The crowd at the Albert Hall singing Rule Britannia at the top of their voices or the mob waving flags in the street and wetting themselves over South African/US economic migrant Elon Musk interest in england's future?
Both. You need both
Why do we need a mob baying after a foreigner's interest in England's future? Sounds like a bunch of traitors.
The Proms are attended largely by the upper middle classes from London and the South so hardly surprising many of them are Remainers, I doubt many of the Tommy Robinson crowd are in the Albert Hall this evening. Most likely they got back to Dagenham, Coventry, West Brom, Stoke or Margate or Basildon or Great Yarmouth or Clacton etc after their big demo in central London and flicked on the TV just for Rule Britannia, Britannia Rules the Waves and Land of Hope and Glory (and maybe the National Anthem though they think Charlie Boy is a bit woke compared to his dear old Mum) having missed the first half and are now waiting for Match of the Day
Meanwhile it is the last night of the proms and there's union jacks everywhere.
And an abundance of EU flags too. Who are the absolute morons who think it's a good or clever to display those?
They're handed out by propagandists at the door, and have been since 2016.
Are the Union flags brought spontaneously by ye good yeoman folk of olde England, or are they handed out also?
All the other flags are brought by individuals. Only the EU flags are handed out. Of course many people also bring their own EU flags
In the Proms in the Park at Glasgow Green in 2014 there were definitely people handing out Union flags. Perhaps this was just a one off.
Well, same thing to an independence supporter, no? Not their flag...
There's a bit of a rammy in Scotland at the mo. John Swinney et al aghast at the Saltire being expropriated by Tommy's Scottish cousins at anti-immigrant demos. Ironic.
Meanwhile it is the last night of the proms and there's union jacks everywhere.
And an abundance of EU flags too. Who are the absolute morons who think it's a good or clever to display those?
They're handed out by propagandists at the door, and have been since 2016.
Are the Union flags brought spontaneously by ye good yeoman folk of olde England, or are they handed out also?
All the other flags are brought by individuals. Only the EU flags are handed out. Of course many people also bring their own EU flags
In the Proms in the Park at Glasgow Green in 2014 there were definitely people handing out Union flags. Perhaps this was just a one off.
Well, same thing to an independence supporter, no? Not their flag...
People can have varied and changeable allegiances to multiple flags. Handing out a particular flag in an organised way in the week before a referendum seems rather crass.
The Groaniad is reporting that the Tommy March had numbers “way in excess of what police were expecting” and they nearly lost control as a result
That sounds like more than 110,000
Surely that would depend on what they were expecting? And is there evidence that ‘they nearly lost control’? Of what?
Just as a matter of interest...how do the polis measure the size of crowds? Is there a methodology?
I've seen a few videos about this, and it is statistically, backed up with experience and data. Jacob's method is used (AIUI), along with increased numbers through public transport hubs. I can imagine nowadays, with better live aerial imagery, counting can be done quite speedily within a loose accuracy. Certainly more accurate than the organisers' claims.
Meanwhile it is the last night of the proms and there's union jacks everywhere.
And an abundance of EU flags too. Who are the absolute morons who think it's a good or clever to display those?
They're handed out by propagandists at the door, and have been since 2016.
Are the Union flags brought spontaneously by ye good yeoman folk of olde England, or are they handed out also?
All the other flags are brought by individuals. Only the EU flags are handed out. Of course many people also bring their own EU flags
In the Proms in the Park at Glasgow Green in 2014 there were definitely people handing out Union flags. Perhaps this was just a one off.
Well, same thing to an independence supporter, no? Not their flag...
There's a bit of a rammy in Scotland at the mo. John Swinney et al aghast at the Saltire being expropriated by Tommy's Scottish cousins at anti-immigrant demos. Ironic.
How do you feel about it, good, bad or indifferent?
The BBC headlines are dreadful for the far right and their loathsome backer Musk .
423 arrests at the largely peaceful Notting Hill Carnival. Some arrests and officers hurt today, which is disgraceful, but the reporting is as ever curated.
Meanwhile it is the last night of the proms and there's union jacks everywhere.
And an abundance of EU flags too. Who are the absolute morons who think it's a good or clever to display those?
They're handed out by propagandists at the door, and have been since 2016.
Are the Union flags brought spontaneously by ye good yeoman folk of olde England, or are they handed out also?
All the other flags are brought by individuals. Only the EU flags are handed out. Of course many people also bring their own EU flags
In the Proms in the Park at Glasgow Green in 2014 there were definitely people handing out Union flags. Perhaps this was just a one off.
Well, same thing to an independence supporter, no? Not their flag...
People can have varied and changeable allegiances to multiple flags. Handing out a particular flag in an organised way in the week before a referendum seems rather crass.
Not as crass as a government sending a taxpayer-funded leaflet to every address in the country shortly before a referendum...
Meanwhile it is the last night of the proms and there's union jacks everywhere.
And an abundance of EU flags too. Who are the absolute morons who think it's a good or clever to display those?
They're handed out by propagandists at the door, and have been since 2016.
Are the Union flags brought spontaneously by ye good yeoman folk of olde England, or are they handed out also?
All the other flags are brought by individuals. Only the EU flags are handed out. Of course many people also bring their own EU flags
In the Proms in the Park at Glasgow Green in 2014 there were definitely people handing out Union flags. Perhaps this was just a one off.
Well, same thing to an independence supporter, no? Not their flag...
There's a bit of a rammy in Scotland at the mo. John Swinney et al aghast at the Saltire being expropriated by Tommy's Scottish cousins at anti-immigrant demos. Ironic.
How do you feel about it, good, bad or indifferent?
Personally, I very much dislike all this flag-waving wherever, or whoever. OK at special national events or commemorations otherwise no.
Starmer made standards in public life his personal dividing line. He presented himself as a high court judge of politics - propriety and ethics final boss. He was always the first to throw stones - providing the target was an opponent. Now he stands exposed as an utter hypocrite
Meanwhile it is the last night of the proms and there's union jacks everywhere.
And an abundance of EU flags too. Who are the absolute morons who think it's a good or clever to display those?
They're handed out by propagandists at the door, and have been since 2016.
Are the Union flags brought spontaneously by ye good yeoman folk of olde England, or are they handed out also?
All the other flags are brought by individuals. Only the EU flags are handed out. Of course many people also bring their own EU flags
In the Proms in the Park at Glasgow Green in 2014 there were definitely people handing out Union flags. Perhaps this was just a one off.
Well, same thing to an independence supporter, no? Not their flag...
People can have varied and changeable allegiances to multiple flags. Handing out a particular flag in an organised way in the week before a referendum seems rather crass.
Not as crass as a government sending a taxpayer-funded leaflet to every address in the country shortly before a referendum...
Which particular one is this that still appears to be irritating your haemorrhoids?
Terrible optics on the BBC news for Tommy and Elon.
