There is no doubt that England has nice landscapes and these can look superficially sensational at the right time of year.
The tragedy is that beneath this superficial beauty, our landscapes are thoroughly depleted of nature. In my lifetime populations of insectivorous birds have collapsed in lowland England. Once everyday species like Grey Partridge, Swallow, Cuckoo and Willow Warbler are now noteworthy. Butterflies I used to see in huge numbers are now found in ones and twos.
It’s great to appreciate our landscapes on a nice spring day but don’t let that detract from the deep environmental problems beneath. Beneath the surface much of the landscape has as much resource availability for wildlife as an industrial estate.
Never mind the posh birds, the once-ubiquitous (indeed synonymous) sparrows have disappeared from London.
OTOH we were watching four buzzards and a red kite wheeling and hovering over the field opposite our house on Friday after it had been cut for silage. I never saw either bird at all as a lad in the 70s.
There are certainly fewer swifts and swallows round here then when we moved here, 20 years ago.
Plenty of swallows, swifts and martins here in Dorset, I am pleased to report.
Heard on radio that they were delayed 3 to 4 weeks due to bad weather
Plenty of swallows in the NE, have been for some weeks.
The maps in that report (not on the article but in the report itself and on Twitter) are very interesting. Strongest pro-EU sentiment in swathes of Scotland, of course, but also dominating Wessex and the Central South. That looks very good for the Lib Dems.
Also interesting how Kent has diverted from Essex, the latter staying relatively Brexity while Kent is now similar to places further west. I wonder if all the disruption on the motorways and at the ports has had an effect there.
The anomaly that is the new Tory heartland of the West Midlands continues to show up.
A Survation poll for the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) suggests Tories might lose 21 seats in the rural wall, including those of Jeremy Hunt, Mel Stride, Mark Harper, Lucy Frazer, Jacob Rees-Mogg and Liam Fox.
They’d still hold 76 out of 100 seats, though, on those numbers.
And Labour probably held a majority of Labour seats in 2019. Dominating an area is not exactly cause for celebration if its by less than before, and not made up for elsewhere.
They could be facing a perfect storm - hits in the heartland, wipeout in the Red Wall.
I definitely lean more to the 'Heathener' view (if we can call it that since I sense it's what she wants with her posting strategy) than the more consensus view (at least on here) as regards the GE. I don't think Labour will struggle to get a majority, I think a Labour majority is easily the most likely outcome. And while I wouldn't be so brash as to predict a landslide I do rate the chance of a landslide to be higher than that of a hung parliament.
Interesting comments by ConHome on recent survey re Johnson
ConHome:
Here is my take from last time round:
“In sum, a majority of the panel believes he broke lockdown rules, but didn’t deliberately mislead the Commons over breaches in Number Ten; think the Privileges Committee inquiry into his conduct is unfair, and believe that he should be a Tory parliamentary candidate at the next election…but that he shouldn’t return as Conservative leader and Prime Minister (at least before then).
The way I read it, about a quarter of the panel are determined Johnson backers and under a fifth are dedicated Johnson critics – see the last two questions and answers.
As for your average respondent, my sense is that he or she regrets his departure from Downing Street, and feels the accusations against him over Covid and parties are unfair, but doesn’t want him back in Number Ten – for the moment, anyway. This survey looks for answers, but I end with a question: to what degree do Party members believe that the caravan has moved on?”
Two months on, most of this stands – yet more evidence of the consistency of the panel, as we like to say here.
All that has changed is that we are beginning to see more of an answer to my last question above. There is an increase worth noting, just about, in the proportion of the panel that believes that –
Johnson broke lockdown rules.
And that he should not return as Conservative leader before the next general election.
In short, the caravan seems to have moved on a bit. But while the former Prime Minister is clearly a divisive figure, the average panel member also feels some sympathy for him.
The latest claims about Boris Johnson and Covid rules were reported on Tuesday.
These questions in our monthly survey went out to panel members last Friday.
I am rather concerned by your " should not return as Conservative leader before the next general election". This f***** shouldn't be allowed near leading anything. He is not for for any office, let alone high office.
"thanks largely to the toxic legacy bequeathed to Sir Keir Starmer by his predecessor Jeremy Corbyn." Parties get the leaders they deserve!
Labour certainly did with Corbyn. A supreme act of self-indulgence that went badly wrong. Sadly, it cost the nation dearly as well.
I was mainly thinking of the Conservative Party!!
I feel that Corbyn was an affliction on both parties. With Labour the effects are obvious, but Corbyn's presence also gave the Tories a completely free hand to indulge their more lunatic fancies since they were effectively running a one-party state with Corbyn wrecking Labour.
The country has suffered terribly from the lack of leadership that Corbyn caused in both parties.
But not long to go. We can all look forward to a few Portillo moments though this lot have been so ghastly just watching them lose their seat doesn't seem adequate. Certainly not for Braverman. I'd like to see her frogmarched onto a plane to Rwanda while the nation cheered
Are you saying she has no right to be here?
How very National Front of you...
I wish! Al last a government policy I could support
And Labour probably held a majority of Labour seats in 2019. Dominating an area is not exactly cause for celebration if its by less than before, and not made up for elsewhere.
They could be facing a perfect storm - hits in the heartland, wipeout in the Red Wall.
Goes without saying the second Labour was supposed to be London. I'm blaming autocorrect. It's not far wrong.
Interesting comments by ConHome on recent survey re Johnson
ConHome:
Here is my take from last time round:
“In sum, a majority of the panel believes he broke lockdown rules, but didn’t deliberately mislead the Commons over breaches in Number Ten; think the Privileges Committee inquiry into his conduct is unfair, and believe that he should be a Tory parliamentary candidate at the next election…but that he shouldn’t return as Conservative leader and Prime Minister (at least before then).
The way I read it, about a quarter of the panel are determined Johnson backers and under a fifth are dedicated Johnson critics – see the last two questions and answers.
As for your average respondent, my sense is that he or she regrets his departure from Downing Street, and feels the accusations against him over Covid and parties are unfair, but doesn’t want him back in Number Ten – for the moment, anyway. This survey looks for answers, but I end with a question: to what degree do Party members believe that the caravan has moved on?”
Two months on, most of this stands – yet more evidence of the consistency of the panel, as we like to say here.
All that has changed is that we are beginning to see more of an answer to my last question above. There is an increase worth noting, just about, in the proportion of the panel that believes that –
Johnson broke lockdown rules.
And that he should not return as Conservative leader before the next general election.
In short, the caravan seems to have moved on a bit. But while the former Prime Minister is clearly a divisive figure, the average panel member also feels some sympathy for him.
The latest claims about Boris Johnson and Covid rules were reported on Tuesday.
These questions in our monthly survey went out to panel members last Friday.
I am rather concerned by your " should not return as Conservative leader before the next general election". This f***** shouldn't be allowed near leading anything. He is not for for any office, let alone high office.
It is not my question
It is one ConHome posed
Mind you I agree with you as indeed are an increasing number of conservatives
The maps in that report (not on the article but in the report itself and on Twitter) are very interesting. Strongest pro-EU sentiment in swathes of Scotland, of course, but also dominating Wessex and the Central South. That looks very good for the Lib Dems.
Also interesting how Kent has diverted from Essex, the latter staying relatively Brexity while Kent is now similar to places further west. I wonder if all the disruption on the motorways and at the ports has had an effect there.
The anomaly that is the new Tory heartland of the West Midlands continues to show up.
Very interested in the “West Midlands” question. It’s odd. It’s been odd, ever since Boris. I can’t explain it.
I can find a couple of maps on Twitter, but not the report or data. Is there a link? Ta.
Toxic legacy my arse, you are Peter Mandleson and I claim my prize
SKS has staked all on being Toxic to Socialists and will be lucky to crawl over the line due to 2024 having a "time is up for the Tories" feel about it,
The problem is that no one on here, or likely anywhere, likes Starmer as much as you hate him. I’m pretty ‘meh’ myself but I’m still voting Labour. Think of it as like being asked to choose the music at a 90s party with 2 CDs, Rick Astley or Napalm Death. Rick ain’t my fave but he has a few decent tunes and you can’t dance to “From Enslavement to Obliteration” (I’ve tried).
It’s the extreme nature of your hatred that makes me defend him from your posts not any great fandom. It comes across as unhinged. It is unhinged.
You sum it up well.
I sympathise. When your two champions- Boris and Jez -quit the scene in disgrace what is there to do but scream at the moon
Interesting comments by ConHome on recent survey re Johnson
ConHome:
Here is my take from last time round:
“In sum, a majority of the panel believes he broke lockdown rules, but didn’t deliberately mislead the Commons over breaches in Number Ten; think the Privileges Committee inquiry into his conduct is unfair, and believe that he should be a Tory parliamentary candidate at the next election…but that he shouldn’t return as Conservative leader and Prime Minister (at least before then).
The way I read it, about a quarter of the panel are determined Johnson backers and under a fifth are dedicated Johnson critics – see the last two questions and answers.
As for your average respondent, my sense is that he or she regrets his departure from Downing Street, and feels the accusations against him over Covid and parties are unfair, but doesn’t want him back in Number Ten – for the moment, anyway. This survey looks for answers, but I end with a question: to what degree do Party members believe that the caravan has moved on?”
Two months on, most of this stands – yet more evidence of the consistency of the panel, as we like to say here.
All that has changed is that we are beginning to see more of an answer to my last question above. There is an increase worth noting, just about, in the proportion of the panel that believes that –
Johnson broke lockdown rules.
And that he should not return as Conservative leader before the next general election.
In short, the caravan seems to have moved on a bit. But while the former Prime Minister is clearly a divisive figure, the average panel member also feels some sympathy for him.
The latest claims about Boris Johnson and Covid rules were reported on Tuesday.
These questions in our monthly survey went out to panel members last Friday.
Sounds like the caravan hasn't moved on enough, if that's how Tory members see it.
"You are charged with willfully allowing mobile blackspots to persist on your watch. How do you plead?"
If Keir Starmer had done what Boris Johnson had done, people would be saying he should be in prison. Daily Mail especially.
You really do go overboard sometimes. What crimes do you think Johnson has done that merit prison? He was clearly party to breaches of covid laws during the pandemic. You can argue many things about this - he didn’t think it applied to him, he was too dim to realise what was happening shouldn’t have, whatever. None of which carry a custodial sentence. You don’t like him as a politician? Join the club. He should never be near power again. He is unsuited to power and seemingly only does for for the greater good of himself. But you post stuff that a 12 year would say at times. You are better than that.
"You are charged with willfully allowing mobile blackspots to persist on your watch. How do you plead?"
If Keir Starmer had done what Boris Johnson had done, people would be saying he should be in prison. Daily Mail especially.
