My 100/1 tip on Ed Miliband is looking good – politicalbetting.com

System · September 19

My 100/1 tip on Ed Miliband is looking good – politicalbetting.com

You can back Ed Miliband as next PM at 21s on Betfair and 11.5s as next Labour leader, you can get 25/1 and 50/1 respectively at Ladbrokes, I think both those prices at Ladbrokes represent an excellent opportunity for profit.

Read the full story here

geoffw · September 19

one

FrancisUrquhart · September 19

Premier League ticket black market exposed
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/articles/cwy9dlqxx2ro

Buying tickets for West Ham on the black market...I bet the touts have 1000s of those things that they can't give away.

Taz · September 19

Dear God we’re in enough of a pickle as it is

Big_G_NorthWales · September 19

Good morning

Miliband has a lot of support in Labour but not sure about the wider public

He is also a supporter of Lucy Powell

kle4 · September 19

Ed M's ambition and persistence, sticking around at the top of the party after defeat and still hunting for the top job 10 years on, demonstrates why he had 10x more leadership skills than David.

He's yesterday's man though, he needs to let it go.

TheScreamingEagles · September 19

kle4 said:
Ed M's ambition and persistence, sticking around at the top of the party after defeat and still hunting for the top job, demonstrates why he had 10x more leadership skills than David.

He's yesterday's msn though, he needs to let it go.

That kind of talk doesn't help my bet!

kle4 · September 19

FrancisUrquhart said:
Premier League ticket black market exposed
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/articles/cwy9dlqxx2ro

Buying tickets for West Ham on the black market...I bet the touts have 1000s of those things that they can't give away.

I assumed black market ticket sales was something everyone was aware of and just ignored.

kle4 · September 19

Eabhal said:

kle4 said:

Sandpit said:

rcs1000 said:

FrancisUrquhart said:
One of the problems with the Late Night hosts like Kimmel is they aren't really seen as comedians anymore. The monologues are highly political every night and always one sided. So its hard to say just jokes and that "we" have a go at everybody.

So its starting from a place where for lots of people, he is their team or the opponents teams. And of course been very quick to always dunk on everybody else who has got shit canned from the other team.
I would point out that not all the late night hosts are reliably left wing. Bill Maher is certainly not. And Jon Stewart has done a reasonable job of not being too partisan.

I would also point out that while the left has their late night comedians, the right has Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham.

It seems like left wing audiences like to mock, while right wing ones like to be outraged.
Bill Maher and Jon Stewart are by far the best of them, they’re both of the left but prepared to go for everyone when necessary. The comparator on the other side would be Greg Gutfeld on Fox.

Most importantly, they haven’t lost sight of the need to make things funny. You can get away with a very political commentary if it’s full of good jokes and makes people laugh.
Notably both getting on a bit and so perhaps a little out of step with modern preference for message over joke?
Freedom of Speech but conditional on the US Federal Government finding it funny is not a way to run a democracy, in my very firm opinion.

Indeed, but culture is moving that way.

kle4 · September 19

Foxy said:

JosiasJessop said:

Foxy said:

JosiasJessop said:
In other news, my son starting secondary school has been a little bit of an eye-opener on the way education has changed in the near-35 years since I left school.

The school gives every child an iPad (*). But as parents, we get web access to his due homework, and the grades for completed homework. His attendance, twice a day. His full timetable and teachers for each class, his behaviour, and any detentions. Even what he chose for dinner.

This seems massively more information, and much more immediate, than my parents got from my schools.

Whether it improves grades or not is a different matter...

(*) Which we pay for, obvs.
I appreciate that this is how the world is now, and Medical Students wander round with iPads much the same.

Surely an essential part of parenting is letting go, and letting kids have some private life, make their own mistakes, learn the consequences of not doing homework on time etc. It all looks open to way too much over parenting to me.
I think it might enable more over-parenting, if parents are so inclined. I doubt I'll be going onto the portals every morning and afternoon to see if he's in school, for instance, but some may. And for the first few weeks I may check each weekend to see what homework needs doing. But if he manages to do it without me, I'll probably stop doing that. He needs to learn more independence and self-dependence as he grows older.

Yes, there may be negatives. But only if you use it in such a way. Otherwise, it may be useful information.
There is a growing body of evidence that "over-parenting" is part of the youth mental health crisis.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9811893/#:~:text=For example, an overparenting parent,on behalf of their child.

I am sure that parental neglect is an even bigger problem too. Getting the balance right of letting go, but being a safe loving haven is quite a challenge.

Yes, it reminds a bit of the somewhat romanticised view of past childhood where kids might be out for hours at 8 years old with parents no idea where they were, vs parents terrified of a teenager going alone to the local shop or something and helicopter parenting. Has to be a balance surely.

Independence was not much of a choice for many parents previously, of course. My poor mum certainly couldn't keep an eye on 4 kids by herself whilst working full time. Had some upsides and some downsides.

Sandpit · September 19

Ed Miliband, just about the only minister with ideas, the problem being that every one of them makes the country worse off.

Stuartinromford · September 19

Big_G_NorthWales said:
Good morning

Miliband has a lot of support in Labour but not sure about the wider public

He is also a supporter of Lucy Powell

In the short term, that doesn't matter. The wider public will have their say.... in 2029.

Have to say, it's not clear why there's all the Millihate. He does seem to be doing the right sort of things with reasonable oomph.

He lost in 2015 because he didn't look or aound like a PM, and I'm not convinced he does now. Would that change if he were PM? A bit, surely, but enough?

kle4 · September 19

Sandpit said:
Ed Miliband, just about the only minister with ideas, the problem being that every one of them makes the country worse off.

The growth and planning agenda seems haphazardly applied (at best), with Ed portrayed as the chief blocker.

RochdalePioneers · September 19

I'm a big fan of Ed Milliband (though not his current policy platform) but surely this would be a step waaaaay too far.

Foxy · September 19

kle4 said:
Ed M's ambition and persistence, sticking around at the top of the party after defeat and still hunting for the top job 10 years on, demonstrates why he had 10x more leadership skills than David.

He's yesterday's man though, he needs to let it go.

Yes, but we need not to consider what is sensible but rather what Labour MPs and members might do!

I think Ed Miliband has mellowed and matured a bit over the last decade, becoming more relaxed and comfortable being himself. A bit like the way Portillo and Balls have done, but Miliband has managed it while remaining in Parliament.

Labour could do a lot worse, though I think they could do better too.

Laying non-Labour MPs for next PM seems free money to me. No way is Labour going into the next GE with Starmer leading. Most likely gone next summer I think.

JosiasJessop · September 19

kle4 said:

Foxy said:

JosiasJessop said:

Foxy said:

JosiasJessop said:
In other news, my son starting secondary school has been a little bit of an eye-opener on the way education has changed in the near-35 years since I left school.

The school gives every child an iPad (*). But as parents, we get web access to his due homework, and the grades for completed homework. His attendance, twice a day. His full timetable and teachers for each class, his behaviour, and any detentions. Even what he chose for dinner.

This seems massively more information, and much more immediate, than my parents got from my schools.

Whether it improves grades or not is a different matter...

(*) Which we pay for, obvs.
I appreciate that this is how the world is now, and Medical Students wander round with iPads much the same.

Surely an essential part of parenting is letting go, and letting kids have some private life, make their own mistakes, learn the consequences of not doing homework on time etc. It all looks open to way too much over parenting to me.
I think it might enable more over-parenting, if parents are so inclined. I doubt I'll be going onto the portals every morning and afternoon to see if he's in school, for instance, but some may. And for the first few weeks I may check each weekend to see what homework needs doing. But if he manages to do it without me, I'll probably stop doing that. He needs to learn more independence and self-dependence as he grows older.

Yes, there may be negatives. But only if you use it in such a way. Otherwise, it may be useful information.
There is a growing body of evidence that "over-parenting" is part of the youth mental health crisis.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9811893/#:~:text=For example, an overparenting parent,on behalf of their child.

I am sure that parental neglect is an even bigger problem too. Getting the balance right of letting go, but being a safe loving haven is quite a challenge.
Yes, it reminds a bit of the somewhat romanticised view of past childhood where kids might be out for hours at 8 years old with parents no idea where they were, vs parents terrified of a teenager going alone to the local shop or something and helicopter parenting. Has to be a balance surely.

Independence was not much of a choice for many parents previously, of course. My poor mum certainly couldn't keep an eye on 4 kids by herself whilst working full time. Had some upsides and some downsides.

IMV it depends on the kid. Some kids are very self-reliant early, and other kids need more help. And it can vary not just from kid to kid, but also within a kid: one kid may be very able to sort out homework and schoolwork, but also be able to utterly lose track of time when out alone. Support them where (and when) they need support. It's a fine line.

SandyRentool · September 19

Subsidise projects that need a natural gas supply for the next 30 years while simultaneously blocking the development of new supplies of natural gas.

That's EdM for you.

DoctorG · September 19

Morning,

I see ladbrokes now have a 'defection watch' with odds on a list of MPs likely to cross the floor. Mainly Tories but an odd Lab MP too

The odds on next PM are only just starting to get more realistic. As TSE says, Lads have EdM at 25/1, same odds as Rupert Lowe(!) With Boris Johnson coming in at 28/1

I think Miliband has bade his time well and can be considered a serious figure again, the bacon sandwich incident must be 11 or 12 years ago now, distant memory

Dopermean · September 19

TheScreamingEagles said:

kle4 said:
Ed M's ambition and persistence, sticking around at the top of the party after defeat and still hunting for the top job, demonstrates why he had 10x more leadership skills than David.

He's yesterday's msn though, he needs to let it go.
That kind of talk doesn't help my bet!

I have small stakes on both Ed M as next leader and Lammy as next PM at 100...

Note that Phillipson is now 4/1 with Ladbrokes, which seems long for a 2 horse race

Nigelb · September 19

TheScreamingEagles said:

kle4 said:
Ed M's ambition and persistence, sticking around at the top of the party after defeat and still hunting for the top job, demonstrates why he had 10x more leadership skills than David.

He's yesterday's msn though, he needs to let it go.
That kind of talk doesn't help my bet!

He's absolutely bloody useless.
So in with a decent chance.