Literally no one gives a fuck what the “BBC headlines” are, any more. That’s the whole point of this
Been quite a lot of criticism of the Beeb because of wall-to-wall Farage and little challenge. That said, suspect we will start seeing a change in their approach.
It’s quite mental that of all the people who were involved with Epstein, the only men who have suffered as a result are three Brits; Prince Andrew, Mandyumyum and Starmer.
Any articles in the NYT about how awful we are compared to the US over our attitude to this matter?
You're forgetting the Yank in charge of one of our major banks, Jes Staley, he suffered too.
None of the men in the US who actually abused the girls has been named. Let alone charged and convicted.
Andrew Lilico @andrew_lilico · 14m What a *disgraceful* thing for [Musk] to say. If he lived in Britain that might well count as incitement to violence. Telling a crowd of people that violence is coming to them & if they don't fight back they'll die. For Pete's sake...
Meanwhile it is the last night of the proms and there's union jacks everywhere.
And an abundance of EU flags too. Who are the absolute morons who think it's a good or clever to display those?
They're handed out by propagandists at the door, and have been since 2016.
Are the Union flags brought spontaneously by ye good yeoman folk of olde England, or are they handed out also?
All the other flags are brought by individuals. Only the EU flags are handed out. Of course many people also bring their own EU flags
In the Proms in the Park at Glasgow Green in 2014 there were definitely people handing out Union flags. Perhaps this was just a one off.
Well, same thing to an independence supporter, no? Not their flag...
People can have varied and changeable allegiances to multiple flags. Handing out a particular flag in an organised way in the week before a referendum seems rather crass.
Not as crass as a government sending a taxpayer-funded leaflet to every address in the country shortly before a referendum...
Which particular one is this that still appears to be irritating your haemorrhoids?
Piles of them! No, I was referring to the EU one. Did the UK gov send one to Scottish households for 2014 too?
We? There is no fucking "we". You are not from our country.
He’s British. Of British descent on both sides
Or do you have to be born here to be British. Because that would make for some interesting conversations
No. but I do think you have to be British to be British. Self-id as British is not sufficient. Perhaps some kind of nationality recognition document like a "pass-port" should be involved.
The Police are good people, most particularly the rank and file.
Our town has a more than it's fair share of Met officers, given we are 30 mins fom Euston.
The contempt the 'thin blue line' feel for their politicised over lords in the chain of command is hard to overstate if the ones I encounter are representative.
Terrible optics on the BBC news for Tommy and Elon.
Literally no one gives a fuck what the “BBC headlines” are, any more. That’s the whole point of this
Been quite a lot of criticism of the Beeb because of wall-to-wall Farage and little challenge. That said, suspect we will start seeing a change in their approach.
Interestingly do you remember the infamous Chris Mason article about Reform which was essentially a glowing advert for them . I checked back and it was updated two days after the initial furore where he now mentions the anti vaxxer and Connolly . So clearly the BBC realized it was ridiculously biased .
WASHINGTON — Charlie Kirk’s alleged shooter Tyler Robinson was living with a transgender partner who was in the process of transitioning from a male to a female, a law enforcement source confirmed to The Post Saturday.
Meanwhile it is the last night of the proms and there's union jacks everywhere.
And an abundance of EU flags too. Who are the absolute morons who think it's a good or clever to display those?
They're handed out by propagandists at the door, and have been since 2016.
Are the Union flags brought spontaneously by ye good yeoman folk of olde England, or are they handed out also?
All the other flags are brought by individuals. Only the EU flags are handed out. Of course many people also bring their own EU flags
In the Proms in the Park at Glasgow Green in 2014 there were definitely people handing out Union flags. Perhaps this was just a one off.
Well, same thing to an independence supporter, no? Not their flag...
People can have varied and changeable allegiances to multiple flags. Handing out a particular flag in an organised way in the week before a referendum seems rather crass.
Not as crass as a government sending a taxpayer-funded leaflet to every address in the country shortly before a referendum...
Which particular one is this that still appears to be irritating your haemorrhoids?
Piles of them! No, I was referring to the EU one. Did the UK gov send one to Scottish households for 2014 too?
We? There is no fucking "we". You are not from our country.
He’s British. Of British descent on both sides
Or do you have to be born here to be British. Because that would make for some interesting conversations
One minute you’re Enoch Powell’s long lost love child and then the next you’re battling against racism !
Are you sure about the last bit?
Well Leon seemed to be suggesting that you don’t have to be born in Britain to be British although he didn’t elaborate if this was a special Leon exemption for his new hero Musk or applied to others aswell !
We? There is no fucking "we". You are not from our country.
He’s British. Of British descent on both sides
Or do you have to be born here to be British. Because that would make for some interesting conversations
No. but I do think you have to be British to be British. Self-id as British is not sufficient. Perhaps some kind of nationality recognition document like a "pass-port" should be involved.
Saying Musk is British because of his ancestry is the same trick the CCP play when deciding which foreign citizens are actually “Chinese” and therefore fair play for arresting or assassinating.
Terrible optics on the BBC news for Tommy and Elon.
Literally no one gives a fuck what the “BBC headlines” are, any more. That’s the whole point of this
Been quite a lot of criticism of the Beeb because of wall-to-wall Farage and little challenge. That said, suspect we will start seeing a change in their approach.
Interestingly do you remember the infamous Chris Mason article about Reform which was essentially a glowing advert for them . I checked back and it was updated two days after the initial furore where he now mentions the anti vaxxer and Connolly . So clearly the BBC realized it was ridiculously biased .
I kinda wonder whether the BBC sometimes overcompensates because its so fearful of seeming biased against those who don't share its perceived worldview. Saw the same thing in Scotland with Indy. TBF, trying to navigate an editorial policy through the minefield of irrational identity politics must be rather trying. How do you account for a flag thrust in your face?
We? There is no fucking "we". You are not from our country.
He’s British. Of British descent on both sides
Or do you have to be born here to be British. Because that would make for some interesting conversations
One minute you’re Enoch Powell’s long lost love child and then the next you’re battling against racism !
Are you sure about the last bit?
Well Leon seemed to be suggesting that you don’t have to be born in Britain to be British although he didn’t elaborate if this was a special Leon exemption for his new hero Musk or applied to others aswell !
I am sure this is restricted to South African born, Apartheid loving white Boer billionaires.
We? There is no fucking "we". You are not from our country.
He’s British. Of British descent on both sides
Or do you have to be born here to be British. Because that would make for some interesting conversations
You clearly don't have to be born here to be British - but you need a little more of a connection than Musk has.
As far as I can see, he wouldn't qualify for citizenship, and I don't believe he's ever lived in the UK for any significant period - so, not British.
Most people would probably be relaxed that about having that conversation.
He’s of racially British descent and he feels British. Self identifies. Plus his mother at least was a British subject. Taken together that’s good enough for me
The Police are good people, most particularly the rank and file.
