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If punters are right CON set to lose both upcoming by-elections – politicalbetting.com

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  • Options
    MoonRabbitMoonRabbit Posts: 12,415
    edited May 2022
    Its the FT with this absolute Smorgasbord of stories here.

    Xi in trouble?

    Boris needs to win important arm wrestle?

    image
  • Options
    DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 24,348

    Cyclefree said:

    As forecast on PB (mainly because something similar was happening in America) employers have decided they can use WFH to save money on salaries.

    Law firm says staff can work from home - for 20% less pay
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-61298394

    The company saves on office space, electricity, even coffee. They should be paying people more to WFH.
    And people WFH also now have increased electricity and gas bills.
    And have lost the tax allowance.
    What tax allowance?
    You can or could claim a £6 a week tax allowance if you had to work from home. I've got an idea Rishi abolished this, although I can't find that now so perhaps I misremembered. For instance, this from a year ago:-
    https://www.gov.uk/government/news/working-from-home-customers-may-be-eligible-to-claim-tax-relief-in-2021-to-2022

    (And btw: customers?)
  • Options
    SeaShantyIrish2SeaShantyIrish2 Posts: 15,561

    I don't know, why don't we go totally mad and just ask the administration that has been running the government for twelves years why NHS is in such shit?




    Beergate fizzling out without much evidence produced. To be honest, a big curry order late at night does point to something other than a working dinner, unfortunately for the mail and Tory’s they had someone who delivered a huge curry order, who then retracted their story. No evidence coming from all the column inches and fury just makes it wishful thinking and negative campaigning smear.
    Someone trying to curry favor?
  • Options
    Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 25,413
    CatMan said:

    Have we discussed Keir Starmer having a curry with Frank Dobson 2 years after he died?

    Keir Starmer is dead? That explains a lot.
  • Options
    david_herdsondavid_herdson Posts: 17,419

    David H, as a candidate for Parliament, can you answer me answer me THIS one question, without equivocation:

    Where would YOU prefer to spend a fun-filled, wild weekend of robust r&r - New Orleans OR Wakefield?

    New Orleans is rather a long way to go for a weekend, so given the choice, Wakefield.

    Also, humidity. And jazz.
  • Options
    MoonRabbitMoonRabbit Posts: 12,415

    @david_herdson certainly heading for top 3 outcome. I suspect not a lot of enthusiasm for CON or LAB in Wakefield but difficult to get past voting habits and organisations of big parties.

    Let’s use our PB hive mind just to prove we can help him win it, we are that clever. 😌

    I suggest David, blitz it on just two campaign promises over and over and over again.

    Firstly, security in the community - your home safe when you are out (and in) and your family safe when they are out and about.

    Secondly, war on wasteful spending. Your mission will be to fight, fight and fight again to ensure every penny of taxpayers and ratepayers money achieve value for money, and nothing wasted.
  • Options
    MoonRabbitMoonRabbit Posts: 12,415

    CatMan said:

    Have we discussed Keir Starmer having a curry with Frank Dobson 2 years after he died?

    Keir Starmer is dead? That explains a lot.
    Stop trying to make him sound interesting
  • Options
    SeaShantyIrish2SeaShantyIrish2 Posts: 15,561
    AP - Boris Johnson to Address Ukraine Parliament

    LONDON — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is scheduled to address Ukraine’s parliament, delivering a message that the fight against Russian invasion is Ukraine’s “finest hour.”

    Johnson’s office says the U.K. leader will announce a new 300 million pound ($375 million) package of military aid to Ukraine when he speaks to the legislature by video link on Tuesday. Britain has already sent Ukraine equipment including missiles and missile launchers. The new package includes electronic warfare equipment, a counter battery radar system, GPS jamming equipment and thousands of night vision devices.

    In advance extracts of the address released by the prime minister’s office, Johnson evokes a 1940 speech by World War II leader Winston Churchill as the U.K. fought attack from Nazi Germany. Johnson will say that “the British people showed such unity and resolve that we remember our time of greatest peril as our finest hour. This is Ukraine’s finest hour, an epic chapter in your national story that will be remembered and recounted for generations to come.”
  • Options
    MoonRabbitMoonRabbit Posts: 12,415

    I don't know, why don't we go totally mad and just ask the administration that has been running the government for twelves years why NHS is in such shit?




    Beergate fizzling out without much evidence produced. To be honest, a big curry order late at night does point to something other than a working dinner, unfortunately for the mail and Tory’s they had someone who delivered a huge curry order, who then retracted their story. No evidence coming from all the column inches and fury just makes it wishful thinking and negative campaigning smear.
    Someone trying to curry favor?
    Then an epic phaal.
  • Options
    SeaShantyIrish2SeaShantyIrish2 Posts: 15,561

    David H, as a candidate for Parliament, can you answer me answer me THIS one question, without equivocation:

    Where would YOU prefer to spend a fun-filled, wild weekend of robust r&r - New Orleans OR Wakefield?

    New Orleans is rather a long way to go for a weekend, so given the choice, Wakefield.

    Also, humidity. And jazz.
    Can see how you might prefer (esp. on the campaign trail) your native mist and Yorkshire rap.
  • Options
    EabhalEabhal Posts: 5,893
    I like working from the office. Have a tiny flat and like the psychological break from my brief cycle/walk in the morning. I shower, make myself look presentable, and make my flat neat and tidy ready for the evening before I head off.

    At the office I can do about two hours solid work before needing a wander/tea/PB check. At home - 30 mins ish? Just get itchy.

    I also have no real connection with my new manager (who is great, over teams) and haven't developed the relationship that would mean I feel obliged to work hard for her.

    I understand why people with long, expensive commutes are so desperate to WFH. But I hated my old car commute, so I spent more on a place right in the centre of town. If you live somewhere like Dunbar or Perth then you moved there because you had the money to live in and commute from a lovely part of the country - I don't have much sympathy.
  • Options
    MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 44,365

    As forecast on PB (mainly because something similar was happening in America) employers have decided they can use WFH to save money on salaries.

    Law firm says staff can work from home - for 20% less pay
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-61298394

    The company saves on office space, electricity, even coffee. They should be paying people more to WFH.
    Interesting. When lockdowns hit and I was forced to wfh, I definitely saved a lot of money (no commute, no spend in the shop at work), although it’s hard to disentangle from no social activity too.
    I can see a definite case around London weighting. If you are living out of London, the job should not need extra.
    We are about to move office. The new office is sized based on our new 'hybrid' model. Basically, a smaller office than the old one.

    That is a cost saving to the company, and none of it is shared with the workforce. While some will be saving on travel costs, some who walk, run or cycle won't. Meanwhile everyone is incurring additional costs heating their home and powering the IT equipment. And making their own coffee.

    Now I love the whole WFH malarkey, and see it as a clear gain. But let's not forget that there are savings for employers that they are simply trousering.
    A concern I have is companies effectively offloading office costs onto those WFH. I work for a high end outfit that delivered to our homes (for free) everything we wanted from the office - desks, chairs, computers etc.

    In the less salubrious end of things - how long before Bring Your Own extends to the laptop to log into the company VM - and if you want a monitor, you pay for it etc. Not only WFH, but equipping and paying for the office.

    A huge number of people hunched over a tiny laptop screen, at the dining table (if they are lucky) or balanced on the ironing board (if not)…. I’m quite sure their employers will be declining all responsibility…
  • Options
    rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,960

    Oh, i didn't know this - 16 year old voters can vote in Wales this week for first time.

    Can legally vote, surely?
  • Options
    EabhalEabhal Posts: 5,893

    As forecast on PB (mainly because something similar was happening in America) employers have decided they can use WFH to save money on salaries.

    Law firm says staff can work from home - for 20% less pay
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-61298394

    The company saves on office space, electricity, even coffee. They should be paying people more to WFH.
    Interesting. When lockdowns hit and I was forced to wfh, I definitely saved a lot of money (no commute, no spend in the shop at work), although it’s hard to disentangle from no social activity too.
    I can see a definite case around London weighting. If you are living out of London, the job should not need extra.
    We are about to move office. The new office is sized based on our new 'hybrid' model. Basically, a smaller office than the old one.

    That is a cost saving to the company, and none of it is shared with the workforce. While some will be saving on travel costs, some who walk, run or cycle won't. Meanwhile everyone is incurring additional costs heating their home and powering the IT equipment. And making their own coffee.

    Now I love the whole WFH malarkey, and see it as a clear gain. But let's not forget that there are savings for employers that they are simply trousering.
    A concern I have is companies effectively offloading office costs onto those WFH. I work for a high end outfit that delivered to our homes (for free) everything we wanted from the office - desks, chairs, computers etc.

    In the less salubrious end of things - how long before Bring Your Own extends to the laptop to log into the company VM - and if you want a monitor, you pay for it etc. Not only WFH, but equipping and paying for the office.

    A huge number of people hunched over a tiny laptop screen, at the dining table (if they are lucky) or balanced on the ironing board (if not)…. I’m quite sure their employers will be declining all responsibility…
    Doesn't help that the kit at the office is significantly inferior to my set up at home.
  • Options
    GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 19,079

    As forecast on PB (mainly because something similar was happening in America) employers have decided they can use WFH to save money on salaries.

    Law firm says staff can work from home - for 20% less pay
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-61298394

    The company saves on office space, electricity, even coffee. They should be paying people more to WFH.
    Interesting. When lockdowns hit and I was forced to wfh, I definitely saved a lot of money (no commute, no spend in the shop at work), although it’s hard to disentangle from no social activity too.
    I can see a definite case around London weighting. If you are living out of London, the job should not need extra.
    We are about to move office. The new office is sized based on our new 'hybrid' model. Basically, a smaller office than the old one.

    That is a cost saving to the company, and none of it is shared with the workforce. While some will be saving on travel costs, some who walk, run or cycle won't. Meanwhile everyone is incurring additional costs heating their home and powering the IT equipment. And making their own coffee.

    Now I love the whole WFH malarkey, and see it as a clear gain. But let's not forget that there are savings for employers that they are simply trousering.
    A concern I have is companies effectively offloading office costs onto those WFH. I work for a high end outfit that delivered to our homes (for free) everything we wanted from the office - desks, chairs, computers etc.

    In the less salubrious end of things - how long before Bring Your Own extends to the laptop to log into the company VM - and if you want a monitor, you pay for it etc. Not only WFH, but equipping and paying for the office.

    A huge number of people hunched over a tiny laptop screen, at the dining table (if they are lucky) or balanced on the ironing board (if not)…. I’m quite sure their employers will be declining all responsibility…
    I used our Amazon £50 Christmas "bonus" to buy a dual monitor arm because the firm refused to get one (despite us having them in the office). I was told that I should just put the monitors on piles of books.
  • Options
    DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 24,348

    @david_herdson certainly heading for top 3 outcome. I suspect not a lot of enthusiasm for CON or LAB in Wakefield but difficult to get past voting habits and organisations of big parties.

    Let’s use our PB hive mind just to prove we can help him win it, we are that clever. 😌

    I suggest David, blitz it on just two campaign promises over and over and over again.

    Firstly, security in the community - your home safe when you are out (and in) and your family safe when they are out and about.