JosiasJessop · September 19

I think Miliband would do a better political job than Starmer. He has some communication skills (unlike Starmer...), experience, seemingly some backing within the party, and at least some ideas, again unlike Starmer. Even if I think many of those ideas are wrong-headed, at least he has ideas.

I very much doubt he's be able to win a GE though. He's a steady-the-ship candidate. If the ship hasn't already sunk by the time he gets the job.

kle4 · September 19

JosiasJessop said:

kle4 said:

Foxy said:

JosiasJessop said:

Foxy said:

JosiasJessop said:
In other news, my son starting secondary school has been a little bit of an eye-opener on the way education has changed in the near-35 years since I left school.

The school gives every child an iPad (*). But as parents, we get web access to his due homework, and the grades for completed homework. His attendance, twice a day. His full timetable and teachers for each class, his behaviour, and any detentions. Even what he chose for dinner.

This seems massively more information, and much more immediate, than my parents got from my schools.

Whether it improves grades or not is a different matter...

(*) Which we pay for, obvs.
I appreciate that this is how the world is now, and Medical Students wander round with iPads much the same.

Surely an essential part of parenting is letting go, and letting kids have some private life, make their own mistakes, learn the consequences of not doing homework on time etc. It all looks open to way too much over parenting to me.
I think it might enable more over-parenting, if parents are so inclined. I doubt I'll be going onto the portals every morning and afternoon to see if he's in school, for instance, but some may. And for the first few weeks I may check each weekend to see what homework needs doing. But if he manages to do it without me, I'll probably stop doing that. He needs to learn more independence and self-dependence as he grows older.

Yes, there may be negatives. But only if you use it in such a way. Otherwise, it may be useful information.
There is a growing body of evidence that "over-parenting" is part of the youth mental health crisis.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9811893/#:~:text=For example, an overparenting parent,on behalf of their child.

I am sure that parental neglect is an even bigger problem too. Getting the balance right of letting go, but being a safe loving haven is quite a challenge.
Yes, it reminds a bit of the somewhat romanticised view of past childhood where kids might be out for hours at 8 years old with parents no idea where they were, vs parents terrified of a teenager going alone to the local shop or something and helicopter parenting. Has to be a balance surely.

Independence was not much of a choice for many parents previously, of course. My poor mum certainly couldn't keep an eye on 4 kids by herself whilst working full time. Had some upsides and some downsides.
IMV it depends on the kid. Some kids are very self-reliant early, and other kids need more help. And it can vary not just from kid to kid, but also within a kid: one kid may be very able to sort out homework and schoolwork, but also be able to utterly lose track of time when out alone. Support them where (and when) they need support. It's a fine line.

Yes, probably too much rigidity on what the 'right' approach is, and of course parents are bombarded with thoughts on what is right or not, which is a recipe for second guessing trouble.

Theuniondivvie · September 19

Schumer substituting competency and effectiveness with a sweary word.

https://x.com/senschumer/status/1968815321185227226?s=61&t=LYVEHh2mqFy1oUJAdCfe-Q

kle4 · September 19

DoctorG said:
Morning,

I see ladbrokes now have a 'defection watch' with odds on a list of MPs likely to cross the floor. Mainly Tories but an odd Lab MP too

The odds on next PM are only just starting to get more realistic. As TSE says, Lads have EdM at 25/1, same odds as Rupert Lowe(!) With Boris Johnson coming in at 28/1

I think Miliband has bade his time well and can be considered a serious figure again, the bacon sandwich incident must be 11 or 12 years ago now, distant memory

Bring forth the Ed Stone 2.0. I believe the guy whose idea it was is also an MP now.

SandyRentool · September 19

Wonder of wonders, Labour held a seat in a local by-election. Got spanked in a couple of others, mind.

Meanwhile, Sir Ed Davey is bigging up the LibDems' prospects in Sheffield next May.

Whatever the opposite of bigging up is, that's what I'm doing for Labour in Bradford. All out elections, threats from left and right. Ouch.

RochdalePioneers · September 19

"Is the US entering a new era of McCarthyism"?

https://www.ft.com/content/54bee7cc-b0b4-4acb-9776-9ad6d39f3400

No, its entering a new era of Goebbelsism. The parallels between the US and 1933 Germany are clear.

TheScreamingEagles · September 19

Nigelb said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

kle4 said:
Ed M's ambition and persistence, sticking around at the top of the party after defeat and still hunting for the top job, demonstrates why he had 10x more leadership skills than David.

He's yesterday's msn though, he needs to let it go.
That kind of talk doesn't help my bet!
He's absolutely bloody useless.
So in with a decent chance.

I still haven't gotten over the comment a Labour supporting friend who works in the energy sector made about Ed Miliband's sting as Energy Secretary.

He's got the ideological entrenchment of Jeremy Corbyn and the competence of Chris Grayling.

Nigelb · September 19

Stuartinromford said:

Big_G_NorthWales said:
Good morning

Miliband has a lot of support in Labour but not sure about the wider public

He is also a supporter of Lucy Powell
In the short term, that doesn't matter. The wider public will have their say.... in 2029.

Have to say, it's not clear why there's all the Millihate. He does seem to be doing the right sort of things with reasonable oomph.

He lost in 2015 because he didn't look or aound like a PM, and I'm not convinced he does now. Would that change if he were PM? A bit, surely, but enough?

Which right things would those be ?
He's managed to turn a sensible goal with wide public support- decarbonising our energy supply - into an expensive and increasingly unpopular shambles.

An anti-pragmatic ideologue.

Scott_xP · September 19

Theuniondivvie said:
Schumer substituting competency and effectiveness with a sweary word.

https://x.com/senschumer/status/1968815321185227226?s=61&t=LYVEHh2mqFy1oUJAdCfe-Q

https://x.com/Stewart_2028/status/1968830334402777580

Peter_the_Punter · September 19

kle4 said:

JosiasJessop said:

kle4 said:

Foxy said:

JosiasJessop said:

Foxy said:

JosiasJessop said:
In other news, my son starting secondary school has been a little bit of an eye-opener on the way education has changed in the near-35 years since I left school.

The school gives every child an iPad (*). But as parents, we get web access to his due homework, and the grades for completed homework. His attendance, twice a day. His full timetable and teachers for each class, his behaviour, and any detentions. Even what he chose for dinner.

This seems massively more information, and much more immediate, than my parents got from my schools.

Whether it improves grades or not is a different matter...

(*) Which we pay for, obvs.
I appreciate that this is how the world is now, and Medical Students wander round with iPads much the same.

Surely an essential part of parenting is letting go, and letting kids have some private life, make their own mistakes, learn the consequences of not doing homework on time etc. It all looks open to way too much over parenting to me.
I think it might enable more over-parenting, if parents are so inclined. I doubt I'll be going onto the portals every morning and afternoon to see if he's in school, for instance, but some may. And for the first few weeks I may check each weekend to see what homework needs doing. But if he manages to do it without me, I'll probably stop doing that. He needs to learn more independence and self-dependence as he grows older.

Yes, there may be negatives. But only if you use it in such a way. Otherwise, it may be useful information.
There is a growing body of evidence that "over-parenting" is part of the youth mental health crisis.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9811893/#:~:text=For example, an overparenting parent,on behalf of their child.

I am sure that parental neglect is an even bigger problem too. Getting the balance right of letting go, but being a safe loving haven is quite a challenge.
Yes, it reminds a bit of the somewhat romanticised view of past childhood where kids might be out for hours at 8 years old with parents no idea where they were, vs parents terrified of a teenager going alone to the local shop or something and helicopter parenting. Has to be a balance surely.

Independence was not much of a choice for many parents previously, of course. My poor mum certainly couldn't keep an eye on 4 kids by herself whilst working full time. Had some upsides and some downsides.
IMV it depends on the kid. Some kids are very self-reliant early, and other kids need more help. And it can vary not just from kid to kid, but also within a kid: one kid may be very able to sort out homework and schoolwork, but also be able to utterly lose track of time when out alone. Support them where (and when) they need support. It's a fine line.
Yes, probably too much rigidity on what the 'right' approach is, and of course parents are bombarded with thoughts on what is right or not, which is a recipe for second guessing trouble.

I was a firm believer in nurture over nature until I had kids.

TheScreamingEagles · September 19

Blimey, what on earth is going on in North Britain?

Douglas Ross accuses SNP minister of assaulting him at parliament

Conservative MSP Douglas Ross has accused a Scottish government minister of physically assaulting him in parliament.

The former Tory leader claimed Parliamentary Business Minister Jamie Hepburn attacked him as he left the chamber on Wednesday, after the pair had clashed over the scheduling of a summit to discuss "out of control" seagulls.

Hepburn said he put his hand on Ross's shoulder and that he "used a few choice words I shouldn't have", adding: "That's it."

Police said they had advised Ross over the confrontation, though he had not made an official complaint.

Hepburn told reporters: "I will freely fess up to things I've done, but I will not apologise for things I've not done.

"I am clearly sorry I conducted myself in the fashion that I did and I recognise that I let myself down but that is the extent of it.

"Some of what has been suggested does not tally with the reality."

Hepburn declined to answer questions on whether he had breached the ministerial code or whether the first minister continued to have confidence in him.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgjey1xz21o

Nigelb · September 19

TheScreamingEagles said:

Nigelb said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

kle4 said:
Ed M's ambition and persistence, sticking around at the top of the party after defeat and still hunting for the top job, demonstrates why he had 10x more leadership skills than David.

He's yesterday's msn though, he needs to let it go.
That kind of talk doesn't help my bet!
He's absolutely bloody useless.
So in with a decent chance.
I still haven't gotten over the comment a Labour supporting friend who works in the energy sector made about Ed Miliband's sting as Energy Secretary.

He's got the ideological entrenchment of Jeremy Corbyn and the competence of Chris Grayling.

A mild exaggeration (no one beats Grayling), but pretty well correct.

None of that would do his leadership chances much harm, though.

RochdalePioneers · September 19

JosiasJessop said:
I think Miliband would do a better political job than Starmer. He has some communication skills (unlike Starmer...), experience, seemingly some backing within the party, and at least some ideas, again unlike Starmer. Even if I think many of those ideas are wrong-headed, at least he has ideas.

I very much doubt he's be able to win a GE though. He's a steady-the-ship candidate. If the ship hasn't already sunk by the time he gets the job.

