But I still think punters are wrong, if Labour look like being eclipsed by Reform then I’d expect Sir Keir Starmer to stand down before the election and let somebody from the Labour side to take over.
Reports that the government has caved over PIP cuts. So who runs the government and how do they pay for the defence plans? More borrowing? Who's in charge?
Also, Piastri can be laid at 6 for the Drivers'. Some may recall I repeatedly mentioned him at 14. if you backed that but didn't hedge (9, I think) at the time, might want to do that now. Or not.
For what it's worth, if you've backed Piastri each way then I'd hold onto that. Certainly for now. Maybe hedge before Spain when the flexi-wing rule changes.
Last we heard from Cummo, he thought the Tories were beyond hope and needed killing off.
Anyhow it sounds like Kemi is in for a fun year:
“We’ll get her out sharpish,” one plotter said. “More and more MPs realise she’s doomed. A grid is coming together to bury her in disaster from the locals, keep the pressure on, then f*** [up] conference,” the party’s annual get-together in October. If that does not force Badenoch out, many think the final straw could be the Welsh elections in the spring of 2026, which polls currently suggest Reform will win.
Reports that the government has caved over PIP cuts. So who runs the government and how do they pay for the defence plans? More borrowing? Who's in charge?
Scrapping an inflationary uplift (which is what Sky says it was) would have saved 1.7%. Not sure that is a lot. And the sort of quick and dirty approach we saw with WFA.
The entire benefit system needs change, it simultaneously leaves some people destitute while making others comfortably off and with no need to think about work.
Reports that the government has caved over PIP cuts. So who runs the government and how do they pay for the defence plans? More borrowing? Who's in charge?
Scrapping an inflationary uplift (which is what Sky says it was) would have saved 1.7%. Not sure that is a lot. And the sort of quick and dirty approach we saw with WFA.
The entire benefit system needs change, it simultaneously leaves some people destitute while making others comfortably off and with no need to think about work.
Where do you start? It's a very long list (only goes up to 1999!!). And to add to it are the various HoL/Supreme Court tinkerings with it.
Last we heard from Cummo, he thought the Tories were beyond hope and needed killing off.
Anyhow it sounds like Kemi is in for a fun year:
“We’ll get her out sharpish,” one plotter said. “More and more MPs realise she’s doomed. A grid is coming together to bury her in disaster from the locals, keep the pressure on, then f*** [up] conference,” the party’s annual get-together in October. If that does not force Badenoch out, many think the final straw could be the Welsh elections in the spring of 2026, which polls currently suggest Reform will win.
At some point, supporters of the Conservative Party have to realise that constantly electing and deposing leaders is not a winning strategy… not that the plotters described in that article are supporters of the Conservative Party.
Last we heard from Cummo, he thought the Tories were beyond hope and needed killing off.
Anyhow it sounds like Kemi is in for a fun year:
“We’ll get her out sharpish,” one plotter said. “More and more MPs realise she’s doomed. A grid is coming together to bury her in disaster from the locals, keep the pressure on, then f*** [up] conference,” the party’s annual get-together in October. If that does not force Badenoch out, many think the final straw could be the Welsh elections in the spring of 2026, which polls currently suggest Reform will win.
At some point, supporters of the Conservative Party have to realise that constantly electing and deposing leaders is not a winning strategy… not that the plotters described in that article are supporters of the Conservative Party.
Given the sentiment, the language and the journalist, it's presumably Dom talking.
The underlying problem- a RefCon deal would lead to quite a bit of flaking on the left and the right of that alliance- still needs an awful lot of finessing. More than even the Dogshit Puppet Master can manage.
South Korean company Hanwha, producer of K9 howitzers, intends to build, in two years, an armaments factory in Romania, with the prospect of it becoming a regional hub for components, maintenance and repairs, said Michael Coulter, CEO of Hanwha Global Defense, during a meeting with Romanian journalists https://x.com/AlexandruC4/status/1900863717459276214
The backtrack on PIP is being inflated to be some huge climb down when it’s a tiny sop to Labour MPs and won’t stop the more fundamental and devastating changes to PIP.
The move is designed as a life raft for Labour MPs to say the government listened to their concerns.
Last we heard from Cummo, he thought the Tories were beyond hope and needed killing off.
Anyhow it sounds like Kemi is in for a fun year:
“We’ll get her out sharpish,” one plotter said. “More and more MPs realise she’s doomed. A grid is coming together to bury her in disaster from the locals, keep the pressure on, then f*** [up] conference,” the party’s annual get-together in October. If that does not force Badenoch out, many think the final straw could be the Welsh elections in the spring of 2026, which polls currently suggest Reform will win.
At some point, supporters of the Conservative Party have to realise that constantly electing and deposing leaders is not a winning strategy… not that the plotters described in that article are supporters of the Conservative Party.
At some point the current Tory party might realise that constantly electing and deposing leaders who are neither Conservative nor Unionist is not a path to success.
I hope they figure that out before the party dies completely
Do punters really 'agree with Farage' that there is a good chance of him being next PM? They reckon there's an 81% chance that he won't.
