Howdy, Stranger!

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

BBC Sports Personality of the Year – Doubting Dina Asher Smith – politicalbetting.com

SystemSystem Posts: 11,002
edited July 2021 in General
imageBBC Sports Personality of the Year – Doubting Dina Asher Smith – politicalbetting.com

With less than a week to go to the Olympic opening ceremony, the race for BBC Sports Personality of the Year (aka SPotY) is heating up nicely. Every 4 years the award is dominated by Olympic champions. You have to go back to 1996 to find a non-Olympic winner (Damon Hill, F1 Champion), though some winners are Olympians whose biggest achievement that year was outside the Olympics (Andy Murray in 2016, for example, won Wimbledon too).

Read the full story here

«13456

Comments

  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,274
    Free flu vaccines will be offered to children aged two to 16, as well as people aged 50 and over or in "at-risk" groups this winter, as the UK faces the double threat of Covid and influenza.

    Experts hope for a record-breaking rollout reaching more than 35 million people, including more teenagers than ever before.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,842

    Free flu vaccines will be offered to children aged two to 16, as well as people aged 50 and over or in "at-risk" groups this winter, as the UK faces the double threat of Covid and influenza.

    Experts hope for a record-breaking rollout reaching more than 35 million people, including more teenagers than ever before.

    So kids get the flu jab but not covid and nothing if you're 17 :neutral:
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,842
    Teo Geoghan Hart and John Rea were two omissions from last year
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,767
    Pulpstar said:

    Free flu vaccines will be offered to children aged two to 16, as well as people aged 50 and over or in "at-risk" groups this winter, as the UK faces the double threat of Covid and influenza.

    Experts hope for a record-breaking rollout reaching more than 35 million people, including more teenagers than ever before.

    So kids get the flu jab but not covid and nothing if you're 17 :neutral:
    The US will open up covid vaccines to 8-11 year olds from September. And we still don't offer then to 17 year olds...
  • FishingFishing Posts: 4,555
    Yes, we really should be vaccinating teenagers if they want to be vaccinated.
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 47,787
    “France reports 10,908 new coronavirus cases, up 143% from last week and the biggest one-day increase since May”

    https://twitter.com/bnodesk/status/1416183234283675649
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,274
    edited July 2021
    Israel saying again they think Pfizer vaccine is significantly less effective against Indian variant.

    https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/for-first-time-since-march-855-new-coronavirus-cases-in-israel-674084

    UK strategy is based on the fact there isn't any real reduction overall when full vaccinated....if that isn't true...tellytubbies says uh oh....
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 23,926
    Mark Cavendish looks unlikely to break Eddy Merckx's record for Tour de France stage wins this year (though he has drawn level) so he looks an unlikely winner, even given the power of the cycling block vote in SPotY. Yesterday was supposed to be his big chance but he finished down the field.

    Football? If you knew who would be shortlisted from England's Euro 2020 team, he'd be a short price, but we don't. There was no outstanding performer. Raheem Sterling possibly but wait for the shortlist and remember Scots, Welsh and Northern Irish viewers also get to vote.

    So against the header, I think Dina Asher-Smith probably ought now to be favourite and 6/1 (Skybet) is arguably a good price (9/2 next best). I say arguably because as @Quincel notes in the header, she does need to win at the Olympics.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,274
    edited July 2021

    Mark Cavendish looks unlikely to break Eddy Merckx's record for Tour de France stage wins this year (though he has drawn level) so he looks an unlikely winner, even given the power of the cycling block vote in SPotY. Yesterday was supposed to be his big chance but he finished down the field.

    Football? If you knew who would be shortlisted from England's Euro 2020 team, he'd be a short price, but we don't. There was no outstanding performer. Raheem Sterling possibly but wait for the shortlist and remember Scots, Welsh and Northern Irish viewers also get to vote.

    So against the header, I think Dina Asher-Smith probably ought now to be favourite and 6/1 (Skybet) is arguably a good price (9/2 next best). I say arguably because as @Quincel notes in the header, she does need to win at the Olympics.

    Cavendish still has a chance in Paris. Will the peleton set it up for him as the dream finale? Apparently Eddy Merckx came to see him and said he hopes he does manage it.
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 23,926

    Mark Cavendish looks unlikely to break Eddy Merckx's record for Tour de France stage wins this year (though he has drawn level) so he looks an unlikely winner, even given the power of the cycling block vote in SPotY. Yesterday was supposed to be his big chance but he finished down the field.

    Football? If you knew who would be shortlisted from England's Euro 2020 team, he'd be a short price, but we don't. There was no outstanding performer. Raheem Sterling possibly but wait for the shortlist and remember Scots, Welsh and Northern Irish viewers also get to vote.

    So against the header, I think Dina Asher-Smith probably ought now to be favourite and 6/1 (Skybet) is arguably a good price (9/2 next best). I say arguably because as @Quincel notes in the header, she does need to win at the Olympics.

    Cavendish still has a chance in Paris. Will the peleton set it up for him as the dream finale? Apparently Eddy Merckx came to see him and said he hopes he does manage it.
    Cavendish is 60 on Betfair with nothing on the lay side, to win stage 20.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,274
    edited July 2021

    Mark Cavendish looks unlikely to break Eddy Merckx's record for Tour de France stage wins this year (though he has drawn level) so he looks an unlikely winner, even given the power of the cycling block vote in SPotY. Yesterday was supposed to be his big chance but he finished down the field.

    Football? If you knew who would be shortlisted from England's Euro 2020 team, he'd be a short price, but we don't. There was no outstanding performer. Raheem Sterling possibly but wait for the shortlist and remember Scots, Welsh and Northern Irish viewers also get to vote.

    So against the header, I think Dina Asher-Smith probably ought now to be favourite and 6/1 (Skybet) is arguably a good price (9/2 next best). I say arguably because as @Quincel notes in the header, she does need to win at the Olympics.

    Cavendish still has a chance in Paris. Will the peleton set it up for him as the dream finale? Apparently Eddy Merckx came to see him and said he hopes he does manage it.
    Cavendish is 60 on Betfair with nothing on the lay side, to win stage 20.
    What am I missing? He is over the mountains and Paris is always a sprint finish, none of the usual big names have been able to compete this year in the sprints / have abandoned and so it has been Cavendish vs the lesser names so far and he has clearly had the edge.

    Although he doesn't seem in a very good mood...

    https://twitter.com/MaxBets001/status/1416078449857507333?s=20
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 23,926

    Mark Cavendish looks unlikely to break Eddy Merckx's record for Tour de France stage wins this year (though he has drawn level) so he looks an unlikely winner, even given the power of the cycling block vote in SPotY. Yesterday was supposed to be his big chance but he finished down the field.

    Football? If you knew who would be shortlisted from England's Euro 2020 team, he'd be a short price, but we don't. There was no outstanding performer. Raheem Sterling possibly but wait for the shortlist and remember Scots, Welsh and Northern Irish viewers also get to vote.

    So against the header, I think Dina Asher-Smith probably ought now to be favourite and 6/1 (Skybet) is arguably a good price (9/2 next best). I say arguably because as @Quincel notes in the header, she does need to win at the Olympics.

