Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. Sign in or register to get started.

With the Electoral Commission now investigating the decoration costs Johnson has his worst PMQs to d

1457910

Comments

  • ChrisChris Posts: 11,008

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    MaxPB said:

    "@HugoGye
    UK has ordered another 60m doses of Pfizer vaccine to use as part of booster shot programme in the autumn, Matt Hancock says."

    It's another very, very good move wrt vaccines as Pfizer are prepping their gen 2 vaccine for delivery in the timeframe the government is talking about. I'm once again impressed by the level of organisation that the government has showed with this. This is the world's best insurance policy in the west against another lockdown. I genuinely don't think any other major country has been this forwards thinking.
    Stuff the Government's outstanding performance on vaccines to enable this Country to get back to normallity, lets spend days discussing who paid for wallpaper on a taxpayer owned property.
    Blimey! Have you defected from the "It's all a fake, COVID is no worse than the flu" camp?

    Some people are so fickle!
    Im not in that camp, Im in the masks don't prevent Covid transmission camp (its a small but select group) , they certainly prevent Flu transmission as shown by the fact there has been no flu in the UK for months, but they do not prevent Covid transmission as numerous countries where there is a mask wearing mandate show.
    Thanks for clarifying exactly what kind of stark raving loony you are.

    So sorry to have got it a bit wrong.
    Look at Thailand, everyone wears masks there, how is their Covid situation looking today?
    Never mind that - look at Mars! Or Planet Tharg, in the DARK DIMENSION ....
    Its sad that I am considered a lunatic ....
    Indeed, indeed. But try to get over it.
  • geoffwgeoffw Posts: 8,092
    TOPPING said:

    TOPPING said:

    "Following a good dry line" from JVT.

    Anyone heard that expression ever before?

    Yes, in a climate/weather context.
    Yes I googled. But "follow" it?
    He's referring to F1 - "at pace". The dry line is safer and quicker than the wet line.

  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 19,598
    Best question from LBC chap - also got the best answer - lots of detail from Van Tam
  • TazTaz Posts: 10,701
    Plenty of blue ticks on Twitter, plus Sky News, think LauraK asked a great question.

    So there you go
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 27,835
    Bloody torrential hail storm here now.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 39,117

    TimT said:

    TimT said:

    TimT said:

    kinabalu said:

    The one thing that came out of PMQs for me was Boris's denial he said those words and challenged those who said he had to bring forward their evidence, as they have none

    The simple task for the so called whstlblowers is to bring forward a tape or recording of him saying those words and he has to resign following his HOC denial today

    I would also caution those who may want to accuse Boris, that in view of how angry he was they do not stray into controversial legal territory

    Do you think he knows there's no tape and therefore is safe to lie through his teeth about it?
    What are the odds of a Machiavellian operative like Dom not having recorded on his mobile phone a ranting Johnson, for future leverage?
    Which points back to the central mystery:

    What does D Cummings want?

    It can't be a something, like a job or a policy. He's been so obvious in threatening BoJo that anything he gets will look like a blatant payoff. If the plan was blackmail, it would need to be discreet; hack into the Downing Street streetlights to flash out a coded message or something.

    Tempting to think that it's to catapult Gove into No 10, and the clock is really ticking on that one now, but that would be mad. Though that doesn't rule it out.

    Is it just to destroy Boris, whether for revenge or guilt? It might also destroy Dom, but as things stand, he's dead anyway- so what's he got to lose?

    That was a point I made yesterday. What does this approach get Cummings, apart from revenge? Nothing positive.
    Though if that is the case- that the important thing for Cummings is to destroy Johnson- the Prime Minister is in a significant spot of bother, because the next bit really will be no holds barred.
    Yes. I guess it depends on what, precisely, Cummings has on Boris and how much worse it is than the price that is already baked in.
    I assume that Cummings signed the Offical Secrets Act, he may be subject to arrest if he says too much.
    Surely the act applies to classified materials only, not to embarrassing private conversations, particularly those that are held without formal meetings, or observed embarrassing actions.

    I just checked. It appears the OSA applies to intelligence, security, defence and international relations information release of which would cause harm to the nation.

    Not sure that the sleaze stories that might be Cummings focus would qualify, but IANAL (although I signed the OSA on multiple occasions).
    Someone in his position must sign something to prevent private conversations being released.
    That's for little people.

    Just think of those political memoirs by Cabinet ministers.
  • Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    MaxPB said:

    "@HugoGye
    UK has ordered another 60m doses of Pfizer vaccine to use as part of booster shot programme in the autumn, Matt Hancock says."

    It's another very, very good move wrt vaccines as Pfizer are prepping their gen 2 vaccine for delivery in the timeframe the government is talking about. I'm once again impressed by the level of organisation that the government has showed with this. This is the world's best insurance policy in the west against another lockdown. I genuinely don't think any other major country has been this forwards thinking.
    Stuff the Government's outstanding performance on vaccines to enable this Country to get back to normallity, lets spend days discussing who paid for wallpaper on a taxpayer owned property.
    Blimey! Have you defected from the "It's all a fake, COVID is no worse than the flu" camp?

    Some people are so fickle!
    Im not in that camp, Im in the masks don't prevent Covid transmission camp (its a small but select group) , they certainly prevent Flu transmission as shown by the fact there has been no flu in the UK for months, but they do not prevent Covid transmission as numerous countries where there is a mask wearing mandate show.
    Thanks for clarifying exactly what kind of stark raving loony you are.

    So sorry to have got it a bit wrong.
    Look at Thailand, everyone wears masks there, how is their Covid situation looking today?
    Never mind that - look at Mars! Or Planet Tharg, in the DARK DIMENSION ....
    Its sad that I am considered a lunatic ....
    Indeed, indeed. But try to get over it.
    My son has just undergone 16 sessions of electroconvulsive treatment for PTSD and mental issues

    You may think it is clever to call someone a lunatic, but for those of us who have family members suffering mental heath issues it just is not acceptable
  • SeaShantyIrish2SeaShantyIrish2 Posts: 15,227
    Re: wallpaper gate. There seems to be some confusion on who paid what when.

    What's the story on the other end? That is, who got paid for what and who are they?

    My thought is, the classic Tammy Hall dodge is NOT to embezzle (directly) but instead to give lucrative contracts for public business to political-personal cronies.

    Not unheard of even today. And NOT just in the good old USA.
  • Philip_ThompsonPhilip_Thompson Posts: 65,826
    Taz said:

    Plenty of blue ticks on Twitter, plus Sky News, think LauraK asked a great question.

    So there you go

    'nuf said.

    Twitter bubble echo chamber.
  • The Rudy story is big news, and relevant to 2024 betting. The net tightens. The Ukraine work was clearly undertaken for Trump, who probably knew a lot about it. There's a big incentive for Rudy to save himself if it's as bad as it looks, and Trump has little leverage now he's not in the White House.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 26,279
    "UK secures 60 million more Pfizer coronavirus vaccine doses for autumn booster jabs

    Pfizer doses will be used alongside other vaccines to ensure people have the strongest possible protection from COVID-19."

    https://news.sky.com/story/uk-secures-60-million-more-pfizer-vaccine-doses-for-autumn-booster-jabs-12289470
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 38,840

    I am sure the lefties on here are grateful to Mr Smithson for allowing them a thread to froth over. Its been a long time where the left have had to suck it up... Time to give them a moment to enjoy, if wallpaper be the subject of their wrath, so be it.

    He's filled our boots over the last few days, and I for one am enjoying the spectacle. My favourite day was Monday, when all the shellshocked fanbois kept a low profile, so those of us not in the Johnson camp could harp on unhindered to our hearts content.
    I sense the tide turning. Brexit then Trump then Johnson landslide. Woe is us.
    But now Trump Toast and Joe looking good and "Boris" just commencing his crash & burn descent.
    Key is to hold nerve on loss of Hartlepool. That must not lead to a Corporal Jones.
  • JVT is so impressive
  • SeaShantyIrish2SeaShantyIrish2 Posts: 15,227
    Chris said:

    LauraK gets the answer she deserves.

    I missed her question, was it a good and insightful one this time? Or the typical vapid crap?

    Same question for Peston in case any idiots think this is a gender-related judgement.
    Wallpaper....

    And Hancock has just told a Times journalist that he’ll skip his wallpaper question...
    Surely the right answer is the one given by a Tory MP (I can't remember which).

    "I don't give a damn who gave the money to the prime minister, so long as it wasn't my constituents".

    But I think it was better put by Peter Cook:
    "It is not contested by the defence that enormous sums of money flowed towards them in unusual ways. ... It will be a sad day for this country when a leading politician cannot spend his election expenses in any way he sees fit."
    So message is, Conservatives do NOT care about about who may be purchasing (or rather renting) the goodwill & etc, etc of the highest elected officials in the land.

    Received loud and clear.
  • ChrisChris Posts: 11,008

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    MaxPB said:

    "@HugoGye
    UK has ordered another 60m doses of Pfizer vaccine to use as part of booster shot programme in the autumn, Matt Hancock says."

    It's another very, very good move wrt vaccines as Pfizer are prepping their gen 2 vaccine for delivery in the timeframe the government is talking about. I'm once again impressed by the level of organisation that the government has showed with this. This is the world's best insurance policy in the west against another lockdown. I genuinely don't think any other major country has been this forwards thinking.
    Stuff the Government's outstanding performance on vaccines to enable this Country to get back to normallity, lets spend days discussing who paid for wallpaper on a taxpayer owned property.
    Blimey! Have you defected from the "It's all a fake, COVID is no worse than the flu" camp?

    Some people are so fickle!
    Im not in that camp, Im in the masks don't prevent Covid transmission camp (its a small but select group) , they certainly prevent Flu transmission as shown by the fact there has been no flu in the UK for months, but they do not prevent Covid transmission as numerous countries where there is a mask wearing mandate show.
    Thanks for clarifying exactly what kind of stark raving loony you are.

    So sorry to have got it a bit wrong.
    Look at Thailand, everyone wears masks there, how is their Covid situation looking today?
    Never mind that - look at Mars! Or Planet Tharg, in the DARK DIMENSION ....
    Its sad that I am considered a lunatic ....
    Indeed, indeed. But try to get over it.
    My son has just undergone 16 sessions of electroconvulsive treatment for PTSD and mental issues

    You may think it is clever to call someone a lunatic, but for those of us who have family members suffering mental heath issues it just is not acceptable
    Is it OK just to say "mad"?
  • BluestBlueBluestBlue Posts: 4,556

    I am sure the lefties on here are grateful to Mr Smithson for allowing them a thread to froth over. Its been a long time where the left have had to suck it up... Time to give them a moment to enjoy, if wallpaper be the subject of their wrath, so be it.

    He's filled our boots over the last few days, and I for one am enjoying the spectacle. My favourite day was Monday, when all the shellshocked fanbois kept a low profile, so those of us not in the Johnson camp could harp on unhindered to our hearts content.
    I suppose you chaps have to be entertained somehow as you while away the long years in Opposition...
  • SeaShantyIrish2SeaShantyIrish2 Posts: 15,227
    dixiedean said:

    Bloody torrential hail storm here now.

    How large are the hailstones?
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 38,840
    edited April 2021

    The Rudy story is big news, and relevant to 2024 betting. The net tightens. The Ukraine work was clearly undertaken for Trump, who probably knew a lot about it. There's a big incentive for Rudy to save himself if it's as bad as it looks, and Trump has little leverage now he's not in the White House.

    Yes, that is a bet - my lay of Trump in 24 for both GOP nomination and POTUS - that I am losing no sleep over.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 26,279

    Andy_JS said:

    "Thanks to vaccines, 68% of adults in England have coronavirus antibodies
    Increase in protection across all four UK nations"

    https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/thanks-to-vaccines-68-of-adults-in-england-have-covid-antibodies-phm59rm25

    Herd immunity. Lift lockdown.
    Wouldn't it be nice if, just once, one of the lockdown dates could be moved to an earlier date. For example, 14th June instead of 21st.
  • Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    MaxPB said:

    "@HugoGye
    UK has ordered another 60m doses of Pfizer vaccine to use as part of booster shot programme in the autumn, Matt Hancock says."

    It's another very, very good move wrt vaccines as Pfizer are prepping their gen 2 vaccine for delivery in the timeframe the government is talking about. I'm once again impressed by the level of organisation that the government has showed with this. This is the world's best insurance policy in the west against another lockdown. I genuinely don't think any other major country has been this forwards thinking.
    Stuff the Government's outstanding performance on vaccines to enable this Country to get back to normallity, lets spend days discussing who paid for wallpaper on a taxpayer owned property.
    Blimey! Have you defected from the "It's all a fake, COVID is no worse than the flu" camp?

    Some people are so fickle!
    Im not in that camp, Im in the masks don't prevent Covid transmission camp (its a small but select group) , they certainly prevent Flu transmission as shown by the fact there has been no flu in the UK for months, but they do not prevent Covid transmission as numerous countries where there is a mask wearing mandate show.
    Thanks for clarifying exactly what kind of stark raving loony you are.

    So sorry to have got it a bit wrong.
    Look at Thailand, everyone wears masks there, how is their Covid situation looking today?
    Never mind that - look at Mars! Or Planet Tharg, in the DARK DIMENSION ....
    Its sad that I am considered a lunatic ....
    Indeed, indeed. But try to get over it.
    My son has just undergone 16 sessions of electroconvulsive treatment for PTSD and mental issues

    You may think it is clever to call someone a lunatic, but for those of us who have family members suffering mental heath issues it just is not acceptable
    Is it OK just to say "mad"?
    I and my family are very sensitive to lazy expressions of mental health following my eldest sons issues which commenced in 2011 when he was involved in ground zero at the Christchurch earthquake where 185 people died in a crushed building

    However, it took until 2019 for him to be overwhelmed with PTSD and the effect on his life, his wife and his family has been profound but at last we are seeing the first time tentative steps in his recovery

    Maybe we all need to be a 'wee' bit kinder to each other
  • TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 40,950
    geoffw said:

    TOPPING said:

    TOPPING said:

    "Following a good dry line" from JVT.

    Anyone heard that expression ever before?

    Yes, in a climate/weather context.
    Yes I googled. But "follow" it?
    He's referring to F1 - "at pace". The dry line is safer and quicker than the wet line.

