I don't think any other murderer in this country has quite such an impact as Ian Huntley.
The whole CRB/DBS stuff is a direct result of him, which is a massive pain, especially if like me, you have to undergo the enhanced version.
It was needed though and has made children safer as a result.
None will mourn Huntley but why on earth he was in a workshop with metal poles and with a murderer and rapist serving a whole life term order with nothing to lose who he had apparently been arguing with on his wing is beyond me? Huntley should have served his full 40 year jail term and the Prison Service has questions to answer
I think this was probably a better sentence for him than a 40 year term. Think of the savings if we put all the child murderers in an arena with metal poles. The gov could set up a premium rate phone line for people to bet on who survives each day and use the revenue to cover the prison service costs.
I don't think any other murderer in this country has quite such an impact as Ian Huntley.
The whole CRB/DBS stuff is a direct result of him, which is a massive pain, especially if like me, you have to undergo the enhanced version.
It was needed though and has made children safer as a result.
None will mourn Huntley but why on earth he was in a workshop with metal poles and with a murderer and rapist serving a whole life term order with nothing to lose who he had apparently been arguing with on his wing is beyond me? Huntley should have served his full 40 year jail term and the Prison Service has questions to answer
I think this was probably a better sentence for him than a 40 year term. Think of the savings if we put all the child murderers in an arena with metal poles. The gov could set up a premium rate phone line for people to bet on who survives each day and use the revenue to cover the prison service costs.
You are aware that the enquiry into what happened will cost as much as 3 brand new hospitals, take 16 years to report and conclude that it was all a bit regrettable? But since so much time has passed, nothing worth doing.
Meanwhile, 27 other murders in prison have each spawned an inquiry.
Find Out Now got Gorton and Denton completely wrong.
What did they predict? I'm not surprised though. They do it like a raffle. How they got acceptesd as a serious pollster is a mystery
Ref 36 Lab 31 Green 21
This to me proves they’re ranking Reform way too highly in their polls?
Reform do well in local elections no doubt but that’s a very large miss.
Bear in mind, too. That could have been spot on accurate when it was taken. The evidence is that the very large pool of undecideds (who wouldn't have been counted) moved to Greens late.
HMS Prince of Wales placed on five days’ notice to sail in response to Middle East crisis https://www.navylookout.com/hms-prince-of-wales-placed-on-five-days-notice-to-sail-in-response-to-middle-east-crisis/ The Royal Navy is increasing the readiness of the aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales. The move shortens the time required for the carrier to put to sea, should the government decide additional naval forces are needed. It should be made clear this change of posture does not mean she will definitely be deployed, but increased readiness offers options. Alerting warships to be prepared in response to changing events is normal practice. Prince of Wales is nearing the end of a maintenance period that followed her return from the 8-month HIGHMAST deployment in December, but she remained the carrier at high readiness. (HMS Queen Elizabeth’s ongoing docking and certification period in Rosyth is now several months behind schedule, and it could be some time before she returns to service.) Reducing the notice to sail from 14 days to 5 days requires preparations to be accelerated. Final maintenance tasks must be completed, the ship’s company recalled from leave and training courses and all systems checked to ensure the ship is at the highest state of readiness. The ship already has aircraft ordnance and munitions in her magazines that were embarked last year. Should it be decided to send the carrier to the eastern Med or beyond, the immediate problem would be finding escorts...
Kneejerk reaction to the French deployment.
Imagine if we had an airbase or two we could use in the region where the planes from the aircraft carrier could operate from rather than pissing money up the wall getting a floating airbase in the same area.
HMS Prince of Wales placed on five days’ notice to sail in response to Middle East crisis https://www.navylookout.com/hms-prince-of-wales-placed-on-five-days-notice-to-sail-in-response-to-middle-east-crisis/ The Royal Navy is increasing the readiness of the aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales. The move shortens the time required for the carrier to put to sea, should the government decide additional naval forces are needed. It should be made clear this change of posture does not mean she will definitely be deployed, but increased readiness offers options. Alerting warships to be prepared in response to changing events is normal practice. Prince of Wales is nearing the end of a maintenance period that followed her return from the 8-month HIGHMAST deployment in December, but she remained the carrier at high readiness. (HMS Queen Elizabeth’s ongoing docking and certification period in Rosyth is now several months behind schedule, and it could be some time before she returns to service.) Reducing the notice to sail from 14 days to 5 days requires preparations to be accelerated. Final maintenance tasks must be completed, the ship’s company recalled from leave and training courses and all systems checked to ensure the ship is at the highest state of readiness. The ship already has aircraft ordnance and munitions in her magazines that were embarked last year. Should it be decided to send the carrier to the eastern Med or beyond, the immediate problem would be finding escorts...
England trudging to their first defeat by Italy. Well done Mr Borthwick
Squeaky Bolognese time?
At least we can no longer pretend this is "a team in progress", and "building for the World Cup". It's a fucking mess, and Borthwick has no idea how to fix it
Oh well. Onwards to the Footie
I'm actually pleased by this result. Borthwick is taking them nowhere, and scraping a win might have allowed him to cling on.
We need to rebuild from the ground up.
I have a Welsh friend who is an absolute genius rugby analyst. His dad was nearly an international, he learned the game from the age of 3 at his papa's knee
When Borthwick was appointed he laughed, happily and said "that's the worst possible choice for England, he is a decent club manager, but no more than that. He has no imagination, no creativity, no charisma, he can't inspire anyone, he won't ever win anything and it will be just a load of kicking"
I had a horrible feeling he was right, from the get-go, and nothing since has proved my pal wrong
Hmm. My curiosity is peaked @Leon. I’m curious to know who this person is. My uncle was the treasurer of the WRFU in the 80s and 90s. My Dad played for Swansea and Gloucester.They (and the rest of my family) share in the opinion of Borthwick.
If he turns up at the Principality next weekend with his boots he might get a game!
Not likely to happen. He died three years ago.
That being said, if he’s got doctor’s papers, who knows…
'Tony Blair has rebuked Keir Starmer for his lack of support for Donald Trump's war on Iran, telling the Prime Minister: 'We should have backed America from the very beginning'.
Amid mounting diplomatic tensions between London and Washington over the conflict, Sir Tony warned his successor as Labour leader: 'If they are your ally and they are an indispensable cornerstone for your security... you had better show up'.
'Tony Blair has rebuked Keir Starmer for his lack of support for Donald Trump's war on Iran, telling the Prime Minister: 'We should have backed America from the very beginning'.
Amid mounting diplomatic tensions between London and Washington over the conflict, Sir Tony warned his successor as Labour leader: 'If they are your ally and they are an indispensable cornerstone for your security... you had better show up'.
Come to think of it, Blair would be the ideal LOTO for the Tories right now.
If he accepted Brexit and agreed to withdraw from or at least revise UK application of the ECHR yes. He would also get a few more Labour and LD voters holding their noses for a Blair led Tories in Tory held seats than Kemi has got to beat Reform there
HMS Prince of Wales placed on five days’ notice to sail in response to Middle East crisis https://www.navylookout.com/hms-prince-of-wales-placed-on-five-days-notice-to-sail-in-response-to-middle-east-crisis/ The Royal Navy is increasing the readiness of the aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales. The move shortens the time required for the carrier to put to sea, should the government decide additional naval forces are needed. It should be made clear this change of posture does not mean she will definitely be deployed, but increased readiness offers options. Alerting warships to be prepared in response to changing events is normal practice. Prince of Wales is nearing the end of a maintenance period that followed her return from the 8-month HIGHMAST deployment in December, but she remained the carrier at high readiness. (HMS Queen Elizabeth’s ongoing docking and certification period in Rosyth is now several months behind schedule, and it could be some time before she returns to service.) Reducing the notice to sail from 14 days to 5 days requires preparations to be accelerated. Final maintenance tasks must be completed, the ship’s company recalled from leave and training courses and all systems checked to ensure the ship is at the highest state of readiness. The ship already has aircraft ordnance and munitions in her magazines that were embarked last year. Should it be decided to send the carrier to the eastern Med or beyond, the immediate problem would be finding escorts...
'Tony Blair has rebuked Keir Starmer for his lack of support for Donald Trump's war on Iran, telling the Prime Minister: 'We should have backed America from the very beginning'.
Amid mounting diplomatic tensions between London and Washington over the conflict, Sir Tony warned his successor as Labour leader: 'If they are your ally and they are an indispensable cornerstone for your security... you had better show up'.
I don't think any other murderer in this country has quite such an impact as Ian Huntley.
The whole CRB/DBS stuff is a direct result of him, which is a massive pain, especially if like me, you have to undergo the enhanced version.
It was needed though and has made children safer as a result.
None will mourn Huntley but why on earth he was in a workshop with metal poles and with a murderer and rapist serving a whole life term order with nothing to lose who he had apparently been arguing with on his wing is beyond me? Huntley should have served his full 40 year jail term and the Prison Service has questions to answer
I think this was probably a better sentence for him than a 40 year term. Think of the savings if we put all the child murderers in an arena with metal poles. The gov could set up a premium rate phone line for people to bet on who survives each day and use the revenue to cover the prison service costs.
We have the rule of law in this country not the rule of the mob and it should apply to all
I don't think any other murderer in this country has quite such an impact as Ian Huntley.
The whole CRB/DBS stuff is a direct result of him, which is a massive pain, especially if like me, you have to undergo the enhanced version.
It was needed though and has made children safer as a result.
