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The Rachel effect? – politicalbetting.com

SystemSystem Posts: 12,393
edited April 1 in General
The Rachel effect? – politicalbetting.com

Following the Spring Statement, government approval falls to its joint lowest level since Labour were electedApprove: 14% (-5 from 22-24 Mar)Disapprove: 68% (+8)Net: -54 (-13)yougov.co.uk/topics/polit…

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Comments

  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 29,876
    First.
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 29,846
    From header: I suspect this is in part due to cost of living going up a lot this month and the government usually gets the blame for this.

    Sadly for HMG, I doubt this month's rising bills on pretty much everything will be factored into blame and poll ratings for another few weeks.
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 54,482
    The witch trials are starting:

    https://x.com/lbc/status/1907045584768213395

    ‘Her ego is too big - almost the entire nation has watched it!’

    Caller Dean explains to James O’Brien why Kemi Badenoch should watch Adolescence.
  • TimSTimS Posts: 14,692
    turbotubbs said:

    williamglenn said:

    The witch trials are starting:

    https://x.com/lbc/status/1907045584768213395

    ‘Her ego is too big - almost the entire nation has watched it!’

    Caller Dean explains to James O’Brien why Kemi Badenoch should watch Adolescence.

    I haven't and probably won't. I don't need to watch that kind of TV. Life is too short - I like to be entertained and informed.
    It’s an extremely good, entertaining, well acted and directed drama. Worth watching on its own merits.
  • TimSTimS Posts: 14,692
    Northern_Al said:

    I really don't care whether Kemi has watched Adolescence or not.

    However, I do care that, despite having not watched it, she has repeated the baseless theory that it's based on a true story but the writers have changed the ethnicity of the perpetrator. She's far too willing to jump on fallacious right-wing bandwagons that she's read about on Twitter without checking the facts.

    She hasn’t has she? How juvenile.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 30,477
    edited April 1
    turbotubbs said:

    williamglenn said:

    The witch trials are starting:

    https://x.com/lbc/status/1907045584768213395

    ‘Her ego is too big - almost the entire nation has watched it!’

    Caller Dean explains to James O’Brien why Kemi Badenoch should watch Adolescence.

    I haven't and probably won't. I don't need to watch that kind of TV. Life is too short - I like to be entertained and informed.
    I have no plans to watch it, and obviously had I had such plans, the fact that Sir Twat wants the whole country to be forced to watch it would have killed them pretty fast anyway.
  • Northern_AlNorthern_Al Posts: 8,744
    TimS said:

    Northern_Al said:

    I really don't care whether Kemi has watched Adolescence or not.

    However, I do care that, despite having not watched it, she has repeated the baseless theory that it's based on a true story but the writers have changed the ethnicity of the perpetrator. She's far too willing to jump on fallacious right-wing bandwagons that she's read about on Twitter without checking the facts.

    She hasn’t has she? How juvenile.
    On LBC earlier, Kemi: "the story it is based on has been fundamentally changed".
  • EabhalEabhal Posts: 9,973
    Northern_Al said:

    I really don't care whether Kemi has watched Adolescence or not.

    However, I do care that, despite having not watched it, she has repeated the baseless theory that it's based on a true story but the writers have changed the ethnicity of the perpetrator. She's far too willing to jump on fallacious right-wing bandwagons that she's read about on Twitter without checking the facts.

    She spends far too much time online. #takesonetoknowone
  • Northern_AlNorthern_Al Posts: 8,744
    Luckyguy1983 said:

    turbotubbs said:

    williamglenn said:

    The witch trials are starting:

    https://x.com/lbc/status/1907045584768213395

    ‘Her ego is too big - almost the entire nation has watched it!’

    Caller Dean explains to James O’Brien why Kemi Badenoch should watch Adolescence.

    I haven't and probably won't. I don't need to watch that kind of TV. Life is too short - I like to be entertained and informed.
    I have no plans to watch it, and obviously had I had such plans, the fact that Sir Twat wants the whole country to be forced to watch it would have killed them pretty fast anyway.
    Juvenile, on two fronts.
  • CatManCatMan Posts: 3,170
    edited April 1
    TimS said:

    Northern_Al said:

    I really don't care whether Kemi has watched Adolescence or not.

    However, I do care that, despite having not watched it, she has repeated the baseless theory that it's based on a true story but the writers have changed the ethnicity of the perpetrator. She's far too willing to jump on fallacious right-wing bandwagons that she's read about on Twitter without checking the facts.

    She hasn’t has she? How juvenile.
    "Kemi Badenoch gives credence to race-swap conspiracy theory about Adolescence but admits she hasn’t watched it – UK politics live"

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2025/apr/01/uk-politics-labour-conservatives-trump-tariffs-trade-deal-keir-starmer-latest-news?CMP=share_btn_url
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 30,477
    TimS said:

    turbotubbs said:

    williamglenn said:

    The witch trials are starting:

    https://x.com/lbc/status/1907045584768213395

    ‘Her ego is too big - almost the entire nation has watched it!’

    Caller Dean explains to James O’Brien why Kemi Badenoch should watch Adolescence.

    I haven't and probably won't. I don't need to watch that kind of TV. Life is too short - I like to be entertained and informed.
    It’s an extremely good, entertaining, well acted and directed drama. Worth watching on its own merits.
    And? Are we expected to watch it for our national edification, and then it's some sort of happy bonus if it's actually entertaining? Can you not see how utterly loony that sounds?

    Good for Kemi. The fact that she's not joined the throng speaks well of her character.
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 30,934
    Eabhal said:

    Northern_Al said:

    I really don't care whether Kemi has watched Adolescence or not.

    However, I do care that, despite having not watched it, she has repeated the baseless theory that it's based on a true story but the writers have changed the ethnicity of the perpetrator. She's far too willing to jump on fallacious right-wing bandwagons that she's read about on Twitter without checking the facts.

    She spends far too much time online. #takesonetoknowone
    According to a well known LBC presenter she spends her days industriously consumed with Candy Crush Saga.
  • EabhalEabhal Posts: 9,973
    Luckyguy1983 said:

    TimS said:

    turbotubbs said:

    williamglenn said:

    The witch trials are starting:

    https://x.com/lbc/status/1907045584768213395

    ‘Her ego is too big - almost the entire nation has watched it!’

    Caller Dean explains to James O’Brien why Kemi Badenoch should watch Adolescence.

    I haven't and probably won't. I don't need to watch that kind of TV. Life is too short - I like to be entertained and informed.
    It’s an extremely good, entertaining, well acted and directed drama. Worth watching on its own merits.
    And? Are we expected to watch it for our national edification, and then it's some sort of happy bonus if it's actually entertaining? Can you not see how utterly loony that sounds?