As I have said on my Emergency Podcast show (on YouTube/X/TT) I think Labour have already lost the next election. So steady the ship to stymie the losses makes sense once Starmer inevitably resigns.

Labour need to do one very simple thing: throw a load of money into communities. Like tomorrow. Get councils pulling up weeds and filling potholes and opening pop-up shops to get trading back onto high streets and restoring all of the stuff that is crumbling to nothing. And pose people a very simple question - do you really want Reform to take all of this away?

rkrkrk · September 19

Great bet TSE. Feels much more likely than Burnham tbh. Ed might also be angling at becoming Chancellor.

I suspect Ed would be a poor choice to take on Farage though.

FrancisUrquhart · September 19

RochdalePioneers said:

JosiasJessop said:
I think Miliband would do a better political job than Starmer. He has some communication skills (unlike Starmer...), experience, seemingly some backing within the party, and at least some ideas, again unlike Starmer. Even if I think many of those ideas are wrong-headed, at least he has ideas.

I very much doubt he's be able to win a GE though. He's a steady-the-ship candidate. If the ship hasn't already sunk by the time he gets the job.
As I have said on my Emergency Podcast show (on YouTube/X/TT) I think Labour have already lost the next election. So steady the ship to stymie the losses makes sense once Starmer inevitably resigns.

Labour need to do one very simple thing: throw a load of money into communities. Like tomorrow. Get councils pulling up weeds and filling potholes and opening pop-up shops to get trading back onto high streets and restoring all of the stuff that is crumbling to nothing. And pose people a very simple question - do you really want Reform to take all of this away?

You don't think there is a chance Labour could pull off what happened in Canada?

Battlebus · September 19

The lure of such a large majority while not having to go to the electorate must be a wet dream for some sections of the labour party. And yesterday's YP/Sultanas debacle, shows what a new ideological Labour government would be like.

If the Ed movement has momentum (?), the odds of the Conservatives forming the next government would be interesting. I'm discounting a Reform government for the obvious reason that their foray into Local Government will expose how daft they are. So daft, they could give Ed a run for his money.

kle4 · September 19

JosiasJessop said:
I think Miliband would do a better political job than Starmer. He has some communication skills (unlike Starmer...), experience, seemingly some backing within the party, and at least some ideas, again unlike Starmer. Even if I think many of those ideas are wrong-headed, at least he has ideas.

I very much doubt he's be able to win a GE though. He's a steady-the-ship candidate. If the ship hasn't already sunk by the time he gets the job.

On the experience point its worth reflecting again that it used to be common that someone would be an MP for 20 years before getting the top job. But in our faster political culture its much more likely now you need to be earmarked for the top very early and in Cabinet/Shadow Cabinet within 5 years or so or odds are good you'll never make it as a front bencher.

If it wasn't for hanging about before he jets off to California Sunak's entire political career would be over in 10 years, and Starmer had a similarly swift rise. He was even picked out as a leader immediately on becoming an MP, before he had a chance to show any political skills.

DecrepiterJohnL · September 19

Russian fake-news network, led by an ex-Florida sheriff's deputy, storms back into action with 200+ new sites
https://www.theregister.com/2025/09/18/russian_fakenews_network/

Sandpit · September 19

kle4 said:

FrancisUrquhart said:
Premier League ticket black market exposed
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/articles/cwy9dlqxx2ro

Buying tickets for West Ham on the black market...I bet the touts have 1000s of those things that they can't give away.
I assumed black market ticket sales was something everyone was aware of and just ignored.

Unofficial and secondary ticket sales *for football matches* are illegal in the UK.

kle4 · September 19

Battlebus said:
The lure of such a large majority while not having to go to the electorate must be a wet dream for some sections of the labour party. And yesterday's YP/Sultanas debacle, shows what a new ideological Labour government would be like.

If the Ed movement has momentum (?), the odds of the Conservatives forming the next government would be interesting. I'm discounting a Reform government for the obvious reason that their foray into Local Government will expose how daft they are. So daft, they could give Ed a run for his money.

I think you over estimate how much Reform will demonstrate. LG is pretty constrained and they can blame a lot of problems on national government (sometimes accurately), plus it'll take years of mismanagement to really embed in wider public consciousness, and many areas won't experience that by 2029.

kle4 · September 19

FrancisUrquhart said:

RochdalePioneers said:

JosiasJessop said:
I think Miliband would do a better political job than Starmer. He has some communication skills (unlike Starmer...), experience, seemingly some backing within the party, and at least some ideas, again unlike Starmer. Even if I think many of those ideas are wrong-headed, at least he has ideas.

I very much doubt he's be able to win a GE though. He's a steady-the-ship candidate. If the ship hasn't already sunk by the time he gets the job.
As I have said on my Emergency Podcast show (on YouTube/X/TT) I think Labour have already lost the next election. So steady the ship to stymie the losses makes sense once Starmer inevitably resigns.

Labour need to do one very simple thing: throw a load of money into communities. Like tomorrow. Get councils pulling up weeds and filling potholes and opening pop-up shops to get trading back onto high streets and restoring all of the stuff that is crumbling to nothing. And pose people a very simple question - do you really want Reform to take all of this away?
You don't think there is a chance Labour could pull off what happened in Canada?

The Trump factor definitely helped there, and Carney being an 'outsider'.

Sandpit · September 19

kle4 said:

Eabhal said:

kle4 said:

Sandpit said:

rcs1000 said:

FrancisUrquhart said:
One of the problems with the Late Night hosts like Kimmel is they aren't really seen as comedians anymore. The monologues are highly political every night and always one sided. So its hard to say just jokes and that "we" have a go at everybody.

So its starting from a place where for lots of people, he is their team or the opponents teams. And of course been very quick to always dunk on everybody else who has got shit canned from the other team.
I would point out that not all the late night hosts are reliably left wing. Bill Maher is certainly not. And Jon Stewart has done a reasonable job of not being too partisan.

I would also point out that while the left has their late night comedians, the right has Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham.

It seems like left wing audiences like to mock, while right wing ones like to be outraged.
Bill Maher and Jon Stewart are by far the best of them, they’re both of the left but prepared to go for everyone when necessary. The comparator on the other side would be Greg Gutfeld on Fox.

Most importantly, they haven’t lost sight of the need to make things funny. You can get away with a very political commentary if it’s full of good jokes and makes people laugh.
Notably both getting on a bit and so perhaps a little out of step with modern preference for message over joke?
Freedom of Speech but conditional on the US Federal Government finding it funny is not a way to run a democracy, in my very firm opinion.
Indeed, but culture is moving that way.

Some of us are old enough to remember Howard Stern continually getting himself in trouble with the FCC.

He eventually moved from broadcast to subscription services as they’re not regulated in the US.

Andy_JS · September 19

fpt

JosiasJessop said:
In other news, my son starting secondary school has been a little bit of an eye-opener on the way education has changed in the near-35 years since I left school.

The school gives every child an iPad (*). But as parents, we get web access to his due homework, and the grades for completed homework. His attendance, twice a day. His full timetable and teachers for each class, his behaviour, and any detentions. Even what he chose for dinner.

This seems massively more information, and much more immediate, than my parents got from my schools.

Whether it improves grades or not is a different matter...

(*) Which we pay for, obvs.

Interesting to know this.

wooliedyed · September 19

Morning all
A tidbit of over analysis of local by elections for you, the two results from Warwick last night - whilst i think there ars some minor differences in the wards between distrct and county, the results are both a very close match to May's county council results in Warwickshire, LDs took Leamington Clarendon in May but it was 1% difference at 30% like last night just the other way round and in May Greens won Kenilworth Park Hill 44-26 over the Tories versus 41-24 last night

another_richard · September 19

Not good:

Borrowing – the difference between total public sector spending and income – was £18.0 billion in August 2025; this was £3.5 billion more than in August 2024 and the highest August borrowing for five years.

Borrowing in the financial year to August 2025 was £83.8 billion; this was £16.2 billion more than in the same five-month period of 2024 and the second-highest April to August borrowing since monthly records began in 1993, after that of 2020.

https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/governmentpublicsectorandtaxes/publicsectorfinance/bulletins/publicsectorfinances/august2025

Nigelb · September 19

kle4 said:

JosiasJessop said:
I think Miliband would do a better political job than Starmer. He has some communication skills (unlike Starmer...), experience, seemingly some backing within the party, and at least some ideas, again unlike Starmer. Even if I think many of those ideas are wrong-headed, at least he has ideas.

I very much doubt he's be able to win a GE though. He's a steady-the-ship candidate. If the ship hasn't already sunk by the time he gets the job.
On the experience point its worth reflecting again that it used to be common that someone would be an MP for 20 years before getting the top job. But in our faster political culture its much more likely now you need to be earmarked for the top very early and in Cabinet/Shadow Cabinet within 5 years or so or odds are good you'll never make it as a front bencher.

If it wasn't for hanging about before he jets off to California Sunak's entire political career would be over in 10 years, and Starmer had a similarly swift rise. He was even picked out as a leader immediately on becoming an MP, before he had a chance to show any political skills.

It's a fair point.

It's also fair to point out that Milliband has (unusually for a cabinet minister) long experience in his current portfolio, having similar responsibility under the last Labour government and for a time in opposition.

And is now making a hash of it.

DecrepiterJohnL · September 19

Andy_JS said:
fpt

JosiasJessop said:
In other news, my son starting secondary school has been a little bit of an eye-opener on the way education has changed in the near-35 years since I left school.

The school gives every child an iPad (*). But as parents, we get web access to his due homework, and the grades for completed homework. His attendance, twice a day. His full timetable and teachers for each class, his behaviour, and any detentions. Even what he chose for dinner.

This seems massively more information, and much more immediate, than my parents got from my schools.

Whether it improves grades or not is a different matter...

(*) Which we pay for, obvs.
Interesting to know this.

Why? Are you planning to mug schoolchildren for their ipads? If not, someone else will.

Or are you thinking long term and going into the optician business as future generations ruin their eyesight staring at screens all day?

kle4 · September 19

Sandpit said:

kle4 said:

FrancisUrquhart said:
Premier League ticket black market exposed
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/articles/cwy9dlqxx2ro

Buying tickets for West Ham on the black market...I bet the touts have 1000s of those things that they can't give away.
I assumed black market ticket sales was something everyone was aware of and just ignored.
Unofficial and secondary ticket sales *for football matches* are illegal in the UK.

