Police did not investigate the theft of Morgan McSweeney’s phone because officers were “too busy”, despite the sensitivity of his messages and contacts
Sir Keir Starmer’s former chief of staff told the Metropolitan police that his phone was stolen as he returned home from a restaurant in central London on October 20 last year
Pretty high, I’ve mentioned on here friends have had their phones/tablets/watches stolen and they’ve gone to the police saying that FindMyLocation says their device(s) is/are at this property and the Rozzers say, nah, cannot be bothered, here’s your crime reference number and claim on your insurance.
Yeah, but are they reporting stolen a government phone?
Was it a government phone or his personal phone?
Sorry, should have included: "The theft of the work device..."
Ta, I should be surprised at the police in this instance but I am not.
@DPJHodges We were specifically told by Steve Reed on Sunday the theft pre-dated the issues relating to Mandelson. I’m going to say it again. This is a blatant cover-up. And Ministers - from the Prime Minister down - are openly lying about it.
@singharj McSweeney's phone was stolen around a month after Starmer was forced to sack Mandelson as US ambassador.......
Lol. Absolute roasting liars
99.8% of the general public don't give a bat shit about Mandelson
The Tories and wankers like Hodges are effectively talking to themselves.
After all no Tory ever lost a phone, deleted an email or what's app, god forbid they could even lose a Foreign Secretary in Italy for 12 hours and find him drink on a bench in a railway station.
If Badenoch is stupid enough to raise this at Pmq she is even more irrelevant than most voters think.
Not a good day for the Tories, outgoing Mel Stride beasted by Rachel and poor old Claire Coutinho showing all the political skills of an illiterate 5 year old who has asked AI what happens in the North Sea.
Excruciating
People don't have to give a shit about Mandelson for a story about a privileged, money grubbing arsehole to get at least some traction with the public. It plays into a lot of assumptions people have about politicians.
Will it continue to have much attention? I doubt as much as the Tories want, but it's also not nothing.
Striking that it's Conservative supporters who have swung to more anti than those pesky socialists.
A "fool me once/twice/thrice" effect? And not good for Lady Kemi of Badenochshire.
Badenoch, not Badenochshire. As in Wolf of Badenoch, only significant settlement, the much mispronounced Kingussie. Come to think of it, Badenoch is also mispronounced in the wrong circles.
I was listening to The Rest is History this week and found out that for the last 50 or so years I had been pronouncing Auchinleck incorrectly.
How should I have been pronouncing it?
I’ve been pronouncing it the way Lord Olivier pronounced it on The World At War.
Apparently it is pronounced Affleck. I did go and check online afterwards and found this was the case. I am assuming of course that TRIH are correct.
Striking that it's Conservative supporters who have swung to more anti than those pesky socialists.
A "fool me once/twice/thrice" effect? And not good for Lady Kemi of Badenochshire.
Badenoch, not Badenochshire. As in Wolf of Badenoch, only significant settlement, the much mispronounced Kingussie. Come to think of it, Badenoch is also mispronounced in the wrong circles.
I was listening to The Rest is History this week and found out that for the last 50 or so years I had been pronouncing Auchinleck incorrectly.
How should I have been pronouncing it?
I’ve been pronouncing it the way Lord Olivier pronounced it on The World At War.
Apparently it is pronounced Affleck. I did go and check online afterwards and found this was the case. I am assuming of course that TRIH are correct.
Wow.
I wasn’t even close.
My grandfather served as a fairly senior officer in the 8th Army and he always said ‘Ork in lek’ as I recall.
He may have been wrong as well, of course. He didn’t know him personally and I can imagine lots of English officers would struggle with such names, say ‘Anstruther’ or ‘Kirkcudbright.’
Recent Wings pieces on the Holyrood elections are a bit weird in tone. He is clear the SNP are almost certainly going to win big and might even get a majority, and because he thinks they are useless is left essentially saying there's barely any point to the election at all.
Trump net approval hits new low on Nate Silver's poll aggregator: -16.2% and the approval part nearly dropping below 40%.
How low can it go if the war with Iran continues? I think it alienates a significant portion of isolationist Trump supporters in a way his actions so far have not. Not least as prices rise...
Whale shit at the bottom of the Challenger Deep?
Isn't the striking thing how high Trump's support still is?
A silly war, going badly and costing Americans cash, and he still has more people saying he's doing a good job than Starmer, Sunak or Truss ever achieved.
Britain is now in accelerated decline - gradual for decades, now at risk of sudden collapse.
My stark verdict: unchecked, UK heading for relative poverty - a deindustrialised, sectarian, indebted island with first-rate pretensions & third-rate power.
A generally serious contribution from an explicitly right-wing source (a contributor to "The American Conservative"), though I've never heard the allegedly common nickname for Starmer: "two-tier Kier". He's a bit vague about his preferred solution, though.
You haven’t heard “two tier Keir”? Don’t you read PB anymore?
Off topic, but timely. On Saturday it was sunny here, and so I took the opportunity to walk along Lake Washington and take a few photographs. To my surprise, I encountered a small pro-Shah demonstration at a favorite park. The demonstrators were displaying the traditional Iranian flag, American flags, and -- trigger warning -- an Israeli flag or two.
There were three or four groups of pictures of, I assumed, young people who had been killed by the Mullahs.
Here's one:
(My apologies for the quality of the picture. I should have taken more time, but was still surprised by the demonstration.)
The demonstrators looked wealthy and secular.
This Saturday there will be, as I understand it, a "No Kings" demonstration, protesting Trump, in the same park. (I expect I will find myself in the odd position of favoring both demonstrations, wanting the Mullahs overthrown, with as few lives lost as possible, and the Loser driven from power, with the same caveat.)
Much bigger pro-Iranian opposition demo in Newcastle at the w/end. Convened in Grey Square, but also lots of pics of regime victims down by the river walk near the Tyne Bridge. Lots of royalist flags and pictures of Reza Pahlavi. Also a few US and, I think, one Israeli.
Britain is now in accelerated decline - gradual for decades, now at risk of sudden collapse.
My stark verdict: unchecked, UK heading for relative poverty - a deindustrialised, sectarian, indebted island with first-rate pretensions & third-rate power.
A generally serious contribution from an explicitly right-wing source (a contributor to "The American Conservative"), though I've never heard the allegedly common nickname for Starmer: "two-tier Kier". He's a bit vague about his preferred solution, though.
You haven’t heard “two tier Keir”? Don’t you read PB anymore?
I recall it being briefly popular, but don't recall the last time I saw it.
Britain is now in accelerated decline - gradual for decades, now at risk of sudden collapse.
My stark verdict: unchecked, UK heading for relative poverty - a deindustrialised, sectarian, indebted island with first-rate pretensions & third-rate power.
A generally serious contribution from an explicitly right-wing source (a contributor to "The American Conservative"), though I've never heard the allegedly common nickname for Starmer: "two-tier Kier". He's a bit vague about his preferred solution, though.
You haven’t heard “two tier Keir”? Don’t you read PB anymore?
It's been around since the protests of summer 2024.
Police did not investigate the theft of Morgan McSweeney’s phone because officers were “too busy”, despite the sensitivity of his messages and contacts
Sir Keir Starmer’s former chief of staff told the Metropolitan police that his phone was stolen as he returned home from a restaurant in central London on October 20 last year
Pretty high, I’ve mentioned on here friends have had their phones/tablets/watches stolen and they’ve gone to the police saying that FindMyLocation says their device(s) is/are at this property and the Rozzers say, nah, cannot be bothered, here’s your crime reference number and claim on your insurance.
Yeah, but are they reporting stolen a government phone?
Was it a government phone or his personal phone?
Sorry, should have included: "The theft of the work device..."
Ta, I should be surprised at the police in this instance but I am not.
@DPJHodges We were specifically told by Steve Reed on Sunday the theft pre-dated the issues relating to Mandelson. I’m going to say it again. This is a blatant cover-up. And Ministers - from the Prime Minister down - are openly lying about it.
