It is and it’s just the beginning. We are entering a new golden age of scientific advance
Reasons to be Cheerful, part 3
Summer, Buddy Holly The working folly Jump back in the alley and nanny goats
In the wilds of Borneo And the vineyards of Bordeaux Eskimo, Arapaho Move their bodies, to and fro
Not a patch on this verse of poetry.
"Had a love affair with Nina in the back of my Cortina A seasoned-up hyena could not have been more obscener She took me to the cleaners and other misdemeanours But I got right up between her rum and her Ribena"
From Billericay Dickie.
I guess it was from a different time.
He was a fine lyricist and the Blockheads were a brilliant “backing band”
I’ve just been listening to some of his best songs. I do wonder if he’d be cancelled today. Such is the dire state of things
As a internationalist socialist, he’d probably be cancelled by the current Labour and Tory parties, and the Reformics, You’ve voted for them all, haven’t you?
I’ve also voted Green, UKIP and Mebyon Kernow
Given the chance I’d probably have voted for Eck when he led the SNP
Is there any major party you haven't voted for so far?
Governor Newsom Press Office @GovPressOffice BEYOND THE BEAUTIFUL, “PERFECT MAPS” — DONALD J. TRUMP HAS MUCH BIGGER PROBLEMS. SOON, I — GAVIN C. NEWSOM — WILL BE SHARING RECORDS THAT SHOULD CONCERN HIM.
I DIDN’T WANT TO RELEASE THEM — OUT OF RESPECT FOR THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT (NOT THE PRESIDENT) — BUT MIKE “LITTLE MAN” JOHNSON’S HOUSE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE HAS REQUESTED THEM!!! WHOOPS.
WON’T BE PRETTY FOR DONNIE J. MANY ARE SAYING IT COULD BE THE FINAL NAIL IN HIS LONG CAREER OF LYING. THIS AND THE MAPS. “IT’S OVER.” THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. — GCN
either he has gone insane, or he thinks he's funny.
If the latter, there is an argument that he's still insane. imitating the posts of somebody who clearly has quite advanced dementia but doing them even worse merely looks stupid.
Hmm not sure. It's mockery. Might cut through.
Also, it's his press office, not his personal account. He's got some energetic kids trolling on his behalf.
Smart politics, in the nominee stakes. He's gone from nowhere, to a serious contender.
Seems worth a try on the St Thomas Moore principle that “The devil...the prowde spirite...cannot endure to be mocked.”
It's not as if anyone else has really come up with a better plan.
Reporter: What’s going on with those posts on X that are clearly trolling the president?
Newsom: I hope it’s a wake up call for the president. I’m just following his example. If you have issues with what I’m putting out, you sure as hell should have concerns with what he’s putting out
I just saw the place where Franz Ferdinand was shot.
Terrible to think of all the suffering that bullet unleashed, including the damage to our nation and Empire following our disastrous decision to intervene (though it achieved the almost impossible in shutting the Irish up for eighteen months).
It would be nice to think mankind has learned it lessons, but looking at the world now clearly lots haven't.
And of course people are amazing at taking different, sometimes opposite, lessons from the same event.
The British Empire reached its territorial zenith after WW1.
Indeed, one reason being the need to secure the oilfields for the *Dreadnoughts' bunker fuel.
*Later and much more modern ones. Not much newer, but the rate of change at the time ...
It is and it’s just the beginning. We are entering a new golden age of scientific advance
Reasons to be Cheerful, part 3
Summer, Buddy Holly The working folly Jump back in the alley and nanny goats
In the wilds of Borneo And the vineyards of Bordeaux Eskimo, Arapaho Move their bodies, to and fro
Not a patch on this verse of poetry.
"Had a love affair with Nina in the back of my Cortina A seasoned-up hyena could not have been more obscener She took me to the cleaners and other misdemeanours But I got right up between her rum and her Ribena"
From Billericay Dickie.
I guess it was from a different time.
He was a fine lyricist and the Blockheads were a brilliant “backing band”
I’ve just been listening to some of his best songs. I do wonder if he’d be cancelled today. Such is the dire state of things
As a internationalist socialist, he’d probably be cancelled by the current Labour and Tory parties, and the Reformics, You’ve voted for them all, haven’t you?
I’ve also voted Green, UKIP and Mebyon Kernow
Given the chance I’d probably have voted for Eck when he led the SNP
Is there any major party you haven't voted for so far?
It is and it’s just the beginning. We are entering a new golden age of scientific advance
Reasons to be Cheerful, part 3
Summer, Buddy Holly The working folly Jump back in the alley and nanny goats
In the wilds of Borneo And the vineyards of Bordeaux Eskimo, Arapaho Move their bodies, to and fro
Not a patch on this verse of poetry.
"Had a love affair with Nina in the back of my Cortina A seasoned-up hyena could not have been more obscener She took me to the cleaners and other misdemeanours But I got right up between her rum and her Ribena"
From Billericay Dickie.
I guess it was from a different time.
He was a fine lyricist and the Blockheads were a brilliant “backing band”
I’ve just been listening to some of his best songs. I do wonder if he’d be cancelled today. Such is the dire state of things
As a internationalist socialist, he’d probably be cancelled by the current Labour and Tory parties, and the Reformics, You’ve voted for them all, haven’t you?
I’ve also voted Green, UKIP and Mebyon Kernow
Given the chance I’d probably have voted for Eck when he led the SNP
Is there any major party you haven't voted for so far?
Northumberland Independence?
When you have so many votes, you can spread them among a wider range of parties.
My suggestion on digital ID would be that all MPs and members of the House of Lords adopt digital ID as a pilot scheme , allow the public access to all the information as to where they go and what they do, all live. Run the trial for a couple of years and see if the MPs and Peers find the technology intrusive. What do you think to that idea ?
The UK should just move to ID cards with the option of a digital ID if people prefer that . I don’t see why this seems to be so controversial as almost every other European country have them.
There are two things:
1) Philosophical - the relationship between the state and the citizen is different in the UK. The state doesn’t get to order us around without consent - they have no right to demand we identify ourselves (“papers please”)
2) Practical - Blair’s original proposal hung massive databases off the ID card and gave way too many people access to the information. It was a massive privacy and data security risk.
We’re already tracked to a certain degree by our phones . You can limit the data on the ID card to just what’s absolutely necessary and also what agencies can access it .
You are under no obligation to own a smartphone, or a car, or a property.
I think it’s an Anglosphere thing where the public seem to be really riled up by the idea of ID cards .
I'd rather have mass uncontrolled illegal migration than ID cards. That's how much I dislike the idea of them being introduced.
Governor Newsom Press Office @GovPressOffice BEYOND THE BEAUTIFUL, “PERFECT MAPS” — DONALD J. TRUMP HAS MUCH BIGGER PROBLEMS. SOON, I — GAVIN C. NEWSOM — WILL BE SHARING RECORDS THAT SHOULD CONCERN HIM.
I DIDN’T WANT TO RELEASE THEM — OUT OF RESPECT FOR THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT (NOT THE PRESIDENT) — BUT MIKE “LITTLE MAN” JOHNSON’S HOUSE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE HAS REQUESTED THEM!!! WHOOPS.
WON’T BE PRETTY FOR DONNIE J. MANY ARE SAYING IT COULD BE THE FINAL NAIL IN HIS LONG CAREER OF LYING. THIS AND THE MAPS. “IT’S OVER.” THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. — GCN
either he has gone insane, or he thinks he's funny.
If the latter, there is an argument that he's still insane. imitating the posts of somebody who clearly has quite advanced dementia but doing them even worse merely looks stupid.
Hmm not sure. It's mockery. Might cut through.
Also, it's his press office, not his personal account. He's got some energetic kids trolling on his behalf.
Smart politics, in the nominee stakes. He's gone from nowhere, to a serious contender.
He's my bet, actually, if I were having one this early. His odds are value imo. He'll at worst be in the mix, you'd have thought.
It is and it’s just the beginning. We are entering a new golden age of scientific advance
Reasons to be Cheerful, part 3
Summer, Buddy Holly The working folly Jump back in the alley and nanny goats
In the wilds of Borneo And the vineyards of Bordeaux Eskimo, Arapaho Move their bodies, to and fro
Not a patch on this verse of poetry.
"Had a love affair with Nina in the back of my Cortina A seasoned-up hyena could not have been more obscener She took me to the cleaners and other misdemeanours But I got right up between her rum and her Ribena"
From Billericay Dickie.
I guess it was from a different time.
He was a fine lyricist and the Blockheads were a brilliant “backing band”
I’ve just been listening to some of his best songs. I do wonder if he’d be cancelled today. Such is the dire state of things
As a internationalist socialist, he’d probably be cancelled by the current Labour and Tory parties, and the Reformics, You’ve voted for them all, haven’t you?
I’ve also voted Green, UKIP and Mebyon Kernow
Given the chance I’d probably have voted for Eck when he led the SNP
No, you’d have voted for Eck after he left the SNP and he was no longer a threat to the UK.
Governor Newsom Press Office @GovPressOffice BEYOND THE BEAUTIFUL, “PERFECT MAPS” — DONALD J. TRUMP HAS MUCH BIGGER PROBLEMS. SOON, I — GAVIN C. NEWSOM — WILL BE SHARING RECORDS THAT SHOULD CONCERN HIM.
I DIDN’T WANT TO RELEASE THEM — OUT OF RESPECT FOR THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT (NOT THE PRESIDENT) — BUT MIKE “LITTLE MAN” JOHNSON’S HOUSE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE HAS REQUESTED THEM!!! WHOOPS.
WON’T BE PRETTY FOR DONNIE J. MANY ARE SAYING IT COULD BE THE FINAL NAIL IN HIS LONG CAREER OF LYING. THIS AND THE MAPS. “IT’S OVER.” THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. — GCN
either he has gone insane, or he thinks he's funny.
If the latter, there is an argument that he's still insane. imitating the posts of somebody who clearly has quite advanced dementia but doing them even worse merely looks stupid.
Hmm not sure. It's mockery. Might cut through.
Also, it's his press office, not his personal account. He's got some energetic kids trolling on his behalf.
Smart politics, in the nominee stakes. He's gone from nowhere, to a serious contender.
Seems worth a try on the St Thomas Moore principle that “The devil...the prowde spirite...cannot endure to be mocked.”
It's not as if anyone else has really come up with a better plan.
It is and it’s just the beginning. We are entering a new golden age of scientific advance
Reasons to be Cheerful, part 3
Summer, Buddy Holly The working folly Jump back in the alley and nanny goats
In the wilds of Borneo And the vineyards of Bordeaux Eskimo, Arapaho Move their bodies, to and fro
Not a patch on this verse of poetry.
"Had a love affair with Nina in the back of my Cortina A seasoned-up hyena could not have been more obscener She took me to the cleaners and other misdemeanours But I got right up between her rum and her Ribena"
From Billericay Dickie.
I guess it was from a different time.
He was a fine lyricist and the Blockheads were a brilliant “backing band”
I’ve just been listening to some of his best songs. I do wonder if he’d be cancelled today. Such is the dire state of things
As a internationalist socialist, he’d probably be cancelled by the current Labour and Tory parties, and the Reformics, You’ve voted for them all, haven’t you?
