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Former Labour councillor defects to Reform – politicalbetting.com

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    NigelbNigelb Posts: 62,762
    Trump’s newly installed R.N.C. leadership team is pushing out more than 60 officials, including 5 senior staff members — part of a massive R.N.C. overhaul
    https://twitter.com/politicoalex/status/1767302831667634683

    Junior says the old Republican Party is dead now that MAGA has taken over the RNC: “That Republican Party no longer exists. The moves that happened - that’s the final blow. People have to understand that MAGA is the new Republican Party. That is conservatism today.”
    https://twitter.com/RonFilipkowski/status/1766842164112187554

  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,097
    Anderson will have a chance to hold Ashfield. UKIP's only MP elected in 2015 was an ex Tory MP, Carswell in a similarly strongly pro Brexit area that also had a Labour MP before he gained the seat
  • Options
    Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 60,345
    edited March 11
    Gordon Brown likens Starmer's plans for slimmed down cabinet to rule under Chairman Mao

    https://news.sky.com/story/gordon-brown-likens-starmers-plans-for-slimmed-down-cabinet-to-rule-under-chairman-mao-13092705
  • Options
    StuartinromfordStuartinromford Posts: 14,529

    pigeon said:

    darkage said:

    nico679 said:

    Nigelb said:

    Trump will not give a penny to Ukraine - Hungary PM Orban
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-68533351

    Note that it doesn't say he wouldn't give them weapons. Trump favours using lend-lease to finance it.
    You seriously think Trump will even go that far. Putin will be celebrating if Trump is elected . There is no middle ground here , you either support Trump or Ukraine . You can’t do both .
    I think it's very unlikely that Trump will continue the current policy of giving Ukraine just enough support to keep the war smouldering - he will change the policy. He'll want to be seen to have 'sorted it out', rather than continuing the conflict because a continuation is perceived to be in the USA's geostrategic interests.

    I do think it's possible that his re-election could be a net good for Ukraine though, because he's an unknown quantity in the negotiations. Ukraine faces a real issue in negotiating any kind of peace with Russia because Russia has the upper hand and Biden can't really threaten to give Ukraine anything that menaces the Russians if they don't co-operate, because politically he's prevented from doing so. Trump can make those sorts of threats, and perhaps be believed, because much as I do think he admires Putin, he could also turn on him easily - this is Trump; he doesn't do loyalty.

    I don't 'want' Russia to gain from its invasion, but I do want people to stop dying, Ukraine to stop being turned into the Somme, and for gas to fall in price. Therefore, I want the smouldering war to be quenched, a new iron curtain wherever it goes, and for the rest of Ukraine to be garrisoned heavily as a protection against any future Russian territorial ambitions. So I prefer what I perceive to be Trump's solution, thab what I perceive to be Biden's.
    I guess that Trump will try and do some kind of 'deal', it might work for a short period. But long term the problem with Russia is going to persist. Unfortunately, I don't think Eastern Europe can really be garrisoned, the war will just start up somewhere else again. It will be like whack a mole for the indefinite future.

    What I think would be good in the longer term is for Russia to be embraced by the EU, and pulled toward Western Europe and away from China. I realise that at the moment such a thing is almost inconceivable.
    And it will remain so. Russia and despotism are practically synonymous historically, and there is no reason to suppose that this will change.
    They are, but much of continental Europe once used to be the same.
    Until they were defeated by democratic powers.

    But you don't want Russia defeated.
    Spain was a fascist dictatorship and that ended in 1975 with the dictator dying peacefully in bed, which you might have realised if you engaged what passes for a brain before posting rather than just stringing together a series of hackneyed cliches.
    Franco was more a reactionary strongman in the South American style than a fascist - though he certain allied to and used the Spanish Fascist movement.
    And by the end, there was a lot of Spain hanging around waiting for him to die so they could do something else. Prince Juan Carlos was already having discreet conversations with opposition leaders while the old dictator was getting increasingly decrepit. There were alternative power centres in both political and civil society.

    Even then, the democratic transition was a close-run thing, requiring lots of ingenuity, a dash of dishonesty and a decent slice of luck. But the seeds were there.

    Putin's Russia? Rather less so.
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,908

    Boris Johnson to help Labour win a landslide in the Red Wall.

    These voters hate him, when will the Tories get this through their heads

    And yet, do some of them like him more than they do Rishi?

    It's damage limitation time, and the Tories face not only losing the 2019 Red Wall gains, but losing all the progress they had made in the north across many elections where they got closer even where they did not win. If you start from the premise they've lost most of those voters already and are not getting them back, can they get back a few Boris fans without losing anymore than they already have?

    It may not work, but I understand the logic.
  • Options
    FrankBoothFrankBooth Posts: 9,052

    People on here are so polite. When Lee Anderson says "I want my country back", he's not doing a John Major tribute act. He is clearly saying "I want foreigners (even if they were born here) to fuck off home, especially but not only those who are Muslims". And that has some appeal to Reform-inclined voters, who remind us that racism isn't actually a non-issue in the UK these days.

    Anderson is an out and out racist, and should be recognised as such.

    We don't all know him as well as you do. Or at least we aren't all so capable of reading minds.
    Will you defect to Reform too?
    I don't have anywhere to defect from. With regard to left and right I've decided I'm no longer on the spectrum.
  • Options
    MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 25,272

    Sir Keir Starmer backs ban on transgender athletes in female competition - Labour leader says he supports governing bodies’ actions to ban transgender women having previously refused to take a position on the issue

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2024/03/11/keir-starmer-backs-ban-on-transgender-female-competition/

    oh i remember a time when politicians lead and not waited for others to form the views to piggy back on
    And one of them was called Jeremy Corbyn. A go-getter who got an 80 seat majority spanking in 2019.

    But you are right. Starmer once again showing his inner w*****!
    Give it a rest.
    Do you not agree that Corbyn was a politician who lead "and not waited for others to form the views"?

    Do you also not agree that Starmer would be better served by concentrating on social policy, social cohesion and economic growth, rather than culture war bollocks? Are you content with Starmer out-Torying the Tories?
  • Options
    Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 25,508
    edited March 11

    People on here are so polite. When Lee Anderson says "I want my country back", he's not doing a John Major tribute act. He is clearly saying "I want foreigners (even if they were born here) to fuck off home, especially but not only those who are Muslims". And that has some appeal to Reform-inclined voters, who remind us that racism isn't actually a non-issue in the UK these days.

    Anderson is an out and out racist, and should be recognised as such.

    I think it's unlikely that Lee Anderson is advocating repatriation of immigrants. He might be racist (I'm not in his head) but 'I want my country back' is a very generalist and meaningless statement - just that you felt more aligned to the country at some point in the past. Many remainers have said they want their country back.
    Where does anyone who says 'I want my country back' think it's gone?
    Ask our genial editor:
    https://vf.politicalbetting.com/discussion/comment/3163743/#Comment_3163743

    (I'm not accusing him of using the phrase as a serious intervention btw)
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,908
    edited March 11
    Nigelb said:

    Trump’s newly installed R.N.C. leadership team is pushing out more than 60 officials, including 5 senior staff members — part of a massive R.N.C. overhaul
    https://twitter.com/politicoalex/status/1767302831667634683

    Junior says the old Republican Party is dead now that MAGA has taken over the RNC: “That Republican Party no longer exists. The moves that happened - that’s the final blow. People have to understand that MAGA is the new Republican Party. That is conservatism today.”
    https://twitter.com/RonFilipkowski/status/1766842164112187554

    He is right. Hopefully it will blow up in their faces and show what used to be a fiercely independent country the dangers of cowering to bullies.
  • Options

    A

    eek said:

    pigeon said:

    .

    pigeon said:

    pigeon said:

    stodge said:

    pigeon said:

    stodge said:

    The circle Reform seem to be trying to square is the one where you cut taxes, raise public spending, especially on defence and policing and don't increase the deficit or debt.

    I'm also far from convinced whether Reform or any other party has got any answers to the current problems of under employment.

    None of the parties has any answers to any problems at all. Not really.
    Yes but I'm not sure any of the rest of us do either or at least solutions which would be legal and viable.
    Agreed on the second point. The major source of stored wealth in this country is residential property and the major force weighing down the economy and making it unproductive is also residential property (which is hugely overpriced because it is in artificially short supply.) These problems are soluble, in theory and given time, but insoluble in practice within the boundaries of democratic governance. Industrial scale home construction, and adequate levels of property taxation and death duties, can no more be imposed than the revocation of the triple lock. Too many vested interests. We have therefore had it. Decline is the core feature of the system, not just a bug.
    These problems are perfectly soluble, it just requires a leader with the cojones to stand up to the NIMBYs and solve the problems.

    Just as we needed a leader with the cojones to stand up to the NUM and solve the problems.

    It being difficult is different to it not being possible.
    Scargill was a weak and predictable opponent. Nimby homeowners and stick banging pensioners (two heavily overlapping circles on a Venn diagram) are the largest voter blocs in the electorate.

    Solving the housing crisis and shifting the burden of taxation from earnings to assets are both outside the Overton window. Hence the fact that Labour and Tory economic policy are almost identical.
    They may be the largest voter bloc in the electorate but if the working age population unites against them, as seems likely in the next election, then they'll still lose.

    If Labour wins a landslide majority, with this bloc having lost, then Labour has a chance to move the Overton window.

    They may not, but they have a chance.
    This will require two things of Labour, should it win the next election outright and have a free hand:

    1. A complete U-turn from Reeves on her resistance to ramping up the taxation of assets (as things stand she's dug her heels in on wealth taxes and the equalisation of CGT and income tax rates, every bit as much as she has on income tax and NI rises.)
    2. Starmer not to give in to Nimby strop throwing by newly returned Labour MPs sitting on small majorities in green belt seats, and instead to force them and their constituents to put up with unwanted and resented new houses.

    There's more chance of those things happening than there is of the bloody triple lock being consigned to the dustbin, but not that much more.
    The forthcoming Labour Government is going to have to raise tax revenue from somewhere and there is little extra that can be raised from income taxes so all that is left is taxing assets.

    And given that Council tax is now in desperate need of reform - changing council tax to an simply x% of market value tax would solve an awful lot of problems rather quickly
    Such a change would have just about everyone rioting.

    Imagine all the tenants, Paying rent until the pips squeak. Then council tax jumps. Are they going to blame the landlord, or the government?

    Yup.
    Easily solved, the landlord should be responsible for the tax not the tenant.

    And if there's an abundance of construction then tenants can choose to move to a cheaper home, and the landlord is still liable to pay all taxes.
    Aside from the landlord simply passing the tax onto the tenants through the rent, how are you going to force the landlords to pay the tax?
    Property taxes are paid by the owner, not the tenant, in much of the world. Has the advantage that the owner actually pays (if they don't, they could lose the property) whereas many tenants can't or simply don't. How much court time is taken up with Council Tax cases? I believe about 5% of all properties in the UK are in arrears in their Council Tax.

    In America landlords are liable for property taxes, and is free to try to make it back from rent but that's then between landlord and tenant, not Council and tenant.

    And again, if there's more construction, then bad landlords won't be able to let out as tenants will go elsewhere, but they'll still be liable for all taxes even if nobody is letting..
  • Options
    MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 44,518
    A

    A

    eek said:

    pigeon said:

    .

    pigeon said:

    pigeon said:

    stodge said:

    pigeon said:

    stodge said:

    The circle Reform seem to be trying to square is the one where you cut taxes, raise public spending, especially on defence and policing and don't increase the deficit or debt.

    I'm also far from convinced whether Reform or any other party has got any answers to the current problems of under employment.

    None of the parties has any answers to any problems at all. Not really.
    Yes but I'm not sure any of the rest of us do either or at least solutions which would be legal and viable.
    Agreed on the second point. The major source of stored wealth in this country is residential property and the major force weighing down the economy and making it unproductive is also residential property (which is hugely overpriced because it is in artificially short supply.) These problems are soluble, in theory and given time, but insoluble in practice within the boundaries of democratic governance. Industrial scale home construction, and adequate levels of property taxation and death duties, can no more be imposed than the revocation of the triple lock. Too many vested interests. We have therefore had it. Decline is the core feature of the system, not just a bug.
    These problems are perfectly soluble, it just requires a leader with the cojones to stand up to the NIMBYs and solve the problems.

    Just as we needed a leader with the cojones to stand up to the NUM and solve the problems.

    It being difficult is different to it not being possible.
    Scargill was a weak and predictable opponent. Nimby homeowners and stick banging pensioners (two heavily overlapping circles on a Venn diagram) are the largest voter blocs in the electorate.

    Solving the housing crisis and shifting the burden of taxation from earnings to assets are both outside the Overton window. Hence the fact that Labour and Tory economic policy are almost identical.
    They may be the largest voter bloc in the electorate but if the working age population unites against them, as seems likely in the next election, then they'll still lose.

    If Labour wins a landslide majority, with this bloc having lost, then Labour has a chance to move the Overton window.

    They may not, but they have a chance.
    This will require two things of Labour, should it win the next election outright and have a free hand:

    1. A complete U-turn from Reeves on her resistance to ramping up the taxation of assets (as things stand she's dug her heels in on wealth taxes and the equalisation of CGT and income tax rates, every bit as much as she has on income tax and NI rises.)
    2. Starmer not to give in to Nimby strop throwing by newly returned Labour MPs sitting on small majorities in green belt seats, and instead to force them and their constituents to put up with unwanted and resented new houses.

    There's more chance of those things happening than there is of the bloody triple lock being consigned to the dustbin, but not that much more.
    The forthcoming Labour Government is going to have to raise tax revenue from somewhere and there is little extra that can be raised from income taxes so all that is left is taxing assets.

    And given that Council tax is now in desperate need of reform - changing council tax to an simply x% of market value tax would solve an awful lot of problems rather quickly
    Such a change would have just about everyone rioting.

    Imagine all the tenants, Paying rent until the pips squeak. Then council tax jumps. Are they going to blame the landlord, or the government?

    Yup.
    Easily solved, the landlord should be responsible for the tax not the tenant.

