The greatest resurrection of all time. There’s more Liz Truss leadership talk – politicalbetting.com

System · April 20

The greatest resurrection of all time. There’s more Liz Truss leadership talk – politicalbetting.com

Today is a day synonymous with resurrection and discussing Liz Truss leading a major political party again would be a resurrection greater than the Son of God.

Read the full story here

Taz · April 20

First

DavidL · April 20

Bah, second on the day that we celebrate the second coming by eating chocolate.

As someone who has no time for Reform I might wish it to be so but I just don't see it. She is a joke, and not a very funny one.

CarlottaVance · April 20

They deserve each other......

As someone who had reluctantly backed Labour at the election put it in a focus group in Scotland recently, choosing between the two main parties’ economic policies felt like choosing “between gonorrhoea and chlamydia”. When we asked what an Easter egg hunt organised by the Labour party would be like, we were told “they would be very, very small eggs. And you’d have to give half of them back”. (The other parties did not come away unscathed: the Conservatives would have a bouncer on the door to make sure only people with a certain income got in; the Reform UK event would be held in a pub garden and descend into a drunken fist fight; and the SNP would say “we haven’t got any eggs because England hasn’t given us the budget”).

https://lordashcroftpolls.com/2025/04/if-labour-ran-an-easter-egg-hunt-the-eggs-would-be-tiny-and-youd-have-to-give-half-of-them-back/

Daveyboy1961 · April 20

First!

Roger · April 20

The Chinese joining the trans debate featuring JD Vance.

One for carlotta?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqfs8r2B4RE

Nigelb · April 20

bondegezou said:

DM_Andy said:

rcs1000 said:

DM_Andy said:
By the way, Leon, thanks for recommending the Ritter chocolate yesterday, just had some and it's quite nice.
Please don't; you'll only encourage him.
I want to encourage discussions like the one on dark chocolate yesterday. It enables us to see each other as real people while we bash each other with heavy politics. Talking of that, is this thing about a new colour complete bollocks? If it's not I would be fascinated to learn more.

By using a laser to stimulate very specific parts of the retina, they have induced a new visual sensation in the small number of volunteers in the study. If you think of colour as a perception, then one can say they have created a new colour. If you think of colour as a thing in the external world, then you might not consider it a new colour.

Colour is perception, light is just a mix of wavelengths.

Any animal with colour perception has a more than one type of coloured sensing cells in its visual system. The number varies; humans have three types (some shrimps have five times that - and do perceive a far larger number of 'colours')

In humans, the sensitivity of the three types of cells to wavelengths of light overlaps. So when you perceive a colour, it's the result of signals from a mix of types of cells.

What the experiment did was to very precisely (using laser pulses) stimulate only one type of cell. So the subjects 'saw' a colour signal they could never experience in nature.

dixiedean · April 20

Nigelb said:

bondegezou said:

DM_Andy said:

rcs1000 said:

DM_Andy said:
By the way, Leon, thanks for recommending the Ritter chocolate yesterday, just had some and it's quite nice.
Please don't; you'll only encourage him.
I want to encourage discussions like the one on dark chocolate yesterday. It enables us to see each other as real people while we bash each other with heavy politics. Talking of that, is this thing about a new colour complete bollocks? If it's not I would be fascinated to learn more.

By using a laser to stimulate very specific parts of the retina, they have induced a new visual sensation in the small number of volunteers in the study. If you think of colour as a perception, then one can say they have created a new colour. If you think of colour as a thing in the external world, then you might not consider it a new colour.
Colour is perception, light is just a mix of wavelengths.

Any animal with colour perception has a more than one type of coloured sensing cells in its visual system. The number varies; humans have three types (some shrimps have five times that - and do perceive a far larger number of 'colours')

In humans, the sensitivity of the three types of cells to wavelengths of light overlaps. So when you perceive a colour, it's the result of signals from a mix of types of cells.

What the experiment did was to very precisely (using laser pulses) stimulate only one type of cell. So the subjects 'saw' a colour signal they could never experience in nature.

It's almost as if the world we perceive isn't solid and real.

boulay · April 20

Happy Easter. Mine has started with the joy of watching Brian Blessed in Henry V as Exeter addressing the Dauphin (or Dolphin as he mocks him) with such scorn you can just see it drip out of his mouth. It’s a shame he isn’t ambassador to the US.

“And how does the king view President Trump?”

“Scorn and defiance; slight regard, contempt,
And any thing that may not misbecome
The mighty sender, doth he prize you at.”

Roger · April 20

CarlottaVance said:
They deserve each other......

As someone who had reluctantly backed Labour at the election put it in a focus group in Scotland recently, choosing between the two main parties’ economic policies felt like choosing “between gonorrhoea and chlamydia”. When we asked what an Easter egg hunt organised by the Labour party would be like, we were told “they would be very, very small eggs. And you’d have to give half of them back”. (The other parties did not come away unscathed: the Conservatives would have a bouncer on the door to make sure only people with a certain income got in; the Reform UK event would be held in a pub garden and descend into a drunken fist fight; and the SNP would say “we haven’t got any eggs because England hasn’t given us the budget”).

https://lordashcroftpolls.com/2025/04/if-labour-ran-an-easter-egg-hunt-the-eggs-would-be-tiny-and-youd-have-to-give-half-of-them-back/

You should know more than most that someone who quotes a single line such as this is running a bogus or worthless focus group. It tells you precisely nothing except that someone has a penchant for hackneyed cliches.

"As someone who had reluctantly backed Labour at the election put it in a focus group in Scotland recently, choosing between the two main parties’ economic policies felt like choosing “between gonorrhoea and chlamydia”.

TimS · April 20

CarlottaVance said:
They deserve each other......

As someone who had reluctantly backed Labour at the election put it in a focus group in Scotland recently, choosing between the two main parties’ economic policies felt like choosing “between gonorrhoea and chlamydia”. When we asked what an Easter egg hunt organised by the Labour party would be like, we were told “they would be very, very small eggs. And you’d have to give half of them back”. (The other parties did not come away unscathed: the Conservatives would have a bouncer on the door to make sure only people with a certain income got in; the Reform UK event would be held in a pub garden and descend into a drunken fist fight; and the SNP would say “we haven’t got any eggs because England hasn’t given us the budget”).

https://lordashcroftpolls.com/2025/04/if-labour-ran-an-easter-egg-hunt-the-eggs-would-be-tiny-and-youd-have-to-give-half-of-them-back/

We all know the Lib Dem Easter egg hunt would be the most fun and would involve several obstacles, water hazards and actual hens.

Nigelb · April 20

dixiedean said:

Nigelb said:

bondegezou said:

DM_Andy said:

rcs1000 said:

DM_Andy said:
By the way, Leon, thanks for recommending the Ritter chocolate yesterday, just had some and it's quite nice.
Please don't; you'll only encourage him.
I want to encourage discussions like the one on dark chocolate yesterday. It enables us to see each other as real people while we bash each other with heavy politics. Talking of that, is this thing about a new colour complete bollocks? If it's not I would be fascinated to learn more.

By using a laser to stimulate very specific parts of the retina, they have induced a new visual sensation in the small number of volunteers in the study. If you think of colour as a perception, then one can say they have created a new colour. If you think of colour as a thing in the external world, then you might not consider it a new colour.
Colour is perception, light is just a mix of wavelengths.

Any animal with colour perception has a more than one type of coloured sensing cells in its visual system. The number varies; humans have three types (some shrimps have five times that - and do perceive a far larger number of 'colours')

In humans, the sensitivity of the three types of cells to wavelengths of light overlaps. So when you perceive a colour, it's the result of signals from a mix of types of cells.

What the experiment did was to very precisely (using laser pulses) stimulate only one type of cell. So the subjects 'saw' a colour signal they could never experience in nature.
It's almost as if the world we perceive isn't solid and real.

That's quite true.
Our perceptions are only an approximation of the reality around us. The way we perceive time is odder still.

CarlottaVance · April 20

Roger said:
The Chinese joining the trans debate featuring JD Vance.

One for carlotta?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqfs8r2B4RE

That's a hoot! As well as the funny videos and cod-psychology there is some interesting analysis of the power dynamics between Trump & his subordinates. To be clear, the discussion is focussed on Vance being a closeted gay man, not trans.

Nigelb · April 20

Roger said:

CarlottaVance said:
They deserve each other......

As someone who had reluctantly backed Labour at the election put it in a focus group in Scotland recently, choosing between the two main parties’ economic policies felt like choosing “between gonorrhoea and chlamydia”. When we asked what an Easter egg hunt organised by the Labour party would be like, we were told “they would be very, very small eggs. And you’d have to give half of them back”. (The other parties did not come away unscathed: the Conservatives would have a bouncer on the door to make sure only people with a certain income got in; the Reform UK event would be held in a pub garden and descend into a drunken fist fight; and the SNP would say “we haven’t got any eggs because England hasn’t given us the budget”).

https://lordashcroftpolls.com/2025/04/if-labour-ran-an-easter-egg-hunt-the-eggs-would-be-tiny-and-youd-have-to-give-half-of-them-back/
You should know more than most that someone who quotes a single line such as this is running a bogus or worthless focus group. It tells you precisely nothing except that someone has a penchant for hackneyed cliches.

"As someone who had reluctantly backed Labour at the election put it in a focus group in Scotland recently, choosing between the two main parties’ economic policies felt like choosing “between gonorrhoea and chlamydia”.

While our political parties might be unimpressive, the truth is that the UK's position is pretty unpalatable.
Voters are telling themselves a lie if they think it can easily and painlessly be solved by some ideal party.

geoffw · April 20

CarlottaVance said:

Roger said:
The Chinese joining the trans debate featuring JD Vance.