I think that is generous by the way. The current chances reflect the fact that no-one has a clue - so backing the horses will have the same fate as I did in Cheltenham week, complete oblivion - and that Farage is in a unique position so his bit of the iceberg peers above the waterline.
IMO Streeting might be value. But I am not going there.
“President Donald Trump said Friday that he was “being a little bit sarcastic” when he repeatedly claimed as a candidate that he would have the Russia-Ukraine war solved within 24 hours — and even before he even took office.
“Trump was asked about the vow he repeatedly made on the campaign trail during an interview for the “Full Measure” television program as his administration is still trying to broker a solution 54 days into his second term.
““Well, I was being a little bit sarcastic when I said that," Trump said in a clip released ahead of the episode airing Sunday. “What I really mean is I’d like to get it settled and, I’ll, I think, I think I’ll be successful.””
“President Donald Trump said Friday that he was “being a little bit sarcastic” when he repeatedly claimed as a candidate that he would have the Russia-Ukraine war solved within 24 hours — and even before he even took office.
“Trump was asked about the vow he repeatedly made on the campaign trail during an interview for the “Full Measure” television program as his administration is still trying to broker a solution 54 days into his second term.
““Well, I was being a little bit sarcastic when I said that," Trump said in a clip released ahead of the episode airing Sunday. “What I really mean is I’d like to get it settled and, I’ll, I think, I think I’ll be successful.””
“President Donald Trump said Friday that he was “being a little bit sarcastic” when he repeatedly claimed as a candidate that he would have the Russia-Ukraine war solved within 24 hours — and even before he even took office.
“Trump was asked about the vow he repeatedly made on the campaign trail during an interview for the “Full Measure” television program as his administration is still trying to broker a solution 54 days into his second term.
““Well, I was being a little bit sarcastic when I said that," Trump said in a clip released ahead of the episode airing Sunday. “What I really mean is I’d like to get it settled and, I’ll, I think, I think I’ll be successful.””
“President Donald Trump said Friday that he was “being a little bit sarcastic” when he repeatedly claimed as a candidate that he would have the Russia-Ukraine war solved within 24 hours — and even before he even took office.
“Trump was asked about the vow he repeatedly made on the campaign trail during an interview for the “Full Measure” television program as his administration is still trying to broker a solution 54 days into his second term.
““Well, I was being a little bit sarcastic when I said that," Trump said in a clip released ahead of the episode airing Sunday. “What I really mean is I’d like to get it settled and, I’ll, I think, I think I’ll be successful.””
Last we heard from Cummo, he thought the Tories were beyond hope and needed killing off.
Anyhow it sounds like Kemi is in for a fun year:
“We’ll get her out sharpish,” one plotter said. “More and more MPs realise she’s doomed. A grid is coming together to bury her in disaster from the locals, keep the pressure on, then f*** [up] conference,” the party’s annual get-together in October. If that does not force Badenoch out, many think the final straw could be the Welsh elections in the spring of 2026, which polls currently suggest Reform will win.
At some point, supporters of the Conservative Party have to realise that constantly electing and deposing leaders is not a winning strategy… not that the plotters described in that article are supporters of the Conservative Party.
At some point the current Tory party might realise that constantly electing and deposing leaders who are neither Conservative nor Unionist is not a path to success.
Neither is having KB as leader, so what do they do?
The big mistake was indulging in woke virtue signalling instead of selecting a leader who actually acts as if they want to win a GE. They still have time, 12-18 months out from a GE is probably the optimal time to switch because KB can then be the sin eater for as many fuck ups as possible while giving the new Scum in Chief time to get their fizzog on QT, etc.
On CASH, this was in one of my local chip shops this week. Does anyone have any information on how much fees have been going up?
My butcher down in Chadsmoor was saying they were 2.5% plus the cost of hiring the machine (plus broadband, which he doesn't have) which is why he doesn't have card.
Meanwhile, if he has a bank with a nightsafe nearby, it's free to use cash.
Last we heard from Cummo, he thought the Tories were beyond hope and needed killing off.
Anyhow it sounds like Kemi is in for a fun year:
“We’ll get her out sharpish,” one plotter said. “More and more MPs realise she’s doomed. A grid is coming together to bury her in disaster from the locals, keep the pressure on, then f*** [up] conference,” the party’s annual get-together in October. If that does not force Badenoch out, many think the final straw could be the Welsh elections in the spring of 2026, which polls currently suggest Reform will win.
Went into my local HSBC a few weeks ago with all the shrapnel (bagged of course) collected over a couple of years. In the couple of years since my last visit to that branch, all the tellers have gone to be replaced by machines and soft chairs. Take it to the Post Office they stated - a Post Office that closed a few years ago and moved a few miles away to a Supermarket.
Cash is very difficult to handle unless the (current) facilities are close by.
Structural adhesive is very common in car manufacture now. It's cheaper and lighter than mechanical fasteners and is also good at bonding dissimilar materials. Polestar, in particular, use it a lot.
When I converted my E36 M3 to a slicktop (no sunroof), I drilled out all of the spot welds, removed the roof panel and glued a brand new panel on. The new owner is either dead in a crash caused by compromised chassis integrity or completely satisfied because I never heard anything from him.
