When parliament reconvenes he's going to get his supporters to protest outside parliament isn't he?
🚨 ELECTION INTERFERENCE ALERT 🚨
Today's Mail on Sunday claimed President Zelensky said that I was personally infected with Putinism. This is totally untrue and I have instructed Carter Ruck to deal with it.
Tomorrow’s Daily Mail are so desperate to smear Reform that they have now contacted the Russian Foreign Ministry and goaded them into a supposed quote from someone in Sergey Lavrov’s office calling me an ‘ally’.
That a UK newspaper group is actively collaborating with the Kremlin to protect their dying Conservative party is an absolute scandal. The British people will see through this act of utter desperation.
Whatever .....suck it up loser . I’d rather have the Conservative party than Reform as opposition. Farage should take his brand of politics and fxck off to the USA where there’s a more willing audience for that !
The whole gambling scandal is so ridiculous in the sense that the markets have such small liquidity that a) people putting a decent amount of money on will set off alarm bells and b) you can't get on life changing money.
You must be really thick if you don't realise the former (and we have had loads of stories in the past couple of years where people have got in trouble betting) and later you risk all this for limited upside i.e. Its not like you can get on millions worth of profit.
From the Thick of It...so dense light bends around them.
The report that Labour campaigners got ready to roll their advertising on the back of keeping an eye on the betting markets, per Kuenssberg, is an indication in and of itself how much this stuck out like a sore thumb.
The Sunday Times published an article the Sunday after the election was called which said Labour's election chief new there was going to be a July election based on the betting moves he had seen.
Even I remember checking the BF market on a couple of occasions on the basis that knowledgeable people might have moved it and I’m as far from a savvy political operator as is possible to imagine.
If you bet on the date of the election you may need to report yourself to the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
I didn’t. And even if I did they are so fucked after allowing my old firm to be sold to a man who took £64m out of the client account to buy it, I don’t think they are going to be a regulator for much longer.
I know two ex solicitors who stole large sums from their clients, and while they were struck off, no effort has been made to recover the money.
The SRA, not to mention the SFO, are after this chap for the cash. He’s been made bankrupt though so much recovery is unlikely but they are getting hold of his portfolio of really unlovely property in places like Edgware and Wolverhampton.
When parliament reconvenes he's going to get his supporters to protest outside parliament isn't he?
🚨 ELECTION INTERFERENCE ALERT 🚨
Today's Mail on Sunday claimed President Zelensky said that I was personally infected with Putinism. This is totally untrue and I have instructed Carter Ruck to deal with it.
Tomorrow’s Daily Mail are so desperate to smear Reform that they have now contacted the Russian Foreign Ministry and goaded them into a supposed quote from someone in Sergey Lavrov’s office calling me an ‘ally’.
That a UK newspaper group is actively collaborating with the Kremlin to protect their dying Conservative party is an absolute scandal. The British people will see through this act of utter desperation.
Whatever .....suck it up loser . I’d rather have the Conservative party than Reform as opposition. Farage should take his brand of politics and fxck off to the USA where there’s a more willing audience for that !
Carter Ruck.
Quite pleased Farage is planning to sue Zelenskyy. Kind of confirms he’s Britain Trump.
Important, I think. For our international reputation.
Starmer would be the best looking PM since, well, when exactly? Gladstone? Douglas Home? Certainly better looking than any in my lifetime.
The best looking major party leader since Clegg (though I did like that Plaid leader in 2019).
Followed in the recent PM looks stakes by Liz Truss, then Rishi (he’s pretty presentable), then a big gap before you reach, whom? Gordon Brown I reckon.
But none of them hold a candle to Macron. Or Obama. Or Zelenskyy. Or, though I hate to say it, Meloni. Different league entirely.
Oh come on. He may have grown into his looks, but he was never an oil painting:
He’s got a butt mouth . Definitely not good looking . I think Starmer wins because of his lovely hair , he needs to smile more and what were Labour thinking with that manifesto cover . He looked like a relative of the Krays, far too severe .
Does anyone know whether, on the marked register, someone who spoils a ballot paper is shown as having voted or not voted?
Must be voted I would think. The marked register reflects that you turned up and got given a ballot paper. Not an expert.
once ballots go into the ballot box there's no cross checking of names to votes.
