Zelensky made a surprise visit to the frontline city of Kupyansk, which Russia claimed its forces had captured – but now Ukraine's soldiers "are achieving results" and pushing them back, the president said.
Zelensky underscored the importance of the shooting war as well as narrative warfare: "Today it is extremely important to achieve results at the front so that Ukraine can achieve results in diplomacy. This is exactly how it works: all our strong positions inside the country become strong positions in discussions about ending the war."
Ukraine has had a good week, recapturing a number of towns along the main front.
The enemy, meanwhile, likes to play games like sending two soldiers in civvies to a town square to plant a flag and take a picture of it for Pravda, before being either chased away or eliminated a few minutes later. These towns were never captured at all, but the Russian top brass and Politbureau think they were.
Lawyer serves up ‘council estate dinner’ of chicken dippers and Sunny D
A solicitor has been criticised for throwing what she described as a ‘council estate dinner’ which featured Fray Bentos pies and spam fritters.
Sophie Murgatroyd posted on LinkedIn, ‘I love cooking for my friends... the theme of tonight's meal was "council estate dinner”’.
The lawyer said she cooked the main course and that it consisted of crispy pancakes, chicken dippers, turkey dinosaurs, potato waffles, smiley faces, oven chips, beans, Frey Bentos Pies and spam fritters.
Her two guests took care of pudding (Vienetta, spotted dick and custard, and ginger cake) and drinks (Sunny Delight and Buck’s Fizz).
Oh dear. My wife loves crispy pancakes and potato waffles and no, she didn't grow up on a council estate. Growing up in a South Asian home this kind of stuff seemed impossibly exotic to her. We also have two vienettas and a bag of crinkle cut oven chips in the freezer. Now i am wondering if I am a chav.
Ref 32.03% [+15.71] SNP 27.97% [-0.88] Lab 17.06% [-13.80] Ind Lynch 13.17% [+1.28] Con 3.51% [-3.24] LD 2.78% [+0.04] Grn 2.75% [+0.15] Ind Millar 0.73% [new]
Highland, Fort William and Ardnamurchan
LD 40.43% [-18.48] SNP 29.06% [+3.52] Ref 9.62% [new] Grn 9.44% [+3.42] Con 7.65% [+3.24] Lab 3.80% [-0.70]
(Libtn prev 0.62%)
Reform are really hurting Labour now - more so it seems than the Tories. Last night's results across the UK were very onsistent in that respect.
OTOH, until the West Lothian result came in it was pretty "meh" for Reform with the Tories having very solid wins in Staffordshire and Stockton and losing two in Lincolnshire (prime Ref country) by only a handful of votes to Reform. Best results for Kemi in many months and seems to show that they are capable of decent outcomes in at least some places. Maybe, finally, a straw in the wind, after all the talk about her improving ratings?
For those interested in Scottish polling, the latest Holyrood Sources podcast has a good discussion with Mark McGeoghegan of Ipsos analysing where the Reform vote is coming from - no big surprise but bad news for SLAB. Worth a listen.
Major investigation into GMP officers and staff making 'non-legitimate' contact with sex workers
EXCLUSIVE: Three people have been sacked and another 10 are being investigated amid a probe into 'non-legitimate contact' with sex workers, the Manchester Evening News can reveal
A major investigation into Greater Manchester Police officers and staff allegedly making 'non-legitimate' contact with sex workers has been launched. Three people have been sacked and another 10 are being investigated by the force's Anti-Corruption Unit.
The probe into 'non-legitimate' police contact with sex workers was triggered by the case of Inspector Toby Knight. The disgraced cop scheduled hundreds of meetings with sex workers on his force-issued phone, including some while he was on duty.
After serving nearly 30 years with GMP, Knight retired in May this year, the day before a gross misconduct hearing concluded that had he still been serving he would have been dismissed without notice.
The force said eight police officers - including a Superintendent who has been suspended - and two staff members are under investigation. Knight and two staff members have already been dismissed. The two sacked civilian staff members have not been named.
Four of those under investigation have been served with misconduct papers. Bosses do not believe the alleged actions of the 13 people are linked, other than by the nature of their alleged behaviour.
@Foxy , @MattW , @rcs1000 etc - just caught up on your comments from last night: fair enough, I hold my hand up: the figure I had for 1995 was clearly erroneous. On which basis I am wrong.
Thank-you for that. Looking at the estimates no one seems particularly clear before 2001, when a question came into the census. For 1990 Google AI seems to give a range of 500k to 1000k, which is a huge error margin. Plus of course there has always been a significant group of people not here legally.
Just as background context from earlier - I was in Bradford 1985-1988 and at that time I think between 1/3 and 1/4 of the city was the population fraction described as Muslim. This was pre-Satanic Verses of course. There were harder line organisations being developed in places like Dewsbury some with explicit Middle Eastern links or funding, but also more ideologically open versions of Islam such as Ahmadiyya with open centres to visit in BD7 near the University.
The main numerical work I am familiar with from that sort of period was being done by the likes of Peter Brierley, then of Marc Europe (which was spun out of the BIble Society) and later of Christian Research. Their main activity was publication of a thing called the UK Christian Handbook, which was an enormous directory and reference volume from an Evangelical base, but covering the whole UK Christian sector. They were basically a resource and research organisation for churches and mission, from an evangelical focus but working across the piece.
They did a pioneering survey of Mosques and Mosque attendance in the second half of the 1980s, where one interesting number was Mosque attendance in the UK was around half of the adherent community - an interesting early number pointing at "drift". This is one reason I have always thought that the Muslim-background community is far broader than is readily admitted, whilst being less diffuse than the Christian-background community.
The mantle of Peter Brierley, who is still going as a consultant after starting in this arena in the mid-1970s, has been picked up by groups such as the Religion in Numbers project at Lancaster University, and Prof Linda Woodhead.
Half of Muslims never going to Mosque does fit with this survey:
I have some very pious Muslim friends, and others that never go at all, being "culturally Muslim" in the same way many "Christian" Brits are.
I watch Carols at Kings every Christmas and retain from childhood an emotional connection to the Nativity story. Also like poking around churches and graveyards. So I wouldn't reject a label of 'cultural Christian'.
I'll be singing in the carol service on Sunday, the third service I will have attended at our local Anglican church this year. I would say that I try to follow the teachings of Jesus by and large but I don't believe in God.
Doesn't stack up with the assumptions that underpinned her Budget last month. Ooops.
It starts (again). Sigh. Allowing planned borrowing to increase this year on a set of assumptions that might well prove optimistic for any number of reasons was not prudent, or wise or even rational.
And yet, she was called on to resign by all the opposition parties as she put up taxes which the opposition claimed were not needed according to the OBR.
No, the calls for her to resign were because she lied about whether there was another £20bn hole which did not in fact exist and which she knew did not exist on the basis of the figures provided by the OBR. Increasing taxes to improve her headroom was a sensible move and I said so at the time. Ensuring that total spending was reduced at the same time reducing borrowing rather than increasing it would have been even more sensible. Not finding yet more freebies not paid for by cuts elsewhere would have been more sensible still.
I'm inclined to the view that the actual black hole that exists is not just in the finances, and includes for example the parts of the progressive cuts of 1/4 or 1/3 of local Government expenditure over 12-14 years that has not been invested in local facilities. I'd say the actual black holes is well into the 100s of billions.
The maintenance that has not been done on roads and footpaths, which has resulted in a dangerous moonscapes in our towns, is part of the black hole that we will have to fill. And now it will need many -places rebuilding far more heavily, and not just repairing.
As is, for example, the 6 Type 26 frigates which do not exist in our navy, being cancelled by Blair, then later Cameron. The people who seem to have the best strategy on this one are the Japanese, who build one submarine a year and flex it by deployment lifetime rather than by starving the businesses to death and destroying the industry and workforce. I think we may have learnt that one lesson (at least until we forget again).
Adjusting for what we spend on our deterrent, I think Japan spends a similar amount to us on defence. They get better value, I think ?
I agree on that, but I think there is also a strong element in that parallel to the Japanese manufacturing industry vs British manufacturing industry history, particularly around Government attitude over decades and industry/commercial culture.
@Foxy , @MattW , @rcs1000 etc - just caught up on your comments from last night: fair enough, I hold my hand up: the figure I had for 1995 was clearly erroneous. On which basis I am wrong.
Thank-you for that. Looking at the estimates no one seems particularly clear before 2001, when a question came into the census. For 1990 Google AI seems to give a range of 500k to 1000k, which is a huge error margin. Plus of course there has always been a significant group of people not here legally.
Just as background context from earlier - I was in Bradford 1985-1988 and at that time I think between 1/3 and 1/4 of the city was the population fraction described as Muslim. This was pre-Satanic Verses of course. There were harder line organisations being developed in places like Dewsbury some with explicit Middle Eastern links or funding, but also more ideologically open versions of Islam such as Ahmadiyya with open centres to visit in BD7 near the University.
The main numerical work I am familiar with from that sort of period was being done by the likes of Peter Brierley, then of Marc Europe (which was spun out of the BIble Society) and later of Christian Research. Their main activity was publication of a thing called the UK Christian Handbook, which was an enormous directory and reference volume from an Evangelical base, but covering the whole UK Christian sector. They were basically a resource and research organisation for churches and mission, from an evangelical focus but working across the piece.
They did a pioneering survey of Mosques and Mosque attendance in the second half of the 1980s, where one interesting number was Mosque attendance in the UK was around half of the adherent community - an interesting early number pointing at "drift". This is one reason I have always thought that the Muslim-background community is far broader than is readily admitted, whilst being less diffuse than the Christian-background community.
The mantle of Peter Brierley, who is still going as a consultant after starting in this arena in the mid-1970s, has been picked up by groups such as the Religion in Numbers project at Lancaster University, and Prof Linda Woodhead.
Half of Muslims never going to Mosque does fit with this survey:
I have some very pious Muslim friends, and others that never go at all, being "culturally Muslim" in the same way many "Christian" Brits are.
There are interesting sociological trends in Islamic communities that mirror trends in Christian-adherent or secular communities that are not ever noticed by wider media - the coverage is as shallow as it is of any religion.
One is an expectation of young men to go a bit wild in their early 20s and 'sow their wild oats', then grow up a bit and become sound members of the community aka "good Muslims". That's a direct parallel in any Western community - in the UK we indulge bad behaviour in young adults, and expect them to grow up and settle down.
One of the things I have sometimes observed over the years has been the number of massively-bitter formerly evangelical men, who maintained the "no sex outside marriage, holy living" discipline preached from the pulpit, then suddenly find they are 40 and single, never having had a real girlfriend beyond the platonic. That group can look back in anger. It can be a particular issue in more puritanical communities, and can help feed a completely screwed-up mentality like Pete Hegseth and unrealistic, sometimes abusive or contemptuous, attitudes to women. Fortunately many grow out of it.
There's also another issue (which I think is just human nature): we tend to assume that our own group is heterogeneous, while other groups are homogenuous.
Hence the bizarre belief that a Muslim will cast aside all other considerations, and always vote for another Muslim.
Hmmm, you're doing that thing of saying that because a group doesn't all behave in a certain way that there is no difference.
@Foxy , @MattW , @rcs1000 etc - just caught up on your comments from last night: fair enough, I hold my hand up: the figure I had for 1995 was clearly erroneous. On which basis I am wrong.
Thank-you for that. Looking at the estimates no one seems particularly clear before 2001, when a question came into the census. For 1990 Google AI seems to give a range of 500k to 1000k, which is a huge error margin. Plus of course there has always been a significant group of people not here legally.
Just as background context from earlier - I was in Bradford 1985-1988 and at that time I think between 1/3 and 1/4 of the city was the population fraction described as Muslim. This was pre-Satanic Verses of course. There were harder line organisations being developed in places like Dewsbury some with explicit Middle Eastern links or funding, but also more ideologically open versions of Islam such as Ahmadiyya with open centres to visit in BD7 near the University.
