Meeks and Rentoul argue over Davey’s “No deals with CON” – politicalbetting.com

Philip_Thompson said:

CarlottaVance said:

Scotland has become ‘the most restrictive country in Europe’ because of the SNP Government’s decision to diverge from the rest of the UK on travel testing, says Edinburgh Airport.
https://twitter.com/Mike_Blackley/status/1438935849987710976?s=20

I suppose in fairness they have, until very recently, also had the highest case rates in Europe - but Nippy's doing a grand job!

High case rates + high vaccinations over the summer is a great job yes. Well done Nippy if so.

Better to get the exit wave over and done with over the summer, than getting it done in the winter.

CarlottaVance said:

Philip_Thompson said:

CarlottaVance said:

ZeroHedge...but....

FDA PANEL VOTES 16-3 AGAINST APPROVING COVID BOOSTER


https://twitter.com/zerohedge/status/1438948901428637712?s=20

Genuine source or it didn't happen.

Zerohedge are Russian trolls, why would anyone quote them?

An influential Food and Drug Administration advisory committee on Friday rejected a plan to administer booster shots of Pfizer and BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine to the general public, saying they needed more data.

The panel, however, could still clear the shots for older populations. Scientists continued debating the need for a third dose of the vaccines for people 60 and older after their initial vote, leaving open the possibility of other votes.

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/17/fda-panel-begins-voting-on-pfizers-covid-booster-doses-rejecting-shots-for-general-public.html?__source=androidappshare

Philip_Thompson said:

CarlottaVance said:

Philip_Thompson said:

CarlottaVance said:

ZeroHedge...but....

FDA PANEL VOTES 16-3 AGAINST APPROVING COVID BOOSTER


https://twitter.com/zerohedge/status/1438948901428637712?s=20

Genuine source or it didn't happen.

Zerohedge are Russian trolls, why would anyone quote them?

An influential Food and Drug Administration advisory committee on Friday rejected a plan to administer booster shots of Pfizer and BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine to the general public, saying they needed more data.

The panel, however, could still clear the shots for older populations. Scientists continued debating the need for a third dose of the vaccines for people 60 and older after their initial vote, leaving open the possibility of other votes.

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/17/fda-panel-begins-voting-on-pfizers-covid-booster-doses-rejecting-shots-for-general-public.html?__source=androidappshare

So that's completely different context to what Zerohedge were pushing.

Sounds like their version of the JCVI are dragging their heals like ours, but a rollout decision could still go ahead.

rcs1000 said:

Leon said:

An interesting point



Ben Judah
@b_judah
·
1h
France and AUKUS? I'm struck by the humiliation inflicted on Macron at the G7. As he dressed down Johnson over Northern Ireland and boasted of ties to Australia in the Indo-Pacific, the Anglo three literally made a move on the sidelines. A hit on him, internationally, personally.



This is a direct slap in the face FOR MACRON

Remember these images from the G7:


"Emmanuel Macron made a beeline for Joe Biden after the G7 summit photo call in Cornwall. Biden, on whom Boris Johnson expended considerable energy attempting to politically woo ahead of the summit, warmly embraced the French president. Johnson was left lingering with Angela Merkel as he waited for the pair to catch up."

https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2021/jun/11/emmanuel-macron-and-joe-biden-share-a-moment-after-g7-leaders-photo-video

And this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6MvVppnEto


They're practically hugging. Biden gets all chummy and says to Macron "we're on the same page!"

At the very same time these shots were taken, Biden was plotting to steal France's enormous sub deal, torpedo Macron's Indo-Pacific policy, snub France in the cruellest way, and utterly ignore the EU

Biden is an absolute C*NT. I'm warming to him

That's one explanation.

The other is that Biden thought that the nice foreigner who embraced him was called Johnson.

JosiasJessop said:

Carnyx said:

Sandpit said:

JosiasJessop said:

RochdalePioneers said:

Farooq said:

Carnyx said:

Charles said:

IshmaelZ said:

JohnO said:

HYUFD said:

JohnO said:

HYUFD said:

JohnO said:

rcs1000 said:

HYUFD said:

rcs1000 said:

HYUFD said:

CarlottaVance said:

Britain Decides - model update:

Government loses its majority on the latest polls.

