Another one for the men in flapping white coats.....
Why
It is time for new ideas and policies in response to this changing world
There's a serious side to this - Badenoch is basically saying policy making and planning for the future is more important than being in Government and indeed there's no point being in Government if you have no ideas.
The corollary is if another party in Government implements ideas which a Conservative Party led by Badenoch could support they will support them rather than just be in opposition for the sake of opposing.
It is good (and inevitable) after such a massive defeat the Conservatives are taking time to think about the future but that shouldn't be a conversation of Conservatives led by Conservatives. Perhaps a less partisan approach is required.
I've not actually heard what Stride would do if he were in Reeves's position - how would he seek to restore the public finances, how would he fund expanaded defence commitments and remember he is on record as opposing cuts to the winter fuel allowance as well as the other measures implemented by the Government since July last year? Would, for example, a future Conservative Government remain committed to the Triple Lock?
I expect the triple lock will go and of course the conservatives have always been in favour of using foreign aid for defence
Stride would not have put up NI to business nor agreed huge public sector pay rises without improvement in productivity
However, as I said the conservatives need a completely new and unique offer and I am content they take time to develop policies for 2028 and beyond
Certainly 2028 will be unrecognizable from today especially after 4 years of Trump
If NHS salaries had been linked to NHS productivity over the last 15 years, they would be 8% higher than they are now in real terms (and 20% higher for consultants). If it wasn't for the post-COVID crash, they should be 18% higher.
This new contrived link to productivity is quite funny really. Backfires rapidly when you start looking at the stats.
Evening all from the country's most overlooked city. Bradford is less than 50 miles from my house. And I have been pretty much everywhere in the North. But actually I'd be exaggerating only a little to say that in my almost 50 years on the planet, I've never been.. Actually, I have been here a couple of times: I came on the train to go to the science and media museum; and I've driven through it a couple of times; and I've been to Ilkley and a couple of other villages in the northern fringes of the district. But I've never been to the city centre before. It's a very handsome city. You can tell it's on its arse financially - it's no Leeds or Manchester. But arguably it has a more handsome city centre than either. And the hills add drama. Over the last decade the city council has been knocking down the ugly buildings to improve the views of the handsome works and offer some public space, and its worked very well indeed. The hills and the colour and the warreniness gives a feeling of the old town of Edinburgh, albeit an old town of Edinburgh full of poundshops. But there's a future in which this becomes quite a desirable place to live.
I'm here because the wife and daughters have gone to see a show at the Alhambra, and I volunteered to drive them, driving in the dark/on motorways/in unfamiliar cities being no great problem for me but a source of stress for her. And it gave me an opportunity to inspect Bradford. After a pleasant mooch around the city centre, I've arrived in a little pub called the City Vaults which is like a microcosm of the city: beautiful but shabby, and remarkably cheap. Sadly my noble gesture means I can't spend the next two and a half hours drinking solidly (and cheaply). But a pleasure to be at large in a new city.
I've also seen a sign advertising a company called 'Brown Muff & Co.' Hurr Hurr Hurr.
It's getting worse and worse, and costing us many billions a year, money we simply do not have
Has Starmer done a fucking thing about it? No, he is incapable
But he has "banned Ninja swords. Confirmed. Because when we promise action, we take it"
I don't agree with much Ian Hislop says these days but I certainly understand his agreement that Starmer's dad was indeed a tool maker.
This is a genuinely catastrophic government. It's like every single one of them is over-promoted from their proper level of running a local library. They make Truss look sane and serious. They make Kwarteng look like Einstein and Sunak look like Churchill. Banning fucking ninja swords like that will solve knife crime, and then boasting about it in a macho way on Twitter coz they think it looks good? God help us
Meanwhile, the economy is fucked, the boat crisis worsens, taxes rise to a new record, he's slashing welfare, growth has disappeared, our cities moulder from the heart, we're giving eighteen billion pounds to Mauritius to take British territory for no reason, and alcoholic foreign pedophile rapists are being saved from deportation because they might not get nice treatment abroad
It's getting worse and worse, and costing us many billions a year, money we simply do not have
Has Starmer done a fucking thing about it? No, he is incapable
But he has "banned Ninja swords. Confirmed. Because when we promise action, we take it"
I don't agree with much Ian Hislop says these days but I certainly understand his agreement that Starmer's dad was indeed a tool maker.
This is a genuinely catastrophic government. It's like every single one of them is over-promoted from their proper level of running a local library. They make Truss look sane and serious. They make Kwarteng look like Einstein and Sunak look like Churchill. Banning fucking ninja swords like that will solve knife crime, and then boasting about it in a macho way on Twitter coz they think it looks good? God help us
Meanwhile, the economy is fucked, the boat crisis worsens, taxes rise to a new record, he's slashing welfare, growth has disappeared, our cities moulder from the heart, we're giving eighteen billion pounds to Mauritius to take British territory for no reason, and alcoholic foreign pedophile rapists are being saved from deportation because they might not get nice treatment abroad
Yeah, but apart from that...isn't it going well.
Maybe you shouldn't have voted for Starmer then..😉
It's getting worse and worse, and costing us many billions a year, money we simply do not have
Has Starmer done a fucking thing about it? No, he is incapable
But he has "banned Ninja swords. Confirmed. Because when we promise action, we take it"
I don't agree with much Ian Hislop says these days but I certainly understand his agreement that Starmer's dad was indeed a tool maker.