The main numerical work I am familiar with from that sort of period was being done by the likes of Peter Brierley, then of Marc Europe (which was spun out of the BIble Society) and later of Christian Research. Their main activity was publication of a thing called the UK Christian Handbook, which was an enormous directory and reference volume from an Evangelical base, but covering the whole UK Christian sector. They were basically a resource and research organisation for churches and mission, from an evangelical focus but working across the piece.
They did a pioneering survey of Mosques and Mosque attendance in the second half of the 1980s, where one interesting number was Mosque attendance in the UK was around half of the adherent community - an interesting early number pointing at "drift". This is one reason I have always thought that the Muslim-background community is far broader than is readily admitted, whilst being less diffuse than the Christian-background community.
The mantle of Peter Brierley, who is still going as a consultant after starting in this arena in the mid-1970s, has been picked up by groups such as the Religion in Numbers project at Lancaster University, and Prof Linda Woodhead.
Half of Muslims never going to Mosque does fit with this survey:
I have some very pious Muslim friends, and others that never go at all, being "culturally Muslim" in the same way many "Christian" Brits are.
I watch Carols at Kings every Christmas and retain from childhood an emotional connection to the Nativity story. Also like poking around churches and graveyards. So I wouldn't reject a label of 'cultural Christian'.
I played a Wise Man at a school nativity play in 1982 when I was seven. The one who carried myrrh. My only acting credit to date!
Lawyer serves up ‘council estate dinner’ of chicken dippers and Sunny D
A solicitor has been criticised for throwing what she described as a ‘council estate dinner’ which featured Fray Bentos pies and spam fritters.
Sophie Murgatroyd posted on LinkedIn, ‘I love cooking for my friends... the theme of tonight's meal was "council estate dinner”’.
The lawyer said she cooked the main course and that it consisted of crispy pancakes, chicken dippers, turkey dinosaurs, potato waffles, smiley faces, oven chips, beans, Frey Bentos Pies and spam fritters.
Her two guests took care of pudding (Vienetta, spotted dick and custard, and ginger cake) and drinks (Sunny Delight and Buck’s Fizz).
Oh dear. My wife loves crispy pancakes and potato waffles and no, she didn't grow up on a council estate. Growing up in a South Asian home this kind of stuff seemed impossibly exotic to her. We also have two vienettas and a bag of crinkle cut oven chips in the freezer. Now i am wondering if I am a chav.
Lawyer serves up ‘council estate dinner’ of chicken dippers and Sunny D
A solicitor has been criticised for throwing what she described as a ‘council estate dinner’ which featured Fray Bentos pies and spam fritters.
Sophie Murgatroyd posted on LinkedIn, ‘I love cooking for my friends... the theme of tonight's meal was "council estate dinner”’.
The lawyer said she cooked the main course and that it consisted of crispy pancakes, chicken dippers, turkey dinosaurs, potato waffles, smiley faces, oven chips, beans, Frey Bentos Pies and spam fritters.
Her two guests took care of pudding (Vienetta, spotted dick and custard, and ginger cake) and drinks (Sunny Delight and Buck’s Fizz).
@Foxy , @MattW , @rcs1000 etc - just caught up on your comments from last night: fair enough, I hold my hand up: the figure I had for 1995 was clearly erroneous. On which basis I am wrong.
Thank-you for that. Looking at the estimates no one seems particularly clear before 2001, when a question came into the census. For 1990 Google AI seems to give a range of 500k to 1000k, which is a huge error margin. Plus of course there has always been a significant group of people not here legally.
Just as background context from earlier - I was in Bradford 1985-1988 and at that time I think between 1/3 and 1/4 of the city was the population fraction described as Muslim. This was pre-Satanic Verses of course. There were harder line organisations being developed in places like Dewsbury some with explicit Middle Eastern links or funding, but also more ideologically open versions of Islam such as Ahmadiyya with open centres to visit in BD7 near the University.
The main numerical work I am familiar with from that sort of period was being done by the likes of Peter Brierley, then of Marc Europe (which was spun out of the BIble Society) and later of Christian Research. Their main activity was publication of a thing called the UK Christian Handbook, which was an enormous directory and reference volume from an Evangelical base, but covering the whole UK Christian sector. They were basically a resource and research organisation for churches and mission, from an evangelical focus but working across the piece.
They did a pioneering survey of Mosques and Mosque attendance in the second half of the 1980s, where one interesting number was Mosque attendance in the UK was around half of the adherent community - an interesting early number pointing at "drift". This is one reason I have always thought that the Muslim-background community is far broader than is readily admitted, whilst being less diffuse than the Christian-background community.
The mantle of Peter Brierley, who is still going as a consultant after starting in this arena in the mid-1970s, has been picked up by groups such as the Religion in Numbers project at Lancaster University, and Prof Linda Woodhead.
Half of Muslims never going to Mosque does fit with this survey:
I have some very pious Muslim friends, and others that never go at all, being "culturally Muslim" in the same way many "Christian" Brits are.
I watch Carols at Kings every Christmas and retain from childhood an emotional connection to the Nativity story. Also like poking around churches and graveyards. So I wouldn't reject a label of 'cultural Christian'.
I played a Wise Man at a school nativity play in 1982 when I was seven. The one who carried myrrh. My only acting credit to date!
@Foxy , @MattW , @rcs1000 etc - just caught up on your comments from last night: fair enough, I hold my hand up: the figure I had for 1995 was clearly erroneous. On which basis I am wrong.
Thank-you for that. Looking at the estimates no one seems particularly clear before 2001, when a question came into the census. For 1990 Google AI seems to give a range of 500k to 1000k, which is a huge error margin. Plus of course there has always been a significant group of people not here legally.
Just as background context from earlier - I was in Bradford 1985-1988 and at that time I think between 1/3 and 1/4 of the city was the population fraction described as Muslim. This was pre-Satanic Verses of course. There were harder line organisations being developed in places like Dewsbury some with explicit Middle Eastern links or funding, but also more ideologically open versions of Islam such as Ahmadiyya with open centres to visit in BD7 near the University.
The main numerical work I am familiar with from that sort of period was being done by the likes of Peter Brierley, then of Marc Europe (which was spun out of the BIble Society) and later of Christian Research. Their main activity was publication of a thing called the UK Christian Handbook, which was an enormous directory and reference volume from an Evangelical base, but covering the whole UK Christian sector. They were basically a resource and research organisation for churches and mission, from an evangelical focus but working across the piece.
They did a pioneering survey of Mosques and Mosque attendance in the second half of the 1980s, where one interesting number was Mosque attendance in the UK was around half of the adherent community - an interesting early number pointing at "drift". This is one reason I have always thought that the Muslim-background community is far broader than is readily admitted, whilst being less diffuse than the Christian-background community.
The mantle of Peter Brierley, who is still going as a consultant after starting in this arena in the mid-1970s, has been picked up by groups such as the Religion in Numbers project at Lancaster University, and Prof Linda Woodhead.
Half of Muslims never going to Mosque does fit with this survey:
I have some very pious Muslim friends, and others that never go at all, being "culturally Muslim" in the same way many "Christian" Brits are.
The optimistic scenario is that the upcoming generation assimilates and many of them become less overtly religious, as has been the case with previous immigrations to our country. The time I spent with Muslim teenagers during my many years as a councillor in east London tended me towards an optimistic outlook, since they seemed acutely aware of their responsibility to find a reconciliation between the attitudes of their home environment and the cultural values they were coming to understand and appreciate at school and as British citizens.
I don't think it particularly age related. My most secular Muslim friends are often my age, but I do agree that even quite orthodox Muslims can assimilate well.
Dame Meg Hillier, the Labour chairwoman of the Treasury select committee, is not holding back in her criticism of Reeves and the Treasury this morning for their approach to the Budget
Writing in The i she accuses Reeves of committing a 'glaring error' in the run-up to the Budget with her u-turn on income tax and that Budget leaks had been 'akin to throwing several grenades on the pitch'
She told @TimesRadio that the Treasury had been 'over-egging and spinning things' in the run-up to the Budget
“What I’m saying here very clearly is that the Treasury as a whole has a responsibility ... pitch-rolling is one thing, but over-egging things or spinning things or changing positions has been quite, there’s been a lot of that noise around this budget.
“It has not been helpful. She [Reeves] herself has said she wants to change it. So hopefully, when we look at the OBR and how it works, it’s part of that""
They really need to find out who was doing all the leaking in the run up to the budget, and make a very public point of throwing them to the metaphorical wolves.
There was likely a direct link to a turndown in economic sentiment if not economic activity, from all of the kite-flying. People of wealth deciding to up sticks and move abroad, for example, is definitely a real thing because I see the results of it in my own business.
@Foxy , @MattW , @rcs1000 etc - just caught up on your comments from last night: fair enough, I hold my hand up: the figure I had for 1995 was clearly erroneous. On which basis I am wrong.
Thank-you for that. Looking at the estimates no one seems particularly clear before 2001, when a question came into the census. For 1990 Google AI seems to give a range of 500k to 1000k, which is a huge error margin. Plus of course there has always been a significant group of people not here legally.
Just as background context from earlier - I was in Bradford 1985-1988 and at that time I think between 1/3 and 1/4 of the city was the population fraction described as Muslim. This was pre-Satanic Verses of course. There were harder line organisations being developed in places like Dewsbury some with explicit Middle Eastern links or funding, but also more ideologically open versions of Islam such as Ahmadiyya with open centres to visit in BD7 near the University.
The main numerical work I am familiar with from that sort of period was being done by the likes of Peter Brierley, then of Marc Europe (which was spun out of the BIble Society) and later of Christian Research. Their main activity was publication of a thing called the UK Christian Handbook, which was an enormous directory and reference volume from an Evangelical base, but covering the whole UK Christian sector. They were basically a resource and research organisation for churches and mission, from an evangelical focus but working across the piece.
They did a pioneering survey of Mosques and Mosque attendance in the second half of the 1980s, where one interesting number was Mosque attendance in the UK was around half of the adherent community - an interesting early number pointing at "drift". This is one reason I have always thought that the Muslim-background community is far broader than is readily admitted, whilst being less diffuse than the Christian-background community.
The mantle of Peter Brierley, who is still going as a consultant after starting in this arena in the mid-1970s, has been picked up by groups such as the Religion in Numbers project at Lancaster University, and Prof Linda Woodhead.
Half of Muslims never going to Mosque does fit with this survey:
I have some very pious Muslim friends, and others that never go at all, being "culturally Muslim" in the same way many "Christian" Brits are.
I watch Carols at Kings every Christmas and retain from childhood an emotional connection to the Nativity story. Also like poking around churches and graveyards. So I wouldn't reject a label of 'cultural Christian'.
I played a Wise Man at a school nativity play in 1982 when I was seven. The one who carried myrrh. My only acting credit to date!
I was cast as the inn-keeper. My sole contribution was to utter the word 'No'. I kept forgetting to do this and was replaced. The humiliation is still keenly-felt after 70 years. Bah humbug.
Ref 32.03% [+15.71] SNP 27.97% [-0.88] Lab 17.06% [-13.80] Ind Lynch 13.17% [+1.28] Con 3.51% [-3.24] LD 2.78% [+0.04] Grn 2.75% [+0.15] Ind Millar 0.73% [new]
Highland, Fort William and Ardnamurchan
LD 40.43% [-18.48] SNP 29.06% [+3.52] Ref 9.62% [new] Grn 9.44% [+3.42] Con 7.65% [+3.24] Lab 3.80% [-0.70]
(Libtn prev 0.62%)
Reform are really hurting Labour now - more so it seems than the Tories. Last night's results across the UK were very onsistent in that respect.
OTOH, until the West Lothian result came in it was pretty "meh" for Reform with the Tories having very solid wins in Staffordshire and Stockton and losing two in Lincolnshire (prime Ref country) by only a handful of votes to Reform. Best results for Kemi in many months and seems to show that they are capable of decent outcomes in at least some places. Maybe, finally, a straw in the wind, after all the talk about her improving ratings?
