The junior doctors are really biting the hand that feeds aren't they?
I think their behaviour has been outrageous . They know full well that the government doesn’t have any more money for a wage increase . There are many workers that would like to see their salaries recover from 2008 . They got close to 30% over 2 years and have chucked that in the face of the government.
I seem to recall someone suggested standing up to their demands - Sunny? Sunax? Something like that.
He did say that if you gave in, they would be back for more.
Is that the chap who was paying them £3k per shift as agency workers covering strikes to avoid a £3k per year payrise?
This ignores the effect of compounding , of course. The pay rise is there, and compounds for the rest of their career as well as other costs of employment on top.
The shift cost total is a one off hit . The implication is he should,give the money grabbers the 3 grand as he’s giving it to agency workers but it is not like for like
The junior doctors are really biting the hand that feeds aren't they?
I think their behaviour has been outrageous . They know full well that the government doesn’t have any more money for a wage increase . There are many workers that would like to see their salaries recover from 2008 . They got close to 30% over 2 years and have chucked that in the face of the government.
I seem to recall someone suggested standing up to their demands - Sunny? Sunax? Something like that.
He did say that if you gave in, they would be back for more.
If you can ignore the cost it's quite amusing to listen to Labour ministers voicing the same complaints and sounding as exasperated as their Tory predecessors.
Tony Blair & Co. went from criticising banning Gerry Adams from speaking to wanting indefinite internment without trial. In a couple of years.
Then signed the Good Friday agreement with them.
Negotiations are how these things get settled.
Streetings latest offer on jobs etc is a definite step forward. If he offered to at least match inflation on pay for the next years then I think the strikes would be off.
Not that there was much turnout for the last one, and I don't think they will pass the mandate needed for a renewal of strikes.
When I were a lad, we were told that Russia was our enemy and the USA was our friend. Some of us thought that wasn’t true, but I never thought I’d see the day when they were both our enemies.
Is America more of an enemy than it was during the Suez crisis?
Yes. The US is now aligned with a nation that threatens us continuously. We should be preparing today for the US to leave NATO. We should expect that in time that US will be actively hostile to most European nations including the UK.
If you put the rhetoric to one side, they're no more aligned with Russia than continental European countries were when they were busy building Nordsteam and filling the Russian elite's bank accounts.
It would be a big mistake to regard a less ideological America as an enemy.
When I were a lad, we were told that Russia was our enemy and the USA was our friend. Some of us thought that wasn’t true, but I never thought I’d see the day when they were both our enemies.
Is America more of an enemy than it was during the Suez crisis?
Yes.
How? Suez also had the element of siding with Russia against us, so it can't be that.
I cannot be arsed with your twatabouttery when it comes to this.
The last time I felt this foreboding was in the Cuban crisis in 1962
Maybe Trump will withdraw from NATO with everything that could follow
At our ages my wife and I look on todays divisions and really do fear for our grandchildren futures
Yet we face a Russian military which has failed to defeat Ukraine and can't even reach Kharkiv from its own border and we are expected to believe it will roll from Poland to Paris.
That's not to be complacent by any means and the nature of war is evolving (as it always has) and the cyber attack is likely to be the devastating open gambit aimed at paralysing our lives dependent as they are on the "systems" which feed us, clothe us and keep us warm.
Yes, clearly the threat from Russia is more subtle than an armed invasion. Their military cannot take a Dontesk mining town, and its Black Sea fleet is had to retreat from a country with no navy. Its airforce launches stand off missiles from well within Russia because it cannot get air supremacy even over Ukraine.
The threat is Cyberwarfare, drones (like we have seen in a number of recent incidents here and in Ireland, and most of all from corrupt/traitorous British politicians.
It is GCHQ that needs investment more than the formal military.
Russia bankrolls politicians, both through direct bribery, and through giving jobs as pundits on Russia Today.
It fosters division through its troll farms.
Defeating Russia in Ukraine is not just about freeing Ukrainians, it is also about preventing Russia from continuing to interfere and poison political discourse.
Now, can I guarantee that if Putin falls, then we'll get someone more palatable? Nope. But we also know that Russia's economy, for the first time, is really struggling, thanks to a combination of Ukrainian strikes on oil infrastructure, a low (and falling) global oil price, and the fact that 40% of the government budget is now being spent on the military.
If the Europeans can take Russian assets and use them to pay for Ukrainian defence, while continuing to build up alternative supplies of energy, then I doubt the Russians will have the financial wherewithal to be as interfering as they had been.
It's grim. The only slightly amusing outcome would be if Hungary peeled off from the EU and the other three countries didn't follow it.
Orban is largely kept in power by the Hungarian diaspora vote, particularly in adjacent countries that it still has territorial ambitions on for a "Greater Hungary".
When I were a lad, we were told that Russia was our enemy and the USA was our friend. Some of us thought that wasn’t true, but I never thought I’d see the day when they were both our enemies.
Not true. The US is not our enemy.
Yes they are.
They might not be our enemy but they are no longer Europe’s friend.
They're not an enemy as in planning to invade and occupy. But you need that high bar of definition to escape the word.
When I were a lad, we were told that Russia was our enemy and the USA was our friend. Some of us thought that wasn’t true, but I never thought I’d see the day when they were both our enemies.
Is America more of an enemy than it was during the Suez crisis?
Yes. The US is now aligned with a nation that threatens us continuously. We should be preparing today for the US to leave NATO. We should expect that in time that US will be actively hostile to most European nations including the UK.
If you put the rhetoric to one side, they're no more aligned with Russia than continental European countries were when they were busy building Nordsteam and filling the Russian elite's bank accounts.
It would be a big mistake to regard a less ideological America as an enemy.
Let us know when a less ideological US turns up.
It's here already. It's shifted away from proselytising liberal globalism to a pragmatic focus on interests.
The junior doctors are really biting the hand that feeds aren't they?
I think their behaviour has been outrageous . They know full well that the government doesn’t have any more money for a wage increase . There are many workers that would like to see their salaries recover from 2008 . They got close to 30% over 2 years and have chucked that in the face of the government.
I seem to recall someone suggested standing up to their demands - Sunny? Sunax? Something like that.
He did say that if you gave in, they would be back for more.
Is that the chap who was paying them £3k per shift as agency workers covering strikes to avoid a £3k per year payrise?
This ignores the effect of compounding , of course. The pay rise is there, and compounds for the rest of their career as well as other costs of employment on top.
The shift cost total is a one off hit . The implication is he should,give the money grabbers the 3 grand as he’s giving it to agency workers but it is not like for like
It is not a one off when they were striking 20-30 days a year......
When I were a lad, we were told that Russia was our enemy and the USA was our friend. Some of us thought that wasn’t true, but I never thought I’d see the day when they were both our enemies.
Is America more of an enemy than it was during the Suez crisis?
Yes. The US is now aligned with a nation that threatens us continuously. We should be preparing today for the US to leave NATO. We should expect that in time that US will be actively hostile to most European nations including the UK.
If you put the rhetoric to one side, they're no more aligned with Russia than continental European countries were when they were busy building Nordsteam and filling the Russian elite's bank accounts.
It would be a big mistake to regard a less ideological America as an enemy.
Let us know when a less ideological US turns up.
It's here already. It's shifted away from proselytising liberal globalism to a pragmatic focus on interests.
When I were a lad, we were told that Russia was our enemy and the USA was our friend. Some of us thought that wasn’t true, but I never thought I’d see the day when they were both our enemies.
Not true. The US is not our enemy.
Questionable.
The one thing preventing a definitive break with the US in my view is it's quite likely there will be a political reaction in the medium item by US political elites against the MAGA chaos. That faction will likely want to re-establish institutions like NATO. Europe should be ready for that eventuality.
In the meantime we're on our own against a hostile United States.
The junior doctors are really biting the hand that feeds aren't they?
I think their behaviour has been outrageous . They know full well that the government doesn’t have any more money for a wage increase . There are many workers that would like to see their salaries recover from 2008 . They got close to 30% over 2 years and have chucked that in the face of the government.
I seem to recall someone suggested standing up to their demands - Sunny? Sunax? Something like that.
He did say that if you gave in, they would be back for more.
Is that the chap who was paying them £3k per shift as agency workers covering strikes to avoid a £3k per year payrise?
This ignores the effect of compounding , of course. The pay rise is there, and compounds for the rest of their career as well as other costs of employment on top.
The shift cost total is a one off hit . The implication is he should,give the money grabbers the 3 grand as he’s giving it to agency workers but it is not like for like
It is not a one off when they were striking 20-30 days a year......
As a total, I said.
It is a non recurring cost whereas the pay rise is paid for every year and compounds.
When I were a lad, we were told that Russia was our enemy and the USA was our friend. Some of us thought that wasn’t true, but I never thought I’d see the day when they were both our enemies.
Is America more of an enemy than it was during the Suez crisis?
Yes. The US is now aligned with a nation that threatens us continuously. We should be preparing today for the US to leave NATO. We should expect that in time that US will be actively hostile to most European nations including the UK.
If you put the rhetoric to one side, they're no more aligned with Russia than continental European countries were when they were busy building Nordsteam and filling the Russian elite's bank accounts.
It would be a big mistake to regard a less ideological America as an enemy.
Let us know when a less ideological US turns up.
It's here already. It's shifted away from proselytising liberal globalism to a pragmatic focus on interests.
"Leaked files ‘show US wants to persuade four nations to leave EU’
The countries seen as targets to follow Brexit are Austria, Hungary, Italy and Poland, according to leaked details of the US national security strategy"
That's a USA Christian Nationalist geopolitical theme, which I heard some months ago from a USA commentator suggesting that from analysing the views of someone like Scott Bessant or Eldridge Colby or JD Vance. But I can't put a name to the commentator. It was discussed in the Ukraine the Latest podcast earlier.
It is based on their idea that UK France Germany Sweden etc are going Islamist in 30 years or so (obvious nuts, but they ARE nuts), and that to contain Russia they need an Eastern chain of still-Christian (ie still white) countries from N-S along the borders of Russia - so Poland etc. And then they can ignore anything West of that.
It is BS because their analysis of Europe is based on their assumptions themselves based on USA white nationalist culture - like the nostrums about no free speech in Europe, London the Islamist city because it has a Muslim mayor about whom Trump has tantrums, abortion being an existential evil and so on.
They take their own commonplaces viewed from inside the Usonian silo too seriously, but Yanks always have done.
It will fail because the Eastern Europeans know that Europe requires unity throughout, and we can't afford to be divided - even if in their view Western Europeans sit on our arses.
In re prsevious thread: the blessed Professor Curtis has spoken.
Basically much as before, only Labour going down more quickly.
Well, I knew there had to be someone who subscribes to McPravda as it is "affectionately" known.
All the same interesting prognosis, tho I couldnt see more than the headline. Due, presumably, to SNP holding their constituencies against divided opposition, and SNP voters switching to Green on the list.
Perhaps less likely to be pro-Indy majority in terms of actual voting numbers though?
The junior doctors are really biting the hand that feeds aren't they?
I think their behaviour has been outrageous . They know full well that the government doesn’t have any more money for a wage increase . There are many workers that would like to see their salaries recover from 2008 . They got close to 30% over 2 years and have chucked that in the face of the government.
I seem to recall someone suggested standing up to their demands - Sunny? Sunax? Something like that.
He did say that if you gave in, they would be back for more.
If you can ignore the cost it's quite amusing to listen to Labour ministers voicing the same complaints and sounding as exasperated as their Tory predecessors.
Tony Blair & Co. went from criticising banning Gerry Adams from speaking to wanting indefinite internment without trial. In a couple of years.
Then signed the Good Friday agreement with them.
Negotiations are how these things get settled.
Streetings latest offer on jobs etc is a definite step forward. If he offered to at least match inflation on pay for the next years then I think the strikes would be off.
Not that there was much turnout for the last one, and I don't think they will pass the mandate needed for a renewal of strikes.
They signed the Good Friday agreement.
Then wanted to lock up Muslims for wearing a loud shirt in a built up area.