Do punters really 'agree with Farage' that there is a good chance of him being next PM? They reckon there's an 81% chance that he won't.
I think that is generous by the way. The current chances reflect the fact that no-one has a clue - so backing the horses will have the same fate as I did in Cheltenham week, complete oblivion - and that Farage is in a unique position so his bit of the iceberg peers above the waterline.
IMO Streeting might be value. But I am not going there.
Not Streeting. The selectorate will want something a bit more red in tooth and claw.
If Labour want a second term they have to motivate their voters to turn out, not offer a pastel shade of Reform policies. That's the lesson of the 2017 GE campaign.
Last we heard from Cummo, he thought the Tories were beyond hope and needed killing off.
Anyhow it sounds like Kemi is in for a fun year:
“We’ll get her out sharpish,” one plotter said. “More and more MPs realise she’s doomed. A grid is coming together to bury her in disaster from the locals, keep the pressure on, then f*** [up] conference,” the party’s annual get-together in October. If that does not force Badenoch out, many think the final straw could be the Welsh elections in the spring of 2026, which polls currently suggest Reform will win.
At some point, supporters of the Conservative Party have to realise that constantly electing and deposing leaders is not a winning strategy… not that the plotters described in that article are supporters of the Conservative Party.
At some point the current Tory party might realise that constantly electing and deposing leaders who are neither Conservative nor Unionist is not a path to success.
Neither is having KB as leader, so what do they do?
The big mistake was indulging in woke virtue signalling instead of selecting a leader who actually acts as if they want to win a GE. They still have time, 12-18 months out from a GE is probably the optimal time to switch because KB can then be the sin eater for as many fuck ups as possible while giving the new Scum in Chief time to get their fizzog on QT, etc.
Virtue signalling, or just a poor choice from a substandard list ?
Also no one cares about the fuckups; that's the problem. They don't even register with most voters.
They need a competent leader asap. The competence is the problem, not the timing.
Went into my local HSBC a few weeks ago with all the shrapnel (bagged of course) collected over a couple of years. In the couple of years since my last visit to that branch, all the tellers have gone to be replaced by machines and soft chairs. Take it to the Post Office they stated - a Post Office that closed a few years ago and moved a few miles away to a Supermarket.
Cash is very difficult to handle unless the (current) facilities are close by.
Anecdotally, it's very variable. Here in downtown East Ham, we still have banks and building society counters with tellers as, to be blunt, some who live round here have only basic English and don't know how to use the machines so they prefer to interact with a human being. It's also fair to say some older people "struggle with" the machines and prefer to deal with a person.
As a result, paying in cash isn't a problem as long as you don't mind queuing but then if you're British, why would you?
Last we heard from Cummo, he thought the Tories were beyond hope and needed killing off.
Anyhow it sounds like Kemi is in for a fun year:
“We’ll get her out sharpish,” one plotter said. “More and more MPs realise she’s doomed. A grid is coming together to bury her in disaster from the locals, keep the pressure on, then f*** [up] conference,” the party’s annual get-together in October. If that does not force Badenoch out, many think the final straw could be the Welsh elections in the spring of 2026, which polls currently suggest Reform will win.
At some point, supporters of the Conservative Party have to realise that constantly electing and deposing leaders is not a winning strategy… not that the plotters described in that article are supporters of the Conservative Party.
At some point the current Tory party might realise that constantly electing and deposing leaders who are neither Conservative nor Unionist is not a path to success.
Neither is having KB as leader, so what do they do?
The big mistake was indulging in woke virtue signalling instead of selecting a leader who actually acts as if they want to win a GE. They still have time, 12-18 months out from a GE is probably the optimal time to switch because KB can then be the sin eater for as many fuck ups as possible while giving the new Scum in Chief time to get their fizzog on QT, etc.
Virtue signalling, or just a poor choice from a substandard list ?
Also no one cares about the fuckups; that's the problem. They don't even register with most voters.
They need a competent leader asap. The competence is the problem, not the timing.
The problem is that no one likes Badenoch, not even her own party.
They have a very shallow Parliamentary party to fish in for a replacement though.
Went into my local HSBC a few weeks ago with all the shrapnel (bagged of course) collected over a couple of years. In the couple of years since my last visit to that branch, all the tellers have gone to be replaced by machines and soft chairs. Take it to the Post Office they stated - a Post Office that closed a few years ago and moved a few miles away to a Supermarket.
Cash is very difficult to handle unless the (current) facilities are close by.
I find the most convenient way to deal with shrapnel is to use one of those self-service machines in a shop or supermarket where you just tip it into a drawer, and the machine counts it.
Just don't feed in so much that you fill up then jam the machine.
Yes, and it's a complete pain in the dick. I have over XX grand in cash in my safe from a 911 deal last year and I just can't face trying to deposit it. They'll probably call the Old Bill the second I open the high security Adidas trainer box in the bank. I am (very) slowly "laundering" it by paying the cleaner with it.
The less reputable end of the car and car part business is rapidly moving to crypto.