    And if there's an abundance of construction then tenants can choose to move to a cheaper home, and the landlord is still liable to pay all taxes.
    Aside from the landlord simply passing the tax onto the tenants through the rent, how are you going to force the landlords to pay the tax?
    Property taxes are paid by the owner, not the tenant, in much of the world. Has the advantage that the owner actually pays (if they don't, they could lose the property) whereas many tenants can't or simply don't. How much court time is taken up with Council Tax cases? I believe about 5% of all properties in the UK are in arrears in their Council Tax.

    In America landlords are liable for property taxes, and is free to try to make it back from rent but that's then between landlord and tenant, not Council and tenant.

    And again, if there's more construction, then bad landlords won't be able to let out as tenants will go elsewhere, but they'll still be liable for all taxes even if nobody is letting..
    So it won’t change anything unless more properties are built.
  • Options
    Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 25,508
    By the way, did any of us call that Tice's press conference was to announce Lee Anderson's defection? With hindsight it seems obvious but I wasn't onto it.
  • Options
    rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 58,279

    Jack Surfleet
    @jacksurfleet
    ·
    2m
    Tuesday's i: Tories delay 'British ISA' £5k tax-free savings until after election
    #TomorrowsPapersToday
  • Options
    rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 58,279
    Nigelb said:

    Trump’s newly installed R.N.C. leadership team is pushing out more than 60 officials, including 5 senior staff members — part of a massive R.N.C. overhaul
    https://twitter.com/politicoalex/status/1767302831667634683

    Junior says the old Republican Party is dead now that MAGA has taken over the RNC: “That Republican Party no longer exists. The moves that happened - that’s the final blow. People have to understand that MAGA is the new Republican Party. That is conservatism today.”
    https://twitter.com/RonFilipkowski/status/1766842164112187554

    It's a cult.
  • Options
    isamisam Posts: 40,962

    Boris Johnson to help Labour win a landslide in the Red Wall.

    These voters hate him, when will the Tories get this through their heads

    The wisest commentator in Westminster is bang on the nail again:

    Larry the Cat
    @Number10cat
    ·
    45m
    Have they forgotten that they ditched him because he was hugely unpopular? I realise they're desperate but that doesn't change the facts.

    https://twitter.com/Number10cat/status/1767297628558311841
    All polls of 2019 Tory voters show that they don’t hate him at all; he’s the most popular choice to lead the party
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,908

    By the way, did any of us call that Tice's press conference was to announce Lee Anderson's defection? With hindsight it seems obvious but I wasn't onto it.

    I think the delay from his suspension to today caused people to doubt it would happen, it seemed like the sort of thing they'd arrange the next day.
  • Options
    BartholomewRobertsBartholomewRoberts Posts: 18,767
    edited March 11

    A

    A

    eek said:

    pigeon said:

    .

    pigeon said:

    pigeon said:

    stodge said:

    pigeon said:

    stodge said:

    The circle Reform seem to be trying to square is the one where you cut taxes, raise public spending, especially on defence and policing and don't increase the deficit or debt.

    I'm also far from convinced whether Reform or any other party has got any answers to the current problems of under employment.

    None of the parties has any answers to any problems at all. Not really.
    Yes but I'm not sure any of the rest of us do either or at least solutions which would be legal and viable.
    Agreed on the second point. The major source of stored wealth in this country is residential property and the major force weighing down the economy and making it unproductive is also residential property (which is hugely overpriced because it is in artificially short supply.) These problems are soluble, in theory and given time, but insoluble in practice within the boundaries of democratic governance. Industrial scale home construction, and adequate levels of property taxation and death duties, can no more be imposed than the revocation of the triple lock. Too many vested interests. We have therefore had it. Decline is the core feature of the system, not just a bug.
    These problems are perfectly soluble, it just requires a leader with the cojones to stand up to the NIMBYs and solve the problems.

    Just as we needed a leader with the cojones to stand up to the NUM and solve the problems.

    It being difficult is different to it not being possible.
    Scargill was a weak and predictable opponent. Nimby homeowners and stick banging pensioners (two heavily overlapping circles on a Venn diagram) are the largest voter blocs in the electorate.

    Solving the housing crisis and shifting the burden of taxation from earnings to assets are both outside the Overton window. Hence the fact that Labour and Tory economic policy are almost identical.
    They may be the largest voter bloc in the electorate but if the working age population unites against them, as seems likely in the next election, then they'll still lose.

    If Labour wins a landslide majority, with this bloc having lost, then Labour has a chance to move the Overton window.

    They may not, but they have a chance.
    This will require two things of Labour, should it win the next election outright and have a free hand:

    1. A complete U-turn from Reeves on her resistance to ramping up the taxation of assets (as things stand she's dug her heels in on wealth taxes and the equalisation of CGT and income tax rates, every bit as much as she has on income tax and NI rises.)
    2. Starmer not to give in to Nimby strop throwing by newly returned Labour MPs sitting on small majorities in green belt seats, and instead to force them and their constituents to put up with unwanted and resented new houses.

    There's more chance of those things happening than there is of the bloody triple lock being consigned to the dustbin, but not that much more.
    The forthcoming Labour Government is going to have to raise tax revenue from somewhere and there is little extra that can be raised from income taxes so all that is left is taxing assets.

    And given that Council tax is now in desperate need of reform - changing council tax to an simply x% of market value tax would solve an awful lot of problems rather quickly
    Such a change would have just about everyone rioting.

    Imagine all the tenants, Paying rent until the pips squeak. Then council tax jumps. Are they going to blame the landlord, or the government?

    Yup.
    Easily solved, the landlord should be responsible for the tax not the tenant.

    And if there's an abundance of construction then tenants can choose to move to a cheaper home, and the landlord is still liable to pay all taxes.
    Aside from the landlord simply passing the tax onto the tenants through the rent, how are you going to force the landlords to pay the tax?
    Property taxes are paid by the owner, not the tenant, in much of the world. Has the advantage that the owner actually pays (if they don't, they could lose the property) whereas many tenants can't or simply don't. How much court time is taken up with Council Tax cases? I believe about 5% of all properties in the UK are in arrears in their Council Tax.

    In America landlords are liable for property taxes, and is free to try to make it back from rent but that's then between landlord and tenant, not Council and tenant.

    And again, if there's more construction, then bad landlords won't be able to let out as tenants will go elsewhere, but they'll still be liable for all taxes even if nobody is letting..
    So it won’t change anything unless more properties are built.
    Did you miss the first paragraph? Try reading it again.

    Currently Councils are out hundreds of millions of pounds in arrears due to tenants who can't or won't pay. Make the landlord responsible for the tax instead and the Council gets their money and the landlord can chase the tenant for the rent rather than the Council doing so.

    But yes under any system building more houses is of course the number one priority, this is a secondary concern.
  • Options
    Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 33,093
    Did we do this?

    @joncraig
    Oo er! Top Tory with impeccable connections & close links to 10 Downing St has told parliamentary colleagues that if 10 Conservative MPs defect to Reform UK Rishi Sunak will call a general election!
  • Options
    Jim_MillerJim_Miller Posts: 2,517
    edited March 11
    Here's a subject for CycleFree: "DAKAR, Senegal — Nigeria has been rocked by two mass kidnappings in the past week, with the United Nations, government officials and local residents saying that hundreds of women and children were abducted in separate incidents.

    Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu condemned the abductions Friday and directed security and intelligence agencies to immediately rescue the victims, whom he called “very vulnerable” internally displaced people and students.

    The United Nations, residents and local officials said that about 200 people, many of them women out collecting firewood, were kidnapped March 1 in Borno State, where residents have long been terrorized by Boko Haram, an Islamist extremist movement."

    source$: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/03/08/nigeria-kidnap-students-boko-haram/

    What, if anything, should the UK do about these kidnappings, in its former colony?
  • Options

    Nigelb said:

    Trump’s newly installed R.N.C. leadership team is pushing out more than 60 officials, including 5 senior staff members — part of a massive R.N.C. overhaul
    https://twitter.com/politicoalex/status/1767302831667634683

    Junior says the old Republican Party is dead now that MAGA has taken over the RNC: “That Republican Party no longer exists. The moves that happened - that’s the final blow. People have to understand that MAGA is the new Republican Party. That is conservatism today.”
    https://twitter.com/RonFilipkowski/status/1766842164112187554

    It's a cult.
    You spelt that wrong.
  • Options
    isamisam Posts: 40,962
    sarissa said:

    ohnotnow said:

    Carnyx said:

    Dalziell

    That is the correct pronunciation, on the orthography - it's a yogh not a voiced s type z.
    I'm flown back in time to local debates on the pronunciation of the towns "John Menzies".
    I fondly remember the classic Carry On exchange:

    Kenneth Williams: “ Hello, my name is Stuart Farquhar”.

    Sid James: “Stupid WHAT?”
    Sorry to be a bore, but it was Peter Butterworth actually. Sid James follows up with ‘He was right the first time”
  • Options
    rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 58,279
    kle4 said:

    People on here are so polite. When Lee Anderson says "I want my country back", he's not doing a John Major tribute act. He is clearly saying "I want foreigners (even if they were born here) to fuck off home, especially but not only those who are Muslims". And that has some appeal to Reform-inclined voters, who remind us that racism isn't actually a non-issue in the UK these days.

    Anderson is an out and out racist, and should be recognised as such.

    I think it's unlikely that Lee Anderson is advocating repatriation of immigrants. He might be racist (I'm not in his head) but 'I want my country back' is a very generalist and meaningless statement - just that you felt more aligned to the country at some point in the past. Many remainers have said they want their country back.
    Where does anyone who says 'I want my country back' think it's gone?
    Why does it always need to be 'back' anyway? Can't people just say they want the country to be better?

    It might be argued that's the same thing, a bit MAGA, but it's without the A so it's fine.
    What they mean is they want the 1950s Britain back.

    Even though most of them saying this are too young to actually remember it much.

  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,908
    I had not realised that in Ashfield Anderson saw the Tory vote share decline from 2017 (where it had admittedly jumped enormously). I vaguely recall the Ashfield Independent chap taking a big chunk, but it was quite a bit more than I had realised.
  • Options
    TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 41,389

    Here's a subject for CycleFree: "DAKAR, Senegal — Nigeria has been rocked by two mass kidnappings in the past week, with the United Nations, government officials and local residents saying that hundreds of women and children were abducted in separate incidents.

    Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu condemned the abductions Friday and directed security and intelligence agencies to immediately rescue the victims, whom he called “very vulnerable” internally displaced people and students.

    The United Nations, residents and local officials said that about 200 people, many of them women out collecting firewood, were kidnapped March 1 in Borno State, where residents have long been terrorized by Boko Haram, an Islamist extremist movement."

    source$: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/03/08/nigeria-kidnap-students-boko-haram/

    What, if anything, should the UK do about these kidnappings, in its former colony?

    I'm sure there will be marches in central London this coming weekend about it.
  • Options
    BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,740

    People on here are so polite. When Lee Anderson says "I want my country back", he's not doing a John Major tribute act. He is clearly saying "I want foreigners (even if they were born here) to fuck off home, especially but not only those who are Muslims". And that has some appeal to Reform-inclined voters, who remind us that racism isn't actually a non-issue in the UK these days.

    Anderson is an out and out racist, and should be recognised as such.

    I think it's unlikely that Lee Anderson is advocating repatriation of immigrants. He might be racist (I'm not in his head) but 'I want my country back' is a very generalist and meaningless statement - just that you felt more aligned to the country at some point in the past. Many remainers have said they want their country back.
    Where does anyone who says 'I want my country back' think it's gone?
    Ask our genial editor:
    https://vf.politicalbetting.com/discussion/comment/3163743/#Comment_3163743

    (I'm not accusing him of using the phrase as a serious intervention btw)
    I bow to your memory and/or PB searching skills.
  • Options
    Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 25,508
    Scott_xP said:

    Did we do this?

    @joncraig
    Oo er! Top Tory with impeccable connections & close links to 10 Downing St has told parliamentary colleagues that if 10 Conservative MPs defect to Reform UK Rishi Sunak will call a general election!

    The abusive husband strategy of party management.
  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,097
    edited March 11

    Maybe I am becoming thick in my old age but why is it a seemingly massive deal that Princess Katherine edited a photo? Its the main headline on the BBC not just the Express . Anyone else find this a bit unnerving that they are losing their finger on the pulse

    Ten years ago the Royal Family had QEII and DoE, all four of QEII's children, William and Harry as active royals, plus some of their spouses, and the other ones that everyone forgets, the Gloucester's.

    Now, KCIII has cancer, Andrew is disgraced, Harry estranged, William hiding, the Gloucester's winding down. Only Anne and Edward are doing the work of being seen.

    Kate hasn't been seen for ages and then the photo that is released is a fake. People are losing their heads because the Royal family need to be seen, and right now they seem to be missing.
    First people say they want a slimmed down monarchy, now they get it they say there are not enough working royals now. Make your mind up!

    Lots of comments on Mail online this evening about jealous photographers, really this photoshop story has been totally overdone though at least we saw the Prince and Princess out this evening in their car
  • Options
    StuartinromfordStuartinromford Posts: 14,529
    Scott_xP said:

    Did we do this?

    @joncraig
    Oo er! Top Tory with impeccable connections & close links to 10 Downing St has told parliamentary colleagues that if 10 Conservative MPs defect to Reform UK Rishi Sunak will call a general election!

    If another 26 defect, it's out of Rishi's hands.
  • Options

    Scott_xP said:

    Did we do this?

    @joncraig
    Oo er! Top Tory with impeccable connections & close links to 10 Downing St has told parliamentary colleagues that if 10 Conservative MPs defect to Reform UK Rishi Sunak will call a general election!

    The abusive husband strategy of party management.
    More a Blazing Saddles "nobody move or the n***** gets it" strategy.
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,908

    Scott_xP said:

    Did we do this?

    @joncraig
    Oo er! Top Tory with impeccable connections & close links to 10 Downing St has told parliamentary colleagues that if 10 Conservative MPs defect to Reform UK Rishi Sunak will call a general election!

    The abusive husband strategy of party management.
    It's not much of a threat in any case - if they do it then he'll cut short their time as MPs by, what, 5 months, as he commits harikiri?

    Mass defections are of course very rare even in very stressed periods. We were lucky to get ChangeUK.

