Like King James VI & I can Farage unite two auld enemies under one crown? – politicalbetting.com
Comments
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The US government has basically fallen to a coup by companies owned or associated with Musk.Malmesbury said:
A CIO is a policy setting position. A CTO is the one who picks technologies….Fairliered said:
Sounds like a tech equivalent of Rachel Reeves.Scott_xP said:@davelevitan.bsky.social
NEW: Apparently the Dept of Energy has replaced its Chief Information Officer with a "network engineer from SpaceX" who has maybe run a service desk but has no other IT leadership experience, per a source with knowledge.
The DOE, among other things, oversees all nuclear security. So that's cool.
It's a fucking coup.
When are Americans gonna look up from watching the price of fucking eggs and realise?1 -
You present it like those are mutually exclusive optionsFoxy said:Did Rubio simply lie, or is he just thick?
https://bsky.app/profile/teroterotero.bsky.social/post/3lhjcmyi2b22t4 -
What a shame for the Tories we don't have PR.algarkirk said:
The Tories have had terrible times before, but I can't remember ever a time when politics watchers taking a long view might begin to wonder whether there is a way back. It's not the figures, though they are dire; it's the combination of calibre/quality and momentum of the parties who want to beat them seat by seat. In almost every seat - and they start with only a few - they are vulnerable to one of LD, Lab and Reform. If that combines, by the magic of voter momentum, to ensure only one of them is the real challenger in virtually every seat they hold, and most they don't, the Tories look finished.pigeon said:
What's left of it.TimS said:
The DNV number sounds a note of caution for them though. Will those people actually turn up.Eabhal said:
The tables are quite something too. Given '24 was a low turnout election...TimS said:Some interesting stats from that find out now poll.
First, for the right wing it’s mixed news. RefCon is on 47% vs 48% for LLG. That’s lower than most polls.
But it’s now getting a bit more consolidated. The ratio is 0.72. 0.66 is the point of no return. If it gets there then the Tories go the way of Les Republicains. Don’t disappear, but get relegated to a rural conservative heartland.
Second, the SPLORG is now on the march. This is 57% SPLORG. Would have been unheard of before the last election.- 15% of DNVs at GE '24 now say they would vote for Reform (compared with 8% for the Conservatives)
- 1/4 of the Conservative vote has gone to Reform
- Reform's overall voter retention is excellent, 86% compared with 54% for the Conservatives
This is the secret power of the Tories. Their voter base vote. Come hell or high water.
Who's still voting Conservative apart from the fraction of home owning pensioners who find Reform vulgar, angry farmers, a few rural Scottish Unionists, and Never Labour voters in straight Lab-Con contests? What use are they to anyone else?
The only thing that's surprising about Tory vote share is that it isn't even lower.0 - 15% of DNVs at GE '24 now say they would vote for Reform (compared with 8% for the Conservatives)
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Is there a list of top ten worst governors of the Bank of England?0
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Whatever it was originally it is now used as a sneering put down either by those who are ashamed of their own lack of erudition, or those who genuinely dislike, perhaps because they feel threatened by well-educated (shorthand: clever) people.StillWaters said:
The original phrase was “*trying to be*too clever by half”TOPPING said:
Is precisely what is wrong with the UK. We sneer at learning and education.kinabalu said:
Steady on. He reads books. Big challenging ones.maxh said:
Be careful. Your impersonation of a simpleton might make people suspicious of your claims of superlative IQ scores.Leon said:It’s ok PB @maxh has spoken
The UK just needs to get together with <<< checks notes >>> the mighty military forces of…. Er…. Ireland. And, I dunno, Portugal? Who? France no. Germany no. Maybe Peru? The Isle of Man? The guy down the chip shop who always eats eggs
Then…. Invade America
So we can
<<<<< checks notes again >>>>
Impose force on a chaotic American state
Yes
Oh I get it with you it's a defensive thing because it's one of several areas you are exposed and insecure and here you have an ally to criticise Leon.
But it is very sad that one of the most damning (damning of the UK) things people, people such as yourself say is "They're too clever by half."
Ie they were pretending to be more sophisticated than they are and were caught out
Take your pick.0 -
They are an Associate Member of the ICCTimS said:
I think he’s thinking of the ICC, which indeed the US didn’t opt into.kamski said:
The USA is part of the ICJ. They have a judge sitting on the ICJ (who was president of the court from 2021-2024). They have made more representations to the ICJ than any other country - including in the Chagos Islands case ruled on in 2019.Luckyguy1983 said:
He isn't 'doing something by the book'; he is making a policy decision to attempt to accede, at a vast monetary and Western security cost, with the non-legally binding verdict of a court that the USA (as an example) isn't even signed up to.kinabalu said:
"International law" is not a hard established concept but if everybody goes with the flow of the Trump "vibe shift" and decides to pay it no regard whatsoever, this imo isn't something to be celebrated. It would be a negative development.Luckyguy1983 said:
I know you know this, but it isn't even a case of what "The UN" has told us. The verdict of the so called court is purely advisory. It's not even that they can't enforce it - it has no legal weight. Following it is a policy choice, pure and simple.Sean_F said:
You really do believe that the world is led by nice people who do what the UN tells them.MoonRabbit said:
The Chagos island plan B. Let me explain it to you.Leon said:
Finally, I get itMoonRabbit said:
No.Leon said:Ahhh
It’s coz I keep getting shit RIGHT
That’s it? Isn’t it? That’s what freaks you out?!
Ahahahahah
You have utterly embarrassed yourself on Chagos deal 🥹
😈
Plan A wa UK, at request of US, expelling inhabitants off Chagos - concluding “forced deportations” in 1973. Ethnic cleansing carried out by both Tory and Labour government, on orders from Vietnam era Washington.
government of Mauritius successfully argued. in UN's highest court, it was illegally forced to give Chago away, the court ruled the UK's administration of the territory unlawful. In 2019, the International Court of Justice issued opinion UK did not have sovereignty over the Chagos Islands, administration of the whole archipelago should be handed over "as rapidly as possible" to Mauritius. The UN General Assembly gave UK 6 month deadline to begin process of handing over the islands. In 2021, UN International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, ruled Mauritius is sovereign over Chagos Islands.
If you want to be part of the institution settling international disputes, like UN, want others to abide by its decisions, and you lose a case in the courtroom, what would you do?
This question smokes out the daft populists amongst you. Does it depend upon what you merely regard as arbitrary international law, we can simply ignore without suffering any damage? Have cake and eat it membership of the UN? Or a leadership role?
In my opinion, for UK and US role in UN, it now needs a Plan B. If you think it UK Labour government Plan B, think again. As the US Plan A from 1968 hit the rocks, US told UK to use a cheat code to get round the legal difficulties, avoid hit to reputational damage of both countries – the century lease and banging them lolly does this - don’t even need to negotiate lease renewal and extra lolly for 95 years, all the while fully legally compliant.
I will be proved right in my analysis. Because despite their cakeist approach to international relations, this latest order from US to us to do their bidding, is probably going to be little different from Trump and his administration, than the instruction we got from Biden. When it’s all joined up together in the history books, it’s a clear example of USA - never a great friend of UK, definitely never a friend of UK colonialism - using UK as their bitch for the Cold War dirty work. To bastardise the UN rulings by bunging someone money in order to bypass the spirit of those rulings, is clearly underhand and morally wrong.
And When Trumps America enables “Starmer’s” Chagos deal to happen, it with prove everything in my analysis. Watch this space. ☺️
Alas, Pollyanna is no guide to realpolitik.
It has however afforded us the rich pleasure of seeing Moon Rabbit claim that everyone who disagrees with her is a daft populist only to have her post shat on by noted populist rabble rousers NigelB and Omnium.
So if Keir Starmer is to be mocked and lampooned for being "in thrall" to doing things by the book you can count me out. One thing much worse than being overly enamoured of rules is being contemptuous of them.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_International_Cricket_Council_members5 -
bad Public Relations?noneoftheabove said:
What a shame for the Tories we don't have PR.algarkirk said:
The Tories have had terrible times before, but I can't remember ever a time when politics watchers taking a long view might begin to wonder whether there is a way back. It's not the figures, though they are dire; it's the combination of calibre/quality and momentum of the parties who want to beat them seat by seat. In almost every seat - and they start with only a few - they are vulnerable to one of LD, Lab and Reform. If that combines, by the magic of voter momentum, to ensure only one of them is the real challenger in virtually every seat they hold, and most they don't, the Tories look finished.pigeon said:
What's left of it.TimS said:
The DNV number sounds a note of caution for them though. Will those people actually turn up.Eabhal said:
The tables are quite something too. Given '24 was a low turnout election...TimS said:Some interesting stats from that find out now poll.
First, for the right wing it’s mixed news. RefCon is on 47% vs 48% for LLG. That’s lower than most polls.
But it’s now getting a bit more consolidated. The ratio is 0.72. 0.66 is the point of no return. If it gets there then the Tories go the way of Les Republicains. Don’t disappear, but get relegated to a rural conservative heartland.
Second, the SPLORG is now on the march. This is 57% SPLORG. Would have been unheard of before the last election.- 15% of DNVs at GE '24 now say they would vote for Reform (compared with 8% for the Conservatives)
- 1/4 of the Conservative vote has gone to Reform
- Reform's overall voter retention is excellent, 86% compared with 54% for the Conservatives
This is the secret power of the Tories. Their voter base vote. Come hell or high water.
Who's still voting Conservative apart from the fraction of home owning pensioners who find Reform vulgar, angry farmers, a few rural Scottish Unionists, and Never Labour voters in straight Lab-Con contests? What use are they to anyone else?
