It does appear that Theresa has turned the corner on election disaster.
She's planning another walking holiday in Wales this Easter.
Fecking hope not. Missed her by a couple of hours in Dolgellau last year. I may not be so lucky this time. Hopefully she will go elsewhere to plan her elections.
From a Labour POV, or at least from mine, I'm relatively happy to stay close to the Conservatives in the polls for the time being.
After several good weeks for Labour in which the Tory vote barely shifted we've had a good couple of weeks for the Tories in which Labours vote has barely shifted. Which is partially why I think the idea of Labour having a new leader and surging ahead 15-20 points in the polls in unrealistic.
If the polls look something like they have done over the past couple of months just before we get into the election campaigning period I'll be fairly optimistic about Labours chances. There won't be the same kind of swings we saw in the last campaign but with a strong campaign, which isn't an unrealistic expectation of Labour, we could advance enough to take it.
A big part of the next election will probably be decided on how many voters each party holds onto from the last election.
It does appear that Theresa has turned the corner on election disaster.
She's planning another walking holiday in Wales this Easter.
LOL! No new election but I think we can say Theresa is there until NYD 2021 now.
She won't be allowed to fight another election though so I think 2021 is when she "departs" - Gives her five years as PM which isn't too shabby given it looked like she might be one of the shortest ever sitting PM's in 2017....
From a Labour POV, or at least from mine, I'm relatively happy to stay close to the Conservatives in the polls for the time being.
After several good weeks for Labour in which the Tory vote barely shifted we've had a good couple of weeks for the Tories in which Labours vote has barely shifted. Which is partially why I think the idea of Labour having a new leader and surging ahead 15-20 points in the polls in unrealistic.
If the polls look something like they have done over the past couple of months just before we get into the election campaigning period I'll be fairly optimistic about Labours chances. There won't be the same kind of swings we saw in the last campaign but with a strong campaign, which isn't an unrealistic expectation of Labour, we could advance enough to take it.
A big part of the next election will probably be decided on how many voters each party holds onto from the last election.
I'd rather be close in the polls, too. The idea that your boy might win will be a powerful motivator to moderates and Tories alike
Which would be? You can kiss goodbye to austerity, for a start. The Mansfield Tories: the eurosceptic anti business party that will take you out of the common market, stop the furriners coming in and let the deficit rip. Tony Benn in Union Jack boxer shorts.
A balanced approach to public spending and tax restraint from good stewardship of the economy, expanding skills training, employment and investment in regional Britain, continuing to control migration, valuing patriotism and ensuring national security.
Be honest. That's a Callaghan manifesto.
It is an Ed M maifesto tbh. Nowt wrong with it, and would be lovely were it to be put into practice. As an Adult Education professional in the north, wait for investment in skills and what is patronisingly known as "Regions" or vast majority of the country if you like, with excitement.
Bargain Booze owner Conviviality could face administration after failing to secure emergency funding.
The firm, which is also a major supplier to chains like Wetherspoons, has suffered a string of profit warnings in recent weeks and revealed a £30m tax bill.
Why would somebody the size of Wetherspoons need a middle man?
,I would guess because they're Free Trade and not tied to their own Brewery.
Convivality own Matthew Clark one of the largest wholesalers in the industry that purchase and distribute alcohol from all sorts of breweries etc to all sorts of bars and restaurants.
The speadsheet tax error spin does seem rather implausible.
Exact tax calculations require specialist tax accountants (Which everyone assumes you know all about when you say you're an açcountant), but the in house team should have been able to get bearish - it's just corp tax less inadmissible items + stuff like capital allowances and group relief.
Loving the irresistible rise in tory hubris here, really looking fwd to seeing it get popped again.
It is Labour and Corbynistas who have had all the hubris over the past few months and in May they will be defending a 2% lead not trying to eat into a 7% Tory lead as last June
Which would be? You can kiss goodbye to austerity, for a start. The Mansfield Tories: the eurosceptic anti business party that will take you out of the common market, stop the furriners coming in and let the deficit rip. Tony Benn in Union Jack boxer shorts.
A balanced approach to public spending and tax restraint from good stewardship of the economy, expanding skills training, employment and investment in regional Britain, continuing to control migration, valuing patriotism and ensuring national security.
Be honest. That's a Callaghan manifesto.
It is an Ed M maifesto tbh. Nowt wrong with it, and would be lovely were it to be put into practice. As an Adult Education professional in the north, wait for investment in skills and what is patronisingly known as "Regions" or vast majority of the country if you like, with excitement.
Possibly, but I was referring to the envisaged defence restructuring and nominal rises masking smaller real changes. The May administration does feel quite 1970's
Loving the irresistible rise in tory hubris here, really looking fwd to seeing it get popped again.
It is Labour and Corbynistas who have had all the hubris over the past few months and in May they will be defending a 2% lead not trying to eat into a 7% Tory lead as last June
Haven't been hubristic about the modest Labour leads, and doubt if you're wise to be hubristic about the modest Tory one, after what we can all agree has been a rough week for Labour (impact on Labour vote share: zero) and a good fornight for the Tories (impact: +1). The public is pretty evenly divided and pretty open IMO.
And England has permanent interests in a stable and secure European neighbourhood, starting with the British Isles. The USA's interests in the transatlantic relationship are more contingent.
Bargain Booze owner Conviviality could face administration after failing to secure emergency funding.
The firm, which is also a major supplier to chains like Wetherspoons, has suffered a string of profit warnings in recent weeks and revealed a £30m tax bill.
Why would somebody the size of Wetherspoons need a middle man?
,I would guess because they're Free Trade and not tied to their own Brewery.
Convivality own Matthew Clark one of the largest wholesalers in the industry that purchase and distribute alcohol from all sorts of breweries etc to all sorts of bars and restaurants.
The speadsheet tax error spin does seem rather implausible.
Exact tax calculations require specialist tax accountants (Which everyone assumes you know all about when you say you're an açcountant), but the in house team should have been able to get bearish - it's just corp tax less inadmissible items + stuff like capital allowances and group relief.
I think in this case it was a timing issue. Something to do with tax being due when the wine went into bond rather than at a later point (I had understood it was a VAT error not an NI problem)
And England has permanent interests in a stable and secure European neighbourhood, starting with the British Isles. The USA's interests in the transatlantic relationship are more contingent.
The UK is in a very difficult position with an overweening hostile EU lording it from Berlin over most of the European continent. It really needed to keep Russia on side. I'm uncertain as to who decided to scupper this option, but the toxin on the door of Mr Skripal's home might have come from Porton Down (only 8 miles away) rather than directly from Russia.
Bargain Booze owner Conviviality could face administration after failing to secure emergency funding.
The firm, which is also a major supplier to chains like Wetherspoons, has suffered a string of profit warnings in recent weeks and revealed a £30m tax bill.
Why would somebody the size of Wetherspoons need a middle man?
,I would guess because they're Free Trade and not tied to their own Brewery.
Convivality own Matthew Clark one of the largest wholesalers in the industry that purchase and distribute alcohol from all sorts of breweries etc to all sorts of bars and restaurants.