    Secondly, war on wasteful spending. Your mission will be to fight, fight and fight again to ensure every penny of taxpayers and ratepayers money achieve value for money, and nothing wasted.
    On your first point, is burglary a big problem in Wakefield? If it is, hammer the Tories for cutting police (even though they are now recruiting again). If not, it is a bit motherhood and apple pie. A bit like not wasting money.
  • Options
    rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,960

    Its the FT with this absolute Smorgasbord of stories here.

    Xi in trouble?

    Boris needs to win important arm wrestle?

    image

    My engineering CEO friend out there thinks Xi is going to be quietly retired, as the Covid lockdowns have been such a disaster.
  • Options
    nico679nico679 Posts: 4,790

    AP - Boris Johnson to Address Ukraine Parliament

    LONDON — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is scheduled to address Ukraine’s parliament, delivering a message that the fight against Russian invasion is Ukraine’s “finest hour.”

    Johnson’s office says the U.K. leader will announce a new 300 million pound ($375 million) package of military aid to Ukraine when he speaks to the legislature by video link on Tuesday. Britain has already sent Ukraine equipment including missiles and missile launchers. The new package includes electronic warfare equipment, a counter battery radar system, GPS jamming equipment and thousands of night vision devices.

    In advance extracts of the address released by the prime minister’s office, Johnson evokes a 1940 speech by World War II leader Winston Churchill as the U.K. fought attack from Nazi Germany. Johnson will say that “the British people showed such unity and resolve that we remember our time of greatest peril as our finest hour. This is Ukraine’s finest hour, an epic chapter in your national story that will be remembered and recounted for generations to come.”

    Oh God please just make it end ! Funny he’s doing this two days before the local elections ! That 300 million pound was announced last week so this is a re-hash to get his ugly fat face onto tv screens .
  • Options
    EabhalEabhal Posts: 5,893
    A

    As forecast on PB (mainly because something similar was happening in America) employers have decided they can use WFH to save money on salaries.

    Law firm says staff can work from home - for 20% less pay
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-61298394

    The company saves on office space, electricity, even coffee. They should be paying people more to WFH.
    Interesting. When lockdowns hit and I was forced to wfh, I definitely saved a lot of money (no commute, no spend in the shop at work), although it’s hard to disentangle from no social activity too.
    I can see a definite case around London weighting. If you are living out of London, the job should not need extra.
    We are about to move office. The new office is sized based on our new 'hybrid' model. Basically, a smaller office than the old one.

    That is a cost saving to the company, and none of it is shared with the workforce. While some will be saving on travel costs, some who walk, run or cycle won't. Meanwhile everyone is incurring additional costs heating their home and powering the IT equipment. And making their own coffee.

    Now I love the whole WFH malarkey, and see it as a clear gain. But let's not forget that there are savings for employers that they are simply trousering.
    A concern I have is companies effectively offloading office costs onto those WFH. I work for a high end outfit that delivered to our homes (for free) everything we wanted from the office - desks, chairs, computers etc.

    In the less salubrious end of things - how long before Bring Your Own extends to the laptop to log into the company VM - and if you want a monitor, you pay for it etc. Not only WFH, but equipping and paying for the office.

    A huge number of people hunched over a tiny laptop screen, at the dining table (if they are lucky) or balanced on the ironing board (if not)…. I’m quite sure their employers will be declining all responsibility…
    I used our Amazon £50 Christmas "bonus" to buy a dual monitor arm because the firm refused to get one (despite us having them in the office). I was told that I should just put the monitors on piles of books.
    I've noticed that a lot of the nerdier, gamer types (me) have had a much better time of it.

    Laptop on dining room table with cat/toddler versus dual screen & mechanical keyboard.
  • Options
    StuartDicksonStuartDickson Posts: 12,146

    mwadams said:


    Are punters ever right? If they were, would bookmakers still exist?

    Bookmakers stop regularly successful punters from betting.
    Yepp. Did it to me. The bastards.
  • Options
    EabhalEabhal Posts: 5,893

    AP - Boris Johnson to Address Ukraine Parliament

    LONDON — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is scheduled to address Ukraine’s parliament, delivering a message that the fight against Russian invasion is Ukraine’s “finest hour.”

    Johnson’s office says the U.K. leader will announce a new 300 million pound ($375 million) package of military aid to Ukraine when he speaks to the legislature by video link on Tuesday. Britain has already sent Ukraine equipment including missiles and missile launchers. The new package includes electronic warfare equipment, a counter battery radar system, GPS jamming equipment and thousands of night vision devices.

    In advance extracts of the address released by the prime minister’s office, Johnson evokes a 1940 speech by World War II leader Winston Churchill as the U.K. fought attack from Nazi Germany. Johnson will say that “the British people showed such unity and resolve that we remember our time of greatest peril as our finest hour. This is Ukraine’s finest hour, an epic chapter in your national story that will be remembered and recounted for generations to come.”

    The night vision thing is interesting. Wasn't this the big NATO advantage - can conduct all our combat at night?
  • Options
    SeaShantyIrish2SeaShantyIrish2 Posts: 15,561

    rcs1000 said:

    As forecast on PB (mainly because something similar was happening in America) employers have decided they can use WFH to save money on salaries.

    Law firm says staff can work from home - for 20% less pay
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-61298394

    The company saves on office space, electricity, even coffee. They should be paying people more to WFH.
    Interesting. When lockdowns hit and I was forced to wfh, I definitely saved a lot of money (no commute, no spend in the shop at work), although it’s hard to disentangle from no social activity too.
    I can see a definite case around London weighting. If you are living out of London, the job should not need extra.
    We are about to move office. The new office is sized based on our new 'hybrid' model. Basically, a smaller office than the old one.

    That is a cost saving to the company, and none of it is shared with the workforce. While some will be saving on travel costs, some who walk, run or cycle won't. Meanwhile everyone is incurring additional costs heating their home and powering the IT equipment. And making their own coffee.

    Now I love the whole WFH malarkey, and see it as a clear gain. But let's not forget that there are savings for employers that they are simply trousering.
    Given how hard it is to get you lot off PB (particularly when you're at home and no-one is looking over your shoulder) and to actually do some work, this sounds perfectly reasonable.
    First you allege that the children of Wales are engaged in electoral fraud.

    Now you accuse good, hard-working (and -living) PBers of being goldbricks!
  • Options
    carnforthcarnforth Posts: 3,195

    Its the FT with this absolute Smorgasbord of stories here.

    Xi in trouble?

    Boris needs to win important arm wrestle?

    image

    Listing Arm in the US is a no-brainer. There is a good chance it will be treated as a fashionable high-growth tech stock rather than the mature company it is, and will attract, at least for a time, an inflated valuation. Who wouldn’t want that?
  • Options
    rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 58,204
    nico679 said:

    AP - Boris Johnson to Address Ukraine Parliament

    LONDON — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is scheduled to address Ukraine’s parliament, delivering a message that the fight against Russian invasion is Ukraine’s “finest hour.”

    Johnson’s office says the U.K. leader will announce a new 300 million pound ($375 million) package of military aid to Ukraine when he speaks to the legislature by video link on Tuesday. Britain has already sent Ukraine equipment including missiles and missile launchers. The new package includes electronic warfare equipment, a counter battery radar system, GPS jamming equipment and thousands of night vision devices.

    In advance extracts of the address released by the prime minister’s office, Johnson evokes a 1940 speech by World War II leader Winston Churchill as the U.K. fought attack from Nazi Germany. Johnson will say that “the British people showed such unity and resolve that we remember our time of greatest peril as our finest hour. This is Ukraine’s finest hour, an epic chapter in your national story that will be remembered and recounted for generations to come.”

    Oh God please just make it end ! Funny he’s doing this two days before the local elections ! That 300 million pound was announced last week so this is a re-hash to get his ugly fat face onto tv screens .
    At some point on Friday this week the results will indicate a leadership challenge, possibly driven by a dozen or so of Hunt's team sending in letters to Brady, or they will not.

    Sadly I think the greasy piglet will get away with it again and the only way we get rid of him is the GE of 2024.

  • Options
    rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 58,204
    rcs1000 said:

    Its the FT with this absolute Smorgasbord of stories here.

    Xi in trouble?

    Boris needs to win important arm wrestle?

    image

    My engineering CEO friend out there thinks Xi is going to be quietly retired, as the Covid lockdowns have been such a disaster.
    iirc his bid for third term is this autumn. Given the way things are going this spring he will be lucky to engineer another term
  • Options
    david_herdsondavid_herdson Posts: 17,419

    @david_herdson certainly heading for top 3 outcome. I suspect not a lot of enthusiasm for CON or LAB in Wakefield but difficult to get past voting habits and organisations of big parties.

    Let’s use our PB hive mind just to prove we can help him win it, we are that clever. 😌

    I suggest David, blitz it on just two campaign promises over and over and over again.

    Firstly, security in the community - your home safe when you are out (and in) and your family safe when they are out and about.

    Secondly, war on wasteful spending. Your mission will be to fight, fight and fight again to ensure every penny of taxpayers and ratepayers money achieve value for money, and nothing wasted.
    On your first point, is burglary a big problem in Wakefield? If it is, hammer the Tories for cutting police (even though they are now recruiting again). If not, it is a bit motherhood and apple pie. A bit like not wasting money.
    I'm not going to say what our campaign issues will be in advance (you never know who else might be reading), but I hear your point.

    What I would say is that minor party / independent candidates have to run campaigns that are distinctive from the big boys in the election. There is no point repeating what they say when they are better placed to win and to deliver.
  • Options
    SeaShantyIrish2SeaShantyIrish2 Posts: 15,561
    edited May 2022
    "MYGA - MWGA"

    "All Voters Great and Small"

    "Wake Up Wakefield" or "Wakefield Wake Up!"

    "Follow the Herd-son"

    Addendum "Vote for Herdson? - Luxury!"
  • Options
    StuartDicksonStuartDickson Posts: 12,146
    rcs1000 said:

    As forecast on PB (mainly because something similar was happening in America) employers have decided they can use WFH to save money on salaries.

    Law firm says staff can work from home - for 20% less pay
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-61298394

    The company saves on office space, electricity, even coffee. They should be paying people more to WFH.
    Interesting. When lockdowns hit and I was forced to wfh, I definitely saved a lot of money (no commute, no spend in the shop at work), although it’s hard to disentangle from no social activity too.
    I can see a definite case around London weighting. If you are living out of London, the job should not need extra.
    We are about to move office. The new office is sized based on our new 'hybrid' model. Basically, a smaller office than the old one.

    That is a cost saving to the company, and none of it is shared with the workforce. While some will be saving on travel costs, some who walk, run or cycle won't. Meanwhile everyone is incurring additional costs heating their home and powering the IT equipment. And making their own coffee.

    Now I love the whole WFH malarkey, and see it as a clear gain. But let's not forget that there are savings for employers that they are simply trousering.
    Given how hard it is to get you lot off PB (particularly when you're at home and no-one is looking over your shoulder) and to actually do some work, this sounds perfectly reasonable.
    20% cut? PB’s vast ranks of shirkers deserve a 50% cut.
  • Options
    SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 20,604
    Eabhal said:

    A

    As forecast on PB (mainly because something similar was happening in America) employers have decided they can use WFH to save money on salaries.

