Wait until they see what JohnO and myself spend on our PB Tory lunches.
You two don't lunch together daily. The implication in her case is £12.70 a day - implying well upward of £2K a year.
And it's not so long ago that Gen Xers and millennials' lack of housing was blamed by Tories on a liking for avocados.
Edit: I have no particuiar opinion on the matter myself. But one can see how it goes down (so to speak) in a society where a Sainsbury or Boots Meal Deal is luxury for many.
Its a nonsense attack line. You get this sort of thing sometimes where even though there are plenty of good attack lines to choose from some people still completely miss the mark.
Its not as bad as making up bad things about politician X when they have done loads of bad things for real, but its not that far off.
Its more than someone would spend getting Greggs for lunch daily, but not so much more its shocking profligacy for an average joe. And left to implication shows it as not very effective, the way it was written the author apparently thought it was bad justvin isolation.
Hmm. But 'not so much more that it's shocking prfligacy for the average' person? We obvs live in different circles!
I spend very little on such things, i might do that in a week. But £12 is in a range imaginable by normal people. Perhaps not every day, like you say, but a few quid a day to 12 pound is not a multiplier to get people excited.
By the way Elon Musk is a twat who ruins everything he touches.
It is now close to impossible to embed Tweets in thread headers.
In the past all you had to do was post a link to the Tweet, now you have to arse around for five mins with embed codes.
As of yesterday I am now dark on Twitter. As entertaining as watching the cultural skip fire was, I have better things to do with my time. Plus as I listened to Jess Phillips on the Electoral Disfunction podcast she said something that opened my eyes.
The furore about her blew up as Musk started tweeting. She hadn't a clue because she doesn't have Twitter any more - she had to be told. There's the winning strategy - don't look up...
I don't see the benefit for a politician. It increases the odds youll say something stupid and get caught, no one engages with an MP positively that way, and you'll get told if theres stuff on twitter you need to know.
Politicians and billionaires for that matter just create opportunity to look as foolish as the rest if us if they spend time on social media.
Especially if they like a drink or Ketamin.
I have two Twitter accounts. I'd long since stopped posting on my personal one - once I had to go and expunge stuff from the past it became a pain in the bum. Then I created one for my YouTube profile and was using it to mine info on Tesla. Problem is that the best sources of info are also in the Musk lunacy bubble. So I went onto the "For You" tab to see what the Muskorithm wanted to serve me.
Its lunacy. I don't watch GBeebies or TalkTV because I don't have time to waste being fed guff. Yet there I was doomscrolling Twitter, agog at the mass of people waiting for the second coming of the great prophet Tommy.
Wonder if they will consider our recent decision on the matter - sometimes courts consider cases in other similar legal jurisdictions...
Canadian commentators have done so, though ive seen at least one anti Trudeau legal commentator say its awful but not unlawful.
IIRC the surprise with our decision amongst legal scholars was that the supreme court considered it "justiciable" at all. Once they decided it was, and thus felt able to consider the matter, I don't think many were surprised by the actual judgement.
Ed Davey likely would make a decent PM, certainly better than two others on that list.
He comes from a party that hasn't produced prime ministers for a hundred years however.
It had a Deputy PM less than 10 years ago
So depressingly 20% are Farage groupies, a poll of which would be a total disaster might be more revealing. I'd make Farage just under evens to be better than Truss, though that could be poor judgement of how bad it could be in international relations.
A Labour leader severing past four Tory leaders and into his fifth would equal Blair's record. And it took Blair over 11 years to reach that point.
One thing perhaps we should all remember about Starmer is his remarkable capacity for confounding expectations. It's less than five years since Hartlepool when we were all talking about the imminent Labour leadership election and who would replace him.
A labour leader severing the past four Tory leaders would be… controversial?
£12.70 for a steak lunch? I'd say the lady can spot a bargain.
Looking at the Farmer J website it's not a whole steak, more accurately few slices of flank, with rice and some sides.
Better than a Big Mac, but why not eat in one of Parliaments multiple subsidised spots?
Catering at Parliament is having a bad rep at the moment.
As to £12.70 for a steak - that’s a not absurd price for a takeaway lunch in London now.
A Pizza Hut, a Pizza Hut, Kentucky Fried Chicken and a Pizza Hut A Pizza Hut, a Pizza Hut, Kentucky Fried Chicken and a Pizza Hut McDonalds, McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken and a Pizza Hut McDonalds, McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken and a Pizza Hut https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOC9d17vASc
Wonder if they will consider our recent decision on the matter - sometimes courts consider cases in other similar legal jurisdictions...
Canadian commentators have done so, though ive seen at least one anti Trudeau legal commentator say its awful but not unlawful.
IIRC the surprise with our decision amongst legal scholars was that the supreme court considered it "justiciable" at all. Once they decided it was, and thus felt able to consider the matter, I don't think many were surprised by the actual judgement.
I wasn’t really a fan of the ruling. I think Parliament is entitled to set its own rules and limits on the principles of prorogation. I was not convinced that the courts had a role at that point. The fact that I thought the actions of the Johnson government highly questionable were neither here nor there - it was for the public to judge him on his actions, in my view.
I am sure a lot of constitutional lawyers would disagree with me - just how I saw it.
He covers Musk very well (I had forgotten the time he referred to the rescuer of the boys in the caves as a peodo). @leon won't be amused.
He also covers very well certain media coverage of Starmer and Labour and Labour's poor performance so far:
a) They have put themselves in an impossible corner re tax/spending/borrowing b) Certain parts of the media (replicated on here by the usual suspects) of it's a disaster within minutes of taking office. It may well be, but really you had no idea if that was the case after 5 minutes and even after a few days the worse it could be said was 'Well what exactly are you going to do, because so far you haven't really said anything meaningful'
Ed Davey likely would make a decent PM, certainly better than two others on that list.
He comes from a party that hasn't produced prime ministers for a hundred years however.
Ed Davey reminds me of Rory Kinnear who did make a decent PM.
On his last outing Kinnear came close to killing a former Tory campaign manager which might be considered by Sir Ed for his next stunt.
While I am partisan, I do genuinely think that Sir Ed is wildly underestimated. I think his clear move towards Rejoin is carving out unique territory for the Lib Dems, and he also has some very impressive people on the Lib Dem benches. People know that Farage is a media creature and Brexit is now an unambiguous failure. Few of the extremely partisan commentators in the media give him the time of day, but it is Sir Ed, not Farage, that has the Parliamentary advantage. Watch this space for astute and intelligent moves.
Ed Davey likely would make a decent PM, certainly better than two others on that list.
He comes from a party that hasn't produced prime ministers for a hundred years however.
Ed Davey reminds me of Rory Kinnear who did make a decent PM.
On his last outing Kinnear came close to killing a former Tory campaign manager which might be considered by Sir Ed for his next stunt.
While I am partisan, I do genuinely think that Sir Ed is wildly underestimated. I think his clear move towards Rejoin is carving out unique territory for the Lib Dems, and he also has some very impressive people on the Lib Dem benches. People know that Farage is a media creature and Brexit is now an unambiguous failure. Few of the extremely partisan commentators in the media give him the time of day, but it is Sir Ed, not Farage, that has the Parliamentary advantage. Watch this space for astute and intelligent moves.
I’m surprised at the Lib Dem’s who want to dump their leader. In favour of whom exactly? By what metric do they think they are not doing well enough and who/how could this be improved?
Ed Davey likely would make a decent PM, certainly better than two others on that list.
He comes from a party that hasn't produced prime ministers for a hundred years however.
Ed Davey reminds me of Rory Kinnear who did make a decent PM.
On his last outing Kinnear came close to killing a former Tory campaign manager which might be considered by Sir Ed for his next stunt.
While I am partisan, I do genuinely think that Sir Ed is wildly underestimated. I think his clear move towards Rejoin is carving out unique territory for the Lib Dems, and he also has some very impressive people on the Lib Dem benches. People know that Farage is a media creature and Brexit is now an unambiguous failure. Few of the extremely partisan commentators in the media give him the time of day, but it is Sir Ed, not Farage, that has the Parliamentary advantage. Watch this space for astute and intelligent moves.
Parliamentary advantage means little with a government majority as it is and with Farage being such a media creature.
That said, there is an opportunity for the LDs. Davey needs some eye catching policies and to set himself up in opposition now. They need to pivot from the friendly opposition to being more critical now.
I don’t think you can make a direct judgement here.
I’d exclude Farage from the analysis - haven’t looked at the detail but suspect that they are all Reform loyalists.
Kemi has struggled with air time - perhaps a weakness - but I don’t think anyone could break the Farage love in with the media at the moment. Mostly people are just saying “don’t know”.
It’s Starmer being in second place that is the interesting finding here
She hasn't 'struggled with air time', she hasn't done any interviews.
Which is probably just as well as she has nothing to say.
A set piece interview is not the only way to communicate
By the way Elon Musk is a twat who ruins everything he touches.
It is now close to impossible to embed Tweets in thread headers.
In the past all you had to do was post a link to the Tweet, now you have to arse around for five mins with embed codes.
As of yesterday I am now dark on Twitter. As entertaining as watching the cultural skip fire was, I have better things to do with my time. Plus as I listened to Jess Phillips on the Electoral Disfunction podcast she said something that opened my eyes.