The speadsheet tax error spin does seem rather implausible.
Exact tax calculations require specialist tax accountants (Which everyone assumes you know all about when you say you're an açcountant), but the in house team should have been able to get bearish - it's just corp tax less inadmissible items + stuff like capital allowances and group relief.
I think in this case it was a timing issue. Something to do with tax being due when the wine went into bond rather than at a later point (I had understood it was a VAT error not an NI problem)
That’s strange for us punters the tax and VAT is never due until it comes out of bond.
The UK's interest is to be in the EU, as a rule based multilateral organisation promoting free trade amongst its members. You can argue the UK's interest is to leave the UK because a small majority of low information voters chose that option in a referendum but I think that's different. Other nations have their voters to appease too.
YouGov had a Lab lead of 2% in early March so last YouGov poll showed a substantial move. Holding on to that and increasing the lead any further is solid progress.
Plus remember it usually takes a while for news to filter through into poll changes - Corbyn's anti-Semitism problems only hit main news headlines on Monday.
LOL, the anti-Semitism thing is not going to move any votes.
Except for the votes of Jews and the non-Jewish who care about the LOTO being tolerant of anti-Semitism.
That probably isn't that many people.
And its also possible that it attracts some extra votes from people who don't like Jews.
The sad truth is that racism doesn't really change people's votes, unless they themselves are the victims of the racism. As exhibit A of that, I give you Zac Goldsmith doing quite well in the 2016 mayoral election (he did better than the Tories did in London a year later), despite running an outright racist and Islamophobic campaign.
Morally, the antisemitism isn't good at all, and is personally one of my biggest issues with Corbyn - but, as far as the general public are concerned, I doubt it even makes the top 10 of issues Corbyn-doubters have.
Events of recent weeks have given currency to attacks on Corbyn’s judgement on national security and discrimination that they didn’t previously have. That’s because it’s come directly from his own mouth and relates to both current and future events. Not his past.
I think that’s what could move votes.
If you say so. To me, from your post, it sounds like the Tories are banking on a re-run of 2017 strategy (except without the Brexit factor that pulled "Mansfield Man" over to the Tories), which strikes me as rather good news from a Labour perspective, but I suppose time will tell.
Well it’s possible that a rerun of 2017 could be quite successful in the context of a Labour Party coming off the fence over Brexit and not being able to simultaneously draw votes from both sides.
If Labour have come off the fence on Brexit it is only because the weight of their indecision has reduced it to splinters.
YouGov had a Lab lead of 2% in early March so last YouGov poll showed a substantial move. Holding on to that and increasing the lead any further is solid progress.
Plus remember it usually takes a while for news to filter through into poll changes - Corbyn's anti-Semitism problems only hit main news headlines on Monday.
LOL, the anti-Semitism thing is not going to move any votes.
Except for the votes of Jews and the non-Jewish who care about the LOTO being tolerant of anti-Semitism.
That probably isn't that many people.
And its also possible that it attracts some extra votes from people who don't like Jews.
The sad truth is that racism doesn't really change people's votes, unless they themselves are the victims of the racism. As exhibit A of that, I give you Zac Goldsmith doing quite well in the 2016 mayoral election (he did better than the Tories did in London a year later), despite running an outright racist and Islamophobic campaign.
Morally, the antisemitism isn't good at all, and is personally one of my biggest issues with Corbyn - but, as far as the general public are concerned, I doubt it even makes the top 10 of issues Corbyn-doubters have.
Events of recent weeks have given currency to attacks on Corbyn’s judgement on national security and discrimination that they didn’t previously have. That’s because it’s come directly from his own mouth and relates to both current and future events. Not his past.
I think that’s what could move votes.
If you say so. To me, from your post, it sounds like the Tories are banking on a re-run of 2017 strategy (except without the Brexit factor that pulled "Mansfield Man" over to the Tories), which strikes me as rather good news from a Labour perspective, but I suppose time will tell.
Well it’s possible that a rerun of 2017 could be quite successful in the context of a Labour Party coming off the fence over Brexit and not being able to simultaneously draw votes from both sides.
If Labour have come off the fence on Brexit it is only because the weight of their indecision has reduced it to splinters.
YouGov had a Lab lead of 2% in early March so last YouGov poll showed a substantial move. Holding on to that and increasing the lead any further is solid progress.
Plus remember it usually takes a while for news to filter through into poll changes - Corbyn's anti-Semitism problems only hit main news headlines on Monday.
LOL, the anti-Semitism thing is not going to move any votes.
Except for the votes of Jews and the non-Jewish who care about the LOTO being tolerant of anti-Semitism.
That probably isn't that many people.
And its also possible that it attracts some extra votes from people who don't like Jews.
The sad truth is that racism doesn't really change people's votes, unless they themselves are the victims of the racism. As exhibit A of that, I give you Zac Goldsmith doing quite well in the 2016 mayoral election (he did better than the Tories did in London a year later), despite running an outright racist and Islamophobic campaign.
Morally, the antisemitism isn't good at all, and is personally one of my biggest issues with Corbyn - but, as far as the general public are concerned, I doubt it even makes the top 10 of issues Corbyn-doubters have.
Events of recent weeks have given currency to attacks on Corbyn’s judgement on national security and discrimination that they didn’t previously have. That’s because it’s come directly from his own mouth and relates to both current and future events. Not his past.
I think that’s what could move votes.
If you say so. To me, from your post, it sounds like the Tories are banking on a re-run of 2017 strategy (except without the Brexit factor that pulled "Mansfield Man" over to the Tories), which strikes me as rather good news from a Labour perspective, but I suppose time will tell.
Well it’s possible that a rerun of 2017 could be quite successful in the context of a Labour Party coming off the fence over Brexit and not being able to simultaneously draw votes from both sides.
If Labour have come off the fence on Brexit it is only because the weight of their indecision has reduced it to splinters.
They will only need a policy for the manifesto. No one need open the box before then.
It appears David Warner went to the same non-apology classes as Jezza....
Australia batsman David Warner has apologised for causing "distress" to cricket fans "in Australia and all over the world" after the ball-tampering incident which has seen him banned for a year.
Warner, Test captain Steven Smith and batsman Cameron Bancroft have all been banned by Cricket Australia bosses for their part in the incident.
"Mistakes have been made which have damaged cricket," he said.
From a Labour POV, or at least from mine, I'm relatively happy to stay close to the Conservatives in the polls for the time being.
After several good weeks for Labour in which the Tory vote barely shifted we've had a good couple of weeks for the Tories in which Labours vote has barely shifted. Which is partially why I think the idea of Labour having a new leader and surging ahead 15-20 points in the polls in unrealistic.
If the polls look something like they have done over the past couple of months just before we get into the election campaigning period I'll be fairly optimistic about Labours chances. There won't be the same kind of swings we saw in the last campaign but with a strong campaign, which isn't an unrealistic expectation of Labour, we could advance enough to take it.
A big part of the next election will probably be decided on how many voters each party holds onto from the last election.