    Law firm says staff can work from home - for 20% less pay
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-61298394

    The company saves on office space, electricity, even coffee. They should be paying people more to WFH.
    Interesting. When lockdowns hit and I was forced to wfh, I definitely saved a lot of money (no commute, no spend in the shop at work), although it’s hard to disentangle from no social activity too.
    I can see a definite case around London weighting. If you are living out of London, the job should not need extra.
    We are about to move office. The new office is sized based on our new 'hybrid' model. Basically, a smaller office than the old one.

    That is a cost saving to the company, and none of it is shared with the workforce. While some will be saving on travel costs, some who walk, run or cycle won't. Meanwhile everyone is incurring additional costs heating their home and powering the IT equipment. And making their own coffee.

    Now I love the whole WFH malarkey, and see it as a clear gain. But let's not forget that there are savings for employers that they are simply trousering.
    A concern I have is companies effectively offloading office costs onto those WFH. I work for a high end outfit that delivered to our homes (for free) everything we wanted from the office - desks, chairs, computers etc.

    In the less salubrious end of things - how long before Bring Your Own extends to the laptop to log into the company VM - and if you want a monitor, you pay for it etc. Not only WFH, but equipping and paying for the office.

    A huge number of people hunched over a tiny laptop screen, at the dining table (if they are lucky) or balanced on the ironing board (if not)…. I’m quite sure their employers will be declining all responsibility…
    I used our Amazon £50 Christmas "bonus" to buy a dual monitor arm because the firm refused to get one (despite us having them in the office). I was told that I should just put the monitors on piles of books.
    I've noticed that a lot of the nerdier, gamer types (me) have had a much better time of it.

    Laptop on dining room table with cat/toddler versus dual screen & mechanical keyboard.
    Cats appearing during Teams meetings is one of the highlights of WFH.
  • Options
    MoonRabbitMoonRabbit Posts: 12,415

    @david_herdson certainly heading for top 3 outcome. I suspect not a lot of enthusiasm for CON or LAB in Wakefield but difficult to get past voting habits and organisations of big parties.

    Let’s use our PB hive mind just to prove we can help him win it, we are that clever. 😌

    I suggest David, blitz it on just two campaign promises over and over and over again.

    Firstly, security in the community - your home safe when you are out (and in) and your family safe when they are out and about.

    Secondly, war on wasteful spending. Your mission will be to fight, fight and fight again to ensure every penny of taxpayers and ratepayers money achieve value for money, and nothing wasted.
    On your first point, is burglary a big problem in Wakefield? If it is, hammer the Tories for cutting police (even though they are now recruiting again). If not, it is a bit motherhood and apple pie. A bit like not wasting money.
    I disagree whole heartedly with your Descrepiter self. I can win any constituency in the country focussing on just those two issues. At the end of the day, when it’s all put into a melting pot and smelted down to see what’s left, these are the two things that matters most to most people. You don’t have to listen to me, but I have just given you a psychological key right into their soul where you can help yourself to their vote.
  • Options
    MoonRabbitMoonRabbit Posts: 12,415

    AP - Boris Johnson to Address Ukraine Parliament

    LONDON — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is scheduled to address Ukraine’s parliament, delivering a message that the fight against Russian invasion is Ukraine’s “finest hour.”

    Johnson’s office says the U.K. leader will announce a new 300 million pound ($375 million) package of military aid to Ukraine when he speaks to the legislature by video link on Tuesday. Britain has already sent Ukraine equipment including missiles and missile launchers. The new package includes electronic warfare equipment, a counter battery radar system, GPS jamming equipment and thousands of night vision devices.

    In advance extracts of the address released by the prime minister’s office, Johnson evokes a 1940 speech by World War II leader Winston Churchill as the U.K. fought attack from Nazi Germany. Johnson will say that “the British people showed such unity and resolve that we remember our time of greatest peril as our finest hour. This is Ukraine’s finest hour, an epic chapter in your national story that will be remembered and recounted for generations to come.”

    It just looks like he’s milking it and neglecting his day job how Times have chosen to use this story on eve of elections 🥺

    “Crumbling and Filthy hospitals put patient lives at risk”
    “Rising inflation to blow £7,000 hole in pensions”
    “Boris tells Ukraine Parliament this is your finest hour”
  • Options
    SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 20,604

    @david_herdson certainly heading for top 3 outcome. I suspect not a lot of enthusiasm for CON or LAB in Wakefield but difficult to get past voting habits and organisations of big parties.

    Let’s use our PB hive mind just to prove we can help him win it, we are that clever. 😌

    I suggest David, blitz it on just two campaign promises over and over and over again.

    Firstly, security in the community - your home safe when you are out (and in) and your family safe when they are out and about.

    Secondly, war on wasteful spending. Your mission will be to fight, fight and fight again to ensure every penny of taxpayers and ratepayers money achieve value for money, and nothing wasted.
    On your first point, is burglary a big problem in Wakefield? If it is, hammer the Tories for cutting police (even though they are now recruiting again). If not, it is a bit motherhood and apple pie. A bit like not wasting money.
    I'm not going to say what our campaign issues will be in advance (you never know who else might be reading), but I hear your point.

    What I would say is that minor party / independent candidates have to run campaigns that are distinctive from the big boys in the election. There is no point repeating what they say when they are better placed to win and to deliver.
    Promise to get Kirkgate station sorted. Even though you can't, say you can.
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,725
    edited May 2022

    As forecast on PB (mainly because something similar was happening in America) employers have decided they can use WFH to save money on salaries.

    Law firm says staff can work from home - for 20% less pay
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-61298394

    The company saves on office space, electricity, even coffee. They should be paying people more to WFH.
    Perhaps (and as cyclefree notes there is the issue of higher bills at home - I assumed long before Covid that eventually flexible arrangements might be clawed back, as employees started demanding compensation for electricity/gas etc), but it is a powerplay - if there's competition for the jobs, they obviously think they can ask people to prioritise what they want, a higher salary or a more flexible working arrangement. It will be interesting to see if the employer has called it correctly.
  • Options
    david_herdsondavid_herdson Posts: 17,419

    @david_herdson certainly heading for top 3 outcome. I suspect not a lot of enthusiasm for CON or LAB in Wakefield but difficult to get past voting habits and organisations of big parties.

    Let’s use our PB hive mind just to prove we can help him win it, we are that clever. 😌

    I suggest David, blitz it on just two campaign promises over and over and over again.

    Firstly, security in the community - your home safe when you are out (and in) and your family safe when they are out and about.

    Secondly, war on wasteful spending. Your mission will be to fight, fight and fight again to ensure every penny of taxpayers and ratepayers money achieve value for money, and nothing wasted.
    On your first point, is burglary a big problem in Wakefield? If it is, hammer the Tories for cutting police (even though they are now recruiting again). If not, it is a bit motherhood and apple pie. A bit like not wasting money.
    I'm not going to say what our campaign issues will be in advance (you never know who else might be reading), but I hear your point.

    What I would say is that minor party / independent candidates have to run campaigns that are distinctive from the big boys in the election. There is no point repeating what they say when they are better placed to win and to deliver.
    Promise to get Kirkgate station sorted. Even though you can't, say you can.
    Kirkgate has had a lot spent on it in the last five years. Apart from still having to use an underpass to get to two of the three platforms, which isn't great on the safety front, it's miles better than the bleak old place it used to be.
    Should have toilets though.

    The city centre in general is a far bigger problem, particularly the lower end.
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,725
    edited May 2022

    AP - Boris Johnson to Address Ukraine Parliament

    LONDON — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is scheduled to address Ukraine’s parliament, delivering a message that the fight against Russian invasion is Ukraine’s “finest hour.”

    Johnson’s office says the U.K. leader will announce a new 300 million pound ($375 million) package of military aid to Ukraine when he speaks to the legislature by video link on Tuesday. Britain has already sent Ukraine equipment including missiles and missile launchers. The new package includes electronic warfare equipment, a counter battery radar system, GPS jamming equipment and thousands of night vision devices.

    In advance extracts of the address released by the prime minister’s office, Johnson evokes a 1940 speech by World War II leader Winston Churchill as the U.K. fought attack from Nazi Germany. Johnson will say that “the British people showed such unity and resolve that we remember our time of greatest peril as our finest hour. This is Ukraine’s finest hour, an epic chapter in your national story that will be remembered and recounted for generations to come.”

    It just looks like he’s milking it and neglecting his day job how Times have chosen to use this story on eve of elections 🥺

    “Crumbling and Filthy hospitals put patient lives at risk”
    “Rising inflation to blow £7,000 hole in pensions”
    “Boris tells Ukraine Parliament this is your finest hour”
    I'm sure he is milking it a bit, but Zelensky has been (virtually) touring parliaments all over the world, it's not really a surprise that there would be some reciprocal speeches made.

    Though shouldn't be he wikipediaing Ukrainian historical references rather than using our own?
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,725
    Sandpit said:

    ydoethur said:

    One for Leon and Ishmael:

    An interesting thread on why Russia's nukes *may* not be as much of a threat as people fear:
    https://twitter.com/TrentTelenko/status/1520180151992131584

    Basically: nukes cost a heck of a lot to keep in working order, as do delivery systems. And if the Russians are unsure whether their systems work, then they won't use them: as demonstrating they don't work - especially after their conventional military's failures - leaves them wide open to attack. They may think it is better to keep nukes as an unused threat, rather than a used failure.

    It's interesting, but not something I'd want testing...

    Isn't there are a car that's got such downforce you can drive it upside down, but nobody's willing to drive it on a tunnel roof to find out?
    F1 cars (circa 1990-2000) were described as such. I've no idea if that's still true in this era.
    Yes, an F1 car produces 3-4 times its weight in downforce, the laws of physics says it can drive upside-down above about 80mph.

    Adam Savage from Mythbusters said that they did some planning on how to test it, but no-one would lent them a car! You’d likely need to redesign the fuel and oil systems to run upside-down for more than a few seconds.
    Spoilsports, I think the virality of such a video would pay in advertising any costs of design or damage.
  • Options
    AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 19,965

    Leon said:

    Real architectural wonder of New Orleans, is that it exist in the first place, like Venice & St Petersburg in middle of a big, bad, freaking swamp.

    Perhaps check out Bayou St John & other canal routes? Book "Bienville's Dilemna" by Campanella goes into great detail combined with equally good detail & analysis.

    And yes, what they used to call the CBD is hideous. Not to City of London standards, but close.

    Re: Lewis & Clark, poor Meriweather blazed the path westward to the Pacific and back, yet fell afoul re: the bookkeeping & report writing.

    IIRC he was on his way to Our Nation's Capital to give an account of his less-than-satisfactory accounting of the great expedition and/or is territorial governorship, when he took his own life at a roadside "stand" (rough inn) on the Natchez Trace. Leastways that's what they said happened and what balance of probablities still suggests.

    Lol. Touché. Nice dig at the City. We really fucked up with the Walkie Talkie and 22 Fenchurch St

    On the other hand you can get vistas like this. From the right angle






    At the same time we have somehow contrived to hide The Gherkin from almost any angle, and that is one of the most marvellously iconic modern buildings in the world. Derrrr
    To illustrate your point - what a mess the City has become:

    image
    All those ugly office blocks full of empty desks while the staff sit on the sofa in their keks WFH.
    Have you actually been to London in the last three months? Your post suggests you don’t know WTF you are talking about.
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,725
    edited May 2022
    nico679 said:

    AP - Boris Johnson to Address Ukraine Parliament

    LONDON — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is scheduled to address Ukraine’s parliament, delivering a message that the fight against Russian invasion is Ukraine’s “finest hour.”

