North and South – politicalbetting.com
North and South – politicalbetting.com
Where do the North and South of England begin?Based on the answers of 46,000 English people about where they live, the southern border of “the North” is a line roughly from Shrewsbury to Grimsby, while the northern border of “the South” is a line roughly from the Severn to Great Yarmouth
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Neither Northerners or Southerners want them.
And people in Norfolk and Suffolk, plus some in Cambridgeshire live in East Anglia.
Norfolk and Lincolnshire are not South, North or Midlands anymore than Wales is. Nor are Devon, Cornwall and Somerset.
Liz Truss - Northerner
Margaret Thatcher - Southerner
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/08/us/politics/trump-senate-republicans-susan-collins.html
If you talk "foony", you're from the North.
In France the real midi is quite easy to place because of the abrupt change to Mediterranean vegetation (except in the Alps, where it’s more gradual) but the divide between the Northern and Southern half of the country is more subjective. For me, it’s where steep pitched roofs give way to Roman canal tiles, and where you start regularly seeing cypress trees in gardens. Around Macon in the East and on the borders of Charente in the West.
The Watford gap does feel like one of those borders. My family are just North of it, and are definitely in the proper Midlands. To the South of it, the likes of Northampton and Daventry are Midlandish but not fully there..
I always consider that I've reached The South as the train pulls in to Peterborough.
Some of my best friends claim to have passed through there on their way to salmon fishing in Scotland.
I've just learned that Goldfinger (as in the actor who played gold finger) was dubbed.
Mind blown.
SCOOP: Zarah Sultana’s unauthorised launch of a Your Party membership portal should be referred to the police, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has advised.
https://x.com/PronouncedAlva/status/2009681454809112613?s=20
In the Swiss Alps scene in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Bond masquerades as Sir Hilary. George Baker dubs Lazenby because Lazenby is not a very good actor.
https://x.com/camhigby/status/2009543061492355438
Venezuelan journalist @maibortpetit reports that Venezuelan acting president Delcy Rodriguez will travel to Washington on Tuesday to meet with Trump and U.S. oil executives
Its like social class in that while there is some lag, it is implausible to claim to be working class and be a senior barrister.
https://x.com/AlphaNews/status/2009679932289626385
🚨 NEW VIDEO 👇🏽This puts an end to all the lies. Horrific.
They were having a calm exchange seconds before he murdered Renee Good, and she was barely moving and clearly avoiding him.
Stop the lies.
https://bsky.app/profile/thetnholler.bsky.social/post/3mbz3va3en22e
Best script. Best locations, Best score. Best cast.
What's not to like?
I have been inflicted this afternoon with Brotherhood of Man. And yesterday I was told by one of the two remaining acceptable parts of the Daily Telegrunt that Rick Astley was one of the items of psychological warfare used to persuade Noriega to leave the Papal Embassy in Panama City when the Yanks invaded Panama in 1989.
I have pivoted to a new ratman, who turns out top be called Giulio. He might as well be on a mountain in Mexico, or outside a chip shop in Walthamstowe, as he scans correctly.
Having checked on Angelo, I think it's the only pop song in the world with fewer different words in it than There was an old man with a beard by Edward Lear. Apart from maybe "Mahna Mahna".
Warning: incoming Brotherhood of Man abuse. The bloody thing should have been a capital offence.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0fC_HL2NL8
With appropriate hints dropped in the correct places we may get Andrea, Isobel, Lee and Richard ("LARI") to perform it at the next Ref UK conference.
* I'm assuming ICE.
After all they're armed to the teeth as standard.
Though I do wonder why some people think sticking a camera in the faces of a bunch armed to the teeth is a good idea.
That certainly wouldn't pass any health and safety or basic common sense test.
Have you not seen the film?
He's the only one providing the altenative perspective, which we need to hear to understand the politics.
Sticking a camera in the faces of a bunch of heavily armed stressed people is not sensible.
If you want to try go and do it to some of the Notts plods to see what reaction you get.
@kaitlancollins
"Following the regular procedure of presidents being prebriefed on economic data releases, there was an inadvertent public disclosure of aggregate data that was partially derived from pre-released information,” a White House official told CNN. “The White House is accordingly reviewing protocols regarding economic data releases.”
Southerners pronounce “funny” to rhyme with “honey” not “fanny”
Do we still have them? I haven’t driven very far north for a long time. But I remember them from trips to Glossop (where my Dad’s from; definitely in the North, even though it’s in Derbyshire, as a kid)
And the one best suited to my singing voice.
Are they supposed to be counties?
Rights that are not asserted and defended are all too often ignored.
(In general I prefer our system where police officers show a measure of politeness and consideration).
With ICE in particular they are detaining huge numbers of people illegally, and deporting them illegally, deliberately undermining the rule of law, which is part of the Trump campaign to create, in practice, a police state. I think it will be unravelled in the end; time will tell.
