Restore odds may get very silly indeed if Elon gets properly behind them and tech bro money yolos in behind. That would be the golden laying opportunity. I wonder if some of the apparently irrational movements so far are in anticipation of that
The only loser from this Restore vanity project will be Reform.
I’m sure that will make the cosy consensus of the main three parties quite happy.
To take Lowe at his word the reason for Restore is that Reform is a Farage vanity project.
Restore odds may get very silly indeed if Elon gets properly behind them and tech bro money yolos in behind. That would be the golden laying opportunity. I wonder if some of the apparently irrational movements so far are in anticipation of that
The only loser from this Restore vanity project will be Reform.
I’m sure that will make the cosy consensus of the main three parties quite happy.
I think that Restore will be a one constituency party.
While we weren’t watching, Barack Obama casually confirmed that “aliens exist”. Not “there might be some out there” or “statistically it is unlikely we are alone in the universe” or even “there are some aircraft that do things we can’t explain” (which is what be famously said before)
He then says he’s not personally seen them and he’s sure they’re not stored in Area 51
What makes this even better is that the journalist doesn’t even ask a follow up question. It’s the equivalent of this dialogue:
“Mr President. Was Jesus really the son of god”
“Yes. But there’s no Holy Spirit”
“Great. How do you feel about this new breakaway golf league?”
It's an excellent basis for a conspiracy theory, but his answer to the following question makes clear that (a) he is being light-hearted and (b) he is responding to the subtextual question: "Did you as President get inducted into the grand alien hiding conspiracy?", to which he was saying no.
A much more interesting proposition - have you read 'There is No Antimemetics Division"? It gives a very plausible possible answer to 'where are the aliens?'
Obama has done that a few times. It's a public service because it helps distract these people from much more dangerous conspiracy theories.
I'm still slightly baffled about why the Trump assassination attempt hasn't had more speculation around it. That seems like a much more obvious target to me.
You'd have to be at olympic standard shooting to clip his ear deliberately, from that distance!
But it IS strange that the sassytempt on Trump has just been chucked down the memory-pit. I thought: when Trump gets in he will go to great lengths to find out who was behind it, and how and why and what - after all he was an inch from dying. If I became POTUS after that I’d send the FBI to hunt down anyone responsible, even if from negligence or ineptitude
And yet, it’s been a big old shrug from everyone. Downright peculiar
Considering his apoplectic rage at any slight, real or imagined, he's remarkably sanguine about it. Now that I think about it he doesn't even bring it up all that often I think, which you'd think he would.
Yes, it’s really quite suspicious
Like most things surrounding Trump
Did Trump stage it??? Fuck knows. The world is now so weird I can believe almost anything
The way that lone kid (with no social media) was allowed to climb a roof in full view of thousands and lie there with a rifle for about 20 minutes, roughly 200 yards from The Donald
That near-miss got Musk’s instant surge of support, and quite possibly won Trump won the election
Hmm
I am aware this sounds a bit mad but then any honest discussion of the last five years of human history sounds totally fucking mad
“So there was this pathogenised bat coronavirus that came from the only city with a bat coronavirus pathogenising lab and everyone decided it came from a pangolin in a market instead of the actual virus making lab and then and then and then…”
And on, and on
The FBI (at that time under Biden) said he had no social media.
But he did. Extensive use of all sorts of accounts. The general theory is it was staged by Team Trump... but what if...
Sorry? Since when did it become “the general theory” that Team Trump staged the sassytempt?!
Well, the typical conspiracy theory.
lol. Quite a difference!
Putting on my tinfoil sombrero it does seem one of the more likely conspiracy theories. But then as @Sandpit notes, a man died, and we have a bullet
And the whole thing was seen, live, by 20,000 people and hundreds of cameras. And we must therefore presume the sassy guy was happy to die. And also that the ear thing was some clever make up??
Honestly, who the fuck knows any more. But it is jolly entertaining
While we weren’t watching, Barack Obama casually confirmed that “aliens exist”. Not “there might be some out there” or “statistically it is unlikely we are alone in the universe” or even “there are some aircraft that do things we can’t explain” (which is what be famously said before)
He then says he’s not personally seen them and he’s sure they’re not stored in Area 51
What makes this even better is that the journalist doesn’t even ask a follow up question. It’s the equivalent of this dialogue:
“Mr President. Was Jesus really the son of god”
“Yes. But there’s no Holy Spirit”
“Great. How do you feel about this new breakaway golf league?”
It's an excellent basis for a conspiracy theory, but his answer to the following question makes clear that (a) he is being light-hearted and (b) he is responding to the subtextual question: "Did you as President get inducted into the grand alien hiding conspiracy?", to which he was saying no.
A much more interesting proposition - have you read 'There is No Antimemetics Division"? It gives a very plausible possible answer to 'where are the aliens?'
That is absolutely not what happened. We can all see the conversation with our own eyes and hear it with our own ears. Obama is entirely serious. And then he slightly veers into a more light hearted note re Area 51
But his original words are absolutely not meant as a joke
It’s truly bizarre. Obama is a serious man who doesn’t say explosive things for laughs. Unlike Trump
Moreover, Obama has no need to create diversions from “ongoing scandals” - unlike Trump
I really do wonder if we are being prepped for some form of Disclosure
He probably just meant there are likely tiny life forms somewhere in the universe.
From the transcript of Leon's video:-
BTC: Are aliens real? BO: They're real, but I haven't seen them; they're not being kept in what is it? Area 51. Area 51. There there's no underground facility unless there's this enormous conspiracy and they they hid it from the president of the United States. BTC: What was the first question you wanted answered when you became president? BO: Where are the aliens?
So yes, it is a light-hearted exchange and even at face value, Obama says nothing more than many astronomers would, that there is likely intelligent life somewhere (else) in the universe.
Fuck sake, he doesn’t say that!
He does NOT make the fairly reasonable statement that “there is likely to be intelligent life elsewhere in the universe” (a fact which, by the way, is disputed by plenty of scientists - hence the Fermi paradox)
He flatly says, “Yes, aliens are real”
bama explicitly says there is no physical evidence unless there's this enormous conspiracy and they they hid it from the president of the United States.
That's how it went down in Independence Day!
Although in Stargate SG-1 they explicitly tell the President on Day 1 in office (might have been an episode with the real life Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in a cameo) and a senior Senator knew because of digging into the budget for running the damn place, which feels amusingly more realistic.
Restore odds may get very silly indeed if Elon gets properly behind them and tech bro money yolos in behind. That would be the golden laying opportunity. I wonder if some of the apparently irrational movements so far are in anticipation of that
The only loser from this Restore vanity project will be Reform.
I’m sure that will make the cosy consensus of the main three parties quite happy.
To take Lowe at his word the reason for Restore is that Reform is a Farage vanity project.
Which is being taken over by Establishment Tories in any case (though they are trying to pretend otherwise).
You let one in here and there, and they know how politics works so you give them a role, then some mates of theirs come through, and before you know it you're just another Tory party.
The obvious reason, if you do want to justify this market movement, is it now feels difficult to conceive that Starmer will fight 2029. His ratings have been going very badly for a while, but with Labour's less friendly mechanisms for toppling leaders, there's always been that possibility that Starmer would ride out the dip and get to 2028 in some kind of competitive, but not competitive enough, position.
As time passes and as rivals do seem to be circling at a distance, it seems less likely. But there's no guarantee of Starmer going anytime soon, even after this May, which opens up the possibility of a quick honeymoon GE as a new leader rolls in later in this parliament. One possibility, as with Blair, is that Starmer is given some leeway to set the timetable for his own departure, say, in late 2027-early 2028.
Personally, I'm not convinced Labour will "time it to perfection", and perhaps any increase in chances comes simply from "Starmer will be gone".
I think that’s it. There are also widespread assumptions that people will switch back from Reform to the Conservatives, and that right wing voters don’t understand tactical voting, whereas left wing voters do.
I would not bet, on the basis of those assumptions.
Restore odds may get very silly indeed if Elon gets properly behind them and tech bro money yolos in behind. That would be the golden laying opportunity. I wonder if some of the apparently irrational movements so far are in anticipation of that
The only loser from this Restore vanity project will be Reform.
I’m sure that will make the cosy consensus of the main three parties quite happy.
To take Lowe at his word the reason for Restore is that Reform is a Farage vanity project.
"Restore" is a much better name than Reform. Feels more like "take back control", and reflects this idea that the UK was much better in the 50s.
Restore odds may get very silly indeed if Elon gets properly behind them and tech bro money yolos in behind. That would be the golden laying opportunity. I wonder if some of the apparently irrational movements so far are in anticipation of that
The only loser from this Restore vanity project will be Reform.
I’m sure that will make the cosy consensus of the main three parties quite happy.
To take Lowe at his word the reason for Restore is that Reform is a Farage vanity project.
"Restore" is a much better name than Reform. Feels like more like "take back control", and reflects this idea that the UK was much better in the 50s.
Have Reclaim gone the way of the Great Auk and Passenger Pigeon ?
While we weren’t watching, Barack Obama casually confirmed that “aliens exist”. Not “there might be some out there” or “statistically it is unlikely we are alone in the universe” or even “there are some aircraft that do things we can’t explain” (which is what be famously said before)
He then says he’s not personally seen them and he’s sure they’re not stored in Area 51
What makes this even better is that the journalist doesn’t even ask a follow up question. It’s the equivalent of this dialogue:
“Mr President. Was Jesus really the son of god”
“Yes. But there’s no Holy Spirit”
“Great. How do you feel about this new breakaway golf league?”
It's an excellent basis for a conspiracy theory, but his answer to the following question makes clear that (a) he is being light-hearted and (b) he is responding to the subtextual question: "Did you as President get inducted into the grand alien hiding conspiracy?", to which he was saying no.
A much more interesting proposition - have you read 'There is No Antimemetics Division"? It gives a very plausible possible answer to 'where are the aliens?'
That is absolutely not what happened. We can all see the conversation with our own eyes and hear it with our own ears. Obama is entirely serious. And then he slightly veers into a more light hearted note re Area 51
But his original words are absolutely not meant as a joke
It’s truly bizarre. Obama is a serious man who doesn’t say explosive things for laughs. Unlike Trump
Moreover, Obama has no need to create diversions from “ongoing scandals” - unlike Trump
I really do wonder if we are being prepped for some form of Disclosure
I'm not quite sure. I often wonder whether Obama spends most of his retirement gently taking the piss out of the country that America has become.
The 'have to laugh otherwise I'd cry' principle. It can sometimes work.
Women’s Monobob is worth watching. Several of them have come very close to big accidents, this is clearly one sport that’s way more difficult than it looks!
Kudos to the drone pilots as well, following the sleds down the top section at up to 80km/h.
Restore odds may get very silly indeed if Elon gets properly behind them and tech bro money yolos in behind. That would be the golden laying opportunity. I wonder if some of the apparently irrational movements so far are in anticipation of that
The only loser from this Restore vanity project will be Reform.
I’m sure that will make the cosy consensus of the main three parties quite happy.
To take Lowe at his word the reason for Restore is that Reform is a Farage vanity project.
"Restore" is a much better name than Reform. Feels like more like "take back control", and reflects this idea that the UK was much better in the 50s.
Have Reclaim gone the way of the Great Auk and Passenger Pigeon ?
According to wiki Reclaim endorsed Reform at the last GE, which renders them pointless, and the four Conservatives who received donations from them to agreeing to a four point plan from Reclaim all lost their seats. Seems like Fox is a troubled guy anad keeps getting into legal issues, which might impact any political aspirations.
While we weren’t watching, Barack Obama casually confirmed that “aliens exist”. Not “there might be some out there” or “statistically it is unlikely we are alone in the universe” or even “there are some aircraft that do things we can’t explain” (which is what be famously said before)
He then says he’s not personally seen them and he’s sure they’re not stored in Area 51
What makes this even better is that the journalist doesn’t even ask a follow up question. It’s the equivalent of this dialogue:
“Mr President. Was Jesus really the son of god”
“Yes. But there’s no Holy Spirit”
“Great. How do you feel about this new breakaway golf league?”
It's an excellent basis for a conspiracy theory, but his answer to the following question makes clear that (a) he is being light-hearted and (b) he is responding to the subtextual question: "Did you as President get inducted into the grand alien hiding conspiracy?", to which he was saying no.
A much more interesting proposition - have you read 'There is No Antimemetics Division"? It gives a very plausible possible answer to 'where are the aliens?'
That is absolutely not what happened. We can all see the conversation with our own eyes and hear it with our own ears. Obama is entirely serious. And then he slightly veers into a more light hearted note re Area 51
But his original words are absolutely not meant as a joke
It’s truly bizarre. Obama is a serious man who doesn’t say explosive things for laughs. Unlike Trump
Moreover, Obama has no need to create diversions from “ongoing scandals” - unlike Trump
I really do wonder if we are being prepped for some form of Disclosure
He probably just meant there are likely tiny life forms somewhere in the universe.
From the transcript of Leon's video:-
BTC: Are aliens real? BO: They're real, but I haven't seen them; they're not being kept in what is it? Area 51. Area 51. There there's no underground facility unless there's this enormous conspiracy and they they hid it from the president of the United States. BTC: What was the first question you wanted answered when you became president? BO: Where are the aliens?
So yes, it is a light-hearted exchange and even at face value, Obama says nothing more than many astronomers would, that there is likely intelligent life somewhere (else) in the universe.
Fuck sake, he doesn’t say that!
