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Tories still rated as a 75% betting chance in Batley and Spen – politicalbetting.com

SystemSystem Posts: 11,762
edited June 2021 in General
imageTories still rated as a 75% betting chance in Batley and Spen – politicalbetting.com

In that other by-election that takes place a fortnight tomorrow, the Tory position remains strong with the party at a 75% chance in the betting. That’s not as good as the current Chesham and Amersham betting but still pretty clear.

Read the full story here

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Comments

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    eekeek Posts: 25,445
    First as the Tories are very likely to be in Batley.
  • Options
    IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    And in Chesham
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    YBarddCwscYBarddCwsc Posts: 7,172
    FPT

    The LDs could do with a bit of colour.... Lembit Opik certainly gave the party of bit sparkle.... shame he's been expelled.....no such as bad publicity but he may have gone too far
    https://www.libdemvoice.org/lembit-opik-expelled-from-lib-dems-for-advising-tories-how-to-beat-us-67841.html

    Lembit took a LibDem safe seat (that had been held almost continuously for a century) and lost it. It is now a Tory stronghold.

    In general, it is not a good look for a political party if an ugly, middle-aged male MP has a mid-life sex crisis in full glare of the media.
  • Options
    Philip_ThompsonPhilip_Thompson Posts: 65,826
    Losing C&A and winning B&S might be the sweet spot right now.

    But irritating there's no liberal party seeking to win C&A.
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    isamisam Posts: 41,118
    Re Labour losing the Islamic vote in Batley

    I’ll probably be corrected, but it seems to me that, on the whole, Muslims and Jews have never really got on, and the rising levels of islamophobia & anti- semitism are nothing more than there being more opportunities for them to clash in England than there used to be. We never really saw it this close up before

    The worry for me is that if Labour lose the Muslim vote in the inner cities, an Islamic party will step into the vacuum - that would be a disastrous outcome
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 76,079
    edited June 2021
    1981 locals

    Con 38%
    Lab 41%
    LD 17%

    2021 locals

    Con 36%
    Lab 29%
    LD 17%

    Corbyn had a piss poor set of 2017 LEs but his subsequent 2017 GE performance was pretty good in early June...

    There's an argument that Starmer may well be the worst Labour leader since well who knows when. Sub Foot and sub Corbyn at this rate.
  • Options
    YBarddCwscYBarddCwsc Posts: 7,172

    Given local knowledge proved so good in 'Pool, do we have any posters in B&S or in C&A ? What do they advise?
  • Options
    bigjohnowlsbigjohnowls Posts: 22,100
    isam said:

    Re Labour losing the Islamic vote in Batley

    I’ll probably be corrected, but it seems to me that, on the whole, Muslims and Jews have never really got on, and the rising levels of islamophobia & anti- semitism are nothing more than there being more opportunities for them to clash in England than there used to be. We never really saw it this close up before

    The worry for me is that if Labour lose the Muslim vote in the inner cities, an Islamic party will step into the vacuum - that would be a disastrous outcome

    George Galloway standing on a "Starmer out" ticket.

    I think Labour despite having a local Candidate cannot win due to SKS
  • Options
    squareroot2squareroot2 Posts: 6,417
    eek said:

    First as the Tories are very likely to be in Batley.

    But the Lib Dem internal polling...... frankly I think it's unreliable and designed to make people think the Lib Dems have a chance. They are just using polling instead of bar charts....
  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,561
    edited June 2021
    Pulpstar said:

    1981 locals

    Con 38%
    Lab 41%
    LD 17%

    2021 locals

    Con 36%
    Lab 29%
    LD 17%

    Corbyn had a piss poor set of 2017 LEs but his subsequent 2017 GE performance was pretty good in early June...

    There's an argument that Starmer may well be the worst Labour leader since well who knows when. Sub Foot and sub Corbyn at this rate.

    Given Corbyn did worse than Starmer in the 2017 local elections but got 40% in the general election later that year I think that just proves local elections don't mean a great deal in terms of general elections, other than the fact an Opposition leader needs to be miles ahead in the local elections to win an outright majority or most seats in the general election as Blair and Cameron were pre 1997 and 2010 respectively.

    The fact Foot was trounced in 1983 despite those 1981 local elections results proves the point (albeit 1981 was pre Falklands War and Thatcher's bounce after that)
  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,561
    edited June 2021

    Losing C&A and winning B&S might be the sweet spot right now.

    But irritating there's no liberal party seeking to win C&A.

    If the LDs were running on a concrete all over the Green belt and build HS2 as soon as possible platform the Tories would romp home in Chesham on Thursday, if the LDs get close or win it will be on a platform of Nimbyism (and Tory leakage to ReformUK after the postponed Freedom Day).

    I remain of the view Labour will narrowly hold Batley and Spen, mainly due to their candidate being Jo Cox's sister and the Tories will narrowly hold Chesham and Amersham
  • Options
    Philip_ThompsonPhilip_Thompson Posts: 65,826
    edited June 2021
    House prices dropped in the most recent month. Very good news after the recent surge. Be interesting to see if this is anything other than noise but great that they've not continued surging.

    I suspect that some of the heat in the housing market recently may be due to people being locked down spending time looking to move instead of booking holidays - especially if they now think a bigger suburban home with more space to work from home is more valuable than an expensive flat in the city.
  • Options
    Philip_ThompsonPhilip_Thompson Posts: 65,826
    HYUFD said:

    Losing C&A and winning B&S might be the sweet spot right now.

    But irritating there's no liberal party seeking to win C&A.

    If the LDs were running on a concrete all over the Green belt and build HS2 as soon as possible platform the Tories would romp home in Chesham on Thursday, if the LDs get close or win it will be on a platform of Nimbyism (and Tory leakage to ReformUK after the postponed Freedom Day).

    I remain of the view Labour will narrowly hold Batley and Spen, mainly due to their candidate being Jo Cox's sister and the Tories will narrowly hold Chesham and Amersham
    Which is why the LDs are not worthy of support.

    If they were actually liberal they would be.
  • Options
    isamisam Posts: 41,118

    House prices dropped in the most recent month. Very good news after the recent surge. Be interesting to see if this is anything other than noise but great that they've not continued surging.

    I suspect that some of the heat in the housing market recently may be due to people being locked down spending time looking to move instead of booking holidays - especially if they now think a bigger suburban home with more space to work from home is more valuable than an expensive flat in the city.