I’ve also voted Green, UKIP and Mebyon Kernow
Given the chance I’d probably have voted for Eck when he led the SNP
No, you’d have voted for Eck after he left the SNP and he was no longer a threat to the UK.
Possibly, Hard to say, depends on context
If I was a patriotic Scot but a Unionist I'd have definitely gone for him (then voted NO in any referendum). Or would I?
It is and it’s just the beginning. We are entering a new golden age of scientific advance
Reasons to be Cheerful, part 3
Summer, Buddy Holly The working folly Jump back in the alley and nanny goats
In the wilds of Borneo And the vineyards of Bordeaux Eskimo, Arapaho Move their bodies, to and fro
Not a patch on this verse of poetry.
"Had a love affair with Nina in the back of my Cortina A seasoned-up hyena could not have been more obscener She took me to the cleaners and other misdemeanours But I got right up between her rum and her Ribena"
From Billericay Dickie.
I guess it was from a different time.
He was a fine lyricist and the Blockheads were a brilliant “backing band”
I’ve just been listening to some of his best songs. I do wonder if he’d be cancelled today. Such is the dire state of things
As a internationalist socialist, he’d probably be cancelled by the current Labour and Tory parties, and the Reformics, You’ve voted for them all, haven’t you?
I’ve also voted Green, UKIP and Mebyon Kernow
Given the chance I’d probably have voted for Eck when he led the SNP
Is there any major party you haven't voted for so far?
Lib Dems? That's about it
I think voting for different parties is a sign of conscious thought, and is preferable to blind partisan loyalty (tho there is room for that, to an extent)
My suggestion on digital ID would be that all MPs and members of the House of Lords adopt digital ID as a pilot scheme , allow the public access to all the information as to where they go and what they do, all live. Run the trial for a couple of years and see if the MPs and Peers find the technology intrusive. What do you think to that idea ?
The UK should just move to ID cards with the option of a digital ID if people prefer that . I don’t see why this seems to be so controversial as almost every other European country have them.
That you don't understand the issue is quite the point.
Are you meaning issues around data protection?
The problem is some psychologically malamutes people in the Home Office who believe that linking all data possessed by the government together and having no access restrictions is a good thing.
Aside from the fact that it breaches all laws on data protection, all security methodologies and common sense, it has a tiny flaw. It would be an implementation fuck upon scale that would stagger even Private Eye.
The above is claimed to be a vital part of having ID cards. The fact that it goes beyond what China has done to its citizens is an indication.
My suggestion on digital ID would be that all MPs and members of the House of Lords adopt digital ID as a pilot scheme , allow the public access to all the information as to where they go and what they do, all live. Run the trial for a couple of years and see if the MPs and Peers find the technology intrusive. What do you think to that idea ?
The UK should just move to ID cards with the option of a digital ID if people prefer that . I don’t see why this seems to be so controversial as almost every other European country have them.
There are two things:
1) Philosophical - the relationship between the state and the citizen is different in the UK. The state doesn’t get to order us around without consent - they have no right to demand we identify ourselves (“papers please”)
2) Practical - Blair’s original proposal hung massive databases off the ID card and gave way too many people access to the information. It was a massive privacy and data security risk.
We’re already tracked to a certain degree by our phones . You can limit the data on the ID card to just what’s absolutely necessary and also what agencies can access it .
You are under no obligation to own a smartphone, or a car, or a property.
I think it’s an Anglosphere thing where the public seem to be really riled up by the idea of ID cards .
I'd rather have mass uncontrolled illegal migration than ID cards. That's how much I dislike the idea of them being introduced.
Ditto. Although the sheer number of organisations that require a driver's licence or passport for ID means we've almost got there by stealth.
I think the reluctance to embrace ID cards stems largely from an instinctive distrust of the government, because every time they've gained more powers to intrude into our lives they've always given in to the temptation to misuse them.
One stark example is the powers handed to government departments to ask banks to watch for certain 'triggers' in people's bank accounts. They were introduced to fight terrorism and money laundering, but are now used by the DWP to ruin the lives of carers who've earned a few pounds above the set limit.
My suggestion on digital ID would be that all MPs and members of the House of Lords adopt digital ID as a pilot scheme , allow the public access to all the information as to where they go and what they do, all live. Run the trial for a couple of years and see if the MPs and Peers find the technology intrusive. What do you think to that idea ?
The UK should just move to ID cards with the option of a digital ID if people prefer that . I don’t see why this seems to be so controversial as almost every other European country have them.
There are two things:
1) Philosophical - the relationship between the state and the citizen is different in the UK. The state doesn’t get to order us around without consent - they have no right to demand we identify ourselves (“papers please”)
2) Practical - Blair’s original proposal hung massive databases off the ID card and gave way too many people access to the information. It was a massive privacy and data security risk.
We’re already tracked to a certain degree by our phones . You can limit the data on the ID card to just what’s absolutely necessary and also what agencies can access it .
You are under no obligation to own a smartphone, or a car, or a property.
I think it’s an Anglosphere thing where the public seem to be really riled up by the idea of ID cards .
I'd rather have mass uncontrolled illegal migration than ID cards. That's how much I dislike the idea of them being introduced.
Ditto. Although the sheer number of organisations that require a driver's licence or passport for ID means we've almost got there by stealth.
I think the reluctance to embrace ID cards stems largely from an instinctive distrust of the government, because every time they've gained more powers to intrude into our lives they've always given in to the temptation to misuse them.
One stark example is the powers handed to government departments to ask banks to watch for certain 'triggers' in people's bank accounts. They were introduced to fight terrorism and money laundering, but are now used by the DWP to ruin the lives of carers who've earned a few pounds above the set limit.
The problem is the insanity of setting a limit on what people can earn in the first place, that should not exist. All such cliff edges cause irrational behaviours.
People who are free and able to work should always be free and encouraged and rewarded for doing so, not penalised.
My suggestion on digital ID would be that all MPs and members of the House of Lords adopt digital ID as a pilot scheme , allow the public access to all the information as to where they go and what they do, all live. Run the trial for a couple of years and see if the MPs and Peers find the technology intrusive. What do you think to that idea ?
The UK should just move to ID cards with the option of a digital ID if people prefer that . I don’t see why this seems to be so controversial as almost every other European country have them.
That you don't understand the issue is quite the point.
Are you meaning issues around data protection?
The problem is some psychologically malamutes people in the Home Office who believe that linking all data possessed by the government together and having no access restrictions is a good thing.
Aside from the fact that it breaches all laws on data protection, all security methodologies and common sense, it has a tiny flaw. It would be an implementation fuck upon scale that would stagger even Private Eye.
The above is claimed to be a vital part of having ID cards. The fact that it goes beyond what China has done to its citizens is an indication.
Thanks for that info . I can see why that would be so controversial.
My suggestion on digital ID would be that all MPs and members of the House of Lords adopt digital ID as a pilot scheme , allow the public access to all the information as to where they go and what they do, all live. Run the trial for a couple of years and see if the MPs and Peers find the technology intrusive. What do you think to that idea ?
The UK should just move to ID cards with the option of a digital ID if people prefer that . I don’t see why this seems to be so controversial as almost every other European country have them.
There are two things:
1) Philosophical - the relationship between the state and the citizen is different in the UK. The state doesn’t get to order us around without consent - they have no right to demand we identify ourselves (“papers please”)
2) Practical - Blair’s original proposal hung massive databases off the ID card and gave way too many people access to the information. It was a massive privacy and data security risk.
We’re already tracked to a certain degree by our phones . You can limit the data on the ID card to just what’s absolutely necessary and also what agencies can access it .
You are under no obligation to own a smartphone, or a car, or a property.
I think it’s an Anglosphere thing where the public seem to be really riled up by the idea of ID cards .
I'd rather have mass uncontrolled illegal migration than ID cards. That's how much I dislike the idea of them being introduced.
I went to a debate in 2006 (?) re ID cards - the "Pro" being Nick Palmer who was very good against the Tories & Lib Dems - at the end of the debate the motion to introduce ID cards was carried.
I just saw the place where Franz Ferdinand was shot.
Terrible to think of all the suffering that bullet unleashed, including the damage to our nation and Empire following our disastrous decision to intervene (though it achieved the almost impossible in shutting the Irish up for eighteen months).
It would be nice to think mankind has learned it lessons, but looking at the world now clearly lots haven't.
And of course people are amazing at taking different, sometimes opposite, lessons from the same event.
The British Empire reached its territorial zenith after WW1.
Nazi Germany peaked in about October 1942 but it’s fate was sealed by then
My suggestion on digital ID would be that all MPs and members of the House of Lords adopt digital ID as a pilot scheme , allow the public access to all the information as to where they go and what they do, all live. Run the trial for a couple of years and see if the MPs and Peers find the technology intrusive. What do you think to that idea ?
The UK should just move to ID cards with the option of a digital ID if people prefer that . I don’t see why this seems to be so controversial as almost every other European country have them.
There are two things:
1) Philosophical - the relationship between the state and the citizen is different in the UK. The state doesn’t get to order us around without consent - they have no right to demand we identify ourselves (“papers please”)
2) Practical - Blair’s original proposal hung massive databases off the ID card and gave way too many people access to the information. It was a massive privacy and data security risk.
We’re already tracked to a certain degree by our phones . You can limit the data on the ID card to just what’s absolutely necessary and also what agencies can access it .
You are under no obligation to own a smartphone, or a car, or a property.
I think it’s an Anglosphere thing where the public seem to be really riled up by the idea of ID cards .
I'd rather have mass uncontrolled illegal migration than ID cards. That's how much I dislike the idea of them being introduced.
Ditto. Although the sheer number of organisations that require a driver's licence or passport for ID means we've almost got there by stealth.
I think the reluctance to embrace ID cards stems largely from an instinctive distrust of the government, because every time they've gained more powers to intrude into our lives they've always given in to the temptation to misuse them.
One stark example is the powers handed to government departments to ask banks to watch for certain 'triggers' in people's bank accounts. They were introduced to fight terrorism and money laundering, but are now used by the DWP to ruin the lives of carers who've earned a few pounds above the set limit.
I’ve always said I’m in favour of ID cards, if the following conditions are met:
1) They’re issued for free;
2) You don’t have to carry them at all times;
3) You can use them chip and pin to access all government services - so they would replace passports and driving licences, not augment them;
4) That you had the power to access all information the government holds on you, and amend it where it is wrong;
5) That civil servants who access your data are logged, and you can see who they are and why they accessed it;
6) That if somebody has accessed your data inappropriately you have the right to take legal action against them, funded by the government.
And numbers 4-6 will not happen while any civil servant breathes air.
I just saw the place where Franz Ferdinand was shot.
Terrible to think of all the suffering that bullet unleashed, including the damage to our nation and Empire following our disastrous decision to intervene (though it achieved the almost impossible in shutting the Irish up for eighteen months).
It would be nice to think mankind has learned it lessons, but looking at the world now clearly lots haven't.
And of course people are amazing at taking different, sometimes opposite, lessons from the same event.
The British Empire reached its territorial zenith after WW1.