Our town has a more than it's fair share of Met officers, given we are 30 mins fom Euston.
The contempt the 'thin blue line' feel for their politicised over lords in the chain of command is hard to overstate if the ones I encounter are representative.
The police station in my local town closed down completely about 5 years ago. The population is 35,000.
We? There is no fucking "we". You are not from our country.
He’s British. Of British descent on both sides
Or do you have to be born here to be British. Because that would make for some interesting conversations
You clearly don't have to be born here to be British - but you need a little more of a connection than Musk has.
As far as I can see, he wouldn't qualify for citizenship, and I don't believe he's ever lived in the UK for any significant period - so, not British.
Most people would probably be relaxed that about having that conversation.
He’s of racially British descent and he feels British. Self identifies. Plus his mother at least was a British subject. Taken together that’s good enough for me
i) What does "racially British descent" look like, as distinct from "British descent"? ii) How many tens of millions (more?) of people are British by this definition? iii) That makes Donald Trump British (his mum was Scottish)
We? There is no fucking "we". You are not from our country.
He’s British. Of British descent on both sides
Or do you have to be born here to be British. Because that would make for some interesting conversations
You clearly don't have to be born here to be British - but you need a little more of a connection than Musk has.
As far as I can see, he wouldn't qualify for citizenship, and I don't believe he's ever lived in the UK for any significant period - so, not British.
Most people would probably be relaxed that about having that conversation.
He’s of racially British descent and he feels British. Self identifies. Plus his mother at least was a British subject. Taken together that’s good enough for me
Was his mother British? As far as I can see, she was Canadian, lived in SA, and had American parents.
His grandmother was British, but his dad was born in SA. Without knowing 100% of the details of all the families, I think his dad could have been British, but citizenship by descent doesn't usually pass down a second generation.
I suspect the "we" he's talking about is probably not "we British" anyway.
The Police are good people, most particularly the rank and file.
Our town has a more than it's fair share of Met officers, given we are 30 mins fom Euston.
The contempt the 'thin blue line' feel for their politicised over lords in the chain of command is hard to overstate if the ones I encounter are representative.
The police station in my local town closed down completely about 5 years ago. The population is 35,000.
Same as ours, closed with population of 40k. The train to and fro Euston (35mins fast train) is packed with Met Police Officers going to and fro who live here and, strangely, musical and theatrical types from the West end
"Google is in talks to build a mammoth datacentre on a site in the northeast of England that fell victim to “industrial vandalism” little more than a decade ago.
...
And the landmark project could also be scuppered by a complicated row that has pitted Sir Keir Starmer against energy secretary Ed Miliband."
Just fucking sack Ed Miliband already. Economic vandalism is all he knows. Labour are shitting up the economy and he's one of the major reasons why. Starmer should have cleaned house in the recent reshuffle and stuck him back on the back benches if he didn't like moving from energy.
We? There is no fucking "we". You are not from our country.
He’s British. Of British descent on both sides
Or do you have to be born here to be British. Because that would make for some interesting conversations
You clearly don't have to be born here to be British - but you need a little more of a connection than Musk has.
As far as I can see, he wouldn't qualify for citizenship, and I don't believe he's ever lived in the UK for any significant period - so, not British.
Most people would probably be relaxed that about having that conversation.
He’s of racially British descent and he feels British. Self identifies. Plus his mother at least was a British subject. Taken together that’s good enough for me
He qualifies for citizenship through parentage and ancestry I think. Kevin Pieterson played for England and Elon Musk has got basically the same links to this country.
My experience of visiting Utah, particularly outside Salt Lake City proper. I found it a very odd place, on the surface everybody is very nice, but too nice in a way. But you get this weird feeling that the niceness come with strings attached.
If I remember correctly Utah (or particularly Salt Lake City) has some of the highest academic achievement in the whole of the US, but also one of the highest suicide rates.
We? There is no fucking "we". You are not from our country.
He’s British. Of British descent on both sides
Or do you have to be born here to be British. Because that would make for some interesting conversations
You clearly don't have to be born here to be British - but you need a little more of a connection than Musk has.
As far as I can see, he wouldn't qualify for citizenship, and I don't believe he's ever lived in the UK for any significant period - so, not British.
Most people would probably be relaxed that about having that conversation.
He’s of racially British descent and he feels British. Self identifies. Plus his mother at least was a British subject. Taken together that’s good enough for me
He qualifies for citizenship through parentage and ancestry I think. Kevin Pieterson played for England and Elon Musk has got basically the same links to this country.
Sure, but it's not like Musk restricts himself to talking about SA, USA, Canada and the UK. Wasn't he also trying to get involved in Germany?
Feels like either he just cannot help but meddle anywhere because he adores attention (which tbf is pretty obvious anyway, he's not one of the reclusive type billionaires), or he just wants to spend his time on PB to nerd out on all politics but cannot work up the nerve to do it.
"Google is in talks to build a mammoth datacentre on a site in the northeast of England that fell victim to “industrial vandalism” little more than a decade ago.
...
And the landmark project could also be scuppered by a complicated row that has pitted Sir Keir Starmer against energy secretary Ed Miliband."
Just fucking sack Ed Miliband already. Economic vandalism is all he knows. Labour are shitting up the economy and he's one of the major reasons why. Starmer should have cleaned house in the recent reshuffle and stuck him back on the back benches if he didn't like moving from energy.
Isn't Ed M really popular with the party? So he may be untouchable.
Personally I think we can do plenty of environmental things whilst really moving forward with all manner of economic boosting building and investment, but despite a few people in government mentioning it there's clearly not unanimity behind any kind of growth agenda.
"Google is in talks to build a mammoth datacentre on a site in the northeast of England that fell victim to “industrial vandalism” little more than a decade ago.
...
And the landmark project could also be scuppered by a complicated row that has pitted Sir Keir Starmer against energy secretary Ed Miliband."
Just fucking sack Ed Miliband already. Economic vandalism is all he knows. Labour are shitting up the economy and he's one of the major reasons why. Starmer should have cleaned house in the recent reshuffle and stuck him back on the back benches if he didn't like moving from energy.
We? There is no fucking "we". You are not from our country.
He’s British. Of British descent on both sides
Or do you have to be born here to be British. Because that would make for some interesting conversations
You clearly don't have to be born here to be British - but you need a little more of a connection than Musk has.
As far as I can see, he wouldn't qualify for citizenship, and I don't believe he's ever lived in the UK for any significant period - so, not British.
Most people would probably be relaxed that about having that conversation.
He’s of racially British descent and he feels British. Self identifies. Plus his mother at least was a British subject. Taken together that’s good enough for me
He qualifies for citizenship through parentage and ancestry I think. Kevin Pieterson played for England and Elon Musk has got basically the same links to this country.
Kevin Pieterson's mother was born in the UK, so could pass on her citizenship, even if he was born outside the UK.