In all seriousness the USA can no longer be regarded as a reliable ally. Some will welcome that, we need to stand on our own two feet and all that, but the transition from having alignment on most things to being openly treated like dirt by the White House - happily supported by 45-50% of Americans - is a significant change that won't go away when Trump eventually exits.
America was never a "dependable ally". When did it join WW1? WW2? When its trade interests were at risk. The idea of some paternalism by Uncle Sam to help the good people in liberal democracies is so mch BS. They attack to defend the petro-dollar as the world's reserve currency. Otherwise, they sit on their hands. Trump is just an extreme wake-up call to the rest of us.
I think that is a little extreme. By reliable I don't mean that they would have the back of the West in all cases for no benefit of their own, but we could generally expect at least that they would not genuinely prefer authoritarian states to historic democratic allies. Now they do, even if it is not in their favour. Obviously none of that is 100%, history is complicated and shitty things are done to allies from time to time, but there's real antipathy towards places like Canada and the UK that was not being shown before.
They are only intereste dwhen theuy need help or can make lots of money out of it, fairweather friends to be avoided.
When I were a lad, we were told that Russia was our enemy and the USA was our friend. Some of us thought that wasn’t true, but I never thought I’d see the day when they were both our enemies.
Is America more of an enemy than it was during the Suez crisis?
Yes.
How? Suez also had the element of siding with Russia against us, so it can't be that.
I cannot be arsed with your twatabouttery when it comes to this.
The last time I felt this foreboding was in the Cuban crisis in 1962
Maybe Trump will withdraw from NATO with everything that could follow
At our ages my wife and I look on todays divisions and really do fear for our grandchildren futures
Yet we face a Russian military which has failed to defeat Ukraine and can't even reach Kharkiv from its own border and we are expected to believe it will roll from Poland to Paris.
That's not to be complacent by any means and the nature of war is evolving (as it always has) and the cyber attack is likely to be the devastating open gambit aimed at paralysing our lives dependent as they are on the "systems" which feed us, clothe us and keep us warm.
Yes, clearly the threat from Russia is more subtle than an armed invasion. Their military cannot take a Dontesk mining town, and its Black Sea fleet is had to retreat from a country with no navy. Its airforce launches stand off missiles from well within Russia because it cannot get air supremacy even over Ukraine.
The threat is Cyberwarfare, drones (like we have seen in a number of recent incidents here and in Ireland, and most of all from corrupt/traitorous British politicians.
It is GCHQ that needs investment more than the formal military.
Russia bankrolls politicians, both through direct bribery, and through giving jobs as pundits on Russia Today.
It fosters division through its troll farms.
Defeating Russia in Ukraine is not just about freeing Ukrainians, it is also about preventing Russia from continuing to interfere and poison political discourse.
Now, can I guarantee that if Putin falls, then we'll get someone more palatable? Nope. But we also know that Russia's economy, for the first time, is really struggling, thanks to a combination of Ukrainian strikes on oil infrastructure, a low (and falling) global oil price, and the fact that 40% of the government budget is now being spent on the military.
If the Europeans can take Russian assets and use them to pay for Ukrainian defence, while continuing to build up alternative supplies of energy, then I doubt the Russians will have the financial wherewithal to be as interfering as they had been.
Your point about Russian Bot Farms and poisoning the political discourse is apt. I was looking at comments today under posts about the British soldier killed in Ukraine and the amount of posts from posters in Africa and India etc slamming us for being involved/evil colonialists/good riddance were the majority.
This is why I used to get annoyed when we had our Saturday trolls where, yes it was good to take the piss and argue them down but ultimately they could use the statements on here that we have a big Westminster following (or did) and then show comments where we slightly agreed or the arguments as propaganda to show we are divided and this site might have credibility in useful circles.
Sadly I came to the conclusion that the bots needed to be closed down immediately to avoid any benefit.
In all seriousness the USA can no longer be regarded as a reliable ally. Some will welcome that, we need to stand on our own two feet and all that, but the transition from having alignment on most things to being openly treated like dirt by the White House - happily supported by 45-50% of Americans - is a significant change that won't go away when Trump eventually exits.
America was never a "dependable ally". When did it join WW1? WW2? When its trade interests were at risk. The idea of some paternalism by Uncle Sam to help the good people in liberal democracies is so mch BS. They attack to defend the petro-dollar as the world's reserve currency. Otherwise, they sit on their hands. Trump is just an extreme wake-up call to the rest of us.
That does ignore Lend-Lease ahead of their formal entry into the war.
Lend-Lease was described on its face as "An Act to Promote the Interests of the United States".
Self-interest. A mean for America keeping its people employed.
And don't forget, Reverse Lend-Lease to the United States totalled $7.8 billion. Of this, $6.8 billion came from the British and the Commonwealth.
And it's a small but significant part of what led to postwar US tech dominance. We opened the books on our biggest technical secrets in exchange for aid.
Quite. Just gave them the jet engine afaicr.
Over the course of the wars, we sold ourselves into servitude. It has been deeply damaging, and there's been a wall of silence about it - on PB as much as anywhere else.
The junior doctors are really biting the hand that feeds aren't they?
I think their behaviour has been outrageous . They know full well that the government doesn’t have any more money for a wage increase . There are many workers that would like to see their salaries recover from 2008 . They got close to 30% over 2 years and have chucked that in the face of the government.
I seem to recall someone suggested standing up to their demands - Sunny? Sunax? Something like that.
He did say that if you gave in, they would be back for more.
Is that the chap who was paying them £3k per shift as agency workers covering strikes to avoid a £3k per year payrise?
This ignores the effect of compounding , of course. The pay rise is there, and compounds for the rest of their career as well as other costs of employment on top.
The shift cost total is a one off hit . The implication is he should,give the money grabbers the 3 grand as he’s giving it to agency workers but it is not like for like
They should be told to F Off, get 10,000 visas printed
"Leaked files ‘show US wants to persuade four nations to leave EU’
The countries seen as targets to follow Brexit are Austria, Hungary, Italy and Poland, according to leaked details of the US national security strategy"
That's a USA Christian Nationalist geopolitical theme, which I heard some months ago from a USA commentator suggesting that from analysing the views of someone like Scott Bessant or Eldridge Colby or JD Vance. But I can't put a name to the commentator. It was discussed in the Ukraine the Latest podcast earlier.
It is based on their idea that UK France Germany Sweden etc are going Islamist in 30 years or so (obvious nuts, but they ARE nuts), and that to contain Russia they need an Eastern chain of still-Christian (ie still white) countries from N-S along the borders of Russia - so Poland etc. And then they can ignore anything West of that.
It is BS because their analysis of Europe is based on their assumptions themselves based on USA white nationalist culture - like the nostrums about no free speech in Europe, London the Islamist city because it has a Muslim mayor about whom Trump has tantrums, abortion being an existential evil and so on.
They take their own commonplaces viewed from inside the Usonian silo too seriously, but Yanks always have done.
It will fail because the Eastern Europeans know that Europe requires unity throughout, and we can't afford to be divided - even if in their view Western Europeans sit on our arses.
The UK's Muslim population has grown ninefold in the past 30 years. I don't see this trend reversing. Muslim majority in 30 years seems plausible.
When I were a lad, we were told that Russia was our enemy and the USA was our friend. Some of us thought that wasn’t true, but I never thought I’d see the day when they were both our enemies.
Is America more of an enemy than it was during the Suez crisis?
Yes.
How? Suez also had the element of siding with Russia against us, so it can't be that.
I cannot be arsed with your twatabouttery when it comes to this.
The last time I felt this foreboding was in the Cuban crisis in 1962
Maybe Trump will withdraw from NATO with everything that could follow
At our ages my wife and I look on todays divisions and really do fear for our grandchildren futures
Yet we face a Russian military which has failed to defeat Ukraine and can't even reach Kharkiv from its own border and we are expected to believe it will roll from Poland to Paris.
That's not to be complacent by any means and the nature of war is evolving (as it always has) and the cyber attack is likely to be the devastating open gambit aimed at paralysing our lives dependent as they are on the "systems" which feed us, clothe us and keep us warm.
Yes, clearly the threat from Russia is more subtle than an armed invasion. Their military cannot take a Dontesk mining town, and its Black Sea fleet is had to retreat from a country with no navy. Its airforce launches stand off missiles from well within Russia because it cannot get air supremacy even over Ukraine.
The threat is Cyberwarfare, drones (like we have seen in a number of recent incidents here and in Ireland, and most of all from corrupt/traitorous British politicians.
It is GCHQ that needs investment more than the formal military.
Russia bankrolls politicians, both through direct bribery, and through giving jobs as pundits on Russia Today.
It fosters division through its troll farms.
Defeating Russia in Ukraine is not just about freeing Ukrainians, it is also about preventing Russia from continuing to interfere and poison political discourse.
Now, can I guarantee that if Putin falls, then we'll get someone more palatable? Nope. But we also know that Russia's economy, for the first time, is really struggling, thanks to a combination of Ukrainian strikes on oil infrastructure, a low (and falling) global oil price, and the fact that 40% of the government budget is now being spent on the military.
If the Europeans can take Russian assets and use them to pay for Ukrainian defence, while continuing to build up alternative supplies of energy, then I doubt the Russians will have the financial wherewithal to be as interfering as they had been.
Your point about Russian Bot Farms and poisoning the political discourse is apt. I was looking at comments today under posts about the British soldier killed in Ukraine and the amount of posts from posters in Africa and India etc slamming us for being involved/evil colonialists/good riddance were the majority.
This is why I used to get annoyed when we had our Saturday trolls where, yes it was good to take the piss and argue them down but ultimately they could use the statements on here that we have a big Westminster following (or did) and then show comments where we slightly agreed or the arguments as propaganda to show we are divided and this site might have credibility in useful circles.
Sadly I came to the conclusion that the bots needed to be closed down immediately to avoid any benefit.
In the year 2000, the UK had the 4th highest number of people in the world with internet access. We're now 18th. The reality is that the internet is much less dominated by western countries than it used to be, and many of the people reading and commenting on our news stories are foreign.
We should beware of a kind of paranoia that sees the hand of Russia behind organic changes that we can only really hope to control by adopting a Chinese approach.
No comments on this post? Don't know if confiscating Russian assets is a game changer, but it'll certainly make the Russians hopping mad. It's been a long time coming, and frankly I didn't think the EU would ever do it. I'm not normally a fan of the EU, but all credit to them if this is enacted.
World Cup ticket prices 'monumental betrayal' Supporters hoping to attend next year's World Cup final face paying vast prices, with tickets in the 'supporter value tier' starting at £3,119 https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c80x38e04yro
Is that for the games in the USA or for all of them?
Here’s the prices for the England World Cup soccer matches.
I cannot post the pic as I’ve had mine for the day.
Is anybody going to go at these prices to watch something that will be live to air? I think we are going to have a WC of empty stadiums and no atmosphere.
When I were a lad, we were told that Russia was our enemy and the USA was our friend. Some of us thought that wasn’t true, but I never thought I’d see the day when they were both our enemies.
Is America more of an enemy than it was during the Suez crisis?
Yes.
How? Suez also had the element of siding with Russia against us, so it can't be that.
I cannot be arsed with your twatabouttery when it comes to this.
The last time I felt this foreboding was in the Cuban crisis in 1962
Maybe Trump will withdraw from NATO with everything that could follow
At our ages my wife and I look on todays divisions and really do fear for our grandchildren futures
Yet we face a Russian military which has failed to defeat Ukraine and can't even reach Kharkiv from its own border and we are expected to believe it will roll from Poland to Paris.
That's not to be complacent by any means and the nature of war is evolving (as it always has) and the cyber attack is likely to be the devastating open gambit aimed at paralysing our lives dependent as they are on the "systems" which feed us, clothe us and keep us warm.
Yes, clearly the threat from Russia is more subtle than an armed invasion. Their military cannot take a Dontesk mining town, and its Black Sea fleet is had to retreat from a country with no navy. Its airforce launches stand off missiles from well within Russia because it cannot get air supremacy even over Ukraine.
The threat is Cyberwarfare, drones (like we have seen in a number of recent incidents here and in Ireland, and most of all from corrupt/traitorous British politicians.