Nazi Germany peaked in about October 1942 but it’s fate was sealed by then
"The British built the most successful, advanced, and sophisticated civilization in history and then just decided to light it all on fire for no particular reason.
My suggestion on digital ID would be that all MPs and members of the House of Lords adopt digital ID as a pilot scheme , allow the public access to all the information as to where they go and what they do, all live. Run the trial for a couple of years and see if the MPs and Peers find the technology intrusive. What do you think to that idea ?
The UK should just move to ID cards with the option of a digital ID if people prefer that . I don’t see why this seems to be so controversial as almost every other European country have them.
There are two things:
1) Philosophical - the relationship between the state and the citizen is different in the UK. The state doesn’t get to order us around without consent - they have no right to demand we identify ourselves (“papers please”)
2) Practical - Blair’s original proposal hung massive databases off the ID card and gave way too many people access to the information. It was a massive privacy and data security risk.
We’re already tracked to a certain degree by our phones . You can limit the data on the ID card to just what’s absolutely necessary and also what agencies can access it .
You are under no obligation to own a smartphone, or a car, or a property.
I think it’s an Anglosphere thing where the public seem to be really riled up by the idea of ID cards .
I'd rather have mass uncontrolled illegal migration than ID cards. That's how much I dislike the idea of them being introduced.
Ditto. Although the sheer number of organisations that require a driver's licence or passport for ID means we've almost got there by stealth.
I think the reluctance to embrace ID cards stems largely from an instinctive distrust of the government, because every time they've gained more powers to intrude into our lives they've always given in to the temptation to misuse them.
One stark example is the powers handed to government departments to ask banks to watch for certain 'triggers' in people's bank accounts. They were introduced to fight terrorism and money laundering, but are now used by the DWP to ruin the lives of carers who've earned a few pounds above the set limit.
I’ve always said I’m in favour of ID cards, if the following conditions are met:
1) They’re issued for free;
2) You don’t have to carry them at all times;
3) You can use them chip and pin to access all government services - so they would replace passports and driving licences, not augment them;
4) That you had the power to access all information the government holds on you, and amend it where it is wrong;
5) That civil servants who access your data are logged, and you can see who they are and why they accessed it;
6) That if somebody has accessed your data inappropriately you have the right to take legal action against them, funded by the government.
And numbers 4-6 will not happen while any civil servant breathes air.
It’s noticeable that the civil service were ok with imposing bits of 4,5 and 6 on the Police Farce. See the modern PNC - which actually controls access and breaches are actually treated as serious disciplinary offences.
"As the sun rose over Dunkirk, I called the French police. Ten hours of tracking had established that a group of migrants were hiding in a cemetery just yards from the beach, waiting to cross the Channel.
Surely this was the moment for the authorities to sweep the beach or search the streets to find the migrants and their smugglers? You know, to “smash the gang” I had found.
“I will pass it on,” came the first response. I pressed - this was urgent. “The police will probably not come,” the 112 handler said, dismissively. No further details sought. No interest shown.
I’d come to northern France to see for myself what is really happening as Channel crossings surge and communities back home bear the intolerable consequences of broken borders. Just me and a cameraman - no French minders, no protection.
What I saw in the camps, streets, and beaches was sickening. The reality is worse than I have ever seen. The whole racket is a disgrace, and the French are aiding and abetting it.
Take the camp near Loon-Plage: half a mile from tidy villages sits a lawless, dangerous space. Someone was shot dead there last month; stabbings are common. It is strewn with litter, ramshackle tents, and menace. Almost all the migrants are young men. They sit on the ground, scrolling their smartphones, waiting. No police. No officials.
Those willing to speak were clear: they are coming to the UK for jobs, housing, benefits, and free healthcare. None said they were fleeing persecution - they are already in France. None had a trade or profession to offer. They will be a huge strain on already struggling UK public services.
Some were polite; others threatened violence. One man pressed his face close, telling me to leave. Another began hurling glass bottles - one smashing beside me, another flying past my head.
Do you want men like this in your community? I don’t. For saying this, I’ve been called a “xenophobe” on the BBC. But I doubt those levelling that smear have been to this camp, seen those men, and imagined them outside their children’s school gates. This is a national security emergency.
And the French? We’ve given them £800m and get dismal theatre in return. They could stop this tomorrow. Instead, they stick two fingers up at Britain - and literally bus illegal migrants towards the beaches.
[snip]."
Like it or not, that is brilliantly written and profoundly persuasive
"As the sun rose over Dunkirk, I called the French police. Ten hours of tracking had established that a group of migrants were hiding in a cemetery just yards from the beach, waiting to cross the Channel.
Surely this was the moment for the authorities to sweep the beach or search the streets to find the migrants and their smugglers? You know, to “smash the gang” I had found.
“I will pass it on,” came the first response. I pressed - this was urgent. “The police will probably not come,” the 112 handler said, dismissively. No further details sought. No interest shown.
I’d come to northern France to see for myself what is really happening as Channel crossings surge and communities back home bear the intolerable consequences of broken borders. Just me and a cameraman - no French minders, no protection.
What I saw in the camps, streets, and beaches was sickening. The reality is worse than I have ever seen. The whole racket is a disgrace, and the French are aiding and abetting it.
Take the camp near Loon-Plage: half a mile from tidy villages sits a lawless, dangerous space. Someone was shot dead there last month; stabbings are common. It is strewn with litter, ramshackle tents, and menace. Almost all the migrants are young men. They sit on the ground, scrolling their smartphones, waiting. No police. No officials.
Those willing to speak were clear: they are coming to the UK for jobs, housing, benefits, and free healthcare. None said they were fleeing persecution - they are already in France. None had a trade or profession to offer. They will be a huge strain on already struggling UK public services.
Some were polite; others threatened violence. One man pressed his face close, telling me to leave. Another began hurling glass bottles - one smashing beside me, another flying past my head.
Do you want men like this in your community? I don’t. For saying this, I’ve been called a “xenophobe” on the BBC. But I doubt those levelling that smear have been to this camp, seen those men, and imagined them outside their children’s school gates. This is a national security emergency.
And the French? We’ve given them £800m and get dismal theatre in return. They could stop this tomorrow. Instead, they stick two fingers up at Britain - and literally bus illegal migrants towards the beaches.
[snip]."
Like it or not, that is brilliantly written and profoundly persuasive
"As the sun rose over Dunkirk, I called the French police. Ten hours of tracking had established that a group of migrants were hiding in a cemetery just yards from the beach, waiting to cross the Channel.
Surely this was the moment for the authorities to sweep the beach or search the streets to find the migrants and their smugglers? You know, to “smash the gang” I had found.
“I will pass it on,” came the first response. I pressed - this was urgent. “The police will probably not come,” the 112 handler said, dismissively. No further details sought. No interest shown.
I’d come to northern France to see for myself what is really happening as Channel crossings surge and communities back home bear the intolerable consequences of broken borders. Just me and a cameraman - no French minders, no protection.
What I saw in the camps, streets, and beaches was sickening. The reality is worse than I have ever seen. The whole racket is a disgrace, and the French are aiding and abetting it.
Take the camp near Loon-Plage: half a mile from tidy villages sits a lawless, dangerous space. Someone was shot dead there last month; stabbings are common. It is strewn with litter, ramshackle tents, and menace. Almost all the migrants are young men. They sit on the ground, scrolling their smartphones, waiting. No police. No officials.
Those willing to speak were clear: they are coming to the UK for jobs, housing, benefits, and free healthcare. None said they were fleeing persecution - they are already in France. None had a trade or profession to offer. They will be a huge strain on already struggling UK public services.
Some were polite; others threatened violence. One man pressed his face close, telling me to leave. Another began hurling glass bottles - one smashing beside me, another flying past my head.
Do you want men like this in your community? I don’t. For saying this, I’ve been called a “xenophobe” on the BBC. But I doubt those levelling that smear have been to this camp, seen those men, and imagined them outside their children’s school gates. This is a national security emergency.
And the French? We’ve given them £800m and get dismal theatre in return. They could stop this tomorrow. Instead, they stick two fingers up at Britain - and literally bus illegal migrants towards the beaches.
[snip]."
Like it or not, that is brilliantly written and profoundly persuasive
It’s hardly a surprise is it? The French don’t want them, they don’t want to be in France and we are fools to pay the French a bean.
Of course it's not a surprise
The surprise is that a non-Reform politician has the guts and nous to get out there, film this, do this, write about it, and do it SO WELL. Moreover, he is right. this is now approaching a national emergency, and Starmer and Labour are clearly, utterly incapable of addressing it
The Tories need to junk Badenoch ASAP and get Jenrick in, and then do a deal with Farage if necessary. This is going beyond party interest, this is vital to us all
This bombast is likely to shock some of my liberal London friends who’ve frequently told me, especially during the pandemic, how lucky I was to have such an an earnest, down-to-earth leader in charge. They, of course, were subject to the whims of the then prime minister Boris Johnson, who could have been replaced with three ferrets in a sack and the only change would have been a slight increase in decisiveness and gravitas, so, to them, Sturgeon seemed a paragon of sober governance, treating Scotland to almost nightly presidential-style podium appearances in which she delivered admonitions with an appropriately dour countenance.
Her English fans can’t be expected to know about every single clusterfuck over which the supposedly competent Sturgeon presided, and they certainly won’t find out about them from Frankly.
"As the sun rose over Dunkirk, I called the French police. Ten hours of tracking had established that a group of migrants were hiding in a cemetery just yards from the beach, waiting to cross the Channel.
Surely this was the moment for the authorities to sweep the beach or search the streets to find the migrants and their smugglers? You know, to “smash the gang” I had found.
“I will pass it on,” came the first response. I pressed - this was urgent. “The police will probably not come,” the 112 handler said, dismissively. No further details sought. No interest shown.
I’d come to northern France to see for myself what is really happening as Channel crossings surge and communities back home bear the intolerable consequences of broken borders. Just me and a cameraman - no French minders, no protection.
What I saw in the camps, streets, and beaches was sickening. The reality is worse than I have ever seen. The whole racket is a disgrace, and the French are aiding and abetting it.
Take the camp near Loon-Plage: half a mile from tidy villages sits a lawless, dangerous space. Someone was shot dead there last month; stabbings are common. It is strewn with litter, ramshackle tents, and menace. Almost all the migrants are young men. They sit on the ground, scrolling their smartphones, waiting. No police. No officials.
Those willing to speak were clear: they are coming to the UK for jobs, housing, benefits, and free healthcare. None said they were fleeing persecution - they are already in France. None had a trade or profession to offer. They will be a huge strain on already struggling UK public services.
Some were polite; others threatened violence. One man pressed his face close, telling me to leave. Another began hurling glass bottles - one smashing beside me, another flying past my head.
Do you want men like this in your community? I don’t. For saying this, I’ve been called a “xenophobe” on the BBC. But I doubt those levelling that smear have been to this camp, seen those men, and imagined them outside their children’s school gates. This is a national security emergency.
And the French? We’ve given them £800m and get dismal theatre in return. They could stop this tomorrow. Instead, they stick two fingers up at Britain - and literally bus illegal migrants towards the beaches.