For those interested in Scottish polling, the latest Holyrood Sources podcast has a good discussion with Mark McGeoghegan of Ipsos analysing where the Reform vote is coming from - no big surprise but bad news for SLAB. Worth a listen.
“An early draft of the US peace plan referred to $100bn of Russia's frozen assets being used by the US for reconstruction, with the US taking 50% of the profits and Europe adding another $100bn. The remaining assets would then be used in some kind of US-Russia joint investment project.”
That’s from the BBC and effectively the US administration does fxck all in terms of putting money in and then gets rewarded with profits and we’re supposed to trust them to use $100 bn for reconstruction.
So the EU action to immobilise those Russian assets is crucial .
Personally I think the Treasury leaking was absolutely disgraceful.
We’ve never seen anything like it.
This reason alone is enough for Reeves to go.
That’s BEFORE we get on to her mendacity over the alleged new hole in the budget, her general incompetence, and her chippy, seemingly spiteful demeanour.
Lib dem victor Matthew Prosser stood as an independent in the recent Caol and Mallaig by election
Credit to andrewp from vote 2012 forum, council didn't have figures on web page
Not a good day for the SNP, local by election losses to Reform and the LDs. A reminder they are unpopular now too, not just Labour and the Tories
SNP vote share was essentially static in Whitburn and Blackburn. It was the collapse in Slab and Scon that gave Reform their initial 149 vote lead, whittled down to only 24 in the head to head.
People dislike Reform UK. Then again, people also dislike the SNP. Voting SNP to stop Reform may be a step beyond what many voters are prepared to...
Wonderful to get such insights into the motivations of Scottish voters. Any word on why the LD vote was down by almost a third in the Highland vote?
@Foxy , @MattW , @rcs1000 etc - just caught up on your comments from last night: fair enough, I hold my hand up: the figure I had for 1995 was clearly erroneous. On which basis I am wrong.
Thank-you for that. Looking at the estimates no one seems particularly clear before 2001, when a question came into the census. For 1990 Google AI seems to give a range of 500k to 1000k, which is a huge error margin. Plus of course there has always been a significant group of people not here legally.
Just as background context from earlier - I was in Bradford 1985-1988 and at that time I think between 1/3 and 1/4 of the city was the population fraction described as Muslim. This was pre-Satanic Verses of course. There were harder line organisations being developed in places like Dewsbury some with explicit Middle Eastern links or funding, but also more ideologically open versions of Islam such as Ahmadiyya with open centres to visit in BD7 near the University.
The main numerical work I am familiar with from that sort of period was being done by the likes of Peter Brierley, then of Marc Europe (which was spun out of the BIble Society) and later of Christian Research. Their main activity was publication of a thing called the UK Christian Handbook, which was an enormous directory and reference volume from an Evangelical base, but covering the whole UK Christian sector. They were basically a resource and research organisation for churches and mission, from an evangelical focus but working across the piece.
They did a pioneering survey of Mosques and Mosque attendance in the second half of the 1980s, where one interesting number was Mosque attendance in the UK was around half of the adherent community - an interesting early number pointing at "drift". This is one reason I have always thought that the Muslim-background community is far broader than is readily admitted, whilst being less diffuse than the Christian-background community.
The mantle of Peter Brierley, who is still going as a consultant after starting in this arena in the mid-1970s, has been picked up by groups such as the Religion in Numbers project at Lancaster University, and Prof Linda Woodhead.
Half of Muslims never going to Mosque does fit with this survey:
I have some very pious Muslim friends, and others that never go at all, being "culturally Muslim" in the same way many "Christian" Brits are.
I watch Carols at Kings every Christmas and retain from childhood an emotional connection to the Nativity story. Also like poking around churches and graveyards. So I wouldn't reject a label of 'cultural Christian'.
I played a Wise Man at a school nativity play in 1982 when I was seven. The one who carried myrrh. My only acting credit to date!
I always got the best part - Herod.
That would be a spectacular way to lose your job as a primary school teacher. Lots of ketchup sachets.
@Foxy , @MattW , @rcs1000 etc - just caught up on your comments from last night: fair enough, I hold my hand up: the figure I had for 1995 was clearly erroneous. On which basis I am wrong.
Thank-you for that. Looking at the estimates no one seems particularly clear before 2001, when a question came into the census. For 1990 Google AI seems to give a range of 500k to 1000k, which is a huge error margin. Plus of course there has always been a significant group of people not here legally.
Just as background context from earlier - I was in Bradford 1985-1988 and at that time I think between 1/3 and 1/4 of the city was the population fraction described as Muslim. This was pre-Satanic Verses of course. There were harder line organisations being developed in places like Dewsbury some with explicit Middle Eastern links or funding, but also more ideologically open versions of Islam such as Ahmadiyya with open centres to visit in BD7 near the University.
The main numerical work I am familiar with from that sort of period was being done by the likes of Peter Brierley, then of Marc Europe (which was spun out of the BIble Society) and later of Christian Research. Their main activity was publication of a thing called the UK Christian Handbook, which was an enormous directory and reference volume from an Evangelical base, but covering the whole UK Christian sector. They were basically a resource and research organisation for churches and mission, from an evangelical focus but working across the piece.
They did a pioneering survey of Mosques and Mosque attendance in the second half of the 1980s, where one interesting number was Mosque attendance in the UK was around half of the adherent community - an interesting early number pointing at "drift". This is one reason I have always thought that the Muslim-background community is far broader than is readily admitted, whilst being less diffuse than the Christian-background community.
The mantle of Peter Brierley, who is still going as a consultant after starting in this arena in the mid-1970s, has been picked up by groups such as the Religion in Numbers project at Lancaster University, and Prof Linda Woodhead.
Half of Muslims never going to Mosque does fit with this survey:
@Foxy , @MattW , @rcs1000 etc - just caught up on your comments from last night: fair enough, I hold my hand up: the figure I had for 1995 was clearly erroneous. On which basis I am wrong.
Thank-you for that. Looking at the estimates no one seems particularly clear before 2001, when a question came into the census. For 1990 Google AI seems to give a range of 500k to 1000k, which is a huge error margin. Plus of course there has always been a significant group of people not here legally.
Just as background context from earlier - I was in Bradford 1985-1988 and at that time I think between 1/3 and 1/4 of the city was the population fraction described as Muslim. This was pre-Satanic Verses of course. There were harder line organisations being developed in places like Dewsbury some with explicit Middle Eastern links or funding, but also more ideologically open versions of Islam such as Ahmadiyya with open centres to visit in BD7 near the University.
The main numerical work I am familiar with from that sort of period was being done by the likes of Peter Brierley, then of Marc Europe (which was spun out of the BIble Society) and later of Christian Research. Their main activity was publication of a thing called the UK Christian Handbook, which was an enormous directory and reference volume from an Evangelical base, but covering the whole UK Christian sector. They were basically a resource and research organisation for churches and mission, from an evangelical focus but working across the piece.
They did a pioneering survey of Mosques and Mosque attendance in the second half of the 1980s, where one interesting number was Mosque attendance in the UK was around half of the adherent community - an interesting early number pointing at "drift". This is one reason I have always thought that the Muslim-background community is far broader than is readily admitted, whilst being less diffuse than the Christian-background community.
The mantle of Peter Brierley, who is still going as a consultant after starting in this arena in the mid-1970s, has been picked up by groups such as the Religion in Numbers project at Lancaster University, and Prof Linda Woodhead.
Half of Muslims never going to Mosque does fit with this survey:
I have some very pious Muslim friends, and others that never go at all, being "culturally Muslim" in the same way many "Christian" Brits are.
I watch Carols at Kings every Christmas and retain from childhood an emotional connection to the Nativity story. Also like poking around churches and graveyards. So I wouldn't reject a label of 'cultural Christian'.
I played a Wise Man at a school nativity play in 1982 when I was seven. The one who carried myrrh. My only acting credit to date!
I always got the best part - Herod.
That would be a spectacular way to lose your job as a primary school teacher. Lots of ketchup sachets.
I also think we should be realistic about what assimilation means.
Is a second generation Muslim going to be riding a bike to church for Evensong? Unlikely.
So if you’re the sort of person who quite likes riding a to church for Evensong, or even just the idea of a society where people ride to church for Evensong — then ANY immigration is kind of culturally dilutive.
And you can find political analogies for “riding to church for Evensong” as well.
“An early draft of the US peace plan referred to $100bn of Russia's frozen assets being used by the US for reconstruction, with the US taking 50% of the profits and Europe adding another $100bn. The remaining assets would then be used in some kind of US-Russia joint investment project.”
That’s from the BBC and effectively the US administration does fxck all in terms of putting money in and then gets rewarded with profits and we’re supposed to trust them to use $100 bn for reconstruction.
So the EU action to immobilise those Russian assets is crucial .
It was an attempt to pillage wealth masquerading as a peace deal.
@Foxy , @MattW , @rcs1000 etc - just caught up on your comments from last night: fair enough, I hold my hand up: the figure I had for 1995 was clearly erroneous. On which basis I am wrong.
Thank-you for that. Looking at the estimates no one seems particularly clear before 2001, when a question came into the census. For 1990 Google AI seems to give a range of 500k to 1000k, which is a huge error margin. Plus of course there has always been a significant group of people not here legally.
Just as background context from earlier - I was in Bradford 1985-1988 and at that time I think between 1/3 and 1/4 of the city was the population fraction described as Muslim. This was pre-Satanic Verses of course. There were harder line organisations being developed in places like Dewsbury some with explicit Middle Eastern links or funding, but also more ideologically open versions of Islam such as Ahmadiyya with open centres to visit in BD7 near the University.
The main numerical work I am familiar with from that sort of period was being done by the likes of Peter Brierley, then of Marc Europe (which was spun out of the BIble Society) and later of Christian Research. Their main activity was publication of a thing called the UK Christian Handbook, which was an enormous directory and reference volume from an Evangelical base, but covering the whole UK Christian sector. They were basically a resource and research organisation for churches and mission, from an evangelical focus but working across the piece.
They did a pioneering survey of Mosques and Mosque attendance in the second half of the 1980s, where one interesting number was Mosque attendance in the UK was around half of the adherent community - an interesting early number pointing at "drift". This is one reason I have always thought that the Muslim-background community is far broader than is readily admitted, whilst being less diffuse than the Christian-background community.
The mantle of Peter Brierley, who is still going as a consultant after starting in this arena in the mid-1970s, has been picked up by groups such as the Religion in Numbers project at Lancaster University, and Prof Linda Woodhead.
Half of Muslims never going to Mosque does fit with this survey:
I also think we should be realistic about what assimilation means.
Is a second generation Muslim going to be riding to church for Evensong? Unlikely.
So if you’re the sort of person who quite likes riding to church for Evensong, or even just the idea of riding to church for Evensong — then ANY immigration is kind of culturally dilutive.
And you can find political analogies for “riding to church for Evensong” as well.
Not really, for starters more Black British percentage wise now attend church each week than White British do (even if many are Pentecostal a fair number are Anglican too).
You wouldn’t expect Muslims to go to church though
@Foxy , @MattW , @rcs1000 etc - just caught up on your comments from last night: fair enough, I hold my hand up: the figure I had for 1995 was clearly erroneous. On which basis I am wrong.
Thank-you for that. Looking at the estimates no one seems particularly clear before 2001, when a question came into the census. For 1990 Google AI seems to give a range of 500k to 1000k, which is a huge error margin. Plus of course there has always been a significant group of people not here legally.
Just as background context from earlier - I was in Bradford 1985-1988 and at that time I think between 1/3 and 1/4 of the city was the population fraction described as Muslim. This was pre-Satanic Verses of course. There were harder line organisations being developed in places like Dewsbury some with explicit Middle Eastern links or funding, but also more ideologically open versions of Islam such as Ahmadiyya with open centres to visit in BD7 near the University.
The main numerical work I am familiar with from that sort of period was being done by the likes of Peter Brierley, then of Marc Europe (which was spun out of the BIble Society) and later of Christian Research. Their main activity was publication of a thing called the UK Christian Handbook, which was an enormous directory and reference volume from an Evangelical base, but covering the whole UK Christian sector. They were basically a resource and research organisation for churches and mission, from an evangelical focus but working across the piece.
