Exe Valley - East Devon DC LIB DEM HOLD LD, 256, 44% (+7.1%) Con, 137, 23.5% (-8.3%) RFM, 135, 23.2% (New) LAB, 54, 9.3% (-22%)
Tiny numbers, but anothr drop of near a quarter in Labour's vote should be worrying them.
The Conservatives in opposition to an unpopular incumbent national government dropping nearly 8.5% is almost even more alarming. Labour and Conservatives should clearly be knocking lumps out of each other as opponents, but at the same time both should be hitting Reform as the common enemy.
I have always voted Tory in GEs, until 2024. About 50 years. They are not yet on the radar as a possible party worth considering, unless voting in a two horse race where it was Tory v Reform, when I would consider it. I don't seem to be alone in this view.
Exe Valley - East Devon DC LIB DEM HOLD LD, 256, 44% (+7.1%) Con, 137, 23.5% (-8.3%) RFM, 135, 23.2% (New) LAB, 54, 9.3% (-22%)
Tiny numbers, but anothr drop of near a quarter in Labour's vote should be worrying them.
The Conservatives in opposition to an unpopular incumbent national government dropping nearly 8.5% is almost even more alarming. Labour and Conservatives should clearly be knocking lumps out of each other as opponents, but at the same time both should be hitting Reform as the common enemy.
I have always voted Tory in GEs, until 2024. About 50 years. They are not yet on the radar as a possible party worth considering, unless voting in a two horse race where it was Tory v Reform, when I would consider it. I don't seem to be alone in this view.
I vote conservative and will vote conservative never Reform even tactically
Can you link that @Big_G_NorthWales because it is not what Ian is showing, which agrees with Mark Pack (although I am guessing that is where Ian got it).
On what Ian is showing it looks like mainly a move from Lab to Reform with a small increase in LD and a small drop in Tory.
PS. Whoops I see you have. Somebody has got something wrong, but whom?
Not Election Maps -
A mountain is being made out of a molehill.
At the 2023 locals, the LDs held the seat with 70% plus of the vote. There were only two candidates: LD and Tory.
At the previous local by-election in 2021, a Labour candidate also stood and had a very strong result: 31% +.
So the LDs are down compared to 2023, up compared to 2021.
Can you link that @Big_G_NorthWales because it is not what Ian is showing, which agrees with Mark Pack (although I am guessing that is where Ian got it).
On what Ian is showing it looks like mainly a move from Lab to Reform with a small increase in LD and a small drop in Tory.
PS. Whoops I see you have. Somebody has got something wrong, but whom?
An interview with Thomas Right, a senior adviser to Joe Biden for 3 years on the Ukraine War, about how they played it and what he thinks. By Roland Oliphant of the Telegraph - who is one of the good ones.
To me it is strangely cold-blooded and detaches, but still worth a listen. 20 minutes.
It's in the Telegraph Battle Lines podcast from yesterday.
Can you link that @Big_G_NorthWales because it is not what Ian is showing, which agrees with Mark Pack (although I am guessing that is where Ian got it).
On what Ian is showing it looks like mainly a move from Lab to Reform with a small increase in LD and a small drop in Tory.
PS. Whoops I see you have. Somebody has got something wrong, but whom?
Not Election Maps -
A mountain is being made out of a molehill.
At the 2023 locals, the LDs held the seat with 70% plus of the vote. There were only two candidates: LD and Tory.
At the previous local by-election in 2021, a Labour candidate also stood and had a very strong result: 31% +.
So the LDs are down compared to 2023, up compared to 2021.
Not really
The election yesterday was held in the current frenetic political climate and the Lib Dems dropped nearly all their 26.5% lost votes to Reform
That is remarkable and as I said earlier Reform are the NOA party and to date, including yesterday, they do not seem to be losing much support
Exe Valley - East Devon DC LIB DEM HOLD LD, 256, 44% (+7.1%) Con, 137, 23.5% (-8.3%) RFM, 135, 23.2% (New) LAB, 54, 9.3% (-22%)
Tiny numbers, but anothr drop of near a quarter in Labour's vote should be worrying them.
The Conservatives in opposition to an unpopular incumbent national government dropping nearly 8.5% is almost even more alarming. Labour and Conservatives should clearly be knocking lumps out of each other as opponents, but at the same time both should be hitting Reform as the common enemy.
I have always voted Tory in GEs, until 2024. About 50 years. They are not yet on the radar as a possible party worth considering, unless voting in a two horse race where it was Tory v Reform, when I would consider it. I don't seem to be alone in this view.
I vote conservative and will vote conservative never Reform even tactically
When did you change your mind? You previously said you'd vote Reform to help kick Labour out of Wales.
Can you link that @Big_G_NorthWales because it is not what Ian is showing, which agrees with Mark Pack (although I am guessing that is where Ian got it).
On what Ian is showing it looks like mainly a move from Lab to Reform with a small increase in LD and a small drop in Tory.
PS. Whoops I see you have. Somebody has got something wrong, but whom?
Not Election Maps -
A mountain is being made out of a molehill.
At the 2023 locals, the LDs held the seat with 70% plus of the vote. There were only two candidates: LD and Tory.
At the previous local by-election in 2021, a Labour candidate also stood and had a very strong result: 31% +.
So the LDs are down compared to 2023, up compared to 2021.
Not really
The election yesterday was held in the current frenetic political climate and the Lib Dems dropped nearly all their 26.5% lost votes to Reform
That is remarkable and as I said earlier Reform are the NOA party and to date, including yesterday, they do not seem to be losing much support
Indeed last week Reform won a seat in Llandudno
You don't know that. None of us do.
Two alternatives:
People who voted Lib Dem 2023 because they didn't have a Labour candidate then voted for their preferred party this time.
Reffers who stayed at home in 2023 (because they're all the same) voted for their party yesterday, because they could.
Swings between party X and not voting are generally more common than swings between party X and party Y. It just gets hidden in percentages that have to add up to 100.
Can you link that @Big_G_NorthWales because it is not what Ian is showing, which agrees with Mark Pack (although I am guessing that is where Ian got it).
On what Ian is showing it looks like mainly a move from Lab to Reform with a small increase in LD and a small drop in Tory.
PS. Whoops I see you have. Somebody has got something wrong, but whom?
Not Election Maps -
A mountain is being made out of a molehill.
At the 2023 locals, the LDs held the seat with 70% plus of the vote. There were only two candidates: LD and Tory.
At the previous local by-election in 2021, a Labour candidate also stood and had a very strong result: 31% +.
So the LDs are down compared to 2023, up compared to 2021.
Not really
The election yesterday was held in the current frenetic political climate and the Lib Dems dropped nearly all their 26.5% lost votes to Reform
That is remarkable and as I said earlier Reform are the NOA party and to date, including yesterday, they do not seem to be losing much support
Indeed last week Reform won a seat in Llandudno
We already know there is potential Reform support in many parts of the country.
But bear in mind in 2023 the LDs got 70% of the vote because Labour - who had 31% plus - didn't stand.
So the undelying voter dynamics are more complex than you're suggesting.
Reform will have taken a huge chunk of the Labour 2021 vote.
LDs support is over 40%, when there's multiple parties standing. So my bet is that not that many 2021 LD voters went Reform last night.
Can you link that @Big_G_NorthWales because it is not what Ian is showing, which agrees with Mark Pack (although I am guessing that is where Ian got it).