He does NOT make the fairly reasonable statement that “there is likely to be intelligent life elsewhere in the universe” (a fact which, by the way, is disputed by plenty of scientists - hence the Fermi paradox)
He flatly says, “Yes, aliens are real”
I've quoted precisely what Obama said: They're real, but I haven't seen them; they're not being kept in Area 51 (or anywhere similar).
So taken as a whole, Obama is not giving witness testimony but simply telling us his philosophical belief that they are out there somewhere. Well, we know that which is why we look for signs of life on Mars, Jupiter's or Saturn's moons and distant galaxies. Obama explicitly says there is no physical evidence unless there's this enormous conspiracy and they they hid it from the president of the United States.
No. You’re just making shit up.
He clearly does NOT make the vague philosophical claim you imply. It is not caveatted. It is not abstruse. It is not opaque. He flatly says “aliens are real”
And all he says about conspiracies is that “there is no physical evidence of aliens being stored underground in Area 51 unless there is a huge conspiracy to deceive the POTUS”
Women’s Monobob is worth watching. Several of them have come very close to big accidents, this is clearly one sport that’s way more difficult than it looks!
Kudos to the drone pilots as well, following the sleds down the top section at up to 80km/h.
I genuinely thought you were talking about the Reeves/Powell/Phillipson standard issue hairdo when I saw "Women's Monobob"
The obvious reason, if you do want to justify this market movement, is it now feels difficult to conceive that Starmer will fight 2029. His ratings have been going very badly for a while, but with Labour's less friendly mechanisms for toppling leaders, there's always been that possibility that Starmer would ride out the dip and get to 2028 in some kind of competitive, but not competitive enough, position.
As time passes and as rivals do seem to be circling at a distance, it seems less likely. But there's no guarantee of Starmer going anytime soon, even after this May, which opens up the possibility of a quick honeymoon GE as a new leader rolls in later in this parliament. One possibility, as with Blair, is that Starmer is given some leeway to set the timetable for his own departure, say, in late 2027-early 2028.
Personally, I'm not convinced Labour will "time it to perfection", and perhaps any increase in chances comes simply from "Starmer will be gone".
Starmer will try to hold out until late 26 early 27 for the Party.
New Leader will emerge with favourable data across all important policy streams and a ticket in no 10 no 11 and deputy leader to unify the bulk of the Party.
Darren Jones Yvette Cooper Angela Rayner Ed Milliband
Will have yey roles
Jones / Cooper in 10 or 11 Rayner deputy Leader Milliband deputy PM
Starmer can try and hold out as much as he likes but it takes only one of the contenders with the ability to get 80 MPs support to trigger a contest. It is in Streeting's interests to go early precisely because it is in Rayner's interests to hold off, and the immediate aftermath of what are going to be absolutely cataclysmic local/devolved elections will be the opportunity for him to do that without being seen as disloyal. If he doesn't jump, others will take the opportunity. It won't be just Sarwar calling for Starmer to go at that point. Others will then jump in, they will not allow Streeting a free run in the hope that Starmer prevails so that they get a chance later.
So a leadership contest called in late May seems absolutely nailed on.
Starmer does not need nominations to throw his hat in the ring. At this point, I think those who will get the nominations to join Starmer in a contest will be:
Rayner (if she runs, she may not if HMRC have not come to a decision in her favour) Healey Streeting
or otherwise if Rayner does not run: Miliband Healey Streeting
So potentially a four way contest if Starmer digs in, unless pacts are made after the nominations are secured for one to withdraw. I can see the potential for Healey and Miliband to do a deal in which one withdraws in favour of the other if one is lagging in polls of members.
There will be internal pressure not to have a pale, male, stale slate. If not Rayner, then who? Yvette Cooper ticks all the boxes but there is no sign she wants it and her husband, who had a close view of Number 10, may have warned her off what is increasingly a terrible job. Shabana Mahmood probably wants it but may have lost party support by sounding like Reform's dream Home Secretary. I would not completely rule out a rerun of the deputy contest. Betting-wise, wait and see, or collect a dozen "trading bets" on MPs who never even stand.
Women’s Monobob is worth watching. Several of them have come very close to big accidents, this is clearly one sport that’s way more difficult than it looks!
Kudos to the drone pilots as well, following the sleds down the top section at up to 80km/h.
I assumed the drones were on a pre-planned flight path. Route is set, speeds are similar enough to make no difference. Are they actually piloted?
Women’s Monobob is worth watching. Several of them have come very close to big accidents, this is clearly one sport that’s way more difficult than it looks!
Kudos to the drone pilots as well, following the sleds down the top section at up to 80km/h.
I genuinely thought you were talking about the Reeves/Powell/Phillipson standard issue hairdo when I saw "Women's Monobob"
The Winter Olympics is the true home of trash sport. I don't mind it. It all looks terrific fun, but it has as much connection with real sport as an episode of It's A Knockout.
While we weren’t watching, Barack Obama casually confirmed that “aliens exist”. Not “there might be some out there” or “statistically it is unlikely we are alone in the universe” or even “there are some aircraft that do things we can’t explain” (which is what be famously said before)
He then says he’s not personally seen them and he’s sure they’re not stored in Area 51
What makes this even better is that the journalist doesn’t even ask a follow up question. It’s the equivalent of this dialogue:
“Mr President. Was Jesus really the son of god”
“Yes. But there’s no Holy Spirit”
“Great. How do you feel about this new breakaway golf league?”
It's an excellent basis for a conspiracy theory, but his answer to the following question makes clear that (a) he is being light-hearted and (b) he is responding to the subtextual question: "Did you as President get inducted into the grand alien hiding conspiracy?", to which he was saying no.
A much more interesting proposition - have you read 'There is No Antimemetics Division"? It gives a very plausible possible answer to 'where are the aliens?'
That is absolutely not what happened. We can all see the conversation with our own eyes and hear it with our own ears. Obama is entirely serious. And then he slightly veers into a more light hearted note re Area 51
But his original words are absolutely not meant as a joke
It’s truly bizarre. Obama is a serious man who doesn’t say explosive things for laughs. Unlike Trump
Moreover, Obama has no need to create diversions from “ongoing scandals” - unlike Trump
I really do wonder if we are being prepped for some form of Disclosure
He probably just meant there are likely tiny life forms somewhere in the universe.
From the transcript of Leon's video:-
BTC: Are aliens real? BO: They're real, but I haven't seen them; they're not being kept in what is it? Area 51. Area 51. There there's no underground facility unless there's this enormous conspiracy and they they hid it from the president of the United States. BTC: What was the first question you wanted answered when you became president? BO: Where are the aliens?
So yes, it is a light-hearted exchange and even at face value, Obama says nothing more than many astronomers would, that there is likely intelligent life somewhere (else) in the universe.
Fuck sake, he doesn’t say that!
He does NOT make the fairly reasonable statement that “there is likely to be intelligent life elsewhere in the universe” (a fact which, by the way, is disputed by plenty of scientists - hence the Fermi paradox)
He flatly says, “Yes, aliens are real”
I've quoted precisely what Obama said: They're real, but I haven't seen them; they're not being kept in Area 51 (or anywhere similar).
So taken as a whole, Obama is not giving witness testimony but simply telling us his philosophical belief that they are out there somewhere. Well, we know that which is why we look for signs of life on Mars, Jupiter's or Saturn's moons and distant galaxies. Obama explicitly says there is no physical evidence unless there's this enormous conspiracy and they they hid it from the president of the United States.
No. You’re just making shit up.
He clearly does NOT make the vague philosophical claim you imply. It is not caveatted. It is not abstruse. It is not opaque. He flatly says “aliens are real”
And all he says about conspiracies is that “there is no physical evidence of aliens being stored underground in Area 51 unless there is a huge conspiracy to deceive the POTUS”
We can all read and hear. Stick to the facts
Reading and hearing, tick, tick. Understanding and discerning, two question marks.
While we weren’t watching, Barack Obama casually confirmed that “aliens exist”. Not “there might be some out there” or “statistically it is unlikely we are alone in the universe” or even “there are some aircraft that do things we can’t explain” (which is what be famously said before)
He then says he’s not personally seen them and he’s sure they’re not stored in Area 51
What makes this even better is that the journalist doesn’t even ask a follow up question. It’s the equivalent of this dialogue:
“Mr President. Was Jesus really the son of god”
“Yes. But there’s no Holy Spirit”
“Great. How do you feel about this new breakaway golf league?”
It's an excellent basis for a conspiracy theory, but his answer to the following question makes clear that (a) he is being light-hearted and (b) he is responding to the subtextual question: "Did you as President get inducted into the grand alien hiding conspiracy?", to which he was saying no.
A much more interesting proposition - have you read 'There is No Antimemetics Division"? It gives a very plausible possible answer to 'where are the aliens?'
That is absolutely not what happened. We can all see the conversation with our own eyes and hear it with our own ears. Obama is entirely serious. And then he slightly veers into a more light hearted note re Area 51
But his original words are absolutely not meant as a joke
It’s truly bizarre. Obama is a serious man who doesn’t say explosive things for laughs. Unlike Trump
Moreover, Obama has no need to create diversions from “ongoing scandals” - unlike Trump
I really do wonder if we are being prepped for some form of Disclosure
He probably just meant there are likely tiny life forms somewhere in the universe.
From the transcript of Leon's video:-
BTC: Are aliens real? BO: They're real, but I haven't seen them; they're not being kept in what is it? Area 51. Area 51. There there's no underground facility unless there's this enormous conspiracy and they they hid it from the president of the United States. BTC: What was the first question you wanted answered when you became president? BO: Where are the aliens?
So yes, it is a light-hearted exchange and even at face value, Obama says nothing more than many astronomers would, that there is likely intelligent life somewhere (else) in the universe.
Fuck sake, he doesn’t say that!
He does NOT make the fairly reasonable statement that “there is likely to be intelligent life elsewhere in the universe” (a fact which, by the way, is disputed by plenty of scientists - hence the Fermi paradox)
He flatly says, “Yes, aliens are real”
I've quoted precisely what Obama said: They're real, but I haven't seen them; they're not being kept in Area 51 (or anywhere similar).
So taken as a whole, Obama is not giving witness testimony but simply telling us his philosophical belief that they are out there somewhere. Well, we know that which is why we look for signs of life on Mars, Jupiter's or Saturn's moons and distant galaxies. Obama explicitly says there is no physical evidence unless there's this enormous conspiracy and they they hid it from the president of the United States.
No. You’re just making shit up.
He clearly does NOT make the vague philosophical claim you imply. It is not caveatted. It is not abstruse. It is not opaque. He flatly says “aliens are real”
And all he says about conspiracies is that “there is no physical evidence of aliens being stored underground in Area 51 unless there is a huge conspiracy to deceive the POTUS”
We can all read and hear. Stick to the facts
I've quoted Obama in full. You have ripped two words out of context. There's no underground facility unless there's this enormous conspiracy and they they hid it from the president of the United States.
So Obama is telling us two things. He believes aliens are real, but there is no evidence of them (unless there's a cover-up). But any scientist might say the same thing which is why we look for alien life on distant planets.
Restore odds may get very silly indeed if Elon gets properly behind them and tech bro money yolos in behind. That would be the golden laying opportunity. I wonder if some of the apparently irrational movements so far are in anticipation of that
The only loser from this Restore vanity project will be Reform.
I’m sure that will make the cosy consensus of the main three parties quite happy.
To take Lowe at his word the reason for Restore is that Reform is a Farage vanity project.
"Restore" is a much better name than Reform. Feels more like "take back control", and reflects this idea that the UK was much better in the 50s.
In principle, Restore is a more coherent political project than the Fukkers. It's just a straightforward white supremacist movement for which there is some thirst in the country. Basically an English AWB raging against the loss of lightly pigmented cultural domination. The Fukkers are trying to be a more competent and less corrupt version of the tories but they are crewed by egomaniacal narcissists, boomers radicalised by FB and chavs with spider webs tattooed on their elbows which makes it all a bit hopeless.
Which might be enough, if Labour are determined to ditch Starmer, but it's no more than that. Yorkshireman or not.
John Major comes to mind - all the “smart money” was on other candidates.
Think that was my first political bet - at 20/1
He's neither Major nor Attlee. Attlee was Leader of the party and deputy PM during the war; Major was the first MP of the 1979 intake to reach cabinet rank.
Healey is 66 and has done little if anything that's remarkable during his long career.
Women’s Monobob is worth watching. Several of them have come very close to big accidents, this is clearly one sport that’s way more difficult than it looks!
Kudos to the drone pilots as well, following the sleds down the top section at up to 80km/h.
I assumed the drones were on a pre-planned flight path. Route is set, speeds are similar enough to make no difference. Are they actually piloted?
Apparently so, depending on the sport they’re a variation on racing drones but with better cameras. Pilots are wearing goggles and did a lot of training beforehand.
There’s a documentary to be made on the drones after this Games, they’re brilliant.
The obvious reason, if you do want to justify this market movement, is it now feels difficult to conceive that Starmer will fight 2029. His ratings have been going very badly for a while, but with Labour's less friendly mechanisms for toppling leaders, there's always been that possibility that Starmer would ride out the dip and get to 2028 in some kind of competitive, but not competitive enough, position.
As time passes and as rivals do seem to be circling at a distance, it seems less likely. But there's no guarantee of Starmer going anytime soon, even after this May, which opens up the possibility of a quick honeymoon GE as a new leader rolls in later in this parliament. One possibility, as with Blair, is that Starmer is given some leeway to set the timetable for his own departure, say, in late 2027-early 2028.
