"Under the Anglo-French one-in-one-out migrant deal, which is more like 20 in, one out, the UK will pay not just the cost of transporting small boat migrants back to France but also pay to bring those asylum seekers deemed to have a greater chance of success across the Channel from France. All that on top of the hundreds of millions London pays Paris to beef police presence on the coast around Calais. Starmer et al really are quite the negotiators."
So what would you have suggested. It is us that wants them moved back. The French don't want them. So when you negotiated with the French and suggested they pay and they say no, what was going to be your next move.
I would have made fishing access dependent on their agreement on this. That’s where we had massive leverage
Starmer is either too dumb or too treacherous to do this
Remember Starmer said that he preferred Davos to Westminster. It was an unguarded moment with someone he regarded as a very safe interviewer - it even surprised Maitless, hence her scoff. The man is fully bought into an internationalist agenda, and that agenda by definition is going to be against the interests of a single country sometimes. If the country is gobby Brexity Britain, standing in opposition to the global direction of travel, make that all the time.
If you have this perspective, rinsing Britain, proving Brexit was wrong (on some warped level in their heads), and giving the money back to an EU member state is all quite right and proper. Starmer wouldn't call it treachery, and many here who share his views wouldn't call it that either. But of course it is.
Starmer has form on treason in other areas though. In fact, making your country give away a strategic island chain to a Chinese-allied country while paying tens of billions for the privilege and letting the Chinese build a needlessly huge embassy in London so they can kidnap and intimidate dissidents in privacy is even beyond treachery.
We can contrast those actions with damaging, but not apparently treacherous decisions like working to get Jeremy Corbyn elected, managing to be officially unaware of Jimmy Saville while DPP and appointing Reeves as CotE.
And he does all these while posing in front of a Union Jack at every opportunity. I would say it makes me sick, but ifI thought about it too much I'd need to spend the next four years permanently vomiting.
This place seems to be more and more dominated by full-on Trump-type lunacy.
Not pleasant at all.
If around 30% of voters are now choosing Reform, there are bound to be an increasing number on PB. Whether we like it or not.
"Under the Anglo-French one-in-one-out migrant deal, which is more like 20 in, one out, the UK will pay not just the cost of transporting small boat migrants back to France but also pay to bring those asylum seekers deemed to have a greater chance of success across the Channel from France. All that on top of the hundreds of millions London pays Paris to beef police presence on the coast around Calais. Starmer et al really are quite the negotiators."
So what would you have suggested. It is us that wants them moved back. The French don't want them. So when you negotiated with the French and suggested they pay and they say no, what was going to be your next move.
I would have made fishing access dependent on their agreement on this. That’s where we had massive leverage
Starmer is either too dumb or too treacherous to do this
Remember Starmer said that he preferred Davos to Westminster. It was an unguarded moment with someone he regarded as a very safe interviewer - it even surprised Maitless, hence her scoff. The man is fully bought into an internationalist agenda, and that agenda by definition is going to be against the interests of a single country sometimes. If the country is gobby Brexity Britain, standing in opposition to the global direction of travel, make that all the time.
If you have this perspective, rinsing Britain, proving Brexit was wrong (on some warped level in their heads), and giving the money back to an EU member state is all quite right and proper. Starmer wouldn't call it treachery, and many here who share his views wouldn't call it that either. But of course it is.
Starmer has form on treason in other areas though. In fact, making your country give away a strategic island chain to a Chinese-allied country while paying tens of billions for the privilege and letting the Chinese build a needlessly huge embassy in London so they can kidnap and intimidate dissidents in privacy is even beyond treachery.
We can contrast those actions with damaging, but not apparently treacherous decisions like working to get Jeremy Corbyn elected, managing to be officially unaware of Jimmy Saville while DPP and appointing Reeves as CotE.
And he does all these while posing in front of a Union Jack at every opportunity. I would say it makes me sick, but ifI thought about it too much I'd need to spend the next four years permanently vomiting.
This place seems to be more and more dominated by full-on Trump-type lunacy.
Not pleasant at all.
If around 30% of voters are now choosing Reform, there are bound to be an increasing number on PB. Whether we like it or not.
"Under the Anglo-French one-in-one-out migrant deal, which is more like 20 in, one out, the UK will pay not just the cost of transporting small boat migrants back to France but also pay to bring those asylum seekers deemed to have a greater chance of success across the Channel from France. All that on top of the hundreds of millions London pays Paris to beef police presence on the coast around Calais. Starmer et al really are quite the negotiators."
So what would you have suggested. It is us that wants them moved back. The French don't want them. So when you negotiated with the French and suggested they pay and they say no, what was going to be your next move.
I would have made fishing access dependent on their agreement on this. That’s where we had massive leverage
Starmer is either too dumb or too treacherous to do this
Remember Starmer said that he preferred Davos to Westminster. It was an unguarded moment with someone he regarded as a very safe interviewer - it even surprised Maitless, hence her scoff. The man is fully bought into an internationalist agenda, and that agenda by definition is going to be against the interests of a single country sometimes. If the country is gobby Brexity Britain, standing in opposition to the global direction of travel, make that all the time.
If you have this perspective, rinsing Britain, proving Brexit was wrong (on some warped level in their heads), and giving the money back to an EU member state is all quite right and proper. Starmer wouldn't call it treachery, and many here who share his views wouldn't call it that either. But of course it is.
Starmer has form on treason in other areas though. In fact, making your country give away a strategic island chain to a Chinese-allied country while paying tens of billions for the privilege and letting the Chinese build a needlessly huge embassy in London so they can kidnap and intimidate dissidents in privacy is even beyond treachery.
We can contrast those actions with damaging, but not apparently treacherous decisions like working to get Jeremy Corbyn elected, managing to be officially unaware of Jimmy Saville while DPP and appointing Reeves as CotE.
And he does all these while posing in front of a Union Jack at every opportunity. I would say it makes me sick, but ifI thought about it too much I'd need to spend the next four years permanently vomiting.
Yes
I do sometimes wonder if Starmer is actively compromised and working for a foreign power. Quite seriously
In the data tables for the Freshwater Strategy poll, the first question was "do you think the UK is or is not on the right track?"
The overall numbers were 24% Right track, 71% Wrong track. Every part of the country said we were on the Wrong Track and some by large margins (78-13 in South West, 80-16 in Yorkshire & Humber).
EXCEPT....
London where the sample stated had 55% on the Right Track and 42% on the Wrong Track.
I find it worrying and telling at the same time. Call it a tale of two Britains if you like but the disconnection (and I sense it on here) between the life of those in London and the rest of England (let alone Wales and Scotland) has never been more stark.
The odd thing about that is that I think most people saying on the wrong track would think it’s especially true of London.
Age may be a factor, of course.
Those of us outwith London see the concentration of wealth and investment in London as a symptom of the UK being on the wrong track. London based beneficiaries see it as a symptom of the UK being on the right track.
In the data tables for the Freshwater Strategy poll, the first question was "do you think the UK is or is not on the right track?"