On what Ian is showing it looks like mainly a move from Lab to Reform with a small increase in LD and a small drop in Tory.
PS. Whoops I see you have. Somebody has got something wrong, but whom?
Not Election Maps -
A mountain is being made out of a molehill.
At the 2023 locals, the LDs held the seat with 70% plus of the vote. There were only two candidates: LD and Tory.
At the previous local by-election in 2021, a Labour candidate also stood and had a very strong result: 31% +.
So the LDs are down compared to 2023, up compared to 2021.
Not really
The election yesterday was held in the current frenetic political climate and the Lib Dems dropped nearly all their 26.5% lost votes to Reform
That is remarkable and as I said earlier Reform are the NOA party and to date, including yesterday, they do not seem to be losing much support
Indeed last week Reform won a seat in Llandudno
They are now up to 102 nationwide.
On Ashfield DC they now have 3 (and also 3 on Mansfield DC).
In Ashfield it is one defector each from Ash Ind, Tory and Lab. That makes them the Opposition, though 3 from 35 is not a lot of opposition.
Exe Valley - East Devon DC LIB DEM HOLD LD, 256, 44% (+7.1%) Con, 137, 23.5% (-8.3%) RFM, 135, 23.2% (New) LAB, 54, 9.3% (-22%)
Tiny numbers, but anothr drop of near a quarter in Labour's vote should be worrying them.
The Conservatives in opposition to an unpopular incumbent national government dropping nearly 8.5% is almost even more alarming. Labour and Conservatives should clearly be knocking lumps out of each other as opponents, but at the same time both should be hitting Reform as the common enemy.
I have always voted Tory in GEs, until 2024. About 50 years. They are not yet on the radar as a possible party worth considering, unless voting in a two horse race where it was Tory v Reform, when I would consider it. I don't seem to be alone in this view.
I vote conservative and will vote conservative never Reform even tactically
When did you change your mind? You previously said you'd vote Reform to help kick Labour out of Wales.
Reform are likely to do very well without my vote next year for the Senedd
Can you link that @Big_G_NorthWales because it is not what Ian is showing, which agrees with Mark Pack (although I am guessing that is where Ian got it).
On what Ian is showing it looks like mainly a move from Lab to Reform with a small increase in LD and a small drop in Tory.
PS. Whoops I see you have. Somebody has got something wrong, but whom?
Not Election Maps -
A mountain is being made out of a molehill.
At the 2023 locals, the LDs held the seat with 70% plus of the vote. There were only two candidates: LD and Tory.
At the previous local by-election in 2021, a Labour candidate also stood and had a very strong result: 31% +.
So the LDs are down compared to 2023, up compared to 2021.
Not really
The election yesterday was held in the current frenetic political climate and the Lib Dems dropped nearly all their 26.5% lost votes to Reform
That is remarkable and as I said earlier Reform are the NOA party and to date, including yesterday, they do not seem to be losing much support
Indeed last week Reform won a seat in Llandudno
You don't know that. None of us do.
Two alternatives:
People who voted Lib Dem 2023 because they didn't have a Labour candidate then voted for their preferred party this time.
Reffers who stayed at home in 2023 (because they're all the same) voted for their party yesterday, because they could.
Swings between party X and not voting are generally more common than swings between party X and party Y. It just gets hidden in percentages that have to add up to 100.
No matter - it shows a movement to Reform that should worry every party
In a way it's a bit of a shame that Reform are doing so well in Runcorn polling, as if they walk it, Farage's fairly bad behaviour over Lowe will be rewarded.
How can anyone look at what has happened to America and still want British Trump with more MPs?
What they want is stuff to happen and things to work. They want GP appointments and an NHS waiting list of less than 6 months. They want the criminals warehoused. Some improvements on the high street would be nice.
Round here, the council is "consulting" about moving bin collections from once every two weeks, to once a month. The well off make extra arrangements. The poor people on the estates have a pile of stinking garbage. But they are all Deplorables or something. So that's all good then.
Telling people that nothing can be done and no one can do it, is a simple recipe for "Well, we will try this lot, then"
This is why Starmer is trying to do stuff.
And when people do try the other lot, as they will with Reform they merely get abused for their choice. But why not when other parties have lied to them and let them down time and time again. Nothing to lose really and those abusing them for their choice were never really on the side of these communities anyway.
The really big issue where I am is a group of youths in the town centre on a Friday and Saturday evening causing problems and the police know about it, have ‘spoke to them’ but it never improves and people and businesses and the town suffers as a consequence. It’s not about ‘being back the birch’ it’s just about making a visit to town enjoyable. It’s been going on a few years. Little happens.
I’ve been impressed with Starmer this year. Not just on Ukraine but on growth and a few other things. There are signs he gets it and is growing into the role.
So many things in the UK are like that. Lots of things have been allowed to slip, lots of people in power just shrug and totality it gives the impression nothing works.
And of course on the flip side of the coin, highest tax for 50+ years.
Too many politicians have in recent past thought give a speech or two and that is that issue sorted.
Some years ago, when I was living in Wiltshire, Blair & Co. had enacted a policy of non-interferences with "travellers", by the police.
So when a group moved in locally, and thefts and so forth happened, the police refused to make arrests, since a riot would develop at the encampment.
The final straw was a violent distraction robbery of a shop (old lady knocked down, ended up in A&E). The perpetrators were identified. The police specifically refused to act.
So a bunch of locals formed a vigilante group - went out to the encampment at night, wearing balaclavas and told them to leave or else.
They left.
The next day the town was full of police trying to find out who threatened the travellers.
I was curious as to the outrage by the authorities - if you withdraw your side of the social contract, what would you expect people to honour their half?
Its like the old joke - Man rings the police to report a burglar in his house, is told that no-one is available right now, but they will send someone when they can. He rings back a few minutes later and says "No rush, I've shot the burglar" and hears sirens in minutes.
An interview with Thomas Right, a senior adviser to Joe Biden for 3 years on the Ukraine War, about how they played it and what he thinks. By Roland Oliphant of the Telegraph - who is one of the good ones.
To me it is strangely cold-blooded and detaches, but still worth a listen. 20 minutes.
It's in the Telegraph Battle Lines podcast from yesterday.
In a complex world I shouldn't still be surprised that the Telegraph and Mail warfare coverage in the explainer space is quite good, but I still am... ☹️
Reading this article from an anti leasehold lobbyist jn the guardian, and it is something I fully support I have to say, the one thing that really struck me was his Moms service charge is £33K a year.
I suspect there is probably a lot more to that £33k bill than the now common issue of leasehold / management companies using it as a way of increasing profits. I suspect there is some huge structural issue with the building and all owners are legally required to pay a one off cost towards its repair.
If the upkeep really does cost £33k a year you might as well just demolish the building. Not sure exactly how much each flat would be worth in good condition on the open market but that charge surely eventually swamps it.
Having lived in leasehold properties, service charges can be all over the place. In the first place I lived, the management company ended up in dispute with HMRC over VAT, which ended up up with everyone in the building having to fork up a one off £10k payment. (Which would probably be £30k in today's money.)
In another, the (resident owned and managed) management company kept putting off essential maintenance in order to keep service charges low, then couldn't get insurance, and then ended up with a massive payment for remediation work and for internal damage.
In my current place in London, the management company seems to be pretty good. Costs are predictable, and maintenance seems to get done as required.
How can anyone look at what has happened to America and still want British Trump with more MPs?
