England won a very good toss, they had the better batting and bowling conditions throughout but when you’re playing the best you need a few things to break your way.
I feel slightly sorry for Sunak. He really doesn't deserve to be compared with the cataclysm that is Liz Truss.
We would all have been better if Sunak had been PM during COVID. Not that mistakes weren't made under his reign when chancellor, but he isn't a moron, he actually reads what he is presented to him and wouldn't have rattled around like a shopping trolley ala Boris.
I think we probably wouldn't have had quite some many lockdowns or the Tier 1, 2, 27, back to 2, 5, etc.
Also, teatotal coke addicted Sunak wouldn't have been given the nudge nudge wink wink its ok to have a piss up every Friday, which clearly Boris did.
Though didn't read the report of the privileges committee.
England won a very good toss, they had the better batting and bowling conditions throughout but when you’re playing the best you need a few things to break your way.
Just a heroic result.
The other thing is they lost the first two Tests by very narrow margins, either could have been victories.
At the end of the series history only remembers normally who wins or loses, but all three Tests so far could have gone either way. Two reasonably equally matched teams playing currently.
Yes, and they may drop Moen and go without a specialist spinner at Old Trafford. Possibly Lawrence could come in at three then. He's in good form and it's his natural position.
I doubt Robinson will be fit enough so Anderson obviously replaces him.
Weather forecast is iffy, if you believe the forecasters.
Following the cricket as the most clears off the view of Long Island Sound from my window. Reading back on this thread…jeez what a collective bunch of hysterical bipolar bedwetters you (okay we) all are.
I've got it - politics and cricket. Tamimn Iqbal just reversed his announced retirement after the PM of Bangladesh intervened.
Sheikh Hasina has been PM of Bangladesh since 2009, and before then from 96-01, yet people don't tend to talk about her much as the longest serving female head of government in modern history - perhaps because of increasing authoritarianism.
But she is up for election again in less than 6 months.
When he is in form with the bat he is worth a place in the team, making up for less than stellar wicketkeeping. When he's not in form he's a complete liability.
Yes, and they may drop Moen and go without a specialist spinner at Old Trafford. Possibly Lawrence could come in at three then. He's in good form and it's his natural position.
I doubt Robinson will be fit enough so Anderson obviously replaces him.
Weather forecast is iffy, if you believe the forecasters.
I fear the Superman Stokes is going to need to be seriously patched up as well. Very fortunate the next test doesn't start on Thursday.
Yes, and they may drop Moen and go without a specialist spinner at Old Trafford. Possibly Lawrence could come in at three then. He's in good form and it's his natural position.
I doubt Robinson will be fit enough so Anderson obviously replaces him.
Weather forecast is iffy, if you believe the forecasters.
Thing is about Bazball, you often only need three and a half days to complete a test. So even rain is less of an issue. Which is great for Test cricket
Everything about Bazball is great for Test cricket
Yes, and they may drop Moen and go without a specialist spinner at Old Trafford. Possibly Lawrence could come in at three then. He's in good form and it's his natural position.
I doubt Robinson will be fit enough so Anderson obviously replaces him.
Weather forecast is iffy, if you believe the forecasters.
Robinson was a back spasm, so likely fit for the 19th.
Yes, and they may drop Moen and go without a specialist spinner at Old Trafford. Possibly Lawrence could come in at three then. He's in good form and it's his natural position.
I doubt Robinson will be fit enough so Anderson obviously replaces him.
Weather forecast is iffy, if you believe the forecasters.
Robinson was a back spasm, so likely fit for the 19th.
If we don't have him in, who on earth will be England's "enforcer" ;-)
Yes, and they may drop Moen and go without a specialist spinner at Old Trafford. Possibly Lawrence could come in at three then. He's in good form and it's his natural position.
I doubt Robinson will be fit enough so Anderson obviously replaces him.
Weather forecast is iffy, if you believe the forecasters.
Thing is about Bazball, you often only need three and a half days to complete a test. So even rain is less of an issue. Which is great for Test cricket
Everything about Bazball is great for Test cricket
I’m going to a drinks party tonight in New Haven and I have decided to try and explain Bazball to everyone I speak to.
Considering how he tore through England in his first ever game I believe, Boland has had a poor series. Keep him on please.