I'd rather be close in the polls, too. The idea that your boy might win will be a powerful motivator to moderates and Tories alike
Moderates see a choice between two sets of nutjobs. The Conservatives have spent the last 18 months telling them that they are traitors and saboteurs. Good luck in seeking their votes.
Bargain Booze owner Conviviality could face administration after failing to secure emergency funding.
The firm, which is also a major supplier to chains like Wetherspoons, has suffered a string of profit warnings in recent weeks and revealed a £30m tax bill.
Why would somebody the size of Wetherspoons need a middle man?
,I would guess because they're Free Trade and not tied to their own Brewery.
Convivality own Matthew Clark one of the largest wholesalers in the industry that purchase and distribute alcohol from all sorts of breweries etc to all sorts of bars and restaurants.
The speadsheet tax error spin does seem rather implausible.
Exact tax calculations require specialist tax accountants (Which everyone assumes you know all about when you say you're an açcountant), but the in house team should have been able to get bearish - it's just corp tax less inadmissible items + stuff like capital allowances and group relief.
I think in this case it was a timing issue. Something to do with tax being due when the wine went into bond rather than at a later point (I had understood it was a VAT error not an NI problem)
That’s strange for us punters the tax and VAT is never due until it comes out of bond.
I haven’t spent much time looking at it as I don’t like retail. All the RNS said is “we have identified a payment to HMRC which falls due on 29 March”
Not sure quite what that would be. NI would be too obvious surely - and doesn’t it get paid monthly with PAYE anyway? So assumed it would have to be payments on account or VAT.
The UK's interest is to be in the EU, as a rule based multilateral organisation promoting free trade amongst its members. You can argue the UK's interest is to leave the UK because a small majority of low information voters chose that option in a referendum but I think that's different. Other nations have their voters to appease too.
And if that’s all it was it would have been great. But the EU wanted to develop in another direction which wasn’t a good fit for us
Surely, surely one can be critical of some of the Israeli governments policies without being assumed to be anti-Jewish.
Yes. But if you only ever criticise the Israeli government policies and actions, and not Palestinian policies and actions, then it can start to look rather one-sided.
The Middle East is a mess, and there are few good actors within the mess. The Palestinians are far from perfect (e.g. Hamas), and putting Israeli policies and actions under the microscope will not lead to peace.
From a Labour POV, or at least from mine, I'm relatively happy to stay close to the Conservatives in the polls for the time being.
After several good weeks for Labour in which the Tory vote barely shifted we've had a good couple of weeks for the Tories in which Labours vote has barely shifted. Which is partially why I think the idea of Labour having a new leader and surging ahead 15-20 points in the polls in unrealistic.
If the polls look something like they have done over the past couple of months just before we get into the election campaigning period I'll be fairly optimistic about Labours chances. There won't be the same kind of swings we saw in the last campaign but with a strong campaign, which isn't an unrealistic expectation of Labour, we could advance enough to take it.
A big part of the next election will probably be decided on how many voters each party holds onto from the last election.
I'd rather be close in the polls, too. The idea that your boy might win will be a powerful motivator to moderates and Tories alike
Moderates see a choice between two sets of nutjobs. The Conservatives have spent the last 18 months telling them that they are traitors and saboteurs. Good luck in seeking their votes.
It is a salutary reminder on perspective that the disgusting behaviour of Labour on anti-Semitism, the humiliating response to the Salisbury incident where Labour back benchers lined up to agree with the PM and disagree with their elected leader, an ever more chaotic and incoherent response to Brexit and the reopening of civil war in the PLP has, according to Yougov last night, not changed the Labour vote at all.
People are bored of politics and thinking about other things, it seems.
Surely, surely one can be critical of some of the Israeli governments policies without being assumed to be anti-Jewish.
Yes. But if you only ever criticise the Israeli government policies and actions, and not Palestinian policies and actions, then it can start to look rather one-sided.
The Middle East is a mess, and there are few good actors within the mess. The Palestinians are far from perfect (e.g. Hamas), and putting Israeli policies and actions under the microscope will not lead to peace.
Quite agree about the Middle East. How about 'putting ONLY Israeli policies and actions” etc.
Actually I think that, given our record, the less any British politician says about the Middle East, the better.
Surely, surely one can be critical of some of the Israeli governments policies without being assumed to be anti-Jewish.
Yes. But if you only ever criticise the Israeli government policies and actions, and not Palestinian policies and actions, then it can start to look rather one-sided.
The Middle East is a mess, and there are few good actors within the mess. The Palestinians are far from perfect (e.g. Hamas), and putting Israeli policies and actions under the microscope will not lead to peace.
Being one sided is nor being anti-Jewish. Blaming "the Jews" for Israeli policy is.
From a Labour POV, or at least from mine, I'm relatively happy to stay close to the Conservatives in the polls for the time being.
After several good weeks for Labour in which the Tory vote barely shifted we've had a good couple of weeks for the Tories in which Labours vote has barely shifted. Which is partially why I think the idea of Labour having a new leader and surging ahead 15-20 points in the polls in unrealistic.
If the polls look something like they have done over the past couple of months just before we get into the election campaigning period I'll be fairly optimistic about Labours chances. There won't be the same kind of swings we saw in the last campaign but with a strong campaign, which isn't an unrealistic expectation of Labour, we could advance enough to take it.
A big part of the next election will probably be decided on how many voters each party holds onto from the last election.
I'd rather be close in the polls, too. The idea that your boy might win will be a powerful motivator to moderates and Tories alike
Moderates see a choice between two sets of nutjobs. The Conservatives have spent the last 18 months telling them that they are traitors and saboteurs. Good luck in seeking their votes.
A subset of centrist Remainers choose to see offence in valid comments. Most people are getting on with their lives, in full acceptance of Brexit.
And England has permanent interests in a stable and secure European neighbourhood, starting with the British Isles. The USA's interests in the transatlantic relationship are more contingent.
The UK is in a very difficult position with an overweening hostile EU lording it from Berlin over most of the European continent. It really needed to keep Russia on side. I'm uncertain as to who decided to scupper this option, but the toxin on the door of Mr Skripal's home might have come from Porton Down (only 8 miles away) rather than directly from Russia.
It is a salutary reminder on perspective that the disgusting behaviour of Labour on anti-Semitism, the humiliating response to the Salisbury incident where Labour back benchers lined up to agree with the PM and disagree with their elected leader, an ever more chaotic and incoherent response to Brexit and the reopening of civil war in the PLP has, according to Yougov last night, not changed the Labour vote at all.
People are bored of politics and thinking about other things, it seems.
I think people said similar when the Conservatives were having a bad time (a few weeks back) and there were suggestions a different Labour leader would be 15-20 points ahead. The ones that are paying attention are largely polarised into their different voting blocks. Unless we see some really big events happening I expect the polls will stay fairly close for a while.
Surely, surely one can be critical of some of the Israeli governments policies without being assumed to be anti-Jewish.
Yes. But if you only ever criticise the Israeli government policies and actions, and not Palestinian policies and actions, then it can start to look rather one-sided.