@singharj McSweeney's phone was stolen around a month after Starmer was forced to sack Mandelson as US ambassador.......
Lol. Absolute roasting liars
Should have just had an unfortunate accident with the phone while crossing the channel.
Wonder why the messages werent retrieved on the new phone with the same number he was given the next day? And why he didn't back up any messages as per policy. So many mysteries.
It’s called doing a Boris.
Covid Inquiry: Johnson says WhatsApp 'somehow automatically erased' 5,000 messages
Former prime minister claims lack of detail from messages sent during key early weeks of pandemic is due to program "going down and coming back up again"
I am sure there will be plenty of quotes from Labour/Labour ministers about that which will come back to haunt them.
Are the McSweeney messages likely to be embarrassing for the Govt and/or McSweeney/Mandelson? I suspect it tends towards the latter.
I suspect very bad for McSweeney.
I was told he reveres Lord Mandelson on a par with the way I revere David Cameron (pbuh).
The MMcS lost messages will all of course have a sender/recipient who will have carefully preserved each and every one of them. You have to lose two phones to lose a single communication. To lose all relevant communications from multiple phones/parties you have to fill the North Sea with them.
What is needed is for someone like a Mail journalist to “find” McSweeney’s phone and reveal embarrassing messages, which may or may not be fiction, but that McSweeney can’t deny because he has “lost” his phone and can’t prove otherwise.
Recent Wings pieces on the Holyrood elections are a bit weird in tone. He is clear the SNP are almost certainly going to win big and might even get a majority, and because he thinks they are useless is left essentially saying there's barely any point to the election at all.
SNP will win, despite a significantly lower vote-share, because Labour won't be able to take back the Central Belt constituencies due to their own decline. Reform also put at risk the Tory-held constituencies, so could be SNP pick ups there.
So, yes, a strange sort of triumph, given that the combined unionist vote is likely to be greater than the pro-Indy one.
So, Swinney will go through the motions of demanding a referendum, and Starmer will go through the motions of denying one. Honour satisfied all round and Scotland will continue to drift.
Which is to say, Wings is right, barely any point to the election at all.
Police did not investigate the theft of Morgan McSweeney’s phone because officers were “too busy”, despite the sensitivity of his messages and contacts
Sir Keir Starmer’s former chief of staff told the Metropolitan police that his phone was stolen as he returned home from a restaurant in central London on October 20 last year
Pretty high, I’ve mentioned on here friends have had their phones/tablets/watches stolen and they’ve gone to the police saying that FindMyLocation says their device(s) is/are at this property and the Rozzers say, nah, cannot be bothered, here’s your crime reference number and claim on your insurance.
Yeah, but are they reporting stolen a government phone?
Was it a government phone or his personal phone?
Sorry, should have included: "The theft of the work device..."
Ta, I should be surprised at the police in this instance but I am not.
@DPJHodges We were specifically told by Steve Reed on Sunday the theft pre-dated the issues relating to Mandelson. I’m going to say it again. This is a blatant cover-up. And Ministers - from the Prime Minister down - are openly lying about it.
@singharj McSweeney's phone was stolen around a month after Starmer was forced to sack Mandelson as US ambassador.......
Lol. Absolute roasting liars
Should have just had an unfortunate accident with the phone while crossing the channel.
Wonder why the messages werent retrieved on the new phone with the same number he was given the next day? And why he didn't back up any messages as per policy. So many mysteries.
It’s called doing a Boris.
Covid Inquiry: Johnson says WhatsApp 'somehow automatically erased' 5,000 messages
Former prime minister claims lack of detail from messages sent during key early weeks of pandemic is due to program "going down and coming back up again"
I am sure there will be plenty of quotes from Labour/Labour ministers about that which will come back to haunt them.
Are the McSweeney messages likely to be embarrassing for the Govt and/or McSweeney/Mandelson? I suspect it tends towards the latter.
I suspect very bad for McSweeney.
I was told he reveres Lord Mandelson on a par with the way I revere David Cameron (pbuh).
Would anybody surprised if the also showed that Mandy was also sticking his oar into lots of government decisions.
Was he not DPM for a chunk of the time with a PM who seemed seriously close to a break down? I would be astonished if he wasn’t sticking his oar in. The impression I got at the time was that he was running the show and that he and Darling were basically all that was keeping the government on track.
That he was running the government was something he was briefing the press about.
The reality might well have been different.
Maybe. But a government that had been paralysed by Brown’s indecision started moving again.
Mandelson has the morals of an ally cat and really seems to have not cared if Epstein was abusing children. But he was and is an operator who knows how to get things done. I have admitted before that I, in ignorance of the Epstein stuff, thought his appointment was a good one. I think that there is at least some truth in it.
As a founder member of the Royal Society For The Protection of The Reputation of Temporarily Undomiciled Felines, I object.
No cat, in an ally or otherwise has ever conspired to sell government secrets.
Police did not investigate the theft of Morgan McSweeney’s phone because officers were “too busy”, despite the sensitivity of his messages and contacts
Sir Keir Starmer’s former chief of staff told the Metropolitan police that his phone was stolen as he returned home from a restaurant in central London on October 20 last year
Pretty high, I’ve mentioned on here friends have had their phones/tablets/watches stolen and they’ve gone to the police saying that FindMyLocation says their device(s) is/are at this property and the Rozzers say, nah, cannot be bothered, here’s your crime reference number and claim on your insurance.
Yeah, but are they reporting stolen a government phone?
Was it a government phone or his personal phone?
Sorry, should have included: "The theft of the work device..."
Ta, I should be surprised at the police in this instance but I am not.
@DPJHodges We were specifically told by Steve Reed on Sunday the theft pre-dated the issues relating to Mandelson. I’m going to say it again. This is a blatant cover-up. And Ministers - from the Prime Minister down - are openly lying about it.
@singharj McSweeney's phone was stolen around a month after Starmer was forced to sack Mandelson as US ambassador.......
Lol. Absolute roasting liars
Should have just had an unfortunate accident with the phone while crossing the channel.
Wonder why the messages werent retrieved on the new phone with the same number he was given the next day? And why he didn't back up any messages as per policy. So many mysteries.
It’s called doing a Boris.
Covid Inquiry: Johnson says WhatsApp 'somehow automatically erased' 5,000 messages
Former prime minister claims lack of detail from messages sent during key early weeks of pandemic is due to program "going down and coming back up again"
I am sure there will be plenty of quotes from Labour/Labour ministers about that which will come back to haunt them.
Are the McSweeney messages likely to be embarrassing for the Govt and/or McSweeney/Mandelson? I suspect it tends towards the latter.
I suspect very bad for McSweeney.
I was told he reveres Lord Mandelson on a par with the way I revere David Cameron (pbuh).
Would anybody surprised if the also showed that Mandy was also sticking his oar into lots of government decisions.
Was he not DPM for a chunk of the time with a PM who seemed seriously close to a break down? I would be astonished if he wasn’t sticking his oar in. The impression I got at the time was that he was running the show and that he and Darling were basically all that was keeping the government on track.
That he was running the government was something he was briefing the press about.
The reality might well have been different.
Maybe. But a government that had been paralysed by Brown’s indecision started moving again.
Mandelson has the morals of an ally cat and really seems to have not cared if Epstein was abusing children. But he was and is an operator who knows how to get things done. I have admitted before that I, in ignorance of the Epstein stuff, thought his appointment was a good one. I think that there is at least some truth in it.
As a founder member of the Royal Society For The Protection of The Reputation of Temporarily Undomiciled Felines, I object.
No cat, in an ally or otherwise has ever conspired to sell government secrets.
I've never heard of cats being in our allies, although I suppose if one were stuffed in Trump's alley at least it would be an ironic reversal of his normal behaviour.
If the fat old paedo can be considered an ally, of course.