This is a genuinely catastrophic government. It's like every single one of them is over-promoted from their proper level of running a local library. They make Truss look sane and serious. They make Kwarteng look like Einstein and Sunak look like Churchill. Banning fucking ninja swords like that will solve knife crime, and then boasting about it in a macho way on Twitter coz they think it looks good? God help us
Meanwhile, the economy is fucked, the boat crisis worsens, taxes rise to a new record, he's slashing welfare, growth has disappeared, our cities moulder from the heart, we're giving eighteen billion pounds to Mauritius to take British territory for no reason, and alcoholic foreign pedophile rapists are being saved from deportation because they might not get nice treatment abroad
It's getting worse and worse, and costing us many billions a year, money we simply do not have
Has Starmer done a fucking thing about it? No, he is incapable
But he has "banned Ninja swords. Confirmed. Because when we promise action, we take it"
I don't agree with much Ian Hislop says these days but I certainly understand his agreement that Starmer's dad was indeed a tool maker.
This is a genuinely catastrophic government. It's like every single one of them is over-promoted from their proper level of running a local library. They make Truss look sane and serious. They make Kwarteng look like Einstein and Sunak look like Churchill. Banning fucking ninja swords like that will solve knife crime, and then boasting about it in a macho way on Twitter coz they think it looks good? God help us
Meanwhile, the economy is fucked, the boat crisis worsens, taxes rise to a new record, he's slashing welfare, growth has disappeared, our cities moulder from the heart, we're giving eighteen billion pounds to Mauritius to take British territory for no reason, and alcoholic foreign pedophile rapists are being saved from deportation because they might not get nice treatment abroad
Yeah, but apart from that...isn't it going well.
Maybe you shouldn't have voted for Starmer then..😉
Another one for the men in flapping white coats.....
Why
It is time for new ideas and policies in response to this changing world
There's a serious side to this - Badenoch is basically saying policy making and planning for the future is more important than being in Government and indeed there's no point being in Government if you have no ideas.
The corollary is if another party in Government implements ideas which a Conservative Party led by Badenoch could support they will support them rather than just be in opposition for the sake of opposing.
It is good (and inevitable) after such a massive defeat the Conservatives are taking time to think about the future but that shouldn't be a conversation of Conservatives led by Conservatives. Perhaps a less partisan approach is required.
I've not actually heard what Stride would do if he were in Reeves's position - how would he seek to restore the public finances, how would he fund expanaded defence commitments and remember he is on record as opposing cuts to the winter fuel allowance as well as the other measures implemented by the Government since July last year? Would, for example, a future Conservative Government remain committed to the Triple Lock?
I expect the triple lock will go and of course the conservatives have always been in favour of using foreign aid for defence
Stride would not have put up NI to business nor agreed huge public sector pay rises without improvement in productivity
However, as I said the conservatives need a completely new and unique offer and I am content they take time to develop policies for 2028 and beyond
Certainly 2028 will be unrecognizable from today especially after 4 years of Trump
If NHS salaries had been linked to NHS productivity over the last 15 years, they would be 8% higher than they are now in real terms (and 20% higher for consultants). If it wasn't for the post-COVID crash, they should be 18% higher.
This new contrived link to productivity is quite funny really. Backfires rapidly when you start looking at the stats.
You mental , they would be taking home a fiver at best. If they were a private company they would hav ebeen bust long ago.
For those who enjoy the misuse of the word literally as much as me: a woman at an adjacent table is telling a long and involved story about being allergic to lavender, and a reaction to some sort of cosmetic: 'My face was literally on fire. I was literally burnt to a cinder'.
For those who enjoy the misuse of the word literally as much as me: a woman at an adjacent table is telling a long and involved story about being allergic to lavender, and a reaction to some sort of cosmetic: 'My face was literally on fire. I was literally burnt to a cinder'.
Throw a bottle of brandy on her face and set light to it then tell her thats what literally means
Scotland under Sturgeon has been an object lesson in appalling governance, every bit as bad as in the rest of the U.K.
Reality isn't as important as perception. My parents have just returned from holiday,reporting a conversation with some Scot Nats who still talk of her as some sort of saint who 'saved Scotland during covid while Boris ruled the rest of the country [sic - sorry Wales]'.
While she was, objectively, shit, she is still venerated. Which is more important in politics.
Scotland under Sturgeon has been an object lesson in appalling governance, every bit as bad as in the rest of the U.K.
Reality isn't as important as perception. My parents have just returned from holiday,reporting a conversation with some Scot Nats who still talk of her as some sort of saint who 'saved Scotland during covid while Boris ruled the rest of the country [sic - sorry Wales]'.
While she was, objectively, shit, she is still venerated. Which is more important in politics.
Putin: Trump’s plan to seize Greenland is serious, has deep historical roots, and it is evident that the U.S. will pursue it systematically. Adds that it’s a bilateral issue between the U.S. and Denmark and has no bearing on Russia. https://x.com/yarotrof/status/1905307078371278999
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5217399-vance-jewish-insider-signal-chat/ ..“This morning, [Editor-in-Chief] Josh Kraushaar ran a hit piece against me in Jewish Insider, which has become an anti-JD rag,” Vance posted on social platform X. “Now, you might say this is evidence of Kraushaar being the biggest hack in Washington, and you may be correct. Another very plausible explanation is that he’s the dumbest journalist in Washington.” Kraushaar didn’t immediately respond to The Hill’s request for comment and hasn’t replied to Vance’s social media post. Jewish Insider published the news article Thursday under the headline, “Vance’s reluctance to support Houthi strikes concerns some leading GOP senators,” with the subheading, “Several GOP senators told [Jewish Insider] they are concerned Vance’s isolationist worldview may reshape the direction of the party.” It quoted named and unnamed Republicans who were concerned by Vance’s reservations about going forward with the ultimately successful airstrike on Houthi rebels who have been attacking ships near the Suez Canal...
Another one for the men in flapping white coats.....
Why
It is time for new ideas and policies in response to this changing world
There's a serious side to this - Badenoch is basically saying policy making and planning for the future is more important than being in Government and indeed there's no point being in Government if you have no ideas.
The corollary is if another party in Government implements ideas which a Conservative Party led by Badenoch could support they will support them rather than just be in opposition for the sake of opposing.