The overall numbers were 24% Right track, 71% Wrong track. Every part of the country said we were on the Wrong Track and some by large margins (78-13 in South West, 80-16 in Yorkshire & Humber).
EXCEPT....
London where the sample stated had 55% on the Right Track and 42% on the Wrong Track.
I find it worrying and telling at the same time. Call it a tale of two Britains if you like but the disconnection (and I sense it on here) between the life of those in London and the rest of England (let alone Wales and Scotland) has never been more stark.
London is also the only UK region now where the Tories and Labour remain the top 2 parties in polls. It has the highest house prices and highest average wages and is the most pro multiculturalism and immigration.
It has always been the case that the most successful school leavers ultimately leave their home towns and cities and head for London and the bright lights
Not based on the recent polling from YouGov and Freshwater. YouGov have Labour ahead of Reform with the Conservatives third in London. Freshwater has Labour ahead of the Greens with the Conservatives third. Both have the Conservatives on 16% in London but these are small subsamples so probably not to be relied on too much.
The last Savanta poll for Queen Mary University had the Conservatives on 21% in London but that was back in May.
Yougov MRP also has Reform projected to win 271 MPs UK wide but just 3 in London, Dagenham, Romford and Hornchurch and Upminster, Old Bexley and Sidcup and Bexleyheath and Crayford.
The Conservatives are projected to win 7 London seats, Chelsea and Fulham, Bromley and Biggin Hill, Orpington, Uxbridge and South Ruislip, Chingford and Woodford Green, Harrow East and Hendon and Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner
In the data tables for the Freshwater Strategy poll, the first question was "do you think the UK is or is not on the right track?"
The overall numbers were 24% Right track, 71% Wrong track. Every part of the country said we were on the Wrong Track and some by large margins (78-13 in South West, 80-16 in Yorkshire & Humber).
EXCEPT....
London where the sample stated had 55% on the Right Track and 42% on the Wrong Track.
I find it worrying and telling at the same time. Call it a tale of two Britains if you like but the disconnection (and I sense it on here) between the life of those in London and the rest of England (let alone Wales and Scotland) has never been more stark.
London is also the only UK region now where the Tories and Labour remain the top 2 parties in polls. It has the highest house prices and highest average wages and is the most pro multiculturalism and immigration.
It has always been the case that the most successful school leavers ultimately leave their home towns and cities and head for London and the bright lights
Not based on the recent polling from YouGov and Freshwater. YouGov have Labour ahead of Reform with the Conservatives third in London. Freshwater has Labour ahead of the Greens with the Conservatives third. Both have the Conservatives on 16% in London but these are small subsamples so probably not to be relied on too much.
The last Savanta poll for Queen Mary University had the Conservatives on 21% in London but that was back in May.
Yougov MRP also has Reform projected to win 271 MPs UK wide but just 3 in London, Dagenham, Romford and Hornchurch and Upminster, Old Bexley and Sidcup and Bexleyheath and Crayford.
The Conservatives are projected to win 7 London seats, Chelsea and Fulham, Bromley and Biggin Hill, Orpington, Uxbridge and South Ruislip, Chingford and Woodford Green, Harrow East and Hendon and Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner
In the data tables for the Freshwater Strategy poll, the first question was "do you think the UK is or is not on the right track?"
The overall numbers were 24% Right track, 71% Wrong track. Every part of the country said we were on the Wrong Track and some by large margins (78-13 in South West, 80-16 in Yorkshire & Humber).
EXCEPT....
London where the sample stated had 55% on the Right Track and 42% on the Wrong Track.
I find it worrying and telling at the same time. Call it a tale of two Britains if you like but the disconnection (and I sense it on here) between the life of those in London and the rest of England (let alone Wales and Scotland) has never been more stark.
The odd thing about that is that I think most people saying on the wrong track would think it’s especially true of London.
Age may be a factor, of course.
Those of us outwith London see the concentration of wealth and investment in London as a symptom of the UK being on the wrong track. London based beneficiaries see it as a symptom of the UK being on the right track.
I'm glad that someone is polling right track/wrong track as find it very useful in a US context. Worth noticing that the US isn't actually that bad right now (around -10 to -15 net)
-47 net says that Lab are in for another walloping next May and not looking likely to be re-elected.
Find it extraordinary that Lab only leads Reform by 3% on the NHS when Reform talked about replacing the NHS at the last election.
I think in part it is that familiarity with Reforms policies on the NHS is pretty low, combined with a feeling that no party can get the NHS working properly again. The Welsh NHS is particularly pisspoor on most measures, and has been under aLabour control. A combination of ignorance and nihilism fits well with Reform voters.
In the data tables for the Freshwater Strategy poll, the first question was "do you think the UK is or is not on the right track?"
The overall numbers were 24% Right track, 71% Wrong track. Every part of the country said we were on the Wrong Track and some by large margins (78-13 in South West, 80-16 in Yorkshire & Humber).
EXCEPT....
London where the sample stated had 55% on the Right Track and 42% on the Wrong Track.
I find it worrying and telling at the same time. Call it a tale of two Britains if you like but the disconnection (and I sense it on here) between the life of those in London and the rest of England (let alone Wales and Scotland) has never been more stark.
London is also the only UK region now where the Tories and Labour remain the top 2 parties in polls. It has the highest house prices and highest average wages and is the most pro multiculturalism and immigration.
It has always been the case that the most successful school leavers ultimately leave their home towns and cities and head for London and the bright lights
Not based on the recent polling from YouGov and Freshwater. YouGov have Labour ahead of Reform with the Conservatives third in London. Freshwater has Labour ahead of the Greens with the Conservatives third. Both have the Conservatives on 16% in London but these are small subsamples so probably not to be relied on too much.
The last Savanta poll for Queen Mary University had the Conservatives on 21% in London but that was back in May.
Yougov MRP also has Reform projected to win 271 MPs UK wide but just 3 in London, Dagenham, Romford and Hornchurch and Upminster, Old Bexley and Sidcup and Bexleyheath and Crayford.
The Conservatives are projected to win 7 London seats, Chelsea and Fulham, Bromley and Biggin Hill, Orpington, Uxbridge and South Ruislip, Chingford and Woodford Green, Harrow East and Hendon and Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner
The YouGov MRP is quite interesting London wise - the projected Orpington and Bromley results are almost a perfect match for the swing in Bromley from the projected 2024 GE ward result at the by election last week - both look TCTC at the moment
In the data tables for the Freshwater Strategy poll, the first question was "do you think the UK is or is not on the right track?"
The overall numbers were 24% Right track, 71% Wrong track. Every part of the country said we were on the Wrong Track and some by large margins (78-13 in South West, 80-16 in Yorkshire & Humber).
EXCEPT....
London where the sample stated had 55% on the Right Track and 42% on the Wrong Track.
I find it worrying and telling at the same time. Call it a tale of two Britains if you like but the disconnection (and I sense it on here) between the life of those in London and the rest of England (let alone Wales and Scotland) has never been more stark.
London is also the only UK region now where the Tories and Labour remain the top 2 parties in polls. It has the highest house prices and highest average wages and is the most pro multiculturalism and immigration.