Structural adhesive is very common in car manufacture now. It's cheaper and lighter than mechanical fasteners and is also good at bonding dissimilar materials. Polestar, in particular, use it a lot.
When I converted my E36 M3 to a slicktop (no sunroof), I drilled out all of the spot welds, removed the roof panel and glued a brand new panel on. The new owner is either dead in a crash caused by compromised chassis integrity or completely satisfied because I never heard anything from him.
I was vaguely aware of that (the first bit, not your home repair), but his glue seems to be more poxy than epoxy.
“Those who buy Patriot systems should be offered the new generation Franco-Italian SAMP/T. Those who buy F-35s should be offered Rafale."
The statement was made after news about both Canada and Portugal potentially moving away from buying F-35s.
He’s just shilling for the French defence industry there
What a bastard.
The French have played the Rafale game quite cannily. They have been absolutely scrupuleux about keeping the FASF Rafale fleet all consistent and current in terms of config and software. This means if a customer wants Rafales quickly they can be delivered very quickly from the French Air Force fleet which are then backfilled by new builds. This is how Greece got their deliveries to start within six months of order.
Went into my local HSBC a few weeks ago with all the shrapnel (bagged of course) collected over a couple of years. In the couple of years since my last visit to that branch, all the tellers have gone to be replaced by machines and soft chairs. Take it to the Post Office they stated - a Post Office that closed a few years ago and moved a few miles away to a Supermarket.
Cash is very difficult to handle unless the (current) facilities are close by.
I find the most convenient way to deal with shrapnel is to use one of those self-service machines in a shop or supermarket where you just tip it into a drawer, and the machine counts it.
Just don't feed in so much that you fill up then jam the machine.
Many church treasurers are used to this problem, and are good at dealing with coins. I put shrapnel in a tin and every now and then put it in the slot of a local church.
South Korean company Hanwha, producer of K9 howitzers, intends to build, in two years, an armaments factory in Romania, with the prospect of it becoming a regional hub for components, maintenance and repairs, said Michael Coulter, CEO of Hanwha Global Defense, during a meeting with Romanian journalists https://x.com/AlexandruC4/status/1900863717459276214
"I intend to have my agents destroy that facility", said Vladimir Putin, CEO of Russian Smersh, during a meeting of the Smersh World Domination Council.
Do punters really 'agree with Farage' that there is a good chance of him being next PM? They reckon there's an 81% chance that he won't.
I think that is generous by the way. The current chances reflect the fact that no-one has a clue - so backing the horses will have the same fate as I did in Cheltenham week, complete oblivion - and that Farage is in a unique position so his bit of the iceberg peers above the waterline.
IMO Streeting might be value. But I am not going there.
Not Streeting. The selectorate will want something a bit more red in tooth and claw.
If Labour want a second term they have to motivate their voters to turn out, not offer a pastel shade of Reform policies. That's the lesson of the 2017 GE campaign.
Can you see anyone through all that grey porridge who measures up?
A quick contribution from me before our very own Vivian from the Young Ones stirs and smashes up the squat.
Bit surprised to see 1.91 on an away win for Man United tonight.
My team is so hopeless in defence, and lacking teeth in attack that I would see anything over 1.25 as value. We are pants, and cannot score at home or keep a clean sheet.
It looks free money to me, and I have topped up on the handicap markets too. Even this pisspoor Man United side will be too much for us.
No one enjoys watching the Conservative Party flounder more than I but the central question with which they need to contend is are they still a national party aspiring to lead a majority Government?
Historically, the Conservatives have either used and abused other parties (Lib Dems, DUP) or absorbed into irrelevance any aspiring allies (Liberal Nationals, National Liberals) but the world has changed and they are facing the basic challenge of evolution - there's a newer, better, potentially more successful model in town and like Canada's Progressive Conservatives, it's time to decide whether to adapt or die.
What would "merging" with Reform look like? The first assumption can't be the support of the new party would be equal to or greater than the combined support of the old parties. It might be more like the Liberal/SDP merger of 1989 whereby you have a main joined party but two much smaller anti-merger groups continuing - what's in a name, you might say - well, when you have a "brand" as well known as Conservative, quite a lot.
After the Lib/SDP merger, you still had a Liberal Party and an SDP as well as the new Social and Liberal Democrats (and indeed all three parties still exist).
Could you have a continuing Conservative Party, a continuing Reform Party as well as the joined party - United, National or whatever? It might end up in the courts with all the attendant publicity.
At the moment, the Conservatives have no realistic prospect of being able to form a majority Government on their own so if they want to be a part of let alone lead a future Government, they might need a more pragmatic approach toward prospective allies rather than that adopted by the fans of Millwall FC.
Do punters really 'agree with Farage' that there is a good chance of him being next PM? They reckon there's an 81% chance that he won't.
I think that is generous by the way. The current chances reflect the fact that no-one has a clue - so backing the horses will have the same fate as I did in Cheltenham week, complete oblivion - and that Farage is in a unique position so his bit of the iceberg peers above the waterline.
IMO Streeting might be value. But I am not going there.
Not Streeting. The selectorate will want something a bit more red in tooth and claw.
