Given the speculation, not without some supporting indications, that a US strike package is on its way to Iran, it isnt a shock but it is a little surprising if Trump has ordered it.
The guy likes the idea of doing something decisive, history defining. The Iranian government appears to have gotten the better of the protests over last few days, even though they are ongoing, which may have made action a day late and a dollar short if its not overwhelming and sustained.
If the US does not go for a assassination strategy, and they have circulated their requests for intelligence widely to 3rd parties, there would be two devastating targets, Bandar Abbas and Kharg, Those would be a piece of piss to hit. Whether they'd go down that economic destruction to kill the regime is high tariff stuff in terms of potential impact and reaction.
So technically you are right and I am wrong. This has absolutely nothing to do with Donald Trump. He is a mere bystander...
It’s important to understand how such things work - it’s an old, old story. The Big Cheese makes his feelings known. And/or the underlings try and please him by doing something they know he’ll like.
That way the underlings are deniable if it goes wrong.
“If only the King/Emperor/etc knew what they do in his name…”
Today I found out that Ofgem is spending £287 million – paid for by household electricity bills – to dismantle 10 pylons in Snowdonia & bury the cables.
That's more than twice the annual budget of *all* national parks in Britain (which have budgets of £135m pa). Rather than burying pylons, we could spend that money far more effectively to protect nature, while reducing energy bills.
Alternatively, about 3000 people live in the area. With the same budget, you could give every single one of them £100k, or pay for 3 years' worth of free school meals for every primary school kid in Wales. https://x.com/dc_lawrence/status/2011479928701677929
As much as I think he should go I don't think the fundamental problem is essentially that of one individual. It's been clear nationwide since the aftermath of 7 October 2023 when police were taking down pictures of the hostages.
Today I found out that Ofgem is spending £287 million – paid for by household electricity bills – to dismantle 10 pylons in Snowdonia & bury the cables.
That's more than twice the annual budget of *all* national parks in Britain (which have budgets of £135m pa). Rather than burying pylons, we could spend that money far more effectively to protect nature, while reducing energy bills.
Alternatively, about 3000 people live in the area. With the same budget, you could give every single one of them £100k, or pay for 3 years' worth of free school meals for every primary school kid in Wales. https://x.com/dc_lawrence/status/2011479928701677929
When the country is three trillion in debt nobody sees a reason why the £287m for their pet project shouldn't be spent.
Today I found out that Ofgem is spending £287 million – paid for by household electricity bills – to dismantle 10 pylons in Snowdonia & bury the cables.
That's more than twice the annual budget of *all* national parks in Britain (which have budgets of £135m pa). Rather than burying pylons, we could spend that money far more effectively to protect nature, while reducing energy bills.
Alternatively, about 3000 people live in the area. With the same budget, you could give every single one of them £100k, or pay for 3 years' worth of free school meals for every primary school kid in Wales. https://x.com/dc_lawrence/status/2011479928701677929
Today I found out that Ofgem is spending £287 million – paid for by household electricity bills – to dismantle 10 pylons in Snowdonia & bury the cables.
That's more than twice the annual budget of *all* national parks in Britain (which have budgets of £135m pa). Rather than burying pylons, we could spend that money far more effectively to protect nature, while reducing energy bills.
Alternatively, about 3000 people live in the area. With the same budget, you could give every single one of them £100k, or pay for 3 years' worth of free school meals for every primary school kid in Wales. https://x.com/dc_lawrence/status/2011479928701677929
As much as I think he should go I don't think the fundamental problem is essentially that of one individual. It's been clear nationwide since the aftermath of 7 October 2023 when police were taking down pictures of the hostages.
It rather saddens me that something like Douglas Campbell's "Secret Society" wouldn't even be commissioned now. Not sure how legit this copy of the episode is - but it keeps coming to mind :
"BBC 2 | Secret Society | The Association of Chief Police Officers
ACPO have been making up their own law and policy. This episode investigates the Association of Chief Police Officers and how Government policy and actions are determined in the fields of law and order."