Police did not investigate the theft of Morgan McSweeney’s phone because officers were “too busy”, despite the sensitivity of his messages and contacts
Sir Keir Starmer’s former chief of staff told the Metropolitan police that his phone was stolen as he returned home from a restaurant in central London on October 20 last year
Pretty high, I’ve mentioned on here friends have had their phones/tablets/watches stolen and they’ve gone to the police saying that FindMyLocation says their device(s) is/are at this property and the Rozzers say, nah, cannot be bothered, here’s your crime reference number and claim on your insurance.
Yeah, but are they reporting stolen a government phone?
Was it a government phone or his personal phone?
Sorry, should have included: "The theft of the work device..."
Ta, I should be surprised at the police in this instance but I am not.
@DPJHodges We were specifically told by Steve Reed on Sunday the theft pre-dated the issues relating to Mandelson. I’m going to say it again. This is a blatant cover-up. And Ministers - from the Prime Minister down - are openly lying about it.
@singharj McSweeney's phone was stolen around a month after Starmer was forced to sack Mandelson as US ambassador.......
Lol. Absolute roasting liars
Should have just had an unfortunate accident with the phone while crossing the channel.
Wonder why the messages werent retrieved on the new phone with the same number he was given the next day? And why he didn't back up any messages as per policy. So many mysteries.
It’s called doing a Boris.
Covid Inquiry: Johnson says WhatsApp 'somehow automatically erased' 5,000 messages
Former prime minister claims lack of detail from messages sent during key early weeks of pandemic is due to program "going down and coming back up again"
I am sure there will be plenty of quotes from Labour/Labour ministers about that which will come back to haunt them.
Are the McSweeney messages likely to be embarrassing for the Govt and/or McSweeney/Mandelson? I suspect it tends towards the latter.
I suspect very bad for McSweeney.
I was told he reveres Lord Mandelson on a par with the way I revere David Cameron (pbuh).
Would anybody surprised if the also showed that Mandy was also sticking his oar into lots of government decisions.
Was he not DPM for a chunk of the time with a PM who seemed seriously close to a break down? I would be astonished if he wasn’t sticking his oar in. The impression I got at the time was that he was running the show and that he and Darling were basically all that was keeping the government on track.
That he was running the government was something he was briefing the press about.
The reality might well have been different.
Maybe. But a government that had been paralysed by Brown’s indecision started moving again.
Mandelson has the morals of an ally cat and really seems to have not cared if Epstein was abusing children. But he was and is an operator who knows how to get things done. I have admitted before that I, in ignorance of the Epstein stuff, thought his appointment was a good one. I think that there is at least some truth in it.
As a founder member of the Royal Society For The Protection of The Reputation of Temporarily Undomiciled Felines, I object.
No cat, in an ally or otherwise has ever conspired to sell government secrets.
Police did not investigate the theft of Morgan McSweeney’s phone because officers were “too busy”, despite the sensitivity of his messages and contacts
Sir Keir Starmer’s former chief of staff told the Metropolitan police that his phone was stolen as he returned home from a restaurant in central London on October 20 last year
Pretty high, I’ve mentioned on here friends have had their phones/tablets/watches stolen and they’ve gone to the police saying that FindMyLocation says their device(s) is/are at this property and the Rozzers say, nah, cannot be bothered, here’s your crime reference number and claim on your insurance.
Yeah, but are they reporting stolen a government phone?
Was it a government phone or his personal phone?
Sorry, should have included: "The theft of the work device..."
Ta, I should be surprised at the police in this instance but I am not.
@DPJHodges We were specifically told by Steve Reed on Sunday the theft pre-dated the issues relating to Mandelson. I’m going to say it again. This is a blatant cover-up. And Ministers - from the Prime Minister down - are openly lying about it.
@singharj McSweeney's phone was stolen around a month after Starmer was forced to sack Mandelson as US ambassador.......
Lol. Absolute roasting liars
Should have just had an unfortunate accident with the phone while crossing the channel.
Wonder why the messages werent retrieved on the new phone with the same number he was given the next day? And why he didn't back up any messages as per policy. So many mysteries.
It’s called doing a Boris.
Covid Inquiry: Johnson says WhatsApp 'somehow automatically erased' 5,000 messages
Former prime minister claims lack of detail from messages sent during key early weeks of pandemic is due to program "going down and coming back up again"
I am sure there will be plenty of quotes from Labour/Labour ministers about that which will come back to haunt them.
Are the McSweeney messages likely to be embarrassing for the Govt and/or McSweeney/Mandelson? I suspect it tends towards the latter.
I suspect very bad for McSweeney.
I was told he reveres Lord Mandelson on a par with the way I revere David Cameron (pbuh).
Would anybody surprised if the also showed that Mandy was also sticking his oar into lots of government decisions.
Was he not DPM for a chunk of the time with a PM who seemed seriously close to a break down? I would be astonished if he wasn’t sticking his oar in. The impression I got at the time was that he was running the show and that he and Darling were basically all that was keeping the government on track.
That he was running the government was something he was briefing the press about.
The reality might well have been different.
Maybe. But a government that had been paralysed by Brown’s indecision started moving again.
Mandelson has the morals of an ally cat and really seems to have not cared if Epstein was abusing children. But he was and is an operator who knows how to get things done. I have admitted before that I, in ignorance of the Epstein stuff, thought his appointment was a good one. I think that there is at least some truth in it.
As a founder member of the Royal Society For The Protection of The Reputation of Temporarily Undomiciled Felines, I object.
No cat, in an ally or otherwise has ever conspired to sell government secrets.
When is the government going to get round to publishing the defence spending plan (promised since last summer) ?
I don't disagree about the last couple of decades of defence rundown, but the current government needs now to decide about its own priorities. Something it keeps putting off.
Apparently the Supreme Court is eying up prohibiting counting of mail in ballots that arrive after election day? To be fair, regardless of whether it is lawful (I doubt the court care much about that vs what they personally prefer to be the case, pro or anti), it does feel like an odd practice. Does anywhere else do it?
It’s behind a paywall but I doubt that will be happening until Trump does his wonderful deal to end the war !
And the UK does have autonomous drones for mine clearing.
Minesweeping is one of the few strengths we still have after 14 years of wilful neglect and cost cutting
When is the government going to get round to publishing the defence spending plan (promised since last summer) ?
I don't disagree about the last couple of decades of defence rundown, but the current government needs now to decide about its own priorities. Something it keeps putting off.
Can kicking is a surprisingly resilient option.
Defence, Parliament refurbishment, social care, it's baby steps or no steps (or backwards steps) if they become even slightly difficult, even if it means more difficult down the line. Our politicians (and voters I guess) are actually remarkably optimistic about coming up with something down the line to solve problems.
It’s behind a paywall but I doubt that will be happening until Trump does his wonderful deal to end the war !
And the UK does have autonomous drones for mine clearing.
Minesweeping is one of the few strengths we still have after 14 years of wilful neglect and cost cutting
When is the government going to get round to publishing the defence spending plan (promised since last summer) ?
I don't disagree about the last couple of decades of defence rundown, but the current government needs now to decide about its own priorities. Something it keeps putting off.
Can kicking is a surprisingly resilient option.
Defence, Parliament refurbishment, social care, it's baby steps or no steps (or backwards steps) if they become even slightly difficult, even if it means more difficult down the line. Our politicians (and voters I guess) are actually remarkably optimistic about coming up with something down the line to solve problems.
I don't understand where "cost cutting" comes in - defence has, iiuc held fast with % gdp since the late 90s a fact the graph below seems to support.
When is the government going to get round to publishing the defence spending plan (promised since last summer) ?
I don't disagree about the last couple of decades of defence rundown, but the current government needs now to decide about its own priorities. Something it keeps putting off.
I assume it is being delayed because it requires a lot of money just to stand still, and even more money to move forward, and the government doesn't want to spend it.
It's strategy for re-election is to have improved the NHS, so there's less than no money left for anything else.
