Cold roast lamb - slightly pink - is magnificent. It’s so good it barely needs any tarting up. Shove chunks of it in a fresh buttered bap or roll, with sea salt and cracked black pepper. Mmmmm. If you insist add a dab of mint sauce or mild pepper sauce
But honestly it’s better on its own. Yum
Key is not to over cook it. I never understood why people raved about beef but then I realised that my parents (like so many of their generation) believed all meat should be incinerated or it wasn't fully cooked...
A chap shoots some people, deliberately, *16* times
“… was cleared of attempted murder but unanimously found guilty of two counts of wounding with intent and possession of a firearm following a trial in January.”
Call be judgemental, but I tend to think it’s attempted murder when you shoot people 10 times. Maybe even less.
‘ His son then stood up in the dock and shouted toward the judge "suck your mum, rudeboy" before leaving the court.’
Quality Roadman energy
😂😂😂😂
Should have used a car, would have got less than 2 years suspended
Kemi Badenoch at the Welsh conservative conference
Who would believe that Angela Rayner and I ended up on the same side, but we do agree we want to replace that weak man with a strong woman !!!!!
I've been keen to see the hapless Starmer fall on his sword. Nonetheless the more one hears from Badenoch the more one warms to the hapless Starmer.
She's hit a nerve
Not really. I think she's useless. And the longer she is in post the longer the Tories remain in opposition. I can't lie, considering the Tories in opposition sustains my cheerful demeanour.
“Although some of PA's actions did constitute acts of terrorism under the Terrorism Act 2000, the nature and scale of PA's activities falling within the definition of terrorism had not yet reached the level, scale and persistence to warrant proscription.”
I am not sure the courts should be making that assessment to be honest.
Is it not the role of the courts to interpret what laws mean?
Yeah, of course. The power is:
Terrorism Act 2000, s3
(4) The Secretary of State may exercise his power under subsection (3)(a) in respect of an organisation only if he believes that it is concerned in terrorism.
That’s a very wide power, but it doesn’t appear to give a “level of terrorism” to warrant proscription. It would presumably just have to be a rational opinion.
The word 'may' on its own (and in sub section 3) means that the SoS has to consider properly wider matters than whether it falls under the terrorism definition. It means the SoS has a discretion. Once you have a discretion it follows as night follows day that its use can be challenged, and among other things, the level of activity is going to be an arguable consideration. Starmer himself is an expert practitioner in exactly this field.
Perhaps you can help me. I've been reading a lot of legislation and court verdicts recently and I need guidance on words. Is my interpretation of the following correct?
"must": you are compelled by law to do so
"should": you are recommended to do so but there are circs in which you may not
"may": you are allowed to do so but may choose not to do so
So far as I can recall the word 'should' is never used in legislation. I don't think it is capable of having a meaning in law. Whereas 'must', 'shall', and 'may' are explicable. Yes, 'must' (and 'shall') means you have to, 'may' means there is a discretion. The use of discretion in law is always capable of being complicated.
Should is prominent in the highway code - ignoring should leaves you open to careless driving.
I think the problem with 'should' as a legal term is that it fails to compel, and therefore gives a discretion with an ill defined bias about how that discretion is exercised.
It is there in guidance, but I doubt if it is used in primary legislation.
The Highway Code has lots of "musts" which compel , and lots of "shoulds" which guide but also allow you to deviate if there is good reason.
If there is some traffic in the slow lane and I am travelling at the speed limit (so not impeding traffic) I remain in the middle lane as that is safer than dodging in and out of lanes. Using the inside lane is a "should" in the Highway Code. Check it out.
People who complain that I am breaking the law don't understand the distinction between "must" and "should". They are often the ones who do break the law by overtaking me at 80mph, sometimes on the inside.
If there is space for someone to undertake you then there is space for you to be in lane 1, and, unless you are overtaking traffic in lane 1, that's where you should be. Your speed is irrelevant.
"Should"?
{it’s 2030 and the Russians have invaded Lithuania}
Russian General : What’s holding up the advance? Why are we stuck at Raseiniai? Officer : There’s one man in a British WWII tank, parked on a roundabout. Anyone comes up to the stop line, he engages. General : 37 days!!! Officer : There’s no shifting him. He keeps shouting stuff about traffic laws.
The British forces are in Estonia. There seems to be some debate whether a Russian attack on Lithuania (where the Germans are deployed) or Estonia is the more likely.
Latvia - where Canada have taken the lead - doesn't seem to feature.
Terrain aside, Latvia doesn’t make sense. Take Estonia and turn south and strike Lithuania from Kaliningrad. Latvia just puts you in the middle and requires you divide your forces.
The main scenario for attacking Estonia seems to be for Russia to take Russian-speaking Narva, just on the border, and then dare NATO to do anything about it.
Lithuania is the more all-out war option, linking up with Kaliningrad to isolate the Baltic States from ground resupply - though Dura's link suggests there are scenarios short of a full war with that scenario too.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Ukrainian forces outperformed two NATO battalions during a single day of training exercises.
The article refers to drills held in Estonia last year, involving roughly 16,000 troops from 12 NATO countries. In one simulated scenario, a British brigade and an Estonian division attacked Ukrainian units. The report says the Ukrainians achieved such a decisive result that the opposing force was no longer considered able to continue effective combat operations within the exercise.
The episode is being cited by some observers as evidence that the United States and NATO are operating with a major experience gap compared with Ukraine, and that they may not fully grasp the scale of it yet. The argument is that it could take years for Western forces to accumulate the same hard-earned lessons Ukraine has gathered under real combat conditions.
At the same time, the same observers point to Europe’s close cooperation with Ukraine as a strategic advantage, saying European countries are likely to keep supporting Ukraine with equipment and expand joint training, including more direct training alongside Ukrainian troops going forward. https://x.com/Microinteracti1/status/2022300045345722397
This seems… unsurprising? You get good at doing something by doing it. The Ukrainians are fighting a real war. It does not surprise me that they are much better at doing it than armies that have seen minimal action. I’m sure were we to be unfortunate enough to be in the same situation, our armed forces would rapidly gain the same experience.
But, yes, we should be supporting Ukraine because that’s the right thing to do, but while we’re already doing that, let’s make sure that we can learn from their experience. I think this is even more true in tech. Let’s not spend money on buying tech. Give that money to Ukraine and ask them in 6 months what worked.
Plenty of Western armies got battle experience in Afghanistan.
A very different conflict. Flashbanging mud huts full of women and kids in the Pamir is very different to dodging FPVs on a snowy cabbage patch. We also had complete air dominance over the 'Stan (you're welcome).
That's not quite what my family members who served there said. But I take what you're saying, especially about air-cover.
Theres been a few Reform X posters trumpeting a Ref gain in Worth Valley. However..... The MP (Robbie Moore) and Tory HQ have just posted Tory Hold.......
From Bradford's site:
Paul Golding Conservative 1815 52% Andrew Judson Reform 917 26% Peter Kates Labour 425 12% Josie McMaster Green 245 7% Kay Kirkham LD 83 2% Sabine Ebert-Forbes Ind 29 1%
I am not convinced I believe that. You wouldn't get this "never a Tory" voting Reform-lite, even to oust the fascists.
Well I am sorry but mathematically there is no other explanation. The Reform 26% vote from nowhere almost all came from the Tories but the Labour vote down 20% and the LD vote down 2% and tactically voting Tory meant the overall Tory voteshare declined only 4% and ensured the Tories comfortably won
I'd rather take my chances with Reform-ICE-Nazis than vote for a Tory party set on leaving the ECHR.
Reform are also support leaving the ECHR but regardless of what you think the Worth Valley by election is key evidence Tory candidates and councillors in Tory held seats and wards can win Labour and LD tactical votes to beat Reform
It's the only sensible move. If we want to stop a Farage majority on 30% of the vote then everyone else has to hold their noses and vote for the most likely winner.
But, but if voting for the second worst party only for them to coalesce with the worst party, what is the point?
The point is that in Worth Valley there were only two potential winners. So vote for the least worst. That's what I'd have done.
Hey mate. I’ve possibly got a quick week in Taiwan approaching
Didn’t you live there for a while? I want to make the most of my short time there. Any travel advice welcome - as much as I can do in one week
Unmissable in Taipei. National Palace Museum. Majority of the treasures of Imperial China. You could spend all day in there if you like that kinda thing. Night markets. They are all over Taipei. Hot springs at Beitou. Taipei 101. CKS Memorial Hall for Stalinist grandeur. Tainan is the oldest city for the temples and most authentically Taiwanese city. The food is pretty sensational everywhere. But Tainan is where the foodies go. East coast is ruggedly beautiful and sparse. You can whale watch. Taroko Gorge and the mountainous interior. Highest mountains east of the Himalayas. There's some fine beaches down the west coast too. When are you going? The summer is hot and more humid than Bangkok. It rains quite a lot too year round.