What they want is stuff to happen and things to work. They want GP appointments and an NHS waiting list of less than 6 months. They want the criminals warehoused. Some improvements on the high street would be nice.
Round here, the council is "consulting" about moving bin collections from once every two weeks, to once a month. The well off make extra arrangements. The poor people on the estates have a pile of stinking garbage. But they are all Deplorables or something. So that's all good then.
Telling people that nothing can be done and no one can do it, is a simple recipe for "Well, we will try this lot, then"
This is why Starmer is trying to do stuff.
And when people do try the other lot, as they will with Reform they merely get abused for their choice. But why not when other parties have lied to them and let them down time and time again. Nothing to lose really and those abusing them for their choice were never really on the side of these communities anyway.
The really big issue where I am is a group of youths in the town centre on a Friday and Saturday evening causing problems and the police know about it, have ‘spoke to them’ but it never improves and people and businesses and the town suffers as a consequence. It’s not about ‘being back the birch’ it’s just about making a visit to town enjoyable. It’s been going on a few years. Little happens.
I’ve been impressed with Starmer this year. Not just on Ukraine but on growth and a few other things. There are signs he gets it and is growing into the role.
So many things in the UK are like that. Lots of things have been allowed to slip, lots of people in power just shrug and totality it gives the impression nothing works.
And of course on the flip side of the coin, highest tax for 50+ years.
Too many politicians have in recent past thought give a speech or two and that is that issue sorted.
Some years ago, when I was living in Wiltshire, Blair & Co. had enacted a policy of non-interferences with "travellers", by the police.
So when a group moved in locally, and thefts and so forth happened, the police refused to make arrests, since a riot would develop at the encampment.
The final straw was a violent distraction robbery of a shop (old lady knocked down, ended up in A&E). The perpetrators were identified. The police specifically refused to act.
So a bunch of locals formed a vigilante group - went out to the encampment at night, wearing balaclavas and told them to leave or else.
They left.
The next day the town was full of police trying to find out who threatened the travellers.
I was curious as to the outrage by the authorities - if you withdraw your side of the social contract, what would you expect people to honour their half?
Its like the old joke - Man rings the police to report a burglar in his house, is told that no-one is available right now, but they will send someone when they can. He rings back a few minutes later and says "No rush, I've shot the burglar" and hears sirens in minutes.
Talking of reintroductions, they are planning on reintroducing lynx. If they do, can I offer a bounty to have them killed? The lynx, not the bureaucrats, fun as that would be. There are few things more irresponsible than releasing a predator of humans.
How can anyone look at what has happened to America and still want British Trump with more MPs?
Are Reform proposing massive tariffs ?
They’re not proposing any of trumps main policies.
We're not getting Greenland ? Shame.
Look, you've already got Scotland, its cold and damp and largely empty. What more do you need?
Imperialist are always hungry for more.
First Greenland. Then The Second British Empire. Then Mars.
Is Mars not renamed Musk I yet?
Scotland has 77,900km2. If it had the same density of population as E&W (395 per km2) it would have a population of 33.77m. And we might win games of sport, even when one of our best players was injured.
Scotland could actually do with a lot more people. It is a problem that the Scottish government doesn't make living here particularly attractive, certainly for those of an entrepreneurial bent.
Off Topic Anyone seen our resident narcissist recently? It's very quiet atm.
{Looks at long list}
Which one?
@Sandpit isn't a narcissist but he did flounce-ish. Has he come back?
Talking of PB events, somebody's mum died recently but my swiss cheese memory misfiled the name. Can somebody remind me plz?
I suspect events post 1/10/2025 have overtaken @Sandpit . I don't share his politics but he was interesting, holding the absurdly contradictory view of being both very much pro-Ukraine and pro-Trump. His post Trump inauguration analysis would be very welcome.
In a way it's a bit of a shame that Reform are doing so well in Runcorn polling, as if they walk it, Farage's fairly bad behaviour over Lowe will be rewarded.
That species of restless treachery is so inimical to Farage that you can't ascribe a moral cast to it like "bad behaviour".
It is as natural and necessary to him as breathing is to me or you.
Talking of reintroductions, they are planning on reintroducing lynx. If they do, can I offer a bounty to have them killed? The lynx, not the bureaucrats, fun as that would be. There are few things more irresponsible than releasing a predator of humans.
I think a bureaucrat would be more dangerous to a human than a lynx so I prefer your original suggestion of having a bounty on them. A bit of cost cutting as well thrown in.
Where did you get the idea that a lynx was a predator of humans?
Talking of reintroductions, they are planning on reintroducing lynx. If they do, can I offer a bounty to have them killed? The lynx, not the bureaucrats, fun as that would be. There are few things more irresponsible than releasing a predator of humans.
Some people insist on thinking of a lynx as a cat, its a bloody leopard. I also have doubts that they are going to waste their time chasing fast moving deer when there are all these woolly banquets wandering around aimlessly. Its genuinely mad.
Talking of reintroductions, they are planning on reintroducing lynx. If they do, can I offer a bounty to have them killed? The lynx, not the bureaucrats, fun as that would be. There are few things more irresponsible than releasing a predator of humans.
"Lynx, by nature, are not dangerous to humans. However, similar to many other wild animals, they wouldn’t hesitate to defend themselves by attacking if they feel cornered, threatened, or trapped. Though there is no record of a lynx attacking humans, wildlife experts still warn that these are wild animals and can be potentially dangerous when put on a threat."
Talking of reintroductions, they are planning on reintroducing lynx. If they do, can I offer a bounty to have them killed? The lynx, not the bureaucrats, fun as that would be. There are few things more irresponsible than releasing a predator of humans.
How can anyone look at what has happened to America and still want British Trump with more MPs?
What they want is stuff to happen and things to work. They want GP appointments and an NHS waiting list of less than 6 months. They want the criminals warehoused. Some improvements on the high street would be nice.
Round here, the council is "consulting" about moving bin collections from once every two weeks, to once a month. The well off make extra arrangements. The poor people on the estates have a pile of stinking garbage. But they are all Deplorables or something. So that's all good then.
Telling people that nothing can be done and no one can do it, is a simple recipe for "Well, we will try this lot, then"
This is why Starmer is trying to do stuff.
And when people do try the other lot, as they will with Reform they merely get abused for their choice. But why not when other parties have lied to them and let them down time and time again. Nothing to lose really and those abusing them for their choice were never really on the side of these communities anyway.
The really big issue where I am is a group of youths in the town centre on a Friday and Saturday evening causing problems and the police know about it, have ‘spoke to them’ but it never improves and people and businesses and the town suffers as a consequence. It’s not about ‘being back the birch’ it’s just about making a visit to town enjoyable. It’s been going on a few years. Little happens.
I’ve been impressed with Starmer this year. Not just on Ukraine but on growth and a few other things. There are signs he gets it and is growing into the role.
So many things in the UK are like that. Lots of things have been allowed to slip, lots of people in power just shrug and totality it gives the impression nothing works.
And of course on the flip side of the coin, highest tax for 50+ years.
Too many politicians have in recent past thought give a speech or two and that is that issue sorted.
Some years ago, when I was living in Wiltshire, Blair & Co. had enacted a policy of non-interferences with "travellers", by the police.
So when a group moved in locally, and thefts and so forth happened, the police refused to make arrests, since a riot would develop at the encampment.
The final straw was a violent distraction robbery of a shop (old lady knocked down, ended up in A&E). The perpetrators were identified. The police specifically refused to act.