They did a pioneering survey of Mosques and Mosque attendance in the second half of the 1980s, where one interesting number was Mosque attendance in the UK was around half of the adherent community - an interesting early number pointing at "drift". This is one reason I have always thought that the Muslim-background community is far broader than is readily admitted, whilst being less diffuse than the Christian-background community.
The mantle of Peter Brierley, who is still going as a consultant after starting in this arena in the mid-1970s, has been picked up by groups such as the Religion in Numbers project at Lancaster University, and Prof Linda Woodhead.
Half of Muslims never going to Mosque does fit with this survey:
I have some very pious Muslim friends, and others that never go at all, being "culturally Muslim" in the same way many "Christian" Brits are.
I watch Carols at Kings every Christmas and retain from childhood an emotional connection to the Nativity story. Also like poking around churches and graveyards. So I wouldn't reject a label of 'cultural Christian'.
I played a Wise Man at a school nativity play in 1982 when I was seven. The one who carried myrrh. My only acting credit to date!
Lawyer serves up ‘council estate dinner’ of chicken dippers and Sunny D
A solicitor has been criticised for throwing what she described as a ‘council estate dinner’ which featured Fray Bentos pies and spam fritters.
Sophie Murgatroyd posted on LinkedIn, ‘I love cooking for my friends... the theme of tonight's meal was "council estate dinner”’.
The lawyer said she cooked the main course and that it consisted of crispy pancakes, chicken dippers, turkey dinosaurs, potato waffles, smiley faces, oven chips, beans, Frey Bentos Pies and spam fritters.
Her two guests took care of pudding (Vienetta, spotted dick and custard, and ginger cake) and drinks (Sunny Delight and Buck’s Fizz).
@Foxy , @MattW , @rcs1000 etc - just caught up on your comments from last night: fair enough, I hold my hand up: the figure I had for 1995 was clearly erroneous. On which basis I am wrong.
Thank-you for that. Looking at the estimates no one seems particularly clear before 2001, when a question came into the census. For 1990 Google AI seems to give a range of 500k to 1000k, which is a huge error margin. Plus of course there has always been a significant group of people not here legally.
Just as background context from earlier - I was in Bradford 1985-1988 and at that time I think between 1/3 and 1/4 of the city was the population fraction described as Muslim. This was pre-Satanic Verses of course. There were harder line organisations being developed in places like Dewsbury some with explicit Middle Eastern links or funding, but also more ideologically open versions of Islam such as Ahmadiyya with open centres to visit in BD7 near the University.
The main numerical work I am familiar with from that sort of period was being done by the likes of Peter Brierley, then of Marc Europe (which was spun out of the BIble Society) and later of Christian Research. Their main activity was publication of a thing called the UK Christian Handbook, which was an enormous directory and reference volume from an Evangelical base, but covering the whole UK Christian sector. They were basically a resource and research organisation for churches and mission, from an evangelical focus but working across the piece.
They did a pioneering survey of Mosques and Mosque attendance in the second half of the 1980s, where one interesting number was Mosque attendance in the UK was around half of the adherent community - an interesting early number pointing at "drift". This is one reason I have always thought that the Muslim-background community is far broader than is readily admitted, whilst being less diffuse than the Christian-background community.
The mantle of Peter Brierley, who is still going as a consultant after starting in this arena in the mid-1970s, has been picked up by groups such as the Religion in Numbers project at Lancaster University, and Prof Linda Woodhead.
Half of Muslims never going to Mosque does fit with this survey:
I have some very pious Muslim friends, and others that never go at all, being "culturally Muslim" in the same way many "Christian" Brits are.
I watch Carols at Kings every Christmas and retain from childhood an emotional connection to the Nativity story. Also like poking around churches and graveyards. So I wouldn't reject a label of 'cultural Christian'.
I'll be singing in the carol service on Sunday, the third service I will have attended at our local Anglican church this year. I would say that I try to follow the teachings of Jesus by and large but I don't believe in God.
Similarly, I sing in at least one carol service each year, and am an unbeliever.
We had a collection for Ukraine, as for the last couple of years - which I think pretty well reflects public support for them.
I also think we should be realistic about what assimilation means.
Is a second generation Muslim going to be riding a bike to church for Evensong? Unlikely.
So if you’re the sort of person who quite likes riding a to church for Evensong, or even just the idea of a society where people ride to church for Evensong — then ANY immigration is kind of culturally dilutive.
And you can find political analogies for “riding to church for Evensong” as well.
‘Riding to church for evensong’ is an awesome euphemism/innuendo which I am going to use.
Lawyer serves up ‘council estate dinner’ of chicken dippers and Sunny D
A solicitor has been criticised for throwing what she described as a ‘council estate dinner’ which featured Fray Bentos pies and spam fritters.
Sophie Murgatroyd posted on LinkedIn, ‘I love cooking for my friends... the theme of tonight's meal was "council estate dinner”’.
The lawyer said she cooked the main course and that it consisted of crispy pancakes, chicken dippers, turkey dinosaurs, potato waffles, smiley faces, oven chips, beans, Frey Bentos Pies and spam fritters.
Her two guests took care of pudding (Vienetta, spotted dick and custard, and ginger cake) and drinks (Sunny Delight and Buck’s Fizz).
Lib dem victor Matthew Prosser stood as an independent in the recent Caol and Mallaig by election
Credit to andrewp from vote 2012 forum, council didn't have figures on web page
Not a good day for the SNP, local by election losses to Reform and the LDs. A reminder they are unpopular now too, not just Labour and the Tories
SNP vote share was essentially static in Whitburn and Blackburn. It was the collapse in Slab and Scon that gave Reform their initial 149 vote lead, whittled down to only 24 in the head to head.
People dislike Reform UK. Then again, people also dislike the SNP. Voting SNP to stop Reform may be a step beyond what many voters are prepared to...
Wonderful to get such insights into the motivations of Scottish voters. Any word on why the LD vote was down by almost a third in the Highland vote?
Isn’t RP a Scottish voter, or at least a voter in Scotland? His insight’s as good as anyone I would have thought? (with the obvious proviso of his declared affiliation)
So, that's about what you'd expect. Votes for one independent preferentially go to the other. Greens go SNP and a bit LibDem. Conservatives to Reform and some to Labour. Et cetera. Basically, Reform start 149 votes ahead, but the SNP do better from transfers, until the final difference is just 24 votes.
It's stage 7 that stands out: Labour transfers go 157 to SNP versus 90 to Reform, but also versus 515 not transferring at all. If people were more studious about filling in their preferences, the SNP would probably have sneaked it.
Lawyer serves up ‘council estate dinner’ of chicken dippers and Sunny D
A solicitor has been criticised for throwing what she described as a ‘council estate dinner’ which featured Fray Bentos pies and spam fritters.
Sophie Murgatroyd posted on LinkedIn, ‘I love cooking for my friends... the theme of tonight's meal was "council estate dinner”’.
The lawyer said she cooked the main course and that it consisted of crispy pancakes, chicken dippers, turkey dinosaurs, potato waffles, smiley faces, oven chips, beans, Frey Bentos Pies and spam fritters.
Her two guests took care of pudding (Vienetta, spotted dick and custard, and ginger cake) and drinks (Sunny Delight and Buck’s Fizz).
Lib dem victor Matthew Prosser stood as an independent in the recent Caol and Mallaig by election
Credit to andrewp from vote 2012 forum, council didn't have figures on web page
Not a good day for the SNP, local by election losses to Reform and the LDs. A reminder they are unpopular now too, not just Labour and the Tories
SNP vote share was essentially static in Whitburn and Blackburn. It was the collapse in Slab and Scon that gave Reform their initial 149 vote lead, whittled down to only 24 in the head to head.
People dislike Reform UK. Then again, people also dislike the SNP. Voting SNP to stop Reform may be a step beyond what many voters are prepared to...
Wonderful to get such insights into the motivations of Scottish voters. Any word on why the LD vote was down by almost a third in the Highland vote?
Isn’t RP a Scottish voter, or at least a voter in Scotland? His insight’s as good as anyone I would have thought? (with the obvious proviso of his declared affiliation)
Stay around for the afternoon thread, it will be of great interest to you, it should go up in the next hour or so.
Major investigation into GMP officers and staff making 'non-legitimate' contact with sex workers
EXCLUSIVE: Three people have been sacked and another 10 are being investigated amid a probe into 'non-legitimate contact' with sex workers, the Manchester Evening News can reveal
A major investigation into Greater Manchester Police officers and staff allegedly making 'non-legitimate' contact with sex workers has been launched. Three people have been sacked and another 10 are being investigated by the force's Anti-Corruption Unit.
The probe into 'non-legitimate' police contact with sex workers was triggered by the case of Inspector Toby Knight. The disgraced cop scheduled hundreds of meetings with sex workers on his force-issued phone, including some while he was on duty.
After serving nearly 30 years with GMP, Knight retired in May this year, the day before a gross misconduct hearing concluded that had he still been serving he would have been dismissed without notice.
The force said eight police officers - including a Superintendent who has been suspended - and two staff members are under investigation. Knight and two staff members have already been dismissed. The two sacked civilian staff members have not been named.
Four of those under investigation have been served with misconduct papers. Bosses do not believe the alleged actions of the 13 people are linked, other than by the nature of their alleged behaviour.
I think they should ban people who are under active investigation from retiring without sign off from a senior officer
An extraordinary number of police retire the day before potentially serious disciplinary hearings. It's a remarkable coincidence.
But retiring doesn't protect them from a misconduct in public office prosecution. Retiring is only protecting them from lesser punishments, like being sacked.
I also think we should be realistic about what assimilation means.
Is a second generation Muslim going to be riding a bike to church for Evensong? Unlikely.
So if you’re the sort of person who quite likes riding a to church for Evensong, or even just the idea of a society where people ride to church for Evensong — then ANY immigration is kind of culturally dilutive.
And you can find political analogies for “riding to church for Evensong” as well.
‘Riding to church for evensong’ is an awesome euphemism/innuendo which I am going to use.
Whilst you're avoiding Love Actually (I have never seen it and can't say I'm tempted), perhaps you'd have time to answer William Glenn's question on Putin?
Namely that if Putin was in favour of Britain giving up strategic British colonial assets, would you switch your positive view on giving them up - as you seem to expect those in favour of Brexit to do?
Foxy will no doubt answer if and as he wishes, but what is the 'if' doing in your second sentence? Does anyone doubt that Putin is in favour of Britain giving up strategic British colonial assets?
Given that that must be clear to everyone, including @Foxy, haven't you already got your answer?
This is of the same order of saying that building motorways is bad, because Hitler did it.
Yes, but Brexit was bad for Britain, as all the polling shows.
I think Robert Shrimsley is spot on here:
"In his endorsement of Brexit trade freedoms, Starmer resembles Alec Guinness’s half-mad colonel in The Bridge on the River Kwai, defending an edifice he has forgotten was built for the benefit of the other side."
The original purpose of the EU was an economic community which was the attraction for the UK. When it started to become a political union, there was always going to be an issue of the differing legal codes as they are not compatible (TLDR Top down v Bottom up) So to get back to UK's preferred position (economic union and not political), Brexit plus economic cooperation appears to be the route chosen. Short term disruption for longer term gain.
It's never been explained to me why the UK could accept political union, and I say that as someone who has been to the EU on political trips a few times as well as sitting with MEP's listening to why EU membership was good for their respective countries.
There was one exception though which was Ireland who were pretty negative at the thought of having to take back Ulster and it economic issues through Brexit.
You are quite wrong. From the very beginning the EU was a political project, and Ted Heath was quite open about it, as this speech, celebrating the UK entry makes quite clear: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRtmuEZg0p8
The debate was not about the economics. It was then, and has been ever since about the politics. The people who have been dishonest are those who claim they were fooled into a political project, when they wished to limit integration - if that were even possible- solely to economics. The only way to develop economic cooperation was to establish a clear political dimension. The idea that the Common Law and Roman law systems were somehow fundamentally incompatible is also horseshit. Within the UK itself, the Scottish, Roman law system functions perfectly well, with appropriate adjustments with the wider Common Law system.