    I mean that sincerely, I have a lot of respect for them for finally standing up and deciding they could not stomach their then parties, and trying something bold, even if there was not space for an ill defined gang of more centrists.
  • Options
    viewcodeviewcode Posts: 18,919
    Scott_xP said:

    Did we do this?

    @joncraig
    Oo er! Top Tory with impeccable connections & close links to 10 Downing St has told parliamentary colleagues that if 10 Conservative MPs defect to Reform UK Rishi Sunak will call a general election!

    If...
  • Options
    Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 49,370
    HYUFD said:

    Maybe I am becoming thick in my old age but why is it a seemingly massive deal that Princess Katherine edited a photo? Its the main headline on the BBC not just the Express . Anyone else find this a bit unnerving that they are losing their finger on the pulse

    Ten years ago the Royal Family had QEII and DoE, all four of QEII's children, William and Harry as active royals, plus some of their spouses, and the other ones that everyone forgets, the Gloucester's.

    Now, KCIII has cancer, Andrew is disgraced, Harry estranged, William hiding, the Gloucester's winding down. Only Anne and Edward are doing the work of being seen.

    Kate hasn't been seen for ages and then the photo that is released is a fake. People are losing their heads because the Royal family need to be seen, and right now they seem to be missing.
    First people say they want a slimmed down monarchy, now they get it they say there are not enough working royals now. Make your mind up!

    Lots of comments on Mail online this evening about jealous photographers, really this photoshop story has been totally overdone though at least we saw the Prince and Princess out this evening in their car
    MONARCHY = SOCIALISM!
  • Options
    rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 58,279

    Scott_xP said:

    Did we do this?

    @joncraig
    Oo er! Top Tory with impeccable connections & close links to 10 Downing St has told parliamentary colleagues that if 10 Conservative MPs defect to Reform UK Rishi Sunak will call a general election!

    If another 26 defect, it's out of Rishi's hands.
    Bit suspicious that the number cited is ten when the rumour is that nine are in talks.

    Trying to sound tough with no actual consequence.
  • Options
    MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 44,518
    TOPPING said:

    Here's a subject for CycleFree: "DAKAR, Senegal — Nigeria has been rocked by two mass kidnappings in the past week, with the United Nations, government officials and local residents saying that hundreds of women and children were abducted in separate incidents.

    Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu condemned the abductions Friday and directed security and intelligence agencies to immediately rescue the victims, whom he called “very vulnerable” internally displaced people and students.

    The United Nations, residents and local officials said that about 200 people, many of them women out collecting firewood, were kidnapped March 1 in Borno State, where residents have long been terrorized by Boko Haram, an Islamist extremist movement."

    source$: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/03/08/nigeria-kidnap-students-boko-haram/

    What, if anything, should the UK do about these kidnappings, in its former colony?

    I'm sure there will be marches in central London this coming weekend about it.
    Hmmm….

    Shortage of cheap labour in the U.K.

    Tradition…. Hmmmm…

    Someone phone these Boko Haram chappies and ask them how much they charge per head?
  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,097
    Though college educated whites shifting further to the Democrats on the same polling
  • Options
    nico679nico679 Posts: 4,910
    Oh God not these pathetic threats from the spineless gimp Sunak .

  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,097

    HYUFD said:

    Maybe I am becoming thick in my old age but why is it a seemingly massive deal that Princess Katherine edited a photo? Its the main headline on the BBC not just the Express . Anyone else find this a bit unnerving that they are losing their finger on the pulse

    Ten years ago the Royal Family had QEII and DoE, all four of QEII's children, William and Harry as active royals, plus some of their spouses, and the other ones that everyone forgets, the Gloucester's.

    Now, KCIII has cancer, Andrew is disgraced, Harry estranged, William hiding, the Gloucester's winding down. Only Anne and Edward are doing the work of being seen.

    Kate hasn't been seen for ages and then the photo that is released is a fake. People are losing their heads because the Royal family need to be seen, and right now they seem to be missing.
    First people say they want a slimmed down monarchy, now they get it they say there are not enough working royals now. Make your mind up!

    Lots of comments on Mail online this evening about jealous photographers, really this photoshop story has been totally overdone though at least we saw the Prince and Princess out this evening in their car
    MONARCHY = SOCIALISM!
    No Monarchy =Toryism, State control of the economy = Socialism
  • Options
    Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 60,345
    HYUFD said:

    Maybe I am becoming thick in my old age but why is it a seemingly massive deal that Princess Katherine edited a photo? Its the main headline on the BBC not just the Express . Anyone else find this a bit unnerving that they are losing their finger on the pulse

    Ten years ago the Royal Family had QEII and DoE, all four of QEII's children, William and Harry as active royals, plus some of their spouses, and the other ones that everyone forgets, the Gloucester's.

    Now, KCIII has cancer, Andrew is disgraced, Harry estranged, William hiding, the Gloucester's winding down. Only Anne and Edward are doing the work of being seen.

    Kate hasn't been seen for ages and then the photo that is released is a fake. People are losing their heads because the Royal family need to be seen, and right now they seem to be missing.
    First people say they want a slimmed down monarchy, now they get it they say there are not enough working royals now. Make your mind up!

    Lots of comments on Mail online this evening about jealous photographers, really this photoshop story has been totally overdone though at least we saw the Prince and Princess out this evening in their car
    You just do not get it

    The fact that Catherine, by her own admission doctored her own 'Mothers Day' photo is a PR disaster for her personally but also the Royals as every photo will now come under intense scrutiny as to whether it is fake, AI or something else

    This is the biggest error Catherine has made and just underlines how they want to control the media

    And jealous photographers are not up to much if they are jealous of a 'doctored' photo
  • Options
    StuartinromfordStuartinromford Posts: 14,529
    isam said:

    Boris Johnson to help Labour win a landslide in the Red Wall.

    These voters hate him, when will the Tories get this through their heads

    The wisest commentator in Westminster is bang on the nail again:

    Larry the Cat
    @Number10cat
    ·
    45m
    Have they forgotten that they ditched him because he was hugely unpopular? I realise they're desperate but that doesn't change the facts.

    https://twitter.com/Number10cat/status/1767297628558311841
    All polls of 2019 Tory voters show that they don’t hate him at all; he’s the most popular choice to lead the party
    Quite a few do hate him, though.

    From that YouGov poll that took ages to find;

    https://d3nkl3psvxxpe9.cloudfront.net/documents/TheTimes_VI_AdHoc_240124_New_W.pdf

    among 2019 Conservative voters,
    35 more likely
    26 less likely

    Net benefit (though with the downside of riling up opponents as well), but not transformative. And it could all go horribly wrong. For example, will Boris be able to stick to the party line, or not show quite how boring Rishi is?

    (And colour me cynical, but a government source saying this hours after the Anderson defection? They may be playing with our minds for their sport...)
  • Options
    TresTres Posts: 2,234
    TOPPING said:

    Here's a subject for CycleFree: "DAKAR, Senegal — Nigeria has been rocked by two mass kidnappings in the past week, with the United Nations, government officials and local residents saying that hundreds of women and children were abducted in separate incidents.

    Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu condemned the abductions Friday and directed security and intelligence agencies to immediately rescue the victims, whom he called “very vulnerable” internally displaced people and students.

    The United Nations, residents and local officials said that about 200 people, many of them women out collecting firewood, were kidnapped March 1 in Borno State, where residents have long been terrorized by Boko Haram, an Islamist extremist movement."

    source$: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/03/08/nigeria-kidnap-students-boko-haram/

    What, if anything, should the UK do about these kidnappings, in its former colony?

    I'm sure there will be marches in central London this coming weekend about it.
    There are ongoing protests going on outside numerous embassies in London, so routine the newspapers never report on it.
  • Options
    Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 49,370
    nico679 said:

    Oh God not these pathetic threats from the spineless gimp Sunak .

    "Don't forget to scan your ClubCard!"
  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,097

    HYUFD said:

    Maybe I am becoming thick in my old age but why is it a seemingly massive deal that Princess Katherine edited a photo? Its the main headline on the BBC not just the Express . Anyone else find this a bit unnerving that they are losing their finger on the pulse

    Ten years ago the Royal Family had QEII and DoE, all four of QEII's children, William and Harry as active royals, plus some of their spouses, and the other ones that everyone forgets, the Gloucester's.

    Now, KCIII has cancer, Andrew is disgraced, Harry estranged, William hiding, the Gloucester's winding down. Only Anne and Edward are doing the work of being seen.

    Kate hasn't been seen for ages and then the photo that is released is a fake. People are losing their heads because the Royal family need to be seen, and right now they seem to be missing.
    First people say they want a slimmed down monarchy, now they get it they say there are not enough working royals now. Make your mind up!

    Lots of comments on Mail online this evening about jealous photographers, really this photoshop story has been totally overdone though at least we saw the Prince and Princess out this evening in their car
    You just do not get it

    The fact that Catherine, by her own admission doctored her own 'Mothers Day' photo is a PR disaster for her personally but also the Royals as every photo will now come under intense scrutiny as to whether it is fake, AI or something else

    This is the biggest error Catherine has made and just underlines how they want to control the media

    And jealous photographers are not up to much if they are jealous of a 'doctored' photo
    Yes I do, this is a mountain out of a molehill by people who have nothing better to do and why shouldn't she control her own photos she herself releases and touch them up to present her family as photogenicallly as possible? Not every photo has to be taken by a professional photographer
  • Options
    darkagedarkage Posts: 4,797
    Lee Anderson has little of interest to say but he does represent what a lot of people think/believe, and who are not represented by any other politicians, or any of the other mainstream parties. So this is all ultimately is just democracy working out as you would expect it to.

    You may hate him and think he is a racist/bigot and that is fair enough - but other people in the country don't agree and see things differently.

  • Options
    Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 49,370

    Putin has a tiny willy and smells of wee.

    Poo-tin!
  • Options
    FoxyFoxy Posts: 44,735
    Tres said:

    TOPPING said:

    Here's a subject for CycleFree: "DAKAR, Senegal — Nigeria has been rocked by two mass kidnappings in the past week, with the United Nations, government officials and local residents saying that hundreds of women and children were abducted in separate incidents.

    Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu condemned the abductions Friday and directed security and intelligence agencies to immediately rescue the victims, whom he called “very vulnerable” internally displaced people and students.

    The United Nations, residents and local officials said that about 200 people, many of them women out collecting firewood, were kidnapped March 1 in Borno State, where residents have long been terrorized by Boko Haram, an Islamist extremist movement."

    source$: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/03/08/nigeria-kidnap-students-boko-haram/

    What, if anything, should the UK do about these kidnappings, in its former colony?

    I'm sure there will be marches in central London this coming weekend about it.
    There are ongoing protests going on outside numerous embassies in London, so routine the newspapers never report on it.
    Why would a protest outside the Nigerian embassy be likely over these kidnappings? The Nigerian government is the firm opponent of Boku Haram, not their sponsor.
  • Options
    Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 49,370
    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Maybe I am becoming thick in my old age but why is it a seemingly massive deal that Princess Katherine edited a photo? Its the main headline on the BBC not just the Express . Anyone else find this a bit unnerving that they are losing their finger on the pulse

    Ten years ago the Royal Family had QEII and DoE, all four of QEII's children, William and Harry as active royals, plus some of their spouses, and the other ones that everyone forgets, the Gloucester's.

    Now, KCIII has cancer, Andrew is disgraced, Harry estranged, William hiding, the Gloucester's winding down. Only Anne and Edward are doing the work of being seen.

    Kate hasn't been seen for ages and then the photo that is released is a fake. People are losing their heads because the Royal family need to be seen, and right now they seem to be missing.
    First people say they want a slimmed down monarchy, now they get it they say there are not enough working royals now. Make your mind up!

    Lots of comments on Mail online this evening about jealous photographers, really this photoshop story has been totally overdone though at least we saw the Prince and Princess out this evening in their car
    You just do not get it

    The fact that Catherine, by her own admission doctored her own 'Mothers Day' photo is a PR disaster for her personally but also the Royals as every photo will now come under intense scrutiny as to whether it is fake, AI or something else

    This is the biggest error Catherine has made and just underlines how they want to control the media

    And jealous photographers are not up to much if they are jealous of a 'doctored' photo
    Yes I do, this is a mountain out of a molehill by people who have nothing better to do and why shouldn't she control her own photos she herself releases and touch them up to present her family as photogenicallly as possible? Not every photo has to be taken by a professional photographer
    Personality Cult = Socialism!
  • Options
    Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 60,345
    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Maybe I am becoming thick in my old age but why is it a seemingly massive deal that Princess Katherine edited a photo? Its the main headline on the BBC not just the Express . Anyone else find this a bit unnerving that they are losing their finger on the pulse

    Ten years ago the Royal Family had QEII and DoE, all four of QEII's children, William and Harry as active royals, plus some of their spouses, and the other ones that everyone forgets, the Gloucester's.

    Now, KCIII has cancer, Andrew is disgraced, Harry estranged, William hiding, the Gloucester's winding down. Only Anne and Edward are doing the work of being seen.

    Kate hasn't been seen for ages and then the photo that is released is a fake. People are losing their heads because the Royal family need to be seen, and right now they seem to be missing.
    First people say they want a slimmed down monarchy, now they get it they say there are not enough working royals now. Make your mind up!

    Lots of comments on Mail online this evening about jealous photographers, really this photoshop story has been totally overdone though at least we saw the Prince and Princess out this evening in their car
    You just do not get it

    The fact that Catherine, by her own admission doctored her own 'Mothers Day' photo is a PR disaster for her personally but also the Royals as every photo will now come under intense scrutiny as to whether it is fake, AI or something else

    This is the biggest error Catherine has made and just underlines how they want to control the media

    And jealous photographers are not up to much if they are jealous of a 'doctored' photo
    Yes I do, this is a mountain out of a molehill by people who have nothing better to do and why shouldn't she control her own photos she herself releases and touch them up to present her family as photogenicallly as possible? Not every photo has to be taken by a professional photographer
    This has been an PR disaster for her no matter how much you spin it

    You want it to be a mountain out of a mole hill as you are besotted by the royals when public opinion is much more critical
  • Options
    LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 15,385
    edited March 11
    HYUFD said:

    Maybe I am becoming thick in my old age but why is it a seemingly massive deal that Princess Katherine edited a photo? Its the main headline on the BBC not just the Express . Anyone else find this a bit unnerving that they are losing their finger on the pulse

    Ten years ago the Royal Family had QEII and DoE, all four of QEII's children, William and Harry as active royals, plus some of their spouses, and the other ones that everyone forgets, the Gloucester's.