CON: 316 MPs (-49)
LAB: 241 (+39)
SNP: 56 (+8)
LDEM: 13 (+2)

https://twitter.com/BritainElects/status/1438877519659294721?s=20

However it could stay in power with the 8 DUP MPs if they back the Tories again, assuming SF do not take their seats.

What better way to win over our DUP friends than promising to reduce the abortion time limit to 22 weeks for the whole UK as a bonus while Lord Frost continues to work to remove the Irish Sea border?

If the Conservatives have 316 seats, then they will remain in Government. No government without them is really possible.

Labour + SNP + LD + SDLP + Green + PC + Alliance comes to 318 seats on the new poll average, so the Conservatives would still need the 8 DUP MPs to get to 324 and stay in power

I agree - but that wasn't my point.

The DUP are not going to abstain on a Labour + SNP + LD + SDLP + Green + PC + Alliance confidence motion. Therefore, it is not possible to have a government that did not include the Conservatives.

If the Conservative total was a few seats less (say 312), then a coalition like the one above would be possible, albeit not particularly stable.

I agree but would put the threshold just a tad lower, perhaps 310 in which the Tories could just about stagger on as a deflated minority government surviv

HYUFD said:

JohnO said:

HYUFD said:

JohnO said:

Anyway, there’s not the slightest chance of the next Conservative manifesto containing a commitment to restrict abortions to 22 weeks or any other level. It might conceivably pledge to have another vote on the matter (like Cameron did over hunting…did that ever happen?) but it will be a free vote as it has always been.

But even that is lower than 5%: I doubt the Prime Minister will want to be reminded on the campaign trail of his relationship with Petronnella Wyatt and his encouraging her….

Given the latest polling average gives a hung parliament with the Tories needing DUP support to stay in power, offering the DUP the carrot of a reduction in the abortion limit to 22 weeks for the whole UK as well as lots of dosh for NI while Lord Frost works on trying to remove the Irish Sea border with the EU may be the only way Boris stays in No 10.

In those circumstances, sure, they could offer a vote but no Tory MP will be whipped to support it.

And you were talking about the manifesto which patently is published before the election. That will emphatically not contain any commitment to 22 weeks or any figure. Can you see Boris Johnson even giving it half a second’s thought bearing in mind his past? Be serious.

Then the DUP would likely not give C and S then and Starmer becomes PM.

Donaldson and the DUP are extremely hard and tough negotiators, they will not make the same mistake Clegg did with AV getting a vote out of Cameron but with no promise of support to get it passed.

If there is no Tory majority then the manifesto will not have received a full mandate and have to be adapted, Boris will do so and whatever necessary to stay in power including a whipped vote to get the 22 weeks through and DUP C and S

You have now not only crashed into the buffers but catapulted the train to the road outside the station. Utterly absurd. There is no way that Conservative MPs will be dragooned into voting for something so contentious and that wasn’t even in the manifesto on which they’d campaigned only a couple of weeks earlier. If Johnson tried, which he wouldn’t, the proposal would be overwhelmingly defeated in the Commons and the Tories further weakened.

The DUP will have more important fish to fry if negotiations take place.

OK then, Starmer becomes PM.

Given the Irish Sea border is not going to be removed anytime soon the DUP will refuse to keep Boris and the Tories in power in the meantime unless they not only get vast sums of extra cash for NI but a reduction in the abortion timeframe for the whole UK to partly make up for the legalisation of abortion in NI Westminster imposed on them.

Most Conservative MPs would also support the abortion reduction anyway and especially if it is the only way to keep a Tory government in power so you are wrong

Many Tory MPs might support a reduction but a significant number would not and of those who do, a lot would be horrified that it would be a whipped vote. The proposal would crash and burn (majority against probably 80?) in the Commons and the DUP know that too.