You really do go overboard sometimes. What crimes do you think Johnson has done that merit prison? He was clearly party to breaches of covid laws during the pandemic. You can argue many things about this - he didn’t think it applied to him, he was too dim to realise what was happening shouldn’t have, whatever. None of which carry a custodial sentence. You don’t like him as a politician? Join the club. He should never be near power again. He is unsuited to power and seemingly only does for for the greater good of himself. But you post stuff that a 12 year would say at times. You are better than that.
"You are charged with willfully allowing mobile blackspots to persist on your watch. How do you plead?"
If Keir Starmer had done what Boris Johnson had done, people would be saying he should be in prison. Daily Mail especially.
You really do go overboard sometimes. What crimes do you think Johnson has done that merit prison? He was clearly party to breaches of covid laws during the pandemic. You can argue many things about this - he didn’t think it applied to him, he was too dim to realise what was happening shouldn’t have, whatever. None of which carry a custodial sentence. You don’t like him as a politician? Join the club. He should never be near power again. He is unsuited to power and seemingly only does for for the greater good of himself. But you post stuff that a 12 year would say at times. You are better than that.
You do know it was a joke, don't you. Deary me
No, I didn’t. It’s in line with what you post. Maybe you are nor as funny as you think? Or maybe I’m just thick? (It’s probably the latter…)
Interesting comments by ConHome on recent survey re Johnson
ConHome:
Here is my take from last time round:
“In sum, a majority of the panel believes he broke lockdown rules, but didn’t deliberately mislead the Commons over breaches in Number Ten; think the Privileges Committee inquiry into his conduct is unfair, and believe that he should be a Tory parliamentary candidate at the next election…but that he shouldn’t return as Conservative leader and Prime Minister (at least before then).
The way I read it, about a quarter of the panel are determined Johnson backers and under a fifth are dedicated Johnson critics – see the last two questions and answers.
As for your average respondent, my sense is that he or she regrets his departure from Downing Street, and feels the accusations against him over Covid and parties are unfair, but doesn’t want him back in Number Ten – for the moment, anyway. This survey looks for answers, but I end with a question: to what degree do Party members believe that the caravan has moved on?”
Two months on, most of this stands – yet more evidence of the consistency of the panel, as we like to say here.
All that has changed is that we are beginning to see more of an answer to my last question above. There is an increase worth noting, just about, in the proportion of the panel that believes that –
Johnson broke lockdown rules.
And that he should not return as Conservative leader before the next general election.
In short, the caravan seems to have moved on a bit. But while the former Prime Minister is clearly a divisive figure, the average panel member also feels some sympathy for him.
The latest claims about Boris Johnson and Covid rules were reported on Tuesday.
These questions in our monthly survey went out to panel members last Friday.
I am rather concerned by your " should not return as Conservative leader before the next general election". This f***** shouldn't be allowed near leading anything. He is not for for any office, let alone high office.
As someone more sympathetic than most towards Boris and who thinks his instincts were usually right I still don't want him anywhere near political leadership again.
What is most damning to my eyes is that 'he has learnt nothing and forgotten nothing' and all the "he gets it" and "he's learned his lesson" claims from when he was struggling to stay in power were predictably lies.
"You are charged with willfully allowing mobile blackspots to persist on your watch. How do you plead?"
If Keir Starmer had done what Boris Johnson had done, people would be saying he should be in prison. Daily Mail especially.
You really do go overboard sometimes. What crimes do you think Johnson has done that merit prison? He was clearly party to breaches of covid laws during the pandemic. You can argue many things about this - he didn’t think it applied to him, he was too dim to realise what was happening shouldn’t have, whatever. None of which carry a custodial sentence. You don’t like him as a politician? Join the club. He should never be near power again. He is unsuited to power and seemingly only does for for the greater good of himself. But you post stuff that a 12 year would say at times. You are better than that.
You do know it was a joke, don't you. Deary me
No, I didn’t. It’s in line with what you post. Maybe you are nor as funny as you think? Or maybe I’m just thick? (It’s probably the latter…)
"You are charged with willfully allowing mobile blackspots to persist on your watch. How do you plead?"
If Keir Starmer had done what Boris Johnson had done, people would be saying he should be in prison. Daily Mail especially.
You really do go overboard sometimes. What crimes do you think Johnson has done that merit prison? He was clearly party to breaches of covid laws during the pandemic. You can argue many things about this - he didn’t think it applied to him, he was too dim to realise what was happening shouldn’t have, whatever. None of which carry a custodial sentence. You don’t like him as a politician? Join the club. He should never be near power again. He is unsuited to power and seemingly only does for for the greater good of himself. But you post stuff that a 12 year would say at times. You are better than that.
You do know it was a joke, don't you. Deary me
No, I didn’t. It’s in line with what you post. Maybe you are nor as funny as you think? Or maybe I’m just thick? (It’s probably the latter…)
No you're not thick and I would never say you were.
Perhaps not all of my posts are entirely serious, have you ever considered that?
It's quite clear what a serious post from me, it's more than one line long
Coalition of chaos won't work because all Starmer has to do is pull out Cameron's tweet from May 2015 warning people about 'Miliband's coalition of chaos' and say,
"It's a good job Cameron won, because we got a disasterous brexit, two early general elections, multiple changes of Prime Minister ALL without a GE, a coalition with the DUP, economic stagnation, soaring inflation, soaring interest rates, massive migration numbers and we've had more cabinet minister changes in the last eight years than I've had hot dinners..... and I've had a lot of hot dinners..... but hey.... it could've been worse!"
Interesting comments by ConHome on recent survey re Johnson
ConHome:
Here is my take from last time round:
“In sum, a majority of the panel believes he broke lockdown rules, but didn’t deliberately mislead the Commons over breaches in Number Ten; think the Privileges Committee inquiry into his conduct is unfair, and believe that he should be a Tory parliamentary candidate at the next election…but that he shouldn’t return as Conservative leader and Prime Minister (at least before then).
The way I read it, about a quarter of the panel are determined Johnson backers and under a fifth are dedicated Johnson critics – see the last two questions and answers.
As for your average respondent, my sense is that he or she regrets his departure from Downing Street, and feels the accusations against him over Covid and parties are unfair, but doesn’t want him back in Number Ten – for the moment, anyway. This survey looks for answers, but I end with a question: to what degree do Party members believe that the caravan has moved on?”
Two months on, most of this stands – yet more evidence of the consistency of the panel, as we like to say here.
All that has changed is that we are beginning to see more of an answer to my last question above. There is an increase worth noting, just about, in the proportion of the panel that believes that –
Johnson broke lockdown rules.
And that he should not return as Conservative leader before the next general election.
In short, the caravan seems to have moved on a bit. But while the former Prime Minister is clearly a divisive figure, the average panel member also feels some sympathy for him.
The latest claims about Boris Johnson and Covid rules were reported on Tuesday.
These questions in our monthly survey went out to panel members last Friday.
I am rather concerned by your " should not return as Conservative leader before the next general election". This f***** shouldn't be allowed near leading anything. He is not for for any office, let alone high office.
As someone more sympathetic than most towards Boris and who thinks his instincts were usually right I still don't want him anywhere near political leadership again.
What is most damning to my eyes is that 'he has learnt nothing and forgotten nothing' and all the "he gets it" and "he's learned his lesson" claims from when he was struggling to stay in power were predictably lies.
If you genuinly think you’ve done nothing wrong, it’s hard to work out how to change. I’m pretty sure that Johnson really thinks he followed the covid regs during the ‘parties’. I’m pretty sure 99% of the population disagrees.
Interesting comments by ConHome on recent survey re Johnson
ConHome:
Here is my take from last time round:
“In sum, a majority of the panel believes he broke lockdown rules, but didn’t deliberately mislead the Commons over breaches in Number Ten; think the Privileges Committee inquiry into his conduct is unfair, and believe that he should be a Tory parliamentary candidate at the next election…but that he shouldn’t return as Conservative leader and Prime Minister (at least before then).
The way I read it, about a quarter of the panel are determined Johnson backers and under a fifth are dedicated Johnson critics – see the last two questions and answers.
As for your average respondent, my sense is that he or she regrets his departure from Downing Street, and feels the accusations against him over Covid and parties are unfair, but doesn’t want him back in Number Ten – for the moment, anyway. This survey looks for answers, but I end with a question: to what degree do Party members believe that the caravan has moved on?”
Two months on, most of this stands – yet more evidence of the consistency of the panel, as we like to say here.
All that has changed is that we are beginning to see more of an answer to my last question above. There is an increase worth noting, just about, in the proportion of the panel that believes that –
Johnson broke lockdown rules.
And that he should not return as Conservative leader before the next general election.
In short, the caravan seems to have moved on a bit. But while the former Prime Minister is clearly a divisive figure, the average panel member also feels some sympathy for him.
The latest claims about Boris Johnson and Covid rules were reported on Tuesday.
These questions in our monthly survey went out to panel members last Friday.
I am rather concerned by your " should not return as Conservative leader before the next general election". This f***** shouldn't be allowed near leading anything. He is not for for any office, let alone high office.
The ConHome crew shouldn't be allowed near the choice of PM, ever again.
What an utter, utter twunt. Doesn't give a shit about the economy, doesn't give a shit that importing LNG results in more carbon emissions than using domestic hydrocarbons. A wrecker. This would make me vote milk-price control Tory.
A Survation poll for the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) suggests Tories might lose 21 seats in the rural wall, including those of Jeremy Hunt, Mel Stride, Mark Harper, Lucy Frazer, Jacob Rees-Mogg and Liam Fox.
Tories still ahead in rural areas though 41% to 36% for Labour and 13% for the LDs on that poll
So Tories currently ahead by a small margin in the strongest Tory areas in the country may not be quite the zinger you think it is.
The momentum against the Conservatives in well educated, prosperous, "Remainer" constituencies in the Home Counties is accelerating. Losing the rural vote too will be an earthquake.
The increasingly obvious failure and deepening unpopularity of Brexit, the primary policy of the Tories since the Referendum, may be speeding the Tories to a defeat on a scale that leads to permanent and irreversible irrelevance.
The momentum is seriously against you.
I think you're getting high on your own supply.
Parties only get eclipsed by rivals on their own side of the political spectrum, like the Liberals in teh 1920's did.
The Lib Dems in the 2001 Parliament seriously thought they could replace the Conservatives, but the decapitation strategy never stood a serious chance of working.
If Reform were led by Farage, or someone like him, the Tories could be down in the teens by now - which really would lead to a wipeout.