    Nice! Thanks.
  • TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 40,950

    Taz said:

    Plenty of blue ticks on Twitter, plus Sky News, think LauraK asked a great question.

    So there you go

    'nuf said.

    Twitter bubble echo chamber.
    Well hold on. Those are consumers of news as are we. If she is engaging a large number of people (some like those like her, some like you don't) then that is surely her job.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 26,279
    Poland — 636 deaths reported today.

    https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
  • NemtynakhtNemtynakht Posts: 2,311

    "Boris Johnson’s great political Achilles heel isn’t greed or cronyism. It’s not incompetence either. It’s his addiction to over-promising."

    https://www.standard.co.uk/comment/sleaze-claims-boris-johnson-red-wall-voters-flat-carrie-symonds-b932159.html?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1619618417

    Absolutely spot on
    I fully agree but would frame it as over optimism. He is the living proof that hope for the best plan for the worst is true.
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,080

    Selebian said:

    algarkirk said:

    BREAKING: Arlene Foster says she will step down as DUP leader and Northern Ireland’s First Minister, following calls within the party for a leadership contest. More on @SkyNews now.

    https://twitter.com/skydavidblevins/status/1387421383471345673?s=20

    But I think we can already answer the big question: Will the DUP appoint a leader who will let us into the secret of what the DUP wants from Brexit and the border issue instead of the long list of what they don't? QTWTAIN

    And will a disgruntled Foster shuffle off to form the Uladh party?

    Edit: not the 'Uladh' party, d'oh. Unless she has a major change of heart about Irish/British identity.
    ULDH.. no vowels is on trend...
    When did U stop being a vowel?
  • ChrisChris Posts: 11,008

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    MaxPB said:

    "@HugoGye
    UK has ordered another 60m doses of Pfizer vaccine to use as part of booster shot programme in the autumn, Matt Hancock says."

    It's another very, very good move wrt vaccines as Pfizer are prepping their gen 2 vaccine for delivery in the timeframe the government is talking about. I'm once again impressed by the level of organisation that the government has showed with this. This is the world's best insurance policy in the west against another lockdown. I genuinely don't think any other major country has been this forwards thinking.
    Stuff the Government's outstanding performance on vaccines to enable this Country to get back to normallity, lets spend days discussing who paid for wallpaper on a taxpayer owned property.
    Blimey! Have you defected from the "It's all a fake, COVID is no worse than the flu" camp?

    Some people are so fickle!
    Im not in that camp, Im in the masks don't prevent Covid transmission camp (its a small but select group) , they certainly prevent Flu transmission as shown by the fact there has been no flu in the UK for months, but they do not prevent Covid transmission as numerous countries where there is a mask wearing mandate show.
    Thanks for clarifying exactly what kind of stark raving loony you are.

    So sorry to have got it a bit wrong.
    Look at Thailand, everyone wears masks there, how is their Covid situation looking today?
    Never mind that - look at Mars! Or Planet Tharg, in the DARK DIMENSION ....
    Its sad that I am considered a lunatic ....
    Indeed, indeed. But try to get over it.
    My son has just undergone 16 sessions of electroconvulsive treatment for PTSD and mental issues

    You may think it is clever to call someone a lunatic, but for those of us who have family members suffering mental heath issues it just is not acceptable
    Is it OK just to say "mad"?
    I and my family are very sensitive to lazy expressions of mental health following my eldest sons issues which commenced in 2011 when he was involved in ground zero at the Christchurch earthquake where 185 people died in a crushed building

    However, it took until 2019 for him to be overwhelmed with PTSD and the effect on his life, his wife and his family has been profound but at last we are seeing the first time tentative steps in his recovery

    Maybe we all need to be a 'wee' bit kinder to each other
    I'm just asking how I can refer to delusional ideas that are likely to cost lives without offending your sensibilities.

    Am I allowed to call them "silly", please?
  • gealbhangealbhan Posts: 2,362

    gealbhan said:

    gealbhan said:

    gealbhan said:

    NEW: Press conference at 5pm, hosted by Matt Hancock - JVT in attendance

    https://twitter.com/PoliticsForAlI/status/1387394219212480514?s=20

    JVT Klaxon
    Roll out the footy analogies... 'We are 6-0 up, in the last minute of the game, but sides have lost from here before...'
    LOL :D

    I'd like to think our journalists would ask about lifting restrictions early, but I suspect they will be wittering on about holidays again, and with a subsidary about decorating... I firmly believe we have enough evidence in terms of cases (not rising), population antibodies (thanks ONS), evidence of real world vaccine effects (both within patient, and in preventing/reducing transmission) to be less cautious, but I'd be amazed if any of the lobby ask about it.
    It is very odd how the May 17 date is now seemingly set in stone. What the government could offer – through its own rules – is a raft of so-called test events with full crowds – e.g. Royal Ascot and the England vs Scotland Euro 2021 match at Wembley. Those dates are so close to the end date of June 21 (just a few days before it) that imposing restrictions on them seems farcical.
    It’s still only small percentages allowed in arenas after the 17th, not full houses?

    When they talk about fans in grounds, I hadn’t realised for Leicester semi you could only go if you lived in Brent. The fans looked more bemused than excited.
    That's the point I'm making. The events I cite are a few days before 21 June – they should be allowed full crowds.
    Do you think there will be full crowds everywhere after 21 June? It’s not mandatory is it, venues have right to restrict and distance.
    No it's not mandatory. If Ascot want to run a half crowd then up to them, ditto Wembley, pandemic or no pandemic, that's their right. But given those events I cite are literally a few days before 21 June then mandating the restrictions is farcical.

    To put that in clear terms: England play Scotland on Friday 18 June. That's the biggest football match on these shores for years. The restrictions are due to be lifted the following Monday. Under the current plans, Wembley would be limited to 10,000 fans – not even enough to meet Scotland's away allocation, never mind England's. If the game were staged just 60 hours later, they could sell out all 90,000 tickets.

    Royal Ascot is the same week 15-19 June.

    What exactly is your point? I find it hard to infer from your posts at times.
    My point being that your point is a good one. 60 hours later could be potential sell out. So why not special dispensation for the full house?

    Well, the date may have been fabricated on basis it is sixty hours this side in the first place. My point being, if it was sixty hours or more later, they wouldn’t have tried to sell anything near the full house. The government and scientists wouldn’t’ the have been comfortable with that, nor Wembley stadium.

    After June 21st it’s not normal, it’s new normal.
    Eh? What does this mean? There are games in the tournament after 21 June, that will not be subject to restrictions. Why should England vs Scotland be? What is "new normal"?
    You didn’t anticipate the new normal? Quite embarrassing really. I’ll be laughing at you lot through my new mask. 😁

    I do hope you’ve booked, or you ain’t getting in 😆
  • Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    MaxPB said:

    "@HugoGye
    UK has ordered another 60m doses of Pfizer vaccine to use as part of booster shot programme in the autumn, Matt Hancock says."

    It's another very, very good move wrt vaccines as Pfizer are prepping their gen 2 vaccine for delivery in the timeframe the government is talking about. I'm once again impressed by the level of organisation that the government has showed with this. This is the world's best insurance policy in the west against another lockdown. I genuinely don't think any other major country has been this forwards thinking.
    Stuff the Government's outstanding performance on vaccines to enable this Country to get back to normallity, lets spend days discussing who paid for wallpaper on a taxpayer owned property.
    Blimey! Have you defected from the "It's all a fake, COVID is no worse than the flu" camp?

    Some people are so fickle!
    Im not in that camp, Im in the masks don't prevent Covid transmission camp (its a small but select group) , they certainly prevent Flu transmission as shown by the fact there has been no flu in the UK for months, but they do not prevent Covid transmission as numerous countries where there is a mask wearing mandate show.
    Thanks for clarifying exactly what kind of stark raving loony you are.

    So sorry to have got it a bit wrong.
    Look at Thailand, everyone wears masks there, how is their Covid situation looking today?
    Never mind that - look at Mars! Or Planet Tharg, in the DARK DIMENSION ....
    Its sad that I am considered a lunatic ....
    Indeed, indeed. But try to get over it.
    My son has just undergone 16 sessions of electroconvulsive treatment for PTSD and mental issues

    You may think it is clever to call someone a lunatic, but for those of us who have family members suffering mental heath issues it just is not acceptable
    Is it OK just to say "mad"?
    I and my family are very sensitive to lazy expressions of mental health following my eldest sons issues which commenced in 2011 when he was involved in ground zero at the Christchurch earthquake where 185 people died in a crushed building

    However, it took until 2019 for him to be overwhelmed with PTSD and the effect on his life, his wife and his family has been profound but at last we are seeing the first time tentative steps in his recovery

    Maybe we all need to be a 'wee' bit kinder to each other
    I'm just asking how I can refer to delusional ideas that are likely to cost lives without offending your sensibilities.

    Am I allowed to call them "silly", please?
    It is not for me to dictate how anyone speaks but it also a fact, much increased by covid, that many people are suffering mental health issues, and ill considered labelling of people is not acceptable to many
  • Richard_NabaviRichard_Nabavi Posts: 30,820


    It would be the Pfizer that is signing a deal to supply 1.8 billion vaccines to the EU on a rolling basis over the next few years. Because of its size and wealth, the EU is a primary market for all pharma companies. It has acted abysmally over the AZN vaccine, but the fundamentals don't change - all Big Pharma companies need to be there.

    Of course they can't ignore the EU market, but they can sure as hell make sure that their contracts are UdvL-proof, and to do that they will be very careful not to enter into early-access contracts where the risk of delays is significant. Essentially the EU has demonstrated that it wants all the risk to be on the supplier, which the suppliers can handle if and only if they already have production ramped up before they commit.
  • Nigel_ForemainNigel_Foremain Posts: 13,766

    LauraK gets the answer she deserves.

    I missed her question, was it a good and insightful one this time? Or the typical vapid crap?

    Same question for Peston in case any idiots think this is a gender-related judgement.
    Effectively asked if Boris should resign
    haha. Assuming @Philip_Thompson knows what "vapid" means (his new fav word), does he think that is vapid?
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,730
    IanB2 said:

    Selebian said:

    algarkirk said:

    BREAKING: Arlene Foster says she will step down as DUP leader and Northern Ireland’s First Minister, following calls within the party for a leadership contest. More on @SkyNews now.

    https://twitter.com/skydavidblevins/status/1387421383471345673?s=20

    But I think we can already answer the big question: Will the DUP appoint a leader who will let us into the secret of what the DUP wants from Brexit and the border issue instead of the long list of what they don't? QTWTAIN

    And will a disgruntled Foster shuffle off to form the Uladh party?

    Edit: not the 'Uladh' party, d'oh. Unless she has a major change of heart about Irish/British identity.
    ULDH.. no vowels is on trend...
    When did U stop being a vowel?
    Could be worse, in Welsh we have two extra vowels.

    It was all a misunderstanding though. It was meant to be one extra vowel, but when ‘W’ was chosen somebody asked ‘why?’ and so Y ended up being one as well.
  • ChrisChris Posts: 11,008

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    MaxPB said:

    "@HugoGye
    UK has ordered another 60m doses of Pfizer vaccine to use as part of booster shot programme in the autumn, Matt Hancock says."

    It's another very, very good move wrt vaccines as Pfizer are prepping their gen 2 vaccine for delivery in the timeframe the government is talking about. I'm once again impressed by the level of organisation that the government has showed with this. This is the world's best insurance policy in the west against another lockdown. I genuinely don't think any other major country has been this forwards thinking.
    Stuff the Government's outstanding performance on vaccines to enable this Country to get back to normallity, lets spend days discussing who paid for wallpaper on a taxpayer owned property.
    Blimey! Have you defected from the "It's all a fake, COVID is no worse than the flu" camp?

    Some people are so fickle!
    Im not in that camp, Im in the masks don't prevent Covid transmission camp (its a small but select group) , they certainly prevent Flu transmission as shown by the fact there has been no flu in the UK for months, but they do not prevent Covid transmission as numerous countries where there is a mask wearing mandate show.
    Thanks for clarifying exactly what kind of stark raving loony you are.

    So sorry to have got it a bit wrong.
    Look at Thailand, everyone wears masks there, how is their Covid situation looking today?
    Never mind that - look at Mars! Or Planet Tharg, in the DARK DIMENSION ....
    Its sad that I am considered a lunatic ....
    Indeed, indeed. But try to get over it.
    My son has just undergone 16 sessions of electroconvulsive treatment for PTSD and mental issues

    You may think it is clever to call someone a lunatic, but for those of us who have family members suffering mental heath issues it just is not acceptable
    Is it OK just to say "mad"?
    I and my family are very sensitive to lazy expressions of mental health following my eldest sons issues which commenced in 2011 when he was involved in ground zero at the Christchurch earthquake where 185 people died in a crushed building

    However, it took until 2019 for him to be overwhelmed with PTSD and the effect on his life, his wife and his family has been profound but at last we are seeing the first time tentative steps in his recovery

    Maybe we all need to be a 'wee' bit kinder to each other
    I'm just asking how I can refer to delusional ideas that are likely to cost lives without offending your sensibilities.

    Am I allowed to call them "silly", please?
    It is not for me to dictate how anyone speaks ...
    We're only having this discussion because you said a word I'd used was "just not acceptable"!

    This place doesn't improve.
  • TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 40,950
    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    MaxPB said:

    "@HugoGye
    UK has ordered another 60m doses of Pfizer vaccine to use as part of booster shot programme in the autumn, Matt Hancock says."

    It's another very, very good move wrt vaccines as Pfizer are prepping their gen 2 vaccine for delivery in the timeframe the government is talking about. I'm once again impressed by the level of organisation that the government has showed with this. This is the world's best insurance policy in the west against another lockdown. I genuinely don't think any other major country has been this forwards thinking.
    Stuff the Government's outstanding performance on vaccines to enable this Country to get back to normallity, lets spend days discussing who paid for wallpaper on a taxpayer owned property.
    Blimey! Have you defected from the "It's all a fake, COVID is no worse than the flu" camp?

    Some people are so fickle!
    Im not in that camp, Im in the masks don't prevent Covid transmission camp (its a small but select group) , they certainly prevent Flu transmission as shown by the fact there has been no flu in the UK for months, but they do not prevent Covid transmission as numerous countries where there is a mask wearing mandate show.
    Thanks for clarifying exactly what kind of stark raving loony you are.