One for carlotta?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqfs8r2B4RE
That's a hoot! As well as the funny videos and cod-psychology there is some interesting analysis of the power dynamics between Trump & his subordinates. To be clear, the discussion is focussed on Vance being a closeted gay man, not trans.

No relation?

CarlottaVance · April 20

Roger said:

CarlottaVance said:
They deserve each other......

As someone who had reluctantly backed Labour at the election put it in a focus group in Scotland recently, choosing between the two main parties’ economic policies felt like choosing “between gonorrhoea and chlamydia”. When we asked what an Easter egg hunt organised by the Labour party would be like, we were told “they would be very, very small eggs. And you’d have to give half of them back”. (The other parties did not come away unscathed: the Conservatives would have a bouncer on the door to make sure only people with a certain income got in; the Reform UK event would be held in a pub garden and descend into a drunken fist fight; and the SNP would say “we haven’t got any eggs because England hasn’t given us the budget”).

https://lordashcroftpolls.com/2025/04/if-labour-ran-an-easter-egg-hunt-the-eggs-would-be-tiny-and-youd-have-to-give-half-of-them-back/
You should know more than most that someone who quotes a single line such as this is running a bogus or worthless focus group. It tells you precisely nothing except that someone has a penchant for hackneyed cliches.

"As someone who had reluctantly backed Labour at the election put it in a focus group in Scotland recently, choosing between the two main parties’ economic policies felt like choosing “between gonorrhoea and chlamydia”.

And you should know that if you wish to critique an excerpt it would be wise to read the whole report....which has polling data that shows the parties pretty close and pretty unpopular, which the quote neatly encapsulates.

It's quite an interesting poll - with British voters having an informed view on tariffs (they'll put prices up), what we should do about Trump's tariffs (nothing) and Green voters are still quite keen on cheap holiday flights, whodathunkit?

Morris_Dancer · April 20

Nigelb said:

Roger said:

CarlottaVance said:
They deserve each other......

As someone who had reluctantly backed Labour at the election put it in a focus group in Scotland recently, choosing between the two main parties’ economic policies felt like choosing “between gonorrhoea and chlamydia”. When we asked what an Easter egg hunt organised by the Labour party would be like, we were told “they would be very, very small eggs. And you’d have to give half of them back”. (The other parties did not come away unscathed: the Conservatives would have a bouncer on the door to make sure only people with a certain income got in; the Reform UK event would be held in a pub garden and descend into a drunken fist fight; and the SNP would say “we haven’t got any eggs because England hasn’t given us the budget”).

https://lordashcroftpolls.com/2025/04/if-labour-ran-an-easter-egg-hunt-the-eggs-would-be-tiny-and-youd-have-to-give-half-of-them-back/
You should know more than most that someone who quotes a single line such as this is running a bogus or worthless focus group. It tells you precisely nothing except that someone has a penchant for hackneyed cliches.

"As someone who had reluctantly backed Labour at the election put it in a focus group in Scotland recently, choosing between the two main parties’ economic policies felt like choosing “between gonorrhoea and chlamydia”.
While our political parties might be unimpressive, the truth is that the UK's position is pretty unpalatable.
Voters are telling themselves a lie if they think it can easily and painlessly be solved by some ideal party.

A pleasant lie being more popular than an unpleasant truth is not surprising. But it won't be good for the country if votes head that way.

geoffw · April 20

Anyway, a boiled egg for breakfast once a year. A little-endian, me

nico67 · April 20

Apparently Macron is make to a state visit to the UK at the end of May .

That’s great news and I expect he’ll get a very warm welcome .

Nigelb · April 20

Seems to be a growing consensus in San Francisco.

The new mayor is killing it. It feels like a totally different city. Very vibrant.
https://x.com/elontaughtme/status/1913260100250374181

Any PBers visited in the last couple of weeks ?

kle4 · April 20

DavidL said:
Bah, second on the day that we celebrate the second coming by eating chocolate.

As someone who has no time for Reform I might wish it to be so but I just don't see it. She is a joke, and not a very funny one.

If she'd continued to be pretty quiet she might have built up more of a following on the basis of not really getting a chance to see what she could do, anything could be projected onto her.

Her chosen direction instead of not just being Trump curious but Trump fangirl has been pretty baffling. Even Farage knows when to put some distance from the man.

Alphabet_Soup · April 20

Nigelb said:

dixiedean said:

Nigelb said:

bondegezou said:

DM_Andy said:

rcs1000 said:

DM_Andy said:
By the way, Leon, thanks for recommending the Ritter chocolate yesterday, just had some and it's quite nice.
Please don't; you'll only encourage him.
I want to encourage discussions like the one on dark chocolate yesterday. It enables us to see each other as real people while we bash each other with heavy politics. Talking of that, is this thing about a new colour complete bollocks? If it's not I would be fascinated to learn more.

By using a laser to stimulate very specific parts of the retina, they have induced a new visual sensation in the small number of volunteers in the study. If you think of colour as a perception, then one can say they have created a new colour. If you think of colour as a thing in the external world, then you might not consider it a new colour.
Colour is perception, light is just a mix of wavelengths.

Any animal with colour perception has a more than one type of coloured sensing cells in its visual system. The number varies; humans have three types (some shrimps have five times that - and do perceive a far larger number of 'colours')

In humans, the sensitivity of the three types of cells to wavelengths of light overlaps. So when you perceive a colour, it's the result of signals from a mix of types of cells.

What the experiment did was to very precisely (using laser pulses) stimulate only one type of cell. So the subjects 'saw' a colour signal they could never experience in nature.
It's almost as if the world we perceive isn't solid and real.
That's quite true.
Our perceptions are only an approximation of the reality around us. The way we perceive time is odder still.

I recall an earnest discussion back in grammar school (therefore an extremely long time ago) about whether anyone could actually discern indigo and whether it was really just the same as violet. Were we hung up on the idea of seven spectral colours because it seemed to be the 'right' number, divinely ordained? Is there any anthropological research into how other cultures perceive colours? For example, the word 'glas' in Welsh seems to mean either blue or green (or turquoise or teal) according to taste:

https://en.forum.saysomethingin.com/t/varied-meaning-of-glas/35131

Roger · April 20

Nigelb said:
Seems to be a growing consensus in San Francisco.

The new mayor is killing it. It feels like a totally different city. Very vibrant.
https://x.com/elontaughtme/status/1913260100250374181

Any PBers visited in the last couple of weeks ?

Sounds like a contradiction

'Elon Taught Me'?

kle4 · April 20

Morris_Dancer said:

Nigelb said:

Roger said:

CarlottaVance said:
They deserve each other......

As someone who had reluctantly backed Labour at the election put it in a focus group in Scotland recently, choosing between the two main parties’ economic policies felt like choosing “between gonorrhoea and chlamydia”. When we asked what an Easter egg hunt organised by the Labour party would be like, we were told “they would be very, very small eggs. And you’d have to give half of them back”. (The other parties did not come away unscathed: the Conservatives would have a bouncer on the door to make sure only people with a certain income got in; the Reform UK event would be held in a pub garden and descend into a drunken fist fight; and the SNP would say “we haven’t got any eggs because England hasn’t given us the budget”).

https://lordashcroftpolls.com/2025/04/if-labour-ran-an-easter-egg-hunt-the-eggs-would-be-tiny-and-youd-have-to-give-half-of-them-back/
You should know more than most that someone who quotes a single line such as this is running a bogus or worthless focus group. It tells you precisely nothing except that someone has a penchant for hackneyed cliches.

"As someone who had reluctantly backed Labour at the election put it in a focus group in Scotland recently, choosing between the two main parties’ economic policies felt like choosing “between gonorrhoea and chlamydia”.
While our political parties might be unimpressive, the truth is that the UK's position is pretty unpalatable.
Voters are telling themselves a lie if they think it can easily and painlessly be solved by some ideal party.
A pleasant lie being more popular than an unpleasant truth is not surprising. But it won't be good for the country if votes head that way.

Why break the habit of a lifetime?

The public are pessimistic in general, but still a long way from admitting the extent of difficulties, and as such our parties are a long way from being transparent about it.

We're getting closer though.

Roger · April 20

nico67 said:
Apparently Macron is make to a state visit to the UK at the end of May .

That’s great news and I expect he’ll get a very warm welcome .

Lets hope he leaves chewing gum on his seat....

CarlottaVance · April 20

nico67 said:
Apparently Macron is make to a state visit to the UK at the end of May .

That’s great news and I expect he’ll get a very warm welcome .

President Macron will be granted a state visit to Britain several months before President Trump, as the UK charms the French president as part of an attempt to negotiate closer trade ties with Europe.

Macron, 47, has been invited by the King to visit at the end of next month, eight years after taking office. It is the first time he has been afforded a state visit. Only a few government and royal officials know who has been invited and the details and timing remain tightly guarded.

Speaking in the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump suggested his own visit was being planned for September. The invitation from Charles was issued when Sir Keir Starmer visited Washington in February....

https://www.thetimes.com/uk/royal-family/article/macron-visit-uk-king-charles-trade-trump-7crzp333s

Curious - these things are usually arranged if not years, months in advance, not weeks.

Nigelb · April 20

Then we need a European defence treaty.

Trump's envoy Keith Kellogg on Ukraine's NATO membership in Fox News interview: "You will not be part of NATO. It's off the table."
https://x.com/wartranslated/status/1913654044368715963

kle4 · April 20

Nigelb said:

bondegezou said:

DM_Andy said:

rcs1000 said:

DM_Andy said:
By the way, Leon, thanks for recommending the Ritter chocolate yesterday, just had some and it's quite nice.
Please don't; you'll only encourage him.
I want to encourage discussions like the one on dark chocolate yesterday. It enables us to see each other as real people while we bash each other with heavy politics. Talking of that, is this thing about a new colour complete bollocks? If it's not I would be fascinated to learn more.