Personally, I'm not convinced Labour will "time it to perfection", and perhaps any increase in chances comes simply from "Starmer will be gone".
I think that’s it. There are also widespread assumptions that people will switch back from Reform to the Conservatives, and that right wing voters don’t understand tactical voting, whereas left wing voters do.
I would not bet, on the basis of those assumptions.
Is there not some evidence that Tories will vote tactically to stop Reform? They're terrified of being displaced as the standard bearers of the right. A few more greenies in Parliament is no big deal and might actually remind people why we need the serious Tories in power.
If we get to the next general election maybe they'll consider a tactical vote if the Tories have no chance. But in a by election? I suspect not.
While we weren’t watching, Barack Obama casually confirmed that “aliens exist”. Not “there might be some out there” or “statistically it is unlikely we are alone in the universe” or even “there are some aircraft that do things we can’t explain” (which is what be famously said before)
He then says he’s not personally seen them and he’s sure they’re not stored in Area 51
What makes this even better is that the journalist doesn’t even ask a follow up question. It’s the equivalent of this dialogue:
“Mr President. Was Jesus really the son of god”
“Yes. But there’s no Holy Spirit”
“Great. How do you feel about this new breakaway golf league?”
It's an excellent basis for a conspiracy theory, but his answer to the following question makes clear that (a) he is being light-hearted and (b) he is responding to the subtextual question: "Did you as President get inducted into the grand alien hiding conspiracy?", to which he was saying no.
A much more interesting proposition - have you read 'There is No Antimemetics Division"? It gives a very plausible possible answer to 'where are the aliens?'
Obama has done that a few times. It's a public service because it helps distract these people from much more dangerous conspiracy theories.
I'm still slightly baffled about why the Trump assassination attempt hasn't had more speculation around it. That seems like a much more obvious target to me.
You'd have to be at olympic standard shooting to clip his ear deliberately, from that distance!
But it IS strange that the sassytempt on Trump has just been chucked down the memory-pit. I thought: when Trump gets in he will go to great lengths to find out who was behind it, and how and why and what - after all he was an inch from dying. If I became POTUS after that I’d send the FBI to hunt down anyone responsible, even if from negligence or ineptitude
And yet, it’s been a big old shrug from everyone. Downright peculiar
Considering his apoplectic rage at any slight, real or imagined, he's remarkably sanguine about it. Now that I think about it he doesn't even bring it up all that often I think, which you'd think he would.
Yes, it’s really quite suspicious
Like most things surrounding Trump
Did Trump stage it??? Fuck knows. The world is now so weird I can believe almost anything
The way that lone kid (with no social media) was allowed to climb a roof in full view of thousands and lie there with a rifle for about 20 minutes, roughly 200 yards from The Donald
That near-miss got Musk’s instant surge of support, and quite possibly won Trump won the election
Hmm
I am aware this sounds a bit mad but then any honest discussion of the last five years of human history sounds totally fucking mad
“So there was this pathogenised bat coronavirus that came from the only city with a bat coronavirus pathogenising lab and everyone decided it came from a pangolin in a market instead of the actual virus making lab and then and then and then…”
And on, and on
The FBI (at that time under Biden) said he had no social media.
But he did. Extensive use of all sorts of accounts. The general theory is it was staged by Team Trump... but what if...
Sorry? Since when did it become “the general theory” that Team Trump staged the sassytempt?!
Well, the typical conspiracy theory.
lol. Quite a difference!
Putting on my tinfoil sombrero it does seem one of the more likely conspiracy theories. But then as @Sandpit notes, a man died, and we have a bullet
And the whole thing was seen, live, by 20,000 people and hundreds of cameras. And we must therefore presume the sassy guy was happy to die. And also that the ear thing was some clever make up??
Honestly, who the fuck knows any more. But it is jolly entertaining
And the eary silence from Trump himself about it. Most unlike him.
The understandable wish not to revisit a traumatic event which almost cost him his life?
Or sheepish avoidance of the subject because he staged it himself to boost his election chances?
Women’s Monobob is worth watching. Several of them have come very close to big accidents, this is clearly one sport that’s way more difficult than it looks!
Kudos to the drone pilots as well, following the sleds down the top section at up to 80km/h.
I assumed the drones were on a pre-planned flight path. Route is set, speeds are similar enough to make no difference. Are they actually piloted?
Apparently so, depending on the sport they’re a variation on racing drones but with better cameras. Pilots are wearing goggles and did a lot of training beforehand.
There’s a documentary to be made on the drones after this Games, they’re brilliant.
While we weren’t watching, Barack Obama casually confirmed that “aliens exist”. Not “there might be some out there” or “statistically it is unlikely we are alone in the universe” or even “there are some aircraft that do things we can’t explain” (which is what be famously said before)
He then says he’s not personally seen them and he’s sure they’re not stored in Area 51
What makes this even better is that the journalist doesn’t even ask a follow up question. It’s the equivalent of this dialogue:
“Mr President. Was Jesus really the son of god”
“Yes. But there’s no Holy Spirit”
“Great. How do you feel about this new breakaway golf league?”
It's an excellent basis for a conspiracy theory, but his answer to the following question makes clear that (a) he is being light-hearted and (b) he is responding to the subtextual question: "Did you as President get inducted into the grand alien hiding conspiracy?", to which he was saying no.
A much more interesting proposition - have you read 'There is No Antimemetics Division"? It gives a very plausible possible answer to 'where are the aliens?'
That is absolutely not what happened. We can all see the conversation with our own eyes and hear it with our own ears. Obama is entirely serious. And then he slightly veers into a more light hearted note re Area 51
But his original words are absolutely not meant as a joke
It’s truly bizarre. Obama is a serious man who doesn’t say explosive things for laughs. Unlike Trump
Moreover, Obama has no need to create diversions from “ongoing scandals” - unlike Trump
I really do wonder if we are being prepped for some form of Disclosure
He probably just meant there are likely tiny life forms somewhere in the universe.
From the transcript of Leon's video:-
BTC: Are aliens real? BO: They're real, but I haven't seen them; they're not being kept in what is it? Area 51. Area 51. There there's no underground facility unless there's this enormous conspiracy and they they hid it from the president of the United States. BTC: What was the first question you wanted answered when you became president? BO: Where are the aliens?
So yes, it is a light-hearted exchange and even at face value, Obama says nothing more than many astronomers would, that there is likely intelligent life somewhere (else) in the universe.
Fuck sake, he doesn’t say that!
He does NOT make the fairly reasonable statement that “there is likely to be intelligent life elsewhere in the universe” (a fact which, by the way, is disputed by plenty of scientists - hence the Fermi paradox)
He flatly says, “Yes, aliens are real”
I've quoted precisely what Obama said: They're real, but I haven't seen them; they're not being kept in Area 51 (or anywhere similar).
So taken as a whole, Obama is not giving witness testimony but simply telling us his philosophical belief that they are out there somewhere. Well, we know that which is why we look for signs of life on Mars, Jupiter's or Saturn's moons and distant galaxies. Obama explicitly says there is no physical evidence unless there's this enormous conspiracy and they they hid it from the president of the United States.
No. You’re just making shit up.
He clearly does NOT make the vague philosophical claim you imply. It is not caveatted. It is not abstruse. It is not opaque. He flatly says “aliens are real”
And all he says about conspiracies is that “there is no physical evidence of aliens being stored underground in Area 51 unless there is a huge conspiracy to deceive the POTUS”
We can all read and hear. Stick to the facts
I've quoted Obama in full. You have ripped two words out of context. There's no underground facility unless there's this enormous conspiracy and they they hid it from the president of the United States.
So Obama is telling us two things. He believes aliens are real, but there is no evidence of them (unless there's a cover-up). But any scientist might say the same thing which is why we look for alien life on distant planets.
This is absolutely not what Obama says. This is now embarrassing. Desist
While we weren’t watching, Barack Obama casually confirmed that “aliens exist”. Not “there might be some out there” or “statistically it is unlikely we are alone in the universe” or even “there are some aircraft that do things we can’t explain” (which is what be famously said before)
He then says he’s not personally seen them and he’s sure they’re not stored in Area 51
What makes this even better is that the journalist doesn’t even ask a follow up question. It’s the equivalent of this dialogue:
“Mr President. Was Jesus really the son of god”
“Yes. But there’s no Holy Spirit”
“Great. How do you feel about this new breakaway golf league?”
It's an excellent basis for a conspiracy theory, but his answer to the following question makes clear that (a) he is being light-hearted and (b) he is responding to the subtextual question: "Did you as President get inducted into the grand alien hiding conspiracy?", to which he was saying no.
A much more interesting proposition - have you read 'There is No Antimemetics Division"? It gives a very plausible possible answer to 'where are the aliens?'
Obama has done that a few times. It's a public service because it helps distract these people from much more dangerous conspiracy theories.
I'm still slightly baffled about why the Trump assassination attempt hasn't had more speculation around it. That seems like a much more obvious target to me.
You'd have to be at olympic standard shooting to clip his ear deliberately, from that distance!
But it IS strange that the sassytempt on Trump has just been chucked down the memory-pit. I thought: when Trump gets in he will go to great lengths to find out who was behind it, and how and why and what - after all he was an inch from dying. If I became POTUS after that I’d send the FBI to hunt down anyone responsible, even if from negligence or ineptitude
And yet, it’s been a big old shrug from everyone. Downright peculiar
Considering his apoplectic rage at any slight, real or imagined, he's remarkably sanguine about it. Now that I think about it he doesn't even bring it up all that often I think, which you'd think he would.
Yes, it’s really quite suspicious
Like most things surrounding Trump
Did Trump stage it??? Fuck knows. The world is now so weird I can believe almost anything
The way that lone kid (with no social media) was allowed to climb a roof in full view of thousands and lie there with a rifle for about 20 minutes, roughly 200 yards from The Donald
That near-miss got Musk’s instant surge of support, and quite possibly won Trump won the election
Hmm
I am aware this sounds a bit mad but then any honest discussion of the last five years of human history sounds totally fucking mad
“So there was this pathogenised bat coronavirus that came from the only city with a bat coronavirus pathogenising lab and everyone decided it came from a pangolin in a market instead of the actual virus making lab and then and then and then…”
And on, and on
The FBI (at that time under Biden) said he had no social media.
But he did. Extensive use of all sorts of accounts. The general theory is it was staged by Team Trump... but what if...
Sorry? Since when did it become “the general theory” that Team Trump staged the sassytempt?!
Well, the typical conspiracy theory.
lol. Quite a difference!
Putting on my tinfoil sombrero it does seem one of the more likely conspiracy theories. But then as @Sandpit notes, a man died, and we have a bullet
And the whole thing was seen, live, by 20,000 people and hundreds of cameras. And we must therefore presume the sassy guy was happy to die. And also that the ear thing was some clever make up??
Honestly, who the fuck knows any more. But it is jolly entertaining
And the eary silence from Trump himself about it. Most unlike him.
The understandable wish not to revisit a traumatic event which almost cost him his life?
Or sheepish avoidance of the subject because he staged it himself to boost his election chances?
Women’s Monobob is worth watching. Several of them have come very close to big accidents, this is clearly one sport that’s way more difficult than it looks!
Kudos to the drone pilots as well, following the sleds down the top section at up to 80km/h.
I genuinely thought you were talking about the Reeves/Powell/Phillipson standard issue hairdo when I saw "Women's Monobob"
The Winter Olympics is the true home of trash sport. I don't mind it. It all looks terrific fun, but it has as much connection with real sport as an episode of It's A Knockout.
But this is balanced by the fact it's often really dangerous. I like the idea of having a random spectator take part in each sport in the Summer Olympics to demonstrate just how quick/strong the athletes are - but if you tried the same in the Winter version you'd watch some middle-aged man behead himself on the Luge.
Women’s Monobob is worth watching. Several of them have come very close to big accidents, this is clearly one sport that’s way more difficult than it looks!
Kudos to the drone pilots as well, following the sleds down the top section at up to 80km/h.
I assumed the drones were on a pre-planned flight path. Route is set, speeds are similar enough to make no difference. Are they actually piloted?
Apparently so, depending on the sport they’re a variation on racing drones but with better cameras. Pilots are wearing goggles and did a lot of training beforehand.
There’s a documentary to be made on the drones after this Games, they’re brilliant.
Can I just point out that I am having this truly surreal braid of conversations in a sky bar in Phnom Penh with two martinis down and overlooking the confluence of the Mekong and the Tonle Sap in glorious soft tropical moonlight
Sweeeet
I’d post a photo but they have become so small it is pointless
I doubt Restore will win many/any seats beyond Lowe's but Musk supports Lowe and if they get some millions from him to fund their campaigning (and if Lowe puts some of his millions into them) they could get 5-10%. That could then be the difference between a Reform majority or even most seats and a very hung parliament indeed, especially if tactical voting is significant against Reform
Women’s Monobob is worth watching. Several of them have come very close to big accidents, this is clearly one sport that’s way more difficult than it looks!
Kudos to the drone pilots as well, following the sleds down the top section at up to 80km/h.
I genuinely thought you were talking about the Reeves/Powell/Phillipson standard issue hairdo when I saw "Women's Monobob"
The Winter Olympics is the true home of trash sport. I don't mind it. It all looks terrific fun, but it has as much connection with real sport as an episode of It's A Knockout.
But this is balanced by the fact it's often really dangerous. I like the idea of having a random spectator take part in each sport in the Summer Olympics to demonstrate just how quick/strong the athletes are - but if you tried the same in the Winter version you'd watch some middle-aged man behead himself on the Luge.