Ps. I lived there from 92-99, but I haven't been back recently so maybe someone could update?
Via @Moreincommon_, 30 Jan - 10 Feb. Changes w/ 18 Jun - 3 Jul.
Unlikely, the Tories have also leaked heavily to Reform since 2021
Although there is not the visible enthusiasm in Wales for Reform that I saw in central and coastal Lincolnshire yesterday, they are still popular. That poll is a warning to Plaid to crush Labour or risk a fascist- conservative coalition.
Most likely Wales will be a Plaid and Labour government but Reform most seats on that poll
I am not concerned Plaid will want to be associated with labour
Then on the MiC Poll Wales will get a Reform FM and Reform minority government
I am not interested in your constant misreading of polling as shown today in Worth
Objection your honour. When it comes to readfing polls HYUFD is uniquely objective
The Reform vote is not going to subside. Why? Because we’ve now let in sufficient unvetted young men from patriarchal, misogynistic, primitive Muslim societies the rate of sexual offences is going to surge
So the new policy question will be How do we kick them out
Only Reform look remotely capable of addressing that (and I doubt they have the backbone to see it through)
A cracked record and you were wrong the first time.
Farage is a Russian and American compromised tool for some very sinister interests, and more and more the voters are recognizing it. There is no wave of enthusiasm for the old fraud, and the tide is turning anyway.
Theres been a few Reform X posters trumpeting a Ref gain in Worth Valley. However..... The MP (Robbie Moore) and Tory HQ have just posted Tory Hold.......
From Bradford's site:
Paul Golding Conservative 1815 52% Andrew Judson Reform 917 26% Peter Kates Labour 425 12% Josie McMaster Green 245 7% Kay Kirkham LD 83 2% Sabine Ebert-Forbes Ind 29 1%
I am not convinced I believe that. You wouldn't get this "never a Tory" voting Reform-lite, even to oust the fascists.
Well I am sorry but mathematically there is no other explanation. The Reform 26% vote from nowhere almost all came from the Tories but the Labour vote down 20% and the LD vote down 2% and tactically voting Tory meant the overall Tory voteshare declined only 4% and ensured the Tories comfortably won
I'd rather take my chances with Reform-ICE-Nazis than vote for a Tory party set on leaving the ECHR.
Reform are also support leaving the ECHR but regardless of what you think the Worth Valley by election is key evidence Tory candidates and councillors in Tory held seats and wards can win Labour and LD tactical votes to beat Reform
It's the only sensible move. If we want to stop a Farage majority on 30% of the vote then everyone else has to hold their noses and vote for the most likely winner.
But, but if voting for the second worst party only for them to coalesce with the worst party, what is the point?
The point is that in Worth Valley there were only two potential winners. So vote for the least worst. That's what I'd have done.
Hey mate. I’ve possibly got a quick week in Taiwan approaching
Didn’t you live there for a while? I want to make the most of my short time there. Any travel advice welcome - as much as I can do in one week
Unmissable in Taipei. National Palace Museum. Majority of the treasures of Imperial China. You could spend all day in there if you like that kinda thing. Night markets. They are all over Taipei. Hot springs at Beitou. Taipei 101. CKS Memorial Hall for Stalinist grandeur. Tainan is the oldest city for the temples and most authentically Taiwanese city. The food is pretty sensational everywhere. But Tainan is where the foodies go. East coast is ruggedly beautiful and sparse. You can whale watch. Taroko Gorge and the mountainous interior. Highest mountains east of the Himalayas. There's some fine beaches down the west coast too. When are you going? The summer is hot and more humid than Bangkok. It rains quite a lot too.
Ps. I lived there from 92-99, but I haven't been back recently so maybe someone could update?
Must mention those to my son. His firm has just opened an office in Taipei. Don't he's got much time for sightseeing though, although he's thinking of finding a flat.
Remains prescribed until order of court pending appeal process
Human Rights Act no doubt
A fantastic win for freedom and everyone who has fought for a Palestinian State and recognition.
I don't advocate violence or vandalism, but when you are the subject of genocide and a world order that either supports it like Trump or stands back and condones it like Starmer, then it is no surprise.
The Labour Government has too late in the day recognised the claims for a 2 state solution. It must now agree with this legal ruling, desist all prosecutions, release all prisoners and appoint a Minister for Palestine to work with and for a 2 state solution and lobby with other global powers who are supportive.
All arms sales to Israel should be stopped immediately.
That should not stop all ongoing measures to stop anti semitism, but the UK should be clear it supports the rights of all Jews to live peacefully and in safety in the UK but that extremes of Zionism will not be tolerated in the same way extremes of Islam are not tolerated.
There are some real signs in places like Manchester of decent moderate Jews and Muslims living and working together to fight extremes in both their religions.
Finally the UK must lead in any fight for regime change in Israel, so that the majority there that don't want Netanyahu either are supported and he is bought to justice for internal corruption and by the world at large for his genocide in Gaza and the West Bank.
Nothing short of a full apology from Starmer will suffice.
Instead we now hear that Starmer and Mahmood will appeal against the ruling.
They appear incapable of understanding the immense political damage that their approach to the Gaza conflict has done in fragmenting support for Labour across the left, particularly since the start of the 2024 general election campaign when the party was polling at around 45% rather than its current 20% average.
This was an opportunity to start to claw back some of that damage, simply by doing nothing and moving on. Instead they are doubling down by appealing.
So much for a supposed reset of Starmer's approach as PM. He is politically tone deaf on a monumental scale. I wonder what would have happened if the court judgement had been made on Monday not Friday morning, would his Cabinet ministers and the PLP still have decided that the time was not right to move against Starmer that evening?
Starmer must go. And when he is eventually dragged kicking and screaming from No 10, Mahmood doesn't stand a cat in hell's chance of replacing him.
Couldn't agree with you more. The kind old judges offered him a lifeline and he couldn't see it infront of his eyes. Mahmood was appointed in his aping Farage phase and she was as bad as expected.
They gave him a tiny window and he couldn't see it so time to look for a new leader. Despite his name he doesn't have an instinctive lefty bone in his body
You don't know how this works do you
Yvette Cooper prescribed Palestine Action and the High Court declares that unlawful but subject to appeal
No government is going to accept a decision that compromises it's ruling without making the appeal
I would expect the government to lose, but until the decision is made in accordance with legal process then the ban remains in place
I did know the procedure in this instance.Irrespective of which HS brought in the legislation Mahmood is now driving it forward. In my opinion she would have been advised to announce a rethink which she could have done without humiliation. Everything could see it was simply craven
The Wall Street Journal reported that Ukrainian forces outperformed two NATO battalions during a single day of training exercises.
The article refers to drills held in Estonia last year, involving roughly 16,000 troops from 12 NATO countries. In one simulated scenario, a British brigade and an Estonian division attacked Ukrainian units. The report says the Ukrainians achieved such a decisive result that the opposing force was no longer considered able to continue effective combat operations within the exercise.
The episode is being cited by some observers as evidence that the United States and NATO are operating with a major experience gap compared with Ukraine, and that they may not fully grasp the scale of it yet. The argument is that it could take years for Western forces to accumulate the same hard-earned lessons Ukraine has gathered under real combat conditions.
At the same time, the same observers point to Europe’s close cooperation with Ukraine as a strategic advantage, saying European countries are likely to keep supporting Ukraine with equipment and expand joint training, including more direct training alongside Ukrainian troops going forward. https://x.com/Microinteracti1/status/2022300045345722397
This seems… unsurprising? You get good at doing something by doing it. The Ukrainians are fighting a real war. It does not surprise me that they are much better at doing it than armies that have seen minimal action. I’m sure were we to be unfortunate enough to be in the same situation, our armed forces would rapidly gain the same experience.
But, yes, we should be supporting Ukraine because that’s the right thing to do, but while we’re already doing that, let’s make sure that we can learn from their experience. I think this is even more true in tech. Let’s not spend money on buying tech. Give that money to Ukraine and ask them in 6 months what worked.
Plenty of Western armies got battle experience in Afghanistan.
Very different experience worrying about ambushes and IEDs compared to countering artillery and drones.