    So sorry to have got it a bit wrong.
    Look at Thailand, everyone wears masks there, how is their Covid situation looking today?
    Never mind that - look at Mars! Or Planet Tharg, in the DARK DIMENSION ....
    Its sad that I am considered a lunatic ....
    Indeed, indeed. But try to get over it.
    My son has just undergone 16 sessions of electroconvulsive treatment for PTSD and mental issues

    You may think it is clever to call someone a lunatic, but for those of us who have family members suffering mental heath issues it just is not acceptable
    Is it OK just to say "mad"?
    I and my family are very sensitive to lazy expressions of mental health following my eldest sons issues which commenced in 2011 when he was involved in ground zero at the Christchurch earthquake where 185 people died in a crushed building

    However, it took until 2019 for him to be overwhelmed with PTSD and the effect on his life, his wife and his family has been profound but at last we are seeing the first time tentative steps in his recovery

    Maybe we all need to be a 'wee' bit kinder to each other
    I'm just asking how I can refer to delusional ideas that are likely to cost lives without offending your sensibilities.

    Am I allowed to call them "silly", please?
    It is not for me to dictate how anyone speaks ...
    We're only having this discussion because you said a word I'd used was "just not acceptable"!

    This place doesn't improve.
    Fuck off then.
  • TazTaz Posts: 10,701
    kinabalu said:

    I am sure the lefties on here are grateful to Mr Smithson for allowing them a thread to froth over. Its been a long time where the left have had to suck it up... Time to give them a moment to enjoy, if wallpaper be the subject of their wrath, so be it.

    He's filled our boots over the last few days, and I for one am enjoying the spectacle. My favourite day was Monday, when all the shellshocked fanbois kept a low profile, so those of us not in the Johnson camp could harp on unhindered to our hearts content.
    I sense the tide turning. Brexit then Trump then Johnson landslide. Woe is us.
    But now Trump Toast and Joe looking good and "Boris" just commencing his crash & burn descent.
    Key is to hold nerve on loss of Hartlepool. That must not lead to a Corporal Jones.
    I’ve got 30 quid on a labour hold in Hartlepool, I think they’ll hold on although there are some really plush parts in the constituency these days, away from the town centre.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 26,279
    edited April 2021
    New Forsa poll is almost exactly the same as the previous one.

    https://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/

    Green 28
    Union 22 (+1)
    SPD 13
    FDP 12
    AfD 11
    Left 7
    Oth 7 (-1)
  • TimTTimT Posts: 6,328
    ydoethur said:

    IanB2 said:

    Selebian said:

    algarkirk said:

    BREAKING: Arlene Foster says she will step down as DUP leader and Northern Ireland’s First Minister, following calls within the party for a leadership contest. More on @SkyNews now.

    https://twitter.com/skydavidblevins/status/1387421383471345673?s=20

    But I think we can already answer the big question: Will the DUP appoint a leader who will let us into the secret of what the DUP wants from Brexit and the border issue instead of the long list of what they don't? QTWTAIN

    And will a disgruntled Foster shuffle off to form the Uladh party?

    Edit: not the 'Uladh' party, d'oh. Unless she has a major change of heart about Irish/British identity.
    ULDH.. no vowels is on trend...
    When did U stop being a vowel?
    Could be worse, in Welsh we have two extra vowels.

    It was all a misunderstanding though. It was meant to be one extra vowel, but when ‘W’ was chosen somebody asked ‘why?’ and so Y ended up being one as well.
    In Arabic, both Y and W can either be a vowel or a consonant.
  • ChrisChris Posts: 11,008
    TOPPING said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    MaxPB said:

    "@HugoGye
    UK has ordered another 60m doses of Pfizer vaccine to use as part of booster shot programme in the autumn, Matt Hancock says."

    It's another very, very good move wrt vaccines as Pfizer are prepping their gen 2 vaccine for delivery in the timeframe the government is talking about. I'm once again impressed by the level of organisation that the government has showed with this. This is the world's best insurance policy in the west against another lockdown. I genuinely don't think any other major country has been this forwards thinking.
    Stuff the Government's outstanding performance on vaccines to enable this Country to get back to normallity, lets spend days discussing who paid for wallpaper on a taxpayer owned property.
    Blimey! Have you defected from the "It's all a fake, COVID is no worse than the flu" camp?

    Some people are so fickle!
    Im not in that camp, Im in the masks don't prevent Covid transmission camp (its a small but select group) , they certainly prevent Flu transmission as shown by the fact there has been no flu in the UK for months, but they do not prevent Covid transmission as numerous countries where there is a mask wearing mandate show.
    Thanks for clarifying exactly what kind of stark raving loony you are.

    So sorry to have got it a bit wrong.
    Look at Thailand, everyone wears masks there, how is their Covid situation looking today?
    Never mind that - look at Mars! Or Planet Tharg, in the DARK DIMENSION ....
    Its sad that I am considered a lunatic ....
    Indeed, indeed. But try to get over it.
    My son has just undergone 16 sessions of electroconvulsive treatment for PTSD and mental issues

    You may think it is clever to call someone a lunatic, but for those of us who have family members suffering mental heath issues it just is not acceptable
    Is it OK just to say "mad"?
    I and my family are very sensitive to lazy expressions of mental health following my eldest sons issues which commenced in 2011 when he was involved in ground zero at the Christchurch earthquake where 185 people died in a crushed building

    However, it took until 2019 for him to be overwhelmed with PTSD and the effect on his life, his wife and his family has been profound but at last we are seeing the first time tentative steps in his recovery

    Maybe we all need to be a 'wee' bit kinder to each other
    I'm just asking how I can refer to delusional ideas that are likely to cost lives without offending your sensibilities.

    Am I allowed to call them "silly", please?
    It is not for me to dictate how anyone speaks ...
    We're only having this discussion because you said a word I'd used was "just not acceptable"!

    This place doesn't improve.
    Fuck off then.
    Perhaps you do have a sense of irony after all :-)
  • Philip_ThompsonPhilip_Thompson Posts: 65,826

    LauraK gets the answer she deserves.

    I missed her question, was it a good and insightful one this time? Or the typical vapid crap?

    Same question for Peston in case any idiots think this is a gender-related judgement.
    Effectively asked if Boris should resign
    haha. Assuming @Philip_Thompson knows what "vapid" means (his new fav word), does he think that is vapid?
    Yes, of course it is. You think the Health Secretary will stand there at a Covid briefing and say "yes the Prime Minister should resign"? It was only ever going to get one answer.

    If you want a question about these silly scandals "did you hear the [bodies piled high] remarks" question by the Press Association was a much better question, because if he prevaricates then that's fuel, and if he did say it and there's proof and Hancock lied then he's on the record too.
  • SeaShantyIrish2SeaShantyIrish2 Posts: 15,227
    ydoethur said:

    IanB2 said:

    Selebian said:

    algarkirk said:

    BREAKING: Arlene Foster says she will step down as DUP leader and Northern Ireland’s First Minister, following calls within the party for a leadership contest. More on @SkyNews now.

    https://twitter.com/skydavidblevins/status/1387421383471345673?s=20

    But I think we can already answer the big question: Will the DUP appoint a leader who will let us into the secret of what the DUP wants from Brexit and the border issue instead of the long list of what they don't? QTWTAIN

    And will a disgruntled Foster shuffle off to form the Uladh party?

    Edit: not the 'Uladh' party, d'oh. Unless she has a major change of heart about Irish/British identity.
    ULDH.. no vowels is on trend...
    When did U stop being a vowel?
    Could be worse, in Welsh we have two extra vowels.

    It was all a misunderstanding though. It was meant to be one extra vowel, but when ‘W’ was chosen somebody asked ‘why?’ and so Y ended up being one as well.
    Perhaps you could donate one to the Czechs? They could use it!
  • Nigel_ForemainNigel_Foremain Posts: 13,766

    LauraK gets the answer she deserves.

    She is simply embarrassing
    Be careful or @Nigel_Foremain will be onto you. 😂
    Nope, because while I have disagreed with Mr G on a number of things, I have never noticed any misogyny. You on the other hand...
  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 19,598
    edited April 2021
    gealbhan said:

    gealbhan said:

    gealbhan said:

    gealbhan said:

    NEW: Press conference at 5pm, hosted by Matt Hancock - JVT in attendance

    https://twitter.com/PoliticsForAlI/status/1387394219212480514?s=20

    JVT Klaxon
    Roll out the footy analogies... 'We are 6-0 up, in the last minute of the game, but sides have lost from here before...'
    LOL :D

    I'd like to think our journalists would ask about lifting restrictions early, but I suspect they will be wittering on about holidays again, and with a subsidary about decorating... I firmly believe we have enough evidence in terms of cases (not rising), population antibodies (thanks ONS), evidence of real world vaccine effects (both within patient, and in preventing/reducing transmission) to be less cautious, but I'd be amazed if any of the lobby ask about it.
    It is very odd how the May 17 date is now seemingly set in stone. What the government could offer – through its own rules – is a raft of so-called test events with full crowds – e.g. Royal Ascot and the England vs Scotland Euro 2021 match at Wembley. Those dates are so close to the end date of June 21 (just a few days before it) that imposing restrictions on them seems farcical.
    It’s still only small percentages allowed in arenas after the 17th, not full houses?

    When they talk about fans in grounds, I hadn’t realised for Leicester semi you could only go if you lived in Brent. The fans looked more bemused than excited.
    That's the point I'm making. The events I cite are a few days before 21 June – they should be allowed full crowds.
    Do you think there will be full crowds everywhere after 21 June? It’s not mandatory is it, venues have right to restrict and distance.
    No it's not mandatory. If Ascot want to run a half crowd then up to them, ditto Wembley, pandemic or no pandemic, that's their right. But given those events I cite are literally a few days before 21 June then mandating the restrictions is farcical.

    To put that in clear terms: England play Scotland on Friday 18 June. That's the biggest football match on these shores for years. The restrictions are due to be lifted the following Monday. Under the current plans, Wembley would be limited to 10,000 fans – not even enough to meet Scotland's away allocation, never mind England's. If the game were staged just 60 hours later, they could sell out all 90,000 tickets.

    Royal Ascot is the same week 15-19 June.

    What exactly is your point? I find it hard to infer from your posts at times.
    My point being that your point is a good one. 60 hours later could be potential sell out. So why not special dispensation for the full house?

    Well, the date may have been fabricated on basis it is sixty hours this side in the first place. My point being, if it was sixty hours or more later, they wouldn’t have tried to sell anything near the full house. The government and scientists wouldn’t’ the have been comfortable with that, nor Wembley stadium.

    After June 21st it’s not normal, it’s new normal.
    Eh? What does this mean? There are games in the tournament after 21 June, that will not be subject to restrictions. Why should England vs Scotland be? What is "new normal"?
    You didn’t anticipate the new normal? Quite embarrassing really. I’ll be laughing at you lot through my new mask. 😁

    I do hope you’ve booked, or you ain’t getting in 😆
    What on Earth are you talking about? I find your posts to be little more than insidious drivel to be honest.

    Rather than this endless drumbeat of fear that you luxuriate in, could you let us know your views on releasing all legal restrictions on 21 June?
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,730

    ydoethur said:

    IanB2 said:

    Selebian said:

    algarkirk said:

    BREAKING: Arlene Foster says she will step down as DUP leader and Northern Ireland’s First Minister, following calls within the party for a leadership contest. More on @SkyNews now.

    https://twitter.com/skydavidblevins/status/1387421383471345673?s=20

    But I think we can already answer the big question: Will the DUP appoint a leader who will let us into the secret of what the DUP wants from Brexit and the border issue instead of the long list of what they don't? QTWTAIN

    And will a disgruntled Foster shuffle off to form the Uladh party?

    Edit: not the 'Uladh' party, d'oh. Unless she has a major change of heart about Irish/British identity.
    ULDH.. no vowels is on trend...
    When did U stop being a vowel?
    Could be worse, in Welsh we have two extra vowels.

    It was all a misunderstanding though. It was meant to be one extra vowel, but when ‘W’ was chosen somebody asked ‘why?’ and so Y ended up being one as well.
    Perhaps you could donate one to the Czechs? They could use it!
    It isn’t consonant with our jealousy about the Welsh language to do so.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 38,840
    Taz said:

    kinabalu said:

    I am sure the lefties on here are grateful to Mr Smithson for allowing them a thread to froth over. Its been a long time where the left have had to suck it up... Time to give them a moment to enjoy, if wallpaper be the subject of their wrath, so be it.

    He's filled our boots over the last few days, and I for one am enjoying the spectacle. My favourite day was Monday, when all the shellshocked fanbois kept a low profile, so those of us not in the Johnson camp could harp on unhindered to our hearts content.
    I sense the tide turning. Brexit then Trump then Johnson landslide. Woe is us.
    But now Trump Toast and Joe looking good and "Boris" just commencing his crash & burn descent.
    Key is to hold nerve on loss of Hartlepool. That must not lead to a Corporal Jones.
    I’ve got 30 quid on a labour hold in Hartlepool, I think they’ll hold on although there are some really plush parts in the constituency these days, away from the town centre.
    Opposite with me. I want Lab to hold but I have £50 on the Cons at evens and I expect to collect.
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,080
    Taz said:

    kinabalu said:

    I am sure the lefties on here are grateful to Mr Smithson for allowing them a thread to froth over. Its been a long time where the left have had to suck it up... Time to give them a moment to enjoy, if wallpaper be the subject of their wrath, so be it.

    He's filled our boots over the last few days, and I for one am enjoying the spectacle. My favourite day was Monday, when all the shellshocked fanbois kept a low profile, so those of us not in the Johnson camp could harp on unhindered to our hearts content.
    I sense the tide turning. Brexit then Trump then Johnson landslide. Woe is us.
    But now Trump Toast and Joe looking good and "Boris" just commencing his crash & burn descent.
    Key is to hold nerve on loss of Hartlepool. That must not lead to a Corporal Jones.
    I’ve got 30 quid on a labour hold in Hartlepool, I think they’ll hold on although there are some really plush parts in the constituency these days, away from the town centre.
    Its Labour voters have got to live somewhere.
  • TimTTimT Posts: 6,328


    It would be the Pfizer that is signing a deal to supply 1.8 billion vaccines to the EU on a rolling basis over the next few years. Because of its size and wealth, the EU is a primary market for all pharma companies. It has acted abysmally over the AZN vaccine, but the fundamentals don't change - all Big Pharma companies need to be there.