By using a laser to stimulate very specific parts of the retina, they have induced a new visual sensation in the small number of volunteers in the study. If you think of colour as a perception, then one can say they have created a new colour. If you think of colour as a thing in the external world, then you might not consider it a new colour.
Colour is perception, light is just a mix of wavelengths.

Any animal with colour perception has a more than one type of coloured sensing cells in its visual system. The number varies; humans have three types (some shrimps have five times that - and do perceive a far larger number of 'colours')

In humans, the sensitivity of the three types of cells to wavelengths of light overlaps. So when you perceive a colour, it's the result of signals from a mix of types of cells.

What the experiment did was to very precisely (using laser pulses) stimulate only one type of cell. So the subjects 'saw' a colour signal they could never experience in nature.

Very apposite timing as the idea colour was not actually a thing featured heavily in a sci-fi novel i read yesterday called Apothecary (premise - 16th century londoner has first contact with aliens after nearly being burned for heresy).

Foxy · April 20

Taking advice from Liz Truss on dealing with the mythic "Blob" is only useful if you do the opposite.

It's a bit like how Labour decided to take advice from John Ashworth on campaigning. A man who lost one of Labour's safest seats during a Labour landslide, and then found his office a bit useless.

https://bsky.app/profile/birdma2.bsky.social/post/3ln6m4odrek2s

Nigelb · April 20

Roger said:

Nigelb said:
Seems to be a growing consensus in San Francisco.

The new mayor is killing it. It feels like a totally different city. Very vibrant.
https://x.com/elontaughtme/status/1913260100250374181

Any PBers visited in the last couple of weeks ?
Sounds like a contradiction

'Elon Taught Me'?

He taught me too.
Not to believe most of the shit he says.

Malmesbury · April 20

Roger said:

Nigelb said:
Seems to be a growing consensus in San Francisco.

The new mayor is killing it. It feels like a totally different city. Very vibrant.
https://x.com/elontaughtme/status/1913260100250374181

Any PBers visited in the last couple of weeks ?
Sounds like a contradiction

'Elon Taught Me'?

Negative learning? - “Don’t do this”

kle4 · April 20

Nigelb said:
Then we need a European defence treaty.

Trump's envoy Keith Kellogg on Ukraine's NATO membership in Fox News interview: "You will not be part of NATO. It's off the table."
https://x.com/wartranslated/status/1913654044368715963

I dont think they were ever getting into NATO anyway (not that the membership means anything any longer) so that might be just bluntly honest, but of course the USA also wants to abandon and humiliate them, seemingly with the goal that they abandon aligning with the West altogether.

Foxy · April 20

Nigelb said:

bondegezou said:

DM_Andy said:

rcs1000 said:

DM_Andy said:
By the way, Leon, thanks for recommending the Ritter chocolate yesterday, just had some and it's quite nice.
Please don't; you'll only encourage him.
I want to encourage discussions like the one on dark chocolate yesterday. It enables us to see each other as real people while we bash each other with heavy politics. Talking of that, is this thing about a new colour complete bollocks? If it's not I would be fascinated to learn more.

By using a laser to stimulate very specific parts of the retina, they have induced a new visual sensation in the small number of volunteers in the study. If you think of colour as a perception, then one can say they have created a new colour. If you think of colour as a thing in the external world, then you might not consider it a new colour.
Colour is perception, light is just a mix of wavelengths.

Any animal with colour perception has a more than one type of coloured sensing cells in its visual system. The number varies; humans have three types (some shrimps have five times that - and do perceive a far larger number of 'colours')

In humans, the sensitivity of the three types of cells to wavelengths of light overlaps. So when you perceive a colour, it's the result of signals from a mix of types of cells.

What the experiment did was to very precisely (using laser pulses) stimulate only one type of cell. So the subjects 'saw' a colour signal they could never experience in nature.

Interesting development here, on retinal stimulation too.

https://neurosciencenews.com/gold-nanoparticles-vision-amd-28659/

nico67 · April 20

CarlottaVance said:

nico67 said:
Apparently Macron is make to a state visit to the UK at the end of May .

That’s great news and I expect he’ll get a very warm welcome .
President Macron will be granted a state visit to Britain several months before President Trump, as the UK charms the French president as part of an attempt to negotiate closer trade ties with Europe.

Macron, 47, has been invited by the King to visit at the end of next month, eight years after taking office. It is the first time he has been afforded a state visit. Only a few government and royal officials know who has been invited and the details and timing remain tightly guarded.

Speaking in the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump suggested his own visit was being planned for September. The invitation from Charles was issued when Sir Keir Starmer visited Washington in February....

https://www.thetimes.com/uk/royal-family/article/macron-visit-uk-king-charles-trade-trump-7crzp333s

Curious - these things are usually arranged if not years, months in advance, not weeks.

Yes I was surprised . Maybe it’s a bit easier as there won’t be the normal Mall and Buckingham Palace visits .

And the end of May there’s also the UK EU summit .

Foxy · April 20

Nigelb said:
Then we need a European defence treaty.

Trump's envoy Keith Kellogg on Ukraine's NATO membership in Fox News interview: "You will not be part of NATO. It's off the table."
https://x.com/wartranslated/status/1913654044368715963

It's the USAs NATO membership that needs to be questioned when it threatens other NATO countries.

Sunil_Prasannan · April 20

We all need a love resurrection:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2n-blwYJ4s&t=1s

Happy Easter!

Malmesbury · April 20

kle4 said:

Morris_Dancer said:

Nigelb said:

Roger said:

CarlottaVance said:
They deserve each other......

As someone who had reluctantly backed Labour at the election put it in a focus group in Scotland recently, choosing between the two main parties’ economic policies felt like choosing “between gonorrhoea and chlamydia”. When we asked what an Easter egg hunt organised by the Labour party would be like, we were told “they would be very, very small eggs. And you’d have to give half of them back”. (The other parties did not come away unscathed: the Conservatives would have a bouncer on the door to make sure only people with a certain income got in; the Reform UK event would be held in a pub garden and descend into a drunken fist fight; and the SNP would say “we haven’t got any eggs because England hasn’t given us the budget”).

https://lordashcroftpolls.com/2025/04/if-labour-ran-an-easter-egg-hunt-the-eggs-would-be-tiny-and-youd-have-to-give-half-of-them-back/
You should know more than most that someone who quotes a single line such as this is running a bogus or worthless focus group. It tells you precisely nothing except that someone has a penchant for hackneyed cliches.

"As someone who had reluctantly backed Labour at the election put it in a focus group in Scotland recently, choosing between the two main parties’ economic policies felt like choosing “between gonorrhoea and chlamydia”.
While our political parties might be unimpressive, the truth is that the UK's position is pretty unpalatable.
Voters are telling themselves a lie if they think it can easily and painlessly be solved by some ideal party.
A pleasant lie being more popular than an unpleasant truth is not surprising. But it won't be good for the country if votes head that way.
Why break the habit of a lifetime?

The public are pessimistic in general, but still a long way from admitting the extent of difficulties, and as such our parties are a long way from being transparent about it.

We're getting closer though.

I would suggest that the public (from this survey) believe the traditional parties are led by second raters who are only interested in survival and a managerial approach to government. Change is no longer even a goal.

Funny that.

Nigelb · April 20

Alphabet_Soup said:

Nigelb said:

dixiedean said:

Nigelb said:

bondegezou said:

DM_Andy said:

rcs1000 said:

DM_Andy said:
By the way, Leon, thanks for recommending the Ritter chocolate yesterday, just had some and it's quite nice.
Please don't; you'll only encourage him.
I want to encourage discussions like the one on dark chocolate yesterday. It enables us to see each other as real people while we bash each other with heavy politics. Talking of that, is this thing about a new colour complete bollocks? If it's not I would be fascinated to learn more.

By using a laser to stimulate very specific parts of the retina, they have induced a new visual sensation in the small number of volunteers in the study. If you think of colour as a perception, then one can say they have created a new colour. If you think of colour as a thing in the external world, then you might not consider it a new colour.
Colour is perception, light is just a mix of wavelengths.

Any animal with colour perception has a more than one type of coloured sensing cells in its visual system. The number varies; humans have three types (some shrimps have five times that - and do perceive a far larger number of 'colours')

In humans, the sensitivity of the three types of cells to wavelengths of light overlaps. So when you perceive a colour, it's the result of signals from a mix of types of cells.

What the experiment did was to very precisely (using laser pulses) stimulate only one type of cell. So the subjects 'saw' a colour signal they could never experience in nature.
It's almost as if the world we perceive isn't solid and real.
That's quite true.
Our perceptions are only an approximation of the reality around us. The way we perceive time is odder still.
I recall an earnest discussion back in grammar school (therefore an extremely long time ago) about whether anyone could actually discern indigo and whether it was really just the same as violet. Were we hung up on the idea of seven spectral colours because it seemed to be the 'right' number, divinely ordained? Is there any anthropological research into how other cultures perceive colours? For example, the word 'glas' in Welsh seems to mean either blue or green (or turquoise or teal) according to taste:

https://en.forum.saysomethingin.com/t/varied-meaning-of-glas/35131

It's a question with no real answer.
Humans can discriminate between several million distinct colours, but we only have names for a small fraction of categories of colour, some of which encompass a fairly narrow range and some vast ones - and they indeed vary significantly between cultures.

What would we see if we included ultraviolet sensors into our visual system ? Which will probably be technically possible in the nearish future.

Theuniondivvie · April 20

Nigelb said:
Seems to be a growing consensus in San Francisco.

The new mayor is killing it. It feels like a totally different city. Very vibrant.
https://x.com/elontaughtme/status/1913260100250374181

Any PBers visited in the last couple of weeks ?

Perhaps a freebie for PB’s travelling mood swinger?

Frisco is BACK!

Benpointer · April 20

Roger said:

nico67 said:
Apparently Macron is make to a state visit to the UK at the end of May .