    Johnson’s office says the U.K. leader will announce a new 300 million pound ($375 million) package of military aid to Ukraine when he speaks to the legislature by video link on Tuesday. Britain has already sent Ukraine equipment including missiles and missile launchers. The new package includes electronic warfare equipment, a counter battery radar system, GPS jamming equipment and thousands of night vision devices.

    In advance extracts of the address released by the prime minister’s office, Johnson evokes a 1940 speech by World War II leader Winston Churchill as the U.K. fought attack from Nazi Germany. Johnson will say that “the British people showed such unity and resolve that we remember our time of greatest peril as our finest hour. This is Ukraine’s finest hour, an epic chapter in your national story that will be remembered and recounted for generations to come.”

    Oh God please just make it end ! Funny he’s doing this two days before the local elections ! That 300 million pound was announced last week so this is a re-hash to get his ugly fat face onto tv screens .
    Look, the next Ukrainian election is 2024, if Boris is going to be Zelensky's running mate he needs to keep his profile up.
    Polling for it is a bit squiffy at the moment though


  • Options
    MoonRabbitMoonRabbit Posts: 12,415
    kle4 said:

    AP - Boris Johnson to Address Ukraine Parliament

    LONDON — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is scheduled to address Ukraine’s parliament, delivering a message that the fight against Russian invasion is Ukraine’s “finest hour.”

    Johnson’s office says the U.K. leader will announce a new 300 million pound ($375 million) package of military aid to Ukraine when he speaks to the legislature by video link on Tuesday. Britain has already sent Ukraine equipment including missiles and missile launchers. The new package includes electronic warfare equipment, a counter battery radar system, GPS jamming equipment and thousands of night vision devices.

    In advance extracts of the address released by the prime minister’s office, Johnson evokes a 1940 speech by World War II leader Winston Churchill as the U.K. fought attack from Nazi Germany. Johnson will say that “the British people showed such unity and resolve that we remember our time of greatest peril as our finest hour. This is Ukraine’s finest hour, an epic chapter in your national story that will be remembered and recounted for generations to come.”

    It just looks like he’s milking it and neglecting his day job how Times have chosen to use this story on eve of elections 🥺

    “Crumbling and Filthy hospitals put patient lives at risk”
    “Rising inflation to blow £7,000 hole in pensions”
    “Boris tells Ukraine Parliament this is your finest hour”
    I'm sure he is milking it a bit, but Zelensky has been (virtually) touring parliaments all over the world, it's not really a surprise that there would be some reciprocal speeches made.

    Though shouldn't be he wikipediaing Ukrainian historical references rather than using our own?
    Boris should have let someone else go first this week, and concentrated this week on the local elections and talking up why vote Tory and a]not assume he wins votes with this speech on eve of domestic election not lose them. Start with the understanding voters are selfish and self interested - oh yes we certainly love Zelenskyy too and the Ukraine fight - but look at the times front page, 7k holes blown in pensions (alarming) and lives at risk in crumbling and filthy hospitals.

    For completeness.
    The Express leads on BORIS RIGHT TO BUY SCHEME IS VOTE WINNER …says Andrea Leadsome.
    The Star has dodgy weather forecast (what is wrong with them?)
    The Telegraph front page has nothing but crap dreamed up when taking a poo. The most bizarre headline being “delays in policy to send migrants to Rwanda fuels record crossings”. Record Crossings? Says who? Says no one with more than two brain cells. Firstly, Patel didn’t say when the plan starts to work and act as deterrent, who thought deterrent factor would be this quick? Secondly, the boat people (mostly young men sleeping rough in France) were aware of policy delays so said quick our chance to take advantage of that? Or is it that the weather is now just perfect for the crossing?
  • Options
    AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 19,965

    I don't know, why don't we go totally mad and just ask the administration that has been running the government for twelves years why NHS is in such shit?




    Beergate fizzling out without much evidence produced. To be honest, a big curry order late at night does point to something other than a working dinner, unfortunately for the mail and Tory’s they had someone who delivered a huge curry order, who then retracted their story. No evidence coming from all the column inches and fury just makes it wishful thinking and negative campaigning smear.
    Yes, it was wishful thinking on your part MoonRabbit!

    You have a real soft spot for Bozza and latch on to whatever desperate story the Mail comes up with.

    On to the next one!
  • Options
    Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 26,576
    The Telegraph have just tweeted a poll showing the Tories on 24% for the local elections. It looks like they've forgotten that it isn't a good idea to compare the raw vote shares at local elections with the projected national vote share. The Tories will be much higher than 24% as far as the latter is concerned.
  • Options
    AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 19,965
    Eabhal said:

    I like working from the office. Have a tiny flat and like the psychological break from my brief cycle/walk in the morning. I shower, make myself look presentable, and make my flat neat and tidy ready for the evening before I head off.

    At the office I can do about two hours solid work before needing a wander/tea/PB check. At home - 30 mins ish? Just get itchy.

    I also have no real connection with my new manager (who is great, over teams) and haven't developed the relationship that would mean I feel obliged to work hard for her.

    I understand why people with long, expensive commutes are so desperate to WFH. But I hated my old car commute, so I spent more on a place right in the centre of town. If you live somewhere like Dunbar or Perth then you moved there because you had the money to live in and commute from a lovely part of the country - I don't have much sympathy.

    I agree. I WFH a lot, and did before Covid. But I would WFH a lot less were it not for my long commute (70 mins). If I could be in the office in 20 mins, I’d probably WFW 6-7 days a fortnight.
  • Options
    FrankBoothFrankBooth Posts: 9,046
    The Russian TV people making nuclear threats to the UK:

    How would the audience feel about this? Wouldn't some not be slightly concerned about the possibility of nuclear retaliation from a nuclear power and Nato member with the resulting global apocalypse. Whether or not they support the principles of the 'special military operation' do they really think it is worth it if the risk is nuclear annihilation? I know the presenters have claimed it would be fine as they would be going to heaven but surely much of the population must be having doubts?
  • Options
    AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 19,965
    rcs1000 said:

    Its the FT with this absolute Smorgasbord of stories here.

    Xi in trouble?

    Boris needs to win important arm wrestle?

    image

    My engineering CEO friend out there thinks Xi is going to be quietly retired, as the Covid lockdowns have been such a disaster.
    The covid lockdowns in China are absolutely bizarre/bonkers. What on Earth are they trying to achieve? The entire thing smacks of saving face - and no doubt the Chinese have noticed that everyone else in the world is getting on with their lives.
  • Options
    NickPalmerNickPalmer Posts: 21,331

    nico679 said:

    AP - Boris Johnson to Address Ukraine Parliament

    LONDON — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is scheduled to address Ukraine’s parliament, delivering a message that the fight against Russian invasion is Ukraine’s “finest hour.”

    Johnson’s office says the U.K. leader will announce a new 300 million pound ($375 million) package of military aid to Ukraine when he speaks to the legislature by video link on Tuesday. Britain has already sent Ukraine equipment including missiles and missile launchers. The new package includes electronic warfare equipment, a counter battery radar system, GPS jamming equipment and thousands of night vision devices.

    In advance extracts of the address released by the prime minister’s office, Johnson evokes a 1940 speech by World War II leader Winston Churchill as the U.K. fought attack from Nazi Germany. Johnson will say that “the British people showed such unity and resolve that we remember our time of greatest peril as our finest hour. This is Ukraine’s finest hour, an epic chapter in your national story that will be remembered and recounted for generations to come.”

    Oh God please just make it end ! Funny he’s doing this two days before the local elections ! That 300 million pound was announced last week so this is a re-hash to get his ugly fat face onto tv screens .
    At some point on Friday this week the results will indicate a leadership challenge, possibly driven by a dozen or so of Hunt's team sending in letters to Brady, or they will not.

    Sadly I think the greasy piglet will get away with it again and the only way we get rid of him is the GE of 2024.

    I think it'll be next week before we know - MPs will be in their constituencies, digesting the results, on Friday. When they get back on Monday they'll consult...
  • Options
    Jim_MillerJim_Miller Posts: 2,503
    Cyclefree said:
    We've all been given sunflower seeds to plant.

    So ...onto Victory (I hope)!
    Excellent.
  • Options
    FrankBoothFrankBooth Posts: 9,046

    rcs1000 said:

    Its the FT with this absolute Smorgasbord of stories here.

    Xi in trouble?

    Boris needs to win important arm wrestle?

    image

    My engineering CEO friend out there thinks Xi is going to be quietly retired, as the Covid lockdowns have been such a disaster.
    The covid lockdowns in China are absolutely bizarre/bonkers. What on Earth are they trying to achieve? The entire thing smacks of saving face - and no doubt the Chinese have noticed that everyone else in the world is getting on with their lives.
    Is there a market on who leaves office first - Putin or Xi?*

    *Only on pb I know
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,725
    Eabhal said:

    I like working from the office. Have a tiny flat and like the psychological break from my brief cycle/walk in the morning. I shower, make myself look presentable, and make my flat neat and tidy ready for the evening before I head off.

    At the office I can do about two hours solid work before needing a wander/tea/PB check. At home - 30 mins ish? Just get itchy.

    I also have no real connection with my new manager (who is great, over teams) and haven't developed the relationship that would mean I feel obliged to work hard for her.

    I understand why people with long, expensive commutes are so desperate to WFH. But I hated my old car commute, so I spent more on a place right in the centre of town. If you live somewhere like Dunbar or Perth then you moved there because you had the money to live in and commute from a lovely part of the country - I don't have much sympathy.

    Yes, I certainly don't discount the benefits some people get from WFH, and even as someone who is not a great fan of it I'd not like to never have the option, and some employers are going to be unreasonably dickish about getting people back in, but right from the start there has also been a trend of seeing no downsides for anyone either, or downplaying of potential downsides. On a range of issues some people seized the opportunity to declare everything had changed forever, and while there's elements of truth to that in some areas of life, it doesn't preclude some movement back as being appropriate. You just cannot be JRM about it.
  • Options
    NickPalmerNickPalmer Posts: 21,331

    Cyclefree said:

    As forecast on PB (mainly because something similar was happening in America) employers have decided they can use WFH to save money on salaries.

    Law firm says staff can work from home - for 20% less pay
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-61298394

    The company saves on office space, electricity, even coffee. They should be paying people more to WFH.
    And people WFH also now have increased electricity and gas bills.
    And have lost the tax allowance.
    What tax allowance?
    You can or could claim a £6 a week tax allowance if you had to work from home. I've got an idea Rishi abolished this, although I can't find that now so perhaps I misremembered. For instance, this from a year ago:-
    https://www.gov.uk/government/news/working-from-home-customers-may-be-eligible-to-claim-tax-relief-in-2021-to-2022

    (And btw: customers?)
    It's still a thing, but only if you HAVE to work from home. If your employer, like mine, says come in at least twice a week but every day if you like, than you're not eligible.
    https://www.gov.uk/tax-relief-for-employees/working-at-home
  • Options
    MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 44,365

    rcs1000 said:

    As forecast on PB (mainly because something similar was happening in America) employers have decided they can use WFH to save money on salaries.

