A united Ireland, a matter when not if? – politicalbetting.com

Leon said:

david_herdson said:

HYUFD said:

RochdalePioneers said:

TOPPING said:

DecrepiterJohnL said:

Boris Johnson's comeback? Why rumours of his return are growing | Political Currency Podcast
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPxGf6plvAo

Ten minutes of George Osborne and Ed Balls discussing the politics and logistics of Boris and Jenrick.

Senior Cameroon Tories are not dismissing it out of hand and acknowledging that he would likely pull the party together, while being popular with large parts of the electorate. More in sorrow than anger but it is on the table for discussion, if not quite implementation. Yet.

Boris Johnson returning to lead the Tories would be a glorious victory for anyone wanting to see the formerly Conservative and formerly Unionist Party finally reduced to rump status.

Tony Blair - a political titan of his age. Completely reshaped his party and won three elections with two of them landslides. Not brought back as leader despite the decline after he stepped down.
Margaret Thatcher - a political titan of several ages. Completely reshaped her party and won three elections with two of them landslides. Not brought back as leader despite the decline after she stepped down.

Boris Johnson - the self-titled World King. Bolloxed up Brexit by accidentally winning it (crumbs!), reduced his party to a minority by sacking his own MPs as not being Conservative enough (including Ken Clarke and Churchill's grandson - cripes!). Won an election with a chunky majority and then proceeded to not actually have a plan for what to do in government. Hounded out of office for one scandal too far.

If they bring him back then they truly are finished. Do it. DO IT!

Crap. Boris is the only Tory leader option who beats Reform and Labour in the recent MoreinCommon poll.

When Thatcher or Blair left neither the Conservatives or Labour were polling in third place

It's about more than polling. You have to be able to actually do the job - and Johnson is a lazy, narcissistic, corrupt liar. He is untrustworthy, divisive, vindictive, small-minded, short-sighted, cowardly and mean. He thinks, and his supporters think, he can get away with all that because he has a nice turn of phrase. It won't work for the same reason that it didn't work last time - plus there's now a lot of water under the bridge; people know him better. Of course, for some, blind eyes will always be turned but that's not a great basis on which to form strategy.

And he's 61 in a couple of weeks but looks older. His cheerful buffoon act was marginally tolerable in 2008 when he was just into his forties and a city mayor; it looks sad and desperate acting like a twenty-something when you're almost collecting your pension.

Your character analysis of Boris is absurdly spiteful. He’s a flawed man but also a gifted man. He can be generous funny kind and very clever; he is also narcissistic, foolish, silly, easily distracted, and overly libidinous. A libertine is probably the best word for him

He might have been a good or even great prime minister in the right circumstances. His response to Ukraine shows the potential. But he was exactly the wrong man for something like Covid, especially when he’d made so many lifelong enemies via Brexit - all determined to bring him down

He needs to step away now, tho. I agree on that

isam said:

This is the second time this Minister has been sent out to spin a load of nonsense, and he is terrible at it. Sophie Ridge basically calls him an outright liar

Sophy Ridge is right - the claim that the Winter Fuel payment is back because the economy is stronger does not stand up to scrutiny. As she shows here...

https://x.com/frasernelson/status/1932316237683695675?s=46&t=CW4pL-mMpTqsJXCdjW0Z6Q

RochdalePioneers said:

AnneJGP said:

DecrepiterJohnL said:

wooliedyed said:

Employment data this morning grim, 109,000 fewer in work in May and 55,000 fewer revised in April.
Reeves job taxes hitting hone hard, employment falling off a cliff.
274,000 fewer in work than July.
She's a genius.

What it also shows is that government drives to get people off benefits and back into work are misguided. There aren't enough jobs to go round and for employers, it is surely better to have well-motivated employees than borderline mentally ill or disabled victims of the JobCentre press gangs. By all means improve training and end perverse disincentives around losing benefits, but this should not be an expensive moral crusade.

How on earth is any government of any political colour going to solve that conundrum? Not enough jobs to go round requiring a constant stream of immigration which makes a lot of people restless.

Those who are borderline mentally ill or disabled or merely ill-motivated to work - seems to me it would require massive investment to create a programme for enabling or motivating them to do whatever they're capable of. And then providing the work.

*cough* Universal Basic Income

RochdalePioneers said:

Leon said:

RochdalePioneers said:

Fishing said:

Great. The sooner they are gone the better. 3p off income tax if we don't have to prop it up for starters. Also we can revisit the stupider provisions of the Windsor framework that exist mainly because of Ulster.

One of the biggest opportunities we missed when we left the EU was getting rid of the economic and diplomatic blight that is Northern Ireland.

Of course the current government would doubtless insist on paying trillions to the Republic to take it, but hopefully we'd have a more competent one in power by then.

Morning love! You used the word “stupider” against other people. The infra-Irish border was cited as an obvious place that the WE ARE ENGLAND DO WHAT WE SAY plan for Brexit fell apart.

Stupid are the people who insisted it wasn’t a problem, not our responsibility, just ignore it, belittle it - or as we saw with that wazzock Boris Johnson not understand it and lie about it.

Who is worse? The idiot savant who lies his way out of trouble? Or the idiots who think he is a genius?

You voted for Brexit

What does Brexit have to do with it? The issue is what successive Tory MPs did *after* Brexit. Had we become Norway or Iceland or Switzerland - none of whom are in the EU - the we would have had no issues in Ireland or anywhere else.

Leon said:

david_herdson said:

HYUFD said:

RochdalePioneers said:

TOPPING said:

DecrepiterJohnL said:

Boris Johnson's comeback? Why rumours of his return are growing | Political Currency Podcast
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPxGf6plvAo

Ten minutes of George Osborne and Ed Balls discussing the politics and logistics of Boris and Jenrick.

Senior Cameroon Tories are not dismissing it out of hand and acknowledging that he would likely pull the party together, while being popular with large parts of the electorate. More in sorrow than anger but it is on the table for discussion, if not quite implementation. Yet.

Boris Johnson returning to lead the Tories would be a glorious victory for anyone wanting to see the formerly Conservative and formerly Unionist Party finally reduced to rump status.

Tony Blair - a political titan of his age. Completely reshaped his party and won three elections with two of them landslides. Not brought back as leader despite the decline after he stepped down.
Margaret Thatcher - a political titan of several ages. Completely reshaped her party and won three elections with two of them landslides. Not brought back as leader despite the decline after she stepped down.

Boris Johnson - the self-titled World King. Bolloxed up Brexit by accidentally winning it (crumbs!), reduced his party to a minority by sacking his own MPs as not being Conservative enough (including Ken Clarke and Churchill's grandson - cripes!). Won an election with a chunky majority and then proceeded to not actually have a plan for what to do in government. Hounded out of office for one scandal too far.

If they bring him back then they truly are finished. Do it. DO IT!