That’s great news and I expect he’ll get a very warm welcome .
Lets hope he leaves chewing gum on his seat....

??

Roger · April 20

Benpointer said:

Roger said:

nico67 said:
Apparently Macron is make to a state visit to the UK at the end of May .

That’s great news and I expect he’ll get a very warm welcome .
Lets hope he leaves chewing gum on his seat....
??

...for His next guest

Malmesbury · April 20

dixiedean said:

Nigelb said:

bondegezou said:

DM_Andy said:

rcs1000 said:

DM_Andy said:
By the way, Leon, thanks for recommending the Ritter chocolate yesterday, just had some and it's quite nice.
Please don't; you'll only encourage him.
I want to encourage discussions like the one on dark chocolate yesterday. It enables us to see each other as real people while we bash each other with heavy politics. Talking of that, is this thing about a new colour complete bollocks? If it's not I would be fascinated to learn more.

By using a laser to stimulate very specific parts of the retina, they have induced a new visual sensation in the small number of volunteers in the study. If you think of colour as a perception, then one can say they have created a new colour. If you think of colour as a thing in the external world, then you might not consider it a new colour.
Colour is perception, light is just a mix of wavelengths.

Any animal with colour perception has a more than one type of coloured sensing cells in its visual system. The number varies; humans have three types (some shrimps have five times that - and do perceive a far larger number of 'colours')

In humans, the sensitivity of the three types of cells to wavelengths of light overlaps. So when you perceive a colour, it's the result of signals from a mix of types of cells.

What the experiment did was to very precisely (using laser pulses) stimulate only one type of cell. So the subjects 'saw' a colour signal they could never experience in nature.
It's almost as if the world we perceive isn't solid and real.

https://press.princeton.edu/books/paperback/9780691165165/eye-and-brain

Might prove illuminating (ha!)

By this chap - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Gregory

Nigelb · April 20

Foxy said:

Nigelb said:
Then we need a European defence treaty.

Trump's envoy Keith Kellogg on Ukraine's NATO membership in Fox News interview: "You will not be part of NATO. It's off the table."
https://x.com/wartranslated/status/1913654044368715963
It's the USAs NATO membership that needs to be questioned when it threatens other NATO countries.

An issue best treated separately, I think ?
There's little point in actively provoking the Trump administration, as opposed to preparing to resist its more malign tendencies.

NATO is a defensive organisation. It doesn't preclude membership of other such defensive alliances, and there's no easy way to expel members anyway.
We just need to acknowledge the reality of Trump, rather than pretending he can be won over.

Leon · April 20

Theuniondivvie said:

Nigelb said:
Seems to be a growing consensus in San Francisco.

The new mayor is killing it. It feels like a totally different city. Very vibrant.
https://x.com/elontaughtme/status/1913260100250374181

Any PBers visited in the last couple of weeks ?
Perhaps a freebie for PB’s travelling mood swinger?

Frisco is BACK!

I’m in Oak Park in Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan eating superb shakshuka, near the Osh Bazaar. I’m quite happy here thanks

The city is basically a post Soviet dump. But it is an intriguing post Soviet dump with weirdly sophisticated bars and cafes, all surrounded by majestic mountains. And the weather is perfect. Clear blue skies. Spring in the Tien Shan!

Fishing · April 20

nico67 said:
Apparently Macron is make to a state visit to the UK at the end of May .

That’s great news and I expect he’ll get a very warm welcome .

Why should we given what a shit he was to us when we exercised our democratic right to leave the EU?

The Frogs, like the Russians, don't do goodwill - if they are being nice to you, they want something. And if there's anything in it for them they'll plant a forest of daggers in your back. And they assume you act the same.

The true France is the France that betrayed NATO, blew up the Rainbow Warrior, sucked up to Putin after he invaded Ukraine, and propped up a dozen murderous African dictatorships.

Just because America is being as ghastly - temporarily I hope - shouldn't make us view the French as anything other than what they are - a cynical, grasping bunch of faux amis.

Theuniondivvie · April 20

A very interesting (if you like that sort of thing) piece on the last flying Sunderland, including an early foray from Ryanair. Trigger warning for those PBers who like things to be strictly defined, by their nature flying boats tend to be neither fish nor fowl.
No word on this example’s toilet arrangements.

https://vidan.org/incredible-story-of-the-worlds-last-flying-sunderland/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR7NtAI9sG6JCdnoJDQSTMbwFkCgJnBk6atoZr9jjXH0q_JK3GApPNXUiWGQrA_aem_6TwQML7I6dg2A-men3RDyQ

MattW · April 20

Good morning everyone.

Liz Truss - hmmm.

My video (3 minutes) for the day is one made about Isabelle Clements, the founder of Wheels for Wellbeing, about how she gets about (or can't get about London in a lot of places such as liftless tube stations) with her wheelchair, and how she has a thing called a "clip-on handcycle" which significantly extends her range. This was made in 2014.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amOuEoC7XuE

And here is another one made in 2024, with the same wheelchair. Warning - incoming Jeremy Vine and Facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1674577536031581

My photo quota - the setup:

College · April 20

Nigelb said:

Foxy said:

Nigelb said:
Then we need a European defence treaty.

Trump's envoy Keith Kellogg on Ukraine's NATO membership in Fox News interview: "You will not be part of NATO. It's off the table."
https://x.com/wartranslated/status/1913654044368715963
It's the USAs NATO membership that needs to be questioned when it threatens other NATO countries.
An issue best treated separately, I think ?
There's little point in actively provoking the Trump administration, as opposed to preparing to resist its more malign tendencies.

NATO is a defensive organisation. It doesn't preclude membership of other such defensive alliances, and there's no easy way to expel members anyway.
We just need to acknowledge the reality of Trump, rather than pretending he can be won over.

Above board: all [*] form another alliance without said unwanted member and leave NATO.
Underhand: provoke him into war with Denmark, declare NATO in desuetude.

Note

* Possibly except Hungary and Italy.

Nigelb · April 20

Malmesbury said:

dixiedean said:

Nigelb said:

bondegezou said:

DM_Andy said:

rcs1000 said:

DM_Andy said:
By the way, Leon, thanks for recommending the Ritter chocolate yesterday, just had some and it's quite nice.
Please don't; you'll only encourage him.
I want to encourage discussions like the one on dark chocolate yesterday. It enables us to see each other as real people while we bash each other with heavy politics. Talking of that, is this thing about a new colour complete bollocks? If it's not I would be fascinated to learn more.

By using a laser to stimulate very specific parts of the retina, they have induced a new visual sensation in the small number of volunteers in the study. If you think of colour as a perception, then one can say they have created a new colour. If you think of colour as a thing in the external world, then you might not consider it a new colour.
Colour is perception, light is just a mix of wavelengths.

Any animal with colour perception has a more than one type of coloured sensing cells in its visual system. The number varies; humans have three types (some shrimps have five times that - and do perceive a far larger number of 'colours')

In humans, the sensitivity of the three types of cells to wavelengths of light overlaps. So when you perceive a colour, it's the result of signals from a mix of types of cells.

What the experiment did was to very precisely (using laser pulses) stimulate only one type of cell. So the subjects 'saw' a colour signal they could never experience in nature.
It's almost as if the world we perceive isn't solid and real.
https://press.princeton.edu/books/paperback/9780691165165/eye-and-brain

Might prove illuminating (ha!)

By this chap - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Gregory

This is a perfect illustration of one of the ways in which 'colour is perception'.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neon_color_spreading

Northern_Al · April 20

Fishing said:

nico67 said:
Apparently Macron is make to a state visit to the UK at the end of May .

That’s great news and I expect he’ll get a very warm welcome .
Why should we given what a shit he was to us when we exercised our democratic right to leave the EU?

The Frogs, like the Russians, don't do goodwill - if they are being nice to you, they want something. And if there's anything in it for them they'll plant a forest of daggers in your back. And they assume you act the same.

The true France is the France that betrayed NATO, blew up the Rainbow Warrior, sucked up to Putin after he invaded Ukraine, and propped up a dozen murderous African dictatorships.

Just because America is being as ghastly - temporarily I hope - shouldn't make us view the French as anything other than what they are - a cynical, grasping bunch of faux amis.

Joyeuses Pâques to you too.

Theuniondivvie · April 20

Lol, excellent clip of Lammy on R4 attending the protest against Trump’s last state visit: Theresa May is a sycophant, an appeaser etc.
You said it Dave.

Leon · April 20

An increasingly common view on social media. The uk is in deep shit. It’s not just the levels of immigration and boat people - it’s more that people DEEPLY resent paying ever higher taxes to keep these incomes comfortable even as the country gets visibly poorer, dirtier and nastier

“No gang, we need to stay in the UK and pay 30-50% of our lifetime earnings to subsidise other people’s lives

And then spend another 25-50% of what we have left paying a mortgage for the next 30 years

Just so the government can take 50% of that off your kids when you die

There’s nothing more enjoyable than turning 65 and knowing you were a net contributor to other people at the expense of your own quality of life

But sure, you’re a bad person for wanting to move to a 0% tax country”

https://x.com/monz_ah/status/1913608532009558467?s=46&t=bulOICNH15U6kB0MwE6Lfw

We’re in a doom loop. Who is going to wrench us out of it? Certainly not Labour

College · April 20

nico67 said:
Apparently Macron is make to a state visit to the UK at the end of May .

That’s great news and I expect he’ll get a very warm welcome .

Is this the same Macron who said he wanted to "emmerder" a group of law-abiding French citizens? He's no more fit to hold any kind of public office than Trump.

Roger · April 20

More on JD Vance from two funny women....if you dislike him as much as I do start watching.

It's funny!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ez3SFlxELLk

nico67 · April 20

The latest Mainstream poll shows an increase in the CPC lead over the Liberals .