    Good for Kemi. The fact that she's not joined the throng speaks well of her character.
    Indeed, carrying views and attitudes contrary to the UK population is an effective political strategy. /s

    I agree that Starmer encouraging everyone to watch it is a bit weird. Somehow, Badenoch has managed to be even weirder.
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 19,990
    I cut pizza with scissors.
  • EabhalEabhal Posts: 9,973
    TimS said:

    turbotubbs said:

    williamglenn said:

    The witch trials are starting:

    https://x.com/lbc/status/1907045584768213395

    ‘Her ego is too big - almost the entire nation has watched it!’

    Caller Dean explains to James O’Brien why Kemi Badenoch should watch Adolescence.

    I haven't and probably won't. I don't need to watch that kind of TV. Life is too short - I like to be entertained and informed.
    It’s an extremely good, entertaining, well acted and directed drama. Worth watching on its own merits.
    It has an Uncut Gems quality about it. Exhausting.
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 37,546
    Gallowgate said:

    I cut pizza with scissors.

    Where is the banhammer?
  • LeonLeon Posts: 59,295
    Bukhara. At night



  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 30,477
    ...
    Eabhal said:

    Luckyguy1983 said:

    TimS said:

    turbotubbs said:

    williamglenn said:

    The witch trials are starting:

    https://x.com/lbc/status/1907045584768213395

    ‘Her ego is too big - almost the entire nation has watched it!’

    Caller Dean explains to James O’Brien why Kemi Badenoch should watch Adolescence.

    I haven't and probably won't. I don't need to watch that kind of TV. Life is too short - I like to be entertained and informed.
    It’s an extremely good, entertaining, well acted and directed drama. Worth watching on its own merits.
    And? Are we expected to watch it for our national edification, and then it's some sort of happy bonus if it's actually entertaining? Can you not see how utterly loony that sounds?

    Good for Kemi. The fact that she's not joined the throng speaks well of her character.
    Indeed, carrying views and attitudes contrary to the UK population is an effective political strategy. /s

    I agree that Starmer encouraging everyone to watch it is a bit weird. Somehow, Badenoch has managed to be even weirder.
    A very small subset of the country has a adopted a quasi-religious fervour regarding this film - I think you'll find Kemi in the majority.
  • squareroot2squareroot2 Posts: 6,994
    Whomever it was who thought up the sobriquet of "Rachel from Accounts" is a genius.
    She will never be able to shake it off.
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 121,414
    Scott_xP said:

    Gallowgate said:

    I cut pizza with scissors.

    Where is the banhammer?
    I am too busy making referrals to PREVENT.
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 121,414
    williamglenn said:

    The witch trials are starting:

    https://x.com/lbc/status/1907045584768213395

    ‘Her ego is too big - almost the entire nation has watched it!’

    Caller Dean explains to James O’Brien why Kemi Badenoch should watch Adolescence.

    Kemi should have taken my advice and be more modest and self effacing.

    https://www1.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2025/01/14/does-kemi-need-to-be-more-modest-and-self-effacing/
  • Northern_AlNorthern_Al Posts: 8,744
    Luckyguy1983 said:

    TimS said:

    turbotubbs said:

    williamglenn said:

    The witch trials are starting:

    https://x.com/lbc/status/1907045584768213395

    ‘Her ego is too big - almost the entire nation has watched it!’

    Caller Dean explains to James O’Brien why Kemi Badenoch should watch Adolescence.

    I haven't and probably won't. I don't need to watch that kind of TV. Life is too short - I like to be entertained and informed.
    It’s an extremely good, entertaining, well acted and directed drama. Worth watching on its own merits.
    And? Are we expected to watch it for our national edification, and then it's some sort of happy bonus if it's actually entertaining? Can you not see how utterly loony that sounds?

    Good for Kemi. The fact that she's not joined the throng speaks well of her character.
    But she has joined the throng. She commented upon it on the radio this morning, claiming the writer had 'fundamentally changed' the true story it was based on.

    The only difference is that, unlike the rest of the throng, Kemi hasn't watched it. She could have just said, when asked: "I haven't watched it" and left it at that. But she didn't.
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 54,482
    TheScreamingEagles said:

    Scott_xP said:

    Gallowgate said:

    I cut pizza with scissors.

    Where is the banhammer?
    I am too busy making referrals to PREVENT.
    Cutting pizza with scissors is authentically Italian. They even make scissors designed for the purpose:

    https://www.passionecasa.it/product/forbici-per-pizza-in-acciaio-inox-professionali-salvinelli/
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 34,135
    williamglenn said:

    The witch trials are starting:

    https://x.com/lbc/status/1907045584768213395

    ‘Her ego is too big - almost the entire nation has watched it!’

    Caller Dean explains to James O’Brien why Kemi Badenoch should watch Adolescence.

    "Almost the entire nation has watched it". I wonder how this statement compares to reality.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 75,902
    Gallowgate said:

    I cut pizza with scissors.

    Scissors are an underrated kitchen tool.

    But they're not cutlery.
  • FossFoss Posts: 1,347
    edited April 1
    Andy_JS said:

    williamglenn said:

    The witch trials are starting:

    https://x.com/lbc/status/1907045584768213395

    ‘Her ego is too big - almost the entire nation has watched it!’

    Caller Dean explains to James O’Brien why Kemi Badenoch should watch Adolescence.

    "Almost the entire nation has watched it". I wonder how this statement compares to reality.
    BARB thinks about 13 million watched episode 1 between the 10th and 23rd. 9.4 (ish) for episode 4.
  • GIN1138GIN1138 Posts: 22,780
    williamglenn said:

    The witch trials are starting:

    https://x.com/lbc/status/1907045584768213395

    ‘Her ego is too big - almost the entire nation has watched it!’

    Caller Dean explains to James O’Brien why Kemi Badenoch should watch Adolescence.

    *Puts hand up*

    I've not watched it!
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 30,477
    TheScreamingEagles said:

    Scott_xP said:

    Gallowgate said:

    I cut pizza with scissors.

    Where is the banhammer?
    I am too busy making referrals to PREVENT.
    Don't do that, he'll end up getting worse and cutting his quiche with scissors.
  • CookieCookie Posts: 14,697
    squareroot2 said:

    Whomever it was who thought up the sobriquet of "Rachel from Accounts" is a genius.
    She will never be able to shake it off.

    If she'd been a serious character to start with - like Alistair Darling, say - it wouldn't have stuck. But she's fundamentally unserious. A serial liar. A party hack, with the understanding of making the economy grow tbat that implies. She thought all she had to do was be a Labour chancellor and all that was good would flow from that. She got the job because Labour is so obsessed with identity that it needed a female chancellor and Annelise Dodds had already proved she was useless. She is by several miles the most dimwitted chancellor of my lifetime. She makes Kwasi Kwarteng look a model of strategic thinking and vision and success.
  • PJHPJH Posts: 783
    Foss said:

    Andy_JS said:

    williamglenn said:

    The witch trials are starting:

    https://x.com/lbc/status/1907045584768213395

    ‘Her ego is too big - almost the entire nation has watched it!’

