I’m putting it on my list of potential holiday places. You’re the second recommendation this week!
It’s not mind blowing but it is rather pleasant and tranquil and makes an unusual change. The people are a nice mix of German calm and efficiency but with some more charm and humour but without French hauteur
I guess being insanely rich adds to national gaiety
Also it’s NOT expensive as far as I can see. They may have gdp per capita way higher than Switzerland but bars and restaurants are about French prices
We are off tomorrow for a week in Germany (Bad Kreuznach), Switzerland (Leysin) and France (Epernay). Any hints and tips welcome. How much more expensive is Switzerland than Germany and France?
Switzerland is v expensive but there are ways you can save money. If you do more than minimal travel invest in one of the passes. Also cafeterias in supermarkets and station buffets etc can do very acceptable dish of the day plus salad. Used to be about 15F, probably hasn't changed much. Thing about Switzerland, basic standards are high. You don't need to go upscale.
I agree. In my experience Switzerland is all the same standard food wise
Unless you’re actually going Michelin 3 star it will all be ok to quite pleasant but unexceptional, so there’s zero point in paying for posh
What is worth paying for is a view. Eating besides glittering lake Lucerne or Lugano is wonderful. But you might as well eat a burger as you gaze
Another way around insane Swiss prices is supermarkets. They are very good and full of great cheese and bread and charcuterie. You can’t move for brilliant picnic spots in Switzerland so why not stock up on picnic stuff and a bottle of wine and head for the hills over looking a sunlit waterfall that tumbles to an alpine lake
THAT is bliss and will cost you a quarter what you’d pay in a restaurant. And you won’t ever forget it
Last time I was in Geneva I had a 'Hello Kitty' rucksack with me (no - don't ask). The waitress in the Japanese restaurant near my hotel was very excited by it and arranged a massive discount on my bill.
Almost made up for being in Geneva.
This is the reason I read PB - to get tips like this. Next time I'm going to a Japanese restaurant I'll have a Hello Kitty badge on my luggage.
A future regime must properly investigate the likes of Hermer. Many lawyers work with our enemies to destroy the country and should be disbarred and/or jailed.
See my blog for the lawyers in London who work with *active terrorists on the run from JSOC* in Afghan/PAK and get paid MILLIONS by the UK government to do so!!!
The Cabinet Office has gone to great lengths to classify details, and keep legal cases secret, to hide the shocking truth and stop the ECHR role being exposed. With Hermer as AG, millions more of taxpayers money will be transferred to Range Rovers for lawyers in return for advancing the interests of terrorists
Sir Keir simply must stop the boats. I have every confidence he can.
1) How? 2) Why?
I am surprised at how negative you are on this
I did ask you earlier what is Ed Davey's position on this and it would be far more helpful if you would suggest solutions rather than prevarication
How is multi facetted with some suggestions on here, but you ask why and to be honest maybe that shows your real attitude to the issue
Why is simply answered by it is not acceptable to the vast majority of voters in this county including Labour and maybe even Lib Dem supporters
I didn't see your comment earlier which is why I haven't answered. As I have said a few times, everyone wants the boat crossings to stop. We have a broadly positive view of migration because we know that our economy still relies on them.
I have suggested solutions - we need to work internationally to manage asylum, we need legal and safe routes to apply for asylum, and we need to actually process claims so that people aren't left in limbo for years. And where we have people sat waiting on a decision and they have skills we need, why aren't we letting them work? We've had examples of Syrian doctors sat festering for extended periods unable to work at the exact same time as we have shortages of staff.
But I am negative at the hopium / kill them all comments because they deserve to be negative.
Thank you for your response but the way immigration is presently perceived, it has to be reduced further than the recently reduced figure under Sunak of 431,000 though I agree that migrants should be allowed to work once they have made an application
However, we both know there are two immigration issues, legal and illegal, and the boats are a vivid example of illegal migration that is now in our media every day and is toxic for Starmer and labour
Of course we shouldn't be distracted by extreme views of sinking the boats etc, as this will not happen even if Reform were in government
Unfortunately, Starmer and Hermer are the wrong politicians at this time to resolve the issue, and I simply expect it to fester for a long time and not to labour's electoral advantage
Pochdale Rioneers is just beginning to understand that his party isn't even at the races on this issue, or frankly on much else that's gone wrong with the country. Sir Ed thinks being more Centrist Dad than Labour and then jumping in a pond is going to get them anywhere - No, it's not.
And yet we absolutely smashed it at the locals 😘
Reform = 677 councillors won in 2025 LDs = 370 councillors won in 2025
Con lost 674 seats Lab lost 187 seats
It's a two horse race!
Reform control 10 of the councils contested this year LDs control only 3.
His video on Thursday, in which he intercepted fare-dodgers on the London Underground – “Do you want to go back and pay like everybody else?” – was the high point of his campaign so far. It was an instant classic in the art of the political stunt: simple, effective and watched by millions.
Personally, I thought he overdid the “country is going to the dogs” element. I think London is the best city in the world and the Tube network is great, but it does annoy me to see people take advantage of lax enforcement, tailgating or pushing through the barriers to travel without paying.
He struck a chord. He identified himself and his party with the message: the law-abiding majority shouldn’t pay for a rule-breaking minority.
That is only one Gmina, - Wloclawek, I think- not the national number.
It's 222 out of 32143 stations. Tiny. Five ms reporting so far including Wloclawek where Trzaskowski is on 57.8%.
Just over 72% turnout. No concession from Nawrocki... potential for protests being discussed.
Nor should he, when it's that close in the exit poll.
1% counted after 98 mins with only two candidates feels very slow to me, Romania looked a lot quicker.
This really is too close to call. The exit polls are generally pretty good in Poland, but some of these early results are extremely close indeed. Lets see what we get in 20 mins or so.
Dame Andrea Jenkyns 🇬🇧 @andreajenkyns · 50m DOGE Lincolnshire coming soon. We are going to root out wastage and ensure your hard earned cash is not wasted. Its time to save local taxpayers money.
A future regime must properly investigate the likes of Hermer. Many lawyers work with our enemies to destroy the country and should be disbarred and/or jailed.
See my blog for the lawyers in London who work with *active terrorists on the run from JSOC* in Afghan/PAK and get paid MILLIONS by the UK government to do so!!!
The Cabinet Office has gone to great lengths to classify details, and keep legal cases secret, to hide the shocking truth and stop the ECHR role being exposed. With Hermer as AG, millions more of taxpayers money will be transferred to Range Rovers for lawyers in return for advancing the interests of terrorists
Ultimately neither Starmer or Hermer are going to do anything to recluse the ECHR or any other treaty as they are both human right lawyers who cannot imagine any challenge to the law, even though these laws are being questioned by many in Europe and not just on the right
It would go against everything Starmer has been trained to believe but ultimately it will be his downfall if he does not stop the boats
And I would just say to those arguing this is anti foreigner, it does not help your case as this is far from that but in most peoples eyes it is unfair and this is now even being expressed by Labour politicians who know they cannot make excuses anymore
Starmer is exactly the kind of person who could sell a revised refugee convention to a domestic and international audience. Generous, robust and sensible.
A bit like how the Conservatives did gay marriage.
You may be right but that would take years and he doesn't have years to stop the boats
And remarkably we are only a month away from Labour commencing their second year in office and owning their decisions
I don't think stopping the boats is possible - or at least not within a 5 year period. A significant reduction? Maybe.
But Labour can certainly make lots of cheap noise about it. Even a proposal would be valuable, particularly if they can challenge the French to sign up to it.
And this is why people think the political system is broken. Stopping the boats could easily be done in practical terms but with the way we're governed it becomes impossible.
"Could easily be done in practical terms" - really?
On the assumption you're not advocating violence and on the assumption you can't get the French and others to play ball and on the third assumption an offshore facility in (fill in the blank) wouldn't be ready for months if not years, I'd genuinely welcome hearing a practical and coherent solution.
What wrong with using violence to defend the integrity of our borders? Poland does it.