I stand by it. No way the police didn't know.

Sandpit · September 19

another_richard said:
Not good:

Borrowing – the difference between total public sector spending and income – was £18.0 billion in August 2025; this was £3.5 billion more than in August 2024 and the highest August borrowing for five years.

Borrowing in the financial year to August 2025 was £83.8 billion; this was £16.2 billion more than in the same five-month period of 2024 and the second-highest April to August borrowing since monthly records began in 1993, after that of 2020.

https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/governmentpublicsectorandtaxes/publicsectorfinance/bulletins/publicsectorfinances/august2025

Maybe they should have actually raised taxes last Budget, rather than tinkering around the edges with stuff like farmers’ inheritances and private school VAT?

DavidL · September 19

TheScreamingEagles said:
Blimey, what on earth is going on in North Britain?

Douglas Ross accuses SNP minister of assaulting him at parliament

Conservative MSP Douglas Ross has accused a Scottish government minister of physically assaulting him in parliament.

The former Tory leader claimed Parliamentary Business Minister Jamie Hepburn attacked him as he left the chamber on Wednesday, after the pair had clashed over the scheduling of a summit to discuss "out of control" seagulls.

Hepburn said he put his hand on Ross's shoulder and that he "used a few choice words I shouldn't have", adding: "That's it."

Police said they had advised Ross over the confrontation, though he had not made an official complaint.

Hepburn told reporters: "I will freely fess up to things I've done, but I will not apologise for things I've not done.

"I am clearly sorry I conducted myself in the fashion that I did and I recognise that I let myself down but that is the extent of it.

"Some of what has been suggested does not tally with the reality."

Hepburn declined to answer questions on whether he had breached the ministerial code or whether the first minister continued to have confidence in him.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgjey1xz21o

In an argument over seagulls. Says everything you ever need to know about the Scottish Parliament.

FrancisUrquhart · September 19

another_richard said:
Not good:

Borrowing – the difference between total public sector spending and income – was £18.0 billion in August 2025; this was £3.5 billion more than in August 2024 and the highest August borrowing for five years.

Borrowing in the financial year to August 2025 was £83.8 billion; this was £16.2 billion more than in the same five-month period of 2024 and the second-highest April to August borrowing since monthly records began in 1993, after that of 2020.

https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/governmentpublicsectorandtaxes/publicsectorfinance/bulletins/publicsectorfinances/august2025

the prediction from OBR in March was for it to be £72.4bn

Dopermean · September 19

FT article on Britannia's 4 star luxury asylum hotels, "The crumbling seaside palaces at the centre of Britain's asylum crisis"
https://www.ft.com/content/706898a7-5b93-40cb-9c16-a8f90f88c0a3

"The number of hotels has more than halved since its peak under the last Conservative government. "
"Britannia hotels around the country have been fined repeatedly on public protection grounds, from food hygiene to asbestos breaches"
"Which? reported Britannia’s Docklands hotel for “horrendous” fire-safety breaches. Two months later the magazine’s representatives returned and found some aspects were worse"

If Leon really wants them closed down, he should be pursuing them on health and safety grounds.

nico67 · September 19

another_richard said:
Not good:

Borrowing – the difference between total public sector spending and income – was £18.0 billion in August 2025; this was £3.5 billion more than in August 2024 and the highest August borrowing for five years.

Borrowing in the financial year to August 2025 was £83.8 billion; this was £16.2 billion more than in the same five-month period of 2024 and the second-highest April to August borrowing since monthly records began in 1993, after that of 2020.

https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/governmentpublicsectorandtaxes/publicsectorfinance/bulletins/publicsectorfinances/august2025

Apparently Reeves will have to find 28 billion in savings to meet her fiscal rules . Good luck with that !

Foxy · September 19

Peter_the_Punter said:

kle4 said:

JosiasJessop said:

kle4 said:

Foxy said:

JosiasJessop said:

Foxy said:

JosiasJessop said:
In other news, my son starting secondary school has been a little bit of an eye-opener on the way education has changed in the near-35 years since I left school.

The school gives every child an iPad (*). But as parents, we get web access to his due homework, and the grades for completed homework. His attendance, twice a day. His full timetable and teachers for each class, his behaviour, and any detentions. Even what he chose for dinner.

This seems massively more information, and much more immediate, than my parents got from my schools.

Whether it improves grades or not is a different matter...

(*) Which we pay for, obvs.
I appreciate that this is how the world is now, and Medical Students wander round with iPads much the same.

Surely an essential part of parenting is letting go, and letting kids have some private life, make their own mistakes, learn the consequences of not doing homework on time etc. It all looks open to way too much over parenting to me.
I think it might enable more over-parenting, if parents are so inclined. I doubt I'll be going onto the portals every morning and afternoon to see if he's in school, for instance, but some may. And for the first few weeks I may check each weekend to see what homework needs doing. But if he manages to do it without me, I'll probably stop doing that. He needs to learn more independence and self-dependence as he grows older.

Yes, there may be negatives. But only if you use it in such a way. Otherwise, it may be useful information.
There is a growing body of evidence that "over-parenting" is part of the youth mental health crisis.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9811893/#:~:text=For example, an overparenting parent,on behalf of their child.

I am sure that parental neglect is an even bigger problem too. Getting the balance right of letting go, but being a safe loving haven is quite a challenge.
Yes, it reminds a bit of the somewhat romanticised view of past childhood where kids might be out for hours at 8 years old with parents no idea where they were, vs parents terrified of a teenager going alone to the local shop or something and helicopter parenting. Has to be a balance surely.

Independence was not much of a choice for many parents previously, of course. My poor mum certainly couldn't keep an eye on 4 kids by herself whilst working full time. Had some upsides and some downsides.
IMV it depends on the kid. Some kids are very self-reliant early, and other kids need more help. And it can vary not just from kid to kid, but also within a kid: one kid may be very able to sort out homework and schoolwork, but also be able to utterly lose track of time when out alone. Support them where (and when) they need support. It's a fine line.
Yes, probably too much rigidity on what the 'right' approach is, and of course parents are bombarded with thoughts on what is right or not, which is a recipe for second guessing trouble.
I was a firm believer in nurture over nature until I had kids.

Both come into it, but having your own child can be a rude awakening.

Both my boys came out of the womb with their own strong personalities that are still recognisable decades later. Until you have kids you imagine them to be more malleable.

Theuniondivvie · September 19

TheScreamingEagles said:
Blimey, what on earth is going on in North Britain?

Douglas Ross accuses SNP minister of assaulting him at parliament

Conservative MSP Douglas Ross has accused a Scottish government minister of physically assaulting him in parliament.

The former Tory leader claimed Parliamentary Business Minister Jamie Hepburn attacked him as he left the chamber on Wednesday, after the pair had clashed over the scheduling of a summit to discuss "out of control" seagulls.

Hepburn said he put his hand on Ross's shoulder and that he "used a few choice words I shouldn't have", adding: "That's it."

Police said they had advised Ross over the confrontation, though he had not made an official complaint.

Hepburn told reporters: "I will freely fess up to things I've done, but I will not apologise for things I've not done.

"I am clearly sorry I conducted myself in the fashion that I did and I recognise that I let myself down but that is the extent of it.

"Some of what has been suggested does not tally with the reality."

Hepburn declined to answer questions on whether he had breached the ministerial code or whether the first minister continued to have confidence in him.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgjey1xz21o

It’s comparatively rare in life that someone who looks and sounds like a clypey, whining, little bitch turns out to be a clypey whining, little bitch.

Hepburn apologised for using ‘industrious’ language. I assume he meant industrial, but I too would be industrious in calling Ross a ****** ********** little *****.

Sandpit · September 19

FrancisUrquhart said:

another_richard said:
Not good:

Borrowing – the difference between total public sector spending and income – was £18.0 billion in August 2025; this was £3.5 billion more than in August 2024 and the highest August borrowing for five years.

Borrowing in the financial year to August 2025 was £83.8 billion; this was £16.2 billion more than in the same five-month period of 2024 and the second-highest April to August borrowing since monthly records began in 1993, after that of 2020.

https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/governmentpublicsectorandtaxes/publicsectorfinance/bulletins/publicsectorfinances/august2025
the prediction from OBR in March was for it to be £72.4bn

What’s £11,400,000,000 between friends?

SandyRentool · September 19

DavidL said:

TheScreamingEagles said:
Blimey, what on earth is going on in North Britain?

Douglas Ross accuses SNP minister of assaulting him at parliament

Conservative MSP Douglas Ross has accused a Scottish government minister of physically assaulting him in parliament.

The former Tory leader claimed Parliamentary Business Minister Jamie Hepburn attacked him as he left the chamber on Wednesday, after the pair had clashed over the scheduling of a summit to discuss "out of control" seagulls.

Hepburn said he put his hand on Ross's shoulder and that he "used a few choice words I shouldn't have", adding: "That's it."

Police said they had advised Ross over the confrontation, though he had not made an official complaint.

Hepburn told reporters: "I will freely fess up to things I've done, but I will not apologise for things I've not done.

"I am clearly sorry I conducted myself in the fashion that I did and I recognise that I let myself down but that is the extent of it.

"Some of what has been suggested does not tally with the reality."

Hepburn declined to answer questions on whether he had breached the ministerial code or whether the first minister continued to have confidence in him.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgjey1xz21o
In an argument over seagulls. Says everything you ever need to know about the Scottish Parliament.

They got in a flap over it.

DavidL · September 19

Sandpit said:

FrancisUrquhart said:

another_richard said:
Not good:

Borrowing – the difference between total public sector spending and income – was £18.0 billion in August 2025; this was £3.5 billion more than in August 2024 and the highest August borrowing for five years.

Borrowing in the financial year to August 2025 was £83.8 billion; this was £16.2 billion more than in the same five-month period of 2024 and the second-highest April to August borrowing since monthly records began in 1993, after that of 2020.

https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/governmentpublicsectorandtaxes/publicsectorfinance/bulletins/publicsectorfinances/august2025
the prediction from OBR in March was for it to be £72.4bn
What’s £11,400,000,000 between friends?

Its defo a few rounds and possibly even a curry. Roughly £163 a head.