None will mourn Huntley but why on earth he was in a workshop with metal poles and with a murderer and rapist serving a whole life term order with nothing to lose who he had apparently been arguing with on his wing is beyond me? Huntley should have served his full 40 year jail term and the Prison Service has questions to answer
I am wholly opposed to capital sentencing, but if I had to make an exception this c*** would be up there.
'Tony Blair has rebuked Keir Starmer for his lack of support for Donald Trump's war on Iran, telling the Prime Minister: 'We should have backed America from the very beginning'.
Amid mounting diplomatic tensions between London and Washington over the conflict, Sir Tony warned his successor as Labour leader: 'If they are your ally and they are an indispensable cornerstone for your security... you had better show up'.
Fortunately the rest of the country aren't. Blair is just an opportunist these days. If you were looking for advice on Middle East involvement I can't think of anyone worse than Blair. He should be serving time in jail.
The Tories could get battered in the rest of England, Scotland and Wales, but if that is the result in London the media will be announcing a marvellous set of results for Team Kemi.
The media might but 93% of Tory MPs are not representing London constituencies and if they see the party battered in their English provincial local council or Holyrood elections many will start getting very jittery about holding their own seats with Kemi. It is of course Tory MPs who decide on a VONC in the party leader not the media
There will be no VONC end off
If the Tories are third or worse in the local and devolved elections in May then enough will fear for their seats to get to the 38 Tory MPs requesting a VONC for one to be held
Which she will survive easily
@HYUFD just doesn't get it for reason's I really do not understand
He wants Cleverly to lead.
Not necessarily, if the Tories are at least second on NEV in May I will row in behind Kemi absolutely but if they are third or worse then the voters will clearly have made their judgement on her after 2 successive sets of local elections when the Conservatives have not even made the top 2. In that case I am afraid Cleverly should replace her
Cleverly is on 31% approval with members and he is not the answer
That is +31% you mean!
An Ipsos poll last summer found that if Kemi was no longer Tory leader the top 3 favoured replacements for her amongst 2024 Conservative voters were Boris on 24% (who is not an MP and ineligible), then Cleverly on 14% and Sunak on 12%. Jenrick had 10% but is now in Reform, Tugendhat 7%, Hunt 5% and Patel 4% (tied with Braverman who like Jenrick is in Reform) and Stride had 2% tied with Philp.
It won't. Nobody will do an MP coronation any more. You cling to this notion because you know Cleverly is neither well-liked enough nor politically skilled enough to get through a full leadership election.
London Mayor is the best job he has a (slim) chance of getting. I suspect it will become another two-horse race, and I don't rate his chances of getting the right-wing vote over Layla Moran, you never know.
They will, they did for Howard in 2003 and effectively did for Sunak in late 2022 too (all Tory leaders who replaced leaders who won less than 40% of Tory MPs like Kemi ie IDS and Truss and would do for Cleverly too).
The London Mayor election is not for years, if Kemi is replaced after dire local and devolved elections in May for the Tories it would be Cleverly by coronation, no other candidate would get anywhere near enough Tory MP nominations to even get close to being nominated
Rubbish. There would be an opposing standard-bearer. Sunak was only elected because Boris chickened out. Howard was seen as senior, competent and a unifier. Cleverly doesn't have anything like that level of credibility.
There would not. The only opposing candidate from the right was Jenrick, he has gone to Reform and even Jenrick's old campaign manager Francois is a pal of Cleverly as indeed is Patel.
Sunak was elected with over 50% of Tory MPs nominating him in late 2022 and Boris is not an MP now. Cleverly has support across the party from Stride, who backed him in the final round in 2024, to Francois and even Kemi if she lost a VONC would I expect come in behind Sir James. Cleverly would be Tory leader within a week if Kemi went, crowned by Tory MPs like Howard in 2003
Rubbish again. Sir John Hayes is the senior member of the Tory Parliamentary right wing, and of course they will have a candidate, which could be someone like Katie Lam. You're making massive leaps of logic and I don't really know why.
Sir John Hayes would get no nominations beyond a handful and Lam is barely even know beyond her own household and is basically Reform anyway so if she was picked after a 3rd placed or worse Tory perfomance in May the Tories may as well write their own suicide note. Lam would also not therefore get the required nominations.
It would be Cleverly there is no alternative
I am not talking about him getting nominations you daft sod, I am talking about him being the senior member - the organiser. The Tory parliamentary right will field a candidate, and it's desperate wishful thinking to suggest otherwise. And they will win.
As for Lam not being a household name, not being associated with '14 years of Tory failure' is hardly a drawback for a candidate is it? What shining achievements will Cleverly expect the gratitude of the nation for?
They won't, Jenrick WAS their candidate, now he has gone they have nobody. And if Kemi's trying to go even further right than Farage act sees the Tories 3rd or worse in May leading to her removal Tory MPs certainly ain't repeating the strategy with Lam. They will shift to the centre ground with Cleverly
Your post contradicts itself. You say the right has nobody, but you feel the need to suggest that it is switching right at all that is a bad idea. That doesn't indicate that they have nobody, it indicates you hopping to a new argument because you've been found to be talking nonsense.
I don't want to attack you actually - I have respect for your taking a position and holding it, however absurd. And I understand that you wish to preserve the Tory party, and that this mad Cleverly thing is the only way you think the Tories can retain more than a negligible number of MPs.
However, even if you were right, which I don't think you are, there are bigger things at stake. The whole point of supporting any political party is because you believe that they have the right prescription for the country. The point is the policies and principles, not the colour of the rosette. A party of soggy, compromised, failed centrists under Cleverly is not the answer to any of the many questions currently facing the country. If that is the only way for the Tory Party to be preserved in its current form, perhaps the Party cannot and should not be preserved in its current form.
The right had Jenrick and Badenoch basically is from the right too. So if Kemi's trying to outflank Farage on the right act falls flat and is roundly rejected by voters for a second year in May's local elections then the right will be seen to have failed too.
A shift to the centre with Cleverly is then inevitable for the Tories. If you want full red meat hang 'em and 'flog em and send immigrants back to where they came from and block up the Channel Tunnel you will not be voting anything but Reform anyway. It is swing voters in the centre the Tories need, holding most of their 2024 voters who did not switch to Reform then and tactical anti Reform voters in Tory held seats
'Tony Blair has rebuked Keir Starmer for his lack of support for Donald Trump's war on Iran, telling the Prime Minister: 'We should have backed America from the very beginning'.
Amid mounting diplomatic tensions between London and Washington over the conflict, Sir Tony warned his successor as Labour leader: 'If they are your ally and they are an indispensable cornerstone for your security... you had better show up'.
Fortunately the rest of the country aren't. Blair is just an opportunist these days. If you were looking for advice on Middle East involvement I can't think of anyone worse than Blair. He should be serving time in jail.
I don't think any other murderer in this country has quite such an impact as Ian Huntley.
The whole CRB/DBS stuff is a direct result of him, which is a massive pain, especially if like me, you have to undergo the enhanced version.
Harold Shipman. He ended the quiet dispatch of people suffering at their end of life. He has caused pain and misery for tens of thousands of people - and their families.
I don't think any other murderer in this country has quite such an impact as Ian Huntley.
The whole CRB/DBS stuff is a direct result of him, which is a massive pain, especially if like me, you have to undergo the enhanced version.
It was needed though and has made children safer as a result.
None will mourn Huntley but why on earth he was in a workshop with metal poles and with a murderer and rapist serving a whole life term order with nothing to lose who he had apparently been arguing with on his wing is beyond me? Huntley should have served his full 40 year jail term and the Prison Service has questions to answer
I think this was probably a better sentence for him than a 40 year term. Think of the savings if we put all the child murderers in an arena with metal poles. The gov could set up a premium rate phone line for people to bet on who survives each day and use the revenue to cover the prison service costs.
We have the rule of law in this country not the rule of the mob and it should apply to all
True but if we make compulsory metal shop part of the sentence for child murder we are safely in the world of the rule of law so all good.
The Tories could get battered in the rest of England, Scotland and Wales, but if that is the result in London the media will be announcing a marvellous set of results for Team Kemi.
The media might but 93% of Tory MPs are not representing London constituencies and if they see the party battered in their English provincial local council or Holyrood elections many will start getting very jittery about holding their own seats with Kemi. It is of course Tory MPs who decide on a VONC in the party leader not the media
There will be no VONC end off
If the Tories are third or worse in the local and devolved elections in May then enough will fear for their seats to get to the 38 Tory MPs requesting a VONC for one to be held
Which she will survive easily
@HYUFD just doesn't get it for reason's I really do not understand
He wants Cleverly to lead.
Not necessarily, if the Tories are at least second on NEV in May I will row in behind Kemi absolutely but if they are third or worse then the voters will clearly have made their judgement on her after 2 successive sets of local elections when the Conservatives have not even made the top 2. In that case I am afraid Cleverly should replace her
Cleverly is on 31% approval with members and he is not the answer
That is +31% you mean!
An Ipsos poll last summer found that if Kemi was no longer Tory leader the top 3 favoured replacements for her amongst 2024 Conservative voters were Boris on 24% (who is not an MP and ineligible), then Cleverly on 14% and Sunak on 12%. Jenrick had 10% but is now in Reform, Tugendhat 7%, Hunt 5% and Patel 4% (tied with Braverman who like Jenrick is in Reform) and Stride had 2% tied with Philp.