Crap. Boris is the only Tory leader option who beats Reform and Labour in the recent MoreinCommon poll.

When Thatcher or Blair left neither the Conservatives or Labour were polling in third place

It's about more than polling. You have to be able to actually do the job - and Johnson is a lazy, narcissistic, corrupt liar. He is untrustworthy, divisive, vindictive, small-minded, short-sighted, cowardly and mean. He thinks, and his supporters think, he can get away with all that because he has a nice turn of phrase. It won't work for the same reason that it didn't work last time - plus there's now a lot of water under the bridge; people know him better. Of course, for some, blind eyes will always be turned but that's not a great basis on which to form strategy.

And he's 61 in a couple of weeks but looks older. His cheerful buffoon act was marginally tolerable in 2008 when he was just into his forties and a city mayor; it looks sad and desperate acting like a twenty-something when you're almost collecting your pension.

Your character analysis of Boris is absurdly spiteful. He’s a flawed man but also a gifted man. He can be generous funny kind and very clever; he is also narcissistic, foolish, silly, easily distracted, and overly libidinous. A libertine is probably the best word for him

He might have been a good or even great prime minister in the right circumstances. His response to Ukraine shows the potential. But he was exactly the wrong man for something like Covid, especially when he’d made so many lifelong enemies via Brexit - all determined to bring him down

He needs to step away now, tho. I agree on that

OldKingCole said:

Cookie said:

OldKingCole said:

Sunil_Prasannan said:

HYUFD said:

A 13% lead for Unionists in Northern Ireland is still pretty comfortable. While there is no nationalist majority at Stormont there will be no border poll anyway.

Not forgetting of course that the DUP and TUV would declare UDI for Antrim and East Londonderry rather than ever accept Dublin rule. Northern Ireland being created in the first place as hundreds of thousands of diehard Ulster Protestants had taken up arms rather than be forced to accept Home Rule and being pushed into the new Irish Free State against their will

What about North Down and East Belfast?

At one time, many years ago, I employed an Ulster Protestant. Nice chap; told me once his father had signed the Ulster Covenant in his own blood.
Quite enthusiastic about NOT being 'ruled by Catholics', some of these folk.

What difference it will make that the Irish Republic doesn't seem to be 'ruled by Catholics' either I'm not sure.

I think your post is missing the words 'any more'.
My understanding is that, as you say, Northern Irish unionism was significantly driven by fear of the influence of the Catholic church in the functioning of any independent Ireland - and also that for the majority of its history, the Catholic church was indeed very influential: unionist fears were quite justified. As (I think) you imply, it's different nowadays, and we have yet to see the difference this will make to unionism.
I suspect given the experience of the last 50 years in NI, what the unionist fears now is being ruled by triumphant nationalists.

Fair points, @Cookie; memories in these matters are long, though, so I think it will take quite a while for traditional Unionist fears to become marginalised. It's a pity that Sinn Fein, with it's history, is the dominant anti-Unionist party, but, of course, it has the organisation. Alliance plus SDLP could be better.

algarkirk said:

DecrepiterJohnL said:

HYUFD said:

algarkirk said:

kinabalu said:

Mexicanpete said:

kinabalu said:

Mexicanpete said:

TOPPING said:

DecrepiterJohnL said:

Boris Johnson's comeback? Why rumours of his return are growing | Political Currency Podcast
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPxGf6plvAo

Ten minutes of George Osborne and Ed Balls discussing the politics and logistics of Boris and Jenrick.

Senior Cameroon Tories are not dismissing it out of hand and acknowledging that he would likely pull the party together, while being popular with large parts of the electorate. More in sorrow than anger but it is on the table for discussion, if not quite implementation. Yet.

He needs to make some BIG promises to overcome the Faragedozer.

Farage getting quite an outing here in Wales for reopening all the Welsh superpits and both Port Talbot blast furnaces yesterday.

It was a busy day and the Welsh broadcast media are grateful for his service.

Beat that Boris!

He's going to Make Wales Great Again, isn't he, the little tinker.

Harvest the votes first and then best to sideline the impossible stuff like blast furnaces and mines. Planning and engineering requirements would take years to resolve anyway.

All about the vibes. It will collapse under scrutiny (obvs) but let's hope that happens before GE29 rather than after.

Of course it's all about the vibes. We are a multi party democracy, including all the outfits like Reform that I am not going to vote for.

The Farage zigzag has gone in stages. These include a sort of reputation for the politics of low tax, low spend, flog NHS to highest bidder, billionaires paradise, Singapore, Global free trade buccaneer, weakest to the wall, a bit of racism, a slight fondness for Mr Tough guy like Trump and Putin.

You can gain attention from all this, but once you have spoken to the zimmers, waiting lists, blokes in the bookies on the way to the pub, minimum wage people, bunions, moaners, WFA receivers, joint pain sufferers, daytime telly watchers of Clacton you realise that this is not an election winning formula. Nor can it be done in the actual world. If it could the Tories would have done it.

Farage is moving to the centre - high spend, high tax (sotto voce), welfare, NHS, regulated free market.

He cannot break the iron rules. The post 1945 world is social democrat welfarism. Elections are won from the centre. He intends to win. This is what proves it. let's hope he doesn't.

Thatcher didn't win on social democrat welfarism nor did Cameron

Jacob Rees-Mogg on elections not being won from the centre (90 seconds):-
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/NiSjXu-BVjM

Complete nonsense in 90 seconds. None of his examples overturned the post WWII social democratic consensus. They all tinkered with the margins and developed it, in a mixture of good and bad ways. JRM totally devalues here the central policy core which is an unaltered social democracy.

This central core is also the bit that spends all the money. Add up: pensions, benefits, education, NHS, defence.

No voice is ever raised, nor has been for years, to spend less on any of these social democrat ends. A thousand voices are raised daily to spend more.

AnneJGP said:

DecrepiterJohnL said:

wooliedyed said:

Employment data this morning grim, 109,000 fewer in work in May and 55,000 fewer revised in April.
Reeves job taxes hitting hone hard, employment falling off a cliff.
274,000 fewer in work than July.
She's a genius.

What it also shows is that government drives to get people off benefits and back into work are misguided. There aren't enough jobs to go round and for employers, it is surely better to have well-motivated employees than borderline mentally ill or disabled victims of the JobCentre press gangs. By all means improve training and end perverse disincentives around losing benefits, but this should not be an expensive moral crusade.

How on earth is any government of any political colour going to solve that conundrum? Not enough jobs to go round requiring a constant stream of immigration which makes a lot of people restless.

Those who are borderline mentally ill or disabled or merely ill-motivated to work - seems to me it would require massive investment to create a programme for enabling or motivating them to do whatever they're capable of. And then providing the work.

eek said:

wooliedyed said:

RochdalePioneers said:

AnneJGP said:

DecrepiterJohnL said:

wooliedyed said:

Employment data this morning grim, 109,000 fewer in work in May and 55,000 fewer revised in April.
Reeves job taxes hitting hone hard, employment falling off a cliff.
274,000 fewer in work than July.
She's a genius.

