just by getting rid of him. And that really is now just a matter of when, not if. Yesterday was such a clusterf*** that even his doughtiest backers are struggling to defend him.
In related news, the Momentum push to recruit lots more Unite members to help McCluskey get re-elected attracted a grand total of 659 new applications.
I am developing a theory on the last few months which, if I have time, I may put in front of Mike and TSE for consideration as a published piece.
But the problem is that those candidates may well be unwilling to challenge directly and they begin with the 'disloyalty' tag either because they participated in last year failed 'coup' or because they'd have had to resign in order to challenge. Perhaps a heavyweight challenge might be enough to overcome that tag but it's a heck of a gamble, particularly with selection battles now looming more closely.
That said, the Unite election does matter, not for the leadership election particularly (though union cash is important) but because of Unite's seats on the NEC. The GS election might not affect that directly but there's a good chance that the nominees will follow the GS result.0 -
Worst party leader in British history? Asquith. Took over a party with a landslide majority. Left a wreck with 40 seats. It has never recovered.HYUFD said:
If he does worse than Foot did for Labour certainly though the Duke of Wellington was probably the worst overall but then he saved Europe from Napoleon which somewhat makes up for it!rottenborough said:
Is Corbyn the worst party leader in British history? Got to be a leading contender.HYUFD said:
John Major won the 1992 election and Corbyn is worse than KinnockCD13 said:Mr Observer,
"If I were a Labour strategist I would be having him on the TV as much as I could from here on in."
I I were a Corbynite, I'd be doing the same. Poor old Bonehead can't really get any worse in the view of the general public (his acolytes don't have too many brain cells to spare anyway).
His only hope is that the chorus of condemnation brings out the pity reflex in the voters. "Ah ... poor dear, he's doing his best and all he gets is nastiness in return."
There's even the possibility that he accidentally makes sense one day and surprises on the up-side.
And as been said elsewhere, Mrs May makes John Major look exciting.0 -
Yes Boris was public enemy no 1 in Europetyson said:Corbyn really is the worst political leader in memory...and by a country mile.
HUYUD...Good point on Boris; he's politically toxic in Europe....
and Big G.......you are right....there is no alternative to May, certainly no better alternative at the minute. My point was she just doesn't look like someone who is enjoying her job too much..Like Gordon Brown...all that ambition and posturing, only to find you are anxious, miserable, irritable and it doesn't make you happy.
At least Corbyn looks like he sleeps well.....0 -
Hague gained seats (well, a seat, net); Miliband lost them.HYUFD said:
Major is nowhere near the worst, he won an unprecedented 4th term for the Tories. Hague in 2001 did worse than Miliband, Gaitskill in 1959 did worse than Attlee in 1955, Callaghan worse than Wilson, Brown far worse than BlairJonathan said:
Assuming the definition of success as a party leader is someone who materially improves the fortunes of the party beyond what might naturally be expected and ideally leaves it in a better place...SouthamObserver said:
Since the war, without question. Miliband is the second worst.rottenborough said:
Is Corbyn the worst party leader in British history? Got to be a leading contender.HYUFD said:
John Major won the 1992 election and Corbyn is worse than KinnockCD13 said:Mr Observer,
"If I were a Labour strategist I would be having him on the TV as much as I could from here on in."
I I were a Corbynite, I'd be doing the same. Poor old Bonehead can't really get any worse in the view of the general public (his acolytes don't have too many brain cells to spare anyway).
His only hope is that the chorus of condemnation brings out the pity reflex in the voters. "Ah ... poor dear, he's doing his best and all he gets is nastiness in return."
There's even the possibility that he accidentally makes sense one day and surprises on the up-side.
And as been said elsewhere, Mrs May makes John Major look exciting.
IMO Major and Milliband are amongst the worst. The former, despite winning 92, put his party out of power for a generation and the latter made Corbyn possible.
They're probably much-of-a-muchness in reality. Both reformed their parties' leadership elections to ill effect (though Hague's effort did at least include a sensible ejection system).0 -
All of that is irrelevant while the members decide the leadership as unless Corbyn leaves of his own free will they will keep re electing himSouthamObserver said:
If Len loses the Unite leadership it will mean a hell of a lot - at a bare minimum the far left loses all hope of gaining control of the NEC and Momentum loses all the support it has had from Unite up to now. If he doesn't, he will no longer need to pander to the hard left as he will not be standing for election again. If I were a Tory strategist I would not be making the assumptions you do.HYUFD said:
Corbyn is not going anywhere and the Unite election means next to nothing after Miliband scrapped the electoral college and Corbyn was re reelected by the membership by a landslideSouthamObserver said:
The of a Union Jack.DecrepitJohnL said:
The problem with yesterday is that it reinforces the hardline Corbynite view that there is no point trying to play the Blairite media game since they will screw you anyway.SouthamObserver said:
I actually think that it has got to the stage with Corbyn that he is becoming a Labour asset. His unpopularity is such that Labour will get a boost and a chance of a hearing just by getting rid of him. And that really is now just a matter of when, not if. Yesterday was such a clusterf*** that even his doughtiest backers are struggling to defend him.tyson said:
I still blame the GOP establishment for Trump. This election was theirs for the taking against an unpopular, tainted, already anointed, Democratic candidate. They should have had a system for weeding out someone like Trump who is totally unfit to be POTUS.Casino_Royale said:Sort of on topic, I think Trump admires Putin because he's a nationalist that gets results, and he recognises something of himself in how he operates. Even though Putin is far cleverer and more dangerous.
On the other side, Putin's endorsement of Trump is almost wholly cynical, and I doubt he has any real affection for him, or the USA. The 'dirt' is largely noise: whilst I don't doubt the Russians have plenty on him they probably also know they couldn't really blackmail him with it, and nor do they yet need to or want to.