    Now, KCIII has cancer, Andrew is disgraced, Harry estranged, William hiding, the Gloucester's winding down. Only Anne and Edward are doing the work of being seen.

    Kate hasn't been seen for ages and then the photo that is released is a fake. People are losing their heads because the Royal family need to be seen, and right now they seem to be missing.
    First people say they want a slimmed down monarchy, now they get it they say there are not enough working royals now. Make your mind up!

    Lots of comments on Mail online this evening about jealous photographers, really this photoshop story has been totally overdone though at least we saw the Prince and Princess out this evening in their car
    I'm not giving a personal view (in the sense of wanting more Royals, and I don't think I've advocated for a number of Royals greater than zero), and a lot of the people arguing for a smaller Royal family have been, er, Royals. But I do think there would be less fuss about Kate's convalescence if Harry was still around to do a bit of the Royal glad-handing, and speak a few platitudes about her recovery from surgery.
  • Options
    StuartinromfordStuartinromford Posts: 14,529

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Maybe I am becoming thick in my old age but why is it a seemingly massive deal that Princess Katherine edited a photo? Its the main headline on the BBC not just the Express . Anyone else find this a bit unnerving that they are losing their finger on the pulse

    Ten years ago the Royal Family had QEII and DoE, all four of QEII's children, William and Harry as active royals, plus some of their spouses, and the other ones that everyone forgets, the Gloucester's.

    Now, KCIII has cancer, Andrew is disgraced, Harry estranged, William hiding, the Gloucester's winding down. Only Anne and Edward are doing the work of being seen.

    Kate hasn't been seen for ages and then the photo that is released is a fake. People are losing their heads because the Royal family need to be seen, and right now they seem to be missing.
    First people say they want a slimmed down monarchy, now they get it they say there are not enough working royals now. Make your mind up!

    Lots of comments on Mail online this evening about jealous photographers, really this photoshop story has been totally overdone though at least we saw the Prince and Princess out this evening in their car
    You just do not get it

    The fact that Catherine, by her own admission doctored her own 'Mothers Day' photo is a PR disaster for her personally but also the Royals as every photo will now come under intense scrutiny as to whether it is fake, AI or something else

    This is the biggest error Catherine has made and just underlines how they want to control the media

    And jealous photographers are not up to much if they are jealous of a 'doctored' photo
    Yes I do, this is a mountain out of a molehill by people who have nothing better to do and why shouldn't she control her own photos she herself releases and touch them up to present her family as photogenicallly as possible? Not every photo has to be taken by a professional photographer
    This has been an PR disaster for her no matter how much you spin it

    You want it to be a mountain out of a mole hill as you are besotted by the royals when public opinion is much more critical
    One way or another, the circus will move on.

    It's embarassing for the Palace, but it's no currygate.
  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,097
    edited March 11

    HYUFD said:

    Maybe I am becoming thick in my old age but why is it a seemingly massive deal that Princess Katherine edited a photo? Its the main headline on the BBC not just the Express . Anyone else find this a bit unnerving that they are losing their finger on the pulse

    Ten years ago the Royal Family had QEII and DoE, all four of QEII's children, William and Harry as active royals, plus some of their spouses, and the other ones that everyone forgets, the Gloucester's.

    Now, KCIII has cancer, Andrew is disgraced, Harry estranged, William hiding, the Gloucester's winding down. Only Anne and Edward are doing the work of being seen.

    Kate hasn't been seen for ages and then the photo that is released is a fake. People are losing their heads because the Royal family need to be seen, and right now they seem to be missing.
    First people say they want a slimmed down monarchy, now they get it they say there are not enough working royals now. Make your mind up!

    Lots of comments on Mail online this evening about jealous photographers, really this photoshop story has been totally overdone though at least we saw the Prince and Princess out this evening in their car
    I'm not giving a personal view, and a lot of the people arguing for a smaller Royal family have been, er, Royals. But I do think there would be less fuss about Kate's convalescence if Harry was still around to do a bit of the Royal glad-handing, and speak a few platitudes about her recovery from surgery.
    Maybe but it was Harry himself who with Meghan chose to move to California and cease being a working royal, leaving Anne and Edward to pick up the gap.

    Personally I think a Commonwealth Ambassador role can be found for the Sussexes, as Spare makes clear Africa in particular is where his interest lies alongside veterans but they are not going to return full time to the UK, she would veto it and they are nearly as unpopular as Andrew here too and he certainly isn't returning as a working royal either.

    By the time William is King I expect the working royals to be just him and Kate and his children once they reach adulthood and marry. Edward and Anne continuing too as working royals until then (assuming they both outlive Charles and Camilla)
  • Options
    LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 15,385
    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Maybe I am becoming thick in my old age but why is it a seemingly massive deal that Princess Katherine edited a photo? Its the main headline on the BBC not just the Express . Anyone else find this a bit unnerving that they are losing their finger on the pulse

    Ten years ago the Royal Family had QEII and DoE, all four of QEII's children, William and Harry as active royals, plus some of their spouses, and the other ones that everyone forgets, the Gloucester's.

    Now, KCIII has cancer, Andrew is disgraced, Harry estranged, William hiding, the Gloucester's winding down. Only Anne and Edward are doing the work of being seen.

    Kate hasn't been seen for ages and then the photo that is released is a fake. People are losing their heads because the Royal family need to be seen, and right now they seem to be missing.
    First people say they want a slimmed down monarchy, now they get it they say there are not enough working royals now. Make your mind up!

    Lots of comments on Mail online this evening about jealous photographers, really this photoshop story has been totally overdone though at least we saw the Prince and Princess out this evening in their car
    I'm not giving a personal view, and a lot of the people arguing for a smaller Royal family have been, er, Royals. But I do think there would be less fuss about Kate's convalescence if Harry was still around to do a bit of the Royal glad-handing, and speak a few platitudes about her recovery from surgery.
    Maybe but it was Harry himself who with Meghan chose to move to California and cease being a working royal, leaving Anne and Edward to pick up the gap
    Sure, it was Harry's choice, and I've no axe to grind on the supposed conflict within the family. But, trying to look at the situation objectively, without a partisan Republican slant, the situation makes it obvious how much they would be better off if they'd managed to convince him to stay.
  • Options
    Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 60,345

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Maybe I am becoming thick in my old age but why is it a seemingly massive deal that Princess Katherine edited a photo? Its the main headline on the BBC not just the Express . Anyone else find this a bit unnerving that they are losing their finger on the pulse

    Ten years ago the Royal Family had QEII and DoE, all four of QEII's children, William and Harry as active royals, plus some of their spouses, and the other ones that everyone forgets, the Gloucester's.

    Now, KCIII has cancer, Andrew is disgraced, Harry estranged, William hiding, the Gloucester's winding down. Only Anne and Edward are doing the work of being seen.

    Kate hasn't been seen for ages and then the photo that is released is a fake. People are losing their heads because the Royal family need to be seen, and right now they seem to be missing.
    First people say they want a slimmed down monarchy, now they get it they say there are not enough working royals now. Make your mind up!

    Lots of comments on Mail online this evening about jealous photographers, really this photoshop story has been totally overdone though at least we saw the Prince and Princess out this evening in their car
    You just do not get it

    The fact that Catherine, by her own admission doctored her own 'Mothers Day' photo is a PR disaster for her personally but also the Royals as every photo will now come under intense scrutiny as to whether it is fake, AI or something else

    This is the biggest error Catherine has made and just underlines how they want to control the media

    And jealous photographers are not up to much if they are jealous of a 'doctored' photo
    Yes I do, this is a mountain out of a molehill by people who have nothing better to do and why shouldn't she control her own photos she herself releases and touch them up to present her family as photogenicallly as possible? Not every photo has to be taken by a professional photographer
    This has been an PR disaster for her no matter how much you spin it

    You want it to be a mountain out of a mole hill as you are besotted by the royals when public opinion is much more critical
    One way or another, the circus will move on.

    It's embarassing for the Palace, but it's no currygate.
    It features on virtually every front page

    Tice and Anderson must be deflated
  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,097
    edited March 11

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Maybe I am becoming thick in my old age but why is it a seemingly massive deal that Princess Katherine edited a photo? Its the main headline on the BBC not just the Express . Anyone else find this a bit unnerving that they are losing their finger on the pulse

    Ten years ago the Royal Family had QEII and DoE, all four of QEII's children, William and Harry as active royals, plus some of their spouses, and the other ones that everyone forgets, the Gloucester's.

    Now, KCIII has cancer, Andrew is disgraced, Harry estranged, William hiding, the Gloucester's winding down. Only Anne and Edward are doing the work of being seen.

    Kate hasn't been seen for ages and then the photo that is released is a fake. People are losing their heads because the Royal family need to be seen, and right now they seem to be missing.
    First people say they want a slimmed down monarchy, now they get it they say there are not enough working royals now. Make your mind up!

    Lots of comments on Mail online this evening about jealous photographers, really this photoshop story has been totally overdone though at least we saw the Prince and Princess out this evening in their car
    You just do not get it

    The fact that Catherine, by her own admission doctored her own 'Mothers Day' photo is a PR disaster for her personally but also the Royals as every photo will now come under intense scrutiny as to whether it is fake, AI or something else

    This is the biggest error Catherine has made and just underlines how they want to control the media

    And jealous photographers are not up to much if they are jealous of a 'doctored' photo
    Yes I do, this is a mountain out of a molehill by people who have nothing better to do and why shouldn't she control her own photos she herself releases and touch them up to present her family as photogenicallly as possible? Not every photo has to be taken by a professional photographer
    This has been an PR disaster for her no matter how much you spin it

    You want it to be a mountain out of a mole hill as you are besotted by the royals when public opinion is much more critical
    Judging by the Telegraph and Mail public comments tonight the general view is this is indeed a mountain out of a molehill, media overkill and just leave her in peace to recover from her surgery
  • Options
    FoxyFoxy Posts: 44,735

    HYUFD said:

    Maybe I am becoming thick in my old age but why is it a seemingly massive deal that Princess Katherine edited a photo? Its the main headline on the BBC not just the Express . Anyone else find this a bit unnerving that they are losing their finger on the pulse

    Ten years ago the Royal Family had QEII and DoE, all four of QEII's children, William and Harry as active royals, plus some of their spouses, and the other ones that everyone forgets, the Gloucester's.

    Now, KCIII has cancer, Andrew is disgraced, Harry estranged, William hiding, the Gloucester's winding down. Only Anne and Edward are doing the work of being seen.

    Kate hasn't been seen for ages and then the photo that is released is a fake. People are losing their heads because the Royal family need to be seen, and right now they seem to be missing.
    First people say they want a slimmed down monarchy, now they get it they say there are not enough working royals now. Make your mind up!

    Lots of comments on Mail online this evening about jealous photographers, really this photoshop story has been totally overdone though at least we saw the Prince and Princess out this evening in their car
    I'm not giving a personal view, and a lot of the people arguing for a smaller Royal family have been, er, Royals. But I do think there would be less fuss about Kate's convalescence if Harry was still around to do a bit of the Royal glad-handing, and speak a few platitudes about her recovery from surgery.
    Those interested in the photo story are motivated by a number of reasons, but many are concerned for Catherine's welfare and health.

    The opaque nature of communication from Kensington Palace hasn't helped. A tacitly approved snap of the back of a head in a car leaving Windsor isn't enough to allay rumours.

    I am pretty agnostic about the Royal Family vs Republicanism, unbothered either way, but this whole illness is fishier than Grimsby with the fleet in.
  • Options
    Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 49,370
    Foxy said:

    HYUFD said:

    Maybe I am becoming thick in my old age but why is it a seemingly massive deal that Princess Katherine edited a photo? Its the main headline on the BBC not just the Express . Anyone else find this a bit unnerving that they are losing their finger on the pulse

    Ten years ago the Royal Family had QEII and DoE, all four of QEII's children, William and Harry as active royals, plus some of their spouses, and the other ones that everyone forgets, the Gloucester's.

    Now, KCIII has cancer, Andrew is disgraced, Harry estranged, William hiding, the Gloucester's winding down. Only Anne and Edward are doing the work of being seen.

    Kate hasn't been seen for ages and then the photo that is released is a fake. People are losing their heads because the Royal family need to be seen, and right now they seem to be missing.
    First people say they want a slimmed down monarchy, now they get it they say there are not enough working royals now. Make your mind up!

    Lots of comments on Mail online this evening about jealous photographers, really this photoshop story has been totally overdone though at least we saw the Prince and Princess out this evening in their car
    I'm not giving a personal view, and a lot of the people arguing for a smaller Royal family have been, er, Royals. But I do think there would be less fuss about Kate's convalescence if Harry was still around to do a bit of the Royal glad-handing, and speak a few platitudes about her recovery from surgery.
    Those interested in the photo story are motivated by a number of reasons, but many are concerned for Catherine's welfare and health.

    The opaque nature of communication from Kensington Palace hasn't helped. A tacitly approved snap of the back of a head in a car leaving Windsor isn't enough to allay rumours.

    I am pretty agnostic about the Royal Family vs Republicanism, unbothered either way, but this whole illness is fishier than Grimsby with the fleet in.
    Failed cosmetic surgery?
  • Options
    AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 20,070

    Sir Keir Starmer backs ban on transgender athletes in female competition - Labour leader says he supports governing bodies’ actions to ban transgender women having previously refused to take a position on the issue

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2024/03/11/keir-starmer-backs-ban-on-transgender-female-competition/

    oh i remember a time when politicians lead and not waited for others to form the views to piggy back on
    And one of them was called Jeremy Corbyn. A go-getter who got an 80 seat majority spanking in 2019.

    But you are right. Starmer once again showing his inner w*****!
    Give it a rest.
    Do you not agree that Corbyn was a politician who lead "and not waited for others to form the views"?