What it also shows is that government drives to get people off benefits and back into work are misguided. There aren't enough jobs to go round and for employers, it is surely better to have well-motivated employees than borderline mentally ill or disabled victims of the JobCentre press gangs. By all means improve training and end perverse disincentives around losing benefits, but this should not be an expensive moral crusade.

How on earth is any government of any political colour going to solve that conundrum? Not enough jobs to go round requiring a constant stream of immigration which makes a lot of people restless.

Those who are borderline mentally ill or disabled or merely ill-motivated to work - seems to me it would require massive investment to create a programme for enabling or motivating them to do whatever they're capable of. And then providing the work.

*cough* Universal Basic Income

Will be needed soon. Call centre work will disappear shortly replaced by AI, delivery work will increasingly shift to drones and robots, AI will keep into healthcare etc.

Love to know where the tax revenue will come to pay for it

FF43 said:

Nigelb said:

FF43 said:

Eabhal said:

Some news on SMR too this morning. I wonder what MaxPB makes of it.

Numbers on nuclear never add up. The cost of one nuclear power station (ca £40 billion) generating a steady 3GW is close to total planned investments in offshore wind providing up to 70GW intermittent.

$18bn for 2GW.

Czechs sign $18 billion nuclear power plant deal with KHNP after court injunction lifted
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/czech-court-rules-18-bln-nuclear-power-plant-deal-with-khnp-can-go-ahead-2025-06-04/

Fair point. The Czechs presumably don't have the option of offshore wind. They can do solar, which is cheap and pretty much the default generation choice these days.

Sean_F said:

Independence has always been a hardline loyalist position. No nationalist would support it.

Cookie said:

OldKingCole said:

Cookie said:

OldKingCole said:

Sunil_Prasannan said:

HYUFD said:

A 13% lead for Unionists in Northern Ireland is still pretty comfortable. While there is no nationalist majority at Stormont there will be no border poll anyway.

Not forgetting of course that the DUP and TUV would declare UDI for Antrim and East Londonderry rather than ever accept Dublin rule. Northern Ireland being created in the first place as hundreds of thousands of diehard Ulster Protestants had taken up arms rather than be forced to accept Home Rule and being pushed into the new Irish Free State against their will

What about North Down and East Belfast?

At one time, many years ago, I employed an Ulster Protestant. Nice chap; told me once his father had signed the Ulster Covenant in his own blood.
Quite enthusiastic about NOT being 'ruled by Catholics', some of these folk.

What difference it will make that the Irish Republic doesn't seem to be 'ruled by Catholics' either I'm not sure.

I think your post is missing the words 'any more'.
My understanding is that, as you say, Northern Irish unionism was significantly driven by fear of the influence of the Catholic church in the functioning of any independent Ireland - and also that for the majority of its history, the Catholic church was indeed very influential: unionist fears were quite justified. As (I think) you imply, it's different nowadays, and we have yet to see the difference this will make to unionism.
I suspect given the experience of the last 50 years in NI, what the unionist fears now is being ruled by triumphant nationalists.

Fair points, @Cookie; memories in these matters are long, though, so I think it will take quite a while for traditional Unionist fears to become marginalised. It's a pity that Sinn Fein, with it's history, is the dominant anti-Unionist party, but, of course, it has the organisation. Alliance plus SDLP could be better.

I always got the feeling during the Mo Mowlam years that she favoured the hardliners (SF and DUP) over the moderates (SDLP, UUP and Alliance). There is an alternative history to be written of where NI could be now with a different approach during those years.
I may be way off beam here however and am happy to hear other interpretations.

Leon said:

david_herdson said:

HYUFD said:

RochdalePioneers said:

TOPPING said:

DecrepiterJohnL said:

Boris Johnson's comeback? Why rumours of his return are growing | Political Currency Podcast
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPxGf6plvAo

Ten minutes of George Osborne and Ed Balls discussing the politics and logistics of Boris and Jenrick.

Senior Cameroon Tories are not dismissing it out of hand and acknowledging that he would likely pull the party together, while being popular with large parts of the electorate. More in sorrow than anger but it is on the table for discussion, if not quite implementation. Yet.

Boris Johnson returning to lead the Tories would be a glorious victory for anyone wanting to see the formerly Conservative and formerly Unionist Party finally reduced to rump status.

Tony Blair - a political titan of his age. Completely reshaped his party and won three elections with two of them landslides. Not brought back as leader despite the decline after he stepped down.
Margaret Thatcher - a political titan of several ages. Completely reshaped her party and won three elections with two of them landslides. Not brought back as leader despite the decline after she stepped down.

Boris Johnson - the self-titled World King. Bolloxed up Brexit by accidentally winning it (crumbs!), reduced his party to a minority by sacking his own MPs as not being Conservative enough (including Ken Clarke and Churchill's grandson - cripes!). Won an election with a chunky majority and then proceeded to not actually have a plan for what to do in government. Hounded out of office for one scandal too far.

If they bring him back then they truly are finished. Do it. DO IT!

Crap. Boris is the only Tory leader option who beats Reform and Labour in the recent MoreinCommon poll.

When Thatcher or Blair left neither the Conservatives or Labour were polling in third place

It's about more than polling. You have to be able to actually do the job - and Johnson is a lazy, narcissistic, corrupt liar. He is untrustworthy, divisive, vindictive, small-minded, short-sighted, cowardly and mean. He thinks, and his supporters think, he can get away with all that because he has a nice turn of phrase. It won't work for the same reason that it didn't work last time - plus there's now a lot of water under the bridge; people know him better. Of course, for some, blind eyes will always be turned but that's not a great basis on which to form strategy.

And he's 61 in a couple of weeks but looks older. His cheerful buffoon act was marginally tolerable in 2008 when he was just into his forties and a city mayor; it looks sad and desperate acting like a twenty-something when you're almost collecting your pension.

Your character analysis of Boris is absurdly spiteful. He’s a flawed man but also a gifted man. He can be generous funny kind and very clever; he is also narcissistic, foolish, silly, easily distracted, and overly libidinous. A libertine is probably the best word for him

He might have been a good or even great prime minister in the right circumstances. His response to Ukraine shows the potential. But he was exactly the wrong man for something like Covid, especially when he’d made so many lifelong enemies via Brexit - all determined to bring him down

He needs to step away now, tho. I agree on that

isam said:

This is the second time this Minister has been sent out to spin a load of nonsense, and he is terrible at it. Sophie Ridge basically calls him an outright liar

Sophy Ridge is right - the claim that the Winter Fuel payment is back because the economy is stronger does not stand up to scrutiny. As she shows here...

https://x.com/frasernelson/status/1932316237683695675?s=46&t=CW4pL-mMpTqsJXCdjW0Z6Q

david_herdson said:

Leon said:

david_herdson said:

HYUFD said:

RochdalePioneers said:

TOPPING said:

DecrepiterJohnL said:

Boris Johnson's comeback? Why rumours of his return are growing | Political Currency Podcast
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPxGf6plvAo

Ten minutes of George Osborne and Ed Balls discussing the politics and logistics of Boris and Jenrick.

