If today you’re confidently predicting the next general election result… – politicalbetting.com

A missed opportunity! Where was that Farage photo we were promised?

TheScreamingEagles said:

Can you spot on that first graph when Liz Truss become PM?

Well, if she hadn't murdered our beloved Queen...

Until the little Transatlantic difficulty is sorted, I don't think any of this matters very much.

"Can you still afford to eat out?
Tim Hayward"

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/can-you-still-afford-to-eat-out/?homepage-tracking=high_density-article-1

Yes, at Wetherspoons.

Nigelb said:

Until the little Transatlantic difficulty is sorted, I don't think any of this matters very much.

It’s only going to get more dramatic over the next few weeks. Project 2025 is well and truly happening. And you’re right, rather like Covid or the financial crisis or Iraq war, how European governments respond to the nouse coming out of the US is going to dominate everything else for a while.

Andy_JS said:

"Can you still afford to eat out?
Tim Hayward"

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/can-you-still-afford-to-eat-out/?homepage-tracking=high_density-article-1

Yes, at Wetherspoons.

Good to see we've moved on the the height of the cost of living crisis, when the question was: "Can you still afford to eat owt?"

FrancisUrquhart said:

JosiasJessop said:

I was just in a local shop after my swim, and a very young boy in a pushchair was drinking a can of Red Bull. The mother said something like: "Shut up and drink your Red Bull." I reckon the kid was three or four.

My flabber was well and truly ghasted.

I was recently had to endure one of those peasant wagons and it appeared that this was the defacto standard drink of choice for mothers to give to their young kids. Not sure what will be worse the caffeine high or the caffeine crash.....

Three or four years of age obviously too young for vaping, they get their first one when they turn five.

I recall when my ex's youngest found the Red Bull. She drank several. She was a hyperactive child (literally) with a development disorder.

The ensuing couple of hours was entertaining, in kind of "This must never happen again" kind of way. Fortunately the child was fine - just crashed out and had big nap in the end.

My ex made sure no Red Bull ever entered the house again.

Malmesbury said:

FrancisUrquhart said:

JosiasJessop said:

I was just in a local shop after my swim, and a very young boy in a pushchair was drinking a can of Red Bull. The mother said something like: "Shut up and drink your Red Bull." I reckon the kid was three or four.

My flabber was well and truly ghasted.

I was recently had to endure one of those peasant wagons and it appeared that this was the defacto standard drink of choice for mothers to give to their young kids. Not sure what will be worse the caffeine high or the caffeine crash.....

Three or four years of age obviously too young for vaping, they get their first one when they turn five.

I recall when my ex's youngest found the Red Bull. She drank several. She was a hyperactive child (literally) with a development disorder.

The ensuing couple of hours was entertaining, in kind of "This must never happen again" kind of way. Fortunately the child was fine - just crashed out and had big nap in the end.

My ex made sure no Red Bull ever entered the house again.

I tasted it once.
And poured the rest of the can down the drain.

Nigelb said:

Malmesbury said:

FrancisUrquhart said:

JosiasJessop said:

I was just in a local shop after my swim, and a very young boy in a pushchair was drinking a can of Red Bull. The mother said something like: "Shut up and drink your Red Bull." I reckon the kid was three or four.

My flabber was well and truly ghasted.

I was recently had to endure one of those peasant wagons and it appeared that this was the defacto standard drink of choice for mothers to give to their young kids. Not sure what will be worse the caffeine high or the caffeine crash.....

Three or four years of age obviously too young for vaping, they get their first one when they turn five.

I recall when my ex's youngest found the Red Bull. She drank several. She was a hyperactive child (literally) with a development disorder.

The ensuing couple of hours was entertaining, in kind of "This must never happen again" kind of way. Fortunately the child was fine - just crashed out and had big nap in the end.

My ex made sure no Red Bull ever entered the house again.

I tasted it once.
And poured the rest of the can down the drain.

No more blocked drains then...

Selebian said:

Andy_JS said:

"Can you still afford to eat out?
Tim Hayward"

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/can-you-still-afford-to-eat-out/?homepage-tracking=high_density-article-1

Yes, at Wetherspoons.

Good to see we've moved on the the height of the cost of living crisis, when the question was: "Can you still afford to eat owt?"

I see a genuine change out there. The younger people at the rowing club don't go to the pub casually. It's a planned event, that costs them money they miss. I'm talking about young professionals. They try and avoid eating in the pub - not because the food is bad, but because 15 quid is a massive chunk out of their budgets.

They don't even think about the restaurants along the river.