    Cavendish still has a chance in Paris. Will the peleton set it up for him as the dream finale? Apparently Eddy Merckx came to see him and said he hopes he does manage it.
    Cavendish is 60 on Betfair with nothing on the lay side, to win stage 20.
    What am I missing? Paris is always a sprint finish, none of the usual big names have been able to compete this year in the sprints / have abandoned and so it has been Cavendish vs the lesser names so far and he has clearly had the edge.
    Sorry, I've absolutely no idea when it comes to cycling. It mystifies me how cyclists win SPotY so often (including Cavendish himself in the past). But the betting says he has no chance (or he is very good value).
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,274
    BREAKING: U.S. reports more than 41,000 new coronavirus cases, biggest one-day increase since early May
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 23,926

    Mark Cavendish looks unlikely to break Eddy Merckx's record for Tour de France stage wins this year (though he has drawn level) so he looks an unlikely winner, even given the power of the cycling block vote in SPotY. Yesterday was supposed to be his big chance but he finished down the field.

    Football? If you knew who would be shortlisted from England's Euro 2020 team, he'd be a short price, but we don't. There was no outstanding performer. Raheem Sterling possibly but wait for the shortlist and remember Scots, Welsh and Northern Irish viewers also get to vote.

    So against the header, I think Dina Asher-Smith probably ought now to be favourite and 6/1 (Skybet) is arguably a good price (9/2 next best). I say arguably because as @Quincel notes in the header, she does need to win at the Olympics.

    Cavendish still has a chance in Paris. Will the peleton set it up for him as the dream finale? Apparently Eddy Merckx came to see him and said he hopes he does manage it.
    Cavendish is 60 on Betfair with nothing on the lay side, to win stage 20.
    What am I missing? Paris is always a sprint finish, none of the usual big names have been able to compete this year in the sprints / have abandoned and so it has been Cavendish vs the lesser names so far and he has clearly had the edge.
    Sorry, I've absolutely no idea when it comes to cycling. It mystifies me how cyclists win SPotY so often (including Cavendish himself in the past). But the betting says he has no chance (or he is very good value).
    Hold on. I see what I missed. Stage 20 is not the final stage: stage 21 is. :blush:
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,274
    edited July 2021

    Mark Cavendish looks unlikely to break Eddy Merckx's record for Tour de France stage wins this year (though he has drawn level) so he looks an unlikely winner, even given the power of the cycling block vote in SPotY. Yesterday was supposed to be his big chance but he finished down the field.

    Football? If you knew who would be shortlisted from England's Euro 2020 team, he'd be a short price, but we don't. There was no outstanding performer. Raheem Sterling possibly but wait for the shortlist and remember Scots, Welsh and Northern Irish viewers also get to vote.

    So against the header, I think Dina Asher-Smith probably ought now to be favourite and 6/1 (Skybet) is arguably a good price (9/2 next best). I say arguably because as @Quincel notes in the header, she does need to win at the Olympics.

    Cavendish still has a chance in Paris. Will the peleton set it up for him as the dream finale? Apparently Eddy Merckx came to see him and said he hopes he does manage it.
    Cavendish is 60 on Betfair with nothing on the lay side, to win stage 20.
    What am I missing? Paris is always a sprint finish, none of the usual big names have been able to compete this year in the sprints / have abandoned and so it has been Cavendish vs the lesser names so far and he has clearly had the edge.
    Sorry, I've absolutely no idea when it comes to cycling. It mystifies me how cyclists win SPotY so often (including Cavendish himself in the past). But the betting says he has no chance (or he is very good value).
    Hold on. I see what I missed. Stage 20 is not the final stage: stage 21 is. :blush:
    That makes more sense, as Cavendish isn't winning the time trial.
  • gealbhangealbhan Posts: 2,362
    edited July 2021
    Fishing said:

    Yes, we really should be vaccinating teenagers if they want to be vaccinated.

    We really ought to give those jabs if going spare to the vulnerable in Africa who haven’t had their jabs yet.
    Surely it’s time now. Who says it isn’t?
  • gealbhangealbhan Posts: 2,362
    edited July 2021
    Very much on topic. “ am comfortable having laid her on the betting markets.”.

    I always said the betting markets would prove good for such a thing.

    Can I make such a joke in this day and age? When I wake in the morning, will I find myself ‘cancelled’ ? So if I don’t get a chance to say it, thanks for helping me along through lockdown, you’ve all been great. Enjoy your life, your freedom. And take care of yourselves. 👋🏻
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,274
    France reports 10,908 new coronavirus cases, up 143% from last week and the biggest one-day increase since May
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 23,926
    Book news. The number one seller on Amazon.com has not been released yet. Guess what it is about.

    I Alone Can Fix It: Donald J. Trump's Catastrophic Final Year

  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 23,926
    gealbhan said:

    Very much on topic. “ am comfortable having laid her on the betting markets.”.

    I always said the betting markets would prove good for such a thing.

    Can I make such a joke in this day and age? When I wake in the morning, will I find myself ‘cancelled’ ? So if I don’t get a chance to say it, thanks for helping me along through lockdown, you’ve all been great. Enjoy your life, your freedom. And take care of yourselves. 👋🏻

    tbh I wouldn't bother. People have been making the same "lay" joke for the past three centuries. There can't be many left who (a) will understand it, and (b) have not heard it.
  • DougSealDougSeal Posts: 11,059
    gealbhan said:

    Very much on topic. “ am comfortable having laid her on the betting markets.”.

    I always said the betting markets would prove good for such a thing.

    Can I make such a joke in this day and age? When I wake in the morning, will I find myself ‘cancelled’ ? So if I don’t get a chance to say it, thanks for helping me along through lockdown, you’ve all been great. Enjoy your life, your freedom. And take care of yourselves. 👋🏻

    I don’t understand the joke. Can you explain?
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 23,926
    edited July 2021
    George Takei (Sulu from Star Trek) punts for a Nobel Prize in Economics:-
    The anti-vaxxers have pretty much shown economists that you can't assume people will act rationally and in their own self interest.
    https://twitter.com/GeorgeTakei/status/1414829564048646150
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,933
    Good morning, everyone.

    F1: we've had qualifying. And next up is... practice 2. But there's no changing the car setups... and then a sprint race.

    I dislike this. I'm not a fan of change generally and this just seems like nonsense.
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 32,735
    #Tokyo2020 organisers also confirm the number of positive cases linked to the Games has risen to 44 - at least five athletes. In Tokyo generally, cases are above 1,000 for a third straight day.
    https://twitter.com/SarahDawkins23/status/1416260373569806337
  • squareroot2squareroot2 Posts: 6,287
    Asher-Smith advertises something on tv.. couldn't tell you what it was but they put her name up on screen to tell people who she is.. name recognition is not good.. but star quality undoubtedly.
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,715
    'Mornin' everyone. Not the fastest news day?

    Bright and sunny, though.
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,933
    King Cole, aye, it's already annoying me. Going to be hard sleeping tonight. Humbug!
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,080
    This situation with travel is ludicrous.