The only thing that's surprising about Tory vote share is that it isn't even lower.
0 - 15% of DNVs at GE '24 now say they would vote for Reform (compared with 8% for the Conservatives)
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Starmer doing his best to spin the rate cut as a good news story. To be fair, most people (or swing voters) will see it as a good news story.0
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Except pensioners, who are the only voters that matter. For them, with their fully paid off mortgages, it’s unequivocally bad news.tlg86 said:Starmer doing his best to spin the rate cut as a good news story. To be fair, most people (or swing voters) will see it as a good news story.
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Not just pensioners but everyone who is a saverTimS said:
Except pensioners, who are the only voters that matter. For them, with their fully paid off mortgages, it’s unequivocally bad news.tlg86 said:Starmer doing his best to spin the rate cut as a good news story. To be fair, most people (or swing voters) will see it as a good news story.
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To begin with. Then there's the upbringing*, the education, the training, the feeding ...dixiedean said:
All great athletes are genetic freaks.Cookie said:
I always felt a little ambivalent about Mo Farah. Nothing against him as a person, but, yes, it's clear his success owes far more to his East African genetics than any nurturing of his talent that the UK might have done. As can be seen that almost every single successful global long distance runner was born in East Africa and none were born in the UK.No_Offence_Alan said:
Should we be classing Mo Farah's medals as Somalian now, not British?Foxy said:
I understood she was upset about lack of integration, so how does making migrants less integrated help?rottenborough said:Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social
·
27m
I said on LBC it is curious that these Badenoch proposals are not an immigration policy. Its a "what happens after you have been here six years" policy about citizenship & integration
If want an impact on immigration numbers, take seriously the choices about which visas are issued 6 years earlier
Genetics sure helps, but it's only part of the mix (and maybe not very much in some sports).
*Starting from month -9 of life, i.e. in utero. And where you live and what the pollution is like etc.
Edit: bneing an Olympic winner seems to be that marginal.0 -
It's not the price of eggs alone, but also the dominance of DJT's showmanship.rottenborough said:
The US government has basically fallen to a coup by companies owned or associated with Musk.Malmesbury said:
A CIO is a policy setting position. A CTO is the one who picks technologies….Fairliered said:
Sounds like a tech equivalent of Rachel Reeves.Scott_xP said:@davelevitan.bsky.social
NEW: Apparently the Dept of Energy has replaced its Chief Information Officer with a "network engineer from SpaceX" who has maybe run a service desk but has no other IT leadership experience, per a source with knowledge.
The DOE, among other things, oversees all nuclear security. So that's cool.
It's a fucking coup.
When are Americans gonna look up from watching the price of fucking eggs and realise?
Whilst he's pattering his accomplice is stealing everyone's ID and bank details.0 -
Increased inflation to boost pensions.TimS said:
Except pensioners, who are the only voters that matter. For them, with their fully paid off mortgages, it’s unequivocally bad news.tlg86 said:Starmer doing his best to spin the rate cut as a good news story. To be fair, most people (or swing voters) will see it as a good news story.
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Also depends on wage awards this autumnnoneoftheabove said:
Increased inflation to boost pensions.TimS said:
Except pensioners, who are the only voters that matter. For them, with their fully paid off mortgages, it’s unequivocally bad news.tlg86 said:Starmer doing his best to spin the rate cut as a good news story. To be fair, most people (or swing voters) will see it as a good news story.
*Latest Trump announcement
Signs an executive order sanctioning the International Criminal Court0 -
2 members voted for a larger cut apparentlyrcs1000 said:
One of the investors in my insurance business is an MPC board membertlg86 said:Starmer doing his best to spin the rate cut as a good news story. To be fair, most people (or swing voters) will see it as a good news story.
I shall have to see how he voted.0 -
I don't think that counts.viewcode said:
Well yes, but RefCon=47%, LLG=48%Mexicanpete said:
On topic.CharlieShark said:Quick check on Prediction competition. Haven't blown it yet.
Westminster Voting Intention:
RFM: 29% (+2)
LAB: 25% (+2)
CON: 18% (-3)
LDM: 13% (+2)
GRN: 10% (=)
SNP: 3% (=)
Via
@FindoutnowUK
, 5 Feb.
Changes w/ 29 Jan.
RefCon are a whopping 22 points ahead of Labour.
KICIPM or NICIPM0 -
I thought the Tory consensus was that wage rises are now impossible until at least 2029?Big_G_NorthWales said:
Also depends on wage awards this autumnnoneoftheabove said:
Increased inflation to boost pensions.TimS said:
Except pensioners, who are the only voters that matter. For them, with their fully paid off mortgages, it’s unequivocally bad news.tlg86 said:Starmer doing his best to spin the rate cut as a good news story. To be fair, most people (or swing voters) will see it as a good news story.
*Latest Trump announcement
Signs an executive order sanctioning the International Criminal Court0 -
.
It seems to me that President Musk and DOGE are acting in such a way that they expect to never face any consequences. In extremis not even a pardon from Trump would suffice, as there are potentially other ways of holding them to account. So it is as though they believe there will never be a different party in command of the government ever again.rottenborough said:
The US government has basically fallen to a coup by companies owned or associated with Musk.Malmesbury said:
A CIO is a policy setting position. A CTO is the one who picks technologies….Fairliered said:
Sounds like a tech equivalent of Rachel Reeves.Scott_xP said:@davelevitan.bsky.social
NEW: Apparently the Dept of Energy has replaced its Chief Information Officer with a "network engineer from SpaceX" who has maybe run a service desk but has no other IT leadership experience, per a source with knowledge.
The DOE, among other things, oversees all nuclear security. So that's cool.
It's a fucking coup.
When are Americans gonna look up from watching the price of fucking eggs and realise?0 -
Does anyone listen to the Ed Balls/George Osborne podcast. I'm stunned hiw often I'm agreeing with Osborne and am so impressed with the way he thinks about issues.
His latest suggestion to Starmer is to set a trap for the Tories, sign some kind of EU trade deal, which Badenoch will have to oppose. Come the next election, business will line up behind Labour. Kinda makes sense given how badly we need growth tbh.0 -
Based on anecdotal state of economy plus a lot of the economic stats and stuff like PMI then 0.5% was right.Big_G_NorthWales said:
2 members voted for a larger cut apparentlyrcs1000 said:
One of the investors in my insurance business is an MPC board membertlg86 said:Starmer doing his best to spin the rate cut as a good news story. To be fair, most people (or swing voters) will see it as a good news story.
I shall have to see how he voted.
But, based on money supply contraction figures better to wait until summer.
Who knows?
0 -
He and Gordon Brown are political twins, both obsessed with too-clever-by-half dividing lines.rkrkrk said:Does anyone listen to the Ed Balls/George Osborne podcast. I'm stunned hiw often I'm agreeing with Osborne and am so impressed with the way he thinks about issues.
His latest suggestion to Starmer is to set a trap for the Tories, sign some kind of EU trade deal, which Badenoch will have to oppose. Come the next election, business will line up behind Labour. Kinda makes sense given how badly we need growth tbh.3 -
I am hopefully planning a series of headers looking at each of the parties.algarkirk said:
The Tories have had terrible times before, but I can't remember ever a time when politics watchers taking a long view might begin to wonder whether there is a way back. It's not the figures, though they are dire; it's the combination of calibre/quality and momentum of the parties who want to beat them seat by seat. In almost every seat - and they start with only a few - they are vulnerable to one of LD, Lab and Reform. If that combines, by the magic of voter momentum, to ensure only one of them is the real challenger in virtually every seat they hold, and most they don't, the Tories look finished.pigeon said:
What's left of it.TimS said:
The DNV number sounds a note of caution for them though. Will those people actually turn up.Eabhal said:
The tables are quite something too. Given '24 was a low turnout election...TimS said:Some interesting stats from that find out now poll.
First, for the right wing it’s mixed news. RefCon is on 47% vs 48% for LLG. That’s lower than most polls.
But it’s now getting a bit more consolidated. The ratio is 0.72. 0.66 is the point of no return. If it gets there then the Tories go the way of Les Republicains. Don’t disappear, but get relegated to a rural conservative heartland.
Second, the SPLORG is now on the march. This is 57% SPLORG. Would have been unheard of before the last election.- 15% of DNVs at GE '24 now say they would vote for Reform (compared with 8% for the Conservatives)
- 1/4 of the Conservative vote has gone to Reform
- Reform's overall voter retention is excellent, 86% compared with 54% for the Conservatives
This is the secret power of the Tories. Their voter base vote. Come hell or high water.
Who's still voting Conservative apart from the fraction of home owning pensioners who find Reform vulgar, angry farmers, a few rural Scottish Unionists, and Never Labour voters in straight Lab-Con contests? What use are they to anyone else?
The only thing that's surprising about Tory vote share is that it isn't even lower.
For me, the end of the Cold war led to the "End of History" and less ideological politics. This in turn led to managerialism in both major parties and a frequent career path of PPE - SPAD/wonk - MP - minister, with no experience in the real world required.
The era of globalization is now ending and both major parties are in trouble as ideology is coming back. The problem is summed up by Rishi's National Service policy. Did he really believe in it? No, of course not. My guess is a bunch of SPADS came up with it on a white board.
The problem with the managerialists is that they don't actually believe in anything so they have no authenticity. Farage and Corbyn, love them or loathe them, have authenticity. The Cons and Lab right now, don't.2 - 15% of DNVs at GE '24 now say they would vote for Reform (compared with 8% for the Conservatives)
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Abandoned in the Middle of Clinical Trials, Because of a Trump Order
The stop-work order on U.S.A.I.D.-funded research has left thousands of people with experimental drugs and devices in their bodies, with no access to monitoring or care.