It has always been the case that the most successful school leavers ultimately leave their home towns and cities and head for London and the bright lights
Not based on the recent polling from YouGov and Freshwater. YouGov have Labour ahead of Reform with the Conservatives third in London. Freshwater has Labour ahead of the Greens with the Conservatives third. Both have the Conservatives on 16% in London but these are small subsamples so probably not to be relied on too much.
The last Savanta poll for Queen Mary University had the Conservatives on 21% in London but that was back in May.
Yougov MRP also has Reform projected to win 271 MPs UK wide but just 3 in London, Dagenham, Romford and Hornchurch and Upminster, Old Bexley and Sidcup and Bexleyheath and Crayford.
The Conservatives are projected to win 7 London seats, Chelsea and Fulham, Bromley and Biggin Hill, Orpington, Uxbridge and South Ruislip, Chingford and Woodford Green, Harrow East and Hendon and Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner
"Under the Anglo-French one-in-one-out migrant deal, which is more like 20 in, one out, the UK will pay not just the cost of transporting small boat migrants back to France but also pay to bring those asylum seekers deemed to have a greater chance of success across the Channel from France. All that on top of the hundreds of millions London pays Paris to beef police presence on the coast around Calais. Starmer et al really are quite the negotiators."
Yet we all thought that the Chagos Islands “deal” might be the low point of this government.
It is actually quite hard to be this bad at negotiating
Unless, of course, Starmer and Co don't give a F about the British national interest
Gus O'Donnell said his job was “to maximise global welfare, not national welfare”. It's that again. Smug bastards.
Sounds like a pretty barmy approach. You can surely try to do both, and if that is not possible (and the former does not always lead to the latter) then to maximise national welfare as much as you can without outright screwing over others, if you want to be moral about it.
I think it's "maximize national welfare, while recognizing that screwing other countries over can create ill will that is negative for future national welfare"
We don’t have friends we have interests. But it's in our interests to have friends.
This is the 'transactional' way to look at it if the concept of morality in foreign policy is deemed too wet and wimpy.
It is a very good guiding principle in foreign affairs.
And, it’s well removed from “The strong do as they will, the weak suffer what they must”, which Thucydides intended as a warning against imperial hubris, not as a truism.
Find it extraordinary that Lab only leads Reform by 3% on the NHS when Reform talked about replacing the NHS at the last election.
People are daft but not that daft. As from this year (see the polling) Reform are aiming at government. This may be a terrible idea but it's the case. It matters nothing what Reform said in July 2024. Their only chance of forming a government involves preserving all the currently existing free stuff including NHS, pensions, education to 18 and welfare safety net. Ask Farage's voters in Clacton what they want. They already know that a Reform party wanting government will promise to give it to them. This equals high spending. Which of course equals high taxing.
This makes their 2029 manifesto an interesting and important document. Especially as both thoughtful voters (there are some) and the bond markets will have a good look at what they say about tax, spend, borrowing, debt and deficit.
How Reform will campaign in 2029 and how they would actually govern from 2029 are easily the most interesting political questions. They are not being much addressed. but they will be.
I do think there's an interesting question of Reform's relatively (obviously the position they are in is quite spectacular by any objective measure) muted performance in Wales. I do wonder if their 'send them down the pitts' approach has been a flop. I completely agree that coal should be on the table, and that Wales should have more dependable energy industry jobs, but I don't think their policy has really landed.
The last poll showed Reform at 28% and largest party in Wales. This is about right. As in Scotland Reform has another populist competitor unlike England. PC is not as strong as SNP so Reform does a bit better.
May 2026 is approaching fast and I see little to stop the car crash for the big two parties that the polls and byelections predict. If Labour end up 3rd in both Scotland and Wales and wiped out at council level in much of England I dont really see a way back for them and most of their MPs will be looking for a new job.
And as for the Tories finishing 4th in both Scotland and Wales?
The Tories are increasingly becoming irrelevant. They probably have one last roll of the dice in Kemi’s replacement (or have to hope Reform implodes), otherwise minor party status or an eventual reverse takeover by Reform looms.
They do look doomed on this polling.
It isn't too rosy for Reform though. They may well wind up the biggest party in the Sened under PR, but with a FPTP system that's a pretty low ceiling.
The Tories in Wales are really reliant on getting about 12/13% plus which would pretty much guarantee them 10 plus seats and probably a dozen. If they slide towards 10% they risk missing out on a slew of '6th place' seats. Scotland they are probably screwed unless they can hold on to 3 or 4 constituencies - probably Berwickshire, Dumfriesshire then 2 of West Aberdeenshire, Eastwood, Dumfries and Galloway, Ayr. Which are probably the only 6 they have any chances in. That would probably keep them ahead of the LDs and Greens but they are in all sorts of trouble. They will be hoping there is a really visceral punish the government vote to hide their shame
Worth remembering that Welsh Assembly Tories are a wetter than wet bunch who just purged all their right wingers - their polling descent is an interesting case study for those urging the Tories to ape the Lib Dems.
Oh, they are the Missing Link then?
I dont know about Wales but in Scotland the Tories have a distinct base of supporters different from Reform. The Tories are very much a rural party and potentially a business party. Perversely the success of Reform may benefit the Tories. Combined with Reform they will create a large right wing block of around 30 % of the electorate. Suddenly they can have influence. The biggest question in Scotland is how far Reform will rise and how far will Labour fall. There is a possible scenario with Reform on 30% by next May and we looking at a massive upheaval in Scottish politics.
In the data tables for the Freshwater Strategy poll, the first question was "do you think the UK is or is not on the right track?"
The overall numbers were 24% Right track, 71% Wrong track. Every part of the country said we were on the Wrong Track and some by large margins (78-13 in South West, 80-16 in Yorkshire & Humber).
EXCEPT....
London where the sample stated had 55% on the Right Track and 42% on the Wrong Track.
I find it worrying and telling at the same time. Call it a tale of two Britains if you like but the disconnection (and I sense it on here) between the life of those in London and the rest of England (let alone Wales and Scotland) has never been more stark.
The odd thing about that is that I think most people saying on the wrong track would think it’s especially true of London.
Age may be a factor, of course.
Those of us outwith London see the concentration of wealth and investment in London as a symptom of the UK being on the wrong track. London based beneficiaries see it as a symptom of the UK being on the right track.
I'm glad that someone is polling right track/wrong track as find it very useful in a US context. Worth noticing that the US isn't actually that bad right now (around -10 to -15 net)
-47 net says that Lab are in for another walloping next May and not looking likely to be re-elected.
Unless mass LD and Green tactical voting to keep Farage out.
Trump's rating of 37% at this stage is still the worst of any President since Nixon at this stage of his presidency, even 1% below his rating at this stage of his first term
If jobs are lost due to AI but not replaced it will get worse and mean even more populist politics of left as much as right, with the likes of Corbyn, Sanders and Melenchon pledging to hammer corporations with tax to fund a massive UBI
Find it extraordinary that Lab only leads Reform by 3% on the NHS when Reform talked about replacing the NHS at the last election.