Today I found out that Ofgem is spending £287 million – paid for by household electricity bills – to dismantle 10 pylons in Snowdonia & bury the cables.
That's more than twice the annual budget of *all* national parks in Britain (which have budgets of £135m pa). Rather than burying pylons, we could spend that money far more effectively to protect nature, while reducing energy bills.
Alternatively, about 3000 people live in the area. With the same budget, you could give every single one of them £100k, or pay for 3 years' worth of free school meals for every primary school kid in Wales. https://x.com/dc_lawrence/status/2011479928701677929
A hell of a lot of money, but I am compelled to point out the standard dodgy comparison of capital and yearly costs in the second paragraph. Tut tut.
As much as I think he should go I don't think the fundamental problem is essentially that of one individual. It's been clear nationwide since the aftermath of 7 October 2023 when police were taking down pictures of the hostages.
It rather saddens me that something like Douglas Campbell's "Secret Society" wouldn't even be commissioned now. Not sure how legit this copy of the episode is - but it keeps coming to mind :
"BBC 2 | Secret Society | The Association of Chief Police Officers
ACPO have been making up their own law and policy. This episode investigates the Association of Chief Police Officers and how Government policy and actions are determined in the fields of law and order."
ACPoo, under New Labour, conducted an illegal campaign of surveillance and infiltration of dangerous groups such as student and hippies climbing trees to protest about development.
As much as I think he should go I don't think the fundamental problem is essentially that of one individual. It's been clear nationwide since the aftermath of 7 October 2023 when police were taking down pictures of the hostages.
It rather saddens me that something like Douglas Campbell's "Secret Society" wouldn't even be commissioned now. Not sure how legit this copy of the episode is - but it keeps coming to mind :
"BBC 2 | Secret Society | The Association of Chief Police Officers
ACPO have been making up their own law and policy. This episode investigates the Association of Chief Police Officers and how Government policy and actions are determined in the fields of law and order."
ACPoo, under New Labour, conducted an illegal campaign of surveillance and infiltration of dangerous groups such as student and hippies climbing trees to protest about development.
The ensuing court cases are still going on today.
I have a faint memory of maybe a Timewatch documentary featuring someone who - as a kid - had waited around to see Harold Wilson at some local event. Then discovered their whole life had been monitored by the spooks as a 'person of interest'.
Another thing I reflect on when I think about the effectiveness or not of the 'Prevent' programme and related 'spookery'.
The administration is sending 1,000 more ICE agents to Minnesota. That's over 3,000 federal agents flooding our streets, almost triple the combined police forces of Minneapolis and St. Paul.
ICE is sowing chaos in our communities. They need to get off our streets immediately.
BREAKING: The UK is sending a single military officer to Greenland at the request of Denmark to participate in a multi-nation exercise
A token multinational force that the USA have to cross the Rubicon of actually shooting at or capturing raises the political risk of them acting, so I think this is sensible.
If they contest against other NATO troops we will be less able to brush it all under the carpet. Hopefully.
If they are truly committed nothing will dissuade them, and in practice not much would happen in the short term I am sure, which is part of their reasoning, but that is not to say such things are meaningless. The Americans are poisoning their reputation among allies, and we can have a chuckle about how they don't give two shits about that because they're a superpower, and that is true, but even an abused dog eventually bites, and long term that kind of dismissive or aggressive posture towards 'friends' will see changes happen.
How many 16 and 17 year olds drink alcohol free "booze"?
The proposed ban sounds absolutely fucking pointless to me
It sounds mental to me. Even if it was a gateway to real booze, which I doubt, and even if they can craft a ban properly, which I doubt, once they are adults it'll be up to them, and the plan is to make them all voters at 16 so can we not trust them to resist it?
The administration is sending 1,000 more ICE agents to Minnesota. That's over 3,000 federal agents flooding our streets, almost triple the combined police forces of Minneapolis and St. Paul.
ICE is sowing chaos in our communities. They need to get off our streets immediately.
Dear god, can we get HYUFD back to talk about roundabouts ?
An entire thread on a joke Starmer told is more than a chap can bear.