NY Times
Trump 2.0 - as bad and nasty as you thought it would be.
But hey - they all say they is christians and love god and go to church every week.
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They're the complete opposites for me. Brown was pretty hopeless at politics but understood the economics and got us out of the financial crisis. Osborne a great political strategist who doomed the decade with his austerity.williamglenn said:
He and Gordon Brown are political twins, both obsessed with too-clever-by-half dividing lines.rkrkrk said:Does anyone listen to the Ed Balls/George Osborne podcast. I'm stunned hiw often I'm agreeing with Osborne and am so impressed with the way he thinks about issues.
His latest suggestion to Starmer is to set a trap for the Tories, sign some kind of EU trade deal, which Badenoch will have to oppose. Come the next election, business will line up behind Labour. Kinda makes sense given how badly we need growth tbh.1 -
Or they think they can make sweeping changes that a future government of the other side would find difficult or impossible to reverse.glw said:.
It seems to me that President Musk and DOGE are acting in such a way that they expect to never face any consequences. In extremis not even a pardon from Trump would suffice, as there are potentially other ways of holding them to account. So it is as though they believe there will never be a different party in command of the government ever again.rottenborough said:
The US government has basically fallen to a coup by companies owned or associated with Musk.Malmesbury said:
A CIO is a policy setting position. A CTO is the one who picks technologies….Fairliered said:
Sounds like a tech equivalent of Rachel Reeves.Scott_xP said:@davelevitan.bsky.social
NEW: Apparently the Dept of Energy has replaced its Chief Information Officer with a "network engineer from SpaceX" who has maybe run a service desk but has no other IT leadership experience, per a source with knowledge.
The DOE, among other things, oversees all nuclear security. So that's cool.
It's a fucking coup.
When are Americans gonna look up from watching the price of fucking eggs and realise?0 -
So bad for science.rottenborough said:Abandoned in the Middle of Clinical Trials, Because of a Trump Order
The stop-work order on U.S.A.I.D.-funded research has left thousands of people with experimental drugs and devices in their bodies, with no access to monitoring or care.
NY Times
Trump 2.0 - as bad and nasty as you thought it would be.
But hey - they all say they is christians and love god and go to church every week.1 -
"what would you do?"MoonRabbit said:
The Chagos island plan B. Let me explain it to you.Leon said:
Finally, I get itMoonRabbit said:
No.Leon said:Ahhh
It’s coz I keep getting shit RIGHT
That’s it? Isn’t it? That’s what freaks you out?!
Ahahahahah
You have utterly embarrassed yourself on Chagos deal 🥹
😈
Plan A wa UK, at request of US, expelling inhabitants off Chagos - concluding “forced deportations” in 1973. Ethnic cleansing carried out by both Tory and Labour government, on orders from Vietnam era Washington.
government of Mauritius successfully argued. in UN's highest court, it was illegally forced to give Chago away, the court ruled the UK's administration of the territory unlawful. In 2019, the International Court of Justice issued opinion UK did not have sovereignty over the Chagos Islands, administration of the whole archipelago should be handed over "as rapidly as possible" to Mauritius. The UN General Assembly gave UK 6 month deadline to begin process of handing over the islands. In 2021, UN International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, ruled Mauritius is sovereign over Chagos Islands.
If you want to be part of the institution settling international disputes, like UN, want others to abide by its decisions, and you lose a case in the courtroom, what would you do?
This question smokes out the daft populists amongst you. Does it depend upon what you merely regard as arbitrary international law, we can simply ignore without suffering any damage? Have cake and eat it membership of the UN? Or a leadership role?
In my opinion, for UK and US role in UN, it now needs a Plan B. If you think it UK Labour government Plan B, think again. As the US Plan A from 1968 hit the rocks, US told UK to use a cheat code to get round the legal difficulties, avoid hit to reputational damage of both countries – the century lease and banging them lolly does this - don’t even need to negotiate lease renewal and extra lolly for 95 years, all the while fully legally compliant.
I will be proved right in my analysis. Because despite their cakeist approach to international relations, this latest order from US to us to do their bidding, is probably going to be little different from Trump and his administration, than the instruction we got from Biden. When it’s all joined up together in the history books, it’s a clear example of USA - never a great friend of UK, definitely never a friend of UK colonialism - using UK as their bitch for the Cold War dirty work. To bastardise the UN rulings by bunging someone money in order to bypass the spirit of those rulings, is clearly underhand and morally wrong.
And When Trumps America enables “Starmer’s” Chagos deal to happen, it with prove everything in my analysis. Watch this space. ☺️
Invoke the legal precedence of Arkell v Pressdram.
Next.2 -
Usual bollocks that green / renewables and economic growth are in opposition which is clearly being proved more incorrect year by year, it should also be noted that renewable energy projects can be delivered in a shorter timescale.Big_G_NorthWales said:Green v Growth
Good article by Rigby
https://news.sky.com/story/starmer-has-a-battle-on-his-hands-but-when-its-green-v-growth-theres-only-one-winner-13304301
Having said that Rosebank and Jackdaw only require revisions of the EIAs and are unlikely to be blocked now.1 -
How to overcome government bureaucracy holding up infrastructure projects: https://youtube.com/shorts/h7aEJMW9J1g2
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It is going to be a real issue for Reeves in the forthcoming public sector wage negotiationsnoneoftheabove said:
I thought the Tory consensus was that wage rises are now impossible until at least 2029?Big_G_NorthWales said:
Also depends on wage awards this autumnnoneoftheabove said:
Increased inflation to boost pensions.TimS said:
Except pensioners, who are the only voters that matter. For them, with their fully paid off mortgages, it’s unequivocally bad news.tlg86 said:Starmer doing his best to spin the rate cut as a good news story. To be fair, most people (or swing voters) will see it as a good news story.
*Latest Trump announcement
Signs an executive order sanctioning the International Criminal Court0 -
The question that needs to be asked following the 3rd runway and the granting of these licences which Ed Miliband is implacable opposed to is will he resign ?Dopermean said:
Usual bollocks that green / renewables and economic growth are in opposition which is clearly being proved more incorrect year by year, it should also be noted that renewable energy projects can be delivered in a shorter timescale.Big_G_NorthWales said:Green v Growth
Good article by Rigby
https://news.sky.com/story/starmer-has-a-battle-on-his-hands-but-when-its-green-v-growth-theres-only-one-winner-13304301
Having said that Rosebank and Jackdaw only require revisions of the EIAs and are unlikely to be blocked now.0 -
So the Czech government has decided to leave it to beaver?bondegezou said:How to overcome government bureaucracy holding up infrastructure projects: https://youtube.com/shorts/h7aEJMW9J1g
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"It seems to me that President Musk and DOGE are acting in such a way that they expect to never face any consequences."Driver said:
Or they think they can make sweeping changes that a future government of the other side would find difficult or impossible to reverse.glw said:.
It seems to me that President Musk and DOGE are acting in such a way that they expect to never face any consequences. In extremis not even a pardon from Trump would suffice, as there are potentially other ways of holding them to account. So it is as though they believe there will never be a different party in command of the government ever again.rottenborough said:
The US government has basically fallen to a coup by companies owned or associated with Musk.Malmesbury said:
A CIO is a policy setting position. A CTO is the one who picks technologies….Fairliered said:
Sounds like a tech equivalent of Rachel Reeves.Scott_xP said:@davelevitan.bsky.social
NEW: Apparently the Dept of Energy has replaced its Chief Information Officer with a "network engineer from SpaceX" who has maybe run a service desk but has no other IT leadership experience, per a source with knowledge.
The DOE, among other things, oversees all nuclear security. So that's cool.
It's a fucking coup.
When are Americans gonna look up from watching the price of fucking eggs and realise?
Have to say I totally agree. Was only saying this yesterday to a couple of mates over a cuppa.
It is like Musk cannot envision a situation where what appears to be law breaking and national security violations will ever be brought to his door for at least a trial?
He is betting imho very very heavily on Trump pardons and no change of government.
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Given how long it will be before any concrete action why bother?Big_G_NorthWales said:
The question that needs to be asked following the 3rd runway and the granting of these licences which Ed Miliband is implacable opposed to is will he resign ?Dopermean said:
Usual bollocks that green / renewables and economic growth are in opposition which is clearly being proved more incorrect year by year, it should also be noted that renewable energy projects can be delivered in a shorter timescale.Big_G_NorthWales said:Green v Growth
Good article by Rigby
https://news.sky.com/story/starmer-has-a-battle-on-his-hands-but-when-its-green-v-growth-theres-only-one-winner-13304301
Having said that Rosebank and Jackdaw only require revisions of the EIAs and are unlikely to be blocked now.0 -
I’ve just realised this is the only island in the world with a sleeper train. Great Britain is a very big island.0
-
Ask Prigozhin how that went.rottenborough said:
"It seems to me that President Musk and DOGE are acting in such a way that they expect to never face any consequences."Driver said:
Or they think they can make sweeping changes that a future government of the other side would find difficult or impossible to reverse.glw said:.
It seems to me that President Musk and DOGE are acting in such a way that they expect to never face any consequences. In extremis not even a pardon from Trump would suffice, as there are potentially other ways of holding them to account. So it is as though they believe there will never be a different party in command of the government ever again.rottenborough said:
The US government has basically fallen to a coup by companies owned or associated with Musk.Malmesbury said:
A CIO is a policy setting position. A CTO is the one who picks technologies….Fairliered said:
Sounds like a tech equivalent of Rachel Reeves.Scott_xP said:@davelevitan.bsky.social
NEW: Apparently the Dept of Energy has replaced its Chief Information Officer with a "network engineer from SpaceX" who has maybe run a service desk but has no other IT leadership experience, per a source with knowledge.