People are daft but not that daft. As from this year (see the polling) Reform are aiming at government. This may be a terrible idea but it's the case. It matters nothing what Reform said in July 2024. Their only chance of forming a government involves preserving all the currently existing free stuff including NHS, pensions, education to 18 and welfare safety net. Ask Farage's voters in Clacton what they want. They already know that a Reform party wanting government will promise to give it to them. This equals high spending. Which of course equals high taxing.
This makes their 2029 manifesto an interesting and important document. Especially as both thoughtful voters (there are some) and the bond markets will have a good look at what they say about tax, spend, borrowing, debt and deficit.
How Reform will campaign in 2029 and how they would actually govern from 2029 are easily the most interesting political questions. They are not being much addressed. but they will be.
There’s no way that Reform will commit to NHS abolition in their 2029 manifesto, IMHO. Far safer for them to claim that cutting bureaucracy, increasing charges for overseas/non resident users and denying asylum seekers access to free healthcare, or something of that bent, will fix all of the immediate problems while they “consult” on future changes for their second term.
I do think there's an interesting question of Reform's relatively (obviously the position they are in is quite spectacular by any objective measure) muted performance in Wales. I do wonder if their 'send them down the pitts' approach has been a flop. I completely agree that coal should be on the table, and that Wales should have more dependable energy industry jobs, but I don't think their policy has really landed.
The last poll showed Reform at 28% and largest party in Wales. This is about right. As in Scotland Reform has another populist competitor unlike England. PC is not as strong as SNP so Reform does a bit better.
May 2026 is approaching fast and I see little to stop the car crash for the big two parties that the polls and byelections predict. If Labour end up 3rd in both Scotland and Wales and wiped out at council level in much of England I dont really see a way back for them and most of their MPs will be looking for a new job.
And as for the Tories finishing 4th in both Scotland and Wales?
The Tories are increasingly becoming irrelevant. They probably have one last roll of the dice in Kemi’s replacement (or have to hope Reform implodes), otherwise minor party status or an eventual reverse takeover by Reform looms.
They do look doomed on this polling.
It isn't too rosy for Reform though. They may well wind up the biggest party in the Sened under PR, but with a FPTP system that's a pretty low ceiling.
The Tories in Wales are really reliant on getting about 12/13% plus which would pretty much guarantee them 10 plus seats and probably a dozen. If they slide towards 10% they risk missing out on a slew of '6th place' seats. Scotland they are probably screwed unless they can hold on to 3 or 4 constituencies - probably Berwickshire, Dumfriesshire then 2 of West Aberdeenshire, Eastwood, Dumfries and Galloway, Ayr. Which are probably the only 6 they have any chances in. That would probably keep them ahead of the LDs and Greens but they are in all sorts of trouble. They will be hoping there is a really visceral punish the government vote to hide their shame
Worth remembering that Welsh Assembly Tories are a wetter than wet bunch who just purged all their right wingers - their polling descent is an interesting case study for those urging the Tories to ape the Lib Dems.
Oh, they are the Missing Link then?
I dont know about Wales but in Scotland the Tories have a distinct base of supporters different from Reform. The Tories are very much a rural party and potentially a business party. Perversely the success of Reform may benefit the Tories. Combined with Reform they will create a large right wing block of around 30 % of the electorate. Suddenly they can have influence. The biggest question in Scotland is how far Reform will rise and how far will Labour fall. There is a possible scenario with Reform on 30% by next May and we looking at a massive upheaval in Scottish politics.
The Welsh Tories are probably down to Clwyd and Monmouth as stronger areas with pockets in Pembrokeshire, Vale of Glamorgan and less so in Flint/Wrexham
Find it extraordinary that Lab only leads Reform by 3% on the NHS when Reform talked about replacing the NHS at the last election.
People are daft but not that daft. As from this year (see the polling) Reform are aiming at government. This may be a terrible idea but it's the case. It matters nothing what Reform said in July 2024. Their only chance of forming a government involves preserving all the currently existing free stuff including NHS, pensions, education to 18 and welfare safety net. Ask Farage's voters in Clacton what they want. They already know that a Reform party wanting government will promise to give it to them. This equals high spending. Which of course equals high taxing.
This makes their 2029 manifesto an interesting and important document. Especially as both thoughtful voters (there are some) and the bond markets will have a good look at what they say about tax, spend, borrowing, debt and deficit.
How Reform will campaign in 2029 and how they would actually govern from 2029 are easily the most interesting political questions. They are not being much addressed. but they will be.
If Reform manage to be the governing party in Wales it will give an indication to other UK voters of their competence. More so than running councils. It could get very messy for them, or they may prove to be competent. We could find out.
If jobs are lost due to AI but not replaced it will get worse and mean even more populist politics of left as much as right, with the likes of Corbyn, Sanders and Melenchon pledging to hammer corporations with tax to fund a massive UBI
Which was where Rochdale P was going when I discussed this with him a while,back.
Find it extraordinary that Lab only leads Reform by 3% on the NHS when Reform talked about replacing the NHS at the last election.
People are daft but not that daft. As from this year (see the polling) Reform are aiming at government. This may be a terrible idea but it's the case. It matters nothing what Reform said in July 2024. Their only chance of forming a government involves preserving all the currently existing free stuff including NHS, pensions, education to 18 and welfare safety net. Ask Farage's voters in Clacton what they want. They already know that a Reform party wanting government will promise to give it to them. This equals high spending. Which of course equals high taxing.
This makes their 2029 manifesto an interesting and important document. Especially as both thoughtful voters (there are some) and the bond markets will have a good look at what they say about tax, spend, borrowing, debt and deficit.
How Reform will campaign in 2029 and how they would actually govern from 2029 are easily the most interesting political questions. They are not being much addressed. but they will be.
If Reform manage to be the governing party in Wales it will give an indication to other UK voters of their competence. More so than running councils. It could get very messy for them, or they may prove to be competent. We could find out.
Worst case for them the rest leave them to run a minority and force them to negotiate away their red lines to get anything done or in government but not in power
For all the talk about mastubrating machines and the like just bear in mind genuine accidents can happen and have real life consequences like this poor chap.
"Under the Anglo-French one-in-one-out migrant deal, which is more like 20 in, one out, the UK will pay not just the cost of transporting small boat migrants back to France but also pay to bring those asylum seekers deemed to have a greater chance of success across the Channel from France. All that on top of the hundreds of millions London pays Paris to beef police presence on the coast around Calais. Starmer et al really are quite the negotiators."
So what would you have suggested. It is us that wants them moved back. The French don't want them. So when you negotiated with the French and suggested they pay and they say no, what was going to be your next move.
I would have made fishing access dependent on their agreement on this. That’s where we had massive leverage
Starmer is either too dumb or too treacherous to do this
Remember Starmer said that he preferred Davos to Westminster. It was an unguarded moment with someone he regarded as a very safe interviewer - it even surprised Maitless, hence her scoff. The man is fully bought into an internationalist agenda, and that agenda by definition is going to be against the interests of a single country sometimes. If the country is gobby Brexity Britain, standing in opposition to the global direction of travel, make that all the time.