The Middle East is a mess, and there are few good actors within the mess. The Palestinians are far from perfect (e.g. Hamas), and putting Israeli policies and actions under the microscope will not lead to peace.
Quite agree about the Middle East. How about 'putting ONLY Israeli policies and actions” etc.
Actually I think that, given our record, the less any British politician says about the Middle East, the better.
Very hard to disagree with that. The need our politicians have to pontificate on world problems over which we have minimal to no influence is perplexing.
Surely, surely one can be critical of some of the Israeli governments policies without being assumed to be anti-Jewish.
Yes. But if you only ever criticise the Israeli government policies and actions, and not Palestinian policies and actions, then it can start to look rather one-sided.
The Middle East is a mess, and there are few good actors within the mess. The Palestinians are far from perfect (e.g. Hamas), and putting Israeli policies and actions under the microscope will not lead to peace.
Quite agree about the Middle East. How about 'putting ONLY Israeli policies and actions” etc.
Actually I think that, given our record, the less any British politician says about the Middle East, the better.
Yes, I meant 'only'.
But I cannot agree with your last sentence. I think we have a valuable role in sorting out a mess that is partly of our making. We should not stand back just because some people are antisemitic asshats. We may not be the one to lead such a process; but we can play a positive role.
The UK's interest is to be in the EU, as a rule based multilateral organisation promoting free trade amongst its members. You can argue the UK's interest is to leave the UK because a small majority of low information voters chose that option in a referendum but I think that's different. Other nations have their voters to appease too.
And if that’s all it was it would have been great. But the EU wanted to develop in another direction which wasn’t a good fit for us
That's a valid point of view, but not one that is widely shared amongst diplomats and trade specialists, not least because what I think you want isn't available to us. But I would make a practical distinction between national interests and what electorates vote for. As an extreme Godwin example, the people of Germany voted in a referendums to militarily occupy the Rhineland, leave the League of Nations and to make Hitler a dictator. Were they really in the German national interest?
Surely, surely one can be critical of some of the Israeli governments policies without being assumed to be anti-Jewish.
Sure. But when you only support one side, are critical of everything the other dies, talk to deeply nasty people on one side “in the interest of dialogue” but don’t talk to the other side, don’t notice anti-semitism because you “didn’t look at it properly” and refuse to expel anti-semites from your party...
And England has permanent interests in a stable and secure European neighbourhood, starting with the British Isles. The USA's interests in the transatlantic relationship are more contingent.
The UK is in a very difficult position with an overweening hostile EU lording it from Berlin over most of the European continent. It really needed to keep Russia on side. I'm uncertain as to who decided to scupper this option, but the toxin on the door of Mr Skripal's home might have come from Porton Down (only 8 miles away) rather than directly from Russia.
No, it didn't.
I was somewhat suspicious of the Government’s assertions at first, (well, I would be, wouldn’t I) but given the widespeard support for Britain’s position from across the world, from Governments with whom we have, presumably, shared information not available to the general public I believe what we’re being told.
It is a salutary reminder on perspective that the disgusting behaviour of Labour on anti-Semitism, the humiliating response to the Salisbury incident where Labour back benchers lined up to agree with the PM and disagree with their elected leader, an ever more chaotic and incoherent response to Brexit and the reopening of civil war in the PLP has, according to Yougov last night, not changed the Labour vote at all.
People are bored of politics and thinking about other things, it seems.
I think people said similar when the Conservatives were having a bad time (a few weeks back) and there were suggestions a different Labour leader would be 15-20 points ahead. The ones that are paying attention are largely polarised into their different voting blocks. Unless we see some really big events happening I expect the polls will stay fairly close for a while.
I actually think Salisbury is pretty big and that Corbyn's response makes him completely unfit to be PM. But that is obviously a sectional minority view.
What we are seeing, I think, is 2 blocks sustained by a very strong dislike of the other. Supporters on both sides may wince from time to time at their own sides incompetence but the priority will always be to stop the other. Its not particularly healthy.
Surely, surely one can be critical of some of the Israeli governments policies without being assumed to be anti-Jewish.
Yes. But if you only ever criticise the Israeli government policies and actions, and not Palestinian policies and actions, then it can start to look rather one-sided.
The Middle East is a mess, and there are few good actors within the mess. The Palestinians are far from perfect (e.g. Hamas), and putting Israeli policies and actions under the microscope will not lead to peace.
Being one sided is nor being anti-Jewish. Blaming "the Jews" for Israeli policy is.
Surely what most sane people want is peace in the Middle East, and the only way to get to that is to criticise wrong-doing wherever it occurs, and to praise people and organisations when they do things right.
People who criticise only Israel when they do wrong, and not Palestinians when they do wrong, have to ask themselves why they make that differentiation. Many will just be being silly; however many will be hiding their antisemitism behind that veil.
From a Labour POV, or at least from mine, I'm relatively happy to stay close to the Conservatives in the polls for the time being.
After several good weeks for Labour in which the Tory vote barely shifted we've had a good couple of weeks for the Tories in which Labours vote has barely shifted. Which is partially why I think the idea of Labour having a new leader and surging ahead 15-20 points in the polls in unrealistic.
If the polls look something like they have done over the past couple of months just before we get into the election campaigning period I'll be fairly optimistic about Labours chances. There won't be the same kind of swings we saw in the last campaign but with a strong campaign, which isn't an unrealistic expectation of Labour, we could advance enough to take it.
A big part of the next election will probably be decided on how many voters each party holds onto from the last election.
I'd rather be close in the polls, too. The idea that your boy might win will be a powerful motivator to moderates and Tories alike
Moderates see a choice between two sets of nutjobs. The Conservatives have spent the last 18 months telling them that they are traitors and saboteurs. Good luck in seeking their votes.
If it was in your power to stop Brexit would you do so?
Surely, surely one can be critical of some of the Israeli governments policies without being assumed to be anti-Jewish.
Yes. But if you only ever criticise the Israeli government policies and actions, and not Palestinian policies and actions, then it can start to look rather one-sided.
The Middle East is a mess, and there are few good actors within the mess. The Palestinians are far from perfect (e.g. Hamas), and putting Israeli policies and actions under the microscope will not lead to peace.
It would also be nice if more of the people trying to use this angle re:anti-semitism were a bit more discerning in allowing that one can criticise elements of Islam without being guilty of Islamophobia....
I'm not sure what is this strange disease which prevents senior Labour officials and MPs, including JC from reading and understanding Facebook posts that are anti-semitic. It's a real mystery - maybe a kind of ADDD - attention deficit denial disorder.
Surely, surely one can be critical of some of the Israeli governments policies without being assumed to be anti-Jewish.
Yes. But if you only ever criticise the Israeli government policies and actions, and not Palestinian policies and actions, then it can start to look rather one-sided.
The Middle East is a mess, and there are few good actors within the mess. The Palestinians are far from perfect (e.g. Hamas), and putting Israeli policies and actions under the microscope will not lead to peace.
Quite agree about the Middle East. How about 'putting ONLY Israeli policies and actions” etc.