Back on politics, I hust find TSE's premise about removal hard to swallow. Admittedly the rapid Truss removal shows almost anything is possible, they didn't even give her a chance to turn things around, but that whole affair screwed the Tory perception, and they just cannot do it again.
Not unless they go for my suggestion of Sunak resigning as party leader and then calling a GE, so each contender can pitch to the entire electorate.
Sure they can. What's the worst that can happen if the Tories replace their leader (and our Prime Minister) yet again? They get hammered in the general election? Well, guess what, the polls say that will happen anyway.
Yes, and they may drop Moen and go without a specialist spinner at Old Trafford. Possibly Lawrence could come in at three then. He's in good form and it's his natural position.
I doubt Robinson will be fit enough so Anderson obviously replaces him.
Weather forecast is iffy, if you believe the forecasters.
Thing is about Bazball, you often only need three and a half days to complete a test. So even rain is less of an issue. Which is great for Test cricket
Everything about Bazball is great for Test cricket
I’m going to a drinks party tonight in New Haven and I have decided to try and explain Bazball to everyone I speak to.
Just say "imagine if baseball was REALLY exciting", then they will understand
As 13 year-olds in 1956 on our first school exchange with a French school we found "petards" for sale which you just struck against a match box and threw for the laughs. One boy had a number of these in his school jacket pocket, which went off spontaneously blowing a hole in his jacket. La France eh? Plus ça change …
But for the rain the Test would have been over in 3 days. What a super afternoon.
On the topic, Sunak probably won't face a pre election challenge for the same reason, essentially, that Major didn't between 1995 (Redwood) and 1997.
The worse options have already been tried. With Sunak there is a chance of defeat with a semblance of dignity and party survival.
If (big if) there is a truly great Tory leader waiting around then waiting till after 2024 election is the saner and safer option. Such a person would need the modest hope inducing capacity of Attlee and the courage of Mrs T. Names on a postcard to central office. I shall keep an eye on Kemi in the parade ring, but the wallet of £50 notes is disengaged.
I'm not betting on the by elections. If I were it would be £1 (max) on the Tories for Uxbridge. I think I would lose but the horse might at least run.
I think the GE election result in %s will be not far different from 1997 - 43% Lab, 31% Tory. And SNP to do worse than current polling.)
Yes, and they may drop Moen and go without a specialist spinner at Old Trafford. Possibly Lawrence could come in at three then. He's in good form and it's his natural position.
I doubt Robinson will be fit enough so Anderson obviously replaces him.
Weather forecast is iffy, if you believe the forecasters.
Thing is about Bazball, you often only need three and a half days to complete a test. So even rain is less of an issue. Which is great for Test cricket
Everything about Bazball is great for Test cricket
I’m going to a drinks party tonight in New Haven and I have decided to try and explain Bazball to everyone I speak to.
Just say "imagine if baseball was REALLY exciting", then they will understand
I managed to semi-successfully explain to the, very erudite and entertaining, barman at the Union Club of Boston what was going on in the first innings by way of Mark Steel’s tweet about Wokes and Baseball analogies. The Club members were all out of town for the 4th and it was just me and him like that scene in The Shining, although I think he’s real. At some point we got onto Banks’ save from Pele for some reason. Anyway, good times.
On topic, a fourth PM in one Parliament without an election? Seriously? You think they’d do that? I appreciate we don’t have a presidential system but even so…
On topic, a fourth PM in one Parliament without an election? Seriously? You think they’d do that? I appreciate we don’t have a presidential system but even so…
I don't think they will but purely because the Party has given up and resigned itself to defeat.
On topic, a fourth PM in one Parliament without an election? Seriously? You think they’d do that? I appreciate we don’t have a presidential system but even so…
I don't think they will but purely because the Party has given up and resigned itself to defeat.
Not because Sunak is any good.
The one immutable rule in politics is that it ain’t over until HYUFD sings.
The politics at play. If you are Boris or Nad, you want Sunak to own “never won an election, ignominious defeat losing Johnson’s landslide” in the history books. Because it’s now personality politics with some.