The furore about her blew up as Musk started tweeting. She hadn't a clue because she doesn't have Twitter any more - she had to be told. There's the winning strategy - don't look up...
I don't see the benefit for a politician. It increases the odds youll say something stupid and get caught, no one engages with an MP positively that way, and you'll get told if theres stuff on twitter you need to know.
Politicians and billionaires for that matter just create opportunity to look as foolish as the rest if us if they spend time on social media.
Especially if they like a drink or Ketamin.
I have two Twitter accounts. I'd long since stopped posting on my personal one - once I had to go and expunge stuff from the past it became a pain in the bum. Then I created one for my YouTube profile and was using it to mine info on Tesla. Problem is that the best sources of info are also in the Musk lunacy bubble. So I went onto the "For You" tab to see what the Muskorithm wanted to serve me.
Its lunacy. I don't watch GBeebies or TalkTV because I don't have time to waste being fed guff. Yet there I was doomscrolling Twitter, agog at the mass of people waiting for the second coming of the great prophet Tommy.
As Spike the Vampire said mid-song, bugger this.
I've de-activated my Twitter account and moved to BlueSky.
Ed Davey likely would make a decent PM, certainly better than two others on that list.
He comes from a party that hasn't produced prime ministers for a hundred years however.
Ed Davey reminds me of Rory Kinnear who did make a decent PM.
On his last outing Kinnear came close to killing a former Tory campaign manager which might be considered by Sir Ed for his next stunt.
While I am partisan, I do genuinely think that Sir Ed is wildly underestimated. I think his clear move towards Rejoin is carving out unique territory for the Lib Dems, and he also has some very impressive people on the Lib Dem benches. People know that Farage is a media creature and Brexit is now an unambiguous failure. Few of the extremely partisan commentators in the media give him the time of day, but it is Sir Ed, not Farage, that has the Parliamentary advantage. Watch this space for astute and intelligent moves.
I’m surprised at the Lib Dem’s who want to dump their leader. In favour of whom exactly? By what metric do they think they are not doing well enough and who/how could this be improved?
I haven't come across any Lib Dem who wants to dump Ed Davey as leader.
Ed Davey likely would make a decent PM, certainly better than two others on that list.
He comes from a party that hasn't produced prime ministers for a hundred years however.
Ed Davey reminds me of Rory Kinnear who did make a decent PM.
On his last outing Kinnear came close to killing a former Tory campaign manager which might be considered by Sir Ed for his next stunt.
While I am partisan, I do genuinely think that Sir Ed is wildly underestimated. I think his clear move towards Rejoin is carving out unique territory for the Lib Dems, and he also has some very impressive people on the Lib Dem benches. People know that Farage is a media creature and Brexit is now an unambiguous failure. Few of the extremely partisan commentators in the media give him the time of day, but it is Sir Ed, not Farage, that has the Parliamentary advantage. Watch this space for astute and intelligent moves.
I’m surprised at the Lib Dem’s who want to dump their leader. In favour of whom exactly? By what metric do they think they are not doing well enough and who/how could this be improved?
Here's a metric:
Since the GE Labour have dropped from 35% to around 25%. But the LibDems have flatlined.
By the way Elon Musk is a twat who ruins everything he touches.
It is now close to impossible to embed Tweets in thread headers.
In the past all you had to do was post a link to the Tweet, now you have to arse around for five mins with embed codes.
As of yesterday I am now dark on Twitter. As entertaining as watching the cultural skip fire was, I have better things to do with my time. Plus as I listened to Jess Phillips on the Electoral Disfunction podcast she said something that opened my eyes.
The furore about her blew up as Musk started tweeting. She hadn't a clue because she doesn't have Twitter any more - she had to be told. There's the winning strategy - don't look up...
I don't see the benefit for a politician. It increases the odds youll say something stupid and get caught, no one engages with an MP positively that way, and you'll get told if theres stuff on twitter you need to know.
Politicians and billionaires for that matter just create opportunity to look as foolish as the rest if us if they spend time on social media.
Especially if they like a drink or Ketamin.
I have two Twitter accounts. I'd long since stopped posting on my personal one - once I had to go and expunge stuff from the past it became a pain in the bum. Then I created one for my YouTube profile and was using it to mine info on Tesla. Problem is that the best sources of info are also in the Musk lunacy bubble. So I went onto the "For You" tab to see what the Muskorithm wanted to serve me.
Its lunacy. I don't watch GBeebies or TalkTV because I don't have time to waste being fed guff. Yet there I was doomscrolling Twitter, agog at the mass of people waiting for the second coming of the great prophet Tommy.
As Spike the Vampire said mid-song, bugger this.
This post deserves a like merely for the Spike reference.
I don’t think you can make a direct judgement here.
I’d exclude Farage from the analysis - haven’t looked at the detail but suspect that they are all Reform loyalists.
Kemi has struggled with air time - perhaps a weakness - but I don’t think anyone could break the Farage love in with the media at the moment. Mostly people are just saying “don’t know”.
It’s Starmer being in second place that is the interesting finding here
She hasn't 'struggled with air time', she hasn't done any interviews.
Which is probably just as well as she has nothing to say.
A set piece interview is not the only way to communicate
Indeed. Spouting shite and making yourself look like an idiot is an alternative approach.
I assume it’s an ironic take on Tory comments about young people and avocado on toast / Netflix / not being able to buy a house.
Not if you read the article
They worked out it would be £65 if she bought steak every day and calculated it was 55% more than the average weekly spend on lunch
I make a packed lunch most days but if I go out to lunch I obviously spend more. It's cheaper than Wetherspoons FFS, although at Spoons you get a pint included. Many people will spend more at Starbucks on any given day.
Betty Brown didn’t celebrate her 92nd birthday on Monday like a typical nonagenarian.
Instead, the Glaswegian grandmother blew out the candles on her pink birthday cake in the green room of the BBC studios after appearing on Newsnight, and the next morning met the post office minister in Whitehall.
“My week has been exciting, unbelievable, unexpected — and just wonderful,” says Brown, who in the past year has become one of the key voices in the sub-postmasters’ campaign for justice. Beaming, she warms her hands on a cup of tea in the kitchen of her son Alastair’s farmhouse in Co Durham while her two grandsons potter around.
After decades feeling ashamed of having lost everything when she handed back the keys to her beloved post office in the northeast of England, Brown is now in the spotlight. As the oldest member of the Justice for Sub-postmasters Alliance, founded by Sir Alan Bates, she is demanding justice — and payouts — for wronged sub-postmasters.
A year after the Post Office scandal came to prominence, thanks to the hit ITV series Mr Bates vs The Post Office, victims are still waiting for their claims to be settled. Sub-postmasters lost thousands of pounds, their jobs and in some cases their homes when the company’s Horizon computer system, rolled out in branches in the early 2000s, proved defective.
Now Brown and hundreds of other sub-postmasters are trapped in an Kafka-esque nightmare. A team of government-funded independent psychologists, forensic accountants and lawyers have been deployed to assess individuals and come up with a “financial redress” figure for them to claim compensation. Yet application forms filled with legal jargon can be filled out only by lawyers. The Department for Business and Trade aims to provide an offer in 40 working days. “The victims are being re-victimised,” says Brown.
At the same time claims are being contested by an “independent panel” in the Department for Business and Trade. Many sub-postmasters, after spending hours filling out forms, have been offered as little as 10 per cent of their total claim amounts. Brown has been offered 29 per cent. Bates, the leader of a group of sub-postmasters who 2019 won a High Court Group Litigation Order (GLO) case against the Post Office, was initially offered 16 per cent of his claim. His second offer was upped to about 30 per cent. He has still not accepted and has forwarded his claim to be reviewed again by Sir Ross Cranston.
“It’s disgusting,” says Brown. “I had nothing to do with the amount that’s on that claim because it’s independently assessed,” she says.
Many of the group have been left feeling as if they are being tested again — and are stuck in a deadlock, where the government is refusing to pay out. And Brown is not getting any younger.
If Starmer paid the sub postmasters full compensation now, it would do more than any other act to restore his popularity.
The WASPI crowd would go bananas if money was found for that (even considering their call for 'compensation' is a different level entirely).
Let them.
They’ve lost.
A hardcore will never give up but they have, to all intents and purposes, lost and rightly wont get a penny.
Will I get compensation as I’ve no recollection of a letter telling me my pension age has gone up twice, from 65 to 66 to 67 ? Of course not and neither should I
Post Office scandal has real victims. WASPI lot are entitled boomers.
A Labour leader severing past four Tory leaders and into his fifth would equal Blair's record. And it took Blair over 11 years to reach that point.
One thing perhaps we should all remember about Starmer is his remarkable capacity for confounding expectations. It's less than five years since Hartlepool when we were all talking about the imminent Labour leadership election and who would replace him.
Buddy can grind. No doubt.
I think he's been written off every week on here since he became Labour leader. Kemi has the same chance of leading the tories into the next GE as do you or I. Outside chance of him getting #6 if the tories pick somebody scandal prone with an ossuary for a closet.
'Buddy can grind' - cringe. This defender of Sir Lard-bucket schtick from you is unutterably grim.
SKS has somehow even made you turn shit.
I've always liked him because he represented the McLibel Two. I wouldn't vote for the c-nt in a million years though.
And he can grind.
If I never see word grind in a PB post again it will be too soon.