Furthermore, you completely ignore the likely political context. The Tories would have surrendered a majority of 80, a disaster even more profound than 2017. The party would be shattered and I suspect there would be a clamour to accept defeat and go into opposition, rather than staggering on deflated and dejected and at the mercy of the DUP.

I’m afraid you are totally off the wall on this one.

No, a tiny minority might not, mainly social liberals from wealthy commuter Remain areas like yours which are heading LD and may well elect LD MPs anyway.

Social liberals are in decline in the party from a decade ago, social conservatives from the North and Midlands and small town and rural areas are becoming increasingly prominent. The new Tory base and most of the new Tory Parliamentary Party will happily deal with the DUP and happily cut the abortion time limit to 22 weeks to stay in power.

No, we would not accept opposition, though if social liberals prefer to join the LDs in opposition to a Tory-DUP alliance fine, bye then

Where is the slightest shred of evidence among current Conservative MPs, or even the Prime Minister himself, that they would support manifesto commitment that would bind them all to supporting a specified time limit. None whatsoever and it would be the first time ever that the party would do that. Even votes on hanging in the 1950s were free.

You are spouting nonsense and pernicious nonsense at that with all the ugly hallmarks of intolerance and sectarianism that fortunately still has no place whatever in the broad political church that is the Conservative Party. And Boris is with me!

By the way, it is distressing in the extreme that you seem to be gloating at the prospect of Mr Raab’s political demise.

Are non-tories allowed to gloat about Raab?

I’m just catching up with this conversation

Reading it back in two posts @HYUFD moves from abortion term limits being something that the Tories could offer the DUP (wacky idea) to it being something that the DUP would absolutely insist on and would never do a deal without.

Commendable mental agility!

He'll be suggesting closing down the dinosaur and rock dating galleries in the Natural History Museum next.

The earth is 30 years old and the things people claim are older (like the ZX81) were just put here by Allah to test us.

Does that mean the death of Sir Clive Sinclair is actually The Rapture?

I was an Acorn kid (literally, later on...), so Sinclair was the anti-Christ...

I had the pleasure of working with Jim Westwood, the tech genius behind the ZX80. He's a great guy; totally self-effacing and down to earth. Although he was working for a real computer company by then.

https://www.theregister.com/2011/11/15/heroes_of_tech_jim_westwood/

A link to a relevant ten-year-old Register article deserves a like. So you met Sinclair’s #2, and a doctor who decided that playing golf with Ayrton Senna was more important than seeing you.

Given the performance of the Sinclair C5, I suspect that JJ was the closest connexion Messrs Senna and Sinclair ever had.

I thought that was worth a Google, and came across this:

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/216172850835110581/
https://mobile.twitter.com/FreemanLowell01/status/1140908309412814848

Benpointer said:

Big_G_NorthWales said:

Scott_xP said:

France has recalled its ambassadors to the United States and Australia amid a backlash over a deal to supply submarines, the French foreign minister says - PA

That's huge
https://twitter.com/SamCoatesSky/status/1438953858047303689

Throwing their toys out of the pram time

It seems so. Surely they'd do best to pretend it was no biggie and look for a chance to get their own back later.

Benpointer said:

Big_G_NorthWales said:

Scott_xP said:

France has recalled its ambassadors to the United States and Australia amid a backlash over a deal to supply submarines, the French foreign minister says - PA

That's huge
https://twitter.com/SamCoatesSky/status/1438953858047303689

Throwing their toys out of the pram time

It seems so. Surely they'd do best to pretend it was no biggie and look for a chance to get their own back later.

Big_G_NorthWales said:

Benpointer said:

Big_G_NorthWales said:

Scott_xP said:

France has recalled its ambassadors to the United States and Australia amid a backlash over a deal to supply submarines, the French foreign minister says - PA

That's huge
https://twitter.com/SamCoatesSky/status/1438953858047303689

Throwing their toys out of the pram time

It seems so. Surely they'd do best to pretend it was no biggie and look for a chance to get their own back later.

You would have thought so

Philip_Thompson said:

CarlottaVance said:

Philip_Thompson said:

CarlottaVance said:

ZeroHedge...but....