Andy_JS · September 19

Dopermean said:
FT article on Britannia's 4 star luxury asylum hotels, "The crumbling seaside palaces at the centre of Britain's asylum crisis"
https://www.ft.com/content/706898a7-5b93-40cb-9c16-a8f90f88c0a3

"The number of hotels has more than halved since its peak under the last Conservative government. "
"Britannia hotels around the country have been fined repeatedly on public protection grounds, from food hygiene to asbestos breaches"
"Which? reported Britannia’s Docklands hotel for “horrendous” fire-safety breaches. Two months later the magazine’s representatives returned and found some aspects were worse"

If Leon really wants them closed down, he should be pursuing them on health and safety grounds.

Here's a review of the Britannia Hotel from 3 years ago when it was open to the public. I had a walk around the hotel myself about 2 years ago after watching this video, although I wasn't staying there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxJPLaUlDmI

DavidL · September 19

Theuniondivvie said:

TheScreamingEagles said:
Blimey, what on earth is going on in North Britain?

Douglas Ross accuses SNP minister of assaulting him at parliament

Conservative MSP Douglas Ross has accused a Scottish government minister of physically assaulting him in parliament.

The former Tory leader claimed Parliamentary Business Minister Jamie Hepburn attacked him as he left the chamber on Wednesday, after the pair had clashed over the scheduling of a summit to discuss "out of control" seagulls.

Hepburn said he put his hand on Ross's shoulder and that he "used a few choice words I shouldn't have", adding: "That's it."

Police said they had advised Ross over the confrontation, though he had not made an official complaint.

Hepburn told reporters: "I will freely fess up to things I've done, but I will not apologise for things I've not done.

"I am clearly sorry I conducted myself in the fashion that I did and I recognise that I let myself down but that is the extent of it.

"Some of what has been suggested does not tally with the reality."

Hepburn declined to answer questions on whether he had breached the ministerial code or whether the first minister continued to have confidence in him.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgjey1xz21o
It’s comparatively rare in life that someone who looks and sounds like a clypey, whining, little bitch turns out to be a clypey whining, little bitch.

Hepburn apologised for using ‘industrious’ language. I assume he meant industrial, but I too would be industrious in calling Ross a ****** ********** little *****.

You could get a red card for that.

kle4 · September 19

DavidL said:

TheScreamingEagles said:
Blimey, what on earth is going on in North Britain?

Douglas Ross accuses SNP minister of assaulting him at parliament

Conservative MSP Douglas Ross has accused a Scottish government minister of physically assaulting him in parliament.

The former Tory leader claimed Parliamentary Business Minister Jamie Hepburn attacked him as he left the chamber on Wednesday, after the pair had clashed over the scheduling of a summit to discuss "out of control" seagulls.

Hepburn said he put his hand on Ross's shoulder and that he "used a few choice words I shouldn't have", adding: "That's it."

Police said they had advised Ross over the confrontation, though he had not made an official complaint.

Hepburn told reporters: "I will freely fess up to things I've done, but I will not apologise for things I've not done.

"I am clearly sorry I conducted myself in the fashion that I did and I recognise that I let myself down but that is the extent of it.

"Some of what has been suggested does not tally with the reality."

Hepburn declined to answer questions on whether he had breached the ministerial code or whether the first minister continued to have confidence in him.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgjey1xz21o
In an argument over seagulls. Says everything you ever need to know about the Scottish Parliament.

I remember Jon Stewart doing pieces on House of Commons rowdy debates (he seemed to be a fan) and another on the gay marriage debate being too sedate, then cutting to a fiery clip of (iirc) Tom Watson shouting and insulting the PM in the chamber, saying that was more like it.

Only to then realise the angry entertaining shouting had been about a classroom building programme in the east midlands.

AnneJGP · September 19

Dopermean said:
FT article on Britannia's 4 star luxury asylum hotels, "The crumbling seaside palaces at the centre of Britain's asylum crisis"
https://www.ft.com/content/706898a7-5b93-40cb-9c16-a8f90f88c0a3

"The number of hotels has more than halved since its peak under the last Conservative government. "
"Britannia hotels around the country have been fined repeatedly on public protection grounds, from food hygiene to asbestos breaches"
"Which? reported Britannia’s Docklands hotel for “horrendous” fire-safety breaches. Two months later the magazine’s representatives returned and found some aspects were worse"

If Leon really wants them closed down, he should be pursuing them on health and safety grounds.

The residents might have been better off in the accommodation barges, poor sods.

Dopermean · September 19

DavidL said:

TheScreamingEagles said:
Blimey, what on earth is going on in North Britain?

Douglas Ross accuses SNP minister of assaulting him at parliament

Conservative MSP Douglas Ross has accused a Scottish government minister of physically assaulting him in parliament.

The former Tory leader claimed Parliamentary Business Minister Jamie Hepburn attacked him as he left the chamber on Wednesday, after the pair had clashed over the scheduling of a summit to discuss "out of control" seagulls.

Hepburn said he put his hand on Ross's shoulder and that he "used a few choice words I shouldn't have", adding: "That's it."

Police said they had advised Ross over the confrontation, though he had not made an official complaint.

Hepburn told reporters: "I will freely fess up to things I've done, but I will not apologise for things I've not done.

"I am clearly sorry I conducted myself in the fashion that I did and I recognise that I let myself down but that is the extent of it.

"Some of what has been suggested does not tally with the reality."

Hepburn declined to answer questions on whether he had breached the ministerial code or whether the first minister continued to have confidence in him.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgjey1xz21o
In an argument over seagulls. Says everything you ever need to know about the Scottish Parliament.

I'm sure Ross has heard worse as a football official. Celtic fans even had a banner "VAR Decision...

DecrepiterJohnL · September 19

OT I tried Burger King's waygu burger. After its mixed reviews, to put it kindly, I nixed the rocket and mayo and added a slice of cheese. Verdict: good; better than their ordinary burgers; £11 is a lot though.

Andy_JS · September 19

Wrong link earlier.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wO-Eji4aow

pm215 · September 19

RochdalePioneers said:

JosiasJessop said:
I think Miliband would do a better political job than Starmer. He has some communication skills (unlike Starmer...), experience, seemingly some backing within the party, and at least some ideas, again unlike Starmer. Even if I think many of those ideas are wrong-headed, at least he has ideas.

I very much doubt he's be able to win a GE though. He's a steady-the-ship candidate. If the ship hasn't already sunk by the time he gets the job.
As I have said on my Emergency Podcast show (on YouTube/X/TT) I think Labour have already lost the next election. So steady the ship to stymie the losses makes sense once Starmer inevitably resigns.

Labour need to do one very simple thing: throw a load of money into communities. Like tomorrow. Get councils pulling up weeds and filling potholes and opening pop-up shops to get trading back onto high streets and restoring all of the stuff that is crumbling to nothing. And pose people a very simple question - do you really want Reform to take all of this away?

The difficulty with that strategy is: where are you going to get the money to throw into those communities? There's a reason that all that not-absolutely-mandatory local council stuff has been being squeezed for a decade or more now, which is that it's been easier to do that than to either reconfigure the tax take to get more in, or address the demographics driven rising health and welfare spending, or invest long term in infrastructure and training to improve our growth rate.

I do agree that the steady reduction in perceived quality of life that all those little local cheeseparings have brought about is one of the drivers of discontent and of Reform. But you can't at this point call spending the money to fix this "simple".

kle4 · September 19

Theuniondivvie said:

TheScreamingEagles said:
Blimey, what on earth is going on in North Britain?

Douglas Ross accuses SNP minister of assaulting him at parliament

Conservative MSP Douglas Ross has accused a Scottish government minister of physically assaulting him in parliament.

The former Tory leader claimed Parliamentary Business Minister Jamie Hepburn attacked him as he left the chamber on Wednesday, after the pair had clashed over the scheduling of a summit to discuss "out of control" seagulls.

Hepburn said he put his hand on Ross's shoulder and that he "used a few choice words I shouldn't have", adding: "That's it."

Police said they had advised Ross over the confrontation, though he had not made an official complaint.

Hepburn told reporters: "I will freely fess up to things I've done, but I will not apologise for things I've not done.

"I am clearly sorry I conducted myself in the fashion that I did and I recognise that I let myself down but that is the extent of it.

"Some of what has been suggested does not tally with the reality."

Hepburn declined to answer questions on whether he had breached the ministerial code or whether the first minister continued to have confidence in him.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgjey1xz21o
It’s comparatively rare in life that someone who looks and sounds like a clypey, whining, little bitch turns out to be a clypey whining, little bitch.

Hepburn apologised for using ‘industrious’ language. I assume he meant industrial, but I too would be industrious in calling Ross a ****** ********** little *****.

If Ross says he was assaulted he needs to officially report it as such, you cannot cry assault as a politician if making no formal complaint imo.

He could say Hepburn was very inappropriate and a dick perhaps, but claim actual physical assault, well, that requires escalation and action to back it up.

Dopermean · September 19

DecrepiterJohnL said:

Andy_JS said:
fpt

JosiasJessop said:
In other news, my son starting secondary school has been a little bit of an eye-opener on the way education has changed in the near-35 years since I left school.

The school gives every child an iPad (*). But as parents, we get web access to his due homework, and the grades for completed homework. His attendance, twice a day. His full timetable and teachers for each class, his behaviour, and any detentions. Even what he chose for dinner.

This seems massively more information, and much more immediate, than my parents got from my schools.

Whether it improves grades or not is a different matter...

(*) Which we pay for, obvs.
Interesting to know this.
Why? Are you planning to mug schoolchildren for their ipads? If not, someone else will.

Or are you thinking long term and going into the optician business as future generations ruin their eyesight staring at screens all day?

My sibling who teaches says that these are a total disaster, the difficult kids hack the security controls and policing what they're doing on them takes up what should be teaching time.

kle4 · September 19

pm215 said:

RochdalePioneers said:

JosiasJessop said:
I think Miliband would do a better political job than Starmer. He has some communication skills (unlike Starmer...), experience, seemingly some backing within the party, and at least some ideas, again unlike Starmer. Even if I think many of those ideas are wrong-headed, at least he has ideas.

I very much doubt he's be able to win a GE though. He's a steady-the-ship candidate. If the ship hasn't already sunk by the time he gets the job.
As I have said on my Emergency Podcast show (on YouTube/X/TT) I think Labour have already lost the next election. So steady the ship to stymie the losses makes sense once Starmer inevitably resigns.