So a bunch of locals formed a vigilante group - went out to the encampment at night, wearing balaclavas and told them to leave or else.
They left.
The next day the town was full of police trying to find out who threatened the travellers.
I was curious as to the outrage by the authorities - if you withdraw your side of the social contract, what would you expect people to honour their half?
Its like the old joke - Man rings the police to report a burglar in his house, is told that no-one is available right now, but they will send someone when they can. He rings back a few minutes later and says "No rush, I've shot the burglar" and hears sirens in minutes.
The transcript of the 911 phone call is revealing. He declared his intention to go outside with his shotgun and kill them to the emergency operator. He shot one in the back.
Off Topic Anyone seen our resident narcissist recently? It's very quiet atm.
{Looks at long list}
Which one?
@Sandpit isn't a narcissist but he did flounce-ish. Has he come back?
Talking of PB events, somebody's mum died recently but my swiss cheese memory misfiled the name. Can somebody remind me plz?
I suspect events post 1/10/2025 have overtaken @Sandpit . I don't share his politics but he was interesting, holding the absurdly contradictory view of being both very much pro-Ukraine and pro-Trump. His post Trump inauguration analysis would be very welcome.
He denied being pro Trump, although it sometimes didn't seem like that. He did say he was pro Musk though, so I imagine seeing some of the stuff he's said about Ukraine recently has been a shock.
Off Topic Anyone seen our resident narcissist recently? It's very quiet atm.
{Looks at long list}
Which one?
@Sandpit isn't a narcissist but he did flounce-ish. Has he come back?
Talking of PB events, somebody's mum died recently but my swiss cheese memory misfiled the name. Can somebody remind me plz?
I suspect events post 1/10/2025 have overtaken @Sandpit . I don't share his politics but he was interesting, holding the absurdly contradictory view of being both very much pro-Ukraine and pro-Trump. His post Trump inauguration analysis would be very welcome.
Yeah, I miss sandpit too. I disagreed with him about almost everything, but he was generally kind and gracious, and also interesting. I felt quite sorry for how conflicted he must be feeling re Ukraine.
Talking of reintroductions, they are planning on reintroducing lynx. If they do, can I offer a bounty to have them killed? The lynx, not the bureaucrats, fun as that would be. There are few things more irresponsible than releasing a predator of humans.
Talking of reintroductions, they are planning on reintroducing lynx. If they do, can I offer a bounty to have them killed? The lynx, not the bureaucrats, fun as that would be. There are few things more irresponsible than releasing a predator of humans.
"Lynx, by nature, are not dangerous to humans. However, similar to many other wild animals, they wouldn’t hesitate to defend themselves by attacking if they feel cornered, threatened, or trapped. Though there is no record of a lynx attacking humans, wildlife experts still warn that these are wild animals and can be potentially dangerous when put on a threat."
In related news there was a pitbull loose in Brockley on Wednesday. It was only captured after 3 attacks on people (no fatalities) and several hours. We had to escort children back from school.
Weird how so many posters who don’t like/don’t miss Leon bother to take the time to post something about him.
For someone who is banned from the site he’s done well to be still spamming it.
That has been one of the benefits of his temporary absence- considerably less spamming of irrelevant shite.
I think I am the only poster who has made the comments you have suggested, so you can blame me, but no one else.
The problem with the absence of Sandpit and Leon etc is in a nation where 25% now back Reform and at least 45% the Tories or Reform this site is now dominated by left liberals and Remainers.
The number of Tory voters on here now is in single digits and I can't think of a Reform voter except maybe Lucky guy who would be Tory if Jenrick was their leader
https://www.dvidshub.net/news/482846/nawcwd-team-delivers-f-35-mdf-record-time ...The NAWCWD team, including members from the Weapons and Warfare Systems Test Department, Integrated Warfare Test and Evaluation Division, Spectrum Mission Data and Information Division, and Aircraft and Spectrum Integration Environments, provided a comprehensive mission data file essential for F-35 Lightning II operations. This file offers intelligence updates and design enhancements that enable pilots to identify and counter threats in specific operational environments. The update incorporated more than 100 intelligence changes and multiple design improvements, significantly enhancing the aircraft's survivability and lethality.
Under normal circumstances, this production process would require a much longer timeline. However, when the Abraham Lincoln and VMFA-314 were ordered from the U.S. 7th Fleet to U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations, the NAWCWD team acted quickly. In collaboration with Air Force partners, they expedited the process and completed the task in record time. This ensured the squadron's readiness in theater.
“Our team cut days off our timeline to release the data in support of theater priorities,” said Cmdr. Alexander Sandroni, commanding officer of the 513th Electronic Warfare Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base. “The scope and thoroughness of the update, combined with our accelerated timeline, highlighted the importance of open communication and adapting dynamically to the needs of our customers.” ..
This is what can be denied to non US operators on a whim.
We had very good and productive discussions with President Vladimir Putin of Russia yesterday, and there is a very good chance that this horrible, bloody war can finally come to an end — BUT, AT THIS VERY MOMENT, THOUSANDS OF UKRAINIAN TROOPS ARE COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY THE RUSSIAN MILITARY, AND IN A VERY BAD AND VULNERABLE POSITION. I have strongly requested to President Putin that their lives be spared. This would be a horrible massacre, one not seen since World War II. God bless them all!!!
Apparently agreement has been reached between the CDU/CSU, SPD and the Greens in terms of changes to the German debt brake .
This is a really important development if they can get it through parliament (which should happen unless there are rebellions).
Not so much for Ukraine, though that will help, but because German austerity has held it and the rest of Europe back economically, and turning the taps on could really help to rebalance the distortions its policy has created.
I am sitting in the car waiting for my afternoon meeting at 2.00 listening to WATO. One of my first memories was listening to WATO with William Hardcastle on the Home Service as a very small boy with my mother.
Friday's programme with Jonny Diamond is becoming evermore incredibly dreary. What a shame.
Weird how so many posters who don’t like/don’t miss Leon bother to take the time to post something about him.
For someone who is banned from the site he’s done well to be still spamming it.
That has been one of the benefits of his temporary absence- considerably less spamming of irrelevant shite.
I think I am the only poster who has made the comments you have suggested, so you can blame me, but no one else.
The problem with the absence of Sandpit and Leon etc is in a nation where 25% now back Reform and at least 45% the Tories or Reform this site is now dominated by left liberals and Remainers.
The number of Tory voters on here now is in single digits and I can't think of a Reform voters except maybe Lucky guy who would be Tory if Jenrick was their leader
But surely your 126,221 posts go some way towards redressing the imbalance?
Weird how so many posters who don’t like/don’t miss Leon bother to take the time to post something about him.
For someone who is banned from the site he’s done well to be still spamming it.
That has been one of the benefits of his temporary absence- considerably less spamming of irrelevant shite.
I think I am the only poster who has made the comments you have suggested, so you can blame me, but no one else.
The problem with the absence of Sandpit and Leon etc is in a nation where 25% now back Reform and at least 45% the Tories or Reform this site is now dominated by left liberals and Remainers.
The number of Tory voters on here now is in single digits and I can't think of a Reform voter except maybe Lucky guy who would be Tory if Jenrick was their leader
We should run a poll. I think you’d be surprised on the Tory count.
When you’re at one end of the political spectrum it’s no surprise everyone else seems to be at the other. BJO would doubtless tell us the whole forum is full of Tories.