Believe there were instances in the not-so-distant past (during Cold War) when MI5 checked marked ballots against recorded ballot numbers, to ferret out voters who votes for Communists or similar?
Important, I think. For our international reputation.
Starmer would be the best looking PM since, well, when exactly? Gladstone? Douglas Home? Certainly better looking than any in my lifetime.
The best looking major party leader since Clegg (though I did like that Plaid leader in 2019).
Followed in the recent PM looks stakes by Liz Truss, then Rishi (he’s pretty presentable), then a big gap before you reach, whom? Gordon Brown I reckon.
But none of them hold a candle to Macron. Or Obama. Or Zelenskyy. Or, though I hate to say it, Meloni. Different league entirely.
Oh come on. He may have grown into his looks, but he was never an oil painting:
He’s got a butt mouth . Definitely not good looking . I think Starmer wins because of his lovely hair , he needs to smile more and what were Labour thinking with that manifesto cover . He looked like a relative of the Krays, far too severe .
Oh well. I'm a bit surprised, but then I've never admired men's good looks beyond my rather shambolic attempts to persuade Mr mirror. Starmer's hair seems rather horrible to me.
Important, I think. For our international reputation.
Starmer would be the best looking PM since, well, when exactly? Gladstone? Douglas Home? Certainly better looking than any in my lifetime.
The best looking major party leader since Clegg (though I did like that Plaid leader in 2019).
Followed in the recent PM looks stakes by Liz Truss, then Rishi (he’s pretty presentable), then a big gap before you reach, whom? Gordon Brown I reckon.
But none of them hold a candle to Macron. Or Obama. Or Zelenskyy. Or, though I hate to say it, Meloni. Different league entirely.
Oh come on. He may have grown into his looks, but he was never an oil painting:
Does anyone know whether, on the marked register, someone who spoils a ballot paper is shown as having voted or not voted?
Must be voted I would think. The marked register reflects that you turned up and got given a ballot paper. Not an expert.
once ballots go into the ballot box there's no cross checking of names to votes.
Believe there were instances in the not-so-distant past (during Cold War) when M15 checked marked ballots against recorded ballot numbers, to ferret out voters who votes for Communists or similar?
MI5. The M15 was an unfinished motorway in North London.
Today's Mail on Sunday claimed President Zelensky said that I was personally infected with Putinism. This is totally untrue and I have instructed Carter Ruck to deal with it.
When parliament reconvenes he's going to get his supporters to protest outside parliament isn't he?
🚨 ELECTION INTERFERENCE ALERT 🚨
Today's Mail on Sunday claimed President Zelensky said that I was personally infected with Putinism. This is totally untrue and I have instructed Carter Ruck to deal with it.
Tomorrow’s Daily Mail are so desperate to smear Reform that they have now contacted the Russian Foreign Ministry and goaded them into a supposed quote from someone in Sergey Lavrov’s office calling me an ‘ally’.
That a UK newspaper group is actively collaborating with the Kremlin to protect their dying Conservative party is an absolute scandal. The British people will see through this act of utter desperation.
Whatever .....suck it up loser . I’d rather have the Conservative party than Reform as opposition. Farage should take his brand of politics and fxck off to the USA where there’s a more willing audience for that !
Carter Ruck.
Quite pleased Farage is planning to sue Zelenskyy. Kind of confirms he’s Britain Trump.
The problem is that Carter Ruck aren't very good...
Important, I think. For our international reputation.
Starmer would be the best looking PM since, well, when exactly? Gladstone? Douglas Home? Certainly better looking than any in my lifetime.
The best looking major party leader since Clegg (though I did like that Plaid leader in 2019).
Followed in the recent PM looks stakes by Liz Truss, then Rishi (he’s pretty presentable), then a big gap before you reach, whom? Gordon Brown I reckon.
But none of them hold a candle to Macron. Or Obama. Or Zelenskyy. Or, though I hate to say it, Meloni. Different league entirely.
Oh come on. He may have grown into his looks, but he was never an oil painting:
He’s got a butt mouth . Definitely not good looking . I think Starmer wins because of his lovely hair , he needs to smile more and what were Labour thinking with that manifesto cover . He looked like a relative of the Krays, far too severe .
Get a grip you bunch of weirdos!
We don’t have much to talk about till the latest revelations over Betting Gate appear so are just filling the time !