Wonder if they will consider our recent decision on the matter - sometimes courts consider cases in other similar legal jurisdictions...
Canadian commentators have done so, though ive seen at least one anti Trudeau legal commentator say its awful but not unlawful.
IIRC the surprise with our decision amongst legal scholars was that the supreme court considered it "justiciable" at all. Once they decided it was, and thus felt able to consider the matter, I don't think many were surprised by the actual judgement.
I wasn’t really a fan of the ruling. I think Parliament is entitled to set its own rules and limits on the principles of prorogation. I was not convinced that the courts had a role at that point. The fact that I thought the actions of the Johnson government highly questionable were neither here nor there - it was for the public to judge him on his actions, in my view.
I am sure a lot of constitutional lawyers would disagree with me - just how I saw it.
I disagree, Parliament shouldn't be able to set its own rules on prorogation, it is quite rightly a prorogative matter for the Crown. Once it was decided that it was justiciable - ie that the Crown can't behave irrationally - the ruling seemed to make sense
Ed Davey likely would make a decent PM, certainly better than two others on that list.
He comes from a party that hasn't produced prime ministers for a hundred years however.
Ed Davey reminds me of Rory Kinnear who did make a decent PM.
On his last outing Kinnear came close to killing a former Tory campaign manager which might be considered by Sir Ed for his next stunt.
While I am partisan, I do genuinely think that Sir Ed is wildly underestimated. I think his clear move towards Rejoin is carving out unique territory for the Lib Dems, and he also has some very impressive people on the Lib Dem benches. People know that Farage is a media creature and Brexit is now an unambiguous failure. Few of the extremely partisan commentators in the media give him the time of day, but it is Sir Ed, not Farage, that has the Parliamentary advantage. Watch this space for astute and intelligent moves.
I’m surprised at the Lib Dem’s who want to dump their leader. In favour of whom exactly? By what metric do they think they are not doing well enough and who/how could this be improved?
Here's a metric:
Since the GE Labour have dropped from 35% to around 25%. But the LibDems have flatlined.
Not good enough.
The Lib Dem strategy has been totally and successfully focused on target seats. The national share was irrelevant. 100 seats at 50% and the rest at 5% gives a national share of about 13%, which is a meaningless measure.
However this strategy limits the Lib Dems to being a junior party in a coalition (hiss) or C&S.
I think there will be a change to a more national campaign (on top of the local campaigns) to broaden the ambition. Ed Davey's recent call for joining the customs union might a sign of that.
National share will then become an important metric.
Ed Davey likely would make a decent PM, certainly better than two others on that list.
He comes from a party that hasn't produced prime ministers for a hundred years however.
Ed Davey reminds me of Rory Kinnear who did make a decent PM.
On his last outing Kinnear came close to killing a former Tory campaign manager which might be considered by Sir Ed for his next stunt.
While I am partisan, I do genuinely think that Sir Ed is wildly underestimated. I think his clear move towards Rejoin is carving out unique territory for the Lib Dems, and he also has some very impressive people on the Lib Dem benches. People know that Farage is a media creature and Brexit is now an unambiguous failure. Few of the extremely partisan commentators in the media give him the time of day, but it is Sir Ed, not Farage, that has the Parliamentary advantage. Watch this space for astute and intelligent moves.
I see him acting the clown but have heard not one word before or after the election , he is invisible. Appears to have no opinion on anything or any policies to solve our woes. If they are impressive these Lib Dems are very good at hiding their light under a bushel.
A Labour leader severing past four Tory leaders and into his fifth would equal Blair's record. And it took Blair over 11 years to reach that point.
One thing perhaps we should all remember about Starmer is his remarkable capacity for confounding expectations. It's less than five years since Hartlepool when we were all talking about the imminent Labour leadership election and who would replace him.
Buddy can grind. No doubt.
I think he's been written off every week on here since he became Labour leader. Kemi has the same chance of leading the tories into the next GE as do you or I. Outside chance of him getting #6 if the tories pick somebody scandal prone with an ossuary for a closet.
'Buddy can grind' - cringe. This defender of Sir Lard-bucket schtick from you is unutterably grim.
SKS has somehow even made you turn shit.
I've always liked him because he represented the McLibel Two. I wouldn't vote for the c-nt in a million years though.
And he can grind.
If I never see word grind in a PB post again it will be too soon.
Grind up some rocks and chuck them on your allotment, you'll feel better.
Betty Brown didn’t celebrate her 92nd birthday on Monday like a typical nonagenarian.
Instead, the Glaswegian grandmother blew out the candles on her pink birthday cake in the green room of the BBC studios after appearing on Newsnight, and the next morning met the post office minister in Whitehall.
“My week has been exciting, unbelievable, unexpected — and just wonderful,” says Brown, who in the past year has become one of the key voices in the sub-postmasters’ campaign for justice. Beaming, she warms her hands on a cup of tea in the kitchen of her son Alastair’s farmhouse in Co Durham while her two grandsons potter around.
After decades feeling ashamed of having lost everything when she handed back the keys to her beloved post office in the northeast of England, Brown is now in the spotlight. As the oldest member of the Justice for Sub-postmasters Alliance, founded by Sir Alan Bates, she is demanding justice — and payouts — for wronged sub-postmasters.
A year after the Post Office scandal came to prominence, thanks to the hit ITV series Mr Bates vs The Post Office, victims are still waiting for their claims to be settled. Sub-postmasters lost thousands of pounds, their jobs and in some cases their homes when the company’s Horizon computer system, rolled out in branches in the early 2000s, proved defective.
Now Brown and hundreds of other sub-postmasters are trapped in an Kafka-esque nightmare. A team of government-funded independent psychologists, forensic accountants and lawyers have been deployed to assess individuals and come up with a “financial redress” figure for them to claim compensation. Yet application forms filled with legal jargon can be filled out only by lawyers. The Department for Business and Trade aims to provide an offer in 40 working days. “The victims are being re-victimised,” says Brown.
At the same time claims are being contested by an “independent panel” in the Department for Business and Trade. Many sub-postmasters, after spending hours filling out forms, have been offered as little as 10 per cent of their total claim amounts. Brown has been offered 29 per cent. Bates, the leader of a group of sub-postmasters who 2019 won a High Court Group Litigation Order (GLO) case against the Post Office, was initially offered 16 per cent of his claim. His second offer was upped to about 30 per cent. He has still not accepted and has forwarded his claim to be reviewed again by Sir Ross Cranston.
“It’s disgusting,” says Brown. “I had nothing to do with the amount that’s on that claim because it’s independently assessed,” she says.
Many of the group have been left feeling as if they are being tested again — and are stuck in a deadlock, where the government is refusing to pay out. And Brown is not getting any younger.
If Starmer paid the sub postmasters full compensation now, it would do more than any other act to restore his popularity.
The WASPI crowd would go bananas if money was found for that (even considering their call for 'compensation' is a different level entirely).
Let them.
They’ve lost.
A hardcore will never give up but they have, to all intents and purposes, lost and rightly wont get a penny.
Will I get compensation as I’ve no recollection of a letter telling me my pension age has gone up twice, from 65 to 66 to 67 ? Of course not and neither should I
Post Office scandal has real victims. WASPI lot are entitled boomers.
You had to have been living on Mars not to know that pension ages were changing. These people are just the perfect illustration of the decline in principles, grifters looking for something for nothing. As you say lots of people lost , both my wife and I got stiffed , not nice but I knew it was coming for many years.
Ed Davey likely would make a decent PM, certainly better than two others on that list.
He comes from a party that hasn't produced prime ministers for a hundred years however.
Ed Davey reminds me of Rory Kinnear who did make a decent PM.
On his last outing Kinnear came close to killing a former Tory campaign manager which might be considered by Sir Ed for his next stunt.
While I am partisan, I do genuinely think that Sir Ed is wildly underestimated. I think his clear move towards Rejoin is carving out unique territory for the Lib Dems, and he also has some very impressive people on the Lib Dem benches. People know that Farage is a media creature and Brexit is now an unambiguous failure. Few of the extremely partisan commentators in the media give him the time of day, but it is Sir Ed, not Farage, that has the Parliamentary advantage. Watch this space for astute and intelligent moves.
I’m surprised at the Lib Dem’s who want to dump their leader. In favour of whom exactly? By what metric do they think they are not doing well enough and who/how could this be improved?
Here's a metric:
Since the GE Labour have dropped from 35% to around 25%. But the LibDems have flatlined.
Not good enough.
The Lib Dem strategy has been totally and successfully focused on target seats. The national share was irrelevant. 100 seats at 50% and the rest at 5% gives a national share of about 13%, which is a meaningless measure.
However this strategy limits the Lib Dems to being a junior party in a coalition (hiss) or C&S.
I think there will be a change to a more national campaign (on top of the local campaigns) to broaden the ambition. Ed Davey's recent call for joining the customs union might a sign of that.
National share will then become an important metric.
While the targeting at the GE was, of course, very successful, you must be concerned that the LDs have failed to progress as Labour support has declined?
I am back from visiting the in-laws in India. Is the SMO over yet?
The tories have a lot of problems but their biggest problem, Olukemi, is at least one they can do something about. At this point they might as well let her take the hit for the locals before they fuck her off. She'll be the fifth tory leader that SKS has seen off.
She is a symptom of the problem, not the problem.