It is good (and inevitable) after such a massive defeat the Conservatives are taking time to think about the future but that shouldn't be a conversation of Conservatives led by Conservatives. Perhaps a less partisan approach is required.
I've not actually heard what Stride would do if he were in Reeves's position - how would he seek to restore the public finances, how would he fund expanaded defence commitments and remember he is on record as opposing cuts to the winter fuel allowance as well as the other measures implemented by the Government since July last year? Would, for example, a future Conservative Government remain committed to the Triple Lock?
I expect the triple lock will go and of course the conservatives have always been in favour of using foreign aid for defence
Stride would not have put up NI to business nor agreed huge public sector pay rises without improvement in productivity
However, as I said the conservatives need a completely new and unique offer and I am content they take time to develop policies for 2028 and beyond
Certainly 2028 will be unrecognizable from today especially after 4 years of Trump
If NHS salaries had been linked to NHS productivity over the last 15 years, they would be 8% higher than they are now in real terms (and 20% higher for consultants). If it wasn't for the post-COVID crash, they should be 18% higher.
This new contrived link to productivity is quite funny really. Backfires rapidly when you start looking at the stats.
You mental , they would be taking home a fiver at best. If they were a private company they would hav ebeen bust long ago.
Live by ONS productivity stats, die by ONS productivity stats. If the rest of us had boosted productivity like the NHS had between 2010 and 2017, the economy would be 10% bigger (all else held equal).
For those who enjoy the misuse of the word literally as much as me: a woman at an adjacent table is telling a long and involved story about being allergic to lavender, and a reaction to some sort of cosmetic: 'My face was literally on fire. I was literally burnt to a cinder'.
I like the overuse of the word “literally”. Used to great effect in that character on parks and rec, that show with you in it. The northern English Ron Swanson
In a similar vein I was just walking back from Marks and Sparks and I heard a kid of about 18 say into his iPhone “Siri what does serendipity mean? I keep hearing this word??”
I found it oddly encouraging. At least he was curious
And why does he keep hearing it? I almost stopped and gave him a human answer
Harry Redknapp called Thomas Tuchel a German spy and appeared to perform a Nazi salute during a discussion about the England head coach at a charity event.
Redknapp, the former Portsmouth, Tottenham and West Ham manager, was speaking in front of an audience at a London venue last week. The Guardian has seen footage of the 78-year-old’s remarks about Tuchel, which came when he was asked whether England were right to appoint the German.
“I don’t know,” Redknapp said before making comments designed to amuse his audience. “I’ll be honest with you, I think he’s a German spy. I’m telling you. Seriously, he’s been sent over to fuck us up. He has. I’m telling ya, he’s like Lord Haw Haw in the war – ‘We have your best soldiers captured’ and all that.”
Putin: Trump’s plan to seize Greenland is serious, has deep historical roots, and it is evident that the U.S. will pursue it systematically. Adds that it’s a bilateral issue between the U.S. and Denmark and has no bearing on Russia. https://x.com/yarotrof/status/1905307078371278999
His wording is very similar to what he used to justify the invasion of Ukraine.
For those who enjoy the misuse of the word literally as much as me: a woman at an adjacent table is telling a long and involved story about being allergic to lavender, and a reaction to some sort of cosmetic: 'My face was literally on fire. I was literally burnt to a cinder'.
I like the overuse of the word “literally”. Used to great effect in that character on parks and rec, that show with you in it. The northern English Ron Swanson
In a similar vein I was just walking back from Marks and Sparks and I heard a kid of about 18 say into his iPhone “Siri what does serendipity mean? I keep hearing this word??”
I found it oddly encouraging. At least he was curious
And why does he keep hearing it? I almost stopped and gave him a human answer
Ah, but when you and I and Ron use the word literally, they actually mean it literally. Even if, actually, they don't. Actually, the use of the word 'literally' to mean 'figuratively' is old hat now. It was joined about 10 years ago by another sense: 'literally' to mean 'literally, but there's no reason you wouldn't think I mean this literally' - the example we enjoy in our house is a quote from a local buffoon who described his new bathroom as 'literally a nice light grey colour'.
I've also heard the youth use it either as a filler (as our generation might have used 'er' or the next generation used 'like'), and occasionally to mean 'FFS' - as in 'Mum! Literally! What have you done to my socks?'
Evening all from the country's most overlooked city. Bradford is less than 50 miles from my house. And I have been pretty much everywhere in the North. But actually I'd be exaggerating only a little to say that in my almost 50 years on the planet, I've never been.. Actually, I have been here a couple of times: I came on the train to go to the science and media museum; and I've driven through it a couple of times; and I've been to Ilkley and a couple of other villages in the northern fringes of the district. But I've never been to the city centre before. It's a very handsome city. You can tell it's on its arse financially - it's no Leeds or Manchester. But arguably it has a more handsome city centre than either. And the hills add drama. Over the last decade the city council has been knocking down the ugly buildings to improve the views of the handsome works and offer some public space, and its worked very well indeed. The hills and the colour and the warreniness gives a feeling of the old town of Edinburgh, albeit an old town of Edinburgh full of poundshops. But there's a future in which this becomes quite a desirable place to live.
I'm here because the wife and daughters have gone to see a show at the Alhambra, and I volunteered to drive them, driving in the dark/on motorways/in unfamiliar cities being no great problem for me but a source of stress for her. And it gave me an opportunity to inspect Bradford. After a pleasant mooch around the city centre, I've arrived in a little pub called the City Vaults which is like a microcosm of the city: beautiful but shabby, and remarkably cheap. Sadly my noble gesture means I can't spend the next two and a half hours drinking solidly (and cheaply). But a pleasure to be at large in a new city.
I've also seen a sign advertising a company called 'Brown Muff & Co.' Hurr Hurr Hurr.
Was a department store when I was a kid. Quite posh.