Actually I think that, given our record, the less any British politician says about the Middle East, the better.
Yes, I meant 'only'.
But I cannot agree with your last sentence. I think we have a valuable role in sorting out a mess that is partly of our making. We should not stand back just because some people are antisemitic asshats. We may not be the one to lead such a process; but we can play a positive role.
I fear our record, with the populations of all ME states, means that anything we do is likely to be seen as duplicitous. At best!
The UK's interest is to be in the EU, as a rule based multilateral organisation promoting free trade amongst its members. You can argue the UK's interest is to leave the UK because a small majority of low information voters chose that option in a referendum but I think that's different. Other nations have their voters to appease too.
And if that’s all it was it would have been great. But the EU wanted to develop in another direction which wasn’t a good fit for us
That's a valid point of view, but not one that is widely shared amongst diplomats and trade specialists, not least because what I think you want isn't available to us. But I would make a practical distinction between national interests and what electorates vote for. As an extreme Godwin example, the people of Germany voted in a referendums to militarily occupy the Rhineland, leave the League of Nations and to make Hitler a dictator. Were they really in the German national interest?
To overturn the largest democratic vote in this country's history because you didn’t like the result would have worse consequences.
Once DC started down this route we needed see it through. Anything else would have been against the national interest
I'm not sure what is this strange disease which prevents senior Labour officials and MPs, including JC from reading and understanding Facebook posts that are anti-semitic. It's a real mystery - maybe a kind of ADDD - attention deficit denial disorder.
They appear to suffer a similar problem to the hosts in Westworld....
I'm not sure what is this strange disease which prevents senior Labour officials and MPs, including JC from reading and understanding Facebook posts that are anti-semitic. It's a real mystery - maybe a kind of ADDD - attention deficit denial disorder.
I thought Labour's deficit denial was about something else but it may have more general application.
Surely, surely one can be critical of some of the Israeli governments policies without being assumed to be anti-Jewish.
Yes. But if you only ever criticise the Israeli government policies and actions, and not Palestinian policies and actions, then it can start to look rather one-sided.
The Middle East is a mess, and there are few good actors within the mess. The Palestinians are far from perfect (e.g. Hamas), and putting Israeli policies and actions under the microscope will not lead to peace.
Quite agree about the Middle East. How about 'putting ONLY Israeli policies and actions” etc.
Actually I think that, given our record, the less any British politician says about the Middle East, the better.
Yes, I meant 'only'.
But I cannot agree with your last sentence. I think we have a valuable role in sorting out a mess that is partly of our making. We should not stand back just because some people are antisemitic asshats. We may not be the one to lead such a process; but we can play a positive role.
I fear our record, with the populations of all ME states, means that anything we do is likely to be seen as duplicitous. At best!
Don’t forget the Arab proverb: the British sell their friends and buy their enemies!
It is a salutary reminder on perspective that the disgusting behaviour of Labour on anti-Semitism, the humiliating response to the Salisbury incident where Labour back benchers lined up to agree with the PM and disagree with their elected leader, an ever more chaotic and incoherent response to Brexit and the reopening of civil war in the PLP has, according to Yougov last night, not changed the Labour vote at all.
People are bored of politics and thinking about other things, it seems.
I think people said similar when the Conservatives were having a bad time (a few weeks back) and there were suggestions a different Labour leader would be 15-20 points ahead. The ones that are paying attention are largely polarised into their different voting blocks. Unless we see some really big events happening I expect the polls will stay fairly close for a while.
I actually think Salisbury is pretty big and that Corbyn's response makes him completely unfit to be PM. But that is obviously a sectional minority view.
What we are seeing, I think, is 2 blocks sustained by a very strong dislike of the other. Supporters on both sides may wince from time to time at their own sides incompetence but the priority will always be to stop the other. Its not particularly healthy.
Whilst there are big chunks like that on both sides I did hear of a poll, think it was mentioned on a podcast I listened to so I'm not sure for a link, that put both parties at close to 70% in terms of their vote being a positive vote for the party with only low 20's% vote being against the other party. I think Labour might have been just slightly higher on both scores but similar figures for both parties.
Which still translates into millions of votes but I suspect those feelings have been around for a while. Although there might be a bit more dislike or things have just got more passionate in general the last few years, Scottish referendum, EU referendum etc.
I'm not sure what is this strange disease which prevents senior Labour officials and MPs, including JC from reading and understanding Facebook posts that are anti-semitic. It's a real mystery - maybe a kind of ADDD - attention deficit denial disorder.
I thought Labour's deficit denial was about something else but it may have more general application.
Denial is clearly more than an Egyptian river when it comes to JC
The Israelis are far more powerful in every way than the Palestinians and have much more responsibility for the situation as a result. This isn't an equal situation and any evaluation of it should take that into account. The simple fact is that Israel has been ignoring international law in an increasingly brazen fashion in recent years with barely a whisper from our government, or the war-infatuated segment of the PLP. Corbyn is in the firing line because he is the first potential PM in virtually forever to question this cosy, symbiotic accommodation of a violent, corrupt, racist settler state, and for no other reason.
It is a salutary reminder on perspective that the disgusting behaviour of Labour on anti-Semitism, the humiliating response to the Salisbury incident where Labour back benchers lined up to agree with the PM and disagree with their elected leader, an ever more chaotic and incoherent response to Brexit and the reopening of civil war in the PLP has, according to Yougov last night, not changed the Labour vote at all.
People are bored of politics and thinking about other things, it seems.
I think people said similar when the Conservatives were having a bad time (a few weeks back) and there were suggestions a different Labour leader would be 15-20 points ahead. The ones that are paying attention are largely polarised into their different voting blocks. Unless we see some really big events happening I expect the polls will stay fairly close for a while.
I actually think Salisbury is pretty big and that Corbyn's response makes him completely unfit to be PM. But that is obviously a sectional minority view.
What we are seeing, I think, is 2 blocks sustained by a very strong dislike of the other. Supporters on both sides may wince from time to time at their own sides incompetence but the priority will always be to stop the other. Its not particularly healthy.
Whilst there are big chunks like that on both sides I did hear of a poll, think it was mentioned on a podcast I listened to so I'm not sure for a link, that put both parties at close to 70% in terms of their vote being a positive vote for the party with only low 20's% vote being against the other party. I think Labour might have been just slightly higher on both scores but similar figures for both parties.
Which still translates into millions of votes but I suspect those feelings have been around for a while. Although there might be a bit more dislike or things have just got more passionate in general the last few years, Scottish referendum, EU referendum etc.
I do think things have become more polarised in recent years.
From a Labour POV, or at least from mine, I'm relatively happy to stay close to the Conservatives in the polls for the time being.
After several good weeks for Labour in which the Tory vote barely shifted we've had a good couple of weeks for the Tories in which Labours vote has barely shifted. Which is partially why I think the idea of Labour having a new leader and surging ahead 15-20 points in the polls in unrealistic.
If the polls look something like they have done over the past couple of months just before we get into the election campaigning period I'll be fairly optimistic about Labours chances. There won't be the same kind of swings we saw in the last campaign but with a strong campaign, which isn't an unrealistic expectation of Labour, we could advance enough to take it.