    An entire industry and millions of people are being *****d about based on the governments capricious whim and next to no logic whatsoever.

    Just decide whether people can travel or not. And have some consistency based on comparable risk to the range of activities now permissible in the UK.
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,715
    edited July 2021
    Enjoyed the cricket last night; the side that won (Pakistan) bowled better, and that was why they did. Not sure why Moeen Ali was there.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,741

    Asher-Smith advertises something on tv.. couldn't tell you what it was but they put her name up on screen to tell people who she is.. name recognition is not good.. but star quality undoubtedly.

    Muller yoghurt? That’s the one I’ve seen, anyway.

    I saw the ad on YouTube and (not having any interest in athletics) was wondering who on earth she was.
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 25,164
    Excellent thread. SPoTY is a market I steer clear of because I seem to get it wrong a lot! I don’t know much about athletics, but I tend to agree with Quincey’s take.

    On the subject of women not winning it, I got burnt thinking the BBC would go all out to help Laura Trott/Kenny in 2016. Had Ennis-Hill won gold in Rio, I think she would have won it having become a mother. I think the same applies to Laura Kenny this year. But she has to win.

    I don’t think it will be a footballer. Had Sterling been one of three getting abuse for missing a penalty, then he’d have a chance. Now I know it wasn’t his call, but not taking a penalty counts against him.

    So I think Cavendish is probably right to be the favourite at this stage.
  • JonathanJonathan Posts: 20,901

    George Takei (Sulu from Star Trek) punts for a Nobel Prize in Economics:-
    The anti-vaxxers have pretty much shown economists that you can't assume people will act rationally and in their own self interest.
    https://twitter.com/GeorgeTakei/status/1414829564048646150

    You have to despair at the antivax,anti mask brigade.
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 32,735
    Paging SeanT...

    Not content with destroying the livelihoods of Hauliers, Farmers, Fishermen, Actors & Musicians, Lying @BorisJohnson has now turned his attention to Authors & Publishers. The ‘post Brexit’ plan will significantly impact intellectual property rights & smother the book industry.
    🤬

    https://twitter.com/Jgs_x/status/1416281211526340610
  • GardenwalkerGardenwalker Posts: 20,812
    edited July 2021
    Scott_xP said:

    “I was very, very surprised at how poor Johnson’s speech was,” said Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary, University of London. “I would have thought that was an opportunity to set out the government’s stall and go back to the manifesto that won them the election in 2019.


    But as I posted at the time, I was actually impressed by Boris’s analysis of the problem, and if you could strip away the waffle - the high level solutions he outlined.

    It’s just that it was highly rambling and peppered with bathetic nuggets about “£10m to remove chewing gum”, and he totally lost his audience.

    My fear now is that the whole speech was so badly received that he has managed to spike the levelling up agenda - especially as he has surrounded himself with folks like Rishi, Javid and Kwarteng who are ideologically hostile.

    That would be a crying shame for the 60% of people who don’t live in the “South”.
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 25,164
    Just reading up on Jason Kenny, and whilst he’s not the force he was, we all know how our cyclists have a habit of peaking for the olympics. If he gets past Hoy’s record for golds, he would be in the mix, though that might start to split the cycling vote.
  • fox327fox327 Posts: 363
    rcs1000 said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Free flu vaccines will be offered to children aged two to 16, as well as people aged 50 and over or in "at-risk" groups this winter, as the UK faces the double threat of Covid and influenza.

    Experts hope for a record-breaking rollout reaching more than 35 million people, including more teenagers than ever before.

    So kids get the flu jab but not covid and nothing if you're 17 :neutral:
    The US will open up covid vaccines to 8-11 year olds from September. And we still don't offer then to 17 year olds...
    The government should disband the JCVI or overrule it if it does not soon support COVID vaccines for teenagers, unless there is compelling evidence that they would not be safe. The rising levels of COVID cases and resulting disruption are likely to force their hand soon anyway.
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 25,164
    Jonathan said:

    George Takei (Sulu from Star Trek) punts for a Nobel Prize in Economics:-
    The anti-vaxxers have pretty much shown economists that you can't assume people will act rationally and in their own self interest.
    https://twitter.com/GeorgeTakei/status/1414829564048646150

    You have to despair at the antivax,anti mask brigade.
    Do you mean people who are both of those things or are you saying anti-mask is on a par with anti-vax?
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 41,673

    'Mornin' everyone. Not the fastest news day?

    Bright and sunny, though.

    Morning KC, another beautiful day here as well
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 25,164
    Helen Glover (66-1) is a mother of three. I think she’s a long shot in the women’s pairs at the rowing, but would obviously be in with a shout were she to win gold.
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,715
    malcolmg said:

    'Mornin' everyone. Not the fastest news day?

    Bright and sunny, though.

    Morning KC, another beautiful day here as well
    Sun shines on the righteous, perhaps? And Good Morning to you!
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 32,735
    Anyone know at what time the pandemic is ending on Monday?
    https://twitter.com/MichaelLamberta/status/1416043650811891726
  • RazedabodeRazedabode Posts: 2,973
    At what point has Johnson served his purpose for the Tory party - he’s not great at the strategic stuff, day to day management or clarity of message.

    Government comms actually seems to be gettting worse.
  • TazTaz Posts: 10,703
    Gorgeous weather up in the toon.
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 25,164
    What Asher Smith has going for her is that athletics is the standout event of the olympics. You could argue that the success of any individual in cycling or rowing is wrapped up in our general expertise in those events. Arguably a gold in the 200m should be viewed as being a bit more special.
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 32,735

    At what point has Johnson served his purpose for the Tory party - he’s not great at the strategic stuff, day to day management or clarity of message.

    Government comms actually seems to be gettting worse.

    Workplace grumbling suggests a rift at the top https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/mutiny-stirs-distant-no-10-chief-dan-rosenfield-kcsxjnqhf?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1626493645
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,741
    Slightly strange ban:

    UK looks to extend ivory ban to hippos and other animals
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-57867935

    I didn’t realise hippos were big buyers of ivory.
  • GardenwalkerGardenwalker Posts: 20,812
    Scott_xP said:

    At what point has Johnson served his purpose for the Tory party - he’s not great at the strategic stuff, day to day management or clarity of message.

    Government comms actually seems to be gettting worse.

    Workplace grumbling suggests a rift at the top https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/mutiny-stirs-distant-no-10-chief-dan-rosenfield-kcsxjnqhf?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1626493645
    According to Cummings this week (an unbiased source obvs), Rosenfield has been reduced to taking tea orders and Johnson now fancies being his “own Chief of Staff”.

    Seems like discipline is breaking down again.
  • GardenwalkerGardenwalker Posts: 20,812
    edited July 2021
    The issue with the French thing is not the decision per se; it’s the arbitrary and opaque nature of it.

    Nobody knows why France has been chosen.
    Nobody knows why a new colour has been invented for it.
    Nobody knows why the announcement was made at 8pm on a Friday evening.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 44,056

    At what point has Johnson served his purpose for the Tory party - he’s not great at the strategic stuff, day to day management or clarity of message.