FDA PANEL VOTES 16-3 AGAINST APPROVING COVID BOOSTER


https://twitter.com/zerohedge/status/1438948901428637712?s=20

Genuine source or it didn't happen.

Zerohedge are Russian trolls, why would anyone quote them?

An influential Food and Drug Administration advisory committee on Friday rejected a plan to administer booster shots of Pfizer and BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine to the general public, saying they needed more data.

The panel, however, could still clear the shots for older populations. Scientists continued debating the need for a third dose of the vaccines for people 60 and older after their initial vote, leaving open the possibility of other votes.

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/17/fda-panel-begins-voting-on-pfizers-covid-booster-doses-rejecting-shots-for-general-public.html?__source=androidappshare

So that's completely different context to what Zerohedge were pushing.

Pulpstar said:

CarlottaVance said:

ZeroHedge...but....

FDA PANEL VOTES 16-3 AGAINST APPROVING COVID BOOSTER


https://twitter.com/zerohedge/status/1438948901428637712?s=20

FDA's JCVI moment

Leon said:

An interesting point



Ben Judah
@b_judah
·
1h
France and AUKUS? I'm struck by the humiliation inflicted on Macron at the G7. As he dressed down Johnson over Northern Ireland and boasted of ties to Australia in the Indo-Pacific, the Anglo three literally made a move on the sidelines. A hit on him, internationally, personally.



This is a direct slap in the face FOR MACRON

Remember these images from the G7:


"Emmanuel Macron made a beeline for Joe Biden after the G7 summit photo call in Cornwall. Biden, on whom Boris Johnson expended considerable energy attempting to politically woo ahead of the summit, warmly embraced the French president. Johnson was left lingering with Angela Merkel as he waited for the pair to catch up."

https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2021/jun/11/emmanuel-macron-and-joe-biden-share-a-moment-after-g7-leaders-photo-video

And this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6MvVppnEto


They're practically hugging. Biden gets all chummy and says to Macron "we're on the same page!"

At the very same time these shots were taken, Biden was plotting to steal France's enormous sub deal, torpedo Macron's Indo-Pacific policy, snub France in the cruellest way, and utterly ignore the EU

Biden is an absolute C*NT. I'm warming to him

Benpointer said:

Big_G_NorthWales said:

Benpointer said:

Big_G_NorthWales said:

Scott_xP said:

France has recalled its ambassadors to the United States and Australia amid a backlash over a deal to supply submarines, the French foreign minister says - PA

That's huge
https://twitter.com/SamCoatesSky/status/1438953858047303689

Throwing their toys out of the pram time

It seems so. Surely they'd do best to pretend it was no biggie and look for a chance to get their own back later.

You would have thought so

Michel Barnier must be happy with developments.

kle4 said:

Scott_xP said:

France has recalled its ambassadors to the United States and Australia amid a backlash over a deal to supply submarines, the French foreign minister says - PA

That's huge
https://twitter.com/SamCoatesSky/status/1438953858047303689

That really is an overreaction even if AUKUS had been a stab in the back. Recalling ambassadors as a gesture should be reserved for something a bit more than some diplomatic embarrassment.

dixiedean said:

kicorse said:

On the article, I agree with Alastair Meeks on this one. The idea that the Lib Dems are a moderate party situated between Labour and the Conservatives is out of date.

I am a hitherto floating voter (and Remainer) who joined Labour after the 2019 election. One factor in that decision was that the Lib Dems and Green Party had become too extreme and intolerant, so there was no alternative to Labour I could see myself supporting.

It's been out of date longer than that. Kennedy attacked New Labour from the Left. Clegg anchored them on the Right.
It harks back to the days when they were the non-Socialist, not cap doffing Party comfortable with modernity.

Theuniondivvie said:

Astounding* that in a matter of weeks Biden has transformed from senile old fecker who betrayed us in Afghanistan to special relationship Joe who's screwed the Frogs. It's like those magical days of 'Biden phoned BJ first' have returned.