The more ideological ones There’s also a lot of politics. If you are Trussite slash and burn Tory, you want to keep Sunak economics in there to own defeat, to discredit it. Their Sunak and Hunt leadership rivals will argue in favour of Sunak economics, straight after a terrible election defeat?
Dorries will resign short of the election, because she is going anyway. She’s probably trying to use leverage of resignation to get something because if Sunak loses all three later this month, they won’t want more self inflicted by elections soon after, so Dorries is holding on to see her leverage increase. Not that I’m convinced they will give her anything. Alternatively, they may already have done a deal, hence she is still there. One thing the resigners done as they resigned was talk up their replacement as being a great candidate, in response Con HQ leaked to media friends the party only has 11% in a seat (according to internal poll) hence sitting MP would be a traitor to resign at this time.
Lots of politics going on. The big one being ideological opponents of Sunak, the slash and burn economists, won’t move against Sunak, they will keep him there and cello tape every policy they don’t like to him. And warm their mallows as he and all that is placed on the electoral bonfire.
The politics at play. If you are Boris or Nad, you want Sunak to own “never won an election, ignominious defeat losing Johnson’s landslide” in the history books. Because it’s now personality politics with some.
The more ideological ones There’s also a lot of politics. If you are Trussite slash and burn Tory, you want to keep Sunak economics in there to own defeat, to discredit it. Their Sunak and Hunt leadership rivals will argue in favour of Sunak economics, straight after a terrible election defeat?
Dorries will resign short of the election, because she is going anyway. She’s probably trying to use leverage of resignation to get something because if Sunak loses all three later this month, they won’t want more self inflicted by elections soon after, so Dorries is holding on to see her leverage increase. Not that I’m convinced they will give her anything. Alternatively, they may already have done a deal, hence she is still there. One thing the resigners done as they resigned was talk up their replacement as being a great candidate, in response Con HQ leaked to media friends the party only has 11% in a seat (according to internal poll) hence sitting MP would be a traitor to resign at this time.
Lots of politics going on. The big one being ideological opponents of Sunak, the slash and burn economists, won’t move against Sunak, they will keep him there and cello tape every policy they don’t like to him. And warm their mallows as he and all that is placed on the electoral bonfire.
@TSE was the Opinium putting Tories on 25% properly published anywhere?
To get interest rates down and mortagage rates down you first need to get inflation down and Sunak is right to concentrate on that first.
The right and ERG also have no interest in challenging Sunak now, from their perspective the election is already lost. So they will let Sunak and Hunt take the blame for it, then try and take over the leadership in Opposition when a likely Labour government would have to deal with the economy
Yes, and they may drop Moen and go without a specialist spinner at Old Trafford. Possibly Lawrence could come in at three then. He's in good form and it's his natural position.
I doubt Robinson will be fit enough so Anderson obviously replaces him.
Weather forecast is iffy, if you believe the forecasters.
Thing is about Bazball, you often only need three and a half days to complete a test. So even rain is less of an issue. Which is great for Test cricket
Everything about Bazball is great for Test cricket
I’m going to a drinks party tonight in New Haven and I have decided to try and explain Bazball to everyone I speak to.
Just say "imagine if baseball was REALLY exciting", then they will understand
I managed to semi-successfully explain to the, very erudite and entertaining, barman at the Union Club of Boston what was going on in the first innings by way of Mark Steel’s tweet about Wokes and Baseball analogies. The Club members were all out of town for the 4th and it was just me and him like that scene in The Shining, although I think he’s real. At some point we got onto Banks’ save from Pele for some reason. Anyway, good times.
Embarrassing. Typo, ignorance, obsession with “woke”, Freudian…anyway…this is what I was referring to…
To get interest rates down and mortagage rates down you first need to get inflation down and Sunak is right to concentrate on that first.
The right and ERG also have no interest in challenging Sunak now, from their perspective the election is already lost. So they will let Sunak and Hunt take the blame for it, then try and take over the leadership in Opposition when a likely Labour government would have to deal with the economy
It'll be inconvenient for them if the party wins one or two of the by-elections on 20th July.
To get interest rates down and mortagage rates down you first need to get inflation down and Sunak is right to concentrate on that first.