The DOE, among other things, oversees all nuclear security. So that's cool.
It's a fucking coup.
When are Americans gonna look up from watching the price of fucking eggs and realise?
Have to say I totally agree. Was only saying this yesterday to a couple of mates over a cuppa.
It is like Musk cannot envision a situation where what appears to be law breaking and national security violations will ever be brought to his door for at least a trial?
He is betting imho very very heavily on Trump pardons and no change of government.1 -
Ideology in politics for me is like salt. You need a little, but too much of it only leads to trouble.GarethoftheVale2 said:
I am hopefully planning a series of headers looking at each of the parties.algarkirk said:
The Tories have had terrible times before, but I can't remember ever a time when politics watchers taking a long view might begin to wonder whether there is a way back. It's not the figures, though they are dire; it's the combination of calibre/quality and momentum of the parties who want to beat them seat by seat. In almost every seat - and they start with only a few - they are vulnerable to one of LD, Lab and Reform. If that combines, by the magic of voter momentum, to ensure only one of them is the real challenger in virtually every seat they hold, and most they don't, the Tories look finished.pigeon said:
What's left of it.TimS said:
The DNV number sounds a note of caution for them though. Will those people actually turn up.Eabhal said:
The tables are quite something too. Given '24 was a low turnout election...TimS said:Some interesting stats from that find out now poll.
First, for the right wing it’s mixed news. RefCon is on 47% vs 48% for LLG. That’s lower than most polls.
But it’s now getting a bit more consolidated. The ratio is 0.72. 0.66 is the point of no return. If it gets there then the Tories go the way of Les Republicains. Don’t disappear, but get relegated to a rural conservative heartland.
Second, the SPLORG is now on the march. This is 57% SPLORG. Would have been unheard of before the last election.- 15% of DNVs at GE '24 now say they would vote for Reform (compared with 8% for the Conservatives)
- 1/4 of the Conservative vote has gone to Reform
- Reform's overall voter retention is excellent, 86% compared with 54% for the Conservatives
This is the secret power of the Tories. Their voter base vote. Come hell or high water.
Who's still voting Conservative apart from the fraction of home owning pensioners who find Reform vulgar, angry farmers, a few rural Scottish Unionists, and Never Labour voters in straight Lab-Con contests? What use are they to anyone else?
The only thing that's surprising about Tory vote share is that it isn't even lower.
For me, the end of the Cold war led to the "End of History" and less ideological politics. This in turn led to managerialism in both major parties and a frequent career path of PPE - SPAD/wonk - MP - minister, with no experience in the real world required.
The era of globalization is now ending and both major parties are in trouble as ideology is coming back. The problem is summed up by Rishi's National Service policy. Did he really believe in it? No, of course not. My guess is a bunch of SPADS came up with it on a white board.
The problem with the managerialists is that they don't actually believe in anything so they have no authenticity. Farage and Corbyn, love them or loathe them, have authenticity. The Cons and Lab right now, don't.
So managerialism I don't think is an issue in itself, if it is directed in a positive way. Likewise sincerity can be useful without being necessary, and sincere belief in awful things is no positive with the public overall.1 - 15% of DNVs at GE '24 now say they would vote for Reform (compared with 8% for the Conservatives)
-
Starmer, like the technocrat he is, thinks that the way to deliver growth is to reform government structures. It'll help a bit in some sectors of the economy in the medium term, but while the government's left hand fiddles with a rule or two, the much more powerful right hand has just whacked up payroll taxes, engineered a huge transfer of resources to the unproductive and unreformed public sector and is doing next to nothing to dismantle most of the counter-productive regulations that choke growth.Big_G_NorthWales said:Green v Growth
Good article by Rigby
https://news.sky.com/story/starmer-has-a-battle-on-his-hands-but-when-its-green-v-growth-theres-only-one-winner-13304301
I'll believe he has a chance of delivering growth when I see him cutting, rather than raising, taxes that hold it back, especially payroll and corporation tax, and axing, not tinkering with, unnecessary regulations.
But I imagine we'll develop porcine aviation before then.4 -
Honshu is bigger but doesn't need sleepers?TimS said:I’ve just realised this is the only island in the world with a sleeper train. Great Britain is a very big island.
Though it is a pet peeve of mine when people bemoan us as a small island. I know the point being made is typically one about it not being good to be isolated, and that compared to big blocs we are small, but just say that, don't use words to suggest an extremely large island is a small island.0 -
Personally I don't believe that 31% would be anything like enough for a Reform majority because their vote would be too heavily concentrated in certain areas.algarkirk said:
Interesting. Baxtering suggests Reform get 256 seats; either number is extraordinary. A few days ago Mr Goodwin said 31% for Reform was the golden number at which stuff happens explosively. Findoutnow has of course consistently give high figures for Reform; though since no-one knows which methodology gives the best result, nor can we ever know this far out from a vote, for all we know Reform really are doing this well.Andy_JS said:I don't know which seat calculator StatsForLefties is using but would be interested to know.
"Stats for Lefties 🍉🏳️⚧️
@LeftieStats
‼️NEW | Reform projected to win 300+ seats
Via @FindoutnowUK
, 5 Feb (+/- vs 27 Jan)"
https://x.com/LeftieStats/status/18875448723428559960 -
No-one can doubt the political nous of George Osborne.rkrkrk said:Does anyone listen to the Ed Balls/George Osborne podcast. I'm stunned hiw often I'm agreeing with Osborne and am so impressed with the way he thinks about issues.
His latest suggestion to Starmer is to set a trap for the Tories, sign some kind of EU trade deal, which Badenoch will have to oppose. Come the next election, business will line up behind Labour. Kinda makes sense given how badly we need growth tbh.0 -
Perhaps the UK just has slower trainskle4 said:
Honshu is bigger but doesn't need sleepers?TimS said:I’ve just realised this is the only island in the world with a sleeper train. Great Britain is a very big island.
Though it is a pet peeve of mine when people bemoan us as a small island. I know the point being made is typically one about it not being good to be isolated, and that compared to big blocs we are small, but just say that, don't use words to suggest an extremely large island is a small island. 2 -
Labour don't wanna do it because of Red Wall Leave voters.kinabalu said:
No-one can doubt the political nous of George Osborne.rkrkrk said:Does anyone listen to the Ed Balls/George Osborne podcast. I'm stunned hiw often I'm agreeing with Osborne and am so impressed with the way he thinks about issues.
His latest suggestion to Starmer is to set a trap for the Tories, sign some kind of EU trade deal, which Badenoch will have to oppose. Come the next election, business will line up behind Labour. Kinda makes sense given how badly we need growth tbh.
Somebody should tell them that they have gone to Reform and 'aint coming back most likely.0 -
I listened to the three-part interview with Cameron and enjoyed it. But I'm not a natural enjoyer of podcasts because I prefer the lecture or more structured format. Mostly when I listen to a podcast it's for a specific guest instead of the commentators blathering.rkrkrk said:Does anyone listen to the Ed Balls/George Osborne podcast. I'm stunned hiw often I'm agreeing with Osborne and am so impressed with the way he thinks about issues.
His latest suggestion to Starmer is to set a trap for the Tories, sign some kind of EU trade deal, which Badenoch will have to oppose. Come the next election, business will line up behind Labour. Kinda makes sense given how badly we need growth tbh.0 -
They are the right long term decisions for growth but not easy for a Labour governmentkle4 said:
Given how long it will be before any concrete action why bother?Big_G_NorthWales said:
The question that needs to be asked following the 3rd runway and the granting of these licences which Ed Miliband is implacable opposed to is will he resign ?Dopermean said:
Usual bollocks that green / renewables and economic growth are in opposition which is clearly being proved more incorrect year by year, it should also be noted that renewable energy projects can be delivered in a shorter timescale.Big_G_NorthWales said:Green v Growth
Good article by Rigby
https://news.sky.com/story/starmer-has-a-battle-on-his-hands-but-when-its-green-v-growth-theres-only-one-winner-13304301
Having said that Rosebank and Jackdaw only require revisions of the EIAs and are unlikely to be blocked now.0 -
Yep. Ed will be out of politics or in HoL or at least on another Cabinet job by time 3rd runway gets out of Lawyer Ville.kle4 said:
Given how long it will be before any concrete action why bother?Big_G_NorthWales said:
The question that needs to be asked following the 3rd runway and the granting of these licences which Ed Miliband is implacable opposed to is will he resign ?Dopermean said:
Usual bollocks that green / renewables and economic growth are in opposition which is clearly being proved more incorrect year by year, it should also be noted that renewable energy projects can be delivered in a shorter timescale.Big_G_NorthWales said:Green v Growth
Good article by Rigby
https://news.sky.com/story/starmer-has-a-battle-on-his-hands-but-when-its-green-v-growth-theres-only-one-winner-13304301
Having said that Rosebank and Jackdaw only require revisions of the EIAs and are unlikely to be blocked now.0 -
9th largest in the world, and largest (by far) in Europe.kle4 said:
Honshu is bigger but doesn't need sleepers?TimS said:I’ve just realised this is the only island in the world with a sleeper train. Great Britain is a very big island.
Though it is a pet peeve of mine when people bemoan us as a small island. I know the point being made is typically one about it not being good to be isolated, and that compared to big blocs we are small, but just say that, don't use words to suggest an extremely large island is a small island.