*not astounding

Cyclefree said:

IshmaelZ said:

Cyclefree said:

I am going to vent now. Apologies in advance.

But I am SO ANGRY.

Hospital did not refer husband urgently to ENT. After calling them endlessly, still no answer from ENT service. GP has no urgent appointments. NHS 111 promised to get a duty doctor to call. No call.

Now Husband running temperature, feeling worse and throat really quite painful. He has not eaten since Wednesday evening. So he needs some medication, some useful help and it is Friday evening. We are about to embark on our third trip in as many days to A&E and this time I am going inside and will be kicking up a fuss until they do something useful.

If necessary I will drive him to Manchester or Preston or London come to that.

This is just not good enough. It is scary. He is scared. I am furious.

Is there a Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) at the hospital in question? Giving them a hard time would at least relieve the tension. Doesdn't help being Friday, obvfs

Best wishes

We are in A&E now. In front of me there is a "How are we doing?" board. Don't tempt me!

The priority is getting something to deal with the infection. He can't even swallow a paracetamol. Then we will find an ENT specialist and go private if necessary. Important to find out if there is some underlying reason why this has happened.

Then a letter of complaint will go in. Though as the hospital is in special measures already, they know they're not up to it.

And it's not just the hospital at fault here. All day we have been given the runaround by NHS 111 and the GP with each saying the other should do something and neither accepting responsibility to do anything. Calls are promised but not made.

It's a collective shambles which has made a small problem worse than it should have been.

Scott_xP said:

France has recalled its ambassadors to the United States and Australia amid a backlash over a deal to supply submarines, the French foreign minister says - PA

That's huge
https://twitter.com/SamCoatesSky/status/1438953858047303689

Theuniondivvie said:

Astounding* that in a matter of weeks Biden has transformed from senile old fecker who betrayed us in Afghanistan to special relationship Joe who's screwed the Frogs. It's like those magical days of 'Biden phoned BJ first' have returned.

*not astounding

Scott_xP said:

France has recalled its ambassadors to the United States and Australia amid a backlash over a deal to supply submarines, the French foreign minister says - PA

That's huge
https://twitter.com/SamCoatesSky/status/1438953858047303689

Scott_xP said:

France has recalled its ambassadors to the United States and Australia amid a backlash over a deal to supply submarines, the French foreign minister says - PA

That's huge
https://twitter.com/SamCoatesSky/status/1438953858047303689

Leon said:

An interesting point



Ben Judah
@b_judah
·
1h
France and AUKUS? I'm struck by the humiliation inflicted on Macron at the G7. As he dressed down Johnson over Northern Ireland and boasted of ties to Australia in the Indo-Pacific, the Anglo three literally made a move on the sidelines. A hit on him, internationally, personally.



This is a direct slap in the face FOR MACRON

Remember these images from the G7:


"Emmanuel Macron made a beeline for Joe Biden after the G7 summit photo call in Cornwall. Biden, on whom Boris Johnson expended considerable energy attempting to politically woo ahead of the summit, warmly embraced the French president. Johnson was left lingering with Angela Merkel as he waited for the pair to catch up."

https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2021/jun/11/emmanuel-macron-and-joe-biden-share-a-moment-after-g7-leaders-photo-video

And this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6MvVppnEto


They're practically hugging. Biden gets all chummy and says to Macron "we're on the same page!"

At the very same time these shots were taken, Biden was plotting to steal France's enormous sub deal, torpedo Macron's Indo-Pacific policy, snub France in the cruellest way, and utterly ignore the EU

Biden is an absolute C*NT. I'm warming to him

IshmaelZ said:

turbotubbs said:

Philip_Thompson said:

Mad Cow Disease back?

And no, not Arlene Foster. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-58602051

As the story says 5 cases since 2014, I’d say don’t worry.

That's odd, because a friend of mine died of it in Devon 3 years ago.

Casino_Royale said:

pigeon said:

Philip_Thompson said:

Leon said:

An interesting point



Ben Judah
@b_judah
·
1h
France and AUKUS? I'm struck by the humiliation inflicted on Macron at the G7. As he dressed down Johnson over Northern Ireland and boasted of ties to Australia in the Indo-Pacific, the Anglo three literally made a move on the sidelines. A hit on him, internationally, personally.