Labour need to do one very simple thing: throw a load of money into communities. Like tomorrow. Get councils pulling up weeds and filling potholes and opening pop-up shops to get trading back onto high streets and restoring all of the stuff that is crumbling to nothing. And pose people a very simple question - do you really want Reform to take all of this away?
The difficulty with that strategy is: where are you going to get the money to throw into those communities? There's a reason that all that not-absolutely-mandatory local council stuff has been being squeezed for a decade or more now, which is that it's been easier to do that than to either reconfigure the tax take to get more in, or address the demographics driven rising health and welfare spending, or invest long term in infrastructure and training to improve our growth rate.

I do agree that the steady reduction in perceived quality of life that all those little local cheeseparings have brought about is one of the drivers of discontent and of Reform. But you can't at this point call spending the money to fix this "simple".

Well said. It wouldn't have gotten to this point if it was.

AnneJGP · September 19

I reckon Ed Miliband might be a good choice. He's had quite a while to reflect on what he could have done differently, he's been discreet and supportive since he stepped down, and I always believed he only entered that leadership election to make it clear he had a claim to a shadow post in his own right if his brother won.

Nigelb · September 19

Foxy said:

Peter_the_Punter said:

kle4 said:

JosiasJessop said:

kle4 said:

Foxy said:

JosiasJessop said:

Foxy said:

JosiasJessop said:
In other news, my son starting secondary school has been a little bit of an eye-opener on the way education has changed in the near-35 years since I left school.

The school gives every child an iPad (*). But as parents, we get web access to his due homework, and the grades for completed homework. His attendance, twice a day. His full timetable and teachers for each class, his behaviour, and any detentions. Even what he chose for dinner.

This seems massively more information, and much more immediate, than my parents got from my schools.

Whether it improves grades or not is a different matter...

(*) Which we pay for, obvs.
I appreciate that this is how the world is now, and Medical Students wander round with iPads much the same.

Surely an essential part of parenting is letting go, and letting kids have some private life, make their own mistakes, learn the consequences of not doing homework on time etc. It all looks open to way too much over parenting to me.
I think it might enable more over-parenting, if parents are so inclined. I doubt I'll be going onto the portals every morning and afternoon to see if he's in school, for instance, but some may. And for the first few weeks I may check each weekend to see what homework needs doing. But if he manages to do it without me, I'll probably stop doing that. He needs to learn more independence and self-dependence as he grows older.

Yes, there may be negatives. But only if you use it in such a way. Otherwise, it may be useful information.
There is a growing body of evidence that "over-parenting" is part of the youth mental health crisis.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9811893/#:~:text=For example, an overparenting parent,on behalf of their child.

I am sure that parental neglect is an even bigger problem too. Getting the balance right of letting go, but being a safe loving haven is quite a challenge.
Yes, it reminds a bit of the somewhat romanticised view of past childhood where kids might be out for hours at 8 years old with parents no idea where they were, vs parents terrified of a teenager going alone to the local shop or something and helicopter parenting. Has to be a balance surely.

Independence was not much of a choice for many parents previously, of course. My poor mum certainly couldn't keep an eye on 4 kids by herself whilst working full time. Had some upsides and some downsides.
IMV it depends on the kid. Some kids are very self-reliant early, and other kids need more help. And it can vary not just from kid to kid, but also within a kid: one kid may be very able to sort out homework and schoolwork, but also be able to utterly lose track of time when out alone. Support them where (and when) they need support. It's a fine line.
Yes, probably too much rigidity on what the 'right' approach is, and of course parents are bombarded with thoughts on what is right or not, which is a recipe for second guessing trouble.
I was a firm believer in nurture over nature until I had kids.
Both come into it, but having your own child can be a rude awakening.

Both my boys came out of the womb with their own strong personalities that are still recognisable decades later. Until you have kids you imagine them to be more malleable.

Do you ?
I was a bit surprised that they were malleable at all.

But as both are now exemplary human beings, I can only conclude that they were.

Sandpit · September 19

kle4 said:

Sandpit said:
Ed Miliband, just about the only minister with ideas, the problem being that every one of them makes the country worse off.
The growth and planning agenda seems haphazardly applied (at best), with Ed portrayed as the chief blocker.

There’s so much they could be doing that doesn’t cost money or that generates more income over time, such as getting housebuilding moving with planning and building regulation reform.

Foxy · September 19

kle4 said:

FrancisUrquhart said:
Premier League ticket black market exposed
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/articles/cwy9dlqxx2ro

Buying tickets for West Ham on the black market...I bet the touts have 1000s of those things that they can't give away.
I assumed black market ticket sales was something everyone was aware of and just ignored.

The switch to electronic tickets is supposedly driven by security issues, knowing who was in particular seats. There was some trouble at a Leicester away game some years ago, and the Leicester fans arrested had bought tickets of other supporters (who in turn kept the away points that give priority for other matches). Hence we are lumbered with electronic tickets, which are much harder to share. It used to be a physical card, so when Fox Jr couldn't make a match I would borrow his card and take a friend. Now the electronic tickets can only be resold via the club, or forwarded to someone who has a paid membership and then only limited times. It used to be common to share season tickets within a family as 2 tickets is much more affordable than a half dozen, but that no longer works.

DecrepiterJohnL · September 19

Sandpit said:

FrancisUrquhart said:

another_richard said:
Not good:

Borrowing – the difference between total public sector spending and income – was £18.0 billion in August 2025; this was £3.5 billion more than in August 2024 and the highest August borrowing for five years.

Borrowing in the financial year to August 2025 was £83.8 billion; this was £16.2 billion more than in the same five-month period of 2024 and the second-highest April to August borrowing since monthly records began in 1993, after that of 2020.

https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/governmentpublicsectorandtaxes/publicsectorfinance/bulletins/publicsectorfinances/august2025
the prediction from OBR in March was for it to be £72.4bn
What’s £11,400,000,000 between friends?

Oi. Don't diss the OBR. Liz Truss dissed the OBR. Liz Who? Exactly. (If you can use that word in conjunction with OBR's random guesswork.)

kle4 · September 19

Sandpit said:

kle4 said:

Sandpit said:
Ed Miliband, just about the only minister with ideas, the problem being that every one of them makes the country worse off.
The growth and planning agenda seems haphazardly applied (at best), with Ed portrayed as the chief blocker.
There’s so much they could be doing that doesn’t cost money or that generates more income over time, such as getting housebuilding moving with planning and building regulation reform.

Taking on the NIMBY public wasnt easy anyway - now the polls are in the doldrums they won't bother. The chance has been missed.

Boris went the same way. Could have reworked proposals with his majority but just abandoned it.

Social care reform will be the same.

Foxy · September 19

SandyRentool said:

DavidL said:

TheScreamingEagles said:
Blimey, what on earth is going on in North Britain?

Douglas Ross accuses SNP minister of assaulting him at parliament

Conservative MSP Douglas Ross has accused a Scottish government minister of physically assaulting him in parliament.

The former Tory leader claimed Parliamentary Business Minister Jamie Hepburn attacked him as he left the chamber on Wednesday, after the pair had clashed over the scheduling of a summit to discuss "out of control" seagulls.

Hepburn said he put his hand on Ross's shoulder and that he "used a few choice words I shouldn't have", adding: "That's it."

Police said they had advised Ross over the confrontation, though he had not made an official complaint.

Hepburn told reporters: "I will freely fess up to things I've done, but I will not apologise for things I've not done.

"I am clearly sorry I conducted myself in the fashion that I did and I recognise that I let myself down but that is the extent of it.

"Some of what has been suggested does not tally with the reality."

Hepburn declined to answer questions on whether he had breached the ministerial code or whether the first minister continued to have confidence in him.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgjey1xz21o
In an argument over seagulls. Says everything you ever need to know about the Scottish Parliament.
They got in a flap over it.

Someone acting out of Tern?

Sandpit · September 19

Foxy said:

kle4 said:

FrancisUrquhart said:
Premier League ticket black market exposed
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/articles/cwy9dlqxx2ro

Buying tickets for West Ham on the black market...I bet the touts have 1000s of those things that they can't give away.
I assumed black market ticket sales was something everyone was aware of and just ignored.
The switch to electronic tickets is supposedly driven by security issues, knowing who was in particular seats. There was some trouble at a Leicester away game some years ago, and the Leicester fans arrested had bought tickets of other supporters (who in turn kept the away points that give priority for other matches). Hence we are lumbered with electronic tickets, which are much harder to share. It used to be a physical card, so when Fox Jr couldn't make a match I would borrow his card and take a friend. Now the electronic tickets can only be resold via the club, or forwarded to someone who has a paid membership and then only limited times. It used to be common to share season tickets within a family as 2 tickets is much more affordable than a half dozen, but that no longer works.

The trick there is to get a £50 Android phone, that exists purely as the physical embodiment of the electronic ticket.

DecrepiterJohnL · September 19

The Indian summer is almost over.
Today 25°C, tomorrow 21°C, rest of the week, 16°C

Nigelb · September 19

pm215 said:

RochdalePioneers said:

JosiasJessop said:
I think Miliband would do a better political job than Starmer. He has some communication skills (unlike Starmer...), experience, seemingly some backing within the party, and at least some ideas, again unlike Starmer. Even if I think many of those ideas are wrong-headed, at least he has ideas.

I very much doubt he's be able to win a GE though. He's a steady-the-ship candidate. If the ship hasn't already sunk by the time he gets the job.
As I have said on my Emergency Podcast show (on YouTube/X/TT) I think Labour have already lost the next election. So steady the ship to stymie the losses makes sense once Starmer inevitably resigns.

Labour need to do one very simple thing: throw a load of money into communities. Like tomorrow. Get councils pulling up weeds and filling potholes and opening pop-up shops to get trading back onto high streets and restoring all of the stuff that is crumbling to nothing. And pose people a very simple question - do you really want Reform to take all of this away?
The difficulty with that strategy is: where are you going to get the money to throw into those communities? There's a reason that all that not-absolutely-mandatory local council stuff has been being squeezed for a decade or more now, which is that it's been easier to do that than to either reconfigure the tax take to get more in, or address the demographics driven rising health and welfare spending, or invest long term in infrastructure and training to improve our growth rate.