But we'll see.
Trump is likely to do to GOP what Corbyn is doing to the Labour Party.
In related news, the Momentum push to recruit lots more Unite members to help McCluskey get re-elected attracted a grand total of 659 new applications.
I am developing a theory on the last few months which, if I have time, I may put in front of Mike and TSE for consideration as a published piece.0 -
There are quite a few incongruous things in the language in the report like missing articles - a classic mistake made by native Russian speakers - and also the hints of the author's anti-Semitism.Dromedary said:
The version I've got refers to "Alpha", an unusual transliteration for what is usually called the Alfa Group, which owns Alfa Bank, Russia's largest private bank. (This is not the same as Alpha Bank, which is Greek.) Big figures at it include the oligarchs Mikhail Fridman (who also holds Israeli citizenship) and Pyotr Aven. Alfa has a British arm, and Aven is a trustee of the Centre for Economic Policy Research, headquartered in London.RobD said:
There are some references to a person codenamed 'alpha' in the document, who supposedly is blackmailing Putin, or at least holds compromising information on him. I find it hard to believe a person would be alive given Putin's power.Dromedary said:
That's from a summary, though. Most of the document isn't in such semi-telegraphese.Richard_Nabavi said:Looking at the actual text of the report by a 'former British intelligence operative' on the alleged Russian activity, there is something rather odd about the language. It doesn't read to me as though it were written by a native English speaker experienced in writing reports. For example (page 4):
FSB often uses coercion and blackmail to recruit most capable cyber operatives in Russia into its state-sponsored programmes. Heavy use also, both wittingly and unwittingly, of CIS emigres working in western corporations and ethnic Russians employed by neighbouring governments e.g. Latvia.
But are we sure it's the actual document? I have known occasions when a document has surfaced and another document that is similar to it many respects but has been given a few twists has also surfaced, within about an hour or so.0 -
EU leaders would have screwed Boris with the utmost relish and he has limited attention spanSeanT said:
That's my conclusion. We should have gone for Boris.tyson said:
She's also poor at interviews....she's just nervous and not confident, and probably struggles with anxiety. Gordon Brown struggled as PM too.Floater said:May really isn't a good public speaker is she.
The more I look at May, the more I question why she has put herself through this. She clearly does not enjoy it and she is not narcissistic. She probably overthinks everything.
I hate myself for saying this, but Boris would probably been better. His cavalier, bombastic, entitled attitude would have been better for for the post Brexit fallout.
May shows signs of Asperger's to me.0 -
I think a touch of Asperger's would be an asset in a PMSeanT said:
That's my conclusion. We should have gone for Boris.tyson said:
She's also poor at interviews....she's just nervous and not confident, and probably struggles with anxiety. Gordon Brown struggled as PM too.Floater said:May really isn't a good public speaker is she.
The more I look at May, the more I question why she has put herself through this. She clearly does not enjoy it and she is not narcissistic. She probably overthinks everything.
I hate myself for saying this, but Boris would probably been better. His cavalier, bombastic, entitled attitude would have been better for for the post Brexit fallout.
May shows signs of Asperger's to me.
0 -
LOL, he really is a cracker.williamglenn said:0 -
to be honest you can see the same old people from both the left and right politically always spinning for their team and ignoring anything that depicts their side in a bad light.Jonathan said:Good to see Plato sticking to her guns spinning for Trump.
We could also turn this round and say that those who hate the idea of a president Trump will leap on anything that portrays him in a bad light.
Politics eh?0 -
Lloyd George was at least as much to blame for that as Asquith who had managed to retain office following the two elections of 1910.The World War 1 split and the extension of the franchise doomed the Liberals rather than his leadership.david_herdson said:
Worst party leader in British history? Asquith. Took over a party with a landslide majority. Left a wreck with 40 seats. It has never recovered.HYUFD said:
If he does worse than Foot did for Labour certainly though the Duke of Wellington was probably the worst overall but then he saved Europe from Napoleon which somewhat makes up for it!rottenborough said:
Is Corbyn the worst party leader in British history? Got to be a leading contender.HYUFD said:
John Major won the 1992 election and Corbyn is worse than KinnockCD13 said:Mr Observer,
"If I were a Labour strategist I would be having him on the TV as much as I could from here on in."
I I were a Corbynite, I'd be doing the same. Poor old Bonehead can't really get any worse in the view of the general public (his acolytes don't have too many brain cells to spare anyway).
His only hope is that the chorus of condemnation brings out the pity reflex in the voters. "Ah ... poor dear, he's doing his best and all he gets is nastiness in return."
There's even the possibility that he accidentally makes sense one day and surprises on the up-side.
And as been said elsewhere, Mrs May makes John Major look exciting.0 -
Government considering a 1k levy per each skilled employee recruited by employers after brexit0
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I am not sure I see Apergers in May, but clearly she suffers from nerves on occasion.SeanT said:
That's my conclusion. We should have gone for Boris.tyson said:
She's also poor at interviews....she's just nervous and not confident, and probably struggles with anxiety. Gordon Brown struggled as PM too.Floater said:May really isn't a good public speaker is she.
The more I look at May, the more I question why she has put herself through this. She clearly does not enjoy it and she is not narcissistic. She probably overthinks everything.
I hate myself for saying this, but Boris would probably been better. His cavalier, bombastic, entitled attitude would have been better for for the post Brexit fallout.
May shows signs of Asperger's to me.0 -
Heres one for Donald - N Korea building 10 nukes
http://www.lefigaro.fr/international/2017/01/11/01003-20170111ARTFIG00140-la-coree-du-nord-serait-en-mesure-de-fabriquer-10-bombes-au-plutonium.php0