Just so I'm clear - are you advocating the physical interdiction of migrant craft by, presumably, the Royal Navy or Border Patrol? Once intercepted, the migrants are taken back to French waters irrespective of location.
Are you advocating something beyond even that? There's violence and there's something beyond violence.
If you announce beforehand that from now on, boats will not be allowed to make the crossing and you will use all necessary means to prevent then, how long do you think it would be before they stop?
But that would be a lie and everyone would know it. No UK government (even a Reform one) is going to take 'all means necessary ' if that means torpedoing boat loads of migrants or fighting the French navy to drop them back at Calais.
It has to not be a lie. As for "no UK government" doing it, that's more evidence that we have a broken state that has forgotten what's its primary purpose is.
Quite apart from anything else, I'm not sure the Navy would obey an order to open fire on unarmed civilians.
In the middle of the Sunk Johnson Government (sorry), they were asked and rejected even "pushing back". They told Priti Patel to take a running jump.
They should have been told to go fuck themselves. Since when has the Navy dictated what it wants to do?
Since it was established that "only obeying orders" wasn't a valid defence?
God help us when we need them to *actually* do anything, the useless shower.
Yes they'll be totally unprepared for when we *actually* need them to intentionally drown civilians.
A politicised paramilitary force to do the government's bidding - yes, there will be volunteers - is precisely where we'll end up one day if regular government departments refuse to enact the policies of the elected administration of the day.
Let's hope it never comes to that.
Ah another outing of the Leon 'If you don't collude in bad thing happening then really bad thing will happen' argument. Saying that the military needs to intentionally kill unarmed civilians otherwise a paramilitary group will do it for them isn't a very good policy proposal.
Ultimately neither Starmer or Hermer are going to do anything to recluse the ECHR or any other treaty as they are both human right lawyers who cannot imagine any challenge to the law, even though these laws are being questioned by many in Europe and not just on the right
It would go against everything Starmer has been trained to believe but ultimately it will be his downfall if he does not stop the boats
And I would just say to those arguing this is anti foreigner, it does not help your case as this is far from that but in most peoples eyes it is unfair and this is now even being expressed by Labour politicians who know they cannot make excuses anymore
Starmer is exactly the kind of person who could sell a revised refugee convention to a domestic and international audience. Generous, robust and sensible.
A bit like how the Conservatives did gay marriage.
You may be right but that would take years and he doesn't have years to stop the boats
And remarkably we are only a month away from Labour commencing their second year in office and owning their decisions
I don't think stopping the boats is possible - or at least not within a 5 year period. A significant reduction? Maybe.
But Labour can certainly make lots of cheap noise about it. Even a proposal would be valuable, particularly if they can challenge the French to sign up to it.
My plan to collapse the black economy would collapse demand.
- doesn’t depend on the French - Breaks no law, international or national - Fucks up the scum who exploit - Offers the migrants justice against their abusers. - self enforcing
How easy do you think that would be?
Doesn't it involve stopping pretty much all crime?
1) each instance of deliberately employing someone illegally is punishable by a £100k fine. This includes a number of crimes including visa sale 2) use the Proceeds of Crime laws to prevent hiding assets from liability behind ltd companies etc. So the houses of directors of a chain of companies could be seized. As they are for drugs. 3) half the fine goes to the person giving evidence, upon conviction. 4) if they don’t have full U.K. status, give the. Indefinite leave to remain. 5) legislation to prevent using contracting as a shield.
Quite simply, every person you are employing illegally has a £50k motive (and a visa) to report you.
The scale of the fines would make catching the employers *profitable* for the government.
Private prosecutions via ambulance chaser lawyers would be fun to add to the mix.
A lot of British people will be unable to get jobs under your regime, because they will not be able to prove their right to work here within a £50,000 margin of error. I myself have faced this problem.
There is also a perverse incentive to report any suspicions at all, so the police will spend all their time checking every single delivery driver just in case the informant can cop a £50,000 reward.
I'm interested that you would gave faced such a problem.... Note that similar rules are in force at the moment, the fines are lower and there is no reward for reporting. Hence employers wanting photocopies of passports.
A relative runs a building company and does a background check on his employees. The UK ones present a passport. The non-UK present their passports and their visa/right to work documentation.
What would actually happen is that employing illegals would stop - simply not worth the risk.
Deliveroo might collapse or put up its prices by a factor of 3. What a shame.
Many of us have neither passport nor driving licence. Easier not to take the chance.
Here’s Sir Keir eleven months ago, boasting of how he has just introduced powers that no other country has dared to do in order to, you guessed it, “smash the gangs”
Dame Andrea Jenkyns 🇬🇧 @andreajenkyns · 50m DOGE Lincolnshire coming soon. We are going to root out wastage and ensure your hard earned cash is not wasted. Its time to save local taxpayers money.
I’m putting it on my list of potential holiday places. You’re the second recommendation this week!
It’s not mind blowing but it is rather pleasant and tranquil and makes an unusual change. The people are a nice mix of German calm and efficiency but with some more charm and humour but without French hauteur
I guess being insanely rich adds to national gaiety
Also it’s NOT expensive as far as I can see. They may have gdp per capita way higher than Switzerland but bars and restaurants are about French prices
We are off tomorrow for a week in Germany (Bad Kreuznach), Switzerland (Leysin) and France (Epernay). Any hints and tips welcome. How much more expensive is Switzerland than Germany and France?
Switzerland is v expensive but there are ways you can save money. If you do more than minimal travel invest in one of the passes. Also cafeterias in supermarkets and station buffets etc can do very acceptable dish of the day plus salad. Used to be about 15F, probably hasn't changed much. Thing about Switzerland, basic standards are high. You don't need to go upscale.
I agree. In my experience Switzerland is all the same standard food wise
Unless you’re actually going Michelin 3 star it will all be ok to quite pleasant but unexceptional, so there’s zero point in paying for posh
What is worth paying for is a view. Eating besides glittering lake Lucerne or Lugano is wonderful. But you might as well eat a burger as you gaze
Another way around insane Swiss prices is supermarkets. They are very good and full of great cheese and bread and charcuterie. You can’t move for brilliant picnic spots in Switzerland so why not stock up on picnic stuff and a bottle of wine and head for the hills over looking a sunlit waterfall that tumbles to an alpine lake
THAT is bliss and will cost you a quarter what you’d pay in a restaurant. And you won’t ever forget it
Last time I was in Geneva I had a 'Hello Kitty' rucksack with me (no - don't ask). The waitress in the Japanese restaurant near my hotel was very excited by it and arranged a massive discount on my bill.
Almost made up for being in Geneva.
lol
The only good thing about Geneva is CERN. Which is genuinely amazing
The rest is meh, and scrotum-tighteningly expensive meh
Tbf to Switzerland it soon improves as you move away from the city
Did the train from Geneva Airport to Geneva (free ride, at least it was back in 2014), and also the train from Geneva to Lausanne and on to Montreux.
In 2009 and 2010, I did back to back rail trips from Zurich Airport to Zurich and on to Chur in the east of the country.
Have booked the Bernina and Glacier expresses for this summer. On adjacent days, which isn't ideal, but Chur didn't look worth a two-night layover.
The Polish presidential election looks like there is less than 70,000 votes in it. Next Exit poll at 23.00 Warsaw, but this is the closest election of the Third Republic, and underlines how polarised the country is right now.
Most people who arrive in the UK by small boat subsequently apply for asylum – around 94% of those who arrived between 2018 and the end of September 2024. Of those who received an initial decision, around 70% were granted protection, similar to the grant rate for all asylum applications.
That page, using ONS data, also gives about twice as many visa overstayers as asylum seekers.
Sir Keir simply must stop the boats. I have every confidence he can.
1) How? 2) Why?