    Of course they can't ignore the EU market, but they can sure as hell make sure that their contracts are UdvL-proof, and to do that they will be very careful not to enter into early-access contracts where the risk of delays is significant. Essentially the EU has demonstrated that it wants all the risk to be on the supplier, which the suppliers can handle if and only if they already have production ramped up before they commit.
    And they can plan for the EU factory capacity to be limited to EU demand, situating export capacity outside of the EU's claws instead of inside, to the detriment of the EU economy (while still 'being there').
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,540


    It would be the Pfizer that is signing a deal to supply 1.8 billion vaccines to the EU on a rolling basis over the next few years. Because of its size and wealth, the EU is a primary market for all pharma companies. It has acted abysmally over the AZN vaccine, but the fundamentals don't change - all Big Pharma companies need to be there.

    Of course they can't ignore the EU market, but they can sure as hell make sure that their contracts are UdvL-proof, and to do that they will be very careful not to enter into early-access contracts where the risk of delays is significant. Essentially the EU has demonstrated that it wants all the risk to be on the supplier, which the suppliers can handle if and only if they already have production ramped up before they commit.
    A French company (with a UK contract signed already and production ramping up), Valneva, has given up on negotiating with the EU....

    https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/eu-says-valneva-has-not-met-conditions-vaccine-supply-deal-2021-04-22/
  • Nigel_ForemainNigel_Foremain Posts: 13,766

    LauraK gets the answer she deserves.

    I missed her question, was it a good and insightful one this time? Or the typical vapid crap?

    Same question for Peston in case any idiots think this is a gender-related judgement.
    Effectively asked if Boris should resign
    haha. Assuming @Philip_Thompson knows what "vapid" means (his new fav word), does he think that is vapid?
    Yes, of course it is. You think the Health Secretary will stand there at a Covid briefing and say "yes the Prime Minister should resign"? It was only ever going to get one answer.

    If you want a question about these silly scandals "did you hear the [bodies piled high] remarks" question by the Press Association was a much better question, because if he prevaricates then that's fuel, and if he did say it and there's proof and Hancock lied then he's on the record too.
    Gosh you didn't use the word "vapid". Have you looked it up yet?

    I think if she did effectively ask whether Johnson should resign then that would not be very "vapid".

    Vapid, is nonetheless, an extremely good description of your posts. Try doing less Philip; be less vapid.
  • CiceroCicero Posts: 2,179
    ydoethur said:

    IanB2 said:

    Selebian said:

    algarkirk said:

    BREAKING: Arlene Foster says she will step down as DUP leader and Northern Ireland’s First Minister, following calls within the party for a leadership contest. More on @SkyNews now.

    https://twitter.com/skydavidblevins/status/1387421383471345673?s=20

    But I think we can already answer the big question: Will the DUP appoint a leader who will let us into the secret of what the DUP wants from Brexit and the border issue instead of the long list of what they don't? QTWTAIN

    And will a disgruntled Foster shuffle off to form the Uladh party?

    Edit: not the 'Uladh' party, d'oh. Unless she has a major change of heart about Irish/British identity.
    ULDH.. no vowels is on trend...
    When did U stop being a vowel?
    Could be worse, in Welsh we have two extra vowels.

    It was all a misunderstanding though. It was meant to be one extra vowel, but when ‘W’ was chosen somebody asked ‘why?’ and so Y ended up being one as well.
    Rank Amateurs. Estonian has nine vowel phonemes, represented by the letters i ü u e ö õ o ä a, these can all be short, long or overlong, so essentially 27 vowel sounds. It does make the language very musical though.
  • noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 20,447

    LauraK gets the answer she deserves.

    I missed her question, was it a good and insightful one this time? Or the typical vapid crap?

    Same question for Peston in case any idiots think this is a gender-related judgement.
    Effectively asked if Boris should resign
    haha. Assuming @Philip_Thompson knows what "vapid" means (his new fav word), does he think that is vapid?
    Yes, of course it is. You think the Health Secretary will stand there at a Covid briefing and say "yes the Prime Minister should resign"? It was only ever going to get one answer.

    If you want a question about these silly scandals "did you hear the [bodies piled high] remarks" question by the Press Association was a much better question, because if he prevaricates then that's fuel, and if he did say it and there's proof and Hancock lied then he's on the record too.
    A couple of weeks ago, you and the Tory fan boys were cheering the PM on when he explicitly used the questions phase of these briefings for party political purposes. Hypocrites as always.
  • geoffwgeoffw Posts: 8,092
    Cicero said:

    ydoethur said:

    IanB2 said:

    Selebian said:

    algarkirk said:

    BREAKING: Arlene Foster says she will step down as DUP leader and Northern Ireland’s First Minister, following calls within the party for a leadership contest. More on @SkyNews now.

    https://twitter.com/skydavidblevins/status/1387421383471345673?s=20

    But I think we can already answer the big question: Will the DUP appoint a leader who will let us into the secret of what the DUP wants from Brexit and the border issue instead of the long list of what they don't? QTWTAIN

    And will a disgruntled Foster shuffle off to form the Uladh party?

    Edit: not the 'Uladh' party, d'oh. Unless she has a major change of heart about Irish/British identity.
    ULDH.. no vowels is on trend...
    When did U stop being a vowel?
    Could be worse, in Welsh we have two extra vowels.

    It was all a misunderstanding though. It was meant to be one extra vowel, but when ‘W’ was chosen somebody asked ‘why?’ and so Y ended up being one as well.
    Rank Amateurs. Estonian has nine vowel phonemes, represented by the letters i ü u e ö õ o ä a, these can all be short, long or overlong, so essentially 27 vowel sounds. It does make the language very musical though.
    Perhaps that explains their great choir tradition.

  • SeaShantyIrish2SeaShantyIrish2 Posts: 15,227
    Cicero said:

    ydoethur said:

    IanB2 said:

    Selebian said:

    algarkirk said:

    BREAKING: Arlene Foster says she will step down as DUP leader and Northern Ireland’s First Minister, following calls within the party for a leadership contest. More on @SkyNews now.

    https://twitter.com/skydavidblevins/status/1387421383471345673?s=20

    But I think we can already answer the big question: Will the DUP appoint a leader who will let us into the secret of what the DUP wants from Brexit and the border issue instead of the long list of what they don't? QTWTAIN

    And will a disgruntled Foster shuffle off to form the Uladh party?

    Edit: not the 'Uladh' party, d'oh. Unless she has a major change of heart about Irish/British identity.
    ULDH.. no vowels is on trend...
    When did U stop being a vowel?
    Could be worse, in Welsh we have two extra vowels.

    It was all a misunderstanding though. It was meant to be one extra vowel, but when ‘W’ was chosen somebody asked ‘why?’ and so Y ended up being one as well.
    Rank Amateurs. Estonian has nine vowel phonemes, represented by the letters i ü u e ö õ o ä a, these can all be short, long or overlong, so essentially 27 vowel sounds. It does make the language very musical though.
    Was THAT the true reason for the (temporary) Welsh enthusiasm for Lembit Öpik?
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 47,786

    Cicero said:

    ydoethur said:

    IanB2 said:

    Selebian said:

    algarkirk said:

    BREAKING: Arlene Foster says she will step down as DUP leader and Northern Ireland’s First Minister, following calls within the party for a leadership contest. More on @SkyNews now.

    https://twitter.com/skydavidblevins/status/1387421383471345673?s=20

    But I think we can already answer the big question: Will the DUP appoint a leader who will let us into the secret of what the DUP wants from Brexit and the border issue instead of the long list of what they don't? QTWTAIN

    And will a disgruntled Foster shuffle off to form the Uladh party?

    Edit: not the 'Uladh' party, d'oh. Unless she has a major change of heart about Irish/British identity.
    ULDH.. no vowels is on trend...
    When did U stop being a vowel?
    Could be worse, in Welsh we have two extra vowels.

    It was all a misunderstanding though. It was meant to be one extra vowel, but when ‘W’ was chosen somebody asked ‘why?’ and so Y ended up being one as well.
    Rank Amateurs. Estonian has nine vowel phonemes, represented by the letters i ü u e ö õ o ä a, these can all be short, long or overlong, so essentially 27 vowel sounds. It does make the language very musical though.
    Was THAT the true reason for the (temporary) Welsh enthusiasm for Lembit Öpik?
    Were the Cheeky Girls the true reason why Brexit happened?
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 58,038
    IanB2 said:

    Taz said:

    kinabalu said:

    I am sure the lefties on here are grateful to Mr Smithson for allowing them a thread to froth over. Its been a long time where the left have had to suck it up... Time to give them a moment to enjoy, if wallpaper be the subject of their wrath, so be it.

    He's filled our boots over the last few days, and I for one am enjoying the spectacle. My favourite day was Monday, when all the shellshocked fanbois kept a low profile, so those of us not in the Johnson camp could harp on unhindered to our hearts content.
    I sense the tide turning. Brexit then Trump then Johnson landslide. Woe is us.
    But now Trump Toast and Joe looking good and "Boris" just commencing his crash & burn descent.
    Key is to hold nerve on loss of Hartlepool. That must not lead to a Corporal Jones.
    I’ve got 30 quid on a labour hold in Hartlepool, I think they’ll hold on although there are some really plush parts in the constituency these days, away from the town centre.
    Its Labour voters have got to live somewhere.
    There is an entire book or PhD in that comment @IanB2
  • SeaShantyIrish2SeaShantyIrish2 Posts: 15,227
    edited April 2021
    geoffw said:

    Cicero said:

    ydoethur said:

    IanB2 said:

    Selebian said:

    algarkirk said:

    BREAKING: Arlene Foster says she will step down as DUP leader and Northern Ireland’s First Minister, following calls within the party for a leadership contest. More on @SkyNews now.

    https://twitter.com/skydavidblevins/status/1387421383471345673?s=20

    But I think we can already answer the big question: Will the DUP appoint a leader who will let us into the secret of what the DUP wants from Brexit and the border issue instead of the long list of what they don't? QTWTAIN

    And will a disgruntled Foster shuffle off to form the Uladh party?

    Edit: not the 'Uladh' party, d'oh. Unless she has a major change of heart about Irish/British identity.
    ULDH.. no vowels is on trend...
    When did U stop being a vowel?
    Could be worse, in Welsh we have two extra vowels.

    It was all a misunderstanding though. It was meant to be one extra vowel, but when ‘W’ was chosen somebody asked ‘why?’ and so Y ended up being one as well.
    Rank Amateurs. Estonian has nine vowel phonemes, represented by the letters i ü u e ö õ o ä a, these can all be short, long or overlong, so essentially 27 vowel sounds. It does make the language very musical though.
    Perhaps that explains their great choir tradition.

    Sounds like this MIGHT be the basis for Estonian-Welsh fusion, or even union.

    "Men of Tallinn / Can ye stand steady? / For the bars you're always ready! . . ."
  • Nigel_ForemainNigel_Foremain Posts: 13,766

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    MaxPB said:

    "@HugoGye
    UK has ordered another 60m doses of Pfizer vaccine to use as part of booster shot programme in the autumn, Matt Hancock says."

    It's another very, very good move wrt vaccines as Pfizer are prepping their gen 2 vaccine for delivery in the timeframe the government is talking about. I'm once again impressed by the level of organisation that the government has showed with this. This is the world's best insurance policy in the west against another lockdown. I genuinely don't think any other major country has been this forwards thinking.
    Stuff the Government's outstanding performance on vaccines to enable this Country to get back to normallity, lets spend days discussing who paid for wallpaper on a taxpayer owned property.
    Blimey! Have you defected from the "It's all a fake, COVID is no worse than the flu" camp?

    Some people are so fickle!
    Im not in that camp, Im in the masks don't prevent Covid transmission camp (its a small but select group) , they certainly prevent Flu transmission as shown by the fact there has been no flu in the UK for months, but they do not prevent Covid transmission as numerous countries where there is a mask wearing mandate show.
    Thanks for clarifying exactly what kind of stark raving loony you are.

    So sorry to have got it a bit wrong.
    Look at Thailand, everyone wears masks there, how is their Covid situation looking today?
    Never mind that - look at Mars! Or Planet Tharg, in the DARK DIMENSION ....
    Its sad that I am considered a lunatic ....
    Indeed, indeed. But try to get over it.
    My son has just undergone 16 sessions of electroconvulsive treatment for PTSD and mental issues

    You may think it is clever to call someone a lunatic, but for those of us who have family members suffering mental heath issues it just is not acceptable
    Is it OK just to say "mad"?
    I and my family are very sensitive to lazy expressions of mental health following my eldest sons issues which commenced in 2011 when he was involved in ground zero at the Christchurch earthquake where 185 people died in a crushed building

    However, it took until 2019 for him to be overwhelmed with PTSD and the effect on his life, his wife and his family has been profound but at last we are seeing the first time tentative steps in his recovery

    Maybe we all need to be a 'wee' bit kinder to each other
    I'm just asking how I can refer to delusional ideas that are likely to cost lives without offending your sensibilities.

    Am I allowed to call them "silly", please?
    It is not for me to dictate how anyone speaks but it also a fact, much increased by covid, that many people are suffering mental health issues, and ill considered labelling of people is not acceptable to many
    I always find it interesting that it seems acceptable to call someone an idiot, but not acceptable to call them a moron or imbecile, when in fact an idiot was classified as someone with a lower IQ than a moron or an imbecile under that antiquated system of psychological classification
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,730

    geoffw said:

    Cicero said:

    ydoethur said:

    IanB2 said:

    Selebian said:

    algarkirk said:

    BREAKING: Arlene Foster says she will step down as DUP leader and Northern Ireland’s First Minister, following calls within the party for a leadership contest. More on @SkyNews now.

    https://twitter.com/skydavidblevins/status/1387421383471345673?s=20

    But I think we can already answer the big question: Will the DUP appoint a leader who will let us into the secret of what the DUP wants from Brexit and the border issue instead of the long list of what they don't? QTWTAIN

    And will a disgruntled Foster shuffle off to form the Uladh party?

    Edit: not the 'Uladh' party, d'oh. Unless she has a major change of heart about Irish/British identity.
    ULDH.. no vowels is on trend...
    When did U stop being a vowel?
    Could be worse, in Welsh we have two extra vowels.