I do agree that the steady reduction in perceived quality of life that all those little local cheeseparings have brought about is one of the drivers of discontent and of Reform. But you can't at this point call spending the money to fix this "simple".

The other point is that stuff like "pop up shops" is somewhere between short term palliative and Potemkin village.

Regeneration of town centres requires turning them into something new. The old high street isn't coming back.

RochdalePioneers · September 19

FrancisUrquhart said:

RochdalePioneers said:

JosiasJessop said:
I think Miliband would do a better political job than Starmer. He has some communication skills (unlike Starmer...), experience, seemingly some backing within the party, and at least some ideas, again unlike Starmer. Even if I think many of those ideas are wrong-headed, at least he has ideas.

I very much doubt he's be able to win a GE though. He's a steady-the-ship candidate. If the ship hasn't already sunk by the time he gets the job.
As I have said on my Emergency Podcast show (on YouTube/X/TT) I think Labour have already lost the next election. So steady the ship to stymie the losses makes sense once Starmer inevitably resigns.

Labour need to do one very simple thing: throw a load of money into communities. Like tomorrow. Get councils pulling up weeds and filling potholes and opening pop-up shops to get trading back onto high streets and restoring all of the stuff that is crumbling to nothing. And pose people a very simple question - do you really want Reform to take all of this away?
You don't think there is a chance Labour could pull off what happened in Canada?

Sure - with some political balls and vision. I've just set out one way to do it. The other is the @Leon route which I'm also advocating on EP - call a referendum on Europe.

I don't think Labour will do anything positive because after 15 months in office they already look broken.

Theuniondivvie · September 19

kle4 said:

Theuniondivvie said:

TheScreamingEagles said:
Blimey, what on earth is going on in North Britain?

Douglas Ross accuses SNP minister of assaulting him at parliament

Conservative MSP Douglas Ross has accused a Scottish government minister of physically assaulting him in parliament.

The former Tory leader claimed Parliamentary Business Minister Jamie Hepburn attacked him as he left the chamber on Wednesday, after the pair had clashed over the scheduling of a summit to discuss "out of control" seagulls.

Hepburn said he put his hand on Ross's shoulder and that he "used a few choice words I shouldn't have", adding: "That's it."

Police said they had advised Ross over the confrontation, though he had not made an official complaint.

Hepburn told reporters: "I will freely fess up to things I've done, but I will not apologise for things I've not done.

"I am clearly sorry I conducted myself in the fashion that I did and I recognise that I let myself down but that is the extent of it.

"Some of what has been suggested does not tally with the reality."

Hepburn declined to answer questions on whether he had breached the ministerial code or whether the first minister continued to have confidence in him.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgjey1xz21o
It’s comparatively rare in life that someone who looks and sounds like a clypey, whining, little bitch turns out to be a clypey whining, little bitch.

Hepburn apologised for using ‘industrious’ language. I assume he meant industrial, but I too would be industrious in calling Ross a ****** ********** little *****.
If Ross says he was assaulted he needs to officially report it as such, you cannot cry assault as a politician if making no formal complaint imo.

He could say Hepburn was very inappropriate and a dick perhaps, but claim actual physical assault, well, that requires escalation and action to back it up.

Presumably Ross didn’t escalate it to an official complaint once the polis told him nipping and hair pulling were almost impossible to prove as elements of assault.

nico67 · September 19

AnneJGP said:
I reckon Ed Miliband might be a good choice. He's had quite a while to reflect on what he could have done differently, he's been discreet and supportive since he stepped down, and I always believed he only entered that leadership election to make it clear he had a claim to a shadow post in his own right if his brother won.

If David Miliband had won the Tories wouldn’t have got a majority in 2015 . What he could have done differently was not to be a backstabbing Judas .

Sean_F · September 19

Battlebus said:
The lure of such a large majority while not having to go to the electorate must be a wet dream for some sections of the labour party. And yesterday's YP/Sultanas debacle, shows what a new ideological Labour government would be like.

If the Ed movement has momentum (?), the odds of the Conservatives forming the next government would be interesting. I'm discounting a Reform government for the obvious reason that their foray into Local Government will expose how daft they are. So daft, they could give Ed a run for his money.

The proportion of the electorate who will vote, in the GE, on the basis of local government record, is very small.

StillWaters · September 19

TheScreamingEagles said:

kle4 said:
Ed M's ambition and persistence, sticking around at the top of the party after defeat and still hunting for the top job, demonstrates why he had 10x more leadership skills than David.

He's yesterday's msn though, he needs to let it go.
That kind of talk doesn't help my bet!

It probably does…

With all due respect to @kle4 his views are unlikely to impact the outcome - but they might make the price cheaper so you can get more on…

StillWaters · September 19

Stuartinromford said:

Big_G_NorthWales said:
Good morning

Miliband has a lot of support in Labour but not sure about the wider public

He is also a supporter of Lucy Powell
In the short term, that doesn't matter. The wider public will have their say.... in 2029.

Have to say, it's not clear why there's all the Millihate. He does seem to be doing the right sort of things with reasonable oomph.

He lost in 2015 because he didn't look or aound like a PM, and I'm not convinced he does now. Would that change if he were PM? A bit, surely, but enough?

What are these “right sort of things”?

StillWaters · September 19

JosiasJessop said:
I think Miliband would do a better political job than Starmer. He has some communication skills (unlike Starmer...), experience, seemingly some backing within the party, and at least some ideas, again unlike Starmer. Even if I think many of those ideas are wrong-headed, at least he has ideas.

I very much doubt he's be able to win a GE though. He's a steady-the-ship candidate. If the ship hasn't already sunk by the time he gets the job.

But can he eat a bacon sandwich?

kle4 · September 19

nico67 said:

AnneJGP said:
I reckon Ed Miliband might be a good choice. He's had quite a while to reflect on what he could have done differently, he's been discreet and supportive since he stepped down, and I always believed he only entered that leadership election to make it clear he had a claim to a shadow post in his own right if his brother won.
If David Miliband had won the Tories wouldn’t have got a majority in 2015 . What he could have done differently was not to be a backstabbing Judas .

He did nothing wrong in standing.

StillWaters · September 19

Theuniondivvie said:
Schumer substituting competency and effectiveness with a sweary word.

https://x.com/senschumer/status/1968815321185227226?s=61&t=LYVEHh2mqFy1oUJAdCfe-Q

A) he’s right

the whole point of swearing is that, used occasionally, it emphasises the point in way that more conventional words do not
C) this is one of those occasions where swearing is entirely justified

RochdalePioneers · September 19

Theuniondivvie said:

TheScreamingEagles said:
Blimey, what on earth is going on in North Britain?

Douglas Ross accuses SNP minister of assaulting him at parliament

Conservative MSP Douglas Ross has accused a Scottish government minister of physically assaulting him in parliament.

The former Tory leader claimed Parliamentary Business Minister Jamie Hepburn attacked him as he left the chamber on Wednesday, after the pair had clashed over the scheduling of a summit to discuss "out of control" seagulls.

Hepburn said he put his hand on Ross's shoulder and that he "used a few choice words I shouldn't have", adding: "That's it."

Police said they had advised Ross over the confrontation, though he had not made an official complaint.

Hepburn told reporters: "I will freely fess up to things I've done, but I will not apologise for things I've not done.

"I am clearly sorry I conducted myself in the fashion that I did and I recognise that I let myself down but that is the extent of it.

"Some of what has been suggested does not tally with the reality."

Hepburn declined to answer questions on whether he had breached the ministerial code or whether the first minister continued to have confidence in him.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgjey1xz21o
It’s comparatively rare in life that someone who looks and sounds like a clypey, whining, little bitch turns out to be a clypey whining, little bitch.

Hepburn apologised for using ‘industrious’ language. I assume he meant industrial, but I too would be industrious in calling Ross a ****** ********** little *****.

I sat next to Dross for an hour in 2024 on a hustings stage. Politically he was trying to get out of pretty much everything he'd said and his party had done. Then again, we had an agreement backstage not to politicise the Gaza issue as protestors were in. Ross and I stuck to it, Logan didn't. So Dross and I had endless fun barracking Logan about it for the rest of the hustings.

kle4 · September 19

StillWaters said:

JosiasJessop said:
I think Miliband would do a better political job than Starmer. He has some communication skills (unlike Starmer...), experience, seemingly some backing within the party, and at least some ideas, again unlike Starmer. Even if I think many of those ideas are wrong-headed, at least he has ideas.

I very much doubt he's be able to win a GE though. He's a steady-the-ship candidate. If the ship hasn't already sunk by the time he gets the job.
But can he eat a bacon sandwich?

And is he tough enough?

Stark_Dawning · September 19

Does anyone remember Gordon Brown's fabled 'war chest': a huge stash of billions upon billions of pounds that Gordon could draw upon to ameliorate any political difficulty? I don't recall it ever being used, so does it still exist, if so where is it, and can someone give it to Rachel?

Sandpit · September 19

kle4 said:

Sandpit said:

kle4 said:

Sandpit said:
Ed Miliband, just about the only minister with ideas, the problem being that every one of them makes the country worse off.
The growth and planning agenda seems haphazardly applied (at best), with Ed portrayed as the chief blocker.
There’s so much they could be doing that doesn’t cost money or that generates more income over time, such as getting housebuilding moving with planning and building regulation reform.
Taking on the NIMBY public wasnt easy anyway - now the polls are in the doldrums they won't bother. The chance has been missed.

Boris went the same way. Could have reworked proposals with his majority but just abandoned it.

Social care reform will be the same.

It does appear to be a case of no matter who you vote for the government always gets in.

Which usually ends up with a radical in charge at some point, with a clear mandate to make significant changes. It might be a Farage or a Corbyn, but could easily be someone more extreme if governments continue to just tread water and ignore significant issues affecting the electorate.

Theuniondivvie · September 19

RochdalePioneers said:

Theuniondivvie said:

TheScreamingEagles said:
Blimey, what on earth is going on in North Britain?

Douglas Ross accuses SNP minister of assaulting him at parliament

Conservative MSP Douglas Ross has accused a Scottish government minister of physically assaulting him in parliament.

The former Tory leader claimed Parliamentary Business Minister Jamie Hepburn attacked him as he left the chamber on Wednesday, after the pair had clashed over the scheduling of a summit to discuss "out of control" seagulls.