If you could pick anyone to be PM who would it be, constraints are they have to be alive eligible and they cannot be a leader of a political party.

I would like to see what would happen at a Mick Lynch / Trump summit.

Malmesbury said:

Selebian said:

Andy_JS said:

"Can you still afford to eat out?
Tim Hayward"

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/can-you-still-afford-to-eat-out/?homepage-tracking=high_density-article-1

Yes, at Wetherspoons.

Good to see we've moved on the the height of the cost of living crisis, when the question was: "Can you still afford to eat owt?"

I see a genuine change out there. The younger people at the rowing club don't go to the pub casually. It's a planned event, that costs them money they miss. I'm talking about young professionals. They try and avoid eating in the pub - not because the food is bad, but because 15 quid is a massive chunk out of their budgets.

They don't even think about the restaurants along the river.

I don't think its just younger people. I certainly don't go for a pub lunch anywhere near as often as I used to. Went on Christmas Eve to meets some friends and was north of £150 bill for 4 of us (and this wasn't in the SE)...that isn't sustainable for most people as a regular activity.

TheScreamingEagles said:

FrancisUrquhart said:

Andy_JS said:

"Can you still afford to eat out?
Tim Hayward"

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/can-you-still-afford-to-eat-out/?homepage-tracking=high_density-article-1

Yes, at Wetherspoons.

Does that count as eating food though?

I once ate at a Wetherspoons, in 2018, near Durham railway station.

I haven't been that scared since I visited Baghdad in 2004.

There is a Spoons by the bus station in Bridgend. Years ago I would pass it having parked my car in Tesco Brewery Field car park on my way to the NatWest bank for 9.30. The Giro earners were already lining their lagers up for their morning session.

Tim Spoons is the unacceptable face of Capitalism.

I'm making no predictions. However, I do wonder whether Mr Farage is more helped by name recognition or hindered by not being a fresh face.

eek said:

Malmesbury said:

Selebian said:

Andy_JS said:

"Can you still afford to eat out?
Tim Hayward"

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/can-you-still-afford-to-eat-out/?homepage-tracking=high_density-article-1

Yes, at Wetherspoons.

Good to see we've moved on the the height of the cost of living crisis, when the question was: "Can you still afford to eat owt?"

I see a genuine change out there. The younger people at the rowing club don't go to the pub casually. It's a planned event, that costs them money they miss. I'm talking about young professionals. They try and avoid eating in the pub - not because the food is bad, but because 15 quid is a massive chunk out of their budgets.

They don't even think about the restaurants along the river.

Yep - I know how lucky I am that I can dine out wherever I want - none of my local friends can do the same.

The ones I see in London are my age so have the similar amount of spare cash to be able to eat out when they want to.

The one thing that really puts off my (younger) friends is the service charge which is written in really small font on the menu.

Luckyguy1983 said:

Of course Reform might not win the next election. Not sure I find this list of 'what ifs' terribly convincing though. Especially the bits about Badenoch and/or Labour thundering back to popularity. Really? What would cause that, the possibility of a third Heathrow runway appearing years after they leave office? And how is Badenoch going to relaunch her leadership ‐ she's not doing anything! No policies, few interviews, few speeches, no live events. By contrast Reform are everywhere.

Still, at least it's not ‐ 'Nigel's ego won't let him share the limelight with anyone; Reform will break apart in a matter of weeks'.

There are four more years to go, this is the equivalent of forecasting the last election around the time of the vaccines launch.

TheScreamingEagles said:

eek said:

Malmesbury said:

Selebian said:

Andy_JS said:

"Can you still afford to eat out?
Tim Hayward"

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/can-you-still-afford-to-eat-out/?homepage-tracking=high_density-article-1

Yes, at Wetherspoons.

Good to see we've moved on the the height of the cost of living crisis, when the question was: "Can you still afford to eat owt?"

I see a genuine change out there. The younger people at the rowing club don't go to the pub casually. It's a planned event, that costs them money they miss. I'm talking about young professionals. They try and avoid eating in the pub - not because the food is bad, but because 15 quid is a massive chunk out of their budgets.

They don't even think about the restaurants along the river.

Yep - I know how lucky I am that I can dine out wherever I want - none of my local friends can do the same.

The ones I see in London are my age so have the similar amount of spare cash to be able to eat out when they want to.

The one thing that really puts off my (younger) friends is the service charge which is written in really small font on the menu.

If Starmer wants a boost in his popularity rating, outlawing this creeping Americanisation would be an easy win. I am off to Trumpistan shortly and am not looking forward to the constant 20-25% service charge on every bloody thing.