    Id say if they’re going to drop it’s because the government aren’t paying the stamp after the end of the month
  • Options
    FloaterFloater Posts: 14,195

    House prices dropped in the most recent month. Very good news after the recent surge. Be interesting to see if this is anything other than noise but great that they've not continued surging.

    I suspect that some of the heat in the housing market recently may be due to people being locked down spending time looking to move instead of booking holidays - especially if they now think a bigger suburban home with more space to work from home is more valuable than an expensive flat in the city.

    Stamp duty might have played a part - My purchase looks to be delayed into July and that comes with a five figure stamp duty bill because of this
  • Options
    Philip_ThompsonPhilip_Thompson Posts: 65,826
    isam said:

    House prices dropped in the most recent month. Very good news after the recent surge. Be interesting to see if this is anything other than noise but great that they've not continued surging.

    I suspect that some of the heat in the housing market recently may be due to people being locked down spending time looking to move instead of booking holidays - especially if they now think a bigger suburban home with more space to work from home is more valuable than an expensive flat in the city.

    Id say if they’re going to drop it’s because the government aren’t paying the stamp after the end of the month
    Perhaps but that shouldn't have affected last months figures making it drop last month should it?
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    Dura_AceDura_Ace Posts: 13,211
    MattW said:

    Dura_Ace said:



    Very sad.
    There are one or two NZ-bashers on here; @Anabobazina is the other one.

    We used to have a very active officer exchange program with both Australia and New Zealand. However both countries, but NZ in particular, were cynically asset stripping the exchangees by offering the good ones fast track citizenship and a lateral transfer to the ADF/NZDF. As we never send duffers on exchange very few of them ever came back due to the superior pay and terms of service on offer. The program has been trimmed back to almost nothing now.

    Most exchanges are now with the US who never offer citizenship/lateral transfer in any circumstances.
    I wonder what they are flying in NZ these days.
    P-3, C-130, B757, SH-2 on the rare occasions they can get them to work.
  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,561
    edited June 2021

    HYUFD said:

    Losing C&A and winning B&S might be the sweet spot right now.

    But irritating there's no liberal party seeking to win C&A.

    If the LDs were running on a concrete all over the Green belt and build HS2 as soon as possible platform the Tories would romp home in Chesham on Thursday, if the LDs get close or win it will be on a platform of Nimbyism (and Tory leakage to ReformUK after the postponed Freedom Day).

    I remain of the view Labour will narrowly hold Batley and Spen, mainly due to their candidate being Jo Cox's sister and the Tories will narrowly hold Chesham and Amersham
    Which is why the LDs are not worthy of support.

    If they were actually liberal they would be.
    The market at the moment for a slash spending, slash taxes for the rich, end all Covid restrictions straight away and concrete all over the greenbelt party is about 1% if that, the LDs are not libertarian because there is no market for it.

    Indeed ReformUK is closer to being libertarian than the LDs are but then even they still want to built on brownbelt sites first as per the Brexit Party manifesto in 2019
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    alednamalednam Posts: 185
    In Batley and Spen the Heavy Woollen District Independents got more than 6K in 2019. They're not standing again. Labour's chances of holding the seat must be seriously diminished by the fact that the HWD Independents supporters will surely vote Conservative.
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    SandpitSandpit Posts: 50,278
    isam said:

    Re Labour losing the Islamic vote in Batley

    I’ll probably be corrected, but it seems to me that, on the whole, Muslims and Jews have never really got on, and the rising levels of islamophobia & anti- semitism are nothing more than there being more opportunities for them to clash in England than there used to be. We never really saw it this close up before

    The worry for me is that if Labour lose the Muslim vote in the inner cities, an Islamic party will step into the vacuum - that would be a disastrous outcome

    Galloway could well harvest enough votes in B&S, to hand the seat to the Tories.
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    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,561
    New Ifop first round French Presidential poll

    Le Pen 28%
    Macron 26%
    Bertrand 14%
    https://twitter.com/EuropeElects/status/1405100008010137603?s=20
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    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,561
    alednam said:

    In Batley and Spen the Heavy Woollen District Independents got more than 6K in 2019. They're not standing again. Labour's chances of holding the seat must be seriously diminished by the fact that the HWD Independents supporters will surely vote Conservative.

    Not necessarily, some of them will vote for Britain First or the Yorkshire Party and some may stay at home now Freedom Day has been postponed
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    isamisam Posts: 41,118
    edited June 2021

    isam said:

    House prices dropped in the most recent month. Very good news after the recent surge. Be interesting to see if this is anything other than noise but great that they've not continued surging.

    I suspect that some of the heat in the housing market recently may be due to people being locked down spending time looking to move instead of booking holidays - especially if they now think a bigger suburban home with more space to work from home is more valuable than an expensive flat in the city.

    Id say if they’re going to drop it’s because the government aren’t paying the stamp after the end of the month
    Perhaps but that shouldn't have affected last months figures making it drop last month should it?
    I think so, because it takes a month or more to complete, so agreeing a price mid May means you prob don’t get the stamp duty discount. We are set to complete in the next week or so, hopefully, and we agreed the purchase on 27th April

    Although if the figures you cite are completions I guess that’s different. Solicitors are absolutely snowed under though so there will be a surge if those late June
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    kamskikamski Posts: 4,352
    isam said:

    Re Labour losing the Islamic vote in Batley

    I’ll probably be corrected, but it seems to me that, on the whole, Muslims and Jews have never really got on, and the rising levels of islamophobia & anti- semitism are nothing more than there being more opportunities for them to clash in England than there used to be. We never really saw it this close up before

    The worry for me is that if Labour lose the Muslim vote in the inner cities, an Islamic party will step into the vacuum - that would be a disastrous outcome

    "Muslims and Jews have never really got on"

    except for the loads of people of whatever faith who have got on fine with each other.

    why not say eg "on the whole, Christians and Jews have never got on" if you're going to make silly comments?
  • Options
    SandpitSandpit Posts: 50,278
    kamski said:

    isam said:

    Re Labour losing the Islamic vote in Batley

    I’ll probably be corrected, but it seems to me that, on the whole, Muslims and Jews have never really got on, and the rising levels of islamophobia & anti- semitism are nothing more than there being more opportunities for them to clash in England than there used to be. We never really saw it this close up before

    The worry for me is that if Labour lose the Muslim vote in the inner cities, an Islamic party will step into the vacuum - that would be a disastrous outcome

    "Muslims and Jews have never really got on"

    except for the loads of people of whatever faith who have got on fine with each other.

    why not say eg "on the whole, Christians and Jews have never got on" if you're going to make silly comments?
    The vast majority of Christians, Muslims and Jews all get on just fine. Every faith and none has its few idiots, as well as the civil wars between Catholic and Protestant, Sunni and Shia that have gone on for centuries.
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    Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 60,609
    Conservative lead down from 12 to 7 with SavantaComRes

    https://twitter.com/BritainElects/status/1405106244738748419?s=19
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    maaarshmaaarsh Posts: 3,391
    Have the women's Test cricket on in the background and it's very odd.