[snip]."
Like it or not, that is brilliantly written and profoundly persuasive
It’s hardly a surprise is it? The French don’t want them, they don’t want to be in France and we are fools to pay the French a bean.
Of course it's not a surprise
The surprise is that a non-Reform politician has the guts and nous to get out there, film this, do this, write about it, and do it SO WELL. Moreover, he is right. this is now approaching a national emergency, and Starmer and Labour are clearly, utterly incapable of addressing it
The Tories need to junk Badenoch ASAP and get Jenrick in, and then do a deal with Farage if necessary. This is going beyond party interest, this is vital to us all
It is surreal that this is actually happening, and three quarters of the country aren’t storming the streets with pitchforks. I am quite vocal on here about it, but I don’t actually do anything other than vote for Reform. If Nick Griffin had said it would happen fifteen years ago he’d have been shot down in flames. It is worthy of the phrase “We must be mad, literally mad”
This bombast is likely to shock some of my liberal London friends who’ve frequently told me, especially during the pandemic, how lucky I was to have such an an earnest, down-to-earth leader in charge. They, of course, were subject to the whims of the then prime minister Boris Johnson, who could have been replaced with three ferrets in a sack and the only change would have been a slight increase in decisiveness and gravitas, so, to them, Sturgeon seemed a paragon of sober governance, treating Scotland to almost nightly presidential-style podium appearances in which she delivered admonitions with an appropriately dour countenance.
Her English fans can’t be expected to know about every single clusterfuck over which the supposedly competent Sturgeon presided, and they certainly won’t find out about them from Frankly.
"As the sun rose over Dunkirk, I called the French police. Ten hours of tracking had established that a group of migrants were hiding in a cemetery just yards from the beach, waiting to cross the Channel.
Surely this was the moment for the authorities to sweep the beach or search the streets to find the migrants and their smugglers? You know, to “smash the gang” I had found.
“I will pass it on,” came the first response. I pressed - this was urgent. “The police will probably not come,” the 112 handler said, dismissively. No further details sought. No interest shown.
I’d come to northern France to see for myself what is really happening as Channel crossings surge and communities back home bear the intolerable consequences of broken borders. Just me and a cameraman - no French minders, no protection.
What I saw in the camps, streets, and beaches was sickening. The reality is worse than I have ever seen. The whole racket is a disgrace, and the French are aiding and abetting it.
Take the camp near Loon-Plage: half a mile from tidy villages sits a lawless, dangerous space. Someone was shot dead there last month; stabbings are common. It is strewn with litter, ramshackle tents, and menace. Almost all the migrants are young men. They sit on the ground, scrolling their smartphones, waiting. No police. No officials.
Those willing to speak were clear: they are coming to the UK for jobs, housing, benefits, and free healthcare. None said they were fleeing persecution - they are already in France. None had a trade or profession to offer. They will be a huge strain on already struggling UK public services.
Some were polite; others threatened violence. One man pressed his face close, telling me to leave. Another began hurling glass bottles - one smashing beside me, another flying past my head.
Do you want men like this in your community? I don’t. For saying this, I’ve been called a “xenophobe” on the BBC. But I doubt those levelling that smear have been to this camp, seen those men, and imagined them outside their children’s school gates. This is a national security emergency.
And the French? We’ve given them £800m and get dismal theatre in return. They could stop this tomorrow. Instead, they stick two fingers up at Britain - and literally bus illegal migrants towards the beaches.
[snip]."
Like it or not, that is brilliantly written and profoundly persuasive
This bombast is likely to shock some of my liberal London friends who’ve frequently told me, especially during the pandemic, how lucky I was to have such an an earnest, down-to-earth leader in charge. They, of course, were subject to the whims of the then prime minister Boris Johnson, who could have been replaced with three ferrets in a sack and the only change would have been a slight increase in decisiveness and gravitas, so, to them, Sturgeon seemed a paragon of sober governance, treating Scotland to almost nightly presidential-style podium appearances in which she delivered admonitions with an appropriately dour countenance.
Her English fans can’t be expected to know about every single clusterfuck over which the supposedly competent Sturgeon presided, and they certainly won’t find out about them from Frankly.
Reporter: What’s going on with those posts on X that are clearly trolling the president?
Newsom: I hope it’s a wake up call for the president. I’m just following his example. If you have issues with what I’m putting out, you sure as hell should have concerns with what he’s putting out
I think the deeper question how have we allowed the normalization of his posts to go without similar scrutiny
"As the sun rose over Dunkirk, I called the French police. Ten hours of tracking had established that a group of migrants were hiding in a cemetery just yards from the beach, waiting to cross the Channel.
Surely this was the moment for the authorities to sweep the beach or search the streets to find the migrants and their smugglers? You know, to “smash the gang” I had found.
“I will pass it on,” came the first response. I pressed - this was urgent. “The police will probably not come,” the 112 handler said, dismissively. No further details sought. No interest shown.
I’d come to northern France to see for myself what is really happening as Channel crossings surge and communities back home bear the intolerable consequences of broken borders. Just me and a cameraman - no French minders, no protection.
What I saw in the camps, streets, and beaches was sickening. The reality is worse than I have ever seen. The whole racket is a disgrace, and the French are aiding and abetting it.
Take the camp near Loon-Plage: half a mile from tidy villages sits a lawless, dangerous space. Someone was shot dead there last month; stabbings are common. It is strewn with litter, ramshackle tents, and menace. Almost all the migrants are young men. They sit on the ground, scrolling their smartphones, waiting. No police. No officials.
Those willing to speak were clear: they are coming to the UK for jobs, housing, benefits, and free healthcare. None said they were fleeing persecution - they are already in France. None had a trade or profession to offer. They will be a huge strain on already struggling UK public services.
Some were polite; others threatened violence. One man pressed his face close, telling me to leave. Another began hurling glass bottles - one smashing beside me, another flying past my head.
Do you want men like this in your community? I don’t. For saying this, I’ve been called a “xenophobe” on the BBC. But I doubt those levelling that smear have been to this camp, seen those men, and imagined them outside their children’s school gates. This is a national security emergency.
And the French? We’ve given them £800m and get dismal theatre in return. They could stop this tomorrow. Instead, they stick two fingers up at Britain - and literally bus illegal migrants towards the beaches.
[snip]."
Like it or not, that is brilliantly written and profoundly persuasive
It’s hardly a surprise is it? The French don’t want them, they don’t want to be in France and we are fools to pay the French a bean.
Of course it's not a surprise
The surprise is that a non-Reform politician has the guts and nous to get out there, film this, do this, write about it, and do it SO WELL. Moreover, he is right. this is now approaching a national emergency, and Starmer and Labour are clearly, utterly incapable of addressing it
The Tories need to junk Badenoch ASAP and get Jenrick in, and then do a deal with Farage if necessary. This is going beyond party interest, this is vital to us all
11 weeks to go until letters can be received asking for a Tory leadership election.
"As the sun rose over Dunkirk, I called the French police. Ten hours of tracking had established that a group of migrants were hiding in a cemetery just yards from the beach, waiting to cross the Channel.
Surely this was the moment for the authorities to sweep the beach or search the streets to find the migrants and their smugglers? You know, to “smash the gang” I had found.
“I will pass it on,” came the first response. I pressed - this was urgent. “The police will probably not come,” the 112 handler said, dismissively. No further details sought. No interest shown.
I’d come to northern France to see for myself what is really happening as Channel crossings surge and communities back home bear the intolerable consequences of broken borders. Just me and a cameraman - no French minders, no protection.
What I saw in the camps, streets, and beaches was sickening. The reality is worse than I have ever seen. The whole racket is a disgrace, and the French are aiding and abetting it.
Take the camp near Loon-Plage: half a mile from tidy villages sits a lawless, dangerous space. Someone was shot dead there last month; stabbings are common. It is strewn with litter, ramshackle tents, and menace. Almost all the migrants are young men. They sit on the ground, scrolling their smartphones, waiting. No police. No officials.
Those willing to speak were clear: they are coming to the UK for jobs, housing, benefits, and free healthcare. None said they were fleeing persecution - they are already in France. None had a trade or profession to offer. They will be a huge strain on already struggling UK public services.
Some were polite; others threatened violence. One man pressed his face close, telling me to leave. Another began hurling glass bottles - one smashing beside me, another flying past my head.
Do you want men like this in your community? I don’t. For saying this, I’ve been called a “xenophobe” on the BBC. But I doubt those levelling that smear have been to this camp, seen those men, and imagined them outside their children’s school gates. This is a national security emergency.
And the French? We’ve given them £800m and get dismal theatre in return. They could stop this tomorrow. Instead, they stick two fingers up at Britain - and literally bus illegal migrants towards the beaches.
[snip]."
Like it or not, that is brilliantly written and profoundly persuasive
My suggestion on digital ID would be that all MPs and members of the House of Lords adopt digital ID as a pilot scheme , allow the public access to all the information as to where they go and what they do, all live. Run the trial for a couple of years and see if the MPs and Peers find the technology intrusive. What do you think to that idea ?
The UK should just move to ID cards with the option of a digital ID if people prefer that . I don’t see why this seems to be so controversial as almost every other European country have them.
There are two things:
1) Philosophical - the relationship between the state and the citizen is different in the UK. The state doesn’t get to order us around without consent - they have no right to demand we identify ourselves (“papers please”)
2) Practical - Blair’s original proposal hung massive databases off the ID card and gave way too many people access to the information. It was a massive privacy and data security risk.
We’re already tracked to a certain degree by our phones . You can limit the data on the ID card to just what’s absolutely necessary and also what agencies can access it .
You are under no obligation to own a smartphone, or a car, or a property.
I think it’s an Anglosphere thing where the public seem to be really riled up by the idea of ID cards .
I'd rather have mass uncontrolled illegal migration than ID cards. That's how much I dislike the idea of them being introduced.
Ditto. Although the sheer number of organisations that require a driver's licence or passport for ID means we've almost got there by stealth.
I think the reluctance to embrace ID cards stems largely from an instinctive distrust of the government, because every time they've gained more powers to intrude into our lives they've always given in to the temptation to misuse them.
One stark example is the powers handed to government departments to ask banks to watch for certain 'triggers' in people's bank accounts. They were introduced to fight terrorism and money laundering, but are now used by the DWP to ruin the lives of carers who've earned a few pounds above the set limit.
I’ve always said I’m in favour of ID cards, if the following conditions are met:
1) They’re issued for free;
2) You don’t have to carry them at all times;
3) You can use them chip and pin to access all government services - so they would replace passports and driving licences, not augment them;
4) That you had the power to access all information the government holds on you, and amend it where it is wrong;
5) That civil servants who access your data are logged, and you can see who they are and why they accessed it;
6) That if somebody has accessed your data inappropriately you have the right to take legal action against them, funded by the government.
And numbers 4-6 will not happen while any civil servant breathes air.
The problem is you can't trust anyone to keep their promises. They might guarantee all of those points today, and then in 5 or 10 years time they change their mind.
One of the strangest sport streaks continues. The Ding curse now at 23 matches. That is. The player who beats Ding Junhui loses his next game. Spooky. Well. Highly statistically improbable really.