The right and ERG also have no interest in challenging Sunak now, from their perspective the election is already lost. So they will let Sunak and Hunt take the blame for it, then try and take over the leadership in Opposition when a likely Labour government would have to deal with the economy
It'll be inconvenient for them if the party wins one or two of the by-elections on 20th July.
To get interest rates down and mortagage rates down you first need to get inflation down and Sunak is right to concentrate on that first.
The right and ERG also have no interest in challenging Sunak now, from their perspective the election is already lost. So they will let Sunak and Hunt take the blame for it, then try and take over the leadership in Opposition when a likely Labour government would have to deal with the economy
It'll be inconvenient for them if the party wins one or two of the by-elections on 20th July.
Impressive of Zelensky to join with Duda of Poland in ceremony to commemorate the Polish victims of the Volyna massacres in 1943 by Ukranian nationalists:
Impressive of Zelensky to join with Duda of Poland in ceremony to commemorate the Polish victims of the Volyna massacres in 1943 by Ukranian nationalists:
Some people mock him for putting on performances, tailoring his messaging when speaking to foreign parliaments and dressing and acting symbolically for example. Which seems like a very odd criticism when part of his job is basically chief diplomat, and acting symbolically both internally and externally.
Excellent classic car show this afternoon on Matching Green and I see England won a Test Match too to get back into the Ashes
Classic cars? I always had you down as interested in old bicycles from Europe.
I'm sure someone once told me you were a fan of 1930s German Raleighs.
I will look at them if there but much more interested in old Morgans
If you fancy trying out a Morgan, there is a guy and his wife who run an experience of bed and breakfast plus a self-drive around the Cotswolds in a Morgan Plus Four. He is based in Shelsley Walsh, Worcs. betwixt the Hill Climb Circuit and the Church. I have ticked that box now and I don't need to ever drive a Morgan again. It wasn't a relaxing drive. My wife bought the experience as a birthday present for me very cheaply on Secret Escapes. If you want to live your inner IDS, it's worth a look.
To get interest rates down and mortagage rates down you first need to get inflation down and Sunak is right to concentrate on that first.
The right and ERG also have no interest in challenging Sunak now, from their perspective the election is already lost. So they will let Sunak and Hunt take the blame for it, then try and take over the leadership in Opposition when a likely Labour government would have to deal with the economy
It'll be inconvenient for them if the party wins one or two of the by-elections on 20th July.
Given his dire ratings, I suspect that your candidate in Selby hardly welcomed Sunak's presence but felt that it would have been impolite to tell him to stay away.
I note from the link you supplied that the by-election poll of the Selby constituency was amongst the 10 most read news stories in the local paper. So the tactical choices facing anyone-but-the-Tories voters look like being well understood.
Impressive of Zelensky to join with Duda of Poland in ceremony to commemorate the Polish victims of the Volyna massacres in 1943 by Ukranian nationalists:
Some people mock him for putting on performances, tailoring his messaging when speaking to foreign parliaments and dressing and acting symbolically for example. Which seems like a very odd criticism when part of his job is basically chief diplomat, and acting symbolically both internally and externally.
You wouldn't catch Churchill doing that sort of thing.
Impressive of Zelensky to join with Duda of Poland in ceremony to commemorate the Polish victims of the Volyna massacres in 1943 by Ukranian nationalists:
Some people mock him for putting on performances, tailoring his messaging when speaking to foreign parliaments and dressing and acting symbolically for example. Which seems like a very odd criticism when part of his job is basically chief diplomat, and acting symbolically both internally and externally.
The way that even the ultra hard core nationalists in the Baltics, Poland, Ukraine (and others) are acknowledging these historic events, is changing the politics of the area. Fast.
There is enough genocidal history there to keep a dozen wars rolling. Instead, they are signing up to the current borders and “never again”.
Impressive of Zelensky to join with Duda of Poland in ceremony to commemorate the Polish victims of the Volyna massacres in 1943 by Ukranian nationalists:
Some people mock him for putting on performances, tailoring his messaging when speaking to foreign parliaments and dressing and acting symbolically for example. Which seems like a very odd criticism when part of his job is basically chief diplomat, and acting symbolically both internally and externally.
You wouldn't catch Churchill doing that sort of thing.
Excellent classic car show this afternoon on Matching Green and I see England won a Test Match too to get back into the Ashes
Classic cars? I always had you down as interested in old bicycles from Europe.