It is GCHQ that needs investment more than the formal military.
Russia bankrolls politicians, both through direct bribery, and through giving jobs as pundits on Russia Today.
It fosters division through its troll farms.
Defeating Russia in Ukraine is not just about freeing Ukrainians, it is also about preventing Russia from continuing to interfere and poison political discourse.
Now, can I guarantee that if Putin falls, then we'll get someone more palatable? Nope. But we also know that Russia's economy, for the first time, is really struggling, thanks to a combination of Ukrainian strikes on oil infrastructure, a low (and falling) global oil price, and the fact that 40% of the government budget is now being spent on the military.
If the Europeans can take Russian assets and use them to pay for Ukrainian defence, while continuing to build up alternative supplies of energy, then I doubt the Russians will have the financial wherewithal to be as interfering as they had been.
Your point about Russian Bot Farms and poisoning the political discourse is apt. I was looking at comments today under posts about the British soldier killed in Ukraine and the amount of posts from posters in Africa and India etc slamming us for being involved/evil colonialists/good riddance were the majority.
This is why I used to get annoyed when we had our Saturday trolls where, yes it was good to take the piss and argue them down but ultimately they could use the statements on here that we have a big Westminster following (or did) and then show comments where we slightly agreed or the arguments as propaganda to show we are divided and this site might have credibility in useful circles.
Sadly I came to the conclusion that the bots needed to be closed down immediately to avoid any benefit.
In the year 2000, the UK had the 4th highest number of people in the world with internet access. We're now 18th. The reality is that the internet is much less dominated by western countries than it used to be, and many of the people reading and commenting on our news stories are foreign.
We should beware of a kind of paranoia that sees the hand of Russia behind organic changes that we can only really hope to control by adopting a Chinese approach.
That’s fine but clicking through and seeing the profiles of the posters there were no other comments or background - purely there with the posts attacking the uk.
No comments on this post? Don't know if confiscating Russian assets is a game changer, but it'll certainly make the Russians hopping mad. It's been a long time coming, and frankly I didn't think the EU would ever do it. I'm not normally a fan of the EU, but all credit to them if this is enacted.
No comments because Scott is the only person still using BlueSky
Would a lot of centrists vote Kemi to stop Nigel becoming PM? I think yes.
It's possible but I think Kemi should show some interest in those centrists. So far she hasn't. Bear in mind a fair few of them used to vote Conservative.
A grand jury, for a second time, has declined to bring a new indictment against Letitia James, the New York attorney general who defeated President Donald Trump and his company in court, according to multiple sources.
No comments on this post? Don't know if confiscating Russian assets is a game changer, but it'll certainly make the Russians hopping mad. It's been a long time coming, and frankly I didn't think the EU would ever do it. I'm not normally a fan of the EU, but all credit to them if this is enacted.
No comments because Scott is the only person still using BlueSky
Maybe, but at least he's picked this up, and it really is seismic
The junior doctors are really biting the hand that feeds aren't they?
I think their behaviour has been outrageous . They know full well that the government doesn’t have any more money for a wage increase . There are many workers that would like to see their salaries recover from 2008 . They got close to 30% over 2 years and have chucked that in the face of the government.
Meh, they are still miles behind inflation, and significantly behind NHS productivity growth. It's a labour market - a sticky one, sure, but you need to pay people their rate otherwise off to Australia they go.
What's really frightening is NHS spending growth would have been even higher over the last 15 years if it wasn't for the 5-10% real terms cut in pay.
When I were a lad, we were told that Russia was our enemy and the USA was our friend. Some of us thought that wasn’t true, but I never thought I’d see the day when they were both our enemies.
Is America more of an enemy than it was during the Suez crisis?
Yes.
How? Suez also had the element of siding with Russia against us, so it can't be that.
I cannot be arsed with your twatabouttery when it comes to this.
The last time I felt this foreboding was in the Cuban crisis in 1962
Maybe Trump will withdraw from NATO with everything that could follow
At our ages my wife and I look on todays divisions and really do fear for our grandchildren futures
Yet we face a Russian military which has failed to defeat Ukraine and can't even reach Kharkiv from its own border and we are expected to believe it will roll from Poland to Paris.
That's not to be complacent by any means and the nature of war is evolving (as it always has) and the cyber attack is likely to be the devastating open gambit aimed at paralysing our lives dependent as they are on the "systems" which feed us, clothe us and keep us warm.
Yes, clearly the threat from Russia is more subtle than an armed invasion. Their military cannot take a Dontesk mining town, and its Black Sea fleet is had to retreat from a country with no navy. Its airforce launches stand off missiles from well within Russia because it cannot get air supremacy even over Ukraine.
The threat is Cyberwarfare, drones (like we have seen in a number of recent incidents here and in Ireland, and most of all from corrupt/traitorous British politicians.
It is GCHQ that needs investment more than the formal military.
Russia bankrolls politicians, both through direct bribery, and through giving jobs as pundits on Russia Today.
It fosters division through its troll farms.
Defeating Russia in Ukraine is not just about freeing Ukrainians, it is also about preventing Russia from continuing to interfere and poison political discourse.
Now, can I guarantee that if Putin falls, then we'll get someone more palatable? Nope. But we also know that Russia's economy, for the first time, is really struggling, thanks to a combination of Ukrainian strikes on oil infrastructure, a low (and falling) global oil price, and the fact that 40% of the government budget is now being spent on the military.
If the Europeans can take Russian assets and use them to pay for Ukrainian defence, while continuing to build up alternative supplies of energy, then I doubt the Russians will have the financial wherewithal to be as interfering as they had been.
Your point about Russian Bot Farms and poisoning the political discourse is apt. I was looking at comments today under posts about the British soldier killed in Ukraine and the amount of posts from posters in Africa and India etc slamming us for being involved/evil colonialists/good riddance were the majority.
This is why I used to get annoyed when we had our Saturday trolls where, yes it was good to take the piss and argue them down but ultimately they could use the statements on here that we have a big Westminster following (or did) and then show comments where we slightly agreed or the arguments as propaganda to show we are divided and this site might have credibility in useful circles.
Sadly I came to the conclusion that the bots needed to be closed down immediately to avoid any benefit.
In the year 2000, the UK had the 4th highest number of people in the world with internet access. We're now 18th. The reality is that the internet is much less dominated by western countries than it used to be, and many of the people reading and commenting on our news stories are foreign.
We should beware of a kind of paranoia that sees the hand of Russia behind organic changes that we can only really hope to control by adopting a Chinese approach.
There are a lot of people in the world who don’t see it in the same terms as the west does and has little reason, historically, to like us in the West especially given our track record for throwing our weight around and the current US administration using trade and tariffs as a battering ram.
No comments on this post? Don't know if confiscating Russian assets is a game changer, but it'll certainly make the Russians hopping mad. It's been a long time coming, and frankly I didn't think the EU would ever do it. I'm not normally a fan of the EU, but all credit to them if this is enacted.
So... This is not the full kahuna. The assets have been taken from the Russians, but they haven't been given to the Ukrainians to pay for their defense.
It's a welcome step, but it's not all the way there.
When I were a lad, we were told that Russia was our enemy and the USA was our friend. Some of us thought that wasn’t true, but I never thought I’d see the day when they were both our enemies.
Is America more of an enemy than it was during the Suez crisis?
Yes.
How? Suez also had the element of siding with Russia against us, so it can't be that.
I cannot be arsed with your twatabouttery when it comes to this.
The last time I felt this foreboding was in the Cuban crisis in 1962
Maybe Trump will withdraw from NATO with everything that could follow
At our ages my wife and I look on todays divisions and really do fear for our grandchildren futures
Yet we face a Russian military which has failed to defeat Ukraine and can't even reach Kharkiv from its own border and we are expected to believe it will roll from Poland to Paris.
That's not to be complacent by any means and the nature of war is evolving (as it always has) and the cyber attack is likely to be the devastating open gambit aimed at paralysing our lives dependent as they are on the "systems" which feed us, clothe us and keep us warm.
Yes, clearly the threat from Russia is more subtle than an armed invasion. Their military cannot take a Dontesk mining town, and its Black Sea fleet is had to retreat from a country with no navy. Its airforce launches stand off missiles from well within Russia because it cannot get air supremacy even over Ukraine.
The threat is Cyberwarfare, drones (like we have seen in a number of recent incidents here and in Ireland, and most of all from corrupt/traitorous British politicians.
It is GCHQ that needs investment more than the formal military.
Russia bankrolls politicians, both through direct bribery, and through giving jobs as pundits on Russia Today.
It fosters division through its troll farms.
Defeating Russia in Ukraine is not just about freeing Ukrainians, it is also about preventing Russia from continuing to interfere and poison political discourse.
Now, can I guarantee that if Putin falls, then we'll get someone more palatable? Nope. But we also know that Russia's economy, for the first time, is really struggling, thanks to a combination of Ukrainian strikes on oil infrastructure, a low (and falling) global oil price, and the fact that 40% of the government budget is now being spent on the military.
If the Europeans can take Russian assets and use them to pay for Ukrainian defence, while continuing to build up alternative supplies of energy, then I doubt the Russians will have the financial wherewithal to be as interfering as they had been.
Your point about Russian Bot Farms and poisoning the political discourse is apt. I was looking at comments today under posts about the British soldier killed in Ukraine and the amount of posts from posters in Africa and India etc slamming us for being involved/evil colonialists/good riddance were the majority.
This is why I used to get annoyed when we had our Saturday trolls where, yes it was good to take the piss and argue them down but ultimately they could use the statements on here that we have a big Westminster following (or did) and then show comments where we slightly agreed or the arguments as propaganda to show we are divided and this site might have credibility in useful circles.
Sadly I came to the conclusion that the bots needed to be closed down immediately to avoid any benefit.
In the year 2000, the UK had the 4th highest number of people in the world with internet access. We're now 18th. The reality is that the internet is much less dominated by western countries than it used to be, and many of the people reading and commenting on our news stories are foreign.
We should beware of a kind of paranoia that sees the hand of Russia behind organic changes that we can only really hope to control by adopting a Chinese approach.
That’s fine but clicking through and seeing the profiles of the posters there were no other comments or background - purely there with the posts attacking the uk.
There are a lot of people out there who don't like us and wish us ill. Lots of people around the world are fed on a diet of blaming British colonialism for their problems, and it's not primarily Russia that's feeding them.
When I were a lad, we were told that Russia was our enemy and the USA was our friend. Some of us thought that wasn’t true, but I never thought I’d see the day when they were both our enemies.
Is America more of an enemy than it was during the Suez crisis?
Yes. The US is now aligned with a nation that threatens us continuously. We should be preparing today for the US to leave NATO. We should expect that in time that US will be actively hostile to most European nations including the UK.
If you put the rhetoric to one side, they're no more aligned with Russia than continental European countries were when they were busy building Nordsteam and filling the Russian elite's bank accounts.
It would be a big mistake to regard a less ideological America as an enemy.
Let us know when a less ideological US turns up.
It's here already. It's shifted away from proselytising liberal globalism to a pragmatic focus on interests.
No comments on this post? Don't know if confiscating Russian assets is a game changer, but it'll certainly make the Russians hopping mad. It's been a long time coming, and frankly I didn't think the EU would ever do it. I'm not normally a fan of the EU, but all credit to them if this is enacted.
So... This is not the full kahuna. The assets have been taken from the Russians, but they haven't been given to the Ukrainians to pay for their defense.
It's a welcome step, but it's not all the way there.
UvdL's proposal: to channel the immobilised Russian assets into a zero-interest reparations loan to Ukraine. The assets are now mature and therefore liquid and fungible.
Kyiv would only repay the loan if Moscow paid for war reparations.
No comments on this post? Don't know if confiscating Russian assets is a game changer, but it'll certainly make the Russians hopping mad. It's been a long time coming, and frankly I didn't think the EU would ever do it. I'm not normally a fan of the EU, but all credit to them if this is enacted.
So... This is not the full kahuna. The assets have been taken from the Russians, but they haven't been given to the Ukrainians to pay for their defense.