If Labour want a second term they have to motivate their voters to turn out, not offer a pastel shade of Reform policies. That's the lesson of the 2017 GE campaign.
Can you see anyone through all that grey porridge who measures up?
A quick contribution from me before our very own Vivian from the Young Ones stirs and smashes up the squat.
Angela Rayner for me. She is one of the few who can fight.
“Those who buy Patriot systems should be offered the new generation Franco-Italian SAMP/T. Those who buy F-35s should be offered Rafale."
The statement was made after news about both Canada and Portugal potentially moving away from buying F-35s.
He’s just shilling for the French defence industry there
What a bastard.
The French have played the Rafale game quite cannily. They have been absolutely scrupuleux about keeping the FASF Rafale fleet all consistent and current in terms of config and software. This means if a customer wants Rafales quickly they can be delivered very quickly from the French Air Force fleet which are then backfilled by new builds. This is how Greece got their deliveries to start within six months of order.
S Korea seems to have adopted the same technique, which is why it landed the big Polish orders.
Technical superiority doesn't count quite as much when the vendor either can't, or won't deliver stuff to you. The nagging doubt that might later brick it doesn't help, either. (Also the Korean armoured stuff is SOTA.)
Do punters really 'agree with Farage' that there is a good chance of him being next PM? They reckon there's an 81% chance that he won't.
I think that is generous by the way. The current chances reflect the fact that no-one has a clue - so backing the horses will have the same fate as I did in Cheltenham week, complete oblivion - and that Farage is in a unique position so his bit of the iceberg peers above the waterline.
IMO Streeting might be value. But I am not going there.
Not Streeting. The selectorate will want something a bit more red in tooth and claw.
If Labour want a second term they have to motivate their voters to turn out, not offer a pastel shade of Reform policies. That's the lesson of the 2017 GE campaign.
Can you see anyone through all that grey porridge who measures up?
A quick contribution from me before our very own Vivian from the Young Ones stirs and smashes up the squat.
Angela Rayner for me. She is one of the few who can fight.
They're in government. Someone who can govern competently is rather more important.
South Korean company Hanwha, producer of K9 howitzers, intends to build, in two years, an armaments factory in Romania, with the prospect of it becoming a regional hub for components, maintenance and repairs, said Michael Coulter, CEO of Hanwha Global Defense, during a meeting with Romanian journalists https://x.com/AlexandruC4/status/1900863717459276214
"I intend to have my agents destroy that facility", said Vladimir Putin, CEO of Russian Smersh, during a meeting of the Smersh World Domination Council.
Tell me, who is that fat orange f***** stroking the white cat?
In West Hampstead, Councillor Tiwari's new party finished a distant third to Labour and the LDs and I suspect he won't stand in that Ward in 2026 but we'll see.
Yes, and it's a complete pain in the dick. I have over XX grand in cash in my safe from a 911 deal last year and I just can't face trying to deposit it. They'll probably call the Old Bill the second I open the high security Adidas trainer box in the bank. I am (very) slowly "laundering" it by paying the cleaner with it.
The less reputable end of the car and car part business is rapidly moving to crypto.
If any government wanted to stimulate growth by ditching regulation then the AML rules would go on the bonfire.
I don't think that Trump assists Farage, who has been notably quiet of late.
I suspect that there is a ceiling on Reform support, in that many people will hold their noses and vote for whoever has the best chance of defeating them. If given the choice of Conservative or Reform I would vote Conservative. If given the choice of Labour and Reform I would vote Labour. Not sure what I would do if I was in a constituency where I found that the choice was between the Palestinians and Reform, but that is an unlikely prospect.
Do punters really 'agree with Farage' that there is a good chance of him being next PM? They reckon there's an 81% chance that he won't.
I think that is generous by the way. The current chances reflect the fact that no-one has a clue - so backing the horses will have the same fate as I did in Cheltenham week, complete oblivion - and that Farage is in a unique position so his bit of the iceberg peers above the waterline.
IMO Streeting might be value. But I am not going there.
Not Streeting. The selectorate will want something a bit more red in tooth and claw.
If Labour want a second term they have to motivate their voters to turn out, not offer a pastel shade of Reform policies. That's the lesson of the 2017 GE campaign.
Can you see anyone through all that grey porridge who measures up?
A quick contribution from me before our very own Vivian from the Young Ones stirs and smashes up the squat.
Angela Rayner for me. She is one of the few who can fight.
They're in government. Someone who can govern competently is rather more important.
They aren't showing much sign of that. Trash talking your own voters isn't a winning strategy.
Went into my local HSBC a few weeks ago with all the shrapnel (bagged of course) collected over a couple of years. In the couple of years since my last visit to that branch, all the tellers have gone to be replaced by machines and soft chairs. Take it to the Post Office they stated - a Post Office that closed a few years ago and moved a few miles away to a Supermarket.
Cash is very difficult to handle unless the (current) facilities are close by.
Anecdotally, it's very variable. Here in downtown East Ham, we still have banks and building society counters with tellers as, to be blunt, some who live round here have only basic English and don't know how to use the machines so they prefer to interact with a human being. It's also fair to say some older people "struggle with" the machines and prefer to deal with a person.