A big part of the next election will probably be decided on how many voters each party holds onto from the last election.
I'd rather be close in the polls, too. The idea that your boy might win will be a powerful motivator to moderates and Tories alike
Moderates see a choice between two sets of nutjobs. The Conservatives have spent the last 18 months telling them that they are traitors and saboteurs. Good luck in seeking their votes.
The simple fact is that the Israelis are far more powerful in every way than the Palestinians and have much more responsibility for the situation as a result. This isn't an equal situation and any evaluation of it should take that into account. The simple fact is that Israel has been ignoring international law in an increasingly brazen fashion in recent years with barely a whisper from our government, or the war-infatuated segment of the PLP. Corbyn is in the firing line because he is the first potential PM in virtually forever to question this cosy, symbiotic accommodation of a violent, corrupt, racist settler state, and for no other reason.
No, he is in the firing line because for 40 years he and his associates having been sharing platforms with avowed anti-Semites without once publicly challenging their views. Even now, when confronted with clear anti-Semitism, the reaction is to cry smear rather than to condemn. What Corbynism leads to is right-wingers who have been dogwhistling to racists, bigots and xenophobes for years getting to take the moral high ground. The far left’s embrace of anti-Semitism is not only morally repugnant, it is politically destructive.
Corbyn may claim he is willing to talk to anyone, but that willingness does not extend to the media, with whom he refuses to engage. He is a coward. The unedifying sight of him scuttling into his people carrier while sending his cheerleaders out to defend him does him no credit. Excuses about his membership of and postings on various Facebook pages are disingenuous and wholly unworthy of someone who considers himself a potential PM.
As I see it the Palestinians don't really have much in the way of choices, they can react to the constant actions of Israel which pretty much equate to war and have their land stolen and their economy strangled.
Or they can not react to the constant actions of Israel which pretty much equate to war and have their land stolen and their economy strangled.
The status quo very much suits Israel, for everyone to sit back and tut at them both whilst Israel slowly swallows up more land isn't really a neutral position.
You do have to question sometimes if some of the people who are in the neutral position would feel quite the same way if the Palestinians were a bit lighter in skin tone and a bit less Islamic in religious belief... No people would accept this happening to their country.
From a Labour POV, or at least from mine, I'm relatively happy to stay close to the Conservatives in the polls for the time being.
After several good weeks for Labour in which the Tory vote barely shifted we've had a good couple of weeks for the Tories in which Labours vote has barely shifted. Which is partially why I think the idea of Labour having a new leader and surging ahead 15-20 points in the polls in unrealistic.
If the polls look something like they have done over the past couple of months just before we get into the election campaigning period I'll be fairly optimistic about Labours chances. There won't be the same kind of swings we saw in the last campaign but with a strong campaign, which isn't an unrealistic expectation of Labour, we could advance enough to take it.
A big part of the next election will probably be decided on how many voters each party holds onto from the last election.
I'd rather be close in the polls, too. The idea that your boy might win will be a powerful motivator to moderates and Tories alike
Moderates see a choice between two sets of nutjobs. The Conservatives have spent the last 18 months telling them that they are traitors and saboteurs. Good luck in seeking their votes.
Mr. Jezziah, I do feel sorry for the Palestinian people. The Israeli policy of encircling Jerusalem with settlements appears destined to make peace almost impossible. That does not, however, excuse Hamas' penchant for throwing homosexuals and political rivals off rooftops, and their denial of the right of the state of Israel to exist is no less a problem.
The Israelis are far more powerful in every way than the Palestinians and have much more responsibility for the situation as a result. This isn't an equal situation and any evaluation of it should take that into account. The simple fact is that Israel has been ignoring international law in an increasingly brazen fashion in recent years with barely a whisper from our government, or the war-infatuated segment of the PLP. Corbyn is in the firing line because he is the first potential PM in virtually forever to question this cosy, symbiotic accommodation of a violent, corrupt, racist settler state, and for no other reason.
Corbyn is in the firing line because he is an apologist for numerous pro Palestinian groups who wish to wipe the Jewish state from the face of the earth whilst at the same time at home being seen as soft on allies who regard Jews as "not one of us".
From a Labour POV, or at least from mine, I'm relatively happy to stay close to the Conservatives in the polls for the time being.
After several good weeks for Labour in which the Tory vote barely shifted we've had a good couple of weeks for the Tories in which Labours vote has barely shifted. Which is partially why I think the idea of Labour having a new leader and surging ahead 15-20 points in the polls in unrealistic.
If the polls look something like they have done over the past couple of months just before we get into the election campaigning period I'll be fairly optimistic about Labours chances. There won't be the same kind of swings we saw in the last campaign but with a strong campaign, which isn't an unrealistic expectation of Labour, we could advance enough to take it.
A big part of the next election will probably be decided on how many voters each party holds onto from the last election.
I'd rather be close in the polls, too. The idea that your boy might win will be a powerful motivator to moderates and Tories alike
Moderates see a choice between two sets of nutjobs. The Conservatives have spent the last 18 months telling them that they are traitors and saboteurs. Good luck in seeking their votes.
The median voter supported Leave.
The median voter is a 42 year old LibDem.
EDIT that should be mode
The mode voter is a 42 year old Leave voting LD, if you can ever find them!
The Israelis are far more powerful in every way than the Palestinians and have much more responsibility for the situation as a result. This isn't an equal situation and any evaluation of it should take that into account. The simple fact is that Israel has been ignoring international law in an increasingly brazen fashion in recent years with barely a whisper from our government, or the war-infatuated segment of the PLP. Corbyn is in the firing line because he is the first potential PM in virtually forever to question this cosy, symbiotic accommodation of a violent, corrupt, racist settler state, and for no other reason.
Israel is the only fully functioning democracy in the Middle East, the only one with full freedom.of religion and freedom to express your sexuality and has the highest GDP per capita of any Middle Eastern nation beyond those who already had vast amounts of oil. There is a reason most Western democracies to not want to see Israel driven into the sea though I can see why the authoritarian hard Left may want it to be driven into the sea indeed Israel has already fought two wars against its neighbours to ensure its survival
And England has permanent interests in a stable and secure European neighbourhood, starting with the British Isles. The USA's interests in the transatlantic relationship are more contingent.
The UK is in a very difficult position with an overweening hostile EU lording it from Berlin over most of the European continent. It really needed to keep Russia on side. I'm uncertain as to who decided to scupper this option, but the toxin on the door of Mr Skripal's home might have come from Porton Down (only 8 miles away) rather than directly from Russia.
No, it didn't.
I was somewhat suspicious of the Government’s assertions at first, (well, I would be, wouldn’t I) but given the widespeard support for Britain’s position from across the world, from Governments with whom we have, presumably, shared information not available to the general public I believe what we’re being told.
I don't think the vicinity to Porton Down is entirely casual, but to then jump to the conclusion that the agent must have come from there, as if modern transportation didn't exist, is simplistic.