Beating us are:
- Greenland
- New Guinea
- Borneo
- Madagascar
- Baffin
- Sumatra
- Honshu
- Victoria island
So we are the largest temperate island. Amazing though to think there is an island in Canada, that nobody’s heard of, that’s not Baffin or Ellesmere, that’s bigger than Britain.2 -
Adam Brooks AKA EssexPR 🇬🇧
@EssexPR
·
21m
Suddenly, people have stopped laughing & are now realising that it is very likely that REFORM UK win the next election.
They laughed when I said I was going to become a comedian. They're not laughing now.
0 -
Honshu is temperate.TimS said:
9th largest in the world, and largest (by far) in Europe.kle4 said:
Honshu is bigger but doesn't need sleepers?TimS said:I’ve just realised this is the only island in the world with a sleeper train. Great Britain is a very big island.
Though it is a pet peeve of mine when people bemoan us as a small island. I know the point being made is typically one about it not being good to be isolated, and that compared to big blocs we are small, but just say that, don't use words to suggest an extremely large island is a small island.
Beating us are:
- Greenland
- New Guinea
- Borneo
- Madagascar
- Baffin
- Sumatra
- Honshu
- Victoria island
So we are the largest temperate island. Amazing though to think there is an island in Canada, that nobody’s heard of, that’s not Baffin or Ellesmere, that’s bigger than Britain.0 -
0
-
'Science Museum's self-guided tour accuses Lego of being anti-LGBT as interlocking bricks reinforce heterosexuality as 'the norm''
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14368303/Science-Museum-Lego-anti-LGBT.html0 -
Speaking of YouTube, the YouTube channel "Squire" are having a spot of bother on the financial side and need some dosh. As everybody on PB is rich as Creosote, be good and pop over there and lob them some so they can keep providing high-quality sketch comedy on the tiniest of shoestrings.
https://youtu.be/h-AVuun69Po?si=IuYWM4Ole90xDnxh0 -
The problem is that the managerial politicians do actually believe in something.kle4 said:
Ideology in politics for me is like salt. You need a little, but too much of it only leads to trouble.GarethoftheVale2 said:
I am hopefully planning a series of headers looking at each of the parties.algarkirk said:
The Tories have had terrible times before, but I can't remember ever a time when politics watchers taking a long view might begin to wonder whether there is a way back. It's not the figures, though they are dire; it's the combination of calibre/quality and momentum of the parties who want to beat them seat by seat. In almost every seat - and they start with only a few - they are vulnerable to one of LD, Lab and Reform. If that combines, by the magic of voter momentum, to ensure only one of them is the real challenger in virtually every seat they hold, and most they don't, the Tories look finished.pigeon said:
What's left of it.TimS said:
The DNV number sounds a note of caution for them though. Will those people actually turn up.Eabhal said:
The tables are quite something too. Given '24 was a low turnout election...TimS said:Some interesting stats from that find out now poll.
First, for the right wing it’s mixed news. RefCon is on 47% vs 48% for LLG. That’s lower than most polls.
But it’s now getting a bit more consolidated. The ratio is 0.72. 0.66 is the point of no return. If it gets there then the Tories go the way of Les Republicains. Don’t disappear, but get relegated to a rural conservative heartland.
Second, the SPLORG is now on the march. This is 57% SPLORG. Would have been unheard of before the last election.- 15% of DNVs at GE '24 now say they would vote for Reform (compared with 8% for the Conservatives)
- 1/4 of the Conservative vote has gone to Reform
- Reform's overall voter retention is excellent, 86% compared with 54% for the Conservatives
This is the secret power of the Tories. Their voter base vote. Come hell or high water.
Who's still voting Conservative apart from the fraction of home owning pensioners who find Reform vulgar, angry farmers, a few rural Scottish Unionists, and Never Labour voters in straight Lab-Con contests? What use are they to anyone else?
The only thing that's surprising about Tory vote share is that it isn't even lower.
For me, the end of the Cold war led to the "End of History" and less ideological politics. This in turn led to managerialism in both major parties and a frequent career path of PPE - SPAD/wonk - MP - minister, with no experience in the real world required.
The era of globalization is now ending and both major parties are in trouble as ideology is coming back. The problem is summed up by Rishi's National Service policy. Did he really believe in it? No, of course not. My guess is a bunch of SPADS came up with it on a white board.
The problem with the managerialists is that they don't actually believe in anything so they have no authenticity. Farage and Corbyn, love them or loathe them, have authenticity. The Cons and Lab right now, don't.
So managerialism I don't think is an issue in itself, if it is directed in a positive way. Likewise sincerity can be useful without being necessary, and sincere belief in awful things is no positive with the public overall.
What they believe is that a major chunk of the U.K. population is wrong. Therefore they spout all kinds of insincere bollocks. While doing the opposite.
Remember Michael Portillo in his hard-right phase? Everyone thought it was risible - from Right to Left.
When he dropped the act…0 - 15% of DNVs at GE '24 now say they would vote for Reform (compared with 8% for the Conservatives)
-
But it’s not a case that we are being intimidated or threatened, but that we should feel the weight of responsibility to lead by example, in order to best protect our own international interests in the bigger picture - as it’s certainly in our interest, is it not, to keep everyone else on board with a United Nations?BartholomewRoberts said:
"what would you do?"MoonRabbit said:
The Chagos island plan B. Let me explain it to you.Leon said:
Finally, I get itMoonRabbit said:
No.Leon said:Ahhh
It’s coz I keep getting shit RIGHT
That’s it? Isn’t it? That’s what freaks you out?!
Ahahahahah
You have utterly embarrassed yourself on Chagos deal 🥹
😈
Plan A wa UK, at request of US, expelling inhabitants off Chagos - concluding “forced deportations” in 1973. Ethnic cleansing carried out by both Tory and Labour government, on orders from Vietnam era Washington.
government of Mauritius successfully argued. in UN's highest court, it was illegally forced to give Chago away, the court ruled the UK's administration of the territory unlawful. In 2019, the International Court of Justice issued opinion UK did not have sovereignty over the Chagos Islands, administration of the whole archipelago should be handed over "as rapidly as possible" to Mauritius. The UN General Assembly gave UK 6 month deadline to begin process of handing over the islands. In 2021, UN International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, ruled Mauritius is sovereign over Chagos Islands.
If you want to be part of the institution settling international disputes, like UN, want others to abide by its decisions, and you lose a case in the courtroom, what would you do?
This question smokes out the daft populists amongst you. Does it depend upon what you merely regard as arbitrary international law, we can simply ignore without suffering any damage? Have cake and eat it membership of the UN? Or a leadership role?
In my opinion, for UK and US role in UN, it now needs a Plan B. If you think it UK Labour government Plan B, think again. As the US Plan A from 1968 hit the rocks, US told UK to use a cheat code to get round the legal difficulties, avoid hit to reputational damage of both countries – the century lease and banging them lolly does this - don’t even need to negotiate lease renewal and extra lolly for 95 years, all the while fully legally compliant.
I will be proved right in my analysis. Because despite their cakeist approach to international relations, this latest order from US to us to do their bidding, is probably going to be little different from Trump and his administration, than the instruction we got from Biden. When it’s all joined up together in the history books, it’s a clear example of USA - never a great friend of UK, definitely never a friend of UK colonialism - using UK as their bitch for the Cold War dirty work. To bastardise the UN rulings by bunging someone money in order to bypass the spirit of those rulings, is clearly underhand and morally wrong.
And When Trumps America enables “Starmer’s” Chagos deal to happen, it with prove everything in my analysis. Watch this space. ☺️
Invoke the legal precedence of Arkell v Pressdram.
Next.
I was just a baby at the time, but I learned later UN resolutions were deemed necessary to be passed, to justify our invasion of Iraq.
This is exactly the reasoning US and UK have jointly drawn up a new arrangement, to by pass the UN’s insistence we have no sovereignty over the island, and our administration of the territory is illegal - the new arrangement produces through good old bribery of the new owners, to let us keep a status quo on our ownership of Chagos for 100 years on a yearly stipend of £90 million pound.
Anyone wish to advocate for UK’s unilateral withdrawal from the United Nations?
Do we gain nothing from membership?
Is it in the interests of UK that the UN does not exist, or falls apart?1 -
Wonder how many part of that are like this oneAndy_JS said:The current nowcast from Election Maps.
https://electionmaps.uk/nowcast
Isle of Wight West
LAB HOLD
LAB 29.5 -9.1%
CON 27.3 -2.1%
RFM 26.5 +9.5%
LDM 7.6 -0.4%
GRN 8.9 +2.1%
0 -
Indeed we travelled on the Ghan which is a sleeper train with many more carriages than the CaledonianCarnyx said:0 -
There's 4 years to go.rottenborough said:
Adam Brooks AKA EssexPR 🇬🇧
@EssexPR
·
21m
Suddenly, people have stopped laughing & are now realising that it is very likely that REFORM UK win the next election.
They laughed when I said I was going to become a comedian. They're not laughing now.
Oh yeah. And Osborne is correct. If the polls are owt like this in 3 years, then Starmer will go. And is succeeded by a very pro EU replacement.
