"Assisted dying bill backers say it is ‘near impossible’ it will pass House of Lords Exclusive: Legislation thought unlikely even to be put to vote before timing out after delay tactics by opponents"
You have to get both houses to agree. I don't know if going thru the House of Commons twice is enough to force it thru: I've been told that the Salisbury Convention isn't applicable to private members' bills, which means the HoC can't force it thru the HoL nonconsensually.
If there's a silver lining from this, it's that it makes Lords Reform more possible.
I wasn't very taken with Hamnet either but your guy on Twitter had pointed out the parts I liked best which were the costume and set design. I think they'll do well in the craft awards
i) Sir Keir Starmer is an authoritarian. He believes that people and society is fixable and the fixing mechanism is the law.
ii) He doesn't understand what the problems of the country are. I'm not even sure he knows how to fix them even if he knew.
iii) The election cancellation are pending council reorganisation, although it's not what I would have done (we had an election to the European Parliament in 2019 despite the fact we were soon to leave)
iv) They want to keep the Muslim population onside and believe that a new blasphemy law is the way to do it.
v) Several other things which I can't think of at short notice
I wasn't very taken with Hamnet either but your guy on Twitter had pointed out the parts I liked best which were the costume and set design. I think they'll do well in the craft awards
I wasn't very taken with Hamnet either but your guy on Twitter had pointed out the parts I liked best which were the costume and set design. I think they'll do well in the craft awards
Shouldn't it be Hamlet??
No. Hamnet was Shakespeares son, Hamlet the character he wrote the play about.
The film is about Shakespeares relationship with his wife and children.
I wasn't very taken with Hamnet either but your guy on Twitter had pointed out the parts I liked best which were the costume and set design. I think they'll do well in the craft awards
Shouldn't it be Hamlet??
No. Hamnet was Shakespeares son, Hamlet the character he wrote the play about.
The film is about Shakespeares relationship with his wife and children.
Mind blown!
I thought it was an alternate spelling for the play!
I wasn't very taken with Hamnet either but your guy on Twitter had pointed out the parts I liked best which were the costume and set design. I think they'll do well in the craft awards
Shouldn't it be Hamlet??
"Hamnet" was the son of William Shakespeare. Hamnet died at eleven years old in 1596.
"Hamlet" is a play by William Shakespeare. It opened in the 1600's and contains the "To be, or not to be" speech.
At the time the names "Hamlet" and "Hamnet" were synonymous and some think the play's tragic nature was informed by Shakespeare's grief at the death of his child.
I wasn't very taken with Hamnet either but your guy on Twitter had pointed out the parts I liked best which were the costume and set design. I think they'll do well in the craft awards
I found it as grim as an Eastenders Christmas Special, but Jessie Buckley is in with a chance for Best Actress, her performance was real Oscar bait.
Labour. Cancelling elections. Abandoning Jury trials. Bringing in blasphemy laws
Tell me again what’s so uniquely bad about Donald Trump?
Uniquely, interesting. There’s plenty bad about Trump but plenty bad about Labour.
it’s ironic Labour imply Reform are fascist given their record, not only what you mention but also look at their tendency to ban things from smoking, to food ads, to anything nanny doesn’t like.
Whatever Labour are they are not pro individual liberty.
Yeah it was totally crazy. The fourth man is usually the brake man, so as he crossed the line into the slowdown zone he shuffled himself to the back to grab the lever. Thankfully the safety systems on both vehicle and track worked well, and he stopped somewhere around the usual stopping point.
I bet he didn’t buy a drink in the bar that night.
"Assisted dying bill backers say it is ‘near impossible’ it will pass House of Lords Exclusive: Legislation thought unlikely even to be put to vote before timing out after delay tactics by opponents"
On topic and of course if this rule applies to Andy Burnham, it also applies to another aspiring Labour leadership contender, Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London.
Last autumn, Khan apparently stated it was his "intention" (always a let out) to run for a fourth term as London Mayor and eschewed a return to Westminster politics. Now, we all know the road to hell is paved with good intentions so could we yet see Khan return to Westminster?
IF he chose not to contest the 2028 London Mayoral election, he would be free to find a seat for a 2029 General Election - there may not be as many safe Labour seats in London as there used to be but I'm sure he could find somewhere - and either serve in a second term Labour Government or be a senior opposition MP and he's the same age as Burnham.