I think he's said no involvement in anything aggressive and/or illegal.
If that is an accurate report, I hope that falls through.
I wonder if is another item of Trump windbaggery?
At present the predominant issues are that naval forces in that location are effectively impossible to defend, and that it gives the appearance of hitching the UK wagon to President Chump.
It’s behind a paywall but I doubt that will be happening until Trump does his wonderful deal to end the war !
And the UK does have autonomous drones for mine clearing.
Minesweeping is one of the few strengths we still have after 14 years of wilful neglect and cost cutting
When is the government going to get round to publishing the defence spending plan (promised since last summer) ?
I don't disagree about the last couple of decades of defence rundown, but the current government needs now to decide about its own priorities. Something it keeps putting off.
Can kicking is a surprisingly resilient option.
Defence, Parliament refurbishment, social care, it's baby steps or no steps (or backwards steps) if they become even slightly difficult, even if it means more difficult down the line. Our politicians (and voters I guess) are actually remarkably optimistic about coming up with something down the line to solve problems.
Not a crazy idea, as long as the economy keeps growing.
Future us will be richer than present us, and so they will better be able to afford the solutions to knotty problems. It's the same reason that some government borrowing is not harmful.
The catch comes if you have, to take a hypothetical example, a couple of decades where the economy barely grows at all.
That there are some Labour supporters with a positive view of Trump - and more than there are Tory ones - feels to require some sort of explanation. It is a puzzle.
I would guess it's in part that Starmer has valued a good relationship with Trump, and so that attracts voters who have a better opinion of Trump, and it's likely to make tribal Labour voters more favourable towards Trump.
Plus also the insult to British soldiers pushing down the score with Tories.
It’s behind a paywall but I doubt that will be happening until Trump does his wonderful deal to end the war !
And the UK does have autonomous drones for mine clearing.
Minesweeping is one of the few strengths we still have after 14 years of wilful neglect and cost cutting
When is the government going to get round to publishing the defence spending plan (promised since last summer) ?
I don't disagree about the last couple of decades of defence rundown, but the current government needs now to decide about its own priorities. Something it keeps putting off.
Can kicking is a surprisingly resilient option.
Defence, Parliament refurbishment, social care, it's baby steps or no steps (or backwards steps) if they become even slightly difficult, even if it means more difficult down the line. Our politicians (and voters I guess) are actually remarkably optimistic about coming up with something down the line to solve problems.
Not a crazy idea, as long as the economy keeps growing.
Future us will be richer than present us, and so they will better be able to afford the solutions to knotty problems. It's the same reason that some government borrowing is not harmful.
The catch comes if you have, to take a hypothetical example, a couple of decades where the economy barely grows at all.
Yes, our public and political attitudes have not kept up with the economic realities. I mean, the hypothetical example of one.
Britain is now in accelerated decline - gradual for decades, now at risk of sudden collapse.
My stark verdict: unchecked, UK heading for relative poverty - a deindustrialised, sectarian, indebted island with first-rate pretensions & third-rate power.
I thought the Right viewed the 'relative poverty' metric as a load of cobblers.
It’s behind a paywall but I doubt that will be happening until Trump does his wonderful deal to end the war !
And the UK does have autonomous drones for mine clearing.
Minesweeping is one of the few strengths we still have after 14 years of wilful neglect and cost cutting
When is the government going to get round to publishing the defence spending plan (promised since last summer) ?
I don't disagree about the last couple of decades of defence rundown, but the current government needs now to decide about its own priorities. Something it keeps putting off.
Can kicking is a surprisingly resilient option.
Defence, Parliament refurbishment, social care, it's baby steps or no steps (or backwards steps) if they become even slightly difficult, even if it means more difficult down the line. Our politicians (and voters I guess) are actually remarkably optimistic about coming up with something down the line to solve problems.
I don't understand where "cost cutting" comes in - defence has, iiuc held fast with % gdp since the late 90s a fact the graph below seems to support.
That it has apparently gone backwards points to poor spending of the allocated money quite frankly.
A lot of it is perception due to troop numbers reducing I think. Which of course does not necessarily mean capability reduction. All a bit tabloid "bobbies on the beat".
It’s behind a paywall but I doubt that will be happening until Trump does his wonderful deal to end the war !
And the UK does have autonomous drones for mine clearing.
Minesweeping is one of the few strengths we still have after 14 years of wilful neglect and cost cutting
When is the government going to get round to publishing the defence spending plan (promised since last summer) ?
I don't disagree about the last couple of decades of defence rundown, but the current government needs now to decide about its own priorities. Something it keeps putting off.
Can kicking is a surprisingly resilient option.
Defence, Parliament refurbishment, social care, it's baby steps or no steps (or backwards steps) if they become even slightly difficult, even if it means more difficult down the line. Our politicians (and voters I guess) are actually remarkably optimistic about coming up with something down the line to solve problems.
I don't understand where "cost cutting" comes in - defence has, iiuc held fast with % gdp since the late 90s a fact the graph below seems to support.
That it has apparently gone backwards points to poor spending of the allocated money quite frankly.
That's a spectacularly poor chart for looking at the changes over the last couple of decades. If you go to NATO directly you can get the precise figures.
One other factor is that a constant % of GDP doesn't go as far as it should because British GDP growth has been poor.
And that's important because a lot of equipment is imported from countries where wage growth has been stronger, and from countries who haven't devalued their currencies continually to remain competitive, and so those military imports are more expensive than they would be if the British economy was stronger.
Apparently the Supreme Court is eying up prohibiting counting of mail in ballots that arrive after election day? To be fair, regardless of whether it is lawful (I doubt the court care much about that vs what they personally prefer to be the case, pro or anti), it does feel like an odd practice. Does anywhere else do it?
I don’t think so but what the GOP really want is to get rid of mail in and early voting so all voting on just Tuesday election day.
Effectively it’s impossible in urban areas to do that . This case is a pre-cursor to more that will follow in an attempt to steal future elections.
Striking that it's Conservative supporters who have swung to more anti than those pesky socialists.
A "fool me once/twice/thrice" effect? And not good for Lady Kemi of Badenochshire.
Badenoch, not Badenochshire. As in Wolf of Badenoch, only significant settlement, the much mispronounced Kingussie. Come to think of it, Badenoch is also mispronounced in the wrong circles.
I was listening to The Rest is History this week and found out that for the last 50 or so years I had been pronouncing Auchinleck incorrectly.
How should I have been pronouncing it?
I’ve been pronouncing it the way Lord Olivier pronounced it on The World At War.
Apparently it is pronounced Affleck. I did go and check online afterwards and found this was the case. I am assuming of course that TRIH are correct.
Golly. Wasn’t he nicknamed the Auk rather than the Aff?
It’s behind a paywall but I doubt that will be happening until Trump does his wonderful deal to end the war !
And the UK does have autonomous drones for mine clearing.
Minesweeping is one of the few strengths we still have after 14 years of wilful neglect and cost cutting
When is the government going to get round to publishing the defence spending plan (promised since last summer) ?
I don't disagree about the last couple of decades of defence rundown, but the current government needs now to decide about its own priorities. Something it keeps putting off.
Can kicking is a surprisingly resilient option.
Defence, Parliament refurbishment, social care, it's baby steps or no steps (or backwards steps) if they become even slightly difficult, even if it means more difficult down the line. Our politicians (and voters I guess) are actually remarkably optimistic about coming up with something down the line to solve problems.
I don't understand where "cost cutting" comes in - defence has, iiuc held fast with % gdp since the late 90s a fact the graph below seems to support.
That it has apparently gone backwards points to poor spending of the allocated money quite frankly.
A lot of it is perception due to troop numbers reducing I think. Which of course does not necessarily mean capability reduction. All a bit tabloid "bobbies on the beat".