It seems that the MAGA spin attempts have failed. Though & prayers for william.
https://www.axios.com/2025/03/27/trump-signal-group-chat-yemen-strike-poll Three out of four Americans — including 60% of Republicans — say the Trump administration's use of a Signal group chat to discuss military strikes is a serious problem, according to the first poll out on the national security breach...
How do you design a question that’s not leading though?
Surprised to see PB in favour of joe public being able to carry Ninja swords.
I think pb is generally in favour of legislation being effective and against politicians posturing ludicrously.
Not how it's coming over to me. I'm picking up enthusiasm for carrying swords. I hope I'm wrong. That's not the forum I joined.
If there is a law prohibiting carrying a blade over 3 inches already....what is a law agaisnt carrying a samurai sword which are pretty much all over 3 inches long actually accomplishing?
The only people that it will affect are collectors because guess what...someone willing to break the 3 inch law by carrying one is not going to be bothered by a law against owning one
For those who enjoy the misuse of the word literally as much as me: a woman at an adjacent table is telling a long and involved story about being allergic to lavender, and a reaction to some sort of cosmetic: 'My face was literally on fire. I was literally burnt to a cinder'.
Throw a bottle of brandy on her face and set light to it then tell her thats what literally means
That would have Cookie literally locked up for life.
Well not quite literally. He'd probably have the possibility of parole after 25 years.
For those who enjoy the misuse of the word literally as much as me: a woman at an adjacent table is telling a long and involved story about being allergic to lavender, and a reaction to some sort of cosmetic: 'My face was literally on fire. I was literally burnt to a cinder'.
Throw a bottle of brandy on her face and set light to it then tell her thats what literally means
That would have Cookie literally locked up for life.
Well not quite literally. He'd probably have the possibility of parole after 25 years.
If he is under 25 in scotland his brain isn't fully developed so he cant be accountable
For those who enjoy the misuse of the word literally as much as me: a woman at an adjacent table is telling a long and involved story about being allergic to lavender, and a reaction to some sort of cosmetic: 'My face was literally on fire. I was literally burnt to a cinder'.
I like the overuse of the word “literally”. Used to great effect in that character on parks and rec, that show with you in it. The northern English Ron Swanson
In a similar vein I was just walking back from Marks and Sparks and I heard a kid of about 18 say into his iPhone “Siri what does serendipity mean? I keep hearing this word??”
I found it oddly encouraging. At least he was curious
And why does he keep hearing it? I almost stopped and gave him a human answer
Leaving aside knife crime policy etc, there is something about Starmer’s tweet which leaves it open for derision. I’m not sure if it’s the cringey “confirmed:” at the start (hold the front page guys, the Ninja swords are gone!) or the twee earnestness of “when we promise action we take it.”
Evening all from the country's most overlooked city. Bradford is less than 50 miles from my house. And I have been pretty much everywhere in the North. But actually I'd be exaggerating only a little to say that in my almost 50 years on the planet, I've never been.. Actually, I have been here a couple of times: I came on the train to go to the science and media museum; and I've driven through it a couple of times; and I've been to Ilkley and a couple of other villages in the northern fringes of the district. But I've never been to the city centre before. It's a very handsome city. You can tell it's on its arse financially - it's no Leeds or Manchester. But arguably it has a more handsome city centre than either. And the hills add drama. Over the last decade the city council has been knocking down the ugly buildings to improve the views of the handsome works and offer some public space, and its worked very well indeed. The hills and the colour and the warreniness gives a feeling of the old town of Edinburgh, albeit an old town of Edinburgh full of poundshops. But there's a future in which this becomes quite a desirable place to live.
I'm here because the wife and daughters have gone to see a show at the Alhambra, and I volunteered to drive them, driving in the dark/on motorways/in unfamiliar cities being no great problem for me but a source of stress for her. And it gave me an opportunity to inspect Bradford. After a pleasant mooch around the city centre, I've arrived in a little pub called the City Vaults which is like a microcosm of the city: beautiful but shabby, and remarkably cheap. Sadly my noble gesture means I can't spend the next two and a half hours drinking solidly (and cheaply). But a pleasure to be at large in a new city.
I've also seen a sign advertising a company called 'Brown Muff & Co.' Hurr Hurr Hurr.
As my friends and colleagues have pointed out for years, I am such a fucking child.
I am so sending them all links to Brown Muff & Co.
It's an ill wind that blows nobody any good and never truer than now. Trump is doing wonders for leaders around the globe. My french neighbour says Macron has never looked so good and though us Remainers have always had a soft spot for our ex governor of the BoE Trump has been the making of him.
And then there's Starmer.... Maybe not reflected in the polls quite yet but it's pretty clear to most in the UK that he's the man for the moment.
NARRATOR: Keir Starmer tweeted this today:
"Confirmed: Ninja swords will be banned by this summer.
What's your problem with this? It's seems to have triggered you. Why?
Leon is right about this, though Starmer with all his faults is by miles the best leader available. But this sort of dreary triumphalist nonsense about pointless futile gestures just drains the life out of our once wonderful language and mocks the weary audience.
It's pretty obvious that someone pointed out to Trump that if Stefanik were appointed as Ambassador there would have to be an election to replace her in New York's 21st District, and there would have been every chance of the GoP losing the seat.
Surprised to see PB in favour of joe public being able to carry Ninja swords.
I think pb is generally in favour of legislation being effective and against politicians posturing ludicrously.
Not how it's coming over to me. I'm picking up enthusiasm for carrying swords. I hope I'm wrong. That's not the forum I joined.
If there is a law prohibiting carrying a blade over 3 inches already....what is a law agaisnt carrying a samurai sword which are pretty much all over 3 inches long actually accomplishing?
The only people that it will affect are collectors because guess what...someone willing to break the 3 inch law by carrying one is not going to be bothered by a law against owning one
Indeed.