This bombast is likely to shock some of my liberal London friends who’ve frequently told me, especially during the pandemic, how lucky I was to have such an an earnest, down-to-earth leader in charge. They, of course, were subject to the whims of the then prime minister Boris Johnson, who could have been replaced with three ferrets in a sack and the only change would have been a slight increase in decisiveness and gravitas, so, to them, Sturgeon seemed a paragon of sober governance, treating Scotland to almost nightly presidential-style podium appearances in which she delivered admonitions with an appropriately dour countenance.
Her English fans can’t be expected to know about every single clusterfuck over which the supposedly competent Sturgeon presided, and they certainly won’t find out about them from Frankly.
"As the sun rose over Dunkirk, I called the French police. Ten hours of tracking had established that a group of migrants were hiding in a cemetery just yards from the beach, waiting to cross the Channel.
Surely this was the moment for the authorities to sweep the beach or search the streets to find the migrants and their smugglers? You know, to “smash the gang” I had found.
“I will pass it on,” came the first response. I pressed - this was urgent. “The police will probably not come,” the 112 handler said, dismissively. No further details sought. No interest shown.
I’d come to northern France to see for myself what is really happening as Channel crossings surge and communities back home bear the intolerable consequences of broken borders. Just me and a cameraman - no French minders, no protection.
What I saw in the camps, streets, and beaches was sickening. The reality is worse than I have ever seen. The whole racket is a disgrace, and the French are aiding and abetting it.
Take the camp near Loon-Plage: half a mile from tidy villages sits a lawless, dangerous space. Someone was shot dead there last month; stabbings are common. It is strewn with litter, ramshackle tents, and menace. Almost all the migrants are young men. They sit on the ground, scrolling their smartphones, waiting. No police. No officials.
Those willing to speak were clear: they are coming to the UK for jobs, housing, benefits, and free healthcare. None said they were fleeing persecution - they are already in France. None had a trade or profession to offer. They will be a huge strain on already struggling UK public services.
Some were polite; others threatened violence. One man pressed his face close, telling me to leave. Another began hurling glass bottles - one smashing beside me, another flying past my head.
Do you want men like this in your community? I don’t. For saying this, I’ve been called a “xenophobe” on the BBC. But I doubt those levelling that smear have been to this camp, seen those men, and imagined them outside their children’s school gates. This is a national security emergency.
And the French? We’ve given them £800m and get dismal theatre in return. They could stop this tomorrow. Instead, they stick two fingers up at Britain - and literally bus illegal migrants towards the beaches.
[snip]."
Like it or not, that is brilliantly written and profoundly persuasive
"As the sun rose over Dunkirk, I called the French police. Ten hours of tracking had established that a group of migrants were hiding in a cemetery just yards from the beach, waiting to cross the Channel.
Surely this was the moment for the authorities to sweep the beach or search the streets to find the migrants and their smugglers? You know, to “smash the gang” I had found.
“I will pass it on,” came the first response. I pressed - this was urgent. “The police will probably not come,” the 112 handler said, dismissively. No further details sought. No interest shown.
I’d come to northern France to see for myself what is really happening as Channel crossings surge and communities back home bear the intolerable consequences of broken borders. Just me and a cameraman - no French minders, no protection.
What I saw in the camps, streets, and beaches was sickening. The reality is worse than I have ever seen. The whole racket is a disgrace, and the French are aiding and abetting it.
Take the camp near Loon-Plage: half a mile from tidy villages sits a lawless, dangerous space. Someone was shot dead there last month; stabbings are common. It is strewn with litter, ramshackle tents, and menace. Almost all the migrants are young men. They sit on the ground, scrolling their smartphones, waiting. No police. No officials.
Those willing to speak were clear: they are coming to the UK for jobs, housing, benefits, and free healthcare. None said they were fleeing persecution - they are already in France. None had a trade or profession to offer. They will be a huge strain on already struggling UK public services.
Some were polite; others threatened violence. One man pressed his face close, telling me to leave. Another began hurling glass bottles - one smashing beside me, another flying past my head.
Do you want men like this in your community? I don’t. For saying this, I’ve been called a “xenophobe” on the BBC. But I doubt those levelling that smear have been to this camp, seen those men, and imagined them outside their children’s school gates. This is a national security emergency.
And the French? We’ve given them £800m and get dismal theatre in return. They could stop this tomorrow. Instead, they stick two fingers up at Britain - and literally bus illegal migrants towards the beaches.
[snip]."
Like it or not, that is brilliantly written and profoundly persuasive
"As the sun rose over Dunkirk, I called the French police. Ten hours of tracking had established that a group of migrants were hiding in a cemetery just yards from the beach, waiting to cross the Channel.
Surely this was the moment for the authorities to sweep the beach or search the streets to find the migrants and their smugglers? You know, to “smash the gang” I had found.
“I will pass it on,” came the first response. I pressed - this was urgent. “The police will probably not come,” the 112 handler said, dismissively. No further details sought. No interest shown.
I’d come to northern France to see for myself what is really happening as Channel crossings surge and communities back home bear the intolerable consequences of broken borders. Just me and a cameraman - no French minders, no protection.
What I saw in the camps, streets, and beaches was sickening. The reality is worse than I have ever seen. The whole racket is a disgrace, and the French are aiding and abetting it.
Take the camp near Loon-Plage: half a mile from tidy villages sits a lawless, dangerous space. Someone was shot dead there last month; stabbings are common. It is strewn with litter, ramshackle tents, and menace. Almost all the migrants are young men. They sit on the ground, scrolling their smartphones, waiting. No police. No officials.
Those willing to speak were clear: they are coming to the UK for jobs, housing, benefits, and free healthcare. None said they were fleeing persecution - they are already in France. None had a trade or profession to offer. They will be a huge strain on already struggling UK public services.
Some were polite; others threatened violence. One man pressed his face close, telling me to leave. Another began hurling glass bottles - one smashing beside me, another flying past my head.
Do you want men like this in your community? I don’t. For saying this, I’ve been called a “xenophobe” on the BBC. But I doubt those levelling that smear have been to this camp, seen those men, and imagined them outside their children’s school gates. This is a national security emergency.
And the French? We’ve given them £800m and get dismal theatre in return. They could stop this tomorrow. Instead, they stick two fingers up at Britain - and literally bus illegal migrants towards the beaches.
[snip]."
Like it or not, that is brilliantly written and profoundly persuasive
It’s hardly a surprise is it? The French don’t want them, they don’t want to be in France and we are fools to pay the French a bean.
Why don't the French stop them entering France in the first place?
Just wait until you see the size of the land borders with France and freedom of movement through the EU and Schengen. Freedom of movement throughout Europe? Something the Asylum Seekers seem to be able to complete with impunity, whilst I cannot.
"As the sun rose over Dunkirk, I called the French police. Ten hours of tracking had established that a group of migrants were hiding in a cemetery just yards from the beach, waiting to cross the Channel.
Surely this was the moment for the authorities to sweep the beach or search the streets to find the migrants and their smugglers? You know, to “smash the gang” I had found.
“I will pass it on,” came the first response. I pressed - this was urgent. “The police will probably not come,” the 112 handler said, dismissively. No further details sought. No interest shown.
I’d come to northern France to see for myself what is really happening as Channel crossings surge and communities back home bear the intolerable consequences of broken borders. Just me and a cameraman - no French minders, no protection.
What I saw in the camps, streets, and beaches was sickening. The reality is worse than I have ever seen. The whole racket is a disgrace, and the French are aiding and abetting it.
Take the camp near Loon-Plage: half a mile from tidy villages sits a lawless, dangerous space. Someone was shot dead there last month; stabbings are common. It is strewn with litter, ramshackle tents, and menace. Almost all the migrants are young men. They sit on the ground, scrolling their smartphones, waiting. No police. No officials.
Those willing to speak were clear: they are coming to the UK for jobs, housing, benefits, and free healthcare. None said they were fleeing persecution - they are already in France. None had a trade or profession to offer. They will be a huge strain on already struggling UK public services.
Some were polite; others threatened violence. One man pressed his face close, telling me to leave. Another began hurling glass bottles - one smashing beside me, another flying past my head.
Do you want men like this in your community? I don’t. For saying this, I’ve been called a “xenophobe” on the BBC. But I doubt those levelling that smear have been to this camp, seen those men, and imagined them outside their children’s school gates. This is a national security emergency.
And the French? We’ve given them £800m and get dismal theatre in return. They could stop this tomorrow. Instead, they stick two fingers up at Britain - and literally bus illegal migrants towards the beaches.
[snip]."
Like it or not, that is brilliantly written and profoundly persuasive
It’s hardly a surprise is it? The French don’t want them, they don’t want to be in France and we are fools to pay the French a bean.
Of course it's not a surprise
The surprise is that a non-Reform politician has the guts and nous to get out there, film this, do this, write about it, and do it SO WELL. Moreover, he is right. this is now approaching a national emergency, and Starmer and Labour are clearly, utterly incapable of addressing it
The Tories need to junk Badenoch ASAP and get Jenrick in, and then do a deal with Farage if necessary. This is going beyond party interest, this is vital to us all
It is surreal that this is actually happening, and three quarters of the country aren’t storming the streets with pitchforks. I am quite vocal on here about it, but I don’t actually do anything other than vote for Reform. If Nick Griffin had said it would happen fifteen years ago he’d have been shot down in flames. It is worthy of the phrase “We must be mad, literally mad”
Coz if we are too vocal about it, we either get arrested, out there, or banned, on here
But this will not hold. The dam is now clearly breaking. Probably the best outcome we can hope for is a Reform government, because beyond that it gets very scary very quickly
I wonder if your hunch is right and we might see Labour slip into the teens and maybe into 3rd place
I had tea with my agent today, one of the smartest people I know. She's always been quite right wing but wow. today, my god. The scorn she poured on Labour was medal-winning, and these days she does not hold back as she once would have, even a couple of years ago
She reserved particular contempt for Rachel Reeves and her parliamentrary blubbing
"As the sun rose over Dunkirk, I called the French police. Ten hours of tracking had established that a group of migrants were hiding in a cemetery just yards from the beach, waiting to cross the Channel.
Surely this was the moment for the authorities to sweep the beach or search the streets to find the migrants and their smugglers? You know, to “smash the gang” I had found.
“I will pass it on,” came the first response. I pressed - this was urgent. “The police will probably not come,” the 112 handler said, dismissively. No further details sought. No interest shown.
I’d come to northern France to see for myself what is really happening as Channel crossings surge and communities back home bear the intolerable consequences of broken borders. Just me and a cameraman - no French minders, no protection.
What I saw in the camps, streets, and beaches was sickening. The reality is worse than I have ever seen. The whole racket is a disgrace, and the French are aiding and abetting it.
Take the camp near Loon-Plage: half a mile from tidy villages sits a lawless, dangerous space. Someone was shot dead there last month; stabbings are common. It is strewn with litter, ramshackle tents, and menace. Almost all the migrants are young men. They sit on the ground, scrolling their smartphones, waiting. No police. No officials.