It's quite hard to point to where the capability exists if it's just a mirage. Often the Navy doesn't have an operational attack submarine. The Navy had to rush a destroyer out of dry dock in response to the Iran war. Many RAF Typhoons don't have radar capable of tracking drones. The British Army it's fully committed to its deployments in Estonia and elsewhere, such that the theoretical commitment to a post-war Ukrainian deployment would require Britain withdrawing from Estonia to be backfilled by some other NATO ally.
I'm not seeing much in the way of capability compared to, say, the British contribution to the Iraq War of 2003.
It’s behind a paywall but I doubt that will be happening until Trump does his wonderful deal to end the war !
And the UK does have autonomous drones for mine clearing.
Minesweeping is one of the few strengths we still have after 14 years of wilful neglect and cost cutting
When is the government going to get round to publishing the defence spending plan (promised since last summer) ?
I don't disagree about the last couple of decades of defence rundown, but the current government needs now to decide about its own priorities. Something it keeps putting off.
Can kicking is a surprisingly resilient option.
Defence, Parliament refurbishment, social care, it's baby steps or no steps (or backwards steps) if they become even slightly difficult, even if it means more difficult down the line. Our politicians (and voters I guess) are actually remarkably optimistic about coming up with something down the line to solve problems.
In the first pass of grappling with a problem doing nothing should always be considered.
It’s behind a paywall but I doubt that will be happening until Trump does his wonderful deal to end the war !
And the UK does have autonomous drones for mine clearing.
Minesweeping is one of the few strengths we still have after 14 years of wilful neglect and cost cutting
When is the government going to get round to publishing the defence spending plan (promised since last summer) ?
I don't disagree about the last couple of decades of defence rundown, but the current government needs now to decide about its own priorities. Something it keeps putting off.
Can kicking is a surprisingly resilient option.
Defence, Parliament refurbishment, social care, it's baby steps or no steps (or backwards steps) if they become even slightly difficult, even if it means more difficult down the line. Our politicians (and voters I guess) are actually remarkably optimistic about coming up with something down the line to solve problems.
In the first pass of grappling with a problem doing nothing should always be considered.
Yes it should, but for many of our issues we're well beyond the first pass stage, notwithstanding the present government have not been in power for very long. They must have been thinking about many of these issues for a long time, indeed they will have insisted they did.
Britain is now in accelerated decline - gradual for decades, now at risk of sudden collapse.
My stark verdict: unchecked, UK heading for relative poverty - a deindustrialised, sectarian, indebted island with first-rate pretensions & third-rate power.
I thought the Right viewed the 'relative poverty' metric as a load of cobblers.
Not that kind of relative poverty. The kind where you travel abroad and are shocked that the average standard of living is much better.
It’s behind a paywall but I doubt that will be happening until Trump does his wonderful deal to end the war !
And the UK does have autonomous drones for mine clearing.
Minesweeping is one of the few strengths we still have after 14 years of wilful neglect and cost cutting
When is the government going to get round to publishing the defence spending plan (promised since last summer) ?
I don't disagree about the last couple of decades of defence rundown, but the current government needs now to decide about its own priorities. Something it keeps putting off.
Can kicking is a surprisingly resilient option.
Defence, Parliament refurbishment, social care, it's baby steps or no steps (or backwards steps) if they become even slightly difficult, even if it means more difficult down the line. Our politicians (and voters I guess) are actually remarkably optimistic about coming up with something down the line to solve problems.
I don't understand where "cost cutting" comes in - defence has, iiuc held fast with % gdp since the late 90s a fact the graph below seems to support.
That it has apparently gone backwards points to poor spending of the allocated money quite frankly.
That's a spectacularly poor chart for looking at the changes over the last couple of decades. If you go to NATO directly you can get the precise figures.
One other factor is that a constant % of GDP doesn't go as far as it should because British GDP growth has been poor.
And that's important because a lot of equipment is imported from countries where wage growth has been stronger, and from countries who haven't devalued their currencies continually to remain competitive, and so those military imports are more expensive than they would be if the British economy was stronger.
Britain is putting itself at the helm of efforts to build a multi-national maritime mission to get oil tankers moving again through the key strait once the war is de-escalated.
This could include a Strait of Hormuz summit in London, which would be expected to be attended by countries from the Gulf, Europe and the US, to inject momentum into the plans.
Apparently the Supreme Court is eying up prohibiting counting of mail in ballots that arrive after election day? To be fair, regardless of whether it is lawful (I doubt the court care much about that vs what they personally prefer to be the case, pro or anti), it does feel like an odd practice. Does anywhere else do it?
I don’t think so but what the GOP really want is to get rid of mail in and early voting so all voting on just Tuesday election day.
Effectively it’s impossible in urban areas to do that . This case is a pre-cursor to more that will follow in an attempt to steal future elections.
I think there would need to be a massive increase in polling stations, even if they are the same elector numbers as the UK?
I can't see the article, but I'm inclined to think the Times is overcooking it. We are alongside the French and the Yanks and I doubt we a re "leading" it in the way implied.
Britain is now in accelerated decline - gradual for decades, now at risk of sudden collapse.
My stark verdict: unchecked, UK heading for relative poverty - a deindustrialised, sectarian, indebted island with first-rate pretensions & third-rate power.
I thought the Right viewed the 'relative poverty' metric as a load of cobblers.
Not that kind of relative poverty. The kind where you travel abroad and are shocked that the average standard of living is much better.
So you can call it poverty when comparing with rich foreigners, but not when comparing with richer people in your own country?
That there are some Labour supporters with a positive view of Trump - and more than there are Tory ones - feels to require some sort of explanation. It is a puzzle.
I would guess it's in part that Starmer has valued a good relationship with Trump, and so that attracts voters who have a better opinion of Trump, and it's likely to make tribal Labour voters more favourable towards Trump.
Plus also the insult to British soldiers pushing down the score with Tories.
That might be right but it doesn't apply to this tribal Labour person. I try my best to get into other minds (not in a sinister way, I stress) but I find it hard to access one that still has a positive opinion of Donald Trump.
I’m sure this Judge has considered any potential victims. Nonces are known for their honesty.
‘ Paedophile migrant who failed to disclose child sex offence after coming to UK wins appeal against deportation as judge rules it was 'honest mistake’
This judge should have liability for this person's future crimes. When he commits rape and sexual assaults against children in this country the judge should also be put on trial for this completely ridiculous decision.
Making judges accountable for their stupid rulings is going to be the only way to change things.
Apparently the Supreme Court is eying up prohibiting counting of mail in ballots that arrive after election day? To be fair, regardless of whether it is lawful (I doubt the court care much about that vs what they personally prefer to be the case, pro or anti), it does feel like an odd practice. Does anywhere else do it?
I don’t think so but what the GOP really want is to get rid of mail in and early voting so all voting on just Tuesday election day.
Effectively it’s impossible in urban areas to do that . This case is a pre-cursor to more that will follow in an attempt to steal future elections.
I think there would need to be a massive increase in polling stations, even if they are the same elector numbers as the UK?
The big problem is urban areas in GOP led states. They will ensure there aren’t enough polling stations , long queues so people give up and go home. This is why early and mail in voting is crucial.
Britain is now in accelerated decline - gradual for decades, now at risk of sudden collapse.
My stark verdict: unchecked, UK heading for relative poverty - a deindustrialised, sectarian, indebted island with first-rate pretensions & third-rate power.
I thought the Right viewed the 'relative poverty' metric as a load of cobblers.
Not that kind of relative poverty. The kind where you travel abroad and are shocked that the average standard of living is much better.
So you can call it poverty when comparing with rich foreigners, but not when comparing with richer people in your own country?
I’m sure this Judge has considered any potential victims. Nonces are known for their honesty.
‘ Paedophile migrant who failed to disclose child sex offence after coming to UK wins appeal against deportation as judge rules it was 'honest mistake’
This judge should have liability for this person's future crimes. When he commits rape and sexual assaults against children in this country the judge should also be put on trial for this completely ridiculous decision.