At a guess, I’d say Lib Dems and Tories are over represented here vs polls, Reform and Green are underrepresented, and Labour is in line.
Talking of reintroductions, they are planning on reintroducing lynx. If they do, can I offer a bounty to have them killed? The lynx, not the bureaucrats, fun as that would be. There are few things more irresponsible than releasing a predator of humans.
This is garbage.
In my late teens I was involved in a project at Riber Castle in Derbyshire, where they were breeding lynx for reintroduction into the Vosges Mountains in France. It was a very successful project and there were no attacks on humans. Lynx have also been reintroduced at other sites in France s well as at least 3 sites in Germany. Again, no attacks on humans. I am sure there are valid reasons for objecting to various reintroductions but this is definitely not one of them.
We had very good and productive discussions with President Vladimir Putin of Russia yesterday, and there is a very good chance that this horrible, bloody war can finally come to an end — BUT, AT THIS VERY MOMENT, THOUSANDS OF UKRAINIAN TROOPS ARE COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY THE RUSSIAN MILITARY, AND IN A VERY BAD AND VULNERABLE POSITION. I have strongly requested to President Putin that their lives be spared. This would be a horrible massacre, one not seen since World War II. God bless them all!!!
At least Donald seems dimly aware that Russia doesn’t tend to take POWs.
Talking of reintroductions, they are planning on reintroducing lynx. If they do, can I offer a bounty to have them killed? The lynx, not the bureaucrats, fun as that would be. There are few things more irresponsible than releasing a predator of humans.
Weird how so many posters who don’t like/don’t miss Leon bother to take the time to post something about him.
For someone who is banned from the site he’s done well to be still spamming it.
That has been one of the benefits of his temporary absence- considerably less spamming of irrelevant shite.
I think I am the only poster who has made the comments you have suggested, so you can blame me, but no one else.
The problem with the absence of Sandpit and Leon etc is in a nation where 25% now back Reform and at least 45% the Tories or Reform this site is now dominated by left liberals and Remainers.
The number of Tory voters on here now is in single digits and I can't think of a Reform voter except maybe Lucky guy who would be Tory if Jenrick was their leader
You seem more Reformy than Tory these days. You have been advised that adding Ref and Con together is an unreliable Pandora's box best left unopened.
Perhaps most PB Tories remain Conservative and were it not that the Conservative Party have moved away from them rather than the other way around they would have remained loyal. I blame Johnson.
The trial of former Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson and his wife Lady Eleanor Donaldson on sex abuse charges is to be delayed.
It was due to begin on 24 March but Newry Crown Court has been told Mrs Donaldson, 58, is "unfit to stand trial" at present. No details of her illness were given in court.
Talking of reintroductions, they are planning on reintroducing lynx. If they do, can I offer a bounty to have them killed? The lynx, not the bureaucrats, fun as that would be. There are few things more irresponsible than releasing a predator of humans.
FML. The number of humans killed or even attacked by wild Lynx is ZERO.
In terms of sheep, they'll probably take a few of a year (out of 30 million), saving UK taxpayers thousands in subsidies and improving the natural environment. That pretty rubbish compared to the 15,000 sheep dogs kill each year.
If someone in the UK government did that I'm 99% sure they'd be sacked the same day.
It's incredible just how far gone the US already is. The President and top people in government can say the maddest most offensive nonsense and nothing happens.
Trump hails 'productive discussions' between Russia and US
However he warns thousands of Ukrainian troops are "completely surrounded" by the Russian military, saying they are in a "very bad and vulnerable position".
He also revealed he had asked Putin "that their lives be spared", adding: "This would be a horrible massacre" on a scale "not seen since World War II".
Talking of reintroductions, they are planning on reintroducing lynx. If they do, can I offer a bounty to have them killed? The lynx, not the bureaucrats, fun as that would be. There are few things more irresponsible than releasing a predator of humans.
FML. The number of humans killed or even attacked by wild Lynx is ZERO.
In terms of sheep, they'll probably take a few of a year (out of 30 million), saving UK taxpayers thousands in subsidies and improving the natural environment. That pretty rubbish compared to the 15,000 sheep dogs kill each year.
In a lot of the reintroduction programmes they have found that by keeping down other small predators and vermin like rats, larger predators like Lynx actually improve the health of sheep flocks.
All the programmes have apretty generous compensation plan for farmers who lose livestock but generally they are not claimed against as losses are very small.
I suspect Reformers are conflicted as to who actually is the enemy.
The French!
NEXT!
(I joke of course... it's the Russians and Chinese.... I'm actually a pretty strong Francophile but I realise TSE may be lurking and I like the site and don't want to be banned).
Weird how so many posters who don’t like/don’t miss Leon bother to take the time to post something about him.
For someone who is banned from the site he’s done well to be still spamming it.
That has been one of the benefits of his temporary absence- considerably less spamming of irrelevant shite.
I think I am the only poster who has made the comments you have suggested, so you can blame me, but no one else.
The problem with the absence of Sandpit and Leon etc is in a nation where 25% now back Reform and at least 45% the Tories or Reform this site is now dominated by left liberals and Remainers.
The number of Tory voters on here now is in single digits and I can't think of a Reform voter except maybe Lucky guy who would be Tory if Jenrick was their leader
We should run a poll. I think you’d be surprised on the Tory count.
When you’re at one end of the political spectrum it’s no surprise everyone else seems to be at the other. BJO would doubtless tell us the whole forum is full of Tories.
At a guess, I’d say Lib Dems and Tories are over represented here vs polls, Reform and Green are underrepresented, and Labour is in line.
Though there are virtually no enthusiastic supporters of Labour or the Tories here any longer but plenty of committed anti-Labour and anti-Tory sentiment so it enhances that feeling further.
In a way it's a bit of a shame that Reform are doing so well in Runcorn polling, as if they walk it, Farage's fairly bad behaviour over Lowe will be rewarded.
That species of restless treachery is so inimical to Farage that you can't ascribe a moral cast to it like "bad behaviour".
It is as natural and necessary to him as breathing is to me or you.
I am sitting in the car waiting for my afternoon meeting at 2.00 listening to WATO. One of my first memories was listening to WATO with William Hardcastle on the Home Service as a very small boy with my mother.
Friday's programme with Jonny Diamond is becoming evermore incredibly dreary. What a shame.
I often think The World Tonight, at 10, is much more interesting.
Talking of reintroductions, they are planning on reintroducing lynx. If they do, can I offer a bounty to have them killed? The lynx, not the bureaucrats, fun as that would be. There are few things more irresponsible than releasing a predator of humans.
Thanks, but I think I'll need a bit more than a chocolate bar.
How can anyone look at what has happened to America and still want British Trump with more MPs?
What they want is stuff to happen and things to work. They want GP appointments and an NHS waiting list of less than 6 months. They want the criminals warehoused. Some improvements on the high street would be nice.
Round here, the council is "consulting" about moving bin collections from once every two weeks, to once a month. The well off make extra arrangements. The poor people on the estates have a pile of stinking garbage. But they are all Deplorables or something. So that's all good then.
Telling people that nothing can be done and no one can do it, is a simple recipe for "Well, we will try this lot, then"
This is why Starmer is trying to do stuff.
Also: immigration.
For some. Much of the issue about immigration has been developing-nation-style population growth (0.5%+ a year) without the policies in the public space that go with that.
Quite simply, if you want to increase the population like that, you are looking at giving up preventing stuff being built. Sorry about that, Mr Badger. You're fucked.