    Government comms actually seems to be gettting worse.

    Not thus year, and the 5 or so available on betfair for 2023 or 2024 doesn't look much value.

    Events are too unpredictable but the plan for headlines such as "Nation Grateful as Boris Saves Summer" doesn't seem to be going well.
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 32,735

    According to Cummings this week (an unbiased source obvs), Rosenfield has been reduced to taking tea orders and Johnson now fancies being his “own Chief of Staff”.

    Seems like discipline is breaking down again.

    BoZo's Government was chaotic and dangerous with Cummings in post.

    BoZo's Government is chaotic and dangerous without Cummings.

    I wonder if anyone can figure out the common factor...
  • state_go_awaystate_go_away Posts: 5,415
    Adam Peaty could be a dark horse for SPOTY.
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 14,878
    ydoethur said:

    Slightly strange ban:

    UK looks to extend ivory ban to hippos and other animals
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-57867935

    I didn’t realise hippos were big buyers of ivory.

    Big illegal trade in ivory among the hippos. Can’t count the number of police raids going down at longleat, just trying to find their stash...
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 37,603

    The issue with the French thing is not the decision per se; it’s the arbitrary and opaque nature of it.

    Nobody knows why France has been chosen.
    Nobody knows why a new colour has been invented for it.
    Nobody knows why the announcement was made at 8pm on a Friday evening.

    Very high prevalence of Beta which has got higher levers of vaccine escape. However, the French delta wave is taking off so it might only be for a couple of weeks as delta will quickly dominate and outcompete the other variants for hosts.
  • TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 39,748

    The issue with the French thing is not the decision per se; it’s the arbitrary and opaque nature of it.

    Nobody knows why France has been chosen.
    Nobody knows why a new colour has been invented for it.
    Nobody knows why the announcement was made at 8pm on a Friday evening.

    The killer point is the sense that the people imposing this rule don't know either.

    'Do something!'

    'Like what?'

    ''Dunno, anything!'
  • state_go_awaystate_go_away Posts: 5,415
    MaxPB said:

    The issue with the French thing is not the decision per se; it’s the arbitrary and opaque nature of it.

    Nobody knows why France has been chosen.
    Nobody knows why a new colour has been invented for it.
    Nobody knows why the announcement was made at 8pm on a Friday evening.

    Very high prevalence of Beta which has got higher levers of vaccine escape. However, the French delta wave is taking off so it might only be for a couple of weeks as delta will quickly dominate and outcompete the other variants for hosts.
    I am not a supporter of quarantine in general at this stage - It is not as if we are covid free (or anywhere near) and trying to keep it out ) but this is especially bonkers.
  • RochdalePioneersRochdalePioneers Posts: 27,013
    Scott_xP said:

    #Tokyo2020 organisers also confirm the number of positive cases linked to the Games has risen to 44 - at least five athletes. In Tokyo generally, cases are above 1,000 for a third straight day.
    https://twitter.com/SarahDawkins23/status/1416260373569806337

    Holding the Olympics is batshit crazy. Never mind having to do it only for IOC VIPs (though as its always just for them its quite nice that they can stop pretending they care about anyone else), the games are already being hit by the pox in the village and it hasn't started yet.

    What are the IOC's rules when the 8 people who qualified for the Mens 100m final all get exposed to Covid because three of them have just tested positive?
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 25,164

    Adam Peaty could be a dark horse for SPOTY.

    He looks our best bet for a gold medal. We’ve got used to winning lots, but we’re due a relatively poor games. I think if Asher Smith, one of the Kennys or Glover wins gold, then Peaty doesn’t win SPoTY. But it’s far from impossible that he’s our standout performer at the games.
  • state_go_awaystate_go_away Posts: 5,415

    Scott_xP said:

    #Tokyo2020 organisers also confirm the number of positive cases linked to the Games has risen to 44 - at least five athletes. In Tokyo generally, cases are above 1,000 for a third straight day.
    https://twitter.com/SarahDawkins23/status/1416260373569806337

    Holding the Olympics is batshit crazy. Never mind having to do it only for IOC VIPs (though as its always just for them its quite nice that they can stop pretending they care about anyone else), the games are already being hit by the pox in the village and it hasn't started yet.

    What are the IOC's rules when the 8 people who qualified for the Mens 100m final all get exposed to Covid because three of them have just tested positive?
    yeah lets not do things just in case something might happen that stops us doing it
  • StuartinromfordStuartinromford Posts: 14,085

    The issue with the French thing is not the decision per se; it’s the arbitrary and opaque nature of it.

    Nobody knows why France has been chosen.
    Nobody knows why a new colour has been invented for it.
    Nobody knows why the announcement was made at 8pm on a Friday evening.

    The killer point is the sense that the people imposing this rule don't know either.

    'Do something!'

    'Like what?'

    ''Dunno, anything!'
    Everyone knows that War With France goes down well with the voters.

    Some bright spark thought that this was the next best thing.

    The bigger picture is that Johnsonism is all about power- in particular, collecting as much power as possible and putting it on one desk. And whimsically making arbitrary opaque decisions is a great way of displaying that you have power. If your decisions follow logic and reason, you're just a follower.
  • Dura_AceDura_Ace Posts: 12,880
    Pulpstar said:

    Teo Geoghan Hart and John Rea were two omissions from last year

    Any cyclist, especially a Sky/Ineos walking chemistry experiment, is a bit of a hostage to fortune...

    WSBK has a tiny audience despite JR's immense record. He should have gone to HRC MotoGP when Stoner retired.
  • StuartDicksonStuartDickson Posts: 12,146
    edited July 2021

    Mark Cavendish looks unlikely to break Eddy Merckx's record for Tour de France stage wins this year (though he has drawn level) so he looks an unlikely winner, even given the power of the cycling block vote in SPotY. Yesterday was supposed to be his big chance but he finished down the field.

    Football? If you knew who would be shortlisted from England's Euro 2020 team, he'd be a short price, but we don't. There was no outstanding performer. Raheem Sterling possibly but wait for the shortlist and remember Scots, Welsh and Northern Irish viewers also get to vote.

    So against the header, I think Dina Asher-Smith probably ought now to be favourite and 6/1 (Skybet) is arguably a good price (9/2 next best). I say arguably because as @Quincel notes in the header, she does need to win at the Olympics.

    Manxman Cavendish has a good chance on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées on Sunday. Now *that* would really be something. Can hardly think of a more symbolic occasion to go for the Eddy Merckx record.
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 55,008
    Yes, I thought the rule was to back cyclists for SPoTY because they have a well-organised base.
  • state_go_awaystate_go_away Posts: 5,415
    tlg86 said:

    Adam Peaty could be a dark horse for SPOTY.