Those willing to speak were clear: they are coming to the UK for jobs, housing, benefits, and free healthcare. None said they were fleeing persecution - they are already in France. None had a trade or profession to offer. They will be a huge strain on already struggling UK public services.
Some were polite; others threatened violence. One man pressed his face close, telling me to leave. Another began hurling glass bottles - one smashing beside me, another flying past my head.
Do you want men like this in your community? I don’t. For saying this, I’ve been called a “xenophobe” on the BBC. But I doubt those levelling that smear have been to this camp, seen those men, and imagined them outside their children’s school gates. This is a national security emergency.
And the French? We’ve given them £800m and get dismal theatre in return. They could stop this tomorrow. Instead, they stick two fingers up at Britain - and literally bus illegal migrants towards the beaches.
[snip]."
Like it or not, that is brilliantly written and profoundly persuasive
It’s hardly a surprise is it? The French don’t want them, they don’t want to be in France and we are fools to pay the French a bean.
Of course it's not a surprise
The surprise is that a non-Reform politician has the guts and nous to get out there, film this, do this, write about it, and do it SO WELL. Moreover, he is right. this is now approaching a national emergency, and Starmer and Labour are clearly, utterly incapable of addressing it
The Tories need to junk Badenoch ASAP and get Jenrick in, and then do a deal with Farage if necessary. This is going beyond party interest, this is vital to us all
It is surreal that this is actually happening, and three quarters of the country aren’t storming the streets with pitchforks. I am quite vocal on here about it, but I don’t actually do anything other than vote for Reform. If Nick Griffin had said it would happen fifteen years ago he’d have been shot down in flames. It is worthy of the phrase “We must be mad, literally mad”
Coz if we are too vocal about it, we either get arrested, out there, or banned, on here
But this will not hold. The dam is now clearly breaking. Probably the best outcome we can hope for is a Reform government, because beyond that it gets very scary very quickly
I referenced Enoch Powell’s speech, and the more I think about the boat people, it occurs to me that you could repeat Powell’s Rovers of Blood/Birmingham speech almost word for word and use it about the illegal immigrants on small boats. Insane to think that he was just talking about regular immigrants who had been living in former British colonies and were for all intents and purposes British anyway. How times change
"As the sun rose over Dunkirk, I called the French police. Ten hours of tracking had established that a group of migrants were hiding in a cemetery just yards from the beach, waiting to cross the Channel.
Surely this was the moment for the authorities to sweep the beach or search the streets to find the migrants and their smugglers? You know, to “smash the gang” I had found.
“I will pass it on,” came the first response. I pressed - this was urgent. “The police will probably not come,” the 112 handler said, dismissively. No further details sought. No interest shown.
I’d come to northern France to see for myself what is really happening as Channel crossings surge and communities back home bear the intolerable consequences of broken borders. Just me and a cameraman - no French minders, no protection.
What I saw in the camps, streets, and beaches was sickening. The reality is worse than I have ever seen. The whole racket is a disgrace, and the French are aiding and abetting it.
Take the camp near Loon-Plage: half a mile from tidy villages sits a lawless, dangerous space. Someone was shot dead there last month; stabbings are common. It is strewn with litter, ramshackle tents, and menace. Almost all the migrants are young men. They sit on the ground, scrolling their smartphones, waiting. No police. No officials.
Those willing to speak were clear: they are coming to the UK for jobs, housing, benefits, and free healthcare. None said they were fleeing persecution - they are already in France. None had a trade or profession to offer. They will be a huge strain on already struggling UK public services.
Some were polite; others threatened violence. One man pressed his face close, telling me to leave. Another began hurling glass bottles - one smashing beside me, another flying past my head.
Do you want men like this in your community? I don’t. For saying this, I’ve been called a “xenophobe” on the BBC. But I doubt those levelling that smear have been to this camp, seen those men, and imagined them outside their children’s school gates. This is a national security emergency.
And the French? We’ve given them £800m and get dismal theatre in return. They could stop this tomorrow. Instead, they stick two fingers up at Britain - and literally bus illegal migrants towards the beaches.
[snip]."
Like it or not, that is brilliantly written and profoundly persuasive
I wonder if your hunch is right and we might see Labour slip into the teens and maybe into 3rd place
I had tea with my agent today, one of the smartest people I know. She's always been quite right wing but wow. today, my god. The scorn she poured on Labour was medal-winning, and these days she does not hold back as she once would have, even a couple of years ago
She reserved particular contempt for Rachel Reeves and her parliamentrary blubbing
Once the Referendum was lost and Cameron walked, it was the turn of those in the Conservative side who had never wanted the Coalition to take their revenge and Osborne was unceremoniously sacked by Theresa May. That was the end of his political career and a tenure as Editor of the Evening Standard wasn't a great success.
I hope that one day we learn what really happened behind the scenes; the way in which May unceremoniously destroyed Osborne and salted the earth so he couldn't return was out of character for her and not consistent with any ideological allegiances. He was still very young for a chancellor and had a lot more to offer the party and the country.
There must've been something 'personal' behind it all. Some irrational, pathological hatred somewhere in there, for reasons we don't yet know.
Osbourne could have returned, but he decided to flounce.
"As the sun rose over Dunkirk, I called the French police. Ten hours of tracking had established that a group of migrants were hiding in a cemetery just yards from the beach, waiting to cross the Channel.
Surely this was the moment for the authorities to sweep the beach or search the streets to find the migrants and their smugglers? You know, to “smash the gang” I had found.
“I will pass it on,” came the first response. I pressed - this was urgent. “The police will probably not come,” the 112 handler said, dismissively. No further details sought. No interest shown.
I’d come to northern France to see for myself what is really happening as Channel crossings surge and communities back home bear the intolerable consequences of broken borders. Just me and a cameraman - no French minders, no protection.
What I saw in the camps, streets, and beaches was sickening. The reality is worse than I have ever seen. The whole racket is a disgrace, and the French are aiding and abetting it.
Take the camp near Loon-Plage: half a mile from tidy villages sits a lawless, dangerous space. Someone was shot dead there last month; stabbings are common. It is strewn with litter, ramshackle tents, and menace. Almost all the migrants are young men. They sit on the ground, scrolling their smartphones, waiting. No police. No officials.
Those willing to speak were clear: they are coming to the UK for jobs, housing, benefits, and free healthcare. None said they were fleeing persecution - they are already in France. None had a trade or profession to offer. They will be a huge strain on already struggling UK public services.
Some were polite; others threatened violence. One man pressed his face close, telling me to leave. Another began hurling glass bottles - one smashing beside me, another flying past my head.
Do you want men like this in your community? I don’t. For saying this, I’ve been called a “xenophobe” on the BBC. But I doubt those levelling that smear have been to this camp, seen those men, and imagined them outside their children’s school gates. This is a national security emergency.
And the French? We’ve given them £800m and get dismal theatre in return. They could stop this tomorrow. Instead, they stick two fingers up at Britain - and literally bus illegal migrants towards the beaches.
[snip]."
Like it or not, that is brilliantly written and profoundly persuasive
It’s hardly a surprise is it? The French don’t want them, they don’t want to be in France and we are fools to pay the French a bean.
Of course it's not a surprise
The surprise is that a non-Reform politician has the guts and nous to get out there, film this, do this, write about it, and do it SO WELL. Moreover, he is right. this is now approaching a national emergency, and Starmer and Labour are clearly, utterly incapable of addressing it
The Tories need to junk Badenoch ASAP and get Jenrick in, and then do a deal with Farage if necessary. This is going beyond party interest, this is vital to us all
A good article by Jenrick but where is the poll evidence he will win back voters already supporting Farage?
Midterms are never decided by who the opposition party's candidates are, they are almost always decided by the approval rating of the President of the day and his party
"As the sun rose over Dunkirk, I called the French police. Ten hours of tracking had established that a group of migrants were hiding in a cemetery just yards from the beach, waiting to cross the Channel.
Surely this was the moment for the authorities to sweep the beach or search the streets to find the migrants and their smugglers? You know, to “smash the gang” I had found.
“I will pass it on,” came the first response. I pressed - this was urgent. “The police will probably not come,” the 112 handler said, dismissively. No further details sought. No interest shown.
I’d come to northern France to see for myself what is really happening as Channel crossings surge and communities back home bear the intolerable consequences of broken borders. Just me and a cameraman - no French minders, no protection.
What I saw in the camps, streets, and beaches was sickening. The reality is worse than I have ever seen. The whole racket is a disgrace, and the French are aiding and abetting it.
Take the camp near Loon-Plage: half a mile from tidy villages sits a lawless, dangerous space. Someone was shot dead there last month; stabbings are common. It is strewn with litter, ramshackle tents, and menace. Almost all the migrants are young men. They sit on the ground, scrolling their smartphones, waiting. No police. No officials.
Those willing to speak were clear: they are coming to the UK for jobs, housing, benefits, and free healthcare. None said they were fleeing persecution - they are already in France. None had a trade or profession to offer. They will be a huge strain on already struggling UK public services.
Some were polite; others threatened violence. One man pressed his face close, telling me to leave. Another began hurling glass bottles - one smashing beside me, another flying past my head.
Do you want men like this in your community? I don’t. For saying this, I’ve been called a “xenophobe” on the BBC. But I doubt those levelling that smear have been to this camp, seen those men, and imagined them outside their children’s school gates. This is a national security emergency.
And the French? We’ve given them £800m and get dismal theatre in return. They could stop this tomorrow. Instead, they stick two fingers up at Britain - and literally bus illegal migrants towards the beaches.
[snip]."
Like it or not, that is brilliantly written and profoundly persuasive
"As the sun rose over Dunkirk, I called the French police. Ten hours of tracking had established that a group of migrants were hiding in a cemetery just yards from the beach, waiting to cross the Channel.
Surely this was the moment for the authorities to sweep the beach or search the streets to find the migrants and their smugglers? You know, to “smash the gang” I had found.
“I will pass it on,” came the first response. I pressed - this was urgent. “The police will probably not come,” the 112 handler said, dismissively. No further details sought. No interest shown.
I’d come to northern France to see for myself what is really happening as Channel crossings surge and communities back home bear the intolerable consequences of broken borders. Just me and a cameraman - no French minders, no protection.
What I saw in the camps, streets, and beaches was sickening. The reality is worse than I have ever seen. The whole racket is a disgrace, and the French are aiding and abetting it.
Take the camp near Loon-Plage: half a mile from tidy villages sits a lawless, dangerous space. Someone was shot dead there last month; stabbings are common. It is strewn with litter, ramshackle tents, and menace. Almost all the migrants are young men. They sit on the ground, scrolling their smartphones, waiting. No police. No officials.
Those willing to speak were clear: they are coming to the UK for jobs, housing, benefits, and free healthcare. None said they were fleeing persecution - they are already in France. None had a trade or profession to offer. They will be a huge strain on already struggling UK public services.
Some were polite; others threatened violence. One man pressed his face close, telling me to leave. Another began hurling glass bottles - one smashing beside me, another flying past my head.
Do you want men like this in your community? I don’t. For saying this, I’ve been called a “xenophobe” on the BBC. But I doubt those levelling that smear have been to this camp, seen those men, and imagined them outside their children’s school gates. This is a national security emergency.