The obvious reason, if you do want to justify this market movement, is it now feels difficult to conceive that Starmer will fight 2029. His ratings have been going very badly for a while, but with Labour's less friendly mechanisms for toppling leaders, there's always been that possibility that Starmer would ride out the dip and get to 2028 in some kind of competitive, but not competitive enough, position.
As time passes and as rivals do seem to be circling at a distance, it seems less likely. But there's no guarantee of Starmer going anytime soon, even after this May, which opens up the possibility of a quick honeymoon GE as a new leader rolls in later in this parliament. One possibility, as with Blair, is that Starmer is given some leeway to set the timetable for his own departure, say, in late 2027-early 2028.
Personally, I'm not convinced Labour will "time it to perfection", and perhaps any increase in chances comes simply from "Starmer will be gone".
I think that’s it. There are also widespread assumptions that people will switch back from Reform to the Conservatives, and that right wing voters don’t understand tactical voting, whereas left wing voters do.
I would not bet, on the basis of those assumptions.
Is there not some evidence that Tories will vote tactically to stop Reform? They're terrified of being displaced as the standard bearers of the right. A few more greenies in Parliament is no big deal and might actually remind people why we need the serious Tories in power.
If we get to the next general election maybe they'll consider a tactical vote if the Tories have no chance. But in a by election? I suspect not.
Tories who will vote left to stop Reform are like Never Trump Republicans. They exist more in theory than in reality.
I doubt Restore will win many/any seats beyond Lowe's but Musk supports Lowe and if they get some millions from him to fund their campaigning (and if Lowe puts some of his millions into them) they could get 5-10%. That could then be the difference between a Reform majority or even most seats and a very hung parliament indeed, especially if tactical voting is significant against Reform
In the same way that Farage had a massive gravitational effect on British politics when his various parties had zero MPs elected under that banner.
A natural campaigner. It's nice that Matt's mummy tied his warm scarf for him and he's borrowed his brother's cool sunglasses and gilet thereby rendering them uncool. Solely on the basis of the candidate I'd say Reform are on for third in Gorton & Denton.
Stuzi 🐝🐝 @stuzi_pants · 16m ‘The Green Party want to legalise crack and heroin, and Starmer looks like a robot’ cries Matt Goodwin who sounds like he’s just smoked crack cocaine, and looks like Kryten out of Red Dwarf if he’d borrowed Dumbo’s ears and glued them to his head
While we weren’t watching, Barack Obama casually confirmed that “aliens exist”. Not “there might be some out there” or “statistically it is unlikely we are alone in the universe” or even “there are some aircraft that do things we can’t explain” (which is what be famously said before)
He then says he’s not personally seen them and he’s sure they’re not stored in Area 51
What makes this even better is that the journalist doesn’t even ask a follow up question. It’s the equivalent of this dialogue:
“Mr President. Was Jesus really the son of god”
“Yes. But there’s no Holy Spirit”
“Great. How do you feel about this new breakaway golf league?”
It's an excellent basis for a conspiracy theory, but his answer to the following question makes clear that (a) he is being light-hearted and (b) he is responding to the subtextual question: "Did you as President get inducted into the grand alien hiding conspiracy?", to which he was saying no.
A much more interesting proposition - have you read 'There is No Antimemetics Division"? It gives a very plausible possible answer to 'where are the aliens?'
Obama has done that a few times. It's a public service because it helps distract these people from much more dangerous conspiracy theories.
I'm still slightly baffled about why the Trump assassination attempt hasn't had more speculation around it. That seems like a much more obvious target to me.
You'd have to be at olympic standard shooting to clip his ear deliberately, from that distance!
But it IS strange that the sassytempt on Trump has just been chucked down the memory-pit. I thought: when Trump gets in he will go to great lengths to find out who was behind it, and how and why and what - after all he was an inch from dying. If I became POTUS after that I’d send the FBI to hunt down anyone responsible, even if from negligence or ineptitude
And yet, it’s been a big old shrug from everyone. Downright peculiar
Considering his apoplectic rage at any slight, real or imagined, he's remarkably sanguine about it. Now that I think about it he doesn't even bring it up all that often I think, which you'd think he would.
Yes, it’s really quite suspicious
Like most things surrounding Trump
Did Trump stage it??? Fuck knows. The world is now so weird I can believe almost anything
The way that lone kid (with no social media) was allowed to climb a roof in full view of thousands and lie there with a rifle for about 20 minutes, roughly 200 yards from The Donald
That near-miss got Musk’s instant surge of support, and quite possibly won Trump won the election
Hmm
I am aware this sounds a bit mad but then any honest discussion of the last five years of human history sounds totally fucking mad
“So there was this pathogenised bat coronavirus that came from the only city with a bat coronavirus pathogenising lab and everyone decided it came from a pangolin in a market instead of the actual virus making lab and then and then and then…”
And on, and on
The FBI (at that time under Biden) said he had no social media.
But he did. Extensive use of all sorts of accounts. The general theory is it was staged by Team Trump... but what if...
Sorry? Since when did it become “the general theory” that Team Trump staged the sassytempt?!
Well, the typical conspiracy theory.
lol. Quite a difference!
Putting on my tinfoil sombrero it does seem one of the more likely conspiracy theories. But then as @Sandpit notes, a man died, and we have a bullet
And the whole thing was seen, live, by 20,000 people and hundreds of cameras. And we must therefore presume the sassy guy was happy to die. And also that the ear thing was some clever make up??
Honestly, who the fuck knows any more. But it is jolly entertaining
And the eary silence from Trump himself about it. Most unlike him.
The understandable wish not to revisit a traumatic event which almost cost him his life?
Or sheepish avoidance of the subject because he staged it himself to boost his election chances?
You pays your money, you makes your choice.
'Sheepish' and 'Trump' don't fit in the same post imv.
While we weren’t watching, Barack Obama casually confirmed that “aliens exist”. Not “there might be some out there” or “statistically it is unlikely we are alone in the universe” or even “there are some aircraft that do things we can’t explain” (which is what be famously said before)
He then says he’s not personally seen them and he’s sure they’re not stored in Area 51
What makes this even better is that the journalist doesn’t even ask a follow up question. It’s the equivalent of this dialogue:
“Mr President. Was Jesus really the son of god”
“Yes. But there’s no Holy Spirit”
“Great. How do you feel about this new breakaway golf league?”
It's an excellent basis for a conspiracy theory, but his answer to the following question makes clear that (a) he is being light-hearted and (b) he is responding to the subtextual question: "Did you as President get inducted into the grand alien hiding conspiracy?", to which he was saying no.
A much more interesting proposition - have you read 'There is No Antimemetics Division"? It gives a very plausible possible answer to 'where are the aliens?'
Obama has done that a few times. It's a public service because it helps distract these people from much more dangerous conspiracy theories.
I'm still slightly baffled about why the Trump assassination attempt hasn't had more speculation around it. That seems like a much more obvious target to me.
You'd have to be at olympic standard shooting to clip his ear deliberately, from that distance!
But it IS strange that the sassytempt on Trump has just been chucked down the memory-pit. I thought: when Trump gets in he will go to great lengths to find out who was behind it, and how and why and what - after all he was an inch from dying. If I became POTUS after that I’d send the FBI to hunt down anyone responsible, even if from negligence or ineptitude
And yet, it’s been a big old shrug from everyone. Downright peculiar
Considering his apoplectic rage at any slight, real or imagined, he's remarkably sanguine about it. Now that I think about it he doesn't even bring it up all that often I think, which you'd think he would.
Yes, it’s really quite suspicious
Like most things surrounding Trump
Did Trump stage it??? Fuck knows. The world is now so weird I can believe almost anything
The way that lone kid (with no social media) was allowed to climb a roof in full view of thousands and lie there with a rifle for about 20 minutes, roughly 200 yards from The Donald
That near-miss got Musk’s instant surge of support, and quite possibly won Trump won the election
Hmm
I am aware this sounds a bit mad but then any honest discussion of the last five years of human history sounds totally fucking mad
“So there was this pathogenised bat coronavirus that came from the only city with a bat coronavirus pathogenising lab and everyone decided it came from a pangolin in a market instead of the actual virus making lab and then and then and then…”
And on, and on
The fact that there doesn’t appear to be any permanent damage to his ear cartilage, which there should normally be, makes me a bit suspicious. And that they seemingly had all the shit secret service agents together on shift.
I'd advise any ladies not to use the the fanny pads Trump and his acolytes were sporting in the aftermath unless they want to be magically healed up downstairs.
Possibly related to one of the departures last week?
It's much worse than that, one of the architects of those smears is now a Labour MP and minister at the Cabinet Office, I think he'll have to resign.
This is Trumpian politics.
Not necessarily Trumpian.
Be proud of British political scumbaggery. Some of it is world leading.
This is a government that contained Peter Mandelson. That bought back Damien “Red Rag” McBride.
Under a different government, journalists looking at The Story We Can’t Talk about, were told (by “government sources”) that if they didn’t drop It, they would be smeared as fascist racists.
Restore odds may get very silly indeed if Elon gets properly behind them and tech bro money yolos in behind. That would be the golden laying opportunity. I wonder if some of the apparently irrational movements so far are in anticipation of that
The only loser from this Restore vanity project will be Reform.
I’m sure that will make the cosy consensus of the main three parties quite happy.
To take Lowe at his word the reason for Restore is that Reform is a Farage vanity project.
"Restore" is a much better name than Reform. Feels more like "take back control", and reflects this idea that the UK was much better in the 50s.
The power to restore the globe to where it was in the 50s doesn't exist outside of their addled imagination.
Women’s Monobob is worth watching. Several of them have come very close to big accidents, this is clearly one sport that’s way more difficult than it looks!
Kudos to the drone pilots as well, following the sleds down the top section at up to 80km/h.
I genuinely thought you were talking about the Reeves/Powell/Phillipson standard issue hairdo when I saw "Women's Monobob"
The Winter Olympics is the true home of trash sport. I don't mind it. It all looks terrific fun, but it has as much connection with real sport as an episode of It's A Knockout.
The mini-marathon. And the glorious zenophobia of Jeux Sans Frontieres. And Stuart Hall giggling himself silly. "And the Belgian is on fire!". Literally.
Women’s Monobob is worth watching. Several of them have come very close to big accidents, this is clearly one sport that’s way more difficult than it looks!
Kudos to the drone pilots as well, following the sleds down the top section at up to 80km/h.
I genuinely thought you were talking about the Reeves/Powell/Phillipson standard issue hairdo when I saw "Women's Monobob"
The Winter Olympics is the true home of trash sport. I don't mind it. It all looks terrific fun, but it has as much connection with real sport as an episode of It's A Knockout.
But this is balanced by the fact it's often really dangerous. I like the idea of having a random spectator take part in each sport in the Summer Olympics to demonstrate just how quick/strong the athletes are - but if you tried the same in the Winter version you'd watch some middle-aged man behead himself on the Luge.
Danger is an elemental feature of true sport, and particular those that hark back to the original Greek games.
I think it is an excellent idea to make a few couch potatoes go and and perform alongside the professionals, and if they perished, would they really be missed?
In fact I once wrote to the Olympic committee along these lines with some suggestions for how some sports might easily be improved. In archery for example, instead of competitors firing at a static target, why not fire at each other in a confined area? This would reward agility, speed and resourcefulness as well as the ability to shoot straight. It would also return the competition somewhat closer to the original idea that the prowess on display should have some useful purpose, preferably military in nature.
Can I just point out that I am having this truly surreal braid of conversations in a sky bar in Phnom Penh with two martinis down and overlooking the confluence of the Mekong and the Tonle Sap in glorious soft tropical moonlight
The obvious reason, if you do want to justify this market movement, is it now feels difficult to conceive that Starmer will fight 2029. His ratings have been going very badly for a while, but with Labour's less friendly mechanisms for toppling leaders, there's always been that possibility that Starmer would ride out the dip and get to 2028 in some kind of competitive, but not competitive enough, position.
As time passes and as rivals do seem to be circling at a distance, it seems less likely. But there's no guarantee of Starmer going anytime soon, even after this May, which opens up the possibility of a quick honeymoon GE as a new leader rolls in later in this parliament. One possibility, as with Blair, is that Starmer is given some leeway to set the timetable for his own departure, say, in late 2027-early 2028.
Personally, I'm not convinced Labour will "time it to perfection", and perhaps any increase in chances comes simply from "Starmer will be gone".
I think that’s it. There are also widespread assumptions that people will switch back from Reform to the Conservatives, and that right wing voters don’t understand tactical voting, whereas left wing voters do.
I would not bet, on the basis of those assumptions.
Is there not some evidence that Tories will vote tactically to stop Reform? They're terrified of being displaced as the standard bearers of the right. A few more greenies in Parliament is no big deal and might actually remind people why we need the serious Tories in power.
If we get to the next general election maybe they'll consider a tactical vote if the Tories have no chance. But in a by election? I suspect not.
Tories who will vote left to stop Reform are like Never Trump Republicans. They exist more in theory than in reality.
But it makes sense. The priority for now is to be the standard bearer for the right come 2029. Who cares if there is one more Green MP? Might even make life more difficult for Labour.
Women’s Monobob is worth watching. Several of them have come very close to big accidents, this is clearly one sport that’s way more difficult than it looks!
Kudos to the drone pilots as well, following the sleds down the top section at up to 80km/h.