They're bloody lucky that hasn't got a head of steam
Coalition of chaos won't work because all Starmer has to do is pull out Cameron's tweet from May 2015 warning people about 'Miliband's coalition of chaos' and say,
"It's a good job Cameron won, because we got a disasterous brexit, two early general elections, multiple changes of Prime Minister ALL without a GE, a coalition with the DUP, economic stagnation, soaring inflation, soaring interest rates, massive migration numbers and we've had more cabinet minister changes in the last eight years than I've had hot dinners..... and I've had a lot of hot dinners..... but hey.... it could've been worse!"
'Coalition of chaos' was code for 'SNP in government'.
Interesting comments by ConHome on recent survey re Johnson
ConHome:
Here is my take from last time round:
“In sum, a majority of the panel believes he broke lockdown rules, but didn’t deliberately mislead the Commons over breaches in Number Ten; think the Privileges Committee inquiry into his conduct is unfair, and believe that he should be a Tory parliamentary candidate at the next election…but that he shouldn’t return as Conservative leader and Prime Minister (at least before then).
The way I read it, about a quarter of the panel are determined Johnson backers and under a fifth are dedicated Johnson critics – see the last two questions and answers.
As for your average respondent, my sense is that he or she regrets his departure from Downing Street, and feels the accusations against him over Covid and parties are unfair, but doesn’t want him back in Number Ten – for the moment, anyway. This survey looks for answers, but I end with a question: to what degree do Party members believe that the caravan has moved on?”
Two months on, most of this stands – yet more evidence of the consistency of the panel, as we like to say here.
All that has changed is that we are beginning to see more of an answer to my last question above. There is an increase worth noting, just about, in the proportion of the panel that believes that –
Johnson broke lockdown rules.
And that he should not return as Conservative leader before the next general election.
In short, the caravan seems to have moved on a bit. But while the former Prime Minister is clearly a divisive figure, the average panel member also feels some sympathy for him.
The latest claims about Boris Johnson and Covid rules were reported on Tuesday.
These questions in our monthly survey went out to panel members last Friday.
I am rather concerned by your " should not return as Conservative leader before the next general election". This f***** shouldn't be allowed near leading anything. He is not for for any office, let alone high office.
The ConHome crew shouldn't be allowed near the choice of PM, ever again.
The strange thing is that members choosing the leader is the one big power they have, but they are ignored and marginalised the rest of the time with their only purpose being cannon fodder.
I'd argue for it to be almost exactly the other way round.
"Acclaimed writer Hanif Kureishi blasts fellow Left-wingers over woke censorship: Prize-winning author, 68, attacks role of 'sensitivity readers' who 'get excited' by controlling others' freedom of expression
Hanif Kureishi says an ''element of the Left' is 'bursting' with 'self-righteousness' The Buddha Of Suburbia would be butchered if it was written today, he claims"
Does anyone in the universe hate Keir Starmer, really?
He's too boring to hate.
I'd say he's hated by some people from 2 specific groups. The Hard Corbynite Left and the Antiwokest Nationalistic Right.
Another one is the peeps who equate leadership with charisma over everything else - although admittedly they often end up in one of your existing groups.
"thanks largely to the toxic legacy bequeathed to Sir Keir Starmer by his predecessor Jeremy Corbyn." Parties get the leaders they deserve!
Labour certainly did with Corbyn. A supreme act of self-indulgence that went badly wrong. Sadly, it cost the nation dearly as well.
I was mainly thinking of the Conservative Party!!
I feel that Corbyn was an affliction on both parties. With Labour the effects are obvious, but Corbyn's presence also gave the Tories a completely free hand to indulge their more lunatic fancies since they were effectively running a one-party state with Corbyn wrecking Labour.
The country has suffered terribly from the lack of leadership that Corbyn caused in both parties.
Hubris is the Tory Achilles Heal and always has been.
Agreed. And blinding envy has often been Labour's Achilles Heal.
I'm somewhat surprised that a shoe lover doesn't know how to spell heels
Conventional artillery shells are usually a waste of time (and artillery tubes) for the particular task.
Cheaper drones will obviously be developed to be much more lethal, since the cost- effectiveness is already so high. The future for armour looks much more constrained than now.
Not sure how you link photos direct, so I’ll have to do it via a Tweet. I took a 7.5 mile stroll in the cliff country overlooking Sidmouth yesterday. To say it looked perfect is an understatement! When England gets it right, there is nowhere on earth more beautiful.
Does anyone in the universe hate Keir Starmer, really?
He's too boring to hate.
I'd say he's hated by some people from 2 specific groups. The Hard Corbynite Left and the Antiwokest Nationalistic Right.
Another one is the peeps who equate leadership with charisma over everything else - although admittedly they often end up in one of your existing groups.
Yes there are those who view his lack of a big 'persona' as some sort of affront.
Does anyone in the universe hate Keir Starmer, really?
He's too boring to hate.
I'd say he's hated by some people from 2 specific groups. The Hard Corbynite Left and the Antiwokest Nationalistic Right.
I don’t understand this hate idea
I do not agree Starmer has the answers but I do not hate him or indeed any politician
Hate breads unexpected consequences and for me is to be avoided wherever possible
Do you honestly think Sunak has the answers though, really?
That is a different question
Sunak is the conservatives best hope of mitigating what looks increasingly likely a defeat in 2024 and at least Sunak and Hunt are dealing responsible with the present economic crisis
In truth I fear no single political party has the answers, and I would go further in that I am not sure there are answers to the deep seated problems the country faces
I think you said you have a 5 year fixed rate mortgage and are worried where interest rates will be at end of the term, and you raise the legitimate fear of mortgage holders but the only answer is to stop and reverse inflation which in turn may well cause a recession, as Hunt honestly said last week, and then interest rates will fall
Unfortunately there is simply too much politics and not enough common sense and if I could arrange it I would form a government of nation unity made up from all parties
Interesting comments by ConHome on recent survey re Johnson
ConHome:
Here is my take from last time round:
“In sum, a majority of the panel believes he broke lockdown rules, but didn’t deliberately mislead the Commons over breaches in Number Ten; think the Privileges Committee inquiry into his conduct is unfair, and believe that he should be a Tory parliamentary candidate at the next election…but that he shouldn’t return as Conservative leader and Prime Minister (at least before then).
The way I read it, about a quarter of the panel are determined Johnson backers and under a fifth are dedicated Johnson critics – see the last two questions and answers.
As for your average respondent, my sense is that he or she regrets his departure from Downing Street, and feels the accusations against him over Covid and parties are unfair, but doesn’t want him back in Number Ten – for the moment, anyway. This survey looks for answers, but I end with a question: to what degree do Party members believe that the caravan has moved on?”
Two months on, most of this stands – yet more evidence of the consistency of the panel, as we like to say here.
All that has changed is that we are beginning to see more of an answer to my last question above. There is an increase worth noting, just about, in the proportion of the panel that believes that –
Johnson broke lockdown rules.
And that he should not return as Conservative leader before the next general election.
In short, the caravan seems to have moved on a bit. But while the former Prime Minister is clearly a divisive figure, the average panel member also feels some sympathy for him.
The latest claims about Boris Johnson and Covid rules were reported on Tuesday.
These questions in our monthly survey went out to panel members last Friday.
I am rather concerned by your " should not return as Conservative leader before the next general election". This f***** shouldn't be allowed near leading anything. He is not for for any office, let alone high office.
As someone more sympathetic than most towards Boris and who thinks his instincts were usually right I still don't want him anywhere near political leadership again.
What is most damning to my eyes is that 'he has learnt nothing and forgotten nothing' and all the "he gets it" and "he's learned his lesson" claims from when he was struggling to stay in power were predictably lies.
If you genuinly think you’ve done nothing wrong, it’s hard to work out how to change. I’m pretty sure that Johnson really thinks he followed the covid regs during the ‘parties’. I’m pretty sure 99% of the population disagrees.
Considering the mystery of Boris's mentality.
The ordinary person worries if they've broken rules and so tries not to do so.
But politicians being more arrogant and self confident worry less and so are more likely to break rules.
And after been caught breaking rules but 'getting away with it' possibly through benefit of doubt the ordinary person really tries hard to avoid breaking those rules again.
But the politician, and especially so for Boris, thinks that having got away with it once they will do so every time. Hence they continue to break the rules.
After a while it is revealed that the politician has been continually breaking the rules.
The ordinary person thinks that they've been lied to and that the politician has been laughing at them and is furious. Their anger being a multiple of what it would have been initially.
Whereas the politician thinks that they've been doing nothing wrong and so is baffled at the outrage.
So in Boris's case having 'got away with it' in the case of Cummings trip to Durham he thought flouting lockdown rules was no problem and so didn't understand the outrage about the parties.
And likewise having 'got away with it' about the redecoration spending sleaze he thought there was nothing wrong with the PPE spending sleaze and so didn't understand the outrage about Patterson.
The maps in that report (not on the article but in the report itself and on Twitter) are very interesting. Strongest pro-EU sentiment in swathes of Scotland, of course, but also dominating Wessex and the Central South. That looks very good for the Lib Dems.
Also interesting how Kent has diverted from Essex, the latter staying relatively Brexity while Kent is now similar to places further west. I wonder if all the disruption on the motorways and at the ports has had an effect there.
The anomaly that is the new Tory heartland of the West Midlands continues to show up.
Kent is actually divided, East Kent is still as Brexit as Essex. West Kent less so but then Tunbridge Wells is in West Kent as was the only Kent local authority area to vote Remain,
Note too Saffron Walden and Chelmsford in Essex are more in favour of closer relations with the EU than most Kent constituencies except Canterbury, Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells and Maidstone and Malling
Interesting comments by ConHome on recent survey re Johnson
ConHome:
Here is my take from last time round:
“In sum, a majority of the panel believes he broke lockdown rules, but didn’t deliberately mislead the Commons over breaches in Number Ten; think the Privileges Committee inquiry into his conduct is unfair, and believe that he should be a Tory parliamentary candidate at the next election…but that he shouldn’t return as Conservative leader and Prime Minister (at least before then).
The way I read it, about a quarter of the panel are determined Johnson backers and under a fifth are dedicated Johnson critics – see the last two questions and answers.
As for your average respondent, my sense is that he or she regrets his departure from Downing Street, and feels the accusations against him over Covid and parties are unfair, but doesn’t want him back in Number Ten – for the moment, anyway. This survey looks for answers, but I end with a question: to what degree do Party members believe that the caravan has moved on?”
Two months on, most of this stands – yet more evidence of the consistency of the panel, as we like to say here.
All that has changed is that we are beginning to see more of an answer to my last question above. There is an increase worth noting, just about, in the proportion of the panel that believes that –
Johnson broke lockdown rules.
And that he should not return as Conservative leader before the next general election.
In short, the caravan seems to have moved on a bit. But while the former Prime Minister is clearly a divisive figure, the average panel member also feels some sympathy for him.
The latest claims about Boris Johnson and Covid rules were reported on Tuesday.
These questions in our monthly survey went out to panel members last Friday.