Musk, as far as I can see, is one generation further. His parents would have been able to get citizenship, but a second generation born outside the UK doesn't usually qualify.
The Police are good people, most particularly the rank and file.
Our town has a more than it's fair share of Met officers, given we are 30 mins fom Euston.
The contempt the 'thin blue line' feel for their politicised over lords in the chain of command is hard to overstate if the ones I encounter are representative.
My experience with them has been weird, in that rank and file and the upper echelons have seemed like shits (for different reasons), with some really competent and well meaning people in the middle (who will never rise higher).
EXCLUSIVE: Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson lived with his transgender partner, sources tell me.
The individual, who is a male transitioning to a female, is fully cooperating with the FBI.
Sources tell me the FBI had texts and other communications between Robinson and the individual that helped FBI authorities solidify that Robinson was indeed the shooter.
The underlying point is that since Care in the Community and whatever is its American counterpart, there have been a lot more mentally ill people left to rot on the streets, and occasionally murder someone. Still, the British government and American insurance companies saved a bunch of money and we got some nice luxury flats at the old hospitals, so there's that. Lethal injections though? Is there a loophole in the 10 Commandments?
The actual reason that the old mad houses went away was that
1) they were brutal, horrible places. Out of sight, out of mind. 2) around the world, people who were aware of it, fought against them. And the endless abuses in them. 3) in most advanced countries laws changed. For example, locking people up for life for being a bit odd is now illegal. 4) the medical profession changed as well. You won’t be able to find doctors to force medication on everyone a bit odd - in The Goode Olde Dayz they simply dosed everyone in the madhouse into compliance. 5) so in the new world, you need serious reasons to lock people up, even more serious reasons to force them to take medication.
Worth noting reports that Trumps thugs are attacking street people with Narcan…
One of the ironies being that the politician who got Care in the Community rolling in the UK was Enoch Powell.
Not especially ironic. In many things he was actually a thoughtful and rather progressive man. Being one of the first from mainstream politics to fall down the immigration/race rat hole destroyed his reputation - justly.
Dwellings in Victorian times were very different to dwellings today, so I'm pretty sure that large mental institutions would also be different. The bad things about them (there were also good things) do not undermine their importance, both then and now.
It’s pretty simple
1) sectioning people is now a serious medico-legal endeavour 2) once locked up, they must be repeatedly assessed to try and see if they can leave. 3) forcibly medicating people is pretty much not a thing. 4) modern, trained doctors won’t change 1-3 on moral grounds
I should add, a big issue is that the patients don’t like the medicines.
My brother-in-law ended up on the really fun stuff for a while. He said that while it helped to be clear headed and not a problem, they made him feel horrible - both feeling his mental condition and side effects. He preferred being off his nut - but stayed on them for his wife’s sake.
There were some pretty nasty physical side effects as well, IIRC.
People can be forcibly medicated, even in the community - they can be given depot injections that last a month of certain antipsychotics and accepting them can be a condition to their freedom. One drug has to be given orally - Clozapine - it works on people for whom no other antipsychotics work, but has the side effect that sometimes, out of the blue, even in people who have been taking it for years, stop producing white blood cells. Under these circumstances they can be sometimes be kept in the community but with their taking of the medication overseen by social care staff.
In institutional settings people can obviously be forcibly medicated, even held down and injected with sedatives and then put in seclusion if staff feel the need. This can have a knock-on effect that people go on to resent medical treatment. They can be angry about that for decades.
You can say "lock them all up," but if you cry over a few hundred a month in PIP payments, you'd have to be a bit of a midwit, as detention in institutional settings can cost £1000 a night.
The Groaniad is reporting that the Tommy March had numbers “way in excess of what police were expecting” and they nearly lost control as a result
That sounds like more than 110,000
Surely that would depend on what they were expecting? And is there evidence that ‘they nearly lost control’? Of what?
Just as a matter of interest...how do the polis measure the size of crowds? Is there a methodology?
I've seen a few videos about this, and it is statistically, backed up with experience and data. Jacob's method is used (AIUI), along with increased numbers through public transport hubs. I can imagine nowadays, with better live aerial imagery, counting can be done quite speedily within a loose accuracy. Certainly more accurate than the organisers' claims.
The police also have points of comparison with their weekly experience of football matches whose attendance is known, and where, like demos, there are similarly large numbers crowding the streets at the same time.
The Police are good people, most particularly the rank and file.
Our town has a more than it's fair share of Met officers, given we are 30 mins fom Euston.
The contempt the 'thin blue line' feel for their politicised over lords in the chain of command is hard to overstate if the ones I encounter are representative.
My experience with them has been weird, in that rank and file and the upper echelons have seemed like shits (for different reasons), with some really competent and well meaning people in the middle (who will never rise higher).
As well as failing upwards, this seems to be a recurring issue in UK not just in the police. The system appears to reward this behaviour and ignored those who are competent and quietly get on with the job.
The Police are good people, most particularly the rank and file.
Our town has a more than it's fair share of Met officers, given we are 30 mins fom Euston.
The contempt the 'thin blue line' feel for their politicised over lords in the chain of command is hard to overstate if the ones I encounter are representative.
My experience with them has been weird, in that rank and file and the upper echelons have seemed like shits (for different reasons), with some really competent and well meaning people in the middle (who will never rise higher).
Yes, the peope I encouter would fall into that middling category.
The Groaniad is reporting that the Tommy March had numbers “way in excess of what police were expecting” and they nearly lost control as a result
That sounds like more than 110,000
Surely that would depend on what they were expecting? And is there evidence that ‘they nearly lost control’? Of what?
Just as a matter of interest...how do the polis measure the size of crowds? Is there a methodology?
I've seen a few videos about this, and it is statistically, backed up with experience and data. Jacob's method is used (AIUI), along with increased numbers through public transport hubs. I can imagine nowadays, with better live aerial imagery, counting can be done quite speedily within a loose accuracy. Certainly more accurate than the organisers' claims.
The police also have points of comparison with their weekly experience of football matches whose attendance is known, and where, like demos, there are similarly large numbers crowding the streets at the same time.
Absolutely, on that basis its going to end up a LOT higher than the official 110k.
Compare the footage to the Jubilees in 2002/12/ 23.
The Groaniad is reporting that the Tommy March had numbers “way in excess of what police were expecting” and they nearly lost control as a result
That sounds like more than 110,000
Surely that would depend on what they were expecting? And is there evidence that ‘they nearly lost control’? Of what?
Just as a matter of interest...how do the polis measure the size of crowds? Is there a methodology?
I've seen a few videos about this, and it is statistically, backed up with experience and data. Jacob's method is used (AIUI), along with increased numbers through public transport hubs. I can imagine nowadays, with better live aerial imagery, counting can be done quite speedily within a loose accuracy. Certainly more accurate than the organisers' claims.
The police also have points of comparison with their weekly experience of football matches whose attendance is known, and where, like demos, there are similarly large numbers crowding the streets at the same time.