I genuinely thought you were talking about the Reeves/Powell/Phillipson standard issue hairdo when I saw "Women's Monobob"
The Winter Olympics is the true home of trash sport. I don't mind it. It all looks terrific fun, but it has as much connection with real sport as an episode of It's A Knockout.
But this is balanced by the fact it's often really dangerous. I like the idea of having a random spectator take part in each sport in the Summer Olympics to demonstrate just how quick/strong the athletes are - but if you tried the same in the Winter version you'd watch some middle-aged man behead himself on the Luge.
Danger is an elemental feature of true sport, and particular those that hark back to the original Greek games.
I think it is an excellent idea to make a few couch potatoes go and and perform alongside the professionals, and if they perished, would they really be missed?
In fact I once wrote to the Olympic committee along these lines with some suggestions for how some sports might easily be improved. In archery for example, instead of competitors firing at a static target, why not fire at each other in a confined area? This would reward agility, speed and resourcefulness as well as the ability to shoot straight. It would also return the competition somewhat closer to the original idea that the prowess on display should have some useful purpose, preferably military in nature.
Restore odds may get very silly indeed if Elon gets properly behind them and tech bro money yolos in behind. That would be the golden laying opportunity. I wonder if some of the apparently irrational movements so far are in anticipation of that
The only loser from this Restore vanity project will be Reform.
I’m sure that will make the cosy consensus of the main three parties quite happy.
To take Lowe at his word the reason for Restore is that Reform is a Farage vanity project.
"Restore" is a much better name than Reform. Feels more like "take back control", and reflects this idea that the UK was much better in the 50s.
In principle, Restore is a more coherent political project than the Fukkers. It's just a straightforward white supremacist movement for which there is some thirst in the country. Basically an English AWB raging against the loss of lightly pigmented cultural domination. The Fukkers are trying to be a more competent and less corrupt version of the tories but they are crewed by egomaniacal narcissists, boomers radicalised by FB and chavs with spider webs tattooed on their elbows which makes it all a bit hopeless.
And the question is, which ex public school wealthy old City reactionary seeking to represent the downtrodden people against the elites will prevail? Will it be Nigel or will it be Rupert?
Women’s Monobob is worth watching. Several of them have come very close to big accidents, this is clearly one sport that’s way more difficult than it looks!
Kudos to the drone pilots as well, following the sleds down the top section at up to 80km/h.
I genuinely thought you were talking about the Reeves/Powell/Phillipson standard issue hairdo when I saw "Women's Monobob"
The Winter Olympics is the true home of trash sport. I don't mind it. It all looks terrific fun, but it has as much connection with real sport as an episode of It's A Knockout.
But this is balanced by the fact it's often really dangerous. I like the idea of having a random spectator take part in each sport in the Summer Olympics to demonstrate just how quick/strong the athletes are - but if you tried the same in the Winter version you'd watch some middle-aged man behead himself on the Luge.
While we weren’t watching, Barack Obama casually confirmed that “aliens exist”. Not “there might be some out there” or “statistically it is unlikely we are alone in the universe” or even “there are some aircraft that do things we can’t explain” (which is what be famously said before)
He then says he’s not personally seen them and he’s sure they’re not stored in Area 51
What makes this even better is that the journalist doesn’t even ask a follow up question. It’s the equivalent of this dialogue:
“Mr President. Was Jesus really the son of god”
“Yes. But there’s no Holy Spirit”
“Great. How do you feel about this new breakaway golf league?”
It's an excellent basis for a conspiracy theory, but his answer to the following question makes clear that (a) he is being light-hearted and (b) he is responding to the subtextual question: "Did you as President get inducted into the grand alien hiding conspiracy?", to which he was saying no.
A much more interesting proposition - have you read 'There is No Antimemetics Division"? It gives a very plausible possible answer to 'where are the aliens?'
Obama has done that a few times. It's a public service because it helps distract these people from much more dangerous conspiracy theories.
I'm still slightly baffled about why the Trump assassination attempt hasn't had more speculation around it. That seems like a much more obvious target to me.
You'd have to be at olympic standard shooting to clip his ear deliberately, from that distance!
But it IS strange that the sassytempt on Trump has just been chucked down the memory-pit. I thought: when Trump gets in he will go to great lengths to find out who was behind it, and how and why and what - after all he was an inch from dying. If I became POTUS after that I’d send the FBI to hunt down anyone responsible, even if from negligence or ineptitude
And yet, it’s been a big old shrug from everyone. Downright peculiar
Considering his apoplectic rage at any slight, real or imagined, he's remarkably sanguine about it. Now that I think about it he doesn't even bring it up all that often I think, which you'd think he would.
Yes, it’s really quite suspicious
Like most things surrounding Trump
Did Trump stage it??? Fuck knows. The world is now so weird I can believe almost anything
The way that lone kid (with no social media) was allowed to climb a roof in full view of thousands and lie there with a rifle for about 20 minutes, roughly 200 yards from The Donald
That near-miss got Musk’s instant surge of support, and quite possibly won Trump won the election
Hmm
I am aware this sounds a bit mad but then any honest discussion of the last five years of human history sounds totally fucking mad
“So there was this pathogenised bat coronavirus that came from the only city with a bat coronavirus pathogenising lab and everyone decided it came from a pangolin in a market instead of the actual virus making lab and then and then and then…”
And on, and on
The FBI (at that time under Biden) said he had no social media.
But he did. Extensive use of all sorts of accounts. The general theory is it was staged by Team Trump... but what if...
Sorry? Since when did it become “the general theory” that Team Trump staged the sassytempt?!
Well, the typical conspiracy theory.
lol. Quite a difference!
Putting on my tinfoil sombrero it does seem one of the more likely conspiracy theories. But then as @Sandpit notes, a man died, and we have a bullet
And the whole thing was seen, live, by 20,000 people and hundreds of cameras. And we must therefore presume the sassy guy was happy to die. And also that the ear thing was some clever make up??
Honestly, who the fuck knows any more. But it is jolly entertaining
And the eary silence from Trump himself about it. Most unlike him.
The understandable wish not to revisit a traumatic event which almost cost him his life?
Or sheepish avoidance of the subject because he staged it himself to boost his election chances?
You pays your money, you makes your choice.
'Sheepish' and 'Trump' don't fit in the same post imv.
It might. We just haven't got to the release of that part of the Epstein files yet...
Restore odds may get very silly indeed if Elon gets properly behind them and tech bro money yolos in behind. That would be the golden laying opportunity. I wonder if some of the apparently irrational movements so far are in anticipation of that
The only loser from this Restore vanity project will be Reform.
I’m sure that will make the cosy consensus of the main three parties quite happy.
To take Lowe at his word the reason for Restore is that Reform is a Farage vanity project.
"Restore" is a much better name than Reform. Feels more like "take back control", and reflects this idea that the UK was much better in the 50s.
The power to restore the globe to where it was in the 50s doesn't exist outside of their addled imagination.
Nostalgia would be a great name for a Political Party - apart of course for being a bit too honest.
First Australian poll since the Liberals ousted Sussan Ley and replaced her with Angus Taylor has a small Coalition gain from One Nation but Labor also up.
Restore odds may get very silly indeed if Elon gets properly behind them and tech bro money yolos in behind. That would be the golden laying opportunity. I wonder if some of the apparently irrational movements so far are in anticipation of that
The only loser from this Restore vanity project will be Reform.
I’m sure that will make the cosy consensus of the main three parties quite happy.
To take Lowe at his word the reason for Restore is that Reform is a Farage vanity project.
"Restore" is a much better name than Reform. Feels more like "take back control", and reflects this idea that the UK was much better in the 50s.
In principle, Restore is a more coherent political project than the Fukkers. It's just a straightforward white supremacist movement for which there is some thirst in the country. Basically an English AWB raging against the loss of lightly pigmented cultural domination. The Fukkers are trying to be a more competent and less corrupt version of the tories but they are crewed by egomaniacal narcissists, boomers radicalised by FB and chavs with spider webs tattooed on their elbows which makes it all a bit hopeless.
And the question is, which ex public school wealthy old City reactionary seeking to represent the downtrodden people against the elites will prevail? Will it be Nigel or will it be Rupert?
Rupert also has a degree, unlike Nigel and a bigger net worth
While we weren’t watching, Barack Obama casually confirmed that “aliens exist”. Not “there might be some out there” or “statistically it is unlikely we are alone in the universe” or even “there are some aircraft that do things we can’t explain” (which is what be famously said before)
He then says he’s not personally seen them and he’s sure they’re not stored in Area 51
What makes this even better is that the journalist doesn’t even ask a follow up question. It’s the equivalent of this dialogue:
“Mr President. Was Jesus really the son of god”
“Yes. But there’s no Holy Spirit”
“Great. How do you feel about this new breakaway golf league?”
It's an excellent basis for a conspiracy theory, but his answer to the following question makes clear that (a) he is being light-hearted and (b) he is responding to the subtextual question: "Did you as President get inducted into the grand alien hiding conspiracy?", to which he was saying no.
A much more interesting proposition - have you read 'There is No Antimemetics Division"? It gives a very plausible possible answer to 'where are the aliens?'
Obama has done that a few times. It's a public service because it helps distract these people from much more dangerous conspiracy theories.
I'm still slightly baffled about why the Trump assassination attempt hasn't had more speculation around it. That seems like a much more obvious target to me.
You'd have to be at olympic standard shooting to clip his ear deliberately, from that distance!
But it IS strange that the sassytempt on Trump has just been chucked down the memory-pit. I thought: when Trump gets in he will go to great lengths to find out who was behind it, and how and why and what - after all he was an inch from dying. If I became POTUS after that I’d send the FBI to hunt down anyone responsible, even if from negligence or ineptitude
And yet, it’s been a big old shrug from everyone. Downright peculiar
Considering his apoplectic rage at any slight, real or imagined, he's remarkably sanguine about it. Now that I think about it he doesn't even bring it up all that often I think, which you'd think he would.
Yes, it’s really quite suspicious
Like most things surrounding Trump
Did Trump stage it??? Fuck knows. The world is now so weird I can believe almost anything
The way that lone kid (with no social media) was allowed to climb a roof in full view of thousands and lie there with a rifle for about 20 minutes, roughly 200 yards from The Donald
That near-miss got Musk’s instant surge of support, and quite possibly won Trump won the election
Hmm
I am aware this sounds a bit mad but then any honest discussion of the last five years of human history sounds totally fucking mad
“So there was this pathogenised bat coronavirus that came from the only city with a bat coronavirus pathogenising lab and everyone decided it came from a pangolin in a market instead of the actual virus making lab and then and then and then…”
And on, and on
The FBI (at that time under Biden) said he had no social media.
But he did. Extensive use of all sorts of accounts. The general theory is it was staged by Team Trump... but what if...
Sorry? Since when did it become “the general theory” that Team Trump staged the sassytempt?!
Well, the typical conspiracy theory.
lol. Quite a difference!
Putting on my tinfoil sombrero it does seem one of the more likely conspiracy theories. But then as @Sandpit notes, a man died, and we have a bullet
And the whole thing was seen, live, by 20,000 people and hundreds of cameras. And we must therefore presume the sassy guy was happy to die. And also that the ear thing was some clever make up??
Honestly, who the fuck knows any more. But it is jolly entertaining
And the eary silence from Trump himself about it. Most unlike him.
The understandable wish not to revisit a traumatic event which almost cost him his life?
Or sheepish avoidance of the subject because he staged it himself to boost his election chances?
You pays your money, you makes your choice.
'Sheepish' and 'Trump' don't fit in the same post imv.
Lol, yes, I was going for the most ridiculous word possible there and I think I succeeded.
Women’s Monobob is worth watching. Several of them have come very close to big accidents, this is clearly one sport that’s way more difficult than it looks!
Kudos to the drone pilots as well, following the sleds down the top section at up to 80km/h.
I genuinely thought you were talking about the Reeves/Powell/Phillipson standard issue hairdo when I saw "Women's Monobob"
The Winter Olympics is the true home of trash sport. I don't mind it. It all looks terrific fun, but it has as much connection with real sport as an episode of It's A Knockout.
But this is balanced by the fact it's often really dangerous. I like the idea of having a random spectator take part in each sport in the Summer Olympics to demonstrate just how quick/strong the athletes are - but if you tried the same in the Winter version you'd watch some middle-aged man behead himself on the Luge.
Danger is an elemental feature of true sport, and particular those that hark back to the original Greek games.
I think it is an excellent idea to make a few couch potatoes go and and perform alongside the professionals, and if they perished, would they really be missed?
In fact I once wrote to the Olympic committee along these lines with some suggestions for how some sports might easily be improved. In archery for example, instead of competitors firing at a static target, why not fire at each other in a confined area? This would reward agility, speed and resourcefulness as well as the ability to shoot straight. It would also return the competition somewhat closer to the original idea that the prowess on display should have some useful purpose, preferably military in nature.
Strangely I never received a reply.
They should hold the biathlon in Eastern Ukraine.
Or on the Finnish border, and allow Russia to compete.
The obvious reason, if you do want to justify this market movement, is it now feels difficult to conceive that Starmer will fight 2029. His ratings have been going very badly for a while, but with Labour's less friendly mechanisms for toppling leaders, there's always been that possibility that Starmer would ride out the dip and get to 2028 in some kind of competitive, but not competitive enough, position.
As time passes and as rivals do seem to be circling at a distance, it seems less likely. But there's no guarantee of Starmer going anytime soon, even after this May, which opens up the possibility of a quick honeymoon GE as a new leader rolls in later in this parliament. One possibility, as with Blair, is that Starmer is given some leeway to set the timetable for his own departure, say, in late 2027-early 2028.