This is the key issue in any organisation. If you continue to pander to the senile and the corrupt, then the party will die. She's on track for fewer members as they die off and fewer MP's as they get dumped by the electorate or do the chicken run to Reform.
Did I ever mention she's a dud?
I think your view has been obvious for a while
The most important policy Kemi has announced, along with the end of stamp duty, is to address the issue of student loans and vow to help NEETS and the young
By the way you may want to kill us off but others will replace us
I don't want the Conservative Party to die. I simply see the selection of Kemi as a blind alley. Look at this and tell me she's doing a great job.
I don't think any other murderer in this country has quite such an impact as Ian Huntley.
The whole CRB/DBS stuff is a direct result of him, which is a massive pain, especially if like me, you have to undergo the enhanced version.
It was needed though and has made children safer as a result.
None will mourn Huntley but why on earth he was in a workshop with metal poles and with a murderer and rapist serving a whole life term order with nothing to lose who he had apparently been arguing with on his wing is beyond me? Huntley should have served his full 40 year jail term and the Prison Service has questions to answer
I think this was probably a better sentence for him than a 40 year term. Think of the savings if we put all the child murderers in an arena with metal poles. The gov could set up a premium rate phone line for people to bet on who survives each day and use the revenue to cover the prison service costs.
He was murdered by somebody serving a whole of life. Grim. One thinks of Trump v the Mullahs.
England trudging to their first defeat by Italy. Well done Mr Borthwick
Squeaky Bolognese time?
At least we can no longer pretend this is "a team in progress", and "building for the World Cup". It's a fucking mess, and Borthwick has no idea how to fix it
Oh well. Onwards to the Footie
I'm actually pleased by this result. Borthwick is taking them nowhere, and scraping a win might have allowed him to cling on.
We need to rebuild from the ground up.
I have a Welsh friend who is an absolute genius rugby analyst. His dad was nearly an international, he learned the game from the age of 3 at his papa's knee
When Borthwick was appointed he laughed, happily and said "that's the worst possible choice for England, he is a decent club manager, but no more than that. He has no imagination, no creativity, no charisma, he can't inspire anyone, he won't ever win anything and it will be just a load of kicking"
I had a horrible feeling he was right, from the get-go, and nothing since has proved my pal wrong
Hmm. My curiosity is peaked @Leon. I’m curious to know who this person is. My uncle was the treasurer of the WRFU in the 80s and 90s. My Dad played for Swansea and Gloucester.They (and the rest of my family) share in the opinion of Borthwick.
If he turns up at the Principality next weekend with his boots he might get a game!
Not likely to happen. He died three years ago.
That being said, if he’s got doctor’s papers, who knows…
Sorry to hear that.
Maybe he could still coach. He couldn't do any worse than Pivac, Gatland and Tandy
I don't think any other murderer in this country has quite such an impact as Ian Huntley.
The whole CRB/DBS stuff is a direct result of him, which is a massive pain, especially if like me, you have to undergo the enhanced version.
It was needed though and has made children safer as a result.
None will mourn Huntley but why on earth he was in a workshop with metal poles and with a murderer and rapist serving a whole life term order with nothing to lose who he had apparently been arguing with on his wing is beyond me? Huntley should have served his full 40 year jail term and the Prison Service has questions to answer
I think this was probably a better sentence for him than a 40 year term. Think of the savings if we put all the child murderers in an arena with metal poles. The gov could set up a premium rate phone line for people to bet on who survives each day and use the revenue to cover the prison service costs.
He was murdered by somebody serving a whole of life. Grim. One thinks of Trump v the Mullahs.
'Tony Blair has rebuked Keir Starmer for his lack of support for Donald Trump's war on Iran, telling the Prime Minister: 'We should have backed America from the very beginning'.
Amid mounting diplomatic tensions between London and Washington over the conflict, Sir Tony warned his successor as Labour leader: 'If they are your ally and they are an indispensable cornerstone for your security... you had better show up'.
'Tony Blair has rebuked Keir Starmer for his lack of support for Donald Trump's war on Iran, telling the Prime Minister: 'We should have backed America from the very beginning'.
Amid mounting diplomatic tensions between London and Washington over the conflict, Sir Tony warned his successor as Labour leader: 'If they are your ally and they are an indispensable cornerstone for your security... you had better show up'.
There's never been a country Sir Tony hasn't wanted to bomb the crap out of...
The Daily Mail backs a ear monger against Starmer.
Labour will be dancing in the streets.
Meanwhile Kemi insults the RAF for lying down and waiting for things to happen.
You must drink a lot.
Tea total
That’s probably the problem. If you weren’t teatotal you might get out and make friends and enjoy life rather than spamming us about Kemi and how wonderful Labour are.
I don't think any other murderer in this country has quite such an impact as Ian Huntley.
The whole CRB/DBS stuff is a direct result of him, which is a massive pain, especially if like me, you have to undergo the enhanced version.
It was needed though and has made children safer as a result.
None will mourn Huntley but why on earth he was in a workshop with metal poles and with a murderer and rapist serving a whole life term order with nothing to lose who he had apparently been arguing with on his wing is beyond me? Huntley should have served his full 40 year jail term and the Prison Service has questions to answer
I think this was probably a better sentence for him than a 40 year term. Think of the savings if we put all the child murderers in an arena with metal poles. The gov could set up a premium rate phone line for people to bet on who survives each day and use the revenue to cover the prison service costs.
He was murdered by somebody serving a whole of life. Grim. One thinks of Trump v the Mullahs.
The murder, himself, is guilty of ghastly crimes.
So a hideous murderer hideously murdered a hideous murderer in some kind of quest for status.
One aspect we've not really covered - and which is outside all the Trump bullshit- is the way we're viewed by the Gulf states.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot says French fighter jets intercepted and destroyed Iranian drones over the United Arab Emirates, underscoring how quickly France has moved from diplomatic support to direct operational defense in the Gulf. Reports this week say French Rafales were deployed to help protect French installations and support regional air security as Iranian attacks spread across Gulf airspace.
The message from Paris is clear: the France-UAE relationship is not symbolic. It is strategic, military, and active in real time. At a moment when regional security is being tested, France is signaling that its partnership with the Emirates includes hard power, rapid response, and a willingness to act when the threat becomes immediate. .. https://x.com/Microinteracti1/status/2030336418585690149
S Korea has also broken its self imposed policy of not supplying arms into active war zones (which means they refuse to supply Ukraine), in order to make arms sales into the region.
If we're being cynical, there's a commercial reason to get involved in the defence of the region against the semi random Iranian attacks.
'Tony Blair has rebuked Keir Starmer for his lack of support for Donald Trump's war on Iran, telling the Prime Minister: 'We should have backed America from the very beginning'.
Amid mounting diplomatic tensions between London and Washington over the conflict, Sir Tony warned his successor as Labour leader: 'If they are your ally and they are an indispensable cornerstone for your security... you had better show up'.
There's never been a country Sir Tony hasn't wanted to bomb the crap out of...
The Daily Mail backs a ear monger against Starmer.
Labour will be dancing in the streets.
Meanwhile Kemi insults the RAF for lying down and waiting for things to happen.
You must drink a lot.
Tea total
That’s probably the problem. If you weren’t teatotal you might get out and make friends and enjoy life rather than spamming us about Kemi and how wonderful Labour are.
'Tony Blair has rebuked Keir Starmer for his lack of support for Donald Trump's war on Iran, telling the Prime Minister: 'We should have backed America from the very beginning'.
Amid mounting diplomatic tensions between London and Washington over the conflict, Sir Tony warned his successor as Labour leader: 'If they are your ally and they are an indispensable cornerstone for your security... you had better show up'.
There's never been a country Sir Tony hasn't wanted to bomb the crap out of...
The Daily Mail backs a ear monger against Starmer.
Labour will be dancing in the streets.
Meanwhile Kemi insults the RAF for lying down and waiting for things to happen.
You must drink a lot.
Tea total
That’s probably the problem. If you weren’t teatotal you might get out and make friends and enjoy life rather than spamming us about Kemi and how wonderful Labour are.
Go on, have a pint of whiskey.
If @Brixian59 is teetotal the last thing s/he should do is drink a pint of whisky.
As in, it is the last @Brixian59 would do, and while the two of us don’t get on that seems excessive to me.
You have to feel for Wrexham’s Okonkwo. Scored an own goal and couldn’t stop the equaliser. I fear from here that we at the point where things fall apart.
England trudging to their first defeat by Italy. Well done Mr Borthwick
Squeaky Bolognese time?
At least we can no longer pretend this is "a team in progress", and "building for the World Cup". It's a fucking mess, and Borthwick has no idea how to fix it
Oh well. Onwards to the Footie
I'm actually pleased by this result. Borthwick is taking them nowhere, and scraping a win might have allowed him to cling on.
We need to rebuild from the ground up.
I have a Welsh friend who is an absolute genius rugby analyst. His dad was nearly an international, he learned the game from the age of 3 at his papa's knee
When Borthwick was appointed he laughed, happily and said "that's the worst possible choice for England, he is a decent club manager, but no more than that. He has no imagination, no creativity, no charisma, he can't inspire anyone, he won't ever win anything and it will be just a load of kicking"
I had a horrible feeling he was right, from the get-go, and nothing since has proved my pal wrong
Hmm. My curiosity is peaked @Leon. I’m curious to know who this person is. My uncle was the treasurer of the WRFU in the 80s and 90s. My Dad played for Swansea and Gloucester.They (and the rest of my family) share in the opinion of Borthwick.