Those opposed to the European project have hidden behind the delusion that "nobody told us". Yes they did, and now, whether through the Macron suggestion of a new European Political Community, or some enhanced Council of Europe, or by re-entry into some or all of the EU structure themselves, the UK now has little choice but to accept reality.
The Atlantic Alliance is fatally wounded. Trump is not a partner that we can trust, and the whole basis of trust with the USA has been fatally undermined. The choices are increasingly clear to the British people and we must act accordingly and quickly.
The reality is that the neither the EU nor the Council of Europe is in a position to take over the functions of NATO. Nor would we want them to as they are entirely unsuited and designed for a very different purpose.
Nor is it necessary as you desperately try to claim. The JEF has shown it is perfectly possible to have an organised coherent defensive structure without any of the other garbage that is associated with the EU.
I just think it is pretty sad that EU fanatics like yourself are using the current issues with the US and Russia to push their own fantasies of dragging the UK back into the EU.
Lawyer serves up ‘council estate dinner’ of chicken dippers and Sunny D
A solicitor has been criticised for throwing what she described as a ‘council estate dinner’ which featured Fray Bentos pies and spam fritters.
Sophie Murgatroyd posted on LinkedIn, ‘I love cooking for my friends... the theme of tonight's meal was "council estate dinner”’.
The lawyer said she cooked the main course and that it consisted of crispy pancakes, chicken dippers, turkey dinosaurs, potato waffles, smiley faces, oven chips, beans, Frey Bentos Pies and spam fritters.
Her two guests took care of pudding (Vienetta, spotted dick and custard, and ginger cake) and drinks (Sunny Delight and Buck’s Fizz).
Some privileged people can be remarkably tin-eared.
I cannot stand people who engage in snobbery and elitism.
It's only good fortune that places Sophie Murgatroyd where she is, and a council estate dweller where they are.
Indeed, I often think to myself but for the grace of Allah God I might have ended up in a different life.
Anyone who enjoys decent health, and who avoids personal tragedy, in a rich world democracy, has drawn first prize in the lottery of life. That was driven home to me by reading Bret Devereux's series, Life, Death, and the Peasant, detailing how the vast majority of people have lived, in the vast majority of times and places (and still live, in parts of the world).
Lib dem victor Matthew Prosser stood as an independent in the recent Caol and Mallaig by election
Credit to andrewp from vote 2012 forum, council didn't have figures on web page
Not a good day for the SNP, local by election losses to Reform and the LDs. A reminder they are unpopular now too, not just Labour and the Tories
SNP vote share was essentially static in Whitburn and Blackburn. It was the collapse in Slab and Scon that gave Reform their initial 149 vote lead, whittled down to only 24 in the head to head.
People dislike Reform UK. Then again, people also dislike the SNP. Voting SNP to stop Reform may be a step beyond what many voters are prepared to...
Wonderful to get such insights into the motivations of Scottish voters. Any word on why the LD vote was down by almost a third in the Highland vote?
It was comparing with a by-election in the same ward which took place about 12 months ago. The LibDem candidate in that election is an extremely well-known local who also happens to be the LibDem candidate for the Scottish parliamentary seat that includes the ward. He has a big personal vote and with Kate Forbes standing down is thought very likely to win.
Whilst you're avoiding Love Actually (I have never seen it and can't say I'm tempted), perhaps you'd have time to answer William Glenn's question on Putin?
Namely that if Putin was in favour of Britain giving up strategic British colonial assets, would you switch your positive view on giving them up - as you seem to expect those in favour of Brexit to do?
Foxy will no doubt answer if and as he wishes, but what is the 'if' doing in your second sentence? Does anyone doubt that Putin is in favour of Britain giving up strategic British colonial assets?
Given that that must be clear to everyone, including @Foxy, haven't you already got your answer?
This is of the same order of saying that building motorways is bad, because Hitler did it.
Yes, but Brexit was bad for Britain, as all the polling shows.
I think Robert Shrimsley is spot on here:
"In his endorsement of Brexit trade freedoms, Starmer resembles Alec Guinness’s half-mad colonel in The Bridge on the River Kwai, defending an edifice he has forgotten was built for the benefit of the other side."
The original purpose of the EU was an economic community which was the attraction for the UK. When it started to become a political union, there was always going to be an issue of the differing legal codes as they are not compatible (TLDR Top down v Bottom up) So to get back to UK's preferred position (economic union and not political), Brexit plus economic cooperation appears to be the route chosen. Short term disruption for longer term gain.
It's never been explained to me why the UK could accept political union, and I say that as someone who has been to the EU on political trips a few times as well as sitting with MEP's listening to why EU membership was good for their respective countries.
There was one exception though which was Ireland who were pretty negative at the thought of having to take back Ulster and it economic issues through Brexit.
You are quite wrong. From the very beginning the EU was a political project, and Ted Heath was quite open about it, as this speech, celebrating the UK entry makes quite clear: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRtmuEZg0p8
The debate was not about the economics. It was then, and has been ever since about the politics. The people who have been dishonest are those who claim they were fooled into a political project, when they wished to limit integration - if that were even possible- solely to economics. The only way to develop economic cooperation was to establish a clear political dimension. The idea that the Common Law and Roman law systems were somehow fundamentally incompatible is also horseshit. Within the UK itself, the Scottish, Roman law system functions perfectly well, with appropriate adjustments with the wider Common Law system.
Those opposed to the European project have hidden behind the delusion that "nobody told us". Yes they did, and now, whether through the Macron suggestion of a new European Political Community, or some enhanced Council of Europe, or by re-entry into some or all of the EU structure themselves, the UK now has little choice but to accept reality.
The Atlantic Alliance is fatally wounded. Trump is not a partner that we can trust, and the whole basis of trust with the USA has been fatally undermined. The choices are increasingly clear to the British people and we must act accordingly and quickly.
The reality is that the neither the EU nor the Council of Europe is in a position to take over the functions of NATO. Nor would we want them to as they are entirely unsuited and designed for a very different purpose.
Nor is it necessary as you desperately try to claim. The JEF has shown it is perfectly possible to have an organised coherent defensive structure without any of the other garbage that is associated with the EU.
I just think it is pretty sad that EU fanatics like yourself are using the current issues with the US and Russia to push their own fantasies of dragging the UK back into the EU.
The EU is a shit vehicle for actual military co-operation.
The issue is that military power is itself a factor of industrial and supply chain strength, where the EU has been the systematic organising entity. So the EU can’t be ignored.
Once again, I argue for an Anglo-Canadian Partnership (the Union word seemed to spook people) in large part on the basis of a coherently self-sufficient industry > economy > military logic.
Lib dem victor Matthew Prosser stood as an independent in the recent Caol and Mallaig by election
Credit to andrewp from vote 2012 forum, council didn't have figures on web page
Not a good day for the SNP, local by election losses to Reform and the LDs. A reminder they are unpopular now too, not just Labour and the Tories
SNP vote share was essentially static in Whitburn and Blackburn. It was the collapse in Slab and Scon that gave Reform their initial 149 vote lead, whittled down to only 24 in the head to head.
People dislike Reform UK. Then again, people also dislike the SNP. Voting SNP to stop Reform may be a step beyond what many voters are prepared to...
Wonderful to get such insights into the motivations of Scottish voters. Any word on why the LD vote was down by almost a third in the Highland vote?
Isn’t RP a Scottish voter, or at least a voter in Scotland? His insight’s as good as anyone I would have thought? (with the obvious proviso of his declared affiliation)
Yesterday, @carnforth joked that @Foxy might be the Mondeo Man de nos jours, which got me thinking about what today's equivalent archetypal swing voter would look like and I came to the conclusion that it is Just Get A Tesla Man.
Someone who doesn't like Elon Musk's politics but likes his cars.
Someone who's woke but not politically correct.
Someone who supported Brexit initially but then thought it was all a bit of a cock up.
New photos released from Epstein estate: “One image released Friday shows what appears to be a bowl of novelty condoms with a caricature of Trump’s face; the bowl has a sign saying, “Trump condom $4.50,” and each condom bears an image of Trump’s face with the text, “I’m HUUUUGE!”
New photos released from Epstein estate: “One image released Friday shows what appears to be a bowl of novelty condoms with a caricature of Trump’s face; the bowl has a sign saying, “Trump condom $4.50,” and each condom bears an image of Trump’s face with the text, “I’m HUUUUGE!”
Lawyer serves up ‘council estate dinner’ of chicken dippers and Sunny D
A solicitor has been criticised for throwing what she described as a ‘council estate dinner’ which featured Fray Bentos pies and spam fritters.
Sophie Murgatroyd posted on LinkedIn, ‘I love cooking for my friends... the theme of tonight's meal was "council estate dinner”’.
The lawyer said she cooked the main course and that it consisted of crispy pancakes, chicken dippers, turkey dinosaurs, potato waffles, smiley faces, oven chips, beans, Frey Bentos Pies and spam fritters.
Her two guests took care of pudding (Vienetta, spotted dick and custard, and ginger cake) and drinks (Sunny Delight and Buck’s Fizz).
Oh dear. My wife loves crispy pancakes and potato waffles and no, she didn't grow up on a council estate. Growing up in a South Asian home this kind of stuff seemed impossibly exotic to her. We also have two vienettas and a bag of crinkle cut oven chips in the freezer. Now i am wondering if I am a chav.
I still love Birds Eye Potato waffles. So waffly versatile.
Haslet is still a firm favourite too.
Not had crispy pancakes in years. Used to love the mince ones.
Whilst you're avoiding Love Actually (I have never seen it and can't say I'm tempted), perhaps you'd have time to answer William Glenn's question on Putin?
Namely that if Putin was in favour of Britain giving up strategic British colonial assets, would you switch your positive view on giving them up - as you seem to expect those in favour of Brexit to do?
Foxy will no doubt answer if and as he wishes, but what is the 'if' doing in your second sentence? Does anyone doubt that Putin is in favour of Britain giving up strategic British colonial assets?
Given that that must be clear to everyone, including @Foxy, haven't you already got your answer?
This is of the same order of saying that building motorways is bad, because Hitler did it.
Yes, but Brexit was bad for Britain, as all the polling shows.
I think Robert Shrimsley is spot on here:
"In his endorsement of Brexit trade freedoms, Starmer resembles Alec Guinness’s half-mad colonel in The Bridge on the River Kwai, defending an edifice he has forgotten was built for the benefit of the other side."
The original purpose of the EU was an economic community which was the attraction for the UK. When it started to become a political union, there was always going to be an issue of the differing legal codes as they are not compatible (TLDR Top down v Bottom up) So to get back to UK's preferred position (economic union and not political), Brexit plus economic cooperation appears to be the route chosen. Short term disruption for longer term gain.
It's never been explained to me why the UK could accept political union, and I say that as someone who has been to the EU on political trips a few times as well as sitting with MEP's listening to why EU membership was good for their respective countries.
There was one exception though which was Ireland who were pretty negative at the thought of having to take back Ulster and it economic issues through Brexit.
You are quite wrong. From the very beginning the EU was a political project, and Ted Heath was quite open about it, as this speech, celebrating the UK entry makes quite clear: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRtmuEZg0p8
The debate was not about the economics. It was then, and has been ever since about the politics. The people who have been dishonest are those who claim they were fooled into a political project, when they wished to limit integration - if that were even possible- solely to economics. The only way to develop economic cooperation was to establish a clear political dimension. The idea that the Common Law and Roman law systems were somehow fundamentally incompatible is also horseshit. Within the UK itself, the Scottish, Roman law system functions perfectly well, with appropriate adjustments with the wider Common Law system.