CPC 43 (-)
LPC 39 (-2)
NDP 6 (+1)
BQ 6 (+1)

Not sure how much more polling we’ll see given its Easter .

Foxy · April 20

Theuniondivvie said:
A very interesting (if you like that sort of thing) piece on the last flying Sunderland, including an early foray from Ryanair. Trigger warning for those PBers who like things to be strictly defined, by their nature flying boats tend to be neither fish nor fowl.
No word on this example’s toilet arrangements.

https://vidan.org/incredible-story-of-the-worlds-last-flying-sunderland/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR7NtAI9sG6JCdnoJDQSTMbwFkCgJnBk6atoZr9jjXH0q_JK3GApPNXUiWGQrA_aem_6TwQML7I6dg2A-men3RDyQ

I have flown on one of the civilian versions, the Short Sandringham, in the mid 1970s in the US Virgin Islands, operated by the infamous Antilies Air Boats. Quite fun taxing down the slipway, then taking off in the harbour. Their Grumman Goose too.

nico67 · April 20

College said:

nico67 said:
Apparently Macron is make to a state visit to the UK at the end of May .

That’s great news and I expect he’ll get a very warm welcome .
Is this the same Macron who said he wanted to "emmerder" a group of law-abiding French citizens? He's no more fit to hold any kind of public office than Trump.

That’s a ridiculous attempt at false equivalence when you’ve taken what he said out of context .

Stuartinromford · April 20

Leon said:
An increasingly common view on social media. The uk is in deep shit. It’s not just the levels of immigration and boat people - it’s more that people DEEPLY resent paying ever higher taxes to keep these incomes comfortable even as the country gets visibly poorer, dirtier and nastier

“No gang, we need to stay in the UK and pay 30-50% of our lifetime earnings to subsidise other people’s lives

And then spend another 25-50% of what we have left paying a mortgage for the next 30 years

Just so the government can take 50% of that off your kids when you die

There’s nothing more enjoyable than turning 65 and knowing you were a net contributor to other people at the expense of your own quality of life

But sure, you’re a bad person for wanting to move to a 0% tax country”

https://x.com/monz_ah/status/1913608532009558467?s=46&t=bulOICNH15U6kB0MwE6Lfw

We’re in a doom loop. Who is going to wrench us out of it? Certainly not Labour

Given where that money is actually going (pensions and end-of-life health and social care), it's not going to be Conservatives or Reform either.

Casino_Royale · April 20

Leon said:
An increasingly common view on social media. The uk is in deep shit. It’s not just the levels of immigration and boat people - it’s more that people DEEPLY resent paying ever higher taxes to keep these incomes comfortable even as the country gets visibly poorer, dirtier and nastier

“No gang, we need to stay in the UK and pay 30-50% of our lifetime earnings to subsidise other people’s lives

And then spend another 25-50% of what we have left paying a mortgage for the next 30 years

Just so the government can take 50% of that off your kids when you die

There’s nothing more enjoyable than turning 65 and knowing you were a net contributor to other people at the expense of your own quality of life

But sure, you’re a bad person for wanting to move to a 0% tax country”

https://x.com/monz_ah/status/1913608532009558467?s=46&t=bulOICNH15U6kB0MwE6Lfw

We’re in a doom loop. Who is going to wrench us out of it? Certainly not Labour

No-one. Until voters accept lower welfare and healthcare spending, and more individual responsibility- particularly for their old age. A politician who could sell that to the electorate would need to be phenomenal.

Any sign of that?

No.

Casino_Royale · April 20

Maybe democracy only works when there is a general rise in incomes year on year, as it did c.1750 to 2000, when it's only a question of picking who wins?

When it's just about hard choices. Does it still work?

HYUFD · April 20

Farage is the main asset for Reform. He will want his second shot at PM against Badenoch and Starmer where he has a real chance at it level pegging Labour and the Tories in most polls after his first shot against Starmer and Sunak fell short but still with enough progress to see Reform overtake the LDs in third on votes and get 5 MPs.

If a newly defected Truss or Lowe was looking to replace him as Reform leader it would be as Farage had again failed to win most seats at a general election and had resigned, after which the Tories would likely move right with most likely Jenrick replacing Kemi as Tory leader assuming she had also failed to win. A more rightwing and populist Conservative party again would leave less room for Reform anyway as was the case when Boris replaced May as Tory leader and the Brexit party vote collapsed

College · April 20

nico67 said:

College said:

nico67 said:
Apparently Macron is make to a state visit to the UK at the end of May .

That’s great news and I expect he’ll get a very warm welcome .
Is this the same Macron who said he wanted to "emmerder" a group of law-abiding French citizens? He's no more fit to hold any kind of public office than Trump.
That’s a ridiculous attempt at false equivalence when you’ve taken what he said out of context .

In what context do you think it's right for a head of government to say he wants to drag law-abiding citizens in the shit?

Anyway who said I thought Macron was just as bad as Trump? I think he's worse.

HYUFD · April 20

nico67 said:
The latest Mainstream poll shows an increase in the CPC lead over the Liberals .

CPC 43 (-)
LPC 39 (-2)
NDP 6 (+1)
BQ 6 (+1)

Not sure how much more polling we’ll see given its Easter .

That should be enough to give the Conservatives most seats and see Poilievre become PM, albeit Liaison Strategies has the Liberals still 5% ahead
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_2025_Canadian_federal_election

RochdalePioneers · April 20

Fishing said:

nico67 said:
Apparently Macron is make to a state visit to the UK at the end of May .

That’s great news and I expect he’ll get a very warm welcome .
Why should we given what a shit he was to us when we exercised our democratic right to leave the EU?

The Frogs, like the Russians, don't do goodwill - if they are being nice to you, they want something. And if there's anything in it for them they'll plant a forest of daggers in your back. And they assume you act the same.

The true France is the France that betrayed NATO, blew up the Rainbow Warrior, sucked up to Putin after he invaded Ukraine, and propped up a dozen murderous African dictatorships.

Just because America is being as ghastly - temporarily I hope - shouldn't make us view the French as anything other than what they are - a cynical, grasping bunch of faux amis.

In previous times alliances would rise and fall, with the missteps of the past set aside because of the new reality.

This is today’s reality.

Luckyguy1983 · April 20

Foxy said:
Taking advice from Liz Truss on dealing with the mythic "Blob" is only useful if you do the opposite.

It's a bit like how Labour decided to take advice from John Ashworth on campaigning. A man who lost one of Labour's safest seats during a Labour landslide, and then found his office a bit useless.

https://bsky.app/profile/birdma2.bsky.social/post/3ln6m4odrek2s

She will be advising him to do the opposite. Liz Truss didn't deal with the blob - she sacked one or two key underperformers which resulted in ear splitting squealing in the media (and on PB). NF will be laying waste to the Blob from day 1 and rightly so.

nico67 · April 20

College said:

nico67 said:

College said:

nico67 said:
Apparently Macron is make to a state visit to the UK at the end of May .

That’s great news and I expect he’ll get a very warm welcome .
Is this the same Macron who said he wanted to "emmerder" a group of law-abiding French citizens? He's no more fit to hold any kind of public office than Trump.
That’s a ridiculous attempt at false equivalence when you’ve taken what he said out of context .
In what context do you think it's right for a head of government to say he wants to drag law-abiding citizens in the shit?

You can’t literally translate that . Its use is often more to “ annoy the hell out of “ .

HYUFD · April 20

CarlottaVance said:

nico67 said:
Apparently Macron is make to a state visit to the UK at the end of May .

That’s great news and I expect he’ll get a very warm welcome .
President Macron will be granted a state visit to Britain several months before President Trump, as the UK charms the French president as part of an attempt to negotiate closer trade ties with Europe.

Macron, 47, has been invited by the King to visit at the end of next month, eight years after taking office. It is the first time he has been afforded a state visit. Only a few government and royal officials know who has been invited and the details and timing remain tightly guarded.

Speaking in the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump suggested his own visit was being planned for September. The invitation from Charles was issued when Sir Keir Starmer visited Washington in February....

https://www.thetimes.com/uk/royal-family/article/macron-visit-uk-king-charles-trade-trump-7crzp333s

Curious - these things are usually arranged if not years, months in advance, not weeks.

I assume Starmer is now panicking about Labour leakage to the LDs and Greens after the second Trump state visit so has given Macron a rushed state visit beforehand so it looks more balanced and to keep EUphile Labour voters happy

nico67 · April 20

HYUFD said:

nico67 said:
The latest Mainstream poll shows an increase in the CPC lead over the Liberals .

CPC 43 (-)
LPC 39 (-2)
NDP 6 (+1)
BQ 6 (+1)

Not sure how much more polling we’ll see given its Easter .
That should be enough to give the Conservatives most seats and see Poilievre become PM, albeit Liaison Strategies has the Liberals still 5% ahead
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_2025_Canadian_federal_election

It’s quite difficult to get a clear idea because of the differences in voter efficiency between the parties .

Battlebus · April 20

RochdalePioneers said:

Fishing said:

nico67 said:
Apparently Macron is make to a state visit to the UK at the end of May .

That’s great news and I expect he’ll get a very warm welcome .
Why should we given what a shit he was to us when we exercised our democratic right to leave the EU?

The Frogs, like the Russians, don't do goodwill - if they are being nice to you, they want something. And if there's anything in it for them they'll plant a forest of daggers in your back. And they assume you act the same.

The true France is the France that betrayed NATO, blew up the Rainbow Warrior, sucked up to Putin after he invaded Ukraine, and propped up a dozen murderous African dictatorships.

Just because America is being as ghastly - temporarily I hope - shouldn't make us view the French as anything other than what they are - a cynical, grasping bunch of faux amis.
In previous times alliances would rise and fall, with the missteps of the past set aside because of the new reality.

This is today’s reality.