Today's Mail on Sunday claimed President Zelensky said that I was personally infected with Putinism. This is totally untrue and I have instructed Carter Ruck to deal with it.
When parliament reconvenes he's going to get his supporters to protest outside parliament isn't he?
🚨 ELECTION INTERFERENCE ALERT 🚨
Today's Mail on Sunday claimed President Zelensky said that I was personally infected with Putinism. This is totally untrue and I have instructed Carter Ruck to deal with it.
Tomorrow’s Daily Mail are so desperate to smear Reform that they have now contacted the Russian Foreign Ministry and goaded them into a supposed quote from someone in Sergey Lavrov’s office calling me an ‘ally’.
That a UK newspaper group is actively collaborating with the Kremlin to protect their dying Conservative party is an absolute scandal. The British people will see through this act of utter desperation.
Important, I think. For our international reputation.
Starmer would be the best looking PM since, well, when exactly? Gladstone? Douglas Home? Certainly better looking than any in my lifetime.
The best looking major party leader since Clegg (though I did like that Plaid leader in 2019).
Followed in the recent PM looks stakes by Liz Truss, then Rishi (he’s pretty presentable), then a big gap before you reach, whom? Gordon Brown I reckon.
But none of them hold a candle to Macron. Or Obama. Or Zelenskyy. Or, though I hate to say it, Meloni. Different league entirely.
Oh come on. He may have grown into his looks, but he was never an oil painting:
Yuck. That sort of student picture's of the sort taken by the I'm-going-to-be-famous-one-day sorts of shits who infested halls. Few ever actually made it. I mean, the skull...
All pose, no spontaneity, zero character.
Compare and contrast with the infamous and contemporaneous picture of the Bullington Club.
And of course Keir Starmer was going to be famous...
Important, I think. For our international reputation.
Starmer would be the best looking PM since, well, when exactly? Gladstone? Douglas Home? Certainly better looking than any in my lifetime.
The best looking major party leader since Clegg (though I did like that Plaid leader in 2019).
Followed in the recent PM looks stakes by Liz Truss, then Rishi (he’s pretty presentable), then a big gap before you reach, whom? Gordon Brown I reckon.
But none of them hold a candle to Macron. Or Obama. Or Zelenskyy. Or, though I hate to say it, Meloni. Different league entirely.
Thatcher was objectively good looking in her pomp. It was said that she controlled the party because they fancied her - they probably all had nannie fantasies.
I think John Major wasn't terrible looking. Many liked Tony.
I don’t think Keir Starmer is a good looking man, but he does have a very respectable shock of hair. His wife is quite beautiful.
Truss was cute - awfully awkward with it though.
Antony Eden was quite the tasty dish. Even with the proto-Tom Selleck moustache.
Important, I think. For our international reputation.
Starmer would be the best looking PM since, well, when exactly? Gladstone? Douglas Home? Certainly better looking than any in my lifetime.
The best looking major party leader since Clegg (though I did like that Plaid leader in 2019).
Followed in the recent PM looks stakes by Liz Truss, then Rishi (he’s pretty presentable), then a big gap before you reach, whom? Gordon Brown I reckon.
But none of them hold a candle to Macron. Or Obama. Or Zelenskyy. Or, though I hate to say it, Meloni. Different league entirely.
Oh come on. He may have grown into his looks, but he was never an oil painting:
The whole gambling scandal is so ridiculous in the sense that the markets have such small liquidity that a) people putting a decent amount of money on will set off alarm bells and b) you can't get on life changing money.
You must be really thick if you don't realise the former (and we have had loads of stories in the past couple of years where people have got in trouble betting) and later you risk all this for limited upside i.e. Its not like you can get on millions worth of profit.
From the Thick of It...so dense light bends around them.
The report that Labour campaigners got ready to roll their advertising on the back of keeping an eye on the betting markets, per Kuenssberg, is an indication in and of itself how much this stuck out like a sore thumb.
The Sunday Times published an article the Sunday after the election was called which said Labour's election chief new there was going to be a July election based on the betting moves he had seen.
Could you link to the header where you tipped July?
Important, I think. For our international reputation.
Starmer would be the best looking PM since, well, when exactly? Gladstone? Douglas Home? Certainly better looking than any in my lifetime.