If he turns up at the Principality next weekend with his boots he might get a game!
Not likely to happen. He died three years ago.
That being said, if he’s got doctor’s papers, who knows…
Sorry to hear that.
Maybe he could still coach. He couldn't do any worse than Pivac, Gatland and Tandy
I don't think any other murderer in this country has quite such an impact as Ian Huntley.
The whole CRB/DBS stuff is a direct result of him, which is a massive pain, especially if like me, you have to undergo the enhanced version.
It was needed though and has made children safer as a result.
None will mourn Huntley but why on earth he was in a workshop with metal poles and with a murderer and rapist serving a whole life term order with nothing to lose who he had apparently been arguing with on his wing is beyond me? Huntley should have served his full 40 year jail term and the Prison Service has questions to answer
I think this was probably a better sentence for him than a 40 year term. Think of the savings if we put all the child murderers in an arena with metal poles. The gov could set up a premium rate phone line for people to bet on who survives each day and use the revenue to cover the prison service costs.
He was murdered by somebody serving a whole of life. Grim. One thinks of Trump v the Mullahs.
The murder, himself, is guilty of ghastly crimes.
So a hideous murderer hideously murdered a hideous murderer in some kind of quest for status.
One aspect we've not really covered - and which is outside all the Trump bullshit- is the way we're viewed by the Gulf states.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot says French fighter jets intercepted and destroyed Iranian drones over the United Arab Emirates, underscoring how quickly France has moved from diplomatic support to direct operational defense in the Gulf. Reports this week say French Rafales were deployed to help protect French installations and support regional air security as Iranian attacks spread across Gulf airspace.
The message from Paris is clear: the France-UAE relationship is not symbolic. It is strategic, military, and active in real time. At a moment when regional security is being tested, France is signaling that its partnership with the Emirates includes hard power, rapid response, and a willingness to act when the threat becomes immediate. .. https://x.com/Microinteracti1/status/2030336418585690149
S Korea has also broken its self imposed policy of not supplying arms into active war zones (which means they refuse to supply Ukraine), in order to make arms sales into the region.
If we're being cynical, there's a commercial reason to get involved in the defence of the region against the semi random Iranian attacks.
We have had raf planes up shooting drones etc, and in the “12 day stramash” a few months ago. We have the UK/Qatari squadron who haven’t been sitting around drinking tea. Perhaps the MOD should be posting about how many missions etc rather than giving away secret info on Twitter to the Russians re Ukraine.
The Tories could get battered in the rest of England, Scotland and Wales, but if that is the result in London the media will be announcing a marvellous set of results for Team Kemi.
The media might but 93% of Tory MPs are not representing London constituencies and if they see the party battered in their English provincial local council or Holyrood elections many will start getting very jittery about holding their own seats with Kemi. It is of course Tory MPs who decide on a VONC in the party leader not the media
There will be no VONC end off
If the Tories are third or worse in the local and devolved elections in May then enough will fear for their seats to get to the 38 Tory MPs requesting a VONC for one to be held
Which she will survive easily
@HYUFD just doesn't get it for reason's I really do not understand
He wants Cleverly to lead.
Not necessarily, if the Tories are at least second on NEV in May I will row in behind Kemi absolutely but if they are third or worse then the voters will clearly have made their judgement on her after 2 successive sets of local elections when the Conservatives have not even made the top 2. In that case I am afraid Cleverly should replace her
Cleverly is on 31% approval with members and he is not the answer
That is +31% you mean!
An Ipsos poll last summer found that if Kemi was no longer Tory leader the top 3 favoured replacements for her amongst 2024 Conservative voters were Boris on 24% (who is not an MP and ineligible), then Cleverly on 14% and Sunak on 12%. Jenrick had 10% but is now in Reform, Tugendhat 7%, Hunt 5% and Patel 4% (tied with Braverman who like Jenrick is in Reform) and Stride had 2% tied with Philp.
It won't. Nobody will do an MP coronation any more. You cling to this notion because you know Cleverly is neither well-liked enough nor politically skilled enough to get through a full leadership election.
London Mayor is the best job he has a (slim) chance of getting. I suspect it will become another two-horse race, and I don't rate his chances of getting the right-wing vote over Layla Moran, you never know.
They will, they did for Howard in 2003 and effectively did for Sunak in late 2022 too (all Tory leaders who replaced leaders who won less than 40% of Tory MPs like Kemi ie IDS and Truss and would do for Cleverly too).
The London Mayor election is not for years, if Kemi is replaced after dire local and devolved elections in May for the Tories it would be Cleverly by coronation, no other candidate would get anywhere near enough Tory MP nominations to even get close to being nominated
Rubbish. There would be an opposing standard-bearer. Sunak was only elected because Boris chickened out. Howard was seen as senior, competent and a unifier. Cleverly doesn't have anything like that level of credibility.
There would not. The only opposing candidate from the right was Jenrick, he has gone to Reform and even Jenrick's old campaign manager Francois is a pal of Cleverly as indeed is Patel.
Sunak was elected with over 50% of Tory MPs nominating him in late 2022 and Boris is not an MP now. Cleverly has support across the party from Stride, who backed him in the final round in 2024, to Francois and even Kemi if she lost a VONC would I expect come in behind Sir James. Cleverly would be Tory leader within a week if Kemi went, crowned by Tory MPs like Howard in 2003
Rubbish again. Sir John Hayes is the senior member of the Tory Parliamentary right wing, and of course they will have a candidate, which could be someone like Katie Lam. You're making massive leaps of logic and I don't really know why.
Sir John Hayes would get no nominations beyond a handful and Lam is barely even know beyond her own household and is basically Reform anyway so if she was picked after a 3rd placed or worse Tory perfomance in May the Tories may as well write their own suicide note. Lam would also not therefore get the required nominations.
It would be Cleverly there is no alternative
I am not talking about him getting nominations you daft sod, I am talking about him being the senior member - the organiser. The Tory parliamentary right will field a candidate, and it's desperate wishful thinking to suggest otherwise. And they will win.
As for Lam not being a household name, not being associated with '14 years of Tory failure' is hardly a drawback for a candidate is it? What shining achievements will Cleverly expect the gratitude of the nation for?
They won't, Jenrick WAS their candidate, now he has gone they have nobody. And if Kemi's trying to go even further right than Farage act sees the Tories 3rd or worse in May leading to her removal Tory MPs certainly ain't repeating the strategy with Lam. They will shift to the centre ground with Cleverly
Your post contradicts itself. You say the right has nobody, but you feel the need to suggest that it is switching right at all that is a bad idea. That doesn't indicate that they have nobody, it indicates you hopping to a new argument because you've been found to be talking nonsense.
I don't want to attack you actually - I have respect for your taking a position and holding it, however absurd. And I understand that you wish to preserve the Tory party, and that this mad Cleverly thing is the only way you think the Tories can retain more than a negligible number of MPs.
However, even if you were right, which I don't think you are, there are bigger things at stake. The whole point of supporting any political party is because you believe that they have the right prescription for the country. The point is the policies and principles, not the colour of the rosette. A party of soggy, compromised, failed centrists under Cleverly is not the answer to any of the many questions currently facing the country. If that is the only way for the Tory Party to be preserved in its current form, perhaps the Party cannot and should not be preserved in its current form.
The right had Jenrick and Badenoch basically is from the right too. So if Kemi's trying to outflank Farage on the right act falls flat and is roundly rejected by voters for a second year in May's local elections then the right will be seen to have failed too.
A shift to the centre with Cleverly is then inevitable for the Tories. If you want full red meat hang 'em and 'flog em and send immigrants back to where they came from and block up the Channel Tunnel you will not be voting anything but Reform anyway. It is swing voters in the centre the Tories need, holding most of their 2024 voters who did not switch to Reform then and tactical anti Reform voters in Tory held seats
I've occasionally wondered what you do for a living. You're Cleverly's SPAD, aren't you? You're fairly near his constituency I think? Go on, admit it.
Depends if attacking Gulf States means more Israeli and American destruction of Iran. GIven what Israel is doing in Lebanon right now without that government retaliating, this has to be doubtful. In which case, from the Iranian perspective, they might as well impose a cost for that destruction.
'Tony Blair has rebuked Keir Starmer for his lack of support for Donald Trump's war on Iran, telling the Prime Minister: 'We should have backed America from the very beginning'.
Amid mounting diplomatic tensions between London and Washington over the conflict, Sir Tony warned his successor as Labour leader: 'If they are your ally and they are an indispensable cornerstone for your security... you had better show up'.
There's never been a country Sir Tony hasn't wanted to bomb the crap out of...
The Daily Mail backs a ear monger against Starmer.
Labour will be dancing in the streets.
Meanwhile Kemi insults the RAF for lying down and waiting for things to happen.
You must drink a lot.
Tea total
That’s probably the problem. If you weren’t teatotal you might get out and make friends and enjoy life rather than spamming us about Kemi and how wonderful Labour are.
The Tories could get battered in the rest of England, Scotland and Wales, but if that is the result in London the media will be announcing a marvellous set of results for Team Kemi.
The media might but 93% of Tory MPs are not representing London constituencies and if they see the party battered in their English provincial local council or Holyrood elections many will start getting very jittery about holding their own seats with Kemi. It is of course Tory MPs who decide on a VONC in the party leader not the media
There will be no VONC end off
If the Tories are third or worse in the local and devolved elections in May then enough will fear for their seats to get to the 38 Tory MPs requesting a VONC for one to be held
Which she will survive easily
@HYUFD just doesn't get it for reason's I really do not understand
He wants Cleverly to lead.