Bill Clinton used to say that high level politics is smiling and eating shit at the same time

Check what is on the menu for the State visit.

https://x.com/VladVexler/status/1895623100051382548

HYUFD · April 20

kle4 said:

Nigelb said:
Then we need a European defence treaty.

Trump's envoy Keith Kellogg on Ukraine's NATO membership in Fox News interview: "You will not be part of NATO. It's off the table."
https://x.com/wartranslated/status/1913654044368715963
I dont think they were ever getting into NATO anyway (not that the membership means anything any longer) so that might be just bluntly honest, but of course the USA also wants to abandon and humiliate them, seemingly with the goal that they abandon aligning with the West altogether.

Of course they weren't even before Trump as that would mean NATO now would be at war with Russia and obliged to send troops and jets to Ukraine post invasion rather than just some arms and aid.

A defence agreement for extra aid is the most they can get

HYUFD · April 20

'Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has said the government will "double down" on its environmental agenda and accused those against the move to net zero of "making up nonsense and lies".

Political opponents in the Conservatives and Reform UK - and some trade unions – have argued that his agenda is putting jobs in traditional industries at risk and have urged a change of course.

The UK is legally committed to moving to net zero carbon emissions by 2050 – a goal set under a previous Conservative government.

Writing in the Observer, external, Miliband warned that an anti-net zero agenda would not only risk "climate breakdown" but "forfeit the clean energy jobs of the future".

A green power transition will help secure social justice and national security, Miliband argued.'
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czjn0pn830ko

Andy_JS · April 20

nico67 said:
The latest Mainstream poll shows an increase in the CPC lead over the Liberals .

CPC 43 (-)
LPC 39 (-2)
NDP 6 (+1)
BQ 6 (+1)

Not sure how much more polling we’ll see given its Easter .

The difference between Mainstream Research and Ekos polls in Canada is very large. Ekos is putting the Liberals nearly 10% ahead.

Luckyguy1983 · April 20

RochdalePioneers said:

Fishing said:

nico67 said:
Apparently Macron is make to a state visit to the UK at the end of May .

That’s great news and I expect he’ll get a very warm welcome .
Why should we given what a shit he was to us when we exercised our democratic right to leave the EU?

The Frogs, like the Russians, don't do goodwill - if they are being nice to you, they want something. And if there's anything in it for them they'll plant a forest of daggers in your back. And they assume you act the same.

The true France is the France that betrayed NATO, blew up the Rainbow Warrior, sucked up to Putin after he invaded Ukraine, and propped up a dozen murderous African dictatorships.

Just because America is being as ghastly - temporarily I hope - shouldn't make us view the French as anything other than what they are - a cynical, grasping bunch of faux amis.
In previous times alliances would rise and fall, with the missteps of the past set aside because of the new reality.

This is today’s reality.

This isn't really good diplomacy though, or a new reality. Macron is on his way out, Starmer is on his way out, Charles is (well, let's hope not) and this feels like a centrist last gasp before their world collapses. As do Starmer's grand European plans.

Andy_JS · April 20

Casino_Royale said:
Maybe democracy only works when there is a general rise in incomes year on year, as it did c.1750 to 2000, when it's only a question of picking who wins?

When it's just about hard choices. Does it still work?

Interesting. The question is why haven't incomes been rising since 2000. Computerisation of most things was supposed to make people even better off than before.

HYUFD · April 20

'After fleeing Silicon Valley for political and business reasons, Elon Musk is building a corporate campus in rural Texas – but his new neighbours have mixed views.

Half an hour east of Austin, past the airport, the clogged-up traffic starts to melt away and the plains of Central Texas open up, leaving the booming city behind.

Somewhere along the main two-lane highway, a left turn takes drivers down Farm-to-Market Road 1209. It seems like an unlikely address for a high-tech hub, but that's exactly what Elon Musk, the world's richest man and one of President Donald Trump's closest allies, hopes it will become.

Court filings indicate that a large metal building finished in the last few months will be the new headquarters of X, his social media platform.'
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9de28n71ldo

RochdalePioneers · April 20

HYUFD said:

nico67 said:
The latest Mainstream poll shows an increase in the CPC lead over the Liberals .

CPC 43 (-)
LPC 39 (-2)
NDP 6 (+1)
BQ 6 (+1)

Not sure how much more polling we’ll see given its Easter .
That should be enough to give the Conservatives most seats and see Poilievre become PM, albeit Liaison Strategies has the Liberals still 5% ahead
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_2025_Canadian_federal_election

If the Conservatives do win it will be interesting to watch the dynamics between Canada and the US. The narrative has it that the Conservatives are the supplicants - whether that is true or not we will have to see.

Regardless of the result it seems clear that Canada wants no part of America, and if their new Conservative government has any wobbles it could become spectacularly unpopular very quickly.

Have we considered whether the CIA is interfering in the election? It would hardly be the first time…

kle4 · April 20

Leon said:

Theuniondivvie said:

Nigelb said:
Seems to be a growing consensus in San Francisco.

The new mayor is killing it. It feels like a totally different city. Very vibrant.
https://x.com/elontaughtme/status/1913260100250374181

Any PBers visited in the last couple of weeks ?
Perhaps a freebie for PB’s travelling mood swinger?

Frisco is BACK!
I’m in Oak Park in Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan eating superb shakshuka, near the Osh Bazaar. I’m quite happy here thanks

The city is basically a post Soviet dump. But it is an intriguing post Soviet dump with weirdly sophisticated bars and cafes, all surrounded by majestic mountains. And the weather is perfect. Clear blue skies. Spring in the Tien Shan!

My brother is headed to Kyrgyzstan next month, heading to some giant lake for some hiking.

kjh · April 20

Leon said:
An increasingly common view on social media. The uk is in deep shit. It’s not just the levels of immigration and boat people - it’s more that people DEEPLY resent paying ever higher taxes to keep these incomes comfortable even as the country gets visibly poorer, dirtier and nastier

“No gang, we need to stay in the UK and pay 30-50% of our lifetime earnings to subsidise other people’s lives

And then spend another 25-50% of what we have left paying a mortgage for the next 30 years

Just so the government can take 50% of that off your kids when you die

There’s nothing more enjoyable than turning 65 and knowing you were a net contributor to other people at the expense of your own quality of life

But sure, you’re a bad person for wanting to move to a 0% tax country”

https://x.com/monz_ah/status/1913608532009558467?s=46&t=bulOICNH15U6kB0MwE6Lfw

We’re in a doom loop. Who is going to wrench us out of it? Certainly not Labour

The sun is shining, I've been working in the garden, off to a BBQ today, have taken the Cobra to the pub, bought a new BBQ, off to Southwold next week and a birthday party. Looking forward to trips to Sorrento, Cordoba and the Canal di Midi in the next few months, lots of LD activities.

Life's good. Don't be such a misery. You have a very lucky life. Enjoy your good fortune. Your could have been born somewhere else in the world and be a lot less fortunate.

kle4 · April 20

HYUFD said:

nico67 said:
The latest Mainstream poll shows an increase in the CPC lead over the Liberals .

CPC 43 (-)
LPC 39 (-2)
NDP 6 (+1)
BQ 6 (+1)

Not sure how much more polling we’ll see given its Easter .
That should be enough to give the Conservatives most seats and see Poilievre become PM, albeit Liaison Strategies has the Liberals still 5% ahead
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_2025_Canadian_federal_election

From probable landslide to maybe having a chance, such are the winds of fate. I am surprised at the sheer extent dropping Trudeau and the Trump stuff has changed the political landscape - it surely cannot just have been Trudeau that had peopke thinking the Liberals had been in power long enough.

Is Carney just that good?

kle4 · April 20

Luckyguy1983 said:

RochdalePioneers said:

Fishing said:

nico67 said:
Apparently Macron is make to a state visit to the UK at the end of May .

That’s great news and I expect he’ll get a very warm welcome .
Why should we given what a shit he was to us when we exercised our democratic right to leave the EU?

The Frogs, like the Russians, don't do goodwill - if they are being nice to you, they want something. And if there's anything in it for them they'll plant a forest of daggers in your back. And they assume you act the same.

The true France is the France that betrayed NATO, blew up the Rainbow Warrior, sucked up to Putin after he invaded Ukraine, and propped up a dozen murderous African dictatorships.

Just because America is being as ghastly - temporarily I hope - shouldn't make us view the French as anything other than what they are - a cynical, grasping bunch of faux amis.
In previous times alliances would rise and fall, with the missteps of the past set aside because of the new reality.

This is today’s reality.
This isn't really good diplomacy though, or a new reality. Macron is on his way out, Starmer is on his way out, Charles is (well, let's hope not) and this feels like a centrist last gasp before their world collapses. As do Starmer's grand European plans.

I see no harm in giving Macron a visit but like you say on a personal level he's gone pretty soon so what's the point?

kjh · April 20

Fishing said:

nico67 said:
Apparently Macron is make to a state visit to the UK at the end of May .

That’s great news and I expect he’ll get a very warm welcome .
Why should we given what a shit he was to us when we exercised our democratic right to leave the EU?

The Frogs, like the Russians, don't do goodwill - if they are being nice to you, they want something. And if there's anything in it for them they'll plant a forest of daggers in your back. And they assume you act the same.

The true France is the France that betrayed NATO, blew up the Rainbow Warrior, sucked up to Putin after he invaded Ukraine, and propped up a dozen murderous African dictatorships.

Just because America is being as ghastly - temporarily I hope - shouldn't make us view the French as anything other than what they are - a cynical, grasping bunch of faux amis.

What the hell have the French done to you? It must have been something pretty awful.

Come on guys let's cheer up and enjoy life.

HYUFD · April 20

kle4 said:

HYUFD said:

nico67 said:
The latest Mainstream poll shows an increase in the CPC lead over the Liberals .