If you have this perspective, rinsing Britain, proving Brexit was wrong (on some warped level in their heads), and giving the money back to an EU member state is all quite right and proper. Starmer wouldn't call it treachery, and many here who share his views wouldn't call it that either. But of course it is.
I prefer Davos to Westminster.
So long as you go when the World Economic Forum isn't, and the snow is good, you can have a fabulous time skiing.
Makes those Boston Dynamics videos look quaint. And dated. Future wars will surely be millions of these shooting each other with mega-lasers. Nice
Like this ?
I’ve seen a few videos of humanoid robots running as well. Chinese. Most impressive.
Meanwhile the likes of Tharsus here are advancing far more slowly.
I remember when @Benpointer was Pooh-poohing my enthusiasm about new technology. He said “wake me up when robots can stack my dishwasher”
Well, now we have robots that can stack dishwashers. Slightly slowly, but they can do it
Ok, would you trust a robot to wank you off, slightly slowly or otherwise?
Every so often a question comes along on here that you're fairly sure hasn't been asked before.
Back in 1994, I went to a virtual reality conference at the Novotel in Hammersmith. In some of the darker corners, there was lots of talk of what was tentatively known as 'teledildonics'; i.e. haptics to accompany VR.
The VR fad of five or ten years ago seems to have faded a fair bit. I wonder how much Facebook lost on Oculus / Quest et al?
Makes those Boston Dynamics videos look quaint. And dated. Future wars will surely be millions of these shooting each other with mega-lasers. Nice
Like this ?
I’ve seen a few videos of humanoid robots running as well. Chinese. Most impressive.
Meanwhile the likes of Tharsus here are advancing far more slowly.
I remember when @Benpointer was Pooh-poohing my enthusiasm about new technology. He said “wake me up when robots can stack my dishwasher”
Well, now we have robots that can stack dishwashers. Slightly slowly, but they can do it
Ok, would you trust a robot to wank you off, slightly slowly or otherwise?
Every so often a question comes along on here that you're fairly sure hasn't been asked before.
"We are the guiltless pleasures of the lonely human being. You're not gonna get us pregnant or have us to supper with Mommy and Daddy. We work under you, we work on you and we work for you. Man made us better at what we do than was ever humanly possible."
Makes those Boston Dynamics videos look quaint. And dated. Future wars will surely be millions of these shooting each other with mega-lasers. Nice
Like this ?
I’ve seen a few videos of humanoid robots running as well. Chinese. Most impressive.
Meanwhile the likes of Tharsus here are advancing far more slowly.
I remember when @Benpointer was Pooh-poohing my enthusiasm about new technology. He said “wake me up when robots can stack my dishwasher”
Well, now we have robots that can stack dishwashers. Slightly slowly, but they can do it
Ok, would you trust a robot to wank you off, slightly slowly or otherwise?
Every so often a question comes along on here that you're fairly sure hasn't been asked before.
Back in 1994, I went to a virtual reality conference at the Novotel in Hammersmith. In some of the darker corners, there was lots of talk of what was tentatively known as 'teledildonics'; i.e. haptics to accompany VR.
The VR fad of five or ten years ago seems to have faded a fair bit. I wonder how much Facebook lost on Oculus / Quest et al?
They seem to have accidentally come up with a good product with Rayban Meta Smart glasses, with sales considerably above expectations. They look like normal glasses, but have cameras, mic and earphones. A partially sighted acquaintance loves them. She gets it to tell her what's on the menue that is vegetarian, which of her contacts are in the room etc.
Makes those Boston Dynamics videos look quaint. And dated. Future wars will surely be millions of these shooting each other with mega-lasers. Nice
Like this ?
I’ve seen a few videos of humanoid robots running as well. Chinese. Most impressive.
Meanwhile the likes of Tharsus here are advancing far more slowly.
I remember when @Benpointer was Pooh-poohing my enthusiasm about new technology. He said “wake me up when robots can stack my dishwasher”
Well, now we have robots that can stack dishwashers. Slightly slowly, but they can do it
Ok, would you trust a robot to wank you off, slightly slowly or otherwise?
Every so often a question comes along on here that you're fairly sure hasn't been asked before.
Back in 1994, I went to a virtual reality conference at the Novotel in Hammersmith. In some of the darker corners, there was lots of talk of what was tentatively known as 'teledildonics'; i.e. haptics to accompany VR.
The VR fad of five or ten years ago seems to have faded a fair bit. I wonder how much Facebook lost on Oculus / Quest et al?
They seem to have accidentally come up with a good product with Rayban Meta Smart glasses, with sales considerably above expectations. They look like normal glasses, but have cameras, mic and earphones. A partially sighted acquaintance loves them. She gets it to tell her what's on the menue that is vegetarian, which of her contacts are in the room etc.
There is a thriving market is little plastic stickers to cover the 'recording' light apparently
Find it extraordinary that Lab only leads Reform by 3% on the NHS when Reform talked about replacing the NHS at the last election.
People are daft but not that daft. As from this year (see the polling) Reform are aiming at government. This may be a terrible idea but it's the case. It matters nothing what Reform said in July 2024. Their only chance of forming a government involves preserving all the currently existing free stuff including NHS, pensions, education to 18 and welfare safety net. Ask Farage's voters in Clacton what they want. They already know that a Reform party wanting government will promise to give it to them. This equals high spending. Which of course equals high taxing.
This makes their 2029 manifesto an interesting and important document. Especially as both thoughtful voters (there are some) and the bond markets will have a good look at what they say about tax, spend, borrowing, debt and deficit.
How Reform will campaign in 2029 and how they would actually govern from 2029 are easily the most interesting political questions. They are not being much addressed. but they will be.
There’s no way that Reform will commit to NHS abolition in their 2029 manifesto, IMHO. Far safer for them to claim that cutting bureaucracy, increasing charges for overseas/non resident users and denying asylum seekers access to free healthcare, or something of that bent, will fix all of the immediate problems while they “consult” on future changes for their second term.
Reform's policies will be very simple:
- Lots more benefits for Brits - Better pensions for the golden generation who did so much to make Britain great - Lower taxes - Fewer foreigners and no asylum seekers - A balanced budget
Any gap between income and expenditure will easily be made up by not having so many foreigners in the country. And eliminate the tens of billions of pounds of waste caused by displaying pronouns in the bottom of email signatures.
Makes those Boston Dynamics videos look quaint. And dated. Future wars will surely be millions of these shooting each other with mega-lasers. Nice
Like this ?
I’ve seen a few videos of humanoid robots running as well. Chinese. Most impressive.
Meanwhile the likes of Tharsus here are advancing far more slowly.
I remember when @Benpointer was Pooh-poohing my enthusiasm about new technology. He said “wake me up when robots can stack my dishwasher”
Well, now we have robots that can stack dishwashers. Slightly slowly, but they can do it
Ok, would you trust a robot to wank you off, slightly slowly or otherwise?