    Caller Dean explains to James O’Brien why Kemi Badenoch should watch Adolescence.

    "Almost the entire nation has watched it". I wonder how this statement compares to reality.
    BARB thinks about 13 million watched episode 1 between the 10th and 23rd. 9.4 (ish) for episode 4.
    There must be a large chunk of the population who, like me, don't have Netflix and have no plans to do so.
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 22,612
    TimS said:

    turbotubbs said:

    williamglenn said:

    The witch trials are starting:

    https://x.com/lbc/status/1907045584768213395

    ‘Her ego is too big - almost the entire nation has watched it!’

    Caller Dean explains to James O’Brien why Kemi Badenoch should watch Adolescence.

    I haven't and probably won't. I don't need to watch that kind of TV. Life is too short - I like to be entertained and informed.
    It’s an extremely good, entertaining, well acted and directed drama. Worth watching on its own merits.
    The only clip I have seen on the news depicts an obnoxious little shit who needs a good hiding.
  • OmniumOmnium Posts: 11,400
    It'd be very interesting if there was polling on quite what people don't like about the Starmer government etc.

    I'm really baffled. As I've said before, they're doing a good job, but of course chained to Labour thinking. And it is such a contrast. The Tories were doing a very bad job, and whilst in principle they had good ideas.. Well actually they didn't, did they. You can't put a blue sticker on hopeless and hope it sells. The complete failure of ideas is pretty pervasive - Starmer is simply re-doing LD and Tory ideas over a warm fire.
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 22,612
    Time for tea. Sadly, not a sharing size pizza this evening.
  • No_Offence_AlanNo_Offence_Alan Posts: 4,919
    Gallowgate said:

    I cut pizza with scissors.

    How do you cope when a piece of pineapple gets stuck to the scissors?
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 65,090
    On the El Salvador prisoners:

    "We've seen more moral clarity and emotion from Joe Rogan than we've seen from basically anyone in elected office over this."

    That includes elected Democrats.

    Tim Miller, Bulwark: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsnjMH8rdhs
  • algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 13,825
    Foss said:

    Andy_JS said:

    williamglenn said:

    The witch trials are starting:

    https://x.com/lbc/status/1907045584768213395

    ‘Her ego is too big - almost the entire nation has watched it!’

    Caller Dean explains to James O’Brien why Kemi Badenoch should watch Adolescence.

    "Almost the entire nation has watched it". I wonder how this statement compares to reality.
    BARB thinks about 13 million watched episode 1 between the 10th and 23rd. 9.4 (ish) for episode 4.
    'Almost the entire nation' doesn't watch much. It's not true of a World Cup final, the Queen's funeral, General election coverage, or, SFAICS anything else whatsoever.

    BTW what was Adolescence about? Was it any good? I was with the 55 million who did something else.

    It would actually be interesting to know, with qualitative and quantitative rigour, what the 40 million people who didn't watch the Queen's funeral did instead.
  • OmniumOmnium Posts: 11,400
    No_Offence_Alan said:

    Gallowgate said:

    I cut pizza with scissors.

    How do you cope when a piece of pineapple gets stuck to the scissors?
    The number of people that can answer that are fewer than ask the question.
  • FossFoss Posts: 1,347
    edited April 1
    PJH said:

    Foss said:

    Andy_JS said:

    williamglenn said:

    The witch trials are starting:

    https://x.com/lbc/status/1907045584768213395

    ‘Her ego is too big - almost the entire nation has watched it!’

    Caller Dean explains to James O’Brien why Kemi Badenoch should watch Adolescence.

    "Almost the entire nation has watched it". I wonder how this statement compares to reality.
    BARB thinks about 13 million watched episode 1 between the 10th and 23rd. 9.4 (ish) for episode 4.
    There must be a large chunk of the population who, like me, don't have Netflix and have no plans to do so.
    There used to be a lovely interactive chart that showed that kind of thing - but, for the life of me, I can’t remember where it was.
  • algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 13,825
    PJH said:

    Foss said:

    Andy_JS said:

    williamglenn said:

    The witch trials are starting:

    https://x.com/lbc/status/1907045584768213395

    ‘Her ego is too big - almost the entire nation has watched it!’

    Caller Dean explains to James O’Brien why Kemi Badenoch should watch Adolescence.

    "Almost the entire nation has watched it". I wonder how this statement compares to reality.
    BARB thinks about 13 million watched episode 1 between the 10th and 23rd. 9.4 (ish) for episode 4.
    There must be a large chunk of the population who, like me, don't have Netflix and have no plans to do so.
    You + me makes 2. There's probably some more.
  • CookieCookie Posts: 14,697
    algarkirk said:

    Foss said:

    Andy_JS said:

    williamglenn said:

    The witch trials are starting:

    https://x.com/lbc/status/1907045584768213395

    ‘Her ego is too big - almost the entire nation has watched it!’

    Caller Dean explains to James O’Brien why Kemi Badenoch should watch Adolescence.

    "Almost the entire nation has watched it". I wonder how this statement compares to reality.
    BARB thinks about 13 million watched episode 1 between the 10th and 23rd. 9.4 (ish) for episode 4.
    'Almost the entire nation' doesn't watch much. It's not true of a World Cup final, the Queen's funeral, General election coverage, or, SFAICS anything else whatsoever.

    BTW what was Adolescence about? Was it any good? I was with the 55 million who did something else.

    It would actually be interesting to know, with qualitative and quantitative rigour, what the 40 million people who didn't watch the Queen's funeral did instead.
    Can't remember what I did. But I do remember what I did for DPOW's funeral - I drove from Nottingham to Manchester in under 90 minutes. Roads have never been so quiet before or since.
  • RogerRoger Posts: 20,272
    Northern_Al said:

    I really don't care whether Kemi has watched Adolescence or not.

    However, I do care that, despite having not watched it, she has repeated the baseless theory that it's based on a true story but the writers have changed the ethnicity of the perpetrator. She's far too willing to jump on fallacious right-wing bandwagons that she's read about on Twitter without checking the facts.

    I'm beginning to think she's lacking common sense. To have an opinion on everything but knowledge of nothing is not what you want from a leadsing politician. I suspect Jenrick for all his obvious faults would take the trouble to to follow the zeitgeist
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 30,934
    Andy_JS said:

    williamglenn said:

    The witch trials are starting:

    https://x.com/lbc/status/1907045584768213395

    ‘Her ego is too big - almost the entire nation has watched it!’