Personally, I'm not convinced Labour will "time it to perfection", and perhaps any increase in chances comes simply from "Starmer will be gone".
I think that’s it. There are also widespread assumptions that people will switch back from Reform to the Conservatives, and that right wing voters don’t understand tactical voting, whereas left wing voters do.
I would not bet, on the basis of those assumptions.
Is there not some evidence that Tories will vote tactically to stop Reform? They're terrified of being displaced as the standard bearers of the right. A few more greenies in Parliament is no big deal and might actually remind people why we need the serious Tories in power.
If we get to the next general election maybe they'll consider a tactical vote if the Tories have no chance. But in a by election? I suspect not.
Tories who will vote left to stop Reform are like Never Trump Republicans. They exist more in theory than in reality.
Yougov found 20% of current Tory voters would vote LD to beat Reform in a LD held seat. 10% of Tory voters would vote Labour to beat Reform in a Labour held seat.
Some formerly deep red areas of the US like Orange County California have voted Democrat ever since Trump has been GOP nominee and the last Democrat they voted for for president before Trump was GOP nominee was FDR in 1936. Orange County even voted for Goldwater in 1964 when LBJ won the US by a landslide https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_County,_California#Politics
While we weren’t watching, Barack Obama casually confirmed that “aliens exist”. Not “there might be some out there” or “statistically it is unlikely we are alone in the universe” or even “there are some aircraft that do things we can’t explain” (which is what be famously said before)
He then says he’s not personally seen them and he’s sure they’re not stored in Area 51
What makes this even better is that the journalist doesn’t even ask a follow up question. It’s the equivalent of this dialogue:
“Mr President. Was Jesus really the son of god”
“Yes. But there’s no Holy Spirit”
“Great. How do you feel about this new breakaway golf league?”
It's an excellent basis for a conspiracy theory, but his answer to the following question makes clear that (a) he is being light-hearted and (b) he is responding to the subtextual question: "Did you as President get inducted into the grand alien hiding conspiracy?", to which he was saying no.
A much more interesting proposition - have you read 'There is No Antimemetics Division"? It gives a very plausible possible answer to 'where are the aliens?'
Obama has done that a few times. It's a public service because it helps distract these people from much more dangerous conspiracy theories.
I'm still slightly baffled about why the Trump assassination attempt hasn't had more speculation around it. That seems like a much more obvious target to me.
You'd have to be at olympic standard shooting to clip his ear deliberately, from that distance!
But it IS strange that the sassytempt on Trump has just been chucked down the memory-pit. I thought: when Trump gets in he will go to great lengths to find out who was behind it, and how and why and what - after all he was an inch from dying. If I became POTUS after that I’d send the FBI to hunt down anyone responsible, even if from negligence or ineptitude
And yet, it’s been a big old shrug from everyone. Downright peculiar
Considering his apoplectic rage at any slight, real or imagined, he's remarkably sanguine about it. Now that I think about it he doesn't even bring it up all that often I think, which you'd think he would.
Yes, it’s really quite suspicious
Like most things surrounding Trump
Did Trump stage it??? Fuck knows. The world is now so weird I can believe almost anything
The way that lone kid (with no social media) was allowed to climb a roof in full view of thousands and lie there with a rifle for about 20 minutes, roughly 200 yards from The Donald
That near-miss got Musk’s instant surge of support, and quite possibly won Trump won the election
Hmm
I am aware this sounds a bit mad but then any honest discussion of the last five years of human history sounds totally fucking mad
“So there was this pathogenised bat coronavirus that came from the only city with a bat coronavirus pathogenising lab and everyone decided it came from a pangolin in a market instead of the actual virus making lab and then and then and then…”
And on, and on
The FBI (at that time under Biden) said he had no social media.
But he did. Extensive use of all sorts of accounts. The general theory is it was staged by Team Trump... but what if...
Sorry? Since when did it become “the general theory” that Team Trump staged the sassytempt?!
Well, the typical conspiracy theory.
lol. Quite a difference!
Putting on my tinfoil sombrero it does seem one of the more likely conspiracy theories. But then as @Sandpit notes, a man died, and we have a bullet
And the whole thing was seen, live, by 20,000 people and hundreds of cameras. And we must therefore presume the sassy guy was happy to die. And also that the ear thing was some clever make up??
Honestly, who the fuck knows any more. But it is jolly entertaining
And the eary silence from Trump himself about it. Most unlike him.
The understandable wish not to revisit a traumatic event which almost cost him his life?
Or sheepish avoidance of the subject because he staged it himself to boost his election chances?
You pays your money, you makes your choice.
Are we sure the man died?
What can we believe?
The opposite of whatever exits the Trump lips is a decent rule of thumb.
Can't help thinking that this photo of Gorton & Denton Reform candidate Matt Goodwin with Steve Bannon - convicted fraudster, close friend & enabler of Jeffrey Epstein, promoter of violence to overturn a US election & admirer of Satan - has not had the coverage it deserves. https://x.com/Tom___Scott/status/2022703851602633079
To confess, I came to know John Healey quite well about 25 years ago when I worked with him for a couple of years as part of my then job lobbying for a better financial deal for northern local authorities when he was a very supportive backbencher, although we didn't keep in touch after that. He's very respectful of others, unpretentious and does what he promises. I have nothing but respect for him and I am pleased if unsurprised to watch his subsequent steady progress up the political ladder. The main issue is not whether he's capable of it at 66 but whether he would want to do the job at that age. But judging from what's been reported over the past two weeks and the gradual narrowing of his price., it suggests that he is very much up for it which is one reason why he's still value at 22/1 (best odds according to oddschecker) in my opinion.
To put that in context, I have also had dealings with a couple of the other current Cabinet ministers over the years: Emma Reynolds and Pat McFadden, both are/were local MPs (Reynolds subsequently moved seats after losing in 2019). Unlike John Healey Reynolds was anything but the sort of person you warmed to. She was widely disliked amongst the local Labour members, seen as high handed and arrogant as well as pretty incompetant. She's got where she is due to her factional allegiances, having been parachuted in on the back of tenuous family links with her old seat and shoed into a ministerial post immediately upon reelection. I had less to do with McFadden who is grudgingly respected locally as a political operator but not really liked irrespective of his factionalism. I remember him brazenly trying to push Liz Kendall's failed candidacy for leader at a big local party fundraiser in 2010, that said a lot about him and no-one there took a blind bit of notice. But the point with both is that in terms of how they deal with people I can't see either as the sort capable of garnering wider personal support across political divides within the party, whereas with Healey I can, he's just that sort of person.
For info, my father was also a working class Yorkshireman who went to Cambridge. His father my grandfather worked underground in the pit until being invalided out to a job at the pit head after losing a leg in WW1, yet somehow my father then managed to win one of a handful of scholarships to Rotherham Grammar which led onto Cambridge. So maybe I'm a bit biased on this one.
Women’s Monobob is worth watching. Several of them have come very close to big accidents, this is clearly one sport that’s way more difficult than it looks!
Kudos to the drone pilots as well, following the sleds down the top section at up to 80km/h.
I genuinely thought you were talking about the Reeves/Powell/Phillipson standard issue hairdo when I saw "Women's Monobob"
The Winter Olympics is the true home of trash sport. I don't mind it. It all looks terrific fun, but it has as much connection with real sport as an episode of It's A Knockout.
But this is balanced by the fact it's often really dangerous. I like the idea of having a random spectator take part in each sport in the Summer Olympics to demonstrate just how quick/strong the athletes are - but if you tried the same in the Winter version you'd watch some middle-aged man behead himself on the Luge.
Can I choose the middle aged man, please? Do Farage, Starmer and Jenrick qualify as middle aged?
Restore odds may get very silly indeed if Elon gets properly behind them and tech bro money yolos in behind. That would be the golden laying opportunity. I wonder if some of the apparently irrational movements so far are in anticipation of that
The only loser from this Restore vanity project will be Reform.
I’m sure that will make the cosy consensus of the main three parties quite happy.
To take Lowe at his word the reason for Restore is that Reform is a Farage vanity project.
"Restore" is a much better name than Reform. Feels more like "take back control", and reflects this idea that the UK was much better in the 50s.
The power to restore the globe to where it was in the 50s doesn't exist outside of their addled imagination.
Nostalgia would be a great name for a Political Party - apart of course for being a bit too honest.
That would be a far more appropriate name for parties enthusiastic for white supremacy, hanging, flogging, blood sports (hunting not horse racing) times pre- dating universal health care (and pre- dating the social welfare safety net) smoking in public, the workhouse and of course the revival of Victorian diseases.
Restore odds may get very silly indeed if Elon gets properly behind them and tech bro money yolos in behind. That would be the golden laying opportunity. I wonder if some of the apparently irrational movements so far are in anticipation of that
The only loser from this Restore vanity project will be Reform.
I’m sure that will make the cosy consensus of the main three parties quite happy.
To take Lowe at his word the reason for Restore is that Reform is a Farage vanity project.
"Restore" is a much better name than Reform. Feels more like "take back control", and reflects this idea that the UK was much better in the 50s.
In principle, Restore is a more coherent political project than the Fukkers. It's just a straightforward white supremacist movement for which there is some thirst in the country. Basically an English AWB raging against the loss of lightly pigmented cultural domination. The Fukkers are trying to be a more competent and less corrupt version of the tories but they are crewed by egomaniacal narcissists, boomers radicalised by FB and chavs with spider webs tattooed on their elbows which makes it all a bit hopeless.
And the question is, which ex public school wealthy old City reactionary seeking to represent the downtrodden people against the elites will prevail? Will it be Nigel or will it be Rupert?
Rupert also has a degree, unlike Nigel and a bigger net worth
A degree? Based on the performance of our current political graduates, you’ve put me off him.
Restore odds may get very silly indeed if Elon gets properly behind them and tech bro money yolos in behind. That would be the golden laying opportunity. I wonder if some of the apparently irrational movements so far are in anticipation of that
The only loser from this Restore vanity project will be Reform.
I’m sure that will make the cosy consensus of the main three parties quite happy.
To take Lowe at his word the reason for Restore is that Reform is a Farage vanity project.
"Restore" is a much better name than Reform. Feels more like "take back control", and reflects this idea that the UK was much better in the 50s.
In principle, Restore is a more coherent political project than the Fukkers. It's just a straightforward white supremacist movement for which there is some thirst in the country. Basically an English AWB raging against the loss of lightly pigmented cultural domination. The Fukkers are trying to be a more competent and less corrupt version of the tories but they are crewed by egomaniacal narcissists, boomers radicalised by FB and chavs with spider webs tattooed on their elbows which makes it all a bit hopeless.
And the question is, which ex public school wealthy old City reactionary seeking to represent the downtrodden people against the elites will prevail? Will it be Nigel or will it be Rupert?
Rupert also has a degree, unlike Nigel and a bigger net worth
A degree? Based on the performance of our current political graduates, you’ve put me off him.
He also made millions in the city and started a care home business and was owner of Southampton FC
Restore odds may get very silly indeed if Elon gets properly behind them and tech bro money yolos in behind. That would be the golden laying opportunity. I wonder if some of the apparently irrational movements so far are in anticipation of that
The only loser from this Restore vanity project will be Reform.
I’m sure that will make the cosy consensus of the main three parties quite happy.
To take Lowe at his word the reason for Restore is that Reform is a Farage vanity project.
"Restore" is a much better name than Reform. Feels more like "take back control", and reflects this idea that the UK was much better in the 50s.
In principle, Restore is a more coherent political project than the Fukkers. It's just a straightforward white supremacist movement for which there is some thirst in the country. Basically an English AWB raging against the loss of lightly pigmented cultural domination. The Fukkers are trying to be a more competent and less corrupt version of the tories but they are crewed by egomaniacal narcissists, boomers radicalised by FB and chavs with spider webs tattooed on their elbows which makes it all a bit hopeless.
And the question is, which ex public school wealthy old City reactionary seeking to represent the downtrodden people against the elites will prevail? Will it be Nigel or will it be Rupert?
Rupert also has a degree, unlike Nigel and a bigger net worth
A degree? Based on the performance of our current political graduates, you’ve put me off him.
He also made millions in the city and started a care home business and was owner of Southampton FC
Although he did report a boat passing Great Yarmouth Pier to the Border Force, having assumed it was a small boat full of illegal immigrants* en-route to Norfolk from Calais.
* If small boat people can make it from Calais to Great Yarmouth, on the grounds of determination and resilience, they deserve to be allowed to stay.
To confess, I came to know John Healey quite well about 25 years ago when I worked with him for a couple of years as part of my then job lobbying for a better financial deal for northern local authorities when he was a very supportive backbencher, although we didn't keep in touch after that. He's very respectful of others, unpretentious and does what he promises. I have nothing but respect for him and I am pleased if unsurprised to watch his subsequent steady progress up the political ladder. The main issue is not whether he's capable of it at 66 but whether he would want to do the job at that age. But judging from what's been reported over the past two weeks and the gradual narrowing of his price., it suggests that he is very much up for it which is one reason why he's still value at 22/1 (best odds according to oddschecker) in my opinion.