Get Brexit Undone (2029)!!!0 -
I'm richer than creosote.viewcode said:Speaking of YouTube, the YouTube channel "Squire" are having a spot of bother on the financial side and need some dosh. As everybody on PB is rich as Creosote, be good and pop over there and lob them some so they can keep providing high-quality sketch comedy on the tiniest of shoestrings.
https://youtu.be/h-AVuun69Po?si=IuYWM4Ole90xDnxh2 -
Tory-Reform-DUP coalition? Lib-Lab-Green pact???Andy_JS said:The current nowcast from Election Maps.
https://electionmaps.uk/nowcast
On this nowcast I think the King would ask Starmer to first attempt to form an administration?0 -
To be PM you need to have some managerialism too and look like a CEO.GarethoftheVale2 said:
I am hopefully planning a series of headers looking at each of the parties.algarkirk said:
The Tories have had terrible times before, but I can't remember ever a time when politics watchers taking a long view might begin to wonder whether there is a way back. It's not the figures, though they are dire; it's the combination of calibre/quality and momentum of the parties who want to beat them seat by seat. In almost every seat - and they start with only a few - they are vulnerable to one of LD, Lab and Reform. If that combines, by the magic of voter momentum, to ensure only one of them is the real challenger in virtually every seat they hold, and most they don't, the Tories look finished.pigeon said:
What's left of it.TimS said:
The DNV number sounds a note of caution for them though. Will those people actually turn up.Eabhal said:
The tables are quite something too. Given '24 was a low turnout election...TimS said:Some interesting stats from that find out now poll.
First, for the right wing it’s mixed news. RefCon is on 47% vs 48% for LLG. That’s lower than most polls.
But it’s now getting a bit more consolidated. The ratio is 0.72. 0.66 is the point of no return. If it gets there then the Tories go the way of Les Republicains. Don’t disappear, but get relegated to a rural conservative heartland.
Second, the SPLORG is now on the march. This is 57% SPLORG. Would have been unheard of before the last election.- 15% of DNVs at GE '24 now say they would vote for Reform (compared with 8% for the Conservatives)
- 1/4 of the Conservative vote has gone to Reform
- Reform's overall voter retention is excellent, 86% compared with 54% for the Conservatives
This is the secret power of the Tories. Their voter base vote. Come hell or high water.
Who's still voting Conservative apart from the fraction of home owning pensioners who find Reform vulgar, angry farmers, a few rural Scottish Unionists, and Never Labour voters in straight Lab-Con contests? What use are they to anyone else?
The only thing that's surprising about Tory vote share is that it isn't even lower.
For me, the end of the Cold war led to the "End of History" and less ideological politics. This in turn led to managerialism in both major parties and a frequent career path of PPE - SPAD/wonk - MP - minister, with no experience in the real world required.
The era of globalization is now ending and both major parties are in trouble as ideology is coming back. The problem is summed up by Rishi's National Service policy. Did he really believe in it? No, of course not. My guess is a bunch of SPADS came up with it on a white board.
The problem with the managerialists is that they don't actually believe in anything so they have no authenticity. Farage and Corbyn, love them or loathe them, have authenticity. The Cons and Lab right now, don't.
Thatcher and Attlee were our most ideological elected PMs since WW2 but both also looked competent and managerial. (Truss' problem was she had the ideology but was not competent, Corbyn never looked like he could be a manager, just a far left protestor, Farage the verdict is still out whether he has the self discipline required for the role)2 - 15% of DNVs at GE '24 now say they would vote for Reform (compared with 8% for the Conservatives)
-
I suppose. Every time I’ve been there it’s been like spending a week in a sauna.dixiedean said:
Honshu is temperate.TimS said:
9th largest in the world, and largest (by far) in Europe.kle4 said:
Honshu is bigger but doesn't need sleepers?TimS said:I’ve just realised this is the only island in the world with a sleeper train. Great Britain is a very big island.
Though it is a pet peeve of mine when people bemoan us as a small island. I know the point being made is typically one about it not being good to be isolated, and that compared to big blocs we are small, but just say that, don't use words to suggest an extremely large island is a small island.
Beating us are:
- Greenland
- New Guinea
- Borneo
- Madagascar
- Baffin
- Sumatra
- Honshu
- Victoria island
So we are the largest temperate island. Amazing though to think there is an island in Canada, that nobody’s heard of, that’s not Baffin or Ellesmere, that’s bigger than Britain.0 -
It's a realignment whichever way you look at it.kle4 said:
Wonder how many part of that are like this oneAndy_JS said:The current nowcast from Election Maps.
https://electionmaps.uk/nowcast
Isle of Wight West
LAB HOLD
LAB 29.5 -9.1%
CON 27.3 -2.1%
RFM 26.5 +9.5%
LDM 7.6 -0.4%
GRN 8.9 +2.1%
Hexham. Tory every year bar one since 1885. Taken by Labour 2024. Held by Labour in the face of a catastrophic defeat.0 -
But imagine that since the dawn of time each country in the world had been led by ideology free politicians focused only on making incremental improvements to the lives of the populace without spilling anything. No sound or fury, no bloodshed, no 'visions', no revolutions and counter revolutions, just a quiet tick tick tick of things getting that little bit better each year, decade, century.GarethoftheVale2 said:
I am hopefully planning a series of headers looking at each of the parties.algarkirk said:
The Tories have had terrible times before, but I can't remember ever a time when politics watchers taking a long view might begin to wonder whether there is a way back. It's not the figures, though they are dire; it's the combination of calibre/quality and momentum of the parties who want to beat them seat by seat. In almost every seat - and they start with only a few - they are vulnerable to one of LD, Lab and Reform. If that combines, by the magic of voter momentum, to ensure only one of them is the real challenger in virtually every seat they hold, and most they don't, the Tories look finished.pigeon said:
What's left of it.TimS said:
The DNV number sounds a note of caution for them though. Will those people actually turn up.Eabhal said:
The tables are quite something too. Given '24 was a low turnout election...TimS said:Some interesting stats from that find out now poll.
First, for the right wing it’s mixed news. RefCon is on 47% vs 48% for LLG. That’s lower than most polls.
But it’s now getting a bit more consolidated. The ratio is 0.72. 0.66 is the point of no return. If it gets there then the Tories go the way of Les Republicains. Don’t disappear, but get relegated to a rural conservative heartland.
Second, the SPLORG is now on the march. This is 57% SPLORG. Would have been unheard of before the last election.- 15% of DNVs at GE '24 now say they would vote for Reform (compared with 8% for the Conservatives)
- 1/4 of the Conservative vote has gone to Reform
- Reform's overall voter retention is excellent, 86% compared with 54% for the Conservatives
This is the secret power of the Tories. Their voter base vote. Come hell or high water.
Who's still voting Conservative apart from the fraction of home owning pensioners who find Reform vulgar, angry farmers, a few rural Scottish Unionists, and Never Labour voters in straight Lab-Con contests? What use are they to anyone else?
The only thing that's surprising about Tory vote share is that it isn't even lower.
For me, the end of the Cold war led to the "End of History" and less ideological politics. This in turn led to managerialism in both major parties and a frequent career path of PPE - SPAD/wonk - MP - minister, with no experience in the real world required.
The era of globalization is now ending and both major parties are in trouble as ideology is coming back. The problem is summed up by Rishi's National Service policy. Did he really believe in it? No, of course not. My guess is a bunch of SPADS came up with it on a white board.
The problem with the managerialists is that they don't actually believe in anything so they have no authenticity. Farage and Corbyn, love them or loathe them, have authenticity. The Cons and Lab right now, don't.
So boring. Far fewer history books to read. But we'd be in much better shape today, wouldn't we. Much better shape. So for me "managerialism" is no insult. At its finest, executed with competence and integrity, it's the highest form of politics. The hardest to achieve, the most beneficial, deserving of the utmost respect.0 - 15% of DNVs at GE '24 now say they would vote for Reform (compared with 8% for the Conservatives)
-
Only the latter would have the numbers on the nowcast, I think some Tories would even welcome a Labour and LD government introducing PR now. For instance if they fell to 15% of the vote that could see the Tories wiped out under FPTP but would give them about 100 MPs with PRrottenborough said:
Tory-Reform-DUP coalition? Lib-Lab-Green pact???Andy_JS said:The current nowcast from Election Maps.
https://electionmaps.uk/nowcast
On this nowcast I think the King would ask Starmer to first attempt to form an administration?0 -
Victoria island has, per Wikipedia, a population of 2,168.0
-
I still think Farage missed his calling as Stuart Hall's replacement on a revamped "It's a Knockout". Would have earned more, and the blokey Euro-sceptic thing might have worked well. "Oh! My! God! Just what are Brussels up to?!"HYUFD said:
To be PM you need to have some managerialism too and look like a CEO.GarethoftheVale2 said:
I am hopefully planning a series of headers looking at each of the parties.algarkirk said:
The Tories have had terrible times before, but I can't remember ever a time when politics watchers taking a long view might begin to wonder whether there is a way back. It's not the figures, though they are dire; it's the combination of calibre/quality and momentum of the parties who want to beat them seat by seat. In almost every seat - and they start with only a few - they are vulnerable to one of LD, Lab and Reform. If that combines, by the magic of voter momentum, to ensure only one of them is the real challenger in virtually every seat they hold, and most they don't, the Tories look finished.pigeon said:
What's left of it.TimS said:
The DNV number sounds a note of caution for them though. Will those people actually turn up.Eabhal said:
The tables are quite something too. Given '24 was a low turnout election...TimS said:Some interesting stats from that find out now poll.
First, for the right wing it’s mixed news. RefCon is on 47% vs 48% for LLG. That’s lower than most polls.
But it’s now getting a bit more consolidated. The ratio is 0.72. 0.66 is the point of no return. If it gets there then the Tories go the way of Les Republicains. Don’t disappear, but get relegated to a rural conservative heartland.
Second, the SPLORG is now on the march. This is 57% SPLORG. Would have been unheard of before the last election.- 15% of DNVs at GE '24 now say they would vote for Reform (compared with 8% for the Conservatives)
- 1/4 of the Conservative vote has gone to Reform
- Reform's overall voter retention is excellent, 86% compared with 54% for the Conservatives
This is the secret power of the Tories. Their voter base vote. Come hell or high water.