I am rather concerned by your " should not return as Conservative leader before the next general election". This f***** shouldn't be allowed near leading anything. He is not for for any office, let alone high office.
The ConHome crew shouldn't be allowed near the choice of PM, ever again.
The strange thing is that members choosing the leader is the one big power they have, but they are ignored and marginalised the rest of the time with their only purpose being cannon fodder.
I'd argue for it to be almost exactly the other way round.
That's got me thinking of other things that would be better if exactly the other way around.
Strong unions in the public sector, weak ones in the private sector Constant debate about income tax, no debate about a wealth tax Advantaged kids sent to top schools, disadvantaged kids to ordinary ones Cigarettes legal, cannabis illegal Brexit making Sindy impossible Etc
A Survation poll for the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) suggests Tories might lose 21 seats in the rural wall, including those of Jeremy Hunt, Mel Stride, Mark Harper, Lucy Frazer, Jacob Rees-Mogg and Liam Fox.
Tories still ahead in rural areas though 41% to 36% for Labour and 13% for the LDs on that poll
So Tories currently ahead by a small margin in the strongest Tory areas in the country may not be quite the zinger you think it is.
The momentum against the Conservatives in well educated, prosperous, "Remainer" constituencies in the Home Counties is accelerating. Losing the rural vote too will be an earthquake.
The increasingly obvious failure and deepening unpopularity of Brexit, the primary policy of the Tories since the Referendum, may be speeding the Tories to a defeat on a scale that leads to permanent and irreversible irrelevance.
The momentum is seriously against you.
I think you're getting high on your own supply.
Parties only get eclipsed by rivals on their own side of the political spectrum, like the Liberals in teh 1920's did.
The Lib Dems in the 2001 Parliament seriously thought they could replace the Conservatives, but the decapitation strategy never stood a serious chance of working.
If Reform were led by Farage, or someone like him, the Tories could be down in the teens by now - which really would lead to a wipeout.
They're bloody lucky that hasn't got a head of steam
Farage is yesterday's man; Brexit is done already.
Conventional artillery shells are usually a waste of time (and artillery tubes) for the particular task.
Cheaper drones will obviously be developed to be much more lethal, since the cost- effectiveness is already so high. The future for armour looks much more constrained than now.
That's total arse. How do they get from an FPV Drone's chance of destroying an armoured target of 5-50% (which is clearly just made up) to concluding that only ONE shot is required?
Interesting comments by ConHome on recent survey re Johnson
ConHome:
Here is my take from last time round:
“In sum, a majority of the panel believes he broke lockdown rules, but didn’t deliberately mislead the Commons over breaches in Number Ten; think the Privileges Committee inquiry into his conduct is unfair, and believe that he should be a Tory parliamentary candidate at the next election…but that he shouldn’t return as Conservative leader and Prime Minister (at least before then).
The way I read it, about a quarter of the panel are determined Johnson backers and under a fifth are dedicated Johnson critics – see the last two questions and answers.
As for your average respondent, my sense is that he or she regrets his departure from Downing Street, and feels the accusations against him over Covid and parties are unfair, but doesn’t want him back in Number Ten – for the moment, anyway. This survey looks for answers, but I end with a question: to what degree do Party members believe that the caravan has moved on?”
Two months on, most of this stands – yet more evidence of the consistency of the panel, as we like to say here.
All that has changed is that we are beginning to see more of an answer to my last question above. There is an increase worth noting, just about, in the proportion of the panel that believes that –
Johnson broke lockdown rules.
And that he should not return as Conservative leader before the next general election.
In short, the caravan seems to have moved on a bit. But while the former Prime Minister is clearly a divisive figure, the average panel member also feels some sympathy for him.
The latest claims about Boris Johnson and Covid rules were reported on Tuesday.
These questions in our monthly survey went out to panel members last Friday.
I am rather concerned by your " should not return as Conservative leader before the next general election". This f***** shouldn't be allowed near leading anything. He is not for for any office, let alone high office.
The ConHome crew shouldn't be allowed near the choice of PM, ever again.
The strange thing is that members choosing the leader is the one big power they have, but they are ignored and marginalised the rest of the time with their only purpose being cannon fodder.
I'd argue for it to be almost exactly the other way round.
From the shit choice that MPs gave them, the membership selected the leader that actually wanted Britain's economy to grow and prosper, as opposed to one who is maliciously destroying it. I'd take the membership over the sorry PCP any day.
Interesting comments by ConHome on recent survey re Johnson
ConHome:
Here is my take from last time round:
“In sum, a majority of the panel believes he broke lockdown rules, but didn’t deliberately mislead the Commons over breaches in Number Ten; think the Privileges Committee inquiry into his conduct is unfair, and believe that he should be a Tory parliamentary candidate at the next election…but that he shouldn’t return as Conservative leader and Prime Minister (at least before then).
The way I read it, about a quarter of the panel are determined Johnson backers and under a fifth are dedicated Johnson critics – see the last two questions and answers.
As for your average respondent, my sense is that he or she regrets his departure from Downing Street, and feels the accusations against him over Covid and parties are unfair, but doesn’t want him back in Number Ten – for the moment, anyway. This survey looks for answers, but I end with a question: to what degree do Party members believe that the caravan has moved on?”
Two months on, most of this stands – yet more evidence of the consistency of the panel, as we like to say here.
All that has changed is that we are beginning to see more of an answer to my last question above. There is an increase worth noting, just about, in the proportion of the panel that believes that –
Johnson broke lockdown rules.
And that he should not return as Conservative leader before the next general election.
In short, the caravan seems to have moved on a bit. But while the former Prime Minister is clearly a divisive figure, the average panel member also feels some sympathy for him.
The latest claims about Boris Johnson and Covid rules were reported on Tuesday.
These questions in our monthly survey went out to panel members last Friday.
I am rather concerned by your " should not return as Conservative leader before the next general election". This f***** shouldn't be allowed near leading anything. He is not for for any office, let alone high office.
The ConHome crew shouldn't be allowed near the choice of PM, ever again.
The strange thing is that members choosing the leader is the one big power they have, but they are ignored and marginalised the rest of the time with their only purpose being cannon fodder.
I'd argue for it to be almost exactly the other way round.
From the shit choice that MPs gave them, the membership selected the leader that actually wanted Britain's economy to grow and prosper, as opposed to one who is maliciously destroying it. I'd take the membership over the sorry PCP any day.
"maliciously destroying it" FFS. Don't get high on your own supply.
A Survation poll for the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) suggests Tories might lose 21 seats in the rural wall, including those of Jeremy Hunt, Mel Stride, Mark Harper, Lucy Frazer, Jacob Rees-Mogg and Liam Fox.
Tories still ahead in rural areas though 41% to 36% for Labour and 13% for the LDs on that poll
Tories ahead of Labour by just 5% in a rural area is a positive sign for the future?
Given Labour are about 15-20% ahead nationally for the Tories still to be 5% ahead in rural areas is a sign they are still keeping their core vote ie farmers and pensioners and rural areas.
Much as even in 2019 Corbyn still at least kept the Labour core vote ie students and young people and the inner cities
A Survation poll for the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) suggests Tories might lose 21 seats in the rural wall, including those of Jeremy Hunt, Mel Stride, Mark Harper, Lucy Frazer, Jacob Rees-Mogg and Liam Fox.
Tories still ahead in rural areas though 41% to 36% for Labour and 13% for the LDs on that poll
So Tories currently ahead by a small margin in the strongest Tory areas in the country may not be quite the zinger you think it is.
The momentum against the Conservatives in well educated, prosperous, "Remainer" constituencies in the Home Counties is accelerating. Losing the rural vote too will be an earthquake.
The increasingly obvious failure and deepening unpopularity of Brexit, the primary policy of the Tories since the Referendum, may be speeding the Tories to a defeat on a scale that leads to permanent and irreversible irrelevance.
The momentum is seriously against you.
I think you're getting high on your own supply.
Parties only get eclipsed by rivals on their own side of the political spectrum, like the Liberals in teh 1920's did.
The Lib Dems in the 2001 Parliament seriously thought they could replace the Conservatives, but the decapitation strategy never stood a serious chance of working.
If Reform were led by Farage, or someone like him, the Tories could be down in the teens by now - which really would lead to a wipeout.
They're bloody lucky that hasn't got a head of steam
Farage is yesterday's man; Brexit is done already.
But he retains his spooky appeal imo. He could do some damage with the right vehicle. Hopefully he'll stick to the grift.
Interesting comments by ConHome on recent survey re Johnson
ConHome:
Here is my take from last time round:
“In sum, a majority of the panel believes he broke lockdown rules, but didn’t deliberately mislead the Commons over breaches in Number Ten; think the Privileges Committee inquiry into his conduct is unfair, and believe that he should be a Tory parliamentary candidate at the next election…but that he shouldn’t return as Conservative leader and Prime Minister (at least before then).
The way I read it, about a quarter of the panel are determined Johnson backers and under a fifth are dedicated Johnson critics – see the last two questions and answers.
As for your average respondent, my sense is that he or she regrets his departure from Downing Street, and feels the accusations against him over Covid and parties are unfair, but doesn’t want him back in Number Ten – for the moment, anyway. This survey looks for answers, but I end with a question: to what degree do Party members believe that the caravan has moved on?”
Two months on, most of this stands – yet more evidence of the consistency of the panel, as we like to say here.
All that has changed is that we are beginning to see more of an answer to my last question above. There is an increase worth noting, just about, in the proportion of the panel that believes that –
Johnson broke lockdown rules.
And that he should not return as Conservative leader before the next general election.
In short, the caravan seems to have moved on a bit. But while the former Prime Minister is clearly a divisive figure, the average panel member also feels some sympathy for him.
The latest claims about Boris Johnson and Covid rules were reported on Tuesday.
These questions in our monthly survey went out to panel members last Friday.
I am rather concerned by your " should not return as Conservative leader before the next general election". This f***** shouldn't be allowed near leading anything. He is not for for any office, let alone high office.
The ConHome crew shouldn't be allowed near the choice of PM, ever again.
The strange thing is that members choosing the leader is the one big power they have, but they are ignored and marginalised the rest of the time with their only purpose being cannon fodder.
I'd argue for it to be almost exactly the other way round.
From the shit choice that MPs gave them, the membership selected the leader that actually wanted Britain's economy to grow and prosper, as opposed to one who is maliciously destroying it. I'd take the membership over the sorry PCP any day.
I still find it astonishing you back the complete disaster that was Liz Truss with revolutionary zeal, and view anyone who disagrees as a cuck or part of a conspiracy.
I think it's quite reasonable to think Keir Starmer doesn't have any ideas.
The problem on a practical level is that Sunak doesn't have any either. And he's had thirteen years to do something.