Hepburn said he put his hand on Ross's shoulder and that he "used a few choice words I shouldn't have", adding: "That's it."

Police said they had advised Ross over the confrontation, though he had not made an official complaint.

Hepburn told reporters: "I will freely fess up to things I've done, but I will not apologise for things I've not done.

"I am clearly sorry I conducted myself in the fashion that I did and I recognise that I let myself down but that is the extent of it.

"Some of what has been suggested does not tally with the reality."

Hepburn declined to answer questions on whether he had breached the ministerial code or whether the first minister continued to have confidence in him.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgjey1xz21o
It’s comparatively rare in life that someone who looks and sounds like a clypey, whining, little bitch turns out to be a clypey whining, little bitch.

Hepburn apologised for using ‘industrious’ language. I assume he meant industrial, but I too would be industrious in calling Ross a ****** ********** little *****.

Theuniondivvie said:

TheScreamingEagles said:
Blimey, what on earth is going on in North Britain?

Douglas Ross accuses SNP minister of assaulting him at parliament

Conservative MSP Douglas Ross has accused a Scottish government minister of physically assaulting him in parliament.

The former Tory leader claimed Parliamentary Business Minister Jamie Hepburn attacked him as he left the chamber on Wednesday, after the pair had clashed over the scheduling of a summit to discuss "out of control" seagulls.

Hepburn said he put his hand on Ross's shoulder and that he "used a few choice words I shouldn't have", adding: "That's it."

Police said they had advised Ross over the confrontation, though he had not made an official complaint.

Hepburn told reporters: "I will freely fess up to things I've done, but I will not apologise for things I've not done.

"I am clearly sorry I conducted myself in the fashion that I did and I recognise that I let myself down but that is the extent of it.

"Some of what has been suggested does not tally with the reality."

Hepburn declined to answer questions on whether he had breached the ministerial code or whether the first minister continued to have confidence in him.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgjey1xz21o
It’s comparatively rare in life that someone who looks and sounds like a clypey, whining, little bitch turns out to be a clypey whining, little bitch.

Hepburn apologised for using ‘industrious’ language. I assume he meant industrial, but I too would be industrious in calling Ross a ****** ********** little *****.
I sat next to Dross for an hour in 2024 on a hustings stage. Politically he was trying to get out of pretty much everything he'd said and his party had done. Then again, we had an agreement backstage not to politicise the Gaza issue as protestors were in. Ross and I stuck to it, Logan didn't. So Dross and I had endless fun barracking Logan about it for the rest of the hustings.

I’m sure a Tory/Libdem tag team went down well on the doorsteps and must have resulted in the vile Nat losing.

BartholomewRoberts · September 19

Sandpit said:

another_richard said:
Not good:

Borrowing – the difference between total public sector spending and income – was £18.0 billion in August 2025; this was £3.5 billion more than in August 2024 and the highest August borrowing for five years.

Borrowing in the financial year to August 2025 was £83.8 billion; this was £16.2 billion more than in the same five-month period of 2024 and the second-highest April to August borrowing since monthly records began in 1993, after that of 2020.

https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/governmentpublicsectorandtaxes/publicsectorfinance/bulletins/publicsectorfinances/august2025
Maybe they should have actually raised taxes last Budget, rather than tinkering around the edges with stuff like farmers’ inheritances and private school VAT?

They did raise taxes last year, dramatically.

Problem is they raised the very worst possible tax to increase.

National Insurance is only payable by those actually working, or those actually creating jobs. Something we want to encourage, not discourage.

We heavily penalise paid employment by taxing it far, far more than unearned incomes, which is the polar opposite of what we should be doing - and Labour made that differential worse, with inevitable consequences.

By increasing taxes on productive employment, we've seen a slowdown in the economy, shock horror, which worsens the Budget.

We should be lowering and seeking to abolish National Insurance and equalising taxes between earned and unearned incomes, which would be Budget-friendly without trashing the economy.

RochdalePioneers · September 19

pm215 said:

RochdalePioneers said:

JosiasJessop said:
I think Miliband would do a better political job than Starmer. He has some communication skills (unlike Starmer...), experience, seemingly some backing within the party, and at least some ideas, again unlike Starmer. Even if I think many of those ideas are wrong-headed, at least he has ideas.

I very much doubt he's be able to win a GE though. He's a steady-the-ship candidate. If the ship hasn't already sunk by the time he gets the job.
As I have said on my Emergency Podcast show (on YouTube/X/TT) I think Labour have already lost the next election. So steady the ship to stymie the losses makes sense once Starmer inevitably resigns.

Labour need to do one very simple thing: throw a load of money into communities. Like tomorrow. Get councils pulling up weeds and filling potholes and opening pop-up shops to get trading back onto high streets and restoring all of the stuff that is crumbling to nothing. And pose people a very simple question - do you really want Reform to take all of this away?
The difficulty with that strategy is: where are you going to get the money to throw into those communities? There's a reason that all that not-absolutely-mandatory local council stuff has been being squeezed for a decade or more now, which is that it's been easier to do that than to either reconfigure the tax take to get more in, or address the demographics driven rising health and welfare spending, or invest long term in infrastructure and training to improve our growth rate.

I do agree that the steady reduction in perceived quality of life that all those little local cheeseparings have brought about is one of the drivers of discontent and of Reform. But you can't at this point call spending the money to fix this "simple".

It is simple - we bonfire cash all the time. Simply redirect some of it onto a different bonfire. A scottish example - we're about to have 20mph limits come into effect on Monday. A national strategy where the government imposed the directive and gave councils funding with a "you must" requirement.

Residents largely don't want the speed limits and cannot understand how this is a priority. Worse, councils have had to stop spending on other things to deliver this government project.

So how would Labour do it? Pull funding from whatever daft national strategy you like, and direct councils to go at it.

When areas look run down, the economy runs down. So tarting everything up and getting people to participate in their local community will drive economic growth.

StillWaters · September 19

another_richard said:
Not good:

Borrowing – the difference between total public sector spending and income – was £18.0 billion in August 2025; this was £3.5 billion more than in August 2024 and the highest August borrowing for five years.

Borrowing in the financial year to August 2025 was £83.8 billion; this was £16.2 billion more than in the same five-month period of 2024 and the second-highest April to August borrowing since monthly records began in 1993, after that of 2020.

https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/governmentpublicsectorandtaxes/publicsectorfinance/bulletins/publicsectorfinances/august2025

But it’s all the Tories’ fault apparently

Sandpit · September 19

Stark_Dawning said:
Does anyone remember Gordon Brown's fabled 'war chest': a huge stash of billions upon billions of pounds that Gordon could draw upon to ameliorate any political difficulty? I don't recall it ever being used, so does it still exist, if so where is it, and can someone give it to Rachel?

I hear that the gold price is up quite a bit in the past few years, perhaps there’s still some of that hiding in the Bank of England?

Andy_JS · September 19

Dopermean said:
FT article on Britannia's 4 star luxury asylum hotels, "The crumbling seaside palaces at the centre of Britain's asylum crisis"
https://www.ft.com/content/706898a7-5b93-40cb-9c16-a8f90f88c0a3

"The number of hotels has more than halved since its peak under the last Conservative government. "
"Britannia hotels around the country have been fined repeatedly on public protection grounds, from food hygiene to asbestos breaches"
"Which? reported Britannia’s Docklands hotel for “horrendous” fire-safety breaches. Two months later the magazine’s representatives returned and found some aspects were worse"

If Leon really wants them closed down, he should be pursuing them on health and safety grounds.

Funny how you weren't concerned about the hotel when it was being used to house ordinary guests for many years.

rkrkrk · September 19

nico67 said:

AnneJGP said:
I reckon Ed Miliband might be a good choice. He's had quite a while to reflect on what he could have done differently, he's been discreet and supportive since he stepped down, and I always believed he only entered that leadership election to make it clear he had a claim to a shadow post in his own right if his brother won.
If David Miliband had won the Tories wouldn’t have got a majority in 2015 . What he could have done differently was not to be a backstabbing Judas .

I suspect this is one reason why Ed can't unite the Labour Party.
There's a widespread but to my mind completely bizarre belief that his older brother had the right to be leader and it was somehow a betrayal to stand in an open contest.

Sandpit · September 19

BartholomewRoberts said:

Sandpit said:

another_richard said:
Not good:

Borrowing – the difference between total public sector spending and income – was £18.0 billion in August 2025; this was £3.5 billion more than in August 2024 and the highest August borrowing for five years.

Borrowing in the financial year to August 2025 was £83.8 billion; this was £16.2 billion more than in the same five-month period of 2024 and the second-highest April to August borrowing since monthly records began in 1993, after that of 2020.

https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/governmentpublicsectorandtaxes/publicsectorfinance/bulletins/publicsectorfinances/august2025
Maybe they should have actually raised taxes last Budget, rather than tinkering around the edges with stuff like farmers’ inheritances and private school VAT?
They did raise taxes last year, dramatically.

Problem is they raised the very worst possible tax to increase.

National Insurance is only payable by those actually working, or those actually creating jobs. Something we want to encourage, not discourage.

We heavily penalise paid employment by taxing it far, far more than unearned incomes, which is the polar opposite of what we should be doing - and Labour made that differential worse, with inevitable consequences.

By increasing taxes on productive employment, we've seen a slowdown in the economy, shock horror, which worsens the Budget.

We should be lowering and seeking to abolish National Insurance and equalising taxes between earned and unearned incomes, which would be Budget-friendly without trashing the economy.

They may have raised some tax rates, but if the deficit is getting wider they’re not raising tax income to match spending.

Arthur Laffer wins again.

Gallowgate · September 19

StillWaters said:

another_richard said:
Not good:

Borrowing – the difference between total public sector spending and income – was £18.0 billion in August 2025; this was £3.5 billion more than in August 2024 and the highest August borrowing for five years.

Borrowing in the financial year to August 2025 was £83.8 billion; this was £16.2 billion more than in the same five-month period of 2024 and the second-highest April to August borrowing since monthly records began in 1993, after that of 2020.

https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/governmentpublicsectorandtaxes/publicsectorfinance/bulletins/publicsectorfinances/august2025
But it’s all the Tories’ fault apparently

Yup

My 100/1 tip on Ed Miliband is looking good – politicalbetting.com

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