Yes at the moment while Labour will lose seats to Reform and the Tories on current polls, the Tories will gain barely any seats they lost to the LDs last year. So the most likely result is a Labour minority government propped up by the LDs unless Reform can increase its voteshare further or the Tories make inroads into the LD vote (and at present the Tories are only tied with the LDs with Remainers).

Interestingly on the who would make the best PM poll ratings translated to voteshares and seats you would get Reform 245 MPs, Labour 210, LDs 85, SNP 33 and Tories just 13. So likely Reform most seats but a Labour led government still supported by the LDs and SNP (though Badenoch underperforms her party's voteshare by 12% compared to 4% for Starmer and just 2% for Farage)

https://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/fcgi-bin/usercode.py?scotcontrol=N&CON=12&LAB=21&LIB=12&Reform=23&Green=7&UKIP=&TVCON=&TVLAB=&TVLIB=&TVReform=&TVGreen=&TVUKIP=&SCOTCON=&SCOTLAB=&SCOTLIB=&SCOTReform=&SCOTGreen=&SCOTUKIP=&SCOTNAT=&display=AllChanged&regorseat=(none)&boundary=2024

Luckyguy1983 said:

TimS said:

Nigelb said:

Until the little Transatlantic difficulty is sorted, I don't think any of this matters very much.

It’s only going to get more dramatic over the next few weeks. Project 2025 is well and truly happening. And you’re right, rather like Covid or the financial crisis or Iraq war, how European governments respond to the nouse coming out of the US is going to dominate everything else for a while.

Not for the first time, we appear to be positioned rather well due to Brexit.

Don't forget that Brexit is a failure, as I keep seeing on this forum. No one defines what that failure is, mind.

@jessehawken

The thing that sucks the most about this trade dispute is that it validates what Lucas was saying in THE PHANTOM MENACE

TheScreamingEagles said:

FrancisUrquhart said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

FrancisUrquhart said:

Andy_JS said:

"Can you still afford to eat out?
Tim Hayward"

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/can-you-still-afford-to-eat-out/?homepage-tracking=high_density-article-1

Yes, at Wetherspoons.

Does that count as eating food though?

I once ate at a Wetherspoons, in 2018, near Durham railway station.

I haven't been that scared since I visited Baghdad in 2004.

To be fair, 15 years ago, it wasn't that bad. Reasonably priced microwaved fare, but that is pretty standard at loads of those popular chain restaurants of the 2010s (none of which were any good and charged even more money). The sunday lunch they did were pass-able, but they cut that quite a while ago now as clearly it was too expensive for their rock bottom price business model.

The bigger issue with Wetherspoons has always been the clientele it attracts. Often it appears a day centre for those with a range of issues.

The one in Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester, their clientele often go there before their appearance in court a few minutes away by foot.

I suppose if one is anticipating a 2 year stretch for GBH, sinking five pints for elevensies is a sensible precaution.

Gardenwalker said:

Malmesbury said:

Selebian said:

Andy_JS said:

"Can you still afford to eat out?
Tim Hayward"

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/can-you-still-afford-to-eat-out/?homepage-tracking=high_density-article-1

Yes, at Wetherspoons.

Good to see we've moved on the the height of the cost of living crisis, when the question was: "Can you still afford to eat owt?"

I see a genuine change out there. The younger people at the rowing club don't go to the pub casually. It's a planned event, that costs them money they miss. I'm talking about young professionals. They try and avoid eating in the pub - not because the food is bad, but because 15 quid is a massive chunk out of their budgets.

They don't even think about the restaurants along the river.

I have a friend who is a trainee barrister.
Late 20s. Can’t afford to eat out regularly at all.

How much of that is down to their rent/mortgage taking every spare penny they have?

Chat GPT's factual information hasn't been improved. My question was how many votes did George HW Bush receive at the 1988 US presidential election in DC.

"In the 1988 U.S. presidential election, George H.W. Bush received 47,728 votes in the District of Columbia (DC), which amounted to approximately 71% of the total votes cast in DC. His Democratic opponent, Michael Dukakis, received 19,208 votes, or around 29% of the vote in the district.

Bush’s strong performance in DC was part of his broader victory in the election, where he won the presidency by a wide margin."

Andy_JS said:

Chat GPT's factual information hasn't been improved. My question was how many votes did George HW Bush receive at the 1988 US presidential election in DC.