    Do you also not agree that Starmer would be better served by concentrating on social policy, social cohesion and economic growth, rather than culture war bollocks? Are you content with Starmer out-Torying the Tories?
    Saying biological males shouldn’t compute in women’s sport is nothing to do with culture wars and everything to do with biology.
  • Options
    Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 60,345
    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Maybe I am becoming thick in my old age but why is it a seemingly massive deal that Princess Katherine edited a photo? Its the main headline on the BBC not just the Express . Anyone else find this a bit unnerving that they are losing their finger on the pulse

    Ten years ago the Royal Family had QEII and DoE, all four of QEII's children, William and Harry as active royals, plus some of their spouses, and the other ones that everyone forgets, the Gloucester's.

    Now, KCIII has cancer, Andrew is disgraced, Harry estranged, William hiding, the Gloucester's winding down. Only Anne and Edward are doing the work of being seen.

    Kate hasn't been seen for ages and then the photo that is released is a fake. People are losing their heads because the Royal family need to be seen, and right now they seem to be missing.
    First people say they want a slimmed down monarchy, now they get it they say there are not enough working royals now. Make your mind up!

    Lots of comments on Mail online this evening about jealous photographers, really this photoshop story has been totally overdone though at least we saw the Prince and Princess out this evening in their car
    You just do not get it

    The fact that Catherine, by her own admission doctored her own 'Mothers Day' photo is a PR disaster for her personally but also the Royals as every photo will now come under intense scrutiny as to whether it is fake, AI or something else

    This is the biggest error Catherine has made and just underlines how they want to control the media

    And jealous photographers are not up to much if they are jealous of a 'doctored' photo
    Yes I do, this is a mountain out of a molehill by people who have nothing better to do and why shouldn't she control her own photos she herself releases and touch them up to present her family as photogenicallly as possible? Not every photo has to be taken by a professional photographer
    This has been an PR disaster for her no matter how much you spin it

    You want it to be a mountain out of a mole hill as you are besotted by the royals when public opinion is much more critical
    Judging by the Telegraph and Mail public comments tonight the general view is this is indeed a mountain out of a molehill, media overkill and just leave her in peace to recover from her surgery
    Whenever have the media left the Royals in peace

    It comes with the job and no doubt the media will move on, but most probably to another Royal story
  • Options
    FoxyFoxy Posts: 44,735

    Foxy said:

    HYUFD said:

    Maybe I am becoming thick in my old age but why is it a seemingly massive deal that Princess Katherine edited a photo? Its the main headline on the BBC not just the Express . Anyone else find this a bit unnerving that they are losing their finger on the pulse

    Ten years ago the Royal Family had QEII and DoE, all four of QEII's children, William and Harry as active royals, plus some of their spouses, and the other ones that everyone forgets, the Gloucester's.

    Now, KCIII has cancer, Andrew is disgraced, Harry estranged, William hiding, the Gloucester's winding down. Only Anne and Edward are doing the work of being seen.

    Kate hasn't been seen for ages and then the photo that is released is a fake. People are losing their heads because the Royal family need to be seen, and right now they seem to be missing.
    First people say they want a slimmed down monarchy, now they get it they say there are not enough working royals now. Make your mind up!

    Lots of comments on Mail online this evening about jealous photographers, really this photoshop story has been totally overdone though at least we saw the Prince and Princess out this evening in their car
    I'm not giving a personal view, and a lot of the people arguing for a smaller Royal family have been, er, Royals. But I do think there would be less fuss about Kate's convalescence if Harry was still around to do a bit of the Royal glad-handing, and speak a few platitudes about her recovery from surgery.
    Those interested in the photo story are motivated by a number of reasons, but many are concerned for Catherine's welfare and health.

    The opaque nature of communication from Kensington Palace hasn't helped. A tacitly approved snap of the back of a head in a car leaving Windsor isn't enough to allay rumours.

    I am pretty agnostic about the Royal Family vs Republicanism, unbothered either way, but this whole illness is fishier than Grimsby with the fleet in.
    Failed cosmetic surgery?
    Who knows?
  • Options
    DonkeysDonkeys Posts: 582

    Putin has a tiny willy and smells of wee.

    No wonder the tape of Donald Trump in that Moscow hotel room wasn't released. His tiny hands would be a fit too.
  • Options
    ohnotnowohnotnow Posts: 2,955
    viewcode said:

    HYUFD said:

    Maybe I am becoming thick in my old age but why is it a seemingly massive deal that Princess Katherine edited a photo? Its the main headline on the BBC not just the Express . Anyone else find this a bit unnerving that they are losing their finger on the pulse

    Ten years ago the Royal Family had QEII and DoE, all four of QEII's children, William and Harry as active royals, plus some of their spouses, and the other ones that everyone forgets, the Gloucester's.

    Now, KCIII has cancer, Andrew is disgraced, Harry estranged, William hiding, the Gloucester's winding down. Only Anne and Edward are doing the work of being seen.

    Kate hasn't been seen for ages and then the photo that is released is a fake. People are losing their heads because the Royal family need to be seen, and right now they seem to be missing.
    First people say they want a slimmed down monarchy, now they get it they say there are not enough working royals now. Make your mind up!

    Lots of comments on Mail online this evening about jealous photographers, really this photoshop story has been totally overdone though at least we saw the Prince and Princess out this evening in their car
    You just do not get it

    The fact that Catherine, by her own admission doctored her own 'Mothers Day' photo is a PR disaster for her personally but also the Royals as every photo will now come under intense scrutiny as to whether it is fake, AI or something else

    This is the biggest error Catherine has made and just underlines how they want to control the media

    And jealous photographers are not up to much if they are jealous of a 'doctored' photo
    The Duke of Windsor, the former King Edward, admired Nazism and volunteered to be head of state in a German-occupied Britain. The present Princess of Wales did a face app on a snap of her kids. A sense of proportion is perhaps required here.
    I think she also dropped a crisp packet as a child.

    Clearly a fascist.
  • Options
    FF43FF43 Posts: 15,763
    .
    darkage said:

    Lee Anderson has little of interest to say but he does represent what a lot of people think/believe, and who are not represented by any other politicians, or any of the other mainstream parties. So this is all ultimately is just democracy working out as you would expect it to.

    You may hate him and think he is a racist/bigot and that is fair enough - but other people in the country don't agree and see things differently.

    I am not an Anderson hater. Some of my best friends are Bradford, food bank and doctor despising Islamophobes.
  • Options
    FoxyFoxy Posts: 44,735
    viewcode said:

    HYUFD said:

    Maybe I am becoming thick in my old age but why is it a seemingly massive deal that Princess Katherine edited a photo? Its the main headline on the BBC not just the Express . Anyone else find this a bit unnerving that they are losing their finger on the pulse

    Ten years ago the Royal Family had QEII and DoE, all four of QEII's children, William and Harry as active royals, plus some of their spouses, and the other ones that everyone forgets, the Gloucester's.

    Now, KCIII has cancer, Andrew is disgraced, Harry estranged, William hiding, the Gloucester's winding down. Only Anne and Edward are doing the work of being seen.

    Kate hasn't been seen for ages and then the photo that is released is a fake. People are losing their heads because the Royal family need to be seen, and right now they seem to be missing.
    First people say they want a slimmed down monarchy, now they get it they say there are not enough working royals now. Make your mind up!

    Lots of comments on Mail online this evening about jealous photographers, really this photoshop story has been totally overdone though at least we saw the Prince and Princess out this evening in their car
    You just do not get it

    The fact that Catherine, by her own admission doctored her own 'Mothers Day' photo is a PR disaster for her personally but also the Royals as every photo will now come under intense scrutiny as to whether it is fake, AI or something else

    This is the biggest error Catherine has made and just underlines how they want to control the media

    And jealous photographers are not up to much if they are jealous of a 'doctored' photo
    The Duke of Windsor, the former King Edward, admired Nazism and volunteered to be head of state in a German-occupied Britain. The present Princess of Wales did a face app on a snap of her kids. A sense of proportion is perhaps required here.
    Isn't the key question whether it was Catherine who did the photoshop, or someone else for reasons unknown?

  • Options
    isamisam Posts: 40,962
    edited March 11

    isam said:

    Boris Johnson to help Labour win a landslide in the Red Wall.

    These voters hate him, when will the Tories get this through their heads

    The wisest commentator in Westminster is bang on the nail again:

    Larry the Cat
    @Number10cat
    ·
    45m
    Have they forgotten that they ditched him because he was hugely unpopular? I realise they're desperate but that doesn't change the facts.

    https://twitter.com/Number10cat/status/1767297628558311841
    All polls of 2019 Tory voters show that they don’t hate him at all; he’s the most popular choice to lead the party
    Quite a few do hate him, though.

    From that YouGov poll that took ages to find;

    https://d3nkl3psvxxpe9.cloudfront.net/documents/TheTimes_VI_AdHoc_240124_New_W.pdf

    among 2019 Conservative voters,
    35 more likely
    26 less likely

    Net benefit (though with the downside of riling up opponents as well), but not transformative. And it could all go horribly wrong. For example, will Boris be able to stick to the party line, or not show quite how boring Rishi is?

    (And colour me cynical, but a government source saying this hours after the Anderson defection? They may be playing with our minds for their sport...)
    I’m not that bothered about who wins the next election, resigned to Sir Keir being PM long ago, but it’s just blatant nonsense that the voters that matter hate Boris, when the polling says he’s the most popular choice to replace Sunak
  • Options
    ohnotnowohnotnow Posts: 2,955

    Sir Keir Starmer backs ban on transgender athletes in female competition - Labour leader says he supports governing bodies’ actions to ban transgender women having previously refused to take a position on the issue

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2024/03/11/keir-starmer-backs-ban-on-transgender-female-competition/

    oh i remember a time when politicians lead and not waited for others to form the views to piggy back on
    And one of them was called Jeremy Corbyn. A go-getter who got an 80 seat majority spanking in 2019.

    But you are right. Starmer once again showing his inner w*****!
    Give it a rest.
    Do you not agree that Corbyn was a politician who lead "and not waited for others to form the views"?

    Do you also not agree that Starmer would be better served by concentrating on social policy, social cohesion and economic growth, rather than culture war bollocks? Are you content with Starmer out-Torying the Tories?
    Saying biological males shouldn’t compute in women’s sport is nothing to do with culture wars and everything to do with biology.
    If it's down to computing in women's sport I might, faintly, have a chance. As long as they don't want me to get up from my chair suddenly or walk more than a mile or so without a break.
  • Options
    AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 20,070

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Maybe I am becoming thick in my old age but why is it a seemingly massive deal that Princess Katherine edited a photo? Its the main headline on the BBC not just the Express . Anyone else find this a bit unnerving that they are losing their finger on the pulse

    Ten years ago the Royal Family had QEII and DoE, all four of QEII's children, William and Harry as active royals, plus some of their spouses, and the other ones that everyone forgets, the Gloucester's.

    Now, KCIII has cancer, Andrew is disgraced, Harry estranged, William hiding, the Gloucester's winding down. Only Anne and Edward are doing the work of being seen.

    Kate hasn't been seen for ages and then the photo that is released is a fake. People are losing their heads because the Royal family need to be seen, and right now they seem to be missing.
    First people say they want a slimmed down monarchy, now they get it they say there are not enough working royals now. Make your mind up!

    Lots of comments on Mail online this evening about jealous photographers, really this photoshop story has been totally overdone though at least we saw the Prince and Princess out this evening in their car
    You just do not get it

    The fact that Catherine, by her own admission doctored her own 'Mothers Day' photo is a PR disaster for her personally but also the Royals as every photo will now come under intense scrutiny as to whether it is fake, AI or something else

    This is the biggest error Catherine has made and just underlines how they want to control the media

    And jealous photographers are not up to much if they are jealous of a 'doctored' photo
    Yes I do, this is a mountain out of a molehill by people who have nothing better to do and why shouldn't she control her own photos she herself releases and touch them up to present her family as photogenicallly as possible? Not every photo has to be taken by a professional photographer
    This has been an PR disaster for her no matter how much you spin it

    You want it to be a mountain out of a mole hill as you are besotted by the royals when public opinion is much more critical
    One way or another, the circus will move on.

    It's embarassing for the Palace, but it's no currygate.
    It features on virtually every front page

    Tice and Anderson must be deflated
    Looking back, it was a bit dumb of Tice to continue with the Anderson launch today, they must have known it would be smothered by Picturegate.
  • Options
    viewcodeviewcode Posts: 18,919

    Foxy said:

    HYUFD said:

    Maybe I am becoming thick in my old age but why is it a seemingly massive deal that Princess Katherine edited a photo? Its the main headline on the BBC not just the Express . Anyone else find this a bit unnerving that they are losing their finger on the pulse

    Ten years ago the Royal Family had QEII and DoE, all four of QEII's children, William and Harry as active royals, plus some of their spouses, and the other ones that everyone forgets, the Gloucester's.

    Now, KCIII has cancer, Andrew is disgraced, Harry estranged, William hiding, the Gloucester's winding down. Only Anne and Edward are doing the work of being seen.

    Kate hasn't been seen for ages and then the photo that is released is a fake. People are losing their heads because the Royal family need to be seen, and right now they seem to be missing.
    First people say they want a slimmed down monarchy, now they get it they say there are not enough working royals now. Make your mind up!

    Lots of comments on Mail online this evening about jealous photographers, really this photoshop story has been totally overdone though at least we saw the Prince and Princess out this evening in their car
    I'm not giving a personal view, and a lot of the people arguing for a smaller Royal family have been, er, Royals. But I do think there would be less fuss about Kate's convalescence if Harry was still around to do a bit of the Royal glad-handing, and speak a few platitudes about her recovery from surgery.
    Those interested in the photo story are motivated by a number of reasons, but many are concerned for Catherine's welfare and health.

    The opaque nature of communication from Kensington Palace hasn't helped. A tacitly approved snap of the back of a head in a car leaving Windsor isn't enough to allay rumours.