Senior Cameroon Tories are not dismissing it out of hand and acknowledging that he would likely pull the party together, while being popular with large parts of the electorate. More in sorrow than anger but it is on the table for discussion, if not quite implementation. Yet.

Boris Johnson returning to lead the Tories would be a glorious victory for anyone wanting to see the formerly Conservative and formerly Unionist Party finally reduced to rump status.

Tony Blair - a political titan of his age. Completely reshaped his party and won three elections with two of them landslides. Not brought back as leader despite the decline after he stepped down.
Margaret Thatcher - a political titan of several ages. Completely reshaped her party and won three elections with two of them landslides. Not brought back as leader despite the decline after she stepped down.

Boris Johnson - the self-titled World King. Bolloxed up Brexit by accidentally winning it (crumbs!), reduced his party to a minority by sacking his own MPs as not being Conservative enough (including Ken Clarke and Churchill's grandson - cripes!). Won an election with a chunky majority and then proceeded to not actually have a plan for what to do in government. Hounded out of office for one scandal too far.

If they bring him back then they truly are finished. Do it. DO IT!

Crap. Boris is the only Tory leader option who beats Reform and Labour in the recent MoreinCommon poll.

When Thatcher or Blair left neither the Conservatives or Labour were polling in third place

It's about more than polling. You have to be able to actually do the job - and Johnson is a lazy, narcissistic, corrupt liar. He is untrustworthy, divisive, vindictive, small-minded, short-sighted, cowardly and mean. He thinks, and his supporters think, he can get away with all that because he has a nice turn of phrase. It won't work for the same reason that it didn't work last time - plus there's now a lot of water under the bridge; people know him better. Of course, for some, blind eyes will always be turned but that's not a great basis on which to form strategy.

And he's 61 in a couple of weeks but looks older. His cheerful buffoon act was marginally tolerable in 2008 when he was just into his forties and a city mayor; it looks sad and desperate acting like a twenty-something when you're almost collecting your pension.

Your character analysis of Boris is absurdly spiteful. He’s a flawed man but also a gifted man. He can be generous funny kind and very clever; he is also narcissistic, foolish, silly, easily distracted, and overly libidinous. A libertine is probably the best word for him

He might have been a good or even great prime minister in the right circumstances. His response to Ukraine shows the potential. But he was exactly the wrong man for something like Covid, especially when he’d made so many lifelong enemies via Brexit - all determined to bring him down

He needs to step away now, tho. I agree on that

The character portraits opposing parties paint will be harsh. I highlighted his negative qualities. I don't doubt Johnson has positive ones too: his optimism and enthusiasm being chief among them.

But he was never going to be a great prime minister because of his flaws; his political model had that foundational fault. He also never troubled himself with the necessary detail, which can only be overcome if you're really exceptional at delegating to the right people and building a team which can work fairly independently and cohesively beneath you (see Reagan). Johnson wasn't because he was too easily distracted to be able to set a consistent strategy. He was also unlucky that Covid threw him off but that was only for 18 months: had he created a better team, and had he led more effectively, he'd have had 2+ years after it to get on with what he wanted to.

Leon said:

WhisperingOracle said:

Leon said:

In about four hours I will be landing at one of the most dangerous airports in the world

😶

Bournemouth ?

Even worse

I’ve just been looking at videos of the approach, as aircraft land. The view from the cockpit


I shouldnae have done that

FF43 said:

FF43 said:

Eabhal said:

Some news on SMR too this morning. I wonder what MaxPB makes of it.

Numbers on nuclear never add up. The cost of one nuclear power station (ca £40 billion) generating a steady 3GW is close to total planned investments in offshore wind providing up to 70GW intermittent.

Should add, the £40 billion doesn't include the costs of waste handling and decommissioning, which are open-ended and big.

wooliedyed said:

Employment data this morning grim, 109,000 fewer in work in May and 55,000 fewer revised in April.
Reeves job taxes hitting hone hard, employment falling off a cliff.
274,000 fewer in work than July.
She's a genius.

Leon said:

In about four hours I will be landing at one of the most dangerous airports in the world

😶

kjh said:

Leon said:

WhisperingOracle said:

Leon said:

In about four hours I will be landing at one of the most dangerous airports in the world

😶

Bournemouth ?

Even worse

I’ve just been looking at videos of the approach, as aircraft land. The view from the cockpit


I shouldnae have done that

With all of your flying how many 'emergencies' have you been involved in. I don't know whether I am unlucky, because my travel is significantly less than yours, but I have had 2:

An aborted take off. Not very dramatic but a good set of brakes, but chaos afterwards.

An emergency landing which involved a fly past the tower and meeting a lot of nice firemen when we left the plane.

PS I have had an emergency landing in a field when being taught to fly a glider, because the winch launch went wrong, but I don't count that.

kjh said:

Leon said:

WhisperingOracle said:

Leon said:

In about four hours I will be landing at one of the most dangerous airports in the world

😶

Bournemouth ?

Even worse

I’ve just been looking at videos of the approach, as aircraft land. The view from the cockpit


I shouldnae have done that

With all of your flying how many 'emergencies' have you been involved in. I don't know whether I am unlucky, because my travel is significantly less than yours, but I have had 2:

An aborted take off. Not very dramatic but a good set of brakes, but chaos afterwards.

An emergency landing which involved a fly past the tower and meeting a lot of nice firemen when we left the plane.

PS I have had an emergency landing in a field when being taught to fly a glider, because the winch launch went wrong, but I don't count that.

DecrepiterJohnL said:

MaxPB said:

SandyRentool said:

Good morning. Some good news to start the day. BBC:

"World fertility rates in 'unprecedented decline', UN says"

Well my wife and I are doing our bit, third kid on the way. Somewhat unexpected but definitely very happy about it.

Sex and six weeks off work. Congratulations.

Give new dads six weeks off work at nearly full pay, MPs say
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crmk07jyjmxo

TOPPING said:

Leon said:

In about four hours I will be landing at one of the most dangerous airports in the world

😶

Tegucigalpa?

Edit: it is certainly dangerous to take off not sure about landing. Mountain range at the end of the runway.

RochdalePioneers said:

Leon said:

david_herdson said:

HYUFD said:

RochdalePioneers said:

TOPPING said:

DecrepiterJohnL said:

Boris Johnson's comeback? Why rumours of his return are growing | Political Currency Podcast
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPxGf6plvAo

Ten minutes of George Osborne and Ed Balls discussing the politics and logistics of Boris and Jenrick.