    He looks our best bet for a gold medal. We’ve got used to winning lots, but we’re due a relatively poor games. I think if Asher Smith, one of the Kennys or Glover wins gold, then Peaty doesn’t win SPoTY. But it’s far from impossible that he’s our standout performer at the games.
    Swimming is always at the start of the games as well (i presume it is at Tokyo) so its when people watch it before getting a bit meh about it all.
  • RochdalePioneersRochdalePioneers Posts: 27,013
    edited July 2021

    Scott_xP said:

    “I was very, very surprised at how poor Johnson’s speech was,” said Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary, University of London. “I would have thought that was an opportunity to set out the government’s stall and go back to the manifesto that won them the election in 2019.


    But as I posted at the time, I was actually impressed by Boris’s analysis of the problem, and if you could strip away the waffle - the high level solutions he outlined.

    It’s just that it was highly rambling and peppered with bathetic nuggets about “£10m to remove chewing gum”, and he totally lost his audience.

    My fear now is that the whole speech was so badly received that he has managed to spike the levelling up agenda - especially as he has surrounded himself with folks like Rishi, Javid and Kwarteng who are ideologically hostile.

    That would be a crying shame for the 60% of people who don’t live in the “South”.
    An ocean of money is needed if "levelling up" is more than just a slogan. From what I saw on Teesside the "towns fund" was a lot of promise of jam tomorrow, but then when you actually look at the cash on offer its a few million quid.

    Northern Tory voters have looked at the promise of Brexit and bribe money like the Towns Fund, and listened to the new generation of highly intelligent and strategic Tory MPs like Jacob Young and have concluded that their towns are going to get transformed and quickly.

    As reality sets in, what cash there is is not anywhere near enough to start with and seems to be promised to multiple towns at the same time. The gormless MPs like Young or Dehenna Davison will be shamelessly hyping every penny, so having been promised transformation people will then see their MPs trying to hype a new link road and a leisure centre as the town now being levelled up.
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,933
    F1: pre-sprint (no tip, just annoyance. Also, recalling qualifying):

    https://enormo-haddock.blogspot.com/2021/07/uk-pre-sprint-2021.html
  • kjhkjh Posts: 10,458
    I see for clarity rather than move France to red we have moved it to amber with red spots.
  • RochdalePioneersRochdalePioneers Posts: 27,013

    Scott_xP said:

    #Tokyo2020 organisers also confirm the number of positive cases linked to the Games has risen to 44 - at least five athletes. In Tokyo generally, cases are above 1,000 for a third straight day.
    https://twitter.com/SarahDawkins23/status/1416260373569806337

    Holding the Olympics is batshit crazy. Never mind having to do it only for IOC VIPs (though as its always just for them its quite nice that they can stop pretending they care about anyone else), the games are already being hit by the pox in the village and it hasn't started yet.

    What are the IOC's rules when the 8 people who qualified for the Mens 100m final all get exposed to Covid because three of them have just tested positive?
    yeah lets not do things just in case something might happen that stops us doing it
    "just in case" and "might" are charmingly optimistic. "Will" and "already are" are the words you were searching for.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,741

    The issue with the French thing is not the decision per se; it’s the arbitrary and opaque nature of it.

    Nobody knows why France has been chosen.
    Nobody knows why a new colour has been invented for it.
    Nobody knows why the announcement was made at 8pm on a Friday evening.

    The killer point is the sense that the people imposing this rule don't know either.

    'Do something!'

    'Like what?'

    ''Dunno, anything!'
    Politicians’ logic was defined by Jim Hacker’s creators as a syllogism:

    We must do something.
    This is something.
    Therefore, we must do this.

    It was compared to:

    All cats have four legs.
    My dog has four legs.
    Therefore my dog is a cat.
  • kjhkjh Posts: 10,458

    Mark Cavendish looks unlikely to break Eddy Merckx's record for Tour de France stage wins this year (though he has drawn level) so he looks an unlikely winner, even given the power of the cycling block vote in SPotY. Yesterday was supposed to be his big chance but he finished down the field.

    Football? If you knew who would be shortlisted from England's Euro 2020 team, he'd be a short price, but we don't. There was no outstanding performer. Raheem Sterling possibly but wait for the shortlist and remember Scots, Welsh and Northern Irish viewers also get to vote.

    So against the header, I think Dina Asher-Smith probably ought now to be favourite and 6/1 (Skybet) is arguably a good price (9/2 next best). I say arguably because as @Quincel notes in the header, she does need to win at the Olympics.

    Manxman Cavendish has a good chance on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées on Sunday. Now *that* would really be something. Can hardly think of a more symbolic occasion to go for the Eddy Merckx record.
    Yes he will be the red hot favourite as a breakaway can't happen until they are in Paris and that is very hard and his lead out team is excellent and he has little competition. I can only see a cockup/ crash stopping him. Although he was favourite yesterday a breakaway was always possible and happened.

    For several years he was unbeaten there.

    As you say an excellent venue for it and Merckx will be there.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 44,056
    kjh said:

    I see for clarity rather than move France to red we have moved it to amber with red spots.

    Much better to holiday on the Isle of Wight. If you can get there...

    https://www.islandecho.co.uk/red-funnel-announce-a-further-24-cancellations-including-into-summer-holidays/
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 44,056
    kjh said:

    I see for clarity rather than move France to red we have moved it to amber with red spots.

    Reminiscent of alert level 3 and a half.
  • algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 10,342
    edited July 2021
    Scott_xP said:
    It would be interesting if, and only if, there was any new substance to a routine Guardian story.

    They might as well (but won't) headline: Tory jitters mount at only having 11%/8%/13% poll lead over hopeless Labour.

    The Guardian would be more use if it focussed on why the centre left voter base is shifting in such a way that it is hard to win elections despite having a collective majority, and what to do about it.

  • Philip_ThompsonPhilip_Thompson Posts: 65,826
    Scott_xP said:

    Anyone know at what time the pandemic is ending on Monday?
    https://twitter.com/MichaelLamberta/status/1416043650811891726

    At midnight.

    There are clubs up and down the country opening at midnight.

    Not my cup of coffee nowadays, but its great to see for those that want it.
  • murali_smurali_s Posts: 3,037
    algarkirk said:

    Scott_xP said:
    It would be interesting if, and only if, there was any new substance to a routine Guardian story.

    They might as well (but won't) headline: Tory jitters mount at only having 11%/8%/13% poll lead over hopeless Labour.

    I wouldn't read too much into the polls at this juncture. GE years away and the landscape will have changed massively by then.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,741

    Scott_xP said:

    Anyone know at what time the pandemic is ending on Monday?
    https://twitter.com/MichaelLamberta/status/1416043650811891726

    At midnight.

    There are clubs up and down the country opening at midnight.

    Not my cup of coffee nowadays, but its great to see for those that want it.
    Coffee in a nightclub? What type of coffee would that be? Scotch coffee, Napoleon coffee, Smirnoff coffee...
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 38,517

    Scott_xP said:

    “I was very, very surprised at how poor Johnson’s speech was,” said Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary, University of London. “I would have thought that was an opportunity to set out the government’s stall and go back to the manifesto that won them the election in 2019.


    But as I posted at the time, I was actually impressed by Boris’s analysis of the problem, and if you could strip away the waffle - the high level solutions he outlined.