    Law firm says staff can work from home - for 20% less pay
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-61298394

    The company saves on office space, electricity, even coffee. They should be paying people more to WFH.
    Interesting. When lockdowns hit and I was forced to wfh, I definitely saved a lot of money (no commute, no spend in the shop at work), although it’s hard to disentangle from no social activity too.
    I can see a definite case around London weighting. If you are living out of London, the job should not need extra.
    We are about to move office. The new office is sized based on our new 'hybrid' model. Basically, a smaller office than the old one.

    That is a cost saving to the company, and none of it is shared with the workforce. While some will be saving on travel costs, some who walk, run or cycle won't. Meanwhile everyone is incurring additional costs heating their home and powering the IT equipment. And making their own coffee.

    Now I love the whole WFH malarkey, and see it as a clear gain. But let's not forget that there are savings for employers that they are simply trousering.
    Given how hard it is to get you lot off PB (particularly when you're at home and no-one is looking over your shoulder) and to actually do some work, this sounds perfectly reasonable.
    20% cut? PB’s vast ranks of shirkers deserve a 50% cut.
    “Shirkers”?

    Pshsaw!

    “Armchair Admiral General middle aged right wing gammon white men” surely?
  • Options
    AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 19,965

    kle4 said:

    AP - Boris Johnson to Address Ukraine Parliament

    LONDON — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is scheduled to address Ukraine’s parliament, delivering a message that the fight against Russian invasion is Ukraine’s “finest hour.”

    Johnson’s office says the U.K. leader will announce a new 300 million pound ($375 million) package of military aid to Ukraine when he speaks to the legislature by video link on Tuesday. Britain has already sent Ukraine equipment including missiles and missile launchers. The new package includes electronic warfare equipment, a counter battery radar system, GPS jamming equipment and thousands of night vision devices.

    In advance extracts of the address released by the prime minister’s office, Johnson evokes a 1940 speech by World War II leader Winston Churchill as the U.K. fought attack from Nazi Germany. Johnson will say that “the British people showed such unity and resolve that we remember our time of greatest peril as our finest hour. This is Ukraine’s finest hour, an epic chapter in your national story that will be remembered and recounted for generations to come.”

    It just looks like he’s milking it and neglecting his day job how Times have chosen to use this story on eve of elections 🥺

    “Crumbling and Filthy hospitals put patient lives at risk”
    “Rising inflation to blow £7,000 hole in pensions”
    “Boris tells Ukraine Parliament this is your finest hour”
    I'm sure he is milking it a bit, but Zelensky has been (virtually) touring parliaments all over the world, it's not really a surprise that there would be some reciprocal speeches made.

    Though shouldn't be he wikipediaing Ukrainian historical references rather than using our own?
    Boris should have let someone else go first this week, and concentrated this week on the local elections and talking up why vote Tory and a]not assume he wins votes with this speech on eve of domestic election not lose them. Start with the understanding voters are selfish and self interested - oh yes we certainly love Zelenskyy too and the Ukraine fight - but look at the times front page, 7k holes blown in pensions (alarming) and lives at risk in crumbling and filthy hospitals.

    For completeness.
    The Express leads on BORIS RIGHT TO BUY SCHEME IS VOTE WINNER …says Andrea Leadsome.
    The Star has dodgy weather forecast (what is wrong with them?)
    The Telegraph front page has nothing but crap dreamed up when taking a poo. The most bizarre headline being “delays in policy to send migrants to Rwanda fuels record crossings”. Record Crossings? Says who? Says no one with more than two brain cells. Firstly, Patel didn’t say when the plan starts to work and act as deterrent, who thought deterrent factor would be this quick? Secondly, the boat people (mostly young men sleeping rough in France) were aware of policy delays so said quick our chance to take advantage of that? Or is it that the weather is now just perfect for the crossing?
    Soft spot.
  • Options
    BlancheLivermoreBlancheLivermore Posts: 5,219
    Would it be possible for my Russian mate’s sister to marry a Brit and come here with her teenage daughter?
  • Options
    MoonRabbitMoonRabbit Posts: 12,415
    edited May 2022

    I don't know, why don't we go totally mad and just ask the administration that has been running the government for twelves years why NHS is in such shit?




    Beergate fizzling out without much evidence produced. To be honest, a big curry order late at night does point to something other than a working dinner, unfortunately for the mail and Tory’s they had someone who delivered a huge curry order, who then retracted their story. No evidence coming from all the column inches and fury just makes it wishful thinking and negative campaigning smear.
    Yes, it was wishful thinking on your part MoonRabbit!

    You have a real soft spot for Bozza and latch on to whatever desperate story the Mail comes up with.

    On to the next one!
    Rubbish. I’m the only one here not spinning it all day the way through. No one plays each story straighter than me. 😁

    If it was a curry order for 30 late in evening, the Mail had good grounds to call Labour hipocrytes is the truth. Unfortunately the Mail has not a shred of evidence to back up their insinuations, they were just trying to get the police to go on a fishing expedition to see what might come up is the truth of it. No one could have known that truth from the start. And that’s the way I played it and now call it.
  • Options
    AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 19,965

    Cyclefree said:

    As forecast on PB (mainly because something similar was happening in America) employers have decided they can use WFH to save money on salaries.

    Law firm says staff can work from home - for 20% less pay
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-61298394

    The company saves on office space, electricity, even coffee. They should be paying people more to WFH.
    And people WFH also now have increased electricity and gas bills.
    And have lost the tax allowance.
    What tax allowance?
    You can or could claim a £6 a week tax allowance if you had to work from home. I've got an idea Rishi abolished this, although I can't find that now so perhaps I misremembered. For instance, this from a year ago:-
    https://www.gov.uk/government/news/working-from-home-customers-may-be-eligible-to-claim-tax-relief-in-2021-to-2022

    (And btw: customers?)
    It's still a thing, but only if you HAVE to work from home. If your employer, like mine, says come in at least twice a week but every day if you like, than you're not eligible.
    https://www.gov.uk/tax-relief-for-employees/working-at-home
    Interesting, I wondered if they changed that. I’m on SA and thinking about expensing a fair bit of heat, light and paper - but wondering whether HMRC might take the view that because I WFH voluntarily it’s not a valid expense?
  • Options
    MoonRabbitMoonRabbit Posts: 12,415

    kle4 said:

    AP - Boris Johnson to Address Ukraine Parliament

    LONDON — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is scheduled to address Ukraine’s parliament, delivering a message that the fight against Russian invasion is Ukraine’s “finest hour.”

    Johnson’s office says the U.K. leader will announce a new 300 million pound ($375 million) package of military aid to Ukraine when he speaks to the legislature by video link on Tuesday. Britain has already sent Ukraine equipment including missiles and missile launchers. The new package includes electronic warfare equipment, a counter battery radar system, GPS jamming equipment and thousands of night vision devices.

    In advance extracts of the address released by the prime minister’s office, Johnson evokes a 1940 speech by World War II leader Winston Churchill as the U.K. fought attack from Nazi Germany. Johnson will say that “the British people showed such unity and resolve that we remember our time of greatest peril as our finest hour. This is Ukraine’s finest hour, an epic chapter in your national story that will be remembered and recounted for generations to come.”

    It just looks like he’s milking it and neglecting his day job how Times have chosen to use this story on eve of elections 🥺

    “Crumbling and Filthy hospitals put patient lives at risk”
    “Rising inflation to blow £7,000 hole in pensions”
    “Boris tells Ukraine Parliament this is your finest hour”
    I'm sure he is milking it a bit, but Zelensky has been (virtually) touring parliaments all over the world, it's not really a surprise that there would be some reciprocal speeches made.

    Though shouldn't be he wikipediaing Ukrainian historical references rather than using our own?
    Boris should have let someone else go first this week, and concentrated this week on the local elections and talking up why vote Tory and a]not assume he wins votes with this speech on eve of domestic election not lose them. Start with the understanding voters are selfish and self interested - oh yes we certainly love Zelenskyy too and the Ukraine fight - but look at the times front page, 7k holes blown in pensions (alarming) and lives at risk in crumbling and filthy hospitals.

    For completeness.
    The Express leads on BORIS RIGHT TO BUY SCHEME IS VOTE WINNER …says Andrea Leadsome.
    The Star has dodgy weather forecast (what is wrong with them?)
    The Telegraph front page has nothing but crap dreamed up when taking a poo. The most bizarre headline being “delays in policy to send migrants to Rwanda fuels record crossings”. Record Crossings? Says who? Says no one with more than two brain cells. Firstly, Patel didn’t say when the plan starts to work and act as deterrent, who thought deterrent factor would be this quick? Secondly, the boat people (mostly young men sleeping rough in France) were aware of policy delays so said quick our chance to take advantage of that? Or is it that the weather is now just perfect for the crossing?
    Soft spot.
    😝 . .
  • Options
    nico679nico679 Posts: 4,790

    kle4 said:

    AP - Boris Johnson to Address Ukraine Parliament

    LONDON — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is scheduled to address Ukraine’s parliament, delivering a message that the fight against Russian invasion is Ukraine’s “finest hour.”

    Johnson’s office says the U.K. leader will announce a new 300 million pound ($375 million) package of military aid to Ukraine when he speaks to the legislature by video link on Tuesday. Britain has already sent Ukraine equipment including missiles and missile launchers. The new package includes electronic warfare equipment, a counter battery radar system, GPS jamming equipment and thousands of night vision devices.

    In advance extracts of the address released by the prime minister’s office, Johnson evokes a 1940 speech by World War II leader Winston Churchill as the U.K. fought attack from Nazi Germany. Johnson will say that “the British people showed such unity and resolve that we remember our time of greatest peril as our finest hour. This is Ukraine’s finest hour, an epic chapter in your national story that will be remembered and recounted for generations to come.”

    It just looks like he’s milking it and neglecting his day job how Times have chosen to use this story on eve of elections 🥺

    “Crumbling and Filthy hospitals put patient lives at risk”
    “Rising inflation to blow £7,000 hole in pensions”
    “Boris tells Ukraine Parliament this is your finest hour”
    I'm sure he is milking it a bit, but Zelensky has been (virtually) touring parliaments all over the world, it's not really a surprise that there would be some reciprocal speeches made.

    Though shouldn't be he wikipediaing Ukrainian historical references rather than using our own?
    Boris should have let someone else go first this week, and concentrated this week on the local elections and talking up why vote Tory and a]not assume he wins votes with this speech on eve of domestic election not lose them. Start with the understanding voters are selfish and self interested - oh yes we certainly love Zelenskyy too and the Ukraine fight - but look at the times front page, 7k holes blown in pensions (alarming) and lives at risk in crumbling and filthy hospitals.

    For completeness.
    The Express leads on BORIS RIGHT TO BUY SCHEME IS VOTE WINNER …says Andrea Leadsome.
    The Star has dodgy weather forecast (what is wrong with them?)
    The Telegraph front page has nothing but crap dreamed up when taking a poo. The most bizarre headline being “delays in policy to send migrants to Rwanda fuels record crossings”. Record Crossings? Says who? Says no one with more than two brain cells. Firstly, Patel didn’t say when the plan starts to work and act as deterrent, who thought deterrent factor would be this quick? Secondly, the boat people (mostly young men sleeping rough in France) were aware of policy delays so said quick our chance to take advantage of that? Or is it that the weather is now just perfect for the crossing?
    The odds of getting sent to Rwanda are small so many are still going to take the risk and of course with better weather in the Channel crossings are going to increase now. I expect legal challenges will start soon to the policy so expect to see more disgusting hate filled Daily Mail headlines going after judges or any lawyer that just does his job !
  • Options
    AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 19,965
    kle4 said:

    Eabhal said:

    I like working from the office. Have a tiny flat and like the psychological break from my brief cycle/walk in the morning. I shower, make myself look presentable, and make my flat neat and tidy ready for the evening before I head off.