I am surprised at how negative you are on this
I did ask you earlier what is Ed Davey's position on this and it would be far more helpful if you would suggest solutions rather than prevarication
How is multi facetted with some suggestions on here, but you ask why and to be honest maybe that shows your real attitude to the issue
Why is simply answered by it is not acceptable to the vast majority of voters in this county including Labour and maybe even Lib Dem supporters
I didn't see your comment earlier which is why I haven't answered. As I have said a few times, everyone wants the boat crossings to stop. We have a broadly positive view of migration because we know that our economy still relies on them.
I have suggested solutions - we need to work internationally to manage asylum, we need legal and safe routes to apply for asylum, and we need to actually process claims so that people aren't left in limbo for years. And where we have people sat waiting on a decision and they have skills we need, why aren't we letting them work? We've had examples of Syrian doctors sat festering for extended periods unable to work at the exact same time as we have shortages of staff.
But I am negative at the hopium / kill them all comments because they deserve to be negative.
Thank you for your response but the way immigration is presently perceived, it has to be reduced further than the recently reduced figure under Sunak of 431,000 though I agree that migrants should be allowed to work once they have made an application
However, we both know there are two immigration issues, legal and illegal, and the boats are a vivid example of illegal migration that is now in our media every day and is toxic for Starmer and labour
Of course we shouldn't be distracted by extreme views of sinking the boats etc, as this will not happen even if Reform were in government
Unfortunately, Starmer and Hermer are the wrong politicians at this time to resolve the issue, and I simply expect it to fester for a long time and not to labour's electoral advantage
Pochdale Rioneers is just beginning to understand that his party isn't even at the races on this issue, or frankly on much else that's gone wrong with the country. Sir Ed thinks being more Centrist Dad than Labour and then jumping in a pond is going to get them anywhere - No, it's not.
And yet we absolutely smashed it at the locals 😘
Reform = 677 councillors won in 2025 LDs = 370 councillors won in 2025
Con lost 674 seats Lab lost 187 seats
It's a two horse race!
Reform control 10 of the councils contested this year LDs control only 3.
Cons control none (lost control of 16!) Lab control none (lost control of 1)
It's a two horse race between Reform and LD. I'm not contesting that Reform is currently ahead. But they've peaked too soon in a very long race.
His video on Thursday, in which he intercepted fare-dodgers on the London Underground – “Do you want to go back and pay like everybody else?” – was the high point of his campaign so far. It was an instant classic in the art of the political stunt: simple, effective and watched by millions.
Personally, I thought he overdid the “country is going to the dogs” element. I think London is the best city in the world and the Tube network is great, but it does annoy me to see people take advantage of lax enforcement, tailgating or pushing through the barriers to travel without paying.
He struck a chord. He identified himself and his party with the message: the law-abiding majority shouldn’t pay for a rule-breaking minority.
Trying to come back in the polls by distancing ourselves from the sleaze of the Boris years, the very last thing the Conservatives need is an operator like Robert Jenrick.
Lettuce hope Farage doesn't let this lunatic into Reform.
That's at CPAC 2025.
I wonder if I should write to Mr Anderson advocating for Liz to be let into Reform .
I think Reform will let Liz Truss run. She is (sadly) fairly toxic politically, so if things were on a knife-edge they might not allow it as it would play into Labour attacks. But if they're way ahead, they'll be glad of her and just take any hit. She'd win her former sear easily. And she'd be one of fairly few Reform MPs with top level ministerial experience.
The Polish presidential election looks like there is less than 70,000 votes in it. Next Exit poll at 23.00 Warsaw, but this is the closest election of the Third Republic, and underlines how polarised the country is right now.
Latest exit poll showing Nawrocki ahead. Going to be a long night.
Interestingly the percentages on this poll are exactly opposite. Trzaskowski 49.3, Nawrocki 50.7
Ultimately neither Starmer or Hermer are going to do anything to recluse the ECHR or any other treaty as they are both human right lawyers who cannot imagine any challenge to the law, even though these laws are being questioned by many in Europe and not just on the right
It would go against everything Starmer has been trained to believe but ultimately it will be his downfall if he does not stop the boats
And I would just say to those arguing this is anti foreigner, it does not help your case as this is far from that but in most peoples eyes it is unfair and this is now even being expressed by Labour politicians who know they cannot make excuses anymore
Starmer is exactly the kind of person who could sell a revised refugee convention to a domestic and international audience. Generous, robust and sensible.
A bit like how the Conservatives did gay marriage.
You may be right but that would take years and he doesn't have years to stop the boats
And remarkably we are only a month away from Labour commencing their second year in office and owning their decisions
I don't think stopping the boats is possible - or at least not within a 5 year period. A significant reduction? Maybe.
But Labour can certainly make lots of cheap noise about it. Even a proposal would be valuable, particularly if they can challenge the French to sign up to it.
And this is why people think the political system is broken. Stopping the boats could easily be done in practical terms but with the way we're governed it becomes impossible.
"Could easily be done in practical terms" - really?
On the assumption you're not advocating violence and on the assumption you can't get the French and others to play ball and on the third assumption an offshore facility in (fill in the blank) wouldn't be ready for months if not years, I'd genuinely welcome hearing a practical and coherent solution.
What wrong with using violence to defend the integrity of our borders? Poland does it.
Just so I'm clear - are you advocating the physical interdiction of migrant craft by, presumably, the Royal Navy or Border Patrol? Once intercepted, the migrants are taken back to French waters irrespective of location.
Are you advocating something beyond even that? There's violence and there's something beyond violence.
If you announce beforehand that from now on, boats will not be allowed to make the crossing and you will use all necessary means to prevent then, how long do you think it would be before they stop?
But that would be a lie and everyone would know it. No UK government (even a Reform one) is going to take 'all means necessary ' if that means torpedoing boat loads of migrants or fighting the French navy to drop them back at Calais.
It has to not be a lie. As for "no UK government" doing it, that's more evidence that we have a broken state that has forgotten what's its primary purpose is.
Quite apart from anything else, I'm not sure the Navy would obey an order to open fire on unarmed civilians.
In the middle of the Sunk Johnson Government (sorry), they were asked and rejected even "pushing back". They told Priti Patel to take a running jump.
They should have been told to go fuck themselves. Since when has the Navy dictated what it wants to do?
Since it was established that "only obeying orders" wasn't a valid defence?
God help us when we need them to *actually* do anything, the useless shower.
Yes they'll be totally unprepared for when we *actually* need them to intentionally drown civilians.
A politicised paramilitary force to do the government's bidding - yes, there will be volunteers - is precisely where we'll end up one day if regular government departments refuse to enact the policies of the elected administration of the day.
Let's hope it never comes to that.
Ah another outing of the Leon 'If you don't collude in bad thing happening then really bad thing will happen' argument. Saying that the military needs to intentionally kill unarmed civilians otherwise a paramilitary group will do it for them isn't a very good policy proposal.
The Polish presidential election looks like there is less than 70,000 votes in it. Next Exit poll at 23.00 Warsaw, but this is the closest election of the Third Republic, and underlines how polarised the country is right now.
Latest exit poll showing Nawrocki ahead. Going to be a long night
The Polish presidential election looks like there is less than 70,000 votes in it. Next Exit poll at 23.00 Warsaw, but this is the closest election of the Third Republic, and underlines how polarised the country is right now.
Latest exit poll showing Nawrocki ahead. Going to be a long night.
Interestingly the percentages on this poll are exactly opposite. Trzaskowski 49.3, Nawrocki 50.7
I think they are the original exit poll percentages. Trzaskowski 49.3
The Polish presidential election looks like there is less than 70,000 votes in it. Next Exit poll at 23.00 Warsaw, but this is the closest election of the Third Republic, and underlines how polarised the country is right now.
Latest exit poll showing Nawrocki ahead. Going to be a long night.
Interestingly the percentages on this poll are exactly opposite. Trzaskowski 49.3, Nawrocki 50.7
I thin they are the original exit poll percentages
The letter tries to suggest it will be done professionally, but the fact it is issued from the national leadership of Reform means it will have to be backed up by communication from those within the council leadership, as the national party don't have authority over a council run by their local party.