    It’s just that it was highly rambling and peppered with bathetic nuggets about “£10m to remove chewing gum”, and he totally lost his audience.

    My fear now is that the whole speech was so badly received that he has managed to spike the levelling up agenda - especially as he has surrounded himself with folks like Rishi, Javid and Kwarteng who are ideologically hostile.

    That would be a crying shame for the 60% of people who don’t live in the “South”.
    An ocean of money is needed if "levelling up" is more than just a slogan. From what I saw on Teesside the "towns fund" was a lot of promise of jam tomorrow, but then when you actually look at the cash on offer its a few million quid.

    Northern Tory voters have looked at the promise of Brexit and bribe money like the Towns Fund, and listened to the new generation of highly intelligent and strategic Tory MPs like Jacob Young and have concluded that their towns are going to get transformed and quickly.

    As reality sets in, what cash there is is not anywhere near enough to start with and seems to be promised to multiple towns at the same time. The gormless MPs like Young or Dehenna Davison will be shamelessly hyping every penny, so having been promised transformation people will then see their MPs trying to hype a new link road and a leisure centre as the town now being levelled up.
    The thing is, a small amount of money can go a long way if carefully directed. In fact, the interest of an MP can go a long way. You may see those MPs as gormless, but if they get off their backsides and actually promote their constituencies and regions they'll do a darned sight better than many of the Labour MPs they replaced. The late Stuart Bell being a classic example, wo thought the interests of Middlesborough were best dealt with from France.

    But it's not just Labour MPs: our last MP-but-one was Andrew Lansley, whose presence in, and perceived interest towards, the constituency was invisible. At least his two successors have been better in that regard.
  • Philip_ThompsonPhilip_Thompson Posts: 65,826

    Scott_xP said:

    “I was very, very surprised at how poor Johnson’s speech was,” said Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary, University of London. “I would have thought that was an opportunity to set out the government’s stall and go back to the manifesto that won them the election in 2019.


    But as I posted at the time, I was actually impressed by Boris’s analysis of the problem, and if you could strip away the waffle - the high level solutions he outlined.

    It’s just that it was highly rambling and peppered with bathetic nuggets about “£10m to remove chewing gum”, and he totally lost his audience.

    My fear now is that the whole speech was so badly received that he has managed to spike the levelling up agenda - especially as he has surrounded himself with folks like Rishi, Javid and Kwarteng who are ideologically hostile.

    That would be a crying shame for the 60% of people who don’t live in the “South”.
    An ocean of money is needed if "levelling up" is more than just a slogan. From what I saw on Teesside the "towns fund" was a lot of promise of jam tomorrow, but then when you actually look at the cash on offer its a few million quid.

    Northern Tory voters have looked at the promise of Brexit and bribe money like the Towns Fund, and listened to the new generation of highly intelligent and strategic Tory MPs like Jacob Young and have concluded that their towns are going to get transformed and quickly.

    As reality sets in, what cash there is is not anywhere near enough to start with and seems to be promised to multiple towns at the same time. The gormless MPs like Young or Dehenna Davison will be shamelessly hyping every penny, so having been promised transformation people will then see their MPs trying to hype a new link road and a leisure centre as the town now being levelled up.
    As Gardenwalker says, cut out the waffle and the general principles behind Boris's 'levelling up' speech were quite sound.

    Its not about needing an ocean of money.
  • RochdalePioneersRochdalePioneers Posts: 27,013

    Scott_xP said:

    “I was very, very surprised at how poor Johnson’s speech was,” said Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary, University of London. “I would have thought that was an opportunity to set out the government’s stall and go back to the manifesto that won them the election in 2019.


    But as I posted at the time, I was actually impressed by Boris’s analysis of the problem, and if you could strip away the waffle - the high level solutions he outlined.

    It’s just that it was highly rambling and peppered with bathetic nuggets about “£10m to remove chewing gum”, and he totally lost his audience.

    My fear now is that the whole speech was so badly received that he has managed to spike the levelling up agenda - especially as he has surrounded himself with folks like Rishi, Javid and Kwarteng who are ideologically hostile.

    That would be a crying shame for the 60% of people who don’t live in the “South”.
    An ocean of money is needed if "levelling up" is more than just a slogan. From what I saw on Teesside the "towns fund" was a lot of promise of jam tomorrow, but then when you actually look at the cash on offer its a few million quid.

    Northern Tory voters have looked at the promise of Brexit and bribe money like the Towns Fund, and listened to the new generation of highly intelligent and strategic Tory MPs like Jacob Young and have concluded that their towns are going to get transformed and quickly.

    As reality sets in, what cash there is is not anywhere near enough to start with and seems to be promised to multiple towns at the same time. The gormless MPs like Young or Dehenna Davison will be shamelessly hyping every penny, so having been promised transformation people will then see their MPs trying to hype a new link road and a leisure centre as the town now being levelled up.
    The thing is, a small amount of money can go a long way if carefully directed. In fact, the interest of an MP can go a long way. You may see those MPs as gormless, but if they get off their backsides and actually promote their constituencies and regions they'll do a darned sight better than many of the Labour MPs they replaced. The late Stuart Bell being a classic example, wo thought the interests of Middlesborough were best dealt with from France.

    But it's not just Labour MPs: our last MP-but-one was Andrew Lansley, whose presence in, and perceived interest towards, the constituency was invisible. At least his two successors have been better in that regard.
    All parties have MPs of every quality. Some Teesside Tories are genuinely good - Matt Vickers doesn't over-promise whilst still being populist, and of course we have Ben Houchen International Airport.

    Its just that some of them are truly laughably bad. I supposed Jacob Young is on a hiding to nothing, elected to represent the party who has literally smashed Redcar. The bill needed to level that up is not what he has to play with, and a lick of paint however carefully directed isn't going to make things better.
  • algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 10,342
    edited July 2021
    ydoethur said:

    The issue with the French thing is not the decision per se; it’s the arbitrary and opaque nature of it.

    Nobody knows why France has been chosen.
    Nobody knows why a new colour has been invented for it.
    Nobody knows why the announcement was made at 8pm on a Friday evening.

    The killer point is the sense that the people imposing this rule don't know either.

    'Do something!'

    'Like what?'

    ''Dunno, anything!'
    Politicians’ logic was defined by Jim Hacker’s creators as a syllogism:

    We must do something.
    This is something.
    Therefore, we must do this.

    It was compared to:

    All cats have four legs.
    My dog has four legs.
    Therefore my dog is a cat.
    The two logical errors are different in form. The first has the fault of equivocation about the meaning of 'something'. The second in unequivocal but with a conclusion which does not logically arise.

    The logic of the first is impeccable in itself, even though the conclusion is false. Then second will work of course if you start with 'All four legged things are cats'.

    A lot of people, like politicians, don't realise that 'logically valid' does not mean 'true'. Do they miss out this stuff in Oxford PPE?

  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 38,517

    Scott_xP said:

    “I was very, very surprised at how poor Johnson’s speech was,” said Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary, University of London. “I would have thought that was an opportunity to set out the government’s stall and go back to the manifesto that won them the election in 2019.