To put that in context, I have also had dealings with a couple of the other current Cabinet ministers over the years: Emma Reynolds and Pat McFadden, both are/were local MPs (Reynolds subsequently moved seats after losing in 2019). Unlike John Healey Reynolds was anything but the sort of person you warmed to. She was widely disliked amongst the local Labour members, seen as high handed and arrogant as well as pretty incompetant. She's got where she is due to her factional allegiances, having been parachuted in on the back of tenuous family links with her old seat and shoed into a ministerial post immediately upon reelection. I had less to do with McFadden who is grudgingly respected locally as a political operator but not really liked irrespective of his factionalism. I remember him brazenly trying to push Liz Kendall's failed candidacy for leader at a big local party fundraiser in 2010, that said a lot about him and no-one there took a blind bit of notice. But the point with both is that in terms of how they deal with people I can't see either as the sort capable of garnering wider personal support across political divides within the party, whereas with Healey I can, he's just that sort of person.
For info, my father was also a working class Yorkshireman who went to Cambridge. His father my grandfather worked underground in the pit until being invalided out to a job at the pit head after losing a leg in WW1, yet somehow my father then managed to win one of a handful of scholarships to Rotherham Grammar which led onto Cambridge. So maybe I'm a bit biased on this one.
To confess, I came to know John Healey quite well about 25 years ago when I worked with him for a couple of years as part of my then job lobbying for a better financial deal for northern local authorities when he was a very supportive backbencher, although we didn't keep in touch after that. He's very respectful of others, unpretentious and does what he promises. I have nothing but respect for him and I am pleased if unsurprised to watch his subsequent steady progress up the political ladder. The main issue is not whether he's capable of it at 66 but whether he would want to do the job at that age. But judging from what's been reported over the past two weeks and the gradual narrowing of his price., it suggests that he is very much up for it which is one reason why he's still value at 22/1 (best odds according to oddschecker) in my opinion.
To put that in context, I have also had dealings with a couple of the other current Cabinet ministers over the years: Emma Reynolds and Pat McFadden, both are/were local MPs (Reynolds subsequently moved seats after losing in 2019). Unlike John Healey Reynolds was anything but the sort of person you warmed to. She was widely disliked amongst the local Labour members, seen as high handed and arrogant as well as pretty incompetant. She's got where she is due to her factional allegiances, having been parachuted in on the back of tenuous family links with her old seat and shoed into a ministerial post immediately upon reelection. I had less to do with McFadden who is grudgingly respected locally as a political operator but not really liked irrespective of his factionalism. I remember him brazenly trying to push Liz Kendall's failed candidacy for leader at a big local party fundraiser in 2010, that said a lot about him and no-one there took a blind bit of notice. But the point with both is that in terms of how they deal with people I can't see either as the sort capable of garnering wider personal support across political divides within the party, whereas with Healey I can, he's just that sort of person.
For info, my father was also a working class Yorkshireman who went to Cambridge. His father my grandfather worked underground in the pit until being invalided out to a job at the pit head after losing a leg in WW1, yet somehow my father then managed to win one of a handful of scholarships to Rotherham Grammar which led onto Cambridge. So maybe I'm a bit biased on this one.
Interesting, thanks. I remember John Healey well from my time in Parliament (1997-2010), and think of him as likeable and even-tempered, with centrist opinions - I'm to the left of his views but agree he's an uncontentious type who most people get along with . I'm not sure he'd win the membership vote unless the only alternative was a relatively right-wing candidate like Streeting, in which case he'd make a good unity option.
Restore odds may get very silly indeed if Elon gets properly behind them and tech bro money yolos in behind. That would be the golden laying opportunity. I wonder if some of the apparently irrational movements so far are in anticipation of that
The only loser from this Restore vanity project will be Reform.
I’m sure that will make the cosy consensus of the main three parties quite happy.
To take Lowe at his word the reason for Restore is that Reform is a Farage vanity project.
"Restore" is a much better name than Reform. Feels more like "take back control", and reflects this idea that the UK was much better in the 50s.
In principle, Restore is a more coherent political project than the Fukkers. It's just a straightforward white supremacist movement for which there is some thirst in the country. Basically an English AWB raging against the loss of lightly pigmented cultural domination. The Fukkers are trying to be a more competent and less corrupt version of the tories but they are crewed by egomaniacal narcissists, boomers radicalised by FB and chavs with spider webs tattooed on their elbows which makes it all a bit hopeless.
And the question is, which ex public school wealthy old City reactionary seeking to represent the downtrodden people against the elites will prevail? Will it be Nigel or will it be Rupert?
Rupert also has a degree, unlike Nigel and a bigger net worth
A degree? Based on the performance of our current political graduates, you’ve put me off him.
He also made millions in the city and started a care home business and was owner of Southampton FC
Although he did report a boat passing Great Yarmouth Pier to the Border Force, having assumed in was a small boat en-route to Norfolk from Calais.
It wasn't just him - he got some of his local friends to go up the coast following the boat (you can almost see the pitchforks) which turned out to be quite legitimate.
To confess, I came to know John Healey quite well about 25 years ago when I worked with him for a couple of years as part of my then job lobbying for a better financial deal for northern local authorities when he was a very supportive backbencher, although we didn't keep in touch after that. He's very respectful of others, unpretentious and does what he promises. I have nothing but respect for him and I am pleased if unsurprised to watch his subsequent steady progress up the political ladder. The main issue is not whether he's capable of it at 66 but whether he would want to do the job at that age. But judging from what's been reported over the past two weeks and the gradual narrowing of his price., it suggests that he is very much up for it which is one reason why he's still value at 22/1 (best odds according to oddschecker) in my opinion.
To put that in context, I have also had dealings with a couple of the other current Cabinet ministers over the years: Emma Reynolds and Pat McFadden, both are/were local MPs (Reynolds subsequently moved seats after losing in 2019). Unlike John Healey Reynolds was anything but the sort of person you warmed to. She was widely disliked amongst the local Labour members, seen as high handed and arrogant as well as pretty incompetant. She's got where she is due to her factional allegiances, having been parachuted in on the back of tenuous family links with her old seat and shoed into a ministerial post immediately upon reelection. I had less to do with McFadden who is grudgingly respected locally as a political operator but not really liked irrespective of his factionalism. I remember him brazenly trying to push Liz Kendall's failed candidacy for leader at a big local party fundraiser in 2010, that said a lot about him and no-one there took a blind bit of notice. But the point with both is that in terms of how they deal with people I can't see either as the sort capable of garnering wider personal support across political divides within the party, whereas with Healey I can, he's just that sort of person.
For info, my father was also a working class Yorkshireman who went to Cambridge. His father my grandfather worked underground in the pit until being invalided out to a job at the pit head after losing a leg in WW1, yet somehow my father then managed to win one of a handful of scholarships to Rotherham Grammar which led onto Cambridge. So maybe I'm a bit biased on this one.
Interesting, thanks. I remember John Healey well from my time in Parliament (1997-2010), and think of him as likeable and even-tempered, with centrist opinions - I'm to the left of his views but agree he's an uncontentious type who most people get along with . I'm not sure he'd win the membership vote unless the only alternative was a relatively right-wing candidate like Streeting, in which case he'd make a good unity option.
Yes, Healey would likely only get it by coronation if Starmer resigned but can't see that happening given Rayner and Streeting's egos and Healey is unlikely to challenge Starmer direct whereas Rayner or Streeting might if Reform or the Greens win Gorton and Denton or Labour come 3rd on NEV in the May local and devolved elections. Hard to see a Healey win otherwise if Rayner or Ed Miliband was on the ballot to members
Restore odds may get very silly indeed if Elon gets properly behind them and tech bro money yolos in behind. That would be the golden laying opportunity. I wonder if some of the apparently irrational movements so far are in anticipation of that
The only loser from this Restore vanity project will be Reform.
I’m sure that will make the cosy consensus of the main three parties quite happy.
To take Lowe at his word the reason for Restore is that Reform is a Farage vanity project.
"Restore" is a much better name than Reform. Feels more like "take back control", and reflects this idea that the UK was much better in the 50s.
In principle, Restore is a more coherent political project than the Fukkers. It's just a straightforward white supremacist movement for which there is some thirst in the country. Basically an English AWB raging against the loss of lightly pigmented cultural domination. The Fukkers are trying to be a more competent and less corrupt version of the tories but they are crewed by egomaniacal narcissists, boomers radicalised by FB and chavs with spider webs tattooed on their elbows which makes it all a bit hopeless.
And the question is, which ex public school wealthy old City reactionary seeking to represent the downtrodden people against the elites will prevail? Will it be Nigel or will it be Rupert?
Rupert also has a degree, unlike Nigel and a bigger net worth
A degree? Based on the performance of our current political graduates, you’ve put me off him.
He also made millions in the city and started a care home business and was owner of Southampton FC
Although he did report a boat passing Great Yarmouth Pier to the Border Force, having assumed in was a small boat en-route to Norfolk from Calais.
It wasn't just him - he got some of his local friends to go up the coast following the boat (you can almost see the pitchforks) which turned out to be quite legitimate.
Weren’t they doing a charity row or somesuch? Probably woke libs who deserved a good pitchforking.
Labour have not gone below 200 seats in an election since 1945 while the Conservatives got 121 in July 2024. However, nobody really thought both Labour and Conservatives would ever poll below 20% in an election (and of course they still haven't).
My seat, East Ham, has been Labour in its various incarnations since 1935 when it was regained by Alfred Barnes who had been the MP from 1922 to 1931 but had lost the seat in the National Government landslide.
Barnes went on to be Minister of Transport in the two Attlee administrations serving for over 6 years in the same Cabinet post (almost inconceivable these days).
The Newham Independents might be serious challengers to Sir Stephen Timms (assuming he opts to run again) and we'll know after the local elections but the days when this seat was among the ten safest Labour seats in the country are over. It's the 52nd safest seat and only the 22nd safest Labour seat in London.
Nonetheless, to imagine any other than a Labour MP is still stretching credibility but the fact it can even be imagined shows how far we have come (or how far down the rabbit hole) and this is in a seat where both Reform and the LDs lost deposits in 2024 and the Conservatives were fourth.
I wouldn't be playing in a market like this so far out unless there was a trading arb to exploit.
Restore odds may get very silly indeed if Elon gets properly behind them and tech bro money yolos in behind. That would be the golden laying opportunity. I wonder if some of the apparently irrational movements so far are in anticipation of that
The only loser from this Restore vanity project will be Reform.
I’m sure that will make the cosy consensus of the main three parties quite happy.
To take Lowe at his word the reason for Restore is that Reform is a Farage vanity project.
"Restore" is a much better name than Reform. Feels more like "take back control", and reflects this idea that the UK was much better in the 50s.
The power to restore the globe to where it was in the 50s doesn't exist outside of their addled imagination.
Nostalgia would be a great name for a Political Party - apart of course for being a bit too honest.
That would be a far more appropriate name for parties enthusiastic for white supremacy, hanging, flogging, blood sports (hunting not horse racing) times pre- dating universal health care (and pre- dating the social welfare safety net) smoking in public, the workhouse and of course the revival of Victorian diseases.
I would call that the Victory For Common Sense Party.
Punters finally waking up to the fact that Labour has to lose a vast number of seats before they are no longer largest party.
I would estimate about 150. Obviously they lose their majority well below that but with the disintegration of our politics it is likely those losses will be split any number of ways. That said, I will be astonished if Restore trouble the scorers much.
SLab are down since the last Norstat I think. Looks like Sarwar’s cunning attempt to unshackle himself from Starmer was a damp squib. Pleasingly I’ve just noticed an amalgamation of Starmer and Sarwar would be Starwar. Another shagged out old franchise?
Interesting, thanks. I remember John Healey well from my time in Parliament (1997-2010), and think of him as likeable and even-tempered, with centrist opinions - I'm to the left of his views but agree he's an uncontentious type who most people get along with . I'm not sure he'd win the membership vote unless the only alternative was a relatively right-wing candidate like Streeting, in which case he'd make a good unity option.
Yes, Healey would likely only get it by coronation if Starmer resigned but can't see that happening given Rayner and Streeting's egos and Healey is unlikely to challenge Starmer direct whereas Rayner or Streeting might if Reform or the Greens win Gorton and Denton or Labour come 3rd on NEV in the May local and devolved elections. Hard to see a Healey win otherwise if Rayner or Ed Miliband was on the ballot to members
I agree that a coronation is really unlikely. From my moderate left-wing position I see EdM as similar but don't understand the media theory that Rayner is left of centre (she's more working-class, but I don't think that's important either positively or negatively), and I'd probably rather vote for Healey. Maybe that's a typical member view? But ultimately it comes down to what concrete commitments the various candidates made.
Restore odds may get very silly indeed if Elon gets properly behind them and tech bro money yolos in behind. That would be the golden laying opportunity. I wonder if some of the apparently irrational movements so far are in anticipation of that
The only loser from this Restore vanity project will be Reform.
I’m sure that will make the cosy consensus of the main three parties quite happy.
To take Lowe at his word the reason for Restore is that Reform is a Farage vanity project.
"Restore" is a much better name than Reform. Feels more like "take back control", and reflects this idea that the UK was much better in the 50s.
In principle, Restore is a more coherent political project than the Fukkers. It's just a straightforward white supremacist movement for which there is some thirst in the country. Basically an English AWB raging against the loss of lightly pigmented cultural domination. The Fukkers are trying to be a more competent and less corrupt version of the tories but they are crewed by egomaniacal narcissists, boomers radicalised by FB and chavs with spider webs tattooed on their elbows which makes it all a bit hopeless.
And the question is, which ex public school wealthy old City reactionary seeking to represent the downtrodden people against the elites will prevail? Will it be Nigel or will it be Rupert?
Rupert also has a degree, unlike Nigel and a bigger net worth
A degree? Based on the performance of our current political graduates, you’ve put me off him.