The best looking major party leader since Clegg (though I did like that Plaid leader in 2019).
Followed in the recent PM looks stakes by Liz Truss, then Rishi (he’s pretty presentable), then a big gap before you reach, whom? Gordon Brown I reckon.
But none of them hold a candle to Macron. Or Obama. Or Zelenskyy. Or, though I hate to say it, Meloni. Different league entirely.
Oh come on. He may have grown into his looks, but he was never an oil painting:
Yuck. That sort of student picture's of the sort taken by the I'm-going-to-be-famous-one-day sorts of shits who infested halls. Few ever actually made it. I mean, the skull...
All pose, no spontaneity, zero character.
Compare and contrast with the infamous and contemporaneous picture of the Bullington Club.
And of course Keir Starmer was going to be famous...
They look like the sort of fools who would stay in their rooms listening to Morrisey and wondering how they are going to stop a nuclear weapon from hitting their head. Oh sorry, that's what they told people. In reality, they were wondering how they were going to get laid...
Yes, the Bullingdon Club photo is posed. But it's designed to be posed because they're in formal dress. That Starmer photo is just... tosseriific. Hilariously so.
Important, I think. For our international reputation.
Starmer would be the best looking PM since, well, when exactly? Gladstone? Douglas Home? Certainly better looking than any in my lifetime.
The best looking major party leader since Clegg (though I did like that Plaid leader in 2019).
Followed in the recent PM looks stakes by Liz Truss, then Rishi (he’s pretty presentable), then a big gap before you reach, whom? Gordon Brown I reckon.
But none of them hold a candle to Macron. Or Obama. Or Zelenskyy. Or, though I hate to say it, Meloni. Different league entirely.
Thatcher was objectively good looking in her pomp. It was said that she controlled the party because they fancied her - they probably all had nannie fantasies.
I think John Major wasn't terrible looking. Many liked Tony.
I don’t think Keir Starmer is a good looking man, but he does have a very respectable shock of hair. His wife is quite beautiful.
Truss was cute - awfully awkward with it though.
Antony Eden was quite the tasty dish. Even with the proto-Tom Selleck moustache.
People have a strange tendency to deny any positive attributes to politicians they disagree with. You saw it especially with Boris. His detractors wouldn't allow him any positive attributes whatsoever, which always struck me as slightly mad. So as someone who is nothing but pessimistic about PMSKS, let me say that he is obviously well above average in terms of looks for a 60 year old man, and even from 11 years his junior I would swap hair with him in an instant. Don't know about best looking PM since Gladstone though. Truss ranks quite highly, and Eden was famously handsome.
I still think he is seriously under threat as there's an undercurrent of rebellious former Tories eagerly wanting to make history, but Richmond is one of those seats that should never be in play, especially when a senior Minister is the MP.
Now it can be told. That back during the 2001 UK GE, yours truly absconded with a William Hague yardsign from a farm field in the vicinity of Richmond, Yorkshire. There were a fair number of such signs dotting the landscape in WH's then-constituency, where he was re-elected without difficulty.
So doubt I altered the outcome there or anywhere else. AND hope the statute of limitations has expired.
I’m sorry to tell you SSI there is no limitation on criminal acts in England. You’re well past limitation for civil conversion, but you’ll have to take your chances on criminal prosecution next time you’re here.
I have TSE on quasi-retainer. Is that good news OR bad news? AND for him OR me?
I’m an Oxford educated lawyer. What do you think I’m going to say? The reply almost writes itself.
I am throwing myself upon the mercy of the PB Bar! PROVIDED I confess my guilt, could you law-mongers arrange for my extradition to England to answer for my crime? With reasonable expense account for lodging, dining, entertainment, etc., etc. while undergoing the rigors of due process?
I think you’re fine. There is a statute of limitations on anyone giving a shit … and a Hague yard sign. Nah.
People have a strange tendency to deny any positive attributes to politicians they disagree with. You saw it especially with Boris. His detractors wouldn't allow him any positive attributes whatsoever, which always struck me as slightly mad. So as someone who is nothing but pessimistic about PMSKS, let me say that he is obviously well above average in terms of looks for a 60 year old man, and even from 11 years his junior I would swap hair with him in an instant. Don't know about best looking PM since Gladstone though. Truss ranks quite highly, and Eden was famously handsome.