    Women's top sprinters are c. 10% slower than top men. Top lady golfers drive it c. 280 vs 320 for men so a similar gap.

    Yet the opening bowlers here are just incredibly slow, 25% or more down on a reasonably paced male bowler. Just wondering if anyone follows this whether that is an Indian team point or a general issue?
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    isamisam Posts: 41,118

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    Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 27,622

    Conservative lead down from 12 to 7 with SavantaComRes

    https://twitter.com/BritainElects/status/1405106244738748419?s=19

    Why do they often miss Reform UK from the figures?
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    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,835
    edited June 2021

    Conservative lead down from 12 to 7 with SavantaComRes

    https://twitter.com/BritainElects/status/1405106244738748419?s=19

    Interesting thing about that, Tory number is down. So far all the churn has been where the left / centre left vote was going, with Tory nunber always been 43+.
  • Options
    Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 60,609
    Andy_JS said:

    Conservative lead down from 12 to 7 with SavantaComRes

    https://twitter.com/BritainElects/status/1405106244738748419?s=19

    Why do they often miss Reform UK from the figures?
    Who
  • Options
    GardenwalkerGardenwalker Posts: 20,929
    Andy_JS said:

    Conservative lead down from 12 to 7 with SavantaComRes

    https://twitter.com/BritainElects/status/1405106244738748419?s=19

    Why do they often miss Reform UK from the figures?
    Cos GB News hadn’t started yet during the period this poll was taken.
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    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,753
    Sandpit said:

    isam said:

    Re Labour losing the Islamic vote in Batley

    I’ll probably be corrected, but it seems to me that, on the whole, Muslims and Jews have never really got on, and the rising levels of islamophobia & anti- semitism are nothing more than there being more opportunities for them to clash in England than there used to be. We never really saw it this close up before

    The worry for me is that if Labour lose the Muslim vote in the inner cities, an Islamic party will step into the vacuum - that would be a disastrous outcome

    Galloway could well harvest enough votes in B&S, to hand the seat to the Tories.
    What, about 10? You think its going to be that close?
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    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,835
    edited June 2021
    Shocked to find out person leading the GB News is a Nazi News Network campaign is a hard left former BBC employee.

    I probably spend their time watching Novara Media for more "accurate" reporting.
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    FishingFishing Posts: 4,580

    Conservative lead down from 12 to 7 with SavantaComRes

    https://twitter.com/BritainElects/status/1405106244738748419?s=19

    They deserve it, after giving into the zero Covidiots.

    Of course, Labour don't deserve to gain, but that's politics.
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    ClippPClippP Posts: 1,741
    edited June 2021
    Pulpstar said:

    1981 locals

    Con 38%
    Lab 41%
    LD 17%

    2021 locals

    Con 36%
    Lab 29%
    LD 17%

    Corbyn had a piss poor set of 2017 LEs but his subsequent 2017 GE performance was pretty good in early June...

    There's an argument that Starmer may well be the worst Labour leader since well who knows when. Sub Foot and sub Corbyn at this rate.

    Too simple, I think. Labour did well in the 2017 election because, right at the start of it, Mrs May sent everybody a letter, telling us that she wanted (even needed) to have dictatorial powers in order to "get Brexit done".

    I think Labour did well in that election in part, at least, on the rebound from that letter.

    Johnson and his Gang have grabbed dictatorial powers for themselves, under the pretext of Covid. People do not like being dictated to, and as a result we are going to see the Liberal Democrats do extremely well in Chesham and Amersham. They are polar opposites of the authoritarian Conservative and Labour parties.
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    FishingFishing Posts: 4,580
    Pulpstar said:

    1981 locals

    Con 38%
    Lab 41%
    LD 17%

    2021 locals

    Con 36%
    Lab 29%
    LD 17%

    Corbyn had a piss poor set of 2017 LEs but his subsequent 2017 GE performance was pretty good in early June...

    There's an argument that Starmer may well be the worst Labour leader since well who knows when. Sub Foot and sub Corbyn at this rate.

    He is probably the most disappointing and most colourless.

    But don't worry, he has forensic skills.
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    Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 60,609
    Fishing said:

    Conservative lead down from 12 to 7 with SavantaComRes

    https://twitter.com/BritainElects/status/1405106244738748419?s=19

    They deserve it, after giving into the zero Covidiots.

    Of course, Labour don't deserve to gain, but that's politics.
    The poll was before Mondays announcement
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    Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 27,622

    Andy_JS said:

    Conservative lead down from 12 to 7 with SavantaComRes

    https://twitter.com/BritainElects/status/1405106244738748419?s=19

    Why do they often miss Reform UK from the figures?
    Who
    I expect ReformUK to get more votes than Labour and the Greens in the C&A by-election.
  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,561
    edited June 2021

    Conservative lead down from 12 to 7 with SavantaComRes

    https://twitter.com/BritainElects/status/1405106244738748419?s=19

    Interesting thing about that, Tory number is down. So far all the churn has been where the left / centre left vote was going, with Tory nunber always been 43+.
    Interesting that the Comres numbers ie Tories 41% and Labour 34% would be almost identical to the 1992 general election result.