Even the next counter-insurgency war would be very different, as is currently happening in Myanmar.
Via @Moreincommon_, 30 Jan - 10 Feb. Changes w/ 18 Jun - 3 Jul.
Unlikely, the Tories have also leaked heavily to Reform since 2021
Although there is not the visible enthusiasm in Wales for Reform that I saw in central and coastal Lincolnshire yesterday, they are still popular. That poll is a warning to Plaid to crush Labour or risk a fascist- conservative coalition.
Most likely Wales will be a Plaid and Labour government but Reform most seats on that poll
I am not concerned Plaid will want to be associated with labour
I'd expect Reform to underperform the polls due to tactical voting. A lot of their votes come from Labour, so that could boost PC also Greens and LibDems, wouldn't be surprised to see a PC/Green Welsh government
Tactical voting is not necessary under d'Hondt. Any non-Party X vote helps get a non-Party X candidate elected instead. Unless you vote for a fringe party that will get nowhere near the threshold for a seat.
Theoretically this assertion is untrue. In practice we saw in the last EU Elections which the UK took part in how untrue it was. The weakness is constituency size. 10 member seats have a threshold of 1/11 that you need to break to make a score. A five member seat would need a vote of 1/6 to score and that isn't proportional. Even say a 70 member council with only one ward then an obscure group would have to get 2000 votes to make a score. With 7 say 10 member wards that would jump and you could see the same group get 15,000 votes but no councillor.
Theres been a few Reform X posters trumpeting a Ref gain in Worth Valley. However..... The MP (Robbie Moore) and Tory HQ have just posted Tory Hold.......
From Bradford's site:
Paul Golding Conservative 1815 52% Andrew Judson Reform 917 26% Peter Kates Labour 425 12% Josie McMaster Green 245 7% Kay Kirkham LD 83 2% Sabine Ebert-Forbes Ind 29 1%
I am not convinced I believe that. You wouldn't get this "never a Tory" voting Reform-lite, even to oust the fascists.
Well I am sorry but mathematically there is no other explanation. The Reform 26% vote from nowhere almost all came from the Tories but the Labour vote down 20% and the LD vote down 2% and tactically voting Tory meant the overall Tory voteshare declined only 4% and ensured the Tories comfortably won
I'd rather take my chances with Reform-ICE-Nazis than vote for a Tory party set on leaving the ECHR.
Reform are also support leaving the ECHR but regardless of what you think the Worth Valley by election is key evidence Tory candidates and councillors in Tory held seats and wards can win Labour and LD tactical votes to beat Reform
It's the only sensible move. If we want to stop a Farage majority on 30% of the vote then everyone else has to hold their noses and vote for the most likely winner.
But, but if voting for the second worst party only for them to coalesce with the worst party, what is the point?
The point is that in Worth Valley there were only two potential winners. So vote for the least worst. That's what I'd have done.
Hey mate. I’ve possibly got a quick week in Taiwan approaching
Didn’t you live there for a while? I want to make the most of my short time there. Any travel advice welcome - as much as I can do in one week
Unmissable in Taipei. National Palace Museum. Majority of the treasures of Imperial China. You could spend all day in there if you like that kinda thing. Night markets. They are all over Taipei. Hot springs at Beitou. Taipei 101. CKS Memorial Hall for Stalinist grandeur. Tainan is the oldest city for the temples and most authentically Taiwanese city. The food is pretty sensational everywhere. But Tainan is where the foodies go. East coast is ruggedly beautiful and sparse. You can whale watch. Taroko Gorge and the mountainous interior. Highest mountains east of the Himalayas. There's some fine beaches down the west coast too. When are you going? The summer is hot and more humid than Bangkok. It rains quite a lot too year round.
Ps. I lived there from 92-99, but I haven't been back recently so maybe someone could update?
Brillog. Thankyou; with luck - all being well - I will be flying out there in less than a week. Exciting. I should have 7-8 days to explore. Then home to Blighty. Just in time for meteorological spring!
The Wall Street Journal reported that Ukrainian forces outperformed two NATO battalions during a single day of training exercises.
The article refers to drills held in Estonia last year, involving roughly 16,000 troops from 12 NATO countries. In one simulated scenario, a British brigade and an Estonian division attacked Ukrainian units. The report says the Ukrainians achieved such a decisive result that the opposing force was no longer considered able to continue effective combat operations within the exercise.
The episode is being cited by some observers as evidence that the United States and NATO are operating with a major experience gap compared with Ukraine, and that they may not fully grasp the scale of it yet. The argument is that it could take years for Western forces to accumulate the same hard-earned lessons Ukraine has gathered under real combat conditions.
At the same time, the same observers point to Europe’s close cooperation with Ukraine as a strategic advantage, saying European countries are likely to keep supporting Ukraine with equipment and expand joint training, including more direct training alongside Ukrainian troops going forward. https://x.com/Microinteracti1/status/2022300045345722397
Transitive logic would imply that Russian forces are likely to outperform NATO forces, given that the Ukrainians haven't swept Russia out of Ukraine.
The further implication is that the argument that, "Russia won't attack NATO because they can't even win against Ukraine," doesn't hold any water if Ukraine are stronger than NATO.
Hang on: there's also the question of physical numbers.
It wouldn't be a brigade against a brigade, as in the case of the exercise in Estonia.
Theres been a few Reform X posters trumpeting a Ref gain in Worth Valley. However..... The MP (Robbie Moore) and Tory HQ have just posted Tory Hold.......
From Bradford's site:
Paul Golding Conservative 1815 52% Andrew Judson Reform 917 26% Peter Kates Labour 425 12% Josie McMaster Green 245 7% Kay Kirkham LD 83 2% Sabine Ebert-Forbes Ind 29 1%
I am not convinced I believe that. You wouldn't get this "never a Tory" voting Reform-lite, even to oust the fascists.
Well I am sorry but mathematically there is no other explanation. The Reform 26% vote from nowhere almost all came from the Tories but the Labour vote down 20% and the LD vote down 2% and tactically voting Tory meant the overall Tory voteshare declined only 4% and ensured the Tories comfortably won
I'd rather take my chances with Reform-ICE-Nazis than vote for a Tory party set on leaving the ECHR.
Reform are also support leaving the ECHR but regardless of what you think the Worth Valley by election is key evidence Tory candidates and councillors in Tory held seats and wards can win Labour and LD tactical votes to beat Reform
It's the only sensible move. If we want to stop a Farage majority on 30% of the vote then everyone else has to hold their noses and vote for the most likely winner.
But, but if voting for the second worst party only for them to coalesce with the worst party, what is the point?
The point is that in Worth Valley there were only two potential winners. So vote for the least worst. That's what I'd have done.
Hey mate. I’ve possibly got a quick week in Taiwan approaching
Didn’t you live there for a while? I want to make the most of my short time there. Any travel advice welcome - as much as I can do in one week
Xie Xie!!
Wait a year. The Sino-Taiwan war is scheduled for 2027. You can be there when the hypersonic missiles land. It will give your reportage an added piquancy.
The Reform vote is not going to subside. Why? Because we’ve now let in sufficient unvetted young men from patriarchal, misogynistic, primitive Muslim societies the rate of sexual offences is going to surge
So the new policy question will be How do we kick them out
Only Reform look remotely capable of addressing that (and I doubt they have the backbone to see it through)
A cracked record and you were wrong the first time.
Farage is a Russian and American compromised tool for some very sinister interests, and more and more the voters are recognizing it. There is no wave of enthusiasm for the old fraud, and the tide is turning anyway.
It's quite possible for you both to be right, and I suspect there is an element of truth in what you both say.
Farage IS a very dubious populist (aren't they all?).
The Wall Street Journal reported that Ukrainian forces outperformed two NATO battalions during a single day of training exercises.
The article refers to drills held in Estonia last year, involving roughly 16,000 troops from 12 NATO countries. In one simulated scenario, a British brigade and an Estonian division attacked Ukrainian units. The report says the Ukrainians achieved such a decisive result that the opposing force was no longer considered able to continue effective combat operations within the exercise.
The episode is being cited by some observers as evidence that the United States and NATO are operating with a major experience gap compared with Ukraine, and that they may not fully grasp the scale of it yet. The argument is that it could take years for Western forces to accumulate the same hard-earned lessons Ukraine has gathered under real combat conditions.