He also made millions in the city and started a care home business and was owner of Southampton FC
Although he did report a boat passing Great Yarmouth Pier to the Border Force, having assumed it was a small boat full of illegal immigrants* en-route to Norfolk from Calais.
* If small boat people can make it from Calais to Great Yarmouth, on the grounds of determination and resilience, they deserve to be allowed to stay.
It would indeed be a particularly exceptional achievement for a crew of midgets.
I've only just realised that the cesspit that is Damian McBride is working as a spad for Yvette Cooper.
He shouldn't be allowed anywhere near Parliament.
What are the odds that the man who nearly destroyed the Labour Party with ever escalating smears against opponents (internal and external to the party) is a liability ?
She has left NHS Fife. A very sensible decision on her part. Like many others in this saga she desperately needs a fresh start somewhere else.
Dr Upton previously worked without any problems at all in NHS Lothian it appears. She was completely exonerated by the Tribunal of all the claims made against her by Sandie Peggie, which must have been a stressful experience for her. A highly intolerant staff member, which you will get in any large organisation, combined with an employer who didn't handle the situation well. Dr Upton was just caught up in the maelstrom.
I predict Restore will be gone within 6 months (or even sooner) in terms of any attention, being just another minor registration with the Electoral Commission.
To be followed by Revive, then Resurrect.
It’s like eighties Dalek stories
Ressurection, Revelation, Remembrance !!
Jodie's three were Resolution, Revolution, and...Eve.
Chris Chibnall. Personable, intelligent, big fan of the show. And every decision he made was wrong.
Because he's not remaining as leader. Nobody thinks he's making it to the next election after this, which is why some are becoming more optimistic about Labour's chances and wanting to get in before the new leader bounce.
Which was always more likely than not. Even if things had gone brilliantly, which they clearly haven't.
True, but now it's all but been confirmed. Senior Labour figures and even Cabinet members are openly critical and Starmer has no power to sack them. Good luck to him getting even a vaguely unpopular bill through. He is done, everyone knows it - it's when not if. People feel safe to bet on Labour most seats - at worst it's a decent trading bet when the post-Starmer leader experiences an inevitable honeymoon before reality sets in.
I predict Restore will be gone within 6 months (or even sooner) in terms of any attention, being just another minor registration with the Electoral Commission.
At the risk of pointing out the obvious, wasn't hounding her out of her job the entire point of the exercise?
It's a good question. I think supporters of Sandie Peggie would say the point of the exercise is to protect women . But what does that rather abstract claim mean in this specific case? That Beth Upton should stop pretending to be a woman? That s/he shouldn't be a doctor? Or something else?
A natural campaigner. It's nice that Matt's mummy tied his warm scarf for him and he's borrowed his brother's cool sunglasses and gilet thereby rendering them uncool. Solely on the basis of the candidate I'd say Reform are on for third in Gorton & Denton.
Stuzi 🐝🐝 @stuzi_pants · 16m ‘The Green Party want to legalise crack and heroin, and Starmer looks like a robot’ cries Matt Goodwin who sounds like he’s just smoked crack cocaine, and looks like Kryten out of Red Dwarf if he’d borrowed Dumbo’s ears and glued them to his head
Oh God, bar the shades and gloves I often dress just like that!
If Reform don't win Gorton and Denton, it will not be through lack of bloody hard work. I don't think many of us would look great yelling slogans from the top of a bus to be honest.
What I get from this is that Reform's message in this is very honed - no doubt heavily focus grouped.
Get Starmer out - Reform are lucky in that with the recent shenanigans, this could become more than a slogan
Put G&D first - plays into the constituency being forgotten and left behind having been Labour for 90 years - latterly with this Whatsapp thing the complacency seems to have become contempt
Greens will legalise all drugs and open the borders - Reform seems to feel its main challenge is the Greens, unless its a double-bluff to throw more attention on them and split the left vote
Goodwin says these things relentlessly in everything I've seen on the campaign trail. I can't see anything that sophisticated from the other sides. Could be wrong.
Comments
Putting on my tinfoil sombrero it does seem one of the more likely conspiracy theories. But then as @Sandpit notes, a man died, and we have a bullet
And the whole thing was seen, live, by 20,000 people and hundreds of cameras. And we must therefore presume the sassy guy was happy to die. And also that the ear thing was some clever make up??
Honestly, who the fuck knows any more. But it is jolly entertaining
Although in Stargate SG-1 they explicitly tell the President on Day 1 in office (might have been an episode with the real life Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in a cameo) and a senior Senator knew because of digging into the budget for running the damn place, which feels amusingly more realistic.
You let one in here and there, and they know how politics works so you give them a role, then some mates of theirs come through, and before you know it you're just another Tory party.
I would not bet, on the basis of those assumptions.
Kudos to the drone pilots as well, following the sleds down the top section at up to 80km/h.
He clearly does NOT make the vague philosophical claim you imply. It is not caveatted. It is not abstruse. It is not opaque. He flatly says “aliens are real”
And all he says about conspiracies is that “there is no physical evidence of aliens being stored underground in Area 51 unless there is a huge conspiracy to deceive the POTUS”
We can all read and hear. Stick to the facts
So Obama is telling us two things. He believes aliens are real, but there is no evidence of them (unless there's a cover-up). But any scientist might say the same thing which is why we look for alien life on distant planets.
Attlee was Leader of the party and deputy PM during the war; Major was the first MP of the 1979 intake to reach cabinet rank.
Healey is 66 and has done little if anything that's remarkable during his long career.
There’s a documentary to be made on the drones after this Games, they’re brilliant.
IOC media guy explaining: https://x.com/iocmedia/status/2021540450113343908
If we get to the next general election maybe they'll consider a tactical vote if the Tories have no chance. But in a by election? I suspect not.
The understandable wish not to revisit a traumatic event which almost cost him his life?
Or sheepish avoidance of the subject because he staged it himself to boost his election chances?
You pays your money, you makes your choice.
What can we believe?
Sweeeet
I’d post a photo but they have become so small it is pointless
Be proud of British political scumbaggery. Some of it is world leading.
This is a government that contained Peter Mandelson. That bought back Damien “Red Rag” McBride.
Under a different government, journalists looking at The Story We Can’t Talk about, were told (by “government sources”) that if they didn’t drop
It, they would be smeared as fascist racists.
I think it is an excellent idea to make a few couch potatoes go and and perform alongside the professionals, and if they perished, would they really be missed?
In fact I once wrote to the Olympic committee along these lines with some suggestions for how some sports might easily be improved. In archery for example, instead of competitors firing at a static target, why not fire at each other in a confined area? This would reward agility, speed and resourcefulness as well as the ability to shoot straight. It would also return the competition somewhat closer to the original idea that the prowess on display should have some useful purpose, preferably military in nature.
Strangely I never received a reply.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDLWz2lt9kA
Obviously.
Labor 32% (up from 31% when Ley was Liberal leader)
One Nation 23% (down from 25% when Ley was Liberal leader)
Coalition 23% (up from 20% under Ley)
Greens 11% (down 1% from 12% when Ley was Liberal leader)
Independent 7% (down 1% from 8% when Ley was Liberal leader)
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/one-nation-hunts-down-the-coalition-but-voters-give-taylor-some-ground-20260215-p5o2eh.html
Community noted !!
https://x.com/un/status/2022536530003108326?s=61
Better still, make them.
https://yougov.co.uk/politics/articles/51713-is-tactical-voting-more-of-a-threat-or-opportunity-for-reform-uk
Some formerly deep red areas of the US like Orange County California have voted Democrat ever since Trump has been GOP nominee and the last Democrat they voted for for president before Trump was GOP nominee was FDR in 1936. Orange County even voted for Goldwater in 1964 when LBJ won the US by a landslide
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_County,_California#Politics
https://x.com/BenShindel/status/2022869264928227738
https://x.com/Tom___Scott/status/2022703851602633079
Constituency:
SNP: 35% (=)
RFM: 19% (+2)
LAB: 17% (-2)
CON: 10% (-1)
LDM: 8% (-1)
GRN: 8% (+1)
Regional:
SNP: 30% (+1)
RFM: 19% (+3)
LAB: 17% (=)
GRN: 11% (=)
CON: 11% (-1)
LDM: 7% (-2)
ALBA: 3% (-1)
Via
@NorstatUKPolls
, 10-13 Feb.
Changes w/ 13-16 Jan.
My Seat Model:
SNP: 57 (-7)
RFM: 23 (+23)
LAB: 20 (-2)
CON: 12 (-19)
GRN: 11 (+3)
LDM: 6 (+2)
Changes w/ 2021.
https://x.com/ElectionMapsUK/status/2022994860697899067?s=20
https://x.com/ElectionMapsUK/status/2022996291761193241?s=20
Full disclosure.
To confess, I came to know John Healey quite well about 25 years ago when I worked with him for a couple of years as part of my then job lobbying for a better financial deal for northern local authorities when he was a very supportive backbencher, although we didn't keep in touch after that. He's very respectful of others, unpretentious and does what he promises. I have nothing but respect for him and I am pleased if unsurprised to watch his subsequent steady progress up the political ladder. The main issue is not whether he's capable of it at 66 but whether he would want to do the job at that age. But judging from what's been reported over the past two weeks and the gradual narrowing of his price., it suggests that he is very much up for it which is one reason why he's still value at 22/1 (best odds according to oddschecker) in my opinion.
To put that in context, I have also had dealings with a couple of the other current Cabinet ministers over the years: Emma Reynolds and Pat McFadden, both are/were local MPs (Reynolds subsequently moved seats after losing in 2019). Unlike John Healey Reynolds was anything but the sort of person you warmed to. She was widely disliked amongst the local Labour members, seen as high handed and arrogant as well as pretty incompetant. She's got where she is due to her factional allegiances, having been parachuted in on the back of tenuous family links with her old seat and shoed into a ministerial post immediately upon reelection. I had less to do with McFadden who is grudgingly respected locally as a political operator but not really liked irrespective of his factionalism. I remember him brazenly trying to push Liz Kendall's failed candidacy for leader at a big local party fundraiser in 2010, that said a lot about him and no-one there took a blind bit of notice. But the point with both is that in terms of how they deal with people I can't see either as the sort capable of garnering wider personal support across political divides within the party, whereas with Healey I can, he's just that sort of person.
For info, my father was also a working class Yorkshireman who went to Cambridge. His father my grandfather worked underground in the pit until being invalided out to a job at the pit head after losing a leg in WW1, yet somehow my father then managed to win one of a handful of scholarships to Rotherham Grammar which led onto Cambridge. So maybe I'm a bit biased on this one.
There was also this one which caused a stir at the time.
https://www.reddit.com/r/PropagandaPosters/comments/li4h3q/call_it_out_british_armys_poster_2010s/#lightbox
* If small boat people can make it from Calais to Great Yarmouth, on the grounds of determination and resilience, they deserve to be allowed to stay.
Labour have not gone below 200 seats in an election since 1945 while the Conservatives got 121 in July 2024. However, nobody really thought both Labour and Conservatives would ever poll below 20% in an election (and of course they still haven't).
My seat, East Ham, has been Labour in its various incarnations since 1935 when it was regained by Alfred Barnes who had been the MP from 1922 to 1931 but had lost the seat in the National Government landslide.
Barnes went on to be Minister of Transport in the two Attlee administrations serving for over 6 years in the same Cabinet post (almost inconceivable these days).
The Newham Independents might be serious challengers to Sir Stephen Timms (assuming he opts to run again) and we'll know after the local elections but the days when this seat was among the ten safest Labour seats in the country are over. It's the 52nd safest seat and only the 22nd safest Labour seat in London.
Nonetheless, to imagine any other than a Labour MP is still stretching credibility but the fact it can even be imagined shows how far we have come (or how far down the rabbit hole) and this is in a seat where both Reform and the LDs lost deposits in 2024 and the Conservatives were fourth.
I wouldn't be playing in a market like this so far out unless there was a trading arb to exploit.
I wonder if he got a pay off to do so ?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2lyq5dn9xo?xtor=AL-71-[partner]-[bbc.news.twitter]-[headline]-[news]-[bizdev]-[isapi]&at_ptr_name=twitter&at_link_id=0D70044C-0A62-11F1-A0FF-B1463D273DCA&at_link_type=web_link&at_bbc_team=editorial&at_campaign=Social_Flow&at_campaign_type=owned&at_format=link&at_link_origin=BBCNews&at_medium=social
Pleasingly I’ve just noticed an amalgamation of Starmer and Sarwar would be Starwar. Another shagged out old franchise?
He shouldn't be allowed anywhere near Parliament.
Chris Chibnall. Personable, intelligent, big fan of the show. And every decision he made was wrong.
I should add that her employer will actually be NHS Scotland rather than NHS Fife Board, which was where she was posted.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Barbadian_general_election
The Barbados Labour Party has just won all 30 seats in the legislature, on a 70% vote in an FPTP system.
What I get from this is that Reform's message in this is very honed - no doubt heavily focus grouped.
Get Starmer out - Reform are lucky in that with the recent shenanigans, this could become more than a slogan
Put G&D first - plays into the constituency being forgotten and left behind having been Labour for 90 years - latterly with this Whatsapp thing the complacency seems to have become contempt
Greens will legalise all drugs and open the borders - Reform seems to feel its main challenge is the Greens, unless its a double-bluff to throw more attention on them and split the left vote
Goodwin says these things relentlessly in everything I've seen on the campaign trail. I can't see anything that sophisticated from the other sides. Could be wrong.