    But as I posted at the time, I was actually impressed by Boris’s analysis of the problem, and if you could strip away the waffle - the high level solutions he outlined.

    It’s just that it was highly rambling and peppered with bathetic nuggets about “£10m to remove chewing gum”, and he totally lost his audience.

    My fear now is that the whole speech was so badly received that he has managed to spike the levelling up agenda - especially as he has surrounded himself with folks like Rishi, Javid and Kwarteng who are ideologically hostile.

    That would be a crying shame for the 60% of people who don’t live in the “South”.
    An ocean of money is needed if "levelling up" is more than just a slogan. From what I saw on Teesside the "towns fund" was a lot of promise of jam tomorrow, but then when you actually look at the cash on offer its a few million quid.

    Northern Tory voters have looked at the promise of Brexit and bribe money like the Towns Fund, and listened to the new generation of highly intelligent and strategic Tory MPs like Jacob Young and have concluded that their towns are going to get transformed and quickly.

    As reality sets in, what cash there is is not anywhere near enough to start with and seems to be promised to multiple towns at the same time. The gormless MPs like Young or Dehenna Davison will be shamelessly hyping every penny, so having been promised transformation people will then see their MPs trying to hype a new link road and a leisure centre as the town now being levelled up.
    The thing is, a small amount of money can go a long way if carefully directed. In fact, the interest of an MP can go a long way. You may see those MPs as gormless, but if they get off their backsides and actually promote their constituencies and regions they'll do a darned sight better than many of the Labour MPs they replaced. The late Stuart Bell being a classic example, wo thought the interests of Middlesborough were best dealt with from France.

    But it's not just Labour MPs: our last MP-but-one was Andrew Lansley, whose presence in, and perceived interest towards, the constituency was invisible. At least his two successors have been better in that regard.
    All parties have MPs of every quality. Some Teesside Tories are genuinely good - Matt Vickers doesn't over-promise whilst still being populist, and of course we have Ben Houchen International Airport.

    Its just that some of them are truly laughably bad. I supposed Jacob Young is on a hiding to nothing, elected to represent the party who has literally smashed Redcar. The bill needed to level that up is not what he has to play with, and a lick of paint however carefully directed isn't going to make things better.
    But again, it's not about a 'lick of paint'. It's about having MPs who actively promote their constituency and region.
  • Philip_ThompsonPhilip_Thompson Posts: 65,826
    ydoethur said:

    Scott_xP said:

    Anyone know at what time the pandemic is ending on Monday?
    https://twitter.com/MichaelLamberta/status/1416043650811891726

    At midnight.

    There are clubs up and down the country opening at midnight.

    Not my cup of coffee nowadays, but its great to see for those that want it.
    Coffee in a nightclub? What type of coffee would that be? Scotch coffee, Napoleon coffee, Smirnoff coffee...
    Smirnoff Coffee sounds interesting. Double vodka Red Bull was my drink of choice when I did go clubbing ...
  • Philip_ThompsonPhilip_Thompson Posts: 65,826

    Scott_xP said:

    “I was very, very surprised at how poor Johnson’s speech was,” said Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary, University of London. “I would have thought that was an opportunity to set out the government’s stall and go back to the manifesto that won them the election in 2019.


    But as I posted at the time, I was actually impressed by Boris’s analysis of the problem, and if you could strip away the waffle - the high level solutions he outlined.

    It’s just that it was highly rambling and peppered with bathetic nuggets about “£10m to remove chewing gum”, and he totally lost his audience.

    My fear now is that the whole speech was so badly received that he has managed to spike the levelling up agenda - especially as he has surrounded himself with folks like Rishi, Javid and Kwarteng who are ideologically hostile.

    That would be a crying shame for the 60% of people who don’t live in the “South”.
    An ocean of money is needed if "levelling up" is more than just a slogan. From what I saw on Teesside the "towns fund" was a lot of promise of jam tomorrow, but then when you actually look at the cash on offer its a few million quid.

    Northern Tory voters have looked at the promise of Brexit and bribe money like the Towns Fund, and listened to the new generation of highly intelligent and strategic Tory MPs like Jacob Young and have concluded that their towns are going to get transformed and quickly.

    As reality sets in, what cash there is is not anywhere near enough to start with and seems to be promised to multiple towns at the same time. The gormless MPs like Young or Dehenna Davison will be shamelessly hyping every penny, so having been promised transformation people will then see their MPs trying to hype a new link road and a leisure centre as the town now being levelled up.
    The thing is, a small amount of money can go a long way if carefully directed. In fact, the interest of an MP can go a long way. You may see those MPs as gormless, but if they get off their backsides and actually promote their constituencies and regions they'll do a darned sight better than many of the Labour MPs they replaced. The late Stuart Bell being a classic example, wo thought the interests of Middlesborough were best dealt with from France.

    But it's not just Labour MPs: our last MP-but-one was Andrew Lansley, whose presence in, and perceived interest towards, the constituency was invisible. At least his two successors have been better in that regard.
    All parties have MPs of every quality. Some Teesside Tories are genuinely good - Matt Vickers doesn't over-promise whilst still being populist, and of course we have Ben Houchen International Airport.

    Its just that some of them are truly laughably bad. I supposed Jacob Young is on a hiding to nothing, elected to represent the party who has literally smashed Redcar. The bill needed to level that up is not what he has to play with, and a lick of paint however carefully directed isn't going to make things better.
    But again, it's not about a 'lick of paint'. It's about having MPs who actively promote their constituency and region.
    Ineed, getting the conditions right to have private sector investment is much more important than any amount of paint.
  • RochdalePioneersRochdalePioneers Posts: 27,013

    Scott_xP said:

    “I was very, very surprised at how poor Johnson’s speech was,” said Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary, University of London. “I would have thought that was an opportunity to set out the government’s stall and go back to the manifesto that won them the election in 2019.


    But as I posted at the time, I was actually impressed by Boris’s analysis of the problem, and if you could strip away the waffle - the high level solutions he outlined.

    It’s just that it was highly rambling and peppered with bathetic nuggets about “£10m to remove chewing gum”, and he totally lost his audience.

    My fear now is that the whole speech was so badly received that he has managed to spike the levelling up agenda - especially as he has surrounded himself with folks like Rishi, Javid and Kwarteng who are ideologically hostile.

    That would be a crying shame for the 60% of people who don’t live in the “South”.
    An ocean of money is needed if "levelling up" is more than just a slogan. From what I saw on Teesside the "towns fund" was a lot of promise of jam tomorrow, but then when you actually look at the cash on offer its a few million quid.

    Northern Tory voters have looked at the promise of Brexit and bribe money like the Towns Fund, and listened to the new generation of highly intelligent and strategic Tory MPs like Jacob Young and have concluded that their towns are going to get transformed and quickly.

    As reality sets in, what cash there is is not anywhere near enough to start with and seems to be promised to multiple towns at the same time. The gormless MPs like Young or Dehenna Davison will be shamelessly hyping every penny, so having been promised transformation people will then see their MPs trying to hype a new link road and a leisure centre as the town now being levelled up.
    As Gardenwalker says, cut out the waffle and the general principles behind Boris's 'levelling up' speech were quite sound.