Those opposed to the European project have hidden behind the delusion that "nobody told us". Yes they did, and now, whether through the Macron suggestion of a new European Political Community, or some enhanced Council of Europe, or by re-entry into some or all of the EU structure themselves, the UK now has little choice but to accept reality.
The Atlantic Alliance is fatally wounded. Trump is not a partner that we can trust, and the whole basis of trust with the USA has been fatally undermined. The choices are increasingly clear to the British people and we must act accordingly and quickly.
The reality is that the neither the EU nor the Council of Europe is in a position to take over the functions of NATO. Nor would we want them to as they are entirely unsuited and designed for a very different purpose.
Nor is it necessary as you desperately try to claim. The JEF has shown it is perfectly possible to have an organised coherent defensive structure without any of the other garbage that is associated with the EU.
I just think it is pretty sad that EU fanatics like yourself are using the current issues with the US and Russia to push their own fantasies of dragging the UK back into the EU.
The EU is a shit vehicle for actual military co-operation.
The issue is that military power is itself a factor of industrial and supply chain strength, where the EU has been the systematic organising entity. So the EU can’t be ignored.
Once again, I argue for an Anglo-Canadian Partnership (the Union word seemed to spook people) in large part on the basis of a coherently self-sufficient industry > economy > military logic.
Personally, much as I am tempted by your Canada ideas, I am in favour of much closer co-operation with the EU through membership of the EEA. It has the added benefit of freedom of movement.
New photos released from Epstein estate: “One image released Friday shows what appears to be a bowl of novelty condoms with a caricature of Trump’s face; the bowl has a sign saying, “Trump condom $4.50,” and each condom bears an image of Trump’s face with the text, “I’m HUUUUGE!”
Whilst you're avoiding Love Actually (I have never seen it and can't say I'm tempted), perhaps you'd have time to answer William Glenn's question on Putin?
Namely that if Putin was in favour of Britain giving up strategic British colonial assets, would you switch your positive view on giving them up - as you seem to expect those in favour of Brexit to do?
Foxy will no doubt answer if and as he wishes, but what is the 'if' doing in your second sentence? Does anyone doubt that Putin is in favour of Britain giving up strategic British colonial assets?
Given that that must be clear to everyone, including @Foxy, haven't you already got your answer?
This is of the same order of saying that building motorways is bad, because Hitler did it.
Yes, but Brexit was bad for Britain, as all the polling shows.
I think Robert Shrimsley is spot on here:
"In his endorsement of Brexit trade freedoms, Starmer resembles Alec Guinness’s half-mad colonel in The Bridge on the River Kwai, defending an edifice he has forgotten was built for the benefit of the other side."
The original purpose of the EU was an economic community which was the attraction for the UK. When it started to become a political union, there was always going to be an issue of the differing legal codes as they are not compatible (TLDR Top down v Bottom up) So to get back to UK's preferred position (economic union and not political), Brexit plus economic cooperation appears to be the route chosen. Short term disruption for longer term gain.
It's never been explained to me why the UK could accept political union, and I say that as someone who has been to the EU on political trips a few times as well as sitting with MEP's listening to why EU membership was good for their respective countries.
There was one exception though which was Ireland who were pretty negative at the thought of having to take back Ulster and it economic issues through Brexit.
You are quite wrong. From the very beginning the EU was a political project, and Ted Heath was quite open about it, as this speech, celebrating the UK entry makes quite clear: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRtmuEZg0p8
The debate was not about the economics. It was then, and has been ever since about the politics. The people who have been dishonest are those who claim they were fooled into a political project, when they wished to limit integration - if that were even possible- solely to economics. The only way to develop economic cooperation was to establish a clear political dimension. The idea that the Common Law and Roman law systems were somehow fundamentally incompatible is also horseshit. Within the UK itself, the Scottish, Roman law system functions perfectly well, with appropriate adjustments with the wider Common Law system.
Those opposed to the European project have hidden behind the delusion that "nobody told us". Yes they did, and now, whether through the Macron suggestion of a new European Political Community, or some enhanced Council of Europe, or by re-entry into some or all of the EU structure themselves, the UK now has little choice but to accept reality.
The Atlantic Alliance is fatally wounded. Trump is not a partner that we can trust, and the whole basis of trust with the USA has been fatally undermined. The choices are increasingly clear to the British people and we must act accordingly and quickly.
The reality is that the neither the EU nor the Council of Europe is in a position to take over the functions of NATO. Nor would we want them to as they are entirely unsuited and designed for a very different purpose.
Nor is it necessary as you desperately try to claim. The JEF has shown it is perfectly possible to have an organised coherent defensive structure without any of the other garbage that is associated with the EU.
I just think it is pretty sad that EU fanatics like yourself are using the current issues with the US and Russia to push their own fantasies of dragging the UK back into the EU.
The EU is a shit vehicle for actual military co-operation.
The issue is that military power is itself a factor of industrial and supply chain strength, where the EU has been the systematic organising entity. So the EU can’t be ignored.
Once again, I argue for an Anglo-Canadian Partnership (the Union word seemed to spook people) in large part on the basis of a coherently self-sufficient industry > economy > military logic.
It might give Trump his casus belli to invade Canada under the rebooted Monroe Doctrine.
A short time ago the CENK T (IMO 7528635) was struck by an Iskander in the Odesa area ports. This ship has been running laps in and out of the Odesa ports to other Black Sea region ports for at least two months. She frequents Ukraine at least once a week and usually more often. https://x.com/exit266/status/1999495550694269091
Whilst you're avoiding Love Actually (I have never seen it and can't say I'm tempted), perhaps you'd have time to answer William Glenn's question on Putin?
Namely that if Putin was in favour of Britain giving up strategic British colonial assets, would you switch your positive view on giving them up - as you seem to expect those in favour of Brexit to do?
Foxy will no doubt answer if and as he wishes, but what is the 'if' doing in your second sentence? Does anyone doubt that Putin is in favour of Britain giving up strategic British colonial assets?
Given that that must be clear to everyone, including @Foxy, haven't you already got your answer?
This is of the same order of saying that building motorways is bad, because Hitler did it.
Yes, but Brexit was bad for Britain, as all the polling shows.
I think Robert Shrimsley is spot on here:
"In his endorsement of Brexit trade freedoms, Starmer resembles Alec Guinness’s half-mad colonel in The Bridge on the River Kwai, defending an edifice he has forgotten was built for the benefit of the other side."
The original purpose of the EU was an economic community which was the attraction for the UK. When it started to become a political union, there was always going to be an issue of the differing legal codes as they are not compatible (TLDR Top down v Bottom up) So to get back to UK's preferred position (economic union and not political), Brexit plus economic cooperation appears to be the route chosen. Short term disruption for longer term gain.
It's never been explained to me why the UK could accept political union, and I say that as someone who has been to the EU on political trips a few times as well as sitting with MEP's listening to why EU membership was good for their respective countries.
There was one exception though which was Ireland who were pretty negative at the thought of having to take back Ulster and it economic issues through Brexit.
You are quite wrong. From the very beginning the EU was a political project, and Ted Heath was quite open about it, as this speech, celebrating the UK entry makes quite clear: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRtmuEZg0p8
The debate was not about the economics. It was then, and has been ever since about the politics. The people who have been dishonest are those who claim they were fooled into a political project, when they wished to limit integration - if that were even possible- solely to economics. The only way to develop economic cooperation was to establish a clear political dimension. The idea that the Common Law and Roman law systems were somehow fundamentally incompatible is also horseshit. Within the UK itself, the Scottish, Roman law system functions perfectly well, with appropriate adjustments with the wider Common Law system.
Those opposed to the European project have hidden behind the delusion that "nobody told us". Yes they did, and now, whether through the Macron suggestion of a new European Political Community, or some enhanced Council of Europe, or by re-entry into some or all of the EU structure themselves, the UK now has little choice but to accept reality.
The Atlantic Alliance is fatally wounded. Trump is not a partner that we can trust, and the whole basis of trust with the USA has been fatally undermined. The choices are increasingly clear to the British people and we must act accordingly and quickly.
The reality is that the neither the EU nor the Council of Europe is in a position to take over the functions of NATO. Nor would we want them to as they are entirely unsuited and designed for a very different purpose.
Nor is it necessary as you desperately try to claim. The JEF has shown it is perfectly possible to have an organised coherent defensive structure without any of the other garbage that is associated with the EU.
I just think it is pretty sad that EU fanatics like yourself are using the current issues with the US and Russia to push their own fantasies of dragging the UK back into the EU.
The EU is a shit vehicle for actual military co-operation.
The issue is that military power is itself a factor of industrial and supply chain strength, where the EU has been the systematic organising entity. So the EU can’t be ignored.
Once again, I argue for an Anglo-Canadian Partnership (the Union word seemed to spook people) in large part on the basis of a coherently self-sufficient industry > economy > military logic.
Personally, much as I am tempted by your Canada ideas, I am in favour of much closer co-operation with the EU through membership of the EEA. It has the added benefit of freedom of movement.
Not intended to be mutually exclusive.
Nor any impediment to Canada’s own deep integration into the North American market.
New photos released from Epstein estate: “One image released Friday shows what appears to be a bowl of novelty condoms with a caricature of Trump’s face; the bowl has a sign saying, “Trump condom $4.50,” and each condom bears an image of Trump’s face with the text, “I’m HUUUUGE!”
Lib dem victor Matthew Prosser stood as an independent in the recent Caol and Mallaig by election
Credit to andrewp from vote 2012 forum, council didn't have figures on web page
Not a good day for the SNP, local by election losses to Reform and the LDs. A reminder they are unpopular now too, not just Labour and the Tories
SNP vote share was essentially static in Whitburn and Blackburn. It was the collapse in Slab and Scon that gave Reform their initial 149 vote lead, whittled down to only 24 in the head to head.
People dislike Reform UK. Then again, people also dislike the SNP. Voting SNP to stop Reform may be a step beyond what many voters are prepared to...
Wonderful to get such insights into the motivations of Scottish voters. Any word on why the LD vote was down by almost a third in the Highland vote?
Isn’t RP a Scottish voter, or at least a voter in Scotland? His insight’s as good as anyone I would have thought? (with the obvious proviso of his declared affiliation)
1. A Scottish voter 2. A Scottish election candidate 3 times
Divvie might not like the slide of the SNP, but you can't deny it. The number is the number whether its politically what you want to see or not.
Whilst you're avoiding Love Actually (I have never seen it and can't say I'm tempted), perhaps you'd have time to answer William Glenn's question on Putin?
Namely that if Putin was in favour of Britain giving up strategic British colonial assets, would you switch your positive view on giving them up - as you seem to expect those in favour of Brexit to do?
Foxy will no doubt answer if and as he wishes, but what is the 'if' doing in your second sentence? Does anyone doubt that Putin is in favour of Britain giving up strategic British colonial assets?
Given that that must be clear to everyone, including @Foxy, haven't you already got your answer?
This is of the same order of saying that building motorways is bad, because Hitler did it.
Yes, but Brexit was bad for Britain, as all the polling shows.
I think Robert Shrimsley is spot on here:
"In his endorsement of Brexit trade freedoms, Starmer resembles Alec Guinness’s half-mad colonel in The Bridge on the River Kwai, defending an edifice he has forgotten was built for the benefit of the other side."
The original purpose of the EU was an economic community which was the attraction for the UK. When it started to become a political union, there was always going to be an issue of the differing legal codes as they are not compatible (TLDR Top down v Bottom up) So to get back to UK's preferred position (economic union and not political), Brexit plus economic cooperation appears to be the route chosen. Short term disruption for longer term gain.
It's never been explained to me why the UK could accept political union, and I say that as someone who has been to the EU on political trips a few times as well as sitting with MEP's listening to why EU membership was good for their respective countries.
There was one exception though which was Ireland who were pretty negative at the thought of having to take back Ulster and it economic issues through Brexit.