The Tories have lost touch with what they stand for. Instead of being the party of small business they became the party of fuck business. Instead of being the party of the Union they became the party of partitioning off NI. Instead of being the party of fiscal prudence and low taxes they vastly increased both the national debt and taxes, and managed to leave us broke for good measure.
For a long time, Tory leaders would look fondly back onto Thatcher and say "I am she". Like corrupted Caesars in Rome, they say it but have long forgotten what it is they are supposed to be replicating. Take Kemi away and replace her, and they'll get another idiot. We know that actual Tories still exist, but the party has long since stopped voting for them.
This is why they are being replaced by Reform. Hate him or despise him, Farage and his band of fukers have honed the message to cut through not just to the formerly Tory faithful but to the young and dispossessed as well. They *sound* like radical Tories. The actual Tories can't out radical them, and we can all see that they don't actually believe it.
I think the Tories' future is as the M&S to Reform's Tesco. Better heeled, more rural shires based, potentially leaning into broader based fundraising from wealthier members rather than huge money donations from the likes of Hester to make the sums add up. More solutions-based too - use their greater political knowledge base to create more detailed and workable policy proposals rather than just cries of anger (not that I am against cries of anger).
That's a way to securing the party's future and potentially being the power behind a future right-wing Government. I'm not sure it's the way back to being the dominant party of Government in a two-party system, but that ship may have sailed.
Ed Davey likely would make a decent PM, certainly better than two others on that list.
He comes from a party that hasn't produced prime ministers for a hundred years however.
Ed Davey reminds me of Rory Kinnear who did make a decent PM.
On his last outing Kinnear came close to killing a former Tory campaign manager which might be considered by Sir Ed for his next stunt.
While I am partisan, I do genuinely think that Sir Ed is wildly underestimated. I think his clear move towards Rejoin is carving out unique territory for the Lib Dems, and he also has some very impressive people on the Lib Dem benches. People know that Farage is a media creature and Brexit is now an unambiguous failure. Few of the extremely partisan commentators in the media give him the time of day, but it is Sir Ed, not Farage, that has the Parliamentary advantage. Watch this space for astute and intelligent moves.
I see him acting the clown but have heard not one word before or after the election , he is invisible. Appears to have no opinion on anything or any policies to solve our woes. If they are impressive these Lib Dems are very good at hiding their light under a bushel.
He does do a great line in twatting about in a pond though, so there's that.
By the way Elon Musk is a twat who ruins everything he touches.
It is now close to impossible to embed Tweets in thread headers.
In the past all you had to do was post a link to the Tweet, now you have to arse around for five mins with embed codes.
As of yesterday I am now dark on Twitter. As entertaining as watching the cultural skip fire was, I have better things to do with my time. Plus as I listened to Jess Phillips on the Electoral Disfunction podcast she said something that opened my eyes.
The furore about her blew up as Musk started tweeting. She hadn't a clue because she doesn't have Twitter any more - she had to be told. There's the winning strategy - don't look up...
I don't see the benefit for a politician. It increases the odds youll say something stupid and get caught, no one engages with an MP positively that way, and you'll get told if theres stuff on twitter you need to know.
Politicians and billionaires for that matter just create opportunity to look as foolish as the rest if us if they spend time on social media.
Especially if they like a drink or Ketamin.
I have two Twitter accounts. I'd long since stopped posting on my personal one - once I had to go and expunge stuff from the past it became a pain in the bum. Then I created one for my YouTube profile and was using it to mine info on Tesla. Problem is that the best sources of info are also in the Musk lunacy bubble. So I went onto the "For You" tab to see what the Muskorithm wanted to serve me.
Its lunacy. I don't watch GBeebies or TalkTV because I don't have time to waste being fed guff. Yet there I was doomscrolling Twitter, agog at the mass of people waiting for the second coming of the great prophet Tommy.
As Spike the Vampire said mid-song, bugger this.
This post deserves a like merely for the Spike reference.
Once More with Feeling indeed. I've been singing along with the Twitter lunacy, feeling increasingly perplexed about the lyrics. Until suddenly you get that moment of clarity, look at yourself, say "bugger this" and walk.
I used the same analogy when I literally walked out of the Labour Party after nearly 25 years.
I assume it’s an ironic take on Tory comments about young people and avocado on toast / Netflix / not being able to buy a house.
Not if you read the article
They worked out it would be £65 if she bought steak every day and calculated it was 55% more than the average weekly spend on lunch
Given that she (rightly) earns more than 155% of the average wage, that is quite economical of her. If I worked near one I am sure I would have one occasionally, especially as you can get it in a low carb version (you can order it with spinach instead of a carb). One if the reasons I rarely buy lunch these days is it is very difficult to buy a low carb lunch with enough calories in, whereas I can make one easy peasy
Ed Davey likely would make a decent PM, certainly better than two others on that list.
He comes from a party that hasn't produced prime ministers for a hundred years however.
Ed Davey reminds me of Rory Kinnear who did make a decent PM.
On his last outing Kinnear came close to killing a former Tory campaign manager which might be considered by Sir Ed for his next stunt.
While I am partisan, I do genuinely think that Sir Ed is wildly underestimated. I think his clear move towards Rejoin is carving out unique territory for the Lib Dems, and he also has some very impressive people on the Lib Dem benches. People know that Farage is a media creature and Brexit is now an unambiguous failure. Few of the extremely partisan commentators in the media give him the time of day, but it is Sir Ed, not Farage, that has the Parliamentary advantage. Watch this space for astute and intelligent moves.
I see him acting the clown but have heard not one word before or after the election , he is invisible. Appears to have no opinion on anything or any policies to solve our woes. If they are impressive these Lib Dems are very good at hiding their light under a bushel.
He does do a great line in twatting about in a pond though, so there's that.
Yes and for sure could not be worse than Starmer. So few choices now that he may well get a chance.
I assume it’s an ironic take on Tory comments about young people and avocado on toast / Netflix / not being able to buy a house.
Not if you read the article
They worked out it would be £65 if she bought steak every day and calculated it was 55% more than the average weekly spend on lunch
Given that she (rightly) earns more than 155% of the average wage, that is quite economical of her. If I worked near one I am sure I would have one occasionally, especially as you can get it in a low carb version (you can order it with spinach instead of a carb). One if the reasons I rarely buy lunch these days is it is very difficult to buy a low carb lunch with enough calories in, whereas I can make one easy peasy
I applaud her for getting a lunch that she feels she performs well on. However, the results so far from the steak do little to undermine the case for veganism.
I assume it’s an ironic take on Tory comments about young people and avocado on toast / Netflix / not being able to buy a house.
I thought that at first but not from the journalists twitter feed where he just doubles down on it. Unless that is simply him tweeting for clicks.
Is the Mirror really capable of that level of irony ? I’ve not read it for donkeys.
The Star seems more that inclined, I don’t read the Mirror either but the connection seems too obvious not to be the trigger.
£12.70 is actually quite reasonable for a steak.
you would struggle hard to get a burger outside McDonalds basic , for that nowadays
Good morning
A local restaurant is offering fish and chips for 2 for £27.50
I really do not know how people afford to eat out regularly
Coming from solid NE Scottish fishing stock my good lady likes nothing better than haddock and chips, and I cook it regularly for us.
It costs just £5.00 for the 2 of us including petit pois peas
And as for Kemi's lunchtime steak have we really become this banal ?
It's to do with the fact that many young people can't afford houses, and how the Right blamed it on them buying avocados, Starbucks coffee, and other Woke comestibles.
Rightly or wrongly - but this is politics and there is (just about) enough logic in the matter to suit.
This reminded me, where is Priti Patel? I've heard not a peep from her since the leadership election. According to this she's been defending Boris's immigration policy, and oddly she did seem on a bit of a journey leftward during the leadership race. If there were ever a time for Priti Patel, it's now, so it's odd how she's gone so off the boil.
This reminded me, where is Priti Patel? I've heard not a peep from her since the leadership election. According to this she's been defending Boris's immigration policy, and oddly she did seem on a bit of a journey leftward during the leadership race. If there were ever a time for Priti Patel, it's now, so it's odd how she's gone so off the boil.
She won’t want to be saying anything that would be a hostage to fortune if she is contemplating moving to Reform.
Wait until they see what JohnO and myself spend on our PB Tory lunches.
You two don't lunch together daily. The implication in her case is £12.70 a day - implying well upward of £2K a year.
And it's not so long ago that Gen Xers and millennials' lack of housing was blamed by Tories on a liking for avocados.
Edit: I have no particuiar opinion on the matter myself. But one can see how it goes down (so to speak) in a society where a Sainsbury or Boots Meal Deal is luxury for many.
It's bugger all to do with what she spends, I suspect. More a comment on her sandwich ukase.
I think the Tories need to find their version of Pierre Polievre to be really successful. I've watched a few of his videos and the way he explains complicated concepts to voters is brilliant and the way he's able to link it back to poor government policy is deadly.
I don't know who that person is or if they're even an MP. If Kemi wants to succeed she could do a lot worse than to take lessons from him and straight up copy the style.
Wonder if they will consider our recent decision on the matter - sometimes courts consider cases in other similar legal jurisdictions...
Canadian commentators have done so, though ive seen at least one anti Trudeau legal commentator say its awful but not unlawful.