Not necessarily, if the Tories are at least second on NEV in May I will row in behind Kemi absolutely but if they are third or worse then the voters will clearly have made their judgement on her after 2 successive sets of local elections when the Conservatives have not even made the top 2. In that case I am afraid Cleverly should replace her
Cleverly is on 31% approval with members and he is not the answer
That is +31% you mean!
An Ipsos poll last summer found that if Kemi was no longer Tory leader the top 3 favoured replacements for her amongst 2024 Conservative voters were Boris on 24% (who is not an MP and ineligible), then Cleverly on 14% and Sunak on 12%. Jenrick had 10% but is now in Reform, Tugendhat 7%, Hunt 5% and Patel 4% (tied with Braverman who like Jenrick is in Reform) and Stride had 2% tied with Philp.
It won't. Nobody will do an MP coronation any more. You cling to this notion because you know Cleverly is neither well-liked enough nor politically skilled enough to get through a full leadership election.
London Mayor is the best job he has a (slim) chance of getting. I suspect it will become another two-horse race, and I don't rate his chances of getting the right-wing vote over Layla Moran, you never know.
They will, they did for Howard in 2003 and effectively did for Sunak in late 2022 too (all Tory leaders who replaced leaders who won less than 40% of Tory MPs like Kemi ie IDS and Truss and would do for Cleverly too).
The London Mayor election is not for years, if Kemi is replaced after dire local and devolved elections in May for the Tories it would be Cleverly by coronation, no other candidate would get anywhere near enough Tory MP nominations to even get close to being nominated
Rubbish. There would be an opposing standard-bearer. Sunak was only elected because Boris chickened out. Howard was seen as senior, competent and a unifier. Cleverly doesn't have anything like that level of credibility.
There would not. The only opposing candidate from the right was Jenrick, he has gone to Reform and even Jenrick's old campaign manager Francois is a pal of Cleverly as indeed is Patel.
Sunak was elected with over 50% of Tory MPs nominating him in late 2022 and Boris is not an MP now. Cleverly has support across the party from Stride, who backed him in the final round in 2024, to Francois and even Kemi if she lost a VONC would I expect come in behind Sir James. Cleverly would be Tory leader within a week if Kemi went, crowned by Tory MPs like Howard in 2003
Rubbish again. Sir John Hayes is the senior member of the Tory Parliamentary right wing, and of course they will have a candidate, which could be someone like Katie Lam. You're making massive leaps of logic and I don't really know why.
Sir John Hayes would get no nominations beyond a handful and Lam is barely even know beyond her own household and is basically Reform anyway so if she was picked after a 3rd placed or worse Tory perfomance in May the Tories may as well write their own suicide note. Lam would also not therefore get the required nominations.
It would be Cleverly there is no alternative
I am not talking about him getting nominations you daft sod, I am talking about him being the senior member - the organiser. The Tory parliamentary right will field a candidate, and it's desperate wishful thinking to suggest otherwise. And they will win.
As for Lam not being a household name, not being associated with '14 years of Tory failure' is hardly a drawback for a candidate is it? What shining achievements will Cleverly expect the gratitude of the nation for?
They won't, Jenrick WAS their candidate, now he has gone they have nobody. And if Kemi's trying to go even further right than Farage act sees the Tories 3rd or worse in May leading to her removal Tory MPs certainly ain't repeating the strategy with Lam. They will shift to the centre ground with Cleverly
Your post contradicts itself. You say the right has nobody, but you feel the need to suggest that it is switching right at all that is a bad idea. That doesn't indicate that they have nobody, it indicates you hopping to a new argument because you've been found to be talking nonsense.
I don't want to attack you actually - I have respect for your taking a position and holding it, however absurd. And I understand that you wish to preserve the Tory party, and that this mad Cleverly thing is the only way you think the Tories can retain more than a negligible number of MPs.
However, even if you were right, which I don't think you are, there are bigger things at stake. The whole point of supporting any political party is because you believe that they have the right prescription for the country. The point is the policies and principles, not the colour of the rosette. A party of soggy, compromised, failed centrists under Cleverly is not the answer to any of the many questions currently facing the country. If that is the only way for the Tory Party to be preserved in its current form, perhaps the Party cannot and should not be preserved in its current form.
The right had Jenrick and Badenoch basically is from the right too. So if Kemi's trying to outflank Farage on the right act falls flat and is roundly rejected by voters for a second year in May's local elections then the right will be seen to have failed too.
A shift to the centre with Cleverly is then inevitable for the Tories. If you want full red meat hang 'em and 'flog em and send immigrants back to where they came from and block up the Channel Tunnel you will not be voting anything but Reform anyway. It is swing voters in the centre the Tories need, holding most of their 2024 voters who did not switch to Reform then and tactical anti Reform voters in Tory held seats
I've occasionally wondered what you do for a living. You're Cleverly's SPAD, aren't you? You're fairly near his constituency I think? Go on, admit it.
No and if the Tories are at least second on NEV after the May elections I will fully support Kemi staying in post, only if they don't should the switch to Cleverly be made
'Tony Blair has rebuked Keir Starmer for his lack of support for Donald Trump's war on Iran, telling the Prime Minister: 'We should have backed America from the very beginning'.
Amid mounting diplomatic tensions between London and Washington over the conflict, Sir Tony warned his successor as Labour leader: 'If they are your ally and they are an indispensable cornerstone for your security... you had better show up'.
There's never been a country Sir Tony hasn't wanted to bomb the crap out of...
The Daily Mail backs a ear monger against Starmer.
Labour will be dancing in the streets.
Meanwhile Kemi insults the RAF for lying down and waiting for things to happen.
You must drink a lot.
Tea total
That’s probably the problem. If you weren’t teatotal you might get out and make friends and enjoy life rather than spamming us about Kemi and how wonderful Labour are.
'Tony Blair has rebuked Keir Starmer for his lack of support for Donald Trump's war on Iran, telling the Prime Minister: 'We should have backed America from the very beginning'.
Amid mounting diplomatic tensions between London and Washington over the conflict, Sir Tony warned his successor as Labour leader: 'If they are your ally and they are an indispensable cornerstone for your security... you had better show up'.
There's never been a country Sir Tony hasn't wanted to bomb the crap out of...
The Daily Mail backs a ear monger against Starmer.
Labour will be dancing in the streets.
Meanwhile Kemi insults the RAF for lying down and waiting for things to happen.
You must drink a lot.
Tea total
That’s probably the problem. If you weren’t teatotal you might get out and make friends and enjoy life rather than spamming us about Kemi and how wonderful Labour are.
The Tories could get battered in the rest of England, Scotland and Wales, but if that is the result in London the media will be announcing a marvellous set of results for Team Kemi.
The media might but 93% of Tory MPs are not representing London constituencies and if they see the party battered in their English provincial local council or Holyrood elections many will start getting very jittery about holding their own seats with Kemi. It is of course Tory MPs who decide on a VONC in the party leader not the media
There will be no VONC end off
If the Tories are third or worse in the local and devolved elections in May then enough will fear for their seats to get to the 38 Tory MPs requesting a VONC for one to be held
Which she will survive easily
@HYUFD just doesn't get it for reason's I really do not understand
He wants Cleverly to lead.
Not necessarily, if the Tories are at least second on NEV in May I will row in behind Kemi absolutely but if they are third or worse then the voters will clearly have made their judgement on her after 2 successive sets of local elections when the Conservatives have not even made the top 2. In that case I am afraid Cleverly should replace her
Cleverly is on 31% approval with members and he is not the answer
That is +31% you mean!
An Ipsos poll last summer found that if Kemi was no longer Tory leader the top 3 favoured replacements for her amongst 2024 Conservative voters were Boris on 24% (who is not an MP and ineligible), then Cleverly on 14% and Sunak on 12%. Jenrick had 10% but is now in Reform, Tugendhat 7%, Hunt 5% and Patel 4% (tied with Braverman who like Jenrick is in Reform) and Stride had 2% tied with Philp.
It won't. Nobody will do an MP coronation any more. You cling to this notion because you know Cleverly is neither well-liked enough nor politically skilled enough to get through a full leadership election.
London Mayor is the best job he has a (slim) chance of getting. I suspect it will become another two-horse race, and I don't rate his chances of getting the right-wing vote over Layla Moran, you never know.
They will, they did for Howard in 2003 and effectively did for Sunak in late 2022 too (all Tory leaders who replaced leaders who won less than 40% of Tory MPs like Kemi ie IDS and Truss and would do for Cleverly too).
The London Mayor election is not for years, if Kemi is replaced after dire local and devolved elections in May for the Tories it would be Cleverly by coronation, no other candidate would get anywhere near enough Tory MP nominations to even get close to being nominated
Rubbish. There would be an opposing standard-bearer. Sunak was only elected because Boris chickened out. Howard was seen as senior, competent and a unifier. Cleverly doesn't have anything like that level of credibility.
There would not. The only opposing candidate from the right was Jenrick, he has gone to Reform and even Jenrick's old campaign manager Francois is a pal of Cleverly as indeed is Patel.