    Caller Dean explains to James O’Brien why Kemi Badenoch should watch Adolescence.

    "Almost the entire nation has watched it". I wonder how this statement compares to reality.
    It is probably wildly off the mark.

    The criticism of Badenoch shouldn't be that she didn't watch it, but justified not watching Adolescence by repeating a racist conspiracy theory lie and tangentially comparing misogynistic, toxic masculinity to Islamist propaganda, bizarrely implying toxic masculinity isn't as bad.
  • algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 13,825
    Gallowgate said:

    I cut pizza with scissors.

    It has to be cut up with something before throwing the inedible stuff away or it won't fit in the bin. Scissors will do.
  • Peter_the_PunterPeter_the_Punter Posts: 14,580
    DecrepiterJohnL said:

    From header: I suspect this is in part due to cost of living going up a lot this month and the government usually gets the blame for this.

    Sadly for HMG, I doubt this month's rising bills on pretty much everything will be factored into blame and poll ratings for another few weeks.

    That's true, DJ, but it may not be so bad for Labour. The sort of voters who automatically blame the Government are also often the sort who don't know which Party is in power.
  • stodgestodge Posts: 14,384
    edited April 1
    Omnium said:

    It'd be very interesting if there was polling on quite what people don't like about the Starmer government etc.

    I'm really baffled. As I've said before, they're doing a good job, but of course chained to Labour thinking. And it is such a contrast. The Tories were doing a very bad job, and whilst in principle they had good ideas.. Well actually they didn't, did they. You can't put a blue sticker on hopeless and hope it sells. The complete failure of ideas is pretty pervasive - Starmer is simply re-doing LD and Tory ideas over a warm fire.

    I've always thought if you want Conservative policies, elect a Labour Government. If you want socialism, elect the Conservatives. If you want authoritarianism vote for the Liberal Democrats and if you want liberal ideas, vote for Reform.

    Needless to say, if you want to keep Scotland in the Union, vote for the SNP and if you want independence, vote for the Conservatives.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 75,902
    SandyRentool said:

    TimS said:

    turbotubbs said:

    williamglenn said:

    The witch trials are starting:

    https://x.com/lbc/status/1907045584768213395

    ‘Her ego is too big - almost the entire nation has watched it!’

    Caller Dean explains to James O’Brien why Kemi Badenoch should watch Adolescence.

    I haven't and probably won't. I don't need to watch that kind of TV. Life is too short - I like to be entertained and informed.
    It’s an extremely good, entertaining, well acted and directed drama. Worth watching on its own merits.
    The only clip I have seen on the news depicts an obnoxious little shit who needs a good hiding.
    Donald again ?
  • OmniumOmnium Posts: 11,400
    stodge said:

    Omnium said:

    It'd be very interesting if there was polling on quite what people don't like about the Starmer government etc.

    I'm really baffled. As I've said before, they're doing a good job, but of course chained to Labour thinking. And it is such a contrast. The Tories were doing a very bad job, and whilst in principle they had good ideas.. Well actually they didn't, did they. You can't put a blue sticker on hopeless and hope it sells. The complete failure of ideas is pretty pervasive - Starmer is simply re-doing LD and Tory ideas over a warm fire.

    I've always thought if you want Conservative policies, elect a Labour Government. If you want socialism, elect the Conservatives. If you want authoritarianism vote for the Liberal Democrats and if you want liberal ideas, vote for Reform.

    Needless to say, if you want to keep Scotland in the Union, vote for the SNP and if you want independence, vote for the Conservatives.
    So if you want a Nuclear wasteland, then vote Green? You may be on to something.
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 64,913
    edited April 1
    GIN1138 said:

    williamglenn said:

    The witch trials are starting:

    https://x.com/lbc/status/1907045584768213395

    ‘Her ego is too big - almost the entire nation has watched it!’

    Caller Dean explains to James O’Brien why Kemi Badenoch should watch Adolescence.

    *Puts hand up*

    I've not watched it!
    Nor have I nor do I intend to
  • kjhkjh Posts: 12,392
    algarkirk said:

    PJH said:

    Foss said:

    Andy_JS said:

    williamglenn said:

    The witch trials are starting:

    https://x.com/lbc/status/1907045584768213395

    ‘Her ego is too big - almost the entire nation has watched it!’

    Caller Dean explains to James O’Brien why Kemi Badenoch should watch Adolescence.

    "Almost the entire nation has watched it". I wonder how this statement compares to reality.
    BARB thinks about 13 million watched episode 1 between the 10th and 23rd. 9.4 (ish) for episode 4.
    There must be a large chunk of the population who, like me, don't have Netflix and have no plans to do so.
    You + me makes 2. There's probably some more.
    +1 We might get up to half a dozen
  • numbertwelvenumbertwelve Posts: 7,275
    edited April 1
    I have no plans to watch Adolescence and I generally cringe when politicians get involved in discussions about TV programmes (particularly if they then use it to start making performative policy decisions like Sir Keir now apparently forcing school kids to watch it). I will let off the Post Office drama, but it shouldn’t have got to the point where it took that programme for that scandal to shock the political class in any event.

    I cancelled my Netflix subscription some months back, finding that most TV now is pretty terrible.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 75,902
    rottenborough said:

    On the El Salvador prisoners:

    "We've seen more moral clarity and emotion from Joe Rogan than we've seen from basically anyone in elected office over this."

    That includes elected Democrats.

    Tim Miller, Bulwark: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsnjMH8rdhs

    Half a point to Cory Booker for his ongoing 17 hour Senate protest speech.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 126,534
    Reeves has raised taxes on farmers, small business and private school parents, hit pensioners WFA and now is cutting welfare and the civil service. Cost of living likely rises further tomorrow with Trump's tariffs.

    Not a happy prospect for the government ahead of the local elections
  • StockyStocky Posts: 10,272
    Andy_JS said:

    williamglenn said:

    The witch trials are starting:

    https://x.com/lbc/status/1907045584768213395

    ‘Her ego is too big - almost the entire nation has watched it!’

    Caller Dean explains to James O’Brien why Kemi Badenoch should watch Adolescence.

    "Almost the entire nation has watched it". I wonder how this statement compares to reality.
    It's absurd. Half don't have the attention span (it has to be endured at times) and half of the rest don't get Netflix.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 126,534
    @timloughton
    Excited to formally announce that I am throwing my hat in the ring to be the Conservative candidate for the new position of Mayor of Sussex.

    I will make sure that Sussex people are represented at the top table so that we can shape our own future.


    https://x.com/timloughton/status/1906661600506871890
  • FossFoss Posts: 1,347
    Foss said:

    PJH said:

    Foss said:

    Andy_JS said:

    williamglenn said:

    The witch trials are starting:

    https://x.com/lbc/status/1907045584768213395

    ‘Her ego is too big - almost the entire nation has watched it!’