The Polish presidential election looks like there is less than 70,000 votes in it. Next Exit poll at 23.00 Warsaw, but this is the closest election of the Third Republic, and underlines how polarised the country is right now.
Latest exit poll showing Nawrocki ahead. Going to be a long night
With 50.7%.
I think he's got this.
This is really tight. Might not get a final result until mid morning, but looking bad for Trzaskowski
The Polish presidential election looks like there is less than 70,000 votes in it. Next Exit poll at 23.00 Warsaw, but this is the closest election of the Third Republic, and underlines how polarised the country is right now.
Latest exit poll showing Nawrocki ahead. Going to be a long night.
Interestingly the percentages on this poll are exactly opposite. Trzaskowski 49.3, Nawrocki 50.7
I thin they are the original exit poll percentages
The letter tries to suggest it will be done professionally, but the fact it is issued from the national leadership of Reform means it will have to be backed up by communication from those within the council leadership, as the national party don't have authority over a council run by their local party.
It is signed by the leader of Kent County Council.
The Polish presidential election looks like there is less than 70,000 votes in it. Next Exit poll at 23.00 Warsaw, but this is the closest election of the Third Republic, and underlines how polarised the country is right now.
Latest exit poll showing Nawrocki ahead. Going to be a long night.
Interestingly the percentages on this poll are exactly opposite. Trzaskowski 49.3, Nawrocki 50.7
I thin they are the original exit poll percentages
No, this is the second poll. Nawrocki ahead
Kellner's Law strikes again...
My mates in Warsaw say that it may come down to overseas votes... in which case it really will be a long count. Anyway its gone midnight here and a school night, so time for bed, alas.
The letter tries to suggest it will be done professionally, but the fact it is issued from the national leadership of Reform means it will have to be backed up by communication from those within the council leadership, as the national party don't have authority over a council run by their local party.
It is signed by the leader of Kent County Council.
OK. And headed on party rather than KCC notepaper?
Ultimately neither Starmer or Hermer are going to do anything to recluse the ECHR or any other treaty as they are both human right lawyers who cannot imagine any challenge to the law, even though these laws are being questioned by many in Europe and not just on the right
It would go against everything Starmer has been trained to believe but ultimately it will be his downfall if he does not stop the boats
And I would just say to those arguing this is anti foreigner, it does not help your case as this is far from that but in most peoples eyes it is unfair and this is now even being expressed by Labour politicians who know they cannot make excuses anymore
Starmer is exactly the kind of person who could sell a revised refugee convention to a domestic and international audience. Generous, robust and sensible.
A bit like how the Conservatives did gay marriage.
You may be right but that would take years and he doesn't have years to stop the boats
And remarkably we are only a month away from Labour commencing their second year in office and owning their decisions
I don't think stopping the boats is possible - or at least not within a 5 year period. A significant reduction? Maybe.
But Labour can certainly make lots of cheap noise about it. Even a proposal would be valuable, particularly if they can challenge the French to sign up to it.
And this is why people think the political system is broken. Stopping the boats could easily be done in practical terms but with the way we're governed it becomes impossible.
"Could easily be done in practical terms" - really?
On the assumption you're not advocating violence and on the assumption you can't get the French and others to play ball and on the third assumption an offshore facility in (fill in the blank) wouldn't be ready for months if not years, I'd genuinely welcome hearing a practical and coherent solution.
What wrong with using violence to defend the integrity of our borders? Poland does it.
Just so I'm clear - are you advocating the physical interdiction of migrant craft by, presumably, the Royal Navy or Border Patrol? Once intercepted, the migrants are taken back to French waters irrespective of location.
Are you advocating something beyond even that? There's violence and there's something beyond violence.
If you announce beforehand that from now on, boats will not be allowed to make the crossing and you will use all necessary means to prevent then, how long do you think it would be before they stop?
But that would be a lie and everyone would know it. No UK government (even a Reform one) is going to take 'all means necessary ' if that means torpedoing boat loads of migrants or fighting the French navy to drop them back at Calais.
It has to not be a lie. As for "no UK government" doing it, that's more evidence that we have a broken state that has forgotten what's its primary purpose is.
Quite apart from anything else, I'm not sure the Navy would obey an order to open fire on unarmed civilians.
In the middle of the Sunk Johnson Government (sorry), they were asked and rejected even "pushing back". They told Priti Patel to take a running jump.
Ultimately neither Starmer or Hermer are going to do anything to recluse the ECHR or any other treaty as they are both human right lawyers who cannot imagine any challenge to the law, even though these laws are being questioned by many in Europe and not just on the right
It would go against everything Starmer has been trained to believe but ultimately it will be his downfall if he does not stop the boats
And I would just say to those arguing this is anti foreigner, it does not help your case as this is far from that but in most peoples eyes it is unfair and this is now even being expressed by Labour politicians who know they cannot make excuses anymore
Starmer is exactly the kind of person who could sell a revised refugee convention to a domestic and international audience. Generous, robust and sensible.
A bit like how the Conservatives did gay marriage.
You may be right but that would take years and he doesn't have years to stop the boats
And remarkably we are only a month away from Labour commencing their second year in office and owning their decisions
I don't think stopping the boats is possible - or at least not within a 5 year period. A significant reduction? Maybe.
But Labour can certainly make lots of cheap noise about it. Even a proposal would be valuable, particularly if they can challenge the French to sign up to it.
And this is why people think the political system is broken. Stopping the boats could easily be done in practical terms but with the way we're governed it becomes impossible.
"Could easily be done in practical terms" - really?
On the assumption you're not advocating violence and on the assumption you can't get the French and others to play ball and on the third assumption an offshore facility in (fill in the blank) wouldn't be ready for months if not years, I'd genuinely welcome hearing a practical and coherent solution.
What wrong with using violence to defend the integrity of our borders? Poland does it.
Just so I'm clear - are you advocating the physical interdiction of migrant craft by, presumably, the Royal Navy or Border Patrol? Once intercepted, the migrants are taken back to French waters irrespective of location.
Are you advocating something beyond even that? There's violence and there's something beyond violence.
If you announce beforehand that from now on, boats will not be allowed to make the crossing and you will use all necessary means to prevent then, how long do you think it would be before they stop?
But that would be a lie and everyone would know it. No UK government (even a Reform one) is going to take 'all means necessary ' if that means torpedoing boat loads of migrants or fighting the French navy to drop them back at Calais.
It has to not be a lie. As for "no UK government" doing it, that's more evidence that we have a broken state that has forgotten what's its primary purpose is.
Quite apart from anything else, I'm not sure the Navy would obey an order to open fire on unarmed civilians.
In the middle of the Sunk Johnson Government (sorry), they were asked and rejected even "pushing back". They told Priti Patel to take a running jump.
'While women voted for pro-European centrist Warsaw mayor Rafał Trzaskowski (54 to 46%), men sided with Karol Nawrocki by, erm, the same ratio.
When you look at the education levels, Trzaskowski came first among those with a bachelor degree or higher (63% to 37%), but Nawrocki won among all other groups.
And so on. In almost every single category, you have extremely polarising results.
Higher level executives? Trzaskowski win 65% to 35%. Company owners? Trzaskowski again, by 57% to 43%.
But farmers? 79% to 21% for Nawrocki. Employees? 68% to 32% for Nawrocki.
Sir Keir simply must stop the boats. I have every confidence he can.
1) How? 2) Why?
I am surprised at how negative you are on this
I did ask you earlier what is Ed Davey's position on this and it would be far more helpful if you would suggest solutions rather than prevarication
How is multi facetted with some suggestions on here, but you ask why and to be honest maybe that shows your real attitude to the issue
Why is simply answered by it is not acceptable to the vast majority of voters in this county including Labour and maybe even Lib Dem supporters
I didn't see your comment earlier which is why I haven't answered. As I have said a few times, everyone wants the boat crossings to stop. We have a broadly positive view of migration because we know that our economy still relies on them.