"In the 1988 U.S. presidential election, George H.W. Bush received 47,728 votes in the District of Columbia (DC), which amounted to approximately 71% of the total votes cast in DC. His Democratic opponent, Michael Dukakis, received 19,208 votes, or around 29% of the vote in the district.

Bush’s strong performance in DC was part of his broader victory in the election, where he won the presidency by a wide margin."

Is that the same answer that it gave using previous models or is it spewing out random numbers each time? They have definitely had issues in the past relying far too much on nonsense posted on reddit which contaminated the datasets to the extent it assigned a whole special token to a username made of random numbers / letters.

FrancisUrquhart said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

eek said:

Malmesbury said:

Selebian said:

Andy_JS said:

"Can you still afford to eat out?
Tim Hayward"

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/can-you-still-afford-to-eat-out/?homepage-tracking=high_density-article-1

Yes, at Wetherspoons.

Good to see we've moved on the the height of the cost of living crisis, when the question was: "Can you still afford to eat owt?"

I see a genuine change out there. The younger people at the rowing club don't go to the pub casually. It's a planned event, that costs them money they miss. I'm talking about young professionals. They try and avoid eating in the pub - not because the food is bad, but because 15 quid is a massive chunk out of their budgets.

They don't even think about the restaurants along the river.

Yep - I know how lucky I am that I can dine out wherever I want - none of my local friends can do the same.

The ones I see in London are my age so have the similar amount of spare cash to be able to eat out when they want to.

The one thing that really puts off my (younger) friends is the service charge which is written in really small font on the menu.

If Starmer wants a boost in his popularity rating, outlawing this creeping Americanisation would be an easy win. I am off to Trumpistan shortly and am not looking forward to the constant 20-25% service charge on every bloody thing.

Indeed, last year I had a fun experience at Covent Garden restaurant, the food was lovely but the service was terrible, you'd ask for things three or four times before they arrived, sometimes twenty minutes after you asked.

I thought about not paying the service charge but then thought I'm going to look like a real shit if I don't pay the 15% service charge.

TheScreamingEagles said:

FrancisUrquhart said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

eek said:

Malmesbury said:

Selebian said:

Andy_JS said:

"Can you still afford to eat out?
Tim Hayward"

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/can-you-still-afford-to-eat-out/?homepage-tracking=high_density-article-1

Yes, at Wetherspoons.

Good to see we've moved on the the height of the cost of living crisis, when the question was: "Can you still afford to eat owt?"

I see a genuine change out there. The younger people at the rowing club don't go to the pub casually. It's a planned event, that costs them money they miss. I'm talking about young professionals. They try and avoid eating in the pub - not because the food is bad, but because 15 quid is a massive chunk out of their budgets.

They don't even think about the restaurants along the river.

Yep - I know how lucky I am that I can dine out wherever I want - none of my local friends can do the same.

The ones I see in London are my age so have the similar amount of spare cash to be able to eat out when they want to.

The one thing that really puts off my (younger) friends is the service charge which is written in really small font on the menu.

If Starmer wants a boost in his popularity rating, outlawing this creeping Americanisation would be an easy win. I am off to Trumpistan shortly and am not looking forward to the constant 20-25% service charge on every bloody thing.

Indeed, last year I had a fun experience at Covent Garden restaurant, the food was lovely but the service was terrible, you'd ask for things three or four times before they arrived, sometimes twenty minutes after you asked.

I thought about not paying the service charge but then thought I'm going to look like a real shit if I don't pay the 15% service charge.

Service in the U.S. is usually pretty good.

But how much is that tips, how much is that better management, and how much is that a culture which doesn’t look down on “service”?

FrancisUrquhart said:

Gardenwalker said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

FrancisUrquhart said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

eek said:

Malmesbury said:

Selebian said:

Andy_JS said:

"Can you still afford to eat out?
Tim Hayward"

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/can-you-still-afford-to-eat-out/?homepage-tracking=high_density-article-1

Yes, at Wetherspoons.

Good to see we've moved on the the height of the cost of living crisis, when the question was: "Can you still afford to eat owt?"

I see a genuine change out there. The younger people at the rowing club don't go to the pub casually. It's a planned event, that costs them money they miss. I'm talking about young professionals. They try and avoid eating in the pub - not because the food is bad, but because 15 quid is a massive chunk out of their budgets.

They don't even think about the restaurants along the river.

Yep - I know how lucky I am that I can dine out wherever I want - none of my local friends can do the same.

The ones I see in London are my age so have the similar amount of spare cash to be able to eat out when they want to.

The one thing that really puts off my (younger) friends is the service charge which is written in really small font on the menu.