    Caller Dean explains to James O’Brien why Kemi Badenoch should watch Adolescence.

    "Almost the entire nation has watched it". I wonder how this statement compares to reality.
    BARB thinks about 13 million watched episode 1 between the 10th and 23rd. 9.4 (ish) for episode 4.
    There must be a large chunk of the population who, like me, don't have Netflix and have no plans to do so.
    There used to be a lovely interactive chart that showed that kind of thing - but, for the life of me, I can’t remember where it was.
    Apparently about 58% of homes had Netflix as-of Q4 last year.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 30,477
    Cookie said:

    squareroot2 said:

    Whomever it was who thought up the sobriquet of "Rachel from Accounts" is a genius.
    She will never be able to shake it off.

    If she'd been a serious character to start with - like Alistair Darling, say - it wouldn't have stuck. But she's fundamentally unserious. A serial liar. A party hack, with the understanding of making the economy grow tbat that implies. She thought all she had to do was be a Labour chancellor and all that was good would flow from that. She got the job because Labour is so obsessed with identity that it needed a female chancellor and Annelise Dodds had already proved she was useless. She is by several miles the most dimwitted chancellor of my lifetime. She makes Kwasi Kwarteng look a model of strategic thinking and vision and success.
    She is (as you indicate) a political Chancellor, who came in with a political agenda. You can get away with that when you're handed a golden economic legacy like Brown was, but not when you come in after the last Government.
  • OnlyLivingBoyOnlyLivingBoy Posts: 16,369
    Gallowgate said:

    I cut pizza with scissors.

    This is so wrong I don't even know where to start.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 30,477
    HYUFD said:

    @timloughton
    Excited to formally announce that I am throwing my hat in the ring to be the Conservative candidate for the new position of Mayor of Sussex.

    I will make sure that Sussex people are represented at the top table so that we can shape our own future.


    https://x.com/timloughton/status/1906661600506871890

    Not a very inspiring message.

    Clearly can't wait to get his feet under 'the top table' whatever that is.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 98,299
    williamglenn said:

    The witch trials are starting:

    https://x.com/lbc/status/1907045584768213395

    ‘Her ego is too big - almost the entire nation has watched it!’

    Caller Dean explains to James O’Brien why Kemi Badenoch should watch Adolescence.

    I've not been following much over the last few days, are people still banging on about that programme?

    Impressive for a show to have such an impact, and even fictional works can be powerful in changing attitudes (sometimes more powerful in fact), but it feels pretty silly if top politicians are being criticised for not watching something, even if it is probably just a few cranks elevated to seem more common.
  • OmniumOmnium Posts: 11,400
    Luckyguy1983 said:

    HYUFD said:

    @timloughton
    Excited to formally announce that I am throwing my hat in the ring to be the Conservative candidate for the new position of Mayor of Sussex.

    I will make sure that Sussex people are represented at the top table so that we can shape our own future.


    https://x.com/timloughton/status/1906661600506871890

    Not a very inspiring message.

    Clearly can't wait to get his feet under 'the top table' whatever that is.
    Pre-cut pizza.
  • noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 24,017
    Gallowgate said:

    I cut pizza with scissors.

    Try one of these instead. Magic.

    https://www.nisbets.co.uk/westmark-pineapple-slicer/gr252?vatToggle=incvat&cm_mmc=PLA-_-18097153123-_--_-&cm_mmca1=go_18097153123____c_&kpid=go_cmp-18097153123_adg-_ad-__dev-c_ext-_prd-GR252_sig-Cj0KCQjwna6_BhCbARIsALId2Z0GQOIUtMriOCM8jPycUo0hE2RKSbCgJOZ3gEPArvKQCslFCrUBUWIaAo-dEALw_wcB&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwna6_BhCbARIsALId2Z0GQOIUtMriOCM8jPycUo0hE2RKSbCgJOZ3gEPArvKQCslFCrUBUWIaAo-dEALw_wcB
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 98,299
    edited April 1
    Luckyguy1983 said:

    HYUFD said:

    @timloughton
    Excited to formally announce that I am throwing my hat in the ring to be the Conservative candidate for the new position of Mayor of Sussex.

    I will make sure that Sussex people are represented at the top table so that we can shape our own future.


    https://x.com/timloughton/status/1906661600506871890

    Not a very inspiring message.
    It involves a regional mayoralty, nothing would be inspiring (presuming it were serious, on this day).

    It feels like the only reason any of these positions exist outside big cities is because Westminster and Whitehall would rather talk to 30-40 mayors than with hundreds of council leaders, and want an extra buffer between them.
  • algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 13,825
    Omnium said:

    It'd be very interesting if there was polling on quite what people don't like about the Starmer government etc.

    I'm really baffled. As I've said before, they're doing a good job, but of course chained to Labour thinking. And it is such a contrast. The Tories were doing a very bad job, and whilst in principle they had good ideas.. Well actually they didn't, did they. You can't put a blue sticker on hopeless and hope it sells. The complete failure of ideas is pretty pervasive - Starmer is simply re-doing LD and Tory ideas over a warm fire.

    I think it really is mostly about communication and common sense. It takes a particular political skill to convince a fairly rich nation with a decent history and a mostly hard working family minded, law abiding and loyal population that we are all a destitute, poor, sick, crippled, addicted, mentally feeble, pathetic, lazy, scrounging, illiterate bunch of wasters who look on other countries with window licking envy, especially as it isn't true.

    But I think they should use that skill to remind us that our cup is more than half full, and government exists as the servant of good people for good ends and to help make the cup a bit fuller, and use their trillion pound budget to those ends.

    They also need to remember that an afternoon spent tickling the baby's toes does not register in the GDP. But that does not mean it doesn't count.
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 19,990
    OnlyLivingBoy said:

    Gallowgate said:

    I cut pizza with scissors.

    This is so wrong I don't even know where to start.
    I have a policy whereby I do not buy kitchen tools with only one purpose.
  • numbertwelvenumbertwelve Posts: 7,275
    kle4 said:

    williamglenn said:

    The witch trials are starting:

    https://x.com/lbc/status/1907045584768213395

    ‘Her ego is too big - almost the entire nation has watched it!’

    Caller Dean explains to James O’Brien why Kemi Badenoch should watch Adolescence.

    I've not been following much over the last few days, are people still banging on about that programme?