Senior Cameroon Tories are not dismissing it out of hand and acknowledging that he would likely pull the party together, while being popular with large parts of the electorate. More in sorrow than anger but it is on the table for discussion, if not quite implementation. Yet.

Boris Johnson returning to lead the Tories would be a glorious victory for anyone wanting to see the formerly Conservative and formerly Unionist Party finally reduced to rump status.

Tony Blair - a political titan of his age. Completely reshaped his party and won three elections with two of them landslides. Not brought back as leader despite the decline after he stepped down.
Margaret Thatcher - a political titan of several ages. Completely reshaped her party and won three elections with two of them landslides. Not brought back as leader despite the decline after she stepped down.

Boris Johnson - the self-titled World King. Bolloxed up Brexit by accidentally winning it (crumbs!), reduced his party to a minority by sacking his own MPs as not being Conservative enough (including Ken Clarke and Churchill's grandson - cripes!). Won an election with a chunky majority and then proceeded to not actually have a plan for what to do in government. Hounded out of office for one scandal too far.

If they bring him back then they truly are finished. Do it. DO IT!

Crap. Boris is the only Tory leader option who beats Reform and Labour in the recent MoreinCommon poll.

When Thatcher or Blair left neither the Conservatives or Labour were polling in third place

It's about more than polling. You have to be able to actually do the job - and Johnson is a lazy, narcissistic, corrupt liar. He is untrustworthy, divisive, vindictive, small-minded, short-sighted, cowardly and mean. He thinks, and his supporters think, he can get away with all that because he has a nice turn of phrase. It won't work for the same reason that it didn't work last time - plus there's now a lot of water under the bridge; people know him better. Of course, for some, blind eyes will always be turned but that's not a great basis on which to form strategy.

And he's 61 in a couple of weeks but looks older. His cheerful buffoon act was marginally tolerable in 2008 when he was just into his forties and a city mayor; it looks sad and desperate acting like a twenty-something when you're almost collecting your pension.

Your character analysis of Boris is absurdly spiteful. He’s a flawed man but also a gifted man. He can be generous funny kind and very clever; he is also narcissistic, foolish, silly, easily distracted, and overly libidinous. A libertine is probably the best word for him

He might have been a good or even great prime minister in the right circumstances. His response to Ukraine shows the potential. But he was exactly the wrong man for something like Covid, especially when he’d made so many lifelong enemies via Brexit - all determined to bring him down

He needs to step away now, tho. I agree on that

Boris! had a lot of talents which could have shone through. He is a brilliant bullshit artist, so fantastic at selling something and getting people excited and motivated.

He's utterly crap at detail and almost slovenly in his work ethic (on anything that isn't shagging). Had he the emotional intelligence to understand that he could have built a team full of talent who were able to support his strengths by infilling his weaknesses. "Build Back Better with Boris, now here's x with the details"

But no. The World King thought he could just have japes and still deliver. Its a pity, because we all looked at the political map at the end of 2019 and thought he could be office for a long long time.

Luckyguy1983 said:

williamglenn said:

Jenrickvision on Rachel Reeves:

https://x.com/robertjenrick/status/1932343534335541375

Doing a better job of being Shadow Chancellor than the waste of space actual Shadow Chancellor.

Theuniondivvie said:

Those tediously weird tweets about 'the truth' coming out via Steven Bartlett and Stacey Solomon appear to be transforming into generic images of kittens, picturesque landscapes and coypus (say what?!). They're all ads so I guess X is happy to rake the money in.

https://x.com/antashe/status/1932315327066673224

Big_G_NorthWales said:

kjh said:

Leon said:

WhisperingOracle said:

Leon said:

In about four hours I will be landing at one of the most dangerous airports in the world

😶

Bournemouth ?

Even worse

I’ve just been looking at videos of the approach, as aircraft land. The view from the cockpit


I shouldnae have done that

With all of your flying how many 'emergencies' have you been involved in. I don't know whether I am unlucky, because my travel is significantly less than yours, but I have had 2:

An aborted take off. Not very dramatic but a good set of brakes, but chaos afterwards.

An emergency landing which involved a fly past the tower and meeting a lot of nice firemen when we left the plane.

PS I have had an emergency landing in a field when being taught to fly a glider, because the winch launch went wrong, but I don't count that.

We have experienced 2 aborted landings at Heathrow, and the loss of an engine on a Qantas 747 on a direct flight from Heathrow to Sydney after refueling in Bangkok

The pilot informed us, and said that he was to release fuel and could only land back at Bangkok after a couple of hours of this which when we did were followed by fire engines and ambulances before coming to a halt in an apparently safe area

We were taken to a 5 star hotel, where we spent one and half nights before meeting the same captain at the departure gate as our replacement plane approached it's stance with 5 engines, the captain informing us that the inboard engine would be removed and installed on our faulty 747

FF43 said:

david_herdson said:

isam said:

This is the second time this Minister has been sent out to spin a load of nonsense, and he is terrible at it. Sophie Ridge basically calls him an outright liar

Sophy Ridge is right - the claim that the Winter Fuel payment is back because the economy is stronger does not stand up to scrutiny. As she shows here...

https://x.com/frasernelson/status/1932316237683695675?s=46&t=CW4pL-mMpTqsJXCdjW0Z6Q

Indeed. Sometimes (usually?) governments are better to defend U-turns by simply saying something like 'politics is also about listening; there was clearly more opposition on this than we expected; we've heard the arguments, are persuaded by them and have changed our mind".

Winter Fuel Allowance is a nonsense but I don't think U Turns, or scrapping policies that aren't working out, are bad in principle. Governments have two possible explanations:

(1) The circumstances have changed so we have changed - as the government is claiming here. (2) We got it wrong. We've listened. We've fixed it.

I don't think it matters very much as long as people are happy that the policy is being changed. The important thing is to focus on the benefit of the change.

Leon said:

kjh said:

Leon said:

WhisperingOracle said:

Leon said:

In about four hours I will be landing at one of the most dangerous airports in the world

😶

Bournemouth ?

Even worse

I’ve just been looking at videos of the approach, as aircraft land. The view from the cockpit


I shouldnae have done that

With all of your flying how many 'emergencies' have you been involved in. I don't know whether I am unlucky, because my travel is significantly less than yours, but I have had 2:

An aborted take off. Not very dramatic but a good set of brakes, but chaos afterwards.

An emergency landing which involved a fly past the tower and meeting a lot of nice firemen when we left the plane.

PS I have had an emergency landing in a field when being taught to fly a glider, because the winch launch went wrong, but I don't count that.