Making judges accountable for their stupid rulings is going to be the only way to change things.
The problem is, of course, that you have to be a bit careful when criticising judges due to contempt of court rules.
But how can you not hold them in contempt when they say and do stupid things like this?
It's not as though it's recent either. Tom Denning and David Eady were both pretty dodgy.
Recent Wings pieces on the Holyrood elections are a bit weird in tone. He is clear the SNP are almost certainly going to win big and might even get a majority, and because he thinks they are useless is left essentially saying there's barely any point to the election at all.
Cant help but think Wings is really missing his pal Mr Salmond too much. He will be missing out on some top insider gossip
He is right though, the election is a foregone conclusion. So the debates, hustings etc forthcoming are all a waste of time (and money)
Praise be to @Apple. I will never hear a word against them, ever again
Just chucked a scruffy rucksack in my washing machine, after getting back from Kent. It went through 90 minutes of washing, then 60 minutes of rinsing & spinning . THEN I realised my Airpods, latest model, £250 or whatever, were in one of the pockets
Britain is now in accelerated decline - gradual for decades, now at risk of sudden collapse.
My stark verdict: unchecked, UK heading for relative poverty - a deindustrialised, sectarian, indebted island with first-rate pretensions & third-rate power.
I thought the Right viewed the 'relative poverty' metric as a load of cobblers.
Not that kind of relative poverty. The kind where you travel abroad and are shocked that the average standard of living is much better.
It's the same concept. Why would that matter so long as absolute living standards here are inching upwards. I mean, a person on median income here would be shocked by a day in the life of a UK billionaire, wouldn't they.
Britain is now in accelerated decline - gradual for decades, now at risk of sudden collapse.
My stark verdict: unchecked, UK heading for relative poverty - a deindustrialised, sectarian, indebted island with first-rate pretensions & third-rate power.
I thought the Right viewed the 'relative poverty' metric as a load of cobblers.
Not that kind of relative poverty. The kind where you travel abroad and are shocked that the average standard of living is much better.
So you can call it poverty when comparing with rich foreigners, but not when comparing with richer people in your own country?
Weird distinction.
You have to compare like with like.
I thought the whole point of being anti-immigration was that foreigners weren't like us.
I think you've been caught in a minor inconsistency my dear old thing.
I’m sure this Judge has considered any potential victims. Nonces are known for their honesty.
‘ Paedophile migrant who failed to disclose child sex offence after coming to UK wins appeal against deportation as judge rules it was 'honest mistake’
This judge should have liability for this person's future crimes. When he commits rape and sexual assaults against children in this country the judge should also be put on trial for this completely ridiculous decision.
Making judges accountable for their stupid rulings is going to be the only way to change things.
The problem is, of course, that you have to be a bit careful when criticising judges due to contempt of court rules.
But how can you not hold them in contempt when they say and do stupid things like this?
It's not as though it's recent either. Tom Denning and David Eady were both pretty dodgy.
There's just a complete lack of accountability for judges. They exist isolation from their decisions and the havoc they can have on the wider community. Obviously this government won't do anything about it but I think both the Tories and Reform should propose something similar to this in their manifestoes on a justice reform section.
Recent Wings pieces on the Holyrood elections are a bit weird in tone. He is clear the SNP are almost certainly going to win big and might even get a majority, and because he thinks they are useless is left essentially saying there's barely any point to the election at all.
Cant help but think Wings is really missing his pal Mr Salmond too much. He will be missing out on some top insider gossip
He is right though, the election is a foregone conclusion. So the debates, hustings etc forthcoming are all a waste of time (and money)
Now now, we might get lucky and have some truly awful candidates who do some ludicrous stuff during the campaign at least.
If Reform popularity can be measured in flags they are top bananas in North Worcestershire.
A brace of flags, one Union and one St George on every lamppost in Redditch. Flags galore on Portway roundabout off the M42, and one for @Taz at least 30 flags on lampposts around Beckett's Island. I lived a quarter of a mile away from 1962 to 1977 and I never saw a flag in all those years. Stopping to salute each of the buggers takes some time.
Quite a few in far east London, and north Kent, and also in Whitstable. Perhaps unsurprising
Britain is now in accelerated decline - gradual for decades, now at risk of sudden collapse.
My stark verdict: unchecked, UK heading for relative poverty - a deindustrialised, sectarian, indebted island with first-rate pretensions & third-rate power.
I thought the Right viewed the 'relative poverty' metric as a load of cobblers.
Not that kind of relative poverty. The kind where you travel abroad and are shocked that the average standard of living is much better.
So you can call it poverty when comparing with rich foreigners, but not when comparing with richer people in your own country?
Weird distinction.
You have to compare like with like.
I thought the whole point of being anti-immigration was that foreigners weren't like us.
I think you've been caught in a minor inconsistency my dear old thing.
He has. He's been Williamed and if he's anything like the man I think he is he will gracefully accept the reversal.
Despite the headline, it's not as bad for Labour as the previous poll (they are +3). Terrible poll for the Conservatives which would see them left with just one AM and the LDs would be wiped out.
Good poll for Reform but they aren't getting anywhere near Government on these numbers - Plaid, however, have options - they can form a majority coalition with either Labour or the Greens.
I’m sure this Judge has considered any potential victims. Nonces are known for their honesty.
‘ Paedophile migrant who failed to disclose child sex offence after coming to UK wins appeal against deportation as judge rules it was 'honest mistake’
This judge should have liability for this person's future crimes. When he commits rape and sexual assaults against children in this country the judge should also be put on trial for this completely ridiculous decision.
Making judges accountable for their stupid rulings is going to be the only way to change things.
If this is as presented, it is a simply astonishing ruling that completely undermines any pretensions of natural justice within the immigration system
Britain is now in accelerated decline - gradual for decades, now at risk of sudden collapse.
My stark verdict: unchecked, UK heading for relative poverty - a deindustrialised, sectarian, indebted island with first-rate pretensions & third-rate power.
I thought the Right viewed the 'relative poverty' metric as a load of cobblers.
Relative poverty is more about equality than measuring how many people are essentially destitute. It feels like shifting the goalposts. If poverty was about not being able to heat your home or choose heat or eat, relative measures can be affected by perverse incentives.
I can't see the article, but I'm inclined to think the Times is overcooking it. We are alongside the French and the Yanks and I doubt we a re "leading" it in the way implied.
Time will tell.
Leading as in ‘you chaps don’t mind being in front, do you?’
Britain is now in accelerated decline - gradual for decades, now at risk of sudden collapse.
My stark verdict: unchecked, UK heading for relative poverty - a deindustrialised, sectarian, indebted island with first-rate pretensions & third-rate power.
I thought the Right viewed the 'relative poverty' metric as a load of cobblers.
Relative poverty is more about equality than measuring how many people are essentially destitute. It feels like shifting the goalposts. If poverty was about not being able to heat your home or choose heat or eat, relative measures can be affected by perverse incentives.
Exactly. So why worry about the UK becoming 'relatively' impoverished?
I’m sure this Judge has considered any potential victims. Nonces are known for their honesty.
‘ Paedophile migrant who failed to disclose child sex offence after coming to UK wins appeal against deportation as judge rules it was 'honest mistake’
This judge should have liability for this person's future crimes. When he commits rape and sexual assaults against children in this country the judge should also be put on trial for this completely ridiculous decision.
Making judges accountable for their stupid rulings is going to be the only way to change things.
The problem is, of course, that you have to be a bit careful when criticising judges due to contempt of court rules.
But how can you not hold them in contempt when they say and do stupid things like this?
It's not as though it's recent either. Tom Denning and David Eady were both pretty dodgy.
There's just a complete lack of accountability for judges. They exist isolation from their decisions and the havoc they can have on the wider community. Obviously this government won't do anything about it but I think both the Tories and Reform should propose something similar to this in their manifestoes on a justice reform section.