Looks don't matter a damn. Competence does.
But SKS often has a startled-rabbit-in-the-headlights look in photos.
But my comments about *that* student photo are right: it's tosserific. I mean, the addition of a skull is just hilariously naff.
BBC News - Fourth Tory investigated in election bets probe
A fourth senior Conservative is being looked into by the Gambling Commission over bets allegedly placed on the date of the general election.
The Sunday Times reported that the party's chief data officer Nick Mason allegedly placed dozens of bets, which the paper says could have generated winnings of thousands of pounds.
A spokesman for Mr Mason told the BBC that it would not be appropriate to comment during an investigation but he denied wrongdoing.
Mr Mason, who is also a Conservative councillor in Herefordshire, has now taken a leave of absence from his Tory party role, 11 days from election day on 4 July. . . .
When parliament reconvenes he's going to get his supporters to protest outside parliament isn't he?
🚨 ELECTION INTERFERENCE ALERT 🚨
Today's Mail on Sunday claimed President Zelensky said that I was personally infected with Putinism. This is totally untrue and I have instructed Carter Ruck to deal with it…
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
I believe there’s a traditional Ukrainian response to that, less polite than the Private Eye one.
People have a strange tendency to deny any positive attributes to politicians they disagree with. You saw it especially with Boris. His detractors wouldn't allow him any positive attributes whatsoever, which always struck me as slightly mad. So as someone who is nothing but pessimistic about PMSKS, let me say that he is obviously well above average in terms of looks for a 60 year old man, and even from 11 years his junior I would swap hair with him in an instant. Don't know about best looking PM since Gladstone though. Truss ranks quite highly, and Eden was famously handsome.
Looks don't matter a damn. Competence does.
But SKS often has a startled-rabbit-in-the-headlights look in photos.
But my comments about *that* student photo are right: it's tosserific. I mean, the addition of a skull is just hilariously naff.
Important, I think. For our international reputation.
Starmer would be the best looking PM since, well, when exactly? Gladstone? Douglas Home? Certainly better looking than any in my lifetime.
The best looking major party leader since Clegg (though I did like that Plaid leader in 2019).
Followed in the recent PM looks stakes by Liz Truss, then Rishi (he’s pretty presentable), then a big gap before you reach, whom? Gordon Brown I reckon.
But none of them hold a candle to Macron. Or Obama. Or Zelenskyy. Or, though I hate to say it, Meloni. Different league entirely.
Oh come on. He may have grown into his looks, but he was never an oil painting:
Is everyone resolutely ignoring the JL Partners poll, which I think is brekky published, or am I missing the frenzied discussion earlier in the thread, or yesterday, or whenever?
J L Partners (17-20 June; changes on 14-16) CON 24% (+1) LAB 38% (-2) LDM 8% (-1) GRN 3% (-2) RFM 25% (+7)
Bit of a shocker I thought.
EDIT - THIS IS A POLL OF GB NEWS VIEWERS
Is that for real? Are they a BPC member or is this likely to be a voodoo poll?
They are BPC registered but this a poll of GB News viewers.
So they don’t need to sample, they can just ask them all.
When parliament reconvenes he's going to get his supporters to protest outside parliament isn't he?
🚨 ELECTION INTERFERENCE ALERT 🚨
Today's Mail on Sunday claimed President Zelensky said that I was personally infected with Putinism. This is totally untrue and I have instructed Carter Ruck to deal with it…
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
I believe there’s a traditional Ukrainian response to that, less polite than the Private Eye one.
Suing the Ukrainians. What a good way to make yourself popular. And via Carter Fuck. Private Eye will have fun.
Key points here are the very large Margin of Error (up to 6%) so read that how you like.
Will this be the 2024 equivalent of the 1997 Observer poll which did for Portillo in Enfield Southgate?
The very fact we are even considering a Conservative defeat in their 29th safest seat shows where we are....
No, Sunak has a much bigger lead on this evening's poll than Portillo had in the Observer poll.
Demographically the core vote in Richmond is conservative farmers too, nothing like the core vote in Enfield Southgate which is liberal professionals and of course Enfield Southgate has a Labour MP again just a symptom of the London shift left 1997 affirmed
As you well know, it's nothing to do with any of that.