I have suggested solutions - we need to work internationally to manage asylum, we need legal and safe routes to apply for asylum, and we need to actually process claims so that people aren't left in limbo for years. And where we have people sat waiting on a decision and they have skills we need, why aren't we letting them work? We've had examples of Syrian doctors sat festering for extended periods unable to work at the exact same time as we have shortages of staff.
But I am negative at the hopium / kill them all comments because they deserve to be negative.
Thank you for your response but the way immigration is presently perceived, it has to be reduced further than the recently reduced figure under Sunak of 431,000 though I agree that migrants should be allowed to work once they have made an application
However, we both know there are two immigration issues, legal and illegal, and the boats are a vivid example of illegal migration that is now in our media every day and is toxic for Starmer and labour
Of course we shouldn't be distracted by extreme views of sinking the boats etc, as this will not happen even if Reform were in government
Unfortunately, Starmer and Hermer are the wrong politicians at this time to resolve the issue, and I simply expect it to fester for a long time and not to labour's electoral advantage
Pochdale Rioneers is just beginning to understand that his party isn't even at the races on this issue, or frankly on much else that's gone wrong with the country. Sir Ed thinks being more Centrist Dad than Labour and then jumping in a pond is going to get them anywhere - No, it's not.
And yet we absolutely smashed it at the locals 😘
Reform = 677 councillors won in 2025 LDs = 370 councillors won in 2025
Con lost 674 seats Lab lost 187 seats
It's a two horse race!
Reform control 10 of the councils contested this year LDs control only 3.
Cons control none (lost control of 16!) Lab control none (lost control of 1)
It's a two horse race between Reform and LD. I'm not contesting that Reform is currently ahead. But they've peaked too soon in a very long race.
Isn't saying Reform have peaked copium of the highest order until there's some sign of a top?
Ultimately neither Starmer or Hermer are going to do anything to recluse the ECHR or any other treaty as they are both human right lawyers who cannot imagine any challenge to the law, even though these laws are being questioned by many in Europe and not just on the right
It would go against everything Starmer has been trained to believe but ultimately it will be his downfall if he does not stop the boats
And I would just say to those arguing this is anti foreigner, it does not help your case as this is far from that but in most peoples eyes it is unfair and this is now even being expressed by Labour politicians who know they cannot make excuses anymore
Starmer is exactly the kind of person who could sell a revised refugee convention to a domestic and international audience. Generous, robust and sensible.
A bit like how the Conservatives did gay marriage.
You may be right but that would take years and he doesn't have years to stop the boats
And remarkably we are only a month away from Labour commencing their second year in office and owning their decisions
I don't think stopping the boats is possible - or at least not within a 5 year period. A significant reduction? Maybe.
But Labour can certainly make lots of cheap noise about it. Even a proposal would be valuable, particularly if they can challenge the French to sign up to it.
And this is why people think the political system is broken. Stopping the boats could easily be done in practical terms but with the way we're governed it becomes impossible.
"Could easily be done in practical terms" - really?
On the assumption you're not advocating violence and on the assumption you can't get the French and others to play ball and on the third assumption an offshore facility in (fill in the blank) wouldn't be ready for months if not years, I'd genuinely welcome hearing a practical and coherent solution.
What wrong with using violence to defend the integrity of our borders? Poland does it.
Just so I'm clear - are you advocating the physical interdiction of migrant craft by, presumably, the Royal Navy or Border Patrol? Once intercepted, the migrants are taken back to French waters irrespective of location.
Are you advocating something beyond even that? There's violence and there's something beyond violence.
If you announce beforehand that from now on, boats will not be allowed to make the crossing and you will use all necessary means to prevent then, how long do you think it would be before they stop?
But that would be a lie and everyone would know it. No UK government (even a Reform one) is going to take 'all means necessary ' if that means torpedoing boat loads of migrants or fighting the French navy to drop them back at Calais.
It has to not be a lie. As for "no UK government" doing it, that's more evidence that we have a broken state that has forgotten what's its primary purpose is.
Quite apart from anything else, I'm not sure the Navy would obey an order to open fire on unarmed civilians.
In the middle of the Sunk Johnson Government (sorry), they were asked and rejected even "pushing back". They told Priti Patel to take a running jump.
They should have been told to go fuck themselves. Since when has the Navy dictated what it wants to do?
Since it was established that "only obeying orders" wasn't a valid defence?
God help us when we need them to *actually* do anything, the useless shower.
Yes they'll be totally unprepared for when we *actually* need them to intentionally drown civilians.
A politicised paramilitary force to do the government's bidding - yes, there will be volunteers - is precisely where we'll end up one day if regular government departments refuse to enact the policies of the elected administration of the day.
Let's hope it never comes to that.
Ah another outing of the Leon 'If you don't collude in bad thing happening then really bad thing will happen' argument. Saying that the military needs to intentionally kill unarmed civilians otherwise a paramilitary group will do it for them isn't a very good policy proposal.
Casino's standing back and standing by.
On the boats are genuine asylum seekers, where, dumbly playing into the hands of the gangs, UK made it impossible to make asylum claim anywhere but on UK soil. Also in the boats are genuine 100% economic migrants. But also in the boats are people who aren’t either, not exactly fleeing persecution, but escape from where there just isn’t work and the whole way of life controlled by horrible gangs and militia. You can want tight immigration system, caps, rules, and cross at politicians who promise that but deliver million a year migration with rules easily ignored - but you can’t feel hatred for the people in the boats and wish harm on them. Too many people have lost their moral compass and embarrassing themselves.
Well unlike Trzaskowski (what a complete tool to do a victory speech on an exit poll result of 50.3% ! Dear oh dear) I won't claim a correct prediction yet, but I hope one or two people managed to hop onto the betting tip that I posted on Friday.
I'm sure Sunil managed to sneak down to William Hill when his Mum wan't looking
'While women voted for pro-European centrist Warsaw mayor Rafał Trzaskowski (54 to 46%), men sided with Karol Nawrocki by, erm, the same ratio.
When you look at the education levels, Trzaskowski came first among those with a bachelor degree or higher (63% to 37%), but Nawrocki won among all other groups.
And so on. In almost every single category, you have extremely polarising results.
Higher level executives? Trzaskowski win 65% to 35%. Company owners? Trzaskowski again, by 57% to 43%.
But farmers? 79% to 21% for Nawrocki. Employees? 68% to 32% for Nawrocki.
Love to know who is going to pay them because it can't be Kent County Council - there would need to follow a procuement process that that group definitely wouldn't meet the criteria to enter a bid.
Love to know who is going to pay them because it can't be Kent County Council - there would need to follow a procuement process that that group definitely wouldn't meet the criteria to enter a bid.
They are doing it for free apparently as they are "patriots".
I assume this was discussed earlier but I don't have much time today to go through the threads.
I built something very similar to today's amusements in 2013 but it lifted a big camera instead of a small bomb. The potential bad actor uses were entirely obvious.
Today not many use such things for mapping because DJI is so cheap and easy but if you want to go rogue and run in "Failsafe" mode without a controller...then away you go.
If the security services weren't quite having kittens earlier, they certainly are now.
The technology is available to everyone for barely more than pennies.
Have to admire the audacity to actually do it from inside Russia, though.
Ultimately neither Starmer or Hermer are going to do anything to recluse the ECHR or any other treaty as they are both human right lawyers who cannot imagine any challenge to the law, even though these laws are being questioned by many in Europe and not just on the right
It would go against everything Starmer has been trained to believe but ultimately it will be his downfall if he does not stop the boats
And I would just say to those arguing this is anti foreigner, it does not help your case as this is far from that but in most peoples eyes it is unfair and this is now even being expressed by Labour politicians who know they cannot make excuses anymore
Starmer is exactly the kind of person who could sell a revised refugee convention to a domestic and international audience. Generous, robust and sensible.
A bit like how the Conservatives did gay marriage.
You may be right but that would take years and he doesn't have years to stop the boats
And remarkably we are only a month away from Labour commencing their second year in office and owning their decisions
I don't think stopping the boats is possible - or at least not within a 5 year period. A significant reduction? Maybe.