If Starmer wants a boost in his popularity rating, outlawing this creeping Americanisation would be an easy win. I am off to Trumpistan shortly and am not looking forward to the constant 20-25% service charge on every bloody thing.

Indeed, last year I had a fun experience at Covent Garden restaurant, the food was lovely but the service was terrible, you'd ask for things three or four times before they arrived, sometimes twenty minutes after you asked.

I thought about not paying the service charge but then thought I'm going to look like a real shit if I don't pay the 15% service charge.

Service in the U.S. is usually pretty good.

But how much is that tips, how much is that better management, and how much is that a culture which doesn’t look down on “service”?

Try not tipping and see how good the service is next time....although if you aren't American some give you a free pass that you don't understand the quid pro quo.

Not tipping per drink normally will result in you standing at a bar like Billie No Mates for a very long time.

If it were a quid , pro quo it would be fine.

Jonathan said:

FrancisUrquhart said:

Gardenwalker said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

FrancisUrquhart said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

eek said:

Malmesbury said:

Selebian said:

Andy_JS said:

"Can you still afford to eat out?
Tim Hayward"

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/can-you-still-afford-to-eat-out/?homepage-tracking=high_density-article-1

Yes, at Wetherspoons.

Good to see we've moved on the the height of the cost of living crisis, when the question was: "Can you still afford to eat owt?"

I see a genuine change out there. The younger people at the rowing club don't go to the pub casually. It's a planned event, that costs them money they miss. I'm talking about young professionals. They try and avoid eating in the pub - not because the food is bad, but because 15 quid is a massive chunk out of their budgets.

They don't even think about the restaurants along the river.

Yep - I know how lucky I am that I can dine out wherever I want - none of my local friends can do the same.

The ones I see in London are my age so have the similar amount of spare cash to be able to eat out when they want to.

The one thing that really puts off my (younger) friends is the service charge which is written in really small font on the menu.

If Starmer wants a boost in his popularity rating, outlawing this creeping Americanisation would be an easy win. I am off to Trumpistan shortly and am not looking forward to the constant 20-25% service charge on every bloody thing.

Indeed, last year I had a fun experience at Covent Garden restaurant, the food was lovely but the service was terrible, you'd ask for things three or four times before they arrived, sometimes twenty minutes after you asked.

I thought about not paying the service charge but then thought I'm going to look like a real shit if I don't pay the 15% service charge.

Service in the U.S. is usually pretty good.

But how much is that tips, how much is that better management, and how much is that a culture which doesn’t look down on “service”?

Try not tipping and see how good the service is next time....although if you aren't American some give you a free pass that you don't understand the quid pro quo.

Not tipping per drink normally will result in you standing at a bar like Billie No Mates for a very long time.

If it were a quid , pro quo it would be fine.

That used to be the standard drink tip pre-COVID, but I haven't been to the US since. Mrs U has and told me to get ready for the shock, perhaps take something to calm yourself before entering any service based situation.

Gardenwalker said:

Stuartinromford said:

Gardenwalker said:

Malmesbury said:

Selebian said:

Andy_JS said:

"Can you still afford to eat out?
Tim Hayward"

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/can-you-still-afford-to-eat-out/?homepage-tracking=high_density-article-1

Yes, at Wetherspoons.

Good to see we've moved on the the height of the cost of living crisis, when the question was: "Can you still afford to eat owt?"

I see a genuine change out there. The younger people at the rowing club don't go to the pub casually. It's a planned event, that costs them money they miss. I'm talking about young professionals. They try and avoid eating in the pub - not because the food is bad, but because 15 quid is a massive chunk out of their budgets.

They don't even think about the restaurants along the river.

I have a friend who is a trainee barrister.
Late 20s. Can’t afford to eat out regularly at all.

How much of that is down to their rent/mortgage taking every spare penny they have?

I looked at the budget to try to help.
Primarily it is rent (for lodging in SE London, hardly glamorous), secondarily it is the cost of barrister exam fees which it seems the chambers in question doesn’t cover.

That doesn't seem on. Isn't it standard practice with most other industries for the company to pay for at least your first go at professional qualifying exams.

turbotubbs said:

Luckyguy1983 said:

TimS said:

Nigelb said:

Until the little Transatlantic difficulty is sorted, I don't think any of this matters very much.

It’s only going to get more dramatic over the next few weeks. Project 2025 is well and truly happening. And you’re right, rather like Covid or the financial crisis or Iraq war, how European governments respond to the nouse coming out of the US is going to dominate everything else for a while.