Under current law, people are sent to prison (on occasion) for carrying a weapon no longer than Richard IVs trusty fruit knife.
Indeed the law on carriage of sharp items is extensive - did you know that a car boot can be considered “carrying” a knife?
Leaving aside knife crime policy etc, there is something about Starmer’s tweet which leaves it open for derision. I’m not sure if it’s the cringey “confirmed:” at the start (hold the front page guys, the Ninja swords are gone!) or the twee earnestness of “when we promise action we take it.”
He's been painfully ratio'd on TwiX and the derisive abuse is viral and phenomenal
Possibly the least successful tweet in the history of British politics and social media
Surprised to see PB in favour of joe public being able to carry Ninja swords.
I think pb is generally in favour of legislation being effective and against politicians posturing ludicrously.
Not how it's coming over to me. I'm picking up enthusiasm for carrying swords. I hope I'm wrong. That's not the forum I joined.
If there is a law prohibiting carrying a blade over 3 inches already....what is a law agaisnt carrying a samurai sword which are pretty much all over 3 inches long actually accomplishing?
The only people that it will affect are collectors because guess what...someone willing to break the 3 inch law by carrying one is not going to be bothered by a law against owning one
Indeed.
Under current law, people are sent to prison (on occasion) for carrying a weapon no longer than Richard IVs trusty fruit knife.
Indeed the law on carriage of sharp items is extensive - did you know that a car boot can be considered “carrying” a knife?
How many car boots have been arrested and charged, though ?
It's pretty obvious that someone pointed out to Trump that if Stefanik were appointed as Ambassador there would have to be an election to replace her in New York's 21st District, and there would have been every chance of the GoP losing the seat.
Can't decide whether it's uncharacteristic competence, or just frit.
It's pretty obvious that someone pointed out to Trump that if Stefanik were appointed as Ambassador there would have to be an election to replace her in New York's 21st District, and there would have been every chance of the GoP losing the seat.
Can't decide whether it's uncharacteristic competence, or just frit.
Surprised to see PB in favour of joe public being able to carry Ninja swords.
I think pb is generally in favour of legislation being effective and against politicians posturing ludicrously.
Not how it's coming over to me. I'm picking up enthusiasm for carrying swords. I hope I'm wrong. That's not the forum I joined.
If there is a law prohibiting carrying a blade over 3 inches already....what is a law agaisnt carrying a samurai sword which are pretty much all over 3 inches long actually accomplishing?
The only people that it will affect are collectors because guess what...someone willing to break the 3 inch law by carrying one is not going to be bothered by a law against owning one
Indeed.
Under current law, people are sent to prison (on occasion) for carrying a weapon no longer than Richard IVs trusty fruit knife.
Indeed the law on carriage of sharp items is extensive - did you know that a car boot can be considered “carrying” a knife?
How many car boots have been arrested and charged, though ?
There was a chap, years back. Got stopped by the police on pretty dubious grounds. They took him to court for having a Stanley knife and a box cutter in his car boot. And got him sent down….
It's pretty obvious that someone pointed out to Trump that if Stefanik were appointed as Ambassador there would have to be an election to replace her in New York's 21st District, and there would have been every chance of the GoP losing the seat.
She has been on a farewell tour. She has no staff, and no plum job in Washington.
Two months into the Trump presidency, the GOP is deeply scared of losing a House seat in a district POTUS carried easily, threatening its brittle majority.
Surprised to see PB in favour of joe public being able to carry Ninja swords.
I think pb is generally in favour of legislation being effective and against politicians posturing ludicrously.
Poor ol' Penny Mordaunt. I thought she carried that massive and potentially illegal blade quite well during the coronation. But the law will catch up with her, the wrong'un.
Just checking Starmer's X account. On average his tweets gets 300k views. The occasional one generates interest and gets 1 or 2m. This one has 7 million views and rising
That's not 7 million people reading Starmer and saying "Ah thank God it's CONFIRMED the British Prime Minister is banning really long spoons". That's 7 million people reading it in disbelief and reacting with cruel mockery
You could argue it doesn't matter. It's Twitter/twats as ever. But then why does the PM have a Twitter account? Because it DOES matter
He's made himself look a cringeworthy fool in the eyes of the entire world. And everyone laughs at the UK
BREAKING: A US judge ordered President Donald Trump's administration to preserve messages sent on the Signal messaging app discussing attack plans against the Houthis in Yemen that became public after they were inadvertently shared with a journalist
A Russian scientist who opposed Putin’s war, fled Russia & found work at Harvard was detained at Logan Airport returning from a French academic conference and has been sent to an immigration detention center in Louisiana for deportation to Russia https://x.com/Billbrowder/status/1905340984801853675
NEW: White House debated whether Mike Waltz should resign, but in the end, he never made the offer, and President Trump has not asked him to step down. But Trump continues to privately vent his irritation about it. Also during this bad week, the president was unaware that four soldiers had gone missing the day before in Lithuania until a reporter asked him about it on-camera.
It's pretty obvious that someone pointed out to Trump that if Stefanik were appointed as Ambassador there would have to be an election to replace her in New York's 21st District, and there would have been every chance of the GoP losing the seat.
She has been on a farewell tour. She has no staff, and no plum job in Washington.
Two months into the Trump presidency, the GOP is deeply scared of losing a House seat in a district POTUS carried easily, threatening its brittle majority.