This is a direct slap in the face FOR MACRON

Remember these images from the G7:


"Emmanuel Macron made a beeline for Joe Biden after the G7 summit photo call in Cornwall. Biden, on whom Boris Johnson expended considerable energy attempting to politically woo ahead of the summit, warmly embraced the French president. Johnson was left lingering with Angela Merkel as he waited for the pair to catch up."

https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2021/jun/11/emmanuel-macron-and-joe-biden-share-a-moment-after-g7-leaders-photo-video

And this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6MvVppnEto


They're practically hugging. Biden gets all chummy and says to Macron "we're on the same page!"

At the very same time these shots were taken, Biden was plotting to steal France's enormous sub deal, torpedo Macron's Indo-Pacific policy, snub France in the cruellest way, and utterly ignore the EU

Biden is an absolute C*NT. I'm warming to him

He's a professional politician and he's absolutely played Macron while people were wibbling about how Biden cared about Ireland. 😂

Biden (and the rest of the American political establishment, especially on the Democrat side) cares very much about Ireland. However, the importance of the Irish situation is also overstated.

What the Americans care about above all is that the open border on the island of Ireland is maintained. Note that this is one thing, also, with which the British Government has never threatened to interfere. I'm far from convinced that the Americans give a monkeys whether or not the UK fiddles the technicalities of its wider agreements with the EU, still less that Boris Johnson pisses off the Northern Irish Unionists. So long as the movement of people and trade within Ireland is allowed to go undisturbed, it looks like that's enough for them.

Turning to the French, they're quite right to suggest that they've been shafted not just by the Americans but, collectively, by Australia, the US and Britain. But it's very hard to feel any sympathy for Macron. He's been one of the leading hardliners in the EU approach to Brexit. If you treat your neighbour as a rival and try to score points off them, you can hardly come over all shocked if the neighbour acts in kind from time to time.

If Macron wants to play games then he should expect the UK to respond in kind.

He wants help?

He can start by controlling his side of the channel properly.

Big_G_NorthWales said:

Scott_xP said:

France has recalled its ambassadors to the United States and Australia amid a backlash over a deal to supply submarines, the French foreign minister says - PA

That's huge
https://twitter.com/SamCoatesSky/status/1438953858047303689

Throwing their toys out of the pram time

DavidL said:

kle4 said:

I see Boris should pass a few more ex-PMs on the length of tenure list very shortly. He just recently passed George Hamilton-Gordon who, as everyone knows, was PM just before Palmeston.

Just another 19 years in power and he has the record.

If he achieved that the one thing that you could be sure of is that there would be posters on her claiming with complete certainty and confidence that he was rubbish and that people will see through him imminently.

Foxy said:

Casino_Royale said:

pigeon said:

Philip_Thompson said:

Leon said:

An interesting point



Ben Judah
@b_judah
·
1h
France and AUKUS? I'm struck by the humiliation inflicted on Macron at the G7. As he dressed down Johnson over Northern Ireland and boasted of ties to Australia in the Indo-Pacific, the Anglo three literally made a move on the sidelines. A hit on him, internationally, personally.



This is a direct slap in the face FOR MACRON

Remember these images from the G7:


"Emmanuel Macron made a beeline for Joe Biden after the G7 summit photo call in Cornwall. Biden, on whom Boris Johnson expended considerable energy attempting to politically woo ahead of the summit, warmly embraced the French president. Johnson was left lingering with Angela Merkel as he waited for the pair to catch up."

https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2021/jun/11/emmanuel-macron-and-joe-biden-share-a-moment-after-g7-leaders-photo-video

And this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6MvVppnEto


They're practically hugging. Biden gets all chummy and says to Macron "we're on the same page!"