You are quite wrong. From the very beginning the EU was a political project, and Ted Heath was quite open about it, as this speech, celebrating the UK entry makes quite clear: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRtmuEZg0p8
The debate was not about the economics. It was then, and has been ever since about the politics. The people who have been dishonest are those who claim they were fooled into a political project, when they wished to limit integration - if that were even possible- solely to economics. The only way to develop economic cooperation was to establish a clear political dimension. The idea that the Common Law and Roman law systems were somehow fundamentally incompatible is also horseshit. Within the UK itself, the Scottish, Roman law system functions perfectly well, with appropriate adjustments with the wider Common Law system.
Those opposed to the European project have hidden behind the delusion that "nobody told us". Yes they did, and now, whether through the Macron suggestion of a new European Political Community, or some enhanced Council of Europe, or by re-entry into some or all of the EU structure themselves, the UK now has little choice but to accept reality.
The Atlantic Alliance is fatally wounded. Trump is not a partner that we can trust, and the whole basis of trust with the USA has been fatally undermined. The choices are increasingly clear to the British people and we must act accordingly and quickly.
The reality is that the neither the EU nor the Council of Europe is in a position to take over the functions of NATO. Nor would we want them to as they are entirely unsuited and designed for a very different purpose.
Nor is it necessary as you desperately try to claim. The JEF has shown it is perfectly possible to have an organised coherent defensive structure without any of the other garbage that is associated with the EU.
I just think it is pretty sad that EU fanatics like yourself are using the current issues with the US and Russia to push their own fantasies of dragging the UK back into the EU.
You fail to address the point, and go off piste into a silly ad hominem attack, because it is simply a matter of fact that the EU, even as the EEC ,was explicitly a political project, whether you accept it or not indeed your ad hominem attack rather proves the point.
Just to note that the JEF is a military resources program and only includes the Nordic/Baltic 8, the Netherlands and the UK. Even expanding that to Poland is not particularly easy. You can try anything else, but in the end the political community will be dominated by the EU, so best option for our national interest is to rejoin.
The fanatics here are not those that understand the political and strategic realities, but those who trusted Johnson and a still prepared to trust Putin's puppet, Farage
New photos released from Epstein estate: “One image released Friday shows what appears to be a bowl of novelty condoms with a caricature of Trump’s face; the bowl has a sign saying, “Trump condom $4.50,” and each condom bears an image of Trump’s face with the text, “I’m HUUUUGE!”
Can you imagine the irritation when you try and put on your Trump sized condom and it barely covers the tip. Like putting on a Kippah to go out in a storm.
Garcia: "Just last night we received about 95,000 photographs from the Epstein estate. We've gone through maybe about 25,000 of them so far ... we will continue to put out more photos in the days and weeks ahead."
"Some of the other photos that we did not put out today are incredibly disturbing"
Bryan Lanza, who was a senior advisor to US President Donald Trump during the 2024 election campaign, has become a consultant to the international division of Russian oil company Lukoil, Politico reported, citing sources. https://x.com/Hromadske/status/1999501989135200452
Indiana GOP lawmakers have refused to bow to Trump's demand they redraw districts for 2026.
Trump managed to really piss off one of the senior Republicans there by casually using the "retard" word - said senior Republican having a Downs syndrome child. Ooops.
Some of the tactics were quite repulsive.
how Trump's pressure in IN backfired, including:
Hours later, when she was set to give her grandson a ride home from basketball practice, he bashfully told her that his entire team had received text messages about her that day — “and they were all bad.” https://x.com/IsaacDovere/status/1999311845015060694
Lib dem victor Matthew Prosser stood as an independent in the recent Caol and Mallaig by election
Credit to andrewp from vote 2012 forum, council didn't have figures on web page
Not a good day for the SNP, local by election losses to Reform and the LDs. A reminder they are unpopular now too, not just Labour and the Tories
SNP vote share was essentially static in Whitburn and Blackburn. It was the collapse in Slab and Scon that gave Reform their initial 149 vote lead, whittled down to only 24 in the head to head.
People dislike Reform UK. Then again, people also dislike the SNP. Voting SNP to stop Reform may be a step beyond what many voters are prepared to...
Wonderful to get such insights into the motivations of Scottish voters. Any word on why the LD vote was down by almost a third in the Highland vote?
Isn’t RP a Scottish voter, or at least a voter in Scotland? His insight’s as good as anyone I would have thought? (with the obvious proviso of his declared affiliation)
His insight is that of ‘a’ particularly excitable, noisy voter, very much affiliated. However he gives the impression of speaking for large tranches of the electorate, even larger than the number that tell him stuff on the doorsteps. Some more evidence of his workings might be useful.
@Foxy , @MattW , @rcs1000 etc - just caught up on your comments from last night: fair enough, I hold my hand up: the figure I had for 1995 was clearly erroneous. On which basis I am wrong.
Thank-you for that. Looking at the estimates no one seems particularly clear before 2001, when a question came into the census. For 1990 Google AI seems to give a range of 500k to 1000k, which is a huge error margin. Plus of course there has always been a significant group of people not here legally.
Just as background context from earlier - I was in Bradford 1985-1988 and at that time I think between 1/3 and 1/4 of the city was the population fraction described as Muslim. This was pre-Satanic Verses of course. There were harder line organisations being developed in places like Dewsbury some with explicit Middle Eastern links or funding, but also more ideologically open versions of Islam such as Ahmadiyya with open centres to visit in BD7 near the University.
The main numerical work I am familiar with from that sort of period was being done by the likes of Peter Brierley, then of Marc Europe (which was spun out of the BIble Society) and later of Christian Research. Their main activity was publication of a thing called the UK Christian Handbook, which was an enormous directory and reference volume from an Evangelical base, but covering the whole UK Christian sector. They were basically a resource and research organisation for churches and mission, from an evangelical focus but working across the piece.
They did a pioneering survey of Mosques and Mosque attendance in the second half of the 1980s, where one interesting number was Mosque attendance in the UK was around half of the adherent community - an interesting early number pointing at "drift". This is one reason I have always thought that the Muslim-background community is far broader than is readily admitted, whilst being less diffuse than the Christian-background community.
The mantle of Peter Brierley, who is still going as a consultant after starting in this arena in the mid-1970s, has been picked up by groups such as the Religion in Numbers project at Lancaster University, and Prof Linda Woodhead.
Half of Muslims never going to Mosque does fit with this survey:
I have some very pious Muslim friends, and others that never go at all, being "culturally Muslim" in the same way many "Christian" Brits are.
I watch Carols at Kings every Christmas and retain from childhood an emotional connection to the Nativity story. Also like poking around churches and graveyards. So I wouldn't reject a label of 'cultural Christian'.
I played a Wise Man at a school nativity play in 1982 when I was seven. The one who carried myrrh. My only acting credit to date!
Today, the Brusselians are crossing the Rubicon. At noon, a written vote will take place that will cause irreparable damage to the Union.
The subject of the vote is the frozen Russian assets, on which the EU member states have so far voted every 6 months and adopted a unanimous decision. With today’s procedure, the Brusselians are abolishing the requirement of unanimity with a single stroke of the pen, which is clearly unlawful.
With today’s decision, the rule of law in the European Union comes to an end, and Europe’s leaders are placing themselves above the rules. Instead of safeguarding compliance with the EU treaties, the European Commission is systematically raping European law. It is doing this in order to continue the war in Ukraine, a war that clearly isn't winnable. All this is happening in broad daylight, less than a week before the meeting of the European Council, the Union’s most important decision-making body, bringing together heads of state and government. With this, the rule of law in the European Union is being replaced by the rule of bureaucrats. In other words, a Brusselian dictatorship has taken hold.
Whilst you're avoiding Love Actually (I have never seen it and can't say I'm tempted), perhaps you'd have time to answer William Glenn's question on Putin?
Namely that if Putin was in favour of Britain giving up strategic British colonial assets, would you switch your positive view on giving them up - as you seem to expect those in favour of Brexit to do?
Foxy will no doubt answer if and as he wishes, but what is the 'if' doing in your second sentence? Does anyone doubt that Putin is in favour of Britain giving up strategic British colonial assets?
Given that that must be clear to everyone, including @Foxy, haven't you already got your answer?
This is of the same order of saying that building motorways is bad, because Hitler did it.
Yes, but Brexit was bad for Britain, as all the polling shows.
I think Robert Shrimsley is spot on here:
"In his endorsement of Brexit trade freedoms, Starmer resembles Alec Guinness’s half-mad colonel in The Bridge on the River Kwai, defending an edifice he has forgotten was built for the benefit of the other side."
The original purpose of the EU was an economic community which was the attraction for the UK. When it started to become a political union, there was always going to be an issue of the differing legal codes as they are not compatible (TLDR Top down v Bottom up) So to get back to UK's preferred position (economic union and not political), Brexit plus economic cooperation appears to be the route chosen. Short term disruption for longer term gain.
It's never been explained to me why the UK could accept political union, and I say that as someone who has been to the EU on political trips a few times as well as sitting with MEP's listening to why EU membership was good for their respective countries.
There was one exception though which was Ireland who were pretty negative at the thought of having to take back Ulster and it economic issues through Brexit.
You are quite wrong. From the very beginning the EU was a political project, and Ted Heath was quite open about it, as this speech, celebrating the UK entry makes quite clear: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRtmuEZg0p8
The debate was not about the economics. It was then, and has been ever since about the politics. The people who have been dishonest are those who claim they were fooled into a political project, when they wished to limit integration - if that were even possible- solely to economics. The only way to develop economic cooperation was to establish a clear political dimension. The idea that the Common Law and Roman law systems were somehow fundamentally incompatible is also horseshit. Within the UK itself, the Scottish, Roman law system functions perfectly well, with appropriate adjustments with the wider Common Law system.
Those opposed to the European project have hidden behind the delusion that "nobody told us". Yes they did, and now, whether through the Macron suggestion of a new European Political Community, or some enhanced Council of Europe, or by re-entry into some or all of the EU structure themselves, the UK now has little choice but to accept reality.
The Atlantic Alliance is fatally wounded. Trump is not a partner that we can trust, and the whole basis of trust with the USA has been fatally undermined. The choices are increasingly clear to the British people and we must act accordingly and quickly.
The reality is that the neither the EU nor the Council of Europe is in a position to take over the functions of NATO. Nor would we want them to as they are entirely unsuited and designed for a very different purpose.
Nor is it necessary as you desperately try to claim. The JEF has shown it is perfectly possible to have an organised coherent defensive structure without any of the other garbage that is associated with the EU.
I just think it is pretty sad that EU fanatics like yourself are using the current issues with the US and Russia to push their own fantasies of dragging the UK back into the EU.
The EU is a shit vehicle for actual military co-operation.
The issue is that military power is itself a factor of industrial and supply chain strength, where the EU has been the systematic organising entity. So the EU can’t be ignored.
Once again, I argue for an Anglo-Canadian Partnership (the Union word seemed to spook people) in large part on the basis of a coherently self-sufficient industry > economy > military logic.
Once we include Canada we should also probably include Australia and New Zealand if they are willing.
I have long been in favour of CANZUK in many areas. Cooperating pragmatically and case-by-case with important European powers (such as France of Germany) on a nation state level (because who gives a shit what Luxembourg or Cyprus want) and the United States when it regains its sanity and other free countries like India, Japan and Taiwan.
Today, the Brusselians are crossing the Rubicon. At noon, a written vote will take place that will cause irreparable damage to the Union.
The subject of the vote is the frozen Russian assets, on which the EU member states have so far voted every 6 months and adopted a unanimous decision. With today’s procedure, the Brusselians are abolishing the requirement of unanimity with a single stroke of the pen, which is clearly unlawful.
With today’s decision, the rule of law in the European Union comes to an end, and Europe’s leaders are placing themselves above the rules. Instead of safeguarding compliance with the EU treaties, the European Commission is systematically raping European law. It is doing this in order to continue the war in Ukraine, a war that clearly isn't winnable. All this is happening in broad daylight, less than a week before the meeting of the European Council, the Union’s most important decision-making body, bringing together heads of state and government. With this, the rule of law in the European Union is being replaced by the rule of bureaucrats. In other words, a Brusselian dictatorship has taken hold.