    So the Tories would be narrowly re elected but Starmer would have done a Kinnock and cut the Tory majority to 28 as Kinnock cut it to 21 then

    https://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/fcgi-bin/usercode.py?scotcontrol=Y&CON=41&LAB=34&LIB=8&Reform=2&Green=6&UKIP=&TVCON=&TVLAB=&TVLIB=&TVReform=&TVGreen=&TVUKIP=&SCOTCON=23&SCOTLAB=19.6&SCOTLIB=6&SCOTReform=0.4&SCOTGreen=2.1&SCOTUKIP=&SCOTNAT=47.7&display=AllChanged&regorseat=(none)&boundary=2019base
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    SandpitSandpit Posts: 50,278

    Conservative lead down from 12 to 7 with SavantaComRes

    https://twitter.com/BritainElects/status/1405106244738748419?s=19

    Interesting thing about that, Tory number is down. So far all the churn has been where the left / centre left vote was going, with Tory nunber always been 43+.
    Government support falling, off the back of the weekend’s rumours of delays in lifting restrictions?
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    Philip_ThompsonPhilip_Thompson Posts: 65,826

    Fishing said:

    Conservative lead down from 12 to 7 with SavantaComRes

    https://twitter.com/BritainElects/status/1405106244738748419?s=19

    They deserve it, after giving into the zero Covidiots.

    Of course, Labour don't deserve to gain, but that's politics.
    The poll was before Mondays announcement
    But after it was leaked and all but confirmed.
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    Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 27,622
    maaarsh said:

    Have the women's Test cricket on in the background and it's very odd.

    Women's top sprinters are c. 10% slower than top men. Top lady golfers drive it c. 280 vs 320 for men so a similar gap.

    Yet the opening bowlers here are just incredibly slow, 25% or more down on a reasonably paced male bowler. Just wondering if anyone follows this whether that is an Indian team point or a general issue?

    The English bowlers are slightly faster but it's true they're a lot slower than men's cricket, in all of the teams.
  • Options
    FloaterFloater Posts: 14,195
    good news story

    https://twitter.com/DSFireUpdates/status/1404894298785603591

    Looks to be the same breed as my dog

  • Options
    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,753
    maaarsh said:

    Have the women's Test cricket on in the background and it's very odd.

    Women's top sprinters are c. 10% slower than top men. Top lady golfers drive it c. 280 vs 320 for men so a similar gap.

    Yet the opening bowlers here are just incredibly slow, 25% or more down on a reasonably paced male bowler. Just wondering if anyone follows this whether that is an Indian team point or a general issue?

    Yes, I've noticed that too. Oddly, they seem to hit 6s almost as far as the men these days, 80m is not that unusual. Probably within the 10%. There may be physiological reasons, fast bowling is a bloody weird thing to do to the body.
  • Options
    FloaterFloater Posts: 14,195

    Fishing said:

    Conservative lead down from 12 to 7 with SavantaComRes

    https://twitter.com/BritainElects/status/1405106244738748419?s=19

    They deserve it, after giving into the zero Covidiots.

    Of course, Labour don't deserve to gain, but that's politics.
    The poll was before Mondays announcement
    But after it was leaked and all but confirmed.
    So - what could they do to improve things - over to you Boris.....
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    maaarshmaaarsh Posts: 3,391
    DavidL said:

    maaarsh said:

    Have the women's Test cricket on in the background and it's very odd.

    Women's top sprinters are c. 10% slower than top men. Top lady golfers drive it c. 280 vs 320 for men so a similar gap.

    Yet the opening bowlers here are just incredibly slow, 25% or more down on a reasonably paced male bowler. Just wondering if anyone follows this whether that is an Indian team point or a general issue?

    Yes, I've noticed that too. Oddly, they seem to hit 6s almost as far as the men these days, 80m is not that unusual. Probably within the 10%. There may be physiological reasons, fast bowling is a bloody weird thing to do to the body.
    The odd thing is you'd expect bat to dominate as a result given there's no reason for the batting skill to have any real deficit and the bowling they're facing is much weaker - but looking at the stats the opposite seems to be the case. Maybe a result of barely playing any long form cricket, but it does leave the whole thing feeling frankly a bit lower standard than a club or school match.
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    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,753
    I'm starting to think of Tammy Beaumont at 3. Definitely going to get more runs than Crawley.
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    MattWMattW Posts: 19,178
    isam said:

    isam said:

    House prices dropped in the most recent month. Very good news after the recent surge. Be interesting to see if this is anything other than noise but great that they've not continued surging.

    I suspect that some of the heat in the housing market recently may be due to people being locked down spending time looking to move instead of booking holidays - especially if they now think a bigger suburban home with more space to work from home is more valuable than an expensive flat in the city.

    Id say if they’re going to drop it’s because the government aren’t paying the stamp after the end of the month
    Perhaps but that shouldn't have affected last months figures making it drop last month should it?
    I think so, because it takes a month or more to complete, so agreeing a price mid May means you prob don’t get the stamp duty discount. We are set to complete in the next week or so, hopefully, and we agreed the purchase on 27th April

    Although if the figures you cite are completions I guess that’s different. Solicitors are absolutely snowed under though so there will be a surge if those late June
    Were I buying a house the delay worrying me would be Local Authority searches.
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    SandpitSandpit Posts: 50,278
    Andy_JS said:

    maaarsh said:

    Have the women's Test cricket on in the background and it's very odd.

    Women's top sprinters are c. 10% slower than top men. Top lady golfers drive it c. 280 vs 320 for men so a similar gap.

    Yet the opening bowlers here are just incredibly slow, 25% or more down on a reasonably paced male bowler. Just wondering if anyone follows this whether that is an Indian team point or a general issue?

    The English bowlers are slightly faster but it's true they're a lot slower than men's cricket, in all of the teams.
    It’s quite a different pace from men’s cricket. Up to 67mph now, can still push them away for 4.
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    Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 60,609
    Andy_JS said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Conservative lead down from 12 to 7 with SavantaComRes

    https://twitter.com/BritainElects/status/1405106244738748419?s=19

    Why do they often miss Reform UK from the figures?
    Who
    I expect ReformUK to get more votes than Labour and the Greens in the C&A by-election.
    Really
  • Options
    algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 10,893
    Fishing said:

    Conservative lead down from 12 to 7 with SavantaComRes

    https://twitter.com/BritainElects/status/1405106244738748419?s=19

    They deserve it, after giving into the zero Covidiots.

    Of course, Labour don't deserve to gain, but that's politics.
    It's all within the usual range at the moment.
  • Options
    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,753
    maaarsh said:

    DavidL said:

    maaarsh said:

    Have the women's Test cricket on in the background and it's very odd.

    Women's top sprinters are c. 10% slower than top men. Top lady golfers drive it c. 280 vs 320 for men so a similar gap.