And the French? We’ve given them £800m and get dismal theatre in return. They could stop this tomorrow. Instead, they stick two fingers up at Britain - and literally bus illegal migrants towards the beaches.
[snip]."
Like it or not, that is brilliantly written and profoundly persuasive
It’s hardly a surprise is it? The French don’t want them, they don’t want to be in France and we are fools to pay the French a bean.
Why don't the French stop them entering France in the first place?
Just wait until you see the size of the land borders with France and freedom of movement through the EU and Schengen. Freedom of movement throughout Europe? Something the Asylum Seekers seem to be able to complete with impunity, whilst I cannot.
The Rwandan government took everyone we sent to them.
The policy didn't work because of our side, not theirs.
I wonder if your hunch is right and we might see Labour slip into the teens and maybe into 3rd place
I had tea with my agent today, one of the smartest people I know. She's always been quite right wing but wow. today, my god. The scorn she poured on Labour was medal-winning, and these days she does not hold back as she once would have, even a couple of years ago
She reserved particular contempt for Rachel Reeves and her parliamentrary blubbing
I am shocked, shocked, by this revelation that you spoke to someone unnamed who shared your political views.
I wonder if your hunch is right and we might see Labour slip into the teens and maybe into 3rd place
I had tea with my agent today, one of the smartest people I know. She's always been quite right wing but wow. today, my god. The scorn she poured on Labour was medal-winning, and these days she does not hold back as she once would have, even a couple of years ago
She reserved particular contempt for Rachel Reeves and her parliamentrary blubbing
I am shocked, shocked, by this revelation that you spoke to someone unnamed who shared your political views.
I wonder if your hunch is right and we might see Labour slip into the teens and maybe into 3rd place
I had tea with my agent today, one of the smartest people I know. She's always been quite right wing but wow. today, my god. The scorn she poured on Labour was medal-winning, and these days she does not hold back as she once would have, even a couple of years ago
She reserved particular contempt for Rachel Reeves and her parliamentrary blubbing
I am shocked, shocked, by this revelation that you spoke to someone unnamed who shared your political views.
Well yesterday I had drinks with a lefty friend who thinks I am wrong about absolutely everything, including facts I can prove by googling them in front of him
So, there's that
Believe it or not, I do not lie about these anecdotal encounters. I do not see the point. I want to add to the store of info on the site, and I candidly tell what I hear and see
I do lie the fuck out of other stuff, but generally for shits and gigs
I wonder if your hunch is right and we might see Labour slip into the teens and maybe into 3rd place
I had tea with my agent today, one of the smartest people I know. She's always been quite right wing but wow. today, my god. The scorn she poured on Labour was medal-winning, and these days she does not hold back as she once would have, even a couple of years ago
She reserved particular contempt for Rachel Reeves and her parliamentrary blubbing
I am shocked, shocked, by this revelation that you spoke to someone unnamed who shared your political views.
Well yesterday I had drinks with a lefty friend who thinks I am wrong about absolutely everything, including facts I can prove by googling them in front of him
So, there's that
Believe it or not, I do not lie about these anecdotal encounters. I do not see the point. I want to add to the store of info on the site, and I candidly tell what I hear and see
I do lie the fuck out of other stuff, but generally for shits and gigs
I'm not sure what point either if you is making.
"My right wing mate agrees with me" isn't something Barty should be wasting his time challenging.
I wonder if your hunch is right and we might see Labour slip into the teens and maybe into 3rd place
I had tea with my agent today, one of the smartest people I know. She's always been quite right wing but wow. today, my god. The scorn she poured on Labour was medal-winning, and these days she does not hold back as she once would have, even a couple of years ago
She reserved particular contempt for Rachel Reeves and her parliamentrary blubbing
I am shocked, shocked, by this revelation that you spoke to someone unnamed who shared your political views.
30% is quite a lot of people.
Depends on their turnout at elections - don't forget turnout at the GE2024 was under 60% so if Reform Votes are 10 out of 10 voters it could be crucial.
YOUDE - Green Party 818 ELECTED CHOWDHRY - Welsh Labour 774 ROBERTS - Plaid Cymru 639 MARTIN - Reform UK 495 YEWLETT - Propel: Stand Up for Cardiff 327 ABDI SAMATER - Independent 156 HAMBLIN - Welsh Conservative Party 139 LATIF - Welsh Liberal Democrats 63
Grn 23.98% Lab 22.69% PC 18.73% Ref 14.51% Propel 9.59% Ind Samater 4.57% Con 4.08% LD 1.85%
YOUDE - Green Party 818 ELECTED CHOWDHRY - Welsh Labour 774 ROBERTS - Plaid Cymru 639 MARTIN - Reform UK 495 YEWLETT - Propel: Stand Up for Cardiff 327 ABDI SAMATER - Independent 156 HAMBLIN - Welsh Conservative Party 139 LATIF - Welsh Liberal Democrats 63
Grn 23.98% Lab 22.69% PC 18.73% Ref 14.51% Propel 9.59% Ind Samater 4.57% Con 4.08% LD 1.85%
Thats a shocker of a result for Labour. Reform not dojng as well in Cardiff as suspected, Greens look very good for picking up an MS in Caerdydd Penarth....... Newcastle counts tomorrow
YOUDE - Green Party 818 ELECTED CHOWDHRY - Welsh Labour 774 ROBERTS - Plaid Cymru 639 MARTIN - Reform UK 495 YEWLETT - Propel: Stand Up for Cardiff 327 ABDI SAMATER - Independent 156 HAMBLIN - Welsh Conservative Party 139 LATIF - Welsh Liberal Democrats 63
Grn 23.98% Lab 22.69% PC 18.73% Ref 14.51% Propel 9.59% Ind Samater 4.57% Con 4.08% LD 1.85%
Changes compared to April 2024 by-election
Lab -24.82% Ref +14.51% (didn't stand last time) Propel +0.15% Ind Samater -2.06% Con -8.43% LD -2.13%
Grn/PC received 42.71% this time as separate candidates compared to 18.52% as a combined candidate previously, which is +24.19%.
YOUDE - Green Party 818 ELECTED CHOWDHRY - Welsh Labour 774 ROBERTS - Plaid Cymru 639 MARTIN - Reform UK 495 YEWLETT - Propel: Stand Up for Cardiff 327 ABDI SAMATER - Independent 156 HAMBLIN - Welsh Conservative Party 139 LATIF - Welsh Liberal Democrats 63
Grn 23.98% Lab 22.69% PC 18.73% Ref 14.51% Propel 9.59% Ind Samater 4.57% Con 4.08% LD 1.85%
Thats a shocker of a result for Labour. Reform not dojng as well in Cardiff as suspected, Greens look very good for picking up an MS in Caerdydd Penarth....... Newcastle counts tomorrow
Would you expect Reform to do well in this ward? It's much more like potential Green territory.
YOUDE - Green Party 818 ELECTED CHOWDHRY - Welsh Labour 774 ROBERTS - Plaid Cymru 639 MARTIN - Reform UK 495 YEWLETT - Propel: Stand Up for Cardiff 327 ABDI SAMATER - Independent 156 HAMBLIN - Welsh Conservative Party 139 LATIF - Welsh Liberal Democrats 63
Grn 23.98% Lab 22.69% PC 18.73% Ref 14.51% Propel 9.59% Ind Samater 4.57% Con 4.08% LD 1.85%
Thats a shocker of a result for Labour. Reform not dojng as well in Cardiff as suspected, Greens look very good for picking up an MS in Caerdydd Penarth....... Newcastle counts tomorrow
Would you expect Reform to do well in this ward? It's much more like potential Green territory.
One of the strangest sport streaks continues. The Ding curse now at 23 matches. That is. The player who beats Ding Junhui loses his next game. Spooky. Well. Highly statistically improbable really.
Assuming it's not all fixed..that would be unknown in snooker no? 😏
One of the strangest sport streaks continues. The Ding curse now at 23 matches. That is. The player who beats Ding Junhui loses his next game. Spooky. Well. Highly statistically improbable really.
Assuming it's not all fixed..that would be unknown in snooker no? 😏
It's difficult to imagine anyone even thinking of trying to fix this particular sequence of events. 😊
YOUDE - Green Party 818 ELECTED CHOWDHRY - Welsh Labour 774 ROBERTS - Plaid Cymru 639 MARTIN - Reform UK 495 YEWLETT - Propel: Stand Up for Cardiff 327 ABDI SAMATER - Independent 156 HAMBLIN - Welsh Conservative Party 139 LATIF - Welsh Liberal Democrats 63
Grn 23.98% Lab 22.69% PC 18.73% Ref 14.51% Propel 9.59% Ind Samater 4.57% Con 4.08% LD 1.85%
Thats a shocker of a result for Labour. Reform not dojng as well in Cardiff as suspected, Greens look very good for picking up an MS in Caerdydd Penarth....... Newcastle counts tomorrow
Would you expect Reform to do well in this ward? It's much more like potential Green territory.
No, but its a good example of the sort of ward where their recent surge falls flat
"Green was the only option for the Labour protest vote here" "Demography (eg ethnic make up) shows this was never ideal territory for Reform" Both of the above apply to Grangetown
YOUDE - Green Party 818 ELECTED CHOWDHRY - Welsh Labour 774 ROBERTS - Plaid Cymru 639 MARTIN - Reform UK 495 YEWLETT - Propel: Stand Up for Cardiff 327 ABDI SAMATER - Independent 156 HAMBLIN - Welsh Conservative Party 139 LATIF - Welsh Liberal Democrats 63
Grn 23.98% Lab 22.69% PC 18.73% Ref 14.51% Propel 9.59% Ind Samater 4.57% Con 4.08% LD 1.85%
Thats a shocker of a result for Labour. Reform not dojng as well in Cardiff as suspected, Greens look very good for picking up an MS in Caerdydd Penarth....... Newcastle counts tomorrow
Would you expect Reform to do well in this ward? It's much more like potential Green territory.
Note: I think people taking cabs in San Francisco might just be slightly different to people in the UK and Europe in their attitudes to taking cabs with drivers.
The power of pb! Just two days after @Sunil_Prasannan and @Andy_JS argue about Gants Hill station, citing Geoff Marshall, so the great man uploads a video about Gants Hill station, confirming Sunil's thesis that... well, watch it yourselves:-
Note: I think people taking cabs in San Francisco might just be slightly different to people in the UK and Europe in their attitudes to taking cabs with drivers.
My understanding is that many cab drivers in the UK now pretend to only speak Albanian, so as to avoid having to get into conversations with people that might be Sean Thomas.
For Koreans aware that the Empire of Japan used the term "annexation" in the treaty forcibly signed in 1910 to colonize Korea, the concept of a "coalition" with Japan may sound uncomfortable.
The intensifying U.S. protectionist trade policies under the Donald Trump administration, however, have justified Korea's renewed push for economic integration with Japan, propelling discussions on a free trade agreement (FTA) between the two neighboring Northeast Asian countries...
Daily Mail have done a story on Skinner being somewhat economical with the truth e.g. it appears he grew up more Billy Posh than Billy Bosh.