It's a welcome step, but it's not all the way there.
I think the important thing is that it should (I don't know the ins and outs, apart form our cricket team being outs) stamp on the Putin-Trump proposals to invest it in Russia and the USA.
When I were a lad, we were told that Russia was our enemy and the USA was our friend. Some of us thought that wasn’t true, but I never thought I’d see the day when they were both our enemies.
Is America more of an enemy than it was during the Suez crisis?
Yes.
How? Suez also had the element of siding with Russia against us, so it can't be that.
I cannot be arsed with your twatabouttery when it comes to this.
The last time I felt this foreboding was in the Cuban crisis in 1962
Maybe Trump will withdraw from NATO with everything that could follow
At our ages my wife and I look on todays divisions and really do fear for our grandchildren futures
Yet we face a Russian military which has failed to defeat Ukraine and can't even reach Kharkiv from its own border and we are expected to believe it will roll from Poland to Paris.
That's not to be complacent by any means and the nature of war is evolving (as it always has) and the cyber attack is likely to be the devastating open gambit aimed at paralysing our lives dependent as they are on the "systems" which feed us, clothe us and keep us warm.
Yes, clearly the threat from Russia is more subtle than an armed invasion. Their military cannot take a Dontesk mining town, and its Black Sea fleet is had to retreat from a country with no navy. Its airforce launches stand off missiles from well within Russia because it cannot get air supremacy even over Ukraine.
The threat is Cyberwarfare, drones (like we have seen in a number of recent incidents here and in Ireland, and most of all from corrupt/traitorous British politicians.
It is GCHQ that needs investment more than the formal military.
Russia bankrolls politicians, both through direct bribery, and through giving jobs as pundits on Russia Today.
It fosters division through its troll farms.
Defeating Russia in Ukraine is not just about freeing Ukrainians, it is also about preventing Russia from continuing to interfere and poison political discourse.
Now, can I guarantee that if Putin falls, then we'll get someone more palatable? Nope. But we also know that Russia's economy, for the first time, is really struggling, thanks to a combination of Ukrainian strikes on oil infrastructure, a low (and falling) global oil price, and the fact that 40% of the government budget is now being spent on the military.
If the Europeans can take Russian assets and use them to pay for Ukrainian defence, while continuing to build up alternative supplies of energy, then I doubt the Russians will have the financial wherewithal to be as interfering as they had been.
Your point about Russian Bot Farms and poisoning the political discourse is apt. I was looking at comments today under posts about the British soldier killed in Ukraine and the amount of posts from posters in Africa and India etc slamming us for being involved/evil colonialists/good riddance were the majority.
This is why I used to get annoyed when we had our Saturday trolls where, yes it was good to take the piss and argue them down but ultimately they could use the statements on here that we have a big Westminster following (or did) and then show comments where we slightly agreed or the arguments as propaganda to show we are divided and this site might have credibility in useful circles.
Sadly I came to the conclusion that the bots needed to be closed down immediately to avoid any benefit.
In the year 2000, the UK had the 4th highest number of people in the world with internet access. We're now 18th. The reality is that the internet is much less dominated by western countries than it used to be, and many of the people reading and commenting on our news stories are foreign.
We should beware of a kind of paranoia that sees the hand of Russia behind organic changes that we can only really hope to control by adopting a Chinese approach.
That’s fine but clicking through and seeing the profiles of the posters there were no other comments or background - purely there with the posts attacking the uk.
I am sure that many are trolls working for Russia, or via VPNs are Russian trolls, but in Africa, Middle East and India there is a lot of support from Russia. A fair bit goes back to European colonialism, but there is also a lot of residual pro-Russian feeling left over from the Cold War, when "Russia"* armed and supplied their independence and Nationalist movements. Corrupt political autocrats often flock together too.
* It was the USSR of course and then Communist rather than Ethno-Fascist, but like British Tankies these subtleties are ignored.
When I were a lad, we were told that Russia was our enemy and the USA was our friend. Some of us thought that wasn’t true, but I never thought I’d see the day when they were both our enemies.
Is America more of an enemy than it was during the Suez crisis?
Yes.
How? Suez also had the element of siding with Russia against us, so it can't be that.
I cannot be arsed with your twatabouttery when it comes to this.
The last time I felt this foreboding was in the Cuban crisis in 1962
Maybe Trump will withdraw from NATO with everything that could follow
At our ages my wife and I look on todays divisions and really do fear for our grandchildren futures
Yet we face a Russian military which has failed to defeat Ukraine and can't even reach Kharkiv from its own border and we are expected to believe it will roll from Poland to Paris.
That's not to be complacent by any means and the nature of war is evolving (as it always has) and the cyber attack is likely to be the devastating open gambit aimed at paralysing our lives dependent as they are on the "systems" which feed us, clothe us and keep us warm.
Yes, clearly the threat from Russia is more subtle than an armed invasion. Their military cannot take a Dontesk mining town, and its Black Sea fleet is had to retreat from a country with no navy. Its airforce launches stand off missiles from well within Russia because it cannot get air supremacy even over Ukraine.
The threat is Cyberwarfare, drones (like we have seen in a number of recent incidents here and in Ireland, and most of all from corrupt/traitorous British politicians.
It is GCHQ that needs investment more than the formal military.
Russia bankrolls politicians, both through direct bribery, and through giving jobs as pundits on Russia Today.
It fosters division through its troll farms.
Defeating Russia in Ukraine is not just about freeing Ukrainians, it is also about preventing Russia from continuing to interfere and poison political discourse.
Now, can I guarantee that if Putin falls, then we'll get someone more palatable? Nope. But we also know that Russia's economy, for the first time, is really struggling, thanks to a combination of Ukrainian strikes on oil infrastructure, a low (and falling) global oil price, and the fact that 40% of the government budget is now being spent on the military.
If the Europeans can take Russian assets and use them to pay for Ukrainian defence, while continuing to build up alternative supplies of energy, then I doubt the Russians will have the financial wherewithal to be as interfering as they had been.
Your point about Russian Bot Farms and poisoning the political discourse is apt. I was looking at comments today under posts about the British soldier killed in Ukraine and the amount of posts from posters in Africa and India etc slamming us for being involved/evil colonialists/good riddance were the majority.
This is why I used to get annoyed when we had our Saturday trolls where, yes it was good to take the piss and argue them down but ultimately they could use the statements on here that we have a big Westminster following (or did) and then show comments where we slightly agreed or the arguments as propaganda to show we are divided and this site might have credibility in useful circles.
Sadly I came to the conclusion that the bots needed to be closed down immediately to avoid any benefit.
In the year 2000, the UK had the 4th highest number of people in the world with internet access. We're now 18th. The reality is that the internet is much less dominated by western countries than it used to be, and many of the people reading and commenting on our news stories are foreign.
We should beware of a kind of paranoia that sees the hand of Russia behind organic changes that we can only really hope to control by adopting a Chinese approach.
That’s fine but clicking through and seeing the profiles of the posters there were no other comments or background - purely there with the posts attacking the uk.
There are a lot of people out there who don't like us and wish us ill. Lots of people around the world are fed on a diet of blaming British colonialism for their problems, and it's not primarily Russia that's feeding them.
In the case of multi-digit sock puppets on X, yes it is. By bank transfer.
No comments on this post? Don't know if confiscating Russian assets is a game changer, but it'll certainly make the Russians hopping mad. It's been a long time coming, and frankly I didn't think the EU would ever do it. I'm not normally a fan of the EU, but all credit to them if this is enacted.
Are there any alternatives to the EU as a bulwark for European interests that you are a fan of?
No comments on this post? Don't know if confiscating Russian assets is a game changer, but it'll certainly make the Russians hopping mad. It's been a long time coming, and frankly I didn't think the EU would ever do it. I'm not normally a fan of the EU, but all credit to them if this is enacted.
So... This is not the full kahuna. The assets have been taken from the Russians, but they haven't been given to the Ukrainians to pay for their defense.
It's a welcome step, but it's not all the way there.
UvdL's proposal: to channel the immobilised Russian assets into a zero-interest reparations loan to Ukraine. The assets are now mature and therefore liquid and fungible.
Kyiv would only repay the loan if Moscow paid for war reparations.
OTOH the Kyiv Independent reports:
Valerie Urbain, Euroclear’s сhief executive officer, voiced her opposition to the "reparation loan" mechanism and said that she was ready to challenge this decision in court.
No comments on this post? Don't know if confiscating Russian assets is a game changer, but it'll certainly make the Russians hopping mad. It's been a long time coming, and frankly I didn't think the EU would ever do it. I'm not normally a fan of the EU, but all credit to them if this is enacted.
Are there any alternatives to the EU as a bulwark for European interests that you are a fan of?
NATO is now the EU plus Canada, Turkey and us.
The USA is nominally a member, but does anyone believe they would honour that commitment?
No comments on this post? Don't know if confiscating Russian assets is a game changer, but it'll certainly make the Russians hopping mad. It's been a long time coming, and frankly I didn't think the EU would ever do it. I'm not normally a fan of the EU, but all credit to them if this is enacted.
Are there any alternatives to the EU as a bulwark for European interests that you are a fan of?
Would a lot of centrists vote Kemi to stop Nigel becoming PM? I think yes.
No chance for this centrist!
My seat is likely to be a Tory/Reform marginal, but I wouldn't vote Tory as I think they would just support a Farage minority government.
If the polls look like this in 2029, it's a tricky question for Kemi B. In a hung parliament, does she back Reform or oppose them?
There are straight-bat answers ("I want a Conservative majority to implement the Conservative manifesto", "don't want to second-guess the British people" etc) but Kemi doesn't strive me as a straight-bat kinda gal.
But let's be blunt. There's naff all point in voting for Andrew Rosindell to oppose Reform.
No comments on this post? Don't know if confiscating Russian assets is a game changer, but it'll certainly make the Russians hopping mad. It's been a long time coming, and frankly I didn't think the EU would ever do it. I'm not normally a fan of the EU, but all credit to them if this is enacted.
Are there any alternatives to the EU as a bulwark for European interests that you are a fan of?
I posted on the old thread by a mistake that maybe Europe needs its own “UN” outwith the EU where it can listen to all European voices but not be a tool of the EU. Europe has huge social capital, soft power, vast financial power and can be a huge military (defensive preferably) power but it has to be outside of the EU.
This European UN can speak as a voice to China and the US, shorn of any concept of being a lapdog to the US so can perhaps be taken more at face value by Africa and Asia. We should be leveraging that if you want to deal with Europe (and that is the whole of Europe) you need to listen. But Europe needs to regain its self confidence, three countries effectively ruled most of the world, we aren’t weak, we aren’t stupid, we have power. But again, it can’t be an EU thing.
No comments on this post? Don't know if confiscating Russian assets is a game changer, but it'll certainly make the Russians hopping mad. It's been a long time coming, and frankly I didn't think the EU would ever do it. I'm not normally a fan of the EU, but all credit to them if this is enacted.
Are there any alternatives to the EU as a bulwark for European interests that you are a fan of?
I posted on the old thread by a mistake that maybe Europe needs its own “UN” outwith the EU where it can listen to all European voices but not be a tool of the EU. Europe has huge social capital, soft power, vast financial power and can be a huge military (defensive preferably) power but it has to be outside of the EU.
This European UN can speak as a voice to China and the US, shorn of any concept of being a lapdog to the US so can perhaps be taken more at face value by Africa and Asia. We should be leveraging that if you want to deal with Europe (and that is the whole of Europe) you need to listen. But Europe needs to regain its self confidence, three countries effectively ruled most of the world, we aren’t weak, we aren’t stupid, we have power. But again, it can’t be an EU thing.
Why can't it be an EU thing? You have more or less described the purpose of the EU.
No comments on this post? Don't know if confiscating Russian assets is a game changer, but it'll certainly make the Russians hopping mad. It's been a long time coming, and frankly I didn't think the EU would ever do it. I'm not normally a fan of the EU, but all credit to them if this is enacted.
Are there any alternatives to the EU as a bulwark for European interests that you are a fan of?