Not for the first time, we appear to be positioned rather well due to Brexit.

Don't forget that Brexit is a failure, as I keep seeing on this forum. No one defines what that failure is, mind.

Oh, I think the voters do:

The irony here is that Trump is clearly the most Anglophile POTUS since Reagan, at least

turbotubbs said:

Luckyguy1983 said:

TimS said:

Nigelb said:

Until the little Transatlantic difficulty is sorted, I don't think any of this matters very much.

It’s only going to get more dramatic over the next few weeks. Project 2025 is well and truly happening. And you’re right, rather like Covid or the financial crisis or Iraq war, how European governments respond to the nouse coming out of the US is going to dominate everything else for a while.

Not for the first time, we appear to be positioned rather well due to Brexit.

Don't forget that Brexit is a failure, as I keep seeing on this forum. No one defines what that failure is, mind.

@whatukthinks

Latest @BMGResearch poll for @theipaper.
#EURef2 vi: Join 45 (+1); Stay Out 37 (-3). Fwork 28-29.1.25 (ch since 26-27.11.24).

eek said:

Luckyguy1983 said:

TimS said:

Nigelb said:

Until the little Transatlantic difficulty is sorted, I don't think any of this matters very much.

It’s only going to get more dramatic over the next few weeks. Project 2025 is well and truly happening. And you’re right, rather like Covid or the financial crisis or Iraq war, how European governments respond to the nouse coming out of the US is going to dominate everything else for a while.

Not for the first time, we appear to be positioned rather well due to Brexit.

I suspect we are not well positioned and will discover the truth a few months down the line when we discover we need to make a painful decision on what side we fall

Why would we do anything so stupid? Do you think the EU will put tariffs on us for not joining them in putting them on the US? As far as I know we still have have a trade deficit with the EU so they would stand to lose more than us if they did that.

Or will the US put them on us for not putting them on the EU? Trade is about equal there, so they would stand to gain little.

As I said, fortunately positioned for once, though of course Sir Useless could contrive to bugger it up.

Luckyguy1983 said:

turbotubbs said:

Luckyguy1983 said:

TimS said:

Nigelb said:

Until the little Transatlantic difficulty is sorted, I don't think any of this matters very much.

It’s only going to get more dramatic over the next few weeks. Project 2025 is well and truly happening. And you’re right, rather like Covid or the financial crisis or Iraq war, how European governments respond to the nouse coming out of the US is going to dominate everything else for a while.

Not for the first time, we appear to be positioned rather well due to Brexit.

Don't forget that Brexit is a failure, as I keep seeing on this forum. No one defines what that failure is, mind.

It is one of those 'settled PB views'.

It’s the public’s settled view.
Ironically, the three or four people who still haven’t twigged that Brexit was a failure seem to post regularly on here.

Gardenwalker said:

Luckyguy1983 said:

turbotubbs said:

Luckyguy1983 said:

TimS said:

Nigelb said:

Until the little Transatlantic difficulty is sorted, I don't think any of this matters very much.

It’s only going to get more dramatic over the next few weeks. Project 2025 is well and truly happening. And you’re right, rather like Covid or the financial crisis or Iraq war, how European governments respond to the nouse coming out of the US is going to dominate everything else for a while.

Not for the first time, we appear to be positioned rather well due to Brexit.

Don't forget that Brexit is a failure, as I keep seeing on this forum. No one defines what that failure is, mind.

It is one of those 'settled PB views'.

It’s the public’s settled view.
Ironically, the three or four people who still haven’t twigged that Brexit was a failure seem to post regularly on here.

Similarly to the settled view of the Truss premiership, it's still highly contested here.

One thing rarely discussed is how the EU might have evolved differently, had we stayed in.

AI does tariffs.
https://x.com/ElytraMithra/status/1886064896447844654

Leon said:

The irony here is that Trump is clearly the most Anglophile POTUS since Reagan, at least

Nah, both Bushes were strong Anglophiles.

Sky reporting Mexico has conceded everything that Trump wanted and it is a big win for Trump

Skys words, not mine

Well this is interesting. A joint UK and Danish project to repurpose cheap Soviet-era air-to-air missiles into ground-based air defences for Ukraine.

Codename: Gravehawk.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m41VL0PSl7U

Well done to all involved, yet another example of war fostering innovation.

Foxy said:

turbotubbs said:

Luckyguy1983 said:

TimS said:

Nigelb said:

Until the little Transatlantic difficulty is sorted, I don't think any of this matters very much.