At the same time, the same observers point to Europe’s close cooperation with Ukraine as a strategic advantage, saying European countries are likely to keep supporting Ukraine with equipment and expand joint training, including more direct training alongside Ukrainian troops going forward. https://x.com/Microinteracti1/status/2022300045345722397
Transitive logic would imply that Russian forces are likely to outperform NATO forces, given that the Ukrainians haven't swept Russia out of Ukraine.
The further implication is that the argument that, "Russia won't attack NATO because they can't even win against Ukraine," doesn't hold any water if Ukraine are stronger than NATO.
Hang on: there's also the question of physical numbers.
It wouldn't be a brigade against a brigade, as in the case of the exercise in Estonia.
That's not really in Europe's favour either.
How many well equipped Russian divisions do you think are currently free and available to be directed to further terroritorial expansion?
The immediate and potent danger posed by terrorist pensioners has been reflected by the Met's decision to not bother arresting them. Will Police Scotland follow?
Theres been a few Reform X posters trumpeting a Ref gain in Worth Valley. However..... The MP (Robbie Moore) and Tory HQ have just posted Tory Hold.......
From Bradford's site:
Paul Golding Conservative 1815 52% Andrew Judson Reform 917 26% Peter Kates Labour 425 12% Josie McMaster Green 245 7% Kay Kirkham LD 83 2% Sabine Ebert-Forbes Ind 29 1%
I am not convinced I believe that. You wouldn't get this "never a Tory" voting Reform-lite, even to oust the fascists.
Well I am sorry but mathematically there is no other explanation. The Reform 26% vote from nowhere almost all came from the Tories but the Labour vote down 20% and the LD vote down 2% and tactically voting Tory meant the overall Tory voteshare declined only 4% and ensured the Tories comfortably won
I'd rather take my chances with Reform-ICE-Nazis than vote for a Tory party set on leaving the ECHR.
Reform are also support leaving the ECHR but regardless of what you think the Worth Valley by election is key evidence Tory candidates and councillors in Tory held seats and wards can win Labour and LD tactical votes to beat Reform
It's the only sensible move. If we want to stop a Farage majority on 30% of the vote then everyone else has to hold their noses and vote for the most likely winner.
But, but if voting for the second worst party only for them to coalesce with the worst party, what is the point?
The point is that in Worth Valley there were only two potential winners. So vote for the least worst. That's what I'd have done.
Hey mate. I’ve possibly got a quick week in Taiwan approaching
Didn’t you live there for a while? I want to make the most of my short time there. Any travel advice welcome - as much as I can do in one week
Unmissable in Taipei. National Palace Museum. Majority of the treasures of Imperial China. You could spend all day in there if you like that kinda thing. Night markets. They are all over Taipei. Hot springs at Beitou. Taipei 101. CKS Memorial Hall for Stalinist grandeur. Tainan is the oldest city for the temples and most authentically Taiwanese city. The food is pretty sensational everywhere. But Tainan is where the foodies go. East coast is ruggedly beautiful and sparse. You can whale watch. Taroko Gorge and the mountainous interior. Highest mountains east of the Himalayas. There's some fine beaches down the west coast too. When are you going? The summer is hot and more humid than Bangkok. It rains quite a lot too year round.
Ps. I lived there from 92-99, but I haven't been back recently so maybe someone could update?
Brillog. Thankyou; with luck - all being well - I will be flying out there in less than a week. Exciting. I should have 7-8 days to explore. Then home to Blighty. Just in time for meteorological spring!
👌🙏
Shit. You're going to hit Chinese New Year. Starts Next Tuesday for 2 weeks. Most stuff will be closed. We always used to leave as there isn't much on.
Theres been a few Reform X posters trumpeting a Ref gain in Worth Valley. However..... The MP (Robbie Moore) and Tory HQ have just posted Tory Hold.......
From Bradford's site:
Paul Golding Conservative 1815 52% Andrew Judson Reform 917 26% Peter Kates Labour 425 12% Josie McMaster Green 245 7% Kay Kirkham LD 83 2% Sabine Ebert-Forbes Ind 29 1%
I am not convinced I believe that. You wouldn't get this "never a Tory" voting Reform-lite, even to oust the fascists.
Well I am sorry but mathematically there is no other explanation. The Reform 26% vote from nowhere almost all came from the Tories but the Labour vote down 20% and the LD vote down 2% and tactically voting Tory meant the overall Tory voteshare declined only 4% and ensured the Tories comfortably won
I'd rather take my chances with Reform-ICE-Nazis than vote for a Tory party set on leaving the ECHR.
Reform are also support leaving the ECHR but regardless of what you think the Worth Valley by election is key evidence Tory candidates and councillors in Tory held seats and wards can win Labour and LD tactical votes to beat Reform
It's the only sensible move. If we want to stop a Farage majority on 30% of the vote then everyone else has to hold their noses and vote for the most likely winner.
But, but if voting for the second worst party only for them to coalesce with the worst party, what is the point?
The point is that in Worth Valley there were only two potential winners. So vote for the least worst. That's what I'd have done.
Hey mate. I’ve possibly got a quick week in Taiwan approaching
Didn’t you live there for a while? I want to make the most of my short time there. Any travel advice welcome - as much as I can do in one week
Xie Xie!!
Wait a year. The Sino-Taiwan war is scheduled for 2027. You can be there when the hypersonic missiles land. It will give your reportage an added piquancy.
Theres been a few Reform X posters trumpeting a Ref gain in Worth Valley. However..... The MP (Robbie Moore) and Tory HQ have just posted Tory Hold.......
From Bradford's site:
Paul Golding Conservative 1815 52% Andrew Judson Reform 917 26% Peter Kates Labour 425 12% Josie McMaster Green 245 7% Kay Kirkham LD 83 2% Sabine Ebert-Forbes Ind 29 1%
I am not convinced I believe that. You wouldn't get this "never a Tory" voting Reform-lite, even to oust the fascists.
Well I am sorry but mathematically there is no other explanation. The Reform 26% vote from nowhere almost all came from the Tories but the Labour vote down 20% and the LD vote down 2% and tactically voting Tory meant the overall Tory voteshare declined only 4% and ensured the Tories comfortably won
I'd rather take my chances with Reform-ICE-Nazis than vote for a Tory party set on leaving the ECHR.
Reform are also support leaving the ECHR but regardless of what you think the Worth Valley by election is key evidence Tory candidates and councillors in Tory held seats and wards can win Labour and LD tactical votes to beat Reform
It's the only sensible move. If we want to stop a Farage majority on 30% of the vote then everyone else has to hold their noses and vote for the most likely winner.
But, but if voting for the second worst party only for them to coalesce with the worst party, what is the point?
The point is that in Worth Valley there were only two potential winners. So vote for the least worst. That's what I'd have done.
Hey mate. I’ve possibly got a quick week in Taiwan approaching
Didn’t you live there for a while? I want to make the most of my short time there. Any travel advice welcome - as much as I can do in one week
Xie Xie!!
Wait a year. The Sino-Taiwan war is scheduled for 2027. You can be there when the hypersonic missiles land. It will give your reportage an added piquancy.
The Reform vote is not going to subside. Why? Because we’ve now let in sufficient unvetted young men from patriarchal, misogynistic, primitive Muslim societies the rate of sexual offences is going to surge
So the new policy question will be How do we kick them out
Only Reform look remotely capable of addressing that (and I doubt they have the backbone to see it through)
A cracked record and you were wrong the first time.
Farage is a Russian and American compromised tool for some very sinister interests, and more and more the voters are recognizing it. There is no wave of enthusiasm for the old fraud, and the tide is turning anyway.
Leon becoming a potty old Colonel is a mildly ironic fate.
Theres been a few Reform X posters trumpeting a Ref gain in Worth Valley. However..... The MP (Robbie Moore) and Tory HQ have just posted Tory Hold.......
From Bradford's site:
Paul Golding Conservative 1815 52% Andrew Judson Reform 917 26% Peter Kates Labour 425 12% Josie McMaster Green 245 7% Kay Kirkham LD 83 2% Sabine Ebert-Forbes Ind 29 1%
I am not convinced I believe that. You wouldn't get this "never a Tory" voting Reform-lite, even to oust the fascists.
Well I am sorry but mathematically there is no other explanation. The Reform 26% vote from nowhere almost all came from the Tories but the Labour vote down 20% and the LD vote down 2% and tactically voting Tory meant the overall Tory voteshare declined only 4% and ensured the Tories comfortably won
I'd rather take my chances with Reform-ICE-Nazis than vote for a Tory party set on leaving the ECHR.