If the former, would Khan be in position to take over as Prime Minister if Starmer retired halfway through his second term?
Interesting how FON collect their samples. Seems to be for people who want to enter a quiz with prizes every day. That suggests it leans towards people who have bugger all to do each day.
On Topic You underwstimate the vindictive nature of McSweeney and his faction. No way are they going to let soft left Burnham stand. Hence the rule change and the 6 years of picking right wing Zionist loyalists to stand.
Lab under SKS is a total cesspit for anyone of a democratic Socialist nature.
Burnham best bet would be to join the Greens and win the seat as a Green under Zaks leadership
Interesting how FON collect their samples. Seems to be for people who want to enter a quiz with prizes every day. That suggests it leans towards people who have bugger all to do each day.
Interesting how FON collect their samples. Seems to be for people who want to enter a quiz with prizes every day. That suggests it leans towards people who have bugger all to do each day.
On topic and of course if this rule applies to Andy Burnham, it also applies to another aspiring Labour leadership contender, Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London.
Last autumn, Khan apparently stated it was his "intention" (always a let out) to run for a fourth term as London Mayor and eschewed a return to Westminster politics. Now, we all know the road to hell is paved with good intentions so could we yet see Khan return to Westminster?
IF he chose not to contest the 2028 London Mayoral election, he would be free to find a seat for a 2029 General Election - there may not be as many safe Labour seats in London as there used to be but I'm sure he could find somewhere - and either serve in a second term Labour Government or be a senior opposition MP and he's the same age as Burnham.
If the former, would Khan be in position to take over as Prime Minister if Starmer retired halfway through his second term?
Lol SKS is going to "retire" less than halfway through his first term.
There is no 2nd term for Lab even without the massive drag SKS has become. With him the worst GE result ever awaits
Interesting how FON collect their samples. Seems to be for people who want to enter a quiz with prizes every day. That suggests it leans towards people who have bugger all to do each day.
I wasn't very taken with Hamnet either but your guy on Twitter had pointed out the parts I liked best which were the costume and set design. I think they'll do well in the craft awards
I found it as grim as an Eastenders Christmas Special, but Jessie Buckley is in with a chance for Best Actress, her performance was real Oscar bait.
Yes I agree. She could well win best actress though I didn't enjoy her performance at all.
Interesting how FON collect their samples. Seems to be for people who want to enter a quiz with prizes every day. That suggests it leans towards people who have bugger all to do each day.
Interesting how FON collect their samples. Seems to be for people who want to enter a quiz with prizes every day. That suggests it leans towards people who have bugger all to do each day.
I see that GBNews are developing their USA audience
On an article entitled "Canada 'plots guerilla tactics' to prevent American attack as US defence plans drawn up for first time in a CENTURY" a commenter asserts:
"What a risible, CCP owned, WEF acolyte, fool and lickspittal Carney is! Selling out Canada’s freedom to China and attempting to make the USA a pariah country!
I hope you have a reasonable excuse for encouraging that turgid load of tripe by tuneing in?
I try to keep a weather eye on what is currently fashionable on Reform TV, as my area is still going deeper into the turquoise swamp before we eventually start to come out again.
GB News is one of the routes to the radical right from the mainstream, and a sprinkling of sanity in the comments can perhaps have a certain value for some.
People I know in the USA involved in persuading Maga Loofs back out of their tree point out that the deradicalisation process takes time, and engagement inside the silo can be beneficial.
Interesting how FON collect their samples. Seems to be for people who want to enter a quiz with prizes every day. That suggests it leans towards people who have bugger all to do each day.
Well they've confirmed he's going so let battle begin. I suspect the result might be a leadership election but not that Burnham will win it
Starmer has a real problem to add to his many others
Try to stop Burnham then he will look frightened, even scared
Demonstrates a labour civil war
Burnham does stand and Reform trounce him
Burnham stands as an Indpendent and wins
And poll ratings head towards single figures
And as for cancelling 29 local what an idiotic idea in this febrile climate
I doubt Burnham will provoke a contest as soon as he arrives. Starmer might even offer him a job. Home Secretary might be interesting
He has to win first, but if he does under labour rather than independent I expect he would refuse any position in Starmer's cabinet and I would also anticipate an early leadership challenge backed by Rayner
Interesting how FON collect their samples. Seems to be for people who want to enter a quiz with prizes every day. That suggests it leans towards people who have bugger all to do each day.