Yes but the first/maiden Heathrow-Barbados commercial flight was in December 1987 and I know this, because I was on it for a madly luxurious press trip (we all stayed at Sandy Lane, and went around by Rolls Royce, I'm not kidding). And yes I threw a bread roll down the aisle as we all got hammered on the flight home to London
It was just us journalists on the world's best ever freebie and a poor couple that PAID at the front. Apparently not @Big_G_NorthWales and wife
The best moment? On the last day of this outrageous junket as we all drank champagne in the gardens of Sandy Lane some dude said "can all the British journalists please assemble on the beach". So we did, thinking it was for a boring speech by a BA exec or whatever, But as we stood there on the sands necking Dom Perignon we saw why. Concorde flew in and it flew LOW OVER US on the beach and it tipped its wings. To us. The journalists. Concorde tipped its wings to me
Oooh. I'm getting a tingle just writing that
Entirely true. There was a film crew recording it all so you might even found footage somewhere in the depths of Youtube with my sweet innocent face. Sigh....
Yes but the first/maiden Heathrow-Barbados commercial flight was in December 1987 and I know this, because I was on it for a madly luxurious press trip (we all stayed at Sandy Lane, and went around by Rolls Royce, I'm not kidding). And yes I threw a bread roll down the aisle as we all got hammered on the flight home to London
It was just us journalists on the world's best ever freebie and a poor couple that PAID at the front. Apparently not @Big_G_NorthWales and wife
The best moment? On the last day of this outrageous junket as we all drank champagne in the gardens of Sandy Lane some dude said "can all the British journalists please assemble on the beach". So we did, thinking it was for a boring speech by a BA exec or whatever, But as we stood there on the sands necking Dom Perignon we saw why. Concorde flew in and it flew LOW OVER US on the beach and it tipped its wings. To us. The journalists. Concorde tipped its wings to me
Oooh. I'm getting a tingle just writing that
Entirely true. There was a film crew recording it all so you might even found footage somewhere in the depths of Youtube with my sweet innocent face. Sigh....
So, just to be clear, you were proven wrong so you are changing the boast.
The King is quite clearly not a fan of Birmingham.
King Charles III has cancelled his public engagements for Friday after experiencing temporary side effects from ongoing cancer treatment, Buckingham Palace has said.
The side effects required a short period of observation in hospital, it added. The King has now returned to Clarence House.
Charles had planned to travel to Birmingham for a busy schedule of engagements on Friday, which included a tour of the city's Royal Ballet.
Yes but the first/maiden Heathrow-Barbados commercial flight was in December 1987 and I know this, because I was on it for a madly luxurious press trip (we all stayed at Sandy Lane, and went around by Rolls Royce, I'm not kidding). And yes I threw a bread roll down the aisle as we all got hammered on the flight home to London
It was just us journalists on the world's best ever freebie and a poor couple that PAID at the front. Apparently not @Big_G_NorthWales and wife
The best moment? On the last day of this outrageous junket as we all drank champagne in the gardens of Sandy Lane some dude said "can all the British journalists please assemble on the beach". So we did, thinking it was for a boring speech by a BA exec or whatever, But as we stood there on the sands necking Dom Perignon we saw why. Concorde flew in and it flew LOW OVER US on the beach and it tipped its wings. To us. The journalists. Concorde tipped its wings to me
Oooh. I'm getting a tingle just writing that
Entirely true. There was a film crew recording it all so you might even found footage somewhere in the depths of Youtube with my sweet innocent face. Sigh....
So, just to be clear, you were proven wrong so you are changing the boast.
I was not on the "maiden" Barbados-London flight, I was on the "first commercial flight"
AND I STAYED AT SANDY LANE AND HAD DINNER WITH VIV RICHARDS AND THEY TOOK US EVERYWHERE BY ROLLS ROYCE AND ON THE WAY BACK I THREW A BREAD ROLL DOWN THE AISLE AND ON THE LAST AFTERNOON CONCORDE PERSONALLY DIPPED ITS WINGS TO ME
Yes but the first/maiden Heathrow-Barbados commercial flight was in December 1987 and I know this, because I was on it for a madly luxurious press trip (we all stayed at Sandy Lane, and went around by Rolls Royce, I'm not kidding). And yes I threw a bread roll down the aisle as we all got hammered on the flight home to London
It was just us journalists on the world's best ever freebie and a poor couple that PAID at the front. Apparently not @Big_G_NorthWales and wife
The best moment? On the last day of this outrageous junket as we all drank champagne in the gardens of Sandy Lane some dude said "can all the British journalists please assemble on the beach". So we did, thinking it was for a boring speech by a BA exec or whatever, But as we stood there on the sands necking Dom Perignon we saw why. Concorde flew in and it flew LOW OVER US on the beach and it tipped its wings. To us. The journalists. Concorde tipped its wings to me
Oooh. I'm getting a tingle just writing that
Entirely true. There was a film crew recording it all so you might even found footage somewhere in the depths of Youtube with my sweet innocent face. Sigh....
So, just to be clear, you were proven wrong so you are changing the boast.
The shadow of the immigration issue continues to hang over political discourse here and elsewhere.
It seems Rishi Sunak's decision to call the election in late July was predicated, among other things, on the impact of a long summer of illegal migrant arrivals on the south coast and how that would look politically and electorally.
Keir Starmer now has the same problem with the Mail and Express doubtless anxious to compound the political misery with the truth of a failed or non-existant policy on illegal migration.
Yet we know, whatever the symbolism of illegal migration, it's legal migration that's the real issue and the problem stems from Boris Johnson trying to replace EU Freedom of Movement with an immigration policy predicated on keeping the economy growing via cheap imported labour.
If we can't grow the economy (seemingly) with cheap imported labour, how are we going to grow it without that labour? I'm sure there are plenty of answers but whatever Labour tries to do, they will always be outflanked by Reform ("one in, one out", a form of Net Zero if you like) or those actively now pushing a policy which used to be called voluntary repatriation but is now given the less threatening term of re-migration.
What is the answer? Chances are there isn't one - we don't have the capacity (seemingly) to prevent illegal immigration and we struggle with the potential economic impact of a much more restrictive legal migration policy.