At the very same time these shots were taken, Biden was plotting to steal France's enormous sub deal, torpedo Macron's Indo-Pacific policy, snub France in the cruellest way, and utterly ignore the EU

Biden is an absolute C*NT. I'm warming to him

He's a professional politician and he's absolutely played Macron while people were wibbling about how Biden cared about Ireland. 😂

Biden (and the rest of the American political establishment, especially on the Democrat side) cares very much about Ireland. However, the importance of the Irish situation is also overstated.

What the Americans care about above all is that the open border on the island of Ireland is maintained. Note that this is one thing, also, with which the British Government has never threatened to interfere. I'm far from convinced that the Americans give a monkeys whether or not the UK fiddles the technicalities of its wider agreements with the EU, still less that Boris Johnson pisses off the Northern Irish Unionists. So long as the movement of people and trade within Ireland is allowed to go undisturbed, it looks like that's enough for them.

Turning to the French, they're quite right to suggest that they've been shafted not just by the Americans but, collectively, by Australia, the US and Britain. But it's very hard to feel any sympathy for Macron. He's been one of the leading hardliners in the EU approach to Brexit. If you treat your neighbour as a rival and try to score points off them, you can hardly come over all shocked if the neighbour acts in kind from time to time.

If Macron wants to play games then he should expect the UK to respond in kind.

He wants help?

He can start by controlling his side of the channel properly.

Are we doing the war with France yet?

Casino_Royale said:

Foxy said:

Casino_Royale said:

pigeon said:

Philip_Thompson said:

Leon said:

An interesting point



Ben Judah
@b_judah
·
1h
France and AUKUS? I'm struck by the humiliation inflicted on Macron at the G7. As he dressed down Johnson over Northern Ireland and boasted of ties to Australia in the Indo-Pacific, the Anglo three literally made a move on the sidelines. A hit on him, internationally, personally.



This is a direct slap in the face FOR MACRON

Remember these images from the G7:


"Emmanuel Macron made a beeline for Joe Biden after the G7 summit photo call in Cornwall. Biden, on whom Boris Johnson expended considerable energy attempting to politically woo ahead of the summit, warmly embraced the French president. Johnson was left lingering with Angela Merkel as he waited for the pair to catch up."

https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2021/jun/11/emmanuel-macron-and-joe-biden-share-a-moment-after-g7-leaders-photo-video

And this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6MvVppnEto


They're practically hugging. Biden gets all chummy and says to Macron "we're on the same page!"

At the very same time these shots were taken, Biden was plotting to steal France's enormous sub deal, torpedo Macron's Indo-Pacific policy, snub France in the cruellest way, and utterly ignore the EU

Biden is an absolute C*NT. I'm warming to him

He's a professional politician and he's absolutely played Macron while people were wibbling about how Biden cared about Ireland. 😂

Biden (and the rest of the American political establishment, especially on the Democrat side) cares very much about Ireland. However, the importance of the Irish situation is also overstated.

What the Americans care about above all is that the open border on the island of Ireland is maintained. Note that this is one thing, also, with which the British Government has never threatened to interfere. I'm far from convinced that the Americans give a monkeys whether or not the UK fiddles the technicalities of its wider agreements with the EU, still less that Boris Johnson pisses off the Northern Irish Unionists. So long as the movement of people and trade within Ireland is allowed to go undisturbed, it looks like that's enough for them.

Turning to the French, they're quite right to suggest that they've been shafted not just by the Americans but, collectively, by Australia, the US and Britain. But it's very hard to feel any sympathy for Macron. He's been one of the leading hardliners in the EU approach to Brexit. If you treat your neighbour as a rival and try to score points off them, you can hardly come over all shocked if the neighbour acts in kind from time to time.

If Macron wants to play games then he should expect the UK to respond in kind.

He wants help?

He can start by controlling his side of the channel properly.

Are we doing the war with France yet?

Meh. Did that earlier this year.

Foxy said:

Scott_xP said:

France has recalled its ambassadors to the United States and Australia amid a backlash over a deal to supply submarines, the French foreign minister says - PA

That's huge
https://twitter.com/SamCoatesSky/status/1438953858047303689

Socking it to perfidious Albion and the Americans does play well for France in an election year. They have their flag-shaggers too.