Interesting how FON collect their samples. Seems to be for people who want to enter a quiz with prizes every day. That suggests it leans towards people who have bugger all to do each day.
On Topic You underwstimate the vindictive nature of McSweeney and his faction. No way are they going to let soft left Burnham stand. Hence the rule change and the 6 years of picking right wing Zionist loyalists to stand.
Lab under SKS is a total cesspit for anyone of a democratic Socialist nature.
Burnham best bet would be to join the Greens and win the seat as a Green under Zaks leadership
I agree with your first part but the second is ridiculous. Why would Burnham give up being Mayor of Manchester to join Zak?
I see that GBNews are developing their USA audience
On an article entitled "Canada 'plots guerilla tactics' to prevent American attack as US defence plans drawn up for first time in a CENTURY" a commenter asserts:
"What a risible, CCP owned, WEF acolyte, fool and lickspittal Carney is! Selling out Canada’s freedom to China and attempting to make the USA a pariah country!
I hope you have a reasonable excuse for encouraging that turgid load of tripe by tuneing in?
I try to keep a weather eye on what is currently fashionable on Reform TV, as my area is still going deeper into the turquoise swamp before we eventually start to come out again.
GB News is one of the routes to the radical right from the mainstream, and a sprinkling of sanity in the comments can perhaps have a certain value for some.
People I know in the USA involved in persuading Maga Loofs back out of their tree point out that the deradicalisation process takes time, and engagement inside the silo can be beneficial.
That's quite good 'Maga Loofs'. Did you coin it yourself?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdjnnyp79rwo "Elizabeth Hurley has claimed the Daily Mail bugged her landline phone and placed microphones on her home windows to get stories in what she described as a "brutal invasion of privacy"."
Interesting how FON collect their samples. Seems to be for people who want to enter a quiz with prizes every day. That suggests it leans towards people who have bugger all to do each day.
On topic and of course if this rule applies to Andy Burnham, it also applies to another aspiring Labour leadership contender, Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London.
Last autumn, Khan apparently stated it was his "intention" (always a let out) to run for a fourth term as London Mayor and eschewed a return to Westminster politics. Now, we all know the road to hell is paved with good intentions so could we yet see Khan return to Westminster?
IF he chose not to contest the 2028 London Mayoral election, he would be free to find a seat for a 2029 General Election - there may not be as many safe Labour seats in London as there used to be but I'm sure he could find somewhere - and either serve in a second term Labour Government or be a senior opposition MP and he's the same age as Burnham.
If the former, would Khan be in position to take over as Prime Minister if Starmer retired halfway through his second term?
Lol SKS is going to "retire" less than halfway through his first term.
There is no 2nd term for Lab even without the massive drag SKS has become. With him the worst GE result ever awaits
Labour still has every chance of winning the next election. We are barely 18 months into the Parliament and nowhere near halfway. There are, whisper it quietly, some tentative signs the economy isn't plunging headlong into the abyss but the immigration question will retain salience until and unless it is sorted.
The question may swing from Labour vs Not Labour to Reform vs Not Reform as those currently keen to vent their frustration by opting for Farage look at what a Reform Government might actually look like and decide they are better off with the Devil they know.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdjnnyp79rwo "Elizabeth Hurley has claimed the Daily Mail bugged her landline phone and placed microphones on her home windows to get stories in what she described as a "brutal invasion of privacy"."
Liz Hurley still makes calls on her landline?!
i think the case relates to events over a decade ago
There was going to be a by-election in the Gorton section of this seat in 2017 when Gerald Kaufman died but it was superceded by the general election.
"Superseded". The word "superceded" is a common-but-wrong variant. "Superseded" comes from the French "superseder" or Latin "supersedere", meaning "to sit above". It has nothing to do with the words "cede", "exceed", "secession", etc.
This is going further back in history. Arr, or Arrrggghhh!
(One weakness of the proposal is that the Constitution requires a declared war to exist.)