A Russian scientist who opposed Putin’s war, fled Russia & found work at Harvard was detained at Logan Airport returning from a French academic conference and has been sent to an immigration detention center in Louisiana for deportation to Russia https://x.com/Billbrowder/status/1905340984801853675
He's not exactly an unbiased person. Though gossip I hear from .ac.uk does suggest a lot of enquiries from the US from 'foreign' academics looking to jump ship.
PB Brains Trust, Scottish contingent: I'm going to be up your way with kids (2 and 5) for a week or so in mid-April. Any particular recommendations to keep them entertained? We'll be centred around Fort William/Glencoe but happy to travel a couple of hours away. Thanks!
A Russian scientist who opposed Putin’s war, fled Russia & found work at Harvard was detained at Logan Airport returning from a French academic conference and has been sent to an immigration detention center in Louisiana for deportation to Russia https://x.com/Billbrowder/status/1905340984801853675
He's not exactly an unbiased person. Though gossip I hear from .ac.uk does suggest a lot of enquiries from the US from 'foreign' academics looking to jump ship.
Bradford is seriously cheap. Nice-ish city centre pub: four pound fifty for a pint and some nuts. Fairly quite mind - the group of women misusing the word 'literally' have been replaced by a very very affectionate couple who appear to have come out largely to snog and grope. I'm quite charmed - it feels very teenage: but they must be in their 40s. The only other people in sight are a mother/daughter combo getting steadliy and happily and quietly sloshed.
Comments
Perhaps a coalition of like minded interests who stand aside for each other ?
This new contrived link to productivity is quite funny really. Backfires rapidly when you start looking at the stats.
Bradford is less than 50 miles from my house. And I have been pretty much everywhere in the North. But actually I'd be exaggerating only a little to say that in my almost 50 years on the planet, I've never been.. Actually, I have been here a couple of times: I came on the train to go to the science and media museum; and I've driven through it a couple of times; and I've been to Ilkley and a couple of other villages in the northern fringes of the district. But I've never been to the city centre before.
It's a very handsome city. You can tell it's on its arse financially - it's no Leeds or Manchester. But arguably it has a more handsome city centre than either. And the hills add drama. Over the last decade the city council has been knocking down the ugly buildings to improve the views of the handsome works and offer some public space, and its worked very well indeed. The hills and the colour and the warreniness gives a feeling of the old town of Edinburgh, albeit an old town of Edinburgh full of poundshops.
But there's a future in which this becomes quite a desirable place to live.
I'm here because the wife and daughters have gone to see a show at the Alhambra, and I volunteered to drive them, driving in the dark/on motorways/in unfamiliar cities being no great problem for me but a source of stress for her. And it gave me an opportunity to inspect Bradford. After a pleasant mooch around the city centre, I've arrived in a little pub called the City Vaults which is like a microcosm of the city: beautiful but shabby, and remarkably cheap. Sadly my noble gesture means I can't spend the next two and a half hours drinking solidly (and cheaply). But a pleasure to be at large in a new city.
I've also seen a sign advertising a company called 'Brown Muff & Co.' Hurr Hurr Hurr.
Just remembering the time I threw a bread roll down the aisle of Concorde on its maiden flight from Barbados to Heathrow
@Big_G_NorthWales? Were you and your wife on that flight? I do remember a couple at the front
White House withdrawing Stefanik nomination to serve as US ambassador to UN
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5217864-white-house-withdraws-stefanik-uno/
While she was, objectively, shit, she is still venerated. Which is more important in politics.
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5217399-vance-jewish-insider-signal-chat/
..“This morning, [Editor-in-Chief] Josh Kraushaar ran a hit piece against me in Jewish Insider, which has become an anti-JD rag,” Vance posted on social platform X. “Now, you might say this is evidence of Kraushaar being the biggest hack in Washington, and you may be correct. Another very plausible explanation is that he’s the dumbest journalist in Washington.”
Kraushaar didn’t immediately respond to The Hill’s request for comment and hasn’t replied to Vance’s social media post.
Jewish Insider published the news article Thursday under the headline, “Vance’s reluctance to support Houthi strikes concerns some leading GOP senators,” with the subheading, “Several GOP senators told [Jewish Insider] they are concerned Vance’s isolationist worldview may reshape the direction of the party.”
It quoted named and unnamed Republicans who were concerned by Vance’s reservations about going forward with the ultimately successful airstrike on Houthi rebels who have been attacking ships near the Suez Canal...
In a similar vein I was just walking back from Marks and Sparks and I heard a kid of about 18 say into his iPhone “Siri what does serendipity mean? I keep hearing this word??”
I found it oddly encouraging. At least he was curious
And why does he keep hearing it? I almost stopped and gave him a human answer
At least that puts paid to @IanB2’s ludicrous statistical theory that we’re ALL directly descended from Rollo of Normandy. I knew it was bollocks
Actually, the use of the word 'literally' to mean 'figuratively' is old hat now. It was joined about 10 years ago by another sense: 'literally' to mean 'literally, but there's no reason you wouldn't think I mean this literally' - the example we enjoy in our house is a quote from a local buffoon who described his new bathroom as 'literally a nice light grey colour'.
I've also heard the youth use it either as a filler (as our generation might have used 'er' or the next generation used 'like'), and occasionally to mean 'FFS' - as in 'Mum! Literally! What have you done to my socks?'
Quite posh.
Bought by House of Fraser in the 70s
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_Muff
I saw the Red Army Choir at the Alhambra back then.
Brilliant, even if they were commie bastards.
The only people that it will affect are collectors because guess what...someone willing to break the 3 inch law by carrying one is not going to be bothered by a law against owning one
Well not quite literally. He'd probably have the possibility of parole after 25 years.