Not in the North East. Not in Yorkshire.
"Lerwick 5
The North"
https://maps.app.goo.gl/gpPNMMCnoeT7jfiE8
There's one on the same post saying "The South".
Very ultralocal, Shetland.
William is an accomplished political analyst and an interesting writer. His work and analysis post the EU Referendum was exceptionally enlightening.
It is disappointing that from time to time he resorts to trolling his inferior opponents. Some of his Trump friendly posts since Renee Good was executed have been in the most awful taste. It's a shame because he is far wiser than the usual purveyors of that kind of filth.
America has its ICE-atollahs.
https://youtu.be/KQFho0_G1VI?si=Gp4mc6mXHvA20uu2&t=30
Then again in these modern times despite living in the West Country all my life I rarely hear anything other than 'generic southerner'. The occasional more rustic accent, but not that often.
Are you sorry, Bobby Terry?”
(They need one pointing to "The South" out to sea on Sumburgh Head.)
There's a problem here.
If the rest of the world's coverage of the Land of the Increasingly Less Free doesn't include what MAGAhats believe, we're missing out on important insights to their beliefs.
If those beliefs ever get confused with a description of the actual world, we risk adding bullshit to our mental maps of how things actually are.
If every MAGA statement is followed by "they believe it, but it's probably untrue", a large nuclear power risks taking offence.
Basically, beliefs are free. But if you insist that beliefs are true, prepare to be thought silly.
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/foot-strut_split
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phonological_history_of_English_close_back_vowels#FOOT–STRUT_split
The Spy Who Loved Me
Moonraker
All time high
For starters
Best Bond movie, worst Bond.
Best car too. Aston Martin DBS.
Where I have to give British police credit is their categorisation of the former was broad enough to include citizens being very awkward buggers on protests, including non-violent direct action. We all seemed to have a good idea of where the line was, how the game was played, and we didn't want to cross it.
ICE seem to have a much narrower definition of fine upstanding citizen, and I'm not sure it's safe for anyone to be in the vicinity of ICE when they're amped up. I certainly have no intention of risking it.
The northern pronunciation of the 'u' in funny might be better called the strut - strat split. It's got nothing to do with the OO diphthong. I've heard strut pronounced 'strat' in Luton enough times. I believe it is common in Essex too.
@TheSnowDreamer
The far south of England (excluding Cornwall) really dodged a terrible bullet last night. A 132mph gust was observed just over channel in Cherbourg Peninsula in Normandy.
Motorway‑by‑Motorway Breakdown of “The North” Signage
🚗 M1 (London → Leeds)
Appears from North London: As soon as you join the M1 heading out of London, you’ll see “The North” alongside “Watford”, “Luton”, etc.
Continues past Milton Keynes: Still labelled “The North” through Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire.
Fades out around Nottingham / East Midlands: Once you reach the Nottingham/Derby/Leicester triangle, the signage shifts to specific cities like Sheffield, Leeds, and Doncaster.
Gone entirely by Sheffield: At this point, you’re considered in the North.
🚗 M6 (Birmingham → Carlisle)
Appears south of Birmingham: Approaching the West Midlands, “The North (M6)” is common on the M5, M40, and M42 feeders.
Strongest around the M6/M5 junction: This is one of the most famous “The North” sign clusters.
Disappears north of Wolverhampton: Once you’re past the Black Country, signs switch to Manchester, Liverpool, and Preston.
Replaced by Scotland references near Carlisle: By the time you reach Cumbria, signs point to Scotland instead of “The North”.
🚗 M40 (London → Birmingham)
Appears around High Wycombe: “The North (M6)” appears long before you reach Birmingham.
Continues to the M42 interchange: The M40 uses “The North” as a directional label until you hit the Birmingham orbital.
Stops once you join the M42/M6: After that, you’re in the Midlands and the signage becomes more specific.
🚗 M4 (London → South Wales)
Appears only near the M25/M40 junction: The M4 itself doesn’t go north, but signs for “The North (M40)” appear around Heathrow and the M25.
Disappears once you’re west of Reading: Because the M4 isn’t a northbound route, “The North” is only used to direct you to the M40 or M1.
🚗 M5 (Birmingham → Exeter)
Appears only near Birmingham: “The North (M6)” appears at the northern end of the M5.
Gone once you head south: The M5 is a south‑west motorway, so “The North” is only used to direct you away from it.
🚗 M62 (Liverpool → Hull)
Almost never uses “The North”: Because the M62 runs across the North, not toward it.
Uses city names instead: Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Hull — no regional labels needed.
🚗 M25 (London orbital)
Appears on northern and western quadrants: Signs like “The North (M1)” or “The North (M40)” are common.
Stops once you’re directed onto the correct motorway: The M25 itself never takes you to “The North”; it only funnels you toward the M1 or M40.