There is a proposal to bring back Letters of Marque and Privateers, as per (vaguely) Section 8 of the US Constitution. I don't think I have seen this on PB:
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced legislation today that would allow private entities to stop drug cartel smuggling and violence. The Cartel Marque and Reprisal Reauthorization Act authorizes President Trump, as provided under the Constitution, to commission American operators under letters of marque to seize cartel property and persons on land or sea. Representative Tim Burchett (R-TN) introduced the House version of the legislation. https://www.lee.senate.gov/2025/12/patriots-of-the-caribbean-lee-bill-authorizes-american-privateers-to-seize-cartel-assets-with-president-s-approval/
The new NYT poll finds Trump 17 points underwater on immigration, and the nonwhite and young voters who went to Trump in 2024 have snapped back to Dems
It's almost as if 2024 might not have represented a seismic cultural realignment on immigration after all, despite 1,000 NYT op eds to the contrary
Greens aren’t going to poll 17% in a GE. You can easily add 10% to Labour . Unless that is we get the purists who decide they’re happy to have a Reform government by voting Green and splitting the votes .
This is going further back in history. Arr, or Arrrggghhh!
(One weakness of the proposal is that the Constitution requires a declared war to exist.)
There is a proposal to bring back Letters of Marque and Privateers, as per (vaguely) Section 8 of the US Constitution. I don't think I have seen this on PB:
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced legislation today that would allow private entities to stop drug cartel smuggling and violence. The Cartel Marque and Reprisal Reauthorization Act authorizes President Trump, as provided under the Constitution, to commission American operators under letters of marque to seize cartel property and persons on land or sea. Representative Tim Burchett (R-TN) introduced the House version of the legislation. https://www.lee.senate.gov/2025/12/patriots-of-the-caribbean-lee-bill-authorizes-american-privateers-to-seize-cartel-assets-with-president-s-approval/
I see that GBNews are developing their USA audience
On an article entitled "Canada 'plots guerilla tactics' to prevent American attack as US defence plans drawn up for first time in a CENTURY" a commenter asserts:
"What a risible, CCP owned, WEF acolyte, fool and lickspittal Carney is! Selling out Canada’s freedom to China and attempting to make the USA a pariah country!
I hope you have a reasonable excuse for encouraging that turgid load of tripe by tuneing in?
I try to keep a weather eye on what is currently fashionable on Reform TV, as my area is still going deeper into the turquoise swamp before we eventually start to come out again.
GB News is one of the routes to the radical right from the mainstream, and a sprinkling of sanity in the comments can perhaps have a certain value for some.
People I know in the USA involved in persuading Maga Loofs back out of their tree point out that the deradicalisation process takes time, and engagement inside the silo can be beneficial.
That's quite good 'Maga Loofs'. Did you coin it yourself?
"Loof" was coined by Clive Doig in the Radio Times.
"We are British. Be aloof. Don't be aloof, be a lert - Britain has enough loofs already."
Greens aren’t going to poll 17% in a GE. You can easily add 10% to Labour . Unless that is we get the purists who decide they’re happy to have a Reform government by voting Green and splitting the votes .
Lots of people have had enough of the traditional two parties.
Hence Left/Right Populism.
Saying that people won’t vote for them because you don’t like it, is exactly how we got Trump.
On Topic You underwstimate the vindictive nature of McSweeney and his faction. No way are they going to let soft left Burnham stand. Hence the rule change and the 6 years of picking right wing Zionist loyalists to stand.
The new NYT poll finds Trump 17 points underwater on immigration, and the nonwhite and young voters who went to Trump in 2024 have snapped back to Dems
It's almost as if 2024 might not have represented a seismic cultural realignment on immigration after all, despite 1,000 NYT op eds to the contrary
I looked at that poll. It's heartening. If the electoral process holds up over there (big if) this nightmare might be ended in the best possible way, the same way it started, by the American people at the ballot box.
This is going further back in history. Arr, or Arrrggghhh!
(One weakness of the proposal is that the Constitution requires a declared war to exist.)
There is a proposal to bring back Letters of Marque and Privateers, as per (vaguely) Section 8 of the US Constitution. I don't think I have seen this on PB:
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced legislation today that would allow private entities to stop drug cartel smuggling and violence. The Cartel Marque and Reprisal Reauthorization Act authorizes President Trump, as provided under the Constitution, to commission American operators under letters of marque to seize cartel property and persons on land or sea. Representative Tim Burchett (R-TN) introduced the House version of the legislation. https://www.lee.senate.gov/2025/12/patriots-of-the-caribbean-lee-bill-authorizes-american-privateers-to-seize-cartel-assets-with-president-s-approval/
Yeah it was totally crazy. The fourth man is usually the brake man, so as he crossed the line into the slowdown zone he shuffled himself to the back to grab the lever. Thankfully the safety systems on both vehicle and track worked well, and he stopped somewhere around the usual stopping point.