All a bit unfair to go digging into their childhood like that, he isn't a politician. But it seems that tw@tterati don't like him very much because he said he liked Trump, so they will be piling on again shortly with this new article.
I once stayed in a very odd hotel in Germany that had the shower slap bang in the middle of the bedroom in an enclosed glass box raised up on a small platform, with the toilet and hand basin. Now before people get funny ideas it was the sort of hotel SeanT would enjoy, it was a boring business hotel in every other regard. Why there wasn't a partition wall and a traditional bathroom in what was on the large floor plan for a hotel room i.e. not a suite, I have no idea.
Comments
Reporter: What’s going on with those posts on X that are clearly trolling the president?
Newsom: I hope it’s a wake up call for the president. I’m just following his example. If you have issues with what I’m putting out, you sure as hell should have concerns with what he’s putting out
https://bsky.app/profile/acyn.bsky.social/post/3lwf5m3vuzf23
*Later and much more modern ones. Not much newer, but the rate of change at the time ...
Donald Trump has sent armed agents to our rally. We will not be intimidated.
https://x.com/GavinNewsom/status/1956067038822326666
Analysis of radar satellite data shows rearmament on a historic scale, stretching over 7mn sq metres of new industrial development on.ft.com/4mAYDW2
https://x.com/ftbrussels/status/1955117351679979567?s=46&t=CW4pL-mMpTqsJXCdjW0Z6Q
Deere warns of bigger tariff hit after quarterly profit declines
https://x.com/Reuters/status/1956092236690555349
If I was a patriotic Scot but a Unionist I'd have definitely gone for him (then voted NO in any referendum). Or would I?
Perhaps there are too many confounders
I think voting for different parties is a sign of conscious thought, and is preferable to blind partisan loyalty (tho there is room for that, to an extent)
Please listen to this awesome bit of commentary
https://x.com/bbctms/status/1956085768885092657
That's jolly good
Aside from the fact that it breaches all laws on data protection, all security methodologies and common sense, it has a tiny flaw. It would be an implementation fuck upon scale that would stagger even Private Eye.
The above is claimed to be a vital part of having ID cards. The fact that it goes beyond what China has done to its citizens is an indication.
I think the reluctance to embrace ID cards stems largely from an instinctive distrust of the government, because every time they've gained more powers to intrude into our lives they've always given in to the temptation to misuse them.
One stark example is the powers handed to government departments to ask banks to watch for certain 'triggers' in people's bank accounts. They were introduced to fight terrorism and money laundering, but are now used by the DWP to ruin the lives of carers who've earned a few pounds above the set limit.
People who are free and able to work should always be free and encouraged and rewarded for doing so, not penalised.
https://x.com/tonylapidus/status/1955718415785644292?s=46&t=CW4pL-mMpTqsJXCdjW0Z6Q
1) They’re issued for free;
2) You don’t have to carry them at all times;
3) You can use them chip and pin to access all government services - so they would replace passports and driving licences, not augment them;
4) That you had the power to access all information the government holds on you, and amend it where it is wrong;
5) That civil servants who access your data are logged, and you can see who they are and why they accessed it;
6) That if somebody has accessed your data inappropriately you have the right to take legal action against them, funded by the government.
And numbers 4-6 will not happen while any civil servant breathes air.
So - I oppose them.
https://vf.politicalbetting.com/discussion/comment/3389196#Comment_3389196
I will never understand."
https://x.com/Anthony__Koch/status/1955725353587986498
Not entirely true, but true enough to hurt very deeply
https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/trackers/support-for-the-introduction-of-a-system-of-national-identity-cards-in-the-uk
"As the sun rose over Dunkirk, I called the French police. Ten hours of tracking had established that a group of migrants were hiding in a cemetery just yards from the beach, waiting to cross the Channel.
Surely this was the moment for the authorities to sweep the beach or search the streets to find the migrants and their smugglers? You know, to “smash the gang” I had found.
“I will pass it on,” came the first response. I pressed - this was urgent. “The police will probably not come,” the 112 handler said, dismissively. No further details sought. No interest shown.
I’d come to northern France to see for myself what is really happening as Channel crossings surge and communities back home bear the intolerable consequences of broken borders. Just me and a cameraman - no French minders, no protection.
What I saw in the camps, streets, and beaches was sickening. The reality is worse than I have ever seen. The whole racket is a disgrace, and the French are aiding and abetting it.
Take the camp near Loon-Plage: half a mile from tidy villages sits a lawless, dangerous space. Someone was shot dead there last month; stabbings are common. It is strewn with litter, ramshackle tents, and menace. Almost all the migrants are young men. They sit on the ground, scrolling their smartphones, waiting. No police. No officials.
Those willing to speak were clear: they are coming to the UK for jobs, housing, benefits, and free healthcare. None said they were fleeing persecution - they are already in France. None had a trade or profession to offer. They will be a huge strain on already struggling UK public services.
Some were polite; others threatened violence. One man pressed his face close, telling me to leave. Another began hurling glass bottles - one smashing beside me, another flying past my head.
Do you want men like this in your community? I don’t. For saying this, I’ve been called a “xenophobe” on the BBC. But I doubt those levelling that smear have been to this camp, seen those men, and imagined them outside their children’s school gates. This is a national security emergency.
And the French? We’ve given them £800m and get dismal theatre in return. They could stop this tomorrow. Instead, they stick two fingers up at Britain - and literally bus illegal migrants towards the beaches.
[snip]."
Like it or not, that is brilliantly written and profoundly persuasive
This shit is going to put Labour under 10%
https://x.com/RobertJenrick/status/1956072961687085059
The surprise is that a non-Reform politician has the guts and nous to get out there, film this, do this, write about it, and do it SO WELL. Moreover, he is right. this is now approaching a national emergency, and Starmer and Labour are clearly, utterly incapable of addressing it
The Tories need to junk Badenoch ASAP and get Jenrick in, and then do a deal with Farage if necessary. This is going beyond party interest, this is vital to us all
This bombast is likely to shock some of my liberal London friends who’ve frequently told me, especially during the pandemic, how lucky I was to have such an an earnest, down-to-earth leader in charge. They, of course, were subject to the whims of the then prime minister Boris Johnson, who could have been replaced with three ferrets in a sack and the only change would have been a slight increase in decisiveness and gravitas, so, to them, Sturgeon seemed a paragon of sober governance, treating Scotland to almost nightly presidential-style podium appearances in which she delivered admonitions with an appropriately dour countenance.
Her English fans can’t be expected to know about every single clusterfuck over which the supposedly competent Sturgeon presided, and they certainly won’t find out about them from Frankly.
https://www.jkrowling.com/opinions/the-twilight-of-nicola-sturgeon-j-k-rowling-reviews-frankly/
Newsom: I hope it’s a wake up call for the president. I’m just following his example. If you have issues with what I’m putting out, you sure as hell should have concerns with what he’s putting out
I think the deeper question how have we allowed the normalization of his posts to go without similar scrutiny
https://x.com/Acyn/status/1956086115934593432
The overall total has fallen but new routes seem to open up as others see better enforcement .
https://www.frontex.europa.eu/media-centre/news/news-release/eu-external-borders-irregular-crossings-down-18-in-the-first-7-months-of-2025-ArNz2R
That is. The player who beats Ding Junhui loses his next game.
Spooky.
Well. Highly statistically improbable really.
Smash the gangs!
But this will not hold. The dam is now clearly breaking. Probably the best outcome we can hope for is a Reform government, because beyond that it gets very scary very quickly
Ref 30.5%
Lab 21.2%
Con 17.9%
LD 13.5%
Grn 8.6%
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_next_United_Kingdom_general_election#2025
I had tea with my agent today, one of the smartest people I know. She's always been quite right wing but wow. today, my god. The scorn she poured on Labour was medal-winning, and these days she does not hold back as she once would have, even a couple of years ago
She reserved particular contempt for Rachel Reeves and her parliamentrary blubbing
https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/trackers/voting-intention?crossBreak=abc1
Also, the midpoint of the century is just 25 years away, WHAT THE FUCK
https://x.com/Noahpinion/status/1956075213185278385
The policy didn't work because of our side, not theirs.
https://x.com/DiaperDiplomacy
e.g.
"Colbert has no talent. Fallon has no talent. Kimmel has no talent." – Trump In Brutal Oval Office Comedy Purge
https://x.com/DiaperDiplomacy/status/1953565068203110655
It is funnier than all of the US late night hosts put together.
So, there's that
Believe it or not, I do not lie about these anecdotal encounters. I do not see the point. I want to add to the store of info on the site, and I candidly tell what I hear and see
I do lie the fuck out of other stuff, but generally for shits and gigs
"My right wing mate agrees with me" isn't something Barty should be wasting his time challenging.
Or something you should be wasting ours with ?
Green gain from Lab
YOUDE - Green Party 818 ELECTED
CHOWDHRY - Welsh Labour 774
ROBERTS - Plaid Cymru 639
MARTIN - Reform UK 495
YEWLETT - Propel: Stand Up for Cardiff 327
ABDI SAMATER - Independent 156
HAMBLIN - Welsh Conservative Party 139
LATIF - Welsh Liberal Democrats 63
Grn 23.98%
Lab 22.69%
PC 18.73%
Ref 14.51%
Propel 9.59%
Ind Samater 4.57%
Con 4.08%
LD 1.85%
Newcastle counts tomorrow
Lab -24.82%
Ref +14.51% (didn't stand last time)
Propel +0.15%
Ind Samater -2.06%
Con -8.43%
LD -2.13%
Grn/PC received 42.71% this time as separate candidates compared to 18.52% as a combined candidate previously, which is +24.19%.
https://citypopulation.de/en/uk/wales/admin/cardiff/W04000847__grangetown
"Demography (eg ethnic make up) shows this was never ideal territory for Reform"
Both of the above apply to Grangetown
"Why do so many of us want to be alone?
Sean Thomas" (£)
https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/why-do-so-many-of-us-want-to-be-alone
Note: I think people taking cabs in San Francisco might just be slightly different to people in the UK and Europe in their attitudes to taking cabs with drivers.
The Iconic 1940s Gants Hill Station
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDOFC_r-erE
This would have been unthinkable just a few years ago.
Korea faces mounting calls for economic coalition with Japan
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/business/companies/20250815/80th-liberation-day-korea-faces-mounting-calls-for-economic-coalition-with-japan
The proposal to form a coalition with Japan to establish an economic community similar to the European Union sparked a sensation earlier this year, when Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry and SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won introduced the idea.
For Koreans aware that the Empire of Japan used the term "annexation" in the treaty forcibly signed in 1910 to colonize Korea, the concept of a "coalition" with Japan may sound uncomfortable.
The intensifying U.S. protectionist trade policies under the Donald Trump administration, however, have justified Korea's renewed push for economic integration with Japan, propelling discussions on a free trade agreement (FTA) between the two neighboring Northeast Asian countries...
The problem with toilets by Lucille Smithson
How do couples navigate sharing a toilet in the confines of a hotel room?
Read on SubstackAll a bit unfair to go digging into their childhood like that, he isn't a politician. But it seems that tw@tterati don't like him very much because he said he liked Trump, so they will be piling on again shortly with this new article.