    I am pretty agnostic about the Royal Family vs Republicanism, unbothered either way, but this whole illness is fishier than Grimsby with the fleet in.
    Failed cosmetic surgery?
    There are several rumoured surgeries she could have undergone, but cosmetic surgery is not one of them. I assume the swelling is from steroids. If it was fluid retention after a failed face lift it would have gone down by now. I'm quite worried about her and the King.
  • Options
    williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 48,113
    Boeing whistleblower found dead.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68534703
  • Options
    bondegezoubondegezou Posts: 7,718

    People on here are so polite. When Lee Anderson says "I want my country back", he's not doing a John Major tribute act. He is clearly saying "I want foreigners (even if they were born here) to fuck off home, especially but not only those who are Muslims". And that has some appeal to Reform-inclined voters, who remind us that racism isn't actually a non-issue in the UK these days.

    Anderson is an out and out racist, and should be recognised as such.

    We don't all know him as well as you do. Or at least we aren't all so capable of reading minds.
    I don't need to know Anderson, or read his mind, I just listen to his words. He's been vitriolic in the past about travellers/gypsies. He says Sadiq Khan is controlled by Islamists. He says that asylum seekers should "fuck off back to France" (his words, not mine). There's plenty more.

    He's just an old-fashioned, common-sense racist.
    He was kicked out of Labour after getting an ASBO for an anti-Traveller protest.
  • Options
    ohnotnowohnotnow Posts: 2,955
    Foxy said:

    viewcode said:

    HYUFD said:

    Maybe I am becoming thick in my old age but why is it a seemingly massive deal that Princess Katherine edited a photo? Its the main headline on the BBC not just the Express . Anyone else find this a bit unnerving that they are losing their finger on the pulse

    Ten years ago the Royal Family had QEII and DoE, all four of QEII's children, William and Harry as active royals, plus some of their spouses, and the other ones that everyone forgets, the Gloucester's.

    Now, KCIII has cancer, Andrew is disgraced, Harry estranged, William hiding, the Gloucester's winding down. Only Anne and Edward are doing the work of being seen.

    Kate hasn't been seen for ages and then the photo that is released is a fake. People are losing their heads because the Royal family need to be seen, and right now they seem to be missing.
    First people say they want a slimmed down monarchy, now they get it they say there are not enough working royals now. Make your mind up!

    Lots of comments on Mail online this evening about jealous photographers, really this photoshop story has been totally overdone though at least we saw the Prince and Princess out this evening in their car
    You just do not get it

    The fact that Catherine, by her own admission doctored her own 'Mothers Day' photo is a PR disaster for her personally but also the Royals as every photo will now come under intense scrutiny as to whether it is fake, AI or something else

    This is the biggest error Catherine has made and just underlines how they want to control the media

    And jealous photographers are not up to much if they are jealous of a 'doctored' photo
    The Duke of Windsor, the former King Edward, admired Nazism and volunteered to be head of state in a German-occupied Britain. The present Princess of Wales did a face app on a snap of her kids. A sense of proportion is perhaps required here.
    Isn't the key question whether it was Catherine who did the photoshop, or someone else for reasons unknown?

    Is that your key question about the monarchy and their UK media presentation?
  • Options
    Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 33,093
    @sam_lister_

    Excl: Lee Anderson has been kicked out of the Carlton Club after defecting to Reform
  • Options
    CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,221

    Sir Keir Starmer backs ban on transgender athletes in female competition - Labour leader says he supports governing bodies’ actions to ban transgender women having previously refused to take a position on the issue

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2024/03/11/keir-starmer-backs-ban-on-transgender-female-competition/

    oh i remember a time when politicians lead and not waited for others to form the views to piggy back on
    And one of them was called Jeremy Corbyn. A go-getter who got an 80 seat majority spanking in 2019.

    But you are right. Starmer once again showing his inner w*****!
    Give it a rest.
    Do you not agree that Corbyn was a politician who lead "and not waited for others to form the views"?

    Do you also not agree that Starmer would be better served by concentrating on social policy, social cohesion and economic growth, rather than culture war bollocks? Are you content with Starmer out-Torying the Tories?
    Saying biological males shouldn’t compute in women’s sport is nothing to do with culture wars and everything to do with biology.
    And fairness. Which is exactly what the Labour should be about.
  • Options
    DonkeysDonkeys Posts: 582

    People on here are so polite. When Lee Anderson says "I want my country back", he's not doing a John Major tribute act. He is clearly saying "I want foreigners (even if they were born here) to fuck off home, especially but not only those who are Muslims". And that has some appeal to Reform-inclined voters, who remind us that racism isn't actually a non-issue in the UK these days.

    Anderson is an out and out racist, and should be recognised as such.

    We don't all know him as well as you do. Or at least we aren't all so capable of reading minds.
    I don't need to know Anderson, or read his mind, I just listen to his words. He's been vitriolic in the past about travellers/gypsies. He says Sadiq Khan is controlled by Islamists. He says that asylum seekers should "fuck off back to France" (his words, not mine). There's plenty more.

    He's just an old-fashioned, common-sense racist.
    Agreed. It's Sendembackism.

    See also this: "Tory supporters lash out at ‘snake’ Sunak over Lee Anderson suspension".

    And this: "Tories’ biggest donor said seeing Diane Abbot makes you ‘want to hate all black women’. Frank Hester, who gave £10 million to the Conservatives in the past year, declared the MP for Hackney and Stoke Newington ‘should be shot’."
  • Options
    viewcodeviewcode Posts: 18,919
    ohnotnow said:

    Sir Keir Starmer backs ban on transgender athletes in female competition - Labour leader says he supports governing bodies’ actions to ban transgender women having previously refused to take a position on the issue

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2024/03/11/keir-starmer-backs-ban-on-transgender-female-competition/

    oh i remember a time when politicians lead and not waited for others to form the views to piggy back on
    And one of them was called Jeremy Corbyn. A go-getter who got an 80 seat majority spanking in 2019.

    But you are right. Starmer once again showing his inner w*****!
    Give it a rest.
    Do you not agree that Corbyn was a politician who lead "and not waited for others to form the views"?

    Do you also not agree that Starmer would be better served by concentrating on social policy, social cohesion and economic growth, rather than culture war bollocks? Are you content with Starmer out-Torying the Tories?
    Saying biological males shouldn’t compute in women’s sport is nothing to do with culture wars and everything to do with biology.
    If it's down to computing in women's sport I might, faintly, have a chance. As long as they don't want me to get up from my chair suddenly or walk more than a mile or so without a break.
    "Computing"?

    (Admiral Grace Hopper has entered the chat. Come to think of it, so has Sophie Wilson)
  • Options
    MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 25,272
    edited March 11

    HYUFD said:

    Maybe I am becoming thick in my old age but why is it a seemingly massive deal that Princess Katherine edited a photo? Its the main headline on the BBC not just the Express . Anyone else find this a bit unnerving that they are losing their finger on the pulse

    Ten years ago the Royal Family had QEII and DoE, all four of QEII's children, William and Harry as active royals, plus some of their spouses, and the other ones that everyone forgets, the Gloucester's.

    Now, KCIII has cancer, Andrew is disgraced, Harry estranged, William hiding, the Gloucester's winding down. Only Anne and Edward are doing the work of being seen.

    Kate hasn't been seen for ages and then the photo that is released is a fake. People are losing their heads because the Royal family need to be seen, and right now they seem to be missing.
    First people say they want a slimmed down monarchy, now they get it they say there are not enough working royals now. Make your mind up!

    Lots of comments on Mail online this evening about jealous photographers, really this photoshop story has been totally overdone though at least we saw the Prince and Princess out this evening in their car
    You just do not get it

    The fact that Catherine, by her own admission doctored her own 'Mothers Day' photo is a PR disaster for her personally but also the Royals as every photo will now come under intense scrutiny as to whether it is fake, AI or something else

    This is the biggest error Catherine has made and just underlines how they want to control the media

    And jealous photographers are not up to much if they are jealous of a 'doctored' photo
    Do you really think this was an error by Ms Middleton? It reads like a smokescreen to me. Covering what, I have no idea. Nonetheless the whole "it was Catherine's fault" looks like a crock to bamboozle the great unwashed.

    I have no idea what is going on, and I really don't care. Although from the trip to the church today I was reminded of Natasha Kampusch being allowed to ride around in Wolfgang Priklopil's camper van if she'd been compliant.
  • Options
    Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 60,345
    edited March 11
    viewcode said:

    Foxy said:

    HYUFD said:

    Maybe I am becoming thick in my old age but why is it a seemingly massive deal that Princess Katherine edited a photo? Its the main headline on the BBC not just the Express . Anyone else find this a bit unnerving that they are losing their finger on the pulse

    Ten years ago the Royal Family had QEII and DoE, all four of QEII's children, William and Harry as active royals, plus some of their spouses, and the other ones that everyone forgets, the Gloucester's.

    Now, KCIII has cancer, Andrew is disgraced, Harry estranged, William hiding, the Gloucester's winding down. Only Anne and Edward are doing the work of being seen.

    Kate hasn't been seen for ages and then the photo that is released is a fake. People are losing their heads because the Royal family need to be seen, and right now they seem to be missing.
    First people say they want a slimmed down monarchy, now they get it they say there are not enough working royals now. Make your mind up!

    Lots of comments on Mail online this evening about jealous photographers, really this photoshop story has been totally overdone though at least we saw the Prince and Princess out this evening in their car
    I'm not giving a personal view, and a lot of the people arguing for a smaller Royal family have been, er, Royals. But I do think there would be less fuss about Kate's convalescence if Harry was still around to do a bit of the Royal glad-handing, and speak a few platitudes about her recovery from surgery.
    Those interested in the photo story are motivated by a number of reasons, but many are concerned for Catherine's welfare and health.

    The opaque nature of communication from Kensington Palace hasn't helped. A tacitly approved snap of the back of a head in a car leaving Windsor isn't enough to allay rumours.

    I am pretty agnostic about the Royal Family vs Republicanism, unbothered either way, but this whole illness is fishier than Grimsby with the fleet in.
    Failed cosmetic surgery?
    There are several rumoured surgeries she could have undergone, but cosmetic surgery is not one of them. I assume the swelling is from steroids. If it was fluid retention after a failed face lift it would have gone down by now. I'm quite worried about her and the King.
    I have no idea about her surgery but she is the same age (42) as my wife when she had a complete hysterectomy (we also had 3 children) and she took months to recover

    It may have been something else but certainly there is nothing unusual in taking 3 months or more for abominable surgery

    However , I do think Charles could be more of a worry
  • Options
    AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 20,070
    edited March 11
    viewcode said:

    ohnotnow said:

    Sir Keir Starmer backs ban on transgender athletes in female competition - Labour leader says he supports governing bodies’ actions to ban transgender women having previously refused to take a position on the issue

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2024/03/11/keir-starmer-backs-ban-on-transgender-female-competition/

    oh i remember a time when politicians lead and not waited for others to form the views to piggy back on
    And one of them was called Jeremy Corbyn. A go-getter who got an 80 seat majority spanking in 2019.

    But you are right. Starmer once again showing his inner w*****!
    Give it a rest.
    Do you not agree that Corbyn was a politician who lead "and not waited for others to form the views"?

    Do you also not agree that Starmer would be better served by concentrating on social policy, social cohesion and economic growth, rather than culture war bollocks? Are you content with Starmer out-Torying the Tories?
    Saying biological males shouldn’t compute in women’s sport is nothing to do with culture wars and everything to do with biology.
    If it's down to computing in women's sport I might, faintly, have a chance. As long as they don't want me to get up from my chair suddenly or walk more than a mile or so without a break.
    "Computing"?

    (Admiral Grace Hopper has entered the chat. Come to think of it, so has Sophie Wilson)
    The original typo was mine TBF. He was just riffing off it. (I spotted it too late to edit it!)
  • Options
    ohnotnowohnotnow Posts: 2,955
    viewcode said:

    ohnotnow said:

    Sir Keir Starmer backs ban on transgender athletes in female competition - Labour leader says he supports governing bodies’ actions to ban transgender women having previously refused to take a position on the issue

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2024/03/11/keir-starmer-backs-ban-on-transgender-female-competition/

    oh i remember a time when politicians lead and not waited for others to form the views to piggy back on
    And one of them was called Jeremy Corbyn. A go-getter who got an 80 seat majority spanking in 2019.

    But you are right. Starmer once again showing his inner w*****!
    Give it a rest.
    Do you not agree that Corbyn was a politician who lead "and not waited for others to form the views"?

    Do you also not agree that Starmer would be better served by concentrating on social policy, social cohesion and economic growth, rather than culture war bollocks? Are you content with Starmer out-Torying the Tories?
    Saying biological males shouldn’t compute in women’s sport is nothing to do with culture wars and everything to do with biology.
    If it's down to computing in women's sport I might, faintly, have a chance. As long as they don't want me to get up from my chair suddenly or walk more than a mile or so without a break.
    "Computing"?

    (Admiral Grace Hopper has entered the chat. Come to think of it, so has Sophie Wilson)
    I (assume) it was a misspelling in Anabobazina's original post.

    Meanwhile - bed calls. On this Aphex Twin thing :

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajbje5jDfqU

  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,097
    edited March 11
    Scott_xP said:

    @sam_lister_

    Excl: Lee Anderson has been kicked out of the Carlton Club after defecting to Reform

    Though despite being in Reform he can't now join the Reform Club either as that is for Liberals!!!

    So I guess he will have to make do with Ashfield Working Mens' Club
  • Options
    Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 60,345
    edited March 11

    HYUFD said:

    Maybe I am becoming thick in my old age but why is it a seemingly massive deal that Princess Katherine edited a photo? Its the main headline on the BBC not just the Express . Anyone else find this a bit unnerving that they are losing their finger on the pulse

    Ten years ago the Royal Family had QEII and DoE, all four of QEII's children, William and Harry as active royals, plus some of their spouses, and the other ones that everyone forgets, the Gloucester's.

    Now, KCIII has cancer, Andrew is disgraced, Harry estranged, William hiding, the Gloucester's winding down. Only Anne and Edward are doing the work of being seen.

    Kate hasn't been seen for ages and then the photo that is released is a fake. People are losing their heads because the Royal family need to be seen, and right now they seem to be missing.
    First people say they want a slimmed down monarchy, now they get it they say there are not enough working royals now. Make your mind up!