Absolutely, on that basis its going to end up a LOT higher than the official 110k.
Compare the footage to the Jubilees in 2002/12/ 23.
Terrible optics on the BBC news for Tommy and Elon.
Literally no one gives a fuck what the “BBC headlines” are, any more. That’s the whole point of this
Been quite a lot of criticism of the Beeb because of wall-to-wall Farage and little challenge. That said, suspect we will start seeing a change in their approach.
He must be one of those hard left radicals President Trump and Leon keep warning us about.
Astonishing that the guy is still in a job . Any other network would have sacked him and the lack of any repercussions shows Fox News is a total cesspit of hate .
My experience of visiting Utah, particularly outside Salt Lake City proper. I found it a very odd place, on the surface everybody is very nice, but too nice in a way. But you get this weird feeling that the niceness come with strings attached.
If I remember correctly Utah (or particularly Salt Lake City) has some of the highest academic achievement in the whole of the US, but also one of the highest suicide rates.
Interesting. I know it also has the highest percentage of people giving English as their ancestry in the census.
My experience of visiting Utah, particularly outside Salt Lake City proper. I found it a very odd place, on the surface everybody is very nice, but too nice in a way. But you get this weird feeling that the niceness come with strings attached.
If I remember correctly Utah (or particularly Salt Lake City) has some of the highest academic achievement in the whole of the US, but also one of the highest suicide rates.
I have only been to Salt Lake and Moab, both tourist hotspots. But we stopped for lunch in Green River, and that was very rough indeed.
He must be one of those hard left radicals President Trump and Leon keep warning us about.
Astonishing that the guy is still in a job . Any other network would have sacked him and the lack of any repercussions shows Fox News is a total cesspit of hate .
He must be one of those hard left radicals President Trump and Leon keep warning us about.
Astonishing that the guy is still in a job . Any other network would have sacked him and the lack of any repercussions shows Fox News is a total cesspit of hate .
#pbfreespeech
So are you saying free speech should allow people to propose killing other people ? Even free speech has limits .
He is indeed a muppet of the first water. Is this really the best we can do?
Didn't you opt to sit on your hands in the election? Now you're complaining that Labour aren't up to the job. Sorry David this next 4 years of failure is on you and the other million Tory voters who sat on their hands and watched while Labour got handed a gigantic majority for a tiny number of votes. People like Leon bear some of the responsibility too for getting caught up in that idiotic attitude of "oh the Tories must be punished" without thinking about the consequences of that and voting for Labour knowing how much damage they would inflict on the nation.
I went out and campaigned, had doors shut in my face, got shouted at, sworn at and tried to make sure it wasn't a complete disaster because we all knew what Labour would do with untrammeled power and so it has happened.
I gave Starmer the benefit of the doubt. I honestly and sincerely had absolutely no idea he would be THIS terrible. Who did? Maybe @Casino_Royale
Do I regret my vote? Not really. Inasmuch as I voted with the info available to me. I couldn’t vote Tory because of the last 14 years. Obvs. I was tempted to go reform but then Farage made those weird pro Putin noises at exactly the wrong moment. I despise the Lib Dems
So I thought Why not. He might be surprisingly competent. If anyone can reform the NHS it’s Labour - Tories too scared etc
Oh well
I think it was me, CR and HYFUD warning the rest of you on the centre right not to listen to the mob baying for Tory blood because of Liz Truss and Boris Johnson. If Rishi had taken over two years earlier between him and Hunt the country would have been in a much better place today and I don't think the party would have been wiped out. It was Rishi that turned off the immigration tap, it was Rishi that pushed for the Rwanda scheme and faced off against the liberal wanky judges, it was Rishi that put a halt to the chagos islands surrender. You judged the Tories on the basis of what Boris and Liz Truss did, which is fair, but ultimately they were gone and there's no doubt that Rishi was a better PM than Starmer and Hunt a better Chancellor than Reeves.
I think you and a couple of million soft centre right voters got caught up in the media nonsense about "punishing" the Tories and forgot that the resulting Labour government would be worse in all aspects, especially on immigration and stopping the boats.
The Tories deserve to go extinct for the Boriswave. Not just lose an election. They need to die out completely. What they did is unforgivable
I want them replaced by reform ASAP and it seems a large chunk of the country agrees with me
How can they ever come back from what they did?
How many of the Boriswave were refugees from Ukraine and from Hong Kong?
Lots of students, most who will go home and lots of workers (who will pay tax etc).
The tax paid by someone working for minimum wage doesn't cover their dependent kids education.
Which is why countries like Switzerland look to ensure migration is high-skilled, not minimum wage.
So who does the low-skilled jobs in Switzerland?
As few people as possible.
Most low skilled jobs can be automated or exported leaving you with a more productive and efficient country.
Of course there'll always be some low skilled people in any country, no matter how hard you try to educate the populace, so its no bad thing having jobs available for them to go into.
And Switzerland does still have free movement so some of those jobs can be filled my migrants, though they discourage it and have no non-EU pathways for those with low skills, which is why Switzerland has a much higher skilled migration rate than we do and a much higher skill base.
My experience of visiting Utah, particularly outside Salt Lake City proper. I found it a very odd place, on the surface everybody is very nice, but too nice in a way. But you get this weird feeling that the niceness come with strings attached.
If I remember correctly Utah (or particularly Salt Lake City) has some of the highest academic achievement in the whole of the US, but also one of the highest suicide rates.
I have only been to Salt Lake and Moab, both tourist hotspots. But we stopped for lunch in Green River, and that was very rough indeed.
I did a stupid drive from North West Idaho to Salt Lake To Vegas....Yeah I don't know why either. Over a 1000 miles and most of it nothingness. I could have just flown to each place.
He must be one of those hard left radicals President Trump and Leon keep warning us about.
Astonishing that the guy is still in a job . Any other network would have sacked him and the lack of any repercussions shows Fox News is a total cesspit of hate .
#pbfreespeech
So are you saying free speech should allow people to propose killing other people ? Even free speech has limits .
No that's not what I meant. Whenever somebody on PB says that a person should get fired for their views (or we are discussing somebody who has) I put down the #pbfreespeech hastag so I can in the future go back and track what PB regards as being sayable or unsayable.
We? There is no fucking "we". You are not from our country.
He’s British. Of British descent on both sides
Or do you have to be born here to be British. Because that would make for some interesting conversations
You clearly don't have to be born here to be British - but you need a little more of a connection than Musk has.
As far as I can see, he wouldn't qualify for citizenship, and I don't believe he's ever lived in the UK for any significant period - so, not British.
Most people would probably be relaxed that about having that conversation.
He’s of racially British descent and he feels British. Self identifies. Plus his mother at least was a British subject. Taken together that’s good enough for me
He qualifies for citizenship through parentage and ancestry I think. Kevin Pieterson played for England and Elon Musk has got basically the same links to this country.