Those who "want to save the countryside" need to get on board. Otherwise the FuckTheGreenBeltEspecially party will be elected, in the end.
Off Topic Anyone seen our resident narcissist recently? It's very quiet atm.
{Looks at long list}
Which one?
@Sandpit isn't a narcissist but he did flounce-ish. Has he come back?
Talking of PB events, somebody's mum died recently but my swiss cheese memory misfiled the name. Can somebody remind me plz?
I suspect events post 1/10/2025 have overtaken @Sandpit . I don't share his politics but he was interesting, holding the absurdly contradictory view of being both very much pro-Ukraine and pro-Trump. His post Trump inauguration analysis would be very welcome.
Yeah, I miss sandpit too. I disagreed with him about almost everything, but he was generally kind and gracious, and also interesting. I felt quite sorry for how conflicted he must be feeling re Ukraine.
He was amongst my favourite posters when I joined. Fairly amazed how much our views have diverged since then, especially on Trump, but would be great to have him back.
Talking of reintroductions, they are planning on reintroducing lynx. If they do, can I offer a bounty to have them killed? The lynx, not the bureaucrats, fun as that would be. There are few things more irresponsible than releasing a predator of humans.
FML. The number of humans killed or even attacked by wild Lynx is ZERO.
In terms of sheep, they'll probably take a few of a year (out of 30 million), saving UK taxpayers thousands in subsidies and improving the natural environment. That pretty rubbish compared to the 15,000 sheep dogs kill each year.
In a lot of the reintroduction programmes they have found that by keeping down other small predators and vermin like rats, larger predators like Lynx actually improve the health of sheep flocks.
All the programmes have apretty generous compensation plan for farmers who lose livestock but generally they are not claimed against as losses are very small.
This stuff drives me nuts Richard. There is a certain type of lonely Scottish farmer who claims that the sea eagles take 200 of their lambs a year, and then the damned Guardian does an article on it.
We had another article in the BBC recently claiming an eagle had taken 280 lambs in 6 months. Just how credulous can you be - aside from anything else, do people have any idea how heavy a lamb is after 6 months?!
How can anyone look at what has happened to America and still want British Trump with more MPs?
What they want is stuff to happen and things to work. They want GP appointments and an NHS waiting list of less than 6 months. They want the criminals warehoused. Some improvements on the high street would be nice.
Round here, the council is "consulting" about moving bin collections from once every two weeks, to once a month. The well off make extra arrangements. The poor people on the estates have a pile of stinking garbage. But they are all Deplorables or something. So that's all good then.
Telling people that nothing can be done and no one can do it, is a simple recipe for "Well, we will try this lot, then"
This is why Starmer is trying to do stuff.
And when people do try the other lot, as they will with Reform they merely get abused for their choice. But why not when other parties have lied to them and let them down time and time again. Nothing to lose really and those abusing them for their choice were never really on the side of these communities anyway.
The really big issue where I am is a group of youths in the town centre on a Friday and Saturday evening causing problems and the police know about it, have ‘spoke to them’ but it never improves and people and businesses and the town suffers as a consequence. It’s not about ‘being back the birch’ it’s just about making a visit to town enjoyable. It’s been going on a few years. Little happens.
I’ve been impressed with Starmer this year. Not just on Ukraine but on growth and a few other things. There are signs he gets it and is growing into the role.
So many things in the UK are like that. Lots of things have been allowed to slip, lots of people in power just shrug and totality it gives the impression nothing works.
And of course on the flip side of the coin, highest tax for 50+ years.
Too many politicians have in recent past thought give a speech or two and that is that issue sorted.
Some years ago, when I was living in Wiltshire, Blair & Co. had enacted a policy of non-interferences with "travellers", by the police.
So when a group moved in locally, and thefts and so forth happened, the police refused to make arrests, since a riot would develop at the encampment.
The final straw was a violent distraction robbery of a shop (old lady knocked down, ended up in A&E). The perpetrators were identified. The police specifically refused to act.
So a bunch of locals formed a vigilante group - went out to the encampment at night, wearing balaclavas and told them to leave or else.
They left.
The next day the town was full of police trying to find out who threatened the travellers.
I was curious as to the outrage by the authorities - if you withdraw your side of the social contract, what would you expect people to honour their half?
Its like the old joke - Man rings the police to report a burglar in his house, is told that no-one is available right now, but they will send someone when they can. He rings back a few minutes later and says "No rush, I've shot the burglar" and hears sirens in minutes.
Hence post Tony Martin there is now a defence of reasonable force to defend your property
How can anyone look at what has happened to America and still want British Trump with more MPs?
What they want is stuff to happen and things to work. They want GP appointments and an NHS waiting list of less than 6 months. They want the criminals warehoused. Some improvements on the high street would be nice.
Round here, the council is "consulting" about moving bin collections from once every two weeks, to once a month. The well off make extra arrangements. The poor people on the estates have a pile of stinking garbage. But they are all Deplorables or something. So that's all good then.
Telling people that nothing can be done and no one can do it, is a simple recipe for "Well, we will try this lot, then"
This is why Starmer is trying to do stuff.
Also: immigration.
For some. Much of the issue about immigration has been developing-nation-style population growth (0.5%+ a year) without the policies in the public space that go with that.
Quite simply, if you want to increase the population like that, you are looking at giving up preventing stuff being built. Sorry about that, Mr Badger. You're fucked.
Those who "want to save the countryside" need to get on board. Otherwise the FuckTheGreenBeltEspecially party will be elected, in the end.
It already has, Starmer Labour
No. They are a pale shadow to what will come. Think Chinese style development - primary legislation. No legal avenue for protest and delay.
We had very good and productive discussions with President Vladimir Putin of Russia yesterday, and there is a very good chance that this horrible, bloody war can finally come to an end — BUT, AT THIS VERY MOMENT, THOUSANDS OF UKRAINIAN TROOPS ARE COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY THE RUSSIAN MILITARY, AND IN A VERY BAD AND VULNERABLE POSITION. I have strongly requested to President Putin that their lives be spared. This would be a horrible massacre, one not seen since World War II. God bless them all!!!
At least Donald seems dimly aware that Russia doesn’t tend to take POWs.
Well, actually they do. They murder lots, mutilate lots and torture lots. But a number survive.
Talking of reintroductions, they are planning on reintroducing lynx. If they do, can I offer a bounty to have them killed? The lynx, not the bureaucrats, fun as that would be. There are few things more irresponsible than releasing a predator of humans.
FML. The number of humans killed or even attacked by wild Lynx is ZERO.
In terms of sheep, they'll probably take a few of a year (out of 30 million), saving UK taxpayers thousands in subsidies and improving the natural environment. That pretty rubbish compared to the 15,000 sheep dogs kill each year.
In a lot of the reintroduction programmes they have found that by keeping down other small predators and vermin like rats, larger predators like Lynx actually improve the health of sheep flocks.
All the programmes have apretty generous compensation plan for farmers who lose livestock but generally they are not claimed against as losses are very small.
This stuff drives me nuts Richard. There is a certain type of lonely Scottish farmer who claims that the sea eagles take 200 of their lambs a year, and then the damned Guardian does an article on it.
We had another article in the BBC recently claiming an eagle had taken 280 lambs in 6 months. Just how credulous can you be - aside from anything else, do people have any idea how heavy a lamb is after 6 months?!