Every so often a question comes along on here that you're fairly sure hasn't been asked before.
Back in 1994, I went to a virtual reality conference at the Novotel in Hammersmith. In some of the darker corners, there was lots of talk of what was tentatively known as 'teledildonics'; i.e. haptics to accompany VR.
The VR fad of five or ten years ago seems to have faded a fair bit. I wonder how much Facebook lost on Oculus / Quest et al?
They seem to have accidentally come up with a good product with Rayban Meta Smart glasses, with sales considerably above expectations. They look like normal glasses, but have cameras, mic and earphones. A partially sighted acquaintance loves them. She gets it to tell her what's on the menue that is vegetarian, which of her contacts are in the room etc.
Yes, quite so
These things are coming, they are already very useful. they will soon be ubiquitous
A lot of this tech is coming up on the blindside, I am not sure why. Perhaps because so much is happening at once, we get distracted by one thing and miss everything else
Find it extraordinary that Lab only leads Reform by 3% on the NHS when Reform talked about replacing the NHS at the last election.
People are daft but not that daft. As from this year (see the polling) Reform are aiming at government. This may be a terrible idea but it's the case. It matters nothing what Reform said in July 2024. Their only chance of forming a government involves preserving all the currently existing free stuff including NHS, pensions, education to 18 and welfare safety net. Ask Farage's voters in Clacton what they want. They already know that a Reform party wanting government will promise to give it to them. This equals high spending. Which of course equals high taxing.
This makes their 2029 manifesto an interesting and important document. Especially as both thoughtful voters (there are some) and the bond markets will have a good look at what they say about tax, spend, borrowing, debt and deficit.
How Reform will campaign in 2029 and how they would actually govern from 2029 are easily the most interesting political questions. They are not being much addressed. but they will be.
There’s no way that Reform will commit to NHS abolition in their 2029 manifesto, IMHO. Far safer for them to claim that cutting bureaucracy, increasing charges for overseas/non resident users and denying asylum seekers access to free healthcare, or something of that bent, will fix all of the immediate problems while they “consult” on future changes for their second term.
Reform's policies will be very simple:
- Lots more benefits for Brits - Better pensions for the golden generation who did so much to make Britain great - Lower taxes - Fewer foreigners and no asylum seekers - A balanced budget
Any gap between income and expenditure will easily be made up by not having so many foreigners in the country. And eliminate the tens of billions of pounds of waste caused by displaying pronouns in the bottom of email signatures.
Huzzah!
Of course possibly. That is the rubbish for which they stood when they were not in it to win it. It is now different, and I don't think they can stand on that agenda because while it gets no detailed attention now, it will do by 2028 on current polling.
So the question of where and how they do stand, replcing opposition policies with governing ones is a fascinating question.
It's not only the voters who will be engaged. The bond markets will be very interested too. If Reform stand on a unicorn platform and look like winning, the markets will do interesting things.
"But you haven't answered my question. If a robot could genuinely love a person, what responsibility does that person hold toward that Mecha in return? It's a moral question, isn't it?"
Owen Jones impression. This Tony Lapidus is doing a few political types inc Peter Hitchens (who didn’t take kindly to it), Tucker Carlson, George Galloway, & James O’Brien. Good to see it
Makes those Boston Dynamics videos look quaint. And dated. Future wars will surely be millions of these shooting each other with mega-lasers. Nice
Is this robot dog going to solve homelessness, global war and world poverty?
No but K-9: helped the Doctor defeat many adversaries.
(resists the temptation to ask "which one", as there were more than one K9)
"Think about this: if he was created to love, then its reasonable to assume he knows how to hate. And if pushed to those extremes, what is he really capable of?"
WTF is someone from Pakistan trying to claim asylum...
He likes hotels?
It was answered the other week, in a deportation hearing.
The chap there claimed that he would be lynched if he was sent back to Pakistan. Since the locals would not appreciate his type of criminal. So it would be in breach of his rights to send him back.
Find it extraordinary that Lab only leads Reform by 3% on the NHS when Reform talked about replacing the NHS at the last election.
People are daft but not that daft. As from this year (see the polling) Reform are aiming at government. This may be a terrible idea but it's the case. It matters nothing what Reform said in July 2024. Their only chance of forming a government involves preserving all the currently existing free stuff including NHS, pensions, education to 18 and welfare safety net. Ask Farage's voters in Clacton what they want. They already know that a Reform party wanting government will promise to give it to them. This equals high spending. Which of course equals high taxing.
This makes their 2029 manifesto an interesting and important document. Especially as both thoughtful voters (there are some) and the bond markets will have a good look at what they say about tax, spend, borrowing, debt and deficit.
How Reform will campaign in 2029 and how they would actually govern from 2029 are easily the most interesting political questions. They are not being much addressed. but they will be.
There’s no way that Reform will commit to NHS abolition in their 2029 manifesto, IMHO. Far safer for them to claim that cutting bureaucracy, increasing charges for overseas/non resident users and denying asylum seekers access to free healthcare, or something of that bent, will fix all of the immediate problems while they “consult” on future changes for their second term.
Reform's policies will be very simple:
- Lots more benefits for Brits - Better pensions for the golden generation who did so much to make Britain great - Lower taxes - Fewer foreigners and no asylum seekers - A balanced budget
Any gap between income and expenditure will easily be made up by not having so many foreigners in the country. And eliminate the tens of billions of pounds of waste caused by displaying pronouns in the bottom of email signatures.
Huzzah!
Of course possibly. That is the rubbish for which they stood when they were not in it to win it. It is now different, and I don't think they can stand on that agenda because while it gets no detailed attention now, it will do by 2028 on current polling.
So the question of where and how they do stand, replcing opposition policies with governing ones is a fascinating question.
It's not only the voters who will be engaged. The bond markets will be very interested too. If Reform stand on a unicorn platform and look like winning, the markets will do interesting things.
Why wouldn't they stand on my platform?
The average Brit knows they pay loads in taxes, and knows there are loads of foreigners in the country.
A policy to reduce taxes, increase pensions and get rid of foreigners, paid for by elininating woke looks like a winner to me.
And the kind of people who would scrutinise Reform's manifesto for economic sense aren't the kind of people who will be voting for Reform anyway.
WTF is someone from Pakistan trying to claim asylum...
He likes hotels?
It was answered the other week, in a deportation hearing.
The chap there claimed that he would be lynched if he was sent back to Pakistan. Since the locals would not appreciate his type of criminal. So it would be in breach of his rights to send him back.
Can’t we threaten to lynch him here? Then there would be no advantage to him staying here.
WTF is someone from Pakistan trying to claim asylum...
He likes hotels?
It was answered the other week, in a deportation hearing.
The chap there claimed that he would be lynched if he was sent back to Pakistan. Since the locals would not appreciate his type of criminal. So it would be in breach of his rights to send him back.
The US had a primitive model back in the 1960s, but didn't pursue the technology (partly because it wasn't as useful for producing plutonium).
The latest fashion is pebble bed reactors. Molten salt is very last week.