    Impressive for a show to have such an impact, and even fictional works can be powerful in changing attitudes (sometimes more powerful in fact), but it feels pretty silly if top politicians are being criticised for not watching something, even if it is probably just a few cranks elevated to seem more common.
    The only thing people seem to be banging on about more than Adolescence is some weird confection called “Dubai Chocolate” that looks to essentially be chocolate covered pistachios but retails for £10, for reasons I cannot fully comprehend.
  • OnlyLivingBoyOnlyLivingBoy Posts: 16,369
    numbertwelve said:

    I have no plans to watch Adolescence and I generally cringe when politicians get involved in discussions about TV programmes (particularly if they then use it to start making performative policy decisions like Sir Keir now apparently forcing school kids to watch it). I will let off the Post Office drama, but it shouldn’t have got to the point where it took that programme for that scandal to shock the political class in any event.

    I cancelled my Netflix subscription some months back, finding that most TV now is pretty terrible.

    I haven't watched it but plan to. We are currently watching another couple of drama series and need to get through at least one of those first. Not to mention our local Arts festival is on right now, so we are out a lot the next couple of weeks. So I have some sympathy for Badenoch for being too busy to watch it (less so for her apparently giving credence to a Musk endorsed conspiracy theory about it).
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 30,477
    Omnium said:

    Luckyguy1983 said:

    HYUFD said:

    @timloughton
    Excited to formally announce that I am throwing my hat in the ring to be the Conservative candidate for the new position of Mayor of Sussex.

    I will make sure that Sussex people are represented at the top table so that we can shape our own future.


    https://x.com/timloughton/status/1906661600506871890

    Not a very inspiring message.

    Clearly can't wait to get his feet under 'the top table' whatever that is.
    Pre-cut pizza.
    Doesn't look like he needs any.
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 65,090
    williamglenn said:

    TheScreamingEagles said:

    Scott_xP said:

    Gallowgate said:

    I cut pizza with scissors.

    Where is the banhammer?
    I am too busy making referrals to PREVENT.
    Cutting pizza with scissors is authentically Italian. They even make scissors designed for the purpose:

    https://www.passionecasa.it/product/forbici-per-pizza-in-acciaio-inox-professionali-salvinelli/
    This is such a pure PB moment.

  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 30,934
    Peter_the_Punter said:

    DecrepiterJohnL said:

    From header: I suspect this is in part due to cost of living going up a lot this month and the government usually gets the blame for this.

    Sadly for HMG, I doubt this month's rising bills on pretty much everything will be factored into blame and poll ratings for another few weeks.

    That's true, DJ, but it may not be so bad for Labour. The sort of voters who automatically blame the Government are also often the sort who don't know which Party is in power.
    I think there is an assumption from that crowd that Labour have been in Downing Street since Johnson resigned. I suspect there are a few on here and in the PCP that have determined that too. Small boats, cancellation of HS2, NHS chaos, and inflation (except when it came down) all Labour chaos. Chris Philp was outraged yesterday that Labour lost control of the borders.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 98,299
    Mexicanpete said:

    Andy_JS said:

    williamglenn said:

    The witch trials are starting:

    https://x.com/lbc/status/1907045584768213395

    ‘Her ego is too big - almost the entire nation has watched it!’

    Caller Dean explains to James O’Brien why Kemi Badenoch should watch Adolescence.

    "Almost the entire nation has watched it". I wonder how this statement compares to reality.
    It is probably wildly off the mark.

    The criticism of Badenoch shouldn't be that she didn't watch it, but justified not watching Adolescence by repeating a racist conspiracy theory lie and tangentially comparing misogynistic, toxic masculinity to Islamist propaganda, bizarrely implying toxic masculinity isn't as bad.
    Weak criticisms actually make it easier for people to evade more substantial criticisms in fact. So when people make lame attacks on a politician they don't like it is actively harmful to their presumed goal of persuading others about how bad they are.
  • OnlyLivingBoyOnlyLivingBoy Posts: 16,369
    Gallowgate said:

    OnlyLivingBoy said:

    Gallowgate said:

    I cut pizza with scissors.

    This is so wrong I don't even know where to start.
    I have a policy whereby I do not buy kitchen tools with only one purpose.
    I'm willing to forgive someone with a Tyne and Wear Metro sign as their avatar almost anything, but not this.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 98,299
    Mexicanpete said:

    williamglenn said:

    https://x.com/jdvance/status/1907078664614780991

    Joe Biden sanctioned an invasion of the United States. We have approximately 20 million illegal aliens in this country. Their victims are measured in longer wait times for hospitals, overwhelmed schools, and murder victims the media largely ignored.

    The media has deteremined the real victims are the gang members we're trying to get out of the country.

    You tagging a Vance tweet is a bit like Mandy Rice Davies sharing Lord Astor's X account with a specific comment.
    I wish there was a rule that if you are to share a tweet you have to include some comment, even if it is one word-two words long.
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 29,846
    HYUFD said:

    @timloughton
    Excited to formally announce that I am throwing my hat in the ring to be the Conservative candidate for the new position of Mayor of Sussex.

    I will make sure that Sussex people are represented at the top table so that we can shape our own future.


    https://x.com/timloughton/status/1906661600506871890

    I don't know what that means. I'm not even sure it means anything at all. What or where is this top table? Will it be the people of Sussex or the people at the top table shaping the future?
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 98,299
    Nigelb said:

    rottenborough said:

    On the El Salvador prisoners:

    "We've seen more moral clarity and emotion from Joe Rogan than we've seen from basically anyone in elected office over this."

    That includes elected Democrats.

    Tim Miller, Bulwark: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsnjMH8rdhs

    Half a point to Cory Booker for his ongoing 17 hour Senate protest speech.
    Is it actually on topic or is one of those where he can just ramble on about anything?
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 98,299
    Mexicanpete said:

    Peter_the_Punter said:

    DecrepiterJohnL said:

    From header: I suspect this is in part due to cost of living going up a lot this month and the government usually gets the blame for this.

    Sadly for HMG, I doubt this month's rising bills on pretty much everything will be factored into blame and poll ratings for another few weeks.

    That's true, DJ, but it may not be so bad for Labour. The sort of voters who automatically blame the Government are also often the sort who don't know which Party is in power.
    I think there is an assumption from that crowd that Labour have been in Downing Street since Johnson resigned. I suspect there are a few on here and in the PCP that have determined that too. Small boats, cancellation of HS2, NHS chaos, and inflation (except when it came down) all Labour chaos. Chris Philp was outraged yesterday that Labour lost control of the borders.
    I know governments do overuse the 'last government' excuse, but it is a bit surprising that some are already playing dumb about that time in less than a year since the election.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 30,477
    kle4 said:

    Mexicanpete said:

    Peter_the_Punter said:

    DecrepiterJohnL said:

    From header: I suspect this is in part due to cost of living going up a lot this month and the government usually gets the blame for this.