It feels like tempting fate but - with all my travels - the worst aircraft experience I’ve had is really severe turbulence (which is pretty terrifying; that said)

The scariest flight experience of all was a microlight flight up the south face of Annapurna in Nepal. Followed by paragliding in the Dolomites

This is where I am scheduled to land shortly

“This is what landing at one of Europes most difficult airports look like. Atlantic Airways Airbus A319 touching down in Vagar, Faroe Islands 🇫🇴 - a place I fondly remember. #aviation”


https://x.com/visitfaroe/status/1061995321172131841?s=46&t=bulOICNH15U6kB0MwE6Lfw

Dura_Ace said:

RochdalePioneers said:

Leon said:

david_herdson said:

HYUFD said:

RochdalePioneers said:

TOPPING said:

DecrepiterJohnL said:

Boris Johnson's comeback? Why rumours of his return are growing | Political Currency Podcast
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPxGf6plvAo

Ten minutes of George Osborne and Ed Balls discussing the politics and logistics of Boris and Jenrick.

Senior Cameroon Tories are not dismissing it out of hand and acknowledging that he would likely pull the party together, while being popular with large parts of the electorate. More in sorrow than anger but it is on the table for discussion, if not quite implementation. Yet.

Boris Johnson returning to lead the Tories would be a glorious victory for anyone wanting to see the formerly Conservative and formerly Unionist Party finally reduced to rump status.

Tony Blair - a political titan of his age. Completely reshaped his party and won three elections with two of them landslides. Not brought back as leader despite the decline after he stepped down.
Margaret Thatcher - a political titan of several ages. Completely reshaped her party and won three elections with two of them landslides. Not brought back as leader despite the decline after she stepped down.

Boris Johnson - the self-titled World King. Bolloxed up Brexit by accidentally winning it (crumbs!), reduced his party to a minority by sacking his own MPs as not being Conservative enough (including Ken Clarke and Churchill's grandson - cripes!). Won an election with a chunky majority and then proceeded to not actually have a plan for what to do in government. Hounded out of office for one scandal too far.

If they bring him back then they truly are finished. Do it. DO IT!

Crap. Boris is the only Tory leader option who beats Reform and Labour in the recent MoreinCommon poll.

When Thatcher or Blair left neither the Conservatives or Labour were polling in third place

It's about more than polling. You have to be able to actually do the job - and Johnson is a lazy, narcissistic, corrupt liar. He is untrustworthy, divisive, vindictive, small-minded, short-sighted, cowardly and mean. He thinks, and his supporters think, he can get away with all that because he has a nice turn of phrase. It won't work for the same reason that it didn't work last time - plus there's now a lot of water under the bridge; people know him better. Of course, for some, blind eyes will always be turned but that's not a great basis on which to form strategy.

And he's 61 in a couple of weeks but looks older. His cheerful buffoon act was marginally tolerable in 2008 when he was just into his forties and a city mayor; it looks sad and desperate acting like a twenty-something when you're almost collecting your pension.

Your character analysis of Boris is absurdly spiteful. He’s a flawed man but also a gifted man. He can be generous funny kind and very clever; he is also narcissistic, foolish, silly, easily distracted, and overly libidinous. A libertine is probably the best word for him

He might have been a good or even great prime minister in the right circumstances. His response to Ukraine shows the potential. But he was exactly the wrong man for something like Covid, especially when he’d made so many lifelong enemies via Brexit - all determined to bring him down

He needs to step away now, tho. I agree on that

Boris! had a lot of talents which could have shone through. He is a brilliant bullshit artist, so fantastic at selling something and getting people excited and motivated.

I can see the appeal to the tories of bringing Johnson back. Pitting Olukemi Olufunto against Nigel Paul is the epitome of bringing piss to shit fight. And it's watery piss, not one of those reeking, misty, orangey old man pisses you do after a vegan dal makhani and ten hours of sleep.

Johnson would be just as good as Farage at dominating the news cycle and probably even better and more convincing at promising gewgaws, that he has no intention of delivering, to moronic chavs in places where even the seagulls have heart disease from eating chips.

RochdalePioneers said:

On the UBI "debate" I've already had the question "where does the money come from" thrown at me. Stop. Reverse that. Let's assume we don't do it.

We are going to lose an awful lot of jobs. Vast numbers of them. People who will be unemployable because the jobs simply won't be there any more.

We can't afford UBI? What is the cost of not UBI? Of whole communities without jobs? Of people stuck on welfare with no hope of a job? We're not talking small pit villages - we coped with those by throwing shitloads of investment at them. Broaden than out on a vast scale - there is a HUGE cost.

Where does the money for that come from? We can invest in the future. Or invest in endless waste not fixing the mistakes of the past.

MarqueeMark said:

Big_G_NorthWales said:

kjh said:

Leon said:

WhisperingOracle said:

Leon said:

In about four hours I will be landing at one of the most dangerous airports in the world

😶

Bournemouth ?

Even worse

I’ve just been looking at videos of the approach, as aircraft land. The view from the cockpit


I shouldnae have done that

With all of your flying how many 'emergencies' have you been involved in. I don't know whether I am unlucky, because my travel is significantly less than yours, but I have had 2:

An aborted take off. Not very dramatic but a good set of brakes, but chaos afterwards.

An emergency landing which involved a fly past the tower and meeting a lot of nice firemen when we left the plane.

PS I have had an emergency landing in a field when being taught to fly a glider, because the winch launch went wrong, but I don't count that.

We have experienced 2 aborted landings at Heathrow, and the loss of an engine on a Qantas 747 on a direct flight from Heathrow to Sydney after refueling in Bangkok

The pilot informed us, and said that he was to release fuel and could only land back at Bangkok after a couple of hours of this which when we did were followed by fire engines and ambulances before coming to a halt in an apparently safe area

We were taken to a 5 star hotel, where we spent one and half nights before meeting the same captain at the departure gate as our replacement plane approached it's stance with 5 engines, the captain informing us that the inboard engine would be removed and installed on our faulty 747

Been very fortunate considering the amount of flying I did. We once dropped precipitously for what seemed like an age - that was never explained. Have a VERY heavy landing at Arusha - all the overhead luggage bins burst open showering people with cases. Other than that, general weirdness. Once had a 24 hour lay over in Quito, because a priest got up as it was taxiing to the airport and pulled the door open "because he wanted to see the emergency slide inflate..." There was no replacement explosive pin to reset it, so we waited for one to come from Miami.

Colleagues have been less fortunate. A helicopter crash-landed on Socotra, leaving people stranded there. Had two on an internal flight in Africa. As it came in to land, there was a terrible sound of grinding metal and bumpy as all hell until it skidded to a halt. A beaming black face appeared from the cockpit: "Ooops, sorry, forgot to put the wheels down!"

FF43 said:

Nigelb said:

FF43 said:

Eabhal said:

Some news on SMR too this morning. I wonder what MaxPB makes of it.

Numbers on nuclear never add up. The cost of one nuclear power station (ca £40 billion) generating a steady 3GW is close to total planned investments in offshore wind providing up to 70GW intermittent.

$18bn for 2GW.