    Lots of comments on Mail online this evening about jealous photographers, really this photoshop story has been totally overdone though at least we saw the Prince and Princess out this evening in their car
    You just do not get it

    The fact that Catherine, by her own admission doctored her own 'Mothers Day' photo is a PR disaster for her personally but also the Royals as every photo will now come under intense scrutiny as to whether it is fake, AI or something else

    This is the biggest error Catherine has made and just underlines how they want to control the media

    And jealous photographers are not up to much if they are jealous of a 'doctored' photo
    Do you really think this was an error by Ms Middleton? It reads like a smokescreen to me. Covering what, I have no idea. Nonetheless the whole "it was Catherine's fault" reads like a crock to bamboozle the great unwashed.

    I have no idea what is going on, and I really don't care. Although from the trip to the church today I was reminded of Natasha Kampusch being allowed to ride around in Wolfgang Priklopil's camper van if she'd been compliant.
    If she did photoshop the picture at the very least it was naive as it would be seriously analysed by the distributors world wide, as was the case and they publicly announced they had, in their words, killed it

    Indeed I heard it on 5 live at about 6.00am this morning and they made it a big story
  • Options
    DonkeysDonkeys Posts: 582
    Scott_xP said:

    @sam_lister_

    Excl: Lee Anderson has been kicked out of the Carlton Club after defecting to Reform

    Poor him. Not enough white balls in the box.
  • Options
    MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 25,272

    HYUFD said:

    Maybe I am becoming thick in my old age but why is it a seemingly massive deal that Princess Katherine edited a photo? Its the main headline on the BBC not just the Express . Anyone else find this a bit unnerving that they are losing their finger on the pulse

    Ten years ago the Royal Family had QEII and DoE, all four of QEII's children, William and Harry as active royals, plus some of their spouses, and the other ones that everyone forgets, the Gloucester's.

    Now, KCIII has cancer, Andrew is disgraced, Harry estranged, William hiding, the Gloucester's winding down. Only Anne and Edward are doing the work of being seen.

    Kate hasn't been seen for ages and then the photo that is released is a fake. People are losing their heads because the Royal family need to be seen, and right now they seem to be missing.
    First people say they want a slimmed down monarchy, now they get it they say there are not enough working royals now. Make your mind up!

    Lots of comments on Mail online this evening about jealous photographers, really this photoshop story has been totally overdone though at least we saw the Prince and Princess out this evening in their car
    You just do not get it

    The fact that Catherine, by her own admission doctored her own 'Mothers Day' photo is a PR disaster for her personally but also the Royals as every photo will now come under intense scrutiny as to whether it is fake, AI or something else

    This is the biggest error Catherine has made and just underlines how they want to control the media

    And jealous photographers are not up to much if they are jealous of a 'doctored' photo
    Do you really think this was an error by Ms Middleton? It reads like a smokescreen to me. Covering what, I have no idea. Nonetheless the whole "it was Catherine's fault" reads like a crock to bamboozle the great unwashed.

    I have no idea what is going on, and I really don't care. Although from the trip to the church today I was reminded of Natasha Kampusch being allowed to ride around in Wolfgang Priklopil's camper van if she'd been compliant.
    If she did photoshop the picture at the very least it was naive as it would be seriously analysed by the distributors world wide, as was the case and they publicly announced they had, in their words, killed it

    Indeed I heard it on 5 live at about 6.00am this morning and they made it a big story
    None of this smells right. I don't for one minute believe a (possibly once) future Queen of England doesn't have lackies to Photoshop her family snaps for her.

  • Options
    Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 60,345
    HYUFD said:

    Scott_xP said:

    @sam_lister_

    Excl: Lee Anderson has been kicked out of the Carlton Club after defecting to Reform

    Though despite being in Reform he can't now join the Reform Club either as that is for Liberals!!!

    So I guess he will have to make do with Ashfield Working Mens' Club
    I would think he would much prefer it that way
  • Options
    Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 25,508
    My guess is a member of staff did the photochopping, and Kate is taking the blame.
  • Options
    Wulfrun_PhilWulfrun_Phil Posts: 4,604
    HYUFD said:

    Anderson will have a chance to hold Ashfield. UKIP's only MP elected in 2015 was an ex Tory MP, Carswell in a similarly strongly pro Brexit area that also had a Labour MP before he gained the seat

    That's an entirely distorted comparison. In 2019 Clacton had the 8th highest Conservative vote share (72.3%) of any seat in the UK. Clacton is nothing like Carswell's predecessor seat, had it existed in 2005 or earlier no way would it ever have had a Labour MP and the Conservatives would have held it comfortably even in 1997.

    A Conservative MP defecting to an even more right wing party may have had some appeal in a Conservative heartland seat like Clacton. It doesn't mean that a Conservative MP defecting to an even more right wing party is going to have anything like as much appeal in a formerly Labour Red Wall seat like Ashfield.



  • Options
    Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 60,345

    HYUFD said:

    Maybe I am becoming thick in my old age but why is it a seemingly massive deal that Princess Katherine edited a photo? Its the main headline on the BBC not just the Express . Anyone else find this a bit unnerving that they are losing their finger on the pulse

    Ten years ago the Royal Family had QEII and DoE, all four of QEII's children, William and Harry as active royals, plus some of their spouses, and the other ones that everyone forgets, the Gloucester's.

    Now, KCIII has cancer, Andrew is disgraced, Harry estranged, William hiding, the Gloucester's winding down. Only Anne and Edward are doing the work of being seen.

    Kate hasn't been seen for ages and then the photo that is released is a fake. People are losing their heads because the Royal family need to be seen, and right now they seem to be missing.
    First people say they want a slimmed down monarchy, now they get it they say there are not enough working royals now. Make your mind up!

    Lots of comments on Mail online this evening about jealous photographers, really this photoshop story has been totally overdone though at least we saw the Prince and Princess out this evening in their car
    You just do not get it

    The fact that Catherine, by her own admission doctored her own 'Mothers Day' photo is a PR disaster for her personally but also the Royals as every photo will now come under intense scrutiny as to whether it is fake, AI or something else

    This is the biggest error Catherine has made and just underlines how they want to control the media

    And jealous photographers are not up to much if they are jealous of a 'doctored' photo
    Do you really think this was an error by Ms Middleton? It reads like a smokescreen to me. Covering what, I have no idea. Nonetheless the whole "it was Catherine's fault" reads like a crock to bamboozle the great unwashed.

    I have no idea what is going on, and I really don't care. Although from the trip to the church today I was reminded of Natasha Kampusch being allowed to ride around in Wolfgang Priklopil's camper van if she'd been compliant.
    If she did photoshop the picture at the very least it was naive as it would be seriously analysed by the distributors world wide, as was the case and they publicly announced they had, in their words, killed it

    Indeed I heard it on 5 live at about 6.00am this morning and they made it a big story
    None of this smells right. I don't for one minute believe a (possibly once) future Queen of England doesn't have lackies to Photoshop her family snaps for her.

    The confusion comes from Catherine publically admitting she photoshopped the picture, but I agree with you about others being able to undertake the task
  • Options
    MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 25,272
    edited March 11

    viewcode said:

    Foxy said:

    HYUFD said:

    Maybe I am becoming thick in my old age but why is it a seemingly massive deal that Princess Katherine edited a photo? Its the main headline on the BBC not just the Express . Anyone else find this a bit unnerving that they are losing their finger on the pulse

    Ten years ago the Royal Family had QEII and DoE, all four of QEII's children, William and Harry as active royals, plus some of their spouses, and the other ones that everyone forgets, the Gloucester's.

    Now, KCIII has cancer, Andrew is disgraced, Harry estranged, William hiding, the Gloucester's winding down. Only Anne and Edward are doing the work of being seen.

    Kate hasn't been seen for ages and then the photo that is released is a fake. People are losing their heads because the Royal family need to be seen, and right now they seem to be missing.
    First people say they want a slimmed down monarchy, now they get it they say there are not enough working royals now. Make your mind up!

    Lots of comments on Mail online this evening about jealous photographers, really this photoshop story has been totally overdone though at least we saw the Prince and Princess out this evening in their car
    I'm not giving a personal view, and a lot of the people arguing for a smaller Royal family have been, er, Royals. But I do think there would be less fuss about Kate's convalescence if Harry was still around to do a bit of the Royal glad-handing, and speak a few platitudes about her recovery from surgery.
    Those interested in the photo story are motivated by a number of reasons, but many are concerned for Catherine's welfare and health.

    The opaque nature of communication from Kensington Palace hasn't helped. A tacitly approved snap of the back of a head in a car leaving Windsor isn't enough to allay rumours.

    I am pretty agnostic about the Royal Family vs Republicanism, unbothered either way, but this whole illness is fishier than Grimsby with the fleet in.
    Failed cosmetic surgery?
    There are several rumoured surgeries she could have undergone, but cosmetic surgery is not one of them. I assume the swelling is from steroids. If it was fluid retention after a failed face lift it would have gone down by now. I'm quite worried about her and the King.
    I have no idea about her surgery but she is the same age (42) as my wife when she had a complete hysterectomy (we also had 3 children) and she took months to recover

    It may have been something else but certainly there is nothing unusual in taking 3 months or more for abominable surgery

    However , I do think Charles could be more of a worry
    The salacious gossip earlier today was Rose's buds have been nipped and the services of Fiona Shackleton might be required..

    HYUFD said:

    Maybe I am becoming thick in my old age but why is it a seemingly massive deal that Princess Katherine edited a photo? Its the main headline on the BBC not just the Express . Anyone else find this a bit unnerving that they are losing their finger on the pulse

    Ten years ago the Royal Family had QEII and DoE, all four of QEII's children, William and Harry as active royals, plus some of their spouses, and the other ones that everyone forgets, the Gloucester's.

    Now, KCIII has cancer, Andrew is disgraced, Harry estranged, William hiding, the Gloucester's winding down. Only Anne and Edward are doing the work of being seen.

    Kate hasn't been seen for ages and then the photo that is released is a fake. People are losing their heads because the Royal family need to be seen, and right now they seem to be missing.
    First people say they want a slimmed down monarchy, now they get it they say there are not enough working royals now. Make your mind up!

    Lots of comments on Mail online this evening about jealous photographers, really this photoshop story has been totally overdone though at least we saw the Prince and Princess out this evening in their car
    You just do not get it

    The fact that Catherine, by her own admission doctored her own 'Mothers Day' photo is a PR disaster for her personally but also the Royals as every photo will now come under intense scrutiny as to whether it is fake, AI or something else

    This is the biggest error Catherine has made and just underlines how they want to control the media

    And jealous photographers are not up to much if they are jealous of a 'doctored' photo
    Do you really think this was an error by Ms Middleton? It reads like a smokescreen to me. Covering what, I have no idea. Nonetheless the whole "it was Catherine's fault" reads like a crock to bamboozle the great unwashed.

    I have no idea what is going on, and I really don't care. Although from the trip to the church today I was reminded of Natasha Kampusch being allowed to ride around in Wolfgang Priklopil's camper van if she'd been compliant.
    If she did photoshop the picture at the very least it was naive as it would be seriously analysed by the distributors world wide, as was the case and they publicly announced they had, in their words, killed it

    Indeed I heard it on 5 live at about 6.00am this morning and they made it a big story
    None of this smells right. I don't for one minute believe a (possibly once) future Queen of England doesn't have lackies to Photoshop her family snaps for her.

    The confusion comes from Catherine publically admitting she photoshopped the picture, but I agree with you about others being able to undertake the task
    Did you hear her utter those words, or was it announced on X in her name?
  • Options
    No_Offence_AlanNo_Offence_Alan Posts: 3,843
    viewcode said:

    HYUFD said:

    Maybe I am becoming thick in my old age but why is it a seemingly massive deal that Princess Katherine edited a photo? Its the main headline on the BBC not just the Express . Anyone else find this a bit unnerving that they are losing their finger on the pulse

    Ten years ago the Royal Family had QEII and DoE, all four of QEII's children, William and Harry as active royals, plus some of their spouses, and the other ones that everyone forgets, the Gloucester's.

    Now, KCIII has cancer, Andrew is disgraced, Harry estranged, William hiding, the Gloucester's winding down. Only Anne and Edward are doing the work of being seen.

    Kate hasn't been seen for ages and then the photo that is released is a fake. People are losing their heads because the Royal family need to be seen, and right now they seem to be missing.
    First people say they want a slimmed down monarchy, now they get it they say there are not enough working royals now. Make your mind up!

    Lots of comments on Mail online this evening about jealous photographers, really this photoshop story has been totally overdone though at least we saw the Prince and Princess out this evening in their car
    You just do not get it

    The fact that Catherine, by her own admission doctored her own 'Mothers Day' photo is a PR disaster for her personally but also the Royals as every photo will now come under intense scrutiny as to whether it is fake, AI or something else

    This is the biggest error Catherine has made and just underlines how they want to control the media

    And jealous photographers are not up to much if they are jealous of a 'doctored' photo
    The Duke of Windsor, the former King Edward, admired Nazism and volunteered to be head of state in a German-occupied Britain. The present Princess of Wales did a face app on a snap of her kids. A sense of proportion is perhaps required here.
    A sense of proportion? After Cornishpastytaxgate?
  • Options
    Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 60,345

    viewcode said:

    Foxy said:

    HYUFD said:

    Maybe I am becoming thick in my old age but why is it a seemingly massive deal that Princess Katherine edited a photo? Its the main headline on the BBC not just the Express . Anyone else find this a bit unnerving that they are losing their finger on the pulse

    Ten years ago the Royal Family had QEII and DoE, all four of QEII's children, William and Harry as active royals, plus some of their spouses, and the other ones that everyone forgets, the Gloucester's.

    Now, KCIII has cancer, Andrew is disgraced, Harry estranged, William hiding, the Gloucester's winding down. Only Anne and Edward are doing the work of being seen.

    Kate hasn't been seen for ages and then the photo that is released is a fake. People are losing their heads because the Royal family need to be seen, and right now they seem to be missing.
    First people say they want a slimmed down monarchy, now they get it they say there are not enough working royals now. Make your mind up!