If I were Labour in R&N, I would be sending details of that poll to every non-Conservative voter (including Reform). As you think all Reform voters are just Conservatives who have lost their way, you won't realise but if you think Reform voters detest Sunak as much as voters from other non-Conservative parties, you might see Labour trying to squeeze LD, Green AND Reform and there's enough of those to defeat Sunak.
It probably won't happen but I wouldn't dismiss it so easily.
Rubbish, Reform voters loathe Starmer even more than Sunak and some would tactically vote for Sunak if they thought Labour might win
Important, I think. For our international reputation.
Starmer would be the best looking PM since, well, when exactly? Gladstone? Douglas Home? Certainly better looking than any in my lifetime.
The best looking major party leader since Clegg (though I did like that Plaid leader in 2019).
Followed in the recent PM looks stakes by Liz Truss, then Rishi (he’s pretty presentable), then a big gap before you reach, whom? Gordon Brown I reckon.
But none of them hold a candle to Macron. Or Obama. Or Zelenskyy. Or, though I hate to say it, Meloni. Different league entirely.
Oh come on. He may have grown into his looks, but he was never an oil painting:
Yuck. That sort of student picture's of the sort taken by the I'm-going-to-be-famous-one-day sorts of shits who infested halls. Few ever actually made it. I mean, the skull...
All pose, no spontaneity, zero character.
Compare and contrast with the infamous and contemporaneous picture of the Bullington Club.
And of course Keir Starmer was going to be famous...
They look like the sort of fools who would stay in their rooms listening to Morrisey and wondering how they are going to stop a nuclear weapon from hitting their head. Oh sorry, that's what they told people. In reality, they were wondering how they were going to get laid...
Yes, the Bullingdon Club photo is posed. But it's designed to be posed because they're in formal dress. That Starmer photo is just... tosseriific. Hilariously so.
"But Heaven knows, I am miserable now..."
In any case, the skull might belong to the young lady next to S-to-be-KS. So you lot have a 50% chance of spending the evening talking male mammalian gonads.
When parliament reconvenes he's going to get his supporters to protest outside parliament isn't he?
🚨 ELECTION INTERFERENCE ALERT 🚨
Today's Mail on Sunday claimed President Zelensky said that I was personally infected with Putinism. This is totally untrue and I have instructed Carter Ruck to deal with it…
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
I believe there’s a traditional Ukrainian response to that, less polite than the Private Eye one.
Suing the Ukrainians. What a good way to make yourself popular. And via Carter Fuck. Private Eye will have fun.
Eh? I read it as MoS that is being threatened. Carter **** operate in London. It's where the libel action is at.
Comments
Quite pleased Farage is planning to sue Zelenskyy. Kind of confirms he’s Britain Trump.
🚨 ELECTION INTERFERENCE ALERT 🚨
Today's Mail on Sunday claimed President Zelensky said that I was personally infected with Putinism. This is totally untrue and I have instructed Carter Ruck to deal with it.
https://x.com/Nigel_Farage/status/1804918762283425805?t=hWzgDgqhCdGgIbFC12LkBA&s=19
NEW THREAD
And of course Keir Starmer was going to be famous...
I think John Major wasn't terrible looking. Many liked Tony.
I don’t think Keir Starmer is a good looking man, but he does have a very respectable shock of hair. His wife is quite beautiful.
Truss was cute - awfully awkward with it though.
Antony Eden was quite the tasty dish. Even with the proto-Tom Selleck moustache.
Yes, the Bullingdon Club photo is posed. But it's designed to be posed because they're in formal dress. That Starmer photo is just... tosseriific. Hilariously so.
"But Heaven knows, I am miserable now..."
So as someone who is nothing but pessimistic about PMSKS, let me say that he is obviously well above average in terms of looks for a 60 year old man, and even from 11 years his junior I would swap hair with him in an instant.
Don't know about best looking PM since Gladstone though. Truss ranks quite highly, and Eden was famously handsome.
There is a statute of limitations on anyone giving a shit … and a Hague yard sign. Nah.
Don’t fall for that seal’s patter.
But SKS often has a startled-rabbit-in-the-headlights look in photos.
But my comments about *that* student photo are right: it's tosserific. I mean, the addition of a skull is just hilariously naff.
Especially if there are more cases.
I believe there’s a traditional Ukrainian response to that, less polite than the Private Eye one.