Reform are also support leaving the ECHR but regardless of what you think the Worth Valley by election is key evidence Tory candidates and councillors in Tory held seats and wards can win Labour and LD tactical votes to beat Reform
It's the only sensible move. If we want to stop a Farage majority on 30% of the vote then everyone else has to hold their noses and vote for the most likely winner.
But, but if voting for the second worst party only for them to coalesce with the worst party, what is the point?
The point is that in Worth Valley there were only two potential winners. So vote for the least worst. That's what I'd have done.
Hey mate. I’ve possibly got a quick week in Taiwan approaching
Didn’t you live there for a while? I want to make the most of my short time there. Any travel advice welcome - as much as I can do in one week
Unmissable in Taipei. National Palace Museum. Majority of the treasures of Imperial China. You could spend all day in there if you like that kinda thing. Night markets. They are all over Taipei. Hot springs at Beitou. Taipei 101. CKS Memorial Hall for Stalinist grandeur. Tainan is the oldest city for the temples and most authentically Taiwanese city. The food is pretty sensational everywhere. But Tainan is where the foodies go. East coast is ruggedly beautiful and sparse. You can whale watch. Taroko Gorge and the mountainous interior. Highest mountains east of the Himalayas. There's some fine beaches down the west coast too. When are you going? The summer is hot and more humid than Bangkok. It rains quite a lot too year round.
Ps. I lived there from 92-99, but I haven't been back recently so maybe someone could update?
Brillog. Thankyou; with luck - all being well - I will be flying out there in less than a week. Exciting. I should have 7-8 days to explore. Then home to Blighty. Just in time for meteorological spring!
👌🙏
Shit. You're going to hit Chinese New Year. Starts Next Tuesday for 2 weeks. Most stuff will be closed. We always used to leave as there isn't much on.
Perhaps you can help me. I've been reading a lot of legislation and court verdicts recently and I need guidance on words. Is my interpretation of the following correct?
"must": you are compelled by law to do so
"should": you are recommended to do so but there are circs in which you may not
"may": you are allowed to do so but may choose not to do so
So far as I can recall the word 'should' is never used in legislation. I don't think it is capable of having a meaning in law. Whereas 'must', 'shall', and 'may' are explicable. Yes, 'must' (and 'shall') means you have to, 'may' means there is a discretion. The use of discretion in law is always capable of being complicated.
...In this Code of Practice, where the text uses the word ‘must’ it refers to a statutory requirement under primary legislation, regulations or case law. The bodies listed in paragraph iv. must have regard to the Code of Practice. This means that whenever they are taking decisions they must give consideration to what the Code says. They cannot ignore it. They must fulfil their statutory duties towards children and young people with SEN or disabilities in the light of the guidance set out in it. They must be able to demonstrate in their arrangements for children and young people with SEN or disabilities that they are fulfilling their statutory duty to have regard to the Code. So, where the text uses the word ‘should’ it means that the guidance contained in this Code must be considered and that those who must have regard to it will be expected to explain any departure from it...
The word is all over codes of practice, and parses of legislation, but I think @algarkirk is correct in thinking it is strongly avoided in primary legislation.
I think the problem with 'should' as a legal term is that it fails to compel, and therefore gives a discretion with an ill defined bias about how that discretion is exercised. It is there in guidance, but I doubt if it is used in primary legislation.
Theres been a few Reform X posters trumpeting a Ref gain in Worth Valley. However..... The MP (Robbie Moore) and Tory HQ have just posted Tory Hold.......
From Bradford's site:
Paul Golding Conservative 1815 52% Andrew Judson Reform 917 26% Peter Kates Labour 425 12% Josie McMaster Green 245 7% Kay Kirkham LD 83 2% Sabine Ebert-Forbes Ind 29 1%
I am not convinced I believe that. You wouldn't get this "never a Tory" voting Reform-lite, even to oust the fascists.
Well I am sorry but mathematically there is no other explanation. The Reform 26% vote from nowhere almost all came from the Tories but the Labour vote down 20% and the LD vote down 2% and tactically voting Tory meant the overall Tory voteshare declined only 4% and ensured the Tories comfortably won
I'd rather take my chances with Reform-ICE-Nazis than vote for a Tory party set on leaving the ECHR.
Reform are also support leaving the ECHR but regardless of what you think the Worth Valley by election is key evidence Tory candidates and councillors in Tory held seats and wards can win Labour and LD tactical votes to beat Reform
It's the only sensible move. If we want to stop a Farage majority on 30% of the vote then everyone else has to hold their noses and vote for the most likely winner.
But, but if voting for the second worst party only for them to coalesce with the worst party, what is the point?
The point is that in Worth Valley there were only two potential winners. So vote for the least worst. That's what I'd have done.
Hey mate. I’ve possibly got a quick week in Taiwan approaching
Didn’t you live there for a while? I want to make the most of my short time there. Any travel advice welcome - as much as I can do in one week
Unmissable in Taipei. National Palace Museum. Majority of the treasures of Imperial China. You could spend all day in there if you like that kinda thing. Night markets. They are all over Taipei. Hot springs at Beitou. Taipei 101. CKS Memorial Hall for Stalinist grandeur. Tainan is the oldest city for the temples and most authentically Taiwanese city. The food is pretty sensational everywhere. But Tainan is where the foodies go. East coast is ruggedly beautiful and sparse. You can whale watch. Taroko Gorge and the mountainous interior. Highest mountains east of the Himalayas. There's some fine beaches down the west coast too. When are you going? The summer is hot and more humid than Bangkok. It rains quite a lot too year round.
Ps. I lived there from 92-99, but I haven't been back recently so maybe someone could update?
By pure blind co-incidence my son has just 'phoned, passing time while waiting at an airport, so I passed him the list. He agrees with most of it, although he's not sure about Tainan, He also mentioned a lake somewhere in the mountains. He doesn't agree about the comparison with Bangkok, but does about the rain! Doesn't think the current Taiwanese people think much of CKS. He and his wife are going to have a long weekend there soon, and as I said his firm are retiring to spend a bit more time there.
The Highway Code has lots of "musts" which compel , and lots of "shoulds" which guide but also allow you to deviate if there is good reason. If there is some traffic in the slow lane and I am travelling at the speed limit (so not impeding traffic) I remain in the middle lane as that is safer than dodging in and out of lanes. Using the inside lane is a "should" in the Highway Code. Check it out. People who complain that I am breaking the law don't understand the distinction between "must" and "should". They are often the ones who do break the law by overtaking me at 80mph, sometimes on the inside.
It is used in guidance, as to judgments I have no thoughts. Its use in guidance indicates - as mentioned earlier by someone - that it has a realistic meaning of some precision, along the lines of 'this is what you do, and if you don't there needs to be a reason'.
The Highway Code is very good on this. Where it says "must" there will be a note referencing the relevant piece of law. The HWC status is that the advice therein can be used by a court as a guide to good practice - which, yes, would pretty much mean could be an indicator of driving without due care. Thusly:
Many of the rules in the Code are legal requirements, and if you disobey these rules you are committing a criminal offence. You may be fined, given penalty points on your licence or be disqualified from driving. In the most serious cases you may be sent to prison. Such rules are identified by the use of the words ‘MUST/MUST NOT’. In addition, the rule includes an abbreviated reference to the legislation which creates the offence. See an explanation of the abbreviations. Although failure to comply with the other rules of the Code will not, in itself, cause a person to be prosecuted, The Highway Code may be used in evidence in any court proceedings under the Traffic Acts (see The road user and the law) to establish liability. This includes rules which use advisory wording such as ‘should/should not’ or ‘do/do not’. Of course, Telegraph-wallahs would prefer "shalt" and "shouldst".
Since we've been chatting AI recently, I thought I would see what my GPT had to say on the subject:
Under UK law, sitting in the middle lane when lane 1 is clear is usually treated as careless driving, also known as driving without due care and attention under Section 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. The Highway Code is not law by itself, but it does reflect legal duties. Rule 264 says: You should always drive in the left-hand lane when the road ahead is clear. That “should” means it is advisory guidance. But ignoring it without good reason can be used as evidence of careless driving.
Indeed - do this thing, unless there's a compelling unstated reason not to do so. For example, I've sometimes delayed pulling back over to lane 1 when approaching a slip lane merging from a junction. That's a sensible, and temporary, exception to the should.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Ukrainian forces outperformed two NATO battalions during a single day of training exercises.
The article refers to drills held in Estonia last year, involving roughly 16,000 troops from 12 NATO countries. In one simulated scenario, a British brigade and an Estonian division attacked Ukrainian units. The report says the Ukrainians achieved such a decisive result that the opposing force was no longer considered able to continue effective combat operations within the exercise.