It was the most insane press trip. It might even be mentioned on the net. Let’s see
https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/concorde-supersonic-plane-british-airways-heathrow-air-france-a9635681.html
I am so sending them all links to Brown Muff & Co.
https://wyorksarchivestreasures.weebly.com/brown-muff-and-co-ltd.html
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/27/trump-elise-stefanik-united-nations.html
It's pretty obvious that someone pointed out to Trump that if Stefanik were appointed as Ambassador there would have to be an election to replace her in New York's 21st District, and there would have been every chance of the GoP losing the seat.
Under current law, people are sent to prison (on occasion) for carrying a weapon no longer than Richard IVs trusty fruit knife.
Indeed the law on carriage of sharp items is extensive - did you know that a car boot can be considered “carrying” a knife?
Possibly the least successful tweet in the history of British politics and social media
Think that whole era of Sturgeon in the north along with the never-ending merry-go-round of Conservative leaders/PMs in the south, is over.
Time for everyone to move on...
@tripgabriel
Two months into the Trump presidency, the GOP is deeply scared of losing a House seat in a district POTUS carried easily, threatening its brittle majority.
https://x.com/tripgabriel/status/1905345571902087664
https://x.com/OMGno2trump/status/1904853530264936605
That's not 7 million people reading Starmer and saying "Ah thank God it's CONFIRMED the British Prime Minister is banning really long spoons". That's 7 million people reading it in disbelief and reacting with cruel mockery
You could argue it doesn't matter. It's Twitter/twats as ever. But then why does the PM have a Twitter account? Because it DOES matter
He's made himself look a cringeworthy fool in the eyes of the entire world. And everyone laughs at the UK
https://barbados.org/concorde.htm
BREAKING: A US judge ordered President Donald Trump's administration to preserve messages sent on the Signal messaging app discussing attack plans against the Houthis in Yemen that became public after they were inadvertently shared with a journalist
https://x.com/ReutersLegal/status/1905359432953069937
I’ve always thought….
https://x.com/danvasc2/status/1905274239654993971
Dan Vasc
@danvasc2
I'm Brazilian and my government is retarded, but holy shit you people
15.5K Views
(I can shout too)
Yes, you fucking well are.
A Russian scientist who opposed Putin’s war, fled Russia & found work at Harvard was detained at Logan Airport returning from a French academic conference and has been sent to an immigration detention center in Louisiana for deportation to Russia
https://x.com/Billbrowder/status/1905340984801853675
NEW: White House debated whether Mike Waltz should resign, but in the end, he never made the offer, and President Trump has not asked him to step down. But Trump continues to privately vent his irritation about it. Also during this bad week, the president was unaware that four soldiers had gone missing the day before in Lithuania until a reporter asked him about it on-camera.
https://x.com/JenniferJJacobs/status/1905360241786577080
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Florida's_1st_congressional_district_special_election
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Florida's_6th_congressional_district_special_election
Majorities of around 30% last November.
It was just us journalists on the world's best ever freebie and a poor couple that PAID at the front. Apparently not @Big_G_NorthWales and wife
The best moment? On the last day of this outrageous junket as we all drank champagne in the gardens of Sandy Lane some dude said "can all the British journalists please assemble on the beach". So we did, thinking it was for a boring speech by a BA exec or whatever, But as we stood there on the sands necking Dom Perignon we saw why. Concorde flew in and it flew LOW OVER US on the beach and it tipped its wings. To us. The journalists. Concorde tipped its wings to me
Oooh. I'm getting a tingle just writing that
Entirely true. There was a film crew recording it all so you might even found footage somewhere in the depths of Youtube with my sweet innocent face. Sigh....
Is that the Sandy Lane near Jack Straws Castle?
For a while, showing a flail martial arts weapon in a movie was an illegal. An uncut version of Enter The Dragon was unshowable.
You said “maiden” not “first commercial” flight
At school, the really kids were the one's that had a grainy bootlegged version on beta-max 😂
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/glasgow_and_west/8126490.stm
King Charles III has cancelled his public engagements for Friday after experiencing temporary side effects from ongoing cancer treatment, Buckingham Palace has said.
The side effects required a short period of observation in hospital, it added. The King has now returned to Clarence House.
Charles had planned to travel to Birmingham for a busy schedule of engagements on Friday, which included a tour of the city's Royal Ballet.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3vwgq24klxo
I was not on the "maiden" Barbados-London flight, I was on the "first commercial flight"
AND I STAYED AT SANDY LANE AND HAD DINNER WITH VIV RICHARDS AND THEY TOOK US EVERYWHERE BY ROLLS ROYCE AND ON THE WAY BACK I THREW A BREAD ROLL DOWN THE AISLE AND ON THE LAST AFTERNOON CONCORDE PERSONALLY DIPPED ITS WINGS TO ME
HAHAHAHAH
AND I DIDN'T FUCKING PAY A fucking PENNY
So, you win
The shadow of the immigration issue continues to hang over political discourse here and elsewhere.
It seems Rishi Sunak's decision to call the election in late July was predicated, among other things, on the impact of a long summer of illegal migrant arrivals on the south coast and how that would look politically and electorally.
Keir Starmer now has the same problem with the Mail and Express doubtless anxious to compound the political misery with the truth of a failed or non-existant policy on illegal migration.
Yet we know, whatever the symbolism of illegal migration, it's legal migration that's the real issue and the problem stems from Boris Johnson trying to replace EU Freedom of Movement with an immigration policy predicated on keeping the economy growing via cheap imported labour.
If we can't grow the economy (seemingly) with cheap imported labour, how are we going to grow it without that labour? I'm sure there are plenty of answers but whatever Labour tries to do, they will always be outflanked by Reform ("one in, one out", a form of Net Zero if you like) or those actively now pushing a policy which used to be called voluntary repatriation but is now given the less threatening term of re-migration.
What is the answer? Chances are there isn't one - we don't have the capacity (seemingly) to prevent illegal immigration and we struggle with the potential economic impact of a much more restrictive legal migration policy.
https://theins.press/en/news/280037