I bet he didn’t buy a drink in the bar that night.
I did a 2 man toboggan night run in Austria once, with a rather irresponsible trip from the Kings Ski Club. They said it wasn't covered by our insurance but reassured us that if anyone was injured they would lie and say we did it ski-ing.
We went to the top of the mountain one dark night, and had ample refreshments including drinking games with Jaegertee (black tea with schnapps) until we were welll lubricated, then set off down the run at 2 minute intervals 2 to a bob. As none of us had done it before and we were all a bit pissed nearly everyone came off at some point, at which point there was a risk of being hit by the next sleigh.
A number of us were hit, but when my sled crashed we waited for the next to pass (there was enough space on the piste through the forest) then I pushed us off as fast as I could with my mate on the front steering. Unfortunately I jumped for the sleigh a bit too entusiastically and leapfrogged him and was run over by my own sleigh which had about 80kg of future GP steering as well as 20kg or so of sled. We were rolling about bruised and doubled up with laughter as the next sleigh went by. Then carried on with the run. I did have fairly significant bruising the next day.
Much hilarity was had in the days before 'elf and safety
On topic and of course if this rule applies to Andy Burnham, it also applies to another aspiring Labour leadership contender, Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London.
Last autumn, Khan apparently stated it was his "intention" (always a let out) to run for a fourth term as London Mayor and eschewed a return to Westminster politics. Now, we all know the road to hell is paved with good intentions so could we yet see Khan return to Westminster?
IF he chose not to contest the 2028 London Mayoral election, he would be free to find a seat for a 2029 General Election - there may not be as many safe Labour seats in London as there used to be but I'm sure he could find somewhere - and either serve in a second term Labour Government or be a senior opposition MP and he's the same age as Burnham.
If the former, would Khan be in position to take over as Prime Minister if Starmer retired halfway through his second term?
Lol SKS is going to "retire" less than halfway through his first term.
There is no 2nd term for Lab even without the massive drag SKS has become. With him the worst GE result ever awaits
Labour still has every chance of winning the next election. We are barely 18 months into the Parliament and nowhere near halfway. There are, whisper it quietly, some tentative signs the economy isn't plunging headlong into the abyss but the immigration question will retain salience until and unless it is sorted.
The question may swing from Labour vs Not Labour to Reform vs Not Reform as those currently keen to vent their frustration by opting for Farage look at what a Reform Government might actually look like and decide they are better off with the Devil they know.
You are correct. Many of us are anywhere from non plussed to furious with SKS but even so he's a far better choice than either of the two Europe hating Brexiteer alternatives Farage and Badenoch
Greens aren’t going to poll 17% in a GE. You can easily add 10% to Labour . Unless that is we get the purists who decide they’re happy to have a Reform government by voting Green and splitting the votes .
Those bastard voters! How dare they not vote for Labour! Don't they know what they are doing?!
There was going to be a by-election in the Gorton section of this seat in 2017 when Gerald Kaufman died but it was superceded by the general election.
"Superseded". The word "superceded" is a common-but-wrong variant. "Superseded" comes from the French "superseder" or Latin "supersedere", meaning "to sit above". It has nothing to do with the words "cede", "exceed", "secession", etc.
@tpfkar - many thanks for your comment earlier. Our plan, I think, is to stay in Zell am See (we are close to booking but have not done so yet). With thanks to the many comments yesterday, I think we are probably leaning towards flying and hiring a car: our kids are excellent and uncomplaining travellers, but realistically a two day drive through Germany is more a holiday for me and the wife than it is for the three passengers in the back. With a slightly heavy heart I will park the slow pootle through Germany - whether by car or train - for when it is just me and the wife in a few years time (*sob*).
This is going further back in history. Arr, or Arrrggghhh!
(One weakness of the proposal is that the Constitution requires a declared war to exist.)