    Its not about needing an ocean of money.
    Wazza might not need an ocean of money. Other places are not so lucky.

    There is one thing they could offer which is free - pride and self-belief. Get people to actually give a shit about where they live and the other people who live there. As an example, educating your feral kids to not smash things up and party in the park then dump their litter on the floor next to the bin.

    A lot of problems that people complain about are self-inflicted.
  • algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 10,342
    murali_s said:

    algarkirk said:

    Scott_xP said:
    It would be interesting if, and only if, there was any new substance to a routine Guardian story.

    They might as well (but won't) headline: Tory jitters mount at only having 11%/8%/13% poll lead over hopeless Labour.

    I wouldn't read too much into the polls at this juncture. GE years away and the landscape will have changed massively by then.
    Of course, which is why, for example, the chance of an outright Labour majority is slightly above Zero.

    Which party, however, has most reason for electoral jitters? Not only is Boris good at winning elections, there are several PM material people ready to take his place. It is not easy to reel off a list of PM material in the current Labour crop.

  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 50,762
    Pulpstar said:

    Free flu vaccines will be offered to children aged two to 16, as well as people aged 50 and over or in "at-risk" groups this winter, as the UK faces the double threat of Covid and influenza.

    Experts hope for a record-breaking rollout reaching more than 35 million people, including more teenagers than ever before.

    So kids get the flu jab but not covid and nothing if you're 17 :neutral:
    Fortunately DavidL jnr was 18 yesterday. And he has already had his first Covid jab.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,741

    ydoethur said:

    Scott_xP said:

    Anyone know at what time the pandemic is ending on Monday?
    https://twitter.com/MichaelLamberta/status/1416043650811891726

    At midnight.

    There are clubs up and down the country opening at midnight.

    Not my cup of coffee nowadays, but its great to see for those that want it.
    Coffee in a nightclub? What type of coffee would that be? Scotch coffee, Napoleon coffee, Smirnoff coffee...
    Smirnoff Coffee sounds interesting. Double vodka Red Bull was my drink of choice when I did go clubbing ...
    Double vodka red bull? That was a cow of a drink.

    Ah, my coat...
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 44,056

    Scott_xP said:

    “I was very, very surprised at how poor Johnson’s speech was,” said Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary, University of London. “I would have thought that was an opportunity to set out the government’s stall and go back to the manifesto that won them the election in 2019.


    But as I posted at the time, I was actually impressed by Boris’s analysis of the problem, and if you could strip away the waffle - the high level solutions he outlined.

    It’s just that it was highly rambling and peppered with bathetic nuggets about “£10m to remove chewing gum”, and he totally lost his audience.

    My fear now is that the whole speech was so badly received that he has managed to spike the levelling up agenda - especially as he has surrounded himself with folks like Rishi, Javid and Kwarteng who are ideologically hostile.

    That would be a crying shame for the 60% of people who don’t live in the “South”.
    An ocean of money is needed if "levelling up" is more than just a slogan. From what I saw on Teesside the "towns fund" was a lot of promise of jam tomorrow, but then when you actually look at the cash on offer its a few million quid.

    Northern Tory voters have looked at the promise of Brexit and bribe money like the Towns Fund, and listened to the new generation of highly intelligent and strategic Tory MPs like Jacob Young and have concluded that their towns are going to get transformed and quickly.

    As reality sets in, what cash there is is not anywhere near enough to start with and seems to be promised to multiple towns at the same time. The gormless MPs like Young or Dehenna Davison will be shamelessly hyping every penny, so having been promised transformation people will then see their MPs trying to hype a new link road and a leisure centre as the town now being levelled up.
    The thing is, a small amount of money can go a long way if carefully directed. In fact, the interest of an MP can go a long way. You may see those MPs as gormless, but if they get off their backsides and actually promote their constituencies and regions they'll do a darned sight better than many of the Labour MPs they replaced. The late Stuart Bell being a classic example, wo thought the interests of Middlesborough were best dealt with from France.

    But it's not just Labour MPs: our last MP-but-one was Andrew Lansley, whose presence in, and perceived interest towards, the constituency was invisible. At least his two successors have been better in that regard.
    All parties have MPs of every quality. Some Teesside Tories are genuinely good - Matt Vickers doesn't over-promise whilst still being populist, and of course we have Ben Houchen International Airport.

    Its just that some of them are truly laughably bad. I supposed Jacob Young is on a hiding to nothing, elected to represent the party who has literally smashed Redcar. The bill needed to level that up is not what he has to play with, and a lick of paint however carefully directed isn't going to make things better.
    But again, it's not about a 'lick of paint'. It's about having MPs who actively promote their constituency and region.
    Ineed, getting the conditions right to have private sector investment is much more important than any amount of paint.
    "F**k business" only applies to travel related industries now?
  • Pub three days in a row has reminded my liver to shut down
  • FishingFishing Posts: 4,555
    murali_s said:

    algarkirk said:

    Scott_xP said:
    It would be interesting if, and only if, there was any new substance to a routine Guardian story.

    They might as well (but won't) headline: Tory jitters mount at only having 11%/8%/13% poll lead over hopeless Labour.

    I wouldn't read too much into the polls at this juncture. GE years away and the landscape will have changed massively by then.
    I agree, but with the rider that no opposition has ever won the next election without being more than 15% ahead in the polls at some point during the cycle.

    Labour will probably need to get its act together at some point, ideally soon but, if not, then next year at the latest.
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 24,583
    ydoethur said:
    I suspect your definition of "underperforming" differs somewhet to Johnson's.
  • ydoethur said:
    An empty cabinet would be an improvement
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,614
    Good piece @Quincel.

    My strategy for SPOTY has always been to lay whoever just won something, as the market usually over-reacts to recent news.

    That said, it’s likely to be an Olympian, and if Dina wins gold she’ll probably be the favourite. Not an easy task though, and there will be plenty of other winners who become household names over the next few weeks.

    The outsiders are going to be people competing in events towards the end of the year. If the much-trailled Fury v Joshua fight happens, the winner could well become the next Damon Hill.
  • RazedabodeRazedabode Posts: 2,973

    F1: pre-sprint (no tip, just annoyance. Also, recalling qualifying):

    https://enormo-haddock.blogspot.com/2021/07/uk-pre-sprint-2021.html

    Quite enjoyed the Friday qualifying. I
    am hopeful the sprint quali will be entertaining enough - hoping Russell makes it round it one piece and nabs a place or two
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,741

    ydoethur said:
    An empty cabinet would be an improvement
    Well, it’s hard to argue with that.
  • StuartDicksonStuartDickson Posts: 12,146

    ydoethur said:
    An empty cabinet would be an improvement
    Whitehall would likely do a better job without Westminster.
  • https://twitter.com/MediaGuido/status/1416044424975601671

    Does anyone remember when people here were saying GB News was going to be the next big thing?
This discussion has been closed.