I thought they went out of fashion after the South African one was about 100x over budget and got canned. (Albeit it was 100x over budget because the money was all stolen.)
The US had a primitive model back in the 1960s, but didn't pursue the technology (partly because it wasn't as useful for producing plutonium).
The latest fashion is pebble bed reactors. Molten salt is very last week.
I thought they went out of fashion after the South African one was about 100x over budget and got canned. (Albeit it was 100x over budget because the money was all stolen.)
The US had a primitive model back in the 1960s, but didn't pursue the technology (partly because it wasn't as useful for producing plutonium).
The latest fashion is pebble bed reactors. Molten salt is very last week.
I thought they went out of fashion after the South African one was about 100x over budget and got canned. (Albeit it was 100x over budget because the money was all stolen.)
Someone should have told US Congress about the budget theft.
They would have immediately commissioned 250 pebble bed reactors.
WTF is someone from Pakistan trying to claim asylum...
He likes hotels?
It was answered the other week, in a deportation hearing.
The chap there claimed that he would be lynched if he was sent back to Pakistan. Since the locals would not appreciate his type of criminal. So it would be in breach of his rights to send him back.
I want one of these judges that keep refusing to deport foreign rapists and pedophiles and violent robbers - because they will have a hard time in jail in their home countries - to be faced with one of the British women or girls that are consequently raped in the UK
Let them see the results of what they do. Let them see and hear and feel it. Right in front of them
Find it extraordinary that Lab only leads Reform by 3% on the NHS when Reform talked about replacing the NHS at the last election.
People are daft but not that daft. As from this year (see the polling) Reform are aiming at government. This may be a terrible idea but it's the case. It matters nothing what Reform said in July 2024. Their only chance of forming a government involves preserving all the currently existing free stuff including NHS, pensions, education to 18 and welfare safety net. Ask Farage's voters in Clacton what they want. They already know that a Reform party wanting government will promise to give it to them. This equals high spending. Which of course equals high taxing.
This makes their 2029 manifesto an interesting and important document. Especially as both thoughtful voters (there are some) and the bond markets will have a good look at what they say about tax, spend, borrowing, debt and deficit.
How Reform will campaign in 2029 and how they would actually govern from 2029 are easily the most interesting political questions. They are not being much addressed. but they will be.
If Reform manage to be the governing party in Wales it will give an indication to other UK voters of their competence. More so than running councils. It could get very messy for them, or they may prove to be competent. We could find out.
Worst case for them the rest leave them to run a minority and force them to negotiate away their red lines to get anything done or in government but not in power
Does anyone believe that Reform is capable of holding together until then?
Makes those Boston Dynamics videos look quaint. And dated. Future wars will surely be millions of these shooting each other with mega-lasers. Nice
I'm sure we'll find out once we have one outside an AI video.
(Unless someone has proof that it is a real video.)
It’s a real video. It is undisputed
“Yes, it's real! Unitree Robotics just announced the A2 Stellar Hunter today—a rugged industrial robodog that climbs, sprints at 5 m/s, and hauls loads up to 30kg. Impressive engineering, not sci-fi fiction. Check their official post for details. 🚀”
@BarackObama · 37m We can’t lose focus on what matters – right now, Republicans in Texas are trying to gerrymander district lines to unfairly win five seats in next year’s midterm elections. This is a power grab that undermines our democracy.
The US had a primitive model back in the 1960s, but didn't pursue the technology (partly because it wasn't as useful for producing plutonium).
The latest fashion is pebble bed reactors. Molten salt is very last week.
The latest fashion is developing a closed Rankine cycle system using supercritical CO2 for generating the electricity. Theoretically way more efficient than a steam turbine, and does away with the corrosion problems associated with steam. Some way off, though.
As this is a Welsh thread (Diolch yn fawr, TSE) I thought PBers might be interested in the latest news from the National Eisteddfod in Wrexham. The Welsh Academy, guardians of our language, have decreed that to avoid further contamination by English the letters of the alphabet should in future be reversed and Welsh text should be read from right to left:
It's surprisingly easy, once you get the hang of it, though I've only done one word so far.
This evening I heard a group of farmers in a bar complaining in their native tongue about the cost of land and the price of milk. People sometimes ask if I know any swear words in Welsh and I'm happy to report that when a Welshman descends into profanity he instinctively reverts to English. I won't go into detail, but if I were a supporter of Plaid Llafur I'd be worried.
"Migrants can use human rights ‘loophole’ to avoid return to France People who have crossed the Channel in small boats may be able to avoid deportation by lodging human rights cases or claiming to be under 18" (£)
Find it extraordinary that Lab only leads Reform by 3% on the NHS when Reform talked about replacing the NHS at the last election.
People are daft but not that daft. As from this year (see the polling) Reform are aiming at government. This may be a terrible idea but it's the case. It matters nothing what Reform said in July 2024. Their only chance of forming a government involves preserving all the currently existing free stuff including NHS, pensions, education to 18 and welfare safety net. Ask Farage's voters in Clacton what they want. They already know that a Reform party wanting government will promise to give it to them. This equals high spending. Which of course equals high taxing.
This makes their 2029 manifesto an interesting and important document. Especially as both thoughtful voters (there are some) and the bond markets will have a good look at what they say about tax, spend, borrowing, debt and deficit.
How Reform will campaign in 2029 and how they would actually govern from 2029 are easily the most interesting political questions. They are not being much addressed. but they will be.
There’s no way that Reform will commit to NHS abolition in their 2029 manifesto, IMHO. Far safer for them to claim that cutting bureaucracy, increasing charges for overseas/non resident users and denying asylum seekers access to free healthcare, or something of that bent, will fix all of the immediate problems while they “consult” on future changes for their second term.
Reform's policies will be very simple:
- Lots more benefits for Brits - Better pensions for the golden generation who did so much to make Britain great - Lower taxes - Fewer foreigners and no asylum seekers - A balanced budget
Any gap between income and expenditure will easily be made up by not having so many foreigners in the country. And eliminate the tens of billions of pounds of waste caused by displaying pronouns in the bottom of email signatures.
Huzzah!
Of course possibly. That is the rubbish for which they stood when they were not in it to win it. It is now different, and I don't think they can stand on that agenda because while it gets no detailed attention now, it will do by 2028 on current polling.
So the question of where and how they do stand, replcing opposition policies with governing ones is a fascinating question.
It's not only the voters who will be engaged. The bond markets will be very interested too. If Reform stand on a unicorn platform and look like winning, the markets will do interesting things.
Yes and no.
They’ll moderate somewhat, on what they think are weak spots for them (NHS, spending to some extent) but I think it’s hard to see them taking a different tack on the immigration, culture, law and order, deregulation, efficiency stuff because they know that’s what fires up the voter base.
The markets will be less worried about a Reform government and more worried about uncertainty. If Reform win, they’ll likely get some breathing space for a while - it is whether they are able to demonstrate credibility after that which will be the big issue.