    Yet the opening bowlers here are just incredibly slow, 25% or more down on a reasonably paced male bowler. Just wondering if anyone follows this whether that is an Indian team point or a general issue?

    Yes, I've noticed that too. Oddly, they seem to hit 6s almost as far as the men these days, 80m is not that unusual. Probably within the 10%. There may be physiological reasons, fast bowling is a bloody weird thing to do to the body.
    The odd thing is you'd expect bat to dominate as a result given there's no reason for the batting skill to have any real deficit and the bowling they're facing is much weaker - but looking at the stats the opposite seems to be the case. Maybe a result of barely playing any long form cricket, but it does leave the whole thing feeling frankly a bit lower standard than a club or school match.
    I think that the standard of women's cricket has picked up enormously but I would accept that it is more in the shorter versions of the game than at test level. And there are a lot of very effective bowlers in the men's game that are not particularly fast. Jimmy Anderson is not particularly quick but he is very skilled and accurate. Some of the women are the same.
  • Options
    Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 60,609
    Should Lib Dems take C&A and Labour hold B&S then that would change the narrative for HMG
  • Options
    tlg86tlg86 Posts: 25,312
    DavidL said:

    maaarsh said:

    Have the women's Test cricket on in the background and it's very odd.

    Women's top sprinters are c. 10% slower than top men. Top lady golfers drive it c. 280 vs 320 for men so a similar gap.

    Yet the opening bowlers here are just incredibly slow, 25% or more down on a reasonably paced male bowler. Just wondering if anyone follows this whether that is an Indian team point or a general issue?

    Yes, I've noticed that too. Oddly, they seem to hit 6s almost as far as the men these days, 80m is not that unusual. Probably within the 10%. There may be physiological reasons, fast bowling is a bloody weird thing to do to the body.
    I guess it's simply down to not many girls giving it a go (unlike, say, athletics). Not that many boys have a go at fast bowling for that matter.
  • Options
    Philip_ThompsonPhilip_Thompson Posts: 65,826
    edited June 2021
    DavidL said:

    maaarsh said:

    DavidL said:

    maaarsh said:

    Have the women's Test cricket on in the background and it's very odd.

    Women's top sprinters are c. 10% slower than top men. Top lady golfers drive it c. 280 vs 320 for men so a similar gap.

    Yet the opening bowlers here are just incredibly slow, 25% or more down on a reasonably paced male bowler. Just wondering if anyone follows this whether that is an Indian team point or a general issue?

    Yes, I've noticed that too. Oddly, they seem to hit 6s almost as far as the men these days, 80m is not that unusual. Probably within the 10%. There may be physiological reasons, fast bowling is a bloody weird thing to do to the body.
    The odd thing is you'd expect bat to dominate as a result given there's no reason for the batting skill to have any real deficit and the bowling they're facing is much weaker - but looking at the stats the opposite seems to be the case. Maybe a result of barely playing any long form cricket, but it does leave the whole thing feeling frankly a bit lower standard than a club or school match.
    I think that the standard of women's cricket has picked up enormously but I would accept that it is more in the shorter versions of the game than at test level. And there are a lot of very effective bowlers in the men's game that are not particularly fast. Jimmy Anderson is not particularly quick but he is very skilled and accurate. Some of the women are the same.
    Of course Jimmy Anderson was originally a fast bowler and has worked his abilities dropping the pace a little but improving his skill, line, length, swing, reverse swing etc and is one of the greatest of all time as a result.

    Or in the word of Michael Holding "bowl it fast, why is he not bowling it faster, in my day you bowled it fast, fast, fast . . . did I mention you should bowl fast yet?"
  • Options
    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,753

    DavidL said:

    maaarsh said:

    DavidL said:

    maaarsh said:

    Have the women's Test cricket on in the background and it's very odd.

    Women's top sprinters are c. 10% slower than top men. Top lady golfers drive it c. 280 vs 320 for men so a similar gap.

    Yet the opening bowlers here are just incredibly slow, 25% or more down on a reasonably paced male bowler. Just wondering if anyone follows this whether that is an Indian team point or a general issue?

    Yes, I've noticed that too. Oddly, they seem to hit 6s almost as far as the men these days, 80m is not that unusual. Probably within the 10%. There may be physiological reasons, fast bowling is a bloody weird thing to do to the body.
    The odd thing is you'd expect bat to dominate as a result given there's no reason for the batting skill to have any real deficit and the bowling they're facing is much weaker - but looking at the stats the opposite seems to be the case. Maybe a result of barely playing any long form cricket, but it does leave the whole thing feeling frankly a bit lower standard than a club or school match.
    I think that the standard of women's cricket has picked up enormously but I would accept that it is more in the shorter versions of the game than at test level. And there are a lot of very effective bowlers in the men's game that are not particularly fast. Jimmy Anderson is not particularly quick but he is very skilled and accurate. Some of the women are the same.
    Of course Jimmy Anderson was originally a fast bowler and has worked his abilities dropping the pace a little but improving his skill, line, length, swing, reverse swing etc and is one of the greatest of all time as a result.

    Or in the word of Michael Holding "bowl it fast, why is he not bowling it faster, in my day you bowled it fast, fast, fast . . . did I mention you should bowl fast yet?"
    I could listen to Michael Holding reading a telephone directory. I just love his accent. It sounds like summer.

    But I agree he has a bit of a fetish about speed.
  • Options
    maaarshmaaarsh Posts: 3,391
    BTW Cummings has dropped a bomb just before PMQs

    https://dominiccummings.substack.com/p/the-pm-on-hancock-totally-fucking

    Includes whatsapps from Boris calling Hancock useless.
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    alex_alex_ Posts: 7,518
    Generally fast bowling combines more than one physical attribute. So the relative difference between men and women is going to be greater than in sports where there might only be one (eg. Sprinting) That’s before you get into question of body shape etc.
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    isamisam Posts: 41,118
    edited June 2021
    The problem with GB News type channels/Twitter accounts is that they might be correct to point out the bad things about woke, but let that detract from any good woke things, or let the small woke aspect of something colour their whole view of it.