IIRC the surprise with our decision amongst legal scholars was that the supreme court considered it "justiciable" at all. Once they decided it was, and thus felt able to consider the matter, I don't think many were surprised by the actual judgement.
I wasn’t really a fan of the ruling. I think Parliament is entitled to set its own rules and limits on the principles of prorogation. I was not convinced that the courts had a role at that point. The fact that I thought the actions of the Johnson government highly questionable were neither here nor there - it was for the public to judge him on his actions, in my view.
I am sure a lot of constitutional lawyers would disagree with me - just how I saw it.
Parliament is. But if wants to do so on a matter governed by existing law, it has to legislate.
Ed Davey likely would make a decent PM, certainly better than two others on that list.
He comes from a party that hasn't produced prime ministers for a hundred years however.
Ed Davey reminds me of Rory Kinnear who did make a decent PM.
On his last outing Kinnear came close to killing a former Tory campaign manager which might be considered by Sir Ed for his next stunt.
While I am partisan, I do genuinely think that Sir Ed is wildly underestimated. I think his clear move towards Rejoin is carving out unique territory for the Lib Dems, and he also has some very impressive people on the Lib Dem benches. People know that Farage is a media creature and Brexit is now an unambiguous failure. Few of the extremely partisan commentators in the media give him the time of day, but it is Sir Ed, not Farage, that has the Parliamentary advantage. Watch this space for astute and intelligent moves.
I see him acting the clown but have heard not one word before or after the election , he is invisible. Appears to have no opinion on anything or any policies to solve our woes. If they are impressive these Lib Dems are very good at hiding their light under a bushel.
Just this week I had that Ed Davey being highly praised in the only rag I ever read - the FT. Malcolm, it was a speech on forming a customs' union with the EU.
What is all this shit about "appears to have no opinion"? He's a politician: he's got opinions and policies on everything.
I assume it’s an ironic take on Tory comments about young people and avocado on toast / Netflix / not being able to buy a house.
I thought that at first but not from the journalists twitter feed where he just doubles down on it. Unless that is simply him tweeting for clicks.
Is the Mirror really capable of that level of irony ? I’ve not read it for donkeys.
The Star seems more that inclined, I don’t read the Mirror either but the connection seems too obvious not to be the trigger.
£12.70 is actually quite reasonable for a steak.
you would struggle hard to get a burger outside McDonalds basic , for that nowadays
Good morning
A local restaurant is offering fish and chips for 2 for £27.50
I really do not know how people afford to eat out regularly
Coming from solid NE Scottish fishing stock my good lady likes nothing better than haddock and chips, and I cook it regularly for us.
It costs just £5.00 for the 2 of us including petit pois peas
And as for Kemi's lunchtime steak have we really become this banal ?
It's to do with the fact that many young people can't afford houses, and how the Right blamed it on them buying avocados, Starbucks coffee, and other Woke comestibles.
Rightly or wrongly - but this is politics and there is (just about) enough logic in the matter to suit.
I am not of that mindset and think Kemi needs to think long and hard on how she can change young people's lives for the better
She certainly has questioned the sustainability of the triple lock which by 2029 will cost £169 billion, more than Education and Defence combined
Starmer has guaranteed the triple lock for the parliament and boasts about it, whilst his new treasury minister, Torsten Bell, is very much against it
There just has to be a rebalance to workers and young people from feather nesting pensioners, and in particular wealthy ones
This reminded me, where is Priti Patel? I've heard not a peep from her since the leadership election. According to this she's been defending Boris's immigration policy, and oddly she did seem on a bit of a journey leftward during the leadership race. If there were ever a time for Priti Patel, it's now, so it's odd how she's gone so off the boil.
It is always time for Priti Patel.
I've incorrectly tipped her to be the next Tory leader at least 3 times already!
This reminded me, where is Priti Patel? I've heard not a peep from her since the leadership election. According to this she's been defending Boris's immigration policy, and oddly she did seem on a bit of a journey leftward during the leadership race. If there were ever a time for Priti Patel, it's now, so it's odd how she's gone so off the boil.
She won’t want to be saying anything that would be a hostage to fortune if she is contemplating moving to Reform.
Ed Davey likely would make a decent PM, certainly better than two others on that list.
He comes from a party that hasn't produced prime ministers for a hundred years however.
Ed Davey reminds me of Rory Kinnear who did make a decent PM.
On his last outing Kinnear came close to killing a former Tory campaign manager which might be considered by Sir Ed for his next stunt.
While I am partisan, I do genuinely think that Sir Ed is wildly underestimated. I think his clear move towards Rejoin is carving out unique territory for the Lib Dems, and he also has some very impressive people on the Lib Dem benches. People know that Farage is a media creature and Brexit is now an unambiguous failure. Few of the extremely partisan commentators in the media give him the time of day, but it is Sir Ed, not Farage, that has the Parliamentary advantage. Watch this space for astute and intelligent moves.
I’m surprised at the Lib Dem’s who want to dump their leader. In favour of whom exactly? By what metric do they think they are not doing well enough and who/how could this be improved?
Here's a metric:
Since the GE Labour have dropped from 35% to around 25%. But the LibDems have flatlined.
Not good enough.
The Lib Dem strategy has been totally and successfully focused on target seats. The national share was irrelevant. 100 seats at 50% and the rest at 5% gives a national share of about 13%, which is a meaningless measure.
However this strategy limits the Lib Dems to being a junior party in a coalition (hiss) or C&S.
I think there will be a change to a more national campaign (on top of the local campaigns) to broaden the ambition. Ed Davey's recent call for joining the customs union might a sign of that.
National share will then become an important metric.
While the targeting at the GE was, of course, very successful, you must be concerned that the LDs have failed to progress as Labour support has declined?
Puzzled rather than concerned.
Looking at the latest YouGov poll, Labour has lost 30% of its GE vote. 10% to LD, 8% to Ref, 5% to Green and 5% to Con (Sub Sample 650) So more to LD than Reform, but small sample.
LDs have also lost 8% of its GE vote back to Labour. Presumably Labour LD tactical voters moving back to Labour in answering the poll.
One day, Jimmy Carter's mother, Lillian, was being interviewed by a reporter. Hoping for a "gotcha", the reporter asked, "Does your son ever tell a lie?" Mrs. Carter replied, "Well, I imagine sometimes he'll tell a little white lie".
The reporter pressed on. "What's your definition of a white lie?"
Mrs. Carter replied, "Well, when I answered the door, I said it was nice to meet you."
Ed Davey likely would make a decent PM, certainly better than two others on that list.
He comes from a party that hasn't produced prime ministers for a hundred years however.
Ed Davey reminds me of Rory Kinnear who did make a decent PM.
On his last outing Kinnear came close to killing a former Tory campaign manager which might be considered by Sir Ed for his next stunt.
While I am partisan, I do genuinely think that Sir Ed is wildly underestimated. I think his clear move towards Rejoin is carving out unique territory for the Lib Dems, and he also has some very impressive people on the Lib Dem benches. People know that Farage is a media creature and Brexit is now an unambiguous failure. Few of the extremely partisan commentators in the media give him the time of day, but it is Sir Ed, not Farage, that has the Parliamentary advantage. Watch this space for astute and intelligent moves.
I’m surprised at the Lib Dem’s who want to dump their leader. In favour of whom exactly? By what metric do they think they are not doing well enough and who/how could this be improved?
Here's a metric:
Since the GE Labour have dropped from 35% to around 25%. But the LibDems have flatlined.
Not good enough.
The Lib Dem strategy has been totally and successfully focused on target seats. The national share was irrelevant. 100 seats at 50% and the rest at 5% gives a national share of about 13%, which is a meaningless measure.
However this strategy limits the Lib Dems to being a junior party in a coalition (hiss) or C&S.
I think there will be a change to a more national campaign (on top of the local campaigns) to broaden the ambition. Ed Davey's recent call for joining the customs union might a sign of that.
National share will then become an important metric.
While the targeting at the GE was, of course, very successful, you must be concerned that the LDs have failed to progress as Labour support has declined?
Puzzled rather than concerned.
Looking at the latest YouGov poll, Labour has lost 30% of its GE vote. 10% to LD, 8% to Ref, 5% to Green and 5% to Con (Sub Sample 650) So more to LD than Reform, but small sample.
LDs have also lost 8% of its GE vote back to Labour. Presumably Labour LD tactical voters moving back to Labour in answering the poll.
Lib Dem support before the election was so correlated with Labour support that for the party to be flat is not too bad.
Performance at the next election will be all about how well or badly the Tories perform. If they bounce back then the Lib Dems lose seats even if they gain share. But if Reform surges at Tory expense then that’s much better news for LD. It also helps them to self-define as the opposite to Reform.
Ed Davey likely would make a decent PM, certainly better than two others on that list.
He comes from a party that hasn't produced prime ministers for a hundred years however.
Ed Davey reminds me of Rory Kinnear who did make a decent PM.
On his last outing Kinnear came close to killing a former Tory campaign manager which might be considered by Sir Ed for his next stunt.
While I am partisan, I do genuinely think that Sir Ed is wildly underestimated. I think his clear move towards Rejoin is carving out unique territory for the Lib Dems, and he also has some very impressive people on the Lib Dem benches. People know that Farage is a media creature and Brexit is now an unambiguous failure. Few of the extremely partisan commentators in the media give him the time of day, but it is Sir Ed, not Farage, that has the Parliamentary advantage. Watch this space for astute and intelligent moves.