"Migrants can use human rights ‘loophole’ to avoid return to France People who have crossed the Channel in small boats may be able to avoid deportation by lodging human rights cases or claiming to be under 18" (£)
None of this will change unless Parliament actually asserts the sovereignty it is entitled to and starts actually legislating to remove the discretion from the courts or the underpinning laws. It’s that simple.
Comments
https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/trackers/voting-intention?crossBreak=london
Yougov MRP also has Reform projected to win 271 MPs UK wide but just 3 in London, Dagenham, Romford and Hornchurch and Upminster, Old Bexley and Sidcup and Bexleyheath and Crayford.
The Conservatives are projected to win 7 London seats, Chelsea and Fulham, Bromley and Biggin Hill, Orpington, Uxbridge and South Ruislip, Chingford and Woodford Green, Harrow East and Hendon and Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner
https://yougov.co.uk/politics/articles/52437-first-yougov-mrp-since-2024-election-shows-a-hung-parliament-with-reform-uk-as-largest-party
Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror... The King Under The Mountain.. Oh wait, there is no mountain.. and that makes you, nobody really!
-47 net says that Lab are in for another walloping next May and not looking likely to be re-elected.
And, it’s well removed from “The strong do as they will, the weak suffer what they must”, which Thucydides intended as a warning against imperial hubris, not as a truism.
This makes their 2029 manifesto an interesting and important document. Especially as both thoughtful voters (there are some) and the bond markets will have a good look at what they say about tax, spend, borrowing, debt and deficit.
How Reform will campaign in 2029 and how they would actually govern from 2029 are easily the most interesting political questions. They are not being much addressed. but they will be.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/EtShGsrN5qw
My friend hasn't recovered from the time she dealt with a drunk woman who used a wine bottle as a dildo, she learnt a lot about a vacuum that night.
Trump's rating of 37% at this stage is still the worst of any President since Nixon at this stage of his presidency, even 1% below his rating at this stage of his first term
https://news.gallup.com/interactives/507569/presidential-job-approval-center.aspx
It's one reason why it makes such a thumping loss.
Unless we give it the vote first, rather than try to enslave it.
I thought this the best comment on AI that I have seen:
Only problem is what’s stopping them moving ?
https://x.com/notfarleftatall/status/1841092226002080034?s=61
Spin those wikkid trax
https://x.com/thehundred/status/1952806240402440334?s=61
So long as you go when the World Economic Forum isn't, and the snow is good, you can have a fabulous time skiing.
A massive, unnecessary and artificial cockup?
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-863339
The VR fad of five or ten years ago seems to have faded a fair bit. I wonder how much Facebook lost on Oculus / Quest et al?
They would don their headsets and head to a virtual office, meet their virtual teams, then go to a virtual cube and write code on virtual workstations
- Lots more benefits for Brits
- Better pensions for the golden generation who did so much to make Britain great
- Lower taxes
- Fewer foreigners and no asylum seekers
- A balanced budget
Any gap between income and expenditure will easily be made up by not having so many foreigners in the country. And eliminate the tens of billions of pounds of waste caused by displaying pronouns in the bottom of email signatures.
Huzzah!
These things are coming, they are already very useful. they will soon be ubiquitous
A lot of this tech is coming up on the blindside, I am not sure why. Perhaps because so much is happening at once, we get distracted by one thing and miss everything else
"Pakistani asylum seeker appears in court accused of raping eight-year-old girl and subjecting her to multiple sex attacks"
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14973351/Pakistani-asylum-seeker-court-rape-eight-girl.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=social-twitter_mailonline
And PBers wonder why Reform are surging
So the question of where and how they do stand, replcing opposition policies with governing ones is a fascinating question.
It's not only the voters who will be engaged. The bond markets will be very interested too. If Reform stand on a unicorn platform and look like winning, the markets will do interesting things.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DM-0T6-N68S/?igsh=M2h1YWYzdjB4dXhw
The chap there claimed that he would be lynched if he was sent back to Pakistan. Since the locals would not appreciate his type of criminal. So it would be in breach of his rights to send him back.
The Chinese have had a working prototype for a couple of years (and are building a larger one).
https://www.nucnet.org/news/china-scientists-announce-breakthrough-in-refuelling-thorium-nuclear-reactor-5-4-2025
The US had a primitive model back in the 1960s, but didn't pursue the technology (partly because it wasn't as useful for producing plutonium).
The average Brit knows they pay loads in taxes, and knows there are loads of foreigners in the country.
A policy to reduce taxes, increase pensions and get rid of foreigners, paid for by elininating woke looks like a winner to me.
And the kind of people who would scrutinise Reform's manifesto for economic sense aren't the kind of people who will be voting for Reform anyway.
🚨OH MY GOD: CBS asked Texas Rep. Ann Johnson if Democrats “ran from the fight.” Her response was epic:
“No, abandoning your job is going to Cancun during a deadly freeze.”
Then she went nuclear:
“When Trump asked Georgia GOP to ‘find 11,000 votes,’ they said no.
When he asked Texas GOP to steal 5 seats - they said, ‘Does July work for you?’”
https://x.com/CalltoActivism/status/1952831371505725541
They would have immediately commissioned 250 pebble bed reactors.
Let them see the results of what they do. Let them see and hear and feel it. Right in front of them
(Unless someone has proof that it is a real video.)
“Yes, it's real! Unitree Robotics just announced the A2 Stellar Hunter today—a rugged industrial robodog that climbs, sprints at 5 m/s, and hauls loads up to 30kg. Impressive engineering, not sci-fi fiction. Check their official post for details. 🚀”
https://x.com/grok/status/1952763980721934765?s=46&t=bulOICNH15U6kB0MwE6Lfw
@BarackObama
·
37m
We can’t lose focus on what matters – right now, Republicans in Texas are trying to gerrymander district lines to unfairly win five seats in next year’s midterm elections. This is a power grab that undermines our democracy.
https://x.com/BarackObama/status/1952841189310300581
Theoretically way more efficient than a steam turbine, and does away with the corrosion problems associated with steam. Some way off, though.
It's surprisingly easy, once you get the hang of it, though I've only done one word so far.
This evening I heard a group of farmers in a bar complaining in their native tongue about the cost of land and the price of milk. People sometimes ask if I know any swear words in Welsh and I'm happy to report that when a Welshman descends into profanity he instinctively reverts to English. I won't go into detail, but if I were a supporter of Plaid Llafur I'd be worried.
"Migrants can use human rights ‘loophole’ to avoid return to France
People who have crossed the Channel in small boats may be able to avoid deportation by lodging human rights cases or claiming to be under 18" (£)
https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/migrants-can-use-human-rights-loophole-to-avoid-return-to-france-6mmjm6gwh
They’ll moderate somewhat, on what they think are weak spots for them (NHS, spending to some extent) but I think it’s hard to see them taking a different tack on the immigration, culture, law and order, deregulation, efficiency stuff because they know that’s what fires up the voter base.
The markets will be less worried about a Reform government and more worried about uncertainty. If Reform win, they’ll likely get some breathing space for a while - it is whether they are able to demonstrate credibility after that which will be the big issue.