The episode is being cited by some observers as evidence that the United States and NATO are operating with a major experience gap compared with Ukraine, and that they may not fully grasp the scale of it yet. The argument is that it could take years for Western forces to accumulate the same hard-earned lessons Ukraine has gathered under real combat conditions.
At the same time, the same observers point to Europe’s close cooperation with Ukraine as a strategic advantage, saying European countries are likely to keep supporting Ukraine with equipment and expand joint training, including more direct training alongside Ukrainian troops going forward. https://x.com/Microinteracti1/status/2022300045345722397
Transitive logic would imply that Russian forces are likely to outperform NATO forces, given that the Ukrainians haven't swept Russia out of Ukraine.
The further implication is that the argument that, "Russia won't attack NATO because they can't even win against Ukraine," doesn't hold any water if Ukraine are stronger than NATO.
Hang on: there's also the question of physical numbers.
It wouldn't be a brigade against a brigade, as in the case of the exercise in Estonia.
That's not really in Europe's favour either.
How many well equipped Russian divisions do you think are currently free and available to be directed to further terroritorial expansion?
also do they have enough donkeys and chinese golf carts to transport them
Theres been a few Reform X posters trumpeting a Ref gain in Worth Valley. However..... The MP (Robbie Moore) and Tory HQ have just posted Tory Hold.......
From Bradford's site:
Paul Golding Conservative 1815 52% Andrew Judson Reform 917 26% Peter Kates Labour 425 12% Josie McMaster Green 245 7% Kay Kirkham LD 83 2% Sabine Ebert-Forbes Ind 29 1%
I am not convinced I believe that. You wouldn't get this "never a Tory" voting Reform-lite, even to oust the fascists.
Well I am sorry but mathematically there is no other explanation. The Reform 26% vote from nowhere almost all came from the Tories but the Labour vote down 20% and the LD vote down 2% and tactically voting Tory meant the overall Tory voteshare declined only 4% and ensured the Tories comfortably won
I'd rather take my chances with Reform-ICE-Nazis than vote for a Tory party set on leaving the ECHR.
Reform are also support leaving the ECHR but regardless of what you think the Worth Valley by election is key evidence Tory candidates and councillors in Tory held seats and wards can win Labour and LD tactical votes to beat Reform
It's the only sensible move. If we want to stop a Farage majority on 30% of the vote then everyone else has to hold their noses and vote for the most likely winner.
But, but if voting for the second worst party only for them to coalesce with the worst party, what is the point?
The point is that in Worth Valley there were only two potential winners. So vote for the least worst. That's what I'd have done.
Hey mate. I’ve possibly got a quick week in Taiwan approaching
Didn’t you live there for a while? I want to make the most of my short time there. Any travel advice welcome - as much as I can do in one week
Unmissable in Taipei. National Palace Museum. Majority of the treasures of Imperial China. You could spend all day in there if you like that kinda thing. Night markets. They are all over Taipei. Hot springs at Beitou. Taipei 101. CKS Memorial Hall for Stalinist grandeur. Tainan is the oldest city for the temples and most authentically Taiwanese city. The food is pretty sensational everywhere. But Tainan is where the foodies go. East coast is ruggedly beautiful and sparse. You can whale watch. Taroko Gorge and the mountainous interior. Highest mountains east of the Himalayas. There's some fine beaches down the west coast too. When are you going? The summer is hot and more humid than Bangkok. It rains quite a lot too year round.
Ps. I lived there from 92-99, but I haven't been back recently so maybe someone could update?
Brillog. Thankyou; with luck - all being well - I will be flying out there in less than a week. Exciting. I should have 7-8 days to explore. Then home to Blighty. Just in time for meteorological spring!
👌🙏
Shit. You're going to hit Chinese New Year. Starts Next Tuesday for 2 weeks. Most stuff will be closed. We always used to leave as there isn't much on.
Remains prescribed until order of court pending appeal process
Human Rights Act no doubt
A fantastic win for freedom and everyone who has fought for a Palestinian State and recognition.
I don't advocate violence or vandalism, but when you are the subject of genocide and a world order that either supports it like Trump or stands back and condones it like Starmer, then it is no surprise.
The Labour Government has too late in the day recognised the claims for a 2 state solution. It must now agree with this legal ruling, desist all prosecutions, release all prisoners and appoint a Minister for Palestine to work with and for a 2 state solution and lobby with other global powers who are supportive.
All arms sales to Israel should be stopped immediately.
That should not stop all ongoing measures to stop anti semitism, but the UK should be clear it supports the rights of all Jews to live peacefully and in safety in the UK but that extremes of Zionism will not be tolerated in the same way extremes of Islam are not tolerated.
There are some real signs in places like Manchester of decent moderate Jews and Muslims living and working together to fight extremes in both their religions.
Finally the UK must lead in any fight for regime change in Israel, so that the majority there that don't want Netanyahu either are supported and he is bought to justice for internal corruption and by the world at large for his genocide in Gaza and the West Bank.
Nothing short of a full apology from Starmer will suffice.
Instead we now hear that Starmer and Mahmood will appeal against the ruling.
They appear incapable of understanding the immense political damage that their approach to the Gaza conflict has done in fragmenting support for Labour across the left, particularly since the start of the 2024 general election campaign when the party was polling at around 45% rather than its current 20% average.
This was an opportunity to start to claw back some of that damage, simply by doing nothing and moving on. Instead they are doubling down by appealing.
So much for a supposed reset of Starmer's approach as PM. He is politically tone deaf on a monumental scale. I wonder what would have happened if the court judgement had been made on Monday not Friday morning, would his Cabinet ministers and the PLP still have decided that the time was not right to move against Starmer that evening?
Starmer must go. And when he is eventually dragged kicking and screaming from No 10, Mahmood doesn't stand a cat in hell's chance of replacing him.
Couldn't agree with you more. The kind old judges offered him a lifeline and he couldn't see it infront of his eyes. Mahmood was appointed in his aping Farage phase and she was as bad as expected.
They gave him a tiny window and he couldn't see it so time to look for a new leader. Despite his name he doesn't have an instinctive lefty bone in his body
You don't know how this works do you
Yvette Cooper prescribed Palestine Action and the High Court declares that unlawful but subject to appeal
No government is going to accept a decision that compromises it's ruling without making the appeal
I would expect the government to lose, but until the decision is made in accordance with legal process then the ban remains in place
I did know the procedure in this instance.Irrespective of which HS brought in the legislation Mahmood is now driving it forward. In my opinion she would have been advised to announce a rethink which she could have done without humiliation. Everything could see it was simply craven
A chap shoots some people, deliberately, *16* times
“… was cleared of attempted murder but unanimously found guilty of two counts of wounding with intent and possession of a firearm following a trial in January.”
Call be judgemental, but I tend to think it’s attempted murder when you shoot people 10 times. Maybe even less.
Not according to the Trump administration.
I'm not sure if attempted murder would be sustainable, as intention to kill may have been tricky to prove BRD.
The impression I have, which may be incomplete, is that it was a "Bobbit" shooting aimed at his (ex?) girlfriend's (other?) man's equipment.
He got life, with a minimum term of 10 years.
And lots of waffle from his lawyer, that the Judge sat on.
Cold roast lamb - slightly pink - is magnificent. It’s so good it barely needs any tarting up. Shove chunks of it in a fresh buttered bap or roll, with sea salt and cracked black pepper. Mmmmm. If you insist add a dab of mint sauce or mild pepper sauce
But honestly it’s better on its own. Yum
Nah. I worry about your palate. Cold lamb-fat is disgusting.
Eat it hot, the only way - it releases the flavour.
Catching up on the Bad Bunny half time show. It's very good about Puerto Rico. One would understand some anti-Trumpness given that he delayed $20bn of Federal Aid after Hurricane Maria which killed 3-5000 people, but nothing I could see. It is rather a parade of positives and reminders, with a lot of bodacious twerking.
An "interesting" reaction from the National Conservatives, all about Bad Bunny making points about slavery and the dancers representing prostitutes, and how Hispanic things are not really in USA culture.
(Slavery never came to Puerto Rico, since it was abolished in 1873, which was 25 years before the USA fomented a war with Spain and invaded it. I did not realise Puerto Rico had been denied votes in federal elections ever since.)
The Wall Street Journal reported that Ukrainian forces outperformed two NATO battalions during a single day of training exercises.