There is a proposal to bring back Letters of Marque and Privateers, as per (vaguely) Section 8 of the US Constitution. I don't think I have seen this on PB:
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced legislation today that would allow private entities to stop drug cartel smuggling and violence. The Cartel Marque and Reprisal Reauthorization Act authorizes President Trump, as provided under the Constitution, to commission American operators under letters of marque to seize cartel property and persons on land or sea. Representative Tim Burchett (R-TN) introduced the House version of the legislation. https://www.lee.senate.gov/2025/12/patriots-of-the-caribbean-lee-bill-authorizes-american-privateers-to-seize-cartel-assets-with-president-s-approval/
This is going further back in history. Arr, or Arrrggghhh!
(One weakness of the proposal is that the Constitution requires a declared war to exist.)
There is a proposal to bring back Letters of Marque and Privateers, as per (vaguely) Section 8 of the US Constitution. I don't think I have seen this on PB:
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced legislation today that would allow private entities to stop drug cartel smuggling and violence. The Cartel Marque and Reprisal Reauthorization Act authorizes President Trump, as provided under the Constitution, to commission American operators under letters of marque to seize cartel property and persons on land or sea. Representative Tim Burchett (R-TN) introduced the House version of the legislation. https://www.lee.senate.gov/2025/12/patriots-of-the-caribbean-lee-bill-authorizes-american-privateers-to-seize-cartel-assets-with-president-s-approval/
On topic and of course if this rule applies to Andy Burnham, it also applies to another aspiring Labour leadership contender, Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London.
Last autumn, Khan apparently stated it was his "intention" (always a let out) to run for a fourth term as London Mayor and eschewed a return to Westminster politics. Now, we all know the road to hell is paved with good intentions so could we yet see Khan return to Westminster?
IF he chose not to contest the 2028 London Mayoral election, he would be free to find a seat for a 2029 General Election - there may not be as many safe Labour seats in London as there used to be but I'm sure he could find somewhere - and either serve in a second term Labour Government or be a senior opposition MP and he's the same age as Burnham.
If the former, would Khan be in position to take over as Prime Minister if Starmer retired halfway through his second term?
Lol SKS is going to "retire" less than halfway through his first term.
There is no 2nd term for Lab even without the massive drag SKS has become. With him the worst GE result ever awaits
Labour still has every chance of winning the next election. We are barely 18 months into the Parliament and nowhere near halfway. There are, whisper it quietly, some tentative signs the economy isn't plunging headlong into the abyss but the immigration question will retain salience until and unless it is sorted.
The question may swing from Labour vs Not Labour to Reform vs Not Reform as those currently keen to vent their frustration by opting for Farage look at what a Reform Government might actually look like and decide they are better off with the Devil they know.
It's possible that the next election with involve a car crash of variable geometry as several incompatible contests occur at once. These are: Reform v Not Reform; Labour (Government) v Anyone But This Government; Right of Centre v Left of Centre; Establishment (LabConLD) v Insurgent And Nats (RefGreenJezbollahSNP,PC etc).
Very roughly the figures for these four contests at the moment may be:
30 v 70 Reform v Not Reform 20 v 80 Govt v Not Govt 50 v 50 Right v Left 50 v 50 Establishment v Insurgent
On topic and of course if this rule applies to Andy Burnham, it also applies to another aspiring Labour leadership contender, Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London.
Last autumn, Khan apparently stated it was his "intention" (always a let out) to run for a fourth term as London Mayor and eschewed a return to Westminster politics. Now, we all know the road to hell is paved with good intentions so could we yet see Khan return to Westminster?
IF he chose not to contest the 2028 London Mayoral election, he would be free to find a seat for a 2029 General Election - there may not be as many safe Labour seats in London as there used to be but I'm sure he could find somewhere - and either serve in a second term Labour Government or be a senior opposition MP and he's the same age as Burnham.
If the former, would Khan be in position to take over as Prime Minister if Starmer retired halfway through his second term?
Lol SKS is going to "retire" less than halfway through his first term.
There is no 2nd term for Lab even without the massive drag SKS has become. With him the worst GE result ever awaits
Labour still has every chance of winning the next election. We are barely 18 months into the Parliament and nowhere near halfway. There are, whisper it quietly, some tentative signs the economy isn't plunging headlong into the abyss but the immigration question will retain salience until and unless it is sorted.