Kevin Pieterson's mother was born in the UK, so could pass on her citizenship, even if he was born outside the UK.
Musk, as far as I can see, is one generation further. His parents would have been able to get citizenship, but a second generation born outside the UK doesn't usually qualify.
In any event, he isn't a citizen - any more than Trump* is. He should confine himself to stinking up US politics.
(Actually, Trump has a superior claim. But would obviously fail the good character test.)
There are approximately 750,000 Sikhs in America, and about 150,000 working in the trucking industry, mostly as drivers. The role they play in this essential industry is evident from the names on their trucks' doors - Singh Trucking, Punjab Trucking - to the curry served at rest stops along the west coast, where approximately 40% of all truck drivers are Sikh, according to the North American Punjabi Trucking Association.
Many have limited English skills but years of driving experience.
....
The classes show positive results. Harpreet Singh, a 38-year-old Sikh truck driver, has attended since the program began. "I have gained confidence in my thoughts in English. I now understand previously confusing highway signs," he told the BBC.
How are they getting visas to the US in the first place? I am sure Trump administration motivations aren't all about road safety, but seems like it is been wide open to abuse having people able to get commercial licenses that don't understand the rules of the road they are driving on.
We? There is no fucking "we". You are not from our country.
He’s British. Of British descent on both sides
Or do you have to be born here to be British. Because that would make for some interesting conversations
You clearly don't have to be born here to be British - but you need a little more of a connection than Musk has.
As far as I can see, he wouldn't qualify for citizenship, and I don't believe he's ever lived in the UK for any significant period - so, not British.
Most people would probably be relaxed that about having that conversation.
He’s of racially British descent and he feels British. Self identifies. Plus his mother at least was a British subject. Taken together that’s good enough for me
He qualifies for citizenship through parentage and ancestry I think. Kevin Pieterson played for England and Elon Musk has got basically the same links to this country.
Kevin Pieterson's mother was born in the UK, so could pass on her citizenship, even if he was born outside the UK.
Musk, as far as I can see, is one generation further. His parents would have been able to get citizenship, but a second generation born outside the UK doesn't usually qualify.
In any event, he isn't a citizen - any more than Trump* is. He should confine himself to stinking up US politics.
(Actually, Trump has a superior claim. But would obviously fail the good character test.)
Now if there are any South Africans who are handy at rugby, cricket, running, or any other sport, and fancy becoming a British citizen....
He must be one of those hard left radicals President Trump and Leon keep warning us about.
Astonishing that the guy is still in a job . Any other network would have sacked him and the lack of any repercussions shows Fox News is a total cesspit of hate .
#pbfreespeech
No, US free speech. Which with the US government indulging in mass firings of anyone who said something off colour about Kirk, appears only to apply to MAGA loons.
There are approximately 750,000 Sikhs in America, and about 150,000 working in the trucking industry, mostly as drivers. The role they play in this essential industry is evident from the names on their trucks' doors - Singh Trucking, Punjab Trucking - to the curry served at rest stops along the west coast, where approximately 40% of all truck drivers are Sikh, according to the North American Punjabi Trucking Association.
Many have limited English skills but years of driving experience.
....
The classes show positive results. Harpreet Singh, a 38-year-old Sikh truck driver, has attended since the program began. "I have gained confidence in my thoughts in English. I now understand previously confusing highway signs," he told the BBC.
How are they getting visas to the US in the first place? I am sure Trump administration motivations aren't all about road safety, but seems like it is been wide open to abuse having people able to get commercial licenses that don't understand the rules of the road they are driving on.
"The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has claimed that Harinder entered the US illegally from Mexico in 2018 and obtained a Commercial Driver's License (CDL) in California, despite having no legal right to be in the United States and failing an English proficiency exam. However, California officials say federal authorities told them he had a legal work permit when the state issued him a driver's licence."
States rights, innit? It's crazy.
I can understand states giving school places to children of illegals - becuase it's not their fault. But all sorts of licenses? And even the federal government allowing illegals to have NI numbers and pay tax? Nuts.
If they had always enforced the law Trump would have come as less of a surprise.
There are approximately 750,000 Sikhs in America, and about 150,000 working in the trucking industry, mostly as drivers. The role they play in this essential industry is evident from the names on their trucks' doors - Singh Trucking, Punjab Trucking - to the curry served at rest stops along the west coast, where approximately 40% of all truck drivers are Sikh, according to the North American Punjabi Trucking Association.
Many have limited English skills but years of driving experience.
....
The classes show positive results. Harpreet Singh, a 38-year-old Sikh truck driver, has attended since the program began. "I have gained confidence in my thoughts in English. I now understand previously confusing highway signs," he told the BBC.
How are they getting visas to the US in the first place? I am sure Trump administration motivations aren't all about road safety, but seems like it is been wide open to abuse having people able to get commercial licenses that don't understand the rules of the road they are driving on.
"The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has claimed that Harinder entered the US illegally from Mexico in 2018 and obtained a Commercial Driver's License (CDL) in California, despite having no legal right to be in the United States and failing an English proficiency exam. However, California officials say federal authorities told them he had a legal work permit when the state issued him a driver's licence."
States rights, innit? It's crazy.
I can understand states giving school places to children of illegals - becuase it's not their fault. But all sorts of licenses? And even the federal government allowing illegals to have NI numbers and pay tax? Nuts.
If they had always enforced the law Trump would have come as less of a surprise.
All sides in America have turned a blind eye to illegal immigration for differing reasons. Its when it changed from illegal migrants disappearing into the black / grey market economy and instead immediately were claiming asylum (and like here having to be provided with hotels etc) that then there was movement on this issue.
Terrible optics on the BBC news for Tommy and Elon.
Literally no one gives a fuck what the “BBC headlines” are, any more. That’s the whole point of this
Been quite a lot of criticism of the Beeb because of wall-to-wall Farage and little challenge. That said, suspect we will start seeing a change in their approach.
The Westminster centric UK MSM have been with too few exceptions woefully bad at applying well researched robust scrutiny and reporting of performances of the devolved SNP and Welsh Labour administrations for years now. And as for the NI assembly, it was treated like a forgotten outpost despite the fact that it was without a functioning administration for a few years and I doubt the average member of the public in the rest of the UK was even aware of this. It was a complete dereliction of duty, as was the way they literally took up temporary outside studio residence at Westminster during the chaos of the Brexit fallout following the 2017 GE until the next one in 2019. It totally sucked the oxygen out of any other domestic, foreign or devolved issues for two years and never seriously put the shannigans of the SNP as the key spoiler third party during the numerous Brexit votes at Westminster under any serious scrutiny.