    For instance, I said earlier I thought ‘Time’ was brilliant. Whilst we were watching it though, when the Prison Governor turned out to be a young, black woman, my gf and I looked at each other and said ‘standard lefty bbc’, but it didn’t stop the program being brilliant - and there is a part of me that doesn’t mind the unrealistic aspect of it if it is promoting some kind of acceptance/trying to slap down old attitudes. I think outraged of Gammonshire would say they turned it off at that point, and the same goes for the other side of the coin - the stop funding hate types who demand their kind of purity
  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,561
    maaarsh said:

    BTW Cummings has dropped a bomb just before PMQs

    https://dominiccummings.substack.com/p/the-pm-on-hancock-totally-fucking

    Includes whatsapps from Boris calling Hancock useless.

    Typical Cummings 'This No10 will unravel — it would already be unravelling if Starmer were not also useless. '
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    kle4kle4 Posts: 92,772
    Why do politicians work with this guy? This end was completely predictable - whatever his merits in ideas or energy he cannot be trusted as a political adviser.
  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,561
    edited June 2021

    Andy_JS said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Conservative lead down from 12 to 7 with SavantaComRes

    https://twitter.com/BritainElects/status/1405106244738748419?s=19

    Why do they often miss Reform UK from the figures?
    Who
    I expect ReformUK to get more votes than Labour and the Greens in the C&A by-election.
    Really
    Quite possible if most Labour and Green voters tactically vote LD in Chesham and Amersham and enough Tory anti Covid restriction voters vote Reform UK
  • Options
    Pro_RataPro_Rata Posts: 4,925
    My B&S barometer:

    Start point was the local elections, as those results and GE results land in broadly the same range and there was a full range of candidates:

    Local elections across 6 wards:
    Lab, 11410, Con, 11450
    (Con, +40 votes)

    Cleckheaton LD redistribution:
    About 1500 votes to divide
    300 LD, 750 Lab, 450 Con
    (Lab, +260)
    Note: CON 2nd place lead in locals substantial enough that ward still 'goes CON' in Electoral Calculus.
    (Note: local issue of a proposed Amazon warehouse seem to hit opprobrium across the spectrum, I've not factored in any hit to Labour by virtue of leading the council, from this)

    Independent redistribution:
    Very few independent votes in LE
    Heavy Woollens, as I predicted, were a diminished force and have not stood
    Galloway will still have some currency for Muslim voters and I do expect an impact on Labour
    (-> Con +1200)

    Kim Leadbeater:
    The Jo Cox sister thing won't be seen as a manipulation here, as Leadbeater has a positive profile in her own right
    (-> Lab +300)

    Swing since May:
    The LEs diminished SKS considerably, but COVID regs delay and the relevant 'not a local lockdown' debacle has probably clawed back some of that loss.
    The mo' is important, so C&A result may be a tipping point to n itself.
    (-> genuinely tctc)

    Prediction: majority of no more than 500 (on LE like turnout) for either party.
  • Options
    CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,020
    maaarsh said:

    BTW Cummings has dropped a bomb just before PMQs

    https://dominiccummings.substack.com/p/the-pm-on-hancock-totally-fucking

    Includes whatsapps from Boris calling Hancock useless.

    No it doesn't.

    The most revealing thing is Johnson's question on the ppe disaster "is this from tonight focus group and polls"

    Not "is PPE actually a disaster, but "do voters think it's a disaster"?
  • Options
    rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 59,009
    maaarsh said:

    BTW Cummings has dropped a bomb just before PMQs

    https://dominiccummings.substack.com/p/the-pm-on-hancock-totally-fucking

    Includes whatsapps from Boris calling Hancock useless.

    Wow. There's screens of material.

    He really really really hates Hancock doesn't he.

    "Totally fucking useless"
  • Options
    maaarshmaaarsh Posts: 3,391

    maaarsh said:

    BTW Cummings has dropped a bomb just before PMQs

    https://dominiccummings.substack.com/p/the-pm-on-hancock-totally-fucking

    Includes whatsapps from Boris calling Hancock useless.

    No it doesn't.

    The most revealing thing is Johnson's question on the ppe disaster "is this from tonight focus group and polls"

    Not "is PPE actually a disaster, but "do voters think it's a disaster"?
    There's a screenshot of Boris saying "It's Hancock - he has been hopeless".
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    Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 27,622
    edited June 2021
    Has Roger had a go at Stoke-on-Trent yet on this thread?
  • Options
    eekeek Posts: 25,445
    edited June 2021
    DavidL said:

    Sandpit said:

    isam said:

    Re Labour losing the Islamic vote in Batley

    I’ll probably be corrected, but it seems to me that, on the whole, Muslims and Jews have never really got on, and the rising levels of islamophobia & anti- semitism are nothing more than there being more opportunities for them to clash in England than there used to be. We never really saw it this close up before

    The worry for me is that if Labour lose the Muslim vote in the inner cities, an Islamic party will step into the vacuum - that would be a disastrous outcome

    Galloway could well harvest enough votes in B&S, to hand the seat to the Tories.
    What, about 10? You think its going to be that close?
    Galloway seems to get a particular sector of Asian voters - that may be enough former Labour votes to swing the election in the Tories direction
  • Options
    CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,020
    maaarsh said:

    maaarsh said:

    BTW Cummings has dropped a bomb just before PMQs

    https://dominiccummings.substack.com/p/the-pm-on-hancock-totally-fucking

    Includes whatsapps from Boris calling Hancock useless.

    No it doesn't.

    The most revealing thing is Johnson's question on the ppe disaster "is this from tonight focus group and polls"

    Not "is PPE actually a disaster, but "do voters think it's a disaster"?
    There's a screenshot of Boris saying "It's Hancock - he has been hopeless".
    Here:

    https://twitter.com/PoliticsForAlI/status/1405116314050519040?s=20

    Guido has updated his article.
  • Options
    maaarshmaaarsh Posts: 3,391

    maaarsh said:

    maaarsh said:

    BTW Cummings has dropped a bomb just before PMQs

    https://dominiccummings.substack.com/p/the-pm-on-hancock-totally-fucking

    Includes whatsapps from Boris calling Hancock useless.

    No it doesn't.

    The most revealing thing is Johnson's question on the ppe disaster "is this from tonight focus group and polls"

    Not "is PPE actually a disaster, but "do voters think it's a disaster"?
    There's a screenshot of Boris saying "It's Hancock - he has been hopeless".
    Here:

    https://twitter.com/PoliticsForAlI/status/1405116314050519040?s=20

    Guido has updated his article.
    I haven't read Guido, I'm reading Cumming's blog, it is there in black and white.
  • Options
    TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 40,541
    It is ComedyResults..