Point of order
Sunak has only been in Parliament since 2015 and Prime Minister since October 22
Starmer does have ideas but the cost and practicality of that is open for debate
Sunak also has ideas but he is hamstrung by his predecessors losing the publics confidence
So where are these ideas then?
Okay he's had 8 years to do something then, he's had so long to think and yet just flaps around aimlessly.
He saved millions of jobs during covid and has spent tens of billions in energy assistance to consumers
Political debate focuses in on Brexit and its problems, but rarely references covid and the war in Ukraine which have been catastrophic for Ukraine, but economically terribly damaging to our economy
Interesting comments by ConHome on recent survey re Johnson
ConHome:
Here is my take from last time round:
“In sum, a majority of the panel believes he broke lockdown rules, but didn’t deliberately mislead the Commons over breaches in Number Ten; think the Privileges Committee inquiry into his conduct is unfair, and believe that he should be a Tory parliamentary candidate at the next election…but that he shouldn’t return as Conservative leader and Prime Minister (at least before then).
The way I read it, about a quarter of the panel are determined Johnson backers and under a fifth are dedicated Johnson critics – see the last two questions and answers.
As for your average respondent, my sense is that he or she regrets his departure from Downing Street, and feels the accusations against him over Covid and parties are unfair, but doesn’t want him back in Number Ten – for the moment, anyway. This survey looks for answers, but I end with a question: to what degree do Party members believe that the caravan has moved on?”
Two months on, most of this stands – yet more evidence of the consistency of the panel, as we like to say here.
All that has changed is that we are beginning to see more of an answer to my last question above. There is an increase worth noting, just about, in the proportion of the panel that believes that –
Johnson broke lockdown rules.
And that he should not return as Conservative leader before the next general election.
In short, the caravan seems to have moved on a bit. But while the former Prime Minister is clearly a divisive figure, the average panel member also feels some sympathy for him.
The latest claims about Boris Johnson and Covid rules were reported on Tuesday.
These questions in our monthly survey went out to panel members last Friday.
I am rather concerned by your " should not return as Conservative leader before the next general election". This f***** shouldn't be allowed near leading anything. He is not for for any office, let alone high office.
The ConHome crew shouldn't be allowed near the choice of PM, ever again.
The strange thing is that members choosing the leader is the one big power they have, but they are ignored and marginalised the rest of the time with their only purpose being cannon fodder.
I'd argue for it to be almost exactly the other way round.
From the shit choice that MPs gave them, the membership selected the leader that actually wanted Britain's economy to grow and prosper, as opposed to one who is maliciously destroying it. I'd take the membership over the sorry PCP any day.
"maliciously destroying it" FFS. Don't get high on your own supply.
Luckyguy and BJO - two sides of the same coin. The mad and the sad.
Interesting comments by ConHome on recent survey re Johnson
ConHome:
Here is my take from last time round:
“In sum, a majority of the panel believes he broke lockdown rules, but didn’t deliberately mislead the Commons over breaches in Number Ten; think the Privileges Committee inquiry into his conduct is unfair, and believe that he should be a Tory parliamentary candidate at the next election…but that he shouldn’t return as Conservative leader and Prime Minister (at least before then).
The way I read it, about a quarter of the panel are determined Johnson backers and under a fifth are dedicated Johnson critics – see the last two questions and answers.
As for your average respondent, my sense is that he or she regrets his departure from Downing Street, and feels the accusations against him over Covid and parties are unfair, but doesn’t want him back in Number Ten – for the moment, anyway. This survey looks for answers, but I end with a question: to what degree do Party members believe that the caravan has moved on?”
Two months on, most of this stands – yet more evidence of the consistency of the panel, as we like to say here.
All that has changed is that we are beginning to see more of an answer to my last question above. There is an increase worth noting, just about, in the proportion of the panel that believes that –
Johnson broke lockdown rules.
And that he should not return as Conservative leader before the next general election.
In short, the caravan seems to have moved on a bit. But while the former Prime Minister is clearly a divisive figure, the average panel member also feels some sympathy for him.
The latest claims about Boris Johnson and Covid rules were reported on Tuesday.
These questions in our monthly survey went out to panel members last Friday.
I am rather concerned by your " should not return as Conservative leader before the next general election". This f***** shouldn't be allowed near leading anything. He is not for for any office, let alone high office.
As someone more sympathetic than most towards Boris and who thinks his instincts were usually right I still don't want him anywhere near political leadership again.
What is most damning to my eyes is that 'he has learnt nothing and forgotten nothing' and all the "he gets it" and "he's learned his lesson" claims from when he was struggling to stay in power were predictably lies.
If you genuinly think you’ve done nothing wrong, it’s hard to work out how to change. I’m pretty sure that Johnson really thinks he followed the covid regs during the ‘parties’. I’m pretty sure 99% of the population disagrees.
Considering the mystery of Boris's mentality.
The ordinary person worries if they've broken rules and so tries not to do so.
But politicians being more arrogant and self confident worry less and so are more likely to break rules.
And after been caught breaking rules but 'getting away with it' possibly through benefit of doubt the ordinary person really tries hard to avoid breaking those rules again.
But the politician, and especially so for Boris, thinks that having got away with it once they will do so every time. Hence they continue to break the rules.
After a while it is revealed that the politician has been continually breaking the rules.
The ordinary person thinks that they've been lied to and that the politician has been laughing at them and is furious. Their anger being a multiple of what it would have been initially.
Whereas the politician thinks that they've been doing nothing wrong and so is baffled at the outrage.
So in Boris's case having 'got away with it' in the case of Cummings trip to Durham he thought flouting lockdown rules was no problem and so didn't understand the outrage about the parties.
And likewise having 'got away with it' about the redecoration spending sleaze he thought there was nothing wrong with the PPE spending sleaze and so didn't understand the outrage about Patterson.
I do not think Boris can be explained by appeals to rationality, or that he calculates what he can get away with. Rather, I think Boris knows no rules; he does not understand that there are rules. That is why he does not "get" Paterson or Pincher or partygate. Remember that lockdown presser where Boris said everyone must stay at home and he was going to visit his mum! He did not even notice breaching the rule he'd intoned just seconds earlier.
Interesting comments by ConHome on recent survey re Johnson
ConHome:
Here is my take from last time round:
“In sum, a majority of the panel believes he broke lockdown rules, but didn’t deliberately mislead the Commons over breaches in Number Ten; think the Privileges Committee inquiry into his conduct is unfair, and believe that he should be a Tory parliamentary candidate at the next election…but that he shouldn’t return as Conservative leader and Prime Minister (at least before then).
The way I read it, about a quarter of the panel are determined Johnson backers and under a fifth are dedicated Johnson critics – see the last two questions and answers.
As for your average respondent, my sense is that he or she regrets his departure from Downing Street, and feels the accusations against him over Covid and parties are unfair, but doesn’t want him back in Number Ten – for the moment, anyway. This survey looks for answers, but I end with a question: to what degree do Party members believe that the caravan has moved on?”
Two months on, most of this stands – yet more evidence of the consistency of the panel, as we like to say here.
All that has changed is that we are beginning to see more of an answer to my last question above. There is an increase worth noting, just about, in the proportion of the panel that believes that –
Johnson broke lockdown rules.
And that he should not return as Conservative leader before the next general election.
In short, the caravan seems to have moved on a bit. But while the former Prime Minister is clearly a divisive figure, the average panel member also feels some sympathy for him.
The latest claims about Boris Johnson and Covid rules were reported on Tuesday.
These questions in our monthly survey went out to panel members last Friday.
I am rather concerned by your " should not return as Conservative leader before the next general election". This f***** shouldn't be allowed near leading anything. He is not for for any office, let alone high office.
The ConHome crew shouldn't be allowed near the choice of PM, ever again.
The strange thing is that members choosing the leader is the one big power they have, but they are ignored and marginalised the rest of the time with their only purpose being cannon fodder.
I'd argue for it to be almost exactly the other way round.
From the shit choice that MPs gave them, the membership selected the leader that actually wanted Britain's economy to grow and prosper, as opposed to one who is maliciously destroying it. I'd take the membership over the sorry PCP any day.
Truss crashed the economy and you still peddle her cause
Conventional artillery shells are usually a waste of time (and artillery tubes) for the particular task.
Cheaper drones will obviously be developed to be much more lethal, since the cost- effectiveness is already so high. The future for armour looks much more constrained than now.
That's total arse. How do they get from an FPV Drone's chance of destroying an armoured target of 5-50% (which is clearly just made up) to concluding that only ONE shot is required?
Interesting comments by ConHome on recent survey re Johnson
ConHome:
Here is my take from last time round:
“In sum, a majority of the panel believes he broke lockdown rules, but didn’t deliberately mislead the Commons over breaches in Number Ten; think the Privileges Committee inquiry into his conduct is unfair, and believe that he should be a Tory parliamentary candidate at the next election…but that he shouldn’t return as Conservative leader and Prime Minister (at least before then).
The way I read it, about a quarter of the panel are determined Johnson backers and under a fifth are dedicated Johnson critics – see the last two questions and answers.
As for your average respondent, my sense is that he or she regrets his departure from Downing Street, and feels the accusations against him over Covid and parties are unfair, but doesn’t want him back in Number Ten – for the moment, anyway. This survey looks for answers, but I end with a question: to what degree do Party members believe that the caravan has moved on?”
Two months on, most of this stands – yet more evidence of the consistency of the panel, as we like to say here.
All that has changed is that we are beginning to see more of an answer to my last question above. There is an increase worth noting, just about, in the proportion of the panel that believes that –
Johnson broke lockdown rules.
And that he should not return as Conservative leader before the next general election.
In short, the caravan seems to have moved on a bit. But while the former Prime Minister is clearly a divisive figure, the average panel member also feels some sympathy for him.
The latest claims about Boris Johnson and Covid rules were reported on Tuesday.
These questions in our monthly survey went out to panel members last Friday.
I am rather concerned by your " should not return as Conservative leader before the next general election". This f***** shouldn't be allowed near leading anything. He is not for for any office, let alone high office.
The ConHome crew shouldn't be allowed near the choice of PM, ever again.
The strange thing is that members choosing the leader is the one big power they have, but they are ignored and marginalised the rest of the time with their only purpose being cannon fodder.
I'd argue for it to be almost exactly the other way round.
From the shit choice that MPs gave them, the membership selected the leader that actually wanted Britain's economy to grow and prosper, as opposed to one who is maliciously destroying it. I'd take the membership over the sorry PCP any day.
Truss crashed the economy and you still peddle her cause
BJO really should lay down his sword and get back into the fold. If he is a Labour supporter, then he should jolly well get behind the leader or quit the party.