As a result, paying in cash isn't a problem as long as you don't mind queuing but then if you're British, why would you?
I wish it was like that here. We only have 1 NatWest in the whole of pembrokeshire, with no facility for coinage. I had to withdraw about 1000 pounds in cash last year. I queued for 2 hours at the branch to be told I could do it at a machine after amending my daily draw. So much for security. They also directed me to a post office. Our banking sector is pathetic now.
On CASH, this was in one of my local chip shops this week. Does anyone have any information on how much fees have been going up?
Well there's 20% VAT that can't be dodged on card transactions ...
I can confirm I have not been offered a cash discount.
Why would you be?
Take your cash, short-report the amount of cash transactions that have been completed, thus short-reporting the amount of VAT outstanding, pocket the difference.
If they give you a discount, that just eats into the difference they can pocket and make it more obvious to get caught out.
South Korean company Hanwha, producer of K9 howitzers, intends to build, in two years, an armaments factory in Romania, with the prospect of it becoming a regional hub for components, maintenance and repairs, said Michael Coulter, CEO of Hanwha Global Defense, during a meeting with Romanian journalists https://x.com/AlexandruC4/status/1900863717459276214
"I intend to have my agents destroy that facility", said Vladimir Putin, CEO of Russian Smersh, during a meeting of the Smersh World Domination Council.
There was a segment in that Fiona Hill interview I posted yesterday reeling off some of the hybrid attacks on the West already launched by Russia.
Went into my local HSBC a few weeks ago with all the shrapnel (bagged of course) collected over a couple of years. In the couple of years since my last visit to that branch, all the tellers have gone to be replaced by machines and soft chairs. Take it to the Post Office they stated - a Post Office that closed a few years ago and moved a few miles away to a Supermarket.
Cash is very difficult to handle unless the (current) facilities are close by.
I tried to buy some stamps with a pocket of small change at the Post Office just recently, and the guy almost refused to take it
On CASH, this was in one of my local chip shops this week. Does anyone have any information on how much fees have been going up?
My butcher down in Chadsmoor was saying they were 2.5% plus the cost of hiring the machine (plus broadband, which he doesn't have) which is why he doesn't have card.
Meanwhile, if he has a bank with a nightsafe nearby, it's free to use cash.
1% iZettle.
Broadband isn't required. Your butcher could just use his phone.
Went into my local HSBC a few weeks ago with all the shrapnel (bagged of course) collected over a couple of years. In the couple of years since my last visit to that branch, all the tellers have gone to be replaced by machines and soft chairs. Take it to the Post Office they stated - a Post Office that closed a few years ago and moved a few miles away to a Supermarket.
Cash is very difficult to handle unless the (current) facilities are close by.
I tried to buy some stamps with a pocket of small change at the Post Office just recently, and the guy almost refused to take it
Cash was king when I was in Glasgow a few weeks ago
Do punters really 'agree with Farage' that there is a good chance of him being next PM? They reckon there's an 81% chance that he won't.
I think that is generous by the way. The current chances reflect the fact that no-one has a clue - so backing the horses will have the same fate as I did in Cheltenham week, complete oblivion - and that Farage is in a unique position so his bit of the iceberg peers above the waterline.
IMO Streeting might be value. But I am not going there.
Not Streeting. The selectorate will want something a bit more red in tooth and claw.
If Labour want a second term they have to motivate their voters to turn out, not offer a pastel shade of Reform policies. That's the lesson of the 2017 GE campaign.
Can you see anyone through all that grey porridge who measures up?
A quick contribution from me before our very own Vivian from the Young Ones stirs and smashes up the squat.
Angela Rayner for me. She is one of the few who can fight.
They're in government. Someone who can govern competently is rather more important.
They aren't showing much sign of that. Trash talking your own voters isn't a winning strategy.
Sure - so why aren't you prioritising competence in your theoretical replacement ?
On CASH, this was in one of my local chip shops this week. Does anyone have any information on how much fees have been going up?
My butcher down in Chadsmoor was saying they were 2.5% plus the cost of hiring the machine (plus broadband, which he doesn't have) which is why he doesn't have card.
Meanwhile, if he has a bank with a nightsafe nearby, it's free to use cash.
1% iZettle.
Broadband isn't required. Your butcher could just use his phone.
I’ve noticed that in some areas, people are incredibly “sticky” on holding onto The Traditional Option, despite huge cost differences.
POS machines are a huge market. Various government policies have beaten down the carefully constructed barriers to entry.
Some entrants are even offering 0% on transactions under £10 for x months.
In West Hampstead, Councillor Tiwari's new party finished a distant third to Labour and the LDs and I suspect he won't stand in that Ward in 2026 but we'll see.
I see Camden Labour is trying to limit the public right to participate in meetings, just as they typically do in councils they control. Even after years in opposition pushing for such rights to be expanded.
Do punters really 'agree with Farage' that there is a good chance of him being next PM? They reckon there's an 81% chance that he won't.
I think that is generous by the way. The current chances reflect the fact that no-one has a clue - so backing the horses will have the same fate as I did in Cheltenham week, complete oblivion - and that Farage is in a unique position so his bit of the iceberg peers above the waterline.