I posted on the old thread by a mistake that maybe Europe needs its own “UN” outwith the EU where it can listen to all European voices but not be a tool of the EU. Europe has huge social capital, soft power, vast financial power and can be a huge military (defensive preferably) power but it has to be outside of the EU.
This European UN can speak as a voice to China and the US, shorn of any concept of being a lapdog to the US so can perhaps be taken more at face value by Africa and Asia. We should be leveraging that if you want to deal with Europe (and that is the whole of Europe) you need to listen. But Europe needs to regain its self confidence, three countries effectively ruled most of the world, we aren’t weak, we aren’t stupid, we have power. But again, it can’t be an EU thing.
Why can't it be an EU thing? You have more or less described the purpose of the EU.
Brexit supporters keep reinventing the EU in the same way that tech bros keep reinventing public transport.
No comments on this post? Don't know if confiscating Russian assets is a game changer, but it'll certainly make the Russians hopping mad. It's been a long time coming, and frankly I didn't think the EU would ever do it. I'm not normally a fan of the EU, but all credit to them if this is enacted.
Are there any alternatives to the EU as a bulwark for European interests that you are a fan of?
I posted on the old thread by a mistake that maybe Europe needs its own “UN” outwith the EU where it can listen to all European voices but not be a tool of the EU. Europe has huge social capital, soft power, vast financial power and can be a huge military (defensive preferably) power but it has to be outside of the EU.
This European UN can speak as a voice to China and the US, shorn of any concept of being a lapdog to the US so can perhaps be taken more at face value by Africa and Asia. We should be leveraging that if you want to deal with Europe (and that is the whole of Europe) you need to listen. But Europe needs to regain its self confidence, three countries effectively ruled most of the world, we aren’t weak, we aren’t stupid, we have power. But again, it can’t be an EU thing.
Why can't it be an EU thing? You have more or less described the purpose of the EU.
Because the EU isn’t for everyone. Shorn of its role in regulation, laws, finance, commerce, trade a European UN would be a pure geopolitics entity. The UN worked despite it not being like the EU as its efforts are focussed elsewhere than micromanaging its members.
Whilst I get you are a remainer (this isn’t a dig at all) would you not see that maybe a pan European organisation which is inclusive of the UK, Norway, Switzerland would be a useful force projection? If not then what is the point of the UN or any other bloc.
In all seriousness the USA can no longer be regarded as a reliable ally. Some will welcome that, we need to stand on our own two feet and all that, but the transition from having alignment on most things to being openly treated like dirt by the White House - happily supported by 45-50% of Americans - is a significant change that won't go away when Trump eventually exits.
This is so obvious now it is remarkable that everyone cannot see it. To believe anything else is simply wishful thinking and sentiment on how things used to be.
We could depend upon the USA to act in its own strategic interests. That meant, upholding the institutions which it created after 1945.
Marshall Aid, NATO, WTO advanced US interests and those of its allies.
Now we face a USA whose government is a kleptocracy, bought and paid for by the Kremlin.
No comments on this post? Don't know if confiscating Russian assets is a game changer, but it'll certainly make the Russians hopping mad. It's been a long time coming, and frankly I didn't think the EU would ever do it. I'm not normally a fan of the EU, but all credit to them if this is enacted.
Are there any alternatives to the EU as a bulwark for European interests that you are a fan of?
I posted on the old thread by a mistake that maybe Europe needs its own “UN” outwith the EU where it can listen to all European voices but not be a tool of the EU. Europe has huge social capital, soft power, vast financial power and can be a huge military (defensive preferably) power but it has to be outside of the EU.
This European UN can speak as a voice to China and the US, shorn of any concept of being a lapdog to the US so can perhaps be taken more at face value by Africa and Asia. We should be leveraging that if you want to deal with Europe (and that is the whole of Europe) you need to listen. But Europe needs to regain its self confidence, three countries effectively ruled most of the world, we aren’t weak, we aren’t stupid, we have power. But again, it can’t be an EU thing.
Yes but the last sentence is an oddity. It's easier to expand a wheel than reinvent it.
It’s so tragic seeing the EU and UK supporting Trumps peace plans , all the while knowing he’s on Russia’s side and has no intention of coming to Ukraine’s aid . Any security guarantee from the US is laughable . But we keep seeing this pathetic game being played .
No comments on this post? Don't know if confiscating Russian assets is a game changer, but it'll certainly make the Russians hopping mad. It's been a long time coming, and frankly I didn't think the EU would ever do it. I'm not normally a fan of the EU, but all credit to them if this is enacted.
Are there any alternatives to the EU as a bulwark for European interests that you are a fan of?
I posted on the old thread by a mistake that maybe Europe needs its own “UN” outwith the EU where it can listen to all European voices but not be a tool of the EU. Europe has huge social capital, soft power, vast financial power and can be a huge military (defensive preferably) power but it has to be outside of the EU.
This European UN can speak as a voice to China and the US, shorn of any concept of being a lapdog to the US so can perhaps be taken more at face value by Africa and Asia. We should be leveraging that if you want to deal with Europe (and that is the whole of Europe) you need to listen. But Europe needs to regain its self confidence, three countries effectively ruled most of the world, we aren’t weak, we aren’t stupid, we have power. But again, it can’t be an EU thing.
Why can't it be an EU thing? You have more or less described the purpose of the EU.
Because the EU isn’t for everyone. Shorn of its role in regulation, laws, finance, commerce, trade a European UN would be a pure geopolitics entity. The UN worked despite it not being like the EU as its efforts are focussed elsewhere than micromanaging its members.
Whilst I get you are a remainder (this isn’t a dig at all) would you not see that maybe a pan European organisation which is inclusive of the UK, Norway, Switzerland would be a useful force projection? If not then what is the point of the UN or any other bloc.
Switzerland is neutral and not going to change. Norway and Iceland are in the EEA so very closely aligned, it is only us and the Balkan microstates (some of which are pro-Russian) that are not in the EU.
Any organisation that you describe would have 85% EU votes. There is no need to reinvent the wheel, just remain in European institutions, and Rejoin either EEA or EU.
No comments on this post? Don't know if confiscating Russian assets is a game changer, but it'll certainly make the Russians hopping mad. It's been a long time coming, and frankly I didn't think the EU would ever do it. I'm not normally a fan of the EU, but all credit to them if this is enacted.
Are there any alternatives to the EU as a bulwark for European interests that you are a fan of?
I posted on the old thread by a mistake that maybe Europe needs its own “UN” outwith the EU where it can listen to all European voices but not be a tool of the EU. Europe has huge social capital, soft power, vast financial power and can be a huge military (defensive preferably) power but it has to be outside of the EU.
This European UN can speak as a voice to China and the US, shorn of any concept of being a lapdog to the US so can perhaps be taken more at face value by Africa and Asia. We should be leveraging that if you want to deal with Europe (and that is the whole of Europe) you need to listen. But Europe needs to regain its self confidence, three countries effectively ruled most of the world, we aren’t weak, we aren’t stupid, we have power. But again, it can’t be an EU thing.
Yes but the last sentence is an oddity. It's easier to expand a wheel than reinvent it.
I would be happier with a concentric EU with different levels of commitment however that’s not happening and would be quicker and helpful to have something that could frankly be set up very quickly that isn’t constrained by EU negotiations and agreements on trade, customs, etc etc and could be a talking shop and a power projector concerned with the whole continent’s strategic interests when it comes to defence and geopolitics rather than rules about the shape of bananas (yes I know) and so on.
No comments on this post? Don't know if confiscating Russian assets is a game changer, but it'll certainly make the Russians hopping mad. It's been a long time coming, and frankly I didn't think the EU would ever do it. I'm not normally a fan of the EU, but all credit to them if this is enacted.
Are there any alternatives to the EU as a bulwark for European interests that you are a fan of?
I posted on the old thread by a mistake that maybe Europe needs its own “UN” outwith the EU where it can listen to all European voices but not be a tool of the EU. Europe has huge social capital, soft power, vast financial power and can be a huge military (defensive preferably) power but it has to be outside of the EU.
This European UN can speak as a voice to China and the US, shorn of any concept of being a lapdog to the US so can perhaps be taken more at face value by Africa and Asia. We should be leveraging that if you want to deal with Europe (and that is the whole of Europe) you need to listen. But Europe needs to regain its self confidence, three countries effectively ruled most of the world, we aren’t weak, we aren’t stupid, we have power. But again, it can’t be an EU thing.
Why can't it be an EU thing? You have more or less described the purpose of the EU.
Because the EU isn’t for everyone. Shorn of its role in regulation, laws, finance, commerce, trade a European UN would be a pure geopolitics entity. The UN worked despite it not being like the EU as its efforts are focussed elsewhere than micromanaging its members.
Whilst I get you are a remainder (this isn’t a dig at all) would you not see that maybe a pan European organisation which is inclusive of the UK, Norway, Switzerland would be a useful force projection? If not then what is the point of the UN or any other bloc.
Switzerland is neutral and not going to change. Norway and Iceland are in the EEA so very closely aligned, it is only us and the Balkan microstates (some of which are pro-Russian) that are not in the EU.
Any organisation that you describe would have 85% EU votes. There is no need to reinvent the wheel, just remain in European institutions, and Rejoin either EEA or EU.
Re 85% EU votes, if it is outwith the EU and countries are voting based on their interests and not an EU bloc then you might find that many countries would take a view that is different to the view of the EU as an institution.
I’m simply projecting that some open minds where people can think of Europe without myopically seeing it as the EU might be beneficial and worth considering.
...I posted on the old thread by a mistake that maybe Europe needs its own “UN” outwith the EU where it can listen to all European voices but not be a tool of the EU. Europe has huge social capital, soft power, vast financial power and can be a huge military (defensive preferably) power but it has to be outside of the EU....
Would a lot of centrists vote Kemi to stop Nigel becoming PM? I think yes.
No chance for this centrist!
My seat is likely to be a Tory/Reform marginal, but I wouldn't vote Tory as I think they would just support a Farage minority government.
If the polls look like this in 2029, it's a tricky question for Kemi B. In a hung parliament, does she back Reform or oppose them?
There are straight-bat answers ("I want a Conservative majority to implement the Conservative manifesto", "don't want to second-guess the British people" etc) but Kemi doesn't strive me as a straight-bat kinda gal.
But let's be blunt. There's naff all point in voting for Andrew Rosindell to oppose Reform.
Feel the same about Priti Patel! It’s beginning to look as though Green might be an option round here.
No comments on this post? Don't know if confiscating Russian assets is a game changer, but it'll certainly make the Russians hopping mad. It's been a long time coming, and frankly I didn't think the EU would ever do it. I'm not normally a fan of the EU, but all credit to them if this is enacted.
Are there any alternatives to the EU as a bulwark for European interests that you are a fan of?
I posted on the old thread by a mistake that maybe Europe needs its own “UN” outwith the EU where it can listen to all European voices but not be a tool of the EU. Europe has huge social capital, soft power, vast financial power and can be a huge military (defensive preferably) power but it has to be outside of the EU.
This European UN can speak as a voice to China and the US, shorn of any concept of being a lapdog to the US so can perhaps be taken more at face value by Africa and Asia. We should be leveraging that if you want to deal with Europe (and that is the whole of Europe) you need to listen. But Europe needs to regain its self confidence, three countries effectively ruled most of the world, we aren’t weak, we aren’t stupid, we have power. But again, it can’t be an EU thing.
Why can't it be an EU thing? You have more or less described the purpose of the EU.
Because the EU isn’t for everyone. Shorn of its role in regulation, laws, finance, commerce, trade a European UN would be a pure geopolitics entity. The UN worked despite it not being like the EU as its efforts are focussed elsewhere than micromanaging its members.
Whilst I get you are a remainder (this isn’t a dig at all) would you not see that maybe a pan European organisation which is inclusive of the UK, Norway, Switzerland would be a useful force projection? If not then what is the point of the UN or any other bloc.
Switzerland is neutral and not going to change. Norway and Iceland are in the EEA so very closely aligned, it is only us and the Balkan microstates (some of which are pro-Russian) that are not in the EU.