If that is the law, and it's considered inequitable or giving perverse outcomes, it's for parliament to change the law.
Praise be to @Apple. I will never hear a word against them, ever again
Just chucked a scruffy rucksack in my washing machine, after getting back from Kent. It went through 90 minutes of washing, then 60 minutes of rinsing & spinning . THEN I realised my Airpods, latest model, £250 or whatever, were in one of the pockets
I abandoned hope - but let them dry.....
They work fine
That is OUTSTANDING build quality
And to prove it’s not n=1 your stalker just posted the exact same thing…
I’m sure this Judge has considered any potential victims. Nonces are known for their honesty.
‘ Paedophile migrant who failed to disclose child sex offence after coming to UK wins appeal against deportation as judge rules it was 'honest mistake’
This judge should have liability for this person's future crimes. When he commits rape and sexual assaults against children in this country the judge should also be put on trial for this completely ridiculous decision.
Making judges accountable for their stupid rulings is going to be the only way to change things.
If this is as presented, it is a simply astonishing ruling that completely undermines any pretensions of natural justice within the immigration system
Britain is now in accelerated decline - gradual for decades, now at risk of sudden collapse.
My stark verdict: unchecked, UK heading for relative poverty - a deindustrialised, sectarian, indebted island with first-rate pretensions & third-rate power.
I thought the Right viewed the 'relative poverty' metric as a load of cobblers.
Relative poverty is more about equality than measuring how many people are essentially destitute. It feels like shifting the goalposts. If poverty was about not being able to heat your home or choose heat or eat, relative measures can be affected by perverse incentives.
Exactly. So why worry about the UK becoming 'relatively' impoverished?
Says a guy with over half a dozen homes that would be caught by the mansion tax in his road.
Praise be to @Apple. I will never hear a word against them, ever again
Just chucked a scruffy rucksack in my washing machine, after getting back from Kent. It went through 90 minutes of washing, then 60 minutes of rinsing & spinning . THEN I realised my Airpods, latest model, £250 or whatever, were in one of the pockets
I abandoned hope - but let them dry.....
They work fine
That is OUTSTANDING build quality
And to prove it’s not n=1 your stalker just posted the exact same thing…
Twice in a day, to two different people. Even fuckin' crazier
I’m sure this Judge has considered any potential victims. Nonces are known for their honesty.
‘ Paedophile migrant who failed to disclose child sex offence after coming to UK wins appeal against deportation as judge rules it was 'honest mistake’
This judge should have liability for this person's future crimes. When he commits rape and sexual assaults against children in this country the judge should also be put on trial for this completely ridiculous decision.
Making judges accountable for their stupid rulings is going to be the only way to change things.
If this is as presented, it is a simply astonishing ruling that completely undermines any pretensions of natural justice within the immigration system
Since when were mistakes a defence under the law?
In certain circumstances I think it can be, when it comes to whether there's required to be intent etc. It's why ostensible geniuses and high powered executives demanading millions in pay suddenly claim to be utter cretins making mistakes who had no idea something was a crime when they did it.
I’m sure this Judge has considered any potential victims. Nonces are known for their honesty.
‘ Paedophile migrant who failed to disclose child sex offence after coming to UK wins appeal against deportation as judge rules it was 'honest mistake’
This judge should have liability for this person's future crimes. When he commits rape and sexual assaults against children in this country the judge should also be put on trial for this completely ridiculous decision.
Making judges accountable for their stupid rulings is going to be the only way to change things.
If this is as presented, it is a simply astonishing ruling that completely undermines any pretensions of natural justice within the immigration system
Britain is now in accelerated decline - gradual for decades, now at risk of sudden collapse.
My stark verdict: unchecked, UK heading for relative poverty - a deindustrialised, sectarian, indebted island with first-rate pretensions & third-rate power.
Wow! And it was all going so well until the Conservatives left office 20 months ago.
Britain is now in accelerated decline - gradual for decades, now at risk of sudden collapse.
My stark verdict: unchecked, UK heading for relative poverty - a deindustrialised, sectarian, indebted island with first-rate pretensions & third-rate power.
I thought the Right viewed the 'relative poverty' metric as a load of cobblers.
Relative poverty is more about equality than measuring how many people are essentially destitute. It feels like shifting the goalposts. If poverty was about not being able to heat your home or choose heat or eat, relative measures can be affected by perverse incentives.
Exactly. So why worry about the UK becoming 'relatively' impoverished?
Because, as @williamglenn notes, it means Britain looks relatively impoverished, more and more, compared to other countries. For the main reason that we ARE
I travel the globe, in case you haven't noticed, and I see this all the time. Britain looking more and more clapped out in comparison to others
HOWEVER, and to be fair, this is true of many western European nations, with exceptions like Denmark, Norway, Switzerland - they look increasingly bedraggled compared to the USA, East Asia, Australia, etc
Much of it is immigration of the most astonishingly stupid variety. It's hard for a country to look rich when you've got illiterate Afghans or Somalians aimlessly wandering the streets with nothing to do because there is literally nothing for them to do - even if they want to work (as of course very many do) they don't have the skills. So they become welfare bums, or just itinerants
I’m sure this Judge has considered any potential victims. Nonces are known for their honesty.
‘ Paedophile migrant who failed to disclose child sex offence after coming to UK wins appeal against deportation as judge rules it was 'honest mistake’
This judge should have liability for this person's future crimes. When he commits rape and sexual assaults against children in this country the judge should also be put on trial for this completely ridiculous decision.
Making judges accountable for their stupid rulings is going to be the only way to change things.
The problem is, of course, that you have to be a bit careful when criticising judges due to contempt of court rules.
But how can you not hold them in contempt when they say and do stupid things like this?
It's not as though it's recent either. Tom Denning and David Eady were both pretty dodgy.
There's just a complete lack of accountability for judges. They exist isolation from their decisions and the havoc they can have on the wider community. Obviously this government won't do anything about it but I think both the Tories and Reform should propose something similar to this in their manifestoes on a justice reform section.
If that is the law, and it's considered inequitable or giving perverse outcomes, it's for parliament to change the law.
Nah, this one isn't Parliaments failing - Failing to disclose you have a conviction for child abuse is not an "honest mistake". That is entirely on the judge as the arbiter of the case. If anyone has a link to the judgement I'd be grateful so I can examine it first hand.
Looking at the Danish exit poll numbers, pretty much what the last polls were showing.
Historically awful results for the Social Democrats and Venstre (the traditional Danish parties who were the leaders of the rival govenring coalition blocks but were together in the outgoing Frederiksen coalition).
Good results for the competing parties of the "left" and "right" with advances for the Socialistiske Folkeparti, Liberal Alliance and Danish People's Party but the main winner of the evening looks to be Lars Lokke Rasmussen of the Moderates who have defied the traditional rule of junior coalition partners taking a pounding at the next elections.
The seat projections have the "Red" Bloc of parties winning 83 seats and the "Blue" bloc winning 78 and the Moderates winning 14 leaving Rasmussen as kingmaker for the next Government.
However,both the prospective coalitions look unstable - they have a range of parties not all of whom play nicely together.
It may be with the Moderates onside some of the more "interesting" elements can be discarded but would Rasmussen work with the Socialistiske Folkeparti or the Danish People's Party?
Britain is now in accelerated decline - gradual for decades, now at risk of sudden collapse.
My stark verdict: unchecked, UK heading for relative poverty - a deindustrialised, sectarian, indebted island with first-rate pretensions & third-rate power.
Wow! And it was all going so well until the Conservatives left office 20 months ago.
The Tories are more to blame for our current state than Labour. They've had more time in office, these last three decades, and they are meant to be the smart capitalists who make amends for mad socialism. I hope the Conservatives DIE
I’m sure this Judge has considered any potential victims. Nonces are known for their honesty.