Haha, in that article he claims his Collies and Ewes are being attacked. What is this thing - Buckbeak?
How can anyone look at what has happened to America and still want British Trump with more MPs?
What they want is stuff to happen and things to work. They want GP appointments and an NHS waiting list of less than 6 months. They want the criminals warehoused. Some improvements on the high street would be nice.
Round here, the council is "consulting" about moving bin collections from once every two weeks, to once a month. The well off make extra arrangements. The poor people on the estates have a pile of stinking garbage. But they are all Deplorables or something. So that's all good then.
Telling people that nothing can be done and no one can do it, is a simple recipe for "Well, we will try this lot, then"
This is why Starmer is trying to do stuff.
Also: immigration.
For some. Much of the issue about immigration has been developing-nation-style population growth (0.5%+ a year) without the policies in the public space that go with that.
Quite simply, if you want to increase the population like that, you are looking at giving up preventing stuff being built. Sorry about that, Mr Badger. You're fucked.
Those who "want to save the countryside" need to get on board. Otherwise the FuckTheGreenBeltEspecially party will be elected, in the end.
It already has, Starmer Labour
No. They are a pale shadow to what will come. Think Chinese style development - primary legislation. No legal avenue for protest and delay.
In which case the LDs and Greens and Reform would surge to block any new development and Reform would also grow further to slash immigration more
Weird how so many posters who don’t like/don’t miss Leon bother to take the time to post something about him.
For someone who is banned from the site he’s done well to be still spamming it.
That has been one of the benefits of his temporary absence- considerably less spamming of irrelevant shite.
I think I am the only poster who has made the comments you have suggested, so you can blame me, but no one else.
The problem with the absence of Sandpit and Leon etc is in a nation where 25% now back Reform and at least 45% the Tories or Reform this site is now dominated by left liberals and Remainers.
The number of Tory voters on here now is in single digits and I can't think of a Reform voter except maybe Lucky guy who would be Tory if Jenrick was their leader
We should run a poll. I think you’d be surprised on the Tory count.
When you’re at one end of the political spectrum it’s no surprise everyone else seems to be at the other. BJO would doubtless tell us the whole forum is full of Tories.
At a guess, I’d say Lib Dems and Tories are over represented here vs polls, Reform and Green are underrepresented, and Labour is in line.
I suspect we have a good few shy Reformers.
I'll start. Former Labour, but not for a while, still never Tory (or Reform).
Talking of reintroductions, they are planning on reintroducing lynx. If they do, can I offer a bounty to have them killed? The lynx, not the bureaucrats, fun as that would be. There are few things more irresponsible than releasing a predator of humans.
Cats also. Not the lynx kind but the puddy tat kind. And sometimes outdoor too, so not just becasue of being locked indoors with a supply of originally fresh dinner and the loo for water.
Also cute hamsters (Revenge for pop stars?) and ickle little songbirds. Dangerous.
Weird how so many posters who don’t like/don’t miss Leon bother to take the time to post something about him.
For someone who is banned from the site he’s done well to be still spamming it.
That has been one of the benefits of his temporary absence- considerably less spamming of irrelevant shite.
I think I am the only poster who has made the comments you have suggested, so you can blame me, but no one else.
The problem with the absence of Sandpit and Leon etc is in a nation where 25% now back Reform and at least 45% the Tories or Reform this site is now dominated by left liberals and Remainers.
The number of Tory voters on here now is in single digits and I can't think of a Reform voter except maybe Lucky guy who would be Tory if Jenrick was their leader
We should run a poll. I think you’d be surprised on the Tory count.
When you’re at one end of the political spectrum it’s no surprise everyone else seems to be at the other. BJO would doubtless tell us the whole forum is full of Tories.
At a guess, I’d say Lib Dems and Tories are over represented here vs polls, Reform and Green are underrepresented, and Labour is in line.
Reform are vastly underrepresented on here, there are probably more Green than Reform voters on PB
Talking of reintroductions, they are planning on reintroducing lynx. If they do, can I offer a bounty to have them killed? The lynx, not the bureaucrats, fun as that would be. There are few things more irresponsible than releasing a predator of humans.
FML. The number of humans killed or even attacked by wild Lynx is ZERO.
In terms of sheep, they'll probably take a few of a year (out of 30 million), saving UK taxpayers thousands in subsidies and improving the natural environment. That pretty rubbish compared to the 15,000 sheep dogs kill each year.
In a lot of the reintroduction programmes they have found that by keeping down other small predators and vermin like rats, larger predators like Lynx actually improve the health of sheep flocks.
All the programmes have apretty generous compensation plan for farmers who lose livestock but generally they are not claimed against as losses are very small.
This stuff drives me nuts Richard. There is a certain type of lonely Scottish farmer who claims that the sea eagles take 200 of their lambs a year, and then the damned Guardian does an article on it.
We had another article in the BBC recently claiming an eagle had taken 280 lambs in 6 months. Just how credulous can you be - aside from anything else, do people have any idea how heavy a lamb is after 6 months?!
Haha, in that article he claims his Collies and Ewes are being attacked. What is this thing - Buckbeak?
Must have misunderstood the press reports of dinosaurs being found in the Jurassic of the Inner Hebrides.
Weird how so many posters who don’t like/don’t miss Leon bother to take the time to post something about him.
For someone who is banned from the site he’s done well to be still spamming it.
That has been one of the benefits of his temporary absence- considerably less spamming of irrelevant shite.
I think I am the only poster who has made the comments you have suggested, so you can blame me, but no one else.
The problem with the absence of Sandpit and Leon etc is in a nation where 25% now back Reform and at least 45% the Tories or Reform this site is now dominated by left liberals and Remainers.
The number of Tory voters on here now is in single digits and I can't think of a Reform voter except maybe Lucky guy who would be Tory if Jenrick was their leader
We should run a poll. I think you’d be surprised on the Tory count.
When you’re at one end of the political spectrum it’s no surprise everyone else seems to be at the other. BJO would doubtless tell us the whole forum is full of Tories.
At a guess, I’d say Lib Dems and Tories are over represented here vs polls, Reform and Green are underrepresented, and Labour is in line.
Reform are vastly underrepresented on here, there are probably more Green than Reform voters on PB
You're implicitly assuming PB is a random sample of the UK voter. Which it certainly is not. Income, education, age, IT cluedupness, all score differently from the average voter. For all I know the proportion of RefUK on here is actually correct when those factors are considered, together with their interaction.
Comments
Anyone seen our resident narcissist recently? It's very quiet atm.
It has been a lot less angry on here since that early bath was taken.
May 2023 result LD 475 C 199
September 2021 by-election LD 190 C 164 Lab 161
May 2019 result LD 378 C 289
https://andrewspreviews.substack.com/p/previewing-the-west-lothian-and-east
May 2023 is more recent, but equally you can't compare a two horse race with a four horse race and say anything meaningful.
At the 2023 locals, the LDs held the seat with 70% plus of the vote. There were only two candidates: LD and Tory.
At the previous local by-election in
2021, a Labour candidate also stood and had a very strong result: 31% +.
So the LDs are down compared to 2023, up compared to 2021.
Which one?
OGH's site, OGH's rules.
To me it is strangely cold-blooded and detaches, but still worth a listen. 20 minutes.