The political lobby were totally asleep at the steering wheel when it came to putting Starmer's Labour party, Ed Davey's Libdems or Farage's Reform party under proper robust scrutiny before the 2024 GE. Their focus was relentlessly on the Conservative Government who while giving them plenty of ammunition were not the only party who needed to be forensically examined as to their fitness to govern in these challenging times. The media coverage of the last GE campaign was totally focussed on the sheer avalanche of polling and how big the Conservative defeat would be rather than any real thought to what would come next and replace them and how an incoming Labour government was going to be any more effective in dealing with both domestic and foreign policy.
As a result, we got a Labour party government that continued to talk down the UK economic recovery from covid after coming to office and has literally caused the withdrawal of significant investment and job losses in various industries. Starmer is totally out of his depth and definitely not on top of his brief as a PM overseeing and managing various Ministerial departments in his Cabinet. It is also noticeable that there has been a revolving door of female Ministerial exits from his government with his Chancellor Rachel Reeves now clear favourite to be next in line. His latest reset and reshuffle is a desperate attempt to circle the wagons in No10 to shore up his premiership and dwindling authority while his personal ratings in the polls only bring comfort to the likes of Truss & Co. Not a good omen for a PM just over a year in Office with such a huge majority.
Its a running joke in our house that I thought the Labour party were crazy to elect the only male in a grey suit in their last leadership contest, and during his time as leader of the Opposition I used to joke he must have a behind full of splinters from the amount times he has spun his position while sitting on the fence reacting too late after events rather than having the guts to get ahead lead the political agenda.
Is it wrong to think rape is bad even without a racial motive (do they mean racially motivated or aggravated)? It is also lazy reporting from the Guardian to have phoned every Sikh MP they can think of. The police treating it as an ‘isolated incident’ also seems a bit off – surely both racists and rapists are likely to be repeat offenders? (Perhaps it is a term of art that I have misunderstood.) Anyway, presumably they have both cctv and DNA evidence so arrests should be forthcoming.
Daily Mail - 'Starmer cried: 'You're supposed to be protecting me'. The showdown between PM and key aide that's the talk of Westminster'
"According to the Whitehall grapevine, it was the moment that growing tensions between the two most senior men in the British Government finally exploded into the open.
'You are supposed to protect me from things like this!' a furious Sir Keir Starmer is said to have bellowed at Morgan McSweeney, the man dubbed The Real Deputy Prime Minister.
'That's exactly what I was trying to do!' Mr McSweeney roared back.
The extraordinary exchange – relayed to The Mail on Sunday by a highly placed source – came after Sir Keir returned to No10 on Wednesday following his Commons mauling over Peter Mandelson's links to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
No 10 denies the encounter took place as described – and even tried to deny that chief of staff Mr McSweeney was in the country at the time, before backtracking.
But what is not in question is that the Mandelson scandal has turned into a full-blown political crisis which could lead to the end of Starmer's premiership.
Despairing Labour MPs are looking to Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham for salvation, with Lucy Powell running as his 'proxy' in the deputy leadership election.
Is it wrong to think rape is bad even without a racial motive (do they mean racially motivated or aggravated)? It is also lazy reporting from the Guardian to have phoned every Sikh MP they can think of. The police treating it as an ‘isolated incident’ also seems a bit off – surely both racists and rapists are likely to be repeat offenders? (Perhaps it is a term of art that I have misunderstood.) Anyway, presumably they have both cctv and DNA evidence so arrests should be forthcoming.
JohnL, no, its not wrong and you are right to point this out. I saw this post and had a similar reaction, I totally despair of how these horrific sexual attacks on women have been reduced to a tit for tat focus on the ethnicity of the perpetrators rather than the awful long term impact on the victims. Unknown sexual predators of all persuasions ultimately seek out any opportunity to carry out random attacks on women and girls which while different is equally as horrific and damaging to their victims as those that are known to the victims and groom them first before inflicting the same life long traumatic damage.
Is it wrong to think rape is bad even without a racial motive (do they mean racially motivated or aggravated)? It is also lazy reporting from the Guardian to have phoned every Sikh MP they can think of. The police treating it as an ‘isolated incident’ also seems a bit off – surely both racists and rapists are likely to be repeat offenders? (Perhaps it is a term of art that I have misunderstood.) Anyway, presumably they have both cctv and DNA evidence so arrests should be forthcoming.
Isolated incident makes it sound like a terrorist attack, which, I can sort of see. I think what they’re getting at is that they don’t think there’s some orchestrated campaign against non-white women.
It is an odd one. It’s hard enough understanding rape for sexual gratification, but rape as a weapon of violence where the main aim is to hurt the woman is beyond comprehension.
"Google is in talks to build a mammoth datacentre on a site in the northeast of England that fell victim to “industrial vandalism” little more than a decade ago.
...
And the landmark project could also be scuppered by a complicated row that has pitted Sir Keir Starmer against energy secretary Ed Miliband."
Just fucking sack Ed Miliband already. Economic vandalism is all he knows. Labour are shitting up the economy and he's one of the major reasons why. Starmer should have cleaned house in the recent reshuffle and stuck him back on the back benches if he didn't like moving from energy.
Starmer tried. Milliband refused to move and SACO.
Comments
We? There is no fucking "we". You are not from our country.
Today was bigger in terms of Central London.
My guess would be nearer 500k.
Then say any old shit you think you can hget away with.
I suppose you can look at area filled and use an average density. But that would be beyond most of the Met.
This is our moment.
Or do you have to be born here to be British. Because that would make for some interesting conversations
I would have thought AI could give the answer in seconds from an ariel photo of central london.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5AXMgg7k1U
The reporting is the numbers overwhelmed the police as exceeded what they were expecting and overflowed the designated areas.
Then came helicopter video and manual estimation for areas.
These days, probably automated off CCTV and helicopter footage.
Guardian
The MOS is moving onto Andrew , the DT and the Sunday Times seem to be flogging a dead horse now.
With no PMQs for weeks , the Trump state visit and the party conferences the media will move on .
Starmer made standards in public life his personal dividing line. He presented himself as a high court judge of politics - propriety and ethics final boss. He was always the first to throw stones - providing the target was an opponent. Now he stands exposed as an utter hypocrite
https://x.com/rosskempsell/status/1966978880482521297?s=46&t=CW4pL-mMpTqsJXCdjW0Z6Q
Pretty bloody disgraceful, frankly.
Andrew Lilico
@andrew_lilico
·
14m
What a *disgraceful* thing for [Musk] to say. If he lived in Britain that might well count as incitement to violence. Telling a crowd of people that violence is coming to them & if they don't fight back they'll die. For Pete's sake...
Our town has a more than it's fair share of Met officers, given we are 30 mins fom Euston.
The contempt the 'thin blue line' feel for their politicised over lords in the chain of command is hard to overstate if the ones I encounter are representative.
TBF, trying to navigate an editorial policy through the minefield of irrational identity politics must be rather trying. How do you account for a flag thrust in your face?
As far as I can see, he wouldn't qualify for citizenship, and I don't believe he's ever lived in the UK for any significant period - so, not British.
Most people would probably be relaxed that about having that conversation.
Take a look.