Roger said:

Foxy said:

Scott_xP said:

France has recalled its ambassadors to the United States and Australia amid a backlash over a deal to supply submarines, the French foreign minister says - PA

That's huge
https://twitter.com/SamCoatesSky/status/1438953858047303689

Socking it to perfidious Albion and the Americans does play well for France in an election year. They have their flag-shaggers too.

Plays well with me too. I just heard an American commentator on Ch4 News saying how corrupt Russia is and what they call democracy is a joke, The opposition are virtually disenfranchised .........

,,,and then Matt Frei said 'But the latest opinion polls show Putin has 58% support against an opposition in the mid 20's.....'

'Yes but can you believe those pollsters? When you are in fear of talking to pollsters what do you expect......

At which point my willing suspension of disbelief vanished into the ether. We'd just seen a sucession of Russians saying how crap the government was in broad daylight yet we were to believe they quivered in front of the pollsters!

Isn't it time the Americans put their own house in order? They're making themselves look ridiculous and if their hypocrisy continues even the Hartlipudlians might start to notice.

Scott_xP said:

France has recalled its ambassadors to the United States and Australia amid a backlash over a deal to supply submarines, the French foreign minister says - PA

That's huge
https://twitter.com/SamCoatesSky/status/1438953858047303689

Roger said:

Foxy said:

Scott_xP said:

France has recalled its ambassadors to the United States and Australia amid a backlash over a deal to supply submarines, the French foreign minister says - PA

That's huge
https://twitter.com/SamCoatesSky/status/1438953858047303689

Socking it to perfidious Albion and the Americans does play well for France in an election year. They have their flag-shaggers too.

Plays well with me too. I just heard an American commentator on Ch4 News saying how corrupt Russia is and what they call democracy is a joke, The opposition are virtually disenfranchised .........

"But " said Matt Frei said "the latest opinion polls show Putin has 58% support against an opposition in the low 20's....."

'Yes but can you believe those pollsters? When you are in fear of talking to pollsters what do you expect......

At which point my willing suspension of disbelief vanished into the ether. We'd just seen a sucession of Russians saying how crap the government was in broad daylight yet we were to believe they quivered in front of the pollsters!

Isn't it time the Americans put their own house in order? They're making themselves look ridiculous and if their hypocrisy continues even the Hartlipudlians might start to notice.

IshmaelZ said:

ydoethur said:

kle4 said:

I see Boris should pass a few more ex-PMs on the length of tenure list very shortly. He just recently passed George Hamilton-Gordon who, as everyone knows, was PM just before Palmeston.

Just another 19 years in power and he has the record.

Do you mean the Earl of Aberdeen?

Bad form to refer to a peer by their family name. Only Yanks do that.

As in, issuing proceedings called Giuffre vs Windsor?

If only naming conventions were the principal issue here.

Scott_xP said:

France now recalls Ambassadors to US and Australia. Unprecedented between allied nations? Interestingly not from UK. A signal Paris regards Washington and Canberra as ringleaders in plot, with London as accomplice. Expect further French measures targeting interests of all three. https://twitter.com/fheisbourg/status/1438943701280202760

CarlottaVance said:

For Services to?......

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2021/09/17/exclusive-gavin-williamson-tipped-knighthood/

turbotubbs said:

Benpointer said:

IshmaelZ said:

turbotubbs said:

Philip_Thompson said:

Mad Cow Disease back?

And no, not Arlene Foster. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-58602051

As the story says 5 cases since 2014, I’d say don’t worry.

That's odd, because a friend of mine died of it in Devon 3 years ago.

There was a very interesting Horizon programme a year or two back on BSE and the link with variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (vCJD). There can be very long incubation times for vCJD, potentially 50 years or more.

The full extent of the impact of BSE on the human population will only emerge slowly.

At this time I suspect it will be tiny. Incidence according to the nhs is 1 or 2 per million per in the U.K. There has been enough time now if it was going to be a big problem. And besides, if you develop CJD 50 years later, how certain can you be that it was that dodgy burger way back then? CJD does happen without BSE.