But Labour can certainly make lots of cheap noise about it. Even a proposal would be valuable, particularly if they can challenge the French to sign up to it.
And this is why people think the political system is broken. Stopping the boats could easily be done in practical terms but with the way we're governed it becomes impossible.
"Could easily be done in practical terms" - really?
On the assumption you're not advocating violence and on the assumption you can't get the French and others to play ball and on the third assumption an offshore facility in (fill in the blank) wouldn't be ready for months if not years, I'd genuinely welcome hearing a practical and coherent solution.
What wrong with using violence to defend the integrity of our borders? Poland does it.
Just so I'm clear - are you advocating the physical interdiction of migrant craft by, presumably, the Royal Navy or Border Patrol? Once intercepted, the migrants are taken back to French waters irrespective of location.
Are you advocating something beyond even that? There's violence and there's something beyond violence.
If you announce beforehand that from now on, boats will not be allowed to make the crossing and you will use all necessary means to prevent then, how long do you think it would be before they stop?
But that would be a lie and everyone would know it. No UK government (even a Reform one) is going to take 'all means necessary ' if that means torpedoing boat loads of migrants or fighting the French navy to drop them back at Calais.
It has to not be a lie. As for "no UK government" doing it, that's more evidence that we have a broken state that has forgotten what's its primary purpose is.
Quite apart from anything else, I'm not sure the Navy would obey an order to open fire on unarmed civilians.
In the middle of the Sunk Johnson Government (sorry), they were asked and rejected even "pushing back". They told Priti Patel to take a running jump.
Love to know who is going to pay them because it can't be Kent County Council - there would need to follow a procuement process that that group definitely wouldn't meet the criteria to enter a bid.
They are doing it for free apparently as they are "patriots".
In which case their advice is going to be biased and completely worthless...
Love to know who is going to pay them because it can't be Kent County Council - there would need to follow a procuement process that that group definitely wouldn't meet the criteria to enter a bid.
They are doing it for free apparently as they are "patriots".
In which case their advice is going to be biased and completely worthless...
Interesting. Why would it necessarily be biased? I mean patriotism could be a sign of putting emotional feelings above reality or it could just be people wanting to do the best for their country.
Sir Keir simply must stop the boats. I have every confidence he can.
1) How? 2) Why?
I am surprised at how negative you are on this
I did ask you earlier what is Ed Davey's position on this and it would be far more helpful if you would suggest solutions rather than prevarication
How is multi facetted with some suggestions on here, but you ask why and to be honest maybe that shows your real attitude to the issue
Why is simply answered by it is not acceptable to the vast majority of voters in this county including Labour and maybe even Lib Dem supporters
I didn't see your comment earlier which is why I haven't answered. As I have said a few times, everyone wants the boat crossings to stop. We have a broadly positive view of migration because we know that our economy still relies on them.
I have suggested solutions - we need to work internationally to manage asylum, we need legal and safe routes to apply for asylum, and we need to actually process claims so that people aren't left in limbo for years. And where we have people sat waiting on a decision and they have skills we need, why aren't we letting them work? We've had examples of Syrian doctors sat festering for extended periods unable to work at the exact same time as we have shortages of staff.
But I am negative at the hopium / kill them all comments because they deserve to be negative.
Thank you for your response but the way immigration is presently perceived, it has to be reduced further than the recently reduced figure under Sunak of 431,000 though I agree that migrants should be allowed to work once they have made an application
However, we both know there are two immigration issues, legal and illegal, and the boats are a vivid example of illegal migration that is now in our media every day and is toxic for Starmer and labour
Of course we shouldn't be distracted by extreme views of sinking the boats etc, as this will not happen even if Reform were in government
Unfortunately, Starmer and Hermer are the wrong politicians at this time to resolve the issue, and I simply expect it to fester for a long time and not to labour's electoral advantage
Pochdale Rioneers is just beginning to understand that his party isn't even at the races on this issue, or frankly on much else that's gone wrong with the country. Sir Ed thinks being more Centrist Dad than Labour and then jumping in a pond is going to get them anywhere - No, it's not.
And yet we absolutely smashed it at the locals 😘
Reform = 677 councillors won in 2025 LDs = 370 councillors won in 2025
Con lost 674 seats Lab lost 187 seats
It's a two horse race!
Reform control 10 of the councils contested this year LDs control only 3.
Cons control none (lost control of 16!) Lab control none (lost control of 1)
It's a two horse race between Reform and LD. I'm not contesting that Reform is currently ahead. But they've peaked too soon in a very long race.
Isn't saying Reform have peaked copium of the highest order until there's some sign of a top?
I should have said they are peaking too soon. I don't know when the peak will come but I believe it will be well before the next GE.
I'm using the LD experience in early 2010, leading by 34%. And Change UK outpolling the LDs in early 2019. And the rapid change in T May's polls in 2017 as she called the GE and lost her majority. And the impact of Trump in coming months. These all inform my belief in a change in the Reform weather. But you may be right and it is wishful thinking. Time will tell. I'm quite humble after my Harris fiasco.
Love to know who is going to pay them because it can't be Kent County Council - there would need to follow a procuement process that that group definitely wouldn't meet the criteria to enter a bid.
They are doing it for free apparently as they are "patriots".
In which case their advice is going to be biased and completely worthless...
This sneering session with no actual material to sneer about is most unbecoming.
Love to know who is going to pay them because it can't be Kent County Council - there would need to follow a procuement process that that group definitely wouldn't meet the criteria to enter a bid.
They are doing it for free apparently as they are "patriots".
In which case their advice is going to be biased and completely worthless...
So, just like the original DOGE which they claim needs to be copied and applied to our county councils.
Whatever Imane Khelif's gender, she was raised as a woman, because that's what she looks like. She deserves sympathy, not to be made part of a culture war.
Love to know who is going to pay them because it can't be Kent County Council - there would need to follow a procuement process that that group definitely wouldn't meet the criteria to enter a bid.
They are doing it for free apparently as they are "patriots".
In which case their advice is going to be biased and completely worthless...
This sneering session with no actual material to sneer about is most unbecoming.
So tell me what world class software engineers have to do with auditing what work is done - it's a set of buzz words designed to make it look like something clever is being done - when reality is it's designed to provide cover to bin some people.
Problem is I'm not sure what it will be as I know council budgets and it's 95% required spending with very little left for discretionary spending.
Whatever Imane Khelif's gender, she was raised as a woman, because that's what she looks like. She deserves sympathy, not to be made part of a culture war.
The letter tries to suggest it will be done professionally, but the fact it is issued from the national leadership of Reform means it will have to be backed up by communication from those within the council leadership, as the national party don't have authority over a council run by their local party.
One of the mysteries of Reform. Is it trying to grow into a political party, with multiple capable people having independent ideas, or is it still Farage + franchisees?
If the leadership of Kent County Council wish to do this, best of luck to them. There are various commercial and personnel confidentiality things that really ought to be sorted first, but best of luck to them in finding savings.
But it has not much to do with Farage (an MP in Essex), yet alone Yusuf (an unelected rich bloke who seems to have the hots for Elon Musk).
Stunts like this letter point towards Farage still being a gadfly, not a PM in waiting.
Whatever Imane Khelif's gender, she was raised as a woman, because that's what she looks like. She deserves sympathy, not to be made part of a culture war.
I look more feminine than this.
She was born and raised in Algeria. Why would her parents engage in a conspiracy where they would pretend that she wasn't born a man, but actually a woman in a society where the major belief system is Islam, which I think I'm right in saying is considered by a lot of people of favouring Men over Women?
Wouldn't these people need to have legal contracts for any transactions they have with Kent CC ?
There are all sort of professional duty of care issues involved.
Yes. Also VB checks, which I think are needed for each organisation - maybe dependent on contractual arrangements.
If they try to do it all illegally, Trump-Musk style, that will be huge collateral damage for Reform.
But I think they know that.
They already seemed to have issued a threat to senior membership of allow us to do this or we will fire you.