    It was all a misunderstanding though. It was meant to be one extra vowel, but when ‘W’ was chosen somebody asked ‘why?’ and so Y ended up being one as well.
    Rank Amateurs. Estonian has nine vowel phonemes, represented by the letters i ü u e ö õ o ä a, these can all be short, long or overlong, so essentially 27 vowel sounds. It does make the language very musical though.
    Perhaps that explains their great choir tradition.

    Sounds like this MIGHT be the basis for Estonian-Welsh fusion, or even union.

    "Men of Tallinn / Can ye stand steady? / For the bars you're always ready! . . ."
    Honestly, some people have no sense of metre.

    It's 'Men of Tallinn, STAND YE STEADY.'
  • Richard_NabaviRichard_Nabavi Posts: 30,820


    It would be the Pfizer that is signing a deal to supply 1.8 billion vaccines to the EU on a rolling basis over the next few years. Because of its size and wealth, the EU is a primary market for all pharma companies. It has acted abysmally over the AZN vaccine, but the fundamentals don't change - all Big Pharma companies need to be there.

    Of course they can't ignore the EU market, but they can sure as hell make sure that their contracts are UdvL-proof, and to do that they will be very careful not to enter into early-access contracts where the risk of delays is significant. Essentially the EU has demonstrated that it wants all the risk to be on the supplier, which the suppliers can handle if and only if they already have production ramped up before they commit.
    A French company (with a UK contract signed already and production ramping up), Valneva, has given up on negotiating with the EU....

    https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/eu-says-valneva-has-not-met-conditions-vaccine-supply-deal-2021-04-22/
    As has Novavax.

    The UK on the other hand seems to be buying a massive number of doses for late 2021 and into 2022, from multiple suppliers - Pfizer (60m additional), Curevac (50m), Novavax (60m), Valneva (100m), J&J (30m). That suggests to me that either the vaccine taskforce thinks that we are going to have to re-jab everyone very fast in order to deal with new variants, or that they think that the suppliers aren't necessarily going to be able to ramp up production as much as they say they can.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 26,279
    edited April 2021
    Remember this? 4th March 1998.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/politics/61665.stm

    "Anger over Lord Irvine's wallpaper defence

    Lord Irvine said the wallpaper is not like something from a DIY store

    Opposition MPs, newspapers and DIY stores have joined forces to attack the Lord Chancellor after he described spending £650,000 of public money on decorating his flat as a "noble cause".

    Lord Irvine of Lairg said the investment on his official apartment in the House of Lords would be appreciated by future generations."
  • AlistairMAlistairM Posts: 2,004


    It would be the Pfizer that is signing a deal to supply 1.8 billion vaccines to the EU on a rolling basis over the next few years. Because of its size and wealth, the EU is a primary market for all pharma companies. It has acted abysmally over the AZN vaccine, but the fundamentals don't change - all Big Pharma companies need to be there.

    Of course they can't ignore the EU market, but they can sure as hell make sure that their contracts are UdvL-proof, and to do that they will be very careful not to enter into early-access contracts where the risk of delays is significant. Essentially the EU has demonstrated that it wants all the risk to be on the supplier, which the suppliers can handle if and only if they already have production ramped up before they commit.
    A French company (with a UK contract signed already and production ramping up), Valneva, has given up on negotiating with the EU....

    https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/eu-says-valneva-has-not-met-conditions-vaccine-supply-deal-2021-04-22/
    As has Novavax.

    The UK on the other hand seems to be buying a massive number of doses for late 2021 and into 2022, from multiple suppliers - Pfizer (60m additional), Curevac (50m), Novavax (60m), Valneva (100m), J&J (30m). That suggests to me that either the vaccine taskforce thinks that we are going to have to re-jab everyone very fast in order to deal with new variants, or that they think that the suppliers aren't necessarily going to be able to ramp up production as much as they say they can.
    Or both.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,730
    Andy_JS said:

    Remember this? 4th March 1998.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/politics/61665.stm

    "Anger over Lord Irvine's wallpaper defence

    Lord Irvine said the wallpaper is not like something from a DIY store

    Opposition MPs, newspapers and DIY stores have joined forces to attack the Lord Chancellor after he described spending £650,000 of public money on decorating his flat as a "noble cause".

    Lord Irvine of Lairg said the investment on his official apartment in the House of Lords would be appreciated by future generations."

    Well, Boris Johnson doubtless appreciates being able to cite him :smile:

    Didn't Michael Martin spend an extortionate sum on the Speaker's Apartment as well?
  • Nigel_ForemainNigel_Foremain Posts: 13,766

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    MaxPB said:

    "@HugoGye
    UK has ordered another 60m doses of Pfizer vaccine to use as part of booster shot programme in the autumn, Matt Hancock says."

    It's another very, very good move wrt vaccines as Pfizer are prepping their gen 2 vaccine for delivery in the timeframe the government is talking about. I'm once again impressed by the level of organisation that the government has showed with this. This is the world's best insurance policy in the west against another lockdown. I genuinely don't think any other major country has been this forwards thinking.
    Stuff the Government's outstanding performance on vaccines to enable this Country to get back to normallity, lets spend days discussing who paid for wallpaper on a taxpayer owned property.
    Blimey! Have you defected from the "It's all a fake, COVID is no worse than the flu" camp?

    Some people are so fickle!
    Im not in that camp, Im in the masks don't prevent Covid transmission camp (its a small but select group) , they certainly prevent Flu transmission as shown by the fact there has been no flu in the UK for months, but they do not prevent Covid transmission as numerous countries where there is a mask wearing mandate show.
    Thanks for clarifying exactly what kind of stark raving loony you are.

    So sorry to have got it a bit wrong.
    Look at Thailand, everyone wears masks there, how is their Covid situation looking today?
    Never mind that - look at Mars! Or Planet Tharg, in the DARK DIMENSION ....
    Its sad that I am considered a lunatic ....
    Indeed, indeed. But try to get over it.
    My son has just undergone 16 sessions of electroconvulsive treatment for PTSD and mental issues

    You may think it is clever to call someone a lunatic, but for those of us who have family members suffering mental heath issues it just is not acceptable
    Is it OK just to say "mad"?
    I and my family are very sensitive to lazy expressions of mental health following my eldest sons issues which commenced in 2011 when he was involved in ground zero at the Christchurch earthquake where 185 people died in a crushed building

    However, it took until 2019 for him to be overwhelmed with PTSD and the effect on his life, his wife and his family has been profound but at last we are seeing the first time tentative steps in his recovery

    Maybe we all need to be a 'wee' bit kinder to each other
    I'm just asking how I can refer to delusional ideas that are likely to cost lives without offending your sensibilities.

    Am I allowed to call them "silly", please?
    It is not for me to dictate how anyone speaks but it also a fact, much increased by covid, that many people are suffering mental health issues, and ill considered labelling of people is not acceptable to many
    I always find it interesting that it seems acceptable to call someone an idiot, but not acceptable to call them a moron or imbecile, when in fact an idiot was classified as someone with a lower IQ than a moron or an imbecile under that antiquated system of psychological classification
    PS. Mr G, just read further up the post. My sympathy for your son's plight. My grandfather suffered from PTSD all his life (WW1 veteran). It is indeed a very challenging condition for all concerned. I hope your son makes a recovery.
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 41,670
    TOPPING said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    MaxPB said:

    "@HugoGye
    UK has ordered another 60m doses of Pfizer vaccine to use as part of booster shot programme in the autumn, Matt Hancock says."

    It's another very, very good move wrt vaccines as Pfizer are prepping their gen 2 vaccine for delivery in the timeframe the government is talking about. I'm once again impressed by the level of organisation that the government has showed with this. This is the world's best insurance policy in the west against another lockdown. I genuinely don't think any other major country has been this forwards thinking.
    Stuff the Government's outstanding performance on vaccines to enable this Country to get back to normallity, lets spend days discussing who paid for wallpaper on a taxpayer owned property.
    Blimey! Have you defected from the "It's all a fake, COVID is no worse than the flu" camp?

    Some people are so fickle!
    Im not in that camp, Im in the masks don't prevent Covid transmission camp (its a small but select group) , they certainly prevent Flu transmission as shown by the fact there has been no flu in the UK for months, but they do not prevent Covid transmission as numerous countries where there is a mask wearing mandate show.
    Thanks for clarifying exactly what kind of stark raving loony you are.

    So sorry to have got it a bit wrong.
    Look at Thailand, everyone wears masks there, how is their Covid situation looking today?
    Never mind that - look at Mars! Or Planet Tharg, in the DARK DIMENSION ....
    Its sad that I am considered a lunatic ....
    Indeed, indeed. But try to get over it.
    My son has just undergone 16 sessions of electroconvulsive treatment for PTSD and mental issues

    You may think it is clever to call someone a lunatic, but for those of us who have family members suffering mental heath issues it just is not acceptable
    Is it OK just to say "mad"?
    I and my family are very sensitive to lazy expressions of mental health following my eldest sons issues which commenced in 2011 when he was involved in ground zero at the Christchurch earthquake where 185 people died in a crushed building

    However, it took until 2019 for him to be overwhelmed with PTSD and the effect on his life, his wife and his family has been profound but at last we are seeing the first time tentative steps in his recovery

    Maybe we all need to be a 'wee' bit kinder to each other
    I'm just asking how I can refer to delusional ideas that are likely to cost lives without offending your sensibilities.

    Am I allowed to call them "silly", please?
    It is not for me to dictate how anyone speaks ...
    We're only having this discussion because you said a word I'd used was "just not acceptable"!

    This place doesn't improve.
    Fuck off then.
    Calm down girls!
  • Andy_JS said:

    Remember this? 4th March 1998.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/politics/61665.stm

    "Anger over Lord Irvine's wallpaper defence

    Lord Irvine said the wallpaper is not like something from a DIY store

    Opposition MPs, newspapers and DIY stores have joined forces to attack the Lord Chancellor after he described spending £650,000 of public money on decorating his flat as a "noble cause".

    Lord Irvine of Lairg said the investment on his official apartment in the House of Lords would be appreciated by future generations."

    Three years later doomed Blair went on to a crashing defeat with a majority of 166..
  • SeaShantyIrish2SeaShantyIrish2 Posts: 15,227
    ydoethur said:

    geoffw said:

    Cicero said:

    ydoethur said:

    IanB2 said:

    Selebian said:

    algarkirk said:

    BREAKING: Arlene Foster says she will step down as DUP leader and Northern Ireland’s First Minister, following calls within the party for a leadership contest. More on @SkyNews now.

    https://twitter.com/skydavidblevins/status/1387421383471345673?s=20

    But I think we can already answer the big question: Will the DUP appoint a leader who will let us into the secret of what the DUP wants from Brexit and the border issue instead of the long list of what they don't? QTWTAIN

    And will a disgruntled Foster shuffle off to form the Uladh party?

    Edit: not the 'Uladh' party, d'oh. Unless she has a major change of heart about Irish/British identity.
    ULDH.. no vowels is on trend...
    When did U stop being a vowel?
    Could be worse, in Welsh we have two extra vowels.

    It was all a misunderstanding though. It was meant to be one extra vowel, but when ‘W’ was chosen somebody asked ‘why?’ and so Y ended up being one as well.
    Rank Amateurs. Estonian has nine vowel phonemes, represented by the letters i ü u e ö õ o ä a, these can all be short, long or overlong, so essentially 27 vowel sounds. It does make the language very musical though.
    Perhaps that explains their great choir tradition.

    Sounds like this MIGHT be the basis for Estonian-Welsh fusion, or even union.

    "Men of Tallinn / Can ye stand steady? / For the bars you're always ready! . . ."
    Honestly, some people have no sense of metre.

    It's 'Men of Tallinn, STAND YE STEADY.'
    "Stand ye unsteady"?
  • rpjsrpjs Posts: 3,787

    ydoethur said:

    IanB2 said:

    Selebian said:

    algarkirk said:

    BREAKING: Arlene Foster says she will step down as DUP leader and Northern Ireland’s First Minister, following calls within the party for a leadership contest. More on @SkyNews now.

    https://twitter.com/skydavidblevins/status/1387421383471345673?s=20

    But I think we can already answer the big question: Will the DUP appoint a leader who will let us into the secret of what the DUP wants from Brexit and the border issue instead of the long list of what they don't? QTWTAIN

    And will a disgruntled Foster shuffle off to form the Uladh party?

    Edit: not the 'Uladh' party, d'oh. Unless she has a major change of heart about Irish/British identity.
    ULDH.. no vowels is on trend...
    When did U stop being a vowel?
    Could be worse, in Welsh we have two extra vowels.

    It was all a misunderstanding though. It was meant to be one extra vowel, but when ‘W’ was chosen somebody asked ‘why?’ and so Y ended up being one as well.
    Perhaps you could donate one to the Czechs? They could use it!
    I think Serbo-Croat is even more in need. There's an island off the Croatian coast called Krk.
  • TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 40,950
    edited April 2021
    malcolmg said:

    TOPPING said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    MaxPB said:

    "@HugoGye
    UK has ordered another 60m doses of Pfizer vaccine to use as part of booster shot programme in the autumn, Matt Hancock says."

    It's another very, very good move wrt vaccines as Pfizer are prepping their gen 2 vaccine for delivery in the timeframe the government is talking about. I'm once again impressed by the level of organisation that the government has showed with this. This is the world's best insurance policy in the west against another lockdown. I genuinely don't think any other major country has been this forwards thinking.
    Stuff the Government's outstanding performance on vaccines to enable this Country to get back to normallity, lets spend days discussing who paid for wallpaper on a taxpayer owned property.
    Blimey! Have you defected from the "It's all a fake, COVID is no worse than the flu" camp?

    Some people are so fickle!
    Im not in that camp, Im in the masks don't prevent Covid transmission camp (its a small but select group) , they certainly prevent Flu transmission as shown by the fact there has been no flu in the UK for months, but they do not prevent Covid transmission as numerous countries where there is a mask wearing mandate show.
    Thanks for clarifying exactly what kind of stark raving loony you are.