The article refers to drills held in Estonia last year, involving roughly 16,000 troops from 12 NATO countries. In one simulated scenario, a British brigade and an Estonian division attacked Ukrainian units. The report says the Ukrainians achieved such a decisive result that the opposing force was no longer considered able to continue effective combat operations within the exercise.
The episode is being cited by some observers as evidence that the United States and NATO are operating with a major experience gap compared with Ukraine, and that they may not fully grasp the scale of it yet. The argument is that it could take years for Western forces to accumulate the same hard-earned lessons Ukraine has gathered under real combat conditions.
At the same time, the same observers point to Europe’s close cooperation with Ukraine as a strategic advantage, saying European countries are likely to keep supporting Ukraine with equipment and expand joint training, including more direct training alongside Ukrainian troops going forward. https://x.com/Microinteracti1/status/2022300045345722397
Transitive logic would imply that Russian forces are likely to outperform NATO forces, given that the Ukrainians haven't swept Russia out of Ukraine.
The further implication is that the argument that, "Russia won't attack NATO because they can't even win against Ukraine," doesn't hold any water if Ukraine are stronger than NATO.
Hang on: there's also the question of physical numbers.
It wouldn't be a brigade against a brigade, as in the case of the exercise in Estonia.
That's not really in Europe's favour either.
How many well equipped Russian divisions do you think are currently free and available to be directed to further terroritorial expansion?
After a ceasefire in Ukraine there would be plenty of Russian soldiers that would otherwise be causing mischief in Russian cities if not gainfully employed in war against Europe.
Putin might decide that his war against NATO is now more easily prosecuted against NATO proper (minus the US obvs) rather than Ukraine (supposedly a NATO proxy in his narrative).
Your "well-equipped" qualifier is typical of the sort of complacency that I am criticising. Russian soldiers might not have the shiny equipment that European armies are equipped with, but they've prioritised drones and artillery and those seem to be effective enough against Ukraine - who have proven to be more capable than those "well-equipped" NATO armies.
If Russia declared a ceasefire now in Ukraine, on the current frontlines, we can be very confident Ukraine would accept. If, after about a year to catch their breath, stockpile munitions and spread best practice from their most effective units, I think they'd be ready to take Europe on. In the accent if the US, after they rolled into the Baltic States, Europe's best hope would be that Ukraine came to our rescue.
Theres been a few Reform X posters trumpeting a Ref gain in Worth Valley. However..... The MP (Robbie Moore) and Tory HQ have just posted Tory Hold.......
From Bradford's site:
Paul Golding Conservative 1815 52% Andrew Judson Reform 917 26% Peter Kates Labour 425 12% Josie McMaster Green 245 7% Kay Kirkham LD 83 2% Sabine Ebert-Forbes Ind 29 1%
I am not convinced I believe that. You wouldn't get this "never a Tory" voting Reform-lite, even to oust the fascists.
Well I am sorry but mathematically there is no other explanation. The Reform 26% vote from nowhere almost all came from the Tories but the Labour vote down 20% and the LD vote down 2% and tactically voting Tory meant the overall Tory voteshare declined only 4% and ensured the Tories comfortably won
I'd rather take my chances with Reform-ICE-Nazis than vote for a Tory party set on leaving the ECHR.
Reform are also support leaving the ECHR but regardless of what you think the Worth Valley by election is key evidence Tory candidates and councillors in Tory held seats and wards can win Labour and LD tactical votes to beat Reform
It's the only sensible move. If we want to stop a Farage majority on 30% of the vote then everyone else has to hold their noses and vote for the most likely winner.
But, but if voting for the second worst party only for them to coalesce with the worst party, what is the point?
The point is that in Worth Valley there were only two potential winners. So vote for the least worst. That's what I'd have done.
Hey mate. I’ve possibly got a quick week in Taiwan approaching
Didn’t you live there for a while? I want to make the most of my short time there. Any travel advice welcome - as much as I can do in one week
Unmissable in Taipei. National Palace Museum. Majority of the treasures of Imperial China. You could spend all day in there if you like that kinda thing. Night markets. They are all over Taipei. Hot springs at Beitou. Taipei 101. CKS Memorial Hall for Stalinist grandeur. Tainan is the oldest city for the temples and most authentically Taiwanese city. The food is pretty sensational everywhere. But Tainan is where the foodies go. East coast is ruggedly beautiful and sparse. You can whale watch. Taroko Gorge and the mountainous interior. Highest mountains east of the Himalayas. There's some fine beaches down the west coast too. When are you going? The summer is hot and more humid than Bangkok. It rains quite a lot too.
Ps. I lived there from 92-99, but I haven't been back recently so maybe someone could update?
Must mention those to my son. His firm has just opened an office in Taipei. Don't he's got much time for sightseeing though, although he's thinking of finding a flat.
Taipei 101 is spectacular; I'm itching to see it.
101 floors, with restaurants near the top, and a 700 ton pendulum around floor 90 as a mass damper to tune for earthquake resilience.
Catching up on the Bad Bunny half time show. It's very good about Puerto Rico. One would understand some anti-Trumpness given that he delayed $20bn of Federal Aid after Hurricane Maria which killed 3-5000 people, but nothing I could see. It is rather a parade of positives and reminders, with a lot of bodacious twerking.
An "interesting" reaction from the National Conservatives, all about Bad Bunny making points about slavery and the dancers representing prostitutes, and how Hispanic things are not really in USA culture.
(Slavery never came to Puerto Rico, since it was abolished in 1873, which was 25 years before the USA fomented a war with Spain and invaded it. I did not realise Puerto Rico had been denied votes in federal elections ever since.)
Er slavery came to Puerto Rico both the local Taino and subsafaran Africans were enslaved up to that date of 1873. It was under the Spanish rather than Yankee empire tbough
Catching up on the Bad Bunny half time show. It's very good about Puerto Rico. One would understand some anti-Trumpness given that he delayed $20bn of Federal Aid after Hurricane Maria which killed 3-5000 people, but nothing I could see. It is rather a parade of positives and reminders, with a lot of bodacious twerking.
An "interesting" reaction from the National Conservatives, all about Bad Bunny making points about slavery and the dancers representing prostitutes, and how Hispanic things are not really in USA culture.
(Slavery never came to Puerto Rico, since it was abolished in 1873, which was 25 years before the USA fomented a war with Spain and invaded it. I did not realise Puerto Rico had been denied votes in federal elections ever since.)
Er slavery came to Puerto Rico both the local Taino and subsafaran Africans were enslaved up to that date of 1873. It was under the Spanish rather than Yankee empire tbough
The Bad Bunny thing rebounded on the Reps really badly - which is exactly why Bad Bunny kept his message positive. Guess what - Trump got played by a Latino. Bet that had the ketchup hitting the (remaining) walls of the White House
Comments
Cold lamb is delicious.
Other words are arrogance and delusion
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15545479/Mercedes-driver-revenge-cyclist-ramming-road-damaged-wing-mirror-spared-jail.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
Lithuania is the more all-out war option, linking up with Kaliningrad to isolate the Baltic States from ground resupply - though Dura's link suggests there are scenarios short of a full war with that scenario too.
Kemi trounces Starmer as best PM whilst he and labour face an electoral punishing this spring
Unmissable in Taipei.
National Palace Museum. Majority of the treasures of Imperial China. You could spend all day in there if you like that kinda thing. Night markets. They are all over Taipei. Hot springs at Beitou. Taipei 101. CKS Memorial Hall for Stalinist grandeur.
Tainan is the oldest city for the temples and most authentically Taiwanese city. The food is pretty sensational everywhere. But Tainan is where the foodies go.
East coast is ruggedly beautiful and sparse. You can whale watch.
Taroko Gorge and the mountainous interior. Highest mountains east of the Himalayas.
There's some fine beaches down the west coast too.
When are you going?
The summer is hot and more humid than Bangkok.
It rains quite a lot too year round.
Ps. I lived there from 92-99, but I haven't been back recently so maybe someone could update?
Farage is a Russian and American compromised tool for some very sinister interests, and more and more the voters are recognizing it. There is no wave of enthusiasm for the old fraud, and the tide is turning anyway.
Even the next counter-insurgency war would be very different, as is currently happening in Myanmar.
Come the next GE when Kemi back on the back benches, she'll be an annoying irrelevance
👌🙏
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eURsuxZnRKo (dramatisation set in 2031, for illustration purposes)
Farage IS a very dubious populist (aren't they all?).
Bur importing Islamism is a bit of a problem too.
But if you were to say "haemorrhaging Braverman, Rosindell and Jenrick to Reform", well, not so much.