Sunak was elected with over 50% of Tory MPs nominating him in late 2022 and Boris is not an MP now. Cleverly has support across the party from Stride, who backed him in the final round in 2024, to Francois and even Kemi if she lost a VONC would I expect come in behind Sir James. Cleverly would be Tory leader within a week if Kemi went, crowned by Tory MPs like Howard in 2003
Rubbish again. Sir John Hayes is the senior member of the Tory Parliamentary right wing, and of course they will have a candidate, which could be someone like Katie Lam. You're making massive leaps of logic and I don't really know why.
Sir John Hayes would get no nominations beyond a handful and Lam is barely even know beyond her own household and is basically Reform anyway so if she was picked after a 3rd placed or worse Tory perfomance in May the Tories may as well write their own suicide note. Lam would also not therefore get the required nominations.
It would be Cleverly there is no alternative
I am not talking about him getting nominations you daft sod, I am talking about him being the senior member - the organiser. The Tory parliamentary right will field a candidate, and it's desperate wishful thinking to suggest otherwise. And they will win.
As for Lam not being a household name, not being associated with '14 years of Tory failure' is hardly a drawback for a candidate is it? What shining achievements will Cleverly expect the gratitude of the nation for?
They won't, Jenrick WAS their candidate, now he has gone they have nobody. And if Kemi's trying to go even further right than Farage act sees the Tories 3rd or worse in May leading to her removal Tory MPs certainly ain't repeating the strategy with Lam. They will shift to the centre ground with Cleverly
Your post contradicts itself. You say the right has nobody, but you feel the need to suggest that it is switching right at all that is a bad idea. That doesn't indicate that they have nobody, it indicates you hopping to a new argument because you've been found to be talking nonsense.
I don't want to attack you actually - I have respect for your taking a position and holding it, however absurd. And I understand that you wish to preserve the Tory party, and that this mad Cleverly thing is the only way you think the Tories can retain more than a negligible number of MPs.
However, even if you were right, which I don't think you are, there are bigger things at stake. The whole point of supporting any political party is because you believe that they have the right prescription for the country. The point is the policies and principles, not the colour of the rosette. A party of soggy, compromised, failed centrists under Cleverly is not the answer to any of the many questions currently facing the country. If that is the only way for the Tory Party to be preserved in its current form, perhaps the Party cannot and should not be preserved in its current form.
The right had Jenrick and Badenoch basically is from the right too. So if Kemi's trying to outflank Farage on the right act falls flat and is roundly rejected by voters for a second year in May's local elections then the right will be seen to have failed too.
A shift to the centre with Cleverly is then inevitable for the Tories. If you want full red meat hang 'em and 'flog em and send immigrants back to where they came from and block up the Channel Tunnel you will not be voting anything but Reform anyway. It is swing voters in the centre the Tories need, holding most of their 2024 voters who did not switch to Reform then and tactical anti Reform voters in Tory held seats
I've occasionally wondered what you do for a living. You're Cleverly's SPAD, aren't you? You're fairly near his constituency I think? Go on, admit it.
No and if the Tories are at least second on NEV after the May elections I will fully support Kemi staying in post, only if they don't should the switch to Cleverly be made
I really do not care what you do
You seem to have a hidden motive which is not obvious, but is the only explanation with your Boris type adulation of Cleverly
'Tony Blair has rebuked Keir Starmer for his lack of support for Donald Trump's war on Iran, telling the Prime Minister: 'We should have backed America from the very beginning'.
Amid mounting diplomatic tensions between London and Washington over the conflict, Sir Tony warned his successor as Labour leader: 'If they are your ally and they are an indispensable cornerstone for your security... you had better show up'.
There's never been a country Sir Tony hasn't wanted to bomb the crap out of...
The Daily Mail backs a ear monger against Starmer.
Labour will be dancing in the streets.
Meanwhile Kemi insults the RAF for lying down and waiting for things to happen.
You must drink a lot.
Tea total
That’s probably the problem. If you weren’t teatotal you might get out and make friends and enjoy life rather than spamming us about Kemi and how wonderful Labour are.
OT. Interesting piece of polling on 'Today' which will appear in the Observer tomorrow. Only 6% are where Kemi is ie go in all guns blazing with the Americans
That is not her position
She supports action when and if our military come under attack from Iranian missiles
Indeed Lammy arrived on the same page yesterday
Yesterday US B1s landed in UK, and are authorised by Starmer to use our air bases in their war v Iran
Rachel Sylvester said simply that only 6% were where Kemi is whereas despite the UK press SKS following a rules based order is pretty well where the country is. Voters see broad brush strokes. Incidentally that wasn't Lammy's position. It was the Daily Mail misleading. They asked him what the British should do if attacked. Which shouldn't have given rise to their headline
David Lammy was interviewed across the media and your attempt to dismiss the story as misleading is simply you being misleading
Identical positions? Kemi is NOT coming across as Pro Trumps War and Gung-Ho? 🥹
Little Miss Angry today -
“Keir Starmer spent days consulting lawyers and plucking up the courage to say whose side he was on, even though our allies had the moral clarity to do so immediately and unequivocally. “Even now, he is sitting on the fence, still deciding what our role is going to be in this war. We are in this war whether Keir Starmer likes it or not. It's time to act.”
The Sunday Newspapers need a poll “do you agree with Big G, Kemi is not coming across as Pro Trumps War and Gung Ho?”
Kemi hitting a nerve and is serious about protecting our military who are in direct line of fire
She is right to say that the RAF will attack Iranian missile launch sites if they are a threat to our planes
Seems Lammy agrees as well
Poll the public on my second sentence and see the response
Striking a nerve. That’s exactly my point.
Why Little Miss Angry should be more careful here, her SCATHING ATTACKS on Labour are coming across as scathing attacks on the UK military, whilst they are in the field.
I respectfully disagree, not least because labour have been woeful and deserve criticism
The Navy ship deployment to Cyprus is simply a farce of unimaginable stupidity with the work force under union orders only to work 9 - 5, 5 days a week !!!!!!!!!!!!
Starmer bans US use of British bases following pressure from Miliband and then someone leaks this from the NSC, and within 48 hours Starmer changes his mind allowing B1s to land and take off on mission to Iran from RAF Fairford and B52s from Diego Garcia
Lammy then comes on the media in broadcast interviews and agrees with Kemi that the UK can attack Iran if our military are threatened
And you want the government to have a free pass !!!!!!!!!!!!!
And with equal respect, Big G - whilst you are expending all this energy trying to convince PB the Tory and Lab positions are identical on Trumps War, Little Miss Angry is out there convincing the UK voters there is a GULF OF CLEAR BLUE WATER between Tories and government on this WAR.
You don’t say a boat took too long to get in the med because it was stuck in refit, by pointing out Bevin in 1950 was patriotic, but Labour is not patriotic anymore - that is two different things. How else do you interpret it?
I simply respectfully disagree with you on this, but I provide my own view as honestly as I see it and of courss many will not be persuaded
I would add refering to Kemi as little miss angry and using capitals will not change my view
Projection from MoonRabbit?
ugh. Don’t dig up Sigmund Freud, and pour him all over me.
Noticeable BigG didn’t answer, just said No.
How about Little Miss “Slag Off Britain And Slag Off British Military Whilst It’s In The Air In Theatre” Mouth?
SHE’S GETTING IT WRONG, JUST LIKE CORBYN DID OVER SALISBURY.
Writing in CAPS LOCK does not make your comments either any more accurate or forceful.
Slagging off Starmer's choices is not slagging off either Britain or the British Military.
You are defending what Kemi Badenoch said?
Obviously.
She was right. She neither criticised Britain nor the military, she criticised Starmer and she was right to do so.
“British Troops Are just hanging around.”
You would repeat that yourself?
Yes.
We are bystanders watching as America does the heavy lifting.
Shame on Starmer. Our troops should be fighting our enemy and ensuring regime change occurs, liberating the Iranian public, defeating our enemies and cutting off the supplier of Shahed drones to Russia which is killing Ukrainians.
The issue is that I don’t trust Trump to follow through. At some point he’s going to cut and run, get what he wants and leave us swinging. Without a dependable ally in a joint endeavour it’s not wise to over commit no matter how worthy the objective
We should not overcommit, I agree, but we should commit what we can.
And Trump is less likely to cut and run if we and other allies are there pulling towards a common goal, than if we are standing back telling him to pull out.
Actually, on second thought, he's so pigheaded and stubborn, maybe he will stay longer if we tell him not to? A bit of reverse psychology?
'Tony Blair has rebuked Keir Starmer for his lack of support for Donald Trump's war on Iran, telling the Prime Minister: 'We should have backed America from the very beginning'.
Amid mounting diplomatic tensions between London and Washington over the conflict, Sir Tony warned his successor as Labour leader: 'If they are your ally and they are an indispensable cornerstone for your security... you had better show up'.
There's never been a country Sir Tony hasn't wanted to bomb the crap out of...
The Daily Mail backs a ear monger against Starmer.
Labour will be dancing in the streets.
Meanwhile Kemi insults the RAF for lying down and waiting for things to happen.
You must drink a lot.
Tea total
That’s probably the problem. If you weren’t teatotal you might get out and make friends and enjoy life rather than spamming us about Kemi and how wonderful Labour are.
I don't think any other murderer in this country has quite such an impact as Ian Huntley.
The whole CRB/DBS stuff is a direct result of him, which is a massive pain, especially if like me, you have to undergo the enhanced version.
It was needed though and has made children safer as a result.