CPC 43 (-)
LPC 39 (-2)
NDP 6 (+1)
BQ 6 (+1)

Not sure how much more polling we’ll see given its Easter .
That should be enough to give the Conservatives most seats and see Poilievre become PM, albeit Liaison Strategies has the Liberals still 5% ahead
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_2025_Canadian_federal_election
From probable landslide to maybe having a chance, such are the winds of fate. I am surprised at the sheer extent dropping Trudeau and the Trump stuff has changed the political landscape - it surely cannot just have been Trudeau that had peopke thinking the Liberals had been in power long enough.

Is Carney just that good?

Trudeau won 3 elections in a row but there was a mood in Canada for change, Carney comes across as a fiscally conservative banker albeit socially liberal and more heavyweight than Trudeau so won back a few Liberal to Conservative switchers while the NDP vote collapsed to Liberal to try and keep out Poilievre. It remains neck and neck though

FF43 · April 20

More Zombie Flesh-eater than Jesus saving the world methinks.

On that note, Happy Easter

Foxy · April 20

Luckyguy1983 said:

Foxy said:
Taking advice from Liz Truss on dealing with the mythic "Blob" is only useful if you do the opposite.

It's a bit like how Labour decided to take advice from John Ashworth on campaigning. A man who lost one of Labour's safest seats during a Labour landslide, and then found his office a bit useless.

https://bsky.app/profile/birdma2.bsky.social/post/3ln6m4odrek2s
She will be advising him to do the opposite. Liz Truss didn't deal with the blob - she sacked one or two key underperformers which resulted in ear splitting squealing in the media (and on PB). NF will be laying waste to the Blob from day 1 and rightly so.

While similarly fighting unicorns, dragons and gruffalos?

I suppose it easier to win against imaginary beasts.

kle4 · April 20

kjh said:

Leon said:
An increasingly common view on social media. The uk is in deep shit. It’s not just the levels of immigration and boat people - it’s more that people DEEPLY resent paying ever higher taxes to keep these incomes comfortable even as the country gets visibly poorer, dirtier and nastier

“No gang, we need to stay in the UK and pay 30-50% of our lifetime earnings to subsidise other people’s lives

And then spend another 25-50% of what we have left paying a mortgage for the next 30 years

Just so the government can take 50% of that off your kids when you die

There’s nothing more enjoyable than turning 65 and knowing you were a net contributor to other people at the expense of your own quality of life

But sure, you’re a bad person for wanting to move to a 0% tax country”

https://x.com/monz_ah/status/1913608532009558467?s=46&t=bulOICNH15U6kB0MwE6Lfw

We’re in a doom loop. Who is going to wrench us out of it? Certainly not Labour
The sun is shining, I've been working in the garden, off to a BBQ today, have taken the Cobra to the pub, bought a new BBQ, off to Southwold next week and a birthday party. Looking forward to trips to Sorrento, Cordoba and the Canal di Midi in the next few months, lots of LD activities.

Life's good. Don't be such a misery. You have a very lucky life. Enjoy your good fortune. Your could have been born somewhere else in the world and be a lot less fortunate.

Whilst true, we don't tend to compare against worst case scenarios, but on what we think we deserve.

And what ive described as low grade crappiness - where it seems nothing works quite right and is expensive to boot - wears you down after awhile.

HYUFD · April 20

RochdalePioneers said:

HYUFD said:

nico67 said:
The latest Mainstream poll shows an increase in the CPC lead over the Liberals .

CPC 43 (-)
LPC 39 (-2)
NDP 6 (+1)
BQ 6 (+1)

Not sure how much more polling we’ll see given its Easter .
That should be enough to give the Conservatives most seats and see Poilievre become PM, albeit Liaison Strategies has the Liberals still 5% ahead
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_2025_Canadian_federal_election
If the Conservatives do win it will be interesting to watch the dynamics between Canada and the US. The narrative has it that the Conservatives are the supplicants - whether that is true or not we will have to see.

Regardless of the result it seems clear that Canada wants no part of America, and if their new Conservative government has any wobbles it could become spectacularly unpopular very quickly.

Have we considered whether the CIA is interfering in the election? It would hardly be the first time…

Trump has already met Carney and said Poilievre isn't maga enough, the real Canadian maga party leader is PPC leader Barnier not Poilivre

nico67 · April 20

kle4 said:

HYUFD said:

nico67 said:
The latest Mainstream poll shows an increase in the CPC lead over the Liberals .

CPC 43 (-)
LPC 39 (-2)
NDP 6 (+1)
BQ 6 (+1)

Not sure how much more polling we’ll see given its Easter .
That should be enough to give the Conservatives most seats and see Poilievre become PM, albeit Liaison Strategies has the Liberals still 5% ahead
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_2025_Canadian_federal_election
From probable landslide to maybe having a chance, such are the winds of fate. I am surprised at the sheer extent dropping Trudeau and the Trump stuff has changed the political landscape - it surely cannot just have been Trudeau that had peopke thinking the Liberals had been in power long enough.

Is Carney just that good?

Carney is seen as a safe pair of hands and appeals particularly to women who like his calm and not shouty manner . Trudeau was deeply unpopular and that led to many Lib voters moving to the NDP.

Their increase in polling is largely down to those voters moving back and also some BQ vote moving to them . Trump has helped the Libs as who is best placed to make a deal on tariffs is a key voter issue.

DougSeal · April 20

Fishing said:

nico67 said:
Apparently Macron is make to a state visit to the UK at the end of May .

That’s great news and I expect he’ll get a very warm welcome .
Why should we given what a shit he was to us when we exercised our democratic right to leave the EU?

The Frogs, like the Russians, don't do goodwill - if they are being nice to you, they want something. And if there's anything in it for them they'll plant a forest of daggers in your back. And they assume you act the same.

The true France is the France that betrayed NATO, blew up the Rainbow Warrior, sucked up to Putin after he invaded Ukraine, and propped up a dozen murderous African dictatorships.

Just because America is being as ghastly - temporarily I hope - shouldn't make us view the French as anything other than what they are - a cynical, grasping bunch of faux amis.

Why don't you tell us what you REALLY feel about French people?

Eabhal · April 20

kjh said:

Leon said:
An increasingly common view on social media. The uk is in deep shit. It’s not just the levels of immigration and boat people - it’s more that people DEEPLY resent paying ever higher taxes to keep these incomes comfortable even as the country gets visibly poorer, dirtier and nastier

“No gang, we need to stay in the UK and pay 30-50% of our lifetime earnings to subsidise other people’s lives

And then spend another 25-50% of what we have left paying a mortgage for the next 30 years

Just so the government can take 50% of that off your kids when you die

There’s nothing more enjoyable than turning 65 and knowing you were a net contributor to other people at the expense of your own quality of life

But sure, you’re a bad person for wanting to move to a 0% tax country”

https://x.com/monz_ah/status/1913608532009558467?s=46&t=bulOICNH15U6kB0MwE6Lfw

We’re in a doom loop. Who is going to wrench us out of it? Certainly not Labour
The sun is shining, I've been working in the garden, off to a BBQ today, have taken the Cobra to the pub, bought a new BBQ, off to Southwold next week and a birthday party. Looking forward to trips to Sorrento, Cordoba and the Canal di Midi in the next few months, lots of LD activities.

Life's good. Don't be such a misery. You have a very lucky life. Enjoy your good fortune. Your could have been born somewhere else in the world and be a lot less fortunate.

Life satisfaction in the UK is a about 75%. The happiest bits are Northern Ireland and the north of England.

In international comparison, it's only really the Nordics which do better than us. Our biggest weakness is poor health.

Foxy · April 20

kle4 said:

HYUFD said:

nico67 said:
The latest Mainstream poll shows an increase in the CPC lead over the Liberals .

CPC 43 (-)
LPC 39 (-2)
NDP 6 (+1)
BQ 6 (+1)

Not sure how much more polling we’ll see given its Easter .
That should be enough to give the Conservatives most seats and see Poilievre become PM, albeit Liaison Strategies has the Liberals still 5% ahead
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_2025_Canadian_federal_election
From probable landslide to maybe having a chance, such are the winds of fate. I am surprised at the sheer extent dropping Trudeau and the Trump stuff has changed the political landscape - it surely cannot just have been Trudeau that had peopke thinking the Liberals had been in power long enough.

Is Carney just that good?

A lesson that Labour would be well advised to take in 2028.

Ditching Starmer is the only way that they recover.

RochdalePioneers · April 20

kle4 said:

Luckyguy1983 said:

RochdalePioneers said:

Fishing said:

nico67 said:
Apparently Macron is make to a state visit to the UK at the end of May .

That’s great news and I expect he’ll get a very warm welcome .
Why should we given what a shit he was to us when we exercised our democratic right to leave the EU?

The Frogs, like the Russians, don't do goodwill - if they are being nice to you, they want something. And if there's anything in it for them they'll plant a forest of daggers in your back. And they assume you act the same.

The true France is the France that betrayed NATO, blew up the Rainbow Warrior, sucked up to Putin after he invaded Ukraine, and propped up a dozen murderous African dictatorships.

Just because America is being as ghastly - temporarily I hope - shouldn't make us view the French as anything other than what they are - a cynical, grasping bunch of faux amis.
In previous times alliances would rise and fall, with the missteps of the past set aside because of the new reality.

This is today’s reality.
This isn't really good diplomacy though, or a new reality. Macron is on his way out, Starmer is on his way out, Charles is (well, let's hope not) and this feels like a centrist last gasp before their world collapses. As do Starmer's grand European plans.
I see no harm in giving Macron a visit but like you say on a personal level he's gone pretty soon so what's the point?

The point is that Macron and France are an ally. In a rapidly evolving world where our newer ally America is turning into our opponent, we need alliances.

I know that the PB right still think Trump is good and the EU / France / Macron are bad, but as you’re nowhere near power these days it’s taken under advisement.