I wonder if any of the senior management are approaching retirement and would like a nice payoff or an easily won employment tribunal with a large payoff...
Whatever Imane Khelif's gender, she was raised as a woman, because that's what she looks like. She deserves sympathy, not to be made part of a culture war.
Whatever Imane Khelif's gender, she was raised as a woman, because that's what she looks like. She deserves sympathy, not to be made part of a culture war.
The nine women who won their bouts against Khelif must feel pretty stoked.
Whatever Imane Khelif's gender, she was raised as a woman, because that's what she looks like. She deserves sympathy, not to be made part of a culture war.
I look more feminine than this.
She was born and raised in Algeria. Why would her parents engage in a conspiracy where they would pretend that she wasn't born a man, but actually a woman in a society where the major belief system is Islam, which I think I'm right in saying is considered by a lot of people of favouring Men over Women?
I cannot say; I am not Algerian. Perhaps they were told Imane could never father a child? Who knows?
I’m putting it on my list of potential holiday places. You’re the second recommendation this week!
It’s not mind blowing but it is rather pleasant and tranquil and makes an unusual change. The people are a nice mix of German calm and efficiency but with some more charm and humour but without French hauteur
I guess being insanely rich adds to national gaiety
Also it’s NOT expensive as far as I can see. They may have gdp per capita way higher than Switzerland but bars and restaurants are about French prices
We are off tomorrow for a week in Germany (Bad Kreuznach), Switzerland (Leysin) and France (Epernay). Any hints and tips welcome. How much more expensive is Switzerland than Germany and France?
Switzerland is v expensive but there are ways you can save money. If you do more than minimal travel invest in one of the passes. Also cafeterias in supermarkets and station buffets etc can do very acceptable dish of the day plus salad. Used to be about 15F, probably hasn't changed much. Thing about Switzerland, basic standards are high. You don't need to go upscale.
I agree. In my experience Switzerland is all the same standard food wise
Unless you’re actually going Michelin 3 star it will all be ok to quite pleasant but unexceptional, so there’s zero point in paying for posh
What is worth paying for is a view. Eating besides glittering lake Lucerne or Lugano is wonderful. But you might as well eat a burger as you gaze
Another way around insane Swiss prices is supermarkets. They are very good and full of great cheese and bread and charcuterie. You can’t move for brilliant picnic spots in Switzerland so why not stock up on picnic stuff and a bottle of wine and head for the hills over looking a sunlit waterfall that tumbles to an alpine lake
THAT is bliss and will cost you a quarter what you’d pay in a restaurant. And you won’t ever forget it
Last time I was in Geneva I had a 'Hello Kitty' rucksack with me (no - don't ask). The waitress in the Japanese restaurant near my hotel was very excited by it and arranged a massive discount on my bill.
Almost made up for being in Geneva.
lol
The only good thing about Geneva is CERN. Which is genuinely amazing
The rest is meh, and scrotum-tighteningly expensive meh
Tbf to Switzerland it soon improves as you move away from the city
Did the train from Geneva Airport to Geneva (free ride, at least it was back in 2014), and also the train from Geneva to Lausanne and on to Montreux.
In 2009 and 2010, I did back to back rail trips from Zurich Airport to Zurich and on to Chur in the east of the country.
Have booked the Bernina and Glacier expresses for this summer. On adjacent days, which isn't ideal, but Chur didn't look worth a two-night layover.
Here’s a photo taken along the route of the Bernina, just a few days over a year ago
I’m putting it on my list of potential holiday places. You’re the second recommendation this week!
It’s not mind blowing but it is rather pleasant and tranquil and makes an unusual change. The people are a nice mix of German calm and efficiency but with some more charm and humour but without French hauteur
I guess being insanely rich adds to national gaiety
Also it’s NOT expensive as far as I can see. They may have gdp per capita way higher than Switzerland but bars and restaurants are about French prices
We are off tomorrow for a week in Germany (Bad Kreuznach), Switzerland (Leysin) and France (Epernay). Any hints and tips welcome. How much more expensive is Switzerland than Germany and France?
Switzerland is v expensive but there are ways you can save money. If you do more than minimal travel invest in one of the passes. Also cafeterias in supermarkets and station buffets etc can do very acceptable dish of the day plus salad. Used to be about 15F, probably hasn't changed much. Thing about Switzerland, basic standards are high. You don't need to go upscale.
I agree. In my experience Switzerland is all the same standard food wise
Unless you’re actually going Michelin 3 star it will all be ok to quite pleasant but unexceptional, so there’s zero point in paying for posh
What is worth paying for is a view. Eating besides glittering lake Lucerne or Lugano is wonderful. But you might as well eat a burger as you gaze
Another way around insane Swiss prices is supermarkets. They are very good and full of great cheese and bread and charcuterie. You can’t move for brilliant picnic spots in Switzerland so why not stock up on picnic stuff and a bottle of wine and head for the hills over looking a sunlit waterfall that tumbles to an alpine lake
THAT is bliss and will cost you a quarter what you’d pay in a restaurant. And you won’t ever forget it
Last time I was in Geneva I had a 'Hello Kitty' rucksack with me (no - don't ask). The waitress in the Japanese restaurant near my hotel was very excited by it and arranged a massive discount on my bill.
Almost made up for being in Geneva.
lol
The only good thing about Geneva is CERN. Which is genuinely amazing
The rest is meh, and scrotum-tighteningly expensive meh
Tbf to Switzerland it soon improves as you move away from the city
Did the train from Geneva Airport to Geneva (free ride, at least it was back in 2014), and also the train from Geneva to Lausanne and on to Montreux.
In 2009 and 2010, I did back to back rail trips from Zurich Airport to Zurich and on to Chur in the east of the country.
Have booked the Bernina and Glacier expresses for this summer. On adjacent days, which isn't ideal, but Chur didn't look worth a two-night layover.
Here’s a photo taken along the route of the Bernina, almost a year ago
Lovely! Apparently they should be done twice in a lifetime: once in Summer and once in Winter. Winter at least will be cheaper for Hotels, at least in non-Ski parts of the country.
The review will look at contractual arrangements with suppliers and consultants, all capital expenditure, any off-book or contingent liabilities, the use of reserves and financial resilience, and any problems flagged by internal or external auditors in the last three years.
So it's going to try to access commercially sensitive data and then open a whole can of worms which will likely reveal that the council management is performing miracles keeping things going.
I suspect Reform are going to be spending next year trying to explain why council tax is going up 10%...
The review will look at contractual arrangements with suppliers and consultants, all capital expenditure, any off-book or contingent liabilities, the use of reserves and financial resilience, and any problems flagged by internal or external auditors in the last three years.
So it's going to try to access commercially sensitive data and then open a whole can of worms which will likely reveal that the council management is performing miracles keeping things going.
I suspect Reform are going to be spending next year trying to explain why council tax is going up 10%...
I would imagine it's bull in a china shop nonsense.
Having said that, if councils are spending 90% of their money on mandatory programs, even 1% saved gives 10%-ish increase in spending on the non-mandatory stuff.
A man hurled Molotov cocktails at a pro-Israel hostage protest in Boulder, Colorado, setting multiple people on fire in what the FBI is calling a targeted terror attack.
Comments
I wonder if I should write to Mr Anderson advocating for Liz to be let into Reform
#Starmergeddon
https://x.com/ramonagusta/status/1929176823893475783?s=46&t=CW4pL-mMpTqsJXCdjW0Z6Q
A future regime must properly investigate the likes of Hermer. Many lawyers work with our enemies to destroy the country and should be disbarred and/or jailed.
See my blog for the lawyers in London who work with *active terrorists on the run from JSOC* in Afghan/PAK and get paid MILLIONS by the UK government to do so!!!
The Cabinet Office has gone to great lengths to classify details, and keep legal cases secret, to hide the shocking truth and stop the ECHR role being exposed. With Hermer as AG, millions more of taxpayers money will be transferred to Range Rovers for lawyers in return for advancing the interests of terrorists
https://x.com/dominic2306/status/1929247165555015839?s=46&t=CW4pL-mMpTqsJXCdjW0Z6Q
1% counted after 98 mins with only two candidates feels very slow to me, Romania looked a lot quicker.