I’m surprised at the Lib Dem’s who want to dump their leader. In favour of whom exactly? By what metric do they think they are not doing well enough and who/how could this be improved?
Here's a metric:
Since the GE Labour have dropped from 35% to around 25%. But the LibDems have flatlined.
Not good enough.
The Lib Dem strategy has been totally and successfully focused on target seats. The national share was irrelevant. 100 seats at 50% and the rest at 5% gives a national share of about 13%, which is a meaningless measure.
However this strategy limits the Lib Dems to being a junior party in a coalition (hiss) or C&S.
I think there will be a change to a more national campaign (on top of the local campaigns) to broaden the ambition. Ed Davey's recent call for joining the customs union might a sign of that.
National share will then become an important metric.
While the targeting at the GE was, of course, very successful, you must be concerned that the LDs have failed to progress as Labour support has declined?
Puzzled rather than concerned.
Looking at the latest YouGov poll, Labour has lost 30% of its GE vote. 10% to LD, 8% to Ref, 5% to Green and 5% to Con (Sub Sample 650) So more to LD than Reform, but small sample.
LDs have also lost 8% of its GE vote back to Labour. Presumably Labour LD tactical voters moving back to Labour in answering the poll.
Haven't the LDs lost any support back to the Tories? Round here on the Hants/Surrey border there was a big swing to the LDs in Tory seats where Labour normally come nowhere
This reminded me, where is Priti Patel? I've heard not a peep from her since the leadership election. According to this she's been defending Boris's immigration policy, and oddly she did seem on a bit of a journey leftward during the leadership race. If there were ever a time for Priti Patel, it's now, so it's odd how she's gone so off the boil.
It is always time for Priti Patel.
I've incorrectly tipped her to be the next Tory leader at least 3 times already!
Must be even more galling that she's one of the few who HASN'T been Tory leader in recent years...
This reminded me, where is Priti Patel? I've heard not a peep from her since the leadership election. According to this she's been defending Boris's immigration policy, and oddly she did seem on a bit of a journey leftward during the leadership race. If there were ever a time for Priti Patel, it's now, so it's odd how she's gone so off the boil.
She is representing the conservative party at Trump's inauguration tomorrow
Almost everybody on here is writing Kemi Bad off. But she's only been in the job for three months.
You're all assuming she's incapable of change.
Badenoch isnt doing as badly as some say, but it’s fair to say she isn’t doing great, either.
She’s leading the Tories at a time no-one wants to listen to them and after a historic defeat. I have said before that anyone they chose as a leader would be finding it hard to get a hearing at the moment. Kemi’s low ratings are partly to do with this.
Her goal is to get that hearing and really the only way she can do so is to start to talk about policy.
But let’s be honest she also needs to sharpen up and be more incisive.
The United States actually more despotic than China now.
Really? Have you tried to Google "Tiananmen Square" from China recently?
I don't think even in China a major corporation like Tik Tok would put up an official notice saying your service depends entirely on Xi Jinping's whim. In Trump's America on the other hand ...
Almost everybody on here is writing Kemi Bad off. But she's only been in the job for three months.
You're all assuming she's incapable of change.
Badenoch isnt doing as badly as some say, but it’s fair to say she isn’t doing great, either.
She’s leading the Tories at a time no-one wants to listen to them and after a historic defeat. I have said before that anyone they chose as a leader would be finding it hard to get a hearing at the moment. Kemi’s low ratings are partly to do with this.
Her goal is to get that hearing and really the only way she can do so is to start to talk about policy.
But let’s be honest she also needs to sharpen up and be more incisive.
She's got one thing right: Tory priority must be to take on Reform.
The LDs are the Tories eternal rivals, but they're not an existential threat, like Reform.
At most, LDs can take Tory seats, but Reform can take away the Tory birthright.
The United States actually more despotic than China now.
Really? Have you tried to Google "Tiananmen Square" from China recently?
I don't think even in China a major corporation like Tik Tok would put up an official notice saying your service depends entirely on Xi Jinping's whim. In Trump's America on the other hand ...
It’s an obvious way of exerting political pressure.
The United States actually more despotic than China now.
Really? Have you tried to Google "Tiananmen Square" from China recently?
I don't think even in China a major corporation like Tik Tok would put up an official notice saying your service depends entirely on Xi Jinping's whim. In Trump's America on the other hand ...
NOTA gets 44%, is that a record and more worthy of the headline?
It has been higher in the past, notably in the Johnson/Corbyn era.
These polling figures are odd of course, but predictable. What remains odd is that in the political world there is a lack of a sense of the next tier of stellar leadership at different places on the greasy pole. Labour have one or two prominent figures but no more than that. The Tories have none at all, not even a few vague names. The LDs have none. And - this could be important - Reform have none. The SNP have Kate Forbes. Weird; and a bit troubling.
Welcome to the age of the SpAd.
Have any of our party leaders ever worked as a Spad?
Indeed maybe that's the problem, insufficient study of policy development.
Spadification is more of a general name for the blandification and narrowing of the political class now, rather than a direct descriptor as its a holdover from around the Cameron/Ed M era
Neither current leader may fit that particular mould, but theres a lot fewer 'normal' MPs than existed historically nonetheless.
Look at the biographies of the new LibDem intake if you want to see some MPs with diverse real world experience.
I think the Tories need to find their version of Pierre Polievre to be really successful. I've watched a few of his videos and the way he explains complicated concepts to voters is brilliant and the way he's able to link it back to poor government policy is deadly.
I don't know who that person is or if they're even an MP. If Kemi wants to succeed she could do a lot worse than to take lessons from him and straight up copy the style.
I don’t think there's a huge issue with Kemi's style (though I'm sure you're right about Poilevre) - it's the substance, or lack of it, that is damaging her.
This piece from a hopeful would-be candidate (I really have to read Conhome less) strikes a desparate tone:
To misquote Margaret Thatcher, if you have to tell people that you’re change, you’re not. This is not 1975. Badenoch almost seems frustrated by how badly Labour are doing, since it robs her of the two years of sitting back and writing Stepping Stones 2 to which she feels she is entitled. But time is the one thing she really doesn’t have. Does she realise the existential threat that we face?
Whether Kemi has paused policy announcements due to concern about dividing the PCP (which is now at least 50% lib dem in sympathy), to conceal her own political views, genuinely wanting this long soul searching process, or a combination of all of the above, it is just going to get worse if she keeps piping up trying to 'oppose' when she has no alternative ideas.
One day, Jimmy Carter's mother, Lillian, was being interviewed by a reporter. Hoping for a "gotcha", the reporter asked, "Does your son ever tell a lie?" Mrs. Carter replied, "Well, I imagine sometimes he'll tell a little white lie".
The reporter pressed on. "What's your definition of a white lie?"
Mrs. Carter replied, "Well, when I answered the door, I said it was nice to meet you."
Almost everybody on here is writing Kemi Bad off. But she's only been in the job for three months.
You're all assuming she's incapable of change.
Badenoch isnt doing as badly as some say, but it’s fair to say she isn’t doing great, either.
She’s leading the Tories at a time no-one wants to listen to them and after a historic defeat. I have said before that anyone they chose as a leader would be finding it hard to get a hearing at the moment. Kemi’s low ratings are partly to do with this.
Her goal is to get that hearing and really the only way she can do so is to start to talk about policy.
But let’s be honest she also needs to sharpen up and be more incisive.
She's got one thing right: Tory priority must be to take on Reform.
The LDs are the Tories eternal rivals, but they're not an existential threat, like Reform.
At most, LDs can take Tory seats, but Reform can take away the Tory birthright.
The only meaningful way to 'take on Reform' is to get elected instead of them. The best way to get elected instead of them is to be seen as the more effective opposition and the better Government-in-waiting. Attacking Reform does neither of those things - it just adds to the rattled impression. Farage will be delighted if Kemi continues to rage at his party.
This reminded me, where is Priti Patel? I've heard not a peep from her since the leadership election. According to this she's been defending Boris's immigration policy, and oddly she did seem on a bit of a journey leftward during the leadership race. If there were ever a time for Priti Patel, it's now, so it's odd how she's gone so off the boil.
It is always time for Priti Patel.
I've incorrectly tipped her to be the next Tory leader at least 3 times already!
Must be even more galling that she's one of the few who HASN'T been Tory leader in recent years...
Patel is featured in today's Telegraph about the Chagos Islands:
Almost everybody on here is writing Kemi Bad off. But she's only been in the job for three months.
You're all assuming she's incapable of change.
Badenoch isnt doing as badly as some say, but it’s fair to say she isn’t doing great, either.
She’s leading the Tories at a time no-one wants to listen to them and after a historic defeat. I have said before that anyone they chose as a leader would be finding it hard to get a hearing at the moment. Kemi’s low ratings are partly to do with this.
Her goal is to get that hearing and really the only way she can do so is to start to talk about policy.
But let’s be honest she also needs to sharpen up and be more incisive.
She's got one thing right: Tory priority must be to take on Reform.
The LDs are the Tories eternal rivals, but they're not an existential threat, like Reform.
At most, LDs can take Tory seats, but Reform can take away the Tory birthright.