None will mourn Huntley but why on earth he was in a workshop with metal poles and with a murderer and rapist serving a whole life term order with nothing to lose who he had apparently been arguing with on his wing is beyond me? Huntley should have served his full 40 year jail term and the Prison Service has questions to answer
I think this was probably a better sentence for him than a 40 year term. Think of the savings if we put all the child murderers in an arena with metal poles. The gov could set up a premium rate phone line for people to bet on who survives each day and use the revenue to cover the prison service costs.
He was murdered by somebody serving a whole of life. Grim. One thinks of Trump v the Mullahs.
The murder, himself, is guilty of ghastly crimes.
So a hideous murderer hideously murdered a hideous murderer in some kind of quest for status.
There's nothing in that to celebrate.
Indeed not.
An eye for an eye leaves everyone blind. We do not have the death penalty for many profound reasons, whether you agree with them or not. I for one felt that this brutal murder solved nothing and asks important questions about how responsible we are, as a society, when a man, however vile, was murdered in a place where our system of justice placed him.
'Tony Blair has rebuked Keir Starmer for his lack of support for Donald Trump's war on Iran, telling the Prime Minister: 'We should have backed America from the very beginning'.
Amid mounting diplomatic tensions between London and Washington over the conflict, Sir Tony warned his successor as Labour leader: 'If they are your ally and they are an indispensable cornerstone for your security... you had better show up'.
There's never been a country Sir Tony hasn't wanted to bomb the crap out of...
The Daily Mail backs a ear monger against Starmer.
Labour will be dancing in the streets.
Meanwhile Kemi insults the RAF for lying down and waiting for things to happen.
You must drink a lot.
Tea total
That’s probably the problem. If you weren’t teatotal you might get out and make friends and enjoy life rather than spamming us about Kemi and how wonderful Labour are.
At least two drones shot down over residential areas of Dubai this evening, damage and injuries on the ground. Nowhere near any military facilities, whoever said this morning that he was calling off the attacks clearly doesn’t have the authority to actually do it.
'Tony Blair has rebuked Keir Starmer for his lack of support for Donald Trump's war on Iran, telling the Prime Minister: 'We should have backed America from the very beginning'.
Amid mounting diplomatic tensions between London and Washington over the conflict, Sir Tony warned his successor as Labour leader: 'If they are your ally and they are an indispensable cornerstone for your security... you had better show up'.
There's never been a country Sir Tony hasn't wanted to bomb the crap out of...
The Daily Mail backs a ear monger against Starmer.
Labour will be dancing in the streets.
Meanwhile Kemi insults the RAF for lying down and waiting for things to happen.
You must drink a lot.
Tea total
That’s probably the problem. If you weren’t teatotal you might get out and make friends and enjoy life rather than spamming us about Kemi and how wonderful Labour are.
'Tony Blair has rebuked Keir Starmer for his lack of support for Donald Trump's war on Iran, telling the Prime Minister: 'We should have backed America from the very beginning'.
Amid mounting diplomatic tensions between London and Washington over the conflict, Sir Tony warned his successor as Labour leader: 'If they are your ally and they are an indispensable cornerstone for your security... you had better show up'.
There's never been a country Sir Tony hasn't wanted to bomb the crap out of...
The Daily Mail backs a ear monger against Starmer.
Labour will be dancing in the streets.
Meanwhile Kemi insults the RAF for lying down and waiting for things to happen.
You must drink a lot.
Tea total
That’s probably the problem. If you weren’t teatotal you might get out and make friends and enjoy life rather than spamming us about Kemi and how wonderful Labour are.
'Tony Blair has rebuked Keir Starmer for his lack of support for Donald Trump's war on Iran, telling the Prime Minister: 'We should have backed America from the very beginning'.
Amid mounting diplomatic tensions between London and Washington over the conflict, Sir Tony warned his successor as Labour leader: 'If they are your ally and they are an indispensable cornerstone for your security... you had better show up'.
There's never been a country Sir Tony hasn't wanted to bomb the crap out of...
The Daily Mail backs a ear monger against Starmer.
Labour will be dancing in the streets.
Meanwhile Kemi insults the RAF for lying down and waiting for things to happen.
You must drink a lot.
Tea total
That’s probably the problem. If you weren’t teatotal you might get out and make friends and enjoy life rather than spamming us about Kemi and how wonderful Labour are.
Go on, have a pint of whiskey.
{Ken Livingstone mode}
You know who else was teetotal?....
I thought he was vegetarian?
Ken Livingstone? No idea really
{Walks away, whistling innocently}
You know who else used to walk about, whistling?
That bloke who killed Hitler?
Apparently Mr H used to potter about his berghof with his dog, whistling cheerfully...
I don't think any other murderer in this country has quite such an impact as Ian Huntley.
The whole CRB/DBS stuff is a direct result of him, which is a massive pain, especially if like me, you have to undergo the enhanced version.
It was needed though and has made children safer as a result.
None will mourn Huntley but why on earth he was in a workshop with metal poles and with a murderer and rapist serving a whole life term order with nothing to lose who he had apparently been arguing with on his wing is beyond me? Huntley should have served his full 40 year jail term and the Prison Service has questions to answer
I think this was probably a better sentence for him than a 40 year term. Think of the savings if we put all the child murderers in an arena with metal poles. The gov could set up a premium rate phone line for people to bet on who survives each day and use the revenue to cover the prison service costs.
He was murdered by somebody serving a whole of life. Grim. One thinks of Trump v the Mullahs.
The murder, himself, is guilty of ghastly crimes.
So a hideous murderer hideously murdered a hideous murderer in some kind of quest for status.
There's nothing in that to celebrate.
Indeed not.
An eye for an eye leaves everyone blind. We do not have the death penalty for many profound reasons, whether you agree with them or not. I for one felt that this brutal murder solved nothing and asks important questions about how responsible we are, as a society, when a man, however vile, was murdered in a place where our system of justice placed him.
Even if people support the death penalty, and certainly like almost everyone else sheds no tears for Huntley as an individual, as a society I don't think we want murders in prison to become commonplace. When a punishment is handed down that is what is expected to be delivered, from a purely practical point of view of state authority you don't want that circumvented.
'Tony Blair has rebuked Keir Starmer for his lack of support for Donald Trump's war on Iran, telling the Prime Minister: 'We should have backed America from the very beginning'.
Amid mounting diplomatic tensions between London and Washington over the conflict, Sir Tony warned his successor as Labour leader: 'If they are your ally and they are an indispensable cornerstone for your security... you had better show up'.
There's never been a country Sir Tony hasn't wanted to bomb the crap out of...
The Daily Mail backs a ear monger against Starmer.
Labour will be dancing in the streets.
Meanwhile Kemi insults the RAF for lying down and waiting for things to happen.
You must drink a lot.
Tea total
That’s probably the problem. If you weren’t teatotal you might get out and make friends and enjoy life rather than spamming us about Kemi and how wonderful Labour are.
'Tony Blair has rebuked Keir Starmer for his lack of support for Donald Trump's war on Iran, telling the Prime Minister: 'We should have backed America from the very beginning'.
Amid mounting diplomatic tensions between London and Washington over the conflict, Sir Tony warned his successor as Labour leader: 'If they are your ally and they are an indispensable cornerstone for your security... you had better show up'.
There's never been a country Sir Tony hasn't wanted to bomb the crap out of...
The Daily Mail backs a ear monger against Starmer.
Labour will be dancing in the streets.
Meanwhile Kemi insults the RAF for lying down and waiting for things to happen.
You must drink a lot.
Tea total
That’s probably the problem. If you weren’t teatotal you might get out and make friends and enjoy life rather than spamming us about Kemi and how wonderful Labour are.
Go on, have a pint of whiskey.
{Ken Livingstone mode}
You know who else was teetotal?....
I thought he was vegetarian?
Ken Livingstone? No idea really
{Walks away, whistling innocently}
You know who else used to walk about, whistling?
Whistling Jack Smith, Dixon of Dock Green and that fellow who painted Whistler's Mother.
'Tony Blair has rebuked Keir Starmer for his lack of support for Donald Trump's war on Iran, telling the Prime Minister: 'We should have backed America from the very beginning'.
Amid mounting diplomatic tensions between London and Washington over the conflict, Sir Tony warned his successor as Labour leader: 'If they are your ally and they are an indispensable cornerstone for your security... you had better show up'.
There's never been a country Sir Tony hasn't wanted to bomb the crap out of...
The Daily Mail backs a ear monger against Starmer.
Labour will be dancing in the streets.
Meanwhile Kemi insults the RAF for lying down and waiting for things to happen.
You must drink a lot.
Tea total
That’s probably the problem. If you weren’t teatotal you might get out and make friends and enjoy life rather than spamming us about Kemi and how wonderful Labour are.
Go on, have a pint of whiskey.
{Ken Livingstone mode}
You know who else was teetotal?....
I thought he was vegetarian?
Both, like you and DumaAce
I thought Durex_Ace was a vegan?
Being vegan doesn’t stop one being vegetarian, surely?
You have to hand it to Iran. Getting to Billy No Mates in that part of the world, while being opposed to Israel takes skill.
Have they ever been very popular there? They have their proxies in several areas, and they helped prop up Assad, but in terms of actual governments?
They have worked very hard, over many years, to get to this point.
A senile old reactionary in charge probably didn't help, either with his own decision-making judgement or from the factions taking a lead in that situation.
I don't think any other murderer in this country has quite such an impact as Ian Huntley.
The whole CRB/DBS stuff is a direct result of him, which is a massive pain, especially if like me, you have to undergo the enhanced version.
It was needed though and has made children safer as a result.