  • Options
    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,753
    Interesting challenge for Neil tonight. The Chancellor is a very big fish for his new channel. It shows the government are inclined to be supportive of the new channel in giving a different voice. So does he do his usual demolition job or soft soap him? hmm.....
  • Options
    tlg86tlg86 Posts: 25,312
    Boris and the rest of the government are idiots.

    But Starmer reminds me that he and Labour are even worse.
  • Options
    TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 40,541
    edited June 2021
    maaarsh said:

    maaarsh said:

    BTW Cummings has dropped a bomb just before PMQs

    https://dominiccummings.substack.com/p/the-pm-on-hancock-totally-fucking

    Includes whatsapps from Boris calling Hancock useless.

    No it doesn't.

    The most revealing thing is Johnson's question on the ppe disaster "is this from tonight focus group and polls"

    Not "is PPE actually a disaster, but "do voters think it's a disaster"?
    There's a screenshot of Boris saying "It's Hancock - he has been hopeless".


    Even more damning, considering replacing shit Predator with awful Alien



  • Options
    CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,020
    maaarsh said:

    maaarsh said:

    maaarsh said:

    BTW Cummings has dropped a bomb just before PMQs

    https://dominiccummings.substack.com/p/the-pm-on-hancock-totally-fucking

    Includes whatsapps from Boris calling Hancock useless.

    No it doesn't.

    The most revealing thing is Johnson's question on the ppe disaster "is this from tonight focus group and polls"

    Not "is PPE actually a disaster, but "do voters think it's a disaster"?
    There's a screenshot of Boris saying "It's Hancock - he has been hopeless".
    Here:

    https://twitter.com/PoliticsForAlI/status/1405116314050519040?s=20

    Guido has updated his article.
    I haven't read Guido, I'm reading Cumming's blog, it is there in black and white.
    Helpful to post a link......
  • Options
    maaarshmaaarsh Posts: 3,391
    DavidL said:

    Interesting challenge for Neil tonight. The Chancellor is a very big fish for his new channel. It shows the government are inclined to be supportive of the new channel in giving a different voice. So does he do his usual demolition job or soft soap him? hmm.....

    steve baker the other night he went for his usual style, getting his facts wrong in a desperate attempt to put the counter argument to Baker and make the situation out to be worse than it is.

    Ironic when so much of the benefit of this channel is hearing an interviewee get their words out without interuption that the flagship presenter is likely to stick to the opposite.
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    dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 28,297
    "We have the toughest border measures in the world."
  • Options
    londonpubmanlondonpubman Posts: 3,301
    tlg86 said:

    Boris and the rest of the government are idiots.

    But Starmer reminds me that he and Labour are even worse.

    LAB have nothing to offer. This is apparent every time we hear from Keir, Rayner, whoever the current Shadow Chancellor is or any of the rabble on the LAB back benches.
  • Options
    mwadamsmwadams Posts: 3,178
    maaarsh said:

    Have the women's Test cricket on in the background and it's very odd.

    Women's top sprinters are c. 10% slower than top men. Top lady golfers drive it c. 280 vs 320 for men so a similar gap.

    Yet the opening bowlers here are just incredibly slow, 25% or more down on a reasonably paced male bowler. Just wondering if anyone follows this whether that is an Indian team point or a general issue?

    Fast-medium bowlers in men's cricket are at about 140kph and the women's team are pushing 120kph - so not far off that 10% difference.
  • Options
    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,753
    maaarsh said:

    DavidL said:

    Interesting challenge for Neil tonight. The Chancellor is a very big fish for his new channel. It shows the government are inclined to be supportive of the new channel in giving a different voice. So does he do his usual demolition job or soft soap him? hmm.....

    steve baker the other night he went for his usual style, getting his facts wrong in a desperate attempt to put the counter argument to Baker and make the situation out to be worse than it is.

    Ironic when so much of the benefit of this channel is hearing an interviewee get their words out without interuption that the flagship presenter is likely to stick to the opposite.
    I think he will challenge him but give him space and time to make his points. Kind of how an interview ought to be really. I am looking forward to it.
  • Options
    maaarshmaaarsh Posts: 3,391
    mwadams said:

    maaarsh said:

    Have the women's Test cricket on in the background and it's very odd.

    Women's top sprinters are c. 10% slower than top men. Top lady golfers drive it c. 280 vs 320 for men so a similar gap.

    Yet the opening bowlers here are just incredibly slow, 25% or more down on a reasonably paced male bowler. Just wondering if anyone follows this whether that is an Indian team point or a general issue?

    Fast-medium bowlers in men's cricket are at about 140kph and the women's team are pushing 120kph - so not far off that 10% difference.
    Indian opening bowlers didn't crack 110kph once that I saw in the half hour I watched.
  • Options
    tlg86tlg86 Posts: 25,312
    dixiedean said:

    "We have the toughest border measures in the world."

    Problem is, Starmer can’t draw attention to those countries that have tough controls.

    If the government had done the right thing and locked people out of the country, Starmer and the rest of the twats in the Labour Party would have screamed and screamed and screamed.
  • Options
    pingping Posts: 3,752
    edited June 2021
    DavidL said:

    Interesting challenge for Neil tonight. The Chancellor is a very big fish for his new channel. It shows the government are inclined to be supportive of the new channel in giving a different voice. So does he do his usual demolition job or soft soap him? hmm.....

    They skewered Gove, yesterday.

    I don’t think they can help themselves.
  • Options
    gealbhangealbhan Posts: 2,362

    tlg86 said:

    Boris and the rest of the government are idiots.

    But Starmer reminds me that he and Labour are even worse.

    LAB have nothing to offer. This is apparent every time we hear from Keir, Rayner, whoever the current Shadow Chancellor is or any of the rabble on the LAB back benches.
    Well that was awful lot better from Starmer at PMQs today.

    We just have to except, just like Tour de France candidates and racing horses, Politicians can go in and out of form?
  • Options
    OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 32,278
    maaarsh said:

    mwadams said:

    maaarsh said:

    Have the women's Test cricket on in the background and it's very odd.

    Women's top sprinters are c. 10% slower than top men. Top lady golfers drive it c. 280 vs 320 for men so a similar gap.

    Yet the opening bowlers here are just incredibly slow, 25% or more down on a reasonably paced male bowler. Just wondering if anyone follows this whether that is an Indian team point or a general issue?