    So sorry to have got it a bit wrong.
    Look at Thailand, everyone wears masks there, how is their Covid situation looking today?
    Never mind that - look at Mars! Or Planet Tharg, in the DARK DIMENSION ....
    Its sad that I am considered a lunatic ....
    Indeed, indeed. But try to get over it.
    My son has just undergone 16 sessions of electroconvulsive treatment for PTSD and mental issues

    You may think it is clever to call someone a lunatic, but for those of us who have family members suffering mental heath issues it just is not acceptable
    Is it OK just to say "mad"?
    I and my family are very sensitive to lazy expressions of mental health following my eldest sons issues which commenced in 2011 when he was involved in ground zero at the Christchurch earthquake where 185 people died in a crushed building

    However, it took until 2019 for him to be overwhelmed with PTSD and the effect on his life, his wife and his family has been profound but at last we are seeing the first time tentative steps in his recovery

    Maybe we all need to be a 'wee' bit kinder to each other
    I'm just asking how I can refer to delusional ideas that are likely to cost lives without offending your sensibilities.

    Am I allowed to call them "silly", please?
    It is not for me to dictate how anyone speaks ...
    We're only having this discussion because you said a word I'd used was "just not acceptable"!

    This place doesn't improve.
    Fuck off then.
    Calm down girls!
    I was just trying to help Chris with his inner conflict.
  • Nigel_ForemainNigel_Foremain Posts: 13,766
    malcolmg said:

    TOPPING said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    MaxPB said:

    "@HugoGye
    UK has ordered another 60m doses of Pfizer vaccine to use as part of booster shot programme in the autumn, Matt Hancock says."

    It's another very, very good move wrt vaccines as Pfizer are prepping their gen 2 vaccine for delivery in the timeframe the government is talking about. I'm once again impressed by the level of organisation that the government has showed with this. This is the world's best insurance policy in the west against another lockdown. I genuinely don't think any other major country has been this forwards thinking.
    Stuff the Government's outstanding performance on vaccines to enable this Country to get back to normallity, lets spend days discussing who paid for wallpaper on a taxpayer owned property.
    Blimey! Have you defected from the "It's all a fake, COVID is no worse than the flu" camp?

    Some people are so fickle!
    Im not in that camp, Im in the masks don't prevent Covid transmission camp (its a small but select group) , they certainly prevent Flu transmission as shown by the fact there has been no flu in the UK for months, but they do not prevent Covid transmission as numerous countries where there is a mask wearing mandate show.
    Thanks for clarifying exactly what kind of stark raving loony you are.

    So sorry to have got it a bit wrong.
    Look at Thailand, everyone wears masks there, how is their Covid situation looking today?
    Never mind that - look at Mars! Or Planet Tharg, in the DARK DIMENSION ....
    Its sad that I am considered a lunatic ....
    Indeed, indeed. But try to get over it.
    My son has just undergone 16 sessions of electroconvulsive treatment for PTSD and mental issues

    You may think it is clever to call someone a lunatic, but for those of us who have family members suffering mental heath issues it just is not acceptable
    Is it OK just to say "mad"?
    I and my family are very sensitive to lazy expressions of mental health following my eldest sons issues which commenced in 2011 when he was involved in ground zero at the Christchurch earthquake where 185 people died in a crushed building

    However, it took until 2019 for him to be overwhelmed with PTSD and the effect on his life, his wife and his family has been profound but at last we are seeing the first time tentative steps in his recovery

    Maybe we all need to be a 'wee' bit kinder to each other
    I'm just asking how I can refer to delusional ideas that are likely to cost lives without offending your sensibilities.

    Am I allowed to call them "silly", please?
    It is not for me to dictate how anyone speaks ...
    We're only having this discussion because you said a word I'd used was "just not acceptable"!

    This place doesn't improve.
    Fuck off then.
    Calm down girls!
    I think it was meant to be irony. It would be a bit like me saying: "Welcome malcolmg, I am sooo looking forward to the intelligent analysis that you will no doubt enlighten us with this evening. "

    or..

    "Malc, tell us how you love the English so"
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 27,835
    rpjs said:

    ydoethur said:

    IanB2 said:

    Selebian said:

    algarkirk said:

    BREAKING: Arlene Foster says she will step down as DUP leader and Northern Ireland’s First Minister, following calls within the party for a leadership contest. More on @SkyNews now.

    https://twitter.com/skydavidblevins/status/1387421383471345673?s=20

    But I think we can already answer the big question: Will the DUP appoint a leader who will let us into the secret of what the DUP wants from Brexit and the border issue instead of the long list of what they don't? QTWTAIN

    And will a disgruntled Foster shuffle off to form the Uladh party?

    Edit: not the 'Uladh' party, d'oh. Unless she has a major change of heart about Irish/British identity.
    ULDH.. no vowels is on trend...
    When did U stop being a vowel?
    Could be worse, in Welsh we have two extra vowels.

    It was all a misunderstanding though. It was meant to be one extra vowel, but when ‘W’ was chosen somebody asked ‘why?’ and so Y ended up being one as well.
    Perhaps you could donate one to the Czechs? They could use it!
    I think Serbo-Croat is even more in need. There's an island off the Croatian coast called Krk.
    Innovative branding...
    Ps. I've been there.
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,540

    MaxPB said:

    MaxPB said:

    Wow 60m Pfizer doses for the booster shot programme. I think that's their gen 2 vaccine as well (at least that's what I'd heard earlier last week). That covers the whole eligible population with a single dose (every person aged 11 or above).

    Expect mega bitching from the EU in the next few weeks.

    Why? They ordered an extra 100 million about a week ago from Pfizer and are looking to order a billion or more on top of that.

    AIUI the big 1.8bn EU order is for the gen 2/3 vaccine, they have got is set for delivery from 2022 and 2023. In comparison it looks as though the UK will get the gen 2 vaccine in 2021 and that matches up with Pfizer's own timeframe for gen 2 delivery.
    The NY Times is running a puff piece about UvdL's big deal for 2022/2023.

    https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/28/world/europe/european-union-pfizer-von-der-leyen-coronavirus-vaccine.html
    Expressions about "eggs" and "baskets" spring to mind.....
  • NerysHughesNerysHughes Posts: 3,346
    ydoethur said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Remember this? 4th March 1998.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/politics/61665.stm

    "Anger over Lord Irvine's wallpaper defence

    Lord Irvine said the wallpaper is not like something from a DIY store

    Opposition MPs, newspapers and DIY stores have joined forces to attack the Lord Chancellor after he described spending £650,000 of public money on decorating his flat as a "noble cause".

    Lord Irvine of Lairg said the investment on his official apartment in the House of Lords would be appreciated by future generations."

    Well, Boris Johnson doubtless appreciates being able to cite him :smile:

    Didn't Michael Martin spend an extortionate sum on the Speaker's Apartment as well?
    The whole point is Boris did not use taxpayers money!!!!
  • rpjsrpjs Posts: 3,787
    dixiedean said:

    rpjs said:

    ydoethur said:

    IanB2 said:

    Selebian said:

    algarkirk said:

    BREAKING: Arlene Foster says she will step down as DUP leader and Northern Ireland’s First Minister, following calls within the party for a leadership contest. More on @SkyNews now.

    https://twitter.com/skydavidblevins/status/1387421383471345673?s=20

    But I think we can already answer the big question: Will the DUP appoint a leader who will let us into the secret of what the DUP wants from Brexit and the border issue instead of the long list of what they don't? QTWTAIN

    And will a disgruntled Foster shuffle off to form the Uladh party?

    Edit: not the 'Uladh' party, d'oh. Unless she has a major change of heart about Irish/British identity.
    ULDH.. no vowels is on trend...
    When did U stop being a vowel?
    Could be worse, in Welsh we have two extra vowels.

    It was all a misunderstanding though. It was meant to be one extra vowel, but when ‘W’ was chosen somebody asked ‘why?’ and so Y ended up being one as well.
    Perhaps you could donate one to the Czechs? They could use it!
    I think Serbo-Croat is even more in need. There's an island off the Croatian coast called Krk.
    Innovative branding...
    Ps. I've been there.
    Did you stop in Vrh, Krk, by any chance?
  • Nigel_ForemainNigel_Foremain Posts: 13,766

    ydoethur said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Remember this? 4th March 1998.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/politics/61665.stm

    "Anger over Lord Irvine's wallpaper defence

    Lord Irvine said the wallpaper is not like something from a DIY store

    Opposition MPs, newspapers and DIY stores have joined forces to attack the Lord Chancellor after he described spending £650,000 of public money on decorating his flat as a "noble cause".

    Lord Irvine of Lairg said the investment on his official apartment in the House of Lords would be appreciated by future generations."

    Well, Boris Johnson doubtless appreciates being able to cite him :smile:

    Didn't Michael Martin spend an extortionate sum on the Speaker's Apartment as well?
    The whole point is Boris did not use taxpayers money!!!!
    I think the "whole point" has been missed by you. The "whole point" is he might be lying, might have broken the ministerial code and might have broken the law regarding political donations. I can tell you that as someone who was a Conservative activist for many years, that causes me some concern that our PM might have behaved that way. Clearly it does not bother you.
  • Philip_ThompsonPhilip_Thompson Posts: 65,826

    LauraK gets the answer she deserves.

    I missed her question, was it a good and insightful one this time? Or the typical vapid crap?

    Same question for Peston in case any idiots think this is a gender-related judgement.
    Effectively asked if Boris should resign
    haha. Assuming @Philip_Thompson knows what "vapid" means (his new fav word), does he think that is vapid?
    Yes, of course it is. You think the Health Secretary will stand there at a Covid briefing and say "yes the Prime Minister should resign"? It was only ever going to get one answer.

    If you want a question about these silly scandals "did you hear the [bodies piled high] remarks" question by the Press Association was a much better question, because if he prevaricates then that's fuel, and if he did say it and there's proof and Hancock lied then he's on the record too.
    A couple of weeks ago, you and the Tory fan boys were cheering the PM on when he explicitly used the questions phase of these briefings for party political purposes. Hypocrites as always.
    No hypocrisy, as I said the Press Association question was a clever one as it put Hancock on the spot. If he had heard it he'd either have to lie or give a non answer which would itself be informative.

    But just asking if there should be a resignation? That's an extremely dull and uninteresting question, unless perhaps you're in a blue tick circle jerk, as there is no way the Health Secretary is going to stand there and say the Prime Minister should resign.

    It was a silly wasted question, as all of hers tend to be, unlike other questions asked by better journalists.
  • ChrisChris Posts: 11,008
    TOPPING said:

    malcolmg said:

    TOPPING said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    MaxPB said:

    "@HugoGye
    UK has ordered another 60m doses of Pfizer vaccine to use as part of booster shot programme in the autumn, Matt Hancock says."

    It's another very, very good move wrt vaccines as Pfizer are prepping their gen 2 vaccine for delivery in the timeframe the government is talking about. I'm once again impressed by the level of organisation that the government has showed with this. This is the world's best insurance policy in the west against another lockdown. I genuinely don't think any other major country has been this forwards thinking.
    Stuff the Government's outstanding performance on vaccines to enable this Country to get back to normallity, lets spend days discussing who paid for wallpaper on a taxpayer owned property.
    Blimey! Have you defected from the "It's all a fake, COVID is no worse than the flu" camp?

    Some people are so fickle!
    Im not in that camp, Im in the masks don't prevent Covid transmission camp (its a small but select group) , they certainly prevent Flu transmission as shown by the fact there has been no flu in the UK for months, but they do not prevent Covid transmission as numerous countries where there is a mask wearing mandate show.
    Thanks for clarifying exactly what kind of stark raving loony you are.

    So sorry to have got it a bit wrong.
    Look at Thailand, everyone wears masks there, how is their Covid situation looking today?
    Never mind that - look at Mars! Or Planet Tharg, in the DARK DIMENSION ....
    Its sad that I am considered a lunatic ....
    Indeed, indeed. But try to get over it.
    My son has just undergone 16 sessions of electroconvulsive treatment for PTSD and mental issues

    You may think it is clever to call someone a lunatic, but for those of us who have family members suffering mental heath issues it just is not acceptable
    Is it OK just to say "mad"?
    I and my family are very sensitive to lazy expressions of mental health following my eldest sons issues which commenced in 2011 when he was involved in ground zero at the Christchurch earthquake where 185 people died in a crushed building

    However, it took until 2019 for him to be overwhelmed with PTSD and the effect on his life, his wife and his family has been profound but at last we are seeing the first time tentative steps in his recovery

    Maybe we all need to be a 'wee' bit kinder to each other
    I'm just asking how I can refer to delusional ideas that are likely to cost lives without offending your sensibilities.

    Am I allowed to call them "silly", please?
    It is not for me to dictate how anyone speaks ...
    We're only having this discussion because you said a word I'd used was "just not acceptable"!

    This place doesn't improve.
    Fuck off then.
    Calm down girls!
    I was just trying to help Chris with his inner conflict.
    It's so limiting not to be able to use that word that offended Big G ...
  • stodgestodge Posts: 12,741
    Evening all :)

    Arlene Foster's departure is strangely reminiscent of the way Australian leaders are removed - though this was more tidal wave than "spill" given the numbers signing the VoNC though of course Jeremy Corbyn set an example for those who blithely ignore such things.

    As @HYUFD and others have reported, the DUP is now facing the same outflanking as the DUP itself performed on the UUP. The "purity of Opposition" as it is often termed.

    To be fair, political instability in Northern Ireland is never to be welcomed and an upheaval within Protestant circles could cause a lot of trouble.

    I also see Michael Collins has died - not another Irish link (I think) - but the man who stayed in orbit while Armstrong and Aldrin made history.

    On the substantive, the damage to Boris Johnson is cumulative as it has been for all other Governments and leaders. It's the change of the perception from "he's one of us" to "he's just like all the others". That's the problem with cynicism - it catches up with us all one day.

    Those who support Boris Johnson, as distinct from the Conservatives, won't care or will claim not to care. They will offer any form of equivocation, equalisation or simply obfuscation and there's plenty of room in that ditch.

    For now, the Prime Minister may suffer some discomfort but the current situation is far from unfavourable and no one will think about politics in the weeks and months to come as we start "living" again (depending on your definition of life I suppose). I suspect by Party Conference season, the "bounce" will be back in the Johnson step and we'll start having to listen to the ludicrous ideas behind "levelling up" Britain once again.
  • NerysHughesNerysHughes Posts: 3,346
    edited April 2021

    ydoethur said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Remember this? 4th March 1998.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/politics/61665.stm

    "Anger over Lord Irvine's wallpaper defence

    Lord Irvine said the wallpaper is not like something from a DIY store

    Opposition MPs, newspapers and DIY stores have joined forces to attack the Lord Chancellor after he described spending £650,000 of public money on decorating his flat as a "noble cause".