@Foxy , @MattW , @rcs1000 etc - just caught up on your comments from last night: fair enough, I hold my hand up: the figure I had for 1995 was clearly erroneous. On which basis I am wrong.
Thank-you for that. Looking at the estimates no one seems particularly clear before 2001, when a question came into the census. For 1990 Google AI seems to give a range of 500k to 1000k, which is a huge error margin. Plus of course there has always been a significant group of people not here legally.
Just as background context from earlier - I was in Bradford 1985-1988 and at that time I think between 1/3 and 1/4 of the city was the population fraction described as Muslim. This was pre-Satanic Verses of course. There were harder line organisations being developed in places like Dewsbury some with explicit Middle Eastern links or funding, but also more ideologically open versions of Islam such as Ahmadiyya with open centres to visit in BD7 near the University.
The main numerical work I am familiar with from that sort of period was being done by the likes of Peter Brierley, then of Marc Europe (which was spun out of the BIble Society) and later of Christian Research. Their main activity was publication of a thing called the UK Christian Handbook, which was an enormous directory and reference volume from an Evangelical base, but covering the whole UK Christian sector. They were basically a resource and research organisation for churches and mission, from an evangelical focus but working across the piece.
They did a pioneering survey of Mosques and Mosque attendance in the second half of the 1980s, where one interesting number was Mosque attendance in the UK was around half of the adherent community - an interesting early number pointing at "drift". This is one reason I have always thought that the Muslim-background community is far broader than is readily admitted, whilst being less diffuse than the Christian-background community.
The mantle of Peter Brierley, who is still going as a consultant after starting in this arena in the mid-1970s, has been picked up by groups such as the Religion in Numbers project at Lancaster University, and Prof Linda Woodhead.
Half of Muslims never going to Mosque does fit with this survey:
I have some very pious Muslim friends, and others that never go at all, being "culturally Muslim" in the same way many "Christian" Brits are.
I watch Carols at Kings every Christmas and retain from childhood an emotional connection to the Nativity story. Also like poking around churches and graveyards. So I wouldn't reject a label of 'cultural Christian'.
I played a Wise Man at a school nativity play in 1982 when I was seven. The one who carried myrrh. My only acting credit to date!
Hey snap. Except I beat you because I was gold. That's the top king, I think, the one carrying gold. That's what the teacher told me anyway.
@Foxy , @MattW , @rcs1000 etc - just caught up on your comments from last night: fair enough, I hold my hand up: the figure I had for 1995 was clearly erroneous. On which basis I am wrong.
Thank-you for that. Looking at the estimates no one seems particularly clear before 2001, when a question came into the census. For 1990 Google AI seems to give a range of 500k to 1000k, which is a huge error margin. Plus of course there has always been a significant group of people not here legally.
Just as background context from earlier - I was in Bradford 1985-1988 and at that time I think between 1/3 and 1/4 of the city was the population fraction described as Muslim. This was pre-Satanic Verses of course. There were harder line organisations being developed in places like Dewsbury some with explicit Middle Eastern links or funding, but also more ideologically open versions of Islam such as Ahmadiyya with open centres to visit in BD7 near the University.
The main numerical work I am familiar with from that sort of period was being done by the likes of Peter Brierley, then of Marc Europe (which was spun out of the BIble Society) and later of Christian Research. Their main activity was publication of a thing called the UK Christian Handbook, which was an enormous directory and reference volume from an Evangelical base, but covering the whole UK Christian sector. They were basically a resource and research organisation for churches and mission, from an evangelical focus but working across the piece.
They did a pioneering survey of Mosques and Mosque attendance in the second half of the 1980s, where one interesting number was Mosque attendance in the UK was around half of the adherent community - an interesting early number pointing at "drift". This is one reason I have always thought that the Muslim-background community is far broader than is readily admitted, whilst being less diffuse than the Christian-background community.
The mantle of Peter Brierley, who is still going as a consultant after starting in this arena in the mid-1970s, has been picked up by groups such as the Religion in Numbers project at Lancaster University, and Prof Linda Woodhead.
Half of Muslims never going to Mosque does fit with this survey:
I have some very pious Muslim friends, and others that never go at all, being "culturally Muslim" in the same way many "Christian" Brits are.
I watch Carols at Kings every Christmas and retain from childhood an emotional connection to the Nativity story. Also like poking around churches and graveyards. So I wouldn't reject a label of 'cultural Christian'.
I'll be singing in the carol service on Sunday, the third service I will have attended at our local Anglican church this year. I would say that I try to follow the teachings of Jesus by and large but I don't believe in God.
I don't either. I've tried (since it would be nice) but I can't get there. You can't think your way to it. That said, I'm not attracted to loud superrational 'hammer to crack an eggshell' atheism a la Hitchens and Dawkins.
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The enemy, meanwhile, likes to play games like sending two soldiers in civvies to a town square to plant a flag and take a picture of it for Pravda, before being either chased away or eliminated a few minutes later. These towns were never captured at all, but the Russian top brass and Politbureau think they were.
OTOH, until the West Lothian result came in it was pretty "meh" for Reform with the Tories having very solid wins in Staffordshire and Stockton and losing two in Lincolnshire (prime Ref country) by only a handful of votes to Reform. Best results for Kemi in many months and seems to show that they are capable of decent outcomes in at least some places. Maybe, finally, a straw in the wind, after all the talk about her improving ratings?
For those interested in Scottish polling, the latest Holyrood Sources podcast has a good discussion with Mark McGeoghegan of Ipsos analysing where the Reform vote is coming from - no big surprise but bad news for SLAB. Worth a listen.
https://holyroodsources.com/
Some privileged people can be remarkably tin-eared.
There was likely a direct link to a turndown in economic sentiment if not economic activity, from all of the kite-flying. People of wealth deciding to up sticks and move abroad, for example, is definitely a real thing because I see the results of it in my own business.
That’s from the BBC and effectively the US administration does fxck all in terms of putting money in and then gets rewarded with profits and we’re supposed to trust them to use $100 bn for reconstruction.
So the EU action to immobilise those Russian assets is crucial .
We’ve never seen anything like it.
This reason alone is enough for Reeves to go.
That’s BEFORE we get on to her mendacity over the alleged new hole in the budget, her general incompetence, and her chippy, seemingly spiteful demeanour.
Any word on why the LD vote was down by almost a third in the Highland vote?
This site wouldn’t run without an assimilated Muslim!
(That sounds vaguely offensive, apologies if so).
However, the larger the overall “Muslim” population, the slower that assimilation is going to take.
Thats why I generally favor a near-halt on migration from largely Muslim countries (Pakistan, Nigeria etc), save for the truly highly-skilled.
Russia moaning about the EU plan to immobilise its assets . Pass me the worlds smallest violin !
Is a second generation Muslim going to be riding a bike to church for Evensong? Unlikely.
So if you’re the sort of person who quite likes riding a to church for Evensong, or even just the idea of a society where people ride to church for Evensong — then ANY immigration is kind of culturally dilutive.
And you can find political analogies for “riding to church for Evensong” as well.
You wouldn’t expect Muslims to go to church though
This EU manoeuvre may sound technical but is ballsier than it seems.
We had a collection for Ukraine, as for the last couple of years - which I think pretty well reflects public support for them.
So, that's about what you'd expect. Votes for one independent preferentially go to the other. Greens go SNP and a bit LibDem. Conservatives to Reform and some to Labour. Et cetera. Basically, Reform start 149 votes ahead, but the SNP do better from transfers, until the final difference is just 24 votes.
It's stage 7 that stands out: Labour transfers go 157 to SNP versus 90 to Reform, but also versus 515 not transferring at all. If people were more studious about filling in their preferences, the SNP would probably have sneaked it.
AllahGod I might have ended up in a different life.I am large, I contain multitudes!
Somebody once complained to OGH about me being an Islamophobe because I once posted I didn’t want to live next door to a family of Muslims.
It was for their benefit, I didn’t want them feeling bad when they realise I am such a pious/devout Muslim and they couldn’t match my devotion.
Nor is it necessary as you desperately try to claim. The JEF has shown it is perfectly possible to have an organised coherent defensive structure without any of the other garbage that is associated with the EU.
I just think it is pretty sad that EU fanatics like yourself are using the current issues with the US and Russia to push their own fantasies of dragging the UK back into the EU.
The issue is that military power is itself a factor of industrial and supply chain strength, where the EU has been the systematic organising entity. So the EU can’t be ignored.
Once again, I argue for an Anglo-Canadian Partnership (the Union word seemed to spook people) in large part on the basis of a coherently self-sufficient industry > economy > military logic.
Someone who doesn't like Elon Musk's politics but likes his cars.
Someone who's woke but not politically correct.
Someone who supported Brexit initially but then thought it was all a bit of a cock up.
New photos released from Epstein estate: “One image released Friday shows what appears to be a bowl of novelty condoms with a caricature of Trump’s face; the bowl has a sign saying, “Trump condom $4.50,” and each condom bears an image of Trump’s face with the text, “I’m HUUUUGE!”
https://bsky.app/profile/jamiegangel.bsky.social/post/3m7sexka6zc2t
That’s not an image I wanted in my head.
Haslet is still a firm favourite too.
Not had crispy pancakes in years. Used to love the mince ones.
I am a Chav at heart.
A short time ago the CENK T (IMO 7528635) was struck by an Iskander in the Odesa area ports. This ship has been running laps in and out of the Odesa ports to other Black Sea region ports for at least two months. She frequents Ukraine at least once a week and usually more often.
https://x.com/exit266/status/1999495550694269091
Nor any impediment to Canada’s own deep integration into the North American market.
2. A Scottish election candidate 3 times
Divvie might not like the slide of the SNP, but you can't deny it. The number is the number whether its politically what you want to see or not.
Just to note that the JEF is a military resources program and only includes the Nordic/Baltic 8, the Netherlands and the UK. Even expanding that to Poland is not particularly easy. You can try anything else, but in the end the political community will be dominated by the EU, so best option for our national interest is to rejoin.
The fanatics here are not those that understand the political and strategic realities, but those who trusted Johnson and a still prepared to trust Putin's puppet, Farage
"Some of the other photos that we did not put out today are incredibly disturbing"
https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3m7sfwufjjm2g
https://x.com/Hromadske/status/1999501989135200452
how Trump's pressure in IN backfired, including:
Hours later, when she was set to give her grandson a ride home from basketball practice, he bashfully told her that his entire team had received text messages about her that day — “and they were all bad.”
https://x.com/IsaacDovere/status/1999311845015060694
https://x.com/NewStatesman/status/1999413288833044514
How can this inoffensive man have become so viscerally loathed?
Keir Starmer must make No 10 a content factory
Today, the Brusselians are crossing the Rubicon. At noon, a written vote will take place that will cause irreparable damage to the Union.
The subject of the vote is the frozen Russian assets, on which the EU member states have so far voted every 6 months and adopted a unanimous decision. With today’s procedure, the Brusselians are abolishing the requirement of unanimity with a single stroke of the pen, which is clearly unlawful.
With today’s decision, the rule of law in the European Union comes to an end, and Europe’s leaders are placing themselves above the rules. Instead of safeguarding compliance with the EU treaties, the European Commission is systematically raping European law. It is doing this in order to continue the war in Ukraine, a war that clearly isn't winnable. All this is happening in broad daylight, less than a week before the meeting of the European Council, the Union’s most important decision-making body, bringing together heads of state and government. With this, the rule of law in the European Union is being replaced by the rule of bureaucrats. In other words, a Brusselian dictatorship has taken hold.
Hungary protests this decision and will do everything in its power to restore a lawful order.
https://x.com/PM_ViktorOrban/status/1999358779763183953
If you're not too addicted to EU funding, there's a simple solution on offer.
I have long been in favour of CANZUK in many areas. Cooperating pragmatically and case-by-case with important European powers (such as France of Germany) on a nation state level (because who gives a shit what Luxembourg or Cyprus want) and the United States when it regains its sanity and other free countries like India, Japan and Taiwan.
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