I'm sure someone once told me you were a fan of 1930s German Raleighs.
I will look at them if there but much more interested in old Morgans
If you fancy trying out a Morgan, there is a guy and his wife who run an experience of bed and breakfast plus a self-drive around the Cotswolds in a Morgan Plus Four. He is based in Shelsley Walsh, Worcs. betwixt the Hill Climb Circuit and the Church. I have ticked that box now and I don't need to ever drive a Morgan again. It wasn't a relaxing drive. My wife bought the experience as a birthday present for me very cheaply on Secret Escapes. If you want to live your inner IDS, it's worth a look.
Very sensible of HYUFD. As I have remarked before, Morgans will be the last UK car maker the way things are going, so if he wants to make a patriotic purchase it's good to try before you buy.
Excellent classic car show this afternoon on Matching Green and I see England won a Test Match too to get back into the Ashes
Classic cars? I always had you down as interested in old bicycles from Europe.
I'm sure someone once told me you were a fan of 1930s German Raleighs.
I will look at them if there but much more interested in old Morgans
If you fancy trying out a Morgan, there is a guy and his wife who run an experience of bed and breakfast plus a self-drive around the Cotswolds in a Morgan Plus Four. He is based in Shelsley Walsh, Worcs. betwixt the Hill Climb Circuit and the Church. I have ticked that box now and I don't need to ever drive a Morgan again. It wasn't a relaxing drive. My wife bought the experience as a birthday present for me very cheaply on Secret Escapes. If you want to live your inner IDS, it's worth a look.
Excellent classic car show this afternoon on Matching Green and I see England won a Test Match too to get back into the Ashes
Classic cars? I always had you down as interested in old bicycles from Europe.
I'm sure someone once told me you were a fan of 1930s German Raleighs.
I will look at them if there but much more interested in old Morgans
If you fancy trying out a Morgan, there is a guy and his wife who run an experience of bed and breakfast plus a self-drive around the Cotswolds in a Morgan Plus Four. He is based in Shelsley Walsh, Worcs. betwixt the Hill Climb Circuit and the Church. I have ticked that box now and I don't need to ever drive a Morgan again. It wasn't a relaxing drive. My wife bought the experience as a birthday present for me very cheaply on Secret Escapes. If you want to live your inner IDS, it's worth a look.
Chap a couple of doors from us has a Morgan. Spends a lot more time titivating it, both ‘works’ and bodywork, than actually driving it so far as I can see!
I really like Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc. They come over so well in their interviews and seem to me like genuinely nice chaps
It’s easy to get a bit carried away with the heat of the moment of sandpapergate, and stumpinggate. Most are pretty decent chaps. Not quite so sure of Warner, and Smith is obsessional to the point of poor mental health.
Many years ago my village side toured the West Indies, playing local sides. At the same time the Aussies were playing the Windies. Our lads met the Aussies and got on like a house on fire, and ended up as guests at the tests etc. Generally cricketers get on off the field.
Excellent classic car show this afternoon on Matching Green and I see England won a Test Match too to get back into the Ashes
Classic cars? I always had you down as interested in old bicycles from Europe.
I'm sure someone once told me you were a fan of 1930s German Raleighs.
I will look at them if there but much more interested in old Morgans
If you fancy trying out a Morgan, there is a guy and his wife who run an experience of bed and breakfast plus a self-drive around the Cotswolds in a Morgan Plus Four. He is based in Shelsley Walsh, Worcs. betwixt the Hill Climb Circuit and the Church. I have ticked that box now and I don't need to ever drive a Morgan again. It wasn't a relaxing drive. My wife bought the experience as a birthday present for me very cheaply on Secret Escapes. If you want to live your inner IDS, it's worth a look.
As Morgans is in Malverin: maybe add Great Malvern Priory now parish kirk is well worth a look, too, as is the spa well and the wintergarden and the Victorian hydropathic ambience galore, like Buxton or Strathpeffer. And walk up the hills to look over to Wales on one side and Cotswold Edge on the other. Bredon Hill in the vale of Severn - Laurie Lee country?.