Morris_Dancer · April 20

FF43 said:
More Zombie Flesh-eater than Jesus saving the world methinks.

On that note, Happy Easter

Not sexy vampire Jesus?

nico67 · April 20

Foxy said:

kle4 said:

HYUFD said:

nico67 said:
The latest Mainstream poll shows an increase in the CPC lead over the Liberals .

CPC 43 (-)
LPC 39 (-2)
NDP 6 (+1)
BQ 6 (+1)

Not sure how much more polling we’ll see given its Easter .
That should be enough to give the Conservatives most seats and see Poilievre become PM, albeit Liaison Strategies has the Liberals still 5% ahead
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_2025_Canadian_federal_election
From probable landslide to maybe having a chance, such are the winds of fate. I am surprised at the sheer extent dropping Trudeau and the Trump stuff has changed the political landscape - it surely cannot just have been Trudeau that had peopke thinking the Liberals had been in power long enough.

Is Carney just that good?
A lesson that Labour would be well advised to take in 2028.

Ditching Starmer is the only way that they recover.

Labour tend to be too loyal to their leaders and need to be more ruthless like the Tories .

Morris_Dancer · April 20

RochdalePioneers said:

kle4 said:

Luckyguy1983 said:

RochdalePioneers said:

Fishing said:

nico67 said:
Apparently Macron is make to a state visit to the UK at the end of May .

That’s great news and I expect he’ll get a very warm welcome .
Why should we given what a shit he was to us when we exercised our democratic right to leave the EU?

The Frogs, like the Russians, don't do goodwill - if they are being nice to you, they want something. And if there's anything in it for them they'll plant a forest of daggers in your back. And they assume you act the same.

The true France is the France that betrayed NATO, blew up the Rainbow Warrior, sucked up to Putin after he invaded Ukraine, and propped up a dozen murderous African dictatorships.

Just because America is being as ghastly - temporarily I hope - shouldn't make us view the French as anything other than what they are - a cynical, grasping bunch of faux amis.
In previous times alliances would rise and fall, with the missteps of the past set aside because of the new reality.

This is today’s reality.
This isn't really good diplomacy though, or a new reality. Macron is on his way out, Starmer is on his way out, Charles is (well, let's hope not) and this feels like a centrist last gasp before their world collapses. As do Starmer's grand European plans.
I see no harm in giving Macron a visit but like you say on a personal level he's gone pretty soon so what's the point?
The point is that Macron and France are an ally. In a rapidly evolving world where our newer ally America is turning into our opponent, we need alliances.

I know that the PB right still think Trump is good and the EU / France / Macron are bad, but as you’re nowhere near power these days it’s taken under advisement.

Do I count as PB right these days?

Because I think my opinion on Trump is pretty clear, and pretty contrary to the perspective you just mentioned.

DougSeal · April 20

Luckyguy1983 said:

RochdalePioneers said:

Fishing said:

nico67 said:
Apparently Macron is make to a state visit to the UK at the end of May .

That’s great news and I expect he’ll get a very warm welcome .
Why should we given what a shit he was to us when we exercised our democratic right to leave the EU?

The Frogs, like the Russians, don't do goodwill - if they are being nice to you, they want something. And if there's anything in it for them they'll plant a forest of daggers in your back. And they assume you act the same.

The true France is the France that betrayed NATO, blew up the Rainbow Warrior, sucked up to Putin after he invaded Ukraine, and propped up a dozen murderous African dictatorships.

Just because America is being as ghastly - temporarily I hope - shouldn't make us view the French as anything other than what they are - a cynical, grasping bunch of faux amis.
In previous times alliances would rise and fall, with the missteps of the past set aside because of the new reality.

This is today’s reality.
This isn't really good diplomacy though, or a new reality. Macron is on his way out, Starmer is on his way out, Charles is (well, let's hope not) and this feels like a centrist last gasp before their world collapses. As do Starmer's grand European plans.

Starmer is on his way out? Did I miss an election being called or something? This is clearly wish fulfilment. Given shenanigans across the Atlantic the exact opposite of what you say is empirically more likely

Nigelb · April 20

RochdalePioneers said:

Fishing said:

nico67 said:
Apparently Macron is make to a state visit to the UK at the end of May .

That’s great news and I expect he’ll get a very warm welcome .
Why should we given what a shit he was to us when we exercised our democratic right to leave the EU?

The Frogs, like the Russians, don't do goodwill - if they are being nice to you, they want something. And if there's anything in it for them they'll plant a forest of daggers in your back. And they assume you act the same.

The true France is the France that betrayed NATO, blew up the Rainbow Warrior, sucked up to Putin after he invaded Ukraine, and propped up a dozen murderous African dictatorships.

Just because America is being as ghastly - temporarily I hope - shouldn't make us view the French as anything other than what they are - a cynical, grasping bunch of faux amis.
In previous times alliances would rise and fall, with the missteps of the past set aside because of the new reality.

This is today’s reality.

Sadly that also involved a lot more war.

Foxy · April 20

Eabhal said:

kjh said:

Leon said:
An increasingly common view on social media. The uk is in deep shit. It’s not just the levels of immigration and boat people - it’s more that people DEEPLY resent paying ever higher taxes to keep these incomes comfortable even as the country gets visibly poorer, dirtier and nastier

“No gang, we need to stay in the UK and pay 30-50% of our lifetime earnings to subsidise other people’s lives

And then spend another 25-50% of what we have left paying a mortgage for the next 30 years

Just so the government can take 50% of that off your kids when you die

There’s nothing more enjoyable than turning 65 and knowing you were a net contributor to other people at the expense of your own quality of life

But sure, you’re a bad person for wanting to move to a 0% tax country”

https://x.com/monz_ah/status/1913608532009558467?s=46&t=bulOICNH15U6kB0MwE6Lfw

We’re in a doom loop. Who is going to wrench us out of it? Certainly not Labour
The sun is shining, I've been working in the garden, off to a BBQ today, have taken the Cobra to the pub, bought a new BBQ, off to Southwold next week and a birthday party. Looking forward to trips to Sorrento, Cordoba and the Canal di Midi in the next few months, lots of LD activities.

Life's good. Don't be such a misery. You have a very lucky life. Enjoy your good fortune. Your could have been born somewhere else in the world and be a lot less fortunate.
Life satisfaction in the UK is a about 75%. The happiest bits are Northern Ireland and the north of England.

In international comparison, it's only really the Nordics which do better than us. Our biggest weakness is poor health.

Slightly grey this morning on the Isle of Wight but clearing later for the family Easter Egg hunt and roast lamb.

The hellhole on Social Media bears no resemblance to reality. An American told me yesterday that praying was now illegal in England. People believe this bonkers shit rather than the evidence of their own eyes.

Nigelb · April 20

HYUFD said:
'Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has said the government will "double down" on its environmental agenda and accused those against the move to net zero of "making up nonsense and lies".

Political opponents in the Conservatives and Reform UK - and some trade unions – have argued that his agenda is putting jobs in traditional industries at risk and have urged a change of course.

The UK is legally committed to moving to net zero carbon emissions by 2050 – a goal set under a previous Conservative government.

Writing in the Observer, external, Miliband warned that an anti-net zero agenda would not only risk "climate breakdown" but "forfeit the clean energy jobs of the future".

A green power transition will help secure social justice and national security, Miliband argued.'
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czjn0pn830ko

Less meaningless blather and more analysis would be welcome.
Sadly I think he’ll continue to disappoint.

FF43 · April 20

kle4 said:

HYUFD said:

nico67 said:
The latest Mainstream poll shows an increase in the CPC lead over the Liberals .

CPC 43 (-)
LPC 39 (-2)
NDP 6 (+1)
BQ 6 (+1)

Not sure how much more polling we’ll see given its Easter .
That should be enough to give the Conservatives most seats and see Poilievre become PM, albeit Liaison Strategies has the Liberals still 5% ahead
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_2025_Canadian_federal_election
From probable landslide to maybe having a chance, such are the winds of fate. I am surprised at the sheer extent dropping Trudeau and the Trump stuff has changed the political landscape - it surely cannot just have been Trudeau that had peopke thinking the Liberals had been in power long enough.

Is Carney just that good?

Poilievre has been hammering the same message for the last year or more: no more Trudeau; time for change - only for Trump and Trudeau himself to undermine it.

Can Carney do the incumbent but change trick? Boris Johnson did it, but he was a very different character.

Stereodog · April 20

Leon said:
An increasingly common view on social media. The uk is in deep shit. It’s not just the levels of immigration and boat people - it’s more that people DEEPLY resent paying ever higher taxes to keep these incomes comfortable even as the country gets visibly poorer, dirtier and nastier

“No gang, we need to stay in the UK and pay 30-50% of our lifetime earnings to subsidise other people’s lives

And then spend another 25-50% of what we have left paying a mortgage for the next 30 years

Just so the government can take 50% of that off your kids when you die

There’s nothing more enjoyable than turning 65 and knowing you were a net contributor to other people at the expense of your own quality of life

But sure, you’re a bad person for wanting to move to a 0% tax country”

https://x.com/monz_ah/status/1913608532009558467?s=46&t=bulOICNH15U6kB0MwE6Lfw

We’re in a doom loop. Who is going to wrench us out of it? Certainly not Labour

That's because you're a fundamentally selfish person who sees being a net contributor to their country as a bad thing whilst loudly sounding off about patriotism. The only reason that the country isn't "poorer, dirtier and nastier" than it is already is because some people contribute to it not being so.

OldKingCole · April 20

Good morrow, gentlefolks all!

A fine bright morning and the blue-tits in our televised beatbox have nine eggs.

On topic, more or less, I suspect (?hope) Reform will soon become embroiled in a sludge of infighting between Farage and Lowe, which Truss would be wise (!) to avoid.

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