The question may swing from Labour vs Not Labour to Reform vs Not Reform as those currently keen to vent their frustration by opting for Farage look at what a Reform Government might actually look like and decide they are better off with the Devil they know.
I agree with that a bit - though I think those invested in the political machine underestimate the extent to which Reform voters mean it. Some are 'sending a message', but many more do genuinely prefer the prospect of a Reform government and anticipate it governing better than the alternatives. And Labour faces a problem if the question swings to Reform v Not Reform that there are several parties which are Not Reform, as the by-election in South Wales illustrated.
Greens aren’t going to poll 17% in a GE. You can easily add 10% to Labour . Unless that is we get the purists who decide they’re happy to have a Reform government by voting Green and splitting the votes .
Those bastard voters! How dare they not vote for Labour! Don't they know what they are doing?!
The kid was lucky he wasn’t shot resisting arrest/trying to escape.
Arrested for impeding the bullets of a Federal officer?
So the father and 5 year old have been rendered to a dark site in Texas presumably. The USa has regressed about 200 years in 12 months on civil rights.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdjnnyp79rwo "Elizabeth Hurley has claimed the Daily Mail bugged her landline phone and placed microphones on her home windows to get stories in what she described as a "brutal invasion of privacy"."
Comments
Remember they are led by a brilliant man, according to @OnlyLivingBoy whose only minor handicaps are in “communication and philosophy”
Imagine if they had a crap leader? What would they be polling? 6%?
https://www.politicshome.com/news/article/tory-councillors-say-they-are-being-offered-jobs-seats-to-join-reform
Two runs a ball needed now, and only four left.
BBC
Was very funny to watch, but must have been scary as hell for the driver who found himself on his own in the big sled heading down the mountain!
1994: Eastleigh by-election (UKIP)
1997: Salisbury (Referendum Party)
2001: Bexhill and Battle (UKIP)
2005: South Thanet (UKIP)
2006: Bromley and Chislehurst by-election (UKIP)
2010: Buckingham (UKIP)
2015: South Thanet (UKIP)
A third, basically.
The film is about Shakespeares relationship with his wife and children.
I thought it was an alternate spelling for the play!
Bit like they aren’t wearing helmets made of meat…
Ten more of those required.
- "Hamnet" was the son of William Shakespeare. Hamnet died at eleven years old in 1596.
- "Hamlet" is a play by William Shakespeare. It opened in the 1600's and contains the "To be, or not to be" speech.
At the time the names "Hamlet" and "Hamnet" were synonymous and some think the play's tragic nature was informed by Shakespeare's grief at the death of his child.https://www.youtube.com/shorts/f_qZ7b1zu1c
it’s ironic Labour imply Reform are fascist given their record, not only what you mention but also look at their tendency to ban things from smoking, to food ads, to anything nanny doesn’t like.
Whatever Labour are they are not pro individual liberty.
I bet he didn’t buy a drink in the bar that night.
The Shipman Bill, no democratic mandate at all, will fall.
Sadly all those money grubbing relatives won’t be able to kill Granny to get her house.
Those who are worried frantic over the Trans Gay Illegal Immigrant Alien AIs may differ.
On topic and of course if this rule applies to Andy Burnham, it also applies to another aspiring Labour leadership contender, Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London.
Last autumn, Khan apparently stated it was his "intention" (always a let out) to run for a fourth term as London Mayor and eschewed a return to Westminster politics. Now, we all know the road to hell is paved with good intentions so could we yet see Khan return to Westminster?
IF he chose not to contest the 2028 London Mayoral election, he would be free to find a seat for a 2029 General Election - there may not be as many safe Labour seats in London as there used to be but I'm sure he could find somewhere - and either serve in a second term Labour Government or be a senior opposition MP and he's the same age as Burnham.
If the former, would Khan be in position to take over as Prime Minister if Starmer retired halfway through his second term?
Try to stop Burnham then he will look frightened, even scared
Demonstrates a labour civil war
Burnham does stand and Reform trounce him
Burnham stands as an Indpendent and wins
And poll ratings head towards single figures
And as for cancelling 29 local what an idiotic idea in this febrile climate
https://findoutnow.co.uk/find-out-now-panel-methodology/
Also "I see no ships..."