It’s only going to get more dramatic over the next few weeks. Project 2025 is well and truly happening. And you’re right, rather like Covid or the financial crisis or Iraq war, how European governments respond to the nouse coming out of the US is going to dominate everything else for a while.

Not for the first time, we appear to be positioned rather well due to Brexit.

Don't forget that Brexit is a failure, as I keep seeing on this forum. No one defines what that failure is, mind.

Oh, I think the voters do:

The economic shock of covid and then the Ukraine war have dwarfed effects of Brexit, but most people tend to conflate how shit things have gone with the former.

Big_G_NorthWales said:

Sky reporting Mexico has conceded everything that Trump wanted and it is a big win for Trump

Skys words, not mine

Colour me sceptical.

Gardenwalker said:

Luckyguy1983 said:

turbotubbs said:

Luckyguy1983 said:

TimS said:

Nigelb said:

Until the little Transatlantic difficulty is sorted, I don't think any of this matters very much.

It’s only going to get more dramatic over the next few weeks. Project 2025 is well and truly happening. And you’re right, rather like Covid or the financial crisis or Iraq war, how European governments respond to the nouse coming out of the US is going to dominate everything else for a while.

Not for the first time, we appear to be positioned rather well due to Brexit.

Don't forget that Brexit is a failure, as I keep seeing on this forum. No one defines what that failure is, mind.

It is one of those 'settled PB views'.

It’s the public’s settled view.
Ironically, the three or four people who still haven’t twigged that Brexit was a failure seem to post regularly on here.

And, yet, there is very little appetite to reopen or reverse it.

What you have to distinguish is those who think Brexit is a failure because it hasn't gone far enough, or the powers been taken advantage of enough, over those who think it was a fundamental mistake and should be reversed.

That's the bit your side keeps missing.

FrancisUrquhart said:

Gardenwalker said:

Stuartinromford said:

Gardenwalker said:

Malmesbury said:

Selebian said:

Andy_JS said:

"Can you still afford to eat out?
Tim Hayward"

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/can-you-still-afford-to-eat-out/?homepage-tracking=high_density-article-1

Yes, at Wetherspoons.

Good to see we've moved on the the height of the cost of living crisis, when the question was: "Can you still afford to eat owt?"

I see a genuine change out there. The younger people at the rowing club don't go to the pub casually. It's a planned event, that costs them money they miss. I'm talking about young professionals. They try and avoid eating in the pub - not because the food is bad, but because 15 quid is a massive chunk out of their budgets.

They don't even think about the restaurants along the river.

I have a friend who is a trainee barrister.
Late 20s. Can’t afford to eat out regularly at all.

How much of that is down to their rent/mortgage taking every spare penny they have?

I looked at the budget to try to help.
Primarily it is rent (for lodging in SE London, hardly glamorous), secondarily it is the cost of barrister exam fees which it seems the chambers in question doesn’t cover.

That doesn't seem on. Isn't it standard practice with most other industries for the company to pay for at least your first go at professional qualifying exams.

Seems to be the practice (or non-practice) at that chambers.

The other thing is that there’s a clear divide now between 20-somethings who have parental wealth behind them, and those who don’t.

Said wealth is often merely an artefact of house price inflation circa 1990-2015.

It breaks my heart, especially as I myself didn’t come from money (my father left school at 14 for example) and I just don’t know how I’d react were I to live my life again, knowing that I may never be able to afford those things that as a (very) late Gen Xer I’ve taken for granted.

I often wonder whether I’d simply have opted out of a professional career altogether.

turbotubbs said:

Scott_xP said:

turbotubbs said:

Luckyguy1983 said:

TimS said:

Nigelb said:

Until the little Transatlantic difficulty is sorted, I don't think any of this matters very much.

It’s only going to get more dramatic over the next few weeks. Project 2025 is well and truly happening. And you’re right, rather like Covid or the financial crisis or Iraq war, how European governments respond to the nouse coming out of the US is going to dominate everything else for a while.

Not for the first time, we appear to be positioned rather well due to Brexit.

Don't forget that Brexit is a failure, as I keep seeing on this forum. No one defines what that failure is, mind.

@whatukthinks

Latest @BMGResearch poll for @theipaper.
#EURef2 vi: Join 45 (+1); Stay Out 37 (-3). Fwork 28-29.1.25 (ch since 26-27.11.24).

Did they set out the terms of rejoin? I doubt it. Adopt the Euro, no rebate etc

Sweden are Euro-free and it is you Leavers who binned the rebate by leaving. Any future rejoin agreement will be inferior to what we threw away. Thanks Leavers.