Interesting comments by ConHome on recent survey re Johnson
ConHome:
Here is my take from last time round:
“In sum, a majority of the panel believes he broke lockdown rules, but didn’t deliberately mislead the Commons over breaches in Number Ten; think the Privileges Committee inquiry into his conduct is unfair, and believe that he should be a Tory parliamentary candidate at the next election…but that he shouldn’t return as Conservative leader and Prime Minister (at least before then).
The way I read it, about a quarter of the panel are determined Johnson backers and under a fifth are dedicated Johnson critics – see the last two questions and answers.
As for your average respondent, my sense is that he or she regrets his departure from Downing Street, and feels the accusations against him over Covid and parties are unfair, but doesn’t want him back in Number Ten – for the moment, anyway. This survey looks for answers, but I end with a question: to what degree do Party members believe that the caravan has moved on?”
Two months on, most of this stands – yet more evidence of the consistency of the panel, as we like to say here.
All that has changed is that we are beginning to see more of an answer to my last question above. There is an increase worth noting, just about, in the proportion of the panel that believes that –
Johnson broke lockdown rules.
And that he should not return as Conservative leader before the next general election.
In short, the caravan seems to have moved on a bit. But while the former Prime Minister is clearly a divisive figure, the average panel member also feels some sympathy for him.
The latest claims about Boris Johnson and Covid rules were reported on Tuesday.
These questions in our monthly survey went out to panel members last Friday.
I am rather concerned by your " should not return as Conservative leader before the next general election". This f***** shouldn't be allowed near leading anything. He is not for for any office, let alone high office.
The ConHome crew shouldn't be allowed near the choice of PM, ever again.
The strange thing is that members choosing the leader is the one big power they have, but they are ignored and marginalised the rest of the time with their only purpose being cannon fodder.
I'd argue for it to be almost exactly the other way round.
From the shit choice that MPs gave them, the membership selected the leader that actually wanted Britain's economy to grow and prosper, as opposed to one who is maliciously destroying it. I'd take the membership over the sorry PCP any day.
"maliciously destroying it" FFS. Don't get high on your own supply.
Sunak/Hunt's taxes and perverse incentives cratered North Sea Oil licence applications, during an energy crisis, when oil and gas prices are at an all time high. You can call that simply cretinously stupid if you like; I don't. Especially since Starmer has now followed through with his proposed ban on new North Sea Oil projects. You live here don't you - this stuff affects your wealth.
I'll say it again, Brexiteer Tories are intent on delivering Michael Foot's 1983 manifesto pledges.
Brexit = Socialism.
This is what I said last night.
Sunak will end up paying private equity to subsidise food prices in supermarkets. I'm sure the likes of Clayton, Dubilier, & Rice, and the Issa Brothers will love it.
Edward Heath delivered price controls in 1972. Michael Heseltine, Macmillan, Baldwin, Chamberlain, Disraeli often supported government intervention.
As a laissez faire liberal you fail to understand Toryism is a middle way between socialism and laissez faire liberalism economically (something ex LD Truss failed to grasp too), sometimes Tory governments will intervene if needed, especially due to high levels of current food prices post Ukraine war. That doesn't mean nationalising most industry however as socialists would or putting up tax levels very high.
Indeed Thatcher was arguably more a laissez faire Gladstone Liberal herself than patrician Tory
But I'm a liberal who can't be described as laissez-faire, and you keep calling me a Marxist. So what the fuck do you know about anything?
You aren't a liberal, at most you might be a social democrat but on no definition are you a proper liberal in economic terms even if you might be in social terms
Interesting comments by ConHome on recent survey re Johnson
ConHome:
Here is my take from last time round:
“In sum, a majority of the panel believes he broke lockdown rules, but didn’t deliberately mislead the Commons over breaches in Number Ten; think the Privileges Committee inquiry into his conduct is unfair, and believe that he should be a Tory parliamentary candidate at the next election…but that he shouldn’t return as Conservative leader and Prime Minister (at least before then).
The way I read it, about a quarter of the panel are determined Johnson backers and under a fifth are dedicated Johnson critics – see the last two questions and answers.
As for your average respondent, my sense is that he or she regrets his departure from Downing Street, and feels the accusations against him over Covid and parties are unfair, but doesn’t want him back in Number Ten – for the moment, anyway. This survey looks for answers, but I end with a question: to what degree do Party members believe that the caravan has moved on?”
Two months on, most of this stands – yet more evidence of the consistency of the panel, as we like to say here.
All that has changed is that we are beginning to see more of an answer to my last question above. There is an increase worth noting, just about, in the proportion of the panel that believes that –
Johnson broke lockdown rules.
And that he should not return as Conservative leader before the next general election.
In short, the caravan seems to have moved on a bit. But while the former Prime Minister is clearly a divisive figure, the average panel member also feels some sympathy for him.
The latest claims about Boris Johnson and Covid rules were reported on Tuesday.
These questions in our monthly survey went out to panel members last Friday.
I am rather concerned by your " should not return as Conservative leader before the next general election". This f***** shouldn't be allowed near leading anything. He is not for for any office, let alone high office.
The ConHome crew shouldn't be allowed near the choice of PM, ever again.
The strange thing is that members choosing the leader is the one big power they have, but they are ignored and marginalised the rest of the time with their only purpose being cannon fodder.
I'd argue for it to be almost exactly the other way round.
From the shit choice that MPs gave them, the membership selected the leader that actually wanted Britain's economy to grow and prosper, as opposed to one who is maliciously destroying it. I'd take the membership over the sorry PCP any day.
"maliciously destroying it" FFS. Don't get high on your own supply.
Sunak/Hunt's taxes and perverse incentives cratered North Sea Oil licence applications, during an energy crisis, when oil and gas prices are at an all time high. You can call that simply cretinously stupid if you like; I don't. Especially since Starmer has now followed through with his proposed ban on new North Sea Oil projects. You live here don't you - this stuff affects your wealth.
Make the arguments about policy choices being good or bad, by all means. But accusations of getting things wrong maliciously require extraordinary evidence otherwise you just look an unhinged partisan.
I think it's quite reasonable to think Keir Starmer doesn't have any ideas.
The problem on a practical level is that Sunak doesn't have any either. And he's had thirteen years to do something.
Point of order
Sunak has only been in Parliament since 2015 and Prime Minister since October 22
Starmer does have ideas but the cost and practicality of that is open for debate
Sunak also has ideas but he is hamstrung by his predecessors losing the publics confidence
He could have avoided being hamstrung by not appointing and batting for the likes of Braverman, Jenrick, Williamson, Raab and Zahawi. He chose to appoint them, so lost the chance to regain public confidence.
I'll say it again, Brexiteer Tories are intent on delivering Michael Foot's 1983 manifesto pledges.
Brexit = Socialism.
This is what I said last night.
Sunak will end up paying private equity to subsidise food prices in supermarkets. I'm sure the likes of Clayton, Dubilier, & Rice, and the Issa Brothers will love it.
Edward Heath delivered price controls in 1972. Michael Heseltine, Macmillan, Baldwin, Chamberlain, Disraeli often supported government intervention.
As a laissez faire liberal you fail to understand Toryism is a middle way between socialism and laissez faire liberalism economically (something ex LD Truss failed to grasp too), sometimes Tory governments will intervene if needed, especially due to high levels of current food prices post Ukraine war. That doesn't mean nationalising most industry however as socialists would or putting up tax levels very high.
Indeed Thatcher was arguably more a laissez faire Gladstone Liberal herself than patrician Tory
But I'm a liberal who can't be described as laissez-faire, and you keep calling me a Marxist. So what the fuck do you know about anything?
You aren't a liberal, at most you might be a social democrat but on no definition are you a proper liberal in economic terms even if you might be in social terms
As I said, what the fuck do you know about anything?
I'll say it again, Brexiteer Tories are intent on delivering Michael Foot's 1983 manifesto pledges.
Brexit = Socialism.
This is what I said last night.
Sunak will end up paying private equity to subsidise food prices in supermarkets. I'm sure the likes of Clayton, Dubilier, & Rice, and the Issa Brothers will love it.
Edward Heath delivered price controls in 1972. Michael Heseltine, Macmillan, Baldwin, Chamberlain, Disraeli often supported government intervention.
As a laissez faire liberal you fail to understand Toryism is a middle way between socialism and laissez faire liberalism economically (something ex LD Truss failed to grasp too), sometimes Tory governments will intervene if needed, especially due to high levels of current food prices post Ukraine war. That doesn't mean nationalising most industry however as socialists would or putting up tax levels very high.
Indeed Thatcher was arguably more a laissez faire Gladstone Liberal herself than patrician Tory
But I'm a liberal who can't be described as laissez-faire, and you keep calling me a Marxist. So what the fuck do you know about anything?
You aren't a liberal, at most you might be a social democrat but on no definition are you a proper liberal in economic terms even if you might be in social terms
You would not know a liberal if they wore a t-shirt saying “LIBERAL!” and bit you in the arse while screaming “I’m a Liberal!”. Actually you don’t know your arse from your elbow anyway so the point is probably academic.
I'll say it again, Brexiteer Tories are intent on delivering Michael Foot's 1983 manifesto pledges.
Brexit = Socialism.
This is what I said last night.
Sunak will end up paying private equity to subsidise food prices in supermarkets. I'm sure the likes of Clayton, Dubilier, & Rice, and the Issa Brothers will love it.
Edward Heath delivered price controls in 1972. Michael Heseltine, Macmillan, Baldwin, Chamberlain, Disraeli often supported government intervention.
As a laissez faire liberal you fail to understand Toryism is a middle way between socialism and laissez faire liberalism economically (something ex LD Truss failed to grasp too), sometimes Tory governments will intervene if needed, especially due to high levels of current food prices post Ukraine war. That doesn't mean nationalising most industry however as socialists would or putting up tax levels very high.
Indeed Thatcher was arguably more a laissez faire Gladstone Liberal herself than patrician Tory
But I'm a liberal who can't be described as laissez-faire, and you keep calling me a Marxist. So what the fuck do you know about anything?
You aren't a liberal, at most you might be a social democrat but on no definition are you a proper liberal in economic terms even if you might be in social terms
You would not know a liberal if they wore a t-shirt saying “LIBERAL!” and bit you in the arse while screaming “I’m a Liberal!”. Actually you don’t know your arse from your elbow anyway so the point is probably academic.
A proper liberal believes in a small state economically and freedom of the individual socially.
As I said just because you believe in freedom of the individual socially does not make you a liberal if you also believe in a bigger state economically, it makes you a social democrat even if you aren't a full on socialist
I'll say it again, Brexiteer Tories are intent on delivering Michael Foot's 1983 manifesto pledges.
Brexit = Socialism.
This is what I said last night.
Sunak will end up paying private equity to subsidise food prices in supermarkets. I'm sure the likes of Clayton, Dubilier, & Rice, and the Issa Brothers will love it.