Two factors I can think of:
- Skripal's intelligence maybe covered the production of chemical agents and so, when he was set up in the UK, his vicinity to the place researching such things was thought useful (modern transportation notwithstanding). However, his service record does not particularly give any hint that this might be the case, and there are plenty of other military facilities around Salisbury that might have wanted access to Skripal's perspective. If some of his intelligence was chemical agent related, the perpetrators may have had 'poetic justice' in mind. - He casually ended up in Salisbury having requested a quiet small town life. The perpetrators can see as well on a map as we can that it is 8 miles from Porton Down and saw the opportunity for obfuscation in that.
Russia is a massive odds on favourite for this deed, and the broadness of the response and lack of dissenting governments (contrast Iraq) is another piece of evidence for the casual observer. I'll be very interested in what the OPCW comes back with.
It is a salutary reminder on perspective that the disgusting behaviour of Labour on anti-Semitism, the humiliating response to the Salisbury incident where Labour back benchers lined up to agree with the PM and disagree with their elected leader, an ever more chaotic and incoherent response to Brexit and the reopening of civil war in the PLP has, according to Yougov last night, not changed the Labour vote at all.
People are bored of politics and thinking about other things, it seems.
I think people said similar when the Conservatives were having a bad time (a few weeks back) and there were suggestions a different Labour leader would be 15-20 points ahead. The ones that are paying attention are largely polarised into their different voting blocks. Unless we see some really big events happening I expect the polls will stay fairly close for a while.
I actually think Salisbury is pretty big and that Corbyn's response makes him completely unfit to be PM. But that is obviously a sectional minority view.
What we are seeing, I think, is 2 blocks sustained by a very strong dislike of the other. Supporters on both sides may wince from time to time at their own sides incompetence but the priority will always be to stop the other. Its not particularly healthy.
Whilst there are big chunks like that on both sides I did hear of a poll, think it was mentioned on a podcast I listened to so I'm not sure for a link, that put both parties at close to 70% in terms of their vote being a positive vote for the party with only low 20's% vote being against the other party. I think Labour might have been just slightly higher on both scores but similar figures for both parties.
Which still translates into millions of votes but I suspect those feelings have been around for a while. Although there might be a bit more dislike or things have just got more passionate in general the last few years, Scottish referendum, EU referendum etc.
In a funny way I think both comments are right. There are a LOT of partisans out there who really like what they feel their party stands for and are very loyal to it: it's what makes the polls pretty immobile. That doesn't stop them wincing when prominent figures in it are seen to cock up. The normal process is first to blame the BBC/media (whose collective glee at any misstep is a powerful laager reinforcement), then when it proves incontrovertible roll your eyes and say we all cock up someimes. It takes a great deal to actually think of changing to the other side, though demoralised voters just stay at home.
The Israelis are far more powerful in every way than the Palestinians and have much more responsibility for the situation as a result. This isn't an equal situation and any evaluation of it should take that into account. The simple fact is that Israel has been ignoring international law in an increasingly brazen fashion in recent years with barely a whisper from our government, or the war-infatuated segment of the PLP. Corbyn is in the firing line because he is the first potential PM in virtually forever to question this cosy, symbiotic accommodation of a violent, corrupt, racist settler state, and for no other reason.
Israel is the only fully functioning democracy in the Middle East, the only one with full freedom.of religion and freedom to express your sexuality and has the highest GDP per capita of any Middle Eastern nation beyond those who already had vast amounts of oil. There is a reason most Western democracies to not want to see Israel driven into the sea though I can see why the authoritarian hard Left may want it to be driven into the sea indeed Israel has already fought two wars against its neighbours to ensure its survival
Israel isn't a fully functioning democracy. Several million people have been ruled over by the Israeli government for decades without any vote beyond the provincial level. And often have their homes demolished as a result.
From a Labour POV, or at least from mine, I'm relatively happy to stay close to the Conservatives in the polls for the time being.
After several good weeks for Labour in which the Tory vote barely shifted we've had a good couple of weeks for the Tories in which Labours vote has barely shifted. Which is partially why I think the idea of Labour having a new leader and surging ahead 15-20 points in the polls in unrealistic.
If the polls look something like they have done over the past couple of months just before we get into the election campaigning period I'll be fairly optimistic about Labours chances. There won't be the same kind of swings we saw in the last campaign but with a strong campaign, which isn't an unrealistic expectation of Labour, we could advance enough to take it.
A big part of the next election will probably be decided on how many voters each party holds onto from the last election.
I'd rather be close in the polls, too. The idea that your boy might win will be a powerful motivator to moderates and Tories alike
Moderates see a choice between two sets of nutjobs. The Conservatives have spent the last 18 months telling them that they are traitors and saboteurs. Good luck in seeking their votes.
The median voter supported Leave.
The median voter is a 42 year old LibDem.
EDIT that should be mode
The mode voter is a 42 year old Leave voting LD, if you can ever find them!
What? The whole point of the mode, is that there are more real life examples of it, than there are of anything else.
As I see it the Palestinians don't really have much in the way of choices, they can react to the constant actions of Israel which pretty much equate to war and have their land stolen and their economy strangled.
Or they can not react to the constant actions of Israel which pretty much equate to war and have their land stolen and their economy strangled.
The status quo very much suits Israel, for everyone to sit back and tut at them both whilst Israel slowly swallows up more land isn't really a neutral position.
You do have to question sometimes if some of the people who are in the neutral position would feel quite the same way if the Palestinians were a bit lighter in skin tone and a bit less Islamic in religious belief... No people would accept this happening to their country.
They have plenty of choices. South African blacks under apartheid focused on infrastructure attacks and a push for democracy.
Surely, surely one can be critical of some of the Israeli governments policies without being assumed to be anti-Jewish.
Yes. But if you only ever criticise the Israeli government policies and actions, and not Palestinian policies and actions, then it can start to look rather one-sided.
The Middle East is a mess, and there are few good actors within the mess. The Palestinians are far from perfect (e.g. Hamas), and putting Israeli policies and actions under the microscope will not lead to peace.
Quite agree about the Middle East. How about 'putting ONLY Israeli policies and actions” etc.
Actually I think that, given our record, the less any British politician says about the Middle East, the better.
Yes, I meant 'only'.
But I cannot agree with your last sentence. I think we have a valuable role in sorting out a mess that is partly of our making. We should not stand back just because some people are antisemitic asshats. We may not be the one to lead such a process; but we can play a positive role.
I fear our record, with the populations of all ME states, means that anything we do is likely to be seen as duplicitous. At best!
Don’t forget the Arab proverb: the British sell their friends and buy their enemies!
And Nassar 'The sun never sets on the British Empire because god does not trust the British in the dark..."
And England has permanent interests in a stable and secure European neighbourhood, starting with the British Isles. The USA's interests in the transatlantic relationship are more contingent.
The UK is in a very difficult position with an overweening hostile EU lording it from Berlin over most of the European continent. It really needed to keep Russia on side. I'm uncertain as to who decided to scupper this option, but the toxin on the door of Mr Skripal's home might have come from Porton Down (only 8 miles away) rather than directly from Russia.