    Fast-medium bowlers in men's cricket are at about 140kph and the women's team are pushing 120kph - so not far off that 10% difference.
    Indian opening bowlers didn't crack 110kph once that I saw in the half hour I watched.
    Indian men were not, in times past, noted for fast bowling.
  • Options
    maaarshmaaarsh Posts: 3,391
    DavidL said:

    maaarsh said:

    DavidL said:

    Interesting challenge for Neil tonight. The Chancellor is a very big fish for his new channel. It shows the government are inclined to be supportive of the new channel in giving a different voice. So does he do his usual demolition job or soft soap him? hmm.....

    steve baker the other night he went for his usual style, getting his facts wrong in a desperate attempt to put the counter argument to Baker and make the situation out to be worse than it is.

    Ironic when so much of the benefit of this channel is hearing an interviewee get their words out without interuption that the flagship presenter is likely to stick to the opposite.
    I think he will challenge him but give him space and time to make his points. Kind of how an interview ought to be really. I am looking forward to it.
    When Baker pointed out the vulnerable were covered, Neil 'misremembered' the 1-9 groups and started talking about 2nd jab for over 40s. He got his facts wrong and tried to correct Baker who was in fact in the right. Pretty shoddy stuff.
  • Options
    MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 37,686
    dixiedean said:

    "We have the toughest border measures in the world."

    New Zealand disagrees.
  • Options
    maaarshmaaarsh Posts: 3,391
    edited June 2021

    maaarsh said:

    maaarsh said:

    maaarsh said:

    BTW Cummings has dropped a bomb just before PMQs

    https://dominiccummings.substack.com/p/the-pm-on-hancock-totally-fucking

    Includes whatsapps from Boris calling Hancock useless.

    No it doesn't.

    The most revealing thing is Johnson's question on the ppe disaster "is this from tonight focus group and polls"

    Not "is PPE actually a disaster, but "do voters think it's a disaster"?
    There's a screenshot of Boris saying "It's Hancock - he has been hopeless".
    Here:

    https://twitter.com/PoliticsForAlI/status/1405116314050519040?s=20

    Guido has updated his article.
    I haven't read Guido, I'm reading Cumming's blog, it is there in black and white.
    Helpful to post a link......
    I did, in my original post, which you then replied to with your incorrect denial. It is literally embedded in the previous quotes on your post. There's no helping some people it seems.
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 76,079
    Wales 4,178 1sts 21,277 2nds

    Lowest wednesday 1sts reporting in Wales for a while - they're up to 88% of adults now though so likely approaching the long asymptotic tail of demand.

    A colleague has just shown me his vaccinations booked, 1st was in early June and second 11 weeks later !
    Had no idea the regular system was still doing this - as we'll be down to a trickle with first jabs shortly (Demand limitation) did noone think to shorten the default vaccination gap - particularly with Pfizer at this stage of the rollout ?
    It's still 11 weeks which is crazy.
  • Options
    maaarshmaaarsh Posts: 3,391

    maaarsh said:

    mwadams said:

    maaarsh said:

    Have the women's Test cricket on in the background and it's very odd.

    Women's top sprinters are c. 10% slower than top men. Top lady golfers drive it c. 280 vs 320 for men so a similar gap.

    Yet the opening bowlers here are just incredibly slow, 25% or more down on a reasonably paced male bowler. Just wondering if anyone follows this whether that is an Indian team point or a general issue?

    Fast-medium bowlers in men's cricket are at about 140kph and the women's team are pushing 120kph - so not far off that 10% difference.
    Indian opening bowlers didn't crack 110kph once that I saw in the half hour I watched.
    Indian men were not, in times past, noted for fast bowling.
    The wikipedia entry for 1 of the Indian bowlers notes her as the fastest female bowler currently active in international cricket. I will assume she is on an off day.
  • Options
    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,835
    edited June 2021
    Well that media spaffing themselves silly for the next few days over Big Doms whatapps.

    While the vaccine roll out slows....and the real important question is was delaying for a month the right decision.
  • Options
    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,753
    The other thing I would say about the Cummings material is that the government were facing a crisis the likes of which we had not seen since WW2. The government was facing scenarios where hundreds, potentially thousands, of UK citizens were going to die each day, where our NHS was going to be overwhelmed and our economy was going to collapse.

    If things didn't get a little intemperate I would wonder the hell was going on. Stressful doesn't even begin to describe it.

    Nor is it all that surprising that the first attempt to build a team to address it didn't work. It would have been astonishing if it did.

    Cummings seems to be carrying a lot of guilt that things didn't go better. I think he should reflect that with his help things went tolerably well. Lots of mistakes. Several inspired calls. Some mediocrity. Such is life.
  • Options
    CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,020
    Blackford faster on his feet referring to the Cummings messages - but goes with his prepared Oz deal question instead...
  • Options
    SandpitSandpit Posts: 50,278
    maaarsh said:

    BTW Cummings has dropped a bomb just before PMQs

    https://dominiccummings.substack.com/p/the-pm-on-hancock-totally-fucking

    Includes whatsapps from Boris calling Hancock useless.

    Have they still not learned to stop using bloody Facebook on personal phones to discuss government business?

    The government IT service should insist on only approved devices running approved applications - that get wiped when someone leaves, or forgets it in a taxi.
  • Options
    Sean_FSean_F Posts: 36,128
    DavidL said:

    maaarsh said:

    Have the women's Test cricket on in the background and it's very odd.

    Women's top sprinters are c. 10% slower than top men. Top lady golfers drive it c. 280 vs 320 for men so a similar gap.

    Yet the opening bowlers here are just incredibly slow, 25% or more down on a reasonably paced male bowler. Just wondering if anyone follows this whether that is an Indian team point or a general issue?

    Yes, I've noticed that too. Oddly, they seem to hit 6s almost as far as the men these days, 80m is not that unusual. Probably within the 10%. There may be physiological reasons, fast bowling is a bloody weird thing to do to the body.
    I tend to find womens' tennis more interesting than mens', because fewer aces are served.
  • Options
    Philip_ThompsonPhilip_Thompson Posts: 65,826
    Keir Starmer really is bloody useless isn't he?

    Johnson screwed up this week kowtowing to nonsensical scientific "models" despite an absence of deaths and still he can't get the ball in the net.

    If Starmer can't best Boris this week of all weeks when is he ever going to do so again.
This discussion has been closed.