Edward Heath delivered price controls in 1972. Michael Heseltine, Macmillan, Baldwin, Chamberlain, Disraeli often supported government intervention.
As a laissez faire liberal you fail to understand Toryism is a middle way between socialism and laissez faire liberalism economically (something ex LD Truss failed to grasp too), sometimes Tory governments will intervene if needed, especially due to high levels of current food prices post Ukraine war. That doesn't mean nationalising most industry however as socialists would or putting up tax levels very high.
Indeed Thatcher was arguably more a laissez faire Gladstone Liberal herself than patrician Tory
But I'm a liberal who can't be described as laissez-faire, and you keep calling me a Marxist. So what the fuck do you know about anything?
You aren't a liberal, at most you might be a social democrat but on no definition are you a proper liberal in economic terms even if you might be in social terms
You would not know a liberal if they wore a t-shirt saying “LIBERAL!” and bit you in the arse while screaming “I’m a Liberal!”. Actually you don’t know your arse from your elbow anyway so the point is probably academic.
I always seek permission before biting someone in the elbow, because consent is at the heart of liberalism.
Interesting comments by ConHome on recent survey re Johnson
ConHome:
Here is my take from last time round:
“In sum, a majority of the panel believes he broke lockdown rules, but didn’t deliberately mislead the Commons over breaches in Number Ten; think the Privileges Committee inquiry into his conduct is unfair, and believe that he should be a Tory parliamentary candidate at the next election…but that he shouldn’t return as Conservative leader and Prime Minister (at least before then).
The way I read it, about a quarter of the panel are determined Johnson backers and under a fifth are dedicated Johnson critics – see the last two questions and answers.
As for your average respondent, my sense is that he or she regrets his departure from Downing Street, and feels the accusations against him over Covid and parties are unfair, but doesn’t want him back in Number Ten – for the moment, anyway. This survey looks for answers, but I end with a question: to what degree do Party members believe that the caravan has moved on?”
Two months on, most of this stands – yet more evidence of the consistency of the panel, as we like to say here.
All that has changed is that we are beginning to see more of an answer to my last question above. There is an increase worth noting, just about, in the proportion of the panel that believes that –
Johnson broke lockdown rules.
And that he should not return as Conservative leader before the next general election.
In short, the caravan seems to have moved on a bit. But while the former Prime Minister is clearly a divisive figure, the average panel member also feels some sympathy for him.
The latest claims about Boris Johnson and Covid rules were reported on Tuesday.
These questions in our monthly survey went out to panel members last Friday.
I am rather concerned by your " should not return as Conservative leader before the next general election". This f***** shouldn't be allowed near leading anything. He is not for for any office, let alone high office.
The ConHome crew shouldn't be allowed near the choice of PM, ever again.
The strange thing is that members choosing the leader is the one big power they have, but they are ignored and marginalised the rest of the time with their only purpose being cannon fodder.
I'd argue for it to be almost exactly the other way round.
From the shit choice that MPs gave them, the membership selected the leader that actually wanted Britain's economy to grow and prosper, as opposed to one who is maliciously destroying it. I'd take the membership over the sorry PCP any day.
Truss crashed the economy and you still peddle her cause
Really, so explain to me how gilt yields are nearly at their mini-budget levels, with no mini-budget in sight, and Captain Responsible at the helm?
I'll say it again, Brexiteer Tories are intent on delivering Michael Foot's 1983 manifesto pledges.
Brexit = Socialism.
This is what I said last night.
Sunak will end up paying private equity to subsidise food prices in supermarkets. I'm sure the likes of Clayton, Dubilier, & Rice, and the Issa Brothers will love it.
Edward Heath delivered price controls in 1972. Michael Heseltine, Macmillan, Baldwin, Chamberlain, Disraeli often supported government intervention.
As a laissez faire liberal you fail to understand Toryism is a middle way between socialism and laissez faire liberalism economically (something ex LD Truss failed to grasp too), sometimes Tory governments will intervene if needed, especially due to high levels of current food prices post Ukraine war. That doesn't mean nationalising most industry however as socialists would or putting up tax levels very high.
Indeed Thatcher was arguably more a laissez faire Gladstone Liberal herself than patrician Tory
But I'm a liberal who can't be described as laissez-faire, and you keep calling me a Marxist. So what the fuck do you know about anything?
You aren't a liberal, at most you might be a social democrat but on no definition are you a proper liberal in economic terms even if you might be in social terms
Does anyone in the universe hate Keir Starmer, really?
He's too boring to hate.
I'd say he's hated by some people from 2 specific groups. The Hard Corbynite Left and the Antiwokest Nationalistic Right.
The same groups are also not very keen on Sunak either, hence it is likely both the Green and RefUK voteshares will be up at the next general election
Perhaps so. It's an odd one really. The left are more anti-Starmer than anti-Sunak and vice versa with the right. The first I at least understand a little bit. Starmer did con the left to get the leadership and now he's scrubbing them like they're a rash. The other I find harder to comprehend. Sunak is a right wing tory and a Brexit true believer. So why the hatred of him from the right? Is it because they think he brought down the beloved Boris in some sort of devious 'unBritish' way? And/or something to do with being a spoilsport instead of backing Liz? Answers on a postcard.
Conventional artillery shells are usually a waste of time (and artillery tubes) for the particular task.
Cheaper drones will obviously be developed to be much more lethal, since the cost- effectiveness is already so high. The future for armour looks much more constrained than now.
That's total arse. How do they get from an FPV Drone's chance of destroying an armoured target of 5-50% (which is clearly just made up) to concluding that only ONE shot is required?
I'll say it again, Brexiteer Tories are intent on delivering Michael Foot's 1983 manifesto pledges.
Brexit = Socialism.
This is what I said last night.
Sunak will end up paying private equity to subsidise food prices in supermarkets. I'm sure the likes of Clayton, Dubilier, & Rice, and the Issa Brothers will love it.
Edward Heath delivered price controls in 1972. Michael Heseltine, Macmillan, Baldwin, Chamberlain, Disraeli often supported government intervention.
As a laissez faire liberal you fail to understand Toryism is a middle way between socialism and laissez faire liberalism economically (something ex LD Truss failed to grasp too), sometimes Tory governments will intervene if needed, especially due to high levels of current food prices post Ukraine war. That doesn't mean nationalising most industry however as socialists would or putting up tax levels very high.
Indeed Thatcher was arguably more a laissez faire Gladstone Liberal herself than patrician Tory
But I'm a liberal who can't be described as laissez-faire, and you keep calling me a Marxist. So what the fuck do you know about anything?
You aren't a liberal, at most you might be a social democrat but on no definition are you a proper liberal in economic terms even if you might be in social terms
I think you are confusing neoliberal for liberal.
No, neoliberal is about spreading freedom and democracy abroad even by military means.
Liberals are economically and socially liberal, they can be neoliberals on foreign policy yes but then so can conservatives. Far too many people say they are 'liberals' on here when they aren't, they are actually social democrats.
Indeed the only proper liberal leaders of the Liberal Democrats this century have been Nick Clegg and just about now Sir Ed Davey. The rest, Kennedy, Campbell, Cable, Farron and Swinson were all social democrats. That is though understandable given the Liberal Democrats are themselves a coalition formed from social democrats from the old SDP who were mainly ex Labour and traditional Liberals from the old Liberal Party
Interesting comments by ConHome on recent survey re Johnson
ConHome:
Here is my take from last time round:
“In sum, a majority of the panel believes he broke lockdown rules, but didn’t deliberately mislead the Commons over breaches in Number Ten; think the Privileges Committee inquiry into his conduct is unfair, and believe that he should be a Tory parliamentary candidate at the next election…but that he shouldn’t return as Conservative leader and Prime Minister (at least before then).
The way I read it, about a quarter of the panel are determined Johnson backers and under a fifth are dedicated Johnson critics – see the last two questions and answers.
As for your average respondent, my sense is that he or she regrets his departure from Downing Street, and feels the accusations against him over Covid and parties are unfair, but doesn’t want him back in Number Ten – for the moment, anyway. This survey looks for answers, but I end with a question: to what degree do Party members believe that the caravan has moved on?”
Two months on, most of this stands – yet more evidence of the consistency of the panel, as we like to say here.
All that has changed is that we are beginning to see more of an answer to my last question above. There is an increase worth noting, just about, in the proportion of the panel that believes that –
Johnson broke lockdown rules.
And that he should not return as Conservative leader before the next general election.
In short, the caravan seems to have moved on a bit. But while the former Prime Minister is clearly a divisive figure, the average panel member also feels some sympathy for him.
The latest claims about Boris Johnson and Covid rules were reported on Tuesday.
These questions in our monthly survey went out to panel members last Friday.
I am rather concerned by your " should not return as Conservative leader before the next general election". This f***** shouldn't be allowed near leading anything. He is not for for any office, let alone high office.
The ConHome crew shouldn't be allowed near the choice of PM, ever again.
The strange thing is that members choosing the leader is the one big power they have, but they are ignored and marginalised the rest of the time with their only purpose being cannon fodder.
I'd argue for it to be almost exactly the other way round.
From the shit choice that MPs gave them, the membership selected the leader that actually wanted Britain's economy to grow and prosper, as opposed to one who is maliciously destroying it. I'd take the membership over the sorry PCP any day.
"maliciously destroying it" FFS. Don't get high on your own supply.
Sunak/Hunt's taxes and perverse incentives cratered North Sea Oil licence applications, during an energy crisis, when oil and gas prices are at an all time high. You can call that simply cretinously stupid if you like; I don't. Especially since Starmer has now followed through with his proposed ban on new North Sea Oil projects. You live here don't you - this stuff affects your wealth.
Make the arguments about policy choices being good or bad, by all means. But accusations of getting things wrong maliciously require extraordinary evidence otherwise you just look an unhinged partisan.
Does anyone in the universe hate Keir Starmer, really?
He's too boring to hate.
I'd say he's hated by some people from 2 specific groups. The Hard Corbynite Left and the Antiwokest Nationalistic Right.
The same groups are also not very keen on Sunak either, hence it is likely both the Green and RefUK voteshares will be up at the next general election
Perhaps so. It's an odd one really. The left are more anti-Starmer than anti-Sunak and vice versa with the right. The first I at least understand a little bit. Starmer did con the left to get the leadership and now he's scrubbing them like they're a rash. The other I find harder to comprehend. Sunak is a right wing tory and a Brexit true believer. So why the hatred of him from the right? Is it because they think he brought down the beloved Boris in some sort of devious 'unBritish' way? And/or something to do with being a spoilsport instead of backing Liz? Answers on a postcard.