Any organisation that you describe would have 85% EU votes. There is no need to reinvent the wheel, just remain in European institutions, and Rejoin either EEA or EU.
Re 85% EU votes, if it is outwith the EU and countries are voting based on their interests and not an EU bloc then you might find that many countries would take a view that is different to the view of the EU as an institution.
I’m simply projecting that some open minds where people can think of Europe without myopically seeing it as the EU might be beneficial and worth considering.
Perhaps you are describing the Council of Europe, which consists of EU plus Switzerland, Balkans, Turkey, Ukraine, Georgia Norway etc. It is more inclusive but includes institutions such as the EHCR and has the same flag and Anthem as the EU.
But it falls far short of what you desire. That body is the EU.
It’s so tragic seeing the EU and UK supporting Trumps peace plans , all the while knowing he’s on Russia’s side and has no intention of coming to Ukraine’s aid . Any security guarantee from the US is laughable . But we keep seeing this pathetic game being played .
Seems to me, that like Zelensky, they are playing the longer game. Pat Trump on the head, make some nice noises, meanwhile Putin says peace can’t be made. Lucky Strike accidents continue and the EU moves towards confiscation of the frozen Russian assets.
It’s not ideal, but what’s a better option? A full toddler screaming match with Trump?
"Leaked files ‘show US wants to persuade four nations to leave EU’
The countries seen as targets to follow Brexit are Austria, Hungary, Italy and Poland, according to leaked details of the US national security strategy"
That's a USA Christian Nationalist geopolitical theme, which I heard some months ago from a USA commentator suggesting that from analysing the views of someone like Scott Bessant or Eldridge Colby or JD Vance. But I can't put a name to the commentator. It was discussed in the Ukraine the Latest podcast earlier.
It is based on their idea that UK France Germany Sweden etc are going Islamist in 30 years or so (obvious nuts, but they ARE nuts), and that to contain Russia they need an Eastern chain of still-Christian (ie still white) countries from N-S along the borders of Russia - so Poland etc. And then they can ignore anything West of that.
It is BS because their analysis of Europe is based on their assumptions themselves based on USA white nationalist culture - like the nostrums about no free speech in Europe, London the Islamist city because it has a Muslim mayor about whom Trump has tantrums, abortion being an existential evil and so on.
They take their own commonplaces viewed from inside the Usonian silo too seriously, but Yanks always have done.
It will fail because the Eastern Europeans know that Europe requires unity throughout, and we can't afford to be divided - even if in their view Western Europeans sit on our arses.
The UK's Muslim population has grown ninefold in the past 30 years. I don't see this trend reversing. Muslim majority in 30 years seems plausible.
No chance. It's gone from 2.7% to 6% between 2001 & 2021. If it kept growing at the same rate it would be around 11% in 2040.
Would a lot of centrists vote Kemi to stop Nigel becoming PM? I think yes.
No chance for this centrist!
My seat is likely to be a Tory/Reform marginal, but I wouldn't vote Tory as I think they would just support a Farage minority government.
A true Tory squeeze would be that all the people who could vote Tory either vote for Reform because they are the real thing, or vote for whoever isn't a Tory and can beat Reform (my ex-Tory vote), as voting Tory is a vote for a Reform government with Tory support. Leaving The Tories with almost no-one.
It’s so tragic seeing the EU and UK supporting Trumps peace plans , all the while knowing he’s on Russia’s side and has no intention of coming to Ukraine’s aid . Any security guarantee from the US is laughable . But we keep seeing this pathetic game being played .
Seems to me, that like Zelensky, they are playing the longer game. Pat Trump on the head, make some nice noises, meanwhile Putin says peace can’t be made. Lucky Strike accidents continue and the EU moves towards confiscation of the frozen Russian assets.
It’s not ideal, but what’s a better option? A full toddler screaming match with Trump?
The problem with the long game is if Trump does become incapacitated, which is quite a high likelihood, Vance - who could not be more overt in his support for Russia if he dropped his trousers to let Putin bugger him - will take over.
"Leaked files ‘show US wants to persuade four nations to leave EU’
The countries seen as targets to follow Brexit are Austria, Hungary, Italy and Poland, according to leaked details of the US national security strategy"
That's a USA Christian Nationalist geopolitical theme, which I heard some months ago from a USA commentator suggesting that from analysing the views of someone like Scott Bessant or Eldridge Colby or JD Vance. But I can't put a name to the commentator. It was discussed in the Ukraine the Latest podcast earlier.
It is based on their idea that UK France Germany Sweden etc are going Islamist in 30 years or so (obvious nuts, but they ARE nuts), and that to contain Russia they need an Eastern chain of still-Christian (ie still white) countries from N-S along the borders of Russia - so Poland etc. And then they can ignore anything West of that.
It is BS because their analysis of Europe is based on their assumptions themselves based on USA white nationalist culture - like the nostrums about no free speech in Europe, London the Islamist city because it has a Muslim mayor about whom Trump has tantrums, abortion being an existential evil and so on.
They take their own commonplaces viewed from inside the Usonian silo too seriously, but Yanks always have done.
It will fail because the Eastern Europeans know that Europe requires unity throughout, and we can't afford to be divided - even if in their view Western Europeans sit on our arses.
The UK's Muslim population has grown ninefold in the past 30 years. I don't see this trend reversing. Muslim majority in 30 years seems plausible.
No chance. It's gone from 2.7% to 6% between 2001 & 2021. If it kept growing at the same rate it would be around 11% in 2040.
In re prsevious thread: the blessed Professor Curtis has spoken.
Basically much as before, only Labour going down more quickly.
Well, I knew there had to be someone who subscribes to McPravda as it is "affectionately" known.
All the same interesting prognosis, tho I couldnt see more than the headline. Due, presumably, to SNP holding their constituencies against divided opposition, and SNP voters switching to Green on the list.
Perhaps less likely to be pro-Indy majority in terms of actual voting numbers though?
You think Prof Curtis is biased/lying, feel free to say so more explicitly. Edit: of course you wouldn't, I thinK: but the wording is decidedly ambiguous.
Actually, it's a fairly dampening forecast all round.
It’s so tragic seeing the EU and UK supporting Trumps peace plans , all the while knowing he’s on Russia’s side and has no intention of coming to Ukraine’s aid . Any security guarantee from the US is laughable . But we keep seeing this pathetic game being played .
Seems to me, that like Zelensky, they are playing the longer game. Pat Trump on the head, make some nice noises, meanwhile Putin says peace can’t be made. Lucky Strike accidents continue and the EU moves towards confiscation of the frozen Russian assets.
It’s not ideal, but what’s a better option? A full toddler screaming match with Trump?
The problem with the long game is if Trump does become incapacitated, which is quite a high likelihood, Vance - who could not be more overt in his support for Russia if he dropped his trousers to let Putin bugger him - will take over.
Distract him with an attractive sofa? Those Italian leather minxes... so alluring to the fash-curious.
"Leaked files ‘show US wants to persuade four nations to leave EU’
The countries seen as targets to follow Brexit are Austria, Hungary, Italy and Poland, according to leaked details of the US national security strategy"
That's a USA Christian Nationalist geopolitical theme, which I heard some months ago from a USA commentator suggesting that from analysing the views of someone like Scott Bessant or Eldridge Colby or JD Vance. But I can't put a name to the commentator. It was discussed in the Ukraine the Latest podcast earlier.
It is based on their idea that UK France Germany Sweden etc are going Islamist in 30 years or so (obvious nuts, but they ARE nuts), and that to contain Russia they need an Eastern chain of still-Christian (ie still white) countries from N-S along the borders of Russia - so Poland etc. And then they can ignore anything West of that.
It is BS because their analysis of Europe is based on their assumptions themselves based on USA white nationalist culture - like the nostrums about no free speech in Europe, London the Islamist city because it has a Muslim mayor about whom Trump has tantrums, abortion being an existential evil and so on.
They take their own commonplaces viewed from inside the Usonian silo too seriously, but Yanks always have done.
It will fail because the Eastern Europeans know that Europe requires unity throughout, and we can't afford to be divided - even if in their view Western Europeans sit on our arses.
The UK's Muslim population has grown ninefold in the past 30 years. I don't see this trend reversing. Muslim majority in 30 years seems plausible.
The first time the religious ID question was asked in the census was in 2001 when the Muslim population was 3% or around 1.5mn people. In 2021 the number was around 6.5% or 4mn people. So the share has more or less doubled in 20 years. There is no plausible population scenario under which Muslims would be a majority of the UK population in 30 years, especially as fertility rates among Muslim women are declining over time and as the Muslim population ages you will start to see deaths catching up with births, so the growth in the percentage share of the population will slow. I'd be interested in seeing the source for your claim.
It’s so tragic seeing the EU and UK supporting Trumps peace plans , all the while knowing he’s on Russia’s side and has no intention of coming to Ukraine’s aid . Any security guarantee from the US is laughable . But we keep seeing this pathetic game being played .
Seems to me, that like Zelensky, they are playing the longer game. Pat Trump on the head, make some nice noises, meanwhile Putin says peace can’t be made. Lucky Strike accidents continue and the EU moves towards confiscation of the frozen Russian assets.
It’s not ideal, but what’s a better option? A full toddler screaming match with Trump?
The problem with the long game is if Trump does become incapacitated, which is quite a high likelihood, Vance - who could not be more overt in his support for Russia if he dropped his trousers to let Putin bugger him - will take over.
Distract him with an attractive sofa? Those Italian leather minxes... so alluring to the fash-curious.
It’s so tragic seeing the EU and UK supporting Trumps peace plans , all the while knowing he’s on Russia’s side and has no intention of coming to Ukraine’s aid . Any security guarantee from the US is laughable . But we keep seeing this pathetic game being played .
Seems to me, that like Zelensky, they are playing the longer game. Pat Trump on the head, make some nice noises, meanwhile Putin says peace can’t be made. Lucky Strike accidents continue and the EU moves towards confiscation of the frozen Russian assets.
It’s not ideal, but what’s a better option? A full toddler screaming match with Trump?
The problem with the long game is if Trump does become incapacitated, which is quite a high likelihood, Vance - who could not be more overt in his support for Russia if he dropped his trousers to let Putin bugger him - will take over.
Distract him with an attractive sofa? Those Italian leather minxes... so alluring to the fash-curious.
Can you imagine the frisson he felt on his holiday in the UK whenever the DFS sale ad came on tv. All those sexy sofas looking for a man to curl up with them.
It’s so tragic seeing the EU and UK supporting Trumps peace plans , all the while knowing he’s on Russia’s side and has no intention of coming to Ukraine’s aid . Any security guarantee from the US is laughable . But we keep seeing this pathetic game being played .
Seems to me, that like Zelensky, they are playing the longer game. Pat Trump on the head, make some nice noises, meanwhile Putin says peace can’t be made. Lucky Strike accidents continue and the EU moves towards confiscation of the frozen Russian assets.
It’s not ideal, but what’s a better option? A full toddler screaming match with Trump?
Dangers of Permanews, part 94.
I'm hopeful (not necessarily confident, but hopeful) that there's stuff happening underground that boils down to Europe decoupling from Trumpistan and supporting Ukraine in the way it needs.
That's the sort of thing which is probably more effective if I don't know about it. But some are of the view that if it isn't on a rolling news channel, it isn't real.
"Leaked files ‘show US wants to persuade four nations to leave EU’
The countries seen as targets to follow Brexit are Austria, Hungary, Italy and Poland, according to leaked details of the US national security strategy"
That's a USA Christian Nationalist geopolitical theme, which I heard some months ago from a USA commentator suggesting that from analysing the views of someone like Scott Bessant or Eldridge Colby or JD Vance. But I can't put a name to the commentator. It was discussed in the Ukraine the Latest podcast earlier.
It is based on their idea that UK France Germany Sweden etc are going Islamist in 30 years or so (obvious nuts, but they ARE nuts), and that to contain Russia they need an Eastern chain of still-Christian (ie still white) countries from N-S along the borders of Russia - so Poland etc. And then they can ignore anything West of that.