    At the office I can do about two hours solid work before needing a wander/tea/PB check. At home - 30 mins ish? Just get itchy.

    I also have no real connection with my new manager (who is great, over teams) and haven't developed the relationship that would mean I feel obliged to work hard for her.

    I understand why people with long, expensive commutes are so desperate to WFH. But I hated my old car commute, so I spent more on a place right in the centre of town. If you live somewhere like Dunbar or Perth then you moved there because you had the money to live in and commute from a lovely part of the country - I don't have much sympathy.

    Yes, I certainly don't discount the benefits some people get from WFH, and even as someone who is not a great fan of it I'd not like to never have the option, and some employers are going to be unreasonably dickish about getting people back in, but right from the start there has also been a trend of seeing no downsides for anyone either, or downplaying of potential downsides. On a range of issues some people seized the opportunity to declare everything had changed forever, and while there's elements of truth to that in some areas of life, it doesn't preclude some movement back as being appropriate. You just cannot be JRM about it.
    Well put. Both WFH and WFW have their upsides and downsides. We know all the downsides of WFW - we’ve had a lifetime of it.

    As for the downsides of WFH? Collaboration, socialisation and bonding. Teams and Zoom are utter shit for all of the above compared to IRL. The nerds were wrong: software hasn’t replaced being there and probably never will.

  • Options
    MoonRabbitMoonRabbit Posts: 12,415
    nico679 said:

    kle4 said:

    AP - Boris Johnson to Address Ukraine Parliament

    LONDON — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is scheduled to address Ukraine’s parliament, delivering a message that the fight against Russian invasion is Ukraine’s “finest hour.”

    Johnson’s office says the U.K. leader will announce a new 300 million pound ($375 million) package of military aid to Ukraine when he speaks to the legislature by video link on Tuesday. Britain has already sent Ukraine equipment including missiles and missile launchers. The new package includes electronic warfare equipment, a counter battery radar system, GPS jamming equipment and thousands of night vision devices.

    In advance extracts of the address released by the prime minister’s office, Johnson evokes a 1940 speech by World War II leader Winston Churchill as the U.K. fought attack from Nazi Germany. Johnson will say that “the British people showed such unity and resolve that we remember our time of greatest peril as our finest hour. This is Ukraine’s finest hour, an epic chapter in your national story that will be remembered and recounted for generations to come.”

    It just looks like he’s milking it and neglecting his day job how Times have chosen to use this story on eve of elections 🥺

    “Crumbling and Filthy hospitals put patient lives at risk”
    “Rising inflation to blow £7,000 hole in pensions”
    “Boris tells Ukraine Parliament this is your finest hour”
    I'm sure he is milking it a bit, but Zelensky has been (virtually) touring parliaments all over the world, it's not really a surprise that there would be some reciprocal speeches made.

    Though shouldn't be he wikipediaing Ukrainian historical references rather than using our own?
    Boris should have let someone else go first this week, and concentrated this week on the local elections and talking up why vote Tory and a]not assume he wins votes with this speech on eve of domestic election not lose them. Start with the understanding voters are selfish and self interested - oh yes we certainly love Zelenskyy too and the Ukraine fight - but look at the times front page, 7k holes blown in pensions (alarming) and lives at risk in crumbling and filthy hospitals.

    For completeness.
    The Express leads on BORIS RIGHT TO BUY SCHEME IS VOTE WINNER …says Andrea Leadsome.
    The Star has dodgy weather forecast (what is wrong with them?)
    The Telegraph front page has nothing but crap dreamed up when taking a poo. The most bizarre headline being “delays in policy to send migrants to Rwanda fuels record crossings”. Record Crossings? Says who? Says no one with more than two brain cells. Firstly, Patel didn’t say when the plan starts to work and act as deterrent, who thought deterrent factor would be this quick? Secondly, the boat people (mostly young men sleeping rough in France) were aware of policy delays so said quick our chance to take advantage of that? Or is it that the weather is now just perfect for the crossing?
    The odds of getting sent to Rwanda are small so many are still going to take the risk and of course with better weather in the Channel crossings are going to increase now. I expect legal challenges will start soon to the policy so expect to see more disgusting hate filled Daily Mail headlines going after judges or any lawyer that just does his job !
    The weather hasn’t been too bad for a couple of weeks, why have zero crossings been officially announced for so long?
  • Options
    AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 19,965
    edited May 2022

    I don't know, why don't we go totally mad and just ask the administration that has been running the government for twelves years why NHS is in such shit?




    Beergate fizzling out without much evidence produced. To be honest, a big curry order late at night does point to something other than a working dinner, unfortunately for the mail and Tory’s they had someone who delivered a huge curry order, who then retracted their story. No evidence coming from all the column inches and fury just makes it wishful thinking and negative campaigning smear.
    Yes, it was wishful thinking on your part MoonRabbit!

    You have a real soft spot for Bozza and latch on to whatever desperate story the Mail comes up with.

    On to the next one!
    Rubbish. I’m the only one here not spinning it all day the way through. No one plays each story straighter than me. 😁

    If it was a curry order for 30 late in evening, the Mail had good grounds to call Labour hipocrytes is the truth. Unfortunately the Mail has not a shred of evidence to back up their insinuations, they were just trying to get the police to go on a fishing expedition to see what might come up is the truth of it. No one could have known that truth from the start. And that’s the way I played it and now call it.
    I like your posts but you are on record on here describing Beergate a few days ago as a “huge story” when the pictures of SKS having a cheeky after work brewski date back several months.

    The Daily Mail is best ignored now: the new editor is shit. He is seemingly an absolute clown who is completely out of his depth.
  • Options
    GardenwalkerGardenwalker Posts: 20,847
    As I predicted 24 hours ago, the Mail is reduced to a pathetic (and bathetic) witch-hunt about the precise size of a curry.

    The paper deserves to go the way of the NoTW. It is no longer of any earthly use.
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,725
    edited May 2022

    I don't know, why don't we go totally mad and just ask the administration that has been running the government for twelves years why NHS is in such shit?




    Beergate fizzling out without much evidence produced. To be honest, a big curry order late at night does point to something other than a working dinner, unfortunately for the mail and Tory’s they had someone who delivered a huge curry order, who then retracted their story. No evidence coming from all the column inches and fury just makes it wishful thinking and negative campaigning smear.
    Yes, it was wishful thinking on your part MoonRabbit!

    You have a real soft spot for Bozza and latch on to whatever desperate story the Mail comes up with.

    On to the next one!
    Rubbish. I’m the only one here not spinning it all day the way through. No one plays each story straighter than me. 😁

    If it was a curry order for 30 late in evening, the Mail had good grounds to call Labour hipocrytes is the truth. Unfortunately the Mail has not a shred of evidence to back up their insinuations, they were just trying to get the police to go on a fishing expedition to see what might come up is the truth of it. No one could have known that truth from the start. And that’s the way I played it and now call it.
    The Daily Mail is best ignored now: the new editor is shit. He is seemingly an absolute clown who is completely out of his depth.
    Ah, our future PM then?
  • Options
    rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 58,204

    nico679 said:

    AP - Boris Johnson to Address Ukraine Parliament

    LONDON — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is scheduled to address Ukraine’s parliament, delivering a message that the fight against Russian invasion is Ukraine’s “finest hour.”

    Johnson’s office says the U.K. leader will announce a new 300 million pound ($375 million) package of military aid to Ukraine when he speaks to the legislature by video link on Tuesday. Britain has already sent Ukraine equipment including missiles and missile launchers. The new package includes electronic warfare equipment, a counter battery radar system, GPS jamming equipment and thousands of night vision devices.

    In advance extracts of the address released by the prime minister’s office, Johnson evokes a 1940 speech by World War II leader Winston Churchill as the U.K. fought attack from Nazi Germany. Johnson will say that “the British people showed such unity and resolve that we remember our time of greatest peril as our finest hour. This is Ukraine’s finest hour, an epic chapter in your national story that will be remembered and recounted for generations to come.”

    Oh God please just make it end ! Funny he’s doing this two days before the local elections ! That 300 million pound was announced last week so this is a re-hash to get his ugly fat face onto tv screens .
    At some point on Friday this week the results will indicate a leadership challenge, possibly driven by a dozen or so of Hunt's team sending in letters to Brady, or they will not.

    Sadly I think the greasy piglet will get away with it again and the only way we get rid of him is the GE of 2024.

    I think it'll be next week before we know - MPs will be in their constituencies, digesting the results, on Friday. When they get back on Monday they'll consult...
    Good point. Although there will be one or two MPs or leading councillors who will publicly call for a leadership election at some point on friday if results are bad for piglet.

  • Options
    FrankBoothFrankBooth Posts: 9,046

    Cyclefree said:

    As forecast on PB (mainly because something similar was happening in America) employers have decided they can use WFH to save money on salaries.

    Law firm says staff can work from home - for 20% less pay
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-61298394

    The company saves on office space, electricity, even coffee. They should be paying people more to WFH.
    And people WFH also now have increased electricity and gas bills.
    And have lost the tax allowance.
    What tax allowance?
    You can or could claim a £6 a week tax allowance if you had to work from home. I've got an idea Rishi abolished this, although I can't find that now so perhaps I misremembered. For instance, this from a year ago:-
    https://www.gov.uk/government/news/working-from-home-customers-may-be-eligible-to-claim-tax-relief-in-2021-to-2022

    (And btw: customers?)
    It's still a thing, but only if you HAVE to work from home. If your employer, like mine, says come in at least twice a week but every day if you like, than you're not eligible.
    https://www.gov.uk/tax-relief-for-employees/working-at-home
    Interesting, I wondered if they changed that. I’m on SA and thinking about expensing a fair bit of heat, light and paper - but wondering whether HMRC might take the view that because I WFH voluntarily it’s not a valid expense?
    I'm not 100% on this but it may depend on whether your WFH is covid related. Which does now feel like a grey area though for 21/22 I don't think it would be an issue.
  • Options
    AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 19,965

    As I predicted 24 hours ago, the Mail is reduced to a pathetic (and bathetic) witch-hunt about the precise size of a curry.

    The paper deserves to go the way of the NoTW. It is no longer of any earthly use.

    It actually had an impressive patch under Greig. But the new guy is a dolt.
  • Options
    AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 19,965
    kle4 said:

    I don't know, why don't we go totally mad and just ask the administration that has been running the government for twelves years why NHS is in such shit?




    Beergate fizzling out without much evidence produced. To be honest, a big curry order late at night does point to something other than a working dinner, unfortunately for the mail and Tory’s they had someone who delivered a huge curry order, who then retracted their story. No evidence coming from all the column inches and fury just makes it wishful thinking and negative campaigning smear.
    Yes, it was wishful thinking on your part MoonRabbit!

    You have a real soft spot for Bozza and latch on to whatever desperate story the Mail comes up with.