    Sadly for HMG, I doubt this month's rising bills on pretty much everything will be factored into blame and poll ratings for another few weeks.

    That's true, DJ, but it may not be so bad for Labour. The sort of voters who automatically blame the Government are also often the sort who don't know which Party is in power.
    I think there is an assumption from that crowd that Labour have been in Downing Street since Johnson resigned. I suspect there are a few on here and in the PCP that have determined that too. Small boats, cancellation of HS2, NHS chaos, and inflation (except when it came down) all Labour chaos. Chris Philp was outraged yesterday that Labour lost control of the borders.
    I know governments do overuse the 'last government' excuse, but it is a bit surprising that some are already playing dumb about that time in less than a year since the election.
    Who is?
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 98,299
    I'm definitely not watching Adolescence. I like my entertainment to be lighter and fluffier, or if it is going to be a bummer I prefer the setting to be separated from me by either time (ie be historical) or reality (ie it's fantasy).
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 59,042
    SandyRentool said:

    TimS said:

    turbotubbs said:

    williamglenn said:

    The witch trials are starting:

    https://x.com/lbc/status/1907045584768213395

    ‘Her ego is too big - almost the entire nation has watched it!’

    Caller Dean explains to James O’Brien why Kemi Badenoch should watch Adolescence.

    I haven't and probably won't. I don't need to watch that kind of TV. Life is too short - I like to be entertained and informed.
    It’s an extremely good, entertaining, well acted and directed drama. Worth watching on its own merits.
    The only clip I have seen on the news depicts an obnoxious little shit who needs a good hiding.
    Prime Ministers Question Time?
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 65,090
    ‪Aaron Rupar‬ ‪@atrupar.com‬
    ·
    38m
    Leavitt: "My understanding is that the tariff announcement will come tomorrow. They will be effective immediately ... he's talked a lot about April 2 as 'Liberation Day' for America. It would be taking place today if not for April Fools Day."

    https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3llrcigfruh2d
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 98,299
    edited April 1
    Luckyguy1983 said:

    kle4 said:

    Mexicanpete said:

    Peter_the_Punter said:

    DecrepiterJohnL said:

    From header: I suspect this is in part due to cost of living going up a lot this month and the government usually gets the blame for this.

    Sadly for HMG, I doubt this month's rising bills on pretty much everything will be factored into blame and poll ratings for another few weeks.

    That's true, DJ, but it may not be so bad for Labour. The sort of voters who automatically blame the Government are also often the sort who don't know which Party is in power.
    I think there is an assumption from that crowd that Labour have been in Downing Street since Johnson resigned. I suspect there are a few on here and in the PCP that have determined that too. Small boats, cancellation of HS2, NHS chaos, and inflation (except when it came down) all Labour chaos. Chris Philp was outraged yesterday that Labour lost control of the borders.
    I know governments do overuse the 'last government' excuse, but it is a bit surprising that some are already playing dumb about that time in less than a year since the election.
    Who is?
    The implication of mexicanpete's post was that Philp for one is out there blaming Labour for losing control on borders, when his own party's record is not stellar if one thinks that is a problem. Now I haven't seen his remarks directly, and it may be he is blaming the government for it getting worse, but that would be an unusual level of nuance. And there have certainly been efforts to criticise Labour for high taxes and the like, when taxes were high or raised recently by the last government - albeit that has had pushback and Kemi had a line I think about not liking having done so.
  • kamskikamski Posts: 6,281
    Nigelb said:

    rottenborough said:

    On the El Salvador prisoners:

    "We've seen more moral clarity and emotion from Joe Rogan than we've seen from basically anyone in elected office over this."

    That includes elected Democrats.

    Tim Miller, Bulwark: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsnjMH8rdhs

    Half a point to Cory Booker for his ongoing 17 hour Senate protest speech.
    I always liked Booker, and he's done some cool things in his career as a politician. Shame he isn't mad enough to be a viable presidential candidate in the US.
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 23,955
    I don't rate Kemi Badenoch and I don't like her policies (although her methodical approach may bear fruit eventually). However even I am willing to forgive her such a weak-sauce accusation of "you didn't watch current thing on telly!" The commentariat need to be slapped repeatedly with a minor gas giant until they stop commentating.
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 65,090
    Hundreds of federal health workers, including doctors in senior leadership positions, began hearing early Tuesday morning that they are losing their jobs, part of a vast restructuring that will winnow down the agencies charged with regulating food and drugs, protecting Americans from disease and researching new treatments and cures.

    Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced last week that he is shrinking his department by 10,000 employees.

    NY Times
  • kjhkjh Posts: 12,392
    edited April 1
    Gallowgate said:

    OnlyLivingBoy said:

    Gallowgate said:

    I cut pizza with scissors.

    This is so wrong I don't even know where to start.
    I have a policy whereby I do not buy kitchen tools with only one purpose.
    I thought about making a list, then decided I couldn't be arsed.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 98,299
    rottenborough said:

    Hundreds of federal health workers, including doctors in senior leadership positions, began hearing early Tuesday morning that they are losing their jobs, part of a vast restructuring that will winnow down the agencies charged with regulating food and drugs, protecting Americans from disease and researching new treatments and cures.

    Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced last week that he is shrinking his department by 10,000 employees.

    NY Times

    I'm sure it will all be done in an evidence based and logical fashion.
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 23,955
    viewcode said:

    I don't rate Kemi Badenoch and I don't like her policies (although her methodical approach may bear fruit eventually). However even I am willing to forgive her such a weak-sauce accusation of "you didn't watch current thing on telly!" The commentariat need to be slapped repeatedly with a minor gas giant until they stop commentating.

    OnlyLivingBoy said:

    ... So I have some sympathy for Badenoch for being too busy to watch it (less so for her apparently giving credence to a Musk endorsed conspiracy theory about it)...

    Oh I didn't know about the Musk thing. Pause. OK, I unforgive her. Bad Kemi.

  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 44,520
    Foss said:

    Foss said:

    PJH said:

    Foss said:

    Andy_JS said:

    williamglenn said:

    The witch trials are starting:

    https://x.com/lbc/status/1907045584768213395

    ‘Her ego is too big - almost the entire nation has watched it!’

    Caller Dean explains to James O’Brien why Kemi Badenoch should watch Adolescence.