It's in the Telegraph Battle Lines podcast from yesterday.
https://youtu.be/pyZLNFYCbXM?t=1041
He will be enjoying the threnodies "tho"
The election yesterday was held in the current frenetic political climate and the Lib Dems dropped nearly all their 26.5% lost votes to Reform
That is remarkable and as I said earlier Reform are the NOA party and to date, including yesterday, they do not seem to be losing much support
Indeed last week Reform won a seat in Llandudno
Two alternatives:
People who voted Lib Dem 2023 because they didn't have a Labour candidate then voted for their preferred party this time.
Reffers who stayed at home in 2023 (because they're all the same) voted for their party yesterday, because they could.
Swings between party X and not voting are generally more common than swings between party X and party Y. It just gets hidden in percentages that have to add up to 100.
But bear in mind in 2023 the LDs got 70% of the vote because Labour - who had 31% plus - didn't stand.
So the undelying voter dynamics are more complex than you're suggesting.
Reform will have taken a huge chunk of the Labour 2021 vote.
LDs support is over 40%, when there's multiple parties standing. So my bet is that not that many 2021 LD voters went Reform last night.
However, bear in
On Ashfield DC they now have 3 (and also 3 on Mansfield DC).
In Ashfield it is one defector each from Ash Ind, Tory and Lab. That makes them the Opposition, though 3 from 35 is not a lot of opposition.
Hope he comes back. Always interesting.
Not good when no 10 is contradicting no 11
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/03/14/ftse-100-markets-latest-news-uk-gdp-economy-growth-reeves/
First Greenland. Then The Second British Empire. Then Mars.
In another, the (resident owned and managed) management company kept putting off essential maintenance in order to keep service charges low, then couldn't get insurance, and then ended up with a massive payment for remediation work and for internal damage.
In my current place in London, the management company seems to be pretty good. Costs are predictable, and maintenance seems to get done as required.
I might be in a minority of one but I haven't missed him. I haven't missed the personal insults either.
Talking of PB events, somebody's mum died recently but my swiss cheese memory misfiled the name. Can somebody remind me plz?
Scotland has 77,900km2. If it had the same density of population as E&W (395 per km2) it would have a population of 33.77m. And we might win games of sport, even when one of our best players was injured.
Scotland could actually do with a lot more people. It is a problem that the Scottish government doesn't make living here particularly attractive, certainly for those of an entrepreneurial bent.
It is as natural and necessary to him as breathing is to me or you.
Where did you get the idea that a lynx was a predator of humans?
For someone who is banned from the site he’s done well to be still spamming it.
https://wildexplained.com/blog/are-lynx-dangerous/#google_vignette
"Lynx, by nature, are not dangerous to humans. However, similar to many other wild animals, they wouldn’t hesitate to defend themselves by attacking if they feel cornered, threatened, or trapped. Though there is no record of a lynx attacking humans, wildlife experts still warn that these are wild animals and can be potentially dangerous when put on a threat."
I think I am the only poster who has made the comments you have suggested, so you can blame me, but no one else.
TOWN HALL: *BOOOOOOOO!*
https://x.com/atrupar/status/1900319153640071401
(*NC 11th.)
Keep lynx, ban dachshunds.
The number of Tory voters on here now is in single digits and I can't think of a Reform voter except maybe Lucky guy who would be Tory if Jenrick was their leader
https://www.dvidshub.net/news/482846/nawcwd-team-delivers-f-35-mdf-record-time
...The NAWCWD team, including members from the Weapons and Warfare Systems Test Department, Integrated Warfare Test and Evaluation Division, Spectrum Mission Data and Information Division, and Aircraft and Spectrum Integration Environments, provided a comprehensive mission data file essential for F-35 Lightning II operations. This file offers intelligence updates and design enhancements that enable pilots to identify and counter threats in specific operational environments. The update incorporated more than 100 intelligence changes and multiple design improvements, significantly enhancing the aircraft's survivability and lethality.
Under normal circumstances, this production process would require a much longer timeline. However, when the Abraham Lincoln and VMFA-314 were ordered from the U.S. 7th Fleet to U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations, the NAWCWD team acted quickly. In collaboration with Air Force partners, they expedited the process and completed the task in record time. This ensured the squadron's readiness in theater.
“Our team cut days off our timeline to release the data in support of theater priorities,” said Cmdr. Alexander Sandroni, commanding officer of the 513th Electronic Warfare Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base. “The scope and thoroughness of the update, combined with our accelerated timeline, highlighted the importance of open communication and adapting dynamically to the needs of our customers.”
..
This is what can be denied to non US operators on a whim.
We had very good and productive discussions with President Vladimir Putin of Russia yesterday, and there is a very good chance that this horrible, bloody war can finally come to an end — BUT, AT THIS VERY MOMENT, THOUSANDS OF UKRAINIAN TROOPS ARE COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY THE RUSSIAN MILITARY, AND IN A VERY BAD AND VULNERABLE POSITION. I have strongly requested to President Putin that their lives be spared. This would be a horrible massacre, one not seen since World War II. God bless them all!!!
Also fair to say that their only real recent success on the battlefield has relied on North Korean troops.
Not so much for Ukraine, though that will help, but because German austerity has held it and the rest of Europe back economically, and turning the taps on could really help to rebalance the distortions its policy has created.
Friday's programme with Jonny Diamond is becoming evermore incredibly dreary. What a shame.
When you’re at one end of the political spectrum it’s no surprise everyone else seems to be at the other. BJO would doubtless tell us the whole forum is full of Tories.
At a guess, I’d say Lib Dems and Tories are over represented here vs polls, Reform and Green are underrepresented, and Labour is in line.
In my late teens I was involved in a project at Riber Castle in Derbyshire, where they were breeding lynx for reintroduction into the Vosges Mountains in France. It was a very successful project and there were no attacks on humans. Lynx have also been reintroduced at other sites in France s well as at least 3 sites in Germany. Again, no attacks on humans. I am sure there are valid reasons for objecting to various reintroductions but this is definitely not one of them.
Perhaps most PB Tories remain Conservative and were it not that the Conservative Party have moved away from them rather than the other way around they would have remained loyal. I blame Johnson.
It was due to begin on 24 March but Newry Crown Court has been told Mrs Donaldson, 58, is "unfit to stand trial" at present. No details of her illness were given in court.
In terms of sheep, they'll probably take a few of a year (out of 30 million), saving UK taxpayers thousands in subsidies and improving the natural environment. That pretty rubbish compared to the 15,000 sheep dogs kill each year.
It's incredible just how far gone the US already is. The President and top people in government can say the maddest most offensive nonsense and nothing happens.
However he warns thousands of Ukrainian troops are "completely surrounded" by the Russian military, saying they are in a "very bad and vulnerable position".
He also revealed he had asked Putin "that their lives be spared", adding: "This would be a horrible massacre" on a scale "not seen since World War II".
NEXT!
All the programmes have apretty generous compensation plan for farmers who lose livestock but generally they are not claimed against as losses are very small.
I'm actually a pretty strong Francophile but I realise TSE may be lurking and I like the site and don't want to be banned).
We had another article in the BBC recently claiming an eagle had taken 280 lambs in 6 months. Just how credulous can you be - aside from anything else, do people have any idea how heavy a lamb is after 6 months?!
At least one American had something to do with it.
I'll start. Former Labour, but not for a while, still never Tory (or Reform).
Also cute hamsters (Revenge for pop stars?) and ickle little songbirds. Dangerous.
https://whatyourcatwants.com/cats-eating-humans
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/search/research-news/8201/
There's a FP account from the Ukrainian side of things here:
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1899863928441561468.html