    On to the next one!
    Rubbish. I’m the only one here not spinning it all day the way through. No one plays each story straighter than me. 😁

    If it was a curry order for 30 late in evening, the Mail had good grounds to call Labour hipocrytes is the truth. Unfortunately the Mail has not a shred of evidence to back up their insinuations, they were just trying to get the police to go on a fishing expedition to see what might come up is the truth of it. No one could have known that truth from the start. And that’s the way I played it and now call it.
    The Daily Mail is best ignored now: the new editor is shit. He is seemingly an absolute clown who is completely out of his depth.
    Ah, our future PM then?
    Probably.
  • Options
    AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 19,965

    nico679 said:

    kle4 said:

    AP - Boris Johnson to Address Ukraine Parliament

    LONDON — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is scheduled to address Ukraine’s parliament, delivering a message that the fight against Russian invasion is Ukraine’s “finest hour.”

    Johnson’s office says the U.K. leader will announce a new 300 million pound ($375 million) package of military aid to Ukraine when he speaks to the legislature by video link on Tuesday. Britain has already sent Ukraine equipment including missiles and missile launchers. The new package includes electronic warfare equipment, a counter battery radar system, GPS jamming equipment and thousands of night vision devices.

    In advance extracts of the address released by the prime minister’s office, Johnson evokes a 1940 speech by World War II leader Winston Churchill as the U.K. fought attack from Nazi Germany. Johnson will say that “the British people showed such unity and resolve that we remember our time of greatest peril as our finest hour. This is Ukraine’s finest hour, an epic chapter in your national story that will be remembered and recounted for generations to come.”

    It just looks like he’s milking it and neglecting his day job how Times have chosen to use this story on eve of elections 🥺

    “Crumbling and Filthy hospitals put patient lives at risk”
    “Rising inflation to blow £7,000 hole in pensions”
    “Boris tells Ukraine Parliament this is your finest hour”
    I'm sure he is milking it a bit, but Zelensky has been (virtually) touring parliaments all over the world, it's not really a surprise that there would be some reciprocal speeches made.

    Though shouldn't be he wikipediaing Ukrainian historical references rather than using our own?
    Boris should have let someone else go first this week, and concentrated this week on the local elections and talking up why vote Tory and a]not assume he wins votes with this speech on eve of domestic election not lose them. Start with the understanding voters are selfish and self interested - oh yes we certainly love Zelenskyy too and the Ukraine fight - but look at the times front page, 7k holes blown in pensions (alarming) and lives at risk in crumbling and filthy hospitals.

    For completeness.
    The Express leads on BORIS RIGHT TO BUY SCHEME IS VOTE WINNER …says Andrea Leadsome.
    The Star has dodgy weather forecast (what is wrong with them?)
    The Telegraph front page has nothing but crap dreamed up when taking a poo. The most bizarre headline being “delays in policy to send migrants to Rwanda fuels record crossings”. Record Crossings? Says who? Says no one with more than two brain cells. Firstly, Patel didn’t say when the plan starts to work and act as deterrent, who thought deterrent factor would be this quick? Secondly, the boat people (mostly young men sleeping rough in France) were aware of policy delays so said quick our chance to take advantage of that? Or is it that the weather is now just perfect for the crossing?
    The odds of getting sent to Rwanda are small so many are still going to take the risk and of course with better weather in the Channel crossings are going to increase now. I expect legal challenges will start soon to the policy so expect to see more disgusting hate filled Daily Mail headlines going after judges or any lawyer that just does his job !
    The weather hasn’t been too bad for a couple of weeks, why have zero crossings been officially announced for so long?
    Soft spot!
  • Options
    SeaShantyIrish2SeaShantyIrish2 Posts: 15,561
    edited May 2022
    "Do we have a burglary problem here in Wakefield? Indeed we do! Statistics conveyed to me show that our burglars breaking in more, but get less for it, than in any comparable borough in the UK! So we are being short-changed at both ends by this rotten government. Our hard-working burglars can't burgle enough, while the rest of us have less that's worth stealing than the poshos down south in Slough and Stoke."
  • Options
    AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 19,965

    Cyclefree said:

    As forecast on PB (mainly because something similar was happening in America) employers have decided they can use WFH to save money on salaries.

    Law firm says staff can work from home - for 20% less pay
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-61298394

    The company saves on office space, electricity, even coffee. They should be paying people more to WFH.
    And people WFH also now have increased electricity and gas bills.
    And have lost the tax allowance.
    What tax allowance?
    You can or could claim a £6 a week tax allowance if you had to work from home. I've got an idea Rishi abolished this, although I can't find that now so perhaps I misremembered. For instance, this from a year ago:-
    https://www.gov.uk/government/news/working-from-home-customers-may-be-eligible-to-claim-tax-relief-in-2021-to-2022

    (And btw: customers?)
    It's still a thing, but only if you HAVE to work from home. If your employer, like mine, says come in at least twice a week but every day if you like, than you're not eligible.
    https://www.gov.uk/tax-relief-for-employees/working-at-home
    Interesting, I wondered if they changed that. I’m on SA and thinking about expensing a fair bit of heat, light and paper - but wondering whether HMRC might take the view that because I WFH voluntarily it’s not a valid expense?
    I'm not 100% on this but it may depend on whether your WFH is covid related. Which does now feel like a grey area though for 21/22 I don't think it would be an issue.
    Fair point, thanks. 21/22 I had to WFH in large parts so I might examine whether my costs exceed the automatic £1,000 allowance.
  • Options
    MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 50,105

    I don't know, why don't we go totally mad and just ask the administration that has been running the government for twelves years why NHS is in such shit?




    Beergate fizzling out without much evidence produced. To be honest, a big curry order late at night does point to something other than a working dinner, unfortunately for the mail and Tory’s they had someone who delivered a huge curry order, who then retracted their story. No evidence coming from all the column inches and fury just makes it wishful thinking and negative campaigning smear.
    Yes, it was wishful thinking on your part MoonRabbit!

    You have a real soft spot for Bozza and latch on to whatever desperate story the Mail comes up with.

    On to the next one!
    Rubbish. I’m the only one here not spinning it all day the way through. No one plays each story straighter than me. 😁

    If it was a curry order for 30 late in evening, the Mail had good grounds to call Labour hipocrytes is the truth. Unfortunately the Mail has not a shred of evidence to back up their insinuations, they were just trying to get the police to go on a fishing expedition to see what might come up is the truth of it. No one could have known that truth from the start. And that’s the way I played it and now call it.
    I like your posts but you are on record on here describing Beergate a few days ago as a “huge story” when the pictures of SKS having a cheeky after work brewski date back several months.

    The Daily Mail is best ignored now: the new editor is shit. He is seemingly an absolute clown who is completely out of his depth.
    You can choose to ignore it. But your betting position has to take into account whether the voters ignore it too.....

    That 5% reduction in Starmer's favourability suggests they might be on to something.
  • Options
    MoonRabbitMoonRabbit Posts: 12,415
    edited May 2022

    I don't know, why don't we go totally mad and just ask the administration that has been running the government for twelves years why NHS is in such shit?




    Beergate fizzling out without much evidence produced. To be honest, a big curry order late at night does point to something other than a working dinner, unfortunately for the mail and Tory’s they had someone who delivered a huge curry order, who then retracted their story. No evidence coming from all the column inches and fury just makes it wishful thinking and negative campaigning smear.
    Yes, it was wishful thinking on your part MoonRabbit!

    You have a real soft spot for Bozza and latch on to whatever desperate story the Mail comes up with.

    On to the next one!
    Rubbish. I’m the only one here not spinning it all day the way through. No one plays each story straighter than me. 😁

    If it was a curry order for 30 late in evening, the Mail had good grounds to call Labour hipocrytes is the truth. Unfortunately the Mail has not a shred of evidence to back up their insinuations, they were just trying to get the police to go on a fishing expedition to see what might come up is the truth of it. No one could have known that truth from the start. And that’s the way I played it and now call it.
    I like your posts but you are on record on here describing Beergate a few days ago as a “huge story” when the pictures of SKS having a cheeky after work brewski date back several months.

    The Daily Mail is best ignored now: the new editor is shit. He is seemingly an absolute clown who is completely out of his depth.
    I like my posts too. I might have cunningly put a question mark on the end of it, I don’t think my posts have been entirely pro mail as you thought. 🙂

    Firstly, what was interesting, some posters insisted the date of it was still lockdown, others insisted it wasn’t for this sort of thing. There shouldn’t have been that disagreement, PB should have nailed that down easily? - was it a working pause for takeaway within restrictions at time, or a big group having a planned meal that went against restrictions - To be fair none of us knew the truth until the mail froth fizzled out due to lack of evidence indicating they merely spun it for spaghetti at wall police enquiry.
    I actually don’t think it’s the mail. I think it’s Boris new dirty tricks team working well with media supporters - take the off record rubbishing of the Sue gray report, the same story in express one day, mail next day, Telegraph couple of days later, Dowden at CCHQ is coordinating all this, in some sort of unseemly pact between what should be rival entities 😆
    The latest bit of CCHQ in friendly press is the Telegraph headline “Tories set for as bad election night for decades” dialling down expectations as much as possible ahead of whatever result likely not that bad.

    I can tell you the next thing I post you (and Nigelb and Farooq and others) won’t like. Have the voters who gave Boris landslide election given up on him, are they in mind to give up on him, or might they do it again. That’s the question I want answered from real votes this week. I am not taking it as certain Boris voters have given up on him, it needs high turnouts as Labour win councillors to show it’s not protest votes but real switchers, and where it matters, like Nuneaton and Swindon not piled up where it won’t matter.
  • Options
    MoonRabbitMoonRabbit Posts: 12,415

    I don't know, why don't we go totally mad and just ask the administration that has been running the government for twelves years why NHS is in such shit?




    Beergate fizzling out without much evidence produced. To be honest, a big curry order late at night does point to something other than a working dinner, unfortunately for the mail and Tory’s they had someone who delivered a huge curry order, who then retracted their story. No evidence coming from all the column inches and fury just makes it wishful thinking and negative campaigning smear.
    Yes, it was wishful thinking on your part MoonRabbit!

    You have a real soft spot for Bozza and latch on to whatever desperate story the Mail comes up with.

    On to the next one!
    Rubbish. I’m the only one here not spinning it all day the way through. No one plays each story straighter than me. 😁

    If it was a curry order for 30 late in evening, the Mail had good grounds to call Labour hipocrytes is the truth. Unfortunately the Mail has not a shred of evidence to back up their insinuations, they were just trying to get the police to go on a fishing expedition to see what might come up is the truth of it. No one could have known that truth from the start. And that’s the way I played it and now call it.
    I like your posts but you are on record on here describing Beergate a few days ago as a “huge story” when the pictures of SKS having a cheeky after work brewski date back several months.

    The Daily Mail is best ignored now: the new editor is shit. He is seemingly an absolute clown who is completely out of his depth.
    You can choose to ignore it. But your betting position has to take into account whether the voters ignore it too.....

    That 5% reduction in Starmer's favourability suggests they might be on to something.
    Or it might just be noise and sampling error.

    First PB rule is the polling you like is the correct polling 😆

    But anyway, we got real votes this week, mountains of them, why argue now when we should be able to thrash out agree over next weekend exactly where things actually stand!

    Can’t wait.
  • Options
    GardenwalkerGardenwalker Posts: 20,847
    Personally, if I were to guess the net impact of the last week of silliness.