It is BS because their analysis of Europe is based on their assumptions themselves based on USA white nationalist culture - like the nostrums about no free speech in Europe, London the Islamist city because it has a Muslim mayor about whom Trump has tantrums, abortion being an existential evil and so on.
They take their own commonplaces viewed from inside the Usonian silo too seriously, but Yanks always have done.
It will fail because the Eastern Europeans know that Europe requires unity throughout, and we can't afford to be divided - even if in their view Western Europeans sit on our arses.
The UK's Muslim population has grown ninefold in the past 30 years. I don't see this trend reversing. Muslim majority in 30 years seems plausible.
No chance. It's gone from 2.7% to 6% between 2001 & 2021. If it kept growing at the same rate it would be around 11% in 2040.
Ajax guy is pretty good at delineating the MoD's procurement problems.
I might be a lone voice, as a civil servant who worked on AJAX in the past, and on other large £Bn programmes since, largely BAE contracts. I can tell you - the problems are endemic across our largest defence suppliers... https://x.com/MilitaryBanter/status/1999182457455718498
"Leaked files ‘show US wants to persuade four nations to leave EU’
The countries seen as targets to follow Brexit are Austria, Hungary, Italy and Poland, according to leaked details of the US national security strategy"
That's a USA Christian Nationalist geopolitical theme, which I heard some months ago from a USA commentator suggesting that from analysing the views of someone like Scott Bessant or Eldridge Colby or JD Vance. But I can't put a name to the commentator. It was discussed in the Ukraine the Latest podcast earlier.
It is based on their idea that UK France Germany Sweden etc are going Islamist in 30 years or so (obvious nuts, but they ARE nuts), and that to contain Russia they need an Eastern chain of still-Christian (ie still white) countries from N-S along the borders of Russia - so Poland etc. And then they can ignore anything West of that.
It is BS because their analysis of Europe is based on their assumptions themselves based on USA white nationalist culture - like the nostrums about no free speech in Europe, London the Islamist city because it has a Muslim mayor about whom Trump has tantrums, abortion being an existential evil and so on.
They take their own commonplaces viewed from inside the Usonian silo too seriously, but Yanks always have done.
It will fail because the Eastern Europeans know that Europe requires unity throughout, and we can't afford to be divided - even if in their view Western Europeans sit on our arses.
The UK's Muslim population has grown ninefold in the past 30 years. I don't see this trend reversing. Muslim majority in 30 years seems plausible.
The first time the religious ID question was asked in the census was in 2001 when the Muslim population was 3% or around 1.5mn people. In 2021 the number was around 6.5% or 4mn people. So the share has more or less doubled in 20 years. There is no plausible population scenario under which Muslims would be a majority of the UK population in 30 years, especially as fertility rates among Muslim women are declining over time and as the Muslim population ages you will start to see deaths catching up with births, so the growth in the percentage share of the population will slow. I'd be interested in seeing the source for your claim.
Can I interest you in a yearly subscription to The Telegraph?
No comments on this post? Don't know if confiscating Russian assets is a game changer, but it'll certainly make the Russians hopping mad. It's been a long time coming, and frankly I didn't think the EU would ever do it. I'm not normally a fan of the EU, but all credit to them if this is enacted.
Are there any alternatives to the EU as a bulwark for European interests that you are a fan of?
I posted on the old thread by a mistake that maybe Europe needs its own “UN” outwith the EU where it can listen to all European voices but not be a tool of the EU. Europe has huge social capital, soft power, vast financial power and can be a huge military (defensive preferably) power but it has to be outside of the EU.
This European UN can speak as a voice to China and the US, shorn of any concept of being a lapdog to the US so can perhaps be taken more at face value by Africa and Asia. We should be leveraging that if you want to deal with Europe (and that is the whole of Europe) you need to listen. But Europe needs to regain its self confidence, three countries effectively ruled most of the world, we aren’t weak, we aren’t stupid, we have power. But again, it can’t be an EU thing.
Why can't it be an EU thing? You have more or less described the purpose of the EU.
Because the EU isn’t for everyone. Shorn of its role in regulation, laws, finance, commerce, trade a European UN would be a pure geopolitics entity. The UN worked despite it not being like the EU as its efforts are focussed elsewhere than micromanaging its members.
Whilst I get you are a remainder (this isn’t a dig at all) would you not see that maybe a pan European organisation which is inclusive of the UK, Norway, Switzerland would be a useful force projection? If not then what is the point of the UN or any other bloc.
Switzerland is neutral and not going to change. Norway and Iceland are in the EEA so very closely aligned, it is only us and the Balkan microstates (some of which are pro-Russian) that are not in the EU.
Any organisation that you describe would have 85% EU votes. There is no need to reinvent the wheel, just remain in European institutions, and Rejoin either EEA or EU.
Re 85% EU votes, if it is outwith the EU and countries are voting based on their interests and not an EU bloc then you might find that many countries would take a view that is different to the view of the EU as an institution.
I’m simply projecting that some open minds where people can think of Europe without myopically seeing it as the EU might be beneficial and worth considering.
Besides, Foxy is being dishonest or ignorant. Norway and Iceland are most certainly not in the EU and do not apply the majority of EU laws and regulations. ABout 28% of EU legislation is also applied in Norway, almost entirely related to trade.
Would a lot of centrists vote Kemi to stop Nigel becoming PM? I think yes.
No chance for this centrist!
My seat is likely to be a Tory/Reform marginal, but I wouldn't vote Tory as I think they would just support a Farage minority government.
A true Tory squeeze would be that all the people who could vote Tory either vote for Reform because they are the real thing, or vote for whoever isn't a Tory and can beat Reform (my ex-Tory vote), as voting Tory is a vote for a Reform government with Tory support. Leaving The Tories with almost no-one.
My seat was won by the Tories with Reform second so not voting Tory elects Reform. Only Jenrick would definitely support a Farage government not abstain
No comments on this post? Don't know if confiscating Russian assets is a game changer, but it'll certainly make the Russians hopping mad. It's been a long time coming, and frankly I didn't think the EU would ever do it. I'm not normally a fan of the EU, but all credit to them if this is enacted.
Are there any alternatives to the EU as a bulwark for European interests that you are a fan of?
I posted on the old thread by a mistake that maybe Europe needs its own “UN” outwith the EU where it can listen to all European voices but not be a tool of the EU. Europe has huge social capital, soft power, vast financial power and can be a huge military (defensive preferably) power but it has to be outside of the EU.
This European UN can speak as a voice to China and the US, shorn of any concept of being a lapdog to the US so can perhaps be taken more at face value by Africa and Asia. We should be leveraging that if you want to deal with Europe (and that is the whole of Europe) you need to listen. But Europe needs to regain its self confidence, three countries effectively ruled most of the world, we aren’t weak, we aren’t stupid, we have power. But again, it can’t be an EU thing.
Yes but the last sentence is an oddity. It's easier to expand a wheel than reinvent it.
Agree with your sentiment vis a vis the EU but the pedant in me is troubled by the analogy - how do you expand a wheel?
No comments on this post? Don't know if confiscating Russian assets is a game changer, but it'll certainly make the Russians hopping mad. It's been a long time coming, and frankly I didn't think the EU would ever do it. I'm not normally a fan of the EU, but all credit to them if this is enacted.
Are there any alternatives to the EU as a bulwark for European interests that you are a fan of?
I posted on the old thread by a mistake that maybe Europe needs its own “UN” outwith the EU where it can listen to all European voices but not be a tool of the EU. Europe has huge social capital, soft power, vast financial power and can be a huge military (defensive preferably) power but it has to be outside of the EU.
This European UN can speak as a voice to China and the US, shorn of any concept of being a lapdog to the US so can perhaps be taken more at face value by Africa and Asia. We should be leveraging that if you want to deal with Europe (and that is the whole of Europe) you need to listen. But Europe needs to regain its self confidence, three countries effectively ruled most of the world, we aren’t weak, we aren’t stupid, we have power. But again, it can’t be an EU thing.
Why can't it be an EU thing? You have more or less described the purpose of the EU.
Brexit supporters keep reinventing the EU in the same way that tech bros keep reinventing public transport.
No comments on this post? Don't know if confiscating Russian assets is a game changer, but it'll certainly make the Russians hopping mad. It's been a long time coming, and frankly I didn't think the EU would ever do it. I'm not normally a fan of the EU, but all credit to them if this is enacted.
Are there any alternatives to the EU as a bulwark for European interests that you are a fan of?
I posted on the old thread by a mistake that maybe Europe needs its own “UN” outwith the EU where it can listen to all European voices but not be a tool of the EU. Europe has huge social capital, soft power, vast financial power and can be a huge military (defensive preferably) power but it has to be outside of the EU.
This European UN can speak as a voice to China and the US, shorn of any concept of being a lapdog to the US so can perhaps be taken more at face value by Africa and Asia. We should be leveraging that if you want to deal with Europe (and that is the whole of Europe) you need to listen. But Europe needs to regain its self confidence, three countries effectively ruled most of the world, we aren’t weak, we aren’t stupid, we have power. But again, it can’t be an EU thing.
Yes but the last sentence is an oddity. It's easier to expand a wheel than reinvent it.
Agree with your sentiment vis a vis the EU but the pedant in me is troubled by the analogy - how do you expand a wheel?
Same as most things- put it in hot water.
(Mostly physics pedantry, but it probably works as a motivational poster as well.)
For now even nationalist European leaders like Meloni are anti Putin. If Bardella and the AfD got in that migjt create a pro Russian axis with Hungary. By then though a Democrat might have been elected US President again
I wouldn’t put hopes on a Democrat being President and having another shift from Trumpism - they might get in and think that the costs and risks of focussing on Europe aren’t worth it and the damage is permanent.
Sadly I think there has been an irreversible shift. Europe as a continent needs to get its confidence back - you think that three European nations once ruked most of the world. There is a huge cultural soft power and a huge financial strength. They can play the US v China. Decoupling from the US also gives options globally wheee we aren’t the US lapdogs. There are potential positives but as I said, Europe has to get its confidence back and use its financial and soft power muscles to not be top dog but powerful and influential.
Maybe a UN equivalent of the UN with all European nations rather than the EU is needed.
A, Democrat would certainly fund Zelensky again even if long term remain most focused on Asia
No comments on this post? Don't know if confiscating Russian assets is a game changer, but it'll certainly make the Russians hopping mad. It's been a long time coming, and frankly I didn't think the EU would ever do it. I'm not normally a fan of the EU, but all credit to them if this is enacted.
Are there any alternatives to the EU as a bulwark for European interests that you are a fan of?
I posted on the old thread by a mistake that maybe Europe needs its own “UN” outwith the EU where it can listen to all European voices but not be a tool of the EU. Europe has huge social capital, soft power, vast financial power and can be a huge military (defensive preferably) power but it has to be outside of the EU.
This European UN can speak as a voice to China and the US, shorn of any concept of being a lapdog to the US so can perhaps be taken more at face value by Africa and Asia. We should be leveraging that if you want to deal with Europe (and that is the whole of Europe) you need to listen. But Europe needs to regain its self confidence, three countries effectively ruled most of the world, we aren’t weak, we aren’t stupid, we have power. But again, it can’t be an EU thing.
Why can't it be an EU thing? You have more or less described the purpose of the EU.
Because the EU isn’t for everyone. Shorn of its role in regulation, laws, finance, commerce, trade a European UN would be a pure geopolitics entity. The UN worked despite it not being like the EU as its efforts are focussed elsewhere than micromanaging its members.
Whilst I get you are a remainder (this isn’t a dig at all) would you not see that maybe a pan European organisation which is inclusive of the UK, Norway, Switzerland would be a useful force projection? If not then what is the point of the UN or any other bloc.
Switzerland is neutral and not going to change. Norway and Iceland are in the EEA so very closely aligned, it is only us and the Balkan microstates (some of which are pro-Russian) that are not in the EU.
Any organisation that you describe would have 85% EU votes. There is no need to reinvent the wheel, just remain in European institutions, and Rejoin either EEA or EU.
Re 85% EU votes, if it is outwith the EU and countries are voting based on their interests and not an EU bloc then you might find that many countries would take a view that is different to the view of the EU as an institution.