As TSE suggested earlier our prim wallflowers weren't quite so proper when it came to Penny Mordant's "cock" joke.
Mrs Flatlander's explanation for Starmer is that he's had Thick of It style rants from his own advisors and that perhaps this is their favourite analogy.
So when floundering, he found himself using the same phrase.
It seemed out of character, whereas Penny was entirely in character.
The PM just has to hold out until 2027 and then things will be easier (I jest, the HoL is not his biggest problem) The Observer's Whitehall Editor, Cat Neilan, recently cited my analysis for Hogan Lovells, projecting that the UK government could eliminate the risk of defeat in the House of Lords by 2027.
There are no limits on the Prime Minister's appointment powers, and the extent of No. 10's ambitions are unclear. Media and public scrutiny could influence how far things go, but both are currently quite subdued. The Lords’ ability to delay bills provides some leverage, potentially encouraging the government to act reasonably if cooler heads prevail.
Key stats: * Since the General Election, the government has been defeated 55 times in 119 Lords divisions, consistent with the previous Conservative government’s experience. * However, defeats are set to reduce significantly from 2026. * The Hereditary Peers Bill, progressing through the Lords, will remove 88 peers by this session’s end (only 4 are Labour), reducing defeats by 15% and lowering the average majority against the government from 75 to 55. * The Government has also been steadily increasing the number of Labour peers. There has been a 36 net gain since the General Election (45 new Labour peers but some are replacing retirees etc) * If appointments continue at this pace in 2025-26, defeats could halve. By 2026-27, they may vanish entirely, reducing the ability of the Lords to ask the Government to 'think again' * https://nitter.poast.org/nmdacosta/status/1996378088754594241#m
The Lords have at least been overegging it, arguably.
There have been a couple where they have voted down Manifesto Commitments aiui (Employment Rights Bill, Lords Reform), and there has been some dancing on pinheads to support non-violation of the Salisbury Convention.
I'm nuancing this as I'm not totally over the detail, but I have seen a couple of suggestions that the Salisbury Convention be put into law, and precedures revised to make sure it is respected.
A risk for a Lords that gets too pushy, to be sure, though with the hereditaries going maybe the rest think it time to formalise that up in any case, so don't see it as a concern.
The government is also seemingly trying to treat the private member's bill like a manifesto commitment with the hyperbole about how it must not be delayed. I'm very sure some Lords are trying to wreck it, but whilst there are good reasons to do such things as private bills that comes with some downsides in terms of parliamentary time and, indeed, convention expectations.
Greenland needs to hold firm and dare Trump to take military action . Although the GOP have generally been a spineless bunch this issue is one that might see a change there . You’ll still have the Trump fellators that will go along with it but I’d hope there’d be enough to say enough is enough .
Trump wants to buy Greenland, he doesn't actually want to invade it (which polls show over 3/4 of Americans oppose), that is just a typical Trump ruse so offering Greenlanders some billions to become American looks reasonable.
The classic 'ignore everything he is saying' tactic, even though plenty of times he demonstrates he means what he says. I'm sure he would rather buy, and many many people privately will be telling him not to invade, but the very things some people like him for is he contemplates doing what others will not, so it is clearly not off the table.
Today I found out that Ofgem is spending £287 million – paid for by household electricity bills – to dismantle 10 pylons in Snowdonia & bury the cables.
That's more than twice the annual budget of *all* national parks in Britain (which have budgets of £135m pa). Rather than burying pylons, we could spend that money far more effectively to protect nature, while reducing energy bills.
Alternatively, about 3000 people live in the area. With the same budget, you could give every single one of them £100k, or pay for 3 years' worth of free school meals for every primary school kid in Wales. https://x.com/dc_lawrence/status/2011479928701677929
A hell of a lot of money, but I am compelled to point out the standard dodgy comparison of capital and yearly costs in the second paragraph. Tut tut.
Aren't these pylons across an estuary? I can't imagine maintenance is fun.
As much as I think he should go I don't think the fundamental problem is essentially that of one individual. It's been clear nationwide since the aftermath of 7 October 2023 when police were taking down pictures of the hostages.