IMO Streeting might be value. But I am not going there.
I agree about Streeting.
I thought Hunt's intervention this week admiring the "boldness" of the abolition of NHS England was interesting. It suggests that he is both on the right track, not being shy about it and knows how to build a consensus.
Streeting is today indicating that NHS England is the first of a long list of Quangos to go. Boosting NHS efficiency would be a real and substantial achievement for the Labour government and is all the more important since Reeves seems determined to kill growth rather than promote it. There is simply not going to be much new money, especially with the Defence needs. Doing more with the same is the way forward and would make him the obvious contender if a change is needed.
Structural adhesive is very common in car manufacture now. It's cheaper and lighter than mechanical fasteners and is also good at bonding dissimilar materials. Polestar, in particular, use it a lot.
The problem with the cybertrucks is not that they are glued together, it's that they are not glued together...
Comments
Anthony Hamilton is a class act.
Not happy with the pit wall....
"if Labour look like being eclipsed by Labour" ?
"Arlington Cemetery website drops links for Black, Hispanic, and women veterans"
https://taskandpurpose.com/news/arlington-cemetery-scrubs-website-dei/
It's 6.24am, and I've been up for three hours. Not a fan of that.
Entertaining race, though.
Anyhow it sounds like Kemi is in for a fun year:
“We’ll get her out sharpish,” one plotter said. “More and more MPs realise she’s doomed. A grid is coming together to bury her in disaster from the locals, keep the pressure on, then f*** [up] conference,” the party’s annual get-together in October. If that does not force Badenoch out, many think the final straw could be the Welsh elections in the spring of 2026, which polls currently suggest Reform will win.
The entire benefit system needs change, it simultaneously leaves some people destitute while making others comfortably off and with no need to think about work.
https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199900/cmselect/cmsocsec/56/9112407.htm
Probably needs something ongoing like the Law Commission to weed out redundant parts
The underlying problem- a RefCon deal would lead to quite a bit of flaking on the left and the right of that alliance- still needs an awful lot of finessing. More than even the Dogshit Puppet Master can manage.
https://x.com/AlexandruC4/status/1900863717459276214
So if he follows Wilson exactly, the next PM might not be Labour after all.
The move is designed as a life raft for Labour MPs to say the government listened to their concerns.
I hope they figure that out before the party dies completely
I think that is generous by the way. The current chances reflect the fact that no-one has a clue - so backing the horses will have the same fate as I did in Cheltenham week, complete oblivion - and that Farage is in a unique position so his bit of the iceberg peers above the waterline.
IMO Streeting might be value. But I am not going there.
“Trump was asked about the vow he repeatedly made on the campaign trail during an interview for the “Full Measure” television program as his administration is still trying to broker a solution 54 days into his second term.
““Well, I was being a little bit sarcastic when I said that," Trump said in a clip released ahead of the episode airing Sunday. “What I really mean is I’d like to get it settled and, I’ll, I think, I think I’ll be successful.””
https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-says-being-bit-sarcastic-014900811.html
More spins than a New Labour press release.
As Mr Dancer says, quite entertaining.
Or him just being a lying [fill in as appropriate].
Badly, of course.
Elon Musk’s Tesla reportedly halts Cybertruck deliveries as owners complain of metal sides falling off
https://fortune.com/2025/03/14/elon-musk-tesla-cybertruck-delivery-halt-owners-complain-of-metal-sides-falling-off/
One anecdote: A Cumberland hairdresser, very busy, popular and long established, has recently put a sign up saying 'Cash is King'.
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2025/mar/16/uk-high-street-chains-restaurants-cash-payments
The big mistake was indulging in woke virtue signalling instead of selecting a leader who actually acts as if they want to win a GE. They still have time, 12-18 months out from a GE is probably the optimal time to switch because KB can then be the sin eater for as many fuck ups as possible while giving the new Scum in Chief time to get their fizzog on QT, etc.
Metaphor for DOGE?
On CASH, this was in one of my local chip shops this week. Does anyone have any information on how much fees have been going up?
Meanwhile, if he has a bank with a nightsafe nearby, it's free to use cash.
Realistically small businesses are in the hands of massive plutocratic outfits for card services which can do as they like once established.
https://x.com/visegrad24/status/1901041200599364008
New statement made by Macron:
“Those who buy Patriot systems should be offered the new generation Franco-Italian SAMP/T. Those who buy F-35s should be offered Rafale."
The statement was made after news about both Canada and Portugal potentially moving away from buying F-35s.
Went into my local HSBC a few weeks ago with all the shrapnel (bagged of course) collected over a couple of years. In the couple of years since my last visit to that branch, all the tellers have gone to be replaced by machines and soft chairs. Take it to the Post Office they stated - a Post Office that closed a few years ago and moved a few miles away to a Supermarket.
Cash is very difficult to handle unless the (current) facilities are close by.
When I converted my E36 M3 to a slicktop (no sunroof), I drilled out all of the spot welds, removed the roof panel and glued a brand new panel on. The new owner is either dead in a crash caused by compromised chassis integrity or completely satisfied because I never heard anything from him.