Powell is now the Starmer Is Failing candidate.
No way Bridget wins now.
ii) How many tens of millions (more?) of people are British by this definition?
iii) That makes Donald Trump British (his mum was Scottish)
See also
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Americans_of_English_descent
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Welsh_Americans
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Scottish_Americans
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Scotch-Irish_Americans
His grandmother was British, but his dad was born in SA. Without knowing 100% of the details of all the families, I think his dad could have been British, but citizenship by descent doesn't usually pass down a second generation.
I suspect the "we" he's talking about is probably not "we British" anyway.
"Utah is America’s violent heart
Its deep polarisation reflects national malaise
B. Duncan Moench"
https://unherd.com/2025/09/utah-is-americas-violent-heart
"Google is in talks to build a mammoth datacentre on a site in the northeast of England that fell victim to “industrial vandalism” little more than a decade ago.
...
And the landmark project could also be scuppered by a complicated row that has pitted Sir Keir Starmer against energy secretary Ed Miliband."
Just fucking sack Ed Miliband already. Economic vandalism is all he knows. Labour are shitting up the economy and he's one of the major reasons why. Starmer should have cleaned house in the recent reshuffle and stuck him back on the back benches if he didn't like moving from energy.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15095195/tyler-robinson-roommate-text-messages-cops-arrest-utah.html
If I remember correctly Utah (or particularly Salt Lake City) has some of the highest academic achievement in the whole of the US, but also one of the highest suicide rates.
Feels like either he just cannot help but meddle anywhere because he adores attention (which tbf is pretty obvious anyway, he's not one of the reclusive type billionaires), or he just wants to spend his time on PB to nerd out on all politics but cannot work up the nerve to do it.
Personally I think we can do plenty of environmental things whilst really moving forward with all manner of economic boosting building and investment, but despite a few people in government mentioning it there's clearly not unanimity behind any kind of growth agenda.
Musk, as far as I can see, is one generation further. His parents would have been able to get citizenship, but a second generation born outside the UK doesn't usually qualify.
In institutional settings people can obviously be forcibly medicated, even held down and injected with sedatives and then put in seclusion if staff feel the need. This can have a knock-on effect that people go on to resent medical treatment. They can be angry about that for decades.
You can say "lock them all up," but if you cry over a few hundred a month in PIP payments, you'd have to be a bit of a midwit, as detention in institutional settings can cost £1000 a night.
Compare the footage to the Jubilees in 2002/12/ 23.
The crowds are much larger today then then.
Most low skilled jobs can be automated or exported leaving you with a more productive and efficient country.
Of course there'll always be some low skilled people in any country, no matter how hard you try to educate the populace, so its no bad thing having jobs available for them to go into.
And Switzerland does still have free movement so some of those jobs can be filled my migrants, though they discourage it and have no non-EU pathways for those with low skills, which is why Switzerland has a much higher skilled migration rate than we do and a much higher skill base.
He should confine himself to stinking up US politics.
(Actually, Trump has a superior claim. But would obviously fail the good character test.)
Many have limited English skills but years of driving experience.
....
The classes show positive results. Harpreet Singh, a 38-year-old Sikh truck driver, has attended since the program began. "I have gained confidence in my thoughts in English. I now understand previously confusing highway signs," he told the BBC.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy4rmymrl2ro
How are they getting visas to the US in the first place? I am sure Trump administration motivations aren't all about road safety, but seems like it is been wide open to abuse having people able to get commercial licenses that don't understand the rules of the road they are driving on.
Which with the US government indulging in mass firings of anyone who said something off colour about Kirk, appears only to apply to MAGA loons.
However, California officials say federal authorities told them he had a legal work permit when the state issued him a driver's licence."
States rights, innit? It's crazy.
I can understand states giving school places to children of illegals - becuase it's not their fault. But all sorts of licenses? And even the federal government allowing illegals to have NI numbers and pay tax? Nuts.
If they had always enforced the law Trump would have come as less of a surprise.
https://x.com/jim_nauseum2/status/1966902776446808203?s=61
The political lobby were totally asleep at the steering wheel when it came to putting Starmer's Labour party, Ed Davey's Libdems or Farage's Reform party under proper robust scrutiny before the 2024 GE. Their focus was relentlessly on the Conservative Government who while giving them plenty of ammunition were not the only party who needed to be forensically examined as to their fitness to govern in these challenging times. The media coverage of the last GE campaign was totally focussed on the sheer avalanche of polling and how big the Conservative defeat would be rather than any real thought to what would come next and replace them and how an incoming Labour government was going to be any more effective in dealing with both domestic and foreign policy.
As a result, we got a Labour party government that continued to talk down the UK economic recovery from covid after coming to office and has literally caused the withdrawal of significant investment and job losses in various industries. Starmer is totally out of his depth and definitely not on top of his brief as a PM overseeing and managing various Ministerial departments in his Cabinet. It is also noticeable that there has been a revolving door of female Ministerial exits from his government with his Chancellor Rachel Reeves now clear favourite to be next in line. His latest reset and reshuffle is a desperate attempt to circle the wagons in No10 to shore up his premiership and dwindling authority while his personal ratings in the polls only bring comfort to the likes of Truss & Co. Not a good omen for a PM just over a year in Office with such a huge majority.
Its a running joke in our house that I thought the Labour party were crazy to elect the only male in a grey suit in their last leadership contest, and during his time as leader of the Opposition I used to joke he must have a behind full of splinters from the amount times he has spun his position while sitting on the fence reacting too late after events rather than having the guts to get ahead lead the political agenda.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/sep/13/alleged-racially-motivated-rape-sikh-woman-oldbury-west-midlands-mps-shock
"According to the Whitehall grapevine, it was the moment that growing tensions between the two most senior men in the British Government finally exploded into the open.
'You are supposed to protect me from things like this!' a furious Sir Keir Starmer is said to have bellowed at Morgan McSweeney, the man dubbed The Real Deputy Prime Minister.
'That's exactly what I was trying to do!' Mr McSweeney roared back.
The extraordinary exchange – relayed to The Mail on Sunday by a highly placed source – came after Sir Keir returned to No10 on Wednesday following his Commons mauling over Peter Mandelson's links to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
No 10 denies the encounter took place as described – and even tried to deny that chief of staff Mr McSweeney was in the country at the time, before backtracking.
But what is not in question is that the Mandelson scandal has turned into a full-blown political crisis which could lead to the end of Starmer's premiership.
Despairing Labour MPs are looking to Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham for salvation, with Lucy Powell running as his 'proxy' in the deputy leadership election.
Supporters hope Mr Burnham will return to the Commons in a by-election, making him eligible for a leadership bid."
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15095781/Starmer-cried-showdown-PM-key-aide-Westminster.html
It is an odd one. It’s hard enough understanding rape for sexual gratification, but rape as a weapon of violence where the main aim is to hurt the woman is beyond comprehension.