    Lots of comments on Mail online this evening about jealous photographers, really this photoshop story has been totally overdone though at least we saw the Prince and Princess out this evening in their car
    I'm not giving a personal view, and a lot of the people arguing for a smaller Royal family have been, er, Royals. But I do think there would be less fuss about Kate's convalescence if Harry was still around to do a bit of the Royal glad-handing, and speak a few platitudes about her recovery from surgery.
    Those interested in the photo story are motivated by a number of reasons, but many are concerned for Catherine's welfare and health.

    The opaque nature of communication from Kensington Palace hasn't helped. A tacitly approved snap of the back of a head in a car leaving Windsor isn't enough to allay rumours.

    I am pretty agnostic about the Royal Family vs Republicanism, unbothered either way, but this whole illness is fishier than Grimsby with the fleet in.
    Failed cosmetic surgery?
    There are several rumoured surgeries she could have undergone, but cosmetic surgery is not one of them. I assume the swelling is from steroids. If it was fluid retention after a failed face lift it would have gone down by now. I'm quite worried about her and the King.
    I have no idea about her surgery but she is the same age (42) as my wife when she had a complete hysterectomy (we also had 3 children) and she took months to recover

    It may have been something else but certainly there is nothing unusual in taking 3 months or more for abominable surgery

    However , I do think Charles could be more of a worry
    The salacious gossip earlier today was Rose's buds have been nipped and the services of Fiona Shackleton might be required..

    HYUFD said:

    Maybe I am becoming thick in my old age but why is it a seemingly massive deal that Princess Katherine edited a photo? Its the main headline on the BBC not just the Express . Anyone else find this a bit unnerving that they are losing their finger on the pulse

    Ten years ago the Royal Family had QEII and DoE, all four of QEII's children, William and Harry as active royals, plus some of their spouses, and the other ones that everyone forgets, the Gloucester's.

    Now, KCIII has cancer, Andrew is disgraced, Harry estranged, William hiding, the Gloucester's winding down. Only Anne and Edward are doing the work of being seen.

    Kate hasn't been seen for ages and then the photo that is released is a fake. People are losing their heads because the Royal family need to be seen, and right now they seem to be missing.
    First people say they want a slimmed down monarchy, now they get it they say there are not enough working royals now. Make your mind up!

    Lots of comments on Mail online this evening about jealous photographers, really this photoshop story has been totally overdone though at least we saw the Prince and Princess out this evening in their car
    You just do not get it

    The fact that Catherine, by her own admission doctored her own 'Mothers Day' photo is a PR disaster for her personally but also the Royals as every photo will now come under intense scrutiny as to whether it is fake, AI or something else

    This is the biggest error Catherine has made and just underlines how they want to control the media

    And jealous photographers are not up to much if they are jealous of a 'doctored' photo
    Do you really think this was an error by Ms Middleton? It reads like a smokescreen to me. Covering what, I have no idea. Nonetheless the whole "it was Catherine's fault" reads like a crock to bamboozle the great unwashed.

    I have no idea what is going on, and I really don't care. Although from the trip to the church today I was reminded of Natasha Kampusch being allowed to ride around in Wolfgang Priklopil's camper van if she'd been compliant.
    If she did photoshop the picture at the very least it was naive as it would be seriously analysed by the distributors world wide, as was the case and they publicly announced they had, in their words, killed it

    Indeed I heard it on 5 live at about 6.00am this morning and they made it a big story
    None of this smells right. I don't for one minute believe a (possibly once) future Queen of England doesn't have lackies to Photoshop her family snaps for her.

    The confusion comes from Catherine publically admitting she photoshopped the picture, but I agree with you about others being able to undertake the task
    Did you hear her utter those words, or was it announced on X in her name?
    This is Sky's response to picturegate

    What led to Kate photo apology?

    https://news.sky.com/video/share-13092831
  • Options
    DonkeysDonkeys Posts: 582
    edited March 11
    There's a pattern too because Prince Andrew isn't wearing his wedding band in that other famous photo showing a royal hand on a waist, the one that according to Ghislaine Mandy Rice-Maxwell was faked.

    Seriously though...a Tory MP switches to the opposition benches and most of the news is about some royal bint amending a picture.

    My guess is a member of staff did the photochopping, and Kate is taking the blame.

    One doesn't take the blame for staff!
  • Options
    OnlyLivingBoyOnlyLivingBoy Posts: 15,134
    HYUFD said:

    Scott_xP said:

    @sam_lister_

    Excl: Lee Anderson has been kicked out of the Carlton Club after defecting to Reform

    Though despite being in Reform he can't now join the Reform Club either as that is for Liberals!!!

    So I guess he will have to make do with Ashfield Working Mens' Club
    Probably more of a laugh anyway.
  • Options
    StillWatersStillWaters Posts: 7,082

    HYUFD said:

    Maybe I am becoming thick in my old age but why is it a seemingly massive deal that Princess Katherine edited a photo? Its the main headline on the BBC not just the Express . Anyone else find this a bit unnerving that they are losing their finger on the pulse

    Ten years ago the Royal Family had QEII and DoE, all four of QEII's children, William and Harry as active royals, plus some of their spouses, and the other ones that everyone forgets, the Gloucester's.

    Now, KCIII has cancer, Andrew is disgraced, Harry estranged, William hiding, the Gloucester's winding down. Only Anne and Edward are doing the work of being seen.

    Kate hasn't been seen for ages and then the photo that is released is a fake. People are losing their heads because the Royal family need to be seen, and right now they seem to be missing.
    First people say they want a slimmed down monarchy, now they get it they say there are not enough working royals now. Make your mind up!

    Lots of comments on Mail online this evening about jealous photographers, really this photoshop story has been totally overdone though at least we saw the Prince and Princess out this evening in their car
    You just do not get it

    The fact that Catherine, by her own admission doctored her own 'Mothers Day' photo is a PR disaster for her personally but also the Royals as every photo will now come under intense scrutiny as to whether it is fake, AI or something else

    This is the biggest error Catherine has made and just underlines how they want to control the media

    And jealous photographers are not up to
    much if they are jealous of a 'doctored'
    photo
    Wonder if it is something simple - she was playing around with the photo and the wrong one got sent out by mistake

  • Options
    NigelbNigelb Posts: 62,762
    @SeaShantyIrish2 , is the “Bucks County Beacon” a reliable publication ?
    The story appears to be well sourced.

    Shocking Online Manifesto Reveals Project 2025’s Link To A Coordinated ‘Christian Nationalism Project’
    “The Statement on Christian Nationalism” seeks to implement a Scripture-based system of government whereby Christ-ordained “civil magistrates” exercise authority over the American public.
    https://buckscountybeacon.com/2024/03/shocking-online-manifesto-reveals-project-2025s-link-to-a-coordinated-christian-nationalism-project/
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    MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 25,272

    viewcode said:

    Foxy said:

    HYUFD said:

    Maybe I am becoming thick in my old age but why is it a seemingly massive deal that Princess Katherine edited a photo? Its the main headline on the BBC not just the Express . Anyone else find this a bit unnerving that they are losing their finger on the pulse

    Ten years ago the Royal Family had QEII and DoE, all four of QEII's children, William and Harry as active royals, plus some of their spouses, and the other ones that everyone forgets, the Gloucester's.

    Now, KCIII has cancer, Andrew is disgraced, Harry estranged, William hiding, the Gloucester's winding down. Only Anne and Edward are doing the work of being seen.

    Kate hasn't been seen for ages and then the photo that is released is a fake. People are losing their heads because the Royal family need to be seen, and right now they seem to be missing.
    First people say they want a slimmed down monarchy, now they get it they say there are not enough working royals now. Make your mind up!

    Lots of comments on Mail online this evening about jealous photographers, really this photoshop story has been totally overdone though at least we saw the Prince and Princess out this evening in their car
    I'm not giving a personal view, and a lot of the people arguing for a smaller Royal family have been, er, Royals. But I do think there would be less fuss about Kate's convalescence if Harry was still around to do a bit of the Royal glad-handing, and speak a few platitudes about her recovery from surgery.
    Those interested in the photo story are motivated by a number of reasons, but many are concerned for Catherine's welfare and health.

    The opaque nature of communication from Kensington Palace hasn't helped. A tacitly approved snap of the back of a head in a car leaving Windsor isn't enough to allay rumours.

    I am pretty agnostic about the Royal Family vs Republicanism, unbothered either way, but this whole illness is fishier than Grimsby with the fleet in.
    Failed cosmetic surgery?
    There are several rumoured surgeries she could have undergone, but cosmetic surgery is not one of them. I assume the swelling is from steroids. If it was fluid retention after a failed face lift it would have gone down by now. I'm quite worried about her and the King.
    I have no idea about her surgery but she is the same age (42) as my wife when she had a complete hysterectomy (we also had 3 children) and she took months to recover

    It may have been something else but certainly there is nothing unusual in taking 3 months or more for abominable surgery

    However , I do think Charles could be more of a worry
    The salacious gossip earlier today was Rose's buds have been nipped and the services of Fiona Shackleton might be required..

    HYUFD said:

    Maybe I am becoming thick in my old age but why is it a seemingly massive deal that Princess Katherine edited a photo? Its the main headline on the BBC not just the Express . Anyone else find this a bit unnerving that they are losing their finger on the pulse

    Ten years ago the Royal Family had QEII and DoE, all four of QEII's children, William and Harry as active royals, plus some of their spouses, and the other ones that everyone forgets, the Gloucester's.

    Now, KCIII has cancer, Andrew is disgraced, Harry estranged, William hiding, the Gloucester's winding down. Only Anne and Edward are doing the work of being seen.

    Kate hasn't been seen for ages and then the photo that is released is a fake. People are losing their heads because the Royal family need to be seen, and right now they seem to be missing.
    First people say they want a slimmed down monarchy, now they get it they say there are not enough working royals now. Make your mind up!

    Lots of comments on Mail online this evening about jealous photographers, really this photoshop story has been totally overdone though at least we saw the Prince and Princess out this evening in their car
    You just do not get it

    The fact that Catherine, by her own admission doctored her own 'Mothers Day' photo is a PR disaster for her personally but also the Royals as every photo will now come under intense scrutiny as to whether it is fake, AI or something else

    This is the biggest error Catherine has made and just underlines how they want to control the media

    And jealous photographers are not up to much if they are jealous of a 'doctored' photo
    Do you really think this was an error by Ms Middleton? It reads like a smokescreen to me. Covering what, I have no idea. Nonetheless the whole "it was Catherine's fault" reads like a crock to bamboozle the great unwashed.

    I have no idea what is going on, and I really don't care. Although from the trip to the church today I was reminded of Natasha Kampusch being allowed to ride around in Wolfgang Priklopil's camper van if she'd been compliant.
    If she did photoshop the picture at the very least it was naive as it would be seriously analysed by the distributors world wide, as was the case and they publicly announced they had, in their words, killed it

    Indeed I heard it on 5 live at about 6.00am this morning and they made it a big story
    None of this smells right. I don't for one minute believe a (possibly once) future Queen of England doesn't have lackies to Photoshop her family snaps for her.

    The confusion comes from Catherine publically admitting she photoshopped the picture, but I agree with you about others being able to undertake the task
    Did you hear her utter those words, or was it announced on X in her name?
    This is Sky's response to picturegate

    What led to Kate photo apology?

    https://news.sky.com/video/share-13092831
    I have got myself caught up with a story I have no interest in other than the Machiavellian nature of the politics of the Royal Family.

    I have no idea how, what or why the picture was a) released and b) doctored.

    I do not believe Ms. Middleton's admission was her own. I suspect the apology was written by some appointee attempting to snuff out any scandal.

    The story is of no social, fiscal or political interest. A young woman has obviously experienced some serious medical procedure, something which should be of no interest or consequence to me. Nonetheless there may be some Benny Hill/Boris Johnson style salacious comedy from this story about to hit the tabloids.
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    viewcodeviewcode Posts: 18,919
    Nigelb said:

    @SeaShantyIrish2 , is the “Bucks County Beacon” a reliable publication ?
    The story appears to be well sourced.

    Shocking Online Manifesto Reveals Project 2025’s Link To A Coordinated ‘Christian Nationalism Project’
    “The Statement on Christian Nationalism” seeks to implement a Scripture-based system of government whereby Christ-ordained “civil magistrates” exercise authority over the American public.
    https://buckscountybeacon.com/2024/03/shocking-online-manifesto-reveals-project-2025s-link-to-a-coordinated-christian-nationalism-project/

    Um, this is not a surprise surely. Before I abandoned longer more researched articles for quick-and-dirty I considered writing on ideas of our time: cliodynamics (mathematical modelling of history), transhumanism (extension of the political sphere into the body), solarpunk (society restructured around Green principles), National Conservatism etc, that will affect politics in the 2020/30s. One of them was Christian Nationalism. I gave up when the time-to-article time stretched into years, but it's been in the background for some years now, humming away as it slouches towards Bethlehem.
  • Options
    NigelbNigelb Posts: 62,762
    viewcode said:

    Nigelb said:

    @SeaShantyIrish2 , is the “Bucks County Beacon” a reliable publication ?
    The story appears to be well sourced.

    Shocking Online Manifesto Reveals Project 2025’s Link To A Coordinated ‘Christian Nationalism Project’
    “The Statement on Christian Nationalism” seeks to implement a Scripture-based system of government whereby Christ-ordained “civil magistrates” exercise authority over the American public.
    https://buckscountybeacon.com/2024/03/shocking-online-manifesto-reveals-project-2025s-link-to-a-coordinated-christian-nationalism-project/

    Um, this is not a surprise surely. Before I abandoned longer more researched articles for quick-and-dirty I considered writing on ideas of our time: cliodynamics (mathematical modelling of history), transhumanism (extension of the political sphere into the body), solarpunk (society restructured around Green principles), National Conservatism etc, that will affect politics in the 2020/30s. One of them was Christian Nationalism. I gave up when the time-to-article time stretched into years, but it's been in the background for some years now, humming away as it slouches towards Bethlehem.
    It’s not a huge surprise - but Project 2025 is a big part of the Republican program this time.
    That they might have in some way adopted this bizarre manifesto is not a small story.
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