O/T b ut something nice for a future holiday - stay in a control tower or rather Watch Office on a former airfield. Landmark Trust proposal, an interesting one (like their Semaphotre Tower, which I'd like to book but is next to the M25).
Impressive of Zelensky to join with Duda of Poland in ceremony to commemorate the Polish victims of the Volyna massacres in 1943 by Ukranian nationalists:
Some people mock him for putting on performances, tailoring his messaging when speaking to foreign parliaments and dressing and acting symbolically for example. Which seems like a very odd criticism when part of his job is basically chief diplomat, and acting symbolically both internally and externally.
The exile communities put their past behind them more than sixty years ago when the Polish and Ukrainian governments in exile signed a series of treaties. Both governments in Warsaw and Kyiv have followed a surprisingly large amount of the policies adopted in exile. It may have seemed like a vainglorious dead letter to their enemies- especially the Soviets- at the time, but in fact it was a necessary reconciliation.
Excellent classic car show this afternoon on Matching Green and I see England won a Test Match too to get back into the Ashes
Classic cars? I always had you down as interested in old bicycles from Europe.
I'm sure someone once told me you were a fan of 1930s German Raleighs.
I will look at them if there but much more interested in old Morgans
If you fancy trying out a Morgan, there is a guy and his wife who run an experience of bed and breakfast plus a self-drive around the Cotswolds in a Morgan Plus Four. He is based in Shelsley Walsh, Worcs. betwixt the Hill Climb Circuit and the Church. I have ticked that box now and I don't need to ever drive a Morgan again. It wasn't a relaxing drive. My wife bought the experience as a birthday present for me very cheaply on Secret Escapes. If you want to live your inner IDS, it's worth a look.
Excellent classic car show this afternoon on Matching Green and I see England won a Test Match too to get back into the Ashes
Classic cars? I always had you down as interested in old bicycles from Europe.
I'm sure someone once told me you were a fan of 1930s German Raleighs.
I will look at them if there but much more interested in old Morgans
If you fancy trying out a Morgan, there is a guy and his wife who run an experience of bed and breakfast plus a self-drive around the Cotswolds in a Morgan Plus Four. He is based in Shelsley Walsh, Worcs. betwixt the Hill Climb Circuit and the Church. I have ticked that box now and I don't need to ever drive a Morgan again. It wasn't a relaxing drive. My wife bought the experience as a birthday present for me very cheaply on Secret Escapes. If you want to live your inner IDS, it's worth a look.
Chap a couple of doors from us has a Morgan. Spends a lot more time titivating it, both ‘works’ and bodywork, than actually driving it so far as I can see!
The car I tried had a modern Ford Sigma engine. There was nothing modern about the driving experience. It was hard work, and I am used to driving sixties and seventies cars.
Canada, New Zealand and Spain - all Nato members, like the US and UK - also stated their opposition to the weapons.
To be fair, everyone is joining. Has China put an application in, yet?
I'm sure they could commit to strengthening the security of the North Atlantic area, simply by promising to go nowhere near it. Though I suspect they'd charge a high price of their own!
Comments
Karma ripens.
Ha ha!
eta … so glory!
Just imagine how good we'd be if we had some top order batsmen who could bat.
Scores level!
It isn't great when in both innings one of your bowlers is 3rd top scorer.
And if so, can anyone recommend any VPNs? Preferably free.
Anyway, there's some politics happening this week or what?
Just a heroic result.
https://youtu.be/ukKN149qv98
At the end of the series history only remembers normally who wins or loses, but all three Tests so far could have gone either way. Two reasonably equally matched teams playing currently.
I doubt Robinson will be fit enough so Anderson obviously replaces him.
Weather forecast is iffy, if you believe the forecasters.
- about irresistible forces and immovable objects
Sheikh Hasina has been PM of Bangladesh since 2009, and before then from 96-01, yet people don't tend to talk about her much as the longest serving female head of government in modern history - perhaps because of increasing authoritarianism.
But she is up for election again in less than 6 months.
https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/tamim-iqbal-reverses-retirement-decision-after-meeting-bangladesh-prime-minister-sheikh-hasina-1386270 When he is in form with the bat he is worth a place in the team, making up for less than stellar wicketkeeping. When he's not in form he's a complete liability.