It is a salutary reminder on perspective that the disgusting behaviour of Labour on anti-Semitism, the humiliating response to the Salisbury incident where Labour back benchers lined up to agree with the PM and disagree with their elected leader, an ever more chaotic and incoherent response to Brexit and the reopening of civil war in the PLP has, according to Yougov last night, not changed the Labour vote at all.
People are bored of politics and thinking about other things, it seems.
I think people said similar when the Conservatives were having a bad time (a few weeks back) and there were suggestions a different Labour leader would be 15-20 points ahead. The ones that are paying attention are largely polarised into their different voting blocks. Unless we see some really big events happening I expect the polls will stay fairly close for a while.
I actually think Salisbury is pretty big and that thy.
Whilst there are big chunks like that on both sides I did hear of a poll, think it was mentioned on a podcast I listened to so I'm not sure for a link, that put both parties at close to 70% in terms of their vote being a positive vote for the party with only low 20's% vote being against the other party. I think Labour might have been just slightly higher on both scores but similar figures for both parties.
Which still translates into millions of votes but I suspect those feelings have been around for a while. Although there might be a bit more dislike or things have just got more passionate in general the last few years, Scottish referendum, EU referendum etc.
In a funny way I think both comments are right. There are a LOT of partisans out there who really like what they feel their party stands for and are very loyal to it: it's what makes the polls pretty immobile. That doesn't stop them wincing when prominent figures in it are seen to cock up. The normal process is first to blame the BBC/media (whose collective glee at any misstep is a powerful laager reinforcement), then when it proves incontrovertible roll your eyes and say we all cock up someimes. It takes a great deal to actually think of changing to the other side, though demoralised voters just stay at home.
Probably right. I know why people get so attached, and parties are useful things, but I wish people were more flexible, especially as parties are coalitions and people might find the party shifts away from them.
Surely what most sane people want is peace in the Middle East, and the only way to get to that is to criticise wrong-doing wherever it occurs, and to praise people and organisations when they do things right.
On the contrary, to get to peace - you often have to sacrifice justice.
Comments
After several good weeks for Labour in which the Tory vote barely shifted we've had a good couple of weeks for the Tories in which Labours vote has barely shifted. Which is partially why I think the idea of Labour having a new leader and surging ahead 15-20 points in the polls in unrealistic.
If the polls look something like they have done over the past couple of months just before we get into the election campaigning period I'll be fairly optimistic about Labours chances. There won't be the same kind of swings we saw in the last campaign but with a strong campaign, which isn't an unrealistic expectation of Labour, we could advance enough to take it.
A big part of the next election will probably be decided on how many voters each party holds onto from the last election.
She won't be allowed to fight another election though so I think 2021 is when she "departs" - Gives her five years as PM which isn't too shabby given it looked like she might be one of the shortest ever sitting PM's in 2017....
The only mistake there might be to assume moderates are Tory voters.
@oxfordsimon
It is the same line he has had for a while.
http://jewishnews.timesofisrael.com/exclusive-corbyn-interview/
The best Steven Seagal film EVER MADE
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5555565/Inside-Kims-secret-train-North-Korean-leader-lets-cameras-meets-Chinese-leader.html
https://www.politico.eu/article/european-parliament-top-posts-klaus-welle-martin-selmayr-appointments-brussels/
https://twitter.com/StigAbell/status/979113257649745921
https://twitter.com/paulwaugh/status/979240977402683393?s=21
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-43578225
Australia batsman David Warner has apologised for causing "distress" to cricket fans "in Australia and all over the world" after the ball-tampering incident which has seen him banned for a year.
Warner, Test captain Steven Smith and batsman Cameron Bancroft have all been banned by Cricket Australia bosses for their part in the incident.
"Mistakes have been made which have damaged cricket," he said.
"It's a stain on the game we all love."
http://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/43580069
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-43580679
King Cole, Lemmings was good fun.
Look forward to listening to the podcast when I've woken up a little.
Not sure quite what that would be. NI would be too obvious surely - and doesn’t it get paid monthly with PAYE anyway? So assumed it would have to be payments on account or VAT.
The Middle East is a mess, and there are few good actors within the mess. The Palestinians are far from perfect (e.g. Hamas), and putting Israeli policies and actions under the microscope will not lead to peace.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5555985/Labour-leader-belongs-FIVE-anti-Semitic-Facebook-groups.html
People are bored of politics and thinking about other things, it seems.
Actually I think that, given our record, the less any British politician says about the Middle East, the better.
Alternatively we could just accept he's lying and leave it at that.
But I cannot agree with your last sentence. I think we have a valuable role in sorting out a mess that is partly of our making. We should not stand back just because some people are antisemitic asshats. We may not be the one to lead such a process; but we can play a positive role.
Well, people might start asking questions
What we are seeing, I think, is 2 blocks sustained by a very strong dislike of the other. Supporters on both sides may wince from time to time at their own sides incompetence but the priority will always be to stop the other. Its not particularly healthy.
People who criticise only Israel when they do wrong, and not Palestinians when they do wrong, have to ask themselves why they make that differentiation. Many will just be being silly; however many will be hiding their antisemitism behind that veil.
Once DC started down this route we needed see it through. Anything else would have been against the national interest
Which still translates into millions of votes but I suspect those feelings have been around for a while. Although there might be a bit more dislike or things have just got more passionate in general the last few years, Scottish referendum, EU referendum etc.
EDIT that should be mode
Or they can not react to the constant actions of Israel which pretty much equate to war and have their land stolen and their economy strangled.
The status quo very much suits Israel, for everyone to sit back and tut at them both whilst Israel slowly swallows up more land isn't really a neutral position.
You do have to question sometimes if some of the people who are in the neutral position would feel quite the same way if the Palestinians were a bit lighter in skin tone and a bit less Islamic in religious belief... No people would accept this happening to their country.
Corbyn's only described one side as his friends.
https://order-order.com/2018/03/29/now-corbyn-says-group-which-accused-jewish-mps-of-fabricating-anti-semitism-are-good-people/
yuk
Two factors I can think of:
- Skripal's intelligence maybe covered the production of chemical agents and so, when he was set up in the UK, his vicinity to the place researching such things was thought useful (modern transportation notwithstanding). However, his service record does not particularly give any hint that this might be the case, and there are plenty of other military facilities around Salisbury that might have wanted access to Skripal's perspective. If some of his intelligence was chemical agent related, the perpetrators may have had 'poetic justice' in mind.
- He casually ended up in Salisbury having requested a quiet small town life. The perpetrators can see as well on a map as we can that it is 8 miles from Porton Down and saw the opportunity for obfuscation in that.
Russia is a massive odds on favourite for this deed, and the broadness of the response and lack of dissenting governments (contrast Iraq) is another piece of evidence for the casual observer. I'll be very interested in what the OPCW comes back with.
https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/938668/Brexit-economic-future-of-UK-how-do-brits-feel-poll-results-exclusive
35% for a second referendum, 65% against. I expect support for another vote will decline as we get closer to Sovereignty Day.