Sunak is too pro high tax and spend, not hard Brexit enough (see his NI deal), not tough on immigration enough, was too pro lockdown and vaccine during Covid and not anti Woke enough for the hard Right
Does anyone in the universe hate Keir Starmer, really?
He's too boring to hate.
I'd say he's hated by some people from 2 specific groups. The Hard Corbynite Left and the Antiwokest Nationalistic Right.
The same groups are also not very keen on Sunak either, hence it is likely both the Green and RefUK voteshares will be up at the next general election
Perhaps so. It's an odd one really. The left are more anti-Starmer than anti-Sunak and vice versa with the right. The first I at least understand a little bit. Starmer did con the left to get the leadership and now he's scrubbing them like they're a rash. The other I find harder to comprehend. Sunak is a right wing tory and a Brexit true believer. So why the hatred of him from the right? Is it because they think he brought down the beloved Boris in some sort of devious 'unBritish' way? And/or something to do with being a spoilsport instead of backing Liz? Answers on a postcard.
Some fundamentalists on the right believe in a perpetual war against the EU.
So Sunak having improved relations is therefore a traitor.
Similarly for those who believe in ever lower taxes.
Does anyone in the universe hate Keir Starmer, really?
He's too boring to hate.
I'd say he's hated by some people from 2 specific groups. The Hard Corbynite Left and the Antiwokest Nationalistic Right.
The same groups are also not very keen on Sunak either, hence it is likely both the Green and RefUK voteshares will be up at the next general election
Perhaps so. It's an odd one really. The left are more anti-Starmer than anti-Sunak and vice versa with the right. The first I at least understand a little bit. Starmer did con the left to get the leadership and now he's scrubbing them like they're a rash. The other I find harder to comprehend. Sunak is a right wing tory and a Brexit true believer. So why the hatred of him from the right? Is it because they think he brought down the beloved Boris in some sort of devious 'unBritish' way? And/or something to do with being a spoilsport instead of backing Liz? Answers on a postcard.
Sunak is too pro high tax and spend, not hard Brexit enough (see his NI deal), not tough on immigration enough, was too pro lockdown and vaccine during Covid and not anti Woke enough for the hard Right
i.e lives in the real world. This is not about being right wing, but believing a Daily Mail fantasy world.
Conventional artillery shells are usually a waste of time (and artillery tubes) for the particular task.
Cheaper drones will obviously be developed to be much more lethal, since the cost- effectiveness is already so high. The future for armour looks much more constrained than now.
That's total arse. How do they get from an FPV Drone's chance of destroying an armoured target of 5-50% (which is clearly just made up) to concluding that only ONE shot is required?
There was a really good study, a while back, on how cheap certain “smart” weapons were, compared to their dumb conventional equivalents. I’ll try and find it - it was a thesis by a US officer.
It had a look at the cost of countermeasures as well.
Comments
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBooj4Ys2hg
Cheeky bastards
Also interesting how Kent has diverted from Essex, the latter staying relatively Brexity while Kent is now similar to places further west. I wonder if all the disruption on the motorways and at the ports has had an effect there.
The anomaly that is the new Tory heartland of the West Midlands continues to show up.
They could be facing a perfect storm - hits in the heartland, wipeout in the Red Wall.
Goes without saying the second Labour was supposed to be London. I'm blaming autocorrect. It's not far wrong.
It is one ConHome posed
Mind you I agree with you as indeed are an increasing number of conservatives
I can find a couple of maps on Twitter, but not the report or data. Is there a link? Ta.
I sympathise. When your two champions- Boris and Jez -quit the scene in disgrace what is there to do but scream at the moon
He's too boring to hate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6fQGFm1x4g
Health secretary Steve Barclay admits that the government’s scheme involves a “range of things” including refurbishments of existing hospitals
https://twitter.com/BBCPolitics/status/1662741201395810304
Whomp whomp
He was clearly party to breaches of covid laws during the pandemic. You can argue many things about this - he didn’t think it applied to him, he was too dim to realise what was happening shouldn’t have, whatever.
None of which carry a custodial sentence.
You don’t like him
as a politician? Join the club. He should never be near power again. He is unsuited to power and seemingly only does for for the greater good of himself.
But you post stuff that a 12 year would say at times. You are better than that.
What is most damning to my eyes is that 'he has learnt nothing and forgotten nothing' and all the "he gets it" and "he's learned his lesson" claims from when he was struggling to stay in power were predictably lies.
Perhaps not all of my posts are entirely serious, have you ever considered that?
It's quite clear what a serious post from me, it's more than one line long
"It's a good job Cameron won, because we got a disasterous brexit, two early general elections, multiple changes of Prime Minister ALL without a GE, a coalition with the DUP, economic stagnation, soaring inflation, soaring interest rates, massive migration numbers and we've had more cabinet minister changes in the last eight years than I've had hot dinners..... and I've had a lot of hot dinners..... but hey.... it could've been worse!"
I’m pretty sure that Johnson really thinks he followed the covid regs during the ‘parties’. I’m pretty sure 99% of the population disagrees.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65485908
It seems to be a widespread problem:
https://www.statista.com/statistics/237529/price-to-income-ratio-of-housing-worldwide/
I wonder how it varies within individual countries.
(edit) And of course the universe also contains @Luckyguy1983 .
They're bloody lucky that hasn't got a head of steam
I'd argue for it to be almost exactly the other way round.
Hanif Kureishi says an ''element of the Left' is 'bursting' with 'self-righteousness'
The Buddha Of Suburbia would be butchered if it was written today, he claims"
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12132001/Acclaimed-writer-Hanif-Kureishi-blasts-fellow-Left-wingers-woke-censorship.html
https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPress/status/1662748327664836608
Conventional artillery shells are usually a waste of time (and artillery tubes) for the particular task.
Cheaper drones will obviously be developed to be much more lethal, since the cost- effectiveness is already so high. The future for armour looks much more constrained than now.
I used to make that trip at Christmas to stay with friends in the alps. If you haven't already booked somewhere I suggest Bonn for an overnight stop.
Tunnocks wafer though. Respect.
I do not agree Starmer has the answers but I do not hate him or indeed any politician
Hate breads unexpected consequences and for me is to be avoided wherever possible
Like loaf loathing and roll revulsion?
Or Naantipathy
Sunak is the conservatives best hope of mitigating what looks increasingly likely a defeat in 2024 and at least Sunak and Hunt are dealing responsible with the present economic crisis
In truth I fear no single political party has the answers, and I would go further in that I am not sure there are answers to the deep seated problems the country faces
I think you said you have a 5 year fixed rate mortgage and are worried where interest rates will be at end of the term, and you raise the legitimate fear of mortgage holders but the only answer is to stop and reverse inflation which in turn may well cause a recession, as Hunt honestly said last week, and then interest rates will fall
Unfortunately there is simply too much politics and not enough common sense and if I could arrange it I would form a government of nation unity made up from all parties
The problem on a practical level is that Sunak doesn't have any either. And he's had thirteen years to do something.
The ordinary person worries if they've broken rules and so tries not to do so.
But politicians being more arrogant and self confident worry less and so are more likely to break rules.
And after been caught breaking rules but 'getting away with it' possibly through benefit of doubt the ordinary person really tries hard to avoid breaking those rules again.
But the politician, and especially so for Boris, thinks that having got away with it once they will do so every time. Hence they continue to break the rules.
After a while it is revealed that the politician has been continually breaking the rules.
The ordinary person thinks that they've been lied to and that the politician has been laughing at them and is furious. Their anger being a multiple of what it would have been initially.
Whereas the politician thinks that they've been doing nothing wrong and so is baffled at the outrage.
So in Boris's case having 'got away with it' in the case of Cummings trip to Durham he thought flouting lockdown rules was no problem and so didn't understand the outrage about the parties.
And likewise having 'got away with it' about the redecoration spending sleaze he thought there was nothing wrong with the PPE spending sleaze and so didn't understand the outrage about Patterson.
Note too Saffron Walden and Chelmsford in Essex are more in favour of closer relations with the EU than most Kent constituencies except Canterbury, Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells and Maidstone and Malling
Strong unions in the public sector, weak ones in the private sector
Constant debate about income tax, no debate about a wealth tax
Advantaged kids sent to top schools, disadvantaged kids to ordinary ones
Cigarettes legal, cannabis illegal
Brexit making Sindy impossible
Etc
Sunak has only been in Parliament since 2015 and Prime Minister since October 22
Starmer does have ideas but the cost and practicality of that is open for debate
Sunak also has ideas but he is hamstrung by his predecessors losing the publics confidence
Okay he's had 8 years to do something then, he's had so long to think and yet just flaps around aimlessly.
Don't get high on your own supply.
Much as even in 2019 Corbyn still at least kept the Labour core vote ie students and young people and the inner cities
The issue is that once again, the Tories have nobody to go with.
Political debate focuses in on Brexit and its problems, but rarely references covid and the war in Ukraine which have been catastrophic for Ukraine, but economically terribly damaging to our economy
As I said just because you believe in freedom of the individual socially does not make you a liberal if you also believe in a bigger state economically, it makes you a social democrat even if you aren't a full on socialist
'Gilt yields have continued to rise today (25 May). At the time of writing, 2-year gilt yields had risen to 4.48%, the highest level since 27 September 2022's 4.61% peak, while 10-year yields are at 4.33%, closing in on its 4.51% peak from the same day, according to data from MarketWatch.'
https://www.investmentweek.co.uk/news/4116485/gilt-yields-near-mini-budget-highs-hotter-expected-uk-inflation
Could it be down to the fact that the BOE continues to sell its Government debt at a loss, which it was also doing at the time of the mini-budget?
Why the fuck does he think that UK nationals would be held up at the UK border by Brexit?
@GerryHassan
The reality of Taking Back Control. A queue of empowered, sovereign UK people enjoying their new found Brexit freedom this weekend. Rejoice!
https://twitter.com/GerryHassan/status/1662554956681863172
Liberals are economically and socially liberal, they can be neoliberals on foreign policy yes but then so can conservatives. Far too many people say they are 'liberals' on here when they aren't, they are actually social democrats.
Indeed the only proper liberal leaders of the Liberal Democrats this century have been Nick Clegg and just about now Sir Ed Davey. The rest, Kennedy, Campbell, Cable, Farron and Swinson were all social democrats. That is though understandable given the Liberal Democrats are themselves a coalition formed from social democrats from the old SDP who were mainly ex Labour and traditional Liberals from the old Liberal Party
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/davos-2023-starmer-says-no-new-uk-oil-gas-investment-under-labour-government-2023-01-19/
I suppose we should feel lucky that Sunak and Hunt didn't quite have the stones to do the same, though the net result is similar.
So Sunak having improved relations is therefore a traitor.
Similarly for those who believe in ever lower taxes.
It had a look at the cost of countermeasures as well.