Lab under SKS is a total cesspit for anyone of a democratic Socialist nature.
Burnham best bet would be to join the Greens and win the seat as a Green under Zaks leadership
I do not like this poll anymore than you do but we cannot chooee polls we like or dislike when done by BPC members
There is no 2nd term for Lab even without the massive drag SKS has become. With him the worst GE result ever awaits
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwyrrqwxpz7o
Now if we were the poster boy for MAGA. That would be concerning.
Man died in fall tying Union flags to lampposts
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c74ww90v9gyo
GB News is one of the routes to the radical right from the mainstream, and a sprinkling of sanity in the comments can perhaps have a certain value for some.
People I know in the USA involved in persuading Maga Loofs back out of their tree point out that the deradicalisation process takes time, and engagement inside the silo can be beneficial.
I’ve no desire to see you banned. Bans are boring. But you should rein it in
"Elizabeth Hurley has claimed the Daily Mail bugged her landline phone and placed microphones on her home windows to get stories in what she described as a "brutal invasion of privacy"."
Liz Hurley still makes calls on her landline?!
The question may swing from Labour vs Not Labour to Reform vs Not Reform as those currently keen to vent their frustration by opting for Farage look at what a Reform Government might actually look like and decide they are better off with the Devil they know.
https://www.oed.com/dictionary/supersede_v?tl=true
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/supersede
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/supercede
(One weakness of the proposal is that the Constitution requires a declared war to exist.)
There is a proposal to bring back Letters of Marque and Privateers, as per (vaguely) Section 8 of the US Constitution. I don't think I have seen this on PB:
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced legislation today that would allow private entities to stop drug cartel smuggling and violence. The Cartel Marque and Reprisal Reauthorization Act authorizes President Trump, as provided under the Constitution, to commission American operators under letters of marque to seize cartel property and persons on land or sea. Representative Tim Burchett (R-TN) introduced the House version of the legislation.
https://www.lee.senate.gov/2025/12/patriots-of-the-caribbean-lee-bill-authorizes-american-privateers-to-seize-cartel-assets-with-president-s-approval/
Background from a shipping channel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaBf9z3vg0k
@gregsargent.bsky.social
The new NYT poll finds Trump 17 points underwater on immigration, and the nonwhite and young voters who went to Trump in 2024 have snapped back to Dems
It's almost as if 2024 might not have represented a seismic cultural realignment on immigration after all, despite 1,000 NYT op eds to the contrary
"We are British. Be aloof.
Don't be aloof, be a lert - Britain has enough loofs already."
I borrowed it for Maga Loof some time go.
Hence Left/Right Populism.
Saying that people won’t vote for them because you don’t like it, is exactly how we got Trump.
We went to the top of the mountain one dark night, and had ample refreshments including drinking games with Jaegertee (black tea with schnapps) until we were welll lubricated, then set off down the run at 2 minute intervals 2 to a bob. As none of us had done it before and we were all a bit pissed nearly everyone came off at some point, at which point there was a risk of being hit by the next sleigh.
A number of us were hit, but when my sled crashed we waited for the next to pass (there was enough space on the piste through the forest) then I pushed us off as fast as I could with my mate on the front steering. Unfortunately I jumped for the sleigh a bit too entusiastically and leapfrogged him and was run over by my own sleigh which had about 80kg of future GP steering as well as 20kg or so of sled. We were rolling about bruised and doubled up with laughter as the next sleigh went by. Then carried on with the run. I did have fairly significant bruising the next day.
Much hilarity was had in the days before 'elf and safety
I remember someone on here who had ignored me for about 10 years but when I made a tiny spelling mistake they finally replied to me, lol.
https://x.com/charise_lee/status/2014108415996600424?s=20
Bring back Flibusterring.
https://hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/1948-12-07/debates/275255ce-cc7a-45a9-82f8-6940679af9d3/PrizeBill#:~:text=Following the last war all,past practice on this occasion.
I think the last allocation was in 1945 in Britain
Very roughly the figures for these four contests at the moment may be:
30 v 70 Reform v Not Reform
20 v 80 Govt v Not Govt
50 v 50 Right v Left
50 v 50 Establishment v Insurgent
And Labour faces a problem if the question swings to Reform v Not Reform that there are several parties which are Not Reform, as the by-election in South Wales illustrated.