Czechs sign $18 billion nuclear power plant deal with KHNP after court injunction lifted
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/czech-court-rules-18-bln-nuclear-power-plant-deal-with-khnp-can-go-ahead-2025-06-04/

Fair point. The Czechs presumably don't have the option of offshore wind. They can do solar, which is cheap and pretty much the default generation choice these days.

Leon said:

MarqueeMark said:

Big_G_NorthWales said:

kjh said:

Leon said:

WhisperingOracle said:

Leon said:

In about four hours I will be landing at one of the most dangerous airports in the world

😶

Bournemouth ?

Even worse

I’ve just been looking at videos of the approach, as aircraft land. The view from the cockpit


I shouldnae have done that

With all of your flying how many 'emergencies' have you been involved in. I don't know whether I am unlucky, because my travel is significantly less than yours, but I have had 2:

An aborted take off. Not very dramatic but a good set of brakes, but chaos afterwards.

An emergency landing which involved a fly past the tower and meeting a lot of nice firemen when we left the plane.

PS I have had an emergency landing in a field when being taught to fly a glider, because the winch launch went wrong, but I don't count that.

We have experienced 2 aborted landings at Heathrow, and the loss of an engine on a Qantas 747 on a direct flight from Heathrow to Sydney after refueling in Bangkok

The pilot informed us, and said that he was to release fuel and could only land back at Bangkok after a couple of hours of this which when we did were followed by fire engines and ambulances before coming to a halt in an apparently safe area

We were taken to a 5 star hotel, where we spent one and half nights before meeting the same captain at the departure gate as our replacement plane approached it's stance with 5 engines, the captain informing us that the inboard engine would be removed and installed on our faulty 747

Been very fortunate considering the amount of flying I did. We once dropped precipitously for what seemed like an age - that was never explained. Have a VERY heavy landing at Arusha - all the overhead luggage bins burst open showering people with cases. Other than that, general weirdness. Once had a 24 hour lay over in Quito, because a priest got up as it was taxiing to the airport and pulled the door open "because he wanted to see the emergency slide inflate..." There was no replacement explosive pin to reset it, so we waited for one to come from Miami.

Colleagues have been less fortunate. A helicopter crash-landed on Socotra, leaving people stranded there. Had two on an internal flight in Africa. As it came in to land, there was a terrible sound of grinding metal and bumpy as all hell until it skidded to a halt. A beaming black face appeared from the cockpit: "Ooops, sorry, forgot to put the wheels down!"

Omg!

I really shouldn’t be reading these hair raising anecdotes just before this flight

AnneJGP said:

david_herdson said:

isam said:

This is the second time this Minister has been sent out to spin a load of nonsense, and he is terrible at it. Sophie Ridge basically calls him an outright liar

Sophy Ridge is right - the claim that the Winter Fuel payment is back because the economy is stronger does not stand up to scrutiny. As she shows here...

https://x.com/frasernelson/status/1932316237683695675?s=46&t=CW4pL-mMpTqsJXCdjW0Z6Q

Indeed. Sometimes (usually?) governments are better to defend U-turns by simply saying something like 'politics is also about listening; there was clearly more opposition on this than we expected; we've heard the arguments, are persuaded by them and have changed our mind".

I have a sneaking little hope that there might be a bit of backlash from the U-turn, to demonstrate that not all pensioners consider they're entitled to more than a fair share. £35000 is not a low income - if it were, many other individuals & families should be getting WFA.

Leon said:

MarqueeMark said:

Big_G_NorthWales said:

kjh said:

Leon said:

WhisperingOracle said:

Leon said:

In about four hours I will be landing at one of the most dangerous airports in the world

😶

Bournemouth ?

Even worse

I’ve just been looking at videos of the approach, as aircraft land. The view from the cockpit


I shouldnae have done that

With all of your flying how many 'emergencies' have you been involved in. I don't know whether I am unlucky, because my travel is significantly less than yours, but I have had 2:

An aborted take off. Not very dramatic but a good set of brakes, but chaos afterwards.

An emergency landing which involved a fly past the tower and meeting a lot of nice firemen when we left the plane.

PS I have had an emergency landing in a field when being taught to fly a glider, because the winch launch went wrong, but I don't count that.

We have experienced 2 aborted landings at Heathrow, and the loss of an engine on a Qantas 747 on a direct flight from Heathrow to Sydney after refueling in Bangkok

The pilot informed us, and said that he was to release fuel and could only land back at Bangkok after a couple of hours of this which when we did were followed by fire engines and ambulances before coming to a halt in an apparently safe area

We were taken to a 5 star hotel, where we spent one and half nights before meeting the same captain at the departure gate as our replacement plane approached it's stance with 5 engines, the captain informing us that the inboard engine would be removed and installed on our faulty 747

Been very fortunate considering the amount of flying I did. We once dropped precipitously for what seemed like an age - that was never explained. Have a VERY heavy landing at Arusha - all the overhead luggage bins burst open showering people with cases. Other than that, general weirdness. Once had a 24 hour lay over in Quito, because a priest got up as it was taxiing to the airport and pulled the door open "because he wanted to see the emergency slide inflate..." There was no replacement explosive pin to reset it, so we waited for one to come from Miami.

Colleagues have been less fortunate. A helicopter crash-landed on Socotra, leaving people stranded there. Had two on an internal flight in Africa. As it came in to land, there was a terrible sound of grinding metal and bumpy as all hell until it skidded to a halt. A beaming black face appeared from the cockpit: "Ooops, sorry, forgot to put the wheels down!"

Omg!

I really shouldn’t be reading these hair raising anecdotes just before this flight

TOPPING said:

Leon said:

MarqueeMark said:

Big_G_NorthWales said:

kjh said:

Leon said:

WhisperingOracle said:

Leon said:

In about four hours I will be landing at one of the most dangerous airports in the world

😶

Bournemouth ?

Even worse

I’ve just been looking at videos of the approach, as aircraft land. The view from the cockpit


I shouldnae have done that

With all of your flying how many 'emergencies' have you been involved in. I don't know whether I am unlucky, because my travel is significantly less than yours, but I have had 2:

An aborted take off. Not very dramatic but a good set of brakes, but chaos afterwards.

An emergency landing which involved a fly past the tower and meeting a lot of nice firemen when we left the plane.

PS I have had an emergency landing in a field when being taught to fly a glider, because the winch launch went wrong, but I don't count that.