None will mourn Huntley but why on earth he was in a workshop with metal poles and with a murderer and rapist serving a whole life term order with nothing to lose who he had apparently been arguing with on his wing is beyond me? Huntley should have served his full 40 year jail term and the Prison Service has questions to answer
I think this was probably a better sentence for him than a 40 year term. Think of the savings if we put all the child murderers in an arena with metal poles. The gov could set up a premium rate phone line for people to bet on who survives each day and use the revenue to cover the prison service costs.
He was murdered by somebody serving a whole of life. Grim. One thinks of Trump v the Mullahs.
The murder, himself, is guilty of ghastly crimes.
So a hideous murderer hideously murdered a hideous murderer in some kind of quest for status.
There's nothing in that to celebrate.
Indeed not.
An eye for an eye leaves everyone blind. We do not have the death penalty for many profound reasons, whether you agree with them or not. I for one felt that this brutal murder solved nothing and asks important questions about how responsible we are, as a society, when a man, however vile, was murdered in a place where our system of justice placed him.
Even if people support the death penalty, and certainly like almost everyone else sheds no tears for Huntley as an individual, as a society I don't think we want murders in prison to become commonplace. When a punishment is handed down that is what is expected to be delivered, from a purely practical point of view of state authority you don't want that circumvented.
I don't believe in the death penalty, but I do believe in assisted dying for prisoners (as I believe in it for everyone else who wants it too).
If someone is serving a whole life term, and knows they will never be released, and knows they should never be released (as opposed to someone wrongly convicted) and desires to end it all, we should support them to do so safely.
No reason we should stubbornly keep people alive who no longer desire to live, just for the hell of it. If they want to end it, we should let them.
Saw an incredible video on X earlier, of Huntley being interviewed by ITN while the girls were missing. The reporter signed off by saying to him words to the effect of "You were probably the last person to see them before they disappeared", and Huntley just casually agreeing with him. Completely sickening. I remember being in tears on a plane about to take off when the news broke that the girls bodies had been found,
You have to hand it to Iran. Getting to Billy No Mates in that part of the world, while being opposed to Israel takes skill.
Have they ever been very popular there? They have their proxies in several areas, and they helped prop up Assad, but in terms of actual governments?
They have worked very hard, over many years, to get to this point.
A senile old reactionary in charge probably didn't help, either with his own decision-making judgement or from the factions taking a lead in that situation.
Are we talking about Iran or the USA?
But seriously - yes. The biggest issue was that they measured their stature by the number of their enemies.
Saw an incredible video on X earlier, of Huntley being interviewed by ITN while the girls were missing. The reporter signed off by saying to him words to the effect of "You were probably the last person to see them before they disappeared", and Huntley just casually agreeing with him. Completely sickening. I remember being in tears on a plane about to take off when the news broke that the girls bodies had been found,
Quite astonishing that was 24 years ago. I'd have guessed about 15 at most.
At least two drones shot down over residential areas of Dubai this evening, damage and injuries on the ground. Nowhere near any military facilities, whoever said this morning that he was calling off the attacks clearly doesn’t have the authority to actually do it.
'Tony Blair has rebuked Keir Starmer for his lack of support for Donald Trump's war on Iran, telling the Prime Minister: 'We should have backed America from the very beginning'.
Amid mounting diplomatic tensions between London and Washington over the conflict, Sir Tony warned his successor as Labour leader: 'If they are your ally and they are an indispensable cornerstone for your security... you had better show up'.
There's never been a country Sir Tony hasn't wanted to bomb the crap out of...
The Daily Mail backs a ear monger against Starmer.
Labour will be dancing in the streets.
Meanwhile Kemi insults the RAF for lying down and waiting for things to happen.
You must drink a lot.
Tea total
That’s probably the problem. If you weren’t teatotal you might get out and make friends and enjoy life rather than spamming us about Kemi and how wonderful Labour are.
Go on, have a pint of whiskey.
{Ken Livingstone mode}
You know who else was teetotal?....
I thought he was vegetarian?
Both, like you and DumaAce
I thought Durex_Ace was a vegan?
Being vegan doesn’t stop one being vegetarian, surely?
'Tony Blair has rebuked Keir Starmer for his lack of support for Donald Trump's war on Iran, telling the Prime Minister: 'We should have backed America from the very beginning'.
Amid mounting diplomatic tensions between London and Washington over the conflict, Sir Tony warned his successor as Labour leader: 'If they are your ally and they are an indispensable cornerstone for your security... you had better show up'.
There's never been a country Sir Tony hasn't wanted to bomb the crap out of...
The Daily Mail backs a ear monger against Starmer.
Labour will be dancing in the streets.
Meanwhile Kemi insults the RAF for lying down and waiting for things to happen.
You must drink a lot.
Tea total
That’s probably the problem. If you weren’t teatotal you might get out and make friends and enjoy life rather than spamming us about Kemi and how wonderful Labour are.
Go on, have a pint of whiskey.
{Ken Livingstone mode}
You know who else was teetotal?....
I thought he was vegetarian?
Both, like you and DumaAce
I thought Durex_Ace was a vegan?
Being vegan doesn’t stop one being vegetarian, surely?
I stayed in the Holiday Inn at Basingstoke last night.
There are several reasons I will be complaining, the most egregious error was GeeBeebies was being broadcast on the TV in the breakfast room. No one could enjoy their rubber eggs with that filth playing.
Comments
Meanwhile, 27 other murders in prison have each spawned an inquiry.
The evidence is that the very large pool of undecideds (who wouldn't have been counted) moved to Greens late.
That being said, if he’s got doctor’s papers, who knows…
Just imagine what he'd say otherwise.
You really don't want somebody with my job in lots of debt.
And anyway, it's all over.
Fox News is now trying to pretend we defeated Iran and have won the war, so that we can stop fighting.
They are literally trying to list all the ways we won, including “outing fake allies like Spain and England.”
“To me, this already looks like victory. So I say, let’s declare victory very quickly.”
https://x.com/EdKrassen/status/2030285796050133137
If this continues we could render him down, refine the oil in his manner and that’s 20p off the price of diesel overnight for six months.
A shift to the centre with Cleverly is then inevitable for the Tories. If you want full red meat hang 'em and 'flog em and send immigrants back to where they came from and block up the Channel Tunnel you will not be voting anything but Reform anyway. It is swing voters in the centre the Tories need, holding most of their 2024 voters who did not switch to Reform then and tactical anti Reform voters in Tory held seats
Were you asleep from about 1992 to 2007?
Everybody knew that this went on before Shipman.
Maybe he could still coach. He couldn't do any worse than Pivac, Gatland and Tandy
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/ceqvwrydzpqt
Wrexham 2 Chelsea 1
Go on, have a pint of whiskey.
What a game
So a hideous murderer hideously murdered a hideous murderer in some kind of quest for status.
There's nothing in that to celebrate.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot says French fighter jets intercepted and destroyed Iranian drones over the United Arab Emirates, underscoring how quickly France has moved from diplomatic support to direct operational defense in the Gulf. Reports this week say French Rafales were deployed to help protect French installations and support regional air security as Iranian attacks spread across Gulf airspace.
The message from Paris is clear: the France-UAE relationship is not symbolic. It is strategic, military, and active in real time. At a moment when regional security is being tested, France is signaling that its partnership with the Emirates includes hard power, rapid response, and a willingness to act when the threat becomes immediate. ..
https://x.com/Microinteracti1/status/2030336418585690149
S Korea has also broken its self imposed policy of not supplying arms into active war zones (which means they refuse to supply Ukraine), in order to make arms sales into the region.
If we're being cynical, there's a commercial reason to get involved in the defence of the region against the semi random Iranian attacks.
You know who else was teetotal?....
As in, it is the last @Brixian59 would do, and while the two of us don’t get on that seems excessive to me.
Ed Milibands influence needs castrating.
1. His disgusting treatment of and leading to the defenestration of Brave Sir Boris.
2. Being Minister for the second/third Brexit referendum.
You're Cleverly's SPAD, aren't you? You're fairly near his constituency I think? Go on, admit it.
{Walks away, whistling innocently}
The Clacton Resident's Association attempting to recover their MP from Donald Trump.
https://x.com/DachshundColin/status/2030264002597548057
You seem to have a hidden motive which is not obvious, but is the only explanation with your Boris type adulation of Cleverly
And Trump is less likely to cut and run if we and other allies are there pulling towards a common goal, than if we are standing back telling him to pull out.
Actually, on second thought, he's so pigheaded and stubborn, maybe he will stay longer if we tell him not to? A bit of reverse psychology?
I for one felt that this brutal murder solved nothing and asks important questions about how responsible we are, as a society, when a man, however vile, was murdered in a place where our system of justice placed him.
Seeing a trend here
Ref 29 (-1)
Lab 21 (+3)
Con 16 (-2)
Grn 14 (+1)
LD 10 (-2)
If someone is serving a whole life term, and knows they will never be released, and knows they should never be released (as opposed to someone wrongly convicted) and desires to end it all, we should support them to do so safely.
No reason we should stubbornly keep people alive who no longer desire to live, just for the hell of it. If they want to end it, we should let them.
That poll puts the Conservatives as SIXTH largest Party in seats.
But seriously - yes. The biggest issue was that they measured their stature by the number of their enemies.
I'd have guessed about 15 at most.
There are several reasons I will be complaining, the most egregious error was GeeBeebies was being broadcast on the TV in the breakfast room. No one could enjoy their rubber eggs with that filth playing.