Everything about Bazball is great for Test cricket
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-66147920
No fireworks but you will be able to go swimming in the Seine, which the French equivalent of Thames Water has cleaned up for the Paris Olympics next year.
https://www.lemonde.fr/en/environment/article/2023/07/09/swimming-in-the-seine-to-become-a-reality-for-all-in-2025-with-three-locations-unveiled_6047176_114.html
On the topic, Sunak probably won't face a pre election challenge for the same reason, essentially, that Major didn't between 1995 (Redwood) and 1997.
The worse options have already been tried. With Sunak there is a chance of defeat with a semblance of dignity and party survival.
If (big if) there is a truly great Tory leader waiting around then waiting till after 2024 election is the saner and safer option. Such a person would need the modest hope inducing capacity of Attlee and the courage of Mrs T. Names on a postcard to central office. I shall keep an eye on Kemi in the parade ring, but the wallet of £50 notes is disengaged.
I'm not betting on the by elections. If I were it would be £1 (max) on the Tories for Uxbridge. I think I would lose but the horse might at least run.
I think the GE election result in %s will be not far different from 1997 - 43% Lab, 31% Tory. And SNP to do worse than current polling.)
“A l’eau, c’est l’heure”.
Not because Sunak is any good.
Any other suggestions?
The politics at play. If you are Boris or Nad, you want Sunak to own “never won an election, ignominious defeat losing Johnson’s landslide” in the history books. Because it’s now personality politics with some.
The more ideological ones There’s also a lot of politics. If you are Trussite slash and burn Tory, you want to keep Sunak economics in there to own defeat, to discredit it. Their Sunak and Hunt leadership rivals will argue in favour of Sunak economics, straight after a terrible election defeat?
Dorries will resign short of the election, because she is going anyway. She’s probably trying to use leverage of resignation to get something because if Sunak loses all three later this month, they won’t want more self inflicted by elections soon after, so Dorries is holding on to see her leverage increase. Not that I’m convinced they will give her anything. Alternatively, they may already have done a deal, hence she is still there. One thing the resigners done as they resigned was talk up their replacement as being a great candidate, in response Con HQ leaked to media friends the party only has 11% in a seat (according to internal poll) hence sitting MP would be a traitor to resign at this time.
Lots of politics going on. The big one being ideological opponents of Sunak, the slash and burn economists, won’t move against Sunak, they will keep him there and cello tape every policy they don’t like to him. And warm their mallows as he and all that is placed on the electoral bonfire.
The right and ERG also have no interest in challenging Sunak now, from their perspective the election is already lost. So they will let Sunak and Hunt take the blame for it, then try and take over the leadership in Opposition when a likely Labour government would have to deal with the economy
I'm sure someone once told me you were a fan of 1930s German Raleighs.
https://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/23642966.rishi-sunak-adds-support-claire-holmes-visit-selby-today/
Dura Ace: no, they’re shite.
https://twitter.com/AndrzejDuda/status/1677968729303334914?t=FWl54wFMtt_v3ia4jxOuLQ&s=19
I note from the link you supplied that the by-election poll of the Selby constituency was amongst the 10 most read news stories in the local paper. So the tactical choices facing anyone-but-the-Tories voters look like being well understood.
https://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/23643269.jl-partners-says-labours-keir-mather-will-win-selby-ainsty/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-66146877
"It came as an email, widely-shared online, made several unsubstantiated claims about Mr Osborne's private life.
Reports suggest Mr Osborne has contacted the police about the email."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-66146457
Canada, New Zealand and Spain - all Nato members, like the US and UK - also stated their opposition to the weapons.
Lab 414
Con 155
LD 27
Others 54
https://sotn.newstatesman.com/2023/02/britain-predicts-who-would-win-election-held-today
There is enough genocidal history there to keep a dozen wars rolling. Instead, they are signing up to the current borders and “never again”.
Peace Prize for Putin?
Many years ago my village side toured the West Indies, playing local sides. At the same time the Aussies were playing the Windies. Our lads met the Aussies and got on like a house on fire, and ended up as guests at the tests etc. Generally cricketers get on off the field.
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2023/jul/09/an-almost-modernist-feel-appeal-launched-to-save-derelict-raf-ibsley-airbase-building
What a series