Who's still voting Conservative apart from the fraction of home owning pensioners who find Reform vulgar, angry farmers, a few rural Scottish Unionists, and Never Labour voters in straight Lab-Con contests? What use are they to anyone else?
The only thing that's surprising about Tory vote share is that it isn't even lower.
For me, the end of the Cold war led to the "End of History" and less ideological politics. This in turn led to managerialism in both major parties and a frequent career path of PPE - SPAD/wonk - MP - minister, with no experience in the real world required.
The era of globalization is now ending and both major parties are in trouble as ideology is coming back. The problem is summed up by Rishi's National Service policy. Did he really believe in it? No, of course not. My guess is a bunch of SPADS came up with it on a white board.
The problem with the managerialists is that they don't actually believe in anything so they have no authenticity. Farage and Corbyn, love them or loathe them, have authenticity. The Cons and Lab right now, don't.
Thatcher and Attlee were our most ideological elected PMs since WW2 but both also looked competent and managerial. (Truss' problem was she had the ideology but was not competent, Corbyn never looked like he could be a manager, just a far left protestor, Farage the verdict is still out whether he has the self discipline required for the role)1 - 15% of DNVs at GE '24 now say they would vote for Reform (compared with 8% for the Conservatives)
-
Huge win for Reform
https://x.com/ElectionMapsUK/status/1887642428858912975?t=OwT2bqW0KO4AxBTy-hrHdw&s=190 -
"Hyndburn, Baxenden
Con 406
RefUK 368
Lab 328
Green 36"0 -
Protecting the red wall is Labour’s number one political priority. It's frustrating but it's understandable. Losing those seats to Boris Johnson in 2019 was a trauma. Getting them back was the foundation of their electoral recovery. That was the core project in opposition, regain the red wall and get back in the game. The landslide was a nice to have.rottenborough said:
Labour don't wanna do it because of Red Wall Leave voters.kinabalu said:
No-one can doubt the political nous of George Osborne.rkrkrk said:Does anyone listen to the Ed Balls/George Osborne podcast. I'm stunned hiw often I'm agreeing with Osborne and am so impressed with the way he thinks about issues.
His latest suggestion to Starmer is to set a trap for the Tories, sign some kind of EU trade deal, which Badenoch will have to oppose. Come the next election, business will line up behind Labour. Kinda makes sense given how badly we need growth tbh.
Somebody should tell them that they have gone to Reform and 'aint coming back most likely.0 -
Better news for Reform in that gain from the Tories there BUT it is a council seat for the area where Farage is already MPBig_G_NorthWales said:0 -
Big vote for Reform and LD there, duplicated in the Bagshot parish election where Tories go from 1st to 3rd and LDs and Reform prosper.HYUFD said:
Better news for Reform in that gain from the Tories there BUT it is a council seat for the area where Farage is already MPBig_G_NorthWales said:
LD 588
Reform 274
Con 2500 -
"Despite or perhaps because of that large lead, the Conservatives have gone for the big guns to try and hold this seat. "HYUFD said:
Better news for Reform in that gain from the Tories there BUT it is a council seat for the area where Farage is already MPBig_G_NorthWales said:
"https://andrewspreviews.substack.com/p/previewing-the-five-council-by-elections-23d0 -
Managerialism might be OK if they were, at a minimum, competent managers.kle4 said:
Ideology in politics for me is like salt. You need a little, but too much of it only leads to trouble.GarethoftheVale2 said:
I am hopefully planning a series of headers looking at each of the parties.algarkirk said:
The Tories have had terrible times before, but I can't remember ever a time when politics watchers taking a long view might begin to wonder whether there is a way back. It's not the figures, though they are dire; it's the combination of calibre/quality and momentum of the parties who want to beat them seat by seat. In almost every seat - and they start with only a few - they are vulnerable to one of LD, Lab and Reform. If that combines, by the magic of voter momentum, to ensure only one of them is the real challenger in virtually every seat they hold, and most they don't, the Tories look finished.pigeon said:
What's left of it.TimS said:
The DNV number sounds a note of caution for them though. Will those people actually turn up.Eabhal said:
The tables are quite something too. Given '24 was a low turnout election...TimS said:Some interesting stats from that find out now poll.
First, for the right wing it’s mixed news. RefCon is on 47% vs 48% for LLG. That’s lower than most polls.
But it’s now getting a bit more consolidated. The ratio is 0.72. 0.66 is the point of no return. If it gets there then the Tories go the way of Les Republicains. Don’t disappear, but get relegated to a rural conservative heartland.
Second, the SPLORG is now on the march. This is 57% SPLORG. Would have been unheard of before the last election.- 15% of DNVs at GE '24 now say they would vote for Reform (compared with 8% for the Conservatives)
- 1/4 of the Conservative vote has gone to Reform
- Reform's overall voter retention is excellent, 86% compared with 54% for the Conservatives
This is the secret power of the Tories. Their voter base vote. Come hell or high water.
Who's still voting Conservative apart from the fraction of home owning pensioners who find Reform vulgar, angry farmers, a few rural Scottish Unionists, and Never Labour voters in straight Lab-Con contests? What use are they to anyone else?
The only thing that's surprising about Tory vote share is that it isn't even lower.
For me, the end of the Cold war led to the "End of History" and less ideological politics. This in turn led to managerialism in both major parties and a frequent career path of PPE - SPAD/wonk - MP - minister, with no experience in the real world required.
The era of globalization is now ending and both major parties are in trouble as ideology is coming back. The problem is summed up by Rishi's National Service policy. Did he really believe in it? No, of course not. My guess is a bunch of SPADS came up with it on a white board.
The problem with the managerialists is that they don't actually believe in anything so they have no authenticity. Farage and Corbyn, love them or loathe them, have authenticity. The Cons and Lab right now, don't.
So managerialism I don't think is an issue in itself, if it is directed in a positive way. Likewise sincerity can be useful without being necessary, and sincere belief in awful things is no positive with the public overall.
There has been no evidence of that for a good couple if decades.0 - 15% of DNVs at GE '24 now say they would vote for Reform (compared with 8% for the Conservatives)
-
Not true.TimS said:I’ve just realised this is the only island in the world with a sleeper train. Great Britain is a very big island.
https://www.journeybeyondrail.com.au/journeys/the-ghan/0 -
The world is moving on at pace.kinabalu said:
Protecting the red wall is Labour’s number one political priority. It's frustrating but it's understandable. Losing those seats to Boris Johnson in 2019 was a trauma. Getting them back was the foundation of their electoral recovery. That was the core project in opposition, regain the red wall and get back in the game. The landslide was a nice to have.rottenborough said:
Labour don't wanna do it because of Red Wall Leave voters.kinabalu said:
No-one can doubt the political nous of George Osborne.rkrkrk said:Does anyone listen to the Ed Balls/George Osborne podcast. I'm stunned hiw often I'm agreeing with Osborne and am so impressed with the way he thinks about issues.
His latest suggestion to Starmer is to set a trap for the Tories, sign some kind of EU trade deal, which Badenoch will have to oppose. Come the next election, business will line up behind Labour. Kinda makes sense given how badly we need growth tbh.
Somebody should tell them that they have gone to Reform and 'aint coming back most likely.
They need to think again.1 -
They are not even pretending now.
Trump's DOJ just killed its elite anti-corruption unit, our sources say. The Kleptocracy Initiative - famous for seizing Russian oligarchs' yachts and prosecuting the $4.5B 1MDB fraud - was quietly disbanded last night.
https://x.com/bradleyhope/status/1887528066702057842
.. Sources say a key objective is gaining control of a multi-billion dollar forfeiture fund - money seized from corrupt officials that was meant to be returned to victim countries..
.."This effectively neuters the entire anti-corruption apparatus of the United States government," one DOJ veteran told us. Active cases are now in limbo....
0 -
Seems unnecessary for Trump, his crimes and potential crimes are already immune, so who cares if such a unit went after others?Nigelb said:They are not even pretending now.
Trump's DOJ just killed its elite anti-corruption unit, our sources say. The Kleptocracy Initiative - famous for seizing Russian oligarchs' yachts and prosecuting the $4.5B 1MDB fraud - was quietly disbanded last night.
https://x.com/bradleyhope/status/1887528066702057842
.. Sources say a key objective is gaining control of a multi-billion dollar forfeiture fund - money seized from corrupt officials that was meant to be returned to victim countries...0 -
True though some comfort for the Tories that in their only head to head with Labour so far in an area with a Labour MP they gained the seat.kjh said:
Big vote for Reform and LD there, duplicated in the Bagshot parish election where Tories go from 1st to 3rd and LDs and Reform prosper.HYUFD said:
Better news for Reform in that gain from the Tories there BUT it is a council seat for the area where Farage is already MPBig_G_NorthWales said:
LD 588
Reform 274
Con 250
Bagshot is in an area with a LD MP already and Farage is the MP already for the area of the Tendring seat0 -
Australia not an island, a continentrcs1000 said:
Not true.TimS said:I’ve just realised this is the only island in the world with a sleeper train. Great Britain is a very big island.
https://www.journeybeyondrail.com.au/journeys/the-ghan/0 -
No, Victoria Island is an Arctic archipelago island in Nunavut. Way bigger than Vancouver Island.kle4 said:0 -
Know your Kuhn, Kinabulu?kinabalu said:
But imagine that since the dawn of time each country in the world had been led by ideology free politicians focused only on making incremental improvements to the lives of the populace without spilling anything. No sound or fury, no bloodshed, no 'visions', no revolutions and counter revolutions, just a quiet tick tick tick of things getting that little bit better each year, decade, century.GarethoftheVale2 said:
I am hopefully planning a series of headers looking at each of the parties.algarkirk said:
The Tories have had terrible times before, but I can't remember ever a time when politics watchers taking a long view might begin to wonder whether there is a way back. It's not the figures, though they are dire; it's the combination of calibre/quality and momentum of the parties who want to beat them seat by seat. In almost every seat - and they start with only a few - they are vulnerable to one of LD, Lab and Reform. If that combines, by the magic of voter momentum, to ensure only one of them is the real challenger in virtually every seat they hold, and most they don't, the Tories look finished.pigeon said:
What's left of it.TimS said:
The DNV number sounds a note of caution for them though. Will those people actually turn up.Eabhal said:
The tables are quite something too. Given '24 was a low turnout election...TimS said:Some interesting stats from that find out now poll.