I’m simply projecting that some open minds where people can think of Europe without myopically seeing it as the EU might be beneficial and worth considering.
Besides, Foxy is being dishonest or ignorant. Norway and Iceland are most certainly not in the EU and do not apply the majority of EU laws and regulations. ABout 28% of EU legislation is also applied in Norway, almost entirely related to trade.
Yes that is why I described them as EEA, which is functionally a tiny appendage of the EU.
I would be happy with us rejoining the EEA so we could regain the advantages of the Single Market, but it would be more useful to have a seat at the top table and have a say in policy, hence full Rejoin is preferable.
It isn't essential to our security, but then neither is NATO.
Interesting discrepancy between "Border Security" and "Immigration" perhaps because of the ICE kidnapping squads in cities away from the border itself.
Trump Is deeply underwater on the Economy and Foreign Policy.
No comments on this post? Don't know if confiscating Russian assets is a game changer, but it'll certainly make the Russians hopping mad. It's been a long time coming, and frankly I didn't think the EU would ever do it. I'm not normally a fan of the EU, but all credit to them if this is enacted.
So... This is not the full kahuna. The assets have been taken from the Russians, but they haven't been given to the Ukrainians to pay for their defense.
It's a welcome step, but it's not all the way there.
UvdL's proposal: to channel the immobilised Russian assets into a zero-interest reparations loan to Ukraine. The assets are now mature and therefore liquid and fungible.
Kyiv would only repay the loan if Moscow paid for war reparations.
OTOH the Kyiv Independent reports:
Valerie Urbain, Euroclear’s сhief executive officer, voiced her opposition to the "reparation loan" mechanism and said that she was ready to challenge this decision in court.
In re prsevious thread: the blessed Professor Curtis has spoken.
Basically much as before, only Labour going down more quickly.
Well, I knew there had to be someone who subscribes to McPravda as it is "affectionately" known.
All the same interesting prognosis, tho I couldnt see more than the headline. Due, presumably, to SNP holding their constituencies against divided opposition, and SNP voters switching to Green on the list.
Perhaps less likely to be pro-Indy majority in terms of actual voting numbers though?
You think Prof Curtis is biased/lying, feel free to say so more explicitly. Edit: of course you wouldn't, I thinK: but the wording is decidedly ambiguous.
Actually, it's a fairly dampening forecast all round.
Eh? Not following you at all.
Why would I think Curtice biased? And what did I write that suggested it?
My suggestion is that pro-Indy maj could be delivered with less than 50% of voters supporting pro- Indy parties.
I'm guessing that the forecasts are showing main change from 21 is Reform and Greens up, and everyone else down. Like rest of UK.
Comments
The shift cost total is a one off hit . The implication is he should,give the money grabbers the 3 grand as he’s giving it to agency workers but it is not like for like
Negotiations are how these things get settled.
Streetings latest offer on jobs etc is a definite step forward. If he offered to at least match inflation on pay for the next years then I think the strikes would be off.
Not that there was much turnout for the last one, and I don't think they will pass the mandate needed for a renewal of strikes.
It fosters division through its troll farms.
Defeating Russia in Ukraine is not just about freeing Ukrainians, it is also about preventing Russia from continuing to interfere and poison political discourse.
Now, can I guarantee that if Putin falls, then we'll get someone more palatable? Nope. But we also know that Russia's economy, for the first time, is really struggling, thanks to a combination of Ukrainian strikes on oil infrastructure, a low (and falling) global oil price, and the fact that 40% of the government budget is now being spent on the military.
If the Europeans can take Russian assets and use them to pay for Ukrainian defence, while continuing to build up alternative supplies of energy, then I doubt the Russians will have the financial wherewithal to be as interfering as they had been.
The one thing preventing a definitive break with the US in my view is it's quite likely there will be a political reaction in the medium item by US political elites against the MAGA chaos. That faction will likely want to re-establish institutions like NATO. Europe should be ready for that eventuality.
In the meantime we're on our own against a hostile United States.
It is a non recurring cost whereas the pay rise is paid for every year and compounds.
It is based on their idea that UK France Germany Sweden etc are going Islamist in 30 years or so (obvious nuts, but they ARE nuts), and that to contain Russia they need an Eastern chain of still-Christian (ie still white) countries from N-S along the borders of Russia - so Poland etc. And then they can ignore anything West of that.
It is BS because their analysis of Europe is based on their assumptions themselves based on USA white nationalist culture - like the nostrums about no free speech in Europe, London the Islamist city because it has a Muslim mayor about whom Trump has tantrums, abortion being an existential evil and so on.
They take their own commonplaces viewed from inside the Usonian silo too seriously, but Yanks always have done.
It will fail because the Eastern Europeans know that Europe requires unity throughout, and we can't afford to be divided - even if in their view Western Europeans sit on our arses.
All the same interesting prognosis, tho I couldnt see more than the headline. Due, presumably, to SNP holding their constituencies against divided opposition, and SNP voters switching to Green on the list.
Perhaps less likely to be pro-Indy majority in terms of actual voting numbers though?
Then wanted to lock up Muslims for wearing a loud shirt in a built up area.
This is why I used to get annoyed when we had our Saturday trolls where, yes it was good to take the piss and argue them down but ultimately they could use the statements on here that we have a big Westminster following (or did) and then show comments where we slightly agreed or the arguments as propaganda to show we are divided and this site might have credibility in useful circles.
Sadly I came to the conclusion that the bots needed to be closed down immediately to avoid any benefit.
https://winnipegsun.com/news/canadian-military-leaders-warn-of-future-conflict-push-for-massive-expansion
We should beware of a kind of paranoia that sees the hand of Russia behind organic changes that we can only really hope to control by adopting a Chinese approach.
A grand jury, for a second time, has declined to bring a new indictment against Letitia James, the New York attorney general who defeated President Donald Trump and his company in court, according to multiple sources.
https://cnn.it/4ab2N4j
How to lower your mood.
What's really frightening is NHS spending growth would have been even higher over the last 15 years if it wasn't for the 5-10% real terms cut in pay.
My seat is likely to be a Tory/Reform marginal, but I wouldn't vote Tory as I think they would just support a Farage minority government.
RFM: 30% (-1)
CON: 18% (-2)
GRN: 18% (=)
LAB: 14% (=)
LDM: 12% (+1)
SNP: 3% (=)
Via @FindoutnowUK, 10 Dec.
Changes w/ 3 Dec.
It's a welcome step, but it's not all the way there.
Idiot.
to channel the immobilised Russian assets into a zero-interest reparations loan to Ukraine. The assets are now mature and therefore liquid and fungible.
Kyiv would only repay the loan if Moscow paid for war reparations.
* It was the USSR of course and then Communist rather than Ethno-Fascist, but like British Tankies these subtleties are ignored.
LLG 44 (+1) RefCon 48 (-3)
Valerie Urbain, Euroclear’s сhief executive officer, voiced her opposition to the "reparation loan" mechanism and said that she was ready to challenge this decision in court.
The USA is nominally a member, but does anyone believe they would honour that commitment?
There are straight-bat answers ("I want a Conservative majority to implement the Conservative manifesto", "don't want to second-guess the British people" etc) but Kemi doesn't strive me as a straight-bat kinda gal.
But let's be blunt. There's naff all point in voting for Andrew Rosindell to oppose Reform.
This European UN can speak as a voice to China and the US, shorn of any concept of being a lapdog to the US so can perhaps be taken more at face value by Africa and Asia. We should be leveraging that if you want to deal with Europe (and that is the whole of Europe) you need to listen. But Europe needs to regain its self confidence, three countries effectively ruled most of the world, we aren’t weak, we aren’t stupid, we have power. But again, it can’t be an EU thing.
Totally unideological.
GLASHEEN: Antifa is our primary concern right now. That's the most immediate violent threat we're facing
BENNIE THOMPSON: Where is antifa headquartered?
GLASHEEN: ... ... ... we are building out the infrastructure right now
THOMPSON: What does that mean?
https://x.com/atrupar/status/1999144887795490842
Whilst I get you are a remainer (this isn’t a dig at all) would you not see that maybe a pan European organisation which is inclusive of the UK, Norway, Switzerland would be a useful force projection? If not then what is the point of the UN or any other bloc.
Marshall Aid, NATO, WTO advanced US interests and those of its allies.
Now we face a USA whose government is a kleptocracy, bought and paid for by the Kremlin.
In bizarre, self-pitying tirade, unraveling Trump admits his polling is actually pretty bad and not at record highs, as he keeps claiming
https://bsky.app/profile/gregsargent.bsky.social/post/3m7qd6wh27c2f
Any organisation that you describe would have 85% EU votes. There is no need to reinvent the wheel, just remain in European institutions, and Rejoin either EEA or EU.
I’m simply projecting that some open minds where people can think of Europe without myopically seeing it as the EU might be beneficial and worth considering.
It’s beginning to look as though Green might be an option round here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eKadWjJENE (32 mins)
But it falls far short of what you desire. That body is the EU.
It’s not ideal, but what’s a better option? A full toddler screaming match with Trump?
https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/uk-on-course-rejoin-erasmus-student-exchange-january-2027-4097493
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_in_the_United_Kingdom
Actually, it's a fairly dampening forecast all round.
'Sofa, so good.'
I'm hopeful (not necessarily confident, but hopeful) that there's stuff happening underground that boils down to Europe decoupling from Trumpistan and supporting Ukraine in the way it needs.
That's the sort of thing which is probably more effective if I don't know about it. But some are of the view that if it isn't on a rolling news channel, it isn't real.
(Whoops, I meant 2050)
I might be a lone voice, as a civil servant who worked on AJAX in the past, and on other large £Bn programmes since, largely BAE contracts. I can tell you - the problems are endemic across our largest defence suppliers...
https://x.com/MilitaryBanter/status/1999182457455718498
(Too long to post in full.)
When did these people ever have it?
(Mostly physics pedantry, but it probably works as a motivational poster as well.)
I would be happy with us rejoining the EEA so we could regain the advantages of the Single Market, but it would be more useful to have a seat at the top table and have a say in policy, hence full Rejoin is preferable.
It isn't essential to our security, but then neither is NATO.
🟢 Approve: 36%
🟤 Disapprove: 61%
Trump's net approval on key issues
🟢 Border Security: +2
🟤 Crime: -12 (was +8 in Aug)
🟤 Immigration: -22 (new low)
🟤 Foreign policy: -23
🟤 The Economy: -36 (new low)
🟤 Healthcare: -40 (new low)
https://bsky.app/profile/joncooper-us.bsky.social/post/3m7qb64s2es2n
Interesting discrepancy between "Border Security" and "Immigration" perhaps because of the ICE kidnapping squads in cities away from the border itself.
Trump Is deeply underwater on the Economy and Foreign Policy.
The EU appears to on fairly solid ground.
https://x.com/JorgeLiboreiro/status/1999180104082067572
Article 122 comes with a double advantage: it bypasses the European Parliament and only requires a qualified majority, so it helps the EU act fast.
The Commission proposed using Article 122 to prohibit the return of sovereing assets to Russia.
In practice, an indefinite ban.
In a novel interpretation, the Commission argued the shockwaves unleashed by Russia's war constituted an economic emergency for the EU as a whole.
"Preventing that funds are transferred to Russia is urgently required to limit the damage to the Union's economy," the text said...
INDIANA STATE SENATE has rejected redistricting.
19-31.
TRUMP's push for a 9-0 map failed. Big defeat for the Trump administration.
https://x.com/JakeSherman/status/1999232240904208712?s=20
NOEM: We haven't deported veterans
MAGAZINER: We are now joined on Zoom by a combat veteran you deported to Korea
https://x.com/atrupar/status/1999152699590287446
Why would I think Curtice biased? And what did I write that suggested it?
My suggestion is that pro-Indy maj could be delivered with less than 50% of voters supporting pro- Indy parties.
I'm guessing that the forecasts are showing main change from 21 is Reform and Greens up, and everyone else down. Like rest of UK.
Why is anyone upset that Trump described Europe's leaders as 'weak' ?
Europe's leaders ARE weak.