Time for that walk.
Lets have a little thought experiment.
If instead of a few thousand each week this summer they came over in a really big group.
Perhaps 50k or even a 100k.
And openly announced they were coming to settle and would each take £50k a year from the people of Britain.
Would you say that would be enough to justify force to stop them landing ?
LDs control only 3.
#OneTrackMind
https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-lost-art-of-getting-lost
His video on Thursday, in which he intercepted fare-dodgers on the London Underground – “Do you want to go back and pay like everybody else?” – was the high point of his campaign so far. It was an instant classic in the art of the political stunt: simple, effective and watched by millions.
Personally, I thought he overdid the “country is going to the dogs” element. I think London is the best city in the world and the Tube network is great, but it does annoy me to see people take advantage of lax enforcement, tailgating or pushing through the barriers to travel without paying.
He struck a chord. He identified himself and his party with the message: the law-abiding majority shouldn’t pay for a rule-breaking minority.
https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/robert-jenrick-faredodger-tfl-tube-b2761240.html
Dame Andrea Jenkyns 🇬🇧
@andreajenkyns
·
50m
DOGE Lincolnshire coming soon. We are going to root out wastage and ensure your hard earned cash is not wasted. Its time to save local taxpayers money.
https://x.com/andreajenkyns/status/1929263745068396749
https://x.com/suffragent_/status/1929117262146847088?s=46&t=CW4pL-mMpTqsJXCdjW0Z6Q
The fact that she's referring to it as DOGE suggests that it will not be competent.
She needs to get out of the echo chamber rather than trying to be a pound shop Trumpite wannabe.
Credit to @alanabrahamson. Puts significant pressure on IOC to explain why it regards the tests as ‘not legitimate’
https://x.com/oliverbrown_tel/status/1929245121561706985?s=46&t=CW4pL-mMpTqsJXCdjW0Z6Q
All good news for Le Pen
@ZiaYusufUK
Reform’s UK DOGE has been formed.
It’s a team of world class software engineers, data analysts and forensic auditors, working for free.
They’ll identify and help eliminate wasteful spending
They arrive at Kent Council tomorrow, and we respectfully make the following request:
https://x.com/ZiaYusufUK/status/1929248578951618591
Lab control none (lost control of 1)
It's a two horse race between Reform and LD.
I'm not contesting that Reform is currently ahead.
But they've peaked too soon in a very long race.
https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/article/comment/robert-jenrick-affair-has-potential-do-lasting-damage-government
Trying to come back in the polls by distancing ourselves from the sleaze of the Boris years, the very last thing the Conservatives need is an operator like Robert Jenrick.
'We have lost control' headline
https://www.tomorrowspapers.co.uk/metro-front-page-2025-06-02/
Interestingly the percentages on this poll are exactly opposite. Trzaskowski 49.3, Nawrocki 50.7
I think he's got this.
No kidding.
Why on earth would the Ukrainians be stupid enough to tell this White House about such an operation?
@SecRubio
spoke with Russian FM Lavrov, at Russia’s request, says
@statedeptspox
.
The statement says "Rubio reiterated President Trump’s call for continued direct talks between Russia and Ukraine to achieve a lasting peace".
https://x.com/HibaNasr/status/1929285320798867491
https://bsky.app/profile/justinling.ca/post/3lqkignt5ek2i
When you look at the education levels, Trzaskowski came first among those with a bachelor degree or higher (63% to 37%), but Nawrocki won among all other groups.
And so on. In almost every single category, you have extremely polarising results.
Higher level executives? Trzaskowski win 65% to 35%. Company owners? Trzaskowski again, by 57% to 43%.
But farmers? 79% to 21% for Nawrocki. Employees? 68% to 32% for Nawrocki.
Finally, in the buildup to the vote, there was a lot of chat about vote transfers from other candidates, particularly the libertarian far-right candidate Sławomir Mentzen who came third in the first round, with 13.47% of the both.'
https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2025/jun/01/polls-set-to-close-in-tight-presidential-race-in-poland-live
Just come across this. Richard Hermer AG appears to have paid a visit to a rather interesting Mosque in Liverpool.
https://x.com/habibi_uk/status/1929183770239730032
It doesn't appear that the Labour party has been properly decorbynised.
There are all sort of professional duty of care issues involved.
Poland, late exit poll
TOO CLOSE TO CALL
🚨 PLOT TWIST KLAXON 🚨
Ipsos/TVP, TVN, Polsat
Karol Nawrocki 50.7%
Rafał Trzaskowski 49.3%
https://x.com/JakubKrupa/status/1929286589168906265
@JohnRentoul
Flows of support for parties since the election, via
@markpack
https://open.substack.com/pub/theweekinpolls/p/strengths-and-weaknesses-of-reforms?r=37ywu&utm_medium=ios
https://x.com/JohnRentoul/status/1929280627087380553
You can want tight immigration system, caps, rules, and cross at politicians who promise that but deliver million a year migration with rules easily ignored - but you can’t feel hatred for the people in the boats and wish harm on them.
Too many people have lost their moral compass and embarrassing themselves.
I'm sure Sunil managed to sneak down to William Hill when his Mum wan't looking
https://ardupilot.org/planner/
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005008007419041.html
I assume this was discussed earlier but I don't have much time today to go through the threads.
I built something very similar to today's amusements in 2013 but it lifted a big camera instead of a small bomb. The potential bad actor uses were entirely obvious.
Today not many use such things for mapping because DJI is so cheap and easy but if you want to go rogue and run in "Failsafe" mode without a controller...then away you go.
If the security services weren't quite having kittens earlier, they certainly are now.
The technology is available to everyone for barely more than pennies.
Have to admire the audacity to actually do it from inside Russia, though.
I'm using the LD experience in early 2010, leading by 34%.
And Change UK outpolling the LDs in early 2019.
And the rapid change in T May's polls in 2017 as she called the GE and lost her majority.
And the impact of Trump in coming months.
These all inform my belief in a change in the Reform weather.
But you may be right and it is wishful thinking.
Time will tell.
I'm quite humble after my Harris fiasco.
The Sun: Liz Truss flogging whiskey for ex-con in Scunthorpe
https://bsky.app/profile/sgfmann.bsky.social/post/3lql6sgnoc224
Problem is I'm not sure what it will be as I know council budgets and it's 95% required spending with very little left for discretionary spending.
I look more feminine than this.
If they try to do it all illegally, Trump-Musk style, that will be huge collateral damage for Reform.
But I think they know that.
If the leadership of Kent County Council wish to do this, best of luck to them. There are various commercial and personnel confidentiality things that really ought to be sorted first, but best of luck to them in finding savings.
But it has not much to do with Farage (an MP in Essex), yet alone Yusuf (an unelected rich bloke who seems to have the hots for Elon Musk).
Stunts like this letter point towards Farage still being a gadfly, not a PM in waiting.
I wonder if any of the senior management are approaching retirement and would like a nice payoff or an easily won employment tribunal with a large payoff...
👀
A stunt as old as time.
The review will look at contractual arrangements with suppliers and consultants, all capital expenditure, any off-book or contingent liabilities, the use of reserves and financial resilience, and any problems flagged by internal or external auditors in the last three years.
So it's going to try to access commercially sensitive data and then open a whole can of worms which will likely reveal that the council management is performing miracles keeping things going.
I suspect Reform are going to be spending next year trying to explain why council tax is going up 10%...
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cjdx44kx5zxt
BBC has a live page, so presumably serious.
Having said that, if councils are spending 90% of their money on mandatory programs, even 1% saved gives 10%-ish increase in spending on the non-mandatory stuff.
A man hurled Molotov cocktails at a pro-Israel hostage protest in Boulder, Colorado, setting multiple people on fire in what the FBI is calling a targeted terror attack.