It rather saddens me that something like Douglas Campbell's "Secret Society" wouldn't even be commissioned now. Not sure how legit this copy of the episode is - but it keeps coming to mind :
"BBC 2 | Secret Society | The Association of Chief Police Officers
ACPO have been making up their own law and policy. This episode investigates the Association of Chief Police Officers and how Government policy and actions are determined in the fields of law and order."
ACPoo, under New Labour, conducted an illegal campaign of surveillance and infiltration of dangerous groups such as student and hippies climbing trees to protest about development.
The ensuing court cases are still going on today.
Considering how politically popular protesting development is I'm amazed such people were targeted. I guess when it is the more active kind of protest the authorities take a dimmer view.
Trump is going to seize Greenland. European leaders need to get their backsides out of that Egyptian river and decide what they're going to do about that.
What they are going to do about it is absolutely fuck all.
I wish I didn't agree with you, but I do. If they were going to mount a credible defence of Greenland the logistics for it would be underway by now. But all that's happened is a token force of Danish troops deployed.
It really is quite disheartening. Europe deserves its reputation as a bloc too sacred to use force, even when their own territory is being invaded.
You don't need a credible defence - none exists. You just need to put enough troops on so there is a chance some aggro squaddie from Grimsby [insert European equivalents] actually takes a shot at them. That is possibly the only thing that might deter Trump.
And the threat is a simple one: if you invade Greenland, then the chances of Europeans ever buying American products is basically zero.
Also NATO will be dissolved and American bases in Europe (and the UK) will be closed.
Countries leaving NATO would be just what Vance and co want of course.
Comments
The guy likes the idea of doing something decisive, history defining. The Iranian government appears to have gotten the better of the protests over last few days, even though they are ongoing, which may have made action a day late and a dollar short if its not overwhelming and sustained.
If the US does not go for a assassination strategy, and they have circulated their requests for intelligence widely to 3rd parties, there would be two devastating targets, Bandar Abbas and Kharg, Those would be a piece of piss to hit. Whether they'd go down that economic destruction to kill the regime is high tariff stuff in terms of potential impact and reaction.
That way the underlings are deniable if it goes wrong.
“If only the King/Emperor/etc knew what they do in his name…”
https://bsky.app/profile/peterstefanovic.bsky.social/post/3mcfxynthu227
I am torn between Colonel Sharpe or Commander Bond, or better still Captain Blackadder. He would have a cunning plan...
Today I found out that Ofgem is spending £287 million – paid for by household electricity bills – to dismantle 10 pylons in Snowdonia & bury the cables.
That's more than twice the annual budget of *all* national parks in Britain (which have budgets of £135m pa). Rather than burying pylons, we could spend that money far more effectively to protect nature, while reducing energy bills.
Alternatively, about 3000 people live in the area. With the same budget, you could give every single one of them £100k, or pay for 3 years' worth of free school meals for every primary school kid in Wales.
https://x.com/dc_lawrence/status/2011479928701677929
https://policepromotion.blog/2024/08/11/exclusive-interview-with-west-mids-chief-craig-guildford-qpm/
£86k - a meter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuOrKO3_doI
"BBC 2 | Secret Society | The Association of Chief Police Officers
ACPO have been making up their own law and policy. This episode investigates the Association of Chief Police Officers and how Government policy and actions are determined in the fields of law and order."
The ensuing court cases are still going on today.
Another thing I reflect on when I think about the effectiveness or not of the 'Prevent' programme and related 'spookery'.
I know this is in actuality about more than that, but still.
So when floundering, he found himself using the same phrase.
It seemed out of character, whereas Penny was entirely in character.
The government is also seemingly trying to treat the private member's bill like a manifesto commitment with the hyperbole about how it must not be delayed. I'm very sure some Lords are trying to wreck it, but whilst there are good reasons to do such things as private bills that comes with some downsides in terms of parliamentary time and, indeed, convention expectations.
And so soon after new members too.
I went on it in September. I may have mentioned that.