    "Almost the entire nation has watched it". I wonder how this statement compares to reality.
    BARB thinks about 13 million watched episode 1 between the 10th and 23rd. 9.4 (ish) for episode 4.
    There must be a large chunk of the population who, like me, don't have Netflix and have no plans to do so.
    There used to be a lovely interactive chart that showed that kind of thing - but, for the life of me, I can’t remember where it was.
    Apparently about 58% of homes had Netflix as-of Q4 last year.
    That is way more than I'd have guessed. I don't. I do however have 3 months of free Apple due to a recent purchase of a digital product from Currys. It's a Currys "perk". I could have chosen a different one but after much humming and hahing I went for the 3 months free Apple. It's allowed me to watch Slow Horses (v good) and next up is Ted Lasso. Pretty good perk. Also happy with the product I bought. I think these unremarkable but satisfactory life experiences are underreported. If we heard more about them it might cheer everyone up a bit.
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 65,090
    Jeremiah Johnson 🌐
    @JeremiahDJohns
    ·
    6h
    In the wake of 'we will deport random people with tattoos', actual Venezuelan journalists who study Tren de Aragua say that the gang doesn't have identifying tattoos at all. It's literally just something Americans made up.

    https://x.com/JeremiahDJohns/status/1907017626993225765
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 44,520
    Luckyguy1983 said:

    Cookie said:

    squareroot2 said:

    Whomever it was who thought up the sobriquet of "Rachel from Accounts" is a genius.
    She will never be able to shake it off.

    If she'd been a serious character to start with - like Alistair Darling, say - it wouldn't have stuck. But she's fundamentally unserious. A serial liar. A party hack, with the understanding of making the economy grow tbat that implies. She thought all she had to do was be a Labour chancellor and all that was good would flow from that. She got the job because Labour is so obsessed with identity that it needed a female chancellor and Annelise Dodds had already proved she was useless. She is by several miles the most dimwitted chancellor of my lifetime. She makes Kwasi Kwarteng look a model of strategic thinking and vision and success.
    She is (as you indicate) a political Chancellor, who came in with a political agenda. You can get away with that when you're handed a golden economic legacy like Brown was, but not when you come in after the last Government.
    The most political Chancellor in living memory (by miles) was George Osborne. Meant as neither compliment nor insult, just a no frills statement of fact.
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 62,090
    Adolescence has become a culture war thing, even though it didn't need to be.

    Interesting how some things dodge this, like Bridgerton, and some don't.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 73,083
    kinabalu said:

    Luckyguy1983 said:

    Cookie said:

    squareroot2 said:

    Whomever it was who thought up the sobriquet of "Rachel from Accounts" is a genius.
    She will never be able to shake it off.

    If she'd been a serious character to start with - like Alistair Darling, say - it wouldn't have stuck. But she's fundamentally unserious. A serial liar. A party hack, with the understanding of making the economy grow tbat that implies. She thought all she had to do was be a Labour chancellor and all that was good would flow from that. She got the job because Labour is so obsessed with identity that it needed a female chancellor and Annelise Dodds had already proved she was useless. She is by several miles the most dimwitted chancellor of my lifetime. She makes Kwasi Kwarteng look a model of strategic thinking and vision and success.
    She is (as you indicate) a political Chancellor, who came in with a political agenda. You can get away with that when you're handed a golden economic legacy like Brown was, but not when you come in after the last Government.
    The most political Chancellor in living memory (by miles) was George Osborne. Meant as neither compliment nor insult, just a no frills statement of fact.
    I'm surprised to find you were born since 2007.
  • FossFoss Posts: 1,347
    kinabalu said:

    Foss said:

    Foss said:

    PJH said:

    Foss said:

    Andy_JS said:

    williamglenn said:

    The witch trials are starting:

    https://x.com/lbc/status/1907045584768213395

    ‘Her ego is too big - almost the entire nation has watched it!’

    Caller Dean explains to James O’Brien why Kemi Badenoch should watch Adolescence.

    "Almost the entire nation has watched it". I wonder how this statement compares to reality.
    BARB thinks about 13 million watched episode 1 between the 10th and 23rd. 9.4 (ish) for episode 4.
    There must be a large chunk of the population who, like me, don't have Netflix and have no plans to do so.
    There used to be a lovely interactive chart that showed that kind of thing - but, for the life of me, I can’t remember where it was.
    Apparently about 58% of homes had Netflix as-of Q4 last year.
    That is way more than I'd have guessed. I don't. I do however have 3 months of free Apple due to a recent purchase of a digital product from Currys. It's a Currys "perk". I could have chosen a different one but after much humming and hahing I went for the 3 months free Apple. It's allowed me to watch Slow Horses (v good) and next up is Ted Lasso. Pretty good perk. Also happy with the product I bought. I think these unremarkable but satisfactory life experiences are underreported. If we heard more about them it might cheer everyone up a bit.

    Some more stats here    . Netflix is the third biggest 'broadcaster' block and - surprisingly - it's monthly reach is only nine percentage points behind the BBC - though with only about half the average daily viewer minutes.
  • TimSTimS Posts: 14,692
    1. I cut pizza with scissors. Large, heavy duty ones that cut it beautifully. I used to have a pizza wheel - they’re shit at the job. So are knives. What is the problem, other than some performative impersonation of an imagined Italian gripe?

    2. It’s particularly irritating that Adolescence has become a victim of culture war. That is thanks both to Starmer insisting everyone watch it and far right types egged on by Musk coming up with conspiracies. It is simply not a culture war drama. As I write above, it’s an excellent if disturbing piece of writing and acting. Think of it as the Threads for our generation. The boy who played Jamie will go on to bigger things. Stephen Graham is his usual brilliant self.
  • numbertwelvenumbertwelve Posts: 7,275
    edited April 1
    Casino_Royale said:

    Adolescence has become a culture war thing, even though it didn't need to be.

    Interesting how some things dodge this, like Bridgerton, and some don't.

    I don’t think Bridgerton dodges it completely, but I think most sane people see it as escapist frippery which blatantly isn’t trying to be historically accurate, so maybe that helps.

    It doesn’t help as @TimS alludes to that politicians have gotten their hands on this particular one and seem to be desperate to use it to make a “point.” With the disclaimer that I, again, have not watched it, from those that have I understand that it makes a number of observations about society, but particular ones are being emphasised by different sides of the culture war to further their own agendas. Which is a shame if true.
  • TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 43,617
    edited April 1
    The national insurance rise will be particularly damaging. It will force many businesses to contract or exit.

    As for Adolescence it is fantastic as, tbf, is just about anything with Stephen Graham in it. The one take thing was at times a bit distracting ( same guy as Boiling Point) but it did make things more intense.

    Ep.3 is rightly held up as a tour de force. Brilliant.

    For those who don't want to watch difficult or challenging things then there's plenty on the telly that is more easily accessible.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 30,477
    viewcode said:

    I don't rate Kemi Badenoch and I don't like her policies (although her methodical approach may bear fruit eventually). However even I am willing to forgive her such a weak-sauce accusation of "you didn't watch current thing on telly!" The commentariat need to be slapped repeatedly with a minor gas giant until they stop commentating.

    She has policies?
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