First, for the right wing it’s mixed news. RefCon is on 47% vs 48% for LLG. That’s lower than most polls.
But it’s now getting a bit more consolidated. The ratio is 0.72. 0.66 is the point of no return. If it gets there then the Tories go the way of Les Republicains. Don’t disappear, but get relegated to a rural conservative heartland.
Second, the SPLORG is now on the march. This is 57% SPLORG. Would have been unheard of before the last election.- 15% of DNVs at GE '24 now say they would vote for Reform (compared with 8% for the Conservatives)
- 1/4 of the Conservative vote has gone to Reform
- Reform's overall voter retention is excellent, 86% compared with 54% for the Conservatives
This is the secret power of the Tories. Their voter base vote. Come hell or high water.
Who's still voting Conservative apart from the fraction of home owning pensioners who find Reform vulgar, angry farmers, a few rural Scottish Unionists, and Never Labour voters in straight Lab-Con contests? What use are they to anyone else?
The only thing that's surprising about Tory vote share is that it isn't even lower.
For me, the end of the Cold war led to the "End of History" and less ideological politics. This in turn led to managerialism in both major parties and a frequent career path of PPE - SPAD/wonk - MP - minister, with no experience in the real world required.
The era of globalization is now ending and both major parties are in trouble as ideology is coming back. The problem is summed up by Rishi's National Service policy. Did he really believe in it? No, of course not. My guess is a bunch of SPADS came up with it on a white board.
The problem with the managerialists is that they don't actually believe in anything so they have no authenticity. Farage and Corbyn, love them or loathe them, have authenticity. The Cons and Lab right now, don't.
So boring. Far fewer history books to read. But we'd be in much better shape today, wouldn't we. Much better shape. So for me "managerialism" is no insult. At its finest, executed with competence and integrity, it's the highest form of politics. The hardest to achieve, the most beneficial, deserving of the utmost respect.1 - 15% of DNVs at GE '24 now say they would vote for Reform (compared with 8% for the Conservatives)
-
Farage shows the Lib Dems how to do an honest bar chart:
https://x.com/nigel_farage/status/18876219205830247920 -
I haven't see a misleading LD bar chart in years.williamglenn said:Farage shows the Lib Dems how to do an honest bar chart:
https://x.com/nigel_farage/status/1887621920583024792
I think even then it was using a comparison which was quesitonable (local election data instead of most recent parliamentary or something) rather than any misleading proportions. Most disappointing.
I can still see why a lot of Tories think he's really on their side though, with his 'Vote Tory, get Labour' message.0 -
"Medway. Gillingham South
Lab 706
RefUK 506
Con 330
Green 167
LD 99
SDP 69
Heritage 12
Lab hold"0 -
While you are thinking about Vancouver Island, may I introduce you to Point Roberts:
"Point Roberts is a pene-exclave of Washington on the southernmost tip of the Tsawwassen peninsula, south of Vancouver, British Columbia. The area, which had a population of 1,191 at the 2020 census,[1] is reached from the rest of the United States by traveling 25 mi (40 km) through Canada, or by boat or private airplane."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Point_Roberts,_Washington
Washington state, of course, not DC.
Bonus points for anyone familiar with "pene-exclave", before reading that article.2 -
Maybe I am Poly & Anna as many replies have posted tonight. But to my mind, the more you say: do as I say, not as I do, in clubs your are a senior and influential member of, the more that will trash your influence, undermine the rules and required cooperation of members. Am I wrong in that?MoonRabbit said:
But it’s not a case that we are being intimidated or threatened, but that we should feel the weight of responsibility to lead by example, in order to best protect our own international interests in the bigger picture - as it’s certainly in our interest, is it not, to keep everyone else on board with a United Nations?BartholomewRoberts said:
"what would you do?"MoonRabbit said:
The Chagos island plan B. Let me explain it to you.Leon said:
Finally, I get itMoonRabbit said:
No.Leon said:Ahhh
It’s coz I keep getting shit RIGHT
That’s it? Isn’t it? That’s what freaks you out?!
Ahahahahah
You have utterly embarrassed yourself on Chagos deal 🥹
😈
Plan A wa UK, at request of US, expelling inhabitants off Chagos - concluding “forced deportations” in 1973. Ethnic cleansing carried out by both Tory and Labour government, on orders from Vietnam era Washington.
government of Mauritius successfully argued. in UN's highest court, it was illegally forced to give Chago away, the court ruled the UK's administration of the territory unlawful. In 2019, the International Court of Justice issued opinion UK did not have sovereignty over the Chagos Islands, administration of the whole archipelago should be handed over "as rapidly as possible" to Mauritius. The UN General Assembly gave UK 6 month deadline to begin process of handing over the islands. In 2021, UN International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, ruled Mauritius is sovereign over Chagos Islands.
If you want to be part of the institution settling international disputes, like UN, want others to abide by its decisions, and you lose a case in the courtroom, what would you do?
This question smokes out the daft populists amongst you. Does it depend upon what you merely regard as arbitrary international law, we can simply ignore without suffering any damage? Have cake and eat it membership of the UN? Or a leadership role?
In my opinion, for UK and US role in UN, it now needs a Plan B. If you think it UK Labour government Plan B, think again. As the US Plan A from 1968 hit the rocks, US told UK to use a cheat code to get round the legal difficulties, avoid hit to reputational damage of both countries – the century lease and banging them lolly does this - don’t even need to negotiate lease renewal and extra lolly for 95 years, all the while fully legally compliant.
I will be proved right in my analysis. Because despite their cakeist approach to international relations, this latest order from US to us to do their bidding, is probably going to be little different from Trump and his administration, than the instruction we got from Biden. When it’s all joined up together in the history books, it’s a clear example of USA - never a great friend of UK, definitely never a friend of UK colonialism - using UK as their bitch for the Cold War dirty work. To bastardise the UN rulings by bunging someone money in order to bypass the spirit of those rulings, is clearly underhand and morally wrong.
And When Trumps America enables “Starmer’s” Chagos deal to happen, it with prove everything in my analysis. Watch this space. ☺️
Invoke the legal precedence of Arkell v Pressdram.
Next.
I was just a baby at the time, but I learned later UN resolutions were deemed necessary to be passed, to justify our invasion of Iraq.
This is exactly the reasoning US and UK have jointly drawn up a new arrangement, to by pass the UN’s insistence we have no sovereignty over the island, and our administration of the territory is illegal - the new arrangement produces through good old bribery of the new owners, to let us keep a status quo on our ownership of Chagos for 100 years on a yearly stipend of £90 million pound.
Anyone wish to advocate for UK’s unilateral withdrawal from the United Nations?
Do we gain nothing from membership?
Is it in the interests of UK that the UN does not exist, or falls apart?
I’m not naive - the island base is important to UK, as is keeping a close relationship with US on this, and the cuddling up with India too, in a key economic and security region in Indian Ocean. I just think that not trashing our influence and credibility in UN, undermining the UN, is not in our interest either - and surely must play a part in this decision making.
I’m still insisting I have both outgoing and incoming US administrations, UK Foriegn Office - or just FO as LuckyGuy would put it - number 10, Chatham House and Indian government all on my side and my way of thinking on this one. But time will tell.
I have an early start and very busy weekend. Love you all 🙋♀️1 -
Part of it is a cash grab - largely at the expense of foreign countries - allegedly to help fund expansion of Guantanamo.kle4 said:
Seems unnecessary for Trump, his crimes and potential crimes are already immune, so who cares if such a unit went after others?Nigelb said:They are not even pretending now.
Trump's DOJ just killed its elite anti-corruption unit, our sources say. The Kleptocracy Initiative - famous for seizing Russian oligarchs' yachts and prosecuting the $4.5B 1MDB fraud - was quietly disbanded last night.
https://x.com/bradleyhope/status/1887528066702057842
.. Sources say a key objective is gaining control of a multi-billion dollar forfeiture fund - money seized from corrupt officials that was meant to be returned to victim countries...
But he us only immune to a limited extent, and I would guess that anyone investigating high level corruption would remain awkward for him:
."This effectively neuters the entire anti-corruption apparatus of the United States government," one DOJ veteran told us. Active cases are now in limbo....
0 -
Can anyone give a convincing explanation of why Reform won't end up like the SDP/Liberal Alliance in the 80s? Lots of flattering opinions polls, some impressive by-election wins, maybe a few defections but a flop in terms of seats won at a general election? The Alliance had a way better electoral machine but still couldn't break the two party hegemony in terms of seats won.rottenborough said:
Adam Brooks AKA EssexPR 🇬🇧
@EssexPR
·
21m
Suddenly, people have stopped laughing & are now realising that it is very likely that REFORM UK win the next election.
They laughed when I said I was going to become a comedian. They're not laughing now.0 -
It's almost as if the alt-liberals want Ref to win the next election. Not sure why. Similar to the way the Democrats were almost doing everything they could to make another Trump win possible.0