    Lord Irvine of Lairg said the investment on his official apartment in the House of Lords would be appreciated by future generations."

    Well, Boris Johnson doubtless appreciates being able to cite him :smile:

    Didn't Michael Martin spend an extortionate sum on the Speaker's Apartment as well?
    The whole point is Boris did not use taxpayers money!!!!
    I think the "whole point" has been missed by you. The "whole point" is he might be lying, might have broken the ministerial code and might have broken the law regarding political donations. I can tell you that as someone who was a Conservative activist for many years, that causes me some concern that our PM might have behaved that way. Clearly it does not bother you.
    You are right it does not bother me. A state owned property has been refurbished at zero expense to the taxpayer. I think thats great. What I also think is great is how the Government has performed on vaccines. That is a trillion times more important than wallpaper
  • Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    MaxPB said:

    "@HugoGye
    UK has ordered another 60m doses of Pfizer vaccine to use as part of booster shot programme in the autumn, Matt Hancock says."

    It's another very, very good move wrt vaccines as Pfizer are prepping their gen 2 vaccine for delivery in the timeframe the government is talking about. I'm once again impressed by the level of organisation that the government has showed with this. This is the world's best insurance policy in the west against another lockdown. I genuinely don't think any other major country has been this forwards thinking.
    Stuff the Government's outstanding performance on vaccines to enable this Country to get back to normallity, lets spend days discussing who paid for wallpaper on a taxpayer owned property.
    Blimey! Have you defected from the "It's all a fake, COVID is no worse than the flu" camp?

    Some people are so fickle!
    Im not in that camp, Im in the masks don't prevent Covid transmission camp (its a small but select group) , they certainly prevent Flu transmission as shown by the fact there has been no flu in the UK for months, but they do not prevent Covid transmission as numerous countries where there is a mask wearing mandate show.
    Thanks for clarifying exactly what kind of stark raving loony you are.

    So sorry to have got it a bit wrong.
    Look at Thailand, everyone wears masks there, how is their Covid situation looking today?
    Never mind that - look at Mars! Or Planet Tharg, in the DARK DIMENSION ....
    Its sad that I am considered a lunatic ....
    Indeed, indeed. But try to get over it.
    My son has just undergone 16 sessions of electroconvulsive treatment for PTSD and mental issues

    You may think it is clever to call someone a lunatic, but for those of us who have family members suffering mental heath issues it just is not acceptable
    Is it OK just to say "mad"?
    I and my family are very sensitive to lazy expressions of mental health following my eldest sons issues which commenced in 2011 when he was involved in ground zero at the Christchurch earthquake where 185 people died in a crushed building

    However, it took until 2019 for him to be overwhelmed with PTSD and the effect on his life, his wife and his family has been profound but at last we are seeing the first time tentative steps in his recovery

    Maybe we all need to be a 'wee' bit kinder to each other
    I'm just asking how I can refer to delusional ideas that are likely to cost lives without offending your sensibilities.

    Am I allowed to call them "silly", please?
    It is not for me to dictate how anyone speaks but it also a fact, much increased by covid, that many people are suffering mental health issues, and ill considered labelling of people is not acceptable to many
    I always find it interesting that it seems acceptable to call someone an idiot, but not acceptable to call them a moron or imbecile, when in fact an idiot was classified as someone with a lower IQ than a moron or an imbecile under that antiquated system of psychological classification
    PS. Mr G, just read further up the post. My sympathy for your son's plight. My grandfather suffered from PTSD all his life (WW1 veteran). It is indeed a very challenging condition for all concerned. I hope your son makes a recovery.
    That is so kind

    It is hard, he lost his job, his 10 year relationship, and his 2 malamute dogs post the quake and in 2015 he left NZ and married a Canadian

    He has seen more tragedy than most not in the emergency services including a man decapitated just down the road from our house, as a professional snowboarder he saw several fatalities on the slopes, and sadly some of his young friends committed suicide

    We never know the traumas some people experience
  • Philip_ThompsonPhilip_Thompson Posts: 65,826


    It would be the Pfizer that is signing a deal to supply 1.8 billion vaccines to the EU on a rolling basis over the next few years. Because of its size and wealth, the EU is a primary market for all pharma companies. It has acted abysmally over the AZN vaccine, but the fundamentals don't change - all Big Pharma companies need to be there.

    Of course they can't ignore the EU market, but they can sure as hell make sure that their contracts are UdvL-proof, and to do that they will be very careful not to enter into early-access contracts where the risk of delays is significant. Essentially the EU has demonstrated that it wants all the risk to be on the supplier, which the suppliers can handle if and only if they already have production ramped up before they commit.
    A French company (with a UK contract signed already and production ramping up), Valneva, has given up on negotiating with the EU....

    https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/eu-says-valneva-has-not-met-conditions-vaccine-supply-deal-2021-04-22/
    As has Novavax.

    The UK on the other hand seems to be buying a massive number of doses for late 2021 and into 2022, from multiple suppliers - Pfizer (60m additional), Curevac (50m), Novavax (60m), Valneva (100m), J&J (30m). That suggests to me that either the vaccine taskforce thinks that we are going to have to re-jab everyone very fast in order to deal with new variants, or that they think that the suppliers aren't necessarily going to be able to ramp up production as much as they say they can.
    Or it's insurance against a need to revaccinate, even if it's unlikely.

    Given the trillions this pandemic has cost us, it is better to have the doses and not need them, than to need them and not have them.
  • TimTTimT Posts: 6,328
    rpjs said:

    ydoethur said:

    IanB2 said:

    Selebian said:

    algarkirk said:

    BREAKING: Arlene Foster says she will step down as DUP leader and Northern Ireland’s First Minister, following calls within the party for a leadership contest. More on @SkyNews now.

    https://twitter.com/skydavidblevins/status/1387421383471345673?s=20

    But I think we can already answer the big question: Will the DUP appoint a leader who will let us into the secret of what the DUP wants from Brexit and the border issue instead of the long list of what they don't? QTWTAIN

    And will a disgruntled Foster shuffle off to form the Uladh party?

    Edit: not the 'Uladh' party, d'oh. Unless she has a major change of heart about Irish/British identity.
    ULDH.. no vowels is on trend...
    When did U stop being a vowel?
    Could be worse, in Welsh we have two extra vowels.

    It was all a misunderstanding though. It was meant to be one extra vowel, but when ‘W’ was chosen somebody asked ‘why?’ and so Y ended up being one as well.
    Perhaps you could donate one to the Czechs? They could use it!
    I think Serbo-Croat is even more in need. There's an island off the Croatian coast called Krk.
    Apparently, there's a town in Scotland called Abrdn
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 32,728
    A purpose built briefing room in which to tell journalists what questions they should ask https://twitter.com/JasonGroves1/status/1387450291864342530
  • Chris said:

    TOPPING said:

    malcolmg said:

    TOPPING said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    MaxPB said:

    "@HugoGye
    UK has ordered another 60m doses of Pfizer vaccine to use as part of booster shot programme in the autumn, Matt Hancock says."

    It's another very, very good move wrt vaccines as Pfizer are prepping their gen 2 vaccine for delivery in the timeframe the government is talking about. I'm once again impressed by the level of organisation that the government has showed with this. This is the world's best insurance policy in the west against another lockdown. I genuinely don't think any other major country has been this forwards thinking.
    Stuff the Government's outstanding performance on vaccines to enable this Country to get back to normallity, lets spend days discussing who paid for wallpaper on a taxpayer owned property.
    Blimey! Have you defected from the "It's all a fake, COVID is no worse than the flu" camp?

    Some people are so fickle!
    Im not in that camp, Im in the masks don't prevent Covid transmission camp (its a small but select group) , they certainly prevent Flu transmission as shown by the fact there has been no flu in the UK for months, but they do not prevent Covid transmission as numerous countries where there is a mask wearing mandate show.
    Thanks for clarifying exactly what kind of stark raving loony you are.

    So sorry to have got it a bit wrong.
    Look at Thailand, everyone wears masks there, how is their Covid situation looking today?
    Never mind that - look at Mars! Or Planet Tharg, in the DARK DIMENSION ....
    Its sad that I am considered a lunatic ....
    Indeed, indeed. But try to get over it.
    My son has just undergone 16 sessions of electroconvulsive treatment for PTSD and mental issues

    You may think it is clever to call someone a lunatic, but for those of us who have family members suffering mental heath issues it just is not acceptable
    Is it OK just to say "mad"?
    I and my family are very sensitive to lazy expressions of mental health following my eldest sons issues which commenced in 2011 when he was involved in ground zero at the Christchurch earthquake where 185 people died in a crushed building

    However, it took until 2019 for him to be overwhelmed with PTSD and the effect on his life, his wife and his family has been profound but at last we are seeing the first time tentative steps in his recovery

    Maybe we all need to be a 'wee' bit kinder to each other
    I'm just asking how I can refer to delusional ideas that are likely to cost lives without offending your sensibilities.

    Am I allowed to call them "silly", please?
    It is not for me to dictate how anyone speaks ...
    We're only having this discussion because you said a word I'd used was "just not acceptable"!

    This place doesn't improve.
    Fuck off then.
    Calm down girls!
    I was just trying to help Chris with his inner conflict.
    It's so limiting not to be able to use that word that offended Big G ...
    No - I just asked that lazy insults on mental health should be avoided
  • ChrisChris Posts: 11,008

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    MaxPB said:

    "@HugoGye
    UK has ordered another 60m doses of Pfizer vaccine to use as part of booster shot programme in the autumn, Matt Hancock says."

    It's another very, very good move wrt vaccines as Pfizer are prepping their gen 2 vaccine for delivery in the timeframe the government is talking about. I'm once again impressed by the level of organisation that the government has showed with this. This is the world's best insurance policy in the west against another lockdown. I genuinely don't think any other major country has been this forwards thinking.
    Stuff the Government's outstanding performance on vaccines to enable this Country to get back to normallity, lets spend days discussing who paid for wallpaper on a taxpayer owned property.
    Blimey! Have you defected from the "It's all a fake, COVID is no worse than the flu" camp?

    Some people are so fickle!
    Im not in that camp, Im in the masks don't prevent Covid transmission camp (its a small but select group) , they certainly prevent Flu transmission as shown by the fact there has been no flu in the UK for months, but they do not prevent Covid transmission as numerous countries where there is a mask wearing mandate show.
    Thanks for clarifying exactly what kind of stark raving loony you are.

    So sorry to have got it a bit wrong.
    Look at Thailand, everyone wears masks there, how is their Covid situation looking today?
    Never mind that - look at Mars! Or Planet Tharg, in the DARK DIMENSION ....
    Its sad that I am considered a lunatic ....
    Indeed, indeed. But try to get over it.
    My son has just undergone 16 sessions of electroconvulsive treatment for PTSD and mental issues

    You may think it is clever to call someone a lunatic, but for those of us who have family members suffering mental heath issues it just is not acceptable
    Is it OK just to say "mad"?
    I and my family are very sensitive to lazy expressions of mental health following my eldest sons issues which commenced in 2011 when he was involved in ground zero at the Christchurch earthquake where 185 people died in a crushed building

    However, it took until 2019 for him to be overwhelmed with PTSD and the effect on his life, his wife and his family has been profound but at last we are seeing the first time tentative steps in his recovery

    Maybe we all need to be a 'wee' bit kinder to each other
    I'm just asking how I can refer to delusional ideas that are likely to cost lives without offending your sensibilities.

    Am I allowed to call them "silly", please?
    It is not for me to dictate how anyone speaks but it also a fact, much increased by covid, that many people are suffering mental health issues, and ill considered labelling of people is not acceptable to many
    I always find it interesting that it seems acceptable to call someone an idiot, but not acceptable to call them a moron or imbecile, when in fact an idiot was classified as someone with a lower IQ than a moron or an imbecile under that antiquated system of psychological classification
    Thanks! I had been trying to work out what language was acceptable to the arbiters of PB (I am assuming you're properly authorised to make a declaration on the acceptability of language here).

    "Idiot" it is then. Though it hardly seems strong enough for people who still don't believe in face masks. I'd prefer "deluded" if I'm allowed to say that, but I'll wait for permission before doing so.

  • TimTTimT Posts: 6,328


    It would be the Pfizer that is signing a deal to supply 1.8 billion vaccines to the EU on a rolling basis over the next few years. Because of its size and wealth, the EU is a primary market for all pharma companies. It has acted abysmally over the AZN vaccine, but the fundamentals don't change - all Big Pharma companies need to be there.

    Of course they can't ignore the EU market, but they can sure as hell make sure that their contracts are UdvL-proof, and to do that they will be very careful not to enter into early-access contracts where the risk of delays is significant. Essentially the EU has demonstrated that it wants all the risk to be on the supplier, which the suppliers can handle if and only if they already have production ramped up before they commit.
    A French company (with a UK contract signed already and production ramping up), Valneva, has given up on negotiating with the EU....

    https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/eu-says-valneva-has-not-met-conditions-vaccine-supply-deal-2021-04-22/
    As has Novavax.

    The UK on the other hand seems to be buying a massive number of doses for late 2021 and into 2022, from multiple suppliers - Pfizer (60m additional), Curevac (50m), Novavax (60m), Valneva (100m), J&J (30m). That suggests to me that either the vaccine taskforce thinks that we are going to have to re-jab everyone very fast in order to deal with new variants, or that they think that the suppliers aren't necessarily going to be able to ramp up production as much as they say they can.
    Or it's insurance against a need to revaccinate, even if it's unlikely.

    Given the trillions this pandemic has cost us, it is better to have the doses and not need them, than to need them and not have them.
    How are we planning to meet our Covax obligations? Cash donations or actual jabs?
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 43,601
    UK cases by specimen date

    image
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 43,601
    UK case summary

    image
    image
    image
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 43,601
    UK hospitals

    image
    image
    image
    image
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 43,601
    UK Deaths

    image
    image
    image
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 43,601
    UK R

    image
    image
  • ChrisChris Posts: 11,008

    Chris said:

    TOPPING said:

    malcolmg said:

    TOPPING said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    MaxPB said:

    "@HugoGye
    UK has ordered another 60m doses of Pfizer vaccine to use as part of booster shot programme in the autumn, Matt Hancock says."