We have experienced 2 aborted landings at Heathrow, and the loss of an engine on a Qantas 747 on a direct flight from Heathrow to Sydney after refueling in Bangkok

The pilot informed us, and said that he was to release fuel and could only land back at Bangkok after a couple of hours of this which when we did were followed by fire engines and ambulances before coming to a halt in an apparently safe area

We were taken to a 5 star hotel, where we spent one and half nights before meeting the same captain at the departure gate as our replacement plane approached it's stance with 5 engines, the captain informing us that the inboard engine would be removed and installed on our faulty 747

Been very fortunate considering the amount of flying I did. We once dropped precipitously for what seemed like an age - that was never explained. Have a VERY heavy landing at Arusha - all the overhead luggage bins burst open showering people with cases. Other than that, general weirdness. Once had a 24 hour lay over in Quito, because a priest got up as it was taxiing to the airport and pulled the door open "because he wanted to see the emergency slide inflate..." There was no replacement explosive pin to reset it, so we waited for one to come from Miami.

Colleagues have been less fortunate. A helicopter crash-landed on Socotra, leaving people stranded there. Had two on an internal flight in Africa. As it came in to land, there was a terrible sound of grinding metal and bumpy as all hell until it skidded to a halt. A beaming black face appeared from the cockpit: "Ooops, sorry, forgot to put the wheels down!"

Omg!

I really shouldn’t be reading these hair raising anecdotes just before this flight

Mine, aside from some bonkers turbulence on a Tristar, when we looked out of the window to see the wings flapping up and down like a bird of prey (ie full up and full down) and some "oh look we're still dropping" experiences, was on a BAe146 in northern China (I believe I have related this story before on PB). Early morning flight, dozing 20 mins before we were due to land when I was jolted awake by the plane dramatically changing trajectory and flying vertically upwards with what sounded like more thrust. Looked out of the window to see fog-covered mountains below, to the side of, and stretching out above the plane.

Big_G_NorthWales said:

kjh said:

Leon said:

WhisperingOracle said:

Leon said:

In about four hours I will be landing at one of the most dangerous airports in the world

😶

Bournemouth ?

Even worse

I’ve just been looking at videos of the approach, as aircraft land. The view from the cockpit


I shouldnae have done that

With all of your flying how many 'emergencies' have you been involved in. I don't know whether I am unlucky, because my travel is significantly less than yours, but I have had 2:

An aborted take off. Not very dramatic but a good set of brakes, but chaos afterwards.

An emergency landing which involved a fly past the tower and meeting a lot of nice firemen when we left the plane.

PS I have had an emergency landing in a field when being taught to fly a glider, because the winch launch went wrong, but I don't count that.

We have experienced 2 aborted landings at Heathrow, and the loss of an engine on a Qantas 747 on a direct flight from Heathrow to Sydney after refueling in Bangkok

The pilot informed us, and said that he was to release fuel and could only land back at Bangkok after a couple of hours of this which when we did were followed by fire engines and ambulances before coming to a halt in an apparently safe area

We were taken to a 5 star hotel, where we spent one and half nights before meeting the same captain at the departure gate as our replacement plane approached it's stance with 5 engines, the captain informing us that the inboard engine would be removed and installed on our faulty 747

wooliedyed said:

Do you support or oppose extending Winter Fuel Payment to most pensioners?

✅ Support 69%
❌ Oppose 10%
🤷‍♂️ Don't know 21%

[Find Out Now, 9th June, N=1,005]

Does this change make you more or less likely to vote Labour?

📈 More likely 10%
📉 Less likely 16%
➖ No difference 74%

Lmao, well done big Rach

RochdalePioneers said:

On the UBI "debate" I've already had the question "where does the money come from" thrown at me. Stop. Reverse that. Let's assume we don't do it.

We are going to lose an awful lot of jobs. Vast numbers of them. People who will be unemployable because the jobs simply won't be there any more.

We can't afford UBI? What is the cost of not UBI? Of whole communities without jobs? Of people stuck on welfare with no hope of a job? We're not talking small pit villages - we coped with those by throwing shitloads of investment at them. Broaden than out on a vast scale - there is a HUGE cost.

Where does the money for that come from? We can invest in the future. Or invest in endless waste not fixing the mistakes of the past.

Leon said:

wooliedyed said:

Do you support or oppose extending Winter Fuel Payment to most pensioners?

✅ Support 69%
❌ Oppose 10%
🤷‍♂️ Don't know 21%

[Find Out Now, 9th June, N=1,005]

Does this change make you more or less likely to vote Labour?

📈 More likely 10%
📉 Less likely 16%
➖ No difference 74%

Lmao, well done big Rach

Hahahah

All the political damage of the original decision, and nothing gained from the U-turn at all, other than grave skepticism from the bond markets

Completely clueless

wooliedyed said:

Latest Electoral Commission donation figures for Q1 2025: (lifted from Guido)

Tories: £3.3 million
Labour: £2.3 million
LibDems: £1.52 million
Reform: £1.48 million

Leon said:

kjh said:

Leon said:

kjh said:

Leon said:

WhisperingOracle said:

Leon said:

In about four hours I will be landing at one of the most dangerous airports in the world

😶

Bournemouth ?

Even worse

I’ve just been looking at videos of the approach, as aircraft land. The view from the cockpit


I shouldnae have done that

With all of your flying how many 'emergencies' have you been involved in. I don't know whether I am unlucky, because my travel is significantly less than yours, but I have had 2:

An aborted take off. Not very dramatic but a good set of brakes, but chaos afterwards.

An emergency landing which involved a fly past the tower and meeting a lot of nice firemen when we left the plane.

PS I have had an emergency landing in a field when being taught to fly a glider, because the winch launch went wrong, but I don't count that.

It feels like tempting fate but - with all my travels - the worst aircraft experience I’ve had is really severe turbulence (which is pretty terrifying; that said)

The scariest flight experience of all was a microlight flight up the south face of Annapurna in Nepal. Followed by paragliding in the Dolomites

This is where I am scheduled to land shortly

“This is what landing at one of Europes most difficult airports look like. Atlantic Airways Airbus A319 touching down in Vagar, Faroe Islands 🇫🇴 - a place I fondly remember. #aviation”


https://x.com/visitfaroe/status/1061995321172131841?s=46&t=bulOICNH15U6kB0MwE6Lfw

I wasn't too bothered by my emergency landing or emergency takeoff, but I also have once experienced severe turbulence and that was scary. Most of it was just very bumpy, but then we had a really violent moment. Stuff everywhere.

Regarding non airline flights: My one helicopter flight over the Grand Canyon was pretty tame. My glider flights were also except for the emergency landing in a field which went well and also having a go in an acrobatic glider which was fun. My bucket list fight in a Pitt Special was the most dramatic flight. Unfortunately my stomach could only stand so much. Two rolls, followed by 2 barrel rolls finished me off so I didn't get the full experience. Glad I did it, but don't want to do it again.

They’ve just warned us on this plane - about to take off - about some stiff turbulence coming our way. Great. I hate turbulence

Your bucket list flight sounds horrific. Bravo on completing it, I shan’t be copying. The older I get the more I realise I am incredibly lucky to still be alive, given the insane risks I’ve taken - in many different ways - all around the world

I don’t need to add to them with pointless but exciting acrobatics in a plane…. I’d be testing God’s patience methinks