Depends. If the Tories didn't exist about a third of their current voters would normally go LD even if 2/3 would normally go Reform. So to be distinctive Kemi needs to ensure they keep a middle way between the 2
This reminded me, where is Priti Patel? I've heard not a peep from her since the leadership election. According to this she's been defending Boris's immigration policy, and oddly she did seem on a bit of a journey leftward during the leadership race. If there were ever a time for Priti Patel, it's now, so it's odd how she's gone so off the boil.
It is always time for Priti Patel.
I've incorrectly tipped her to be the next Tory leader at least 3 times already!
Priti just been on GB news in DC as she has been invited to the inaugration by Trump's team
Shows that the "tax relief" proposals of the AfD and FDP will mostly benefit the rich, other parties benefit the less rich Eg
It (FDP program) is really lucrative for those with high or top incomes: a single-income couple with two children with an exemplary gross annual income of 180,000 euros would receive around 19,190 if the AfD program were implemented. It would be 11,990 for the FDP and 5,840 euros for the Union. With the SPD program, this family would have 2,200 euros more at their disposal. With the Greens, income would increase by 100 euros, with the BSW it would remain unchanged. Only the Left's program would reduce income by around 800 euros.
So much for the AfD being against the elites!
Also
A single-income couple with two children and a gross income of 40,000 euros would be better off financially if the election programs of the Left Party (plus 6,150 euros/year), the BSW (plus 1,010 euros), the Greens (plus 870 euros) or the SPD (plus 860 euros) were implemented. With the Union's program, it would still be 300 euros more per year.If the election programs of the FDP or AfD were implemented, this family would have less money at its disposal, according to the ZEW. For the AfD, it would be 440 euros less per year, and for the FDP, 1,520 euros less.
The FDP are an interesting bunch. Members of the ALDE bloc but very different from any others in that group.
The only European party with what I’d describe as full on Thatcherite “neoliberal” policies. Forget orange book, more like a Tory party run by 1990s vintage John Redwood and Peter Lilley but with more socially liberal views. It’s a brave position to be in these days.
Sounds pretty ideal from my perspective. Bit like the Tories under Cameron/Osborne. Socially liberal, fiscally conservative. Oh, those were the days. I frankly wonder if I will ever vote with any enthusiasm again.
This reminded me, where is Priti Patel? I've heard not a peep from her since the leadership election. According to this she's been defending Boris's immigration policy, and oddly she did seem on a bit of a journey leftward during the leadership race. If there were ever a time for Priti Patel, it's now, so it's odd how she's gone so off the boil.
It is always time for Priti Patel.
I've incorrectly tipped her to be the next Tory leader at least 3 times already!
Must be even more galling that she's one of the few who HASN'T been Tory leader in recent years...
Patel is featured in today's Telegraph about the Chagos Islands:
I think the Tories need to find their version of Pierre Polievre to be really successful. I've watched a few of his videos and the way he explains complicated concepts to voters is brilliant and the way he's able to link it back to poor government policy is deadly.
I don't know who that person is or if they're even an MP. If Kemi wants to succeed she could do a lot worse than to take lessons from him and straight up copy the style.
Poilievre has the advantage though his party has lost 3 consecutive general elections and been in opposition for nearly 10 years, so he has 'time for a change' behind him
Ed Davey likely would make a decent PM, certainly better than two others on that list.
He comes from a party that hasn't produced prime ministers for a hundred years however.
Ed Davey reminds me of Rory Kinnear who did make a decent PM.
On his last outing Kinnear came close to killing a former Tory campaign manager which might be considered by Sir Ed for his next stunt.
While I am partisan, I do genuinely think that Sir Ed is wildly underestimated. I think his clear move towards Rejoin is carving out unique territory for the Lib Dems, and he also has some very impressive people on the Lib Dem benches. People know that Farage is a media creature and Brexit is now an unambiguous failure. Few of the extremely partisan commentators in the media give him the time of day, but it is Sir Ed, not Farage, that has the Parliamentary advantage. Watch this space for astute and intelligent moves.
I’m surprised at the Lib Dem’s who want to dump their leader. In favour of whom exactly? By what metric do they think they are not doing well enough and who/how could this be improved?
Here's a metric:
Since the GE Labour have dropped from 35% to around 25%. But the LibDems have flatlined.
Not good enough.
The Lib Dem strategy has been totally and successfully focused on target seats. The national share was irrelevant. 100 seats at 50% and the rest at 5% gives a national share of about 13%, which is a meaningless measure.
However this strategy limits the Lib Dems to being a junior party in a coalition (hiss) or C&S.
I think there will be a change to a more national campaign (on top of the local campaigns) to broaden the ambition. Ed Davey's recent call for joining the customs union might a sign of that.
National share will then become an important metric.
While the targeting at the GE was, of course, very successful, you must be concerned that the LDs have failed to progress as Labour support has declined?
Labour supporters leaving the party are heading left to the Greens and the Gaza parties. Or going to Reform.
Not sure that the Lib Dens are fishing in either pool.
Shows that the "tax relief" proposals of the AfD and FDP will mostly benefit the rich, other parties benefit the less rich Eg
It (FDP program) is really lucrative for those with high or top incomes: a single-income couple with two children with an exemplary gross annual income of 180,000 euros would receive around 19,190 if the AfD program were implemented. It would be 11,990 for the FDP and 5,840 euros for the Union. With the SPD program, this family would have 2,200 euros more at their disposal. With the Greens, income would increase by 100 euros, with the BSW it would remain unchanged. Only the Left's program would reduce income by around 800 euros.
So much for the AfD being against the elites!
Also
A single-income couple with two children and a gross income of 40,000 euros would be better off financially if the election programs of the Left Party (plus 6,150 euros/year), the BSW (plus 1,010 euros), the Greens (plus 870 euros) or the SPD (plus 860 euros) were implemented. With the Union's program, it would still be 300 euros more per year.If the election programs of the FDP or AfD were implemented, this family would have less money at its disposal, according to the ZEW. For the AfD, it would be 440 euros less per year, and for the FDP, 1,520 euros less.
The FDP are an interesting bunch. Members of the ALDE bloc but very different from any others in that group.
The only European party with what I’d describe as full on Thatcherite “neoliberal” policies. Forget orange book, more like a Tory party run by 1990s vintage John Redwood and Peter Lilley but with more socially liberal views. It’s a brave position to be in these days.
Sounds pretty ideal from my perspective. Bit like the Tories under Cameron/Osborne. Socially liberal, fiscally conservative. Oh, those were the days. I frankly wonder if I will ever vote with any enthusiasm again.
Problem is socially liberal and fiscally conservative is normally a pretty niche position, hence Clegg's LDs got just 8% here in 2015 and the FDP are now polling at less than 5% on average and their highest ever voteshare was 15% in the 2009 German election.
Macron has probably been the most electorally successful national leader as an economic and social liberal but even he started off as Finance Minister in a Socialist PM's Cabinet and run runoff elections mainly to keep out the far right. Yet now finds his party squeezed between Melenchon's party to his left and Le Pen's party to his right
Wonder if they will consider our recent decision on the matter - sometimes courts consider cases in other similar legal jurisdictions...
Canadian commentators have done so, though ive seen at least one anti Trudeau legal commentator say its awful but not unlawful.
That was a reasonable analysis of Boris's 3 day prorogation, until the SC got involved with politics in a doomed and counterproductive attempt to keep the UK in the EU by hook or by crook.
Shows that the "tax relief" proposals of the AfD and FDP will mostly benefit the rich, other parties benefit the less rich Eg
It (FDP program) is really lucrative for those with high or top incomes: a single-income couple with two children with an exemplary gross annual income of 180,000 euros would receive around 19,190 if the AfD program were implemented. It would be 11,990 for the FDP and 5,840 euros for the Union. With the SPD program, this family would have 2,200 euros more at their disposal. With the Greens, income would increase by 100 euros, with the BSW it would remain unchanged. Only the Left's program would reduce income by around 800 euros.
So much for the AfD being against the elites!
Also
A single-income couple with two children and a gross income of 40,000 euros would be better off financially if the election programs of the Left Party (plus 6,150 euros/year), the BSW (plus 1,010 euros), the Greens (plus 870 euros) or the SPD (plus 860 euros) were implemented. With the Union's program, it would still be 300 euros more per year.If the election programs of the FDP or AfD were implemented, this family would have less money at its disposal, according to the ZEW. For the AfD, it would be 440 euros less per year, and for the FDP, 1,520 euros less.
The FDP are an interesting bunch. Members of the ALDE bloc but very different from any others in that group.
The only European party with what I’d describe as full on Thatcherite “neoliberal” policies. Forget orange book, more like a Tory party run by 1990s vintage John Redwood and Peter Lilley but with more socially liberal views. It’s a brave position to be in these days.
Sounds pretty ideal from my perspective. Bit like the Tories under Cameron/Osborne. Socially liberal, fiscally conservative. Oh, those were the days. I frankly wonder if I will ever vote with any enthusiasm again.
Problem is socially liberal and fiscally conservative is normally a pretty niche position, hence Clegg's LDs got just 8% here in 2015 and the FDP are now polling at less than 5% on average and their highest ever voteshare was 15% in the 2009 German election
Yeah, my late father always liked to say, "be reasonable, do it my way." But most didn't.
Under pressure from Reform Badenoch seems to want to pursue the populist route. She may pick up some votes that way from Reform but she risks losing as many such as me.