Casino_Royale said:

Gardenwalker said:

Luckyguy1983 said:

turbotubbs said:

Luckyguy1983 said:

TimS said:

Nigelb said:

Until the little Transatlantic difficulty is sorted, I don't think any of this matters very much.

It’s only going to get more dramatic over the next few weeks. Project 2025 is well and truly happening. And you’re right, rather like Covid or the financial crisis or Iraq war, how European governments respond to the nouse coming out of the US is going to dominate everything else for a while.

Not for the first time, we appear to be positioned rather well due to Brexit.

Don't forget that Brexit is a failure, as I keep seeing on this forum. No one defines what that failure is, mind.

It is one of those 'settled PB views'.

It’s the public’s settled view.
Ironically, the three or four people who still haven’t twigged that Brexit was a failure seem to post regularly on here.

And, yet, there is very little appetite to reopen or reverse it.

What you have to distinguish is those who think Brexit is a failure because it hasn't gone far enough, or the powers been taken advantage of enough, over those who think it was a fundamental mistake and should be reversed.

That's the bit your side keeps missing.

I personally don’t favour a re-entry.
The juice is not worth ten years of squeeze right now.

That’s distinct from Brexit, which has delivered ten years of squeeze with no juice whatsoever.

It seems the reason why Elon Musk is so centered and closing down USAID is because of the roll USAID played in removing Apartheid in South Africa

Gardenwalker said:

Casino_Royale said:

Gardenwalker said:

Luckyguy1983 said:

turbotubbs said:

Luckyguy1983 said:

TimS said:

Nigelb said:

Until the little Transatlantic difficulty is sorted, I don't think any of this matters very much.

It’s only going to get more dramatic over the next few weeks. Project 2025 is well and truly happening. And you’re right, rather like Covid or the financial crisis or Iraq war, how European governments respond to the nouse coming out of the US is going to dominate everything else for a while.

Not for the first time, we appear to be positioned rather well due to Brexit.

Don't forget that Brexit is a failure, as I keep seeing on this forum. No one defines what that failure is, mind.

It is one of those 'settled PB views'.

It’s the public’s settled view.
Ironically, the three or four people who still haven’t twigged that Brexit was a failure seem to post regularly on here.

And, yet, there is very little appetite to reopen or reverse it.

What you have to distinguish is those who think Brexit is a failure because it hasn't gone far enough, or the powers been taken advantage of enough, over those who think it was a fundamental mistake and should be reversed.

That's the bit your side keeps missing.

I personally don’t favour a re-entry.
The juice is not worth ten years of squeeze right now.

That’s distinct from Brexit, which has delivered ten years of squeeze with no juice whatsoever.

Politics is the art of the possible, and if you compare our current situation with that of France or Germany, it's not obvious that not Brexiting would have given us dramatically better possibilities.

Gardenwalker said:

Casino_Royale said:

Gardenwalker said:

Luckyguy1983 said:

turbotubbs said:

Luckyguy1983 said:

TimS said:

Nigelb said:

Until the little Transatlantic difficulty is sorted, I don't think any of this matters very much.

It’s only going to get more dramatic over the next few weeks. Project 2025 is well and truly happening. And you’re right, rather like Covid or the financial crisis or Iraq war, how European governments respond to the nouse coming out of the US is going to dominate everything else for a while.

Not for the first time, we appear to be positioned rather well due to Brexit.

Don't forget that Brexit is a failure, as I keep seeing on this forum. No one defines what that failure is, mind.

It is one of those 'settled PB views'.

It’s the public’s settled view.
Ironically, the three or four people who still haven’t twigged that Brexit was a failure seem to post regularly on here.

And, yet, there is very little appetite to reopen or reverse it.

What you have to distinguish is those who think Brexit is a failure because it hasn't gone far enough, or the powers been taken advantage of enough, over those who think it was a fundamental mistake and should be reversed.

That's the bit your side keeps missing.

I personally don’t favour a re-entry.
The juice is not worth ten years of squeeze right now.

That’s distinct from Brexit, which has delivered ten years of squeeze with no juice whatsoever.

And, yet, it has. We have a more nimble foreign policy, we have different regulations on GM crops and on AI now, and this government has also taken advantage of some of the powers. We have a broader range of trade agreements. And our services exports to the EU are booming. Our domestic politics is no longer dominated by "ever closer union" federalism.

There is no form of EU membership I'd favour. Consider people like me dormant, but we'd absolutely rise up to fight again should a rejoin movement ever get political traction.

Not right for us then, not now, not ever.