    Beergate, null
    Legsgate, null
    Tractorgate, null
    Suegrey’s lawyergate, null.

    Johnson has managed move the subject on from Partygate, but only temporarily, with no impact on Tory polling, and at the cost of one MP and the Mail’s credibility.
  • Options
    MoonRabbitMoonRabbit Posts: 12,415

    nico679 said:

    kle4 said:

    AP - Boris Johnson to Address Ukraine Parliament

    LONDON — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is scheduled to address Ukraine’s parliament, delivering a message that the fight against Russian invasion is Ukraine’s “finest hour.”

    Johnson’s office says the U.K. leader will announce a new 300 million pound ($375 million) package of military aid to Ukraine when he speaks to the legislature by video link on Tuesday. Britain has already sent Ukraine equipment including missiles and missile launchers. The new package includes electronic warfare equipment, a counter battery radar system, GPS jamming equipment and thousands of night vision devices.

    In advance extracts of the address released by the prime minister’s office, Johnson evokes a 1940 speech by World War II leader Winston Churchill as the U.K. fought attack from Nazi Germany. Johnson will say that “the British people showed such unity and resolve that we remember our time of greatest peril as our finest hour. This is Ukraine’s finest hour, an epic chapter in your national story that will be remembered and recounted for generations to come.”

    It just looks like he’s milking it and neglecting his day job how Times have chosen to use this story on eve of elections 🥺

    “Crumbling and Filthy hospitals put patient lives at risk”
    “Rising inflation to blow £7,000 hole in pensions”
    “Boris tells Ukraine Parliament this is your finest hour”
    I'm sure he is milking it a bit, but Zelensky has been (virtually) touring parliaments all over the world, it's not really a surprise that there would be some reciprocal speeches made.

    Though shouldn't be he wikipediaing Ukrainian historical references rather than using our own?
    Boris should have let someone else go first this week, and concentrated this week on the local elections and talking up why vote Tory and a]not assume he wins votes with this speech on eve of domestic election not lose them. Start with the understanding voters are selfish and self interested - oh yes we certainly love Zelenskyy too and the Ukraine fight - but look at the times front page, 7k holes blown in pensions (alarming) and lives at risk in crumbling and filthy hospitals.

    For completeness.
    The Express leads on BORIS RIGHT TO BUY SCHEME IS VOTE WINNER …says Andrea Leadsome.
    The Star has dodgy weather forecast (what is wrong with them?)
    The Telegraph front page has nothing but crap dreamed up when taking a poo. The most bizarre headline being “delays in policy to send migrants to Rwanda fuels record crossings”. Record Crossings? Says who? Says no one with more than two brain cells. Firstly, Patel didn’t say when the plan starts to work and act as deterrent, who thought deterrent factor would be this quick? Secondly, the boat people (mostly young men sleeping rough in France) were aware of policy delays so said quick our chance to take advantage of that? Or is it that the weather is now just perfect for the crossing?
    The odds of getting sent to Rwanda are small so many are still going to take the risk and of course with better weather in the Channel crossings are going to increase now. I expect legal challenges will start soon to the policy so expect to see more disgusting hate filled Daily Mail headlines going after judges or any lawyer that just does his job !
    The weather hasn’t been too bad for a couple of weeks, why have zero crossings been officially announced for so long?
    Soft spot!
    You are definitely wrong this time. Got you. 😄. Until the splurge this weekend MOD (who I think keep tally not home office) haven’t announced a single migrant crossing for weeks!

    Why did they stop?
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    CatManCatMan Posts: 2,768
    If Keir Starmer had done this...

    "Prime minister ridiculed over apparent location confusion in since-deleted tweet"

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/may/02/teesside-tyneside-all-the-same-to-him-johnson-appears-lost-on-campaign-trail
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    CatManCatMan Posts: 2,768
    Got it in the end

    Wordle 318 6/6

    ⬜🟨⬜🟨⬜
    ⬜🟩🟨⬜🟩
    🟨🟩⬜⬜🟩
    ⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩
    ⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩
    🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
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    Dura_AceDura_Ace Posts: 12,994
    Eabhal said:

    One for Leon and Ishmael:

    An interesting thread on why Russia's nukes *may* not be as much of a threat as people fear:
    https://twitter.com/TrentTelenko/status/1520180151992131584

    Basically: nukes cost a heck of a lot to keep in working order, as do delivery systems. And if the Russians are unsure whether their systems work, then they won't use them: as demonstrating they don't work - especially after their conventional military's failures - leaves them wide open to attack. They may think it is better to keep nukes as an unused threat, rather than a used failure.

    It's interesting, but not something I'd want testing...

    Do ours work?

    We only have four subs, military PBers describe them as constantly in for repairs.

    One at sea on CASD, one working up, one recuperating/in maintenance and one in bits (and has been for 5+ years) while they try to work out how to refuel the RR reactor that was never going to need refueling.

    So, yes, I think we can be confident they work. Although the UK could not maintain the capability for more than a very short period with USN technical support. (servicing Trident airframes, degaussing boats, etc.)
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    Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 26,576

    Personally, if I were to guess the net impact of the last week of silliness.

    Beergate, null
    Legsgate, null
    Tractorgate, null
    Suegrey’s lawyergate, null.

    Johnson has managed move the subject on from Partygate, but only temporarily, with no impact on Tory polling, and at the cost of one MP and the Mail’s credibility.

    +1
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    williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 48,056
    EXCLUSIVE: Draft majority opinion obtained by POLITICO shows Supreme Court poised to overturn Roe v. Wade.

    https://twitter.com/joshgerstein/status/1521289548927545357
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    CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,623
    Useful (sic) idiots contd.

    Tucker: The war in Ukraine is designed to cause regime change in Moscow. They want to topple the Russian government. That would be payback for the 2016 election…

    https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/1521280811168714752
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    CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,623
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    GardenwalkerGardenwalker Posts: 20,847
    A new NI poll has Alliance coming joint second with the DUP.

    From memory, both First and Deputy First Minister have to be appointed from either a unionist or nationalist aligned party, so the Alliance could never take one of those posts.

    But could they prevent a collapse of Stormont?
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    edmundintokyoedmundintokyo Posts: 17,150

    EXCLUSIVE: Draft majority opinion obtained by POLITICO shows Supreme Court poised to overturn Roe v. Wade.

    https://twitter.com/joshgerstein/status/1521289548927545357

    Do we reckon it was leaked by libs in the hope that the cons will see the outrage and blink, or leaked by cons so that they when they change it to "states may legislate that abortions may only be performed in the presence of a Sumatran Rhino" it'll look like they're being moderate.
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    CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,623

    EXCLUSIVE: Draft majority opinion obtained by POLITICO shows Supreme Court poised to overturn Roe v. Wade.

    https://twitter.com/joshgerstein/status/1521289548927545357

    Do we reckon it was leaked by libs in the hope that the cons will see the outrage and blink, or leaked by cons so that they when they change it to "states may legislate that abortions may only be performed in the presence of a Sumatran Rhino" it'll look like they're being moderate.
    It’s impossible to overstate the earthquake this will cause inside the Court, in terms of the destruction of trust among the Justices and staff. This leak is the gravest, most unforgivable sin.

    https://twitter.com/scotusblog/status/1521295411545260035
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    CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,623
    Alito's draft opinion explicitly criticizes Lawrence v. Texas (legalizing sodomy) and Obergefell v. Hodges (legalizing same-sex marriage). He says that, like abortion, these decisions protect phony rights that are not "deeply rooted in history." https://politico.com/f/?id=00000180-874f-dd36-a38c-c74f98520000

    https://twitter.com/mjs_DC/status/1521296185977417732
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    pingping Posts: 3,731
    Wow.

    That decision is dynamite.
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    rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,960
    Dura_Ace said:

    Eabhal said:

    One for Leon and Ishmael:

    An interesting thread on why Russia's nukes *may* not be as much of a threat as people fear:
    https://twitter.com/TrentTelenko/status/1520180151992131584

    Basically: nukes cost a heck of a lot to keep in working order, as do delivery systems. And if the Russians are unsure whether their systems work, then they won't use them: as demonstrating they don't work - especially after their conventional military's failures - leaves them wide open to attack. They may think it is better to keep nukes as an unused threat, rather than a used failure.

    It's interesting, but not something I'd want testing...

    Do ours work?

    We only have four subs, military PBers describe them as constantly in for repairs.

    One at sea on CASD, one working up, one recuperating/in maintenance and one in bits (and has been for 5+ years) while they try to work out how to refuel the RR reactor that was never going to need refueling.

    So, yes, I think we can be confident they work. Although the UK could not maintain the capability for more than a very short period with USN technical support. (servicing Trident airframes, degaussing boats, etc.)
    Wait. lf we get USN technical support then it degrades our capability?
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    GardenwalkerGardenwalker Posts: 20,847
    edited May 2022
    Biden has promised to codify the right to choose into federal law.
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    rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,960
    I believe in legal abortion, but it needs to be the politicians and voters who authorise it, not the courts.
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    rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,960

    Biden has promised to codify the right to choose into federal law.

    He can codify it all he likes, the Supreme Court will say (rightly) that as it is devolved.
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    GardenwalkerGardenwalker Posts: 20,847
    When asked in the last year, up to 70% of Americans oppose the Supreme Court overturning Roe v Wade.

    Including very nearly half of all Republicans.
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    rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,960

    When asked in the last year, up to 70% of Americans oppose the Supreme Court overturning Roe v Wade.

    Including very nearly half of all Republicans.

    Oh, this is a classic Pyrrhic victory. Legal abortion is broadly popular (even in places like Texas and Florida). With Roe being the law of the land, abortion has been sidelined.

    Now the headlines will be about a 15 year old raped by her stepfather and forced to carry the baby to term.

    There will be ballot propositions. And the pro Choice lobby will win most of them.
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    rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,960

    Alito's draft opinion explicitly criticizes Lawrence v. Texas (legalizing sodomy) and Obergefell v. Hodges (legalizing same-sex marriage). He says that, like abortion, these decisions protect phony rights that are not "deeply rooted in history." https://politico.com/f/?id=00000180-874f-dd36-a38c-c74f98520000

    https://twitter.com/mjs_DC/status/1521296185977417732

    Although it is worth noting that nothing new is ever "deeply rooted in history".

    Giving African Americans the vote was not "deeply rooted in history".
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    AslanAslan Posts: 1,673
    rcs1000 said:

    Biden has promised to codify the right to choose into federal law.

    He can codify it all he likes, the Supreme Court will say (rightly) that as it is devolved.
    Democrats need to stop pulling their punches and start attacking the Supreme Court as the bunch of right wing extremists they are.
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    MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 37,607
    rcs1000 said:

    Alito's draft opinion explicitly criticizes Lawrence v. Texas (legalizing sodomy) and Obergefell v. Hodges (legalizing same-sex marriage). He says that, like abortion, these decisions protect phony rights that are not "deeply rooted in history." https://politico.com/f/?id=00000180-874f-dd36-a38c-c74f98520000

    https://twitter.com/mjs_DC/status/1521296185977417732

    Although it is worth noting that nothing new is ever "deeply rooted in history".

    Giving African Americans the vote was not "deeply rooted in history".
    Don't give Alito any ideas.
This discussion has been closed.