Comments
I’m at the golf.
So, how long before Richard Tice become the "MP for Skegness and Dubai", just as Sir Stuart Bell was the MP for Middlesbrough and Paris?
Aside: I had missed the "Woke Milk" conspiracy theory that Tice and Lowe were promoting in December.
https://archive.is/20241208174904/https://www.thetimes.com/uk/healthcare/article/arla-bovaer-engineered-milk-conspiracy-hs70qm9xl
Its lunacy. I don't watch GBeebies or TalkTV because I don't have time to waste being fed guff. Yet there I was doomscrolling Twitter, agog at the mass of people waiting for the second coming of the great prophet Tommy.
As Spike the Vampire said mid-song, bugger this.
I'd make Farage just under evens to be better than Truss, though that could be poor judgement of how bad it could be in international relations.
A Pizza Hut, a Pizza Hut, Kentucky Fried Chicken and a Pizza Hut
McDonalds, McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken and a Pizza Hut
McDonalds, McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken and a Pizza Hut
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOC9d17vASc
I am sure a lot of constitutional lawyers would disagree with me - just how I saw it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diHcpZvBjT0
He covers Musk very well (I had forgotten the time he referred to the rescuer of the boys in the caves as a peodo). @leon won't be amused.
He also covers very well certain media coverage of Starmer and Labour and Labour's poor performance so far:
a) They have put themselves in an impossible corner re tax/spending/borrowing
b) Certain parts of the media (replicated on here by the usual suspects) of it's a disaster within minutes of taking office. It may well be, but really you had no idea if that was the case after 5 minutes and even after a few days the worse it could be said was 'Well what exactly are you going to do, because so far you haven't really said anything meaningful'
*This* is authentic golf course.
https://www.google.com/maps/@59.3212293,-2.9982709,3a,62.5y,350.39h,90.44t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sGHBhpRUQFF73bWAEt0hbow!2e0!6shttps://streetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com/v1/thumbnail?cb_client=maps_sv.tactile&w=900&h=600&pitch=-0.4408717435639318&panoid=GHBhpRUQFF73bWAEt0hbow&yaw=350.3875310388946!7i13312!8i6656?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDExNS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw==
Edit: *also in Florida, Arizona, etc.
That said, there is an opportunity for the LDs. Davey needs some eye catching policies and to set himself up in opposition now. They need to pivot from the friendly opposition to being more critical now.
They worked out it would be £65 if she
bought steak every day and calculated it was 55% more than the average weekly spend on lunch
Since the GE Labour have dropped from 35% to around 25%. But the LibDems have flatlined.
Not good enough.
They’ve lost.
A hardcore will never give up but they have, to all intents and purposes, lost and rightly wont get a penny.
Will I get compensation as I’ve no recollection of a letter telling me my pension age has gone up twice, from 65 to 66 to 67 ? Of course not and neither should I
Post Office scandal has real victims. WASPI lot are entitled boomers.
However this strategy limits the Lib Dems to being a junior party in a coalition (hiss) or C&S.
I think there will be a change to a more national campaign (on top of the local campaigns) to broaden the ambition. Ed Davey's recent call for joining the customs union might a sign of that.
National share will then become an important metric.
As you say lots of people lost , both my wife and I got stiffed , not nice but I knew it was coming for many years.
That's a way to securing the party's future and potentially being the power behind a future right-wing Government. I'm not sure it's the way back to being the dominant party of Government in a two-party system, but that ship may have sailed.
I used the same analogy when I literally walked out of the Labour Party after nearly 25 years.
A local restaurant is offering fish and chips for 2 for £27.50
I really do not know how people afford to eat out regularly
Coming from solid NE Scottish fishing stock my good lady likes nothing better than haddock and chips, and I cook it regularly for us.
It costs just £5.00 for the 2 of us including petit pois peas
And as for Kemi's lunchtime steak have we really become this banal ?
Does she take it with French or English?
Er, French or English mustard, I mean.
Rightly or wrongly - but this is politics and there is (just about) enough logic in the matter to suit.
https://conservativehome.com/2025/01/19/our-survey-jenrick-is-conservativehome-readers-2024-mp-of-the-year/
This reminded me, where is Priti Patel? I've heard not a peep from her since the leadership election. According to this she's been defending Boris's immigration policy, and oddly she did seem on a bit of a journey leftward during the leadership race. If there were ever a time for Priti Patel, it's now, so it's odd how she's gone so off the boil.
More a comment on her sandwich ukase.
I don't know who that person is or if they're even an MP. If Kemi wants to succeed she could do a lot worse than to take lessons from him and straight up copy the style.
But if wants to do so on a matter governed by existing law, it has to legislate.
What is all this shit about "appears to have no opinion"? He's a politician: he's got opinions and policies on everything.
She certainly has questioned the sustainability of the triple lock which by 2029 will cost £169 billion, more than Education and Defence combined
Starmer has guaranteed the triple lock for the parliament and boasts about it, whilst his new treasury minister, Torsten Bell, is very much against it
There just has to be a rebalance to workers and young people from feather nesting pensioners, and in particular wealthy ones
I've incorrectly tipped her to be the next Tory leader at least 3 times already!
Are you all assuming she's incapable of change?
She MAY be.
You're all assuming she's incapable of change.
Looking at the latest YouGov poll, Labour has lost 30% of its GE vote. 10% to LD, 8% to Ref, 5% to Green and 5% to Con (Sub Sample 650)
So more to LD than Reform, but small sample.
LDs have also lost 8% of its GE vote back to Labour. Presumably Labour LD tactical voters moving back to Labour in answering the poll.
One day, Jimmy Carter's mother, Lillian, was being interviewed by a reporter. Hoping for a "gotcha", the reporter asked, "Does your son ever tell a lie?" Mrs. Carter replied, "Well, I imagine sometimes he'll tell a little white lie".
The reporter pressed on. "What's your definition of a white lie?"
Mrs. Carter replied, "Well, when I answered the door, I said it was nice to meet you."
They, like Kemi, are probably capable of learning from their early mistakes.
Performance at the next election will be all about how well or badly the Tories perform. If they bounce back then the Lib Dems lose seats even if they gain share. But if Reform surges at Tory expense then that’s much better news for LD. It also helps them to self-define as the opposite to Reform.
She’s leading the Tories at a time no-one wants to listen to them and after a historic defeat. I have said before that anyone they chose as a leader would be finding it hard to get a hearing at the moment. Kemi’s low ratings are partly to do with this.
Her goal is to get that hearing and really the only way she can do so is to start to talk about policy.
But let’s be honest she also needs to sharpen up and be more incisive.
The LDs are the Tories eternal rivals, but they're not an existential threat, like Reform.
At most, LDs can take Tory seats, but Reform can take away the Tory birthright.
This piece from a hopeful would-be candidate (I really have to read Conhome less) strikes a desparate tone:
https://conservativehome.com/2025/01/17/does-badenoch-realise-just-how-much-trouble-our-party-is-in/
Whether Kemi has paused policy announcements due to concern about dividing the PCP (which is now at least 50% lib dem in sympathy), to conceal her own political views, genuinely wanting this long soul searching process, or a combination of all of the above, it is just going to get worse if she keeps piping up trying to 'oppose' when she has no alternative ideas.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2025/01/19/priti-patel-interview/
COMPETITION
(and hat tip to the poster, I forget who, whose template I copied my answers into)
Highest share of the vote in 2025 with a BPC registered pollster in a GB wide poll for each of Lab, Con, LD, Reform.
Lab: 35 Con: 31 LD: 17 Ref: 29
Lowest share of the vote in 2025 with a BPC registered pollster in a GB wide poll for each of Lab, Con, LD, Reform.
Lab: 20 Con: 18 LD: 9 Ref: 18
Number of Reform MPs on 31/12/2025.
7
Number of Tory MP defectors to Reform in 2025.
2
Number of Westminster by-elections held in 2025.
4
Number of ministers to leave the Westminster cabinet during 2025.
3
Number of seats won by the AfD in the 2025 German Federal Election.
130
UK CPI figure for November 2025 (Nov 2024 = 2.6%).
2.6%
UK borrowing in the financial year-to-November 2025 (Year to Nov 2024 = £113.2bn).
£100bn
UK GDP growth in the 12 months to October 2025 (Oct 23 to Oct 24 = 1.3%).
1.5%
US growth annualised rate in Q3 2025 (Q3 2024 = 3.1%).
2.3%
EU growth Q3 2024 to Q3 2025 (2024 = 1.0%).
1.5%
USD/Ruble exchange rate at London FOREX close on 31/12/2025 (31/12/2024 = 114 USD/RUB).
$1 = 135 Rubles
The result of the 2025-2026 Ashes series (2023 series: Drawn 2–2).
Aus 3 Eng 1
Not sure that the Lib Dens are fishing in either pool.
Macron has probably been the most electorally successful national leader as an economic and social liberal but even he started off as Finance Minister in a Socialist PM's Cabinet and run runoff elections mainly to keep out the far right. Yet now finds his party squeezed between Melenchon's party to his left and Le Pen's party to his right
And this one is what? Three months?
Under pressure from Reform Badenoch seems to want to pursue the populist route. She may pick up some votes that way from Reform but she risks losing as many such as me.
(good read btw: thank you)