You're going to hit Chinese New Year. Starts Next Tuesday for 2 weeks.
Most stuff will be closed.
We always used to leave as there isn't much on.
Since you arrived she has grown her approval levels, so carry on
Thank you, you make me smile.
Have you been to see her today.
“British Muslims feel increasingly unwelcome and unsafe, census shows”
https://x.com/thecanaryuk/status/2022326031516848341?s=4
It seems that many UK Muslims feel increasingly unsafe, with large minorities planning to leave
This is disastrous. What can we do?!
NEW THREAD
Bollox!
viewcode Posts: 27,605 12:21PM
https://vf.politicalbetting.com/discussion/comment/5454915/#Comment_5454915
Perhaps you can help me. I've been reading a lot of legislation and court verdicts recently and I need guidance on words. Is my interpretation of the following correct?
- "must": you are compelled by law to do so
- "should": you are recommended to do so but there are circs in which you may not
- "may": you are allowed to do so but may choose not to do so
algarkirk Posts: 16,626 12:30PMhttps://vf.politicalbetting.com/discussion/comment/5454925/#Comment_5454925
So far as I can recall the word 'should' is never used in legislation. I don't think it is capable of having a meaning in law. Whereas 'must', 'shall', and 'may' are explicable. Yes, 'must' (and 'shall') means you have to, 'may' means there is a discretion. The use of discretion in law is always capable of being complicated.
noneoftheabove Posts: 26,664 12:37PM
https://vf.politicalbetting.com/discussion/comment/5454933/#Comment_5454933
Should is prominent in the highway code - ignoring should leaves you open to careless driving.
Nigelb Posts: 86,328 12:54PM
https://vf.politicalbetting.com/discussion/comment/5454948/#Comment_5454948
Another code of practice which uses "should":
...In this Code of Practice, where the text uses the word ‘must’ it refers to a statutory requirement under primary legislation, regulations or case law. The bodies listed in paragraph iv. must have regard to the Code of Practice. This means that whenever they are taking decisions they must give consideration to what the Code says. They cannot ignore it. They must fulfil their statutory duties towards children and young people with SEN or disabilities in the light of the guidance set out in it. They must be able to demonstrate in their arrangements for children and young people with SEN or disabilities that they are fulfilling their statutory duty to have regard to the Code. So, where the text uses the word ‘should’ it means that the guidance contained in this Code must be considered and that those who must have regard to it will be expected to explain any departure from it...
The word is all over codes of practice, and parses of legislation, but I think @algarkirk is correct in thinking it is strongly avoided in primary legislation.
algarkirk Posts: 16,626 1:06PM
https://vf.politicalbetting.com/discussion/comment/5454963/#Comment_5454963
I think the problem with 'should' as a legal term is that it fails to compel, and therefore gives a discretion with an ill defined bias about how that discretion is exercised. It is there in guidance, but I doubt if it is used in primary legislation.
Doesn't think the current Taiwanese people think much of CKS.
He and his wife are going to have a long weekend there soon, and as I said his firm are retiring to spend a bit more time there.
So thanks for the heads up!
Barnesian Posts: 9,739 2:01PM edited 2:02PM
https://vf.politicalbetting.com/discussion/comment/5455019/#Comment_5455019
The Highway Code has lots of "musts" which compel , and lots of "shoulds" which guide but also allow you to deviate if there is good reason. If there is some traffic in the slow lane and I am travelling at the speed limit (so not impeding traffic) I remain in the middle lane as that is safer than dodging in and out of lanes. Using the inside lane is a "should" in the Highway Code. Check it out. People who complain that I am breaking the law don't understand the distinction between "must" and "should". They are often the ones who do break the law by overtaking me at 80mph, sometimes on the inside.
algarkirk Posts: 16,626 2:11PM
https://vf.politicalbetting.com/discussion/comment/5455033/#Comment_5455033
It is used in guidance, as to judgments I have no thoughts. Its use in guidance indicates - as mentioned earlier by someone - that it has a realistic meaning of some precision, along the lines of 'this is what you do, and if you don't there needs to be a reason'.
MattW Posts: 32,077 2:13PM edited 2:18PM
https://vf.politicalbetting.com/discussion/comment/5455035/#Comment_5455035
The Highway Code is very good on this. Where it says "must" there will be a note referencing the relevant piece of law. The HWC status is that the advice therein can be used by a court as a guide to good practice - which, yes, would pretty much mean could be an indicator of driving without due care. Thusly:
Many of the rules in the Code are legal requirements, and if you disobey these rules you are committing a criminal offence. You may be fined, given penalty points on your licence or be disqualified from driving. In the most serious cases you may be sent to prison. Such rules are identified by the use of the words ‘MUST/MUST NOT’. In addition, the rule includes an abbreviated reference to the legislation which creates the offence. See an explanation of the abbreviations. Although failure to comply with the other rules of the Code will not, in itself, cause a person to be prosecuted, The Highway Code may be used in evidence in any court proceedings under the Traffic Acts (see The road user and the law) to establish liability. This includes rules which use advisory wording such as ‘should/should not’ or ‘do/do not’. Of course, Telegraph-wallahs would prefer "shalt" and "shouldst".
Sweeney74 Posts: 90 2:15PM
https://vf.politicalbetting.com/discussion/comment/5455039/#Comment_5455039
Since we've been chatting AI recently, I thought I would see what my GPT had to say on the subject:
Under UK law, sitting in the middle lane when lane 1 is clear is usually treated as careless driving, also known as driving without due care and attention under Section 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. The Highway Code is not law by itself, but it does reflect legal duties. Rule 264 says: You should always drive in the left-hand lane when the road ahead is clear. That “should” means it is advisory guidance. But ignoring it without good reason can be used as evidence of careless driving.
[snip]
LostPassword Posts: 22,429 2:15PM
https://vf.politicalbetting.com/discussion/comment/5455040/#Comment_5455040
Indeed - do this thing, unless there's a compelling unstated reason not to do so. For example, I've sometimes delayed pulling back over to lane 1 when approaching a slip lane merging from a junction. That's a sensible, and temporary, exception to the should.
https://x.com/niohberg/status/2022115982496657681?s=61
The Licence Fee rises by CPI on 1 April 2026 from £174.50 to £180.
Then it rises again on 1 April 2027 in line with CPI.
The number of TV licences in force is falling steadily by about 1% per year.
So BBC cash from LF will continue to rise - if CPI is 3% and number of TV licences falls by 1% then revenue in cash terms will rise by 2%.
So the BBC doesn't need to make "hundreds of millions of cuts". In real terms it needs to make cuts of 1% per year - ie under £40m per year.
So why cuts of "hundreds of millions"?
What the BBC is actually talking about is making cuts in some areas in order to spend more in other areas.
The impression I have, which may be incomplete, is that it was a "Bobbit" shooting aimed at his (ex?) girlfriend's (other?) man's equipment.
He got life, with a minimum term of 10 years.
And lots of waffle from his lawyer, that the Judge sat on.
Eat it hot, the only way - it releases the flavour.
An "interesting" reaction from the National Conservatives, all about Bad Bunny making points about slavery and the dancers representing prostitutes, and how Hispanic things are not really in USA culture.
(Slavery never came to Puerto Rico, since it was abolished in 1873, which was 25 years before the USA fomented a war with Spain and invaded it. I did not realise Puerto Rico had been denied votes in federal elections ever since.)
https://youtu.be/L9m98mlEzng?list=PLbZpjtSKtltEtMVVGnggWkYY42LNT3JBH&t=2037
Bad bunny performance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6FuWd4wNd8
Putin might decide that his war against NATO is now more easily prosecuted against NATO proper (minus the US obvs) rather than Ukraine (supposedly a NATO proxy in his narrative).
Your "well-equipped" qualifier is typical of the sort of complacency that I am criticising. Russian soldiers might not have the shiny equipment that European armies are equipped with, but they've prioritised drones and artillery and those seem to be effective enough against Ukraine - who have proven to be more capable than those "well-equipped" NATO armies.
If Russia declared a ceasefire now in Ukraine, on the current frontlines, we can be very confident Ukraine would accept. If, after about a year to catch their breath, stockpile munitions and spread best practice from their most effective units, I think they'd be ready to take Europe on. In the accent if the US, after they rolled into the Baltic States, Europe's best hope would be that Ukraine came to our rescue.
I think things are that bad.
101 floors, with restaurants near the top, and a 700 ton pendulum around floor 90 as a mass damper to tune for earthquake resilience.