If Labour want a second term they have to motivate their voters to turn out, not offer a pastel shade of Reform policies. That's the lesson of the 2017 GE campaign.
Also no one cares about the fuckups; that's the problem. They don't even register with most voters.
They need a competent leader asap.
The competence is the problem, not the timing.
As a result, paying in cash isn't a problem as long as you don't mind queuing but then if you're British, why would you?
They have a very shallow Parliamentary party to fish in for a replacement though.
Just don't feed in so much that you fill up then jam the machine.
The less reputable end of the car and car part business is rapidly moving to crypto.
Blow up the relevant oil pipeline in Russia:
https://www.politico.eu/article/hungary-begs-ukraine-to-spare-russian-oil-pipelines-after-drone-strike-cuts-off-flow/
https://www.loudersound.com/news/are-radiohead-getting-ready-to-do-something-big-in-2025-a-new-business-linked-to-the-band-members-names-suggests-so
But in the context of ongoing Ukraine negotiations, it's still notable.
The French have played the Rafale game quite cannily. They have been absolutely scrupuleux about keeping the FASF Rafale fleet all consistent and current in terms of config and software. This means if a customer wants Rafales quickly they can be delivered very quickly from the French Air Force fleet which are then backfilled by new builds. This is how Greece got their deliveries to start within six months of order.
A quick contribution from me before our very own Vivian from the Young Ones stirs and smashes up the squat.
My team is so hopeless in defence, and lacking teeth in attack that I would see anything over 1.25 as value. We are pants, and cannot score at home or keep a clean sheet.
It looks free money to me, and I have topped up on the handicap markets too. Even this pisspoor Man United side will be too much for us.
Leon missing his flight
No one enjoys watching the Conservative Party flounder more than I but the central question with which they need to contend is are they still a national party aspiring to lead a majority Government?
Historically, the Conservatives have either used and abused other parties (Lib Dems, DUP) or absorbed into irrelevance any aspiring allies (Liberal Nationals, National Liberals) but the world has changed and they are facing the basic challenge of evolution - there's a newer, better, potentially more successful model in town and like Canada's Progressive Conservatives, it's time to decide whether to adapt or die.
What would "merging" with Reform look like? The first assumption can't be the support of the new party would be equal to or greater than the combined support of the old parties. It might be more like the Liberal/SDP merger of 1989 whereby you have a main joined party but two much smaller anti-merger groups continuing - what's in a name, you might say - well, when you have a "brand" as well known as Conservative, quite a lot.
After the Lib/SDP merger, you still had a Liberal Party and an SDP as well as the new Social and Liberal Democrats (and indeed all three parties still exist).
Could you have a continuing Conservative Party, a continuing Reform Party as well as the joined party - United, National or whatever? It might end up in the courts with all the attendant publicity.
At the moment, the Conservatives have no realistic prospect of being able to form a majority Government on their own so if they want to be a part of let alone lead a future Government, they might need a more pragmatic approach toward prospective allies rather than that adopted by the fans of Millwall FC.
Technical superiority doesn't count quite as much when the vendor either can't, or won't deliver stuff to you. The nagging doubt that might later brick it doesn't help, either.
(Also the Korean armoured stuff is SOTA.)
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/labour-councillor-defects-to-conservatives-hampstead-highgate-b1216751.html
In West Hampstead, Councillor Tiwari's new party finished a distant third to Labour and the LDs and I suspect he won't stand in that Ward in 2026 but we'll see.
I suspect that there is a ceiling on Reform support, in that many people will hold their noses and vote for whoever has the best chance of defeating them. If given the choice of Conservative or Reform I would vote Conservative. If given the choice of Labour and Reform I would vote Labour. Not sure what I would do if I was in a constituency where I found that the choice was between the Palestinians and Reform, but that is an unlikely prospect.
And what made the Whites call their son 'Matt'?
They also directed me to a post office. Our banking sector is pathetic now.
Take your cash, short-report the amount of cash transactions that have been completed, thus short-reporting the amount of VAT outstanding, pocket the difference.
If they give you a discount, that just eats into the difference they can pocket and make it more obvious to get caught out.
Broadband isn't required. Your butcher could just use his phone.
edit: snap!
POS machines are a huge market. Various government policies have beaten down the carefully constructed barriers to entry.
Some entrants are even offering 0% on transactions under £10 for x months.
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/breaking-antonelli-promoted-back-to-p4-as-australian-grand-prix-penalty-is.2TktXRAy9MX7Px0GlzdHnT
I thought Hunt's intervention this week admiring the "boldness" of the abolition of NHS England was interesting. It suggests that he is both on the right track, not being shy about it and knows how to build a consensus.
Streeting is today indicating that NHS England is the first of a long list of Quangos to go. Boosting NHS efficiency would be a real and substantial achievement for the Labour government and is all the more important since Reeves seems determined to kill growth rather than promote it. There is simply not going to be much new money, especially with the Defence needs. Doing more with the same is the way forward and would make him the obvious contender if a change is needed.
https://x.com/StonkKing4/status/1899966736373588395