    It's another very, very good move wrt vaccines as Pfizer are prepping their gen 2 vaccine for delivery in the timeframe the government is talking about. I'm once again impressed by the level of organisation that the government has showed with this. This is the world's best insurance policy in the west against another lockdown. I genuinely don't think any other major country has been this forwards thinking.
    Stuff the Government's outstanding performance on vaccines to enable this Country to get back to normallity, lets spend days discussing who paid for wallpaper on a taxpayer owned property.
    Blimey! Have you defected from the "It's all a fake, COVID is no worse than the flu" camp?

    Some people are so fickle!
    Im not in that camp, Im in the masks don't prevent Covid transmission camp (its a small but select group) , they certainly prevent Flu transmission as shown by the fact there has been no flu in the UK for months, but they do not prevent Covid transmission as numerous countries where there is a mask wearing mandate show.
    Thanks for clarifying exactly what kind of stark raving loony you are.

    So sorry to have got it a bit wrong.
    Look at Thailand, everyone wears masks there, how is their Covid situation looking today?
    Never mind that - look at Mars! Or Planet Tharg, in the DARK DIMENSION ....
    Its sad that I am considered a lunatic ....
    Indeed, indeed. But try to get over it.
    My son has just undergone 16 sessions of electroconvulsive treatment for PTSD and mental issues

    You may think it is clever to call someone a lunatic, but for those of us who have family members suffering mental heath issues it just is not acceptable
    Is it OK just to say "mad"?
    I and my family are very sensitive to lazy expressions of mental health following my eldest sons issues which commenced in 2011 when he was involved in ground zero at the Christchurch earthquake where 185 people died in a crushed building

    However, it took until 2019 for him to be overwhelmed with PTSD and the effect on his life, his wife and his family has been profound but at last we are seeing the first time tentative steps in his recovery

    Maybe we all need to be a 'wee' bit kinder to each other
    I'm just asking how I can refer to delusional ideas that are likely to cost lives without offending your sensibilities.

    Am I allowed to call them "silly", please?
    It is not for me to dictate how anyone speaks ...
    We're only having this discussion because you said a word I'd used was "just not acceptable"!

    This place doesn't improve.
    Fuck off then.
    Calm down girls!
    I was just trying to help Chris with his inner conflict.
    It's so limiting not to be able to use that word that offended Big G ...
    No - I just asked that lazy insults on mental health should be avoided
    Blimey - I already reminded you once what you said!

    Am I allowed to hint gently that you may be getting forgetful, or would that cause offence?
  • bigjohnowlsbigjohnowls Posts: 21,705

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    MaxPB said:

    "@HugoGye
    UK has ordered another 60m doses of Pfizer vaccine to use as part of booster shot programme in the autumn, Matt Hancock says."

    It's another very, very good move wrt vaccines as Pfizer are prepping their gen 2 vaccine for delivery in the timeframe the government is talking about. I'm once again impressed by the level of organisation that the government has showed with this. This is the world's best insurance policy in the west against another lockdown. I genuinely don't think any other major country has been this forwards thinking.
    Stuff the Government's outstanding performance on vaccines to enable this Country to get back to normallity, lets spend days discussing who paid for wallpaper on a taxpayer owned property.
    Blimey! Have you defected from the "It's all a fake, COVID is no worse than the flu" camp?

    Some people are so fickle!
    Im not in that camp, Im in the masks don't prevent Covid transmission camp (its a small but select group) , they certainly prevent Flu transmission as shown by the fact there has been no flu in the UK for months, but they do not prevent Covid transmission as numerous countries where there is a mask wearing mandate show.
    Thanks for clarifying exactly what kind of stark raving loony you are.

    So sorry to have got it a bit wrong.
    Look at Thailand, everyone wears masks there, how is their Covid situation looking today?
    Never mind that - look at Mars! Or Planet Tharg, in the DARK DIMENSION ....
    Its sad that I am considered a lunatic ....
    Indeed, indeed. But try to get over it.
    My son has just undergone 16 sessions of electroconvulsive treatment for PTSD and mental issues

    You may think it is clever to call someone a lunatic, but for those of us who have family members suffering mental heath issues it just is not acceptable
    Is it OK just to say "mad"?
    I and my family are very sensitive to lazy expressions of mental health following my eldest sons issues which commenced in 2011 when he was involved in ground zero at the Christchurch earthquake where 185 people died in a crushed building

    However, it took until 2019 for him to be overwhelmed with PTSD and the effect on his life, his wife and his family has been profound but at last we are seeing the first time tentative steps in his recovery

    Maybe we all need to be a 'wee' bit kinder to each other
    I'm just asking how I can refer to delusional ideas that are likely to cost lives without offending your sensibilities.

    Am I allowed to call them "silly", please?
    It is not for me to dictate how anyone speaks but it also a fact, much increased by covid, that many people are suffering mental health issues, and ill considered labelling of people is not acceptable to many
    I always find it interesting that it seems acceptable to call someone an idiot, but not acceptable to call them a moron or imbecile, when in fact an idiot was classified as someone with a lower IQ than a moron or an imbecile under that antiquated system of psychological classification
    PS. Mr G, just read further up the post. My sympathy for your son's plight. My grandfather suffered from PTSD all his life (WW1 veteran). It is indeed a very challenging condition for all concerned. I hope your son makes a recovery.
    That is so kind

    It is hard, he lost his job, his 10 year relationship, and his 2 malamute dogs post the quake and in 2015 he left NZ and married a Canadian

    He has seen more tragedy than most not in the emergency services including a man decapitated just down the road from our house, as a professional snowboarder he saw several fatalities on the slopes, and sadly some of his young friends committed suicide

    We never know the traumas some people experience
    Sorry to hear that BigG.

    I really hope he gets the help he needs and he can recover soon
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 43,601
    Age related data

    image
    image
    image
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 43,601
    Age related data scaled to 100K per age band

    image
    image
    image
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 43,601
    UK vaccinations

    image
    image
    image
    image
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 43,601
    CFR

    image
    image
  • Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    MaxPB said:

    "@HugoGye
    UK has ordered another 60m doses of Pfizer vaccine to use as part of booster shot programme in the autumn, Matt Hancock says."

    It's another very, very good move wrt vaccines as Pfizer are prepping their gen 2 vaccine for delivery in the timeframe the government is talking about. I'm once again impressed by the level of organisation that the government has showed with this. This is the world's best insurance policy in the west against another lockdown. I genuinely don't think any other major country has been this forwards thinking.
    Stuff the Government's outstanding performance on vaccines to enable this Country to get back to normallity, lets spend days discussing who paid for wallpaper on a taxpayer owned property.
    Blimey! Have you defected from the "It's all a fake, COVID is no worse than the flu" camp?

    Some people are so fickle!
    Im not in that camp, Im in the masks don't prevent Covid transmission camp (its a small but select group) , they certainly prevent Flu transmission as shown by the fact there has been no flu in the UK for months, but they do not prevent Covid transmission as numerous countries where there is a mask wearing mandate show.
    Thanks for clarifying exactly what kind of stark raving loony you are.

    So sorry to have got it a bit wrong.
    Look at Thailand, everyone wears masks there, how is their Covid situation looking today?
    Never mind that - look at Mars! Or Planet Tharg, in the DARK DIMENSION ....
    Its sad that I am considered a lunatic ....
    Indeed, indeed. But try to get over it.
    My son has just undergone 16 sessions of electroconvulsive treatment for PTSD and mental issues

    You may think it is clever to call someone a lunatic, but for those of us who have family members suffering mental heath issues it just is not acceptable
    Is it OK just to say "mad"?
    I and my family are very sensitive to lazy expressions of mental health following my eldest sons issues which commenced in 2011 when he was involved in ground zero at the Christchurch earthquake where 185 people died in a crushed building

    However, it took until 2019 for him to be overwhelmed with PTSD and the effect on his life, his wife and his family has been profound but at last we are seeing the first time tentative steps in his recovery

    Maybe we all need to be a 'wee' bit kinder to each other
    I'm just asking how I can refer to delusional ideas that are likely to cost lives without offending your sensibilities.

    Am I allowed to call them "silly", please?
    It is not for me to dictate how anyone speaks but it also a fact, much increased by covid, that many people are suffering mental health issues, and ill considered labelling of people is not acceptable to many
    I always find it interesting that it seems acceptable to call someone an idiot, but not acceptable to call them a moron or imbecile, when in fact an idiot was classified as someone with a lower IQ than a moron or an imbecile under that antiquated system of psychological classification
    PS. Mr G, just read further up the post. My sympathy for your son's plight. My grandfather suffered from PTSD all his life (WW1 veteran). It is indeed a very challenging condition for all concerned. I hope your son makes a recovery.
    That is so kind

    It is hard, he lost his job, his 10 year relationship, and his 2 malamute dogs post the quake and in 2015 he left NZ and married a Canadian

    He has seen more tragedy than most not in the emergency services including a man decapitated just down the road from our house, as a professional snowboarder he saw several fatalities on the slopes, and sadly some of his young friends committed suicide

    We never know the traumas some people experience
    Sorry to hear that BigG.

    I really hope he gets the help he needs and he can recover soon
    Thanks BJO and he is having radical treatment with some early signs of progress but he is facing long term on going treatments
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 23,926

    The one thing that came out of PMQs for me was Boris's denial he said those words and challenged those who said he had to bring forward their evidence, as they have none

    The simple task for the so called whstlblowers is to bring forward a tape or recording of him saying those words and he has to resign following his HOC denial today

    I would also caution those who may want to accuse Boris, that in view of how angry he was they do not stray into controversial legal territory

    It is very odd that Boris denied the "pile high" quote to Ian Blackford (SNP) but not to Keir Starmer (Labour, LotO) or Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru). One hopes this is not a legalistic denial based on Blackford slightly mangling the alleged quote.
    https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2021-04-28/debates/1E773197-C43C-40B4-9A52-BBF454C196AA/Engagements

    Tbh what I found most depressing was that Boris knew the names of questioners' constituents even when the questioner stumbled over them. I know planted questions have a long and no doubt glorious past but todays were OTT.
  • Chris said:

    Chris said:

    TOPPING said:

    malcolmg said:

    TOPPING said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    Chris said:

    MaxPB said:

    "@HugoGye
    UK has ordered another 60m doses of Pfizer vaccine to use as part of booster shot programme in the autumn, Matt Hancock says."

    It's another very, very good move wrt vaccines as Pfizer are prepping their gen 2 vaccine for delivery in the timeframe the government is talking about. I'm once again impressed by the level of organisation that the government has showed with this. This is the world's best insurance policy in the west against another lockdown. I genuinely don't think any other major country has been this forwards thinking.
    Stuff the Government's outstanding performance on vaccines to enable this Country to get back to normallity, lets spend days discussing who paid for wallpaper on a taxpayer owned property.
    Blimey! Have you defected from the "It's all a fake, COVID is no worse than the flu" camp?

    Some people are so fickle!
    Im not in that camp, Im in the masks don't prevent Covid transmission camp (its a small but select group) , they certainly prevent Flu transmission as shown by the fact there has been no flu in the UK for months, but they do not prevent Covid transmission as numerous countries where there is a mask wearing mandate show.
    Thanks for clarifying exactly what kind of stark raving loony you are.

    So sorry to have got it a bit wrong.
    Look at Thailand, everyone wears masks there, how is their Covid situation looking today?
    Never mind that - look at Mars! Or Planet Tharg, in the DARK DIMENSION ....
    Its sad that I am considered a lunatic ....
    Indeed, indeed. But try to get over it.
    My son has just undergone 16 sessions of electroconvulsive treatment for PTSD and mental issues

    You may think it is clever to call someone a lunatic, but for those of us who have family members suffering mental heath issues it just is not acceptable
    Is it OK just to say "mad"?
    I and my family are very sensitive to lazy expressions of mental health following my eldest sons issues which commenced in 2011 when he was involved in ground zero at the Christchurch earthquake where 185 people died in a crushed building

    However, it took until 2019 for him to be overwhelmed with PTSD and the effect on his life, his wife and his family has been profound but at last we are seeing the first time tentative steps in his recovery

    Maybe we all need to be a 'wee' bit kinder to each other
    I'm just asking how I can refer to delusional ideas that are likely to cost lives without offending your sensibilities.

    Am I allowed to call them "silly", please?
    It is not for me to dictate how anyone speaks ...
    We're only having this discussion because you said a word I'd used was "just not acceptable"!

    This place doesn't improve.
    Fuck off then.
    Calm down girls!
    I was just trying to help Chris with his inner conflict.
    It's so limiting not to be able to use that word that offended Big G ...
    No - I just asked that lazy insults on mental health should be avoided
    Blimey - I already reminded you once what you said!

    Am I allowed to hint gently that you may be getting forgetful, or would that cause offence?
    Not really because as a 77 year old I am beginning to become forgetful to be fair
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 23,926

    I am sure the lefties on here are grateful to Mr Smithson for allowing them a thread to froth over. Its been a long time where the left have had to suck it up... Time to give them a moment to enjoy, if wallpaper be the subject of their wrath, so be it.

    As Boris paid for the wallpaper himself it makes it even more bizarre
    Seriously doubt your PM pays for ANYTHING himself. Just like his role model Trumpsky.
    Well he said numerous times in the Commons today that he did pay for it, so I assume he can produce evidence or he will have lied to the House and will have to resign.
    No he did not, and even if he had, lying to the House is only a resigning matter if he has the honour to resign.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,730

    I am sure the lefties on here are grateful to Mr Smithson for allowing them a thread to froth over. Its been a long time where the left have had to suck it up... Time to give them a moment to enjoy, if wallpaper be the subject of their wrath, so be it.

    As Boris paid for the wallpaper himself it makes it even more bizarre
    Seriously doubt your PM pays for ANYTHING himself. Just like his role model Trumpsky.
    Well he said numerous times in the Commons today that he did pay for it, so I assume he can produce evidence or he will have lied to the House and will have to resign.
    No he did not, and even if he had, lying to the House is only a resigning matter if he has the honour to resign.
    Stephen Byers hung on for a while after being caught lying, didn’t he?
This discussion has been closed.