‘ Paedophile migrant who failed to disclose child sex offence after coming to UK wins appeal against deportation as judge rules it was 'honest mistake’
This judge should have liability for this person's future crimes. When he commits rape and sexual assaults against children in this country the judge should also be put on trial for this completely ridiculous decision.
Making judges accountable for their stupid rulings is going to be the only way to change things.
The problem is, of course, that you have to be a bit careful when criticising judges due to contempt of court rules.
But how can you not hold them in contempt when they say and do stupid things like this?
It's not as though it's recent either. Tom Denning and David Eady were both pretty dodgy.
There's just a complete lack of accountability for judges. They exist isolation from their decisions and the havoc they can have on the wider community. Obviously this government won't do anything about it but I think both the Tories and Reform should propose something similar to this in their manifestoes on a justice reform section.
If that is the law, and it's considered inequitable or giving perverse outcomes, it's for parliament to change the law.
Some years ago, I encountered a situation where some might say the judge was in contempt of *her own court*.
Comments
Will it continue to have much attention? I doubt as much as the Tories want, but it's also not nothing.
Auchinleck (/ˈæflɛk/ AF-lek; Scots: Affleck [ˈaflɛk] )
He may have been wrong as well, of course. He didn’t know him personally and I can imagine lots of English officers would struggle with such names, say ‘Anstruther’ or ‘Kirkcudbright.’
But there’s no reason to feel bad about it.
A silly war, going badly and costing Americans cash, and he still has more people saying he's doing a good job than Starmer, Sunak or Truss ever achieved.
And the UK does have autonomous drones for mine clearing.
Maybe there is an Iranian diaspora in Tyneside?
A concerted effort, especially if not orchestrated by US and Israel is laudable.
It benefits all parties and another sign who have the most respected PM, at least in overseas eyes this milenium
An offensive opening?
A slightly rude opening?
So, yes, a strange sort of triumph, given that the combined unionist vote is likely to be greater than the pro-Indy one.
So, Swinney will go through the motions of demanding a referendum, and Starmer will go through the motions of denying one. Honour satisfied all round and Scotland will continue to drift.
Which is to say, Wings is right, barely any point to the election at all.
No cat, in an ally or otherwise has ever conspired to sell government secrets.
If the fat old paedo can be considered an ally, of course.
December last year...
Royal Navy to Withdraw Mines Countermeasures Force from Gulf
https://www.defenceeye.co.uk/2025/12/05/royal-navy-to-withdraw-mines-countermeasures-force-from-gulf/
When is the government going to get round to publishing the defence spending plan (promised since last summer) ?
I don't disagree about the last couple of decades of defence rundown, but the current government needs now to decide about its own priorities. Something it keeps putting off.
Defence, Parliament refurbishment, social care, it's baby steps or no steps (or backwards steps) if they become even slightly difficult, even if it means more difficult down the line. Our politicians (and voters I guess) are actually remarkably optimistic about coming up with something down the line to solve problems.
https://www.reddit.com/r/europe/comments/4fz6tm/uk_defence_spending_19002015_of_gdp/
That it has apparently gone backwards points to poor spending of the allocated money quite frankly.
It's strategy for re-election is to have improved the NHS, so there's less than no money left for anything else.
I wonder if is another item of Trump windbaggery?
At present the predominant issues are that naval forces in that location are effectively impossible to defend, and that it gives the appearance of hitching the UK wagon to President Chump.
Future us will be richer than present us, and so they will better be able to afford the solutions to knotty problems. It's the same reason that some government borrowing is not harmful.
The catch comes if you have, to take a hypothetical example, a couple of decades where the economy barely grows at all.
Plus also the insult to British soldiers pushing down the score with Tories.
Lead with WHAT.???
One other factor is that a constant % of GDP doesn't go as far as it should because British GDP growth has been poor.
And that's important because a lot of equipment is imported from countries where wage growth has been stronger, and from countries who haven't devalued their currencies continually to remain competitive, and so those military imports are more expensive than they would be if the British economy was stronger.
Effectively it’s impossible in urban areas to do that . This case is a pre-cursor to more that will follow in an attempt to steal future elections.
Wasn’t he nicknamed the Auk rather than the Aff?
I'm not seeing much in the way of capability compared to, say, the British contribution to the Iraq War of 2003.
Britain is putting itself at the helm of efforts to build a multi-national maritime mission to get oil tankers moving again through the key strait once the war is de-escalated.
This could include a Strait of Hormuz summit in London, which would be expected to be attended by countries from the Gulf, Europe and the US, to inject momentum into the plans.
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/trump-iran-war-hormuz-strait-oil-crisis-london-conference-b1276161.html
Time will tell.
Weird distinction.
Polls close 7pm GMT
https://www.dr.dk/drtv/kanal/dr1_20875
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Danish_general_election
https://valgtal.dk/fv26/valgaften
Official results site unresponsive so will post a link if I find a decent one elsewhere.
Thanks,
DC
Making judges accountable for their stupid rulings is going to be the only way to change things.
The Chief of Staff of the UK PM's phone got stolen and nothing was done?
It could be in the bloody Kremlin by now.
Am I going mad?
But how can you not hold them in contempt when they say and do stupid things like this?
It's not as though it's recent either. Tom Denning and David Eady were both pretty dodgy.
He is right though, the election is a foregone conclusion. So the debates, hustings etc forthcoming are all a waste of time (and money)
Just chucked a scruffy rucksack in my washing machine, after getting back from Kent. It went through 90 minutes of washing, then 60 minutes of rinsing & spinning . THEN I realised my Airpods, latest model, £250 or whatever, were in one of the pockets
I abandoned hope - but let them dry.....
They work fine
That is OUTSTANDING build quality
I think you've been caught in a minor inconsistency my dear old thing.
Perhaps I've missed our discussion of the latest Senedd poll:
https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2026-03-24/fm-eluned-morgan-on-course-to-lose-seat-in-senedd-election-itv-wales-poll
Despite the headline, it's not as bad for Labour as the previous poll (they are +3). Terrible poll for the Conservatives which would see them left with just one AM and the LDs would be wiped out.
Good poll for Reform but they aren't getting anywhere near Government on these numbers - Plaid, however, have options - they can form a majority coalition with either Labour or the Greens.
Seems an utterly bizzare ruling.
Nearest one to me, 10 miles away 😂😂😂😂
Apple are COOKING
Some judges make stupid decisions but knee jerk reactions could see an even worse scenario .
noexcuse?I travel the globe, in case you haven't noticed, and I see this all the time. Britain looking more and more clapped out in comparison to others
HOWEVER, and to be fair, this is true of many western European nations, with exceptions like Denmark, Norway, Switzerland - they look increasingly bedraggled compared to the USA, East Asia, Australia, etc
Much of it is immigration of the most astonishingly stupid variety. It's hard for a country to look rich when you've got illiterate Afghans or Somalians aimlessly wandering the streets with nothing to do because there is literally nothing for them to do - even if they want to work (as of course very many do) they don't have the skills. So they become welfare bums, or just itinerants
Looking at the Danish exit poll numbers, pretty much what the last polls were showing.
Historically awful results for the Social Democrats and Venstre (the traditional Danish parties who were the leaders of the rival govenring coalition blocks but were together in the outgoing Frederiksen coalition).
Good results for the competing parties of the "left" and "right" with advances for the Socialistiske Folkeparti, Liberal Alliance and Danish People's Party but the main winner of the evening looks to be Lars Lokke Rasmussen of the Moderates who have defied the traditional rule of junior coalition partners taking a pounding at the next elections.
The seat projections have the "Red" Bloc of parties winning 83 seats and the "Blue" bloc winning 78 and the Moderates winning 14 leaving Rasmussen as kingmaker for the next Government.
However,both the prospective coalitions look unstable - they have a range of parties not all of whom play nicely together.
It may be with the Moderates onside some of the more "interesting" elements can be discarded but would Rasmussen work with the Socialistiske Folkeparti or the Danish People's Party?
Funky, yes?